The Rebellion (Pazzo x Xana)

[Xanaphia]

“The shuttle is less than an hour out, Lady Aurelia,” a uniformed man announced, not looking up from his screen.

“Thank you. I will require another update when it prepares for landing.” She commanded, practicing her authoritative tone once more before she was due to meet with the mercenaries. Despite any pretense to the contrary, Aurelia was nervous. She was due to meet with one of the most respected and fearsome mercenary groups in the quadrant.

She fussed over her appearance, smoothing the formal uniform she wore until it looked impeccable. She certainly looked quite sharp in it, it's clean lines giving credibility to her command. It was perfectly tailored to her slim frame, draping nicely over her curves without emphasizing them too much. The uniform gave her more commanding presence than her 5'7” frame would normally allow. Her long black hair laid neatly past her shoulders, not a strand out of place despite it's length and thickness.

It was in reality, too clean and too sharp, it's precision giving away her lack of practical experience. Her entire outfit screamed that she had spent her time in books and in classroom, discussing tactics and strategy than actually participating in live battle.

Aurelia was acutely aware of her short comings in this area. Her home planet, Hyperion, had a well trained military, with impressive technological advances and zero combat experience. In many ways, the collective state of the armed forces was reflective of her own personal career: adept at theoretical battle, untested by actual. Aurelia was educated enough to know this wasn't going to be enough to stave off invade imperial forces. So, she managed to convince the royal council to acquire the services of veterans, so provide leadership and experience during the coming invasion.

“The shuttle is pulling into the hanger bay in 10 minutes,” the same soldier announced once more as she finished looking over her dossier of soldier bios for the mercenary force. She proceeded there immediately, intending to meet the force as they landed, establish her command right away. The hanger bay was pristine, perfectly modern and affluent, with it's glass and metal aesthetic. A fleet of mech's rested here, still shiny from lack of use. Most had only been flown a handful of times, and none had seen battle yet. A line of soldier formed on both walls, with Aurelia standing at the forefront, waiting to see the shuttle touch down.

 

[Pazzo]

"Wheels down in thirty..." Came the pilots announcement over the intercom...

Caleb brushed his dark hair away from his face with his gloved left hand.

His deep brown eyes scanned the LCD panel in his hands, as he listened to a reporter drone on about the Imperial Legions and their increasing aggression towards minor nobilities... "Anything for a power grab..." He grumbled low and deep in his chest...
He could almost be considered rugged and handsome, if not for the dour, serious expression plastered across his face... His 6' 3"
build was lean and muscular, and he moved with a confident, fluid grace...

He grumbled, and slid his finger across the screen to the right, banishing the annoying broadcast...

Conflict was good for business, but working for another noble house? Caleb tossed his hair and grunted, absently touching his left arm at the shoulder...
His entire left arm was artificial, "The Souvineer" as he called it.
Seven months ago his company had worked for House Heinrich, right along the southern border between their colony worlds and the Imperial fleet yards... Caleb and his partner Ivan were out doing what they did best, piloting their seventy ton behemoths of war around the Henrich Capital of Allheind...
Without warning or provocation, the Imerial Forces dropped two battlegroups in secret.

Outnumbered five to one, They moved into position to defend the city from the assailants, and they held their own, making the Imperials pay dearly in blood for every inch they advanced...
Five to one, and they still made it out alive... Ivan's Mech had suffered critical damage from sustained autocannon fire, losing both of his legs as the depleted uranium slugs tore through his Ajax's Armor plating. Ivan had always preferred thick and heavy armor, with heavy weapons... Slow but steady, not surprising since Ivan is very much rotund...

Caleb preferred a big engine and light armor, for better mobility, while keeping the heavy armament... But it wasn't enough... One of those heavy 2" autocannon rounds had torn through Caleb's cockpit, and went right through the ball and socket joint of his left shoulder, taking it completely off... If not for his mechs automatic drug dispensing system he would have passed out from the shock. In a rage, he repeatedly blast the enemy mech with his particle cannons, making short work of the bastard...

Once the smoke had cleared, all 10 of the enemy units were destroyed, with Caleb's 70-ton Archnova barely hanging on, also missing its left arm, and odd coincidence...

He was able to extract Ivan, stabilize him, and get him back to base, only to find out that House Henrich had decided to throw their lot in with the Imperials, and systematically tried to slaughter the 227th White Fangs to avoid a costly payday...

Caleb and Ivan were able to survive for two days, until they were able to sneak in and commandeer a drop ship... They were just to stubborn to roll over and die...

Almost half the company personnel deployed were lost... many of them his good friends... Including his faithful Archnova... That machine had always been there for him, and he was forced to leave it behind... But he also left a nasty little surprise for the imperials and or any house Heinrich forces that might try to salvage that machine, to the tune of seven hundred pounds of jury rigged thermite ammunition...

Caleb promised himself he would not work for another private Noble house ever again...
And yet here he was, ever being the good soldier, and doing what he was told, he could not say no to his captain...

Jhon was like his adopted father... Caleb's family was killed by the imperials when he was very young, around the age of 6years... He remembered big robots with guns, their barrels belching fire at each other... slabs of armor exploding... And then he passed out in the arms of his dead mother, crying in rage... The next thing he remembered was that he was carried by a man wearing a Wolf-Head patch insignia on his pilot suit, with the numbers 227th emblazoned under it... Lt. John H Redfield... A mech pilot back then, and for whatever reason decided to take Caleb under his wing. He grew up as a mercenary brat, and spent most of his time in the hangars, helping the technicians by handing them wrenches of fetching the odd component... He became a very good technician, and as soon as he was old enough he applied for Mecha Pilot, and excelled on all of his exams... He had fought countless battles over the next 25 years for them, on foot and in a cockpit. Its what he was good at, arguably one of the best. This was all he ever knew... And this was also why House Drake had extended their hand and offered them a contract...

Garrison duty, as well as extended bonuses for training the House military... A gentleman in his early sixties, wearing captain's bars on his collar sat next to him, with the nametag "J. H. Redfield" over his left breast pocket. The Captain looked over at Caleb as he touched his arm, and grimaced...

Cpt Redfield leaned over and murmured to him... "Relax kid, House Drake will not roll over on us... They are good honest people, and they are offering us a premium to baby sit them for a full year... Possibly longer if need be. " He Grimaced when he saw Caleb grumble, and touch his arm through the clothing he tried to conceal it with... "I don't get it, you designed that arm yourself, frankly the doc thinks you need to retire from this and go into engineering..."

Caleb arched an eyebrow, and glared at his Captain. Cpt Redfield chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah yeah, I get it Caleb... Its in your blood, and you're not going to go anywhere."

Both of them felt the shuttle landing struts hit the ground gently, and heard the hydraulic systems kick into action... The two men unbuckled their straps, and walked to the back loading ramp...

A small group of 6 elite guards from the 227th ground battalion stood waiting for them in full power armor, holding automatic rifles... The Captain's personal Guard. Hyperion was likely a safe place, but it was always good to keep up appearances...

A cool blast of air washed over Caleb's rugged face, and he had to smile... At least the weather was pleasant here on Hyperion, not an endless desert like Heinrich IV was....

The loading ramp extended fully, and Capt. Redfield began to walk down the gangplank, flanked by Caleb and the six special forces operatives...

Calem was impressed, that mech hangar was huge, with many of the newer Model Ares, Tauri, and Cancer type chassis in abundance... Very few technicians though, not to mention everything was shiny and brand new...

Hyperion had been a peaceful interior colony until its neighbor, Dhalforth III had come under the crosshairs of the Imperial assault... By treaty Hyperion would provide assistance... "And that's where we come in. Boilster their defenses and help train their military..." Caleb thought to himself...

He had been given a Dossier of the Ruling noble that resided here, but he just cast it aside, not being interested... "Lady Aura" or something as such... Probably some fat lazy old spoiled useless rich girl that spent all of her time watching TV, and was shitting bricks now that the war was close...

He followed the captain to meet with... A gorgeous young woman, impeccably dressed in a flattering military style uniform that hugged her curves conservatively, and with perfect posture... "Shit..." Caleb mumbled to himself... He had showered but didn't bother to shave, His gray uniform was pressed but not impeccable...

Despite running one of the most sought after PMC's in the quadrant, John Redfield was a gentleman, and smiled at the young girl, bowing low. A few seconds later, Caleb did the same...

"Lady Aurelia, Thank you for requesting us, and we are honored to be in your presence... " He stood back up and offered the girl a handshake, his hand perfectly perpendicular to the floor... Not palm down signifying dominance, not palm up signifying submissiveness, but equals, A sign of universal respect.... "I am Captain Redfield of the 227th, but you may call me John..."

 

[Xanaphia]

Aurelia noted the men as they emerged from from the shuttle, identifying each one based on the information she had just refreshed for herself from the dossier. She had done extensive research on all the officers, as was her methods. Knowing all she could about her allies and enemies was the best way she knew to feel control over her situation.

She recognized Captain John Redfield, and the man with him Caleb Redfield, his adopted son and essentially his second in command. She didn't need a the dossier to know about him, after the legendary payback he had given House Henrich for their betrayal. This in particular had earned her respect. She was almost engaged to the Crowned Prince, she was glad she had managed to scare him off. Queen might have been an attractive title to some, but Aurelia wasn't interested in titles she didn't earn. Besides, they were imperial dogs now.

Caleb wasn't popular with the other noble houses after that, but she didn't care. After reading about his defense at the Battle of Alheind, she knew he was the one they needed. It took some rather shrewd negotiating to get him, but she was glad to see him, even if he didn't seem happy to be here.

She took John's hand firmly, accepting his gesture of respect. “I appreciate that, but I will stick to Captain Redfield. We will conduct an officers in about three hours, at thirteen hundred hours to discuss formally your duties and our expectations. For now, let me show you to the barracks that will house your soldiers.”

She led them through the facility, ensuring that they knew House Drake had spared no expense. Hyperion was rich in Pallasium, which fueled most spacecrafts, as well as many mechs. Many of the planets in this quadrant had some of this element, which explained why the Imperial army was targeting these planet for conquest. It was also the reason Hyperion was able to afford the expense of a standing army, high end equipment, and famous mercenary forces. And If they could fight the Imperials on Dhalforth III instead of here, it would all be worth the expense.

The barracks had been newly constructed, and they were both functional and aesthetically appealing. Much like the science fiction of the days of old, White panels and metal accents, it had a clean, almost sterile feeling to it. Open layouts with minimal clutter, everything served a purpose, if not several. She briefly lead them through the common room, the mess hall, the gym and the crew dorm. She ended the tour in the Captains quarters.

“If there is anything you require, You can reach me directly by contacting office 42 G.” Aurelia stayed on the base, even though her father's manor was close enough she could commute. It was one of the ways she kept herself grounded.

 

[Pazzo]

Caleb watched intently as Aurelia led them around the impressive base, the rich deposits of Pallasium offering the colony unprecedented wealth... It was no surprise why the empire was heading in this direction...

He thumbed through his hand held computer through their weapons and equipment stores... Hyperion had top notch equipment, easily 350 of almost every chassis known... Even... He gasped...
They had an older model Archnova, just like the one he was forced to leave behind on Allheind. Serial number ACHNV-009014... Slightly older than his, but in pristine condition. It was all stock, but had been mothballed several years ago. They were considered obsolete by todays standards, but they were rare and could not be beaten for ease of maintenance due to their use of off the shelf parts, or their upgradeability. With a few mods they were easily comparable to the latest models. He still had the 3-EB memory stick from his old one...

Caleb filed those ideas away for later, but he was barely able to contain his excitement... The 227th normally would use the crew quarters on board the dropships, but Hyperion was pulling out all of the stops... The provided quarters would be a nice, refreshing change from shipboard life.

Caleb considered Aurelia for a moment... She was young and beautiful, and apparently duty bound and all business, not at all what he was expecting. While she looked inexperienced on the surface she had a hard look to her deep eyes, the look of a woman willing to die for her people. This was definitely not house Heinrich...

The Mercenary continued thumbing through the royal army roster. Hyperion's army had impressive numbers in the sims, but no real combat time... The sim software they were using was a little dated, but still considered adequate by todays standards... Still, he could easily put together some combat drills, and set up some mock paintball fights out in the rugged terrain in a nearby canyon, he would need to scout it out first...

At the end of their tour, as she started to walk away, he politely introduced himself... "Lady Aurelia, I would like to inquire about this Mark-3 Archnova chassis... Might I request access to it? I would gladly forgo my first two weeks of pay in exchange..."

That was asinine, that sum was almost 150% what the chassis was worth. His excitement got the better of him, not to mention Aurelia's perfume was quite intoxicating...

Meh, he had plenty of money saved up from the Heinrich Incident...

 

[Xanaphia]

“The Archnova?” she repeated to him, thinking on it for a moment. She assumed all the mercenaries provided their own chassis, but, as he asked for it in lieu of payment, she certainly didn't see the harm in parting with it, especially since it was not currently assigned to a given soldier. “Yes, I do believe it is being stored in sub-basement 3. I can show you the way, if you like.” She led him back towards the hanger, until they reached an elevator. It wasn't terribly wide, the two of them fit without touching but a third person would make it quite cramped.

“Sub-basement 3 is where the technicians work. For now there isn't much for them to do, since none of our current inventory needs repairs or upgrades. Your people are welcome to take full advantage of it, of course. We want all of you in the best possible shape. We have a small selection of upgrade-able parts available on Hyperion, and anything else can be ordered from off world. Anything under 5000 credits can be procured on our dime. Above that your men will have to foot the difference. Considering what we are paying, I assume that won't be a problem?” She explained as they were making their way down the shaft. There were a few moments of silence before she spoke again.

“I have to say, I am grateful to see you in particular Lieutenant. I asked for you specifically when I contacted your Captain, and he seemed hesitant to assure me you would be present. I know what House Heinrich did must have soured you on nobles, and I am sure you are aware your own retaliation towards them has made many nobles think twice about hiring you. Despite all that, I know your leadership and experience is just what we need to defeat the Imperial Forces. As a sign of good faith I am prepared to offer you the Archnova in addition to your wages. “

Truthfully, she was almost embarrassed to be gushing over him like so, and probably wouldn't have done it if they hadn't had a moment of privacy between them. In a few hours he would find out that he would be reporting directly to her, despite his experience and her lack of it. Maybe knowing how much she respected and valued him would make it easier to swallow. She wasn't completely sure, pulling some of her hair behind her ear out of habit.

They had arrived at Sub Basement 3 as she finished speaking, technicians scrambling to come to order as she walked through. “At ease” she ordered them with a wave of her hand, leading Caleb to his desired Mech. “It's going to need some minor work before it's ready to pilot. Hydraulic fluids, new ignition coils, a catayst inverter most likely. And of course some upgrades, but I am sure you already know what you want there.” She stopped in front of the chassis, letting a few technicians know about the arrangement she made with Caleb.

Just next to the Archnova, was another mech, one even Caleb was unlikely to have seen before. A placard nearby only read “ANTARES.”

 

[Pazzo]

So she is human after all... He murmured to himself... Lady Aurelia had let her guard down, and was straight and direct with him about everything. This was quite unexpected... And offering him the Archnova on top of his pay? She was either very generous or very desperate... To Caleb's trained eyes however, Aurelia' body language suggested otherwise. She was very respectful and honest.

An Honest Noblewoman. An unheard of rarity. Caleb could not lie, he was more than marginally attracted to her at this point.
Even the way she tucked an errant tendril of perfumed hair behind her delicate ear was somehow appealing.

No dumbass, business was business. Profit first, and never get involved with your employer... The little voice in his head chided him.

Even house Heinrich was generous at first, but nothing on this level.
Caleb met eyes with all of the technicians, and nodded his head to each of them, smiling. You always take care of your ground crew, without their efforts a mech was little more than a glorified tin can...

The mechs in the bays looked very impressive, and he stopped before the one labled "Antares", admiring its polished exterior, clean lines, and almost feminine curves... It was a Mark 7 style chassis to be sure, but Caleb had never seen anything like it. It looked very similar to a Mark 6 style Ares, but with different armament.
He didn't even notice the ancient Mark 3 Archnova, covered in vaccum sealed heavy plastic berthed right next to the experimental Antares chassis.

"Who rides this work of art?" He asked the pretty young commander who was giving him the tour of the facility...

 

[Xanaphia]

She stopped in front of Antares, a self satisfied smirk forming on her face. He certainly had an eye for these things, but she would expect him to, at this point in his career.

“This model, which I have dubbed Antares is a product o my own mind, with, of course, the help of a very talented crew of engineers and scientists. I had this built from the ground up, each part developed especially for what I envisioned.” She explained, pride filling her voice as she explained it to him, know that he would truly understand her need to customize this from scratch.

“I am a high value target, at least on the battlefield where I most likely would be the only member of the royal family present. The enemy is going to gun for me, and they are going to gun for me hard. As a pilot, I am decent. According to current rankings, I would be just barely good enough to pilot for the 227th. I certainly am not fighting off an entire army on my own merit. So I need to reconcile my need to be on the ground, my high risk presence, and my above average skills. If the enemy wants to hit me, I will be there, to soak up the shots so that my people can break through, focus on their mission without concerning themselves with my safety. This mech was built like a tank that can fly. I have titanium reinfornced plates on all the main panels, all the joints are connected with carbon fiber ligaments, with over 2 and a half times the thickness of average chassis. The shoulder panels contain multi-directional missile pads that will hit everything in a 180 degree space before me.

“And my favorite feature, is the perfect defense system. For up to thirty minutes between recharges, I can take any hit the enemy can dish out. Radiation blasts, super heated plasma rays, every known missile, even the initial blast of a nuclear weapon. Of course while it is active I can't attack either, but it serves its purpose.” She watched his face as she explained that last part, briefly wondering if he though her selfish for developing such a system for her. She didn't mention that she opted against an ejection pod for this model, relying solely on it's defensive capabilities to keep herself alive. She designed this mech with one main goal in mind: that she cannot ever be captured by her enemy.

“Once you have a chance to get the Archnova up and running I would love to show you what Antares can do. Otherwise, there is only a little over an hour left until the Officer's meeting, and I still have some work to do before that point. Until, Lieutenant.”

 

[Pazzo]

Lady Aurelia was apparently not the fat out of shape whiny rich girl who hid in an armored bunker and gave out commands for her people to die... She was willing to take the fight to the enemy herself to defend her people. That was admirable...

Caleb did not think of her point defense system as selfish, If anything it was utterly brilliant... Take a high priority target like a royal family member, put her in a well protected mech with a state of the art Aegis-Type point defense, and then let her run around soaking up enemy fire, making them expend their munitions and give away their positions... It was very similar to a strategy employed by an ancient table top role playing game, where you have the heavily armored warrior going toe to toe with a powerful enemy, soaking up the blows, while the thief snuck around behind to stab the foe in the back, the Wizard blasted the target with magic, and the priest kept healing him to keep him alive... A delicate balance was achieved, and through that teamwork the enemy was brought low...

Caleb loved astronomy, and practiced it as a side hobby. For many sleepless nights he had used the on board telescope to look up at the heavens when he was not on duty. The merc had nicknamed that chassis "Regulus" after an interesting multiple star system he loved to look at from time to time...

It was a very interesting coincidence that Aurelia's mech had a similar name...

Antares, named after a fabled star, a massive red hypergiant, and when seen from earth was in the constellation Scorpios...
Often referred to as "The Heart of the Scorpion..." It was a good name for such a big, heavily armed mech meant to protect others...
Very similar to how Ivan used to pilot his Ajax, before that damned battle at Allheind had claimed his eyes, his legs, and his sanity...
He shook the unpleasant memories away... Ivan had also used a point defense system, but nothing as tough as what Aurelia had described.

Caleb watched as the pretty young noblewoman walked away, and could not help but admire the way her legs swayed when she walked... There was no harm in looking

Her comment about being good enough to be at the lower ranks of the 227th? That made him arch an eyebrow. Caleb had yet to fully review her dossier, but from the looks of her flawless skin, impeccable uniform, perfectly manicured nails, and wispy perfumed hair, she had not seen real combat yet...

Still she was enthusiastic, and that mattered. Combat training would be fun...

Caleb looked over the stores of support parts available at the Hyperion facility, and he smiled. Everything he needed to upgrade the Mark 3 Archnova to a Mark 7 competent chassis was available, though some jury rigging would have to happen... the machine could be ready in a week viewing the repair crews numbers, especially with Ivan helping...

The Merc uploaded a series of modifications and parts replacements to the maintenance board from his datapad.
The engine upgrade was the most crucial... The stock Grimsar Phoenix 4 reactor was very underpowered for its weight, which made the Archnova very unpopular. Caleb hated them at first, but it was all he had available at the time. Caleb had once sustained a crippling engine hit, and the crew jury rigged a Margitech 7 into the chassis, just to get it moble... Caleb found that with a few adjustments performance could be almost four times normal...

Caleb favored speed of most everything else, and the Archnova's heavy duty Mark 3 chassis was perfect with solid construction but light armor... The joints would need to be reinforced, but Ivan could do that in his sleep... While no one was looking, he ordered a crate of "Pharoh Beer" for the repair crew as an added bonus... Off the record...

The stock auto cannons would be replaced with series 7 particle cannons, and the cooling system would likewise be retrofitted with quad link heat exchangers...

Caleb thought for a moment... Then he smiled as he quickly walked to the briefing room to attend the officers meeting... He would call this new Archnova "Rigel"

 

[Xanaphia]

She headed back on the elevator by herself, heading straight for her office. There was always paperwork to be done, budgets to approve, proposals to be drawn up. This was her second least favorite part of her position, right after attending political functions. It was invisible work in some ways, necessary to keep everything running smoothly, but not the kind of thing anyone would congratulate her for completing. On at this moment, it was even more difficult to concentrate, with other things occupying her mind. Well, not so much other things as much as other people. Person, really, singular in her mind and his position.

Caleb, her mind filled in her her, as hard as she tried avoiding it. He was much more handsome than the pictures her research had produced would have suggested. She had caught a few of the sidelong glances he gave her, when he thought she wouldn't notice. It had filled her with a warm pride, almost enough to make a blush crawl across her face as she recalled it now, in the privacy of her office.

She doubted it would go much further than that. He was semi famous for his exploits, surely crawling with pilot groupies anytime he landed on n central planet. If anything, she would be naught but another conquest in a long line of women. Of course, nothing would happen. She would his superior, and it would be highly unethical to take advantage of that position to be with him. They were going to be working together for the next year at lest, and if something went sour between them, the tension would be miserable.

Really, she was just trying to find logical reasons to brush any feelings she have, whether they were emotional or just phyiscal. It wasn't working as well as she might have hoped, and she cursed silently as she looked to the clock, realizing she had to get to the briefing. She hadn't gotten much done in this time, but still the world turned.

She arrived at the conference room, finding herself to be the second arrival. Her aunt, Admiral Marianne Drake, fourth in line for the throne. Known in her youth as Marianne the Flash, she had quite the reputation from her days as a fighter pilot. Veteran of three wars and countless tours of duty, it was no surprise when she was awarded the position of Admiral by the king, her brother Ferdinand Drake. Of course, in theory the king was the commander of armed forces, but practically speaking, it was known he would defer to his younger and far more experienced sister in all things war. No longer able to pilot her aerotech, since an errant shot from her last campaign had damaged her left eye, she would lead the battle from central command.

The sixty four year old admiral didn't quite look it, her hair still shiny black without a hint of gray, in it's sharp straight bob cut. It was just chin length in the front, getting shorter until the back of her head, where it rested right at the nape of her neck. Her grey eye was still sharp as ever, seemingly compensating for it's missing twin. She had a cybernetic one in place, but she usually kept it covered by an eye patch. Much like Aurelia, her uniform was immaculate, gleaming with her many medals and accomplishments. It didn't take much guessing to figure out who Aurelia took after, which relative she considered her idol. It seemed that Marianne had placed much faith in her niece as well, as the 29 year old would be the youngest person present at this officer meeting.

 

[Pazzo]

Caleb did not waste any time, and entered the briefing room a full fifteen minutes early, as was his habit. Always early, never late, and that made for good business.
The briefing room was large with high ceilings, and very high tech. The large metal briefing table housed a large flat panel holographic projector, capable of rendering three dimensional images in real time, with the walls filled with flat panel displays of various sizes, each one displaying something different, be it Hyperion's readiness status, current engagements, local weather, even the current stock price of Pallasium...

the merc mentally pulled up the current time on his heads up display on his retinal enhancements... There was still a good 12 minutes before the briefing began... His heads up display also showed that a Pallasium based AA power cell #2 was running low, with 1, 3, and 4 at near capacity. Each cell could power his arm for a period of two weeks...

He nodded to a few officers and technicians working on the main table's holo-projector, and took his assigned seat at the table... Caleb spied the legendary Admiral as soon as she walked in. Despite her age and the lurid eyepatch, Caleb found her oddly attractive, wither perfect posture, confident stride, and piercing gaze despite having only one eye... Aurelia was close on her heels...

A rich, deep voice with a heavy Romanian accent addressed him from behind... "Hey, I didn't know what you wanted, so I got you a Mocha... Would you believe they don't have Vodka here?"
Caleb smiled, and turned around to see Ivan smiling back at him, holding two steaming cups of synthesized java...
"Thanks man..." The Merch said in gratitude, accepting one of the hot drinks...

Ivan made quite an appearance, wearing the same Gray 227th uniform as Caleb. The Russian brushed his mussed, sandy hair away from his chromed forehead. He was heavily cybered, Almost half of his face was robotic, with both of his eyes replaced with mirrored sensors, capable of seeing damn near everything, in any energy spectrum imaginable... Caleb knew his friend, a bet Ivan used them to peek through women's clothing.... Both of his legs up to mid thigh were also artificial, and fitted with various magnetic grapplers, allowing him to crawl over mechs and vehicles like a spider... Ivan and caleb had been through a lot together, and was like the big Russian brother he never had but always wanted... He was the best technician crew chief in the 227th, and possibly the entire sector...

The Captain came not a minute later, flanked by the Lietenants Lyria Silvers and Markus Arrando...
Lyria was in command of the 227ths Air Units, and was a legend in her own right as a top notch pilot. She was very beautiful with her long brown hair tied back in braids, Trim and athletic at 5ft 8inchess tall, and fairly young at the age of 30, but tough, with hardened eyes that have seen real combat. She walked with a slight limp, dues to a fresh cybernetic left leg that she wasn't quite used to yet... She had likewise left that leg back at Allheind, and was the pilot of the dropship they had used to escape... Lots of bad memories working for Heinrich, and like Caleb, she was skeptical about working for House Drake... Also like Caleb, she did what her adopted father asked of her...

Marcus was her direct polar opposite, standing at an imposing 7 feet tall with dark ebony skin, with bulging muscles that would rival the Incredible hulk... He was a rescue, being found in a genetic breeding lab, run by scientists with no morals whatsoever, trying to create the perfect soldiers, easily replaced and disposable... Markus was supposed to be the genetic template. Caleb and Ivan had "liberated" five years ago, and his excellent combat prowess made him rise in the ranks very quickly. He was now in command of the 227ths infantry divisions...

Caleb greeted everyone, and they took their assigned places at the table, all of them early, and waited patiently for the briefing to begin...

 

[Xanaphia]

The rest of House Drake's Generals filed into the conference room and took their seats. One man, tall and slender, with thinning grey hair. His name tag read CPT Affrede, and he sat on one side of the admiral, with Aurelia on the other. He was more bureaucrat that officer, but he had seen some combat in the time before he served House Drake. The others were the respective leaders of the different divisions. They sat on the opposite side, taking up almost a quarter of the long conference table.

“First of all, on behalf of House Drake, I want to officially thank the 227th for their presence here today. The presence of such an extinguished and experienced company will bolster morale and improve battle performance. I understand that House Heinrich has left you all hesitant to work with other noble houses, and we appreciate your willingness to give us a chance to change your mind.

“Onto the mission. Three months ago, Dhalforth III received communication from the Imperial Government calling for the planet to renounce it's independence and be absorbed into the Coalition of Imperial Planets. Ever since the engagement of Princess Lilliana Drake to Dhalforth III's Crowned prince Dominic Lisent, our two planets have been allied, aligned towards the same purpose of independence. An attack on Dhalforth is an attack on us.

“Your primary mission is to support our troops in battle. We are willing to go to great lengths to provide you with the tools to necessary to succeed in this mission. I direct you to Captain Affrede with any and all needs. In addition to supporting our troops, you will be tasked with facilitating training, to better prepare the troops for future battles.

“You all will be reporting to Captain Aurelia Drake, our tactical adviser. In return the various commander's will report to the Captains from the 227th.

 

[Pazzo]

Caleb sat and listened carefully to CPT Affrede, his ears savoring his words as his mind absorbed them. Most of what he said was to be expected, but to take orders from Aurelia? She was barely an adult?...

Initially this had put a bad taste in his mouth... She had no raw combat experience, and being put under the intense stresses of combat might overwhelm her, and make her freeze up... He had seen it before. He desperately beat back those annoying thoughts. She was confident, he could tell in the way she walked, and in the manner in which she sat next to her Aunt... Something deep inside of him said she could be trusted... He just hoped it wasn't his testicles, after all she was drop dead gorgeous... Stupid judgments like that have gotten many a man killed. She was his employer now, and the paycheck came first... Such feelings are a liability in combat, and he compartmentalized them away immediately...

There was also the fact that she was completely out of his Leaugue. She was high class royalty, he was just a hired gun... Yes it could happen but there was no sense in entertaining a "fuck your boss" fantasy... He was here for a job, and the people of Hyperion would be depending on him...

The recruits were raw, young, and eager for action... They would charge in, and see their friends get slaughtered all around them, get overwhelmed, and truly be tested... Some would crack and give up, succumbing to depression, a select few however would rise to the occasion, be born again and forged in the fires of war, coming out more powerful than they had ever been before...

Calebs goal, however unrealistic, was to make every one of them a hardened fighting machine capable of being the former. Too many good kids have been lost to the Empire already...

He thumbed through his clear datapad, reviewing the simulation software he had written himself... He would put the recruits through the hardest and most difficult situations he had faced himself out in the field, hopefully giving them the edge they needed... But no simulation can match the fury and rage of seeing your own arm ripped off by someone who is trying to kill you...

Caleb's artificial arm suddenly twitched, but immediately went back to normal... It had been doing that for the past few weeks... Likely a minor software bug... He thumbed through a few screens as the CPT spoke, and booked an appointment with the local cyber-doc. He then placed the datapad on the table, and continued to listen to the CPT as he continued the briefing on the tactical situation...

 

[Xanaphia]

Aurelia steeled herself for the outcry from the 227th, but they were consummate professionals, knowing better than to insult the woman who signs their checks. It eliminated one of her problems, but she still had to prove her worth to them, and by the way they the looked at her, she could tell it wouldn't be easy.

Once everyone was given their assignments, the meeting became a far more casual, Aurelia watched her aunt make the rounds and speak to all of the officer present. For the most part, it was a brief conversation, mostly the Admiral recognizing the accomplishments of each member, and personally thanking them for being present. She spent some time speaking to Lyria, finding a woman who was almost exactly like she was in her younger years. They spoke at length about their experiences, their triumphs and scars.

Aurelia left before anyone could approach her, still too much to be done before she could rest. By this time tomorrow she would be on a ship to Dhalforth III, heading over to the allied planet with the first cycle of troops. There was too much paperwork to finish, bags to be packed, assignments to be filled.

She walked by the cafeteria, eager to get back to work, when her stomach angrily reminded her that she hadn't eaten all day. She stopped for a moment, debating whether she really had time to eat. Hunger would gnaw at her until sated, she reasoned to herself, besides, she could still fill in forms while eating a sandwich. So she made her way through the mess hall, picking up some fingers foods. A sealed sandwich, some local fruit, a bag of carrots.

From there it was straight to her office. Typing with one hand, eating with the other, she was the model of efficiency. Of course still, she wasn't getting as much done as she could have been, her mind still distracted with errant thoughts. After a couple hours at her desks, she needed to stretch her legs. She supposed it wouldn't hurt to make sure her Antares was being properly prepared for shipping to Dhalforth. She didn't want to waste any time planet side when she could be training in her mech.

 

[Pazzo]

Caleb was in the simulators with the other recruits for most of the flight… He HATED wasting time in Transit.
He was angry, and his performance in the sims was showing it…
Ivan had told him it would take the better part of a week to retrofit the Archnova to his new specifications… But the was a problem… His favorite type of reactor was not available, but Ivan told him not to worry. Apparently he had borrowed one of the Antares’s spare core stockpiles, and was able to adapt the engine to fit.

Sweat was pouring from his brow, his mind completely focused on piloting his simulated mech. He had chosen an entry level Mark 1 Wardog chassis for the battle, while the other recruits were piloting the fancier Mark 4 and 5s. Kids these days… What they seem to forget is that a Wardog, while old, is a superheavy chassis that carries four heavy rotary barreled auto cannons. Yes they were slow, but unrivaled by any other urban defense chassis. He had found an ammunition truck during the mission, and was using a mountain pass as a bottleneck, chewing through the enemy mechs as they tried to assault his base. When he took time to reload, he had members of his team cover him.

Ivan however was leading the other team, and they were kicking his ass seven ways to next Sunday. Ivan likewise had a similar mech, a Megaheavy Monster2, with similar armament but ponderously slow.
Time for the current mission had just expired, and he let out a breath he wasn’t aware he had been holding…
The letterboards lit up the screen…
Flack 234
Blackjack 246
SaNdTrAp 367
Brick 420
Vulture 500
Lace 512
Caleb 2227
IvanTheTerrible 5520

Caleb grumbled. His performance was sub par as ever…
He could hear Ivan’s thick, accented voice in the simulator booth behind him. “Wow, that’s the first time I have ever seen your score under five k…”
Caleb grunted, and felt something small and cold fall into his lap, reflexively, his cybernetic left arm caught the obect, the limbs artificial nerves telling his brain it was cold, and covered with condensation… It was a chilled plum… Ivan’s favorite snack. He heard the Russian bite into something juicy, likely another Plum.
They had been in the sims for twelve hours straight, both men never tiring of piloting…
“I wish they would release the software for that Antares…” Caleb grumbled… “I want to see just what the hell that monster can actually do if I have to fight alongside of it…
Ivan laughed between bites of his snack, and rumbled back… “I have seen the tech specs on that Antares, and her battle computer itself is amazing… We are talking like 40-50 Teraflops for the FCS alone…. The thing could almost pilot itself”