Before being deployed to the front lines the two young pilots were allowed to go back home for two weeks, Samuel woke up late and came down to the table for breakfast.
"You look like shit" William greeted him.
"Thanks, I feel even worst"
"Headaches?"
"Kind of. It feels like some bug is digging into my brain" Samuel answered while holding his head on his hands.
[Captain Terrence, I remind you that your symptoms are due to your negative to take the proper medications...]
"Shut up MARTA. I don't like the painkillers; I rather deal with this my own way, mind your own business"
[I am programed to...]
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, to monitor and take care of the pilots. I know, you already told me a billion times. Just shut up and turn on the holographic screen, the news channel"
The AI did as Samuel requested and the tridimentional projection came on-line over the kitchen table.
"So, what now?" Asked Williams.
"Two weeks rest, then I got to go to some underground facility..."
[Captain Terrence, I remind you that the schedule of a pilot should not be known to the general public.]
"I am his father"
[Still, you are a civilian Mr. Williams]
Like to exemplify her reminder MARTA changed the news source. Instead of reports from the loses in the battlefield, she changed to another channel. The tables and counters were replaced by the projection of a middle aged man with white hair, dressed like a Butler with deep solemn voice.
[Today a tragic incident took place. The fanatics, enemies and traitors to all humanity managed to inflict a heavy loss on us]
By the side of the butler a projection of a man with a backpack running towards a group of people appeared.
"Deus Vult!" The man in the projection yelled before exploding, killing several people around him.
[Captain Jean Pierre Valiant was reported dead in the explosion along with two members of his family and six passers by. Other six people were seriously wounded. Captain Pierre tried to go out with his family under disguise when a fanatic terrorist from the Order of the Faith managed to assassinate him. The Catholic wing of the terrorist organization assumed the responsibility for the barbaric act. Our most sincere condolences to captain Pierre family and friends and to the rest of people affected by this catastrophe. Today the world griefs the lose of another pillar of humanity.]
"I got it already MARTA, just get back to the front line loses report" Samuel ordered stressed.
The AI changed the channel one more time, the projection of the counter of defeated enemies and lost exoskeleton units reappeared. Samuel looked at his father.
"Anyway, first we must test the internal system and the synapses connection, after that it will take a month for the full structural system to be constructed around it, finally the external frame and protections should take a week, and mounting all the weapon systems should take three to five days"
"So, you will be home for almost a month?"
"No dad. Most of the time I will be at the laboratories doing tests"
[Captain Terrence, this is your last warning. The information you have provided already violate the extent of what could be said to a civilian.]
Both men ignored the AI.
Samuel looked at the projections in display as he took a bite of a toast with butter and jelly with not much enthusiasm on his face. The number of enemies defeated increased fast, every now and then the number of fallen exoskeletons also increased.
"Those numbers are not good" William seemed worried.
"Don't worry dad, the fact the exo is down, doesn't mean the pilot is dead, the modern machine priority is to safeguard the pilots life, for as long as the cockpit can be ejected, I will be fine"
"Should that make me feel any better?" Asked Williams.
They both new the answer. Father and son ate their breakfast in silence most of the time with the ever looming presence of the battlefield statistics lingering over their heads. Two weeks later a military convoy arrived and took Samuel away. The already known secret facility welcomed him, the technicians guided him towards the entrails of what was supposed to be his Exoskeleton; it was just a collection of white gelatinous filaments connected to the black cockpit. Samuel doubted for a moment.
"Something is wrong, captain?" asked the technician, a white, skinny, tall guy with his green overall and his hair covered with a cap.
"No, nothing" Samuel walked forward and got into the cockpit as the known process took place.
"Your vitals are a bit high captain, is everything alright?" the technician asked.
"Yeah, I am fine just a bit nervous, this feels like the first time I went into a cockpit in the hospital"
"Understood. Prepare for synapse then"
"I'm ready"
As the connection started, Samuel screamed his lungs out.
"Jesus, why does this hurt so much?"
"We are not sure, but your connection is strong and alignment is almost perfect, can you withstand it?"
"Sure" Samuel gritted his teeth.
"Alignment completed. Lets proceed with the virtual test, try to move a leg"
"Oh god! This is too much" Samuel complained.
"Don't worry captain, we will increase the painkillers dose and give you an extra boost"
Samuel face and body relaxed as he felt the relief from the medication, slowly he closed his eyes.
"Captain Terrence, captain Terrence, can you hear me?!"
Samuel woke up exalted, his heart pounding and hyper-vigilant.
"What happened?"
"You lost consciousness for a few seconds, we just gave you an stimulant. Captain have you been taking your medication on your leave?"
"No, I tried to minimize the doses and get rid of them" answered Samuel.
"That is a mistake sir, you were already warned that this is not the right procedure. We usually don't have to worry too much because the effects of the implants are too annoying to tolerate without treatment, please don't stop taking you medication; we will adjust the dosage with new parameters from now on"
"Got it"
"Lets proceed with the test and calibration" the technician announced, while the rest of the team got to work.
The test ended without any new complication. Samuel abandoned the cockpit with some of the side effects of the stimulants, in the rest room he found Hector and another pilot.
"Hey Sam, how ya been?" Hector greeted.
"Been better" the naked Samuel stood there as the two other pilot relaxed in the sofas.
"Stimulants?" asked the other pilot.
"Yeah, some stuff happened"
"Sam, this is Erik, he is a pilot from Fort Gleam base, due to incapacity of his local branch to build his Exoskeleton, he was transfered with us" Hector did the introductions.
"Nice to meet you Erik" Samuel greeted.
"Likewise" answered the tall, skinny, blond guy with blue eyes as he rested on the sofa with the towel around his waist.
"What type of Exoskeleton you requested?" Samuel asked.
"A Stinger variant"
"Wow that is a real front liner there, full lancer?" Hector was surprised.
"Dual lancer" Erick answered.
"No shield?" now was Samuel the surprised one.
"No shield" Erik answered with a bit of pride on his voice.
"Men, you are very brave or straight out suicidal, you loco homs"
"The Stinger has a bad reputation because of the bad pilots, actually is a very sturdy and powerful Exoskeleton, not many machines can break through enemy lines like Stinger does" Erik defended his choice.
"MARTA, give us schematics and visual appearance of the Stinger model from the third generation" Samuel asked.
[Understood]
The holograms came to life in between the sofas. The Image depicted an Exoskeleton fully coated in red; its legs were sturdy, its right arm carried a long and thick spear, while the left arm was actually fused to a heavy tower shied full of spikes in its surface. The cannon of several machine guns could be seen pointing out of its torso.
"How do you pretend to survive an onslaught without a shield? The Stinger lineal acceleration is great but its lateral mobility is not, you will get surrounded by the enemy" asked Samuel.
"MARTA, modify the design; give it two spears, make them twenty percent longer and thicker, add two seventy five millimeters canons, increase the thickness of both arms and strengthen their torsion resistance" Under Erick guidance the machine acquired an even more aggressive look.
"I still don't get it" said Hector after pondering for a while.
"MARTA, show them my maneuver"
The projection changed, a swarm of tenctopus appeared. The Stinger dashed forward impaling the enemy in front of it, once its frontal charge was about to run its course, the red machine stabbed one of its lances on the floor and rotated over it, not only changing course rapidly but also impaling or trashing the enemies that intended to surround it.
"Damn, that is really something. Can the Exo tolerate all that stress?" Asked Samuel.
"Most of the time they do. My La croix will have the necessary reinforcements to handle it"
"Men you loco. We have all heard of pilots doing some crazy stuff, but take the cake homs"
"A real daredevil" confirmed Samuel.
The three pilots exchanged some more ideas and talked about their future machines until it was time to leave. Some time later each one of them boarded their corresponding military vehicle.
After a month of frequent visits to the facility, their machines were ready for deployment. The three pilots stood in front of their giant robots, they looked at each other and smiled; took their clothes off and hooped into the cockpits. The brand new machines activated without a hitch.
"Well gentlemen, follow the tunnel, it is five kilometers long, at the end of it you will find the elevator to take you to the surface, follow the navigation system towards Landry base and join the nineteen regiment. Good luck captains, and good hunt" The technicians team stood at attention and saluted.
The three giant machines saluted, turned around and walked down the tunnel one after another. The interior of the tunnel was full of cannons and analogical weaponry, only then the pilots realized the real amount of protection surrounding the facility. Finally they reached the end of the tunnel. Hector was the first to take the lift platform, his gray coated heavy machine reached the surface. The metal monster with thick legs stood defiant; the two giant cannons on both shoulders and the secondary medium range weapons on its torso seemed to challenge the world itself. Samuel executioner followed, the blue and red machine looked a lot nimbler compared to Hector Fortress; two giant lumps of metal in the form of two curved swords with wide blades reflected the light, the edge made it clear that they were deadly. The machine guns muzzle protruded from the torso menacingly. Lastly, Erik's La croix came out, the fierce looking monster lances promised to inflict a lot of damage on his enemies while the machine guns presented a deterrent to those wanting to approach. The three machines took off on their way towards Landry base.
A few minutes later the difference in speed was obvius.
"Hey, slow down will ya. My machine is too heavy and slow" Hector complained.
"Come on Hector, already complaining?" Samuel said, while him and Erik laughed. Still they reduced their acceleration.
The three machines flew away at matching speed, while on land people raised their head and looked at the skies looking for the machine that just passed by.