The conflux of alleyways where Gondo, Moriah & Ignasius were standing was approximately 12.8 meters by 13.6 meters at its widest point. Auto-recyclers and cans piled with refuse littered the edges, and multiple ingresses for the tall structures that surrounded the clearing dotted the slimy walls. On high tide days these airlocks would be shut tight, but on such a rare and clear day like today some were opened and small groups of people congregated to enjoy the fetid air. Steam wafted from the gratings below and drifted through the yellowish haze, only to be disturbed by the ever-present dripping from above. This tranquil scene was about to be the site of a heavy engagement.
Ignasius long range sensors detected 5 humanoid forms approaching at high velocity by air. When they began to fire on his and Gondo’s position he engaged the closest of his twelve orbiting drones to full fire. The vehicles used for police cars in Robo-Cop were all Ford Taurus's, he recalled.
His back panel cracked open and launched a massive volley of micro-rockets skyward.
"Five bogeys incoming in V-formation, mid-range psychic in the vanguard, 4 in light mech suits.” His communication with Gondo was all through the comm link they shared. He also transmitted a detailed real time diagram of the attackers that Gondo could access through his holo-visor.
Ignasius was unable to read psychic energy the way that Gondo could, but from the biometric data he collected on the assailants he could determine if anyone was casting and their relative strength. He detected these assailants were using a standard approach; the channeler in front would create a shield for the mechs, who would in turn unleash their salvos as they approached.
The complex micro-mechanics Ignasius harbored under his chassis turned him into a lethal Inspector Gadget. He proceeded to generate two dual flamethrowers which unfurled from his sides and began belching flame and sticky napalm skyward. “Gondo, did you know a baby puffin is called a puffling?” He relayed via speech.
Most of the incoming fire had been blocked by Ignasius micro missiles but some of the concussive blasts were now ricocheting off Gondo’s translucent shield as he braced himself against the impacts. “Fascinating Iggy! But maybe the time for an ornithology lesson?” he shouted back to his comrade as he sent a volley of psionic spears towards the aerial troupe.
Perhaps he was right. Harried by the flames their attackers broke formation to pursue individual targets. Their main objective seemed to be Moriah, who had begun to levitate and was dodging fire from all sides while hurling massive bolts of golden lightning at the mechs. One of these bolts scored and her target came crashing down like a brick into one of the neighboring buildings. It formed a large hole in the wall which then vomited a violent explosion.
One down.
The channeler perched on a fire escape about 30 feet above Moriah on the opposite side of the alley and switched places as the aggressor, he now rained deadly blasts toward her as the mech suit barreled into her like a tank with chain guns blazing. She threw up a shield just as the mech and energy hit her in a wave. The suit strained against the psychic wall and Moriah grimaced in effort to keep them from breaking through. Once past the shield the mech could easily carve her soft flesh with its bladed forearms.
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The other two mech suits had landed in either of the branching alleyways and were engaging both Ignasius and Gondo separately. The robot boonted out several smoke cannisters in each direction which trailed into the openings and exploded, blocking he and Gondo from their view. Gondo nodded to him with a smile and then launched into the smoke towards his target and disappeared.
This gave Ignasius a split second to assist the former A.E.C. CEO. While he held no admiration for her, she was not the one who had spoiled a peaceful parley with a surprise attack. He held one flaming arm aloft and blanketed the caster with fire. The flames reflected off Ignasius's armor, making him appear a blazing metal demon. At the same time, he reconfigured his other arm into a heavy laser with pinpoint accuracy and dead shotted the power pack of the mech in front of Moriah. It took a split second for the beam to penetrate the armor surrounding the weak point and then the suit was completely immobilized. The soldier inside didn’t miss a beat and manually ejected and rushed Moriah, automatic rifle unleashing into her shield.
With the minor reprieve given her by the blanket of flames still engulfing the enemy channeler, Moriah turned her full attention to the soldier. She held up her hand and made a fist. The soldier’s head imploded as if it was at the bottom of the sea and he crumpled to the ground. She turned her attention to the fire escape. Ignasius jetted down the alleyway towards his quarry who had appeared from the smoke and was lacing him with bullets and lining up a back mounted rail gun shot.
Ignasius turned his body horizontal to provide a smaller target as he rocketed forward. Bullets ricochetted off his chassis, some penetrating his armor. As interior nano machines repaired the damage, he crashed into the mech and lit his frame with electricity.
This suit was top of the line, and the power surge did nothing to halt the attack. The soldier inside roared as the mech’s twin blades pierced Ignasius sides and ejected through the back of his body, raining sparks, circuitry and metal.
The force of Ignasius assault drove the suit to the ground with him on top, pinned by the blades. The rail gun shot went wide and sliced off a sizable portion of the building above. A portal opened in the front of Ignasius chassis and that loud whirring sound was once again heard. A bright red glow began to form around the portal, reflected in the eyes of the terrified mech soldier. At once a beam of pure energy shot from the portal into the mech’s chest. The soldier screamed as Ignasius maneuvered his body in a circle, widening the hole of devastation in the man’s abdomen. His dying scream faded and Ignasius zipped the beam across his arms, severing them at the elbow.
The chunk of building that had been sliced off by the rail gun impact suddenly crashed into Ignasius from above, leaving a huge pile of smoking burning debris. After a moment, the robot emerged for the rubble and surveyed the damage.
Two large rends in his sides with the bladed armored forearms of the mech suit still trailing off them. A few dozen bullet holes in the front and top of his frame. His back was largely dented and several interior warnings were going haywire from the building impact. But he was whole and operating.
“Just like a Ford fucking Taurus.” he stated, then ventured back into the fray.