Introduction: Code 00 (#3)

Mechanics and maintenance crew members pointed to the Aimex units' feet with glowing rods. From the height of the cockpits, they looked like children playing around a metallic titan's ankles.

Aicom's voice resonated in Lariat's cockpit with its usual serene and final tone.

"Arrival without incident, Captain. Goodbye for now."

"Goodbye, Aicom."

All the monitors went dark at once, leaving only the word AIMEX in white letters on a black background. A few seconds later, the cockpit was completely dark. With a faint hydraulic hum, the hatch opened, and the descent system activated, lowering Lariat supported by a steel cable holding him by a harness with stirrups.

As he touched the ground, he stepped out of the stirrup. A brief tug was all it took for the cable to automatically retract. A maintenance crew mechanic immediately approached him.

"Any problems with the machine, Captain?"

Lariat answered without stopping his stride.

"Everything's in order. Park it carefully. If you scratch it, Aicom will curse you over the hangar loudspeakers."

"Aye, Captain," the technician responded, saluting with an automatic gesture.

The other pilots were also descending. The hangar was bustling with activity: cranes moving on rails, cargo vehicles moving batteries, mechanics already climbing onto the fuselages to begin maintenance. The air was saturated with that mix of urgency and efficiency that could only be breathed in reactive combat zones.

Lariat walked toward the control post, his brow furrowed with evident annoyance. He jogged up the stairs, pushed the door open, and his voice boomed in the small space.

"Gina!"

The young woman startled in her chair and flinched as if expecting a projectile.

"Gina Alerd! What the hell is wrong with you, kid?" He advanced toward the control console. "Did you fall asleep on the panel again?"

She looked down, adjusting her beret with trembling fingers.

"No, Captain... The engineer called me urgently..."

Lariat interrupted her harshly.

"Don't you think three times is enough? Do you know we could have been blown to pieces out there?" He pointed a firm finger at her. "Look at me when I'm talking to you! Your Captain is talking to you!"

"Who are you yelling at like that, Captain?" a voice said from the post's entrance. "Are you trying to traumatize Gina?"

Lariat turned abruptly. In the doorway, with her arms crossed, stood Engineer Ilia Kovacs, with her usual expression of impatience and irony.

"You. Don't you engineers have anything better to do? I don't know... maybe improve the cooling system that runs out halfway through a mission."

Ilia advanced with a determined step and stood in front of him, not lowering her gaze.

"A soldier would have a hard time understanding what it takes to adapt technology to a machine as complex as an Aimex," she retorted, her voice firm. "On the other hand, since when do you like intimidating rookies?"

"Intimidating? Out there we risk our lives minute by minute. Discipline is the only thing that prevents casualties." He sighed, decompressing some of his rage. "I better go make the report. Some presences give me a headache."

"Same here, Captain," Ilia replied, matching his tone.

Lariat headed for the exit but stopped before crossing the door. He turned to Gina, who was still looking down.

"This is your last warning, Alerd. Do you understand?"

Gina stood up abruptly and snapped to attention.

"Yes, Captain! I understand perfectly!"

Lariat left, rubbing his forehead with his knuckles.

A button on the panel began to flash.

Gina hesitated. "Was this the one...?"

"The one for the surface lights. You have to turn it off after the Aimex units enter. Didn't you read the manual?" Ilia said as she pressed the button with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Ilia. The manual is so long... it makes me sleepy," she responded, pointing to the bound volume that rested to one side: an intimidating tower of paper.

"Thanks for saving me... again," Gina added, embarrassed, adjusting her glasses.

Ilia smiled softly, straightened her beret, and touched her shoulder.

"Don't worry. But try not to doze off on your shift... 'The Ogre' is right this time."

Gina shrugged. "I'll try."

"And don't forget to stop by my unit tonight. We're going to celebrate your official entry into the forces," Ilia added, making a gesture of taking a drink to her mouth.

"I just hope I last long enough to celebrate."

"Then leave the scatterbrained Gina in your unit before you come," Ilia said with a conspiratorial smile.

"My mom wouldn't put up with her," Gina replied, returning the smile.