The Mech Touch

General Pierce did not reveal too many details during the initial briefing. The main purpose of this meeting was to inform the members of Task Force Umbra of their singular goal. The CRC general also wanted to convey the possibility that this may very well be a one-way journey.

Once the five deep strike fleet carriers set off to intercept the Larkinson fleet, everyone aboard turned into dead men walking.

They were expected to die. The CRC and the four participating Coalition partners had unofficially written them all off. While the Friday Coalition would be delighted if some or all of the expensive fleet carriers limped their way back to friendly territory, none of the higher ups would shed a tear if Task Force Umbra disappeared from the face of the galaxy.

While the brigadier-general did not explicitly state all of this, the mech officers and mech pilots attending the meeting weren't stupid. Each of them were elites of their respective military branches. As the crack mech troops of the Friday Coalition, they possessed a greater awareness of the overall strategic situation. General Pierce had already given his men plenty of hints.

Despite the possibility that this might turn into a suicide mission, none of the Fridaymen showed any fear.

As some of the most well-trained soldiers of the Coalition, they knew what they were fighting for and were always ready to sacrifice their lives as long as it bettered the lives of their fellow Fridaymen.

Their cause was just. The members of Task Force Umbra could think of no better way to save their home state than to eliminate one of the most powerful sources of strength to the Hex Army.

Kill the mech designer, save the Friday Coalition! It was that simple!

Even if killing Ves Larkinson did not collapse the glows of the Blessed Squire model and the Valkyrie product line, his removal at least ensured the Hex Army did not gain any further dastardly glow mechs.

Almost a third of all Fridaymen military mech pilots were actually shivering in their boots at the prospect of facing other LMC mechs in battle!

It was ridiculous how much the Fridaymen feared the work of a single Journeyman Mech Designer, but the trauma that the Blessed Squire and Valkyrie Redeemer managed to inflict was quite extensive!

As long as the Hex Army began to deploy three or four additional mechs with glows, the Fridaymen might become permanently suppressed on the battlefield.

One policy institute from the Gauge Dynasty predicted that in a year's time, the average morale and effective performance of every Fridayman combat unit was liable to drop by as much as 20 percent due to the devastating effects of glows!

This was a devastating drop that would permanently put the Fridaymen mech militaries at a disadvantage. No matter whether it was the Blue Legion, the Fortune Legion, the Sundered Phalanx or even the Oni Guard, none of them were able to fight comfortably against a Hex Army that made extensive use of LMC mechs!

The variety, versatility and lack of adequate countermeasures against Hexer glows continually hampered the Friday Coalition. While there were plenty of Masters trying to develop the ultimate counter against this hated invention, none have truly succeeded up to this point.

Perhaps distinguished mech designers such as Master Olson and Master Katzenberg might be able to crack the code. However, their research had stalled. A successor to the Glow Crusher and an improved version of their O-K alloy was years away by their own estimates.

This was too long! The Komodo War developed rapidly and could change at any day. Rather than gambling on the faint hope that the befuddled Fridaymen Masters developed an effective counter against LMC mechs, the leaders of the Friday Coalition instead chose to take a more concrete course of action.

"The heads of every Coalition partner are paying attention to Operation Head Crusher." General Pierce generously said. "Our mission is noble beyond comparison. What we are about to embark upon is nothing less than eliminating the greatest enemy of men from this star sector. Do not think that Ves Larkinson is sympathetic towards the plight of his own gender. His wife has him by the balls. Despite his forceful public appearances, he is one of the most pathetic boys in existence. He is a traitor to his own gender and is complicit to all of the oppression the Hexers will unleash if they conquer our state."

No one doubted the necessity of their mission anymore. Each and every elite Fridayman servicemen was prepared to die in order to stop the infamous Devil Tongue!

As for whether they were supposed to capture him or kill him, General Pierce had made it clear that the former was not a priority.

As far as the Fridaymen were concerned, they should play it safe. It was a lot harder to capture someone alive than to kill them outright. Since the future of the Friday Coalition might be at stake, the soldiers simply couldn't afford to make any further gambles.

Everyone, including Venerable Ghanso Larkinson, intended to kill the hated mech designer at the first possible opportunity!

As the meeting dispersed and the personnel from the other fleet carriers left the Eager Condemnation, the fleet soon prepared to depart.

As soon as the FTL drives of the deep strike fleet carriers finished cycling, the capital ships retrieved their mechs and simultaneously transitioned into FTL.

Their destination? The border between Komodo and Majestic Teal. No matter what route the Larkinson Clan took, Task Force Umbra would always be able to overtake their prey!

As Venerable Ghanso and the rest of Unit L moved into their new living quarters aboard the CRC fleet carrier, Lady Aisling Curver paid a visit to the former Brighter expert pilot. She entered his cabin with a hesitant step.

"Hey, Ghanso." She greeted. "So this operation is actually going through?"

The expert pilot sat on his bunk. He looked up at the mech designer who was responsible for servicing the mechs of Unit L.

"Operation Head Crusher has officially started. The brigadier-general is very serious about our purpose. Even if all of us die and all of our fleet carriers fall into the hands of the Larkinsons, we cannot fail our mission. Are you willing to die to save the Friday Coalition?"

"Of course!" She immediately replied. "As a member of the mighty Gauge Dynasty, I have sworn an oath to defend it against any threat. While I regret the fact that Ves has turned against our state, I… cannot let my feelings override my duty."

It took a lot of effort for her to say that. Ghanso softened his expression and patted the side of the bed. "Come sit."

She did so. Her white lab coat contrasted sharply against Ghanso's crisp CRC uniform.

"Ves must die. This is a given. Killing him will not only save the Friday Coalition, but also liberate my trapped and brainwashed relatives. The Larkinson Family will never be able to return to its roots as long as my misguided cousin continued to spread his poisonous lies."

"Ghanso…"

"MY FAMILY IS AT STAKE!" He burst out! He quickly tried to calm himself down. "I thought you got over him already. You had your chance, but he chose differently. He even tied the knot with his Hexer girlfriend. Are you finally willing to accept reality?"

His words only caused Aisling to feel more and more conflicted.

"You don't understand, Ghanso. Have you ever loved someone with all your heart?"

"I love my family. Why do you think I am fighting so hard? Everything I do is to save my fellow Larkinsons from the darkness that has corrupted their purity!"

"At least you are able to get your way. I am not so lucky. Not only do I have to take part in an operation that is expressly designed to kill the object of my affection, but I may not even live long enough to see the outcome of my efforts. I'm not a soldier, Ghanso."

The expert pilot sighed and placed his hand on her hand. "There are better people out there than Ves. He has made his bed. Let him lie in it. As for you, it's okay to feel frightened. Everyone is afraid of death. Just remember what we are fighting for. We cannot allow our selfish desires trump the interests of trillions of innocent Fridaymen and other citizens in our star sector."

The Journeyman Mech Designer closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her blond hair swayed as she tried to reconcile her conflicting thoughts.

Under the influence of Venerable Ghanso's intense force of will, Aisling managed to find some peace in her roiling emotions.

Her eyes glinted with stoic determination when she opened them again.

"I.. understand. Thank you, Ghanso. I needed that. I know what I must do. I love Ves, but I love my home even more. I cannot allow the Hexers to harm my friends and family. If I have to accompany you all the way to the grave in order to save my state, I will do so as long as the Friday Coalition is saved."

"It sounds like you finally got your priorities straight. Have you truly managed to shed your feelings for Ves?"

She faintly shook her head. "I can't. I will always love Ves and his fantastic design philosophy. That will never change. The only difference is that I am prepared to bury these feelings in order to abide by my oaths. If I manage to survive, when all of this is over, I will dig my affections up again and mourn for a dream that has never come to pass."

Though Ghanso didn't understand why Aisling was being so difficult, at least she was moving in the right direction. He had grown incredibly tired of hearing her lament about her lost opportunity to shack up with Ves. As long as she shut up about that during this operation, he could prepare for the most important battle of his life in peace.

When Aisling finally left his quarters with a renewed sense of purpose, another guest dropped by half an hour later.

"What are you doing here, Baroness Foster?" Ghanso hissed.

The Vesian expert pilot leaned against the side of the hatch while crossing her arms. "I encountered Aisling earlier. She is very different from before. Was that your handiwork?"

He shrugged. "I don't claim any credit. I believe that Operation Head Crusher has finally forced her to confront reality. She's been losing herself in her dreams for more than a straight year. She can't sustain her fantasies forever, you know. Every illusion has an ending, but truth is always eternal."

"That's surprisingly deep, coming from you. You Brighters always try to act smart."

"You Vesians treat everyone but nobles as trash." Ghanso sneered.

She didn't even deign to reply to that. "Anyway, I just want to thank you for pulling that poor woman back to reality. Even though it doesn't look like you completed the job, I think she is doing better than before."

"If General Pierce is right, it's improbable for us to survive this operation. If Aisling suffers the same fate, at least she will be able to meet her end with open eyes."

They both fell silent for a time. As soldiers, they were both aware that they might never be able to return alive from a deployment. This was not the first time they faced very slim odds.

"If we ever managed to reach Ves, who gets to kill him?" Venerable Foster asked.

"I do. As my blood kin, it is up to me to end the threat to my family. Just because we are relatives doesn't mean I intend to be lenient to him. In fact, it's the opposite. Everything he has done to the Larkinsons is a travesty. I need to be the one that pulls the trigger in order to send a clear message to my relatives."

Venerable Foster frowned. "I can't allow you to do that, Ghanso. Ves Larkinson is responsible for the deaths of many comrades as mine. I vowed to avenge their deaths and eliminate any threat to the Hafner Duchy."

The two expert pilots glared at each other. Neither of them were willing to give in on this matter!