Chapter 40

Junior processed the forms (with help from Specialist McComb) to take some of the vacation that Martin Stevens had saved up and to sign up to compete in the Mechanized Combat Exposition in Perth, Australia, Southern Benevolent States United. The competition started in just over a week, which Dank assured Junior was plenty of time to have the bugs worked out of Firebird's systems and put her through a few test runs under conditions she was likely to encounter in the actual competition.
Dank and Trixie May, having no established schedules or responsibilities, would be able to attend and Junior had ordered Specialist McComb to be in Perth at the same time overseeing distribution of the ore. No one questioned that choice, even though no other shipment had been personally escorted by anyone from aboard the G5496.
Junior also verified that his ships were scheduled for in-system patrols for the next few months whether he was aboard or not. It seemed the Benevolent States United had planned to keep Junior and his crew as close as possible for the time being. Junior thought it communicated a lack of trust but, since the feeling was more than mutual, he tried to not take offense.
Regardless, the Benevolent States United and the Earth Prime Protection Force were in agreement that having Junior at the Perth Mechanized Combat Exposition would be good for the Faithful.
Dank continued to work every available hour on retrofitting the new equipment into Firebird's interfaces, and replacing those interfaces where compatibility was impossible or problematic.
The fusion drive tended to run a little hot in the all metal chassis, but it provided an amazingly quick charge to the capacitors.
After reviewing some documentation on the Datanet about the latest trends in Earth Prime mechanized combat, Dank replaced the slag mitts with bladed titanium striking plates sharpened to the theoretical width of an electron and fitted with Be-Esunium shards wired into the power grid on Firebird. Resistors were installed to ensure that she could pull power but not discharge it. That much voltage applied to anything, especially anything holding a living person, would not be a good thing.
Dank secured access to military grade hull paint designed to shrug off micrometeor impacts as well, and he applied a few liberally thick coats of black and touched up the gold phoenix emblem as well.
While Junior tested out the modifications on the training deck against live combatants, Dank and Trixie May monitored every available parameter through the data terminal.

Chapter Forty Interlude

File: Datanet Core Server Gamma Delta ninety-nine, Galactic Entertainment, Era: Modern -0, Index Mechanized combat, Data Compiled by Census and Ticket Sales, Perth

The Mechanized Combat Exposition in Perth is one of the largest annual technology festivals on Earth Prime. Each year, the Faithful gather to celebrate the advances in military and civilian hardware and software and to watch these technologies battle it out in the amazing Benevolent States United constructed Perth Mechanized Combat Arena.
This festival contributes over 80% of the annual tourism income to the greater Perth area. This income supplements the thriving Perth economy which is primarily based around environmentally friendly strip mining. Perth itself is a beautiful city, freed in just the last few centuries from hostile marsupials through the Harmful Animal Extermination Act of the fifteenth congressional session. The domestication of previously wasted wilderness has resulted in reclaimed lands which have been developed into Earth Prime's most prolific off-world waste removal site with over six tons of refuse launched out of system every day.

Dank looked up to see Junior churning through multiple real adversaries and several computer generated ones. McComb was shrouded in his virtual keyboard, changing tactics and armament and modifying the match conditions. A quick glance back at his own screen showed Dank that while the training deck was dry, the virtual match was taking place in a monsoon strength downpour.
Still, Junior spun Firebird in tight arcs, efficiently pitting his weapons and those of his opponents against them.
As the last virtual combatant fell to a stunning dual bladed slice across the spinal power couplings, Junior waved to where Dank and Trixie May were sitting.
"Gonna hafta touch up the arm paint again," Trixie May said as Junior walked towards them.
"I'll get that done tonight," Dank promised. He'd have to. Firebird was scheduled to ship out to Perth in the morning.
"Think she's ready?" Junior asked, sitting on the bench they had claimed during the practice session and wiping the sheen of sweat from his face with a microfiber towel.
"I think you're both ready," Trixie May replied.
"Checked out any of the competition?" Dank asked.
"Not yet," Junior replied.
"You should," Dank tapped his screen, "Some of the other Beaters have some hella weird mods."
"Like what?" Junior asked.
"Like electro-magnetic shields and graspers for two," Dank listed, "Last season Lobster here," he tapped again and the image of a hulking red, battle-scarred mechanized suit appeared, "took down two of the competition by gripping them from behind and clinging magnetically. He won by default when they couldn't break the grip to fight back."
"That don't seem hardly fair," Junior protested.
"But it is fair," Dank informed him, "There are a lot of funky mods that seem weird but are legal by the rules."
"What else?" Junior was almost afraid to ask.
"Harpoon guns, tripping cables, laser cutters and roto-saws," Dank replied.
"Damn," Trixie May said, looking over Dank's shoulder at the display.
"Yeah," Junior agreed. "Damn."