The Mech Touch novel Chapter 1651

Chapter 1651 Bentheim's Strength

The Bentheim System had never come under attack by an external enemy since the Bright Republic colonized it. It shone as the brightest and most valuable jewel of a state that had endured frequent aggression.

That did not mean that Bentheim never saw violence. On the contrary, the gangs and influences that made up Bentheim's lucrative economy constantly warred for supremacy.

These underground conflicts rarely bothered average Bentheimers as the conflicts all took place in the more remote parts of the planet. The Bentheim Planetary Guard helplessly allowed these gang wars to occur, knowing that the collateral damage would grow much worse if they intervened!

Aside from the underground organizations competing over turf, the greatest threat to Bentheim had always been the Bentheim Liberation Movement.

Founded by disgruntled locals who objected to the central government's penchant of raiding their planet's coffers to support the rest of the state, the BLM violently advocated for independence.

Due to the huge proportion of wealth being stolen right in front of their eyes, many locals supported the seperatist organization.

The BLM received much sympathy and support, so much so that they had been able to come back time and time again each time the authorities struck a huge blow!

Not only that, but the terrorist attacks they perpetrated always resulted in a huge amount of death and property damage!

Their indiscriminate attacks turned their organization into a very polarizing existence. Most of the lower classes on Bentheim supported their cause, while the more well-off citizens hated their guts.

To the latter, the central government's decision to grant a complete blanket amnesty to the BLM sat very poorly with them! Every single rebel received a second chance, including the masterminds responsible for planning attacks that harvested thousands of lives, many of which were local Bentheimers who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time!

"I'll never give them! Once a murderer, always a murderer!"

Captain Melinda Larkinson gritted her teeth as her modified Desolate Soldier sortied out of one of the Planetary Guard's combat carriers.

As much as she wanted to turn her mech against her former enemies, she knew better than to disobey orders. She was a Larkinson, after all. This was no place to settle her private grudges.

"Keep up, men!" She commanded her lagging subordinates. "Don't show any weakness in front of the scum!"

No Bentheimer expected their first external enemy to be the alien sandmen. Everyone believed that the star system would face its first true opponent in the form of the ambitious Vesians.

Each and every war between the Bright Republic and the Vesia Kingdom always revolved around Bentheim. The latter tried so hard to take it over and they came closer than ever to achieving this dream a few years ago.

Bentheim had always been prepared to repel their expected invaders. Due to Bentheim's immense importance, it was one of the most protected star systems in the Bright Republic.

Even while the situation at the front worsened with each passing day, the Mech Corps insisted on stationing entire mech divisions in space and on land!

No matter how many sandmen fleets came to batter the economic center of the state, the Mech Corps was fully prepared to defend the pivotal star system to the death!

If that wasn't enough, the Starfighter Corps and the auxiliary forces in charge of running the abundant amount of defensive platforms pitched in as well.

All of the branches of the military invested significantly in fortifying this pivotal star system.

Losing Bentheim would spell the end of the Bright Republic!

Fortunately, the military wasn't alone in defending Bentheim.

Along with the Planetary Guard, the vigorous private sector outfits largely answered the call, not that they had much choice. Through multiple means, the authorities compelled every outfit and security company that had sat out the initial stages of the Sand War to defend their home planet.

In addition to these somewhat respectable outfits, a large amount of 'irregular' forces deployed as well.

These consisted of the rag-tag street gangs that formed the bottom rung of Bentheim's underground community to the more impressive organizations such as the Blood Claws.

Sadly for Melinda, the former cells of the Bentheim Liberation Movement also made an appearance.

Part of the deal called for the pardoned rebels to fight the sandmen. The government officials, in their infinite wisdom, decided that the best way to motivate the BLM into action was to assign them to protect their own homes!

As a consequence, a substantial chunk of mechs deployed in this part of the Bentheim System formerly belonged to the BLM!

Many of the mechs looked just as shabby and disorganized than before. Melinda's eyes itches as she beheld the familiar coatings and markings on their exterior.

If it was in the past, she would have engaged the BLM mechs without any hesitation!

Now, she was under strict orders to avoid any aggressive moves against the rebels. They were allies, now. For better or worse, they had to lay down their swords against each other.

Time passed as entire screens of mechs and starfighters deployed the meet the incoming enemy.

The Mech Corps smartly positioned the mech forces of the Bentheim Liberation Movement far away from the Planetary Guard. With plenty of private outfits in between, no friction should have taken place.

Her mech received a private comm call. Though it was not really proper for her to accept it, this was an exceptional situation.

"Melinda." A projection of Raella's face emerged.

"Raella. You're a part of this battle as well?"

"I would never miss out on this party!" The Blood Captain grinned. "This will be a battle for the history books."

"I'm not so sure about that. The combined sandman fleet we're about to engage isn't enough to penetrate Bentheim."

"Details, details. Don't die on me, Melinda. I like you too much to see you gone."

"You too. Good luck and good hunting."

They kept their conversation short as this was no time to chat. Exchanging a few words was enough to warm Melinda's heart and steel herself for the battle to come.

"No sandman will ravage Bentheim on my watch." She muttered. "The tragedy of Sydney Superior will not happen again!"