From Cannon Fodder to Star Conqueror

While the Star Dragon Empire's 8th Expeditionary Strike Group launched a dominant offensive in space, Amber and his team approached the core communications room at Yasin Base.

Amber checked the time displayed on his HUD—15:44. According to the "script," the Imperial fleet should have already begun its assault. News of the attack on the defense fleet would likely reach the surface soon.

Amber could clearly see the anxiety on Margaret's face and the other Imperial spy who had joined them. If the ground-based Federal forces responded too quickly, their surprise attack would be compromised.

The core communications room was located at the very center of the facility. To access it, they had to pass through a 30-meter-long corridor with no cover. Two mechanized infantry soldiers guarded the door at the end of the hall.

Amber didn't dare peek to assess the guards' configuration, but he was sure they weren't standard troops. Guards stationed here were bound to be heavily equipped.

Based on experience, Amber suspected the guards wore heavy exoskeleton suits—or rather, powered armor.

In this world, exoskeletons and powered armor shared a core framework—a scalable skeletal structure. Add silicon carbide armor plates and mount railguns, automatic shotguns, or grenade launchers, and you had a standard medium exoskeleton.

Upgrade the power source with gas turbines and battery packs, cover it in fully enclosed armor, and equip shoulder-mounted weapon racks and jetpacks, and it became heavy powered armor.

Amber always thought this process resembled assembling custom computers—low-budget builds offered versatility, while high-end configurations delivered superior performance.

Based on Amber's extensive experience dealing with Federal troops in Starfield, he guessed the two guards used defensive-type powered armor.

These suits likely had heavy armor plating, gas turbines, and external power cables to sustain their sensors and cooling systems.

Their weapons were probably automatic shotguns paired with chain guns, and perhaps a small railgun mounted on the shoulders—optimized for short-, mid-, and long-range combat with overwhelming firepower.

The railguns, capable of firing tungsten rods, could shred even other powered armor units, serving as modern-day "can openers."

A frontal assault was clearly out of the question. Amber and his team needed a smarter strategy to neutralize these two armored sentries.

Amber quickly devised a plan.

The other Imperial spy, disguised as a technical sergeant, couldn't acquire anti-armor weapons but had stockpiled tactical tools during his infiltration.

As the only team member capable of direct combat, Amber assumed temporary command. He ordered the disguised sergeant to head to a nearby power distribution room with an electrical disruptor.

The disruptor would trigger a power surge, knocking out lighting, disabling protective circuits, and forcing the guards' armor to switch from external power to internal turbines and batteries.

The disguised sergeant worked quickly, eager not to delay the Empire's operations. Amber didn't have to wait long before the attack window opened.

With a sharp click, the building's lights went out.

Backup power activated immediately but overloaded within two seconds, plunging the corridor into darkness.

The two powered armor suits booted up instantly.

One of the soldiers disconnected his external power cables, and a female voice in his helmet confirmed the switch to internal power.

The soldier felt the turbines at his back hum to life as the suit's optical systems shifted to low-light night vision.

A grainy, color-corrected image appeared on his HUD—just in time for a grenade warning alert.

A black cylindrical object flew toward him along a calculated trajectory.

"Damn! A straight 30-meter throw down the corridor—how is that possible?!"

The soldier barely had time to realize it was a flashbang before it detonated.

The flashbang, modified by the technical sergeant, emitted blinding light far beyond standard specifications.

The powered armor's internal screens blacked out to protect sensitive components.

[WARNING! Light overload detected. Low-light vision temporarily disabled.]

[Rebooting... Please wait.]

Despite the HUD alerts, the soldier's vibration sensors picked up rapid footsteps approaching.

The system identified the target as lightly-armored infantry.

"A light soldier? Charging straight at powered armor?!"

The soldier dismissed the absurdity and reacted instantly.

Without alerting his partner or switching to thermal vision, he aimed his automatic shotgun roughly at the vibrations and fired five consecutive blasts.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Steel pellets tore through the corridor in a devastating barrage.

When the low-light vision rebooted, the soldier expected to see a shredded corpse.

Instead, his HUD revealed empty walls riddled with bullet holes.

Before he could process this, the vibration sensors triggered another warning—this time from behind.

(Chapter End)