Trireme’ Special Operations Brigade [Nisos]

 

「We’ll begin support from the hangar carrier. ―Let’s eliminate the Enyo before it breaks into the Defense Dome.」

「Understood. Beginning support bombardment.」

Astraea responded immediately to Aimer’s declaration.

The announcement of supporting fire left the L451 Defense Dome’s Defense Forces stunned.

「Hangar carriers aren’t supposed to fight! There wasn’t anything like that within a 20-kilometer radius!」

As the name implies, hangar carriers are mobile storage platforms meant for Silhouette maintenance.

They come in various sizes, usually large hovercrafts or trailer types. But the one now appearing didn’t fit into any known category.

It looked more like a starship running across solid ground.

「This hangar carrier’s got decent mobility. We’re already in range. No need to worry.」

Even from a distance, the transport was visible. Nate was at a loss for words.

He spotted something that resembled a land-based vessel moving at 300 kilometers per hour.

「That’s a hangar carrier…? Looks more like a aircraft carrier running on land!」

The vehicle that revealed its full form was nothing like any existing hangar carrier. It was a massive ground vessel—likely over 200 meters long.

Its structure was rectangular, with a strangely oversized tailwheel mounted at the rear.

「This is a hangar carrier.」

Aimer emphasized the point with a flat expression.

The hatch on the carrier’s hangar opened, and two four-legged Silhouettes disguised as Epos launched—the pilots were Nyanta and Aki.

Aki’s Silhouette was equipped with a close-combat lance. Nyanta’s mounted a 90mm multi-barreled Gatling cannon.

「Epo…s. Launching.」

「First sortie in a while, nya!」

Aki nearly called her Silhouette’s true name by mistake, hastily correcting herself.

「Gallop Company squad, deploying as well!」

「Lanius Squad, keep an eye on the flank. Murders have been spotted in other sectors.」

The Nereids pilots of the Lanius Squad deployed in teams of three.

Needless to say, those chosen for this assignment received envious stares.

「Type-0 Squad, launching!」

With limited hangar space, the Type-0 Squad was deployed. Though unlikely to see action in the main conflict zone, they would handle anti-air operations.

「That ain’t a hangar carrier. It’s a land-based aircraft carrier. Look at the payload!」

It carried a force large enough to be called a brigade. Nearly thirty units could be spotted with the naked eye—including transformable Silhouettes.

The Defense Forces of the L451 Defense Dome were awestruck. Hangar carriers were only supposed to transport and maintain a few Silhouettes.

Now even aircraft were taking off. No one had ever heard of a hangar carrier like this.

「We might just beat that Enyo with this! Clear out the Murders around us and support the advance! This is our Defense Dome!」

A young Therianthrope on a tank destroyer roused his comrades.

The sight of so many Quattro Silhouettes meant that his kin had come to help them; this filled him with the certainty that they’d pull through.

「Let’s do this!」

「We’re not dying here!」

Surrounded by an overwhelming number of Murders, the L451 Defense Forces saw their morale rise.

The emissaries from TAKABA Corporation mowed down the enemy with overwhelming force.

◆　◆　◆　◆　◆

An Epos shrugged off railgun fire from a Mantis-type.

Charging forward, it locked onto the target with its lance, then skewered it—piercing armor and destroying the reactor in a single thrust.

The L451 Defense Forces erupted in awe at the Epos’ display—taking out a Mantis-type’s reactor in just one strike.

「Die, nya.」

Nyanta swept through Ant Worker-types and Ant Commander-types alike, laying waste to them with her 90mm gatling cannon.

「Defense Force, stay alert. These numbers aren’t normal. It’s like they’re here to wipe out the entire L451 Defense Dome.」

Kou caught on to the abnormality immediately.

Murders never retreated. This swarm of Keres was clearly here to annihilate every last inhabitant of the Defense Dome.

「The faction we’ve been fighting—Greisen—is trying to found a nation using the power of the Stones. This Defense Dome has given them the most trouble. They probably begged the Stones for backup.」

Nate’s voice was bitter as he explained.

「Bringing Murder drones into a faction war? The nerve. Massacring civilians with unmanned weapons…」

Kou spat his disgust. The endless waves reminded him of the early Asia War.

Human infighting was just a facade. The real threat was the Stones and their use of Murders as pawns.

「Not like we’re going to let that happen.」

Fuyuki grinned.

「Damn right!」

Voy’s drill tank fired its railgun in support.

「Yeah. Let’s hold this ground, Fuyuki-san.」

Unit 5 slashed through Ant Worker-types like scattering spiders as it advanced.

「Workers! Fall back immediately!」

Kou couldn’t hide his dismay.

These were utility Silhouettes with bolted-on armor and crude guns. Commonplace equipment before the Asia War.

But Kou had liberated the technology precisely to retire these slapdash weapons from the battlefield. Seeing them forced back into battle was a gut punch.

「Thanks. We’ll retreat for now.」

The Workers began pulling back. Their equipment couldn’t even be called that, just bolted-on armor and outdated 60mm rifles.

That might take out Ant Worker-types, but they had no chance against Ant Commander-types or Mantis-types with Whis reinforced armor. Their mobility was also lacking for melee engagements.

「Good. Fall back for resupply. To the Bears and Elephants on the front lines—check your damage and retreat for repairs.」

「Understood. Thanks, team leader.」

Nate gave a word of gratitude. Whoever this leader was, his commands were sharp and reliable.

「Just call me Kou. We’re outnumbered—don’t waste ammo. Everyone except Unit 6, avoid close-range combat.」

「So I’m the exception?」

The pilot of Unit 5 clearly had deep familiarity with their Silhouettes’ capabilities.

Nate guessed he might be a Development Engineer.

「Stay close to me and engage in melee. We’ve got covering fire against the Enyo. Once we destroy Murders supporting the Enyo, we’ll coordinate with the Quattro Silhouettes to immobilize it.」

「Understood!」

Fran’s eyes lit up as she responded.

She had never received instructions that so clearly matched her intent before.

But Kou’s face remained clouded.

Two Worker Silhouettes were hauling another collapsed one. They didn’t even have Familias to operate transport vehicles. Their logistics were even worse than the Argoforce, which lacked Familias. He wondered if at least they could be retooled for indirect support.

The Bears were giving it their all, but their armor was already peeling from hits by the battery-powered Ant Worker-type lasers.

In the current Trireme forces, this wouldn’t happen. No—Kou realized. This was the norm outside the Sheelite Continent.

「So this is… reality.」

Kou muttered to no one in particular.

He had worked at the cutting edge of technological development, strengthening his own forces first—and bringing them the fruits of that progress. But some people always got left behind. He knew that, but seeing it with his own eyes made it impossible to look away.

Behind him stood Unit 6, hastily patched up to guard his back. But the damage was still obvious.

「We can’t save everyone. And this conflict—it’s still a war between humans. Even if the Stones are behind it.」

Kelly’s words echoed in his chest.

In the distance, the Enyo could be seen widening a breach in the shelter wall.

If left unchecked, it would overrun them. It was a scene Kou had witnessed all too often.

「But he also said this: Help those who cry out for help. These people are fighting to protect the land they were born and raised in. Then—」

Kou shed the last of his hesitation.

「Let’s go, Unit 5. ―We’re taking down the Enyo. Unit 6, follow me!」

Ordinarily, he would’ve left Unit 6 behind. But not this time.

This was their fight. He was only lending a hand. They had to fight. And Unit 6 was their symbol of that resolve.

「Yes, sir!」

Fran’s mouth curled into a sharp grin.

She’d expected to be ordered to the rear. But now, a defiant smile lit up the red-haired girl’s face.

「I like this guy. Who is the pilot of Unit 5?」

Unit 6 too surged forward—to take part in their own battle.

AN:

King Nisos was a tragic figure said to have been betrayed by his own daughter Scylla—not the monster with six dog heads and a serpent’s tail, but a different Scylla—and either died in battle or took his own life. Incidentally, ‘Nisos’ is also the scientific name for the goshawk. In Greek myth, it was a white-tailed eagle, but taxonomically they’re related.

This king has a small but curious connection to the mysterious hangar carrier.

The true nature of the brigade ‘Nisos’ and that enigmatic hangar carrier will be revealed next time!