Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

Chapter 10: Request From A Friend

Watching Raven exit sleep mode was a disturbing experience for Ayre that never got easier. Before they'd made Contact, she'd known that there were peculiarities with the older Coral-based augmentation surgeries, but the information she had now, about what was termed Coral burn-in... emotional withdrawedness, auditory hallucinations, psychosis, the way it seemed to make so many of its victims into machines in a human shell.

She'd seen some of those tendencies in his memories, but that was before they'd made Contact.

She could feel it when they synchronized, how Raven was more than just an empty husk now. It gave him a taste of emotion, of being human. Her mercenary didn't get to dream, to sleep... he just turned off and on, so their shared Contact was all he really had left.

"Raven, I know Walter sent you a request from Balam industries, but I also have a mission request for you." she offered, "It's from the Rubicon Liberation Front."

Ayre started the transport heli's motors while Raven went over the briefing, keeping a part of her presence with her partner so he would be aware of the details.

"Raven, we have a mission we'd like to offer you." a voice said, "The target is in Central Belius, so if you accept, we can book transport for your AC on a neutral vessel. The Rubicon Liberation Front is planning to retake the Wall from Arquebus... and we'd like you to lay the groundwork for us. Your objective is to assassinate V.VII Swinburne, the commander of the occupying force. We are able to jam their radio communications, but they have a tight beam satellite communications relay you'll need to disable before you're spotted. We also need you to disable a pair of tetrapod MTs standing guard near the center of the city area. The coordinates for the pickup will be provided after you accept the mission."

<<We'll take it.>>

Ayre could feel the tension leaving at her partner's words.

"Thank you, Raven." they replied.

Ayre quickly exchanged messages with the RLF contact, who had identified himself as Rainer, to confirm. They were directed to a location near the southern coast of the ice field, where they found a massive cargo floatship unloading hundreds of BAWS MTs, mostly smaller bipeds along with a dozen tetrapods. There were also a few BASHO and FIRMEZA model ACs being brought off the transport.

A BAWS logo was displayed prominently on the side; they sold to everyone and anyone, so they made a good neutral ground for transport services.

A radio communications request arrived, bearing a Liberation Front tag.

"Raven, this is Rainer. Can you move your AC near the loading facilities please?" he asked, "The trip across the Alean Ocean takes about twelve hours in this cargo hauler, so we're going to need you to exit your machine for the journey so it can be stowed in the hangar clamps."

She could feel the unease from Raven at the request.

"The Liberation Front will keep their word, Raven. And I'll keep an eye on your AC." Ayre promised, "If something goes wrong, I can get us to it quickly."

...

OBSIDIAN WING maneuvered over to the loading dock and backed into a hangar clamp. It was a portable frame for holding an AC steady and provided a way to easily move and transfer it into standard cargo bays.

After it was secured, Raven began the shutdown sequence and disconnected, opening the hatch and exiting into the crisp air. His skin might not feel it beneath the armored flight suit, but the cold air chilled his lungs for a second before the helmet's systems kicked in to make the air less uncomfortable to breathe.