[B][I]Flashback, Six Years Ago[/I][/B]

It was an uncharacteristically cool and windy day near the city that used to be known as Tokyo, now ruined iron skeletons with an entrance to a successor underneath the earth. The "Red-Star Corporation", one of the Ruling Companies that long ago built the Burrows, controlled these lands with an iron fist, using brainwashing and peer pressure to control their population of corporate slaves.

One man, Alexander, was in his cockpit and checking pre-launch procedure. His mission was being relayed to him over his NC's comms. The Phoenix, his NC, was in the Burrow's hangar area, which had many sub-divisions used for NC's, jets, surface-crawlers, and various other vehicles. The Mecha was fully functional and operating at maximum capacity.

Alexander waited obediently for his commands; from a young age, obdience had been drilled into him for survival and security.

The 18-year old boy was recieving readings from his Neural Combatant, all systems were go and his synchro score was at a very respectable ninety-percent. His NC maneuvered fluidly with every movement, and indeed, if the control systems weren't desensitized, it'd 'breath' and slightly twitch just as its' pilot does. He was now recieving audio feedback from his comm-links; his 'Operator' was an older fellow by the name of 'Shao-Lung', although, if the rumors were true this wasn't his real name at all.

Shao's old yet warrior-like voice began speaking, "Ah, good, all systems green? Good, good. As usual, I'll be your operator for this mission. You shall launch and rendezvous with the Third Defensive Army, specifically a battalion of infantry and main battle tanks who have been hounded by a damnable Denver-Vegas NC, identity unknown."

Alexander nodded; he was a good slave.

"I hear and obey." No bravado. Bravado was for Asians; he was an inferior European whose parents had been captured in inter-corporate struggles.

"Indeed you do; I shall tell you that Denver-Vegas, as you should know, stereotypically use heavy armor and large, revolver-like kinetic weapons. Weave through their attacks and go for the jugular."

"I will, sir," said Alexander. "They will fall before the Red Star." He then nodded again, before asking:"Am I permitted to take prisoners?" Alexander wanted to introduce others to the joys of serving their betters, as he himself had been taught.

"Mmm... If you can, drag the D-V NC back here. Whole thing." Shao added, "if the cockpit is blown to pieces, though, don't even bother. You'll be launching in... three minutes. So, any questions on the operation? More specifically, you'll escort them at low power until the D-V NC comes out to play, when it does, do what you will. If there's anything you want to get off your chest, do it now." The man laughed, "At least, if it involves the mission at hand! Kehahah."

"Nothing more, sir," Alexander said.

"Really? Strange.. strapping young lads such as yourself usually want to talk about things before you go out and rip another man's throat out." He breathed in and must've grabbed something, before setting it back down again and continuing. "Just.. traditional. Not to mention talking to another NC before you do battle. Something NC pilots always have done, always will I presume."

"You 'Pluggers' sure are a weird bunch with all those little unwritten rules. So, which of them do you know anyway, if any of them?"

"Master," spoke Alexander, "I know nothing, except that I should not talk about matters not my ken." Shao seemed to chuckle at that.

"Well... if I'm your master, you have my permission. How else do you burn away ignorance aside from correcting it as it comes?"

"Thank you, master," said Alexander. "So...if I may ask, what are the unwritten rules?"

"Well, the most major ones, you're just meant to open up comms with any other NC you meet, even enemies. You don't see them aboslutely every day, and oftentimes even NC's on different sides of the same war are nearly friends. Indeed, one of my previous pilots, was a confidant for one in Paragon. He didn't tell me what secrets he knew, but he wasn't the type to lie about things such as that. Even masterless NC's such Who Dropped the Soap, Sineater, Love's Embrace, and especially Little-Wings deserve that respect."

"Sir!" shouted Alexander, "such indiscretion is allowed?!"

"Yes, actually."

"And, who is Little-Wings?

"Old friend of mine, very respected. A great and honourable warrior,", he attained an air of nostalgia, "I wish he was on our side. I haven't seen him in years, but if you do meet him, tell him I send my regards?"

"I will give him all my respect as well, Master, and yes," said Alexander.

"Oh, another thing, it's simply customary to refer to yourself as your NC's codename while on the field of battle; something about respecting the machine. Aside from those two big points, I suppose the unwritten rules aren't set in stone."

"Thank you, sir, Phoenix out?" Alexander sought approval.

Shao-Lung laughed, giving the wanted approval, "Good, you're presentable as a student!", he snorted before going back to being somewhat more serious. "In any case, now's the time. Commence launching procedures, the hangar is already lifting."

The floor the NC was on began slowly rising, as the ceiling opened up, door after door sliding upwards to allow the slowly moving elevator towards the surface. Alexander readied himself, ready to make his master proud.

The Phoenix and its' pilot soon reached the surface, and a 'destination pointer' could be seen in Alexander's vision, showing him the way. "Alright, I'll try and mark things of note, too. I can't do this often; there's infrastructure necessary to do things like that. Consider it an occasional homefield advantage!"

"Thank you, sir!" Alexander said, before zooming off. He went at speeds that would be too dangerous for anyone that didn't have his sync level; his NC, due to its' focus on maneuverability and speed, quickly reached a mighty respectable top speed of almost 1500 meters per second, after a few moments of accelerating.

Once Alexander felt himself close enough to the people he was supposed to rendezvous with, the 18-year old boy slowed himself down so as not to injure any of them with a sonic boom when he finally halted. The Phoenix was currently in a 'cruise mode', and in combat, couldn't reach speeds such as this easily, if at all; in 'combat mode' it would hover around 900. Still, the quickly moving NC reached the operational zone quite soon enough, and began slowing down 20 kilometers out; already seeing signs of battle and indicators 'planted' by his Operator to tell him things

The Phoenix was hailed by an unknown contact, and while that was connecting his Operator gave him some info as Alexander began following the movements of the enemy mech, trying to detect said enemy's sync rate.

"Damn, I've heard of this man; Nathaniel I think is his name, he knows what he's doing, for the most part. The same tactic of 'dodge and charge' applies, though. Just get close and start ripping parts off, you'll be fine."

Alexander nodded, then opened comms to Nathaniel. "Hello! New Pilot here!" he said. "I was told to open comms before battle, so I'm doing that?"

The NC was a big, heavily armored brute and held two rifles in the hands, firing slug after slug at Red-Star tanks and shooting head-mounted smallarms to take out infantry units. He was finishing up if anything, though. Seems like the scattered remnants of Defense Brigade 3 won't be of much help.

Nathaniel scoffed, "This is Sixshot, you're fucking with me? First thing you say is that you have no idea what you're doing?". He was a younger man himself, although not as much. Obviously more experienced, and cynical.

"That's either an amusing little truth", the young man seemed to get his hopes up, "Or you're trying to screw with my head before we even start?"

"I know how to fight; I just don't know how to talk to anyone who's not master or fellow slave!" Alexander spoke, before rushing at Sixshot, then doing a roll in the air that would take him to the enemy VC's left, while the Sixshot destroyed one last threatening MBT and focused his attention on the Phoenix.

Sixshot fired a few heavy battle rifle rounds but they found no purchase; the Phoenix dodged the attacks and slid across the sand to the Sixshot's side, a perfect position to slice something off. Phoenix obliged, moving to claw off one of Sixshot's rifles.

The Sixshot tried to bat away the Phoenix's large, thermal claw yet couldn't in time. The unit's left battle rifle was torn in half nearly immediately, but the heavily armored NC dashed backwards and opened up podules on its' shoulders and knees, revealing many smaller-caliber guns. Right before firing, Shao-Lung only managed to scream:

"DODGE, NOW!" before the Sixshot pulled the trigger. Alexander shot up, towards the sky!

The Sixshot's close-range buckshot barrage came a second too late as the Phoenix flew upwards; in response, the enemy NC boosted backwards, making some notable distance and giving it ample opportunity to pull out a thick, folding blade from a holster on the NC's hip. "Close-range, huh? I've got the advantage, mook."

Shao-Lung commented "I think it's obvious that's a bluff, press-on!"

This time, the Phoenix zig-zagged towards the enemy, moving so fast it seemed like a flash-step, before rolling towards the right, then moving up, in order to claw at the shoulder.

The red close-combat NC quickly moved towards its opponent, rolling and landing to the right of the Sixshot before going in straight to the shoulder. The heat-assisted reinforced claw went straight through, then embedded itself in the shoulder. Pulling back out, it brought the Sixshot's entire right arm with it. Pressing his advantage, Phoenix threw the Sixshot's arm at the mech's head!

While Nathaniel was crying out in anguish, the Phoenix tossed the siege-ready NC's own arm right at the head, making it stumble and lose any balance it once had, falling flat on its' ass for now. Phoenix then put his microwave gun hand on the cockpit to force a surrender.

Nathaniel coughed. "Fuck.. how embarassing. Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Alexander Sky, new pilot of the Phoenix VC. I'm 18-years old. I'm European, my parents were captured by the Red Star."

"...Well, gee-", Nathaniel paused, in pain, "I need a fucking lifestory."

"How old are you?"

"That's the first question you fucking ask?" Nathanial spat, "Weirdo.."

"The rest can be asked back in base," spoke Alexander, "It's a security risk to ask questions while in the open," he continued, using his other arm to remove the mech's weapons.

Shao-Lung stopped that train. "I believe you should start packing him up for storage, or whatever you deem necessary.". Alex's Master seemed to be happy, "Damn, you did that flawlessly, and your first try against another NC? I do hope this isn't a fluke!"

"Thank you, sir!" Alexander almost chirped.

"Good Job, if I say so myself. Rest easy when you come back, you certainly earned such."

"You heard that, Nathaniel!" spoke Alexander, having finished taking away the mech's weapons, before beginning to drag him back to the base. "And thanks, master!"

And with that, Alex began moving on, saying to Nathaniel: "You'll be disarmed and brought to The Room, where the Masters will make you obey! Then depending on how good you do, you'll either work in the mines, or if you're [I]really[/I] good, even work with me!"

When the Phoenix returned with a prize, the Hangar was already prepared for it when he came back. Men in uniform got Nathanial out and handcuffed, before bringing him to deeper into the Burrow's bowels to be interrogated, or even indoctrinated. As for Alexander, he was given approval by his Operator, and was sent back to his own quarters.