Chapter 18: Artificial Rain

The heavy rain, prepared specifically for the exercise, had been falling since the early hours of the morning. Although it was an artificial habitat, most space colonies were equipped with weather and seasonal regulation systems to maintain the physiological health of their residents. After all, a colony is only so large; without some variety, the inhabitants would soon grow weary of their surroundings.

Thus, just like on Earth, the regulation systems within the colony occasionally provided different weather conditions—rain or snow, for instance. However, these were not natural phenomena but man-made, sourced from the colony’s internal freshwater reserves. Once these droplets hit the ground, they served to nourish the local vegetation, with the majority of the water then flowing into underground collection devices to be purified for reuse. Naturally, the reclamation rate was not one hundred percent, so the colony required periodic freshwater replenishment. For Zeon, under the weight of sanctions, resources were tight, and ordinary residents faced strict water usage limits. Yet, for the sake of this exercise, the Principality’s General Staff had lifted those restrictions.

"I heard this rain is supposed to last all day!"

"A pointless endeavor. It’s rain without the scent of rain—how pathetic these Zeon people are."

Because they had been up all night for the exercise, the armored troops sat in the garage awaiting orders. Everyone was fully equipped, but since the order had yet to be issued, Macarius sat on an ammunition crate, staring listlessly at the drizzling rain outside and chatting with those around him. Even while chatting, everyone kept a wary eye on the two military police officers standing in the corner. They were referees sent by the command center to ensure the exercise remained fair and impartial, while also keeping an eye out for any misconduct. It was a thankless, grueling job, which was why it fell to the stern-faced military police.

"Beep! Attention all units, the exercise begins!"

The military police officer, standing as still as a statue, stared intently at his watch. The moment the second hand hit the mark, he blew his military whistle with a sharp, piercing sound.

In an instant, Macarius moved like an arrow released from a bow. He sprang from the ammunition crate and vaulted onto the tank beside him. Before the military police officer could even blink, Macarius had vanished from sight, followed immediately by the roar of the tank’s engine.

Moments later, the tracks of Red Dragon One screeched against the hardened ground as it rolled out into the downpour. On the left side of the tank platoon, another row of garage doors opened almost simultaneously, and Federation transport vehicles, fully loaded with infantry, filed out to follow the armored column.

According to the exercise script, the Federation, playing the Blue Force, consisted of one tank platoon and a reinforced infantry company. The Zeon forces, playing the Red Force, were comprised of a mechanized battalion, a wheeled armored vehicle detachment, and a heavy self-propelled mortar company. The two sides seemed mismatched, but this was a deliberate attempt at balance. Because the Zeon Defense Force lacked standard heavy battle tanks and other heavy support fire, they were limited to tracked troop carriers, wheeled armored vehicles mounted with light automatic cannons, and tracked self-propelled mortars.

The Federation, however, had everything. If they were to fight on equal terms, the Zeon forces wouldn't stand a chance; they would lose on artillery fire alone. To balance the combat power, the Federation side had to make some concessions.

Furthermore, the exercise scenario was biased in favor of Zeon. The Federation’s mission was to attack and defend: they had to assault a Zeon position filled with fortifications and obstacles, seize it, and then hold it against the Red Force, which consisted of Zeon cadets.

On paper, the plan sounded simple enough. However, the position the Blue Force was attacking was not actually guarded by Zeon troops; it was a simulated position. During the assault, the Federation’s performance would be measured against the simulated defensive fire. If their tactical score was low, they would be assessed a proportional casualty rate, and then the survivors would have to defend against the fully manned and equipped Zeon forces.

Consequently, while the Federation troops were out braving the heavy rain, the Zeon cadets were still tucked away in their warm beds. Even so, the morale of the Federation troops remained unshaken.

"Vanguard, this is Red Dragon One. Road conditions are poor; I’ll take point!"

"Red Dragon One, Vanguard received! May your flag fly high!"

Vanguard was the callsign for the infantry commander, the veteran John Miller. Because the exercise took place in mountainous terrain and the heavy rain made the going difficult, Macarius had volunteered to lead the way to ensure they reached their destination as quickly as possible. Under his guidance, the Federation column navigated the treacherous, rain-soaked mountain region in record time, even managing to bypass a flooded section of the road to reach the attack zone.

"Good, very good. I don’t know how they’ll perform later, but for now, they get a perfect score from me!"

At the exercise command center, Lieutenant General Dozle Zabi of Zeon watched the Federation troops complete their assembly with such efficiency that he couldn't help but applaud. Despite their opposing sides, he was not one to withhold praise, especially for his enemies—it only drove him to push his own forces harder.

"I’m looking forward to this exercise more and more!"

After reaching the attack zone, Macarius didn't hide inside the tank to escape the rain. Instead, he had his entire crew shut down the engines and disembark to rendezvous with John Miller. To capture the objective, close cooperation was essential. Since tank support would be vital throughout the process, the crew’s situational awareness was paramount. Macarius wouldn't wait for the infantry to finish their reconnaissance and deliver the intelligence to him; he preferred to secure the information himself. This had become a trademark of the Red Dragon team.

"You’re grabbing my binoculars again!"

"Taking a peek won't break them! Even if they do break, the Federation will just write them off, don't be so tense!"

John watched with a wry smile as the tanker shoved his subordinate away from the reconnaissance mast terminal. They only carried one set of company-level optical reconnaissance equipment, but through the C4ISR system, the tank crew could access real-time data. Yet, here was Macarius operating the mast himself—wasn't he stealing the scouts' thunder?

"So, what do you see?"

"The Zeons are making it tough for us! They’ve built their fire points in some devious spots; your men are going to take a heavy hit if they aren't careful!"

Macarius was multitasking, watching the images on the terminal while using a data pen to make continuous adjustments and corrections on a flexible data pad. Soon, a tactical map—simple in appearance but rich in detail—was fresh in his hands.

"Take a look. Is there anything you’d like to add?"