The ground was wet and cold, cement, and it shook fiercely every time one of the AC's fighting in the distance would fall.

"Get over here! I need help, this one is going crazy!" Yelled a newly recruited AC pilot.

The massive 9-Ball unit flew overhead and shot a round from it's grenade launcher at the young pilot's ac, trying to decapitate it and kill the pilot, as it was programmed to do.

"Ezekiel, what's your status, are you okay?" Shouted an older, much more experienced pilot, Star Runner, as he dropped his 3rd 9-Ball unit.

"I'm hit, I'm hit! Sliver's left leg is totally gone, mobility status at 30 percent! I'll be taken down in no time, I need your help now!" Replied a now panic-stricken Ezekiel.

The 9-ball unit hovered in front of Ezekiel's AC, Sliver, and lowered it's plasma cannon, ready to strike the defenseless AC with a final blow.

"Hold on, I'm coming, use your over boost function to get out of the way!" Screamed Star Runner.

Ezekiel quickly moved his sweaty, bloody leg towards the over boost activator and hit it calmly with massive force.

"9-Ball this you asshole." Ezekiel shouted as the over boost kicked in and the AC was hurled forward.

Thinking quickly, he pushed the right arm fire button on the panel and Sliver drew back it's parry blade.

Just coming in range, the blade struck with such massive force, the core of the 9-Ball unit flew out behind it and a splash of water came from the crippled Sliver's right arm. It laid it's arm down and Ezekiel collapsed in the cockpit, obviously exhausted from going through hell and back in one day.

The young boy woke up in the ER, inside Global Cortex, the so-called 'Raven's Nest', with a cast on his leg and arm. A man with a small, neatly shaved mustache and goatee approached the bed Ezekiel was laying on, limp, and stared down at him.

"That was some piloting kid, I couldn't be more impressed with you. I'd really like it if you would accompany me to the Raven's Ball tonight, I'd like to introduce you to someone very important that I think you would like to meet." Mumbled Star Runner with a grin on his face.

"Thank you sir, but I'm not sure I'll be fit to go in the condition I'm in. My leg is shot, and my left arm is next to useless." Replied Ezekiel with an unsure look in his eyes.

"I've already checked with the doctor and we can take you downstairs in a matter of hours. We'll have to get you a wheel chair of course, but the effort will be well worth it. I'll talk to you later, but for now, get some rest, you need it." And with that, Star Runner disappeared from the room without a trace of even being there.

Ezekiel sat up in the bed, followed by a short sigh of pain and though to himself about who Star Runner was talking about and why those 9-Ball units were on top of that hill, guarding it, as if there were a grave secret to hide beyond it.

"It was a simple reconnaissance mission, why would they be there? Why did they attack me? And why did Star Runner show up right as they commenced their assault? I need to have these questions answered." He mumbled.

Ezekiel ripped the cast from his leg and groaned. He stood up and took a minute to get used to standing on his feet. He then walked over to the little wooden wardrobe in the corner and opened the door, looking for his jacket. He was headed to the AC hanger, and then, the battle site.