Britannian Facility, Exact Location Unknown—Somewhere in West Africa
30 Years after The Demon Emperor Lelouch's Assassination
Hassid looked out at the dark world around him, feeling a warm breeze wisp through his short, black hair. The sun was nearly beneath the horizon now, and lights were flickering on all over the compound. Hassid could see over some of the two story-buildings, but many others rose to be at least ten stories high. Hassid could accomplish this height by standing on the open cockpit of his Knightmare, a standard issue Sutherland.
Hassid looked to his left where his partner, Jeremy, was sitting his pilot's chair with his own cockpit also open to the fresh air. It was a slow night on guard duty, as usual. No one knew where this Britannian facility even was, let alone attack it. Guarding it was actually an easy job. Hassid enjoyed using battlefield technology without having to really be in a battle. He didn't consider himself a soldier; he had never seen much action. The one time he had fought, he had nearly killed himself and fifteen of his fellow soldiers. He did, however, follow orders well. His superiors had sent him to the facility to work as a guard. To them, it was getting rid of a troublesome novice. To Hassid—it was a dream job.
There was a beeping noise from Jeremy's cockpit. He kicked forward and hit one of the computer screens inside of his Sutherland. The beeping ceased instantly.
"Stupid piece of crap," Jeremy grumbled, "It keeps telling me that I need to change my sakuradite."
"Maybe you should do that." Hassid quipped.
"No, I checked it the first time it beeped and it was fine." Jeremy looked over to Hassid, smirking at the sight of his olive-skinned partner standing majectically over his Knightmare. "What we really need to do is upgrade to something better. Sutherlands are ancient."
Hassid considered Jeremy's statement and figured it was true. The Sutherlands were at least thirty years old, and since the facility was so out-of-the-way for much of anything, tune-ups were very rarely an option. Thirty years ago, new Knightmare models were produced almost annually. But ever since the death of the Demon Emperor, the world had taken a much different turn.
Money used to be spend on war efforts and new weapons, but now money went torwards solving problems such as poverty, hunger, and advancing the comfort of humanity. Many people said the world was a better place, and for while, it was. It wasn't soon after, however, that nations began fighting once again. Britannia remained an empire, albeit a much more democratic one, and the United Federation of Nations become the second largest world power. Both powers were peaceful for a few years, but now their relationship was shaky, at best. The European Universe kept their land, but they refused to believe that the Britannian Empire was now a non-violent nation. The EU fought of the remaining Britannian forces on the continent of Europe, and now the EU was not only the third world power—but also the bully of the world. Other countries were still free-standing, but the most prosperous of those nations was Japan. Japan profited from their rich deposits of sakuradite, selling it to any nation that would buy. Since every power on the planet needed the fuel, Japan became a rich country. It was now considered a "second Eden," despite the fact that it was the sight of the Black Rebellion and constant bloodshed when the Black Knights opposed Britannian rule.
Given the horrid wars that broke out thirty years ago, policies between powers and nations were much more diplomatic, with the exception of the EU. Weapons and warfare were not prioities anymore. A new mass-production Knightmare model had not been produced for thirty years. Knightmares were still made and sold, but no new advances were made for wide-spread use.
Hassid could understand Jeremy's frustration. However, the Sutherlands were operating perfectly, and it would keep the two men alive in a fight.
A loud boom and deep vibration shook the Knightmares, causing Hassid to slide down into the pilot's chair. He looked over to Jeremy again. His partner was bracing the sides of the chair, trying not to fall out of the exposed cockpit.
"What the hell was that?" Hassid demanded.
A beeping noise in his own Sutherland gave him the answer.
"The facility is being attacked." The familiar voice of Hassid's captain told every Knightmare in the area. "Rally together and prepare for a battle."
Jeremy was already reentering his Sutherland, the back half of his cockpit sliding into the main frame of the mech. Hassid pressed a few buttons on a control panel, and his chair hissed and he was emerged into the cockpit. The only light was the glow from his controls once the cockpit was fully closed. He strapped himself into the chair and placed his hands on two throttles. Three screens in front of him showed the world outside of his Sutherland, acting as windows.
"We're being attacked?" Jeremy's voice came into the cockpit. "How?"
"I was wondering that myself." Hassid's voice cracked. A sick feeling was rumbling his stomach. The last time he was in a battle, he had been demoted. How could he possible fend off attackers with any kind of skill? Nevertheless, Hassid pushed forward on the throttles and the Landspinners attached to the Sutherland's feet began screeching. The Knightmare was propelled forward, and Jeremy followed in his own. Hassid and Jeremy raced through the compound, trying to find the source of the alert.
It wasn't long until Hassid saw explosions behind one of the buildings nearly a mile ahead of him.
"I've got hostiles up ahead!" Hassid announced, though he saw nothing but smoke and flames.
"We're going in hot!" The captain barked back. "We've already lost five Sutherlands!"
"Five?" Jeremy exclaimed, mirroring Hassid's own fear. "How many hostiles, sir?"
"No idea." The captain replied. "I'll get a good look in about five seconds, though."
Hassid pressed a few buttons, and his Sutherland raised a machine gun that it held with both hands. This gun could rip through most Knightmares, but aiming it was another thing entirely.
"Two more down!" A voice cried out on the radio. "I can't even see what we're dealing with! My guess is—" the voice was silenced by static.
Hassid rounded a corner and Jeremy followed. They were about a minute away from the carnage. Since the captain was not speaking, Hassid figured that he was locked in combat. Or he could already be dead.
"One hostile!" The captain shouted. "We're dealing with one hostile!"
One? Hassid's mind was reeling. How could one assailant rip through so many other Knightmares?
Hassid and Jeremy rounded another corner. They were met with scene of gunfire and flames, Sutherlands wheeling around in a death dance while destroyed units lay on the group in heaps. Hassid began working his fingers across several buttons, trying to get a lock on his enemy. The rest of the Sutherlands were firing sparking bullets at a single target, but their aims were always changing.
"The target is not in a Knightmare!" The captain reported. "The target is a free-moving person, I repeat—free-moving!"
"What?" Hassid cried out loud. One Knightmare destroying so many others was a feat, but doing it without any vehicles was nearly impossible.
"You've got to be kidding me." Jeremy breathed.
One of the fighting Sutherlands exploded and crumbled to the ground. A dark figure jumped from the shoulder into the air just as the Knighmare burst into flames and scrap metal. Hassid got a lock on the figure and opened fire. His effort was no good. The target was too fast, and he simply fired out into air.
Jeremy opened fire as well, but he also missed. Hassid and Jeremy moved closer. The sick feeling in Hassid's stomach made him want to throw up. Once they were in close enough range to the battle, the two guards kept in constant motions so as to keep track of the target. From what Hassid could now see, the target was a tall figure who wore some sort of cloak. The first thought that entered Hassid's mind was Zero, the symbolic hero that had freed Japan and the world from the evil Britannian Empire. However, Zero was now a governor of Japan and willing ally of Britannia. Something didn't add up.
Another Sutherland exploded, causing Hassid to flinch. How was the target pulling this off? Hassid opened fire on the figure once more, but he missed again as the target lept over to another Sutherland. He destroyed that one as well, and hopped over to third one. At this point, Hassid and Jeremy were having such trouble keeping an aim on the figure that they were practically firing blindly.
The Sutherland that the figure was now clinging onto had a red stripe painted diagonally across its chest, telling Hassid that it was the captain. The Knightmares arms were flailing around madly, trying to smack the figure off of its armor.
"Assistance!" The catpain bellowed. "I need some damn help!"
Jeremy opened fire once more, and bullets sparked off of the Surtherland's armor. Hassid, however, froze up. If he fired on the target, than he would hurt the captain was well, just as Jeremy was doing. The target remained unscratched and jumped off of the captain's Sutherland as it exploded.
"Captain!" Hassid shouted.
The target landed on Jeremy's Surtherland.
"Damn it!" Jeremy was afraid. "He's on me now!"
Hassid turned with his Sutherland and got another lock on the figure.
"I don't want to hit you!" Hassid said.
"Forget it!" Jeremy yelled. "Just kill the bastard!"
Hassid sighed, hesitating for moment. The hesitation seemed to be all that the figure needed. He leaped into the air once more as Jeremy and his Sutherland exploded with a cloud of fire and smoke. The figure was sailing in the air towards Hassid now, and the soldier tensed up. He didn't even open fire.
But he refused to let the assailant best him. Reaching under one of the control panels, Hassid pulled out a pistol. He watched through his viewscreens as the figure landed on his shoulder. He could see the figure perfectly through the right side screen. He was tall, at least six feet, and wore a black cape. But that was not the most distinguishing feature. Covering the person's face was a mask with squinty black eyes and an emotionless mouth. There was no nose to speak of, but odd symbols were carved all over it.
Hassid ignored the strangeness of the figure's appearance and pressed a button. His chair slid backwards as the cockpit opened. Through the viewscreens Hassid saw the figure produce a glowing purple object—a sakuradite explosive. When the cockpit was fully open, Hassid stood so that he could see the figure clearly. He was on the right shoulder of Hassid's Sutherland, pressing a button on the explosive he carried. Hassid leveled the pistol with the figure just as his attacker's mask looked toward his direction.
Hassid fired twice but the figure ducked just as he did so. The figure then jumped, throwing the explosive down while he sailed slowly through the air towards safety. Hassid also jumped as his Sutherland was blown to several different, fiery pieces. He landed hard on the ground with a grunt. He held the pistol firmly and began to search for his attacker once more.
There were no other Knightmares in the area, and the amassed flames provided more light than what Hassid needed. The figure was directly ahead of him; staring at him. The figure was now brandishing a gleaming purple sword in his right hand. He now gripped it with both. The figure charged.
Hassid fired three times at the figure, but each time the figure dodged his bullets. By time Hassid was about to fire a forth time, his attack was one him. With one slice of the blade Hassid's chest was slashed open and the gun knocked from his hands. He fell to the ground, coughing up blood and unable to breathe. He looked up at the flames licking the dark night sky and wondered if he ever really had a chance against such a fast opponent.
The figure stood over him and crouched down. He studied Hassid for a moment.
"And now, child of war, you shall show me my pathway." The figure said.
One of the mask's squinty black eyes slid open, revealing a quite human eye with gray irises. In the man's eye the shape of a hawk began to glow. It glowed with a blue light, and when the wings flapped a sudden wave of energy washed over Hassid.
And then the world went completely black.
That's it for the first part of the series. Part Two should come soon. Tell me how you like it, what you didn't like, and some of your theories of where you think the story will go. Who knows—I might want to use your idea! Thanks, guys.