[Other FULL] Armored Core: the Zero Hour

[Kamotz]

Armored Core - Zero Hour
(Rated M for violence, language, and implied sexual situations)​

Location: Unknown
Time: Unknown

He knew.

The world was at a tipping point. The balance of power had shifted; governments were losing control. Those in power were corrupt beyond measure; seeking only to solidify their standings and status. They were powerless in the face of the world's problems. In other parts of the world, warlords held outsiders at bay with threats of violence and terrorism. Corporations were exerting control over every nation, pressuring them with their own privately-funded militaries. The League was more powerful than the nations themselves. They acted with impunity. And he would not stand for it.

Collared was the worst offender. It was supposed to be a resource, a place that provided haven for the soldiers who had been trained in Core combat to keep them from turning mercenary. Instead, it treated the lives of its Irregulars as a commodity; something to be consumed by League or the mindless masses. They sold pilots as entertainment; streaming their bloody exploits for the entire world to see. And people paid for it. The bloodier and more vicious the Irregular, the more subscriptions they had. They had commercialized war and slaughter, using the presence of warlords and cartels as a reason to continue the practice. And all the while they refused to actually solve the problem.

The world couldn't maintain this fragile stability for much longer. He knew what was next: everything was about to come undone. It was time. And all the plans he had put in motion were about to come together. Everything he had done in the past two years; the parts he'd played, the alliances he'd forged, the masks he'd worn...it was all in preparation for this moment. He had prepared the kindling; now all he needed was to light the spark and set the world on fire.

He couldn't do it as he was, however. Throughout his life he had been as much a cog in the machine as anyone else. He was visible; known. If he moved as himself he'd be denied and cut down like everyone else who had tried to move against the unstoppable wheel of the world. He had to be something more; the very idea of Revolution itself come to life.

He stared at the mask on his desk; plain, featureless except for the mirrored faceplate. It had to be that way. People had to see themselves as they looked at him. They had to imagine themselves standing in his place. It was the only way to call them to action.

"Sir, we've received word from Gilad and Shinkai," a voice broke through his tranquility, echoing through the dimly-lit room from the intercom at the door. "Toshiro Arisawa and Arthur Holmstrom are dead. Rayleonard and Arisawa Heavy Industries are leaderless...for the time being."

"Then there's no better time to begin," he said. He rose and lifted the mask into his hands. He stared into its reflective surface and saw, for a brief moment, both of his faces staring back. His would be the only face not reflected in that mask when he spoke. His would be the only face not reflected when the Revolution came. His would be the only face hidden.

Good. No one would ever see the thing hiding inside. It. That black and furious thing that clawed at the back of his mind; that howling thing. The Other. The monster.

They would never see the monster reflected in the face of Revolution. He would never allow it. He would be the monster; he was the monster. And he would use It to tear the old world down.

"Come in," he said. He did his best to remember the sound of his voice. It would be one of the last times he heard it.

Karen stepped in and stood at attention. She was one of two people to know his real name and face, because she believed in him: utterly and completely. And he trusted her with all his secrets.

Still, he masked himself all the same; more for himself than for her. Because he needed to become the mask. He slipped it into place; felt it latch and click closed around his head; felt it lock into alignment with the rest of his body armor. It was his concession to what was coming; a cutting edge blend of lightweight graphene reinforced with a carbon fiber weave and ceramic plates. All of which was blended over a state of the art Irregular Core Interface suit. His helmet was similarly-armored and similarly-advanced; synced with the Unsung to add a second layer to the virtual console system.

"They're ready," she said. She refused to meet her reflected gaze in his mask. That would change soon. She'd grow accustom to it. She'd grow accustom to his voice.

"Everything we've done has been for this," he said, his voice distorted by the mask's modulator. It was deeper, colder, with a strange echo to it; like the toll of a huge bell. "Soon the whole world will know. Until that time, I'll suffer the scum we've associated with."

"Yes, Sir," Karen nodded. There was no doubt in her voice. It was not her place to question his alliances, even though she had every right to.

He picked up his coat, a worn, heavy sheepskin and threw it on. He led Karen from his quarters and she fell into step behind him. The halls were empty. Everyone was waiting. He thought he'd be nervous. He thought he'd feel his heart pounding. But he wasn't. There was only the sense of bloody inevitability. The same feeling he had when piloting; of his teeth set on edge, of his vision sharpening; of the world fading away until all that was left was the individual moment between heartbeats.

He stood in front of them. His army. His soldiers.

"We are here for the same reasons," he said, his voice echoing across the room. He raised his hands up, grasping at the unfathomable weight of the world, playing the part of the passionate revolutionary. "Because the world is not what we want it to be.

"But that can change. It will change. It must change," he said. He spread his arms wide, motioning to his lieutenants at his sides. "We--all of us--will change it. Together. We are ORCA. And I...

"I am Thermidor."​

The year is 2097 and the world is a very different place. Grand superpowers control most of the planet, with the rest ravaged by war, controlled by massive corporations, or barely holding on to independence. In the midst of the societal upheaval that resulted in this world a new type of weapon was developed, one that would forever change the face of war.

This weapon was the Mobile Armored Core, first developed in the year 2017, an advanced humanoid weapons platform that turned a single soldier into an army. So began the new race, to see which nation could build the best and greatest Armored Cores and dominate the battlefield. Contracting this development to various weapons manufacturers and energy companies put several corporations in a uniquely powerful position; the money the world governments spent on weapons development made them exceedingly rich and gave them influence over the world's affairs as never before.

By 2026, the world was consumed by social and political upheaval. Four great superpowers emerged, controlling more than 50% of the world's surface. The remaining half of the world became divided by corporations and local tyrants, who fought and competed with each other and the superpowers for control of the various resources available. The unrest finally stabilized by 2090, and borders were firmly restablished.

This didn't stop the battles, however, and fighting still raged throughout the southern hemisphere. The corporations, eager to profit from the conflict, established operations in the various territories. They sold weapons and medical supplies to each and every side, profiting greatly from the bloodshed. The corporations competed even with one another by sponsoring the different warring factions. Back in their home countries, their ever-increasing power gave them more influence over world politics and policies than ever before. Together, they established the League (of Corporations) to serve as a meeting place and official political presence for their collective interests.

The League pushed for all governing bodies to dismiss their Armored Core pilots, the Irregulars, arguing that giving up the world's greatest military assets would inevitably result in a stable peace. The pilots would then be folded into an organization with strict government and corporate oversight: Collared - a pilot management organization that would serve as a watering hole for mission agency brokers carrying out orders for government agencies and corporations. Doing so would allow these pilots to continue seeking employment while limiting the damage they could do. From its powerful position, the League was able to leverage pressure over the rest of the world and force this idea into being.

The demand for pilots in the conflict regions quickly made Collared (and in turn the League) one of the most influential and wealthy forces on the planet, and the pilots themselves became absurdly wealthy as well, even though most of their earnings went to the upkeep of their machines.

To further publicize their actions Collared began broadcasting the missions of certain pilots via remote camera drones; streaming their pilots' actions for anyone willing to pay the subscription price. As a result, pilots began to gain followings and fan bases, making their personal involvement with Collared more lucrative and attractive. Certain pilots became public figures, almost rock stars.

You are one of these pilots under the employ of Collared, taking missions at the behest of corporations, countries, or independent parties, sometimes working against your previous employers and then helping them the next day. For most pilots, it's all business; there's no hard feelings. Yesterday you were contacted by a Collared representative and assigned to a rarely-formed team of pilots to quell an uprising in Libya. True, it's unusual to contract more than two Irregulars for any given mission, but you've learned a disturbing new truth, there are more Irregulars than previously thought, enough to lead to full-scale global war. The status quo is about to change...

=====World Overview=====​

The United Nations is essentially defunct, though it still exists in some form, maintaining a peacekeeping presence in and controlling parts of Africa as well as having "embassies" throughout the rest of the world. It really serves as a place where the countries can get together and deny trying to destroy one another (while secretly conspiring with everyone else to destroy everyone else).

===Superpowers===​

Chinese Federation (China, Korea, Southeast Asia): established by swift Chinese expansion in the mid 21st Century, the Chinese Federation is the most populous empire in the world. Advocating unyielding loyalty to the ideals of China, dissention is not tolerated.


European Union: composed of most of modern-day Europe, the EU was forced to form a central government due to the presence of both the Russian Empire and the Chinese Federation. With pooled resources, the Union was better able to establish as a world superpower. In the following years, conflict with Russia would leave much of Eastern European region battle scarred and desolate, resulting in a huge migration to the west, now slowly being overrun by poverty and crime. The governing bodies are attempting to solve this problem, but efforts have been largely ineffective, and they fear slipping into tyranny.


North American Alliance (USA +Canada): an alliance formed to ease trade restrictions and present a powerful front to the rest of the world, the NAA is the "birthplace" of the modern corporation. Citizens live relatively peaceful and easy lives, though government is highly influenced by the corporations. The average American citizen is largely unaffected by the corporate influence on government, but the gap between the rich and poor has grown tremendously, leaving several areas rife with crime and poverty, and thus easy pickings for corporate takeovers.

Russian Empire: composed of much of the old Soviet block, the new Russia is very little like the old USSR in terms of its ideology. Controlled now by mobsters and former intelligence officers, it is rife with corruption and extorts even the corporations that make Russia their home.

===Autonomous Zones===​

Australia-New Zealand: this nation has been faced with many difficulties. Their rich supply of resources and available land made it a target of many countries and corporations. However, the unforgiving environment and well-supplied defenses has allowed them to remain autonomous despite repeated encroachment.


India: an isolated nation due to the Himalayan Mountains, India has been able to maintain independence through its use of manpower and strategic buildup. Much advancement is made here in the field of engineering and medical research, making India one of the top developers of new technology.


Israel: as one of the main pioneers of the Armored Core technology, Israel was on the bleeding edge of the weapon system's development. After the use of the Cores became widespread, Israel developed the Allegorical Manipulation System, resulting in exponentially more powerful combat units. Because of the nation's emphasis on technology and military superiority, a "merging" of corporation and government resulted, leading to a uniquely stable country in a chronically unstable region of the world.


Japan: Japanese scientists were among the chief collaborators for the mechanical aspects of the Armored Core technology. Due to their proficiency for high-level use of the Cores, Japan was able to maintain independence from both the Chinese Federation and Russia. As in Israel, the Japanese were able to strike a delicate balance between the government and the corporations.

===Volatile Combat Zones===​

Africa: the countries here are either colonies of the United Nations or controlled by warlords and corporations. Like with the South American corporations and drug cartels, life working under the corporations is comparatively/relatively safe, but the corporations are not held accountable for anything that happens to you. Life under the warlords essentially is the same, though there are much fewer rules to follow. The trade-off is that the warlords can do essentially anything they want.

Antarctica: considered neutral territory, but due to the presence of vast resources below the ice sheets, control of it is highly coveted. Rights to the resources are contested between the various corporations and countries.

Middle East: birthplace of the Armored Core-based combat. Most countries here have been ravaged by war, uprising, more war, and more uprising. Now they're ruled either by local warlords, religious extremists, or oil corporations seeking to drain the last bit of cash from a resource that's less and less in demand.

South America (Mexico, Central, + South America): ruled by various drug cartels and pharmaceutical corporations vying for control over resources, all of which rose to power after the collapse of the regions' established governments. The corporations are well-supplied and generally keep the order quite well, though there's no defying them if you live in their zones.


Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea): Individually, these states are well organized, but are constantly fighting against Chinese expansion. They receive support from Australia-New Zealand, however, and there are talks of forming a "States of Oceania".

===Corporations===​

Corporations have evolved far beyond what they were in the year 2011. Now, corporations are multi-tiered entities of incredible social and political power. Each corporation is almost a nation in and unto of itself, involved in medical research, weapons development, and resource management. The essential goal for all corporations is to gain more power and influence over the people. Corporations are technically beholden to the laws of whatever country they're established in, but their monetary and political power enables them to bypass most legal troubles without concern. Corporations have headquarters in countries throughout the world, but hold total power within the volatile zones, where there are no strong governments to oppose them. The corporations have formed the League, a counterpart to the United Nations.

Rayleonard: A rising North American energy corporation and major source of AC generators. As the leader in the field of Lumidium technology, they specialize almost exclusively in ACs in their military development. Rayleonard's engineers are known for their ambitious designs and consistent ability to think outside the box. Despite distributing Armored Core parts to a variety of other Companies, Rayleonard keeps its industry secrets tightly under wraps. Oberon is currently Rayleonard's closest working partner

Oberon: Longstanding military electronics corporation based in northern Europe. In addition to being the world's leading Lumidium technology company, Oberon produces top-of-the-line computing devices, sensors, and other electronics. Though offering weapons of impressive, cutting-edge functionality, their creations are plagued with a dangerous fragility. Oberon has strong ties with Rayleonard.

Leonidas: Leonidas is a corporation centered in Southeast Asia and the Middle East known for its strong mass production line. Integrated industrial conglomerate and de facto leader of the south Asian economic sphere, they are well-known for mass production fueled by almost limitless manpower, and for their unique and imaginative weaponry. The mix of quarreling regions under their control gives them ample opportunities to test their products, ensuring their effectiveness in real battle conditions.

Genesis: A small Israeli company, as well as a research institution, Genesis was one of the first to develop and use the AMS technology. The AMS allowed their test subjects to enter battle with heightened battle abilities, gaining them many military victories. Since then, Genesis has registered their former test subjects as official pilots, and has adopted a policy to utilize them in actual battle.

Millennium: This corporate conglomerate is based in North America. It is one of the largest corporations in the world. Although they are not shy in publicizing the strengthening of their monopolistic system of exerting control over the government, few dare to speak publicly against them because of the magnitude and extent of their power.

Interior Union: The Interior Union boasts an overall high level of technological prowess, and is by far the leading company in the field of laser technology. As well as being Europe's number one high-tech firm, they also control the fossil fuel market, making them an extremely important company to GA.

Global Armaments: GA is the world's largest corporation, centered around the economic hub of the Pacific Rim. An advocate of standard military company, their products have gained much praise due to their power and reliability in battle. Global Armaments was a powerful corporation in the United States, Japan, China, the Philippines, and Australia during the waning years of the sovereign nations. They used this massive base of influence to grab huge amounts of power. While Global Armaments has stakes in Leonidas for rations and Interior Union for fossil fuels, they are not on good terms with BFF or Rayleonard.

Bernard and Felix Foundation: BFF is a European company that is known for their extremely precise weaponry and is one of the largest companies in that sphere. BFF was one of the pioneers of the powerful Arms Fort combat deployment and superiority system. They have a deeply adversarial relationship with GA, though are closely tied to Rosenthal.

Rosenthal: A military corporation affiliated with The League, they have a tremendous amount of capital. They tend to hide in the shadows of BFF, but provide well-built, all-purpose, balanced weaponry. Their weapon designs are quite unique, and their name is well known across the world. Of all the corporations, Rosenthal plays only minor roles in direct conflict situations. In fact this company can be considered almost benign as it is usually inactive or neutral in major combat events.

Arisawa Heavy Industries: AS heavy industries company with a long tradition in the economic hub of the Pacific Rim. They specialize in a wide range of military vehicles and explosives, and the toughness of their products has gained them much praise in the field. Takafumi Arisawa, the 43rd president of the company, is also known for being a superior pilot, making him the first company president to also see combat.

Collared: Collared is a pilot management organization under the jurisdiction of the League. They manage all ranking issues and organize Order Matches (non-lethal competition between Irregulars). Like the League, Collared has become a mere shell of what it was intended to be. Today, it is nothing more than a watering hole for mission agency brokers carrying out orders for corporations.

=====Mobile Armored Cores=====​

General Overview:
The Mobile Armored Cores (ACs/Mobile ACs) are the ultimate expression of individual military might, turning a single pilot into a force capable of eliminating hundreds of standard military units. There are several tiers of pilots: the standard pilots, the Normals, pilot generic ACs, ranging from two-legged "walker" platforms to humanoid combat models. They are powerful, to be sure, but completely outclassed by the blisteringly fast and supremely powerful machines of the next generation. The newer machines are much harder to pilot, requiring extreme reaction time and control; without which they are nearly impossible to pilot and are largely ineffective. ACs are powered by a newly-discovered type of material called Luminium. Inert Luminium is a superconductor and is built into the various parts of the AC's body, allowing for the range and power of the machine's movements. Luminium is processed into its active form at various processing plants and configured into power cells. Luminium reactor engines have almost no harmful byproducts and depleted Luminium power cells is easily and safely disposed of, making it one of the most valuable and sought-after resources in the world.

Allegorical Manipulation System:
To enable effective piloting, the Genesis corporation developed the Allegorical Manipulation System (AMS), linking the pilot's nervous system with the ACs electronics systems, allowing for direct 1:1 manipulation. High AMS compatibility is a rarity, leaving only a few handfuls of people with the ability to pilot the newer ACs. But these pilots are exponentially more powerful than their low AMS counterparts, able to overcome threats that would seem otherwise insurmountable. Pilots with lower than average AMS compatibility generally compensate by using heavier machine with higher ammunition count weaponry. Pilots with very low AMS compatibility cannot use the new generations of ACs, as the psychic stress caused by the AMS could make them go insane or even lead to total nervous system collapse. All humans, however, have some degree of AMS compatibility, and those with low compatibility can over time "learn" to use AMS. Pilots of the new generation machines are referred to as Irregulars.

Pilots and Operators:
The high combat speed and extreme skill required by pilots to effectively use their Armored Cores leaves little room for distractions. For this reason, most pilots work alongside an operator. Operators are support personnel who are "partners," so to speak, of those who pilot Armored Cores. While they do not control the AC itself, their jobs usually consist of remotely monitoring the unit's vital stats, updating the pilot of changes in combat (such as the arrival of reinforcements) or directing them towards designated targets; this allows the Armored Core pilot to focus their attention entirely on combat.

Equipment and Machine Overview:
The Armored Cores are divided into three weight categories: light, medium, and heavy. The lightest are the fastest and most agile, but also the most fragile. They specialize in lighter weaponry, but can equip heavier cannons and missiles at the cost of their speed and maneuverability (a dangerous trade-off). Heavy ACs have massive physical power and stopping capability with a much higher load capacity for weapons and ammunition, but are far slower. The legs types of an AC also determine its movement and combat type. There are three types of legs: biped, quadruped, and tank. Biped and quadruped legs come in the three weight categories, but biped legs are also divided by standard or reverse-joint structure. The reverse-joint structure has less load capacity, but is supremely suited for jumping and aerial combat. Quadruped legs are the opposite, geared solely for ground superiority and maneuverability. Tank "legs" are different, coming in two types, tread and hover. The tread tanks have the highest load capacity and can even store full-sized weapons in specialized compartments, but are slow and difficult to maneuver. The hover tanks have very low load capacity, but combine the ground and aerial maneuverability of the quadruped and reverse-joint leg types.

Weapons setup:
L/R Arms - hand-held/wrist-mounted
L/R Back - mounted cannons
Shoulders - mounted; usually flares, decoy missiles, extra propulsion, extra missiles (auxiliary/supplementary weapons)
L/R Hangars (stored in leg-panels) - small backup weapons (ie. small pistols or laser blades)

Back-mounted weapons are best reserved for the things with higher recoil because you have more stability (and are usually referred to as "____ cannons" - laser cannons/grenade cannons/sniper cannons/gattling cannons/etc). That said, heavier ACs can certainly equip grenade launchers, gattling guns, and parts with higher recoil on either arm due to their greater weight-bearing capacity and sturdiness. The arm spots are best kept for weapons that require more dexterity and aiming in fast-paced combat (blades, machine guns, assault/rifles, etc).

Important Note: Weapons are interchangeable between Arm and Back, able to rotate and switch on a carousel sort of pivot (only if the pilot so desires). The tradeoff for this is that Back-mounted weapons are more stable, while Arm-mounted weapons are more mobile and faster to aim.

=====Signup Sheet=====​

Name:
Call-Sign: (optional)
Gender:
Age:
Country of Birth:
Country of Residence:
Designation: (Pilot or Operator)
Description:
Personality:
History:
Other:

(For Pilots Only)
Armored Core Name:
Weight Designation:
Leg Type:
Combat Specialization: (Range/Close/Melee/Dominance/Bombardment/etc)
Weapon Layout:
Further Description:

NOTE: As we will have several instances to swap and exchange weaponry, you can list several configurations in the "Weapon Layout" section.

IMPORTANT​

GM Note: This will be a very character-driven RPG. I plan on spending less time on the combat aspects of the story and more on the characters themselves: what drives them, who they are, where they come from, where they want to go, who they want to be. In this respect, parts of the RPG will stylistically be more akin to a work of fanfiction than a standard Roleplaying Game. I will be looking for very detailed, in-depth character signups. The best of the best, the most interesting, the most varied. I will be very picky and hold all the players (myself included) to high standards when it comes to character development and expression. If you don't think you can adhere to the same high level of characterization and storytelling, I must politely ask that you reconsider signing up for this RPG. Those that feel up to the challenge, however, are more than welcome to come along for what I hope will be a tremendous ride.

Kamotz's Official Rules:
1. No god-modding.
2. Two/three character maximum.
3. Only control your own character unless given permission otherwise by the other character's owner.
4. No killing other OC's without their owner's permission.
5. If you wish to make an NPC with a large part then please just state that on the sign-ups so that it doesn't get killed. Otherwise it's open season.
6. You must have good grammar! Get a proofreader for all I care! Use the spell-check! Anything, just make sure things make sense. I can tolerate some slip-ups, but nothing on a constant basis.
7. Please try to post at least once every 2-5 days (unless you give me a reason why you can't). Any longer than that and we might lose you or leave you behind.
8. No making up histories for characters (even NPCs) that aren't your own.
9. I reserve the right to kick you out of this RPG if you break one of these rules seriously enough. I will, however, give you a chance to explain or redeem yourself so it won't be a "BAM goodbye" sort of deal.

 

[Kamotz]

My Signups:

Here are my characters. Lance Donovan, Claire Bradley, and Lance's operator Serra Leblanc.


Name: Lance Donovan
Call-Sign: Stranger
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Country of Birth: Israel
Country of Residence: North American Alliance
Designation: Pilot
Description: Lance stands a good bit over six feet tall and is typically considered "handsome", with a well-defined musculature, strong jaw line, and immaculate posture. He has a thick head of dark brown hair; though kept short as a child, he's since allowed it to grow out on his travels and it now hangs well-past his shoulders; it's now long enough for him to tie back in a low ponytail. His hair has a natural healthy sheen and smoothness. More than once this has garnered him both the jealousy and admiration of various women, who have expressed interest in taking his hair for themselves. His eyes, too, are a deep, dark brown and have more than once been described as "soul-melting." He's well built, from years of demanding physical labor and a disciplined training regimen, but carries many various-sized scars from combat and training injuries. The smaller and older scars, however, are barely visible--due it part to size and fading over time--but also because of Lance's well-tanned skin.

During his off-duty time, Lance's wardrobe is rather relaxed; he takes to wearing simple, tight-fitting t-shirts or plain-colored long-sleeved shirts that hint at his impressive physique. His usual attire also consists of a pair of black pants or faded, torn, blue-jeans and a pair of black or brown combat boots. He also has a well-worn brown leather jacket. He does, however, also own a rather well-stocked supply of fancier clothes for gala events he's required to attend.

When piloting his Armored Core, Lance wears a standard Irregular's form-fitting flight-suit. Like all Irregular suits, there are specially designed exo-neurotransmitters placed throughout it, which then connect to the AC's Allegorical Manipulation System. Lance's suit is mostly white with some yellow-gold trim. The sleeves and most of the torso are black, while its shoulders and protruding collar are white. He also wears a pair of white gloves. Like all suits, it also contains padded sections to protect his shoulders, arms, chest, and legs from getting battered during high-speed combat.

Personality: Lance is a rather unique character. He clearly enjoys his power and its uses; coming from a background in which his defining trait was his weakness, he sees the great power now afforded to him as a blessing.

He is cunning, calculating, and deadly. He's self-serving and selfish. He has dedicated his existence to following his whims, and this easy life of pleasure has brought him detachment and easy confidence. He has become a sort of bon vivant, seeking novelty and new diversions. But despite his fundamentally hedonistic nature, Lance does feel the pull of more lasting concerns, and over his life this tendency has resulted in an obtuse schedule of engagements and forays to far-flung places. As a result Lance is a busy man, traveling frequently to pursue concerns known only to him. Lance always seems to have business elsewhere.

He's become a charmer and a smooth-talker in this time, he has a vicious way with words and a critical eye that combine to make him extremely competent at picking someone apart and deducing what makes them tick. His ability to analyze and dissect people and situations mentally, combined with his physical nature and combat proficiency have made him an incredibly deadly individual.

Lance relates to others as his playthings, as he's found few people capable or worthy of gaining his respect. Essentially, he's a narcissist, with an "I come first" sort of attitude. This is most apparent in his pursuit of women. He tends to seek out the nearest tavern and beautiful woman (or women if he can swing it). He's the ultimate lady-killer, using his good looks, charisma, charm, and status to win (and subsequently break) the hearts of women everywhere. He's a connoisseur of the one-night-stand and is prone to seducing women of nobility, "just for the challenge." But Lance's eye isn't for power; he appreciates beauty no matter what social class it's found in. He enjoys the perks of his status; especially the free drinks and attention it gets him from women.

Upon going into battle, however, Lance changes completely. He becomes like a machine, unceasing, unflinching, and unrelenting in his mission. He is no longer either stoic or laid-back, but determined and focused. He becomes something else entirely, and it is in this "something else" that his separation from humanity becomes most evident. Lance becomes vicious, ferociously efficient and brutal. In this mindset, it's clear that he's no longer truly human, that he is indeed an inhuman force, and it takes him some time to pull himself back from this state of hyper-awareness and hyper-lethality once his mission is complete.

"Hyper-lethal" is the most appropriate way of describing Lance. His true nature is that of a killer: unflinching determination and hedonism. Within him lurks his "Dark Passenger," a pseudo-aware aspect of his personality. The Passenger drives him to fulfill the Hunger and the Need, the primal urges from deep within.

His narcissistic attitude and playboy lifestyle seem rather contrary to the attitude needed to be a warrior and pilot of supreme ability and quality, until one realizes that it's just a cover and a way for Lance to distract and distance himself from his killer nature. In the blink of an eye Lance can turn from womanizer to a serious, hyper-lethal killer. In battle he's absolutely ruthless and unforgiving, dispatching enemies with a quick stroke of his weapons. He isn't cruel or sadistic, but he shows no remorse or hesitation and has no pity for weakness and stupidity. Lance refers to this side of his personality as his "dark passenger."

It's likely that Lance developed his public playboy persona as a way to mask his "dark passenger" from both the world and himself. He fears his darkness and worries that it will overtake him and turn him into a monster. So he carries himself with a sort of cool, laid-back, nonchalant attitude and engages in and meaningless romantic trysts, hoping that it will stave off his dark passenger. He's had little luck, however, and his continued use of his "mask" has only served to make him more aware of how deep his darkness goes. He's perfectly willing to follow the rhetoric of fighting for "love and glory" but inside he feels nothing. Many of his relationships remain superficial because he finds it hard to connect with other people beyond that superficial level. Even so, Lance has a deeply-rooted sense of loyalty to those he's come to trust and care for, though they're few and far between. In fact, he feels closer to his Armored Core than he does with most people, and claims that it actually understands him. Lance's operator is one of the few who he has a genuine connection with.

History: Lance's past is shrouded in mystery; there are few who know of his life before joining the Israeli military as an Irregular, and that information remains highly classified. Records indicate that his father was also a soldier who had gained favor with a high-ranking government official, who in turn showed this favor by enrolling Lance in the Pilot Academy. Though his father died in combat, Lance continued to be supported by a group of officials and went on to become an extremely capable pilot with an impressive military record. He has served in several major military engagements and is highly decorated for valor and bravery in battle.

(The above is what the military has declassified. His classified/actual history follows):

Lance's first memory is one of complete and utter agony; of awakening screaming in pain; of something ripping over his entire body, searing itself into his skin and bones. Everything was fire. Then there was nothing. Just weightlessness; days of emptiness; complete silence and loneliness. Then pain again. And more fire; more screaming and ripping and searing. But this time, there was something else after. No more loneliness. No more silence. But a single sound; a low chuckle - a whisper. The Passenger. It was there that Lance's Dark Passenger took his first breath, born in fire and blood.

It was the resulting chaos of a terrorist attack that left his family dead and Lance buried under the fiery wreckage of an ice cream parlor. He spent the next hours pinned beneath the charred and bloody bodies of his parents. He was pulled from the wreckage and brought to the hospital before being taken to a local orphanage.

But his darkness had already taken root. He lashed out angrily and with no regard for anyone else. He fought with the other children and even with the workers at the orphanage. When he was ten years old, a soldier and his wife came to the orphanage looking to adopt a child. While they were initially steered away from Lance by the staff there, the soldier recognized something in Lance and adopted him straight away. What the soldier did not reveal, however, was that he was a recruit for a special paramilitary establishment called the "Program" looking to find young boys with certain characteristics that they could then mold into perfect Irregular pilots.

Lance was brought into the "Program", and subjected to the rigors and difficulties they set up for him and the other recruits. Competition between the "students" was fierce. They were encouraged to hurt, maim, and even kill one another so they might get an extra portion of food that day. They were taught to be cunning and ruthless. They were taught all the arts of combat from the very first day, receiving training with all forms of weaponry and hand-to-hand combat.

The Program itself had suffered serious setbacks. The cruel regimen that the cadets were subjected to was simply too much for most of them. A majority either died from training accidents or committed suicide. Many others were mentally unfit to rejoin active society and were shipped away to other parts of the country. On top of that, only a few of the cadets had an AMS compatibility high enough to effectively pilot an Armored Core to any degree of effectiveness. Lance was luckily one of these few, and his AMS aptitude was actually among the highest; he was able to pilot ACs at frighteningly high speeds with relative ease.

At the age of eighteen, Lance was sent to the Israeli army, as all citizens are, and at the behest of the Program was assigned to one of its Irregular units. Upon entering the service, Lance realized how out of the ordinary he was. He was far more cutthroat than the others, even among the other Irregulars--a result of his time in the Program. He began to form bonds with his comrades and did everything he could to fit in, though it was almost completely on a very superficial level. It was there that he developed his outlook on life; he learned how to "enjoy" life, or at least appear as if he did. He developed his lady-killer side and charisma, hoping that they would help him to connect with someone.

Lance was involved with several top-priority operations as a part of a special flight-group called the Kidon (Hebrew for "bayonet"). He was involved in the highly successfully Operation Wrath of God campaign, in which his unit engaged in blitz assassinations of high-ranking enemies who had conspired together to organize a fire-bomb campaign of several government buildings throughout the country. He was also involved in Operation Heavy Justice, an organized strike against enemy ground troops; Operation Thunderbolt, the destruction of a key enemy military facility; and Operation Uppercut, where he and his unit commandeered a series of enemy warships and used them as staging platforms for further aerial attacks. His success with these missions has earned him the rank of "hyper-lethal." Lance was the lone survivor of the Wrath of God and Thunderbolt operations, though this only served to make him more aware of the darkness.

Upon the global disbanding of the various nations' Irregular units, Lance was left with nowhere to go. His entire life had been in preparation for his role as a pilot, and without that there was nothing left for him. However, Collared was formed within weeks of the disbanding, and Lance--with nowhere else to turn his formidable skills--was quickly accepted into the ranks of Irregulars. During this early period, he first met the Operator Serra Leblanc and formed a partnership with her.

Other: Lance is a superb fighter and warrior, possessing a rating with every weapon that fires a bullet or holds an edge. He is also one of the very few individuals documented as "hyper-lethal," a designation given to those with the skills and mental fortitude to overcome massive enemy numbers and impossible situations. His "Dark Passenger" is a contributing factor though, as his emotional detachment allows him to act on pure logic and instinct, drawing out the limits of his mental and physical ability, which is considerable.

Armored Core Name: White Glint
Weight Designation: Medium
Leg Type: Biped
Combat Specialization: Combat Dominance-Close Range/Melee, Medium Range, Speed.
Weapon Layout: White Glint can be equipped with any combination of the following. More specialized missions will see the appropriate equipment added, but this is the initial setup.
Arm Weapons: Laser Blade "07-Moonlight", Assault Rifle w/Armor-Piercing Bayonet "AR-0700 Kidon", Rifle "051ANNR-Spiegel", Blade-Edged/shaped Hi-Laser Rifle "HLR09-Becrux"
Back Weapons: Blade/wing-shaped Hi-Laser Cannons "HLC09-Acrux", Spread missiles "Saline05", Extra Boosters "ACB-O710"
Hangar Weapons: Laser Blade "02-Dragonslayer", Handgun "GAN01-Sabra"

Further Description: White Glint is a white-colored machine with a few black accents. It is supremely aerodynamic and streamlined for high-speed combat. It has average proportions, with emphasis on limb strength and stability (to hold up against its high speed movements). The White Glint's head is triangular and predatory, with three specially-built stabilizing protrusions emerging from the back of it in a triangle formation. Large strong arms provide an accurate and stable firing platform for the Glint's high-speed combat, while strong legs and large feet provide further stability.

White Glint is a masterfully designed and built Armored Core, perfectly embodying the concept of medium-build ACs in its sturdiness and dependability. White Glint's design means that it cannot equip shoulder-mounted weaponry, but it makes up for this in other areas, specifically a set of optional wing-like protrusion attachments. When entering overboost, the wing segments open to reveal a series of auxiliary boosters that dramatically increase its overall speed. Even without the overboost, the wings provide White Glint with improved speed and aerial combat abilities. The tradeoff is that back-mounted weapons must be positioned on the ends of the wings. Weapons with higher recoil are incredibly difficult to use in this case because they are placed much further from the AC's center of gravity and it is much harder to stabilize after firing. For this reason, Lance tends to use the wings only with his specially-designed blade-like laser cannons and the spread missiles.

White Glint is designed for intense combat dominance, relying on its overall superior performance parts and Lance's piloting skills to excel in medium to close range combat. While Lance can equip long-range sniper weapons, the White Glint's long-range capabilities are ordinary at best. Its best defense against long-range opponents is to use its superior overboost abilities to close the gap and engage on its own terms. It's name comes from the fact that it moves so fast that it appears only as a "white glint" before its enemies are destroyed.

Name: Serra Leblanc
Call-Sign: Angel
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Country of Birth: North American Alliance
Country of Residence: North American Alliance
Designation: Operator
Description: Serra is a woman with soft features. This blonde-haired beauty has often been described as emotionless, but to those who can read her expressions she's anything but. Her blue eyes are actually quite expressive if you know what to look for. Her long blonde hair frames her face and reaches well below her shoulders. Despite her long hair, she rarely ties it back, allowing it to hang freely like a blonde curtain. Serra is of average height and build. She's in rather good shape, though certainly not as toned or athletic as the Armored Core pilots. Her build is softer and more feminine than someone like Claire. Serra is less "lethally" beautiful and more "elegantly" beautiful (though beauty often depends entirely on personal preference). Still, Serra is anything but a wilting flower, as many people could tell you. Despite her softness, she packs a good deal of power into her frame, and has a mean right-hook. Serra's body is far from unmarred. She has a pair of massive scars that run vertically over each of her shoulder blades.

Serra's typical dress is a pair of tight, leg-and-hip-hugging jeans and a sleeveless white top that leaves a lot of her midriff exposed. She also is fond of a thin, light, black leather jacket that she received from Lance at one point. She has a small silver cross pendant, though not necessarily because of any religious belief; it's simply the only thing she owns from before she lost her memories.

Personality: Serra is willful almost to a fault, usually doing whatever she wants regardless of whether or not it inconveniences others, particularly with Lance. She also likes to withhold information, usually telling people just enough to leave them wondering. Her individual experiences have led Serra to become a detached and lonely individual (though she usually tries to hide it, especially around those she does not know well), with little care for even those she has entered into arrangements with, while in the past she was somewhat a spoiled and cheerful girl. Due to her nature and history, she has been lonely as long as she can remember. Lance is possibly the first person that has ever truly cared for her and it appears that she reciprocates at least some feelings. She considers herself his accomplice in all he does, and she is one of the few people to know Lance's true nature and accept it (something even he is unable to really do).

Serra is a master of subtlety and deadpan humor, able to throw people off their game with the simplest twist of a phrase or word. She also has a penchant for teasing people, though it's never malicious or done in spite. In this way she's sometimes quite playful, though it's always in her own soft-spoken way. She's quirky in that regard, and often catches people off guard because of it.

History: Serra can remember very little of he life before nine years ago. For the purpose of the History section, however, her past will be revealed. She was born in North America in Florida in a decrepitly poor section of Miami run by the corporation Global Armaments. Her parents were low-level programmers for GA's weapons and systems development divisions, but they were also unknowingly part of a secret eugenics program run by a back-room division. GA had been attempting to isolate a gene that indicated high AMS compatibility. After isolating the gene, they were able to devise a gene therapy that allowed them to introduce the gene to others genetic structure. The experiments had already produced significant results in children and adults, but GA was interested in the effects of the gene treatment on fetuses. Disguising it as part of pre-natal treatment and care, the unborn Serra was made a part of GA's experiments. She, as well as the many others involved were born with much higher-than-average AMS compatibility. From childhood, the GA executives began secretly pushing her and the others towards careers as Irregulars.

When Serra's high compatibility was "discovered" in a "routine" doctor's visit, her parents were delighted; Irregulars were a privileged class and had benefits and powers that they could never hope to give Serra on their own. They allowed her to join GA's training program. There Serra was subjected to a rigorous battery of tests and trials to weed out those unable to handle the stress of piloting even with high AMS compatibility. The children were simply unable to handle the ordeal on a mental and emotional level. They couldn't understand the psychic stress they were undergoing, and many cracked and went insane. Serra, thankfully, was able to pull through and went on to become an excellent pilot, though her abilities never quite matched up to the potential her high AMS aptitude should have afforded her. Still, Serra became a skilled pilot for Global Armaments, and helped elevate her family out of poverty.

Nine years ago, however, she and the remaining experimental pilots were tasked with destroying an anti-GA terrorist cell in downtown Miami. She and the other Irregulars located their compound and easily destroyed the few Normals defending it, then set out to kill or capture the remaining terrorists. As this task was being completed, Serra spotted her parents in the crowd of gathered terrorists just moments before one of her comrades gunned them down.

Serra flew into a fury and all the potential of her high AMS compatibility came out. She annihilated her comrades, the terrorists, and the compound in her rage before her AC lost its power and shut down. A psychic backlash resulted from the event mixed with the overwhelming effort of maintaining her AMS at such a high level. It damaged her mind to the point of amnesia and forced Serra to abandon her machine. She wandered in a daze with only her name, and was eventually found by a man who brought her with him to one of the nearby slums. The man's name was Vincent Costa, a local drug-baron serving Venezuela's drug kingpin. Serra was turned into Costa's personal slave, though that didn't stop his underlings from abusing her when the chances arose. In her amnesic state, Serra had no concept of another life, and for three years lived under Costa's tyranny.

As it happened, however, Costa had angered the higher ups at Global Armaments, and they hired an Irregular to quickly deal with him and his drug cell. That Irregular was Lance Donovan, who made swift work of Costa and his crew. When everyone was dead, Lance did one last sweep through the compound and found Serra cowering. Recognizing something of himself in her, he surprised himself by taking her with him away from the carnage.

Though Lance had initially planned to simply leave her at a nearby hospital and never see her again, fate seemed to have other ideas in mind. Serra eventually found her way to employment in Collared as an Operator, someone who assists pilots by feeding them tactical information and changes to battle plans. One of her first missions found her paired with Lance, and together they completed the mission in both record time and with a record low of expenses. When they met later to collect their payment, they recognized one another from that fateful day. They decided to form a contract with one another, making them exclusive partners. From that day on, they've been working together.

Other: Serra has an extraordinary AMS compatibility, among the highest ever recorded. However, she is unable to pilot high-performance Armored Cores because of the psychic damage she received when she was younger. In fact, the damage resulted specifically because of her incredible AMS aptitude; it overwhelmed her. Due to this, she can no longer pilot machines with the AMS installed for risk of permanent damage.


Name: Claire Bradley
Call-Sign: Scarlet
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Country of Birth: European Union (United Kingdom)
Country of Residence: North American Alliance
Designation: Pilot
Description: Claire has been described as "smokin," "hot," "smokin hot," and "DAMN!" And upon first consideration, one might mistake the 5'9" woman for a model. She has a full, enchanting, hourglass figure, with long legs, gorgeous curves, and a generous...well, you get the idea. She has bright green eyes and long red hair, usually tied back in a high ponytail or messy bun. She's not weak or fragile by any means, however. As an Irregular her body is placed under tremendous stress due to prolonged exposure to high G-forces, so Claire has a strict diet and workout regimen to keep strong and in shape. Additionally, Claire's warrior-soldier lifestyle requires her to remain in prime physical condition. All of this has only contributed to the hard lean musculature of her otherwise soft-looking body. She won't be doing any major heavy lifting, but she's no wilting flower. Upon closer inspection, however, one can find the flaws in her physical appearance. Her hands are rough, calloused, and scarred from years of wielding weapons and she has scars from training accidents and being banged around in the cockpit of various high-speed ACs.

Claire is not a vain woman, but takes pride in her appearance and dress. She always appears well-groomed and elegant and carries herself with dignity. She always wears a small dragon-shaped silver pendant on a small silver chain. She's been known to wear a pair of dark-blue, tight-fitting jeans and a black tank-top or t-shirt. She also wears a ruffled white (or black) mini-skirt and a sky-blue top. For fancier occasions, she often chooses an elegant black dress that shows just enough leg and cleavage, but not so much as to appear tacky. Like all Irregulars, Claire's flight-suit is form fitting--a flattering sight. Its lower half (legs/pants) are crimson-red, while the torso and sleeves are mostly black, appearing as if she's wearing an open black jacket. Where the "jacket" is opened, the same crimson-red runs up her chest in a vertical streak.

Personality: Claire is a confident young woman with a strong set of moral principles and standards. She holds people to the same standards as she holds herself, though this can make her seem rather judgmental. To those who she is unfamiliar with, Claire's physical beauty has given her a reputation for being a vain and off-putting woman (though only among people who don't know her), while in fact the opposite is true. She's caring and eager to help and lend a hand. To her comrades, she's a sister (though to the men, it's more of an adopted/step-sister kind of deal...just so they don't feel too creepy). Her reputation actually stems from the fact that many men are too intimidated to actually speak to her and thus make excuses for themselves and guesses as to her personality.

To those that know her, Claire is much more relaxed and open. She is flirty, vibrant, and full of live, a rarity for someone who has gone through the tortuous ordeals, training, and battles of an Irregular's life. While she might have ordinarily become bitter and withdrawn, her interactions with friends and close comrades kept her spirits high. In them she recognizes kindred spirits, all of whom have suffered physical and emotional scars akin to her own. With them she's found camaraderie and family, allowing her to look towards life's future and not dwell on hurt. Because of them, she's much less self-conscious about the scars she received (let's face it, they're Irregulars, they're ALL a little banged up). This makes Claire a very loyal person and someone the rest can count on.

History: Claire grew up in a safe and supporting family. Her father was a well-renown and wealthy businessman and her mother was a once-prominent Irregular in the EU's military before an injury forced her to retire. Claire grew up admiring the strength her mother possessed, and they were very close. She idolized her mother and tried everything to live up to her mother's (perceived) expectations, though her mother only wished for her to be happy. Through her father's resources, Claire was allowed to be enrolled in one of the top private academies and was given the best schooling available. From there she followed in her mother's footsteps, hoping to become an Irregular in her own right.

In her military training, Claire revealed herself to have the AMS aptitude necessary to be a top-notch pilot, and became proficient with Armored Cores of every design and class, able to push machines well-past their expected limitations. Under her control, heavyweight ACs became nimble and agile, and lightweights packed a powerful punch. Her versatility and skill made her an invaluable asset to the EU, and she served in conflicts around the European, Asian, and African continents.

Like the other top Irregulars unable to return to civilian life after the disbanding, Claire was quickly recruited by Collared. Eager to prove herself, she took even the easiest and seemingly boring jobs, those that paid far less. But because of her willingness to take odd jobs, she became a highly-requested pilot and amassed something akin to a small fortune.

Other: Claire has a uniquely high AMS compatibility, even among Irregulars. It is also extremely adaptable and ever-changing in the different intensity categories, thus she is able to effectively pilot a wide variety of different Armored Cores. She prefers her personal craft, but she's able to adapt to nearly any situation and use a variety of weapons and armaments.

Armored Core Name: Valkyria Redtail
Weight Designation: Light
Leg Type: Reverse-joint
Combat Specialization: Combat Adaptability-Agility, Range Balance, Ordinance Balance
Weapon Layout: Valkyria Redtail can be equipped with any combination of the following. More specialized missions will see the appropriate equipment added, but this is the initial setup.
Arm Weapons: Laser Blade "07-Moonlight", Railgun "RG03-Kapyetn", Machine Gun "03-Motocobra"
Back Weapons: Hi-Laser Cannon "Sirius", Missiles "Panzer", Grenade Cannon "Otogo", Chain Gun "CG-R500 Muskingumo"
Shoulder Weapons: Chain Missiles "Musselshell", Scatter Buckshot "Laliguras", Flares "Yasmin"
Hangar Weapons: Laser Blade "EB-O600 Schneider", Handgun "GAEN07-Jager"

Further Description: The Valkyria Redtail is a sleek red-and-silver Armored Core. Its limbs are thin but well built and strong with good dexterity for precision aiming and fire. The shoulders are wider than one would expect, allowing for better stability with the higher-recoil back-mounted weaponry. The head is triangular and exceptionally thin, allowing the AC to cut through the air; a long, thin, forward facing horn on the top of the head allows for balance and additional sensors. The Valkyria's core is standard, well-armored to protect the pilot, but still aerodynamic and light enough not to interfere with the AC's flight. The legs are the most dynamic part of this machine, reverse-jointed to improve leaping ability and aerial combat, they have also been outfitted with stabilizers on the back of the feet to give the Valkyria better locomotive abilities on the ground.

The variety of equipment Claire has available to equip to the Valkyria is a testament to the relationships she's built with her many clients; she's often offered advanced new weaponry as payment for her services. She's built the Valkyria around the concept of interchangeability; as long as she doesn't overload its weight capacity, she can essentially use any weapon available to her. Because of both her own piloting prowess and the Valkyria's exceptional engineering, Claire is more than capable (and even excels) in all areas of combat.