Recharging  immediate weapons battery, 31%...34%....40%...

Tao resettled in his seat uncomfortably, waiting to regain use of his sniper rifle. In the meantime, he left Unicorn’s protection to bombard a mobile suit fighting Ice with machine gun bullets. Under the combined attacks, the mobile suit soon retreated, missing an arm.

84%...88%...

Tao punched a button and Time picked up its sniper rifle again, retreating to Unicorn’s side once more.

“I’m going to need to recharge my shield battery soon, Tao,” Lay warned on his screen. “Computer says there are twelve undamaged enemy suits left, six severely damaged ones.”

“No problem,” Tao replied. “I’ve still got my regular guns left.”

On the other side of the battlefield, Chen was covering Luhan, and a blast from the latter’s beam cannon passed close by, shearing an enemy suit in half. Xiumin quickly swept in to finish it off before turning to engage a suit that was nearing Kris’s shelter.

“We could actually drive them all off,” Lay said, blasting away an enemy mobile suit. “They underestimated us.”

Tao didn’t know what to say to that.

Suddenly, Lay’s shield flickered and gave out, and he swore.

“Sorry, I should’ve warned you,” he said, leaping up to shoot at several approaching enemies.

Tao was knocked by a strong blast and went reeling. He only got his saber out in time to block a swipe at his head.

Air tank rupture.

“.”

The enemy struck out with a shorter blade in its other hand, but Tao backed away in time to evade the hit. He got out his gun, but the blasts deflected off the other’s armor.

“Are you okay, Tao?” Kris asked suddenly, his face appearing on Tao’s screen. “Computer says--”

“Air tank rupture,” Tao said, barely managing to evade the enemy’s attacks. “I’m being chased.”

“Damn, well hold on.”

A split second later, a shot of bright light narrowly missed the enemy, passing between it and Tao. Startled, it retreated straight into Chen’s striking distance and was bifurcated.

“How much time do you have left?” Kris asked.

“Computer says about an hour, at this rate.”

“Okay, try to hold on; we need you here. If worst comes to worst you’ll have to come into one of our cockpits.”

“Okay.”

…

The last mobile suit disappeared into the distance and Luhan let out a sigh of relief.

“We made it,” he said, sinking into his seat.

“We did,” Kris agreed. “How are you doing, Tao?”

“Ten minutes.”

“What happened?” Xiumin asked, concerned.

“His air tank ruptured,” Kris sighed. “Tao, dock Time with Telekinesis and get in with Luhan. We’ll have to go back like that.”

It took eight of Tao’s ten minutes to dock, climb out, and push his way to Luhan. Then they were squished uncomfortably close in Telekinesis’s cockpit and Luhan shivered at Tao’s hot breath on his sweat-soaked neck.

“What happened?” Kris asked as they flew back. “Air tanks don’t just rupture, especially for a shooting mech.”

Tao was quiet, and then he said, “I was caught off guard, and the blast caught me on my weak spot.”

“Why were you off guard?”

“My shield went off, but I didn’t warn him in time,” Lay interrupted. “It was my fault.”

There was silence.

“...you didn’t warn him in time, Lay?” Kris said finally.

“Yes.”

“It won’t happen again.” It was a statement, not a question--Luhan could hear it.

“No, it won’t,” Lay said, a tone of finality in his voice even though Luhan knew he would be killing himself on the inside.

No one spoke for a while after that, even Tao in the same cockpit. About fifteen minutes from base a friendly signal appeared on Luhan’s screen, and Suho’s voice came over the airwaves.

“What’s going on over there?” he asked. “We got a distress signal.”

“You got it right,” Kris said, “but don’t worry. All of us are fine.”

“What’s wrong with Time?” Baekhyun asked.

“Air tank rupture,” Luhan muttered under his breath. “No biggie.”

…

At the base there was chaos, and Kai’s head hurt just thinking about what had just happened.

“So let me get this straight,” Commander Lee repeated for the fourth time. “A Chinese mobile suit team with intent to kill attacked us in our own airspace, half an hour from EU territory?”

“Yes sir,” Kris said. “But it’s apparent that they severely underestimated our mobile suit capabilities.”

“And thank God they did,” the commander muttered. “We cannot risk losing a team, and we most certainly cannot risk looking weak in front of the Chinese. Ilsung-ssi, give me a rundown of the actual battle.”

“Sir,” the tactician said. “According to mission footage from Lightning and Telekinesis, enemy mobile suits appeared at about 1423 hours in direction Y9. They appear to have a new propulsion system because their mobility is estimated to be 40% above their previous capabilities. From Ice’s footage, we see that EXO-M assumed firing positions, eliminating three and damaging five of the thirty-six enemy suits. The Chinese then got too close to be fired upon any longer and EXO-M dispersed. Switching to footage from Dragon, Time, and Unicorn now, the battle raged for approximately an hour and a half before the Chinese realized they were outmatched and retreated. Exactly nine suits survived.”

“That sound about right?” Commander Lee asked.

“Yes,” EXO-M quickly agreed.

“Mission casualties, Eunsol-ssi?” the commander prompted next.

Eunsol cleared and began to read off a summary from the mechanics. “Dragon was relatively untouched, except for minimal damage to its physical shield system. Unicorn was likewise untouched but received a slash to the left leg which should be no problem. Telekinesis’s left arm was severely damaged and will need substantial work, if not replacement. Ice’s head has been loosened from its socket and several wire systems will need to be reworked. Lightning received minimal damage all over its torso and a large dent in its main shield. Time received the most damage with a ruptured air tank and substantial damage along the body.”

There was silence as the cost of battle sunk into everyone.

“Sir, I apologize for the interruption,” Lay interjected. “But why? What could be the reason for attack?”

“Who knows? In all likelihood it’s the brass’s initiative to expand operations into China. Looks like they’re not taking it well.”

“I don’t understand,” D.O. said. “That’s the UNPC’s right. We’re supposed to protect the entire world, and that includes China. Why would they attack us for doing our duty?”

The commander pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s a discussion for another day. For now, we have to send to Earth for instructions. The Chinese may very well decide to attack the base, so we will lockdown and patrols are cancelled. EXO will remain at base until we receive a statement from command. You are dismissed.”

He immediately left the room, flanked on both sides by subordinates crowding him with reports and forecasts. EXO left through the other door into the hallway of the base, talking amongst themselves.

“What was it like?” Chanyeol asked EXO-M.

Kai was eager to hear the response, but also somehow afraid of the sudden experience and wisdom EXO-M had over EXO-K.

“Messy,” Xiumin said. “Just messy.”

Kai was deeply disappointed.

…

The next few hours were a mixture of untouched ramen and jumps at every passing officer. The mechanics were working nonstop to get the mechs back in top condition in case of another attack, and the rest of the base was sending messages to the nearest UNPC bases, Earth, the Chinese, and the EU. EXO was mostly ignored as it waited in the cafeteria, one of the quietest areas of the base.

“This is really happening,” Suho muttered as they watched sheets of metals get melded onto the circuitry of Telekinesis’s stripped arm. “It’s war.”

“We don’t know that,” Baekhyun said. “Nothing’s for sure yet.”

Xiumin could disagree with that--the thunderous noise of Ice’s head being forced off still rang through his head whenever his thoughts glanced over the battle.

“Whatever,” D.O. said. “We need to be ready for the next battle. Stop thinking about what already happened and start thinking about how we’re going to beat them next time.”

“No,” Kris agreed. “He’s right; we need to focus on what’s ahead right now. Everyone just calm down.”

Silence fell. Sehun sloshed his drink nervously.

“EXO, please report to briefing room three,” a voice announced over the intercom system.

Everyone stared at each other, waiting for someone else to say something. Finally Chanyeol said:

“Guys, let’s go and see what’s going on.”

The walk to the room was long and silent, Xiumin’s mouth dry in anticipation of what would come next--maybe another battle in the crushing oblivion of space, dark and chaotic and desperate.

When they reached briefing room three and sat down, Commander Lee was already seated and waiting, wearing a grave expression.

“We have just received a statement from command from the Chinese,” he said. “I’ll read it now.

The UNPC, a military organization that claims to be separate from the two countries that supply most of its resources and members, Korea and Japan, has recently made forays into territory defined as Chinese under the Treaty of Brussels in 2076. Without stating any purpose or presenting any command from the UN, this move can be interpreted as an act of war against the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, Chinese officials are issuing this declaration of war against the UNPC and all of its constituents. We request only the withdrawal of UNPC forces from Chinese territory and the downsizing of its unreasonable military strength, disproportionate to the needs of Korea and Japan.”

The commander paused, and then said, “That, my friends, is the only declaration of war ever to be made against the UNPC and the first declaration of war made by China in fifty years.”

There was a shocked silence and then protest.

…

“How is this possible?”

“They can’t do that!”

“It’s not fair!”

“The UNPC isn’t even a country. How can they declare war against a nongovernmental organization?”

“Be quiet!” Commander Lee thundered.

It was quiet. The commander took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose again.

“To answer your question, Lay,” he said, “the United States declared a war on terrorism at the beginning of the twenty-first century. If a country can declare war on a concept, they sure as hell can declare war on an organization with physical headquarters and members.”

Lay felt sick. His stomach churned and his head pounded. All he could picture was his parents’ apartment and the streets outside, his neighbors and teachers pitted against him for a fight that wasn’t his.

“Well what do we do then?” Luhan demanded. “We can’t just sit here, can we? They’re bound to attack us again.”

“There’s nothing we can do until we receive instructions from Earth,” Commander Lee said.

“But they declared war on us!” Baekhyun protested. “We’re entitled--”

“That doesn’t matter,” the commander said. “We’re outmatched and outresourced for the moment, and throwing ourselves into a battle now would be suicide.”

“So what if it is suicide?” asked Suho. “The honorable thing to do--”

“Stop,” the commander interrupted again. “Put these thoughts of honor out of your mind, because the fact is that you will not deploy until you are ordered to. SM has invested too much in this team to have it be destroyed in its first year of operation.”

There were complaints from the team, but Lay could tell that many were relieved to not have another battle ahead, himself included. He just couldn’t handle the prospect at the moment.

…

EXO was ordered back to the dorms until further notice was given, but Sehun saw the nod Luhan gave him in the hallway and he peeled off from the larger group while they were distracted by a story Kris was telling.

The many passageways of the base made it easy for someone to disappear into them, and that’s what Sehun did, searching for the storeroom they had found on the first day. He reached it before Luhan did, so he switched on the light and sat on a crate to wait.

“Sehun?” he heard after a few moments.

He quickly opened the door and looked in both directions of the passageway. When he spotted his friend’s familiar figure he called, “Hyung!”

“Oh, I thought I was lost,” Luhan said as he entered the room and sat down. “Guess I was lucky.”

“What happened in the battle?” Sehun asked, drawing his knees up to his chin. “I never got a chance to ask you alone.”

Luhan leaned back, resting his weight on his arms. “It wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Even if you got to fight someone one on one it’s more likely that Kris or Tao would pick them off before you could finish them. It feels like cheating, but when you’re in a fight you don’t care--you just want to get the hell out of there.”

“But it’ll be different next time, won’t it?” Sehun asked. “When it’s all twelve of us?”

“That’d be great, but I don’t think it will be any different, Sehun.”

“Then what did we sign up for?” Sehun complained. “If we don’t have any say in what we do and the battles aren’t even what we were promised.”

“I don’t know,” Luhan said. “If only things were different.”

They spent a long time there just sitting and talking, but eventually they grew tired and returned to the dorms, hand in hand.

…

Chanyeol felt his mattress dip as Baekhyun forwent the ladder and climbed onto the top bunk by using the bottom one. The others had dispersed into the living room spaces around the dorms and they were alone in the sleeping room itself.

“You ready to shoot some bad guys up?” Baekhyun asked as he settled onto his bed. “I’ll keep them busy and then you’ll do the easy part and finish them off.”

“What are you talking about?” Chanyeol protested. “Any idiot can twiddle his controls around for a few minutes to distract the enemy. It takes skill to aim correctly and hit.”

“Keep on thinking that, big guy,” Baekhyun snorted. “See where it gets you.”

“A new beam weapon is where it’ll get me,” Chanyeol retorted. “Better watch out.”

“Whatever,” Baekhyun said flippantly. “Let’s just hurry up and get some action already. I can’t believe EXO-M got all the fight before us.”

“They don’t seem too happy about it,” Chanyeol pointed out. “They were all acting really weird when they came back.”

“Don’t worry; they’ll snap out of it soon enough,” Baekhyun dismissed. “Once we start getting into real battles with some older, more experienced teams, they’ll change their minds about this whole war thing.”

“We’ll see,” Chanyeol said noncommittally.

Baekhyun stuck his head over the side of the bed and glared at Chanyeol from above.

“No. You’ll see. That I’m right,” he said.

Chanyeol stuck his tongue out at Baekhyun. “Whatever, Baekhyunnie.”

…

Chen stared at the underside of the bunk on top of him and watched the battle replay in his mind. When he actually tried to recall the sequence of events, though, he found that it was a blur in his mind, where one fight couldn’t be distinguished from another and all he could really remember was slashing and parrying.

It was war. He tried to imagine what would happen next--careful negotiations for allies and then a series of grueling battles, he imagined.

The thought wasn’t appetizing. Not just because it meant more fighting, but also because of the way the whole thing had come about. An attack in the dark and a sudden declaration of war didn’t seem to be any way to start a war, any honorable way, at least. Then there was the whole issue of the Chinese’s reasons.

Who was in the right? Chen had never really considered the kind of organization the UNPC was before he had joined it; he had only considered its prestige and power. Did they have the right to expand into what was historically China’s territory. Did China have the right to suddenly retaliate?

Chen fell asleep with thoughts of justice in his mind.

…

According to the UNPC’s charter, it had the right to intervene in conflicts wherever the United Nations claimed jurisdiction. The question wasn’t whether the UNPC’s sudden forays into Chinese territory were necessary for future interventions, either, because they were necessary.

The question was whether the UNPC still fulfilled its charter’s requirements of a nongovernmental organization anymore. With so much support from Korea and Japan, an outsider might believe that the UNPC couldn’t be impartial in its interventions. The immense profits its generals reaped didn’t look too good either.

At its core the UNPC had to be an organization grounded in justice, and Kris wasn’t sure if refusing retaliation and waiting for commands from Earth fit that description.

...

Suho was getting the closest thing to sleep he would ever get as EXO-K’s leader when D.O. woke him by shaking his shoulder roughly.

“Reinforcements just arrived,” he said. “We’re supposed to travel to the main UNPC base together.”

“Who is it?” Suho asked, quickly pulling on a pair of pants and a jacket.

“We don’t know yet,” D.O. called, disappearing out the door.

When Suho arrived at the empty hangar Infinite, a team from Woollim, was supervising the storage of their mobile suits. He hurried to greet their leader, named Sunggyu, whom he remembered from training videos and organization-wide meetings.

“Suho,” he introduced himself, “EXO-K’s leader.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sunggyu said, extending a hand. “I’m Infinite’s leader, Sunggyu. We were returning to base from a reconnaissance mission when we received a message from command asking us to come here instead. The top brass on Earth is asking for all UNPC teams in space to consolidate at the main base.”

“Seems to be the case,” Suho agreed. “But how will we keep the unmanned bases?”

“I’ve heard that a single team will be deployed to each and that reinforcements will be sent as needed from the main base. Apparently we’re withdrawing from any unneeded conflict on Earth.”

“Doesn’t that seem drastic to you?” Suho frowned.

Sunggyu shrugged. “This is war.”

The last mech was stored properly and both EXO and Infinite made their way to a briefing room to wait for the arrival of two more teams.

…

Infinite, despite being a relatively new team, had proven themselves again and again both on Earth and in space, and they had become one of the UNPC’s most important teams within two years of their first deployment. Baekhyun had to admit that he was a little starstruck, and he kept asking for answers to the questions EXO-M didn’t have responses for. Luckily, Woohyun was happy to provide them.

“The worst thing you can do during a battle is narrow in on one enemy,” he said. “That’s what makes you let down your guard so someone else can kill you.”

Baekhyun nodded. “What about the best thing?”

“The best thing.... probably to avoid the battle in the first place,” Woohyun decided. “Don’t get involved when a conversation with command can prevent a misunderstanding. Don’t show yourself until you have to because when the enemy doesn’t know where you are you have the advantage.”

“That doesn’t sound like fun.”

“Battles aren’t fun, Baekhyun. We fight for justice, not for a joyride.”

Chanyeol nodded at him from across the table. Baekhyun looked away and told himself things were different in real life. For him, anyway.

…

After they had been in the briefing room for half an hour a logistics coordinator came in to give them suitcases for personal belongings (clothes would be provided at the base). While D.O. packed his few possessions he thought about how they had only been at the base a few days and they were already leaving. They hadn’t had time to get attached to the rooms or the people, and he had a feeling they wouldn’t have time to get attached at their next destination either.

“Hurry up!” the coordinator called through the open doorway. “The other two teams just arrived and are refueling.”

The call wasn’t necessary; none of them had enough things to require a long time. Sehun, who hadn’t opened his backpack since they arrived, had simply put the smaller bag inside the larger suitcase.

They were quickly ushered through the hallways of the base to the hangar, where their suitcases were handed off to a shuttle to be loaded. For the second time in twenty-four hours they pushed off into the zero gravity zone and entered their mobile suits.

When D.O. glanced outside he could see Infinite’s formation joining with the other two teams’, forming a barrier around a group of shuttles they would be escorting to the base as well. Officers and technicians were being transferred as well, but a small garrison would remain at the SM base to man the defense systems and call for help.

Within twenty minutes EXO’s formation had found its place in the larger one and its members were saying good-bye to the base. D.O. found that he didn’t miss  it.

A/N: If you are interested in this story, note that it will take a longer time to update than my other stories because each chapter encompasses twelve POV's and the story in general requires a lot of plotting. Also, if you would like to choose the teams EXO meets next, comment below. One group has already been decided, but if I get a few comments for a particular group I will use that group for the other team--if not I can pick one myself. Thank you for reading.