South of the Fortress Shisuikan
Inside Imperial Territory
In the light of the next morning, above the flat rolling plain, flew the UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship as it made its way towards the Imperial Fortress. In its cockpit sat the android Synthetic Lance Bishop as he pilots the ship, all the while inputting information into the ship's computer of every visual data he sees.
Since his programming granted him the ability to obtain and process all sorts of information at 10 times that of a regular human, he was able to gather the local geography, topography, and thanks to the computer's built-in compass, even a rudimentary direction of North, East, South, and West. But to get a fix on Ripley's position, he'll need global positioning data for the computer. And for that to happen he'll need to acquire the necessary data on a massive scale.
Hence the reason why Corporal Dwayne Hicks was in the ship's passenger bay, hastily assembling a device, using tools, some tape, and a welding torch. As per Bishop's instructions.
"I don't understand, Bishop." Hicks questioned "Why are you flying us toward another populated settlement, if Ripley specifically told you not to contact the local natives?"
The synthetic technician finished making adjustments to the computer, and answers
"Because Corporal. We need a drop point for the probe I'm having you build. If we can set it on the surface and fly up into orbit, we can use the probe as a reference point to help map this planet's surface. Then, I can track Ripley's transmitter and bring us to her location."
Hicks puts down his tool and examines his creation. A modified communication transmitter coupled to a large power cell and a few processing hardware patched into its systems.
The probe's assembly and function was complicated, but thanks to Bishop's use of layman's terms and Hicks' own basic knowledge of Com-Tech engineering taught to him by his late loudmouth friend Hudson, the Corporal was able to build without it blowing up in his face.
"Don't need anymore burns on my cheek." he said to himself, while feeling the bandage attached to the side of his face. The wounds from the acid burns still ached, but he can feel the pain dulling by the hour.
Hicks wraps the probe in a protective layer of duct tape to keep all the components together, before securing it to a seat and stepping into the cockpit to join the ship's pilot.
"You still haven't told me, why are we heading towards a populated area?" He persisted.
Bishop looks at him and clarifies "Because if the probe malfunctions, gets damaged or destroyed. We'll need a visual landmark to find it again and make repairs or replace it."
The dropship lands on a clear field, just within view of the Fortress and Bishop lowers the ship's step ladder for Hicks to exit. The Corporal takes the probe, an electric auger, and a shovel, before stepping down the gantry.
"Use the drill to dig a hole, about 3 feet deep." instructed Bishop "Then activate the probe and gently lower it to the bottom. And use the shovel to bury it."
He then looks at the ship's forward camera view screen, and adds "I suggest we hurry, Corporal. I can see people coming. Six individuals approaching on horseback."
Hicks was already burying the probe when he heard about the inbound natives. He quickly gathered the auger and shovel when he suddenly felt something pointing at his nape
"Don't make any sudden moves" He said
Hicks slowly turned around towards his captor and found out what was pointing behind him; an old, but functional flamethrower, wielded by a heavily bearded man wearing a navy blue winter coat.
Beside him is another person, a bald, dark-skinned man wearing another winter coat and wielding another flamethrower. Lying beside them is an unconscious young woman with her hair at shoulder level.
"Isn't this too early for winter?" Hicks jokingly pointed out at their attire.
Outpost 31
South of the Fortress Shisuikan
"Mac, Mac, MAC!"
MacReady was jolted awake by Childs, tussling at his shoulders. The helicopter pilot was clutching on a bottle of scotch the moment they suddenly passed out. All he's feeling right now was a mix of a migraine and drowsiness
That feeling suddenly vanished the moment he saw something out of the ordinary; First, he can see a huge structure a few clicks away from the outpost, unlikely considering the nearest structure was a day's worth of travel by chopper. Second, the weather was perfectly normal aside from a slightly heavy wind. As far as he can remember, he and Childs were bound to die from a coming snowstorm. Lastly, there were trees nearby, something he definitely can't find in Antarctica
"Childs... where are we?" He confusingly asked as he had difficulty standing up, still feeling wobbly
"No idea Mac. Hell, maybe" Childs sarcastically answered. He had no clue to where they are now as well
"If we're in Hell, why bring the whole outpost?"
"I don't know. The moment I woke up, it was sunny as fuck. Had to search for someone until I spotted a snow truck" Childs recounts what he did the moment he woke up into this place
"And then what?"
"Of course I had to investigate. Turns out there's a woman lying on the steering wheel in the driver's seat, as well as another flamethrower, fully fueled. Truck barely had fuel to go far, so I figured about coming back to you"
He then gestured at the woman, alive but still unconscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag.
"What about the girl? Did you bother checking her blood?"
Childs simply gave him an assuring nod, then showed him a small patch wrapped on her thumb. MacReady sighs in relief, knowing full well what he was doing
"Mac, we should find something else to keep her alive. I don't know how long has she been out but I'm definitely sure she needs help"
MacReady looked around the outpost, or whatever remains of it. He was pretty sure he blew everything up here for good measure, save for a few materials that he could use for a pair of makeshift sleds
"Childs, there's nothing here that could help us. If you want to, let's take a long walk over there"
Childs looked at where MacReady was pointing at and gave an exasperated sigh
"You gotta be kidding me"
"Come on Childs, there's got to be someone we can ask for whereabouts"
Both men began making on those sleds, each of them tied to a rope for the men to pull it up. MacReady began walking towards the direction of the structure, the only plausible place to ask anything about where they are. Childs reluctantly followed him after. Each of them were pulling the sleds, with Childs pulling the one carrying the woman
None of them bothered to check further for whatever remains of their outpost
Present Time
MacReady was still pointing the flamethrower at Hicks even when he turned around to face him.
"I don't want to be rude, but I need you to tell me where the fuck are we"
Hicks analyzed the situation; right now he's being held at point blank by two men wearing thick clothing, while a woman was lying on a makeshift sled that they used to carry her along, suggesting that she's in a comatose state. Judging from their attire, they came from a heavily cold area and they need urgent treatment. The fact that there are flamethrowers present in a completely different world meant one thing for Hicks: they're also brought here by something else
"Trust me, that's exactly what were trying to figure out, but right now we're out of time so we need to move our asses right now" Hicks demanded both of them before turning to his comms
"Bishop, you think we have room for three more people?"
"We do, but I think Ripley's instructions were clear when she said we don't make contact with natives"
"They ain't natives. I'll explain to you later"
The four of them hurriedly retreated to the dropship, much to MacReady and Childs' astonishment. Hicks forcibly pulled them inside; they have no time to be amazed by tech like this.
"Everyone buckle up, it's gonna get messy" Bishop announced through the P.A system
MacReady immediately took a seat behind Bishop, while Hicks was helping Childs secure the unconscious woman before he could take a seat beside the synthetic android.
"Alright the probe's been activated and installed. Now let's get out of here before these people see us."
Too late. The group on horseback already came within shouting distance from the ship, before stopping in a tightly spreading formation. The three of them studied the group as they came closer.
At their center was a woman in a white military-looking uniform. She had long blue hair with matching eyes and a slim figure with a large bust. To her left was a young woman with auburn hair and amber colored eyes. She wore a similar uniform in green and had an animal resembling a small dog, hanging on her shoulder. Her arms seem metallic and resemble machinery, instead of flesh. The last person on the left was a large muscular man in a mask. His top was shirtless and there were three scars across his chest. On his back was an object resembling a gas tank with an odd looking weapon hanging from the side. MacReady took a closer look and immediately recognizes the weapon as a flamethrower
To the blue haired woman's right was a young man with blond hair and golden eyes. He wore a white robe over a black suit underneath and there were two disc-shaped objects attached to his shoulders. Next, was another young man with dark hair and dark blue eyes. He wore a blue leather jacket with coal- colored pants, and had a sword tied to his waist. Finally, the last person was a teenage looking girl with medium length black hair and black eyes. Her clothes were a black sailor uniform and she also had a sword tied to her waist.
"What the hell is a school girl doing here playing around with a sword?" MacReady was puzzled
"No time to say hello, Bishop." Hicks ordered "Take us into orbit."
Bishop grabbed the controls, and guided the ship upwards.
"They're escaping!" Seryu turned to her Imperial Arm "Koro! Number 6!"
Koro enlarges his head and clamps his mouth over Seryu's upper body. He opens his mouth and Seryu emerges with a giant missile attached to her right arm, with a number 6 painted on its side.
Jumping off her horse and keeping the missile steady with her other arm, she takes aim
"There's no way I'm letting you get away!"
FRRWSSHHH!
Seryu launches the missile at the dropship.
"Bishop! Evasive maneuvers!" Hicks buckles into his seat, while screaming "Now!"
"EVERYONE, HOLD ON!!"
Bishop throttles the ship's engines to max output and barrel rolls the ship out of the missile's path. It misses the ship, but immediately turns around and comes back.
"It's got a lock on us! Punch it, Bishop! Try to lose it!" the dropship jets upwards and attempts to outrun the missile, which follows them persistently.
"It's pointless!" Seryu declared triumphantly "You can't run away from Justice, nor hide from it! It will always pursue Evil and annihilate it!"
Beside her Esdeath shouts orders to the other Jaegers "Stay on your guard, everyone! We don't yet know what this thing is"
Bols jumps off his horse and readies Rubicante. Run activates Mastema and sprouts wings, then flies off his horse and hovers in place. Wave stabs Grand Chariot's cutlass form into the ground and summons his Imperial Arm's black armor onto himself, before taking a ready stance. Kurome dismounts and draws Yatsufusa from its sheath. She stands by, ready to summon her undead puppets depending on how the situation unfolds. Finally, Esdeath does the same and stands patiently with her rapier in hand.
"It doesn't seem like a Danger Beast." Run assessed "Its body looks metallic. And did anybody see what was in its head? It looked like three people."
"Whatever it is, it's fast and agile despite its size." Esdeath commented "Let's see how long it lasts."
The dropship breaks right and rapidly decelerates to let the missile fly by. Before it can turn around and come back towards them, Hicks targeted it with the gatling gun and opened fire