This was just sad.
I watched Andre kick an enemy suit into the awaiting Harley, who caught the suit, ripped out the entrance and crushed the pilot. A few dozen meters away, Azee, Amida and Lafter were easily dismantling the three opponents they had.
Looking further left revealed another massacre. Akihiro and Norba were bullying the lone suit left from their batch.
Finally, our lone warrior, Mika was still running around, ensuring not a single enemy escaped.
We were still outnumbered, however, what we lacked in numbers was made up for in quality and a lot of it. Most pilots on our side could easily handle two enemy suits at a time. Unlike canon, there were way more of us and we actually had a plan instead of 'go fight and don't get in Mika's way. '
The Plan was simple as all good plans were.
A loose shield formation that held the enemy back while Andre and Mika acted as the independent strike team, piercing enemy formations, then circling to attack from behind. While the enemy is in disarray and split off to attack the strike team, the shield wall begins to encircle the enemy.
It worked way too easily, the enemy easily getting pushed back and outclassed, causing them to bunch up and obstruct their allies' movements as they slowly lose space, anyone of note getting targeted and terminated by the killer duo. We had reached a point where formations didn't even matter once the enemy numbers matched our own; everyone just going to get in a quick personal fight.
We had already gotten enough suits to enact our plan with more to spare, most suits only being damaged around the cockpit area. A bit of a hassle to repair but something we could handle.
It also gave Robby enough suits to use for the amplifier, which he said was nearly ready under all the cautious reminders, rambling on about how both a resonant chamber, signature synchronisation, or emitter array were all still unstable for the hundredth time.
Honestly, I think he was being to worried. From the few tests we did a few kilometres from the base, nothing blew up. While it wasn't at the range we would be working at, we got halfway and nothing indicated it couldn't go further.
A thought hit me about this battle and it was the fact that it was already so profitable. One would forget with how many suits get swatted away in battles but suits were not something any Tom dick and Harry had.
On top of being expensive as all hell, both to purchase and maintain, manufacturers of suits were heavily regulated and watched over. There were private manufacturers of course but they didn't mass produce, nor did many of these companies sell their suits publicly anyway.
Basically, if we could scavenge all these suits, we would actually be a force to reckon with.
"Finish up, you guys have had your fun." I announced into the comms. We got what we needed. No need to waste more time. " Recovery teams, move in."
I watched as a caravan of mobile workers rolled in, David and the boys exiting and making a perimeter, both mobile workers and foot soldiers alike, Robby and the engineers following soon after when it was confirmed to be safe. While that happened, all mobile suits except Norba, Akihito and Andre were taking their leave back to base. Those three were first on guard duty just in case Gjallarhorn wanted to reclaim their lost goods.
I turned to Richy, who was driving the mobile worker we were in." Take us back to base. We've seen enough."
The ride back to base was rather quiet as I had time to think.
A quick review of the plan had me rethinking our approach. Nothing major. Well, kinda.
We were still going with the 'crossing the moat plan' and diversion but instead of them being distracting, I proposed that we just go all in for a full assault. Have all the checkpoints bombarded with the stolen suits, the emphasis being on the blockade we planned to breach, Mika, Amida and Andre personally attacking those points.
The full assault would be reminiscent of blitzkrieg.
The amplifier would go off, and in the confusion and cloak, we sent in nearly all the suits, which were all immune to the ahab waves and we destroy the checkpoints, quickly sending in our units.
Robby had also provided a genius but risky suggestion.
If we were to strip our mobile workers and armoured vehicles of their just till their hardened minimal electronics for the attack, we would be able to decimate the still confused enemy. Remove high-frequency, long-range, and networked systems and keep the short-range optical systems, shielded analogue controllers and the like.
This highly relied on Robby's amplifier to work; otherwise, even the disoriented and devastated enemy, assuming our suit plan goes well, would be able to place a decent resistance against what would be an attack of a technologically inferior force.
Even though I had promised not to heavily rely on the untested amplifier, the possible outcome had me starry-eyed, and with Orga's reckless nature, we went ahead with the plan, beginning to remove all unnecessary electronics from our mobile workers and armoured vehicles.
Plus, in the worst case scenario, the enemy demolishes the attack; either way, we still likely get into the city with the VIPs.
Just on a bloodier note.
Or I'm highly underestimating the enemy.
Makanai assured us that if we were to get in, he had a few friends who would be willing to shelter us. Not to mention a building he indirectly owned across from the parliament. We would like to use the inconspicuous building. That would only be if we managed to get into the city and lose any Gjallarhorn eyes; otherwise, we would head to a safe zone known as Makanai's friends' homes.
We had made plans for all situations, all our routes mapped, places to store, park and or ditch the mobile workers and armoured vehicles and what to do if somehow found ourselves in prickly situations like encircled by the enemy.
Things I was constantly drilling into the team I was taking with me.
Failure was a non-option at best, and anyone who chose to come with needed to prepare to die since lose is not an outcome.
Even though I was presenting myself as some sort of unflappable stern leader at the moment, my stress levels were off the charts.
Just thinking about the upcoming mission had my nerves rattled and my heart doing drum solos.
I was placing a lot on the outcome to this.
When I wasn't reviewing the plan for the hundredth time, I was training. Whether it be my body, marksmanship, or combat, if it could be trained, I was training it.
Failure was not an option.
I couldn't allow it.
I would not allow it.
" Darius."
I turned in an instant, a hand shooting out for a potential throat punch. I had to stop mid-motion when I realised I was in the middle of the training grounds.
Yeah, it was getting to me now. I think I need a rest.
When my senses caught up to my instincts, I saw it was Harley I had nearly knocked the wind out of.
Yeesh," she muttered, raising her hands with a dry grin. "I know you're worked up, but I didn't realise we were on punch-first, talk-later terms now."
I snorted, dropping my guard.
" Not the best idea to interrupt someone deep in thought, punching the ever-living sand out of their DIY punching bag."
I moved to pick up my training towel, wiping my face. I always did this. I wasn't afraid to die in a gunfight but god forbid I ended up losing big on something I was placing all my bets on like my life wasn't in danger for both scenarios.
This one felt especially bad, though and I had no idea why.
"Didn't mean to spook you," she said more softly this time, her smirk fading into something a bit more curious. She leaned her shoulder against a support beam, arms folded. " It's just that, you seem more tense than I've ever seen you before, and I've seen you in firefights and literally get shot so I'm just a bit curious as to why."
Ha, just thought that.
She tilted her head, watching me carefully. "So what's got you rattled? Edmonton? Gjallarhorn? Or is it something else?"
Just as I was about to say nothing was wrong, the multi colored haired girl preempted my response.
"And don't say 'nothing' cause I'll make sure you'll have something to be worried about if that's the case."
Gosh, was she my mom or something?
It's really nothing. "
She shot me a dry look and I had to quickly continue.
" I've just put alot on the outcome of this and as a gambling man, losing a bet this big would be worse than death for me." I shot her a smirk of reassurance but it felt off to even me so I went with one of the greatest techniques I've added to my arsenal.
" It happens all the time when I bet this big so there's nothing to read into. If anything, it's good for me cause it just means I'm extra focused and it will all go away once we get through this." I once again reassured, walking up to her and kissing her forehead.
" Thanks for checking up on me, though. If you really wanna help, continue kicking ass in those mechs."
With that, I performed the technique gracefully, quickly walking off before she could reply.
" You're not slick you know." I heard her shout.
Her worry was adorable but unwarranted. I've had problems like this and gone through it all alone. I don't need someone to add more stress than I already have, especially when it's only temporary.
A few more days passed, and we held back, only sending the occasional skirmish team to ensure they didn't get suspicious and investigate our camp. During this time, we were mostly just waiting for the engineering team to repair the damaged suits, strip all our vehicles of their electronics and for Robby to make the final touches to the amplifier.
Still, the day soon arrived and it was time to move. Everyone seemed to be as nervous and tense as I felt inside, so I decided to give a little speech to try uplift everyone's moods before we began.
Standing atop a few crates, looking over everyone I could see in the pitch darkness, I took in a sharp breath of cold air, closed my eyes and relaxed. This wasn't the time to be nervous. I knew what I was getting into when I took the path I did so I needed to fucking man up.
Stop being a pussy bitch and man up.
Stop being a weakling and toughen up.
Stop being nervous, or…no balls.
When I finally opened my eyes, any nervousness in me evaporated, gone with the wind and replaced with the fire of someone with the will that could damn near match one of a space marine.
" You are afraid. It is natural. Everyone gets scared. Even I get scared. " I began, looking as many of them in the eyes as I could. " To be afraid is not weakness. Both brave men and cowards feel fear, feel scared. The difference however, is how one reacts to said fear. Cowering, crying, running away. That is a weakness. That is cowardice, that is intolerable and if you are a coward, speak now and get left behind at base."
Pure silence resounded.
Good.
" If no one is staying, then you are all brave, brave people. You are all people who feel fear and look it in the face. You are people who use that fear to fuel their confidence, to fuel their bravery, to fill their anger, to fill whatever motivates you to fight. It pushes you forward to face that fear. "
I raised a fist.
" So be afraid, embrace it as it is impossible to avoid it, then use it, be in control of it and have it carry you forward. Use it to protect yourself, your family, Tekkaden and use it to grab your future. That is what differentiates the brave from the cowards. So answer me this, what are you?"
" Brave!"
" I asked, WHAT ARE YOU?"
" BRAVE!"
" Then show me how brave you truly are by going out there, kicking ass, taking names and fighting for your future, Tekkaden's future!"
The crowd roared like possessed warriors and I found myself getting swept up in all of it, shouting my lungs out.
" Get ready Gjallarhorn, cause you don't know what monster you shall face!"