"Walter, back so soon?" Carla asked, "How's 621 been?"
It always was relieving to be able to talk to Carla again, even after all this time. Serious discussion or not, her optimism was something he could do with more of.
"No signs of any of the usual side effects yet, and still performing excellently." Walter answered, "Just got a few jobs from the Liberation Front, so we've been broadening our horizons... How's things on your end?"
"I found the data our friends left behind."
As she spoke, Walter's terminal let up with an incoming message. Attached were C-band scans, thermal imaging, PCA sensor scans that had been hijacked.
"There's something promising in the Watchpoint."
...
"It's go time, 621." said Walter.
Rain pelted the outside of the transport chopper, the steady drum quieting the noise of the hangar rotating the AC into launch position.
"Don't worry." Walter assured,"Not even the PCA would anticipate a solo independent mercenary."
The optics of LOADER 4 blinked on, their red glow ominous in the low light of the bay, darkened to facilitate the stealth deployment. The arms carrying the AC slid along rails toward the rear where the bay door had opened. LOADER 4 hung over open air, the wind whistling past.
"Get in there and get to work." Walter ordered.
The clamps attached to the core released with a thunk , and 621 fell toward the Watchpoint.
Yes. It was time for work alright.
...
Sulla cursed as he started up ENTANGLE, hoping he'd make it before the bogey could get inside. The PCA's radio security was sloppy, and their Subject Guard inadequate for such an important task. But he made do with what info he could glean from their poorly secured frequencies.
There was a moment of wondering who it might be this time, but he knew. The same damnable fool it always was at the end of the string.
Handler Walter.
The AC had barely finished sealing the cockpit and starting the generator when the hangar moved ENTANGLE into position and released the clamps, sending it falling toward the Watchpoint control center below.
He'd put down several dogs already, time to add another to the count.
...
621 disabled the overboost and skidded to a stop on the road leading to the Watchpoint's control center. Above the circular structure, a lone AC could be seen, likely dropped out of a transport chopper.
The frame parts screamed Arquebus, but the colors and weaponry it carried didn't match any of the known Vespers it had studied.
"Attacking a Watchpoint...?" he asked, smirking, "You're incorrigible, Handler Walter."
The voice on the radio seemed... disappointed. The unknown AC entered combat mode just after touching down, the sensors on the head lighting orange as it did.
"How many of your dogs must I kill before you learn?" he taunted.
621 could feel the rush of adrenaline at those words. This opponent was dangerous. Suddenly, it began to wonder...is he their killer? Is he the one who killed them?
YOU ARE READING
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
General FictionIn a future where humanity has developed an interstellar civilization. On the frontier planet of Rubicon 3, a substance called, "Coral" was discovered that could be used as both an energy source and a data conduit. Coral was hailed as the key to hum...
