S1-168
Bergusia Forge

3:34 PM
05/14/3273

Planet Vez-2 - Suburban Cul-de-sac
Aran-Johnson residence

Music
Chibi-Robo: Plug Into Adventure - Broad Daylight

After returning from a successful mission on the Tangled Shore, Michael decided to rest for a while, thus giving his Light time to rekindle its flame. "All in a good day's work, eh?"

"{This Pilot stuff really takes the strain on your Light to a whole other level.}"

"Well, I didn't really have all these Guardian abilities back then. I had the Andromeda Cannons, but I didn't know how to summon them."

"{Wow... The things you've been through before the Traveler arrived. Militia... Galactic Federation... Remnant Fleet... I've been looking through your memories, but it's like nothing I've ever seen before. It's amazing!}"

"It's been my dream ever since I was 8."

"{That long?!}"

"Yeah."

If Rocco had a jaw, it'd be dropped.

Eventually, Michael's IMC PDA beeped. He looked at its screen, seeing a message.

"We've made a discovery. Come to the Black Armory." ~Ada-1

Michael tossed the PDA back on his bed, got up on his feet, and started a warm-up with stretches, the sounds of popping muscles and clicking prosthetic joints briefly filled the room before immediately returning to silence.

He then turned off the light and headed out the door, with Rocco picking up his equipment.

3:47 PM
05/14/3273

Planet Vez-2 - IMC HQ
Black Armory

Music
Destiny 2 - The Black Armory

Ada-1 turned from her work to look at the approaching Pilot, curiously eyeing his appearance. "Nice duds."

Michael looked at himself, remembering that he took off his Pilot armor after he came back. "Civilian clothing. Pre-Golden Age."

"And... the mechanical limbs?"

"BRD-01 'Spectre' Combat Drone limbs modified into prosthetics. Look me up in the IMC database, then look through my earliest mission records. Now, back to business. What's the new intel?"

"Nothing about the Black Armory has escaped me over the years... or so I thought, until Pilots unearthed a secret facility of ours, lost to us since the Golden Age. The Black Armory papers mention it in vague detail, something about a... 'Project Niobe', but nothing more. Without the missing pages, the puzzle remains incomplete. In their absence, the best course of action would be to simply scour the place itself."

"Give me the location and I'll take a look."

"I was hoping you'd say that. I'll be feeding an energy marker to Rocco. Head for the EDZ."

4:11 PM
05/14/3273

Planet Earth - European Dead Zone
Sojourner's Camp

Music
Destiny 2 - EDZ

Michael and Samus touched down in the sector by using a Drop Pod, cutting down on deployment time. "{The marker Ada gave me is in a new sector we've never seen before. I've put it up on your helmet display.}"

"Thanks, Rocco."

"Michael, what do you think we'll find?" Samus asked.

"Possibly a new Black Armory Forge. Who knows?"

"Yeah, that's a good point."

As the two were nearing the new sector, something rippled down from the sky. "{I just picked up a Titanfall signature!}"

"Huh. That's... unexpected. We'd better be ready for anything." Michael said, checking his Spitfire's magazine.

Planet Earth - European Dead Zone
Niobe Labs

They entered the sector, taking out quite a few Fallen as they went. The large door to the next chamber opened up, revealing and confirming a new Black Armory Forge. Fighting Fallen and Cabal was what looked like a Ronin-class Prime Titan.

Eventually, the area was secure... for the moment.

The Ronin Prime bent down and opened its cockpit, allowing what appeared to be a female Cloak Pilot to hop out. She took off her helmet, revealing... "Ada?!" Michael was stumped.

Ada-1 had indeed dropped into the targeted sector, and she was linked to a new Titan. "Have you ever wondered what I've been doing on the Black Armory's 'off days'?"

"The Hammond Pilot Certification Simulator?" Samus asked.

"That's right. I may not trust the Guardians, but I do trust the Pilots. I might as well make myself useful, right?"

"Ada, welcome to Eagle-Eye 9-1." Michael saluted.

"Thank you. Now, since I was an Exo, your IMC mechanics decided it would be best to install a 'Simulacrum memory cortex capacitor' into my head."

"That became a necessity ever since the Exo brothers last began experiencing Dissociative Exomind Rejection. It prevents the memory loss and fragmentation caused by a reboot." Michael stated.

"I see. For this, I am grateful. I also decided to build myself a Titan, even though it couldn't be fitted with Black Armory technology. Michael, Samus, meet RS."

"[Greetings. I am RS-4373. Protocol 2: Uphold the Mission. Secure and recover the Bergusia Forge.]"

"Right then. Everyone, ready up!" Michael ordered.

Music
Destiny 2 - Bergusia Initiation

Fallen started coming out of the woodwork, but with Ada-1 jumping back into her Ronin Prime, their fates were sealed. "[Pilot control initiated. Focus. Plan. Attack.]"

With the Leadwall, Ada-1 tore the Fallen apart, blocking Shrapnel Launcher projectiles with the side of the Broadsword. While Ada-1 kept the Fallen busy, Michael and Samus threw Radiant Batteries into the Black Armory Bergusia Forge, eventually triggering an energy cycle.

Music
Destiny 2 - Bergusia Phased

The second wave arrived, but was subject to complete devastation, courtesy of Michael's Spitfire, Samus's Plasma Beam, and Ada-1's Titan's Leadwall.

"[Sword Core ready. Keep your enemies close.]" Ada-1 decided to save that for when she needed it.

Radiant Batteries were being tossed into the Forge nonstop. It initiated another power cycle, yet a Fallen Skiff flew in, dropping a Fallen Walker.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: The Black Recluse
(Forge Warden)

Music
Destiny 2 - Bergusia Warden

"This one's all you, Ada!" Samus said, freezing the Walker's legs with her Ice Beam.

"[Sword Core activated.]" Ada-1 sliced the frozen leg clean off, causing the Walker to malfunction and expose its engine, thus allowing the Black Armory curator to jam the electrified Broadsword into its weak spot, destroying it immediately.

Ada-1 [Sword Core] The Black Recluse (Kell's Scourge)

Music
Titanfall - OST 06

"[Enemy eliminated. Protocol 2 mission update. Bergusia Forge secure. Recommend using a transmat beacon to send it back to the IMC HQ.]"

"Couldn't agree more." Ada-1 disembarked from the Ronin Prime, allowing RS-4373 to gently lower her to the ground, where Michael handed her the transmat beacon, allowing the curator to stick it in the ground just under the Bergusia Forge. The Forge vanished, sent to the Black Armory within the IMC HQ.

Music
Titanfall 2 - Uphold the Mission

Taking in the recent events, Ada-1 chuckled softly. Without RS-4373, she wouldn't have survived the welcoming committee, let alone an entire Fallen battalion and a Walker.

To think that just one machine originally created from a time long before the Golden Age could've turned the tide so drastically... From this alone, her respect for the IMC grew even further. Now... she was one of them.

Ada-1

Primary
Assault Rifle - R-201 Carbine - (Extra Ammo) - (X) - (Threat Scope) - (Pro Screen)

Secondary
RE-45 Auto - (Extra Ammo) - (Speedloader) - (Pro Screen)

Backup
MGL Mag Launcher - (Gun Ready) - (Quick Swap) - (Pro Screen)

Tactical
Cloak

Ordinance
Satchels

Boost
Ticks

Tier 1
Power Cell

Tier 2
Kill Report

Execution
In Your Face

Pilot Camo
Ocean Reptile

Primary Camo
Ocean Reptile

Secondary Camo
Ocean Reptile

Backup Camo
Ocean Reptile

Romeo-Sierra Four-Three-Seven-Three (RS-4373)

Titan
Ronin - Prime

Titan kit
Assault Chip

Ronin kit
Temporal Anomaly

Titanfall kit
Dome Shield

Titan Camo
Ocean Reptile

Nose Art
Suit of Armor

Weapon Camo
Ocean Reptile

Titan execution
Cutting Steel

All Forges recovered.

Ada-1, welcome to the IMC's ranks. Everyone, give a round of applause for RS-4373, the Titan of the Black Armory curator.

See you next time, guys.