Whatever it takes

Dreams of war

The camera fades from black to a control room of some sort as two men monitor the Is various computers and screens

"Hey have you seen the recent battle reports?"

"Yeah it's grim, The League and ORCA are going all out."

The younger one turns away from his station "but like what's the goal, ORCA's plan can't just be win and then bring the cradles down there has to be something more to this"

The older man quickly snapped his head towards the boy "if you had any sense you'd keep your mouth shut, you wouldn't want to be sent for re-education would you?"

The young man's eyes widened in horror "no-" before he could continue the entire control room lit up.

"Shit what is it" The older gentleman said in a panicked voice

Two red dots appeared on there radar the younger man grabbed his radio "all units two enemy NEXTS approaching"

Camera cuts to a Black NEXT following behind a green reverse joint NEXT

"It's time! fell the cradles all of them!" The green NEXT spoke, joy laced with his words

The Black NEXT stared down at both of its hands, in them the tools of his destruction.

Seemingly Sensing his hesitation the green NEXT fell back coming face to face with his partner "why so hesitant, have you forgotten what they've taken from us. They took my love from me with their pointless wars and they took your future from you, now it's are turn to take from them Strayed."

Strayed's NEXT moved it's head up making eye contact with his buddy "it's easy, just like how it was easy for them to stay up here while we suffer below."

The green NEXT moved behind Strayed almost like a devil on his shoulder, whispering into his ear. "Just aim for the engines, and POP down they go haha!"

Morrgan activated its Overboost quickly closing the distance between it and the cradles. As soon as he was close enough the split missile launchers on his back poped up multiple missile launched from there comfy home to seek and destroy there targets.

Multiple engines on the right side of the first cradle trailed black smoke and fire, he moved to the right side now, quickly breaking the wings of his first target.

He could hear the frantic cries of the helpless civilians and MT on the cradle as it fell "10 million." The devil on his shoulder counted as he hummed a song

Strayed made quick work of the second cradle as he moved on to the third

"20 million"

Strayed landed on the third to regain some of Morrgan's energy he quickly dispatched the MT's within range as he looked below him. He stared through the glass roof of the cradle as he saw crowds of people panicking. Right before he lifted off again he mad eye contact with a child no older the 10 'could this really be the right path' he thought to himself.

"30 million"

Morrgan danced through the blue sky like a bird on the hunt. Dodging the futile attempts to down him. Strayed continued to hear the the radio chater of the innocents at his mercy.

Could he really call them innocent, most of the people on the cradles were somewhat important to the corporations be it high ranking employees or families of them.

But what about that kid? Not even old enough to comprehend what was happening. 'Maybe they might have lived if you stayed with ORCA' the voice in the back of his head said.

"No they were just a puppet of the corps they would have used me and thrown me away."

'Well look at you now, you think they won't want revenge for this? You think you'll be able to survive what happens next?'

"I have to. No I must survive to carry on my dream."

'And what would that dream be? You have no one left, your operator left you, your ORCA brothers will forsake you, and your corporate friends will hunt you.'

"I don't need them as long as I have Morrgan and blood running in my vains I will fight so that one day I can reach the stars."

'I have no doubt that that we might make it there but how many bodies will we stack for us to climb to the stars?'

"As many as it takes, even if it's my own." The voice fades as Strayed tunes back into reality the happy voice of his comrade calling out in joy "100 million, this isn't the end we still have so many more lives to take."

Morrgan head rose to look up, dropping the rifle in its right hand as it lifts it up to face the sky 'there it is so close yet so far. My dream, no mankind's dream."

Strayed snapped out of it as he looked around. He was on one of the flight decks of the Spirit of Mother Will looking out at the ocean as rain fell from the dark clouded sky.

'All these sacrifices have to be for something'

A loud Speaker came to life "prepare for combat Sortie in 15 minutes!"

Water ran down the NEXT washing off the dirt and grime. The pilot wishing it would do the same for his sins.

(Bit of a edgy chapter but oh well, and sorry for such a long break was going through a lot at the time.)