The Box

"Mhmm, mm. I tellin' ya Dion you have got to try 'dis. I make a mean liverwurst sandwich, ya know." the voice of the British sniper echoed inside of the AALIYAH cockpit, it's pilot ignoring the voice's request. But the continued sound of eating began to wear on the pilot's patience,

"Why are you eating?" Dion voice was as cold and emotionless as his solid black AALIYAH framed NEXT.

"'Cause I'm fuckin' hungry, why else?" the sniper Lynx quickly retorted before taking another bite of his sandwich. He chewed for a moment before speaking again. "Yeah, I don't mean to be a stickler, kit. But we've been sitting here at the Box fer hours now, no one's showed up yet mate."

"Patience Grayson." Dion said as he looked at his radar. Something in the distance was approaching.

"I am, but I'm runnin' out of liverwr...oh uh, you getting somethin' on radar too there kit?" Grayson interrupted himself, trying as quickly as he could to finish his snack. As the two items on radar came closer, the three towers situated around Big Box roared to life.

"Oh shit, did your roost just turn on too?" Grayson asked, grabbing tightly to his NEXT's controls as sudden tremor turned into a pseudo-earthquake. The English Lynx sat tense, even knowing that his NEXT's sturdy quad legs kept it planted firmly on the ground. Sitting on the tower toward far to the left of Grayson sat Dion's AALIYAH frame, standing perfectly still.

Given that staying still should be extremely easy when your machine is running on batteries only. Activating the generators and moving the NEXTs would only serve to give away their positions to the fast approaching Collard mercenaries and the waiting opposition of ORCA. Dion furrowed the one eye blow that had not been burned off, hoping that Garyson's post drug induced paranoia won't get the better of him. The shaking ceased just as the two clicks on radar came into view.

"Wynne D. Fanchon, right on schedule." Dion smriked.

"Ay, but who's the second one?" Grayson asked

"I know who his is, it's his operator that's the problem" Dion answered.

"Eh, whatever." Grayson shrugged. He then noticed the open channel being hailed.

"Would'cha look at that, I think Malzel wants to chat."

"Open it, but don't say a word." Dion ordered

"Ain't gotta tell me twice, kit." Grayson said as he opened up the channel

"This is Malzel of the ORCA Brigade. Welcome to Big Box."

Just over Malzel's low threatening voice the sound of rifles and energy weapons being fired began to echo in the sky.

"Let's give them a warm, warm wel-." The voice of OCRA's rank 7 was cut off by the deafening sound of the cannons firing underneath them. But the awesome power of the cannons were dwarfed by the ensuring battle taking place before Dion and Grayson. Wynne D. Fanchon and Collard's most powerful Independent mercenary verses Malzel and Voah, OCRA's heavy weight power houses. Truly a sight to behold.

"Oi? Wouldn't it be easier if we just killed Wynne D. now?" Grayson asked

"No, she's still more use to us alive. Besides I'm really not in the mood for fighting someone like her." Dion replied, even though his eyes were glued to the NEXT of the independent mercenary. The insistent barrage of missiles, bullets and lasers continued for a period longer than Dion imagined until suddenly the heavy gatling rounds stopped spraying.

"Voah just bit it." Grayson announced."

Dion smirked as he watched Reiterpallasch's ELTANIN blade break through Opening's primal armor, quickly severing its leg. The heavy NEXT went down hard as the cannons surrounding Big Box stopped firing in suit. The independent mercenary punched two holes in Malzel's core for good measure. He continued to observe as the two victorious NEXTs stayed still for a moment, no doubt conversing, before they both activated their Over Boosts and left Big Box they way they came. Just before the flicker of Kojima Particles they left behind disappeared, various airships escorted by Normals began to arrive.

"I must admit Dion, I have no idea how you got that Lynx to side so heavily with the League." said a female voice.

"Ringo! I was thinkin' you had fallen asleep there, kit." Grayson exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm still here." Ringo smugly responded

"Has all of the cleanup crew arrived yet?" Dion asked

"Almost, I've got a few more things on radar. Good news is that Wynne D. is long gone, I'll give you start a signal when I'm done here."

"Roger."

"Finally, I'm bored out of my fuckin' mind here mate. Too bad we only fightin' Normals" Grayson said with a sigh.

"If you have time to talk, then you have time to do a systems check." Dion said with almost a growl.

"Already done kit, Like I said, fuckin' bored." Grayson retorted.

"Well you won't be soon, I've froze all the communication as of now but there is some bad news." Ringo said.

"What?" Dion asked not wanting to start his mech without knowing all the details.

"There's an Eclipse en route, ETA 30 minutes." Ringo explained.

"Fuck." Dion said under his breath, "Grayson the plan doesn't change, we just have to work faster."

"Way ahead'a mate." Grayson whooped as he fired both of his 061ANSC sniper cannons.

The first round obliterated a normal and continued on to rip another in half. The second blew a hole in one of the transport ships causing it to catch fire. The generator of the black AALIYAH cranked as Dion activated its Over Boost, launching his NEXT off the tower. The Grand Faucheuse slid onto one of runways that sat atop Big Box raining fire with it MARVE and O700 assault rifles. The black mech twirled and slid in between enemy units as the now frantic Normal pilots tried in vain to return fire. Every now and again a large caliber bullet from Live Wire would leave a massive crater of filled with smoldering medal and the occasional lifeless body.

"21 minutes on that Eclipse." Ringo warned

"Understood, Grayson mop up, I'll beg-" Dion was cut short as a rifle round shook his NEXT.

A Normal pilot tried to take advantage of the AALIYAH's stall to closed in for an attack. Its charge was halted as Dion rammed his MARVE straight through the center of the machine. While still scanning for the origin of the rifle bullet, Grayson informed him of his attacker's location.

"Ay! Matziel's still kickin' Dion." Grayson shouted

Dion spun the Grand Faucheuse around and with slight flick of the controls leaned his NEXT out of the path of the second round.

"Malzel." Dion snarled. With a simple forward Quick Boost, he closed the gap instantly.

"Ringo open me up to Malzel, now" Dion demanded

"Okay, okay, you're connected" Ringo replied.

"You just don't know when it's your time do you?" Dion said, beginning to dig the tip of his O700 into the GA core.

"On the contrary, boy. Your meddling here will have no effect on the outcome." Malzel chocked out.

"Ha ha, my meddling? This may have started before you became ORCA, but right now I'm in control. And you know what's pissing me off as of now, the fact that you're still alive." Dion growled as he dug the O700 further in.

"Don't get cocky, you're still just a shadow of your father. He would have joined us, he would have-" Malzel was cut short as Dion yanked the bladed assault rifle out of the Core.

The laugh that filled Malzel's cockpit was border line insane, "Wow, you don't get it do you? My father may have been carrying out the Closed Plan, but he knew I would be the one to finish it. Why do you think that independent you thought would fall under ORCA's fold suddenly joined the League? How do you think I got my father's killer on my payroll? Why do you think Shin Kai joined up so quickly? My parents may be dead, but they left me all the cards. As of now, ORCA is merely a bystander." Dion glided away, satisfied with his outburst.

"Grayson finish him, then get down here so we can begin searching." Dion said, the ground behind him shook as Malzel's NEXT was transformed into pile ripped metal and Kojima contamination.

"Nice speech Dion, not sure your father would have actually agreed with it though." Ringo commented.

"True, Berlioz gave me the location of the Ehrenburgs, but my mother left me the keys." Dion replied

"Heh, that definitely sounds like Anjou." Ringo added

"Ringo, issue the general warning I gave you to any remaining inhabitants within Big Box." Dion commanded before finally locating one of freight elevators. Using the OGOTO grenade cannon slung over his right shoulder he blew open the elevator's entrance. With a small, swift jump the AALIYAH disappeared down the shaft.

"Well fuck, how long are we supposed to wait on 'em?" Grayson impatiently asked as he watched one of the last Normals try to flee. He smirked as one of his sniper bullets blew off its leg, causing it to slide awkwardly to a stop.

"This can't take more that 12 minutes now or we risk being caught by the Eclipse." Ringo informed.

Grayson shrugged as he fired his Main Boosters launching his craft into the air. Live Wire silently glided over Big Box, slowly approaching one of the grounded airships. A total of six lay in ruins, some surrounded by scattered bodies of those who had tried to escape with the first large caliber rounds hit. The quad leg touched down in a wave of sparks before taxing around the wreckage.

"Looks like I just found something better than what we came for." Dion's low voice broke the silence.

"What that kit? Somethin' better?" Grayson asked.

"Indeed, Ringo lower the airship, we're loading up know." Dion ordered

"Already? This better be good Dion" Ringo advised

"Let's just say that the PSA worked better than expected." the AALIYAH pilot replied.

The sky itself began to rumble as a massive grey aircraft lowered into view, the exhaust from it engines swept away the destroyed airships that came before it. At the front of the craft in faded white letters one could just make out the word "Anatolia". Just as the machine touched down, the Grand Faucheuse reappeared carrying a capsule of some sort.

"So this that it?" the sniper Lynx asked.

"Yes, this has absolute priority now." Dion answered. He set the capsule down as gently as he could.

"I going back for the rest, but I want the contents of this in the high security storage unit now." Dion ordered.

"Right then." Grayson said as he dropped his hand head rifles in order to pick up the capsule.

"Handle that with the outmost care." Dion added before disappearing back down the elevator.

"Damnit kit, what's in here?" Grayson mumbled to himself, he slid his quad leg up opened cargo door at the rear of the airship. With what little care he could muster, the sniper Lynx placed the container inside the cargo hold.

"Ay, I'm assuming you can handle the rest Ringo." Grayson said as he skirted his NEXT out of the ship.

"Yeah, I've got it." she replied. As Grayson turned around, two automated loading arms moved towards the capsule.

"FUCK!" Dion's voice echo throughout the radio, startling put of his comrades.

"What'cha got?" Gray said as he gathered up his dropped weapons and walked his machine up to the entrance of the elevator shaft.

"It's ORCA farewell present, they planted a small scale nuclear device on one of Big Box's Kojima generators." Dion answered uneasly.

"Bloody hell, there's a fuckin' tactical nuke sittin' at tha bottom of the Box?" Grayson exclaimed.

"Why hasn't gone off?" Ringo quickly asked.

"Scan says it's time based after it receives a signal, probably from Malzel." Dion explained.

"Thank God." Ringo voiced her relief.

"Hm." The AALIYAH Lynx pondered

"That bomb's timer would probably start when Malzel died, as long as external communications are frozen, we should be safe." Ringo inferred.

"Key word is 'should' there kit, I say we roll." Grayson added.

"Agreed." Dion said. His NEXT flew out of the elevator, landing next to Live Wire.

"Plus it'll give those Omer recon teams a nice surprise when they arrive." Grayson chuckled

"Great, let move, we've got little time to spare." Ringo announced. The Anatolian airship roared to life as the two NEXTs entered the cargo hold.

"Are you sure we can afford to leave now Dion?" she quickly asked

"Absolutely, I honestly couldn't have asked for a better situation. Not only did we find something far more valuable than the equipment we were searching for, but the Kojima generator detonation should adequately cover our tracks as well." Dion explained

"Alright, then the next stop is Line Ark." Ringo replied. The airship continued to climb for a few more seconds before its pilot fired its main engines. The enormous aircraft drifted away, behind it approaching from the distance the dull gleam the Arms Fort Eclipse could be seen.

"Grayson, what the in hell are you doing?" Dion demanded, both Lynx had since left their mechs and had joined Ringo on the bridge. At the rear of the helm, Grayson stood anxiously with a camera in his hand.

"Chill out, mate. I wanna see this. It's not often you get ta see Koji' explosion on this scale." Grayson responded. No sooner did the words leave his mouth did a shock wave rock the airship. Even Dion watched as the bright green mushroom of Kojima Particles turned the night into day. The thick walls of Big Box held fast funneling the blast's energy up to the top like a volcano.

"Impressive." Dion commented.

Grayson gave him a swift pat on the back, "I told 'cha, kit, I told 'cha." he said with a wide smile on his face.