[401-600] THE MECH'S TOUCH

Chapter 427: Shock Attack

When Ves asked Alloc to see some footage, the Journeyman immediately agreed to provide him with some footage.

"The footage is stored in the restricted archives, so you can't access it from your comm or from the terminals in this room. The proper procedure would be to apply for access to a secure terminal in an isolated chamber. Normally, only Professor Velten can weigh on your request, but she handed me a lot of leeway in these matters."

Alloc quickly prepared a code and access pass for Ves. After pointing out where he could find the isolated chamber, he returned to work.

He used the pass to unlock the secure hatch and enter the barren but highly restricted chamber. A very visible laser turret constantly tracked his movements as he walked to the middle where he sat down on a stiff, metal chair.

After supplying the code into the terminal, the projector began to expand and run some footage of a battle that happened around four years ago. At that time, the Bright Republic was at peace and Ves was still studying at Ritterberg.

No one had a clue that a handful of combat carriers of the Flagrant Vandals penetrated the border and crossed several noble domains until it reached the interior of Vesian space.

Their target? A massive refinery complex in an otherwise quiet star system midway between the mines and nearby industrial planets. The complex orbited a rocky, broken planet that suffered numerous asteroid impacts hundreds of millions of years ago.

Most of those asteroids turned out to be made out of several exotics. These materials reacted with the minerals buried beneath the surface to produce a strange new substance that made for extremely flexible armor plating that performed well against kinetic impacts.

The footage started with the raid already in progress. The Railguns and lasers flew in each direction as several companies of the Vandals assaulted the defenses of a massive depot in a head-on collision.

What struck Ves the most was that the attackers hardly looked any different from the defenders! Much of the mechs used by the Flagrant Vandals actually consisted of a hodgepodge of distinctly Vesian designs!

The battle went well for the Vandals. They scoped out their target and gathered as much intelligence as possible before committing to the raid. They brought more than enough mechs to overwhelm the defenders.

Although the defenders possessed enough mechs to put up a stiff fight, they were chained to the refinery complex in orbit. Their static turrets fell like dominoes and their defensive positions started to crumble from the sheer amount of fire being thrown in their way.

The Vandals primarily made use of ballistic and kinetic weaponry. Though they wouldn't be able to outlast a force that fielded mechs with laser weapons, their damage output was extremely high so long as they didn't run out missiles.

Just as it looked as if their mechs would easily break through the defensive line, more than one-hundred Vesian mechs popped up from behind.

"Enemy reinforcements from the rear!"

"Where did they come from?!"

"We've got to get out of here!"

The Flagrant Vandals deliberately chose to attack a privately-owned refinery complex defended by nothing more than a company security force. The lightly populated star system shouldn't have been able to support any other mech force, so the appearance of over a hundred additional mechs unsettled the Vandals.

"Calm down." A clipped and clinical female voice broke through the chaotic chatter. "They outnumber us, but won't be able to match our grit. Gather the Hellcats!"