2024-07-13: Sail Away

• Log: 2024-07-13 Sail Away
• Cast: Sheryl Nome, Lucine Azul, Astarte Spalding-Monteiro, Leina Ashta, Rose Tritten, Ruri Hoshino, Kathras Fari, Muginami, Soma Peries, Liam 7-020, Rin Naujakaite, Sagiri Sakurai
• Where: Lagos, Nigeria, West African States Community Union
• OOC - IC Date: July 13, UC 0099 (2024)
• Summary: Sheryl Nome holds a concert at Lagos to kick off a new world tour--but there's something under the water...

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Board 9: IC News/Rumors/Post 1589
Title: NEW SHERYL NOME GLOBAL TOUR!
Poster: Sheryl Nome
Date: Sat, Jul 13

 News breaks on all the major entertainment networks about a concert that intragalactic superstar Sheryl Nome, nicknamed the Galactic Fairy, is holding tonight in Lagos, Nigeria, in the West African States Community Union (WA for short), which is a part of NUNE. Tickets have been on sale for this concert for several weeks, and rumors had abounded that it was meant to open up a new planetary tour of a kind not held since 0096. Today, it's been confirmed: Sheryl Nome will be debuting a new stage that she'll be riding across the world to perform. Several nations both in and out of NUNE have officially agreed to host such concerts, with Nigeria being but the first.
         
 In 0096, when the Galactic Fairy held her first Earth Sphere Global Tour, Lagos was one of the original stops. This time, Sheryl aims to set off from there to perform in all new cities and colonies that she hasn't visited before. After tonight's concert, the locations will be revealed and tickets will go up for sale, with those who've bought stream tickets for tonight's performance getting preference for a chance to see her live.
         
 The new stage itself has not yet been unveiled. News outlets are excited to witness tonight what it'll be, and fans are abuzz with speculation!

---

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Evening falls on Lagos, Nigeria, one of the biggest cities in the West African States Community Union. It's a sleek and modern city with beautiful buildings and, most relevantly, a cultural stadium on the water. Indeed, Lagos is named for "lakes," to reflect all the water that surrounds it, and that's exactly why Sheryl Nome and her crew picked this place for her next concert--to open up talks worldwide about a new Earth Sphere global tour.
        
        Aside from all the waterfront property, including that lavish and famous National Arts Theatre that can turn to open up right on the water thanks to various modernification efforts through the Universal Century, Lagos was actually one of Sheryl's stops in her last global tour. It brought oodles of money into the city, especially with its exceptionally good transportation, so they're only too happy to host the Galactic Fairy again.
        
        Starlight glitters on the water, and on the ships there. Actually, many of them are sailing out of the harbor, though one still remains. There's plenty of time for people to speculate about it as they find their seats. On top of the National Arts Theatre having been modified to be able to turn to face the water, the modernification efforts include an advanced water level management system, built to combat rising water levels as climate change intensified--something that saved the city when Second Impact happened. It isn't in as much use now, being almost wholly automated with only the most incidental human oversight and many tunnels that are outright no longer in use, but it still ensures the views are just right.
        
        There's also plenty of parking, though travel is primarily by maglev train, some of which travel by on the long Eko Bridge that passes right by and through the area. This is for various mobile suits, though, particularly for NUNE pilots here to either play bodyguard or simply enjoy the concert. The National Arts Theatre was originally built to look like a military hat, so there is a pro-military history there which only has increased over the years and as the WA fully embraced being a part of NUNE.
        
        Before long, the seats are filled, and the lights dim. Not just the theatre's lights, but the lights through the entire local area. In that pitch darkness, there is a heady thrum of anticipation. Even as an introduction to an intended new world tour, the Galactic Fairy never goes by halves. What's planned for tonight?
        
        The answer comes as a spear of light rises up through the heavens to the intense strum of an electric guitar, a secondary flash turning towards the top. As it intensifies to the music, it forms a brilliant cross. As the beat drops and drums and violins harmonize, lights flash and sails shimmer down into existence on the ship that had been left behind on the waters.
        
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkgJTgrdKMM (Northern Cross)
        
        They bear at first a golden heart with a single butterfly wing, the mark of the Galactic Fairy; then the silhouette of the Galactic Fairy herself as more and more sails of light shimmer into existence. At a podium that rises up on the massive ship, Sheryl Nome dances, mirrored by six holographic silhouettes of herself draped in light, color, and words.
        
        Sheryl herself is clad in a new outfit. A red ribbon clips into the left side of her head as her voluminous golden hair cascades over her bare shoulders and down her back. A golden choker decorates her neck, several gold and purple bangles decorate her left wrist, a thick ring gleams on her right pinky finger, while her iconic drop earring dangles from her right earlobe. Her make-up is done in pinks and golds, most notably her pink lipstick.
        
        A silky, lacy violet top covers her breasts and not much else, held in place by an abbreviated belted corset. The shortest of magenta jean shorts clings to her hips while red ribbons climb down her long thighs, decorated with a butterfly temporary tattoo on her left, and criss-cross into matching stiletto heels.
        
https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/images/4/4f/Sheryl_s.s.nome.jpg
        
        Sheryl's form now projects fully on the sails, her figure enormous so no one can possibly miss her. As a bell in the song tones, she brings her lips to her golden microphone and sings:
        "I can no longer remember the start of this journey.
        "Before I realized, I was already here.
        "As the seasons wore away,
        "Those who sense the invisible infrared rays become lost."
        
        As the tempo picks up, becoming increasingly more frenetic, Sheryl taps her heel to the beat. She crosses her wrists before fanning a hand across the air over her head. Behind and all around, the sails of light depict furious, passionate Valkyrie space battles, missiles firing and leaving behind trails of smoke before the Variable Fighters lift and race off. At last, as if beseeching the Valkyries themselves, or perhaps the pilots that might exist in the audience, Sheryl stretches out a hand.
        "I will probably lose them,
        "These feelings that I risk my life for.
        "I loved as if I were fighting to survive.
        "I spent all my time building my dream.
        "I wanted to land on that star.
        "I wanted to fly in your sky!"
        
        The sigil of the Galactic Fairy rotates in the featureless faces of Sheryl's back-up hologram dancers. They continue to mimic Sheryl herself as she sweeps her hand around to her chest, slides down her belly onto her hips, and pelvic-thrusts into her own touch. She sweeps from side to side as she swings her hips and gestures to the heavens, until at last she crosses herself several times over.
        "Wouldn't someone please caress my empty contours?
        "Pushed on by the beating in my chest, these words of love rolled out of my mouth.
        "But no one answers them, and I don't know what to do."
        
        Left to right, up to down, left to right, up to down--and then she points high up into the iridescent heavens at (the holograms of) stylized constellations and a single star burning bright. Below, Sheryl spreads her arms wide, making herself into a cross, and strides forward to the edge of her podium with a fearless smile.
        "Chosen by destiny, the Northern Star is burning bright.
        "Though it snatched you away from me into the sooty darkness,
        "You continued to smile so gracefully. I loved that part of you."
        
        As the passionate thrum of Sheryl's song reverberates through the city, though, it's not just those in the audience who hear. Deep in the lost tunnels of the water level management system, those echoes stir the heads of the alien residents that have taken up there. It's not the same as their Little Queen, whom they've tried to rescue so many times to no avail, but there's something... the faintest hint of something... As they look up and around for the source of the sound, countless translucent eggs reflect the red light of their compound eyes like polished gems.
        "If you are gone, then there's no meaning left to life.
        "I don't care if everyone disappeared.
        "If my love is gone, then I have no more use for my heart.
        "This world can just disappear."
        
        In the manager station, where Sheryl's crew monitors everything from the holograms to the sound levels to the mixing to the streaming to the many, many supplemental cameras that record the performance in real time, Grace O'Connor stands as the captain. She watches Sheryl perform with a slight smile on her painted lips. She's been managing Ranka too lately, but she is still primarily Sheryl's manager. When Sheryl came to her several weeks ago and insisted on this plan for a concert, for dozens of concerts in a bid for a new global tour (and thus Grace's attention), after so much time neglected... how could she tell her no?
        "I was always in pain.
        "I would risk my life for that first time we met.
        "I dreamt as if I were struggling to breathe.
        "I reached my hands out blindly.
        "I wanted to listen to your heartbeat.
        "I wanted to build a rainbow with you!"
        
        While outwardly, Grace may seem to exist in the real world, though, all around her there is a visual overlay more intense than any of the Galactic Fairy's holograms. Through it, her allies speak to her. There's no more need for Fairy-9. This concert is a waste of time. It's high time to dispose of her, Colonel, they say. Grace transmits back, The Fairy-9 I raised thrives in despair. All of this was her idea--her stubborn push against getting eclipsed by the Little Queen. Why don't we see one last time just what she's capable of?
        "Wouldn't someone please embrace me tightly with daybreak's sentimentality?
        "Tears of love that scatter as they are repelled by orbits of dreams will do.
        "Their painful flow is just fine for me."
        
        On stage, Sheryl dances on, long legs crossing, arms weaving. The hologram constellations reflect down into the water around her ship, framing her in the light of a galaxy full of stars. As they shine, she arches one arm back, then thrusts a pointing finger out into the audience, as if to indicate to the whole universe who the you she means is.
        "Called back by destiny, the Northern Star is crying.
        "If I have to survive in this labyrinth anyway,
        "I want to die loving you to my last breath!!"
        
        Blue flames light up around the ship in concentric circular waves, dim and heatless but dancing on the ripples of the water all the same. Sheryl seems to vanish from the podium, appearing the next moment at the captain's wheel. A white jacket lined in red shimmers onto her shoulders as if to underscore her position, and while she holds the wheel steady, the ship itself begins to turn, rings of golden light forming in its wake from the bow. Fireworks explode overhead as Sheryl sweeps the captain's wheel into a spin. Her six hologram doubles still dance overhead, until one falls, a shining bungee cord connected to her ankle--until the illusion suddenly tears away, and the real Sheryl is revealed, landing light on her hands and feet.
        "And it will begin,
        "The finale I will risk my life for.
        "I loved as if I were fighting to survive.
        "I kicked on dreams until they were crumpled.
        "I wanted to end on that star.
        "I wanted to bloom in your sky!"
        
        Rising from a sprinter's stance, Sheryl races through the machinery of the ship, up the pointed bow, as those rings of golden light pulse all around her and her ship. It's a long runway, but she doesn't hesitate and her song doesn't falter, until she reaches the end, stopping on a dime with her heel on the very edge.
        "Wouldn't someone please caress my empty contours?
        "The motions of time have erased away
        "The words of love that could not be saved.
        "So please, give me your answer one more time!"
        
        Once again, Sheryl crosses her body with one hand, left to right, up to down, before pointing up and swaying her hand as if to grasp something out there in the universe. Those in the audience are close--so close, only a few meters below her now--and they can see afterimages of her dance project not just on the sails of light but in the air around her. Sheryl reaches out and points to the beat, once, twice, thrice, into the audience, and grabs her jacket to hurl it into the air. It rises up with a dramatic flap and explodes into a spiral galaxy of light, reaching out in all directions to encompass Sheryl and all of her beloved fans.
        "Chosen by destiny, the Northern Star is burning bright.
        "Though it snatched you away from me into the sooty darkness,
        "You continued to smile so gracefully. I loved that part of you."
        
        As she brings her hand down to once again reach out to those who love her, Sheryl smiles with both passion and gentleness. The sails of light fade out rapidly as her arm sinks, but the images of the constellations above--and the Northern Star that burns there--still shine on, until the music reaches its end.
        "Though it snatched you away from me into the sooty darkness,
        "You continued to smile so gracefully. I loved that part of you."

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Humming idly as she examines the metal flower pins in the bathroom aboard the Nadesico, Lucine tucks in some strands of hair into her crown braid, feeling ready to board the shuttle. This time, instead of going purely as a fan, she's going as... semi-security! Underneath that faux fur-lined jacket and pants is her flight suit.... just in case. The geometric design over her chest gives that part away, but, most likely, it may not even be a factor.

         After all, who'd attack a Sheryl Nome concert? With Variable Fighters swooping in the sky as callbacks to cultural events in recent history, and NUNE pilots aplenty on top of allied organizations, it would be unwise.

        -Unless--

        ... No.

        The ghosts of Lucine's anxiety fail to get their grip on her. Stepping off the shuttle and sliding her way into the crowd, she sees, and senses, many familiar faces. Sensing one presence in particular, she moves towards it, a widening, enthusiastic smile on her lips.

        It's time for the Galactic Fairy to sing again, and Lucine is ready for it.

<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.

         In the skies above Lagos, the good ship 'One Fine Day' hovers, keeping a vigil over the area. And on the bridge of the 'One Fine Day,' a young woman paces from side to side, watched by the older woman in the captain's chair as the audio from the concert pipes in from one of the consoles.

         "Juno, settle down please. You're giving me anxiety." Captain Astarte Spalding-Monteiro leans back in her seat, letting out a weary sigh.

         "I'm not cut out for... standing still like this, Captain. We should be acting proactively!" XO Juno Xiao lets out her own frustrated sigh, returning to her own chair next to Captain Spalding's.

         "It's security detail, XO Xiao. Ninety percent of the job is sitting around and waiting. If you'd like, I can call for a status report. But I'll bet you a soda that all systems will be green," Astarte bites her bottom lip for a second as she thinks, drumming her fingers against the arm of her chair. "But I think we'll probably need to refuel before our next assignment."

         "...Very well. It's at least something."

         The captain presses a button on her side console, addressing the ship through comms. "All sectors, status report, please."

         "Comms are green."

         "Radar is green."

         "Weapons are green."

         "Hangar is green."

         "Engines are green."

         A second passes.

         "We might be running a bit low on fuel after tonight, though. Recommend a fill up after tonight."

         Astarte gives a casual shrug in Juno's direction. "Cherry cola, zero sugar. Doctor told me to watch my blood pressure."

         Juno lets out a grunt, simultaneously annoyed and impressed, and goes back to her screens, finally seeming to have settled down. Astarte closes her eyes, listening to Sheryl through the speakers. It wasn't particularly her style of music, though she saw the appeal, and what was essentially free concert tickets would certainly be good for ship morale. Some of the younger crewmen were fans of Sheryl, she had noticed.

         "Anyway, you'll learn in time that soldiers work for the sake of quiet nights like this. Savor them, cherish them. This is what you fight for. That goes for all of you."

         "Aye aye, ma'am!" The bridge rings out in response.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Hey Ashta. I know you've got leave but, can I ask you to pick up a shift for me?" Amar Rai, a member of Leina's squad in Cathedra asked by facetime, as Leina groaned and rubbed her eyes, "You only ask when it's posting up for Garrison duty."

"It's not like that. Well- it is like that." He corrected, as Leina glared at him, "Look it's just - I've got a date, and it's the only day she's off, I can't be in Nigeria." At that one, she groans, "Nigeria...? That's a long trip for 'a' shift."

It's then that she noticed he was trying to hide a smile, and her expression changed into giving him a searching look, "What are you not telling me?" "Well it's security work- for- the Sheryl Nome concert in Lagos-"

And that's when Leina Ashta pulled the phone away from her face to try and muffle a squeal, before coming back trying to appear entirely straight faced, but a smile tugging on her features, "Okay, sure. I'll do it." He grinned at her, "You realize you're like - five... six years too old to be squealing like that."

"Shove it. It's Sheryl Nome. I'll make whatever noises I damn well please."

-=-=-

Her MS was in a container waiting in a local LZ that'd been setup for this, without proper hangars, waiting just in case, but she didn't really expect to use it. Mostly she'd stationed up at an overflow entrance just to make certain the ticket check went smoothly.

There's a bin full of confiscated items too, mostly laser pointers, fireworks, an airhorn... but also a few knives, and a tiny drone someone tried to smuggle in? Their only gun of the night wasn't here, and that person wasn't let off so easy as a confiscation.

Local police took that one off after they held him for a while, waiting for them to arrive. Now the overflow entrances had been closed and she'd been released to standby only.

"Feels weird being here like this. Different." Leina murmured to herself, as she stationed up near one of the security control booths... it's a little more uncomfortable playing security on foot. It makes her feel like...

... like...

The concert starts, and she smiles despite herself, listening to the opening for Northern Cross, as she grins to herself like a fool, her eyes out over the bay as the ship stage.

"I can no longer remember the start of the journey~"

It's not like being here as just any other fan, but it's Sheryl Nome, and she couldn't be happier about that, as she watches the routine weave in and out with the colorful imagery through the ship's machinery.

Besides maybe it's a little unprofessional to be watching it so intently but - it's not like anyone's noticing her while she's just on standby right?

<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.

High in orbit, in formation with the One Fine Day, The Nazca-Class destroyer Eco, the ZAFT contribution to the 1st Expeditionary Fleet of the Space Assembly League, sat patrolling above Lagos. The ship had been tasked as part of an orbital QRF to provide security for Sheryls concert, and as part of this, the ship had been fitted with a descent capsule underneath it, an unusual addition for the Nazca-Class. Within the capsule, sat three ZAKU Warriors, each outfitted with their pilots preference of Wizard Pack, awaiting the order to stand down.

In the cockpit of her ZGMG-1000/M Blaze ZAKU Warrior, Rose Tritten, ZAFT Red Uniform, sat, her helmet drifting in zero-gravity above her, her eyes locked onto a particularly smutty novella on her tablet, her favourite vice. The ship had been kind enough to pump in the Sheryl Nome concert over the audio and video systems, so while her display wasnt focused on it, the striking beat of Northern Cross pumped in over the comms, her foot tapping to the beat. In the top two mini-displays, she could see the faces of her two compatriots. On the left, she could see Sushila Matthews was sipping on one of the drink tubes they had been given in her A1 Gunner ZAKU, while on the right, in her K Slash ZAKU Aspyn Strom was shaking her arms and head as though she was at the concert herself...which to be fair, she was supposed to be, before their leave was cancelled specifically to provide a QRF for the concert.

"What's today's flavor, Sushila?" Rose asked, looking up at the display.
"Mango...Persimmon." Sushila said, popping the tube out of her mouth to read the label. "Allegedly."
"Oh no, not good?" Rose smiled, already knowing the answer.
"It tastes like I guzzled one of Aspyn's shampoo bottles."

Rose looked up at Aspyn, silently screaming her lungs out to Northern Cross.

"Looks like Aspyn didn't miss the concert after all." Rose said, turning back to her ebook.
"Yeah, thank science for mute buttons."
"Hush, you."

For now, it was time to just sit back and enjoy the concert.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        There are more security checks, for the Nadesico to enter NUNE space -- but it's hardly impossible. They're not enemies, after all. That grand ship still hangs in the air, because it's their shuttle, the Hinagiku, which has come down to find some of that generous parking-space.

        Amongst all the Nadesicrew here today, Minato is down here, and so is Ruri; they're both clad in Sheryl Nome branded t-shirts, and Minato, at least, has big loop heart earrings to complete the look.

        They're invested in the songs, of course -- Ruri, in particular, looking up to Sheryl in the crowd. She grew up with this music; she even had a few arguments with Goat Hoary about whether she should be listening to it, at her age.

        (For those keeping track at home, this is one of the most normal things which has happened to Ruri growing up. Having a university-level education and not remembering where she got it? That's pretty weird. Starting to work on a battleship when she was eleven years old? Pretty weird. Her workplace bought her from the people who raised her? Apparently that's human trafficking, super weird. But arguing with a Dad Figure because she's listening to music which he thinks isn't appropriate for her age? No, that's completely, 100% normal teenage development.)

        Ruri waves her glow-stick, a lovely pale blue, as she cheers her friend on.

<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.

Up in the sky, away from the concert venue but not too far away, the Aion is on guard duty. Oh, Sheryl Nome has her own security, but given the dangerous times, it's all the more important to protect the joy of NUNE's people by protecting those who bring it.

...If it happens to distract from certain recent incidents, all the better.

But not everyone aboard is concerned with such schemes. Kathas Fari is dwelling on the political implications and on an upcoming interview, but his crew on the bridge is able to do their work in peace...

And while enjoying the coming concert on the main viewscreen! At first, it's just screen of the beautiful venue. Not all of them are all that interested, but most are happy to have the famous idol on their screens. It's mostly Jayaissa, a green-haired woman at the helm, who thinks she's too cool for idols. Counterpoint:

Lanra Gavarre sits in the chair next to Kathras Fari, her Captain. It was hher auspices that led to the show being on their monitors. "...See, Captain?" she says. "She's very talented. I'm sure you'll like her music."

"Her songs always put me in... a good mood."

She is more cheerful than usual, for some reason. It has nothing to do with the fact that she's wearing her skirt an inch or two higher than usual for when she walks around the bridge today.

Jakallo says, "Heh. I'm sure. A very 'good mood'." He's at the weapons terminal, overseeing a number of junior crew.

Gavarre frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing..."

But then...

A spear of light. The concert begins, and it is beautifull. Kathras does watch the screen when Sheryl starts to sing. ...He notices the rapt attention with which his XO watches, too.

"...Do you llke moves like hers?" Gavarre wonders of the Captain. "She's so graceful..."

Fari considers. "She's quite good," he says first, as he wathes her race through a 'ship', as the lights depict furious battles. "There's something... not quite nostalgic, in her voice," he decies. "But..."

"I like a hard-working woman," Kathras says.

"Shhh!" Jayaissa says. "...I mean--she's not bad. I want to hear a little more. that's all."

Zhukov, big and friendly, turns up the volume.

<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.

        In the harbors of Lagos, an unassuming transport ship sits and waits. Its official purpose: sale of a shipment of refrigerated goods. Its true purpose: ambush of a supply ship rumored to be trading with Posaydal's allies in the Earth Sphere.

        Muginami's official purpose for bringing it here - wanting to prove she's capable of a more dangerous option. But her true purpose is that this operation just happened to coincide with a Sheryl Nome concert, and she knew she had to line this up.

        The vehicle Muginami takes to get here certainly turns heads. A strange hoverbike of unusual make - not exactly unknown here on Earth, but certainly not standard. A few people take pictures of the Flosser in the parking lot...

        But Muginami, wearing a tied-at-the-waist pink Sheryl-supporter shirt, a similar-branded cap, and big round sunglasses, is intent on being early into the stands.

        ...It's not just that Muginami is a fan of Sheryl's. ...But it's also that she's worried about the idol. Hearing her come down with an ailment that Muginami chalked up to overworking herself...The whole time, Muginami keeps just as much on alert to watch for signs of Sheryl's well-being.

        Not that you'd know it looking at her. Those big wide eyes and that permanent smile impart that perfectly dopey warm look. She looks for all the world like a doe-eyed fangirl.

        ...when Northern Cross starts, Muginami extra looks like that, because she's a sniffly mess halfway through the first chorus, tears trailing down her cheek. In a crowd this big, the audience is a storm of noise between songs. But if you're near Muginami, her hands cupped around her mouth, there's a particularly loud, "DON'T LOSE YOUR SMILE, SHERYYYYYYLLLL!!!" poured from her heart.

<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.

        Things are relatively quiet aboard the Agammemnon-class Carrier 'Aion' as it hovers in the air near the concert. Guard duty isn't exactly a high energy job. Of course, it's still only as quiet as one would expect for a standard work 'day' aboard a military ship.

        However, some of the halls are a bit more upbeat than usual as song echoes through them. And not just those corridors leading to the ship's bridge...

        'If you are gone, then there's no meaning left to life.'
        'I don't care if everyone disappeared.'

        The source of the song can be tracked back to the pilots' standby lounge, where on one wall a large screen displays the live feed from the concert.

        'If my love is gone, then I have no more use for my heart.'
        'This world can just disappear.'

        Crowding the screen, some standing, others seated on couches, are a number of pilots. They're all enraptured by the song, bobbing their heads along, tapping their feet to the rhythm. They're also talking amongst themselves.

        "Damn, I wish we'd been assigned to guard duty. This would be a lot cooler through the cameras of my Jinx."
        "We're a rapid RESPONSE team. The regular squads are the ones that get guard duty."
        "Man, is it just me or is Sheryl's singing getting better?"
        "If anything it's getting worse."
        "Says the Ranka Lee fan!"
        "Didn't you see the sales numbers? It's pretty clear which one is on the rise and which one is heading out!"
        "Numbers aren't everything! It's all about the feeling of their music."
        "Ranka has that cutesy style to her, it's adorable!"
        "Sheryl is definitely the better singer. She has the experience by far and the body to boot."
        "Ranka has her enthusiasm and innocence of a rising star!"
        "You can feel Sheryl's emotions through her song far more. You can tell she's actually singing from the heart."
        "I'm more of a Lacus Clyne fan myself..."
        "Bah, what would you know."
        "Yeah! You're hopeless."

        Seated at a table at the other end of the room, Soma takes a moment from reading a report on her tablet to close her eyes and sigh in dismay at the sound of grown men and women arguing over idols. Apparently one hears her though...

        "What about you Lieutenant? Which one's music do you prefer?"

        Soma moves a finger to rub her temple, replying, "I don't really listen to music." She would have left the lounge long ago if she didn't have to be here with her squad on standby. She definitely has no desire to insert herself into that discussion.

        I'm more partial to Miss Lee, myself...
        Don't you start too!
        You need to relax more. It's probably why you keep getting headaches.
        No, that's definitely your fault.
        Come on, listen to the song for a bit. It might help!

        Soma sighs again at the nagging from her other self. If she doesn't at least try, she suspects she'll keep hearing about it. So Soma puts her tablet down on the table and leans back in her chair, listening...

        'Wouldn't someone please caress my empty contours?'
        'The motions of time have erased away the words of love that could not be saved.'

        Still don't get it.
        You're no fun.
        Good.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        It feels... strange, to see one of Sheryl's concerts so militarized. She loves her VF imagery, but it's different when there are battleships in the air, and Mobile Suits waiting in the wings. Sure, they're there to step in if the unthinkable happens, but it's still a military presence at a civilian event. Additional security, but also additional possible danger. At least, Liam thinks--as he takes his seat on the far end of the aisle--he got free tickets.

        The cyborg taps the mic at his shoulder, and angles his head towards it. "In position," he says, to alert the rest of the local NERV response team. "Aises are clear."

        "We've got your machine waiting if you need it," says Shigeru Aoba. "Enjoy the show, you lucky bastard. Have a care for those of us babysitting the monitors."

        "I will," Liam says. He can't quite feel like he's the lucky one, here. The house lights turn on, and the show starts in earnest. Liam glances at the couple seated to his right, and manages a faint smile as they start cheering. He joins in the applause as Sheryl makes her grand entrance, but again, he feels like something's lacking. He's happy for them, but at the same time, he's got his flightsuit on under his jacket, and he is part of that 'what-if?' response.

        He misses Lucine.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

It's an interesting thing to see - or at least HEAR - Sheryl in your ear bud, but that is what is happening to Rin Mei Naujakaite.

She is currently seated in a Gespenst II-R with VTX livery; she is relaxed, she has the AC on, and of course she's listening to one of her favorite musicians. One she could even call a personal friend.

Why isn't Rin out there in the crowd supporting Sheryl!? Is she a fair weather friend?! Maybe. (No.) But there are only so many people who can go out there and engage in 'direct patrol' of a concert crowd. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for another friend - but whom? a mystery - is NOT be there.

"Feed check, VTX-4.2, do we detect any anomalies?"

VTX-4.2 -- aka, SCORN, one of the aerial units currently in the air, if in this case significantly off to the 'side' of the arena -- sends in reports. Everything is green; a 'caution' check from three minutes ago from a roadside vehicle has now been cancelled, as it turned out to be a standard traffic incident, possibly caused by the start of the light show.

"No threats on visual scan at this time," Rin reports. Then she says, "I guess it's a little hard to say it about a song this recent, but I think this one's gonna be a classic. Copy that, Carriax?"

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

"Copy that! I hear you loud and clear, my precious part-timer!"

There's a shuttle in the skies over Lagos.

The Carriax isn't particularly large by ship standards; it's certainly dwarfed by the presence of the Nadesico or the Aion at -least-. But it is no less at the ready than any of the other ships here that are otherwise present serving as delivery services -- or, more critically, security.

It's the job that Special Section 3 has agreed to take up on behalf of Cathedra, anyway; it's both a show of good faith, and an opportunity to network, both of which happen to be VTX virtues.

It's like Corporate Philosophy #19 says: Seek the protection of large corporations!

...

Well, it's mostly applicable here!

Anyway, this is what sees Sagiri Sakurai, Special Section 3 manager, on overwatch duty. Sitting backwards in one of the Carriax bridge's swiveling navigation seats, the chestnut-haired test pilot of VTX is currently using said swiveling chair's state of the art swivel functions to aimlessly swivel back and forth in slow, lazy circles, forearms slumped over the back and chin rested on wrists as she watches glimpses of Sheryl's concert with every full, slothful orbit.

"How's it looking, Sakurai?" calls a familiar, calm voice from behind her as she completes her latest rotation.

"Miss Galactic Fairy's one whole hell of a lot bolder than me, that's for sure--" begins Sagiri's assessment before, realizing that's -not- what she's being asked, blinks. "I mean, all clear so far! Hey, Chief!"

With this cheery declaration, a one hundred and eighty spin sends Sagiri facing the familiar faces entering the Carriax bridge: Hirosuke Amasaki, smiling and calm as ever, simply shakes his head at Sagiri's response in that 'classic Sakurai' sort of way.

Meryl and Amies, flanking Hirosuke, just look at Sagiri with stares that are either baleful or dismissive, depending on your point of view.

"The audacity of you commenting on anyone else's sense of shame, ma'am."

"Hey! I didn't say it was a bad thing!"

"The audacity of you completely missing Amies' point, ma'am."

"Eugh. I'm not gonna win this one, am I?"

"Haha. No."

Sagiri sighs long-sufferingly. And then, pastel green eyes shutter out a blink.

"Hey, where's Rami?"

"Oh, I gave her special dispensation for audience patrol."

"Audience... patrol...? -- Aha, I see!"

~$~

RAMI AMASAKI, firmly planted in the middle of the bustling audience, diligently watches the concert with eyes as wide as saucers and full of all the twinkling stars in the cosmos.

"WOO! GALACTIC FAIRY!!"

It's frankly shocking how such a tiny frame can put out such loud volumes when properly motivated.

~$~

"Hah. Good. She deserves it."

Sagiri's spinning pauses. Her brows furrow as she watches the concert for a few, silent moments.

"... Y'know..." she ventures, slowly. "We've been making nice with a lot of big name celebrities lately. This is a favor for Miss Galactic Fairy and for Cathedra, but I bet we could make some good money if we loaned out Special Section 3 to private security at events like these. AND it'd help push the Tyranado's brand--!"

"VTX strictly prohibits taking jobs outside of the Union, Sakurai."

Sagiri's answer to Hirosuke's very reasonable reality check is to stick her tongue out at him.

"Blegh. I knooooooooowwwwwwww," she says, protracting that single syllable to encompass the entirety of her next spin. "I was just joking anyway. (mostly)"

Meryl and Amies share a look.

"(She wasn't joking, was she?)"

"(She was not even remotely joking.)"

"Y'know, if you're gonna do a whisper campaign against someone, you could at least have the decency to whisper a little more quietly."

And so it goes.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        The roaring applause of the audience in the National Arts Theatre eventually dies down; the spotlights of the S.S. Nome shine in on Sheryl, still standing on the tip of its bow above her fans. The blue of Ruri's glow-stick is lost in the crowd, as are Rami and Muginami's shouts of support, but they are all part of a collective that pounds through the body and lights up the night all the same. Shining above, Sheryl looks as well as always--no, maybe even better than ever.
        
        She raises her golden microphone to her lips as she smiles brilliantly out at the stadium crowds. "Welcome to Sheryl on stage, live in Lagos! Are you all deculturing?!" Sheryl brings fingertips to her lips and blows a kiss to the crowds--quite literally, as a holographic pink heart erupts from her hand, twirls in midair, and then breaks into millions of tiny hearts that shower down on everyone. "We're opening up hot from the S.S. Nome, and we'll keep getting hotter as we sail from here all across the world on tour--but while we're right on the water, why don't you all cool down a moment with me?"
        
        She half-turns away with a coquettish smile and wink, one finger pressed to her pursed lips. Then she glides down the bow as light and color flap into existence around her, forming the train of a pale blue long coat, set over a matching dress that folds over her chest and hugs the top of her thighs. Her blonde hair too shifts blue as the light softens and a familiar piano tune begins to echo through the area.
        
        "Woah woah woah... yeah... ooh..." Sheryl croons as she strolls back to deck, hair and drape billowing out in her wake. The S.S. Nome's sails of light reform, fading in with images of trails of stardust traveling through the galaxy. Sheryl turns, blue eyes wistful, as she raises a beseeching hand.
        "Dear Lord in Heaven,
        "Back when I was deep in love with you,
        "There was not a moment when
        "I imagined such a parting would tear us in two... ooh ooh woo..."
        
        Within the underground waterways, the massive insectile aliens rise up at last. Despite their size, their speed as they fly out and towards the city stage is terrifying. That sound isn't the same as the Little Queen, but it's similar--similar enough for their Demi-Queen, far away on the other side of their fold communication pathways, to want to investigate.
        "If we were fated
        "To never touch each other again
        "Then at least, before I wept,
        "I wanted you to hold me tight and forget for then
        "Our long, long good-bye..."
        
        The lights soften as they rise in a column around Sheryl. Just as she starts to sing the next verse, though, the ground and the lake ERUPT with Vajra, bursting up in sprays of water and metal. These particular Vajra are called fliers--visually akin to car-sized orange-maroon locusts with bio-cannons mounted on their backs, they're relatively weak but still formidable members of the alien race. And, like locusts, there is an absolute swarm of them. As they emerge in what might feel like an unending stream, they fly up and around the National Arts Theatre, buzzing in the air as they search for--something.
        
        They aren't gentle about it. They land on cars, mobile suits, and maglev trains alike, uncaring in what they smash, batter, and destroy. That includes any living organisms. They don't actively attack any humans yet, but they don't pay any mind to where their feet land, either.
        
        It's instant chaos, and a complete and thorough interruption. The waves batter against the S.S. Nome's hull, sending it dangerously teetering. Sheryl instinctively grabs the railing around the platform she'd just reached for her performance to keep from falling over, breaking off her vocals. The music cuts the next instant as screams rise up all over the amphitheatre, including from Sheryl's crew. Fortunately, local evacuation procedures are on point. Defenders and people who were licensed to arrive in mobile suits are given evacuation priority so they can get to their units and protect everyone else while they're guided to safety by local defense.
        
        Sheryl herself stares with wide, shocked eyes at the abrupt incursion. "The Vajra...?! How?!"

KTS: Kaiju_Navi has deployed as a Boss for 11 opponents.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina joins in the applause at the end of the first number, even if she's not cheering as loud, she's still clapping. "Sure am." She grins, replying to Sheryl's words, as she invites them all to cool down with her.

"Really would be nice if I could just... be here with Kikka..." She murmurs to herself, as her eyes slide down lower. Her last concert she was here with...

... don't think about it.

The song unfortunately forces the issue, as her eyes shut for a moment. "Damnit." However, it bolts across the senses in an instant, white hot, as she looks up, alarmed, gaze sharpening, "...You're kidding me." While she'd never fought Vajra, she'd seen them in the news, been briefed on them with Shuffle - and Cathedra later.

Drawing her pistol, she breaks into a run towards the emergency exit, hitting the door running, as she leaps over the rail to the flight below, before continuing to run. Suddenly glad she memorized the floor plan, she hits the bar to the door almost full tilt as she hits her comms.

"Control! Start the process of opening up my container! I need it ready to go for quick start up." Feeling herself go breathless anyway running in gravity, she murmurs through the chaos, "Damnit, haven't been exercising Earthside enough lately."

Still, the priority evac serves her well, because it's not long before she's rising up the lift into her Beguir, taking only just enough time to strap in and flip the switches on the consoles for the startup.

"<Black Lioness, taking off. VTX you're here as our eyes in the sky tonight right? Talk to me, do we have any civilians cut off or taking fire?>"

Which is when a Vajra lands to tear apart a still unmoving Zowort nearby, suddenly taking off, she leaps away from the LZ and the arena, pivoting in mid-air as she reverses thrusters, the Beguir drawing up her Beam Rifle to spray it with burst fire all along it's flank, before leaping off.

Trying her best to lead it away from any of the evacuation points, towards the bay. "Why a concert!?" Leina gawks, noting that the rest of the Lagos skyline seems clear in comparison, "Don't these things mainly hit the fleets?"

She'll have to think about the why later, for now it's just trying to see how many lives she can help save here.

KTS: Leina Ashta targets Kaiju Navi with Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Assault Burst!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Assault Burst!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi moderately reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Assault Burst, taking 1980 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.

Up on the bridge of the Eco, an alert began to flash on the communication operators panel.

Maam! The concerts just sent up an alert! Theyre requesting the QRF! The operator turned to the Captain, sitting in her command chair.
Set the ship to Condition Red! Alert the QRF and have them launch immediately! Deploy the Craz team for security around the ship! The Captain ordered.

The lights aboard the Eco changed to alert Red, and within the cockpits of the ZAKU Warriors the concert audio and video cut out, and the cockpit lights turned red.

QRF! Emergency deploy in sixty seconds! The comms operators voice came over the intercom. Rose quickly jammed her tablet into a secure side pocket, reached up and stuck her floating helmet back on, securing its neck seal. By the time she was pressing the switch to slide the visor down, she could see Sushila and Aspyn were helmeted up and ready to go.

Thirty seconds to launch!

"Tritten Team is Green to deploy!"

the Eco rotated into launch position as the timer on Roses display counted down to zero. As soon as it did, there was a tremendous bang as she was forced back into her seat, the drop pod blasting away from the ship towards the ground. The map indicated they would rocket in over the city, deploying over water, just off the coast. ETA, five minutes. Rose gripped her shoulder restraints per the simulator. It was her first orbital drop, not that ZAFT was regularly doing them anymore. The timer counted down rapidly, as glowing plasma lit up the night sky. Anyone happening to look overhead would have seen what looked like a meteor burning overhead, heading towards the coast.

"Pixie One checking in!" Rose said over the comms as she grabbed her control sticks.
"Pixie Two, ready to kick butt!" Aspyn called out, clearly irked her concert had been interrupted, again.
"Pixie Three ready." Sushila said, far more calmly.

Over the city, the drag chute deployed, rapidly slowing the pods descent, until they reached their drop location. The pod burst open, and through her HUD, Rose could see the glittering night seas of the Atlantic Ocean. The thrusters on the three ZAKU Warriors ignited as they broke away, quickly entering a three point formation, Rose in the center.

"Lagos control this is Sierra Alpha Lima - Quark Romeo Foxtrot One, we'll be over the city in two minutes, ready for tasking!" Rose said over the combat response channel.

Vajra have jumped out of the water near the concert! Theyre swarming the city! Came the panicked response.

"Did he say the Vajra?" Sushila cut in."On Earth?"
"Figures those gross nasty bugs would try and ruin Sheryl's concert! Let's smash 'em!"
"Roger that, we're engaging!"

The trio screamed in over the beachside and past the ship.

"Sushila, find a good field of fire for your Orthros, but be careful, there are a lot of civilians and buildings and we don't need anyone getting microwaved!" Rose ordered.
"Understood." Sushila replied, touching down on a remote controlled fireworks barge in the harbour, the entire planned segment going up in a single crackling bang under her ZAKU as she unfolded the large beam cannon and started scanning for targets.
"Aspyn, let's start funnelling them into a good position for her!"
"On you like frosting on poptarts!"

<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.

         "Captain! Hostiles spotted!" The One Fine Day's radar technician shouts above the blaring of their instruments. "It's the Vajra!" Astarte grits her teeth as the crew scrambles into battle mode. So much for quiet nights like this.

         She stands up and opens the ships intercoms, her face sharpening as she locks in. "Man all stations! Pilots, get to the hangar and get out there! Focus on protecting the people on the ground, we'll take care of the swarm up here in the air. XO Xiao, get a line in with the Eco!"

         "Roger, captain!"

         Astarte looks out from the bridge viewport, assessing the situation. "Coming from the lake... probably rooting around underground..." Her first instinct was that their entry point needed to be neutralized if they had any chance to stop this, but unless anyone on the ship had a big bucket, they probably couldn't go below the lake themselves. Fine then, second priority, take out the ones in the air before they can wreak havoc on the ground.

         "Gunnery, focus on anti-air! Get those bugs before they can get down!" The ship's on-board turrets raise up to life, firing off a barrage of shots in all directions.

KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with 58mm CIWS Anti-Air Burst!

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        Ruri cries, to Sheryl's question: "Deculture...!!"

        With two whole exclamation marks, though, being fair, the crowd is quite loud.

        But, that long good-bye... it's a 'hello,' too. A hello to --

        Beside Minato, Ruri goes dead silent as the fliers crash out. Minato screams, wrapping her arms about her younger coworker to protect her from the debris, but Ruri's gasp just lodges in her throat.

        "Vajra," Ruri says, hushed. "The Nadesico..."

        Don't make her finish her sentence; it's clear they have to get back there. Ruri and Minato start rushing back towards the Hinagiku, collecting Lucine and anyone else they might need to grab along the way -- and once they've loaded up all the Nadesicrew on the ground, Minato flies them back up to the warship, where their XO Jun Aoi is already starting to arrange their defences.

        "Took you long enough!" Erina Kinjo Won, their other helmswoman, snaps from the controls. "The Vajra are attacking! Hurry up!"

        Ruri steps quickly into her own station, sitting down at the operator's controls. "Reporting for duty," she says, mildly, the lack of expression on her face not betraying the hammering of her heart at all.

        "Ruri, send our information to the other ships," Jun says, his face tight. (Is Yurika still down there, or is she just distracted, somewhere else? The world may never know.) "The 'One Fine Day', the 'Aion', and the 'Carriax'. They'll be able to distribute what we have on targeting Vajra to their pilots."

        "Now relaying information," Ruri confirms, as she opens up communications to each of the ships -- full of data the Nadesico has collected on fighting the Vajra, to help their pilots target them more effectively.

<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.

        A Sheryl concert is truly a place that sucks you deep into its thralls. So mesmerizing and full of shock and awe that something like an eruption of Vajra may feel like part of the show.

        The second they do, though, the imminent discord and panic feels like it's hit Muginami like a momentary omen. (There's the faintest twinge at her stomach...ever since that day she slipped aboard Pharos...)

        Bolting up from her seat, Muginami's eyes laser focus on escape routes she planned. It's what she does in any unfamiliar grounds. People are naturally going to rush for the 'nearest' obvious exit, but there's a few less obvious shortcuts Muginami sorted out. She's just about to make a break for it...

        When she notices, nearby, the oh so innocent visage of Rami Amasaki, seeming without a route of her own, and the peach haired girl offers a hand. "...You-! Hold onto me tight, I know a faster way out of here!"

        ...Holding on entails Muginami hoisting Rami piggyback-style, shockingly capable of carrying a whole other person while making a run for it. (She's done this before.) First it's a mad dash through the stadium's back-routes and under-levels - then it's setting Rami on the back of her Flosser, and then it's a wild high speed chase across the Eko Bridge, dodging the footfalls of Vajra with reckless hover-drifts and leaps up into the air. At one point, Muginami's hat goes flying off from the turbulence - her own arm fails to reach up and grab it, but there's more pressing concerns at hand.

        After skidding to a halt in the harbor, Muginami drops Rami off in front of the unassuming, somewhat rusty cargo ship, and breathlessly assures her, "There should be plenty of radio equipment to get in touch with whoever you need, and there's a turret that'll unfold in the back if you need to shoot some of them off, just press that big red button down by your knee! Mou, if you HAVE TO, you can-" Muginami rummages around in her purse, and tosses Rami the startup keys to the boat, conceding that something like this might be necessary. "I am gonna be back for this ship, though! It's a loaner if you need to go somewhere with it!"

        One final dashing leap over the prow of the boat's cargo hold later, and Muginami sets the Flosser to dock with the cockpit of what truly lies within - a Heavy Metal painted vivid orange, hissing and steaming from various ports as it leaps from its perch towards the docks. A little picture of Daba Myroad's fairy friend Lilis holding L-Gaim's Power Launcher is painted on one shoulder. (Muginami thinks the fairy is a cute mascot!)

        It's not a moment too soon. Two Vajra crash down right next to the ship, and only a timely flare of Muginami's laser saber flashing out stands between the monstrous bugs and the likely still bewildered Rami. "Not on my watch! I can't believe monsters like this exist here on Earth, but I'm not gonna let that be the case for long! Eat this!!"

KTS: Muginami targets Kaiju Navi with Laser Saber-Lancer Quick Jab!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro, Kathras Fari, and Sagiri Sakurai with Coordinate!
KTS: Kathras Fari accepts Ruri Hoshino's Coordinate!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Kathras Fari's Piloting!
KTS: Best Defense! Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Coordinate, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.

Deculture! Gavarre smiles as the song ends and Sheryl continues. "It's almost as good as being there," she says, looking in appreciation to Zhukov who helped her set up the feed. "...But I feel good about being here to protect her, too."

Fari says, "It's important that we guard the citizens' happineess. ...And it is a good concert."

Cool down. But--

Rudely aand rapidly, the concert is interrupted. Before he even sees it on the radar Jakallo is saying, "We have Vajra!"

"Vajra!? Here!?" Gavarre says, her good humor replaced in an instant by a cold feeling in her blood. She reaches up to the radio in her ear, "Pilots, we have Vajra on the grouund! Repeat, Vajra on the ground!"

Fari gives her a nod, ad she continues, "Deploy to protect the civilians and eliminate the threat!"

Fari looks to his comms officer Zhukov, "Open a general channel."

"Yes, sir!"

"These monsters who terroize these people... They don't belong in this world. The Aion is here to back you up with the full force of the Gaia Sabers' fervor! Let's rescue as many as we can!"

Kathras makes the kill gesture and cuts the comms, then looking to Gavarre, "Get thos shuttles into our hangars, as many as can't make it to shelters. Jakallo, load up missiles. Jayaissa, take us in closer."

"Should wwe attack?"

"No. Our weapons will only hit the civilians right now. We're best sserved on defensive duty for the mooment." Pause. "But get all our targeting data to th pilots down there."

He looks out over the displays; the VTX Union is out there. They might be what's needed here. And the Nadesico...

A potential enemy. But today, a powerful ally.

Zhukov opns another channel. "Nadesico, this is the Aion. Thank you for the data. NUNE appreciates your assistance today," Fari says.
        hen he looks towards the screens again. "...Just a little closer," he murmurs.

Gavarre is pained, though. "Miss Nome..."

"They know what they're doing," Jakallo assures her. "Let them help. We'll get the bugs."

KTS: Kathras Fari targets Leina Ashta, Sagiri Sakurai, and Rin Naujakaite with Awe!
KTS: Leina Ashta accepts Kathras Fari's Awe!
KTS: Kathras Fari inspires awe, increasing Leina Ashta's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Leina Ashta successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Ruri Hoshino
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro accepts Ruri Hoshino's Coordinate!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Piloting!
KTS: Best Defense! Astarte Spalding-Monteiro successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Coordinate, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.

        Another song starts up in the Aion's lounge as the concert continues to play on the screen. Soma remains leaning back in her chair, listening to the beat and the lyrics.

        'I wanted you to hold me tight and forget for then'
        'Our long, long good-bye...'

        Mmm, maybe it's not so bad...

        The music immediately cuts out as an alarm sounds throughout the ship.

                                -[ ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ]-

        The concert stream vanishes from the screen to be replaced with the alert. All the pilots in the in the lounge briefly look around in shock, caught by surprise on what should have been a simple guard duty. Soma reacts more quickly though, jumping to her feet alert as she orders, "Get to your units!" She's already striding out of the lounge towards the nearby locker room as the other pilots begin to scramble to follow her.

        The announcement over the ship's PA causes Soma to frown. The Vajra? Here?

        A short time later and Soma is suited up in the cockpit of her Advanced GN-X. Quickly going through the emergency activation sequence, she listens as the GN Drive Tau in her machine spins up, the hum of energy reverberating through the unit's frame. There's a thud as the starter arm detaches, releasing the unit. The Rosen takes several steps over towards the launch catapult. It steps into place, crimson particles starting to stream from its back as it rises up to hover in the air. Energy crackles along the catapult panels as it starts to charge, Soma calling out, <"First Lieutenant, Soma Peries. Advanced GN-X Rosen. Launching!">

        The Rosen rockets out of the catapult, blasting out into the sky which is positively filled with streaming swarms of insectoid monsters. Soma narrows her eyes at the sight of them. Though she's never seen them before herself, she clearly recognizes their basic profile from reports.

        Vajra...

        The Rosen is already rushing forward through the air. Its head turns towards one swarm of the smaller fliers, the twin beam vulcans in its head lighting up and sending rapid fire bolts of red into the group.

        Soon enough, the others GN-Xs of Soma's squad launch and catch up to her.

        <"What the hell are these things!?">
        <"They're Vajra! Don't you read the reports?">
        <"Aren't those the things that the League has been trying to wipe out?">
        <"They clearly aren't doing a very good job of it... Where the hell did they even come from?">
        <"Tracking back to their source... Looks like the old waterways?">
        <"How did so many of them get down there without anyone noticing!?">
        <"Now's not the time! What are your orders, Lieutenant?">

        Soma frowns... This is a lot of hostiles already and they keep coming. They're not going to be able to do this cleanly...

        <"Team 2, proceed to the concert venue and provide defense. Team 1, split up and make for the tunnel entrances, we need to try and stem the flow until reinforcements arrive.">

        A chorus of acknowledgements come from the team of GN-Xs. They then split up as ordered, some moving to provide support to the civilians trying to flee the concert, the others moving to engage the Vajra directly. Soma moves with the latter, the beam vulcans in her machine's head lighting up once again to try and mow down more.

KTS: Soma Peries targets Kaiju Navi with Beam Vulcans Dash-and-Fire!

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Liam misses Lucine, at the same time Lucine presses through the standing fans, following the 'signal' that is him.

        What stops her is the adorable sight of Ruri and Minato, both wearing their Sheryl Nome branded t-shirts (though Minato is rock those big loop heart earrings on top of that). Ruri was waving *glowsticks*.

        A temporary detour will be excused; she'll be meeting with Liam soon enough. A Sheryl Nome concert wouldn't end when it's just beginning!

        "Concerts are a lot better in person, aren't they?" she murmurs as she steps besides them, her words likely getting lost in the music.

        It feels like a return of a queen, in some ways. For Lucine, it's a callout to her old self, lying on her bed in Nemi, Mars, watching a video on her phone of one of Sheryl's earliest concerts.

        That younger self could have never imagined what would happen in the years to come.
        ..... both good and bad.

        Suddenly, Lucine looks up yellow eyes wide. ".... Minato, something's..." She looks aside to the fellow Newtype, wondering if the feeling she feels is--

        Danger.

        Lucine leaps back as Minato likewise reacts, protecting Ruri from the debris from the erupting Vajra. Emerging from the smoke, Lucine is fine, and ready, helping to collect any Nadesicrew along the way.

        She catches a glimpse of Liam as she heads to the shuttle; she holds a hand up in a thumbs up, trying to convey that she's okay.

        She didn't intend on them meeting up in the air like this... but it's up to them now to make sure the concert doesn't give way to complete disaster.

        The second message is more easily missed: a mouthed 'I love you', just before she disappears into the shuttle's closing door.

KTS: Kaiju Navi engages charge against Rose Tritten's Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi moderately reacts to Rose Tritten's Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon, taking 3564 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages charge against Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's 58mm CIWS Anti-Air Burst!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's 58mm CIWS Anti-Air Burst, taking 1950 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages charge against Muginami's Laser Saber-Lancer Quick Jab!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Muginami's Laser Saber-Lancer Quick Jab, taking 1125 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Soma Peries's Beam Vulcans Dash-and-Fire!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Soma Peries's Beam Vulcans Dash-and-Fire, taking 1600 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

"I'm picking up something," Rin reports to the Carriax. Scorn focuses his optical sensors on the objects. "Drones -- wait --"

Zoom.

Zoom.

Focus -- zoom again --

and Rin gazes at the shape of a orangey-marooney flying bug-THING with a back-mounted biocannon. And it's not just the one flier, who might perhaps be someone who has decided to do a supremely distasteful prank with a replica.

"They're here," Rin reports, a little hollowly. "It's the Vajra."

Rin's eyes unfocus slightly. The memory comes sliding back. The horrible flight. The flight that they somehow miraculously survived. The memory of Gallia IV fracturing behind her. Nowhere to go if things went south.

The Gespenst II-R is not meant for constant overflight operations, at least not without optioned parts which VTX has not optioned for this mission. This means, for the moment, it is Scorn's show and Scorn's alone. Scorn banks to the side even as the Gespenst II-R gets -- nosed? -- by the peculiar mechanical creature besides it, something not too far off from the classical Britannian BigHound infantry support robot from the early modern period.

But there are some differences. Rancor has a head - or at least a forward battering ram - as well as having a -- well, we'll all learn more about that later. Rancor does have enough volitional input to react like this; Rancor, too, recognizes the signals.

He's fought them before.

AND YET - even as the two ground-based mobile units move into action, approaching the arena and providing some covering fire with a beam rifle - it is indeed Scorn's hour. Underslung beam emitters whir to life, and as Scorn banks in through projected cones of effect, the drone waits for the optimal return... waits... waits...

And then there is a sudden dawn of light, when all the cross-angles come together, lances of coherent energy arcing out to try and slay Vajra.

Rin, finally, speaks: "VTX-4, moving in!"

"man," Rin mutters to Rancor, "Maybe we should've lobbied to not get '4'..."

But they're not alone out there. "Huh?" Rin says, before putting everything together quickly -- "The Gaia Sabers? Oh, dang, you go Scorn," Rin continues, because Scorn was *already* processing that data.

She answers the Aion. "Hey! VTX-4 to Gaia Sabers vessel. You gotta avoid overkill on these guys. They're not gonna break over it and you'll get tangled up -- block 'em and move on! Blast, not block," Rin concludes, before fumbling for a soft tube with several pills in it, two of which she immediately pushes into her mouth and crunches up.

KTS: Rin Naujakaite accepts Kathras Fari's Awe!
KTS: Kathras Fari inspires awe, increasing Rin Naujakaite's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Rin Naujakaite successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Awe, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam joins in the applause as the first number wraps, rising from his seat. He steps into the aisle to keep from blocking those behind him, because Sheryl Nome deserves a standing ovation even if the concert's only just begun. Liam glances around, taking in the energy of the crowd. It's midway through his survey that he notices someone familiar--a short wisp of a teenager with grey hair and a glowstick. Ruri. Minato's next to her. And there, walking up to them, is--

        "Lu!" Liam shouts, but his voice is lost in the noise.

        And then, everything goes wrong.

        "Aoba to all agents on-site," says Shigeru, his voice snapping Liam out of the moment. "The board just lit up. Vajra, a whole swarm of them."

        Liam's heart lurches in his chest. He freezes in place, fighting the familiar surge of terror. He's on the ground, surrounded by a screaming, panicking crowd. He sees Lucine emerging from the smoke. She's alive.

        Resolve settles into Liam's face. Without another word, he's off like a shot. It takes him three minutes to clear the emergency exit, reach the Akashima crouched in the military motor pool, take the zipline up to the cockpit, and strap in for preflights. A moment later, the massive figure of the Mobile Weapon rises, its optics gleaming.

        The Akashima takes a full step back to make sure it's well clear of the evacuation routes--just in case--and raises its massive arm cannon. The gatling gun spins up with a sound like jet turbines, and moments later, a volley of lead rips upwards, into the swarm.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Kaiju Navi with Akashima Arm Cannon Shot!
KTS: Liam 7-020's Tactical Intelligence activates Alert!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai accepts Ruri Hoshino's Coordinate!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Sagiri Sakurai's Piloting!
KTS: Best Defense! Sagiri Sakurai successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Coordinate, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai accepts Kathras Fari's Awe!
KTS: Kathras Fari inspires awe, increasing Sagiri Sakurai's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Sagiri Sakurai successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

"DECULTURE!!"

Rami Amasaki is enjoying herself. She hasn't been able to get a lot of that in the past few months, ever since the 'Company' made its debut on Earth.

It's difficult for her to relax, when she has so many reasons to worry now more than ever. But just this once, lost in the classic spectacle of a Sheryl Nome concert, the young VTX employee allows her defenses to slip. She beams, she shouts, she even pumps her fist in joy. The dangers of deep space are lightyears away for her right now.

At least, until she hears that familiar, sonorous buzzing underlaying the sound of Sheryl's song.

She overlooks it, at first; she's too busy singing along at the top of her lungs to hear it, really. But the closer it gets, the louder it gets, until the thrum of wingbeats in her eardrums become impossible to ignore.

Her voice trails. Big, brown eyes shut in a slow blink.

"... wait. It... it couldn't be--"

Which is exactly when that buzzing becomes truly impossible to ignore, as hordes of Vajra burst outward through the ground. Rami's words cut off in a startled, terrified squeak; she stumbles backwards, falling on her rear as she watches those fliers twist upward into the air, bubbly spouts of water chasing wildly after them. Rami goes pale at the all-too familiar sight.

"V-vajra, here?!" Again? How does this keep happening?? "Why!?"

She is in the midst of a panic when a familiar voice crackles in the communicator in her ear:

<"Rami? Rami, do you copy? We need you to help evacuate everyone and get somewhere safe, now!">

Rami blinks at Sagiri's instructions. Yet in spite of her fear -- that voice has a way of anchoring her even in the most troubling times. Brown eyes narrow. She lifts a hand towards her ear.

"Y-yes, I'll -- UWAH?!"

Rami, however, happens to be lifting her hand the exact same time that Muginami is offering hers. This leads to a chain of events, summarized thusly:

Rami's hand -- snagged!

Rami's squeak -- squawked!

Rami's earpiece -- flying!

Rami's Rami -- hoisted!

And this inevitably leads to Rami, eyes swimming and limbs flailing with Muppet-like emphasis as she goes soaring piggybacked through the crowds, helplessly crying out

"w-w-wait, i'm part of concert securityyyyyyyyyyyyy--"

This, of course, is to no avail, and before Rami even knows what's what, she's been deposited in front of a well-used cargo ship, her world spinning to such a degree that tweetie birds might as well be orbiting her head. She sways once, twice, face flushed and straddling the line between TERRIFIED and MORTIFIED and CONFUSED (there are three lines; she's just that good at line straddling).

And before she knows it, she's given keys to a ship by a complete stranger and left to her own foul devices.

"Th-thank you...??" she mumbles dumbly.

Five seconds pass in silence after Muginami rushes off, leaving a bewildered Rami Amasaki in her wake.

".......... WHY WOULD YOU GIVE A COMPLETE STRANGER A SPACE GUN?!"

A day in the life of Rami Amasaki.

                        ~$~

In a single, three hundred sixty degree rotation, everything goes to hell.

When last Sagiri was facing the concert, everything was looking good. Great, even. There was a fond smile on her lips, heckling from her subordinates aside, by the time she started to turn again.

By the time she looks back, her viewscreen is filled with countless, buzzing biosignatures that are as unmistakable as their insectoid appearance.

"Vajra?!" A second passes by. "Again...!?"

No. This is different, isn't it? They were both concerts; but last time it was Ranka. This time...

Sagiri's brows furrow. But she doesn't have time to dwell on what any of this is supposed to mean, if anything; danger has come, and that means--

"Alright, people! We've got a job to do!"

Sagiri is already surging onto her feet, hand on the Carriax communication terminal as targeting information comes streaming in courtesy of the Nadesico.

"Hah. You can always count on Nergal to beat us to the punch, huh? Amies -- I need you to get that targeting data out there, distribute it to all Cathedra operatives on the field! Rin, try to head off as many as you can -- we'll be there to support you soon! Rami? Rami, do you copy? We need you to help evacuate everyone and get somewhere safe, now!"

<"Y-yes, I'll -- UWAH?!">

"Rami?? Rami, are you okay?!" No response, save an increasingly distant and hapless, <"w-w-wait, i'm part of concert securityyyyyyyyyyyyy--">

Sagiri Sakurai frowns.

"Hrm," notes Hirosuke, concern dappling at his aging features. Sagiri's brows furrow in response.

"... It's alright, Chief," she assures the man. "I think she's okay; that wasn't one of her 'I'm in danger' sounds." Meryl and Amies exchange a Look at this observation. "But..."

But Rami is her co-pilot for the Tyranado. Without her, how is she supposed to...?

...

Sagiri blinks. She looks Hirosuke's way. And despite the tension of the moment.

"Hey, Chief." Hirosuke blinks. A lopsided smile touches Sagiri's lips.

"Want to see if you can still keep up with us uppity youngsters?"

"... Oho."

                        ~$~

These monsters who terroize these people... They don't belong in this world. The Aion is here to back you up with the full force of the Gaia Sabers' fervor! Let's rescue as many as we can!

<"You're damn right we will!">

Blue and green thruster output scorches the skies as the Carriax suddenly twists through the air, the sleek white form of the carrier shuttle doing a sharp bank towards the encroaching Vajra. Latched to the belly of the Carriax, the Tyranado's eyes alight with shimmery green light.

<"Black Lioness, this is Special Section 3! From what we can see, the civilians aren't being targeted yet -- so let's try to keep it that way!">

And it's the Carriax that opens fire first, missile bays unloading in a full volley of rockets to sweep through the leftmost flank of fliers and get the Vajra's attentions as it turns upward into the air -- AWAY from the concert venue. As it does -- the Tyranado detaches, veins of blue-green thrumming to pulsing life through its frame as thrusters catch it and hold it aloft in the air.

<"How you holding up, Chief?">

Back in the seat Rami normally occupies, Hirosuke Amasaki just exhales.

<"... I'm discovering a newfound appreciation for everything Rami does for you,"> he notes mildly. <"These controls are... something else. Try to hold them off. I'm going to see if I can find her--">

<"Consider it done -- just hang on tight!">

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Kaiju Navi with Carriax Payload!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Shot, taking 2800 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Sagiri Sakurai's Carriax Payload!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Critical Hit! Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Sagiri Sakurai's Carriax Payload, taking 3103 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

        As defenders blast away at the swarms of Vajra to protect the civilians still trying to escape the National Arts Theatre, their behavior changes. The aliens change from almost idly crashing into things and nosing about to focusing their compound eyes on the humans streaming around them. The many fliers that are blown up, burned, and crushed--though strangely, beam weaponry seems generally less effective at making this happen--don't seem to bother the masses. They lift up and begin actively opening fire back.
        
        It's not just the fliers. A couple dozen Mobile Soldiers--bigger, even more heavily armored versions of the Vajra--burst up out of the water, almost as though the fliers had called for reinforcements. While the fliers are easy enough to kill, these ones target the more dangerous of the defenders--that is, those in mobile suits--and buzz forward to engage with them.
        
        Leina leads several Mobile Soldiers after her towards the bay, where stray fire is less likely to accidentally hit evacuating civilians. They respond in kind to her, the rifle-like growths on their backs lighting up and peppering her Beguir with laser blasts of their own.
        
        The Pixies, led by Rose, have plenty of targets to lock onto. A cool dozen Mobile Soldiers notice the meteor-like drop pod streaking overhead and fly over to swarm it, some of them physically ramming the three Zakus while the rest zip around them at various angles to cut off their escape.
        
        The turrets of the One Fine Day are more effective than the beam weapons, but even those have trouble cracking all the way through the Vajra's carapaces. When the Mobile Soldiers swarm around it, they buzz directly towards the turrets, opening fire with a broader, wider, but shorter set of bursts of their own 'turret' fire.
        
        Ruri and the Nadesico focuses on disseminating information to the assembled defenders on the Vajra to better help them fight. The shuttle itself at least gets Lucine and the others back to it safely, but it's still a nerve-wracking time. This information includes things like how the Vajra are an adaptive race that grow stronger and more resilient to attacks over time--which is why beam weapons and physical weapons are having a tougher time against them, but beams toughest of all. Though that ship isn't actively attacking, it isn't free from the Vajra's wrath, several of the Mobile Soldiers unloading physical, rock-like pellets from their back cannons in an eerie imitation of machine gun fire towards the ship.
        
        The Aion isn't safe from that either, even though Fari's commands direct it to focus on evacuating civilians. Those shuttles and the Aion itself get a spray of the same machine gun-like bombardment. Thankfully, the mobile suits of Soma's Team 2 rush up to protect the shuttles and keep the fire from landing on them, neatly preventing a horrible disaster. The Aion itself will need to rely on its own defenses, though.
        
        The flash of Muginami's Heavy Metal's beam saber crack towards the two Vajra that have landed near her. Unfortunately for her, by the time she's gotten Rami to safety (?) and suited up, the Mobile Soldiers have launched, and it's they that landed near her. The beam sizzles on their carapaces, and they turn towards her with an emotionless leer. Being up so close, they simply raise their foreclaws and slash down at her machine with a simple, inhuman decisiveness.
        
        Fortunately for Rami, they don't even seem to notice her. Small mercies.
        
        Soma's Rosen--and her Team 1--get the Vajra's attention when they zero in on the tunnel entrances to the underground waterways, previously disguised by the sheer number of Vajra streaming out of them. The beam Vulcans tear through several of the fliers, and their positioning does indeed help stem the flow of the weaker Vajra--but many of the stronger ones start to cluster around them to rip and tear directly at their units with a soulless, unrelenting viciousness.
        
        Rin and her team lash out with beams of light; in return, they get bodied, literally. The Vajra rocket into them head-first, and should that initial impact stun their targets, they'll raise up their claws to CRASH into them, knocking them away and possibly banging the hell out of their armor.
        
        Liam in the Akashima draws a considerable amount of attention due to its sheer size, putting it on the same class as many of the battleships present. The Vajra seem almost to dance around it in a helix pattern, rising up and moving with surprising grace from side to side as they unleash a coordinated hail of bullet-like fire on the mobile suit.
        
        The Carriax successfully draws Vajra attention away from the civilians on the ground; those that go after it go after it up into the sky, returning missiles with missiles. Missiles?? Yes, on top of beams and bullets, apparently the Vajra can also launch MISSILES from the cannons on their backs, which whistle out towards the Carriax and explode prettily on impact. The Tyranado goes--not ignored, precisely, but treated as a part of the collective of the Carriax while it launches. There are still explosions to dodge, but this is a vital moment for it and its pilots to find and retrieve Rami.

KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Leina Ashta with Vajra Bio-Cannon Powered Blast!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rose Tritten with Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro with Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Ruri Hoshino with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Muginami with Vajra Armored Claws Vicious Swipe!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Kathras Fari with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Soma Peries with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rin Naujakaite with Vajra Armored Claws Heavy Impact!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Liam 7-020 with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Leading Fire!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Sagiri Sakurai with Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Leina Ashta's Ace of Dominicus activates!
KTS: Leina Ashta engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Powered Blast!
KTS: Leina Ashta poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Powered Blast, taking 3700 damage!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite engages charge against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Heavy Impact!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Heavy Impact, taking 3120 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Meanwhile, on the S.S. Nome...
        
        "Sheryl! You've got to evacuate immediately!" Grace transmits to Sheryl, still clinging to the railing on the ship podium. "We'll send one of the local defense pilots to pick you up. Just hang tight and don't bring any attention to yourself!"
        
        Sheryl's grip tightens on the railing as she looks up at the chaos in the darkened skies. There was a time when she would have agreed unhesitatingly--would have calmly accepted an express evacuation while leaving the fighting to the professionals. It feels so long ago now. Back then, she hadn't yet met Ranka--had just barely become reacquainted with Alto. Back then, she was fine with being a lofty, sheltered songstress who ignored the peril of her fans, because protecting them was for the professionals. Not for an artist like her.
        
        But then there was the loss of her home Galaxy, the Zentraedi extremist attack on Nergal's space cruise, the years of learning how to pilot and the lesson that her song was more effective than her Variable Fighter, the destruction of Gallia IV, and more. Even if she's no professional soldier, these are her fans who came out to see her--who're now in danger. As Alto put it back then, they came out to see her.
        
        It's not her fault, of course. It's the Vajra who're wrong. But after how much her perspective has changed over the past few years, Sheryl can't simply sit back and ignore it.
        
        And more importantly--
        
        "...No," she thus transmits back.
        
        If Sheryl Nome stopped bringing attention to herself, she may as well die.
        
        "I'm not going to cower in fear while these monsters do whatever they want!!"

KTS: Muginami has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Muginami engages parry against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Vicious Swipe!
KTS: Muginami poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Vicious Swipe, taking 3240 damage!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Enable Spirit Command.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino engages block against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino moderately blocks Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage, taking 1451 damage!
KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 engages guard against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Leading Fire!
KTS: Liam 7-020 successfully guards Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Leading Fire, taking 3040 damage!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro engages guard against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Critical Hit! Astarte Spalding-Monteiro poorly guards Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot, taking 5210
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 engages parry against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact!
KTS: Rose Tritten poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact, taking 3960 damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage charge against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage!
KTS: Best Defense! Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage, taking 2560
damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai fails to engage evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage, taking 4300 damage!
KTS: Soma Peries has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Soma Peries engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge!
KTS: Critical Hit! Soma Peries poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge, taking 5040 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Targeting data from? "Of course." Leina notes the IFF signal for the Aion, "Thanks for abandoning us on Luna you jackass." She murmurs, before hitting the comms, "<Your appreciation is welcome, Sir. Cathedra thanks you for your unwavering support.>"

The fact of the matter is... as anyone who knows her can attest to, Leina Ashta does her best work when she's annoyed at someone else.

"<Sakurai! Glad it's you girls from Special Section 3 here today. I'm going to see if I can lead some of them away from the evac routes.>" She smiles, "<Let's watch each other's backs out there.>"

The Beguir leaps away towards the edge of the bay, skirting the water line, as some of the mobile soldiers fire.

With a quick sideways feint, she hops one way, before her thrusters suddenly juke her the other in mid-air.

And the MS finds itself clipped on one side, just below the right shoulder joint, "Damnit!" She curses abruptly.

Landing more heavily than she would have liked along the bay, she keeps her back turned to it...

... then at the last second, rockets into the air, landing on top of it like it's a perch she's going to bound off of, where the Beguir's foot claws try to latch into one of their shells. "Can just hear Judau now trying to blame this one on Earth too - 'bugs with guns, Leina!'"

Pulling the lever back on her thrusters hard, she reverse thrusts in the opposite direction of it's momentum, and tries to rip a section of it's shell apart.

"Squids don't even HAVE hooks Judau!"

KTS: Leina Ashta targets Kaiju Navi with Beguir Neur Foot Unit Claw Shred Armor!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neur Foot Unit Claw Shred Armor!
KTS: Kaiju Navi moderately reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neur Foot Unit Claw Shred Armor, taking 4860 damage!
KTS: Leina Ashta bypasses Kaiju Navi, preventing its from Guarding the next attack!

<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.

        A bead of sweat trickles down Muginami's cheek at the sheer numbers of the Vajra. She's been outnumbered before, for sure - Le Garite's drones and the sheer size of Posaydal's army ensure anyone taking up arms against them knows their way around a swarm. She may not know much about the Vajra-

        Oh right! Muginami brought a friend here!

        In between struggling to hold back the insectoid claws that her Saber-Lancer proves a bit too large and slow to handle, Muginami turns to megaphone at Rami down below, "Ahhh, excuse me, could I ask a quick favor of you?" Her voice is all sugar and honey, slow and fluffy, despite being in the middle of a fight to the death. "Do you have any idea what exactly these monsters are? I should've asked you on the way here, but a lot was going on, ehehe~ Ah! Also, my name's Muginami, it's a pleasure!"

        A Vajra claw jabs directly through the D.Sserd's Lilis pinup (the horror!), forcing Muginami to fall back, the Heavy Metal's feet gouging into the concrete. "You may want to close your eyes down there! Aaa-oop!" An ungainly tube-like cannon launches from the D.Sserd's back, forcing Muginami to catch it mid-air and plug it onto one arm. With a twirl and a twist, Muginami aims it at each of the Vajra's...eyes? She's struggling to identify what counts as a weak point on the strange fish-like aliens, but it's gotta be somewhere in the center, right?

KTS: Muginami targets Kaiju Navi with Power Launcher Instantaneous Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages block against Muginami's Power Launcher Instantaneous Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully blocks Muginami's Power Launcher Instantaneous Shot, taking 1700 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.

Approaching Lagos, there are precision targeted bursts of green beam energy, forcing and distracting the Vajra from the streets into the sky. Rose takes off, watching as dazzling sprays of green beams chase more Vajra up into the sky, followed by Aspyn with her large Beam Axe ignited, swinging to force them higher and higher. A large dense cloud of them have started to form. Rose soon judges the swarm to be of a good size.

"Sushila!" She calls out over the radio. "Attack the swarm at point Four-Two-Bravo!"

Down on the barge, Sushila looks through the slid forward precision targeter, its pip right on the swarm abutted by the blinking IFF signals of her companions."Target locked...Firing."

From the barge, a blinding beam of red energy slices into the sky, ripping into the horde of alien bugs. Some manage to evade in time, but just as many are either vaporized or melted as the beam rips through them.

But then, the Mobile Soldiers appear, and barrel in on the trio. One of them smashes up into the barge that Sushila was standing on, throwing her ZAKU from it. She rapidly ignites her thrusters, stabilizing herself, as another slams into her, hurling her towards the S.S. Nome. Rose puts her Blaze to full thrusters, and slams into the Soldier, deflecting all three of them back towards shore just in time, the sounds of metal slamming as one of her foot thrusters goes dead. The Mobile Soldier buzzes away as Rose and Sushila regain their bearings.

"Aspyn, what's your status?" Rose calls over the radio
"I'm holding them off, but these guys are really mad!" Aspyn replied. A quick zoom in on her display showed Aspyn dancing her Slash ZAKU around three of the Mobile Soldiers, sprays of twin gatling beam guns and axe slashes keeping them at bay.
"Cover me but keep an eye on the concert ship, we can't let the star get hurt!"
"Got it!"

Rose fired her thrusters back up to full and screamed towards Aspyn, red beams trailing past her left and right as Sushila covered her.

<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.

         "Nadesico, this is Captain Spalding of the One Fine Day. I read you loud and clear. The intel is much appreciated."

         "Incoming attack!"

         "Raise shiel--" The captain's orders are cut off as the ship shakes from the impact of the bio-cannon, causing her to stumble back into her seat. "Report!"

         "Condition is at 67%. It was a pretty big hit, but she's still got some fight in her!"

         "Understood. No beams, huh? That counts out our biggest guns..." She clicks her tongue and opens a line to her pilots on the ground. "Alright, you all, you heard the Nadesico. These bugs are pretty tough. Don't let them get used to you. Keep your attacks varied, focus on keeping them away from populated areas rather than pure defeat, and keep your beams to yourselves! And on the ship, focus on keeping our systems stable for now!"

KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with Fomation Attack Pattern Lambda!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with Designate L1!

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

"Yup yup," Rin answers Sagiri. The question of Nergal makes her sigh, but she says, "You've got to understand, ma'am... they've got a professional on their operations team. They're going to move fast and strike hard. But..."

She trails off, evocatively, perhaps to leave space for offering of a bonus. Also because --

"You know her noises pretty well," Rin interjects during the discourse over Rami.

The bugs surge forwards and the team does something complicated. Scorn - perhaps having already been shot down several times in these outings - fires a few chaff-like shots as he pulls up abruptly, aiming to gain elevation. While rear-mounted cameras are providing a butt's-eye-view to the Carriax from VTX-4.2's perspective, this is an act of FORCE PRESERVATION.

Scorn, of course, is in a vast volume of open space (the atmosphere of Earth) and we may leave Scorn aside for a moment.

Down low, though --

The swarming fliers surge towards the Gespenst II-R and then there is a sudden rush forwards as:

++BATTLEDATA.JSON LOADED
++VAJRADATA.JSON LOADED
++INITIATING ATTACK CYCLE
++AHB AHB AHB AHB AHB AHB

Rin grimaces to herself as Rancor hunches down and then SURGES forwards. A Vajra is briefly and completely smacked against the front of the autonomous unit's head; it scrabbles and it scrapes, but little does the Vajra know that this head is almost entirely a battering ram, little else.

Rancor sends digital noises into Rin's cockpit while surging forwards, smashing open a space; which Rin then uses, firing repeatedly at the clusters of the things, eyes widening as the pills begin to actually saturate her bloodstream. "Why are you here?! Lagos is too rich for bugs, idiots!!" Rin blurts, mostly not engaging her higher brain functions as she does.

KTS: Rin Naujakaite targets Kaiju Navi with Magna Beam Launcher - Snap Shot!

<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.

        The initial pushes against the Vajra swarms seem to go well, the GN-Xs proving their superiority as they carve their way into the large numbers of bugs. Though Soma has to admit, they're proving tougher than she had expected. Her squad is finding the same thing themselves.

        <"What the hell!? Why does it seem like the particle beams are having trouble burning through them?">
        <"Check the data packet we just received!">
        <"Oh shit, these things adapt to our weapons? How are we supposed to fight them?">

        A couple of the GN-Xs fighting in proximity to the Tritten Team notice their ZAKU designs and IFFs. One of them even calls out:

        <"Hey! You lot are with ZAFT, right? What's the deal!? I thought you League types were handling these things? How'd you let them get this far!?">

        Elsewhere, Soma is mowing through a swarm when she notices some larger shapes within the buzz of monsters. She zooms in on one, catching sight of a Mobile Soldier. She radios, <"Watch out! There are bigger ones emerging! Proceed with caution and-">

        There's a sudden panicked cry over the radio. Soma turns her machine just in time to see one of the GN-Xs from her squad turn apart by a couple of the larger Vajra. An explosion of crimson light and particles follows. Soma clenches her jaw just a bit, before ordering, <"Team 1, regroup. We'll push them together. Keep your distance.">

        Several of the GN-Xs fly back to join up with Soma's Advanced GN-X. Taking up formation, they raise their GN Beam Rifles and begin to try and shoot down the Mobile Soldiers before they can get close.

KTS: Soma Peries has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Soma Peries targets Kaiju Navi with GN-X Advanced GN Beam Rifle Careful Shot!

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        "You're welcome," Ruri says, to the gratitude for their data. If it's a little easier to believe Astarte's feelings than Fari's, well...

        ... let's just say Ruri has enough friends on the Ra Mari II to remember people who weren't friends to the Ra Mari II.

        (Her personal feelings won't affect the mission.)

        That machine-gun pelting comes in, though, and Jun barks: "Power to the Field!"

        "Focusing available power to the Distortion Field," Ruri says, as she negotiates with the Nadesico's systems to re-orient their priorities, a million routines cascading at once on the screen and in her mind. It flares with the force of the attack, but, "Distortion Field holding steady," Ruri reports.

        "Good," Jun says. "I want you to target the Mobile Soldiers. Draw their attention... there are too many people at a concert like this." He's worried about the cost to their lives -- and who wouldn't be?

        "Now targeting missiles," Ruri's voice doesn't shift from its monotone. And since they're not the only ones trying to draw the bugs away from the evacuation --

        A little Omoikane bell appears in a window in Leina's craft, transmitting helpful assault hints to her machine.

KTS: Ruri Hoshino's IFS Genius activates!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Kaiju Navi with Seeker Missile!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Erina Kinjo Won's grumpiness is heeded; Lucine, stepping away from the group as it comes in, comments simply enough, words flush with purpose: "We'll make up for that lost time soon enough."

        With some years of experience on her shoulders, a far more confident Lucine rushes towards the hangar where the Dianthus lies, ready for deployment.

        Soon enough, the Dianthus is dropping into the skies below to join the fray, swooping in like a black and magenta falcon.

        With radar and her own senses on her side, Lucine resumes her original objective: reuniting with Liam.
        Added objective (courtesy of Jun): kill all the Mobile Soldiers along the way.

        Lucine holds herself to her promise to Erina Won by the time she reaches Liam; she's made short work out of sweeping through or defending against any that get in her way.

        A beam shoots one Vajra attempting to ambush Liam's unit. It's punctuated with a message to Liam, straight from Lucine herself.

        <"Got your back.">

<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.

At least the VTX Union is enthusiastic! Fari will take that. As for Leina, she will never see his smile when she expresses her appreciation. It's probably for the best that way. Definitely for the best. But Gavarre has no time to be annoye at Leina for the moment.

"Good work defending the shuttlles, Peries!" Gavarre says anyway over the comms, "We're in position to back you up! Sending you path data..."

"Jakallo," Fari says. "Fire all starboardd missile tubes on those bigger Vajra."

It's a risk, firing into the city like that... but th Vajra are too powerful not to ccontain them here and now.

Ruri answers. Zhukov tilts his headd. Something abouu her voice...

Well, regardless, missiles pour out from the ship at the Mobile Fighters, one after another in waves of steel trailed by smoke.

KTS: Kathras Fari targets Kaiju Navi with Ship Fixed Missiles Area Denial!
KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Lucine Azul targets Kaiju Navi with Lunate Crown v.2 Bolt!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages guard against Rose Tritten's Fomation Attack Pattern Lambda!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi moderately guards Rose Tritten's Fomation Attack Pattern Lambda, taking 2975 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi accepts Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Designate L1!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro designates Kaiju Navi, making it easier to target and opening it to indirect fire.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Designate L1, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Rin Naujakaite's Magna Beam Launcher - Snap Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Rin Naujakaite's Magna Beam Launcher - Snap Shot, taking 2000 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Soma Peries's GN-X Advanced GN Beam Rifle Careful Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Soma Peries's GN-X Advanced GN Beam Rifle Careful Shot, taking 1800 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage intercept against Ruri Hoshino's Seeker Missile!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Seeker Missile, taking 2925 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages intercept against Kathras Fari's Ship Fixed Missiles Area Denial!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Ship Fixed Missiles Area Denial, taking 300 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage block against Lucine Azul's Lunate Crown v.2 Bolt!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Lucine Azul's Lunate Crown v.2 Bolt, taking 1875 damage!
KTS: Lucine Azul begins a Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

<"I mean. They're pretty distinct noises. I also know the noise Amies makes when she's teeing up a soul crushing insult. Or the sound you make when you're trying to pretend you're -- missiles!! Crap!">

-Missiles-.

They have -missiles- now??

There's something with these Vajra. The way they move, the way they act, the way they fight. It's almost reactive, in a way. It's something that Sagiri can't help but notice as the Vajra seem to focus their ire on the Carriax with that sudden and unexpected deployment of distressingly powerful, distressingly pretty payloads.

It's not as if the Tyranado doesn't receive some of the blowback -- it does, even as it weaves as best it can between explosions, the technicolor marvel of it rippling heat across dark gray armor plating as well as it scorches the undercarriage of the Carriax --

but it's oddly... incidental.

It's something that will stay with her; but for now, she has no time to think about it. Rocking within the Tyranado, she clenches her teeth even as Hirosuke braces with all the trained familiarity of a veteran behind her.

<"Meryl! Amies! Are you okay--?!">

<"W-- we're fine, ma'am. The Carriax can give as good as it gets. ... Though I'd really rather not test that theory too rigorously.">

"What Meryl is trying to say is stop wasting time fretting over us and get Rami back safe and sound, ma'am."

"They have a point."

<"I swear, all of you... haha. Alright, fine. But hold up until then, you hear me? Rin! Cover the Carriax until we're back, got it??">

With that, the Tyranado swoops to the right as the Carriax engages with the Mobile Soldiers. Its maneuvers are evasive -- Meryl, picking up the slack for Hirosuke's absence, does her best not to actually -engage- the enemy so much as try to hold their attention and keep it -away- from the Tyranado, and the civilians. It stays close to Leina's Beguir and Rin's Gespenst-and-drones -- flying support - and interference - as best as it can while Sagiri and Hirosuke go on the hunt.

<"You have our support, Black Lioness,"> Amies transmits with measured calm.

<"Oh, and if you record any interesting combat data, send it my way, would you? I'll make sure you get a fair cut.">

A fair cut of what?!

Perhaps it's best not to question the methods of Amies Ernest's madness.

                        ~$~

Rami, huddled onto the borrowed bridge of Muginami's borrowed cargo ship, scrunches her brows as she looks over the controls. A frown purses her lips together. The bridge of her nose wrinkles.

"... This ship is so suspicious...!"

It's perhaps literally the only thought she's had the past few minutes, besides 'OH NO, VAJRA.' It's just -- everything about it is strikingly familiar, for some reason, but she can't -quite- place why. She wrings her hands together. Her frown deepens. And then--

"Argh! Why am I thinking about this! She saved my life! ... Probably. ... I mean... she kind of just carried me away before I could even do anything at all. ... is she... related to Ms. Sakurai...? -- Ugh! W-whatever! I've got a job to do!"

And, in a fit of frustrated pique, Rami puts in the Tyranado's frequency into the radio, slaps her palm against it, and shouts in sheer frustration:

"MA'AM I'VE GOT A SPACE GUN AND I NEED A PICK UP RIGHT NOW!"

A second passes. And then:

<"I have your location, Rami. And I have to say... it's good to hear you fired up, but could you do it a little bit quieter? My ears just aren't what they used to be.">

Rami freezes. She looks terrimorticonfusedified for three palpable seconds.

"Dad?! I mean, Chief!?"

Only a second later does the Tyranado touch down next to that cargo ship, cockpit opening up as Hirosuke pulls himself out to offer Rami a smile from her viewscreen. Over the commline, Sagiri's voice crackles in:

<"Wow. What kinda clunker is that?">

"Um. ... Someone gave me a space gun."

<"Huh. Neat!">

<"Come on, Rami. We've got a job to do. Let's put that fiery spirit to good use.">

Despite the raw bewilderment of the moment -- Rami Amasaki smiles at the sound of her adoptive father's encouragement.

"Yes, sir! ... Um. What should I do with these keys? ... They're just a loaner..."

<"Just hold onto them. It's the responsible thing. And this thing's kinda old so you PROBABLY won't be financially liable for any damage this thing takes in the interim.">

"Yes, ma'am! ... Wait. What?"

                        ~$~

<"Meryl! I'd like to put in an order for a spicy Striker~!">

<"One Striker, coming up! Welcome back, Rami.">

From the Carriax bays, a massive, oblong cannon is fired out into the air. Pinpoint trajectory calculations guide its path as it soars -- right into the path of the Tyranado, now SHOOTING into the skies amidst the swarm of Vajra. It catches it. Swings. The barrels of the Striker hiss open, cerulean-green energy sparkling unstable pathlines like electrical arcs down the charging barrel. The hum intensifies--

--until a massive surge of energy RIPS from the Striker in an undulating line, looking to consume any of the Vajra unfortunate enough to get in the path of its line of fire as the Tyranado guides it in a violent, aerial sweep.

"... Quark Drive is primed but I still don't feel very reassured."

This is the dejected observation of Rami Amasaki, currently wedged in the back of the Tyranado with Hirosuke as she administrates the Quark Drive's functions. Sagiri, of course, is quick to wave off her worries, laughing.

<"It's fine, it's fine, we'll just wing it!">

"That's even less reassuring!!"

Hirosuke, of course, just laughs a good natured laugh and wishes he was back in his roomy command chair on the Carriax.

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Kaiju Navi with Mega Buster Striker - Standard Fire!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        The Akashima is one of the bigger targets on the field, and Liam knows it. But every Vajra swarming him is one less Vajra endangering the civilians. "<Come on!>" he shouts, into the comm. "<That's it! Come at me!>" The Akashima's arm cannon spins down. It takes a massive step, planting its foot on a scenic path overlooking the bay. Another step, and the Akashima sinks into the water up to its knees. Leina has the right idea. Fight them over the water.

        The Vajra stay on Liam the entire time. The Akashima pivots and bends, raising its right arm to soak up cannon fire aimed at its shoulder joint, and then twists to the side to place its heavier chest armor in the way of more incoming fire. It breaks free from the swarm, its armor pitted and scored by dozens of molten streaks.

        And then, right on cue, the Dianthus--barely a tiny, winged pixie in the shadow of the Akashima--approaches.

        "<Lu,>" Liam says. "<Use me as cover if you need it! Kinetic weapons aren't doing shit!>" A brief pause. "<Who's that team with Leina?>" Special Section 3 and friends, if Lucine would know.

        For all its armored bulk and reactor power, Liam's Akashima doesn't mount anything heavier than the arm cannon. His throat tightens. He could switch to incendiaries. But all it would take is one flaming Vajra corpse to start a fire that will spread.

        "<Closing,>" Liam says instead, as the memory of burning streets wells up in his mind. The Akashima draws something from its shoulder, the hilt of a short blade that unfolds into a Progressive Sword. It lunges, stabbing for one of the bigger Vajra warriors menacing the Dianthus and following through to slash at a second taking aim at Cathedra's team.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Kaiju Navi with Progressive Blade Slash!
KTS: Liam 7-020's Tactical Intelligence activates Focus!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Standard Fire!
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Standard Fire, taking 5900 damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Liam 7-020's Progressive Blade Slash!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Liam 7-020's Progressive Blade Slash, taking 2925 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Ripping off the soft blue cloak of her costume with a grand flourish, Sheryl's outfit transforms into her first outfit of the night: the captain's jacket over the belted top and the short-shorts. This time, though, some of the colors have changed slightly. Her shorts are now jeans blue, and the jacket cloaked on her shoulders has inverted to red lined in white. Her heels clack as she races across the ship for the high-up podium on the other side, a testament to her all-heels-all-the-time fashion policy and her daily cardio. "I might not be able to do what Ranka can--but if I can distract them even a second longer to let everyone get away--!"
        
        Grace's eyes widen as dozens of screens of information sweep around her altered perceptions. Sheryl's song doesn't have the same effect that Ranka's does, it's true, but there is a response. The Vajra's movements slow briefly before most of them return to what they were doing--but some break off from the attack to buzz around as if in search of something. If even weak fold waves can do this... what kind of breakthrough can Sheryl manage if she lets her run free?
        
        The Fairy-9 she raised thrives in despair. Grace smiles, cruel--but also proud.
        
        Sheryl did swear back then that she'd rock the galaxy one day.
        
        "Transmit Sheryl's song through the city!" Grace orders the rest of the technician crew with all the determination she can fake. "We're going to tell everyone there's still hope!"
        
        That's the right line, though. The techies, born and raised Macross residents, all believe in the power of song and get straight to work on it, even though they were cowering just a moment ago. The speaker systems of the S.S. Nome come alive, and crystalline notes begin to play as the sails of light shimmer back into view.
        
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUlC9EYlKX0 (Obelisk)
        
        Then, just as promised, throughout the city, the true determination in Sheryl's voice resounds:
        "Like a little bird discovering the light of dawn
        "I vow I'll notice
        "The heart racing over a faint omen
        "For the rest of the world is still sleeping on it!"
        
        As she reaches a heart-shaped podium, the ship comes alive around Sheryl, spreading her song far and wide through the city. She shoots a glance over at the technician crew box, and Grace catches her eye and gives her a big thumb's-up. Sheryl smiles brilliantly and returns to her song and dance. The rousing melody and her emotional vocals resonate not just from the S.S. Nome but screens on skyscrapers through the city and in the defenders' Mobile Suits to encourage pilots and civilians alike.
        "Because I felt love, I knew despair
        "I still hold power in my hands
        "But even if I lose it, even if I lose it--!"

KTS: Sheryl Nome targets Sagiri Sakurai, Kathras Fari, Lucine Azul, Liam 7-020, Leina Ashta, Rin Naujakaite, Ruri
Hoshino, and Muginami with Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome's Fairy-9 activates Wall!
KTS: Sheryl Nome targets Soma Peries, Astarte Spalding-Monteiro, and Rose Tritten with All-Out!
KTS: Sheryl Nome's Fairy-9 activates Trick!

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

        It's not just the human and human-adjacent beings who're affected. Though it's not enough to actually confuse and slow down the Vajra, as Sheryl sings, they occasionally look around in between attacks, as if trying to figure out the source. This is good for the defenders--because now about a dozen Heavy Soldiers, bigger, more mature and much more powerful Vajra, have flown up to take the place of the easily defeated fliers. The Mobile Soldiers that had joined battle just a moment ago now support them, while the fliers cede ground (or rather, air).
        
        Leina maneuvers her Beguir up and around to latch onto the armored shell of one of her Vajra opponents, then yanks. If this were a video posted on MeTube, what happens next would absolutely get it demonetized. Suffice to say that there is one less bug in the air. As it crumples down to the ground in a mess of yellow gore, a crimson Heavy Soldier buzzes in, locking on to the Beguir. Closer, closer, closer--and then, when it's right up in Leina's face, it FIRES. The blast ricochets it past, but it'll swing back around soon enough.
        
        The Vajra attempting to bisect Muginami's D.Sserd seem surprised that this doesn't happen, if the way they jerk back is any indication. It's hard to tell. As Muginami grabs her cannon and whirls it around to WHACK the Vajra's eyes, they raise their claws in defense, avoiding a direct hit but getting forced back a few steps all the same--pretty significant with aliens as defensively strong as these. In return, they attempt to twist their many legs and mandibles around and grab that cannon to get it out of the way as they slash back. It'll leave them vulnerable for an instant--which means that when the Tyranado swoops in to pick up Rami, it easily tears through those Vajra on the D.Sserd like wet paper. But this means that a couple of Heavy Soldiers are now beelining towards them...
        
        The Mobile Soldiers buzz around the Pixie team, and it does seem like they're doing a good job of keeping them at bay while smoking the fliers--until a Heavy Soldier joins in. Its main cannons light up with beam fire, aimed for Rose's Zaku, while the Mobile Soldiers provide cover fire that bombard Aspyn and Sushila. It's not that damaging, but an instant later it becomes clear that this was meant to keep them herded together when the Heavy Soldier opens fire with a huge BLAST, meant to cut clean through the trio's formation.
        
        The One Fine Day is having a tough time, but it's hanging in there with its shields. It does a good job at keeping the Vajra occupied, at least, with its varied attacks. Unfortunately, this means that a Heavy Soldier buzzes its way too, hovering up ominously in front of its bow. It, too, charges up a massive blast to cut clean through the ship--though the charge means that it'll have to stay in place for a moment, leaving it open to a counter.
        
        As Scorn leaves chaff in his wake and climbs into the atmosphere, the Vajra... lose interest in him. Smart move, maybe. But that doesn't help Rin any, even as she butts her way through the Vajra in her the Gespenst II-R. This crunches several, but they don't seem to mind. Indeed, a Heavy Soldier swoops in from the side and attempts to RAM right into her and Rancor, potentially knocking them out of the way.
        
        Soma and her team do their best to use their beam weapons to keep the Vajra at bay, but that's an uphill battle. It becomes an even sharper incline when a Heavy Soldier joins in on the battle and the Mobile Soldiers begin to follow it in a strange, semi-circular formation. Together, they unleash a barrage of their own beam weaponry--impressive, and perhaps intimidating, not for the sheer power but for the fact that they are so precise in that formation. Almost like they're guided by some kind of intelligence...
        
        Apparently they don't care if Lagos is too rich for bugs or not. The Vajra nest where they like.
        
        Lucine's beam weaponry doesn't do much in terms of actually hurting her target--but it does get the Vajra's attention off of her boyfriend and onto her. A pair of Heavy Soldiers come in for both her and Liam, and between the two of them (two on two, almost a double date) and their Mobile Soldier back-up, there is an unrelenting rain of machine gun fire. It's a hell of a size difference, but the way they weave around the Dianthus and Akashima both over the churning lake with absolutely no regard to whether they get cleaved through with a Prog Sword or not may be unnerving.
        
        The Nadesico serves as a shield with its Distortion Field while the Aion serves as a sword with its barrage of missiles. Together, though Ruri and Fari may be far from friends, they do an excellent job of distracting the Vajra from the civilians. The evacuation goes smoothly, or at least as smoothly as can be reasonably expected in a situation like this, as a result. The Vajra don't seem to care, though. They're apparently assigned together with the Carriax in the sense that, though the fliers have retreated, the stronger bugs return missiles with missiles, bombarding the Nadesico, the Aion, and the Carriax alike with the apparent philosophy that something will get through.
        
        While the fliers may be falling back now, though, one of the Mobile Soldiers is still flying around the city without engaging in battle. Unlike the others, its antennae twitch towards a certain sound, harmonizing with a weak fold wave, trying to find its source...

KTS: Leina Ashta accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Leina Ashta's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Leina Ashta successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Leina Ashta with Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Muginami with Vajra Armored Claws Six-Legged Grab!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rose Tritten with Vajra Bio-Cannon Powered Blast!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro with Vajra Bio-Cannon Charged Assault!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rin Naujakaite with Vajra Armored Claws Heavy Impact!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Soma Peries with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Lucine Azul with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Reckless Stream!
KTS: Liam 7-020's The Hound activates!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Liam 7-020 with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Reckless Stream!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Ruri Hoshino, Kathras Fari, and Sagiri Sakurai with Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Soma Peries accepts Sheryl Nome's All-Out!
KTS: Sheryl Nome orders an all-out attack, raising Soma Peries's Skill!
KTS: Best Defense! Soma Peries successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's All-Out, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Rin Naujakaite's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Rin Naujakaite successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Leina Ashta fails to engage Parry against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact!
KTS: Best Defense! Leina Ashta successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact, taking 3300 damage!
KTS: Kathras Fari accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Kathras Fari's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: [Spiritual Adjustment] Kathras Fari's Rise and Fall activates, and his spirit is adjusted further!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Liam 7-020's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Liam 7-020 successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Heavy Impact!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Heavy Impact, taking 3120 damage!
KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage intercept against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Kathras Fari moderately reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage, taking 3483 damage!
KTS: [Spiritual Adjustment] Kathras Fari's Rise and Fall activates, and his spirit is adjusted further!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Sagiri Sakurai's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Sagiri Sakurai successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Reckless Stream!
KTS: Best Defense! Liam 7-020 successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Reckless Stream, taking 0
damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai fails to engage intercept against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage, taking 3569 damage!
KTS: Rose Tritten accepts Sheryl Nome's All-Out!
KTS: Sheryl Nome orders an all-out attack, raising Rose Tritten's Skill!
KTS: Best Defense! Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's All-Out, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro accepts Sheryl Nome's All-Out!
KTS: Sheryl Nome orders an all-out attack, raising Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Skill!
KTS: Best Defense! Astarte Spalding-Monteiro successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's All-Out, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Lucine Azul accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Lucine Azul's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Lucine Azul successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Soma Peries engages charge against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge!
KTS: Soma Peries moderately reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge, taking 3780 damage!
KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Lucine Azul's Morning Star activates!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Muginami accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Muginami's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Muginami successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Rose Tritten fails to engage Block against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Powered Blast!
KTS: Best Defense! Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Powered Blast, taking 2775 damage!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro engages charge against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Charged Assault!
KTS: Critical Hit! Astarte Spalding-Monteiro poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Charged Assault, taking 6120 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Kaiju Navi roots its unit, coming to a standstill and leaving it vulnerable.
KTS: Muginami has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Muginami has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Muginami fails to engage evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Six-Legged Grab!
KTS: Critical Hit! Muginami poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Six-Legged Grab, taking 4730 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Kaiju Navi begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Kaiju Navi anchors Muginami, preventing her from Evading the next attack!
KTS: Lucine Azul engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Reckless Stream!
KTS: Critical Hit! Lucine Azul poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Reckless Stream, taking 6071 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino accepts Sheryl Nome's Awe!
KTS: Sheryl Nome inspires awe, increasing Ruri Hoshino's Morale!
KTS: Best Defense! Ruri Hoshino successfully reacts to Sheryl Nome's Awe, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Attune Spirit Command.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino fails to engage intercept against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Critical Hit! Ruri Hoshino poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage, taking 3828 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> Rose Tritten has posed.

"Unlike the Earth, space is pretty big!" Sushila snaps back at the GN-X Pilot, as she continues covering Roses charge in. She fires off a few sprays of Beam Rifle into one of the Mobile Soldiers, drawing its attention in time for it to meet her spiked shield as she slams into it. Rose rolls over it, in time for Aspyn to barrel on in and make contact with her beam axe, the force slowly bisecting it and sending both halves barrelling towards the ocean. The three blasted off and headed back towards the GN-X team. Safety in numbers, they supposed.

Then, they started to get swarmed, Rose deflecting the smaller beams until the huge blast roars in, scattering the trio once more, melting the spikes off of Roses shield. Things werent going good. Bad even.

"Did they just Epsilon us?"
"I think they totally did! That's our thing, you can't use it against us you cheaters!"

Roses mind raced. They were in dire straits, but there was no way they were retreating. The uppity Gaia Sabres over the radio certainly werent helping...but then, over the radios, cutting in...came Sheryls song.

Maybe there was hope. But the song had to keep going.

"Let's go Delta Up!"

The trio fired at full thrust once more. They had to keep that song going, at any cost.

KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with Ace Attack Formation Delta!

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

The Carriax, takes a hit too, and Leina flinches, thinking of the members of Special Section 3 inside of that one.

Mentally noting it's position in the air, she sorta runs a few mental loops-de-loops figuring out the best way to back them up.

Data comes her way from a helpful bell, and she double takes, before, "Hey Omoikane. ... Thanks a million." Before Amies makes her offer and Leina responds, "<Sure Amies, already getting some interesting data. Let's work something out after.>"

First though, she has to make certain there is an after.

"Fair cut of what?" She asks anyway to herself, because despite everything... she is an Ashta. "Is Amies running a VTX Company Store?"

That's... not a pretty image what happens to the Vajra, but she didn't expect to fighting bugs. She's not exactly the squeamish type, but a giant space bug...

... only to find on her descent arc a flash of warning with the Vajra heavy right there in her face, with it charging that blast. Without time to draw her Saber, she does the only thing she can think to, and suddenly slams her shield up at the barrel while activating her side thrusters.

The Beam still scores over the shield, burning off the side of the Beguir's head.

It's optics flicker with static, as she lands heavily.

But Sheryl...?! "They haven't evacced her yet?" Leina says in surprise, as her Beguir's claws skid and bring up sparks over the edge of the bay, just outside the stadium. Part of her has a mind to just- leap out there right now and grab her.

It's Sheryl Nome.

But... the sentiment she speaks, she can't actually fault it. Isn't that what the whole Macross mythology is all about? And given all the things she got into trying to get Judau out of stuff, she'd be a hypocrite to undermine that resolve.

"Shit, okay. Sing your heart our girl." Despite herself, she smiles as Sheryl begins singing Obelisk. "But you better keep yourself safe out there."

Taking stock of the situation, she considers whether to try and disengage, or- "One shot is all it'd take to kill hundreds." No she can't disengage from this thing. It's attention has to stay on her.

"Funnels." She knows they have shit maneuverability in atmosphere, and worse fuel efficiency, but she doesn't need long just... enough.

They launch, but not far, just far enough to more hover near the Beguir, as it faces the Heavy Soldier, as she amps up the output on the beam rifle.

All of the funnels fire as one, massing funnel fire to rake through the thing's shell, even before her rifle joins in, charged blasts of concentrated Minovsky hell attempting to blast it apart with particle fire, aiming just 'up' enough to strike the Heavy Soldier from ground level, and any stray beams to fly harmlessly into the sky.

"Come on... come on!"

Obelisk plays, reminding her she has power in her hands... she just hopes, she has enough.

KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Kaiju Navi with Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Firing Squad!

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

Music begins to play from that miraculous ship of the imagination. Sheryl is singing. It echoes outwards in a hundred directions, echoing off of buildings.

And Rin --

-- finds that she's laughing. She's laughing because it is like something in the old records. Something like the old song-wars that she only heard about secondhand -- from Count Starking when she was the ridealong for some minor errand. He hadn't gotten out of training in time to do his bit, but...

In Rin's slowed-down view of reality, she sees a Heavy Soldier surge towards Rancor. She yelps a warning, wordlessly, as she stares at the thing. There is a momentary ripple - she can almost feel the progress of the adrenal compounds from the glands in her kidneys out into portal veins and then throughout her body - of something like terror, anger, memory. The great alien Thing that --

-- that --

But she's not looking up at it, with a sick dread and determination.

That girl grew up in another gravity well. Now she's here. A 'beloved part-timer,' and perhaps now with a place, a place of herself. The thought makes the cavalcade of subtle fantasies that fill the dark corners of Rin's mind and memory begin to bloom, like a desert after a rainshower.

The little fantasies of heroism, of glory, that kept her going in the face of terror. In the face of meeting real and authentic aliens face-to-face. (Friendly ones, not just these. Space is simply the far reaches of the world.) Her heart pounds as her head tilts to the side.

Rancor is simply bodied. The blow comes in at his 'neck' even if his 'neck' isn't really a major important component in the absolute sense of the word; the mechanoid is thrown upwards and smashes into the side of a nearby building, completely devastating a Wkdonald's storefront and the offices on the second story, thankfully closed.

Rin can see the indic lights. Some flick amber. None go red. The Heavy Soldier is turning towards her as she, perhaps strangely, inverts the Magna Beam Launcher and tosses it aside. Now bare-handed the Gespenst continues to face the Soldier. The cannon turns forwards --

"TOO SLOW!" shouts Rin as she surges forwards and swings the Gespenst's arm around, clamping the weapon against the Mobile Suit's underarm-or. She doesn't grip too hard, striding another length forwards to get nearer as she speaks again:

"RANCOR!"

The mechanical beast, just finished falling, shakes his head once.

"GRAB ON!"

Rancor leaps. He has no jaws, but there is a peculiar taper to his head, and with a raise of his neck (which, quietly, catches fire, but the fire won't destroy the connectors immediately) he slams it downwards, towards the back of the Vajra's carapace with a loud crunch.

Rin pushes forwards as she says in hyper-real accelerated gamer cant, "You come to my planet mess up MY friend's concert and you don't even know how to fight on your hind LEEEEEGS!" And then the free arm of the Gespenst II-R comes upwards in a series of swinging punches for the forearm of the Heavy Soldier. After two such swings - which may not accomplish much against such a durable beast, though they probably aren't pleasant - Rin gives Rancor another instruction:

"PULL!!"

NOW she tightens the under-the-arm grip of the cannon and begins pounding at the thing's face. And at the same time, Rancor curls and raises up his forelegs to dig in, even as the rear ones make a loud whirr-GRIND to invert themselves and begin trying their god-damnedest to run backwards.

"Wow this is probably really dangerous," says Rin, in between swings, possibly for the edification of the Carriax.

KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite targets Kaiju Navi with Team Up Combo - Press The Attack!!

<Pose Tracker> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.

         The crew of the One Fine Day can be heard cheering and hooting as Sheryl's song rings out through the city. "Hey hey hey! Why can't I ever get you all that excited?"

         The bridge crew is shaken from their rousing as the Heavy Soldier covers the front view, charging up its attack.

         "Captain! It's preparing a point blank attack!"

         "We won't be able to evade at this range. But we can take advantage of that ourselves. Reroute all power to forward shields!" Astarte sits down in her seat and grips at the arms. "Brace yourselves! We're not going to give this one a chance to get away. CHARGE!"

         The One Fine Day pushes forward, facing the attack head on as the ship shakes and trembles! "Captain! Condition is critical! Hull integrity 30%! We can't take much more!" XO Xiao turns from her console to await her captain's orders.

         "This is probably our last gambit. Don't worry, I'll get us out of here soon. Fire missiles, while it's right where we want it!" The One Fine Day fires its missile array up in the air, the payload coming down directly on the Heavy Soldier's position!

KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with Vertical Launching System Surgical Strike!

<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.

        The formation of GN-Xs, with Soma's Rosen at the head, exchange fire with the formation of Vajra led by a Heavy Soldier. Bolts of red criss cross with bolts of gold in the skies above Lagos.

        Unfortunately, the Vajra with their superior firepower and defensive adaptations come out of the exchange for the better. The three GN-Xs that had formed up with Soma take serious hits, the golden bolts ripping through their machines at various points. One explodes in a shower of particles, while the other two are sent crashing down to the ground.

        Soma herself is not free from a hit either as a fired bolt sheers off her machine's left arm. Soma is sweating just a little bit at the difficulty of the fight...

        'Like a little bird discovering the light of dawn, I vow I'll notice, the heart racing over a faint omen, for the rest of the world is still sleeping on it!'

        The song echoes from all around. Soma seems doubtful, "She's singing..."

        She's not giving up hope.
        This is hardly the time... We're fighting and dying up here. She's just getting in the way.
        She's trying to do what she can for everyone here.
        It's dangerous.
        She's a professional.
        ...

        <"Team 2, regroup! We can't let the Vajra overwhelm the city.">

        With much of the concert goes evacuated to shelters, the GN-Xs that had been providing defense there fly back to meet with Soma's machine. Soma stows her GN Rifle and retrieves the long GN Lance from its shoulder. She then settles it down towards the formation of Vajra that had wrecked her team, <"CHARGE!">

        Soma's Advanced GN-X blasts forwards through the air, crimson particles training. Their own lances readied, the other GN-Xs follow suit beside her with battle cries. The two formations meet amongst a flurry of lance strikes and armored claws.

KTS: Soma Peries's Fearless Soldier activates!
KTS: Soma Peries has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Soma Peries targets Kaiju Navi with GN-X GN Lance Cavalry Charge!

<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.

        As the Carriax shows up to retrieve Rami, Muginami flashes a little salute with her Heavy Metal with the moment of breathing room she finally gets amidst all the ripping and tearing the Vajra are doing at her shockingly vulnerable machine. The Tyranado's sheer refined power scares Muginami a little, considering she may not have even done them a favor absconding with Rami...

        ...It's only then that she really notices the scale of how this battle's escalated. Not just that ship, but the Aion and Nadesico, along with a Nazca-class above, pouring down forces across Lagos.

        ...The sensible part of Muginami tells her that this is probably when she should leave. Whatever these monsters are, they're clearly the responsibility of authorities she really doesn't want to tangle with. Indeed, she's charting a retreat course before the Heavy Soldiers can actually surround her...

        And that's when Sheryl's song fills the city. A song of rising, swelling hope. A song of defiance in the face of the darkness. ...It's one of those many, many lights Muginami's held onto so tightly over the years, and to think Sheryl's singing even at a time like this...

        A long, saccharine little sigh. A crack of a smile that even Muginami isn't sure is honest or not. "...Is that just how people do things here on Earth? Giving every little incident a hundred and ten percent for everyone else's sake?"

                "It's a little bit too sad."

        The spirit's too infectious for Muginami to deny, though. A bubbling feeling that Sheryl needs someone's help, or else she's going to be pushing herself forever. The side vents on the D.Sserd's legs fan out wide, and Muginami leaps skywards to get what amounts to a better view.

        She's an unknown IFF in a foreign class of mobile weapon. All this is doing for her own sake is attracting way too much attention for the sake of lending a brief hand. But, fully plugging the Power Launcher into the ports on the D.Sserd's waist...

        Muginami rains down light upon as many Vajra as she can see converging on Sheryl, as many of them that are left unaccounted for by the others. And way off in the distance, she sees the idol on the S.S. Nome's stage. A laugh Muginami doesn't understand pours from her core, pausing only so she makes sure each shot finds as many of the tougher armored-looking Vajra as she can.

        "But I guess in your own way, singing like that is how you fight the world. Getting everyone to rally on your behalf. ...I might not ever understand that!~ But I guess for today, I'll work a little harder for you, way over there."

KTS: Muginami has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Muginami has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Muginami targets Kaiju Navi with Power Launcher Boring Fire!

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

Luminous green-blue energy sputters and sparks around the barrel of the Mega Striker in the wake of its opening salvo. Sagiri whistles as several Vajra signals surrounding the D.Sserd are obliterated in the wake of that cannon fire, her head cocking to the right.

"Huh," she punctuates at the end of that impressed noise. "That seemed to do the trick. Not sure it's going to stay that way -- so we might as well capitalize while the opportunity's here. Rami, keep a direct connection to the Striker -- I want as much energy as we can afford fueling it right now."

"Y-yes -- gah! -- ma'am! -- blugh! dad your elbow is digging into my n-neck--"

"Hrm -- sorry, Rami, there's not much space here to--"

"Shit! Evasive maneuvers!"

"WAH MY NECK--!"

This is the battle cry of Rami Amasaki as the Tyranado -shunts- backwards through the air as a volley of missiles are fired in a wide arc, targeting not just it, but the Nadesico -- the Carriax. Sagiri does her best to shoot down what she can of those biological warp munitions. She manages to intercept the ones pursuing the Carriax, at least.

She's not so lucky with those pursuing -her-, however: the short burst of the Striker doesn't cover enough ground in time, several missiles peppering the Tyranado in a sequence of beautiful, bombastic booms that -rip- and -melt- through armor, leaving their mark on the dark mobile weapon. Several pulsing nodes of green-blue light spark dangerously with exposed interior circuitry in the aftermath as Sagiri reverses thrust on the Tyranado, rocketing it -backward- to gain ground between it and the encroaching Heavy Soldiers.

"Ugh. Damn. Is it just me, or are these things hitting harder?"

Rami purses her lips tightly shut, looking sidelong towards the D.Sserd with the furrow of her brow; Sagiri's gaze tracks to it, too. It's not any model -she- recognizes. Is it some sort of model out of Mars? Or maybe even Mercury--?? No, that'd be crazy--

<"Hey! Weird mobile suit!"> Sagiri hails Muginami, because she doesn't do well with unaddressed internal questions. <"How're you holding up?">

Yes. That's the only actual question she finds pressing right now.

<"Stay close to me -- I'll cover your six. And I won't even charge my premium rates. Treasure it! You don't get this kinda service just any day~.">

<"Ma'am! Do you have any idea how that sounds!">

<"--Like a great deal?">

<"Um! ... Well!">

How can Rami possibly argue about something that's technically correct--??

Still -- this isn't looking good. The more they shoot down, the more that arrive. Bigger, faster, and - yes - stronger, just like Sagiri's intuition was telling her. This feels like they're losing a battle of attrition. Her brows furrow; her jaw clenches tight.

She's already thinking about how to open a path to retreat for the other pilots, when...

... she hears that voice, that song, blasting over the speakers. Sagiri blinks. So does Hirosuke.

Rami, meanwhile, blanches.

<"M-Ms. Nome?! What're you doing! That's way too dangerous!! Please, you need to get out of here, these Vajra, they'll-- they'll--!">

But Rami's protests are lost in the defiance of that song. Despite herself, she quiets as if the lyrics are a rebuttal all their own. And Sagiri...

<"... Hah. What did I say?">

Sagiri grins, pastel eyes alight with esteem.

<"Miss Galactic Fairy's one whole hell of a lot bolder than me!">

<"The audacity--"> Meryl starts to cut in.

<"I know, I know! That just means my reputation's on the line! So I'm... gonna have to work overtime to be twice as reckless as her! Rami! Let's kick this thing up a notch!">

Despite herself -- Rami manages to beam a smile, emboldened by both Sheryl's song and Sagiri's dogged insanity.

<"Aye aye, ma'am! Ms. Nome -- we'll look out for you, so do what you need to do! And make sure everyone hears it!">

Behind her, Hirosuke chuckles softly. And Sagiri, still grinning that fierce grin, -punches- the Tyranado's acceleration.

<"Strange mobile suit -- I'm sending some tactical data your way, so follow my lead--!">

And, once she's sure the line of fire is clear -- Sagiri pulls the trigger on the Striker once more, the built up hum of the cannon releasing itself in a blinding flash of churning green-blue that BLAZES towards the incoming Heavy Soldiers as the Tyranado -SPINS-, carrying that entire particle arc of unusual energies in a wide, destructive spin.

So hyped is Sagiri, she doesn't even -think- about how close these gross bugs are getting.

... ugh.

-bugs-.

                        ~$~

MEANWHILE,

Wow this is probably really dangerous.

<"It's -incredibly- dangerous! What is wrong with you, Rin!">

<"I did the math. And it says the probability of this being a profoundly stupid maneuver to pull is 90%%.">

<"Please don't let Ms. Sakurai rub off on you, Rin. We've already lost too many good women.">

<"And understand that if you die, I'll haunt your ghost.">

CARRIAX CREW -- EDIFIED.

KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Rose Tritten's Ace Attack Formation Delta!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Rose Tritten's Ace Attack Formation Delta, taking 4400 damage!
KTS: Rose Tritten anchors Kaiju Navi, preventing its from Evading the next attack!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Kaiju Navi with Mega Buster Striker - Wide Sweep!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Firing Squad!
KTS: Critical Hit! Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Firing Squad, taking 6160 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Leina Ashta's Mass Effect activates, causing Control Bonus!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage block against Rin Naujakaite's Team Up Combo - Press The Attack!!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Rin Naujakaite's Team Up Combo - Press The Attack!, taking 4200 damage!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage intercept against Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Vertical Launching System Surgical Strike!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Critical Hit! Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Vertical Launching System Surgical Strike,
taking 6350 damage!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Soma Peries's GN-X GN Lance Cavalry Charge!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Critical Hit! Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Soma Peries's GN-X GN Lance Cavalry Charge, taking 3300 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Soma Peries's Loyal Soldier activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage block against Muginami's Power Launcher Boring Fire!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Muginami's Power Launcher Boring Fire, taking 3150 damage!
KTS: Muginami roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.

"Anti-air defenses! Now!" Gavarre says at the barrage of missiles, and Jakallo repllies, "Auto-target engaged--We've--No, one got through!"

The Aion shakes as the powerful weapon hits, but the ship's great armor prevents most of the ddamage. Fari narrows his eyes. But not just because of that.

Sheryl is still singing... Singing, for them. For her defenders. Like a heroine in the old stories, Sheryl sings.

Kathras Fari's hand curls at his armrest sslightly, and he frowns. Gavarre says, "She's so... Brave," she finds in surprise.

"It's reckless," Fari mumurs in return, and shakes his head.

Fari then eyes the display. TThe stronger bugs...

"Using our main cannon would only hurt the city. Deploy more mobile suits."

"Launching!" comes the answer from the pilots, as ttwo by two Achilles Squadron comes onto the battlefield.

"Focus fire on one of the large ones at a time--we need to get through their defenses."

"These coordinates, on my mark... Mark!"

"Yes, sir!"

The GN-Xes swarm one of the biggest Vajra present, laying in with piercing gunfire and other weaponry to try to take them down, one at a time.

KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Kathras Fari targets Kaiju Navi with AION Mobile Suit Wing Victory Tactics!

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        < "Not sure... but I'm glad they're here," > is what Lucine says to Liam on the crew with Leina. < "She must have been here for reasons similar to us." >

        Kinetic weapons aren't doing much, according to Liam. < ".... Beams aren't either." > Which means, evidenced by how the Dianthus dips away from Liam's cover, that Lucine intends to take the fight to them.
        
        This decision would be just as influenced by the music broadcasted over her speakers. The Galactic Fairy sings not only in times of joy, but in adversity.

        As the squadron of Vajra threaten her and Liam, Lucine reacts to the assault with grace, avoiding the first pair of Heavy Soldiers like a needle through silk--

        --only to blunt her edge against the stone below that silk against the Mobile Soldiers. Cleaving through one of those, the Dianthus is met by the Heavy Soldiers's fire from behind as they circle around. It's joined by gunfire from the front by the one surviving Mobile Soldier, forcing the Dianthus to retreat.

        The retreat is momentary, however. < "... It'll take more than that to take all of us down!" > Lucine cries valiantly, tearing through the smoke upward, higher and higher.

        ----(!)

        Again, that sense of hers, tearing Lucine out of her moment of focus, shifting it to another location. < "She's going to---!" >

        With moments to spare and little thought paid to her own safety in the moment, the Dianthus comes crashing down from the sky, glaive held downwards, in hopes of cleaving a hole into the Vajra responsible.

        Or would be responsible.

KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Lucine Azul targets Kaiju Navi with CL0-V3 Glaive Dragoon!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        The gunfire is unrelenting. The Vajra soldiers' beams rake across the Akashima's armor, again and again, but Liam's catching on to their tactics. The massive machine takes an equally-massive step back, slightly deeper into the bay, and sweeps the Progressive Sword forwards to slash through the first attacker. The weapon trails alien gore as Liam stabs at the second one harrying him.

        But that's just two down, out of how many?

        "...Sheryl?" Liam pauses a beat as the Vajra swarm around his machine, thinking--for a moment--that she's providing support from afar. Her voice reminds him of what's at stake here, and he feels the shift in his vision as his nervous system goes into overdrive.

        It gives him the perfect chance to see Sheryl on the bow of her ship, exposed. He sees Lucine, going for the Vajra threatening her. He sees other Vajra, swarming after the Dianthus. "<LU! SHERYL!>"

        The Akashima steps forward, cautiously--well aware any waves it makes could put that ship in even greater danger. Liam drives the blade forward, trying to crack through one Vajra, then another, then another, with raw force. Any shield that's not an AT Field can break if you hit it hard enough. Right?

KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Kaiju Navi with Progressive Blade Drive!
KTS: Liam 7-020's Tactical Intelligence activates Trick!

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        "Sheryl-san is singing," Ruri says, looking to the screens. It's an unnecessary comment, in more ways than one, but...

        "She should evacuate!" Erina scowls, beside her. "Doesn't she know how difficult it will be for everyone if she's hurt?!"

        Ruri shakes her head, and says, mildly: "She's fighting with her song. She wants to inspire everyone."

        "Then we'll just have to defend her," Jun says --

        -- which is when the missiles barrage their defences.

        "Damage sustained," Ruri reports, stoic again. "But the Nadesico is still operational."

        "Are we able to fire the Gravity Blast here?" Jun asks, frowning.

        "I prepared a firing solution while we were working," Ruri says. "But the Vajra will resist it."

        "Even so... it's what we've got," Jun scowls. "Let's do it--!!"

        "Firing," Ruri says, mildly.

        (Before she does, she issues a warning, to all craft, about the route the blast will take.)

        And the Nadesico's jaws open wide, as gravitational power builds along its prongs, and fires through the open air -- through the throng of Vajra. Even if they resist it... can they thin the horde?

        It's a difficult situation.

KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Kaiju Navi with Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage block against Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Wide Sweep!
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Wide Sweep, taking 5600 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages intercept against Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Victory Tactics!
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Victory Tactics, taking 5250 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Lucine Azul's CL0-V3 Glaive Dragoon!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Lucine Azul's CL0-V3 Glaive Dragoon, taking 5500 damage!
KTS: Lucine Azul roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Liam 7-020's Progressive Blade Drive!
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Liam 7-020's Progressive Blade Drive, taking 5700 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Ruri Hoshino's Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's Gravity Blast Cannon - Atmospheric Gravity Blast,
taking 2925 damage!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        The chorus of Obelisk thrums through the city. The evacuation, already going well thanks to the defenders' efforts, concludes in a resounding success to the sound of Sheryl's songs. Civilians turn in their seats on shuttles and trains in wonder towards the screens alight with the vision of Sheryl, smiling courageously as she performs in the biggest, brightest target of all.
        
        "In order to live one second longer
        "Encourage your spirit"
        
        Leina's funnels sear a line through the Vajra, past the Heavy Soldier and into what remains of the swarm. Shells erupt and explode in their wake, and in response, the massive red Vajra swoops in and attempts to latch onto her mobile suit with all of its legs. All of its very sharp legs, that go on to attempt to rip it limb from limb.
        
        Not far from her, Rin and her Gespenst give their own Heavy Soldier the business in an eerie parallel, ripping IT from limb to limb. It's quite effective. The Heavy Soldier is rendered nothing but a battered thorax (abdomen?) when it flips on its own shell--and then proceeds to attempt to skewer the Gespenst on its own back cannon. It won't survive the attempt, but damned if it's not making it.
        
        "And hitch yourself to
        "A flickering destiny"
        
        Did the Vajra just Epsilon the Tritten Team? It's hard to say. Certainly they don't respond to the accusations of cheating. As Rose and her comrades enter their own formation, they blast into their foes, crushing carapace and denting armor in their wake. The Mobile Soldiers begin to fall back, but the Heavy Soldiers facing them unleash a barrage of missiles, aiming to break that deadly formation apart. At the same time, though, that formation of theirs is starting to break, too.
        
        Soma and her team are meanwhile breaking the formation of the Vajra swarming them with lances, each out thrusting forward and piercing through whatever joints they can find. Pieces of legs and mandibles fall, but gruesomely, the Vajra don't relent. As their more physical means of attacking are sundered from them, they charge up the cannons on their backs and BLAST back with force.
        
        "Seek out the pulse in my heart
        "And haul in uncertainty"
        
        The Nadesico unleashes a blast into the horde. The warning Ruri sends out to the local defenses is a boon, ensuring that they get out of the way of the blast radius. The Vajra converge on themselves to form a living shield against it, and that saves some of the aliens in the back, giving them an opportunity to retreat--but there is a sacrifice: the ones in front are well cooked. It might be interesting, given the weapons the Nadesico used on them in the past, that they made a defensive maneuver like that...
        
        The Aion's Mobile Suits ensure that those that survive keep retreating, though. Chasing them down, they cut down several before they can make it back to the water and the ground. Those at the back stop trying to outrun them and instead turn to accept those death cuts in return for blasting them with an unrelenting stream of high-velocity pellets. They're not as aerodynamic as bullets, but with the force that the Vajra fire them with and the close range, it barely matters. Some of that "bullet" fire reaches the Nadesico too, though it's likely less effective against the much larger ship.
        
        "Will you make it in time?
        "I pray you'll make it in time!"
        
        Liam's Akashima's sheer mass gives it an advantage, especially with it and Lucine's Dianthus over the water now. The Dianthus's pilot gets a flash of intuition and zips away, and the Vajra let it go. There's just too huge a size difference between it and the Akashima. Perhaps that's why the Heavy Soldier and over a dozen Mobile Soldiers swarm in on the Akashima--their wings work overdrive in a horrible, droning buzz as the cannons on their backs start to glow--that glow spreads to their bodies--and then, as one, they all EXPLODE.
        
        "Swear to me by your tears
        "That a miracle will cling to you"
        
        The One Fine Day unleashes another barrage of missiles, aiming to wipe that Heavy Soldier off the face of the planet. It zips and weaves and ducks with astonishing grace for a giant bug, but ultimately it can't evade them all. When one reaches it, the rest catch up and set off a chain reaction of explosions. It seems like it's done for--but as its smoking form falls, it lets loose one final beam blast along the carrier's side.
        
        "And you'll leap over the wreckage
        "In a rising curve"
        
        Muginami closes in towards the S.S. Nome, aiming to block off any Vajra that get too close to it and Sheryl singing therein. There are too many there for a straight shot to her--there are very, very many strong-looking Vajra to open fire on--but she does well with what she has. The shots she does make fire true, and each one is distracted away towards her instead, loosing missiles to whistle out her way. These ones are at least not explosive, but there are a lot of them.
        
        That just means there's plenty to spare for the Tyranado and its pilots. Rami's concerned transmissions reach Sheryl--so too do Leina's and Rin's--but Sheryl only winks out into the battlefield, her daring overpowering even their fear... not that there's any fear to speak of coming from Sagiri. Sheryl will let the professionals to their jobs--and she'll do hers. Because of them, there's more and more space clearing out around the S.S. Nome, especially as the Tyranado's cannon spins and takes out more Heavy Soldiers... but that means that it's easier to pinpoint what's strange about the sound resounding from it.
        
        "Seek out the pulse in my heart
        "Until I return to life--"
        
        The Mobile Soldier Vajra that had been scouring the aerial battlefield now zips down horizontally, hovering in front of Sheryl. It doesn't attack, though. Its eyestalks and antennae twitch towards her, as if trying to better figure out what this small creature is. Sheryl, only a few meters away, gawks at it in fear. Yet she is a professional, and endlessly stubborn on top of that: her song only stumbles, doesn't stop.
        
        Voice hitching, she manages to get out, "Will you... make it... in time?"
        Then, as she regains her strength and willfulness, she sings clearly, "I pray you'll make it in tiiime!!"
        
        Stretching out a hand to those past the Vajra, Sheryl completes her performance, though the melody's outro continues to play. In this moment, it's a quite sincere plea. There's no telling when the Vajra will get aggressive. In this instant, it continues to stare back at her, wings beating out a breeze that blows through her hair. The cannons mounted on its back twitch, and it slowly moves towards her--
        
        Muginami may not have made it all the way to the S.S. Nome, but she did excellently at clearing the way for Lucine. The Dianthus STRIKES like the hammer of a vengeful god, spearing down into the Mobile Soldier with such force that it rams both of them down into the S.S. Nome.
        
        "Lucine!" Sheryl calls, relieved, as she hurries over to the edge of the elevated platform. That proves to be a bad decision, when the Vajra turns out to be not quite dead yet. It SHRIEKS, and as it twists around, the beam cannon on its back fires, searing an arc up and around--and into that very platform, leaving explosions in its wake. Sheryl screams as those explosions impact into her and send her careening off the side.
        
        Her body forms a falling curve. She misses the steel bow by merciful inches--but she's left to plunge into the waters below, where the Vajra are currently retreating into.

KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Liam 7-020 with Vajra Bio-Cannon Self Destruct!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Lucine Azul with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rose Tritten with Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Guiding Swarm!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Leina Ashta with Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rin Naujakaite with Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Astarte Spalding-Monteiro with Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Soma Peries with Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Ruri Hoshino and Kathras Fari with Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Sagiri Sakurai with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Muginami with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance!
KTS: Muginami engages guard against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance!
KTS: Muginami moderately guards Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance, taking 3740 damage!
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance!
KTS: Best Defense! Sagiri Sakurai successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance, taking 0
damage!
KTS: Kathras Fari engages intercept against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Critical Hit! Kathras Fari poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage, taking 4085
damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Leina Ashta fails to engage Evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush!
KTS: Leina Ashta successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush, taking 4320 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has activated the Rouse Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 fails to engage Guard against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Self Destruct!
KTS: Liam 7-020 moderately reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Self Destruct, taking 5220 damage!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro fails to engage evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot, taking 4580 damage!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino fails to engage block against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Critical Hit! Ruri Hoshino poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Wide-Area Barrage, taking 3861
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 fails to engage Intercept against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Guiding Swarm!
KTS: Best Defense! Rose Tritten successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Micro-Missiles Guiding Swarm, taking 3600
damage!
KTS: Soma Peries has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Soma Peries engages parry against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact!
KTS: Critical Hit! Soma Peries poorly reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact, taking 4400 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Ace Attacker activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Defiance activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite engages evade against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush!
KTS: Best Defense! Rin Naujakaite successfully reacts to Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Sharpened Crush, taking 0
damage!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Rose Tritten has activated the Strike Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Rose Tritten has posed.

The trio of ZAKUs rush in, peppering the Heavy Soldier with beam fire from their Beam Assault Rifles. But all it is, is a distraction, meant to get them close. Rose fires off a burst of missiles, detonating all around the Heavy, discombobulating it long enough for Aspyn to let loose a mighty shriek over the radio, her glowing beam axe head slicing into it. It spins as she rips it back loose, while Rose reaches the ZAKUs manipulator to its hip, pulling off and activating one of the grenades. She aims right at the open wound on the Heavy, and the fist goes right inside, extracting without the grenade. She thrusts up quickly, both ZAKU feet slamming on its head, shoving it downwards as Sushila brings up the rear, peppering it with more beam fire until the grenade detonates inside, sending the Heavy Soldier careening into the lagoon. The trio reform, seeking out another target.

"I really hope they don't steal that one too. I like that one, it's fun!"

"Next time we'll just shove two grenades up its butt."

The jovial tone is cut off when the missiles start to fly in, alerted by the ZAKU alarm systems. A flurry of beam shots rip in and detonate many, but quite a few still hit home. The ZAKUs are smoking and damaged, but still intact.

Then they see the impact on the S.S. Nome.

Aspyn shrieks, and blasts off to the rescue, with Rose and Sushila close behind. Nothing was going to get in their way to reach that ship. Time to show the bugs what a real Epsilon pattern looks like.

KTS: Rose Tritten targets Kaiju Navi with Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon!

<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.

It's only the expert piloting and fine machines Achilles squadron has that save them from losing a member today--but it's a near thing, as one loses a leg and nearly ccareens into the grround before it fellow steadies it.

"I've got you!" says one pilot to another.

"They're retreating!" says another.

Fari remains on the bridge, watching with a frown, his eyes forward and his hands folded. He doesn' like wha the expects here--

And--

The song stops.

"No!" calls Gavarre, horrified.

Fari sighs. This is what he expected.

There are no more 'heroes' in this world. Not for long.

Gavarre says, "Achilles Squadron, move to defend the S.S. Nome!"

They don't know, of course, whether Sheryl is alive or dead. But she'll do somehing. Kathras does not countermand her orders. Instead, he sits up from whre he'd slouched forward. "...These coordinates," Fari says, tapping into his armrest console. "Here, here, and here."

Are the Vajra retreating?

"Fire Scorpion missiles, maximum payload."

"Yes, sir!"

Missiles pour out--to thhe middlle of large groups of Vajra, rather than tryinng to focus on the stragglers.

Gavarre's shoulders sink, but she's professional enough to keep it together.

The mood of all the bridge crew seems subdued.

KTS: Kathras Fari's The Loyal activates!
KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Kathras Fari targets Kaiju Navi with Ship Fixed Missiles Surgical Strike!

<Pose Tracker> Muginami has posed.

        To Muginami, Sagiri calling something as humdrum and everyday as a Heavy Metal 'weird' momentarily strikes her the wrong way, and it's the Tyranado that's definitely odd - but, she has to remember she's the distant foreigner here. To bypass that entirely, she yet again cheerily hails Sagiri back with a simple, "My name's Muginami! I'm definitely outnumbered and outmatched here, but I've been through worse! Still, they really do just keep coming..."

        "The real question is how your friend is doing! I put her through a bit of trouble just then, I think, but she seemed like she was in danger, so I stepped in for juuuuust an itsy bitsy second. That girl's in there, right?" Muginami sounds somehow like she's audibly snooping around the Tyranado searching for Rami. "The ride getting here wasn't too rough, was it?~ Sorry sorry if it was! I'm a very push myself and whatever I ride to their limits type of girl, hehe~"

        An audible little "hoooh" at Sagiri's offer of protection for just this short while comes amidst countless hailfires from the Vajra below, cracking through one leg and sending the D.Sserd toppling to a nearby rooftop. "Ouchie- ow ow ow...hahah, I'd say something like, 'who am I to turn down such a well-presented offer?~', but let's not pretend I'm in any position to say otherwise, okay~? Generous bargains in times of crisis isn't a bad sales tactic though, hehe~"

        ...she maybe sees riiiight through VTX's ways in that moment.

        The songs halt throughout Lagos, right in tune with a distant explosion at the S.S. Nome. Muginami can't help but swallow tightly to herself - but she saw mobile weapons headed closer that way, didn't she? ...Surely, in this world - in this galaxy - that loves Sheryl Nome so dearly, someone would risk it all for her sake.

        One of Muginami's hands bunches up at her shirt, one that places Sheryl's face right over her heart. ...Worrying about people who insist on putting themselves in danger is just about the worst, isn't it? If only they never felt that burning need to do just that.

        Instead, it's become clear that Muginami's time has just about come - the Heavy Metal's out of steam entirely, and the best she can muster going forward is to stash it in a warehouse and arrange a proper pickup later. Really, she'll need some elbow grease to get the thing moving at all...

        ...Once she's finally hidden away from the core of the conflict, only then does Muginami notice the lingering pain at her stomach. The faint thrumming of the Memoria brought on by so much chaos and struggling.

        "That's just gonna get worse the longer I stay here, isn't it?"

KTS: Muginami's Railway Connecting the Stars activates!
KTS: Muginami targets Kaiju Navi with Pass!
KTS: Lucine Azul engages guard against Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage!
KTS: Critical Hit! Lucine Azul poorly guards Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage, taking 3040 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> Astarte Spalding-Monteiro has posed.

         The air in the One Fine Day hangs still, not one breath taken as the missile hits its mark. As the Soldier falls and duel seems won, its final attack connects, glancing off the side of the Nazca, the cumulative damage causing most of the lights on the ship to go out.

         "Report!"

         "Hanging on by a thread. We're on auxiliary power, but we're not gonna be able to stay in the air for much longer. No major crew injuries, however."

         The captain lets out an exasperated breath and slumps over in her seat. "Well, at least we're alive. That's all you can ask for. Everybody... just relax a little. All pilots back to ship and let's make a tactical retreat."

         And then Sheryl falls.

         The breath hangs again.

         The captain's head is in her hands. She's getting a migraine from all this stress. "Get us out of here, then you can be shocked all you want. That's an order."

KTS: Astarte Spalding-Monteiro targets Kaiju Navi with Pass!

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

It latches on, and Sheryl sings, alarms ring. The Vajra outsizes the Beguir by a lot, so she realizes the trouble she's in, staring death in the face.

The thing is.

She doesn't want to die. It's right there in the song.

One second longer.

As metal crunches, and bends, and warps, she can even witness the edge of her cockpit deform on one side.

Encourage your spirit.

It flares forth like a blaze in the moment, just enough, to push back the claws just subtly, to keep the Reaper away.

There's a certain intensity in her eyes, no time to say anything.

No time to do anything but feel, there's just enough give to swing the shield up.

To slam it for just long enough to stun it, the entire upper half of the Beguir crushed too much to do much more, and that's when all of her funnels, still aloft begin to fire in terrible sequence, with awful abandon.

She hears the song hitch, she feels it in her soul.

Will she make it in time?

She doesn't see it.

She feels it.

"Sheryl...?"

All fire fades, and the Beguir slumps down, a half crushed mess.

Isn't it supposed to be her turn to be happy?

KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Kaiju Navi with Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Scorched Earth!

<Pose Tracker> Soma Peries has posed.

        The formation of GN-Xs clash against the Vajra, Soma's squad members unleashing repeated blows against the Mobile Soldiers and getting claw marks cutting through their armor in return. Ocasionally a limb is severed. But thankfully no more fall to the Vajra here.

        Soma herself has to content with the Heavy Soldier itself. Right now one of its huge claws is pressed up against her lance, trying to get past to strike into her frame. But the Rosen struggles back against it, holding. It's a stalemate, until Soma fires a burst of beam vulcan fire into the creature. Hardly all that damage, it's enough of a distraction for Soma to parry the creature's harm to the side and then tear it free with a swing from her lance.

        Falling back and last measures, the Heavy Soldier charges its bio-cannon and fires. Soma barely has enough time to bring up her lance into the path of the shot, causing it to tear through the lance, then the GN-X's arm.

        Inside the cockpit, Soma is shaken by the near lethal hit but recovers quickly. She notices the Vajra are beginning to retreat back towards the underground tunnels. Around her, her squad charges forward to pursue but Soma calls out, <"Stop! It's too dangerous. We don't know what's happening down there... We've already lost two of our own and our units are running low on particles. I'm not letting any more of you go to die.">

        <"Secure the tunnel entrances. We'll keep any more from entering the city until reinforcements arrive. Then we can drive-">

        Soma stops mid sentence as a message comes in. A report: Sheryl Nome has been attacked.

        This... Is a problem.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        "The Vajra formed a shield," Ruri reports. "Our damage was reduced."

        "But not completely thwarted," Jun says, clenching a fist. "How long until we can fire the Gravity Blast Cannon again?"

        Ruri pauses for precisely 2.48 seconds. "I can recharge the Phase Transition Engines in five minutes," she says, still stoic.

        "Damnit," Jun cries, "that's still too long!"

        "Incoming," Ruri interrupts him.

        The Vajra's assault buffets the Nadesico. While each individual shot is easy enough for the ship to cope with, the sheer amount of them are another thing entirely -- the ship shudders with the assault, laid over again and again. "We can still fight," is what Ruri has to say about it.

        Erina, beside her, scowls. "We're really taking a beating, though! Can't you make the Field any stronger?!"

        "I am allocating as much power as is practical to our defence," Ruri says.

        And then -- Lucine.

        "Sheryl-san is endangered," Ruri reports, mildly. "The Dianthus is responding... threat neutralised." She believes it was, for all of a moment.

        Except --

        Her eyes widen, a moment before the Vajra rises. Her breath is already lodged in her throat by the time it strikes, her eyes already widening. She shuts her mouth, but her nostrils still flare, as she takes in a breath too sharply.

        It's Jun who jumps in, to bark, to the Dianthus: "Lucine! Did you see where she fell?! You've got to go get her!"

        It's Jun who jumps in, because Ruri is silent.

        It wasn't... neutralised.

        But when Jun looks back to her, and says: "Ruri, fire missiles!" --

        Ruri's voice is steady and stoic, as it always is. "Omoikane, fire as many missiles as you deem appropriate."

        Omoikane proceeds to fire them all, right into the heart of the horde.

KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Kaiju Navi with All Missiles, FIre!!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Rose Tritten's Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Rose Tritten's Formation Attack Pattern Epsilon, taking 2556 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Kathras Fari's Ship Fixed Missiles Surgical Strike!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Ship Fixed Missiles Surgical Strike, taking 4200 damage!
KTS: Muginami's Railway Connecting the Stars activates!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages charge against Muginami's Pass!
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Muginami's Pass, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages charge against Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Pass!
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Astarte Spalding-Monteiro's Pass, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Scorched Earth!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Scorched Earth, taking 3960 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage charge against Ruri Hoshino's All Missiles, FIre!!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully reacts to Ruri Hoshino's All Missiles, FIre!, taking 3960 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

It's true. By all appearances, Sagiri Sakurai seems a completely fearless figure on the battlefield. Maybe it's just what VTX Union's qualification assessment decided of her:

She's a genius. A natural.

All this comes as easily to her as breathing.

Maybe. Or...

In the heat of the moment, there's no real room to debate one way or the other. Banter aside, Sagiri's mind is focused on the job -- she can't afford more than a superficial deviation from it.

She might sing-song a <"She's right here and trying her best not to blush, so just consider this me thanking you for saving my invaluable subordinate~!"> to Muginami and subsequently tag-team destroy Rami Amasaki with every flavor of embarrassment, but those pastel green eyes are focused to the sharpened edge of a knife as the Quark Drive's peculiar particle fire rips through scores of Vajra.

She can't afford to slip up. Not here. Not when there's so many lives on the line.

Not when one of those lives is staking it all on their victory.

She shoulders those expectations. She pushes herself harder. She has to--

Something about the singing changes. Pastel green eyes widen. Sagiri's gaze sweeps to the S.S. Nome. A Vajra--

<"Shit--!"> she begins as the Tyranado swiftly pivots with thebroad sweep of its swift, sleek silhouette. Veins of greenish energy pulse across its chassis--

Only for the Dianthus to strike down the target. Sagiri hesitates. And then she exhales a little laugh.

<"Right in the nick of--">

C H O O M

<"--time--?">

Sagiri blinks. Behind her, Hirosuke's expression steels; he knows what he's seeing instantly. Rami, though, pales with a lack of comprehension for a few hanging fractions of seconds.

<"... Ms. Sheryl...?">

Sagiri's hands grip white-knuckle tight on the Tyranado's controls.

<"SHERYL!">

And the Tyranado fires -off- like a shot through the air, a trailing comet of blue and green impulses that leave trailing afterimages in its wake as it soars after the falling Sheryl. Vajra surge past, their sheer velocity enough to make collision alone deadly -- but the Tyranado weaves through them as if it were literally -moving- through them, practically flickering between moments like a phantasm of pure speed and crackling energy as the Quark Drive's output skyrockets. There's so many of them, all of them fleeing in the same direction Sheryl is falling. If they--!

<"Chief!!">

<"I know! Meryl, Amies -- Combination Terrible Nightmare Delivery approved! Engage maneuvers now!">

<"Y-yes, sir!">

The Carriax swoops in, payloads of missiles unloading; they explode in spiraling patterns of blooming fireballs all around the Tyranado, ripping through Vajra after Vajra, creating a thick, belching smokescreen...

... where the Tyranado soon -punches- through, Beam Bayonets brandished and blasting at maximum output, rapid-fire shots ripping holes through whatever Vajra she can manage to hit. The fireballs of of the Nadesico's own missiles join the chorus, nearly drowning out Sagiri's call of <"Meryl! Striker!!">

--But it doesn't need to be heard to be acknowledged. That spare cannon is launching out of the Carriax soon enough; Sagiri is snatching it out of the air in short order like it came natural as breathing; and its already igniting into a massive lance of burning green energy, spearing through Vajra after Vajra as it dead drops through the air towards Sheryl.

She can't make it in time. She can only clear the way. She curses herself every second, knowing it's the truth.

After all, she knows better than most: assessments can only account for so much.

<"Dammit--!">

Reality can be much crueler than marks on a score card.

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Kaiju Navi with Combination TND!

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

    No no, Lucine won't make it, not like this.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        No no, Lucine won't make it, not like this.
        
        Not without Muginami's interference, clearing the way through.

        The spear punctures through, but in Lucine's haste, she had overestimated the amount of force the Dianthus needed to generate to overcome that hard chassis.

        The Vajra goes crashing down despite the Dianthus's weight; as small as it is in comparison to other units on the field, it is no minuscule fairy, but a weapon of heavy steel.

        The two crash into S.S. Nome, the CL0-V3 Glaive embedded deep into the Vajra, its owner likewise held in place.

        Lucine looks up at her feeds, and sees Sheryl running towards her-- the Dianthus.

        The feeling hasn't gone away yet. The sharp knife only twists harder in Lucine's brain.

        < "NO, SHERYL, GET BACK!" > It's rare to hear Lucine scream like that. In anger, not so much, but with that bare, sharp *fear*...

        There was a time, not too long ago, where the two of them hid in that shop, away from the lone paparazzi reporter pushing down the sidewalk, desperate for a glimpse of the famous songstress.
        It was a time, not too long ago, where Lucine felt proud of being a Newtype, of doing something she could uniquely do, in order to help the person who inadvertantly helped her, so many times.
        
        The stakes of a paparazzi shooting a photo of someone trying to enjoy an awkward but heart-warming afternoon with a fan turned lucky acquaintance is small stakes to moments like these.

        Her gifts allowed her to survive. They allow others to survive.

        _It's not supposed to work out, like this_

        Explosions rip through, covering the Dianthus, and knocking the songstress down from above like a falling star.

        The glaive finally rips free, and the Dianthus rockets out of the explosion after Sheryl, and into the waters below.

        Sensors scream at Lucine; the Dianthus wasn't made for water. < "I DON'T CARE, WORK!!" >

         It'd be better to do everything, than to live knowing you didn't do enough.

         right?

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

Flesh creaks. Shell screams. And eventually, it breaks! The triumph of machine over life! ... wait, no!

Rin doesn't stop the thing from sliding out of the Gespenst's grasp, letting out a cackle and a statement of, "Rancor! High five!" But before she can showboat, the thing flips over - the cannon is brought around again...

And Rin, of course, continues to see things at such a slow pace...

... that the Gespenst doesn't just jump over the swinging, but throws itself forwards to momentarily do a handplant. Rin whoops with joy as the Gespenst is, for one subjective Rin second (which is about .35 normal seconds) balanced on its hands.

The Heavy Soldier no doubt dies in disgust about this time, and Rin immediately receives a warning of heavy arm damage from this sudden direct pressure load, which leads her to tumble the rest of the way forwards with a clatter and a clang. In the end, the damage is not quite as severe as the warning suggested, but...

non-zero.

Rancor comes over and puts a forelimb end on top of the Gespenst's hands. "Good boy!" Rin says -- and that's when something else happens.

People are saying things. Things about -- Sheryl? Rin, of course, has the benefit of hearing things slowly but processing them quickly, and so she says to herself in dread, soft in her RGB-litten cockpit, "Sheryl."

Then commands. "Rancor! Call the Carriax, get in penguin mode, get in there and find her!!" Rancor turns and bolts down the street towards the area where the epicenter of activity is happening; he staggers a little every other step but he's making good time.

"Scorn! **** 'em up!" And after that, Rin reclaims the Magna Beam Launcher and takes off after Rancor. Black futility twirls in her gut. What happened to Sheryl?

Scorn, serene in his hatred, had remained up high. At the instruction, Scorn qualifies and calculates deep within his logic cores while banking around and descending slightly, out of a wispy cloud he was using for momentary maskirova. That calculated cone appears again, and Scorn adjusts his pitch, his yaw, and his angle to move that cone. When it has intercepted a critical threshold of Vajra, Scorn fires everything.

e v e r y t h i n g - which includes several large, anti-vessel missiles, two missile-cluster packs, and repeated full barrages from the beam arrays. After e-cap exhaustion, save the BINGO charge 'two defensive shots,' Scorn breaks into a widdershins circle towards the Carriax.

Rin hasn't even gotten halfway to the water at that point. Rancor may be a little closer, but this is the sick dread of what happens when you turned out to have gone the wrong way.

KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite targets Kaiju Navi with Scorn - Hyper Barrager!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage block against Sagiri Sakurai's Combination TND!
KTS: Kaiju Navi moderately reacts to Sagiri Sakurai's Combination TND, taking 6390 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi engages block against Rin Naujakaite's Scorn - Hyper Barrager!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L2 activates, negating 2000 base damage.
KTS: Best Defense! Kaiju Navi successfully blocks Rin Naujakaite's Scorn - Hyper Barrager, taking 2100 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam was not prepared for the Vajra to self-destruct. The Akashima's free hand closes around one of them, and hurls it into the water, just to get it away. The rest of them detonate, one after another, nearly bowling the colossal machine over. One particularly close explosion rips into the thigh armor, forcing it to take a heavy step forward to keep from landing facefirst in the bay. When the last Vajra is reduced to ash and grease, the Akashima rises. Its armor is pockmarked with damage. Smoke trails from the wound in its thigh, and another, smaller wound in its right shoulder.

        "<Get her out of there!>" Liam cries. The Akashima's arm cannon whips up, and spits lead into the Vajra swarm. In the corner of his display, he sees the Vajra collapse, impaled through. "<I'll cover-->"

        It gets back up. It tries to. The scream catches in Liam's throat before he FORCES it out: "MOVE!"

        The trail of cannonfire cuts off abruptly as Liam watches a friend plunge from the bow of her ship. His eyes go round. His heart is in his throat.

        Lucine plunges in after Sheryl. The Akashima stays where it is, frozen in place. The wave action produced by its footsteps could slam Sheryl into something, or drag her deeper. He can only watch as it happens.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Kaiju Navi with Akashima Arm Cannon Suppression Fire!
KTS: Liam 7-020's Tactical Intelligence activates Valor!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to engage guard against Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Suppression Fire!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Physical Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi poorly reacts to Liam 7-020's Akashima Arm Cannon Suppression Fire, taking 3432 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 rattles Kaiju Navi, making its next maneuvers more difficult.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        The Vajra are on the back foot now. Aside from defensive maneuvers and covering fire, it's a rout--missiles (all the missiles in the Nadesico's case), Epsilon maneuvers, beam swords, and more (all the more in Rin's case) are effective... or as effective as they can be on these creatures--as they complete their retreat back underground. It's probably not comforting. "Back underground" just means they've gone back to their nest, directly underneath a major metropolis.
        
        Still, it means that the defenders can take decisive measures to keep them from coming back. Soma and her team will be able to secure the aboveground tunnel entrances without issue. The underwater ones... will have to be handled in due time.
        
        In the same way, those on Team Humanity will be able to retreat with else. No new attacks sizzle towards the One Fine Day--the Beguir is free to slump without fear of a final blow--and except perhaps for Sagiri and her friends, no one will notice Muginami slipping out in her Heavy Metal in all the chaos.
        
        The explosion on the S.S. Nome is more dramatic by comparison. The Aion's Achilles Squadron moves to defend the ship, but it's too late for that; the Vajra have abandoned the area around it. They're all going down, down, all the way down into the ground (water). They can at least secure the area, and in particular the waterways below. It's not glamorous, but it's important, even vital work.
        
        The Carriax and Tyranado swoop in to destroy as many Vajra as they can in their desperate attempt to get to Sheryl, but they're a bit too far away. Still, they do clear the way. There is that one Vajra that the Dianthus speared, still squealing and thrashing about even after Lucine abandons it to dive into the lake below, but with the air cleared, the Tritten Team are on it in an instant, silencing it completely before it can do any more harm.
        
        Lucine and the Dianthus dive. How long can it work for an environment it wasn't made for? If it can function in space, it will at least remain airtight, but water is far thicker and thus far more difficult to move through than the void.
        
        She'll be able to catch sight of Sheryl in her sensors, sinking as bubbles rise from her lips. The impact on the water looks to have knocked her out; she's insensate and unresponsive, even when the Dianthus's lights shine on her. A good thing, maybe, because there's blood rising from her body, too, from countless burns and abrasions--and that's only what's visible on the surface...
        
        Still, the Dianthus has forward thrust on its side, and it was closest to Sheryl. Liam in his Akashima freezes, and this will turn out to be the correct choice; there's so much debris in the water from the fighting that the shifts in the water from its movements definitely would have endangered Sheryl and Lucine both. And even if the Dianthus can't actually maneuver underwater, it'll reach her in time to grab her, to pull her in its arms.
        
        Of course, rising back up to the surface is another matter, with the Dianthus's power guttering in real time as water seeps into its circuits.
        
        It struggles to rise--its lights flicker--
        
        Until Rancor hits the water and penguins around towards them. With the way cleared by the Tyranado, it's easy for it to zero in on what remains of the Dianthus's lights--a beacon that ensures that Sheryl wasn't lost to the depths--and grab it and Sheryl both to bring them up to the surface.
        
        It's a literal breath of relief. Still, it's too soon to celebrate. An emergency helicopter greets them, Grace O'Connor standing in the panel on its side as it hovers just over the Dianthus. Everyone's efforts are to thank for that; without the Vajra having been routed, there's no way it could have gotten in in time.
        
        "Get her on board! Hurry!" Grace shouts, gesturing to the helicopter pilot and Sheryl's aquatic rescuers both.
        
        She'll be loaded on board with professional speed. From there, it'll rise up and off to the nearest hospital, given priority despite--or perhaps thanks to--the widespread evacuation. So comparatively few people were injured thanks to everyone's efforts, after all.
        
        It might be bitter comfort all the same. For now, all that remains is the destruction in the Vajra's wake. Their departure means that local emergency crews can rapidly start to clear pathways and get the rest of the injured to hospitals... but the enemy is still below their feet. And the hope that Sheryl had tried to stir may well devolve into despair...
        
        Grace, within the helicopter, watches for a moment as they approach their destination. Then she gazes down at Sheryl on a medical gurney, emergency crew already tending to her, performing CPR to get the water from her lungs. Grace stands to one side, out of their way, her indigo eyes lidded.
        
        Fairy-9... You were brilliant to the end, she thinks to herself, some regret making it into her steely gaze. But it looks like you couldn't rock the galaxy after all.
        
        Whether Sheryl dies tonight or dies months from now, Grace's ambitions will have to leave her behind.

---

Board 9: IC News/Rumors/Post 1591
Title: GLOBAL TOUR CANCELLED
Poster: Sheryl Nome
Date: Sun, Jul 14

 News breaks again on all major entertainment networks about Sheryl Nome's upcoming global tour--but this time, to announce that it's been cancelled. The basic story is as follows:
        
 Her concert in Nigeria started well; the S.S. Nome, a combination cruise liner and dazzling concert stage, was unveiled and was met with roaring approval. Partway in, though, a massive swarm of Vajra--insectile aliens known to be hostile to mankind, which longtime fans would know attacked (and most likely destroyed, though Sheryl has never acknowledged this) Sheryl's home, the Macross Galaxy--attacked, having apparently built a nest in abandoned waterways underneath the city and lake. While defenders were fighting them off, one of the Vajra severely injured Sheryl, and defense rushed her to the hospital.
        
 The next morning, Sheryl's manager announced her to be in stable but critical condition, and the tour cancelled as a result. She didn't go into the particulars of Sheryl's injuries, but said that even an optimistic prognosis would require months for her to fully recover.
        
 She graciously went on to thank NUNE and Lagos's local defense forces for their swift response to the threat on Sheryl and her fans' lives, saying that Sheryl surely would've been killed if not for them. She condemned the Vajra anew, reiterating that they'd destroyed her and Sheryl's home, and expressed hope that this will rouse NUNE to more decisive action against this "existential threat against humanity."
        
 In fact, evacuation of civilians at the time of the attack went extremely well, with a startlingly low number of casualties despite the skies over Lagos having been choked with Vajra at one point. Reports say NUNE forces exterminated a significant number, forcing them to retreat back into the Lagos waterways, which is when the S.S. Nome was attacked and Sheryl injured.
        
 Once evacuations had been completed, Lagos authorities have announced a quarantine of the immediate area, which may be expanded depending on the results of an investigation of the Vajra presence. NUNE forces will continue to be called upon to help with the extermination of the Vajra infestation.