Armored Core: Lunar Battle

Chapter 10: Liftoff

Nick and Jen were awakened by Chris at around 1600 hours, for they needed to move to the launch area in time for 1800. The small group made last minute packing arrangements, namely some spare raven uniforms for their small trip through space and their estimated time down on Lunar. They were planning on getting Eddy and Linda, but it seemed that that was already covered. She had failed to smash him with the sledge hammer she was hefting around, but he had crashed into an opened door in the process of checking his distance from her, effectively knocking him out cold for several hours since about 1430 hours. He woke up in time to prepare for the flight, but neither he or Linda chose to speak much.

The two teams reported to the garage, not overly surprised to see that Zeo Streak II was missing from its hanger again. They entered their cockpits and stored the gear they would wear in their compartments within their AC's as their units warmed up. Several of them were taking additional weapon systems for their AC's with them, but only the small arms could be held by most of them. The heavier weapons were left to Chris, who had remained stubborn on converting his tankish AC to a legged one. They left the garage within about fifteen minutes after ensuring that all the equipment they needed and wanted was accounted for. The group moved out in pairs. Devil and Big Shot moved together, considering that they were among the heaviest of the group and needed each other's assistance in order to take all of the heavier equipment they chose to bring, especially considering that Devil chose a variety of cannons and missiles for the upcoming battles. Reaper and Tanja would have moved together, but they were in transit with their faster partners from their teams, for Sprint and Demon couldn't stand being next to each other at the moment.

Reaper was watching the group as well as his Misteye would allow when his monitor beeped an alert. He pivoted on the spot and noticed a sliver AC on their path. His systems were warning him that the AC was in combat mode, but half the equipment on it wasn't recognizable by his battle systems. Reaper glared at the unit. 'The group's probably hearing the same music,' he thought, noticing a few looking at the unit as well. His console beeped again, indicating an incoming transmission. He keyed it in while watching the AC, a pop up appearing on the side with a silver emblem with a soaring raven in the middle.

"Unidentified AC group, this area is restricted. Identify yourselves or be fired upon."

Tanja keyed in on a separate line to speak to Reaper. "Don't worry about him, he's just guarding the launch area." She then keyed in to the silver AC. "This is team Breaker leader, Tanja. Currently escorting Ravens Sprint and Big Shot to the launch site."

The silver AC glared at Hunter IV and analyzed the information. "Data confirmed. The other three aren't accounted for in your team."

Reaper keyed in. "That's because the other three are mine. Team Doom leader, Grim Reaper, escorting Ravens Demon and Devil to the launch site." Again, the silver AC glared at Deathscythe VIII as it analyzed the data.

"Data confirmed. Both teams registered for classified mission entry." The pilot responded, advancing on the group at conventional thruster speed and getting to them within seconds. The group noticed that the unit was unusual, using what appeared to be state-of -the -art parts. It is equipped with an STO core, but it's over boosters had been removed from the core. It is also using the newer Crest legs and an energy resistant arm part, not to mention what appeared to be a heavier eye variant head. Nick's AC identified the part to resemble a Chrome corporation part called the Redeye, a curved front head that was good on any AC type in that age. It also seemed to be wielding the 800 round Mirage gun, a rather light laser cannon never seen before, and two rather odd weapons. One looked like a missile pod on his shoulder, while the one on its left arm appeared to be some sort of shield. "Just call me Chrome. My job here is to help safeguard the launch site from enemy attack and to assist in escorting AC's to the site." He turned around and led the group. "Follow me, so that the others won't bother you."

" 'Others?'" Devil and Big Shot asked.

Chrome's head tilted towards their direction. "This IS a joint operation," he replied. "All the corporations hired their best pilots to ensure the safe launch of all ships." The groups suddenly had four windows open up on their screens, revealing an AC in each one. "Crest brought out their ace operative. His name's Genobee or something. We don't have much on him or his records, but he has quite a reputation. Uses nothing but Crest equipment, even their radiators and generator. His AC, Dual Face, is equipped with only a rifle, blade, and two long range grenade launchers, which all seem to fit comfortably on that middle weight unit." The group heard him grunt. "Don't know how the hell he can move so fast with all that shit holding him down, though. Spotted him chasing off some guy named Joker (AC3: he was among the arena pilots and is an ally you can call upon to fight the MT in the flooded city sector. Uses hover tech, making him pretty fast), firing his grenades on the move. Called those 'warning shots.' Needless to say, anything getting near him is toast." A blue AC was then highlighted. "Mirage summoned some kook named 22. No beef on him either, but he is ranked 22nd best pilot here in the cortex."

"What the hell's he doing here, then?" Big shot asked.

"He only accepts missions and battles anyone that challenges his rank, but he has the skills to make it to number 1."

"Fat chance," Reaper replied.

"You're in no danger, first ranker. I said he's a kook for a reason. Says he likes more 2s than anything else. Guess he thinks it safer to assume such a low rank in the arena or something. Anyway, his AC uses Mirage's equipment only. Hell, he's even giving one of their experimental head parts a go. Very fast and packs a good punch in close quarters, but only uses his launcher on distant enemies and uses a multi missile system on those just out of slashing range." A yellow AC was then highlighted. "This guy, no one knows about. Apparently one of Kiseragi's private aces. He only seems to appear whenever Kiseragi was in trouble during battle. He is the only other one here that uses multiple corporate weapons, but sticks to Kiseragi for his FCS, generator, and radiator. He prefers long range, based on the sniper and long range cannons on him, but packs a small blade on the off chance someone gets too close." He remained silent as they trekked on.

Tanja broke the silence. "What about you? Your choice in parts is rather odd."

"Me?" he asked. "I just help the cortex a lot. Almost everything on this unit is still experimental. You can expect this stuff sometime in the future, provided it passes the field tests."

Reaper then spoke. "What the hell did you do to your core?"

"What do you mean?"

"That is an over boost core, but my scanners cannot detect the high strength thrusters required to access the ability."

"That's because I removed it myself. I'm a bit old fashioned, you could say, and I never use the boosters anyway," Chrome replied as he turned back to the launch site they were approaching. "Lightens up the core a bit, but Crest thinks this core needs something else to ensure pilot survival. I tell them do it yourselves." The Launch bay started coming into view. "Alright, here's how it's done here. There are only twelve ravens going down onto Lunar, everyone else has already arrived. Because of how the ships were designed, only four Ravens are allowed on each one. Ship three is already filled, and it is up to me to sort you guys into your ships." He scanned the entire group. "I sure hope those weapons the two heavies back there have aren't for one AC. That would be a waste of room on the ship and even fewer weapons available on Lunar if anything should happen."

"Nope," Devil replied. "Only three of these carried weapons are mine. The rest are used by the others."

Chrome smiled from behind his visor, which isn't visible on the comm. channels. "Good." He points his shield at Big Shot and Devil. "You two are to drop the weapons into the remaining two ships and board Ship Two. Your fellow ravens are already on board. I believe one is Royal Mist, and the other one is some Martian girl."

"Oh, whoopee doo," Devil said sarcastically. "Figures I'm roomed with the crazed bitch."

"I heard that, jackass," Pilan said, cutting into the comm. lines with an angered face on her comm. window. "You're lucky I have to work with you on this mission, so I'll just clobber you when you get in here."

Chrome glared at the intrusion. "I can handle them, Raven. Get back to your duties." He glared at his console as he saw her pull her one eyelid down with her middle finger, sticking her tongue out before closing the connection. "Anyway, you both are in that ship. The rest of you are in ship one." The heads of Quikdeath V and Speed Demon looked in each other's direction before both units turned their backs on each other. This didn't go unnoticed. "Is…there a problem?"

Hunter IV's OXI head and Deathsythe VIII's Misteye looked at each other a moment before looking at Chrome. "Sorry about that. Those two kind of aren't on the best of terms today. It shouldn't be a problem," Tanja and Reaper said at the same time.

"Right. Well, I have to get back to my post," Chrome replied. "Can't leave a gap in the defenses for too long. Who knows if Neo Core has sent reinforcement units in yet or not." With that, he dashed away from the group, who immediately went to work loading their equipment onto the ships.

Nick and Jen settled down in the ship about a half hour later. They and the rest of their team had finished loading their equipment onto the ships and have their AC's docked within their cargo holds. They were sitting in their room on board the ship. The ship isn't all that big at all. The cargo hold is large enough to hold up to six standard size AC's and easily carry about half the weapons that Greg holds in his shop. There also is a cockpit for the crew of the ship as well as a couple quarters for both the crew and passengers. Unfortunately for them, the one room was reserved for the crew and engineers aboard, so all four ravens were stuck in the same room. The duo looked at Linda and Eddy, who literally had sparks flying between their eyes. The sighed, realizing this was going to be a long trip unless those two could be on friendlier terms.

"Attention, ravens. We will be taking off in a few moments. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride while you can."

All eyes glared at the speaker in the room. "He's definitely jolly about this," Nick muttered. He knew how this ship was going to take off. There is a launch ramp located in the facility that they are at, a relic from before the Great Destruction. It was used during the Murakumo era to send colony ships to the moon, now called Lunar, and Mars. This thing is supposed to increase the ship's launch speed ten fold, giving it the push required to send it through the atmosphere without the use of additional fuel tanks, such as a relic shuttle rumored to be in a place called Neo Issac used to use. Essentially, the launch ramp is the equivalent of a XXL potato launcher, and it feels like it as well.

"Alright. Avenger III is going to launch first, followed by Decimation and Tactic. All systems for ship launcher are green."

"Rodger. Avenger III being taxied into position," the captain replied.

"Everything seems clear. Avenger III is cleared for launch."

'Everything seems to be running smoothly,' Jen thought. 'I hope everything else goes okay as well.'

Chrome was standing station at his post when he heard the engines of Avenger III start up as the ship prepared to launch. He couldn't watch, though, for his job doesn't end until all the ships take off. That's when he got the call.

"What the…Oh shit!" Gunshots were heard on the comm. Chrome identified the voice as the Kiseragi AC.

"What's the problem?"

"NEO CORE! THEY SENT SOMETHING…AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH!" Static covered the channel as Chrome's indicator noted that the AC was gone.

"Great, so they have made their move," Chrome said. He flipped open the other channels. "Heads up, Ravens. Kiseragi's pilot is down. Genobee, move into a delta formation towards me to fill up his spot."

"Negative, Ravens," their operator interrupted. "We just detected the unit before the AC went down. It's only one unit, but it wasted his AC with only one attack. Fall back towards the base on an intercept course with the target. Remember, the ships and launch ramp are to be protected at all costs."

"Genobee, I read. Moving to intercept."

"22, I'm a ways out, but I'll try to get there as fast as possible."

"Great. Just pray that Genobee and I aren't dead when you show," Chrome sneered as he boosted as fast as he could to intercept. He spotted the target long before his head part could even scan it onto radar. It is a very large MT, and Chrome recognized it. He studied too much of the past, but he could easily tell that was from a long time ago. It was extremely long and sleek, with two arms protruding from the domelike front of the machine. It seemed to look like a tadpole, if the arms were ignored. A long range rifle was slung under the unit's visor, and is equipped with several sets of vertical missile launchers. "What the hell? Operator, the target is an old Phantasma. Kiseragi should have been able to handle it before it could get too close."

"It doesn't matter, Raven! Regardless of how old it may be, it still took out an AC and is on an intercept with the launch site. Just stop it!" Chrome sneered as he slammed the channel off.

"Genobee, the target's a Phantasma. Something has to be up with it to take out an AC so fast."

"Understood," Genobee said with an emotionless voice. "I'm ready." Chrome had barely noticed that he was already in the unit's way, his one grenade launcher armed and ready to fire. The assault began quickly, with Genobee striving for first blood by firing the launcher into the front of the unit. He then fired another, but Phantasma just dodged the shot and retaliated with its rifle, which really was a long range plasma cannon. Genobee swore as he barely dodged the attack, the shoulder guard armor on the left already half gone. Chrome stopped and armed his laser cannon. His FCS couldn't get a lock on the target because of its distance, but he knew how far away it was. He fired the laser, scoring a hit on the rear of the unit. He prepared to fire again when he noticed something bad, two titan missiles were coming for him.

"SHIT!" he yelled as he forced his AC onto its feet again and boosted away from the missiles, noticing another Phantasma. "Another one?" he yelled as he pulled back, waiting for the missiles to self detonate. He charged again once they exploded, this time engaging the second one with his machine gun. "22,get here now, there are TWO Phantasmas. Repeat, TWO Phantasmas!" Chrome swore as he glided left and right using his thrusters to evade the plasma rounds fired his way, while having little luck hitting at his range. He flipped a switch and armed his experimental missiles on his right shoulder. 'Lets see how Kiseragi's micro missiles work,' he thought as the targeted locked on. The pod has more missiles, but the system surprised the pilot as its one lock fired a salvo of missiles, easily using up 10 of his ammo reserves, but the sight of the target getting slammed on several sides was worth it. 'So I only get ten locks, then I'm out,' he thought again as he primed another salvo. That's when he noticed his target coming straight for him. "Shit!" he yelled as he activated his boosters, just barely evading being rammed and finding himself landing on the Phantasma.

Genobee was busy with his own Phantasma, and he was having some better luck. He was having trouble with the vertical missiles that the unit fired on occasion, but he has been getting luckier with his grenade shots. He boosted to the side as his target attempted to ram him, firing yet another grenade into its side and decimating a claw. His grin came a little too soon, for his radar detected another missile salvo from the phantasma. He boosted towards the target, getting hit by a couple missiles as he fired his rifle now. The unit turned to fire back at Genobee, but couldn't fire any more missiles. Instead, it primed up for its next attack, generating a series of lights that started to head for it. Genobee noticed and was confused by the tactic, but decided to strafe to the side to evade the apparent attack. His timing couldn't have been better, as a high powered laser beam shot out in all directions at varying angles and swept for Dual Face, who barely was able to stay one step ahead of the beams. Once the attack ceased, Genobee fired a final grenade into the Phantasma's side, detonating the boosters and grounding it into the ground. He boosted in and aimed his rifle at the cockpit. "You're finished," he said as he squeezed the trigger.

Chrome managed to get a good footing and armed his left arm weapon. Mirage's experimental laser blade shield, codenamed TAUROS, ignited with a bluish white light rivaling the Moonlight and was rammed into the cockpit of the Phantasma. The unit ceased all aggressive action, but continued on a straight course for the launch site. "Chrome here, target is dead. Just have to stop its death movement now."

"Understood. Genobee finished his target already, but we haven't heard a thing from 22," the operator replied. "Avenger III and Decimation have already launched, and Tactic is about to go as well. Chrome, you're closest to the launch area. Make sure nothing happens now."

"Rodger." Chrome ignited his laser blade again as the Phantasma drew nearer to the launch bay, preparing to cut the engines off once he got close enough. He never got the chance as he heard the lock on warning go off. He forced his AC off the Phantasma, which then took the cannon hit and exploded violently. Chrome roughly landed on his feet and looked at his target, a tan AC with an abnormally large Karasawa rifle, laser blade, and a set of cannons on its back. Even worse, it was big, namely a model similar to what Reaper and the others battled almost a week ago with Raven. "Oh shit."

"So, you're here defending as well?" an unknown voice asked in an evil voice. "Your ally wasn't all that tough against me." Chrome's scanners detected the remains of 22's AC a little ways out. Zoom was required to see the unit, and it showed its status. The unit was beaten up severely, exposing the vulnerable mechanics behind some armored plates as well as shattered and exposed joints. The worse bit of damage was in the MX-02 core, where a gaping hole was seen going right through the cockpit, with evidence of the shot being from a laser. "You stand as much of a chance as he did." His machine advanced. "You have only two options, stand aside or be annihilated!"

Chrome grinned. "Guess I go out fighting, then," he replied, firing a salvo of his micro missiles at the enemy. It didn't even move an inch as the missiles came in, for the unit fired missile defense lasers at each one, destroying them easily. Chrome swore as he moved to the side, just avoiding the laser rifle round by a hair. He fired another salvo of missiles, only to see the same results as last time.

"HAaaaaaaaaaaaahhahaha! Pathetic," the unit laughed, firing another round at chrome, who dodged yet again. "You can't stop the Armageddon, it's invincible."

'At least I can slow you down, if anything,' Chrome thought as he charged Armageddon, locking on with his missiles for another shot. Armageddon saw this and fired into Chrome's path. Chrome barely dodged as his shoulder armor was sheared off, getting close enough for a blade attack. "Eat this!" Chrome fired his missiles, followed up by his blade making a clean slice at the target. The missiles slammed into Armageddon before the defense system could intercept and he got hit by the blade as well, but there barely was a scratch from any weapon, even the laser blade.

"That tickled," Armageddon laughed, grabbing chrome's AC by the core. "MY TURN!" He lifts up the AC and throws it into a nearby building, which collapsed around the silver AC. "Now for the ship." He advanced for the platform, but was halted as he took a hit on his sword arm from a laser round. The unit's head turned towards the source, the building wreckage. Chrome was crouched down in the rubble with the laser cannon armed. The rear of his AC was dented badly, and he had the missile pod crushed upon impact. That was jettisoned, but the laser cannon was still working, for he fired another round into the unit's core. "You can't win, mercenary," Armageddon growled, firing another laser round at Chrome. He couldn't evade in time, losing the laser cannon to the energy round. Chrome forced his Ac out of the rubble and charged at Armageddon again, machine gun armed and chattering at his target. The rounds were just bouncing off of the armored hide of the machine, which retaliated with its cannons. Chrome resorted to an evasion tactic, strafing left and right in the nick of time to avoid the nasty grenades fired. He then managed to move behind the large machine and fire on the rear, only to be dismayed as his bullets ricocheted off the AC again.

"Why won't you go down?" Chrome yelled as he charged to slice again, only to be intercepted as Armageddon spun around and slammed Chrome's gun arm hard, sending the middleweight a small distance away again with a shattered arm. Chrome and Armageddon were about to finish their bout when they heard the whining of engines. They turned their heads in time to see the Tactic take off, accelerated across the launch ramp with enough speed to clear the atmosphere in a matter of minutes.

"Mission complete, Chrome. All the ships made it safely into space." the operator said.

Armageddon glared at the crippled machine with its menacing visor. "Be grateful for your mission, Raven, for you have made me fail. But know this, next time we meet, we will finish this, provided you survive that long." With that, Armageddon fired his weapons one last time at Chrome and boosted away, and chrome barely dodged them all. His 'eye' glared at the retreating form from behind the smoke of the final attack.

"If we meat again, we will have no choice," Chrome said before flicking on his comm. "Operator, this is Chrome. My AC is damaged out here, requesting pickup."

"Atmosphere is cleared, Ravens," the pilot said over the ship comms. "We should be at lunar by tomorrow, so a little rest would do you lot some good."

Nick tapped the comm. "Understood, Reaper out." He turned to the only three ravens on the ship, aside from himself. "Well, might as well get some rest. We'll have a long day tomorrow." Jen quickly agreed, while Edd and Linda stayed rather mute. They quickly found their quarters and entered the room, but encountered a problem. Nick was dumbstruck at what he saw, and the two silent ravens had irritated looks on their faces.

Jen was the one that opened her mouth. "There are only two beds…" All four looked at each other, cursing fate for giving them two beds.

That is Chapter 10 I'll try to get the next one up soon

Dedicated to Bloodykitsune, the number one fan on this story. May u stick with me till the very end of the story

even worse, this is the moment of truth. my last best died at chapter 10. let's see if this can do better