Much to Eliza’s surprise and contrary to her initial misgivings, the operation was going surprisingly smoothly. The defensive turrets were out of action and the much-feared surprise had failed to eventuate, leaving the team free to ravage the field and its structures as they saw fit.<br/><br/>And then  it all fell apart. Moments later, the commander’s<em>Highlander</em>was down, its faceplate punctured and the black smoke pouring out of it sending a rather harsh message about what had happened to the man inside. Her tac display was swarming with hostile icons, while the channel was alive with calls of alarm about who or what they were attacking.<br/><br/>“Looks like powered body armour, maybe exoskeletons!” Eliza called out as she tried to follow one of the new arrivals, the suit managing a surprisingly fast run for such a bulky figure. “Looks like a missile launcher on the back; could be packing infernos, so be careful!” The thought of infernos sent a chill down her spine, imagining the searing heat that could consume a ‘Mech from such weapons.<br/><br/><em>But only if I let you get a shot.</em>She opened fire with the quartet of medium lasers, the brilliant red beams leaping out at the armoured swarm. One of the beams struck one dead-centre, spearing into it.<em>Watching one of them being incinerated should slow them down at… what?</em>The figure continued to advance, its armour blackened and melted but still very much intact. “That’s impossible!” She yelled out. “They should be dead or incinerated or ash or…”<br/><br/>The armoured suit and four of its compatriots leaped into the air, a hailstorm of missiles leaping from their shoulders. Warheads slammed into the<em>Black Knight</em>, peppering its armour as the dimunitive but terrifying attackers continued their advance. “Blake’s blood! What are they?”<br/>