2025-05-10: Chronos, Master of Time
- Log: 2025-05-10: Chronos, Master of Time
- Cast: Leon Sakaki
- Where: Fold Space
- Date: U.C. 00100 05 10
- Summary: Leon gets an upgrade and some guff from Aisha before the final battle on the Vajra homeworld.
Somewhere in Fold Space. S.M.S. Northampton Class Stealth Frigate Gefion. U.C. 00100, 05 24. Military Standard Time 1100 Hours.
The Gefion, along with the rest of the united breakaway fleet, is mid-Fold to the Vajra homeworld for what seems to be the final battle. Aisha Blanchette and Leon Sakaki stand in the hangar, looking at a suspiciously plane-shaped tarp.
"So, what'd you want to show me?" Leon asks.
"Oh, nothing. Only just…" Aisha yanks the tarp off, dust billowing out as she gives a dramatic reveal.
"My masterpiece!" It's a Variable Fighter - but not like one Leon's ever seen before. Clearly a prototype, its body is half-white and half-grey with red stripes, and a cross-coupled wing with a slightly broken triangular wing - known as a "clipped delta". The rear section where the shield would normally be on a YF-24 derived design has been altered, with some kind of bulkier rectangular block in its place. Fold Quartz is embedded at several points along the body, with the S.M.S. insignia emblazoned proudly on the wing and tails.
"You got your butt handed to you by that new Sentinel the FDF cooked up," Aisha starts, and Leon winces at the reminder. "So I figured you could do with an upgrade, and I luckily happened to have just the prototype for the job. I give you my YF-30 Chronos! Go on, give it a check!"
Leon sits down in the cockpit and places his hands on the controls, marveling. It's a very advanced machine, that's for sure.
"So, does it have any special features?" he asks.
"I'm glad you asked!" Aisha replies, perky. "It's got a Fold Wave system, similar to the one on the YF-29, but it's also got something very special - the Fold Dimension Resonance system! It's designed to punch through Fold Faults - this could revolutionize interstellar travel!" Leon starts fiddling with the cockpit as she continues.
"And that's not all! The Container Weapon system is a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself! The current configuration has a large missile pod, but it can be equipped with electronic warfare systems or beam cannons, the possibilities are really endless! Oh, someday this system will be standardized for Valkyries and the orders will roll in~!" Aisha's basically just talking to herself at this point.
"It's amazing…" Leon says, looking up at Aisha. "So, how many engines does it have?" Aisha sighs.
"Seriously, you're interested in the part that's not even new? Men."
"But seriously, why me? There are plenty of other pilots. You really trust me? It's a big honor…"
"Well, it uses the Brunnhilde AI system, and she's a little picky about who gets to warm her cockpit. Besides…"
"Besides?" Leon questions.
"If there happens to be a totally and completely unforeseen accident and you die screaming as a fireball hurtling to the ground, I can always find a replacement. I can’t take that kind of risk, myself. I'm the designer. If I die, who’ll fix it?"
"Really feeling the love here."
"Oh shush, you'll be fine. You've survived plenty of crashes before, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, get yourself familiarized. We'll be Folding In soon." Aisha leaves to head back to the bridge, and Leon is left alone for a few minutes. He taps a few buttons, and a digital photograph appears in the cockpit of him, a girl with pink hair, and a young boy with stark white hair smiling together - Leon is making a doofy peace sign.
"Mia…" Leon mutters, and then shakes his head. Whatever's ahead, he'll face it, past be damned. With Aisha's new machine, he can do it.
"I'm not losing to you this time, Alto!"