Armored Core: Age of the League

Raven stood on the catwalk leading up to White Glint, his NEXT, inspecting it closely for any damage that might be left after the repairs. He spent a while there until he was satisfied.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" Came a voice over Raven's comm link in his helmet from his Operator, Serene Haze.

"No," Raven replied. Only his Operator has ever heard his real voice; the voice came out as a heavily modulated voice in the busy hangar. It was hardly noticeable over the noise. He decided to check the board for new missions from the companies. With one last glance at White Glint, he made his way out of the hangars and into the commons, drawing curious looks from the other Lynx pilots.

"GA is starting to recruit more Lynx. They seem very intent on developing a NEXT that can be used by Normal pilots."

"Yes," Raven muttered in reply. He never really spoke much. His first stop was in the Algebra section of the Collared HQ. The red was a little offsetting, but he didn't pay it too much attention. He stopped in front of the contracts board and tapped a few spots, on missions that caught his eye. He decided to spend some time there looking them through before moving on.

Panther continued down the halls, he wasn't going anywhere in particular, just wandering. A voice came on in his ear, "Your going to have to do something you know."
"Yeah I know." He said, he continued to walk down the hall and bumped into someone wearing a pilots suit, "Sorry." He said.

Raven cast a glance at the Lynx who walked straight into him. Despite the helmet, it was a somewhat disapproving look. A Lynx should be more aware than that. He simply shook his head and looked back at the Algebra board. He tapped a contract that contained information on an Interior Union fleet. "Interesting," he muttered, just loud enough for Serene Haze, and anyone near the board, to hear.

"Thinking of taking that one? Seems pretty easy for you," his Operator observed.
"Nobody else has taken it so far," he responded. Such conversations were normal for other pilots to overhear; only the Lynx had access to the channels their Operators spoke over.

Panther could hear the person (Who he had deduced was probably a Lynx by the suit) talking about a job on the board. "What are you talking about over there, and who are you by the way." He said, a little rougher than one would to someone they just met.

Raven turned his helmeted gaze towards the pilot again and shook his head. "Callsign Raven." He looked back at the contract board, satisfied with his answer. Any Lynx worth his salt knew that he was the pilot of White Glint, and Collared Rank 1. If this Lynx didn't know that, then he was a newcomer, and had no place talking to him like that. An Order Match ought to put him in his place.

"Raven." Sounds familiar "Anyway, you still haven't answered what you're talking about." He said.

Raven shook his head and looked at the pilot. "The missions you haven't picked up." He looked back at the mission board. "Are you going to insist on continuing to bother me with pointless questions?" He asked, still facing the board.

"Maybe." He said, he was a little bothered by this pilot.
"You ought to be careful." Shade warned.

Raven sighed and looked at the pilot again. "You sound like you ought to be put in your place," the heavily modulated voice said. It was a deep baritone rumble that was part felt, part heard. "I suggest you prove yourself before you go around making trouble." This time, Raven continued to stare at this pilot.

"Really then." He retorted.
"I warned you." Shade sighed.

"Haze," he said to his Operator, "Look this Lynx up in Algebra's database. Schedule an Order Match. As soon as possible." He brushed past the pilot just after he spoke, making his way to an Algebra terminal to look him up on his own.
"If you say so," came the reply.

"Fine with me." He said.
"You can be so brash sometimes." He said.

Raven tapped through the various Algebra menus, casting a glance back at the pilot. "Black Strider. Never heard of it." He studied the makeup of the Armored Core. "SOLUH frame. Close quarters. Speed based." He sighed and shook his head. "Great. Another one of those matches," he muttered.
"I've got your match scheduled. I recommend getting White Glint ready to go. It's soon. Very soon," Serene Haze informed him.
"Right," was all Raven said before closing down the terminal and walking towards the hangars.

Panther went to go prepare Black Strider, he didn't care who this Lynx was but he would be ready when the time came, "So, at least I'm doing something today." He said sarcasticaly.

Raven climbed into the Core of White Glint, and settled into his place. He engaged the AMS by inserting a single cable into the back of his helmet, feeling the familiar psychic stress the system brought with it. It wasn't anything too bad; he was known for his incredible AMS aptitude. "Where am I headed?" He asked his Operator.
"Old Peace City. It took a bit of convincing, but I got it for you."
"Good. I can use the terrain to my advantage then." It was a flat battlefield with a few buildings standing. Automated repair bots were still active on the surface, and rebuilt the buildings destroyed in Order Matches. It was one of his favoured battle areas. White Glint came to life, the protective covers sliding away from the eyes to allow him to see. "Let's get going then." He walked White Glint out of the hangar, and leaped off the Cradle. The back wings of the Core opened, revealing his Overed Boosters, and engaged them, sending him rocketing down towards the surface.

White Glint alighted upon the ground with careful booster control by Raven. He waited for the arrival of the craft Black Strider atop the tallest building in the area, located roughly in the center of the battlefield. A small windstorm had kicked up; not enough to move a NEXT, but enough to whip up a light covering of sand. Just enough to annoy Raven. "We couldn't have picked a worse time."
"Oh, get over it. You've fought in worse conditions before. Remember the Desert? Against Otsdarva?" Quipped Serene Haze.
"You don't need to remind me," Raven muttered. It was a very close fight. Both NEXTs had run out of ammunition. He won by a last-ditch Assault Armor attack following a missed blade attack. He caught Otsdarva without enough energy to Quick Boost. He shifted his gaze up and spotted Black Strider on its descent. "Looks like our guest of honor is here," he observed.

"Order Match beginning in three. Two. One," Serene Haze gave a countdown.
White Glint leaped off the rooftop into the air, using boosters to keep it aloft. "This'll be over quick," Raven stated confidently as he fired a single shot from his laser rifle to start off the fight.

White Glint cast a quick glance at Black Strider's trajectory and scoffed. "How predictable," he stated flatly as he rose his grenade launcher and fired at the base of the building, not only causing it to collapse under the power of the explosion, but also dealing some damage to Black Strider should it have gotten too close. "Let's see how long he can keep this up."

White Glint simply Quick Boosted to its left, catching a few bullets from the sub-machine gun, and fired its laser rifle to catch Black Strider in the Core as it flew towards it. "No blades yet? Disappointing, however gutsy," he mused as his Gatling Cannon pivoted around and engaged, sending large bullets after Black Strider from behind.