CHAPTER 3

The five orbital frame Nieths flew towards the factory at breakneck speeds. The LEVs and auto cannons began firing at them, but the Nieths were way too fast, dodging every bullet. Two of the marines, Watkins and Jaeger flew off from the main group and diverged on the auto cannons, destroying each one with a small burst shot (an attacked formed in the hands of the orbital frame. The frame creates a large orange/yellow ball of energy in its hands, the size and strength depends on the amount of time taken to charge it. A fully charged attack takes about four seconds to charge). The three other marines (Colonel Kane, Michael Rodgers and Hawk) all flew straight up to the LEVs.

Colonel Kane and Hawk both activated their shields (the orbital frame Nieths have red spherical shields that when active, cover the entire front of the Nieth) while Rodgers stayed behind them (completely protected from the LEV machine guns by the shields of the other two Nieths) and activated a full burst shot, taking four seconds to charge it (which Marines are normally taught not to do for it si too dangerous, but in this formation, it is ok). When it was finished charging, Hawk and Colonel Kane moved out of the way and Rodgers threw the large sphere of energy formed by the metatron burst shot. The burst shot completely missed, landing in the middle of four of the LEVs, but when using a fully charged burst shot, aim doesn't matter. The resulting explosion tore apart the four LEVs standing in the explosions radius. They were shredded to pieces, first the armour, then the thin frame underneath.

The surrounding LEVs were distracted, and using this to their advantage, Hawkins and Colonel Kane activated their arm blades (thin blades on each arm that extend off the arm a few metres and glow green). Hawkins attacked one of the LEVs, slicing its head clean off, disabling the camera eye. He then sliced it horizontally across the waist, making it's body separate from the legs and explode only seconds before hitting the ground.

Colonel Kane Warren sliced (vertically) down the middle of two LEVs at the same time. Each LEV split apart and exploded. Another LEV shot at him from behind, but the Colonel did a back flip in his Nieth and cut horizontally across the LEVs body. After doing this, he did a one eight degree turn and kicked another LEV in the stomach, sliced off its arms and stabbed it in the chest, blowing it apart.

Michael Rodgers stared at all this wide eyed, amazed at the skill of his comrades. Suddenly, his Nieth was struck in the back by a LEV missile.

"Aaahhh!" he screamed as he turned to face the LEV. When he turned, he found it's machine gun facing right at his Nieths head! He braced himself for the attack, but was surprised by the sight of a thin laser bursting straight through it's chest, destroying it. He turned again to see Hawkins's Nieth's palm aimed at where the LEV once stood. Hawk had fired a homing laser (a thin laser fired from the palm of a Nieth that homes in on it's target) to destroy the LEV.

"Thanks sir" said Rodgers thankfully.

"Don't thank me now, we have a mission to complete!" yelled Hawk.

"Hey, boys, STOP THE CHIT CHAT AND HELP ME FIGHT THESE LEVS" yelled Colonel Kane. Just as he said that, Watkins returned in his Nieth. The four of them finished off the remaining five LEVs.

"Where's Jaeger?" asked Colonel Kane angrily, noticing that Scott Jaeger hadn't returned.

"Maybe he was taken out by the other Auto cannon?" suggested Rodgers.

"No way, not while piloting and orbital frame" said Hawk, trying to ignore the young Rodgers lack of knowledge of the power of an orbital frame.

"Forget about him," commanded the Colonel. "Lets eliminate the frame in that factory and get out of here. We'll meet up with him later." The four frames turned to the factory but were met with the sight of Jaeger guarding it in his Nieth.

"Jaeger, you're here, we thought you chickened out" said Hawk sarcastically.

"He is immortal, hehehe" laughed Jaeger.

"What did you say" asked Colonel Kane.

"There is no escaping the god of death and destruction" replied Jaeger.

"You're not making sence bro!" yelled Michael.

"Shut up and get back in formation" yelled Colonel Kane angrily.

"He, he, he," snickered Jaeger. "Death to the Martians HA HA HA HA!"

"Oh God," whispered Watkins. "He's gone insane." At that moment, the ground beneath them started shaking.

"What the heck," said Hawk angrily. "Vascilia doesn't experience earthquakes."

"He he he, Apophis lives," said Scott Jaeger. Suddenly, a beam of light shot through the roof of the factory, extending to the sky above. Rising through that beam of light was an orbital frame. It was an average sized orbital frame, approximately as large as a Nieth. It was a black frame, with red shoulders and red hips. Its fore arms were red and hands were black. It had long blades extending from its elbows. There were also much smaller spiles extending from its knees (which were knees that bent the other way, like a horses hind legs). Unlike most orbital frames, it's feet weren't pointed. Instead, they were like an eagles talons. They had three toes, two at the front and one at the back. It had two long, rectangular objects hanging from it's shoulders over it's back, which were boosters. It had two more booster hanging off it's hips. It's head was like the head of a mechanical dragon.

"Oh man, it's awake!" yelled Colonel Kane Warren.

"Our information source said it wouldn't be online for another month," Said Major Hawkins. "Who was our source?"

"It was Jaeger" answered Colonel Kane.

Hawkins turned to Jaeger. "You set us up you son of a bi.." Hawkins didn't finish his sentence because he was distracted by the noise of a burst shot charging. It was Rodgers. He was charging a burst shot.

"It's my turn to be the hero now!" yelled Rodgers. His burst shot reached full charge, strong enough to destroy another Nieth. But his sights were set upon Apophis. He aimed and grinned. "Die bi.." BOOOMMM. Rodger's Nieth blew apart. Hescreamed as it did so, but was cut short when the cockpit was hit by the explosion. He was dead. It was done by another burst attack, a burst attack from Jaegers Nieth.