YorHa Type A No.2
"-Move out!-" T30-N sounded the order across the network and the convoy started moving. C41-N reviewed their objectives as it began moving in step with the others. The supplies in the vehicles were needed at an entrenched position on the other side of the forest. It had been a extraordinarily long time since the last assault by the YorHa that the machine forces had managed to set up fortified positions throughout the region, to be ready for when the android warriors came again. But even with the break in hostilities an escort had still been assigned to the ponderously slow transport vehicles. While strategic decisions came through the Network the T30-N unit, specially designated as "The Captain" for the mission, was responsible for decisions needed without the usage-lag of the larger Network.
The convoy proceeded without incident until shortly after sundown. All the machines had some variety of night-capable vision. C41-N had night-vision built into his visual sensor systems but a few of the other machines carried an attachment to their sensor-suite that allowed for an acceptable range of visual data acquisition during night-time. Eventually, as the convoy was trekking down an animal-path in a heavily-forested area, the repetitive sounds of machine-feet on forest loam were interrupted by the cracking of wood.
"-Watch out!-" A machine yelled from behind as a tall tree broke free from the the ground and began toppling down into their path. C41-N quickly deduced that the tree would not damage any of their units nor would it obstruct their path in any meaningful manner, and as such there was no need to change their formation.
-However, why did it fall right now?-
The convoy immediately halted as the assembled machines waited for the tree to fall and settle. It wasn't until it had nearly landed on the ground when C41-N noticed something amidst the branches, riding the falling tree downward.
A humanoid in a black outfit, long white hair trailing behind it.
"-Androids!-" C41-N barely got the message out across the local network before the tree crashed into the ground, sending up a storm of leaves and earth, accompanied by a screech of metal as the android leapt from its hiding place and struck, a medium biped unit near the front going down in a shower of sparks and oil, while the poor machine had not managed a word. Another biped unit was destroyed before anyone could react, its explosion briefly illuminating the dark forest. The convoy quickly spread out, beam and pulse emitters at the ready, but the attacker had already escaped. The two broken bipeds were lying alone on the forest path. The machines waited in their positions for more YorHa androids, but none came.
T30-N rose from its position to bark orders over the network. "-Beam and pulse units, gather in a circle. Scout units, see to the damages-". The machines hurried to follow, C41-N kneeling down by the first machine that was struck. C45-N. Whatever weapon the android had used, the metal plating on the biped's upper body had practically been sheared off, exposing the workings beneath. But most importantly C45-N's machine-core. The vital component that served like a heart for the machines was completely missing. "-This one cannot be regenerated, sir. The android carries powerful weaponry-" C41-N relayed to the captain. The large biped responded with understanding, then turned to the other scouts. C41-N did not think that the other machine could be brought back either.
C41-N had a suspicion. "-Permission to inspect the tree's base-"
"-Granted-"
A couple Pulse Emitter units followed C41-N as it stomped off the path to inspect where the fallen tree had stood. As suspected, it had been sabotaged. Sheared halfway through with a clean cut, then the weight of the tree had cracked the remaining support. They had seen the rest with their own sensors. A terrifying screeching noise cut off further inspection when C41-N and the other machines close-by turned to see what had caused it. Their sensors were nearly fried by an energy discharge as the Emitter on one of the units behind them exploded, the machine that carried it collapsing to the forest floor. A large black-and-silver spear was lodged in the unit's torso section, function-signs already fading. The remaining Emitter-equipped machines turned to fire towards the direction of the attack, turning the brush in that direction to ash as their Emitter-units blasted away. After 10 seconds no more attacks had come from the forest and it was as silent as before the unseen attack. They stopped their counter-attack. C41-N hurried forward flanked by 2 Emitter-units but found nothing. If their attacker had even been in this direction their counter-fire had missed. When they returned to the damaged machine the spear was gone.
"-You two, carry the damaged unit, we're retreating to the convoy.-" C41-N said while also relaying a summary of the situation to the Captain. The two designated machines lifted the damaged unit in their arms and began walking back towards the relative safety of the convoy, C41-N and the remaining Emitter-units following in a rough semi-circle behind them.
"-Return to the formation, we are moving on as fast as we can.-" T30-N communicated over the local network. The damaged unit was placed carefully on one of the transport and then the convoy resumed its march. C41-N climbed onto the moving vehicle to examine the damaged machine. As C41-N suspected the machine-core had suffered irreparable damage. "-Captain, permission to broadcast over the local network regarding the method of our attacker.-" C41-N simply got a confirmation of said permission.
"-Our attacker is a YorHa android. Evidence suggests it is targeting our machine-cores. Take due caution,-"
The broadcast was interrupted by a message from the larger Network. Their attacker had been identified; a remnant from the outset of the 14th War, the YorHa was a Type A. General purpose assault androids with a notable ability called B-Mode; Their performance parameters would rise significantly for a short time at the cost of a respite period afterwards where they would be very vulnerable. This specific Type A was designated as No.2, otherwise known as A2 in the Network.
"-Take due caution when fighting A2. Confirm receiving both the local and global Network instructions.-" C41-N finished when the global broadcast finished.
Confirmation pings sounded across the darkened glade as the convoy marched. They did not get far before one of the transport-vehicles failed. The supplies and ammunition placed on the back of the truck tilted dangerously to the side as a wheel failed in a screech of tearing metal. The undamaged vehicles were placed in a protective circle while engineer-units set to work. From the outset it was clearly sabotage; the engineer-unit with the damaged wagon had been disabled, its power-source destroyed with a stabbing weapon. In the convoys hurry to escape the ambush-site the damage had gone unnoticed. So the remaining battle-ready units gathered around the transports with their weapons at the ready, night-capable sensors scanning the immediate forest, T30-N working with a few units like C41-N to clear a little of the brush immediately around their position.
The sun had just begun to rise on the horizon beyond the trees. C41-N had set his vision back to day-mode but it seemed like some of the other machines were having trouble doing the same. C41-N chopped out a sizeable chunk of a tree's base then T30-N pulled from a higher point. C41-N observed the large tree as it tumbled, almost not noticing the shock of white hair hiding inside the tree-crown.
"-YorHa in the crown! Fire!-" The emergency ping had barely gone out before every unit in the convoy had turned skywards and started firing, turning the tree-crown to ash and cinders in but a second. The android leapt from the blaze, its form covered in laser-burns and the crackling spear in hand. C41-N quickly triangulated the aim and angle to reach a conclusion, but too late.
"-Clear the vehicles!-" The ping reached the machines in the same moment that the YorHa threw the spear in a smooth motion, the weapon crossing the distance terrifyingly quickly to rip into the crate of explosive munitions on the stricken transport. The machines in the convoy barely had time to register the impact before the first explosion tore the centre vehicle apart and began setting off a chain of further explosions as fuel-containers flash-cooked and ammunition crates were sent far beyond their safety thresholds. The centre of the clearing was turned into a burning hell-scape in an instant as every transport-vehicle exploded and the vast majority of the machines were destroyed in the successive blasts or sent flying into trees and rocks. C41-N just managed to spot the YorHa, having also taken visible damage from the explosions, flying into the brush across the clearing.
"-All capable units, report back.-" T30-N called out as the tall machine attempted to survey the remains of the clearing. Shard of metal were strewn across the forest floor alongside shattered machines. Scattered munitions were still exploding from the heat, resulting in a slow and chaotic series of explosions. While a few pings were received from inside the firestorm the machines had no way of retrieving the survivors. And A2 was probably still active. If a few of their own units had remained functional within the zone of explosions then surely the YorHa, having been only at the periphery of the blast, had not suffered any critical damage.
"-Captain, we cannot complete our mission now. The supplies for the base are utterly destroyed. How should we proceed?-"
T30-N sent out another request for a status-report. All the signals within the periphery of the blast-zone had ceased responding. "-Command has issued no new orders. With the mission a failure we fall back on the persistent objective; destroy the enemy. Find the YorHa and eliminate it so further convoys can pass unhindered.-"
The remaining machines gathered together and advanced on where the android had last been spotted. 6 units like C41-N and the Captain were all that remained. In the dark and wet forest evening the fires were slowly dying down but still illuminated the clearing far too much for their night-capable sensors to be viable. Quickly they found where the android had landed. A small tree that had snapped as well as a mount of dirt that had been kicked up on landing. T30-N was too large to easily navigate the branches and trees so the captain remained at the centre while the smaller units moved in 2 groups of 3 as a rear- and vanguard. A trail of blood led away from the impact and into the forest.
Soon enough they reached where the light from the fires would not obstruct their night-capable sensors, so they halted to switch, the captain sending out a status-report request as they stopped. C41-N and the other two combat units in the vanguard pinged back positive, but as the rearguard pings rang in they were accompanied by a harsh metal scream and an explosion that dazzled C41-N's newly-activated night sensors.
"-Rearguard under attack!-" The rearguard called out. C41-N considered that unnecessary. The attack was obvious and they had not encountered any other hostiles for the entire mission.
The clanging of metal grew in speed and intensity as the vanguard ran to assist. One machine was scattered in smoking pieces on the forest floor and the remaining 2 were being forced back by the YorHa, a wickedly sharp sword in each hand, keeping both of the combat units at bay while occasionally striking past their guard. T30-N was still negotiating the heavy brush but they could not wait. Readying their own weapons they charged in, only to have to hop back out of reach as the A2's twin blades were replaced with a massive great-sword in a flash of golden sparks. The huge weapon arced out to zone out all but one of the machines, the last one attempting to parry the attack with its own one-handed blade. The weapon held but the damaged limb holding it did not, the weakened metal joints screeching and bending under the sheer weight of the attack, shearing the limb off and sending the machine-blade flying into the dirt. None of the other units could step in to help before the android struck again, the great-sword descending on the injured unit's body like an executioner's axe. The sharp edge sheared through the armour-plating as if it was made of thin air to cause irreparable damage to the machine-core. The unit did not even explode, it simply collapsed to the floor devoid of activity.
Of the large convoy that had entered the forest not even half an Earth day prior only 4 machines remained. And the captain-unit T30-N was still forcing its way through the dense forest. The sounds of its approach were growing louder but not quickly enough.
A2 charged towards the remaining machines with an explosion of dirt flying into the air. A swipe of the great-sword sent a unit flying, its own weapon cracked and unusable. C41-N and the other unit moved to assist but they had barely taken a step before the spear appeared in a burst of gold and impaled the flying machine. It exploded in midair, showering the forest floor in metal fragments. C41-N's night-tuned sensors were nearly fried by the explosion, harsh sparks playing across the field of vision. That meant the other unit's destruction was only noticed when another bright flash of light washed across the sensors, bringing them again close to the point of failure.
C41-N waved its single sword in front of it to give some distance as the sensors attempted to recover. They returned a grainy image just as the forest to C41-N's right shattered. The captain crashed through the brush, an arm like a small APC hammering the YorHa aside. A plume of dirt flew into the air when the android landed somewhere out of sight, T30-N wasting no time in striding over to finish the android off. The captain's foot rose above the ground then came down on A2, crushing it down into the forest floor. Steam hissed and joints creaked as T30-N increased power to the limb.
K41-N could hear A2 talking in a strained tone. "Fucking machines..." The sounds of protesting metal grew louder as an angry red light began radiating out from beneath the slab-like metal foot. Slowly but surely the android pushed itself off the ground, pushing the captain's foot away as if it weighed nothing. The red light was pulsing beneath the YorHa's surface material, making every crack and join grimly visible.
"Why don't you just fucking die!" T30-N was nearly pulled off balance when the android pulled back down and then struck, a dark-blue shell covering the YorHa's hand as the machine-limb was shattered and the captain was sent flying through several trees. The tall bipedal machine ended up lying on its back, covered in dirt and splintered wood, sparks playing across the captain's lower torso as the motor systems attempted to cope with the sudden loss of a whole limb. The clearing was filled with the sound of screeching metal as a spear flew across the divide and sunk into the captain's raised arm. The combat units tried to move in to surround the android, but the Yorha jumped over their encirclement, dirt spraying in all directions from the force of its leap. The captain swung its damaged arm at the soaring android, only for the limb to be shattered like kindling by the two-handed sword that reappeared in the android's hands in a shower of golden sparks. As the android appeared on the other side of the cloud of robotic debris it was holding the massive sword in one hand and the electrically-charged spear in the other. As the spear impacted with T30-N's chest-plate the electrical charge discharged, causing the large bipedal unit to shake violently as the control-function failed under the stress. Dirt and rocks were sent flying as the captain collapsed stunned completely to the ground. C41-N surged forwards to help but the YorHa moved incredibly quickly, shearing off the torso-armour with a single blow from the great-sword to expose the machine-core casing beneath. The orb glowed briefly with a golden light before the YorHa ripped it clean from its socket with a red-glowing hand. A2 stared at C41-N for a brief moment before the core started cracking under the android's merciless grip.
The crimson glow slowly faded from the cracks in the androids skin. A2s chest heaved as the YorHa and C41-N looked at each other across the distance. The fading of the red glow could only mean that the android's B-Mode could no longer be sustained and that it would now be weakened. C41-N gripped its weapon tighter and charged, motor systems working rapidly to keep footing on the remaining armour-plating of T30-Ns inert body. Up ahead the android limped backwards, evidently trying to make some distance and buy some time. C41-N's first swipe cut just above A2s chin as the YorHa tumbled away. There was a fresh explosion of dirt as the android collapsed weakly into the forest floor. C41-N leapt off and thrust downwards to narrowly miss the android that scrambled off to the side. Launching another spray of dirt, C41-N's blade swept up to hit the retreating YorHa in the back.
Only for the glade to ring with another harsh clash of metal. "You missed your window, bucket-o-bolts." A2 pushed back against C41-N's own blade with one of its own. There was a flash of golden sparks and a spear appeared in the YorHa's free hand. C41-N barely had time to register the event before the crackling point was lodged in its lower torso. The electrical charge quickly stopped motor functions.
A2's sword flashed down like a guillotine but C41-N was not destroyed, only a single error-icon added to the clamour. The connection to the Network had been severed, the antenna that served as the link-point lying sparking on the forest floor. However, whatever the android hoped to achieve would be in vain; all the events of their mission had been broadcast constantly to the nearest reception tower and then into the wider Network. Command was already well aware of what had occurred in the forest. "-Command has seen it all. There will be more machines to hunt you down. Destroying my communications-equipment will change nothing.-"
A2 thrust the sharp blade into C41-N's torso. The systems immediately reported damage to the machine-core. "Good. That is exactly what I wanted. You killed my fellows, I'll kill you. All of you, till there are none left."
"Glory To Mankind, my shiny ass."