PROLOGUE…

Late 2014…

In the vast reaches of spaces lied a lonely planet, mostly red in color. Mars was never really explored so much, but one exploration team was able to make the mission and they landed there. One of the expedition crew members was a doctor named Dr. Enzo Faust… a Karlsland scientist who has so much to give humanity as a whole. As a man of innovation, his dream is to surpass the creation of Dr. Ichiro Miyafuji's creation: The Striker Unit.

And it all starts with a small explosion in the research laboratory of an outpost in the same planet…

The smoke cleared inside the laboratory, and the 60-year old scientist was covered in soot. His eyes were wide open, and his glasses were covered in soot that he used his hands to take them off so he could see. He had finally done it… after 3 years of research everywhere in Earth and in that planet itself came the power of a clean sustainable energy. He primarily called IEC or the Ion Energy Cell. But as he shouted and laughed at his success, he knows it's not over yet…

Early 2015… On their way back to Earth…

As the ship was heading back to Earth after the crew's mission is a success, Dr. Faust's plans were far from over.

"Natalie!" Faust was in an audio communication with her assistant Natalie who was back at their research facility in Earth. "So… how's the Esper Conversion testing doing?"

"So far, it's okay doc. Most of the witches that were able to get through our Esper Conversion process are satisfied. I mean… AIM fields are completely variant to every subject after all."

"An Involuntary Movement…"

"It's your research when you got through the quantum universes theory, Doc. Never thought you'd be able to accomplish this?"

"No. In fact, I haven't. This is something revolutionary. After I've completed the IEC, I knew things are going to be simplified from now on."

"You mean with the Striker Suits?"

"Yes. In fact… the power of the striker suit is unmatched since it's used by an Esper, and it's powered by the energy cell I've created. Did you receive the specs of the energy cell?"

"Yup… It's certainly a dangerous thing, doc."

"This is why we have to be very wise as to who handles both the IEC and the suits themselves. Get started on the first batch, Natalie."

"Wait, are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm pretty sure of it. But for now, put the productions team up and running with a note that these units are not to be released to the media, yet. And it also applies to the military, Natalie. They mustn't know about it for now."

"If you wish, Doc. Understood."

"Listen…" Faust sighed and frowned. "I was not able to accomplish this without you and the team. This is truly something that I must recognize as a unique piece of work."

"It's something you started, Doc. You don't need to give us credit. All we did was making something for everyone, right?"

"You can say that."

"You're saying it like you don't deserve helping us all. Oh well!"

"Hahaha… You certainly have a way to put it off. Now… I have to go. It seems our little talk must end for the meantime."

"Alright. Stay frosty, Doc." Natalie said it just before she hanged up. The scientist sighed afterwards, and was met by Max.

"Talked to Nat?" Max caught his father's attention. His hair was all black and it was short, except for a short cue at the back of his head.

The scientist smiled at his son. "So it seems."

"Well at least you've gotten to talking to them after some time."

"I was busy."

"Well, at least being busy brought you to be quite happy, right?" Max said this with some ton of dissatisfaction.

"Look… I have my reasons and they understood that." Faust answered, and this made Max sigh.

Enzo Faust was still running experiments and tests for the new Ion Energy Cell and it seemed to make him busy that he wouldn't talk to any of his team members back at the research lab in Earth. But being able to finally succeed in making the Ion Energy Cell has certainly turned things around.

"That's how dark you get." Max crossed his arms. "At least, that's over… for now."

"Hahaha… Son, you should understand that your father's working for quite a long time now. I'm 62 years of age and already in my prime. I'm retiring space travel."

"And it counts me up on that too. See… I'm going back to the Karlsland Air Force."

"Oh? Don't have any plans to come up for the next mission next year?"

"Not a chance?"

"Well, where are they going to find the best pilot like yourself?" And Faust laughed again, irritating Max this time.

'Old men.' Max thought, just before he got to look at his father's eyes again, seeing the excitement from him. 'He certainly has that excitement to try the IEC.'

"This is going to be great…" The scientist simply said before rubbing his hands together…

June 2015… Earth…

It had been a week after the whole crew was finally released from the facility for them to cope up with gravity and body chemistry. Those tests were run just before they were released. Along with it, Max signed his resignation papers, and he was quitting the United Nations Aero-Space Administration for good. He's done enough space travel while he's at 26 years of age. Meanwhile… his father was planning… all for the Striker Suit Mk I.

And just like that as the unique IEC was put on to the first prototype, all functions on the Striker Suit Mk. I had worked, and the very birth of Striker Suits was born…

September 2015… 0922 hours… Weather: Sunny with Clear Skies…

Spremburg, Karlsland… Near North Ostmark border…

The runway wasn't as busy as usual for this time, but personnel were present as they attended to their own duties during the day.

Max was writing a few things on his notepad while he's at a hangar where in front of him, a SU-27 was placed. Karlsland had been given their own defense initiatives and equipments after the Second World War. He knows it could have ended up worse… but it was also the right time to end their differences and not result in war in between countries. That was why Karlsland was back in business to being just a nation that acts ordinarily as others… with defensive capabilities now possible to be used.

"Maxy?" Max's attention was caught by a young Liberion woman's voice, coming from a young woman in her 20's with blonde to orange her, now approaching him.

"You took a while."

"Sorry. Commander Evans required me."

"And does a Liberion Navy commander supposed to be related to us in this place?"

"It's just to settle security issues around Romagna. They let us know about a pocket full of Neuroi Class-4's hanging around there. Europe may be in good shape, but we're not taking any chances." She stopped as resumed his work while writing things on his notepad again and she took notice. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just checking the specs of the SU-27 order with this model. They told me a malfunction on one of the gauges here just happened and they want me to check everything." Max explained, not expecting his chin to be held by her before his head turned to her, thanks to her.

"You're… stressing yourself." She said before letting go his chin. Then he took her appearance into detail, having curly hair reaching to her D-cup sized chest and the blue eyes that simply captivated him. "You're staring again." And he looked back at his notepad. "I noticed that. Tch."

"Look… Why the hell are you here for?"

"I'm just telling you: You're not the one in charge of maintenance around here."

"I gave him a break. That's why I'm handling things here."

"You gave Frederic a break again?"

"He didn't have it well when he drank to his wife's death last night. It's different." And his explanation got her to be silent. It took a little while of his writing to notice she was indeed silent. "Now do you understand?"

"I'm sorry."

"Trix, it's fine."

"No it isn't. I forgot we were understaffed."

"I see. Then don't let that happen again. You're lucky we're both in the same page here." And after Max's forgiveness, he felt lips press on his cheek for a while before seeing a smiling Trix beside her.

"Thanks. I hope you didn't forget I liked you and you felt the same." That little statement got him to blush a little. Then he remembers from his duties and just outside the box… that she's his girlfriend. For once, he never thought of it. He returned that with a smile.

"Regulations state…"

"I know. I know." Trix said before she walked away, maintaining that smile in her.

0947 hours…

Max was checking the gauges from the cockpit of the SU-27 while's he's seated inside. "Hmm… Mercury's busted as well. Looks like some repairs have to made to that…" He mutters as he kept searching for more spots that are damaged.

"Major!" A Karlsland pilot ran into the hangar and was just beside the SU-27 Max was in. "Major, we got a problem!"

"Then speak up! I'm looking at some parts here!"

"Ostmark Recon Team has just gone down." And the pilot certainly got Max's attention.

"How?"

"They were investigating lost Romagnan contacts at West Europe when they just shouted out Neuroi contacts were in presence."

"How many planes do we have now?"

"Right now, we got four ready to go."

"Good. Then suit up!" And at his order… the airbase was on alert…

1014 hours… West European airspace and over waters…

Altitude: 16375 feet above ground…

Two SU-27's and two Panavia Tornado GR4 fighter aircraft were grouped as a squadron and were furiously fast.

"Heuschrecke (Grasshopper) One, checking in. Squadron, report!" Max ordered on the radio while wearing the helmet and mask. His aircraft was an SU-27 with a winter pattern, having a nickname of "Grey Thunder" inscribed at the right side of the nose.

"Heuschrecke Two, reporting." Trixie Reynald replied on the radio, now acting as wingman. Her aircraft is an SU-27 with the same winter pattern as Max's aircraft, having a nickname of "Lime Shooter" inscribed at the right side of the nose.

"Heuschrecke Three, rock and roll!" Jon Flater replied on the radio, with the fact he was the pilot who ran for Max back at the airbase. His aircraft was a standard Panavia Tornado GR4 with a blue camo pattern.

"Heuschrecke Four, online!" Melissa Heinrichs replied on the radio. Her aircraft was identical to Flater's. "Sir, what now?"

"Obviously… we try finding the crash site of the Ostmark Recon Team." Max explained, then Trix next.

"Major… we haven't seen any of them crash on land… even on Britannia or Gallia."

"That's why we're out at sea. I'm sending you all coordinates." As Max used his onboard computer and sent coordinates, his radar system reacted with a few beeps. His long range radar got a hit on unknown bogeys. "Alright… those coordinates I sent you are in the direction the bogeys are. Let's identify them first. Copy?"

"Right, Sir."

"Roger."

"Copy."

And as Max was looking at his radar, he noticed the bogeys are at his 10 to 11 O'Clock (Northwest). He banked his aircraft and the rest of the squadron followed as he saw figures from from a distance. At first, he couldn't make it out since the internal systems don't easily recognize unknown contacts. But as they were getting closer, he saw beam-muzzle fire from the figures. "EVASIVE MANEUVERS!" And along with his squadron, they evaded beams while the figures were so close while his minded acted fast. He analyzed the figures and saw they weren't just Neuroi, while being red in color. The figures and the shape was too familiar, with their color purple instead of red. As his mind went back to normal… "NIGHTMARE DELTA NEUROI! ALL UNITS, ENGAGE! SPLIT BY TWO!"

"We got your back!"

"Oh my god… it's turning for us!"

"Covering for you, Three!"

Max starts to make distance while Trix follows, just before he makes a sharp bank and pulls his joystick so he could join the action. He then spots numbers Three and Four engaged with a Nightmare unit from behind. "Three and Four, you got a contact from behind!"

"We know that!" Heinrichs said as she flies high, not noticing the ND unit was following her instead. 'What?!' She thought before Max saw the inevitable. Instead of using repeating beams, the ND unit charged a beam from above before firing a purple long-beam straight at Heinrichs' plane before her engines and rear were hit badly, making her lose her wings as well. "I'm hit! I'm hit! MAYDAY…" And an explosion followed from her plane.

"SHIT!" Max cursed, seeing the explosion confirms one of their own is down. With no hesitation while the ND unit went low and was behind him, he banked hard while hitting the air brakes and pulling his joystick to tightly pursue the unit. While hitting the throttle down he got the Neuroi unit at his crosshairs. He was supposed to use his machineguns but it started to swerve elsewhere. "Damn, I can't get a lock! Trix, get off my back and engage it!"

"Right!" Trix then followed the Neuroi instead of Max. And thanks to the angle of her direction, she was able to get there faster and fired her machineguns. As the rounds hit the Neuroi, she saw the rounds were deflected by tight shield. "Oh my… they're hard to take down!"

"What?!"

"It's like they got shields!"

"HELP ME OUT HERE!" Flater's voice was accompanied by the sight of his plane swerving while evading red Neuroi beams while accompanied by a long-beam from behind. "KYAAAA!" And the long-beam hits his plane before it explodes.

"What the hell is happening?!" Max asked out of the impossible odds they were facing. They were once four in a squadron, and now it's just him and Trix left.

"MAXY! I got one right behind me! Attempting the break!" And as Max was able to witness her from his left, he saw her plane greatly decrease in speed and tilted her plane up before the ND unit pursuing her went past her. Eventually, she got herself stable before she fired her machineguns. "FOX 2!" And firing missiles, the Neuroi simply sent repeating beams at the missiles and she avoided some of them. "What the hell?! They got tail-beams!"

"They're not as I remember them! What the hell?!" Max then knew the other ND unit was right behind him. "Shit! I got the other on my tail too! Keep evading your bogey! I'll try to assist!" Max then banked and turned towards the direction of her wingman while going to her direction.

"NO! Save yourself! You're outmatched!"

"TRIX!" He shouted just before seeing her pursuing ND unit just fired long-beam, dead-on accurately while she attempted a barrel roll. The beam hits the engine, then the canopy…

Suddenly, his world stopped there as he widened his eyes. The world suddenly disappears as he saw himself out of his plane, and her outside of hers. They were hovering in front of each other…

"Maxy…" She muttered as an echo was heard of her voice. She stretched her arm out, attempting to reach him, but the world turned white…

Trixie's SU-27 was hit with the long beam and cuts the aircraft in half before both parts exploded.

"TRIXIE!" Max shouted out her name, leaving him all alone out there with no one to help him. 'She's gone… She's gone…' A strong vibration and sounds of beams passing from behind woke him from his thoughts before he felt his world spin. It only seemed his wing was hit and was spinning out of control when he heard radio chatter. A girl's voice was heard, and spoke Orussian. But not caring about anything else, he looked for the emergency bail lever and found it under his seat. He immediately hits the canopy eject button the and the canopy broke off the plane before pulling the lever, ejecting him from his seat own aircraft. What he didn't expect was a purple long-beam suddenly shredding through his left shoulder and the left side of his seat with it. He screamed in pain, knowing he lost his arm while he fell towards the sea.

"FIRE ON THAT FUCKER!" A Liberion girl said on the radio as he still remembered while falling from a high altitude.

"Fox Two!" An Orussian accented voice from a girl was heard next.

Max was losing consciousness, but he can't do anything about it. He has to stay in his seat as it was the only thing holding the parachute. As he bore the pain, he tried looking for the parachute cord on the seat. He couldn't find one, and only a burnt out string along with part of the chute release bag was found.

He had no parachute… and his amputated shoulder was bleeding out while falling. He only heard a Neuroi shard explosion but it's not enough. He's falling to his death straight to the sea below him. The two girls were still occupied at the other Neuroi. As his sight and mind begin to lose it, his eyes slowly closed, as he still felt the air rushing at him. Then, as he didn't expect it… something, or someone, stopped his fall. He didn't care… as he lost consciousness.

It was like a minute, or two, or just two hours. It was before…

"THAT IS MY SON!" Enzo Faust's voice of a blurry echo was heard. That was his father.

"I'm sorry… but we're losing him." A Karlsland man was heard.

"Isn't anything going to be done?!"

"He's losing too much blood and oxygen from his brain. He'll…"

"I know of a way, and it's worth the risk…"

"Sir! No! Using the process will change his physiology as well! Not to mention… he's got to get his own AIM field for it!"

"Exactly. If being an Esper is how it's going to be… then it has to be done." Enzo said, while sounds of Max's body being rolled somewhere was heard later. "Photonic Tissue Assembly will have to be done EXACTLY the same time the Esper Conversion process is done. It's the only way his arm is ever going to be healed and synced with his brain afterwards. It's a long shot, but if we do it, we may have defied medical science at its best."

"Sir… this will get you to violations and you know it."

"I don't care! This is my son we're talking about! If there's a way, we do what's best for it! Now, is your equipment capable of the first phase?!"

"Yes, sir. All of the equipment here are capable of it."

"Then do it. Begin the first phase as soon as possible."

And it felt like hours to him. He felt like his head while being processed. Eventually, he was given knowledge at some point.

"Phase Two underway." A Liberion man said. "Damn… he's taking that much time and he's calm about it?" He asked himself while beeps were heard from a respirator machine.

"It's natural it happens." Faust's voice was heard again. "His mind is being processed as to how much knowledge he could accept. After all… he's only a man. We all have our limits somewhere."

And hours to him, passed again. The passage of time is not the same as his thinking though.

"Phase Three is almost complete. This is incredible." A different Karlsland man said. "It's like the photon tissues are completely getting in line with his DNA."

"It IS changing his DNA." Faust's voice was heard. "Soon… he'll be awake. I never knew he would actually be able to handle it. Now… we wait."

And soon feeling surroundings, Max stirred.

He opened his eyes.