“Killian.”

“Eckhart,” Killian nodded as the barrel chested man sat down on the bench next to him.

“How’ve you been? Heard about you shooting down that spy plane. That was a helluva shot,” Eckhart pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket and tapped one out for himself, then offered the pack to Killian.

The Coordinator plucked one out and placed it between his lips and when Eckhart passed him a lighter, he continued,

“I’m good, still getting used to going all over the place. I’ve seen more of Europe, Asia and Africa in the past two weeks than I had in the two years prior. First kill I got in this war.”

“Yeah. That’s going to change here in a bit,” Eckhart smiled nodded as a pair of attractive, female lieutenants strolled by, “Krugis.”

That shithole that was butthurt about Azadistan being recognized by the Empire?”

“Haven’t heard much about them recently?”

“No, Eckhart. I’ve been in the air for most of the past two weeks.”

“They need a lesson in humility. And loyalty.”

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“As a heart attack.”

“That phrase isn’t as true as it was during the 20th century, you know?”

“Smartass. Look, people high up don’t like how Krugis has essentially told the Empire to lick their collective taints and gotten away with it. Certain arrangements have been made to allow an enterprising soldier to handle it.”

“Well, as awesome as I am, Eckhart, I’m still one guy. I haven’t even had a fulltime co-pilot to run all of my GINN’s fancy bells and whistles. I’m split between looking at the sensors and shooting people.”
E
ckart grinned and rubbed the stubble that was growing in on his face, then gestured toward someone approaching them with a paper bag and a drink tray, “That’s going to change.”

“Oh?” Killian answered around a cigarette.

The approaching figure was a woman with dark hair that hung past her shoulders. The Reichtsguard Mobile Suit Corps utility uniform did her little credit, but Killian figured that she was a shapely woman underneath it. As she got closer, Killian noticed the most striking feature of the woman, her eyes, which, along with making her attractive, made her seem sad, something that her beauty made Killian want to rectify.

“Is she damaged goods?” Killian glanced sidelong at Eckhart.

“No, not really. I prefer the term motivated,” Eckhart grinned in the same manner that he did when he knew a secret, but wanted someone to figure it out.

“Goddamnit, Eckhart. This isn’t just some bullshit op where I gotta babysit her or let her drive.”

“Relax, kid. Her baby brother was with the Thirteenth Siberian.”

“Oh. Is she a Coordinator?”

“You a mind reader?”

“Well, my birthday is soon and you didn’t get me anything last year.”

“Always a joker.”

She was finally within speaking distance and handed off the bag and drinks—coffee, to Eckhart and snapped to attention, “Private Jasmine Meyer, reporting to duty.”

Killian stood up and returned the salute and Eckhart saluted as he dug through the bag, then handed out pastries, “She pulled a Killian.”

“The hell does that mean?”

“She did her two years, worked for Intel and then re-enlisted. The private here is just another of the over qualified spooks joining the military.”

“To better serve the front line and the men on the field by virtue of their experience and training?”

“Have you read my file?” Jasmine asked as she removed the lid from her coffee cup and took a sip.

“No, that’s what I said when I enlisted,” Killian continued glaring at Eckhart.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’re the one that didn’t want to be an officer.”

“Yeah, I rethink that decision a lot.”

“What do you mean, sir?” Jasmine asked.

Killian shook his head and sighed slightly, “You’re Intel, right?”

Jasmine nodded and Eckhart took his cue, “We’re all on the job, Kill, including the others that’ll be joining you.”

“Others?” Killian asked incredulously, “We’ll discuss that in a moment,” he turned to Jasmine, “You did your tour; you remember how some officers don’t know their ass from a hole in the ground.”

“Yes.”

“Well, certain officers are exceedingly incompetent and are content to gallivant around Europe and Africa.”

“You mean the ‘Crowned Prince’?” Jasmine asked.

Killian rolled his eyes, “I don’t recognize his sovereignty.”

“Others echo that notion,” Jasmine responded.

“He’s a pain in a lot of people’s asses, Kill.”

Killian pursed his lips and nodded, then through gritted teeth, “Yes he is.”

“Meh, he’ll fuck up sooner rather than later. He’s just some spoiled rich kid. He’ll get himself killed sooner or later.”

“And how many good people will die with him?”

Eckhart shrugged, “Good people always die in war. Wars have a tendency to claim the best of a generation.”

“Yes,” Killian sipped his coffee and took a drag off his cigarette, “So, these others?”

“Yes. About them,” Eckhart echoed.

“This is the part where you tell me about them. Are they Coordinators? Spooks? Dinosaurs? What?”

“Two out of the three.”

“Dinosaur spies? Awesome.”

“I know, right? You should name your first born after me for arranging this for you.”

“I’m moderately concerned how you convinced a bunch of Coordinators to fight. Most of us aren’t really engineered for war.”

“Says the one designed to be an artist,” Eckhart retorted, “But in all serious, The Empire was the first to have you guys. And the Americans and Japanese have a notorious conservative streak and they’re concerned about what would happen should they win.”

Killian shrugged and took a bite out of a chocolate pastry, “So, you convinced how many?”

“Aside from Meyer, here?”

Killian shot his handler a glare.

“Three others.”

“Yeah?”

“Yep,” Eckhart opened a briefcase and handed Killian a manila folder and a leatherette bound folder.

“First one is their dossiers, second one is your orders.”

“I’m being put in charge of a squad,” Killian read, “With standing orders to observe, report, impede enemy movements.”

“Pretty much. They’ve giving you an artillery suit, the ZuOOT or something and a BuCUE. And one of the new ones.”

"I was wondering just what the hell all those transports were doing.”

“Come on, its show and tell time,” Eckhart stood up and stomped on his cigarette butt.

Killian and Jasmine followed behind him.

“They’re new units, based somewhat on a prototype that’s been wandering around here. It’s a stripped down, model, but it’s pretty powerful.”

“Yeah?” Killian asked as he finished his cigarette.

“Yeah, they’re called Daggers. They’re a modal unit. The base model is the very definition of general purpose, but they can be equipped with a flight unit.”

“Neat.”

“I thought so,” Eckhart waved his ID badge at a pair of MPs guarding a hangar and entered.

A handful of the units were standing under guard. Killian noticed their lack of crests, replaced by a pair of horns that were swept back and flanked the forehead sensor. They were, in fact, utilitarian, sporting a pair of guns in the head and a pair of beam sabers on its hips. Interestingly enough, however, were the guns in its feet.

“Are those designed to?”

“Anti-Infantry,” Eckhart explained, “Infantry units can be dangerous to a Mobile Suit that’s occupied with other Mobile Suits. With these guns, they can shred a platoon before they can fire a rocket or something else to ruin a pilot’s day.”

“The simplest things.”

“Well, the initial thinking would be Infantry would be too afraid to mess with a Mobile Suit and let other stompers take care of them, or an air strike. Whatever, but that’s quickly becoming an outdated notion.”

“I’d imagine so.”

“Hey, we’re more than happy to let the Americans and Japanese slug it out and find flaws in conventional Mobile Suit tactical thought.”

“Battery?”

“Yes. Its absolutely insane that the Japanese are using reactors. If they go critical, they can wipe out a city block.”

Killian turned to Jasmine, “What do you think?”

"It seems to be an adaptable unit. It may replace the GINN as the mainstay unit,” she appraised, “Its lack of specialization may hurt it in the long run.”

“Yeah,” Eckhart acknowledged, “but we’re supposedly developing a bunch of stuff based on other things we’re encountering. They’ve rolled out a new officer unit.”

“Oh? The CGUE is getting the boot?”

“Nah, its not required to switch over and its more of a field test for the unit. It’ll probably filter down soon enough for you guys.”

“Whats it called?”

“GuAIZ. Its got this neat little shield claw thing. They’re already working on a variant.”

“Of course they are. Does the variant have a sniper rifle?”

“No, Killian, it does not. Contrary to your ideas, the world does not cater to your whims.”

“It should,” Killian took a drink of his coffee, “Goddamnit.”

Eckhart chuckled, “Maybe sometime in the future. The GINN Recon was a pet project. It’s a good unit, they just have really limited applications. Not everyone shares your view on warfare.”

“That is a good idea to shoot them when you’re out of range of their weapons? Yes, clearly, I am an asshole.”

“The first step.”

Killian shot him another glare, “Anything else of import?”

“Someone convinced them to make an underground assault unit.”

“And yet they won’t make another unit with a sniper rifle?”

“Why would they make a unit with a sniper rifle when they can use a missile?” Jasmine suggested.

“See? She’s a bright one.”

“All of my hate.”

They left the hangar and began to wander toward the hangar where Killian’s GINN was stored while he was in Astana. Around them the bases personnel moved about in the still cool early morning air. The sun was beginning to burn away the fog that had rolled into the city and the military installations around it. The city had seen numerous names during its existence and had seen a sort of renaissance since being named the seat of power for the Empire in the region. Its fortifications were not to be scoffed at, but it was widely believed by those higher up in the chain of command than Killian and Eckhart that it would only be a speed bump for an invasion force, especially if the Japanese managed to launch another attack like they had on JOSH-A. Killian had seen reports and recommendations for the defense of the city and hoped that he would not be stationed here to defend it, as it would be a nightmare.

Urban combat was always a nightmare, for everyone involved. The sniper that lived in his heart loved urban combat because it gave him so many places to hide and he knew that a sniper could hold up an entire battalion if he was clever, but when you add in multi-ton, two to three story tall robots wondering around, the utter devastation that would be wrought on the city would take decades to recover from.

When they arrived at the hangar, Eckhart turned to Jasmine, “Meyer, go get acquainted with the GINN and familiarize yourself with everything.”

“Sir,” she saluted and disappeared into the cavernous hangar.

Killian turned to Eckhart, “She’s not going to get me killed?”

“Shouldn’t. She graduated Corps training in the top five percent of her class. She’s perceptive and good with the sensors. She was stationed on a Danube before the war kicked off officially and worked in the CIC.”

“That’s good,” Killian acknowledged.

“Yeah, so. Maxwell, what do you think about him?”

“Never met the guy.”

“You were in Algiers were with him.”

“I was in Algiers with a couple thousand people,” Killian paused to think, “One of his people made a pass at me.”

“Yeah?”

Killian nodded, “Died a little after that, I think. She was cute enough. His people seem pretty well put together.”

“Yeah, I heard the same.”

“Now, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but you’ve given me quite a bit. You were serious about that Krugis horseshit, weren’t you?”

Eckhart nodded, getting a cigarette for himself and Killian, “Sadly.”

Killian shrugged, “I guess it was only a matter of time.”

“Emperor wants to consolidate his holdings before the Japanese chase the Americans over here. Can’t have rebels holding onto that much hardware.”

“Understandable.”

“I don’t know how much support you’ll get from Maxwell or the people under him, but I’ll make sure support
comes through from others if you need it.”

“Faceroll?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“Small favors.”

Eckhart nodded, “If you make this happen, Kill, you may yet get a reward.”

“Can I have a dinosaur?”

“Tch, you know the punishment for competency?”

“Responsibility?”

Eckhart smiled and patted the younger man on the back, “I’ll be here for a few more hours, I gotta deal with some brass and so on, but I should be free for lunch.”

“I’ll see what I can manage.”

They shook hands and parted company, Eckhart flagging down a jeep and having it take him to the Administration section of the base. Turning back to the hangar, Killian took a final drag of his cigarette before stomping it out and went in to put his new co-pilot through her paces.