Disclaimer: See previous chapters
Chap. 19
Bio-Tech Facility Center/ Mirage
The domed structure was filled with all sorts of trees and greenery and buildings. A giant opening loomed overhead and various hanger doors circled around. Two of the hanger door lifted and three ACs charged out. Bloodhand, Glaive and Havoc.
"So what's the plan?" Elijah asked Bloodhand.
"You're asking me?"
"This was your idea, remember?" Elijah half-shouted. "Your mission."
Koemai shrugged, "Well it no big deal really. We just have to eliminate all the biological organisms that are in the area. Don't worry. It's cakewalk."
Nearby, Glaive stopped checking the area and questioned, "If it is, why does it take three of us to do it?"
"I don't know." the dark-haired Raven shrugged again. "Look, someone is paying us a hefty lot of credits for this mission. No sense in asking questions."
Elijah nodded, "He's right. Let's just get the job done and go."
Cain gave no answer and simply flew his AC off to the right. Elijah went down the left with Havoc and Koemai down the center with Bloodhand. The black and red AC continued to boost down the street toward the central building. The place had been abandoned because of the organisms so the Ravens could do their jobs easily. Bloodhand soon stopped when his FCS lit up. Crawling out of the sides of the building were the targets. The organisms were green, with a red glow on their backs. The crawled on six legs, making them look a lot like giant ticks. 'Or Disorder units' Koemai thought grimly, remembering his visit to Mars and the insect machines that existed there. The creatures saw the dark AC and shot straight them, crawling with a speed that belittled their size and shape. But it wasn't fast enough. Not for Koemai.
"Bug-squashing time!"
The AC lifted its arm, producing a new weapon to Koemai's arsenal. The Karasawa laser rifle. He had replaced his machine gun with this legendary weapon and now he made ready to use it.
Kssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
A white blast shot out of the weapon and into the first organism. The creature was stopped in its track and it blew up instantly. The first one dead, Koemai quickly switched over to the next one, destroying it with the same effect. This went on couple more times, with the creature moving every closer. Not taking any chances, Koemai boosted his AC back and unfolded his grenade launcher. Thanks to the INTENSIFY option in his AC, he didn't have to sit down in order to use it. He targets the lead bug.
"Raaaaaiiiiiiiiiidddddddd!!!!"
A mighty blast ripped out of the machine and a literal fireball fell toward the organisms. The explosion hit dead on, destroying both the targeted organism and the couple close to it within the blast range. The number severely reduced, Bloodhand looked on to the next, destroying four more in one go. The final three were left, but they were too scattered to take out in one shot.
'Weapon number three.'
The grenade launcher folded up and the other weapon, the chain gun, took its place. Koemai smiled as the weapon went right to work, chopping down the remaining creatures until they were ash and cinder.
"Ah. There's nothing I love better than to hear a chain gun make kibbles and bits out of something."
Bloodhand moved toward the central building to see if there were any more, but the radar picked up no more energy sources. Coming around, he saw his two partners fly in to regroup with him.
"Well, I'm done here."
Glaive was the first to catch up, "Me too. That's seemed a little too easy."
"Speak for yourselves." Elijah mumbled from Havoc. "A group of those little buggers caught me by surprise."
Koemai gave a short laugh, "Ha! That's what you get when you don't equip a bio-sensor."
"Don't worry." Cain reassured. "The damage is minimal." His tone soon turned grim, "That's what concerns me."
"You mean you want me to get hurt?" Elijah exclaimed.
Cain ignored the comment and explained, "For such a menial job, this hardly requires three Ravens. One of low rank could have pulled this off without a problem."
"What's your point?" Koemai asked.
"I have a bad feeling…"
"Ugghhhhh!!!" Koemai moaned aloud. "You always have a bad feeling about something."
A beeping sound suddenly caught their attention. "Wait guys. I'm picking up an energy source." Elijah called as he checked his radar. Havoc head lifted up to the dome skylight, "No…three of them!"
The dark objects suddenly dove in through the opening and flew around them. The trio instantly got ready as the three invaders attacked, with one of them speaking...
"Death comes on swift wings."
Koemai recognized them instantly. It was three of the Death Dealers clan. Hades, Anubis, and Sheol. The three wasted no time in attacking the three surprised Ravens and causing them to scatter. Glaive swooped away from Hades, Bloodhand confronted Anubis, and Havoc was left to fend against Sheol. Glaive ceased in his run and charged at the dark AC. Hades stopped in his pursuit and took to the air. Its back missiles opened and released a swarm of vertical missiles.
'Ah damn. Verticals.'
The OB flared to life on Glaive and he bolted away from the incoming projectiles. Once done, he stopped and locked on to him, but the FCS suddenly went dead.
'First verticals and now ECM markers.'
Sheol released another swarm of verticals, but Glaive flew toward and right under him, dodging them completely. Shoel flew off to the side, but he saw enough as Glaive was in the air as well. Worse yet, the Moonlight blade was emerging and coming at him. But Shoel dodged the slash using his reverse booster extensions, which shot him backward and out of harm's way. Both machines landed on the ground and Shoel began to on for another attack. But the pilot failed to realize that they where out of range of the ECM markers he planted, allowing Glaive to get a lock on him.
Fzzzzzzzzkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The energy beam struck Shoel right in the midsection and the dark machine was hurled to the ground. But Sheol wasn't finished and it began to rise up. Glaive locked on again, aiming for the head when…
"I could use some help here."
Glaive turned to see Bloodhand firing at both Hades and Anubis. The dark machines were closing in on him and he was being backed into a corner. 'Wait, where's Elijah?' A spray of energy beams answered that as he saw a damaged Havoc stumbling in to help Bloodhand. However, both arms of the AC were gone and Havoc was only attacking with his EO's, which Anubis and Hades seemed to ignore. Glaive looked back at the steadily rising Sheol and made a decision.
Fzzzzzzzzzzzkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glaive sent out another energy beam…at Anubis. Anubis was knocked aside by the energy beam and hit the wall. Bloodhand, seeing the pressure off, moved in to fight Hades evenly. But before Glaive could try to assist again, his radar warning lit up. 'Damn' I'm locked.' He didn't have to turn to see that it was Sheol. His radar showed him the vertical missiles that were coming down right on him. He boosted to escape, but was far too late and the missile hammered in on him, knocking him down and doing severe damage.
"Turn your back on death? Fool."
Glaive finally managed to turn around to face Shoel, who was airborne once again. His laser cannon was rendered inoperable and his extra boosters were shut down. Without the speed of them, his machine would now be slowed down by the weight.
'One thing left to do.'
Cain jettisoned his extra boosters and his laser cannon, leaving him only with his moonlight blade. The weapon shimmered to life and Glaive was ready to continue the battle when…
'What? Three more energy signals? Now what?'From the rooftop opening, three more objects dropped in, AC's as well. But these weren't dark-colored like their opponents. One of the newcomers flew toward Glaive and started attacking Sheol. The attacks didn't hit, but that didn't matter. The Death Dealer backed away as the newcomer stood before Glaive.
"Another time, Nightwatch."
The dark AC turned and swooped away accompanied by his partners. Glaive looked back over to the others and found them walking toward him, with the two other newcomers.
"Elijah. You alright in there?"
The armless AC gave no reply at first, but when Cain repeated the question, the pilot answered sulky. "I'm fine."
Bloodhand looked at the other with them, "I don't know who you guys are, but thanks."
The Raven didn't respond and simply assembled together. Koemai was feeling a little worried that they might attack them. The lead AC, cloaked in bright scarlet, suddenly activated it laser blade, which was also a moonlight blade. Koemai made ready to fight, but a hand gesture from Glaive told him otherwise.
"It's okay."
Glaive's own blade ignited and he crossed it over the core. The scarlet AC did likewise and then the two bowed to each other. Koemai watched this with some confusion until they raised themselves upward and the lead AC spoke.
"We meet again, Glaive."
"It's been awhile, Sword."