MoonMan
Inactive Member
((This short side-story is a change of perspective in the fight between Kagura and Gyles against four enemy Red Star Army soldiers. Their perspective can be read here, and it is recommended that their version be read first before this one.))
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During the Kennewes Offensive, a Green-Faction armored assault on an underwater Red base forced a small patrol squad of four Red soldiers into a fight from which they did not walk away from. Their names were Jonathan “Johnny” Fennington, Mamimi, Warren Yandle and Kennedy “Tin Kan” Marshall, and they belonged to the 145th Kennewes Armor Squad, “The Jim Dandies”. Each of them died serving the Red Star Army.
---
A few hundred meters away from the battle Epsilon Squad was enduring, four Dark Demon armors were speeding across the wide ocean expanse. Kennedy and Warren were taking point up front, with Johnny and Mamimi trailing close behind, keeping an eye on the rear. It had been roughly four minutes since their patrol leader sent them to investigate a possible flank attempt by the Green armor squad that was moving towards the base…and they were slowly closing in on the last known area they had received sonar signals from. Johnny seemed a bit distracted, however, occasionally glancing off into the ocean expanse to his side, allowing his turbine-vehicle to hiccup occasionally.
“Ungh. This stupid neck brace is broken again. Piece of shit Zen Arms bullshit. I swear, I fix this thing every damn mission,” Warren mumbled as he rolled his head around the joint of his neck inside his Dark Demon armor.
A female voice rose into the communication channel. “You should not be so rough with your armor. It would not break as often if you were more careful.”
Warren mumbled a few curses under his breath…all in good nature, of course. “Hey Johnny, speed it up man! We’re on the clock here!”
This wake-up call jerked Johnny out of his daze, and he quickly zoomed forward to catch up to his comrades, Mamimi following closely behind to her master. The neko was always close to her master…it was the same whether it was on land, in the ocean, off duty, or right in the middle of a mission. One could say Mamimi was as loyal as they come to Johnny…after all, that’s what the brainwashing and de-installation processes were for.
“…man, I still can’t believe they let ya bring that damn thing,” Warren joked at Johnny as he turned his torso to face them. He threw an open-palmed gesture at the rider beside Johnny as he continued. “Last time I checked, people kept their damn pets inside.”
“Heh, you know me Warren,” Johnny replied with a chuckle, his bright blue eyes sparkling a bit as Warren broke the tension of the mission with his wit. “I just can’t wait sometimes. Killin’ greenies gets me a little…anxious. Gotta keep my options open, ya know? Besides, she’s a better fighter than your goofy ass. Ain’t that right Mamimi?”
“Yes, that’s right!” The sickeningly cheerful reply of the neko rung in the ears of the other three Nepleslians of the quartet as she quickly did a few corkscrew twirls with her vehicle, leaving bubbling blue trails of foam behind her as she did so.
Warren grumbled to himself and turned back around, revving up his turbine-bike a bit to catch up to Kennedy. It was times like this that he wished he hadn’t given his buddy Johnny a neko like that for a birthday gift. It seemed like a good idea at the time…what red-blooded Nepleslian didn’t enjoy his own personal slave? Warren did have to admit, though, that the little blue-haired bundle of joy had grown on him over the years…but that didn’t maker her any less annoying. Johnny certainly seemed to enjoy her, and that was enough for Warren, though. “…shit, you know she only won that fight last week ‘cause I was drunk.”
“She won because you were drunk, and because you’re the fuckin’ stupidest brawler ever.” Kennedy cut into the conversation, his resolute and deep voice penetrating the channel, as if demanding to be heard. Warren growled a bigger huff of indignity at Kennedy’s comment. “Oh yeah? Shit TK, we all know you’re just sore that ya forgot to rebuilding your fuckin’ cock. Can’t enjoy a good neko for what it’s worth, hehe.”
Kennedy smirked at his friends’ comment…or he would’ve smirked, if he had the lips to do it. After years of living the hard life in Nepleslia, Kennedy had replaced nearly 90% of his body with cybernetics, and this left him, visibly, a little of an eyesore. But Johnny and Warren still hung around him for one reason or another. Maybe it was because his menacing appearance garnered a lot more respect than his old fleshy body…or maybe it was the fact that he nearly always bought the booze when the four of them when they all went out to bar-hopping every Tuesday. “Didn’t need it. Now shuddap and get ready. We’re closing in on that position.” was all the Tin Kan could reply.
“Fu~ck yeah!” Warren agreed with enthusiasm. “Let’s mop these little shits up. I got a date with a big glass of grog after this.”
“Shit. And I’m probably gonna have to stiff the bill.” Kennedy said with a metallic sigh.
“Well, since you offered! You’re such a pal, Kan Man!”
The four of them laughed in joking revelry as the glided along the swirling waters, continuing onward towards their objective.
---
After another minute of chugging along in silence, Mamimi attempted to open a private short-range conversation with Johnny. She often did this during missions, but while others would find this annoying and out of place for one in her position, Johnny himself didn’t seem to mind most of the time. Her tone was very quiet at first, as if asking for some form or permission to speak before bringing it up a bit as the conversation went on.
“Master, have you gotten the hang of riding these things?”
“Yeah, I got it Mamimi.”
“Do you want me to look over Warren and TK again this time?”
Johnny didn’t answer that one immediately, instead waiting for a moment to see if the other two in the small patrol squad had overheard the comment. The communication channel was indeed private…and there was no reply, so it must be fairly secure enough. He felt as if he needed to apologize to the neko as well, for the comment he made about her earlier…but that seemed redundant at this point, as he had apologized for the same thing so many times that Mamimi herself had actually asked him to stop taking it so hard on himself. It still left a little sourness in his mouth that he had to put up airs in front of Warren and Kennedy when it came to Mamimi, as it always had ever since Warren bought her for Johnny a few years back. Now was hardly the time to muse over such things, however.
“Yeah, keep an eye on them. If they start getting into trouble, tell me so I can go help them out.”
“I shall watch over Master first, though.” She always did, whether he told her to or not.
“…you won’t have to after this mission.”
“Master?”
Johnny sighed inwardly, both glad and regretful that he had made this decision final before they left the hangars of the Red base. “I’m quitting this damn fight. I got a small ship from Dave today. After this mission, I’m taking it and we’re getting off this damn rock. Doesn’t make a lick of sense to stick around…and I’d rather be out there in the stars than sitting in the mud here. Would you like that, Mamimi? No war, no greens or reds…just us floating out there.”
His plan was disastrous to begin with. He didn’t know how he would make it past the Green blockade in the rusty bucket that old junker had sold him. Johnny had considered taking it up into space and surrendering, in hopes that they would let him pass…but he knew how the Green government felt about nekos. If they found Mamimi, she would be taken away, or worse. That was the last thing Johnny wanted. He decided to at least try and outmaneuver them, sneak through a small break in the massive military ships surrounding Kennewes. Johnny was young, brash and inexperienced in such things…but he wanted to believe that it would work. Just like he wanted to believe that keeping Mamimi was the right thing to do, despite what his life on Kennewes had taught him. After all…she was a slave. He was doing her a favor by keeping her away from others.
Mamimi didn’t seem to voice any other emotion that unbridled joy at her master’s question. She squealed in delight at Johnny through the private channel, oblivious to any and all problems the plan had presented to her simplified mind.
“Oh master…I would like that so much! Are Warren and TK coming with us?”
Johnny paused again. He had not told Kennedy…or even Warren. He knew both of them would disapprove of this plan, and in turn endanger their friendship. But Johnny wanted off Kennewes. He wanted it bad enough to risk forsaking the friendship he had built with Kennedy, the solemn cybernetic man who had been much like a father to him, and Warren, whom Johnny had known nearly all of his life. The two of them were only four pods apart in the cloning vats…they were practically brothers. It was Warren himself who brought Mamimi to him…and he was planning on deserting the two, right in the midst of this war. Johnny hated himself for it, but at the same time was already dead-set on his plans. He hoped that after a year or so of space faring he would return to his friends, and find that they had forgiven him and would welcome him back. The young Nepleslian cursed himself for not being strong enough to man up and tell them directly. But this was how Johnny was going to do it. His mind was made up.
“They said they wanted to stay here. Don’t worry Mamimi. We’ll visit them every so often.”
“Yes! Yes, I would like that!”
“Then it’s settled. Let’s wipe these strays up, and it’ll be the first thing we do when we get back. Promise.”
“Yes master! I will do my best!”
---
As the four comrades neared the area of the last sonar pulses they slowed down to a cruising speed, all of them scanning the area for hints of a possible ambush. They knew two enemy armors were detected in this area, away from the larger group of enemy signatures a few kilometers beyond the horizon. They listened intently to the chatter ringing through the patrol squads at that area. Things didn’t sound like they were going too well.
“…sonuva bitch. I knew Pokey couldn’t fuckin’ handle this shit. Should we go over there and help them out? They sound like they’re getting fucked over,” Warren voiced in slight concern as he lowered his depth closer to the sea floor.
“No. We finish up here,” came Kennedy’s reply, solid and firm, a direct order to the rest of his small patrol squad. “There are only two here. We’ll kill them, then move to assi-”
Suddenly, Warren’s HUD flashed red as his Dark Demon armor informed him of incoming fire. The shots glanced off of his shield, but it still caught him by surprise as he attempted to make evasive actions. “FUCK! Where did that come from?!”
The four Red riders scrambled and dove around on their vehicles, setting up a perimeter to commence a sweep for the two hidden armors. Although they would occasionally fire upon them, a visual could not be achieved, much to the chagrin of the Red patrol squad. Kennedy finally became fed up with trying to goad these two Greenies out of their holes.
“Screw it. Johnny, Warren, drop your squealers,” the cybernetic squad leader instructed as he continued to circle the perimeter. The two Red soldiers nodded and did as hey were told, swooping in low around the area and each of them dropping a single Sonar Pulse beacon.
The small, round objects were only able to float downwards for a few seconds before the two Green enemies shot them down. This was what Kennedy wanted. Not only would this give another chance to spot where the fire was coming from in the mossy depths, but the sonar pulse from each grenade would effectively map the entire area and most definitely locate their hiding place. As the pulses radiated outwards from each exploded beacon, large amounts of navigational data poured into each of the Red’s powered armors. It also revealed the exact location of to two enemy armors.
“ENGAGE.” Kennedy replied with a simple order.
Their targets were revealed to be an NDI Warhawk-class assault powered armor, and what appeared to be a variant of the NAM AIR high-mobility armor. While his three other companions were not that knowledgeable about Green military powered armors, Kennedy himself had seen enough of them to know how much of a threat they posed. The Warhawk seemed to take a more defensive position in the kelp growths, while the AIR2 rose out of its cover to meet his foes. Kennedy let his cybernetic brain process all of the possible scenarios.
“Alright…you three take on that stupid fuck comin’ out to fight us. I can handle this NDI fuckwad myself,” the metal man said with a sneer. His confidence was a little short-sighted, stemming from only a single win against a Phalanx armor earlier in his career. Of course, he selectively chose to forget that it was this fight with an NDI Phalanx that changed roughly 30% of his body from flesh to solid metal. Still…he figured that he could at least stall the NDI armor until the other three were done moping up the other.
“Is that a fucking spear? HAW, what the hell is he gonna do with that? Poke a fire? What a joke!”
“Just don’t be a dumbass, stick together and kill the bastard. Then come assist me. Got it?”
“Right!”
“Hell yeah!”
“Affirmative!”
---
Kennedy would soon find himself in a firefight with the Warhawk-clad Green, both of their guns blazing in opposing directions. The ocean environment did little to help his Type 1…the shot velocity was greatly disturbed by the water, and had very little effect on the NDI armor. The Red squad leader continued to unleash volley after volley from the weapon anyway, dodging and weaving around his target, utilizing his superior speed to hopefully take advantage of the situation. It was not his goal to ‘win’ this fight by himself, after all; the cybernetic Red smirked maliciously as he continued with his plan of distraction…he even considered trying a different tactic, as the Warhawk’s autocannon rounds also seemed to be less effective in the scenario. After a quick moment of decision, Kennedy changed his course slightly…into a collision course.
Meanwhile, the other three Red soldiers were more or less having the same luck. At first they exchanged volleys of Type 1 cannonfire at the rapid-moving AIR armor, neither side really gaining any advantage. The Green armor then attempted to release a volley of those annoying little mini-missiles…but their effectiveness in the speed department was quickly reduced in the viscous liquid environment, and were easily targetable as a result.
Johnny, Mamimi speeding in closely behind him, was unlucky enough to have shot one of the DARTs that got a bit too close, and the chaff from the small explosion garbled his HUD ever so slightly as he surged through the free-floating bits of interference. “Damn it…I hate these freaking things! Fucking annoying little…”
Warren chuckled shortly as he swung his turbine around for another pass at his Green target. “Dude, just ignore those things and keep hitting this fucking Greenie. He’s gotta go down sometime. TK, how’re you doing over there?” The Nepleslian asked, trying to keep his focus on his foe while he checked on his squad leaders’ status.
Kennedy gave no response, however. After a moment, Warren looked up and over at Kennedy’s position. The enhanced Nepleslian was still quite alive, and was seemingly making short work of his target through a number of very brutal-looking rams and slams with his turbine-mount. “…sonuva bitch, I hate it when Kennedy gets like that. He doesn’t listen or care about a fucking thing when he fights other than killing his target.”
This was true, for the most part. Kennedy was known to get far too focused on his foes when he fought, to the point where he would often simply filter out anything and everything else, including communications from his allies. As the cybernetic Red continued to assault his Warhawk adversary he paid little attention to the rest of his comrades…and occasionally would also neglect damage to his body. A critical flaw in his personality, perhaps, but this was how he always was, him being nearly completely cybernetic. It had it’s advantages, however; the Warhawk had gotten a good shot at his leg, which breached the DD’s armor. The depressurization that occurred wasn’t a problem at all for his solid metal frame, and what little damage his cybernetic leg did sustain was negligible at best. Kennedy pressed his attack further, each pass hammering his opponent further with the bulky mass of his turbine-bike.
Johnny also glanced over at Kennedy’s position as well when Warren made his comment. The young Nepleslian often did worry about his friend when he got into one of those moods. However, Johnny’s worry was short-lived as he heard Mamimi’s voice blare out into his ear. “Master! Look out!”
The Red soldier turned his torso around just in time to see his HUD highlight an object surging towards him. Before he could react and attempt to dodge the object slammed heavily into the side of his vehicle and emitted a bright explosive flash. Johnny cried out in surprise, thinking for sure that he most certainly had just bought the farm…but would be relieved to realize that he was still very much alive. ‘An EMP shot?’ Johnny thought as his eyes darted across his HUD to assess the damages. His relief to find most of his systems still intact was short lived, however, as he heard Mamimi cry out in a very similar fashion. Johnny glanced behind him to find Mamimi in the same situation, visibly shaken but not out for the count. But something else caught his attention as well when he looked over his neko; her turbine-vehicle had stopped functioning.
And so did his.
---
During the Kennewes Offensive, a Green-Faction armored assault on an underwater Red base forced a small patrol squad of four Red soldiers into a fight from which they did not walk away from. Their names were Jonathan “Johnny” Fennington, Mamimi, Warren Yandle and Kennedy “Tin Kan” Marshall, and they belonged to the 145th Kennewes Armor Squad, “The Jim Dandies”. Each of them died serving the Red Star Army.
---
A few hundred meters away from the battle Epsilon Squad was enduring, four Dark Demon armors were speeding across the wide ocean expanse. Kennedy and Warren were taking point up front, with Johnny and Mamimi trailing close behind, keeping an eye on the rear. It had been roughly four minutes since their patrol leader sent them to investigate a possible flank attempt by the Green armor squad that was moving towards the base…and they were slowly closing in on the last known area they had received sonar signals from. Johnny seemed a bit distracted, however, occasionally glancing off into the ocean expanse to his side, allowing his turbine-vehicle to hiccup occasionally.
“Ungh. This stupid neck brace is broken again. Piece of shit Zen Arms bullshit. I swear, I fix this thing every damn mission,” Warren mumbled as he rolled his head around the joint of his neck inside his Dark Demon armor.
A female voice rose into the communication channel. “You should not be so rough with your armor. It would not break as often if you were more careful.”
Warren mumbled a few curses under his breath…all in good nature, of course. “Hey Johnny, speed it up man! We’re on the clock here!”
This wake-up call jerked Johnny out of his daze, and he quickly zoomed forward to catch up to his comrades, Mamimi following closely behind to her master. The neko was always close to her master…it was the same whether it was on land, in the ocean, off duty, or right in the middle of a mission. One could say Mamimi was as loyal as they come to Johnny…after all, that’s what the brainwashing and de-installation processes were for.
“…man, I still can’t believe they let ya bring that damn thing,” Warren joked at Johnny as he turned his torso to face them. He threw an open-palmed gesture at the rider beside Johnny as he continued. “Last time I checked, people kept their damn pets inside.”
“Heh, you know me Warren,” Johnny replied with a chuckle, his bright blue eyes sparkling a bit as Warren broke the tension of the mission with his wit. “I just can’t wait sometimes. Killin’ greenies gets me a little…anxious. Gotta keep my options open, ya know? Besides, she’s a better fighter than your goofy ass. Ain’t that right Mamimi?”
“Yes, that’s right!” The sickeningly cheerful reply of the neko rung in the ears of the other three Nepleslians of the quartet as she quickly did a few corkscrew twirls with her vehicle, leaving bubbling blue trails of foam behind her as she did so.
Warren grumbled to himself and turned back around, revving up his turbine-bike a bit to catch up to Kennedy. It was times like this that he wished he hadn’t given his buddy Johnny a neko like that for a birthday gift. It seemed like a good idea at the time…what red-blooded Nepleslian didn’t enjoy his own personal slave? Warren did have to admit, though, that the little blue-haired bundle of joy had grown on him over the years…but that didn’t maker her any less annoying. Johnny certainly seemed to enjoy her, and that was enough for Warren, though. “…shit, you know she only won that fight last week ‘cause I was drunk.”
“She won because you were drunk, and because you’re the fuckin’ stupidest brawler ever.” Kennedy cut into the conversation, his resolute and deep voice penetrating the channel, as if demanding to be heard. Warren growled a bigger huff of indignity at Kennedy’s comment. “Oh yeah? Shit TK, we all know you’re just sore that ya forgot to rebuilding your fuckin’ cock. Can’t enjoy a good neko for what it’s worth, hehe.”
Kennedy smirked at his friends’ comment…or he would’ve smirked, if he had the lips to do it. After years of living the hard life in Nepleslia, Kennedy had replaced nearly 90% of his body with cybernetics, and this left him, visibly, a little of an eyesore. But Johnny and Warren still hung around him for one reason or another. Maybe it was because his menacing appearance garnered a lot more respect than his old fleshy body…or maybe it was the fact that he nearly always bought the booze when the four of them when they all went out to bar-hopping every Tuesday. “Didn’t need it. Now shuddap and get ready. We’re closing in on that position.” was all the Tin Kan could reply.
“Fu~ck yeah!” Warren agreed with enthusiasm. “Let’s mop these little shits up. I got a date with a big glass of grog after this.”
“Shit. And I’m probably gonna have to stiff the bill.” Kennedy said with a metallic sigh.
“Well, since you offered! You’re such a pal, Kan Man!”
The four of them laughed in joking revelry as the glided along the swirling waters, continuing onward towards their objective.
---
After another minute of chugging along in silence, Mamimi attempted to open a private short-range conversation with Johnny. She often did this during missions, but while others would find this annoying and out of place for one in her position, Johnny himself didn’t seem to mind most of the time. Her tone was very quiet at first, as if asking for some form or permission to speak before bringing it up a bit as the conversation went on.
“Master, have you gotten the hang of riding these things?”
“Yeah, I got it Mamimi.”
“Do you want me to look over Warren and TK again this time?”
Johnny didn’t answer that one immediately, instead waiting for a moment to see if the other two in the small patrol squad had overheard the comment. The communication channel was indeed private…and there was no reply, so it must be fairly secure enough. He felt as if he needed to apologize to the neko as well, for the comment he made about her earlier…but that seemed redundant at this point, as he had apologized for the same thing so many times that Mamimi herself had actually asked him to stop taking it so hard on himself. It still left a little sourness in his mouth that he had to put up airs in front of Warren and Kennedy when it came to Mamimi, as it always had ever since Warren bought her for Johnny a few years back. Now was hardly the time to muse over such things, however.
“Yeah, keep an eye on them. If they start getting into trouble, tell me so I can go help them out.”
“I shall watch over Master first, though.” She always did, whether he told her to or not.
“…you won’t have to after this mission.”
“Master?”
Johnny sighed inwardly, both glad and regretful that he had made this decision final before they left the hangars of the Red base. “I’m quitting this damn fight. I got a small ship from Dave today. After this mission, I’m taking it and we’re getting off this damn rock. Doesn’t make a lick of sense to stick around…and I’d rather be out there in the stars than sitting in the mud here. Would you like that, Mamimi? No war, no greens or reds…just us floating out there.”
His plan was disastrous to begin with. He didn’t know how he would make it past the Green blockade in the rusty bucket that old junker had sold him. Johnny had considered taking it up into space and surrendering, in hopes that they would let him pass…but he knew how the Green government felt about nekos. If they found Mamimi, she would be taken away, or worse. That was the last thing Johnny wanted. He decided to at least try and outmaneuver them, sneak through a small break in the massive military ships surrounding Kennewes. Johnny was young, brash and inexperienced in such things…but he wanted to believe that it would work. Just like he wanted to believe that keeping Mamimi was the right thing to do, despite what his life on Kennewes had taught him. After all…she was a slave. He was doing her a favor by keeping her away from others.
Mamimi didn’t seem to voice any other emotion that unbridled joy at her master’s question. She squealed in delight at Johnny through the private channel, oblivious to any and all problems the plan had presented to her simplified mind.
“Oh master…I would like that so much! Are Warren and TK coming with us?”
Johnny paused again. He had not told Kennedy…or even Warren. He knew both of them would disapprove of this plan, and in turn endanger their friendship. But Johnny wanted off Kennewes. He wanted it bad enough to risk forsaking the friendship he had built with Kennedy, the solemn cybernetic man who had been much like a father to him, and Warren, whom Johnny had known nearly all of his life. The two of them were only four pods apart in the cloning vats…they were practically brothers. It was Warren himself who brought Mamimi to him…and he was planning on deserting the two, right in the midst of this war. Johnny hated himself for it, but at the same time was already dead-set on his plans. He hoped that after a year or so of space faring he would return to his friends, and find that they had forgiven him and would welcome him back. The young Nepleslian cursed himself for not being strong enough to man up and tell them directly. But this was how Johnny was going to do it. His mind was made up.
“They said they wanted to stay here. Don’t worry Mamimi. We’ll visit them every so often.”
“Yes! Yes, I would like that!”
“Then it’s settled. Let’s wipe these strays up, and it’ll be the first thing we do when we get back. Promise.”
“Yes master! I will do my best!”
---
As the four comrades neared the area of the last sonar pulses they slowed down to a cruising speed, all of them scanning the area for hints of a possible ambush. They knew two enemy armors were detected in this area, away from the larger group of enemy signatures a few kilometers beyond the horizon. They listened intently to the chatter ringing through the patrol squads at that area. Things didn’t sound like they were going too well.
“…sonuva bitch. I knew Pokey couldn’t fuckin’ handle this shit. Should we go over there and help them out? They sound like they’re getting fucked over,” Warren voiced in slight concern as he lowered his depth closer to the sea floor.
“No. We finish up here,” came Kennedy’s reply, solid and firm, a direct order to the rest of his small patrol squad. “There are only two here. We’ll kill them, then move to assi-”
Suddenly, Warren’s HUD flashed red as his Dark Demon armor informed him of incoming fire. The shots glanced off of his shield, but it still caught him by surprise as he attempted to make evasive actions. “FUCK! Where did that come from?!”
The four Red riders scrambled and dove around on their vehicles, setting up a perimeter to commence a sweep for the two hidden armors. Although they would occasionally fire upon them, a visual could not be achieved, much to the chagrin of the Red patrol squad. Kennedy finally became fed up with trying to goad these two Greenies out of their holes.
“Screw it. Johnny, Warren, drop your squealers,” the cybernetic squad leader instructed as he continued to circle the perimeter. The two Red soldiers nodded and did as hey were told, swooping in low around the area and each of them dropping a single Sonar Pulse beacon.
The small, round objects were only able to float downwards for a few seconds before the two Green enemies shot them down. This was what Kennedy wanted. Not only would this give another chance to spot where the fire was coming from in the mossy depths, but the sonar pulse from each grenade would effectively map the entire area and most definitely locate their hiding place. As the pulses radiated outwards from each exploded beacon, large amounts of navigational data poured into each of the Red’s powered armors. It also revealed the exact location of to two enemy armors.
“ENGAGE.” Kennedy replied with a simple order.
Their targets were revealed to be an NDI Warhawk-class assault powered armor, and what appeared to be a variant of the NAM AIR high-mobility armor. While his three other companions were not that knowledgeable about Green military powered armors, Kennedy himself had seen enough of them to know how much of a threat they posed. The Warhawk seemed to take a more defensive position in the kelp growths, while the AIR2 rose out of its cover to meet his foes. Kennedy let his cybernetic brain process all of the possible scenarios.
“Alright…you three take on that stupid fuck comin’ out to fight us. I can handle this NDI fuckwad myself,” the metal man said with a sneer. His confidence was a little short-sighted, stemming from only a single win against a Phalanx armor earlier in his career. Of course, he selectively chose to forget that it was this fight with an NDI Phalanx that changed roughly 30% of his body from flesh to solid metal. Still…he figured that he could at least stall the NDI armor until the other three were done moping up the other.
“Is that a fucking spear? HAW, what the hell is he gonna do with that? Poke a fire? What a joke!”
“Just don’t be a dumbass, stick together and kill the bastard. Then come assist me. Got it?”
“Right!”
“Hell yeah!”
“Affirmative!”
---
Kennedy would soon find himself in a firefight with the Warhawk-clad Green, both of their guns blazing in opposing directions. The ocean environment did little to help his Type 1…the shot velocity was greatly disturbed by the water, and had very little effect on the NDI armor. The Red squad leader continued to unleash volley after volley from the weapon anyway, dodging and weaving around his target, utilizing his superior speed to hopefully take advantage of the situation. It was not his goal to ‘win’ this fight by himself, after all; the cybernetic Red smirked maliciously as he continued with his plan of distraction…he even considered trying a different tactic, as the Warhawk’s autocannon rounds also seemed to be less effective in the scenario. After a quick moment of decision, Kennedy changed his course slightly…into a collision course.
Meanwhile, the other three Red soldiers were more or less having the same luck. At first they exchanged volleys of Type 1 cannonfire at the rapid-moving AIR armor, neither side really gaining any advantage. The Green armor then attempted to release a volley of those annoying little mini-missiles…but their effectiveness in the speed department was quickly reduced in the viscous liquid environment, and were easily targetable as a result.
Johnny, Mamimi speeding in closely behind him, was unlucky enough to have shot one of the DARTs that got a bit too close, and the chaff from the small explosion garbled his HUD ever so slightly as he surged through the free-floating bits of interference. “Damn it…I hate these freaking things! Fucking annoying little…”
Warren chuckled shortly as he swung his turbine around for another pass at his Green target. “Dude, just ignore those things and keep hitting this fucking Greenie. He’s gotta go down sometime. TK, how’re you doing over there?” The Nepleslian asked, trying to keep his focus on his foe while he checked on his squad leaders’ status.
Kennedy gave no response, however. After a moment, Warren looked up and over at Kennedy’s position. The enhanced Nepleslian was still quite alive, and was seemingly making short work of his target through a number of very brutal-looking rams and slams with his turbine-mount. “…sonuva bitch, I hate it when Kennedy gets like that. He doesn’t listen or care about a fucking thing when he fights other than killing his target.”
This was true, for the most part. Kennedy was known to get far too focused on his foes when he fought, to the point where he would often simply filter out anything and everything else, including communications from his allies. As the cybernetic Red continued to assault his Warhawk adversary he paid little attention to the rest of his comrades…and occasionally would also neglect damage to his body. A critical flaw in his personality, perhaps, but this was how he always was, him being nearly completely cybernetic. It had it’s advantages, however; the Warhawk had gotten a good shot at his leg, which breached the DD’s armor. The depressurization that occurred wasn’t a problem at all for his solid metal frame, and what little damage his cybernetic leg did sustain was negligible at best. Kennedy pressed his attack further, each pass hammering his opponent further with the bulky mass of his turbine-bike.
Johnny also glanced over at Kennedy’s position as well when Warren made his comment. The young Nepleslian often did worry about his friend when he got into one of those moods. However, Johnny’s worry was short-lived as he heard Mamimi’s voice blare out into his ear. “Master! Look out!”
The Red soldier turned his torso around just in time to see his HUD highlight an object surging towards him. Before he could react and attempt to dodge the object slammed heavily into the side of his vehicle and emitted a bright explosive flash. Johnny cried out in surprise, thinking for sure that he most certainly had just bought the farm…but would be relieved to realize that he was still very much alive. ‘An EMP shot?’ Johnny thought as his eyes darted across his HUD to assess the damages. His relief to find most of his systems still intact was short lived, however, as he heard Mamimi cry out in a very similar fashion. Johnny glanced behind him to find Mamimi in the same situation, visibly shaken but not out for the count. But something else caught his attention as well when he looked over his neko; her turbine-vehicle had stopped functioning.
And so did his.
