As mike fell back a few streets to catch his breath, his headset buzzed in with Aiden's Voice. [i]<I'm out and I'm on my feet. I'm fine.>[/i]

<Glad to here it buddy, now get the hell out of here, it's bad enough fighting gears without worrying about accidently stomping on a friendly, I'd never forgive myself!> mike said, thankful he was alive. taking a brief moment, he looked over the full report, before diving into makeshift repair mode. using the touch screen he went over the damaged systems and began forming bypasses, sectioning off beyond repair systems, and bolstering those that were invaluable. overall, despite the armor damage, the only real hit was to the optical camouflage, and a leak in the main coolant tank. routing as much coolant to the reserve as he could, he returned his attention to the battle. 

[i]<Roger, form up on me, Nawlin. Let's go huntin'>[/i] Mike sighed, before building up to his usual self. 

<Aye sir, I was starting to worry we might be done!> the bravado tinting his voice again. <On my way to your position> he said checked the rifle before making his way back to blade, who met him partway. The two of them moved up the street, Prowler jogging as Harlock skated alongside. mike covered his side, switching to blades as they crossed a intersection.
Finally, they found the target. the Imperial Gear had been firebombed. Mike could understand the reasoning, no data to mine, no info except that somehow, the imperials were connected, if only by manufacture. However, the thought of burning Prowler, the machine he worked so hard for, and had taken such a unorthodox deployment for, seemed insane. Prowler was like a first car, you remember it, keep it till it finally dies, and then keep the master key as a keepsake. in either case, the trail was cold. 

[i]<-ostile GEARs, not like any we've seen. They're fast, and their armor is-shit!>[/i] mike grew suddenly cold at the new transmission. Turning to cover their six. 

<so....I suppose it would be too much to hope that these were the amazing future tech gears we were talking about?> he asked grimly as he peered though the rifles sight down the street for any movement.