Splashhhhh—!
Metal crashed into the sea. The surface split open as Sera's mecha plunged into the dark water, a surge of bubbles and foam bursting upward.
Inside her cockpit, Sera gripped the controls, eyes darting across the radar. "Nia! Respond!"
Static.
Only static.
Her radar blinked wildly, showing distorted signals all around her. The water was too murky, churned into chaos by the force of their descent. Silt, sand, and fragments of coral filled the view screen, turning the ocean into a gray storm.
She clenched her teeth, pushing her controls. "Come on, come on… where are you—"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A faint signal blinked on her screen.
"Nia, hold on, I'm coming!"
Her comm crackled. Then a strained voice broke through, distorted but unmistakable.
"Don't—don't follow me!" Nia's voice was panicked, breathless. "I'm serious, Lieutenant! You have to report this—whatever HQ thinks the rebels are doing, this is worse! Way, way worse!"
