Solar Mech Wars 2: Secrets of Titan

Chapter 9: Titan's Secret

With the firestorm raging above, Angela and Daneck took the rare opportunity to rest. The alcove they found provided just enough shelter from the blazing inferno that streaked across Titan's skies, its heat and light a stark reminder of the moon's untamed hostility. Despite their temporary reprieve, Angela couldn't shake the sense of urgency gnawing at her. Her father was still out there somewhere, and the clues left behind at his camp might be the key to finding him.

Once the storm passed, the two mechs trudged forward, their pace slowed by the increasingly treacherous terrain. The snowfall lightened as they pressed northward, but the air remained frigid, each breath within their cockpits a cold reminder of the inhospitable world they navigated. The landscape around them was bleak—endless expanses of white, punctuated only by jagged ice formations and the occasional gust of wind that sent clouds of snow swirling into the air.

It was after two grueling cycles that Angela's sensors finally picked up the remains of her father's camp. From a distance, it was clear that the camp had been ravaged not just by Titan's relentless storms but by something far more destructive. Most of the camp was buried under layers of snow and ice, the once orderly arrangement of equipment and structures now a chaotic mess.

As Angela and Daneck approached, the scene became more disturbing. One of the mechs at the camp—a heavily armored Ice Vanguard—stood out in stark contrast to the surrounding debris. Or rather, what was left of it. The mech was completely destroyed, its massive frame torn apart with a violence that sent a shiver down Angela's spine.

Angela dismounted from her Innovator, her breath visible in the freezing air as she approached the ruined Ice Vanguard. Even without closer inspection, she could see that the damage was not from the elements. The mech had been subjected to a brutal, close-quarters assault. Deep gouges and stress marks marred its thick armor, as if some massive cable or chain had wrapped around it with crushing force. The torso was torn open, the jagged edges of the breach suggesting a powerful, bladed weapon had been used to rip it apart.

She ran her hand along the cold, damaged metal, noting the lack of any projectile or ranged weapon damage. This wasn't the work of bandits or some random skirmish—this was something far more terrifying. "It was a melee attack," Angela murmured to herself, her mind racing to piece together the scene.

Daneck's voice crackled over the comm, pulling her from her thoughts. "This wasn't your typical raid, darling. Whatever did this had some serious hardware and a hell of a lot of strength."

Angela nodded, more to herself than to Daneck. "No ranged damage at all. Just... brute force. Do you think it could have been a rogue mech? Maybe one piloted by someone with a taste for this kind of carnage?"

Daneck stepped closer, his Hungry Wolf's sensors scanning the wreckage. "Maybe. But if it was, they had some serious firepower at close range. Whoever—or whatever—did this, they knew how to fight up close and personal."

Angela's heart sank as she continued her examination. The Ice Vanguard's weapon systems had been engaged—its light autocannon was short a few rounds, and its rocket pod was empty. Yet, there was no way to tell if those had been used during the assault or in some earlier skirmish. The implications were grim, and the lack of bodies or blood at the site only deepened the mystery.

"We need to search the camp," Angela decided, her voice tight with resolve. "There has to be something here that tells us what happened."

With their drones deployed, the two mechs methodically scoured the area, searching for anything that could shed light on the fate of Marcus Vega and his team. The snow-covered ruins yielded few clues, but Angela's drones eventually unearthed a partially buried data pad, its screen cracked but still functional. She wasted no time interfacing with it, her hands trembling slightly as she scrolled through the logs.