S1-126
A new Crucible
10:31 AM
05/09/3272
Planet Vez-2 - 'Cyber Warfare' Crucible facility
Contestant lobby
Music
Destiny 2 - The Last City
The construction of a new Crucible facility on planet Vez-2 yielded the development of surprising creativity: a battlefield based off of the War Games simulation created by the IMC.
"A Crucible arena built in a similar manner to our War Games simulated battleground is an interesting concept. We look forward to seeing how well it will go." Spyglass stated.
"With more of the IMC's Simulation Pods, we can have our contestants enter the battlefield, and the fight will be projected as a hologram for the audience. Titans will also be deployed here, so we can see how they fair against each other." Shaxx replied.
With the facility fully built and the digital arena completed, it was ready for the first battle.
Two teams, consisting of six Pilots and Titans each, readied up. On the display screens were the team compositions.
ALPHA
{[ Michael & XS-9365 ]}
{[ Samus & ZV-9372 ]}
{[ Jenny & TN-9684 ]}
{[ Mark-18 & MF-8472 }]
{[ Hayden-10 & UQ-2153 ]}
{[ Tanner-21 & XM-2536 ]}
BRAVO
{[ Jones & REX-1366 ]}
{[ Alden & ZF-7263 ]}
{[ Boyce & ZOE-8027 ]}
{[ Odell & CB-4917 ]}
{[ Lucio & DJ-3208 ]}
{[ Lyman & CL-1468 ]}
"Looks like you're going up against the Elites." The Shadow said, looking at the screen.
"Jarod's not competing?" Michael wondered, not seeing the Pilot's name in the active roster.
Speaking of which, Jarod showed up. "Yeah, Jones said that I should sit this out and watch the match so that I can 'see how a real Pilot fights'."
"Well, let's do this." Samus was ready to get it on.
11:05 AM
05/09/3272
Planet Vez-2 - 'Cyber Warfare' Crucible facility
Virtual arena
Music
Tron: Legacy - Disc Wars
The teams were digitized into the simulated arena, which was now being projected as a hologram for anyone who came to watch the carnage unfold.
Just like that, the match began.
Michael used his Grapple to quickly scale a wall to search for a higher vantage point. Out of nowhere, a stream of lead zipped through the virtual air, and as he tried to get out of the line of fire, the Pilot succumbed to the unrelenting attack. Michael vanished into pixelated particles on death.
Boyce [R-101] Michael
"FIRST BLOOD!" Shaxx's voice boomed throughout the virtual warzone.
Just then, a stream of micro-missiles emancipated the Pilot.
Jenny [SMR] Boyce
Elsewhere, Michael reappeared. He saw a Simulacrum up ahead, so he activated his Cloak. It was a Phase Shift Pilot. Lucio.
He shot out his Grapple, prompting the Simulacrum to vanish. Michael saw the white cloud that replaced his target, and with his Spitfire ready, he observed the spatial aftereffects, pulling the trigger and scoring the kill as Lucio returned.
Michael [Spitfire] Lucio
"Let's see what else I can do." Just as he pulled out a new Spitfire mag, an Exo in Pilot armor slid by, holding a G2A5. "Tanner?"
"This is exhilarating! Let's win this!"
With that, Jones showed up and deployed an A-Wall. Tanner-21 put up his own, allowing Michael to use it.
The combined strength of the Spitfire and G2 through the Exo's A-Wall destroyed Jones's weapon-enhancing barrier, exposing their target.
Tanner-21 (X)-[G2] Jones
"What I wouldn't give to fight again beyond the walls... I would tear out a Vex heart with my teeth, I would sear the Cabal with my burning Light, challenge the Fallen Kells to personal combat and scatter them, I... I've been watching too many Crucible matches."
"Hostile Pilot KIA."
"Good teamwork."
"Your Titan is ready, Tanner!" Shaxx called.
"Send him in."
"STANDBY FOR TITANFALL!"
From the digital sky came a Scorch-class Titan. Tanner-21 hopped into the cockpit as it opened, while Michael climbed onboard. "[Control transferring to Pilot. Thermite Launcher ready. Friendly Pilot on the hull.]"
"See what I went through in my first life?"
"All this warfare was your first life? And you made it through?! You're a legend!"
Suddenly, another Pilot came sprinting by. Another Simulacrum, using the Stim. Lyman. Also suddenly, Lyman was just... gone.
Tanner-21 [T-203 Thermite Launcher] Lyman
"[Hostile Pilot contained and destroyed.]"
Nearby, another Titan dropped in. "Let's take a look."
Off they went, seeing that it was a Tone, chassis number: ZOE-8027.
The Tone deployed a Particle Wall as Tanner-21 dashed out of the way. Michael hopped off, then used his Grapple to pull himself to a wall. He ran on the wall, jumped on the Titan, and pulled out a Battery.
The Tone immediately turned around and used the Sonar Lock, revealing Michael's position as he tried to get away.
One shot, one kill. Boyce wasn't one of the Elites for nothing.
Boyce [40mm Tracker Cannon] Michael
As Boyce disembarked to recover the Battery, revenge was taken against him.
Samus [R-97 Compact SMG] Boyce
Samus unloaded with her Mag Launcher, breaking down the Titan's armor with magnetic grenades.
The Particle Wall went down, exposing the Auto-Titan to unrelenting fire, both literally and figuratively.
Eventually, Michael made his way back, retaking the Battery as his own Titan was deployed.
Down came an Ion-class Titan, ready for combat. "[Pilot control initiated. Welcome back.]"
As ZOE-8027 attempted to punch him, Michael caught the Titan's fist, then proceeded to blast the arm off with the Laser Shot, knocking one of the Tone's feet off the ground with the detached limb. Michael then finished off his target by shoving the Splitter Rifle into the Auto-Titan's vacant cockpit and holding the trigger.
Michael [Termination] ZOE-8027
Just then, a Legion-class Prime Titan dropped down, crushing the Scorch and the Pilot within.
DJ-3208 [Crushed by Titanfall] XM-2536
DJ-3208 [Crushed by Titanfall] Tanner-21
"[Friendly Titan down.]"
A Simulacrum slid in, then Phase Shifted into the Titan's cockpit, gaining the controls. As Lucio opened fire, Michael projected the Vortex Shield, sending everything right back at him immediately, followed up by a single beam from the Laser Shot. XS-9365's power supply was depleted and needed to be recharged.
Lucio projected the Gun Shield, then resumed fire. Michael and Samus took cover.
"Ready for some teamwork?"
"Always." As Samus took an alternate route, with the intention of flanking their opponent, Michael dashed out and, with enough energy regenerated, blew off a side vent with the Laser Shot.
Samus arrived, then pulled out a Battery, jumping off before an Atlas dropped in and finished the job.
ZV-9372 [Crushed by Titanfall] DJ-3208
ZV-9372 [Crushed by Titanfall] Lucio
"[Arc-Rod's here.]"
"This should be good." Just then, a Monarch-class Titan dropped in. "Mark-18, good to see you."
"Pilot weaponry is not something you get used to. But Pilot action? Now THAT'S something."
"[We should head to Hayden's position. He is engaging multiple Titans.]" MF-8472 stated.
Like that, Mark-18 headed off, seeing a Northstar and a Vanguard fighting an Atlas and a Monarch.
"Hayden, I don't know if we can do this!"
"They don't call them the Elites for nothing!"
"Hayden, Jenny, I'm here!" Mark-18 immediately opened fire with the XO-16, diverting the attention of the Titans as Jones deployed a Particle Wall to shield his teammate and himself from their previous targets.
"[Flight Core ready.]" Upon usage, Hayden-10 finished off the distracted attackers, rockets raining down over the Particle Wall.
Hayden-10 [Flight Core salvo] REX-1366
Hayden-10 [Flight Core salvo] Jones
Hayden-10 [Flight Core salvo] CB-4917
Hayden-10 [Flight Core salvo] Odell
Shaxx's yelling was heard. "FIGHT FOREVER, GUARDIAN! Ha haa!"
It was then that an Ion Prime came in, Laser Core activated.
The trio took cover, waiting for the Laser Core to expire. Sure enough, it did, and Jenny opened fire. XO-16 shells pelted the Ion Prime's chassis until the Vortex Shield was brought up, catching a few of the rounds before a Particle Wall formed.
"[Laser Core ready.]" Jenny activated the Laser Core of her own Titan, crippling the Ion Prime, and allowing her to move in for the kill.
She grabbed the Splitter Rifle and held it so that it couldn't hit her, used the XO-16 to break up the Titan's armor plating, then in a single strike, smash the Titan apart.
Jenny [Termination] CL-1468
Jenny [Termination] Lyman
"[Nicely done.]"
Music
none
"WE HAVE A WINNER!" Shaxx announced. "The victor is... ALPHA TEAM!"
11:37 AM
05/09/3272
Planet Vez-2 - 'Cyber Warfare' Crucible facility
Contestant lobby
Music
Destiny 2 - The Last City
"We put up a good fight, but you came out on top."
"That was a good match."
The leaders shook hands.
"Well, that was an impressive battle!" Samus stated.
"These battles will be recorded for all to see." Spyglass was right. Every Crucible match in the Cyber Warfare arena was recorded.
"That was exhilarating." Jenny was all jittery from all the action she just took part in.
"To be honest, I didn't know what to expect." Mark-18 stated.
"{Well, now you have two loadouts to choose from at any time. Care to practice with your new Pilot loadout? I hear the IMC Training Ground Whitehead facility on planet Gridiron is always open.}"
"Let's practice on Mercury first."
"Actually, why not test them out on Venus?" The Shadow suggested. "I may have gotten rid of the Fallen there, but the Vex are still giving me problems. My Echoes are still going through the Vault of Glass."
12:19 PM
05/09/3272
Yionus's moon, Zuter - IMC testing site Echo-918
Chamber 137
Back at the chamber that held the World Gate, Michael invited Error Sans and Ink Sans to watch the recorded match from the new Crucible arena.
"That was something to watch." Ink Sans remarked.
"Yeah, I actually didn't expect all that. And those Titans... They are SERIOUSLY powerful!"
Michael chuckled. "Gives you a clue of the mayhem I went through in my first life, doesn't it?"
Mark-18 (Pilot loadout)
Primary
Assault Rifle - R-101 Carbine - (Extra Ammo) - (X) - (Threat Scope) - (Pro Screen)
Secondary
RE-45 Auto - (Extra Ammo) - (Speedloader) - (Pro Screen)
Backup
LG-97 Thunderbolt - (Extra Ammo) - (Speedloader) - (Pro Screen)
Tactical
Holo Pilot
Ordinance
Firestar
Boost
Battery Back-up
Tier 1
Power Cell
Tier 2
Low Profile
Execution
Grand Theft Semi-Auto
Pilot Camo
Tri Woodland
Primary Camo
Tri Woodland
Secondary Camo
Tri Woodland
Backup Camo
Tri Woodland
Hayden-10 (Pilot loadout)
Primary
Assault Rifle - Hemlok BF-R - (Extra Ammo) - (Tactikill) - (HCOG) - (Pro Screen)
Secondary
Hammond P2016 - (Extra Ammo) - (Speedloader) - (Pro Screen)
Backup
Charge Rifle - (Extra Ammo) - (Gun Ready) - (Pro Screen)
Tactical
Pulse Blade
Ordinance
Arc Grenade
Boost
Battery Back-up
Tier 1
Power Cell
Tier 2
Low Profile
Execution
Neckbreaker
Pilot Camo
Dark Screen
Primary Camo
Dark Screen
Secondary Camo
Dark Screen
Backup Camo
Dark Screen
Tanner-21 (Pilot loadout)
Primary
Assault Rifle - G2A5 - (Extra Ammo) - (Tactikill) - (Factory Issue) - (Pro Screen)
Secondary
B3 Wingman - (Extra Ammo) - (Tactikill) - (Pro Screen)
Backup
MGL Mag Launcher - (Extra Ammo) - (Speedloader) - (Pro Screen)
Tactical
A-Wall
Ordinance
Firestar
Boost
Battery Back-up
Tier 1
Power Cell
Tier 2
Low Profile
Execution
2-3-2 Combo
Pilot Camo
Heavy Reign
Primary Camo
Heavy Reign
Secondary Camo
Heavy Reign
Backup Camo
Heavy Reign
The Cyber Warfare Crucible arena actually bears a strong resemblance to the War Games simulated environment.
The Exo brothers now have their own Pilot equipment, stored by their Ghosts as separate loadouts.
See you next time, Guardians.