Chapter 2: To A Hollow Mind
08:17 hours, Antarctica, 15 kilometers from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave"
"Sweet!" thought the pilot of the AC, Halimaw. "Just a few more kilometers and I can finally restock! I just hope that the base isn't occupied..."
During his time of wishful thinking, he had neglected to check his sensor screens, which were now detecting the now-opening doors of several MT hangars from the surface of the earth itself.
Disturbed with the incessant beeping of his sensors, the pilot then decides to take a look at the screen, only to find increasing numbers of...
"STARLING MTs!" exclaimed the pilot. "Well, well... I guess that the creators of this outpost actually thought that someone would try to breach their defenses. Now it's time to prove them right!"
With that final statement, he activated the boosters on his AC to direct him to the increasing horde of MTs now gathering before him like a feast spread on a dinner table.
08:20 hours, Antarctica outpost and AC garage "Hell's Grave," AC hangar, Floor 1
"It should have been ready by now," spoke the Emperor, who was now waiting at the foot of the bridge that led to the AC's cockpit.
Except there was one problem: there was no sight of his AC.
Or any other AC, for that matter.
"Brother, what is going on?" inquired the now-furious Emperor, angered at the sight of his beloved ACs.
"That's because they're on the other hangar, brother," replied the comm. officer, who was laughing at his brother's predicament. "That's my AC hangar."
The Emperor, confused at the last statement, now checked for proof of his brother's reply. Eventually, he found a sign that read:
THIS AC HANGAR IS FOR COMM. OFFICERS ONLY
"Oops..." muttered the Emperor, humiliated by his own, apparently rusty, sense of direction.
"Oh, man," told the comm. officer. "You know, bro, you should really get a pair of reading glasses, not to mention a map of the outpost."
"So, where is my AC hangar, then?" inquired the Emperor.
"Turn back, go across the hallway, and then go right at the 2nd intersection," replied the comm. officer, feeling like less of being an integral piece of the outpost and feeling more like a tour guide.
"Thank you, brother," answered the Emperor, grateful that he was not alone in the outpost, and then headed off to his hangar.
08:25 hours, Antarctica, 5 kilometers from secret Raven outpost "Hell's Grave"
"I can't keep this up for much longer," thought the pilot of the AC, Halimaw. His ammo counters on both the RL and BP were steadily dropping, and if there were ACs in the area, or in the outpost, then he probably wouldn't stand a chance.
For him, this was probably a suicide run.
"There has to be a way to get rid of these things," he thought. "I'm starting to run out..."
Then, as if God had answered his prayers, something short of miraculous happened.
The MTs were retreating.
He sighed with relief, happy that the onslaught was over.
Unfortunately, it had only just begun...
08:34 hours, Antarctica outpost and AC garage "Hell's Grave," Ex. AC Hangar, Floor 1
"Finally," the Emperor muttered, happy that he had finally arrived at the correct hangar.
And happy he was, for standing before him was an engine of destruction that could have made the powerful Pulverizers wish that they had never been created.
The looks of the AC alone would have discouraged most opponents from facing it head-on without energy weapons in tow, but even they found this AC to be near indomitable, nonetheless. Other than the twin KRSWs that were the main offensive weapons of the AC, there were strange weapons on the back mounts.
They were shaped like a normal LX laser cannon barrel, except for one thing; they had enormous globes attached to the back of the cannons themselves.
"Let's see the intruder deal with the Black Dragon up close," the Emperor muttered.
With that statement in mind, he then went to the bridge of the hangar, jumped into the AC's cockpit, and began the preliminary system activation sequences.
"Brother," the Emperor spoke through his earpiece microphone, "I hope the BDCs are ready for a test run."
"Do not worry," replied the comm. officer. "I personally checked the BDC weapon systems, and I have done about 200 virtual test-firings trouble-free. I'm sure they will work well."
"I hope you are right," the Emperor answered back. "I have to trust you on this decision."
A few seconds later, the preliminary checkups were complete, and the AC was ready to again fulfill its secondary purpose: to defend the outpost and destroy trespassers.
"This is Emperor in AC Black Dragon, moving out," he spoke through his earpiece microphone.
And with that, the AC departed from the gargantuan hangar doors separating it from its prey.
This would be its 13th kill.
Author's Note: Well, this ends Chap. 2 of the fic.