. . . . Bringing Fusion cores online. . . .12 percent. . . . .30 percent. . . . 40 percent. . . . .60 percent.
. . .80 percent. . . . .100 percent. . . .

. . . . Power within acceptable parameters. . . .

. . . . . . . . Running diagnostic. . . . .

. . . . . . . Magnetic shield online. . . .

. . . . . gyroscopes. . . . . .online. . . . .

. . . . . Optical systems. . . .Online. . . .

. . . .Manipulators. . . .Intact. . . online. . . .

. . . . Foot clamps. . . . testing. . . . . . online. . . .

. . . . Cockpit monitors. . . . testing. . . online. . .

. . . . cockpit filters. . . testing. . . online. . .

. . . . Cockpit hatch. . . testing. . . online. . .

. . . cockpit comms. . . testing. . . online. . .

. . . Cockpit controls. . . testing. . . online. . .

. . . . Cockpit operating at 100 percent. . .

. . . . . . Ikarus pylons. . . . .online/status unarmed. . . . .Combat effectiveness lowered to 78.9234 percent. . . . .

. . . . Primary Weapon status. . . . Unavailable. . . . Scanning. . . . Located. . . Location 5.26 feet from top of chassis. . . .

. . . . combat effectiveness lowered to 40.59827 percent. . . .

. . . . Structural Integrity 100 percent. . . .

. . . . . Orientation. . . . back. . . .

. . . . . Attempting reorientation. . . . attempt 1 failed. . . . .

. . . . . Attempting reorientation. . . attempt 2 failed. . . . .

. . . . external surface scan initiated. . . . .

. . . . external surface covered in poly plast container. . . . type. . . class 4 shipping container. . .
. . . . . Awaiting opening of container. . . .

. . . . continuing startup. . . .

01110111 01100101 01111001 01101100 01100001 01101110 01100100 00100000 01111001 01110101 01110100 01100001 01101110 01101001 00100000 01100010 01110101 01101001 01101100 01100100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01100010 01100101 01110100 01110100 01100101 01110010 00100000 01110111 01101111 01110010 01101100 01100100 01110011

. . . . . . Initializing External scan. . . . .

. . . . .Scanning. . . scanning. . . . .Scanning. . . . Scanning. . . . Scan complete. . . .

. . . . . multiple friendly's within vicinity. . . .

. . . . . . Parameters for Operation. . . . .

. . . . .Parameter 1 Find Operator. . . . Reclassifying. . . . .Reclassifying. . . . Pilot. . . .

. . . . .Parameter 2 Uphold Mission at all cost. . . . .

. . . . .Parameter 3 protect the Pilot. . . .

. . . . . Parameter 4 Defend North American Commonwealth. . . .

. . . . . Parameter 5 protect squad. . . .

. . . . . parameter 6, parameter 5 does not supersede parameter 3. . . .

. . . . .Operational parameters loaded. . . .

. . . . Seismic disturbance. . . .

. . . . Container being reoriented. . . .

. . . . Unit number SD-0624 online. . . .

. . . . Ready to receive Pilot. . . .

=============================================================

(Fallon)

I step out onto the deck of one of the largest and newest ships in the NAC fleet. The Annihilator has a length of one thousand meters, armor twenty meters thick, thirty port and starboard rail gun batteries, and enough nukes to turn a planet the size of mars into a smoldering radioactive ember. To top it all off the Annihilator's is basically a gigantic particle accelerator with an alcubierre drive and a fusion plant strapped to it. It weighs a couple million tons and is designed to close with Lanky siege ships and Blow them to pieces.

But I am not interested in all of that as the other troopers in my team exit the new Killer Wasp dropship whose cargo hold is designed to hold an ATLAS as well as forty marines in body armor. The way they do it is actually ingenious if it will actually work, the Atlas lies on its back or stomach while the Dropship picked it up with a pair of internal docking arms.

Then the bottom opens up to allow the thing inside, and the Marines just sit on the outside against the bulkhead. And to deploy it can simply drop the ATLAS from a safe height to secure a landing zone and land to deploy the troops inside. Forbes and I Salute the NAC flag hanging on the bulkhead as well as the Officer of the Deck.

A Few hours later, after finding our new squad, birth Forbes and I were surprised to see Miiora step into our room. Apparently, her being assigned to me has continued so we take the time and set the room up the same way we had it back on the Leathy. The room has an extra bunk and I am about to take it for my own when a young man probably nineteen steps through the door.

I remember him getting mail the other day, Trombley I think his name was. I read the salad on his smock and see he is about boot as it gets. despite the Force Recon patch and Squad automatic weapon he carries. The kid looks at me as I lie on my bunk which like on the Leathy is over the one occupied by Miiora whom he stares at for a second before scanning the room.

"I am Lance corporal James Trombley I was assigned to..." I glance up from my PDP on which is a diagram of an ATLAS.

"Take that bunk over there. This is corporeal Forbes, Miiora she is acting lesson between fleet and Ex-slaves and unspoken mascot, and good luck charm for ninth company, and I am Staff sergeant Avery Fallon Team leader." I explain to the...

"FNG." Forbes says as he strips down his side arm. Miiora looks up from her newest food product at the table, her reptilian face is hard to read but I found that her kind make up for it with body language.

"Whats an FNG?" She asks

"Fucking, New, Guy." Forbes answers and to almost make his point Trombley looks around for a place to put his K-31 SAW.

"Didn't the Fleet take the corn cobs out of your ears before they shipped you out here?" I say pointing to a slot in the wall where Forbes and I's M66's rest in a Wall mount.

"I don't remember being issued any vegetables staff sergeant."

"A smart ass. You might just fit in here." I say before getting a message from the Gunnery officer.

"Stow your shit and let's get over to the hanger people." Finally the moment I have been waiting for all day.

=============================================================

We walk out onto the deck of the Flight deck and are greeted with the sight of thirty huge shipping containers. All around me I can see the other Operators and their teams eagerly awaiting what is going to happen next. Against one side of the Hanger Bay there are what look light docking clamps standing straight up with maintenance crews standing by.

"Operators find a Unit and insert your Card now." I walk forward and join the mass of thirty men and women who are slowly deciding which container to open.

I stop at one that still has its Manufactures Logo on the side Hammond Robotics. I walk forward and slide my ID card in the panel on the side of the container. Then I hear gasps of shock and amazement as the Containers open one at a time. There in all of their Glory are our ATLAS's and one by one the three sensor lenses flicker to life. The lights like the Identifier lights on our battle armor give off a red glow. The censer bulb swivels in my direction and the center and largest lens contracts and expands for a moment before the thing lowers itself to one knee. I look around and see that the other ATLAS's are doing the same to the operators in front of them. The thing then lowers its hand to allow me easy access as its cockpit opens like a clam shell with the top of the cockpit with the sensor dome going up and a bottom cover folding down. I Stare at the cockpit for a second and I crawl inside.

The controls of a regular ATL are similar to that of a fighter jet without a throttle so both hands hold joysticks. But this cockpit is slightly different, joining the joysticks at the end of the arms of the seat are smooth rings with red blinking lights. The walls are padded and the aria behind me that would usually be empty is filled with what looks like a red cylinder, a weapon rack and a place for a rucksack. Beside the left arm of the chair there’s a kind of keyboard and other parts that look modular in design. I take my seat and glance out of the cockpits open hatch and see Forbes and Trombley giving me a thumbs up, and even Miiora looks a little excited given the way I see her tail swaying. Taking a deep breath i press the buttons to close the hatch and I am closed into darkness.

There is a series of metallic clicking no doubt the Cockpit sealing itself when the center screen flairs to life. Yellow text on a black background scrolls up before stopping.

. . . . Synchronize Y/N. . . .

"Yes" Then my vision blurs for a half second and I jolt back as my arms tingle. There is a flash on the screen and the cockpit lights up like a Christmas tree. Then on the screen I see the swirling logo of the Manufacturer joined by a soft cheery voice that can only be artificial. An H inside of a circle forming a power button appears with the words Hammond Robotics appears. Before in a swirl of static the logo is replaced with a black W with some yellow triangular markings, The symbol is very common after all they make most of the equipment for the NAC.

"Hammond Robotics, Defending the NAC for over fifty years. Hammond Robotics is a subsidiary to Weyland industries. Weyland-Yutani, Building Better Worlds." The voice says over some speakers inside the cockpit. Then the text is gone and I can see another command prompt.

. . . . Activate Auto-pilot Y/N. . . .

"yes" And with that four screens turn on allowing me vision of the outside. The five screens are split by a kind of window where the screen for the hatch is.

"Welcome aboard Pilot." A deep robotic, monotone sounding voice says with so much bass i can almost feel my chest vibrating.

"Um who are you?"

"I am an ATLAS class ATL vehicle. Designation SD-0624."

"Well nice to meet you." I say I glance out of the view screen and see Forbes and Trombley whooping and hollering as I stand my ATLAS up. They continue to follow me and the other ATLAS's to the now identified ATLAS bays. SD puts a hand out as I open the cockpit so I can step out.

"Dude that thing, is, the, shit!" Forbes yells

"Amazing. I had no idea that you humans were able to make something like this." Miiora says before the All system alert comes on with its two-tone chime.

"Action stations. Action Stations stand by for alcubierre transition. Ground teams report to hangar bay for a briefing. Operation Blackout will now commence."