//Report: Quinn, Jackson.

//The interior of a dropship.

//Designation: Seraphim 1.

//Four hours later.

//Resume log.

The next few hours went by at lightning speed. With the full sum of Saint Corp's fortune available to us, Spear Squadron had been inundated with resources the likes of which we'd never seen aboard the Firmament. It hadn't taken long to devise our plan-with tactical data from the Panopticon and Laura's expert advice, we'd brainstormed our battle plan in record time, relaying the strategy to our new allies as soon as possible.

Saint Corp's forces were built on a foundation of tight organization, a far cry from the chaotic, hit-and-run tactics SPEAR had relied on for most of its existence. For a large battle such as this, efficiency was key-every squadron consisted of ten pilots, with each assigned two mechs, giving Saint Corp a total of two hundred Guardian mechs split across its ten squadrons. At the head of each squadron was its captain, a pilot responsible for tactical decisions on the field and for coordinating directly with central command to adapt strategies on the fly.

Transporting the mechs into battle was the task of the corporation's new Seraphim-class dropships. Each could carry everything a squadron needed-ten pilots, twenty mechs, a dropship pilot and three support crew.

However, where SPEAR and Saint Corp differed the most was in use of infantry. Where SPEAR used soldiers exclusively for guard duty aboard the Firmament, Saint Corp's troops were highly trained and strategically placed in platoons aboard a handful of dropships.

While soldiers on foot were often brutally outclassed by mechs in combat, the brave soldiers of Saint Corp were a rare exception. Equipped with state-of-the-art combat armour, each platoon was around thirty to forty soldiers strong, led by their own dedicated captains. These soldiers would have eyes on the same live data feeds as the mech squads, relayed through their tactical visors, which allowed for fluid coordination with Guardian mechs and quick adjustments to their orders mid-battle.

Overseeing the entire operation was the Panopticon, Saint Plaza's powerful central command system. Every detail, from individual mech statuses to field intel, flowed back to it. The Panopticon allowed Laura to monitor and coordinate our battle in real time, syncing the actions of every squadron and platoon across the battlefield.

It was, in a word, incredible.

"Alright, folks, please keep your tray tables closed and your seats in an upright position! We're off!"

Carver's voice echoed through the cockpit of the dropship, snapping me out of my thoughts. The cheery Saint Corp pilot was in his element at the controls of the dropship, fingers dancing across the console as Seraphim 1 began to shift.

From my seat at one of the consoles in the cockpit I expected to hear the roar of the engines or the hum of the vessel's reactor, but no such sound reached my ears. Instead, I stared out through the Seraphim's wide canopy as the dropship floated softly into the air, rotating in place as the outside world swept by in a blur.

I saw the monolith of glass that was Saint Plaza slide by, shimmering in the afternoon sunlight. Seraphim 1 rose past the sides of the Plaza, hovering in place as it left the concrete trench where it had been parked.

Around us, dozens of identical dropships were doing the same, rising from the depths of the Plaza carrying an army of Saint Corp soldiers.

Our army.

"Plaza Command," Carver called, "this is Seraphim 1. We're headed out. Leave the lights on for us, will ya?"

The response was inaudible to me, filtered back through Carver's comms headset, but the ginger pilot leaned forward in his seat with a grin, pressing on the controls.

"Okay, folks," he called, "grab onto something! I didn't want to rattle you before so I flew gently, but these new dropships can have one hell of a kick when they need to!"

"Oh, please," Lucas guffawed. He sat in the copilot's seat next to Carver, which had been ratcheted back away from the controls. "My team have been on dozens of flights, it's not like you need to warn them-"

The dropship jolted to life and I felt my weight shift in place. Almost on instinct, I reached out, seizing the corner of the console to keep myself from falling out of my seat. It was only a second later that I noticed Lucas and Carver staring back at me, disappointment on both their faces.

"Uh-huh," Carver smirked. "Sure."

"You couldn't have just given me this one?" Lucas sighed.

"Hey, I wasn't paying attention!" I snapped.

Outside the cockpit, the vista of Horizon City sped by as the dropship accelerated to full speed, tearing west across the coastline.

"Retro-reflective camouflage is now active," Carver declared. "We are running silent, t-minus six hours from our destination. Seraphim fleet, please confirm your status."

As Carver continued to speak to the crew, I settled back in my chair. The console I was seated at occupied the left side of the cockpit and mostly consisted of controls for the dropship's navigation systems.

Unlike SPEAR's smaller vessels, the Seraphim-class dropship was designed to be flown by a crew of four or more-a primary pilot, two secondary aides and at least one hangar technician. With Carver at the helm and Private Paris currently somewhere in the hangar bay, the Stonewood brothers had offered to fill the other two roles as flight support. I knew that Dan was tagging along out of a sense of duty, but part of me suspected that Lucas was only here to begin learning how to fly the Seraphim 1.

"And now we wait," Kedrick sighed. He currently occupied the seat across the cockpit from me, at a console used to monitor the dropship's reactor and engines. "Different dropship, same long wait times."

"Everyone's clear on the plan?" I inquired. "This is gonna be one hell of a fight."

"Yes, yes, enough of the plan," Leto snapped. He sat on one of the benches, fiddling with its crash harness. "I can only get so nervous."

"Wait, you're nervous?" Kedrick smirked. "I thought you were the big bad mercenary!"

"Hey, I'm human too!" Leto barked. "I'm allowed to have jitters before a big fight. And stop calling me a mercenary!"

"You've got over one-hundred pilots following your lead," Dan remarked. The older Stonewood was propped up against the console across the cockpit from me, taking the weight off of his left knee. "I should damn well hope every one of them is taking the time to memorize the plan."

"Good," I nodded. I leaned forward in my seat, facing Dan. "Must be strange to know all of this with Axion is finally coming to an end, huh?"

"It is," Dan nodded. "Taking down Project Themis halted their forward momentum, but this... the end of The Forge will set them back, permanently. This is a big step."

"If we survive this, we'll throw a party," I replied, grinning. "A farewell party for Axion."

"You mean when," Dan corrected, raising a finger. "When we survive."

"When," I affirmed. "When is good."

We both shared a knowing smirk, gazing at each other across the dropship.

"But... that isn't enough," Dan sighed. I saw his smile flicker and fade, like the dimming of a light. "Survival, I mean. Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

Dan sighed and shifted in his seat, wincing as he bent his knee.

"You may have noticed that Michael Sanviento and I don't exactly see eye to eye," he informed me.

"Understatement of the decade," Lucas chirped.

"Can it, flyboy," Carver snapped.

"Hypocrite," grumbled Lucas.

"However," Dan pressed on, "Something he said stuck with me." He stared me down from across the cockpit, but his gaze was somewhere else. "This war is more than mechs," he repeated. "It's about ideology."

"If you fight for a cause, you need to embody that cause," Carver barked. The pilot swiveled in his seat to face us, his voice taking on an exaggerated baritone as he pounded one fist into his opposite palm. "Sanviento loves repeating that one to anyone who will listen."

"He's right!" Dan snapped. "For once." He seemed desperate to get the conversation back on track. "There's no point in survival if you have to sacrifice why we're fighting," he explained. "Just remember that. If there's one thing General Mallet knew, it was that. She was always focused on the cause. Just don't lose sight of that, okay? You aren't fighting for Saint Corp-you're fighting for the people."

I nodded. "I'll... I'll remember." I turned to stare out the dropship canopy, listening to the wind ripping at the hull outside. "But if the cause is worth so much, why does it feel like we've lost more than we've gained?"

I hadn't meant for my words to come across as bitter, but I saw Dan's jaw tense. I leaned back against my seat, drowning in the silence.

To our collective relief, the door to the cockpit slid open, breaking the silence. Kedrick shoved the sliding door aside as Amani slid into the small space, a grin on her face.

"You guys will never guess what Kedrick and I found!" she beamed.

"Cards," Leto stated. He stepped into the room after Amani, followed closely by Garrick. "It was a deck of cards."

Amani's grin fell off her face and she turned as if to snap at the blonde pilot, but Kedrick placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. The two SPEAR pilots shared a look, and I saw Amani's eyes light up.

Uh-oh.

I knew the two of them well enough by now to know that that look meant trouble. Taewon had learned that the hard way.

"An accurate assessment, good sir," Amani grinned at Leto. She extended her hand to show the packet of cards to the rest of the room, a small painted cardboard box that looked far older than I was.

"And we also found this!" Kedrick added. He held up a small black case and popped the latch, revealing several stacks of round, coloured chips surrounded by a plastic sleeve. "Up for a game?"

"Well at least it's not Go Fish again," I chirped.

"We've all been introduced," smiled Amani, "but I think it's time to really get to know each other. Call it a team-building exercise."

Leto's smug smirk seemed to fade a little.

"Wait, you mean-" he began.

"Poker. Texas hold'em, to be precise," Kedrick nodded. "An excellent idea, Amani." He extended his hand, taking the pack of cards from her grip, and plopped down on the cockpit floor, crossing his legs. "I'll deal first, and we'll go around the circle. Everyone grab a seat."

"Afraid I'm stuck up here, even on autopilot," Carver remarked. "Pesky safety regulations and all that. But you folks enjoy yourselves."

"I'm in," I declared. I took a seat on the floor across from Kedrick, and saw Amani's grin widen.

"Yeah," Dan nodded, "why not." He took a careful seat on one of the cockpit's central benches to my left.

"That's four," Kedrick smiled. "Come on down, Mister Kovalenko."

"Not my thing," Leto replied. "Garrick and I are out, and I doubt you'll persuade Private Paris to step out of the hangar bay."

"Oh no you don't," Amani rebuked. "Get over here. Time to put some money where that mouth is."

I saw Leto's eyes light up, and in that moment I knew that it was over for him.

"Well, twist my arm!" he exclaimed. "You didn't say this was for money!" With a flourish, he sat down on the floor beside Amani, an obnoxious smirk plastered on his face. "I supposed I could hang around for a round or two!"

"Glad to have you!" Kedrick smiled. He pulled the cards from the box and began shuffling them, his hands a blur of motion. "We'll play for a pot. The buy-in is twenty dollars."

To his credit, I saw a flash of realization cross Leto's face as he watched Kedrick skillfully shuffle the deck.

"Hang on," Leto pressed, "do any of you even have any money to your names?"

"Not exactly," Amani responded. "But that will only be an issue if you win."

"You mean when I win." Leto jabbed.

"No," Dan smirked, "she most certainly does not."

⬥ ⬥ ⬥ ⬥

Despite its size, the cockpit felt snug with all of us packed in, sitting cross-legged on the floor and leaning against consoles. The quiet hum of Seraphim 1's reactor and the hiss of wind outside provided an almost tranquil atmosphere, interrupted only by the occasional clinking of poker chips. I shifted, trying to get comfortable as I glanced around the group.

"So, Jackson," Lucas smirked, dealing out the next round of cards. "Ready to finally go broke?"

"Jokes on you, I was in college before the Iron War," I shot back, glancing down at the meagre stack of chips in front of me. "I was always broke."

"To be honest, you've managed to hang on longer than I expected for a newbie," Dan replied. He shifted around on the floor across from me, adjusting his bad knee as he picked up his new pair of cards. "You're doing pretty decent!"

To my left, Leto rolled his eyes. "Decent? Please, I could read his tells in my sleep." He flashed a grin and flicked a few chips onto the growing pile in the center of our makeshift card circle, eyeing his cards. "Raise."

"So soon?" To my right, Amani raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. The stack of chips in front of her was massive, and only continuing to grow as the flight dragged on. "Feeling cocky, are we?"

"It's called confidence." Leto leaned back, folding his arms behind his head to hide his cards. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

I glanced up at Garrick, who stood behind his boisterous young ally, silently staring down at our cards. He'd refused to play or even speak to us, but over the past hour or so I'd noticed him slowly gaining interest in our game.

Dan glanced at his own hand and shrugged. "Confidence, huh? I'd call it overcompensation." He tossed his pair of cards to the floor with a huff. "Case in point, I'm folding-this hand's trash."

"Trash? C'mon, Dan!" Kedrick gestured at the discarded cards, scoffing. "And here I thought you were tougher than that!"

Dan raised an eyebrow, deadpan. "It's called knowing when to quit, Kedrick. Try it sometime."

Lucas laughed, shaking his head as he looked at me. "Alright, Jackson. Show us that decent skill of yours. Bet something."

I looked down at the pair of cards in my hand and winced. I had no idea what I was doing, but with everyone looking at me, folding didn't seem like an option.

"I, uh... check?" I tapped the floor with two fingers.

"You can't check, Commander," Leto sighed. "Bet's already been placed. It's twenty or you fold."

"But that's all I have!" I protested. I slid my last few chips forward, and the others burst out laughing.

"Something tells me he's probably bluffing," Amani whispered in a stage whisper to Kedrick, who was watching the whole exchange with a bemused expression.

"Bluffing? More like scrambling." Lucas chuckled. "Jackson's got the poker face of a terrified deer."

I glared at him, but I couldn't help the redness creeping up my face. "You all wish I was bluffing."

"Or that you knew what a bluff was," Leto muttered, loud enough for the others to snicker. "Come on, Quinn, you're a great pilot but you're as subtle as a foghorn."

"Alright, time to turn and burn," Lucas smiled. With the flick of his wrist, he flipped four cards from the deck, placing them face-up on the ground.

I leaned forward again, watching as the flop was revealed-a four of spades, a king of hearts, and a jack of diamonds.

As the cards were revealed, I quickly glanced around the room, staring at each of my teammates in turn.

Dan had already folded, but his eyebrows raised-a clear expression of regret. He'd surely surrendered something that could've won him the round.

The corners of Lucas's mouth twitched downward-even though he tried to appear unphased, something had him worried.

Leto, on the other hand, was a mystery. I didn't know the mercenary well enough to assess his tells, so I could only guess what he was thinking.

Amani and Kedrick were a different story. After everything we'd faced together, I knew both of them inside and out, but all that told me was that they both had one hell of a poker face. Neither even flinched as the cards were drawn, keeping their expressions perfectly neutral.

I glanced down at my cards-a two of hearts and a three of clubs-and promptly tossed my hand into the centre of the table.

"And so it ends," Leto chirped.

"A valiant try, Commander," Kedrick attempted.

"Dude, don't patronize me," I sighed.

Kedrick flashed me a smile. "Okay, who's sticking around?"

"Without question," Amani affirmed. Without hesitation, she grabbed a pair of brilliant blue chips from the edge of her rapidly growing stack and tossed them into the centre.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Lucas replied. He followed suit, his chips clattering to the floor.

"I think I'll stick around," Leto remarked. With a pointed glance at Kedrick, he seized a pair of black chips from his pile instead. "But let's make things interesting."

Lucas sighed, grabbing another handful of his chips. The younger Stonewood's pile was almost as small as mine-counting his smaller chips, he pushed a stack into the centre, attempting to match the bet.

"Works for me," Kedrick smiled. Without hesitation, he dropped two black chips off the top of his stack. "On second thought-"

"Come on, let's keep the pace up," Leto grunted, clearly eager to push forward.

"As you wish," Kedrick replied. Two more of his black chips landed in the centre. "On second thought, I'll raise."

"You sure you want to keep going, Leto?" Amani teased. She placed another two of her chips down. "It's getting mighty risky."

"You're throwing away money at this point, Leto," Lucas muttered, tossing his cards in. "I'm out."

Amani didn't even blink as Lucas' cards landed, her expression just as unreadable as before. Kedrick, however, took a long, deliberate glance at his own cards, his lips curling into a knowing smirk.

Leto glared at Amani for a moment, then threw two more chips toward the pile in the middle. "I'm still in," he grumbled.

"One thing you should know, Amani," Kedrick remarked, "is that I'm not easy to bluff."

Amani didn't flinch. She stared straight at Kedrick, her tone level. "I'm not bluffing, Kedrick. This is just a warm-up."

"Yeah, you say that now," Kedrick quipped. "But you know, you're making one mistake." He leaned back and folded his arms, giving her a long look.

"And what mistake is that?" Amani asked coolly, her hand still poised above her stack.

"You stare at me instead of your cards when you have a poor hand," Kedrick replied. His eyes gleamed with amusement as he tossed a blue chip onto the pile. "You're bluffing, Amani. I'll raise."

Amani's lips twisted into a thin smile. "You really think so?"

"I do," Kedrick replied, his voice smooth. "But you'll have to show me."

"I'll raise as well," Amani stated, pushing two more blue chips into the middle. The amount was substantial, but still far from game-changing.

"She's just trying to scare us," Leto groaned. "This is ridiculous."

"Then call," Amani retorted. Her voice was dripping with satisfaction. "Two more chips." She leaned toward Leto, who seemed to physically shrink away from her. "Or better yet, why don't you raise?"

Leto's eyes met hers, then Kedricks, and with a sigh he tossed his cards to the floor.

"You're lucky I'm out of practice," he muttered.

"Good choice," Kedrick nodded. "Now, I think it's just you and me, Amani."

Amani's lips curled into a tight, restrained smile, but she didn't respond, maintaining her cool front. Kedrick's grin spread into a full smirk, eyes shimmering under the cockpit's lighting as he stared her down.

It was like watching a showdown at high noon. Neither wanted to back down, to flinch first, and it showed. The entire cockpit was silent-even Leto, boisterous as he was, didn't speak a word as we all waited to see how the next few minutes would play out.

"I think I'll call," Kedrick declared. "Let's see the next card."

With that, the next card turned-a queen of spades.

Amani's poker face never wavered, but I saw Kedrick's smile widen a tad.

"I'll raise," Amani declared. More chips clattered across the floor.

Kedrick seemed to hesitate, thinking for a moment. "I'll call again."

With another handful of Kedrick's chips, the final card was revealed-a two of clubs.

I stared at the faces of my friends, hoping for a reaction, but neither seemed to flinch. It was clear I hadn't had any hope since the start, the pair were just too good at the game. Then as if to prove my point, with a slow, deliberate motion, Kedrick pushed his final chips forward, emptying his stacks into the centre of the pile. "All in," he announced.

"I'll see that," Amani stated, her voice tight, and she slid her chips into the middle. But there was no hiding the uncertainty in her eyes now.

Kedrick leaned back and revealed his cards first. "King of spades, jack of clubs-two pair. Kings over jacks."

Amani blinked, her eyes darting from his cards to the center of the table. Slowly, she flipped over her own hand-a queen of hearts and a nine of clubs.

"A pair of queens," she sighed, her voice suddenly small.

Kedrick grinned, leaning forward again. "You almost had me there, Amani. You were betting like you had a straight, weren't you? Trying to sell me on a high card, but it was a bluff from the start."

Amani bit her lip. "You sure about that?"

Kedrick nodded. "You were acting like you had a strong hand, but you were playing way too confidently. The way you pushed your chips in, your confrontational attitude-way too much like someone trying to force a showdown to cover their ass. You knew you didn't have the cards to back it up, but you hoped I wouldn't notice."

Amani chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Guess I've been outplayed."

"Don't feel bad," Kedrick said with a smile, "you're good at this game. Just... not good enough to beat me this time. I'll expect everyone's debts to be paid in good time."

"Ruthless," I muttered, earning a mocking look from Kedrick as he shoved a handful of chips at me.

"Here, Jackson. Consider it charity."

Amani smirked, shaking her head. "Better luck next time, Commander."

Lucas grinned. "Yeah, Jax. Next time, maybe you'll get to keep some of your chips."

I sighed, staring at the sad little pile in front of me. "Next time," I muttered, "I'm just going to spectate."