2023-08-06: A Message Too Far

• Log: A Message Too Far
• Cast: Alto Saotome, Emalya Zamana, Hikaru Amano, Liam 7-020, Sheryl Nome, Ruri Hoshino, Lucine Azul, Setsuna F. Seiei
• Where: Side 1
• OOC - IC Date: August 6th 0097
• Summary: A team investigates the unexpected reactivation of a fold communications hub. There they find an old call for help from the stars. As well as learning about the extent of the Vajra threat to Earth.

---

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        "A lost little girl's love
        "Will cross a rainbow
        "To reach you, I'm sure it'll reach you
        "While our maidenly hearts give us courage."

        The audio from Ranka's concert plays in the cockpit of Alto's Messiah.
 The Eden colony is not too far away, relatively speaking, so the live signal
 is coming in strong. It's a bit of a sore reminder about how Alto is being
 forced to work right now, instead of attending. But it's not like he could do
 anything about it. A contract from a potential client is one thing. But when
 the order to investigate the unexpected reactivation of a fold communications
 hub comes from within, from Nergal itself, you kind of have to go with it. Not
 that Alto knows why Nergal's higher ups are interested in this station. It's
 not Nergal property. Perhaps the rumors he heard about pirates setting up shop
 there have something to do with it.

        Regardless of the reason, he's here. And with help too. The large
 station looms ahead, starting to grow in size at they get closer. At roughly
 three kilometers across, it's hardly a match for any of the space colonys. Yet
 still roughly ten times the size of your average warship. Thankfully this does
 mean there are a fiew avenues for mobile weapons to enter and traverse the
 station, which may be important if pirates are involved.

        Alto radios to the others with Nergal who have joined the
 investigation, <"That's it ahead. Hubs like this used to be used to keep in
 contact with the various colonization fleets and colonies out there. But since
 the cutbacks in space exploration, most of them are now offline. Which
 should include this one..."> But that's clearly not the case, as the group
 is now close enough to confirm that the station's systems are all back online.

        "A piano flies through the sk-
        "As stard--t becomes musi--l no---.
        "--- monsters will ----
        "--- ----- inside - ------- ----."

        As the group grows closer, interference levels rapidly begin rising,
 outside signals becoming garbled. It's not clear what the source of
 interference is though... Perhaps someone else is here indeed?

        -=-=-=-

        Approaching from the opposite direction of the station, Setsuna will be
 facing similar such interference. Though he has at least a little more
 information to go on. Thanks to the intelligence resources provided by VEDA
 and the predictions of Celestial Being's talented tactical forecaster, it's
 clear that this is no simple pirate incursion. Intel suggests the criminal
 organization, BioNet, has their sights set on the station. For what reason
 isn't clear, but what is clear is that with BioNet involved, hostile
 intervention will likely be necessary. Thus requiring the dispatch of a Gundam
 to investigate.

<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.

Emalya's not listening to the concert over the audio. It's not that she's not
 interested; quite the opposite! But it would be a distraction if she's
 supposed to be on a mission, and she was regrettably chosen for this
 particular outing on the same day!

Well, there will be others. Maybe Radiha wil pick her up some souvenirs!

Regardless, "And yet it does not!" Include this one, that is. "Very curious.."

But the interference is rising, picking up notably. Emalya frowns at it,
 sitting in her Excalibur in her blue flight suit.

"So I suppose we should expect company of some kind..."

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

"Man, this sucks!" Hikaru complains over the radio, helpfully. "First they make
 us investigate while we're havin' fun in the sun... now we can't even sit back
 and enjoy a concert..." She whines. "It's a total Shakespearian tragedy, isn't
 it, Lucine?!" She makes that point to Lucine in particular, mostly because
 they've been assigned partners on this mission.

Unlike on the beach, where the idea of a Jovian dormant weapon at least makes
 sense, this time, she barely even gets why the big-wigs are making them do
 this. One thing's clear, though - it's got something to do with money! Hikaru
 hopes she gets a raise after this mission. That'd certainly help morale!

For now, she follows behind in her ace custom orange Aestivalis, noticeably
 slower for now.

And when the interference comes in, it only makes Hikaru's mood worse than it
 already was. "What's the big deal?" She complains (to herself). "I was trying
 to at least watch something if we're gonna be here all day!" The universe
 wants Hikaru to be bored it seems, but assumedly, she'll be busy soon...

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        The relationship between NERV and Nergal is... somewhat complicated,
 since the megacorporation's signature flagship--and all the employees
 aboard--went rogue. That said, NERV's primary mandate is dealing with science
 crime and alien threats, and weird activity at a Fold relay could easily be
 either of them. When Nergal asked for backup, NERV sent along someone who'd
 already been tasked with putting a new purchase through its paces.

        The Dianza Sol is the flagship Mobile Suit of the Jeturk Corporation,
 brand-new compared to everything else Federation forces field en masse. It
 looks something like a much, much bulkier Jesta, with a grey-and-dark-blue
 color scheme, and the NERV leaf freshly-stamped in red on the shoulder. A pair
 of thick, heavy shields are mounted to its shoulders.

        Liam sits in the cockpit, one ear on Ranka's song and the other on the
 radio chatter. "Don't think it's scavengers," he says. "Maybe bold ones? But
 picking apart a prize like this would take... special gear. Right?"

        Liam frowns, to himself, as Hikaru starts complaining. He doesn't want
 to say aloud that he feels safer here than in a crowd of people, but he's
 thinking it. Instead, he turns on his cockpit vocorder to make a note.
 "Handles well, mass considered. Bulkier than anything I've piloted so far, but
 the armor--" The radio starts sputtering.

        The Dilanza Sol boosts forward--slowly, but steadily--to put itself
 between the station and the others. "Don't like this," Liam transmits.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Ranka's concert is the debut of Rainbow Bear Bear, so Sheryl hasn't
 had the chance to listen to it before now. All the same, as she does listen
 through her own radio, she smiles, eyes shut, and hums along. It's a very cute
 song, and she remembers some of these lyrics from what Ranka had shared with
 her a while ago. So she finally managed to produce a song she can call her
 very own... Sheryl has mixed feelings about Ranka's meteoric rise to success,
 but she is genuinely happy for her on this. She has real talent, and real
 passion, and has put in a ton of hard work to succeed--three things that
 Sheryl respects.
        
        She's a bit torn on her current situation, too. She'd planned on
 attending Ranka's concert... but she's still working hard on her end to
 become a pilot, whether she flies as a combat fighter or not, and after last
 time she does want to prove--to herself, to Grace, to Alto--that it isn't
 a bad idea. Specifically, she'd promised to listen to Alto this time and
 retreat if things turned sour in what should otherwise be a relatively safe
 investigation mission--and when he suggested that she co-pilot with him in his
 Messiah, well, how could she refuse such a generous offer from a much more
 experienced pilot?
        
        As they approach the station, and the signal from Ranka's concert
 starts to cut out from the interference, Sheryl opens her eyes and focuses on
 the view ahead. "<Pirates, hm...>" she murmurs, thinking of that encounter she
 had over a year ago. They'd attacked her transport, claiming to be there to
 kidnap her, but then that'd turned out to be a cover for something else... She
 hadn't thought about it in ages, having decided to leave it to someone else,
 but all of a sudden she wonders if it's connected.
        
        "<If they're still lingering around here, we'll make them regret it!>"
 she declares. Sheryl isn't hungry for a fight, but she's a proud woman, and if
 they really are about to cross her path again, she won't back down. ...Even if
 Alto's going to be doing the lion's share of the fighting.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        Ranka's music filters through the Nadesico's bridge, just the same.
 Yurika's not here right now, for some no doubt vital Yurikan reason -- but
 their executive officer, Jun Aoi, has graciously allowed it to be played. At a
 low volume, of course. They're working.

        "Facility reports all systems green," Ruri Hoshino, the ship's
 Operator, reports to the party and the bridge in her typical stoic manner.
 Seated at the bottom of the bridge, in the forwardmost position, she is the
 most unusual girl here -- largely because she is still a girl, fourteen
 years old and with her white-blue hair all tied up in twin-tails. "Life
 support, green. Gravity, green. Weapons, green. Shielding, green.
 Communications, green..." She rattles off all the systems, specifically.

        "So it doesn't include this one," Jun concludes, frowning, as he
 watches the main screen. "Let's get closer. Megumi, open hails."

        "Roger!" Megumi Reinard, the Nadesico's communications officer, chirps
 as she tries to open a line. A line which Jun speaks through --

        "Identifying: Jun Aoi, Executive Officer of Nergal's ND-001 Nadesico.
 I'm requesting you identify. Repeat: requesting identification. Flag and
 purpose. Over."

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        And on the other side of the equation... is another reason for Alto to
 be a little more grumpy.
        
        < ".... I would've thought you guys would be at Ranka's concert." >
 This comment comes from a normally perceptive Lucine, who is also along on
 Nergal business. And for once, she's not in her usual Dianthus, but a VF-171
 Nightmare instead. < "... Granted, Hikaru, you've never been much of a concert
 goer... oh! Have you ever seen a Shakespearean play? I watched some videos of
 them before... " > Emalya, is still someone she's understanding, so she's not
 including immediately in this chatter.

        It's probably for the best, given the banter back and forth.

        It also feels good, for Lucine, to not have something be purely due to
 someone else's generosity. Even if Lucine's faith and loyalty to the Nadesico
 crew (or 'Nadescrew', as Hikaru puts it) has strengthened tenfold due to the
 help everyone has given her, there has to be some point where she pays back.
 And so, Lucine gives up on a Ranka concert, which is a-okay, because Ranka is
 a precious resource that must be shared, and she's gobbled up many
 opportunities to see her as it is. She already has a plan for a version of her
 own 'concert'--

        < "I'll be doing a stream of Ranka's concert when we get back to the
 Nadesico. If you don't mind squeezing in with the plants, everyone's welcome
 to join in... It'll be at sundown, ah, that is, when the grow lights are
 turned off for the day. Liam, did you say you wanted to watch? I forgot to ask
 earlier..." >

        As they approach, Lucine frowns at the expected interference. < "....
 Rather creepy, when something cuts off like that..." > She then goes silent,
 letting Jun do the neccesary work.

<Pose Tracker> Setsuna F. Seiei has posed.

         A concert is going on in Side-1, and Setsuna's listening, if only
 briefly. He'd never personally attend a concert like this, but is curious.
 Songs have power over people, after all. A feat that one could compare to...
 Well...

         He lets a few lines of Ranka Lee's song play before killing his radio,
 the inside of the Exia's cockpit now completely silent save for the thrumming
 of consoles as Setsuna goes over the information provided by VEDA one last
 time. It would seem that BioNet's influence reaches even beyond Earth. It
 doesn't matter, however, as it's his job to deal with it. You treat the
 symptoms before you remove the source, and hopefully someday soon, VEDA will
 allow him to excise this group like the malignant tumor they are.

         Since this is a solo mission, the Exia is fitted with all its
 trappings, various swords fastened onto every available hard point of the
 predominately blue and white mobile suit. The amount of firepower it's
 sporting seems a bit excessive, and with the only other piece of non-killing
 equipment that it's carrying being a shield, it makes it rather obvious that
 the only thing this suit was designed to do was eliminate.

         Not that anyone else can see him at this given moment, as he
 approaches the station from a completely different side, GN particles pushing
 the Exia through the vacuum of space quietly and with relative ease.
SCENESYS: Rena Lancaster has updated scene #394, 'Narrative'.

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        <"Well, I doubt it's tourists on vacation."> Alto replies to Emalya's
 expectancy of company. And given the lack of Federation presence at this
 Federation station, it's clearly not their doing either.

        As the signal from Ranka's concert all but turns to static at this
 point, Alto frowns as he flicks it off, agreeing with Liam as he warns, <"Keep
 an eye out."> He lets the large machine take point. Thankfully though, there's
 no immediate threat.

        While the situation is a little tense, there's still opportunity for
 people to continue the chatter, which is good, it keeps people from stressing
 out. Though as Lucine gives out an invitation to a Ranka concert viewing, Alto
 coughs a bit before replying, <"Sure... I guess I could show up."> Like he
 wasn't going to watch it himself anyway.

        While the pilots amongst the group continue to chatter, Alto turns his
 head to the side, adressing his co-pilot, "Access the station layout. Find us
 an entry point." Given that there's nothing seemingly outside the station,
 they're likely going to have to go in.

        The Nadesico's first officer takes the lead on the investigation,
 opening up comms to the station, requesting identification. He gets a
 response, one that Setsuna is actually able to pick up as well as it's a
 general signal. Though said signal is weak, possibly due to the interference:

        <"---- -- --- ------ ---bal, ---- ------ -- --- ----- -------- --eet.
 -- ---- come u-der ----------- attack ---- hos-ile ----- --------- ------ ---
 ----- -- --- or--t -- ------ --. ---- --- tearing --- ----- apart and --
 req--re ---rgency assis----- ---- any nea--y -ess-ls! --- -------- -- ------
 --- ----- --- ---- ---tructi-n. Pl--se... -elp u-!">

<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.

"A stream sounds nice!" Emalya says, and then, "Ha ha, if we could do it
 outside, we could do a stream by the stream..."

She seems amused at this at least. She is glad to work with the Nadesico
 again, remembering positive experiences with the crew, but she misses the way
 the interference intensifies at first because she's trying not to distract
 herself.

Pirates, though...

"If not pirates, and not the Federation, then who?" Emalya wonders of Liam.
 But as they get closer...

No, it is not tourists. She does keep an eye out as well, until suddeny there
 is the matter of the signal--

"It is a distress signal!" Emalya exclaims as she puzzles it out. "We must
 assist!"

"Mr. Aoi," Emalya directs to the Nadesico, "Requesting permission to board and
 engage!"

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        <"I do,>" Liam transmits. It's... weird, seeing Lucine in a VF and not
 the Dianthus, given her deep emotinal attachment to it. He makes a note to
 keep an eye on her, even though this isn't as bad as the time Elisa got her
 claws in. <"On the way back. Bring out the beanbag."> How daring, the
 thought of snuggling up in front of Hikaru and everyone!

        (But the greenhouse could also get really cramped, so it's a smart move
 that way, too.)

        Then, the Nadesico picks up and relays the signal, and ice shoots down
 Liam's spine. "<Horror movie,>" he breathes, echoing something Spike said
 months ago. "<Pilot 7-020, Dilanza Sol, moving to board.>" The Mobile Suit
 jets forwards, towards the nearest access shaft big enough to accommodate its
 bulk. "<Hikaru, Lucine, taking the lead.>" It's a bit of a squeeze, but Liam
 is a skilled pilot, and the Dilanza floats inside with a grace that belies its
 bulk. "<Thing's built for Natural responsiveness,>" Liam mutters, to his
 wingmates, in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. "<But it flies well.>"
 Liam holds down two triggers, and draws the sticks in. The Dilanza's paired
 shoulder shields swing down to protect its torso.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        Ruri reports that the systems of the ship ahead are all green--meaning
 everything is functional. That'd only be the case if people were actively
 using it, right? Sheryl's eyes narrow as she considers that.
        
        "<Call it bad timing! I need credits for school and Alto here is a
 professional,>" Sheryl transmits back. She perks when she says she'll be
 streaming the concert later, though. "<Oh, really? I'm definitely interested!
 Count me in, Lucine~.>"
        
        It's a good idea to keep track of what your rivals are doing, after all.
        
        Alto tells Sheryl then to access the station layout and find an entry
 point. She pauses. This has not been covered in her training thus far. To
 cover that, she says lightly, "What's with the cough, Alto? Coming down
 with something?"
        
        As she does, she sends a private transmission to Grace, reading, 'GRACE
 HELP'
        
        Grace, somewhere aboard the Nadesico--perhaps on or near the bridge,
 even--just smiles. "My, that girl," she murmurs, and opens access to the
 station layout via Sheryl's terminal, runs a quick, tight scan, and forwards
 her information on the most obvious entry point. Out of the goodness of her
 heart, obviously, and no other reason. Certainly not to keep Sheryl reliant on
 her if she's going to insist on pursuing this path.
        
        Of course, there's someone here who'll no doubt notice that kind of
 data transfer, but as long as Ruri keeps it to herself for now... Though,
 there's someone else around that Grace has noticed, that Ruri might be
 more interested in than this, anyway.
        
        "<Here--I found something,>" Sheryl says triumphantly, taking that
 information and spreading it, first to Alto, then to the other ships--maybe a
 little unnecessarily, given that it's an entry point obvious enough to be
 spotted with the naked eye. Regardless, she feels bad about passing off
 Grace's work as her own and makes a mental note to study up on this sort of
 thing later.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

"It would've been nice..." Hikaru sulks, about Ranka's concert. "Sure, it's not
 the stuff I usually listen to, but I can appreciate some good music! So I
 might just take you up on your offer..."

But Erina said no and told me to get on duty." The screen that pops on Lucine's
 interface will show her pouting and crossing her arms. "What authority does
 she have anyways?!"

As for Shakespeare... "Of course I have!" She beams. "Romeo and Juliet was kind
 of one of the original enemies to lovers archetypes from the Middle Era, so I
 definitely took reference! And who doesn't enjoy Macbeth and Banquo's steamy
 'friendship'?" It's probably not the answer Lucine was expecting, but it's
 certainly a very Hikaru answer.

The IFS, even through the interference is pinged with a universal distress
 signal. Unlike Emalya, Hikaru does not wait for Jun's order - finally, they
 can get going! "Charging forward!" Hikaru announces, as the Zero-G Aestivalis
 speeds ahead, forming up with Liam. "Roger, roger~" She chirps to Liam,
 watching that shiny new Dilanza Sol in action. She whistles in approval when
 he comments on the responsiveness. "Yeah, really! It's even able to keep up
 with the Aestie!" She agrees - it's no small feat.

But despite her lightheartedness, she's looking... she took that distress
 signal seriously, at least. Even Sheryl's helping... she thinks. "Hey, thanks,
 Miss Galactic Fairy!"

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        Megumi quietly switches off the Nadesico's feed of Ranka's concert,
 when it dies to static. Most of her efforts, though, go to boosting that
 signal... as much as she can.

        "They're requesting urgency assistance from any nearby vessels," Megumi
 translates for everyone, with her sensitive ear, and a frown. "They've come
 under attack from hostiles... they're tearing them apart. And there's
 something with construction, or maybe destruction... I think they identified
 as part of a fleet, but I couldn't clear up that part of the signal."

        Jun frowns, and his response to Emalya -- and the others -- doesn't
 hesitate: "Permission granted. All hands: this is now a rescue mission. I
 repeat: this is now a rescue mission! Proceed at will!"

        Ruri Hoshino, meanwhile, frowns, even as she accepts Sheryl's data.
 She's detected something else, from the other side of the station. The line
 she opens up to the Exia, at first, is personal: "Excuse me," and the
 surprising thing might be the communication window the Nadesico pops up,
 showing Ruri's young face as she speaks. "This is Ruri Hoshino, Operator,
 ND001-Nadesico. I don't sense hostility from your machine, so let me ask for
 your help. Our Executive Officer just declared this a rescue mission... the
 people inside are in trouble. I won't ask who you are, but I'm transmitting
 you the signal codes to communicate on our channel. If you're willing to help,
 please respond. Thank you."

        Bloop, the window disappears. But, indeed, Setsuna's been given the
 data to help him communicate.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Emalya chimes in, and Lucine audibly agrees. < "Ah, maybe we could
 project a field in the simulation room... thing... the VR room...?" > When the
 large majority of listeners agree, Lucine grins on her video feed. < "I think
 it will be fun. Like, ah, a sleepover?" > Like in those slice of life comic
 books set on Earth!

        Hikaru responds with the appropriate amount of LET'S GO PASSION on the
 subject of Shakespeare. < ".... Ah, so they were together? So Hamlet was
 conflicted in more than one way..." >

        All talk of sleepovers and stream watching immediately quiets when the
 distress signal is made. 'Horror movie' Liam says. < ".... I'll see if I can
 sense anything when I get a little closer. I can't guarantee anything at this
 range..." >

        Sheryl reports finding an entry point. < "Ah, thank you, Sheryl. .... I
 think getting into range now; I'll follow behind if I need to get closer." >
 Lucine closes her eyes, and concentrates, trying to find some idea of what may
 be inside. Her range slowly expands-- she senses the pilots around her, her
 companions, and then works on expanding this beyond into unfamiliar territory.

        By the time she might sense Setsuna, he may have already made himself
 known in one way or another, but with her focus on the station, he may be
 overlooked temporarily.

<Pose Tracker> Setsuna F. Seiei has posed.

         A distress signal? There's not enough room in the Exia to ferry more
 than one person, and bringing the Ptolemaios over would take time he probably
 doesn't have. His brow furrows a bit underneath his helmet as he weighs his
 options, before he gets an unexpected message. The Nadesico? That's the Nergal
 ship, if he recalls correctly.

         Ignoring the fact that the call was forced, the Gundam Meister
 responds to Ruri, and to the rest of the currently deployed units given that
 he was rather quick to accept the communication data he was given, his tone
 completely flat and lacking any real discernible emotion.

         <"This is Setsuna F. Seiei. I'll grant you my assistance, at least for
 now.">

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        A rescue mission! There are still numerous questions surrounding this
 mission, but at least they have direction now.

        Thanks to the effort of Sheryl, who totally figured out a good access
 point on all on her own, the Nergal side of the group meet at the nearest
 access hatch. Sadly the Nadesico will have to float outside, as the hatch is
 not quite THAT big.

        Alto slows his fighter's approach, triggering the transformation into
 Battroid mode and then floating up to the hatch. Reaching out, the Messiah's
 hand wraps around the large handle beside the hatch. Access codes that they
 Totally Have Permission To Have And Use are exchanged with the station's
 system and the Messiah then turns the handle. The hatch slides open. As he
 begins to maneuver his robot inside, Alto says to his co-pilot, "Keep an eye
 on that radar. We don't know what we're getting into here."

        The access shafts are a little tight, but big enough for the various
 mobile weapons to move through. As they are doing so, another signal comes in
 over the general channel:

        <"This is the S----- ------, lead ------ of the ---th Research -----.
 -e have come under significant attack from hos---- ----- --------- --lled th-
 ----- -- --- ----- -- ------ --. --ey are -----ng the ----- ----- --- --
 ------- --------- -------nce from any nearby vessels! All attempts to esca--
 --- ----- --- ---- -----------. ------... ---- --!">

        Strangely enough though, a second signal actually begins to filter in
 amidst the first. It's music! And the voice... It's a familiar one!

        "--en if I'm in a dark ra--
        "--at pours so ---- - -ant to cry
        "Above the clo---, --- ---- -ky shines bright enough to daz--- --."

        Alto blinks a little in confusion, <"Is that... Ranka's concert?">
 There's no way the signal is reaching through all this interference. Alto
 wonders, <"Is the station's comms array boosting the signal?">

        It's the Nadesico, with its advanced sensors and little genius operator
 that begin to see the truth though. Something they've seen before, a few times
 now. Fold distortions. Which, admittedly aren't wholly unexpected at a fold
 communications hub. But these are some very specific types of fold
 distortions. The same type which, in the past, have been too weak to trace.
 Now though, they are stronger. And with some modifications to the Nadesico's
 sensors, it should be possible to trace them. Though that will take a little
 bit of time.

        What's more important right now, is that these fold distortions are
 very likely the source of the threat within the station. That source being...

        Lucine reaches out with her senses. Close to her, are her fellow
 pilots. A little further away, she's able to pick up another presence. Given
 the recent comms from Setsuna, that's likely who it is, approaching through
 the station from another direction. But as she continues to search, she starts
 to sense something else. Something familiar. A wholy alien familiar, the
 source of which she has encountered a number of times now. That source being...

        The Nadesico group pass through an interior hatch, into a T-section.
 Their systems alert them to another approaching unit. At the other end of the
 main shaft they're in, they can see another hatch open. It's the Exia Gundam!
 The two sides have but a moment to exchange greetings, before their systems
 alert them to yet another source of movement within the station. This time
 from the third shaft of this T-section that branches away from the one they're
 in. That source being...

        Vajra!

        Several of the green Vajra Mobile Soldiers claw their way through the
 interior hatch and out into the main shaft. Sharp claws dig into the shaft
 walls as they split up and begin to crawl their way towards the two groups
 menacingly.

KTS: Hikaru Amano has deployed in Aestivalis Zero-G Frame (Hikaru).
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has deployed in MD-0031UL Dilanza Sol.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has changed loadout.
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has deployed in GN-001 Gundam Exia.
KTS: Alto Saotome has deployed in VF-25F Messiah <Battroid Mode>.
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has changed loadout.
KTS: Emalya Zamana has deployed in VF-19A Excalibur.
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has deployed in ND-001 Nadesico.
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Kaiju Navi has deployed in Vajra Heavy Soldier.
KTS: Kaiju_Navi has deployed as a Boss for 7 opponents.

<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.

"A steamy friendship..."

Emalya is perhaps more reliant on military discipline than most of the
 Nadesico, as a rule. She does wait for permission--but once she has it, she
 rockets off, her machine in Fighter mode barreling straight for the station
 towards the entry point that Sheryl specifies. "Thank you!" she says, even
 though she did spot it with her naked eye, because that's what you do.

As she reaches the hatch, she triggers transformation into Battroid mode, and
 begins making her way in. SHe does not have the special senses Lucine does;
 she has to rely on others. A new person assisting is welcome, but--

Vajra. As they move towards the group, "Vajra! Engaging!" A lot begins to
 make sense all at once to Emalya Zamana, and those things include violence.
 She fires from the beam rifle/pod her mecha is holding, shot after shot to try
 to buy the others some time to act.

KTS: Emalya Zamana targets Kaiju Navi with Mounted Beam Gun Pod Shot!
KTS: Emalya Zamana has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sheryl Nome has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Alto Saotome!
KTS: Lucine Azul has deployed in VF-171 Nightmare Plus <Battroid Mode>.
KTS: EN Barrier activated!

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        It's a little bit of a disappointment and a little bit of a relief that
 this is a rescue mission, seemingly unrelated to any pirates. Still, things
 seem to be proceeding apace, especially as Jun makes the change in their
 mission parameters official.
        
        Sheryl chuckles confidently. "<Anytime~>" she chirps to Lucine and
 Emalya--then playfully chides Hikaru, "<Though it's just Sheryl right now! I'm
 only the Galactic Fairy as a professional songstress!>"
        
        Radar is at least something Sheryl's studied--it's important as a main
 pilot as well as a co-pilot, so she knows how to read it and relay the
 information it's giving her. "<Right. Just leave it to me!>" she thus tells
 Alto with genuine confidence. Huh, there's someone else coming in too... a
 Gundam? They seem to be helping them out, so Sheryl doesn't worry about it,
 despite her otherwise unpleasant experience with Gundams.
        
        
        It doesn't last very long. As she works her controls, Ranka's song
 interlaces with the distress signal. Sheryl blinks, lifting her head as she
 listens. "<What... Why is that...?>"
        
        The radar picks up some signals--several signals--and Sheryl blinks
 down at them. "<There's something nearby! A lot of somethings!>" she calls
 along with the system alerts. "<They're coming in hot! Be careful!>"
        
        And just then, Vajra begin to claw in through the metal walls. Sheryl
 gasps, sharp and shocked. "<Vajra!>" And then, with growing white-hot anger:
 "<How dare they?! Alto! Everyone! They must be why we got a distress signal!
 We have to take them out before they destroy someone else's home!!>"

KTS: Sheryl Nome targets Alto Saotome, Lucine Azul, and Hikaru Amano with
 All-Out.

KTS: Sheryl Nome has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sheryl Nome orders an all-out attack, raising Alto Saotome's Skill!
KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 15200
KTS: Your EN is now 58.
KTS: Sheryl Nome has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Alto Saotome

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        "NERV's trialing them," Liam says. "From some 'Benerit Group'. Heard of
 them... maybe a little?" He's heard the name, they're an established group
 of military contractors, but they're not as big as Nergal or Anaheim. "Thanks,
 Sheryl," he adds, a smile in his voice. The Dilanza Sol's computer is already
 mapping the interior of the station based on that data.

        Several things happen at once: The distress signal repeats. A Gundam
 Liam does not recognize appears from an intersection. And then...

        Vajra.

        Liam's blood runs cold as Sheryl announces their presence. "<Why
 here?">" he says, but there's no time to ponder this--only to act. "<Keeping
 point! Time to see what Jeturk's workers made!>"

        The Dilanza Sol's jets ignite behind it, turning its leisurely forward
 float into a headlong charge. The left shield snaps down onto the Mobile
 Suit's forearm, while the other one folds out. Its right hand rises, and pulls
 its rifle from the equipment rack. Liam sucks in breath, braces the rifle
 against the Dilanza Sol's side, and pulls a trigger. A brilliant red-violet
 glow erupts from the end of the rifle--not a conventional beam blast, but a
 bayonet blade.

        The Mobile Suit drives the bayonet forward, towards the head of the
 nearest Vajra. Hit or miss, Liam drags it right, through the onrushing mass of
 limbs and carapace and biological energy weapons.

        "<Take your shots!>" Liam cries, to the two behind him.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Kaiju Navi with Bayonet Charge!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

"Oh, but Hamlet's a different guy!" Hikaru playfully corrects Lucine. "But now
 I'm considering how a crossover might shake things up... maybe it'd be
 possible to save them both in the end! But that'd be kinda a cop-out, don'tcha
 think?"

Emalya seems to take interest in the idea of a steamy friendship, too... "You
 ever read stories like that?" She asks back, curious. Zentradi culture has the
 same love for music, she wonders if it's true for stories as well.

"Just Sheryl? That makes sense! But... a lot of pilots do like going with
 special nicknames when they're on the field, too, y'know." She points out. As
 a group, she, Ryoko, and Izumi are the Three Angels! Who came up with that?
 "It might be fun to have different titles on the stage and in the cockpit."

Unfortunately, the banter is cut short by a swarm of Vajra - even as the Gundam
 Exia arrives to stand against them. "Yikes... it's these things again!" She
 exclaims. "I guess it's a good thing I charged ahead after all..." She adds,
 pleased with herself.

"Hey, hey, right behind you!" Hikaru exclaims to Liam, brandishing her Rapid
 Rifle, aiming to pop a few rounds in the clawed kaiju. "Get outta here... and
 stay out!" She demands, as bullets fly, bolstering Liam's assault.

KTS: Sheryl Nome orders an all-out attack, raising Hikaru Amano's Skill!
KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Kaiju Navi with Rapid Rifle: Team Formation!!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        The Nadesico has to wait outside, but that's fine. They'll put their
 trust in their pilots -- plus one guest member, courtesy Setsuna's willingness
 to help -- and their sensors continue to work, even here.

        Ruri presses her hands to her console, as she feeds through the data.
 "Fold distortions detected," she reports, to the away team and the bridge.
 "Now triangulating."

        Her eyes narrow, just so, as she says: "The away team has engaged the
 Vajra," a report to the bridge. And for that away team, she says, instead:
 "Now transmitting firing solutions." She offers this advice to their machines,
 rather than their pilots, but... close enough.

KTS: Sheryl Nome orders an all-out attack, raising Lucine Azul's Skill!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Lucine Azul, Hikaru Amano, and Emalya Zamana with
 Coordinate.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Lucine Azul's Piloting!

<Pose Tracker> Setsuna F. Seiei has posed.

         Setsuna doesn't have much time to give a more proper greeting, not
 that he'd want to mind. The enemy finally shows themselves, and Setsuna's eyes
 widen a bit. Varja? If that's the case, that would mean that the person from
 the distress signal might be... Now's not the time to worry, though, now that
 he thinks about the situation a bit, the fact that BioNet might have some sort
 of interest in the Varja is rather concerning.

         <"Setsuna F. Seiei, eliminating the targets.">

         There's no need to tell the others here what he's thinking. He's here
 to eliminate, not theorize with people who he's formed a temporary alliance
 with. Setsuna's grip on the Exia's joysticks tighten as he pushes them
 forward, the Exia responding accordingly by flying forward toward the Varja.

         The next movement almost happens in the blink of an eye as the Gundam
 reaches behind its back skirt, pulling out a handle that lets out a thin blade
 of pink GN particles that it then uses to carve into one of the emerging
 aliens.

KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei targets Kaiju Navi with GN Beam Saber Slash!
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Alto Saotome targets Kaiju Navi with Gatling Shot!
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 81.
KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 75.
KTS: Alto Saotome has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: [Lucky] Hikaru Amano's Toriyah~! activates, and luck goes her way!
KTS: Hikaru Amano successfully accepts Ruri Hoshino's Coordinate
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to evade Emalya Zamana's Mounted Beam Gun Pod Shot,
 taking 2800 damage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to rush.
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi partially guards Liam 7-020's Bayonet Charge, taking 1665
 damage!

KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Kaiju Navi!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to evade Hikaru Amano's Rapid Rifle: Team Formation!,
 taking 3375 damage!

KTS: Hikaru Amano begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to rush.
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi partially guards Setsuna F. Seiei's GN Beam Saber Slash, taking
 1740 damage!

KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has engaged Kaiju Navi!
KTS: Kaiju Navi successfully evades Alto Saotome's Gatling Shot

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Setsuna's timing is key; Lucine barely begins to register his presence
 before he introduces himself. She pauses, about to hail back, before something
 catches her attention.
                
        Ranka's concert, and....?

        < "... Vajra incoming!!" >

        Lucine's advance warning is not much help beyond being an alert; she
 herself has already transformed her vehicle into its Battroid mode as she
 comes in with cover fire, trying to lay a hit before they attack.

KTS: Lucine Azul targets Kaiju Navi with Erikon Beam Cannons Rapid Fire!
KTS: Lucine Azul has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to evade Lucine Azul's Erikon Beam Cannons Rapid Fire,
 taking 2550 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        <"Shit!">

        Sheryl warns him, as do the others. But Alto had not been expecting
 Vajra. Much like Liam, Alto's not even sure what they would be doing here.
 Unless they were nesting. But that doesn't explain the station's reactivation.
 It doesn't really matter though, as the path forward is clear.

        The Vajra crawl their way along all four of the shaft's walls as the
 now combined team move to engage. Liam and Setsuna are at the front, engaging
 in close by virtue of their approaches. Setsuna's beam saber strikes out at
 one of the Vajra Mobile Soldiers. It meets a little resistance against the
 creature's carapace, but with a little persistence it slices through. Liam's
 bayonet encounters the same resistance, but eventually makes it into the the
 Vajra's head, though the creature continues flailing, threatening to tear at
 Liam's armor with its claws. But then Hikaru comes in with the rescue, her
 bullets putting holes in it and sending it limp. Emalya, Alto and Lucine
 provide additional fire support. The beam shots finding difficulty penetrating
 the alien creatures, but with enough shots, they cease movement to float still
 in the shaft.

        The initial wave of Vajra Mobile Soldiers lightens up, giving the team
 a moment to breathe. Alto warns, <"We need to clear the station. If there's a
 nest here... We can't let it grow."> The way forward thankfully seems clear:
 The route by which the Vajra attacked from.

        <"This -- the ---N-4 -lob--, ---- --ssel of the ----- -------- --eet.
 We have come und-- -------cant attack from hostile alien creatures called the
 Vajra in t-- ----- of ---lia --. --ey are tearing th- ----- --art and we
 require emergency assistance from any nearby vessels! All attempts to escape
 are being met with destruction. Please... Help us!">

        "I'm gonna fire eve-- ---- --ssile I've got
        "---na lock on with my bouncing chest
        "Love is a dog fig--
        "A loving ----- fight

        The distress signal repeats again. It seems to be growing clearer, as
 the Vajra are being killed off. Obviously they are (one of) the source of
 interference. Though that still doesn't explain why Ranka's concert is coming
 through as well. Especially with the Exia Gundam right there with its GN
 Drive.

        But with the clearer transmission, and the overlapping information from
 the previous two, it becomes clear that it's on a loop. If they can clear out
 the Vajra a bit more, perhaps they'll be able to get the whole signal!

        Speaking of the Vajra, a little further in the access shaft opens up
 into a larger bay. Obviously delicate equipment stretches from the top to the
 bottom. According to the station's specs, it's a significant portion of the
 communication hub's main antenna.

        What's not on the specs though is the collecting of bulbous objects
 attached to the center of the array. Hundreds of them all gathered together,
 gently pulsing with life.

        They're not alone though, as a number of the green Vajra Mobile
 Soldiers begin climbing out of additional access shafters. And from behind the
 array and the nest, the ominous red of a Vajra Heavy Soldier emerges. The
 Heavy Soldier raises one of its insectoid arms, part of the attached carapace
 opening to reveal the bio-machine gun beneath. It starts unleashing those
 rapid fire bolts of bio-energy towards some of the group, while the Mobile
 Soldiers start to rush the others to try and overwhelm with numbers.

KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Emalya Zamana with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping
 Barrage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Liam 7-020 with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm Converge!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Hikaru Amano with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping
 Barrage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Setsuna F. Seiei with Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm
 Converge!

KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Lucine Azul with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Ruri Hoshino with Pass!
KTS: Kaiju Navi targets Alto Saotome with Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping
 Barrage!

KTS: Kaiju Navi has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Lucine Azul has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Lucine Azul's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Lucine Azul fails to evade Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping
 Barrage, taking 2090 damage!

KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Hikaru Amano successfully evades Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns
 Ripping Barrage

KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Liam 7-020's Catecholamine Regulation System activates,
 and his spirit endures.

KTS: Kaiju Navi enervates Liam 7-020, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Kaiju Navi rattles Liam 7-020, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Liam 7-020 fails to Parry Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm
 Converge, taking 5040 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Disruptor activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Enervator activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Liam 7-020!
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Emalya Zamana's Piloting!
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Emalya Zamana's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Emalya Zamana's Love, Hope, and Courage! activates, and
 her spirit endures.

KTS: Kaiju Navi enervates Emalya Zamana, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Emalya Zamana blocks Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage,
 taking 2970 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Disruptor activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Enervator activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Kaiju Navi enervates Setsuna F. Seiei, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Kaiju Navi rattles Setsuna F. Seiei, making his next maneuvers more
 difficult.

KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei parries Kaiju Navi's Vajra Mobile Soldiers Swarm
 Converge, taking 630 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Disruptor activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kaiju Navi's Enervator activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Kaiju Navi has engaged Setsuna F. Seiei!

<Pose Tracker> Emalya Zamana has posed.

"I think so!" Emalya answers Hikaru when she asks her. "If I am understanding
 the nature of the steam correctly and it is not gaseous water!" The other
 kind of steamy. "I have enjoyed many such stories if I am right!"

It is nice meanwhile to be out with a SONGSTRESS but Emalya has to try to keep
 it business or else she'll enthuse about it more.

But suddenly there are indeed Vajra...

"We must remain calm and engage them swiftly," Emalya cautions those who seem
 to be fighting more emotionally. "IT would seem that particle beams are less
 effective..."

And it would seem for that matter that the signal is repeating, and they have
 more information. As more soldiers begin to rush out, Emalya attempts to
 block--but she's put in a bad position, unable to aggress, forced back.
 "Gah--"

Then she taps away at her onboard systems, "Designating targets--sending data!
 i cannot get a shot, but maybe you can!"

KTS: Emalya Zamana targets Kaiju Navi with Designate L1!
KTS: Emalya Zamana has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino fails to react to Kaiju Navi's Pass, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Alto Saotome's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Alto Saotome blocks Kaiju Navi's Vajra Bio-Machine Guns Ripping Barrage,
 taking 660 damage!

KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 14540
KTS: Your EN is now 70.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        "<No problem, Liam~,>" Sheryl lilts, fielding the last of the
 thank-yous. Hikaru's point that fighters on the battlefield can also have
 titles gets a thoughtful noise out of her, and she smiles. "<Oh yeah, that's
 true! Then what would you call me instead?>"
        
        That might have to wait, though, since a) Sheryl isn't actually doing
 the fighting right now, and b) VAJRA. "<How should I know?!>" Sheryl snaps at
 Liam. "<Anyway, it doesn't matter! It's just like Alto said. If we don't wipe
 them out, there's no telling how many more people they'll kill!>"
        
        She frowns then over at the Exia Gundam and its pilot, calmly
 (robotically??) announcing his name and subsequent action. It's one hell of an
 action, too--Sheryl has little experience with Gundams, but this one lives up
 to the reputation. The one Gundam pilot she has known (or rather that she
 knows she's known; she doesn't actually know Liam is/has been a Gundam pilot,
 and honestly if she did know that would not dissuade her from what she's about
 to say) momentarily haunts her, and she transmits to him, "<Setsuna, you said?
 Just checking, but you aren't secretly brainwashed or anything, are you?>" She
 pauses; then she shakes her head. "<...No, actually, never mind.>"
        
        That can't be that common... right? And anyway, she can't focus on
 that, for a total stranger, when the Vajra are right in front of her--in front
 of all of them. Emalya makes a good observation about the particle beam
 weapons. "<That's right--I've heard that the more you use a kind of weapon on
 the Vajra, the more resistant they get to them. So don't bother using beam
 weapons!>" Sheryl transmits. She's not sure what to recommend they use
 instead, but surely everyone here knows their options better than she
 would, anyway.
        
        The distress signal keeps getting clearer--and at the same time,
 Ranka's song keeps mixing in with it. It's already turned from Rainbow Bear
 Bear to Love is a Dogfight, and that heightened energy gets her to
 realize that the distress signal is looping.
        
        It fills her with instant, sudden dread. The Galaxy's distress signal
 had come too late, too. She bites her lip and keeps that thought to herself
 for now.
        
        "<There's a lot more smaller signals on the radar up ahead, on the main
 antenna. Hundreds of them, maybe,>" she transmits instead. "<Ah! There's more
 of the bigger ones coming in! Focus on those first--you'll be in big trouble
 if you run out of firepower!>"

KTS: Sheryl Nome targets Alto Saotome, Setsuna F. Seiei, and Liam 7-020 with
 Coordinate.

KTS: Sheryl Nome has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sheryl Nome coordinates maneuvers, raising Liam 7-020's Piloting!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        WARNING: BEAM COATING EMISSION SPECTRUM DETECTED

        The Dilanza Sol's HUD lights up as Liam drags the bayonet. "<They're
 adapting!>" the cyborg says, urgency in his voice. The Dilanza kills its jets,
 raises its shield, and prepares to keep those claws off the Mobile Units
 behind it--

        Focused beam fire shreds the Vajra before that can happen. "<Hikaru,
 Lucine, good shots. Keep alert, there have to be more.>" Liam has only ever
 seen a lone Vajra once, and that was under very strange circumstances. Even
 this wave feels... like they're holding reserves.

        And sure enough: there they are.

        "<The hell is on that antenna?>" Liam says. The Dilanza Sol advances
 cautiously into the central chamber, shields at the ready. "<Ruri, patching
 you through now.>" Just in case she hasn't done so already, a feed link opens
 between the Dilanza Sol's sensors and the Nadesico's computers.

        Liam whips the bayonet to the right, blocking a rending claw before it
 can tear into the Dilanza's torso. Another Vajra swoops down from the left,
 trailing gashes in the brand-new Mobile Suit's armor. A third starts ripping
 at the legs. The Dilanza Sol jets up and back, in a short, careful burst.
 <"Watch your fire,"> he says. "<If we damage the array, that transmission
 dies.>" And so, too, to the people on the other end... if they haven't already.

        The Mobile Suit's rifle swings back onto the equipment rack. <"Roger,
 Sheryl. Switching to backup weaponry.>" A long, thin cable unspools from the
 Dilanza Sol's wrist. Liam pushes forward, and past the initial attackers to
 charge the Heavy Soldier directly. His suit's jets blaze. The cable
 electrifies, turning into a whip carrying enough voltage to at least stun
 another Mobile Suit. Liam brings it down at the Heavy Soldier with a short,
 efficient CRACK.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Kaiju Navi with Aftermarket Shock Filament Entangle!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

"What would I call you? Huh... that's a good question." She stops to
 seriously consider it for a moment, putting through a whole thought process.
 "Well, they usually start with a colour, right? ...And then they add something
 cool from space." Dramatically tapping her finger against her head, she
 concludes, "The Pink Supernova! Yeah, that sounds cool!" Although indeed, it
 may be some time before Sheryl can seriously consider it herself.

"Yep, you got it!" Hikaru answers Emalya, in regards to what type of steamy it
 is. "Too bad we're out on a mission... bet we'd have a lot to talk about!" In
 the background, Jun makes the most painful cringing wince, sitting in his
 Acting Captain chair, overhearing all these conversations.

Ruri's ever-helpful data on the other hand, is just in time, allowing Hikaru's
 Aestivalis to make a very risky evasive maneuver it wouldn't have otherwise.
 "Not today, sucker!" She taunts the Vajra, appropriately sticking out her
 tongue.

But, despite that minor victory... they just keep coming and coming, and if
 they don't act quick, the people in trouble will never make it. Emalya's
 informs them that beams are ineffective, and subsequently designates them. "No
 beams, no problem! We'll just have to skewer 'em!" Hikaru exclaims,
 brandishing the immediate knife in immediate fashion. "Lucine, Liam, you with
 me? I'm going in!" She announces, as she is a team player, and charges forth
 as if her machine is her own body, aiming to take out as many Vajra down as
 she can - with the precision of the IFS she can be sure not to damage their
 contact with the imperiled people, as Liam advises.

KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Kaiju Navi with Immediate Shish Kebab!!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sheryl Nome coordinates maneuvers, raising Alto Saotome's Piloting!
KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 14540
KTS: Your EN is now 70.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        "We're getting a clearer signal," Megumi reports, adjusting her
 headset. As she reports to the away team: "Keep clearing out the Vajra, and
 we'll be able to hear what they have to say!"

        "... or what they had to say," Goat Hoary rumbles, from his station
 behind Jun.

        Megumi doesn't have an answer to that, though she knows why he'd say it.

        If this signal is automatically repeating, over and over...

        "We have to proceed as if there are people in danger," Jun decides.
 "But... be careful, away team. If that is a nest, you're in danger of being
 overwhelmed in close quarters. Don't overextend yourselves."

        Ruri accepts Liam's data, and acts on Jun's orders, with a stoic: "Now
 calculating enemy fire rate and velocity... transmitting data." The defensive
 solutions should help to keep them safe.

KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Setsuna F. Seiei, Hikaru Amano, and Lucine Azul with
 Caution.

KTS: Ruri Hoshino has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Emalya Zamana designates Kaiju Navi, making it easier to target and
 opening it to indirect fire.

KTS: Ruri Hoshino suggests caution, raising Hikaru Amano's Intuition!
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Force Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Liam 7-020 anchors Kaiju Navi, forcing it into close range.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Liam 7-020's Aftermarket Shock Filament
 Entangle, taking 5720 damage!

KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Kaiju Navi!
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Hikaru Amano's Immediate Shish Kebab!, taking
 7150 damage!

KTS: Hikaru Amano has engaged Kaiju Navi!
KTS: Hikaru Amano completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Alto Saotome targets Kaiju Navi with AK/VF-M9 Assault Knife Slash!
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 96.
KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 100.
KTS: Alto Saotome has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Alto Saotome's AK/VF-M9 Assault Knife Slash,
 taking 4940 damage!

KTS: Alto Saotome has engaged Kaiju Navi!

<Pose Tracker> Setsuna F. Seiei has posed.

         <"Brainwashed? No. Not anymore.">

         There's very brief confusion from Setsuna, followed by a firm and
 brief answer. Does this person know they are? No, of course they don't. Well,
 if it was actual concern for his well-being or a joke question, he can't tell,
 and neither does he really care. The most important thing to him right now is
 the mission.

         The Varja increase in number and close in, lunging at the Exia, and it
 responds in kind, lunging back and repelling the beasts(?) with a swift kick
 as the giant blade thats slung underneath its arm extends and slides forward
 into place.

         Once again, the blue and white mobile suit is on the offensive,
 throwing the beam saber in its hand at one of the Varja as an opener of sorts
 before shooting forward, the arm with the massive blade bolted to its arm
 outstretched as it simply aims to drive the oversized weapon through the
 armored carapace of the alien invader.

         While Setsuna's not really concerned at the moment given the back up,
 he realizes that, as the Exia is now, he's not really suited to dealing with
 swarms. Perhaps that's the reason for Tieria's Virtue, now that he thinks
 about it. Perhaps if he were here instead... No, he's fine. He could still
 definitely handle this himself.

KTS: Sheryl Nome coordinates maneuvers, raising Setsuna F. Seiei's Piloting!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino suggests caution, raising Setsuna F. Seiei's Intuition!
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei targets Kaiju Navi with GN Sword Thrust!
KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Kaiju Navi's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Setsuna F. Seiei's GN Sword Thrust, taking
 5760 damage!

KTS: Setsuna F. Seiei has engaged Kaiju Navi!

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Sheryl's sharp shift from her usual playful self to something more
 blunt reminds Lucine of what the similar circumstances she and many others
 have had to deal with.

        She takes a deep breath. The numbers almost manage to trigger that deep
 well of fear within her as well, but the alien signatures signify that these
 are Vajra; they have a mind. That's all that's needed, to make the difference
 in her mind.

        Ruri urges caution, with good reason: no amount of determination can
 overcome raw numbers. Dread spikes in her stomach as Lucine spots the
 bio-machine gun seconds before it is about to hit. Her instincts fall into
 place, but not quickly enough; not with the Dianthus's speed to compliment it.

        However, because it's not the Dianthus, it takes the shot, the energy
 barrier flickering in to take some of the damage.

        < "... Right behind you, Hikaru." > Lucine's video feed shows the clear
 determination in her eyes, directed sharply ahead. < ".... We'll get those
 people out, no matter what. We know what they're feeling right now... and
 we're in a position to stop it." > A barrage of bullets fire out as Hikaru
 charges, Lucine backing her partner up. < "... Setsuna. How are things
 looking, on your end? And Liam, is your unit holding up?" >

KTS: Lucine Azul targets Kaiju Navi with Gun Pod Barrage!
KTS: Lucine Azul has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Kaiju Navi fails to react to Lucine Azul's Gun Pod Barrage, taking 5460
 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto can't help but choke in surprise as Sheryl just up and asks the
 Exia Gundam's pilot if he's BRAINWASHED. Who asks something like that!? Just
 out of the blue? Alto doesn't actually say anything about it though as he's
 more focused on what Sheryl says next, "I don't like this..." And sure enough,
 he pilots his Messiah into the larger bay to reveal what Sheryl had detected.
 He only has a few moments though, before the Heavy Soldier opens fire. Alto
 raises the shield on his VF's arm, pinpoint barrier activating to block much
 of the shots. He was preparing to fire back when Liam raises a good point.
 They need to be careful with that array.

        Thankfully, Emalya, Sheryl and Ruri have them covered. With their
 support, it becomes a lot easier to target the Vajra while avoiding the more
 delicate parts of the comms array.

        Liam charges the bigger Heavy Soldier, lashing out with his electrified
 cable. The weapon strikes the Vajra hard, sending it flying into one of the
 nearby walls. Though it seems that the electrical charge didn't have as much
 effect as he might have hoped. Apparently the Vajra have some resistance to
 that, too! But that's okay, because Liam is not alone!

        Physical attacks still prove effective, as Hikaru shows. Her knife
 stabbing repeatedly into a number of the smaller Vajra, seeking out openings
 in their carapace that might look to be weak points.

        Seeing Hikaru's efforts paying off, Alto decides to join in. Stowing
 his gunpod, he draws the combat knife from his machine's shield and charges in
 behind the Aestivalis pilot, stabbing at the Vajra to much the same effect.

        Setsuna clearly follows suit, sending one of his beam blades flying
 into the Heavy Soldier, using the opening created by Liam. Setsuna than
 pierces the large creature with an equally large blade, causing it to flail
 for a few moments before going still. A couple of the smaller Mobile Soldiers
 rush Setsuna from behind-

        -Only for the bullets from Lucine's gunpod to rip through them, sending
 alien bloody flying and their corpses floating into the bay wall.

        <"This is the SDFN-4 Global, lead vessel of the 117th Research Fleet.
 We have come under significant attack from hostile alien creatures called the
 Vajra in the orbit of Gallia IV. They are tearing the fleet apart and we
 require emergency assistance from any nearby vessels! All attempts to escape
 are being met with destruction. Please... Help us!">

        "The future, th- -----, ---- ---- ----'re frozen
        "Even if --- -- a dark rain
        "---- ----- -- ---- I want to cry, -- ---- ----
        "----- --- ------, ---- ----- ------ -- ---- -nto the stars."

        As the remaining Vajra are quickly killed off, the distress signal is
 coming in strong now. Strong enough that the Nadesico is able to trace the
 source to the fold comms array itself. Turns out this is not a local signal.
 Which makes sense, given the content. Though said content also raises more
 questions. For one thing, its metadata indicates that, as some have hinted at,
 it's an old transmission. Getting close to twenty years old. Has it really
 been looping for that long? Or is something else going on? The fact that it's
 still going suggests there's SOMETHING out there sending it. Plus, as far as
 anyone here knows, the Vajra were first encountered barely 18 months ago, when
 they attacked the Galaxy and Frontier fleets during their return trips to
 Earth. The fate of the former still unknown.

        With all those questions, there are still more. As the distress signal
 comes in stronger with the Vajra deaths, the signal of Ranka's concert fades.
 As do the fold distortions that the Nadesico is picking up. But thankfully,
 its little operator has had enough time to tune in the Nadesico's sensors and
 trace them.

KTS: Kaiju Navi's Vajra Heavy Soldier has been disabled.

<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.

        "Triangulation complete," Ruri reports. "Several fold distortions
 detected. One location is near you. I'm transmitting it now," she adds, as she
 presses her hands to the console, and distributes the data to the away team.
 "A dozen more signals are erupting over the Earth Sphere. There's also a
 smaller fold distortion located in the Edgen space colony."

        What those signals mean --

        Well, that's for them to decide. Ruri dwells in data more than its
 interpretation.

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        As Ruri transmits the location of the distortions here in the immediate
 area, it's easy to narrow down. As the group are already there. Specifically,
 the signal appears centered on the organic mass attached to the center of the
 array. The Vajra nest.

<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.

        "<Not anymore? ...Well, that's a relief,>" Sheryl tells Setsuna, and to
 her own surprise, there is genuine relief there. Setsuna's deadpan,
 no-nonsense demeanor is weirdly endearing--no, not weirdly, she suddenly
 realizes; he reminds her not just of Rikka but of Brera. She shakes her head,
 smiling despite herself. It's not even like that was what made her like Brera
 in the first place.
        
        For now, she tells Setsuna, "<Then I'm glad you got away from that,
 whatever it was. Make sure you take care of yourself from now on!>" And she'll
 leave it at that. At the end of a day, she doesn't know him, and he doesn't
 know her, and she said what she wanted to say. That's good enough. (It doesn't
 occur to her that asking someone if they're brainwashed is itself invasive.
 Not even when Alto chokes at it.)
        
        "Me neither," she tells Alto instead, tone turning grim. "If this is
 anything like what happened back then..."
        
        She doesn't say the rest. She doesn't need to. The fight isn't going
 badly, at least; Liam takes to her commands quite well, and Sheryl smiles.
 ...but once again, it doesn't last.
        
        The distress signal finally comes in loud and excruciatingly clear.
 Gallia IV and the 117th Research Fleet ring a bell in the distant dark of her
 mind, and Sheryl's eyebrows furrow. As she concentrates, though, she finds
 herself softly singing along with the other transmission, filling in the
 song where it blanks out:
        
        "<Even if I'm in a dark rain, lala lalalala lalala...>"
        
        The Pink Supernova might be an excellent combatant nickname, but for
 right now, Sheryl Nome is still very much the Galactic Fairy.
        
        And on the Nadesico, Grace smiles too, arms folded and light glinting
 off the lenses of her glasses, as she listens to Ruri and the ancient
 transmission both. Now all that's left is to let everyone mop up the Vajra
 vermin.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        < ".... The electrical signals must be affected by the carapace..." >
 Lucine quietly observes, as the first round is resolved. She opens her mouth
 to say something else, but is interrupted by the next transmission. < "...
 That one came through alright... maybe the static is lightening up..." >
 However, the signal coming from Ranka's concert is still disjointed. < "...
 Maybe there's still interferance in that direction." >

        Lucine, not as quick to understand the reasons why, doesn't realize the
 true reasons. Besides, the more important thing is...

        < ".... The Vajra.... nest...? This... can't be real..." > Her heart
 calls out to Sheryl, singing softly over their radio feed.

        Are they coming to claim Earth as their next conquest?

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        The Global... The 117th Research Fleet...

        These are names Alto is somewhat familiar with. The Global was one of
 the early Macross designs based upon the first such vessel. Anyone even
 vaguely familiar with Macross ships would be aware of this. The 117th Research
 Fleet... That's likely a name less known. And one Alto wasn't particularly
 aware of... Until more recently.

        Alto frowns. This can't be a coincidence...

        Regardless. They still have one more thing to deal with. With the
 distress signal received, they have all the information they're going to get
 from it.

        The Messiah transforms into GERWALK mode, freeing the way for its
 wing-mounted missiles. A pair fire off, streaking through the bay towards the
 comms array and the nest attached to it. The missiles explode, the nest
 engulfed by them and burned away. The array is rendered inoperable in the
 process, but there was no choice.

        They couldn't let those eggs hatch. Which just makes the information of
 the traced fold distortions even more troubling.