#the siege of magnis 7c

[thelancer27]

Part 2/2

Balor! Balor! Balor! Break contact! Keep your distance, we've trained for this people! Fuck whats it doing?!

-It is not done forming. Reading claims... Balor pattern group. Size three.

Fuck! Alright, we can handle this. Just need to-

{The Balor smashes Whitehorse to the ground. The nanite swarm that makes up its form beginning to spread across the frame, ripping it apart}

Dammit! Lemon, send me in!

{Sevak is picked up by Lemon's Enkidu, and thrown towards the Balor, the Caliban lands and immediatly lays into the Balor, emptying his shotgun, reloading, and repeating, to little affect}

Nothing I'm doing does anythi-

{Sevak is launched back as a whip of nanite energy slashes him across the chest}

No! Prism tell me you've got a shot on the pilot!

-Negative. Swarm is too thick, aim impeded, and armor too strong. Current rate of fire is unable to deal meaningful damage to Balor.

FUCK! It's trying to breaching my cockpit!

Ash! Do something!

{Ashlyn's mech steps forward, but freezes}

I- I- I can't! I can't get close to that thing!

Why not?!

Because if I do I'll die again! For real this time, I don't know why but I just- I can't fight the Balor!

My friend I hate to suggest it, but...

Dammit. Lemon! Can you-

Yes. {Audible shaky breath} Do it.

{Emergency Sedative flush confirm? Y/N? Y.} {Emergency Sedative flush confirmed.} {Combat Stimulant injection confirm? Y/N? Y.} {Combat Stimulant Injection confirmed.}

God forgive me, Activation Phrase [REDACTED].

{Silence permeates comms for a moment, before the sounds of feral snarling and gnashing fill the airwaves. The Enkidu gets on all fours and pounces into the Balor's nanite swarm. The reactor begins to glow white as it slashes and bites wildly through the storm, melting every nanite that comes into contact. The following brawl is blurred, and difficult to see through the swarm of nanites}

{ENEMY COMMS INTERCEPTED} [Windvale: What is going on?!] [Decimal: It's... It's losing.] [Windvale: Impossible! Jacking into it's frequency. Listen to me beast, kill. Don't let that thing take you down now. I did NOT come this far to lose to a dog! I CHOSE YOU FOR A REASON! I AM NOT GOING TO-] {ENEMY COMMS LOST}

Jesus- What did you do to her?!

-Lemon is-

Set her loose. Really loose. Her old handlers, her old... whoever the fuck had her before we found her. They put something in her. That isn't our Lemon anymore kid.

It's the beast they trained her to be.

Prism, Ash, keep moving. We're... Me and Sevak are gonna need to be here, once she's done.

Fuck no! I won't just leave her like this!

-Agreed. Lemon is clearly unable t-

Thats an order soldiers! We have a mission, and that is to stop Windvale! I will keep Arthur safe, and I swear to you. Lemon will come to no harm for as long as I am here.

{There is a scream, as the swarm flutters for a moment, half of the original swarm has been turned to slag, the Enkidu can be seen ripping the cockpit from the nanites}

I- we-

-Ashlyn, Prism... agrees. But we must move. We-

[WARNING! SEISMIC ACTIVITY DETECTED!]

That was worse then the last ones... Alright, we're moving. But this conversation isn't over.

I know kid, now go, stop that madman.

{Ashlyn and Prism leave the three to approach the Horus base. As they enter, screams of [CASTIGATE THE ENEMIES OF THE GODHEAD!] and [PIERCE THE VEIL!] are heard from enemy Comms. The base is dark, night vision is required as the two chassis stomp through the dingy, ruined base.}

[ENEMY COMMS INT-]

God, does that thing ever shut up? Well well well? It seems like Adam and Eve enter my garden. Hope your ready to bite the apple.

You. It's over Windvale, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

-Surrender is recommended.

{The building shakes, tossing both mechs off balance}

[WARNING: HORIZON NEEDLE CHARGE HAS REACHED 78% SEISMIC ACTIVITY TO INCREASE EXPONENTIALLY]

Ah, I can almost see through it! The Veil is being pierced, the Needle charges. I suppose I'll be seeing you two in the next world pretty soon.

{The two mechs race towards the epicenter of whatever this is. The surroundings feel as if they are folding in on themselves. It's like watching an NHP cascade, if the NHP was the moon itself. Realspace begins to blur as the two get closer to the end}

Prism I- can I tell you something? If we don't get out of this.

-Prism does not accept any outcome of this battle other then our survival... But yes.

God why does this have to be the scariest part of things so far. I- I like you! A lot!

-Prism likes Ashlyn too, but-

No Prism I like like you dammit. I'm in love with you! I'm in love with you and Lemon! I don't want to die without getting that out. I'm sorry if you don't feel the same and I-

-Prism... Loves you too. Prism loves Lemon, and has known her for very long. Bonded over all we have suffered. But Prism loves you too, bonded over kindness, and shows. Prism is sure that Lemon loves you too. Knows, actually.

Wha- I-

-Nobody dies but Windvale. Prism will not let you die. Prism protects what Prism loves,

{Sniffle} Thanks... Lets end this.

{The two step into a massive room, at the end of the room seems to be a massive machine. The Horizon Needle. Windvale is in their goblin, working at a control station}

WARNING: HORIZON NEEDLE CHARGE HAS REACHED 96% SEISMIC ACTIVITY REACHED CRITICAL LEVELS. EXTERNAL POWER SOURCES DEPLETED.

I KNOW!! SHUT UP! Stupid Ra damned machine- Ah, CorpsePilot, I see you brought a friend?

[PUPPET SYSTEMS ONLINE]

What- My systems-

-Systems unresponsive. Tech attacks rendering them useless.

Catch on quick I see. Good, you two have got front row seats my friends! This is it! All the money, all the bodies. It's all led up to this. All the years of planning, of getting the manna, buying and building, and gathering my allies. It's finally coming to an end.

[Plan.Omnif recieved]

Best I can think of.

This is the end, by the way. I'm piercing the veil! Meeting Ra on an equal playing field! The entire system is about to see what its like on the other side! Congratulations on being chosen last minute!

[Cockpit controls unlocked]

-Are you sure this is a good idea?

Nothing to do but try. Together?

-Together.

{Cockpit unlocked}

{Multiple gunshots ring out, as the cockpits of Ashlyn and Prism open, ejecting the two pilots onto the field. The two of them, quickly taking cover as the building shakes again. Windvale grabs an SMG from the table and spraying bullets across the room.}

WARNING! HORIZON NEEDLE CHARGE DROPPING! PLEASE ATTACH NEW POWER SUPPLY IMMEDIATELY!

NO!! NOT NOW!

{Windvale smashes a fist against the computer, now forced to try and find the two pilots with one hand and type with the other.}

I DID NOT COME THIS FAR TO LOSE!! NOT TO UNION, NOT TO THIS! I HAVE NOT SPILT ALL THIS BLOOD TO DIE AT THE FINISH LINE!! I AM THE FUCKING FINISH LINE!!

WARNING: HORIZON NEEDLE CHARGE HAS REACHED 99% TERRESTRIAL AND TEMPORAL STABILITY FALLING.

{It would be then that both pilots tackle the goblin frame down. Prism placing a knife in the right spot to forcefully eject Windvale from their frame. They had messy blond hair matted in sweat. Their eyes black where there would normally be white, and eyes bloodshot, with a few scars littering their face and body}

No! My frame-

{Prism takes the SMG and strikes Windvale across the head, before Ashlyn pounces onto them, and strikes them continually.}

THIS IS FOR ASHLYN. THIS IS FOR HER FRIENDS. FOR HER PARENTS. THIS IS FOR EVERY. SINGLE. VICTIM. NO MORE!! YOU HEAR ME?! NO MORE!!

{Windvale spits out a tooth, and laughs}

HAHAHAHA! It doesn't matter!! None of it does- hrk!

Why not?

-Because!

WARNING! HORIZON NEEDLE ACTIVATION IMMANENT! SPACIAL AND TEMPORAL STABILITY LOST. EVACUATE FACILITY IMMEDIATELY!

{The footage distorts, as the Horizon Needle activates. For a moment, Real space, Blink space, the firmament, and everything in between begins to swirl together, colors invisible to the naked eye fly through the eye of the Needle as something reaches towards them. Anyone on the surface would be able to see the world begin to splinter and shatter, stars go dark and reappear, closer, and farther and closer again, colors changing, the sun dying. Windvale's cackling can be heard through it all until-}

WARNING! HORIZON NEEDLE POWER DEPLETED. POWERING DOWN.

{Everything stops, and the Horizon Needle shuts down, and the effects vanish as if they never even started.}

What?

No... No No NO NO NO!!! NO!!!

{Windvale forces themself from under Ashlyn, and throws themself onto a terminal, hastily typing}

Come on!

POWER SUPPLY DEPLETED. PLEASE CONNECT NEW SOURCE.

Come on!

POWER SUPPLY DEPLETED. PLEASE CONNECT NEW SOURCE.

COME ON!!! PLEASE!!

POWER SUPPLY DEPLETED. PLEASE CONNECT NEW SOURCE.

Please...

{Windvale slumps over onto the terminal, sobbing}

Not now PLEASE not now! I was so close! How could-

{A gun cocks}

Hands where I can see them.

{A gun barrel rests on Windvale's head}

{Windvale is motionless for a moment, before chuckling.}

It's funny.

Hands. Where I. Can see them.

I really got beat by the CorpsePilot... Ab well, you win some, you lose some. Plan D motherfucke-

{Windvale is cut off for good as Ashlyn fires her gun. Killing Windvale instantly, and splattering blood all over the terminal}

Bet they didn't have a contingency for that.

[Connection established]

Hey, it's Arthur, we... we calmed Lemon down. She's asleep right now, but we gotta get her back to a proper medical facility soon. So I gotta ask, is it over?

-Yes, With Windvale dead, and the Horizon Needle deactivated, the rest of the Horus cell should be defeated within the hour. It is over.

Christ-the-Buddha on high, it's over. We're en route to pick you up. I'm glad to know your safe.

Thank god. I think... I think I want to just take a nap, with you, and Lemon.

-Prism would like that, very, very much.

{The two lock hands, and begin to walk back to their mechs}

End recording.

[no-future-mudwasps]

[Readings on ground?]

[Not great. SWARM//HIVE readings detected, multiple orders of reinforcement. There are power centers firing up across the area, seem to be diverting power in towards some... towards something. Ashlyn's squad is moving towards it.]

[How about we take out their legs in the meantime? Us two can hit the power network, slow their advance.]

[...Drop me off too?]

[Pardon?]

[Get me in the Gilgamesh. I don't need to worry about blue-on-blue that far out from friendlies. If we soften up the anti-air and EM countermeasures around the nodes, you can piggyback Nestor right up close to wipe them off the planet.]

[After the periscoping--]

[--Exercising a more familiar instinct might well help him.]

[...]

[5 minutes to drop. Be ready for us to spend some time mopping you up after.]

[Fine by me.]

[thelancer27]

Part 1/2 {Union NHPRO team “Five man Band” lands on site.}

WARNING! SEISMIC ACTIVITY DETECTED!

Alright team, this is it. Scans are giving us nothing but more Horus. Possible Balor, and multiple Manticores likely on site. Stay. Together. Pick off the Manticores first. Understood? Ravens and the rest are here to clear us a path to the primary target. We need to be fast, but careful. Whatever this freak has in store, we need to be ready, and together.

- Command received. Primary target: Manticore class frames.

Sir yes sir!

{Five man band moves out, the base is close, a massive entrance is visible. Before the two manticores appear, having been cloaked and waiting. The entrance screeches open, a Gorgon clambers out, hissing as the enemies begin their attack} Christ the Buddah- that thing's huge. Sevak! You and Lemon take the gorgon down! Prism I need you to drop the Manticores before they reach us. They cannot get into range of anyone! Ash, me and you stick together, once Prism takes down the Manticores we finish them from range. DO. NOT. ENGAGE IN MELEE. Kill from range, and do the same with the Gorgon Ash. Thats for Sevak and Lemon. {Whitehorse loads his Everest "Thumper's" grenade launcher, and chuckles}

Haven't dropped like this since '92. Lets dance! {Sevak and Lemon seem to almost effortlessly rip into the Gorgon, as it's monstrous frame is knocked around by Sevak, only for Lemon to close any gaps and rip chunks out with every attack.} {ENEMY COMMS INTERCEPTED} [Cortex: What the FUCK!? This Enkidu's ripping me to shreds! Fucking- Get the beast out here! Windvale!] [Windvale: DO NOT RUSH ME!! I'll get it out soon. But you know how that... thing, is. Stay alive a bit longer, be grateful your dealing with the misfits and not the Ravens. Remember our objective. Keep them busy, so the Horizon Needle can charge.] [Decimal: We know, hell I designed that thi- FUCK! Windvale the AP is seriously pinning us down! I know the Hydra is waiting for it's chance. But are you sure that thing isn't ready to go?] [Windvale: Just give me some more time. Remember this thing's a rabid dog. I'm getting the nanites set now. Once it gets set loose, nothing gets left. Remember to keep distance.] {ENEMY COMMS LOST} Good lord! To think I had thought these things tough! Reloading! Yeah Sev, I guess we all did. Lemon how you doing? I... I am fine. Enemy forces mean nothing. Are nothing. Keep. Going.

{WARNING! PILOT BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE RISING. CONSIDER STIMULANT ADMINISTRATION}

Lemon. You want me to do it? It's your call.

N-No. Not yet. I am me, and I do not need it.

Understood. Prism! Anything else waiting for us?

-Negative. But something is lurking. Be aware.

Alright, that doesn't sound goo-

{A loud screeching noise. A HYDRA Class frame unveils itself, as multiple rocks reveal themselves as Tempest and Assassin drones. Whitehorse is knocked down, and the Hydra unleashes a swarm to keep him down.}

WARNING! SEISMIC ACTIVITY DETECTED!

{ENEMY COMMS INTERCEPTED} [Windvale: Alright, the freak's en route. If you two haven't Castigated, do it or get out of the blast zone. The rest of you? Just keep this up. The Horizon Needle is at 31%. We. Can. Do this. Don't let Cortex die for nothing. Remember what Union took from you.] {ENEMY COMMS LOST}

WARNING! SEISMIC ACTIVITY DETECTED

-Something is coming.

Ominous, but okay.... The Manticores and Hydra are just... backing off, and I don't think there's much of the Gorgon left to run. What now?

Now? We keep moving. Sevak, Lemon, status?

{Gunshot, likely from a Cannibal shotgun}

The Gorgon is slain! I dare say we are modern day Heracleses.

Gorgon down. I am good. Enkidu Status acceptable, Reactor heat near danger, but acceptable.

Good, now we just need to-

{The recording struggles to capture the noise that comes next, as something begins to form itself amidst the team. A Balor, bigger then any other seen in the pattern group.}

What the fuck is that thing!?

Balor! Balor! Balor! Break contact! Keep your distance, we've trained for this people! Fuck whats it doing?!

-It is not done forming. Reading claims... Balor pattern group. Size three.

[no-future-mudwasps]

>OPEN COMMS: FRIENDLY//<INTERCEPT>//AUDIO//VISUAL >DEPLOY: THREADLINE

{The wind whistles as a chassis is released. POLYDNA touches down on the moon's surface, its spindle-like head begins to rotate and spool as nexus drones fly into the air, matter coalescing strangely. It advances across the battlefield in a stuttering motion, sometimes walking and sometimes dragging forwards under the sudden, impossible pull of unseen strings.}

///WARNING! ORDNANCE DETECTED- DETONATION IMMINENT!///

Oh, cute! Deploying countermeasures-- dash upon the stones.

{The ground beneath lights up with indicators as mines shoot out of the ground, set to detonate at height. The spindle pulls, and-- several explosives shiver and go off prematurely, defused as pellets of moonrock teleports up and into their forms. POLYDNA is moving faster now.}

Ah! All this funny tech and you can't weatherproof, that's sad.

<Amygdala, you got that? Detonations in your zone, barely got any readouts for it. Someone thinks they can play with the veil-- we own the fucking veil. Remind them for me.> (CONFIMED. FOR THE THREADING NEEDLE)

{Coming out of hiding, a strange hexaped emerges from behind an outcropping: Curled metal over a single, staring, eye-like gun. The video glitches and distorts as it targets the comms array, POLYDNA almost tips over from the uncanny assault--}

>Initializing SAFE_HARBOR->NKJD8422_\\HELLO//? >BRING HER THROUGH >DEPLOY: BLUELACK

{The screen clears. The enemy nightmare sways, as if drunk-- sparks skitter across its form as a huge, heavy spike juts from its side. Before it can countermand the jamming tech, a small, ghostly shape springs onto it from behind, raising a sword like a hornet's tail and plunging it down again and again. QUICK MY STINGER slides off the wreck as it keels over, joining up with POLYDNA.}

Good timing. How's your head?

Only slightly bleeding.

Okay, take a second. Maybe there's an ice pack in there, somewhere? Did you remember to stock up on correctives again?

<I'm sorry, what the fuck am I looking at?... Oh, that useless piece of shit, it's playing bus. Local units, first line is down-- Kill them before they can get in range of the relay, or build a wall with your bodies. I don't care how it gets done.>

///MULTIPLE ENEMY SIGNATURES DETECTED. CLOSING AT SPEED///

So are we... I, uh. I'm not exactly made for open combat.

Same. Take them on a goose chase.

That I can do! C'mon, guys!

{The battle devolves into a frenzy of motion. Enemies are thrown left and right by strange thread and energy, locking in place as systems reroute and legible data scatters. QUICK MY STINGER kites the worst-affected about, vanishing off of sensors again and again before an enemy fires on its friend, or a charging hulk stumbles and loses a leg. They aren't killing-- they're debilitating. Scattering the horde.}

<KILL THEM! You are the chosen, the lucky few to see what lies beyond, now act like it. Turn off the fucking IFF if it's a problem, shoot anything that moves. You'll know your friends by the color of their blood.>

WARNING! SEISMIC ACTIVITY DETECTED!

<Come on... 61%, now 63%... Spare them no quarter, give your lives for the needle, for the parting! They will not! Reach! The Relay!>

Hey, uh. Buddy.

We're not trying to reach it ourselves.

Thank you for having your artillery tear itself to pieces for us.

Bring him through, Loulou!

>Initializing SAFE_HARBOR->NKJD8422_\\HELLO//? >COME ALONG NOW >DEPLOY: NESTOR

{The shaking of earth is joined by the screeching of space splitting. A building-sized mech, MESMER BEAT, emerges from the spooling of matter, settling against the earth. There's still plenty of scattered mechs, and they're doing what they can, but they aren't well-armed or coordinated enough anymore to hurt it-- nothing that can pull away its aim.}

>GRAVITIC CATAPULT CHARGING...

>GRAVITIC CATAPULT CHARGING...

>GRAVITIC CATAPULT CHARGING...

<No, fuck you! You're not taking this from me, this means NOTHING. You will curl and singe under the eye of RA>

>GRAVITIC CATAPULT CHARGED. THANK YOU FOR WAITING :)

Feedback.

{The emptiness screams. A hole punches into the moon's surface.}

[Readings on ground?]

[Not great. SWARM//HIVE readings detected, multiple orders of reinforcement. There are power centers firing up across the area, seem to be diverting power in towards some... towards something. Ashlyn's squad is moving towards it.]

[How about we take out their legs in the meantime? Us two can hit the power network, slow their advance.]

[...Drop me off too?]

[Pardon?]

[Get me in the Gilgamesh. I don't need to worry about blue-on-blue that far out from friendlies. If we soften up the anti-air and EM countermeasures around the nodes, you can piggyback Nestor right up close to wipe them off the planet.]

[After the periscoping--]

[--Exercising a more familiar instinct might well help him.]

[...]

[5 minutes to drop. Be ready for us to spend some time mopping you up after.]

[Fine by me.]

[no-future-mudwasps]

>Deploy: Dragstone

…And I fall to earth again.

I’m used to falling, these days. That weightlessness, the prickling feeling in the pit of your stomach, it’s familiar, even comforting. For a moment it feels like I’m back where I’m supposed to be. For a minute, I let myself feel good.

Then I try not to feel anything.

Within my body, which sheds and flows, which swings its arms so effortless, I march forwards. I carve a path around my enemies like a kid shuffling their feet through leaves on a rainy day— curious, trivial, not really thinking. I can hear my friends hooting and cheering a sector over, celebrating like Mud Wasps do. I could join them, lift my voice high. But I know that this is something they need, for themselves. There’s been a gun pointed at their heads for the last kilohour, and right now? It’s gone. Right now they get to threaten their lives on their own terms.

Maybe that’s how Ashlyn feels now, too. RA, Ashlyn. Find what you’re looking for. Find life. No one deserves to be a mourner forever. I know that.

I pay no mind to the fight. I know I’m doing just fine. There aren’t many near this station and they have bigger fish to fry. And my body sheds and flows, it puts itself together when they hurt me. So I don’t have to watch myself be the thing I am, not so much. I can let this be… meditative. Like Loulou said.

…And what the fuck have I been so scared of, recently? Forgetting him? Forgetting me? I am me, not some thing clawing at shadows. And maybe it’s the meditation speaking, maybe later this will ebb, but right now I feel good. I’m helping. I’m in my element. And my friends are laughing in the next room.

You’re a lucky man, if you get to hear your friends laughing in the next room.

I’m at the controls now. I’m not great with coding, don’t have fine control. But I cut and I burn and hopefully that’ll do it. I think it does it. The ground shakes and it feels familiar, although this time I’m on top and not swallowed up in it. Saleh tells me

Okay, I don’t think they’ll be using this one for long. Come on out, buddy. Take a breather.

and I let myself wander out and I look at the stars.

No one’s around. Meditative. I look at the stars.

They’re beautiful, even now.

They’re b

///WARNING. WARNING. LOCALIZED REALSPACE BREACH. DAMPEN EXTERNAL SENSORS///

And—

I—

Look—

At—

The—

Stars—-

—come in, all Wasps, come in! Commence disassembly barrage NOW! Keep him safe, keep him blind, oh my god—

Oh. And the stars are getting closer.

i think i like th

[Readings on ground?]

[Not great. SWARM//HIVE readings detected, multiple orders of reinforcement. There are power centers firing up across the area, seem to be diverting power in towards some... towards something. Ashlyn's squad is moving towards it.]

[How about we take out their legs in the meantime? Us two can hit the power network, slow their advance.]

[...Drop me off too?]

[Pardon?]

[Get me in the Gilgamesh. I don't need to worry about blue-on-blue that far out from friendlies. If we soften up the anti-air and EM countermeasures around the nodes, you can piggyback Nestor right up close to wipe them off the planet.]

[After the periscoping--]

[--Exercising a more familiar instinct might well help him.]

[...]

[5 minutes to drop. Be ready for us to spend some time mopping you up after.]

[Fine by me.]