2024-10-05: The Answer They Gave Them
- Log: 2024-10-05 - The Answer They Gave Them
- Cast: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion, Shinn Asuka, Eight Orlodhari, Ruri Hoshino, Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta, Rose Tritten, Naoko Suzuki, Koji Kabuto, Chise Asukagawa, Chienne Argent, Ali al-Saachez, Flay Allster, Soma Peries, Lilium Valerie, Yzak Joule, Dearka Elsman, Kati Mannequin, Aber Rindt, Arthur Goodman, A LIVING SUPER ROBOT PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
- Where: Side 2
- OOC - IC Date: 10-05-2024 - UC 0099 10-05
- Summary: The Gaia Sabers begin their assault on the PLANTs, blaming them for their role in the 'Break the World' incident. As they field numerous recruits utilizing Nuclear Warhead equipped Striker Packs that lost everything during to that incident the forces of Terminal, Koji Kabuto, and a girl and her Kaiju rally to assist the League in repelling the assault and stopping a potential Genocide. But is it enough...? As things get dire, is there anyone out there who can convince them... TO GET OUT OF HERE!
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has posed.
Tensions have only been escalating between the Gaia Sabers and the League ever since the tragedy of Junius Seven broke the world. The League has presented evidence, the NUNE Assembly have rejected the evidence as fraudulent. Misinformation has been rife all over social media as the people of Earth overwhelmingly believe that ZAFT not only is involved in the terrorist attack, but that in fact, they bear all the responsibility for the attack.
Still the League diplomats did their best, attempting to negotiate some form of peace. Until this week, when the PLANT Ambassador was arrested on conspiracy charges by the Gaia Sabers, which the League has decried as falsified charges against the senior diplomat. This combined with a sudden surge of recruiting in the Gaia Sabers and a military build up near several high profile Mass Drivers has led to an atmosphere where all are expecting a second Bloody Valentine War.
ZAFT has done its best to respond with its own hasty buildup near the enormous military station that was constructed on the site of the old Jachin Due. Veterans from the first war who retired for a quieter life, tried not to part with their family members as they were called back up using the word 'Goodbye' because no one wanted to acknowledge the fear. The fear that not only may they not return, but that everything they knew might soon vanish into a Shoal Zone. Their culture, their ideals, the people they loved and cared about.
And then the debacle at Orb, during a high profile wedding between Cagalli Yula Athha and Yuna Roma Seiran, an alliance that NUNE was backing for a clandestine effort at accession. While fingers have not yet been pointed, it was still shortly after that the NUNE assembly authorized the Gaia Sabers brass to send a singular demand to ZAFT, disarm and accept occupation. The Supreme Council flatly rejected it.
The Gaia Sabers did not send a second one.
The forces of the Third Fleet have arrived at Side 2. Several Agamemnon Class, including the AION, flanked by a dozen Nelson, and many more Drake class Escort ships that are outdated, but primarily their forces consist of Virginia and Laohu Class MS carriers, which have already started to disgorge it's swarms of Mobile Suits, mostly the latest GNs.
On the ZAFT Line, the defense is being led by various officers and battleship Captains in Nazca and Laurasia classes, but the most massive vessel is the Gondwana, a massive new generation MS carrier serves as the 'Mothership' of the forces as numerous MS, primarily GINNS but of old generation and new, interspersed with the ZAKUs of the elite.
"So this is how it ends up after all." Says Yzak Joule, of the new Elite Joule team, piloting a ZAKU Phantom says to the League Forces, his line a cynical knife trying to rally the League around the grim understanding of their survival being in the balance. While Dearka tries to reply with a sense of subdued levity, "It is kind of nostalgic I guess."
Colonel Kati Mannequin leads the other side, looking ever the martinet on as she addresses the Gaia Sabers forces on the comms, already dressed in a normal suit, with helmet off. "This is Colonel Kati Mannequin, our orders are to engage the ZAFT forces and to destroy their line by any means necessary in preparation for the subsequent NUNE peacekeeping operation in the PLANTs. As such, we'll be utilizing unconventional tactics in order to-"
"Your tactics won't be necessary, Colonel." Came another voice, of one Major Aber Rindt, her 'Co-Commander' in the Gaia Sabers - or as everyone actually knows him, her primary rival. In a condescending tone, he offers to someone who technically should be his superior, "You may put your feet up, and enjoy the show from this point forward."
"Excuse me? I was given command of this-"
"As the 'genius' tactical forecaster, surely you understand the value of spreading disinformation, Colonel. After your dereliction of duty at Junius Seven, General Goodman was uncertain whether you would be capable of being 'in the know' during the planning of a sensitive operation such as this." Major Rindt tells her smugly, his chestnut eyes glinting with a certain sadistic glee at undercutting her in this way, "You are quite fortunate that he is giving you an opportunity to prove your loyalty here and now - by having you merely observe what comes next."
Colonel Mannequin's jaw sets in barely contained anger as she reviews the information on her screen that now confirms these orders, before staring at the man's image as she carefully controls her tone, "And what comes next, Major?" Major Rindt smiles, before addressing the Gaia Sabers forces, "All forces, engage the ZAFT fleet. Your goal is to occupy them for the next few minutes. You need not worry about finesse, it will be a trivial task to scatter their line with their attention divided."
And that is when they see it, they all see it, pouring out of the two Agamemnons and the Nelsons. At a glance they bear some design features of the G-Hound MP suits during the Bloody Valentine War, the Long-Daggers, until you see the Multi-Striker Packs with dual launchers affixed to the shoulders of each.
With the nuclear trefoil symbolizing the fear of nations for centuries.
"Those are-!" Kati looks at him in shock, "Major, what's the meaning of this?"
"Even as the people of Earth cry out in anguish, the terrorists that live within the PLANTs place themselves above our justice and bare their fangs at our most generous offer of mercy." Major Rindt continues, "So there shall be no more negotiation. If they have so little sympathy for the people they murdered, then we shall treat them as the monsters they are."
A binding resolution from the NUNE assembly appears on many consoles, revoking all treaties defining Coordinators as part of the human race, subject to the same laws. Which means that anything is permitted.
It would perhaps be easier to stomach, if there were cries 'For our Blue and Pure Earth' over the comms, but instead to those who are sensitive, to those who have the 'SEED' of an ability to feel how the world connects...
Mom... today your foolish son will avenge you.
I can't forgive them! I won't forgive them! I'm not as brave as you were...
It's gone... it's all gone. There's nothing left. Why should all of you get to live on!
Those damned monsters! You deserve everything that's coming to you!
More and more, while not all the Gaia Sabers are raw recruits, enough of them are. This was their answer to the senseless destruction of everything they loved and held dear. Each of them now a weapon pointed towards the glittering string of hourglasses that hang in the balance. One hundred and eighteen of them, each housing over a million souls each.
Sato's desire was indeed fulfilled in the worst, most twisted of ways, all these people understand quite well how he feels.
A Swirling Whirlpool of Hatred approaches the PLANTS and to those who knew him, all with the senses to feel an unpleasant sensation that it's like Rau Le Creuset is still there, even gone - already consumed by humanity's hatred.
That he's laughing still on this day of judgment.
Yzak's response is simplicity itself, as he shouts, "You bastards!" His hawk cleaves through a GN-X in a spinning arc that takes out a Windam as well before it returns to his ZAKU's hand. "We're not letting a single one of those missiles near the PLANTs, you hear me!?"
Important OOC Note: In this battle, even if you're paired up against Gaia Sabers PCs, the boss bit will be firing attacks at you. These attacks represent Nuclear Missiles heading towards the PLANTs that must be shot down. For these attacks you're required to utilize the intercept reaction if it's available to you, but if your unit doesn't have an intercept ability, you may use React instead.
Damage taken from these attacks does not represent actual damage to your unit, but is more 'fatigue' damage taken from the anxiety of having to shoot down these missiles before millions of people die.
No matter the result, your PC shot it down and you may pose accordingly, it just represents how taxing it was for them to do it and how close a call it was.
Hitting '0' HP thus in this fight on the League Defense Side does not necessarily mean your unit was shot down, just that you're too worn out to pursue more missiles effectively.
MAPs that hit the boss bit and a PC you're fighting directly are always allowed, if you want to hit more than one PC and the boss, then consent applies as always.
KTS: Rose Tritten has deployed in ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior. KTS: Rose Tritten has changed loadout. KTS: Ruri Hoshino has deployed in ND-001 Nadesico Y-Unit. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Koji Kabuto has deployed in Mazinger Z <Astro Scrander>. KTS: Chienne Argent has deployed in Argent Getter-1. KTS: Shinn Asuka has deployed in ZGMF-X56S/a Force Impulse Gundam. KTS: Eight Orlodhari has deployed in Zentradi Monitor 'Ra Mari II'. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Flay Allster has deployed in GAT-X105E Aile Strike E Gundam. KTS: Lilium Valerie has deployed in GNX-603T GN-X. KTS: Rena Lancaster has deployed in A000-0001V Gaia Gear Alpha Custom (METEOR Loadout). KTS: Anita Rosetta has deployed in XVF-25I Svipul <GERWALK Mode>. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Lilium Valerie has changed loadout. KTS: Anita Rosetta has changed loadout. KTS: Ali al-Saachez has deployed in GN-20000 Arche. KTS: Naoko Suzuki has deployed in NS-2 Sukeban Kiseki. KTS: Will Barrier activated! (But will not apply until relevant Morale threshold.) KTS: Soma Peries has deployed in GNX-604T Advanced GN-X Rosen. KTS: Soma Peries has changed loadout. <Pose Tracker> Shinn Asuka has posed.
Since the alarm, the Minerva has been on high alert, traveling quickly to the PLANT frontline. Everyone on board has begun to fear the worst, as if the other shoe has finally dropped. Shinn Asuka feels absolutely confused. Didn't he just fight along side these people yesterday? Were these the same people? How could they show nothing like this when he was defending their beloved Princess and her groom from terrorists. He sits in his cockpit hugging his legs as he tries to puzzle out everything thats happened over the course of several hours. How could this get any worse?
"Core Splendor, to the launch bay."
Shinn looks up, feeling himself numb to all of this. How could they hate them so much?
Maybe they'd just make a big show. Maybe it was going to be ok.
"Shinn? You there?" Meyrin's voice snapped Shinn out of his trance.
"Right. Sorry!" Shinn began to move the jet toward the launch bay. "Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, launching!"
Within moments, the jet took off out of the launch bay, immediately spotting the assembled forces. It's not going to get better. These bastards mean business.
How could they?
He saw his family's mangled bodies on the beach in his mind.
How could they?
The Minerva begins to launch the Silhouette packs for the Impulse Gundam. It is almost automatic that each pieces locks on to the others, using lasers to guide them into position. The pieces turn and begin to interlock until a Gundam hovers in the void of space. This was the first time Shinn had been out in the Impulse Gundam since the Break the World incident...It all started there.
He clutches the controls, seeing his dead sister.
They hate us.
Shinn's jaw tightens as he sees Flay in his mind. She wouldn't be here right? She wasn't like these bastards making a show of bullying PLANT. Right? She lost people to war just like he did.
They hate us.
Thats when the report comes in. Shinn hears his heart beat as the world stops for a moment.
They fought with me.
How could they?
Nukes.
They hate us.
Were they sure? How could they be sure?
They were sure.
She can't be ok with this. They were my allies last night. You can't just point a gun at someone that quickly. Right?
"Shinn, is everything ok?"
Shinn eyes narrow as tears flow down his face. How could they? How could they?
"Shinn? Are you comms working?"
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THEY HATE US.
Shinn lets out a scream, pulling back on the control stick to send Impulse Gundam rocketing toward the front. "I WON'T LET YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE!"
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
think
Magallanica has been worried. Not just because of the shared plight of Spacenoids, of course. No, Magallanica is worried most of all because of one question: Who is next?
Eight Orlodhari can only do her best to quash that fear. It's Mineva who is the head of state, after all, but Magallanica, too, has been building up its forces since the escalation in tensions. The fleet of the Magallanica Defense Force is larger than perhaps any other individual colony-state's now, and many of its ships bear the recognizeable hallmarks of construction in Orb, an old ally.... an old ally that, barely, has not become the enemy today.
The NUNE fleet is not the only visitor to Side 2 today.
"Space Assembly League forces," Eight's voice calls out over a shared radio frequency. "This is Eight Orlodhari of the Magallanica Defense Force. In order to avert an atrocity, we are here to help you against this threat."
"Will you accept our aid?"
Those with visuals on will see Eight, dressed in her Admiral's uniform, standing on the wide bridge of the Ra Mari II. Her arms are folded behind her back. Her eyes are forward, absolutely intent.
Even she can feel that vortex of hatred approaching...
The bridge is bustling; Captain Maina is already deploying mobile suits, Tempo Astelian setting up communications channels between all of them. Janid Harpe--a daughter of the PLANTs herself--is tense at her station. And Gidon Kall has personally taken over the operations consoles for this mission.
Eight waits for an answer. Once she gets it--
"All forces," she directs, "Engage."
The Ra Mari II is the largest of Terminal's ships on this mission, a great red behemoth of a ship looming over 1.5 kilometers long. Its Zentradi engineering gives it a striking silhouette, a symbol of the cooperation between two peoples that was founded decades ago.
But there are others, in addition even to the mighty Nadesico. Numerous other vessels rest alongside the great ship, including the blue Uzume and her sister ships. A few old ships from Zeon and what was once Londo Bell that defected from that nation make up part of the rest--a true blending of Spacenoid technologies.
Mobile suits swarm from the Ra Mari II, Nousjadel-Gers and Quadlunn-Rheas and VFs.
KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has deployed in GAT-04+Mk438/B Multi Striker Windam. KTS: Mobile_Suit_Pilot_Battalion has deployed as a Boss for 10 opponents. <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"This is what happens when we stick our neck out," Erina Kinjo Won issues, acidic, as the Nadesico settles into position. She's their other helmswoman, but she's 'spare,' today, and she's here anyway. "Why did you have to get involved in that wedding?!"
"Admiral Orlodhari's orders," Minato informs her, at the helm, with a little snooty up-turn of her nose. "Are you arguing with the boss, now?"
"The boss!" Erina exclaims, throwing up a hand. "You're just defending her because you're friends!"
"That is what people do," Minato points out, not quite going so far as to point out why Erina might be unused to such a thing, "but she's still the boss, one way or another, and I agree that it was the right thing to do. You don't? Besides, if we restrain ourselves from doing what's right because the other person is holding a gun..." The sorrow she's hiding, under her back-and-forth with her critical coworker, cracks to the surface as she trails off.
"They'd fire, either way," Goat Hoary, their massive military advisor, says in a gruff voice. "If they didn't have this excuse, they'd use another." He's seen it again and again, in his career, operations planned and held in the wings until anyone said anything.
"They blame them," Ruri Hoshino, their fey, teenage Systems Coordinator, says from her own station. Her tone doesn't shift past stoic, but she feels it, too. This overwhelming hatred...
... of people who killed their mothers, their sons, their husbands and their wives. This is not, Ruri notes, sadly, the hatred of people who hate blindly -- but the hatred of those whose grief has blinded them. Even so, she thinks, millions of people live in the PLANTS. Grief is no licence to genocide.
Minato looks to her, and asks: "Ruri-Ruri... are you okay?"
"Don't worry," Ruri says, looking back to Minato. "I won't get distracted."
"It's really tough... watching it happen again, right? But this time, we're here," Minato assures Ruri, as best she can.
And Ruri just frowns, lightly, because it's not easy to reassure Ruri at a time like this. After all -- "Fool. It's not about us."
All of their banter, of course, is internal -- Admiral Orlodhari speaks for them all, to the enemy fleet. It's when they get the order to engage that their Executive Officer, Jun Aoi, orders: "Fire missiles!"
"Missiles, firing," Ruri confirms, atonally, as the missile bays on the Nadesico open and fire towards one of those Windams.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
It's hard for a Newtype to be out here today.
Rena's eyes close and she tries to focus on the way she fels her pulse hammeringin her throat. Better to focus on that, than to focus on the overwhelming feeling of hatred coming from the NUNE forces advancing on PLANT.
She exhales, then her eyes open.
The cockpit of the Gaia Gear Alpha Custom already has motes of deep sea blue light rising through it -- and up through the panoramic cockpit display. She looks at the launch catapult on the Ra Mari II; a large one, formerly used for Gnerl starfighters, and now modified for the alterations made to the Gaia Gear.
The white and teal Mobile Suit is half-encased in a large, armored frame. Two large arms extend ahead of it; the Gaia Gear's arms are gripping handles. Wings extend out behind it and to the side. White armor encases it, and it brims with large cannonry and missiles alike. The Mobile suit Embedded Tactical Enforcer -- better known as METEOR -- was originally designed for the Svalinn, Freedom, and Justice Gundams.
It shows. Armor is bolted onto the Gaia Gear; a seven hour continuous shift by the Ra Mari II's mechanics have locked the Mobile Suit into it. It was meant to be launched from the Eternal; with those most familiar with the Gaia Gear on the Ra Mari II, they decided it more prudent to use the old Gnerl catapults instead.
It's a desperate hodgepodge, but it's also a desperate situation. Rena could only make the best of it.
Eight gives the order.
Rena calls out: "Rena Lancaster, Gaia Gear Alpha -- METEOR unit!" Then, she hits the throttle; the Gaia Gear's and METEOR's thrusters alike come to life. It rockets down the catapult, hurtling into space, as her OS comes online -- NUNE forces being lit up rapidly across her panoramic display.
"LAUNCHING!"
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Terminal had received word of what was to come. An attack on the PLANTs by NUNE... with nuclear missiles as the instrument of their vengeance. The message is clear.
Violence on that scale... it isn't something they can stand by and let happen. They have to stand against that fear and hatred.
And so, for the second time in a short amount of time, Anita finds herself in the cockpit once more. This time, she's back in the cockpit of the XVF-25I Svipul, in full EX-Gear. Her hands grip her Valkyrie's controls and she leans back in her seat for a moment, eyes shut. She breathes in, and out.
...There's a lot riding on this. A lot of lives. It feels like the world might shift again after this. But right now, there's only one thing they can do.
Captain Maina gives the command to launch and Anita's eyes open. She leans forward, the visor of her helmet sliding forward as the Visual Link System engages.
"Right behind you, Rena." Anita says. "XVF-25I Svipul, launching."
The Svipul races down the catapult in Fighter Mode, soaring out into space. She can see them all, NUNE's forces gathered. She can't feel them like Rena can...
"So it came to this, huh...?" Anita murmurs. She wanted to believe they were different. But yet again, it feels like more of the same.
Eight gives everyone the order to engage and Anita exhales. The Svipul unfolds into GERWALK mode, gun pod at the ready.
This is it, then.
<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
Amongst the formation of ZAFT ships, all oriented before the PLANTs as their stalwart shield, a trio of ZAKU Warriors deploy from the One Fine Day. They fly in formation, each repainted from the standard forest green to a scheme of lavender purple and burgundy red, trimmed with white markings. Blaze, Slash and Gunner, the Tritten team has retaken the field.
Was it inevitable?
Was there no way to avoid it?
The accusations against ZAFT hurt, especially seeing footage of their ZAKU Warriors on Earthnoid news and social media as evidence of ZAFT's involvement in the colony drop.
"Is this really like...happening?" Aspyn's voice asked out over the comms channel. Rose could hardly believe it herself. The Space Assembly League had been expelled from NUNE. Now a so called "peacekeeping" force was on its way to occupy the PLANTs.
Two years. It hadn't even lasted for two years.
Then, an open broadcast on the emergency channel. It chilled Rose, horrified her. The cries of other ZAFT Pilots over the radio all matched the punch in the gut that rocked her. Coordinators were no longer humans? Then, a general alert across the entire ZAFT Fleet. The images of mobile suits with large missile launchers on their shoulders screaming towards the PLANTs.
Nukes.
Rose bit her lip as the realization hit her. There were hundreds, thousands maybe of these suits.
They were going to make a hundred Junius Sevens. A hundred Quintillius Fives's. They were going to slaughter millions of innocent people for the sin of being born. Rose's mind raced. Her mom, dad, and sisters...they're all on Aprillius One. The PLANT capital. Target List Entry Number One. Was she going to feel Sushila's pain today?
No. Absolutely not.
She heard Commander Joule's order over the radio. Not a single missile was going to get through. Not if she could help it.
"Aspyn, Sushilla?" Rose called out over the radio. "You heard commander Joule! Not a single one is getting through!"
Her friends radioed back with the affirmative. And though she didn't say it out loud...
Not a single one of those Nuke launcher pilots was going to see mercy today. Only the most committed would volunteer for such an atrocity.
The three ZAKUs engines ignite as one at full speed towards the Gaia Sabers force...
It's going to be another long, long day.
KTS: Flay_Allster has deployed as a Boss for 3 opponents. KTS: Chienne_Argent has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents. KTS: Shinn Asuka has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
Naoko is not exactly one to be on the forefront of current events, for the most part. Especially not lately, it now being more clear to her than ever to what degree media reports tend to color things with overt bias. Yet it's been hard not to notice all the hate going back and forth even just through casual browsing of social media. Coupled with the murmurs she's been overhearing in the Ra Mari II's hangars as of late, and even she could see the escalation coming a mile away.
She didn't have to be here today. She never does, every decision to act is left to be her own. But really, how could she have possibly decided against it? Everything seems to point at war being imminent. If there's anything she can do to help possibly prevent that from happening, then she has to try. 'Deescalation', that was the intent from the start.
Of course, once she sees that nuclear weapons have entered the picture... she realizes that things have already escalated to far worse a degree than she'd previously anticipated. She may not 'feel' the atmosphere in quite the same sense that Newtypes do, but it's not difficult to tell at all that the urgency of this intervention has increased by a massive amount from what she had assumed.
Not that it makes any difference for what must be done. Eight gives her orders, and the Sukeban Kiseki launches along with Kakapo Squadron, its pilot more than ready to do everything she can to make up for last time an atrocity absolutely needed to be prevented. That time, the results were... suboptimal, to put it mildly. She has to do better this time. This madness has to stop. As much as Naoko, too, would have preferred things to be different.
"I can't believe they'd do this! Why are people like this, always needing to put the blame on people who had nothing to do with it...?!" She grips the sides of her Arm Slave's main console tightly. When she releases it... bright green light flows forth outward from the Kiseki's core as its custom Lambda Driver activates, the machine picking up an immediate burst of speed as a result.
"Rrrgh, fine then! If you're too stupid to understand, then I'll stop you from making the worst mistake of your lives!"
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"Doctor Kabuto," the voice over the Astro Pilder's intercom crackles, "This is as far as we can take you. Our engine signature will give us away to the NUNE fleet if we get much closer."
The buildup of materiel near Side 2 by NUNE has not gone unnoticed by the other nations of Earth - and especially not by Satellicon's espionage equipment. Even though his own allies have their own plans to strike at NUNE in place, Koji could not just leave this matter to be resolved without him.
Bloody Valentine was bad enough.
So: A quick word with the people closest to him, and a letter to Prime Minister Yumi sent after he'd already chartered the PPL's heavy machinery shuttle for a trip out to space... and here he goes again, rushing headlong into trouble.
He's always been the type to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, even if the political consequences are grim.
"Acknowledged, Paralus, Koji replies, adjusting his helmet and tightening the clasps on his left bracer, flexing his wrists and hands before settling them on the yoke. "Secure the Astro Scrander docking, and then..." he lets out a breath. "... get back to Earth."
"Doctor - "
"Don't argue. You've done more than enough for us, and there's barely even point defense on that ship. I don't want you and your crew to pay the price for my decision. Get to safety - I'll worry about the home trip."
"... As you say, sir."
He wants to say 'don't call me that', but he did just order them to abandon him. "Preflight checks are green. Pilder docking clamps sealed. O2 recycling engaged."
"Levering the Astro Scrander into position."
"Scrander Cross." Mazinger Z jolts as the gold, diamond-clasped belt latches on around its waist, and he watches the readouts on his dashboard light up green.
"MAZIN GO!"
====== ======
The defenders of the PLANT are giving it their all, but are hard-pressed by the sheer aggression of the NUNE forces. After all, one side in this battle has decided to reduce their opponents to monsters to be slaughtered.
A Windam weaves through interception fire, onboard computer already running through the calculations that will disgorge a pair of warheads on a deadly course, as its pilot desperately tries to stay alive until the firing solution is complete. A ping, and he pulls the trigger scant moments before a beam rips through the cockpit, a smug scream of defiance vanishing into the void even as the nuclear warheads streak through past the ZAFT lines.
Nobody can reach them in time.
For a horrible moment, it looks as though the first wound to the PLANT is about to be delivered - -
"KOUSHIRYOKU BEAM!!!"
A pair of bright lasers sear through space, punching through the nuclear missiles - and slicing them apart in a chain reaction that would have been devastating if they had been allowed to make impact. Through, and out of the blast cloud (Geiger counters crackle in warning, but the fallout shielding holds)... soars a devil wrought in black iron, its eyes ablaze with the same unmistakable radiance of Photon Power that courses across its body.
"Space Assembly League, Magallanica Defense Force: This is Koji Kabuto. Mazinger Z fights alongside you."
His voice is... taut. Quaking with rage. (He might have just looked at the blinking notification on his dashboard, of the myriad treaties NUNE has just slashed through like a drunk man trying to hit a urinal.)
Focus up, Kabuto. Time to fly into hell one more time.
"Come on, you bastards!" He roars a challenge. "If you want all that blood on your hands, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH ME!"
<Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.
The Combined Dragon Dynazenon rose to save the world when the villains from above tried to Break it. Today, it does not appear.
*
Koyomi Yamanaka lies flat on his bed, staring at the ceiling as the TV chatters. An attack is beginning. People are probably already dying. He thinks about the days the skies lit up when he was a boy. His fingers dig into his palms. But...Dynazenon can't do anything against an army. Gauma's worried the Kaiju Eugenecists might strike, Yomogi just doesn't think they should be involved...and the Yaman in general are letting this one play out. Sometimes, Gauma said him, with a grim face, you just have to trust that the people in a better position can use that position well.
Stomach twisting, Koyomi jumps out of bed, pacing past Chise and out of his room.
The red-black haired girl watches him go with her own face twisted, then turns to watch the TV again, teeth clamped down on a sucker but lacking the spirit to fracture it. Her fingers curl. "Is there really nothing we can do," she frets.
And then her suitcase rattles next to her. She looks at it. "Huh?"
It squawks and squarks and pushes and jumps, and Chise scrabmles to grab it. "Hey, what's wrong with you! You're gonna break it!" she hollers, and then tugs the zipper open enough to look at the creature inside. A golden beak and red eyes stop fussing to look in her eye. Goldburn honks at her, urgently, and then jumps into the air, and faster than Chise can react, flies out the open window, and into the night. As it goes, it glows, and glows, and grows, and grows, and--
"Goldburn!" Chise yells out the window. "HEY! YOU CAN'T! DON'T!"
But Goldburn knows her heart better than she does.
*
A new blip appears on radars - huge, easily kaiju-scale. But FAST, too, unbelievable speed as it rips through the atmosphere and makes for Side 2 from Earth with a speed that would normally require military coordination. It soars PAST the NUNE line, swooping long and wide with just as much grace as if the void were full of air to push on, and then sweeps along over the joint SAL team, and opens its mouth, and SCREAMS, a kaiju's defiance.
It's a gigantic thing, now that it's slow enough to see; a shape like a dragon, all solid gold but for some blue jewel-like shapes on its back and bright, red eyes. Two short legs, like a bird's claws; and wings instead of arms, a wingspan as wide as it is tall. It seems mechanical, but the intensity of its stare is anything but soulless.
Nobody anywhere has seen this thing before. It swoops wide over the SAL defenders, sweeping defensive circles overhead.
KTS: Chise Asukagawa has deployed in Goldburn. Lacus Clyne teleports in. POT: Lacus Clyne is now set observer.
<Pose Tracker> Chienne Argent has posed.
Many of the Gaia Sabers here are raw recruits, here to take out their wrath, or desire for vengeance, or simple hatred against the Coordinators of the PLANTs.
Many. But not all.
One of them cuts a distintive figure, rising above the line of GN-Xs it's been placed behind. It's Getter, but not quite the Getter of the past: blue-violet, accented with red and shot through with silver bands between the bigger segments, through the joints and seams.
Argent Getter-1. Because Getter Robo was built, first and foremost, as a weapon - and the Gaia Sabers use every weapon in their arsenal. Like the nuclear weapons, it is a statement: this power isn't for you. This time, Getter isn't here to save humanity.
Or, depending on who you ask, it is here to do exactly that.
The three pilots of Getter - Chienne, Chiot, and Chien - were specifically asked for. The reason was never stated out loud. That would be giving away the game; what isn't said, even in confidence, can't be repeated. The only official record would be a temporary transfer order, unremarkable in the extreme. But Chienne knows the reason and so do the people who ordered the Argents to be here: because while some of the line troops might be uncomfortable with what they are asked to do, or the raw troops unable to do it, the Argents will not turn away from a mission like this.
They are, in short, the perfect heavy support for this operation. And Chienne knows it.
Looming above and behind the approaching GN-X squads, Argent Getter-1 wields a weapon that looks like a gatling gun but is firing small missiles. These aren't nuclear; simple explosives, the kind found on every battlefield. Chienne, the current pilot, raises the gatling - and fires a shower of explosive shells into a cluster of ZAKUs and GINNs approaching one of the trefoil-armed Long Daggers.
"Naughty, naughty," Chienne says on radio, with no associated image. "Don't try to touch what you can't handle!"
She tracks the fire toward another nuclear-equipped launcher, shooting so close to it that the GN-X gets lock-on warnings from the gatling gun before she tracks it just a bit to the left, shooting past it at -
"Fuck, that's Mazinger Z!"
That was not a panicked 'fuck'. That was an 'I can't believe I get to do this' kind of startled profanity. Chienne's lips curl up as she deliberately locks on this time as Koji challenges the entire Federation army at once.
"Well look who decided to come out of his lab!" Chienne's smirk is audible even when her face isn't visible. "Had enough of sitting in the dark, doing nothing at all? Want to be a 'hero' one more time before you finally admit you're yesterday's news?"
She fires a stream of missiles at Mazinger Z - and is only interrupted when something big, gold, and unknown swoops past. Chiot lets out a startled yelp (not on radio, thankfully) as Chien asks, "The hell is that? WHOSE is that?"
"No idea," Chienne says, before cheerfully tracking the missile gatling over to Goldburn too. If only she had two of these, she could shoot both of them at once! (But it's a two-handed weapon, so the logistical challenges seem difficult.)
KTS: Chienne Argent has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Chienne Argent targets Koji Kabuto with Neo Missile Machine Gun Long Burst! KTS: Chienne Argent targets Chise Asukagawa with Neo Missile Machine Gun Short Burst! KTS: Chienne Argent has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Ali al-Saachez has posed.
The hanger deck was filled with hatred and vengeance. Everyone was talking about how they were going to 'kill their opponent this' and 'no mercy that'. Ali Al-Saachez sat in his new gundam, still even had that new gundam smell, he couldn't help but smile to himself as he listened to the chatting below. These young warriors today didn't even need him stoking the fire, some were even talking about being willing to suicide bomb just to take the enemy with them. "It's like Christmas came early."
The alert to scramble the suits is given and the Arche's cockpit door shuts as the GN drive spins up and moments later is moving through the emptiness of space. The long buster sword sitting in rifle mode for now as Ali just takes in the magnificent site of the battlefield. Never had he thought he would get to see something like this, it is why he specifically asked to come along. Then that is when he spots something he hadn't expected to see, a moment he had been hoping and dreading for a long time. The Nadesico.
The red particles from the GN drive draw a clear path to where Ali is taking the Arche. At first he does nothing more than fly a few circles around the Nadesico before he raises his rifle and fires a couple of shots aimed at non critical spots on the ship. It's almost like he isn't really trying. As the shots fly towards the Nadesico Ali opens comms to his old friend, <" Trick or Treat kiddo. You know you didn't have to bring the ship all the way out here just to talk to your old pal.">
KTS: Ali al-Saachez targets Ruri Hoshino with GN Buster Rifle Shot! KTS: Ali al-Saachez has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Ruri Hoshino fails to engage block against Ali al-Saachez's GN Buster Rifle Shot! KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Ruri Hoshino successfully reacts to Ali al-Saachez's GN Buster Rifle Shot, taking 3600 damage! <Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
Ever since the ruins of Junius Seven fell to the surface of the Earth, the world has been waiting for an answer. Not just why it had to happen... but who will pay for it. And according to the Gaia Sabers, that single finger of blame lies on the Coordinators and the PLANTs. There wasn't any other way of looking at it - even after the 'distraction' provided by the wedding at Orb, this world was headed for war once again.
The mood and tension within the Gaia Sabers is palable - from veterans who wish to finally put an end to what was started in Bloody Valentine, to fresh recruits who have nothing left to lose now that their families and homes are gone. Among them is Flay Allster, seated in the cockpit of the Aile Strike once again after some minor repairs.
'How long? How long will it be until you're just another person pointing a Bazooka at us? Won't you think the same thing too!'
'We saw what happens when we leave the Coordinators to their own devices, after all.'
'Still, you have to fight. Otherwise you'll just end up like everyone else without the power to protect themselves. That's the world we live in.'
'But... try to see past the confusion and anger, to what's causing it, too.'
Ever since Junius Seven fell, Flay's been trying to find that answer, and every encounter provided her with a different one. She insisted to Lacus that she was making her own choices, while she was denying Cagalli hers. But is this the right one? Is it even hers to make at all? The Strike E launches from the Gaia Sabers fleet - on a dead course for Side 2, the host of the PLANTs.
It's the arrival of the Windams that provide Flay with her greatest wish - that if the NUNE and the SAL were to break into war, it would come to an end as quickly as possible. "Those are... nukes?" Flay realizes, her heart sinking. The order comes in - to distract ZAFT and its allies so that those missiles can reach their course.
She's not alone, either - the sheer amount of new recruits means even Flay has Windams under her 'command', equipped with a matching Aile pack instead of the nuclear striker pack. And as that whirlpool of hatred approaches, even though she hates it, Flay can feel every ounce of their grief, and understand how and why they were driven to this.
It's the Impulse Gundam that Flay spots first - ZAFT's copycat Strike Gundam. It's not quite that aspect that bothers her, it's that she knows exactly who's sitting inside that cockpit. "Shinn...?" Flay's eyes widen. All the same, she aims her rifle, and a green lance of beam fire flies towards the Impulse - perhaps shattering the illusion that she was any better than the rest of the Sabers.
The Magallanica Defense Forces align themselves with the forces defending the PLANTs, and that means Rena and Anita are here. "Ms. Lancaster..." Flay frowns, even as the Strike continues to maneuver towards them. Their arrival is met with more beam rifle fire - this time, the Windams joining in due to the sheer size of the METEOR unit, before Flay breaks off with a beam saber to lock Anita and her Svipul in a tight melee - to try and prevent the fast VF from moving any further.
"Don't you see it? This... this is supposed to be the Gaia Sabers' answer!" Flay insists to them all. "If we couldn't even stop Junius Seven, what makes you think you'll be able to stop this? Can you really protect every single one of them?" She asks, in a sheer tone of resigned hopelessness. She can't even justify it - she doesn't think even the most fervent Blue Cosmos voters could, deep in their hearts. But do you need to justify it, to pull a trigger?
KTS: Flay Allster targets Shinn Asuka with 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Single Shot! KTS: Flay Allster targets Rena Lancaster with 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Beam Blitz! KTS: Flay Allster targets Anita Rosetta with Whirling Blade Advance! KTS: Flay Allster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Flay Allster has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Shinn Asuka KTS: Shinn Asuka engages charge against Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Single Shot! KTS: Shinn Asuka successfully reacts to Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Single Shot, taking 3120 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster engages block against Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Beam Blitz! KTS: [Mirage] Rena Lancaster's Voidframe activates, and she slips into a mirage. KTS: Best Defense! Rena Lancaster successfully blocks Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Beam Blitz, taking 0 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta engages guard against Flay Allster's Whirling Blade Advance! KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Anita Rosetta successfully guards Flay Allster's Whirling Blade Advance, taking 2700 damage! KTS: Lilium_Valerie has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents. KTS: Koji Kabuto engages intercept against Chienne Argent's Neo Missile Machine Gun Long Burst! KTS: Koji Kabuto successfully reacts to Chienne Argent's Neo Missile Machine Gun Long Burst, taking 2735 damage! KTS: Chise Asukagawa engages intercept against Chienne Argent's Neo Missile Machine Gun Short Burst! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Chise Asukagawa's The Best Friend in the World activates, and her spirit is adjusted. KTS: Chienne Argent enervates Chise Asukagawa, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Critical Hit! Chise Asukagawa poorly reacts to Chienne Argent's Neo Missile Machine Gun Short Burst, taking 4410 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Chienne Argent's Chase Down activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Chienne Argent's Hound of Hell activates, causing Deject!
<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.
<"It's about damn time!">
<"I know what you mean! This has gone unanswered long enough!">
<"Those damn Coordinators. They'll pay for all the destruction they've caused!">
<"We should have wiped them out the first time!">
The comms bouncing around the squad of GN-Xs that launch from one of the ships in the Gaia Sabers fleet is filled with anger directed at the PLANTs and the Coordinators within. Not all of the pilots are burning with the same hatred, but those that aren't remain quiet, because to speak out now could very easily lead down a path to their own deaths.
The rose pink coloured Advanced GN-X at the head of the squad is one of those that is quiet amidst the calls for Coordinator destruction. Soma has heard the same reports as they all have. And in the past she might have believed them. But her time serving under Colonel Smirnov taught her much. And since then, serving with Colonel Mannequin has taught her more.
Is this fight really going to bring order to the world?
Soma... Doesn't know. But these are the orders they've been given. And she knows that with Colonel Mannequin guiding their tactics, this battle will be fought with a minimum of-
'Your tactics won't be necessary, Colonel.'
Soma frowns and grips her controls a little tighter as there is a sudden shift in command. She listens as Major Rindt takes over. The man has a reputation. Colonel Mannequin attempts to dispute that sudden shift but she has her orders. Soma murmurs quietly, "Colonel..." She doesn't like where this is going.
And sure enough, those Windams deploy. The new model of mass production unit within the Gaia Sabers. But those weapons...
They can't be serious!
...
Are you really alright with this!?
...
Say something!
What is there to say!? This is the mission. This is...
Wrong! Even you can see that! That's why you're hesitating.
It's true. The order to attack has already been given. Half of Soma's squad breaks off immediately, charging forward with enthusiasm fueled by anger. The other half, the half that has been with Soma since the beginning, the half that wasn't transferred in by command without her being consulted, pause to ask, <"Your orders, Lieutenant?">
Can she really give orders at this point? If she does, she'll be... She'll be just as responsible for this outcome.
<"... You heard the Major. Follow the order to attack. Unless you want to face a court martial."> Although it might sound like a threat, it's not. More a concerned warning. But either way, it seems to convince the rest of the squad to proceed, blasting forward on trails of crimson particles as they belatedly charge the line of PLANT defenders.
The Advanced GN-X 'Rosen' continues to hang behind though. Floating silently in the blackness. Soma can't bring herself to lead her squad. And she hates herself for it. She's supposed to be the one who protects them. Guides them through the fight to an outcome where they can go home. That's not going to happen this time though as Soma can already see the battle snowballing into a mess.
Many of them are going to die today.
<"Lieutenant Peries! What's your status? Why aren't you engaging!? You heard the order!">
Soma's hands tighten again on her controls as the fleet operator urges her into battle. She can't say no... She can't...
<"... Roger...">
The Rosen blasts forwards, closing in towards the chaotic battle. Several enemy units show up on Soma's screen, providing an opportunity for her to fire at a target. But her finger hesitates over the trigger. She knows that every time she pulls it, she's killing someone who's just trying to protect their home...
Soma turns her attention to a different target. One she can engage more fully without having to shoot down fellow pilots. The large shape of the Zentradi warship slides into her view. It'll do.
The Rosen raises the long GN Rifle in its hands, carefully aiming towards one of the large warship's weapon turrets, before firing off a lance of crimson light that streaks across space towards the Ra Mari II.
KTS: Soma Peries targets Eight Orlodhari with GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot! KTS: Soma Peries has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to engage guard against Soma Peries's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot! KTS: Eight Orlodhari's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Eight Orlodhari successfully reacts to Soma Peries's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot, taking 1950 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Shinn Asuka has posed.
The Impulse Gundam sees the attack coming but rather than avoiding, the pilot pulls toward the offending machine. The blast strikes the Gundam but that doesn't stop it. Flay should understand that after seeing him last night. However, the 'Shinn?' stops the Impulse for a moment as Shinn's worst fears are confirmed. He shudders, feeling hopeless for a moment.
They hate us.
"Flay..."
Shinn lets his tears run down his face, grinding his teeth as he feels the weight of the situation. He listens to her half hearted explanation. He'd understand right? Shinn was a nice boy who hated war.
Wrong.
He sees his dead sister again.
"Your friends on Heliopolis would be ashamed of you!" Shinn says coldly. "You fucking hypocrite! You thought it was so hilarious when you said you were against stuff like this! THIS MUST BE HILARIOUS YOU MONSTER!" The Impulse Gundam raises its Beam Rifle, firing repeatedly at it's twin/knockoff, aiming away from Flay's cockpit for the moment. Shinn hasn't steeled himself for that just yet. He wouldn't be like her.
"How could you?
The Impulse Gundam keeps firing, flying directly for the Strike Gundam as if to crash into it. "I'LL SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ATTACK MY HOME!"
KTS: Shinn Asuka targets Flay Allster with Beam Rifle Focused Fire! KTS: Shinn Asuka has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has posed.
As Eight announces her presence, the League CIC command room on the Gondwana erupts into a frenzy, "Can we really accept-" "The political implications..." "They already believe..." "We need the Chairman's assent-!"
The comms do not give Eight an answer for a time, and then a voice, familiar to many on the League breaks the silence, "YES! YES! YES! YES - GODDAMNIT!" Yzak Joule all but screams into the comms as he engages yet another GN-X, "DON'T LET THOSE BASTARDS DO THIS!" It is not official word, but it is still the word of a respected League Ace working in intelligence.
And that's enough for the League forces in the field to accept them. Not one fires on the Magallanica Defense Forces, and slowly the IFF signals all change to friendlies.
"All forces, show these interlopers the folly of opposing the will of mankind." Major Rindt utters, and as one the Gaia Sabers IFF signals all go hostile to the Defense Forces, as Kathras Fari upon the AION speaks to them as well, perhaps spurred by the engagement against his former Captain, "If they've chosen to stand with our enemy, then they are our enemy. Stand strong. We do what we must."
One of the Windams tries to swerve at the Nadesico's missile fire, its CIWS firing, but several contact it, and it's firing pauses, before several explosions rock it, and the woman inside utters in anguish.
"<... I'm sorry Marcus... I tried... but I just wasn't good enough...>"
And then it detonates in the middle of their lines.
The Whirlpool of Hatred draws in people who have all sorts of motivations. Grief. Desperation. Anger. Their entire world has been turned upside down by loss, and the question predominated among them.
Why?
And this is the answer they gave them: To sink into new depths.
As the Koushiryoku beam takes out several nuclear missiles fired from the Windams that erupt into the dark with a magnificent blossom of nuclear fire, Major Rindt clucks his tongue, "And command told me the OCU wouldn't be so foolish. Comms officer, relay the recording of Mazinger's presence to General Goodman by laser - don't lose a single moment of it."
Several green recruits in the Windams however, stop short at the presence of the strange Kaiju encircling the League Forces, perhaps shaken by a monster being here, "Steady! Don't lose sight of the target here!"
"<A mistake...?>" One of the Windams catches the comms chatter from Nova's Arm Slave, "<... How... DARE you! My son had just started kindergarten! And now... now...>"
Something from him erupts emotionally as he gets drawn deeper into that whirlpool of hatred, unable to even consider Nova's words. "<GODDAMN YOU ALL!>"
The Missiles on his Striker Pack erupt, and nearby him, four others do - streaking by her Arm Slave by nearly a mile on each side, en route to the gleaming hourglasses beyond, each with the capability to create another Junius Seven... or Quintillius Five on their own.
If they miss even one, millions perish in nuclear fire, exactly as Flay Allster once wished. Once. A shame it's no longer. It would almost be like the universe was validating her.
More of the Windams align their lines, and asynchronously, they fire above the ZAFT lines, the missiles spreading out in a horrid field of death, far too many for any one person, or even many to deal with.
Or... so it seems.
Because even as they do, Rena's METEOR Unit starts blinking with roughly twenty three targets. An OS on the Gaia Gear's link with it that can only be utilized by a person representative of Man's Drive towards greater heights. But even before she can blink, that number multiples by two, three... and perhaps Sigyn's daughter knows she can get most of them, but maybe not all of them.
If she were alone, even she wouldn't be capable of doing this.
But she's hardly alone, and the crews of multiple battleships have many, many guns - with the will and strength to use them.
KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Naoko Suzuki with Humanity's Answer: To Never Learn, To Never Listen! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Rena Lancaster with The Death of Man's Endless Ambition! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Eight Orlodhari and Ruri Hoshino with Mankind's Dream, Mankind's Desire, Mankind's Destiny: To Devour One Another! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight Orlodhari has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari engages intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Mankind's Dream, Mankind's Desire, Mankind's Destiny: To Devour One Another! KTS: Eight Orlodhari's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Eight Orlodhari moderately reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Mankind's Dream, Mankind's Desire, Mankind's Destiny: To Devour One Another, taking 3500 damage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Flay Allster fails to engage block against Shinn Asuka's Beam Rifle Focused Fire! KTS: Flay Allster successfully reacts to Shinn Asuka's Beam Rifle Focused Fire, taking 3200 damage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino fails to engage intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Mankind's Dream, Mankind's Desire, Mankind's Destiny: To Devour One Another! KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Ruri Hoshino successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Mankind's Dream, Mankind's Desire, Mankind's Destiny: To Devour One Another, taking 2925 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion begins a Formation attack! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Ruri Hoshino, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Rena Lancaster engages intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Death of Man's Endless Ambition! KTS: Rena Lancaster moderately reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Death of Man's Endless Ambition, taking 4940 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Humanity's Answer: To Never Learn, To Never Listen! KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Humanity's Answer: To Never Learn, To Never Listen, taking 3300 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Rena and Anita are out there. Eight can see their IFFs on the screens to which she has access. ...But she can feel them, too. Rena in particular, with the special unit...
She is not surprised that there's some backlash from her decision about Orb. Not after how it went down. But she can only look forward, now.
Her twins are back in Magallanica, with a friend. A friend who shouldn't be on the ship for this.
Eight hopes that Naoko will be careful. But she doesn't distract her with well-wishes right now. She has her own job to do--diplomacy, before they can go along. The PLANTs might be reluctant to accept their aid...
When Koji announces himself, though--
"Acknowledged, Mazinger Z."
"Nuclear missiles," Janid Harpe says, estranged from the family that still lives in the PLANTs, but, "They really want to just... wipe us out."
"Steady," Captain Maina advises her. "That's what we're here to stop."
"She's right," Eight says. "...Remember that we still have the chance to try. That means something."
And the gold... something, lights up on her screen. An ally? It seems to be. "...Consider the kaiju a friendly," Eight directs her forces.
When Yzak Joule finally answers, though--Eight feels at least a small amount of relief. "Good enough for me," she murmurs, not on the comms.
Soma targets the Ra Mari II, and Kall announces, "We've got incoming. Seems some of them are content to go after the defenders." His voice is tight--not at all the jocular tone he usually takes. This isn't the time for levity. Maybe even less than usual.
Captain Maina--a tall African woman, her dark hair in a crown braid--narrows her eyes. "Mobile suits, continue to engage the missiles. Harpe, direct missile fire at that mobile suit."
"Aye, ma'am," Janid says, voice strained still. But she'll do her job. Eight looks on as Captain Maina handles the immediate battle, while she focuses on the broader battle at hand.
The mobile suits around the Ra Mari II continue to do their level best to get the missiles, one at a time; even the ship's CIWS is able to get some.
But there are casualties. Maina feels each of them, and continues her mission.
"...They don't get to decide humanity's will," Eight says. "Carry on."
KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Soma Peries with Kestrel Missile Volley! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Teamwork activates Trick! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Naoko Suzuki's Mental Sentinels activates, and the spirit endures. KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Naoko Suzuki KTS: [Spirit Defense] Ruri Hoshino's Idiotic... So Idiotic activates, and the spirit endures. KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Ruri Hoshino
<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.
The orders have been issued. They have been passed down the chain of command.
It is the job of the soldier to execute legal orders immediately and unquestioningly. Personal opinion is to be left behind at enlistment, and returned only upon discharge.
The Officer is permitted slightly more freedom in this respect, proportional to its level of responsibility.
The pilot of the GN-X at the head of one of the smaller formations was, unfortunately, on the lower end of that spectrum. Whatever it was they thought of this operation was--totally and utterly--irrelevant. In that brief lull before the Main Strike Force's deployment, they stared down at the helmet in their hands. Was this... Justice? Was it even necessary, let alone right?
The helmet slips over their head. The visor has been tinted, this time. Just to keep the sun out, they tell themselves. No other reason.
They glance over to a side-panel, of the names of the enlisted pilots they'd been placed in command of for the operation. Harkinson, Rook, Smith... Sanders, Saratova, McCloskey. Strangers, all of them. Not that they'd expected to see any old comrades from the trenches of the AEU front up here. They'd been assigned machines--Some Dagger variant, nothing expensive--and told to follow the Second Lieutenant into the depths of hell.
Flanked by three of its subordinates on either side, the GN-X accelerates ahead of the Strike Force. Its sector contains... Four units of note. Three ZAFT Armed Keepers of Unity--Glorified Zakus, the truth of Spacenoid aggression laid bare--and some manner of Arm Slave they didn't have time to identify. In spite of its futility, the Lieutenant opens a line--
<<Attention, Space Assembly League forces! We are conducting a special military incursion into Side Two, in order to decommission colonies that could otherwise be used as Kinetic Bombardment Weapons! You are not to intervene, under any circumstances! Reverse your course and depart from this sector, or you will be fired upon!>>
A beat. A breath.
They're not going to stop, of course. Especially not for a reason like that--it doesn't matter if that's what the Lieutenant was ordered to say, or something she was saying purely for her own benefit. Nobody was going to buy it.
The GN-X at the lead of the formation makes a hand gesture, and six Daggers split off to engage the Opposing Force.
KTS: Lilium Valerie targets Rose Tritten with GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot! KTS: Lilium Valerie targets Naoko Suzuki with GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Overloaded Shot! KTS: Lilium Valerie has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages evade against Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Overloaded Shot! KTS: Best Defense! Naoko Suzuki moderately reacts to Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Overloaded Shot, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"I read you, Annie," Rena says. Her voice is tight; it's tense. She doesn't quite manage to keep it out of her voice, today. "Let's do everything we can."
And hope it's enough, or PLANT is lost.
There is some small, cold relief at who else is here; at the ZAFT forces they're deploying to help, at knowing the Sukeban and the Nadesico have come too, at seeing Mazinger Z deploy, even at the strange kaiju-like bird rushing to help. Rena wonders if it will be enough.
After all, they have a Getter Robo with them.
But it's the Aile Strike that makes her heart sink.
"Miss Allster..."
Rena's jaw sets. The Aile Strike and its two Windam escorts fire, beam rifles lancing out -- and this time, it's not deep sea blue motes of light that rise up. Its pale, sickly green motes of light; someone might well think that is the light of Psychoframe.
Rena doesn't correct them. In seeing Flay -- seeing those nukes -- seeing Shinn's anger, one thought comes to mind: I wish I was somewhere else.
And for a moment, the Gaia Gear Alpha and the METEOR unit are somewhere else -- they become a blur, two images super-imposed atop each other, as it exists in two places at once. Pale green light bursts out from it, as the lances of beam energy tear through it.
Then the the Gaia Gear Alpha and METEOR come back together -- solid once more. A trick of the eyes, perhaps?
"Does that excuse not trying?" Rena asks. Her voice is soft, but then it cracks -- and not just with sadness, but with anger. "Flay... Can you really just stand back and let this happen!?"
Her eyes widen, as she sees the nuclear missiles launching. She exhales, then the missile launchers on the METEOR unit open up -- pepper boxes opening one-by-one -- as Shinn rushes in. She grimaces.
But she can't say his anger is misplaced.
The missile launchers open fire. All seventy-seven fire at once; the Gaia Gear Alpha is briefly lost in a cloud of vapor, the trails from the missiles vanishing. Some rush off for the nuclear missiles -- rushing to meet them.
Two of them fly for the Aile and the two Windams; they detonate in fireballs between them, an effort at a concussive blast to throw Flay off rather than go for the kill right away.
And the rest -- over three dozen -- sweep past, and those do aim for Windams carrying the missiles; for GN-X's, escorting them; for the bridges and hangars of Gaia Sabers ships.
"Even if it kills me," Rena finishes, her voice ragged. "I won't stop TRYING!"
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Flay Allster and Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Erincaeus Anti-Ship Missiles! KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Rose Tritten fails to engage Block against Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot! KTS: Best Defense! Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot, taking 2850 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster's Newtype activates! KTS: Flay Allster engages intercept against Rena Lancaster's Erincaeus Anti-Ship Missiles! KTS: Flay Allster's Physical Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage. KTS: Flay Allster successfully reacts to Rena Lancaster's Erincaeus Anti-Ship Missiles, taking 2025 damage! KTS: Soma Peries has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Soma Peries engages evade against Eight Orlodhari's Kestrel Missile Volley! KTS: Best Defense! Soma Peries moderately reacts to Eight Orlodhari's Kestrel Missile Volley, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has posed.
Shinn fires, and as he does, a single stray shot gleams past Flay's suit. As it does, it strikes a Windam that was trying to position to fire on the PLANTs, dead center mass, the suit sparks as it's reactor loses its shielding, and from the alarms, the teen inside knows he's doomed.
"<Guess... I won't have time to put more flowers at your grave after all... Sis...>"
The Gaia Sabers forces have only just enough time to get away before it blows.
Is it really just hatred that drives them into these depths, Shinn Asuka? And if it is...
... how easy it might have been for you to get drawn in...
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri watches, as the Windam she targeted on Jun's orders explodes -- with the woman inside.
"Marcus?" She asks.
No one's left to answer.
No one ever is.
There's a kind of violence to deploying a battleship against mechs, two entities existing in entirely different weight classes. (Even if the Nadesico isn't as cutting-edge as it was two years prior, it's still the sharpest sword available to the Magallanica Defence Force.) But it isn't enough for Izumi to be out there in her blue Aestivalis, trying to bring down those Windams -- or even for Nagare Akatsuki to be fighting beside her, as shady as he is. In a situation like this, the Nadesico has to respond, too.
... and Ruri pulls the trigger.
"GN Particles detected," she reports, in her usual mild manner, as the Arche approaches on their sensors. "Enemy Gundam moving to intercept. Distortion Field..." the beam rifle's fire strikes at the outer limits of their cargo bay, "... holding steady," Ruri completes her thought, with a light dusting of suspicion over her stoicism. "Are they holding back?"
That's when the comms open -- and thanks to how the Nadesico handles communications, the mild expression of shock on Ruri's face is entirely visible on her holo-screen. "Gary...san?" She asks, and the way she attaches a little distance to that use of his first name is made a little stranger, by the pause in the middle. "They're going to nuke the PLANTs," she says, as she regains her composure. (It's hard to tell she lost it in the first place, but he might know her well enough to tell.) "Just as Earth attacked the Lunar separatists with nuclear armaments to drive them off of Mars, and off of the asteroid belt, driving them to Jupiter a hundred years ago. Everyone kept that a secret, Gary-san, but we found out when Junius Seven dropped. We found out, because the people Earth chased off to Jupiter came back to get revenge."
Her frown is light, but still present. "I know that the people who came to attack the PLANTs lost people, like 'Marcus'. But if we let this happen, in a hundred years, the people who survived will send another Junius Seven against Earth again. I know we haven't always fought on the same side, Gary-san... but..."
She cuts her uncharacteristic plea off, voice hardening again as she reports: "Enemy report," she relays. "They're trying to overwhelm the Gaia Gear Alpha."
"Move to intercept!" Jun orders, above her.
"Missile system, intercepting," Ruri confirms, as seeker missiles fire from the Nadesico's prow to target those missiles which threaten to overwhelm Rena's defences. She opens a brief window, with Rena, to report: "We'll cover you, Rena-san."
She's not alone. She doesn't have to die. So many people have to die. So many people might die. If it meant they could save the refugees...
No, Ruri can't really hold it against Rena, being willing to lay down her life.
Fish don't need to breathe in the water, but she still feels like she's drowning.
Strangely, though, none of the missiles she fires land on the Gundam. Does Ruri think that she can convince Gary he's on the wrong side of all this...?
While she's firing, Minato, manuevering the ship, looks up at the main screen. "Look at that big gold bird," she says, eyes wide. "He's so beautiful... like a symbol of hope."
"What are you saying, at a time like this?!" Erina snaps, grasping the railing. "There's no hope in a situation like this!"
"You're wrong," Minato shakes her head. "These people, they're still human. There's still time to stop this. We have to believe in that."
KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Seeker Missile! KTS: Ruri Hoshino has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Strike Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"... That's the best you've got?" Koji answers the broadcast from the oncoming Getter Robo. "'Yesterday's news'? Tch. Better that than a footnote in the obituaries!"
Mazinger Z aims a fist at the Argent Getter - only to be distracted by the golden, draconic shape swooping between them both. "What the - "
No time! Gatling missiles incoming! Retrofiring the Astro Scrander to make space, Koji takes one hand off the yoke to tap a sequence of buttons redirecting Mazinger Z's reactor output to its grilled maw. "RUST HURRICANE!"
The majority of the warheads are engulfed in the 'exhaled' corrosive particle stream, disappearing into nothingness as others detonate against Mazinger Z's wings. Koji grunts and grits his teeth. "Still, if someone like you hasn't learned to not underestimate their elders..." With practiced precision, he narrows and lengthens the particle projection before whipping the pseudo-wind across the Argent Getter, flaying away flakes of polymorphic alloy in its wake. "... Then I'll have to make sure the lesson sticks."
He's gonna have to keep the grille charged, if more nukes get launched - and modify the spread and intensity on the fly based on intended effectiveness, while keeping the other weapons hot ... and flying Mazinger Z in a dogfight, to boot.
... Despite the horror of the battle he's involved in, part of him exults at the challenge.
KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Chienne Argent with Rust Hurricane! KTS: Koji Kabuto has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
A kinetic bombardment weapon.
Those are people's homes.
Where they're born.
Where they grow up.
Where they live.
Where they love.
Where they struggle every day to make another generation of children to keep going.
Rose's teeth clench so hard they feel like they're about to shatter.
A beam from the GN-X tears a gouge into her ZAKU's shield, but she barely feels it, the ZAKU stabilizes immediately as her knuckles turn white under her pilot suit's gloves. "Sushila. Aspyn. Concentrate on the Mobile Suits with the Nuclear warheads aboard." Rose orders. Her voice is cold. The rage is palpable. Her ZAKU Warrior accelerates, all thrusters of the Blaze pack at full energy. The ZAKU Reaches for the beam axe under its shield, a pinkish beam slices across the length of it's axehead. A Windam bravely shoots forward to meet her. It lasts about two seconds before the axe head smashes into the torso, right at the cockpit, its pilot having but an instant to realize his mistake before he's vaporized. The Windam is bisected and its reactor detonation silhouettes Rose's ZAKU Warrior, the pink monoeye silently shining through as it continues its charge. Rose levels her piper on the GN-X that had the audacity to tell them to surrender and stand by while they did their genocide. A stream of green beam shots spray forward.
KTS: Rose Tritten targets Lilium Valerie with MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Barrage! KTS: Rose Tritten has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lilium Valerie engages block against Rose Tritten's MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Barrage! KTS: Best Defense! Lilium Valerie successfully blocks Rose Tritten's MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Barrage, taking 2500 damage! KTS: Chienne Argent engages evade against Koji Kabuto's Rust Hurricane! KTS: Best Defense! Chienne Argent successfully reacts to Koji Kabuto's Rust Hurricane, taking 0 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion engages intercept against Rena Lancaster's Erincaeus Anti-Ship Missiles! KTS: Critical Hit! Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion poorly reacts to Rena Lancaster's Erincaeus Anti-Ship Missiles, taking 4465 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion engages block against Ruri Hoshino's Seeker Missile! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion poorly blocks Ruri Hoshino's Seeker Missile, taking 4050 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Yeah. I'm with you, Rena." Anita replies, nodding. "Let's get in there."
So many people arrive to help - faces familiar and unfamiliar, and even some manner of kaiju. But NUNE's forces advance, and it's the Aile Strike E Gundam and a squadron of Windams that arrive to face them. The woman whose life Rena once saved... It's a little ironic that Anita would meet her again here, in a situation like this.
The Windams open fire and Anita retreats back to get in her optimal firing range - but the Strike E races to intercept her, beam saber flashing out. Gritting her teeth, the Svipul raises its shield. The beam saber collides, the Pinpoint Barrier sparking to life as it tries to reject the weapon. The impact forces the Svipul back - but not enough for her to retreat.
"...Gotta try, right?" Anita replies, as Flay insists. "Sure, maybe we can't save everyone... but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I stood back and do nothing."
It's the same answer Rena gives. In that, they're in sync. The other pilot... Anita doesn't know Shinn, but she doesn't need to be a Newtype to see the rage boiling off of him in the way he moves.
"Good shot, Rena." Anita encourages, as Rena intercepts several of the missiles. ...It's only a small reprieve, considering the sheer number still waiting to be deployed. They're fighting an uphill battle.
The Svipul might be optimized for range combat, but it isn't out of luck up close. The beam cannon emerges over its shoulder and the Valkyrie reaches up, drawing it from its mount and wielding it as if a spear as a beam blade crackles to life at the end of it - a blade that is sent thrusting toward the Strike E to ward Flay off.
"If this is their answer... then it's up to us to show them ours." Anita decides.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Flay Allster with Spear Mode - Thrust! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.
Several of the Ra Mari's units flash past across Soma's screen as they move to engage the nukes that are streaking above the battlefield. Soma doesn't stop them, focusing her efforts on the Ra Mari II specifically.
The warship unleashes a barrage of missiles in the Rosen's direction, the agile GN-X suddenly blasting off at high speed and performing a variety of maneuvers to lead the missiles around the battlefield and cause them to explode just short of reaching her.
During her rapid evasive turns and spirals, several large flashes show up in her view as the nukes are starting to get shot down prematurely.
This is too much... You have to do something.
What do you want me to do!? Fire on my own side!?
Shoot down the nukes! You could do it.
That's worse than failing to follow orders. That's straight treason!
Is this what you want? Are people who can order this the kind of people you want to fight for!?
...
With the last of the Ra Mari II's missiles detonating just short of reaching her, Soma turns her attention back to the warship. She raises her GN rifle again, carefully aiming for another of the large vessel's turrets. Specifically the heavy duty anti-ship types. She fires another particle beam towards it, red lashing out at the Terminal vessel.
KTS: Soma Peries targets Eight Orlodhari with GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot! KTS: Soma Peries has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight Orlodhari engages guard against Soma Peries's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot! KTS: Eight Orlodhari's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Eight Orlodhari successfully guards Soma Peries's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Careful Shot, taking 2080 damage! <Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.
The golden dragon's posturing doesn't seem to get the job done, but it's a kaiju. Surely it has more answers than merely its magnificent plumage.
The Argent Getter opens fire on it, and fast though it is, it replies by opening its mouth and firing a beam of light on the incoming missiles. It's hard to tell exactly what happens, but it doesn't destroy the whole wave of them anyway, and soon its flank is peppered by explosions. It squarks in pain, then opens its maw for another beam of solid yellow light, which BLASTS down on the Argent Getter, and then streaks across toward the missileer Windams. NOW it's more clear what it does, because in the wake of it...
...everything touched by the golden light is now about a third of its former size. Everything's working fine, but being smaller will make operating harder.
KTS: Chise Asukagawa targets Chienne Argent and Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Jam L1! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Chise Asukagawa's Listen To My Heart activates Trick! KTS: Chienne Argent accepts Chise Asukagawa's Jam L1! KTS: Best Defense! Chienne Argent successfully reacts to Chise Asukagawa's Jam L1, taking 0 damage! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Koji Kabuto
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
In her very first deployment, Naoko had to see it firsthand. What happens when one of the PLANTS is struck by a nuclear missile. That scene replays in her mind's eye as she splits off from the rest of the squad and rockets to the front to join the SAL forces assembled there. She doesn't worry about allegiances for even for a second. This isn't the time for that, surely everyone on this side of the conflict realizes that much - that they are all united in not wanting to see that sort of disaster happen, ever again. She thus keeps her transmission to those in that area - including the Tritten team - very brief, and fully sincere:
"I'm with you!"
Yet even in the face of disaster, of course Naoko would be rallied like no other by seeing those familiar beams intercepting an initial salvo of nukes, and hearing a certain voice over the comms.
"Koji...! Mazinger Z is here!" She couldn't be happier if an entire extra fleet had showed up to support them. That's pretty much equivalent to what the support of the Castle of Iron is worth, in her mind. They can't possibly lose, now!
Which isn't to say that she doesn't personally need to do her best to help make it so. As much as she hates to admit it, even the power of miracles isn't without flaws. She'll just have to do her best to make up the difference.
A transmission goes out - directed towards the SAL forces, but it's like she said. She's with them.
"Wow, that's a sick way to rationalize what you're doing," she retorts. "There's civilians in there! Why don't YOU grow a conscience and get the hell out!"
Naturally, that kind of sass is going to draw fire. She's ready for that - and lucky for her, the opposing pilots are not nearly as ready for how fast this particular Arm Slave is. How could they be? This reaction speed is well beyond what common models are known to be capable of, its movements far more fluid than anyone would assume a machine would be. And so precise, as if the pilot knew where their shots would be before they'd even fired. Fully focused as she is, Naoko does her best to make an untouchable impression, so as to lend weight to her words.
"You're out of your depth! Last chance to pull back!" Not that they have that option, probably... but she had to try. However...
How... DARE you! My son had just started kindergarten! And now... now...
That one hits home. But she can't waver now. There's too much at stake.
"I... I'm sorry for your loss, but... but this won't bring back your son! You'll just--"
She's not getting through. Even without getting hit by those emotions full force, she can tell it's futile to try to argue at this point. She knows what he's going to do even before he does it. Between that and the approaching GN-X squad... what would be the best course of action now? Naturally, she can't help but think back to Mazinger Z's actions...
"Damn! If only my machine had eyebeams, too!"
>"Your machine can do whatever you want, doofus."<
Naoko blinks at the assertion from one of her AI co-pilots. "...oh, right. In that case!" The Kiseki's visor glows green as its pilot wills, followed by...
"MABOROSHI BEEEEAM!!!"
A bright blast of energy lances off into space, bigger than makes any sense for such a small machine. But she can only target one thing at a time... and she seems to have chosen the personal threat, the strange particle-less energy beam heading for one of the GN-Xs. Which means the Windams are free to fire their payload, passing her by....
When suddenly, that beam she fired impossibly bends, spontaneously adjusting its trajectory in mid-flight, returning at high speeds to catch up with and lance directly through one of the large missiles, intercepting it before it can do harm to the colonies.
Panting in the cockpit following the extreme mental effort it took to pull that off, Naoko wipes the sweat from her brow. That was too close. She has to refocus, and quickly, or next time may not go as well.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Lilium Valerie with Maboroshi Beam! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lilium Valerie has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Flay Allster engages parry against Anita Rosetta's Spear Mode - Thrust! KTS: Flay Allster moderately reacts to Anita Rosetta's Spear Mode - Thrust, taking 2940 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Chienne Argent has posed.
"I've got a lot," Chienne replies to Koji. "I just needed to make sure that old thing can keep up! Bold of you to come up to protect a bunch of people who don't even care about you, who'd probably throw you out the airlock if you had come to them ten minutes ago! Why do you care? Now you're going to be killed by the people who want revenge on them instead. Or me," she adds. "Doesn't seem like a good deal!"
The Rust Hurricane lashes out. Chienne is right in the line of fire, and it doesn't seem as if the Getter is moving the right way to clear out; she's taking advantage of her position to try to clear an approach for another missile squad, firing the last few shots on this belt of ammunition before switching weapons. Which means it looks like the Argent Getter's going to be hit dead-on -
Three voices together yell out, "OPEN GET!"
At the last moment, the three jets break apart, going in three different directions at maximum thrust. All three pilots slam back in their seats; Chienne recovers first, then Chiot, starting to circle back down.
"You know what surprises me," Chienne addresses Koji, not *quite* casual but with less solemnity than an event like this deserves. "You're not even asking me why I'm doing it! Come on. Come on! I know it's burning you up. You even asked Dr. Hell, don't you? Am I worse than Dr. Hell? Am - what the fuck?!"
That one was directed at Goldburn. Playing its light against missileers and the Getter just as it started to pull back together, the first and third jets - Chienne and Chien - are hit solidly with the beam, shrinking down to about one-third size.
Chiot, who took advantage of being split up to try a scan, was out of reach, and does not.
So when the three actually pull together, nothing happens. "What do we do now?" Chiot asks, sounding more nervous than he usually does.
"Try it again!" Chienne demands, and the jets pull together. Not much happens, again; Chien and Chienne start to curse ("This had better wear off!" Chienne bellows, somewhere in there), which makes Chiot mute them for a moment, running a few calculations.
"Hey!" he says, cutting through their argument. "Do what I do and don't object! Just... fly up as fast as you can!" Chiot's jet rises up, starting to split and shift as if it was beginning a change -
"CHANGE! GETTER-2!"
The small version of the third jet slams up into the socket, followed by the tiny first jet a moment later. There's a grinding, and a click as the polymorphic metal, pushed to its limitations, actually connects.
It looks ludicrous. Getter-2 is there, all right... from about the ribcage up; its torso practically vanishes inside that, and a tiny pair of legs sticks out from beneath that. But it's working. Mostly. The drill on Getter-2's arm looks fine, at least...
"Nobody makes fun of us like that!" Chien roars in his cockpit, as Chiot brings the machine in for a dive at the mysterious dragon, drill-first. As it flies, a plasma shell builds up around the Getter, arcing off in random directions before a big, brilliantly silver bolt discharges at Mazinger Z just instants before the Getter impacts Goldburn, drill grinding against - into - armour!
KTS: Chienne Argent's Violence Unleashed activates! KTS: Chienne Argent targets Chise Asukagawa with Drill Grind! KTS: Chienne Argent targets Koji Kabuto with Shining Bolt! KTS: Chienne Argent has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Ali al-Saachez has posed.
The Arche manuevers around the Nadesico avoiding the missiles, even shooting at one or two. Once again a role is being played this time two friends pretending to be enemies. Really if someone on the Saber team noticed, well it's not like Ali hadn't been chewed out before.
<"Ruri, are you implying that we are stuck on some sort of loop. That this same incident happened and we are playing it all out over and over again?"> Ali says with a bit of annoyance in his voice. Annoyance that he is now apart of something that had been done hundreds of years ago, its one thing for it to have only been done a couple of times but repeating things from hundreds of years ago is just so... cheap.
Still in the end he had been paid to be here and well he has to do what he has to do, <" Listen kid, I have always told you to not rely on others and only rely on yourself. If you want to stop them you need to do it, don't rely on anyone else to do it. We each have our role to play on this stage of battle."> Raising his eyes on his visor he looks at Ruri and gives a wink before he slams the visor shut.
<"FANGS, FLY!">
The Arche releases a pair of bits that fly toward the nadesico as if they have a mind of their own, firing small energy shots at different parts of the ship over and over. The targets though would absolutely have been the heaviest armored and least critical spots on the original Nadesico but who is to say if thats changed in the redesign. It would imply though that the attacker had some deep knowledge of the original Nadesico design, as if models of it were built or something.
KTS: Ali al-Saachez targets Ruri Hoshino with Fangs Fly! KTS: Ali al-Saachez has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Lilium Valerie engages guard against Naoko Suzuki's Maboroshi Beam! KTS: Lilium Valerie successfully guards Naoko Suzuki's Maboroshi Beam, taking 3440 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki: Will Barrier Activates.
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
Shinn makes his anger known over the radio, and everything just feels... cold in the cockpit of the Strike, for a moment, even as the targeting screen displays the Impulse coming in hot with its beam rifle. "No one's laughing, Shinn. Do you think I WANTED to fight you? I didn't want it to turn out like this!" Flay snaps, forcing up her shield as Shinn fires off too many beam rifle shots to count. Not all of them make it through, the Windam pilot from behind getting caught in the fire. Flay notes his last words.
"Hate me all you want, Shinn... but we can't bring back the people we lost! And that's why... that's why people will resort to even this." With Shinn this close, she has to push him back somehow... she reaches for her beam sabers again, going for an sweeping arc with one, and an aggressive forward thrust with the other. "Didn't you come to the PLANTs so you could protect people?"
The METEOR should have taken some heavy damage from those shots, but thanks to some kind of superimposition trick, it's left unscathed. An underhanded Coordinator trick, the pilots of the Windams surmise.
Rena's sadness and anger, both, are felt, and Flay's grip over her controls wavers. "It's too late to try!" Flay tries to argue. "I'm not like you! I can't do the incredible things you can! And what do you think would happen if I turned my back on the Gaia Sabers' enemies? You couldn't to save me a second time, could you?" Even she knows that her reasoning is flimsy. But when Rena moves to shoot down the nuclear missiles heading towards the PLANTs, Flay doesn't stop her, only using the Phase Shift Armour to stop the ones headed for the Strike.
The Windams do though, brandishing sabers in attempt to slice apart the METEOR unit. "Where the hell were you Magallanica forces after Junius Seven, when my village was starving? Do Spacenoids only look after each other?!" One pilot, Liu Nayao, a woman from the outskirts of Shanghai demands.
"S-Seriously? That's your answer? To keep trying until it kills you?" Flay strains, clashing her beam saber with Anita's spear. "Then keep trying. If I can't do it... maybe you can." She feels strangely calmer, seeing every one of those nuclear missiles get shot down. "Otherwise they'll all die."
A beat, as another Windam flies in. "Allster, I'll protect you!" A male Windam pilot calls out, shooting a pinpoint beam rifle shot from the distance, in attempt to break the melee clash.
KTS: Flay Allster targets Shinn Asuka with Aile Beam Sabers Thrust! KTS: Flay Allster targets Rena Lancaster with Whirling Blade Advance! KTS: Flay Allster targets Anita Rosetta with 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Aimed Fire! KTS: Flay Allster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Shinn Asuka engages parry against Flay Allster's Aile Beam Sabers Thrust! KTS: Shinn Asuka successfully reacts to Flay Allster's Aile Beam Sabers Thrust, taking 2640 damage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Ruri Hoshino engages intercept against Ali al-Saachez's Fangs Fly! KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Ruri Hoshino successfully reacts to Ali al-Saachez's Fangs Fly, taking 0 damage! KTS: Flay Allster's SEED Factor activates! KTS: Rena Lancaster engages parry against Flay Allster's Whirling Blade Advance! KTS: Best Defense! Rena Lancaster successfully reacts to Flay Allster's Whirling Blade Advance, taking 2300 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to engage block against Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Aimed Fire! KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Anita Rosetta's Easygoing activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Flay Allster enervates Anita Rosetta, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Critical Hit! Anita Rosetta poorly reacts to Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Aimed Fire, taking 4070 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Flay Allster's Fight Until You Die activates, causing Deject! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion accepts Chise Asukagawa's Jam L1! KTS: Best Defense! Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion successfully reacts to Chise Asukagawa's Jam L1, taking 0 damage! <Pose Tracker> Shinn Asuka has posed.
The Windam being struck throws Shinn slightly off his trance for a moment. Did he just...?
They hate you.
Shinn is already in the middle of hate. He has been on this journey since he saw his family die on that beach. This isn't a single battle. It's a long and enduring war that Shinn has been fighting ever since he joined ZAFT.
That is why the death doesn't do more than make him flinch slightly on the surface. There is no recognition that this was something awful. It just makes him more angry that that -stupid- teenager brought a nuke to kill more families. Deep down, however, Shinn is probably going to feel this later.
-...and what would you have us do? Deal the first strike? Become the aggressor? Do you want some other family to die because of our actions? - Shinn remembers Marian's words to him about Orb. He remembers how Orb would've tried to talk at the missiles currently pointed at PLANT.
That just makes him more angry. Too angry to even coordinate with the other two trying to get through to Flay.
No that point had past.
Enemy.
Hypocrite.
"YOU THINK I CAN'T TELL WHAT YOU THINK?! You tell me you hate war and now you're attacking colonies where people live. Not a military installation. PEOPLE, FLAY! You made your choice." Shinn sees the beam Saber come out, swinging back the Impulse to attempt to catch the blade with the shield. The blade manages to strike the center of the Gundam, sending a shower of sparks between them. The Gundam lets go of the beam rifle for a moment, letting it hang in space. Shinn feels his heart beating fast. "You're right. I came to PLANT to protect people. To get the power to protect people FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Shinn screams as he draws his Beam Saber, aiming directly for the other Gundam's head in a wide arc with all of its power behind it. "I wanted to be your friend."
They hate us.
"It was stupid to think a Coordinator could be friends with a monster like you!" Shinn hisses into the radio.
KTS: Shinn Asuka targets Flay Allster with Beam Saber Power Swing! KTS: Shinn Asuka has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Shinn Asuka has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Koji Kabuto fails to engage charge against Chienne Argent's Shining Bolt! KTS: Koji Kabuto successfully reacts to Chienne Argent's Shining Bolt, taking 4320 damage! KTS: Chienne Argent begins a Formation attack! KTS: Flay Allster has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Flay Allster has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Flay Allster engages evade against Shinn Asuka's Beam Saber Power Swing! KTS: Best Defense! Flay Allster moderately reacts to Shinn Asuka's Beam Saber Power Swing, taking 0 damage! KTS: Chise Asukagawa fails to engage guard against Chienne Argent's Drill Grind! KTS: Chise Asukagawa poorly reacts to Chienne Argent's Drill Grind, taking 5500 damage! KTS: Chienne Argent bypasses Chise Asukagawa, preventing her from Guarding the next attack!
<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.
The Zaku's beam fire continues unimpeded towards the GN-X. The Lieutenant in its cockpit was preoccupied--Firing on a small unit of GINNs that had strayed into their sector. Of course, they still had time to notice--time to dodge--but Corporal McCloskey wasn't experienced enough to know these sorts of things just yet. Nor would she ever be.
<<Lieutenant! Look out! The bastards're--GAAAHH!!<<
One of the Strike Daggers throws itself between Rose's beam shots and the Lieutenant.
<<McCloskey! Report-- Report, damn you-!>> the pilot yells, a second before the Dagger's battery cooks off. They clench their teeth, and turn their Long Rifle in the Tritten Team's general direction.
<<You--You-How many people are you Spacenoid bastards going to take from us before you're satisfied?!?>>
One of the Lieutenant's surviving subordinates butts in to the open line.
<<Were the BILLIONS you dropped that colony on not enough?? Why can't you just STOP KILLING US already!?>> he practically screams, as the warhead of the missile the Maboroshi Beam struck prematurely detonates behind its unit instead of inside the Colony it was meant for.
The officer in the GN-X marks out some more targets. A barrage of suppressive fire on all four targets from the Strike Daggers, while the Long Barrel GN-X itself charges up a heavy shot for the abnormally maneuverable Arm Slave.
KTS: Lilium Valerie targets Rose Tritten and Naoko Suzuki with GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Multi-Tap! KTS: Lilium Valerie has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Lilium Valerie targets Naoko Suzuki with GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Overloaded Shot! KTS: Lilium Valerie has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Rose Tritten fails to engage Evade against Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Multi-Tap! KTS: Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Multi-Tap, taking 4000 damage! <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"Yes." Ruri's answer is plain, despite that hint of annoyance. "That's the situation, Gary-san." She's firm in her convictions, isn't she?
A light frown knits her face, marring her stoic exterior. "The role you're playing is wrong," she insists, mildly --
-- as another window pops open in Ali's cockpit, featuring the angry brunette known as Minato Haruka, voted Most Likely To Be Mistaken For Mom. "Don't say such awful things!" She snaps, her own window getting all up in Ali's face. "Hiding behind 'playing a role' -- you're helping to nuke millions of people, and you're not even grieving! Who do you think you are?!"
"Incoming," Ruri interrupts her, voice bland.
Integrated with the Nadesico's systems, Ruri is free to optimise them as she will. She can feel the push and pull of their dual engine types -- the opinions of the Y-Unit, Sarutahiko, distinct from Omoikane's feelings -- the demands of the Distortion Field on their energy, and the targeting schematics of their missiles. It's that last one she devotes so much of the Nadesico's resources towards, as it fires missiles -- not only to intercept the Arche's Fangs, but to intercept the nuclear warheads still being sent towards the colonies.
"I'm not by myself," Ruri says, and Ali may note that her eyes almost seem to glow, as she makes herself one with the warship she's operating. "And everyone can rely on me."
Those missiles keep pouring out -- striking down a pair of Windams before they can fire, and this time, striking at the Arche too.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Ali al-Saachez and Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Missile Barrage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages guard against Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Multi-Tap! KTS: Naoko Suzuki's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Naoko Suzuki successfully guards Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Multi-Tap, taking 3375 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages block against Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Overloaded Shot! KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully blocks Lilium Valerie's GN-X Long Barrel Beam Rifle Overloaded Shot, taking 2310 damage! KTS: Ali al-Saachez engages block against Ruri Hoshino's Missile Barrage! KTS: Ali al-Saachez moderately blocks Ruri Hoshino's Missile Barrage, taking 2751 damage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino's IFS Genius activates! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion engages intercept against Ruri Hoshino's Missile Barrage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Missile Barrage, taking 2838 damage! <Pose Tracker> Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has posed.
Many missiles fly, and more move to intercept, the sky blooms with bright flashes that blot out the sun and test the glare shielding of each MS present as shockwave after shockwave expands throughout space.
One Nazca gets buffeted, it's hull on one side crumpling, as the people within are shaken off their feet.
"DON'T LET UP!" Yzak Joule shouts, furiously, "MAKE THEM PAY FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE!"
Others are Struck by the Kiseki's strange lasers, that adjust mid-flight, as the grieving man who fired one of them sounds momentarily stunned as they erupt, "What? It... changed directions?!" The man within recovers quickly enough to say, "You don't get to tell me you're sorry..." As he raises his beam rifle, firing at the Kiseki again and again in desperation and fury at his revenge being thwarted, "... when you're defending the MURDERERS WHO DID IT!"
And Nova gets the impression that more and more of their fellows are closing in on them.
Sometimes, there's no choice except to keep fighting. To keep trying. Even when the people are desperate and manipulated souls, the other choice is to allow atrocity.
And so you pull the trigger.
And you do it again.
And you keep doing it, because what else can you do? Until one day you wonder if your fingers hold only that purpose.
Do you understand yet, Rena Lancaster, why Rau Le Creuset believed there was no other way out?
Missiles arc and dance, the Windams having to break ranks to try and avoid certain death, but on the patterns that Rena sends them on, five... ten... twenty people die screaming in Rena's psychic senses...
I wish...
...aybe I'll see him again...
...ouldn't even do...
More and more missiles from the Nadesico lay into their lines, as more and more of them detonate, along with their newly fired missiles with build upon the explosions and Ruri... Ruri doesn't even get that much, no comm message, no lingering impression. Sometimes people just die.
Sometimes there's just nothing left.
There's just a void where they once lived.
Is it a mercy when they go quietly? Is it really?
And stranger still is that Kaiju's Golden Light, as many Windams become, Aestivalis size... the voices of the pilots within becoming higher pitched in marked confusion.
"What on... r-recall those affected!" Major Rindt orders, his smile wavering, "If it's some new weapon of theirs then we we will have to study its effects." Several miniaturized Windams and the people within start withdrawing, causing confusion among the Gaia Sabers. "I have to hand it to these monsters. They are putting up an impressive fight." Before he speaks to Kathras, "Captain, launch the next wave to reinforce our lines... have them stay out of the Nadesico and Ra Mari's firing range."
And out of the AION and two other Agamemnons, more Windams housing their deadly nuclear payload which begin immediately to flank in a wide arc, as Rena's METEOR units suddenly blips with targeting solutions that...
... vanish as they track out of range.
"Fire."
However, just because they're utilizing such tactics does not mean those ships are ignored. The Ra Mari is suddenly met by a group of four Windams raising their Shields, as missile rocket out to try and rip a hole in their hull.
Two others try ineffectually to batter the Nadesico's distortion field, until they pull Stiletto's which lodge into the field, and detonate, trying to offer them a few precious moments of vulnerability.
... It gives the Reinforcements time to align with their targets. In volleys of three, do they obey, separating the missiles enough to prevent one salvo from consuming another, do these new Windams consign their payload towards the transparent citadels beyond, those hubs where people do live.
Nearly all are out of Rena's range at this juncture, but is that true of Annie in her variable fighter, designed for fast intercepts? Rose, Sushila and Aspyn? Mazinger Z? Or what of that strange Golden Kaiju...
Even if some cannot reach them... there are others who can.
To prevent more screams and empty spaces in the dark... quickly now.
KTS: Koji Kabuto has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. KTS: Koji Kabuto's The Rush of Battle activates! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Koji Kabuto, Chise Asukagawa, Anita Rosetta, and Rose Tritten with All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Naoko Suzuki with M9409L Beam Rifle Shot! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Eight Orlodhari with A52 Offensive Shield Type E - Shield Missile Barrage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Ruri Hoshino with Mk315 'Stiletto' Rocket-Propelled Anti-Armor Penetrator - Armor Strip! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Ruri Hoshino's Idiotic... So Idiotic activates, and the spirit endures. KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Ruri Hoshino KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to engage intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's A52 Offensive Shield Type E - Shield Missile Barrage! KTS: Eight Orlodhari's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Eight Orlodhari successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's A52 Offensive Shield Type E - Shield Missile Barrage, taking 3630 damage! <Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"Hm." Koji watches the Argent Getter split apart and circle around. "Alright, so it's not a total hundred-yen knockoff. I'll give your engineers that, at least."
The golden dragon swoops past again, emitting its own bright radiance that engulfs two of the Argent Getter Machines... and they shrink???
"... I have too many questions," Koji mutters, recalibrating his targeting systems to compensate for now fighting micro-jets.
The Getter recombines... and it looks absurd. Strangely, its absurdity only compounds the unreality and the horror of the fight, and Koji clicks his teeth to try and shake through it.
"You just told me," he answers Chienne. "You don't care about the revenge, and you didn't bother trying to bluff me into backing off - you just talked shit and attacked. You're here to do violence and you don't care who it's done to."
Mazinger Z flies towards the partially-miniaturised Getter-2, straight into the plasma bolt that blasts through him.
"Tch, NUNE couldn't even be bothered to violate the New Yark treaty and steal Getter Rays too?" He's mouthing off, honestly - the plasma bolt did do a little more damage than he expected, and smoke is trailing from parts of the Scrander.
"Don't flatter yourself into thinking you compete with Hell," he finishes up over the comms. "Just like you're trying to do to this kaiju..."
"... you're just boring."
A terrible pun to buy just a moment's distraction - and Mazinger Z's right arm launches off at the elbow, boosters thrusting the great fist towards the still-normal-size torso of the Argent Getter.
"ROCKET PUNCH!"
Even at the same moment, though, Mazinger Z spins, a second blast of corrosive charged particles whipping from its face grille to engulf the cluster of warheads their dogfight leads them to dance through. Alarms begin to flash on Koji's console, warning him of the strain on the old Mazin's systems from being forced to keep so many different systems online at once.
He ignores them.
KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages evade against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's M9409L Beam Rifle Shot! KTS: Naoko Suzuki's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's M9409L Beam Rifle Shot, taking 3270 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Koji Kabuto fails to engage intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark! KTS: Best Defense! Koji Kabuto successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark, taking 4920 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Koji Kabuto, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta engages intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark! KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Anita Rosetta poorly reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark, taking 4125 damage! KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chise Asukagawa engages intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark! KTS: Chise Asukagawa poorly reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark, taking 5525 damage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino engages block against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Mk315 'Stiletto' Rocket-Propelled Anti-Armor Penetrator - Armor Strip! KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Ruri Hoshino moderately blocks Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Mk315 'Stiletto' Rocket-Propelled Anti-Armor Penetrator - Armor Strip, taking 2960 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion completes the Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Thanks... thanks, Ruri," Rena says, her voice more than a little breathless, as her eyes dart across the screen -- taking in everywhere that her missiles hurl towards.
"Thanks. But... I'll need to make a lot more," Rena answers Anita. It's not hard to hear the pressure of that -- the pressure of missing a single of those shots, even knowing she has help -- creeping into her mind.
She pushes past it, as best she can.
(Which isn't very well.)
She tenses, eyes narrowing, as she feels the deaths she cause the snuffed out lives as Windams go up in fireballs in the distance. It's a sick feeling in her stomach.
But, the alternative...
'I'm not like you!'
Rena's eyes narrow at that. "I--" Could she save Flay and stop the missiles? She doesn't know that for sure. And she is distracted for a moment, as the Windams rush in with beam sabers. The METEOR's verniers fire -- away from one, which rockets past.
And Liu fies in, the beam saber slams down. The beam sword ignites -- blade of energy catching it just before it can rip into the METEOR's cannon-arm. "We sent as much as we could -- and your government turned us away!"
The huge beam sword swings out -- trying to slash through the legs of Liu's Windam.
"Didn't you say that you didn't want to lose sight of what's really important, Flay?" Rena asks. "What's really important, right now? Look at him! Can't you--can't you see what it's doing to someone right in front of you!?"
The METEOR turns -- beam sword coming down -- and she sees her panoramic display light up. Missiles sweeping through, and out of her range. "Gh--I can't get a lock on those, Annie!"
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Flay Allster with MA-X200 Beam Sword! KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Flay Allster engages guard against Rena Lancaster's MA-X200 Beam Sword! KTS: Flay Allster moderately guards Rena Lancaster's MA-X200 Beam Sword, taking 4420 damage! <Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Captain Maina is Earthnoid herself. She joined Terminal in part to ensure that the organization didn't forget about the plight of those on Earth. ...And here she is, fighting the Earthnoid establishment. There's an irony in it that she doesn't much appreciate.
Eight feels Rena's thoughts. She feels that wish. This is what we chose. It doesn't have the feeling of an admonishment; it's Eight's answer, the answer that helps her keep going. The one she chose with Rena.
The missiles rock the ship's port side, and they don't tear a full hole in the hull, but they stress the ship's straining barriers.
"Damage report!" Captain Maina calls.
"Two decks compromised, captain! Another hit like that and they'll breach!"
"Evacuate those decks!" Maina instructs.
Soma's fire continues. She's taken out one of the many weapon emplacements on the Ra Mari II already. As she starts to aim for more, Maina has to consider whether they can afford to peel off a couple of mobile suits to defend the ship's armaments. As it stands, the massive Pinpoint Barrier serves to protect the bigger gun, and while its housing is scarred and scorched by beam fire, it remains operational for now. Red hits red, and the turret turns.
Janid, "Damn. At this rate..."
Kall says, "Our shields'll hold. Orlodhari gave us a boost last time he dropped in."
Eight doesn't smile as her husband is mentioned, focusing on the larger battle still. She trusts the crew of her flagship to keep it in the fight.
"Return fire," Maina directs. "Fifty percent power with the beam guns. Wide spread. Hit the Windams too. We can't afford to be distracted."
Janid quickly makes the calcuations. "Firing cannons, Captain," she says. "Three. two... one. Firing!"
Gigantic green beams erupt from the Ra Mari II towards Soma's GN-X--but also towards the Windams that are targeting the ship as well as those with missiles, in a wide crash of beams.
"Nadesico," Eight says over the radio to her sister ship. "...I think it's time."
Eight directs Captain Maina, "Start preparing the Spinal Converging Beam Cannon."
"Admiral?" Captain Maina turns, looking at Eight.
But Janid says, "Gladly."
The ship begins to move, parts of it shifting up and back as the cannon starts its first stage charging. Blue light glows brillilantly.
KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Soma Peries and Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Beam Cannon Wide Spread! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Teamwork activates Wall! KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Chienne Argent with Rocket Punch! KTS: Koji Kabuto has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Chienne Argent fails to react to Koji Kabuto's Rocket Punch! KTS: Critical Hit! Chienne Argent poorly reacts to Koji Kabuto's Rocket Punch, taking 7200 damage! KTS: Rose Tritten fails to engage Intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark! KTS: Rose Tritten moderately reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's All Things Go Screaming Into the Dark, taking 5580 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Rose Tritten, making its next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Soma Peries has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Soma Peries engages evade against Eight Orlodhari's Beam Cannon Wide Spread! KTS: Soma Peries's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Soma Peries successfully reacts to Eight Orlodhari's Beam Cannon Wide Spread, taking 3120 damage! <Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"...Yeah. I know." Anita replies. Rena's right - and Anita knows that, too.
An accusation rings out over the battlefield, and Anita grits her teeth, breathing in sharply. Liu Nayao's words hit right in the heart. She wanted to be out there - wanted to help the people who were suffering... but she couldn't. She felt so helpless. Even doing everything they can to try and stop Junius Seven's fall didn't stop NUNE from chasing them off the planet before the smoke had even cleared. Mobilising an actual relief attempt had been impossible...
...but Anita knows. She knows that's no relief to someone who's grieving, suffering.
"...I'm sorry. We did everything we could." Anita apologises. Rena delivers the more pointed rebuttal - how NUNE turned them away.
Anita can only react to so many things at once - and one of Flay's Windam squadron moves in to intervene. Anita sees it only a moment too late - she retreats back from the weapon clash, raising her shield. She's not in time to prepare her defenses. It misses her shield, crackling against the Pinpoint Barrier - and then breaks through, slamming into the Svipul's shoulder and leaving a blackened scar across it.
Anita rears back, trying to get the Svipul back under control. If that was enough, things wouldn't be so bad... but Rena's shout alerts her to the incoming missiles.
They're out of Rena's range... but they're not out of Anita's.
"...Right!" Anita says. The Gungnir SC is returned to its mount and the Svipul accelerates backward to make a little space before folding back into Fighter Mode and shooting off.
She can see them - and she can see the courses of others moving to intercept them. She sends out a quick ping to the other defenders in range, letting them know her intent. She spins through the air, taking. One at a time, she snipes them from afar - beams from the Gungnir SC racing across space to light up the stars.
Then she soars up - as much as 'up' has any meaning in space - briefly flying upside-down as she reverses course and goes spinning back to return to assist Rena and Shinn, gun pod blazing as she opens fire on the Windams and the Strike E. To harry and distract, more than anything - to create openings that others might use even as she rights herself and returns to GERWALK mode.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Flay Allster with Dazzling Acrobatics! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"...For what it's worth, I'm not planning to die." Anita asides to Flay. "I've got a whole life ahead of me. Things I want to do. But the people here do, too - so I'm gonna make sure I give my all to make sure they get that chance, too."
"Everyone deserves that chance."
<Pose Tracker> Ali al-Saachez has posed.
Ruri's cold stare on the left and Ruri's mom with the mothers glare on the right, no matter where the Arche moves to they are there, and Ali can't escape them. This is a psychological attack that has never before been used on Ali and it gets a little under his skin as he panics a bit trying to figure out how to respond. This might be why those missiles hit the Arche, but when asked later obviously it was because Ali knew the Arche could hold up.
The one formerly known as a moment stutters for a second before finding his proverbial feet, starting by ending the comm to Ruri's mom. Sure it can pop up again but for a few moments it is just Ruri. Letting out a sigh he finally replies to Ruri, <" Sorry kid, it appears you never quite got the lesson I was trying to teach. You don't belong on that bridge." >
The Arche's rifle is held out and shifts into it's buster sword mode as it points towards the Nadesico, <"You should be out here, in a suit of your own. Not being held back by those around you. Once again I shall help you learn a lesson of war."> The Arche flies forward and targets a long slash along the side of the Nadesico. No longer trying to avoid damage in unimportant places , it appears Ali's goal is to make it rather costly for Ruri to bring friends to the playground.
KTS: Ali al-Saachez targets Ruri Hoshino with Buster Sword Slash! KTS: Ali al-Saachez has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Flay Allster fails to engage guard against Anita Rosetta's Dazzling Acrobatics! KTS: Flay Allster's Physical Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Flay Allster successfully reacts to Anita Rosetta's Dazzling Acrobatics, taking 2175 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta begins a Formation attack! KTS: Anita Rosetta rattles Flay Allster, making her next maneuvers more difficult. <Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
Rose's ZAKU takes another bad hit as she flies through the fireball of the Dagger her beam shots rip into.
But then...the missiles. So many missiles.
So many targeting Mom. Dad. Venus. Connie.
Sushila's beam cannon slices out to meet them. There are multiple detonations, but it's not all of them. Rose arcs away from the the Strike Daggers and the GN-X. Her ZAKU Warrior struggles to target lock the missiles. Every single missile in both of her Blaze's pod erupts and fires forward. More missiles detonate, but it's not enough.
It's not enough.
It's not enough.
Rose can just imagine the perverted smiles of the pilots who launched a sun at millions of people. The sick battle cry they all shouted.
Rose charges back in at the GN-X. Her body screamed as blood and adrenaline coursed through it. Her ZAKU Warrior slashed through any Dagger that got in her way, Beam Shots directly to cockpits, Axe swings as well. Very little was going to get in her way.
<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.
Soma watches as some Windams join in on the attack against the Ra Mari II. She had been trying to focus on the large ship's weapons. The ones least likely to be effective at targeting and shooting down missiles. But the Windam missiles blast across the ship's hull, threatening more than just a weapons system.
There's nothing she can do about that.
The Ra Mari II unleashes a counterstrike and Soma hits her thrusters again, the Advanced GN-X bursting to the side just as a large beam passes through the space it had been occupying. It's still a glancing blow as the energy burns part of the Rosen's left arm away.
More nukes are exploding in the depths of space. And the explosions seem to be getting closer to the PLANTs. Soma tries not to look, keeping her focus on the Ra Mari II. Unfortunately, while she might be able to ignore that, it's a lot harder to ignore the voice in her head.
This isn't the life that the Colonel wants for you.
He's a soldier. He knows the value of following orders.
These orders are wrong. A soldier shouldn't just obey blindly. You aren't some mindless machine, no matter what the Institute tried to drill into you.
...
Fine. If you won't do something, I will.
The Rosen's four E-Shield Funnels detach from its back, rushing away from it and spreading out as they start to streak off into space not towards the Ra Mari II but some nukes streaking towards the PLANTs.
What are you doing!?
You might have control of our body and the weapons. But I have four perfectly good funnels I can manipulate with my mind. That's four projectiles to take out nukes with.
Stop it! You'll get me-get us-killed!
The four funnels suddenly stop. Before turning and starting to fly back towards the Rosen.
I'm not just going to sit back and watch as countless innocent lives are on the line.
The funnels stop again, turning to once more fly at the nukes.
How do you expect this will play out!? If we go back after this they'll court martial me and we'll be executed. If we run off where the hell are we going to go? And what happens to our squad? To the Colonel!?
The funnels stop for a third time and remain in place, their GN thrusters fire erratically causing them to shake and spin on the spot. It's probably a strange looking affair from an outside perspective as the Rosen is too distracted by what's going on to focus on its continued efforts to shoot at the Ra Mari II.
KTS: Soma Peries targets Eight Orlodhari with Pass! KTS: Soma Peries has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rose Tritten targets Lilium Valerie with Beam Tomahawk Combo! KTS: Rose Tritten has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion engages charge against Eight Orlodhari's Beam Cannon Wide Spread! KTS: Critical Hit! Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion poorly reacts to Eight Orlodhari's Beam Cannon Wide Spread, taking 5390 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Eight Orlodhari's Shadow of Axis activates, causing Sparkle!
<Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.
The argents may find their new situation tricky, but Getter overcomes. Goldburn SCREAMS as they drill into its belly, howling and firing its mouth beam off into the distance, but it doesn't rupture. It swings its tail and rolls away, Argent Getter-2 skittering past. Goldburn fires after it, two wide beams from its mouth. But its eyes see other prey in the distance, and it conjures a new orb into its maw, and this one vomits forth as a bright, ferocious magenta. The missiles hit by this one--
JUST EXPLODE!! Good! A normal laser breath. But it's exhausting to contend with, and having taken such fierce attacks, Goldburn flies, floats, stunned by the force of that reprisal.
But it doesn't surrender. Instead, it turns its eyes on Koji, staring at Mazinger with an intense, soulful gaze, and opens its mouth again. Cyan, this time. It rakes a beam across him, engulfing him in light!!
And when it's clear, Mazinger Z is HUMONGOUS. Easily twice its former size, an even more invincible castle of iron. Goldburn roars at him, urging him to further heights!!
KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chise Asukagawa targets Koji Kabuto with Sparkle! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Chise Asukagawa's Listen To My Heart activates Strike! KTS: Ruri Hoshino fails to engage guard against Ali al-Saachez's Buster Sword Slash! KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Ruri Hoshino poorly reacts to Ali al-Saachez's Buster Sword Slash, taking 3900 damage! KTS: Ali al-Saachez rattles Ruri Hoshino, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Lilium Valerie has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Lilium Valerie has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Lilium Valerie engages evade against Rose Tritten's Beam Tomahawk Combo! KTS: Best Defense! Lilium Valerie moderately reacts to Rose Tritten's Beam Tomahawk Combo, taking 0 damage! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Koji Kabuto KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Koji Kabuto accepts Chise Asukagawa's Sparkle! KTS: Chise Asukagawa sparkles, reducing Koji Kabuto's incoming damage! KTS: Best Defense! Koji Kabuto successfully reacts to Chise Asukagawa's Sparkle, taking 0 damage! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Koji Kabuto Chienne Argent transforms to Argent Getter-1 <Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
Sukeban Kiseki, equipped with a Lambda Driver - and a very special one at that - is certainly capable of remarkable, even miraculous feats. But due to its nature, it needs the full focus of its pilot to make the most of its capabilities. Focus which is easily broken, in a chaotic battlefield like this. Especially when it's made personal. Naoko would never have thought that the personal tragedy of one single stranger could get to her this much. But when that hopeless rage is turned on her, it rattles her like nothing else.
"Wh-what are you saying? They didn't--"
The Arm Slave seems to have a harder time with its evasive maneuvers all of a sudden. Against this single Windam, it seems to struggle a lot more than it did against multiple GN-Xs not moments ago. Not helped by the fact that its pilot fails to retaliate. She only keeps pleading, "Stop! It's not true, I'm telling you! You're being lied to!" Why? Why can't she even convince a single person that this is wrong...?
The squad from before is in prime position to take advantage of the situation. Their GN-Xs see an opportunity to take the Arm Slave out of the picture, and they take it. In response, Naoko moves without thinking. Doing what feels like the most natural thing for her to do at this moment.
...She interposes her machine between the GN-Xs and the Windam.
A hail of beam fire impacts an invisible barrier projected by the Sukeban Kiseki, actively shielding the other enemy pilot from taking any stray shots from his allies. Even through the tremendous mental strain it takes for her to repel that kind of punishment, she yet finds room to speak on her motivation.
"...Every life is precious. Don't throw yours away. No child would ever want their parent to do that."
At that moment, one final, pinpoint shot is taken at the immobile Arm Slave, breaking through the barrier and striking its armor dead on. Naoko cries out in shock and pain as her machine is knocked back. For a moment, it may seem as if it was rendered immobile... But then, more of that green energy bursts forth from the machine's core, surrounding it with a bright aura as it rises up higher.
"Damn it all... stop it already! Everybody just stop this!"
>"Don't! It's too dangerous!"<
But that warning from her Friend goes unheeded. Everything she can manage is something that everyone else won't have to worry about. And so, she couldn't possibly give this any less than everything. If nothing else... because she needs to prove it to herself. That she can still make a difference.
"...This won't go like last time. It won't!"
All that energy starts to separate from the Arm Slave and divide itself into smaller chunks, each reforming into a disc shape. Creating as many of the solid energy constructs as possible, soon the Sukeban Kiseki is surrounded by a large number of spinning green buzzsaws.
"Don't you get it yet?! What I want.... all I want is... I just don't want anyone else to die!!"
With that, the discs are sent flying every which way, seeking out GN-Xs and Windams alike. In accordance with the pilot's will, aiming solely to disable, and to disarm. She must stop as much of this as she possible can. She MUST.
"I AM NOVA STELLAR, AND MY WILL IS STRONGER THAN YOUR HATE!!"
KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Lilium Valerie and Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Phantom Saucers! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Chienne Argent has posed.
"Not quite," is Chienne's reply to Koji. "I do care! Dealing with these pieces of shit is something that needs to be done. And do you know why?"
Chienne pauses for about a half second. "They're weak," she says. "They whine about how the Federation is unfair to them. Well, the world's unfair! If you sit around and wait for someone to protect you, nothing will happen. Nobody's coming for *you*. Even you're here not because of them but because of us. You didn't care about them yesterday and you won't care about them tomorrow, but you care about stopping me today."
"So go ahead. Come on! Strength's the only thing that changes the world. I know it, they know it, you know it!" Chienne's voice raises, spiraling upward. "And they don't have any strength! They sit in their colonies and whine about how oppressed they are, the poor superhuman chumps, when they could go out there and *do* something if only they had the GUTS! So stop me. Stop me!"
There are a lot of things Chienne has been called in her life. 'Boring' is rarely one of them, and it gets a reaction that most of the others don't.
Chienne's eyes narrow in her cockpit, and she leans forward slightly, gripping the controls tight enough to make her knuckles whiten. "Chiot," she growls.
"We can't form around you! It won't fit!" Chiot's response is immediate, his voice raised in - not anger, precisely, and not panic, but some kind of high emotion. "It's barely holding together as is - "
And then, abruptly, it isn't. The legs drop out of formation, unable to hang in there, and Getter-2 slows involuntarily, right into the slamming fist of Mazinger Z.
The impact is *hard*. So hard that the two bits of Getter-2 that were still connected disconnect abruptly, the third jet spiraling backwards before Chien manages to arrest the spin. By this time the sizing *is* beginning to reverse itself, and so Chienne howls, "CHANGE! GETTER-1!"
The third Getter Machine is late, but they slam together, click-click-click, reforming into Getter-1 as the combined machine *dives* at Koji. It looks mismatched at first, but between the Vector Beam wearing off and the polymorphic metal, it regains normal proportions as it flies, energy gathering at its front -
"SILVER! THUNDEEEEER!"
Chienne announces it with all the gravity of a Getter Beam, and it would look like one except for its colour; crackling silver with a core so bright it's pure white. In an atmosphere it would be accompanied by a terrific thunderclap, but here instead it merely has secondary arcs blasting off it. Chienne herself accidentally takes out one of the launched missiles (not that it makes much of a difference; there's enough) with a stray arc, but most of it goes straight for the extra-big Mazinger Z.
She pulls up at the last moment, whipping herself toward Goldburn. "And YOU," she growls, "are a pain in my ass!" Chienne doesn't stop to engage - she whips past at top speed, the razor-edged wing of Getter lashing out as she goes to tear along Goldburn's side.
KTS: Chienne Argent has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Chienne Argent targets Koji Kabuto with Silver Thunder! KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chienne Argent targets Chise Asukagawa with Wing Ripper! KTS: Chienne Argent has completed their actions for the round. KTS: You have not deployed a robot. (see +deploy) KTS: You have not deployed a robot. (see +deploy) | No Attacks In Queue |
KTS: You have not deployed a robot. (see +deploy) | No Attacks In Queue |
KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion fails to engage Guard against Naoko Suzuki's Phantom Saucers! KTS: Critical Hit! Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion poorly reacts to Naoko Suzuki's Phantom Saucers, taking 5830 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki begins a Formation attack! KTS: Lilium Valerie engages guard against Naoko Suzuki's Phantom Saucers! KTS: Lilium Valerie poorly guards Naoko Suzuki's Phantom Saucers, taking 4770 damage! KTS: Koji Kabuto fails to engage evade against Chienne Argent's Silver Thunder! KTS: Koji Kabuto successfully reacts to Chienne Argent's Silver Thunder, taking 6480 damage! KTS: Koji Kabuto has been defeated! KTS: Chienne Argent completes the Formation attack! KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chise Asukagawa's The Will To Protect activates! KTS: Chise Asukagawa engages evade against Chienne Argent's Wing Ripper! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Chise Asukagawa's The Best Friend in the World activates, and her spirit is adjusted. KTS: Chienne Argent enervates Chise Asukagawa, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Critical Hit! Chise Asukagawa poorly reacts to Chienne Argent's Wing Ripper, taking 5280 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Chienne Argent's Chase Down activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Chienne Argent's Hound of Hell activates, causing Deject! KTS: Chise Asukagawa has been defeated!
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
She doesn't... belong here?
No.
"This is precisely where I belong," Ruri says, as her hair glows brighter than white, lapis lazuli shading falling into stark relief along her green Haro hairbands. (She's kept them, all this time -- ever since Gary gave them to her.) "Because I am the Nadesico."
Her eyes glow, as well, fey and strange, as the Electronic Fairy at the Nadesico's heart fully integrates herself with its systems. She knows that Ali tears a hole into the launch bays, preventing them from sending out more reinforcements so easily. She receives that information simultaneously with the firing solutions of the Windams, launching their payloads around her.
And the ones which fly into the Distortion Field, weakening it so that Ali can strike.
"Useless," she says, still unfazed, even as she's aware of Uribatake and his men scrambling to repair the damage which slipped through their Distortion Field. She can hear them, through the Nadesico's monitoring systems. The men are screaming orders, putting themselves on the line.
"But maybe you have a point, Gary-san," she says, as one of those myriad sensors focuses on the Arche -- simultaneously with ten others narrowing in on the Windams. "Because if I'm like this... there's no need for anyone else to be in danger on the ship."
Minato's looking at her with unveiled concern.
"I am the Nadesico," Ruri repeats, atonally.
"Calculating firing solutions. There's no need for full power from the Phase Transition Engines... individually, these units are weak. Transmitting firing solutions," to all her allies, including, using several different basal languages, to Goldburn, because she's not entirely sure how to communicate with a kaiju instead of a machine. But her technopathy isn't entirely technological, either -- so maybe he'll hear her warning, anyway. "... and if you're attacking us like that, you're in my way."
That, a warning to the Arche.
"Firing."
Jun did not give that order, but it's not like he can really argue it, either.
A lot of people will die, but a lot of people will die if she does nothing, either.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Ali al-Saachez and Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast Wide Spread! KTS: Ruri Hoshino has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion fails to engage Block against Ruri Hoshino's Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast Wide Spread! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast Wide Spread, taking 5616 damage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Ali al-Saachez engages react against Ruri Hoshino's Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast Wide Spread! KTS: Ali al-Saachez successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast Wide Spread, taking 5292 damage! KTS: Ruri Hoshino roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Eight Orlodhari accepts Soma Peries's Pass! KTS: Best Defense! Eight Orlodhari successfully reacts to Soma Peries's Pass, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
Shinn's words still sting, and Flay honestly can't find any blame in him hating her. Even if she never wanted it to come to war again, she's still here - enabling the Gaia Sabers' genocide of the PLANTs. And it really strikes her, when he reminds her of the sheer human cost of it all. "I know! I know it's wrong! But I-" She braces herself, as Shinn charges in with his beam saber. "I wanted to be your friend, too."
The beam saber is only inches from slicing the Strike's head clean off, only for one of the Windams from before to charge in with a saber of his own. "You're calling US monsters after you turned my entire city into a crater and took away my wife and son? Prepare to die, Coordinator!" Only narrowly missing the Core Splender cockpit, his instead, is vaporized by Shinn's beam saber. Flay didn't even get the chance to learn that pilot's name... which might just be its its own kind of tragedy. How many people are going to die for this cause?
Rena and Anita are right - that Magallanica was turned away at every opportunity to aid the survivors of the Junius Seven incident. Maybe Liu Nayao knows that in her heart, too. But she too, refuses to change her course after the nukes fly. "You're sorry? That's nonsense! Don't you work with companies like Nergal? If you could intervene in a wedding, you could have spared anything for us!" She doesn't back down, even as Rena cuts her Windam's legs clean off - firing a desperate round of shots to finally destroy the METEOR unit.
Meanwhile, the Strike, still locked in battle with the Impulse, shifts in its movements, as Flay closes her eyes - and reopens them with a heightened understanding. She sees even Soma making an effort to put a stop to this madness. And Rena asks her what's really important. "What's really important... is to protect as many people as we can, even if it seems hopeless. Isn't that what I said at Junius Seven?" She asks, and she no longer grips her controls with uncertainty, but resolve. "I couldn't see anything... but I didn't want it to come to this, either!"
The Strike raises its arms again to defend against the gunpods, but Flay can tell Anita wasn't going for a lethal shot. The rounds drain the Phase Shift Armour and pull her away from Shinn, finally giving the defense team an opening. "Everyone deserves that chance..." Flay repeats. "I have no idea how you're able to stay so calm about all this. But if there's anyone fast enough to shoot down those missiles... it's you. So you better not waste your all!"
KTS: Flay Allster targets Shinn Asuka with Aile Beam Sabers Combo! KTS: Flay Allster targets Rena Lancaster with 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Rapid-Fire Assault! KTS: Flay Allster targets Anita Rosetta with Pass! KTS: Flay Allster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to engage evade against Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Rapid-Fire Assault! KTS: Rena Lancaster successfully reacts to Flay Allster's 57mm Enhanced High-Energy Beam Rifle Rapid-Fire Assault, taking 5130 damage! KTS: Flay Allster bypasses Rena Lancaster, preventing her from Guarding the next attack! KTS: Shinn Asuka has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Shinn Asuka fails to engage Parry against Flay Allster's Aile Beam Sabers Combo! KTS: Shinn Asuka successfully reacts to Flay Allster's Aile Beam Sabers Combo, taking 4400 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has posed.
The Mazinger's rays turn, as it's systems engulf the warheads in charged clusters, all of them bursting apart in the moment. To push one's self, because lives are on the line. Is that not what Koji Kabuto has been doing for decades?
And Annie moves into an intercepter, as her beam mauls threw several nuclear missiles, the shockwave rocking her upward ascent as she moves back on course to fire on the Windams.
"<Damn you! I can't believe I once thought you people were being treated too harshly!>" Indeed they are distracted as CIWS fire tries to track her variable fighter, unsuccessfully, "<Damnit! DAMNIT!>" The man curses her, but in that, curses himself.
Sushila's beam cannon slices out to meet several, which erupt as fireworks in the night that could have killed so many people, and Rose's suit carves, screaming into them, as Windams pilots, alarmed, scream as they're cut asunder.
Green Beams from the Ra Mari carve apart a bloom of them in retreat, as more lives disappear, screaming into the dark, as Goldburn's laser breath...
... when those nukes explode, they're more like tiny stars in the distant night.
This battlefield is growing more chaotic, the lines intermingling as Windams and League Forces entwine, but in close combat the Windams are at an obvious disadvantage in one on one, the problem is it's often three or four on one against the GINNs, one dies, another.
And the pilots within whoop with excitement, despite so many of their fellows dying.
They got one.
Several people to bring down a single Coordinator 'monster' - it's only to be expected, isn't it?
Each of them learns, slowly but surely, with each death the purpose their fingers serve in this world.
Nova tries to appeal to one man firing at her, but he doesn't seem to hear her, "<That's rich, coming from a MONSTER LIKE YOU!>" He pulls the trigger, he does it again. Then she interposes herself, stopping the Windam from being fired upon, "<What?>" The man inside hesitates, for just a moment... before discs move green buzzsaws, at Nova's resolve not to kill...
Several Windams have their limbs, their Striker Packs sheered right off, so too does this man, as his Windam floats dead in space, like debris. "<NO! NO... MOVE DAMN IT... MOVE! ... Move...>" He sounds small, pathetic, in his resignation,, "<... Should have... just killed me... rather you had. Better that... than being helpless again... better that than... being left behind...>"
Ruri is the Nadesico, and the Nadesico is her home, but it's also a massive gun.
And she is the trigger, who is also the finger.
She fires.
Gravity crushes so many people outright, pulverizing their mechanical bodies and disintegrating them upon it's full force in this awful vacuum.
Slowly but surely Nergal teaches Ruri her purpose too. Major Rindt is... disquieted, "Those who have used up your payloads, we ask that you buy those who have not time. Humanity will remember your stand. To all others, disengage... and fire."
And many of those Windams who have launched, but are still alive, suddenly eject their Striker Packs, and surge forward, crashing into the GINNs, a full half dozen of them trying to stall Yzak's ZAKU.
"Goddamnit it! OUT OF MY WAY!"
While the rest, begin to form loose lines in twos and threes just beyond. "Coordinate asynchronous fire on my mark, officer. Mark." In Space there's not truly an up or a down, there is only a destination. The officers on the AION begin shouting orders, and they lines of Windams that are left begin firing. One-Two. One-Two-Three. One-Two. One-Two.
They're done at a maddeningly uneven pace, feverishly firing more and more of them. Dozens upon dozens of nuclear missiles that force everyone, no matter what they're doing, no matter the cost or the damage to themselves...
To try to stop the Whirlpool of Hatred from consuming all.
The Windams at the front die in droves. They die, and they die, and they die... as... a distraction.
It is irony upon irony that...
"Major. This is a tremendous waste of our resources. You know this won't get the job done. It's purpose can only be..." And Kati Mannequin glares at the man over the comms, as she realizes, "... You..."
The man holds up a palm to cut her off, "Not another word, Colonel." He smiles, "Like I said before... it will all be over soon."
<Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.
Goldburn isn't a machine, quite, but...it speaks a language more like that than any of man's throat, at least. Or maybe it's merely the intent that matters most, the wish to commune. Kaiju of the Computer World can be like that.
So maybe she understands a datum that communicates pain as the final lash from the Getter strikes up Goldburn's side. It shrieks again, one final bellow, and then barks, and then flaps its huge wings once, twice, and arcs away. Mazinger Z wasn't enough. It has given all it has to give.
KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Ruri Hoshino, Naoko Suzuki, and Rose Tritten with World Where Fingers Have No Purpose But To Pull Triggers! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion targets Rena Lancaster, Koji Kabuto, Eight Orlodhari, Anita Rosetta, and Shinn Asuka with The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe! <Pose Tracker> Ali al-Saachez has posed.
In a way he feels proud to see Ruri standing up and showing the power she has obtained. He only ever saw her in a mobile suit but to wield the power of an entire battleship, it was beyond his expectations. "Good job kid." A smile forms on Gary's face before the blast from the Nadesico hits the Arche.
The Arche's alarms echo through the cockpit as the blast rips away panels of armor and strips the paint. That new gundam smell is gone, which may be a sign of an air leak in the cockpit. Ali himself is whipped about as he punches one of the panels shutting off the alarms.
Still Ali has at least recovered from the psychological attack and begins his own attack on Ruri, <"That's right kid, wipe out the enemy, it's the only logical move you have in front of you. Stop them before they hurt you and yours. The enemy is going to kill everyone on the plants unless you destroy them and you have the power to do it, so destroy us. Destroy me Ruri and the rest of those who stand in your way. It's the only solution and you are the only one who can .">
Ali is wearing the devil's grin as he speaks, a grin that Gary would never have worn in front of Ruri. <"He's dead you know. That Gary Biaggi you called friend. I made him exist and I erased him. I killed your Mr. Biaggi.">
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Ruri Hoshino's Idiotic... So Idiotic activates, and the spirit endures. KTS: Ali al-Saachez has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Ruri Hoshino KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Ali al-Saachez targets Ruri Hoshino with Pass! KTS: Ali al-Saachez has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Anita Rosetta accepts Flay Allster's Pass! KTS: Best Defense! Anita Rosetta successfully reacts to Flay Allster's Pass, taking 0 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta uses Lucky Charm KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Shinn Asuka's Resurgence L3 activates! KTS: Shinn Asuka engages charge against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe! KTS: Best Defense! Shinn Asuka successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe, taking 4980 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to engage Intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe! KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Critical Hit! Anita Rosetta poorly reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe, taking 5300 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Anita Rosetta has been defeated! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Anita Rosetta, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Ruri Hoshino fails to engage intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's World Where Fingers Have No Purpose But To Pull Triggers! KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Ruri Hoshino successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's World Where Fingers Have No Purpose But To Pull Triggers, taking 3720 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Ruri Hoshino, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Eight Orlodhari fails to engage intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe! KTS: Eight Orlodhari's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Eight Orlodhari successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe, taking 4094 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Eight Orlodhari, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Ruri Hoshino accepts Ali al-Saachez's Pass! KTS: Best Defense! Ruri Hoshino successfully reacts to Ali al-Saachez's Pass, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
That Rosen is incredibly nimble, but then, it's so much smaller than the behemoth that is the Ra Mari II. Under many circumstances, one might be forced to cheer for the lone heroine against such a great monster...
Either way though, Kall reports with some surprise, "The mobile suit attacking us has... stopped. It seems to be having some kind of technical problem."
"Should I take it out while we have the chance?" Janid Harpe asks.
"No," Captain Maina answers, beset by a flash of intuition. "...Something about that pilot..."
"Let them be for now. If they resume attacking, we'll do what we have to." Eight turns to look at her for a moment and lifts an eyebrow. "I trust you, Captain."
That's enough for now. instead Maina reports to Eight, "Admiral. They've started reinforcing outside our normal firing range. Your instructions?"
"...They're not out of range of the Cannnon," she says. Kall looks at her. "You sure, Admiral? It won't make us any friends, using a planetary bombardment cannon."
"Yes," Eight says. "We have to hold the line. Here. No further."
"...Because that's the war we chose."
Eight looks out into the viewscreens. "Miss Harpe. How ready are we?"
80% power, Admiral. 85%... 90%..."
"Fire on these coordinates," Eight directs. "Here... here... and here."
"Aye, ma'am. ...Ready. Spinal Convergence Cannon, full charge."
All the while, the Ra Mari II has been transforming. The forward hull has opened up completely, two pieces separating to reveal a gigantic, almost toothy-looking maw between. The immense Spinal Convergence Cannon has charged, its great blue-green emitter crackling with unspent power.
And Eight gives the order. "Fire!" she calls.
"Firing!" says Harpe, and the whole bridge lights up in activity. The shields have to be adjusted for the beam; the particle shielding has to be left aside so as not to interfere. And the whole ship holds its breath.
The beam ERUPTS forward, a fraction of a kilometer wide, and echoes out towards the Windams and the nuclear missiles. It is gigantic, cyan, and crackles with city-destroying power. Mobile suits are simply dwarfed by it; those hit may as well have ceased to exist.
And Janid Harpe keeps her hand down on the button a moment longer than she should. "Damn you," she whispers, a tear finally falling down her cheek.
"Damn you, Father..."
Her father. Who fought to let GENESIS fire. Who she killed for that.
She understands now, how he must have felt, and she hates that most of all.
Eight rests a hand on Harpe's shoulder. "...Steady," she murmurs. "If we don't give up... there may be time for that later."
Yet more mobile suits rush to take those the beam doesn't. Yet more pilots die in defense of colonies on which they've never set foot.
It seems to Eight for a moment as if the whole sphere of Earth might drown in this whirlpool...
KTS: Eight Orlodhari has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Eight Orlodhari targets Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Spinal Convergence Cannon - Full Power! KTS: Eight Orlodhari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight Orlodhari's Teamwork activates Focus! KTS: Rose Tritten fails to engage Block against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's World Where Fingers Have No Purpose But To Pull Triggers! KTS: Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's World Where Fingers Have No Purpose But To Pull Triggers, taking 4140 damage! KTS: Rose Tritten has been defeated! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Rose Tritten, making its next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Strike Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.
The Lieutenant cries out in shock as the Zaku bears down on them. The Daggers mostly can't respond in time--but one of them, maybe Sanders, maybe Saratova attempts to close the distance.
They don't particularly impede Rose. An axe swings straight through their cockpit. The pilot doesn't even have a chance to scream.
The GN-X's pilot pulls sharply back on their control columns. Their harness knocks the wind out of them, but the backwards shunt dodges... A swing of the axe. If the Lieutenant doesn't do something to change their position fast, they're going to be wide open.
The Dagger pilot from before, having been pulled into the gravity of the Sukeban Kiseki's immediate proximity, struggles to swing his low-power Beam Saber in a way that can actually make contact with it.
<<Shut up! Just shut up already! You think we didn't see that thing fall on our heads?? You think I don't remember hearing about Sydney? Dublin?? Axis???>>
The Dagger sweeps its hand outwards, the inexperienced pilot making his best attempt to direct its hand to point a finger at the prominent hole in southeastern Australia. <<You think that's FAKE? You think we just--I don't know, sank a whole city for fun??!?>>
Sanders stops ranting for a moment, his breathing heavy over the communications channel. Another Strike Dagger--Smith, the Lieutenant believes--dashes in to assist him.
<<Smith! With me!>> she yells, drawing her own beam saber, before the faceless officer announces <<Colony Drops must be prevented at all costs! The sky is meant to stay the sky, not to fall upon our heads! The very existence of these weapons is the greatest injustice--the greatest waste of precious life imaginable! That is why we have been ordered to carry out this operation!>>
She almost believes it herself.
The Phantom Saucers tear their way through the Lieutenant's team, accomplishing their non-lethal task quickly and efficiently. One remaining dagger loses its entire head, and another's beam gun explodes in its hands. The pilots, though screaming profanities in the Arm Slave's general direction at that moment, would later consider this possibly the luckiest moment of their lives.
<<I don't care who you are!>>
Sanders pipes up again, before Smith joins in--
<<I don't care what you want!>>
<<JUST GET OUT OF THE DAMN WAY!!>>
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Lilium Valerie targets Rose Tritten and Naoko Suzuki with Shock! KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to engage intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe! KTS: Best Defense! Rena Lancaster successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's The Whirlpool of Hatred Engulfing the Universe, taking 4500 damage! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Rena Lancaster, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Lilium Valerie targets Naoko Suzuki with GN-X Beam Saber Closing The Gap! KTS: Lilium Valerie has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Naoko Suzuki fails to engage intercept against Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's World Where Fingers Have No Purpose But To Pull Triggers! KTS: Naoko Suzuki's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully reacts to Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion's World Where Fingers Have No Purpose But To Pull Triggers, taking 4170 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has been defeated! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion rattles Naoko Suzuki, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Naoko Suzuki accepts Lilium Valerie's Shock! KTS: Lilium Valerie shocks Naoko Suzuki, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Best Defense! Naoko Suzuki successfully reacts to Lilium Valerie's Shock, taking 0 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has been defeated! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Naoko Suzuki's Mental Sentinels activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages guard against Lilium Valerie's GN-X Beam Saber Closing The Gap! KTS: Naoko Suzuki's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully guards Lilium Valerie's GN-X Beam Saber Closing The Gap, taking 2890 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has been defeated! KTS: [Spirit Defense] Naoko Suzuki's Mental Sentinels activates, and her spirit endures. <Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
The Strike, pretty heavily damaged at this point faces down the Impulse. She knows Shinn's anger, understands it. Is it risky to lower her beam rifle in front of him? Maybe. "Shinn... I'm giving you an opening. This might not make anything right, but I.. I can't just take another home away from you." She doesn't know if he'll trust it or dismiss it as another Gaia Sabers trick, but she has to try. "So if you really care about protecting the PLANTs... then you better shoot down as many of them as you can." Whether she genuinely cares, or just doesn't want to die... the choice is Shinn's.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena lets out a breath she wasn't fully aware she had held, to see the Gungnir SC's beams rip through the nuclear missiles one after the other. "G-Good job," she tells Anita, her voice still shaking.
"We tried! And if we're turned away--if it comes to shooting--we're not going to get supplies to you!" Rena says, through clenched teeth. Liu's shots land -- ripping through the back of the METEOR unit. A large explosion tears through it, slamming the METEOR and the Gaia Gear Alpha alike forward.
"Gh--!"
It still trails flames and smoke, from where it has been gashed away. Rena hisses underneath her breath; she hits the verniers, turning as she sees the Windams gathering in formation.
"That's what you said," Rena tells Flay, her eyes wide, as she starts hurriedly taking aim. "There's people right here, who need that, Miss Allster!"
She sees all of those missiles coming -- and she screams, firing everything. The missile launchers that Liu didn't destroy open up; the two working smaller beam cannons swing into place; the larger ones open fire, too. It's a cascade of beam fire that rips through space, hurtling up towards those missiles.
Her hand shakes on the controls.
"Please, just--just be enough!"
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with 93.7 cm High-energy Beam Cannon! KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Shinn Asuka has posed.
"THEN WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?! You have a choice! You hate this! If not for me, for the people who are powerless to stop this!" Shinn is screaming at Flay when the Windam pilot cuts in and takes the beam saber. "Shut Up...." Shinn eyes darken as he watches the machine heat up. As his hands cover in blood. "What about my parents and sister?!" Shinn feels himself entering a deep darkness. Further than he has ever gone before. He feels it close in on him. "Thats right...Orb let you assholes attack. It was just like then when you..." Shinn smiles darkly before he laughs.
They hate us.
"Now you're attacking my new home...You just can't let us be happy. It never ends. It never ends..." Shinn is laughing, taking his beam rifle right as several attacks are made against him. The Impulse Gundam is battered and blackened by the explosions as it raises its rifle, one eye burnt out but the other burning green.
Just when he is about to give into that darkness inside of him, Flay's words pull him back out for a moment. "..Thank you, Flay" Shinn takes in a deep breath, aiming for the Windams and the missiles, feeling himself enter a state of calm.
It was almost like a seed collapsing in his soul. Shinn's eyes dilate as he takes aim, rapidly pressing buttons as he takes aim. It was completely counter to how he was piloting before...precise, thoughtout.
Shinn raises his beam rifle and begins to fire repeatedly toward the Windams, aiming for missiles launched and others still on the launcher.
Point. Shoot.
Point. Shoot.
Over and over.
KTS: Shinn Asuka's Resurgence L3 activates! KTS: Shinn Asuka targets Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Beam Rifle Decisive Shot! KTS: Shinn Asuka has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Shinn Asuka's Resurgence L3 activates! KTS: Shinn Asuka has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Shinn Asuka's Resurgence L3 activates!
<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
Rose is swarmed by Gaia Sabers suits. Both her weapons are out of energy. Grenades gone, missiles gone. She's surrounded by Windam and Dagger wreckage, and bodies. Her propellant is running almost to nothing. She's practically a sitting duck. Another Dagger gets too close, and her deactivated tomahawk serves as a dull bludgeon. Three squads of Daggers close in on her.
As she struggles to grapple with the Dagger, a thought closes in on her.
"Is this the end?"
A lance of a beam canon slices through half the Daggers, joined in by a blinding spray of beam gatling bolts. Explosions rock Rose's ZAKU, as it's suddenly spun by a sharp impact. The Dagger is thrown off, and bisected down the middle by a familiar beam axe head. In very short order, that same axe head has finished off the rest of the Daggers. Sushila and Aspyns' ZAKU's stand in front of her, turning and closing to guard her.
"Rose! Are you okay?" Aspyn's voice is such a relief.
"Ye-yeah...I'm just...I'm just spent." Rose musters a response. The trio have no choice but to start to pull back to the One Fine Day.
"You shouldn't have gone off alone like that!" Sushila scolded her.
"We needed...to stop the nukes though."
"We would have like, done better together though, silly!" Aspyn added as Sushila paused to lance another salvo of nukes into stardust.
"I know I just...I don't know what came over me." Rose replied.
But as they reluctantly retreated Rose could only hope beyond all hope that nothing was going to get through.
No sin but being born.
KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion fails to engage Guard against Eight Orlodhari's Spinal Convergence Cannon - Full Power! KTS: Critical Hit! Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion poorly reacts to Eight Orlodhari's Spinal Convergence Cannon - Full Power, taking 8470 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Eight Orlodhari's Shadow of Axis activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Eight Orlodhari roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Eight Orlodhari completes the Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Systems scream as the silver thunder overtakes Mazinger Z, and Koji grits his teeth, trying desperately to push through and keep up the fight.
Something explodes in the Astro Scrander, and Mazinger Z slumps out of the electrical blast, overwhelmed and adrift.
"Damn it."
He lets Chienne have her triumph, allowing Mazinger Z to drift away from the worst of the fighting as he tries to restore power, and making sure comms are shut off. He unplugs his seatbelt, bumping against the dome of the Pilder and pushing himself underneath the dashboard
"Didn't care yesterday... the fuck does she know?" He grumbles to himself as he busies himself in ripping out the fused wiring.
KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion fails to engage Guard against Rena Lancaster's 93.7 cm High-energy Beam Cannon! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion moderately reacts to Rena Lancaster's 93.7 cm High-energy Beam Cannon, taking 4416 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster begins a Formation attack! KTS: Shinn Asuka's Resurgence L3 activates! KTS: Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion engages evade against Shinn Asuka's Beam Rifle Decisive Shot! KTS: Best Defense! Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion moderately reacts to Shinn Asuka's Beam Rifle Decisive Shot, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"That's..." Anita starts, hesitantly. What answer does she have to that? That working with Nergal is like dealing with the devil, and all the difficulty that implies? "...I'm sorry."
And as she moves to intercept the missiles, she finds herself dodging around CIWS fire, using her agility to keep anyone from getting a solid shot on her.
"Maybe you should listen to that voice more often. That voice in your head telling you 'this is wrong'. Does this feel right to you?" Anita asks the other pilot as he curses her, and himself.
She returns to the battlefield, and manages a smile as Rena tells her 'good job'.
"Thanks. I'm working with what I've got." Anita replies.
But then, she focuses back up, turning her attention back toward the Strike and the Windams. But as she prepares to defend herself -
Flay doesn't attack. If there's anyone fast enough to shoot down those missiles, it's her...
"Oh, I'm shaking on the inside... but I've got people who need me to keep 'em grounded. That's why I can stay so calm." Anita replies. She better not waste her all - and if Flay's giving her this chance, she better not waste that, either. "I'll try not to disappoint."
The Svipul raises a hand in salute - and then turns away.
"Rena, Mister Gundam, I'm pulling back from the fight to focus on missile defense!" Anita announces, not knowing Shinn's name. Once more, the Svipul darts off in Fighter Mode - a true Valkyrie as she races through space.
But she's not here to deliver the spirits of the dead - she's here to prevent them from being taken in the first place.
Missiles fire at an uneven pace. Anita barrel rolls her way through CIWS fire as she fires, beam after beam - missile after missile, for those far enough way to intercept that way.
...But there's so many. It feels like NUNE's resources are endless - a neverending wave of hatred. Anita's breath grows short, and even her cybernetic heart is pounding in her chest at the sheer effort it takes to keep up with it.
A bead of sweat drips down her forehead, her hands growing shaky - but they don't destabilize. Miss one, someone does. Miss one, she dies.
There's an easy answer - just keep going.
Just keep going.
Roll past the CIWS. Fire a missile - no, she's out of those now, she'll have to stick with the Gungir SC - accelerate to keep them from getting a bead on her.
Repeat.
She'll just have to trust that there's an end to this hatred, somewhere - and that Rena, Eight, and the others will pull this through.
<Pose Tracker> Chienne Argent has posed.
In her cockpit, Chienne is breathing hard - harder than she should, huge shuddery breaths. Her eyes are too wide; her pupils too small as she screams at Goldburn, "RUN! You wreck of a kaiju - "
"Chienne," Chien says, warningly.
"SHUT UP! That Koji, that piece of shit - " Chienne momentarily loses use of her words, which gets Chien to aggressively force a transformation; Argent Getter falls apart, reassembles itself around the hulking form of...
"CHANGE! Getter-3!"
It's not Koji that's the problem, Chien knows. It's Chienne, and it's him - as usual - who has to take care of her. She skipped her meds, he guesses; she must have, the Gaia Sabers don't know everything they're on - by design, because they'd refused to give the commanders that hold over them. It's Chiot's job to score them off the illicit market... but the problem with the illicit market is that it is *illicit*, and thus unreliable. That, and Chienne won't ask for help even if she needs it.
Even from them.
He can't get to her cockpit immediately, but he does pull the Argent Getter back slightly. It's still in one piece (more or less; the damage done to the Getter-2 segment is still visible, a huge dent that makes Getter-3 look slightly crumpled) but with one of its members down like that, it's not going to be useful for a few moments at least.
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri doesn't know what she is, striking against them.
Maybe -- if only in the realm of base assumption -- they do.
"William Wrench," she says. "He came to avenge his wife. He's gone, now."
"Natty McKinnell," she says. "Fourteen years old. Her parents were in Italy for a business meeting. She lied on her intake application to say she was sixteen. She thinks they knew. She's gone, now."
"Goldburn," she says. "He's not like us, but he came to help. He isn't gone, but he's hurting. Where did he go?"
"Marsha Henderson," she says. "Her son died in Shanghai. He was about to be married. She's gone, now."
"Kenneth Tennent," she says. "He was retired, but he came back, because the only person in his squad who survived is dead now. He didn't have anyone else. He's gone, now."
She just keeps listing names.
The people... who are dying.
"The enemy... our enemies are humans," she says, still transmitting to Ali. "Actually, Gary-san, they always were. Humans, with their own motivations... and their own pain. The Windams feel it, too. They become as sad as the people using them... when they all feel this strongly."
Her gaze shifts, to his comm screen.
"How can you be dead?" She asks, lightly. "I haven't killed you, yet."
Minato cuts in, gently: "He... he means was lying to you, Ruri-Ruri. 'Gary Biaggi'... must have been a persona he made up, this whole time."
"I see," Ruri says, still quite flat. "Then, please tell me your name. I don't want to learn it when you cry out."
Are they really all screaming their life's stories like that?
... in a way, they are.
"Those Windams just keep coming," Jun says, his knuckles tight against the railing. "Ruri, can we fire the Gravity Blast Cannon again?"
"Yes," Ruri says. "We don't need to use much power. If their payloads explode prematurely, the enemy will be defeated, anyway."
"Don't say it in such an unsettling way..." Minato protests, looking over to her, her concern no less horrified.
"Transmitting firing solutions to allied units," Ruri says, as if she didn't even hear Minato. "Calculating angle of attack. Please alter bearing by eight-point-nine starboard so we can hit the maximum amount of armed Windams." And despite her misgivings, Minato does that without argument.
"Firing," Ruri says, again.
She at least isn't trying to hit the Arche, this time -- but if it's this close, it might struggle to get out of the way, anyway.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion with Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast! KTS: Ruri Hoshino has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
It's hard not to feel for people's loss. And yet, no loss was ever made better by more loss, Naoko's certain. This is all for their own good. No matter if they curse her name for disarming them like this... she can only assure the man who lost his son that, as trite as it may sound right now, there's still hope.
"As long as you stay alive... there's hope for the future."
Then, abruptly, everything changes. She'd avoided looking at her monitors all this time. She didn't need to, just focusing on her own situation. But when she sees how the battle is going in general... it's a demoralizing sight, to see how in such a short time, there has been so much death and destruction. Even preventing the worst case scenario for the civilians, there is still the tragedy of battle. Even Mazinger Z is...
All that will she claimed to have is drained right out of her with that very demoralizing sight. And without that...
>"Shit, output's falling! Get it together, Nova!"<
>"It's no use, we have to fall back! Naoko!"<
Only when addressed by her real name does Naoko respond, with a start as if snapping out of a trance before fully succumbing to it.
It's just in time to react to a final assault from the GN-X team, their sabers not meeting a shield this time. A quick retreat is the best she can do, at the very least preventing her machine from being entirely disabled. She knows her Friends are right, she absolutely should retreat...!
But there are yet more missiles to deal with. Even in her current state, she has to do something, anything she still can. ...Vulcans. She has to resort to the vulcans hidden in Sukeban's chest. She can still manage the willpower to enhance their rapid-fire shots, countless small green projectiles sent forth to aid in interception. Every little bit... she can't fully fall back until she's done every little bit she can...!
<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.
Soma is breathing rapidly. Her head is pounding. The pain of the two minds struggling for control over the Funnels is creating a migraine greater than any she's experienced so far. Her vision is blurry and she's having trouble controlling her GN-X.
It's a good thing the Ra Mari II isn't firing at the Rosen because it's defenseless right now.
Why are you being so stubborn!?
Why are you being so reckless!?
There are even more nukes rushing through space now, the PLANT defenders desperately trying to shoot them down. Soma can feel their desparation, but it is shrouded by the anger of those trying to find solace for, those lost to Junius 7's fall, in the destruction of those that caused it.
This isn't a battle any more.
It's a bloodbath.
<"Lieutenant Peries, what's your status? Why aren't you engaging!? Get back into the fight!">
Let go! Let them go! I have to stop this!
She doesn't want to be here anymore... She wants this to end! Soma cries out, "AhhhhHHHHH!"
The Rosen's E-Shield Funnels stop their confused shaking and all turn towards the Rosen. They start flying back towards it.
But as they get close, they don't slow down.
One funnel smashes into the Rosen's arm, tearing it off and sending the GN Rifle tumbling off into space.
Another funnel crashes into the mobile suit's legs, likewise tearing into them and ripping itself up in the process.
The last two comes streaking around towards the Rosen's back, where the GN Drive Tau juts out with its cloud of crimson particles. They both smash into it, digging in deep and knocking the GN-X into around into a slow spin.
In the cockpit, everything goes dark as the unit's drive is knocked offline. Soma is still panting, staring at the now dark cockpit screen. Several seconds pass before she is finally able to release her pained grip on the mobile suit's controls.
... What have you done?
Soma doesn't reply to the voice in her head, simply leaning back in her cockpit chair and closing her eyes. She doesn't know what's going to happen now. But, at least whatever happens, her part in all this is now over...
KTS: Soma Peries's GNX-604T Advanced GN-X Rosen has been disabled.
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has posed.
"<... There's nothing wrong about seeing what truly are for the first time!>" The man shouts at Annie as she flies circles around him, "<Who are YOU to tell anyone this is wrong!?>"
And Nova, still tries to reach out as the man quietly wallows in helplessness, despair, it's so easy to understand why he was drawn into this whirlpool of hatred, as he utters quietly, "<... He was my hope.>" And then he doesn't say anything else, consigning himself to the winds of fate, whatever they may hold for him.
The missiles fire, and so many of them respond prevent the worst case scenarios, Nazcas and Laurasia's, GINNs with CIWS, the missiles from Rena's Meteor gouging the night with flaring suns when each one lands, but eventually her fingers...
... grow tired, and shake, slick with sweat, her eyes blurring... and even Anita, so calm and collected is drained dry from trying to intercept them...
Both of them are taxed to their limit, but Rena can see how the Beams sliced through the people with great efficiency despite her exhaustion
They're here to save people. Sometimes that just means killing people. It's the choice you make. And it's an active decision to keep making it.
Shinn, in a rage, keeps fulfilling his purpose, over and over, in a rage, he stops thinking. He just starts aiming, and pulling the trigger. Several Windams die before they can even fire their payload.
Others worse yet, lose it moments after launch, and consume several of their fellows.
The Tritten team suffers over and over for doing what they can, but they're alive, and Sushila managed to catch several more for their effort. Even Koji frantically works to restore the power to the Fortress of Iron.
They've all worked so hard, and suffered so much, but not a single PLANT has been so much as touched.
The Ra Mari's Titanic Main Gun, the Spinal Convergence Cannon reaches full charge, and the massive beam doesn't just evaporate a whole line of people that fired those missiles, but - it carves through an Agamemnon carrier as well, as even Major Rindt looks in disbelief as the battleships which were safely behind the lines of MS...
... just erupts.
"You'll pay. You'll pay for that." That was NOT within his calculations for acceptable losses, and indeed, Ruri finds out just the depths of that betrayal, as she once again becomes the finger, and the trigger, and the gun.
Another gravity blast smashes through them, as several Virginia MS carriers with reserve units die too.
It's only now that Major Rindt tells Captain Fari, "Send the Signal, Captain." And despite himself, despite the situation... Captain Kathras Fari, smiles grimly.
-=-=-
The Gondwana CIC command is working at a frenetic pace right now to lead the battle, the ZAFT commanders sitting around a 3-Dimensional holographic layout of the battle.
"Somehow their last barrage was repelled and their lines are beginning to break, but even if Major Rindt is a cudgel, don't underestimate him... watch for the movements of additional reinforcements."
"Patrol Units, check in!"
Concealed by an Asteroid, a GINN Long-Range Recon unit's sensory suite turns, as the pilot suddenly looks up, and sees MS thrusters appearing like hundreds of twinkling lights in the distance from a sudden detonation of hundreds of fake asteroids within the debris field.
"They're coming in from Polar Orbit! All of them are armed with nuclear ordnance!" He announces, as the Gondwana CIC erupts in a frenzy, "Send reserve units to intercept!"
Yzak Joule yells out, "From Polar Orbit!?" While his squadmate Dearka replies, "Then these were all just DECOYS?" Yzak's face becomes a mask of horror before it becomes rage, "Joule squad! Shift forces to intercept!" As he curses, "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! WE CAN'T GET THERE IN TIME!"
"This is the end." Major Rindt reports smugly, because indeed he understands, no matter how hastily they move their forces, they have no chance of intercepting all of them. "When even one PLANT erupts, their morale will be shattered, and the rout begins. When all of them disappear..."
However, his expression composes itself into one more dignified, proud even, as he tells the Gaia Saber forces.
"Be proud... all of you we have lost, and those who are still with us. Today we deal a decisive blow to two hundred years of conspiracy against the people of this Earth. Today we correct the mistakes of the past. Never again shall we allow the enemy to sit at our gates as their siege destroys all we hold dear."
What does he mean? What could he POSSIBLY mean by that?
They do not have time to sort through that, because as one, dozens of MS reach firing range. And in this world where fingers have no purpose but to pull triggers...
If heaven really exists...
... begin as one to serve that purpose...
...then please don't wait up for me.
In the dark of space, hundreds of missiles leave billowing trails of propellant out of their Striker Pack Launchers, streaking towards their destination... and there is no possibility to reach them in time.
<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.
In the dark of space, hundreds of missiles leave billowing trails of propellant, streaking towards their destination.
There is no possibility to reach them in time.
No chance to stop the atrocity that mankind's hatreds has both sown and reaped in equal measure.
In this cruel world, what kind of heroic salvation could there possibly be in a situation as doomed as this?
What could--
<"YOU DARE CALL THIS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF?!">
BGM: TREAD ON THE TIGER'S TAIL - https://youtu.be/DzvHm6VUUdg?si=oZ-tOnvZpLTD_eIt
The voice is a booming one. One that DARES anyone who hears it to see what happens if they try to ignore it. Commanding. Proud.
-Furious-.
And coming with a sudden and -frighteningly dramatic- spike in energy readings from a point near the fringes of Side 2.
It's a twinkle, but only for a second. It's a distant shimmer of a star, but only for a moment.
And then it's there, a great and blinding, churning column of bright bloody red energies wrapped in a cocoon of phantasmal blues and greens RIPPING across the boundary between the PLANTs' defenders and its aggressors.
And right through those hundreds and hundreds of missiles.
It catches many of those warheads. A near-countless amount of them are directly engulfed in the beam's scorching path, their nuclear ignitions lost within the devastating trail of power that gobbles them. Even those missiles that are lightly grazed by the onrush of energies seem to seize up, contort, and -crunch- before they all explode one after the other like a domino effect of prevented atrocities in the making.
It all happens in an instant. A blinding flicker of might, and suddenly, the majority of those missiles simply -no longer exist-.
And the ones that escape that instantaneous wrath?
Mega particle fire lances through them, one after the other. Standard missiles bombard their larger and far more devastating counterparts. Things that look like flying buzzsaws that the canny might just recognize as Slash Rippers collide with the warheads, annihilated in a self-destructive move to wipe those warheads off the board. And all of this, chased by an occasional pulse of green-blue eerily similar to that initial, devastating salvo, an energy signature anyone familiar with a certain megacorp and their prototype masspro pitch might well recognize.
The source?
A contingent of Gespensts, chased by squadrons of Dilanzas, Zoworts and even GN-X's. Among them, the distinctive silhouette's of Special Section 3's Carriax and Tyranado can be seen, wiping out the last of those warheads with blinding bursts of the machine's mysterious Quark Drive.
Behind them, a small fleet of Clop and Ra Cailum-class warships linger, spearheaded by two Ulysses-class ships that could only ever belong to the auditing arm of the Benerit Group.
And at the front of all of them floats a single Grungust-model in blues and whites and golds and decorated in armor plating designed to look like a lion's mane rippling off its shoulders.
Its arms are folded over its chest. A chest currently sizzling with the blue-green energies of an active Quark Drive that also lights up its eyes with furious life and ebbs and flows between its armor platings like blood pulsing hot and aggressive through its systems.
To those who know, they know: this? This is the personal Grungust of
||| DYMA GOLDWIN |||
||| PRESIDENT OF VTX UNION |||
who is currently in the middle of a verbal assault on all global communications that carries twice the destructive weight of any of those missiles the Grungust and its comrades just annihilated.
<"This is DYMA GOLDWIN, President of VTX Union and acting representative of Cathedra!"> roars the retired war hero of the Federation, fire and hot blood burning relentless in his tone. <"And as someone whose fought and -shed blood and tears- for humanity for over thirty god damn years, you'd better listen up to what I have to say! I'm talking to -you-, Rindt, you sniveling little weasel!">
It's here that the Grungust briefly unfolds an arm, making a sweeping gesture to the entirety of the Gaia Sabers' forces -- to the atrocity they very nearly perpetuated, still hanging a nuclear haze in the vacuum of space -- before folding imperiously once more.
<"This? Lobbing a fistful of milksop weapons at your enemies from afar and covering your eyes?! This isn't the work of proud men! It's the work of shameful cowards!">
<"Committing atrocities on your fellow brothers and sisters of this beautiful planet?! That isn't justice! It's a sick joke!">
<"And when the evil cowards and the sick jokes of this world start thinking they get to rule the roost -- the real heroes will ALWAYS stand against them! These brave kids damn well proved that, and now I'm sure as hell gonna do my part! This ends -- RIGHT THE HELL NOW!">
<"By authority and explicit approval of the New United Nations of Earth, Cathedra is hereby taking control of the matter of Side 2 and putting an end to your mad genocide against your own damn species! All forces belonging to Gaia Sabers will withdraw from the area -- effective -immediately-!">
<"And if you're not happy about that... well, we have a saying here at VTX:">
One of the Grungust's mighty arms unfold from its chest once more and -thrusts- out, presenting a damning thumbs down of rejection for the Gaia Sabers' and their Major's critical inspection.
<"'If you don't want it -- GET OUTTA HERE!'">
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Suit Pilot Battalion has posed.
As the killing blow falls from above, Major Rindt is still looking, sounding triumphant, until someone shouts furiously over the comms. Before he can even comprehend who that bellow belongs to, suddenly in the distance, there is the glare of so many igniting nuclear missiles, twinkle shimmering and shining like the promise of shooting stars in the Earth's Sky, but with none of their hopeful promise.
But like shooting stars, many fall, and there's an incredible spike of energy across the AION's instruments, a raging glare taking the view of everyone involved on the battlefield for several long seconds as Major Rindt shields his eyes.
When it begins to clear however...
"... Eh?"
The man lunges in zero gravity to catch hold of a console, gripping it with spasming fingers, "How... HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?" Kati Mannequin, speaks up again, "I believe I see an error in your tactical judgment, Major."
And that error is the distant line of Benerit MS' and warships coming into view, as the man grimaces, "How... how!? We controlled the information on this operation perfectly!" The man grasps one of the officers on the ship as if searching for answers, "How was Benerit able to find out!"
However... the officer he's throttling points, and the view screens of the AION focus in on the Grungust, as Major Rindt releases him to turn around, "Dyma... Goldwin?" The man chuckles, then begins to laugh as if this were an unserious joke, "Come on now- you can't be serious, how can some washed up war hero oppose us!?"
'I'm talking to -you-, Rindt, you sniveling little weasel.'
"I AM IN CHARGE HERE!" The man grips the comms out of the hands of the officer, "I will not be condescended by a CIVILIAN! On my pride as a Gaia Saber!" His fist thumps down, "How dare you! How DARE YOU! Do you have any idea what you've done!? You've handed over the Earth to the Goddamn JOVIAN FILTH-!"
"Patching General Goodman through-" "What-"
"Major." The General's worn pudgy face appears on the comms, with his ringlets of greying blonde hair shimmering with sweat, "He's right, the winds have changed. The Assembly has authorized this."
"Goodman. What is this? I had more than just your blessing-"
"You forget yourself, Major." And Rindt turned to see everyone on the bridge, including Kati on the view screen saluting the General, "And you bring shame to our names." Major Rindt takes a deep breath, before he salutes, and grits through his teeth, "I accept responsibility, General."
General Goodman's voice can now be heard throughout all of the Gaia Sabers forces, "All units, withdraw." And indeed he might as well say 'We're getting out of here', capitulating to the will of a hero.
But not all people here are disciplined soldiers, and the appearance of Dyma Goldwin has sown sudden discord.
"Dyma Goldwin... if he says we're in the wrong..."
"I can't accept this! A sick joke!? Trying to avenge my family is a sick joke! We're here for justice!"
"How can you defend these people!?"
"But... are we really gonna fight him and Cathedra?"
"Goddamn bleeding heart!"
"Get outta here! How about he gets outta here! How can we trust them-!"
One of them does ask him, "Sir, Sergeant Mills here... you're asking for a lot from us. So many of these rookies under me have only just cleared basic. They signed up because they've lost so much, they're not thirty year vets like you. Can you promise them that if these people aren't on the up and up, that you'll get them justice?"
General Goodman orders again, "Withdraw now. That's an order." But despite that, many of them wait to hear his answer.
While the Battlefield isn't silent, it's more still. The League is not pursuing the Gaia Sabers that are withdrawing, nor are they attacking Benerit. For now... it's like the world itself is waiting for this man, this hero's answer.
To discover if it can be a better one, to make sense of their pain and grief and sorrow.
<Pose Tracker> Ali al-Saachez has posed.
Ali shivers as Ruri uses the word yet, it is impressive for her to go directly to the ability to kill. That cold killing machine that is Ruri just continues to impress Ali as he listens. Over hearing the captains words, he shakes his head. <" That's not totally true Ruri. Gary was who he needed to be. That includes your good friend and everything he told you was the truth. He just stopped being useful. So he is gone now.">
<" As for my name, I am Ali Al-Saachez. It has been a pleasure to watch you work today, Ruri of the Nadesico.">
The blast of the Gravity Cannon pushes back the Arche. Ribbons is going to give him such a headache about what he did to the Arche. The bastard always seemed to know what happened whenever any of the thrones are involved.
Speaking of bastards, just as Ali is about to go to strike the Nadesico the Major makes his move. This entire battlefield was a decoy, and Ali felt rather used. To call Ali disgruntled would be an understatement, he is not one who likes to be used. It just made everything that happened between him and Ruri this moment feel empty, unnecessary, and so much anger and bloodlust.
<"Ms. Ruri I apoligize. I have to go see a major about something. You did good work today, and I look forward to the next time. "> The Arche withdraws just as the orders were given, as Ali begins to plot how to get an audience with the Major, with no witnesses.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Roger that, Annie," Rena says, her voice with an edge of worry in it. She looks up at the Svipul as it lifts away. "Be careful."
She looks back at her own efforts -- and then she hears Yzak's cry. "Polar orbit!?"
She looks on her sensors -- she can see it clearly, then. The Gaia Sabers team descending is plainly visible -- and plainly out of reach.
"No..."
But there's a sharp gasp when she sees those missiles destroyed. The Grungust leading the charge of Cathedra forces, moving at speed, and bringing a stop to this battle -- perhaps this war -- before it can end.
Then, Rena breaks out into a grin. And then a laugh. "Dyma Goldwin... n-no way...!"
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
Koji looks up from the controls of the Pilder as the second Gaia Sabers fleet makes itself known, unleashing a barrage from a flank nobody could reach in time to intercept.
He closes his eyes, already preparing to mourn the lives about to be lost... but then his comms crackle to life - and a stirring voice echose forth.
He watches, slackjawed, as DYNA GOLDWIN, PRESIDENT OF VTX UNION, denounces this atrocity and swears to protect all the people of Earth, and his own fleet destroys the wave of missiles before it can leave a scratch behind... and despite himself, he can't help but smile - though it's a wan little grin, exhausted by the grueling battle.
"Now that's how you make an entrance." He slumps against the console, adrenaline gone. "I should take notes."
<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.
The Second Lieutenant gestures for their two remaining subordinates to follow them. The four immediate targets had been dealt with, and that meant they could focus on the GINNs.
Very little was changed as a result of this. Some ZAFT pilots who wouldn't have intercepted all that many missiles are killed.
Private Adam Smith, the Dagger pilot who had been arguing with Nova Stellar, would take a particularly unfortunate 76mm round to the rear thruster. The last thing he saw was the gigantic windows of Februarius Nine rushing up to meet him as his Lieutenant desperately tried to tell him how to regain control of his unit.
He'd been in a cockpit for a grand total of three hours before he was deployed, and was nineteen years old.
And of course, that was when Cathedra deigned to make their appearance.
<<Damn you.. D.. damn you...>>
The Lieutenant's hands tremble on their control columns, before she desperately clutches at her helmet. Trying to get that tinted visor off.
As it pops free, Lilium Valerie's eyes well with tears.
<<God-- God damn you! What do you get off--showing up late to--If you cared about justice so much, you would've--would've gotten here before all those kids died! You wouldn't have waited for them to die for nothing, you- y.. you-!>>
She cuts her communications line.
Alone, completely isolated from the world, she lets out a high-pitched scream. It's a good thirty seconds before her squad line is reopened.
<<...Sanders. We follow orders. We're withdrawing, now.>>
The formation--down to one GN-X, and one Strike Dagger--turns about, and starts to head for home.
<Pose Tracker> Shinn Asuka has posed.
Shinn is unable to really process the next few moments. He comes out of his trance after destroying several Windams but is unable to get them all. He isn't powerful enough to save PLANT. He takes a deep breath after a trap is sprung, bracing himself for the loss of his new home and his possible end.
And then some strange guy shows up and everything is just solved. Shinn is just tired at this point, leaning back in his pilot's chair after all of this. He stares at the ceiling of his cockpit as he feels his eyes get heavy.
"Who the hell is Dyma Goldwin and why did he wait until the last second to--Whatever." The Impulse Gundam takes one last look at the Strike, waving once to Flay as the machine begins to fly back to the Minerva. <"Thank you.">
Today was a nightmare and he was sure he'd have to answer for something when he was back. He always seemed to.
They hate us.
Shinn sighs and shakes his head. "Yeah...but not all of them maybe."
The Impulse fades into the distance.
<Pose Tracker> Eight Orlodhari has posed.
Eight looks on grimly as her cannon does its work. Perhaps she will pay one day for that. But not to him right now. She keeps her hands behind her back, but a careful eye--or Rena's understanding--will see the tension in her hands, the tightness in her throat.
"...Captain," Harpe says. "That mobile suit... It's self-destructing partially."
"...Let it," Maina answers. They will not strike at the Rosen today.
"Admiral--we've got incoming from Polar Orbit!" Kall announces with open dismay. "Intercept!" Maina directs immediately, "All mobile suit wings--"
"It won't be enough," Harpe says, and her hands shake on her console. "It's too late. They were decoys. They were all--just--"
They stop. They are stopped. And a man's voice booms out. There's a spike in energy readings that Kall notices and reports, but suddenly...
"What?" Kall asks. "What on Earth..."
"...Cathedra," Eight says. "Of course. Genocide is bad for business," she says, but she can't find the heart to oppose capitalism in the moment. "...They really..."
Maybe their deals with Cathedra aren't all in vain after all. Maybe...
But the PLANTs are safe again. Harpe leans over her console, her arms around herself, and starts to shake. "They--they're... safe," she starts.
Eight won't shame her by commenting on her crying on the bridge of a ship. But she doesn't have to.
"C-captain," Harpe says, "Admiral. I..."
"I hereby... withdraw from duty, on the grounds that I am... That I am emotionally compromised."
She stands up from her console.
"You are relieved," Maina says. And Eight adds, "...Go on."
Another crewman steps into her station, but...
The battle to come will not be won with the cannon that even now is covering itself again as the Ra Mari II cools from its shot.
"...Miss Nagara," Eight says. "Get us the hell out of here."
"All Magallanica forces," Admiral Orlodhari announces. "...Withdraw. We're done here. Let's leave the rest to Mr. Goldwin."
"...Shields up on the way out."
Just in case.
<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
The Pixie Team watches in horror, helpless as the second fleet appears from Polar Orbit. They know there's nothing they can do as a million suns scream out to damn all Coordinator to oblivion. But then...a savior. A small miracle.
After too much of ZAFT's fighting power had been wrecked.
There weren't many cheers of victory. There was just a lot of uncertainty.
What was the future of the SAL? The PLANTs? Coordinators? Were all of them still no longer considered human? Would the hatred die down?
Of course not. This was only the start of the war.
"Rose?" Aspyn's voice sang over the radio, fatigue evident in her voice. "Can we ask Captain Astarte for a vacation?"
Rose chuckled softly. "Sure Aspyn." Rose replied, as the trio touched down on the hull of the One Fine Day. "Why not?"
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
A small explosion rocks the frame of Sukeban Kiseki following its final, comparatively insignificant barrage. There's a yelp from its pilot as Naoko calls up a damage readout sporting a large amount of red and yellow labels. "The Nova Driver's... offline? No!"
As high-spec as her Arm Slave may be, it was fully designed around its custom Lambda Driver. Without it, its capabilities are... to call them 'limited' would be an understatement. The painful realization hits her that her machine's been rendered effectively useless, unable to still make a difference here.
And the battle is no yet over. In fact, as ridiculous as it is to even think that after all this effort, it would all amount to nothing... Naoko notices quickly what's approaching from polar orbit, realizes quickly what it means.
Mercifully, her moment of despair is brief, cut short by the unexpected appearance of a new fighting force, handling the problem in short order. "Who's THAT?!" she wonders out loud, eyes glued to the monitor zooming in on the lead Grungust. She's had little reason to ever look into boring stuff like CEOs. But this one...
"He's so cool!"
...This one might have a new fan.
<Pose Tracker> Chise Asukagawa has posed.
Goldburn has fled the field, an unbelievably fast golden light that grows dimmer and smaller as it flies. Still...
Far away, Chise Asukagawa hears a small screech from her window, and rolls out of bed to see that Goldburn has clawed a small line in the glass. "There you are!!" she yelps, and dashes over to pull the door open and let him in. Goldburn is small now - the size of a bird of prey, maybe, uncomfortably large for a home, but she still picks him up and holds him close, hard edges and all. She nuzzles against his neck as she picks him up and trots over to bed with her newest friend.
"I saw," she says, quietly, pointing to the large-sized tablet layed out on her bed. She strokes gently, but finds the rent in his side that must've been that robot's saw blade...Goldburn chirps at her. "You'll be OK?" she prompts, and the dragon chirrups at her again, craning its neck over to look at the big display showing Dyma Goldwin's heroic thumbs-down posture. "You did good," she tells him. "You saved a lot of people."
Goldburn chirrups again. Chise giggles. "Idunno, he's really cool..." But then she holds him tight. "But obviously, you're way cooler."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"You're not seeing anything. The PLANTs didn't drop Junius Seven - you're trying to kill innocent people!" Anita shouts back.
"Thanks. You too." Anita replies to Rena with a nod.
She dodges, intercepts, dodges again - but even she's strained and exhausted. The Svipul is running on fumes, and it's only Anita's familiarity with her machine that lets her push it to the very limits as she's doing now.
Missiles explode and people die, but even as the enemy's numbers start to wane... it isn't over.
'They're coming in from Polar Orbit!'
"...What the hell...?" Anita exhales, her eyes going wide. Her hands nearly slip off of the controls in despair. The Svipul is fast - but even if it was fresh and fully refueled, she's not sure she could make it in time. And even if she could, there aren't a lot of allied units that could match that kind of speed. She'd be only one woman against an army, and even then, in her current state...
...It's impossible.
After all that, it's impossible. So many people dead, theirs and their own... and this was just a decoy. She shuts her eyes tight, and just when it feels like she's on the verge of tears, just when it's starting to feel like all for nothing - a voice booms over all frequencies. A beam of energy tears right through the missiles originating from Polar orbit - Anita has to shield her eyes for a moment, the Visual Link System still engaged.
A squadron has arrived, with one Dyma Goldwyn at the head - and he has harsh words for the Gaia Sabers' commander.
"...Is that it, then? Is it over...?" Anita says hesitantly. She scarcely wants to believe it. She can't believe it. But... it seems that way. Anita exhales, shutting her eyes tight, and lets her collapse backward into the pilot seat and just breathe for a moment, as if she hadn't in days, the Svipul floating listlessly through space.
It's Eight's command to withdraw that finally gets her moving again.
"Roger that." Anita replies. The Svipul turns, returning to the Gaia Gear's side. "...Let's go home, Rena."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"I don't really understand you," Ruri says, as mildly as if she were remarking on the weather. Gary is gone, but...
Was everything that happened between Ali and Ruri, today, empty and unnecessary?
Her friends would certainly say it wasn't good. But...
'Yet'.
And Ruri of the Nadesico bears witness, as Dyma Goldwin comes to their rescue. She should feel something, shouldn't she? But when that fleet came in from Polar orbit, all she felt was...
... calculating the firing solution. Analysing the sacrifices she'd have to make. Redistributing the demand on her engines, beating like too many chambers of too many hearts.
What happens when you become the gun, when your finger's on the trigger?
"Interrupt acknowledged," she says, still stoic. "XO, we're receiving orders from the Ra Mari II to withdraw."
"Recall our units," Jun says, a touch pale, "and let's get out of here."
"Recalling allied units," Ruri's still all business.
She raises their Distortion Field, again, as they leave, just as the Admiral ordered.
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
'You have a choice!' Shinn insists, and while logically, Flay knows that... it was just so hard to accept she can change anything when all around her is a bloodbath - nukes flying and mobile suits exploding. But she made hers - and it was to help Shinn, Rena, and Anita get through - no matter what the consequences might be with the Gaia Sabers.
"I'm... I'm sorry," Flay manages to get out, when Rena urges her that there's people who need that protection. "I meant what I said back then... and I mean it now. Even if it's filled with hatred... every part of this world is worth protecting, isn't it?"
Anita admits that even she's scared, on the inside. It sounds a lot like what Rena said, when Flay questioned her ability to smile under so much stress. "You two really are in sync, aren't you?" She gazes out towards Rena, firing with all she can towards the missiles. "Good luck." She adds, when the Svipul salutes with its exit.
It almost seems like it won't be enough - with the reveal that they were decoys all along to an even larger squadron of nuclear missiles. And two-hundred year enemy? What the hell are they talking about? "No way..." Flay gasps, only for DYMA GOLDWIN to make his entrance. At the last minute no less. It's bombastic, but Flay can only wonder. "That's it? We... we can leave now?"
The deactivated Strike makes no effort to resist the orders to leave. It's finally over. Shinn thanks her, then, and Flay can't really find the words. Though Shinn can't see it, she manages a weak smile, feeling for the first time things might actually turn out okay. "You're welcome, and... I'm sorry."
High command orders the Gaia Sabers to leave, but one Liu Nayao can't accept Cathedra's interference. Though her Windam survived the battle - in the cockpit, the woman is dying. She knew she'd probably die in this battle, but with her last breath, she aims a beam saber for the Strike's cockpit. "For putting the lives of our enemies over your own people," Is all she says, thrusting it with the last of her strength.
It always feels like such a blur, when you kill in self-defense. Flay doesn't even think, before her own beam saber is in the Windam's cockpit and the unit goes limp. The world might never know what happened to her - yet another casualty of the Gaia Saber's revenge.
<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.
Dyma Goldwin, arms folded over his chest in a perfect echo of his Grungust, stares down Rindt on his viewscreen as the Major raves and lashes out in an increasing fit of anger. He says nothing.
But those gold eyes burn with hot-blooded intensity -- like the super robot spirit of this man could somehow set his gaze alight with a fire of pure willpower.
It makes the snort that flares past his nostrils all the more derisive when Rindt, for all his bluster, eventually capitulates to his General's orders.
"Tch. Goodman. Always the saddest sack in the room," Dyma mutters to himself, shaking his head -- and then his attention returns to the Major in charge of this operation.
<"You heard him: go scurry off, Rindt. Unless you're brave enough to see first-hand how washed-up or not I really am.">
And then there's that grin. That manic, spirited, god damn cocky grin that only those whose burning hearts sing in the throes of a good brawl can muster.
<"Or maybe you can ask your General all about who I trounced to get your little opportunistic scheme overturned in the first place, if you're not feeling man enough for the task. Hah!">
And with that, Dyma cuts off communication with the AION, leaving the last image of him Rindt sees that cocksure, shit-eating grin.
And so the retreat is ordered. But some soldiers...
... some soldiers hesitate.
They can't accept this.
They've lost too much.
How could a man like Dyma Goldwin dare stand at the side of people like the PLANTs?
If you cared about justice so much, you would've--would've gotten here before all those kids died!
"..."
Gold eyes shut. But Dyma answers none of their dissent, not even Lilium's desperate, impassioned cries.
His foot is put down. His position made. And that's all there is to it. Until...
Sir, Sergeant Mills here...
One gold eye cracks open. It turns to that face on the viewscreen of Dyma's cockpit. And he listens.
... you're asking for a lot from us.
Can you promise them that if these people aren't on the up and up, that you'll get them justice?
<"Sergeant, it's the easiest thing in the whole god damn world to give in to hate. What I'm asking you all -is- a lot, because it's what proud soldiers, -real- soldiers, should always be asking of themselves: to rise above the easy choice, and make the one that matters. To be the worthy of the name hero. It's what my superior officer demanded of me, and it's what I'm demanding of you now. Make the hard choice. Be -better- than the sycophants and the vultures trying to drag our whole species down to their level. Show 'em all we can be greater.">
<"But if you can't do that much...">
Dyma Goldwin rises up, thumping a fist firmly against his chest, right over his beating, passionate heart -- and the Grungust echoes the motion in perfect sync.
<"Then all I'll ask you is to believe one thing: no matter what's happened, no matter what I've gone through, I've never stopped fighting for justice.">
<"So you better god damn believe justice is gonna be done, I'm sure as hell not gonna stop now!">
And even as the others withdraw, Cathedra's forces still stay. After all, it's as Dyma said:
The situation in Side 2 is theirs to handle now.
Whatever shape that might take.