This was a heavy bomber, and by the looks of his pockmarks and aged, rumbling voice, he had been on active duty for a long, long time. "Rumor mill is hard at work. I got ears, don't I? So, son, why don't you give me something to work with." The larger male applied his weight to the wall, revelling in the creak and strain of the structure as it tried to support his sheer size. Rivets snapped, popping out and falling away like tiny grains of sand. I was not sure if this was a common thing. Thick arms bulged with hydraulic muscles, pushing out against his metal skin. "Extended range? Fuel efficiency? Huh? Or weapons tech we haven't seen before?" he asked. Gamma held his tongue. He'd obviously prefer to be left alone, but if he had to humor one of the local aeromorphs to get some proper rest then there really wasn't a choice. "I'm not at liberty to discuss," he said, puffing out his white chest. A deep, resonant bout of laughter came over the heavy bomber outside. "Oh...shy one, are we? Let me be a good host and start things. They call me Seigebreaker." he said. "Impressive call-sign." I said.
There had to be a tale for that. He leaned forward so we could see his face. "Yup. Earned it too, not like some fly-boys stationed here. They think strutting like a princess down the runway at air shows counts as deployment. I say different." he boasted with a calm confidence. He had definitely seen some rough shit during his service. "I don't doubt it." Gamma said with an appraising nod. "Now, son," said the other one. His broad frame positively bursting with strength, "why don't you give a little respect to your elders." "I don't know what you mean by that," Gamma replied, getting defensive. "Your name?" he asked. "You first!" I interjected. "This one has spunk!" he said over his shoulder. He then turned back to me. "Wallbuster. It's going to be pleasure to meet you guys." he said. I did not like the tone he said it with. Something was off here. Gamma crossed his arms. He was probably also getting put off by this encounter. "We haven't been assigned one yet." he said. "Your serial, then." Seigebreaker insisted. "A.L.I.C.E. P02 Gamma." he said after a beat of hesitation. I gave them mine.
When they shared a glance in recognition, I knew that something was up. "Ahh...see I was right, you're both prototypes. The latest and greatest at that." Seigebreaker said as he playfully shoved at Wallbuster's shoulder in front of him. He seemed to be having a good time. Wallbuster smirked and said "Yep." Gamma was totally unnerved by them. "How did you--" he started before he was cut off. "I have a good friend in engineering, one of the ground crew humans. Clued me into the numbering system for all the test aeros." Gamma growled in defiance. That was totally a bad sign. They were already deep in his head. "Don't speak about this to anyone! That's classified information you're--" "Oh son," Wallbuster interrupted, grinning wildly, "my silence can't be bought so easily." No sooner had he said that then the large aeromorphs disappeared from view, leaving only dents where his bulk warped the very structure they were in. Gamma moved from one side of the bay to the other, as the thud of heavy footsteps circled around. I moved to the center of the hangar instead.
Since they were obviously up to something, I had to get myself ready. Gamma was actively trying to seek them out. It was clear that he was fully hooked by whatever the large bombers had going on. I was really going to have to make a choice on whether or not to back him up if it came to something hostile. "Where are you...?" he asked out loud. I was getting ready to call him back when the handle of the door snapped clean off, startling Gamma. A heavy groan followed as the door was pulled from the outside, buckling. Once loose, it swung open to reveal both Wallbuster and Siegebreaker. "Hey! You ain't supposed to--" Only now did we have time to appreciate his counterparts' form, albeit unwillingly. Muscle-bound arms and legs -- titanic pillars that could crush tanks -- supported an immense torso. Armoured pecs glistened from faint moisture, wide and perched atop a sweeping chest of square muscle. Motors moaned, pneumatics pumped, and hydraulics heaved with each motion. Big, buff shoulders supported a compact but dense wingspan and aggressive, angular air intakes.
