"You need to eliminate the threat by tomorrow's dawn, or Piranion city will be history,"
Anton told him those words while passing him a bunch of papers.
"I know, Hiro. You are in a tight spot. But we are the best one we could catch hold for."
"Please, save Piranion city, Hiro."
Anton said the above lines to Hiro while changing his tone.
Hiro, trying to calm Anton down, "Wait, wait. I never rejected it. All I am is a bit confused on how to travel to that city as quickly as possible."
"Really.", Anton was pleased by hearing Hiro's words and continued, "We have made the arrangements for it, Hiro. I will describe the way you'll be traveling."
"Okay, I'm listening.."
Anton described, "You will be sent there by underground at the near speed of sound."
"Wait, won't I die?"
"No, you won't"
"How is it possible?"
"Through magnetic acceleration."
Hiro was in disbelief.
"Explain the process.", Hiro enunciated.
"Yeah, you and Vernier will be kept in a cylindrical containment box. We have a direct underground route for electromagnetic travel. You will be accelerated at extreme speed, almost at the speed of sound."
Hiro, being shocked said, "I might die at this rate."
"We have calculated the risks, Hiro."
"Wait, there's not only that. I might literally become a ticking time bomb along with Vernier. If you didn't think so."
"I know that.", Anton replied and continued, "We took some possibilities, that your mass might be lost or you might even perish. But the container has been made to keep the masses of you and Vernier, constant. It is called as 'specialized containment capsule'."
"How many 'specialized' should I hear?", Hiro wondered in his mind.
"I might blast in between while traveling through the route.", Hiro said.
"We considered that possibility and other ones too.", he replied and continued, "There are cooling devices which are kept in between the passage. They activate automatically when they sense heat and you might also be wondering about how you might stop without any sort of accident or problem right?"
Hiro nodded his head.
"You will be decelerated before reaching the stop and have cushions and other appartus which will stop you."
"Understandable, have a great day.", Hiro told him and continued, "I will take it but is there anything more you need to say?"
"Yes, you will not work alone there."
"No, about the 'Luquous' and its location."
"You will be informed about it when you reach there."
"Will there be the 'Transport Plane.?", Hiro asked Anton.
"You will receive more details when you reach there, commoner.", the commander replied to Hiro's question breaking their conversation and continued, "Just do as you are ordered to."
"Yes, Sir!", he gave the special type of salute to the commander.
"This, scum...", Hiro spoke in his mind.
"Well, let us start the mission."
Hiro went to his MECHA 'Vernier' and got inside it. It was lifted by a large mechanical crane as Hiro was inside it. Vernier was kept inside a cylindrical capsule from the top. It closed as soon as it was kept inside it.
"Oxygen levels... Normal"
"Heart rate... Average"
"Everything seems to be fine"
The large capsule was lifted and then put into the start of a tunnel from the top, horizontally.
The top which had opened was then closed as quickly as possible.
"Pilot status... functional"
"MECHA status... functional"
"Tunnel status... normal."
"Start charge"
"Rising heat."
"Release holsters"
"Releasing... Ready to launch in t-minus.."
The force which held back the capsule from travelling was neutralised and slowly, It was levitating through magnetic repulsion.
"T-MINUS.."
"5..."
"4..."
"3.."
"2.."
"1.."
"Ready to launch."
Then, some electric charges appeared and the capsule moved at extreme speed in linear motion. It moved really fast, faster than the speed of sound. It moved in a linear pattern, from the capital city 'Krusch' to 'Piranion' city.
Hiro, who was inside it, felt a sudden jerk as soon as it started moving. He felt really restless as it started but it slowly became stable. Hiro's could see the details of his location on the map showed to him on the screen.
"It should be really fast, I already finished a quarter of my distance for four hundred kilometers. It is probably gonna take about fifteen more minutes from now.
"He has been sent.", Anton talked in radio communications with the headquarters of Seventh district, Piranion city. It was the higher-class district in Piranion city.
"We have his coordinates, he is half way."
"Get the stabilizers and decelerators ready."
"Yes."
"Thank You, for making this test a success.", the director of the head quarters said to Anton.
"tch",Anton was pissed off by his words and was annoyed by the hypocrisy of the ones who had planned this test.
"He is a commoner anyway. It wouldn't have mattered if he died in the testing anyway.", the commander was speaking to the director of seventh district's head quarters.
The latter laughed and so did the commander do. Anton was annoyed.
"Will he be of any use, Commander Dorian?", the director asked him.
"Even if he isn't, use him all you can. Afterall, commoners exist for the convenience of the nobles."
"True.."
"Toxic scumbag.", Anton muttered slowly so that no one hears him.
The capsule reached the majority of the route, within the next few minutes. It was about 80% of the distance. Hiro, inside it, was bored waiting.
"We have co-ordinates on him."
"Quick, bring the stabilizers, decelerators and also bring the backup."
"Yes."
The crew and staff there were ready and brought everything necessary for it.
"Sir, we have a problem...", a crew member called out to the director.
"Leave it for later.", the director replied.
"Its urgent... The body is moving faster than expected."
"What?"
"It is moving faster than expected speed."
"Quit joking."
"Is there a sort of braking device installed inside it?", the commander asked after the above words.
"No, sir. It is moving purely on levitation."
"Get both plan A and plan B ready."
Hiro, inside the cockpit, looked at the screen. He saw that in the map he was going to reach the destination within a few minutes.
"Wow, its faster than I expected.", Hiro muttered and continued, "I feel like there's something wrong here."
"Why isn't this slowing down?", Hiro panicked.
The crew there was panicking and divided itself into three portions to stop the body.
The forward crew or first portion was supposed to spot the acceleration with decelerators and magnetic stops.
It was tough process.
The middle crew or second portion, were backup. They kept a large container with water inside it. It was for caution.
The last crew or third portion, was there to provide medicinal backup and destroy the container in case the first two fail.
"Remember, stop the body at all costs..."
The crew were intense as the capsule travelled linearly without showing any sign of slowing down.
"Now, commence."
The orders were given out the moment it reached the entrance. The decelerators which were at the bottom of the cylindrical tunnel opened up and slowed down the body at a significant rate.
"Showing signs of deceleration."
"..."
"But it isn't enough!"
"Use plan B", the order had come.
Soon, the container was put in the direction and people went to cover.
"Brace yourselves."
"Damn, how do they plan on stopping it?", Hiro uttered.
The body, moving at high speed broke the place it was supposed to stop at, passing through it.
"BRACE YOURSELVES!!!"
The words came.
The body which moved forward penetrated the container and went inside it. It moved for a bit in the water, but due the pressure it stopped abruptly. Hiro who was inside it felt his cockpit shake.
The body was put to rest from motion in a large container.
The people who watched it and the crew, who maintained all were merry.
The container which was inside was taken out using a crane and Vernier came out of the body.
It's giant feet took a step, moving all the dust from the corner of its feet moved. The people there could feel the vibration and the sound it made.
"Is the MECHA and the pilot safe?"
"Yes, they are.", Hiro, who got into contact with the communication system of the headquarters, told them.
"It is good to know you are safe."
"So, why do you think Hiro skipped the party?", Alma asked Yuki.
"Why are you asking me?"
"It seemed as though you knew something that you stopped me."
Raj tried to break in the conversation. Yuki glared at him, so he couldn't say anything.
"It was for another city wasn't it?", Alma asked and continued, "I was able to hear a bit of his conversation."
Yuki sighed and then said, "I really can't hide anything from you."
"Actually, while you two were upstairs. I got a call from the person called 'Elise'.", She continued.
"Elise is that person."
"The one who was in support for Hiro to enter the Academy.", Yuki replied and continued, "There was this notorious RIOR named "DUQOIUS" which namely took down many cities by causing stampedes and many soldiers, along with MECHA pilots were martyr'd by it."
"That explains stuff but it cannot be understood about why Hiro must go."
"Actually, it is a few kilometers outside 'Piranion' city and there is rough guess that it could attack anytime, even today. Haseef, he lives in Piranion city."
"Does that mean..."
"Yes, he wanted to save that city for him."
"But Hiro can become the scapegoat by those nobles."
"I know..."
"So then... Why did you..."
"We have no right over Hiro's choices in life.", Raj broke their conversation with those serious words. He continued, "He might be like family to us."
Alma and Yuki both were silenced by his words.
"Back when, both me and Yuki were in the army, Haseef was like an older brother to us."
"Do you not value Hiro at all?"
"I DO!", Raj screamed in anger and continued after calming down, "Back when we were in the army, we the terrestrial military had the work of collecting cores. The both of us were frequently exposed to the radiation emitted by it."
"Dear...", Yuki said those words and the children who were scared were taken to another room by Yuki.
"I and Yuki got married when were in the army and Haseef was a good friend for both of us. He was married and also had a family."
He then asked Alma, "Alma, did you ever wonder why I and Yuki don't have any kids despite being married for more than ten years?"
Alma couldn't utter a word to his question, "I don't know..."
He smiled lowly looking downwards and continued, "We were exposed to a small amount of radiation regularly due to our work."
"What do you mean..."
"I guess you don't know. Back then, the work of us terrestrial army or military wasn't providing security or acting as bodyguards. Our work was mostly to salvage cores from the RIORS which were killed by MECHA pilots. The both of us were constantly exposed to radiation despite wearing special outfits for it, which were provided by the government. We tried to have children but every child died after Yuki gave birth."
Yuki, who was eavesdropping on their conversation from another room, heard his words and remembered the moments. Tears were welling up in her eyes but she tried controlling them.
"Why are you crying?", Varuna asked her.
"No, its nothing."
Raj then put his face up and looked at Alma, "Say Alma,.... Hiro, you know.... He more like a son to us than a younger brother. He removed the void in the heart of both mine and Yuki. We were happy, you know."
Raj, as his face became more like he was about to cry asked her, "Do you think we would ever want to allow Hiro to a mission which might risk his life?"
Yuki, hearing his words, sat down on the floor and closed herself. The tears which were welling up in her eyes started flowing down.
"Ehh, why're you crying?", Haruna panicked.
"Don't cry..", Varuna patted her head.
Tohji couldn't think anything and brought a tissue, wiping her eyes.
"Oiiii, Yuki...", Raj called out her and said, "I'm sorry for being such a useless father."
"You're not the one at fault.", Yuki said slowly while sobbing.
He then said to Alma, "We probably wouldn't have experienced this if the governor general hadn't taken up the position of the monarch until the next heir was chosen."
"He changed everything, atleast the most miserable time of our lives."
"If it weren't for his laws to not allow the military to be only working inside the cities, we'd still be fighting out there in the battlefield."
Yuki recollected the past, where she was pregnant and hoping to have a child. Both her and Raj were happy that they would become parents. But their hopes were lost, when the child they gave birth to had died. They tried to make children many other times but the outcome was same.
Yuki, recalling this broke down more into tears.
"Dear..."
"Hiro, is an orphan. We all know that. Haseef, he used to live here before he shifted to Piranion city. He quit the army way before the law was given and put up a tailors here. Before er came here."
"...."
"The reason Haseef quit the army was because his family had died in a stampede in another city while he was still on duty."
Alma was shocked upon his words.
"Haseef was broken, when he quit and settled here. Hiro, back then still being a kid, used to roam a lot within the vicinity. He met Haseef and consoled him, being the innocent child. Hiro, you know, didn't know anything about discrimination back then. He was just a pure child, his purity and his smile was the one which saved Haseef from his depression. He in turn, took a lot of care of Hiro and other orphans back then. Yet, he couldn't find the guts to adopt Hiro."
"?"
"Yes, he told it to me back when he had come to visit Hiro when he passed the examination to the academy. He was scared that he might lose him if he stays close to him. He also was not able to have the guts to visit when the orphanage was taken down. All he could feel was remorse towards the present lord, Henry. He is now planning on a rebellion."
"Darling,..", Yuki came out from the room.
"Shouldn't we tell her? She has been close with us for many days now.", He said to Yuki.
"Isn't rebellion dangerous and does Hiro know?", Alma asked Raj.
"No, he doesn't..", Raj replied and said, "It sounds stupid, but if you tell this to anyone, not only me and Yuki but the orphans and Hiro might also get killed..."
"No I won't!"
"But why?"
"Ever wondered of the reason behind stampedes?"
Yuki, then wiping her tears spoke in place of Raj, "The reason behind the stampede which happened seven years ago and other stampedes which took place in the past are same."
Meanwhile, in the seventh district, Piranion city, the headquarters of MECHA pilots, a heated argument was going on.
"Why do we need a commoner on our team.", Michael, the captain of the MECHA pilots there asked the director.
"He is the ace of the capital city.", the Director replied.
"What about the capital city? This is Piranion."
Hiro, hearing his words was pissed. He banged his wrist on a table to whose sound, everybody went silent for a moment. He then brought himself and sat on it, one leg on top of other.
He laughed and said, "Shut up, you scum." to Michael.
"How dare you!", Michael replied.
"Know your place, commoner.", the director.
"Know my place... You say...", Hiro talked in a threatening tone, "I've been called here unnecessarily and made to risk my life. All so, I could save someone important to me here. Now, I am not allowed to go into fight."
"Yes, you are a commoner.", Michael said to him.
Hiro glared at him hearing his words.
"What's with that look?", Michael asked him, as if he were threatening him.
"I have something to say.", Hiro said and continued, "I'd like to make a call to the commander."
"Very well, let's do it."
The call was made through the headquarters of Piranion city to the headquarters of Krusch's city.
Anton, who picked up the call responded, "May I know anything?"
"Anton, its me."
"Yeah, Hiro. Is there a problem?"
"Yes, there is."
"What is it?"
"Yeah, apparently. The pilots who were supposed to be my teammates are against me working with them."
"So, are you not going to work with them commoner?", the commander asked through the call.
"No, no, Sir. All I have to say is that I have a condition."
"Say as you're told, commoner."
"I'm doing as I'm told but it is the nobles here who are refusing to work with me...", he replied and continued, "Now, I have more conditions."
"Do you think you have the right?"
"Shut up, Dorian!", Hiro cried to him and continued, "Listen to my conditions."
"The first condition is that, I don't want to be framed for insubordination, if they don't work along or co-operate with me."
"I will repeat it again descriptively, in this mission, if I were the only one to come back alive and rest were to be 'missing-in-action' or dead. I will be not be charged with insubordination. Because if they were the ones who didn't want to work along with me, it is their fault."
"How do we know if you didn't abandon them, commoner?", the director asked him.
"The answer is simple, I never abandon my duties. As such, the MECHA pilots here are also a part of my duty. Here, there are more chances that my 'to-be teammates' might abandon me."
"What are you implying?", Michael asked Hiro being pissed off at his words.
"Am I not speaking the truth?", Hiro asked while looking at Michael with an annoyed face, getting up and continued, "Commander...", he smiled wryly, "Wasn't I send here to become a sacrifice in the fight with DUQUOIS"?"
The commander being shocked at his words muttered slowly, "how do you..?"
"Why is there no reply?", he asked and continued, "Ohh, it seems as though I hit the jackpot."
"Well, it was obvious to anyone who can see that I was sent here.", Hiro said to the commander.
"I haven't imposed my second condition yet, right? Well, I want the credit for taking part in this mission, without any sort of bad name, if we manage to kill the DUQUOIS and collect its core. I wasn't credited in my last mission. So, now I want it or I am not taking part in the mission."
The commander fell silent at his words. The crew there couldn't say anything. They were given plenty of choice. It was totally optional for them to have Hiro be their companion for the mission. Hiro himself had no obligation to fight there, he could have just taken Haseef and escaped out from there.
"Agreed.", the director there replied to his conditions and continued, "Even if the capital won't credit you. We will."
"Wait,...", the commander said but his were cut off as the director spoke, "He is of great importance to this mission. Even if he was sent here to be sacrificed, we must not forget that he wields the Royal treasure which was gifted to him long ago."
"Wait, director...", Michael said to him but he was interrupted by the director
The director commanded, "The MECHA pilot, Sir. Hiro will be working in the mission along with the other pilots of Piranion city. His conditions which were imposed will be accepted. He will not imposed or framed for insubordination if he chooses to not fight and stay in the background."
He then turned towards Hiro and requested, "It might come off as selfishness but can you please participate in the mission. Your skills and MECHA are very necessary in the operation."
Hiro, being surprised and pleased at the director's words replied, "I agree to your orders."
"Wait, director..", Michael was going to say something but the Director looked at him in irritation, to which he chose say nothing.
"If everyone has understood my commands, prepare for the mission."
"YES!", the MECHA pilots who were there replied.
The pilots went to their MECHA. The MECHAS there, every single one looked the same, with the frame and armor and color except for the distinction that they had different colored stripes on white tint. Only Vernier had distinctive features there. The MECHA pilots were going into the MECHA which were kept stationary there.
"Don't try to hold us back, commoner.", Michael told him.
"I should be saying that to you people.", Hiro replied.
Michael was annoyed at his words, "If only it weren't for this mission", he got inside the cockpit.
"Noble pigs...."
Hiro got into his cockpit and started his MECHA.
"It's time to rock."