***
Treading across the snow-draped streets, a man moved hastily between the cold, abandoned buildings of the derelict city, completely unaware he was being stalked to his destination. He pushed forward against the biting wind, slipping into a dilapidated office building, his footsteps echoing faintly in the hollowed-out lobby as he anxiously awaited his contact.
Far above, lying prone on the upper floors of a towering skyscraper, I steadied my breathing, my anti-material sniper rifle cradled in my arms. Through the advanced scope, I observed the man below and the surrounding ruins, my crosshairs scanning the dark recesses for any unwelcome surprises.
"Thermite-3." Jason's voice crackled in my helmet's comm. "What's the situation inside? I'm having trouble finding another entry point."
"He's just standing there. Waiting for someone by the looks of it, Thermite-1." I replied, shifting my scope slightly before spotting a potential entrance for Jason. "Head to the south wall. There's a narrow opening covered by debris—you might be able to squeeze through."
I watched as Jason moved with practiced silence, slipping through the crack in the building and vanishing from sight.
"Thanks. Anything on the sensors, Thermite-2?"
"Nothing yet." Nicole's voice filtered in through the radio. She was back on the ship, monitoring the city through the stealth drones weaving invisibly through the falling snow. A beat of silence. "Hang on. One target, rapidly approaching. You should see him any second, Thermite-3."
I widened my scope, adjusting my vision to scan for movement.
"It's a Knight," I warned. "Standard model. No major modifications beyond sprint coils on the legs. Be mindful of thermal and motion sensors, Thermite-1."
"Go radio silent," Jason ordered in a hushed voice. "Be ready to distract and engage on my command. Thermite Squad, standby."
"Copy," Nicole and I answered in unison. A thick silence settled.
Beside me, Andromeda—the towering metal mech I piloted—shifted slightly, its twin sound satellites humming softly as I issued a command. "Andy, aim the sound satellites at the target and his contact. Let's eavesdrop."
Andromeda's metal arms adjusted, recalibrating the satellite dishes until the voices of the meeting parties filtered into my helmet.
"—About time." The voice was rough, irritated—the spy. "Do you have any idea how cold a planet on the outer ring of a sun is for a human?"
A loud clank rang through the satellite feed. The chest hatch of the Knight popped open, and an older-generation AKP dropped down, landing before the spy in a controlled descent. My scope locked onto him immediately. He was from the ninth—no, maybe even the seventh—generation of AKPs. Unlike me, his entire outer body was fully robotic. Where I still held remnants of human form, he was pure machine, his metal plating gleaming under the dim light.
His voice was cold, blunt. "Hand over the intel, then scram if you're going to whine about it, human."
The spy groaned but complied, pulling a small data stick from his pocket. "This is strategic data of the Noblesse Oblige Legion's attack formation. They're planning an invasion on Greyrot Quadrant's Fourth Sector. This needs to get to one of the generals—fast. Without it, the front lines will get crushed."
The AKP snatched the stick with a sharp movement, examining it. "Which legion?"
"All of them." The spy's voice dropped lower, almost conspiratorial. "I stole a copy from the Fasmeri Ducal House's young lord while he was distracted. The Empire's Knight battalions are coordinating with them. If we don't counter this, Freiheit won't hold until reinforcements arrive."
A pause. Then, the spy continued, "I couldn't remove the protective virus, so net transfer is impossible unless you want all your electronics fried. You'll need frequency lifters to get it across securely."
The AKP's posture stiffened. "But you managed to unlock it?"
"Had to. The kid had no idea what he was carrying. He was sent in place of his sick father to the tactical meetings between the Ten Houses. Every lord present received a copy of this. His and the Genttem Lordess' were the only ones I could grab."
The AKP's hand drifted toward his holster, suspicion creeping into his movements.
"Get moving," the spy urged. "Stop wasting time. If you don't deliver this now, Freiheit won't stand a chance when the Empire's combined forces breach the Sixth Sector!"
I watched closely as the AKP scrutinized both the spy and the data stick. His hesitation was justified—if this intel was as critical as the spy claimed, it was almost absurd how easily he had acquired it. No safeguards? No one noticing it was missing? The whole thing reeked of a setup.
And I wasn't the only one thinking that.
"Andy," I murmured toward the mech looming beside me, "that intel has to be fake. Otherwise, why aren't we recovering it? Why is our mission just to eliminate any commanders who get their hands on it?"
A mechanical hum in my headset signalled Andromeda's agreement.
Below, the AKP finally made his decision. "Fine. Get back before the humans figure out what you've been up to."
The spy didn't need to be told twice. He bolted from the building, sprinting frantically through the snow, clearly relieved to still be breathing. Meanwhile, the AKP climbed back into his Knight, sealing the cockpit before bounding down the ruined road.
Jason's voice came through the comms again. "Radios on. Thermite-2, do your drones have a lock on his ship?"
"Not yet. I've got one tracking the Knight now. Once it attaches to his ship, we'll have him."
"Alright. What about the spy?"
"Leave him."
Jason's voice sharpened. "Thermite-3, swing by for pickup. South side, same way I came in."
"Copy, Thermite-1."
I folded the sniper rifle in half, compressing it into a sleek, suitcase-sized form, and secured it.
"Be careful, Thermite-2," I warned. "That AKP is from an older generation. If he's got auto-Knights watching his back, we'll be in for a fight."
Andromeda retracted the sound satellites, realigning his systems. Then, with a smooth, mechanical motion, he extended an arm toward me. I grabbed hold, climbing into the cockpit nestled within his chest. Once locked in and the cables stabbed into my arms and nape, I engaged the thrusters.
With a low hum, Andromeda leapt from the ruined skyscraper, his jets firing just before we hit the ground. The impact sent a shudder through my frame as his clawed metal feet slammed into the pavement, kicking up ice and stone.
Then, we ran.
Andromeda's heavy, metallic strides tore through the frozen roads as we barreled toward the rendezvous point. The weight of his steps cracked pavement beneath us, the night swallowing the sound as we sprinted through the skeletal remains of the city.
Up ahead, Jason emerged from the building, and Andromeda reached out, closing his massive hand around him, securing him safely against his chest.
[Prepare yourself, Sergeant Jason.] Andromeda's voice rumbled through the comms.
Charging his body with a surge of turquoise light, Andromeda responded seamlessly to my control, igniting his thrusters as he blazed through the ruins of the city. The flames beneath his metal feet and along his back formed a set of burning skates, sending him gliding across the cracked streets at blistering speeds. Snow and debris swirled in his wake as we raced toward our concealed ship, hidden within the collapsed remains of a building. Overhead, Nicole's drones whirred as they flew into the ship, their mission complete.
The moment we arrived, Jason leapt from Andromeda's hand, sprinting inside without hesitation. I followed right behind him, pressing Andromeda's card-form against my palm. The towering mech instantly compressed, folding down into a sleek, metallic card that I slid onto my combat belt.
Jason had already taken his seat in the cockpit by the time I sealed the ship's side door. As soon as his hands gripped the controls, the engines roared to life, filling the cabin with electric hums as the ship prepared for take-off.
"How's it looking, Nicole?" Jason asked, his voice calm but urgent.
Nicole emerged from a hidden compartment at the back of the ship, dusting herself off. "Trackers in place." She stretched her arms before flashing me a smug look. "And you were right about the auto-Knights, Firefly. They had a few watching over the Knight's escape route, but their scanners were child's play to bypass. Now we just need to tail them to their outpost and clean house from there."
"Which we'll be doing a few more times once the intel is spread as planned," I added, moving toward the cockpit as I glanced through the forward window. A distant insurgent ship broke through the planet's atmosphere, its thrusters burning a fiery red against the backdrop of snow and steel.
"Let's not waste time."
"My thoughts exactly," Nicole said, her voice laced with excitement.
Jason exhaled, shaking his head. "Try not to send us flying into a wall this time."
The ship jolted forward as the engines surged, shooting us out of the ruined building like a bullet. We ascended rapidly, piercing through the thick snow clouds before breaking free into the black expanse of space.
Three days passed as we followed the tracking beacon Nicole's drone had placed, chasing the insurgents from one solar system to the next. Finally, we arrived in the Greyrot Quadrant's Third Sector—a desolate planet of endless storms and jagged stone ridges.
Now, crouched atop one of those ridges, Jason, Nicole, and I peered down at the insurgents' hidden outpost nestled beneath a massive cliff.
The steel inhabitants patrolling the compound were monstrous in design—glowing red eyes burned beneath hardened frames of reinforced metal, their bodies moulded into bestial shapes that mimicked wolves. They moved with unsettling grace, their claws scraping against the ground as they scanned their surroundings for intruders. Yet the most disturbing aspect of their design was their skull-like heads—eerily human despite the raw mechanical structure of their bodies.
Jason tapped our shoulders, drawing our attention. He pointed toward a fortified structure deep within the cave. "There's the commander. Once we take him out, we track where the leaked data has been transmitted and dismantle the insurgents from within."
I focused my gaze on the building, soon spotting the droid Jason was referring to. It was bulkier than the rest, its armour plating thicker and its frame lined with reinforced plating. This one was built to withstand punishment.
"Any plans to blow the place up, Jason?" Nicole asked casually, still trying to pinpoint the commander with her scope.
Jason studied the base with a contemplative expression. "We'll disable their alert system first with a jammer drone. That'll prevent any nearby guard bases from reinforcing them. Once that's done, Firefly and Andromeda can charge in and burn everything to the ground."
I raised a brow. "Won't that make retrieving the communications records difficult?"
"Just don't torch the relay and command centre," Jason replied, giving me a pointed look. "I want to see what your Constellation Knight is capable of in a large-scale battle. If we have to push deeper into enemy territory—maybe even all the way to the Thirteenth Sector—I need to know exactly what you and Andromeda can handle. Otherwise, I can't guarantee we'll be prepared for every scenario."
I nodded in understanding. Despite having seen Andromeda fight before, Jason had yet to witness the full extent of his capabilities. This was a test.
"Radio dish is blocked. All signals are jammed," Nicole announced, lying back against the rocks as she lazily played on her D.S.I. "You can go tear the place apart now, Firefly."
Rising from my position, I dusted the snow from my coat and began descending the rocky slope. "I'll have this wrapped up in a few minutes."
As I walked, I reached for the card attached to my belt, flicking it into the air. In an instant, it expanded, twisting and unfolding into the towering form of Andromeda. The ground trembled as he landed beside me, slamming a fist against the earth.
"How do you want to do this, Andy?" I asked, rolling my shoulders.
Andromeda's back shifted, the metal plating unfolding to reveal a long, rigid emerald blade. As he grasped the hilt, his voice resonated through our shared comms.
[Focus fire on infantry units and anti-tank weaponry, pilot. I will ensure all heavy armour is destroyed. We will regroup at the relay and command centre once the base is secured.]
"Affirm."
Slinging my submachine gun from my back, I activated the boost-pack on my waist, breaking into a rapid sprint. As soon as I reached the outpost's entrance, I vaulted over the gates, landing in a crouch before opening fire. Armor-piercing rounds whizzed through the air, puncturing the mechanical bodies of the insurgent droids. Their red eyes flickered erratically as they crumpled, the first few falling before the rest of the base could even process the attack.
Then the alarm blared.
Metallic howls filled the cavern as dozens of wolf-like droids turned toward me, their movements a blur of shifting steel and grinding gears.
Andromeda didn't wait.
The towering mech tore through the gates as if they were paper, his emerald sword cleaving through buildings and machines alike. His massive frame ignited with a furious blaze, torrents of fire spewing from his core as he unleashed hell upon the outpost.
Flames roared down the metal roads, incinerating everything in his path. The droids attempted to regroup, their weapons locking onto him, but Andromeda crushed them underfoot, his sheer momentum shattering their armoured bodies into scrap.
I didn't slow either. Moving through the chaos, I weaved between cover, unloading round after round into the advancing insurgents. Every well-placed shot sent sparks flying as I gunned them down one by one.
Andromeda's rampage continued. He ripped through the battlefield like a star-born titan, his blade carving through steel with each devastating swing. A single slash sent a crumbling tower of metal crashing onto the enemy forces, crushing them beneath the weight of their own base.
Explosions erupted in the distance as fuel reserves ignited, adding to the destruction.
The insurgents had no chance.
And we were only getting started.
***
Watching from afar, the battlefield was a vision of sheer devastation. A force of nature—that was the only way to describe it.
Andromeda was a maelstrom of emerald blades and unrestrained fire. The platinum giant tore through concrete structures as if they were made of paper, its frame barely scratched by the weak resistance of light arms fire. Every step ignited fresh infernos, oil-fed flames devouring machines and metal alike. The heat warped steel, turning buildings into crumbling husks as the firestorm spread, each explosion a crescendo in the symphony of destruction.
And alongside that relentless force, a blur of speed and precision cut through the battlefield. Firefly moved like a phantom, her submachine gun spitting bursts of heavy-calibre rounds that tore through enemy droids with brutal efficiency. Each shot was precise—calculated. Not a single round wasted. She weaved through the chaos, seizing one of the enemy's own rocket launchers and hoisting it onto her shoulder. A moment later, a thunderous blast tore through the air as the insurgents' own ship was obliterated in a wave of fire and twisted metal.
Nicole let out a low whistle, her eyes reflecting the flames below. "I thought the General was destructive, but her? She's on a whole other level."
Before I could respond, another explosion rocked the cliffside as the antenna collapsed, crashing onto the satellite dish in a cloud of smoke and shattered debris.
"She's definitely good," I muttered, watching as the flames licked hungrily at the ruins. "Better than I predicted, actually. It's almost like she was born to fight."
Nicole shot me a knowing look. "She literally was. Just imagine what she'd be capable of if she had multiple Knights under her control like the other AKPs."
The thought was unsettling.
As if to challenge her supremacy, five hulking figures descended upon Andromeda.
Five Knights.
Controlled by the rogue AKP we had been hunting.
The towering suits of armour moved in unison, their massive war hammers swinging with earth-shaking force, but Andromeda was too fast. Thrusters flared along his back and feet, propelling him between attacks with graceful, effortless precision. The first enemy Knight barely had time to react before Andromeda's emerald blade impaled it straight through the chest, driving it backward until it was skewered onto the spire of the ruined antenna.
The second Knight lunged, only to be met with a savage counter. Andromeda's foot thruster ignited mid-kick, burning straight through its sternum, liquefying metal as it tore through its core.
Down to three, the rogue AKP hesitated—then made the call. The remaining Knights scattered, attempting to reposition.
A fatal mistake.
Two were caught instantly, their massive frames ensnared as they stumbled over thick wires Firefly had stealthily set up in advance. The last barely managed to turn before Andromeda's blade found its mark, piercing through steel and circuitry like paper.
Only two remained.
Nicole exhaled through her nose, arms crossed. "It's like watching an adult fight a group of children."
I remained silent. There was no enthusiasm in her voice. No excitement. Just observation.
And that was the reality of it. The difference in power was insurmountable. Even a squad of standard Knights was no match for a Constellation Knight—not when piloted by someone of Firefly's calibre. If this rogue AKP was mediocre, then Andromeda could likely handle thirty of them without sustaining so much as a scratch. And if Firefly had been piloting directly? This fight wouldn't have lasted this long.
The last two Knights moved in desperation, but it was already over.
Andromeda slammed one into the other, crushing both under his staggering weight. The immense heat from his frame melted their armour, fusing them together in a molten wreck. Sparks flew as their limbs twitched, barely functional. Then, amidst the hissing steam and crumbling wreckage, one Knight lifted its trembling arm.
"Please, spare me!" the voice inside pleaded. "I'll... I'll become your prisoner! I'll tell you everything—just spare me!"
Andromeda lowered his blade slightly, turning his head toward the ruins of the bot recharging centre.
Only half the building remained. Standing atop the jagged wreckage, silhouetted by fire and embers, was Firefly. In her grasp, held casually like a discarded trophy, was the steel skull of the insurgent commander.
[Your directives, pilot,] Andromeda rumbled, his voice unshaken by the dying Knight's pleas.
Through the crackling flames, Firefly exhaled. "We just need the commander's locations. Not him."
[Affirmative.]
Without hesitation, Andromeda raised his emerald sword and brought it down in a single, decisive slash.
The blade burned through both cockpits, molten metal hissing as it carved clean through. Andromeda dragged the jagged edge from the stone, letting the charred wreckage collapse in on itself.
Nicole stretched, already losing interest. "Well, that's that."
I sighed, pulling her up to her feet. I knew her well enough—if I didn't, she'd stay lounging around on the rocks all day. "Let's get you down there."
She dusted herself off. "That fire's going to make it painful to breathe."
I glanced back at the inferno below, at the smouldering ruins of the insurgent base. She wasn't wrong.
But that was the price of war.