'MAGNETISM'
"Good luck, Pilot."
A flight marshal MRVN waved its light batons towards the loading bay, the Stryder's legs swaying and clicking as he entered the ring and prepared for Titanfall. A heavy sigh of anxiety filled the cramped cockpit of the Titan as the drop pod lit up with rows of orange lights. The worn soles of the Pilot's boots had graced the terrain of many planets during his lifetime yet after nine years in the field, he still wasn't used to the intense rush of adrenaline shooting through his veins. Every drop was like the first time and while many veteran Pilots longed again for the feeling, Kain wished he could become indifferent to it.
"All systems go, you got the green light. Titanfall ready."
Before he could open his mouth the floor pulled apart below him and they plunged into the atmosphere. His knuckles gripped the straps of his harness as his head flung backwards, body rattling as they broke through the sky. His heart raced like a hunting Prowler as the screaming wind threatened to split apart his ears. Seconds felt like minutes and before he was ready the Ronin touched down with a heavy thud. The Pilot's torso lurched forward and nearly emptied the contents of his stomach all over the Titan's ocular screen.
"Welcome back, Pilot." Came a smooth mechanical drawl. Kain sighed with a stale, unimpressed stare towards the Stryder as he sat up. He slumped into his seat and let out the breath he'd been holding since breaking orbit.
"You know, just because we've been retired for awhile doesn't mean you have to address me as 'Pilot', Z. We've got history."
A light chortle filtered through his helmet, "You've abandoned me whilst chasing pipe dreams of becoming a hero. Me calling you Pilot is more of a common courtesy than referring to you as 'asshole'."
Kain's lips twisted into a big grin as a hearty laugh rumbled through his chest. After such a hiatus from the field he had to admit it was good to hear that the machine retained his dry sarcasm. His laughter eventually died down but his smile remained as he patted the glass of the Ronin's screen,
"It's good to be back. Thank you, Zero."
"Anytime Kain."
The Ronin took a few steps before he stopped, legs jerking backwards in surprise. Kain's brows furrowed as they stood now completely still.
"Everything alright?" He inquired, his words going unanswered.
"Z, what's going on out there? Are we in danger-"
"Quiet," The machine halted him, "You'll see in a moment."
Kain swallowed dryly. Zero let out compressed air through his venting unit, his version of a deep exhale before powering the glass panels within.
"Ocular systems restored."
The man's face instantly lit up with the bright visage of peach colored sunlight and he had to shield his eyes with a hand to keep from going blind. This planet was just as new to him as it was Zero and the duo took a moment to take it all in as the raw beauty encompassing their position flooded them with as much warmth as the sun. Words slipped his mind as he sat staring out at the world with as much awe as the Titan did.
The immersive landscape spanning before them was spectacular; sweeping white pinnacles seeded with thin red maples tucked beneath low hanging clouds draped sparingly across a deep gorge hidden under an ocean of fog. The air had just the slightest tinge of sweetness as both Pilot and Titan inhaled and savored the pure silence of the wild. Typhon, they'd called it; a planet bursting with life and mystery. The IMC were up to something down in the jungle and Militia forces periodically sent spies to try and figure it out. Kain had escaped that fate several times until today which, ironically, fell on his birthday. He shook his head at the idea of dying on the same day he came into this world, let alone on some remote planet hardly anybody knew about. Lately it seemed the Universe was enjoying toying with his life a little too much. He couldn't be too mad, though; at least he'd go out with his Ronin by his side and that was something to smile about. His eyes lifted upwards as Zero pointed out something in the distance.
"Wow, would you look at that..." Kain brushed his jaw with his hand, now looking up at the scattered fragments of Typhon's moon hanging eerily above them, seemingly frozen in time in the wake of its destruction. The Titan shifted backwards as the loose rocks underfoot crumbled away and a warm gust of air pummeled them upwards from below, realizing they were sitting on a massive precipice.
Here, right now was peace. Overlooking the sky's breathtaking view felt good and the content smirk upon his face went unnoticed. Given the choice he'd much rather stay here and contemplate the meaning of life than return to his duties, but as expected it wasn't long until Zero's synthetic cough caught his attention, effectively bringing him back to reality.
"As much joy as it brings me to see your eyes light in wonder like a child, I'm afraid we have a mission to uphold."
"Hm, guess sightseeing's over then," He retorted as Zero disabled his Auto-Pilot function. Kain took over control, feeling a little more at ease now that his legs became that of a Stryder. The ground creaked underfoot as he pulled them away from the cliff's edge.
"Alright, let's get to work; what are the coordinates Corp. Karangula gave you?"
"Marking them on your HUD now. Distance; 52 kilometers, NW. May I suggest we embark North along the mapped route?"
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, buddy." His Pilot teased, the Ronin tapping his cockpit loudly with a fist in annoyance and with that they set off.
This part of Typhon hardly matched the descriptions read to him and the other Pilots aboard the ship; whereas he expected dense jungles and thickets they were suspended atop a mountainous region shrouded in clouds. Zero seemed to think he had an idea of where they were going which left Kain skeptical as to how. Regardless he opted to trust the machine, an instance that was practically non-existent years ago.
Their mission briefing wasn't very thorough; instead of having the guts to explain it face to face, his superiors chose to send Zero to relay the information to him, a shoddy cop out if he'd ever seen one. Kain and his Titan were to drop on Typhon and extract information from a marked region hidden deep in a network of valleys. Seeing as Kain had been retired for nearly six years, it seemed to have made perfect sense to his commanding officers to use him as an expendable. Given his history as a flight risk as well as being MIA for another four, he fit the role well. The success rate of completing this objective and reaching evac was horrifyingly low yet somehow they'd must have figured he'd do it. If anyone could pull this off it was Kain, for he was one of the most inexorable spirits one would be fortunate to meet in their lifetime. His story however was hardly known but as his Titan put it, 'you had to be there to witness it.'
Eleven years ago Kain was Kyle Phillips; a prospective young Pilot with far too much ambition and a dire need to make the Frontier a better place. His impulsive need to save people brought him to many a dark place but within that darkness he met ZR-1177; a refurbished Ronin without a Pilot whom would eventually become present day 'Zero'. Together they weathered the storms plaguing humanity and pushed back countless IMC forces. They were two kids so determined to set things right that they inevitably got lost along the way. It was when Kyle made a grave decision that would unfortunately rip their world apart when he decided to solo a mission on Valor-4.
It took a little over two and a half years for Phillips to return to civilization but when he did, he wasn't the same. The shame of his actions under his birth name were so despicable that he left it all behind, adopting a new alias; Kain. He'd read the stories and as he washed his sins from his bloodstained hands felt it was an appropriate punishment for himself. Ever since that day he compartmentalized his emotions and secrets, vowing to hide them from the world he nearly died to protect. The only thing he refused to hide was the fact he was eternally grateful for remaining friends with Zero, despite the horrible past he drug the Titan through. If it weren't for him, he swore he'd be lying dead drunk in a ditch back in Kuiper City.
Zero's footsteps skidded hastily across the thick sedimentary rock as the Ronin sprinted down a steep incline. The outside temperature began to drop as they began their slow descent down the side of the mountain. Clouds soon gathered at their feet as condensation began to bead upon Kain's ocular screen.
"This certainly isn't the first trek we've been on, I know, but I'd be willing to bet this is one of the strangest."
"I'd reckon so." Zero replied rather distrait, choosing to focus on keeping the visual feed clear of precipitation. The fog was pea soup thick and Kain's claustrophobia began to chew at his seams.
"You know, it's been awhile..." He exhaled quietly, leaning back into his bucket seat. He lifted his hands from the throttle and flipped an overhead switch returning full control to Zero. The Ronin paused momentarily in confusion.
"Kain? Are you feeling well?" He asked cautiously.
His Pilot removed the helmet from his head, "Why don't you take this one? Might be easier not having to wipe off your face every few seconds just so I can see where the hell we're going."
The Ronin remained silent for a good long moment, presumably deep in thought. Nevertheless he proceeded to the route, skirting through the thick haze much quicker than Kain did.
"Thank you." Came a soft, grateful reply. Kain smiled.
"Anytime Z."
He clasped both hands in front of him as he lie back, closing his eyes. With 45 kilometers remaining and a long road of unknown terrain before them, he figured he would let Zero tackle it while he got some sleep. Through the years he'd become accustomed to it and slept best in a cramped Titan chassis.
- "Phillips!"
The man dared not move. Shrapnel shot through the air as exploding mortar shells cracked above him. His eyes glassed over, the impact of the concrete slabs slowly crushing his twisted limbs. The ringing in his ears drowned out the battle about him and he lie motionless, completely devoid of life. Militia grunts tore through the rock holding him hostage and eventually freed him yet it didn't matter, only a singular thought encompassed his mind at this point; the face of the one person he'd come to count on and slowly began to trust had inevitably killed him.
"Come on, we've got to get him to evac; he's the only Pilot we've got left."
Hurried footsteps and what felt like ten pairs of arms engulfed him as he slowly closed his eyes, accepting his defeat. -
An abrupt jolt woke him and the harness now choking him sent him coughing. Wiping his eyes as he regained his breath he tapped on the screen,
"How are we doing, Z?"
"We are close. Do not worry." The Titan reassured him. Kain grimaced slightly, something in his gut putting him off about their current situation. The red beacon usually displayed at the upper right corner of the Titan's sonar visualizer had now gone dim and Kain's stomach slowly began to sink into a pit of worry.
"Zero, where'd the radar go?"
"Radar inactive to preserve auxiliary battery life."
That was hardly the answer he'd been expecting. The Titan's persona now seemed rather, odd..
"Okay, so how many clicks until we hit our mark?"
"19 kilometers."
"Oh, wow," He sighed, the hair on the back of his neck beginning to prickle, "How long was I out for?"
"Around 49 minutes."
Zero's tone was far too nonchalant for Kain's liking. That, and the fact they were making stupid good time despite this being their first drop on the foreign planet set off alarm bells in his head. Zero's navigation through the alien terrain was much too precise for this to be coincidence. Kain kept his eyes fixated on the black screen as his lips parted, hating the fact that he couldn't keep faith in the machine.
"Z, this doesn't add up." He barked. The Titan's stride quickly slowed to a slow padding, the AI attempting to further what was starting to look like a diversion,
"Corporal's orders. We have our directive." He tried to reassure his Pilot, but Kain wasn't having any of it.
"Corporal's orders? Since when did a grown up Grunt start dictating what we do? I'd like to see Jed come down here and fish through this shit on his own."
The Titan wanted to correct him, but felt it was best to bite his tongue.
"Zero, what the hell are we even doing here? I know we are supposedly scouting but something about all of this just feels...off."
He placed his hand gently against his screen, "I know deep down you're thinking it, too."
The Ronin lowered the Leadwall in his hands as he came to a stop. Kain had struck something within him and continued to slowly worm it out of him,
"I'm not mad - not at you anyway. If you know anything, Z, I wanna hear-"
Zero interjected sharply, disappointment in his voice, "-perhaps you don't."
Kain shut his mouth. It was transparent now that Zero was hiding something. The Ronin knew he'd find out eventually and rather than continue to hide the truth decided to do the right thing.
"Please put on your helmet- I have information that has been withheld from you and I would prefer if we spoke about it face to face."
The Pilot slowly nodded, doing as he was told. The Ronin's chest hissed as his hydraulic doors folded open, revealing Typhon's atmosphere to Kain. In an instant his visor was dusted with water droplets as an icy breeze rattled him to the bone. Zero knelt down as Kain slowly rose from his seat, wiggling free from his harness straps. His feet made a dampened crunch onto the rock below as he jumped from the cockpit, wiping his helmet before looking into Z's blue eye with concern. An eerie silence filled the air making any sort of movement echo about them and for the first time in a long time, Kain was genuinely scared.
The Ronin was the first to break the silence, "I may have twisted the truth a little," he began, "I felt I had little choice in the matter."
Kain's hands quickly rolled into fists. The thought of anyone forcing Zero against his will made his blood boil. After everything his best friend had to endure -no thanks to him- it was understandable that he became a little overprotective of the towering machine.
"What do you mean? Little choice in the matter - Who did it. Tell me, Z; who the hell put you up this?"
Kain's reaction was explosive; his aggressive tone brought back many an unfriendly memory and the Titan promptly shut down, diverting his stare elsewhere on the horizon -if one existed where they were at. His Pilot snapped his fingers, drawing the Ronin's attention back to him,
"Come on, just tell me. You aren't going to catch any shit for it- if anything, I'll be reaming out whoever sent us down to this shithole tenfold, understand? Just give me a name."
Zero simmered in silence, tapping his fingertips nervously along his Leadwall. Perhaps Kain wasn't ready to hear the truth. He hated lying to his best friend but in a situation as fragile as this, it was a necessary protocol. Time was said to heal all wounds and was something that would be put to the test.
Kain took a deep breath, exhaling audibly as he dispelled his anger. Titan AI's were rather sensitive towards their Pilots and Zero was no exception. If he were to get him to to talk again it wouldn't be by force. He placed a reassuring hand on his wet chassis and locked eyes with him, now speaking through their neural link,
"Come on, buddy. It's going to be okay. Who sent us here?"
Zero wished he could frown, his voice filled with a heavy sadness,
"She did." Came a calm admission.
The man took a step back, puzzled. "What? Who?"
Zero exhaled through his venting again, forcing himself to make eye contact with Kain. In a flat tone as if reading off a script, he relayed the exact transmission responsible for bringing them here. He droned off a string of numbers that instantly made his human's blood run cold.
- TRANSMISSION RECEIVED
/request denied/
/denied/
/override -complete/
-start/
-Recently I peered back into the void where you once stared back. I realize everything now- I should have listened. This is the only place in the galaxy I feel safe enough to contact you again. Should this reach you and you have a change of heart, I'll be waiting.
-a ghost
ORIGIN; Quadrant 17-B; 27.170529,-17.171228, TYPHON -
Kain felt his entire body go numb. Zero's hand scooped him up before he fell over, setting him down in his palm. The man stared at his feet and the Ronin spoke to him through their neural link,
"Kain. I'm sorry."
He could but shake his head softly, "No. You have nothing to be sorry for."
"But this- I knew it was for you, it had to be. It had to-"
"Please, stop." He put up a hand, the Titan recoiling slightly. He needed a minute to process the information that was just filtered in through his ears. His stomach churned yet his heart began to burn again. Zero must have picked up the wrong transmission aimed for the wrong person, he had to of; there was no possibility in hell or space that could precedent this being real. Perhaps he was still asleep, safe and sound aboard the Ifrit and awaiting his next mission. The tears beading at his eyes told him otherwise and he shut them closed, forcing down his emotions and drawing out a single one; anger.
Kain laughed for a second before blinking away the wetness. If he didn't believe in it then it didn't exist.
"Oh, Z," He gently rubbed his chest with a cold tone, "Got me good there."
The Titan stared at him quizzically; he wasn't sure if his words had broke him or if the man had just become possessed.
"I am not lying to you, Kain. This isn't some sort of sick joke," Zero tried, feeling rather saddened that his Pilot would think he would be as cruel to make light of a devastatingly traumatic event. Still the human laughed through his apparent pain, crossing his arms.
"It has to be, bud. Because there's no way, no fucking way she's still alive."
