*Russia: Volskaya Industries*
It has been almost a day since Zarya's call for extraction. Not anywhere near enough time for the PR team to spin any sort of story for their shareholders and newfound buyers that could explain why the invincible Executioner is suddenly in a vulnerable position.
Millions of dollars, her status, her reputation, even her company, is now at risk, all because Zarya just had to attack the city. Though it is nothing short of a miracle that it could fight for a literal week with an inexperienced pilot, as it was not designed to take on an entire army by itself, as it was designed to be the unstoppable factor to end battles, not to fight in attrition warfare.
Combined that with a blackmailer that could ensure the end of everything she had worked for, Katya paced even faster in her office, unable to be still for even a moment. Glancing out the window, she saw the crowd of people outside, despite the snow, eager to watch pilots to take off in their brand new Mechs.
A knock came from the door and she checked her wristband, seeing that it is one of her guards. Admitting entrance, he (or is it a she? Katya couldn't tell with all the armor on) came in with a file and passed it to her, saluting before walking out.
Skimming through its pages, she saw a morbid analysis.
The Executioner's overall combat effectiveness has fallen far below her estimates, too low. Despite using the best materials available to create it, a machine is, ultimately, still a machine. Zarya had, and still is, pushed it to its maximum capacity ever since she entered it despite the warnings they gave her.
The Barrier Generators has absorbed an enormous amount of energy and in turn, became an unforeseen weakness. Though the Barriers are largely impenetrable to anything short of a Titan, the Twin Cannon has begun to melt, as according to the reports, it is firing at 200% in such ways that one would assume the trigger is glued to fire. If this keeps up, the Executioner will soon lose its Axe.
The Hull has also been damaged, its integrity requiring immediate attention. Deep dents, cracks, and gashes have been detected by the system, allowing the toxic fumes of battle and the cold air to enter the cockpit. It may have a regulator, it would not be enough to filter these for long periods of time.
Finally, and possibly the most critical, is the control panels in the cockpit. Katya read in horror as many of its delicate controls are damaged. Due to the lack of time and training, they had made it so simple that a child can operate it, therefore it does not require strenuous or forceful actions, but judging by the analysis, it looked as if Zarya had been using them as if they were literal handles to its massive arms or legs.
If no action is taken soon, Zarya will be weaponless, defenseless, and immobile in the heart of a Null Sector city.
Katya weighed her options.
At this point and time, they have amassed a sizable force and, though it is enough to rescue Zarya, it can only do just that, a rescue mission. Therefore, this would show that even with new Mechs, they are incapable to defeat a battered Null Sector force, a direct contradiction to their carefully crafted marketing campaign, potentially losing the company millions of dollars in sales.
She was so deep in thought she did not hear the door opening slowly. Only from a cough that came from in front of her desk when she saw the door was ajar, prompting her to pull out her weapon.
"Mommy?" a little voice asked.
"Zaychik (Little Bunny)?" she yelped, quickly holstering the weapon.
"Is everything alright mommy?"
Katya looked at her only child, who wore her pink headband, jacket, and holding a Syvatogor model in her hands. She also noticed that she is fidgeting nervously before her.
"What happened? Why aren't you at school?"
"I wanted to see you"
"Mommy's very busy now, I'll be home soon okay?"
"Can I stay? I promise I'll be quiet"
"Mommy's busy-"
"Please?"
Her heart broke at those words. It is true that she has not been home recently, but with all that is going on, she has lost all track of time.
"Of course…" Katya said, resulting in her daughter smiling happily as she plopped herself on the sofa.
Grabbing a stack of papers and a few colored pens, Katya placed them on the table.
"Here, you have to practice for the competition, yes?"
"That was yesterday"
Katya froze. She ensured her only daughter that she would be there to witness her participation in the annual drawing competition. She trembled slightly as she recalled how much she was looking forward to submitting her drawings.
"W-Who took you there?"
"I didn't go"
"Oh zaychik… I'm so sorry"
"There's always next year…"
Hearing her daughter's voice so filled with disappointment and sadness broke her heart even more. Sitting down next to her, she wraps her arm around her, which she gratefully accepted.
"I missed you mommy…" she muffled.
"I mi-"
Katya the words caught in her throat. Not because she was touched, not because her daughter loved her so, but because the words she was about to say are lies.
Ever since Volskaya Industries began its expansion, she was caught in a whirlwind of power, endlessly hoarding wealth and influence at an incredible pace. Her sudden rise has given her a power fever that she has never experienced, before she was merely the most powerful woman and that was she wanted, but once she tasted what was beyond that, nothing else mattered.
Not even her daughter.
Unable to control herself, she sobbed bitterly on her daughter's shoulder, who didn't know what was going on, cried with her mother.
"I'm sorry mommy!" she cried, thinking she had done something wrong.
The door burst open and three guards rushed in with weapons drawn, making them jump.
"Mdm Volskaya, are you alright?" the leader said gruffly as they lowered their weapons.
She merely waved and they backed out the door.
"Are you okay?" she asked her mother.
"No… But I will make things right" she replied, stroking her hair.
She can still fix this, with all the wealth and power at her disposal, she could easily request for the competition to accept her drawing, if not she could create her own competition for her, she could…
"Can I have ice cream?"
It felt as if it has been forever since Katya had walked the streets of St. Petersburg since Reaper's attempt on her life, and everything felt new and refreshing.
The most noticeable for her is the quiet, no longer does she hear ceaseless grinding or drilling of metal and machines, only the sounds of an occasional car and people chatting around them is an almost alien experience. She would have stood and taken in the experience if it were not for her bodyguards who shadowed them, their presence being the constant reminder that she could be in danger.
Entering the store, she saw that the customers had already been paid off by the guards, leaving a nervous store keeper who did not know what was going on until he saw them.
"Ah! Welcome! I am honored to have Katya Volskaya in my store!" he said, relieved that he is serving the hero of Russia and not some self entitled businessman.
She watches as her daughter enjoys a large cup of sundae for herself while she merely orders a cone. As they are making small talk, the television came alive with a public service announcement from the authorities.
Katya barely glanced at it as it is another PR promotion for her Mechs or a rallying call for patriotism during these times, wanting to spend as much time and attention as she could to and for her daughter.
"I haven't seen Zarya in a while, do you know where she is?"
The question made her flinch.
"Yes… She's out there fighting" she admitted.
"Oh… I hope she will be okay, she said she would give me an autograph the next time I see her"
"She did?"
"Yeah, and told me to watch my back"
"Yeah she says that sometimes… What else did she say?"
"Together we are strong"
*Russia: City of Izhevsk*
Zarya grunted as the Executioner lurched forward, not responding properly to her commands anymore.
"Common you piece of junk! Move!" she shouted, swinging its arm in an arc, slicing a building in half with its powerful beam, crushing all snipers in the building whilst it collapsed on the Behemoths charging at her outside.
She buckled when a shower of missiles flew into her barrier, which would have knocked her to the ground if it were not for its hydraulics to keep her upright. Warning signs flashed blinked in front of her endlessly but she has now fully ignored them, as its only solution for the damages is 'Return to Base'.
Looking towards the sky, she hoped to see some form of transport of reinforcement coming for her but there was none to be found. However, she refused to believe Katya would abandon her, not after all she has done.
Raising her weapons, she only managed to pull off a few rounds before both Cannon and Repeater was shut down once again, automatic vents flung open as it proceeded to cool off the molten heat accumulated from days of fighting. Zarya waved them like a fool to try to speed up the cooling, catching as much winter air as she could in the process, but though it is faster, the Null Sector has recognized this vulnerability and pressed on with their attack.
Crawling over any elevated ruins or rubbles, the Nullifiers, and even Skirmishers, set themselves at safe distances and opened fire.
Braving the incoming fire, she looked around for a Behemoth that would surely come to try to break her Barriers. She had dueled with many with nothing more than Hull of the Mech and had dragged herself to victory again and again, though at the expense of her defences.
"Humph, they finally learned" she thought, when there was none to be seen or heard.
She knew an attack was coming, there is no way that they would leave an incredibly powerful hostile in the middle of the city unchallenged, especially if her barriers are invulnerable against small arms fire.
But she could not just stand here either to be target practice, if the enemy gathered in force, any extraction attempt would become increasingly difficult, she needs to secure this area now.
Looking for the largest cluster of enemies, she acquired her targets and lifted the Plasma Repeater, to which many of them quickly backed off.
"Too slow" she smiled, pulling the trigger and… Nothing happened.
It is still in the cooling process.
"Common!" she shouted, ignoring their attacks as she pulled up the data, which only flashed the words 'Danger'.
She staggered again as Obliterators unleashed a deadly load into her. Thrown around in the cockpit, she accidentally pressed one of the buttons as she tried to keep herself steady.
And the Barrier projectors shutting down, leaving her defenseless and weaponless.
The Executioner buckled again as holes began tearing into it, barely able to withstand the artillery.
Never a person to shy away from challenges or danger, she made a decision with a stubbornness and bravery that is borderline suicidal, a common trait of the RDF Heavy Infantry.
After a quick scan, she took up a defensible position next to a collapsed building, bending the Executioner down into a kneeling position over a pile of dead Omnics, she locked all joints and hydraulics in place.
"Let's see what this baby can do"
Once firmly secured, she unbuckled herself and took a deep breath, praying that a Behemoth would not show up, and opened her cockpit, allowing herself to fall forward as the Power Armor landed onto the ground with a loud thump, a heavily customized Particle Cannon roaring to life.
"Just like in training. Visualize, then execute"
Outside her enemies began to advance towards her position, confident that eventually the barriers must give away, though still maintaining a certain distance. They were so confident that none of them bothered to take cover.
*Russia: Volskaya Industries*
"I thank you for clearing your schedules to attend this meeting" Katya said to the few holograms present for the meeting, alongside key members of her staff and a few shareholders who are represented by the PR Manager.
"It is unlike you to clear your own Mdm Volskaya, what is the Emergency?" the Army General replied.
She took a deep breath before saying what needs to be said to her team and the Army.
"Comrade Aleksandra Zaryanova is in trouble, the Executioner is compromised, we need to send a rescue team to extract her now"
Silence befell the table as everyone reads the analysis that Katya presented before them.
"Are you sure that these numbers are correct? We were assured that the Executioner is the ultimate weapon against the Null Sector" one raised.
"This has to be a joke, these numbers cannot be right, it's too sudden to sustain this much damage" another agreed.
"There is no mistake, these are the numbers" she confirmed.
"Can she hold out for at least another day? We need time to figure out how to process this to the people" the PR Manager requested.
"What do you mean? They don't have to know!" the Army General countered.
"If you send someone off to a rescue mission, I guarantee you soldiers will talk about it"
"You dare chastise my men?!"
"I'm merely stating the facts! Word will get out and-"
"We are the Army! We don't need to listen to you!"
"If you have not figured it out, we are your only supplier of weapons and Mechs now, what would you do without us?"
"Are you threatening us sir?!"
The table fell into a chaotic bickering and Katya could only stare in horror. How could the military break down into a group of squabbling children?
"I will take the blame for everything!" she shouted, silencing the table.
"You do realize if you take the blame for this, you would potentially lose millions of dollars?" the PR Manager warned.
"Yes, yes I do" Katya said firmly, hiding her hands behind her back so they will not see them trembling.
"Not only that but your reputation, all the claims you've made about your Mechs will all be brought into question, you may even lose this company, especially when Zarya has killed a member of the HSI"
She did not respond as she contemplated the reality of not even running her own company which she started. She was prepared to lose millions but this? This is something else entirely. How would she even support her own daughter if she is fired?
"Impossible! We won't allow it!" one of the Head of Department interjected.
"She is the heart and soul of Volskaya Industries! Without her it'll be nothing!"
"There is one other option" the PR Manager suggested.
"What would that be?"
"We let Aleksandra Zaryanova die"
At those words resulted in angry shouting and even slamming of fists on the table, furious that he would even make such a suggestion, to which he recoiled slightly at the reaction.
"Think about this logically! It is the only way for both the company and Army to save face! We can spin this to make her a martyr!" he shouted above the clamoring.
Katya sat back down on her seat as possibilities raced through her head.
A martyr? Soldiers are meant to die anyway… And she could still keep her wealth and influence… The millions she has hoarded, the power she has rightfully earned. All she needs to do is to agree.
"What are you doing?" a small voice in the back of her mind voiced out, sending a wave of guilt crashing into her soul.
Why is she even contemplating this? It sickens her to even consider this. Zarya is a hero of the people. To be treated this way like some racehorse…
"But with your power and wealth, you can easily create thousands of more heroes! Each better than Zarya!"
"But she saved your life"
"She brought this upon herself for ignoring your orders!"
The internal debate raged within her so fiercely, it drowned out all the noise from the room. She stared blankly into space until someone knocked on the table.
"Mdm Volskaya, we need your decision"
"W-What's the vote?"
"The Army is for the rescue, the Shareholders are against it… It's up to you now"
She could feel their eyes burning into her as both groups were ready to spring into action at her word. One to create a martyr, the other to perform the rescue and have Katya take the fall.
She did not know what to say as she stood up slowly. There is no more time for delays, only action. She must make the decision now.
Her mind remained blank and she began to panic when something rolled out of her pocket and to the ground. She looked down and saw it was the receipt from the ice cream store.
*Russia: City of Izhevsk*
"Just like in training" Zarya panted, spitting to the ground as she looked proudly upon her handiwork.
In the 50 foot radius around her is littered with destroyed Nullifiers and even a few Skirmishers. For now they have retreated, allowing her a few moments to rest. Her Mech had done well to be the makeshift cave she took refuge in, but only for one more barrage, as half of it was destroyed, leaving nothing but a hunk of steel in place.
Running a diagnostic, she groaned when the Power Armor had sustained a considerable amount of damage when an artillery piece exploded too closely to her. Now a large piece of metal is lodged in one of the legs, disabling her from most movements.
"Call back to Volskaya" she ordered.
'Communication Jammed'
"Figures"
There was no doubt in her mind that rescue was coming, she just needed to hold them off until then. She rolled her shoulders and steel herself as her position was bombarded by artillery, a sign of the next attack coming her way.
*Russia: Volskaya Industries*
It has been an hour since their most experienced pilots took off towards Izhevsk and finally the city came into view.
"Dear god…" the operator said, watching their suit cams.
The city is utterly demolished and the Null Sector Army has formed a massive ring around it, as if the siege is still ongoing. Flying high above the siege, they followed the many trails of Omnics that seemed to be attracted to a specific part of the city.
"There she is!" the pilot shouted, banking to the left and his squad following suit.
They saw a familiar beam of energy piercing out of one of the ruins before it was abruptly stopped by a horde of Nullifiers charging in.
"Light them up!"
The Null Sector was not expecting another attack so soon after they destroyed the RDF or Osvoboditel' and were quickly pushed back as they landed in front of the ruined building.
"Comrade Zarya!" they called but there was no response.
"The Null Sector knows they are there, tell them they have one minute"
Their search became more frantic when they were warned, shifting away much of the rubble with their legs.
"I found something!"
They watched as the rest of the squad lumbered towards the pilot and their hearts dropped when their eyes fell upon a Power Armor that had been torn open and a trail of blood leads to the back of the ruins.
Artillery began to explode in their position and another wave of Nullifiers are coming.
"We have to go now!"
"Not until we find her"
It wasn't long when they finally found her.
With her back against the wall, she lay there with the Particle Cannon pointing forwards, her body bloodied and one of her arms seem to be broken.
"Is… Is she…?"
One of the Mechs kneeled forwards and opened his cockpit with a loud hiss, to the amazement of Katya and the rest of the team.
"What are you doing? Get back into your Mech!" the Sergeant shouted.
"She will not survive without a suit, get her back!" the pilot shouted, carefully dragging Zarya into his Mech.
"You get back into your Mech!"
Ignoring them, the pilot wrapped the harness around her and closed the hatch. With little time to argue, he pulled out his pistol and ran out of the building.
"That stupid son of a… Get her back!" the Sergeant commanded, turning his Mech after the pilot.
Securing the Mech with Zarya inside with magnetic lines attached to their own, their thrusters roared and leapt to the skies, going as high as they were able to pull.
"Skirmishers incoming, evasive maneuvers"
When they did not comply, he tried again.
"Can you hear me? Evasive maneuvers"
"Oh just shut it!" was the reply.
They watched, their somber faces illuminated by the ever changing graphics shown on screen and from the Mech Cams, twisting and turning away from various explosions and plasma streaks filling the skies, the pilot's panic face looking at the towed Mech ever so often. Painful minutes felt like hours before they crawl out of the range of the Null Sector guns.
Katya looked around numbly at the cheering people, wishing she could join this joyful event, but she knew that this decision has come with a great sacrifice, a sacrifice that will ruin her and her future.
Until her wristband began vibrating violently and a call forced itself through.
"Well… This is a surprise" a voice said gruffly.
"Likewise" when she saw who initiated the call.