Iron Empire

Sixty-Nine: Powerless

The Firmament was built to function at a high altitude, but that didn't necessarily mean that its inhabitants were.

The massive tower was well above the height that command capsules could safely travel, as the winds were so strong that they would be blown off course.

The second issue was the fact that the entire upper dome of the ship was swarming with Zephyrus.

Having breached the glass dome that took up most of the tower's roof, the winged mechs were using the remainder of the surface as a staging ground, gathering up top before descending into the tower to wreak havoc. With the dome gone, the surface area of the Firmament's highest point was about the same as an interior level—a large, circular platform with a gaping hole in its centre.

Alyx, Draco and I stood in an emergency airlock on the top level of the Firmament, staring across the open surface of the tower.

In its past life as a launch platform, the Firmament's upper deck had been where satellite and weather systems were located. Now it was a battlefield.

Alliance dropships swarmed the skies, uncamouflaged and deploying as many mechs as possible. Zephyrus flew through the air, firing on anything that moved. Mechs, dropships, even personnel were targets. There was no strategy here, only slaughter.

Our remaining mechs, to their credit, did all they could, dropping onto unoccupied sections of the roof and sweeping through the enemy. I saw several Barricades, a few Valkyries, and even a Sentinel.

"I'm going to kill that traitor Oakley," Fisk hissed.

"I think you've done enough of that," Alyx snapped.

I glanced at the airlock door.

"Get ready to run," I stated. "We can make it." I tapped my earpiece. "Lucas, we're ready for pickup!"

"Roger that," Lucas replied, "we're sending a distraction your way momentarily!"

With the press of a button, the airlock depressurized and my ears popped. The door slid open.

Run.

Something to my left exploded, showering my face with burning metal.

Run.
Draco on my right, Alyx on my left.

Run.

A Barricade thundered by with all the grace of a passing freight train, footsteps shaking the roof.

Run.

A Zephyrus screamed by overhead, firing rockets indiscriminately.

Run.

I could see a dropship swoop by overhead, and though I couldn't know for sure, something told me that it Dan, Lucas and Kedrick were aboard.

Run.

We were in the middle of the deck now, feet pounding against metal.

Run.

"I'm triggering the failsafe!" Martin cried. I could still hear his shouts over the comms despite the chaos around me. "The core is being lowered into the ocean!"

If anyone could save us, it was Martin. For one moment I felt hope, a beautiful, terrible bolt of hope that, for just one moment, told me everything would be alright.

Then that moment ended.

My comms cut out in a burst of static, causing me to stumble. A powerful roar from far below shook the ground, tossing me to the deck. Draco tripped over his own feet, Alyx catching his arm to prevent him from falling.