What the hell is this?
I stood in the Federation Space Force base on Elpis, staring at the footage.
The monitor first showed a man with dark green hair and eyes blazing with resolve. He spoke of the government's corruption, the military's decay, and his rebellion against it. Following his claims, I checked the net and found downloadable files detailing evidence of corruption and his unit's cleanup operations.
But that wasn't the real issue.
"Why… are you there, Axel?" I whispered.
A mech, moving with godlike ferocity, obliterated over 20 PTs and AMs in moments. It wasn't a standard PT or AM—something new. The monitor, which had just shown that man, Vindel, now displayed the mech's combat footage and a voice I assumed was its pilot's.
The voice was unmistakable. They were likely broadcasting Axel's audio alongside footage from the mothership. How could I forget that voice? It belonged to my partner from three years at the military prep school.
Though we'd grown distant since entering officer school, we'd kept in touch via calls and emails. The last time we met in person was after graduation, sharing cake at a café. Axel had mentioned his assignment to a North American base. So why was he now with a special unit like Shadow-Mirror?
Lost in escapist thoughts, I was jolted by new movement on the monitor.
"Albert Gray, you hearing me? Get on the comms," Axel's voice demanded.
Albert Gray? A member of the EOT Special Council, wasn't he? What was his connection to Axel?
When Gray didn't respond, Axel's mech fired small missiles at deserted parts of the base. Finally, Gray appeared, and their conversation began. I couldn't believe what I was seeing—or didn't want to.
From their exchange, it seemed Gray had ordered the assassination of someone Axel knew. A politician, especially one on the EOT Council, shouldn't be involved in such things. Gray denied it vehemently, but Axel's demeanor suggested he held ironclad proof.
When Gray's excuses faltered, Axel curtly ended the talk and attacked the base with his mech's weapon.
Is that really the Axel I know? Part of me doubted, yet another part accepted it as quintessentially Axel.
When we met at prep school, Axel Almer was someone I admired, looked up to, aspired to surpass… and my first love. Those three years as his acknowledged partner were fulfilling beyond words.
But I'd also sensed a dangerous edge to his talent. I'm no slouch—called a once-in-a-decade prodigy since childhood. I'll admit, it went to my head sometimes. Then I met Axel at prep school.
He was a once-in-a-century talent, no exaggeration. After losing to him in our first exam, I threw myself into studies, barely sleeping, just to catch up. I only beat him in written exams, and even then, by the slimmest margins. His personality was generally warm, though he could get tunnel-visioned when training, but he was well-liked.
"And that Axel is rebelling?" I muttered.
I didn't want to believe it. Part of me clung to the fantasy that Vindel was blackmailing him—impossible as it seemed.
"Captain Yuria, that broadcast!" Leona Garstein burst into the room, clearly having seen it too.
She'd already started verifying the footage's authenticity. And what was I doing? Sitting here, wallowing in doubt?
No. That's not who I am. If I had questions, I'd ask Axel directly—even if it meant facing him on the battlefield.
"I'm Major Yuria Heinkel, commander of the Troye Unit," I declared.
"Captain Yuria?" Leona asked, confused.
"Sorry, Leona. I've got something to do. I have to go."
"Go where?"
"You saw the broadcast, didn't you?"
The rebellion was on Earth. Any space battles would come later. The real fight was planetside.
"To the ground," I said.
"Wait, Captain Yuria?" Leona called after me.
I'd need my superior's permission, but I'd make it happen.
"Wait for me, Axel."