2023-11-30: Sleeping Giants P1

• Log: Sleeping Giants P1
• Cast: Ranka Lee, Riika Sheder, Alto Saotome, Rin Naujakaite, Yurika Misumaru, Sheryl Nome, Hikaru Amano, Sagiri Sakurai, Ruri Hoshino, Grace O'Connor, Yurikano de Metrio Lu, Laffinty Fin E Ld Si, Kaiju Navi
• Where: Formerly Gallia IV
• OOC - IC Date: 15 December 0097
• Summary: A Ranka Lee concert turns into despair as Vajra attack and the planet of Gallia IV is practically destroyed while the expedition fleet attempts to flee. And oh yeah, Ranka is kidnapped by Vajra.

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<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

The Gallia IV expedition base camp is alit tonight with searchlights listing
 back and forth in the sky, the landing lights of the platforms all lit up in
 sequence for effect. A simple stage has been setup, but not actually so many
 chairs save for those who have security concerns like the VIPs.

Despite those used to Ranka's concerts expecting elaborate setups, the open air
 feel offers a more simplistic atmosphere, amidst the buildings set up and the
 landing strips, it has the feel of a military concert meant to entertain the
 troops during war, but the tension isn't there amidst the Gallia IV sky, not
 amidst these explorers from Earth who have come here.

It may be there amidst the inhabitants of this world who had extended a hand
 for diplomacy and good will, their problems remain, and these outsiders offer
 no relief to the rumbles of military action in the distance, the far more
 distant thousand year problem. Yet perhaps, there is relief there too. For
 they extended their hand in friendship.

And they shared their music, their culture or perhaps 'Deculture'. Sheryl sang
 not long ago at the military academy, and now it is the other Songstress'
 turn. It is a tough act to follow, that of Sheryl Nome, the ever famous
 Galactic Fairy.

One would be justified to wonder if the newer idol, the Super Dimensional
 Cinderella can possibly live up.

The buzz in the air is nevertheless palpable, people talking casually amidst
 this open air concert, as the lights come on, a screen behind the stage comes
 on too. Everyone on the expedition is invited, as are the diplomatic
 contingents, and the military academy entire. There is of course, no price,
 and no tickets.

All are welcome here.

So far she's delivered, starting with a soulful rendition of Azure Ether, and
 continuing into a cute and light Earth favorite of Rainbow Bear Bear evoking a
 fantasy world buoyed by the dreams and imagination of a young girl, before
 moving on to a peppy pop tune about the feelings of young love in Interstellar
 Flight.

Afterwards, she'd vanished off the stage ever so briefly, giving the audience
 perhaps, a full minute to talk and ride the high of the songs before she
 returned.

BGM Change - Aimo (Bird Human) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEpppieVjww

Her voice is heard even before she is seen. It calls for a hush that it is not
 asked for, in the ethereal alien words, many of which seem to have no
 recognizable language. Yet the feeling of calm, peace - the nostalgic
 emotions that it evokes. The idea of connection... it is present in the air.
  The melody only begins several times in, this accompaniment of strings,

        "Aimo aimo
        "Nedel lushe
        "Noina miria
        "Endel prodea
        "Photomi."

She is seen first, walking up the steps to the stage, a microphone in hand.
 Her outfit carrying a simplicity, not quite a school uniform, but possessing
 that feel, with the blue and lavender accented tie around her neck, the rolled
 up sleeves of a white button down blouse. The pleated blue skirt, and
 matching socks that descend into brown loafers. A tied sweatshirt at the
 waist.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/macross/images/d/df/RankaUta13.png/revision/la
test?cb=20200817034232

Her footsteps are measured, as she comes to center stage, holding the
 microphone in both hands. Few would know the bravery of the choice to sing
 this song here for her. Not even she knows the full depths of courage that
 she had to muster to push past her usual proclivities.

As she does, the screen takes on a backdrop of floating stars, the stage being
 alit in a prismatic array of light.

        "Here we are in a warm sea: look up and breathe."

And even as she continues, the image of the screen changes, to images of
 civilians on an island, warfare, variable fighters overhead disrupting the
 lives of the people caught in the middle. Those from Earth might recognize it
 as images from the Bird Human movie. Yet it doesn't seem to be advertisement.
  How could it be? So far from the Earthsphere where it was released. Instead
 it calls attention to trying to live one's life in a world gone mad.

Ranka lets go of the mic with one hand, slowly tracing in the air with one
 hand, as if reaching to the sky above, for warmth, amidst the cold of a world
 full of tragedy.

        "Lulei luleia
        "Skylarks soar like lapping waves over me
        "Lulei luleia
        "You are the gentle child of all greenery."

Images of the island people, the Mayans, struggling, striving against their
 world collapsing around them, but still finding warmth, light. People
 laughing. A woman singing. A kiss shared. Resolve found. People lost.
 People saved. People mourned. Lives celebrated.

Lives lived.

        "Aimo aimo
        "Nedel lushe
        "Noina miria
        "Endel prodea
        "Photomi."

Ranka's movements are subdued, as if the emotions of the song are weighty,
 every movement of her legs seems to facilitate the choreography of the hand.
 The swaying back and forth of the legs and hips, a single hand continuing it's
 dance, dipping back down, and circling about itself on it's journey for peace
 and light.

        "Here we are in a warm sea: look up and breathe."

For a time, the song is all instrumentals, evoking something spiritual, in the
 exploration, a return to that peaceful state in themselves, in the world
 around them. A contemplation upon the nature of life, existence, the universe
 and one's place in it.

Even as the instrumentals play without her words, there are reminders in the
 silent imagery, in the liminal space above eternally between day and night.
 People gazing at it together. Sharing a meal, enjoying each other's
 company. Arguments had, divisions created, but then mended in their shared
 cause.

Another kiss shared, this time underwater by an actress who looks like Ranka
 with a man who looks vaguely like Alto, despite having different hair.

It is perhaps a good thing that Ranka is looking away from the screen, at that
 moment. A subtle repositioning, as her right hand slips down towards her
 chest, pressing it's fingertips against it.

        "Slumbering in the depths of my heart,
        "As vast and brilliant as the stars,
        "My affection for you.
        "With the heat of your hand held in mine,
        "when your quiet lips frame a rhyme, will awaken in tune."

It lingers on that kiss on the screen, even as the bubbles the ocean rise up
 above them, rising to the night sky like floating lanterns that intermingle
 amidst the stars of the sky.

Ranka herself, her eyes look wistfully towards Gallia IV's colorful sky, above it
 all, a declaration. Of peace, of love, of yearning for peace in this warm
 universe that offers continual evidence to the contrary.

        "Here we are in a warm sea: look up and breathe."

Red eyes carrying a bittersweet feeling to them, they dip again, as she closes
 them, takes a breath, and finishes the last verse with her eyes closed, the
 haunting melody beginning it's descent towards the end.

        "Aimo aimo
        "Nedel lushe
        "Long ago, we were all as one in this world, borderless
        "Come here and breathe in again the warm universe."

Her voice hangs on that final note for so long, before it drifts off, a tinny
 wistfulness in the final notes of the melody, before it too ends.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Riika has been a busy bee because, frankly, there is always more work than you
 think on a long-term operation like this and a lot of it happens out of sight.
 Equipment needs to keep working, things need to get where they're needed when
 they're needed, analysis and study needs to happen. So she's actually missed
 a couple concerts and 'fun nights'.

Not tonight, though! Tonight she is here.

Riika still looks a little tired because of all the long hours, but that's just
 the way things go; she's well-known for not being able to just let things go,
 for being a perfectionist and trying to make sure everything is humming along.
 And while that's good for her job, in a situation like this, where there's
 *always* more to do, it is a little tiring.

So she's been pretty quiet in the audience, but at least she's gotten out *and*
 she's not trying to do remote work while she's here. Progress!

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto is amongst the audience at this concert too. At this point it's
 probably not surprising to find him there. At least when he's not currently
 out on a mission, which thankfully is not much of an issue here. Given this
 entire expedition is basically a mission.

        The first couple of songs which Ranka goes through get his head
 nodding. He's not quite as expressive as SOME people in the audience, who are
 no doubt going nuts at being able to attend a Ranka concert here on Gallia IV.

        When Ranka moves on to Aimo though, Alto is a little more invested. He
 knows what the song means to Ranka. And especially given recent revelations
 and feelings, it's even more relevant.

        Scenes from the Bird Human movie play on the screen, Alto thinking back
 to his involvement in it. It feels like such a long time ago, yet it's not
 even been a year.

        The scene of a shared kiss appears, reminding Alto about it. He goes a
 little bit red, scratching at his cheek as he glances around at the people
 around him.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

A cluster of individuals are, not in the front-front -- which was probably
 distributed either to Very Important Personages or by some kind of lottery
 program on the ship computers -- but certainly NEAR the front. A small block
 of seats, secured for what appears to be

                        VTX AND FRIENDS

This block has been secured by Rin Naujakaite. While approaching for the
 concert, she had brought what sure looked like a small trash bag with her, and
 its contents were discreetly revealed during the break.

'Are you fucking serious?'

        'Oh, that sounds fun.'

'LOUIS'

        'What, it's a concert, Samantha, this is hardly a normal situation.'

'I ain't wearing that one. Give me --'

        'Heh! I knew your style!'

        'Hnf.'

And when the song returns...

A half dozen or so individuals are all wearing carrots on their heads.

Carved from cheap foamcore and hit with splatpaint, the one on Rin's head -
 intersecting her dome like someone stabbed the fat rainbow-hued carrots -
 gleams with stout fan enthusiasm. BEHOLD: THE DAWN OF THE CARROTHEADS.

Naturally, this drowns into screaming. (Samantha, for the record, has a
 deep-purple carrot she took for black, and is making an intensely Kim Pine
 face about the entire affair. Louis has plain orange.) But Aimo is not a song
 you scream for; and so soon, it fades, as the sound washes over.

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        "Ranka-chaaaan!! RANKAAAAAAAAA YOU'RE DOING SO AMAZING!!!!" - calls
 Captain Yurika, enthusiastically at the front of the crowd, headband and
 glowsticks and everything, cheering with all of her might and power and
 loudness. If Riika's quiet, Yurika's speaking for two! She's decided to be the
 Number One Supporter Friend, after all. "Aaaaah I always loved when you'd hum
 this song when you were out and about, it's so cute! KEEP GOING RANKAAAAAAA!"
 Arms waved up and down, side to side, waggling and-

        "-Ow!" Shuffling through the crowd, Izo gets a firm bonk from the
 enthusiastic captain with a glowstick, recoiling and holding onto a railing.
 "...I thought I'd ask the captain about this but...no chill around here. Ah."
 He catches a glimpse of the slightly familiar face of Alto, wiping his
 forehead. "Finally, a reasonable face. ...Hey, you. Alto, wasn't it? ...Did
 you - I dunno if you'd remember her, but you got any clue if Yurikano's around
 here? We haven't been able to contact her, like, at all...we thought it'd be
 obvious to find her at this concert that everyone's at..."

        Izo's looking around for other level-headed types, and spies Rin and
 the Carrot Troupe, immediately clicking his tongue. Well, probably not there...

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Some might wonder if the Super Dimensional Cinderella can live up to
 the Galactic Fairy.
        
        The Galactic Fairy herself knows--for better or worse--that she can.
        
        Sheryl is in attendance, seated in one of the more choice spots. It's a
 bit chilly tonight (or at least, she's been feeling chilly recently, and she
 has certainly not developed a very occasional cough), so Sheryl's made
 a fashion statement of her pink flight suit, using it as an undergarment for a
 white-and-gold sleeveless top that hugs tight on her chest and a two-layered
 white chiffon drape that hangs down from underneath it, held in place at her
 hips by a golden chain belt, and splitting at her thighs while draping partway
 down her thighs in front and down past her knees in back. Her hair's pinned up
 in back in an artfully messy bun, the better to show off her fold quartz
 earring. She doesn't have a helmet, because she doesn't anticipate actually
 flying; this is just a fashion statement.
        
        She's enjoyed the concert thus far; Ranka's still relatively new, but
 she already has a broad range of sounds to her songs, so there's no boring her
 audience with too many slow songs or exhausting them with too many fast ones.
 Then, at last, comes that song... Not the one that she'd been working on
 with her and Lan, but the song that followed her from her past.
        
        Sheryl shuts her eyes to listen. As intimate and special of a song it
 is to Ranka--to Brera, too--she'd let it be shared with the world through
 Bird Human. A dramatization of a past that now links the two of them
 together.
        
        Her pink-painted lips form the worlds is near-silent song, too: "Here
 we are in a warm sea: look up and breathe..."
        
        She opens her eyes and watches Ranka's performance along with the
 footage on screen. Sheryl of course recognizes it; she takes it in along with
 Ranka and her school uniform-esque costume. Her fingers curl at her throat;
 the presents that Ranka had given her this year and Alto had given her last
 year are back on her quarters on the Nadesico, safely tucked away in her room,
 but she remembers them well. If Bird Human were produced for the kabuki
 stage, what role would Alto play?
        
        Well--none. Sheryl smiles to herself ruefully as she reminds herself of
 that. But if it had been back then, maybe Alto would've been the one to
 portray Mao for her.
        
        She shuts her eyes again during the underwater kiss, fully avoiding
 Alto's eyes as he looks around at those around him, which conveniently would
 include her. She knows it happened. That doesn't mean she especially wants to
 see it. A moment later, she lifts her gaze as Ranka does to Gallia IV's
 eternal twilight.
        
        The Vajra haven't attacked at all so far; the last time Ranka sang,
 they didn't appear then either, or at her last several concerts. Yet she's
 here because her song supposedly affects those hateful aliens. Will they still
 be so fortunate tonight as to remain uninterrupted?
        
        Though speaking of interruptions, Izo trundles up to Alto to ask if
 he's seen Yurikano, just as the delicate melody of Aimo fades. Sheryl blinks
 over at them.
        
        "She isn't here?" she murmurs. "I thought I just hadn't spotted her.
 Maybe she's running late?"

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

To Hikaru, it doesn't feel like such a faraway concert, as long as the
 Nadesico, her home, is here. But an open-air concert, in many ways an exchange
 of Deculture, a bridge connecting people from so far away... even Hikaru can
 understand this.

But more than anything, she's just here for a good time. Sheryl did a fantastic
 job... and she's looking forward to what Ranka can do, too.

The heart and soul of Azure Ether, the sweet Rainbow Bear Bear, and the
 high-energy Interstellar Flight - Hikaru is here for all of it! "Go Ranka,
 go~!" She cheers, even drowned by the sheer supportive energy of Yurika that
 it is. But what she does have is the glowstick Maya Jintek gave her shortly
 after they landed. No, she didn't misplace it, yes it's a miracle!

Her good cheer gradually fades to melancholy with Ranka's performance of
 'Aimo', intertwined with footage of Bird Human. To share such a message with
 their new friends from so far away... yes, it makes sense to.

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

The VTX Crew Watch a Concert!

From Sagiri to Rami to Amies to Meryl to FRESH RECRUIT-IN-THE-MAKING Rin to
 even Hirosuke, the gang of Special Section 3 were all in attendance at the
 start of Ranka's concert today.

And they are all wearing carrots.

"... Um. All of us?"

Yes. All of them.

This was the dismayed question of one RAMI AMASAKI, now currently wearing a
 giant, horizontal, cyan carrot hat on her hanging head. Her hands press to her
 burning cheeks, even as she listens to the music.

"Th-this isn't how I thought my life was going to go...!" she mumbles. "No! I
 have to be supportive for the new rookie--!!" She shakes her head violently;
 her carrot hat knocks into MERYL SPANNA'S, sending the redhead teetering
 dangerously in the process.

"What the hell--?!"

"ACK MERYL HOLD ON -- AAAAA--"

And this is the sound of Rami and Meryl going tumbling and crashing in the
 middle of the concert as the former tries to save the former from falling and
 only succeeding in getting caught up in her orbit.

The two crash into a pile of twitching limbs as SAGIRI SAKURAI looks up at her
 own, three vertical rainbow carrots arranged like a crown; her brows lift with
 bemusement.

"... Is this a thing?"

Sagiri is now operating under the impression that Ranka is some sort of Carrot
 Idol, probably. She doesn't know! It might as well be true!

"I guess when you sing that well you can be whatever the hell kinda idol you
 wanna be, huh..."

HIROSUKE AMASAKI left about midway through the concert - not out of lack of
 interest, but to get the work for the day done, so his subordinates could stay
 and enjoy the show to their fullest.

He is currently in their room aboard the Nadesico, calmly typing up SS3's daily
 deep space report.

He is still wearing his carrot hat.

And AMIES ERNEST? Oh, she's watching the concert's final song with rapt
 attention -- but even though she thinks the song is -lovely-, like some sort
 of dreamy lullaby, her rapt attention is focused on the screens. Wholly on the
 screens. As they linger on that kiss. Between two very recognizable people.

She is distressingly, frighteningly focused on it.

Glasses glint as she looks sidelong towards Alto's embarrassed reaction.

"oh my" she whispers -- and then she notices Sheryl's reaction.

"Oh my...! The plot thickens...!!"

Amies Ernest's carrot hat quivers in shipping delight.

This is, possibly, the best night of her life.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        "And just what am I to make of these rumours of -- aquariums?!" Erina
 Kinjo Won demands, slapping a hand to the console.

        "I believe the kitchen requested them," Mr. Prospector answers, pushing
 his glasses up his nose. "It must be something Ms. Howmei is cooking."

        "We give her too long a leash! What is she doing, preparing /live
 lobsters?!/ Honestly!" Erina grouses, as she turns back to her station. "And
 here we are, monitoring a concert..."

        Ruri Hoshino, who knows very well that those aquariums are not for
 lobsters they're going to eat, wisely keeps her own council. The Nadesico is
 berthed, currently, but it must still be staffed -- and so she and Omoikane
 are watching Ranka's concert from afar.

        Subsequently, so is the rest of the bridge.

        "At least she's working hard," Erina grouses, folding her arms as she
 watches Ranka on screen.

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        As the concert plays out in the expedition's camp, Grace O'Connor, who
 is supposedly back in the Earth Sphere and even has numerous meetings and
 sightings to prove it, is currently walking through a dark place not far from
 the camp. It's pitch black and yet the well dressed manager doesn't miss a
 step as the sound of her heels clacking against the stone floor echo
 throughout wherever she is.

        In the virtual mindscape within her, Grace is surrounded by several
 screens as she monitors the concert while it plays out. Visuals from her spy
 camera show Ranka singing and dancing. On another screen, some kind of
 waveform fluctuates up and down.

        Grace muses out loud, "It seems the Little Queen is starting to come
 into her own."

        Another voice that is not her own responds in her mind, "She is not
 ready. She is still too weak."

        Yet another counters, "The fold waves are within acceptable levels for
 this stage of development. They can be nurtured."

        Another voice asks, "What of your pet project?"

        Grace waves a virtual hand in response, "At this stage we can label
 Fairy 9 a failure."

        One of the voices chuckles, "I guess that means it's time to dispose of
 it!"

        Another voice hmmmms, "Will the Vajra not take care of that?"

        Grace cautions, "I would not underestimate those of the expedition.
 They may yet find a way to survive what's coming."

        A voice asks curiously, "Even that? I assume you've taken precautions
 in that regard."

        Grace nods, "My agents in the fleet have accomplished their missions.
 While I expect the fleet and its new Zuvorg friends to put up a fight, I'm
 certainly not going to make this easy for them."

        One final voice finishes, "We shall see..."

<Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.

It's a strange feeling, attending not one, but two concerts in a place where
 she never expected it to be. A whirlwind of emotions for these past two
 months, settling down as time ticked along. Even now, in the open air while
 rushing from one side of the planet to the other, as her muscles ache with the
 minor discomfort of her duties, as she took in the clear sky and the rising
 lights and din of the idol concert...Could she relax for the faintest moments,
 shoulders drooping a tiny bit with a sigh.

As she practically explodes out from the ship, the first in line from the
 straggler group who had to do their own duties (Read: Makeup/Disciplinary
 measures). Running along towards the concert proper, only slowing down when
 the stage was in proper sight. Security detail? Not for a princess with no
 power.

A run, to a jog, to a slow walk, to stopping in place. Watching in silence,
 allowing the atmosphere to wash over her.

There is only her breath at the end of it all, staying still for a moment to
 process the song. She was late, but...Mmh, well, it didn't matter, much.
 She'll just have to bring a peace offering over tomorrow!

Look up and breathe. Pushing through the crowd of people, honing in on the
 fiery red hair that screamed the sight of Izo...Oh, and Alto's right there,
 too!

"Yahoo~ You two doing well? I didn't miss much of her, did I?"

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Ranka sometimes feels like she can pick out the feelings of her individual
 friends out there. From Rin's passionate devotion with her friends. She even
 spied the carrots with the entire VTX crew, much to her surprise! She's
 talking to Elmo later about making that official merchandise? Maybe? Look
 that's a whole conversation with a lot going on for it.

(It is a good thing she doesn't know that Amies Ernest is currently shipping,
 collapsing mid concert isn't a good look for her professionalism.)

There's Yurika's very audible enthusiasm which she appreciates as it dispels so
 much insecurity, to Alto's faint embarrassment over the choice of picture, to
 even Sheryl's shared embarrassment over the moment and wistful rumination, and
 even Erina's grousing but reluctant acceptance (Ranka has done her part in
 Ruri's scheme).

Her eyes do keep moving over to where Yurikano was supposed to sit,
 wondering... but no the show must go on!

Ranka smiles, speaking to the crowd through her mic.

"I hope you all enjoyed that one. It's very special to me. While I adapted it
 recently for the movie, I've known it for as long as I can remember."

Ranka's eyes grow, momentarily distant, not quite sharing all of her struggles
 with everyone, merely hinting at them, "When I came to this world, I've
 struggled with the idea of singing it here - perhaps I'm still insecure about
 it. It might be a sign of my inexperience."

Stepping forward, she slowly looks across the crowd, as she confides what she
 feels she can in them, "It's the type of song I've wanted to share with
 everyone my entire life, but didn't have the courage. Until recently - thanks
 to the people in my life who helped move me towards my goal of standing on
 this stage."

Her smile seems extra bright, perhaps, as if she's definitely picked them each
 out. "So despite my fears... I feel like it's a great honor that I could
 share it here, with the people of Gallia IV. In some ways, it feels like I
 only just truly came into my own as an idol just now - carrying the ideals of
 the Macross Fleets with me so far from Earth."

In some senses, she feels more at home here than everywhere else. Her eyes
 shimmer, subtly in the lighting. There's a long inhalation, and she swipes a
 hand near her eyes, "Please forgive me - I just felt a little emotional, in
 the moment." She holds up a single finger, all smiles, indicating in fact -
 that it is NOT the last song, perhaps she's stalling for Yurikano so that she
 can hear her closing number relief flooding her as she thinks she spies her
 running up in the VIP section, "I've still got much more to share with you all
 tonight so-"

Clutching the Mic with both hands, she shouts passionately a phrase she's
 become known for.

"EVERYONE! EMBRACE EACH OTHER! TO THE ENDS OF THE GALAXY!"

Lion ~ Ranka ver. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHXoYvZs0BI

The melody is of course instantly recognizable to anyone from the Earthsphere,
 because originally, it was Sheryl's song, but ever since her first concert,
 Ranka has sang it, as if to highlight her friendship, her rivalry with Sheryl.
  Her desire - her drive and determination to stand on the same stage with her.

The lights shimmer over her, and in the blink of an eye Ranka is in a midriff
 baring blue blouse, wearing a sporty coat of white and azure. A yellow ribbon
 prominently adorns her hair, as a pair of white shorts with bouncy straps
 alights her pants. Obviously she couldn't have changed during that time
 frame, making people familiar with idol concerts perhaps wonder if the simpler
 outfit before was the mere smoke and mirrors of a simple hologram.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/macross/images/9/9b/RankaUta08.png/revision/la
test?cb=20200817032837

The outfit has a flowy freedom to it about it, an outdoorsy feel, the courage
 of someone moving through the world and struggling to survive within it.

At first it's just the energetic instrumentals, as Ranka slow walks, a hand
 brought down into a fist by her face, as she raises two fingers, lowering it
 as if in salute, as she steps towards the center, dancing in a circle, before
 she sweeps her Mic from one hand to the other, her arm beginning it's slower
 sweeps to contrast the energetic sashay, before abruptly speeding up in sudden
 motions.

        "Orbit the stars at the heart of the world
        "When you sneeze,
        "Butterflies in some forest somewhere will dance wildly!
        "The key to the door you protect is randomized
        "Here's an embarrassing story:
        "Even if they lick each others' wounds, lions are strong..."

Spinning, she brings the mic back in close, stalking around the stage in a
 circle, before stopping and lifting a leg, and as she does, a mist pours out
 from the stage from the dry ice. There is imagery like it is becoming more
 hazardous to survive in this place, yet despite it, she's still dancing, still
 singing - ever searching.

For that someone important to her.

        "I want to survive, I want to survive, I find I still want to live
        "Guided by the constellations, we now gaze at each other..."

Green triangles spill out all over, in light, even as she pumps her arm over
 and over, reaching out as if she is looking for that person, no matter how
 dangerous it is. Perhaps they're out there fighting, or surviving, but it
 matters not. No matter how far away they are, they're together.

        "I want to survive, I'm at a loss, I glitter as I wither away
        "Until I show off how I look when I'm serious, I won't sleep!"

Hopping across the stage, she brings her microphone up to the crowd, clapping
 overhead as if guiding them to the rhythm, before bringing her hand back up to
 her mouth.

        "We're supposed to survive, wow wow wow"
        "We're supposed to survive..."
        "What was I born to do? What am I here to do? Ooh... oooh..."

Again she sings, for that search of purpose, of her own feelings it evokes when
 she sings this song and thinks of surviving. At that fateful day at the first
 Sheryl concert she attended, the Vajra attack when Alto saved her.

        "I want to survive; my uncovered wounds feared the light
        "The lives that want to be forgiven now draw each other close
        "I want to end my wandering and quell my burning heat at your side
        "Until I show off how I look when I'm serious, I won't sleep..."

Whipping her head around, Ranka is alit by the lights of the stage, as she
 sings to the crowd, taking a low pose with legs spread, as she moves side to
 side in passionate choreography, and in that moment, melting out of the fog,
 is another Ranka, this one with a red hair ribbon, ripped short short jeans,
 and a yellow jacket with pink strips across a blue mid-riff baring blouse.
 Stockings.

As she sees the other Ranka, her eyes light up, and the two move across from
 each other, their hands meeting, as they gaze into each other's eyes, before
 breaking into individual choreography of each dancing around the others.

        "I want to survive, I don't mind if it's by a hair, I'm in love with you
        "The lives that want to awaken now draw each other close
        "In place of madness, I'll offer up a prayer:
        "I'm in love with you (love with you)
        "Guided by the constellations... the constellations... hey yeahhhh!
        "I want to survive, I still want to live, I'm in love with you
        "Until I show off how I feel when I'm serious, I won't sleep!"

As the lyrics end, the guitar continues in solo, as the two Rankas move up to
 one another again, palm again palm, almost cheek to cheek. They hold hands
 even as the guitar solo slows, and the notes echo outwards, the two raises
 their arms high in synch, then brings them both down - the lights going off,
 leaving just a single Ranka alone... again, at the search.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        As Aimo fades, a series of text boxes spring open over the main screen.
 Some have images of hands clapping, while others declare:

                        < SET APPLAUSE = TRUE >
                        < GOOD JOB ! >
                        < GREAT >
                        < SETSTR (FANTASTIC) >
                        < WOW !!! >
                        < RANKA * CHAN >

        (That last one has a decal of a star between her name and her
 honourific.)

        And Ruri's expression is gentle, as the boxes pop up and up and up.
 "She's doing well, isn't she?" She asks, and her own enthusiasm is milder than
 Omoikane's, but no less deeply-felt.

        "Of course she is," Erina sniffs. "She set her mind to it, after all.
 But don't we have more important things to do than watch a concert? I can't
 believe the Captain is down there idling her time away -- and our pilots, too!"

        Jun Aoi, the executive officer who the camera simply failed to track
 over until now, clears his throat. "There are important diplomatic aspects to
 this outing," he points out. "The Captain isn't just messing around, this
 time."

        Mr. Prospector glances to the camera, and wonders, "... ehh, is he just
 jealous he can't be down there with her...?"

        "I'll have my shot, okay?!" Jun yelps, whirling on the Nadesico's
 accountant and grasping his hand to a fist.

        "Fools," Ruri dismisses the banter, as she looks up at the screen to
 appreciate Lion instead.

                        < CONNECTION ESTABLISHED >, Omoikane notes, in an aside
 window, as Ranka dances so passionately.

        "Yeah... Ranka-chan looks up to Sheryl-chan, too," Ruri reflects, in
 agreement, as she watches Ranka dancing. "If I were braver, I might sing one
 of Ranka's songs, too..."

        "Eh?" Erina glances to the side, to Ruri's station, beside her at the
 helm. "Do you sing?"

        Ruri's cheeks flush, and she says, quickly: "Never mind."

        Omoikane, who knows very well that Ruri sings and is good at it,
 wisely keeps his own council.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

"There's lore behind the carrot," Rin tells Sagiri even as she looks with
 momentary concern at the Meryl/Rami knot -- missing, in this case, Amies
 getting her Nerd on against the bright light of Sheryl, however limited it
 might be to the audience.

Ranka speaks of her feelings...

... and it's funny, isn't it? It does feel like she's telling Rin directly,
 personally, even if there's so many people here. Maybe it wouldn't be an
 enormous concert by the standards of the Earth Sphere, where despite the best
 efforts of half a dozen macro-malefactors, there are still great seething
 tides of people.

But...

They're the ones who are here. It's an unforgettable moment, here underneath
 the skies of another star.

("Do you guys need help?" Rin asks, leaning slightly forward to look at Meryl
 and Rami. Behind her, a first kiss happens, but maybe this is just how fate
 will flow.)

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The scheme to smuggle a mercat from Ragna has yet to reach Yurika's
 ears - after all, while she thinks they're cute, she's a Very Responsible
 Adult and mustn't let herself get carried away even if oh gosh how can she say
 no to their little kitty faces and and and-

        The bubble of theoreticization is mitigated when Ranka's next song
 begins - the passion intensifying, the heart-gripping lyrics of longing
 tugging at Yurika's poor little heart. It's hard for her to contain the
 dreaded Snifflies - and hard for her to contain the urge to tap Hikaru on the
 shouler, her communicator holo-window positioned between the two and Ranka's
 stage once the song is finished. "Let's take a picture, Hikaruuuu!! And send
 it to the Nadesico! Make sure Ranka's still there when we do it, it'd be silly
 to make a memory next to a totally empty stage!" Of course, SNEAKILY, the
 DASTARDLY Yurika...puts up bunny ears behind Hikaru's head.

        -- -- -- -- --

        "Heh. Izo here was worried sick about you, Yurikano. Looks like he
 invested a loooooooot in this little concert outing-" chimes in a slightly
 smirking Array, pinching at Izo's ear once when Yurikano finally arrives. Only
 worsening his hot grouchy demeanor.

        "W-where'd you even come from anyway, you don't have to follow me to
 every damn-" Izo blusters out, before noticing Kirius, who is, of course, at
 absolute rapt attention, a tear falling from his eye, his glowstick raised
 like a sword. His expression stays solemn, but he's one with Yurika in spirit.

        "...never mind. Guess you've been busy this whole time, Yurikano. Y-you
 haven't missed the best song, thankfully..." Hands behind his head, Izo can't
 help but - well. well! These songs are real real romantic, after all, and
 he's so obviously the wordless awkward crushy type, so he's just kind of
 hovering next to Yurikano, eyes fixed on the stage, playing it cool. Just play
 it cool! Don't glance in Yurikano's direction - no wait, isn't it bad to not
 even look? Peek. Glance. Then eyes right back to the stage. Cheeks glowing
 warmer.

        "...She's real good, isn't she? Gotta be expected for a friend of
 Sheryl's, but..." It's not exactly a charismatic ice-breaker on Izo's part...

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto sighs a little as he can hear the shouting from Yurika. Comparing
 the Nadesico's Captain to the Captain he knows from the Quarter...

        It's like night and day.

        Izo asks them about Yurikano, who Alto does remember. He still needs to
 organize with her that mock battle between the expedition and the academy.

        Sheryl inserts her own thoughts on the matter and Alto was just about
 to join her in agreeing, when he notices the person in question, pointing
 Yurikano out and saying, "Found her."

        Alto gives Yurikano a nod in greeting, saying, "There's been a few
 songs. But there's still more to go."

        Sure enough, the next song starts up. This time Ranka's version of a
 well known Sheryl Nome song. He glances at Sheryl at this point to see how she
 reacts. Though Alto doesn't expect it to be a problem. The two of them are
 friends after all, it's not like it's some random stranger trying to make a
 name for herself with Sheryl's music.

        Alto would not want to be around to see what Sheryl would do to someone
 like that. Or perhaps more accurately, Sheryl's manager... Who always seems
 nice, but you get the impression that she's capable of some wicked stuff.
 Legally speaking, of course. All in pursuit of Sheryl's career.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        There sure are a lot of fans of Ranka's carrot CM song, huh? It's
 almost like it was a meme for a while.
        
        Ignorant of both Grace's plotting, and Amies' shipping, Sheryl smiles
 up at Ranka as she gives her message, both about Aimo and about those
 who've supported her up until now. She's momentarily distracted by Yurika's
 continued gushing, and now taking a picture with herself and Hikaru. She
 giggles a bit as she smiles their way, though they're a bit too far to
 actually hail.
        
        Then, just as she's suggesting to Izo that maybe Yurikano's running
 late, there Yurikano is! Sheryl waves a hand her way, gesturing her over. She
 smirks at Array speaking up to tease Izo, but lucky for Izo, she keeps her
 peace on that matter--for now. (Meanwhile, it's not even worth teasing
 Kirius. He's just so serious.)
        
        "You've nearly missed the whole thing! Fortunately, she hasn't sung
 that song yet," Sheryl stage-whispers, chiming in after Alto and Izo, just
 loud enough for Yurikano and the others to hear. "Have a seat and enjoy the
 show!"
        
        She'll be doing the same--after all, Ranka's shifting from the song
 she's carried in her heart since she was a child, to a song from the
 songstress who encouraged her to step up on the stage. Sheryl's smile broadens
 as the intro melody to Lion revs up. The hologram work isn't bad at
 all--particularly when a second Ranka steps out from the dry ice fog to lock
 eyes and join in dance with her.
        
        But more than that, once again, she can't help herself: under her
 breath, she joins her voice with Ranka's, faintly singing, "Guided by the
 constellations... the constellations... hey yeahhhh~"
        
        With Amies and Alto watching more closely this time, they might notice
 how vivacious Sheryl's smile is as she sings along with the cover of her own
 song. She catches Alto's eye, and her smile warms his way as Ranka's hologram
 double fades, leaving just her on the stage--leaving just the three of them
 separate yet together again. Just how many directions does this triangle
 go...?!
        
        As for Grace, well. She's just doing what any good super-manager would
 do. Right?

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

"Huh... I wonder why those guys are all wearing carrots on their heads? Isn't
 Universal Bunny supposed to be a Sheryl song??" Is Hikaru's reaction to
 Special Section 3's choice of outfits. Apparently, there's lore, Rin says.
 She winces a little bit when Rami and Meryl get involved in a /horrible
 accident/... but such slapstick comedy is nothing new to a member of the
 Nadesico's crew. "Yikes... I hope they're okay though..."

However, the show goes on, with Ranka performing a Sheryl song after all.
 Hikaru knows this one! It's Lion - it's a pretty good one. And it feels a lot
 different coming from Ranka, even if it's a cover! The longing to survive...
 they all have their reasons for it, don't they?

Hikaru gets so into the performance that when Yurika taps on the shoulder,
 she lets out a surprised, "WHUH?" as the performance comes to an end.

"Oh! Yeah, a picture!" She nods, enthusiastically. "Hmm, let's angle it like
 this..." She adjusts. "Say... carrot?!" Yurika's the taller one by a good bit,
 though, and she is fully willing to take up the opportunity to scheme.
 Hikaru doesn't seem too bothered, though, totally noticing the bit but just
 winking to the camera instead. "I'd say that's perfect!" She concludes.

Noticing Sheryl's smile, Hikaru grins right back - she'll send a picture to
 the Nadesico for sure, but she'll make sure Sheryl gets a chance to see it too.
 One of her favourite things about Sheryl and Ranka is the competitiveness - but
 also how they seem to genuinely support each other.

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

Sagiri can only shrug Hikaru-wards with a hapless smile; her guess is as good
 as the VTX manager's! She just likes to go with the flow! Rin, however, has
 -juicy deets-. Juicy -lore- deets.

"I'm gonna need the rundown on that one soon," Sagiri asides to Rin, even as
 the RaMeryl pile struggles.

"No, Rami -- please -- you need to move -that- way -- ow!"

"y-your carrot is jabbing in my eye, meryl!!"

Sagiri seems content to just let them figure it out themselves as she watches
 the next song, arms folded over her chest, carrot-crowned head canting
 rightward. There seems to be a certain sort of significance to this song;
 Sagiri doesn't know the context, but VTX's Fallen Angel is very good at
 catching sentiment, at least. One dark chestnut eyebrow lifts. Her gaze drifts
 from Ranka's performance, to the SMS pilot and idol just in front of Special
 Section 3.

She smiles a little, before she joins in on the clapping with a happy-go-lucky
 sense of enthusiastic ease.

(Do you guys need help? Rin asks.

"i-it's okay, you don't have to worry about us, rookie!! --ow, my spine!"

"We are -fine-, Ms. Naujakaite. --Rami, you can't put your hand there or --
 gah!"

"They'll figure it out," Sagiri ultimately concludes in a whisper to Rin.
 "Trust me, you'll just hurt their pride if you get in the way now."

Within the gradually disentangling pile, Rami laments at the impression she's
 making. She's never going to be a proper senpai at this rate...!!)

MEANWHILE,

Amies -does- notice the light and energy of Sheryl Nome's smile. She -does-
 notice there feels like there's a special significance to this song, just like
 Sagiri, and even if she doesn't know the -exact- context, she does know enough
 about the song itself--

"Oh my...!!!"

-- to start filling in the blanks.

Amies Ernest's brows have climbed to the heavens. Her brain is working into
 overdrive. She has to--!!

Soon enough, carrotheaded-Amies has her phone out, taking pictures and typing
 something down in a furious pummel of thumbs.

The world is not yet prepared for the electric narrative she's been inspired to
 craft this day.

<Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.

"He waaaaaas~? That's fine, isn't it?" Even with that teasing inflection of
 hers, she quickly drops the tease once the blonde got his comeuppance. "I had
 to do a few housekeeping things at the ACademy. You all are still students, in
 the end. Keep your chins up, don't crash into anything, and we'll be on a good
 course for the end of the year."

Did they even take winter break?

Yurikano's own gaze stays raptly on Izo for a few, leaning in with a curious
 countenance before pulling away with an equally radiant smile. "Well, you have
 the instincts for it, so I'll take your word for it." A hum and a nod, moving
 to stand next to the redhead.

"Yes, yes, a few more songs? I'm lucky to be here at all, you know how hard
 reporting teaching is when others prattle on for a bit, don't you?" Oh,
 there's experience in that question. But with encouragmeent from the three...

"She's got something in her, alright. You can see it, right? Look at how she
 carries herself, how she's smiling brightly and everything." A minute sigh,
 barely audible as the song starts up. "That's not the smile of someone who
 hasn't been through a few tussles."

Indeed, the closing spiel from Ranka is heard. A movie? Starring Ranka? Oh,
 something else to watch...Mmh, maybe same time as that Peace Present! Alright,
 something more for tomorrow, especially with everything else. Even as there's
 rising tensions in the general sphere, she can take the rest of tonight and
 just relax!

Fight, Ranka! You can do it!

Closing her eyes to bask in the strength in the idol's voice, opening them up
 to witness the spectacle on stage. To live, to push on. Ah, its tugging at her
 heartstrings a small bit, to find someone in love and to reach for them...It's
 unmistakable, how earnest the song is with her voice. To watch as one split
 into two, to dance in harmony, and to meld back into one...

It seems that Ranka has gained another fan at that moment. One that joins in
 the chorus of cheers at the end of that song.

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

        Grace O'Connor continues to watch the concert as she walks amidst
 darkness. Her feed is showing her the crowd now. The ever energetic Yurika,
 dragging Hikaru into a picture. Rin trying to help the disaster that is Meryl
 and Rami. The students from the academy, mostly unaware of what's happening
 within their own institution.

        Grace once more muses within her mindscape, "Yes... That's it. Enjoy
 it. Dance. Be happy... All the things he won't be anymore." Her screen
 briefly shows a view of Sheryl within the audience, faintly singing along to
 Ranka's song.

        A part of Grace briefly pauses at the sight. Feelings welling up inside
 her... Annoying feelings. She doesn't have time for them.

        Grace forcefully pushes them aside as she comes to a stop in the real
 world. Her head turns up into the darkness, her cyborg eyes showing her
 everything she needs to see. She smiles, speaking aloud this time, "Found you."

        Grace pulls a vial out of her jacket, holding it up to look at it, she
 wistfully says, "This was worth not killing that brat in the computer core...
 Over a year of study and development. And now it's ready."

        Grace pulls her sleeve up, a compartment in her arm snapping open. She
 inserts the cartridge into it and closes it again. Her hand then snaps back, a
 port in her wrist opening up and a huge needle sliding out.

        Grace pulls her arm back and then jabs it forward. The needle slides
 into its target and liquid begins to pump through into it. Grace chuckles as
 she can already feel it... Light tremors beginning to shake the cavern she's
 in.

        She looks up again, saying, "Time to wake up..."

        A light begins to shine in the darkness. A huge, menacing red orb.

KTS: Kaiju Navi has deployed in Vajra Heavy Soldier.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

The carrot lore goes deep indeed, down the rabbit hole of macronized rainbow
 carrots, vitamins, a carrot head, and a fabulous name - that makes Ranka sound
 like she's a Ninja, not a carrot.

(Is the truth that she's then a carrot Ninja? Find out~)

It's such a relief to her that Yurikano made it. She'd managed to change the
 lineup several times to accommodate, even to extend things with some backup
 songs. She'll have to thank her A/V crew for their patience... but now? Now
 it'll all be worth it.

For the longest time, she looks upon her with a smile. Then the idol steps
 forward again, mic in hand, speaking to the audience, "You know, there were
 some out there who were worried - if this trip would hurt my career as I'm
 brand new." Ranka smiles, "And maybe they're right to be worried, to all of my
 fans back on Earth, it's like I'm taking a hiatus to them."

She says as she scratches the back of her head self-consciously, "But, I don't
 regret this trip at all. It's given me a wider view of the galaxy and the
 people who live here. Allowed me to understand that people abroad have their
 own challenges, just like us." Her eyes sweep across the audience, "Here, I've
 met people that I will never forget."

And as she raises a finger as if in promise, "And I know that no matter how far
 away we go, that one day - we'll be back. As I know Sheryl and I don't intend
 to just stay in our comfort zone. We want to share our music with everyone,
 not just the people of the Earthsphere. And we hope that this trip will
 inspire the people of Earth to send the Macross fleets abroad again, to share
 our Deculture with the galaxy!"

Ranka drops her hand, and breathes a sigh, and smiles, "Before we go - I'd like
 to debut a new song, to commemorate our time together. We've been working
 hard to see that it was ready tonight, to share with all of you. And so-"

As she drops her hands, the lights shine, and her form shimmers again,
 revealing a sleeveless corseted dress, its skirts alit with stars and ribbons,
 green gloves, fingerless save the thumbs, and a lacey hair ornament decorated
 with stars.

https:'macross.fandom.comwikiRanka_Lee?file=RankaUta29.png

"... Let's not focus on farewell yet, let's instead think of the feelings that
 brought us together with-"

BGM Change - Hello! - Megumi Nakajima -
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVmyuR_KYIQ

The melody begins with a vibrant ringing percussion, as if a drummer tapping on
 the cymbals, with the sequential ringing of the bells, as Ranka sings out with
 a cheerful pep.

        "Shalalala~ Hello! (Hello!)
        "Shalalala~ Hello! (Hello!)"

A single prop appears on stage, that of a green chair, as Ranka moves towards
 it, and begins to step up onto it, with one booted footstep after another. As
 it does, it becomes an endless line of chairs. Less a dance, as she begins to
 march along in place, yet there's still the feeling of moving forward. The
 screen beyond the stage taking a similar fairy tale feel as Rainbow Bear Bear,
 with the drawn in water color clouds and rolling hills.

        "Try! There's a heart that doesn't give up, here in this chest of mine.
        "I won't forget, never.
        "Don't Cry. I'm sure it's a promise we'll keep,
        "That you won't go crying alone,
        "Because we're always together."

One by one, buildings prop up, a school, an observatory, each waving as if
 bouncing, before settling in on the background, each rising and fading, as if
 landmarks on the journey. Birds appearing as more lines soaring across the
 sky. A mall. A talent show stage. A battleship that looks vaguely
 reminiscent to the Nadesico appearing in the sky.

        "If we take one piece of sorrow (and gently share it together...)
        "We can become stronger. Yeah!"

As Ranka continues walking, the chairs behind her current place vanish, being
 replaced by a blue chair and a pink chair. A Ranka hued in blue, and another
 in pink walk with her, as the green chairs become interspersed with blue and
 pink. The blue one jogs, while the pink one moves at a more sedate pace, yet
 they seem to always be caught up with the other. The Green Ranka continues to
 sing even as she walks in place. Variable Fighter shapes trace contrails
 across the backdrop, even as trolley cars list by below.

        "Put a smile on your face right now! My Friend!
        "Not for the sake of anyone else,
        "But because you've decided to feel that way yourself.
        "With a steady and sincere voice, Hello!
        "Sing out the song you always sing,
        "With a drop of courage in your heart, Yeah!"

With a hand suddenly stretched out, she waves to everyone as day turns to
 night, and pop up book like stars fall and hang in the sky. The three are
 suddenly each just settled on their own chair, as the pink and blue Rankas
 orbit the green one who's at center stage.

        "Hello!

        "Why? There are times when you'll be a little confused,
        "When you'll need to stand still,
        "But tell me! Because your words are tied to a powerful pledge,
        "And they can change the world."

The lights shine ever brighter, bringing them each into greater color, greater
 contrast. Indeed, the pink Ranka now has hair that almost looks blonde and
 the blue on the hair of the other looks darker. Their chairs slide past
 Ranka, leaving them all at a diagonal as Ranka reaches out to the other two.

        "The thing that I was searching for... (Yes, it was you.)
        "When I see those eyes, I understand the message. Yeah!"

And then, abruptly... the melody continue, but Ranka looks, confused. Her
 eyes start looking everywhere, suddenly frantic. Is this part of the show?
 What's happening? What's going on?

Increasingly, upon watching her, they all might understand... this isn't...
 in fact, part of the show, or the plan.

Something's wrong.

mustn't tell anyone
it was your music
that brought them here

Ranka's eyes can no longer see her audience, only, a menacing crimson light.
 The feeling of something immense, waking up. She is a child again, seeing
 them all coming from the rippling windows of white, over those rolling green
 hills. Subtly her voice rasps.

"Stop... don't...! DON'T!"

It pounds in her ears like an unintelligible pulse, the two words she was
 thinking long ago, even as she saw her whole world disappear in the crushing
 grip of that enormous Vajra.

your fault your fault your fault your fault your fault your fault your fault

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

...In the distance, the wreck of the Global begins to rumble ominously. The
 vines coating its form shift and fray, years of erosion and soil tumbling from
 its carcass. The looming cracking and creaking sends a gasp through the crowd
 - murmurs and concerns aplenty.

        ...A sudden collapse of the towering Macross into a massive sinkhole
 sends a wave of recoiling - and the emergence of a titanic,
 unknown...something. It can only be described as a massive lozenge-shaped
 vessel of some sorts, triggering countless alarms for unknown enemy aircraft.
 Of course, peering more at it...the way its lower body pulses and opens myriad
 biomechanical-looking hatches...

        Before one can call out in surprise on if that's some sort of gigantic
 Vajra - countless swarms of the familiar red soldier-class aliens descend,
 immediately opening fire on the Nadesico and any escort craft - from several
 other points, long-legged variants tumble to the ground, racing like a pack of
 wolves towards the concert venue.

        All of them, converging towards one so very important point.

        The first of the Vajra stampede past the fleeing crowd, chittering
 faintly, eyes focusing dead-set on none other than Ranka herself. A space
 opens on the four-legged mantis-like alien's lower body - and those long,
 grasping arms move with...surprising care and precision, to abduct her into
 that strange pod...!

        -- -- -- -- --

        Grimacing at the storm on the horizon, Yurika sucks in a breath and
 abruptly pulls Hikaru tight to her side protectively, mind racing and shifting
 gears so fast you can hear them catch and grind. Thankfully she was already
 sending pictures to the Nadesico's bridge - sweat dripping from her brow,
 Yurika calls, "Send the Hinagiku out immediately, me and Hikaru and the
 others have to get back to the ship ASAP! Deploy everything! EVERYTHING - We
 don't know what a Vajra that huge is capable of, but it's nothing good! Ranka
 is - they're taking Ranka?!" Gripping Hikaru ever more firmly as she takes a
 step back, Yurika watches in horror as the mantis-like abomination seals Ranka
 up in that strange translucent biofilm, a cold sweat of fear on her brow.
 "...We're going to have to pursue them and rescue Ranka later - it
 doesn't...look like she's being hurt!?"

        Not long after, the Hinagiku's indeed scrambled to pick up every
 available pilot who'd have their mobile weapons aboard the Nadesico, the wind
 whipping vortexes as everyone else lees for shelter...

        -- -- -- -- --

        Of course, the call to all members of Le Garite's academy is diferent -
 they're ordered to return to their respective ships and deploy at once. Kirius
 and Array don't need to be told twice, but Izo...

        ...Izo's just had a moment ruined. Lost in Yurikano's oh so confident
 eyes for a bit - part of him doesn't register that everything's cone
 completely to hell at first. Like it'll pass, and things will go back to
 normal.

        They don't. With a loud, dismayed "damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!!!" Izo
 pivots on one heel, and roars out, "Why'd the Vajra have to show up NOW, why
 HERE, why RIGHT WHEN - khhh...Yurikano, we've gotta do our part to bail out
 Ranka-! We'll...talk more later-!" Running towards Gallia-IV's eternal sunset
 to the parked Ovids, the three students take to the skies...!

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        On the bridge of the Macross Quarter, the three system operators,
 Monica, Mina and Ram are all crowded around one of the console screens showing
 the concert taking place outside. The ship's helmsman, Bobby Margot, is also
 there. Bobby is practically sparkling at the sight, saying, "She's so
 wonderfully adorable! She's come a long way since the Miss Macross event."

        "I know right!? Whenever I see her I just feel like I want to give her
 a hug!" Ram adds.
        "I'm not sure Major Lee is appreciating all this fame she's been
 getting." Monica muses.
        "Major Lee doesn't appreciate anything." Mina adds.
        "Oh, not true. He certainly does appreciate our new Defense Forces
 liason." Bobby whispers to the three girls. They all glance over in the
 direction of Lieutenant Katherine Glass, who is standing by the Captain's
 chair not too far away.

        Katherine catches them looking and they all turn away. She lets out a
 mild sigh of bewilderment, remarking to the Captain, "I wonder what they're
 gossiping about now..."

        Sitting in his chair, Captain Jeffery Wilder adjusts his cap, saying,
 "Let them be. Today is supposed to be one for relaxing. It's fortunate we have
 someone like Miss Lee around to help improve morale, given the vast distance
 that separates us from friends and family." Katherine nods in agreement, her
 thoughts briefly wandering towards her own father.

        Those thoughts are disrupted though by the alarming beeping suddenly
 coming from one of the system consoles. Monica quickly moves over to it and
 reports, "We're detecting growing seismic disturbances in our general area!"

        Katherine frowns, "This location is not supposed to be seismically
 active... Where is it centered?"

        Monica checks and then reports, "It's centered around... The Global!?"

        All six of them on the bridge turn their heads to look at the window
 into the distance, where the giant form of the SDFN-4 Global looms. Sure
 enough, the huge robot appears to be shaking itself apart.

        Captain Wilder mmms, then orders, "Recall all personnel to the ships!"

        An alarm sounds throughout the the camp. And with good reason too, as
 the Global collapses, the dust and debris soon revealing the rising of a giant
 Vajra ship of some kind. One they've yet to see. A massive fortress, several
 times larger than the Global and even more so than the expedition ships! To
 make matters worse, it's supported by several of the relatively smaller, but
 still large, Knight class vessels that begin to rise into the air around the
 massive one.

        The bridge crew of the Macross Quarter stare in horror at the sight.
 Until Captain Wilder calls out, "Combat stations! Begin emergency takeoff
 procedures." The crew quickly begin acting as the Quarter starts preparing to
 take off.

        The other ships in the expedition fleet do the same as people rush
 towards the boarding ramps. Already the Macross Quarter is launching some of
 its mobile weapons, Variable Fighters rocketing off the launch deck and into
 the air. They are backed up by some Queadluun-Rhea's that take up positions
 standing on the deck to provide cover fire against the incoming Vajra swarms.

        Alto stares in horror at the sight of the smaller Vajra types swarming
 towards the expedition. Alright the ships come under attack, their standing
 defenses trying to fight back as they prepare to take off. He glances in the
 direction of Ranka on the stage who is looking concerned.

        He's torn between rushing off to get her to safety... Or getting to his
 Messiah to help fight off the Vajra swarm. Alto then glances at Sheryl...

        That's right. He needs to protect both of them... He needs his VF!

        Alto calls out to Sheryl, "Get Ranka! Get back to the Nadesico!" He
 then starts off in a mad dash towards one of the Quarter's boarding ramps.
 Specifically the one leading up into the ship's large hangar.

        A short time later, Alto's VF-25F comes stomping down the ramp in
 Battroid mode. It raises the gunpod in its hand and starts unloading bullets
 towards the swarm of Vajra in the sky. He complains over the radio as he does
 so, <"What the hell!? Just when it seems like we were getting a handle on
 things!">

KTS: Alto Saotome has deployed in VF-25F Messiah <Battroid Mode>.
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has deployed in Aestivalis Aerial Frame (Hikaru).
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has deployed in Tyranado.
KTS: Riika Sheder has deployed in MF-XR01/FG Svalinn Feather Gundam.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite has deployed in Naujakaite Flying Circus.
KTS: Hikaru Amano arrives loaded onto Ruri Hoshino's combat deck!
KTS: Riika Sheder has deployed in MF-XR01/CL Svalinn Haze Gundam.
KTS: Kaiju_Navi has deployed as a Boss for 6 opponents.
KTS: Alto Saotome targets Kaiju Navi with Gatling Sweep!

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        If Ruri knew what Grace was planning, all this time...

        ... but how could she? She's done her best not to empathise with her,
 in the way she does. It upsets her so, and Ruri doesn't want to intrude on
 someone else's mind.

        So she's not thinking of her, when it happens. No: she's pointing out
 to Omoikane, quietly pleased, "Look! It's us." The battleship isn't quite
 the Nadesico, but the resemblance is striking. They're enjoying the song,
 right up until --

                        < WARNING >
                        < WARNING >
                        < WARNING >
                        < WARNING >

        "Acknowledged," Jun responds, grasping his console tightly. "Deploy the
 Hinagiku, and get us in the air."

        "Now scanning take-off area," Ruri confirms, because the Nadesico can't
 very well launch with people beneath them. Luckily, no one thinks to run
 beneath the warship.

        "Now deploying Hinagiku," Erina confirms. "Haruka! Get on it!"

        "Mouuu," Minato Haruka whines, shown rushing to the Hinagiku from where
 she was off-duty, "I'm going--!!" It's lucky the Nadesico has two primary
 helmswomen, really. That's not a portent for later; don't worry about it.

        But the Nadesico rises in the air, as the Hinagiku shuttle separates
 from it to collect the pilots, helpfully piloted by Minato.

                        < DANGER >
                        < WARNING >
                        < RANKA-CHAN >
                        < DANGER >

        "We have to protect everyone," Ruri says, though she frowns as she says
 it. "The Nadesico is too big to go after her. Omoikane, please, launch
 missiles."

                        < LAUNCHING >, Omoikane snaps, only to let loose an
 absolute barrage of missiles towards the soldier-Vajra in the sky.

KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Kaiju Navi with Missile Barrage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to evade Alto Saotome's Gatling Sweep, taking 3450 damage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to intercept Ruri Hoshino's Missile Barrage, taking 2925
 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.

Yurikano can only smile back, touched by the feelings of heart through the
 language of song. Though time and space had distanced so much, there was
 something about a special moment conveyed through melody, through the simple
 human beat of melody and vocalizations born from experience and a wish to say
 something.

The princess of De Metrio keeps that smile as she used Izo as a temporary
 support, heart blossoming with pride at being a form of inspiration for
 someone so clearly destined for great things. Call it the instincts of
 royalty, the natural gut manner of a girl, or anything else. Ranka had her
 support, damn it all.

A new song. A new melody born of the people of Earth and the people of the
 Zuvorg Alliance. There's only the brightest of smiles on Yurikano's face as
 she raptly listens to the new harmony, holding back a sniff. It's touching, to
 see things like this. Maybe it'll all be okay in the end.

And its at that thought where it all comes crashing down.

"...! RANKA!" The sudden confusion, the sudden swallow. There's only a quick
 glance to the three boys, giving a swift nod of the obvious. She's the second
 one to bolt out, running towards the ships and breaking away from the trio.
 "Assist in whatever movements you can and hold them off! I'll get the Academy
 to coordinate efforts!" There's no room for backtalk with the authoritative
 edge, hauling herself to one of the Academy's Ovids, commandeering it,
 pointing it in the direction of the Academy, and launching.

And she's off.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        At last, it's the last song of the night. Sheryl smiles over at
 Yurikano as she, too, falls for Ranka's voice. And she'd better! This is the
 song she requested, after all! She'll look forward to seeing Hikaru's
 photograph later too, and it'll be... an experience... if she ever gets wind
 of whatever Amies is up to... but right now, it's wrapping up to be a
 wonderful concert. She gazes up again at Ranka as she sings Hello!, a song
 that's both a greeting and a farewell-for-now.
        
        The performance is coming along swimmingly--a trio of Rankas in certain
 colors close to but not quite the demons they were told about recently. Sheryl
 chuckles as she brushes back one of her sidelocks. That's right--when it comes
 to green, blue, and a color just sideways of red, there's a different trio
 they think of, isn't there?
        
        But...
        
        Something starts to go wrong.
        
        Sheryl doesn't have any psychic sensitivity (that she knows of), but
 she's a seasoned enough performer to tell when there's something off-sync with
 the performance. The next instant, everyone knows it, as Ranka stares into
 space with an increasingly frightened look on her face. She cries out--
        
        And in the distance, the Macross Global collapses, and is overtaken by
 a massive creature that lets out a swarm.
        
        "The Vajra?!" Sheryl gasps, heart seizing with fear and fury in equal
 measure.
        
        Everything is immediately chaos--but, for the moment, a controlled
 chaos. Captains and other authority figures are on the ground to issue orders
 as a particular Vajra begins to descend. Sheryl shoots Alto a look--and they
 make their decisions as their eyes meet. "Got it!" she shouts back, gripping
 the hem of her dress and flinging it up and off to reveal the flight suit
 underneath. Not planned, but damned if it doesn't look dramatic. As the wind
 from the Vajra wings whips it away, Sheryl sprints for the stage, the heels of
 her pink flightsuit pumping as she races the hideous bug already swooping down
 for Ranka. Everyone else has their ships, their planes, their mobile suits.
 Sheryl isn't without anything like that, but she's a more straightforward
 woman. She beelines for the girl herself, rather than a machine that would
 help her fight.
        
        Why her?! she wants to think--but if her song really does have an effect
 on the Vajra, the answer to that's obvious.
        
        "Ranka!!" she shouts, gripping the edge of the stage and pulling
 herself up in a smooth motion. Cardio is a vastly important to any idol's
 dance regime, so she isn't even winded as she launches herself forward to try
 to grab Ranka's hand before the Vajra can get to her.
        
        But--

<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.

Princess Fin E Ld Si Laffinty, 'Lan' to her friends, has been in the audience -
 but in the VIP section, this time, surrounded by Zuvorg and Le Garite (so,
 also zuvorg) body guards. She is making no attempt to disguise her delight,
 though, smiling and swaying with the music. She's never been rambunctious -
 never will be - but the song she helped and watched them work on earns an even
 bigger grin.

Moid is standing at her side. He has been to concessions; he is slowly
 consuming something that is not, legally, a Crunch bar.

The triplicate dance with the chairs sees Lan mouth, 'Hello!' along with it,
 pleased to hear the full product after what she saw. She recognizes the
 colors, of course, and in it recognizes Ranka's close attention to her
 worries, and smiles even more. So that...was songwriting...how marvelous. How
 wonderful. How... why is she stopping? "Ranka...?"

Moid calmly begins re-wrapping his candy. "Something's happening," he says,
 understanding the situation in seconds, even before the calls start to arrive
 for pilots to return at once. "...no time to call in our own vessel. What's
 the nearest Earth ship?"

A slightly poleaxed Zuvorg bodyguard in a black suit fumbles his words for a
 few seconds before stuttering, "Sh, should be the Nadesico, sir!"

Lan looks up at Moid, and then to the distant, retreating form of Yurikano and
 her own pilots. "Ranka...Yurikano," she murmurs, distraught.

"Princess," Moid says, with urgency. "We must go."

"...yes," she says, fists slowly balling at her sides, and rising unhappily
 among the burgeoning sirens. She turns on her heels and cuts a look at the
 Zuvorg man. "Notify the Nadesico we're en route. Get a shuttle ready if they
 have to take off first. Moid, come."

She darts off.

Moid allows himself a small smile, turning for a moment to look back at the
 stage. Then he's off after her, walking with purpose.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Her eyes are alit with horror, again. She knows she's scared of Vajra, she
 doesn't quite comprehend the full extent of WHY she's so terrified of them.
 For a moment she takes a step back, and falls, but then she scrambles up.

Picture of the Form of her Destructor -
 https:'www.macross2.netm3macrossfvajra-houndmovie1-houndvajra.jpg

Only to see the mantis like Vajra swooping down towards her. Ranka tries to
 crawl with a whimper, before her eyes light up, at the appearance of a savior,
 "Sheryl!" She lunges, reaching, taking Sheryl's hand as Sheryl's own momentum
 gets her up, the creature with shimmering iridescent wings, each as long as
 the stage beating to catch up to them.

The two run together, frantic, Ranka obviously freaked, "Sheryl! SHERYL!" She
 says with increasing urgency, because she can tell, even without looking, she
 can TELL by it's looming shadow it's catching up to them.

Suddenly the Vajra scythes down ahead of just one of them. Just Ranka, it
 gouges at the platform, the force of it rupturing the area around them and
 tossing Sheryl away...

... even as Ranka shrieks...

When Sheryl can look at it again, she'll see the creature scooping Ranka
 towards the recess in it's thorax, an opening, and Ranka still reaching out
 her hand.

"SHERYLLLLLL!"

Tendrils suddenly slide over her form, binding her inside, as a translucent red
 covering just begins to form, closing her in like an insect inside amber. Yet
 it's easy enough to see it's hollow.

She's still moving, her mouth is still moving. She's obviously shouting, and
 struggling, locked in muffled silence behind the barrier to the outside world.

The Heavy Mobile Soldier Hound Vajra beats its wings, before turning and flying
 away, it's path obvious, as it heads straight towards that massive Vajra
 Fortress in the distance.

It is oh so swiftly moving behind the Vajra lines, in fact - one might wonder
 briefly if they were using them to cover its escape.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Riika had been enjoying the concert, even if she hadn't been quite as loud or
 as... obvious about it as some people. No carrot costume for her!

Would she wear a carrot costume if the time was right? The world may never
 know, because the time is not right for that.

The time is a lot less right when she gets second-hand reports of alarm, which
 *very quickly* turn into first-hand reports. "What's happening to the Global?
 - Vajra!" she yells, more in surprise than anything else, as she starts to
 move, running out a flat-out sprint. She can't stop them from taking Ranka,
 but she can make sure this doesn't get WORSE - if she can signal to the
 Nadesico, where she keeps at least some of her stuff.

Stuff like Svalinn's packs. She's going to need a specific one sent over to her
 if she's going to be much use against that thing. And she's going to have to
 climb on one of the ships, so once again the Nadesico gets a friend on board.

---

Literally on board, as Svalinn deploys onto the flight deck of the Nadesico and
 stays there. Svalinn can fly; Haze requires a platform to get more than just a
 little bit off the ground, and if they're moving fast, better the Nadesico
 than a subflight system.

Svalinn Gundam isn't a new sight, but this build of Svalinn is. Powder pink,
 accented in white and a very deep red, sleek and streamlined with flared
 shoulders and hips; none of that is new.

The new part is the tremendous cannon it's toting and some of the exterior
 plating. It has extra plating mounted across its sides and back, down its
 arms, which are flared with something like vents near the base. The oversized
 cannon connects to its lower arms with cables, and Riika is very glad she
 finally finished programming the connection system so she didn't have to hook
 them all up.

"Svalinn Haze deployed," Riika says, and raises the cannon. Something vents
 from Svalinn's lower arms, surrounding it like a cloud of mist or smoke.
 "Watch the firing lines, please!" Electrically charged, the 'mist' shifts
 under control of magnets, tiny particles lining up just so, swirling around
 the barrel of the unusual cannon.

The cannon is instant - the entire beam exists down the entire length as Rikka
  pulls the trigger, a green-blue ray clearly visible in the cloud of Mirage
  Colloid derivative and visible as weirdly linear aurora beyond that as the air
  ionizes. It half-electrocutes, half-melts as Riika slews it around, cutting
  through Vajra before it shuts off, venting (just coolant, this time) with an
  audible hiss and dispersed cloud.

KTS: Riika Sheder arrives loaded onto Ruri Hoshino's combat deck!
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Kaiju Navi with LS-01a 'Schlieren' Experimental Laser
 Cannon Hyperfocused Beam!

KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Riika Sheder's LS-01a 'Schlieren'
 Experimental Laser Cannon Hyperfocused Beam, taking 4500 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

This isn't a part of the concert, Hikaru thinks, as the ground begins to shake
 and rumble, coming all the way from the Global. "Haha.. ha... didn't know they
 had earthquakes this bad. ...Would you call 'em Galliaquakes all the way out
 here?" It's an attempt to allieviate her own fears... but she can tell this is
 no earthquake.

Waves and waves of Vajra all commandeered by a truly massive one. And their
 true target is... Ranka?! "I guess you can't even have a show all the way out
 here without some jerk kaiju stomping all over it... but I kinda really don't
 like this." Hikaru tenses, before Yurika pulls her closer. "I mean, what the
 heck do they want with Ranka??"

Yurika is quick and decisive, even amidst the shock - get back to the Nadesico
 and launch all units. So it's not long before Hikaru's fitted in her pilot
 suit, and her Aestivalis ready to go in Aerial mode. No taking any chances
 with experimental frames today. "Okay! Hikaru Amano, Aestivalis, launching!
 I'm gonna help you guys bring her back!" The tiny orange machine, bolstered by
 blue wings soars in the sky, covered by the volley of missiles that Ruri and
 Omoikane fire off. "It's my turn~ Aestie Missiles, bug 'em off!" She calls,
 with a flick of her hand, as tiny missiles begin to swarm the swarm of
 soldier-Vajra! "Ranka-chan... hang in there. Your show must go on~!"

KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Kaiju Navi with Aesti Missile Salvo!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to intercept Hikaru Amano's Aesti Missile Salvo, taking
 3000 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

Something's wrong.

The melody of the last song keeps going, but the singing has stopped. Sagiri
 Sakurai's clapping slows to a stop until her palms are pressed together,
 pastel green gaze looking at Ranka on the stage, looking... confused?

Those pastel greens narrow. Brows furrow. Intuition, that would-be natural
 genius of hers, starts telling her something is -off-. Something in the air
 feels...

"Rin," she exhales slowly. Her entire body has slowly, subtly become a wound
 coil of tension. "Help Meryl and Rami up. Now--"

And then the ground starts to quake.

Rami is in the middle of finally peeling herself up off the ground (and Meryl)
 when she feels it. The way the earth trembles beneath her. Gray-brown eyes
 flutter in a blink of confusion. This faint, it must be a fair distance away.
 In the direction of--

Rami's gaze turns towards the Global in the distance just in time to see the
 aging monument's collapse and the rise of something huge and hideous from
 beneath the depths that once supported it. And that gaze widens in immediate,
 visceral horror...

"A Vajra queen--?!"

... because she knows -exactly- what she's looking at.

Rami pales. Sagiri's eyes widen briefly as Rami utters the name, before
 narrowing, snapping her gaze towards the buzzing horde forming in the heavens.
 The Vajra. Now, of all times--!

"Shit!" is Sagiri's first thought on the matter before she snaps that gaze back
 towards the other members of Special Section 3. "Amies! Get ahold of the
 chief, tell him to prep the Carriax and Tyranado! You and Meryl, you're with
 him! Rin, Rami -- you two stick with me! We need to keep these things away
 from the noncombatants, and we need to move -- NOW!"

To their credit, Meryl and Amies immediately scramble. Rami isn't far behind,
 only hesitating to cast a glance towards Rin and her friends.

"You, um," Rami begins, swallows down the dry feeling of dread in her throat,
 and steels herself. "... Your friends should stick with us too, Rin. The
 Carriax can at least keep them safe."

And with that, she and Sagiri are off, too, as Amies gets in contact with
 Hirosuke. True to form...

... he's already mobilized and on the way over, the Tyranado attached to the
 belly of the Carriax as its thrusters ripple out Quark Drive contrails of
 blue-green through the skies.

                ---

The black and blue form of the Tyranado rises into the sky with, optics shining
 a bright, glimmery green as Rami Amasaki hurriedly boots up its systems.

<"Quark Drive synchronization is nominal. All systems are green. We're good to
 go, ma'am!"> announces Rami. At the pilot's seat, Sagiri leans in, eyes
 narrowed.

<"Okay. Let's do this! Rin, I'll be taking point! Watch my back -- we're gonna
 carve a path straight to that big buggy bastard!">

And with that, the Tyranado -launches- into the fray, power lines running
 throughout its body pulsing with a brief phantasmal glow of pulsing emerald
 afterimages as it chases towards the heart of the chaos. Behind it the Carriax
 chases, weapons bay opening.

<"Let's start with something simple. Magna Beam Launcher is prepped and ready
 for deployment,"> Meryl's cool voice cuts in through the line. <"There's a lot
 of targets here. Be sure not to overdo it, ma'am.">

The beam rifle launches from the bays of the Carriax as it banks sharply and
 smoothly upward; the Tyranado catches it mid-flight, its chassis lurching
 briefly as counter-thrust stalls it into a mid-air hover just before the
 approaching Vajra.

<"Message received, Meryl! Let's keep our eyes on the prize!">

And with that, the Tyranado fires that rifle, blazing green energy -rippling-
 across the battlefield in a wide sweep meant to intercept as many of those
 Vajra as it can.

<"We're coming, Ranka! ... Ugh. I hate bugs...!">

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Kaiju Navi with Mega Buster Striker - Wide Sweep!
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Kaiju Navi has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi partially guards Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Wide
 Sweep, taking 2870 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

("Got it, got it," Rin tells the two struggling individuals with a thumbs up as
 she straightens up...)

The first sign that anything at all is wrong is when Ranka misses a note. Rin
 blinks once, from her position, looking upwards. She does her best to smile
 and to throw her hands up into two thumbs-up. She's near enough to be seen -
 right? She can send her encouragement to Ranka. Her support. Perhaps, in a
 sense, her love.

It doesn't help. Something is wrong with her.

Rin meditates inside for a moment. Some part of her wants to just -- blitz the
 stage -- but hasn't she made enough of an ass out of herself? She --

It probably wouldn't have helped anyway. Some kind of panic is rising in the
 crowd. Air is shifting. Rin turns her head and her eyes boggle out as Vajra
 appear - not a double handful but a swarm.

Somewhere she can hear familiar voices screaming. The entire world seems to
 sharpen; even to sparkle a little. Her head turns; she sees Louis and
 Samantha, clutching at each other from hand to wrist to forearm as the crowd
 begins to seethe, the surging energy forming something like a mass gas vapor
 state.

Something else is happening. A vajra is going towards the stage. Rin turns her
 head towards the stage.

She can see something land. For a heartbeat's duration she wonders if her
 friend - that poor sweet cute young girl who she sheltered once - will be
 eaten. Instead something stranger and worse happens; engulfed, she is seized
 and Sheryl is running forwards.

                        "Ranka," Rin says, very quietly.

The image slides into Rin's eye and it smashes through the thin outer layer of
 laughing carefree funloving childhood. It smashes deeper, piercing into a
 deep, gelid mantle of doubt, of anxiety, of tension that's struggling to
 curdle and become something else. It keeps on digging deeper, deeper yet into
 her soul, as everything behind it -- the implausibility of being here at ALL,
 the chance-meetings that leads her to know Ranka and Sheryl Nome as something
 other than stars -- propels it deeper.

Without thinking about it, Rin brought out her phone. Typical of a teenager!
 She clicks the entry code without even looking. She flicks to the settings as
 that strange feeling grinds in deeper, corkscrewing through the layers where
 sorrow and doubt are transforming into something else, the borderline to
 something deeper. She flicks off the Travel Mode; three bars instantly, from
 all those things she and her friends had put up in their carefree dragooning
 days, not so long ago at all.

Rin clicks to a nondescript app and raises the phone to her lips.
 "Enginestart," she says into it, speaking fast and loud and clear.
 "Rancor:dualstickprimary, subvector under Ringtoss-3.
 Scorn:linkflightlaunchNadesico:maxgogogo:"

Oh yeah, Rin thinks. I have to breathe in, don't I? Her pulse is pounding
 already. She can take it. Energy is moving. She doesn't have a name for the
 burning sensation that's already pouring up her spine, her nervous system
 reporting it to her in gorgeously slowed-down intervals. But it is, of course,
 the revelation of what sat deep within all along:

"To me, my familiars!" Rin shouts, turning and whipping her hand out to point
 her phone at the Nadesico, over there, firing all those missiles.

                                It was anger.

-- And then she looks towards Rami.

The anger simmers, but it's not at Rami. "Right!" she says, reaching over to
 grasp where the two of them had been hugging each other. By the forearms, she
 tows them. "Come on!" she shouts, even as her eyes flick back towards the
 Nadesico, and then up towards the Carriax--

SOON:

-- Rin crunches a white pill between her teeth inside of the cockpit of the
 VF-171 as it finishes resealing itself. "Taking control," Rin declaims as she
 sweeps her hair back with one hand, taking off the carrot hat and tucking it
 into the edge of her seat. The Variable Fighter and its flanking Ghosts rise
 up into the air afterwards.

"Copy that, Tyranado," Rin answers, looking over her shoulder back towards the
 Carriax.

(Louis and Samantha are crouching a little in the corner of the bridge. Both
 seems shellshocked, although Samantha seems to be rallying up better. This is
 the power of a gothique.)

Back ahead, though. It was only a second. "Fire over you!" Rin reports, as she
 presses a trigger and fires a salvo of miniature-missiles -- backed up by a
 similar volley from the Ghosts a moment afterwards as they vector towards the
 great swarm. To try and clear a path, to wound, to --

To what?

To get to Ranka, Rin decides. That'll do for now.

KTS: Rin Naujakaite targets Kaiju Navi with Micro-Missile Array Fire!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to intercept Rin Naujakaite's Micro-Missile Array Fire,
 taking 2625 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Sheryl's fingers interlace with Ranka's, and she spares a smile for her
 before both of them turn to dash towards the edge of the stage. But even
 without looking, they both know--the Vajra is catching up. When it lands, it
 lands hard; just the impact is enough to tear Ranka and Sheryl apart,
 outward force nearly lifting Sheryl off her feet and sending her sprawling
 across the stage.
        
        "Ranka!!" she shouts, even as she needs a second to recover and push
 herself up. She's in time to watch in horror as the massive insect scoops
 Ranka inside itself, caging her in its belly. "RANKA!!"
        
        Sheryl slambers to her feet, but it's too late. The Hound Vajra beats
 its wings, and Sheryl can only cross her arms and bend her knees to protect
 herself and keep herself from getting knocked off her feet again. She looks up
 as the creature flees with her dear friend, earring swaying violently from her
 ear. The fold crystal within sparkles.
        
        "Ranka... We won't let them do what they want with you," Sheryl swears,
 voice low and grim. She looks back, around, and up; everyone else has already
 launched, engaging with the forces that now attack. Alto, Izo, Sagiri, Rin,
 Riika, and many, many more. Because they're engaged with those forces, that
 Hound Vajra's retreat is free and clear. Who knows where it's going to take
 her? Who knows what it'll do to her once it's there?
        
        There's no time to hesitate--and hasn't Sheryl been working diligently
 on her flight practice up until now, for this very moment?
        
        She breaks into another dash, this time for the Nadesico. She may join
 up briefly with Lan as she retreats to the same with Moid and her
 bodyguards, but it won't be for long. When Sheryl makes it there, she'll
 launch in a Variable Fighter of her own--not to take on those hateful bugs,
 but to chase after her dear friend.
        
        But until then...

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

        The 'mothership' ascends, its prize in tow.

        --she is safe-- --she is no longer in the foreign hive--

        By now, the escorts of the Nadesico and Quarter are well seasoned with
 attacking the Vajra - the weak points of their soldiers are well known, the
 output of their missiles and beams are familiar enough to know when to brace
 and to know when to get out. If this were a normal encounter with their kind,
 then the clouds of missiles would be effective at cutting through their
 numbers. Perhaps they could retrieve Ranka from the clutches of the massive
 ship.

        --their hive is retaliating-- --she is unsafe--

        But, with a nest this titanic, rising and rising - the sheer numbers
 overflowing from the hive replace every fallen Vajra with two more. This isn't
 simply a tactical strike - every last one of these crimson aliens is desperate
 to slow down their pursuers at any cost. Four soldiers each swoop in to latch
 on and cling to the fleets of Variable Fighters, the squadrons of
 Aestivalises, the Tyranado and the Carriax alike - even the Hinagiku sees
 several of the smaller beige soldiers latch onto its surface like lampreys
 before an assist wipes them clear.

        They are buying time.

        --protect at all costs-- --protect at all costs--

        The mothership is ascending, sonic booms crashing in its wake as it
 gradually gains escape velocity - and every last one of the Vajra would lay
 down its life to see the hive escape.

        Yurika in particular is oh so dizzy from just how many gnaw at the
 Nadesico's barriers, stepping away from the screens on the bridge, eyes wide
 in shock. "I...I still...why are they like this - why are they so
 desperate to pin us down?!" Yurika clenches a fist - it's never easy for a
 ship to deal with being so utterly swarmed. "...And they had the gall to carry
 off Ranka of all people for...for...I don't even want to think of what they
 plan to do with her. All forces - if the mothership's leaving the atmosphere,
 we...we...-"

        We 'what'? Have to pursue it? For the sake of one single person- even
 if that person is Ranka? Teeth clenched, the tree of decsions encoiling
 Yurika's heart - as she genuinely considers the ones where they prioritize
 escape and regrouping - the ones where Ranka's left in their clutches for an
 unknown quantity of time.

        ...No. No, those CAN'T be the choice. They have to stay in range. "...I
 STRONGLY advise all personnel to rendezvous on the decks of the Nadesico or
 Quarter. We're ascending to orbit - get them off you at any cost and hold on
 tightly!!"

        Easier said than done for three particular students of the Academy -
 Kirius in particular is utterly bogged down with no room to swing his Ovid's
 blade, and Array and Izo alike are both preoccupied trying to peel the bugs
 off him. "We...we've got to - we can't go down before Yurikano's gotten backup
 for us...!" Array seethes, the waist-mounted particle guns on his Ovid surging
 away perilously close to Kirius's cockpit. "We can't let everyone down
 here...damn it, we can barely move an inch, it's like these horrible things
 have it out for us...!"

KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Alto Saotome with Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Rin Naujakaite with Vajra Armored Claws Six-Legged Grab!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Riika Sheder with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Hikaru Amano with Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Ruri Hoshino with Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Sagiri Sakurai with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Reckless
 Stream!

KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Rouse Spirit Command.
KTS: Hikaru Amano parries Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Close Impact, taking
 1320 damage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Hikaru Amano!
KTS: Kaiju Navi rattles Sagiri Sakurai, making her next maneuvers more
 difficult.

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai partially guards Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns
 Reckless Stream, taking 5060 damage!

KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder blocks Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Rapid Advance,
 taking 3080 damage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi anchors Rin Naujakaite, forcing her into close range.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite blocks Kaiju Navi's Vajra Armored Claws Six-Legged Grab,
 taking 2580 damage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Rin Naujakaite!
KTS: Kaiju Navi begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Alto Saotome's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Alto Saotome fails to evade Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Cannon Tearing Shot,
 taking 2400 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Her last, silenced cry of Sheryl's name echoes within the hound, tears
 glimmering within her eyes. She's certain she's dead. She's certain.

But at least Sheryl will live. Really? She's been too lucky, for so long.
 Ever since that day she saw her brother's comrade die, crushed in it's grip, a
 fountain of blood.

This is where the dream ends. This is where she dies. It was a good run, it
 was a good life, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't have regrets.

"... t-there was so much more I-I wanted to-to do..."

To stand on the same stage as Sheryl in collaboration, to find love, to bring
 happiness to her friends and their lives and their struggles. To share her
 music far and wide - so many more songs half-formed in her head, that she
 wanted to write, wanted to sing, wanted to share!

The Hound takes Ranka inside with increasing rapidity, her world becoming a
 filter of the red of her barrier against the strange organic columns of
 chitinous supports that hold up the corridors of the Fortress from the inside.
  They're vaguely reminiscent of the inside of a hornet's nest, save the alien
 hues.

No human architect could have built these things.

It is a twisting, winding journey in which she gets dizzy, finding the sheer
 G-Forces pressing her against the being, even as she somehow gets the
 impression that it's actually going slower than it can?

She's not certain why.

It's a surprise when she's suddenly released, finding herself gently falling
 into a plop atop a strange chitinous platform that blooms outwards like petals
 upon a thick stalked flower.

For a time, she just whimpers, thinking she's about to die, even as she hears
 the beat of the wings growing more distant, and she hears something else. A
 slick squishing noise.

Her eyes turn, to see a field of luminescent blue, realizing she's not dead,
 that the Vajra that brought her here is gone. A tube warping and distorting
 and contracting as it deposits another amidst them. "Eggs? What is this
 place?"

Her eyes follow that tube up, along the thick scaled brown armor plating that
 segments. Rather than look forward a hand slowly trails up to her earpiece,
 as she discreetly presses it, fiddling with the holographic controls that
 appear and-

'-coming, Ranka! ... Ugh. I hate bugs...!'

"<Oh thank goodness! I'm-I'm here. I'm in this huge cavern aboard the Vajra
 ship...? There's a lot of eggs. Please hurry- there's- something else in
 here...>"

There's a sudden guttural noise, and Ranka stiffly, looks up, and up, along the
 thick bulbous abdomen, studded with glowing crystals with rose light. Far
 more spindly limbs, and an enormous head that vaguely gives her the impression
 of a monstrous antlion, or beetle. It is so large it almost reaches the roof
 while seemingly reclining inside the cavern.

As it looms over her, Ranka shrieks, hair lifting "<KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!>" and
 it- reels!? It seems utterly confused by this reaction. Then it comes to
 peer at her again.

The eyes upon it's chitinous head, it's many eyes all fixate upon her.

And then abruptly the platform she's on starts growing a translucent blue bulb,
 covering her, even as she lunges forward, rapping upon it frantically.

"<What's going on!? What are you doing to me-bzzttttttt>"

There are no answers to be had, at least... right now, and something about it
 has just cut her signal off, as static floods the comms from her earpiece,
 then nothing. Leaving her utterly alone save this colossal Vajra, and a field
 of its unhatched young.

-=-=-

Aboard the Nadesico, Ai-kun sits in Ranka's room. He does not try to leave the
 room. Indeed, he does not do much of anything at all.

Save that his eyes, normally black pupilless eyes that can so cutely lid upon
 skritches are glowing a bright crimson.

Alto Saotome transforms to VF-25F Messiah <Fighter Mode>

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        <"RANKA!"> Alto stares in horror as one of the Vajra makes off with
 Ranka.

        Alto quickly switches his Messiah into fighter mode, blasting off and
 rapidly rising into the air. But he finds his path blocked by the Vajra swarm.
 They unleash their bolts of bio-energy at him. He weaves his way around some
 of them, but yet more strike against his Messiah's armor. The pinpoint barrier
 glows to blunt some of the damage. But still there are scorch marks left
 behind.

        Alto grunts in annoyance, shouting, <"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"> He holds
 down the trigger, the machine guns in his wings trying to blast a path through
 the swarm... But there's too many of them!

        Once the last of the expedition personnel have been confirmed aboard
 their ships, they begin to take off. The Macross Quarter follows suit, joining
 the other ships flying up into the air. This gives them more options to deal
 with the Vajra swarm around them... But the larger ships.

        While the Quarter's bridge crew call out reports, Captain Wilder stares
 out the windows at the giant Vajra mothership. He doubts even the Quarter's
 main cannon would have much affect on it. Perhaps the Nadesico?

        "Wh-What did you say!? Ranka Lee has been taken by the Vajra!?"

        Captain Wilder catches the outburst from Ram, immediately asking,
 "Monica. Trace the signal from her earpiece."

        Monica does so, before reporting, "It's heading for the massive Vajra
 ship..."

        Captain Wilder frowns, holding his chin in thought. They don't have the
 power to fight something like that. But perhaps... Finally he decides, "We're
 not going to leave Miss Lee to her fate. Follow those Vajra ships and prepare
 the Quarter for transformation."

        The Quarter starts to rise rapidly, following with the Nadesico after
 the Vajra fleet as it heads for orbit.

        As it rises though, Monica suddenly gasps, "Captain!" The reason
 quickly becomes clear to all though, as there is a massive flash of light
 stretching out from beyond the horizon.

        Captain Wilder frowns, "What was that?"

        Monica is frantically typing away at her console, "I... I don't know...
 A huge energetic release. The levels are off the scales... Sir! The planet's
 surface it's... Fracturing!"

        Sure enough, being high up in the air, those in the fight will be able
 to see that following the burst of light, huge cracks begin to appear in the
 planet's surface. They are rapidly spreading across it, growing in number.
 It's like the whole planet is breaking apart!? And the source appears to be...
 In the direction of the Military Academy!

        From his position, Alto rolls his fighter over to look down towards the
 ground, <"What...?">

KTS: Alto Saotome targets Kaiju Navi with ES-25A High Speed Machine Guns
 Concentrated Barrage!

<Pose Tracker> Grace O'Connor has posed.

While the Vajra ships are rising up towards orbit.

        While the Vajra swarm buzzes around the launching expedition ships,
 bullets and missiles and energy blasts flying every which way.

        While Ranka is carried off towards the giant Vajra mothership that is
 dwarfing everything else.

        Grace smiles from her position some distance away from the camp. She
 has managed to escape whatever dark place she had been in and was now standing
 beside a large rock. She watches the events play out in the distance, safely
 outside the range of being noticed by those present. Certainly their
 attentions are drawn elsewhere.

        Grace raises her hands towards the large mothership in the sky, musing
 to herself, her possibly her remote co-conspirators, "As expected... The Vajra
 have reclaimed their lost lamb. No doubt they will seek to leave now, escaping
 those who dare to kill them... Something which we cannot allow."

        The large rock beside Grace suddenly transforms, the holographic
 camouflage vanishing to reveal an ominous looking device. Already she can feel
 the planet starting to break. What had occured on the other side was...
 Unexpected. But it doesn't change the plan.

        Grace walks up to the device, saying, "The death of the Galactic Fairy
 and the destruction of the expedition fleet..."

        She raises her arm towards the device. Her arm bursts as numerous
 conduits split apart from within it. They spread out of their own accord,
 plugging into receptacles. Grace continues, a gleam in her eye, "Hate will
 flare in all its glory. The fold transmission waves will serve as a signpost."

        The device begins to humm with energy, the space around it starting to
 distort, Grace along with it. In her last moments, she looks up towards a
 distant star, "Good luck, people of the Earth Sphere!"

        The distortion rapidly begins to spread out, strengthening and forming
 a dark sphere of swirling void. A concentrated fold fault, expanding outwards.
 It won't be long before the expedition fleet will be able to detect it... And
 realize that it's approaching them quickly.

KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to charge.
KTS: Kaiju Navi partially guards Alto Saotome's ES-25A High Speed Machine Guns
 Concentrated Barrage, taking 4264 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.

White.

Pure white.

The light of a catastropic explosion pierces through the night sky, bathing
 everything in white.

In the direction of the military academy, there is nothing but the blinding
 light of a gargantuan explosion, cracks gouging itself along the planet's
 surface as the force of that explosion radiates outwards. Blinding, searing,
 devouring without mercy for whats in its path.

It grows outwards, the unrelenting force of catalyzed energy expanding.
 Further. More. It has so much to give, so much to swallow into the ball that
 grew with every passing second, the shockwaves pulsating out as the explosiojn
 continued to forment, rage, expand, devour, obliterate, decimate, razing and
 heaving the land in equal measure as it expands.

It does not stop. It will not stop. A force of primal nature that swallows and
 destroys.

And it is still growing to encompass the majority of the planet.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

There's just so many of them... even the salvo of missiles wasn't enough to
 push the Vajra away, threatening to overwhelm the tiny orange machine with
 sheer numbers. Even the Nadesico is not unscathed, swarming in numbers more
 than the Captain, her Operator, and even Omoikane can handle.

"A-alright, you asked for it-" Hikaru starts, her monitor not showing her much
 more meaningful data than 'look at all these bugs'. "Distortion Field,
 activate!" It pushes against their point-blank cannon blasts like a bladw,
 protecting the Aestivalis.

Ranka's voice cuts in - just enough to confirm that she's still alive, but it's
 not long before she's cut out with a scream. Yurika is no doubt weighing their
 options, but as a pilot on the battlefield, there's not much Hikaru can do
 except for what she can.

"Okay, there's no reason to fight 'em all... we'd be stuck here for the rest of
 our lives. Which probably wouldn't be very long anyways," Hikaru considers,
 brandishing her Immediate Knife. The Aestie team can't stray far from the
 Nadesico without relying on their short battery power anyways. "But I can try
 to clear you guys a path! Sheryl, Alto... go get her!" She calls, guiding the
 Immediate Knife in a straight line, hoping to edge the gap between them and
 the monstrosity that took Ranka just a little bit.

At the same time, the ground begins to shake... as if the planet is being torn
 apart! "Hey, Nadesico... the situation on the ground doesn't look good!"
 Hikaru reports. "I wanna help save Ranka... but what do you want us to do?"

KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Kaiju Navi with Immediate Shish Kebab!!
KTS: Kaiju Navi retreats from the attack!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Hikaru Amano's Immediate Shish Kebab!, taking
 5400 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Hikaru Amano's I'll Introduce Myself! activates, causing Jam
 L1!

KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Trick Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        "Aestivalis wing, retreat to the Nadesico! Allied units, retreat to the
 Nadesico!" Jun's voice cuts in, as that horrific darkness spreads across the
 world. "Not even our Distortion Field will protect against something like
 that!"

        His messaging is clear: they have to get out of here.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Well, it worked, which is about as good as Riika could expect for a first
 in-field deployment. Honestly, this would *not* be her first choice about how
 to test a new unit, but she couldn't think of anything better for cutting
 through swarms of Vajra. She has to keep them off the Nadesico, and from here
 she can reach out and touch just about any of them.

Metaphorically speaking.

"I'll give you fire support!" Riika transmits to Hikaru. Though, at first she
 can't; Vajra incoming cause her to raise the laminate shield, withstanding
 some of their own return shots while she gives the Schlieren some extra time
 to cycle. She just has to pick her moment -

And there it is!

Riika swings the cannon up again, fingers dancing rapidly across the command
 console. "Adjusting dispersal... refocusing..." The Mirage Colloid derivative
 swirls around Svalinn Haze, a cloud of optical material that is being
 manipulated into place by magnets on the cannon and the robot itself.

She carefully adjusts her aim, the swirling colloid locking into place, shining
 in the dim light. A swirl of it detaches, forms a ball about twenty meters
 out, then changes into a different shape. She has to get this programming
 right to within millimeters or it won't work...

"Firing!"

Riika fires another beam, but this one is a brighter white-blue of a plasma
 corona even right away. It hits the colloid structure and splits, forming less
 of a plasma channel and more of a plasma fan, a brilliant aurora radiating
 from the Nadesico's flight deck.

"Firing phase two!"

Riika discharges the entire battery of the Schlieren. Her cockpit actually goes
 dark for a moment, and her heart catches as she fears she's blown something
 out, but then comes back online - and what was a fan-shaped corona is now a
 fan-shaped lightning discharge, crackling bolts of electricity blasting
 through any Vajra that dare to get too close.

Riika lowers the gun, which is steaming and venting again, and looks around as
 a horrible white light begins to build. She's... never seen that before, but
 it reminds her of something anyway: JOSH-A, when MIDAS was used as a bomb, but
 brighter and longer.

"No...!"

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Kaiju Navi with LS-01a 'Schlieren' Experimental Laser
 Cannon Electrolaser!

KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to evade Riika Sheder's LS-01a 'Schlieren' Experimental
 Laser Cannon Electrolaser, taking 5580 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Riika Sheder's Mobile Weapon Analysis activates, causing
 Designate L1!

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

Fire over you!

<"Let 'em have it!">

Micro-missiles launch in a volley overhead, courtesy of Rin, Scorn and Rancor;
 and the Tyranado does not move away, but -into- the fray, the wild
 recklessness of its maneuver coupled with a preternatural amount of skill as
 it zigs, zags and sweeps through missile fire, bursts of its beam launcher
 issuing forth upon each of those Vajra that Rin fires upon to exploit the
 weaknesses and openings that her freshly-minted wingwoman provides.

It's as she focuses on the chaos of the full-blown hive swarming them, that she
 hears the static crackle presaging a familiar voice.

"<Oh thank goodness! I'm-I'm here. I'm in this huge cavern aboard the Vajra
 ship...? There's a lot of eggs. Please hurry- there's- something else in
 here...>"

<"Ranka! It's gonna be okay -- just keep calm, keep focused, and keep that
 commlink open. Amies, try to track the signal, and--">

"<KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!>"

Pastel green eyes widen.

<"Ranka? Ranka, come in! Keep the comm open, we can--"> Sagiri begins -- but
 that signal just cuts off. Her lips twist, faintly. She draws in a slow breath
 as Rami watches from behind her, concern writ large in those expressive
 features of hers.

<"... Okay... it's still okay. If we can create an opening for the others,
 that's good enough!"> declares Sagiri. <"Amies, I want some focused scans on
 that ship. We need data on it and what it can do, and we need to see if we can
 figure out where Ranka ended up on it!">

<"I'm already on it, ma'am!">

Sagiri's teeth grit as she focuses on the fray. But behind her, Rami Amasaki's
 head dips, her fingers curling tight in her lap.

"... it's not a ship..." she murmurs, her voice only carrying through the
 cockpit. Sagiri blinks, and looks back.

"What d'you--?"

Sagiri's question never finishes before a shadow casts over the Tyranado.

<"Rami! Sakurai!"> Hirosuke's voice calls out over the communication lines.
 <"Watch out--">

But it's too late. The Vajra collides with the Tyranado in a hideous sound of
 crunching metal, unloading heavy fire upon the sleek black armor of the
 experimental mobile weapon. Plating rips off violently. Rami lets out a
 startled shout; Sagiri swears. They both work in perfect unison all the same,
 Rami suddenly spiking the power output of the Quark Drive just in time to
 supply Sagiri the firepower needed to the Magna Beam Launcher to -blast- a
 hole straight through the head of the insectoid alien attacking them.

In the aftermath, the Tyranado throws that launcher aside to the skies, as
 Sagiri patches through to the others.

<"... Okay... Meryl, load a Striker on the menu. Rin, I'm going to need you to
 buy me a few seconds. Rami...">

<"... I know, ma'am. I'm focused. I won't let the Vajra take Ranka. I won't!">

<"Now that's what I like to hear. Let's do this!">

The Carriax banks, swimming around the aggressive assaults of the Vajra as its
 weapon bays open up. Missiles salvo in an opening volley of cover fire...

<"Tyranado locked in. Striker -- launching!">

... as a -massive- white cannon -shunts- from the weapons delivery platform,
 rocketing through the air with such force that the Tyranado is dragged briefly
 forward by its momentum as it catches it in midair. The barrel hisses open. It
 swings forward, churning with crackling, dangerous cyan-green energies deep
 within its energizing gullet.

<"Quark Drive output at max! Ready to fire!">

<"Alrighty -- One deluxe combo, coming up!">

And with the squeeze of the trigger, the Tyranado fires a BLINDINGLY bright
 burst of rippling energy, scarring the skies with blistering high levels of
 firepower output as that almost phantasmal fire looks to obliterate anything
 in its path -- if nothing else, to open up a path for the others. If nothing
 else--

<"Okay, Vajra! Congratulations! I'm officially pissed enough to do beat you pro
 bono! I-- huh?">

Alarms start to blare. That premonition starts to sink an icy place back in
 Sagiri's gut as Amies' panicked voice picks up over the line:

<"I-I... I'm getting a MASSIVE energy spike, it keeps building... I have no
 idea what this is supposed to--">

Transmissions cut off, as the members of Special Section 3 bear witness to a
 massive sphere blooming on Gallia IV, growing rapidly, devouring everything in
 its path. More, and more, and more--

Sagiri looks on, horrified. But not as much as Rami.

Rami knows the type of horrific weapons the galaxy can make all too well.

<"Oh... oh no... why...">

<"Carriax, Rin -- listen to the Nadesico! We need to fall back! Go, now!">

But even if she takes immediate action...

"What... in the world is this...?"

... she has no idea what she's witnessing, save for how monstrous it is.

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained
 proficiency bonus.

KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Kaiju Navi with Mega Buster Striker - Max Output!
KTS: Kaiju Navi partially guards Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Max
 Output, taking 6080 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

The 'mothership' is rising and they are rising to follow it. It's a huge
 battle, Rin thinks, isn't it? It's like everything, including the Zuvorgs, her
 thoughts flick further as her eyes cut out towards the battlefield. She
 manages the thrusters, opening the throttle steadily...

She hears Ranka's voice and her *teeth grind* - but her fury is not able to
 unfold in full. Why?

SLAM! A Vajra suddenly smashes against the canopy of the VF-171, digging in
 claws. Huge shapes, too distorted and close to resolve into an object, shift
 and begin to charge. Rin stares in horror for a moment --

With a grinding SMASH, one of the drones - Rancor, with a Pinpoint Barrier
 system installed - swerves to the side, smashing one wing with a glitter of
 reinforced energy against the Vajra soldier unit. Whatever happens to it in
 the final analysis is beyond Rin's immediate ken; noisome fluids smear the
 windscreen, and one claw remains impacted into the fuselage, but there was no
 counter strike.

Rin breathes out. "... thanks, buddy," she says quietly.

What was, seven years ago, a Baskerville Products Type 7 Perimeter Patrol
 module, makes an electronic chime in reply.

Rin reaches into her pocket and brings out the vial of pills. She tosses one -
 then two - into her mouth, crunching them up as the Variable Fighters continue
 to ascend.

Silently there is a distant, but enormous, flash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t129dlHBY3s

Sagiri tells her to buy her a few seconds. "Gh - Scorn," Rin says --

-- The other drone doesn't need to be told twice. The second verse is the same
 as the first but much louder; an entire package of micromissiles is
 discharged, a partially unthinkable storm made even worse (for them) by the
 radar-homing warheads and the sudden, remorseless radio-frequency Eye turning
 towards them, silently painting the soldier-Vajra as Rin jukes left.

"Oh shit," Rin says as she sees the Quark Drive's power unleashed forwards.
 Into the swarm - towards the mothership.

And her eyes are creeping to the side as Amies pipes in a report.

"... Oh my god," Rin says. She had thought that maybe the Quarter had popped
 off a Reflex barrage. This is far worse.

Rin makes herself breathe, makes herself exhale. "-- copy that, boss," Rin
 says, before adding as the VF-171 banks towards the Nadesico,
 "RancorcoverTyranado," almost as an afterthought. Almost. The angle of her
 approach means she can sees the planet.

Great graphics, Rin thinks, with a swallowed and horrid giggle.

KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rin Naujakaite targets Kaiju Navi with Scorn - Total Battlespace
 Saturation!

KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Rin Naujakaite's Scorn - Total Battlespace
 Saturation, taking 4140 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Kaiju Navi has posed.

        The day had begun with something so innocent as a concert.

        Not five hours ago, the worst thing on anyone's mind in Gallia-IV was
 how they were going to make it to see Ranka perform.

        And now, it is nothing short of apocalyptic.

        The myriad swarms of the Vajra, suddenly, pivot in place at the twin
 lights enveloping Gallia-IV. A planet being torn apart by two separate epochs
 of pure destruction. Two events that should never be allowed to exist. It's
 hard to divine 'emotion' from these entities - but as far as they can feel
 'fear', it clearly courses through the swarms.

        And so, Fold readings escalate - not just from the mothership, but from
 every single soldier, converging all on the same frequency pattern. The Vajra
 do not intend to stay here any more than anyone else - countless gates all
 over Gallia-IV's lower atmosphere all open, all to the same 'place' - the
 method by which the Vajra have always Folded in and out of battle. The
 hostility suddenly ceases, missiles and reactor beams no longer flooding the
 air - all they can think about is leaving.

        -- -- -- -- --

        Yurika's speechless as the readings come in. Of not one, but two
 unthinkably vast energy readings engulfing all of Gallia-IV. "...It can't be.
 None of this can be really happening, right, how are - what's even - WH - how
 did it get this bad, what can we even-"

        What kind of training even is there for this? Planetary armageddon
 tearing the landscape in two, with two rapidly expanding fields of devastation
 wreaking havoc. "...Macross Quarter, please come in. We...we have no choice.
 Everyone - we HAVE to Fold away from here, right now. RIGHT NOW!" There's a
 palpable panic in Yurika's voice...

        And heart-gripping fear among the students who never made it to
 liftoff. While their Ovids certainly are more than capable of exiting the
 atmosphere under their own power, they've fallen so, so far behind the fleet,
 tangled up in a merciless pile of Vajra-

        All of which begin to enter Fold Space.

        Struggling for his life, staring at the distant horizon Yurikano
 disappeared into - Izo's heart sinks into his stomach, screaming out what can
 only be felt by everyone - "...What...what the HELL IS ALL THIS!?" All his
 struggles earn him, though - are the remaining Vajra clutching onto him,
 Folding all as one big, messy, disparate pile - a distorted window aimed at
 the wrong destination engulfing him, and sending Kirius and Array hurtling in
 entirely separate directions in the backdraft...!

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        "Captain! We're not going to be able to outrun the distortion!"

        Captain Wilder frowns at the report from Monica... Judging by what it's
 doing to the planet. They likely won't survive it. Captain Wilder can hear the
 Nadesico's Captain calling out to them over the speakers. He can't deny her
 words.

        They need to leave. Now.

        'I'm sorry, Miss Lee.'

        Captain Wilder nods, "Charge the fold drive. Tell all expedition ships
 and mobile weapons to prepare for emergency fold. We're leaving now."

        There's silence... Too long of a silence. Captain Wilder turns to look,
 "Monica?"

        Monica is typing rapidly, but then reports in despair, "The fold
 drive... It's not coming online!" She looks up, "We can't fold..."

        There are numerous murmurs amongst the bridge crew as they try to
 consider the alternatives. All the while, Captain Wilder stares out the
 windows of the Quarter's bridge as the familiar sight of the black of space is
 becoming more prominent.

        He then notices lights... The Vajra ships are opening fold windows.
 They're planning to escape the distortion, just as the Quarter was attempting
 to do.

        "Monica. Inform all expedition ships and mobile weapons. Hard burn for
 the Vajra fold windows."

        The others on the bridge turn to look at him in shock. It's Katherine
 who points out the obvious, "Captain... We don't have any idea where they're
 going. And once we get there... We'll still have the Vajra to deal with!"

        Captain Wilder reaches up to adjust his cap, saying, "I know,
 Lieutenant... But this is the only way we're going to survive." He turns his
 head to look at the rest of the bridge crew, "Unless anyone has a better idea?"

        Silence.

        Soon enough, the orders go out to the expedition: Charge into the Vajra
 fold windows.

        This suits Alto just fine, because he'll be DAMNED if he's going to
 break away from trying to get to that mothership!

        Unable to think about what's happening on the planet below, Alto's
 attention is focused on Ranka. Turning his fighter towards the Vajra
 mothership, he pushes the throttle forward and blasts towards it. He can
 already see the giant circle of light beginning to form ahead of the massive
 vessel.

        Still there are Vajra in his way.

        Despite feeling the g-forces trying to press him into his EX-Gear, he
 doesn't let up. He weaves his way in between the Vajra as they themselves try
 to escape the impending destruction in their own way. Most of the fold windows
 the smaller Vajra are opening vanish too quickly for Alto to get a good bead
 on. Besides, he is following that mothership!

        <"AhhhhhHHHHHHHHH!!!!">

        Alto's Messiah dives into the light of the mothership's fold window,
 vanishing.

        Behind him, the various other fighters from the Quarter follow suit,
 diving into the various Vajra fold windows that are popping up. The two
 transports that belong to the expedition follow them in, trying to withstand
 the counterfire from the Vajra capital ships as they get close.

        Finally the Macross Quarter itself presses forward, the two pronged
 shape of the miniature Macross diving into the Vajra mothership's fold window.
 On the bridge, the light of fold space bursts into view. Bolts of it rushing
 through the ship. Yet it's different from what they experienced on the trip to
 Gallia IV. Likely owing to this being the Vajra method of folding, rather than
 their own.

        Captain Wilder stands from his chair, walking up to the bridge's
 windows to stare out into that swirling vortex of light. He muses, "Now... We
 just have to figure out what to do once we return to normal space."

        He turns to face the others on the bridge, "And how we're going to
 rescue Miss Lee."

<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.

Somewhere on the Nadesico, where her guards shuffled her as the situation got
 rapidly more out of hand, Laffinty watches in horrified silence as darkness
 and light expands across Gallia IV. Minutes ago...MINUTES ago, everything was
 fine, and now...

Her breathing shakes. "Moid. That light..."

Moid has his back to her, both palms pressed against the triple-shielded
 porthole plastic.

She can't see the manic slash of a smile across his face.

"Yes," he breathes, ecstatic at the horror. "That..."

"...is the light of the Vox!"

<Pose Tracker> Yurikano de Metrio Lu has posed.

As the explosion reaches its apex, it has devoured the majority of the planet.
 Pure, pure white raging across the surface, a massive ball of energy holding
 itself still.

Three orbs fire off, jettisoning out towards the darkest reaches of space.

One green.
One blue.
One orange.

All careening off their separate ways, large, lazy arcs towards an unknown
 destination.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

The Nadesico's orders are clear: they have to make a full retreat, and they
 have to get out of there now. Were the situation different, Hikaru might be
 willing to argue that they can still change things and turn the battle around!

But she won't lie to herself... this is the end of a planet, the destruction of
 a place where people lived and came together. "...Just like back at home. This
 sucks...!" she whispers to herself, nonetheless pushing the Aestivalis's
 aerial thrusters to maximum. "All clear, Captain. The Aestivalis squadron's
 returning to the Nadesico! ...Let's get outta here." She concludes, with a
 heavy breath.

As the Nadesico, and everyone who could make it out of that horrid light make
 preparations for emergency Fold, Hikaru can't help but think of Sheryl's song,
 Lion, one that Ranka also made her own twist on. To claw their way to
 survival... how many times will the Nadesico have to keep making these
 sacrifices?

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

Screams. Panic. Chaos. A sonorous statement from the captain of the Quarter.
 Even the Vajra are fleeing... except that the Vajra, it seems, *can* flee.
 They have Fold Drives in their dumb alien bug butts. Even Coordinators don't
 have that one going for them.

Rin listens for several seconds to the distant screams. She recognizes Izo's
 voice.

On the bridge of the Carriax: "So that's it," Samantha says. "We're all going
 to die."

And in the cockpit of the VF-171, Rin Naujakaite - who had felt her eyes
 prickle with incipient tears at the sounds of desperate screams and cries and
 the chaos and horror of everything that's been pouring downwards - hears those
 words.

Her lips purse for a moment.

She makes a little 'snif'.

And then:

                        "I'M NOT LETTING ANY OF YOU NERDS DIE!!!"

There was, after all, something beneath rage.

Rin's head snaps to the side, snaps back, and she whistles into the comms. It
 sounded very modulated. The two Ghosts suddenly bank towards her as the
 VF-171... decelerates...?

It transforms, suddenly, into the Battroid mode, and the deck crew of the
 Carriax may get startled when it suddenly looms into view before -- THUNK --
 grasping onto the top fuselage with both legs. The Battroid's arms go upwards
 as the drones move into position over either one --

"Sakurai!! You have that Quark Drive thing!! Get on the ventral side, we've got
 to carry THEM!"

The Battroid's hands thrust upwards, first left then right, grasping onto the
 Ghosts' fuselages and digging in, hard. Metal buckles but there is no
 resistance. Actuators lock as Rin says with enthusiasm, "We blew up too many!
 Go 30 elevation left and we can totally make it!! C'mon!! Unless you want to
 walk home!!"

ON THE BRIDGE:

Louis Lioncourt is looking up with cautious hope. Samantha, direly, says, "This
 isn't gonna work, Rin."

IN THE COCKPIT OF THE VF-171:

Rin blurts, "Courage can turn the shittiest roll into a critical hit!!"

BACK ON THE BRIDGE:

"... What???"

IN SPACE, WHICH IS THE PLACE:

"Guys! FULL THROTTLE! MAXIMUM OVERTHRUUUUUUST~~~!"

<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.

Can they make it? Will they make it?

                        I'M NOT LETTING ANY OF YOU NERDS DIE!!!
                        
Rami startles from her horrified reverie with a reflexive "I am NOT a nerd --
 whu!?"

Meryl blinks and looks up, called by the name of her people.

Amies sucks in a deep breath and declares, "She's way too loud, but she's
 right!"

Hirosuke chuckles, shaking his head.

And Sagiri...

Despite the situation, despite the unknown circumstances Ranka is in, despite
 -two- apocalyptic events clashing into each other threatening to annihilate
 them all...

Sagiri grins, until pastel green eyes shut close.

"Heh. See? Do I got an eye for promising employees, or what?!"

Yes, she can absolutely take shameless pride and credit, even in moments as
 dire as this.

<"You heard our precious part timer! Rami, I need the Quark Drive's output as
 high as you can get it! Chief, I'm sending coordinates your way! Meryl, I'm
 coming in, align for link up!">

<"Ah-- right! Link up confirmed, commence docking!">

SHUNK goes the Tyranado as it falls back and rises, locking in to the belly of
 the Carriax. Green-cyan energy lines thrum like a building cycle of
 interlocking veins throughout the Tyranado's chassis as its optics flare.

<"Quark Drive is primed, ma'am! Energy flow is linking into the Carriax!">

<"Sagiri, these coordinates--">

<"--are the best shot we've got, Chief. Come on -- what's the point of big,
 juicy hazard pay if you're not willing to take the risk?">

<"... Hah. Fair enough. Alright. Launching now! Ms. Naujakaite, you know what
 to do!">

Courage can turn the shittiest roll into a critical hit!!

Sagiri pauses. She looks behind her towards Rami.

"... Rami. You trust me, right?"

Rami blinks. Despite how pale she looks, despite the doubts and worry and panic
 racing through her mind, those words manage to make her focus. She sucks in a
 breath, and nods once.

"... Always, ma'am."

Sagiri manages a small smile, and looks forward. "Great. Then believe me -- I'm
 going to get us all out of this. I won't let anything here hurt you. I
 promise."

"Ma'am--"

And with this, Sagiri Sakurai grins again as the Carriax's thrusters IGNITE in
 massive plumes of cyan-green-blue, swirling like an overpumped faucet of
 potential energies.

<"You're damn right! Here's your first VTX corporate lesson, rookie! Corporate
 Philosophy no. 13">

Energies that send them, combined with the help of the Nightmare and Rin's
 partners-in-crime (not the ones in the Carriax), LAUNCHING forwards at
 hazardous speeds--

<"GO IN WITH A BANG!">

--straight for one of those yawning Fold Portals.