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The foremost Statesec mech, an untouched Shadowhawk, crunches aside the last trees in their way and spits a stream of 5 missiles from its launcher, preparing to line up the more dangerous autocannon in its shoulder.
And then stops.
The already-launched missiles pockmark the ground around her shattered Deva, consistent with a dropped lock.
Surrender. They think an outnumbered, disarmed pilot will surrender. A traitor to the empire, surrendering to the knives of Internal Affairs willingly. As if. She still has a blade, a mech, and can move.
She just needs to get a little closer.
One step. Weapons Lock warnings add to the clamor.
Two steps. Her target levels its weapon.
Three–
A black blur drops from the sky, left arm stabbing a bulky weapon into the back of the Shadowhawk. A crunch echoes out.
She freezes.
There is a second of silence. No lasers, no explosions, no movement.
The intruder is…bulkier than Beta’s frame. Shorter. Stockier. A pair of fat tubes extend from one shoulder, matched by a boxy missile rack on the other. Human-like hand actuators top each arm, one gripping a rifle-like weapon in a mimicry of infantry soldiers. The other is empty, but a long triangular prism is mounted on it, limiting what the hand could actually reach.
A myriad set of sensors glitter from the head, across almost a visor.
The left arm pulls back, yanking the spike from its victim.
The StateSec mech slowly topples, falling, reactor offline. The intruder takes to the air again, pushing into the sky.
Lasers flash, the remaining three lancemembers changing targets to the clear and present threat.
Her own sensors track the pinpoint bursts of the intruder. Exact thruster movements to throw off shots and minimize damage impacts.
No human operates just like that.
…..Gamma?
Maybe. But regardless, this is her chance to get away.
A step.
Another.
Another.
Another.
Running now, past the shutdown mech, away from the pursuers. If the intruder is running a distraction, her job is to escape.
