A/N: Hope you enjoy the chpt, and without further delay chapter7

Debriefing7:Casefile1:

This is regards to the progress of the Raven's hired by Crest. To be honest the two have ascended through the lower ranks quickly as to be expected. Both Ravens have managed to boost productivity since there arrival only a few weeks ago, but it is not that the two had it easy all the way. Some students in the lower ranks showed real promise. One such ranker is the relatively new HP-07. She put on a spectacular bought, which was to be expected also. Now as they broke through to the rankers of 15-10 things seemed to slow. In fact #55 (Hiroshi) prove to last the longest. Another was #24 (Adolfo) he came the closest to a win.

Report submitted by: Instructor Albion

Unknown Report: The following is a list of pilots and their ACs to be cautious of.

Fefnir: He and his mobile humanoid pyro-type AC "Infernos" use a combination of high heat weapons and high level ECMs to make things difficult for any opponent. Likes to engage targets at close range.

Fenrir: Younger brother of Fefnir who also pilots a pyro-type AC. His AC is named "Torch" Using high heat missiles as a means of overheating a target, also uses some of his brother's favorite weapons like flamethrower, and napalm rockets. Fenrir's AC is usually prefers to fight at a distance with missiles and rockets.

Avalon: She uses an all energy base tank called "Oberon" and usual never takes into the air due to the fact that her generator is not suited for this, but its charge is quick allowing multiple energy shots in quick succession without worry.

Gainer: He loves linear weaponry, and as such his AC is named "Linear." He uses the high mobility of his AC to circle a target as he uses his linear rounds to cause thermal stress and in thus making the battle move quickly in his favor.

Report Submitted by: Advanced Scouting Party

Chapter7: The Road to Glory

"To the victor gulls the spoils." This is a saying that was true to Za'Afiel as of anyone around him. He was described as over confident, arrogant, and a jerk, but though it was true. Most everyone had to admire his skills and that was something Azriel did. He has always been in his cousin's shadow. Always number two, as a pilot, and that was what the mattered to family. Azriel was to go to the Academy only to better his skills with ACs, but in a place were he was able to make a new start no one worked harder then Azriel, and in the end he was number one, but with the sudden appearance of Za'Afiel, Azriel became afraid of losing all that he had worked so hard to obtain. He knew that if Za'Afiel wins in there upcoming match, which Azriel was positive that no one could stop his dominance over the other ranker as he came up the ranks. If Za'Afiel won it would only prove to him that he wasn't worth the Academy's time and he would pack up and head back home.

"The scarlet sky breathes life into the day to come." A symbolic and poetic meaning for what seem to be Arebra's life growing up in the shadow of her brother Christian. Another one of those Raven families, with a personal emblem involving a red rose. This was the symbol of the family for like a rose they could be dangerous. Christian was admired for his composure in any combat condition. He was by nature a calm and relaxed person, but he was always pushing himself. This is why he is the "Phantom Rose" for the family, a title given to only the very best in the family. Arebra had been selected to the Academy because of her family name and when she got there she did what every member of her family does when they enter an AC. She dropped her first name and became simply Arebra. Her AC is the Phantom Cell, a symbol of the pressure on her to be the best. Phantom because she feels as though like a ghost is never seen, and Cell because she feels like a prisoner in her brother's shadow. Though her family isn't nearly as critical as the Ark family she feels an obligation to take down her brother.

Late one night outside the Academy

Two AC transport copters carrying four ACs were approaching the Academy from the north. The AC transports dropped the ACs past the minefield and towards the edge of the sensors, but in range for the energy batteries.

The first was a mid-weight quad. It was equipped with a verity of linear weaponry. It had linear cannon arms and on its back was a heavy linear cannon capable of a quick 5 shot bursts. It also had energy extentions. On its other shoulder was SIREN3 radar. Its core was lightweight high output overboost core. Its legs were the LIZARD quad legs, and BIRDIE boosters. The AC itself was white and gray with light blue details.

The second was a green and gold tank. It was supported on high weight load capacity. It used a heavy weight core with the highest weight load. It used LEMUR arms and the SPIDER head. On its back were dual shoulder plasma cannon, and in its left arm was a KARASAWA rifle and on its right arm was an ORGE plasma rifle it also had energy extensions.

The next AC was a mid-weight humanoid. It had a camouflage coloring of red, yellow and orange. It gave the effect of it being on fire. It used low energy drain arms and light weight solid EO core. It used the CICADA2 head. All of which was supported on mid-weight mid-capacity legs. In its right arm was a flamethrower and on its left was a Napalm rocket launcher. On its left shoulder was a ground torpedo pack and it also had the matching extensions. On its right was high heat mid sized rocket pack with low ammo.

The last to drop was an AC similar to the previous in color. It used the CRONUS core and LEMUR2 arms EYE head and COUGAR legs. On its back was dual shoulder missile pack with GAR missile extensions. Its left arm had napalm rockets and on the left was a PIXIE3 machine gun.

"This is Fefnir. All ACs move to position. Avalon you are with me. Fenrir and Gainer it's up to you two to handle the energy batteries. Me and Avalon will proceed through and take out the Academy external power source."

Fenrir and Gainer proceeded within range of the batteries and commenced there attack. Fenrir took to the air, as Gainer switched his AC weapon to the its back mounted linear cannon.

The space to which Gainer had to maneuver wasn't much, but as energy rounds were fired on him he just rush through firing as many shot as it would take to destroy the batteries.

Fenrir dodged rounds dancing in the air firing a combination of machinegun fire and napalm rockets. He first heated up his target and quickly destroyed them.

When the path was clear Fefnir quicky boosted to the location of his target but before he would be able to get to it he would need to take out the reinforced gate to the Academy. This is where the Oberon's back mounted cannon would come in handy.

Avalon fired rounds from her cannon while being assisted by the flamethrower of Infernos, as Linear let loose fire of its linear cannon. Only Fenrir didn't take part in the attempt.

Inside the Academy

Instructor Albion and some of the other members on staff scrambled to relocate the security in the Academy to the surface. The students were all in the housing level, most asleep, but for those awake couldn't reach the upper level without being shuttled. The elevators were shut down as so the intruders couldn't use them to access the Academy, and it would take too long to shuttle all the students to the AC garage so they can fight back. With the number of ACs at the Academy would normally have been a plus, but since it was an enclosed area, it would only be hazardous, unless in the Arena and Training levels which are open enough to allow free movement for all ACs.

Za'Afiel and Christian where already in the AC garage to begin with. They preferred sleeping in their ACs over the accommodations that had been provided for them, and so they were also being prepared in case of emergency. In Addition Azriel, Arebra, Arious, Inu, and Sarah were being shuttled to the AC garage to be prepped for combat, but it would take time they might not have.

Meanwhile Fefnir and his fellow Raven finally was through the entry gate and was greated by a squad of heavily armed quad-type MTs, at least a half dozen in total, but alas the MTs were quickly disposed of by Avalon and Oberon in a few shots of her KARASWA and ORGE rifles.

The four proceeded to the first checkpoint and disposed of the guard MTs in a similar manner all the while taking there time, as if they wanted to be met by a few of the many ACs stored in the Academy.

The four had come to the second checkpoint to find it already abandoned. Fefnir broke away from the rest of the Raven and went down a Corridor parallel to his former position. At the end of the corridor was an elevator door. He attempted to open it, but it was lock, and so he proceeded to force the elevator door open and proceeded down the shaft while deploying long life ECM.

The other Ravens went on and started to deploy the same ECM at each checkpoint as they continued deeper meeting no resistance. The people in the control room were beginning to get not only radar blackouts, but visual feed blacks. They had lost the Ravens inside the Academy.

In the AC garage

Za'Afiel was standing next to his AC Zodiac, a dark orange and black AC. The Zodiac was equipped with the QUEEN head, lightweight non-hanger OB core with the MARQUE arms on the COUGAR2 legs with the BIRDIE2 boosters. He was having the weapons exchanged. He switched his HYDRA multi-missile pack for the SPHINX triple rockets, and the lighter grenade launcher. He dropped the KARASAWA for the AST GHAST rifle and he kept his missile interceptors and ELF2 blade.

Christian on the other hand left his AC Phantom Rose the same as it has always been. The Phantom Rose was brown in color with dark red that highlighted the tan color of its frame. It was equipped with the EYE2 head, and the light OB core with hanger feature. It also had the LIROS arms, and the COUGAR2 legs, VULTURE boosters, and FINGER machineguns on left and right hanger.

The two had gotten the order to intercept the incoming Ravens and hold them of and checkpoint five for as long as they could. The duo took this as no threat at all. The small size of the corridor substantially reduces evasion ability, but limits how many ACs can attack, but in this case they believed it was more then enough room for them.

The two had token up there position at checkpoint five and were awaiting the arrival of there targets. It seem that they had token too long for Za'Afiel's taste, and so the proceeded to intercept the targets.

In the Shuttle on the way to the Garage

It was late and everyone was half asleep. In Inu's case he was asleep, curled up into a ball towards the back of the shuttle bus. Azriel was in the front talking to himself in the third person, which was a sure way to tell that he was really tired, and its not like he referred to himself in the third by name, no he referred to himself as "dipstick," and "Dipstick-2." Others like Arebra had maintained composure, while Arious was asleep drooling slightly.

Now Sarah was also in the back with her hands hovering above Inu's neck, and she was not the least bit tired.

"Dipstick? Yes? How come we no sleep?" Azriel shrugged. "Don't ask me." He nodded in agreement and the slapped himself to regain some focus.

Arebra sat with focus and stared at Azriel and thought to herself. "How could HE be the best? He's so weird, and off. He's like my brother, a slacker. Oh so what if he ison occasion... HE is nowhere near as hard working as me, but still keeps out doing me. Why, why is he so…good, could it be his bloodline?" She shook her head and tried to get it off her mind.

At Checkpoint-4

The intruding Ravens were carefully caring out there plan and only moved at a pace that Avalon and Oberon could keep up with, but as the rounded a corner to a descending corridor they were greated by Za'Afiel and Christian.

The two stood next to one another and didn't move and inch till their targets were in sight. Their tagets only kept slowly moving towards them, then there Oberon let loose a shot from her back mounted cannon. There wasn't much room to jump but, Za'Afiel boosted forward and to his left, and Christian boosted back and to his right. This allowed them to reduce the damage from the shot.

Fenrir switched his ACs weapon to his back mounted missiles and hop on Oberon's back. "Ok, we have Raven based interference. Avalon, Gainer, you know what to do."

Gainer and Linear dropped behind Oberon. "Roger."

Oberon started forward firing shots from her OGRE and KARASAWA rifles, but Za'Afiel to took the font and boosted straight at Oberon. He took the shot but managed to avoid direct hits, and the Fenrir let loose his missiles, but they were on the most part intercepted by Za'Afiel's missile interceptors and decoys. Arebra out of what seemed nowhere appeared from behind Za'Afiel and Zodiac and with his back mounted chaingun began to fire on Fenrir. Fenrir boosted jumped off Oberon and behind Linear. It was a clear piggybacking strategy.

"Hey Christian, Cross Slash?" Za'Afiel asked as he fired a grenade at Oberon.

Christian nodded. "I got the back." Christian overboosted and got a good distance behind, and Za'Afiel began boosting back. The two turned there sight on Oberon and prepared for their attack. Christian cut his boost as he thought he was an appropriate distance for the attack and waited for Za'Afiel's signal.

"Ready, Christian." Za'Afiel announced as he reached the distance for his attack.

Both Christian and Za'Afiel simultaneously overboosted in the direction of Oberon, and as the reached the target they prepared their blades for an attack. The two came from both sides of Avalon and Oberon, and she had no room to avoid the attack, and so she was stricken by both blades simultaneously as Za'Afiel and Christian passed, but that was all Za'Afiel managed to get some spin from the slash and so he was able to turn quickly enough to send a grenade at the dead center of the attack.

Avalon was sent reeling, as she noticed how low her AP was. It was about 10 percent remaining if that. "I'm moving to the back, cover me." She began to move towards the back and Gainer with his back mounted linear cannon did just that.

Za'Afiel and Christian noticed the tank sparking as saw the obstacle of the quad, but as before they had in under control. Za'Afiel who was the closest to Gainer and Linear tried to evade the linear shots and used his rifle to do small amount of damage, as Christian and Phantom Rose was boosting in close.

"Hey Fenrir, where's that brother of yours, these two are starting to get annoying." He asked firing more linear ammo.

At first Fenrir didn't reply to Gainer, but he did as he moved in front of Avalon. "Just hold your ground, were almost done."

Christian and Za'Afiel switched places and now the Phantom Rose was in slashing distance, and so the Zodiac boosted as high as it could in the enclosure, and Christian slashed.

Gainer jumped as so to avoid the blade but had fallen into the trap and Za'Afiel fire a double shot of grenades at Gainer and Linear forcing them down into an eagerly awaiting slash from Christian, which forced Linear back into an attack from Za'Afiel's triple rockets.

Gainer was has at this point received heavy damage and tried to fall back, but his retreating point was blocked of my Za'Afiel and Zodiac. Fenrir did what he could and fired a napalm rockets landing square on the back of the Zodiac. From this it caught ablaze and Christian switched to his chain gun and concentrated his attack on Fenrir's AC.

Then to there luck they got the communication. "Gainer, Avalon, bro. Pull out objective achieved. Let's fall back." That's when they started back.

Christian and Za'Afiel got there orders to. "Don't peruse, and return to the garage."

The two were reluctant to leave this matter as it was, but followed orders and fell back heading to the garage.

Christian and Za'Afiel made it to the garage at around the same time as the shuttle. The group had been heated because the got out of bed for what seemed to be nothing but that was about to change as they were all asked to the conference room that was normally use by the mechanics at the garage by Dr. SubAtomic, and Instructor Albion.

They all sat around the table waiting for Dr. SubAtomic or Instructor Albion to tell them what was going on. Dr. SubAtomic rose from his seat a little shakey.

"First may I complement our two Ravens for there spectacular display of prowess, but sadly from this point on the Academy will have to end your contracts, but don't fret you will be handsomely rewarded." He took a short and shallow breathe as he looked overhead. "Though our radars, internal and external surveillance equipment were disrupted by large scale ECMs, we have figure out what had token place here. On there first arrival we had four ACs coming in but as our equipment showed as they left, there was a total of seven."

There was a look of confusion on everyone's faces, all but the Instructor and Azriel who was still referring to himself in the third. "How that work?" Asked Inu scratching his head.

Dr. SubAtomic shook his head. "There had gained access to the restricted level, and they activate three AI ACs. This may not seem like much to you but these are no ordinary AIs. They are in terms perfect combat AIs."

Arebra was the first person to question. "How are they perfect?"

"It's because these AIs have the strong points of everyone student, instructor and even the two Ravens before us. All the strengths and none of the weaknesses…"

A/N: Wow that took awhile to type, and so I leave on a cliff hanger…in a way.

N/C: Superiority Index