Chapter 70: Breakthrough

05.59 Hours, June 14th, 2187

Grid location: Proxima System, Planet Tethlis, Super Earth Space.

The early morning sun now fully crested the horizon, casting a golden glow over the battlefield, highlighting the wreckage and the weary yet determined faces of those who survived the night. Amidst the chaos, the compound Dr. Lin had developed was proving its worth, rendering the Terminid soldiers increasingly disoriented and ineffective.

Jack, smeared with dirt and sweat, navigated through the debris-strewn streets with his squad in tight formation behind him. His eyes, sharp and scanning, missed nothing. Each member of his team was alert, their training overriding their exhaustion.

"Keep the pressure up," Jack ordered, his voice a low growl barely audible over the distant sounds of explosions and the moaning of the wind through shattered buildings. "We can't let them regroup."

Maria's voice crackled over the comm unit, urgent but controlled. "Jack, air recon spotted a major gathering of Terminid command units three clicks west of your position. It's your call, but taking them out could cripple their command structure."

Jack paused, weighing the risk. He glanced back at his team, seeing their resolve. "You heard the lady," he said decisively. "We take out their command. Move out!"

Meanwhile, up in the skies, Elena and Carlos were dodging anti-aircraft fire, their aircraft a blur against the clouds. Elena's focus was absolute, her every sense sharpened to the edge of survival and duty.

"Carlos, loop around! We'll come at them from the sun!" Elena commanded, pulling the stick back as they circled wide.

"Copy that! Feels like old times, huh?" Carlos replied, a grin in his voice, despite the gravity of their situation.

As they lined up their approach, the ground below echoed with the chaos of war, but from above, Elena and Carlos saw opportunity. Diving from the sun's blinding light, they unleashed another volley, devastating the enemy's newly formed lines.

Back at the makeshift lab, Dr. Lin and Theo were monitoring the effects of the compound, their screens alive with data. Dr. Lin, her brow furrowed in concentration, noted the declining effectiveness on some of the Terminid troops.

"Their adaptive capabilities are kicking in faster than we anticipated," she muttered. Theo nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he adjusted parameters.

"We can tweak the compound—make it more aggressive. But it's a temporary solution," Theo suggested, his voice tense with urgency.

"Do it. Buy us more time," Dr. Lin replied, her mind already racing through the next steps of her research.

On the southern flank, Jack and his squad reached the coordinates provided by Maria. They paused at the edge of a cratered clearing, the Terminid command units visible in the middle, their guards disoriented but still dangerous.

Jack signaled his sharpshooter, Jenkins, who nodded and set up her position. The rest of the squad crouched behind whatever cover they could find, weapons trained on the enemy.

"Now, Jenkins," Jack hissed.

A single shot rang out, clean and precise. The lead Terminid officer collapsed, sowing confusion among their ranks. Without missing a beat, Jack's squad surged forward, taking advantage of the disarray.

The battle was brutal and swift. As Jack and his team dismantled the enemy's command unit, the tide of battle shifted perceptibly. The Terminids, without orders, began to falter, their movements sluggish and uncoordinated.

"Maria, command unit is down," Jack reported, his voice breathless but triumphant.

"Excellent work, Jack. Pull back to base. We're planning our next move," Maria responded, her voice a mixture of relief and command.

As Jack's team retreated, their spirits buoyed by success, the sky above them cleared, the sun shining brightly as if in approval. The fight was far from over, but today, they had won a crucial victory.