:: Outer City ::

He woke with a yawn and a stretch and frozewhen he heard a growl and felt something firm yet yeilding at his feet. He sat up slowly as he drew his weapon and lookedat a stray dog. The dog looked at him and whined softly.

He smiled as it was only "Miss Spot", his watch dog that shared the hidey hole. "Heya Miss Spot. Sorry about that," Tossing her some of his rations to the dog. He watched it goggle up the food and move to lay down next to him.

He listened to the muffled sounds of the citizens of the outer city converse with each other and other various noises that made up the outer city. He absentmindedly ruffled the dog's fur and then moved to stand up, letting the dog shift onto the still warm spot he just vacated.

"you keep an eye on this place for me, ya hear?" He spoke softly, moving to the exit, getting a soft bark in return.

He left the hideyhole and worked his way out into the derelict building. He moved with silent grace of a predator of the concrete jungle avoiding highlighting himself in the shafts of sunlight that filtered through the holes in the cieling.

It was going to be a beautiful day in the outer city. He could already smell the stench of poor sewege and garbage management. He shook his head as it was the same in the innercity. At least the wind was blowing the stench away, but it was still powerful in the areas where the wind didn't reach.

Soon he was amongst the locals, moving in the carefree manner of those that lived without the oppressive government watchful eyes upon them. But then, they carried weapons from an unseen enemy that raided them from below in the depth of city amongs the labyrinth tunnels, pipes and conduits that criss-crossed the area.

He was thankful he didn't have to go down there anytime soon. For that was sure death and anyone ventured far down into them, usually never returned. The problem he was suppose to look into was on the surface.

He listened to the local chatter as he moved through the various sectors, looking over the offered wares for barter. many of the stuff was handmade at the various clan's sweatshops and gardens that were very well protected from the mild acid rain that fell occasionally.

He paused and looked over the weapons and ammo that was on display by the local weapon dealers and under the watch of clan thugs to prevent theft of weapons and ammo. He moved on under the watchful eyes as he traveled farther and farther deeper into the outercity.

"I tell ya man! That robot was at least 5 stories tall and our bullets didn't even scratch the paint!"

"No way! That beast of a weapon should've at least scarred it! Unless you are a bad shot!" Getting a laugh from the others nearby.

He paused, looking over some newly made shirts as he listened.

"No! No! I seen the bullets spark when they hit!" The shooter sporting a rifle told those gathered around him, looking earnest and abit red in the face from being laughed at.

"And then it broke into a million beetles and chased ya all the way here?" Another of the group laughed, bringing on another round of laughter.

"It took off towards the edge of the city. I watched it flee through the other territories where it received more fire at it!" Rifle -toter spoke even more earnest. "Bunch of us are gonna go hunt it down as soon as we can get permission to travel through Oinkma's territory!"

"If we go along, what is our cut in this venture?" A small runt of a man spoke, puffing on a hand rolled ciggy.

"The adventure of a lifetime!" Rifle-toter spoke calming down, becoming business-like. "I'll even give you a ride. To those that come along."

He smirked and moved off, heading towards Oinkma's territory to see what he could find out there. That was unusual for a Mech to flee. Normally the operator would just step on those shooting at it to conserve ammo, unless the weapons fire came from harden fortifaction, then just blast it with the guns or laser or missiles.

He kept an eye on the weapon dealers and they was doing some good business as at least there was several people bragging about having fought a Battle Mech along with various others.

:: In The Country : Military Base ::

Sheela looked at the mountains coming into view and knew she was getting close to the designated place of the old military outpost. She slowed down her pace and began to vere off to the side to circle the base to see what was there before barging in.

She topped a rise and saw there was several more Battle Mechs in ruins, laying about the place. It was not a good sign. But it looked like the ruined Mechs were being salvaged for parts.

Suddenly her coms crackled alive with static and then a commanding voice spoke. "Akiashiro Battle Mech 274, Authenicate Romeo Seirra Foxtrot?" Then static filled the cockpit of the big Mech.

Sheela looked over the unfamilar consoles, reading the labels seeing a handmike, picked it up and squeezed the button and spoke. "Huh..hi! I'm ...huh..friendly. Show yourself?"

Just then two smaller twin Mechs stood up from their place of hiding as the same voice came back over the radio. "Power down your Mech." As the two twin mechs aimed their weapons at her.

"I'm complying! Could you point them guns else where?" Sheela replied as she powered down her Akiashiro Main Battle Mech, knowing she was outclassed.

"Very good. What unit you belong to?" Same voice replied over the coms speaker.

"None.. I'm from River City," Sheela was puzzled as she looked over the battle mechs, taking in the same color scheme and marking they both wore.

"Your Marking state you're with the 22nd Heavily Regiment, Miss." Came the voice back to her.

Sheela giggles at hearing that as she activates her coms, "You're mistaken. 22nd is River City Defensive Force against the underground crabs."

"Crabs?" Came another voice over the speaker. "You mean the NMX?"

"Silence, Second!" The first voice spoke, then to her. "How did you attain the Mech?"

"Found it in my family enclave in the Outer city." Sheela watched the two mechs begain to circle her.

"Follow me!" One broke off and began heading towards the Military base that was designated on her map.

She followed as soon as she powered up big Mech. They traveled fast over at least familiar grounds for the two smaller mechs

::Outer City::

He entered Oinkma's territory as just another outer city dweller following the trail of conversation of the big Mech passing through without retaliating against those that fired upon it.

"Did you catch the markings on it?" He asked a street vender with a shot up hotdog stand and still doing business from it.

"It had a big 22-247 in black on the back and running down the arms of the big Mech. I wished my grand dad could've seen it!" As the vender fixed a trash-dog for the man that was talking to him. "That will be three .45 apc bullets, kind sir!" Holding out both hands. one empty and the other holding the dog with evrything on it.

He dug out the three requested bullets and dropped them in the vender's empty hand and took the Trash-Dog and wandered off, eating the food and slurpung on the cold bootleg beer.

******

Marcie sat in the meshed in cubbyhole with the door to her back and the street to the front of her. watching the passer-byes with little interest as she sat wearing very little in view of those walked by. It was going to be another very long day. She had given up trying to entice others to pay for her services, but she still came and sat there everyday for the three years she came to work for "The Master". People still took the time to pay for her services when the urge was upon them. She was equal oppertunity as long as you could pay the going rate for her. Ever scince the Big Robot passed by and left a parting gift from those that fired upon it. Two holes in the mesh. She took an advantage of them and saved herself a trip into the rooms with her cliet. She did them right there and which lead to more business.

It was a lull in business and someone passer by had squeezed some food through the mess to her and shared his drink with her through a straw as they talked about what ever came to mind as they shared the food...

::Outer City::


He moved down the street following the signs of the running battle. But no signs of damage from the Battlemech. Which puzzled him greatly. He paused and looked around the busy street, forcing people to go around him as he looked his surrounding over.

He needed information on the Mech and quick as he was running out of the Outer City and seeing the distance hills though the openings of the building. Eyes narrowed as a thought came unbidden. ~~Recon from the outside? Whose interested in our city? Are there more survivors out there?~~

He spotted a nude lady in a storefront cage talking with a possible customer or friend sharing food along with conversations. He nodded to himself as he slauntered in that direction, making it obvious that he was approaching the pair, causing the guy to scamper off after shoving the rest of the food through the mesh in the cage to the lady.

Marcie watched the man approach, looking him over with practive ease, easily taking note that this was an Inner City person out abit to far from the comforts and safety of the Innercity. She turned and bent over, letting him get a good look at her as she set the food in a box out of sight and straightened slowly as she turned for his inspection with a "smile" gracing her expression.

"Heya, looking for a reeee-ally goooood time, mista?" Marcie purrrrs softly in a soft husky voice, shifting into a very revieling seductive postion.

"Mmmmmm..." He felt the stirring of absences as he watched her moving close to her cage, taking in the well porportioned body of youth. "Sure..." Smiling at her as if she was the finest catch of the day without to much work.

"That'll be ten bullets, for the works for an hour," Marcie shyly looks up at him through her hair at him, yet still letting him see her whole face. "5 bullets for halfhour. Touchie Feelie all you want."

"You have a room where we .. huh.. can take care of business, fishing out ten bullets and holding them just out odf reach of her.

"Pink door to your right," Marcie reaching for the bullets of all the same caliber. "I'll meet you there."

He nods, once spotting the door and dumping the bullets onto her waiting palm. Watching her disappear through the door in the back of the cage into the building. He slantered on down to the door and waited till it opened to admit him.

He entered and joined Marcie in the dimmly lit corridor and followed her to her cubicle within the ground floor of the building.

:: Outercity ::

Bullets flew everywhere as the violance erupted with the force of a volcano erupting, sending the non-combatants scattering for cover and fleeing from the area as the haze of smoke, dust, debri and bullets flew into the air. Sounds of screams of pain and orders mixed into the chaos of the battle. Turning the area into rubble as war progressed in the graffitti laden area of the slums of Outercity.

Old rusted hulks of stripped vehicles shuddered under the impacts of the projectiles that tried to get to it's targets hidden behind it as rust poofed into the air and fell to the ground, leaving behind shiney bare metal exposed to the elements.

"damn it!" The leader cried out as the battle started earlier than expected. "I told you to wait for my command, idiot!"

"Well it is tooo late no..." The voice was cut off as the owner's headed exploded in a mass of gore and crimson mist. >thud< The now dead body hitting the ground.

The gang leader scowled as he felt the slimey wetness settling on him, forcing him to move back, triggering the well hidden explosives.

The loud roaring of the explosives overroad all other sounds momentary as the deadly wave of debri, compacted air rushed outward into the killing grounds of the ambush site.

Silence ruled supreme for a few seconds and then the sounds of shattering brick, screeching of metal against it's proctective covering of shattering concrete as the building toppling over to add to the confusion
of the area as dust rose in a thick obscurring cloud, driving the air out of the area momentary till gravity reclaimed dominance to bring the heavier particles back to the ground.

The Leader looked up from his place of cover as the area was in utter destruction and not a soul moved. He stood up and moved away, heading down the street, getting covered with the dust settling. Squinting through the fog of the dust, seeing the rest..what remained of his gang appearing and joining him, ghostlike with the dust covering them from head to foot.

"Ought to teach them putzes from invading our territory!" he exclaimed muffled through the facemask he now wore to keep from breathing in the dust.

:: Outer City ::

He finished with the lady and left her place of business. He was looking thoughtful as he realized the Battle mech had left the city. Looking both ways as he slantered up the street heading back the way he came.

Listening to the people speak as he pasted them, already the Battle Mech was forgotten by the residence as it was no threat to them and getting on with their daily life when an expolsion rocked the Outercity.

He frowned abit as he glanced in the direction, seeing the settling cloud of dust several blocks away. "Must be murder living out here..." He spoke softly as strolled along with the crowd who was avoiding that area for awhile.

"You dont know the half of it. We've got the Crabs, the Cutters and each other," A nearby man spoke in reply to his mutterings. "recently a Mech comes tromping through. Squashed Old Man's Buggy!" Giving an insane giggle.

"Bet that was a sight to see?" He looked at the weirdly dressed man walking beside him.

"Funniest thing ya ever saw! Old Man came bursting out of building with shaving cream on his face, half shaven with the barber on his tail waving his razor yelling for Old Man to come back so he could finish and get paid!" The stranger spoke laughing once more, remembering the sight. "you would think it was a retarded superhero who got his cape on backwards!"

He gave a soft laugh, picturing that in his mind as moved on, backtracking the Battle Mech to it place where it started it's journey from.

:: Outercity ::

Her name? What did it matter out here. Anyone could give a fictious name for themselves. All they had to remeber was to respond to the new name the've chosen for themselves, "Annie." Keeping it simple as she looked at the man barring her way.

"We-ell..Annieeeeee," He sneers, drawing out the last sibyl of her new name. "You'll have to give me your coveralls as payment to enter." Wondering what she wore underneath the Cutter's Uniform Coveralls.

"That other girl didn't have to strip!" New named Annie spoke pointing towards the girl still visible from the open doorway.

"She lives here and pays for her services." He smirked, eyes full of lust, looking at her.

She sighed softly, thinking about moving on. But this was the last place to get off the streets as darkness fell indifferently over the innocents and guilty alike. She removed her coveralls and handed them over to the man, wearing a simple onepiece undergarment.

He nodded and steeping out of her way to allow her to enter the badly repaired building that was fast becoming crowded. She moved through the crowd, trying to ignore the "feelies" she was recieving, when forced to pass by the males, young and old.

Working her way up the stair, her booted feet clomping noisely on the stairs that creaked omnosily under her weight as she mad her way up to the second level. Hoping to find a place that was warm and private.

Her stomach rumbled at the various smells of cooking foods assaulting her scent of smell.

"Hey you? Come in here!" An old female voice caught her attention as narled old hands grabbed at her arm, beginning to pull her into the apartment.

She went wih the old lady, thankfull to be with another female and a place to spend the night. Once insidfe the room, she heard the door shut behind her and the door locking as the old lady threw the deadbolts.

Immediatly the old lady set her to work fixing her meal. Annie quickly complied, being thankful.

:: Countryside - 22nd Mech Regiment base ::

Sheela sat on empty crate as techs climbed, crawled, poked, repaired, refueled and rearmed the Akiashiro Main Heavy Battle Mech on various levels of the scaffolding in the well light carved out hanger from the cliffside.

"She brought it in, Sir," A male familiar voice spoke, catching her attention.

"I see... A citydweller," Tone snarled with a trace of sarcasm spoke as her eyes fall on the two speakers. One was obviuosly the escort light mech operator and the other that just finished speaking was his boss.

"That's what she told me," The operator shrugged his shoulders as he spoke as the two of them came to a stop near her, looking at the big battle mech.

"About time the dieties smiled upon us. Now we can hit that NMX Enclave and eradicate them for good." The Commander spoke gleefully, then turning to look at her. "Miss?"

"Sheela," She responded turning her attention back to her mech. Or was the mech still her's now? But then she didn't have much say in the matter as they was armed and more of them and her.

"Sheela... I'm Colonel Humpries of 22nd Mech Regiment." He introed himself to her, sitting univited next to her on the same empty crate. "How would you like to join our outfit?"

"I get to keep that mech," Sheela countered softly, nodding her head toward the mech she brought into the base.

He laughed softly. "You have much experience in fighting one of them?"

"How hard can it be?" She sp[oke holding up the manuel on the Akiashiro MBHM.

"Well many harder than you think. Manuel may be nice, but it takes knowledge, training, practice to effectively fight with one of them things against a determined enemy out to kill you before you kill them." He spoke with authority and confidence.

"I'll learn quick. It not much different than fighting without one," Sheela countered, looking at him defiantly. "What if I want to take this back to the city?"

"Where would you get the fuel? Ammo? Missiles for this beast?" He countered. "Besides if decide that you are no longer have control of the mech? Kinda makes that hard to reclaim it?"

Sheela scowled, "Can I get a smaller mech?" Loking at him with a cheeky grin.

He laughed heartily, causing many of people to look at them briefly, "My dear Sheela! Brave yet so foolish. If I wanted to. I can take that and have you escorted off my base of operations."

"Then you would have a nice mech statue to look at." Sheela spoke softly, looking unsure if her bluff would work.

The Colonel fell quiet looking at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. Looking at his companion. "take her out in a light mech and get her up to speed."

"Yes Sir!" The Operator motioned her to follow him.

::outercity::

He moved through the streets that was fastly coming vacant as night fell and a breeze moaned erie through the streets, blowing trash around like leaves in the wind. He tighten the bottom of his jacket and hitching it higher to expose the lethel pistol at his side. Listening to the ambient noises of outercity fall quiet, leaving behind the noises of those that were nocturnal in nature.

The darkness fell like an old friend that he was familiar with an embrace of a lover. Looking at the ruined Cutter Machine brightly lit up with techs and troops providing them protection to fix the dreaded machine that outter city residence hated so much.

He listened to the techs and investagers talk to each other over the small radio he carried for such purpose. It was simple plain neglect of the crew and the responcibility fell to the surviving crew member who was now missing. Turning to face the now dark foreboding deserted streets of the outtercity. Spying a pack of wild dogs giving him the eye and growling as he was quite far from safety of the troops protecting the workcrews on the Cutter.

He stared them down, ready to fight them to show who was boss. But the pack moved on after easier prey, leaving him to own devices or downfall. He faded into back into the warrens of the building. Ears, eyes, smell alert to the nuances of the life out here in wild outtercity.

He loved the night out here. It was quiet, not like the innercity with all of it's lights and constant 24/7 press of humanity and what ever else was moving about the area.

He moved through the streets and shadows like a ghost, avoiding trouble from the nocturnal life out here of both animal and humans alike.

Several hours later... finding himself before the building that was rumored to hold the old Mech. He flitted around it. Seeing where it crashed into the side of the building that onced housed it. It was a huge building and several blocks square and towered higher than most of it neighbors.

He began his plan of assualt on the building as the nightlife past him by, leaving him to own devices.

::NMX Enclave, way below the City::

The crabs moved about with purpose as something was felt in the stygian, damp air. Moving from one patch of glowing fungi to the next and throuhg puddles of dank pools of water with unknow parasites even they couldn't comprehend.

The older crabs and the very young went about their dauily business of living as the rest hustled with an urgency. Some totaly aimlessly, others with purpose.

Chittering and screeching at each other as groups formed and disolved into others. Some with a sence of purpose as other's hindered. Rumors flew fast and furious.

But the main topic as it was every year, the weather topside was changing, leaving the cold wetness of winter into a time of rebirth of Spring. Would it be this year that they leave the dank underground caverns for the light of day? Or more of their kind would go and disappear to the rumored other enclaves of their species?

Suddenly like a wave rolling outwards, crabs moved to the side of the passagway as they fell quiet to let the ruler with his/her entourage pass unhindered.

All squatted to their bellies as their Leader floated by serenly, eyes passing over the masses pressed against the sides of the passageway.

Once the Leader had passed by, they scurried into the vacant space and the speculations rose once more to a rumble of chittering and screeching.