The Ladybird transport carrying Axel's squad soared toward Colorado to quell a rebellion, but silence blanketed the cabin. With Axel, the newly rolled-out Echidna, and three mass-produced W-Units as the team, conversation was scarce. What am I supposed to talk about with these guys? Axel thought, eyeing the W-Units' mechanical faces.
Their rugged helmets completely hid their features. Lemon had explained that the helmets concealed embedded machinery, though they likely served other functions too. Cost-cutting measures for mass production, she'd griped. Echidna, a W-Number, looked convincingly human by contrast.
"Captain? Something wrong?" Echidna asked, noticing his stare. Her tone was still robotic.
Lemon was banking on this mission humanizing her. "No, just checking," Axel said. "You good with command?"
"Yes, Lady Lemon provided the necessary knowledge. No issues anticipated."
"Alright. Your job is to lead the W-Units and capture enemy mechs. Those are our new assets, so don't wreck them beyond repair. And take as many pilots alive as possible."
"Understood," Echidna replied.
Silence resumed. After an hour of boredom, Axel upgraded Gunfight to Level 4, hoping it would extend his range by one, as in the original timeline. As they entered Colorado, with Verde base less than thirty minutes away, the pilot's voice crackled over the comms. Unlike the W-Units, the Ladybird's pilot was human.
"Lieutenant Axel, radar's picking up two contacts—F-32 Schwerts."
Schwerts, huh? Related to the Lion series, they were less combat-focused but more agile, ideal for recon. "Likely rebel scouts," Axel said. "Captain, the Ladybird's too lightly armed to charge into battle. We'll deploy here."
"Good luck," the pilot replied.
Axel turned to Echidna. "You heard him. Time to move."
"Understood. Let's go," she said, leading the W-Units to the hangar. Axel boarded the Growsaver.
"Captain, we're ready. Deploy anytime," Axel said.
"Roger. The Schwerts are still approaching. Opening hatch."
As the hatch opened, the Growsaver's monitor filled with a clear blue sky and white clouds. "Nice weather," Axel muttered. "Growsaver, Axel, launching!"
The Tesla Drive hummed, lifting the Growsaver into the boundless sky. Perfect day for a fight. What a waste.
He shook off the thought, focusing. "It's my job, after all."
"Captain, visual on the Schwerts. Two units approaching," Echidna reported from her Landgriez, also Tesla Drive-equipped for flight.
The monitor confirmed two white, flounder-like Schwerts. "No killing this time," Axel said. "They're fighters, not PTs. One bad hit, and the pilot's done for."
"Captain, they're turning back," Echidna said.
The Schwerts retreated after a brief glance. "Good thing they're not brainless grunts," Axel said. Their discipline suggested a well-organized rebel force—not the type to revolt over petty jealousy.
"Echidna, stay sharp. These guys are trained. Capturing mechs is priority, but don't trade your lives for it."
"Understood. Captain, radar update: four El Eins, six mass-produced Gespenst Mk-IIs, five Garlions. Fifteen total."
Three-to-one odds against their five mechs. "That's nothing," Axel said. "Shadow-Mirror thrives on these odds. I'll handle the El Eins. You take the rest."
"Understood," Echidna replied. "W1, W2, engage the Garlions with suppressing fire. Keep them off the Captain. W3, with me against the Gespenst Mk-IIs."
Three mechanical "Roger" responses echoed from the W-Units. As the plan took shape, eight beams lanced from the four El Eins—their Twin Beam Cannons at max range.
"Scatter!" Axel shouted, spotting the glow on their shoulders. His warning saved the squad from any hits.
"My turn. Focus, Phantoms!" Activating the Focus command, Axel launched twelve Phantoms from the Growsaver. Guided by the T-Link System's amplified telekinesis, they followed his will. Six Phantoms targeted an El Eins, exploiting its post-attack lull. Two pierced its Tesla Drive with laser blades, while the other four severed its limbs at the roots, neutralizing it completely. The remaining six Phantoms pinned down another El Eins, preventing support.
"One down," Axel said. The El Eins was reduced to a torso, but Lemon's team could likely restore it. The remaining three El Eins faltered, stunned by the loss.
Axel seized the moment to broadcast. "This is Lieutenant Axel Almer, Shadow-Mirror Special Ops Captain, Earth Federation Special Task Force. I'm here to suppress your rebellion. Our commander doubts your base leader's story. Comply, and we'll help uncover the truth. Will you follow our orders?"
The battlefield wasn't large; every mech likely heard him. Surrender would save us all some trouble—logistics included. But a G-Railgun shot from one El Eins answered him.
"Tch, no talking, huh?" Axel dodged right, evading the blast. As he ordered the Phantoms to counter, another El Eins transmitted.
"All units, cease fire. This is Captain Kirono, Blackbird Squadron."
The Gespenst Mk-IIs and Garlions halted, holding position. Echidna and the W-Units, aware of the capture priority, also paused, keeping their distance.
"Captain Kirono, is that a surrender?" Axel asked.
"No," Kirono replied. "I'm curious what the base commander's claiming. Care to share?"
Tell the truth? Axel mused. The commander's story was flimsy, likely hiding something dirty. If it enraged Kirono's squad, they might charge recklessly, making capture easier.
"I don't have details," Axel said, "but the claim is some officers, jealous of the commander, tried to assassinate him and failed. They stole PTs and AMs before arrest."
Silence gripped the battlefield. Even Echidna and the W-Units stayed still, awaiting orders. The Blackbird Squadron's quiet was eerie—until Kirono's laughter erupted over the comms.
"Pfft, hahaha! Jealousy? Assassination? That pig's spinning that yarn? In thirty years, I've never heard a better joke!"
Definitely hiding something, Axel thought.
"Your call, Kirono," he said. "Surrender, and we can uncover the truth. Die, and that joke becomes history. Dead men tell no tales."
Kirono's El Eins aimed its G-Railgun at Axel. "Sorry, but I don't trust lackeys sent by the brass. If we're the villains, fine—we'll play the part and defy the Federation. Let's go!"
The Gespenst Mk-IIs and Garlions surged forward. "Echidna, stick to the plan. Don't die pointlessly!" Axel ordered.
"Understood," she replied.
Axel commanded the twelve Phantoms—six from the first El Eins and six pinning the others—to attack. The battle reignited.