IMC VIDEO MESSAGE REPLAYED.
Name: Taisuke Langley Soryu.
Rank: Private First Class.
Serial: 000BFH0008ME008
Unit: 47th Infantry Division.
The screen brights up to reveal a teenager, about 18 years old, standing in front of the screen. In the background is soldiers doing their daily patrols and titans stationed in the background. Most are either Scorch and Legion while a Northstar passes by them. The teenager is wearing white military clothes and black gloves alongside an ammo vest. Sitting on top of an ammo box is his IMC standard helmet.
"Is it on? Can I start? Okay." Taisuke straightens his posture and breathes out. He holsters his rifle on his back and adjusts his voice.
"Hey older sister, its me, Taisuke. Bet you didn't notice me with this IMC stuff on. I know its tactically questionable but from what I heard-white is the color that adapts to a lot of things. Maybe I'll cover it in dirt and stuff. Hey don't tell mom about this but the food here is pretty awesome, its like gourmet compared to the frontier stuff we got..." He makes a brief laugh and walks about.
"Anyway, I'm being put into infantry of the IMC...Look, I'm not doing this because of the money. I feel we can expand more and innovate the frontier. I'm mean look at earth and the other core planets and look back at ours. We have tractors for god sake! So...Just doing my doing! Tell mom I'll stay out of trouble this time. And yes, I heard your advice to keep away from those corrupt douchebag soldiers. Anyway, I'll be safe in this base. No fighting or anything. I'll keep it low and not go off on some stupid adventure for gold treasure or anything. Not gonna taken on the IMC army on my own, not playing the hero. The IMC is one great big machine big sis, you won't hear me on the paper or database." Taisuke stands still.
"Hopefully, I'll see you all pretty soon. Goodbye." He waves his hand as the video ends. Watching it is corporal Asuka Langley Soryu of the Militia. She is wearing a red shirt with an ammo vest on it alongside green cargo pants. Near her is an R201 assault rifle. She is sitting on her bed as she is watching it in her room. Its an ordinary room with a TV on it and computer. The video she is watching has been uploaded five years ago. The tides are turning for the militia...Good for them and bad for her. Taisuke is one of the IMC...And she must be get him back. This war isn't worth dying or fighting for him...Luckily, she made friends in the militia. One pilot Misato Katsuragi of the titan known as RK-4549 and since she was her next door neighbor and family friend, she was easily convinced that Asuka wanted pilot training so Misato took her under her wing. She knew how to designate the mercenaries and outlaws here in the militia so she keeps close to Misato and her other neighbor and childhood friend Shinji who is a rifleman.
Asuka pulls out database of all IMC soldiers in the planet they are orbiting known as Harmony, her home planet. She got them from an intelligence officer who is her uncle. Taisuke is listed since he was transferred after the battle of Demeter which he didn't participate since he was in another area at the time and evacuated alongside many IMC personnel on the planet. Apparently it was because that he was guarding an IMC official, the PR guy they said. The news comes up causing Asuka to turn to see the battle of Flumen or at least, the first attack on Flumen. The planet is an arctic planet that is an IMC facility in of itself entirely...Her eyes widen.
"Despite heavy fighting due to the conditions of the planet, general Marder had ordered an orbital strike to end the chaotic battle thus causing major losses on both sides of the 47th rifle division and invading Militia forces. There has been word of a survivor, two-hundred survivors on both sides but out of privacy, we refuse to mention their names at the moment. General Marder has not said any response to the criticisms that labeled this as the worst battle in the history of the war. This is Thomas McCord, reporting live."
Days prior, Flumen.
Private Wynad Everett of the IMC looks down on his devotion machine gun that has a good couple ammunition on it. The frosty wind roars in the background as small pricks of snow and frost splash on his helmet. Near him is an IMC soldier dragging his dead comrade causing him to look at the sight. The soldier barely has any legs at all leaving a trail of blood on the snow. His shock is caught off guard by his best friend who taps him by the shoulder.
"We need to hold this ground! Stay in position!" His friend, Geoff Hargrove said as he readies his volt submachine gun. They take cover behind some kind destroyed vehicle of some sort as the blizzard is dying down revealing the enemy positions causing them to prepare their weapons.
"Here they come! Open fire!" Geoff ordered causing Everett to load his machine gun. The militia forces appear into vision causing him to fire his weapon as the fire rate begins to go up causing massive casualties around them. The gun is basically their wall to pin the militia forces down but like all good things, it must come to an end. The bullets in the magazine run out causing Wynad to reload. Geoff fires his assault rifle after his old weapon ran out.
"Stand your ground-" He is suddenly shot in the throat and falls near Wynad catching him off guard causing him to gun down the incoming militia soldier who did that. The devotion rips through the crowd of soldiers...Suddenly, something sharp hits Wynad. He could feel burning causing him to look down to see that he has been struck by a fire star. He tries to get it off him but he is being slowly turned into a human firecracker as Wynad gives out a high pitched scream before falling on the ground dead.
Meanwhile, corporal Josh Ryan gets on the heavy machine gun and opens fire on more of the militia forces. The blizzard is giving him a hard time to see but he can make out shapes that are shooting at them. He moves to the left as his fellow soldier signals him that an enemy is nearby causing him to gun him down. Josh moves to the right as an enemy almost hits him in the head but he ducks and returns fire. IMC troopers rise up from their foxholes and start fighting the Militia forces only for a titan to come out of nowhere and stomps on all of them. Josh focuses fire on the titan but it pulls out its X0-16 machine gun and destroys his machine gun sending Josh flying. He gets up and picks up an EVA-08 shotgun.
"They're coming in!" A soldier yelled causing Josh to cock it and open fire. He shoots two of them in the face and another in the stomach...Suddenly, a bullet whizzes through his head killing him. Out of the smoke is a pilot armed with a smart pistol.
"We're clear!" He yelled before being lifted by his titan. In another area, sergeant Oscar McCormick readies his R201 assault rifle as his men make it out of the trenches as their urgent walking turns into running. Blasts surround them as they run while shooting at incoming militia soldiers. He rifle butts an incoming soldier and pins him on the ground while punching him in the face. Oscar looks up to a pilot shoot a grapple gun at him causing him to be dragged and punches in the face snapping his neck in the process.
The drop pods nearby land into their designated area. Among them is private first class Taisuke Langley Soryu who is covering his view because of the snow and gunfire but a soldier pushes him on the ground and keeps running. Taisuke gets up while trying to endure the slippery snow and gives a brief cough since a little bit of snow went into his throat. He picks up his volt submachine gun and starts firing but misses at the same time. He can hear general Marder on the coms.
"Sir, militia forces are swarming us!" A soldier yelled.
"Hold the line!" Marder replied.
"We can't, our titans aren't doing anything against there's! Where's the Apex Predators!?" The soldier answered back. Suddenly, a northstar titan hovers and guns down two titans heading towards them while another which is a red and yellow ion titan shoots one in the cockpit. Another titan, this time a black and pink vanguard titan appears beside them preparing a large sword to cut one in half. It pulls out a lead-wall shotgun while blocking shots from incoming titans in the area.
"Boss! This is Slone! I'm here with Viper and Mari, the bugger was right, there is too many of them!" Slone said while firing her rifle.
"Dammit! Fallback now! There is always a next time, let the frost and cold kill them!" Blisk replied on the radio.
"But there's still soldiers! We can't just leave them!" A pilot said.
"Forget it, they're dead weight!" Blisk spat back. The ion and northstar run off while the vanguard remains gunning down some titans along the way.
"Mari, get out of there now! Marder's loosing patience, he'll unleash an orbital strike any minute now!" Blisk warned.
"This is Mari of the Apex Predators! General Marder is planning an orbital bombardment of IMC and Militia forces, everyone get out now!" Mari warned causing Blisk to groan in annoyance. IMC troopers fall back as Taisuke helps them out then continues onward to help more soldiers out into safety. Suddenly, something grabs him and throws him on the ground. He looks up to see a militia soldier who raises his rifle...Taisuke quickly hears a large booming sound causing him to signal the soldier. The soldier turns around to see a fireball heading towards them.
Taisuke's vision is filled with darkness now...But there is a sign that he is still alive. He could still feel the snow on his face giving him a notification that he is alive and well. Taisuke opens his eyes and coughs then gets up...All around him is death and destruction. It was in that moment he knew, he knew signing up for the IMC was a mistake. Bodies of militia and IMC soldiers scatter the ground, parts of titans sprawled everywhere like lego parts. He thought he died and went to hell in that moment. His first day on the job.
He looks around a little...And turns to see a surviving militia trooper causing Taisuke pull out his smart pistol while the trooper pulls out his B3 Wingman revolver. Taisuke breathes heavily as the air exposes his breath alongside the pilot. Both battered and close to fainting on the ground...Who dies here? Will it matter? Questions flow into their minds and come up with one simple answer: It doesn't matter. This wasn't worth it. Realizing their futility, Taisuke and the trooper stand down. He turns his back and they walk into separate directions. Taisuke limps because the damage he got on his leg while huffing...
The same vanguard titan arrives and guns down an surviving militia soldier who was aiming his rifle at Taisuke. The cockpit opens to reveal the pilot, Mari, herself. She is wearing a standard grapple gear armor that is colored in black and pink.
"Soldier, can you hear me? Is anyone okay? Do you need medical attention?" Mari asks.
"...My leg hurts. I can walk but it hurts..." Taisuke replied as Mari grabs his arm and holsters it over her.
"Alright, lift your leg up, we'll be heading back to base...The names Mari." She introduced herself.
"Taisuke, Taisuke Langley Soryu."