Commander Klaus was a man of strict rules. But he allowed his subordinates some levels of freedom around the North Tower. As long as they behave and do as they are told, then he wouldn't have any issues. Though some would say that his word is law, many forgot that he too was human. Not some autonomous and cold-hearted machine.
Some even said that he was too focused on work and should be having fun. He scoffed at that idea. There's no time for fun.
Klaus stared at the screen, with the previous team and the names of the agents he dispatched for a mission displayed depressingly. Only Dune returned, the rest… Well, he'd rather not think of it as of now.
He opened a different window, and after punching in the access code the screen was filled with thousands upon thousands of files.
Klaus spent some time to find what he was looking for after filtering it by important key letters. Once again, it needed another access code.
When it finally opened, he stared at it for a second.
>Jose "Hangman" Roxas.
The files concerning the Linebreakers squad. Everything important to know about. Their past occupations, origins, previous relationships, and most importantly, the names of the missions they were deployed in.
>Jose "Hangman" Roxas
-Mech frame: Drake
-Years of service: 15
-Serious about his work. A bit selfless when it came to his role. I have nothing else to say.
>Kennedy "Quick Raccoon"
-Mech frame: Swallowtail
-Years of service: 9
-My opinion of her is low, but she was easily tolerated. I didn't enjoy the idea of hiring some celebrity into the company. But Raccoon proved to me that she could be trusted.
>Edward "Basilisk"
-Mech frame: Barbarossa
-Years of service: 11
-A pious man who believes in the kindness of all. I would've scoffed at the idea, but I myself believe in many things.
>Williams "Weather 5" Barwick
-Mech frame: Monarch
-Years of service: 10
-An excellent pilot in the skies. Sadly his obsession with Cradle's air combat history made him an irksome person.
>Samuel "Nova"
-Mech frame: Raleigh
-Years of service: 6
-Out of everyone in the squad, only one man makes me want to strangle them. Nova continues to test my patience and I fear that one day I will make him regret everything that machine has done.
>Cullen "Stalwart" Reynold VI
Mech frame: Saladin
-Years of service: 12
-Silent, loyal, and an ideal soldier. As if he was made to be one.
>Jack "Revolution" Metzel
-Mech frame: Blackbeard
-Years of service: 8
-A good mechanic, always accepting work around the base. But his personal NHP is a dangerous one. And I cannot trust it too easily.
>Zef "Aquila" Balash
-Power armor: Caliban
-Years of service: 11
-Honorable to a fault. Trustworthy.
>Erik "Lonely Gambit" Reitz
-Mech frame: Death's Head
-Years of service: 12
-Far too old to fight. Denies every offer to enhance his efficiency.
>Nona "Pillory" Aliano
-Mech frame: Hydra
-Years of service: 5
-I am acquainted with her previous leader, and it was a shame she gave up on a promising Lancer. Skills like Nona's can't simply be discarded.
>Prudincia "Warden" Sarmento
-Mech frame: Black Witch
-Years of service: 5
-She was a disappointment at first, but thanks to the help of Williams, she became efficient in the field of battle. If only she wasn't assigned to us by the Union. Maybe then, I would trust her.
Klaus stared at the names. Each one said "Active" in a green shade. The things he wrote were simply his opinions. How he saw the bunch. Then he looked at their leader.
>John "German" Doe
-Mech frame: Sherman
-Years of service: 15
-No comment.
There was one more, of course. A name that he needed to deal with before continuing with his work.
At the bottom of the list was someone called Abomination. A man who spent only four years in service before… Well, there was no point in thinking about the details.
Klaus took the name and file and brought it to another folder. And just before he closed it, he wrote one last thing on Abomination's file.
"MIA"
With that settled, Klaus moved on to his next work.
Chapter 3: New Blood
Veridiana was called into the room along with a few of her squad mates.
It was a large room, big enough for some mechs to gather. She looked around and noticed a few things. First were the cameras; all focused on them like a hawk. The next was that there were only three entrances. A table was set up in the middle with enough seats for everyone. But after a good count, Veridiana counted a total of 14 seats.
"Welcome to the auditorium, Rookie, this is where we conduct briefings and do celebrations." Hangman said as they all took a seat.
Everyone but German was chatting happily, but the moment they entered the room they went silent.
There, on a stage was the man himself, Commander Klaus. He was speaking with someone. Whether or not he knew that they were there, it didn't matter.
Soon enough, there was another person who entered the room. This man had nothing noteworthy about him. Simply that he was obviously a pilot as well. Arm stuck in a sling and a crutch in the other, he limped over to their table at his own pace.
"Dune," German greeted.
"Lancers,"
Klaus addressed them the moment all seats were filled.
"Yesterday, at 0500, squad WatchDogs members Dune, Star Lord, and Pastel were dispatched to scout out possible illegal activity. Exactly 0900, they were ambushed by a group of pirates we know all too well. The Black Lotus."
Veridiana noticed the surprised look in everyone's eyes.
"Them?" Lonely scoffed. "Didn't we already bury those punks back at Brookvale?"
"Reports might suggest that they are remnants of the faction," Klaus informed them. "But, before WatchDogs' mission, another mercenary company was hired to investigate as well. None returned. We were then hired to do a follow-up. And as you can see, Dune was the only member left of the scouting team. Aquila, report."
"Yes, sir!" Aquila stood up, even without that power armor he was tall. Almost taller than Stalwart even. "After losing contact with the scouting team, I was dispatched to investigate the cause. I found them in a clearing due West of the location of the suspicious activities. After eliminating all hostiles, I rescued Dune and checked the corpses. Confirming the faction they belonged to."
"Thank you, Aquila. Dune, do you have any vital information to share?"
"Sir, my team was en route to our destination. But our ship was shot down by heavy AA weapons. We were then surrounded by six hostile pilots."
Klaus noticed German and his deep scowl. German stared at Dune with an unreadable look.
"Thank you, Dune. This is where squad Linebreakers come in. After a talk with our fellow mercenary company and discussing why the Black Lotus is present on Dratea. We believe that they are building a FOB to conduct raids around the planet. We must put a stop to this before they grow in power."
A massive screen appeared at the back of the stage.
"Thanks to the efforts of Dune and Aquila, we are able to get information about what you'll be encountering in combat."
A sorted amount of images appeared on screen. One of which was crossed out.
"And another thanks to Aquila for eliminating their heavy frame. This leaves us a total of five frames to be worried about. Intel tells us that they only carry standard weaponry. They wouldn't have easily smuggled anything other than explosives."
Another set of images appeared, this time it was the squad Linebreakers.
"As her first mission, I will be sending Demarini. German, nominate three more members."
"May I accompany them, sir?" He received a short nod. "Very well. Hangman, Nova, and Quick Raccoon."
The images on the screen were sorted out to display those German had named.
"Excellent." Klaus said. "Get some rest, at 1200 you will be riding the first ship out of here. Dismiss."
Everyone made to exit, all but one.
"Anything else, to add, German?"
"The Black Lotus, they knew that someone would come knocking at their door. It ain't exactly a secret that we're based at Dratea."
"Perhaps they've grown too brave the past few years." Klaus considered. "You need to get some rest. And inform your squad that the time is changing to 0500. Prepare for Operation: Sunrise. And German? Try not to let the new blood die."
"I don't disappoint."
***
Veridiana yawned widely.
For some reason, their mission was moved to an earlier time. Which meant she had to wake up an hour before being sent out.
The sun was barely even up in the sky. Now they were all treading through a very thick forest. She watched Hangman get stuck on a few trees, which was somewhat hilarious. His big mech was a lumbering mess when it came to small spaces, especially when he carried that massive shield of his.
German led the team, but Raccoon took the initiative and scouted ahead.
Last one in the group was Nova. Veridiana glanced over at him. It was slightly harrowing seeing a headless mech following them. He spent so much just so his mech would be like him. Even now she didn't know if he was a robot or a cyborg. German had also asked Nova to keep the lights off or else they would be spotted from a mile away.
Veridiana looked at her weapons. A standard anti-material rifle, one she brought back from the war. It even had a tally still drawn on the side. A few signatures from previous owners as well. Then there was her sword and assault rifle. The same sword she used in her duel with Revolution.
It was a little chipped thanks to the chain ax but was still sharp enough to even cleave a tree in two.
"Say, Rookie," Her attention shifted to Nova. "What made you become a Lancer?"
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"War," Short and simple. A good enough answer.
"Lighten up, will ya? There's probably a good reason for it. Wanna know why I got into the business?"
She said nothing. Veridiana hated how he treated her. She could tell by the way he talked to her that he saw a child. He was no different than those back on Travesk.
"See, I was always the work hard and party harder kind of guy. But one friend of mine left everything behind for adventure. So I just quit my old job and followed. Now I'm here."
"Short and straight to the point. I commend that, Nova." German said.
"Aw, thanks, boss!"
"Hey, boss!" Raccoon's tired voice joined their comms. Veridiana noticed something different about her. The way she spoke was as if it was a whole different person. Perhaps a good night's sleep was all Raccoon needed. She was far more energetic. "I have visuals of the hostile pilots. Five, just as the intel said. Though it looks like they are planning to leave."
German arched a brow. "Anything else?"
"Good thing we didn't bring Weather, one of them is packing a lot of interceptor missiles and your standard flak cannons."
"Guess that's how they took down the others," German noted. "Continue observing them, Raccoon. We will arrive at ETA in 10 minutes. Remember the plan, everyone."
"What happened here?" Nova asked as they entered a clearing.
Scorched and ruined, they came upon the aftermath of a battle. Spent shells littered undisturbed on grass. There were traces of blood, but no bodies. Finally, the most notable detail was the wreck that was against a fallen tree. There were even a few trees impaled together like a barbecue.
"This is where Aquila rescued Dune." German explained.
"Ah, I'm seeing it now!" Nova chuckled as he stared at the broken remains of the mech. "Guy really knows how to party."
"That's just how he rolls," Hangman smirked. "If all you got are soldiers, then Aquila will make quick work with you."
Despite how small of a battlefield it was, Veridiana felt the carnage and suffering left in Aquila's wake. Not even the forest was safe from his wrath. A warrior to aspire to be.
German walked up to the wreck and inspected it closer. His eyes then landed on a large faded symbol on the side. "Black Lotus. Annoying bunch."
"To really stamp out a pirate faction, we'd need the whole star system to crack down on them." Hangman said.
"Wait," Nova caught everyone's attention
"Look at that, someone ripped out half of the mech. Cleanly, I must add."
"They did?" Hangman looked at the peculiar scene. "Guess they were desperate enough for scrap metal."
"Enough chit-chat, let's move on." German ordered.
The group continued on their journey.
Soon enough they arrived at their destination.
A small camp was built in a valley. A good place too with a running river and plenty of food around. Veridiana made a note to come back later, if there's anything left, of course. And it seemed like the pirates dug in with defenses all around. Walls that surrounded the main camp, and barbed wire to top it off. Then there were the mechs. All powered down just as Raccoon informed.
It looked to be that the pirates were busy arming up.
Though there were a few tents, they noticed a large structure built at the center hidden beneath a woodland camo tarp.
"We're here, prepare for the assault." German said. "Get to position, and remember the plan."
"Boss, I got a big brain move," Raccoon popped into comms. "Hostile pilots are currently exposed in the open. Maybe we can take one out of the picture."
"Excellent idea, Raccoon. Rookie, can you make the shot?"
"Yes, sir."
Veridiana moved ahead of them and grabbed her weapon. Rifle stock against her shoulder and with one knee on the ground, she zeroed in on the targets.
"Any request, sir?"
German glanced over at her with a puzzled look. But then returned his gaze at the enemy. "Enemy sniper. By the South tent."
"I see him."
Veridiana moved her crosshair and lined it up with the pirate. The man was busy eating a hot meal. Veridiana practically had him in her sights and was ready to take him out. She felt resistance against her trigger finger, so she squeezed harder. And with a resounding click- She missed!
Her rifle let out a loud boom, but her shot was too far off.
Her target wore a look of shock as the ground next to him exploded and it rained dirt and debris.
She cursed as they sounded the alarm.
"I can do it!" She told them as she loaded in another bullet.
She glared through the scope again once more, but her target was scrambling to enter his mech which made them harder to hit. With the crosshair over the hostile pilot, she pulled the trigger.
Boom.
The man was no more. Veridiana managed to recover from her blunder.
"Good shot, Rookie!" Raccoon praised as she and the rest of the squad jumped into action.
Hangman led the charge as he burst out of hiding with his assault cannon revved up. And with stealth out of the question, Nova lit up like a star, hammer in hand as he followed the bigger mech. As they ran ahead, German took a slower pace while Veridiana stayed at the back of the line.
The enemies would soon enter their mechs and power up. Only issue was that it took a while for their systems to be booted up.
So it was up to the foot soldiers to keep the team at bay.
"We're under attack! Man the turrets!"
They scrambled to make sense of what was happening. But it was already too late as Veridiana's team was already on them.
"Eat lead, Union dogs!"
The pirate used the mounted machine gun turret, but due to his haste, he missed his shots.
"Idiot! They're the size of a house; how could you miss!?"
Hangman was first to the scene, he crashed through their pathetic defenses like a wrecking ball. Shield planted down, he activated his Drake's Fortress Protocol. His mech unfolded out shields and created a line of defense for his team. Assault cannon revved up, it let out a mighty roar as it gunned down the nearest targets.
As this happened, Nova slid towards the cover provided by Hangman and armed himself with a pair of massive revolvers. The would-be dual-wielding cowboy aimed at the nearest target. His shots didn't kill but left the pirate injured and out of the picture. They'll bleed to death in time.
Finally, the hostile pilots got their mechs ready, but by then most of their infantry had been decimated by the surprise assault.
As this happened, Raccoon kept a good distance from the combat. Marked one of the mechs in everyone's hud and bolstered Veridiana's frame. "Got a target for you, Rookie! Don't miss the first shot this time."
"The intel was wrong!" The pirate growled as he prepared to shoot. Luckily the only thing he'd be able to hit was Hangman's massive frame.
But just as many would have predicted, all the pirate did was scratch Hangman's paint. The mech was a wall and they were pushed against it.
"Lancers," German caught his team's attention. "Wipe these scum off the face of the planet. Rookie, take the shot."
"I won't miss this time, I assure you, sir."
Thanks to the cover granted by Hangman, Veridiana was able to safely aim at Raccoon's chosen target. Unlike before, her aim was true. The hostile mech was disarmed quite literally with a single shot.
Though he had his arm shot off, the pirate was defiant against the odds and started making his way over to the structure hidden by the tarp. Which meant that two out of five mechs were out of the picture.
"Enemy flak!" Raccoon warned them.
The biggest mech among the Black Lotus crouched down and trained his cannons at Hangman.
"I love and hate being a tank!" Hangman said as he braced himself.
But it seemed that luck was on his side as the flack shot detonated over his head.
"Boss! Can you deal with him!?"
"Hold tight, Hangman."
German had brought his own cannon. A standard howitzer. And just as it was made for the purpose, German blasted the enemy artillery to smithereens.
Two confirmed kills and one crippled. That left two more mechs to deal with.
"Reloading!" Veridiana had just realized that her rifle was empty. As she unloaded the empty shell, German loaded another round into his howitzer.
While this went on, a barrage of bullets bounced off Hangman's armor. They didn't have enough firepower to even pierce his defenses. In quick succession, Nova managed to land a couple of shots on one and tossed out a flash grenade. Raccoon wanted to finish them off but her missile rack missed completely.
As they were occupied with the two remaining fighters, the one whose arm Veridiana shot off had reached the tarp. He pulled it off and revealed the structure beneath.
"That's a naval weapon!" German expressed another form of emotion. Fear. This was the first time Veridiana witnessed it. "Lancers, clean up and take down that pirate scum!"
Hearing the fear in his voice would've discouraged her, but she heard the proud and determined "Sir yes sir!" from the others. This in turn gave her the morale to push forward.
Hangman released another hail of bullets at the nearest enemy and finished them off.
"Keep them distracted!" The pirate who manned the cannon told the remaining pilot. There was only one mech that stood between squad Linebreakers and the deadly naval weapon.
He powered up the weapon, but there was enough time to stop him.
"Rookie! Go on ahead and take that pirate out! Nova, engage the enemy and make way for the Rookie!"
His flames burned brighter as he armed himself with his hammer. "I'll break them down for you!"
"Raccoon, support the Rookie however you can!"
"I got it, boss!"
"Hangman, push closer, let's finish them off!"
Hangman deactivated his Fortress Protocol and his armor and stabilizers retracted. Slowly and surely, both of them walked toward the remaining fighter. While Nova ran ahead to engage. Veridiana on the other hand ditched her anti-material rifle for more speed.
As she ran, Raccoon marked the target for her and bolstered Veridiana's systems.
"Not today!" The pirate taunted. Despite losing an arm, his mech remained dextrous as he used the control panel of the cannon and brought his sights on Veridiana.
It took a few seconds, but a brilliant red light filled the barrel of the cannon and an intense energy came from within.
Hangman braced himself as Rookie, Nova, and the remaining hostile Lancer moved out of the way.
A piercing howl erupted from the weapon and a pillar of light slammed into Hangman's shield. The attack was relentless. It pinned Hangman on the spot. But if it went on like that, it'd be too much, even for a Drake frame.
"Rookie!" Nova called out as he finally finished off the remaining fighter. "Hurry up before it kills Hangman!"
Nodding, she ran as fast as she could. Sword now in her hands, she set her eyes on one final hurdle in this mission.
"Damn it!" The pirate cursed. "Move, damn it! Move!" Try as he might, it was too late. Veridiana was already on him, sword pulled back for a heavy swing.
Her blade glided over the control panel and severed the mech's head with great ease. But she wasn't done. She flipped the sword around and held it backward. Then as he pleaded for his life, Veridiana brought it down and plunged the blade through the chassis. Ending his life.
"Nice work!" Raccoon said. "Don't you love her folks? First mission and she's already a superstar!"
Veridiana smirked to herself. She felt a bit of pride and was sure that she earned a good callsign.
With all hostiles eliminated, Veridiana shut off the weapon and saved Hangman from a scorching demise.
"Raccoon, are there any left?"
"Nope, we cleaned up real good, boss!"
"Form up on me, let's check what else is around."
Hangman dismounted. He checked the damage he suffered from the naval weapon and saw how bad it was. The shield melted practically on his arm. "Sheesh, that'll cost me."
"Will it cost you an arm?" Nova jokingly said as he walked up to him.
"That was a hilarious pun. So much that I forgot to laugh."
Veridiana was about to dismount, but she stopped as she heard a distant whispering.
"The intel… was wrong…?"
She looked over to the mech at the controls. The sword still lodged deep through the neck and out its stomach.
Shrugging her shoulders, she joined the others as Raccoon's Swallowtail appeared from out of nowhere. "Well, that'll be it for today guys! Another mission and another bunch of baddies gone! Hope you all tune in next time. Bye!"
"Who is she talking to?" Veridiana asked.
"Her fans," Nova answered. "She's one of those online celebrities."
"Did she broadcast our whole mission? Ain't that risky?"
"Eh, wasn't a problem before. Maybe in the future."
"Hey, check this out!" Hangman called out.
The two rushed over to where Hangman was at; the back of the cannon. It was there they discovered several mechs all huddled together pressed against the back end of the weapon.
"So that's why they ripped that wreck apart," Nova commented.
"I'm guessing they needed a lot of juice to power this thing. And I should know, I felt how hard it hits." Hangman said.
Wires were running from the mechs and to the weapon. All of which were currently activated.
"But how did they even get these? Much less a naval class cannon?" Veridiana asked the billion-dollar question. None could make an answer. None but one man.
"They must've been smuggling part per part." German deduced. "And when they built it, that's when we got a report of suspicious activity in this area. Looking at it now, four of the mechs that are powering it belong to Arachnid Asylum. The mercenary company that was hired before us. And those three belonged to squad WatchDogs."
"Let's not forget the pirate mech. Like I said before, it was weird!" Nova would've grinned if he had a mouth. Proudful and cocky thanks to the fact he suspected something before any of them. "But the question is: What did they intend to do with this cannon, and how did they catch the scouts off-guard?"
"I think I have someone who can answer that…" Veridiana heard Raccoon's tired voice. It sounded like this mission took a lot out of her.
When everyone turned to meet Raccoon, they found someone they didn't expect.
"Never did I think I'd be happy to see you, German…"
"Pastel, you're alive."
***
Veridiana was surprised to see how many people were in the auditorium, much more with how they could fit in the room. One small detail was that cameras were broadcasting live to the whole fortress. The whole Linebreakers squad was by the stage.
Hangman informed her that everyone in the room were Lancers. Men and women from different origins. Many of them would come over to them and congratulate Veridiana for a job well done. Not only were all squads gathered together, but they were purposely there to welcome Veridiana to the Midnight Misfits.
She did notice one person missing. Stalwart wasn't around anywhere. The others were clueless as well.
"Lancers," The whole room went dead silent as Klaus took to the stage. The spotlight was right on him. And the cameras followed his every step. "A moment of silence for our fallen. They fought for this company. Though we've lost them, we have gained another."
Veridiana was bathed in light.
"Veridiana Demarini. Our new blood. She with the aid of squad Linebreakers dealt with an invading force from our old foe, the Black Lotus."
She could see the aura in the air. And it seemed that there was a deep-rooted hatred within everyone.
The massive screen behind him came alive and showed the aftermath of Veridiana's mission. Soldiers were scattered about and salvaging whatever they could find.
"Captain Keyes, status report?"
"All clear here, Commander!"
"Thank you, Captain. Now, Veridiana, please join me up on the stage."
She did as she was asked.
"For outstanding work out in the field, let me thank you for your service. And welcome you personally to the Midnight Misfits."
She stood there as proud as she could. She didn't smile and kept a professional image. She was in front of her peers, and she needed to set a good example. Despite their very unique personalities. Some were like German, proper and focused. Others were like Nova, lazy and distracted. She knew which side she was on.
As Veridiana stood there, she was joined by the team assigned with her during the mission. She noticed that Raccoon was accompanied by a small buzzing drone. They told her before that it was important for them to record the moment.
"Veridiana Demarini. You've earned a place among us and I am happy to see you as you are. A Lancer. Warrior of iron, master of the arts of mecha combat."
And for the first time, she witnessed him smile.
"German, have you decided on a proper name we can call our new blood?"
"Yes, but…" He glanced over to the rest of the team. Even Veridiana's squad mates. She gave him a curious look as he seemed to be deep in thought. "Hangman,"
Nova appeared to be saddened by this.
"Roxas," German cleared his throat. "You've known the Rookie far longer than any of us. And you've vouched for her before leaving for our mission. So I think out of all of us, you have the right to name her."
She looked at Hangman expectantly. After a very long time, she felt excited for once. Time and time again back at Travesk, she spent most of her life expecting less. Every time there was a mission to be done, there was always a voice deep in the crevice of her mind. One that told her that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't come back.
But now, things are different.
So with eager patience, Veridiana waited for her friend, her first friend in the business, to give her a callsign.
"Well," Hangman chuckled. "Veridiana, or should I say… Peppermint?"
The screen shifted to show a data file of Veridiana. Then her callsign shifted from "Rookie" to "Peppermint".
Nova snickered along with Pillory, but the room cheered. Their thunderous applause broke the silence of the room. She stared at the crowd, unbothered by the cutesy callsign given to her. She understood why he chose it. But that didn't bother her. Because she felt as if she mattered. Not just to her squad, but to everyone in the room. And for once in her life, she wasn't treated like a clueless child.
But that moment was short-lived.
"Now…" All went silent as Klaus spoke once more and every camera that was broadcasting powered off, even Raccoon's. "There's something we must address. The Black Lotus has returned. And not only that, but the Arachnid Asylum lost a few of their Lancers, not just us. We've already sent them supplies to express our sympathy. The truth is, this wasn't an accident. They weren't just caught in some ambush. Something far more complicated was at play."
This revelation caused the room to change. From the joy of having a new member to the Midnight Misfits, to the sadness of losing allies, and finally, to the anger of discovering foul play.
She watched them change into what might as well be wolves. And not just that, but a certain Lancer slowly inching away from the crowd.
"After Operation: Sunrise, we've gathered enough intel to conclude that there's a spy within our core. Even the Arachnid Asylum isn't safe. Who, you might ask? We have a suspect in mind. Right, Dune?"
The spotlight shone upon the South exit where Dune was. All eyes landed on him accompanied by a poisonous abhorrence. Before he could even make a break for it, the doors flew open and he was caught by none other than Stalwart. And with the silent giant was Pastel who glared at Dune with similar hatred as the rest.
Stalwart shoved Dune towards the crowd.
"Dune, I would've held a proper court and challenged your supposed crimes. But after a sufficient investigation, we've discovered your ties with one of Arachnid Asylum's operatives. Who was found alive during Operation: Sunrise."
Veridiana watched as Dune was practically thrown to the wolves. Her eyes widened as some of the crowd expressed their anger through violence. They jeered and spat in his direction as others hurled punches at Dune. She could tell that a lot of them wanted to finish him off but held back. Whenever he fell from the punches, Stalwart would simply pick him back up and shoved through the crowd again.
Paraded through a path of shame and absolute pain. He couldn't defend himself as he was attacked from all sides.
And by the time Stalwart had pushed him to the stage, Dune was battered and bleeding. Practically unrecognizable. She watched as the silent giant threw the traitor onto the stage like a sack of dead flesh.
Stalwart followed with Pastel just behind him. And once there, Veridiana didn't realize just how big Stalwart was.
The giant pulled Dune to his feet so he could meet Commander Klaus face to face.
"C-Commander!" A harsh slap silenced Dune.
"Goldman. You disappoint me." Klaus scowled. "Pastel. Report."
"Sir," Pastel glanced over to the traitor. She tried not to break her proper image, but it was hard when a venomous snake was just next to her. "The Black Lotus are planning to return back into the light. They've already set up outposts throughout the Delta Sector. They originally planned to ambush any Lancers sent over to investigate, and use their mechs as a substitute power source for their artillery. They would've ambushed squad Linebreakers if they hadn't departed earlier than the rat's information. I was lucky that he was full of himself and spilled all the secrets like an idiot."
"Enough."
Klaus turned to face the furious crowd.
"I will conduct an investigation to weed out any more traitors. If your loyalty is unquestionable, then you have nothing to worry about."
"Sir," German said. "What will we do with Dune?"
Klaus glanced at the traitor, then at the WatchDogs squad. They were the most affected by this event. Losing a member and discovering that another wasn't who they were. "What do we do to those who bite the hand that feeds them?"
German gave Stalwart a silent command.
Veridiana watched as Stalwart struck Dune across the face and sent him to the floor, then stomped on him while on the ground. Once satisfied, Stalwart grabbed Dune by the collar of his shirt and dragged him away. Dune looked toward his squad and sought out help. But all he could see was the result of his betrayal. He tried to plead for his life, for mercy. But Stalwart was only deaf to it all.
"Veridiana Demarini," Klaus glanced at the girl. She froze up under his cold and emotionless gaze. "Let this be an example to you. Respect us, and we respect you."
She said nothing. The moment that was supposed to be the most important part of her life was accompanied by a sickening reveal. A traitor that would've caused her death.
And as the hateful crowd slowly dispersed, Veridiana listened to the pained pleas for mercy. She was reminded of Lonely's advice. If she were to betray them as Dune did, then this would be a fate that awaited her.