Reincarnation (MK)

[Nemesis]

December 18th
Cradle 04 Residential Block
5:17 PM (Mars time)

Like a wing of blackness, Cradle 04 drifted lazily through the Martian skies. Some would have compared it to a flying tomb, one bereft of life, littered only with the war dead...

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Nestled within its depths, eerie, vaguely human-sized pods adorned the walls of the former residential zone. Most, once pulsating with life, were now grey and lifeless - some, with the bones of their former occupants now exposed to the open air, or left in crumpled, misshapen heaps on the floors. Rotten, distended organs, and warped flesh ensued that even those unfortunate enough to, however briefly, regain consciousness would not need to suffer the cruel joke of their existence for long.

Life pulsed anew here, following a newer, more egalitarian path that could only be described as... alien.

The swift death which awaited the unfit was, however, nothing short of a mercy compared to the fate which awaited their more resilient peers. The spider-like veins that crisscrossed the womb-like enclosures they had been forced into pulsated vilely, as with each passing moment, a new chapter in human evolution came closer to penning its first, wretched words.

But fate works in curious - and sometimes - merciful ways.

Grrrkrkrkrk...

There was the groaning of metal, as dust suddenly fell from the ceiling across the pods. A powerful impact rippled through the walls, such that it caused the teeth to rattle in one's mouth. Then, another - closer, this time.

A disruption. Who? How? Irrelevant.

Unacceptable.

Hurriedly, chemical solutions, enzymes, proteins, hormones all of alien make, were dumped from waiting organelles into the pods. All that was needed was to place the finishing touch, the mind-control parasite, that writhing, insect-like creature that would fuse where the spine and brain met, enslaving the victim. Just a few moments-

Grrkrkr-KSHAAK!



Without warning, the ceiling collapsed as a furious detonation ripped through the cradle, accompanied by inhuman chittering and screeching as pieces of talons and claws blown free from their malicious owners were whipped out into the open Martian sky. Chunks of rebar, support beams, and concrete rained down, crushing and punching into the pods beneath, spraying the walls with blood and quasi-amniotic fluid. Emergency shutters rolled into action, cordoning off the lost areas, as klaxons screamed through the depressurized air.

In less than a minute, it was over - and pressure began to normalize again in the ruined sector. All the pods lay in states of various disrepair...

Yet one, at least, beat with faint life.

 

[MKR]

Sleep, ever the domain of the fantastical. The impossible, for in dreams even the most bizarre version of reality can seem real to the touch. Yet even dreams were imperfect, faces never quite the same, one's reflection may even be missing. These were the things setting it apart from reality, and dreams are only crueler then that for one reason, for the only way out of a dream can be achieved in two ways.

Reality, or death.

Now, it was the end of a long, long dream. Though in some senses the vast nothing came closer to a nightmare, or perhaps that was what was waiting for her as eyes opened. Green light came forth from the deep purple plate that could be called a face as a hand moved forward. She wanted to disassociate the sight she saw with her sense of self yet knew firmly for that to be false.

No in fact it was quite the opposite, more than even herself she knew this to be 'her'. The white armor ending in a black palm and purple fingers that clawed at the walls of her pod, tore it apart with monstrous ease and let light fall upon her form, that was her. Instinct dictated she gasp for air as she slid down onto a piece of rubble, coated by fresh fluid both from the inside of her previous cage and those that belonged to the inmate of another. But another instinct indicated that would not be necessary, she had no need to gasp and beg for oxygen like a malnourished plant.
Still, this next glorious step in human evolution spoke up for the first time in its new existence. A grand entry onto the stage of beings within the solar system.
"Ugghhhhhhh..."

The strength to stand was found easily, the remaining fluid cascading off of her as she surveyed the sight before her. Death and ruin, yet this did not bring with it sadness for she knew without the shadow of a doubt that this fate was preferable. It was the one she had begged for earlier... how much earlier. No answer came to her, perhaps a few weeks then. A month at most.

The Beta.... No, they were not Beta. The Radam were still fighting, and within her bones she knew they had to be stopped. Her gaze went upwards, the two green dots looking at the once again closed off section of Cradle. She could not say she was excited to take to the field herself in this war against insects, yet now a part of her felt very capable to do so.

A question lingered for a moment, but who was she.
The answer was twofold and readily available.
She was Otilia Vasile.
She was Tekkaman Gladius.

On her upper back two thrusters activated, built into her very being. Green lines shot upwards, behind her as she ascended. It must have looked like an old comic, whose heroes ascended to fight evil. Her hand reached out, gripping something. Somehow she knew how to do this, it came as naturally as chewing food as a pole manifested. Forming into a weapon equal to her length with a pointed tip.

As she moved with incredible swiftness, the weapon was raised striking at the blast doors with the speed and ferocity of her form to make a way out. To escape the hell beneath her and grant those remaining within it the liberty of death instead of the terrible reality of their new self.

 

[Nemesis]

Otilia's blade struck out, slamming into the blast doors. Each strike drove the metal inward, buckling inches-thick steel until it parted enough to allow her passage into the level's upper reaches. Threading her way through access tunnels webbed with stringy, organic mess, the sound of the fighting in the distance seemed to be all around her. Whatever was happening... It was far, it seemed, from local.

Gathering her hazy memories of the Cradle's structure, she began making her way through the darkened hallways, lit only by emergency lights, towards the evacuation point. Wasn't that what they had always drilled into them? And yet how they'd laughed - laughed at even the remote possibility their floating paradise could ever be touched by the battle that scourged the world below.

How foolish they'd all been.

Yet as she traipsed her way through the interior, an unusual, commanding voice might have filtered down from ahead, through holes torn in the walls.

"Status report."

Light shimmered through the gaps, and were she to crane her head, she would have been able to see a form resting amongst what appeared to be a pile of hideous, insect-like creatures, all of which had been torn limb from limb. The armored figure was a dull, blueish grey, like a beetle, yet the curved armor which adorned his frame was immaculately detailed, as though it were made from the most sophisticated technology imaginable.

"We've purged approximately 30% of the infestation. Leave is clearing the lower decks as we speak. Estimated completion-"

"Behind schedule? Not like you... Orgun. Something troubles you."

The white knight fell silent at the accusation. A pause, before he continued:

"...This is no different from any other Cleansing, is it not?"

A low, raspy chuckle came from the communicator on his wrist, the hologram before him flickering like neon-green static, throwing bizarre shadows on the walls.

"This is a crusade, Orgun. A pilgrimage to the most Holy of sites. Can you not feel it in the air?"

The Head Detonator's voice dropped to a conspiratorial, almost reverent whisper.

"The Emperor's touch was once upon this land. I can sense it."

"Orgun", for his part, seemed unconvinced, merely remaining silent before his superior continued.

"Clear your mind, Orgun. The true foe will be upon us soon. This is no time for distractions."

"...I understand."

With little more to be said, the transmission ended, throwing Orgun's features back into the shadows. He stared into the dark, contemplating the words that were spoken. Was there perhaps doubt in his heart? All that could be said was the heaviness with which his steps carried him, further along the passageway. His work, it seemed, was very far from done.

Once freed of the immediate threat, Otilia would be faced with a choice: She could continue ahead to the escape pods on the lower levels, ostensibly where the fighting was fiercest, to the east in the manufacturing wing, or to ascend another level towards the command bridge.

 

[MKR]

A voice, speaking a known language, this she had expected would be a source of relief and jubilation. Civilization, freedom from the dark and dim tunnels. Yet this moment of supposed joy and freedom instead turned to existential terror, the knowledge that the voice she heard belonged to one who meant danger to her and was supposed to be avoided... She heeded these instincts unwilling to forfeit life to this being, one whom she felt mirrored her own existence. Slowing down in her approach.

So she waited, and listened to this "Orgun" as he and another spoke about the infestation and the Emperor. Information that was filed and stored, as the former she had a very strong guess what they spoke of but the latter eluded her. Still it was good to know there were at least two others here with this Orgun, one Leave and the voice on the other side of the communications she could assume was also within the Cradle.
Things had gotten out of hand in the short time she was away, these individuals on holy pilgrimage were not the type to involve themselves with mercenary work and who knew how many other factions had gotten into the mix.

As Orgun departed she finally felt ready to move again, the commanding voice she expected would head towards the ideal place to issue orders from, Orgun was was patrolling these halls and beneath by the escape pods was Leave. Preferably she would meet none of them yet still a measurement was made the voice, who she internally began to refer to as The Preacher as if he were a Raven of some renown, would likely be the most zealous and as such most dangerous in a direct engagement. Whereas Orgun seemingly was just someone doing the bare minimum for their job. The usual style for a wagey to whom employment had lost its luster but the dire existential threat of starvation provided a motivator.
Which left Leave as a complete unknown.

The choice, to her was between the latter two. In the case of an encounter Orgun seemed the most likely to listen to reason, or at least be persuaded to miss a spot on this cleansing duty in exchange for something while Leave was by the easiest exit. Regardless she had to leave before the Preacher saw her on any cameras lest she want both of the others, or even all three, to begin a hunt for her like predator in pursuit of prey.

The green eyes narrowed, manufacturing should have a docking bay that would allow for her escape. Yet could she leave whomever was below by the pods at the mercy of these beings? Tekkaman Gladius was almost inclined to say yes, she'd never stuck her neck out for others that much from the comfort of her broadcast chamber. She just told the folks who killed who to kill and whatever was going on, but having seen the faces of those with her as the Radam arrived in their bunker.

Having seen her own face in a shattered mirror as she scrambled back in fear and terror.

Otilia could not leave them be.

Against her better judgement and for it at the same time she launched once more, accelerating down to the escape pods. Hopefully not too late for those below, perhaps if she got her revenge on some of the beasties that Leave would not go after her she hoped at the same time.

 

[Nemesis]

Tekkaman Gladius' thrusters carried her quickly through the guts of the Cradle. Occasionally, a loud groan echoed throughout the interior, accompanied by the creaking of metal and rattling of distant support structures. It seemed whatever battle was unfolding was having more of an effect on the Cradle's structure than expected.

How much longer would it stay in the air?

As she neared the evacuation point, the maintenance tunnels eventually widened into a once-flourishing plaza, now riddled with Radam biomass. Unearthly branches and carpets of slime covered shop doors and building surfaces, and telescreen monitors only displayed static - or were still, and silent. The same could not, however, be said for the scene before her.

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"



There was a terrific CLANG of metal, as two bodies met in the center of the room before her. Two sets of armor, one green and hulking, one slender and crimson, struggled against one another under the lights. Two bulging arms like pistons gripped a long, menacing looking poleaxe, which was only barely held back by a pair of slender daggers protruding from the more feminine form's wrists.

It was the green one who broke the clash, one foot swinging up murderously into the guts of the red to send her stumbling back - and the axe came down in a fashion not unbecoming of an executioner, its edge already wet with the blood of her allies. The vicious blade only barely missing its target as she darted back, thrusters flaring, carving a ten-foot gash in the floor as it did so, as the Detonator's forearm flared, raining a hail of needle-like shots on the Tekkaman, who shielded his face with a forearm as he too stepped back.



"Reinforcements?! Damn!"

Detonator Leave flicked her wrist, as internal arrays began to re-prioritize the second Tekkaman - who merely gave a deep, rumbling chuckle as he nodded to his peer. Two fingers ran across the length of his axehead, sending sparks across its surface, as though he were savoring their briefness, their flaring light.



"Ho ho... About time, sleepyhead. Don't just stand there - Let's get to work!"

The escape pods were below, and not too far. The deck, stretching wing to wing of the Cradle, was to her left and right - and the sounds of battle were intensifying on either side.

How much longer did she have?

 

[MKR]

As she approached her speed once more decreased. She wasn't the only one, perhaps not even the first one. Certainly not the first to engage in combat, she landed as the two broke their clash. Witnessing the brutal nature yet feeling surprisingly little one way or another, it felt natural to bear witness to this conflict. Idly she spun her weapon, she felt the desire to fight to join in however this intent was not aimed at just the Detonator.

It was when the other one turned around and she saw his eyes that feeling reaffirmed itself.

He, was lost.

This was the fate that those alongside her had been liberated of. She extended her arm to the side, the polearm moving along the length of the wall as she slowly, wordlessly advanced, battle was closing in on them and if it continued on for longer the one which would be suffering the most would be none other than her. But this, this had been what she excelled at before. Her one and only weapon against the Beta had been her voice and she was quite the expert at directing others to kill.
"Very well." She commented in reply, spinning the thrown weapon once more as she hastened her advance this would only work once and she had to be quick "Lets corner it and then move on." While her intention differed from the initial implication of the words, no deceit was spoken.

People didn't like to be delegated to, they liked to be part of a grander effort however. She took position on a flank as her green eyes momentarily shot to the axe. Perhaps to the Detonator the difference between the two was clear as day but if the other one didn't realize immediately. As long as he did what she expected him to then all would be fine, until then she needed to play ball just a bit longer. The Cradle however, was lost. Those that hadn't made it out would not get past either of these two that she knew for certain. Especially not both.

Now, all she needed was for the big guy to do a big swing again as she jabbed her spear forwards in a blur, trying to force the detonator into a corner and the path to her escape wide open. Once he did, that was when she would use her Tek Wire to grab the massive weapon and pull it off course before immediately fleeing the scene. Leaving the Detonator cornered and unable to pursue her and her 'brother in arms' momentarily without a weapon and with still a foe to fight before he could decide to pursue. Aiding her deception was that she genuinely wanted this obstacle removed and as such did not pull her punches, her extended weapon range allowing her to remain mostly out of sight of the massive green Tekkaman while contributing her share.

Even with this presumed Leave exhausted from the fight she couldn't just put her weapon in the back of the lost one, putting him out of his unknown misery. That would just leave her open to a myriad of problems, and her survival was more important than his death with the three of those monsters haunting this facility his death was practically guaranteed at such a disadvantage anyways.

 

[Nemesis]

(Here they come.)

Leave visibly tensed as Axe laughed in response to Gladius' words. Two against one - well, now there was a game he'd be more than happy to play! The green Tekkaman lunged forward, polearm whipping through the air, unnaturally quick given its lethality, even the slightest scrape of its edge leaving scores on the ground and tearing the walls of the buildings that surrounded them. Leave, unable to find an opening, flitted back and forth as she was forced back further and further, the walls around her narrowing.

"Your luck's run out, Evoluder! You can say hello to your Emperor for us - IN HELL-!"

The edge of the axe glowed bright red, and swept around for the killing blow - only to stop still in the air, causing Axe's triumphant laughter to die unexpectedly in his throat at the sight of the glimmering wire wrapped about its handle.

"What?!"

Leave took her chance. Before Axe could even blink , her dagger slashed out - and buried itself to the hilt in his face, sending a spray of blood and ichor from Axe's left eyehole, accompanied by a roar of pain and pure, unadulterated hatred. A kick sent the wounded, now disarmed Radam superman crumpling to the ground, and she turned her attention back to Gladius, fleeing in the distance.

The wrist-mounted beam launcher was brought up, tracing Gladius' barely-visible back, aiming a shot square between the shoulders. But, as if troubled, Leave inexplicably paused...

Just long enough.

A verdant, mailed hand grasped the Detonator's leg in a deathgrip, and she looked down in shock, as light began to fill the room. Tekkaman Axe cackled maniacally, the light of the antimatter cannons on his chest glowing like the fiendish glare of a doomed star.

"VOLTEKKAAAAA!"

The sound of the explosion that roared after Gladius would have been deafening, the force enough to hurl her forward towards her destination. No doubt about it now - they knew, and soon, they'd be coming for her as well. The antimatter blast scythed clean through the roof of the Cradle, causing its upper decks to begin to sag, their supports now atomized, as black smoke billowed from all across the dark wing's surface.

Finally, after what felt like a thousand years, Otilia reached the escape pods. Although many were entwined in the branches of the Radam trees, upon close inspection, at least one of the devices appeared to be in working condition. Several of the others had been released, their logs still present in the system - but there wasn't much time to make a decision. The sound of skittering claws in the distance was growing closer with each passing second...

 

[MKR]

Both the scream and explosion followed her as she was flung through the hallways leading down. Unfortunately the big guy didn't die then and there but that would draw the attention of the Evoluder's allies at least. That however, didn't mean she was safe. It just meant the worst of the worst would be occupied with one another instead. Her eyes became lines as she observed the now defunct escape pods, the fact that most had launched were pleasing but that this many yet remained... Not that anyone would be using them after her anyways. As the sound of the skittering grew close she knew the time for such sentimentality was done for now was the time to escape, save the hides or in this case singular hide which could yet be saved. Her own.

She readied the first functional escape pod she got her sights on, the destination was less important than the escape at this exact moment so she simply picked the most recent one a pod had been sent towards. The door closed behind her, and quickly left the destroyed section of the Cradle behind catapulting away to an unknown location but one where whoever fled before felt safe.

The weapon in her hand vanished as she at long last felt safe. Collapsing on one of the seats inside the pod she put her hands on her head, she didn't know what was worse the fact the Cradle was left like that, meaning the only meaningful refuge was the surface of Mars which itself was home to the Beta hordes or that she had enjoyed that. There was something inside her, that more than just to survive wanted to see the axe stay on course and cut into that thing, into Leave. And now in the quiet it was beginning to set in, and she knew it was not going to abandon her.

In the reflection of the glass that looked outwards she saw what she was, the purple plate on her face with two green eyes stared back in affirmation. Try as she might she could find no disgust in her own features only acknowledgement, perhaps that was for the better. It meant the revulsion she did feel was not aimed at herself. Not even was she surprised at how readily she accepted this figure that only showed humanity in shape as herself for to her it was as if this truth had been there for a lifetime.

She waited, looking behind her towards the Cradle once more. The window for pursuit was becoming smaller, and if they did do so she was ready for them. But if they didn't she would finally, fully relax and turn back to her makeshift mirror.

There she stood tall, she knew that that was not all. Without closing her eyes she watched the reflection, losing height and bulk as what lay beneath was revealed. White hair and blue eyes looked back at her, this too was herself. The differences were night and day, sun and moon. Yet, even then she could not differentiate the two at all. Both slotted into that place in her mind where she identified herself.

And she was in dire need of clothes.

 

[Nemesis]

Otilia's head rested against the interior of the escape pod, the low hum of its now active electronics forming a low, discordant ambience, like white noise, that was profoundly calming. In the distance, the Cradle was beginning its slow descent, precluding the nosedive that was now all but inevitable. And yet, among the peace, there was suddenly a strange noise.

Like the hum of a mosquito, and the gentle tinkle of glass shattering.

Something pierced the viewscreen clean through the center, stabbing into the adjacent wall. The one with the fuel line running through it. The one marked Danger. An arrow of pure light, like a shard of the sun. There was perhaps only a moment to think, before the roar of the explosion erupted at full force-

And Tekkaman Gladius was sent tumbling through the sky aflame, to the pitiless world below.

---

"Bullseye."

Atop the Cradle, the pale aquamarine figure lowered its "bow". He was reminded in that moment, of Lucifer falling from the Heavens he had once spurned... but only slightly. The entire affair was little better than target practice, he thought - and utterly pointless.

Well... To him at least.

The excited clapping from two pairs of hands behind him indicated otherwise - but he could never be sure just how sincere those two were at any given moment. They, at the very least, seemed wholly unperturbed by the fact that the vessel they were aboard was crashing.

As if it were nothing more than trivial inconvenience.

"Satisfied?" Asked Tekkaman Dagger, wearily.

The tall dark one, whose body seemed almost a mass of very dense shadow, ceased his applause and gave what amounted to a grin. Dagger tried not to look too closely at his flesh. The way it seemed to churn with faces, and occasionally eyes that weren't supposed to be there was unsettling to him even now. And his partner, the short and pale one, was just as strange - even at that very moment, a small hooked claw dangled from the corner of her mouth in excitement, before it was retracted with a slurp, like an errant noodle of spaghetti.

"Oh, yes!" Said Rosencrantz, with the terminal enthusiasm of a coffin-salesman during a plague.
"Absolutely!" Echoed Guildenstern, somehow matching him in tone and creepiness, both at once.

Together, they walked in lockstep to the edge, peering over, as if hoping to get a glimpse of the falling subject as they spoke animatedly.

"Evolution takes unexpected paths sometimes."
"But that's part of the enjoyment we get, you see."
"Sometimes, you have to introduce a radical variable."
"That's what experiments are all about!"

Dagger would have rolled his eyes, were he capable of it. He had better places to be anyway. Might as well give the Evoluders a few parting shots for their troubles too. He sprung away towards the other end of the Cradle, already eyeballing the armored bodies beating a hasty retreat from the smoldering interior.

Meanwhile, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern folded their arms in contemplative silence. All in all, they thought, a welcome development. They'd been weary of the Radam's inclusion - just another dead-end species, unable to adapt to the world. But, thanks to Dr. Saotome's theory, they too could now share in the glory of evolution, of transcendance, of change.

They couldn't wait to see how it all turned out.

"Now then, Tekkaman Gladius-"
"Now then, Otilia Vasile-"
"What shall you do?"

 

[Fenrir367]

December 18th
Area near Exavil, Mars
5:45pm (Mars Time)

The Cradle had come up on Exavil’s sensors not too long ago, the staff working there taken by shock at the fact that one of the flying civilizations was still afloat after all these years. That said, it was suspicious to those present, and as such, they had Valentin on standby, his machine ready to sortie at a moment’s notice.

And glad they were, as the situation seemed to worsen, a massive energy signature detected within the ship, followed by the flying city’s altitude rapidly beginning to decrease, aimed on a crash course into the wasteland near Exavil. Such an incident was quite the dangerous event for the survivors on mars, the technology contained within the cradle certainly a prime target for the BETA, which would certainly make their way there once they took note of it. Measures needed to be taken to prevent a horde from descending upon Exavil.

“Valentin, we need you to head to the expected crash point of the Cradle, and clear out any threats that might be present in the area. Once it's clear, we’ll send a salvage and demolitions crew there to inspect and destroy the wreckage. Should it remain, it’ll be bringing a swarm of BETA to our doorstep. Good luck.”

Sasha spoke on the comms while Valentin finished adjusting his pilot suit.

“Another eventful day… Let’s endeavor to make it quick.”

Valentin took a deep breath, wresting control of the Armored Core, his hands gripping the controls of the machine. The Black machine stood up from its squatted position, taking several steps forward from the hangar of Exavil, before the thrusters engaged, lifting the machine off of the ground and accelerating it forward. The machine coasted close to the ground, the winds created by the machine kicking up sand its path; keeping low was required else he risked being struck by a distant Laser-class.

As he closed the distance to the impact point, a second blip appeared on his sensors, one much smaller than the Cradle, smaller than his own machine. An unidentified machine that seemed to have been ejected from the Cradle was now as well on a crash course to the surface of Mars. The black machine stopped where it was and looked up to the sky to try and register the small object, though it came unidentified on its sensors. Valentin wasn’t sure whether it was friendly or not, though in his experience, more often than not, others of Mars were more hostile than they were friendly.

The armored core raised its railgun to the unknown object and took aim, locking onto the target. As it did Valentin opened the comms, in an attempt to communicate.

“Identify yourself… or be shot.”

Uncertainty was a luxury he had not, as this mission was a race against the clock. Things would become much more difficult were the BETA to show up.

 

[MKR]

The embrace of the atmosphere, involuntarily however touched as the Tekkaman hurled out of the broken escape pod. Spinning and twisting as she worked to right herself, glimpses of the Cradle behind her repeated like a twisted slide show as she came closer and closer to the ground. That however, stopped being seen as regularly as the thrusters on her back initiated forcing her in a direction and helping against the dizzying spins as she had plenty of falling to avoid.

The crash course bit by bit became a regular course as the Tekkaman finally halted their momentum and looked back to the collapsing Cradle. Realization set in, that any others escaping may have been exactly as fortunate as she was or less so as she had a built in measure to avoid becoming mush on the floor. Let alone defend herself from Beta inclined to investigate the crash site.

It was right at that point her new instincts yelled at her to look behind, not even a moment after she had broken her own fall before she could realize the sorrow of the lives lost to whatever turret they had turned against escapees there was a gun aimed at her and a voice demanding identification. She turned around, gently lowering herself at the same time. She had heard plenty a tale of some mercenary trying to be fancy and instead getting shot by Beta because they went in the air and getting shot more was not on her to do list. Which left the other angle of getting shot.
"Unidentified Raven, I am Otilia Vasile. An employee for Rosenthal." She spoke, throwing the last bit in because shooting a corporate goon was at least partial career suicide.

These fifteen minutes of consciousness had been intense, that was for certain. A moment passed, right there was more to identify. At least she seemed to be the first of the Tekkamen this man had met else he would be more inclined to shoot, unless others like her avoided that fate that gave damnation.

"As for the designation of... this... It's Tekkaman Gladius."
Now here was hoping she wouldn't find a shot fired at her with intent to inflict violence. Still, even if this first moment back among humanity was tense, she couldn't fault the Raven for being cautious in fact very much agreed with it. She however was just glad to leave the Radam behind and be among her people, well at least according to her.
"Is that enough identifying information?"

The two green eyes scanned the machine, it wasn't one that seemed familiar to her probably a Rayleonard model based on how many things those guys threw at the wall to see what stuck then. On the other side of things, small perhaps was an understatement for the floating humanoid before Valentin. It was more like a set of power armor worn like a suit then any machine seen before.
Miniature may have come to mind perhaps.

 

[Fenrir367]

Otilla could hear Valentin take a deep sigh after she had given her identification, a mix of exhaustion and disappointment tainting his breath.

“Rosenthal. Another shadow from the past.”

The Tekkaman woman would see a glint of light flicker from the location of the black machine.

“I guess that makes both of us… предатель.”

It would only take moments for her to realize what the glint was; a projectile from the AC’s Kinetic Railgun, aimed directly for the center of mass of the Tekkaman.

In the decades that have passed since the events of Alternative V, Valentin had kept his emotions in check, focusing on his duty to protect the fellow survivors on mars. It was his duty, and his alone. He had put the lives of his comrades far and above his own desires and feelings, becoming the stalwart defender of Exavil.

In this moment however, a spark ignited deep within him. A dim flame that threatened to become a blazing wildfire, all in the fault of the corporations who laid them out dry.

Vengeance, perhaps was the correct word, this feeling he had felt within him.

“Was it not enough to have let us die and become food for the BETA? You sat above in your cushiony cradle, watching those who remained fight so desperately for their lives?”

Two more shots rang out from the man’s railgun, honed in on the small woman’s body.

“Then let me welcome you to Mars, girl. Here, you too shall witness the sins of mankind, the aftermath of that fateful day… Should you live through this to see tomorrow.”

It was both a challenge and a warning of sorts. Even though his emotions pushed him to desire to defeat this woman, there were far bigger fish to fry at this moment, namely clearing the wreckage of the falling cradle. It was almost guaranteed the BETA would show up here once they noticed the cradle’s presence, and for all the technology within that flying city, Valentin could only fear just how large a contingent would be sent their way. Whether she would stick around or flee as soon as she could, it didn't matter to him. Even if she were to run, it was doubtful she'd get very far. At the very least, he could grant her the mercy of being killed by human hands.

 

[MKR]

The eyes of the Tekkaman squinted as the flash of light came, she began to go left from her position to try and avoid the incoming projectile but despite the speed of her form she had been unprepared for the Raven to attack her still. She had heard him very clearly, it was no identify and be shot one was supposed to exclude the other but no, this man had as much integrity as the piece of Cradle crashed behind her. That label she had applied previously, 'her people', in this moment of perceived betrayal something in her cried that that label was no longer true. A small, mean, voice she drowned out.

The railgun slammed into her shoulder, sending her spinning and hurting like hell, but seemingly far from tearing through the armor. Still his choice of wording sat ill with her he spoke as if some apocalyptic event had occurred which yes Mars didn't exactly look great but even on the best of days it was a half finished terraforming project.
"What are you on about?" She called out as her form picked up speed, she was not interested in being further target practice for this mad Raven "Unless you want the other cradles to be feasts for the Radam as well, losing everyone who can support you here in the process, we have better things to do than shoot one another!"

She manifested her weapon in her hand as she evaded the second shot, the railgun whirring past her and then swiftly she ducked the other way to avoid the immediate follow up, applying her Tek Wires to the Javelin shaped Tek Lancer she had she used the momentum she had built up to throw the weapon, aiming for the railgun that harassed her at range, should the throw miss she would react by pulling the wire to return the weapon for either the rebound strike or an easy way to get her weapon back.

So as the weapon attempted its assault on the AC the Tekkaman kept at it in closing the distance, Gladius was in fact fast and stuck low to the ground. She was aware of what she had said about fighting, but she was completely unwilling to consign herself to death and her newfound instincts cried at her to retaliate. So if this madman stopped firing on her, then she would cease her retaliation. Until then, it was a fight to survive. Knowing full well this fight may just attract the attention of the Beta should they have a nest nearby, or in her opinion worse, Tekkamen still inside the Cradle now completely aware of their differing loyalties.

 

[Fenrir367]

“The other cradles?”

Valentin rose an eyebrow as she spoke, his machine boosting to the side to evade the incoming javelin-like weapon.

“The cradles were all but destroyed during Alternative V thirty years ago. It was a wonder that your’s was still afloat.”

The situation was beginning to grow complex, something about the woman not quite aligning with his initial thoughts. It was also strange, he realized, that someone from Rosenthal was still on mars when they all made their exodus prior. Perhaps there was a group left to observe, but considering the scorched earth tactic they had, it seemed unlikely they’d spend resources to keep people here.

Valentin lowered the railgun equipped, the Armored Core seemingly having stopped its attack on the young(?) Tekkaman. The black machine hovered above the ground, the visible internals glowing an ever-dim orange. This situation was suspicious and perhaps more would be learned should they talk rather than fight.

“Rosenthal had left Mars thirty years ago, along with the other corporations, the League. Mars was all but abandoned by mankind, with the drafting of Alternative V. Why would they keep some of their employees here? What is your purpose?”

Perhaps the Cradle was isolated from the rest of the world? She seemed somewhat oblivious to the past, was she even aware of the events thirty years ago and the resulting effects?

 

[MKR]

The Tekkaman ground to a halt the weapon returning to her hand its voyage unsuccessful. The eyes of the absurd humanoid went wide, what reason was there for such absurd lies ones which could be verified as false with a simple glance at a calendar or a conversation about recent events.
"Thirty years? Alternative V?" She questioned as the weapon once more vanished into nothing, she looked upwards, as if the sky had answers. Beyond the absence of more Cradles there were none...

The Cradles were absent.

Otilia was struck hard by the inconceivable reality of the situation, the last alternative she had heard from was not V that she knew for sure but if all the cradles were gone that meant he spoke...

"I am-" She paused the timeline making her unsure of the status of her employment, "I was? Nevermind, I am a radio operator for Rosenthal, mission briefings and the like." Otilia cleared her throat "Let's confirm the Mission:" She spoke in that corporate tone she had used so often as per company policy to verify to this unknown and herself that that was what she did and who she was.

"I was relaying missions to deal with budding Beta colonies when the Radam attacked the Cradle. But that can't have been more than a month ago."

Gazing at the sky for a moment longer, taking it in what had been lost and what had once been she remembered those moments before the darkness.
"They burst outwards.. Enveloping those unfortunate to still be alive myself included, and then nothing." Her hand clenched into a fist as she looked back down towards the Armored Core.
"Nothing until the Cradle was attacked by another faction, I... I thought a week had passed but thirty years?" They must have thought she and those in Cradle 04 with her were dead and if humanity abandoned Mars...

The Beta had won and so had the Radam.

"You're mistaken about one thing however. It wasn't a wonder, that place is infested."

 

[Fenrir367]

A woman out of time? It was a peculiar situation, but her reactions seemed genuine enough for Valentin to believe her. Despite her past affiliations, she certainly wasn’t an enemy to him now.

“Forgive the prior… hasteful acting. I am Valentin, son of the former Rayleonard’s head, Garret, as well as their only pilot now.”

His words were sincere to the woman, perhaps showing some empathy for her situation. It was a rough one to be sure, and she is and will surely suffer the effects of it. For the very least, one problem of this situation had been solved, but it seemed many more questions came to rise in succession. He listened to the woman's words, trying to make sense of her experience, but it seemed even she knew little of what exactly had happened to her.

“These Radam, are they aliens like the BETA?”

The man wanted to learn more about this threat, as it seemed it would become relevant to them rather soon, but it wasn’t long before warning lights began flashing in his cockpit. Seismic sensors setting off alarms, indicating the movement of BETA nearby.

“It seems they’ve gotten wind.”

The black machine shifted its attention to the east, staring into the distance. Were Otilla to look in the same direction, she would see nothing, though noticeably, the ground was ever so subtly shaking.

“Valentin! BETA are approaching! Numbers roughly… 1,400!”

Sasha’s voice came up on his comms, the girl alerting him of the situation.

“A scouting party, eh? Likely to inspect this crash site that’s about to appear. Otilla, was it? Can you fight? A demolitions team is inbound to deal with that giant bird that’s about to hit the ground, but they won’t stand a chance against BETA of any number. Perhaps you’d like to see just what you’ve missed these past thirty years.”

Valentin gave a grin in the cockpit of the black machine.

“Either that or flee. If you go southwest, you’ll reach Exavil. Tell them my name and they’ll provide shelter. You’d do best to hide any Rosenthal identification you have on you though.”

The power levels of the Armored Core began to rise, as from the ground, not but 500 meters away, Destroyer-class BETA emerged from the ground, charging forward at the AC and Tekkaman, followed by hordes of Warrior-class BETA. No laser were sighted yet, but who knew if there were any hiding within.

“Today is becoming another eventful day, isn’t it.”

The man spoke to himself as a volley of four missiles were launched from the armored core’s shoulder units, the projectiles making a direct impact in the middle of the horde, the blast hitting both Warriors, as well as the backs of the Destroyer-class BETA, sending burnt BETA flesh and guts splattering into the air.

“Given their few numbers I wouldn’t be surprised if a second wave was coming. This wouldn’t be the first Cradle the BETA have gotten their hands on, and knowing them, they’ll be bloodthirsty for another. Let’s end this quickly, before that cradle falls.”

 

[MKR]

What in the world had happened to Rayleonard for their military personnel to be reduced to just one, actually she could guess based on his hateful demeanor earlier. The contextual information was enough to put in reasonable guesses whatever Alternate V meant it had been the end of Rayleonard. If Rosenthal survived however that gave her hope... If she could escape Mars, still first things first. Thirty years of yet to be cashed in checks could wait.
"They are, but unlike the Beta who simply kill the Radam do much worse. If you see other Tekkaman expect them to be Radam as well. I'll fill you in on the details afterwards."

She turned to look at the forming tunnels, catching sight of the Beta as her instincts pushed her to fight. Somewhere deep down it was soothing to be fighting Beta, both parts that comprised Otilia were no fan of the alien species that appeared before them and if that rung true for her 'fellows' that meant things were not about to get infinitely worse.
"I can fight, yeah. Can't say I like it though but that Cradle.. It needs to be destroyed alongside all the Radam in it."

There was one thing nagging at her however, a somber reality that was approaching and she needed this Valentin, a stranger perhaps but all the same someone with a gun and the willingness to use it, to be ready.
"Is this Exavil within 10 minutes of travel? Sorry to spring this on you but if I don't stop fighting before then bad things will happen."

She dove forwards, inhaling as energy built up around her. Like a comet flowing through the air she went forwards. Plowing through the Beta that survived the first blast as light coalesced around her in a green display of raw violence.
"Crash! Intrude!" Gladius declared as she boosted through and through at high speed, getting close to the Beta wasn't at all preferred this she remembered from the debriefing of some of the missions she had sent folks onto but she, she was quick and small and strong. Right in their face is where she wanted to be as if they tried to climb her like a mech they were in for a nasty surprise.

The green light would dart in and out of the mass of Beta, piercing through their hardened hide.

 

[Fenrir367]

"Exosuit Mechs. Right."

Perhaps it was a drastic oversimplification but it worked in his head for the moment. His attention was elsewhere, opening fire at the incoming BETA, the kinetic rifles piercing through the destroyers thinning down what numbers he could.

Though new to him, fighting alongside someone, he would be unable to activate his assault armor, perhaps one of best offensive tools against the BETA. While it seemed Otilia could handle the comparatively minimal radiation of his Primal Armor, he was concerned for her safety were he to go on the offensive with it. Even though he ill-liked fighting with a corporation member, it was clear she was clueless to the sins of the father here.

"There's a demolitions team inbound; set the reactor to critical and destroy the bird. Unless you have something under your sleeve that can take it out before then."

The black AC boosted to the side, avoiding a head-on charge from a destroyer, shooting it in the back as it tackled by him.

"Worst case I could get you to Exavil within ten minutes, but I'd rather not risk it with a horde of BETA here."

He let fly another volley of missiles into the middle of the horde, the explosions sending the burnt flesh and guts of the aliens flying into the air.

"Valentin, we're on standby short of the estimated crash site, how are things over there?"

A new voice came up on the comms, signaling the arrival of his allies.

"It's… complicated. Engaging the initial wave of BETA. we'll hold them off while you take care of the cradle!"

He gave a brief glance back, his cameras picking up the demo team, two heavy duty 8x8s parked roughly 2 kilos away.

Valentin had placed him and Otilia between the BETA and the crash site, serving as the first and final defense line against the enemies. Calling it a risky move was an understatement, but it was the only strategy viable.

 

[MKR]

It wasn't quite an exosuit, but that was a correction she wasn't going to just fire off without further explanation. That needed to wait until they were done here, the Tekkaman ducked out of the pack of Beta as the missiles hammered in. His question however, lingered. Could she take it out before it landed, she had seen the damage one could wreak. That was after all why it was coming down, but a second. The part where it was most effective to fire was simple enough to figure out, cut out the middle to make the crash exponentially worse.

"Take it out entirely I'm not sure, but its worth a try." She commented, as rapidly distance was made between her and the Beta the superior speed of the smaller 'mecha' being utilized to make sure even the speediest of Beta did not pursue successfully. "Cover me."
She aimed herself upwards, looking at the descending Cradle that had been her home and then prison. She inhaled, the ringed shoulders she had suddenly jutted open revealing green pears within as they split in two like a tree struck by lightning.

"VOLTEKKA!" came the call, loud as the thunder that split said tree as the pearls glowed for the briefest moment before suddenly a spiral of green death fired upwards, it was wider, much wider than its source and it was spinning around itself one beam came from each shoulder and they mingled in a display of terrifying power and energy. And like that, it burrowed its way through the sky upwards towards the falling Cradle.

For her part, the Tekkaman felt the exhaustion of this attack set in. The shoulders closed once again as she landed on the ground, taking a moment to steady herself. She couldn't do another one of those here with her energy spent as it was already. But she should at least still have enough to fight the Beta if that didn't do the trick.

 

[Fenrir367]

Otilla's Voltekka lanced out into the sky, colliding into the falling city. The blast of energy tore apart the paneling and plating of its armor, though it seemed unlikely it could obliterate it entirely. Nonetheless, charred and burnt parts of metal were torn off the frame, crashing down into many of the Warrior-class BETA present.

It was only moments before the Cradle made impact with the barren earth, the lower structure crumbling and breaking apart as it was crushed under the weight of the rest of the machine. Its horizontal momentum continued forward, the horrible sound of metal being ripped, torn, crushed, something akin to a bird calling its cry of death. As the momentum slowed and it came to a halt, the support team came up on the comms again.

"We're moving in to set this thing to blow. Valentin, Ms. Voltekka, we're counting on you, hold them off until we're finished!"

The demo team moved in, the two trucks driving onto the top surface of the main body, proceeding to the reactor.

"Focus on what you need to do. We won't let a single BETA pass."

As Valentin said those words, the ground began to rumble. The cradle had stopped moving, but something was causing this tremor.

"Valentin! Seismic indicators are detecting another wave of BETA inbound. This one is a lot bigger than the previous one!"

Sasha now spoke, her voice somewhat panicked.

"I expected as much."

Valentin clenched the controls of his machine, looking to Otilla. A bead of sweat drew down his face as he gritted his teeth.

"I'm going to push the line forward, stay back and handle the enemies that get through. Try not to get too close. I can't guarantee your safety."

Perhaps it was somewhat a cliche thing to say but he really didn't know how she would handle being exposed to Kojima particles.

The black machine skirted forward, putting some distance between him and Otilla, moving to the BETA's expected point of entry.

From the distance Otilla would see the BETA beginning to emerge, this time Grapplers and Tanks beginning to pour out of holes in the ground, a seemingly tidal wave of aliens beginning to surround Valentin and the black machine.

The man simply smiled and flicked a cover on the controls of his Armored Core.

"Eat shit you alien bastards."

He said simply as he pushed the button, as his HUD went red, with a warning displayed.

>>ASSAULT ARMOR: [ENGAGED]<<​

What happened next, a mass of energy began to build up from the center of his machine, before being in a massive explosion of white light radiating outward. A flash of blinding light that even Otilla would need to avert or close her eyes to. As she would look back, she would see a mass of mushy purple and orange guts splattered on the floor around the black machine, the initial BETA all but obliterated in that moment. Green particles covered the area in kojima radiation, deadly to all that came within.

Valentin however, remained unmoving. Was it a suicide attack?

"Otilla, there's more coming, I need a moment to recharge here. I'll leave it to you."

The machine was still functioning and Valentin was alive. Twas but the fatal flaw of his machine, the prototype assault armor left him vulnerable for several moments after its usage, though the results of the weapon spoke for themself.

After he spoke, more BETA began emerging, more grapplers and warriors coming from the ground, seemingly ignoring Valentin, instead attempting a beeline to the Cradle, and Otilla along the way.

It was now her turn to shine.