Darnell appeared before Edward again, already suited up in his mech. The purple Flyer III looked taller and leaner than ordinary mechs with its streamlined contours, a massive Titanium Alloy 3 greatsword slanted across its back. "Edward, hold on. I don't want to behead the Zerg commander, only to despair when I discover that the Luoming, which was supposed to welcome us home in triumph, has become dust in space. If that happens, I'll have to fly back on my own..." Darnell extended his right hand.
At last, a faint smile appeared on Edward's grim face. He clasped the mech's hand, though the two wildly disproportionate fists could not truly grip each other. "Don't worry. I'll take you back. We'll all go back. That's my promise!"
Clang! The mech's visor lowered. Darnell gave Edward a Kaimelena System military salute, then turned and left.
"Rumble... rumble..." At the front line, the Zerg swarm had once again exchanged fire with the fighters and bombers. This time, in preparation for an all-out battle, the Luoming and the Joanna had even deployed most of their reconnaissance craft.
The reconnaissance craft were equipped with autocannons as well, and carried enough ammunition to tear apart ten Blade-Arm Mutalisks. Of course, that was only if they were not taken out by Blade-Arm Mutalisks or Vipers before they ran dry.
Space was vast, but with both sides committing their forces, the battlefield had become crowded. The Zerg destroyers constantly shifted position—first, to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield and prevent enemy fighters and bombers from closing in; second, to allow their secondary guns to better support the battle; and third, most importantly, because constant movement reduced the odds of being hit by enemy main guns.
The Fluorescent Banelings deployed by the Zerg this time had caused the fighters no