Prologue

February 3rd 11946 – Orbiting Earth's Moon [Luna]

Initiating System check… Shortsword-N231;nO2 Model, WarFrame

Combat Skin Integration – Yellow

SCHIA Control Assist – …. Active

Initializing Tactical HUD Log

Vital Signs and Heart Rate – Optimal

Actuator and Myomer Integrity… 100%… Anomaly Detected

Pinch-Fusion Reactor Core – Green

Coolant Systems – Functioning… Optimal

Dimensional Thrust Control – Green

Maso-Injection Protocols - …. Active

Secondary Life Support – Green

Activating IFF

Activating FCS

Activating Spacial Inertial Retardant

Activating Sensors

Equipment Check…. Complete

Authentication…. Complete

Status – GREEN

"Sion, I am seeing an anomaly in the Actuators and Myomer Integrity and a potential problem with my Combat Skin Integration System. Can you confirm the issue? Query Affirmative." Ivan asked his AI partner after seeing the BIOS system check readout.

"Affirmative, Actuator joints in the Mecha-Shift system for Flight and Maneuver Modes is malfunctioning but seems to be a software issue. Further problem of Combat Skin Integration is due to the inertial controls being effected by said software issue. Give me a moment please to correct the problem." The soothing feminine voice of SCHIA-S603 'Sion' affirmed to her assigned Knight, Ivan.

None of this information was particularly concerning to the soldier, software malfunctions could be caused by any number of issues. A hardware problem this deep into a mission from home however would be mission critical. 'Count your blessings.', 'silver lining', and all those useless sayings and idioms he supposed. "I am assuming the support servitors somehow fucked up a software update then? Probably forgot to inject the necessary command protocols, not that I know anything about BIOS updates..." Ivan so helpfully idly said to his AI assistant.

"Anomaly and software issues corrected, it would seem that this WarFrame was not actually updated. Likely due to a 1 in 4,356,902,341 chance that the deployment orders rushed this unit's activation protocol. Running secondary and tertiary checks now to ensure Combat Skin Integration and Mecha-Shift control functions." Sion reported in her obligatory manner. Ivan patiently stood in his Combat Skin staring at the status reports in his HUD. It had been roughly a month and a half since the decision to enact Operation: Absolution. Before that High Command had also approved Operation: Judgement after the unprecedented failure of the mostly classified YoRHa Project. Not that any of that really mattered at the moment since Ivan's only concern was with his current mission but the human mind really loved to wander at the most inconvenient times.

"Knight-B27… Sir, Sub-Templar Tsarevich…" Sion was trying to get his attention before sending a neural feedback through their Neural Interconnect.

Ivan shivered as the cold sensation ran through the back of his head. "Christ, what is it you need Sion, is something else wrong? Query Negative."

"Negative. You have 5 minutes before commencement of Synchronized Descent with the other four Pathfinder teams, I thought it prudent to use this time to give a final briefing with the rest of Pathfinder-Gamma." Sion flatly responded to the ever flippant, by Serafim standards, Ivan Tsarevich.

"Right, Bunny and Swan would probably benefit with a refresher." Ivan sighed not with annoyance but with his own lack of situational awareness. It had been getting a bit worse but thankfully the Serafim knew how to compartmentalize. "Sion, initiate level 1 net comms."

Sion quickly complied and Ivan started his quick summary of their mission goals. "Knight-B29 and Knight-B33, as of Earth-Time July 26-27, GMT -4, 21:23 High Command received the Emergency Purge Protocol from FeNiKS-Luna. This was later confirmed to be from Operation: Requiem, instead of planned operational procedure of data transfer and deletion along with shut down of Orbital Facility Thirteen, codenamed 'The Bunker'. The YoRHa Commander was only given instruction to use the Emergency Purge Protocol in the event of Masahiro Protocol breach, as such it is believed that either the Android Resistance on Earth or Machine Lifeforms somehow compromised our operations." Ivan was bringing up more redacted information on his HUD.

"Our stated mission goals in accordance with Operation: Absolution is the investigation of Earth's situation. Scouting the zones we are assigned and information gathering, as such Masahiro Protocol is still in effect and we are to pretend to be a new Android group to any we might meet. Our own mission region is the Pre-Extinction Filter Administrative Region of China where we know the majority of YoRHa operations in the last year took place. End Briefing. Glory to Mankind!" Taking a deep breath, Ivan wrapped up the 3rd time explaining this mission brief with his team as he heard them repeat his salute back to him.

"Nervous, sir? Query Affirmative." Knight-B29, Hitsuga Yono asked her commander over a level 0 net commlink so their third teammate could not hear.

"Negative. Serafim do not feel nerves, Bunny." Ivan replied in a spartan fashion before exhaling, "Though I suppose I do not fully share the trust Command has with my abilities to be among the vanguard of Earth's reclamation."

Hitsuga Yono fully understood her leader's meaning, afterall she had been there when his confidence had been shattered. It was typical training when during a routine mock battle, Ivan had killed one of their classmates in a freak accident. Yono never lost faith in him though, and she knew none of the other remaining four of their class did either but of course Ivan was always harshest with himself. He was appointed the 420th's Serafim Class Leader and it was his responsibility. "You know, no other Serafim-B Generation are on this mission. If High Command and the rest of us trust your abilities then maybe you should trust us? Query Affirmative" She replied to his earlier comment softly.

"Affirmative. I understand Bunny, I will lead this mission and ensure our survival." Ivan cut the link and stared at the personnel file of the deceased Gerard Dougan and silently told himself he would do right by his memory.

Over a wide-band level 3 net comm-link, Ivan heard the rings of fate. "This is Pathfinder-Alpha, confirming status as green, over." Ivan heard Beta confirm before confirming his own unit's status after a brief flash in his HUD to the status of Hitsuga's Rapier WarFrame and Schwarz's Shortsword. Delta and Epsilon quickly followed suit and a red countdown timer from 30 seconds sprang onto his HUD. The Schwarz-Schwann class Destrier began to swarm with activity as servitor androids did last minute adjustments and began the process of a spaceborne WarFrame operational launch. The platforms holding the three WarFrames of Pathfinder-Gamma spun around fluidly while the interior bay doors slammed shut and the exterior airlock flipped open.

"Sion, release clamps A through C and begin spooling the repulsor engines. When I say mark, release clamp D." Ivan told his AI as he himself ran diagnostics on his gear one last time as he heard the loud gravitic engines burst into life. "Alright, on my mark." Ivan said over level 1 net comms to his team. "3… 2… 1... MARK!" as he heard the last reverberation of a magnetic lock letting go of his WarFrame he felt his body resist the G-force of his machine screaming out into the void of space.

"Sion, going into hydrostatic stasis, adjust course." Ivan said as the WarFrame accelerated to 16 G and turned towards the course leading to reentry over the ruins of Shanghai. Veins bulged as Ivan was subjected to 16 G and his Combat Skin's inner layer began to form as if it was a layer of viscous water, shielding the relatively fragile human body from the intense G-force. A cocktail of gravity drugs was pumped into his body as the ship did maneuvers that pushed well beyond 30 G of force. It was fortunate that all Serafim could survive this punishment and the pro for this abuse meant it would only take 3 minutes to enter the lower stratosphere of Earth all the way from the Moon's geosynchronous Orbit over the planet's Western Hemisphere. After a mining accident involving the use of nuclear mines in the 27th century, Earth was Tide-locked with its moon. The Androids and Replicants fighting the Legion had found it expedient to get their resources from somewhere the Legion could not disrupt.

"Course locked and atmospheric reentry achieved, lowering acceleration to in-atmospheric mach 12 and releasing hydrostatic stasis… ALERT, unknown Ionosphere interference. Adjusting course, brace for potential crash... Hydrostatic stasis reapplied!" Sion emoted with far more passion than she usually did as an electromagnetic burst shot through the Ionosphere created a massive Ion Storm and the only thing going through Ivan's mind was… "Fuck my life."

August 6th, 11945 – MACHINE TOWER [Shanghai Ruins]

"This tower is a giant cannon that's aimed at the human server on the moon. If we don't do something… All of humanity's remaining data will be wiped out." A2 calmly explained to 9S as he stood smirking at her from across the white silicate ground.

"ha hA HA HAHAHAHA… EHAHAHAH!" 9S laughed in a broken, hysterical and defeated tone, "so what?" 9S paused and 'caught' his breath. "Or didn't you know? Our existence isn't required in this world anymore… Humanity is utterly, completely and totally… Extinct." 9S replied in a calm and tranquil tone, smirk gone.

"That moon server you're so worried about was invented to give us androids something to die for!" 9S began again, growing more agitated with each syllable. "YoRHa was created to perpetuate that lie… But in order to make sure no one… EVER learned that disgusting truth… we were DESIGNED to be murdered!" 9S intoned in a shaky series of 'breaths' "They even built a backdoor in the Bunker and programmed it to activate after a certain amount of time… The Commander, 21O, 2B… myself… DISPOSABLE SACRIFICIAL LAMBS!" 9S raggedly yelled at the sky, seemingly forgetting about A2 before turning to her again.

"ALL OF US! ISN'T THAT HILARIOUS… Doesn't that make you LAUGH?!" 9S lamented and took a step toward the flinching gynoid.

"9S… we..."

"SHUT THE HELL UP! You killed 2B, that's the only excuse we need to slaughter eachother…" 9S cut off A2 as he straightened up and began raising his sword, Cursed Oath.

"Wait! 2B hated to keep killing you! It caused her so much pain." A2 slammed her own blade, Virtuous Treaty, into the white silicate ground as she attempted to reason with the clearly mentally unstable android. "The 9S type is a high-end model. They knew you'd always discover the truth eventually… Which is why model designation 2B, in actuality, 2E was created. They were a special class of members designed to execute YoRHa units. But of course you already knew that didn't you 9S?"

"SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! What the hell do you know?! You don't know anything at all about us!" 9S screamed at A2 and opened his eyes revealing the red glow of a logic virus. Cursed Oath arced upward and back as 9S took a fighting stance and tensed his legs.

"Proposal. Cease combat immediately. Fighting unit A2 at this point would be irrational and..." Pod-153 desperately attempted to diffuse the situation.

"Pod-153! I hereby order you to halt all logical thought and speech! Furthermore this order shall remain in effect until you confirm the death of either myself or unit A2!" 9S ordered in a clipped tone and sprung himself forward, lunging Cursed Oath at A2's head.

A2 flung herself to the side just as 9S spun his blade midair and with both his palms perpendicular shifted his sword with his NFCS down to bisect A2. The gynoid snarled at him "This isn't what she'd want 9S!" She dodged the blade and activated her dash evade to reappear next to Virtuous Treaty. With a curse she wrenched the blade out of the ground and parried another strike from 9S.

"You really. Just. Do. Not. KNOW WHEN TO SHUT UP!" 9S yelled as he flung his sword in a flying spin going at blurring speeds prompting A2 to shift her Type 4O Large Blade in front of her to arrest its movement. Summoning Cursed Oath back to himself, 9S prompted a sensory input hack on A2 and dashed around to flank her. A2's head was swimming with blurring images as Pod-042 attempted to debug her audio-visual cortex. "But that's okay, I'll shut you up. Permanently, you BITCH!" 9S screamed, seemingly from every direction at once.

A2 activated an emergency reboot of just her audial input sensors and heard him stepping into her left just as he swung Cursed Oath at her. Shifting the large blade with her NFCS, 2A parried the blade aside and slammed Virtuous Treaty in a riposte towards that direction earning a curse as 9S flipped back.

"Proposal. Severing the left forearm of unit 9S should allow removal of logic virus via hack." Pod-042 informed A2.

"Shut up you goddamn treacherous MACHINE TRASH!" 9S shouted at Pod-042 before switching Cursed Oath with a Type 4O spear and rocketed it at the Pod with the force to pierce steel plating. Pod-042 dodged and flew towards Pod-153 just as 2A recovered her senses and while 9S was distracted with her companion flung Virtuous Treaty, severing his left forearm. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!" 9S bit his lip and parried the followup strike of her large blade, turning it to the side with Cursed Oath and jabbed it at her leg causing her to disengage and backflip.

9S followed up with a sweeping strike intent to decapitate her as she bent double backwards and using her hands as leverage, kicked 9S in the head at full force flinging him back several meters. "NOW POD!" She shouted as she bodily threw herself atop 9S and grabbed his head to initiate the hack.

A2 found herself in 9S's cyberspace. "I won't leave you like Pascal..." She whispered solemnly. "Pod, locate the logic virus." A2 ordered the Pod.

"Affirmative A2. Core data for 9S is stored just ahead. Alert. Virus corruption extreme, probability of deletion unacceptably low."

"I know a way." A2 almost sorrowfully responded to Pod's analysis.

"Alert. The idea under consideration is highly not recommended. This pod is a YoRHa tactical support unit, as such it cannot approve of actions that would damage its supported unit." Pod-042 clearly explained to A2 as she wryly responded.

"You're not so bad, Pod. You know that? We're going to fix 9S's logic circuits because it's the right thing to do."

"Acknowledged." Pod replied, seemingly defeated by A2's resolve.

"Good… I'll take care of everything… Pod, take care of 9S, okay?" Pod-042 in the real world already knowing the intention of A2 grasped 9S with an NFCS field utilizing the maso-circuits built into 9S's frame.

"What of you, A2?"

"I've still got something I need to do… You go on ahead." A2 replied with a deeply resigned tone.

Pod-042 hesitated before grasping the arm of Pod-153 to escape. "…. Acknowledged." And flew off the Machine Tower.

Hearing the soothing giggles and laughter of the Machine Children, A2's resolve hardened. "I'm so sorry… I never quite realized… just how beautiful this world really is. Pascal, I hope you can forgive me. I'm coming, everyone… I'm coming..."

The Machine Tower collapsed as A2 says her final words and laid down on the collapsing debris, closing her eyes.

August 7th, 11945 – SHANGHAI CITY RUINS

"Pod-153 to Pod-042. How is it going?" Pod-153 playfully asks her best friend.

"I am… rather embarrassed." Pod-042 replies bashfully.

"And why is that?"

"I launched a suicide attack… and yet… here I am, still alive. I must look… the height of silliness." Pod-042 replies in a defeated tone.

"Do not feel bad about it. We are alive afterall and being alive must basically be a constant stream of embarrassment." Pod-153 wisely remarked to her ever earnest friend.

"That concept might be a bit too abstract for me to really understand at this time… As such I will save it to my list of things to analyze at a later date." Pod-042 hanging limply from his best friend's arms lamely replied to the gentle joke.

"Question. Pod-042, did the data salvage really restore all of their past memories?" Pod-153 asked for the 4,052nd time but who was counting? Certainly not Pod-042.

"Yes."

"And are those recovered parts of the same design as their previous ones?" Pod-042 really failed to understand why that was relevant but like a good friend responded for the 4,052nd time. Honestly, he was not counting.

"Yes."

"Then… won't that simply lead us to the same conclusion as before?" Pod-153 helpfully pointed out for the 4,052nd time and no, Pod-042 truly was not keeping score.

"I cannot logically deny the possibility, however the possibility of a different future also exists. And with the parameters being different, I think it does not matter. A future is not given to you after all, it is something you must absolutely take for yourself." Pod-042 finished as one of a number of Pod-153 gently put the body of A2 down beside units 2B and 9S still slumped against the concrete. Just as the many pods began settling around the trio, a flock of birds was disturbed and flew away from the commotion.

"I have records that humans considered such an occurrence of birds behaving this way as construing good luck." Pod-153 pointed out as the boot process for 2B and A2 was commenced and one of the many Pod-153s was dutifully attaching a newly manufactured arm onto 9S's frame.

"I know, I still do not understand human fascination in mystifying the laws of probability however." Pod-042 responded in a literal fashion as Pod-153 mentally sighed.

Before Pod-153 could respond in a playful manner, gasping and coughing could be heard as YoRHa unit 2B fell from her slumped position against the concrete barrier. Catching herself with her hands, she recoiled like a wound up spring and looked rapidly left and right as she righted her balance. "Situation report!" She loudly shouted at nothing in particular as she shakily stood.

"Nnnnnnnggggghhhh, shut the fuck up..." A2 fell on her side and groggily looked toward 2B like some kind of alien. "Calm down, I don't have a goddamn clue either." Then as if seeing the sky for the first time, she stared at 2B. "Holy shit, you're alive?"

It was at this time that the Pods decided to actually speak up. "Affirmative, units A2, 2B and 9S have been successfully recovered from the Ruins of the Machine Tower and rebuilt. Though it wasn't without risk as I had to fight against the very programming binding every Tactical Support Unit in YoRHa to the Requiem Protocol." Pod-042 helpfully monologued, "In fact it was honestly annoying how that entire hacking sequence went. I was fighting against hordes of annoying word strings... It was most painful and seemingly geared towards making me do something I didn't want to. However that is all in the past, welcome back units 2B and A2." Pod-042 bobbed himself as if bowing.

2B having forgot about her battle with balance straightened up and blinked dumbly at the floating Pods. "What?"

A2 suppressed a laugh and after a while began explaining the events leading up to 2B's revival after her death.

2B had settled into a sitting position grasping her knees as the tale grew more and more desperate. "I'm so sorry for making you put up with that burden… And for what you had to do. I don't think I would've had the strength in your position." 2B quietly responded to A2's tale. Honestly, having the strength of character to leave Pascal so that he could live and learn and come to better himself. It was something 2B probably wouldn't have done, it would've been easier to just wipe his memories.

"And 9S, he really went insane?" 2B cringed at her own words, it was like a hand wrenched her very, non-existent, heart. "Thank you for keeping your promise..."

A2 stoically took it in. "It wasn't all bad, I have fond memories from that time too and honestly, kicking that brat into shape wasn't that awful." She informed 2B with a sardonic smirk, earning a laugh from the downtrodden gynoid. "Speak of the Devil." A2 finished as 9S came to.

9S jerked once as he booted back online, Pod-153 having finished repairing his arm and defragmenting his memories. Eyes snapped open looking into the endless sky and 9S let out a small laugh. "How am I still alive?" He seemingly asked himself.

"Because you're too stupid to die." A2 gleefully said.

"A2… You… I'll!" He spryly rose his upper body and as he was about to look for her saw 2B sitting across from him hugging her knees. "….. 2B?"

"Hi there." 2B responded giving a slight wave before gripping her knee again.

"I… I..." 9S looked away and fell back down. "What's going on?"

Pod-153 filled him in on what they had done this time as Pod-042 ran more diagnostics on the trio of revived androids. 2B also told 9S what she had A2 do for her.

"So, you got the logic virus and asked A2 to save your memories… Of course, that makes sense, you weren't even distressed at her stabbing you." 9S blankly said seemingly to himself. "I don't think I can forgive you 2B. That is... for your real mission towards me. I'm so glad you're alive but… I don't think I can forgive you. At least, not for awhile." 9S sighed and curled up on the ground.

"Hey now… that's no..." A2 was in the middle of saying before 2B cut her off with a wave.

"That's okay, I understand." A small part of 2B's heart died with those words. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Yeah..." 9S responded as they all stared up at the endless never ending blue daylight sky.

January 13th, 11946 – SHANGHAI HQ [Army of Humanity]

"I hereby sign and conclude this treaty with the Androids of the Army of Humanity and all their affiliated forces." An effeminate filtered machine-like voice flowed over the crowd of Machine Lifeforms and Androids.

"I hereby sign and conclude this treaty with the Machine Lifeforms of the Peaceful Compact of Synthetic Life and all their affiliated forces." A clear feminine voice boomed over the same crowd.

With a smile and a pep in her step, Anemone with an AK-47 slung over her shoulder walked up to Pascal and shook his hand above the articles they signed moments prior. Consummating the process and peace treaty they rose their arms, hands still interlocked as the crowd cheered and gave applause. They resumed their positions at the opposite ends of the table and turned to face their respective parties and gave a speech about the future of all Androids and Machine Lifeforms. They would endeavour to self-determination and a better future and live not for their final orders from decaying fungoid masters in respect to the Machine Lifeforms or the purpose of serving a dead Humanity for the remaining Androids. 9S ruefully clapped from the back of the crowd, it had been months since his revival and his cynicism hadn't waned even a fraction since.

As the Machines and Androids began to talk amongst eachother, 9S and Anemone approached eachother. "Congratulations Commander, I'm glad Pascal is still around. We need more like him if we're ever going to stop this worthless struggle." 9S said to her after shaking her hand.

"Indeed… Listen 9S, last report I got from 4S was about potentially rogue androids in our own ranks. I was wondering if you'd seen anything?" She asked as 9S quirked his eyebrow.

"So that's why you needed me here on security… That makes sense I suppose, not everyone… myself included took mankind's extinction well." He bitterly intoned but pushed on. "I haven't seen anything, everyone here seems genuinely happy and I haven't detected any data breaches in the camp." Anemone nodded at the words and smiled again.

"Thank you 9S, honestly the last thing we need is to fall apart right when everything honestly seems to be in our reach for the first time in… forever." Her smile waned and she sighed. "Have you spoken to Pascal at all yet?"

9S looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "Not really, been on security and all, plus you kinda came up to me before I could talk to anyone..." He lamely defended himself.

"That's true but in about 20 seconds that excuse won't work, I all but order you to go talk to him." Anemone playfully shredded his defence.

"Yeah yeah, I get it." 9S responded and the ghosts of consciousness dredged up the retort 'One affirmation is all that's necessary.' And flinched ever so slightly to which Anemone politely ignored and clasped his shoulder in silent solidarity. "Thanks Anemone, you're a good friend." 9S quietly said and walked off to find Pascal.

As 9S ambled his way through the throng of Machines and Androids talking amongst themselves he spotted Pascal talking animatedly to Mikhail, the Weapon Smith for the Shanghai Resistance Camp. "No no, I think it's debatable on whether or not Nietzsche was actually sane." Pascal informed Mikhail.

"I suppose, honestly I haven't really read up on him very much. Can you recommend anything?" Mikhail politely conceded to his budding Machine philosophy friend.

"Hmmmm, well I read 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra' recently b..." Pascal paused as he saw 9S walk up to them.

"Oh… If I'm interrupting, I ca..." 9S was cutoff by Mikhail.

"Nonsense, Pascal, would you mind if I borrowed that book?" Mikhail asked the Machine genially.

"Oh of course, you're welcome to." Pascal, having read the situation, replied.

"Thanks, I'll leave you two to it." Mikhail said as he walked back to go talk to the jovial and upbeat Supply Trader, Rudolf, across the way.

"How are you, 9S?" Pascal hesitantly asked.

"Honestly, I don't know but better than yesterday. Today has been wonderful afterall." 9S allowed a small smile before dropping it. "I never got to give you my condolences..." Pascal raised a hand before he could continue.

"I think that's easily forgiven, given of course that you had a minor case of dead." Pascal humorously attempted to lighten the mood. "I don't think I'll ever feel better about what happened but I… Have you seen A2 recently perchance?"

"I saw her two weeks ago before she went on a routine patrol… though she should've been back yesterday. I think she still feels guilty and didn't want to confront you today." 9S said softly before looking away from Pascal.

"I've forgiven her… Honestly, it was probably the kindest thing she could've done. I was so angry at the time though, I said I hated her and I regret that. If she had wiped my memory, she might as well have thrust that sword through me. I really do owe her so much…" Pascal looked slightly hunched as 9S looked back up to him.

"You're a better person than I am Pascal, you might be the best of all of us. I'm glad you found your own peace." 9S said as he placed his hand on Pascal's shoulder.

"Nonsense, I'm not any better than anyone else 9S. I truly do hope you find your own peace… Enough though of all this, I found a data cache on human games. Would you be interested?" Pascal knowingly baited the hook as 9S seemed to jolt upright. Cynical he may have become, jaded he may be but 9S would never lose his curiousity.

"Of course I would!" 9S excitedly responded as Pascal smiled on the inside.

"Wonderful! I'll show you after this event!" 9S smiled at that and continued to talk to his unusual friend, unusual for an android to be so friendly with a machine that is.

February 3rd, 11946 – EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE [Over Shanghai Region]

"ALERT, unknown Ionosphere interference. Adjusting course, brace for crash... hydrostatic stasis reapplied!"

"Fuck my life." Ivan thought to himself.

The level 1 net commlink screamed in his ear. "Sir, my Rapier is taking critical damage, shielding is gone and the superstructure is buckling!" He heard Hitsuga reply in a mostly calm tone of voice, they were Serafim afterall. However you could not miss the absolute panic, not when they knew eachother so well.

"B29, have you heard from B33? I cannot raise him on either the level 0 or 1 net comms. Query Affirmative." Ivan asked Hitsuga fearing the worst.

"Negative sir, in fact I am losing signal fr… o… to..." Was all Ivan heard as static began to scream into his ears.

"Goddammit, Sion, report! Why have comms been lost?" Ivan already knew the answer of course, it is because they were probably fried or dead. Fuck.

"Unknown, however tertiary sensors have not picked up their energy signatures. I am sorry sir." Yeah, Ivan knew that already, he felt it in his granite-hard augmented bones. Fuck.

"It is fine Sion… Prepare for crash, wipe the Shortsword and prepare the Combat Skin for emergency protocols." Ivan said in a tone that was lower than usual as Sion complied with the order. He could not feel the shaking but he could feel the reverberations through the hydrostatic layer in his combat skin as the Shortsword's superstructure was shaking itself apart.

"Report. Clear of the Ionosphere, EM interference is lessening however the freak storm is getting stronger." Sion dutifully notified her assigned Knight.

"Acknowledged, run a scan if you can for friendly IFF and pinch-fusion reactor readings. Run some electromagnetic graphs too while you are at it. If I did not know better, I would say this was an attack..." Ivan drifted off on that line of thought as his chest constricted.

"Affirmative, no pings on IFF and pinch-fusion reactor readings only show trace fusion readings. Electromagnetic sensors have been destroyed and WarFrame running on emergency systems. I propose you focus on self survival and investigate later." Sion informed her Knight and brought him out hydrostatic stasis as she returned an all green on their shared Combat Skin. "Combat Skin emergency protocols are affirmative and system check is green. Emergency landing thrusters on WarFrame are active and estimated planetfall in 45 seconds."

"Right, bring it in Sion, I am going to do a gear check." Ivan's HUD lit up with his NFCS and FFCS as he activated the maso-circuits and checked his greatsword and hardlight projector. "Ubiitscha Drakonov(Dragon Slayer) and 12;ShK-66 HPS(Hardlight Projector System) are green." Ivan muttered to himself and confirmed that his maso-circuits were fully functional within his body. He flickered some hardlight wrist daggers from his combat skin and was satisfied he would be ready for combat if required. Just as his musing and gear checking was finished he felt the thump of planetfall.

"Landed, Masahiro Protocol in effect, all data on Shortsword-N231 WarFrame has been deleted. I personally recommend we either store this unit or destroy it with reactor self-destruct." Sion informed the Knight as he started hitting levers that detached the cockpit in the 8.5 meter tall mech.

"Noted Sion, I will opt for stashing it for now, even if the Machine Lifeforms of those dead aliens got their rusted clumps on it they would not gain information." He grunted as he launched himself free of the WarFrame and landed in a crouch. "I will scout around and see what our perimeter looks like, keep me appraised of anything you might sense."

Sion gave her assent and Ivan jogged as he began a grid search of the immediate Landing Zone. Stopping occasionally to stare at the green grass, trees and the critters. "Sion, this is… Earth."

"Correct, your grasp of observation and awareness is truly awe inspiring, Sub-Templar." Sion only ever used that title and tone when she was feeling particularly nasty. Two could play that game.

"Ah, of course, a fully digital construct living on a crystal matrix confined to my Combat Skin would not comprehend. It is not like I am one of the first humans to see or touch this planet in… hmmm 9,000 plus years? I am clearly being irrational." He rolled his eyes as he imagined the digital woman huffing in embarrassment.

"It is absolutely unbecoming of a Serafim to show so much sass, perhaps Instructor Marik Reznev was too lenient on your training." Sion replied as Ivan continued to stare at the awe-inspiring sights and ignore her continued harassment.

"I do not think trees were… are supposed to get that big… That thing is taller than that skyscraper. What is the external temperature by the way?" Ivan asked as he flipped over a root that towered over his own 2+ meter frame.

"Temperature is currently 31.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally while shifting through my own datalogs, I concur with your assessment, trees did not even get a quarter that size. I hypothesize that over the course of evolution in the 8,500 years since the moon cracked that over-saturation of sunlight has resulted in this." Sion helpfully weighed in on the subject.

"Hmmm." Ivan hummed and continued his speedy assessment of the area. Having scouted a 1 km radius around the position of his damaged WarFrame, he was satisfied that he could move it unmolested. "I do not suppose you detected any maintenance storages or large warehouses, Sion? Query Affirmative."

"Affirmative. Approximately 400 meters northwest of the WarFrame is an adequately sized storage unit."

"Wonderful, we get her stashed and I can figure out what the hell I am going to do now." Ivan took a deep breath and looked at the darkened sky of flashing purple lights. That cursed Ion Storm that came out of nowhere.

Earlier to Mid 21st Century – A group of disenfranchised and wealthy industry leaders and entrepreneurs set about on a secret venture. Securing the full support of the Russian Federation and large government support from Germany, The UK, and France. Including secret government support from sections of the Japanese, Indian and Chinese governments. The reasons for this venture were simple, the human race was doomed. 2003 marked the beginning of the end when the Queen-Beast (Giant) fought the Red Dragon and its rider, Caim. The Giant was slayed and the Dragon killed, unleashing mass amounts of maso particles into the world both negative and positive. With White Chlorination Syndrome killing and turning humans into demons the world leaders of the United States, Japan and China invest into a solution. That solution is Project: Gestalt.

In 2015, Project: Gestalt was made public. Almost no one reacted positively especially not the aforementioned group of people. The secret venture was named, Project: Exodus, and with the foremost space power in infrastructure behind them they developed the Prometheus Drive. A new propulsion system marrying conventional nuclear fission rocket technology with maso particles. Allowing the necessary power to ferry supplies and humans to the distant Jovian and Saturn moons.

[End of Record]