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You settle on inputting requests for the Bia-pattern Chaingun, your familiar Yi mechanical boost system, and Project Burning Eagle. Combined, they would allow you to flit across the battlefield with unparalleled mobility, and be able to hopefully match Delta’s usual maneuverability.
The simulator warms up and unfolds into the outskirts of a city. The sun shines brightly above, the blue sky unblocked by any clouds, merely a few passing dust storms.
The streets are wide, tall ruined skyscrapers reflecting brilliant rays in every angle. You arrive on the edge of a dune sea, before entering the city proper.
A mild wind sends dust swirling up, blocking your sensors briefly, and you note a minor concern.
With all these dwellings and metal, Mag-scan will be less effective than normal.
Your pilot arrives a minute later, slipping into the chair and fitting the neurohelmet on with practiced movements. Very good.
“Hey, Beta? You were listening in on the briefing, right?”
“Affirmative, Pilot.”
“Then let’s show Delta who the superior core is, right?”
“Affirmative. I am.”
Her mind twitches a bit as she starts going through the mental exercises to settle into low-sync.
You have other concerns. Namely, an incoming comms request. Not while your pilot is syncing, they will need to wait.
The rest of the 2nd Royal Guards walkers materialize one at a time, as they bring themselves into the simulator. You recognize some of them, there’s the paired red and white Command/bodyguard walkers that you trashed early.
Two fast-moving Strider scouts, designated as the Distraction team, and two Stalkers, which you tag with the ‘meatshield’ designation.
The pinging of multiple incoming comms request redoubles. Someone really wants your attention.
You answer on behalf of your pilot.
“Frame 01 here.”
Surprisingly, it’s not a human voice that answers you, but a fast-paced data transmission.
‘ATHENA REQUESTS ACCESS TO COMMUNICATIONS AND IFF TRANSPONDER OF FRAME 01’
Ah, another AI. Certainly less advanced than you, but probably running communications and coordination on behalf of Captain Blake. Well, no reason to deny said request. You allow Athena to have a link, but your probes along the channel back are rebuffed, as is your attempt at a handshake protocol. It’s not interested in talking, besides getting your position.
A little miffed, you return to calculating routes based on the map data you received. You can pinpoint several crossroads where the ‘light’ defenses would likely be positioned, and theorize where the minefields might be. ‘The direct approaches’ is such vague terminology. You would have preferred coordinates or grid zones.
