02-02-2345 Celestial Era
07:40
"Hey, wake up! Wake up, come on—wake up!" shouted a soldier in a firm, commanding tone.
The voice came from a high-ranking officer with a stern, intimidating face who stood right in front of Revan — in the middle of an open field surrounded by other soldiers watching in disbelief.
"He can even fall asleep while being yelled at by the deputy commander of the Earth Federation Army himself. This is a unique case that deserves study. I suspect there's something seriously wrong with his sleep cycle!" Asterius said sharply.
"Even I'm impressed," the military officer replied. "Strange how he can sleep standing perfectly upright. Soldiers should learn from him — the art of resting in critical situations."
Revan slowly opened his eyes and looked at the deputy commander standing tall before him, his expression still calm but faintly embarrassed.
"Fell asleep again?" Revan asked casually.
"Forty-nine minutes," the deputy commander replied. "You stood there the whole time without moving. Now, I expect a proper answer to my question."
"Alright then," Revan said, stretching slightly. "What do you need me to explain?"
The deputy commander gestured behind him. Three massive Astral Gears, each about nineteen meters tall, stood at a safe distance of roughly fourteen meters. The humanoid-shaped mechs had smooth, rounded armor and a single red sensor eye that glowed dimly beneath twin antennae mounted on either side of their heads.
"This head design—'Rabbit Ear.' Oh, now I recognize it. The AGS-11E Galancir. It's an older model than the one I saw yesterday," Revan said calmly.
"Then tell me," the deputy commander demanded, "what's special about this Astral Gear? What makes it different?"
"This unit belongs to the first generation," Revan began. "It's the second model released, focusing on digital control systems for general-use Astral Gears—developed around twenty-three years ago. It received a major upgrade following the military budget scandal that broke late last year."
"So, what's the main advantage of this unit?" the commander pressed.
"With the hardware upgrade, the antenna sensor range now extends up to ten kilometers with a 0.3-second faster signal acquisition. It can also detect other Astral Gears more efficiently," Revan explained.
"I see. So its primary strength is enemy detection?"
"Based on public data—yes. The specs indicate simultaneous tracking of up to three other units. It's a sensor advancement project," Revan replied.
"You heard him," barked the deputy commander. "Run a full sensor analysis!"
The three Astral Gears powered up, their lenses glowing red as they began scanning the surroundings. The deputy commander held a digital tablet, displaying real-time footage from the pilots inside.
"One Astral Gear, bird-shaped silhouette, approaching rapidly," one pilot reported.
"There's no bird-type unit in this sector! Don't make things up!" the deputy commander snapped.
"Distance—six hundred meters and closing fast!" the same pilot responded urgently.
A wave of heat washed over the field as everyone looked upward. A crimson Astral Gear descended from the sky, golden thrusters blazing behind it as it slowed its fall with precise control. The unit landed smoothly beside the other three mechs, kicking up dust as its boosters cooled down.
"This one—I know who that is," Asterius muttered. "Hawk. He's arrived."
The chest cockpit of the red Astral Gear opened, revealing a muscular man with ash-gray hair. He grasped a steel handle and leaped down onto the concrete platform where everyone stood.
Wearing a white pilot suit with red accents, he walked toward Asterius with a confident but respectful smile.
"Lord Asterius, so you're handling business here at the Astral Gear Foundation. The situation's deteriorating fast—we need to gather the entire team before chaos spreads," said the pilot in a commanding voice.
"Enough jokes," Asterius replied coldly. "There's been betrayal within the Astral Foundation itself—something that has greatly disappointed me, Hawk."
The man's expression stiffened, his eyes shifting toward Revan, who simply yawned.
"I heard Sky Raptor doesn't need new recruits—especially unqualified ones like this boy. Word is, his piloting skills are abysmal and below standard," Hawk said seriously.
"He's a Beginner-class pilot according to current regulations," Asterius replied sharply. "But he's a special case. His certification as a mechanic gives him a deep understanding of Astral Gear systems. Right now, he's here as a mechanic—not a pilot."
Revan exhaled tiredly and looked up at the high-ranking officers.
"Any other questions?" he asked flatly.
"Of course," said the deputy commander firmly. "Tell me—do you know anything about DLS?"
"Dual Layered Steel," Revan answered calmly. "It's a metallurgical process where a base metal frame is forged and cooled, then reinforced with an additional layer of alloy for extra durability."
"So—good or bad?" asked the deputy commander, folding his arms.
"It depends on context," Revan replied. "If we're talking about Astral Gear armor, especially in competitive matches where a mech might take one or two direct laser hits, it's not bad. It cuts costs and shortens production time. But as far as I know, this structure is mainly used in missile casings."
The deputy commander nodded slowly, then smiled faintly. "Excellent. In that case, accept this small token of appreciation."
He handed Revan a thick envelope. Curious, Revan opened it—and froze. Inside was a check.
"Four million bits?" he muttered, wide-eyed.
"Standard consulting fee for specialists contracted by the state," the deputy commander replied matter-of-factly.
"Wait, hold on," Revan said, blinking. "My regular consulting jobs barely reach a few hundred bits—and that's already high. What kind of joke is this?"
"No joke," the commander said, expression unreadable. "Welcome to the military-industrial business, young man. Now tell me—how can we make this technology safer for our personnel?"
Revan sighed, clearly overwhelmed. "If you want my honest suggestion," he began, "look into the Astral Gears used in the Grand Prix competitions. Their safety tech and energy management systems are the most advanced and stable on the planet. You'll find plenty of transferable applications there."
"Understood," the deputy commander said, nodding. "Welcome aboard the Astral Gear industry, Revan."
The officer turned and walked away, leaving Revan standing there with the check still in his hand.
Asterius approached, his expression somewhere between disbelief and amusement. "A joke, is it? Four million bits? That's too low!" he barked.
"I'm not in the mood for jokes," Revan replied seriously. "What's really going on here, Asterius?"
"The Federation is desperate," Asterius said. "Advanced mechanic certifications are rare—most experts are tied to major corporations. But you…" He paused, looking directly at Revan. "…you're a free agent, and you hold Master-level certification. That gives you unmatched credibility—especially after creating the AGS-0 prototype."
Revan blinked. "Wait—the AGS-0? That was just a private project. I never expected it to matter."
"Oh, it matters," Asterius said, his tone low and deliberate. "That design caught the attention of half the Federation's defense board. They've been trying to replicate it ever since. You might not realize it yet, but you've become a critical asset in this game."
Revan exhaled deeply, gazing toward the towering Astral Gears in the distance. "So that's it, huh? One night I'm just a mechanic who likes tinkering with circuits—and the next, I'm part of some geopolitical arms race."
"Welcome to the new reality," Asterius said softly. "In the Astral Age, even dreamers can change the balance of power."