Armored Core
Battle-Forged
Serge screamed from his cockpit not having realized his fist had slammed down onto the control console of his core. "What the hell are you doing Raven!?" Timed perfectly the video feed opened in a small window showing the scarred face of the so called Air-Commander with a look that only fueled his rage more.
Raven's expressionless gaze did well to show the many years of experience that had granted him his title; though at the moment it was enough to show his disregard for following ordered to the letter. "The Corporation requested the surrender of that suit for the sole purpose of destruction. Personally, surrender is never an option. With an option like that available these outlanders will continue to resist. I am just offering a pre-emptive counter measure to those thoughts."
A small laugh escaped through his military bearing at the disgusted look his subordinate now carried showing his distaste for the veteran. "How is the corporation to know what really transpired here? Not a single soldier here would speak against me-"
His words interrupted, "I sure as hell would."
Raven's attention now fully directed at the camera feed shook his head. "Speak as you might, your word carries no weight even with your comrades. They think you a prodigy, but as I hear it your never let from your cage. You are nothing more than a pet."
Whether his words were true or not Serge rightfully didn't give a shit. No doubt he was kept from the world for some reason or another that he cared for even less. Sitting by as an entire army followed orders to murder individuals unrelated to the mission. "Self Release- Unresponsive." A dark chuckle echoed through his radio at his futile attempts to release from the flight restraints.
"Priceless my boy. I expected some kind of outrageous act from you so I personally gave the order to disable your auto release." With a final grin the hardened soldier muted the young man as to not fill the air with the angry exchange of words. "This will all be over shortly." Thoughts of being deemed as the commander who put a stop to the 'resistance' before it was able to spread to neighboring territories filled his mind. With that kind of accomplishment attached to his resume nothing would stand between him and a major position as a part of the UCT. For the moment things were moving nicely.
"System diagnostics complete. Primary boosters disabled, all other systems operational."
"Son of a bitch." Serge sighed. Without primary boosters even had he been able to release himself from the drop ship his support boosters wouldn't give enough propulsion to even soften the fall. "Secondaries might not be enough...that's it." Another camera feed flashed to life on across the HUD of his cockpit has he wasted no time ripping the maintenance panel away. "Raven's disabled my auto release and boosters so I need your help to break the restraints."
"What about the fall?" Serena asked as she watched the young man work furiously with the wires he had pulled from the diagnostic panel.
Shrugging his shoulders was his trade mark now was no different. "Everyone might see me as an asshole, but even I wouldn't go as far to kill everyone for one suit. So can I count on you?" As cliched as it might have been the more she stared into his mist like gray eyes she couldn't help her self, but feel like he was going to do whatever with or without her.
"Finish whatever your doing and get back to me. I have to keep up appearances and track the enemy Core." Serena spoke her voice hinting a bit of intrigue. Last she had counted the pilot had already downed six UCT units and was aiming for a seventh. Not an easy feat from what she had been lead to believe about the core being built this far from a city territory. Being equipped with only a single rifle and what appeared to be a laser blade style weapon made the feat seem even less likely.
Serge glanced at the video feed noticing that his partners eyes were glazed over. A side effect of her enjoying what ever it was that caught her attention. "You done daydreaming?" Simple as it was he grabbed her attention with only a single question. Knowing that what ever it was he had planned was going to take timing he had no other options available. "By the way...don't miss." Serena flashed a smile over the feed before closing the communication.
Wrapping his fingers one at a time around the controls Serge closed his eyes. One. "Show no fear." Two. "Count on your team, as much as you count on yourself." Three. "When your mission orders suck. Fuck 'em" Two sudden jolts vibrated through the metallic frame of the Armored Core Hyperion as it began to free fall from it's restraints.
"Now Serena!"
With in seconds of giving his mark Serge braced himself for impact. Metal against metal. The screeching was almost unbearable, yet it was the impact force that had been the most punishing as Serena slammed her own core at full speed into the Hyperion breaking it from it's speedy free fall of demise. "Breaking!"
Not even an instant passed from the impact to the breakaway the initial goal being completed. Eyes wide open Serge watched as he neared the base grounds waiting for what felt like eternity until both his arms pushed forward igniting every secondary booster equipped to the Hyperion. The propulsion might not have been enough to counter act a full fall from his suspended height, but with the momentum being broken by the hit he had sustained from Serena as well as the quick wire job of directing power from the offline primaries the propulsion was more than enough to be used as a brake.
Concrete broke from its bedding from the force of impact creating a dust cloud that made Hyperion nearly invisible to everything but a radar. In terms of Core design Hyperion was not of the basic design. When compared to non-standard cores the suit was very built with different focus in mind. Where most stood approximately five meters tall, Hyperion towered over them between seven to eight meters. Medium weight bipedal legs made up for a major portion of it's height, yet it was it's specially designed core that set it apart from the rest. Two dozen hexagons formed wide spread V off the back, the usual black panels currently appeared molten red from the intense heat they had undergone all firing simultaneously.
Yellow lights flashed throughout the core, "Secondary boosters overheated; resolution, disabled to prevent further damage."
Serge cursed through his grin. His plan may have worked to get him grounded, but as it would seem he had not thought of everything. Correcting his stance, the yellow lights faded allowing for a clear view of the battlefield. For now the battlefield seemed clear enough from non-core units easing his thoughts of others being injured in the process. From where he stood he could only see the explosions from where he had last seen the Yorlon Core. "It definitely seems like who ever is piloting that things knows a thing or two about how to pilot. Only one problem, what the hell was I thinking?"
Now that he was on the ground the thought finally struck him. He knew his goal was to prevent Raven from wasting the entire population of the area for a single unit. "Serena? How's that suit fairing?"
Echoes of the explosions coursed through the radio transmission, "Umm..yeah. It's surviving. I can't say for how much longer. I'd say by now that rifle that it's equipped with has to be about dry on ammo." Another small explosion roared through the skies, "Yup, it's out. Another five minutes is all he's got." That was all Serge needed to hear as Hyperion moved in a sprint like fashion, or at least what a core of it's size could manage. "Even if you make it in time; what do you really think your going to get done?"
"Raven's true goal is destroy all hope of resistance," Serge said confidently as he did what he could to aid in his own core's movement.
"Yeah, so-" Serge's train of thought caught up with her as she realized what her friend was aiming for. "You know this means you'll be court marshaled for disobeying direct orders, again." Serena smiled as if she found the thought funny."
Serge himself laughed at the thought, "Most likely."
Over a dozen monitors flickered to life across the bridge of the Air-Commander's flag ship. Each was a different feed from his soldiers on the ground. Most were camera feeds from the foot soldiers, yet only one of the feeds posed any interest to the battle worn soldier. All sound and video had been cut so only white noise remained. What the man found intriguing was the fact it belonged to one of the core based units that had touched ground first. Now it laid inoperable, the pilot's status unknown. "Could someone explain to me what the hell is taking so long?" Silence continued to fill the bridge as every one knew the cost of answering the question even though the man had asked.
"Don't you think this is a bit much to apprehend a single core?" Having broken the silence foot steps could be heard against the crated floor.
Raven frowned though his reaction had gone unnoticed. He knew whom the voice belonged to, and it was someone he cared not to hold conversation with. "You more than anyone should know that when it comes to achieving victory for the Corporation nothing is ever 'to much'." The emphasis on the end of his sentence had been heard, but fell on deaf ears. "Then again, you've always been soft Spence; so I would not expect you to understand."
A simple shrug of his shoulders was the older man's response to the insult. "and yet I still managed to complete every mission. Each with little to no casualties; all the while following orders. I suppose that makes me the better of us if we go by your standards, brother." A slight smile formed at the look of irritation Raven was now filled with. Nothing gave him the feeling of victory as watching his brother squirm from underneath his own words.
Maintaining his military bearing he stood tall, hands clasped together in the small of his back, "For what reason do you honor us with your presence?" Raven asked knowing full well that no matter how far his brother out ranked him they were on his ship. As if it mattered given the circumstances that the only reason the former Air-Admiral was present on the mission was only to keep his two students in check.
Another shoulder shrug, his eyes glancing from screen to screen at the apparent non-aggressive mission took place. One screen showed over three dozen civilians being lead by gun point an area out of harms way. Another showing a feed of a gun fight between the poorly trained Yorlon militia and the Corporation foot soldiers. "One question little brother. Why do you feel that you must force a territory the size of Yorlon into submission?"
With the question being asked the entirety of the bridge eagerly waited an answer all the while continuing to look busy monitoring the incursion taking place on the ground. Raven's usual expressionless face now showed the irritation he always felt when in the presence of his older brother. "If you feel that you must really know," he snarled slightly glaring from the corner of his eye. "destroying what could become a hope of resistance before the people have the time to truly do such might just prevent a true revolution. You might say I am saving more lives then I am taking." By the time he had finished speaking Raven's voice had reverted back to it's normal tone.
Sick. Anger. Resentment. All of the above was what the man known as Spence was feeling at the so called protection of life his brother proposed. In fact if anything the exact opposite was going to transpire. "Sometimes, losing what people consider to be their hope is what it takes for them to become even more likely to strike. If you back a tiger into a corner, there is only two options for the tiger. Kill or be killed. We humans are no different."
Chuckling echoed through the silent chamber, "Why do you think your excuse for proverbs can change the mind of every one. A real hunter would kill first. Another simple shoulder shrug was again the only response Raven received from the graying ex-admiral. Always willing to talk when it suited him; yet never spoke or answered when asked a question. Speak only when you have something meaningful to say. The voice of their father rang throughout his thoughts as it was what he considered he personal catchphrase.
"Sir-"
"What is it!" Raven snapped.
"It appears that the Yorlon Core has downed another suit..." the soldiers words fell lower in volume the entire time he spoke. Bad reports were never tolerated when the Air-Commander was in a good mood, only those that out ranked him went unharmed at the sounds of a bad report when he was in his current state. For the moment it seemed that his own well being was safe for the moment. "Ten suits total Air-Commander."
Raven stood still with his eyes unmoving from the remaining camera feeds. Another belonging to a core showed only static. He was not sure of what, but running his mind over the briefing nothing stood out. No where had it been mentioned that Yorlon had access to a trained pilot. Grant it they were massed produced Cores; an untrained pilot would have had difficulty taking out two or three of the ground based units. Even so, this only reinforced his own resolve. With the numbers he possessed it mattered not how trained or untrained the pilot was. Now it was only a matter of time.
"ZC-12:Hyperion entering battlefield."
The mention of the Armored Core piloted by his least favorite tag along did little to ease Raven's anger. Even with the precautions he'd taken to prevent Serge's participation in the battle. He was aware that the Corporation considered the teenager a prodigy of sorts, and even they had their concerns in allowing the boy to partake in full on missions. Still, he had been given 'special' permission.
With a low growl having escaped from his lips Raven's fist slammed down on the transmitter button, "Destroy that core, and I might just forget about your insubordinate actions!" His words echoed throughout the bridge sending chills up the spines of those that had not already felt the air around them grow colder in each passing moment. The sound of static crackled within the speakers of the communication station. Almost as if it had been speaking back to the Air-Commander itself.
"I'm surprised," the voice of the young man Serge registered loud enough for the ranked officer to hear crystal clear, "for someone so high and mighty you sure sound desperate. Hell, you'd have to be if your asking for my help after what you did to my suit."
For once Serge was speaking the truth even if it were only in the slightest way. With the sheer numbers he commanded Raven was under no doubt that his victory would be soon at hand. He had to admit that whom ever was piloting the core on the surface was presenting a set back. Yorlon was small in comparison to other territories and if news that a small zone like itself had required so many troops to seize; his goal at preventing world war would would be nothing shy of failure. Delicacy was not an option in his play book, this time was proof to that.
"Look you shithead-" Raven was speechless. He should of expected no less from the teenage delinquent, but even so no one had ever just turned their radio off to ignore him. The thought of the young man smiling at the fact he had angered the man more than anyone ever had before only made things worse. "See to it that he faces every charge possible for court marshal."
Serge grunted doing everything with in his power to keep his core in full movement, thankfully silence filled his cockpit. "I swear that prick talks just to hear his own voice." A smiled formed on his face as the Yorlon Core came into view. "Let's see just how much trouble I can get into." Crossing the core's left hand over his chest red sparks light up the back side of the cores hand when a small door slid open ejecting what appeared to be a red laser that soon erupted extending its width forming a laser blade reaching in length to be taller than what Hyperion stood. "Alright Hyperion, lets show these sorry excuses for cores what we can do."
His words as if they brought life into the machine the speed of the suit had already began increasing. With every swing of his laser blade the pilot in the opposing suit came to know what it felt like to exist in the plane of oblivion. Knowing that with his boosters offline due to his earlier stunt for every swing he took a brief moment of vulnerability was open, a weakness he compensated for with a shot from the rifle equipped to his right arm. The so called mass-produced suits rated less than skillful enough to contend with some one with the training he had endured.
Laser rifle or not each shot with enough charge possessed enough raw power to penetrate the outer shell of many of the less armored cores. Were as the more heavily armored units felt less damage physically, even if each shot was enough to blind their sensors. In this particular case, Serge gladly accepted anything he could get. Trained or not, to take on an army alone was not a scenario he was likely to come out of, alive anyways.
Silently cursing to himself Serge could feel a small amount of ignorance wash over him. From his carrier-copter the forces had looked a little more spread out, but now that he was on the ground it was pretty much a cluster- "Missed one." The most welcoming voice of his best friend cheerfully brought him from his unfinished thought. Apparently she had figured he was going to need a guardian angel if he was to complete his foolish mission.
"What ever happened to keeping up appearances?"
Serena released another bullet from the chamber of her sniper rifle, "I pretty much just said screw it. It's pretty obvious that Raven would just point the blame at the both of us. It's not like he wanted us to come any ways." Even though the communication feed was radio only Serge knew Serena well enough to know she had a cocky smirk branded across her face.
"In other words, you wanted in on the fun too?"
"What if I did?," Serena spoke, "Area's clear, get your ass moving." Little reminder was needed to get Serge moving Hyperion.
Ten suits down, Ian counted taking a moment to catch his breath. Twenty minutes. That's how long he'd been in the cockpit of the Armored Core Forever. Ever minute was even more painful than the last. He'd already taken the life of ten people, whether they were guilty of only following orders or as evil as the man that had given the order mattered little to him. Each one was doing enough to weigh down his thoughts.
In the beginning moments of the battle rage had filled his thoughts boasting a considerable amount of confidence that he could pilot the suit his parents claimed to have built for him. Now he stood on the edge of a battlefield with no ammo in his only ranged weapon. Upon firing the last bullet it had become obvious that with today being the suits test run the use of full powered ammunition had likely not been a priority. As such it had taken more bullets per each of his targets to cause considerable enough damage to decommission even the lightly armored forces.
His hands tightly gripped around the controls of his Core the pain he was feeling was excruciating. Regardless of if the suit had been for him his arms had started feeling heavy during the first few minutes. Now the thought of even moving them caused him to wince in pain. Needless to say, the abundance of confidence he had displayed by taunting the army had definitely not been his best idea. "Well...this sucks." Ian spoke still gasping for breath when his radar pinged alerting him to five new arrivals.
With only the prototype version of the Moonlight laser blade remaining as his weapon maneuvering the Core to help re-balance himself after each attack was going to be not only hard, but dangerous. Things had been easy up until now. Each fight had been one on one usually with the next enemy only a few minutes behind the most recent. Managing a surprise attack would grant him only enough time after the initial strike for maybe a second attack, but that was if the sword like weapon was packing enough strength to damage an opposing suit. If his discarded rifle was loaded only with practice rounds it was a safe bet that the blade was more a less better as a blunt weapon.
Now within view of the approaching suits Ian could only imagine what the pilots were thinking. The only thought he was hoping had not crossed their minds was if he was at his limit. Of course with their slow rate of advancement Ian could only assume that they had figured him out.
Looking to the video feed of his back camera Ian bowed his head at the thought of having left Christa, and even the others alone. He had rushed out when the original pilot had abandoned Forever's cockpit to prevent the idiot leader of the group from getting hurt. Now all he had done was cause more bad than good for his home. Had he just given up the Core, his parents might of still been alive. Christa and the others wouldn't be in danger of being killed. With his actions he had done everything to ensure the destruction or it's occupation by the Corporation.
Those two thoughts were enough to cause despair in anyone regardless of where they came from. To lose a place you called home for any reason was even more of a reason to fight to keep it safe. For him there was more than protecting his home he had his 'friends'; using the term as loosely as possible; that needed him. Re-positioning his stance to one that would allow for a more damaging blow, Armored Core: Forever stood with it's side facing the newcomers holding the hilt with both hands. "One way or the other someone's going down."
In the few seconds it took the five suits to move a few steps closer towards Ian everything had come to an end. A small series of explosions covered the scene before him in a blinding flash.
"You look ridiculous."
To Be Continued
