"Green, do you read?" The familiar crackle of the communicator stirred Oliver from his sleep. He blinked awake, squinting at the navigation panel in the cramped cockpit.
"Loud and clear, Hermes-1," he responded.
"Your presence has been detected," Hermes-1 informed him. "Multiple ships are already en route to your location."
Oliver's jaw tightened. "Anyone I should be concerned about?" he asked, fingers moving across the console to bring up the latest scans.
"Unable to confirm identities," Hermes-1 replied. "However, the Generals are near Earth. It would only take one jump for them to reach your position."
He sighed. "Too bad. I actually thought this one would be easy."
"Closing communication," Hermes-1 signed off.
The cockpit fell silent except for the gentle hum of the ship's systems. Oliver stretched as best he could within the confined space, suppressing a yawn. The stiffness in his muscles reminded him of how unforgiving this vessel was.
"I need to design a better ship for this," he muttered. The current model was functional but far from comfortable.
This ship was one of his most ambitious projects. A culmination of honing his skills in tech and engineering. Combining his abilities with stealing some designs, he built the first stealth craft capable of executing jumps. It was a game-changer, allowing him to bypass enemy lines and reach points previously thought impossible.
Yet, approaching Earth remained a pain in the ass. The planet was heavily monitored, surrounded by a network of orbital stations packed with sensors. Jumping too close could dump Energy into the planet and wreck a city or two. To avoid this, the ship was designed to be as small as possible. Essentially, it was a one-man pod or, as Oliver sometimes thought, a high-tech coffin.
It excelled at evading detection, slipping past patrols and surveillance grids with ease. Only when he neared the atmosphere did the risk of being spotted increase. But by then, it was often too late for anyone to react.
"Atmospheric entry initiating," the ship's AI announced. Its synthesized voice echoed in the tight quarters. "Time to target: three minutes."
Once the ship began its disintegration sequence, he would have seconds to deploy his Green Armor.
Three years, and the best I managed was to reach 21%, Oliver thought, looking at the Synchronization Status. It would be amazing if it had even approached the Blue Crystal's.
Better than nothing; at least I'm no longer risking my life, Oliver thought. The armor still hurt. It just no longer tried to kill him.
"Mechas incoming. Missiles inbound." Hermes-1's voice crackled over the communicator, breaking the silence of the cockpit.
"Copy," Oliver replied calmly, his eyes flicking over the indicators on the console.
"They seem intent on hitting us with everything they've got this time," Hermes-1 reflected.
"Most likely because of the summit," Oliver speculated. "They want to showcase their strength before the Houses make their way to Earth."
"Makes sense," Hermes-1 acknowledged.
"Target spotted. Initiating self-destruct sequence. Ten..." The automated announcement blared through the ship's speakers.
Oliver took a deep breath, muscles tensing as he prepared for what was to come. He engaged the sequence. Energy surged around him. Energy solidified into the Green Armor. Golden accents traced along the suit, outlining it as though forming an exoskeleton.
"Three... Two... One..." The final seconds ticked away.
As the last number echoed, the ship detonated in a controlled explosion. The blast pushed Oliver toward the planet, transforming the vessel into a burst of light.
Gravity took hold, and he descended. Flames licked at the edges of his armor as he pierced the lower atmosphere. The air around him ignited from the friction.
Through the thinning layers of cloud, the coastline appeared. At its center, there was a sprawling port teeming with activity. Cargo ships lined the docks, and towering cranes moved. He could make out the silhouettes of figures scurrying below. They were overseeing the loading of yet another batch of Nameless.
"Target in sight," Oliver reported to base, his voice steady despite the rush of adrenaline.
"Rangers are already on-site. You will most likely face four squads," Hermes-1 informed him, overlaying their locations on his display.
"Understood." Oliver adjusted his descent to align with the designated landing zone.
Seconds later, he struck the concrete of the pier with immense force. The impact sent a powerful shockwave rippling outward. The force was enough to crack the ground and send nearby equipment toppling. Dust, debris, and smoke erupted around him.
Even as the air filled with dust, Oliver moved with the mission. He withdrew a slender device from his belt. Driving it firmly into the ground, he activated it with a swift command.
"Initiating jamming sequence," he informed Hermes-1.
"Jamming initiated," Hermes-1 confirmed. "Systems are charging. Teleportation blockers are still active. Estimated time until deactivation: two minutes."
"Got it. I'll start prepping the items for transport," Oliver said, striding toward the massive cargo containers. He moved swiftly, slapping teleportation tags onto several of the containers. Each adhesive disc glowed faintly as it activated, readying the cargo for instant relocation.
"Strange. Not a Mecha in sight," Oliver remarked, scanning around him. Usually, by now, the enemy Mechas would be looming on the horizon.
"Maybe they've grown tired of losing equipment?" Hermes-1 quipped over the comms.
"No chance," Oliver replied, a frown creasing his brow beneath his helmet. "Is our intel solid? Any chance this is a trap?"
"We intercepted their trackers, but if it were a trap, would you have canceled?" Hermes-1 countered.
"Not a chance," he grinned, placing another tag. "Just wanted to know what we're up against."
He continued methodically tagging containers. The soft beeps of the devices marked his progress.
At the last pile, instinct stopped him. But before he could react, the containers before him erupted in a fiery explosion. The blast wave slammed into him, hurling him backward through the air. A deafening roar drowned out all other sounds as flames and shrapnel filled the space.
"Fuck," Oliver coughed, landing hard against a steel support beam. Smoke and dust swirled around him as he struggled to regain his footing. His Green Armor had absorbed the explosion, but his ears rang, and his vision was impaired.
He shook his head to clear it; the HUD in his visor flickered before stabilizing. As the smoke began to clear, he became aware of the figures surrounding him. From every direction, armored Rangers emerged, weapons drawn and ready.
"Break the jammer; otherwise, he'll escape!" a Blue Ranger barked.
"Don't be afraid; he's only one man," another shouted, tightening his grip on a rifle.
"Hit him with everything we've got!"
Oliver pushed himself upright, a chuckle rumbling from his chest. "You think I used the jammer to escape?" he called out, amusement coloring his words. His eyes scanned the twenty foes. Their stances betrayed them; instead of confidence, they were consumed by fear.
Before they could process his taunt, two Rangers charged forward. They moved in practiced unison, thrusting their swords toward his chest.
To Oliver, their movements were sluggish, predictable. He didn't bother reaching for his own weapons. Instead, he sidestepped, catching the swords mid-strike with his hands. The energy blades hissed as they met his gauntlets, sparks flying.
"Nice toys," he remarked lightly.
With a sudden surge of strength, he wrenched the weapons from their grasp, sending both Rangers stumbling. He spun the captured blades before tossing them aside, the weapons sliding across the concrete.
Seeing the result of their first attack, the remaining Rangers unleashed everything they had. Bolts of energy, concussive blasts, and a hail of projectiles converged on his position. Explosions erupted everywhere.
Oliver moved like a shadow, his enhanced agility turning the battlefield into a dance. He wove through the chaos, each step calculated. To his perception, they moved in slow motion. He could predict every trajectory and every angle.
He vaulted over a fallen container as a missile streaked beneath him. It detonated after hitting a crane, sending molten metal raining down. Landing amidst a trio of Rangers, he delivered three blows. A strike to one's visor, an elbow to another's torso, a sweep kick to the third.
"Status update," he said calmly amid the fray.
"Jammer deactivated," Hermes-1 reported. "Teleportation is now online."
"Good," he replied, catching a Ranger's fist mid-punch and redirecting the momentum to flip the attacker over his shoulder. "I'll finish up here and be on my way."
The numbers dwindled rapidly. From twenty, only four Rangers remained, their stances wavering as exhaustion and fear set in. Sweat trickled down their temples. Eyes wide behind the visors.
"Stand down," Oliver advised, his tone almost gentle. "You’re wasting my time."
One Yellow Ranger yelled defiantly, charging forward with a desperate swing of an energy baton. Oliver sidestepped, delivering a punch to the Ranger's gut.
"Suit yourself," Oliver sighed.
"Jammer... is experiencing interference," Hermes-1 interjected. "Something is approaching your location."
Oliver glanced upward, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. "Let's see what they have prepared for me this time," he mused, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
High above, cutting through the veil of clouds, a bright red light appeared, growing larger by the second. It moved with incredible speed, a comet blazing toward the port.
"I'm picking up a signature," Hermes-1 continued. "It's General York. She is converging on your position."