"Commander, how about this one? Nobody has claimed it yet, and I really wouldn't mind shooting those jerks." One of the Pilots in the escort suggested.
Nico had brought up the map in the shuttle so that everyone could better visualize the situation. The sight of the map and the details of the request from Cygnus had led the Pilots in the escort to immediately request vengeance on the factions that had been rude to them at the meeting.
The target looked decent from a military standpoint, but Max wasn't sure about the morality of inflicting that much damage on them at first. Then he saw the details of the two inhabited planets.
[Population] 17 billion consisting of 32 million Grax and the remainder hereditary human slaves.
That was more than enough of a detail for him and any other Reaver Commander to take up the job.
[Cygnus Command, Terminus Trading Company officially requests to take on the compliance of the Grax.] Max informed their contact as the shuttle entered the secure bay.
The gasps of the security detail reminded him that only three people on the entire vessel knew that Cleansing Light existed. He could make that twenty-three now since all the guards in the patrol knew, but soon enough, the entire Regiment would be aware of their newest addition.
"Meet Cleansing Light. The latest and likely the only Titan Class Mecha in service to the Reavers.
I know many among the Regiment are Loyalists to the very core, but the old Kepler Empire has fallen. We don't know who the ideological inheritor will be for the moment, so I am taking the Regiment with me in joining the Reavers.
If there are issues with that, we will deal with them later, but I am sure that not a single Pilot will complain about freeing a system full of slaves." Max told the security escort.
"We came to grips with the fact that the Empire had cut ties with us long ago. The chances that a unit ordered to go dark and leave Kepler Territory would ever return to the light were slim at best, and we have done very well as Reavers.
I mean, look at how we lived as soldiers, and look at us now. I don't think the Regiment would have agreed to return to active duty even if they were asked." The head of the team replied, shaking his head at the thought of going back to living in a tiny officer's bunk aboard a transport ship.
[All hands and guests, we are now departing the system and headed for the Grax System, where Terminus will be involved in a pacification action against a culture that still holds sentient slaves. Please prepare for the transition to faster-than-light travel.] Admiral Drake informed the ship as he received the orders.
That didn't mean as much anymore, with the smooth transitions of Terminus, but those who were relaxing did at least keep a hand on their drinks so they didn't spill or fall off of tables.
"This thing is glorious. Why did they name it Cleansing Light, though? It's not even shiny?" One of the pilots asked.
"The forearm-mounted Disruptors can be linked to create an orbital lance level single strike weapon. That is the Cleansing Light that gave the Mecha its name.
We might even get the chance to see it here. The majority of the Grax live in a single city on one planet, with the last million or so spread among the slaves that make up the rest of the population." Nico explained.
"A Mecha that can deploy an Orbital Lance? Oh, you do know what the ladies like." One of the Pilots joked, then winked at Nico.
"Enough jokes. Head back to your unit, and let's get ready to make planetfall.
Nico, you will remain in charge of the Drone Fighter Battalion aboard Terminus while I am in Cleansing Light for the battle.
When we arrive, I will deploy at the same time that the Cutters are launched. Cleansing Light will make short work of the defensive ships, and I will take care of the Orbital Defenses while the Cutters make planetfall.
I don't know if they are using technology to control the masses, but if they are, that will be on you to disable Nico, so prepare something that can link you to the surface. We don't want to kill the humans if possible, so I need that done the moment you find out if it is necessary."
Max's orders were simple, and everyone rushed to their stations, even if Nico was clearly pouting about not getting to drop in and chop things up.
[You got to fight alone when we met the Hunters. You can do technical work this time. Life is all about balance.] Max told her as Nico left the bay.
[If there isn't at least a boarding attempt, I am totally turning up my shell temperature while you try to sleep.] Nico responded, making Max laugh, despite the serious nature of the situation.
The meeting was being held near the border, to begin with, and they only had to move three star systems over to begin their work, with an estimated travel time of two hours at maximum Warp.
They could be there even faster by sending only the Cutters and Cleansing Light, but it was better to take Terminus, as a Colony Ship was taken much more seriously than a collection of smaller vessels.
The remains of their delegation were still fighting at the Station, where the Cygnus fleet had sent ships in to rescue their own delegation and had been ambushed by the nations that felt betrayed by the way that the attempted Coup in Kepler had played out.
That left only a handful of Cutter Class and smaller ships in orbit, according to their scanners, and Terminus had detected only a single Orbital Battery on the surface, in the middle of the major city, which already had its battle shield up.
This might not be as easy as he had hoped, but according to Uncle Lu, the Disruptors could fire every three seconds at Orbital Lance output, so it wouldn't take him long to take out a city shield, even if it withstood the first blast.
[Dropping out of Warp in 10 seconds. All vessels, prepare to launch.] Admiral Drake's order brought everyone to full attention, nervously grasping their Mecha controls in anticipation of their first combat landing in a while.
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