Tychus's Opinion
Kel-Morian's twin-engine jet fighter followed closely behind the dark black APOD-46 transport ship, the Little Devil. Orange laser beams grazed the side of the ship, and Jack's ship narrowly avoided the attack after several difficult evasive maneuvers.
The dark gray spaceship flew close to the same color of the land in Meinhoff, skimming over the rugged rocky beaches and the dry canyon riverbeds, while the Hellhound fighter with gold and red trim followed closely behind and above, like a falcon circling over its prey.
"This is transport ship AP-404, calling escort formation, requesting support!" Augustus could hear the pilot's voice on the communication channel.
Jack's distress call was quickly answered. A CF/17 Wraith turned from high altitude and locked onto the Hellhound Fighter chasing the Little Devil. Two Gemini Missiles were launched from the missile bays under the wings, flying towards the enemy aircraft with long plasma flames and white vapor trails.
Amidst the cheers of the Heaven's Devils, the Hellhound that had been relentlessly pursuing them like a grim Reaper exploded with a deafening roar.
The Little Devil turned again and flew towards the predetermined landing point, flying over the dark brown wasteland devoid of any greenery and the small hills of coal slag and slag heaps, resembling the vast termite mounds on the African continent.
Some cranes and even smaller trucks, which look like toy models from this height, are parked beside these hills. The workers on the ground have long since abandoned their tools and fled, and a signal tower used to guide vehicles during storms stands alone among the hills.
Beyond the hills, a cluster of dark buildings appeared faintly on Augustus's HUD screen, their dense spires and arched windows resembling seashells and glowing ocean waves on a beach in the sunlight.
Unlike the grid-like townscapes and domed cubic houses of the Terran Confederacy colonies, the Kel-Morian architecture is more distinctive, with their castle-like family residences constructed using cut marble and simple yet aesthetically pleasing cubic stone pillars.
The closely packed buildings had extremely high domes and numerous small windows. Brick courtyards separated the large clans, and miles of high walls kept the entire New Apollowen Community out of the wind, sand, and wild beasts. Two black satellite communication spires stood like tentacles on the horizon, and several Kel-Morian ships were taking off or landing, appearing as distant black dots rising and falling.
"Old Jack, take it easy, no rush," Raynor complained on the transport ship's internal channel. "Honestly, I'm about to throw up."
"Why don't you do it?" Jack said slowly.
"That shouldn't be difficult. I've piloted a spaceship in the Holographic Projection simulator of the Steel Justice, and I always got the highest score." Raynor was eager to try. "You said it yourself, so I'll pilot the ship back next time. I bet I only need one more earth-shattering, god-like maneuver to get my pilot's license!"
"Oh dear, then I'm afraid you'll have to sail back alone, Jim, because no one dares to ride with you," Tychus teased.
"We're about to land, get ready, guys!" Korhal, "Our butts are about to hit the ground!"
The Kel-Morian people of the New Apollowin town community apparently spotted the approaching transport ship on their radar, and anti-aircraft missiles were launched, forcing the Little Devil to land in a depression two miles away from the Kel-Morian residential community.
Driven by the hydraulic system, the gangway slowly unfolded, Augustus was the first to step off the ship. Holding Electromagnetic Rifle, he surveyed the surrounding terrain, while the Heaven's Devils in black and gray Power Armor filed down behind him.
"I think we should still equip the Little Devil with a stealth module," Augustus directed the others to cover the spaceship with camouflage-like environmental simulation screens. "That way, at least for today, we definitely won't be targeted by that annoying Hellhound."
"Do you think fourth-class Marines deserve this kind of treatment? They've already done a good job of paying taxpayers' money by not making us fight in open-crotch pants," Tychus, pouring cold water on Augustus.
After a month of getting to know each other, Tychus Finley gradually gained Augustus's trust and slowly integrated into this special tactical unit. The hooded skull tattoo of the Heaven's Devils bound everyone together tightly.
Of course, that's other people's opinion. To the veteran Tychus, these people were just another group of passersby in his fleeting military career, a group of comrades who weren't so stupid.
In the past, Tychus wasn't particularly keen on integrating into groups; he always preferred to be a lone wolf. Tychus didn't have many friends because he generally distrusted others. Even when "doing business," Tychus would try to make money through the fewest people and the most convenient channels.
The more people who cooperate, the more money each person gets.
Tychus Finley enjoyed hanging out with the Heaven's Devils and occasionally chatting with them simply because their leader Augustus Mengsk, was a money-maker.
Most importantly, Augustus remarkably generous to his men. Tychus had never seen a mob boss or smuggler share so much money with his subordinates while taking only a small portion for himself; it was as if he didn't care about money at all.
Such people are to Tychus what elegant nobles in the slums or saintesses in brothels are—they could never exist in this world.
This is the kind of person Tychus should follow; no other "real man" with such courage and integrity would turn down money.
Generally speaking, Tychus prefers to work alone and only does jobs that pay quickly. If you want him to come to work with a bag, you might as well have him be a maid serving dishes or elegantly cutting cakes in a backless evening gown. Tychus is rarely loyal to anyone, but a boss who is generous and willing to put money in his pocket is an exception.
Augustus seemed to understand what Tychus wanted.
Tychus always felt something was off when he recalled his first meeting with Augustus. Augustus seemed to see right through Tychus and knew exactly what kind of person he was.
Tychus was certain he had never met Augustus, but such a person who could see through another at a glance did not exist in reality; they should only appear in electronic novels or in novels and biographies of great figures with exaggerated descriptions.
Tychus knew that accomplished generals or financial tycoons would commission writers to write their autobiographies in their later years, and he firmly believed that Augustus would not be a man who remained unknown throughout his life.
How would the authors of Augustus's biography describe his legendary first encounter with the great bandit Tychus Finley?
"I'll find someone to modify it sooner or later. Our Fick Power Armor n't good at modifying anything other than armor and weapons." Augustus the environmental simulation screen into the hard soil of Meinhoff with nails several tens of inches long.
The Heaven's Devils, who had followed Augustus quite some time, knew that he would never give up before completing this task. Harnack lacked patience and perseverance in most things, while Augustus was the exact opposite.
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