Plan C (Occupation Force 2079: 07)

Continuation of Emergency Bypass

Thank you, CJ!
I did mention CJ Kovse* is brilliant, right?  She wanted survivability to be a requirement for an outpost with minimal staffing and equipment.

Hence the Cat.
So named after Schrödinger's Cat, a rear compartment that could hold the pilot in safety while all hell broke loose around it.  In addition to the composite ceramic and transuranic armor that made up the Zeus, the Cat was also wrapped in foil.

Microscopic stabilized neutronium alloy foil.

The Cat counts for most of the mass on the Zeus which is why the experimental fusion reactor was necessary.  That, too, is shielded so the mech does not go big boom if it is destroyed.
Like I said, brilliant.

Opening up the door to the Cat, the mech is still standing, though clearly is scrap metal.  The laser cannons are... gone.  Mercys are slag.

No time for that.
I see shuttle crew hauling off the unconscious (I hope) form of Aura onto the shuttle.  And the Coalition frigate is overhead, ready to receive her.
Have to work fast or all is lost!
Running back to the Cat, I pull out a portable assault cannon.  It's powered automatically by the fusion generator.  
No damned 48 character codes!
Let's hope that's still working.  Setting up the gun, I punch the power on.  The controls light up.
Nothing beats Lunar Tech.
Setting the power to max.  It will probably blow out the gun but only one shot at this.

And nothing is more important that she is.
The shuttle is taking off, moving toward the damned frigate.

I take aim, my finger over the trigger...

* Clearly based on this era's CJ aka @Thekobs to her 8K strong legion of fans!

Note:  Plan A was using the Zeus.  Plan B was using the manual control of the Mech's laser cannon.   Now Madi is at Plan C...