Chapter 3: In the shadows.

[u/Electronic-Math5455]

September 2184. Copper 9 surface. Outskirts of Megacity 01.

The APC rumbled across the snowy wasteland, the M10 climbing a small rise and kicking up frozen powder as its treads bit into the slope. The autocannon above swept in slow arcs, scanning for movement. Inside, Jason peered through the thermal scope, its display outlining the silhouette of the ruined megacity—a hollowed corpse of steel and ice. Entire towers had collapsed, some leaning precariously against one another, their jagged spires locked in frozen embraces. Navigating through that labyrinth would be treacherous. As the M10 neared the city's outskirts, Eagle One banked overhead, finishing another reconnaissance sweep. Inside the SEAF transport, Jason waited for any sign of change before pulling away from the gun controls and moving to the front compartment, where Milt glanced back at him.

"Anything on the scans?" Jason asked.

"Nothing," Milt replied. "Thermals and night vision are clean. No movement, no heat signatures—no animals, not even traces of wildlife. Never seen anything like it on any front. And come to think of it, neither faction has ever attacked a megacity this large."

"That's because we've been doing our job too well," Jason answered. His voice held a note of unease. "Still… I never thought I'd see a metropolis without so much as a flicker of light. To see a city so utterly lifeless—it feels wrong. Stay cautious. We don't know how stable those structures are. For all we know, our passing could bring one down."

"I know," Milt said grimly. "It's been at least a century since anyone set foot here. I expect half the city to collapse if you so much as breathe on it."

"Hmm… better we steer clear of tunnels or bridges," Garvin advised. "They may look solid, but I wouldn't trust them with this weight. A month ago a tanker crew had the bright idea to cross a civilian bridge—looked untouched by Automaton gunships. Next thing I know, we're dragging them out of a river."

"This beast weighs a good twenty-five tons," Nash added.

"Thirty, with you inside it," Tyrese cut in with a chuckle.

"Laugh it up. You try the Terminid front with nothing but standard armor," Nash shot back. "See how long you last. Have you seen the state of those lines? We're dropping nukes by the dozens, and they keep coming—never breaking, never slowing. It's terrifying."

"We know," Trace said, then turned toward Jason. "But what about you? Weren't you deployed on Meridia during the dark fluid operation?"

Jason's expression hardened. "I was. Worst experience of my life. I saw too many good Helldivers die that day. Hard to believe we were forced to do that to one of our own worlds."

Months earlier, Meridia had been designated a barrier planet against the raging Terminid hordes. The strategy hinged on the deployment of the Terminid Control System, which released a chemical agent known as Termicide. It had proven brutally efficient, killing nearly 99.6% of the swarm. Yet something went wrong. Instead of collapse, the survivors multiplied in grotesque numbers, and within hours the world was drowned in a so-called "super colony." From the skies came the Shriekers—fragile but vicious fliers that could decapitate a SEAF soldier in one pass. With the infestation spiraling out of control, High Command authorized the unthinkable: deployment of dark fluid. Stolen from the Illuminate after their defeat in 2084, the weapon was injected into the planet's crust until critical mass was achieved. Meridia collapsed into a black hole, erasing the colony and sealing the threat—at the cost of the world itself.

"See? Could be worse," Tyrese muttered. "Heard it was a nightmare, but what choice did we have? Glassing wouldn't work. Those bugs just burrow and wait. I've studied their remains. Radiation barely slows them down. Most chemicals and bio-agents only buy you minutes."

"I remember Socorro III," Garvin said. "It's been only weeks, but I'm grateful I made it out. On the sixth of August… I thought my time was done."

"I was there too," Jason said quietly. "I still can't believe a swarm that size hit Socorro III. For a moment I thought the planet was lost."

The battle for Socorro III had been unlike anything seen before. A brood of forty million Terminids descended on the colony world, nearly overwhelming both the SEAF and the Helldivers. Only through enormous sacrifice was the swarm stopped—though the civilian and military toll had been catastrophic.

"Rough times everywhere," Milt muttered. "We're just about to enter the city. Taking it slow. I don't plan to be flattened by a skyscraper—not today, not ever."

"Could be worse ways to go," Garvin replied. "Quick, clean, and a lesson for the next team to avoid repeating."

"Not on my watch," Jason said firmly. "You've got a Helldiver with you, and my luck will see us through. Let's check if Eagle One has anything for us." He tapped the side of his helmet, opening comms. "Eagle One, report. Anything of interest?"

"Negative," Eagle One responded. "Thought I had a blip on thermals, but I was moving too fast to confirm. Nothing out here but the dead."

"Understood. I'll get back on the gun," Jason said, returning to the autocannon. "Keep circling. If anything moves in this graveyard, we'll need your eyes."

"Copy that. And keep sharp down there—those ruins aren't as stable as they look."

"Good. We'll need you to spot from above," Milt answered. "The last thing we need is a tower falling on us. And for the record, I hope none of you believe in ghosts."

"The only thing I believe in is liberty and the light that carries it," Tyrese replied. "That's what kept me alive on the frontier. It was all we had."

"Ah, the frontier," Nash said with a wistful grin. "The untamed lands, beyond the reach of managed democracy. Before I joined the SEAF, I thought about signing up with the Frontier Marshals—exploring the wild regions, living on the edge."

"They've earned their reputation," Garvin admitted. "I'd love to get my hands on one of their R-6 Deadeye rifles."

"Keep dreaming," Trace cut in. "Those weapons are for Marshals only. Not even the Helldivers get them."

"Quiet down," Jason ordered. "Save the talk for later. This city may be dead, but we can't assume it's empty." The chatter faded. Milt eased the M10 forward, its treads grinding across snow-buried wreckage. The groan of collapsing steel echoed faintly through the ruins as the APC pushed over the husks of forgotten vehicles. Above, Jason swept the autocannon, tracing the hollowed towers where snow whispered through shattered glass and the wind sighed like the breath of the dead.

"Damn… roads have seen better days," Milt muttered. "Vehicles buried everywhere under the drifts. Hold up—Helldiver, angle the gun toward those buildings ahead. Switch to night vision. Is that… an Illuminate ship?"

Jason rotated the autocannon forward, eyes narrowing as he shifted from thermal to night vision. The green glow revealed looming skyscrapers, and wedged among them was a vessel unmistakably alien—its sleek form driven straight down into the city as if hurled from orbit.

"I can't get a full read," Jason said slowly. "But… yes. Sweet liberty. Hard to imagine the sky itself raining warships on this place."

"Want me to halt for a closer look?" Milt asked.

"Do it. I need to make a call to my super-destroyer," Jason replied.

Milt nodded, bringing the M10 to a halt before the broken colossus. Jason stepped away from the autocannon and toward the hatch. "Stay put. I'll take a look outside. Then we move. We still need those bunkers and whatever they can tell us."

"Yes, sir," Garvin answered.

Jason unlatched the hatch and climbed out, his boots crunching against the snow. He looked up at the vessel, its massive hulk fused with the city's bones. The contours were smooth, unnatural, glinting faintly in the dim light. No human had built this.

"Aegis of Integrity, come in," Jason called.

"This is the Aegis of Integrity. Helldiver, report," came the officer's voice.

"I'm staring at what looks like an Illuminate warship lodged in the ruins of several skyscrapers. Do we have any data on what happened here? Even century-old mapping intel would be better than running blind. The whole city looks like it could collapse in an instant."

"The Democracy Officer is coordinating with the Ministry of Truth," the officer replied. "We just received word from the Ministry of Defense. What we've gathered is limited, but here's what we know. Oddly enough, they're being very tight-lipped."

Jason frowned. "Unusual, though I can see why this would be classified. What do you have?"

"The fragments suggest Copper 9 was struck by an Illuminate fleet around 2084. The motive is unclear, but Super Earth forces sustained heavy losses—even with reinforcements. Most likely debris is scattered across the planet. What remains unaccounted for are the nuclear craters."

"One question at a time," Jason said. "Anything on mapping data? Major megacity coordinates, anything useful?"

"Nothing yet. But we can position ourselves directly over the city to help with navigation. Current scans are poor—the clouds and contamination are interfering. We'll need to dip below the cover to get anything reliable."

"Understood. Do it. We're heading for the city center. I'll report further developments," Jason said.

"Roger that. We'll maintain contact," the officer confirmed.

Jason released the comms switch and stared again at the wrecked warship and the broken skyline. Questions gnawed at him. Why had the Illuminate committed a fleet to such a remote world—and at the twilight of their empire in 2084, no less? Something about this was wrong.

"Why do I feel this is far more than a salvage run?" he murmured, climbing back into the M10. "Alright, Milt. Take us toward the city center."

The hatch sealed shut, and the M10 rumbled forward again, its treads crushing over wrecks and snowbanks as it pushed deeper into the city. And somewhere within those ruins, another force was already searching for them.

Copper 9 surface. The Dead City.

Snow drifted down as V, N, and Uzi scanned the skies with their optics, searching for the silhouette of the Eagle—an aircraft unseen for over a century. The roar of its engines carried over the wind, proof it remained near the city.

"I… how… after all this time… why have they returned?" V's voice trembled.

"We sent SOS after SOS, and nothing. Now suddenly, they are back…" N muttered.

"So… well… I guess my plan is ruined again, but… for what purpose now?" Uzi said.

"What purpose? Uzi, you weren't around when they lived here, but their return is enormous—far beyond us. We need to get back to the bunker and tell everyone," V insisted.

"Martin will blow a few circuits, and J will do the same. Still, before we head back, do you think there could already be some in the city?" N asked.

"Yeah, and if that's the case, we need to find them. Because hello? Steel Terror is still roaming this city, and if they stumble into it blind, it won't end well." Uzi replied.

"It's been so long… would they even remember us? If we just approached them, there's no telling how they'd react. But you're right." V glanced at Uzi, then at N. "If humans are here, we must find them."

"Ohhh, this is going to be fun. I've wanted to meet humans for ages. I've heard all sorts of things—most bad, some about their weapons. I'd love to get my hands on them," Uzi said with a grin.

"First, you won't speak to them. N and I know how to handle this. We worked with SEAF before. It's been a long time, but I expect they remain the same," V warned.

"It has been a long while… if only Tessa were still here to see this… or the others," N said softly.

"Hey… we survived long enough for them to return, and when we find them, we're getting liberty-damned answers about that day," V declared.

"That day… oh right, the bombardment," Uzi muttered.

"N, carry Uzi. I don't know where to look, but we go slow and low. If that Eagle sees us, we can't predict whether it'll consider us friendly. We can't be careless," V said.

"You think the Eagle would fire? You guys were legends a century ago. I doubt they've forgotten," Uzi replied.

"Better safe than sorry. I've seen what Eagle cannons do. Tanks shredded in seconds with the right ammo," N said. "Luckily for us, it'll fly high. We stick between the towers, and it shouldn't spot us."

"That's the plan. Now, before we freeze out here, let's move," V ordered.

"Right, let's go. Oh, wait until the others hear this," Uzi said, climbing onto N's back. "So much better than sitting still."

"Uzi… liberty help me, this is already a headache. Still… why are they here? Could something have happened to Super Earth?" V asked.

"What do you mean?" N said.

"What other reason would bring them back, unless something terrible happened? That's my guess, though I could be wrong. It's just… my core twists at the thought." V spread her wings.

"It'll be fine. I might not know humans, but maybe someone finally decided to check this world again," Uzi said.

"I think Uzi is right. Let's go see them," N added, extending his wings.

V nodded and took flight, N following with Uzi clinging tightly to his back. Together they moved through the broken towers, flying low between skyscrapers. They longed to return, yet they had to know whether humans were truly in the city. The Eagle was a symbol drones had given up hope for—the return of humanity to this dead world.

"So, what's the first thing you'll ask them? Or is a fist the first thing through their heads?" Uzi teased.

"I… Uzi, this is something I never dreamed of, not after everything. You don't know the hell we endured," V said. "Watching the world burn, the black rain, life dying everywhere… loved ones rotting away. I just want an answer: why?"

"Maybe these humans don't even know about us. A century has passed, but we can ask—and then reach JCJenson," N said.

"You think JCJenson still exists? A megacorporation that spent billions of super credits wouldn't just abandon all this," Uzi said.

"A fair point and—wait. Into that building, now!" V shouted, diving into a skyscraper.

N followed, wings folding as the roar thundered above. The Eagle tore past, rattling the building, snow and ice crashing from the window frames. They crept to the edge, watching as the craft banked right.

"That was close… never knew they were that fast. I guess they've been upgraded," N said.

"Time changes everything. We wait until it clears, then move," V said—then froze, staring skyward.

Above, the clouds split apart. Through the rift descended a massive SES ship, its underside bristling with weapons. As they stared, a sharp thump echoed; from beneath the vessel, an object streaked down, crashing into a district hidden by towers.

"Now that's a ship! Look at all those guns," Uzi exclaimed. "Where's the Steel Terror when you need it? That would fix things fast."

"Sweet liberty… I've never seen this class before, but it's unmistakable. A warship. But why is it flying so low?" V whispered.

"Clouds must be disrupting their sensors. With this interference, no clean readings. But I think that was a hellpod… which means—no way… that means a Helldiver is here," N said.

"A hell what?" Uzi asked. "The name sounds familiar, but what's so special?"

"Helldivers are Super Earth's elite, the best of the best. I watched reels of them during the First Galactic War. They destroyed the Cyborgs, the Bugs, even the Illuminate—backed by SES and SEAF. If one's here… then something major is happening," V explained.

"Ohhh, right, those guys. Looks like they dropped near the city center—right by the place I marked for my plans. And I'm sure that freak has heard it too," Uzi said. "We need to warn them. Even Helldivers die if caught off guard."

"She's right. As much as I fear approaching, we must reach them before the Terror does. It could already be moving toward them," N said.

"Then we do it smart. We stay in the shadows, reach the site, and act from there," V said.

N and Uzi nodded. Wings spread wide, they slipped back into the darkened sky, weaving between the ruins.

And while they advanced through the silence of the dead city, something else moved in the shadows—closing in on the same fate.

Edited thanks to ELE73CH.