Chapter 174: Barghest and Hansen
"Colonel Hansen," the special envoy's steady voice broke the silence in the room. Every word was carefully weighed. "The situation is clear. The fall of Arasaka Tower is not an end, but a beginning.
"The NUSA needs a force familiar with the locale and rich in experience to stabilize the most critical link before the storm truly descends."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze landing on Hansen's tense back. "Holding the abandoned town is choking the throat of Arasaka's counterattack. And the return of you and Barghest will be the first step in the NUSA reshaping order."
"Colonel Hansen," the envoy's voice was smooth and persuasive, "times have changed! You must know of the fall of Arasaka Tower. This was not an ordinary gang war, but the work of a force we still do not fully comprehend.
"The NUSA and Militech see a historic opportunity to thoroughly resolve the Arasaka threat and complete the great cause of national unification."
He leaned in further. "But opportunity comes with risk. That old dog Saburo Arasaka will not let this go. The 'White Whale' carrier strike group has left port, and their powered armor troops are assembling.
"The first wave of retaliatory strikes likely won't head directly for Militech Headquarters, but will point toward that mysterious faction that destroyed their symbol—the abandoned town in the Badlands.
"We need a sturdy shield. A force that can withstand Arasaka's initial fury on the front lines."
The envoy's gaze swept over Hansen's inscrutable face, his tone laced with temptation. "Barghest is an elite unit tempered by the Unification War, familiar with Night City's terrain, and capable of independent operation in harsh environments.
"More importantly, you are sufficiently... 'expendable.'
" having you execute this mission demonstrates the NUSA's sincerity without prematurely exposing our main force deployments.
"And once cooperation is established, in the subsequent general offensive against Arasaka, Barghest will serve as a surprise force, receiving top-priority equipment supplies and air support. You might even participate in the final occupation of Arasaka Tower.
"When that time comes, you and your brothers will no longer be warlords trapped in an isolated city, but heroes of the NUSA, meritorious officials of the Unification War."
Hansen remained silent, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force of his grip.
He wasn't unmoved. Trapped in Dogtown for years, resources were dwindling daily, and external pressure was mounting. He knew better than anyone that the dream of an independent kingdom could not last.
Returning to the mainstream, obtaining official status, and receiving a steady stream of supplies were the deep-seated desires of him and many of his officers.
Moreover, the opponent was Arasaka—the culprit that caused the NUSA so much suffering during the Unification War and one of the reasons he was left isolated deep in enemy territory back then.
But the risk was equally massive.
Acting as "bodyguards" for a mysterious faction and facing Arasaka's most elite initial strike was tantamount to roasting himself on a fire.
Who exactly was this so-called "mysterious faction"? Were they trustworthy?
The envoy seemed to see through his doubts and added, "We know limited information about that 'Boss.' But the technical strength he displayed is enough to destroy Arasaka Tower.
"Cooperating with him isn't just protecting him; it's an opportunity to learn and acquire his technology.
"President Myers and the Militech Board believe this investment is worth it. And..."
The envoy lowered his voice. "We assess that while the intensity of Arasaka's first wave will be high, it is not unstoppable. As long as Barghest can hold out for the first few days relying on the complex terrain of the abandoned town and pre-set fortifications, our main force will complete its mobilization, and the pressure will greatly decrease.
"Furthermore, that 'Boss' seems to have promised to provide you with some... 'technical upgrades.'"
This final sentence became the straw that broke the camel's back of hesitation.
Hansen took a deep breath, turned to face the envoy, his single eye flashing with the light of decision. "Tell President Myers and Militech: Barghest... accepts the order.
"We will reorganize the troops immediately. Within 48 hours at the latest, the vanguard will move to the perimeter of the abandoned town to establish defense lines."
Inside the Badlands manufactorum, Joric received the confirmation message from Militech forwarded by Mower, along with the preliminary equipment data list of the Barghest troops.
The contents of the list unfolded rapidly before his eyes, various parameters being parsed and evaluated at high speed: obsolete standard-issue rifles left over from the Unification War, second-hand exoskeletons with uneven performance, a severe lack of heavy fire support, mobile vehicles consisting mainly of modified civilian cars, communication systems lagging several generations behind...
Although there were some new items, it was clear that Barghest's overall equipment status still presented the typical state of an isolated warlord force lacking stable logistical support.
Joric's crimson optical lenses flickered slightly as data streams flowed smoothly past. Faced with this equipment report, which could be called crude, he felt no disappointment. Instead, a sense of interest arose, akin to a researcher discovering an intriguing topic.
How much combat power could such a "primitive" force display against Arasaka regulars after undergoing his "minor" improvements?
This in itself was a valuable live-fire test.
He immediately allocated an independent computational thread and began designing a minimum-viable upgrade plan based on the list data.
Joric's improvement plan balanced practicality with technical enhancement.
He decided to replace some ballistic weapons with simplified laser weapons. These weapons had higher energy efficiency and could effectively reduce logistical burdens.
Simultaneously, he would optimize the joint drive systems of the exoskeletons and install small-scale energy shield generators, significantly enhancing individual protection capabilities.
Regarding heavy firepower, he planned to equip them with simplified man-portable plasma weapons. Although the power of these weapons would be restricted, they were sufficient to threaten armored targets.
In addition, he would deploy a simple tactical data link system to ensure the troops maintained effective coordination in complex battlefield environments.
Although some of these items might not be provided to Barghest in time, Joric believed that once Militech saw these technologies, they would inevitably ensure Barghest could survive long enough for the improvements to be completed, just to observe the combat performance of the technology Joric provided.
"Send this preliminary improvement plan to Militech," Joric instructed Mower. "Let them coordinate resources and production lines. Also, inform Colonel Hansen that I require the active cooperation of his unit's technical personnel, as well as a secure site for equipment modification.
"As for the specific details of cooperation and coordination of subsequent military operations... let them send a representative with sufficient clearance for a face-to-face talk."
His attention refocused on the main console; the complex calculations for the dimensional teleporter remained his priority.
However, at this moment, deep within his logic core, an emotion bordering on "anticipation" bred regarding the impending war triggered by the collision of the two giants of this era.
Perhaps this could add some valuable observational data to his long and focused research career.
His gaze swept over the simulated image of Arasaka's "White Whale" carrier displayed on the screen, and the predicted deployment map of Militech forces arrayed beside it. His synthesized voice sounded calmly in the empty workshop: "Let me see what kind of... war you can perform."
(End of Chapter)