Maxwell used the filters in the Titan tab to show only pre-Demeter chassis, the first Titan projects by Hammond.
[(Titan) Journeyman: The first chassis made with the evolution of Exoskeleton armor. A Titan project for civilian use, obviously designed for construction. 670(C)]
[(Titan) Atlas: The Atlas is the workhorse of the Titan world and has served in some form or another for countless decades, and likely will continue to for countless more. Equipped with the Damage Core and two dashes, the Atlas is a versatile middle-road Titan. 2,220(C)]
[(Titan) Ogre: The H-KA02/a Ogre, commonly referred to as "Hammond Robotics' 800-pound gorilla", is a Heavy Titan. Its heavy armor and Shield Core make up for any speed it might lack on the battlefield. 2,380(C)]
[(Titan) Stryder: Hammond Robotics' premiere in fast-attack Titan design, the Stryder is a lightweight, agile Titan suited for hit-and-run attacks with its Dash Core. 2,110(C)]
[Blueprints selected, reducing costs by 50%.]
[-3355]
[Credits: 1,225]
Three folders full of papers materialized and fell softly onto the table. Maxwell stored them inside his ECHOdeck.
He didn't stand up immediately, but pondered the training. He realized his troops couldn't keep going much longer without something to relieve their stress and boredom. The training intensity would increase significantly, and not everyone would pass. The original Titanfall failure rate had a monstrous margin of ninety-seven percent.
"I'll need to get some entertainment supplies to keep morale up. We're all still human, and this could help build camaraderie."
Maxwell got up and began walking through the Odyssey's corridors. He found a wide, inactive area just above the mess hall, located in sector 4, the closest to the exterior. The large windows would help provide more natural lighting.
Maxwell stood at the entrance for a few minutes, imagining what that place could become.
"Pool, football field, maybe a bar, and maybe…" Maxwell stepped into the center of what would become the Odyssey's first Break-Room. "There are a lot of young folks, I should probably ask Moxxi to bring in some girls to work here. But the veterans... they're probably worried about their families back in Promethea."
*Sigh*
"I'd better get started. I've only got a few hours before Pandora's night cycle ends."
Maxwell sent the first commands to the Marvin unit. The orders were simple: begin structural cleaning, restore power to the room, and unlock atmospheric access for the windows. Soon, the smell of dust and sterile mold would be replaced by something more pleasant.
While the team arrived, Maxwell searched for items in the Civilian tab. Fortunately, civilian and everyday-use items were pretty cheap—hard to find anything over 100 credits.
[(Civilian) Billiard Table: A compact pool table, designed for low-gravity environments. Auto-leveling base and retractable legs. Comes with a full set of balls and sticks. 4(C)]
[(Civilian) Card Table/Foldable: Lightweight, anti-static surface. Includes four chairs and a starter deck of standard playing cards. Popular emulable card games are pre-installed. 5(C)]
[(Civilian) Wall Panels - Ambient Light & Art: Simple LED wall strips with programmable ambiance and rotating virtual paintings. Helps reduce psychological strain in closed environments. 1(C)]
[(Civilian) LG Smart TV 55" 4K UHD (Model 2022): A simple, efficient, and resistant TV with excellent image quality. Ideal for movies, news, and collective entertainment sessions. 8(C)]
[(Civilian) Civilian Arcade Unit: Arcade with over 300 retro-style games from Earth. Supports two players. 10(C)]
[(Civilian) Floor Cushions & Bean Bags - Pack of 10: Durable, spill-resistant fabric. Designed for comfort and easy stacking. Color randomized unless specified. 3(C)]
[(Civilian) Modular Olympic Pool Kit: A complete set of structural molds and self-assembly liners for building an Olympic pool. Includes internal filtration system, thermal generator, and non-slip surface. Ideal for relaxation, fitness, and hydrotherapy. 30(C)]
[(10x Billiard Table) - (5x Card Table) - (30x Wall Panels) - (5x Smart TV) - (30x Civilian Arcade) - (15x Floor Cushions & Bean Bags) - (1x Olympic Pool)]
[-510(C)]
[Credits: 715(C)]
"Let's stop here before I create a full-blown amusement park and add a zoo."
Right after the confirmation ping, all the items began to materialize in front of Maxwell.
He sat on one of the newly opened beanbags and watched the Marvins arrive in single file, silent as mechanical ants. Upon receiving coordinates and assembly instructions, they started unpacking and building. A pool table was formed in one corner, automatically leveled, while light panels were mounted along the walls, casting soft colors into the environment.
One group focused on preparing the pool area, using torches to make space for the structure. Meanwhile, others connected the power and started up the TVs and arcade units.
Watching the Marvins work made him a little sleepy; his eyes blinked once, and then he drifted off.
"…"
Maxwell blinked awake as someone nudged his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw it was a Marvin.
Checking the time on his ECHO, Maxwell jumped up when he saw it was already morning, if the sunlight streaming into the Break-Room wasn't enough of a hint.
He rubbed his face, still feeling the weight of incomplete sleep. He looked around one last time, the BreakRoom now felt complete. The ambient panels lit the space in warm orange hues, synchronized with Pandora's sunrise. TVs showed silent news broadcasts, arcade machines blinked their flashy lights, and the pool gave off a light steam, proof that the heating system was working.
But there was no time to rest. It was time to begin the soldiers' training.
"Time to work. Good job, boys, we'll see each other in the forge."
With one last yawn, Maxwell headed straight for the simulation chamber. He had arrived early; only Spyglass and a few Marvins were present.
Maxwell waved to Spyglass, who approached without delay.
"Am I on time? How are the preparations?"
"Cutting it close to test the selected group, sir. The first batches are scheduled to begin in twenty minutes. The system is ready to boot and calibrated for pre-Demeter Titans, as requested."
"So I missed the Gauntlet trials." Maxwell nodded, rubbing his eyes, still groggy.
"All four thousand crew members have been categorized. Approximately sixteen hundred are active combat soldiers. The rest consist of engineers, medical staff, technicians, logistics, and scientists… unfit for Pilot training."
"That's still a lot of people. How long do you think this will take?"
"All five hundred top candidates who completed the Gauntlet in under one minute will proceed to the next tests. With ninety-four simulation pods running continuously, each group takes an estimated four hours. Approximately eighteen rotations per day for six days."
"That's going to take a while." Even with his END stat near maximum, Maxwell could go at most four days without sleep.
"I have explained that your presence is not required."
"I know," he replied, cracking his neck with a dry pop. "Let's focus on the part that matters. I want to see who's going to surprise me in this first batch."
"Group one, entering now." Spyglass tilted his head slightly, interpreting the comment as approval. "Ninety-four were selected for the pilot test at a time. Each shift will be divided into two consecutive sessions."
The simulation chamber doors opened. One by one, rows of soldiers began entering.
Maxwell leaned against the metal railing, watching the flow of troops. His eyes scan the crowd until they catch two familiar faces.
Elliot, the soldier, whom he had helped at Crimson Armory. As if sensing the gaze, Elliot waved at him, pointing to his prosthetic leg with a grin and a thumbs up.
Maxwell returned the gesture with a casual wave, a smile growing on his face at the sight of Elliot having passed the Gauntlet.
Then he noticed Eris approaching.
The young woman walked with her hands behind her head, chewing gum.
"Nice view, boss!" she yelled. Eris stopped right in front of the pod before Maxwell. "Hope you're cheering for me!"
"Your squadmates made it, too?"
"Oh, come on, boss. We only fired every weapon in the arsenal and then got tossed onto a racetrack with jetpacks. Our whole squad made the top fifty." Eris seemed to remember something when the Gauntlet came up. "OH! By the way, no one beat your record; everyone thinks you cheated."
"I just used grenades to boost my launch and didn't let my momentum die," Maxwell shrugged.
"Boss… you blew yourself up with a grenade? I didn't know I was the only one with intrusive thoughts like that." Eris gave him a weird look before stepping into the simulation pod. "Hope things get more intense, though. The Gauntlet was fun."
"Careful what you wish for," Maxwell said one last time before the pod hatch sealed shut.