It has taken an entire week of intensive training before any of the Cadets are cleared to return to normal schedule. Russo and Ibanez are still having trouble meeting General Tennant’s insane expectations for Pilot performance, but Max has been achieving consistently positive results the past few days.
Max had been using a more positive reinforcement method than he did the first day, finding that the more experienced Pilots respond better to it, while the Cadets need the verbal equivalent of someone slapping the stupid out of them. Either way, warning them of common mistakes in advance is the way to go in terms of effectiveness.
Cadet Nico was cleared on the same evening, despite the objections of the repair bays who wanted to transfer her to their unit full time. Her Mecha Modification skill was a big hit among the repair staff, as she could diagnose in an instant, and give instructions that left a mecha unit better than new.
When left to work with the junior techs, who didn’t have any repair related System Talents, the increase in efficiency was incredible. Every time a mecha repair was finished, she simply walked down the row and gave everyone a task list as she went to get another unit to fix.
Quite a few Mecha were damaged in a variety of ways during the Scavenger attack, and since they were headed on a mission, getting everything working again in a hurry was top priority.
If they needed help while Nico was in the middle of a repair, the junior techs would just call for her attention and bring over their diagnostic tablets to explain their problem. It saved their supervisors a lot of trouble and headaches, as well as allowing less talented mechanics to take on more complex repairs without needing an extra set of more skilled hands..
While Max is practicing his hand to hand combat with some of the Infantry soldiers, a notification comes through to everyone’s smart watches and the ship’s data screens. They have been assigned an emergency change of mission and will be making a stop at a nearby space station to restock.
Over the course of their deployment, not only the infantry numbers, but also the spare mecha parts and ammunition storage for the 42nd have been depleted. The Abraham Kepler is capable of manufacturing additional munitions if it had the raw materials, but they’re almost out.
They’re also still down a number of mecha, mostly spare units, but General Tennant has Requisitioned Mecha for the Cadets, now that they’re going to be headed into combat. He might not be satisfied with the preparation of the Cadets, but four of them can pass the Crusader Class Qualifications, and the others have formed two reliable wings, each with a Corvette Class certified operator.
The destination for resupply is a space station in the orbit of the star officially known as Kepler 142. The 42nd are all excited to arrive at the station, as it offers a variety of luxuries and opportunities for relaxation that the Abraham Kepler doesn’t.
The system has a long and storied history with Mecha, and the Planetary Capital is called Tarith. Max can’t recall if he was told about Nico’s family once being important or if he read it in someone’s memory, but to have a planetary capital named after them is pretty impressive.
After his daily training Max rushes down to the Repair bays. If they’re going to be getting new mecha, the storage and repair bays should have information about them to check the units in.
“Sorry, Cadet. I know you’re excited, but until the official deployment orders come through, all we can tell you are the names of the unassigned units.
Three of them are fairly Generic, though strong names. Scimitar, Bulldog, and Stalwart. The final one is a bit of a surprise, the unit is named Tarith’s Rage.
He sees Nico coming over to check the list, the same as he did, and her eyes go wide at the Mecha names.
“I guess we know where one of them is going.” She laughs, and the Tech with her gives her a strange look.
“How do you figure?” he asks.
“Cadet Nico is from a branch of an old noble family. The main branch of her family is from right here on Kepler 142.” Max answers before a voice from behind cuts them off.
“Fun random trivia time.” General Tennant announces as he enters the mecha repair bays.
“Cadet Nico’s family is a branch family of an ancient family line whose main branch died out centuries ago.” The soldiers nod, that has happened a lot after so many centuries of interstellar war.
“The important part is how. Every single adult in the main family was a Mecha pilot. They died to the very last, all nine hundred odd adults, defending their planet against attack.”
“Wait, you’re saying that Pilot Nico is Nico TARITH?” Corporal Fritz, of the repair department says a bit too loudly, drawing attention.
“Indeed she is, from the branch of the family that settled on Kepler Terminus.” General Tennant smiles at the small form of Nico.
“Get used to being a celebrity now, it makes it easier later.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a mean person General?” Nico asks “It was a thousand years ago on a different planet than I was born on.”
“But it was still your family that held a planet for an entire year and a day.” Corporal Fritz laughs.
“He’s originally from Kepler 142, we picked him up a few years back as part of a troop transfer.” The department Sergeant explains.
“Don’t mind him, it’s a local legend on this planet.” Another tells them, raining on his parade.
“You guys have no sense of history. That battle kept our planet safe for generations. It’s a good thing you go by Nico, who knows how the locals might react to having a living legend return to the planet, especially to claim one of the heirloom Mecha from the station. It’s been in stasis field storage since before there was a Kepler Empire.”
“So you’re saying there’s a lot of work to be done to bring the unit back into active duty commission?” Nico asks, taking off her tool belt in preparation to end her shift.
“Not only the Tarith’s Rage. All four unassigned units are veteran units that have been sitting in storage for at least a century. Crusader Class Chassis don’t come easy these days, too many manufacturing planets have been attacked.” General Tennant explains.