“I will tell you the story of my home.”
At the turn of a new Era. The world experienced a period of rapid population growth, which put a strain on global food and energy supplies. As populations increased, so did the gap between the wealthy and the poor. Eventually, violence began to erupt and the governments of the world quickly lost control of their populations as their cities were consumed by terrorism and anarchy. In the midst of fear and concern, People began turning to corporations. Who with there own private armies could guarantee safety to the populace
In the midst of the bloody chaos, and the majority of the populace who lost faith in there government. The corporations seeing the turmoil took advantage.
With the backing of the people. The world's six most powerful corporate conglomerates did away with national governments and instilled their own brand of rule's and law's. They launched a full scale war on the nations of the world, Known as the National Dismantlement War.
Using advanced experimental Armored Core technology, the corporations decimated the forces of the nations and declared victory in less then 31 days. With the old nations of the world effectively toppled, the corporations set out to work on a new system of government.
A system of government that would be known as Pax economica.
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It was dark that was the first thing, he took note of as he opened his eye's. Only silvery shafts of light through cracks in the ceiling where the only indicator to him. The only sign that he was still alive. His Armored Core had been shoot down. He sat up slowly trying to regain himself. He brought his right hand up touching his left wrist. A red glow cut through the darkness displaying the time.
“02:43.” he stared at the digital display looking at the timer underneath the clock. “32 hours and 51 minutes left.” This was a countdown to how long he had before his air supply ran out. He began to feel around his body he felt a pocket over his chest. He pulled out what he was looking for turning it on as light filled the room.
The pilot took stock of his surroundings the room was made of stone. Top to bottom chains hanging on the wall. He shined it around finding a small back pack it was his emergency survival kit. He inspected the rest of the room only finding some of the wall on one side had caved in. No doors if he was to take a guess it had collapsed in on its self on the destroyed side of the room.
There was no one here no enemies to fight for the moment. He brought a hand up to his helmet to where his ear would be and pressed a button along the edge.
“May Day May Day! Can anyone hear me!” He called in to the receiver getting no reply only static. He tried again. Still nothing. He looked at his left wrist again. 32 hours 41 minutes. Odds where high he didn't have a signal. He shined his light at the ceiling looking to see if there was a way out. Nothing only more stone.
Where was he? And how did he wined up here? He moved over to his pack inside he found half the supplies where gone. Which made a little bit of sense he should have had at least three days worth of food and air and yet he had less then a day and a half's worth of both. Had he fallen down here? Hit his head maybe? Maybe that collapsed portion of the wall was the cause. He didn't know at the moment but he needed to get out of here. He wasn’t going to bother shifting through the pile it may only cave in the rest of the room.
He pulled his pack to him inspecting it. He had a flare gun with two flare's, 3 clips of bullets to his side arm. 4 canisters of water. 4 tubes of nutrient ration, an emergency beacon active and transmitting his location (assuming anyone was picking it up.) A grenade, A seal kit encase his suit rips. A water purifier and last but certainly not least a deck of playing cards.
'Who ever packs these kits has a terrible sense of humor.' Raven decided to himself as he took out the grenade. He could maybe use it blast a way out. Dismissing the idea as a bad one he put it away slinging the pack over his shoulder. That would run the risk of blowing himself up and collapsing the rest of the room. He shined his light around the room. But stopped turning the light off as his vision settled to the darkness. He saw it those shafts of light coming from the ceiling.
He moved to stand under the biggest one he could see it was about the size of a basket ball. Looking up he saw the hole its self . He moved up the pile of ruble. That used to be half the room he moved his hand barely breaching the hole.
“This is my out.” He couldn’t see what was outside of the hole but it was something. Upon closer inspection he could see that the ceiling was old parts of it looked ready to crumble. He reached to his shoulder pulling out his combat knife. He then started to carve at the older pieces slowly and methodically.
After four hours of careful work. He had pulled down a number of smaller stones. Increasing the size of the hole, big enough for himself to fit through. The price was that he had damaged his combat knife. Chipping and dulling the blade, but it was still plenty sharp enough as a tool. Maybe not for combat. It didn't matter he rarely needed it. He was a linx pilot not a ground trooper.
He tossed his bag through the hole, and then grabbed on to the ledge. Giving a careful tug as he gently pulled himself the rest of the way up. He laid on the ground of the new room breathing carefully. The pilot looked at the room he was in now. Still made of stone but full of windows now. The ceiling was wide and oval evenly spaced with pillars jutting out the ground. spaced and arched in such a way that it reminded him of a church. Sitting up he looked around, There was an alter at the end of the wide open hall.
He could see the sun starting to rise. Through the ornate looking windows that perhaps long ago contained stained glass.
He looked in the opposite direction a wide open doorway. There it was his he was free now. Once he was in a wide enough area. He would be able to signal for help and get back to base. He brought a hand up to his ear as he attempted to signal for help “May Day May Day! This is Raven Jarnefeldt. Call sign white glint can anyone hear me!”
He began to walk towards the doorway. As he attempted another signal “I repeat this is Raven Jarne......felt.” Raven dropped his hand at his side, as he stared at the sight before him.
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“This is the story about how we destroyed our home.”
Armored Core's where considered the next step in warfare. Armed with Kojima technology. They became the perfect weapon for the corporations. Born from the previous model of core unit's. Came a new model known simply as NEXT. The only casualty’s of progress the pilots themselves. Killing and driving them to madness. The strain was to much for the previous generation of pilots.
And with this new technology came a need for a new breed of pilots. The former Raven's became LYNX. This new breed of pilot could guarantee any battle they fought in. Dominating the battlefield for whoever hired them. A lone NEXT could defeat an army in the hands of a skilled pilot. Although finding pilots was difficult and near impossible ranging in the double digits for both candidates and pilots already on the roster.
It was more then enough for the corporations. So few pilots meant it would be easier for them to control there system of government. 6 years of uneasiness after the national dismantlement war, would pass between these corporations. Each fighting for controll. Undermining the success of not only them selves but others.
Eventually a new war came from this unstable peace between the corporations. It would be known as the Lynx war.
No war is with out casualty. During the course of the linx war. The planet would pay the price.
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Raven stared at the world before him. Lush green vegetation. Plant life everywhere it was unreal to him seeing this. He had to be dreaming there was just no way this was here. He just stared at it for several minutes. Walking forward looking at a yellow orange flower. Was he in a farming dome?
No that wasn’t possible. This was all random if it had been. Man made then it would be evenly spaced to maximize production these where trees. He turned around to look at the church well he had thought it was a church it looked more like an old crumbling castle.
“Where am I?” And then Raven saw something that truly terrified him an animal. More specifically a squirrel sitting on a tree branch. Eating a nut of some sort. Animal life was a rarity. They just didn't exist outside in the wild. They couldn't, not even humans any more.
Raven looked down at his pilots suit. It was white with hints of black outlining his pockets and holsters. The suit was meant to increase his skills as a pilot. As well as increase his survival outside his Next. It was self contained, regulating the air he breathed, his body temperature. His food his water. He could live three days with out taking it off only replacing his water canister and nutrient ration's. Portions of it where armored for protection against small arms fire.
Nothing could survive in the wide free world. Not with out protection. Not plants not animals and most defiantly not humans. His world was a barren poisoned wasteland. The air would choke you to death. The water would melt away your flesh and the earth would bury you in a sea of sand.
But here he was standing in a forest in the early morning. He could hear the chitter chatter of life through out the forest singing bird's, rustling leaves.
“I'm suffering from kojima poisoning.” Raven reasoned as he checked every inch of his suit. Looking for the smallest indication there could be a tear in the fiber or crack in a seal. Nothing no tear no cracked seal. Just him his suit his back pack. And a lush green forest.
He looked at his left wrist. He had 27 and a half hours of air left. He wasn't going to risk it if this was real then good. He'd get the chance to live a little longer if not. He's probably in a hospital bed in the infirmary slowly dying or something.
Raven then started his track through the forest taking his time every so often he would stop. Check his position then keep moving. He had his sidearm out at the ready should he be attacked. A lot of the animal he came across ran and hid from him once he looked at them. His first obstacle was a canyon he could see the other side. It was to far to jump. So he walked along the edge of the cliff face until he found an old bridge.
It happened to fast for him to react. He was already half way across when he heard the first snap. It was to late when he lost his balance. His feet falling out from underneath himself. The old wooden bridge was not strong enough to hold his weight. As Raven found himself in free fall.
Not to say he was doomed far from it. His suit was meant to ensure his survival. Under many circumstances. The harness was a floatation device, The suit was resistant to the elements. Hot or cold he could survive. It also had a parachute built in for emergency free falls. Should you eject from your core unit. Many pilots used it and raven had used it before himself.
The moment of panic left as quickly as it came. His training kicking in as he straighten himself out crossed his arms over his chest and pulled hard on his shoulder's. And with a forceful jerk he felt his decent slow down. He looked down as he started to control the direction of his decent avoiding the cliff side.
He could see a fog below him but he could also hear running water so there was a stream down there at the bottom. As he felt his boots connect with the water. He disengaged himself from the parachute splashing into the water coming to a float as the river started to carry him away. Which way he wasn't sure.
At least he could stay a float. That was the good news. Bad news he would not be going back the way he came.
The river tossed and turned him as he felt it slow down little by little. Before it was mid day he was passing by a river bed. Swimming over to one side had taken a bit longer then he thought it would splashing in the water trying to get to land.
He trudged his way out of the water. He was feeling utterly exhausted. This was the first time he had used the harness as a floatation device it had been a little unnerving that was for sure. He preferred flying over swimming.
He looked at the running water he wasn’t sure how far it had taken him maybe a few miles. Looking at his left wrist 21 hours 17 minutes. Of breathable air.
He brought his hand up to his ear. “May day may day. Can anyone hear me please respond over.......I am by a river side just outside the forest..” static it was dead no response.
“If anyone can hear me i'm going to fire a flare please respond. I have a days worth of air left. Please find me.” with that he took out the flare gun from his pack popping in one of the rounds. He held it up into the air and pulled the trigger. He laid back on the bank of the river watching. His only visible life line flew high into the air. There was a bang and Raven watched as the little parachute of light slowly fell from the sky.
His eye lids becoming heavy he was getting tired. He would take a short nap and listen to his radio for a response.
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“This is the solution to our sins.”
Kojima Particles, so named after the original scientist responsible for discovering them, represented a treasure trove of possibilities in power and warfare. When applied to NEXT combat it made the battles all the more one sided.
Kojima Particles have the significant drawback of being extremely radioactive and highly polluting. During the National Dismantlement War, contamination levels were low, due to limited Next action in the short, one-sided conflict.
During and after the Lynx War, massive Kojima contamination caused the Earth's surface to be saturated with pollution, and half of humanity was forced to take to the skies, in massive, floating supercities called Cradles. The rest of humanity would fight on the ground, to control the resources left on the earth - the life blood of the Cradles.
With the cradles established as a safe house for the population of the Earth. So came a new replacement to the old ways of the Pax Economica. The remaining corporations from the LYNX War formed 'The League.' A new form of tyrannic rule over the world. With the majority of the population in the cradles. The Earth once again became free for the never ending global war of the Corporations. With the Linx playing the part of the ground troops.
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Raven laid on the river bank drifting in and out of sleep. Until he heard a scream. He sat bolt up right his sidearm at his ready. Looking around he saw nothing in front of him at the moment. Another scream this time from the forest. He stood up hefting his pack over his shoulder. As he ran to find who ever was screaming.
He could make out voices now. “This is your fault!” “You wanted to take a short cut.” “AHHIEEEE Its gaining.” They sounded like children. A howl resonated through the forest. Raven was reminded of a wolf's howl. He picked up his pack slinging over his shoulder. Jumping over bushes pushing back branches.
If he got there in time he could save them and get help for himself. Get into contact with a company willing to get him home. Pushed harder faster through the foliage.
He saw it first like a massive shadow it had the shape of a wolf but something was off. He couldn't see anyone. It didn’t matter he was close enough he could scare it away or kill it. He held up his pistol holding it with both hands aiming his shot. Three consecutive bangs filled the forest birds flew away in fear.
He watched as his mark toppled over. Raven held his gun at its ready. As he made his way over to the thing. “Hello Are you okay?” It was silent. “Can you hear me?”
“We...were okay.” Raven heard a frightened voice stutter out.
He made his way closer moving through the brush. “Im coming over to you please wait were you are.”
“Okay.” A different voice called out.
“Can you Help me.” He called out pushing a branch out of his way. “I'm lost and I'm trying to get home.” he said as he found his way to where he had shot the wild beast.
“We can help where do you live?” A high pitched childish voice called out. He stumbled through some brush. Looking around for the source of the voices. They had come from here he was sure of it his eye's couldn't find the wolf either. Hed h missed?
Only three very brightly colored animals that looked equestrian in nature. The things where staring at him. But he ignored them. “Where are you? Hello.” Calling out to the children turning his attention to the forest. Had they run away from him?
“Where right here!” Raven stopped turning his head to the source of the sound. Back to the animals. There where three orange yellow and white.
He looked around. He bit his lip. “This isn't funny.” He called out in anger. Clenching his fist. “Come out right now.” holding up his gun.
“But where right here.” he looked down again. At the horses they where to small to be full grown what was the term filly?
“Hey what are you deaf?” The orange one said as Raven took a several steps back training his gun on them.
“It talk's.” Now Raven's mind was racing he was imagining things.
“Were not an it where pony's, what are you?” the yellow one asked eye's filled with curiosity.
“I know your an alien!” the white one shouted out as it jumped up and down.
“You mean like from outer space?” The orange one asked as the white nodded its head excitedly. “Cool.”
He had to be hallucinating. There was no rational explanation. He was either asleep, and this was all a dream a bizarre one at that. Or he was most likely suffering from kojima poisoning. Sometimes the effects included hallucinations, usually before death. Due to the lack of oxygen to the brain
The pilot was so distracted the growl behind him took him off guard. As he felt his body pushed forward as something big jumped him. His head hit the ground first. Raven heard a sickening crack he found his vision spinning. Something was pulling and ripping at his back.
The wolf it had come back, and it was tearing its way through his pack. He only had one arm around the strap. Getting free would be easy. He slid out from underneath with a shove. Scraping across the ground getting to his feet. He now got a good look at the wolf. He blinked several times wondering if the spider webbed crack in his visor was messing with his vision.
It was made of wood, sticks, logs, moss, and pine needles. “AHEEIIII TIMBER WOLF.” The fillies shouted out together in fear. Drawing its attention, as the beast stared at its prey. Ignoring the Linx pilot. Raven reached to his holster on instinct trying for his sidearm. No use he had dropped it when that thing had knocked him to the ground.
He pulled his combat knife, wishing he hadn't dulled the blade on such a menial task earlier. The creature looked ready to pounce at its prey.
“DAMN IT ALL.” Raven cried out as tackled the thing his knife raised. He charged the creature stabbing at it in the head. It jerked around and away from Raven with a yelp. Raven watched as the half of its face he had stabbed reshaped its self. Now it was staring him down with a pair of sickly glowing green eye's.
“Run get out off here.” Raven shouted at the little fillies, as he took a careful step towards his gun. The wolf choose that moment to charge him, leaping faster then a pile wood should have been able. Raven brought the knife up stabbing the neck as he went toppling backwards The jaw of the thing latching onto his helmet. Visor choose that moment to finally shatter.
He let go of the knife grabbing the head.trying to pry open the maw. Trying to fight it he reached out for anything he could with the other hand the moment he felt something hard in his hand he brought it up slamming it into the wolfs head.
This knocked it off him as he brought it around slamming what he recognized as a rock into the timber wolfs head again. Again and again he felt his arm quack with every slam.
Raven got out from underneath the debris, the thing had fallen to pieces again. They then began to resemble its self. Raven got up looking at the thing frowning. He turned his head towards the remains of his pack. He picked up the flare gun.
He wasn't going to let it get up a third time. He put in the remaining flare and fired it at the pile. He watched as it exploded setting the wood on fire. Filling the area with a pinkie glow as the timber wolf became kindling.
“Mr. Alien are you okay?” He looked down at the white one. It sounded worried and a little frightened “Your bleeding.” it said pointing a hoof at his side.
Raven blinked looking to where she was pointing, he could see blood trickling down his side. His suit had been ripped by the claws. Several jagged piece of wood sticking out of his side.
“I'll be fine.” Raven lied as he felt a piece of wood. It was stabbed in there pretty deep. Placing a hand on a tree trunk for support. He could feel a slight stinging sensation at the moment. But soon his adrenaline from the fight would wear off. And he'd be feeling a lot worse.
He looked at the little creature. He didn't know, he didn't care, what or who they where at the moment. Right this moment, He pushed the utter insanity and ludicrousness of the situation aside. For the more pressing concern. Survival that was his number one priority.
He couldn't do that if he bleed out and died. “You wouldn't happen to know someone, who could bandage me up?” Raven asked as he slid down the side of the tree trunk, he was starting to feel dizzy.