Chapter 8: Vanguard
Dias took out a book of some sort, dark gold in color, and wrote something while grinning, then cheerfully tore the foremost page and stuck it at the most obvious spot near the entrance. The thin sheet that was originally just the size of a palm expanded until it was as big as the black briefcase. The shining numbers and a dagger-shaped emblem was especially glaring.
This thing that looks like a notice is a… bill?
When Cillin saw the emblem his pupil shrank and his heart jumped suddenly.
The Vanguard! The emblem of one of the top four Galactic Alliance Hunter regiments, Vanguard!
The top four Hunter regiments were different from the other Hunters that worked alone or in small groups. They had bigger goals; goals that were so big they were breathtaking. From the discovery of a new habitable planet, to the pioneering of a Sector, and a large number of mineral transactions and so on. They were all not without their presence. Their targets might be a certain family, an organization, a city, and even a planet or an unknown region in the galaxy. And they have the power to do it… It wasn’t something any average Hunter could undertake.
What was worth mentioning was that the information about the top four Hunter regiments took up to eighty percent space in the electronic magazine ‘Hero’, which was preceded only to ‘Glory’ and ‘Code’ in GAL with a contribution of eighty points and above. Hence one could imagine the influence the top four Hunter regiments held; they were an existence that authorities couldn’t help but be wary of.
The security squad bustled over in a hurry, but when the security squad leader walked into the control room and saw that shining ‘notice’ his already partially dark face immediately turned as black as coal. One could practically scrape a layer off his face. He looked up again and saw a certain someone crossing his legs, sitting inside the captain’s seat biting a fruit crispy loud.
“Report, captain. There are a total of twenty four robbers onboard; twenty three fainted and one dead. Some of the passengers suffered minor injuries. No deaths. We are in the process of consoling them…”
As he listened to his subordinate’s report the security squad leader’s expression turned darker and darker. He wanted to strangle those robbers to death himself.
Robbery? Why the fuck did they even bother when they didn’t even figure out who their opponent was? This is a veteran rank A genotype Hunter we’re talking about; do they have pig brains in their heads?! As if that wasn’t bad enough, they were completely toyed by their opponent like they were three years old. A robber is at least twice as expensive alive than dead; just how much money the security squad would have to report!? And most importantly the one who caught these robbers are exactly the kind of people we’re trying but failing horribly to avoid! Speaking of which, why had this bastard come to a poor place like Sector X? Logically speaking Sector X has no pioneering significance at all.
The more he thought, the more pissed off the security squad leader grew. As veins popped on top of his forehead he lifted his feet and kicked his subordinates at the side right out of the door. The assistant squad leader who had followed him looked a little dissatisfied; even if he wanted to teach his men a lesson he shouldn’t do it in front of outsiders. Wouldn’t it be just exposing their own shame? But when he looked up and saw that glaring ‘notice’ his own expression flushed green instantly. With a livid look he turned around and kicked the men behind him as well.
It looked like their security squad was going to get yelled at when they got back and wrote their reports. For example, “Does everyone in the security squad eat shit for a living?!” “Have your brains aged? You can’t stop even robbers like these?” “What the fuck are those cash vampires doing at this place?!”
The moment he thought about it the security squad leader’s facial muscles began to convulse uncontrollably, “Lieutenant Commander of the Vanguard Sixth B Squadron – Dias. I have heard about you.”
Because Cillin hadn’t come into contact with much information at the ‘Vanguard’s’ level, he only knew about the top four Hunter regiments, but not so much about their respective squadrons.
No wonder Dias’ expression was so strange when he revealed his name and was met with Cillin’s calmness.
But Cillin really was quite surprised. Wasn’t Dias a little too young to be the Lieutenant Commander of a Vanguard Squadron? He didn’t look more than ten years older than Cillin.
Dias continued to sit openly on the captain’s seat despite seeing the security squad leader walking towards him. Dias did not appear surprised to hear the other party call out his title and background as he smiled, “Oh, I’ve been found out.”
The few security squad members looked a little green in the face. Among those who worked in a security squad; who wouldn’t know about the dagger shape emblem on that ‘notice’? They had a certain level of understanding for every squadron, and they all did their homework about the Sixth B Squadron’s activities at a few surrounding Sectors as of late. The few key members of the Sixth B Squadron were even blacklisted and practically guarded against the like of thieves. But in the end it was inevitable.
“In accordance to the relevant contracts and laws, you will have to pay me a certain amount of remuneration. I have already pasted the bill over there and I hope you can fulfill it as soon as possible.”
“Of… course…” The security squad leader practically squeezed the words out of his teeth. His heart was bleeding; the higher ups were guaranteed to deduct their salaries. After all the one who took down the robbers was the ‘cash vampire’ Hunter and not them.
It was at this moment the receivers and displays in the control room began to lose control.
“We have a transmission!” A crew member shouted.
As soon as he said it, a powerfully rhythmic music broke out.
Six stressed cannon-like sounds resounded continuously in a specific rhythm, among which interlayered with music like a chain of beads. All the data and images displayed in every electronic screen inside the ship were also beating to the same rhythm. The crowd that was at first still quarreling inside the ship quieted down instantly, and a bewitching power that seemed to synchronize even one heart’s beat spread out along with the music. With powerful courage, the music slowly turned as distant as time immemorial; like a dagger piercing through every space.
Audio interference and signal assimilation!
It was the first time Cillin had experienced such a thing. In the past he had only learned about these things from televisions and magazines, but it was still a lot more shocking to experience it firsthand.
A Hunter regiment’s intro music of signals and mission music was a kind of symbol just like the Hunter regiment’s emblem. Each squadron under a Hunter regiment would have a slightly different music, such as the six stressed sounds from before meaning that they were the men from the Vanguard Sixth B Squadron.
A starship instantly appeared on the screen, and there was a massive dagger cursor on top of the starship. Beside the dagger was the number ‘6’.
The Vanguard Sixth B Squadron!
“Oh, my pickup has arrived. I was going to finish this ride, but alas.”
Dias’ tone was regretful, but his expression was smug. It was so smug that the security squad could barely restrain themselves from serving him with their guns.
An openly smiling face suddenly appeared at the control room’s display.
“Sir. Are you going to warp in or are you going to come in yourself?”
The only word to describe the security squad’s feelings right now was pissed as they glared fiercely at the person responsible for controls in the ship control room. The man looked innocently; the other party’s remote hacking and control of the spaceliner’s displays were so quick that there was absolutely nothing he could.
“Don’t be stupid, of course we’re warping in. Oh right, set it to two people; I’m bringing a little guy over.”
Cillin had a bad feeling about this.
Dias turned to look at Cillin after he yelled at the monitor.
“Hey, Cillin. Come take a look at your bro’s ship.”
A white light enveloped the two person before they vanished from the control room in the blink of an eye.
The security squad leader’s expression was clouded as he said towards the person at the control station, “Retrieve their information on that spaceliner now!”
“About that… Every information and footage etc regarding those two has been deleted.” The operator stuttered.
“Useless good-for-nothing!” The security squad leader smashed apart the chair beside him with a single punch.
The group of men bowed their heads. They cursed inwardly: Those people are from the Vanguard, man, how can it be easy to deal with them?
Meanwhile on the other side.
After Cillin was transported to Vanguard Sixth B Squadron starship, he said towards Dias, “I still have some baggage left on the spaceliner.”
Dias himself was indifferent, “Anything that’s placed inside the cargo hold isn’t important and dispensable for you.”
While speaking, an odd-pitched cry closed in from afar.
“Lieutenant, you’re finally back!” The figure rushed over like the wind, and just when Cillin thought the two men was going to put on a ‘subordinate welcomes his superior’s glorious return’ show, the dude uttered his next sentence rudely, “The stuff?”
Dias seemed used to this kind of situation and tossed over the five cases straight away. Among them was the big case that Cillin had seen before. The case was made with a special material that insulates radiation and energy, so whatever was contained inside should be an energy type.
Once holding the fix cases firmly, he then cheerfully turned around and got ready to leave.
“Hey, what’s the hurry Cary? Didn’t you see that I’ve brought a guest?” Dias said while pulling at the leaving Cary’s ear, but there was no blame to be found in his tone.
Cary bared his teeth, indicating Dias to show mercy to his ear.
Cillin knew that Cary was ignoring him on purpose. They would not respect you until you had proven yourself worthy.
Carrying five boxes with one hand, Cary freed his other arm, dug his ears before extending it over. He wore a business smile on his face without a trace of the sincerity he had shown when facing Dias earlier.
“Hello.”
A handshaking ritual.