Veridiana could feel the engine humming as she familiarized herself with the cockpit. A finger ran over the cold silicon surface of the dashboard as she waited patiently. It was alien to her, for this wasn't her mech, Sister. Everything wasn't built for combat. She felt so vulnerable piloting such a machine. The controls felt out of place in her hands. Much too big by the feel of it.
Commander Jax could be seen working on the desk. His face wore one of pure focus.
It was strange to see him in that state. He was always so calm and relaxed, even in the face of danger. Here, he wore an aura unlike before. Something sinister that stirred within him. She hated seeing him that way.
The mech she controlled wasn't made for fighting. It was designed more for heavy lifting; a forklift with legs to be accurate. Able to carry more than its body weight. A simple purpose.
Sometimes she wondered if there was something more to life than constant bloodshed. People like her rarely had a place in a proper society. Warriors of iron. Masters of mecha combat. Lancers.
In the end, some may seek a life of peace. But most would always return to the battlefield. Jax explained everything to Veridiana. How war changes people for the worse.
She stared at her hands and recalled the things she did. The faces of those she slaughtered. All for what? A future of independence? It sickened her. Veridiana wanted to fight for her and for Jax, but all her efforts benefitted only the elites and proclaimed leaders of Travesk.
"It's ready…" Jax announced. "There's no going back after this…"
Peppermint awoke with a jolt.
A buzzing noise filled the whole place. Her recent dream was still so vivid. No, not a dream. A memory. She thought she was rid of Travesk, but you cannot simply forget the past. If only it was so easy.
The buzzing returned which fully awoke Peppermint.
She struggled to unwrap herself from her bedsheets but succeeded just as the third buzzing was heard. She first needed to be decent just before answering the door. After entering her new home once the party was cleaned up, Pepper simply took off her top and earned her well-deserved sleep. And spotting the shirt she discarded just by the door, Pepper quickly swiped it off the ground and wore it in haste.
"Hold on!" She answered.
Behind the door was none other than Hangman. A soft smile upon his face as he saw Pepper finally awake.
"Hey, kid!" He greeted. "Sorry to say this, but you're kinda late…"
"Late? Late for what?"
"Daily exercise routines! German doesn't want anyone slacking, so every Monday, he gets us all together and makes us run around the base."
"Oh, of course. I wish you'd have informed me earlier. But, I can attend without hesitation."
"Oh! Before I go, can you check on Raccoon? She hadn't shown up either, and I need to get back to German." Without explaining further, Hangman ran off. Left with the task and a very short time to clean up, Pepper rushed to go through what would've been a relaxing moment in the shower.
She skipped most of the work and simply rinsed off whatever dirt or grime on her skin. After changing into proper exercising attire, Pepper rushed over to Raccoon's room and knocked.
But no answer came.
Knowing she didn't have much time, Pepper opened the door. Which surprised her, seeing that it wasn't locked at all. What greeted her nearly made her run. A dank stench assaulted her nose. So putrid and strong. Nearly ruined all her senses. She gagged as she bravely walked through the door.
It was a whole different mess. Littered scraps of food everywhere and unwashed clothing. There was barely any furniture as well, only garbage bags and cardboard boxes. Only thing worth noting was the bed and the computer set up in the corner. There she noticed Raccoon's signature mask resting on the keyboard. Avoiding all obstacles and filth, Pepper approached Raccoon's sleeping form. The scout of the squad was slouched against the desk. Asleep despite the noise Pepper made.
As she examined her squad mate, she couldn't help but notice some irregularities with Raccoon. Her skin was almost jet black with tubes and wires running across both arms. It appeared her spine was replaced with cybernetics as well. The most notable detail of Raccoon was the strange sockets all around her. One on each shoulder. One on the left side of her neck. Perhaps there were more on the front side of Raccoon. She could barely see the whole picture with the only light source coming from the computer monitor.
It was then Pepper realized that Raccoon was practically nude with only her underwear. Quickly, Pepper picked up the nearest jacket and draped it over her friend. Whether or not it was a clean piece of clothing was not a concern.
"Raccoon… wake up!" Still no answer. So she shook the scrawny woman. "Raccoon!?"
She shook harder. Finally a sign of life was given. Raccoon groaned tiredly.
Pepper watched as Raccoon's hand shot out to the drawer to her right. She struggled a bit but managed to pull it open. Pens?
As if by muscle memory, Raccoon swiped one from the group and quickly stabbed it into one of the sockets on her body. Just within a second, and as if by magic, Raccoon shot up from her seat with vibrant life.
And as if she was ordered by a mysterious force, Raccoon typed away on the keyboard, not noticing that Pepper was next to her. Pepper watched as the screen was flooded with all sorts of things. Things she couldn't understand. And as if she were a robot, Raccoon worked with great efficiency.
There were so many windows and apps running on the screen. Pepper couldn't keep up. She wasn't even given time to read some of the names as Raccoon closed them after a few seconds. Tirelessly, the scout ran her finger over the keys with amazing dexterity. Click, click, click. In rapid succession, the keyboard clicked. Like the inner workings of a machine, it played a hypnotic rhythm.
Suddenly, her hands stopped. "Thanks by the way, for the jacket…"
This truly surprised Pepper. She had first thought that Raccoon had not noticed her. But it seemed to be that nothing escaped the scout.
"So why are you-" A yawn before she finished. "-here?"
"German's daily exercise."
"Oh, I don't like doing that. I'm always so tired after those."
Tired? She always looked tired. Pepper could finally see as to why. Finding Raccoon in such a state right in front of the monitor was all she needed to understand. It seemed that this woman didn't sleep. The bed being full of garbage was another sign. And for the pens in the drawer? It was clearly a stimulant to keep her awake. She asked for one just to identify it, and Raccoon wasn't bothered by her request and simply said yes.
Caffeine. It was pure caffeine. Enough to kill a man even. She found some newfound respect for the older yet scrawnier woman. Even if her room was a dump.
“So, are we going?”
“Go on ahead… I need to clean up first.” Raccoon said as she took a whiff of herself.
“Sure, sure… I'll see you there then.” With that, Pepper left the room eagerly. She took in a breath of fresh and clean air the moment she was out. Never again she would ever go back.
Once she settled back in a proper and healthier environment, Peppermint rushed down the steps and joined the rest of her squad. All were busy stretching or simply chatting amongst themselves. They gave her a quick greeting as she approached.
"Hey, kid!" Hangman smiled. "Guess Kennedy will just catch up?"
"Yes, she will be here soon after she freshens up. But I must ask, is her room always like-"
"Yeah… she isn't exactly the clean-up type. Always working and junk. No pun intended." Hangman chuckled a little. "Anyway, get some stretching in, we're gonna be running a lap around the fortress."
"The fortress!?" She exclaimed.
"Yup!" Nova chimed. "You meat bags are gonna be sweating!"
Pepper was somewhat envious of Nova, seeing as he was more machine than man. She learned that the only humanity he had left was his soul and mind. She could even say that he was far more human than German.
Speaking of him, Pepper looked over to German. He was just standing there, faced toward the North Tower fortress with arms properly locked behind his back and knees apart. It reminded her of the soldiers back in Travesk. A parade stance if she recalled right. Out of all of them, it seemed that German was the proper soldier. Maybe even a perfect one. And as she stared at him, the screeching white noise returned. She wondered why it kept happening.
Her heart nearly stopped as she watched him turn his head around. German stared back at her from the corner of his eye. And the noise grew louder.
Pepper broke away from their little staring contest. Her hands felt cold. That stare lingered in her mind, accompanied by the noise. She nearly screamed as a hand rested on her shoulder. It was Hangman. He wore an apologetic look.
"Relax, try not to think about it…" He advised. She would follow his instruction as he knew German the longest. Pepper wanted to ask about the strange aura around their stoic leader but couldn't find the courage to do so.
The next few minutes were spent on some stretches, still, their conversation didn't end.
"You know, I gotta hand it to ya, kid. You fought like a proper warrior. Heck, Nova thought you were gonna be an amateur, but he's glad to be proven wrong."
"Thank you. My teacher was thorough with his training. Making sure that I do not fall flat on the battlefield."
"You fit right in with the rest."
"Could I ask," Both stopped their stretching. "What exactly do we specialize in?"
"Assault," He answered. "We are mostly called in for any assault jobs. Like your first mission here. If there's a wall that they want to break through with minimal damage, Klaus sends us. But we're still flexible, as each and every one of us has their own way of battling. Take me and Stalwart into account. The two of us are practically shields perfect for escort missions. Any VIP will feel safe with us around."
"I see. So your explanation means that I should be able to take on any challenges with a diverse set of skills. Yet still maintaining a superior type of fighting to help fill in the weaknesses of the others."
"That's right, kiddo! You like using that AM rifle, don't you? With me, you and I could be a dangerous duo."
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
"I've seen how useful your mech is. Able to deploy cover for everyone to use."
He smiled proudly. "Just because Thunder Hazard is slow, doesn't mean I can't hurt. Sometimes when I feel like doing less damage, I just use an AT rifle of my own."
"Hm, are you a proficient shooter?" She asked with a clocked brow.
Hangman's shoulders sagged. "Even with all the fancy tech, I'm a bad shot. Why do you think I prefer the assault cannon?"
"Perhaps I can teach you sometimes. Oh, I am a tad bit curious about Lonely's skills in marksmanship. I wonder what he would do in the heat of combat."
He waved a dismissive hand. "Eh, you'll get plenty of chances to see everyone here in a fight. Anyway, kid, how have you liked your room?"
"Well, the stains aren't going away. As for decorations? I would need to visit town."
"We can do that after the run…"
Perhaps it was out of instinct, but for some reason, Peppermint reached out for her mech's controls with a little yelp. She stood there frozen, hands in the air grasping nothing. Everyone stared, which made Pepper feel a tad bit embarrassed. Slowly, she turned to the voice from earlier. A pair of emotionless eyes looked back at her. It was Raccoon. The older woman now wore an attire fitting for a run.
Once again, Raccoon's presence was hidden until she spoke, which spooked Pepper, who reacted as if she was ambushed by a hostile pilot.
"Excellent instinct, Peppermint," German said. "You've truly integrated yourself within your mech's cockpit. Seeing it as an extension of yourself; being ready to take on the unexpected. Amazing." His compliments helped lessen the sense of embarrassment she felt.
"T- thank you, sir!" She straightened up.
"With all heads accounted for, we will now begin our daily routine! Squad! Form up!"
She watched as everyone formed two rows behind German. Which left a spot next to Hangman and behind Raccoon. So without any hesitation, and to avoid a scolding from German, she stood at the free spot. Ready to follow the older Lancers. She then noticed that Stalwart still wore his armor while Pillory was still in the… pillory. She would've expected those two to change into proper attire. But then again, Raccoon kept her raccoon mask.
It seemed awkward in her opinion, especially since they were running toward the North Tower.
"So…" Raccoon spoke. This time it didn't startle Pepper as she kept her eyes on the back of her giant raccoon head. "What kind of decorations would you like for your room?"
"Something simple. I do not have any over the top taste."
"I may have a suggestion!" Nova said. She didn't even realize he was running next to her.
"Nova, stay in position." German scolded. He didn't look back at all. Perhaps he had good ears and noticed how far Nova was.
"Yes, sir!"
"We can head into town after this, we have plenty of time." Raccoon said.
"Ah, a chance to relax." Hangman said, eagerness expressed through his voice. "I haven't been to Stratos in a while."
"That's a grand idea, you three." German said. "Everyone! After this, we will visit town for team bonding! We will get to know Peppermint better, and vice versa! Do I have myself clear!?"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
The rest of the run was silent. They encountered a few other squads, even those from other branches. Not even the armor division was safe from cardio. The platoon was called "Storm Flowers". Their number was greater than theirs.
There was a strange tension exchanged between the two.
"German," The man ahead of the other group showed a mischievous smile. "Congrats on the new blood. Oh, how was the mental institute?"
"Pleasant, you should visit it yourself sometimes. I have noted that you have fewer tanks lately. Printer broke?"
"I don't know, you tell me, Lancers."
"Are you accusing us, good friend? I promise you that my team is not childish enough to tamper with your personal devices."
"What makes you think I accuse you of anything? I'm sure the printer is just malfunctioning. Doubt anyone would tamper with it."
"Right," German scowled. "How silly of me to believe such a thing that is sabotage."
The man then laughed. "So, who was it? My only guess is squad VoidSong."
"They're the most likely culprit. But Virgo is beyond the petty prank war you and the others have going on. Perhaps it was Capricorn."
"Ah, she's definitely the petty type."
Pepper was a bit confused. For a moment, the two looked like they despised each other. But when everyone calmed down, they simply started speaking to each other casually. No hate, no malice. Just two humans talking.
It wasn't hard to piece together that the armor division and the mech force of the Midnight Misfits have a deep-rooted rivalry. She noticed how the two had some form of connection and respect for the other. And it seemed that German knew this man as if they were old friends.
"How are the kids?" German asked.
"Going to college soon. I'm honestly frightened because they got accepted into Caesar University."
German whistled. He was honestly impressed by their achievement. "I pray for the best for your children, Dean. Who knows, they might even get to live on Cradle."
Dean sighed. "That's what I'm scared about… Well, this is where we stop. See you on the battlefield, German."
The Storm Flowers split away and ran to a different route. German only nodded to Dean as he led the squad back to their homes.
Good thing, too. Raccoon was just about to collapse. But it was impressive how she kept herself upright with shaking legs.
Once everyone cooled down, German gave them some time to rest before they left for town. It'd be the first time Pepper ever visited. She was, in all honesty, excited. Been far too long since she was among the common folk. People who weren't soldiers or depressed civilians lost to a pointless war.
No rubble or fallen towers. Air free of sulfur and blood. It would certainly be a shock to find herself in a peaceful town.
They took a ride on a MM cargo mech. A six legged machine that could carry Hangman's Drake. It was designed to look like a truck. And their squad leader was behind the wheel. Turned out, he owned the mech and primarily used it to carry supplies. German had the machine for years even. It was fascinating to see such an old mech. There were scars and dents that decorated it. Medals that it proudly wore and showed.
As German drove down the road to the exit, they crossed paths with a convoy. She saw everyone visibly flinch.
"Great, MP…" Hangman grimaced.
"Guess they're here about the Black Lotus." Revolution said.
"Blind given sight!" A voice screeched from his watch.
Pillory scoffed. "You brought Lea? You know how embarrassing it is when you have her around?"
"She wanted to come! Last time we left her, she nearly killed Moonlight!" He argued.
Speaking of brought, or the lack of it, it seemed that Pillory wasn't wearing her most defining accessory. Instead, Pepper noticed the thick cuffs on both wrists. Made sense she had something for public use. It would certainly be awkward to walk among the civilians with a pillory around your neck. But even so, Pepper saw plenty of outrageous fashion designs on the internet. At least Raccoon kept the mask on.
Now that she thought of it, everyone back at the North Tower were always in uniform corresponding to their career. But the main color of the Midnight Misfits was white. Except for the engineers and mechanics. All of them wore bright orange jumpsuits instead.
As for the Lancers? They were free to wear as they pleased. Stalwart went for a grayish version of the heaviest armor issued to the MM infantry. Her squad all dressed as if they wanted to be iconic and remembered. Heroes of their own stories.
Though German still wore a jungle camo jacket piece of an unknown uniform, complete with medals and badges as well as some disturbing patches. She had never seen him without it just yet. Unknown. A blank. An absolute mystery. Out of all them, German was someone she couldn't figure out. Everyone else at the least showed plenty of their human side. German? He's more robotic and cold than Nova.
She couldn't ponder further as the mech soon lurched to a stop. Pepper nearly flew forward with how abrupt it was. The young girl was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't realize that they were already in town.
It was a change of scenery for sure. None of the brutal architecture that was present back at the base. It was full of life and personality. There were people who were going about their day. Some glanced at them, few glared. It seemed that the group was known to the townsfolk. A bad reputation as well by the looks of it.
As the gang stepped off the robotic truck, German called for their attention. “First order of business: Decorations. We will visit the local furniture store and find our new blood some proper home decor and furnishings. Let's go.”
“Can we drop by Lorian's for lunch after?” Suggested by the mechanic.
“We went there last time, Rev! How about Cheeky Burger?” Said Weather.
It was strange to see a greatly large group entering a furniture store, especially an infamous one. Civilians watched with careful eyes as they walked in. With Stalwart's imposing choice of attire accompanied by German's uncanny aura, the group was just one bad omen.
German appointed Pepper to lead so that she could pick what caught her eye.
The new blood of squad Linebreakers would then wander about the store. Only Raccoon and Hangman followed her around while German remained at the entrance. The rest browsed the products. Sometimes Nova would come by and lead Pepper to something he thought she'd like. Most of those times it was the opposite.
Such as a couch with living sea creatures within. Or a couch that doubles as a garden. Nova was strangely putting so much effort just to help Pepper out. Strange in Hangman's opinion. What Pepper gathered was that Nova was not one to help out unless it benefits him.
The whole thing wasn't as eventful as Pepper thought it would be. Still, they found some pieces that would certainly spruce up Pepper's place.
“Not that interesting?” Hangman asked as they waited for the store to ring up the furniture they brought to the counter. “I'm sure you'd rather be out there in your mech.”
“No, I find this trip quite exciting.” She smiled at the medic. “It had been so long that I was amongst the civilians. Everyone I knew back on Travesk was either gone or fighting alongside me.”
There's that look again. Hangman did his best not to express the emotion, but his eyes did it for him. Sadness and pity. He tried to smile it off.
“Well, you're also now the proud owner of a garden couch! You better thank Nova for his good eyes. Or the lack of them.”
“Deliver this to the Midnight Misfits entrance, our men will take over from there.” German instructed. “Just this once, Peppermint, I will pay for you just this one time. Next purchase shall come out of your pockets.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Nova raised a strange looking lamp. “Can you pay for this as well, sir!?”
“Indoor voice, Nova. And no, I will not.”
With their shopping done, it was time for lunch. But they were all conflicted as to where they should go. So in the end, German appointed Pepper to lead the way. Since she was unfamiliar with the town, the squad followed the youngest member around. In the end, they found themselves at a diner located on the edge of Stratos.
Surprisingly, none of the Linebreakers had ever been in this place before.
They entered, and a woman with curly hair greeted them with genuine kindness. Seeing as they were a total of 13 individuals, they had to occupy most of the seats around. Pepper, of course, sat with Hangman. Across them were Warden and Pillory.
“Afternoon folks! I'm Pepper Cain, welcome to Cain's Diner, you can call me Scratch. How may I help you?”
Hangman faced the waitress. “Cain? I'm guessing you own the place.”
“Yup, just opened a week ago.”
“That explains the lack of customers.” Warden commented.
“I'm sure people will come running once word gets out.” Scratch was such a kind woman. Her smile was as bright as the sun.
The others found it humorous that Peppermint shared a name with the woman. It was indeed quite a coincidence.
Once their order was taken, Scratch went over to the rest of their friends and took theirs.
“Don't think I've been to a place like this for ages.” Pepper said, which caught their attention. Pillory and Warden listened quietly as the young girl spoke. “My dad used to take me to a diner owned by a family friend. We'd always order pie after a meal. He gets the blueberry while I get a slice of apple pie.”
“What happened to the diner?” Pillory asked.
“Last I saw it, it was flattened by artillery. Though… I did find a souvenir. A neon open sign that I have hooked up in my cockpit.”
“You know why it got flattened?” A rhetorical question from Pillory.
Warden rolled her eyes at Pillory as she asked that question. She knew what was going to come out of the red girl's mouth.
“Union. They don't got respect for folks like us. Always thinking they know better. They're one of the reasons why I went the path of crime and piracy. Damn dogs.”
“That’s enough,” Hangman stopped Pillory’s tirade before it even started. His voice laced with fury, clearly annoyed by Pillory. “Sometimes Union is the best option a planet has. You think a place like Hef would still be around if Union didn't come by?”
“Hef was weak!” Pillory argued. “That planet was going to drown in their own blood because they can't control their own people.”
“Slaves, you mean slaves.” He corrected her. “The government of Hef was losing to their slaves because they didn't think that they'd use the mining mechs against them. That planet was going to break once chaos erupts from their war.” He paused. His eyes stared at the ceiling as he thought about the subject. Then his attention shifted over to Pepper. “Did you think you were fighting for the right cause?”
“Of course she did-”
German cleared his throat. His table was just behind Pillory, and that meant he was directly behind her. “I'd like to know as well, Peppermint.”
Pepper once again had the spotlight on her. Everyone in the Linebreakers waited for her answer.
Did she think she was fighting for the right side? Were the rebels the good guys in this? She wondered for a moment. About everyone she knew back in Travesk. People with different views on life. Humans nonetheless. She wondered who was in the right. But in truth…
“I didn't care about that…” She answered. “I only joined the war to keep the only man I considered a family safe.”
This surprised everyone. Some may see it selfish, but it was quite respectable for someone to care for the ones they love. That answer satisfied German.
“I can see hope within your eyes.” Aquila said.
Lonely sighed. “Better make sure that sticks around then.”
“Wow, you bunch seem like the military type.” Scratch commented as she returned with Pepper's order. “I'm guessing you all are from that mercenary company.”
“Yup!” Nova confirmed proudly. He flexed his mechanical limbs as if he had actual muscles. “We're kind of a big deal around here. Famous basically.”
“Sit down, Nova.” German growled. “I suppose you haven't heard much about the Midnight Misfits.”
“Oh no, my friends told me about the company when I moved in.”
Lonely arched his aged brow. His eyes narrowed at the woman. “Someone we know?”
“They're from the Foolish Crown company.”
“Foolish Crown?” Pepper asked.
“A powerful mercenary group.” Hangman answered. “They are located on the other side of the galaxy. But… they do come by once and again for games. Their boss, Demron, really likes games.”
Their conversation changed subject as Scratch gave everyone their order one table at a time. As Scratch did her job, the Linebreakers couldn't help but notice the doubtful look in German's eyes. Also that he ordered a single slice of bread. Plain.
As for Pepper, she chose a simple tomato soup. Something she always had back in the war. No matter how scarce food may be, tomatoes were always so abundant back on Travesk. Union made sure to stop any start-up of farms by destroying all manners of agricultural machinery. The rebels only managed to save a tomato farm back then, and it was all they had until they gathered enough resources to produce other options. It wasn't that bad, Pepper learned a lot of tomato based recipes thanks to Jax. So this soup, despite being simple, was something she enjoyed greatly.
But if she was being honest, this was the best one she ever had. Better than Jax's cooking.
Once they finished, Hangman gave Scratch their thanks for a fine meal and promised to come back again. Scratch's cooking stuck to them. Perhaps they would even recommend the diner to the rest of the Midnight Misfits. For now, they still had an afternoon to themselves. And there was surely much to do.
The group noticed after a few steps ahead that Pepper stopped.
“The Bunker Haven?” Pepper read the big sign on top of what looked to be a bunker entrance, which explained the name. There were a few teens that loitered around.
Some were close to her age.
The teens glared at them defiantly, so the prideful and cocky members of the Linebreakers glared back. Pillory even made faces at the teens. But one look from German made sure that everyone behaved.
“It's an old repurposed bunker, now it's an arcade.” Revolution explained.
Aquila scoffed. “In my honest opinion, I find places like this a waste of time.”
“I've never been to an arcade before.” Pepper confessed. But that only caused Pillory and Nova to invade her personal space.
“No way!” They said at the same time.
“Then you gotta go!” Nova suggested. “This is like, the coolest place in town! Games, prizes, and good unhealthy food!”
“We should totally get in there and show you around!”
Before anyone could even argue, the two pulled Pepper by the arms and led her deeper into the arcade. German could only growl as he followed, displeased that they were going to spend the rest of the day in such a place. Aquila felt the same. Hangman could only chuckle at the two's eagerness to show Pepper a new point of view. Revolution, Basilisk, and Lonely were neutral about the situation. Raccoon ran after the three, as eager as them. Weather wanted to stay put, but he didn't want to be left out. Warden was embarrassed that she allowed Pillory to just leave without her.
As for Stalwart, he did as he always did. Silently follow the team. The teens held their breath as the large, imposing, and armored man walked by them. Once the Linebreakers disappeared within the arcade, they revealed their true emotions. Excitement mixed with fear. So close to cold-hearted killers, they could use it to brag to their peers.