Sigma/Star

Chapter 9: A Terrible Reception Part 3

Easley was empty during the day. The odd person would meander from one storefront to another or would float around the central square but other than that it was quiet. There were few animals nearby either, most of them losing their homes to the surrounding fields and farmlands and most birds in the town seemed to sleep during the day in nests constructed on roofs.

The students of St. Maurius were just leaving this silent setting to step just outside the buildings and into the area where their Goliaths were now kept. For obvious reasons the bulky, fifty foot tall machines could not take up residence in the middle of the town and so they had to move them off to the side.

Porter scampered up onto the foot of his behemoth, White Storm, and flipped onto his back for some rest. He was exhausted from the continuous training Mr. Shotuku had been putting them through all day. Everyone was. Nami's forehead was covered in sweat, Chase was panting, Riya was red-faced and flustered, and Ardwen was doubled over from cramps. Only Raul seemed in top condition, ready to continue the activities, and he was still carrying many of the weights across his body that had been strapped there by the evil Mr. Shotuku.

Since the night in the basement, not much had been spoken by the group to each other, mostly just them listening to Mr. Shotuku's lectures and submitting themselves to training in a silent war to become the best. Now each one of them was near their respective Goliath while Mr. Shotuku stood in the center.

"I must explain to you all how the strategies here will go. I hope you all remember that we are here for an upcoming war, not just to fool around with training exercises. Ardwen will be leading the group and thus he is now your commanding officer. I must go now to speak with the academy about your progress." Mr. Shotuku returned down the pathway back to town but stopped halfway and looked back over his shoulder, his white beard flipping over his back. "Also, the young Grimsley will come by soon to talk to you about the town's defence plans." And with that he was gone.

The rest of the group turned to look at Ardwen en masse and he adjusted his glasses with a push up his nose. Porter knew what was coming. They all knew that Ardwen was clearly most suited to be the leader. He was a master strategist and his Goliath, "Mother Gaia," a Mana-class Goliath that was built for healing other Goliaths and pilots, was an easy choice. Surrounding its light frame were a few small metal balls which hovered around when the Goliath was active and could be used for projecting shields or for using their small tools to restore battlesuits to working order. Its capacity to defend others and heal made it the perfect suit for the commanding officer.

In contrast, Chase's Goliath was built to be constantly fighting and destroying, and Raul's was designed to make precise, sneaky attacks along the lines of a ninja and so he could not be relaying commands either. Riya's Goliath was a massive golem with immense firepower. It was a heavy-hitting turret, not a thinking machine, and Nami was more akin to a sniper, needing focus and silence to make educated shots. That left only Ardwen able to be the commander (well Porter too but for obvious reasons he would not be picked) and everybody knew it. But not everybody was happy.

"How come brainiac gets to be the leader?" Chase was leaning against his machine with a look of discontent on his face. "Shouldn't the best fighter be the leader?"

"Then I would be," Raul said coldly, his eyes closed as he was attempting meditation.

Ardwen ignored the two and addressed the group. "I've spoken with Mr. Shotuku already. There are about ten Goliaths approaching the city, with a Staff Sergeant leading them. We have no combat experience in the real field and so this is our best chance to prove our worth to the army. I also shouldn't have to explain to you that failing results in death, not just for us but for this whole town and anyone else beyond. We must work together to win." At this he shot a glance at Chase. "We will all have a duty as a unit. Making up the front line are Porter and Chase, the two most capable fighters."