"They're coming!"
Amid the deafening roar, a blinding flash streaked across the narrowing gap—
But Sindula did not have time to close his eyes. The outline of an armored figure flared across his retinas.
He was screaming, unable to make himself stop.
Explosions rang out against the hull as the coaxial machine gun fired again and again.
"I got one!"
Gunner Nika panted.
"I think I got one."
Sindula forced his eyes open. The Overlord Guards were already within forty meters, advancing and firing as the ground beneath their feet churned with every step.
His vision was filled with explosions and muzzle flashes. Then he yanked the control lever back.
Metal screamed as the tank lurched into position. After a second's pause, it struggled free again. The lever trembled in Sindula's hands as power flowed into the tracks, carrying them backward.
Those heavily armored Beasts continued advancing.
Now he could see the polished skulls on their chests and the shell casings falling from their large-caliber submachine guns.
Nika fired another round, but missed.
Sindula braked the left track, and dozens of tons of metal slid and spun under the drive of the right track.
Then he shoved both control levers forward, and the tank lunged ahead.
He could no longer see those steel nightmares. Before him lay only cold rubble and ruins.
Shield Defender smashed through a wall with a crash and kept moving.
Nika left his seat and hurried to the rear viewing slit.
"Where are they?"
Sindula shouted.
"I can't see them."
Sindula twisted around in his seat, instinctively looking behind them.
When he turned back, he saw the base of a fallen pillar directly ahead. They were about to hit it.
The tank burst through shattered plaster blocks, climbed over them, then plunged sharply down.
Sindula pitched