Surprised the other operator turns his head to Aster trying to aim at him but Aster has much faster reflects than the operator as he quickly pulled the trigger on the second operator who is across the room where after the bullet landed on the person's forehead which propelled the poor person to go crashing to the wall as he falls to the ground then lying down lifelessly.
"Seems to be... all clear, the bomb is being prepared now stand by," said the other soldier.
"Yeah, everything is clear" as Aster walk outside the room taking a watch outside.
His teammate who carries a bag the supposed explosive, who is at the bunker entrance and quickly runs to the nearby warehouse where many bullet and shell are being stored after a few minutes later he quickly runs out the warehouse but his bag is no longer on his back then all of the Federation soldiers takes cover on the next building then the soldier pressed what seems to be the detonator then a huge explosion occurred.
"... Target neutralized, what the next order from HQ?" said soldier A.
"Ah, it seems HQ wants to send next division of infantry to reinforce the area," said soldier B.
"So, do we have to hold this position, and how long?" said soldier A.
"Not sure, maybe a half of an hour perhaps?" said soldier C.
"Okay, how about we move and hold out on those MG nest spot," said soldier A.
"Huh?" Aster look at the dust falling from the roof.
"What is it Aster?" said soldier B.
"Do you hear something?" said soldier C.
"This sound? ah!!! a Mech?!" said the three soldiers.
MECH in this case stands for Mechanized Electronic Controlled Humanoid.
When Aster and his teammate quickly run for cover as not wanting to be detected by the Mech then they listened to the loud explosion nearby near them, where one of the squadrons of the division told them about one of the Mech was crossing through them before landing on the building where they previously covered for a defensive position the incoming enemy.
The Mech belonged to the Earth Federation and was the newest edition in production and was named the R-93, the Mech specification was to have a high speed and good amount of power but due to it the operating system was not yet updated causing only a veteran pilot able to operate it but sometimes system failure may occur during combat duty that may cause causalities since no engineer yet to remake system and reconfigure it to be available for combat-ready.
Aster and the other noticed the Mech was already in critical condition where the Mech managed to lose its left arms during combat added with its sleeping posture indicate the pilot still a beginner or in another word does not have any experience, a couple of minutes later on the horizon appeared a confederation Mech walking close slowly to the Federation Mech as if meant to play with it.
After looking at the situation Aster noticed there was a rocket launcher located at his side where a dead body of a confederation soldier as he quickly grabs it and moves to a strategic position where it caused the enemy Mech to fall sideways adding an extra for him and the pilot to get away after the Mech raised its weapon and slowly aimed it at Federation Mech who is at sleeping posture, Aster without thinking for long quickly pulled the trigger that was released to the enemy Mech that did not notice where it came from and managed to surprise the pilot inside as it falls as predicted.
Aster threw the rocket, he quickly runs to the nearby building before running to the Federation Mech that was severely damaged as he climbs up to the fallen Mech before stopping at the stomach of the Mech, Aster quickly opened the panel on his front and put the standard code number he once remembered it in the past after he did it repeatedly suddenly his teammate shouted at him which surprised him a bit.
"Aster is it done?" said soldier A.
"No not yet give me a couple of minutes," said aster as he continues to put in the code.
"Okay, we will let you know if the Mech moves again," said soldier A.
"Sure," said Aster.
Aster focusing once more on the panel in front of him and after a couple of minutes where the code he put was accepted by the Mech as the door opened slowly before revealing the condition of the pilot inside the Mech cockpit, Aster walk close to the pilot then try to move the pilot a bit as he shouted toward him.
"Hey, wake up... is he still alive?" said Aster as he wondering
Aster feeling suspicious put his hand on the pilot's neck where he felt the pilot's movement indicating the pilot is still alive and breathing well.
"Ah, still alive better take him out hurry," said Aster as he gets his hand closer to the pilot's waist.
"Aster, hurry up the Confederation Mech is starting to move hurry and get out of there now," said Soldier B.
Aster hears the loud noise he quickly peeks out from the cockpit and found the enemy Mech slowly standing from its place because he is still in the cockpit together with the pilot, he quickly comes out from the cockpit and shouted to his teammate to get out of the area and far away as quick as possible.
"What about you Aster?" said soldier A.
"No need to think about it just go" shouted Aster.
"Aster takes care of yourself, please don't die first okay," said soldier B.
"I don't want to die though," said Aster.
"Okay, guys let's get the hell out of here now," said soldier A as he laughs.
"Damn punk, take care out there," said Aster as he smiles wryly.
"Yeah, you too," said soldier B as he smiles.
Aster who is currently in the Cockpit quickly pressed the button located on the Mech's stomach as he quickly removed his small armor leaving only his light cloth and his helmet without any further protection, where after that made Aster moved the unconscious pilot to the side of the seat as he sat on the controller replacing the pilot's place.
The status Hologram immediately appeared in front of him as he rechecks the Mech condition as he looks carefully which appeared on his right side.
"The Engine's condition is still good... no damage, the cooler is not damaged... okay, now the Generator... bit damaged but I don't have to watch it. Next the feet... it's also good, Right hand still in good condition... but there are some problems... this... I need to redo the program" said Agus as he pressed a keyboard button.
A Keyboard Hologram Appeared in front of him near his stomach Aster checked the system code that appeared inside the program and found most of the data was damaged or missing, unusable for the Mech during fighting condition indirectly to operate the Machine Aster reprogrammed the System intended for the Mech into a system he would know.
Inside Aster looks at the enemy who already stands and has turned towards him through the monitor and aimed his rifle at him then followed him putting his hand on the handle while stepping on the pedal which caused the Mech to jump back to evade the bullet aimed at him, Aster then initiated a second jump followed with a kick at the enemy that caused it to bounced back about twenty meters far.
While continuing to writing down the program, Aster only managed to use a basic movement as he put his right hand to hold the incoming Axe aimed at him where he followed up with a twist of the hand that caused the Axe to release from the enemy's grasp, Aster half-focused managed to reprogram the entire program as he could finally focus on the enemy in front of him.
When he finished everything Aster quickly throws his enemy's Axe to the side before he quickly tried to take hold of the enemy's rifle but he failed as the gun was already aimed at him then fired the first shot but Aster managed to evade it with a jump to the side then followed up with another second and third shot, Aster with caution quickly opened his equipment status and look on the item available on his commandeered Mech.
"... None, no I still have the Axe I threw away I could use those and end this quickly," said Aster with a tired smile.
Looking at the Axe he threw he must be quick and unpredictable with the enemy in front of him as he tries to run to the enemy as it fired, in mid-air as Aster pulled a stunt to the side where the jump booster comes into play closing in on the Axe the enemy noticed his intention and planned to align his rifle at where Aster would land but it was useless as the Axe was quickly taken followed with another boost before landing five-meter far then followed with a jump at the enemy.
Surprised by the sudden change of agility the enemy started to pray and spray at him but unbeknownst to the enemy Aster quickly throws the Axe on the torso where it landed directly on chest stalling before slowly falls backward, Aster who started to sweat over his cloth slowly released his grasp of the controller before hearing a noise on his side.
"Urgh... damn my head hurts like hell, wait a minute... where am I?" said the awakening pilot.
Aster who looked at the Pilot who is no longer unconscious look at him with his covered face before lean on the seat for a moment as the pilot slowly noticed that Aster is on the pilot's seat and quickly stand.
"Who are you... no, stand up and get away from the controller and quickly raise your hand," said the pilot as he still looking at Aster.
Aster who doesn't want to make it worse quickly follows his order was at the same time he pulled his pistol which is located on his waist then aiming it at him without uttering one word made the pilot a bit suspicious about Aster intention.
"What are you doing? Heh?!" said the pilot showing a surprised look.
Aster who could only go silent pressed the exit button which opened the cockpit door surprising the pilot where he at the same time grab the armor then pulled the rope on the side then sliding down the Mech, the pilot was confused as he quickly took a looks to outside but the most surprising part for him was the Confederation Mech was impaled by its Axe as it lays down on the ground squashing the building it falls to.
"Hey, are you kidding me... how did you manage to beat it? impossible!!!" said the pilot.
Aster who was pointed at gunpoint quickly left the site without uttering a single word from his mouth leaving the pilot to look at the code on the control panel which is different from the pilot previous code, this time more confused as he looks at the controller before turning back at Aster fleeting shadow.
"This code... impossible right? this code is different... wait it's not true right, he reprograms it during combat. I wonder where are you from and who are you?" said the pilot as he astonished by the person who piloted the Mech.
The pilot unable to do anything turned silent but he remembered that there was the symbol of Aster was one of the Assault squads that was marked on the back of his suit as the pilot could only close his cockpit and quickly left the site before returning to the HQ with his Mech.
Thirty minutes later...
After Aster walking for a long time has arrived at his destined landing zone and found many of his teammates already met their way inside the transport aircraft as they were still waiting for a few more soldiers entering the cargo room, Chris who is going to step into the aircraft turned his head to the side before noticing Aster who came from the horizon while following Reslent Zacuvian at the same time.
Aster who looked at the other Holder type noticed opened its door which revealing one Federation tank and two-vehicle that appeared to look like an IFV as they were accompanied by two squadrons of infantry that meant to replace Aster and the assault squad's duty holding the line for the other to arrive further, Aster was then thrown something by Chris as he quickly caught it as it was something like a drinkable nutrient then he quickly drank from it while looking at Chris.
"Aster where have you been into?" said Chris.
"Ah, I just took a nap for a bit by the valley over there," said Aster.
"... okay, then hop on then," said Chris as motion Aster over laughing a bit.
"Aster, how quick are you," said the Sarge as he noticed him.
"Yes, Sarge going to buckling up," said Aster.
Aster first walk inside the Holder before he quickly runs to the inside of it as the door quickly closed then he felt the pressure of the gravity pushing him to the ground but he still managed to move normally as the aircraft take off from the ground vertically then fly them to space, Aster who still stand and walk to find an empty seat on the back row of the aircraft and seat beside Chris as the two started the conversation with the nearby soldier.
"Oh, yeah have tried the culinary on the Alden City yet, it's a delicacy?" said Soldier A.
"Please don't continue any further!!!" said Soldier B.
"Ah, sorry about that," said soldier A.
"Yeah, just don't do that and I don't mind about it," said Soldier B.
The two soldiers who still feeling the pressure of the battle before felt the sickness while others still holding themselves from puking, the pressure still felt by every new soldier who survived unlike the Veteran soldier who had experienced the battlefield once or already a common occurrence for them and that includes Aster, couple of the Veteran who looked at Aster as the newbie changed their view on how he behaves after the battle which made them stupefied as if it was something usual for him while on the other hand, Aster had seen much more worst during his time on the battlefield before joining the Assault unit so this already numbed his sense long ago.