Author Notes: Sorry, probably would have had this up a day or two ago, but circumstances prevented it. Oh well, just one of those lost opportunities. Enjoy.
I don't own Armored Core. I'm just borrowing it for a while. Thanks Agetec! (Insert maniacal laughter here)
This could be a problem. Omega sat on Godhand's shoulder, watching the sun rise. If Kisaragi is getting curious about that factory... Curious enough to send a raven... then things could unfold more quickly than I wanted them to. And if they unfold too quickly... there's no way I can save the people of Layered, or any other place for that matter, from the destruction that will follow.
Omega popped open the hatch to the RAY core and climbed inside, then flipped the Overboost switch to the "on" position. I'd best get going, I've stayed here long enough.
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This should be easy money. Omega sat at a library computer, looking over various contracts offered by various corporations. One of them in particular interested him, it was the chance to test a new MT design by Mirage. The Chaos 0.8? Sounds interesting, but not particularly powerful. I think I'll take this one. Omega accepted the contract, and left to get prepared.
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"Don't hold back Raven, do your best." Omega rolled his eyes as the Mirage operator instructed him. Just let me have a crack at that thing. I'll give you all the data you need.
The MT wasn't exactly the standard machine. Tall and gangly, it had ridiculously skinny arms and legs, and no head to speak of. It stumbled off to the left as soon as the elevator stopped and it had a chance to stabilize itself. Looks like it has some problems with balance.
A grenade round sent the MT tumbling to the ground. As the machine tried to rise, a burst from the FINGER tore it in half, and a slash from the MOONLIGHT quartered it neatly. Godhand landed a short distance away, the SPINE legs bending over at the knees. "Easy meat." Omega snorted, smiling to himself at the awed silence of the operators.
Before he got a chance to bask in his victory, an alarm started screaming, and the lights of the facility turned red. "Raven!" One of the operators cried. "An unidentified AC has breached the facility! Find him and destroy him immediately!"
"No. Our contract expired when I took out that MT." Before the operators had a chance to respond, Omega continued. "But I'll take him out for you. He's after me anyways."
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Keljadon smiled as his AC opened up the doors to the room where his target was located. He surely wouldn't be able to escape Bigfoot's multiple grenade launchers. The raven grinned arrogantly as the doors to the testing room opened, revealing a landscape of dunes before him. In the center of the room stood a lone AC, painted teal and black. It showed slight signs of battle damage, but nothing too serious.
"Greetings." The pilot's emotionless voice rang out. "I've been waiting for you..."
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Omega watched as the lumbering heavy AC clumped into the room, its pawlike feet making imprints in the sand of the testing site. I hope he doesn't think he can beat me with that clumsy thing. The huge AC was decked out in high-power grenade rifles, the quadruped weapons jutting out of the AC's arms and back. With a fierce battle-cry the raven charged forward, both grenade rifles bellowing as they released a pair of fireballs at Godhand.
The teal AC's pilot laughed, and stepped his machine to the side, easily evading the poorly executed attack. His next move was to flip the grenade launcher over his shoulder and return fire with it, the high-explosive round slamming into the core of the opposite machine, denting Bigfoot's massive core. One of the dual back grenade launchers popped over the shoulders, Bigfoot using the weapon in conjunction with the left-mounted grenade rifle to launch a blistering series of attacks against Godhand. The smaller teal AC was hard pressed to avoid the attacks from the huge, blocky behemoth, but managed to dodge most of the rounds, only getting hit once in the side of the RAY core.
The A-1 Raven grinned as the weapon hit the side of his core. So he's not totally incompetent... Let's see how he handles this. The chaingun switched the grenade launcher as the weapon pointing over Godhand's shoulder, and Omega pulled hard on the trigger, the weapon coughing repeatedly as it spat a long stream of bullets at Bigfoot. The multiple rounds impacted one after another, the heavy AC being too slow to do much more than try to dodge them. As he distracted his enemy with the chaingun fire, Omega inched ever so closer to Keljadon, zigzagging back and forth to appear as if he were undertaking an evasive action.
Keljadon never realized his opponent's plan until it was too late. As Godhand got close enough for the killing blow, Omega took it with extreme prejudice, the MOONLIGHT flashing out in a searing arc. The extremely powerful blade sliced clean through the IKS core that made up Bigfoot's body, cutting the cockpit in half and vaporizing the pilot. Keljadon never even got a chance to scream.
Nice try. But you're going to have to send better than that to defeat me.
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After collecting his pay from the rather stunned operators, Omega headed outside. Sometime during the fight it had started raining, and he found it refreshing to be outside without a jacket, just letting the water run down his face and his hair as he looked up at the sky. Without a further thought to the incident inside the training building, Omega began the long walk home, having made the necessary arrangements for his AC to be transported back to Global Cortex.
As he looked out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that someone seemed to be looking at him rather strangely.
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If that guy thinks he's going to ambush me, he's in for a big surprise... Omega calmly kept his hands in his pockets as he walked down the streets of Layered, the dark-looking man who had been following him for a few hours hot on his tail. I can't believe that he hasn't noticed that I've noticed him. He minded his business like any other citizen, occasionally casting glances over his shoulder to make sure the guy was still following him. Good... follow me...
Omega kept walking down the streets, his hands still in his pockets. After one last glance to make sure that the guy was still following him, he ducked into a nearby alleyway. Let's get this show on the road.
"I hope you didn't think you could surprise me." The raven spoke first, his emotionless voice seeming to echo in the emptiness of the alleyway.
"Wha... you knew?" His pursuer was obviously shocked by the revelation, and Omega quickly dismissed him as a rookie assassin. He won't be a challenge. It's time to show him why he shouldn't have accepted that contract from the controller.
"Of course I did. Didn't you see me looking at you?" Omega smiled at the other man's angry growl, and assumed that the hitman would be charging at him. That means that I'll need to move, right... His body tensed up, ready for action. Now.
The raven was disappointed as he heard the audible click of a pistol's hammer sliding into place. Typical hitman. Can't face his targets like a real man. That's too bad, I was really expecting more from him.
A shot fired. Omega didn't even make an attempt to dodge it. The bullet hit him high and to the left, shattering his shoulder and rendering his arm useless. The second bullet hit him in the side, narrowly missing any organs but leaving a good flesh wound. The third bullet hit him in the lung, and he fought down an extremely strong urge to cough as he could feel the trickle of blood filling the bottom of his lungs. As the fiery tendrils of agony enveloped his left side, he didn't move, didn't flinch. Just spoke.
"Your aim needs work. You narrowly missed my large intestine." Omega smiled through the pain, feeling delirious from the adrenalin.
"You!? You're still alive??!"
"Yes. I am. But unfortunately, the same can't be said for you ." Despite his injuries, Omega whirled around, his right hand finding the hilt of a sword that he carried inside his shirt specifically for emergencies like this. The raven spun around, whipping out the ancient weapon, which sliced his shirt in half. However, the would-be assassin suffered a much worse fate, as the end of the sword lodged itself firmly in his throat.
"Norman... Smith..." The assassin's last words came out as a disappointed gurgle.
Omega just frowned and clutched his left side gently, tidal waves of agony roaring through the injured area of his body. I suppose I should seek treatment for these. But they won't kill me.
Nothing will kill me.
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The program was frustrated. Or as close to frustrated as a program could be. Two assassination attempts on its target had failed, in the same day too. The probability of him surviving two assassination attempts shouldn't have been very high! He must have improved since we last fought... The program briefly flashed back to those last few moments inside that huge arena...
Memories? But I am a program now. Programs have no memories. Only a purpose. I exist for the sole purpose of protecting humanity. I intend to fulfill that task. As the program finished its ruminations, it noticed that a certain task was complete. A transport bearing a certain cargo had arrived earlier, on the exact time it was supposed to.
Checking ID... ID confirmed. This is excellent... The computer surveyed the contents of the ship with a feeling akin to greed, sampling the contents of the ship like delicious treats waiting to be devoured. Yes... these are perfect. They will make excellent soldiers.
The storm is just beginning for you Norman. You will be out of the equation with a minimal effort.