Unmei Force: Soul

Chapter 1: A New Frontier


At the NA Brigade Base...

Richard and Kyosuke were heading down the hallway to the command room, as Kyosuke looked much better than he was from the almost-fatal accident that occurred a few days ago. During that time, Richard immediately dismissed himself with his group from the North American base, not before giving Hans a dirty side-glance, as they were transported to the base, and Reisen used her medical knowledge to take care of Kyosuke, giving him a early recovery.

"Hey, Corporal Kyosuke?" Richard asked, turning to face the brown-haired youth. "You sure you're alright to be walking around like this? I know Major Reisen has treated you well, but still, I rather not force you into things when you're injured from that incident."

Kyosuke merely gives a calm look to Richard. "I am well enough. It was only a few broken ribs, something that I will be able to endure." He spoke in a serious tone. "Although I appreciate the assistance that Major Reisen has provided for me, I would not be much different with or without the treatment."

"Well... glad to see you're grateful of Major Reisen." Richard smirked pridefully. "Girl knows her way around the human body, and she was a famous doctor's assistant before she was enlisted into the war. Became a part of my squad, and we became friends in some way, along with the rest of the group, like my pal Xander."

Richard then spoke again, before Kyosuke could formulate a reply back. "Say... Would you mind if I call you Kyosuke when we're not on the battlefield, or in some place that needs military-grade respect?" Richard asked, before shaking his head with a grim smile. "I have to admit, I'm not one to degrade people by calling them with their rank. I wasn't kidding when I said before that we were going to get to know each other over time."

Kyosuke gently nodded in reply. "It wouldn't matter either way. As long as it doesn't complicate things, you are free to call me as you wish." Kyosuke answered back.

"Good, good. I'm glad that we're okay on that note." Richard said, as his smile brightened up, before he noticed that they're already at the door to the command centre. "Oh, we're here already. Be sure to make a good impression for me. I'm a little worried about whether your superior will trust me. Oh, and congrats on your promotion for surviving all of that."

They soon entered the room, as they saw a tall and bulky dark-skinned man that was dressed in black officer uniform with a yellow collar, with the insignia of a navy commander on it. As soon as the doors opened, he turned around to face Kyosuke and Richard.

"So, you are here." The man spoke in a gruff voice.

Both of them saluted, as they introduced themselves to the commander.

"Lieutenant Kyosuke Nanbu reporting for duty with the EFA North America Brigade, Sir." Kyosuke sounded off.

"Lieutenant Colonel Richter Chen of the United Frontier. I am glad to see another soldier of the equal rank as I am." Richard introduced himself, before frowning. "The last one I met, did not act befitting his rank."

"At ease, pilot Kyosuke, and Lieutenant Colonel Richter. I am Commander Greg Pastral." The commander introduced himself. "I heard what happened. Bad luck, huh?"

"No sir, it was my fault." Kyosuke slightly bowed his head in apology.

"With all due respect, Commander Greg." Richard interjected, with crossed arms. "I place the blame on the one who was in command of Lieutenant Kyosuke's actions. A certain Lieutenant Colonel stationed in the base, Hans Weber. He has sent Kyosuke in a, in my words, 'suicide-mission' testing the unstable Wildraubtier, first by using live-rounds for the drones instead of paint rounds as ordered, and then forcing the order for the variable transformation sequence. Lieutenant Kyosuke survived both instances, and in unprofessional manner, Hans expelled him from the base."

"Hm... I see." Greg intoned. "He will be dealt with. As for you, Lieutenant Colonel, I would like to ask where the UF has been stationed. I have never heard reports of such a government existing, especially when you claim that you have been fighting against the Divine Crusaders."

Richard's eyes widened a little, before he then sighed.

"That's because the UF have been forced into hiding shortly after their mobilisation, due to the immense forces of the DC crushing down on them. We were based in the Asia continent, mostly around China and Japan. We had several responses of assistance from other countries, in the form of soldiers, like Major Xander and Major Fox as you read in the reports, and materials, but it was not enough to sustain us for a long-term conflict. Knowing this, they have sent us, the top pilots of the UF to assist the EFA and all allied forces in defeating the DC in their stead." Richard fibbed about his fabricated origins. "And so, it became a win-win situation. The UF live for another day in the shadows, waiting for the right time to rise up again against the DC, and you are given our assistance, as ace pilots."

Greg remained silent, as he placed a hand on his chin, pondering about Richard's words, before he then turned back to Richard.

"Then we will accept your assistance with open arms, Lieutenant Colonel." Greg said. "Perhaps it would be best if you were to join pilot Kyosuke in completing the assignment that I have assigned to him."

"And what will that be?" Richard asked politely. "We will do our best to assist him with everything we have got, but we will need several of your mechas to pilot."

"That can be arranged." Greg answered back with a simple statement. "As for the assignment..."

The doors opened again, as a slender woman with sunshine-orange wavy hair that was tied into a spread-out ponytail came in, wearing a short red and black baggy jacket with black long sleeves, and black studded finger-less gloves on her hands, with nylon stockings and red buckled boots on her legs and feet. She seemed to have a joyous look in her blue eyes, and her expression is peppy.

"Excuse me~" The woman spoke in a cheerful voice, as the trio turned to her.

"What is it?" Greg spoke with a frown. "I told you I'd send him to you later."

The woman only smiles even more, as she giggles gently. "I just couldn't wait to check him out." The woman spoke, before she then noticed Richard with a gasp. "And there's another cutie here as well!"

"Er... Hi?" Richard said in a embarrassed tone, raising a hand slowly.

"Well, there you go..." Greg shrugged. "I can't do much about it then."

"Sorry, have I met you somewhere before?" Kyosuke asked in a even tone.

"Maybe? Hehehe..." The lady chuckled in reply. "He's very nice! Can I take him to my room? I mean, my unit? And also the other one as well? I promise to behave, sir!"

"...Very well. Take good care of him." Greg sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I don't understand what is going on here." Kyosuke answered back.

"This is Lieutenant Excellen Browning." Greg clarified for Kyosuke, regarding the waving Excellen that was beckoning him and Richard to come over with her.

"Pleasure to meet you, handsome." Excellen drawled, before she then walked over to Richard, and tapped Richard on the nose with a finger. "And you too, cutie!"

Richard merely places his hand where Excellen tapped him, before then giving off a light blush. "...Pleasure to meet you too, Lieutenant Excellen..." He replied with a warm tone.

"Oh! I almost forgot, the "boss" wants to test the new guy." Excellen added. "And I may as well introduce another one for him!"

"Again?" Greg asked, before then rubbing his forehead in annoyance. "OK. Just don't send him home crying, you hear?"

"Yes sir." Excellen did a quick salute, before giggling wildly. "This is going to be fun!"

"Um, Lieutenant Excellen?" Richard asked.

"Yes, cutie?" Excellen questioned back with a smile.

"Mind if you allow one of my Majors to participate as well?" Richard asked. "Major Xander needs some combat experience to shake off the rust from his mind."

"Sure! It'd be even better if he's just as much a cutie as you, Richter!" Excellen exclaimed, before she then hopped out through the door.

Richard then turns to Kyosuke. "So, you got experience with a Gespent?" Richard asked calmly.

"I have piloted them many times before. It is a natural thing to me. Does it matter with the 'test'?" Kyosuke dully replied back.

"Of course. This time, there's a reason that live rounds are authenticated." Richard answered back.


After some hours, outside the NA Base, in the mock battleground...

Every participant of the combat exercise soon appeared in their respective Gespent Mark IIs, as Kyosuke's and Excellen's Gespents were coloured blue, and Richard's was black, and Gus's was red, with his visor green compared to the red visors of the others.

Kyosuke and Excellen were engaging in chatter with each other, as Richard was testing the movement of his Gespent, by moving its limb carefully in slow and patterned motions, before practising his aiming with the beam rifle in his hand, while Gus was doing the same.

"I guess it's been a long time since I have been using Gespents again." Richard muttered through the communications.

"And why is that?" Kyosuke asked, cutting his conversation with Excellen.

"You'll see what I mean. I have a mecha of my own, that I gained from some scientists that were grateful of our works in protecting the country, before it went to shit with DC reinforcements." Richard answered the question cryptically.

"Really, you have got to show it to me!" Excellen asked energetically.

"Maybe when I'm sortied for a actual mission. I prefer not to waste the energy and ammunition within it for a practice battle." Richard answered back. "Besides, Lieutenant Excellen, I rather get my skills brushed up again by starting with the grunt-types Gespents."

"Fair enough, but it's lame to call me by my rank." Excellen replied with a annoyed tone.

"Lame? Then I'll call you Excellen." Kyosuke suggested.

"Ooh, I like that!" Excellen giggled. "Maybe you aren't as straight-laced as I thought!"

"I'll call you that as well, Excellen. If you don't like it, how could I deny a polite request from a friendly lady like you?" Richard interjected. "I'm still referring to the others by their rank on the combat field, just because it's respectful to do so, unless there's a opinion otherwise."

"Oh, you really are making me blush here, Richter!" Excellen cooed.

"You ready to go, rookie?" A voice cracked over the comms, sounding like a very serious and professional person.

"Hm... What?" Kyosuke asked.

"Uh-oh..." Excellen muttered.

"Begin the exercise!" The voice ordered, as the tank and fighter drones rolled out from various hangars.

"...I see. Got it." Kyosuke stoically answered back.

"Kyosuke, Richter, Xander, I didn't have time to explain... But..." Excellen said in a worried tone.

"Listen up! The target drones are loaded with live rounds!" The voice interrupted them again. "If you want to live, shoot them down!"

"Whoa, Boss, wait! Listen to..." Excellen tried to reason with the person on the other side.

"Enough! Fire at will!" The voice barked back.

Excellen only sighs at her failure. "Kyosuke, Richter, Xander, that's Major Sanger Zonvolt."

"A Major who is this passionate for battle? Interesting superior you have there, Excellen." Richard stated.

"So he does these 'tests' often? Now I know what the Commander meant about you and your people sending people crying to their homes." Gus added with a fearful shudder.

"So he's the 'boss'. Well, I'm only concerned about the enemies in my way." Kyosuke answered back. "I like the Gespent... And that kind of guy... Here I come."

Kyosuke rushed forward, as Excellen followed after him.

"Well now, Major Sanger, you can receive messages from our side, can you?" Richard asked.

"I can. And what is a Lieutenant Colonel doing in a test for our new rookie?" Sanger asked back.

"You see, Major Sanger, I ain't the kind of superior who hangs back and lets his goons do all the work. I'm the kind of guy who goes into the fray, take names and dominate the battlefield. In short, I kick ass." Richard answered back. "I'm going to tell you that you'll be impressed by Kyosuke's performance and my own as well, if I haven't gotten rusty with a Gespent."

"Hm. Bold words, but can you back them?"

"Watch." Richard answered back, as he throttled his Gespent forward quickly, catching up to Kyosuke. "Xander, cover my back and flanks!"

"Got that!" Gus responded back.

Richard opened up his assault by whipping off his mecha's machine-gun and firing off controlled bursts at a group of tanks, as they all made direct hits and caused the target drones to explode in a burst of fire. Gus immediately followed up with his own machine-gun fire, as it took out a nearby squadron of fighters.

Both of the young pilots dodged and weaved against the enemy shells and missiles that were coming their way, in short and swift movements, as they moved in a seperate area from Kyosuke and Excellen, who had their fair share of enemies.

"Can I ask you something, Kyosuke?" Excellen asked through the comms. "Was it your fault that the test model went down?"

"Well, it was defective. But I wasn't going to deny that I wasn't skilled enough to control it." Kyosuke answered back stoically.

"But he sure got a lot of skill. Stop devaluing yourself, Lieutenant Kyosuke." Richard added into the conversation. "You were a exemplary pilot. Not a single scratch was laid on the Wildraubtier before you were forced to transform, even with the odds against you."

"I am a gambler, Richter. That is who I am." Kyosuke stated as explanation for Richard.

"Less talking, more killing, Kyosuke and Excellen!" Sanger roared through the comms. "Richter is your superior, and he and Xander have been sweeping across the field taking more and more drones! If you do not want to shame yourselves, then pick up the pace!"

"I agree. Let's finish them off, shall we?" Excellen suggested.

"Roger that." Kyosuke answered back.

While Richard and Gus continued down the mock battlefield, Gus was suddenly struck by a tank shell onto the chest, which caused little damage, except for a black mark where the round exploded, and some superficial armour damage. He immediately fired off his chest missiles in retaliation to the offending tanks, blowing them to shreds.

"Xander, you should be having more focus on the battlefield. Letting your mind wander while we're having banter comes with consequences."

"R-Right." Gus replied in a shudder, as he was startled by the sudden hit on his mecha.

"Now then, who's up next-" Richard was about to say, before a high-velocity missile hit his Gespent on the visor, as it rattled the cockpit and jostled Richard over severely, as it also damaged the red visor with smouldering glass and metal, and damaged visual systems.

"Why you son of a...!" Richard cursed, as he immediately whipped out his machine-gun, and gunned down the fighters who were responsible for the direct hit, although the damage to his Gespent's visor has caused some of his rounds to go astray. "Tch, just when I was lecturing you, I end up making the same fault more severely. I'll need time to adjust with shaky vision in my camera."

"Got that." Gus answered back, as he fired off chest missiles to utterly destroy any stragglers of Richard's counterattack.

As they continued on, Richard began to recover his accuracy, as he has adjusted to the minor differences of his aim from the visual changes, and the two of them eventually reached the end of the battlefield, regrouping with Excellen and Kyosuke, who has slight damage on their Gespents in the form of holes in the armour.

"Well, I guess none of us came out of this experience unscathed, huh?" Richard quipped. "I guess I'm the butt-monkey this time, since this kind of damage isn't easily shrugged off."

"Hehe, you're quite funny when you say that, Richter." Excellen chuckled. "Good job, you guys, I thought it was going to be more difficult for you all."

"We are quite experienced, Excellen." Gus responded back. "And it seemed that Richter held Kyosuke in the same regard and respect as him and me."

"That was about all me and my mech could handle." Kyosuke stated.

"Excellent, terminate the exercise." Sanger ordered.

"Roger, Major, or is it boss?" Kyosuke asked back.

"Heh. Call me what you like." Sanger retorted back with a grunt.

"Just call him "Oyabun". That's Japanese for boss." Excellen suggested.

"Or perhaps you won't mind if I call you Sanger out of military influence, and Major Sanger in more formal occasions then?" Richard asked. "Do not ask me to change them. It's merely my way of respect to you. Unless you can suggest a better name for yourself for me to call you."

"A excellent suggestion, Excellen. As for you, Richter, that is agreeable and acceptable." Sanger answered back. "Now, return to base and report to me."


In the EFA North America Base...

Everyone who took part in the combat exercise were now dressed back in their casual attire, as Kyosuke and Excellen were one pair walking together, with Richard and Gus being the other. Kyosuke seemed to have a bored expression, as he gave off a dull sigh.

"Good work. What's next? Dinner? Shower?" Excellen teased, as she wrapped a arm around Kyosuke with a teasing wink and a giggle.

"...First, the report." Kyosuke intoned back.

"Hey, here comes the boss!" Excellen called out, as she pointed at the approaching figure coming from one of the automated doors.

Sanger Zonvolt was a man that was clad in a long red officer cloak that had golden pauldrons and styled in a way that made him look like a royal officer, with golden stylish cuffs on the sleeves. He had short silver hair that were formed into small spiked wisps that was spread towards the back of his head, and his dark blue eyes burned with a sense of courage.

"Good, you are all here." Sanger declared with a tilt of his head.

"Major Sanger?" Kyosuke asked.

"You may call me 'Honcho'." Sanger calmly replied back. "Kyosuke, you will test pilot Project ATX's prototype."

"What is Project ATX then?"

"The purpose of the Project ATX, is to develop mobile assault weapons here at Langley Base." Sanger explained the purpose of the project.

"Then the mech I will be piloting will be the prototype that takes the place of the Gespent Mark II?"

"Maybe..." Sanger trailed off his word with a side-glance. "There are other mechs from other departments that are being tested as well."

"Right! The boss's mech will blow you away. I promise!" Excellen added with a chippy tone to her voice.

"You don't need to promise me anything." Kyosuke assured Excellen. "So this project has multiple objectives, right?"

"Project ATX was initiated to protect the Earth from future threats. But our top brass doesn't fully comprehend the severity of the situation, so we're training our troops to handle the impending crisis." Sanger explained Project ATX further.

"You're the last member of our team, Number 4, given that our two new cuties don't join up with you." Excellen said. "Other than me and Sanger, there's one more member of the ATX Team."

"ATX Team...?' Kyosuke asked, confused by the term.

"That's the name of the unit. We are happy to have you, Kyosuke. You have proven to be someone worthy of your place with us." Sanger complimented the pilot with a respectful smirk.

"Likewise." Kyosuke nodded back gently.

"If there is anything you want to know, just ask." Excellen said, before she then left the hallway.

"So, anything more we will need to report?" Gus asked back. "I'm assuming you're the command, since you're the leader of the team, and we're equal ranks, Major Sanger. I'm sure we have nothing more to discuss."

"Nothing more to report? Then you are free to leave." Sanger said.

"Likewise. We'll be returning back to our base temporarily. I'll leave a channel for you guys, so use it and holler if you need some help dealing with some DC assholes. I'm more than happy to make friends in a trial of fire." Richard casually said, as he strolled by Sanger and Kyosuke. "And by the way, next time I sortie, I'm bringing something more personal. Ta-ta till then! And don't forget to repair the visor for the loaned Gespent. One of my guys might need it, and I'll fork the cash over when it's done."

Richard then entered through the automated door to the exit, before he then summoned his sukima, and returned himself back to a small frontline base with a small building to rest and recover in, as well as a hangar to store any gained mechas inside. He saw that Reisen and Fox was having a few natural snacks around a campfire, as Fox had his helmet off.

"Hey. How did the two of you feel, being left alone at base to guard it?" Richard asked his comrades, as Reisen and Fox turned to acknowledge him.

"We found it quite peaceful, despite the prospect of war lingering around here. Worst we had were some wildlife that were spooked by our appearance." Fox reported back. "Besides, how did your combat test go? I take it you have proven that you're the best pilot in this world?"

"Ha ha, very funny, and no, I was nowhere that good." Richard grumbled with fake-annoyance. "Gus and I ended up getting hit, but the severity of the hits were different. Gus's the lucky one, the hit only dented his armour, compared to me getting a missile right on the visor, which knocked me around like a pinball in the cockpit, and fucked up my visuals. I managed to adapt quick enough, but it wasn't a thing I was happy with. I got careless, and I ended up paying for it. End of story."

"Hn. Well, that's unfortunate." Reisen replied back.

"Either way, we're going to be taking a break, until the real battles begin. When that time comes, I'll make sure you're booked with Gespent Mark IIs to fight with." Richard answered back. "Now, got room for one more? Gus isn't coming back for a while, until I come over to pick him up."

"Go ahead. It's nice to have a moment where we finally can truly get together." Fox answered back with a grin that showed his teeth.

"Truly said, truly said." Richard replied, as he sat opposite of them, and pulled out a metal skewer with marshmallows on them. "Now, let's talk about what we should know..."


A few weeks later...

Richard and Gus returned back to the North America EFA Base, along with Reisen and Fox, who has his helmet back on to hide his head from prying eyes. As Reisen passed by, some of the male personnel gave her aroused look, and one even quietly whistled under his breath. However, the rabbit lady did not pay any attention to it, and just merely followed after Richard, who led them.

"So, I take it that the missing ATX Team member has returned?" Fox asked. "He must have had a hard mission if he was gone for that long." Fox commented. "Back where we were from, our team is almost never separated from each other."

"Now we get to meet him, isn't that nice?" Richard asked, before he noticed that their destination, one of the dorm rooms, was nearby. "Over here."

Richard then entered through the door, as he found Excellen talking to a young man with short blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a orange military vest, black jeans, and orange boots. He also had red wraps around his forearms. And to everyone's surprise, Excellen was dressing in nothing but a towel around her waist, and her bras. Richard barely managed to hide his blush at the awkward situation, Gus's face turned completely red seeing this, and Reisen merely growls at Excellen's indecency, and Fox whistled a little at the sight.

"..Dr Radom grabbed him. He won't be back for a while." The man said to Excellen, although his voice was a little shaky, as if he was trying to hide his embarassment about Excellen's almost-naked state.

"I think bad luck just follows him." Excellen suggested with a shake of her head.

"She's talking to him about a new model." The man replied. "And um, Lieutenant..."

"Yes?" Excellen tilts her head with a smile.

"...Can you not walk around in just a towel?" The blonde asked with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Hey come on, do you wanna check out my silky smooth skin?" Excellen asked, as she walked towards the man with a giggle.

At that moment, Richard decided to intervene before matters got messy, by coughing into his hand for attention, as the two speakers whirled to face him.

"Ahem, Excellen, I might be willing to take you up for that offer, but only just a few rubs and touches." Richard said, before he then looked back at Reisen with a fearful expression, as Reisen's expression darkened at his words. "Care to introduce this guy? You said he's the fourth member of the ATX team."

"Ah, right! You're Lieutenant Colonel Richter Chen and you're Major Xander Calwell! Major Sanger told me about you two, and he held you with high regard!" The man spoke, as he pointed to Richard and Gus, before he placed a hesitant salute. "Apologies, we didn't mean to have you walk in on such a awkward situation. My name is Brooklyn Luckfield, but I prefer my nickname 'Bullet'."

"At ease, soldier." Richard smirked. "I'm nothing like the stuck-up and high-horsed superiors in the top brass that you have to deal with. Although I will be still using military respect standards on the battlefield or in formal occasions, when we're just relaxing and chewing the fat together, you'll find a good companion in me, because we're all equals without our ranks."

"Is that... so?" Bullet asked, before he then sheepishly smiled. "I'm honoured to hear that, sir. I mean, Richter."

The door opened again, as Kyosuke strided in. "I'm back. ATX Team, let's start the-" He was about to say, before he saw Excellen's exposed state, and Bullet standing so close to her.

There was a moment of silence, as Kyosuke's expression did not change, before Gus spoke up.

"Oh, Kyosuke." Gus stated calmly. "We just arrived here, and we found Excellen like this. It would seem that she has just left the bath to dry off, before Bullet went to meet her. I assure you that nothing awkward implied here."

"Anyway, we're been called to a meeting." Bullet said, before he noticed Reisen and Fox. "Oh, I also heard that these two were also part of your squad, Lieutenant Colonel. Who are they?"

"Ah right, you haven't met my other Majors, Excellen and Bullet. This is Major Reisen Inaba, and this is Major Fox Mccloud." Richard introduced the duo to the others. "Kyosuke here has met them, if only briefly. They will be fighting alongside me in the battles to come. As for why Fox is in full gear? He simply has a mental disorder of preferring to be in full gear in all social occasions. It's a fair exchange for the insane amount of skill he possesses though. And don't mind Reisen's bunny ears. Those are just something she has on her head as a head accessory. But don't touch it, she's very protective about wearing them."

"Oh, look! It's a bunny-girl!" Excellen exclaimed, before she then rushed over to glomp Reisen in a hug. "I guess wishes do come true, right?"

Reisen silently eases Excellen off her, as she shakes her head. "Please do not do that. I do not appreciate having my privacy violated like that."

"Well, sorry!" Excellen cheerfully said. "I promise next time I'll ask before I do this again! But I can't endure not hugging something as cute as you, Rei-Rei?"

"Rei-Rei?" Reisen asked, before she then sighed. "Whatever suits you, Excellen."

"Brilliant! Now, just let me get dressed. I did just come out from water, you know!" Excellen said, before she then went into the bathroom of the dorm, and shut the door.

"Speaking of which, Kyosuke and Bullet." Richard said. "How did your mission go? I heard from Sanger through the comms that you met some trouble trying to escort a allied transport craft through a swarm of 'space-bugs', in my own terms from what I heard from the Major. Nothing went wrong, did it?"

"No. Our mission did not suffer any setbacks." Kyosuke stated. "Our Gespents have suffered some damage, but it's easily repairable. But I won't need it, since I will be piloting the test unit in the next sortie."

"So I see... So I see..." Richard said. "Anyway, to the meeting then. Where is it, Bullet?"

"At the Project ATX lab." Bullet answered back, pointing the direction to it.

"Thanks. We'll meet you there then." Richard said, before he then left with his group.