[Wolf Lord+ | Draft] Arc 1 - Chapter 26 - Warfare Lecture II (Patreon)

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Hello everyone, LunaWolve here!

Welcome to the draft release of Chapter 26 for y'all.

As always, a quick reminder that this chapter is still in the process of being workshopped by me and that this is simply the first-draft.

I heard y'all like long chapters. So you better fucking like this one and give me some good feedback, or I'll go and cut them down into 3k word pieces going forward.

This chapter is long. Like loooong. Like REALLY long.

I'm looking forward to hearing your first impressions and opinions on this chapter. \o/

I hope you will enjoy it!

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Following Lt. Jorvik towards the hangers, Thea could not help but get excited. They were about to get a first-hand look at the vehicles and war machinery of the UHF!

She’s always wondered about why the last two years of Basic hadn’t really included any vehicles and pretty much exclusively focused on infantry-based training, but hearing that there was an entirely different branch that dealt with the armoured divisions, had cleared that question right up.

While Thea was unlikely to join them, she was nevertheless excited to see the technology that was undoubtedly going to be a large part of the modern UHF armoured divisions’ arsenal.

Just the grav-bike of the Lieutenant alone had sparked Thea’s interest already, ‘I wonder if I could buy my own licence for a grav-bike as well… For a scout, that could be pretty useful, after all…’

Slightly giddy with anticipation, Thea walked next to Lucas who’s facial expressions betrayed his similarly, if not higher, level of anticipation to see the different kinds of armoured vehicles that the UHF had at their disposal.

As the group of Recruits followed behind the Lieutenant, he once again let his voice be carried by the DDS system, to reach everyone’s ears.

“Now, before we get to the juicy part, as we still have around a kilometre of walking to get there, I’ll take the time to explain one last, highly important facet of modern warfare: Battlefield types.

“You might have heard more experienced Marines or your Professors talk about specific types of battlefields before, but if you haven’t, don’t worry, for they’re very simple. There are generally three distinct types of battlefields we will encounter on any given campaign.

“First, the free battlefields. They are, as the name suggests, entirely free from any System-restrictions. They’re exceedingly rare, as neither the Factions nor TAS itself wants all-out, indiscriminate war. These types of battlefields generally only appear when there’s absolutely no holds barred between two Factions in a given conflict, as they continually escalate their resource expenditures.

“In order to create such a battlefield, all a Faction has to do is attack any given area in the most traditional way possible: Just do it. Simply take your ships and troops and invade whatever planet or area of space you want. If a Faction decides to do this, the entire area will be marked as a free battlefield. As mentioned previously, there are no restrictions applied to the entire battle, so they often end up escalating to enormous proportions. We generally try to avoid these conflicts, for obvious reasons, as they’re exceptionally resource hungry.

“The second type of battlefield is the one we’ll see the most of: Sanctioned battlefields. These are battlefields in which the System oversees the balance of war, through certain restrictions.

“The most obvious restriction, and the one you’ll likely have heard about before, is that only soldiers of a certain Tier are allowed to enter the battlefield and participate. This is a restriction set by the System to allow lower-tier soldiers to have a chance to rise to prominence, without getting utterly destroyed in any battlefield they might want to partake in.

“There are a couple of exceptions to this rule however: Any sanctioned battlefield allows for a certain, small number of higher-tier soldiers. We generally refer to these as Aces. As there is a very limited number of them in any given sanctioned battlefield, they are used as strategic and tactical options, to be deployed wherever and whenever necessary. Outside of tier restrictions, most battlefields also limit the maximum size of armoured vehicles, which we’ll get to in a minute, although this is not a guarantee.

“When it comes to sanctioned battlefields, your PV, or Point-Value, is a major deciding factor on what missions you will be given by the UHF. As the amount of troops we can deploy is heavily limited, based on the maximum size of the battlefield, we want to send the absolute best of the best to where we need them most. While it is possible to exceed the designated maximum size of troop deployments, this, much like anything else within the System, costs the Faction a lot of Merit to accomplish.

“At times, it can be worthwhile however, depending on the importance of the battlefield at hand. If there’s a valuable resource node that is being fought over, it could be worthwhile to spend some Faction Merit to deploy an extra Ace or an extra battalion of Marines, just to make sure we have the upper hand.

“Sanctioned battlefields are created, when a Faction declares their intent of attack on any given area, at least 24 hours in advance. There’s a System terminal for this, that will then alarm any Factions nearby of the upcoming battle. While this sounds like an odd way to do war, you have to remember that TAS is primarily looking to create conflict, not assist in humanities quarrels.

“So a warning makes a ton of sense, by giving the owning Faction at least some amount of time to prepare themselves for a counter. Let me also remind you that 24-hours is absolutely nothing, when it comes to interstellar travel. While we might know that war is about to break out in a given System, it won’t really do much for us most of the time, as there’s no way to get there in less than a week’s time, for example.”

Thea nodded to herself, as she thought, ‘That sounds reasonable… The System really does seem to be out for conflict at all times, more so than assisting any given Faction in leading their war in the most optimal way possible… Especially considering the restrictions on the respawn pod, for example, by not allowing us to disable it remotely, makes that very obvious. It’s trying very hard to keep things somewhat balanced, while continuously fanning the flames of conflict…’

A low murmur went through the Recruits behind her, as some of them discussed the information the Lieutenant had just revealed. Lt. Jorvik, on the other hand, seemed to simply bide his time as he waited for the discussions to die down, while continuing to walk towards the giant hangars.

As each minute passed, they drew nearer to the vast, metal hangar bays, structures that proved to be far larger than Thea had anticipated from her previous, more distant, point of view. Upon their approach, the colossal scale of these edifices became increasingly undeniable.

Stretching out to the horizon on either side, they stood as immense, imposing structures of dull grey metal, their forms merging with the skyline itself. Their exteriors were rugged and unadorned, prioritising functionality over aesthetics. The formidable walls undoubtedly served as the first line of defence against any external threat.

Each hangar was a monolith, punctuated only by the enormous sliding doors that hid their contents from the world. Uniformly embellished with the UHF insignia in the organisation's official colours of gold and red, these doors were like thin lines at a distance. However, as the group approached, these lines transformed into intimidating barriers, as high and wide as multistory buildings.

Just as the group of Recruits reached the shadow of the first, massive, hangar, Lt. Jorvik continued his lecture.

“The last and final type is the limited battlefield. This is the battlefield you are all familiar with, as they are the ones chosen for challenge trials. In limited battlefields, as the name suggests, a lot of things are vastly restricted. First and foremost, there is practically no combined arms presence on these battlefields. They generally focus on one particular type of combat, be it infantry, armoured vehicles, spaceships and the like.

“They’re more focused on their respective niche, than anything else. These types of battlefields are fairly rare however, as both sides of the conflict have to agree to a limited battlfield’s existence beforehand. This usually only happens in highly volatile areas or space combat, however. For example, in a fight over a highly flammable or explosive resource node, both Factions might agree to a limited battlefield in order to remove armoured vehicles from the fight, decreasing the risk of accidentally blowing up the resources as a result.

“The System then strictly enforces these limitations, by prohibiting either Faction to break them. Trust me, people have tried to break the limitations before and it did not end well for them. The Allbright System is very particular when it comes to making people adhere to its rules of engagement…

“Whatever the case, there is one final question to answer, before we open these hangar doors and take a look inside: ‘When does a fight actually end?’

“With a few different types of battlefields, that are generally more akin to wargames than true, all-out war, from a certain perspective, how does a winner get determined? The answer is fairly simple: Objectives. The System itself will designate certain objectives that need to be held or destroyed by each Faction, depending on the situation at-hand, in order to ‘win’ the battlefield.

“All-out destruction of the enemy forces is also a viable and accepted solution by the System, as is surrendering. Once a battlefield is designated as ‘won’ by either side, there’ll be a one-week timer before a cease-fire will be enacted by the System, which will last for one month at the least. That means that, in case we ever lose a battlefield you’re a part of, hunker down for a week if you can’t make it to an evacuation ship, before you try to leave.

“As with most things System-related, this cease-fire can be broken prematurely, if a Faction wants to spend a vast amount of Merit, of course. It generally doesn’t happen, however, as the Merit cost rarely outweighs the actual benefit of a premature end to the cease-fire. Sometimes, such as in cases where a high priority target is stranded on your newly conquered planet however, it may be worthwhile. Getting a basically guaranteed kill-shot at an enemy General-rank soldier for example, is definitely worth quite a lot, in the grand scheme of things…

“Now, enough of that. Let’s take a look at some vehicles, shall we?” Lt. Jorvik abruptly ended his current topic with a devious grin on his face, before leading the group of Recruits towards the first gigantic set of hangar doors.

Thea had to back off a few steps, just to see the top of the doors, by the time they stood in front of the imposing shadows of the monolithic hangar doors. A feeling of pure awe overcame her, at the sheer size of the building before her. Never in her life had she anticipated to see something as large as the hangar in front of her right now.

If she had to guess, it would likely be able to fit five to six golden age arcades inside of itself, with room to spare! The most impressive part however, was that there were more than a dozen of these same-sized hangars lined up here. Coming from an extremely small-population planet, Thea couldn’t even imagine the amount of vehicles that could possibly be stored inside of these monolithic hangars, much less the sheer amount of people required to man all of them.

As Lt. Jorvik approached the right side of the first hangar door and scanned in his biometrics at a panel set into the wall of the hangar itself, hidden behind what looked to be a blast-proof cover, the giant doors of the hangar suddenly came to life.

The metallic groan of gargantuan mechanisms echoed through the air as the colossal doors of the hangar began to shift. An intricate series of hydraulics and servos whirred and hissed, and the imposing barriers gradually parted. As the gap widened, a stream of diffused light spilled out from the hangar's depths, casting elongated shadows over the approaching group.

Then, a rush of air whooshed out from within, carrying the distinct scent of oil, metal, and electricity—a veritable cocktail of mechanised activity that hit Thea square in the face. She could feel her heart drumming in her chest as the anticipation reached its peak.

As the doors finally fully retracted, the hangar's insides were revealed.

The sight took Thea's breath away, her eyes widening as they struggled to take in the staggering panorama laid out before them. The hangar, like a colossal cave of steel and concrete, was filled with an unfathomable array of vehicles.

It was as if she was staring at a metal ocean, with waves of vehicles of every conceivable type stretching as far as the eye could see.

There were smaller-sized vehicles of all types—bikes, grav-bikes, quad bikes, ATVs, hovercrafts, lightly-armoured SUVs, and more, all neatly lined up in perfect rows. Thea’s mind tried to grasp the number of machines present, but it was an impossible task. She felt as though she was staring into an infinity mirror, with the bikes and vehicles stretching on and on.

The metallic bodies of these machines glinted in the artificial lighting, casting an array of reflections that danced across the hangar's walls. The sight of this mechanised army, ready and waiting, was truly awe-inspiring.

Thea was not the only one stunned at the sight before her, as the entire group of Recruits had frozen solid where they stood, at the imposing sight of the inside of the hangar.

With an amused chuckle, Lt. Jorvik broke the spell.

“Haha… Always the same reaction, yet I never grow tired of it… Welcome, Recruits, to the small-sized vehicle hangar. These vehicles right here are considered as the basic transport kind. Pretty much everything you will find in here, is available for purchase for you right now, assuming you have the corresponding Skills and Licences. You can obtain those in the shopping district, just ask around and you’ll find where to get them.

“Armoured vehicles in modern warfare are generally divided up into five different size categories, which simultaneously represent their capabilities, most of the time. Some notable exceptions apply, but we won’t go into those quite yet. This hangar here is, as I mentioned before, the small-size one. The next bigger one is medium, then large, followed by super-large and then special-sized.

“During your first year, it is unlikely you will run into anything past medium-sized vehicles, regardless of the level of battlefield you will engage with inside of the DDS, as there is practically no way for you to fight against them. We’ll take a look at them in a bit here regardless, cause they’re positively gorgeous machines of war, so don’t worry about missing out on that part.

“For now, let’s head inside and I’ll tell you a few things about the vehicles, as these are the most likely ones you’ll actively engage with, as Marines. I’ll reiterate my entry statement, that if you find yourself attracted, either philosophically or sexually, to any of the armoured vehicles here and want to make them your career, let the Sovereign know. We’ll immediately move you to the armoured division, for you to receive special training.

“The armoured division is a fundamental part of the UHFMC’s operations and is highly regarded amongst everyone inside the UHF. It’s an exceptionally dangerous, yet equally rewarding career path, to become a part of the armoured division’s crews. We’d be happy to have any of you join them. The reason I’m harking on this with you in particular, is that the armoured division generally gets their Recruits from the second wave of Recruits - the initial rejects of your own drive.

“Having elites, such as yourselves, to lead them would boost the overall efficiency and efficacy of the armoured division as a whole, so consider the offer wisely. After all, as elites, you’re almost guaranteed to become a commander of your own crew, in a few years time.”

With those final words, that Thea briefly noted had definitely caused a few thoughtful expressions to appear on the faces of her fellow Recruits around her, Lt. Jorvik led them further inside the massive hangar, while explaining some of the vehicle’s peculiarities more in-depth.

“These vehicles right here are the grav-vehicles. Aptly named after their primary building piece: The grav engine. It drastically lowers the weight of the vehicle, allowing it to hover across the ground with minimal energy expenditure. My bike outside is a customised version of one of these grav-bikes here, as you might have guessed.

“They are exceptional scouting tools, for they’re essentially dead-silent, as long as you don’t overtax the engine. Standard-issue grav-bikes come with two front-mounted medium-power laser guns, which generally looks similar to my own bike outside, although the ones on my baby are high-power, of course. Vehicle-grade medium-power laser guns pack enough of a punch to puncture and destroy most medium-sized vehicles with a couple of well-placed hits.

“As some of you might have realised by now, the UHF is very simple when it comes to its naming scheme. If something is medium-powered, it can generally kill medium-sized stuff. If something is high-power, it can generally kill large-sized stuff and so on. Makes it easy to explain to Recruits, but does often become confusing when you’re trying to order a customised vehicle, let me tell you…”

—

In a similar vein, the next two hours passed, as Lt. Jorvik gave in-depth explanations and backgrounds to each small-sized vehicle they encountered.

Thea was particularly taken by the grav-bike and grav-quad, as they seemed exceptionally handy for scouting purposes on more rural landscapes. She especially liked the grav-quad’s additional storage, as it would allow her to take additional backpacks of ammunition, rations or even backup weapons, compared to the grav-bike.

She made a mental note to check the prices on the bike and quad, whenever she went out to buy equipment. If the Skill and Licences weren’t too expensive, it would definitely be something worth considering, Thea ultimately decided.

When she shared her thoughts with Lucas, he nodded vehemently before answering, “I like it! I was personally thinking of something a bit bigger, maybe the armoured SUV? We could use a squad vehicle, after all… The Lieutenant’s sales pitch for the armoured division is also very tempting, but I can’t exactly leave Alpha Squad, just to go and play with vehicles, huh?”

Sensing a certain apprehension in his words, Thea interjected, “Honestly, Lucas…! You should follow whatever you want to do. If you want to join the armoured division, nobody is going to hate you for it! If that’s what you want for your career, go for it.

“As a member of Alpha Squad you’d likely get welcomed with open arms, if what the Lieutenant said about the general quality of Recruits for the AD is true…! Although, judging by the way the Lieutenant talked about sanctioned battlefields earlier, you might not have to be part of the AD to get to drive some of the bigger stuff, assuming you have the right Skills for it.

“He did briefly mention how Marines are often subbed in for crews of up to medium-sized vehicles, to save on troop deployment… So maybe you can have both: Alpha Squad and vehicle fun?”

At Thea’s words, Lucas’ face lit up with a big smile, “You’re right! I just have to get myself the Skills, maybe a Licence or two… and it should be fine! I’ll do that then! You know… I always thought Karania was going to be the brains of Alpha Squad, but you’re pretty smart yourself, aren’t you, Thea?” He added with a goofy-looking thumbs-up.

Unsure of how to react to the compliment, considering she barely did anything, coupled with the goofy-looking action of her squadmate, Thea simply chuckled while shaking her head, as they followed Lt. Jorvik to the second hangar.

Similarly to the first hangar, the Lieutenant walked towards the right-hand side of the giant doors and entered his biometrics into the hidden panel, before the hangar doors slowly opened.

As the second set of doors rumbled open, a markedly different scene unfolded before the assembled group of Recruits. Where the first hangar had been a vibrant sea of smaller vehicles, neatly arranged in lines, this second hangar was dominated by larger, more imposing machines.

Thea could feel a palpable shift in the air as the doors fully opened. The atmosphere inside the hangar was heavier, denser, and carried a weight of purpose that was impossible to ignore.

Medium-sized Tanks and Armored Personnel Carriers were spread throughout the hangar, their hulking forms casting long, forbidding shadows across the concrete floor. Their armour plating shone under the harsh hangar lights, presenting a formidable spectacle. Each one seemed to exude an aura of silent might and unyielding strength, their deadly purpose unmistakeable.

Despite the unique designs and impeccably crafted exteriors of each vehicle, there was a shared philosophy underlying their construction. It was a philosophy of efficiency and grace that echoed in Lt. Jorvik’s grav-bike as well. Thea found herself awestruck, mouth agape, at the overwhelming aura of this second hangar.

Every corner of the hangar she explored with her eyes revealed more awe-inspiring and potent vehicles. The mobile artillery vehicles, in particular, were a spectacular sight to behold.

These machines of war, with their folded, towering weapon systems resembling gigantic cubes atop the transport bed, radiated an unmistakable menace. They were towering monuments to destructive technology, their mere presence a potent declaration of power.

Interspersed among the more conventional vehicles were the Mechs—massive, bipedal machines reminiscent of technology Thea had only seen in science fiction games. Their imposing stature, sleek metallic bodies gleaming in the artificial light, lent an additional air of ruthless efficiency to the entire hangar.

The hangar seemed to hum with the dormant energy of these sleeping giants, a silent army awaiting its summons. Despite the stillness, there was a palpable sense of kinetic potential. It was a world apart from the first hangar—more a force of impending action than a collection of vehicles.

Thea could feel the difference deep within her. The sheer scale and power of the UHF's armoured division were laid bare before her, a sight both daunting and inspiring. She couldn't help but second-guess the advice she'd given Lucas earlier. Were Skills and Licences truly enough to command these beasts, even on sanctioned battlefields…?

Looking over towards her squadmate, she could not help but smile at the sight.

Lucas, usually a fairly mellow, calm person, had veritable stars in his eyes as he looked around the hangar seemingly filled with everything he could have ever dreamed of. He was slowly rotating on the spot, trying to take in every single inch of the hangar and its vehicles with his very being, before they were inevitably corralled through the hangar and on towards the next one.

Not wanting to interrupt the, strangely intimate-feeling, moment Thea simply continued taking in the vehicles around her as well, before Lt. Jorvik’s voice caught her attention once more.

“Now, this hangar, as you might have guessed, is the medium-sized vehicle bay. These here are only a fraction of the medium-sized vehicles available to the UHF armoured division, but they should give you a good look of the different types that exist. From your traditional tread-based tanks, over grav-tanks to mobile artillery systems and your typical medium-APCs. The only really surprising thing in here, in my opinion, are the Mechs.

“When the UHF AD first started researching Mechs, a lot of questions were raised on their efficacy. Why go with something that has legs, instead of more traditional tanks? What use is there in adding additional weak points? It took the R&D department decades to finally come up with a viable prototype to answer this question. The answer is as simple as you might expect: Versatility and Mobility.

“Where tread-tanks and grav-tanks can only realistically operate on somewhat even terrain, despite their exceptional targeting and stabilisation tech, Mechs can operate anywhere. If an enemy has built massive trenches, barricades or even walls, a Mech can simply walk around them, step over them or otherwise evade the issue entirely, when the more traditional options would be stuck.

“Coupled with the ever-increasing power output of the fusion-reactors inside the Mechs, their speed is also vastly superior to the more traditional tanks. Ultimately, Mechs were never meant to fight tanks in a stationary shootout, after all. You could see Mechs as the scout-type equivalent to the tanks’ heavy-type.

“Where tanks prefer to get dug in and shoot from a distance or slowly march forward in large arrays, Mechs are generally considered to be solo-operators. Most Mech squads are, at most, a group of five Mechs put together, that try to outmanoeuvre the enemy before they can even react to their presence.

“Make no mistake, however. A Mech can and absolutely will fuck up a tank, if given the chance. While their overall firepower and defensive capabilities are below that of the tanks, regardless of tread- or grav-variant, their vastly superior manoeuvrability allows them to employ hit and run style tactics that tank crews could never even dream of.

“Now… If you’re looking for Mechs that can go toe-to-toe with a tank… We’re going to have to go to the next hangar,” Lt. Jorvik finished with a wink and a big smile, as he saw that his teasing words had hit the spot.

The Recruits, especially the ones who had already looked somewhat thoughtful at the idea of joining the UHF AD, were eager, almost to a frightening degree, to get to the third hangar, after hearing the Lieutenant’s words.

Before they could speak up or start moving, however, Lt. Jorvik continued.

“Before we go there, however, I have to give you a rundown of the most important technologies inside this hangar: Vehicle weaponry, armours and utility equipment.

“Most tanks have a wide array of weapons available to them: Shells, railguns, laser cannons, plasma cannons, galvanic burst cannons, flame or plasma-throwers, and the list goes on and on, really. The general idea here is usually that a tank is only good at one particular thing, with its main-weapon, while the secondary ones shore up its weaknesses.

“If a given tank is running a plasma-cannon as its main-gun, it’ll likely have an array of heavy machine guns, laser gatling guns or the like as its side-guns, in order to deal with potentially approaching infantry. Keep this in mind for when you inevitably run into a situation where you have to make a decision with your squad, on whether you want to engage the tank or disengage from its area.

“Mechs generally have a similar loadout, although they often end up more heavily specialised due to their higher mobility. It’s far easier to move a Mech out of harm's way than a tank, after all. For Mechs, their main guns are located at their arms, while the side-guns are generally mounted near the chassis in the centre. Depending on the pilot, their main weapon will be on their dominant hand, with the secondary main weapon being on their non-dominant one. If you can figure out which one the dominant is, it will make your life a lot easier.

“In terms of armour, most vehicles inside of this hangar come with a similar armour-level, although tanks generally have more of it, while Mechs and APCs have less. Additionally, grav-tanks, due to the nature of the grav engines and their maximum load capacity, will be less armoured than tread-tanks, although they generally pack the same amount of punch.

“As a result, if you have to choose between a tread and a grav-tank to shoot at, take the grav one, as it’ll be easier to kill, given they’re both stationary. Grav-tanks have additional mobility benefits compared to their tread-based brothers however, as they can move sideways.

“So don’t try to shoot at them from a large distance, as they will simply side-step your rockets or whatever else you got, if the driver is in any way competent. Lastly, utility vehicles and equipment. Most utility vehicles will use modified versions of the mobile artillery you see here, although some use the grav- or tread-based tank chassis as well. The ones you’ll want to pay the most attention to are the following:

“Stealth, illusion, communication and supply. Pretty much in that order of importance too. Stealth utility vehicles are amongst the most dangerous things you can encounter on the battlefield, as they allow entire battalions of enemies to go undetected. If you manage to locate one of them, immediately inform command and try to disable the stealth generator afterwards.

“Stealth generators are exceptionally expensive to create, so losing one is a nasty blow to whatever the enemy might have been up to. Similarly, if you’re escorting one of our own, do not let it get destroyed or taken out. A single stealth vehicle can make or break an entire campaign, always remember that.

“Illusion tech is a level below stealth. Not quite as important, as they can’t use it to move around much without being obvious, but as a stationary or semi-mobile base of operations, they can be an absolute headache to deal with. Same procedure as with the stealth ones: Inform command, then try to disable or destroy the generators.

“When it comes to communications and supply vehicles, always comms in their location whenever you find one, but simply await further instructions from command. There are a lot of instances where we don’t want the enemy to know that we know where their precious things are hidden away, so don’t go out there simply destroying whatever you find.

“Now, having that all covered, let’s quickly go through the vehicles presented here and I’ll give you a quick rundown of what we’re actually looking at with each of them…”

—

Another hour passed, as Lt. Jorvik led them through the second hangar and explained the different names and designations of the vehicles, as well as explained the different types of weaponry that they’re likely to encounter in the next year.

Thea was slightly overwhelmed with the amount of exposition the Lieutenant had provided over the past few hours, but was also similarly thankful for it. While she didn’t know how much of it would really be useful going forward, she knew that at the very least, she’d be able to make an educated guess at what might be their best option in any given situation.

So far, she highly enjoyed this lecture, compared to the System one she had the day before, as she got to experience the hangar bays and the vehicles first-hand. Lt. Jorvik had even allowed them to touch the sleek metallic armour of the tanks and Mechs, when they had passed by them, which had made Thea exceptionally happy. She had never even heard of the metal alloy that had been used to create the armour plates that covered the machines, yet she could immediately tell that it was an exceptional blend of rigidity, flexibility and toughness, that would provide the machines with a phenomenal balance in their defensive capabilities.

The Lieutenant had called it Crysteel-alloy, which was apparently a mixture of Crysium, supposedly a Tier 2 material, whatever that meant, Plasteel and a large amount of binding materials that even he was not privy to knowing about. Creating an alloy from Crysium was, according to the Lieutenant, exceptionally difficult, so the exact blend was considered a trade-secret of the Technorium Syndicate and their respective forge worlds, that provided the UHF with their war machines.

When they approached the next hangar, which was actually the second to last of the hangars in this row, as they had skipped two medium-vehicle ones in getting here, Lt. Jorvik stopped before the giant hangar doors, instead of heading straight towards the door panel as he had done before.

“Now then… This is the large-vehicle section. The machines inside are likely going to be extremely rare for you to ever encounter on a battlefield, at least for the first couple of years, but it’s fun to look at them regardless. The classification of a large-sized vehicle is generally based on weight. Any vehicle inside the hangar weighs at least 100 tons, but some of the heavier variants run up to 150 tons as well. If you’re joining the UHF AD, you might actually get to pilot one of them in a couple years, considering your elite status… But that’s a discussion for another time. Let’s have some fun!”

With that announcement, he quickly stepped towards the panel and unlocked the massive hangar doors using his biometrics, as she had done the previous two times as well.

As the third set of doors rumbled open, Thea was treated to yet another spectacle, markedly different from what she had seen so far. She had thought that she had been appropriately prepared for what she was about to find inside, based on the previous two hangars, but the sheer size and scale of the machines held within the large-vehicle hangar left her momentarily breathless.

Immediately capturing her attention were the tanks – machines so large and intimidating that they dwarfed even the Mechs she had seen earlier. Their steel-grey bodies gleamed under the harsh artificial lights, the heavily plated armour giving off an intimidating sheen. Their monstrous cannons, large enough to fit a grown man inside, were pointed menacingly towards the opened hangar doors, a silent testament to their devastating capabilities and potentially a silent threat, should any unauthorised person dare to break their way inside.

Naturally, they were all tread-based tanks, as there were no grav-engines strong enough to let behemoths of 100-150 tons of weight levitate off the ground. According to Lt. Jorvik’s earlier explanations on the medium-tanks, most machines incorporated some kind of anti-grav tech, to reduce the weight of their individual components. Thea suspected that this was the case for these behemoths as well, but she’d have to wait for Lt. Jorvik to begin his explanations on the heavy-type vehicles before she dared to ask the question. She did not want to ruin this moment of awe, after all.

Next came the Titans, as Lt. Jorvik had called them in the previous hangar—significantly bulkier and larger than the mechs, these behemoths were like moving fortresses. Their given name of Titans was painfully accurate in Thea’s opinion, as they positively towered above everything else inside the hangar. Each one of them stood around 30 metres tall.

Encased in layers of thick, high-tech armour plates whose design seemed to resemble that of fantasy-styled knights and paladins, featuring colourful insignias, pauldrons, and even helmets to protect their pilot cabins, they were a spectacle to behold, in and of themselves. The sophistication in their design hinted at unparalleled destructive capabilities, while retaining a certain amount of versatility and manoeuvrability that their smaller brethren were known for, making them the epitome of battlefield dominance.

Their mere presence inside the hangar made everything else feel smaller and the air denser, as their towering height simply added to the imposing nature of their existence..

Amongst these juggernauts, Thea also noticed an array of giant utility vehicles that seemed to be equipped with stealth generators and communications dishes, or maybe a radar-dish…? Their sleek designs stood out amongst the more imposing war machines. Their impeccably designed exterior shielding hinted at a maze of complex electronics housed within, undoubtedly an essential for orchestrating the precise ballet of modern warfare.

Also scattered throughout the hangar were the massive troop carrier vehicles that Lt. Jorvik had mentioned during his hour-long talk inside the previous hangar. They were almost unassuming compared to their more aggressive-looking counterparts despite their bulky, multi-layered and armour-plated exterior, but their size alone hinted at their significant role on the battlefield. Able to transport dozens, potentially even hundreds of soldiers at a time, these vehicles were the lifeline for ground troops during major operations.

Each of these machines in front of Thea was a testament to the pinnacle of human ingenuity and technological prowess, their silent forms promising a thunderous cacophony on the battlefield. Despite Lt. Jorvik's earlier, casual tone, Thea understood that piloting one of these colossal machines would be a responsibility like no other.

Despite that realisation, which was undoubtedly shared by her peers, she could not fault the Recruits around her that looked on with eager interest, their growing intentions of signing up with the UHF AD evident on their faces.

Lucas especially seemed enamoured with the Titan-class of machine. Thea could not fault him for that either, for their imposing, downright regal-looking exterior was a sight to behold.

Their hulking bodies had a top-heavy structure, supported by two massive legs that resembled steel-clad tree trunks. Each foot was as wide as a medium-sized vehicle, ending in several claw-like appendages that provided balance and traction on a wide array of terrains.

The Titans' arms, if one could call them that, were more like weapon platforms than anything else. Each was outfitted with an array of armaments that could level entire city blocks.

Long-range missile launchers, high-powered laser cannons, railguns, plasma-cannons and anti-aircraft systems were just a few of the lethal payloads they were equipped with. Despite their massive size, these machines were known for their surprising agility and nimbleness, a feat achieved by a truly marvellous combination of advanced gyroscopic technology, anti-grav components, unfathomably powerful engines and expert piloting.

However, what made the Titans truly awe-inspiring was the 'cockpit', housed within the upper torso of the machine. The cockpit was partially hidden behind an ornamental-looking, armoured housing that often resembled the full-plate helmets of knights or paladins in the arcade games that Thea used to enjoy. It was more of a command centre than a simple pilot's seat, featuring an array of screens, controls, and interfaces that connected the pilot and his crew with every facet of the Titan's operations.

Lt. Jorvik had started his explanations on some of the large-type vehicles already, but Thea and Lucas were busy, standing side-by-side and simply staring up at the Titan’s ‘face’, wondering just what exactly the view from the inside would be like, as this steel-monstrosity stomped its way towards whatever objective it might be required for…

—

Another hour later, Lt. Jorvik led the group of Recruits towards the last hangar, which Thea briefly noted seemed to be even larger than the previous ones. With a large grin, the Lieutenant spoke up, as he stood next to the panel to open the hangar gates.

“Now… You might’ve thought the previous machines were large, but these ones in here… Let’s just say, they’re on another level. There aren’t nearly as many, as super-large vehicles are seldomly deployed to battlefields, but what they lose in quantity, they definitely make up for in quality.

“You’ll never meet any of these on the battlefield, guaranteed. I haven't even seen them in action outside of the DDS and I’ve been with the UHF for over 30 years now. There simply are very few instances that would even allow such a vehicle to be deployed, much less make economical sense to deploy them in the first place.

“Anything above 150 tons is considered a super-heavy vehicle, but the ones inside this hangar are far larger than that. I believe the lightest one clocks in at somewhere around 250 tons? I’m not entirely sure about that… Let’s be real, once you get to that point, what are 50 tons, eh?”

With that nonchalant comment, Lt. Jorvik entered his credentials and opened the last hangar doors, revealing the insides of the last and largest hangar.

As the doors slowly parted, a wave of cooler air washed over them, carrying with it the faint, lingering scent of spent fuel and oil. Thea blinked as the cavernous interior came into view, her eyes easily breaking through the stark contrast between the harsh daylight outside and the more muted, diffused lighting of the hangar, while she noted that the other Recruits beside her seemed to struggle a lot more with that particular issue.

The sheer scale of the interior was staggering. The hangar's vaulted ceiling rose to a dizzying height, the walls were lined with complex machinery and a network of gantries and maintenance platforms. In its heart, dwarfing all previous impressions of size and power, stood three truly colossal machines.

Two of the behemoths were ultra-massive battle tanks, each one a mountain of reinforced plasteel and high-density alloys that Thea couldn’t even begin to classify.

They were longer than twenty metres end-to-end, and just as wide. Their thick, sloped armour was a deep slate grey, punctuated only by the emblems of the UHF and a handful of kill-markings. Each tank featured a main gun that looked capable of levelling city blocks with each shot, while secondary turrets bristled with additional armaments. The secondary armaments alone easily dwarfed the main-guns of the large-sized tanks they had seen.

Between these mobile fortresses stood the crown jewel of the hangar however, overshadowing even the two ultra-massive tanks, despite their more than impressive armaments – a five-legged Titan.

This machine towered over even the massive tanks, an alien silhouette among more traditional designs. Each leg was as large as a smaller mech, and its body was a wonder of biomechanical design, a strange hybrid of animalistic aesthetics and mechanical practicality.

Its 'head', whose plating and cover strongly resembled the skull of a vicious canine, housed an array of sensors and target acquisition systems, while its back was a veritable skyline of weapon mounts, including massive cannons, missile launchers, and energy weapons.

On the left shoulder, the pentapedal Titan bore a massive cannon, whose barrel itself was easily over 20 metres long and wide enough to fit one of the medium-sized mechs inside of it with ease. On its right shoulder, the Titan bore a gigantic, rounded pauldron, bearing the gold and red insignia of the UHF, that was large enough to cover not only the entire right side of the massive titan, but also shield the ‘head’ from any potential attacks.

Unlike the bipedal Titans she'd seen before, this five-legged behemoth seemed even more robust and balanced. Its pentapedal design undoubtedly offered incredible stability and manoeuvrability on a diverse set of terrains. The sight of these gargantuan war machines, the epitome of the UHF’s might, filled Thea with a sense of awe and trepidation.

‘Just what exactly am I even supposed to do, if there’s one of these on the battlefield…? I’m kind of glad the System restricts these things now… I was already worried about my job with the large vehicles, but this…? This is utterly ludicrous…’

The hangar echoed with an almost palpable silence, as if the colossal machines themselves were holding their breath, waiting to be awakened from their slumber. None of the Recruits managed to say a word, much less breathe, as the sheer presence of these three super-large machines stole their every thought.

Much like the rest of the Recruits, Lucas was similarly shocked with awe, as he simply stood near the entrance, mouth agape, staring at the pentapedal Titan before him.

Even as Lt. Jorvik started talking, Thea noted that Lucas did not move, his eyes figuratively sparkling with unspoken dreams and desires.

“These three here are the super-large vehicles we currently have inside the DDS. In the real-world, we have a couple more, but have not bothered scanning them into the DDS, as it’s a massive undertaking to do so, as you might imagine.

“The tank on the left is known as the Shadekiller-type super-massive main battle tank. Or just Shadekiller for short. Its main area of expertise is, as its name implies, environmental destruction. If there’s a battlefield that features a lot of environments to get through or a large amount of reinforced positions, the Shadekiller will easily create a path, where previously there was none.

“Its main cannon is a mixture of a super-sized plasma-cannon, coupled with a gravitationally unstable payload that ultimately rips anything towards it once it activates. Seeing it fire is quite the spectacle… One I might be able to show you in future classes, actually… But I’ll require some special permissions for that, even inside the DDS. I’ll try to get them for one of the future classes, promise.

“The tank on the right bears the ominous name of Skyfall-type super-massive main battle tank. Obviously everyone just calls it the Skyfall, as you might imagine. Its name stems, similarly to the Shadekiller, from its main expertise, as its primary usage is as an area-denial tool. The Skyfall’s main cannon fires not a single projectile, but instead a vast array of miniaturised Void-reactors.

“One issue we’ve always run into when it comes to building ships with enough power to use FTL travel, were the Void-reactors. The only type of reactor we have that can provide enough power for long-distance FTL travel. We simply can’t make them smaller than a certain size, as they become incredibly unstable. The Skyfall makes this instability into a formidable, albeit highly dangerous weapon.

“By firing an array of these Void-reactors at the given area, which are guaranteed to rupture and blow up, the Skyfall creates a veritable net of Void-tears, that simply annihilate anything below a Tier 4 material. The tears extend massively to all sides, making the Skyfall capable of even clearing entire fleets of air or space craft with a single shot.

“The main issue with the Skyfall, as you will likely realise, is the exorbitant cost of operation. Void-reactors are unbelievably expensive to create, even in miniaturised form, so it rarely sees use nowadays. If push comes to shove however, we always have them in our back pocket, in case a free battlefield requires its mighty main cannon…”

Walking in front of the pentapedal Titan, Lt. Jorvik stopped and briefly looked up in awe, before turning back around to the Recruits.

“Now this… This gorgeous machine is the Wolf Lord. Its name-sake should be pretty obvious, given its prominent cockpit design. I don’t even know where to start on this one, but it’s an absolute beast, as its name implies. Each one of its weapons is enough to take apart an entire army, yet the Wolf Lord boasts up to 8 of them at a time. It’s capable of firing them all simultaneously, thanks to an AI aboard the machine that is dangerously close to breaking the Emperor’s decree.

“Its pauldron is strong enough to block multiple shots of a Skyfall’s main cannon, while its pentapedal design allows it to manoeuvre in places you would never have imagined could field such a machine… It truly is an absolute work of art…

“Mind you, all three of these machines are. After all, they are all covered in T4 material alloy, making them damn-near indestructible. They could even weather multiple days of orbital bombardment, if necessary…

“Now… Let’s head on out, to finish up this lecture. Some of you might actually fall unconscious, considering I haven’t heard any of you breathe in the past few minutes here,” Lt. Jorvik joked, which caused a few chuckles and startled most Recruits out of their daze, before heading outside the super-large hangar.

Lucas reluctantly pulled himself away from the Wolf Lord and walked next to Thea who had waited for him.

“The Wolf Lord is impressive, huh?” She prompted, in an attempt to figure out what Lucas was thinking.

“Truly… I can’t believe something like it even exists… Dozens of people working together as a single crew, just to move the thing… That is incredible. Utterly gorgeous looking, too,” he added, as he turned his face to steal a last glance at the Wolf Lord behind him.

“Maybe you should join the AD after all…? Maybe one day you could pilot it?” Thea offered carefully, not wanting to push Lucas one way or another. She realised that felt exceedingly comfortable talking to Lucas, likely due to the fact that he had never shown any hostility towards her and always seemed happy to reply.

“Hmm… I thought about it… But I think I’ll remain with the Marines for now. Making such a decision this early on, without even having done our first assessment, seems too hasty to me. If the assessment doesn’t feel good, I might reconsider, but I’d like to give the Marines a shot first. My old man would be mad if I didn’t at least give it a shot first, after all… He always used to say ‘Lucas… You always have to try everything once! Don’t you dare shy away from things, just because you’re scared of them!’,” he mimicked with a terrible imitation of an old person’s voice that made Thea chuckle.

“He sounds like a wise man. I think trying out the assessment first is definitely a solid choice. A couple days won’t really matter for your career, in the grand scheme of things,” Thea answered with a smile.

Lucas’ eyes became downcast as he answered, “He was… He truly was… Ye… Thank you, Thea. I appreciate the kind words…”

Only now realising that she had stepped into a territory she probably shouldn’t have, Thea inwardly cursed, ‘Damnit! I should’ve realised what he meant earlier… Now I made him sad… Fuck!’

Unsure of how to salvage the situation, she simply walked quietly next to the lumbering, downcast Lucas, as they got in line with the rest of the Recruits for the final round of the Warfare 101 lecture.

Just as Lt. Jorvik was about to speak, however, Thea suddenly felt a slight vibration crawl up through her feet into her bones.

Looking around with a frown, Thea wondered to herself, ‘What the…? What was that…?’

“Now then, that pretty much concludes the Warfare 101 lecture. You should now know most of everything that will be required of you during your assessment. What vehicles exist, which ones you might be able to use during your missions, which ones are high-priority and which ones you should avoid at all costs.

“We’ve gone over the logistics of respawns, talked about the history of warfare as a whole, covered the three different battlefield types you’ll come in contact with and took a look at some mighty awesome machines…”

Once again, Thea felt the vibrations travel through her body.

Looking around with a frown, her eyes suddenly met Lt. Jorvik’s, who ever-so-slightly shook his head at her, as if to indicate that Thea should not make a fuss about whatever she thought was going on.

Understanding that this was likely some part of their lecture, Thea calmed her anxiously beating heart. She had always been a bit more on the cautious side, an unavoidable side-effect when one grew up in a mid-world undercity. When daylight robberies, kidnappings and murder were an everyday thing, one didn’t really have the luxury to get used to a more quiet lifestyle of feeling secure.

Knowing that Lt. Jorvik was aware of whatever was going on and didn’t seem concerned, Thea simply listened to his extended recap of the lecture, while the vibrations kept coming in a slightly increasing rhythm…

—

Just as Lt. Jorvik seemed about done with his recap, a big smile suddenly appeared on his face.

“Now… I’ve shown you basically all types of vehicles that the UHF can field, going from small, over medium and large to super-large… But there is actually one additional type, that we do not store inside of the hangars, for they are simply too large.

“These machines are known as the special-size and are exclusively Titans. May I direct your attention behind you, my dearest Recruits?”

Following his direction, the recruits turned around, their eyes widening at the sight that greeted them. Over the horizon, a colossal shape slowly took form. Even from this distance, it was a gargantuan silhouette, so massive that it nearly eclipsed the sunset behind it. It was like a city on the move, a titan of such unfathomable scale that it made everything else seem inconsequential in comparison.

It was undoubtedly a Titan variant, a special-size one.

Its structure looked like a cityscape of towers, turrets and massive cannons, strapped onto what appeared to be a vast chassis of plasteel and high-grade alloys. This wasn't a machine built for battlefields, it was created for wars.

Walking on innumerable legs, this titan reminded them of a centipede, albeit one whose length could span entire city blocks with ease, while its head towered over two hundred metres in the air.

The sight was utterly stupefying, and not a little humbling.

In comparison, the machines they had just admired in the hangars were merely toys. Even the Wolf Lord looked barely large enough to reach one of the special-size Titan’s knees.

The Titan's main guns, colossal weapons of unknown type, were mounted atop its chassis, each one looking easily capable of levelling entire ecosystems with a single discharge. Smaller, though still intimidatingly large, artillery pieces and missile launchers dotted its length, giving it the capability to engage multiple targets simultaneously in all directions.

Just the sight of this monolithic entity invoked a sense of awe and abject terror within anyone who saw it. It was a testament to the sheer industrial and technological might of the UHF, a symbol of supreme power capable of decimating entire planets if needed.

The recruits watched in silent awe as the Titan continued its slow march, the ground trembling subtly even at this far distance with each of its ponderous steps.

One of the Recruits behind Thea mouthed, “What the fuck is that…?” quietly to themselves and she couldn’t help but agree.

The sheer scale of what she was witnessing dwarved anything she could have ever imagined. The super-large sized Wolf Lord alone had blown her mind, but watching the centipede-like behemoth of a Titan at the horizon was simply on a level that her mind was unwilling to accept as reality or even a possibility.

“That, my dear Recruits, is the second largest Titan ever created. It doesn’t have a type, for there is only one in existence. Its name is the ‘Terra Venator’. I won’t even begin to list its statistics, mostly because I don’t even know a fraction of them… But instead, I’ll let it demonstrate its power, just this once.

“I managed to obtain special permissions for today’s class only. Lucky coincidence, really, as the UHF AD happened to be running an extremely rare exercise with it today, inside the DDS. So I managed to call in a few favours to have it show up here and give us a little demonstration. If you ever see any of the three thousand men that crew this monster, make sure to pay a drink of theirs or something, alright?”

Thea’s mind was reeling from the information the Lieutenant had just divulged.

‘We’re… We’re going to see this thing shoot?! And there’s over three thousand people needed to just operate it for a training run…? Just what in the Void would ever require such a monstrosity to be fielded…?!’

Just as she managed to finish her thoughts, the main cannon of the Terra Venator suddenly came alive.

The deafening hum of power resonated through the air as the Terra Venator's colossal form seemed to vibrate with anticipation. The firing sequence began with a low, resonant thud—a series of massive hydraulic pistons engaging, preparing the colossal Main-cannon for its devastating release of energy.

The ground beneath Thea's feet trembled in response, adding a sense of much-needed realness to the awe-inspiring, downright mythical spectacle before her.

A radiant, purple-hued glow emanated from the intricate energy coils, visible through transparent plating, winding their way through the Titan's immense structure. Brilliant arcs of energy crackled and danced along their path, like celestial lightning coursing through the heart of the Titan.

The chamber housing the Main-cannon hummed with escalating power. Enormous capacitors discharged their stored energy, sending bolts of crackling electricity cascading through the vast network of conduits. The air crackled with an electrifying charge, generating an atmosphere of anticipation and trepidation.

As the final moments of the firing sequence approached, the Terra Venator seemed to draw a breath, as if inhaling the very essence of its destructive potential. The ground quivered beneath Thea's feet, a precursor to the cataclysmic event about to unfold.

Then, with a resounding boom that echoed through the valley, the Terra Venator unleashed its full might. The cannon erupted in a searing torrent of energy, an awe-inspiring beam of pure destruction that lanced through the air with unimaginable speed.

A blinding flash of incandescent light followed, illuminating the surrounding landscape with an intensity that seemed to defy the natural order. The beam tore through the distance with pinpoint accuracy, obliterating everything in its path.

The mountain that had towered over their lecture this entire time, once an immovable symbol of the enduring strength and beauty of nature, simply shattered under the onslaught of the Terra Venator's devastating power. Rocks the size of skyscrapers were atomized, displaced, and sent soaring through the air like confetti in a storm. The entire mountain and ground heaved and groaned, as if protesting against the unnatural forces unleashed upon it.

The sheer magnitude of the blast reverberated through Thea's being, filling her with a mix of exhilaration, awe and abject horror, a kind she had never felt before.

The aftermath of the strike left behind a massive, scorched and smouldering scar, where the eastern-side of the mountain used to be. Now nothing but molten rock and stone, a massive crescent-shaped hole had been torn through the entire mountain at the distant horizon.

As the shockwaves propagated outward from both the Terra Venator and the devastated mountain, the environment surrounding Thea trembled under the overwhelming force unleashed before them. The shockwaves rippled through the air, distorting and displacing everything in their path.

To the left, where the pine forest stood, the shockwaves surged through the dense foliage. The towering trees swayed violently, their branches thrashing against each other as if caught in a tempest. Leaves were ripped from their branches, scattering through the air like a torrential downpour. The forest floor quivered under the immense power, causing the earth to crack and split. Ancient trees were uprooted, their gnarled roots ripped from the ground, leaving behind a chaotic aftermath.

To the right, where the rocky desert stretched out, the shockwaves collided with the rugged terrain. The ground quaked violently, sending plumes of dust and debris into the air. Boulders tumbled and rolled, dislodged from their once-stable positions. The very foundation of the desert seemed to shudder under the tremendous impact, causing small avalanches of rocks and debris to cascade down the slopes of the surrounding cliffs.

In the midst of this chaotic scene, Thea found herself shielded to some extent by the massive hangers that housed the vehicles and other military equipment. These imposing structures acted as a buffer, absorbing and dispersing some of the shockwaves' energy.

Despite the protection provided by the massive hangers and the vast distances between them and the origin however, the shockwave unleashed by the Terra Venator's devastating strike was still a force to be reckoned with. As the wave of energy surged towards Thea and her fellow Recruits, it grew in intensity, creating a powerful gust of wind that roared through the open spaces.

The force hit them with a sudden and unexpected ferocity. Thea felt the ground beneath her tremble as the shockwave crashed against the protective barrier of the hangars, causing them to vibrate and groan under the immense pressure. However, the sheer power of the shockwave could not be fully contained.

A strong blast of air swept through the area, knocking several Recruits off their feet. Thea herself was caught off guard, stumbling backward as the gust surged past her, only managing to stand upright thanks to a timely, helping hand from Lucas, who had braced his large body against the incoming storm.

The impact of the shockwave was utterly jarring, a sudden force that threatened to upend everything in its path.

Recruits were tossed aside, their bodies tumbling through the air like leaves caught in a storm. Dust and debris swirled in a chaotic dance, stirred up by the immense force of the shockwave. The sound of cries and shouts mixed with the howling wind, creating a cacophony of chaos and confusion.

Those closest to the hangars managed to find some stability, clinging to any available support to weather the brunt of the shockwave. Some Recruits braced themselves against the hangar walls, while others sought refuge behind larger pieces of equipment, desperately clinging to their positions.

As the shockwave continued to dissipate, its strength waned, and the gusts of wind gradually subsided. Thea and the remaining Recruits struggled to regain their footing, their bodies battered and disoriented. Slowly, they rose from the ground, dusting off their uniforms and steadying themselves. They exchanged glances, finding solace in the fact that they had weathered the storm of the shockwave together.

As the trembling of the environment subsided, a profound silence settled over the landscape, broken only by the crackling of embers and the distant echoes of settling debris. The forest and desert now bore the scars of the cataclysmic forces unleashed upon them, forever marked by the immense power of the Terra Venator's devastating strike.

Thea stood there, awestruck, gazing out at the altered horizon. The sight before her was a testament to the raw power harnessed by humanity, both in the form of the colossal Titan and the destructive forces it had unleashed. It was a humbling reminder of the vast scale of the conflict in which they were engaged, a struggle that demanded unimaginable sacrifices and a constant evolution in the face of ever-advancing adversaries.

The only sound that cut through the awestruck silence that followed, was the hearty laugh of Lt. Jorvik.

“Hahaha… Holy fucking shit… By the Emperor’s muscular golden arse, that was insane! I hope everyone’s alright? I had no idea… I have never seen the Terra Venator fire it’s Star-cannon either, so I had no idea what to expect. Definitely wasn’t this, though, I’ll tell ya that much… My apologies for anyone that might’ve gotten hurt…”

At that moment, Thea suddenly heard the same firing sequence behind her.

Wide-eyed, she spun around, only to see the Terra Venator’s main cannon aimed directly at their position.

With a slight panic in his voice, Lt. Jorvik quickly reached for the datapad at his side, “Ehh… I didn’t ask them to do that…? Let me figure out what’s going on!”

Panic rapidly spread through the Recruits, with many running towards the nearby hangers to seek cover.

Thea, however, was very well aware that there was no cover from the Star-cannon. If it could take down a mountain many dozens of kilometres away, it could definitely take out some dingy plasteel-hangars.

With a crooked smile, Thea simply shook her head and muttered to herself, “Always my luck, huh?”

“Hey, I’m also here, you know?” Came the unexpected response from her side, as Lucas chimed in with a smile.

With a nod, Thea acknowledged Lucas’ determination to simply stand and accept their fate.

At that moment, when the Star-cannon finished its firing sequence and the radiant beam of light came towards them, Lucas suddenly stepped in front of Thea…