Reconnaissance in Force
The four pilots who had been out for live testing returned to the base.
「This was my first time piloting a machine with armored muscles. That thing is incredible!」
Kurose was practically brimming with excitement. The smooth weight distribution and novel maneuverability had left a deep impression. While he had experience piloting machines with artificial muscles before, the difference was like night and day.
「You were a fourth dan in kendo, right? Watching you handle it that well on a first outing kind of stings for the rest of us, Kurose-san.」
Hyoue said with a wry smile.
Even though it had been a mock battle, Kurose’s Aramasa—a model more focused on armor than Hyoue’s Lanius D-Type—had managed to fight on equal footing. While the Lanius D-Type had been refined by Kou, its foundational design was Hyoue’s work.
「The Aramasa is performing well, wouldn’t you say? What about the Akors?」
Kinukawa asked Heino, the wolf-shaped Familia.
「Not bad at all! It might be better to reduce the D–Cannon to a single barrel and increase its ammunition capacity.」
「Hmm. In anti-air combat, missiles tend to be the main weapons, but the D-Cannon—while having shorter range compared to railguns—produces far less recoil. It’s definitely easier to handle than the Artillery Birds I usually pilot.」
「Is that so? It might be easier, but it’s still comparable to that bucking bronco? It seems there’s still room for improvement.」
Kinukawa continued gathering feedback from Heino, while Kou was also consulting with Hyoue and Taa-kun, typing swiftly on his terminal.
Suddenly, an alarm blared throughout Astraea.
「What’s happening?」
「The nearby garrison is under attack by an unknown force!」
Aki’s voice was tense, resonating through the room.
「We’ve received visuals from reconnaissance vehicles. Displaying footage in the command center now.」 Nyanta announced.
Just as Nyanta finished speaking, the images appeared on the screen, everyone present froze.
The machines in the footage were unmistakable to everyone in the room.
「This… this can’t be…」
「You’ve got to be kidding me.」
Kelly muttered in disbelief.
「Enemy model identification complete. It’s an Antique Silhouette, model type Angel.」
As Astraea reported the enemy’s identity, a tense silence hung over the room.
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
「They’ve dug up something troublesome. Could it be the Stones?」
「No, I doubt Vasa would be so reckless.」
Kinukawa replied, refuting Hyoue’s muttered speculation, his face twisted as if chewing on a bitter herb. Vasa might be a great Development Engineer, but he would need more time to recover something like this.
The Antique Silhouettes. These were weapons unearthed from the era of the Interplanetary War. Unlike the current era, where certain technologies were sealed, these relics were made using the full extent of humanity’s knowledge.
The peace treaty had just been signed, it was hard to believe that Vasa would break it so quickly.
「No IFF response detected from the enemy. Verifying affiliation… It’s the Roche Phalanx!」
The room fell silent at the announcement.
The Roche Phalanx. The most massive and powerful underground force on Planet Asia. Their resources included space battleships and carriers, so vast and organized they were said to operate as a de facto extension of the Mercenary Association Headquarters.
「Why them? The Antiques are centuries ahead of our technology. Going up against those things without preparation is suicide.」
Kelly, who had spent years researching the Antique Silhouette Skunk, stepped forward resolutely.
「I’ll go.」
The screen displayed the devastating aftermath: vehicles obliterated beyond recognition, the remains of accompanying mercenaries’ Silhouettes strewn about like discarded toys.
「No! It’s not just a single Angel we’re dealing with!」
Aki’s voice was filled with despair. The footage shifted to reveal two Silhouettes.
「Two Angels. Plus two high-tier Archangels. And this… we’ve even identified an Aratron, one of the highest-performing units from the Interplanetary War era. This force is overwhelming.」
Vehicles were being destroyed one after another, leaving no time for local forces to even respond.
The devastation left both Nyanta and Aimer speechless. It was a scene of destruction that no ordinary Silhouette could accomplish in such a short span.
「Analysis complete. The enemy force consists of five units. They are attacking over a wide area, operating independently, and appear to be conducting reconnaissance in force.」
Even when the remaining weapons attempted to mount a counterattack they were inmediatly incinerated by the enemies’ laser systems. Half-tracked armored vehicles and wheeled combat vehicles were utterly outclassed, incapable of even slowing the attackers down.
The situation was dire, the scale of the enemy’s capability painfully clear to everyone present.
「Even small to medium-caliber railguns can’t scratch them. And against airborne Antique Silhouettes, anti-air autocannons are completely ineffective.」
「The difference in armor is that significant?」
Despite the overwhelming disadvantage, the Familias continued to fight bravely, fulfilling their duties with unwavering resolve.
「Why is Roche Phalanx attacking us?」
Aimer murmured, voicing her doubts.
「This is no time for questions like that. They’re the enemy.」
Kou declared firmly, categorizing the attackers without hesitation.
The Roche Phalanx, alongside the Mercenary Association Headquarters, had long been missing after their base was captured by the Stones. Their sudden reappearance here was baffling, but there was no time to dwell on it.
「Order our allied units to disperse and retreat. Priority is survival. If they move as a unit, they’ll be annihilated in one strike.」
「Understood.」
Aimer took over and started issuing the retreat order.
「Kou, Astraea. Tell me—what’s the gap in strength between Unit 5 and these Antique Silhouettes?」
「The Angels were the most mass-produced models of the Interplanetary War, while the Archangels are enhanced versions of the same. I’ll be blunt—they are no match for the current Unit 5.」
「Then!」
「However, the Aratron is in a different league altogether.」
「We can’t do anything against it?」
「Not at all. While our weapons aren’t as optimized as those from that era, they can still reach a comparable level of performance. With the Arc Blade and the D-Rifle, you should be able to hold your own.」
「Then it’s settled. Voy, can you hear me? You know the situation. Get ready.」
「Already ahead of you.」
Voy responded with a thumbs-up and a wink on the communication screen. Without hesitation, Kou left the command center to prepare for battle.
「We’re coming too!」
「Of course. Let’s go, Hyoue.」
「You can’t, the D-Type is still under maintenance from the Analyze Armor test.」
「What?!」
「Preparations for redeployment are being expedited, but it’ll take a little longer. Please hold on.」
「Tch. Fine, but against the Antiques, we need every ounce of readiness.」
Hyoue muttered, grudgingly accepting the delay. They needed to be in the best condition possible to fight against this enemy, the Antique Silhouettes were that much of a threat. The Analyze Armor had only just been removed, and the re-equipping it on the Borealis was taking precious time.
「We’ll handle it, Kinukawa-san, sorry in advance if we wreck the new unit.」
「I’ll go rampage for a bit, I might get shot down by the lasers, so come recover me when the fight ends.」
「Go wild, I don’t care if the machines get destroyed. This is the perfect opportunity to test if the new models can match up against the Antiques. Just come back alive.」
「You got it!」
Kurose and Heino, their spirits fired up, rushed out to deploy.
Aimer, meanwhile, issued commands swiftly and efficiently.
「All units, assume combat positions. There’s a chance the enemy will advance on this location. Assault Silhouette squads, follow Kou. Trooper squads, secure defensive positions.」
She paused briefly, her lips pressed tightly together.
「The Mercenary Association Headquarters… are they trying to play a third-party opportunist at this stage?」
The Mercenary Association Headquarters—formally known as the Mercenary Management Organization, Mercenaries Association—was the central governing body of mercenary operations on this planet. Aimer bit her lip, voicing a grim thought she didn’t want to consider.
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