Chapter 9: Agartha Base (3)
The drones were deployed in synchronized batches, each operating as precision-based emergency weapons for aerial and long-range combat.
Inside the ship, the operators manned specialized cabins designed for direct drone control, insulated from external distractions but leaving them vulnerable to any close-quarters attacks.
Ahcehera's sharp gaze remained fixed on the monitoring system in the operations room. She analyzed the incoming data, her mind racing with strategies.
Beyond the cabin doors, four close-combat officers stood at attention, their eyes scanning for any potential threats.
"Launch an attack," Ahcehera commanded, her tone calm yet firm, cutting through the tension in the air.
Without hesitation, the drones sprang into action, their engines humming as they soared toward the enemy warship.
Ahcehera's hands moved swiftly across the console, issuing a classified distress signal directly to the Agartha Central Military Base.
The signal, uniquely encoded for royal family members and bearing her high-ranking military strategist clearance, carried the weight of urgency and authority.
"Control the fire and focus on destroying their engines," she added with measured precision, her voice unwavering.
Outside the starship, the night sky erupted into chaos. Drones unleashed their payloads, sending cascades of explosions rippling across the void.
Bright flashes lit the darkness as enemy engines sparked and sputtered, crippled by the precision strikes.
Inside the control room, the atmosphere was tense but electric.
Each officer present felt the magnitude of the situation, knowing that the princess leading the operation wasn't just royalty, but the galaxy's most formidable military strategist.
Ahcehera's gaze remained fixed on the live feed, her sharp mind calculating the next move. This was her domain, strategy, precision, and control, and she intended to win.
The enemy was relentless, determined to block their passage to the wormhole at all costs. Explosions rocked the starship, rattling the crew.
"Princess," an officer reported urgently, "one of our engines is badly damaged. The imbalance will throw us off course. If the attacks persist, we may veer into an unknown route."
Ahcehera's sharp eyes darted toward the wormhole on the display screen. She calculated the time and distance needed to reach it. Every second mattered.
"Calculate the exact distance to the wormhole," she ordered crisply. She wanted to be sure that the pilots could see the same vision as hers.
The data came in moments later. Without hesitation, Ahcehera gave her next command.
"Prepare fifteen elite warriors skilled in mecha combat. Include three snipers in the team."
The urgency of her tone spurred immediate action. Within minutes, the chosen soldiers were assembled and ready for deployment.
"Princess, the fighters are in position," an officer confirmed.
"Good. Prepare for war," she declared with icy determination.
Ahcehera stepped into her own sleek, war mecha. The cockpit hummed to life as the controls synced with her neural interface.
The chosen soldiers followed suit, their mechas gleaming in the dim light of the hangar.
She addressed them through the comms, her voice steady and authoritative. "Listen carefully to my commands at all times. I want this to be a zero-casualty operation. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Princess!" the soldiers responded in unison, their resolve solidified by her leadership.
Ahcehera turned her attention to the starship crew. "As soon as we engage the enemy, I want this ship moving at maximum speed. Even with one damaged engine, you must reach the wormhole. Push the remaining engines to their limits."
She paused, her eyes fixed on the opening doors of the hangar, where the vastness of space awaited. "Do not worry about us," she added, her voice softer but no less resolute. "We will return intact."
With that, the massive hangar doors opened, revealing the chaos of the battlefield.
Enemy fire streaked across the void, while Ahcehera and her team's mechas surged forward, a wall of steel and strategy ready to ensure the ship's survival.
The battle erupted in full force, the void of space illuminated by the dazzling streaks of laser fire and bursts of explosions.
The starship surged ahead, its remaining engines straining to propel it toward the wormhole at maximum speed.
Ahcehera's voice echoed over the comms, sharp but full of hope. She directed her team with precision, positioning the snipers first.
"S1, S2, S3—ready explosives. Target the warship's structural weak points. No mistakes."
"S4, S5, S6—you're with me. Engage directly and draw fire."
"S7, S8—cover our positions and suppress any advancing units."
"S9 through S12—ensure no stray fire damages the starship. Take control of the field and redirect incoming blasts."
"S13, S14, S15—stay focused. Protect each other while you snipe. I want clean, powerful shots."
Her commands were met with resolute affirmations. The soldiers moved with synchronized precision, deploying to their positions and engaging the enemy with everything they had.
The battle raged. Bullets, lasers, and missiles swarmed the battlefield like a deadly storm.
Explosives detonated against the enemy warship's hull, sending fragments hurtling into the void.
Every move the team made was calculated under Ahcehera's orders, and their coordination created a devastating assault that left the warship staggering.
Despite the overwhelming firepower directed at them, Ahcehera's team remained untouched.
Her ability to predict and counter the enemy's movements was uncanny, each command perfectly timed.
"Direct hit to the engines!" one of the soldiers reported.
"The warship is losing mobility!"
As the starship neared the wormhole, Ahcehera's voice cut through the chaos. "Prepare for retreat! Ensure the ship's escape at all costs!"
The enemy fixated on retaliating against Ahcehera's relentless assault, failed to notice the starship slipping through the wormhole.
By the time they realized, it was too late, the starship had successfully escaped.
"Return to the ship! Three minutes! Go!" Ahcehera ordered, her tone as steady as ever.
One by one, her team disengaged and began retreating to the starship. Ahcehera held her ground, covering their escape.
Once they were far enough away, she reached into Cresencia and redeemed a powerful laser weapon, an artifact of unmatched destructive power.
With unerring aim, she fired at the enemy warship's control room. The concentrated blast tore through its defenses, detonating the core systems.
The warship shuddered violently as explosions rippled across its structure.
Confident in the damage she had inflicted, Ahcehera turned and raced toward the starship. The wormhole loomed closer, its swirling energy a beacon of salvation.
Her mecha moved with unmatched speed, dodging the remnants of enemy fire. As the starship began to enter the wormhole, she pushed her mecha's engines to their limit, reaching the docking bay just as the ship was about to disappear into the rift.
The wormhole enveloped them, and with a final burst of light, they were gone.