Day one: 20:19 local time ( 29-hour clock )

"Finally, you're here! I'm the lead researcher, Dr. Paul Grayson. I'm assuming you're Lieutenant Commander Melissa Cooper?"
I see Cooper nod. I hadn't expected her to be at such a high rank, especially at 21. I knew she was a Pilot, but at 21, I was expecting her to be a Captain at most, not…
I'm getting distracted. I nod to the other squad leaders, and we form up. "Lieutenant Commander, rifleman squads awaiting orders"
It's barely noticeable, but I see Cooper slump with disappointment. I recall our conversation back on the "Valor's Edge" about how she hated being treated like this, and honestly, I hate it too. But protocol has to be followed, despite what I think about it.

Cooper turns to face me. "Your squad will be assigned to patrol the entrance area. Echo squad will swap duties with Bravo squad every four hours. Charlie and Delta squads will patrol the unexplored interior of the ruins. Breaks will take place at the top of each hour, for fifteen minutes each. Am I clear, Rifleman Anderson?"

I nod, and turn to the other squads. "We have our orders. Move out, rifleman squads!"

[-]

Day one: 21:15 local time ( 29-hour clock )

Patrols like this make it easy to think about things. No scurrying for cover, no dodging incoming fire, no scrambling as a Titan drops on our latest home.
I let out a short sigh. I see one of my riflemen, Cameron, I think, walking towards me. I nod as he approaches. "Rifleman Cameron. Something on your mind?"
Cameron nods. "Just thinking about our Pilot friend, sir. You two got chatty during the hike up to the ruins. What's your thoughts about her?"
My thoughts? Heh. I got a lot of them. But I can tell where Cameron's train of thought is going.

"You wanna get in good with our Pilot friend? Well, I should warn you. She's kind of a smartass. And if she's anything like her parents, you're gonna have a hard time impressing her"

I see Cameron slump. "No chance, huh?"

I shake my head. "Never said that, rifleman. You just have your work cut out for you. That said, you're gonna have to get your Pilot's certification if you want a chance of catching her eye"

Cameron's left eyebrow goes up. "Why? What, is she some big-shot's daughter?"

I chuckle. "You could say that. She's the daughter of Jack Cooper, hero of Typhon"

"Shit, I do have my work cut out for me"

I nod, and Cameron grins. "Best get started then, eh?"

[-]

Day one: 28:32 local time ( 29-hour clock )

I grumble as CV and I head back to the camp. "Eight hours and not a single new thing"

"You could not have expected to have a breakthrough the first day of our arrival, Pilot Cooper"

I sigh, and nod. "You're right. But still, eight hours and nothing new? You'd think we'd at least find some kind of hint"

"Perhaps we'll find something tomorrow, Pilot Cooper"
I nod, hopping off CV as we arrive at camp. The squads are back too, getting ready for the nightshifts. I see Anderson and another rifleman chatting by the small fire we got going. I walk over and pull off my helmet. "Good patrol?"

Anderson nods. "Quiet is always good, ma'am"

I close my eyes. Screw protocol, this is a science mission, not a combat mission. "Anderson, just call me Melissa"

I can tell David's shocked. "But protocol –"

"Screw protocol. The Frontier War's been over for two decades. We're sitting in a science camp while helping eggheads activate that big ol' construct sitting on the edge of the system. I don't think we're gonna get jumped by some IMC bot looking to harvest our home for fuel"

David shakes his head. "See what I mean, Cameron?"

The rifleman, who I presume to be Cameron, nods. "You did say she's a smartass"

I raise my eyebrows. "Someone been telling tales about my snarky ways?"

Cameron grins. "Only good ones, Ma'a- I mean, Melissa"

I direct my gaze to Cameron and smirk. "Did I say you could call me by my first name, Rifleman?"

"Nope, but you did just say, and I quote, 'screw protocol'. If you're not gonna worry about protocol, then neither am I"

I grin, and stand up. "Well boys, I better get going. Wanna talk with Pops before I hit the hay"

I walk over to my terminal and open up the messaging system. It takes a moment before Dad picks up. "Hey Dad. How's things? Have a good day so far?"

Dad nods. "Your mother and I just finished a free running course around the inner-city circuit here. How about you? Find any interesting artifacts yet?"

I shake my head. "Spent most of the day hiking up here. You know they dropped four rifleman squads along with CV and I?"

Dad shakes his head. "Four squads? That seems a little… excessive"

I nod. "Yah. They're getting ready for nightshifts right now.
I stop and think a moment. "One of the squad leaders is an Anderson"

That got Dad's attention. "Like Eli Anderson?"

I nod. "Yah"

"Huh. Don't say anything, but I'll check in with Graves later, see if Eli left a kid behind. How old?"

"Mid-thirties, I'd guess"

Dad shakes his head. "Kid would be about that old now… been a little over three decades since Typhon after all. Anyways, I'll let you go. Talk tomorrow?"

I nod, and smile. "Talk to you in the morning, Dad"

[-]

Frontier Alliance Codex

NAME: Jack Cooper

AGE: Sixty-Eight

OCCUPATION: Pilot, retired. Paired with Vanguard-class Titan BT-7274

RELATIONS: Jill Gates Cooper, wife. Melissa B. Cooper, daughter.

BIO: Jack, also known as the Hero of Typhon, is a veteran of the Frontier Liberation War ( formerly known as the Frontier Conflict ). He was instrumental in defeating the IMC ( Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation ) and is directly responsible for the death of General Marder, of the ARES division of IMC. He was invited to join the Apex Predators Mercenary Group after single-handedly defeating most of the Apex Predators on the planet Typhon. He ultimately refused, joining up with the SRS after Typhon, and later, joining the mercenary group 6-4, headed by Section Commander Jill Gates. A self-declared daredevil, his actions during the remainder of the War were some of the riskiest to date – no other pilot, save for his wife, Jill Cooper, has been as reckless or as effective on the field

[-]

NAME: BT-7274

AGE: Current Chassis is a Vanguard Mark seven class chassis, aged twelve years. Current AI Data core is aged at thirty-two years. Age of AI matrix is thirty-seven years.

OCCUPATION: Vanguard Titan paired with retired Pilot Jack Cooper

RELATIONS: Captain Tai Lastimosa, Pilot ( DECEASED ). Jack Cooper, Pilot.

BIO: BT-7274, also known as Bee-Tee, is a veteran Titan of the Frontier Liberation War ( formerly known as the Frontier Conflict ). He has been paired with two pilots – Captain Tai Lastimosa, his original pilot, and retired Pilot Jack Cooper. He is one of the original Vanguard-class Titans, serving in the Demeter and Typhon Campaigns. BT is unique – he's the first titan to survive by transferring to his Pilot's helmet, a now-common practice among Pilots and Titans.

[-]

ALRIGHTY! Here's the fourth chapter, and the first of my creative burn! Fortunately, I've got a lot of ideas about how the rest of the arc is gonna go. Also, I did a little retcon regarding David's age in chapter 2. Given his last name, I'm sure you can guess why! ( Hint – his dad was on Typhon before Jack )