"How's it going, Walter?" asked Carla.

It seemed almost too smooth, really. 621 had claimed that it hadn't heard voices since the Watchpoint incident, but with its behavior recently, he wasn't sure if that was true anymore.

"Hard to say." he admitted, "621's still performing well, but I doubt the voices have gone away. At any rate, whatever the voices are doesn't seem to be doing any harm, even if it's behaving a bit oddly."

Carla scoffed at his answer.

"I was asking about you, Walter, but whatever." she said, "Bigger things. The Coral. You'd better find it. Turns out, our friends' fears were warranted. Don't spend too long dealing with the PCA, Walter. Clock's ticking."

...

"Raven, we have a few messages in the buffer for you." said Ayre, "They're from Balam's G6 Red, and Walter. Playing the message from G6 now."

"Attention, G13 Raven! I have a message for you from Commander Michigan, following your success at the Engebret Tunnel." he said, then read "'Good work on keeping the PCA off our asses and making the best of a shitty assignment. Your resourcefulness was admirable, keep it alive for the next field trip.' Over and out!"

Ayre couldn't help but laugh at the man's over-the-top enthusiasm, reveling in the shared feeling echoing from her partner across their connection.

"He's quite the character, Raven." She said, "The message from Walter has a briefing attached. We'll be deploying from a different helicopter. Seems he wants to pilot it to the drop point this time. I'll get us there while you make any adjustments you need to OBSIDIAN WING. I also picked up the new missile launchers you ordered."

Raven swapped the pulse cannon on the right back out for the dual missile launcher before he pulled up the briefing, Ayre keeping an eye on it through his as he did, catching a flash of his partner's perspective, a sensation of someone embracing him from behind, a cheek pressed against his own.

"This is a personal request, from a friend." said Walter, "We still don't have enough data to pin down where the Coral is gathering in the ice field. According to my friend's sources... We could find some clues here. Xylem. A city floating on the ocean, built by the Rubicon Research institute."

The footage accompanying the briefing showed a series of towers, buildings and roads interspersed among them. Near what was presumably the middle of the city was a single massive structure.

"Ever since the Fires, that place has been abandoned. It's likely hiding secrets about the Coral, kept shrouded by the city's ECM fog." he explained, "My friends have already tried sending in a survey drone, only to lose it in all the interference. That's where you come in. I want you to disable the ECM fog generators so that we can resume the survey. Right now, the corporations are preoccupied with the PCA. We can be the first ones to identify where the Coral is converging."

"Raven, we'll be at the target in about half an hour." Ayre informed.

...

Walter watched the transport chopper telemetry as he lifted off. The hound was safely in the back, and with the nav systems running a predetermined course, he was free to take the time for other things.

It took a minute for the connection to establish with 621, but eventually the handshake succeeded. He now had access to its implants. It had been a while since he'd tinkered like this, but it should be pretty trivial to filter out the excessive waveform disturbances that were symptomatic of hearing voices. It wasn't always permanent, but this should deal with the odd behavior of late.

Other hounds who had manifested the same issues usually went back to normal after tuning their implants. No reason this one should be any different.

...

"Raven, there's an incoming handshake request." Ayre notified, "It's coming through your ACs connection to the helicopter."

The byte stream had appeared in the buffer for the helicopter data connection, so Ayre began to quickly parse through it grabbing the header byte to run it against a list of common handshake protocols. The top of the list was filled with various old FCS systems and motion tracking systems, none of which were in use anymore. And the rest of the list was implants, all bearing the tag C4 in the serial number.

These were commands for a cerebral Coral control device.

"These are commands for an implant microcontroller, Raven." said Ayre, "And they're coming from Walter. I'm spinning up a simulated model of it. I won't let him do this."

She watched in trepidation as she linked the incoming request into his simulation, hoping that it would be enough to fool Walter. There wasn't enough time for her to figure out what exactly he was trying to do in real time and counter it, so she'd need to isolate it for a clearer look at it.

The commands matched the ones in the document specified for adjusting auditory response amplitude.

"Walter... he's attempting to adjust your implants." she said, "I think it's aimed at reducing audio response."

Ayre could feel the spike of fear from her partner that lanced through her.

<>

"He'll never get the chance, I've set all traffic on that port to dump into an empty buffer." Ayre notified, "I will always be here for you, Raven."

...

Walter sighed in relief as he finished. Hopefully the adjustments would solve this issue, because there wasn't much more he could do. And just in time, since the chopper had just entered the ECM fog that blanketed Xylem.

There was no room for failure here.

...

"Raven, we'll be switching to radio now." Ayre informed, "Dropping in ten seconds."

Walter's voice over the comms was already intermittent.

"The ECM fog is going to... with comms until it's disabled." he said through the static, "Follow the beacons left... survey drone..."

OBSIDIAN WING dropped from the restraints, landing on the side of an oddly shaped structure.

<>

"Raven. The ECM won't interfere with our Contact." Ayre comforted, "But it is affecting your lock-on range. Keep an eye on your surroundings. I'll do my best to assist, but radar systems are nearly useless like this."

Ahead, a blinking red light shone through the fog, and Ayre marked its coordinates down when they reached it.

"This must be a beacon left by the survey drone." she guessed, "I'll use markers to track them, you can use them if you lose your way."

The next beacon was just up ahead, overlooking a drop off. Raven leapt off, continuing to boost forward, following what looked like an underwater road. It wasn't even ankle deep for an AC, but if that was the state of most of the city, it was little wonder it was abandoned.

Ayre could feel how her partner startled when a robotic voice suddenly spoke, sounding as though it was all around them.

"Unknown intruder detected." it said, "Normalization Process E."

A half dozen radar contacts appeared, little rotor drones seeming to materialize out of the fog and detonating when they got near. The first one scorched the paint of OBSIDIAN WING, the following groups exploding at a safe range when shotgun fire tore them apart. Just past the fourth marker was a cylindrical pillar.

"Those seem to be city defense automatons." Ayre realized, "They must have stood watch even after they were abandoned by their masters... Raven, that's an ECM fog control device. See if you can access it."

Once her partner had linked into it, it was simple to shut it down.

"Confirmed. The control device is offline." she said, "Let's keep looking, Raven."

She kept an eye out while Raven followed the markers, finding two more before the city defense system spoke again.

"Intrusion attempt persisting." it said, "Normalization Process A."

It was a singular radar contact this time, but it was circling them, and Raven quickly found it. A small, circular drone, which deployed a pair of laser blades and swooped down, trying to slash at OBSIDIAN WING. The thin armor of the machine crumpled under return fire as he jumped to avoid it, sending the wreck careening into a building.

"I can't find any data on these." she said, "I'm sorry Raven, you'll have to rely on your experience."

Ayre could feel what her partner had no words for.

<>

Just ahead was a circular platform with another fog control device on it.

"Second fog control device located." Ayre notified.

Raven hopped around the edge, avoiding the flying suicide drones to dispatch another of the legged, flying laser drones. The security on it was no better than the last and Ayre made short work of it.

"Confirmed. Control device is silent." said Ayre, "Let's find the next one."

...

It had been a while since 621 had to duel an enemy mech like these. The autonomous defense drones were quick and agile, soaring in circles before swooping in close. It was fun, dancing in the skies with them.

A radar warning flashed, the sensors detecting a charging energy weapon near the bridge ahead, where the next survey beacon was visible in the gloom. Assault boost made it easy to close the distance while dodging the few incoming projectiles, launching the first drone back with a kick before dispatching it with the pile bunker. The machine gun blasted the next one to pieces, and the dual missile launcher acquired a lock on the third, knocking it out of the sky a moment later.

"Raven, I'm detecting another hostile ahead." Ayre notified, "It's standing on another of the circular platforms."

It was a trivial matter to dispatch the drone, revealing it was guarding the wreck of an old BAWS AC, electronics miraculously still active. 621 tapped into it, knowing Ayre would want to read it.

"Raven, the only readable file I managed to salvage from that AC is tagged as being written by Thumb Dolmayan, leader of the Rubicon Liberation Front." she said, "Have a look."

["Symbiosis." She seemed to be contemplating the meaning of the word... This moment of happiness we share comes at the cost of her siblings, sacrifices all. Is that symbiosis? Surely not...]

"The arena record for Dolmayan states that he was a doser in his younger days." she said, "Perhaps he experienced contact, like we do? Or, if he was willing to continue using Coral like a drug, perhaps they were just hallucinations."

It wished it knew. 621 returned back to where the last marker was, finding another pair of defense drones before finally finding a sparking wreck.

"Is that the survey drone Walter mentioned?" asked Ayre, "We might be able to extract its data. Let's take a look."

The machine was in rough shape, rotors twisted and bent, scarring on the body around a few gaping holes. 621 suddenly tensed, activating a scan. Something had disturbed the water nearby.

The scan returned nothing for a second before suddenly revealing three stealth mechs closing on the location.

"Wait!" Ayre shouted in warning, "Hostile readings!"

OBSIDIAN WING quickboosted back, a pair of electrified whips impacting the spot it had been standing. A third machine was further in the distance, preparing a weapon.

"Normalization process B2: Deploying Antigens." they said.

"Raven, focus on the left target." Ayre heavily advised.

It didn't question the directive, boosting forward to deliver a blow with the shotguns, the two dual missile launchers let out the missiles by a second later to leave the machine staggered, the laser sword easily dispatching it when it was immobilized.

The distant machine was hidden by a small building, leaving only one in range. It tried to hit them with the whip, only to receive a blast from the assault armor followed by the machine gun and a kick to the chest, caving in the front and leaving it a smoking wreck on the ground.

621 activated the scanner again, seeing that the third machine had stowed the rifle in favor of a whip and was closing from behind now. Assault boost gave it the height needed to escape, the streak of the dual missile launcher leaving it disoriented, only for a kick to knock it back into the large tower. It stood limply, ACS overloaded, until the blade pierced through it. It hung there until the mechanism retracted, the machine only falling to the ground when the spike was pulled out of it.

"Now we know what happened to the drone." said Ayre, "Raven, have you seen these machines before?"

<>

"They do seem rather dangerous. Fortunately, the data we found helped to identify where the last ECM device is. I've set a marker for it. Let's check it out."

621 boosted to the top of the largest tower it could see to survey the area.

...

Ayre watched through her partner as he stood atop the tower, looking toward where the last fog control device was.

"You know... it's been a long time since we've been on a mission together without Walter, or someone else watching... The control device isn't going anywhere." said Ayre, "Take your time, Raven."

She could feel the swell of gratitude, of something more...

Raven stowed his machine gun, just standing there in the fog blanketing the floating city, looking over it.

<>

Ayre embraced the presence of her partner, cuddling against it.

"I want to hold you close Raven, to protect you." she comforted, "I know you're strong, so I have to trust that you can handle whatever is thrown at you."

When she had first synchronized with him, C4-621 was all he had been. A husk of a person, beaten down and crushed. No motivation beyond accomplishing what she was told to do, no care for herself. Now, as they sat in the still, foggy air, she could feel the depth of his emotion across the link.

Ayre pressed the ghost of a kiss on her partner's lips, spectral fingers caressing his cheek. She spoke quietly at first, perhaps too quietly for 621 to hear.

"I love you Raven." she said, then raised her voice to a more hearable tone, "And I will always be here to support you."

621 couldn't really tell what was on his lips. Maybe she just happened to accidentally touch his face? He couldn't exactly tell. It's not as easy as it apparently seems to many, assuming anyone even knows this anyway.

...

Raven didn't know how long he had stood at the top of the tower, lost in their embrace. He knew he would need to finish the mission before too long, or Walter might try his tricks again. A quick glance at the chronometer revealed it had been a quarter of an hour. Far too short. Perhaps, when they got back later, he'd ask Ayre to hold him again.

The approach to the final device was easy, and the location very noticeable. It sat at the base of the tallest tower of this floating city, easily dwarfing all of the others. He likely wouldn't be able to get to the top without a travel drive overboost, but it would be a nice place to take Ayre sometime, if they ever came by this city again.

"Raven, that's the last of the control devices. We'll have Walter back after this."

The machine deactivated with a buzz, slowly sinking into the ground.

"62... do you... ead me?" said Walter though the fading static.

<>

"Of course, Raven." replied Ayre, "It's off. Is something the matter?"

He could feel Ayre's concern.

<>

They sat in silence for a moment, knowing Walter would be moving toward them soon. He'd gotten a telemetry burst; Ayre could reactivate the link when he was closer and he'd never know why it cut off.

A sudden thrumming filled the air, like the wings of a massive creature in flight, or a massive machine. Out of the fog, a Subject Guard combat helicopter appeared, rockets already trailing fire. It was the same model of machine that she had faced down as C4-621, shortly after the crash landing back on Grid 135.

Now, he was something far more dangerous. 621 was a capable fighter, but he had no purpose. Raven had something he had to protect.

The huge machine was clearly not expecting the AC it had been sent to dispose of to rush at it with assault boost, struggling to make space while he hammered at the armor with machine gun blasts and laser blade swings, the dual missile launchers easily taking advantage to overload the ACS and leave it sluggish. The laser sword pierced the underside, leaving it leaking smoke but seemingly not impaired at all.

"Raven, four enemy LCs detected." said Ayre, "They're the models equipped with long range lasers. We'll need to deal with them so we can focus on the chopper."

They'd made it to the first one, easily disposing of the lightly armored machine when the one opposite suddenly disappeared from radar, a sea of fire obscuring it. And when it faded a short moment later, all that was left behind was a charred frame.

The third LC was just as easy, trying to jump out of the way and taking a pile bunker to the back. These models didn't even require it to be charged, as they were clearly intended never to be this close to an enemy craft. Too bad the designers hadn't accounted for the kind of aggression an AC pilot was capable of.

The fourth LC disappeared in much the same manner as the other one, leaving only the chopper. Raven boosted into the air again, rocketing toward the machine then launching himself sideways to avoid a hail of cannon fire.

A shadow seemed to move through the fog, solidifying into another AC as it landed on the helicopter, crouching and deploying assault armor, the arcing ball of energy a shocking red.

"Hostile incoming, AC!" Ayre shouted in warning.

The massive surge stopped just short of OBSIDIAN WING as he quickboosted backwards, while the unfortunate Subject Guard machine was crippled by the blast, rotors locking as it fell out of the sky and crashed to the ground.

A voice joined the open comms channel. It was gruff, older, and sounded very determined.

"Forged in ash, we stand as one." they said, "This place will be your grave, menace to Rubicon."

She could feel her partner's confusion, Ayre likely working as fast as she could to identify the target. She caught another glimpse as it boosted back up onto the highway structure for a second.

"Raven, here's the data on that AC." she informed then read, "Arena rank A, identified as ASTGHIK. Piloted by... the leader of the Rubicon Liberation Front, Father Thumb Dolmayan! We just took a job from Middle Flatwell, surely he wasn't planning this."

"I know you, menace." he said, "You can see them too. The voices. Just as I once did."

Raven activated his boosters and launched himself toward the AC. A round of missiles pursued but were easily lost to a quickboost, flying past harmlessly. A weapon in ASTGHIK's right hand belched forth a trio of projectiles, a gout of fire spreading where they impacted and forcing Raven to abort his charge.

"Raven, perhaps he did experience Contact, rather than just hallucinations." Ayre suggested, "To know about our Contact... It can't be a coincidence."

"I don't know what it's told you, but you should know that it's not human." said Dolmayan.

Ayre's surprise was palpable as Dolmayan swapped a pulse blade onto the left arm and dashed forward, covering a massive distance in an instant to bring the screeching blade down across the torso of OBSIDIAN WING, carving a deep gash in it. His ACS was nearly overloaded by the hit, but not quite, and he slashed him back with the charged up laser blade in return.

Dolmayan backed off to activate a repair charge as he did the same, circling Raven as he circled him, both knowing that a fight like this would be instantly lethal if one of them made a serious mistake.

"I have seen the horrors you visited upon the people of Rubicon, dog." said Dolmayan, "I will put you down before you can do even worse. You may have some of them fooled, but I know better. I know what you are."

"Raven, you might need to kill him to survive this." Ayre dreaded.

<>

Dolmayan seemed content to sit back and shoot at Raven where he couldn't respond. He knew he would need to close the distance somehow. When Dolmayan passed under the highway structure, assault boost got her over the top as he reversed his course, looking down on the aged Liberation Front pilot as he suddenly found himself under his gun and blade. The single swipe from the blade of energy tore off the left arm at the elbow joint, sending the machine reeling.

He burned a repair kit to stop the hydraulic fluid leak, but nothing could replace the lost arm. Ayre noticed something as he tried to evade and buy time.

"Raven, the weapon on his left back is a bay, he's down two weapons now." she informed, "If you can destroy the other arm you might be able to force him to retreat."

Dolmayan, in his panic, had lost track of his surroundings, backing himself into a corner. He activated his assault armor again, counting on the overwhelming power of it to give him a chance at victory. The back of his AC opened and the electrodes began to gather charge as ASTGHIK crouched.

In his cockpit, hidden beneath the helmet, a small grin adorned Raven's face. It was no friendly one.

When some say, "Emotionally withdrawn," they're mainly talking about the positive emotions. At least some of the more negative emotions...well, one could say they're more...horrifying.

You blinked.

The back of OBSIDIAN WING opened, the same gathering of energy taking place. The wave of energy from his opponent washed over his, overloading the ACS, but before Dolmayan could take advantage of it, OBSIDIAN WING finished charging, the process uninterrupted, and the blast staggered ASTGHIK in return. It stood, back to the wall, no way to defend itself. It would be so easy to gut him where he stood.

The laser blade charged as it swung back. Raven brought his arm forward, hitting the trigger as he did, the blade shooting forward and tearing through metal with a screech.

The blade had severed the right arm at the shoulder joint, but ASTGHIK would survive.

...

Ayre watched as her partner spared the Liberation Front leader, who quickly decided to cut his losses, deactivating combat mode before engaging overboost for travel, rocketing back out over the ocean toward wherever he had launched from.

"That was a noble thing to do, Raven." she congratulated, "Showing mercy to someone who wants to kill you... Hopefully he will take the time to realize that too."

...

It was only once the hound was safely back on the mainland that Walter allowed himself to relax.

The implant data he'd lifted from 621 on the return trip showed that his changes were working as he'd hoped, and the mission records were quick and easy. It had spent additional time clearing out the rest of the city after locating the final fog device; That sort of thoroughness was exactly what he wanted from it.

And, now that the Xylem was confirmed to be intact still, there were backup options if necessary. It was a burden off his shoulders.

https://youtu.be/WEsibVKPNA0

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