2022-04-27: By Any Means

• Log: By Any Means
• Cast: Kansas LeGend, Rena Lancaster, Riddhe Marcenas, Arriety Hearn, Treize Khushrenada, BC-001 Minae, Eight York, Anita Rosetta
• Where: Earth Orbital Space
• Date: April 27, 2022
• Summary: The Sleeves make a particularly underhanded play for Laplace's Box.

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<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.

Last month, the Sleeves busted into Amman Spaceport outside Copernicus City and made off with an under-construction battleship. Since then, the temperature has dialed down a little. Raids have occurred, to be sure, but not as aggressively.

Until today, when a garbled SOS casts out into space.

A soundless explosion bursts off the hull of a civilian passenger liner, blowing fragments of ceramic hull plating into space. The blast itself is superficially damaging, but the startled screams of passengers within bring the big ship lurching to a halt as the pilots do what they can to preserve their lives. Beyond, a squadron of mobile suits closes in - a unit of Geara Zulus and a more colourful one, a Doven Wolf painted in mustard yellow with accents in a yellowed feldgrau shade, carrying a large beam launcher and shield.

"Don't destroy it yet." The voice is of medium pitch, quiet but intent. Behind the Doven Wolf's controls, ace pilot Kansas LeGend leans forward, tongue tracing his lower lip. "Let them get the call out."

The Doven Wolf jets forward and lands on the liner's starboard hull with a soundless thump. Kansas LeGend turns the machine out towards space for a moment to adjust the position of his shield. It's painted black, with the emblem of Zeon screaming across its face in white.

"I know there are Feddie scum listening," ace pilot Kansas LeGend barks into an open comline. "Here's how this is going to go. You know what we're looking for, don't you? So you're going to help us. You're gonna deliver us any information you've got on the Box and you're gonna do it fast."

His next move is to level his beam launcher down at the hull.

Square at a viewport. On the other side of it, civilians quail and cry out.

"'Cause if you don't, a whole lot of people are gonna die," ace pilot Kansas LeGend tosses out casually. "I'd hate for the Federation to condemn all these nice folks to die for the sake of not doing the right thing."

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

The call goes out.

It's the sort of thing that Rena Lancaster is sad and angry about, but not quite surprised. A threat on civilian targets; the desperation that the Sleeves found themselves in could lead some of them to that. Suffice to say, she is one of the people responding.

The RX-94 Mass Production-type Nu Gundam flies along -- speeding through space, thrusters burning bright. The three fin funnels and single long-range fin funnel are spread out a good distance around the unit. Minovsky particles mean it won't be seen until it is seen: a blue and teal unit, with one shoulder painted white. The Gundam's head is inclined forward.

"This is Lieutenant Lancaster," she says. "I've got visual... they're on the liner. It's a hostage situation."

She frowns. "We'll need to be careful."

<Pose Tracker> Riddhe Marcenas has posed.

The MSN-001A1 Delta Plus holds back, keeping a wide berth from the liner until more forces came in. In waverider mode, it got a major boost to its speed, allowing it to get places much faster...like here. Thankfully, a friendly face showed up, and the Delta Plus pulls towards her, before reconfiguring into the MS mode.

Right now, Riddhe was not happy about the situation. They were trying to get information on the Box, and threatening civilians to do it. The civilian ship couldn't take sustained fire from a group of mobile suits, so they'd need to be all engaged for any kind of rescue to be effective. That wouldn't make it safe for the ship...or guaranteed. Riddhe's brain was racking over what they could do.

There was one thing he wasn't going to do though, and that's hand over anything on the Box to them. "A mobile suit battle near the ship is going to be dangerous for them, even if we engage every single suit they have on the field. We'd have to not only engage them but push them back as the ship tries to get out of the area," he says through clenched teeth. Riddhe makes a check of all systems.

It wasn't going to be pretty. He was also sure that kid would blame himself if he heard about this too.
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas has deployed in MSN-001A1 Delta Plus - MS Mode.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety isn't really supposed to be here right now.

        She's supposed to be going home to Londenion, but things didn't quite work out that way; still docked onboard the Ra Mari when the emergency call comes out, she ends up part of the deployment sortie, hurtling into space in the Myrmekes Zeta -- a Zeta Gundam painted white with accents of red, blue and gold at first... until you count for the kaiju-like mutations throughout the entire body -- the gossamer insect wings spreading to either side most visible at first glance.

        "People... people are going to..." Arriety whispers distractedly, staring forward -- she blinks a few times, as she hears the panic and screams, the fear and anxiety permeating through her...

        "I don't... know what to do," Arriety admits, breathing shallowly and rapidly. "There's children there... I can hear them." She clutches at her chest tightly, breathing, and shakes her head. "It's going to happen again... isn't it?"

        H-hey, Arriety, you've gotta hang in there! Myrme echoes in.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has deployed in OZ-06MS4G Leo Type IV Greif.
KTS: BC-001 Minae has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Arriety Hearn!

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        Since the G-Hound airshow a small delegate of G-Hound members have been making trips through the colonies to their mobile suit production sites, and that is how one leader of G-Hound heard the message of Mr Legend and the risk to the lives of innocence. There is debate and argument on what to do around the cabin of the G-Hound Transport before Treize Khushrenada slips his dueling gloves on his hands and declares to the crew of the transport he will take care of it.

        Moments later the a white mobile suit that looks like someone miniturized the Tallgeese flies through the sky towards those who dare threaten the innocent. Is he coordinating with anyone? Not at all, he is Treize Khushrenada, leader of G-Hound and he will not stand by and let people die.

         As the Greef arrives on the scene he looks out at the yellow Doven wolf and the Zulus before switching to the comms, and that cool unwavering voice can be heard by all "To the terrorist who threaten the lives of the innocent, I warn you to stand down now, if you continue your lives will be forfeit." Drawing his beam saber and activating it, he points the red blade threateningly at the yellow unit ready to engage at the moment notice.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "Any Federation information on the Box is so heavily restricted that the chances of any responding pilots knowing anything about it is very remote," comes a voice over the open comline. The tone is deliberately gentle and patient as the robot keeps herself controlled under the pressure the way only a robot can.

        Still, she's never looked quite so solemn, sat behind Arriety in the copilot seat of the Zeta's cockpit. One hand rests on the other girl's shoulder, squeezing slightly; it's Minae's hope that being physically present might help calm the pilot down a little, especially given the fraught situation. "I should know. I've tried to look for it. ... so, please, give us some time to relay your demands up the chain of command. This isn't a refusal - we simply don't have the answers you want here and now."

        Her plea is meant genuinely, rather than just being a stalling tactic. Minae might not be bound by any laws of robotics - at least, she doesn't think so - but as far as she's concerned the difference between some information on an unknown artefact and the lives of a ship full of civilians isn't even a balance worth calculating. Life comes first as far as she's concerned.

        "It's okay," she adds to Arriety directly, off-radio. "Just try to stay calm. We'll do everything we can to save those people, I promise. Captain, did you read that?" she adds, as her navigation console begins to ping as it maps local contacts and starts to calculate likely flight paths, just in case.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Captain Eight York remembers that battle. She remembers the patrols and raids and other associated Activities since. And she has a feeling...

When she gets the SOS, obviously she moves to respond--and just as obviously, she puts her entire ship on full alert. So the Ra Mari comes into view, much less stealthily than a certain mecha; indeed, it takes up a lot of space, broadcasting itself as the Ra Mari, and gleaming greywhite through space.

She sees the emblem of the shield...

To Rena, and just to Rena, "I see. That many suits..."

It's not going to be pretty at all. Eight wonders whether they have any intention of freeing the hostages; she kind of doubts it. So how to get the others a chance to rescue them...

Well, obviously, the only thing she can do right now is try to keep him talking. "Keep our weapons systems at the ready. Rezza... ready the lifeboats. This is going to get ugly quick. But we might be able to buy our friends some time."

Then, over that open frequency...

"This is Captain York of Londo Bell's Ra Mari. Let the liner go; they have no place in this, and any harm to the civilians on board will end this dialogue immediately. ...If you're interested in an exchange of information, I'd be more than happy to host you on my ship to discuss matters. I can even assure your safety in the process."

She's entirely willing to tell them everything she knows about their Box...

Which happens to be nothing.

But G-Hound is on the scene, and that cool unwavering voice... as Treize makes known his position--

Eight thinks that about sums it up. She transmits a few coordinates based on what she sees to her pilots, and then over that radio, "...Make your choice."

"Get our systems ready to support that G-Hound suit as well as our pilots. I doubt this is going to go peacefully."

...But quietly, she makes another mark in favor of Minae's good reviews. "We read you, Minae," on another private frequency. "Let's see if it works."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

The Sleeves have taken a civilian passenger liner hostage. ...It's not quite like the situation she had been in, but it's enough of a reminder of the past that Anita is feeling less charitable toward the Sleeves today than usual. But you wouldn't be able to tell that just by looking or listening at her - she remains calm and mellow as usual, her easygoing nature shining through any anxiety the situation might invoke. Her Variable Fighter is as quiet as she is, barely a blip on the radar as it floats through space partially concealed by a dummy asteroid.

All the while, her gaze remains fixated on one Kansas LeGend - and in particular, the beam launcher currently pointed at the shuttle. Outwardly her suit is unarmed, but she can produce her weapon at a moment's notice. The only thing she needs is a signal from the others and she'll fire, with the aim of taking that weapon out of the equation long enough for the others to act.

She may be an acrobatic pilot, but she's a sharpshooter, too - this is the kind of situation she's meant for. It's a long shot, but with her own keen eye, her Valkyrie's support systems, and the Ra Mari's coordinates, she can do what she needs to do. She just hopes she won't be needed.

<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.

For all that there are those in the Sleeves with fundamentally decent hearts, they are at their core a ragtag band of the most lost of the lost-causers left in the ideological ranks of Zeonism. Some aren't even that principled. Ace pilot Kansas LeGend, it seems, is not inclined to play nice or spare civilians, and he keeps his beam launcher leveled at the viewport ominously even as Federation machines begin to appear.

Because of course they do. LeGend drums his fingers on his control board, then smiles thinly as he realizes most of them are stopping short.

"I see we all understand the situation here," he fires off over the comms. The smirk he's wearing practically drips from his voice.

To the psychic, so does the fear radiating from the liner. There are a lot of people aboard - a lot of scared people. They can all see down the barrel of a beam gun in a way nobody should ever have to see.

Kansas LeGend is anything but. As Treize transmits, the Sleeves pilot pulls his lips back into a toothy grin. "Aww, 'terrorists,'" he scoffs. "You're too kind. But hey. You can call me whatever you want, but you're gonna play ball while you do it."

The transmission from Minae is met with a low breath, but there's satisfaction in the Zeonic pilot's tone. "A fair request. I'll give you time, of course. But only so much of it. I grant you... five minutes, for you and your valiant crew. Surely one of those captains on those fancy ships can help you out here."

The Zeon pilots aren't expecting a sharpshooter to be among the Federation response team. Anita can find firing arcs that would knock Kansas LeGend off the hull, if she maneuvers right - and it seems like none of the others have focused on her yet, her radar signature too small for the Sleeves to pick up on. The closest machine to her is an outlying Geara Zulu.

The unit is focused on the Ra Mari right now.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"Just breathe, Ah-ri," Rena transmits. "Nothing's certain to happen. Not yet. We've just got to do everything we can to stop him."

Her eyes glance at the corner of her panoramic display -- with a little relief at seeing the Delta Plus here. Riddhe will be a boon for this fight. She frowns, then she looks back at the Doven Wolf.

"Yeah," she answers Eight. "It's like we talked about... we'll have to start somewhere."

Her eyes glance down at the screen. She notes where Anita is. She doesn't risk a communication to her directly; noting the sniper is there is dangerous. But, she does tap something out. There is a ping inside Anita's cockpit, and a text message appears:

)

"I don't know what Laplace's Box is," Rena answers Kansas. She takes a deep breath -- notes and feels his focus, on the Ra Mari -- and she tries to not let the fear she feels shake her. Her eyes narrow, for a second. She considers, for a second, and then she shoots forward; her back hits the seat of the cockpit, as the RX-94 soars in, straight for Kansas.

It's a feint.

One of the fin funnels fires from the side -- right for LeGend's suit's cannon -- and the RX-94 jerks away at the last moment.

KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Fin Funnels!
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to evade Rena Lancaster's Fin Funnels, taking 3870 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        Treize frowns as he watches the terrorist make light of his words, and even more so at those around willing to negotiate with terrorist. It simply will show something like this will work again. However he doesn't move right away, staying still in the stand off for just a moment longer.

        The Greef deactivates it's beamsaber and holsters it, for a moment it may seem it is surrendering. Then it brings forward its miniture dober gun and takes aim directly at the cruiser and speaks again on the open comms. "Passengers of the cruiser. I apologize for what is about to happen but we can not allow these terrorist to win. Turn your gaze, it shall be over quickly."

         The apology given, Treize fires directly at the cruiser, and the moment before contact to the cruiser the round explodes into a bright signal flare in the face of the one directly threatening the cruiser.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety listens to Minae as she entreats the enemy, looking relieved that someone's able to at least speak clearly. They're being given five minutes... that's no time at all! She bites her lip as she feels Minae's hand on her, then sees a white mobile suit fly out and gallantly state his intentions. Who was that...? Sounds like a chivalrous knight, or something...?

        "Keep weapon systems..." Arriety stammers, looking down at her dashboard. "W-we're going to fight...? But--"

        Her breathing hasn't really settled down at this point. Arriety's eyes widen as Rena tells her it'll be all right -- and then the RX-94 suddenly soars in, the fin funnel firing towards the Doven Wolf. "Ah?!"

        Before she even realises what she's doing, the Zeta is charging in after the Nu as well, as the Greif fires a signal flare -- in a swift flourish, the Zeta's head vulcans track and lock the Doven Wolf even as she proceeds straight for the liner, attempting to bodily protect it and pull it out of the line of fire.

        "I've got to do it... I have to do it...!"
KTS: Arriety Hearn targets Armor of the Week with 60mm Head Vulcan!
KTS: Armor of the Week blocks Arriety Hearn's 60mm Head Vulcan, taking 2170 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 61010

<Pose Tracker> Riddhe Marcenas has posed.

Riddhe waits with calm but focused determination. He doesn't like negotiating with terrorists, but at the same time, the situation put said civilians at risk. However, when he did not immediately retract the weapon and noted the sniper at long range then Riddhe has a plan. He doesn't give any signal he's about to act, except for a small signal to Rena that he was ready.

The moment the Nu fired off, the Delta transformed back into waverider mode to close the distance between the two, he hoped the sniper fired, and that would beam the G-Hound unit would engage in melee. Once he got close, the waverider transformed into mobile suit mode again, aiming to use momentum to have him coast to the side of the threatening unit.

Riddhe pulls out a beam saber, not willing to risk using either other weapons on the unit until they get this guy away from the liner. He attempts to clash with the unit, aiming to try and use his boosters to push him away from the civilians. Riddhe can be heard shouting the moment he is engaged. "Filthy terrorists hiding behind civilians because they're too weak to do anything else!"
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas targets Armor of the Week with Saber Flourish!
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas anchors Armor of the Week, forcing it into close range.
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to evade Riddhe Marcenas's Saber Flourish, taking 4000 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 57010
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas has engaged Armor of the Week

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "... thank you for the consideration, and the extra time," Minae nods into the radio. "But I can at least confirm that the Captain of the nearest Federation vessel also does not know anything about the Box. I've confirmed that myself, I'm sorry. It may take a little more time."

        And Minae can tell that extra time might not be something they have. The Ra Mari's presence alone is likely to raise tensions in the area, and from her quickly updating map of the operation zone she can see the way in which units are fanning out to support Anita's firing position. "Doesn't hurt to hope, Captain," she quips as the navigation computer uploads several suggested targeting lines.

        If she's surprised when Rena charges in, it's only for an instant; it takes her no time at all to context switch. If the situation were less urgent, she might ask for permission to access the systems of the Kakapo machines present - but as it is she simply bulls through the connection attempt using known channels to push a series of updates, her own tactical computing overlaid on top of the onboard systems.

        At the same time, she's immediately switched frequencies on her comms. "Civilian ship, do you read - what is your status?" she hammers urgently, diagnostic checks answering her question halfway before she's even voiced it. "Please brace yourselves - we are going to evict your unwanted passenger. Please be ready to retreat as soon as you can." A glance to Arriety, and another squeeze of her shoulder as the robot accepts the dive forwards, then starts to reroute power for defence. "We'll draw fire for you."
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Anita Rosetta
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster
KTS: BC-001 Minae targets Arriety Hearn with Sparkle!
KTS: BC-001 Minae sparkles, reducing Arriety Hearn's incoming damage!
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight is pretty sure that being willing to talk it out on her part won't override the obvious fact that she'd also arrest them for what they've done thus far. She doesn't expect negotiations to take effect. But if she can keep him talking long enough, the others can step in. It's risky, but...

She was trained on why hostage-taking can't be allowed to work. She'll shoulder that for the pilots if she has to; it's her responsibility, as Captain. ...But that doesn't mean her heart doesn't leap into her throat as Treize seems about to force the issue in a manner she doesn't want to see--

Of course. A signal flare. "Take down their weapon systems!" Eight directs everyone who is under her orders, "Our priority is the safety of the hostages and the apprehension of the terrorists, in that order!"

She keeps her eye on the display of the ships and mobile suits in play, her attention particularly noting Arriety's position. But she can't linger there. Instead she orders her comms officer, "Get jamming operative on the enemy! I want their systems as wrecked as we can get them!"

With the suits this close to the liner, she can't risk firing, but the Ra Mari has technology for this. She can still coordinate an assault.

"...Doesn't hurt to hope," she reports to Minae, "But better to be prepared. I'm counting on you two to get them out of there." To Minae and Arriety.

"Rosetta--"
KTS: Eight York targets Armor of the Week with Jam!
KTS: Eight York jams Armor of the Week's sensors, reducing its accuracy.
Your unit's HP stands at 57010

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

A smile appears on Anita's dashboard courtesy of Rena, and inwardly, Anita smiles back. Following that, there's a signal flare, and she hears Eight saying her name. That's a good enough signal for her, and so the VF-25 Messiah Rosetta's beam cannon emerges from its chassis, mounted over the left shoulder. More data floods in, this time courtesy of Minae... and thanks to that, she can calculate exactly where she needs to be. It's easy to shift herself and her cover into position and when she does she opens fire, sending a beam soaring through space with the aim of blasting Kansas LeGend away from the ship.

She doesn't wait to see if her aim is true - perhaps she's just that confident in her skills. In one swift motion she kicks off of her foothold behind the dummy asteroid, shifting into Fighter Mode even as the momentum carries her forward before thrusting into the fray, returning back to Battroid Mode with a forward roll once she's close enough. It's an attention-grabbing gesture, but that's the point - now that she's given away her position by firing there's no point in hiding, and they need to draw the attention of LeGend's squad away from the civilian ship long enough for it to do what it needs to to get to safety.

<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.

Eyelids dipping a little, Kansas LeGend looks out at space and the Federation forces beyond with a little smirk. Bluster or no, he can feel he's put the Federation in a tight spot. They'll follow along because they have to. None of them can just deal with him.

Then Rena Lancaster deals with him. "Ohhhh, don't do that now," Kansas LeGend chides, shifting the Doven Wolf's firing arm --

And then his radar pings. His eyes widen. "Wh--"

Kansas LeGend doesn't have time to shoot before Rena's fin funnel jerks in and punches a shot into the Doven Wolf's elbow, just as Treize lights up the flare. The Sleeves pilot recoils and shields his eyes with one hand, belting out a startled "Shit!" The mobile suit's arm jerks - and the rifle fans upwards sharply. The beam launcher discharges, but the shot doesn't strike the liner. It blazes upwards, off into space, nearly scorching the hindquarters of a Geara Zulu.

When Arriety comes rocketing in, a Geara Zulu jets into the way of her fire, more disoriented than purposeful; it takes the shots to the head and lurches away, trailing sparks as its camera is blown out. There's nothing between Myrmekes and the liner now.

Well, except Riddhe, who manages to dash in and slice hard. The beam saber digs into the Doven Wolf's hip, and a recovering Kansas LeGend grunts and jerks back in his seat before firing his thrusters and whipping around to square off, shield coming up. "Aw, we've got a big man here," he mocks. "At least you ain't short on last words." The Doven Wolf's vulcans flare with a burst of fire, spraying at the Delta in an effort to back the other machine off.

Kansas LeGend has moved far enough away that Anita's shot catches not one but two Geara Dogas - it punches through one and then blows an arm and shoulder joint clean off the other. The first simply shatters, the second unit spiralling off before fleeing as fast as its boosters will take it. The melee quickly breaks down as Geara Zulus scramble, firing at various Jegans and VFs even as the yellow Doven Wolf regroups. "That's alright," the Sleeves ace churrs, sliding his hands over his controls. "Burying you Fed trash is a fine consolation prize. And who knows? Maybe you'll be easier to get what I want from when you're dead!"

The Doven Wolf sweeps its beam launcher forward and fires, once, then again. Heavy blasts carve lines of fury through space, blasting towards Rena and Anita to try and hose them down with firepower. Wheeling away from the liner, LeGend pours more shots towards Treize's Leo, then a longer shot aimed to blow a hole in the Ra Mari's docking bay door.

Anita gets something else - a pair of remote weapons spring from the Doven Wolf's back. The INCOMs fork out to the sides of the yellow machine, dividing away from each other to try and catch the VF in a pincer of beam fire.


The liner's engines rumble to life as it takes the opportunity to try and slip away. "Everyone's alive," a transmission crackles back to Minae, the voice that of a professional but clearly frightened-sounding woman. "Thank you! They came out of nowhere--"

The transmission trails off into a gasp as one of the Geara Zulus suddenly cuts in front of the transport, leveling a large bazooka square at it!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Riddhe Marcenas with Head Vulcans Retreating Volley!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Anita Rosetta with INCOMs Pincer Formation!
KTS: Armor_of_the_Week Changes attack to Eight York, Treize Khushrenada, Arriety Hearn, and Anita Rosetta with Heavy Beam Launcher Barrage.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

Rena glances at the Delta Plus -- and there's no hesitation. She is unhappy about this too, but the flare from Treize gives them a chance. They can get the ship away, and then--

She manages to not surprise, when Anita opens fire with that beam cannon. She grits her teeth with surprise -- and the Doven Wolf soars backward from the MP Nu. She grits her teeth, a flash of insight soaring through her mind, as the Doven Wolf fires -- and a blast of beam energy nearly takes off the MP Nu's left arm, but instead shoots right past as Rena makes it jerk to the left.

"Anita!" she calls out. "Look out!"

The MP Nu swings up its beam rifle -- and fires a grenade from the bottom-mounted weapon. The rocket hurtles forward, smoke trailing after, as it shoots off for the Doven Wolf.

"Arriety, are you okay?" she asks. "Ra Mari, any damage?"

KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Grenade Launcher!
KTS: Armor of the Week successfully intercepts Rena Lancaster's Grenade Launcher

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety's eyes widen as her vulcan shots catch onto a Geara Zulu, whose face takes the bront of the hit; she watches the trailing sparks, the camera blowing out as it teeters to one side. "O-okay, have to protect the liner, I have to protect..."

        The teenage girl listens to the transmission as it's confirmed everyone's alive. She starts to relax, but her eyes widen as she spots the Geara Zulu trying to level a large bazooka in front of them. "No!!"

        The Zeta's moved in front of the liner to tank the brunt of the blast as it fires -- an explosion rocks the suit, clouding it in smoke for a second... and then a mysterious crackle, as light overtakes the dissipating shroud.

        The Zeta is on fire again, sheathed in that psychic field visually resembling fire; inside the cockpit, the Bio-Sensor is active, readings fluctuating and erratically spiking here and there with seemingly no mechanical sense.

        "I--I managed," Arriety whimpers to Rena. She speaks to the liner: "Hurry! Get out of here while I cover you!"

        A beam saber erupts to life as the Zeta raises its arm; slowly but certainly, the saber's bright magenta flame becomes one with the suit's -- and she quickly strikes at the Geara Zulu's bazooka before it has time to react. "I--I'll fight... I'll fight... I have to fight...!"
KTS: Arriety Hearn targets Armor of the Week with Hyper Beam Sword Strike!
KTS: Armor of the Week successfully evades Arriety Hearn's Hyper Beam Sword Strike

<Pose Tracker> Riddhe Marcenas has posed.

There was no hesitation on Riddhe's part, once Rena committed so did he. Hesitation could have costed lives, and that wasn't something Riddhe wanted. The plan was executed nearly flawlessly, and their numbers were reduced. More than that, their ace was focused on them and not the civilians. He'll let Captain York handle getting them out, and instead focus on what was in front of him.

The Delta Plus is pelted with fire, forcing it back to let the ace slip away, but the Delta Plus recovered quickly, Riddhe focusing on trying to keep up with the machine, attempting to put himself right on top of him as much as he could. This time he dives in again, looking like he was about to make the same attack...

Until he fired the double-barreled grenade launcher towards the back of the machine before closing the distance. "You're not getting away from me," Riddhe says, trying to keep the pressure on. "You should also think of better last words than those, terrorist!"
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas targets Armor of the Week with 2-Barrel Grenade Launcher!
Incoming attacks:
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to evade Riddhe Marcenas's 2-Barrel Grenade Launcher, taking 2880 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 47970
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas has engaged Armor of the Week

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        The Greef does it's best to avoid the barrage but still ends up taking damage here and there, the machine may be a mass produced version of the Tallgeese, but the pilot was no lightning count. Instead Treize changes tactis as he presses forward head on, turning all the vernier boosters towards rushing the leader of the group.

         It is one thing to do this in the atmosphere of a planet, the air resistance and everything slowing you down, but here in space the Gs hit a bit harder and Treize has to bite his lip to stay conscious. The machine it self though still manages to shoulder the cannon and draw the beam saber from it's holster. To add to those Gs though, seeing the majority are already focusing on the leaders he changes direction and heads to the nearest Zulus.

         Once Treize enters arms length that blade is already creating a flurry of slashes forcing the Zulu respond or be shredded into pieces. The choice is really up to the pilot on what they want to do.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "Yes, ma'am!" comes the clipped reply to Eight, as even the robot seems to have her moments of being fired up from time to time; she manages the Zeta's systems with gusto, concentrating on the mechanical side of things so that Arriety can pilot with as much instinct as she can.

        She simulates a breath of relief as a piercing shot lances over the head of the Myrmekes, and as the combined strikes of the Kakapo Squad begin to pressure their opponent away from the civilian craft. They hadn't exactly planned anything coordinated. It's part of that layer of feeling that she doesn't quite have direct access to yet - but that just means that seeing it in action is all the more heartening.

        "Not to get too beep boop, but I'm really not sure how killing Federation personnel would make the Federation any more likely to cut a deal with you," she chatters. Her tone has changed along with the battle, now trying to goad their enemy after the Myrmekes and away from the transport. "Ah, before that, the Federation rules of engagement have some very uncomplicated advice on what to do in situations like this that basically boils down to 'no', so..."

        Simultaneously - there are distinct advantages to parallel processing - she's maintaining contact with the transport. "Okay. Please allow me access to connect with your navigational computer. I'm going to give you access to--" the Ra Mari's docking bay takes a hit, and Minae hitches for a tiny moment. "--route you into the Ra Mari's shadow."

        She doesn't lay her hand on Arriety again immediately, not certain if that would disrupt the strange phenomenon - but when the girl starts to chant to herself, she risks it. "... Ah-ri. Don't think of it as fighting. Think about what the goal is instead - let's make sure they can get to safety." It's a careful balancing act that might be too little to matter; the robot doesn't know yet how much she can cut into the pilot's narrow focus without shattering it, and all she can do is play it safe.

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Remote weapons!? Anita hadn't expected that, but she hears Rena's call bringing them to her atttention. She tries to evade as they fire from both sides, but there's not enough time... thankfully, the Pinpoint Barrier crackles to life at the last second. Anita grunts as the Valkyrie is rocked by INCOM fire, but it's not as severe as it could have been. Rena had given her enough time to bring it back online, at least - she had turned it off to reduce her signature while she was taking aim.

"Thanks, Rena. I'll-" Anita starts... when suddenly, one of the Sleeves suits approaches the liner. Anita grits her teeth, whirling on it and taking aim. But... will she be able to intercept it in time...? It's already ready to fire... but, thankfully, Arriety moves in to intercept.

"Are you alright?" Anita asks, before breathing a sigh of relief at her confirmation. With that done, she retracts the beam cannon and instead draws out her VF's gatling gun pod. She spirals through space, unleashing a hail of gatling fire upon Kansas and the Sleeves suits closest to him. She's firing to disable rather destroy - and keeping her firing line clear of the liner to avoid causing damage to it. It'd be a hard task normally... but, Minae's there to help them out. She can make it work.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Armor of the Week with Gatling Sweep!

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

"Don't count on it," Eight says over the radio to Kansas, and then focuses on directing her ship and her people. Her pilot Chovan has to move quickly; she fires off the maneuvering thrusters just enough that the blast of beam crashes across the ship's side instead of actually destroying the docking bay entirely, though the shuttles prepared are jerked around--they won't be getting out just yet, not until they can put out a couple of fires.

Nevertheless, the liner is rumbling to life. Eight starts to direct orders--and then she sees the readout from Minae. So she says, "Get Minae all the data you can get," she directs, electing to go with Minae's continued guidance rather than overwhelming the captain with a new voice.

"Fari, lay down covering fire between the ship and the suits!"

She answers Rena, "Got a few fires to put out, but we're mostly intact. Good moves out there. ...Docking bay might be a little uncomfortable when you get here, though."

To Arriety she tight-beams from the ship, with her mind asmuch as with the radio, "You can do it. Just remember I'm right back here."
KTS: Eight York targets Armor of the Week with Pass!
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to react to Eight York's Pass, taking 0 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 42330
KTS: Armor of the Week successfully evades Anita Rosetta's Gatling Sweep

<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.

Arriety manages, scared or not. The Geara Zulu's pilot does not have a mobile suit that is on fire. He gasps and recoils as Arriety bears down on him, holding his fire and pulling back at the last second. The Zeta's swing goes wide simply because the Sleeves pilot sees it coming and wants no part of it, just dropping his bazooka and jetting away. The fear rolling from the other mobile suit is sharp - whoever's in there isn't as disciplined as even a regular Londo Bell recruit.

The Geara Zulus seem like they expect an easier time with the Leo. It is, after all, a Leo.

They are not expecting the first Zulu in line to run into Treize and get neatly sheared down the middle. A second one comes hurtling in, brandishing a beam tomahawk, but mostly succeeds in parrying a couple of swings before Treize chops its right leg off at mid-thigh. The debilitated mobile suit spins off, trailing coolant and sparks.

A couple more Geara Zulus attempt to sweep towards the liner. One of them even fires off a rocket, but the covering shots from the Ra Mari intercept it. A few more shots go wide as the two mobile suits scatter away from the big Clop's covering attacks. The liner picks up speed, beginning to accelerate towards the safe shadow of the battle carrier, at Minae's coaxing.


The Doven Wolf's head snaps to the side as Rena fires off a rocket. LeGend clicks his tongue and taps a trigger, head vulcans stuttering into the path of the shot. Mere metres away, the rocket is caught and ripped apart, shrapnel blooming clear of the retreating yellow machine. "Quick one, aren't ya," he mutters as he takes stock of his radar, tracking multiple targets as best he can.

It gets harder when Riddhe tries to close the range again. With a hiss, LeGend jerks away from the grenade, raising his shield again and tensing. The blast goes wide of the shield, detonating in open space with enough force to jerk the Doven Wolf into a half-spin. A thruster flickers out before kicking back in as the Sleeves pilot reorients himself. "Aw, look who thinks he's a big boy," LeGend taunts as he sweeps his shield out to try and smash the Zeonic logo on its face into the Delta, trying to push Riddhe away before he kicks his verniers in and boosts aside once more. "We're in a war, remember? You want someone who's gonna play nice, go home and ask your mother. Get your little headpats in. I'm not here to be nice to you."

Even with Riddhe crowding him, Kansas manages to catch Anita coming, clicking his teeth together and hissing through them as he maneuvers as best he can in tight quarters. Thrusters burning, he whips the Doven Wolf out to the side, then fires everything he's got to speed ahead of the blasts. At the last second he drops altitude, swerving away and letting out a breath as he jukes out of Anita's field of fire.

Things are harder with Minae buzzing in his comline. "When has the Federation ever given a shit about rules?" he scoffs. "This is a war, remember?"

Eyes flashing with a sudden spark of intensity, Kansas LeGend hunches forward in his seat and peels his lips back into a dreadfully wide grin. "Some of us are pretty good at playing that way," he tosses out, voice lower, laced with both ice and intent.

The Doven Wolf snaps both arms out, unleashing its INCOMs in two lines. The remotes snap to either side, one of them spraying shots at Arriety and Treize to try and herd them away from more vulnerable members of his little pack. The other dogs after Rena's Gundam, trying to pelt her with shots to drive her out of immediate range - and to open a gap for Kansas to reorient the Doven Wolf and unleash a barrage of heavy missiles from another launcher. The projectiles spray towards the Ra Mari, more blazing towards Anita to try and swarm her as well.

It's Riddhe who gets the most intense focus. The Doven Wolf burns forward, beam launcher blazing as Kansas tries to soak the Delta down in a smothering wave of energy fire.

"Come on, kid!" the Sleeves pilot crows. "I'll slap the shit out of ya!"
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged.
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Riddhe Marcenas with Heavy Beam Launcher Blitz!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Treize Khushrenada with INCOMs Basic Formation!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Arriety Hearn with INCOMs Basic Formation!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Rena Lancaster with INCOMs Pursuit Formation!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Eight York with Large Missile Barrage!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Anita Rosetta with Large Missile Shot!
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas blocks Armor of the Week's Heavy Beam Launcher Blitz, taking 5720 damage!
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is -28.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn successfully evades Armor of the Week's INCOMs Basic Formation
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 9.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"All right! Pull back if it's too much, Arriety!" Rena transmits to her, even as she turns the Mass Production-type Nu Gundam around to keep the Doven Wolf in her sights. That is when she sees the grenade she fired struck -- and it explodes in a fiery blast.

Information from Minae floods across her screen; Rena takes a breath, then nods. "Good work, everyone. Liner, hang on just a little longer...!"

She looks at the Doven Wolf -- and sees the INCOMs come rushing in. They fire into the Mass Production-type Nu Gundam -- and the Mobile Suit takes the hits. The beam shots lance through it, shooting into the arms and legs; one goes through the lower torso. It does a tight spin, and broken pieces of armor spiral off after it.

"Gh--" She looks at Riddhe. There is a flash of concern for him. She remembers what he said. How there was a sense of intensity, there.

So she reaches up with one of the Gundam's hands, and the MP Nu flies in with the Delta Plus. The beam saber tears free -- and a blast of mega particle energy explodes out, solidifies into a lance, and comes crashing down with a bright blaze of pink.

"Maybe we can do better," she tells LeGend. "But that doesn't mean we won't learn how to!"

KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Prominence Revolution!
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster anchors Armor of the Week, forcing it into close range.
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to evade Rena Lancaster's Prominence Revolution, taking 2520 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 39810
KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Armor of the Week

<Pose Tracker> Riddhe Marcenas has posed.

The Doven Wolf was faster than it looked, and far more dangerous than Riddhe was giving it credit for. However, he did accomplish in getting his focus, knowing that old aces had a lot of pride, and poking it was a good way to get them to 'show the upstart'. However, that beam cannon had a lot of output.

Riddhe in this situation did the only safe move he had. The shield came up as he dove for the Doven Wolf again. The beam fired, washing the Delta Plus in energy. The armor throughout the suit started going red, his readouts were not liking what was happening, and the heat was building up. The shield held, just barely. It couldn't take another direct hit like that, not without losing it altogether.

The Delta Plus boosted closer again, aiming to close the distance and this time swung the beam saber out, aiming to cleave at anything he could get the saber to connect to. He wasn't going for precise shots, but rather powerful blows to try and keep the Doven on its toes. Sweating, Riddhe kept the cool facade up. Don't let them hear you sweat, he was taught.

"For a choice of last words, those are pretty weak, but I think it's only the second-worst decision you made today."
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas targets Armor of the Week with Power Attack!
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to retreat.
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to react to Riddhe Marcenas's Power Attack, taking 4278 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Riddhe Marcenas's Drum You Out Of Town activates, causing Nullify!
Your unit's HP stands at 35532
KTS: Riddhe Marcenas has engaged Armor of the Week

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        The Geara Zulu drops the bazooka and retreats, and she can sense the fear inside of the other pilot -- she's not the only one who's terrified. Even the pilots on the other side are scared. They're all scared, and people are going to die... because of a Box...?

        The world is dark and violent indeed...

        "What does that mean, 'no'...? Does that mean that if someone takes hostages, the Federation doesn't answer them? ... was that why we rushed in to shoot them?" Arriety asks Minae, sounding somewhat confused and alarmed. "I kinda thought 'we don't negotiate with terrorists' was only in the movies..."

        A pause. "Was that why mom and dad... died...?"

        Even Arriety knows she's getting really distracted at this point, though, shaking her head vigorously to clear it. Minae tells her to not think of it as fighting... to focus on getting people to safety instead. Then Eight reminds her that she's right back there.

        "T-thank you, Eight... I know... but..."

        But the Ra Mari is taking hits, though, and she's not sure if even hiding behind it would protect the liner. And then there's everyone else onboard the Ra Mari too...!

        "I have to use the Bio-Sensor and channel that power..." Arriety breathes erratically, even as the flames continue to erupt further around her. The instruments start to rattle, and several systems in the Zeta start to overheat, but she doesn't seem to be aware of it.

        Myrme is strangely silent during all of these proceedings...

        The Doven Wolf's INCOMs snap out in line, and Arriety doesn't see them in time before they fire. The beam lances across the battlefield through the darkness of space, aimed towards a sensitive portion of the suit's joints, and then--

        --in her mind's eye, a crimson seed alights,
          rippling upon a clear surface of water...
            And shatters.

        "... to protect ... protect ... everyone ...!!"

        The Zeta shifts, at the last second; the INCOM fire entangles with the Bio-Sensor's field for a moment, and is summarily swallowed. It was a perfectly lined shot, and yet... the mobile suit's beam saber roars and expands, further, further, until it is a blazing conflagration descending down in counterattack to the Doven Wolf.

        There is a monster in play here -- and it isn't Myrmekes.

        At this point, Minae onboard notices the same phenomenon as what happened in Uchatsurawatosk Island: her pupils have drastically shrunk, little more than dots on the flat and unsettling crimson surface of her irises.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn targets Armor of the Week with Hyper Beam Sword - Full Burst!
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to evade Arriety Hearn's Hyper Beam Sword - Full Burst, taking 7440 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's Boundary of Life and Death activates, causing Insight L1!
Your unit's HP stands at 28092

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        Treize feels the Greef knocked around by INCOMs as he raises his shield to protect himself as best he can and it does manage to do exactly what Kansas wanted, it forces him to retreat momentarily. there are simply to many of the enemies before him to deal with them one on one while dealing with the annoyance of the damn remotes.

         Over the comms, still open he speaks out, "Your tactics and weapons are that of a cowards. I believe the man you choose to honor would never have allowed such actions." He raises the cannon of his unit and releases multiple barrages towards the gear zulus and any pesky incoms that may be inbetween his cannon and the target.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada targets Armor of the Week with Greif Cannon Barrage!
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Armor of the Week successfully intercepts Treize Khushrenada's Greif Cannon Barrage

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Anita's shots go wide... and soon enough, she finds some heavy missiles sent flying her way. She turns her gatling pod on them next to fire upon them, but she can't destroy it in time before it explodes right in her face, sending her Variable Fighter reeling back through space.

"It's alright. I'm still hanging in there." She notes for the others as her machine regains its balance.

She retreats back, bringing out her shoulder-mounted beam cannon and firing a shot off at Kansas LeGend as she moves to reposition herself.

"You're a real gem of a human being, huh?" Anita comments casually to him as she does.

"Hanging in there, Ra Mari? Let me know if you need some cover." Anita asides to Eight.

As she does, though... Arriety draws her concern. A slight frown crosses Anita's face.

"Hey... don't forget, Arriety. We're here with you, alright?" Anita murmurs, a little concerned. She remembers their last conversation.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Armor of the Week with Beam Cannon Blast!
KTS: Armor of the Week successfully evades Anita Rosetta's Beam Cannon Blast

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae doesn't grimace as the INCOMs come into play. She could grimace, but as far as she's concerned her time and effort is much better spent trying to track the miniature crafts and their targeting lines. It's extra bandwidth, but she's got some spare with Arriety doing the piloting - still, the refresh rate of her information feed slows down. This isn't exactly the job she was built to do.

        "Captain, I'm only a walking router some of the time," she does allow herself one miniature whine before getting back to a more serious tone of voice - and despite what she says, handling the handover deftly. "Sending you the proposed escape route for the transport. I was going to direct them inside, but I think you and they are both a bit banged up. Ah-ri's got this covered, I promise," she adds with a note of support, not one to really say things like that lightly.

        She hovers over the idea of responding to their opponent - but a question from Arriety stops her cold instead, and leaves a wave of sympathy crashing over her as she allows herself a moment of serious thought. "I don't know," she allows truthfully, dropping off the radio for a moment. "Because both you and that man are right. In the end, the rules don't mean much in the midst of a tense situation. And some Captains like Eight are much kinder than others. ... I'm just trying to rattle him. I'm sorry," she adds gently.

        A frown lingers on her face afterwards; she doesn't like slipping up like that, and it's a reminder that she's still not as in tune with the senses of others as she'd like, even Arriety at times. 'Acting on automatic' isn't an exaggeration for her, and with the liner safe she has enough time to dwell on it for just long enough for the power gripping Arriety to manifest further.

        She yelps in surprise as her mind's eye suddenly lights up with diagnostic warnings. "Ah-ri--" she starts to say, but her mouth hangs open in an unfamiliar uncertainty for a long and silent moment, then she turns back to her console, concentrating as a multitude of code paths spider through the Mrymekes systems. Diagnostics reports, system health, any changes to the internals - she records everything she can, while suddenly aware that any adjustment she could make would be much too slow.

        The robot breathes in, despite not needing to. "... I've got her," she promises over the radio as she watches Arriety's face. "Whatever happens."
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Arriety Hearn
KTS: BC-001 Minae targets Arriety Hearn with Heart!
KTS: BC-001 Minae bares her heart, letting Arriety Hearn deal some extra damage!

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

"But you're so good at it when you are!" Eight replies cheerfully to Minae, and then, "Acknowledged. That's the best call." She doesn't immediately reply about Ah-ri--but--Minae can probably guess what Eight is feeling about it. She is... concerned, to say the least.

But, there's a problem with making yourself a target: you become a target. And the Ra Mari is a very large target, indeed. Unable to focus on evasive maneuvers while trying to focus on protecting the liner, The Ra Mari relies on its anti-missile defenses to handle that barrage of projectiles--but there are too many, too well-placed to get all of them. Machine guns fire and destroy some, but a large explosion rocks the side of the Ra Mari, sending the whole ship vibrating for a moment; whatever that just hit, it was big enough that even the bridge felt it. "Damage report!"

As the reports indeed come through, Eight considers her best options--and eyes the battle as it's unfolding. "The liner is far enough out..."

Minae assures Eight that she has her; Eight can do nothing except trust her, in the moment; she has to focus on the battle at hand. Anita offers... "We could use some support," Eight admits to Anita about covering. "We've taken some heavy hits. I'm going to have to pull back ahead of the rest of you if it goes on like this."

Eight feels... something, from Arriety. She doesn't know what, can't focus.

Instead, she focuses her mind on Kansas. She closes her eyes, attuning to his intentions--and her eyes snap open. "Fari!" She calls, "Transmitting pattern--fire on these coordinates!"

"Firing full barrage!"

The Ra Mari has finally spent enough time taking hits; with the liner out of the way, its gigantic weaponry comes into play, focusing entirely on one mobile suit in a blast of red.
KTS: Eight York has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Eight York has activated the Attune Spirit Command.
KTS: Eight York targets Armor of the Week with Twin Barrel Mega-Particle Cannons Focused Assault!
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to react to Eight York's Twin Barrel Mega-Particle Cannons Focused Assault, taking 7320 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 20772

<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.

Everyone seems to want to get close to Kansas LeGend. Trying to herd Rena Lancaster away proves futile as she bears down with beam lance in hand. The Doven Wolf's shield comes forward, the lance tearing into its face and cutting through to scar the forearm behind it. The ochre machine lurches back a little, and LeGend clenches his teeth before barking out a short laugh. "Aw, please, schooltime's over for you. If you're not gonna give up the Box, you're no good to me alive!"

The shield is brought to bear again as the Doven Wolf tries to jet back from the Delta's heavy strikes. He's not so lucky; a couple of hacks carve another chunk off the shield, another one ripping a piece out of the machine's shoulder. Blobs of coolant spill through the vacuum. Kansas LeGend narrows his eyes, opening his mouth to say something.

It's cut off at the sight of Myrmekes just swallowing his INCOM fire.

"The shit?" Kansas LeGend sputters, before Arriety levels her weapon and blows a hole in the Doven Wolf's shield, and subsequently through its skirt armour. An entire panel just vapourizes, hurling the ochre mobile suit head over heels and slamming LeGend into the wall of his cockpit. With a curse, he pulls himself forcibly back into his cockpit. "Gh-- some new Feddie freak weapon, huh," he snarls before flashing another of those animal grins. "Always wanted to kill one of those. Good times."

Treize opens up with the heavy cannon, but this time LeGend has a spare second to fire his vulcans into the arc of the attack. Rounds crisscross in space, the larger shells blasting apart and buying the Sleeve some breathing room. "Aw, look at you with the moral high ground," LeGend coos derisively. "Hey, nuke any colonies this week, Fed trash? Oh, right, I forgot. Anything goes when it comes to oppressing us trash colonials, right?" He clicks his tongue. "How's it feel when the rest of us do what it takes? Not so good, does it?"

When Anita fires another shot off, LeGend hisses and snaps the battered Doven Wolf upwards, pivoting away from the attack by mere metres. "I didn't come here to make friends," he sasses back. "I'm--"

The Doven Wolf's radar pings. Alarmingly loudly.

"FuuuuuUUUUUUUUCK," begins Kansas LeGend before the Ra Mari blows the Doven Wolf halfway back to Side 3.

Only the fact that LeGend is no rookie keeps him alive. The massive cannons fire away, and the little yellow mobile suit swerves and darts like an insane wasp. Shots graze so close that chunks of armour literally begin to melt. An entire torso plate burns off, a chunk of the machine's left foot following, but LeGend continues to dip and weave like a maniac to try and keep ahead of the fire. "Come on, come on, come on, come on," he urges the mobile suit like a mantra as he boosts onward, gunning into the field of fire and trying to swerve away from it. Another shot clips his machine and rips off a chunk of leg armour, exposing understructure, but he's at least getting closer to where he wants to go. Bursting through the array of beam fire, LeGend spins his machine in midair and brings both his shield and inbuilt launchers forward, revealing another launcher banked into the former. A cloud of projectiles blooms out to try and swarm every other machine on the field - the Gundam, the Delta, the Leo, the Zeta, the Variable Fighter - before he pivots and attempts to dip downwards.

And attempts to land on Eight's ship.

And one way or another, points his beam launcher at the base of the conning tower. "This is you guys owing me a ship to blow up," he quips before attempting to blow a hole in the Ra Mari's hull.
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta, Treize Khushrenada, Riddhe Marcenas, and Arriety Hearn with Large Missile Spray.
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Eight York with Heavy Beam Launcher Blitz!
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged with Eight York
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Eight York with Heavy Beam Launcher Blitz!

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

Rena feels that flicker of worry, when she senses those strong emotions from Arriety. She looks at the Myrmekes Zeta, hesitating for a moment. "Arriety..."

But she seems okay, Rena decides.

Her fingers grip the controls tighter -- and she glances at her screen for just a second, eyeing where Anita's VF-25 is. She cocks her head to the side; then she opens a line to her. "Annie," she says. "You okay? Some of those looked like they got pretty close..."

Her vision flashes as the mega particle cannons from the Ra Mari fire, shooting across space and leaving afterimages. She has to blink her eyes a few times.

Missiles fire -- and the MP Nu surges backward. Explosions blossom between her and the Doven Wolf -- and the Ra Mari. "Gh--damn!" she shouts.

Unfortunately, the blasts have forced the MP Nu a distance back...

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        Treize smiles as his barrage is interupted by the well shamed shot, before the explosion propels him back. This throws him off enough that all he can do to respond the missile barrage by raising his shield and riding the shock wave backwards.

         Taking a moment he assess his damage and sends a private message to the transport he came from, <"Lady Une, I suspect I will need to be picked up."> He doesn't wait for the response as he pushes the verniers to maximum and draws his sword as he dashes forward.

         Entering the Zulu squad at full speed he does his best to deliver as many slashes as he came before he gets to the end of the group. There is a momentary pause and ...
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has activated the Resupply Spirit Command.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada targets Armor of the Week with Formation NexT 100!

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        The door...

        Arriety can see it, in the periphery of her vision... that golden double-door, seemingly as high as a mobile suit, standing tall amidst the clear rippling waters of her mind's eye.

        Hey... don't forget, Arriety. We're here with you, alright?

        She hears Anita's voice, cool as a cucumber. Even in this tense spot, she's always the easygoing big sis with a serious side...

        ... I'm just trying to rattle him. I'm sorry. I've got her -- whatever happens.

        She can hear Minae's voice, even in this seemingly transcendent space. It's proof that the Super-AI has a heart, and one that's stronger than most anyone she knows.

        I'm going to have to pull back ahead the rest of you if it goes on like this.

        Eight... even when she's in danger, she puts what's best for the people in the Ra Mari. She doesn't hear her voice directly, but she knows. She knows they're all there. Fari. Lavhi. Chovan. Astelian. Rezza. Santiago.

        Arriety...

        Rena's voice is unmistakable in the midst of all this, too. Full of strength and emotion, and a certainty that she finds infectious.

        It's not just them. She senses Treize's certainty and confidence even in the face of peril, a kind of elegance and power that she doesn't have. Riddhe's emotions are stronger, placed directly at his cuffs, full of conviction...

        She hears LeGend sputter, and say he always wanted to kill one like her. A Feddie 'freak'... was she a freak? In some pocket of her heart, she always suspected that it might not be Myrmekes that was the beast. No...

        He backs his words with actions -- a cloud of projectiles swarm towards the Zeta, forcing her to redouble the strength of the Psycho Field surrounding the machine; it rattles, flickering as the flames sputter and die, and the skirting armour is shorn off in one powerful shot.

        "What sort of Box is important enough that people nearly died over it...? I don't get it... the kind of adults that fight over the most stupid things... and then people get drawn into it... I don't want to become that kind of adult!!"

        She weaves the energy forwards, with the Zeta's bare hands -- and where she channeled it into a blade before, this time, a mysterious light simply emanates outward to wrap around the mustard-coloured Doven Wolf, seeking to permeate it whole.

        Should Kansas be caught in it, the sensation is -- unpleasant, perhaps, something that borders between the realm of the living and the dead... it manifests in different ways, perhaps a hallucination, perhaps tickling at the borders of one's Awakening, but a constant sensation within it is the unmistakable... stench of death.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn targets Armor of the Week with The Boundary of Life and Death!

<Pose Tracker> Riddhe Marcenas has posed.

The missiles fly, and Riddhe puts everything into avoiding the stream of them. Of course, this puts the Doven Wolf far away, but at this point, Riddhe was riding something else. For a brief moment, it was almost like he could feel how the other man was piloting. A brief moment where he seemed to be feeling something more than his own smoldering anger. It was just enough...

The vulcans fire, as missiles are shot down, the Delta Plus makes small movements, Riddhe trying to conserve as much energy as he can for his next move. Just narrowly avoiding being shot, and keeping those shots on closing in missiles. Buying himself just enough breathing room to cause the thrusters to kick into a higher power.

He targets the Doven Wolf, aiming to try and get a lock that didn't put Eight's ship in his firing solution. He knows she's likely got a plan...in fact, it was refreshing to be in a group that worked so independently, yet worked together perfectly. They gave as good as they got, but he pushes the thoughts away. He sees that Rena's pushed too far away, but he can't respond.

In fact, he doesn't even talk anymore to Kansas. He can't afford to make any movements that aren't necessary. Even his breathing is controlled. The energy transfer from Minae isn't unnoticed, even if he doesn't speak. A single moment stretched on forever...because if this man was allowed to survive, he'd do it again and again. His captain...the people on his ship, that boy who was so gentle yet was thrust into this war. The girl he saved and that boy was sweet on...

They'd all be next.

The Megabuster points right at where he is sure Kansas is going to be. He doesn't blink or hesitate, as he pulls the trigger in his cockpit and that beam fires. The force is enough that he has to use the thrusters to balance out the momentum from the blast. He aims to catch that man in the stream, just like he had done to him a moment ago.
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to charge.
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to react to Arriety Hearn's The Boundary of Life and Death, taking 9120 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's Boundary of Life and Death activates, causing Insight L1!
Your unit's HP stands at 4572
KTS: Arriety Hearn roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"That's a shame. It sounds like you could use some." Anita replies to Kansas. Missiles happen which prevent her from adding anything further, but so do the Ra Mari's cannons, making things even.

"Yeah, I'm okay... The Pinpoint Barrier's really complaining, though - I don't know how much longer it'll stay active." Anita replies to Rena's concern.

Minae, meanwhile, assures her that she has Arriety. Anita nods.

"...Yeah. Thanks, Minae." She says. They can always count on her.

Eight, meanwhile, admits that the Ra Mari could use some cover. Anita nods.

"On it. Ensign Rosetta, falling back to cover the Ra Mari." Anita reports. The Messiah Rosetta folds itself into GERWALK mode, using reverse thrusters to retreat back closer to the Ra Mari. Beam cannon at the ready, she studies the area with a watchful eye to stop anything that might try to attack the the ship.

...And in so doing, she sees what Arriety does.

"...Ah-ri..." Anita murmurs.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae tries to avoid empty posturing where she can. The thought of it never really sits well with her; she'd much rather tell the truth, even if it's a bitter pill in the moment, and then deal with providing support afterwards. Saying she'll have Arriety's back whatever happens is the truth - it's just that she has no idea what might happen, or what fallout might be left in the wake of it.

        The Ra Mari's cannons fire, and that's at least some level of relief, knowing that the battle is now sufficiently under control that they can pull out the biggest of guns. The man's anger doesn't fall on deaf ears; Minae takes it in, even if she doesn't provide any response. There's a little too much going on for her to really be able to focus on that aspect of the fight, and-- well, it doesn't sound like there'd be anything she or anyone else could say in response that would be acceptable.

        In her experience working in the aftermath of Algernon, all that can be done with rage like that is to weather it and let it burn itself out. What's left at the end of it... varies a great deal, she knows, but trying to push harder will only be counterproductive.

        In the end, she abandons trying to keep up with maintaining most of the Myrmekes systems. Each fire she puts out means two more spring up elsewhere, and Arriety's heightened senses mean that any information she can provide is usually too late, an unusual and slightly unsettling feeling. Instead, she shifts her priorities towards making sure she doesn't make herself a liar - to secure and maintain the cockpit block, knowing that the last breach sent Arriety to some very dark places.

        "... you don't have to. And so long as you keep that hope, you won't." Her brow furrows at the names that the pilot is being called, and a tiny spark of something like genuine anger flashes across her for just an instant before concern overtakes it. "Don't take any of those names to heart. You're not trash, or scum, or anything else. You're simply Arriety, and doing the best you can. We all know that."
KTS: BC-001 Minae targets Arriety Hearn with Pass!
BC-001 Minae has cancelled her attack.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

There's a flicker of worry from Eight over Rena--but when it's clear that she's just out of the action for a few moments instead of hurt, Eight can replace that with relief. ...That's one at least who's safe. She still doesn't know what's going on with Arriety, and Anita is still in the mix, and their other allies--

And the Doven Wolf is moving towards the ship. Eight senses it even before she sees it on the display, and her eyes glint, a flash in her mind telling her--

"Activate the beam shield! All thrusters, hard reverse!"

The Doven Wolf successfully lands on the Ra Mari. ...For a moment. But the shield erupts forward, blossoming into being exactly in time to absorb the shots meant for the conn tower, and the ship does not explode. It is damaged, to be sure, and will require a lot of repairs... but it is not disabled today.

Eight does have a plan. "Now--"

But she cuts off as Arriety approaches in the Zeta, performs that strange light. She doesn't finish her order, watching the bizarre display instead, and watches the Megabuster fire a perfect shot that avoids her ship entirely. With Anita on their defense, Eight can afford a moment--just a moment--to breathe out.

...And then to speak.

"...We can't do better than we did yesterday," Eight says over the open channel Kansas was using, "If we don't show up today to do it."

People did die over this 'box' today. And if they can't figure out what it is and why the Sleeves want it, maybe more...

"Check for any more of his friends," Eight directs the officer on sensors. "And keep that shield up."

<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.

The good news is that there isn't far to go if one wants to return to the Ra Mari at this point. The bad news is that Kansas LeGend is standing on the flight deck, reaching for a beam saber.

The bad news for Kansas LeGend is that he didn't pack a beam saber. He pauses. He didn't think he'd need one.

"Sheeeeeit."

Off in space, Treize clears out Geara Zulus, slashing through them like so much wheat. Those that don't crumple beneath his strokes simply scatter and retreat into the dark of space, not in an organized column but as a scattered mass of terrified and poorly-trained pilots in over their heads and without the training or discipline to handle going up against a skilled ace. The rest is all for Kansas. Riddhe unloads a heavy shot, and Kansas wheels to try and catch it on his shield, only for the shield to be blasted off - taking the Doven Wolf's arm with it. Cursing, Kansas LeGend pivots to try and elude another shot, trying to kick off the deck.

Which has just slid out from under him as the Ra Mari backs off. The Doven Wolf tumbles upside down in space, its camera field of view coming to focus on the Zeta.

"Welp," he sighs, "'s been a good run."

Arriety unloads, extending a bizarre light that feels less like being blasted and more like being dipped in something he has no possibility of even explaining. The Doven Wolf isn't so much torn apart as it is engulfed in the light and left floating. Kansas slumps back in his seat, mired, for just a moment, in a sensation of death that isn't his own - of momentary traces of the death and fear etched into the battlefield today, before everything simply goes dark. The mustard-yellow machine, missing parts of limbs and slashed violently apart, drifts slowly away from the Ra Mari, its momentum leaving it in a lazy spin.

The civilian liner huddles safely behind the Ra Mari, the Zeon survivors scattering like cockroaches away from an overturned mattress. No further threats emerge.