The Mech Touch novel Chapter 964

Ves, Major Verle, Captain Orfan and a bunch of other senior officers aboard the Shield of Hispania entered the shuttle and traveled over to the flagship of the mech regiment.

The large and well-armored combat carrier flew close to the Wolf Mother, and looked like a beast. Large, modern and expensive, every other combat carrier of the Flagrant Vandals seemed old and shabby.

"That’s the Princely Jackal, a recent acquisition when Colonel Lowenfield turned the fortunes of the Vandals around." Major Verle noted when he spotted Ves studying the flagship’s projection. "She can field sixty mechs, thirty landbound and thirty aerial mechs, and is extremely well-suited to make landings on hostile ground."

"I would have figured the Vandals would opt to go for a spaceborn-focused combat carrier as a flagship instead, sir."

"The Vandals already have that covered. Combat carriers show their true value in closer proximity to battle."

The Princely Jackal certainly radiated a sense of class compared to the other carriers and support ships which generally looked worn and past their prime. As the shuttle touched down upon the shiny deck of the shuttle bay, a large procession of security officers greeted the new arrivals.

After the obligatory salutes and other trivial ceremonies, Captain Orfan personally stepped forward and handed over the lockbox to a security captain, who immediately placed it into an even larger and sturdier lockbox.

The Verle Task Force finally managed to hand over the mission object to the main element of the Flagrant Vandals! This marked the formal end of their perilous duty!

"We’ll take good care of the contents, major." The security captain said respectfully before bringing over half of his men away to secure the mission object in the Princely Jackal’s vault.

A handful of other security officers began to escort the remainder deeper into the ship. As Ves looked around, he couldn’t help but find the clean, sterile interior to be a stark contrast to the older but more homely interior Shield of Hispania.

The Princely Jackal’s crew members that traveled back and forth also differed substantially from the survivors that barely made it back alive from the deep frontier. There was a sense of freshness in their faces, as if they had never been pushed to the brink.

Ves found their straight backs and their mild optimism to be a very jarring sight compared to the cynical, worn-out looks of the crew of the Shield of Hispania. Every survivor of the Shield of Hispania and the Gorgon’s Gaze was a fellow comrade in his books. Each of them shared a deep bond with each other as they lived, fought and died together many light-years away from home.

The other Vandals who served under Major Verle also became affected by the subtle changes. An unavoidable sense of alienation welled within their hearts, but they mostly kept it within themselves. No matter how long they’d been separated, the Vandals were still on their own side.

A whirlwind of questioning and debriefings ensued. Major Verle already warned Ves that many people would want to read his reports and hear him retell certain incidents in person. This wouldn’t be the last time Ves retold the same stories over and over again.

Fortunately, Ves didn’t undergo a hostile interrogation, as he was one of their own. After answering some mild questions and elaborating on some points they wanted clarification, he finally got shuffled to a row of seats placed just outside Colonel Lowenfield’s stateroom.

The commanding officer of the Flagrant Vandals called up every participant of the mission to an individual meeting. Major Verle and Captain Orfan already had their turns. After Lieutenant Commander Soapstone exited from the hatch, Ves got called up to enter.

Compared to Major Verle’s rather plain and spartan stateroom, Colonel Lowenfield added a bit more personal touches to her work environment. Fresh plants, projections of iconic sights from the Bright Republic and a display of diplomas and awards gave the impression that she was a loyal and hard-working officer of the Mech Corps.

Having heard so much about Colonel Lowenfield, he became surprised by her mild, plain appearance. Her groomed brown hair and thin stature made her seem almost invisible if not for her mech colonel insignia. She lacked the heroic bearing or the restrained aggression of someone like Major Verle who used to be a genuine mech officer who fought on the frontlines.

To Ves, Colonel Lowenfield completely filled the stereotype of a bureaucratic logistical officer who mainly stayed as far away from the frontlines as possible.

Yet she was also exactly the kind of leader the Flagrant Vandals needed the most.

Ves also reminded himself that besides her considerable administrative ability, she also wore the hat of an agent of the Firestarters!

As soon as he sat down and the hatch behind him closed up, a subtle interference field suffused the entire compartment.

"Mr. Larkinson. How very nice to meet you." She began in her mild, wispy voice. Still, Ves sensed a strong intensity hidden behind her words. "As you know, I am Colonel Lowenfield. Major Verle must have told you a lot about me, correct?"

"Yes, ma’am." Ves answered in a restrained manner. "He told me you were..."

Even though he didn’t lack for confidence, he felt a bit subdued when talking face-to-face with the ultimate head of the Flagrant Vandals.

"There is no need to hold back here. It is true. Major Verle and I are both representatives of the Firestarters, which in official parlance is designated as the Unconventional Action Division of the Flashlight military intelligence service. You will be familiar with their meanings in time. Outwardly, you answer to the Mech Corps, but in reality you answer to Flashlight. Every Vandal already does so from the start, whether they know it or not. Most don’t. Any questions?" _{freewёbn૦νeɭ.com}