Jack stands on the AMCWU's shoulder, and even though his vision still isnt what it used to be, he can clearly see the Golem AMWU leaning in to see him. A normal man would probably feel pressure under the gaze of the 120 ton beast.
But for a man who spent many of his days facing off against drugged, crazed, borderlines suicidal, suprisingly well armed, maniacs, this was a normal afternoon reality.
Golem's face stoped some 5 meters from Jack and remained in that position, silent.
But after a few seconds a chucke breaks it. "Well, would you look at that, for as many as there were things that changed during the last 25 or so years, you of all of them remained the same." Says Emmett.
"You havent aged a day, Jack... aw bloody hell, Kim, Jim! Lower those weapons and get over here!" Yells Emmett as he sees the twins getting ready to blast his long lost friend into a puddle of blood and gore.
The two combat modified Capricorn AMWUs come out of hiding and approach Emmett and Jack.
"Sorry Emmett, we thought he could be one of them." Says Jim "Speak for yourself Jim, I didnt think this guy is in cahoots with the machines." Retorts Kim. "So... who is this?" Asks Kim.
"Kim, Jim, this is Jack. An old friend from our glory days." Says Emmett introducing them.
The twins exchange looks and ask. "Jack? The Jack? The man you told us stories about when we were kids?"
"EXACTLY the one I told you stories about." Says Emmett.
The twins are silent, until. "I thought he'd be older." One of them says. "Kim! Think before you speak, this guy is a legend!" Rebunks Jim.
"Jack, this is the twins, Kim and Jim or by their codenames, R7 and R8." Says Emmett ignoring their small dispute.
"Nice to meet you two, but if I'm not mistaken there's another member to this small unit you have here." Says Jack looking around if by chance spots the small Grasshopper AMWU.
"Yeah... that's Juno, but I dont think you're gonna see him around here again. After that stunt you pulled on him, I wouldnt be surprised if he ran all the way back to 'the station'." Says Emmett.
"Ran?" Jack asks raising a single eyebrow.
"I know that look... Guess it cant be helped..." Says Emmett and looks Jack straight in the eye.
"I can guess why you're here Jack, but before you say anything listen to me first. While yes, we still fight Eden to this day, but we're no longer an army. The best we can do is sabotage, ambush and capture enemy convoys to steal the resources we need to survive. We lack both fire and manpower to put up any decent fight, let alone start a war again." Says Emmett regretfully.
"Oh Emmett..." Says Jack. "You're not giving me enough credit. After I first woke up and saw the state the Dam was in, and after your story, it was sort of obvious that you wouldnt be falling head over heels, following me into a possibly large scale conflict." He shrugs. "Besides, I need to get my bearings around here first before rushing into anything. If you'll have me... I'm willing to help with anything I can."
"If we'll have you? Is that a question? A friend come back from the dead and the best pilot I know, asking me IF we'll have him? Come on, am I really that much of a fool in your eyes?" Says Emmett making himself sound hurt but also having a big smile on his face at the same time.
"Sorry to interrupt your little recruitment here. But Juno was, in a sence of way, right to start heading back to 'the station', there should be a window of opportunity coming up in about..." Saya Kim checking the timers. "... in about... 15 or so minutes."
"When's the next one?" Asks Emmett.
"... Too late, we'd have to camp outside." Answers Kim.
"Then we better get a move on, Jack pack up and follow our lead." Says Emmett and steps his Golem back a little. To allow Jack, who's already going back down inside his AMCWU, to get up.
Jack sits back into the pilot seat and jumps as Electra, who's been quiet till now, speaks. "It had gone well I preasume?"
"Do you intend to give me a heart attack? If so, you're on the right track." Says Jack.
"It is not in my intention to cause you any harm as your death would be counterproductive and a hinderance in my interactions with humankind. Please avoid dying as a result of my doing." Says Electra.
"... Whatever... initiate link!" Says Jack as he connects back to his AMCWU, and stands up.
As soon as he does he notices that the sensors are still being jammed, so he turns them back off again and asks Emmett who is still in front of him to explain.
"Hey Emmett, why am I still being jammed?"
"Its simple, we werent jamming you to begin with... I'll explain later, for now, let pick up the pace a little." Says Emmett and his Golem starts running or atleast attemps to.
"Wohohou, what a sight!" Jack laughs as he watches the 120 ton monster, used for excavation, bulldozing and hauling soil and rubble, quickly stomp its was in front of him.
...
"Here we are. Jack, welcome to the station." Says Emmett and his Golem slowly comes to a stop.
"And there's Juno." Says Jim and points towards the small huddled AMWU, who's watching from not too far away.
"I get the feeling I'm gonna need to apologize to him later." Says Jack as he notices the Grasshopper.
"You should, but he's a good kid, and once he gets to know you... I dont think you'll be able to get rid of him." Says Emmett.
"Sure... But you'll need to explain to me, what is this place, there's nothing here." Says Jack looking over the expanding wasteland in all directions.
"To the uninitiated that's what it looks like, and that's exactly what we want. You know Eden, has a lot of satelites up there, and whenever they find us they attempt to track our movements to figure out where our hideout is. I can guarantee that there is at least one pointed straight at us right now." Says Emmett.
"I sence that you're gonna say something that'll make Eden look equally parts stupid and smart, out with it then." Says Jack.
"Heh, you havent changed a bit. Yeah, in the middle of the war, Eden decided to cripple our intercontinental and long range communications, he destroyed all of our active satelites, but in doing so, the debris from those satelites in turn destroyed a lot of his own, and guess what, when he tried to patch up his network he couldnt do it completely as the debris would destroy the new satelites as well. The results are small windowns in his satelite surveillance that allow for us to exit and enter the hideout without the treat of giving away its position." Says Emmett.
"Stupid and smart indeed, why didnt he see that destroying our satelites would put his own in jeopardy?" Asks Jack.
"Well, it was a gamble, but a one he won, by that point in the war we werent able to put any satelites into orbit ourselves, so he came out on top in that one." Says Emmett.
...
"Get ready everyone, the window is approaching fast. We have 20 seconds!" Says Kim.
"Alright, everyone get in line! Jim you're going first, Jack follow close after him, Kim you're tailing Jack, afterwards Juno and I'm going last. On your mark Kim." Says Emmett.
"Alright... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Go go go!" Yells Kim.
Everyone quickly gets moving, Jim leading them towards some unknown goal in the distance. Jack can do nothing but watch his back bob up and down in front of him as he follows.
After a few hundered meters Jim slows down. A few seconds later a part of the ground in front of them slides away revealing a tunnel leading underground. Big enough from an Artillery Atlas model AMCWU to fit.
They head down, and just as Jack is about to switch on his headlights, yellow lamps lining the walls come on. Then the sliding hatch closes behind them leaving almost no trace of its presence.
"Alright, were safe now." Says Emmett.
"Nice entrance, didnt even notice it." Says Jack.
"Thats sort of the point." Says Emmett.
"Ugh..." Groans Electra beside Jack, making him abruptly turn off the speaker.
"Are you okay?" Asks Jack.
"This place isnt meant for androids, that much is cl... clear." Says Electra.
"What's with you?" Asks Jack.
"There's a fairly strong magnetic field everywhere around here, its likely the reason why your AMCWU's sensors strated misbehaving, and for me, its like high pitched sound from all directions. I think I'm experiencing what you humans call a migraine." Says Electra.
"Heh, so much for humans making a good impression." Says Jack.
"Dont get me wrong... you humans are still very fascinating to me... but I could do without your problems." Says Electra.
"Just hang in there, I'm sure that its gonna get better once were deeper in." Says Jack and turns on the speaker again.
"Well, you're gonna show me anything else or is this it?" Asks Jack.
"Dont worry, the main attraction is yet to come. Come on we dont wanna be late for dinner." Says Emmett.
They head on, through some bends, and when Jack looks up he can see that this was originally a ravine that someone dug through and sealed it at the top to create an enclosed space.
"Oh and if you're wondering, this isnt the actual hideout, this is the station which leads to the hideout." Says Emmett
"Why do you keep calling it 'the station'? I havent see any..." Jack pauses as he sees a large cart with Jim's, Kim's and Juno's AMWUs already standing on it. "... trains."
"You keep speaking too soon." Says Emmett as he gets on, with Jack following suit.
"Alright Juno, just like we practiced aim the laser at the receiver and signal the conductor." Says Emmett.
The Grasshopper takes a step back to get a better angle and fires a bright beam of light towards a spot in the unrefined ravine above, hitting a hiden light sensor. And after a few seconds the cart begins moving.
"Nice shot, kid..." Says Jack as he looks at where the sensor should be, realising that not many people could make the shot without being able to see the sensor and without their own sensors helping them aim.
The Grasshopper on cue step to the side to hide behind one of the Capricorns.
"Did I say something bad?" Asks Jack.
"He's still a little scared... Hold on, Kim shuffle over." Says Emmett as he walks around Kim to get to Juno. He bends down and says. "Okay Juno, I know you're scared of the big mech with the big gun, but uncle Emmett promises he's not bad, because underneath all that intimidating armor is a just a man. Heh, not even a man, but a big teddy bear." Says Emmett, desperately trying not to snicker.
"I can hear you, you know." Says Jack at the remark.
"See, he's so soft he cant even take a little poking. Says Emmett bursting into laughter.
"I cant believe I'm seing two perfectly adult elite pilots behaving like kids. No offense Juno." Says Kim.
"Hey, he started it!" Says Jack.
"You behavior is quite, as humans call it, childish." Says Electra.
At that point Jack could only feel wounded and think to himself.
"Et tu Electra?"
....