Fight the Power
Major Jonathan Devin of the EUDF stood stoically with his hands behind his back and gazed out of the window of his brand new bridge style command center. He knew that it was time to make an important decision that could very well shape the direction that his new command would take in the near future.
"B-boss please, we need this." The voice of one of his two genius head engineers, Lieutenant Adam Wilde, rang out in the silence his pondering had caused. "If you let us build this thing for you we'll make you something that the world won't ever forget!" Devin had no doubt in his mind that it was the truth, especially given the things his mechanics had achieved with variable configuration.
"Major, this is an opportunity for us to do something truly impressive and demonstrate the capabilities of our new technology to its fullest". The voice of Sam Carlson made its way to his ears and slowly he turned around to survey what must have been the entirety of the base's staff arrayed on the ground in front of him on their knees, begging him to listen to their pleas.
"While I generally try to be the voice of reason in these situations Major, there are some things a man must do," This came from the ever monotone Sergeant Henry, "and I feel it in my heart that this is one of them."
Devin knew that logically, he could-should order them to immediately return to their work stations and begin work on rebuilding a Stork around the engine they had acquired. But instead he stood in silence and allowed his eyes to trail over his command, his people. He saw the mech-pilots watching him with hopeful upturned faces, Tellison especially doe-eyed. He saw the crews of engineers who watched on with determination etched into every line and wrinkle of their being, seemingly trying to will him into agreeing to their plans with pure stubbornness. He saw his scientists who upon hearing of the possibility of this new focus had abandoned their dark labs and come into the light of day to beseech his approval. He even saw the avatars of the bases AI on the Command Center's bright computer screens, all kneeling in a strange style with their hands and head on the ground in front of their knees.
Finally his eyes reached the woman standing directly to his side, she would never kneel, her pride would not allow it. Sasaki's face was forced into a blank slate but he could tell that she was anxious, her eyes darting from him to the kneelers as she bit her lower lip before she seemed to make a decision and spoke. "The most efficient option we have is to build a stork class upgraded with our technology," here she paused and visibly drove herself to continue speaking, "we simply do not have the time or the resources to build an entirely new dropship class from the ground up." As she said her piece he let himself glance towards the rest of his staff, and saw heartbreak.
He turned back towards the window. "Boss, Please." The voice of Wilde's desperation came in a combination of a whimper and whisper. "Enough," he knew what he had to do, "I've made my decision." Wilde seemed unable to speak and Henry had to answer in his place "Alright Major... sorry to bother you, we'll get started on the Stork Class." As he heard the slow rustling of over a hundred people sullenly and despondently starting to get up he asked "Stork Class? Who said anything about a Stork Class?". He heard nothing for a few moments that seemed to stretch on forever, no one seemed to even breathe while they processed the words he had just said. "Boss?" came a voice colored by confusion and perhaps even some hesitant hope.
He swiveled around and regarded the people who had over the past year become his family. "Stork Class?", he sneered and shook his head. He puffed out his chest, lifting his head and looking down at his staff, his right hand forming into a fist and coming up to his chest with a thumb pointed out straight at his heart as a mad grin formed on his face, "Stork Class?
Who the hell do you think I am?"
Was bored af, wrote this, be gentle, use lube.
