The sky above Philos was a battlefield of shifting clouds and streaks of light. The retrieval units closed in-a relentless swarm of combat drones and fighter pilots navigating the turbulent atmosphere with precision. The air crackled with charged energy, engines roaring as the enemy forces locked onto their targets.
Mira's enhanced vision traced the incoming assault, the visors embedded in their exoskeletons feeding them live combat data. But for the first time, there were no external commands dictating their actions-only instinct, experience, and survival.
A missile streaked toward them, a burning trail carving through the sky. Caleb lifted his hand, gravity compressing into an unseen force. The missile veered off course, spiraling into the clouds before detonating in a burst of fire and debris.
"Engaging now."
Mira activated her weapons. The floating blades shimmered into existence, dark as voids, moving as if responding to her very thoughts. She launched forward, weaving through enemy fire, her weapons carving through the mechanical wings of an incoming fighter. Sparks ignited as the aircraft spun out of control before bursting into flames.
Laser beams sliced through the air, narrowly missing her. Another drone swerved to intercept, but Caleb moved faster-his gravitational force crushing the unit in an instant, reducing it to compressed scrap metal.
More swarmed in.
A barrage of plasma shots forced Mira to shift, but her reaction time was slower than before. One seared through the side of her exoskeleton, sending a sharp jolt through her systems. Pain-real pain-rippled through her, unfamiliar yet grounding. She gritted her teeth and retaliated, sending a floating blade slicing through the drone that struck her.
Caleb noticed the delay in her movements. "You're slowing down."
She exhaled sharply. "So are you."
Their bodies were adjusting-adapting to the absence of the constant energy infusion they once had under laboratory control. They were running on reserves, no longer endlessly sustained like before.
But they had no choice but to push forward.
Caleb propelled himself through the open sky, closing in on a squadron of manned fighter jets. He wrenched the gravity beneath them, twisting their trajectory mid-flight. Two pilots lost control, their crafts spiraling before colliding in a deafening explosion. Another tried to eject, but Mira's blade severed his escape mechanism, sending the wreckage plummeting.
The numbers dwindled. One by one, the retrieval units were torn from the sky.
A final aircraft locked onto Mira, targeting her with precision. Her blades shot forward, piercing through its cockpit. The explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the atmosphere.
She barely registered it.
Her vision blurred. The weight of exhaustion pressed against her limbs, her body unaccustomed to operating without the steady flow of controlled sustenance. The last thing she saw was the sky tilting, her balance giving way as she started to fall.
The wind rushed past her, the endless abyss below threatening to swallow her whole-
Then Caleb was there.
His arms wrapped around her, anchoring her against the pull of gravity. His grip was firm, unwavering. She could trust him.
The spacecraft's AI flickered to life through their visors.
"All enemy units neutralized. Emergency protocols deactivated. Autopilot engaged."
The battle was over.
For now.