Planet Prosperity – 2 Years after Fracture

Adam looked over his farm, one thousand acres of flat plains and rolling green hills. From his position on top of an old Atlas Titan he could just spy the neighbouring village. It was roughly one-hundred and sixty kilometres away, at least a day's trip by car. Lumbering down the road were four other old Titans, each one dragging a large flatbed of materials. Their destination was his home, sat right at the end of the worn dirt road. It was only a few buildings but it got the job done.

There was the main (his) house, a two story pre-fab building. Next to that were the three smaller houses, where guests and the other farmers lived. They were more rustic looking than his own house, being built from local lumber. And finally there was the 'Garage', a Titan-sized lean-to made out from the gargantuan trees that made up the local forests. Thick industrial chains were suspended from the ceiling of the structure and a small workshop sat off to the side.

Now with the sun beginning to touch the horizon, Adam popped the Atlas' hatch and settled in the pilot's seat. There was a quick flash from the screens lighting up and the electrical rush through his nerves as the Titan formed a neural link. A moment later, the feeling passed and he hefted the massive XO-16 Chaingun the Titan was carrying and began walking towards home, the fertile soil breaking and crumbling beneath his feet.

A half-hour later, he gently laid the massive machine-gun down next to the Garage and set the Atlas to idle. The hatch hissed open and he hopped out, gave the Titan a quick once-over and walked out, waving to the other farmers as the other Titans began unloading their freight.

"Hey, Johann!" Adam called out to one of the Titans. "Did'ya get the seeds for tomorrow?"

"Yep!" A man's voice boomed from one of the Titans. "I also got some new toys that should help with that." The Titan hiked a thumb over to one of the flatbeds. Sitting on it was a large plough that looked like it was ripped from an IMC Auto-Farmer. On the next one was a massive seed hopper, modified to be carried on a Titan's shoulders. "What d'ya reckon? We set up one of the Titans with this stuff and that should handle the crops while we get started on that fence."

"That's assuming one Titan can fit and operate them." Adam warned.

"Got it, we'll play it safe and use two."

Their short conversation over, Johann and the others dragged the flatbeds to the centre of the farm and dismounted. Johann was a wiry man with thinning blonde hair and a few nicks and cuts on his features. Jumping to the ground next to him was a woman of oriental descent wearing her dark hair in a bobbed cut.

"Mizuki, who do you think Eve is going to ask to be godmother?" Johann asked his fellow pilot, the widest grin on his face as Adam covered his face with his hand, having seen this bit before. "I heard that Eve was thinking of making Lau-grk!"

Johann was forced grab at his neck as the smaller Mizuki snaked her arms around his neck and held him in a chokehold. "I wouldn't worry about it Joe, everyone knows that I love kids and can kick the ass of anyone who disagrees." Mizuki playfully hissed in his ear.

Adam, being taller than both of them, picked them both up by the collar and dropped them back on the ground. "Ok that's enough you two. Any more and I'll be telling Eve that you're the ones who took her chocolate last month." Both of them paled and looked away. Everyone here knew that Eve was much moodier in the past few months due to her pregnancy. Adam was taking the brunt of it, but just about everyone else conveniently decided that they had other things to do whenever Eve was craving something strange.

"But, Boss." Mizuki whined. "Laura wasn't at the Odyssey Colony evacuating orphans."

"She was also a teacher in Angel City before the Militia tore it up looking for that drunkard." Adam pointed out, and continued before Mizuki could protest further. "So give her a chance to teach some kids in town without the propaganda. Besides, we're not picking godparents before the due date."

Adam sighed and scratched his head. "Look, we have a lot of work to do tomorrow so go get some sleep alright?"

Inside their cramped prefab, Adam was resting his head against his wife's belly, just waiting for any kind of movement. Then he felt it, a slight pressure against his cheek. It was enough to jerk him up and look at Eve's radiant face in amazement.

"I can still barely believe it, even after all this time." He breathed, resting his hand on her swollen stomach. "That in here is our child, that in a few short months I will be a father."

"And I, a mother." Eve responded, laying her own hand on top of his. "I've been thinking 'Valerie' if it's a girl. Have you thought of a boy's name?"

"I can't narrow it down between Luke, Martin or Greggory." He looked into her eyes again. "What do you think?"

"I think my husband has to make up his mind." As much as it was a slight against him, it was impossible for him to get mad at her when her smile lit up like the sun on a stormy day.

XXXXX

Barely a month after Eve had given birth, Prosperity was dragged into the war. While it wasn't a full blown invasion, there had definitely been sightings of IMC scouts in the area. Sadly it wasn't enough to warrant a permanent Militia garrison, but it was more than enough to put everyone at the farm on edge.

The farm had grown a little over the short time, attracting another family and a few ranchers. They were even able to purchase a small underground bunker with the profits of their first harvest.

Right now, everyone was gathered in Adam's living room watching the local news feed.

"Reports of IMC sightings around the Ares Peninsula have become more frequent. Residents in the area are urged to relocate to Ikarna City, if possible, for safety." The News anchor spoke. "On the war front, The Milita's 5th Fleet has defeated the IMC on the planet Zere, driving them-" The screen cut off as Adam tossed the remote onto the coffee table and rubbing his eyes.

"Ok, so good news and bad news." He let out a deep breath, looking at everyone gathered. "Good news is that we're a small target. Bad news is that we're still a target worth looking at because of our titans." He bit his lip, debating himself if he really should go through with his half-baked plan. But a glance at Eve and their child, Valerie, was enough to steel his resolve. He stood up and looked at everyone in the eye.

"Tomorrow morning, I'm going to leave with my Titan and take the fight to them before the situation gets out of hand."

SMACK!

Adam's head twisted to the side as Eve immediately rose up and smacked an open palm across his cheek with Valerie cradled in her other arm. When he didn't respond and instead looked back at her with a sad smile, she began to tear up and clutched her daughter closer. Eve's sobs intensified as she felt Adam's familiar warm embrace, his scent filling her nose as he gently rocked her back and forth.

"I'm sorry sweetie." He whispered. "But it's my duty as a husband and father to protect my family. I would do it here if it would change anything. But we both know that they won't go away if we just ignore them."

"Then promise me." She whispered back. "Promise me you'll come back." She looked up at him with the fiercest glare he had ever seen on her. Yet he wasn't afraid of her, instead he burned the image of her tear stained cheeks, puffy eyes and the most brilliant blue eyes he'd ever seen into his memory.

"I promise, Eve. I'll come back to you and Valerie."

The next morning, Johann was waiting for him in his old pilot outfit. Now with the Militia fatigues, Johann cut quite the figure, almost looking like a proper soldier. Over his torso were dented metal plates and a tactical harness that held his sidearm. Slung from his shoulder was an old R-101C Carbine and hanging from his hands was a forest coloured helmet with a glowing blue delta-shaped visor. Towering behind him was his old faithful, an Ogre-class Titan hefting a 40mm Cannon.

Similarly, Adam was wearing his old outfit. A sealed bodysuit, over which was a flak vest, ceramic plated gauntlets and shin guards and his own green helmet with a stylised 'A' painted on. In his hip-holster was his Smart Pistol MK5, a reward he earned after completing his pilot training. On his lower back was his mobility kit, a literal jet engine strapped to his back. Kneeling next to his house was his Atlas-class Titan, its chain gun holstered for the time being.

"Ready to go?" Johann called out taking a puff from his cigarette and letting it fall from his fingers.

"Isn't Mizuki mad you're leaving?" Adam asked, climbing up into his Atlas.

"Of course she is." He stomped on the cigarette. "But after you and Eve had that little scene, there wasn't anything else to say." Johann slipped his helmet on and climbed aboard his Ogre. "Now come on. The faster we get this done, the faster we can come back."

"Yeah, let's get moving."

As the two Titans lumbered away, Mizuki watched from her bedroom window and absently stroked her belly.

AN: Heya guys, been a while once again huh? Honestly I'm out of practice and getting less and less enjoyment out of writing. But every now and then I'll have an idea for a story and I'll write something up. The first few paragraphs of this chapter were written in 2017 and everything else was very recent.