The strike team surged forward, a wave of soldiers and Skyblades closing the distance in seconds.
Plasma fire lit up the sky.
The fortress's automated turrets spun to life, locking onto the approaching forces and unleashing streams of superheated energy. Soldiers scattered, dodging and weaving as bolts of plasma tore through the air.
One of the Skyblades took a direct hit, its wing exploding in a shower of sparks. The pilot ejected just before the craft spiraled downward, their emergency chute deploying.
"Evasive maneuvers!" Tatehan shouted. "Don't give them an easy target!"
The strike team split into smaller groups, spreading out and attacking from multiple angles. The Skyblades unleashed their own weapons, firing missiles and plasma cannons at the fortress's turrets. Explosions bloomed across the structure, turrets sparking and shutting down one by one.
