2025-05-04: Final Frontier: Viridian Seas
- Log: Final Frontier - Viridian Seas
- Cast: Alto Saotome, Sheryl Nome, Astarte Spalding-Monteiro, Brera Sterne, Rose Tritten, Leon Sakaki, Ranka Lee
- Where: Vajra Homeworld
- OOC - IC Date: 24 May 0100
- Summary: The Frontier Fleet sets out to end the war with the Vajra by folding to their homeworld to face them. At first the battle goes well, but then a surprise guest appears and turns the tables against them.
KTS: Kaiju Navi has deployed in Vajra Heavy Soldier. KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has deployed in Nazca-class Refit. KTS: Rose Tritten has deployed in ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
It's quite a sight.
The whole of the Frontier Defense Fleet has been deployed into
formation. Dozens of warships, surrounded by hundreds of variable fighters,
slowly floating forward through the dark of space. Behind this large formation
is the massive domed colony ship known as Island One, its armored shell
already lowered down to protect the vast interior. Surrounding the large
colony vessel are the two-dozen or so smaller colony ships that are usually
attached to the main one. However, they have been evacuated and positioned to
act as decoys and shields for the coming battle. And at the center of the
formation is the fleet's flagship, the Macross 25, otherwise known as the
Battle Frontier. The large carrier is slowly advancing ahead even as more
variable fighters continue to launch from its flight decks.
The FDF is not alone though as off to the side of the fleet formation
is another one consisting of military forces from the Space Assembly League.
ZAFT warships and mobile suits make up quite a number of these. But not all,
as many of the space-based nations that are part of the alliance-at least what
still stands of it-have contributed at least some forces to this effort. After
all, it is they who have suffered the most under the invasion of the primarily
space-dwelling insectoid aliens. It's only understandable that they seek to
end it before they are completely destroyed.
Still there are other groups of ships and mobile weapons belonging to
factions that have an interest in seeing the Vajra threat ended. Which really
should be everyone in the Earth Sphere. But some are content to leave the
dirty work up to others, perhaps with intent to exploit the good will of those
participating by striking while they are weakened.
But that's not the concern right now. The fact is that for all the
recent technological progress they've made in fighting the Vajra, the people
of the Earth Sphere are still struggling to keep the invading aliens at bay.
And if something more permanent isn't done to end this war, it's only a matter
of time before humanity is overwhelmed.
<"Which is why we embark on this journey today, once more returning to
the stars in order to ensure the survival of humanity."> President Leon
Mishima continues his speech from his place on the Battle Frontier's bridge.
It is a perfectly acceptable speech, likely work-shopped by many hands. But
the man himself lacks the charisma to really bring it over the finish line.
Still, one can't complain. He IS the President, after all.
Alto himself isn't really paying much attention to the speech as his
YF-29 Sentinel coasts through space amidst the large gathering of FDF variable
fighters. His thoughts are split quite a few different ways. His concern for
Sheryl and whether she'll be able to make it through all this... His wonder
about where Ranka is right now and if he'll ever get to see her again... And
the throbbing headache that he just hasn't been able to shake for a while now.
He can endure it though. He'll be damned if he's missing out on this mission.
Not that he could even if he wanted to, given his role in it.
<"Today, we give our all to fight for our place in this galaxy."> As
Mishima continues his speech, a small swarm of Vajra-all flagged as 'Friendly'
on everyone's systems-fly out ahead of the fleet. They split up, spreading out
as they take up their positions in the form of a circle.
<"Today, we face down the monsters that haunt us. That killed our
friends. That killed our families."> The friendly Vajra reach their positions
and begin to glow with the golden light of their bio-energy. Bolts of that
energy start to arc around the circular formation, moving faster and faster as
the energy readings rapidly increase to incredible levels.
<"Today, we stand before this threat and refuse to yield."> The large,
circular plane of space between the Vajra visibly begins to distort, the stars
visible behind it rapidly being stretched out of position and growing blurry.
<"Today, we end this war."> Finally, with a flash of light, a circular
portal of prismatic colour appears ahead of the gathered fleet. The giant fold
portal has opened, wide enough for every vessel, mobile weapon and colony ship
to pass through all at once. Mishima finishes, <"All forces, advance!">
The engines of the large fleet burn brighter, beginning to push them
forward. The first of the units in the fleet pass through, sinking into that
portal of light as if exiting this reality and entering a different one.
As the Sentinel approaches the fold portal, Alto stares at the dancing
display of colours filling the view outside of his canopy. His hands tighten
just a little on his controls... Beyond this light. Beyond the short trip
beyond, lies the Vajra homeworld and the source of their fold network. For
over four years he has been fighting against the Vajra, ever since he jumped
into the abandoned Messiah in order to save Ranka. So many have died at the
claws of the Vajra since then. But now it is finally time to end that.
... Now is finally the time for vengeance.
The Sentinel passes through the threshold.
-=-=-=-=-
It's not uncommon for trips through fold space to take days, even
weeks. The actual time varies upon a number of factors such as distance, mass
of the vessels, energy output of the fold drives, and so on. Even the large
Macross Fleets, with their ability to fold large distances in only a matter of
hours, require insane amounts of energy to pull that off. Energy that can take
months to save up.
Yet for the Vajra, travelling halfway across the galaxy, even with a
massive fleet joining them, is a trifling affair. The large attack fleet is in
fold space for only a matter of minutes, before it finally returns to real
space over forty thousand light years away from the Sol system. A trip that
normally would have taken the Frontier Fleet years, if it even still had its
fold drives.
As the fleet exits from fold space back to normal space, the sight that
greets it is rather breathtaking. A planet with three moons, orbiting a single
yellow star, which is not that different from Earth's. In fact, the planet
itself also looks quite similar. Judging by the expansive oceans and green
landmasses, visible behind the smatterings of fluffy white clouds, the planet
appears quite habitable.
It even has an orbital ring of sorts, like Earth.
Yet, said ring is not a uniform construction of metal, dotted with long
solar panels and docked with larger colonies. Instead it is more like an
ornate band carved from shining stone, culminating in a central, spiral
formation. Those who have had some experience with the Vajra and the research
about them would recognize the stone: Fold ore. The material from which fold
quartz is refined, and which the Vajra appear to eat in order to generate the
fold quartz in their bodies. But in quantities that must have taken the Vajra
countless years to gather.
This planet is a veritable treasure of the galaxy.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
It's not much of a speech, but it is indeed quite a sight. Even Sheryl
Nome, clad in a medical gown at the edge of a platform overlooking the stage
where she's to perform, just beyond the Battle Frontier's cameras and
projectors, can acknowledge that.
Performances have been increasingly harder on her as more and more
missions have come up. It won't be much longer before she won't be able to
sing at all, either because her throat gives out or... her whole body does.
Sheryl can feel death coming for her. No amount of playing house with Alto
can stave that off.
And make no mistake, she is frightened. She doesn't want to die. But
here, as the fleet and their pet Vajra fold and cross the universe, as light
splits in separate colors, she remains still.
And on the other side, only minutes later...
There is but a moment where Sheryl gazes upon the homeworld of the
Vajra, a world so eerily like Earth--no moon, but a ring instead, much like
the Orbital Ring. She knows what the mission is: use her song to pacify the
Vajra and take over their planet for the sake of humanity.
And then what? What happens to Ranka, who went to try to use herself to
bargain with the alien race? (Sheryl doesn't know for sure this is what she's
trying to do, but she has faith in her #1 fan.) What happens to humanity? Are
they just supposed to live alongside the Vajra? What happens after Sheryl
dies? Who's supposed to control them then? Or is this just leading into a
genocide of the alien race?
Sheryl has no love for the Vajra. But she's not sure how she feels
about that.
It doesn't matter. She has her role to play, and she's decided to play
it to the end. If she's going to die no matter what, she'll die on stage in a
blaze of glory.
She lets herself fall from the edge as, down on stage, the sound of
hurried footsteps approach; her hospital gown falls away from her. But
holographic light surrounds her, and her landing is soft, into a crouch with
her head bowed as if in prayer. Her suddenly styled golden curls drape around
her now-bare shoulders as a veil drifts over her face and her hands clutch a
bouquet of white flowers that match the lacy dress she now wears.
Around her, the stage is a church, and she kneels at its head beneath
stained glass windows, the pews lined up at her back. Stage set, the Battle
Frontier projects her performance to all of local space: the racing footsteps
give way as the double doors at the back burst open, and someone in a ponytail
and a princely outfit stands there dramatically, gazing in shadow down the
aisle at Sheryl...
~ * ~
They had kissed goodbye just before Alto had launched in preparation
for the fleet's fold. Sheryl had seen him off from her private room on the
Battle Frontier; she could have gone to the launch bay, but she needed to save
her strength for the stage.
Their lips had parted after an eternity, and Sheryl gazed up at him
with dewy eyes. To this day, she hasn't told him about how they truly
first met, but it's barely even on her mind. The past means nothing, and the
future doesn't exist. All she has right now is... right now.
She slips her fingertips up to brush through his ponytail, threading
them between her fingers. There's no need to tell him how she feels anymore.
They both already know.
Even so, there's still one thing that needs to be said. As the taste of
death lingers in the back of her throat, she whispers to her first love,
"Alto... Promise me... promise me you'll find Ranka--and bring her home. Make
sure you make her the happiest girl in the universe. Got it?"
She smiles bittersweetly as she touches her forehead to his. "I won't
accept anything less from either of you."
~ * ~
A frenetic rush of electronica plays, oddly soft in its speed, shifting
like an impatient caress. As it seems to contour Sheryl's wedding dress, she
stands, sweeps one gloved arm to her side, and raises her bouquet to her lips
like a microphone--which, in truth, it is.
With all her heart and soul, the Galactic Fairy--no, Fairy-9--no,
simply Sheryl Nome sings to inspire her fellow humanity, to direct the
'friendly' Vajra, with the song she wrote as her dying message:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPbFCKTn_Co (The Forbidden Elixir)
"Mix and stir your genes
"Inside my body..."
<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.
"Mom, you don't have to go."
The captain of the 'One Fine Day' chuckles and turns her chair away
from the screen on her desk, looking out to the stars. Her son stares at her
from the other side of the screen.
"You know I do, honey."
Kit sighs and shakes his head. He knew his mother well enough to know
that trying to convince her was impossible. "I know. Sometimes I just wish
that you..."
"Now now, Kit. You know it's gonna take more than a few bugs to take
out your old mom."
"It's just hard not to worry."
Astarte turns her head to face the screen again with a smile. "That's
because I raised you right. You're a good boy. How about this: when we come
back, I'll cash in all the leave I have left and come back to Side 1 for a
bit. You'll be out for the summer, yeah? We'll do something fun!"
"But what if you don't--"
Astarte's chair turns back around to face Kit. "Don't preoccupy
yourself with that. I'd rather you spend your time planning what we'll do when
I do. Can you do that for me, honey?"
"...I think I can. I love you, Mom."
"I love you, too."
As she hangs up, another line beeps. It's Xiao.
"Captain, bridge is ready on your call."
"I'll be right up."
---
"Delamain, open up shipwide comms. I want to address the crew."
"Yes, ma'am. You're on the mic."
She clears her throat. "Men and women of the One Fine Day, this is
Captain Spalding. I'm not going to lie to you: this operation is going to be
the most brutal our ship has undertaken. As we take on the Vajra at the heart
of their hive, we put ourselves into a danger that we've rarely, if at all,
known. But I'm not worried one bit. Because you all are some of the finest
soldiers I've had the pleasure of serving with. I feel the spirit of the
Agamemnon, the ship I served on twenty years ago, in all of you. If we can
handle a dinosaur tank, a few bugs aren't going to be anything for us! So,
tell me! What's today going to be?"
The ship cries out in unison, "ONE FINE DAY!"
"I can't hear you!"
"ONE FINE DAY!!"
"Oo-rah. Algernon, full speed ahead." The captain sits down, crossing
her legs and steepling her fingers as the ship moves through the Fold.
<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
Inside her ZAKU, Rose listened to Captain Astarte's rousing speech, eagerly
joining the cries of the One Fine Day. She could feel excitement coursing
through her body. This was it. The Vajra were never going to threaten the
PLANTs ever again. At least that's what she told her mom on the last video
call they had.
But as the ship prepared to fold...she wondered to herself...was she about to
become their own Blue Cosmos nuclear attack fleet?
<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.
As the fleet defolds into the orbit of the Vajra homeworld, Luca Angeloni sits
in the cockpit of his RVF-171EX Nightmare Plus, flanked by three AIF-7S
Ghosts. Luca was one of the only S.M.S. members to not go with the Quarter and
instead remain with the FDF, and he's been provided a new craft as a result.
The EX Nightmare Plus is a fine craft, but he secretly does miss his old
RVF-25.
As he sees the orbital ring, his mind turns not to its beauty or its size, but
its value. This planet is a treasure trove, with enough Fold Quartz to
revolutionize humanity's space travel. There's only one problem - there are a
lot of Vajra living here.
Others might question the ethics of such an attack, but to Luca, it's
irrelevant. He has a mission here, and he has something on the line if he
doesn't follow his orders.
"Simon, John, Peter, spread out. We'll be making contact soon."
<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
Have you ever kicked a Hornet's nest? Most people born in the Colonies don't
know what would happen, but they know the expression at least. They all fly
out and sting the offender, in overwhelming, disorienting numbers.
Again, and again, and again. It's instinct, to defend your home, from
aggressors, invaders.
The darkness has eyes, it glows red against the halo of blue, and Vajra emerge,
melting out of fold space to greet hostility with hostility.
As more and more emerge, filling an asteroid field full of Vajra vessels, the
invaders of Earth learn quickly, what it's like to kick a hornet's nest.
Out of the 'bays' of these vessels, do Vajra begin to fly, mobile soldiers
flying at the van, heavies weaving in and out, with numerous super heavies,
and even the occasional Praying Mantis like Hounds.
The sensors of everyone's vessels just light up, the instruments made for war
against humans, ready for Minovsky interference, almost seem unprepared for
the sheer lack of it.
The entire field is full of blinking overlapping red, more than just a 'target
rich environment'. It is fully saturated, with a population of creatures
ready to defend their nest, their world, their home.
Earth could never field so many in its own defense, much less a defense this
deadly.
The one's at the fore slam into the 'friendly' Vajra first at all, as if
disdainful by their betrayal, or simply seeing them as the most dangerous
targets of all.
And then Fairy-9's song strikes a chord throughout the entire fold network of
the Vajra. The swarm seems subtly more confused, with fewer and fewer
emerging.
"The Vajra's deployment speed has decreased by 30%..." One man notes to Leon
Mishima, while another announces, "They're no longer forming defensive lines."
He merely smiles as if the battle were already won as good news keeps rolling
in.
KTS: Kaiju Navi has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Alto stares out through his canopy at the planet ahead. He barely sees
it though, as focused as he is on the sight of the Vajra defense fleet folding
in to block the Frontier Fleet's path. His initial reaction is one of fear.
There's so many of them... How can they hope to defeat such a force?
But that fear is quickly quashed by anger as Alto recalls all the death
and suffering the Vajra have caused. Their unwarranted attacks against the
Frontier Fleet, his home. The illness they've spread, leading to Sheryl's
current condition. And it's because of them that Ranka...
The Fairy Tale system in the cockpit behind Alto thrums quietly, almost
in anticipation of the chaos that is about to be unleashed.
Alto raises a hand to grip at his chest, once more feeling a tightness
as his thoughts towards the Vajra fill his head. It hurts...
But then Sheryl's song washes over him, her encouraging voice echoing
through his cockpit. The pain fades again as he takes in several deep breaths,
relaxing a little. Listening to Sheryl sing, he recalls their parting shortly
before his launch. His hand, that had been clutching at his chest, now rises
up, gloved fingers touching at the faceplate just beyond his lips.
Sheryl's words, both now and then, strike a chord in him and he steels
himself, moving his hand back to the flight stick. He doesn't know for sure,
but he feels like Ranka is here... Somewhere. So he repeats now in his cockpit
what he told Sheryl back then, "I promise."
-=-=-=-=-
<"First wave, engage!"> President Mishima gives the order.
The first wave consists of dozens of VF-171EX Nightmare Plus variable
fighters, older models retrofitted with the latest components in order to
fight this battle. They blast ahead of the fleet's main lines, advancing on
the approaching Vajra defenses as they clash against the Vajra friendly to the
Frontier Fleet.
As the wave of Nightmares get in range they unleash their payloads, the
large missiles attached to their wings blasting off into space and rapidly
closing in on the Vajra defense lines. As the missiles reach their destination
they detonate.
Dozens of giant, swirling, purplish voids manifest in the depths of
space, rapidly expanding to engulf the Vajra, friend and foe alike. The huge
distortions ripple ominously for several seconds before finally vanishing,
leaving absolutely nothing behind.
The tactical display on the bridge of the Battle Frontier shows the
breaks forming in the Vajra defense lines, even as numerous operators sound
off reports.
"Confirmed detonation of the tactical Dimension Eaters."
"Initial estimates show a reduction of enemy numbers by forty three percent.
Twenty seven percent of our own Vajra were caught in the detonations."
"The Vajra defense line is reforming at thirty eight percent less efficiency
than expected."
One of the admirals at the side of President Mishima hmms thoughtfully,
"It seems Miss Nome's songs continue to have an effect on them."
Mishima himself grins in excitement as he says, "Yes, we can do this."
He then waves his hand, "All forces, advance!"
-=-=-=-=-
<"All forces, advance!">
As the order is given, Alto pushes his throttle forward, the engines of
his Sentinel quickly flaring as he accelerates along with the rest of the
fleet. It doesn't take long for the front lines to reach the Vajra. The lights
of countless shots and explosions begin to brighten space.
Alto himself doesn't hesitate to dive into the mess as he radios to his
allies, <"This is it! Everything we've been working for! If we don't defeat
the Vajra here, we'll never be free of their infestation. We just need to
punch our way through to their core and then we can end this war, once and for
all!">
Alto's system gets missile locks on a gathering of Vajra ahead and he
pulls the trigger. A couple of hatches in the Sentinel's frame opens to reveal
the collection of MDE warhead equipped micro-missiles beneath. A dozen of the
missiles blast out of the bays, dancing through space towards the Vajra...
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Alto promised, and for Sheryl, that's enough. She loves him... and
she loves Ranka. It's only natural to want them to be happy.
Even if it makes her want to die at the same time that she desperately
wants to survive.
As electronica mixes with frenetic drums, Sheryl dances, kicking a leg
high to reveal a lacy garter, sweeping down low as she spins and sliding a
gloved hand up her bodice, the train of her wedding dress spinning elegantly
with her. At her back, her would-be groom strides up--it's a second Sheryl,
dressed in a princely groom's suit with hair tied back in a low ponytail.
The beats thrum with power, and from behind, he embraces Bride Sheryl,
who arches her neck for his kiss. When she brings her bouquet to her lips,
it's no longer a bouquet but a syringe of glowing green liquid. Their image
glitches, and Sheryl now gives the battlefield a sultry smile in a low-cut
pink nurse's garb as she sings into the syringe-microphone.
"From the flask's gentle curve,
"Drops of passion trickle down.
"The power to change the world lies within
"This promise dated far back, which is now pricking my heart."
As the first wave of Variable Fighters zooms forth to engage the enemy
Vajra while their movements are slowed and they look back and forth with
confusion, the holographic image of Sheryl continues to perform, sometimes a
sultry nurse, sometimes a white bride being seduced by her lover.
It's wholly self-indulgent imagery--hopes of a future distorted by the
truth of her past--but it's what she wanted for her final concert, and Elmo
and the others were happy to indulge her. Because--
"As though I'm using revenge as my reason,
"I let myself be jolted up and down.
"What will kill me is not a weapon;
"Rather, just one sigh will be sufficient."
The Dimension Eaters tear through the Vajra ranks; all forces advance.
Alto's message to the assembled forces is no doubt a stirring one, especially
when underscored by all those micro-missiles on a deadly collision course with
the weakened Vajra.
No doubt, except for when a red VF swoops in seemingly out of nowhere,
whips out a laser rifle, and shoots each missile down with pinpoint precision
before they can make contact. It's a speed and sharpness that's beyond any
normal human. There's no time to wonder about that, but there's also no need,
because that crimson-painted VF-27y Lucifer should be very familiar indeed.
Within his cockpit, eyes vacant as their pupils adjust of another's
accord, Brera Sterne states flatly through local transmissions, "<Enemy
projectiles neutralized.>"
"While I leave my wounds exposed,
"Light plays out a symphony,
"And the signal of my lips has turned green."
But he turns his head to take in the missile's source, and the
slightest light returns--to mar his expression with anger. "<You.>" Over
the Battle Frontier, the massive holographic Nurse Sheryl tosses her syringe
high up into space, and Brera glares at her as well. "<And you!>"
He turns his VF's rifle to lock on to Alto's unit. There's no
hesitation as he opens up a barrage of shots around the Sentinel in an attempt
to cut off potential escape routes before he aims for center mass. "<You
shouldn't have come here. None of you should have!>"
<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.
Petra Jenais, the One Fine Day's tactical officer, turns her head to
the captain's chair. "Captain! We've got Vajra everywhere!"
Astarte lets out a breath she didn't know she had been holding,
standing up and walking towards the viewscreen, squinting her eyes. "Time to
rock and roll. Tritten Team, engage and provide support. Algernon, keep your
hand on the wheel. Jenais, give them a welcome shot."
""Roger!"" Jenais and Noah Algernon, the helmsman, respond in unison, the ship
moving into an attack position as the ship's beam cannons come to life,
glowing for a second before firing off a volley into the Vajra swarm.
"It's now or never!"
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with 120cm High Energy Beam Cannon Burst!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages guard against Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's 120cm High Energy Beam Cannon Burst!
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully guards Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's 120cm High Energy Beam Cannon Burst, taking 4350 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
Once more, once more, the Tritten Team lifts off from the hull of the One Fine
Day, splitting as one to allow the Nazca-Class's beam cannon to lance through,
then follow it into the teeming swarm of Vajra.
"Oh this is the worst!" Aspyn moaned as her beam axe ground a Vajra in half.
"Look on the bright side...once we're done here, we'll never have to see
another one again." Sushila said as she scythed a lance of beam cannon across
another group.
In her own cockpit, Rose couldn't help but bob her head along to Sheryl's song.
A group of Vajra appeared before her on her scope. The hatches of her missile
pods slid open, and her Firebee's joined in on the VF's barrage of missiles
and lasers.
KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with AGM138 "Firebee" Guided Missile Barrage!
<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.
The first wave of Vajra hits, and Luca's enhanced sensors go wild. Lights flash
in the cockpit like it's a rave, and he has to take a second to sort through
the massive amount of alerts. When he does, though, he's immediately at work.
"All flights, I'm designating focus points for breakthrough on your maps. Hydra
Flight, you're on Point C. Purple, you're on D. Vermillion, I want you at B.
We can do this!"
Now all that needs to happen is for the Galactic Fairy to hold out a little
longer...
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages intercept against Rose Tritten's AGM138 "Firebee" Guided Missile Barrage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Rose Tritten's AGM138 "Firebee" Guided Missile Barrage, taking 2631 damage! <Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
The Vajra do not even have time to respond to the deployment of the Dimension
Eaters. In a heartbeat, so many of them simply cease to exist.
Imagine being part of a greater whole, and an entire limb is scythed off. The
psychic scream of horror roils over all those who are sensitive to it, an
incomprehensible alien mishmash of noise.
So many of them die, so many Vajra who were on their side are just collateral,
and in reply, the humans swarm in to capitalize on their suffering.
In the midst of the chaos, a dog fight is engaged between Brera Sterne and Alto
Saotome. The Vajra seem to struggle to regroup at first, but then begin their
chase, as those that escaped the Dimension Eaters down the center begin to
deploy more to close a pincer around both sides.
They do not fight with human tactics, they do not form lines as they smash into
Variable Fighters and vessels besides. The morale of humanity is at it's
height with the Galactic Fairy singing at the fore.
The signal of her lips is green, it's a promise after all. Enticement towards
victory. An idol inspires with her music.
Alto did promise her too. That he'd bring Ranka home. He might notice as he
dogfights, none of the Vajra are immediately harrying him, or more
accurately... harrying Brera. They're giving him space, to fire upon Alto's
Variable Fighter.
How can that be possible? How can Brera Sterne be attacking him here of all
places? Did he not see him with Ranka last?
The energy beams from the Cannon Burst strike a Vajra swarm, they're used to
the beams by now, but from a capital ship, the intensity still takes many at
the center off guard. They melt through, and several disintegrate outright.
Others sweep around, Bio-Machine Guns firing a barrage that try to rake the
ship's hull. To a mighty Capital ship, it's merely a nuisance, if it were
just one of them. When it's thirty of them...
Well, try smacking away thirty hornets, see what happens. They close in, to
try and make an attempt to eat through the hull. Whereas the Tritten team,
defending it try to ward them off with missile pods. The Vajra veer away from
their 'beeline' towards the ship, suddenly spitting fire at the missiles.
Some detonate prematurely, but out of the signs of the explosion, there are
fewer still coming at them.
Those few try to slam into the Zakus, as pincers seek purchase in the hull.
Luca coordinates the efforts, he can after all see the battlefield, a greater
extent than others. Still, it might be disquieting, he's a peaceful youth,
watching so many Vajra fighting for their home over the songs of Sheryl Nome.
Don't think too hard about it.
Think of Nanase instead, keeping her safe from these things going forward.
Each and every one of them can think of a loved one that might stand to benefit
if the Vajra threat were gone, if a new blue planet were available for
colonization. Might people stop fighting over Earth, if they could come here
again?
Think of that instead, of humanity's triumph.
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Leading Fire!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rose Tritten with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge! KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Leading Fire!
KTS: Best Defense! Astarte Spalding-Monteiro moderately reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Leading Fire, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Alto's eyes go wide at the sight of his missiles being shot down before
reaching their target. The surprise comes from the fact that those weren't
Vajra projectiles that stopped them. And yet they were very familiar. Alto
turns his head to look in the direction of that red VF, calling out in anger:
<"Brera!">
Alto reacts to the sudden barrage of incoming beams by transforming,
the Sentinel quickly dropping its legs down and folding its arms out as it
shifts into GERWALK mode. The legs kick out left and right as the engines in
the feet direct the craft to dance through the shots. A couple manage to find
their mark, the Sentinel's pinpoint barrier glowing under the assault and the
armor at the impact points getting scorched.
To the others, Alto says, <"Stay out of this, all of you. This one's
mine!">
Squeezing his controls tighter out of anger of being shot by that
asshole of a cyborg, Alto asks Brera, <"What the hell are you doing!? Where's
Ranka!?">
Alto shows no hesitation in defending himself though as he raises his
own quantum beam gunpod, snapping off a couple of quick shots back at the
Lucifer. There's no love lost between these two and Alto's been dying to pay
this bastard back for all the unwarranted hostility directed Alto's way.
-=-=-=-=-
The beat from Sheryl's song plays quietly over the speakers of the
Battle Frontier's bridge, even as operators continue to bark off reports:
"Saratoga and Iowa have been destroyed! Hamilton is damaged and
retreating from the front line."
"The Fourth Wing has lost sixty percent of its Valkyries and is being
pushed back. The Eighth Wing is moving to reinforce."
"Vajra numbers have been reduced by fifty six percent. Their lines are
starting to crumble."
Mishima smiles triumphantly as the battle seems to be going well, "This
is it... This is our chance."
Mishima stands from his seat and points towards the large holographic
map displaying the local space and the Vajra homeworld beyond, "Signal the
fleet to move forward! We will break through their lines, deal with the Vajra
at their source and then land Island One on the planet below. We will make
this world our new home!"
On the President's orders, the momentum of the large attack fleet picks
up, starting to push forward with the large colony ships in tow. They are
heading towards the spiral formation at the center of the planet's ring, and
the planet itself beyond.
KTS: Rose Tritten engages parry against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge!
KTS: Best Defense! Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge, taking 2100 damage! <Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"The forbidden elixir
"Is a light at the ends of sins."
Though Sheryl has her performance to concentrate on, and many cameras
are on her accordingly, there are others that transmit the battle back to the
Battle Frontier--and there's a screen in front of her, out of the way of those
that project her image into space--which means she sees as Brera's Lucifer
zips in to shoot down Alto's missiles, then open fire on his Sentinel. Though
Sheryl keeps her expression schooled in that sultry smile, her heartrate jumps
to see him. Brera's here--then Ranka must be here too! But, as Alto
demands--what is he doing?
"It's a science set into motion by love,
"For which I'm becoming more and more longing."
The red Lucifer weaves between Alto's counter-shots, unperturbed by his
own dance between his blasts from earlier. More follow in an attempt to strafe
the Sentinel, burst after burst forming an intermittent rain of laser fire as
Brera flies.
"<She's somewhere safe--somewhere where none of you can hurt her
anymore,>" Brera replies. After that initial flare-up, there something odd
about his affect--like his anger is being hammered down and flattened out.
Like there an emotion there, but it can't get out all the way due to
interference.
"With a body that has only one more button to undo,
"Let's become synthetic."
Nurse Sheryl dances on, regardless of this conversation. That's her
role here, and she does it superbly. She is the Songstress of Despair, after
all. She undoes the last button on her nurse's garb, splitting away to reveal
a pristine white bra, and brings her forefingers and thumbs together to form a
cinematography rectangle.
As she snaps them close to her chest, she maintains her veneer of sexy,
smiling confidence, and the symbol of the Galactic Fairy--a golden heart with
a butterfly wing--spins outwards towards the Vajra fleets.
But, just as it would impact them...
<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.
"This is nothing. Evasive maneuvers!" Algernon pulls the wheel to the side, the
Nazca pivoting out of the way of the Vajra barrage before straightening itself
back out. "Let's not concern ourselves too much with the small fry. They've
adapted to most of what we have anyway. We'll follow the fleet forward into
the core. Fire on whatever's in our way, and keep them guessing. They're just
as susceptible to being overwhelmed as anything else."
The ship pushes forward, directly into the swarm, firing off a barrage
of missiles indiscriminately in the immediate area.
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with Vertical Launching System Bombing Run!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages guard against Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Vertical Launching System Bombing Run!
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully guards Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Vertical Launching System Bombing Run, taking 4200 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
Rose's ZAKU is jostled as one of the Vajra rip a hunk out of her leg armour, as
she simultaneously plants an arm and spikes it downwards, dumping a burst of
Beam Machinegun into its back. As she recovers, she notices the One Fine Day
accelerating after the Fleet.
"The One Fine Day is following the fleet! We need to stay close!" Rose ordered,
her ZAKU pointing to the trio's mothership. Aspyn and Sushila quickly rejoined
formation with Rose, and the Team screamed through the hordes of Vajra,
spraying beam fire all around them in an effort to keep them away from
themselves, and the One Fine Day.
KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Blitz! KTS: Kaiju Navi engages evade against Rose Tritten's MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Blitz!
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Rose Tritten's MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Blitz, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Missiles swarm amidst the Vajra, blowing off limbs, wings, leaving several dead
in the water and easy prey, while more and more detonate. It is not just one
missile that kills a Vajra. One cannot kill a Vajra with just... one
missile, it is the sixth, and tenth which cause them to finally give up.
Whereas the Tritten team rallies against the Vajra to parry their pincers,
managing to spray beam fire. The Vajra suddenly zip away, gliding through
space as great weaving beasts, trying to get away from them.
For now though, they have defended the Nazca and the SAL Lines... for now...
And then... something happens.
-=-=-
The end of sins.
A forbidden elixir.
It would wonderful to believe that would be enough for all to be forgiven,
through love.
It would be wonderful, but it was childish of her to forget, why she cannot be
forgiven.
A lone sinner watches. Her eyes are see, but there's no emotion within them,
as she hangs bound in penitence. Withdrawn into the haze of memory, she
watches them die. The Vajra scream, and she hears them.
This is her punishment, to feel all of this suffering. She killed them all.
And... the Vajra came for her, she's the reason Sheryl was infected with the
V-Type Infection. She's the reason that Alto and Ozma nearly died so many
times. Why so many of her fans, why so many soldiers died.
She's responsible for it all.
Did you see that? The humans are invading.
You know what you must do.
Are they the enemy?
That's right.
Protect this beautiful world.
That is how you will make amends for what you have done.
I'm sure our Mother would have wanted this too.
She dedicated her life to the Vajra.
Her eyes do not change at the offer of redemption. It will not bring those
lives back that she killed years ago. But if her voice can protect him, can
protect this world...
Okay, brother.
She will become their Queen.
-=-=-
BGM Change - Do you Remember Love? (Bless the Little Queen) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-N5M3LpIUE
Everyone in the fleet hears it over the comms, it floods all channels
immediately, not overriding them, but merely playing against them. There is
not a single person that does not know this melody. From the most aged
General, to the youngest child. It is the melody of the legendary song. The
original Macross Idol, Lynn Minmay sang it against the Zentradi.
Legend says that the emotionless Zentradi were so moved by her song, that she
ended the war on her own. That is an exaggeration, it was the efforts of so
many people, even if it is undeniable that music is what stirred the hearts of
they who were supposed to be heartless.
And then comes a voice, resonant, soulful, ethereal - as alien as it is human.
There is a quality of it that does not feel quite like Ranka Lee, but most
will understand immediately... it's her. The missing idol that betrayed
humanity, the Super-Dimension Cinderella.
"Right now, I hear your voice,
"Saying 'Come here to me.'
"Just when it seemed loneliness had beaten me.
"Right now, I see you
"Walking over to me.
"I close my eyes and wait for you to come."
... The Little Queen.
Brera did not lie after all.
It's hard to say the moment her image first comes into view, it is not on the
Comm Screens, it is over the battlefield itself, looming in the starlit sky,
as beam weapons and missiles flare. A Ranka Lee that feels larger than the
planet hangs suspended in the celestial expanse, like a Goddess of the
Battlefield.
She wears a white, strapless dress, it's ruffled skirt and her green hair
waving in space as if caught within a solar wind. Her eyes though are
distant, alien... dead. A stark contrast to the emotion that is inescapable.
The song is not for humanity. The Vajra all begin to take on a crimson glow,
as fold energy sweeps over each of them, and immediately, they all seem that
much deadlier. The vessels fire in coordinated bursts. One - two - three
heavy soldiers slam into a capital ship, causing it's main deck to burst into
flames.
And as the effigy of Ranka in the sky raises her arms, Fold Wave interference
that seems to have no effect at all on the Vajra strikes the fleet. Her
skirts flutter, seeming to rise organically out of the central hive of the
organic ring around the world. A titaness that will defend this planet
against alien invasion.
By using the same song humanity once used to halt invasion of themselves... a
sick and cruel irony.
"Till yesterday, it seemed filled only with tears.
"But now my heart is..."
Slowly those arms come forward, as if to make an offering of peace - as if
yearning for the touch of a loved one, but instead - heralding the charge of
war. The Vajra are amplified, emboldened by her song, capitalizing on the
sudden chaos.
"Do you remember? The time when our eyes first met?
"Do you remember? The time when our hands first touched?
"That was the very first time I set out on the journey of love.
"I love you so."
That hand feels as if it could be reaching to Sheryl, or Alto - save that both
of them are completely drowned out by the sudden overwhelming onslaught of
this song.
It is as if... neither even exists to her.
The same cannot be said of the Vajra, and it's as if Sheryl Nome can feel all
eyes on her, all eyes on the Battle Frontier. With murderous intent, for
daring to use song against them and their Queen.
The Nazca suddenly has Heavies on all sides, the Bio-Cannons charging as if
they are waiting for their shot upon the hull, and the moment they have it...
they fire.
Whereas the Tritten team now sees themselves barraged by missiles in
retaliation for being driven off, zipping and weaving in great circuses as the
Bio missiles seek to do in the Zakus.
If they die, then will do so with a song in their ears.
KTS: Ranka Lee is now subpiloting for Kaiju Navi. KTS: Ranka Lee targets Kaiju Navi with All-Out! KTS: Ranka Lee targets Kaiju Navi with Caution! KTS: Ranka Lee targets Kaiju Navi with Coordinate! KTS: Ranka Lee targets Kaiju Navi with Dream! KTS: Ranka Lee targets Kaiju Navi with Heart! KTS: Ranka Lee has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Kaiju Navi KTS: Ranka Lee has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Kaiju Navi KTS: Ranka Lee has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Kaiju Navi KTS: Ranka Lee has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Kaiju Navi KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Ranka Lee's All-Out! KTS: Ranka Lee orders an all-out attack, raising Kaiju Navi's Skill! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ranka Lee's All-Out, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Ranka Lee's Caution! KTS: Ranka Lee suggests caution, raising Kaiju Navi's Intuition! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ranka Lee's Caution, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Ranka Lee's Coordinate! KTS: Ranka Lee coordinates maneuvers, raising Kaiju Navi's Piloting! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ranka Lee's Coordinate, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Ranka Lee's Dream! KTS: Ranka Lee shares a dream with Kaiju Navi, increasing its SP! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ranka Lee's Dream, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Ranka Lee's Heart! KTS: Ranka Lee bares her heart, letting Kaiju Navi deal some extra damage! KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ranka Lee's Heart, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro with Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rose Tritten with Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Critical Hit! Astarte Spalding-Monteiro poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot, taking 5840 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Rose Tritten engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Critical Hit! Rose Tritten poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage, taking 4558 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
<"We're not trying to hurt her! We... I...">
Alto stumbles over his words as he tries to focus his thoughts on
Ranka. But the pain in his chest is building again. All his worries about
losing her. About losing Sheryl...
It's all the Vajra's fault. If it wasn't for them... If they hadn't
thrown their lives into disarray!
The Fairy Tale system continues to thrum with its green light behind
Alto.
The Sentinel's movements seem far more sluggish now as the Lucifer
peppers it with more beam shots. They splash across the Sentinel's frame, the
pinpoint barrier growing weaker with each hit as more of the armor beneath is
scorched. Alto's breathing is picking up rapidly as he squints his eyes,
trying to focus on the rapidly flitting movements of the Lucifer beyond his
canopy.
And then it hits Alto like a tsunami. He can feel it before he hears
it, the song that saved the Earth. And the voice that's singing it...
"Ranka?"
Alto spins his machine around, turning towards the source of the new
song. Sure enough, she's there... Larger than life.
<"Ranka!"> He needs to go to her!
The Fairy Tale system pulses gently.
No... Why does her song hurt? Why is she singing against them? Why has
she betrayed them?
-=-=-=-=-
The smile on President Mishima's face is gone in almost an instant as
the new song starts to filter through the speakers on the Battle Frontier's
bridge. What had been a rather orderly atmosphere of a winning battle quickly
starts to devolve into chaos as things start to take a turn.
"The Vajra lines are reforming at a faster rate!"
"Interference levels rising!"
"The forward lines are taking a beating, they're being overwhelmed!"
"Enemy forces approaching from the left flank. Holiday, Constantine and
Pharaoh have been cut off and surrounded!"
One of the admirals beside Mishima grunts in annoyance, "So Ranka Lee
has ended up betraying humanity after all."
Mishima himself drops back into his seat, tapping the arm rest
anxiously as he tries to figure out how to adapt to this sudden change. All
the while staring at the large image of Ranka floating out in deep space.
They can't turn back now. He's put too much on the line to accomplish
this. Done too many things that can't be undone. He's going to become the
leader who defeated the Vajra and established this new colony. No matter what!
Mishima orders, "Reinforce the forward lines! We just need to push
through to their core and then Saotome can handle it."
One of the admirals protests, "But sir! The forces on our sides will be
overwhelmed. We risk getting surrounded!"
Mishima turns to glare at the admiral, "It doesn't matter! We need to
win this! We can't let the traitor and her bugs beat us, or we'll lose
everything!"
Despite the risky maneuver, the fleet continues to press forward as it
begins to suffer quickly rising losses.
-=-=-=-=-
Neither is Alto himself doing well as he duels with Brera. Sweat
plasters his hair and face inside his helmet as he twists his machine left and
right, trying to keep up with the Lucifer. The machine guns in the Sentinel's
wings spitting out streams of bullets at the devilish Valkyrie.
But it's not just the Lucifer out there. There's more. The Vajra.
Monsters. So many of them. They're surrounding him. He needs to fight back!
The turret on the top of the Sentinel's frame pops up and starts to
spin around, the twin beam cannons on it starting to blast out at the
perceived enemies around Alto.
But the beams just slice through empty space, as there's nothing there.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Sheryl Nome has always been the biggest name in the music industry,
ever since she debuted at age sixteen. Part of that is because of her passion
and hard work, no doubt--but the lion's share is because of her manager.
As big as the Galactic Fairy is on the battlefield right now,
metaphorically and literally... when the image of Ranka in her pristine dress
and her empty eyes graces space, she dwarfs her.
And Sheryl can feel it, too. Not just the song itself drowning out
her own, but her presence, her song, that echo of the Legendary Songstress
brought to the modern age...
Ranka--this can't be you! Tell me it's a lie! You can't have really
betrayed us!! Sheryl screams inside her heart.
She is the Songstress of Despair. The despair that floods her soul now
only empowers her, and she sings with that much more force in return. Perhaps
it's only that overwhelming will of hers that lets her push back against
Ranka's song at all, overwhelming as it is.
"Love is such a wonderful thing,
"That is, provided that you can return alive."
"I'm such a naive piece of material,
"But since I'm a woman, I keep trying to trick myself into thinking
otherwise."
"<It doesn't matter what you're trying to do. You're still doing it,>"
Brera growls back. Some of the Sentinel's bullets find their mark on the armor
of the Lucifer, but they're ultimately only scratches--not enough to make a
decisive turnabout in this dogfight. "<This is why I despise you, Alto
Saotome. Your lack of conviction has never done anything but hurt
Ranka--hurt...>"
The massive image of Ranka billows into existence, and naturally Alto
turns his machine her way. His intent to go to her is plain for anyone to see,
and Brera's Lucifer dashes in between the giant Ranka and the Sentinel in an
instant.
"<...my sister! Stay away from my sister!!>" he roars, affect breaking
through the flatness long enough for him to trade out his beam rifle for the
machine guns installed on the Lucifer's primary intakes.
Taking ruthless advantage of Alto's distraction as he opens fire on
nothing, the beam machine guns rev up. They deliver not the shower of blasts
Brera had delivered earlier, but a torrent.
"There is a sudden mutation in my mission.
"Please let me get through at least tonight."
"If there are stairs, I will just take a shortcut.
"I'm both a goddess and a little devil, enigmatic and mysterious."
The image of Ranka reaches out her hand, as if to Alto, as if to
Sheryl, and though it's not part of her choreography, Bride Sheryl reaches
back with her body, arms bound by vines, legs caressed by her groom. They'll
both transform as they grow yet larger, turning to each other with flowers for
faces as one reaches out and the other clasps her hands to her chest. Above
and around, helixes of test tubes sprouting glass versions of Sheryl spiral
downwards, and a host of Nurse Sheryls, all with their own unique designs,
cluster together with smiles and syringes.
But it's naught but flash and pomp in the face of the Little Queen.
Sheryl can feel that, too. Is this Ranka's true power? she wonders in
desperation as the 'friendly' Vajra slip away from her with greater and
greater speed--as they join their brethren to face the Frontier forces with
murderous hostility.
As Ranka sings on, as if none of her old friends were there at all,
Sheryl can only pour more of her life into her sound, so dissonant against
Ranka's.
It shouldn't be like this. She knows so. But Ranka's challenged her,
and Sheryl Nome will not go down without a fight.
"Spirals keep swirling back and forth aimlessly.
"If one should desire a cute symphony,
"Then he must be willing to trade in his life..."
<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.
Astarte's face stiffens as Ranka's song rings out in the bridge. Even as the
One Fine Day shakes from the impact of the unexpected barrage, she stands. She
clenches her fist hard at her side, her nails threatening to break the skin of
her palm as she simply stares forward.
Of course she knew this song. It was playing in her hospital room when
the treaty that ended the One Year War was signed.
It was the song that was playing when her husband proposed to her.
And here it was, twisted and being used against her. It was enough to
make her vomit right there.
It took a minute for her to register the crew calling out for her
guidance. She shakes her head, blinking away the burning tears beginning to
well up. "Cannons at full power. Show no mercy." She keeps staring forward as
the ship's cannons fire a focused beam directly into the swarm.
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with 120cm High Energy Beam Cannon Focused Assault!
KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi engages block against Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's 120cm High Energy Beam Cannon Focused Assault!
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully blocks Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's 120cm High Energy Beam Cannon Focused Assault, taking 4620 damage! <Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
The sudden appearance of the looming, enormous pop star towering above the
battlefield inflicts a nearly fatal distraction for Rose. The turncoat Vajra
returning to their true loyalties smash into the Tritten Trio, tossing them
around, and at one point, when of course she wasn't sure, Aspyn, or maybe
Sushila, smashed into Rose with a violent sound of impacting armour that
vibrated through both ZAKUs.
"Oh no, oh no!!!" Aspyn cried, as the trio's ZAKU's reunited, going back to
back and firing all around them. "Ranka, no! What is she doing?!"
"I don't know but it reminds me why I like Lacus Clyne more." Sushila replied,
bringing a Beam Tomahawk down onto a Vajra that got too close before kicking
it away and finishing it with a beam cannon lance.
The monoeye of Aspyn's ZAKU looked over at her teammate. "...You like Lacus
Clyne? I thought you were into the more brooding emo type of music...the kind
that sucks."
"CAN WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION LATER PLEASE?!" Rose cut in. "Come on! We can't
get separated from the One Fine Day!"
With Rose in the lead, the trio screamed towards the One Fine Day, dancing
through the alien creatures and killing as many as they could.
KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon!
<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.
Luca remains on the edge of the battle, his three Ghosts picking off Vajra that
near his position. It seems to be going well, until-
That song. That oh-so-familiar song, that every child born on a colony fleet
has heard begins, and every hair on the back of Luca's neck stands up. To make
things worse, the Vajra start moving with renewed vigor, and Luca's alarms go
crazy again - doubly so, now that there's an enemy Fold Wave.
"They're reforming their lines!"
Ranka appears, a ghostly mirage as if to spite humanity for their
transgressions, and Luca starts.
"R-Ranka. . .?"
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage Evade against Rose Tritten's Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon!
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Rose Tritten's Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon, taking 4144 damage! <Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka!
Alto shouts, and one might believe it can reach her on it's own. It has
happened in the past hasn't it? He's felt her, through the earring, and she's
felt him.
Newtype was the word they used, but perhaps it's not quite so simple, perhaps
it's too easy a category, a box you place someone in because you do not fully
understand yourself, or your place in it.
Maybe she understands now.
How do you get to her? How do you reach her? When she feels as colossal as
the sky itself? When she's as ethereal and intangible as a phantasm singing
the song of your defeat?
How?
The traitor sings, no indeed, she must sing.
Sheryl calls to her, she too has felt it, more acutely than most. She's no
Newtype, yet when they sing, it's as if their hearts are aligned, as if they
transcend even the material.
Instead, it's overwhelming, the Despair, the tide of it, steeped in pretty
words of love. The Songstress of Hope was always a title that Ranka was
uncomfortable with, one might as well place quotation marks around it.
What does it mean to be Hope? Is Hope merely a cruel denial of reality? A
reality she's always known, somewhere deep down?
Sheryl pushes, like it's a tug of war between musical passion, but it's not.
It's like the Queen in the Sky does not even notice her. Like she's far too
big to notice her now.
In that much, she's even more human perhaps than before, while also being less
so. What is more human than not noticing the ants upon the path?
Brera seems so small to her now, but he's right there beside her too,
protecting her, as she'd forgotten before. Protecting her now... from...
... from...
Captain Spalding-Monteiro knows the song well of course. All of humanity does,
the meaning so twisted into cruel irony is traumatic enough in and of itself.
The Nazca cannons charge, and fire at a great swarm of Vajra, and as if in
greater mockery, the swarm does not disperse, it joins together.
And she's treated first hand to a sight of the Vajra forming shields of glowing
fold energy, that intercepts the cannon fire. Several are consumed at the
center of the blast.
But much fewer than she would have liked. They rally at the Queen's command.
They are her shield. They defend themselves and each other.
With her singing, they cannot fail. They WILL not fail. Abruptly, the line
parts, and more Mobile, elongated fliers jut in to encircle the Nazca,
bombarding it at close range with Bio-cannon blasts en masse.
And as they do, fold interference floods their instruments, part of that
overwhelming, all-consuming tide of despair from within that song.
Luca is shocked, and even his attempt at coordination falters, right before his
own instruments become overwhelmed by the song, but the radio... he can't
escape it, he can't escape the knowledge that Ranka Lee is singing the song of
their demise.
The Tritten team argues who their favorite is now. It's a valid discussion
given that Ranka Lee is betraying humanity, though as Rose notes, one that
might want to be held later. The aliens give chase in coordinated pursuit,
weaving in and out to break away and avoid their fire, but eventually several
are pinned down, crashing into asteroid like debris.
Right as their instruments begin to spark and sputter into static, the song
growing louder, and louder over the comms.
ibid - Do you Remember Love? (Bless the Little Queen) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-N5M3LpIUE
"Right now, I can feel your gaze,
"Though you're not here with me.
"And in my body a warmth begins to glow.
"Right now, I believe in your love,
"So won't you please,
"Watch over me from so far away?"
With a song of love, she opens her heart, arms outspread as if to reach out to
a violent humanity that would assault them. And the Vajra respond to that
all-encompassing love. Their Queen bids them to vie for peace.
She shall have it.
As one, planetside volleys of bio-beam weapons strobe through the atmosphere in
parallel, firing in continuous. They lance towards the ships of the fleet
like long insectoid pincers and talons.
The latest technology, pinpoint barriers and beam dispersal weapons try to
rally in defense. They were designed to defend against this. However, they
strive in vain, because the beams do not relent. It is not that they fail to
do their job.
It is that the Vajra bombardment does theirs better. The beams do not cease
upon striking home. The barriers do their job, and they survive the energy of
such an intense burst - but it is a continuous stream.
Ships become fireworks, as beams fall like sideways rain. They detonate, as
thousands upon thousands are claimed in retribution for the millions of Vajra
that were lost.
They die, and die to the song of humanity's greatest triumph. That moment of
hope, that turning point in human history when they joined hands with the
Zentradi, and welcomed them into our fold, when we could look towards the
future for something better...
A mockery of everything that Macross stands for.
"Till yesterday it seemed filled only with tears.
"Now the world is..."
The Vajra are breaking through now, the saturated field of beams seems to
always miss them. A Knight Class glides down the center, coming to bear on
Battle Frontier.
And a Hound Vajra suddenly appears out of nowhere, trying to grasp Sushila's
ZAKU between Razor Sharp, Praying Mantis Claws...
... and attempting to crush it from the outside in.
KTS: Ranka Lee targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro with Designate L2! KTS: Ranka Lee targets Rose Tritten with Jam L2! KTS: Ranka Lee has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Kaiju Navi KTS: Ranka Lee has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Kaiju Navi KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Coordinated Encirclement!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro accepts Ranka Lee's Designate L2! KTS: Ranka Lee designates Astarte Spalding-Monteiro, making her easier to target and opening her to indirect fire.
KTS: Best Defense! Astarte Spalding-Monteiro successfully reacts to Ranka Lee's Designate L2, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rose Tritten with Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush! KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro fails to engage guard against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Coordinated Encirclement!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Coordinated Encirclement, taking 4410 damage!
KTS: Rose Tritten accepts Ranka Lee's Jam L2! KTS: Best Defense! Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Ranka Lee's Jam L2, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Rose Tritten fails to engage Guard against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush!
KTS: Critical Hit! Rose Tritten poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush, taking 6480 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.
Astarte's hands clench even tighter as the swarm shakes off the beam, her cane
trembling in her grip and her teeth gritted. She hadn't expected her blood to
boil this much. Ranka's appearance seemed to whisk any chance of victory away
from them in an instant, though she would never say as such in front of the
crew. She tried to push those feelings of hopelessness away, but Ranka's song
pushed right back.
"Why can't she just shut the f--"
She's cut off as the ship shakes once again, causing her to lose her
balance and fall to her knees, Xiao immediately rushing forward to pull her up.
"Captain! Are you hurt?!"
"I'm fine! Don't stop on my part! Start unloading missiles on them!"
As Xiao pulls the captain back into her seat, the ship lets loose another
barrage of missiles.
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with Vertical Launching System Surgical Strike!
KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Kaiju Navi engages block against Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Vertical Launching System Surgical Strike!
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully blocks Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Vertical Launching System Surgical Strike, taking 4440 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Alto's focus continues to degrade as his battle with Brera continues to
go badly for him. The incoming barrage of laser bursts trigger Alto to
instinctively transform his machine once more, switching back into fighter
mode and pushing the throttle hard. He tries to outrun the cyborg's aim, but
his focus is just too scattered.
The rapid fire beams tear into the Sentinel's pinpoint barrier,
weakening it to its lowest levels as what's left of the energy tears into the
quickly failing armor of the prototype unit.
The rising damage doesn't seem to phase Alto though, as the light in
his eyes is beginning to fade.
But even in this state, Brera's words cut through to him so clearly.
Alto freezes for a moment as he repeats, <"Your sister?">
Alto's thoughts briefly drift back to a couple of years ago. The
expedition to Gallia IV. His side trip within the wreckage of the Global. He
recalls the photo he found of a family, of a little girl with familiar green
hair.
And beside her, an older boy...
It can't be true, can it? They never found out the details about what
happened to that boy, caught up in the destruction of the 117th Research
Fleet. Could he have survived all this time?
Ultimately though, it doesn't matter. Even if it's true... <"Why? Why
are you doing this? Why are you making Ranka do this!? She wouldn't want
this!">
Would she? Does Alto have the right to say that? Ranka chose of her own
will to leave them--leave him--and seek out the Vajra... Who is he to think
that this is not what she wants, even as she's singing now to help the Vajra
fight them...
The Sentinel's movements all but stop at this point as Alto's hands
move off the controls to grip at his chest. The pain is overwhelming...
He can't focus...
He can't think...
Sheryl... Ranka...
Alto floats there, helplessly...
-=-=-=-=-
The concentrated Vajra barrage tears through the Frontier Fleet.
Explosions light up the dark of space all around as pinpoint barriers fail to
defend against the power being directed at them. Warships crack in half as the
beams penetrate them, secondary explosions rapidly blooming across their
surfaces before they go up entirely like mini-suns blossoming in the night sky.
Warnings and alarms are sounding through the bridge of the Battle
Frontier as the assault is even able to reach that far. Mishima grips the
armrests of his chair tightly as the ship shakes under the assault. But the
fleet's flagship vessel is able to weather the attacks.
"Over thirty percent of the fleet suffered losses from the barrage!"
"Flagship pinpoint barrier is holding at forty four percent."
"Islands five, nine, ten, thirteen, fifteen and twenty one have
suffered critical damage!"
Mishima is sweating at this point, his eyes glued to the large
holographic tactical display showing the rapidly dwindling numbers of the
fleet.
One of the admirals beside him stammers, "S-Sir! We need to signal a
retreat-"
Mishima quickly cuts him off, "No!"
Another one insists, "Sir! We won't be able to break through at this
point! And Saotome's unit appears to be incapacitated!"
Mishima repeats more insistently, "NO! We're this close!" He looks out
the windows of the bridge, beyond the chaos of the battle in space, to the
shining gem of a planet. His mind races as he tries to think of a solution,
"There has to be another way!"
Another report comes in from one of the bridge operators, "A Knight
class has broken through! It is charging its main cannon. The pinpoint barrier
won't hold against an attack of that magnitude!"
Mishima rises to his feet, a look of horror on his face at the sight of
the large Vajra battleship coming into view.
<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.
Rose's eyes widen in horror as the claws grasp Sushila's ZAKU Gunner, it's head
ripping off and spinning into the cosmos, as it began to latch itself around
the ZAKU's torso and tighten. Rose slammed her thrusters forward, body
checking the monster as Aspyn swung her beam axe into the narrow waist of the
insect, bisecting it and forcing its grip loose.
"Sushila!" Rose called out, grabbing onto the damaged machine of her friend.
"I'm okay!" Sushila replied, after what felt like an eternity. "But I have no
primary camera!"
"Aspyn, cover us, we'll get Sushila back to the One Fine Day!" Rose ordered,
grabbing onto the damaged ZAKU Gunner.
"Just plant me on the Hull, I can use the beam cannon's proper sight to aim!"
Sushila said.
Through the hordes of alien bugs, The trio made their way to the top Hull of
the One Fine Day, planting Sushila next to a disabled turret, her ZAKU
touching down with a metallic thud as the ZAKU's feet magnetized, and the VLS
missiles screamed overhead.
"I like, think we might be doomed." Aspyn said, as she hosed down a passing
Vajra with the Slash Wizard Pack's twin beam rotary guns.
"It's not looking good, no." Rose said, swapping the pan battery of her beam
machine gun.
As more and more swarmed around them, all the trio could do was fire back
again, and again, and again.
KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Overheat! KTS: Kaiju Navi engages evade against Rose Tritten's MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Overheat!
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Rose Tritten's MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifle Overheat, taking 6039 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi has been defeated!
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"The forbidden elixir
"Is a light with soft warmth."
"<That's right. The memories I lost... I finally regained them.>" There
is a fraction of a hesitation there, something Brera can only afford to do
because Alto does the same. His focus splits during it. He regained his
memories. He remembered Ranka, and Aimo, and their mother, and the sins of
their family. Didn't he? Didn't he? Why does it feel like there's something
missing?
Focus.
So he does.
"<I'm not making her do anything. This is the destiny we share as
siblings,>" he insists. "<We were born to do this, to protect the Vajra planet
from invaders!>"
Alto is slowing down. There is a chance there that no one reasonable
would pass up, and Brera has no reason to question it.
"<You people might think of us as the aggressors-->"
The machine guns retract; they're replaced by launchers.
"<--but it was you who invaded our territory to begin with.>"
Alto has stopped entirely. Brera doesn't even need to say anything
more. But he does anyway, because this is the man who has callously hurt his
sister over and over again. Who still hurts her even now. That's more than
enough reason to kill a helpless enemy, surely.
"<Scatter! To the ends of the galaxy!>"
A swarm of micro-missiles erupt from the Lucifer, trailing through the
darkness of space as they zero in, inevitably, inexorably, on the Sentinel.
"Once the science set into motion by love
"has been fully explained and understood,"
Sheryl has only so much attention to spare for Brera's revelations, but
she does hear them--and it does shake her. She'd been certain that the two of
them had known each other in their youth and were bound together in some way,
but she'd always assumed that they were childhood sweethearts. That's her own
biases in play; when she thinks about it, siblings makes so much more
sense.
Hasn't Brera always been protective of Ranka like a brother? Don't they
even look a little alike? Or is that, too, Sheryl's biases--considering that
Brera lost most of his body before he was converted into a cyborg?
She can't afford to lose focus. She must sing. But the power of the
Little Queen is just too enormous, and Fairy-9 was already reaching the ends
of her strength. Her fold quartz earring shines--she feels Alto's despair, she
feels a cavernous nothing from Ranka--but still she raises her bride bouquet,
as if to toss it to the woman she loves, for the man they both love. To break
her from--the Vajra's hold? Is that what's going on here?
"I will cross over the boundary line and overflow
"With melancholy... with melancholy..."
The micro-missiles impact and explode.
The Knight Class breaks through the defensive line and charges its
cannon. But Sheryl barely even registers that. Her gaze snaps over to the
Sentinel as it's wreathed in fire and destruction, all thanks to the attack of
a dear friend she sold her soul to protect--of Brera, who seems to have
betrayed her after all.
All to the tune of--
"ALTOOOOO!!" Sheryl screams, her professional mien finally shattering
as she clutches her hands to her face.
She can't even try to regain her composure. Before she can make any
attempt like that, something bubbles up in her throat and erupts in the form
of a wracking coughing fit. She can't stop it. She doubles over, clutching her
hands to her mouth, but there's no stopping it now.
The world spins around her, and she staggers... and falls.
A cascade of blood stains her lips and pure white dress.
<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.
It's a good question, in a sense. Captain Spalding-Monteiro asks why can't she
shut up.
The answer is not one anyone would like.
Missiles unload, and the Vajra swarm again comes together like a Phalanx in
front of the Nazca class. Several do fall, dying beneath a haze of missiles,
splattering ichor into space.
But far too many still remain.
And as Alto asks more and more why Brera is making Ranka do this, notes that
she wouldn't want this- the words, of the song become so loud.
"Do you remember? The time when our eyes first met?
"Do you remember? The time when our hands first touched?
"That was the very first time I set out on the journey of love.
"I love you so."
Would Ranka really defend the Vajra like this Alto? Well, wouldn't she? She
did stop you from shooting one. For all the times she was scared of them, in
the end... she sided with one, over you.
She sided with Brera, over you.
"Right now, I hear your voice,
"Saying 'Come here to me.'
"Just when it seemed loneliness had beaten me."
The trio fire, and fire again, they drain their beam assault rifles dry taking
out Vajra after Vajra.
And when they're finished.
The Nazca is free of Vajra. It is a spot of safe haven at least, an 'eye' of
the storm in a tempestuous battlefield of absolute chaos. Humanity's effort
to take this place has cost them dearly. Vajra swarm through new debris
fields of fighters and mobile suits and capital ships... and Islands.
The planetside bombardment has abated, as if it needs some time to recharge
after an assault of that magnitude.
But it matters little. For you see.
Just look off to the side, a Knight Class just crashed right through a smaller
vessel, gouging it in half, not even damaged by the act.
And it's coming to bear on the flagship, the Battle Frontier. It's main cannon
is charging, no, every Bio-Cannon is charging.
In that moment, Sheryl is on her knees, blood on her lips in the wake of
feeling that moment of those missiles impacting with Alto's fighter.
"Right now, I see you
"Walking over to me.
"I close my eyes and... wait for you to come."
While earlier she felt so much nothing from her... in that moment where all is
lost Sheryl definitely hears it as she sings 'wait for you to come' as an idol
she has the greatest ear of them all for such things, but it's more that she
feels it now, beneath the surface of that overwhelming nothingness.
Despite the hollow look in her eyes, she's in pain. Overwhelming, all
encompassing pain, from the weight of all of her sins, from the desperate
yearning of a possibility that she knows is lost. The idea that she deserves
any type of love from anyone... gone...
... only a memory.
It's conceivable that Sheryl might have considered she'd die on stage, with a
song in her ears. But did she ever think... it would be this one?
TO BE CONTINUED IN FINAL FRONTIER: CERULEAN SKIES