Lost in a peaceful Planet

EDN III

On the night sky of a colonized planet of EDN III. Littered across the empty sands are multiple disabled Vital Suits and a large artillery train without any signs of life. Until three humanoid figures emerged from the overturned Osprey as they planted their feet on the sand accompanied with simultaneous grunts and then weakly straighten themselves up as they slowly wander around the mess caused by the crash as their minds filled with confusion. Those said figures are part of the group called the EX-Nevec, the commander of the group who was wearing a recognizeable white colored uniform is now approaching towards a nearby VS and stopped as he then takes a knee and brought out his PDA. The small handheld device then lits up as the commander began scanning the unoccupied Vital Suit.

"The Thermal Energy's not working." he muttered as the device displaying him no T-ENG reserve was found inside the VS.

"Commander!" he then heard one of his men calling him "The sun's coming up!"

The commander gets back on his feet while placing his PDA back into his pouch as he then slowly walks towards the beachside before stepping into the water as it begin changing colors.

"What is this?" the EX-Nevec commander asked to himself as the clear blue water is now colored bright orange while he was witnessing it in wonder before he then focused his attention at something else on the horizon as the Sun started to rise. Behind him, his men followed their leader's action as they're walking towards the shore and then looking at what he was seeing. Unaware of the figure behind them.

Leaning against the Osprey carriage with his arms crossed against his chest, a lone Mercenary was watching them for a while before he decided that he has other things to do as he then walks away leaving them to their business. Soon, more and more pirates and the EX-Nevec arrived at the beach as they then gaze longingly at the single mountain with a large, metallic cylinder protruding out of it in the distance.

"I can't believe it." one of the EX-Nevec soldier spoke in disbelief while standing by his leaders side "Look at it all." he then looks at his commander "What happened?" he asked.

"We did it. We won." the EX-Nevec Commander simply replied still staring at the mountain "At least that's what I'd like to believe."

The soldier then took a glance at the mountain before he heard a sound of an engine running as he then snapped his attention towards the source. He then watched as the downed and slightly buried Hardballer's T-ENG intake glows orange and then it whirs to life as multiple screens lit up within the suit.

"We're back online." he speaks up. Gaining everyone's attention "Looks like the Thermal Energy still works." everyone on the beach then look at the VS before hearing another VS whirs back to life and soon more and more VSs started to become functional again. Everyone, excluding the EX-Nevec near the shore, began looking at eachother and then they nod their heads.

Later, pirates and former Nevec personnel alike on the beach got up and started repairing some of the damaged but functional VSs and managed to get them up and working again. Multiple Ospreys rose up to the skies while carrying multiple passengers within it as they then flew away. While some got most of the VSs working again as multiple Nidas and Drios started patrolling across the sands looking for any remaining survivors while the rest on foot started tending the wounded. As for the lone Mercenary earlier...

Unknown POV

Earlier before Sunrise

"Id... wa... p."

"C'm... n k... d... p." I then heard a voice speaking at something, probably me as my senses started coming back.

"Sleepyhead... wake up." I slowly blinked as my vision is blurred. Only for it to quickly cleared out as I then felt a hand rested on my shoulder as someone slowly shook me awake. I then blinked one last time before noticing that I'm now face to face with someone I thought I haven't see for a long time.

"Tr-Travis?" I weakly said as my eyes slowly widened in disbelief.

I heard him letting out a breath of relief as I watched him unclasp his gasmask, showing me a familiar face. He then greets me a friendly smile "Welcome back to the land of the living, kid." he speaks up as he then straighten himself and offered me his hand which I then held it with my own. He then pulls me back on my feet and helps me regaining my balance, when I've managed to gain my footing I gave him a grateful smile.

"Thanks Travis." I thanked him with a weak voice and he only replied with a handwave. I then decided to see where we are and saw that we're in an overturned Osprey carriage. Looking around the cramped box I've managed to find my EX-Nevec helmet lying on the floor, I then reach out to grab it only to struggle as my hand started shaking until Travis yanks it from the floor and gave it to me.

I then slowly took it from his grip while mouthing 'thanks' and clasped it behind my waist. After checking myself to make sure I have everything with me, I then paused as my face went blank, I quickly looked at Travis "What happened to 'it'?" I asked him the obvious question.

Travis then points his thumb at the opening above us "You should look at it yourself." he replied as he then grabs the ledge of the carriage and pulled himself up. He then crouches down on the same ledge and offered me his hand.

I looked at his hand while I'm standing still for a moment as I then closed my eyes and breathe in a little air before exhaling it out as I'm relaxing myself. I then opened my eyes and grabbed his hand, letting Travis pulling me up and when I'm now standing beside him I gave him a pat on the shoulder before looking at the horizon and then I saw it, surrounded by what looks like Thermal Energy infused ocean, is the Over-G. Or what's left of it, and now the only thing occupying its place and sticking out the top of the mountain like a sore thumb, is NEOS.

I then sit on the edge of the carriage while letting my legs hanging off the side as I watched the new day of EDN III appears and then I saw everyone on the beach doing the same thing, and now I quickly thought about it. It seems like we're... unified. Which is kinda uncommon nowadays and now I realized something as I then sub-consciously smiled while remembering the promise I gave to someone.

'Maybe... maybe this is what you wanted me to do.' I thought as I let my eyes wander down and then a single tear trails down my cheek.

I then felt a hand placed on my shoulder as I then look to my side and saw Travis looking at me with slight concern "You okay there, kid?" he asked.

My smile never fades "Nothing." I replied as I then looked back at the mountain "Just... thinking."

"Thinking of what?"

"About what should we do now?"

Travis chuckled "Maybe Akrid sighting and shooting?" he suggests, making me chuckle as I then gave him a challenging smirk.

"Best of 10 out of 30 Cat-Ms?" I asked.

Travis thinks about it and then he shakes his head "Nah. We'll do that later." he replied as he looks ahead "Right now. We'll just have to rest. Undoing this Nevec's shit and stopping this giant blob of Thermal Energy REALLY wores me out." he said as he then lies down on top of the carriage with his hands placed behind his head and then he closed his eyes while letting his legs dangling of the edge of it.

I began staring at him with a raised eyebrow and I then sighed "Yeah..." I muttered in agreement as I looked back at the crashed NEOS and then I leaned forward while placing my elbows on my knees with my hands propped underneath my cheek for support "Feels like I'm gonna go back home soon."

Travis then cracked one of his eye open and looked at me "You're kidding, right?" he says in slight disbelief.

I glanced at him before looking back at the horizon "Home is home. You know that right?"

He shrugs his shoulders "Whatever floats your boat, man." he then sits up and begin stretching out his arms as he grunts and a sound of popping was heard "Well, that's enough resting." Travis spoke as he jumps down from the carriage and then he looks at me "I've gotta go."

I raised my eyebrow "Go where?" I asked.

"Well, I'm going out with the remaining group. We got another pack of Akrids to get rid of and more Thermal Energy to collect." he replied as he then walks away before stopping a few steps later, he looks above his shoulder to take one last look at me "See ya later, buddy." Travis waves me goodbye as he then walks away which turned into a jog towards a group of mercenaries crowding near the buried Railway Gun with multiple Ospreys parked over there.

"Bye, Travis." I said under my breath as I then look up at the sky. Recalling the wild ride we've been through.

After having enough resting I jumped down from the carriage and then start walking along the shore until I heard an engine rumble causing me to halt my tracks as I watched one of the Vital Suit's T-ENG intake glows. Realization hit me and panic surging through my body as I then quickly looked at my harmonizer, only for me to relax as I sighed in relief when it looks like my Thermal reserves are still above acceptable levels and I continued my stroll.

Passing through everyone, I started looking for an unused Osprey and later I saw a VS carrier version of it sitting there without anyone standing close to it. Shrugging, I walked towards it until I heard a yell making me stop again.

"Watch it!"

"Are you blind!?"

"Watch where you steering that thing!"

Looking behind me I saw pirates jumping out of the way from a Vital Suit as it walks towards something. Until I realized that it's walking towards me as it gets closer and closer while I'm holding my ground until it stops a foot away from me. By the looks of it, it's a Triseed Model. We began staring at each-other without uttering a single word. Until I decided to take a few steps back and it suddenly mimics my moves as it took 2 steps forward. Repeating this process, it does the same thing. Having enough of this shenanigans I began stomping towards it with an irritated look on my face.

"Alright, stop it. You're making me nervous right now." I asked to someone inside the VS with a hint of annoyance in my tone.

The VS stares blankly at me for a second before it then kneels down and opens the pilot compartment. Showing me that there's... no one piloting it.

"Huh?" I muttered as my face contorts into confusion. Later, a few pirates joining behind me as they have a similar reaction as mine.

"There's no one piloting this thing?"

One of the sand pirate looked at me and nudged me by the shoulder "Hey, you got a dog or something in there?" he asked, gaining a few chuckles from a few pirates.

I then glanced at the sand pirate and replied by shaking my head as I turned around facing them "Can you guys move out of the way?" they took a hint as they then take a few steps back while I looked back at the Triseed with my eyes narrowed. Mentally preparing myself, I took two steps back.

The VS then whirs back to life as the pilot compartment retreats back into it and then it quickly follows my moves as it exactly takes two steps forward. I felt uneasy again as I then take one last step back, and it makes one step forwards.

I then tensed as I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder "Looks like you got yourself a semi-sentient Vital Suit." a familiar authorative voice speaks up and I quickly relaxed as I then looked back to see one of my EX-Nevec teammate.

"Semi-sentient?" I repeated his words.

He nods "Yes, what it means is that when a Vital Suit chooses its selective pilot, its combat efficiency increased. Simple as that." he replied "And yes, it acts like a dog." he said as he looks at the sand pirate who ask that question.

The said sand pirate paused for a moment and then he makes a fist pump as he cheers. Causing the rest of us to look at him and we then shake our heads at his display and soon the pirates have dispersed and started doing at what they're doing while my teammate pats my back as he then walk towards a nearby Troop transport Osprey. Leaving me with 'my' VS and the still unoccupied Osprey alone.

Looking back at the Osprey and then at "my" Triseed, I sighed with my eyes closed before opening them back as I look back at the VS "Come on, let's go" I ushered it to follow with a tired tone and it then follows me while I'm walking towards the Osprey. Not without bringing a few things with me of course.

Later, sitting within the coffin looking cockpit I started the normal starting procedure, when I've managed to get it online I then bring the Osprey into the air only to halt mid flight as I saw my Triseed morphed into a warbird mode and starts hovering beside me. Frowning, I transmitted an order at the Triseed and it then lands back onto the ground and transforms back into walker mode and stays there. Satisfied, I then hovered the Osprey above it and hook it up. With the Triseed secured underneath, I began flying back home.

Hours later

Frozen Wasteland

After a very lengthy flight, I have arrived towards my destination. In a different perspective, it's basically nowhere. In my perspective, something's hidden underneath the deepest blanket of snow. Dropping my VS to the ground and landed the Osprey afterwards. I then exited the pilot seat and took a peek inside the gunner's cockpit and saw my stuff in it.

I then began grabbing them starting with the duffel bag resting on the seat as I slung it over my shoulder and then grabbing the rest of my equipment like the Gun Sword, a handgun, couple of mags in a total of 250 rounds for my rifle and four mags for my handgun, two plasma grenades set to stun and one Buster Grenade. Without anything left inside the cockpit, I nodded to myself as I started walking towards a flat ground of snow while motioning my Triseed to follow me and it complies. Later, I brought out my hand in front of the VS and it stops.

Clapping my hands together and rubbing them afterwards "Alright then." I spoke at the VS "Now I want you-" I point at it "to stay here until I told you so." I said to it while my finger is pointing to the ground right next to me. And again it follows my order and stays where my finger was pointed to. Patting the Triseeds leg with a smile I then walk away from it and now I'm standing on a flat ground. Hands on my waist, I then began a secret knock.

*Thump*

Seconds later, a bunker emerged from the snow. With a smile I then calmly walk towards the door only to stop halfway as I felt something's wrong. I quickly take a look around me during the storm of the blizzard and then I saw a figure moving within the said storm. Dropping the duffel bag. I slowly grabbed my Gun Sword from my back as I cautiously walked into the storm.

Within the storm, my eyes dart around the storm and my heart rate starts beating fast as I quickly aimed my rifle around my general direction until I heard a rumble beneath me. Eyes snapped wide, I quickly dodge out of the way in time as a cloud of snow erupted from my last location. Stopping myself from rolling further, I then crouched and quickly aimed my rifle at the Akrid and waited for it to make its move as the cloud start to dissipate. When I've managed to get a good look at it I froze.

It's her...

Those familiar long abdomen buried beneath the snow, two large forearms with claws at the end and three pairs of smaller arms at her abdomen with two large, scythe-like tusks underneath her three segmented mouth and her eyes glowed bright orange of ferocity and lastly a familiar wound found underneath her left forearm.

The Chryatis Queen.

The Queen looks down at me and roared as she then raised one of her large forearm and swipes at me and I quickly dodged out of her telegraphed attack in reflex, having a window I quickly aimed my rifle at her glowing T-ENG deposit attached to the base of the arm.

And then I fired in full auto at it as round after round flies into the said deposit as it starts glowing dimmer and dimmer with its orange glowing ichor spilling out after each hit and then it breaks off. Her now detached forearm slowly topples to the ground while it's being encased in ice as it then crashed to the ground, shattering into million pieces.

The Queen then screams in agony after having her limb cut off as she begins flailing around and starts swinging her remaining attached forearm around her as I then quickly getting away from her wild swings.

Having a distance between me and her, I then crouched down and grabbed my Buster Grenade from my waist and then I threw it into the air above her. Looking back to the Queen, I saw her towering above me as she's glaring at me with a menacing gaze while her arm socket starts spilling out Thermal Energy.

She then heard a rapid beeping which then turned into a sound of a sucking vacuum behind her, causing her to look at the source curiously as the grenade starts emitting a bright glowing sphere around it and then it detonates. Engulfing her in a burning cloud of plasma as she then let out a screech of surprise while I'm covering myself from the blast.

After the smoke clears, I slowly cracked my eye open before snapping both of them wide as I then saw the Queen lying down on the ground, motionless. Not wasting any time, I quickly grabbed my helmet from my waist and placing it on my head as I begin running towards the downed CAT-G with my left forearm pointed at her back and my fist closed.

With a single motion of my fist, a hook launches out from the harmonizer and towards the Queens thick hide as it now latched onto her. Motioning my hand again, the anchor then reels me in towards her as I'm sliding along the ground feet first towards her back.

Landing on her back, I quickly retrieved my hook back into the harmonizer and then begin run across her back with my Gun Sword held to my side as it then extends its blade. With the blade fully extended, I then jumped into the air with my bayonet pointed towards the oval shaped T-ENG deposit on her head and as when I get closer to my target. I then suddenly got swatted away from her as I'm now stumbling across the snow before stopping.

Slowly lifting myself up, I then felt an unbearable pain on my shoulder as I grunt. Looking at my shoulder, I then saw my disjointed arm dangling of my side while still gripping my Gun Sword. Cringing, I shakily raised my left arm I then clenched my hand into a fist as the Harmonizer starts doing its work. Instantly, my right arm started reattached itself to my shoulder as I'm trying not to let out a yell.

After it's done I then leaned forward with my hands placed on my knees as I then quickly catch my breath. Only to pause as I realize the Queen's still alive, raising my head I saw her with her right arm have been replaced as she's writhing in pain while doing so as the front end of her left forearm appears from the arm socket and then it bursts out whole and The Queen looks at it and then she starts hunching down as she groans and then three pairs of lower arms burst out from her abdomen.

Relieved, she then looks at me with a predatory look.

I narrowed my eyes at her as I got back on my feet while she then hunched down with her newly replaced forearms placed on the ground accompanied with a smug look on her ugly face as I quickly switched mags on my rifle while still staring at the Queen.

After cocking the charging handle, I then charged at her. The Queen narrowed her eyes as she then straighten herself and started swinging down her arm on top of me. Seeing this, I quickly rolled out of the way as it impacts to the ground I then stopped and quickly aimed my anchor at the said forearm and fired my hook at it and start hoisting myself up into the air above her. While I'm in the air I quickly retract my hook and then aimed my anchor towards her head, only to be interrupted as she slams me back down to the ground causing a crater.

I would've died there if it weren't for the Harmonizer.

Shakily grabbing the edge of the crater, I pulled myself out of it as I've felt exhausted. I then stumbled along the ground feeling dizzy for a moment and as it subsides I then felt something's wrapped around me. Snapping myself back to reality, I then saw a familiar Akrid hide in front of me. Eyes wide, I slowly looked up and saw the Queen looking down on me.

Panicking, I started struggling in her grip only to stop as I heard a growl. Looking at her face again, the Queen then opens her mouth letting out a small puff of nitrogen. Realizing what she's going to do I quickly send a distress signal to my VS and bracing myself as she then lets out her ice breath, engulfing me whole.

THIRD POV

The Queen then stops her ice breath as she looks at her prey who is now frozen in ice within her smaller arms grip. Grabbing him with her large forearms as she then admires his frozen form before letting her smaller arms take hold of him again. She then lets out a roar into the skies as she retreats back into the snow with her victim in tow. Leaving a large gaping hole on the ground from her wake.

Later, a whirring sound was heard as the Triseed appeared from the storm as it then makes its way towards the sinkhole. As it gets closer, the VS hops into the air before transforming into Slider mode as it then dives into the caverns and starts chasing after the Queen and rescue its pilot.