2023-07-29: Power Grab
- Log: 2023-07-29: Power Grab
- Cast: Emilia Eschonbach, Julia Ampere, Milly Ashford, BP-119 Duke, Schneizel el Britannia, Ai Martel, Lelouch Lamperouge, C.C., Karma Sato, Cascade Vermilion, Yuliana Kafim, Elisa Kafim, Killy Garrett, Kallen Kozuki
- Where: Soleit, BU Huffman Island
- OOC - IC Date: 28 July 0097
- Summary: On the Britannian side of Huffman Island, the Black Knights embark on a resource denial mission against the Britannian Union. At the same time the Energy Thief Julia Ampere and her assistant the Coup de Foudre are part way through initiating their own theft. Duke Fire of the Brave Police and the Prince Schneizel's flagship Avalon move to intercept and the Energy Thief proposes a contest- whoever leaves with the most Sakuradite and Japanium wins. As the Kafim's watch the battle from a nearby rooftop, the attackers prove victorious- but with a ruthlessness from some Black Knights that leaves the Energy Thieves disquieted.
KTS: Ai Martel has deployed in Type 96 Kai. KTS: Ai Martel has joined BP-119 Duke's bucket!
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Soleit is a town of about eighty thousand permanent residents, or twice that if you count seasonal workers. Up in the northeast of Huffman Island, well into the Britannian side of the island, it is right on the edge of the mountains and is built across a number of hills, extending toward the mountains proper.
Always a resource extraction site, the value of Soleit skyrocketed after the One Year War, when sakuradite and japanium deposits were found in the region. The town, then, is primarily industrial, servicing mines and performing metal processing and purification. Many of the corporations are (secretly or not-so-secretly) owned or funded by Britannian nobles, and Soleit's primary business with these exotic materials is done with the Britannian government and military. Other materials, such as rhodium and rare-earth metals, are sold more widely for profit.
Soleit also is known for its natural preserves, and the Soleit region is ground zero of a permanent argument between industry and conservation groups. Occasional attempts at nature tourism rarely pan out, but the views are spectacular - once you get away from the sight of mines and the sounds and smells of industry, anyway.
Because of the region's close association with Britannian interests - outside the militarized regions, it's probably the closest to the Britannian government - Soleit is occasionally the target of anti-Britannian or anti-corporation terrorism. There hasn't been as much in the last few years, but it's still a threat, and one the Black Knights can take advantage of.
Security is solid, with KMFs patrolling the base, and stationed strategically. Regular ecoterrorists will do that for you. But it's been a quiet few months since anyone has made a move on Soleit.
Perhaps today is a most unfortunate coincidence.
Suddenly, inside the base, *something* drives into the side of a truck transporting Sakuradite, which takes out the wall and the KMFs nearby. Several other explosions follow suit, to throw the base into chaos.
"What the hell is going on?" Shouts the base commander aide, as crews move to put out fires. Smoke starts to envelope the base. "You idiots, this is coming out of your pay-"
"Ma'am, Squad C has gone dark!"
"What...? Sound the alarm!"
Standing above the wreckage, a purple ARM Slave stands over the smoking wreckage, it's ECS readying to reactivate. It's pilot breathed quietly in the cockpit. It had been too easy, a sudden ambush. Her supply of Anti-Tank daggers had been exhausted in the assault- but that was fine.
She was still more than armed for the unfortunate trio that was KMF Squad C.
A flare rife with Minovsky particles fires from the Codarl's shoulder, exploding above the base. The signal for her allies to enter. There would be seconds before Minovsky pollution blocked the signal for the base to call for help, while the landlines were being cut-
-but an alert gets through nonetheless, the alarm can be heard all throughout town.
For Soleit, help is on the way.
"L-let's do our j-j-job, Rapunzel."
If only she knew she'd made someone else's job a lot harder.
KTS: Schneizel_el_Britannia has deployed as a Boss for 3 opponents. KTS: Killy Garrett has deployed in Me-02R Messer 'Killer Harpy Mk II'.
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
Many eyes are on Soleit today. Among them is none other than Julia Ampere, energy thief extraordinaire - and this time, she has her eyes on more than just energy. Of course, as always, she has a Scheme - but today's is rather special. For the first time, she's working with an employee. Oh, she's collaborated with others before, of course - none can forget that daring paint heist alongside one Lin Xiahe - but it's quite different to have a collaborator you're directly responsible for, rather than one with their own agenda.
And a human, at that, rather than the drones she usually solely employs - someone with their own thoughts and opinions, another point of view, another set of eyes to look on her plans and offer opinions and suggestions. It's quite a different dynamic than she's used to... but Julia would be lying if she said it wasn't a good feeling.
And it's because of that, that rather than the usual bombastic entrance, the loud declaration of intent, even though today is the day to put her scheme - well, it's both of theirs now, really - into action... Julia currently lurks under cover, her machine presently concealed.
"You're quite resourceful, getting us this far... I have a feeling things are going to go just swimmingly!" Julia enthuses. Her machine's radio is currently tuned into the Soleit forces communications, either due to hacking or a certain someone's resources.
"Very well, then. It's time for my newest darling to shine! Staticaster, let's disable their communications, shall we...?" Julia starts. She raises a finger above a button dramatically - and just as she does, Soleit's communications cut out, with just enough time for an alarm to ring out. However. "...Ah... that was not me."
Julia frowns, lowering her finger with a look of disappointment on her face and rapping them against her machine's console for a moment - before taking a chance to peek out from her hiding spot.
"...Well! It appears that this particular venue has been double-booked!" Julia huffs. "...At any rate, dear - if we stay here any further, we're bound to get swept up into this regardless. Shall we make a grand entrance on our own terms?"
A moment later, smoke erupts within the base, obscuring vision (the attentive may hear the sound of a machine scrambling into position). And when it clears...!
A humanoid robot, quite unlike Julia's standard fare, stands amidst the fading smoke. Its design greatly resembles the look of a masked stage magician, its mask bearing a toothy grin and a single gleaming purple eye sensor. The robot - the aforementioned Staticaster - grasps the brim of its (mechanical) top hat, sweeping its gaze about.
"My...! To steal the thunder of the Energy Thief herself... I am most impressed by your temerity." Staticaster removes its hat with a sweeping bow before standing up straight once more. "As we've both found ourselves here... let's make a game of this, shall we? A little... friendly competition, to see who leaves with the most!"
It's a show meant for the Black Knights just as much as for anyone else who might arrive - a clear statement of where she stands in relation to them. Unconnected - but more than willing to capitalize on their presence.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
It had taken a little effort and some... dubious use of things left in the Ashford Academy basement for Milly to get to where she was with this plan. Current information on Soleit's defenses would be impossible to come by, but what Milly had access to was somehow potentially superior: Huffman Conflict-era data, from when the Ashford Family was still selling arms.
Accordingly, she's aimed gaming this out at targeting that level of defensive hardening of the location, on the logic that if they could theoretically pull this off against the place on a war footing, surely it'd be even easier in peacetime.
"Why thank you," Milly replies pleasantly, lips curling up in a smile. "I was expecting a harder defensive posture... I'm surprised we haven't had to turn this into a production just yet." Nodding once, Milly agrees, "You have the floor, ma'am~"
... and then something seemingly goes to plan, but --
"Not you? ... I think we can turn that to our advantage." It's when it's revealed to be the Black Knights, however, that some concern starts to slip into Milly's expression. She's not unsympathetic, but by the same token, it's hard to say that she wants to get tied up with that kind of terrorism (at least, just yet)...
... but Julia did warn her that this is a business where you pick up allies you won't always like.
Flipping a switch in the cockpit, Milly says, "This is Coup de Foudre," her voice lightly distorted by the comms suite. A moment passes. "I'm the Energy Thief's strategist -- and lovely assistant~. In the interest of making this game fair, I'll give you my tactical map of the area. After all, Britannia's not going to be choosy. On this day, we fall as one~."
She really does provide that, too -- and while her assessment gives the Britannian forces a bit too much credit, she's at least operating in the realm of reality.
Her machine -- a wanzer with some secondary KMF parts, and an unusually-sculpted cockpit block -- wheels around, pulling two pistols off of magnetic locks on the thighs. "Shall we dance?"
KTS: Killy Garrett has joined Schneizel el Britannia's bucket!
<Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
Alarms ring out as two hostile intents converge on Huffman Island at once, and emergency transmissions go to Nouvelle Tokyo.
Shortly after: The emergency cargo helicopter that transports the Super AI operatives of the Brave Police where they need to go looms over Soleit, cargo ramp dropping and disgorging an ambulance and fire engine.
"EMERGENCY CHANGE: DUUUUUUUUUKE! FIIIIIIIIIRE!"
The two vehicles come apart into blocks and limbs before rearranging and slamming together, forming the white-and-scarlet figure of the Brave Police combat form, Duke Fire! The tarmac shatters under his landing, one knee bent. Crystal-blue eye lenses scan the area. "Regina: Assessing field for hostiles." A shield unfolds from the Super AI combiner's left arm as he draws his Fire Blaster in pistol mode, the Knight Detective advancing slowly and carefully.
"Copy that, Duke Fire," Regina Argine replies from her operations booth in the helicopter overhead. "Don't overextend. Union military response is en route, recommend forming up with them."
"Acknowledged, my lady. Advancing on Ampere's location."
<Pose Tracker> Schneizel el Britannia has posed.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"Well. This is unfortunate."
Schneizel sits in the throne that is the captain's chair of the Britannian flagship, the Avalon. It had been crossing the pacific on its way back from assisting in the suppression of some undesirable elements on the Asian continent. Schenzeil himself had not participated, but he had been attending to other matters and was now returning back to Britannia.
At least, he was, as it seems now that a diversion is in order. Schneizel taps his finger on the arm rest as he stares at the information coming in about an attack on the Britannian facilities in Soleit. The potential loss of whatever resources these thieves are after is one matter. But what's worse would be the political impact, given the tenuous relations surrounding Huffman Island between the Britannian Union and the OCU. To appear weak in the area would give the OCU an advantage.
"Very well. We will divert to assist. Send the transports ahead. We'll come in behind them."
-=-=-=-
A small fleet of Knightmare transports soon appear in the skies above Soleit, flying towards the source of the disturbance. Sutherlands carried on them begin to detach, riding their Slash Harken lines down towards the ground as they move to reinforce the harried defenders.
<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.
A quiet sigh in the cockpit of the Gawain, as the young prince rests his helmet against his fist. That's annoying. "One day too slow, then..." It is what it is. Well - it's fine, anyway. Ultimately, they will serve as a reasonable sideshow, a good distraction. In another way to put it; he's happy to have the Energy Thief shot at instead of him and his. It's inconvenient, certainly, but that's not so bad.
Sitting up, he opens the communicator. "Very well, Energy Thief. We'll take you on, fair and square." And why not? It'll be a little more entertaining than a casual mop up of the defenses. They even gave him a little gift; one that he'll overlap with his own in his head, checking for differences, different expectations, how both of them are wrong and in what ways --- in other words? He's going to take this map as a test submission, with the answer key of 'reality' as observed. It'll be interesting to see how the Energy Thief's 'lovely assistant' matches up the Maker of Miracles. There's no need to reply to them any further, but he'll keep the circuit open.
"Black Knights, do not go out of your way to attack the Energy Thief. No need. Focus fire on the enemy. Secure what we can. Burn what we can't." ... "And, do try to avoid civilian casualty. Engage at will." Try to avoid, but...
And the circuit closes, to speak to his pilot directly. "Let's get this over with, C.C." He's sure in a dour mood, today. Maybe it's the 'guests'. Just not exciting.
KTS: Milly Ashford has joined BP-119 Duke's bucket!
<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
"Aaaah, just looking at this place...it's starting to be a little bit depressing."
A baleful, radio-silent sigh from within the front of the now-rising commander central of the Black Knights. The mysterious green-haired witch known only as C.C. props her legs up on the dashboard for a little while, curling onto her side in a position that can't possibly be comfortable.
As for what the hell she's talking about? ...well - the simple fact that Huffman Island is a newly formed landmass, enough to be split by major powers. The simple reality is thus-
...C.C.'s getting old enough that geology is starting to outpace her. When the planet changes faster than you, without your knowledge...
...Well. Not that she can plainly just 'tell' anyone, but she's grousing and agonizing just a little in the cockpit, gazing up at the second-story seat where Lelouch looms - the headrest covering her mouth to hide her pouty sulky instincts.
"You got the map from Coup de Foudre on your consoles, yes? We're still working on the configurations of intel to make sure as little of the boring strategic stuff comes my way as possible. Speaking of which - if there's any reason for me not to go ahead and dismantle the little knights coming from the Britanian reinforcements, speak now or forever hold your peace."
On cue, the ten finger-mounted Slash Harkens fan out from the floating Gawain's hands, arcing towards one of Schneizel's dispatched reinforcements - large and forceful enough to lance through the torso sections of a KMF with relative ease. It takes C.C. an annoyingly long time to put her feet on the pedals, but that's a-okay! (she's installed a handful of very tiny and extremely simple Newtype-compatible modules to perform basic commands and motions if she's in too extra a postrue to actually perform them manually.)
KTS: C.C. targets Schneizel el Britannia with Slash Harken Deluge! KTS: C.C. has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Karma Sato has posed.
Sitting in his KMF, Karma watches everything happening through Longshot's scope. At the sight of the explosion of Sakuradite he moves the scope up to watch for the signal, and a moment later there it is <"P1 here, looks like Minovsky pollution is in effect. Though it appears we weren't quick enough to cut off the alarm." > The last part is said as he wincing a bit at things already starting to go awry.
Still Karma watches the chaos erupt through the factory, when he spots a wanzer on the field. <"When did we get a wanzer?"> The question isn't directed to anyone but perhaps the boss can answer, it wouldn't be the first time that they did something without letting the rest of the team know.
That was when he noticed the so called Energy Thief when Zero points it out over comms. Well if Zero said not to worry they must not be to important, just another person trying to make a name for themselves. Besides Karma had set his scopes on something else as he spots a Brittannian transport, <"Looks like we got incoming." > Raising the rifle the Longshot opens fire without hesitation.
<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
When Cascade mentioned 'an operation' to her sisters, this is the one she meant.
It's been a while since she has personally seen quite this many Black Knights deploy as a single group. Even better, they have Zero with them, which means she's in an optimal position to provide her analysis of the Black Knights' current ability to engage on a war footing. Not everybody is here, of course, but enough of the big names are to get an updated feel for things.
Cascade's own KMF is a heavy-looking machine with a pair of shoulder-mounted cannons, currently using two-finger-and-a-thumb gripper clamps instead of full fingers to hold a spear with a reinforced haft and heavy spearhead. Despite the melee weapon, it's very obviously built for range given all its internal weaponry, and Cascade is taking advantage of that; she's taken a position where she can overlook most of the battlefield, hunkering down near the 96 Kai.
Her attention is drawn to the Energy Thief - and her assistant. Cascade hears the name of the assistant, and though she isn't naturally fluent in French she doesn't need to be; her quick check of her database for the meaning brings back an equally quick response, and she muffles a sound that could be a cough or could be a laugh. Fortunately, she had her radio off at the time.
"Understood. I will provide covering fire," she says, and to the Black Knights it sounds like she's decided to use a voice shifter too (and she is, though the voice shifter is part of Cascade herself and not mounted on her Knightmare Frame). It's still a female voice but not at all Cascade's natural voice, and - as part of the disguise - has some of the hallmarks of digital shifting; flattened sounds, a little tinny. A part of Cascade's computer attempts to reverse Coup de Foudre's shifting, just as she would for anyone else.
And, indeed, she provides just that. When Ai rushes in, and Zero gives them direction, Cascade rises up in place. The shoulder cannons fire one after another at Duke Fire; they burst in the air well before they hit him, showering the tarmac with shrapnel and a shockwave to try to pin him in place with his shield so that others can approach.
She keeps firing afterwards, not always in the same place, as much to try to provide cover from dropping KMFs as anything else.
KTS: Cascade Vermilion targets BP-119 Duke with Shoulder Cannon Airburst! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Karma Sato targets Schneizel el Britannia with Longshot Sniper Rifle Quick Shot! KTS: Karma Sato has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia charges into the attack! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards C.C.'s Slash Harken Deluge, taking 2880 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
An ostentatiously-chromed Type 96 Kai sits with the Black Knight contingent, away from Emmy's infiltration, crouched down among the brush alongside Cascade Vermilion, machine gun in hand. Ai Martel sits inside, drumming her fingers along the grip of the Arm Slave's left stick. Her eyes scan the area before them, watching for activity. She has faith in her young ward, and the capabilities of her new machine, but... the maternal instinct is hard to suppress. She worries. And as Julia Ampere makes her bombastic entrance elsewhere, she resists the urge to move, to protect...
But the flare goes up. All is well. "Well done, Emilia," she murmurs to herself, standing the Type 96 up. <"Shall we?"> she asks Cascade, before charging in.
Ampere's companion radios in to them, supplying them with intelligence--a smile crosses her lips, then, as she's informed who the fellow interloper is. <"It's so refreshing when interests align just so~ Thank you, Coup de Foudre,"> she radios back, her own voice disguised along that band. Best not to clue Julia in to her double allegiance, at least for now.
But it's still far from a milk run, it seems. Ai frowns as Duke Fire drops onto the scene. <"Ah, good to finally have the pleasure of meeting the Brave Police!"> she says half-sarcastically, levelling the Type 96's rifle at him and squeezing off a burst as she closes in.
KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to evade Karma Sato's Longshot Sniper Rifle Quick Shot, taking 3630 damage!
KTS: Ai Martel targets BP-119 Duke with KDE 35mm Rifle Burst! KTS: Ai Martel has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
It's the anniversary of the Kafim's wedding proposal... and Yuliana's birthday! Did you know? Elisa knew, and she's taken her wife to a very prestigious showing of Lortzing's Undine, a romantic opera about a water spirit and her love. It was a beautiful performance, with beautiful company.
It's only on the way back that Yuliana recalls her discussion, the day prior.
Well, they were travelling, anyway; it's no problem for them to divert their course a little to Huffman Island, to check in on what one of their darling little projects is up to. It's not so hard to find where she's up to it, either -- just follow the Minovsky interference to its heart. And so, here on the roof of a building not too close to the melee, there is set up...
... a lavish couch and a coffee table which definitely don't fit the industrial vibe.
How did it get here? How was it set up all of a sudden? This is not about that.
All draped over Elisa, Yuliana sips at a cup of black tea. Her elegant black opera gloves stretch far up her bare arms, disguised by her shoulders by an emerald cape tied at her front; it falls down her back as the shining satin fabric falls down her front, quite modest despite the backless arrangement, buttons down the front and a sash about her waist. The dress ends at her ankles, but her neckline is bare, and the green crystals strung on her necklace plain now to see.
There's a portable radio on the table, beside the saucer where Yuliana's teacup lives, capturing the broad-wave declarations going out. Yuliana laughs, lightly, as she leans forward to place her pitch-black drink back on its saucer, picking up a pair of opera glasses to track Julia's movements instead. "My, my! Julia's energetic today, isn't she? We really ought to invite her over for tea, sometime -- you know, we used to have an arrangement, back when I was military." Bribes. She means that Julia gave her bribes.
"And our dear girl's here as well, how lovely... how do you think she'll do, zhenushka? I don't suppose she's done this often... of course, I did give her an operational overview when I gave her the machine, so I'll be disappointed if she fails basic piloting." Yuliana sounds far too amused to be disappointed, though. "Oh, perhaps she'll have a talent! She is quite exceptional... for a Britannian. Ah, but it's so nice to see her rebelling against them already!"
All snug against Elisa's side, Yuliana doesn't fear watching the battle outside a machine in the slightest. Her wife would never allow her to be harmed. "Though, it seems there's more than two sides to this little disturbance... Britannia does love to eat itself, doesn't it, my darling?" Even now she's not a woman of the REA, Yuliana has retained her love for tearing down Britannia.
It's nice to be able to share things, as a wedded couple.
KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge targets Schneizel el Britannia with Designate L2! KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Elisa knows many important things.
Elisa lounges with Yuliana on the couch, an arm around her wife. Her dress is black, full of lace including draping, long sleeves. And she is looking towards the excitement with some interest. A glass of red wine in her other hand swirls before she inhales its bouquet and takes another sip, only then lifting her own opera glasses to regard each individual she can see.
"Hmmmm. It's hard to say! But she does seem to have a good drive, doesn't she?" A beat, "And with your training, she surely has a good chance."
Rebellion. Yes... Elisa considers the matter. "it does," she says. "Britannia's perfidy will end it, one day. Perhaps sooner than later."
A beat, "But Julia! Ahhh yes. I can see why you had such an arrangement! I'll look forward to seeing her in action properly..."
<Pose Tracker> Killy Garrett has posed.
Killy watches proudly as Emmy leads the infiltration, chaos ensuing quickly after followed by an alarm unfortunately going off - unlucky. It seemed that they had company however, an energy thief and her assistant to be exact - the Harpy clutched its rifle, but Zero was quick to inform them not to engage - very well.
<"Understood."> Killy replied, her own voice disguised as well, before diverting her attention back to the main objective on hand, only to see the Britannian forces already deploying. Watching the other knights engaging, she wasted no time before taking aim, picking off any Sutherlands deploying that she can.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia was not expecting there to be other interlopers. She was *definitely* not expecting a robot magician to burst out of the smoke, and bowing. For a second she is simply caught off guard. Doubly so when the 'Energy Thief's lovely assistant' makes herself known- and they declare a game.
Coup de Foudre's playful voice, lightly distorted as it is, slips into her ears. "<I'm. Not here to. Play!>" Comes the modulated voice from Rapunzel, the anger not disguised. "<If. You want->"
And then comes a map, as well as Zero's orders. Don't go out of your way to attack the Energy Thief or Coup de Foudre. The Black Knights will be playing this game of theft.
She doesn't know it yet, but these are orders she'll be glad to have followed.
"....Rapunzel, o-o-orders received." She acknowledges- as the Brave Police and the KMF wing arrive. Damnit. She'd taken too long. "<Brave Police...?>" She asks, as Ai announces Duke's alleigance. "<Why the. Hell are you. Helping Britannia!?>" Her anger flares again, as her hands spring to the twin pistols locked onto the hips of the Codarl.
With a vicious alacrity, she abandons reenabling the ECS and opens fire, emptying both clips at Duke with ruthless efficiency.
"<Are you. Going to play with. Him too!?>" She calls to the far more dramatic interlopers. "<Because I'm. Here to fight!>"
/-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\
| 1: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Underbarrel Strike Pwr: 2500 15 EN |
| (Physical, Melee, Rattle) |
| 2: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Snapshot Pwr: 3200 12 EN |
| (Physical, Ranged, MAP) |
| 3: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Aimed Shot Pwr: 4800 39 EN |
| (Physical, Ranged, Accurate, Formation, Initiation) |
| 4: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips Pwr: 5200 46 EN |
| (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Accurate) |
| 5: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Sudden Slash Pwr: 2200 12 EN |
| (Physical, Melee, Repulse, MAP) |
| 6: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge Pwr: 4200 32 EN |
| (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker, Penetrating) |
| 7: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash Pwr: 3200 20 EN |
| (Physical, Melee, Spread, Formation, MAP) |
| 8: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Gleeful Slaughter Pwr: 4700 45 EN |
| (Physical, Melee, Finisher, Penetrating, Accurate) |
| 9: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Melee Strike Pwr: 4600 32 EN |
| (Magic, Melee, Penetrating) |
| 10: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Shot Pwr: 5000 33 EN |
| (Magic, Ranged, Accurate) |
| 11: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage Pwr: 5800 70 EN |
| (Magic, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Finisher, Ship-Killer) |
| 12: Lambda Driver - Low Output Realized Strike Pwr: 6500 85 EN |
| (Magic, Melee, Penetrating, Finisher, Barrier Breaker, Spread, Root) |
| 13: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Blitz Pwr: 5400 39 EN |
| (Magic, Melee, MAP, Crushing) |
| 14: Pass - 0 EN |
| (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) |
\----< HP: 1400014000 EN: 56 (+37round|0 comm) SP: 50 Morale: 100150 >----
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets BP-119 Duke with ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 47. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 65. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Killy Garrett targets Schneizel el Britannia with Me02R Sniping Rifle Charged Shot! KTS: Killy Garrett has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge designates Schneizel el Britannia, making him easier to target and opening him to indirect fire. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to Evade Killy Garrett's Me02R Sniping Rifle Charged Shot, taking 5310 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
A bit further back in the formation. Or rather, positioned under cover for stealth, is perhaps the single... wait, no that's not true any more. Zero's new Gawain is less stealthy, given to its far larger size. Still, the Guren is by no means a machine meant to be hidden. And yet, it had been, while observing Emilia's dismantling of the facility's capacity for organized resistance. Still, not entirely perfect, but operations rarely go without some little wrinkle.
She's in a surprisingly good mood of late. Despite that one... incident, in recent memory, so many things have been going well. She's even been able to teach one of her best friends about piloting KMFs! So having a third party appear, also desiring much the same goal as their own, doesn't even slow her down! There's something that might, shortly, but... probably not. Far from it, instead she takes to the provided order with... substantially more grace than usual. There are, after all, a number of Sutherlands descending upon them.
Not even just regular Sutherlands, but Sutherlands and their crafts marked with the symbol of Royalty! And so, slipping around the industrial buildings, the Guren swings out like a dancer! It releases its pair of Slash Harkens, shooting for the wings of the transports they're arriving on, to shear through them and rob the metal birds of their flight altogether. Stopping a wave from even landing would be particularly helpful. Of course, she has to be careful, guiding the course of the crash using the Harken wires, to ensure it isn't careening into any civilian targets. She's not being particularly vocal yet either. Just simply confirming she's got the order from Zero... with specifics she's quite happy to hear, as it happens, and getting to work. Keeping the Britannians off their less militarily adept forces, means those forces are free to secure the Sakuradite and other worthwhile material resources. So she doesn't have to worry so much about loading up the volatile compounds herself.
KTS: Kallen Kozuki targets Schneizel el Britannia with Slash Harken Hook! KTS: Kallen Kozuki has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
Julia takes a moment to quietly nod in approval at Milly's introduction. She's already showing quite the promise - for Julia, theatrics are key. And as for the Black Knights... the responses are varied, but in general, favorable toward a cease-fire. That's good enough for her.
"An excellent idea, my dear Coup de Foudre! It would not do to make this competition unbalanced." Julia approves, Staticaster returning its hat to its default position. "Then, my new friends, let's have some fun, shall we~?"
Though... someone doesn't quite seem to agree.
"My, my... If you take offense, then by all means, show me how much this means to you by besting me at my own game~." Julia replies, to the anger unhidden by Emilia's modulated voice.
"...And right on cue, Duke Fire and the Britannian forces arrive. Julia grins within her cockpit.
"...And, the excitement only grows! I'm flattered that you came all this way, my good Brave Police! I've prepared a wonderful new creation for you, as you can see." Julia greets. "Allow me to demonstrate it now! Coup de Foudre, act according to your best judgment."
She points dramatically toward Duke Fire - and a hidden electrical coil emerges below Staticaster's wrist, concealed in the sleeve of its 'attire'. A jolt of electricity bursts out from it to zap him!
"Combat and play go hand in hand, my dear! ...But yes, I fully intend to. We have quite the history, he and I!" Julia confirms for Emilia.
KTS: Julia Ampere targets BP-119 Duke with Zap! KTS: Julia Ampere has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kallen Kozuki anchors Schneizel el Britannia, forcing him into close range. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to react to Kallen Kozuki's Slash Harken Hook, taking 3360 damage! KTS: Kallen Kozuki has engaged Schneizel el Britannia!
<Pose Tracker> Schneizel el Britannia has posed.
With their range, Karma and Killy are the first to get a hit in on the approaching Britannian reinforcements. Their initial shots are dead on, piercing through transports and sending them crashing down with their Knightmare cargo. Each shot is a two for one! However, the next shots are a little harder though as the transports start taking evasive action. Still, they are able to compensate, putting more shots in more transports. Though the carried Knightmares begin cluing in to the threat and some start bailing in time to avoid begin caught in the crashes.
Unfortunately, that's when those Knightmares find themselves the target of the Gawain. Finger Harkens lash out in high numbers, stabbing in to Knightmares and leading to cockpit blocks ejecting and blasting away. But where the Britannian reinforcements lack in quality, they have numbers.
More Sutherlands begin reaching the ground, joining up together in squads and starting to act. They begin to move around the battlefield, landspinners allowing quick movement along the facility streets as they duck between buildings to avoid staying in the open. It won't take the more tactical-minded on site to realize this is no simple collection of reinforcements. Someone with talent is guiding them.
A squad of Sutherlands charge straight at the Gawain. A quite possibly suicidal attack, given the machine's power. Yet the pilots seem focused, their assault rifles barking out large rounds at the unique Knightmare.
Karma and Killy's general positions are tracked down based on their shots and a few squads of Sutherlands set up to deal with them. They don't have their exact positions yet, but they technically don't need them. The Knightmares start weaving in and out of buildings, trying to remain in direct line of sight for as little time as possible as they raise the large cannons on their shoulders and begin firing explosive rounds in the two's rough direction. With enough firepower, it may only be a matter of time before they get a hit!
Though they don't appear especially mindful of collateral damage.
A little closer to the action than the two snipers, the Guren is nonetheless quite capable of downing transports just like them. Slash Harkens rip into the transports, tearing through wings and engines and bringing them down. Some of the Sutherlands aboard manage to bail in time, converging on Kallen's location from multiple angles! Some hold back to attack with assault rifles, raining bullets down on the Guren. Others take the opportunity of covering fire distracting their opponent to charge in and lash out at the red Knightmare with arm-mounted stun-tonfas sparking with electrical energy.
KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets C.C. with KMF Squadron Probing Charge! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets Karma Sato with KMF Squadron Hit and Run! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets Killy Garrett with KMF Squadron Hit and Run! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets Kallen Kozuki with KMF Squadron Pincer Movement! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Karma Sato blocks Schneizel el Britannia's KMF Squadron Hit and Run, taking 4620 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Schneizel el Britannia's Checkmate activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia repulses Karma Sato, forcing him to disengage. KTS: Kallen Kozuki rushes into the attack! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia anchors Kallen Kozuki, forcing her into close range. KTS: Kallen Kozuki partially guards Schneizel el Britannia's KMF Squadron Pincer Movement, taking 5880 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Schneizel el Britannia's Checkmate activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has engaged Kallen Kozuki! <Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
As a tactician, Milly's map and ostensible plan mark her as conservative without being unwilling to take risks. She's overestimated the Britannian military and police forces a modest amount, but in a way that would have made sense during previous eras. (Maybe she's older, or operating on intelligence from someone older...?)
The comments on it get a gracious, "You're quite welcome~."
Milly seems to be fairly comfortable in the cockpit, judging from how she moves; there's a momentary lock up, though, as she sees the Brave Police enter into the equation. It's not that she's not fully committed to the moment, but it's one thing to have a machine ready and another to hold the gun and pull the trigger.
Despite her playful tone, it is her first time.
... No, this world does need to change, she decides. "Hmm... well," she replies to Rapunzel, voice modulated, "I don't mind teaching someone the rules of the game."
Flip, flip. Milly adjusts her tactical computer. (This, she bought online; tactical computers are a very intimate piece of hardware and the Desmatz line isn't known for strong support for what Milly likes. Conveniently, being in Area 11 makes it very easy to get a Kyojun's.) "Hmm... okay," she says, nodding to herself. "My best judgment, hm~... well, let's start with this."
Milly brings the Argiope hard forward toward Duke, then takes it into a forceful shift to the Brave Robot's side and fires a quick bra-ta-ta-ta-tat of gunfire for the advancing Duke Fire from one of those Knightpolice submachine pistols.
"... hm," Milly says, grimacing for just a split second, off-mic. Does she really have the killer instinct for this...?
KTS: C.C. fails to retreat. KTS: C.C. successfully evades Schneizel el Britannia's KMF Squadron Probing Charge KTS: Milly Ashford has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Julia Ampere KTS: Milly Ashford targets BP-119 Duke with Knightpolice Pistols Maneuver Shot! KTS: Milly Ashford has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Killy Garrett successfully Evades Schneizel el Britannia's KMF Squadron Hit and Run Orpheus Zevon has connected.
KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Julia Ampere's Zap, taking 3000 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Milly Ashford's Knightpolice Pistols Maneuver Shot, taking 2300 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion rattles BP-119 Duke, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Cascade Vermilion's Shoulder Cannon Airburst, taking 1830 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana is quite cosy. Of course she is! It's her birthday, and a very special day for the wives besides!
"She does have quite a drive," Yuliana agrees, as she observes Milly's 'game'. "Ah -- a moment of hesitation! -- but there, there, she's right back at it. I wonder if she'll break free of her unfortunate beginnings...? She's worth more than all those dedicants in their Sutherlands, to be sure." Her nose wrinkles, looking over Schneizel's squadron with her delicate opera glasses.
"Though," she adds, gesturing with them to the Gawain, "that's a very interesting KMF, fighting them, don't you think? Seems it's an aerial model..." It's floating quite well, she thinks. Fascinating!
"Haa..." Yuliana sinks in, against Elisa. "And the Brave Police are fighting alongside Britannia, now, are they? The Federation's contempt is growing more naked by the day... that they would aid these villains just by virtue of standing close enough together. No wonder poor Julia had to make arrangements to operate, in these conditions! I do hope she's found someone else to allow her to operate, now I've left the career." It wasn't exactly voluntary, but Yuliana talks as if it was.
Her gaze lids, as she smiles, peering through her glasses at the Staticaster's wrist-zapping escapades. "Ah, but she's having fun! It's so important to enjoy yourself."
Yuliana hums through her lips, thoughtfully, and leans forward to fiddle with her radio -- to send a message to Milly in her Desmatz, now. Of course Yuliana has the necessary data to tap into her comms; she's the one who beat her machine into compliance, after all. "Good luck, dear woman of mystery! I'm cheering you on...! Don't lose your nerve now you're on the dance floor, yes? You're in good hands! Ta-ta--!!" With a cheerful goodbye, she stops transmitting. Truly, her work here is done.
<Pose Tracker> Karma Sato has posed.
Indirect fire should be illegal, is the only thought Karma can think of while the Longshot holds it's shield above it's head trying to protect itself while attempting to manuever itself into cover. As the knightmare gets out of the blast zone Karma shouts out, "HA! Longshot 9.0 will continue to survive today. "
Karma begins to hunt those damn Brittanian scum that tried to kill him as he follows after them, but can't seem to line up a shot until he gets a horrible idea. Stopping for a moment the Longshot raises its rifle and instead of trying to find a clear shot, Karma begans to anticipate the pattern of where they would be if there were buildings around.
After a moment of waiting the Longshot fires a highpowered round towards the group of KMFs trying to target him, buildings be damn. As Karma watches for signs of impact his head is already justifying why it was ok to fire at the risk of civilian casuality. It was only brought up as a thing because Zero wanted to protect the innocent, unfortunately for the civilians siding with Brittania already made them guilty.
KTS: Karma Sato has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Karma Sato has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Karma Sato targets Schneizel el Britannia with Longshot Sniper Rifle Perfect Shot! KTS: Karma Sato has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
Ampere is not acting alone, as Staticaster unleashes her electrical blast! She has an... apprentice? Understudy? Employee? ... Lovely Assistant? Duke finds it difficult to quantify, particularly with that individual engaging him herself.
"Regina! Unknown additional assailants!" Duke raises his Fire Shield as the Black Knights emerge, a vicious assault of airburst blasts joining the electrical surge and massed gunfire directed at his body, vanishing into a cloud of smoke, dust and shrapnel as Emilia and Ai add their weight of fire to the combined assault!
The barrage ceases, and the cloud begins to disperse...
"Analysing target profiles, Duke. Focus on the primary suspect while I gather data," Regina declares, unbothered by the barrage her partner is facing.
"Understood, my lady. Repelling threats."
Three blasts of energy volley out from the obscuration, targeting the Black Knights weapons, and then Duke Fire lunges out of the cloud, collapsing his shield and extending the barrel of his Fire Buster into its full rifle mode for a precise shot at Coup de Foudre before stowing it!
"FIRE SWOOOOOOORD!" The massive blade is drawn from his back as his rear-mounted thrusters flare, pushing him forward into a lunging slash at Staticaster!
"Ampere!" He announces. "This time I will take you into custody - and your apprentice!"
KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Emilia Eschonbach with Fire Buster - Pistol Volley! KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Ai Martel with Fire Buster - Pistol Volley! KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Cascade Vermilion with Fire Buster - Pistol Volley! KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Milly Ashford with Fire Buster - Full Charge! KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Julia Ampere with Lunging Thrust! KTS: BP-119 Duke has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Ai Martel's KDE 35mm Rifle Burst, taking 1530 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Emilia Eschonbach's ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips, taking 1650 damage! KTS: Milly Ashford fails to evade BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Full Charge, taking 7810 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: Cascade Vermilion fails to react to BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Pistol Volley, taking 2790 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke begins a Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Yes, there is that moment of hesitation. "Natural enough in a youth," Elisa considers. "Perhaps she will. That would be nice, wouldn't it? She certainly has more potential than her mother..."
An interesting KMF. Flying! "Ah, your eye for engineering never fails, darling."
Elisa strokes Yuliana's side. "Brave Police. Hmph. Brave enough to sully their hands, more like. Britannia, of all things." But Julia... Well. "She's quite creative, isn't she? Perhaps we should interact with her more..."
"Ahhh, such encouragement," Elisa says to Yuliana. "You're very kind to her. Let's see if she flourishes."
Elisa peers through her glasses next at the mighty Fire Sword....
"Hmmmm."
KTS: Ai Martel partially guards BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Pistol Volley, taking 2945 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke begins a Formation attack! KTS: Julia Ampere blocks BP-119 Duke's Lunging Thrust, taking 5580 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Julia Ampere!
<Pose Tracker> Killy Garrett has posed.
The Knightmares start evading - naturally - while the Sutherlands reach the ground quickly and get harder to hit with each shot as they scatter between buildings. Although she prefers to be fighting up close and personal, she knew better than to charge into the horde of Sutherlands moving around - not to mention her beam rifle is rather draining on her Harpy's energy, but it is her only option for now.
She keeps an eye on Emmy, although she has full faith in the girl's capabilities to hold her own, she can't help but worry sometimes, wanting to be there if something goes awry. However she doesn't get to linger on that before a reckless barrage of explosives head their way - thankfully, the Harpy was quick, able to narrowly dodge the explosion and come out unscathed - Karma not so lucky.
She carefully watches as the Sutherlands move around, they seem to be coordinated, too coordinated in fact, which she takes note of. Readying up another shot, she takes aim, trying to predict the their movement as they move from building to building.
KTS: Killy Garrett has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Killy Garrett has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Karma Sato KTS: Killy Garrett targets Schneizel el Britannia with Me02R Sniping Rifle Shot! KTS: Killy Garrett has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach successfully Evades BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Pistol Volley KTS: Your EN is now 47. <Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
Traditionally, the most 'viable' way of dealing with the Guren, is to overwhelm it with numbers. Throwing enough bodies at the machine that it can't handle all of them. This is of course, a gross use of lives and resources on the best of days. Today won't necessarily be much better either. As is common in these situations, the Guren barrels right on into the horde of Sutherlands. It's most adept in close range, after all. With midrange as a secondary option. Giving them many an opportunity to riddle the machine with bullets, while it largely weaves around the stun batons.
The Knights don't tend to use Sutherland armaments, in part because Burais don't get loaded up with them. Unfortunately that's not incredibly helpful of an advantage, when the Guren is in their faces. "If I keep with this, they'll try to lure me out and isolate me... So the best counter is..." Guren splits low, sweeping the legs out from under a tonfa Sutherland to topple it and hurl at the riflemen. Throwing the KMF is however, an eyecatch. Little more than a momentary shield, so she can fire off a grenade round at the Landspinners of a clustered group.
She's quick to back off after that. "<Any of you needing a hand?>" May as well get status reports on the rest of their people, as she's swerving the Guren through an alley to lose immediate sight. Make them look for her. Fight the battle on her terms, not theirs.
KTS: Kallen Kozuki targets Schneizel el Britannia with Arm Cannon Grenade Shot! KTS: Kallen Kozuki has completed their actions for the round. /-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\ | 1: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Underbarrel Strike Pwr: 2500 15 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Rattle) | | 2: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Snapshot Pwr: 3200 12 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, MAP) | | 3: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Aimed Shot Pwr: 4800 39 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Accurate, Formation, Initiation) | | 4: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips Pwr: 5200 46 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Accurate) | | 5: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Sudden Slash Pwr: 2200 12 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Repulse, MAP) | | 6: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge Pwr: 4200 32 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker, Penetrating) | | 7: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash Pwr: 3200 20 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Spread, Formation, MAP) | | 8: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Gleeful Slaughter Pwr: 4700 45 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Finisher, Penetrating, Accurate) | | 9: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Melee Strike Pwr: 4600 32 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating) | | 10: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Shot Pwr: 5000 33 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Accurate) | | 11: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage Pwr: 5800 70 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Finisher, Ship-Killer) | | 12: Lambda Driver - Low Output Realized Strike Pwr: 6500 85 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating, Finisher, Barrier Breaker, Spread, Root) | | 13: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Blitz Pwr: 5400 39 EN | | (Magic, Melee, MAP, Crushing) | | 14: Pass - 0 EN | | (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) | \----< HP: 14000/14000 EN: 37 (+37/round|0 comm) SP: 55 Morale: 106/150 >----/ <Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
"Hmmm. Most days, I'm really more just considering how to get the rough stuff over and done with," C.C. muses, chin cupping her palm as reinforcements spew onto the battlefield - harken after harken raining down and dispatching plenty of foes, but to little avail at stemming the sheer numbers.
"But you know, I haven't really forgotten the last thing that came out of my stay in your company," C.C. raises, as she inevitably finds the sheer heat and intensity of rising conflict seeping across the land - the boiling blood of friend and foe alike flowing through her like the tide into the bay. For someone as accustomed to this as her, as persistently even-keeled as she acts - it's already a little obvious that she's flying the Gawain in a particularly daredevil way to evade opposition, diving in a dizzying spiral that almost certainly impairs Lelouch's senses.
"Say. What if we commit to wiping you all out on this little island?~ Right here, right now. I'm feeling good today - like the world is so mutable. And don't kid yourself that you're more able to then me."
The Gawain lunges well out of its expected position - taking an aggressive posture, like it's lurching into the fray to use its aerial supremacy for raining hell down on the Britannians - making a huge target of itself as the Hadron Cannons start to flare up.
"I bet you'd really like to come at me, huh? In which case..."
"...too bad.~ Ohgi, Tamaki, they're in position.~"
A diligent "Moving out!" from Ohgi and a more ecstatic "Yahoooo!" from Tamaki crosses the airwaves the moment Schneizel's forces focus fire on the Gawain - their two Burais zooming out from entrenched locations, swirling in a dance around Sutherland after Sutherland, assault rifles ablaze. C.C. settles back in her seat with the coziest little sigh in the world -
...one that doesn't last for very long. Not when she has the distinct itch of a cold feeling . . . from over -there-.
...Yuliana and Elisa may have felt it. The glow of a rather potent psychic conduit. Their converse gravity well of absorption C.C. only barely notices in turn-
she really does not want to think about it right now. Lelouch can surely notice a bead of sweat down her cheek - a halt to her sense of having a little too much fun with this.
KTS: C.C. has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: C.C. targets Schneizel el Britannia with Black Knights - Ambush Tactic! KTS: C.C. has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to evade Karma Sato's Longshot Sniper Rifle Perfect Shot, taking 6900 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Karma Sato's Smart Guy activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to evade Killy Garrett's Me02R Sniping Rifle Shot, taking 3840 damage! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to retreat. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to evade Kallen Kozuki's Arm Cannon Grenade Shot, taking 5390 damage! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia rushes into the attack! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards C.C.'s Black Knights - Ambush Tactic, taking 1575 damage! <Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.
It takes about this long for Zero to finish 'grading' the work of the other tactician. Really; sending someone that kind of this is a little embarrassing and personal. Don't they understand how intimate that was? They must not have, if they did it so flippantly, so thoughtlessly. And, so, the idea of an old-hand, who knows this place from some older conflict. There's boisterous and noisy, prideful and obvious, and then there's that. They might as well send their diary, next up.
Gazing into their heart like that betrays something of that weakness and reluctance. A plan like that is bloodless, and in theory, it might've worked for that. ... But, it works if and only if there were no third parties. Obviously, there is a third party. But, more threateningly; a fourth. And, indeed, a fifth, even!
"How unfortunate." But, he's paying a little more attention, now. "Reinforcements. Ah, royalty, at that! A patrol from Cornelia, perhaps...?" It's really quite unfortunate. This would be much easier without more hands on deck. But, it is what it is. "No, just a patrol wouldn't have this number, surely...? And so far..." A tap at the head. It'll come to him.
"Adjust for close combat. We'll need to clean up here before we get to move any material, anyway." From this position, he stands above the battlefield, the panopticon of the Gawain giving insight into every part of the battle. The overlapping fire fields, the short knife-range fights at the Guren -- he sees through it all.
And that's fine. After all, no one else can see through the chaff of fog of war to find the openings he does. Send more to him - give him more targets, more noise, to hide his plan within. If it's like this, then they might as well be walking into a blender, as disorderly as a drop like this is. "Another unit is dropping there." He taps the command screen, mapping it. "Fifteen seconds. Avoid them."
... In the end, he sympathizes with the other tactician he shares the field with. But, their approach is wrong. It's not worth making a plan that 'leaves no room' for risk on your side. Instead, true expertise is simply reading into every motion of the battle, and perfectly answering it, every time. That's the only way to actually do this. Surely, they'll review this battle, and his answer - his assessment - is obvious through his own performance.
KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge targets C.C., Kallen Kozuki, and Killy Garrett with Caution. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge suggests caution, raising C.C.'s Intuition! KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Kallen Kozuki /-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\ | 1: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Underbarrel Strike Pwr: 2500 15 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Rattle) | | 2: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Snapshot Pwr: 3200 12 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, MAP) | | 3: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Aimed Shot Pwr: 4800 39 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Accurate, Formation, Initiation) | | 4: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips Pwr: 5200 46 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Accurate) | | 5: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Sudden Slash Pwr: 2200 12 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Repulse, MAP) | | 6: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge Pwr: 4200 32 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker, Penetrating) | | 7: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash Pwr: 3200 20 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Spread, Formation, MAP) | | 8: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Gleeful Slaughter Pwr: 4700 45 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Finisher, Penetrating, Accurate) | | 9: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Melee Strike Pwr: 4600 32 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating) | | 10: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Shot Pwr: 5000 33 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Accurate) | | 11: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage Pwr: 5800 70 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Finisher, Ship-Killer) | | 12: Lambda Driver - Low Output Realized Strike Pwr: 6500 85 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating, Finisher, Barrier Breaker, Spread, Root) | | 13: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Blitz Pwr: 5400 39 EN | | (Magic, Melee, MAP, Crushing) | | 14: Pass - 0 EN | | (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) | \----< HP: 14000/14000 EN: 37 (+37/round|0 comm) SP: 55 Morale: 106/150 >----/
KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge suggests caution, raising Kallen Kozuki's Intuition! <Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
The Type 96 takes a knee as Ai sees the smoke light up, the energy shot splashing partly off of its bulky leg armor and into its weapon arm. Ai grimaces at the sound of the impact. "Right... I suppose I'd want a bigger gun for someone your size," she says to nobody in particular.
"Compensating for right arm motor damage," her onboard VI informs her helpfully. "Please stand by."
When Emmy asks what the Brave Police are doing protecting Britannia, her lips press thin together. <"The police are, first and foremost, tasked with protecting the state, its property, and its status quo... no matter how good they may seem,"> she explains ruefully, as she pulls out an anti-ship cannon, trained on Duke Fire as he recovers from his strike at the Staticaster. The entire AS shakes as she pulls the trigger.
KTS: Ai Martel targets BP-119 Duke with ASG99K 76mm Cannon Shot! KTS: Ai Martel has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Milly Ashford <Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
Cascade keeps an eye on the entire battlefield, something she is well-equipped to do. She can't manipulate the whole thing - that's something Zero is set up to do, she's hardly a commander! But she can at least watch. There's a lot to watch; it's a busy battlefield, but she needs to do it to make sure her shells land in the right place - to say nothing of her extracurricular analysis.
Pistol shots start to land around her, and that's what convinces Cascade to abandon her hiding place. Her instinct is to rush in, but with this robot that's not actually a very good idea; it's tough, but it's also meant for long-distance engagements.
Instead she accelerates, a couple of the pistol shots striking home with splashes of bright light as Cascade pushes the landspinners to maximum rev. They kick up sparks as she slides over rocky terrain, and she rotates the upper body; in the same movement, the left and right hatches flip open to reveal three-tube missile launchers, and she fires a burst of missiles from them until the hatches snap closed again.
Missiles away, Cascade begins the process of approach - but safely, rather than charging, preparing to give Ai and Emilia cover again from her heavy weapons. "<And most of the facilities here are owned by corporations rather than the Britannian government... even if nobility owns those businesses. It isn't a surprise that police take an interest in property.>"
KTS: Cascade Vermilion targets BP-119 Duke with Chest Missile Pod Barrage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
The bullets from Duke's pistols come for Emmy, and she launches herself airborne- the energy blasts leaving craters into the ground where she was. If those had hit... the ARM Slave could easily have lost a limb or worst.
But he's so focused on Julia, and her apprentice. The pilot who hesitates- and suffers for it. Duke is so focused on the Energy Thief and Coup de Foudre. The pistol in her right hand is returned to the AS's hip, and the monomolecular cutter is drawn from his back. Ai and Cascade to give her a lesson, and Emmy shakes her head in her cockpit.
"<I don't. Care! If they stand. With Britannia. They'll PAY FOR IT!>" She yells, and rushes Duke at speed, aiming to slash at the legs of the Super AI with the chainsaw-bladed kukri style knife. "<Don't you. DARE. Ignore me, you BASTARD!>"
Killy might have cause to worry, the way Emilia's anger grows. But there's little she can do, occupied as she is by the KMFs. Meanwhile, Rapunzel's triple 'eyes' turn to face the Staticaster and the wounded Coup de Foudre. "<Your game won't. Mean anything. If you don't survive!>" There's a growl in that modulated, staccato voice. "<I don't care. About beating you. Just HIM!>"
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets BP-119 Duke with IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 54. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 70. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Schneizel el Britannia has posed.
Two Sutherlands hide out of view of the Black Knights snipers. One radios, <"I think I've narrowed down their locations!">
The other replies, <"Good. Ready the cannons. We charge in three... Two... One..."> The cockpit block is blown open by a round that comes out of the nearby building.
The other Sutherland pilot is in shock for a moment, confused as to where the round came from, how that was even possible. He seethes in anger for a moment, before cyring out, "Bastards!" His Sutherland rushes out from behind cover, cannon at the ready-
-Only for the shot from the other sniper to penetrate through is own cockpit. The combined efforts of Karma and Killy are quickly whittling down the Sutherlands in their area. The tables have quickly turned, the Sutherlands starting to pull back, seemingly in chaos.
Kallen's sweep and throw deals with one group of Sutherlands, while her grenade tears through the legs and landspinners of another. Both groups quickly begin to pull back, seeming as if trying to get away from this Knightmarish monster.
The Sutherlands that hard charged the Gawain suddenly find themself assaulted from both sides. They don't take the ambush especially well, a couple of them having their machines disabled and ejecting. The remaining seem to turn tail and start running, requiring Ohgi and Tamaki to give chase if they wish to finish them off.
Of course, not everything is as it seems.
Schneizel smiles.
Something incredibly fast JUST misses the Guren. A large chunk of the street and building behind the Guren suddenly vanishes in an explosion of debris, leaving behind a large crater! An earth shattering CRACK-KOW quickly follows. There's a few moments for Kallen to realize she's in danger before another incredibly fast object follows the second, aim corrected after the first shot and likely to cause just as much damage.
A rain of missiles streak through the air, arcing over before raining down on Karma and Killy's positions, wracking the area with numerous explosions!
The street around Ohgi and Tamaki starts to quickly fill with holes as numerous cannon rounds rain down on their location, threatening to fill them with holes too.
<"Attention hostile forces, this is Prince Schneizel el Britannia of the Britannian Union. Surrender now and I'll do everything in my power to ensure that you do not face the death penalty for your crimes.">
Britannia's flagship, the Avalon, can be seen in the skies approaching the battle site. The massively long barrel hanging beneath its fore is still crackling from the electricity of its railgun shots. Missile ports are opened, ready to deliver further payloads while several smaller gun cannon ports are aimed and ready.
KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets Karma Sato and Killy Garrett with 18-tube Missile Launchers. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets Kallen Kozuki with Superheavy Railgun Charged Shot! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets C.C. with 76mm Automatic Guns! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets BP-119 Duke with Caution! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"Are you capable of following through on that, I wonder~? I'm quite crafty, as you well know!" Julia replies to Duke Fire. He moves in for a lunging slash - and though Staticaster may not possess the Dynamo Queen's large, armored claws, it isn't devoid of its own forms of protection. Something catches his blade, slowing it down such that the slash across Staticaster's surface isn't as severe as it would have otherwise been.
"A marvelous stroke!" Julia compliments.
She's having fun - but she is still watchful of Milly. A slight frown crosses her face at the attack sent her way.
"Are you quite alright?" Julia asks. ...She won't suggest she leave the battlefield, though. She has every bit of confidence in her, and it wouldn't do to suggest that she doesn't. With that, she turns her attention back to Duke Fire.
"Now, watch closely!" Julia says. Staticaster removes its hat, twirling it for all to see. "Empty, as you can see. But if I reach in like this~..."
Staticaster reaches into its own hat dramatically - and draws out an Electrocrawler, hurling it toward Duke Fire!
"Not quite a rabbit, but darling nonetheless~." She says. "I did consider accessorizing them, you know, but do you know how difficult it is to find rabbit ears in the sizes and quantities I would need?"
The thrown Electrocrawler dives for Duke Fire, seeking to latch on and drain the power right out of him!
Their angry friend, though, remains driven. Such hatred toward Britannia... Well, she can hardly blame her.
"And survive we intend to do. My apologies if you think I'm taking this any less seriously~. I am a professional, you know." Julia replies. "Still. I respect your fervor, and appreciate your assistance. And the rest of your companions as well!"
KTS: Julia Ampere targets BP-119 Duke with Electrocrawler Draining Grapple! KTS: Julia Ampere has completed their actions for the round. KTS: [Lucky] Karma Sato's Beginner's Luck activates, and luck goes his way! KTS: Karma Sato successfully evades Schneizel el Britannia's 18-tube Missile Launchers KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Kallen Kozuki
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
The rifle shot immediately blows off one of Coup de Foudre's legs, clean through the shield; the machine tumbles onto its side before gradually righting itself. Fear crosses Milly's face first, but a moment later it's exasperation --
-- which Yuliana cuts through with her transmission. "Don't worry," she transmits back to Yuliana. "I won't let a little thing like this get in my way."
Milly's immediately thankful for the balance adjustment; the Wanzer spreads two of its legs and brings a third in, stabilizing. Once it is, Milly answers Julia with a, "It's mostly my pride," and a light laugh. (It helps.) Milly's left with a difficult decision ahead of her -- approach the sniper or continue to harass?
"I'm well aware I'm at -- more than a little risk at the moment," Milly transmits back to 'Rapunzel.' "Hardly the first time I've been shot at by police forces," she adds, trying to sound more playful than she actually manages.
She decides to press, rather than remain away; her initial press, though, is fairly conservative. Skidding forward on the wanzer's landspinners, Coup de Foudre draws an oversized sea serpent, and gives it a quick lash for that weapon. She really doesn't want to take a second shot from it -- but can't quite get the angle necessary to entangle it, either, from where she is.
KTS: C.C. has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: C.C. partially guards Schneizel el Britannia's 76mm Automatic Guns, taking 2788 damage! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia repulses C.C., forcing her to disengage. KTS: Kallen Kozuki fails to Evade Schneizel el Britannia's Superheavy Railgun Charged Shot, taking 5580 damage! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia suggests caution, raising BP-119 Duke's Intuition! KTS: Milly Ashford targets BP-119 Duke with Whipcrack! KTS: Milly Ashford has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana leans forward, a little, as the Gawain calls all attention to itself -- rather, as C.C. calls her attention. Her eyes narrow; her lips purse. "Whoever's in there," she says, suddenly dour, "they certainly don't deserve such an advanced machine."
This is, of course, entirely unfair to Lelouch.
She's not talking about Lelouch.
Yuliana settles back beside her wife, though, taking comfort in her touch even as such a flagrant transgression enters her gaze. "But it's so nice to hear our dear girl expressing such confidence," she comments, to Elisa rather than Milly. "Yes, yes, she's really finding herself!" In crime? That can only be a good thing.
"... ah?" She asks, raising her opera glasses to observe the missile-rain -- and who it's aimed for. "So much firepower for a mere Messer and Burai... if they survive, it will be a testament to pilot skill, Elya."
She tilts her head into Elisa, as she looks up to the Avalon, passing over. "And the Prince himself is come... do you suppose we should be worried?" Yuliana doesn't sound terribly worried, but, well. She'll check with her wife.
Naturally.
Yuliana laughs, though, when she spies the Staticaster's magic trick. "Delightful! Darling, let us send dear Julia some rabbit ears, when we've the time. She sounds in dire need of them, and wouldn't it be neighbourly?" Yuliana could even design them herself! So long as Elisa approved, of course.
KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge suggests caution, raising Killy Garrett's Intuition! KTS: Killy Garrett blocks Schneizel el Britannia's 18-tube Missile Launchers, taking 3060 damage! <Pose Tracker> Karma Sato has posed.
Karma could swear he could hear the sound the shell from the rifle as the KMF clears the chamber and the next round slides into place. Karma admires the hole he made through the building for a moment before alarms begin to sound. "Missiles?!" It's about the only word Karma can say before he starts into his emergency manuevers.
The Longshot manages to find a parking garage to hide in from the rain of missiles and even luckier, it has an opening on the other side of the building into a missile free area. Truly something only a maste of his environment could plan with no luck factoring in what so ever.
The Longshot comes out of the parking garage in time to hear Schneizel's 'offer', which Karma can't help but to reply by sticking the Glasgow's middle finger up toward the Avalon. <"Oh I got your reply right here.">. The Longshot lowers it's hand and take's it shield, slamming it into the ground to act as support for the rifle as the KMF kneels down and aims the rifle upward toward the Avalon.
Karma takes special aim to try to target the railgun and takes in a deep breath trying to focus on the shot. The moment he has it, he fires.
KTS: Karma Sato has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Karma Sato uses hyper reloader KTS: Karma Sato targets Schneizel el Britannia with Longshot Sniper Rifle Systems Targeting Shot! KTS: Karma Sato has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
"Do you see one of Them?" Elisa wonders of Yuliana, seeing her eyes narrow. "...Try not to dwell. This is a fun outing. But we shall remember that one, yes? We shall not forget."
A 'mutable worl'... Hmmm. Elisa does not sense the glow; she has no such perecptions. But Yuliana does.
It tempts her to...
"Quite," Elisa agrees about Milly instead. "Opposing such enemies will only make her stronger."
The Prince... Elisa frowns. "No, there is no need to worry. Not at this time. ...I would not sully our girl's outing by interfering in this way."
But she laughs along with Yuliana, next. "We shall, darling. Many rabbit ears, indeed. Perhaps you should tell me how they would best attach to her machines? Then we could get her the best of the best."
"Hmph. A flagship in the skies...."
"Well," Elisa says, "If they start to fire indiscriminately, I will handle matters for the two of us."
KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Ai Martel's ASG99K 76mm Cannon Shot, taking 1590 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion enervates BP-119 Duke, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to Intercept Cascade Vermilion's Chest Missile Pod Barrage, taking 5580 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Cascade Vermilion's Assassin's Eye activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Cascade Vermilion's Assassin's Knife activates, causing Deject! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to parry Emilia Eschonbach's IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash, taking 2450 damage! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach begins a Formation attack! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to parry Milly Ashford's Whipcrack, taking 2820 damage! KTS: Milly Ashford has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to retreat. KTS: Julia Ampere rattles BP-119 Duke, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to react to Julia Ampere's Electrocrawler Draining Grapple, taking 3534 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: Julia Ampere has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: Julia Ampere continues a Formation attack!
<Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
Danger. Yes, one could say Kallen is in danger right now. That would be considered a DRASTIC understatement, but it's certainly true it could be said. A Railgun of all things... It's a weapon she's ill positioned to deal with. Though she realizes had she not taken cover, it would be even worse for her. So, as the second shot comes, she takes a dangerous evasive maneuver, using the Harkens to slingshot herself up and over the arc of fire. It's a... partial success. She isn't struck with a DIRECT hit, which would likely have cored out the Guren and left a great deal of red ex-Kallen everywhere. However, even a glancing hit effectively shreds the Guren's grenade launching arm, and tears away a great deal of armor from the matching side.
The red machine is, accordingly, launched spinning out through a couple industrial buildings. "...Extensive damages to most systems. Guren won't be able to handle much more, before I need to pull back. Wave Surger is still online." Five frightening words. And perfect for what they were here to do anyway. She may not be able to use it directly upon the Avalon, much as she'd be happy to rid the world of that particular Prince. However, there is an option for her, and it should clear a decent amount of the field out.
She just needs a few moments. Valuable time of not being fired upon, which she's given largely because it certainly LOOKED like a hit a KMF shouldn't get up from. And she happened to land in a building that's perfect for this plan. Overlaying records of where the Sakuradite storages are, and a path... Zero DID say to destroy what they can't claim. If she's got this right, then the trail she's looking at will follow through... yes, yes good. No major civilian centers along the path. "Activating Surger. Steer clear of the path I'm sending to each of your terminals." The trail of what will soon be impressive destruction, is broadcast both to the other Knights, and to the Energy Thief and her Assistant. There's no reason to let THEM get blown up.
Her immediate actions? Those won't be visible thankfully. But the results certainly are, as the activated Sakuradite begins exploding straight toward the Britannian armed forces. They'll be hard-pressed to properly resolve this particular issue. She's just got to escape the cascading annihilation she just set off. No big deal for their best pilot, right? ...Rakshata's going to be SO upset about her doing this unnecessarily risky maneuver.
<Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
"I have updates, Duke," Regina reports. "These other machines match known patterns for Black Knights operatives. I recommend destroying the machines and proceeding to arrest."
"Understood!" Duke barks as the Rapunzel dives down at him, monomolecular cutter whirring ominously. She's not the only one engaging him at close range, though - the Staticaster has thrown an Electrocrawler, her apprentice is lashing out with a whip... And the other two Black Knights are maintaining the ranged assault.
This is bad.
"Assuming defensive posture," Duke reports calmly, deploying his shield again and raising it against Ai's cannon blast. Cascade's missile volleys see him attach a hose from his mounted tanks to the Fire Blaster, lift it, and unleash a broad pressure-wave to attempt to knock the projectiles off course - but the warheads detonate too close, blasting him backwards! Wracked by the blast as he is, he cannot hold off against Emilia and Milly's unknowing coordinated assault!
Finally, the crackling Electrocrawler leaps at him. He can't let it touch him - but he's too hemmed in by Coup de Foudre and Rapunzel - he can't get away! The garbled electronic howl of pain he emits is... perhaps disturbing.
Nevertheless he forces himself to press on, energy crackling up and down the blade of the Fire Sword as he swings it to scatter the three machines in close quarters with him before turning his pressure blaster on Ai and Cascade's machines!
<Pose Tracker> Killy Garrett has posed.
devestating shot clean through a Sutherland's cockpit. She watches as they retreat, frantically running away in fear, but Killy doesn't lower her rifle - but clutches it tigher as Zero warns them of another unit dropping soon.
However, she hears Emmy yelling over the radio, strong anger growing in her voice, only to see her rushing head on at Duke. Distracted and slightly worried, Killy lowers her guard, wanting to go after her for backup. Unfortunately, she doesn't get to do much before she notices the barrage of missiles heading towards her position - she doesn't get much time to react, barely positioning her shield in front of her moments before the missiles explode.
The shield helped a bit, but the explosion still did a considerable amount of damage to the Harpy, the unit now standing in a large crater. After the smoke clears off, she gets a good look at the shooter of the missiles, a large flagship, decked out with all sorts of weapons.
Killy took aim once again, hoping that Emmy would be okay and that the others would be able to aid her in case something happens, she didn't like the thought, but this flagship was a very large threat they need to take care of now.
She scoffed at the offer, how generous of him - she proceeded her beam rifle, shooting directly at the large ship.
KTS: Kallen Kozuki has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Emilia Eschonbach, Milly Ashford, and Julia Ampere with Heroic Sweep. KTS: Kallen Kozuki has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Cascade Vermilion with Fire Buster - Pressure Blast! KTS: Kallen Kozuki has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Ai Martel with Fire Buster - Pressure Blast! <Pose Tracker> Killy Garrett has posed.
<"I'm good, how are you holding up?"> Killy replies to Kallen, before swiftly delivering a devestating shot clean through a Sutherland's cockpit. She watches as they retreat, frantically running away in fear, but Killy doesn't lower her rifle - but clutches it tigher as Zero warns them of another unit dropping soon.
However, she hears Emmy yelling over the radio, strong anger growing in her voice, only to see her rushing head on at Duke. Distracted and slightly worried, Killy lowers her guard, wanting to go after her for backup. Unfortunately, she doesn't get to do much before she notices the barrage of missiles heading towards her position - she doesn't get much time to react, barely positioning her shield in front of her moments before the missiles explode.
The shield helped a bit, but the explosion still did a considerable amount of damage to the Harpy, the unit now standing in a large crater. After the smoke clears off, she gets a good look at the shooter of the missiles, a large flagship, decked out with all sorts of weapons.
Killy took aim once again, hoping that Emmy would be okay and that the others would be able to aid her in case something happens, she didn't like the thought, but this flagship was a very large threat they need to take care of now.
She scoffed at the offer, how generous of him - she proceeded her beam rifle, shooting directly at the large ship.
KTS: Kallen Kozuki targets Schneizel el Britannia with Wave Surger Eruption! KTS: Kallen Kozuki has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Killy Garrett has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Killy Garrett targets Schneizel el Britannia with Me02R Sniping Rifle Aimed Shot! KTS: Killy Garrett has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Cascade Vermilion charges into the attack! KTS: Cascade Vermilion partially guards BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Pressure Blast, taking 2730 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke repulses Cascade Vermilion, forcing her to disengage. SCENESYS: Rena Lancaster has updated scene #394, 'Placeholder 2'.
KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to charge. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Karma Sato rattles Schneizel el Britannia, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards Karma Sato's Longshot Sniper Rifle Systems Targeting Shot, taking 2104 damage! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach fails to Parry BP-119 Duke's Heroic Sweep, taking 4299 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 9701 KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Emilia Eschonbach! KTS: Your EN is now 54. KTS: Milly Ashford's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Milly Ashford blocks BP-119 Duke's Heroic Sweep, taking 4299 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Milly Ashford! /-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\ | 1: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Underbarrel Strike Pwr: 2500 15 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Rattle) | | 2: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Snapshot Pwr: 3200 12 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, MAP) | | 3: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Aimed Shot Pwr: 4800 39 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Accurate, Formation, Initiation) | | 4: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips Pwr: 5200 46 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Accurate) | | 5: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Sudden Slash Pwr: 2200 12 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Repulse, MAP) | | 6: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge Pwr: 4200 32 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker, Penetrating) | | 7: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash Pwr: 3200 20 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Spread, Formation, MAP) | | 8: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Gleeful Slaughter Pwr: 4700 45 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Finisher, Penetrating, Accurate) | | 9: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Melee Strike Pwr: 4600 32 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating) | | 10: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Shot Pwr: 5000 33 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Accurate) | | 11: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage Pwr: 5800 70 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Finisher, Ship-Killer) | | 12: Lambda Driver - Low Output Realized Strike Pwr: 6500 85 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating, Finisher, Barrier Breaker, Spread, Root) | | 13: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Blitz Pwr: 5400 39 EN | | (Magic, Melee, MAP, Crushing) | | 14: Pass - 0 EN | | (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) | \----< HP: 9701/14000 EN: 49 (+37/round|0 comm) SP: 70 Morale: 115/150 >-----/
KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to rush. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards Kallen Kozuki's Wave Surger Eruption, taking 6903 damage! KTS: Kallen Kozuki has engaged Schneizel el Britannia! KTS: Julia Ampere fails to retreat. KTS: Julia Ampere fails to react to BP-119 Duke's Heroic Sweep, taking 4299 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Julia Ampere! <Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
...Well that's an embarrassing oversight.
The sun-blotting presence of the Avalon overhead is something C.C. utterly overlooked, and because she failed to notice it ahead of time, she makes it a point to sigh out, "So you decided to show yourself a little bit early, didn't you?" Perfect saving face.
Arms spread wide, information pulsing across its myriad factspheres, C.C. gives Lelouch time to stabilize his understanding of the battlefield, before the witch concedes, "...The annoying part about that guy is that he's honest, isn't it? His voice is dripping with troubling genuine intent. From his high and mighty position, he must truly believe he can make an omelet without a single cracked egg were the world more orderly. Hmmm."
"Make sure to block out his transmissions to too many of our forces. His tone has that bothersome affect that might genuinely impact morale, much as the Black Knights are as wonderfully ornery and feisty as they are."
In the meantime, C.C.'s thumbs roll over a few curious little panels in her joysticks. Her breathing slows. Her touch weaves into a handful of tiny little 'special' modules - attuning her senses further afield, on the scale of a battlefield. Until this exact point in time, C.C. had avoided finding her way in any of the strange estoeric weapons system that defined the Universal Century's key conflicts - if she's interfaced with psychoframe-like technology, it's mostly been large stationary devices and monitors.
...but - just a bit of recognition of the times, and a little bit of covert discussion with Rakshata when the Gefjun Disturbers were installed...
((...and here I thought this kind of thing would feel rather awful. Truth be told, I kind of like it.))
The Hadron Cannons ring out, but just a touch of prismatic sparkles ring its crimson red blaze. The fierce and wide-ranging cannons split apart in an unusual formation - before converging at its target, the cannon mounted beneath the Avalon. Trapping in a cage of energy - and then, with a little blowing gesture from C.C., like a puff upon a dandelion-
The hadrons dissolve into a shearing sandstorm of high-temperature particles, an un-wound rope collapsing into wind...
"...Don't worry too much about that technique, Lelouch. Just think of it as...me wanting to play with every last bit of what this treasure we've seized can pull off."
KTS: C.C. has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: C.C. targets Schneizel el Britannia with Hadron Cannon - Queen Cage! KTS: C.C. has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to charge. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards Killy Garrett's Me02R Sniping Rifle Aimed Shot, taking 4655 damage! KTS: Killy Garrett roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia fails to charge. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards C.C.'s Hadron Cannon - Queen Cage, taking 1755 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.
And - at that - Zero fully sits up. There - there's something interesting.
His reply to his dear elder brother opens with laughter. <"Ah, yes, and I am certain that those under my employ would be quite well treated in your prisons? Yes, I am sure that the Japanese women under my employ would be very well treated, Schneizel vi Britannia!"> But the humor in his tone is dead by the end of his broadcast, giving way to utterly undisguised fury. The air burns with the resounding report of that shot.
There will be no surrender. Nor, a retreat. <"Energy Thief, Black Knights, and Coup de Foudre. Pick up the pace. We have very little time here; we don't have the firepower to knock the good Prince out of the sky, today."> The most practical, safe thing to do is to immediately begin fleeing. That's the right move; retreat out of range, fight with the time they have for a safe recovery. This might reduce the cost of this battle to a minimum. However --
<"But I'd still like to rob this place blind. It'll reflect quite poorly on the Prince, and, so - let's make it as bad as we can.">
Zero smiles. They have very, very little time left - the battleship outguns them by far, so they need to make it quick. There are already secure routes screened by the nature of his approach in this battle, and so he calls the retrival early. Very early. This is now a rush job. <"Secure what we can. Destroy everything else. I want this to cost them as much as possible.>" And as fast as possible, too.
"I don't mind it, Lelouch. Do as you will, so long as it crushes them."
KTS: Ai Martel fails to react to BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Pressure Blast, taking 3900 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke repulses Ai Martel, forcing her to disengage. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge targets Ai Martel, Emilia Eschonbach, and Cascade Vermilion with All-Out. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge orders an all-out attack, raising Cascade Vermilion's Skill! KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge orders an all-out attack, raising Ai Martel's Skill! KTS: [Lucky] Emilia Eschonbach's The Misfortune of My Birth activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach successfully Accepts Lelouch Lamperouge's All-Out KTS: Your EN is now 49. KTS: Ai Martel has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Ai Martel has activated the Strike Spirit Command. /-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\ | 1: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Underbarrel Strike Pwr: 2500 15 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Rattle) | | 2: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Snapshot Pwr: 3200 12 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, MAP) | | 3: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Aimed Shot Pwr: 4800 39 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Accurate, Formation, Initiation) | | 4: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips Pwr: 5200 46 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Accurate) | | 5: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Sudden Slash Pwr: 2200 12 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Repulse, MAP) | | 6: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge Pwr: 4200 32 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker, Penetrating) | | 7: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash Pwr: 3200 20 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Spread, Formation, MAP) | | 8: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Gleeful Slaughter Pwr: 4700 45 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Finisher, Penetrating, Accurate) | | 9: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Melee Strike Pwr: 4600 32 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating) | | 10: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Shot Pwr: 5000 33 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Accurate) | | 11: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage Pwr: 5800 70 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Finisher, Ship-Killer) | | 12: Lambda Driver - Low Output Realized Strike Pwr: 6500 85 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating, Finisher, Barrier Breaker, Spread, Root) | | 13: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Blitz Pwr: 5400 39 EN | | (Magic, Melee, MAP, Crushing) | | 14: Pass - 0 EN | | (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) | \----< HP: 9701/14000 EN: 49 (+37/round|0 comm) SP: 70 Morale: 118/150 >-----/ <Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
<"Precisely,"> Ai reinforces Cascade's point. The defiance of Emmy's response earns a smile, and she nods, <"Mm~ I couldn't have put it better myself."> She attempts to brace against Duke Fire's cannon, but the high-pressure water leaves her ears ringing and significant denting in the small Arm Slave's frontal armor. "Tch..."
Zero brings down an order to hurry up, and she frowns. <"Kh... on it, sir. I'm hoping we have the firepower to beat back Duke Fire, at least!"> She makes use of Cascade's cover fire to reposition herself, taking a knee and bracing the 76mm cannon against the Type 96's shoulder. <"Cover me!">
She takes aim, carefully, accounting for the damaged arm... <"LEAVE!"> she yells to Duke Fire. <"Are you really so willing to defend the corrupt?"> She's far better at sweet talk than daunting, but... perhaps it'll serve as a distraction, if nothing else. She fires, the shockwave from the cannon stirring up the dust around the Arm Slave.
KTS: Ai Martel targets BP-119 Duke with ASG99K 76mm Cannon Perfect Shot! KTS: Ai Martel has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
Cascade has seen this from Emilia before - this raw aggression against Britannians. It doesn't exactly surprise her, but the sheer level of hatred is still a shock.
"<I know. I'll give you cover,>" Cascade promises, and accelerates further - advancing directly on Duke as he sweeps his blade. She's not close enough to be caught by it, but she does take the pressure blaster directly to the chest of the Panzer-Wespe.
Cascade's reactions are swift, and she does something Duke may not expect - she flips down the anchors on the Panzer-Wespe's heels, locking it in place. Normally this is supposed to be for artillery purposes, but it works equally well in preventing her from being knocked off her feet - though it does mean she can't approach Duke at the moment, as her feet are literally locked in place.
A Brave Police, Cascade thinks to herself. Another AI, like her. She wonders, briefly, if he has any brothers; if he has any of the same problems she has. She can't imagine it. The Brave Police are so... direct that she can't imagine they don't know what they want, how they are.
For an instant, she's jealous.
She picks up messaging from Zero and immediately looks over her battlefield scan. He's right; it's the right call. "<Understood,>" she says, before flipping her transmitter on - over to Coup de Foudre, who seems more approachable than Julia. "<I'll hold him still for you.>" Emilia doesn't need her help as much, at least at the moment.
Cascade fires both of the Slash Harkens, simultaneously. One goes wide (on purpose, to catch Duke if he dodges) while the other snaps right toward him. While it's intended to hold him still, it's not the primary attack - because Cascade follows it in by unhooking the heels and literally pulling herself forward to speed up her landspinners, driving the two-handed spear she's got directly toward Duke. That's bad enough, but - like Coup de Foudre's lash - the spear is electrified; the same kind of shock as a KMF stun tonfa, but writ extremely large, discharging with a colossal thunderclap and a blinding blue-white flash.
KTS: Cascade Vermilion has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Cascade Vermilion has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Cascade Vermilion has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Cascade Vermilion targets BP-119 Duke with Stinger Lance Thunderbolt Drive! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia brings up the monomolecular cutter against Duke's blade- a mistake, in the moment, as the energy flowing down the Fire Sword jolts off the blade and down the Codarl's arm, causing her systems to falter for a moment- and the blade to slash across the chest of the Codarl, scoring a long cut. "Rapunzel, w-w-wake up!"
"...All systems reinitiated." The simple AI responds, as the Codarl pushes itself back to fully standing.
Zero warns them they're running out of time, the Avalon in the sky above them a reminder. That rage boils up again. Running, before they've finished? Letting Britannia win? She can't stand it. "<Understood. We'll make this. Quick.>"
But Coup de Foudre says something. It's not the first time she's been shot at by police.
Her mind casts back to Milly in that hospital bed, recovering. The weeks of treatment.
Julia's comments of taking this seriously hit their mark. That growl becomes a roar. "<If you're taking. This seriously...>" The monomolecular cutter revs up in her hand. "<If you're taking. This seriously then...!>"
Rapunzel *leaps* through Cascade and Ai's fire, it's ponytail flaring behind it as it does so, both hands on the blade, aiming to drive the knife into Duke Fire's chest, and carve into where a cockpit would be on an MS.
"<LET'S TURN THIS BASTARD! INTO SCRAP BEFORE HE HURTS! ANYONE ELSE!>"
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets BP-119 Duke with IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 54. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 25. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Schneizel el Britannia has posed.
Schneizel would pay no heed to the response from Karma, even if he could see it. No, his attention is focused on the Gawain. On Zero. There is a quiet sigh as his offer of surrender is rejected, <"Zero... Are you so blinded by your hatred that you would risk the lives of your comrades simply to spite us? You use words of bravery, of righteousness, of jutice. But it's just a facade, isn't it? Hiding your true intentions, just as you hide behind that mask.">
Karma and Killy fire their long range weapons. This is joined by the Gawain's Hadron Cannon shot, though utilising a strange firing pattern. Regardless, the combination of attacks cause a large explosion in the skies.
The smoke fades, showing the Avalon still flying there. And it's main railgun is...
... Still intact. Just beyond it, there is the glowing green light of a Blaze Luminous energy barrier crackling, but then fading away.
On the bridge, many of the officers look a little relieved that the shield managed to hold out. Though it put a huge strain on the generator. They may not survive another such assault without significant damage.
Schneizel remains confident. Though there is a slight frown on his face at what happens next.
The Guren's surger triggers a detonation in the sakuradite deposits, massive plumes of energy start ripping through the area. Sutherlands begin trying to escape the blasts, though quite a few are engulfed, very little left remaining of them.
From his position in the skies, Schneizel watches the devestation play out below. He shakes his head slowly, "Such devastation they wreak..." No doubt it's a sight that's going to be shown on news sites all across the Earth Sphere. Another terrorist attack to taking the lives of innocent civilians. Schneizel sighs once more in sadness, before nodding to one of the bridge officers.
The loading hatch for the Avalon's railgun opens. But what lowers out isn't another round, but rather a Knightmare. One of the more advanced Lancelot Clubs. The railgun sparks with electricity again, before launching the machine out into the air. Another Lancelot Club lowers down, before being launched too. Followed by a third. They fall out of the air, Slash Harkens firing towards tall buildings to use as anchors to slow their descents, before they hit the ground on their landspinners and rush off down the streets.
The three Lancelot Clubs split up, starting to weave their way through buildings towards three specific locations. As they do so, all the remaining Sutherlands start to file in behind them, converging into larger groups.
Soon enough, Karma, Killy and Kallen all find themselves under concentrated assaults from those three groups, multiple weapons in use.
As for the Gawain. It is ominously left alone.
KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets Karma Sato, Killy Garrett, and Kallen Kozuki with KMF Squadron Blitzkrieg. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia targets C.C. with Pass! KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Karma Sato KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Karma Sato KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Karma Sato KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Killy Garrett KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Killy Garrett KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Killy Garrett KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Kallen Kozuki KTS: Karma Sato blocks Schneizel el Britannia's KMF Squadron Blitzkrieg, taking 8760 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Schneizel el Britannia's Checkmate activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has engaged Karma Sato! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: Killy Garrett has activated the Foresee Spirit Command. KTS: Kallen Kozuki fails to retreat. KTS: Kallen Kozuki fails to react to Schneizel el Britannia's KMF Squadron Blitzkrieg, taking 8760 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Schneizel el Britannia's Checkmate activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Kallen Kozuki has been defeated! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has engaged Kallen Kozuki! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: Killy Garrett fails to rush. KTS: Killy Garrett partially guards Schneizel el Britannia's KMF Squadron Blitzkrieg, taking 7665 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Schneizel el Britannia's Checkmate activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has engaged Killy Garrett! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged. <Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"Wounded pride is the greatest ailment... Still, for your first outing, you have done well." Julia laments to Milly- then, turns her attention back to the situation at hand.
She frowns to herself, noting the energy crackling across the Fire Sword. That may pose a problem for her barrier... so, rather than engage it head-on, she backpedals in order to try and get out of the way - though she doesn't quite manage to fully escape it.
Still, she might be somewhat backed into the corner but she's still grinning within the cockpit. This wouldn't be entertaining if he wasn't such a dangerous foe!
Zero's comment, though...
"That's quite the imperious tone to take with someone not in your employ! ...But yes, I see your point. Don't worry, dear, everything's still according exactly as I please~." Julia replies.
Suddenly - Staticaster slides back away from Duke. He might feel it briefly, the push of static repelling Staticaster away from him.
"I wouldn't go quite that far, perhaps..." Julia admits to Emilia. "But I do agree we ought to put a swift end to this!"
This time, coils emerge from underneath both wrists. Julia takes aim and fires, unleashing bolts of electricity rushing toward Duke... but, at first, they seem to miss.
...It is only a moment later that her intentions become clear, however, as the twin bolts of lightning burst forth from the ground beneath him, to take him by surprise!
KTS: Julia Ampere targets BP-119 Duke with Upward Lightning! KTS: Julia Ampere has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
The Fire Sword sweeps across Milly's machine, and this time, she's rocked somewhat forcefully; she feels her head smack into the side of the cockpit, right eye blinking once then screwing shut in pain as she realises she's bleeding -- just a bit -- from the temple, having hit an instrument. "I really ought to have invested in a helmet," she mumbles to herself, as the Desmatz variant struggles to stay righted.
She can't afford to spend any more time playing around, now; she's wasted a lot of her early effort with Duke, here, and he's substantially gotten the drop on her. What can she do, though, to get herself -- and Julia -- that much closer to a victory?
It sounds like they'll be retreating sooner than later, but it's still... Zero is right -- they have to at least embarrass Britannia here. (That her opponent isn't actually Britannian doesn't concern her for now.)
She can't get ahead on just systems damage -- she has to swap to the enormous wanzer blade she keeps maglocked to the back of the machine. It's a little small relative to Duke, but she can make up the difference with...
... well, no, she's outgrown GUTS. Call it a woman's intuition, then?
She skates in, giving the heavy saber a swipe at Duke's leg that's rather more like a smash, given the weight. Evidently, she has the same idea as 'Rapunzel,' since her follow-up is to get in behind and start hacking at the other leg. Evidently, revenge is perfectly fair game.
"I'd rank it a solid second, in my experience..." Milly notes for Julia, with a slightly mirthless chuckle.
KTS: Milly Ashford has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Milly Ashford has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Milly Ashford has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Milly Ashford targets BP-119 Duke with Keen Saber F Revenge Strike! KTS: Milly Ashford has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: BP-119 Duke has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"The world scars," Yuliana scowls, looking back to her wife. "That hollow..."
But Elisa assures her she oughtn't dwell, and Yuliana smiles, again, beside her wife. "You're right, zhenushka," she says, addressing her wife so fondly. "They may not impinge upon our wonderful date like this... I do so love going out with you." Just because they're married doesn't mean they can't still go on dates.
"... I'll say, at least, that the pilot knows how to spin a response to an offer like that," Yuliana admits, listening to Zero's speech on the radio -- and Schneizel's rejoinder. "That sort of presence... that's the elusive 'Zero', is it? Yes, we'll have to follow up on it, I think." They won't forget.
Yuliana laughs, all affection, as Elisa draws her implications about whether there's any need to worry. "Oh, darling! Of course not." If Elisa isn't worried, then she isn't worried; the fact that Yuliana thought to worry, while Elisa's thoughts lie elsewhere, is a comment she leaves unsaid.
(She has a... healthy appreciation for the strength of the Britannian royal family. It might even be personal experience! She had a long career.)
"Certainly," Yuliana smiles, of the 'rabbits', picking up her tea again. Siiip. With that long pause, she puts the teacup and its pitch-black contents down, again, clink. "Then her magic tricks will be peerless... of course, it's all a game to her, but isn't it so charming?" Magic as showmanship is entirely different to the magic of a witch, after all. "But look, she has so many tricks!" Yuliana calls, in celebration, as lightning arcs up from below at the Staticaster's call. "I'm sure she'll see our girl out of this safely. She's plenty honour enough for that."
She nuzzles her cheek against Elisa's, affectionate and warm. "I know you'll protect me, Elya," she says, with full belief. "You always have." Indeed, given Karma's loose interpretation of Zero's orders with regards to those guilty Britannian civilians, she may have already done so. Or perhaps they're simply very lucky?
Luck can be measured in blood.
"Ah..." Lifting her opera glasses, again, she looks to find Killy and Karma's machines in the chaos. "Look, my darling! They did survive! Fancy that! Ahhh, and this is the environment our girl's learning to swim... if she doesn't die, she'll come out of it far stronger. You're right as always. Even now," Yuliana smiles, "she's grasping her blade in hand. I would have chosen an axe, personally... but perhaps a saber suits her."
She turns to considering the wielder of that Fire Sword rocking the Desmatz, though. "Though, those Brave Police... I can't say I approve of that deployment," she says, momentarily sour. "... yes, it's as I thought. No part of the Federation is without sin. Each hand is complicit in the knife the others hold." And what stunning knives they hold, in the hands of those Lancelot Clubs.
Lightly, she remarks: "We shall have to annihilate them." And just as lightly, she says, "... but later, my darling. They'll not interrupt our day."
(Meanwhile, Yuliana thinks that a gun that shoots KMFs is amazing, but she thinks that thought privately, because she's not about to give a Britannian Prince any credit.)
KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Ai Martel's ASG99K 76mm Cannon Perfect Shot, taking 2220 damage! KTS: Ai Martel roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Cascade Vermilion rattles BP-119 Duke, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to parry Cascade Vermilion's Stinger Lance Thunderbolt Drive, taking 6603 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to parry Emilia Eschonbach's IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge, taking 5900 damage! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach completes the Formation attack! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to evade Julia Ampere's Upward Lightning, taking 4500 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to parry Milly Ashford's Keen Saber F Revenge Strike, taking 5250 damage! KTS: Milly Ashford has engaged BP-119 Duke! KTS: Milly Ashford roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: C.C. fails to react to Schneizel el Britannia's Pass, taking 0 damage! <Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Yuliana talks of the world scarring, and Elisa's expression becomes that of a woman who has seen an unpleasant bug. Only briefly, though. She will also cease to dwell. They are having a date! "Yes. It is the highlight," she says, "A wonderful outing. So long as I am with you."
"Yes," Elisa agrees too, "You should learn what you can..."
But Elisa continues to hold Yuliana as they speak, and she is not worried. Frankly, she should show more concern for the Britannian royal family--but such worldly concerns have long been distant to the witch Elisa.
"A game can be quite serious," Elisa says. "That she enjoys it makes her skill no less notable." A pause. "...Hmmmmm, yes. It would be a pity to have her harmed too much here..." Elisa does not wish to intervene. It would not be operating from a position of strength.
Elisa smiles, and leans against Yuliana. "I will always protect you."
"Perhaps a saber does suit her. Perhaps I should judge her as well..."
Elisa doesn't approve, either, naturally. "No matter how impressive and brilliant they might present themselves, they are indeed complicit. Their perfidy will be punished. This, I assure."
"...But another day," she agreees of annihilation. "Can they end it as quickly as they'd like?" she wonders.
"Hm hm. Talk of masks... What is behind this Zero's, I wonder?"
<Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
One of the ranged attackers has closed in, forcing Duke to rely on close defense all the more. He can still utilise his shield to protect himself against Ai's cannonade, but the sheer aggression from the Rapunzel and the Coup de Foudre is pressing him badly.
A frisson of fear as Rapunzel's pilot declares her intention to reduce him to scrap...
"Regina. Hostile presence overwhelming. Preparing to retreat."
"... Please do, Duke. Don't allow yourself to be destroyed."
Duke's blue eye lenses flash, and he rounds on the Rapunzel with a bellowed "YOU WILL NOT!" as the Fire Sword bursts into flame and he swings, a vicious overhead. Another electronic howl echoes as the Staticaster blasts him with lightning from around his feet, and he makes a second blazing swing at the maestro machine!
"My body... is mine! You will NOT take it from me!"
He draws his pistol for another volley of shots at Ai, before deploying his shield again and slamming it into the chassis of Cascade and Milly's machines!
KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Ai Martel with Fire Buster - Pistol Volley! <Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.
The smile behind the mask widens, as he loses only his ace against all of that. <"Blinded by hate? Ah, no, Prince; my hate makes me see quite a lot better than you."> His motion is manic, now, coordinating everything. Does he think that just that much is enough to take them out of his control? Absolutely not.
<"Excellent. Black Knights; he's given us a gift."> A vast commitment like this is nothing but a gift. The deployment of Seventh Generation Knightmare Frames is nothing to laugh at, but - isn't that, itself, an issue? Isn't that a mistake? No, no. He should've just sat from a distance and kept his advantage. Now, there are more things at play. More elements. More information - the increase of entropy in the system, more noise.
And, yet, of course, he'll see through it all. <"Cut off the new Knightmare Frame. Try to cripple one. It's worth more than the Sakuradite."> There. A perfect plan. He's put something valuable on the table, hasn't he? He has to stop him from pulling it away. That means - he has to be willing to give this up. Either he gives him classified, advanced weapons, or he gives him piles of Sakuradite, or he risks giving him both. That is the flaw in an attack like this; certainly, he took his queen, but in response, a discovered fork.
"Always so flashy. Really, offering a rook this early in the game? How aggressive. C.C., help me steal his toys."
And, of course, other orders are routed. A priority [0] order to extract Queen. Continue the steal. Set ambushes for anyone on foot - set bombs on deposits they aren't going to be able to keep, more. With this, he is utterly sure that he's won, even while the fighting continues. If anything - he's been handed the victory on a silver platter.
KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Milly Ashford with Stunning Strike! KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Cascade Vermilion with Stunning Strike! KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Emilia Eschonbach with Blazing Cleave! KTS: BP-119 Duke targets Julia Ampere with Blazing Cleave! KTS: BP-119 Duke has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge targets C.C., Killy Garrett, and Karma Sato with Sound Spirit. KTS: Lelouch Lamperouge has completed their actions for the round. KTS: BP-119 Duke rattles Cascade Vermilion, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Cascade Vermilion fails to Parry BP-119 Duke's Stunning Strike, taking 4350 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Cascade Vermilion! KTS: BP-119 Duke continues a Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Kallen Kozuki has posed.
The mass of converging Sutherlands would be a problem on their own. It would be a significant test of her ability, to get through them with a half-crippled KMF. Even a machine as advanced as the Guren has its operational limits. Unfortunately Sutherlands are NOT the only problem. As everyone swiftly discovers today that the Lancelot of all things, has entered some kind of limited production. But even a mass produced downscaling stands shoulders above Sutherlands. Even if their pilots aren't the kind of ridiculous people Kururugi is, they're still piloting machines she would have to fight quite seriously.
And she does not HAVE that kind of output right now. As it stands, the Guren is surrounded and beaten upon from all sides. A few Sutherlands might wind up dropped in the ensuing chaos... but the Guren never stood a chance, even trying to evade them and escape. <"It appears I may... be in trouble."> She won't quite ask for help, given the situation everyone else is in. But she won't surrender to Britannia either. She'll simply state the evident fact of things, and hope for the best. The personal squads of Britannia's royals are after all, well-known to go after ejected cockpits to confirm executions. So ejecting would only leave her MORE vulnerable, in this situation. But the Guren is, without a doubt, no longer functioning as anything more than a glorified radio pod. And its pilot, merely left with boundless faith in their leader's ability to see this to a success.
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach parries BP-119 Duke's Blazing Cleave, taking 2250 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 7451 KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Emilia Eschonbach! KTS: Your EN is now 54. KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere blocks BP-119 Duke's Blazing Cleave, taking 4200 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Julia Ampere! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Karma Sato
<Pose Tracker> Karma Sato has posed.
Karma can be a smug son of a bitch sometimes but his smugness disappears rather quickly when the Lancelot chases him down and he does his best to evade and when he can't he tries to mitigate damage by blocking the attacks with less important systems. The sutherlands manage a few strikes, one of them even manage to take the Knightmares arm.
Karma is sweating a bit as he is slowly boxed in more by the swarm of KMFs, his rifle was used to block once of the lancelots Harkons, his shield long turned to slag. Finally he is boxed in as a one arm knightmare.
Karma takes a deep breath, "Looks like I am going to have to ask Zero for Longshot X next. " The single arm of the Longshot tosses the middle finger once again to the Avalon before it shoulder charges forward putting itself right up against the Lancelot while pulling it's machine gun from behind it's back.
The machine gun is fired directly into the Lancelot's chest before Karma spins his knightmare around still spraying trying to take out as many of those sutherlands as he can as well. "You guys are not getting the luxury of my death today."
KTS: Karma Sato targets Schneizel el Britannia with Glasgow MG Point Blank Shot! KTS: Karma Sato has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
It's logical and rational that the presence of a major Britannian strategist is something to pull back from. And it's Schneizel, no less - by all metrics, the true anchor holding Britannia together, considering C.C knows full well that Charles' full preoccupation is on the likes of the Thought Elevators and Dead Sea Scrolls, not to mention his bickering with the Rochefort family on all manner of excavating undersea O-Parts.
But gods, are the flames boiling in C.C.'s vision. What in the world's gotten into her? Is it just that she's starting to enjoy this role? It's a little break from ennui, perhaps - being in control of a situation. The jet black knight whose decrees punctuate the world below, the sea stretched out like a canvas in every direction. It's a reprieve from ennui she's so thoroughly steeped in that the ensuing euphoria is an almost dangerous drug.
...So when Lelouch insists on her pushing further, where one might ordinarily expect C.C. to respond with lazy and dismissive but reluctant acceptance, instead-
The steady tracing of her tongue across her lips. "Schneizel, you're going to regret giving me that opening. You might think you're outplaying Zero, luring him into positions unsuited for the commander, but you don't know about me. You don't know what I'm capable of. Hold tight, Lelouch - I'm pushing our limits."
Diving in a dangerously high speed dive, the Gawain uses thrust and gravity alike to converge on Kallen's location - and like the elegant playing of a piano, C.C. times the right arm's harkens in a winding arpeggio of launches, whirrling and retracting and unspooling them in shockingly capable motions towards the Lancelot Club units, aiming to entangle and disorient them. The other arm...
Scoops around the fallen Guren, the taller KMF well able to hoist Kallen's machine skyward - though not without a reduction in mobility. "Kh. ...Tamaki, on my mark, we change Q-1 over from me to you, and we mount our escape. Don't go off the handle. Let's see - do we motivate you by saying it's like rescuing a princess?~" It's a joke well at Kallen's expense, naturally - but with how high C.C.'s been riding this whole time, would you expect anything else?
KTS: C.C. targets Schneizel el Britannia with Slash Harken Tangle! KTS: C.C. has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Killy Garrett has posed.
Once the smoke cleared, the Avalon appears once again, unscathed by the barrage of attacks - an energy barrier fading away. Killy sighs, before Zero gives orders to hurry up as they are running out of time.
Killy quickly realized she was getting surrounded, and it didn't take long for her to be overwhelmed by the Lancelot and the horde of sutherlands. She tried to rush out of the center, but the Lancelot took that as an opportunity to attack the Harpy, dealing too much damage for Killy's liking, followed by the sutherlands.
She used her shield to try and push them away, until she found an opening to pull her saber out - as much as she wanted to follow Zero's orders, she had to prioritize survival here. Pulling out her saber, she slashed forward, targeting the Lancelot while trying to hit as many sutherlands as possible too, and using her shield to put some distance between them.
KTS: Killy Garrett has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Killy Garrett targets Schneizel el Britannia with Beam Saber 100 High Penetration Strike! KTS: Killy Garrett has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Milly Ashford has activated the Enable Spirit Command. KTS: Milly Ashford's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: BP-119 Duke rattles Milly Ashford, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Milly Ashford blocks BP-119 Duke's Stunning Strike, taking 2400 damage! KTS: Milly Ashford has been defeated! KTS: BP-119 Duke has engaged Milly Ashford! KTS: BP-119 Duke begins a Formation attack! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards Karma Sato's Glasgow MG Point Blank Shot, taking 4182 damage! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has been defeated! KTS: Karma Sato has engaged Schneizel el Britannia! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia's EN Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: C.C. anchors Schneizel el Britannia, forcing him into close range. KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards C.C.'s Slash Harken Tangle, taking 1558 damage! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has been defeated! KTS: C.C. has engaged Schneizel el Britannia! KTS: C.C. begins a Formation attack! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia partially guards Killy Garrett's Beam Saber 100 High Penetration Strike, taking 5601 damage! KTS: Schneizel el Britannia has been defeated! KTS: Killy Garrett has engaged Schneizel el Britannia! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Ai Martel fails to react to BP-119 Duke's Fire Buster - Pistol Volley, taking 2325 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke continues a Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
'My body is mine! You will NOT take it from me!'
Something strikes a chord in Cascade, just the way he phrases it. Would he live without a body? Could SHE live without a body? She's never been without; never been installed into a mecha directly, though she can connect herself to Androktasia.
Not that it means she won't fight, of course. It just makes her think.
Cascade's Panzer-Wespe hunches down in expectation of a blow from Duke, and she is not disappointed. He comes in swinging with his shield, and Cascade reverses her spear, using the butt end to strike at it - but she can't stop it. The size difference tells, and he forces it in, threatening to break the spear until Cascade disengages it from the defense, the edge of the shield slamming into the Panzer-Wespe's front diagonally instead.
It shoves the Panzer-Wespe backwards, keeping it from assisting the others immediately. With the spear damaged, Cascade no longer trusts it and switches it to one clamp-like hand to get it out of the way. Instead, she opens up with both the hip-mounted machine cannons, weapons that pack a serious punch - they're more like hands-free machine guns than vulcans, and she tears at Duke's knee with them, trying to hold him back from a melee follow-up. Or a chase.
"<Condition,>" she says, successfully controlling her voice. She wants to yell, to shout, to let her feelings be known, but they aren't *Cascade's* feelings and she can't just release like that. So instead she keeps her phrases brief and professional, transmitting to the remaining Black Knights.
KTS: Cascade Vermilion targets BP-119 Duke with Machine Cannon Tracking Shot! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has completed their actions for the round. /-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\ | 1: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Underbarrel Strike Pwr: 2500 15 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Rattle) | | 2: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Snapshot Pwr: 3200 12 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, MAP) | | 3: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Aimed Shot Pwr: 4800 39 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Accurate, Formation, Initiation) | | 4: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips Pwr: 5200 46 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Accurate) | | 5: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Sudden Slash Pwr: 2200 12 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Repulse, MAP) | | 6: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge Pwr: 4200 32 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker, Penetrating) | | 7: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash Pwr: 3200 20 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Spread, Formation, MAP) | | 8: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Gleeful Slaughter Pwr: 4700 45 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Finisher, Penetrating, Accurate) | | 9: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Melee Strike Pwr: 4600 32 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating) | | 10: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Shot Pwr: 5000 33 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Accurate) | | 11: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage Pwr: 5800 70 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Finisher, Ship-Killer) | | 12: Lambda Driver - Low Output Realized Strike Pwr: 6500 85 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating, Finisher, Barrier Breaker, Spread, Root) | | 13: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Blitz Pwr: 5400 39 EN | | (Magic, Melee, MAP, Crushing) | | 14: Pass - 0 EN | | (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) | \----< HP: 7451/14000 EN: 49 (+37/round|0 comm) SP: 25 Morale: 144/150 >-----/
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
Duke Fire blocks again--Ai silently curses whatever alloys they built him out of, and takes a full volley directly to the Type 96's chest from Duke's pistol. The AS' armored chestplate is cratered through in several places, leaving only bare hull between her and a shot that could pierce the cockpit.
She may be superhuman, but she's not sure that she could survive a beam shot to the face.
But between them, they've done enough damage to force a retreat--not to mention Emmy's sheer aggression. The anti-ship cannon drops to the ground, kicking up a cloud around it as she returns to her rifle. She opens up brazenly with it, spraying Duke Fire with bullets. Keep the pressure on.
But that anger in Emilia, left unchecked... <"Rapunzel, he's not our objective. Chase him off, make him retreat... but time spent killing him is time we aren't gathering our spoils.">
KTS: Ai Martel targets BP-119 Duke with KDE 35mm Rifle Suppressing Fire! KTS: Ai Martel has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Lips pursing into a flat line as that shield swings for Milly's Argiope, she sees almost every reading start to turn bright red. Now seems like a great time to get herself out of here -- if even the Black Knights think discretion is the better part of valor in this situation, far be it from Milly not to defer to experience.
"Well. I'd say this was a perfectly serviceable trial run, but the time for this sort of thing is just about up. Despite what I said earlier, I don't have any particular intention of falling." A beat passes as she mentally maps out their egress options, and she offers, "Julia -- meet me at E7 later? I'd like to discuss how this went."
She is off like a shot; she doesn't want to know what the cost she'd have to pay for getting caught here would be. Huffman Island has been at war long enough that Milly knows better than to push her luck with what capture might entail.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
This time, when Duke's blade meets hers, the deflection works- a cut that would have carved open her cockpit goes askance, instead slicing down a leg, flames licking at the armour as it does so. The Codarl's movement is hampered... but far from still. It pushes her back...
But the flames that consume Emilia's heart burn just as hot.
Rapunzel's AI speaks up, suddenly. "Lambda Driver Online."
The Codarl's ponytail starts to glow with heat, dumping it into the air around the Arm Slave. Emilia hears the priority order just barely over the blood pumping in her ears. Kallen's gone down. If this doesn't end...
The pistol in the machine's other hand raises.
"<You Need. To. DIE!>" She yells, her vision focusing purely on Duke, tunneling. She can't tell that they're winning right now. She can't focus on the voices of the others around her. Ai's voice falls on deaf ears.
And then she opens fire, each bullet firing at Duke having a barely perceptable glint of green to it. The heat rolling off those hair like filaments is immense.
"<DIE!>" screams the girl inside the machine, consumed by an anger that Duke has not earned- but nonetheless flies at him, a proxy for all that she has been wronged.
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach uses Hyper Reloader /-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\ | 1: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Underbarrel Strike Pwr: 2500 15 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Rattle) | | 2: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Snapshot Pwr: 3200 12 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, MAP) | | 3: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Aimed Shot Pwr: 4800 39 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Accurate, Formation, Initiation) | | 4: ARCADIA Auto 57mm Heavy Pistols Full Clips Pwr: 5200 46 EN | | (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Accurate) | | 5: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Sudden Slash Pwr: 2200 12 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Repulse, MAP) | | 6: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Ripper Gouge Pwr: 4200 32 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker, Penetrating) | | 7: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Rending Dash Pwr: 3200 20 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Spread, Formation, MAP) | | 8: IAI Dark Edge Monomolecular Cutter Gleeful Slaughter Pwr: 4700 45 EN | | (Physical, Melee, Finisher, Penetrating, Accurate) | | 9: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Melee Strike Pwr: 4600 32 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating) | | 10: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Shot Pwr: 5000 33 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Accurate) | | 11: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage Pwr: 5800 70 EN | | (Magic, Ranged, Penetrating, Spread, Finisher, Ship-Killer) | | 12: Lambda Driver - Low Output Realized Strike Pwr: 6500 85 EN | | (Magic, Melee, Penetrating, Finisher, Barrier Breaker, Spread, Root) | | 13: Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Blitz Pwr: 5400 39 EN | | (Magic, Melee, MAP, Crushing) | | 14: Pass - 0 EN | | (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) | \----< HP: 7451/14000 EN: 57 (+37/round|0 comm) SP: 10 Morale: 144/150 >-----/
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets BP-119 Duke with Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 45. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 25. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
"Mm. I suppose you would." Julia admits with a wry smile at Milly's comment. She knows exactly what she means.
Duke Fire roars, coming at her with a blazing swing!
"I, at least, have no interest in your body." Julia notes with a hint of a smirk. Staticaster backpedals, its static barrier mitigating some of the swing. Still... they're both in a bit of a pinch, and Milly...
Julia spares a glance over in her direction. She seems to be in good enough spirits still at least, all things considered.
"Of course. I'll certainly be there - and with our share of the spoils~." Julia replies. Staticaster's position shifts just a little, moving to ensure that Duke Fire can't attempt pursuit of her. Now that she's said that, though... she has to see this through.
"As remarkable as ever, my dear Brave Police! Still, I've shown you a few tricks... So, here's one more for the road! Don't blink, Duke Fire... Though perhaps for you, I shouldn't be concerned about that!" Julia replies. She displayed a bit of what Staticaster can do before, by sliding out of melee range from him. What she does now is much the same, but on a greater scale. Staticaster begins to slide about, pulling on metallic objects - and units, friend or foe - in the vicinity just briefly to build momentum. It's difficult to tell what direction it'll move next - and once she's built up enough speed she takes aim and begins to fire, electric blasts rushing toward Duke Fire from so many angles that it's difficult to predict where they'll come from next.
...Until, eventually, Staticaster gradually slides to a stop. Her attention moves toward the Rapunzel, briefly, a slight frown crossing Julia's face. That one... a roiling temper bound to explode, that one. It's truly fortunate they aren't currently in opposition.
KTS: Julia Ampere has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Julia Ampere targets BP-119 Duke with Static Trick! KTS: Julia Ampere has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Schneizel el Britannia has posed.
<"And what is it you see, Zero? What type of future do you envision from all this? Everywhere you go there is death and destruction. And while Britannia is not free from blame for some of it, no small amount is by your own doing. Whether by your hand, or the hands of your followers. Is that death all you seek, or do you have your sights set elsewhere? What else are you hiding beneath that mask?">
The Lancelot Clubs prove to be quite a thorn. Their increased ability over the older Sutherlands is not the only advantage they have going for them. Their pilots are amongst the best, personally chosen by Schneizel to guard and serve him in engagements. So it's no probably no surprise as they manage to inflict some considerable damage against the Black Knight forces. Even managing to put the infamous Guren Mk. II and its pilot in a vulnerable situation.
That said... The Black Knights themselves manage to rally everything they have. Perhaps to Zero's disappointment, none of the Lancelot Clubs fall to the counter attacks. But they come close!
The one facing Karma takes several rounds into the chest, internal systems damaged significantly. Thankfully the pilot isn't hit, pulling back to let the Sutherlands intervene on any attempt to finish him off. Several are destroyed in the process.
The one facing Killy loses an arm to her beam saber, a glowing, sparking stump left behind. It too backs off, retreating due to the damage.
The third one, aiming to finish the vulnerable Guren off, finds itself suddenly caught within the Gawain's web of cables. Its frame groan as it tries to fight back and free itself from the Gawain's hold. But the larger machine has much greater performance of it. Thankfully though, the Lancelot Club is not alone, its Sutherland allies rushing in to provide cover fire while helping pry the Club free.
"That's enough."
Schneizel stands from his chair, then continues, "Order our forces to fall back. We have more important matters to deal with." He walks up to the edge of the Avalon's bridge, looking out the windows at the city below. Fires are starting to grow in intensity, spreading from where the sakuradite reaction had exploded quite a number of them.
Schneizel has enough of the view and turns away, "Direct our forces to assist the emergency services deal with the fires. And have some relief shipments prepared. We may have failed to get the Black Knights in our grasp, but there's still much we can do to keep this loss from being complete."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"Any outing would be wonderful with you," Yuliana smiles, to her wife.
They're not in a position of strength here, though -- they're out in opera dresses, on a date. For this reason, Yuliana assures Elisa: "Julia's quite reliable, for a scoundrel. If our girl manages to die despite her backing, it simply can't be helped." You win some, you lose some! This is true of both bets and youth.
(Yuliana still comes from the REA, even given her traumatic separation.)
"Would you like to, my darling?" Yuliana asks, of judging Milly.
But she is assured, and she is protected, and she is happy to wonder beside Elisa. "All scarring aside, he sounds quite sure of himself," she says, and she sounds sure, as well. "It would be interesting to meet him, one day..."
She lifts her opera glasses, though, to focus on /another/ of the Duke's enemies for a moment. "That purple Codarl... what an interesting escalation. Hahaha, she's /quite/ cross..." With light laughter, Yuliana doesn't seem to be treating the demands for Duke's death ringing from her radio terribly /seriously./ "Ah -- but it seems Julia and her lovely assistant are retreating, /zhenushka. All is well." All is well, despite Emilia's rage.
Yuliana lowers her opera glasses, and puts her hand on Elisa's shoulder, instead, holding herself close. "Perhaps it's time we left as well, Elya... it would be inconvenient for Huffman's emergency services to ask questions."
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Elisa smiles back.
"I see... Well, I believe that. She does seem quite reliable." A pause. "But I think she will not."
A nod, then. "Yes. To take her measure properly for myself... I would like to do this, I think. But I must consider the hows and the whens; I do not wish to unduly influence her. She seems to be growing so well."
Scarring... yes. He does sound sure of himself. "I agree."
"It seems she is angry. Ah, what beautiful anger it is, too. There may be potential in these knights of black." A smile. "All is well..."
Then she regards Yuliana, and the battle. Emergency services...
"The Prince has put on a good show. It is as they must do. ...But he speaks of death and destruction, and how much comes of Britannia's very nature, I wonder?"
"Regardless, my darling, you are right."
Elisa lifts her hand. In a moment that the powerfully psychic might feel as unpleasant, if they can feel at such a distance--Elisa calls forth a portal of purest green and darkness beneath them.
Couch, drinks and all, they disappear from this place, and leave no signal that they were here at all.
KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Cascade Vermilion's Machine Cannon Tracking Shot, taking 3840 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Ai Martel's KDE 35mm Rifle Suppressing Fire, taking 1890 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke blocks Emilia Eschonbach's Lambda Driver - Low Output Enhanced Barrage, taking 3660 damage! KTS: BP-119 Duke fails to evade Julia Ampere's Static Trick, taking 7200 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Julia Ampere's Immaculate Scheme activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: BP-119 Duke has been defeated!
<Pose Tracker> BP-119 Duke has posed.
"Duke!" Regina yells at her seat. "The Fire Parts integrity is dropping dangerously low! You have to separate!"
"Rrrrrgh!" Duke grunts, stepping back with shield raised as the remaining attackers fall upon him. Ai and Cascade's gunfire shatters the Fire Shield, letting Emilia cut deep into and sever his left arm.
"F--- Falling back. EMERGENCY SEPARA - " It's at this point that the Staticaster weaves its final, most devastating trick, lightning coursing through Duke Fire's form.
There is an explosion.
When the dust clears, the Brave Police Super AI robot is lying face down on the scorched tarmac, white armour seared and cracked all over. The parts of the Fire Roader, the fire engine her combined with, are scattered around in ruins, water tanks ruptured. The Fire Sword is shattered, fragments of the blade embedded in the ground around the wreckage of Duke's combat form.
The Knight Detective is motionless, but deep within, in the protected AI core, a distress ping calls to the cargo helicopter overhead, which fires a magnetic tow cable at Duke's centre of mass, winching the limp robot (so much smaller now with his armour ruined) back aboard as it begins to fall back.
<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
"What a shame. Your trinkets are much better at my disposal than in the hands of some pompous tactician." C.C. babbles to herself, the Slash Harkens making their whirring and winding for the last time. Still - it's satisfying seeing someone like that pull back - wasn't Schneizel coming here overextending to begin with?
Head tousling over the back of her chair, C.C. gazes upwards at Lelouch, that flat golden stare clearly winding down from overexcitement, pupils still contracting. "Had fun? I certainly took you for quite the spin in this thing. To think, it's far from the fastest I could go - by my standards this frame's practically sluggish. Then again, I always favored something that could get me out of a country by nightfall, so going a little more all-out against an indomitable foe is...a little new. ...say. You know. Any time you just want to disappear together for a little bit. Maybe a week or two. I can get you there with nobody noti-"
Mid-sentence, C.C bolts abruptly upright at the stark, rasping sensation of the world being ripped open. Sucking in a loud breath with a hint of a shiver, she turns her head sharply to the side, to where that unsettling presence - presences? - from earlier came from. A touch of bile rises in her throat - it's obvious she's bending over tightly, core struggling to keep her aloft.
"...d...don't...do...that. T...this...You aren't "those" that I've heard of, are you? Why here... why now? Are they..."
---yes - of course there's rumors in C.C.'s deepest circles about these strange vortexes that suck in parasensory thought, that would drain C's World dry. If they are-
Could it be they're cooperating with the Britannians somehow? Was that unusual sensation of heightened emotion something sneakily instilled in her somehow? They're gone now, which is distressing in its own right - like the falling of a massive oak, only for its branches to have vanished. Were they monitoring her?
--careless interludes may be ending.
"...Tell Nunnally and Sayoko I'll be gone for a while, Lelouch. Simple precaution. I'm not going anywhere far, nor out of contact with the Black Knights. ...I'd just prefer if they didn't get involved in...something that'd be my fault, were it to come around."
<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.
<"I see the future, Prince Schneizel.">
Nothing more need be said. Frankly - he doesn't mind getting one of those. Today, at least. It's fine. Essentially, he asked the question of which prize he'd get, and it ends up just being the materials. The rest of this is simple; the reinforcements have been routed, the defenses have been crushed, and that's that. Now is just mop up and robbery. Well, there's still fighting, but it's really not something that takes any of his attention to manage.
He looks down to speak to C.C., but - "C.C.?" He frowns. She had been acting different, but it wasn't in a way that he disliked, per se. But that's different. Something happened, that he clearly did not understand at all. And this - frustrates him. It's always like this. More stupid nonsense magic, that bothers people around him.
What does he see? Nothing. He doesn't see anything, if it's like this. For all his aggrandizing about the 'future' and about 'the way there', he's perfectly blind when it comes to this. His jaw sets, and eyes screw shut for a moment. C.C. ... will be fine. Give her a moment to get through that. Patiently listen to illness, though you cannot do anything.
How stupid. What a stupid world, where all he can do is watch. But -
"No." His voice is sharp, the tone he always takes when he's being harsh about something. "Having you distant from me, right now, after your last mission would be -" Hesitation. Would be? "... Inconvenient." He's lying. He's great at lying, and, yet. "If it's a problem, then I want to be involved in its solution, C.C."
He's not being honest. He never is, though. There's something behind that intonation, something left unsaid.
<Pose Tracker> C.C. has posed.
-A wind of maroon coils its way around the witch's heart.
"...Don't think too hard on whether your own words are untrue," C.C. states much more in that flat, familiar tone of hers.
"Since...I've long learned how to read behind lies. I won't admonish you. If anything, I do that when you're being too "honest"."
-the rust blooming and colliding upon the water's surface has long since halted, as too has the wound left behind. The ancient impulse to liken what's beyond that 'surface' to water isn't too inaccurate - like water, a tear into and out of its depths leaves ripples and fissures that tosses those on its surface, and yet in time, it heals and flows back together.
It passes with a loosening of C.C.'s shoulders, a long, slow breath from her nose - arms raised upwards, open palms to either side of Lelouch's feet.
The witch's head rolls gently to the right, to brush against Lelouch's leg.
"...Honestly, what am I going to do with you? Normally I don't even stop to consider much before I decide to run away for a while. It's usually the right impulse."
She concedes this fight, lashes slowly closing, heels clattering at the floor-mounted pedals. "...just know that your offer to stay and help fight my battles is not just likely to be your undoing, but rather far from what you seek to begin with.~"
<Pose Tracker> Julia Ampere has posed.
The dust clears. When it does, Duke Fire lays face down. Julia watches him with a hint of a frown and mild concern. ...This can't be the end of him, can it? Surely not. And then, overhead, a cargo helicopter comes, firing a tow cable onto Duke, reeling him in.
"May you be repaired swiftly. I'm looking forward to our next encounter~." Julia bids farewell, Staticaster lowering into a bow. But with that...!
"Now then... before any more trouble arrives, it's time to do what I came here to do." Julia says. "The game is afoot, and time is short! Better hurry~."
And with that, and another bow... Staticaster snaps its fingers and another smoke bomb detonates around it - taking the opportunity to slip away while the smoke clears.
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
Ai ceases fire as Emmy moves into her field of fire... and its Lambda Driver activates. Its bullets streak green, and its 'hair' whips into the air. She can't help but stare. Something is happening. Something she doesn't understand.
Something she was never told about when the Rapunzel was acquired for Emilia.
As Duke Fire is disabled mid-separation, Ai's Type 96 runs in toward her. <"Rapunzel! He's disabled. Stand down,"> she calls out. <"We need to prepare for extraction as well... are you all right, my dear?"> There's worry in her voice. A touch of fear.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
The Knight Detective falls. Not at Emilia's furious hands, but at the hands of the Energy Thief.
But the battle is over. Emilia's vision starts to open up again. He was pulled away. But he's not here. He's not threatening anyone.
In the cockpit, she's breathing heavily as the Lambda Driver shuts down, the Codarl at risk of overheating. She can hear Ai calling her to stand down.
It's so hot in the cockpit right now, sweat dripping off her face.
Her gaze turns to the Staticaster, just on the corner of one monitor.
"<...You win.>" She says, quietly as Julia takes her bow and vanishes. She turns the Codarl away. She'll just barely be able to get back to the evacuation point unharried, with the machine running this hot. She has to leave, now.
"...R-rapunzel, f-f-falling back."
She can still hear her heartbeat in her ears, her white knuckle grip on the controls not relaxing. She has to move back now.
"I-I'm..." She's not sure how to respond to Ai. "...'ll be o-o-okay." It's getting harder to talk. She hasn't locked up like this in a long time.
"Sh-shouldn't have... l-l-l-let him. Escape. I-I-Is... Is Queen okay?"
The Codarl starts to move towards the extraction point. Her part here is done, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
Cascade's Panzer-Wespe whirrs to a stop as she brakes, the landspinners grinding to a halt.
Ai has Emilia - Rapunzel. She thinks. The helicopter has Duke, the Energy Thief and her Coup de Foudre have made their break for it, and the rest of the Black Knights are on their way too. And a curious distortion flickers on her scanners for a moment, but fades immediately - Cascade isn't psychic, and Dr. Hell's tech is nowhere to be found on the Panzer-Wespe.
Cascade takes a few moments before she speaks, not disguising her voice to the Black Knights: "<Prepare for extraction,>" she agrees with Ai. "<I will unload my remaining shells as I pull back and cover you; the Panzer-Wespe is in good enough condition for that. And if we can do some damage as we go, so much the better.>"
She clicks off again, letting out a slow breath. It isn't that she's afraid - Cascade is never afraid. (Or so she tells herself.) Stressed, worried, concerned, yes; afraid, no. She just hopes that she's gathered enough information (and enough materiel, for the Black Knights) to count this as a success for her.
<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.
Another laugh, but one far less condescending. Not Zero's laugh, then, just Lelouch's. "Well, I wouldn't mind if you didn't go as far out of your way to remind me of that. You could stand to learn a little restraint." A lot of words to say something very simple. Ah, well.
"It's fine. I know that much. If it's hell you'll walk me into, then we'll simply kill the Devil, and I'll take a second throne."
That's a little more 'like him', at least. Listening to him talk about restraint must be truly infuriating. Such is his worst habit of all; to say so much at once. To make these bold, overwhelming declarations of intent, even when he isn't 'being Zero'.
And to never doubt the truth of what he says. Not even when he's wrong.
<"A successful mission; very nice work, Knights. Queen has been recovered. Fall back to point theta, and the secondary teams will escort the haul.">
But, one last final message - this one encrypted, just for Coup de Foudre; it'll take a few hours to get to her, but it'll find her. It's a review of the battle from his perspective, with some annotation to her plans - namely, the comment that <It has heart, but overestimating your foe is as dangerous as underestimating. Plan more wiggle room and adapt.> Overall, he gives it a 78. A C+ plan. Just barely not 'good'.
KTS: Julia Ampere's Staticaster has left Julia Ampere teleports out. Regina Everhart teleports out.
KTS: Karma Sato's Type-1R Burai Custom 'Longshot' has left Karma Sato teleports out.
KTS: Really exit combat? [Enter `yes' or `no'] KTS: You have not deployed a robot. (see +deploy)