Chapter 33: The Dark Underbelly

The central government overseer is deep into the drink before the sun goes down that night. Aristocratic Imperial politicians sent him here specifically to prove that the old General was no longer fit for duty.

Putting him in charge of children was a disaster waiting to happen, and the bureaucrats were certain that he would either fail or become drunken and violent to the point that he could be relieved of command and his Phalanx Class Mecha Reallocated to a piloting team more loyal to the Aristocracy and their bureaucracy.

But after this. After a pair of first year Cadets crushed the qualification exams mere months into his tutelage, what was the overseer to report to his superiors? His best bet was to suppress the news and buy time to come up with a plan. If that Phalanx Class Mecha goes to students loyal to General Tennant, they will be loyal to the Monarchy directly, as the original agreement stipulated, not the regional governments run in its name by the local aristocrats.

When the Kingdom of Kepler was founded, all Phalanx Class and mightier Mecha Swore Loyalty to the monarchy before all else. So now that the Observer's superiors in the government feel that the monarchy has become obsolete and is ready to be replaced by smaller fiefdoms run by the aristocratic class and their centuries old structures of government, that loyalty must be erased.

But it's not easy. The pilots pick their successors, both by tradition and by law. Turning the younger generation is the best chance they have. That or sending the venerable machines out on far flung patrols so they can't return in time to stop the Monarchy from being eliminated.

The overseer finds no solace in his thoughts and in the end drinks himself to sleep well before lights out.

While the Observer bemoaned his fate over expensive whiskey, General Tennant was making plans to accelerate the Cadets' training and to move them to a safer location.

What he has come up with is a training mission. Not a short journey through the woods, a six month tour of duty where he will be the only one overseeing them, and where he will be able to help them earn the commendations that they will need to take over the Shining Darkness before the politicians can find a way to strip her from General Tennant's Possession.

The actions of the overseer, and other double agents within the Academy are no mystery to the General. The sensors in the venerable Phalanx Class machine are no laughing matter, he can find out anything that happens within this Academy. Why else would he choose to sleep in his mecha every night when he could have an opulent VIP suite assigned along with base staff catering to his every whim?

He has managed to contact a ship of the fleet that is on a routine training patrol for Kepler Naval Pilots, with a minimal crew and no intentions of entering into actual danger. That's just the thing he's looking for, a few landfalls that can be polished up in reports and half a year of peace.

The Captain of the ship is more than happy to have the Shining Darkness on board, the Phalanx Class Mecha are a good luck symbol to the entire Empire, and Colonel Black has agreed to the General's proposal to take his Cadets on the mission.

The Colonel understands the current situation quite well, and hopes that it never comes to the worst of outcomes. They have enough enemies without a civil war.

The next morning most of the Instructors have gathered in the viewing decks to watch the two Cadets under General Tennant practice on the Corvette Class Mecha, curious to how well his secluded students have been progressing.

"Mecha Ready. Weapons check"

"Cadet Nico, All Green. Weapons Check Ready."

"Cadet Max, All Green. Weapons Check Ready."

"Standby for launch in 3, 2, 1"

The two hurtled out of the starting area at a blistering rate, taking out the first set of targets before even meeting the incoming fire. Cadet Nico goes a bit more gently than usual on this run, not wanting to cause herself the need to do any unnecessary repairs after just recovering from an injury. It's a faster pace than the Line Mecha qualification by quite a bit, but not even close to pushing the more agile machine to its limits.

Beside her, Cadet Max is taking a very efficient line, but emphasizing his hiding to ensure he's entirely behind the available cover.

"It's two perfect runs" someone in the control room sighs. "Side by side, it's like watching instructors demonstrate."

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"I don't know if I want to kiss the General for training such talents or kick him for not training the rest." Major Payne snarls.

"Now, now Amanda. You know you can't kick ranking officers." Inquisitor Wolf coos and promptly gets a kick leveled at his backside.

"I said no kicking, absolutely no kicking." He laughs as he dances across the room, having enjoyed the friendly banter of the Instructors here in comparison to the suspicion and fear his presence usually elicited.

"But now they're into the hardest part. Do you think they'll notice the ambush target that pops up behind the Cadets at the 90 percent mark?"

A target not noticed is a missed target, not a huge deal to these two Cadets, but it is the point when many others fail their run, having missed their opportunity at earlier targets.

The two Mecha are side by side as they come to the 90 percent mark and the ambush drone comes out. Cadet Max doesn't even turn, simply spins his shoulder around to aim backwards and blasts it into oblivion.

Cadet Nico noticed a moment too late, still in time to avoid the ambush, but the drone had moved behind cover before she could target it and she must either waste a significant amount of time looking for it or continue the run with the missed target. Nico chooses to take the miss, moving into the final groupings and completing the course.

"Cadet Nico, you do know it is customary to shoot all of the targets, yes?"

"Yes, sir. This Cadet knows they failed to shoot the Ambush drone, sir."

"0 missed shots, 0 percent damage taken, 1 missed target. Passable score Cadet."

"Now that we've covered your negligent targeting, tell me this. Were you out for a leisurely stroll? Needed a moment to do your nails? What is with the sedate pacing Cadet?" General Tennant barks, making everyone in the control room laugh. Her pace was still a third faster than required for the actual Corvette Class qualification.

"Sir. This Cadet found the previous Mecha to be exceedingly fragile and did not want to damage more of the Academy's property, sir."

"Then we will have to teach you how to run without hurting yourself Cadet. That's all for this lesson, fall out to the hangars and return your Mecha."

"Passable he says, passable." Major Payne chokes looking at the scorecard.

"Cadet Max, not bad, but you almost took a shot to the back wasting time in cover. Get in, get the job done and get out. Corvette Class Mecha are fast attack Mecha."

"I understand General."

"Excellent, now fall out and get showered for your next class." The General dismisses him and the second Corvette Class mecha heads for the customized training hanger to be serviced and put away for the evening.

0 missed shots. 0 missed targets. 0 damage taken. Perfect run.

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