Chapter 35: The Signal in the Chaos
The faint skittering in the distance snapped him back to the immediate danger. Ace couldn't afford distractions—not here, not now. He shoved the thought aside and focused on the task at hand. The swarm would be back any second, and his mecha's systems were teetering on the brink of failure. The signal's source would have to wait.
"One problem at a time," he muttered, activating the emergency coolant system to stabilize his overheating weapons.
At Base Beta, the situation was no less dire. Captain and the team stood huddled around Techie's console as the cryptic message repeated through their BIOs.
"We are not your enemies."
"Source?" Captain asked, her voice sharp but controlled.
Techie's fingers danced over the keys. "It's coming from the north. About two clicks beyond Base Alpha. The signal's clean, too—no swarm interference. Whatever this is, it's deliberate."
Wolfe glanced toward the horizon, his expression skeptical. "Deliberate doesn't mean friendly."
Shadow adjusted her daggers, her movements fluid despite her exhaustion. "Do we even have the luxury to care? If there's a chance they're legit, we need all the help we can get."
Captain's gaze hardened. "Agreed. But we're not committing until we know more. Techie, keep that signal on lock. If they're genuine, they'll make contact again."
Another tremor shook the ground, and Techie's console lit up with an incoming swarm warning.
"West wave ETA: twenty-one minutes," Techie announced, his voice taut.
Captain's fists clenched. "Then we clean up the current swarm and prepare for hell. If they're going to help, they better show up fast."
At Base Alpha, Ace's situation grew increasingly desperate. The swarm had regrouped, and their assault was fiercer than ever. His blade flashed through the horde, cutting down anything that got too close, but his movements were slower now, each strike taking more effort than the last.
The signal chimed again. This time, the message was different:
"North approach. Assistance en route."
Ace's breath hitched. His mind raced through the possibilities. Could this be a trap? A ploy by the Architects to test his resolve? Or was it genuine? A flicker of hope tried to take root, but he shoved it down. Hope was dangerous here.
"If you're out there," he muttered, swinging his blade in a wide arc to clear space, "you better prove it."
A sudden burst of light from the northern horizon caught his attention. His mecha's sensors flared, picking up multiple incoming signatures. Not swarm. Not human.
Base Beta's defenders were running on fumes. Shadow darted between the massive swarm creatures, her daggers moving in a blur as Wolfe provided covering fire. Captain coordinated the defense with brutal efficiency, but even she was showing signs of wear.
"We're stretched too thin!" Wolfe shouted, blasting a charging beast to pieces. "We can't keep this up!"
Before Captain could respond, Techie's console beeped frantically. His eyes widened.
"Captain! North side—we've got unknowns moving fast! Non-hostile signatures, closing in on Base Alpha!"
Captain froze for a split second. "Non-hostile?"
Techie nodded. "No swarm markers. BIO translation suggests... they're the source of the signal."
Wolfe's rifle snapped up instinctively. "We're putting our faith in strangers now?"
"We don't have a choice," Captain replied. She glanced at Techie. "Send a message: 'Prove your intentions. Base Beta needs immediate support.'"
Ace's HUD lit up as the unknowns finally came into view. Sleek, angular machines—not entirely unlike his own mecha—raced across the battlefield. Their movements were precise, efficient, and deadly as they tore into the swarm with advanced weaponry.
One of the machines came to a halt near Ace, its form towering yet strangely familiar. A voice crackled through his comms, distorted but clear enough to understand:
"Hold position. We assist."
Ace's grip tightened on his controls. Every instinct screamed caution, but for now, the swarm was thinning, and he was still standing. That was more than he'd dared to hope for minutes ago.
"If you're here to help, don't make me regret it," he replied.
The alien machine didn't respond, instead moving with mechanical grace to intercept another wave. Its weapons unleashed a torrent of firepower, cutting down the advancing swarm with unnerving precision.
At Base Beta, the team's exhaustion turned to guarded hope as the northern horizon lit up. The same sleek machines that had appeared at Base Alpha now surged toward Beta, their firepower carving through the western swarm with ruthless efficiency.
"They're… actually helping," Shadow said, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Wolfe lowered his rifle slightly, his expression conflicted. "Or they're biding their time."
Captain didn't lower her weapon. "Stay alert. If they're for real, this might be the break we need. If they're not… we'll deal with it."
The alien machines formed a defensive line, their coordinated tactics seamlessly complementing the team's efforts. For the first time in what felt like hours, the tide of the battle shifted.
A message appeared on the BIOs of every human fighter:
"We are survivors, like you. Together, we can end this."
Captain exchanged a look with Techie, then Wolfe and Shadow. The words resonated, but trust wouldn't come easy.
"Keep fighting," Captain ordered. "We'll figure this out later."
The battle raged on, but now, for the first time, humanity and alien kind fought side by side—a fragile alliance forged in the crucible of survival.
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