Chapter 10 - A Certain Mercenary and Get Closer

- Unknown POV

I was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage on a planet called Aries in the Kalaktus star system, it was a planet that was destroyed by the parasyte 5 years ago when I was 15 years old.

Since then, I've been working as a mercenary, that's because there are only two fates a stateless orphan like me can get. The first was to become a mercenary, and the second was to become a Soladinium miner. And I prefer to be a mercenary.

Apparently, I was very talented as a mercenary. The people who recruited me said, someday if I didn't die on the battlefield, I might be able to become a pilot. And so, 3 years after I became a mercenary. I became an independent pilot and was contracted by the Imperial government of the UEMA Empire to protect a mining station on the moon of a planet called Naktra.

I had been protecting this station for 2 years, and after my contract expired another year. The Imperial government of the UEMA Empire will grant me their citizenship card, and they will also hire me as their Imperial Official Pilot.

That's why I agreed to protect this mining station from the Dark Legion, the Space Pirates known for their ferocity for 3 years. That's because for someone who has been wandering aimlessly in space like me, being able to settle down on a planet and not on a cold spaceship is a gift.

However, if I want to enjoy all that. I must be able to hold out until the contract is over, that means, I must be able to survive the Space Pirates' attacks for another year.

And now, our superiors have told us to rescue a patrol group that was attacked by Space Pirates a few minutes ago, they reported 7 enemy Mecha, 2 Defender Class, 4 Guard Class, and 1 Sniper Class, plus dozens of enemy Soldiers.

Me and my 4 partners, are heading there for a drop using the Mecha Dropper Ship. My team and I consisted of 4 different classes, 1 Vanguard Class which was me, 2 Guard Class, 1 Defender Class, and 1 Sniper Class. I had known two of them since I was first accepted as a pilot in this place, while the other two were replacements sent because my two previous team members were KIA.

"Vape-Leader, this is Dropper-1. 1 minute to drop, over."

"Copy that, Dropper-1. You heard the man guys! You ready?"

Hearing the notification from the ship's pilot, my leader in the Mecha Defender Class told us to get ready. And I quickly answered, before the rest of my friends followed suit.

"Vape-2 ready, sir!"

"Vape-3 ready, sir!"

"4 ready, sir!"

"5 ready."

"Good, close your hatch and prepare to drop. Godspeed."

As our leader ordered, I closed my hatch door and my entire vision suddenly went dark.

Starting Neural Connection, Please clear and ready your mind.

10%...100%

Neural Connection Succeed.

My vision returned to normal, only this time my viewpoint was using my Mecha vision.

"30 seconds!"

Hearing the Vape Leader's words, I checked all the status of my Mecha. After making sure everything was in optimal condition, I then prepared for Dropping.

"Vape Squad get ready. Dropping in 3, 2, 1, Drop."

The Dropper Ship slowed down, then the drop door under my Mecha's feet opened. And we dropped from a height of hundreds of meters from the ground, I could feel the shock and dust scattering everywhere as I landed. I could see not far from us, there were dozens of Soldiers struggling to maintain their perimeter.

I could also see several soldiers lying on the ground, it looked like they were dead or wounded.

The enemy soldiers who were twice as many as them were about 200 meters in front of them, and in between the allied and enemy soldiers. There were 4 allied Mecha fighting against 7 enemy Mecha. The winning side was obvious, after all, one of the allied Mecha had lost an arm.

"Alright, All Vape. Get ready to engage enemy Mecha, don't worry about the Soldier's."

After saying that, our leader started running towards the enemy Mecha. Me, V-3, and 4 followed right beside him. While V-5 followed a little far behind us because he would be watching the movements of the enemy Sniper Class Mecha.

"V-2, you take the defender. V-3 and V-4 take one enemy Mecha Guard Class. I'll take 1 Defender and 1 Guard Class. And 5, you know what to do. The rest will be handled by the allied Mecha."

"Roger that."

"Roger that."

"Copy boss."

"Wilco."

Just as Vape Leader ordered, I pulled my Mecha sword from the weapon holester and lunged at one of the Defender Class Mecha wearing all-black armor in front of me. He had a spear that had a spearhead that spun like a drill.

I jumped up and activated the thrusters on my back then slashed at him, he blocked my slash with both hands and his spear. I then saw a cannon coming out of his shoulder.

Damn, that's a level 8 laser cannon. That thing will go straight through my electromagnetic shield.

I backed up to get some distance, and when the cannon fired. I dodged to the left while using the thrusters on my Mecha's right waist to dodge faster. Right after I dodged, the bastard charged quickly at me. Looks like he was also using his thrusters.

I immediately braced for impact, and swung the sword in the direction his spear would strike. Our weapons clashed and we ended up clashing.

Heavy, this bastard is quite powerful.

In the middle of our power struggle, the spearhead of the man's Mecha suddenly spun. I ignited the laser saw on my sword in return, I'll make sure this bastard gives up first. I then ignited both thrusters on my back at full power, and spun the laser saw in my hand at full power.

Just give up damn it!

I kept pushing him, and he slowly retreated. Perhaps because he couldn't take it anymore, he finally retreated. And that was the opening I was waiting for.

I quickly turned off the dorsal thrusters and the laser saw in , then channeled all the power into the two missile launchers on my shoulders to launch them faster. Those missiles were no ordinary missiles, they were Soladinium missiles that used Soladinium as their warhead.

I locked all the limbs of that bastard's body parts, I then launched the 20 missiles in my missile launcher and immediately ran towards him. He managed to shoot down some of the missiles with the anti-missile laser on his Mecha, but he had only shot a small part of them, there were still dozens of missiles aimed at him.

The missiles hit him, and he was engulfed in flames and smoke. I turned on my thermal vision to be able to see him in the smoke, because of his position that had just been hit by a missile, his response was slow, and his armor was also in critical condition.

I turned on the laser saw on my sword, and cut off his right hand that was holding the spear. After his hand was cut off I then attempted to slash towards where the pilot was, but he managed to avoid it by backing away and using his left hand to hold my sword.

But thanks to that, he lost his left hand. He was done for.

I raised my thruster output to max, and charged towards him quickly then stabbed right into the gap of his hatch door. I could feel my sword pierce through the pilot inside the Mecha, after confirming that the Mecha was no longer moving, I pulled out my sword, and the Mecha slowly collapsed.

I looked around me, and could see that all my companions seem to have almost won except for my leader who was fighting two Mecha head-on. I moved to help him and soon after, all the enemy Mecha had been eliminated, while the enemy Soldier had been destroyed by the air force's M-10 Mammoth Space Fighter Bomber.

"All Vape status report."

"V-2, Good and breathing, sir."

"V-3, All good."

"V-4, a bit of scratch, but still functioning."

"This is 5, Easy Peasy."

After that, we secured the perimeter, treated the wounded and waited for the Transport Space Ship to pick us up. About 15 minutes later, 3 Transport Space Ships came from a distance. Looks like, today we were all able to return home safely.

On the way home, I thought. Someday, if I finish my contract. I'll go to Earth, and enjoy everything I can enjoy, including women, money, drinks, pleasure, everything....whatever it is, after this is all over. I'll enjoy my life as much as I want.

My name is Dean, Dean Bates. I'll make sure that one day, no one can stop me from doing what I want to do. I mean, Who can?

*******

- Hiro POV

"I can do that my self."

Around 6:30 am, I was arguing with Melissa in the kitchen.

"Do what? Huh!?"

Melissa said that to me while giving me a sharp look.

"Come on, let me make my own coffee."

"I told you, Hiro. The kitchen is my territory, just sit quietly and let me make it for you, okay?"

Melissa said that with a smile, but the smile soon disappeared and was replaced with an angry expression. She then walked closer to me, because of our height difference, she pulled my shirt and brought her face closer to mine.

If this was a normal situation I might be happy, but the expression on Melissa's face was scary. She then said slowly.

"Just wait quietly at the dining table. And let me make it for you, okay? Now get out of my kitchen!"

I didn't say anything else, and waited at the dining table.

All this happened because this morning, due to my body's alarm, I woke up at the same time as usual, and because of that, I only slept for an hour. After I exercised, I was so sleepy, so I thought about making some coffee and headed to the kitchen.

However, when I arrived at the kitchen. Melissa was already there preparing breakfast, and forbidding me to make my own coffee, she said she would make it for me.

Although I was surprised that it was the first time she took the initiative to make coffee for me, but I didn't bother to think about the reason, I was just so sleepy.

A few minutes later, Melissa came and brought me a cup of coffee.

"Milk coffee?"

" Yeah."

Melissa put the coffee down and sat on the chair across from me. She looked at me and then asked.

" When did you get home last night?"

" A little while ago, around 3 in the morning."

"Hmm...."

Hearing my words, Melissa turned her gaze away and drank her tea. I drank her coffee that she made, and yeah. It wasn't the best coffee I've ever had, but at least it was better than the one I made.

After that, Melissa picked up a fashion magazine from the family room and read it. And I continued to watch her in silence.

Soon after, Alicia arrived and Melissa went back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Alicia then turned on the TV hanging on the wall, she was probably watching the news, as she usually did before breakfast.

Being bored, I also decided to watch TV.

"Breaking News, a large explosion occurred at the small harbor in the northern district a few hours ago."

"Pffffttt!!!"

Damn, why did the news have to pass by while I was drinking!?

I grabbed a tissue from the dining table and wiped off the coffee I spewed.

I looked at Alicia, and she gave me a suspicious look. I quickly averted my eyes from her before she asked.

"Because the explosion was quite large, Rose gang who was responsible for that area went to check on the place. However, right after they arrived there. They were immediately attacked by members of the organization that occupies that place."

The screen then switched and showed several people's faces.

"These are the faces of the suspects who attacked Rose gang when they checked the place. Apparently, they thought that it was the Rose Gang troops who blew up their place. After the Rose gang troops took them out, they made a shocking discovery."

Once again, the screen switched and displayed a flag depicting the Dark Legion flag on a wall.

"That discovery was that this mining organization was actually a cover for the Space Pirates Dark Legion organization, and what was blown up last night was their illegal Soladinium storage warehouse. As of now, it is unknown who blew up the warehouse. The leader of the Rose Gang stated that it was definitely a pilot. Anyone who knows about the pilot who did this, please let our media know, we will give you a lot of credit-"

After the reporter said that, Alicia turned off the TV. I pretended to focus on drinking my coffee, and ignored Alicia's gaze directed at me.

"So.... Should I call them?"

"Good idea Lady Alicia, we could make a lot of money from that."

Since when is she here!?

Before I knew it Melissa had come from the kitchen with our breakfast, she set it down and joined in gazing at me with a happy smile.

"Please don't"

I didn't intend to hide it from the start, but I wanted to admit it myself not in an interrogation like this, you damn news channel!

"What really happened?"

"Well, you know.... I..."

I was going to make a joke to lighten the mood, but Alicia's gaze became even more intense, so I just told her the truth.

"I installed some C4 in that warehouse and detonated it when I got back."

Honestly, I didn't expect the explosion to be that big.

"Did you already know they were Space Pirates?"

"Yeah."

After that, Alicia just looked at me and said nothing. I could also feel Melissa's gaze from the side, and somehow I felt that she was enjoying it. When I looked at her, she chuckled and stuck her tongue out at me.

This damn woman!

I waited for Alicia's response while drinking my coffee, damn, it was bitter.

Alicia smiled a little, before saying.

"Let's eat your breakfast quickly, we have to leave soon."

"Oh, yeah."

I was quite surprised by her response, wasn't she angry? And also, what did that smile mean?

Well, whatever. As long as she's not angry, i'm good.

After that, we ate our breakfast together quietly while talking about small things. Slowly but surely, I felt that our relationship was becoming closer.