The roar of the AALIYA's Overboost engine reached across the North Atlantic as it broke the sound barrier, the machine traveling at just past Mach 1 as it approached the BFF fleet. The boom was seemingly canceled out by Prometheus' sniper rifle, which sent a round at the heart of the AALIYA. It heavily dented the Core unit's left side, sending a shock throughout the whole machine.
"Sniper fire… NEXT identified! It's number five, Mary Shelly! Be careful!"
"Understood. I'm placing her elimination as a priority." Another round came howling toward Reflection's machine, a burst of QB saving it from a direct hit. The AALIYA's PA dropped significantly as the round passed through the shield, however. "How much time to I have until the Queen's Lance is in range of reinforcements?"
Fiona checked her displays. The Ark was currently in a high altitude holding pattern over the fleet, acting as Reflections eyes and ears as he chased the fleet across the sea. "Just five minutes! Please, be careful! Her main weapon is the Sniper Rifle, and she's extremely effective with it. Getting in close is your best chance!" Yet another round clashed with the AALIYA's PA, punching through and narrowly missing its head.
As he drew closer, he could see Mary Shelly's machine standing atop an aircraft carrier with its weapons raised and its back to the sun. The heavily armored machine was composed almost entirely of straight, angular lines. The BFF's reputation for precision was represented in all of their products, but Prometheus displayed it better than any other machine in their arsenal. A smattering of deep purple, violet and gunmetal gray was turned to lighter tones as the light of the setting sun splashed down on it from the clouds, with searing bursts of white hot gasses and light from its 050ANSR sniper rifle and 051ANNR standard rifle lighting up its body all the more. The four eyed head stared hard at the approaching AALIYA, which Quick Boost strafed out of harms way as both rifles fired again.
"Goodness! Come all this way to die, have you?" Inside her cockpit, Mary smiled happily as Reflection fired its plasma cannon, the green-white plasma cracking against her PA but hardly breaking through. "Heh… you make a nice target…"
Reflection smirked at her taunts, but didn't answer. Instead, he Quick Boosted into the midst of the fleet, leading several of Mary's shots into an aircraft carrier. Only after he spotted the smoking hole in its bridge did Reflection return the favor. "It looks like no one taught you how to avoid shooting your allies."
Mary blushed, growling lowly as the AALIYA came around the carrier with its Plasma cannon deployed. Both machines fired at the same time, two solid rounds passing close to the particle stream as they flew. Both sides missed, but Reflection was closing in now. Sooner or later, the superior melee ability of his machine would render Prometheus' long range weapons nearly useless. If he could stay close, the less maneuverable BFF machine would falter. That didn't mean it was going to be easy.
"Hmph. You're pretty good." Another sniper round shaved the AALIYA's PA as she took flight, retreating to a different carrier as he closed. "It's useless, though. We're different animals."
What she hadn't noticed, however, was the AALIYA's charging Overboost. A violent roar of Kojima powered thrust sent the AALIYA charging at Prometheus with its MARVE and HITMAN, cutting into the purple and grey machines Primal Armor until it gave. She gasped audible as her HUD began throwing up warning signs about the damage her AC was suddenly taking. Furious and red in the face, Mary hit her thrusters harder than she ever had, taking Prometheus even higher into the sky where the energy lacking AALIYA couldn't follow as well. He didn't have to though, as the AALIYA set down on a carrier and unfolded its plasma cannon once more. Its lime-green lance of plasma carved off a sizeable chunk of Prometheus' BFF made frame, striking just above the waist where it burned for a good half second. A follow up shot slashed the left shoulder, ripping away more armor as the blast continued on its way.
"What?! Is this it?" She shouted with a bit of terror. She had never fought another NEXT, another Lynx, except in simulations given to her. Those were usually inaccurate, as they were based off what little information was shared between the Corporations. The man before her was no simulation however. "…No, I can finish this."
Prometheus took aim as she gained some distance, firing her rifles again as the AALIYA jumped off the carrier deck. Reflection grimaced as she fired again, a sniper round catching the back of his AC's head. For a moment his screens flickered, and damage warnings went off, but everything stabilized. He could still fight, and the roar of his boosters proved it. Just as quickly as Mary had moved away, Reflection closed in again with both hand weapons firing. Prometheus shook from the hits, smoke rising from several joints as it continued firing down at him. Eventually though, Prometheus' generator couldn't keep her airborne anymore. Her lack of Primal Armor completely ruled out her chances of escape as well, and with the AALIYA this close, it was only a matter of time.
"Why…?" She questioned herself as Prometheus hit the water, still backpedaling with its rifles firing. "But my… superiority is…"
'Nobody is superior. It's simply the strength of one's will.'
Her cockpit went dark as a rifle round completely removed the AC's head. "Who…?!"
'Come. You're done here. The others are waiting.'
"…I don't…" She suddenly felt a sticky wetness from her side, and a dull ringing in her ears. She looked down, but wished she hadn't a moment later. "…so I'm…?"
Water began flooding into the cockpit from the hole Reflection's plasma cannon had made. She was sinking, but loosing so much blood that she'd bleed out before the icy waters of the Atlantic could take her. She smiled, sadly. Wong had been right, and she couldn't even apologize to him now.
"It's confirmed… Prometheus is down. Please, keep it together for just a bit longer, Reflection. You're almost there!"
Another presence had been added to him, but he didn't have time to meet and greet just yet. With a final rage of Overboost, Reflection pushed toward the Queen's Lance with all his might. Missiles from several ships crashed against the NEXT's exposed armor, blowing small chunks of it away as it neared its target. He opened fire with all he had left, bullet cases from the HITMAN raining down upon the sea as the sun began to set on the Bernard and Felix Foundation…