The decoy drones launched in synchronized waves, streaking across the darkness of space like silver comets. Each carried advanced signal amplifiers designed to mimic the energy signature of the military transport vessel. To enemy sensors, dozens of identical targets suddenly appeared on the battlefield.
Inside the operations room, tension gripped every officer present.
The tactical displays illuminated their faces as streams of data poured across the holographic screens. Every movement made by the enemy warship was monitored. Every fluctuation in shield capacity and engine output was recorded.
Ahcehera stood at the center of the command platform, her gaze fixed on the battlefield unfolding before her.
Unlike the nervous crew surrounding her, her expression remained calm, focused, and controlled. Yet beneath that calm exterior, her mind worked relentlessly.
The enemy commander was skilled.
Very skilled.
Most captains would have panicked after seeing the swarm of drones. Instead, the warship adjusted its targeting priorities almost immediately and continued pressuring the transport vessel.
Whoever commanded that ship wasn't an amateur.
That realization made Ahcehera even more cautious.
"Launch the first assault wave." Her voice carried through the operations room.
The drone operators immediately obeyed. From specialized control chambers throughout the ship, military personnel guided their assigned drones toward the enemy vessel.
The darkness of space erupted with flashes of light. Missiles streaked across the void. Energy cannons fired in coordinated bursts. Several drones sacrificed themselves to breach the enemy's defensive perimeter.
Explosions blossomed across the black hull of the hostile warship. Cheers erupted throughout the command room.
Then quickly died.
The enemy ship emerged from the smoke with minimal damage. Its shields remained active. Its weapons remained operational. And its retaliation came immediately.
A barrage of laser fire tore through the battlefield. Three drones vanished instantly. Two more lost propulsion systems. The remaining units scattered. The enemy commander had adapted.
That was fast.
Ahcehera narrowed her eyes.
The battle was becoming far more dangerous than she initially anticipated.
"Continue the attack. Focus on their engines."
The drone operators acknowledged her command. Once again, waves of drones surged forward. This time, they attacked from multiple angles simultaneously. The strategy forced the enemy vessel to divide its attention.
Several drones managed to penetrate the outer defensive grid.
Moments later, a chain of explosions erupted near the rear section of the warship. One of the enemy engines flickered, then failed. A small smile appeared on Ahcehera's face.
There's progress.
Unfortunately, victory remained distant. The transport vessel shuddered violently. Several warning alarms were activated simultaneously.
An officer hurried toward her. "Princess, one of our primary engines has suffered critical damage."
The atmosphere immediately grew heavier.
Another officer quickly displayed the updated flight trajectory. The transport vessel was beginning to drift. If the damage worsened, they could miss the wormhole entirely. That outcome would be catastrophic.
Without the wormhole, escape would become impossible.
Ahcehera studied the projections, the distance, the velocity, and the remaining operational systems. Numbers flowed through her mind. Calculations formed instinctively.
Several seconds passed.
Then she made her decision.
"Prepare fifteen elite mecha pilots."
The officers blinked.
One nearly dropped his tablet.
"Princess?"
"Three snipers."
She continued without hesitation.
"Six close-combat specialists."
"Four defensive operators."
"Two reserve units."
The tactical officer immediately understood. His eyes widened.
"You intend to engage them directly?"
"I intend to ensure this ship reaches the wormhole."
The distinction mattered.
The enemy wasn't their objective.
Survival was.
Within minutes, military personnel rushed throughout the vessel. Orders spread rapidly. The selected soldiers assembled inside the launch bay.
Meanwhile, Ahcehera left the operations room. The crew parted automatically as she walked. Their expressions carried a mixture of surprise, respect, and disbelief. A princess entering battle personally wasn't something they witnessed every day.
The launch bay buzzed with activity. Massive humanoid war machines stood in orderly rows beneath bright maintenance lights. Each mecha towered several meters high, built from advanced alloys capable of surviving the harsh realities of space combat.
Technicians completed final system checks. Weapons were loaded. Energy reserves were verified. The atmosphere felt electric.
Fifteen soldiers stood at attention when Ahcehera arrived. Without wasting time, she approached her assigned unit. The machine immediately recognized her military credentials. Its cockpit opened. Neural synchronization systems were activated.
A moment later, Ahcehera settled into the pilot seat. Countless displays illuminated around her. Diagnostic systems flashed green.
[Weapons online.]
[Thrusters online.]
[Shield systems online.]
[Neural synchronization complete.]
The machine felt almost alive beneath her fingertips.
Memories surfaced.
The original Ahcehera had piloted mechas countless times. Those instincts remained.
Her knowledge was useful.
The communication network was activated. Fifteen pilots connected instantly.
Ahcehera's voice echoed through every cockpit.
"Listen carefully."
The casual atmosphere vanished.
Every soldier focused completely.
"I want a zero-casualty operation."
Several pilots straightened.
"I don't care about glory." Her voice remained calm. "I don't care about personal achievements."
The battlefield projection appeared across their displays.
"Our only objective is ensuring the transport vessel reaches the wormhole."
Silence followed.
Then fifteen voices responded simultaneously. "Understood, Princess."
Satisfied, Ahcehera nodded. "Good."
The hangar doors slowly opened. Beyond them waited endless darkness. Countless stars illuminated the void. Laser fire flashed in the distance. Explosions painted brief bursts of color across the battlefield.
The enemy warship continued pursuing the transport vessel relentlessly.
Time was running out.
"Launch." The order echoed through the bay.
A moment later, sixteen mechas surged into space.
The battlefield exploded into motion.
Ahcehera immediately assumed command.
"S1, S2, S3. Move into sniper formation and target structural weak points."
"Understood."
"S4 through S8. Follow me."
Acknowledgements flooded the communication network.
"S9 through S12. Defensive formation around the transport."
"Confirmed."
"S13 through S15. Mobile support."
The squad scattered with remarkable precision. Every pilot knew their role. Every movement served a purpose. The battle intensified.
Enemy fighters emerged from hidden launch bays. Dozens of them. Perhaps hundreds. They swarmed toward the transport vessel like a cloud of metal insects.
Exactly what Ahcehera expected.
"Interception teams."
Her voice remained steady.
"Engage."
The defensive pilots accelerated immediately. Energy cannons illuminated the battlefield. Enemy fighters exploded one after another. Yet more continued arriving.
The hostile commander clearly intended to overwhelm them through sheer numbers. Unfortunately for him, Ahcehera specialized in battlefield control. Every movement, attack pattern, and formation shift. She anticipated them all.
Commands flowed continuously. The soldiers obeyed without hesitation. Minutes passed. Not a single casualty occurred. The enemy forces began losing momentum.
Then the sniper team struck. Powerful explosive rounds slammed into the enemy warship. A secondary explosion erupted. Fragments scattered across space. Cheers echoed through the communication network.
"Direct hit!"
"Their port engine is failing!"
"Excellent work."
Ahcehera allowed herself a small smile.
The battle was turning, slowly, but surely, to their advantage.
The wormhole appeared ahead.
A massive distortion in reality. Swirling energy stretched across space like a cosmic storm.
Salvation.
The transport vessel accelerated.
One more minute.
Perhaps two.
That was all they needed.
Unfortunately, the enemy commander realized it as well.
The warship abandoned caution. Its remaining weapons unleashed everything at once. The battlefield became chaotic.
Laser fire.
Missiles.
Explosions.
A storm of destruction surged toward the transport.
Ahcehera's eyes narrowed.
Desperation.
The enemy was desperate.
Good!
That meant they were losing.
"All units."
Her voice cut through the battlefield.
"Protect the transport."
The squad responded instantly. Mechas moved into defensive positions. Shield systems activated. Several pilots intercepted incoming missiles directly. Others redirected enemy fire. The transport vessel continued moving.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then--
"Wormhole entry confirmed!"
Relief spread through the communication network. The transport had made it. Half the battle was won.
"Retreat." Ahcehera immediately issued the command.
The squad began withdrawing. One by one, the mechas disengaged. The enemy warship attempted pursuit.
Far too late.
The transport vessel was already entering the wormhole. Most of the pilots successfully retreated.
Ahcehera remained behind. Someone needed to cover their withdrawal. Fortunately, she possessed advantages nobody else knew about.
Through her connection with Cresencia, she accessed one of the experimental weapons she had secretly stored. A massive energy cannon materialized within her mecha's grasp. Its power readings immediately exceeded safety limits.
The targeting system locked onto the enemy warship.
Specifically, its command center.
"If you're willing to ambush a transport vessel..."
Ahcehera squeezed the trigger.
"...you should be prepared for retaliation."
The cannon fired. A beam of blinding light crossed the battlefield. The enemy warship attempted evasive maneuvers.
Too slow.
The blast struck directly. The command section disappeared. Secondary explosions erupted throughout the vessel. Emergency systems failed. The ship drifted helplessly. It was crippled and destroyed.
Ahcehera didn't wait to admire the result. She accelerated immediately. The wormhole entrance was beginning to close.
Her mecha surged forward. Thrusters screamed. Warning systems activated. Maximum velocity. The swirling portal loomed ahead. Then the darkness of the wormhole swallowed her.
Space twisted, reality distorted, and the battlefield vanished. Ahcehera finally allowed herself to relax slightly.
It was a victory nonetheless.
Unfortunately, a strange feeling lingered in the back of her mind. Because if someone had truly planned this ambush...
Then destroying one warship wouldn't be the end of the story.
It would only be the beginning.