Outside Red Rock Valley, three battered mechs lay sprawled across the red, rocky ground.
All three mechs had been disemboweled, and their Mecha Warriors were dead beyond any hope of revival. Their Power cores had also been destroyed, leaving them not even worth repairing.
The three mechs that had arrived on the scene scanned their surroundings warily. The Mecha Warriors felt heavy-hearted, as if enemies were lurking all around, watching them with hungry eyes.
It had been less than ten minutes since they received the distress signal and rushed over, yet three mechs had already been scrapped.
Since those three had been destroyed, this place didn't seem safe either. They instinctively drew closer together, afraid of a sudden attack. They were already like birds startled by the twang of a bow.
"Request reinforcements from headquarters! It's not safe here anymore!"
One Mecha Warrior spoke with unease, holding his blade ready. Particle Energy surged, ready to fire at any moment, while probes swarmed through the air in search of a target.
"We should leave. Take the mechs and retreat to the outpost!"
A Mecha Warrior stepped forward, bent down, and lifted one of the wrecked mechs to leave. Just then, something fell off it. It hit the ground, bounced up, and spun in midair, letting out a rapid series of beeps.
The three froze. A moment later, they realized what it was and cried out in unison.
"An ion bomb!"
The Mecha Warrior dropped his comrade and backed away in a hurry. The other two mechs reacted even faster, powerful thrusters blasting behind them.
At the same time, they activated their Particle shields, terror flashing in their eyes.
Suddenly, a blazing burst of energy erupted. The sky shuddered, and space seemed to collapse in an instant, contracting toward a single point.