Difference between revisions of "2022-02-18: Stars On Fire"
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*'''Log: Stars on Fire''' | *'''Log: Stars on Fire''' | ||
| − | *'''Cast:''' [[ | + | *'''Cast:''' [[Character :: Saraven Vai|Emback Dean]], [[Character :: Eight York]], [[Character :: Rena Lancaster]], [[Character :: Murrue Ramius]], [[Character :: Sophia Mayhew Castellan]], [[Character :: Aelita Novikov]], [[Character :: Anita Rosetta]] |
*'''Where:''' 1036 Ganymed, Earth Orbit | *'''Where:''' 1036 Ganymed, Earth Orbit | ||
*'''Date:''' February 18, 2022 | *'''Date:''' February 18, 2022 | ||
Latest revision as of 16:53, 2 June 2022
- Log: Stars on Fire
- Cast: Emback Dean, Eight York, Rena Lancaster, Murrue Ramius, Sophia Mayhew Castellan, Aelita Novikov, Anita Rosetta
- Where: 1036 Ganymed, Earth Orbit
- Date: February 18, 2022
- Summary: The Sleeves continue their pace of strikes on targets around Earth's broader orbit.
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
It's hard to say space has ever truly been safe - but the past few weeks, since the reappearance of the Red Comet, have only made things more perilous. A series of attacks, seemingly coming out of nowhere, have made headlines and put travelers on edge. Patrols have increased, particularly around Luna, where Mao Industries was hit by Zeon remnants last week.
Now, from the depths of space, a distress call rings out: <"Anyone, please, we're under attack! They're Zeons!">
1036 Ganymed is the largest near-Earth asteroid, at roughly 32 by 35 by 38 kilometres around. It's home to a small freighter port and a mining and refining operation specializing in extracting asteroidal spodumene and converting it into battery material. It goes into products like beam weapon E-caps. At any given time, there are five to seven freighters coming and going.
The eighteen or so Zeon mobile suits currently blasting away at one of the docking arms are new. So is the combat cruiser - a Musaka-class light cruiser - currently sitting alongside a large bulk transport, firing shots into what modest defenses the asteroid base has. The fortifications here exist, but they're badly outdated - and largely already falling. A couple of mass driver turrets pummel back at the Musaka but are quickly brought down, and a lone surviving GM, a relic of the One Year War, is shorn in half by a beam saber swing from the most prominent of the attackers.
It's a Gelgoog - a modern-looking one, carrying a beam tomahawk. The machine's painted in a slaty gunship-grey hue, but with shoulders, head and knee armour enamelled in white. One shoulder displays the emblem of a large green heart - an emblem copied on a smaller scale on about half of the other mobile suits involved. They're a mix of late-model Zaku IIIs (they all have the heart) and newer Geara Zulus (with no heart).
"So they got the signal off," mutters Lieutenant Emback Dean with a look over his shoulder, heavy dark eyebrows furrowing with consternation. The last attack had gone better - aside from the idiot in the crane getting a lucky rush in, they'd made off with what they needed. This time the target was bigger, the task force was larger, and they'd needed the Musaka to come in and support them against a few more defenders than expected.
Challenging? No. But a time-waster. A time-waster Lieutenant Emback Dean of the Grunherz Unit could not afford.
With a grunt, Dean levels a single-shot bazooka at one of the hangar bay doors and opens fire, discarding the launch tube immediately. There's a soundless blast and a bloom of decompression as the bay breaches, opening up an enormous bay.
Perfect. "Cover the lifter units," Dean transmits. "Get in, grab what you can and get back to the pickup. Grunherz unit, intercept anything that comes in - we need to keep them from hitting the lifters."
On cue, four Gaza-As begin to navigate their way towards the hangar doors, ready to collect the loot.
KTS: Murrue Ramius has deployed in LCAM-01XA Archangel.
Sophia_Mayhew_Castellan teleports in.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Patrols have been up, which means that since being repaired, the Ra Mari has had a lot to do. So far their patrols haven't actually uncovered anything particularly notable--just the standard issues and false alarms--but sooner or later... It's bound to happen. And it does.
'They're Zeons!'
"Make for 1035 Ganymede, full speed," Eight York says to Alicia Chovan on the bridge, frowning. "Take us in fast. They don't have time for us to waste."
Over the ship's comms comes the set of orders, "All hands. Battle stations. Pilots, to the hangar. We'll be engaging Zeon forces of unknown composition. We're expecting combat immediately; the colony is already under attack."
She secures her seatbelt, and the battle crew prepares. Soon... They drive through space, and come into view of the colony. The near-earth asteroid with its freighter port and its Zeon mobile suits blasting away--ah, and the cruiser.
"Contact," Eight declares from the bridge, staring out through the viewport towards the scene at hand. "Kakapo Squadron, you are clear to deploy. Be careful out there."
"Mister Fari, we're going to need those guns you've got warmed up. Get me a solution on that cruiser."
The Clop-class Ra Mari comes in guns blazing, all repainted gray, missiles pouring out for the cruiser up ahead.
"This is Captain York of the Ra Mari. We're here to help, Ganymed."
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
'They're Zeons!'
That, Rena supposes, is the truth running through much of her life. Inside the cockpit, she sighs; her eyes are closed, the panoramic cockpit showing her the inside of the Ra Mari's catapult. The Mass Production-type Nu Gundam stands there, in its blues and teals and golds, except for the one stark white shoulder. She leans forward in the cockpit, then, as the information comes over her sensors. Approximately eighteen Mobile Suits; the asteroid with a mining operation; the attack underway.
"Roger that, Ra Mari," Rena says, when Eight gives her permission to deploy.
The RX-94 shoots down the catapult. The thrusters on it burn bright -- shining with the pale white-blue of ignition, and leaving trails of light -- as the Mobile Suit rockets down the length of the catapult. It banks around -- and soars in, coming in for Ganymed. Her eyes narrow, as she looks forward.
"Rena Lancaster, Mass Production-type Nu Gundam!" she transmits. "Launching!"
<Pose Tracker> Murrue Ramius has posed.
Captain Ramius pushes off the door frame as she comes through the doors to the bridge, floating her way towards Operations and the Infocenter. The distress call came in and Murrue knew immediately it was the same group she has been dealing with and pursuing. She had already ordered her crew to combat stations and best speed to the resource asteroid before she took a step towards the bridge, but now the details come into focus.
Her slim fingers fly quickly but still too slowly over the displays trying to bring up as much information in time that was already running out. "Come on, come on... come on... THERE!" The schematics and details of the asteroid are before her, she tries to forecast based on what she knows, which is too little, and what she can see, which might, be enough. A plan starts to form...
Funny thing about space, it's big, and it's not flat, not a 2D chess board. When the Archangel arrives, it does so from an oblique angle, high from the perspective of the asteroid, with the nearest star at its back. Captain Ramius is flying in using the star to blind optical sensors, trying to give herself to the last minute until she is on top of the attacking ship, bearing down from above, before opening fire, and banking the Archangel just enough to prevent a collision as she flies past.
<Pose Tracker> Sophia Mayhew Castellan has posed.
The alert coming in from the mining satellites reaches the Hyperion as her captain stands on the bridge overlook. "Report of Zeon attack near 1036 Ganymede," is the dispassionate note. "Beyond standard deployment range. Dismissing."
"Hold," the Captain says, standing up taller, cupping her chin. "Pass it to my display."
She regards the data that comes to her shortly. It's well outside the Hyperion's rapid response range. "Ma'am," the original speaker notes. "The Hyperion won't make it."
"Correct," she says, and whirls toward the elevator. "Have Liese prep my Flag with space equipment, and load it onto Helios."
*
Belting across the wide open space between the Ring and the mining satellite soon comes a blip flying G-Hound IFF, at least as long as Minovsky interference allows the signal. It's a small little thing, little more than a gunship, maybe 50 meters long. But that's just enough for a mobile suit or two. Despite what looks a hell of a lot like a flight deck up top, the mobile suite emerges from the belly, flying even faster still! From the slender flight-type machine's nose, piercing railgun slugs fly, high-velocity shots from a Flag's linear rifle aimed toward the looting mobile suits and their covering team.
Sophia Mayhew Castellan transforms to SVM-01 Union Flag Sophia Custom - Flight Mode
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena's eyes scan the Gelgoog, for a moment -- and then the Gaza-C's.
The Mass Production-type Nu Gundam hefts up its beam rifle. Rena scans across the battlefield, before her eyes settle on one of the Gaza-C's. The Gundam lifts the beam rifle -- and a grenade explodes off the launcher mounted on the underside, loosing towards one of the units headed into the base.
"Eyes ahead!" she says. "There's a lot of them!"
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Grenade Launcher!
Incoming attacks:
1: Rena_Lancaster attacking with Grenade Launcher (Ranged, Physical, Missile)
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to intercept Rena Lancaster's Grenade Launcher, taking 2250 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 35500
=--------------------------[ Lagrange Point 5 [CTD] ]--------------------------=
Name Fac Idle Last Health % Energy Spirit Morale
Rena Lancaster [LBL] 1m 1m 15700 100 72 50 101
Sophia Mayhew Castellan[GHN] 3m 5m 14500 100 81 50 106
Murrue Ramius [LBL] 17m 34m 16700 100 71 10 106
Eight York [LBL] 10m 46m 16940 100 73 50 118
Armor of the Week [UNP] 0s 1h 35500 94% 43 68 117
Aelita Novikov [ZFT] 5m None 39850 89% 56 84 128
Anita Rosetta [LBL] 9m None 15100 100 55 50 100
Lilith_Aiden [LBL] 1m None - - - - -
Lily_Jung [ZFT] 8m None - - - - -
=-----------------------[ Fri Feb 18 20:09:51 2022 ET ]------------------------=
<Pose Tracker> Aelita Novikov has posed.
A little over a week ago a new red painted Battleship had appeared over Africa and aiding a ZAFT orbital drop that saw a Federation base captured. It was something new, unlike any design that had previously been seen from PLANT designers or engineers. It's most obvious feature was a set of 12 large, ship scale INCOMs that when deployed made the ship easy to recognize. Though clearly a ZAFT ship, there were some Zeon linneage design features that were hard to miss.
Today it was suddenly being made very clear this was no coincidence, as the CCM Rasputin breaks orbit from Earth and burns for the asteroid. As the attack gets underway and the distress goes out it's not only the defenders that get reinforcements. As the ship streaks across space and approaches the asteroid it begins to slow, pulling alongside the large asteroid while the long INCOMs begin to stream out as it enters a battle stance.
"We're on another fire support mission today, this time aiding our Sleeves allies. Some of you may not be entirely comfortable with the idea yet, but remember that without them the Rasputin never would have been completed. We may have different goals but our purpose is the same: Freedom from the tyranny of the Federation. Similarly the goal is not destruction of the asteroid facilities, but a supply raid: focus fire on fixed defenses but stay cautious when providing fire support against mobile weapons-- we do not want any friendly fire incidents today."
Awknowledgements ring out from the bridge crew, and half of the INCOMs that had been streaming lazily behind the ship arch forward and begin tracking and taking shots at the large turreted defenses, outdated as they may be, while meanwhile a a pair of missiles fire from it's vertical launchers and arc forward before powering towards an outlying Federation mobile suit, spraying chunks of rock and debris from the surface of the asteroid as they detonate.
"Captain! Enemy ship incoming, Clop-class; Mobile Suit launches detected!"
"Alright, that's why we're here. Bring us about and position the Rasputin between the Federation ship and the asteroid." The large ship begins a lumbering turn, presenting it's broadside to the Ra Mari and shielding the Sleeves Mobile Suits down below from it's guns. As the beams streak four INCOMs swing forward and a barrier springs to life between them, megaparticles spraying as the majority deflect off, leaving only minor scorching on the side of the hull beneath.
On the bridge the ship shakes, "Beam Barriers holding, Captain!"
"Good, that should give them something to think about and buy some time for--" before she can finish her thought the ship shakes in a much more violent manner, tossing the captain in her chair as cannon shells slam into the top of the ship. "What was that? Damage report!"
"Multiple impacts to the dorsal armor! Captain, the starboard catapult is down and we're reporting minor damage to the hangar."
"Another ship, Captain! Z plus four thousand meters!"
"Damn! They got us good; we weren't careful enough." As she punches in commands onto the arm-display on her captain's chair her eyes narrow. "That's the ship Captain Gladys mentioned before. We can't afford to take this lightly... Con, roll 45 degrees to starboard, protect that damaged hanger! Deploy the main cannons and begin firing- split targeting. A Turret at the Clop-class, B turret at the one above us!"
As the order is given the heavy doors protecting the ship's large High Energy Beam Cannons part and they lift into view. Swinging even before they're fully locked into place and letting loose shot after shot of bright green beams towards the ships while the INCOMs take defensive positions.
KTS: Aelita Novikov has activated the Rouse Spirit Command.
KTS: Aelita Novikov targets Eight York and Murrue Ramius with Rasputin Main Battery Heavy Barrage.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Taking some time off combat duty in favor of lighter work was nice, but with the Ra Mari back in action it's time to get back into the pilot seat. ...Which happens much sooner than they like, as a distress beacon reaches them during a patrol.
Another Zeon attack, it seems. She can only imagine how Rena and Eight are feeling about this. But that might be part of why she's in such a hurry to rush out there and get suited up, quickly hopping into the pilot seat of her VF-25 Messiah.
"You miss me?" Anita murmurs affectionately to the machine, as her EX-Gear begins to interlock. She grasps the controls, then.
"Right. You be careful too, Captain." Anita replies to Eight. Rena's suit launches, and Anita isn't far behind. "Anita Rosetta, launching. Right behind you, Commander."
The Variable Fighter launches, soaring through space behind Rena's MP Nu in Fighter Mode. And then, the asteroid comes into view - as well as the forces attacking it.
"Right... let's try and give them something else to think about." Anita says. With a quick, fluid motion the VF's limbs emerge, drawing its gun pod from the mount. Another motion unleashes a hail of gatling fire sweeping across the Zeon crew, shots aimed to disable limbs or chase them away from their objective.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Armor of the Week with Gatling Sweep!
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
A closer read of the situation reveals an oddity: The freighter flanking the Musaka, an unmarked bulker of a pre-One Year War vintage, seems like it's actually in formation with the smaller but better-armed ship. It may not have guns, but it has cargo space - and a single Musaka doesn't have the hold to carry twenty mobile suits.
As the Ra Mari comes rocketing in, someone in the asteroid's control room pours over with relief. "Thank God! They came out of nowhe--"
The signal is suddenly choked by static as a Geara Zulu lands on the asteroid's bulk, blasting a sturm faust towards a large array of antennae. The transmission wobbles and coughs, the static breaking in and out but rendering the Ganymed comms officer's transmissions garbled.
Missiles and lasers fill the space as the Ra Mari fires at the Musaka. The light cruiser's close-in weapons system blazes, intercepting several of the projectiles, but a mega beam shot rakes across the ship's lower hull. The vessel begins to maneuver away, guns swiveling from the station - but it's mainly to provide covering fire for the mobile suits.
The mobile suits which are rapidly maneuvering towards the intercepting Federal Forces.
The green-heart Gelgoog III is at the head of the group. Scowling above his heavy black beard, Emback Dean begins designating priority targets. "So that's the ship we were warned about," he mutters as he begins to lock up targets racing out of the Ra Mari's hangar. The RX-94 is first; the Variable Fighter second. Boosting forward, the Gelgoog arms its rifle.
It's an atypical rifle. It's a long-barreled weapon with an attached grenade launcher - a commander's rifle.
Sophia beats the Grunherz Unit to the punch. Her Flag fires, and a Zaku III suddenly jukes aside in a scattering evasion to elude the linear rifle shot by mere feet. Another of the Zakus is less fortunate: Rena unleashes a grenade, one the Zeonic unit attempts to intercept with a machine-gun burst. It falls short, the grenade connecting squarely and blasting the Zaku's arm off. Another Zaku III is forced to dash away as Anita comes rocketing in - her shot doesn't connect, but it manages to scatter the group enough that other mobile suits can begin to take some of the pressure.
"Hold ranks!" Dean barks into his comm before locking up the Flag and the VF. The Gelgoog's shoulder-mounted missile pods open up, a scattering cloud of projectiles sweeping from each to bloom towards both of the faster units. The MP Nu Gundam is singled out as Dean boosts forward, then turns, trying to maneuver around Rena's mobile suit and get a bead with the Gelgoog III's rifle. Switching to a mid-range mode, he opens fire, blasting away with rapid bursts.
"Back off now if you want to see tomorrow," he snaps into the comline, his voice gruff and loud. "The Principality of Zeon will never die!"
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Rena Lancaster with Beam Shotrifle Shot!
KTS: Armor_of_the_Week Changes attack to Anita Rosetta and Sophia Mayhew Castellan with Eight-Tube Missile Pods Spray.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"Are those... INCOMs?"
On the sensors, Tempo Astelian looks up at what he's seeing, and Eight frowns as she sees it. "Yes," she says. And then, over the standard frequency, "We'll be careful, Rosetta."
The barrier springs to life and York frowns harder, noticing the deflection of their blows--but she is at least pleased to note that they have more support. "Good to see you, Captain Ramius," Eight transmits. "Let's do this together, shall we?"
A turret, as it turns out, is very heavy; the large high energy beam cannons start to swing shot after shot, and Eight goes, "Interpose that beam shield!" just before they start swinging, as if she senses the intention--because she does. Nevertheless, it's not that her crew isn't fast--it's that the Rasputin is faster on the draw than the Ra Mari's beam shield is powerful. While they're able to block some of the terrific force of those green blasts, the Ra Mari takes a solid few hits in that new paint job.
"Astelian!" York calls, "Get the jammers online, we don't want them firing that cannon at us again! Fari, watch for any of those mobile suits getting close!"
Eight rights herself from where she'd been rocked to the side, and closes her eyes, focusing on the battle at hand, beyond sight and sound, to other senses.
KTS: Eight York has activated the Rouse Spirit Command.
KTS: Eight York targets Aelita Novikov with Jam!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Glad you're with us, Ensign!" Rena answers Anita, with a smile. There is, however, a worried glance at the Ra Mari -- and the fact that it is engaged in a ship battle. She looks ahead, then, and sees the Gelgoog III rushing in. Emback Dean aims, and Rena has a flicker of insight -- but she isn't ready for the longer, customized beam rifle. The shot slams into Rena's Gundam, catching the upper arm. It blasts a plate of armor off, vaporized metal exploding off and silvery orbs of molten metal flying away.
"Gh--"
Rena sucks a deep breath in, before she banks around. "Rosetta, Castellan!" she says, as she sends her machine flying forward. "Let's try to keep him guessing--I'll get in close!"
The beam saber-cannon on the Mass Production-type Nu Gundam's shoulder slides down. The barrel gleams once, in the reflected light from the Ra Mari -- then, two shots fire rapidly, as the RX-94 accelerates. Rena's chair adjusts, and it rushes in close for the Gelgoog III.
"Don't you see?" she answers Dean. "This... you're just trying to keep the ghost of Zeon alive!"
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Beam Cannon Rush!
Incoming attacks:
1: Rena_Lancaster attacking with Beam Cannon Rush (Melee, Beam, Initiation)
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to parry Rena Lancaster's Beam Cannon Rush, taking 3375 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 32125
KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Armor of the Week
<Pose Tracker> Murrue Ramius has posed.
"DC I want all reports now!" Murrue pushes herself off the ground. The near zero-g weightlessness is a blessing and a curse in combat, and something that one cannot train for. You can only learn from being in battle like this, on a ship. Just as thereare inertial experiences that are only found in Mobile suit combat, and normal suits can only do so much.
It had been a gamble, coming from high, and not below like that. But ships weakest armor are on top and bottom, and the best chance to disable the bridge is from above. Murrue had the option to fire an all-out missile spread against the mobile suits, but chose against that, not knowing the status of friendlies in that regard. However, the Zeon ship had a hand to play with those heavy cannons. and took the pot with the salvo it landed. Murrue has no regrets, no time for them right now anyway. Murrue's immediate concern is keeping up the game while getting into a more favorable position, "Aft weapons, keep them busy!!"
Murrue's head nods as she listens to York's transmission, "I'm here for it Captain. This is the first time they either had the ship to bring in, or are risking it. I'm inclined to deny them future use of it, or put it into repair for a very long time. You got an idea? I think if we focus on any one primary we will end this in a hurry. Take out the catapults, they can't play anymore. Engines, they're stuck. Do you have a favorite?"
KTS: Murrue Ramius has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Murrue Ramius has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Murrue Ramius targets Aelita Novikov with Aft Missile Launchers!
KTS: Aelita Novikov successfully intercepts Murrue Ramius's Aft Missile Launchers
KTS: Eight York jams Aelita Novikov's sensors, reducing her accuracy.
Usage: +spirit <command> [on target]
KTS: You have commands:
| Alert: 15 SP: Adds 30 to Piloting for one round.
| Strike: 15 SP: Adds 30 to Targeting for one round.
| Accel: 15 SP: Raises your Terrains to a floor of C for your next action. Alternatively, if not Engaged with a target, you can target someone with this SC. You then have a chance to Engage them before your attack. This is used during your turn, not while reacting to attacks.
| Assail: 15 SP: Raises your Terrains to a floor of C for your next action. Your next attack is treated as if it had All-Range; a melee attack used in this manner will make you change Fields.
| Dash: 15 SP: If Engaged, you can use this on yourself to attempt to disengage from all other units. If you are already disengaged, raises your control proficiencies by 2 for this turn. This is used during your turn, not while reacting to attacks.
| Daunt: 40 SP: Reduce someone's Morale by 10.
| Spirit: 86/100
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
There's another Federation unit - from G-Hound, judging by the signal. Anita hasn't worked with them much before. She responds to the IFF signal, replying with a ping of her own.
"Ensign Anita Rosetta, with the Ra Mari. Good to have you with us." Anita greets, but her attention soon turns back to the fight.
The mobile suit has spotted them, and retailates with a volley of explosives. Her forward beam vulcans fire to try and take them out before they can reach her, but a few still manage to get through. The Pinpoint Barrier system crackles as her VF is sent reeling back, but manages to restabilize itself in space.
"Right." Anita replies with a nod as Rena says her plan. As Rena rushes in Anita takes aim, firing at the Gelgoog to hem it in into Rena's rush - and, hopefully, open it up for further attacks.
"Sorry, no can do. Can't turn down a call for help." Anita replies. "But if you drop your stolen goods and call your men off, maybe we can all see tomorrow, yeah?"
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Armor of the Week with Leading Fire!
<Pose Tracker> Sophia Mayhew Castellan has posed.
Helios peels off and sets about patrolling the rim of the engagement, where it can bother NPCs and such.
Sophia swivels her machine to open fire on the incoming missiles with the rapidfire cannons, but she can't quite get there. Explosions light the night.
But from the fireball, the Union Flag unfolds into its humanoid configuration, the linear rifle switching over to its handheld mode. In this configuration it's a bit easier to see that strapped to the side of the machine is a DIRTY GREAT GUN, which she is not currently using.
"Understood," she replies to the communication coming her way. The Flag stays well out. She flicks the Linear Rifle's charge mode, letting it begin to gather strength.
Speaking of unexpected communications... "It already has," she says, dispassionately, and levels the linear rifle toward the Gelgoog, buzzing. "Join them."
A single shot leaps from the linear rifle, far faster than before!!
Sophia Mayhew Castellan transforms to SVM-01 Union Flag Sophia Custom
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan targets Armor of the Week with Linear Rifle Charged Fire!
<Pose Tracker> Aelita Novikov has posed.
"Multiple hits scored on enemy ships!" the Rasputin's tactical officer reports.
"Well done, but stay on your toes. Both of those ships are faster and more maneuverable than we are," Aelita replies, withholding the concern over the large beam barrier that propped up in front of the Ra Mari only moments too late to protect it from the ship's main guns.
A moment later static begins to burst over the main viewscreen and her own personal tactical overlay. "Minovsky interference..? No, it's more than that. Trying to overwhelm us are you, Clop-class? Our beams will have a hard time getting a lock at this rate." Lifting her head her expression changes to something more intentionally stern and hard, "Coms, open communications frequencies and broadcast to all forces."
Soon an image of a stern looking, white uniformed ZAFT Captain appears on screen, still clearly in her early twenties but hardly looking fresh or green. "This is Captain Aelita Novikov of the CCM Rasputin. I see you're taking my ship seriously; you're going to need every trick like that you can get if you have any hope of defeating us. For the sake of your ship and your crew, I suggest you withdraw immediately." She keeps her tone chilled and firm, staring directly forward without even blinking as missile salvos come in. The sounds of the bridge crew reporting incoming missiles and the low, rattling whirr of CIWS cannons engaging targets can be heard in the background as all around the ship the missiles shoot in and explode moments before impact.
"You'll have to do better than that," she cooly notes, turning her head to someone offscreen, "Tubes 15 and 16, return fire." A large pair of anti-ship torpedoes streak out from the starboard launch tubes, leaving trails of smoke as they rush towards the Archangel. "Rasputin out."
Letting out a soft sigh Aelita looks to her bridge crew, "Good work. I think we've got their attention. The strike team should be able to complete their mission now that they we have their focus." They can't afford to delay for very long though-- not if what she's heard about those anti-matter cannons are true.
KTS: Aelita Novikov has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Murrue Ramius
KTS: Aelita Novikov has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Eight York
KTS: Aelita Novikov targets Eight York with Despirit!
KTS: Aelita Novikov targets Murrue Ramius with MVLS Anti-Ship Torpedo Strike!
Incoming attacks:
1: Anita_Rosetta attacking with Leading Fire (Physical, Ranged, Formation)
2: Sophia_Mayhew_Castellan attacking with Linear Rifle Charged Fire (Physical, Ranged, Penetrating)
KTS: Armor of the Week successfully evades Anita Rosetta's Leading Fire
KTS: Aelita Novikov despirits Eight York, reducing her SP drastically.
KTS: Armor of the Week successfully evades Sophia Mayhew Castellan's Linear Rifle Charged Fire
KTS: Murrue Ramius's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Murrue Ramius fails to intercept Aelita Novikov's MVLS Anti-Ship Torpedo Strike, taking 5904 damage!
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged.
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
Towards the rear, the Musaka seems to be doing its level best to keep out of the fighting. The ship isn't engaging either the Archangel or the Ra Mari, preferring to hang at the extreme limit of its weapon range and pelt Ganymed's remaining defenses. But Eight and Rena in particular will be able to feel a subtle... pressure.
Someone aboard the ship. A potent sense of presence - but a reserved, flattened one. Not engaged in the fight, but there is, for just a moment, an awareness.
...Kakapo...
The Gelgoog III is another story. The mind within doesn't push back against Rena's awareness. Emback Dean is a normal man in his late thirties, heavily bearded and hard-bitten - but she'll be able to pick up a distinct bitterness. An old anger.
When she charges into range, Dean grunts and attempts to deflect the attack off of the large shield the Gelgoog III is carrying, but Rena's too quick; her shot punches across the Gelgoog's shoulder and leaves a glowing impact scar behind. "It's a ghost worth keeping alive," he snaps back as he whips his Gelgoog around to circle Rena, snapping the shield forward to cover himself.
Anita can't resist the call to help. All too aware of the presence of two more mobile suits, Emback Dean grits his teeth and throws the Gelgoog III out of the way of her fire at the last possible second. The mobile suit tumbles and rolls, thrusters boosting as he tries to gain distance and get clear of Sophia as she comes blasting in. Again the linear rifle fires.
Dean snaps his shield up. The rifle round slams into its face, cratering the metal but sparing the Gelgoog a damaging hit. Behind the face of it, Dean grimaces. Rena can feel the way his demeanor hardens - he didn't like Sophia's quip at all. "You Federation trash," he snarls. "Thinking you can kill an idea. How long are you dogs going to stay fettered to the Federation's leash?"
With a few last shots, Dean fires his thrusters - and he rockets down towards Ganymed's mining-scarred surface. The blasted hangar bay door yawns open, and the Gelgoog races into it, trying to draw the Federation units after him as he goes. He wheels backward, pivoting away with his rifle braced against his firing shoulder and with his shield folded back to better grip the barrel. Trying to cover his flank with the shield's folded position, he squeezes off a burst at Anita before popping a grenade from the underside launcher, sending it spiralling towards Sophia's Flag. The shield is then leveled at Rena.
A missile blasts from one of a pair of hidden ports on its face, racing towards the RX-94! More non-standard Gelgoog equipment at work.
"Damn it, hurry up," he hisses off-com, glancing over his shoulder to where the covering Zaku IIIs and Geara Zulus are trying like hell to keep the Gaza-As safe in an adjacent hangar.
/-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\
| 1: Beam Shotrifle Shot Pwr: 4100 21 EN |
| (Ranged, Beam) |
| 2: Beam Shotrifle Burst Pwr: 4800 28 EN |
| (Ranged, Beam) |
| 3: Beam Shotrifle Grenade Shot Pwr: 3800 18 EN |
| (Ranged, Physical, Missile, Spread) |
| 4: Beam Shotrifle Point Blank Shot Pwr: 4700 37 EN |
| (Melee, Beam, Repulse) |
| 5: Beam Shotrifle Charged Shot Pwr: 5600 48 EN |
| (Ranged, Beam, Finisher) |
| 6: Beam Tomahawk Strike Pwr: 3700 17 EN |
| (Melee, Beam) |
| 7: Beam Tomahawk Thrust Pwr: 4300 28 EN |
| (Melee, Beam, Penetrating) |
| 8: Beam Tomahawk Combo Pwr: 4700 27 EN |
| (Melee, Beam) |
| 9: Eight-Tube Missile Pods Telemetry Shot Pwr: 4500 25 EN |
| (Ranged, Physical, Missile, Indirect) |
| 10: Eight-Tube Missile Pods Shot Pwr: 3800 18 EN |
| (Ranged, Physical, Missile) |
| 11: Eight-Tube Missile Pods Spray Pwr: 3200 12 EN |
| (Ranged, Physical, Missile, MAP) |
| 12: Eight-Tube Missile Pods Barrage Pwr: 4200 22 EN |
| (Ranged, Physical, Missile) |
| 13: Shield Launcher Bash Pwr: 3200 15 EN |
| (Melee, Physical, Initiation) |
| 14: Shield Launcher Missiles Pwr: 4100 21 EN |
| (Ranged, Physical, Missile) |
| 15: Small-Caliber Vulcans Burst Pwr: 2600 8 EN |
| (Ranged, Physical, Microtarget, Intercept) |
| 16: Wrist Beam Gun Single Shot Pwr: 3800 18 EN |
| (Melee, Beam) |
| 17: Wrist Beam Gun Double Shot Pwr: 4700 27 EN |
| (Melee, Beam) |
| 18: Wrist Beam Gun Disrupting Shot Pwr: 3000 20 EN |
| (Melee, Beam, Rattle) |
| 19: Pass - 0 EN |
| (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) |
\---< HP: 3212537750 EN: 101 (+32round|0 comm) SP: 89 Morale: 145180 >----
1: Colony Interior LowG,Space
with Rena Lancaster, Eight York, Anita Rosetta, Murrue Ramius, Armor of the Week, Aelita Novikov, and Sophia Mayhew Castellan
2: Colony Exterior Space
Current field is Colony Interior
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Rena Lancaster with Shield Launcher Missiles!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Anita Rosetta with Beam Shotrifle Shot!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Sophia Mayhew Castellan with Beam Shotrifle Grenade Shot!
KTS: Rena Lancaster successfully intercepts Armor of the Week's Shield Launcher Missiles
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 115.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"I'd say the catapults," York answers Ramius. "It's these mobile suits here that are the main problem--deny them those, and we limit them more." ...And, she doesn't say, taking the engines is a riskier maneuver to her mind for reasons she can't put her finger on. Maybe it's the sheer aggression of the moment--she feels... something, here.
Older than Eight, the other Captain--but not new. the Rasputin... Eight watches the transmission, her hand over a control panel waiting for a direction. It's certainly an imposing ship. Eight tries to feel out something there...
She can't feel any hesitation in the other Captain at all, try as she might; she's a powerful presence, unblinking. Rather than feel something in her foe that could give her a connection, something to work with,it's like connecting with a wall. It reminds her of...
"Captain," Rezza says, "Orders?"
"Right." Eight shakes her head. "I can't get a read on her. Instruments it is."
"We can do better," she says, meeting the challenge of the crew--but Chovan in particular looks kind of intimidated. Eight herself tries to steady her, "Come on, Chovan. We need you here with us."
Then she decides... "Right, Captain Ramius has the right idea. Aim for their catapults--full burst, now!"
The Ra Mari's two main cannons swivel and fire out pink-red beams at the Rasputin, while Eight calls over to her mobile squadron.
"Lancaster," the Captain communicates to all three pilots, not just Rena. "Status report over there? We've engaged what looks like a new ship of theirs--we won't be able to offer much support from here while we're tied up, but we'll do what we can."
KTS: Eight York targets Aelita Novikov with Twin Barrel Mega-Particle Cannons Burst!
KTS: Anita Rosetta successfully evades Armor of the Week's Beam Shotrifle Shot
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 147.
[OOC] Eight York says, "bluray* at the Rasputin. But that sudden presence makes her think of someone else--and makes her call over to her mobile squadron." KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan fails to evade Armor of the Week's Beam Shotrifle Grenade Shot, taking 2960 damage! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 179. <Pose Tracker> Murrue Ramius has posed.
The silence of space is an eerie companion for the screaming roar of the CWIS defensive systems, but their curving breath of fire each chase the anti-ship torpedo within the tracking limits of their respective sensor suite systems, even crossing where their explosive rounds light up in proximity until it's too late and the warhead strikes one of the legs.
The detonation is felt across the entire ship, unlike anything the crew of the Archangel has ever felt before. The explosive blow upon contact, followed, like a breath, by the explosive decompression of the entire catapult level. Luck, if it can be called that, is only that there were no casualties. The Archangel is empty of suits, pilots, and maintenance crew for the catapults and suits. Murrue floats to the window, and the top covering is completely gone over the port catapult deck. She clenches her hands into tight fists. "Ready the Lohengrin Positron Cannons, Target the Catapults. Signal Captain York, we're going to make sure they're not all going home that way."
KTS: Murrue Ramius targets Aelita Novikov with Lohengrin Wide Area Attack!
KTS: Aelita Novikov fails to react to Eight York's Twin Barrel Mega-Particle Cannons Burst, taking 4400 damage!
KTS: Aelita Novikov fails to react to Murrue Ramius's Lohengrin Wide Area Attack, taking 4320 damage!
KTS: Murrue Ramius roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
The linear rifle fires, and Anita is ready for it. The VF-25 ascends quickly, the beam screaming into the distance below her. It might've been pretty bad if she got hit, but she's still in one piece for now. She frowns, though, as she considers the position he's put himself in.
"...Hey, is it just me, or is he trying to lead us in there?" Anita observes. "Careful - he might be planning something."
The VF goes into Fighter Mode to accelerate after him, but doesn't follow him into the hangar just yet. Instead, she returns to GERWALK just as the large beam cannon mounted over the left of the cockpit rises into place.
"I'm gonna distract him with a shot so you two can move in... Ready, Commander?" Anita says, taking aim. She can't coordinate with Sophia as well, not really knowing her as well, but it might provide her with an opportunity as well. The beam cannon is good for accurate, long distance attacks - it might be a surprise to be shot at from so far away! At the very least, it might draw attention her way just long enough.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Armor of the Week with Targeted Beam Cannon Blast!
Incoming attacks:
1: Anita_Rosetta attacking with Targeted Beam Cannon Blast (Beam, Ranged, Accurate)
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to react to Anita Rosetta's Targeted Beam Cannon Blast, taking 5000 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 27125
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"There's a ship here," Rena says. She blinks -- her eyes narrow. "Captain, I'm sensing--I think the Lilac Gale is on that Musaka-class ship. But... it's just a hunch. And we've got a pretty hefty Mobile Suit team, here."
Case in point, Rena sees the missiles hurtling at her -- and the head of the RX-94 turns. The Mass Production-type Nu Gundam turns its head, the vulcans mounted in the forehead blazing to life. Rounds shred through the missiles, and they erupt into fiery explosions between her and Dean. Rena takes a deep breath, then shakes her head. "It's time for us to move past it!"
She takes a deep breath -- and considers what Anita says. "He might be," she transmits. "I'm headed in -- let's keep our wits about us!"
The RX-94's thrusters fire, and it moves with a surprising speed. The thrusters fire -- and Rena shoots in straight for the Gelgoog III, skirting close to the hangar's edge. The Gundam comes in for the Zeonic unit, leaving a sharp trail of light as it comes in closer. The Gundam does a hard, banking turn around the Gelgoog III, managing to fly behind it, and levels its beam rifle. The teal-and-blue rifle turns downward.
It fires, three mega particle lances ripping across space, and coming at the Gelgoog III as it circles about it -- and then a grenade fires, hurtling off towards the Gelgoog's side, as it finishes the tight arc around Dean's Mobile Suit.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Rouse Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged with Armor of the Week
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Parabellum Strafe!
Incoming attacks:
1: Rena_Lancaster attacking with Parabellum Strafe (Ranged, Beam, Accurate, Spread, Missile)
KTS: Armor of the Week blocks Rena Lancaster's Parabellum Strafe, taking 4840 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 22285
=--------------------------[ Lagrange Point 5 [CTD] ]--------------------------=
Name Fac Idle Last Health % Energy Spirit Morale
Rena Lancaster [LBL] 6m 6m 12338 78% 78 21 123
Anita Rosetta [LBL] 4m 9m 11952 79% 77 20 136
Murrue Ramius [LBL] 12m 21m 5926 35% 71 22 120
Eight York [LBL] 8m 33m 11627 68% 103 0 148
Armor of the Week [UNP] 0s 38m 22285 59% 174 107 172
Aelita Novikov [ZFT] 3m 47m 31130 69% 115 47 180
Sophia Mayhew Castellan[GHN] 28m 48m 8654 59% 69 70 118
Lilith_Aiden [LBL] 26m None - - - - -
Lily_Jung [ZFT] 9m None - - - - -
=-----------------------[ Fri Feb 18 21:37:27 2022 ET ]------------------------=
<Pose Tracker> Aelita Novikov has posed.
Across the space between the ships even after the communications channel closes Aelita feels something. The captain of that other ship... the Clop-class. "This presence..."
"Captain?"
"Hm? Oh, nevermind that; everyone, stay on your toes. We're doing well but do not underestimate our enemies. That ship that ambushed us is exactly the kind of high-tech marvel the Rasputin was built to match up against, and there's something about that other ship I don't trust. Until they withdraw or are sunk I want everyone on full alert!"
The defensive formation of the INCOMs proves wise as the pair of enemy ships make a sudden and coordinated attack, but in the moment the crew of the experimental ship shows their inexperience with it's systems. Each of the INCOMs is directed by crew members with the assistance of a powerful computer, but as the crew reacts to the incoming fire they're sent conflicting commands. The beam barriers activate between them, but they're unfocused and out of position; not quite so reliable as the Ra Mari's simpler bow-mounted system.
As the Mega-Particle Cannons fire the barrier weakens and breaks, the Rasputin shaking violently as it's starboard hangar takes a direct hit. With the barrier broken and armor weakened the Lohengrin Positron Cannon finds no impedence and a large section of the hull is opened up, atmosphere spraying out into space along with a few melted chunks of DINNs and GINNs.
"They're targeting our hangar; major hull breach! Casulty reports coming in now."
A fist slams down onto the arm of the captain's chair, and Aelita grits her teeth. "Damn it! We gave them too much time." To think that just moments before she was lecturing the crew on underestimating them. As reports of injured crew members come in, for the Captain Novikov things just went from a serious combat situation to something personal; a feeling that might be felt even across the vast distances the ships are fighting at.
"Engines to seventy five percent thrust, continuous turn to port." The Rasputin lurches and speeds up, pulling away from the other ships while coming about, once more facing it's broadside, this time towards the Archangel. "Set the High-Energy Beam Cannons to Delta Wave firing mode and target that ship. All INCOMs, keep that cruiser busy!"
As the main cannons turn towards the Archangel the INCOMs all immediately turn towards the Ra Mari and begin firing, spraying heavy mega-particle beams across space in a heavy, harrassing bombardment to try and force it to keep it's beam barrier up with continuous but unfocused fire. The reason for that quickly becomes apparent as the Rasputin's main cannons glow, the three barrels of each drawing in power from the main reactor.
"Delta Wave cannons ready, Captain!"
"Fire!" Huge, wide overlapping beams streak across space and threaten to envelop even the Archangel, the chaotic energy of the High-Energy Beams interfering with each other with a pulsing, hammering effect as the intensity of the energy rapidly and unpredictably varies.
KTS: Aelita Novikov has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Aelita Novikov targets Eight York with Ship INCOMs Harrying Formation!
KTS: Aelita Novikov targets Murrue Ramius with Rasputin Main Battery Delta Wave Attack!
<Pose Tracker> Sophia Mayhew Castellan has posed.
Sophia's Flag scoots left and right on its space pack, maneuvering swiftly, but it can't quite slip away from that grenade shot. She tsks, frustrated, as the damage mounts. But she's still got plenty to give.
She hears the call from the Valkyrie, and nods. "Agreed," she says, and stows the Linear Rifle on the Flag's leg. Then she unmounts the Linear CANNON from the torso, swinging it awkwardly into place. This is one of the heavy armaments usually mounted to a groundbound Shell Flag, because it has 'the ground' to stabilize against, not, 'literally nothing.'
Even so, she flicks the charge switch on and starts taking aim. She made him mad with that retort. But that isn't particularly her goal, either. She scans closely. Got to make this one count. Battery packs only have so much to give this thing.
Rather than reply, she grits her teeth for the impact and pulls the trigger. The whole frame of her Flag shakes as the Linear Cannon fires, recoil hitting her straight in the chest with a number of Gs and slowing her forward movement a good bit.
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Eight gets Murrue's signal, coming through a console from her comms operator--Astelian notes it immediately, "We've got data from the Archangel--transmitting to fire control!"
Eight looks with more than a little concern at her own readout; the explosion on contact on the Archangel... But they're still signalling her, so at least the bridge is all right. "We need to get them some support," Eight says, mostly to herself, not over the radio, and looks around the data displays and the viewscreen, looking for her opportunity.
She feels it, too--something about that other Captain...
There's no time to focus on it. The INCOMs turn towards the Ra Mari.
"Reinforcing Beam Shield--" Fari starts to say, but Eight throws out her hand, "Chovan! Evasive maneuvers!" She can feel it--what her opponent wants. She tries to deny it, but while the Ra Mari turns around and makes itself a smaller target, she can't reach the Archangel in time to avoid that powerful Delta Wave cannonfire. Eight's hand curls along her armrest, gripping tightly. "Status report--Archangel, do you read?"
"Fari, turn off the limiters on the cannons. We need to make sure that ship can't fire that cannon again. Rezza, get a relief team ready."
"Miss Lancaster," Eight transmits to Rena. "We're not in a position to offer any more support right now. But I sense her, too. Keep your eyes open. The last thing we need is her coming out to engage. But why hasn't she...?"
She has a question, but no answer.
"Cannons online and ready!" Fari answers his Captain, and Eight nods sharply. The camera cuts in, becoming a close-up of her face. "Train both cannons on that weapon emplacement. Give it everything we've got!"
The Ra Mari's main cannons start to open up, a terrible barrange of red-pink beams crashing towards the Rasputin, in an effort to give the Archangel a little breathing room.
KTS: Eight York targets Aelita Novikov with Twin Barrel Mega-Particle Cannons Focused Assault!
Usage: +spirit <command> [on target]
KTS: You have commands:
| Alert: 15 SP: Adds 30 to Piloting for one round.
| Strike: 15 SP: Adds 30 to Targeting for one round.
| Accel: 15 SP: Raises your Terrains to a floor of C for your next action. Alternatively, if not Engaged with a target, you can target someone with this SC. You then have a chance to Engage them before your attack. This is used during your turn, not while reacting to attacks.
| Assail: 15 SP: Raises your Terrains to a floor of C for your next action. Your next attack is treated as if it had All-Range; a melee attack used in this manner will make you change Fields.
| Dash: 15 SP: If Engaged, you can use this on yourself to attempt to disengage from all other units. If you are already disengaged, raises your control proficiencies by 2 for this turn. This is used during your turn, not while reacting to attacks.
| Daunt: 40 SP: Reduce someone's Morale by 10.
| Spirit: 116/100
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.
=--------------------------[ Lagrange Point 5 [CTD] ]--------------------------=
Name Fac Idle Last Health % Energy Spirit Morale
Eight York [LBL] 1m 1m 7790 45% 38 18 155
Sophia Mayhew Castellan[GHN] 2m 9m 8654 59% 52 55 122
Aelita Novikov [ZFT] 8s 12m 31130 69% 145 32 180
Rena Lancaster [LBL] 4m 25m 12338 78% 78 21 123
Anita Rosetta [LBL] 22m 28m 11952 79% 77 20 136
Murrue Ramius [LBL] 7m 40m 1006 6% 68 40 125
Armor of the Week [UNP] 0s 57m 17926 47% 169 86 176
Lilith_Aiden [LBL] 45m None - - - - -
Lily_Jung [ZFT] 3m None - - - - -
=-----------------------[ Fri Feb 18 21:56:14 2022 ET ]------------------------=
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
The hangar bay is large - it's meant to hold large numbers of cargo containers and their loading and moving units. A Low-Zack construction unit hurriedly scampers away from the fighting and huddles in a corner like a twenty-meter-tall coward.
Still, the room to maneuver in here is reduced. Anita deals with it by flipping into GERWALK mode. With a huff, Dean tries to bring the Gelgoog down towards the floor of the hangar, but Anita's shot is too precise. It slams into the Gelgoog's hip and leaves a half-melted rent in its skirt armour. A red warning light flickers in Dean's peripheral vision as he scowls towards the VF. "Damn it," he mutters. "Bloody persistent...!"
Rena blasts away; the MP Nu Gundam is rather more speedy than the Gelgoog III, and Dean makes up the shortfall by raising his shield to withstand the Kakapo leader's blasting. The first two shots slam into the shield, the third ripping just past it to score a hard blast scar into the Gelgoog's flank. Droplets of liquefied Gundarium go tumbling through the low-gravity environment. Jetting backwards, he drops the Gelgoog into a defensive crouch and brings his shield to the fore to cover against the approaching Flag. Again the Linear Cannon fires, the blast slamming hard into the Gelgoog's shield and impacting viciously enough to nearly rip it out of its mount. Shrapnel sprays back across the machine, further denting armour. Yet Dean still holds.
He's watching. Waiting for the units to converge on him - forcing to come at him through the hangar bay door.
A choke point. One he promptly fills up with missiles and gunfire.
"Got you!" he snaps with a fierce grin as he opens up with a storm of firepower. Missiles bloom from his over-shoulder pods to spray at Sophia en masse; Rena, for her part, gets a blast from the Gelgoog III's rifle as the mobile suit boosts forward in a hard charge. The shot is precisely aimed, scoped to try and tear through the RX-94's armour.
The momentum carries Dean towards his real target - Anita. As he closes in, he shoulders the rifle and snaps a beam tomahawk into readiness. "For Zeon!!" he roars as he barrels into close quarters, taking a hard hack at the GERWALKed variable fighter, then another, before trying to slam Anita's machine back into the frame of the hangar bay doors.
%"The One Year War should've been ours," he snarls. "I was there. I'll never forgive the Federation for destroying space's best chance for freedom!"
All the while, the Musaka lurks at the edges of its range. As two of the Gaza-As try to sneak past with a cargo container each, the quiet presence within just seems to... watch. Not visually. Emotionally. It's focused on Rena right now.
For just a moment, there is a flicker of insight. Rena can see it clearly, for a split second. The image of a dark-haired girl with lilac eyes and a small arrow marking beneath one of them, standing at a viewport, as if looking directly up at her.
...Your name's Rena, isn't it...?
KTS: Armor of the Week has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Rena Lancaster with Beam Shotrifle Charged Shot!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Sophia Mayhew Castellan with Eight-Tube Missile Pods Barrage!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Anita Rosetta with Beam Tomahawk Combo!
KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Anita Rosetta blocks Armor of the Week's Beam Tomahawk Combo, taking 4132 damage!
KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged Anita Rosetta
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 174.
<Pose Tracker> Murrue Ramius has posed.
The combined attack succeeds, though the Rasputin doesn't seem to be deterred by it. Murrue expected a response, but it came harder than she thought the other ship was capable of. A lesson she would take away from this. If this is the capability that these Zeon Embers are capable of, from the parts like they made of with from the attack on that freighter, then there is a whole order of magnitude greater problem, than was understood. Another time another place, she reminds herself.
Bulkheads creak, and groan under strain that their damage stresses to exceed. All of this, passing in a matter of moments. There are casualties. Murrue even registers the frozen corpse floating outside the emergency seals from ruptured bulkheads, but her mind races as she moves, through quicksand to act. The Rasputin is still engaging with the Ra Mari. Press the attack...
"PRESS THE ATTACK! FIRE THE LOHENGRIN"
"Captain we've lost helm control..."
Murrue slams a hand down on the fire control, the power draw on the damaged systems, causes the bridge systems to dim and flicker, before the massive particle beam proton cannons fire free on the Rasputin, full bear. Explosions occur elsewhere across the ship, unable to handle the massive requirements of the Lohengrin Cannons in their current state.
The control panel explodes under Murrue's hands, and she is shot upwards, hitting her head on a broken 4x4 of alloy bulkhead support. The Captain's neck snaps forward and back from the blow, and her vision grows black from the edges. Murrue fights it, trying to get to her seat. "AL-l, all hand-s.. Eme..r..gen...cy... waait...fo..r. aid.."
Raius touches a panel on her arm rest, "Ca-p..ta-in... Yo-r...k Ra-...m-iu.... Ne...n.ee...d... h.ee.l...p.... Cre...w...*Static*
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena's shots slam, repeatedly, into the Gelgoog III's shield. Rena keeps firing until she cannot. They come through the door, and missiles explode out at the Flag. It's the shots through the missile fire that take Rena by surprise. She senses his intent, but--
But there is precious little room to maneuver. The beam shots slash through the armor of the RX-94, the Mass Production-type Nu Gundam getting pieces of it shorn away. Armor along the shoulder and legs is cut into; one of the calf-mounted thrusters is strike, and there is a loud noise inside her suit as it backfires, then is shut off.
"Get away from her!" Rena yells, as the Gelgoog III rushes for Anita. "Funnels! Go!"
The fin funnels explode off the Mass Production-type Nu Gundam's shoulder hardpoint. They drop away and fan out -- moving nimbly through the hangar. Three of them take shots, from different angles, as they begin to circle around the Gelgoog. Rena drives the Gundam forward, rushing for its size. "Hold on...!"
A voice intrudes into her mind. Her eyes widen -- and her mind reels, but the psycho-frame cockpit glimmers behind her mind. The fin funnels stay on course, circling nimbly. One passes over the head of the maintenance Low-Zack.
Rena's mind reaches out. Who... who is this?
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Prominence Revolution!
Incoming attacks:
1: Rena_Lancaster attacking with Prominence Revolution (Melee, Beam, Attuned, Initiation, Anchor)
KTS: Aelita Novikov's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Aelita Novikov blocks Eight York's Twin Barrel Mega-Particle Cannons Focused Assault, taking 3825 damage!
KTS: Rena Lancaster anchors Armor of the Week, forcing it into close range.
KTS: Armor of the Week parries Rena Lancaster's Prominence Revolution, taking 990 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 16936
KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Armor of the Week
KTS: Rena Lancaster: Will Barrier Activates.
KTS: Aelita Novikov's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage.
KTS: Aelita Novikov fails to react to Murrue Ramius's Lohengrin Positron Beam Cannons, taking 6300 damage!
KTS: Murrue Ramius roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
The problem with drawing attention is that it has a tendency to... well, draw attention. The Gelgoog closes in, drawing out a beam tomahawk. Anita attempts to evade, but, indeed - there's not enough room to move properly in here. Instead, she raises her shield. Sparks fly and the Pinpoint Barrier crackles, metal against metal screeching as Anita's VF-25 is pushed back and slammed against the wall.
"...Man, it's been, what, sixteen years? I'm exhausted just thinking of carrying a grudge that long..." Anita mutters, a little dazed. "The War's been over, but you never moved on from it, huh?"
This isn't a great position for her... but, thankfully, Rena comes to her defense. Anita lets out a sigh of relief as she forces her machine back into a standing position and shakes her head to clear her thoughts.
"Thanks, Rena..." Anita replies. Back on her feet, the VF-25 draws its combat knife and moves in with a series of acrobatic sweeping strikes on the Gelgoog. They're flashy, and that's the point - the idea is to keep him guessing where the next attack will come from and keep him off balance. Hopefully the others will be able to capitalize on that, too.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Armor of the Week with Acrobatic Sweep!
Incoming attacks:
1: Anita_Rosetta attacking with Acrobatic Sweep (Physical, Melee, Rattle)
KTS: Anita Rosetta rattles Armor of the Week, making its next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Armor of the Week parries Anita Rosetta's Acrobatic Sweep, taking 1140 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 15796
KTS: Anita Rosetta has engaged Armor of the Week
=--------------------------[ Lagrange Point 5 [CTD] ]--------------------------=
Name Fac Idle Last Health % Energy Spirit Morale
Anita Rosetta [LBL] 28s 33s 7820 51% 78 30 150
Rena Lancaster [LBL] 9m 10m 6828 43% 86 24 122
Murrue Ramius [LBL] 1m 12m 1006 6% 44 15 131
Armor of the Week [UNP] 0s 22m 15796 41% 228 64 180
Eight York [LBL] 9m 25m 7790 45% 74 18 163
Sophia Mayhew Castellan[GHN] 14m 33m 8654 59% 52 65 124
Aelita Novikov [ZFT] 9m 35m 21005 46% 140 66 180
Lilith_Aiden [LBL] 1h None - - - - -
Lily_Jung [ZFT] 6m None - - - - -
=-----------------------[ Fri Feb 18 22:20:01 2022 ET ]------------------------=
<Pose Tracker> Sophia Mayhew Castellan has posed.
There's no great big BONNNNNG from the impact of cannon shell into shield, but the little pip on her heads-up display notifying her of impact thuds in her ears anyway. Sophia bites out a low noise. They make those shields strong, she thinks. She reattaches the linear cannon and flicks the controls for transformation, the aft thrusters blasting on just as the return-fire missiles come on. She drives right at them, peppering with fire from the onboard autocannon. This time, when they explode, the Flight Mode of the Flag bursts out the other side of the fireball, pursuing. "Firing missile," she says, her only warning before what would be the shins of her Flag burst open, firing a pair of her own missiles downrange toward the Gelgoog and company.
"And yet, it wasn't," Sophia says, cold. "And now, you have reduced yourself to this."
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan targets Armor of the Week with Onboard Missile Rack Double Fire!
Incoming attacks:
1: Sophia_Mayhew_Castellan attacking with Onboard Missile Rack Double Fire (Ranged, Physical, Missile)
charge not permitted in RangeEngaged
KTS: Armor of the Week blocks Sophia Mayhew Castellan's Onboard Missile Rack Double Fire, taking 4810 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Sophia Mayhew Castellan's I See Your Sins activates, causing Designate L1!
Your unit's HP stands at 10986
<Pose Tracker> Aelita Novikov has posed.
The batttle has now become heated enough that reports from crew members are continuous. The static from jamming has mostly been worked through and Aelita is tracking the progress through her own tactical display as much as she is her bridge crew. It's a lot to track at once, but she keeps her cool. 'The benefits of battle hardened Coordinators,' she thinks briefly to herself before sweeping aside the distracting thought.
Far more pressing is the fact that despite a heavy assault by the Delta Wave cannons the Archangel is still showing full energy signatures. The downsides of experimental technology again rearing it's head, perhaps. "Recharge the Delta Wave Cannons and keep them trained on the larger Federation ship. It's proving too large a thorn in our side."
Her attention is focused on the Archangel, and probably too much so. As energy pours into the large battleship's capacitors her eyes suddenly widen, "No!" All at once the INCOMs targeting the other ship stop firing as Eight's intent becomes clear to her, each of the long, cabled weapons rushing and interposing themselves between the Ra Mari and the Rasputin's large cannons, directed not by the crew, but by Aelita herself. Several layers of barriers errect between the incoming Mega-Particle beams and the large cannons, ablating and deflecting them. The ship shudders and for a brief moment the lighting throught the ship dims then flares as the remaining beam energy impacts the turrets.
"Captain! Reading dangerously elevated power levels from the main battery!"
"Discharge the capacitors and stow the cannons!" With a short but heavy sigh Aelita, grips the arms of her chair, "We'd have lost the entire bow on a direct hit."
The dangers of fighting two ships at onces rears it's ugly head now, as the damaged Archangel gathers power and fires it's own powerful main battery. Several INCOMs once more rush to interpose themselves between the attack and the Rasputin-- but this proves less than futile. As the Positron Beam streaks in the INCOMs themselves are taken by the wash of antimatter, errupting and exploding, four of them immediately vaporized by the power of the Lohengrin Cannons. The Rasputin itself only fares any better by it's immense size- not as long as the Archangel but bulkier by far.
The port hangar, with it's damaged catapult, takes a full broadside and all but simply ceases to be. The Rasputin shakes violently from the impact and all over the ship people are thrown from their seats and berths. What mobile suits remain inside the starboard Hangar rattle around and smash against the wall and decking, the resulting carnage only made better by the fact it'd already been evacuated after it'd depressurized. Aelita herself gets thrown from her chair, only just managing to reorient herself in time to catch herself on the large viewscreen, now blaring errors and damage reports from all across the ship.
Gritting her teeth and seeing the tactical station is unoccupied, she jumps off and catches herself on the console, shouting commands as she sails across the bridge, "All hands begin damage control operations! Seal all pressure doors and reroute power through remaining conduits!" Looking over the tactical console she grits her teeth. Main cannons stowed, multiple INCOMs damaged and destroyed. About the only thing left is the missiles... but they might be enough. A sweep of her hand lights up all remaining tubes and she slams her hand down, commanding nobody in a sudden fit of pique, "Target enemy ships! Fire at will! Fire everything!"@emit The batttle has now become heated enough that reports from crew members are continuous. The static from jamming has mostly been worked through and Aelita is tracking the progress through her own tactical display as much as she is her bridge crew. It's a lot to track at once, but she keeps her cool. 'The benefits of battle hardened Coordinators,' she thinks briefly to herself before sweeping aside the distracting thought.
Far more pressing is the fact that despite a heavy assault by the Delta Wave cannons the Archangel is still showing full energy signatures. The downsides of experimental technology again rearing it's head, perhaps. "Recharge the Delta Wave Cannons and keep them trained on the larger Federation ship. It's proving too large a thorn in our side."
Her attention is focused on the Archangel, and probably too much so. As energy pours into the large battleship's capacitors her eyes suddenly widen, "No!" All at once the INCOMs targeting the other ship stop firing as Eight's intent becomes clear to her, each of the long, cabled weapons rushing and interposing themselves between the Ra Mari and the Rasputin's large cannons, directed not by the crew, but by Aelita herself. Several layers of barriers errect between the incoming Mega-Particle beams and the large cannons, ablating and deflecting them. The ship shudders and for a brief moment the lighting throught the ship dims then flares as the remaining beam energy impacts the turrets.
"Captain! Reading dangerously elevated power levels from the main battery!"
"Discharge the capacitors and stow the cannons!" With a short but heavy sigh Aelita, grips the arms of her chair, "We'd have lost the entire bow on a direct hit."
The dangers of fighting two ships at onces rears it's ugly head now, as the damaged Archangel gathers power and fires it's own powerful main battery. Several INCOMs once more rush to interpose themselves between the attack and the Rasputin-- but this proves less than futile. As the Positron Beam streaks in the INCOMs themselves are taken by the wash of antimatter, errupting and exploding, four of them immediately vaporized by the power of the Lohengrin Cannons. The Rasputin itself only fares any better by it's immense size- not as long as the Archangel but bulkier by far.
The port hangar, with it's damaged catapult, takes a full broadside and all but simply ceases to be. The Rasputin shakes violently from the impact and all over the ship people are thrown from their seats and berths. What mobile suits remain inside the starboard Hangar rattle around and smash against the wall and decking, the resulting carnage only made better by the fact it'd already been evacuated after it'd depressurized. Aelita herself gets thrown from her chair, only just managing to reorient herself in time to catch herself on the large viewscreen, now blaring errors and damage reports from all across the ship.
Gritting her teeth and seeing the tactical station is unoccupied, she jumps off and catches herself on the console, shouting commands as she sails across the bridge, "All hands begin damage control operations! Seal all pressure doors and reroute power through remaining conduits!" Looking over the tactical console she grits her teeth. Main cannons stowed, multiple INCOMs damaged and destroyed. About the only thing left is the missiles... but they might be enough. A sweep of her hand lights up all remaining tubes and she slams her hand down, commanding nobody in a sudden fit of pique, "Target enemy ships! Fire at will! Fire everything!"
Her open palm slams down on the console and a 10 missile tubes pop open, a massive salvo of anti-ship torpedoes belching out from the Multipurpose Vertical-Launch System and screaming in towards the Ra Mari and the Archangel. There's nothing at all measured or tactical about it, in the heat of the moment.
KTS: Aelita Novikov has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus.
KTS: Aelita Novikov has activated the Attune Spirit Command.
KTS: Aelita Novikov has activated the Enable Spirit Command.
KTS: Aelita Novikov targets Murrue Ramius with MVLS Anti-Ship Torpedo Salvo!
KTS: Aelita Novikov targets Eight York with MVLS Anti-Ship Torpedo Salvo!
KTS: Eight York fails to intercept Aelita Novikov's MVLS Anti-Ship Torpedo Salvo, taking 9643 damage!
KTS: Eight York's Clop-class Cruiser Ra Mari has been disabled.
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
The image, at least, doesn't linger - but there's still that sense of presence. A familiar one, but distantly - a lilac sensation. The connection to Rena is simultaneously both close and distant. Like someone is looking at her through frosted glass.
My name is Saraven....
You're... upset, aren't you? When you see Zeon....
In closer range, Emback Dean is not privy to Rena Lancaster's private conversation. He clenches his teeth as the MP Nu's funnels whirl, maneuvering to one side and swinging his beam tomahawk out to try and bat one of the funnels away when it ventures close. His shield soaks up a few shots from another angle, a few more shots pelting the Gelgoog's back and leaving impact marks in its shoulder and side plating before he can steer around Anita, trying to position her in such a way that it's hard for Rena to shoot without hitting the Variable Fighter.
"I'll move on when the Federation treats the colonies like equals!" vents Dean as Anita mutters into the radio. The frustration rolling off him is tempered only by how familiar the feelings are at this point. As she maneuvers and sweeps, the Gelgoog swings its leg out and snaps its beam saber, crossing its wrist with the variable fighter's before catching another strike with its calf armour. Another sweep, though, pushes the Gelgoog's leg back, the machine staggering. "Gch," Dean hisses, fussing with his controls to try and maintain balance.
It's Sophia who manages to get the best firing solution on the Gelgoog III. With a growl, Dean jukes backwards and tries to steer away from the missile, but finds himself too constrained by the chokepoint to avoid all of it. The blast goes off just shy of a full-on impact, still enough to hurl the Gelgoog bodily into the hangar doorframe. A propellant tank crumples and breaks open, spilling fuel through the vacuum. Clenching his teeth as he's jolted violently against his seat, the veteran taps his comm pickup and shouts to his unit. "Get whatever you can and load it onto the ship! Don't worry about me!"
Sophia's cold declaration is met with a transmission back - above a fierce grin. Resigned, but defiant. ""Reduced.' You don't even know what's coming, do you? The Red Comet has returned, and when we achieve our goals, your Federation will crumble. After all these years, the past will be avenged." That defiance flares, with a note of finality. "If my sacrifice is what it takes to get to that day...."
The Gelgoog III suddenly lashes out, beam tomahawk slashing to one side, then the other. It bites towards Anita's VF, trying to cleave off one of those pesky arms, before Dean spins towards Rena with a vicious backspin aimed to bite into the Nu's torso - and then he's charging. Thrusters ablaze, leaving a train of dripping propellant behind, Grunherz Leader closes on Sophia's Union Flag, tomahawk blazing as he barrels in.
"...Then LONG LIVE THE INDEPENDENT PRINCIPALITY OF ZEON!!" he roars as he tries to slash through the Flag's fore section in a furious rush!
No matching attacks.
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Anita Rosetta with Beam Tomahawk Thrust!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Sophia Mayhew Castellan with Beam Tomahawk Combo!
KTS: Armor of the Week targets Rena Lancaster with Beam Tomahawk Strike!
KTS: Rena Lancaster's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Rena Lancaster blocks Armor of the Week's Beam Tomahawk Strike, taking 3148 damage!
KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged Rena Lancaster
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 238.
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan has activated the Foresee Spirit Command.
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan fails to evade Armor of the Week's Beam Tomahawk Combo, taking 4624 damage!
KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged Sophia Mayhew Castellan
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 270.
KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to retreat.
KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to react to Armor of the Week's Beam Tomahawk Thrust, taking 3739 damage!
KTS: Armor of the Week has engaged Anita Rosetta
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 302.
=--------------------------[ Lagrange Point 5 [CTD] ]--------------------------=
Name Fac Idle Last Health % Energy Spirit Morale
Armor of the Week [UNP] 0s 9m 10986 29% 302 43 180
Aelita Novikov [ZFT] 6m 17m 21005 46% 152 1 180
Sophia Mayhew Castellan[GHN] 4m 19m 4030 27% 60 55 131
Anita Rosetta [LBL] 1s 28m 4081 27% 75 40 150
Rena Lancaster [LBL] 38s 38m 3680 23% 81 42 128
Murrue Ramius [LBL] 9m 40m - - - - -
Eight York [LBL] 6m 53m - - - - -
Lilith_Aiden [LBL] 13m None - - - - -
Lily_Jung [ZFT] 10m None - - - - -
-----------------------[ Fri Feb 18 22:47:52 2022 ET ]------------------------
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena gets that distinct sensation of someone watching her. An imperfect one, like she can only be half-seen. Her brow furrows, and she slams the controls forward -- and there is a moment of distraction.
[:067,It's... personal to me. Just something I can't look past.
It sounds a bit weak.
"This isn't going to change anything!" Rena answers Dean, as the Gelgoog dances with all of them. "You shouldn't give your life for this! No one should give their life for this!"
The Gelgoog III's beam saber slams into the Mass Production-type Nu Gundam's shield. It leaves a gouge through half of it, before the beam tomahawk flies out -- and silver rivulets fly off, spinning off into orbs in low gravity.
The Gundam reaches over its shoulder, grabbing hold of the beam saber. The weapon is pulled free -- and then an explosion of energy shoots out, as the mega particles form a glowing pink blade of light. It burns white at the core.
She rushes at Dean's Gelgoog. The RX-94 throws its badly damaged shield to the side, and it hits the hangar floor and bounces, before it grabs the beam saber with both hands. The Gundam rushes in -- and slashes up with one, hard stroke.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Armor of the Week with Charge Ignition!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"...I can't really handle this type..." Anita mutters to herself. Talking doesn't seem like it'll accomplish much here.
The Gelgood approaches, beam tomahawk swinging for one of the VF's arms. Anita tries to rocket backward, but there's still not enough space here. The beam tomahawk bites viciously into her barrier - if it weren't for that, he might very well have succeeded.
"Two can play at that game... Maybe you'll cool off a bit once you're disarmed." Anita observes. Her machine rushes forward. Energy flickers over her knife as she directs the Pinpoint Barrier system to coat the weapon for added effectiveness, using a quick stab and slashing upward motion to try and cut away the hand holding onto the beam tomahawk that's been giving her so much trouble.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Enable Spirit Command.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Armor of the Week with Pinpoint Barrier Knife Thrust!
Incoming attacks:
1: Anita_Rosetta attacking with Pinpoint Barrier Knife Thrust (Physical, Melee, Barrier Breaker)
Block does not work against Barrier Breaker
KTS: Armor of the Week parries Anita Rosetta's Pinpoint Barrier Knife Thrust, taking 1860 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 4996
KTS: Anita Rosetta has engaged Armor of the Week
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
The Archangel is listing dangerously; Eight can see it from her position, not just notice it on the displays. She can feel the death out there; while the Ra Mari has been fortunate so far in not being hit in systems full of people, the same is not true of the others in space. Captain York continues to monitor the communications band, until finally she hears--there. A communication. They need help...
But the INCOMs have put themselves in place. Eight at least sees that her assault has accomplished the goal she had in mind--the cannons stow, and Eight sighs a sigh of relief. Not long, though.
The Ra Mari is still there, as Eight notices the movement of those INCOMs--But it's the missiles that come next. Eight senses that intention before it comes, but the intention isn't enough, not in a ship this large. "Chovan--Move--"
There's no way to dodge out of the way; the salvo of anti-ship torpedoes slams in, and the Ra Mari's CIWS can only shoot down so many of them. If it had been at all measured or tactical, maybe Eight could've devised a countermeasure, but as it stands--
The starboard side of the ship takes a huge hit from the torpedo, an entire section of ship eroded away in an instant in an explosive blast that decompresses part of the hull; the other torpedoes mercifully hit primarily in armor, but another hits a solar panel, and another still impacts on one of the main cannons.
"Damn--"
Explosions rock the cruiser, and Captain York finds that the alarms and casualty reports are coming faster and faster--
"Get those shuttles underway!" she orders Rezza, "Damage control, get me reports!"
"Main cannons are out, Captain!" Fari declares, and seems... angrier than before, if anything, almost full of rage for some reason. She can't process it. "Helm control is spotty!" Chovan calls. "Sensors overloading," Astelian mentions. But all of them are still in their seats due to being strapped in. So there is that.
"...We can't send the shuttles until that ship is gone, Captain," Rezza says, as Eight looks over the damage on the Archangel too. "All remaining focus..."
"Full power to the beam shield and full focus on CIWS. Nothing else gets through to us. We're out of this fight."
She sighs. There's not much else she can do. She considers...
"Open me a channel, Astelian. To the enemy ship."
Eight, in a Federation uniform--nineteen, twenty at most--appears on the screen if contact is accepted and it can still display them. "Captain Novikov of the Rasputin. ...I'm not in a position to interfere with your mission any longer. If you're willing to leave the Archangel as it is instead of pursuing further hostilities against my fellow ship, then I'll leave it at that. We can't pursue you. ...But I don't think..." She feels it. Yes, she feels it. "Neither of us wants what would have to happen if we kept this fight going." Eight eyes the proximity alerts; she looks to the helm control they still have. With the shield ahead of them...
It might work. But it would lose a lot of lives, maybe all of them.
"We're backing off."
"Captain?" Fari asks. "These--we still have weapons! We could still finish them! We--"
"Our priority is the safety of the Archangel at this time," Captain York responds sharply. "They asked us for help, and they're counting on us to use what we have left for them. Not to pursue revenge."
"I--" Why is he so mad? Eight can't place it. But Fari sighs, and looks back to his console. "...Aye, ma'am. Focusing on intercepting any fire."
Eight looks to Rezza. "If that ship backs off... get our shuttles out there."
She shakes her head. "And if they don't..."
>Sorry, Rena. I wasn't good enough this time.
She doesn't mean to let the thought out, and she follows it up by the radio to her pilots and to Sophia, "You'll want to dock at the asteroid for now. We need to make sure our hangar's still intact enough to receive you. We can offer no fire support against the mobile suits down there."
Sophia Mayhew Castellan transforms to SVM-01 Union Flag Sophia Custom
<Pose Tracker> Sophia Mayhew Castellan has posed.
Sophia grunts at Dean's thunderous pride, and then again, differently, because her Flag just got caught flush by the Gelgoog's beam tomahawk. It's not a critical hit, but it is enough to send her spinning aside.
She flicks the transformation switch, the Flag rapidly reconfiguring into its humanoid mode. She might prefer to get out, but if she's stuck in for a moment anyway...she reaches down to the forearm mount, drawing the Flag's Sonic Blade, setting it to revving.
Then she twists another control knob, and the entire knife is engulfed in a column of plasma fire, her machine's internal engines blasting it straight out the hilt of the blade. "Well. I do know something about clinging to our foolish wishes..."
"So, I will be too happy to send a fool on his way!" she cries, and the Flag's engines burn high as she rides forward to cleave clear through that Gelgoog!
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan has activated the Foresee Spirit Command.
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan targets Armor of the Week with Plasma Blade Cleave!
KTS: Armor of the Week fails to react to Sophia Mayhew Castellan's Plasma Blade Cleave, taking 4050 damage!
Your unit's HP stands at 946
KTS: Sophia Mayhew Castellan has engaged Armor of the Week
<Pose Tracker> Armor of the Week has posed.
Everyone says that....
Isn't it... personal for everyone...?
The hatred for each other...
There is, for a moment, a sense of confusion that filters through the vague consciousness touching Rena's. Understanding grasped for but missed. As if some connection isn't being made properly.
Is it... comfortable...? To hate someone....
She might well ask Emback Dean about that; the frustration and hate pulse at the heart of his consciousness, underlying a surge of determination and finality. He knows this isn't going his way - but every second he can tie up the Kakapo Squadron and Sophia spares the retrieval units having to deal with elite pilots. The RX-94 hurls its shield aside and moves in, and Dean roars with defiance and slams his shield forward.
Rena's blade hacks a divot clean through it - and cleaves through the missile magazine. There's an internal explosion that tears the shield's gutted remnants away, severing the Gelgoog III's arm at the elbow as the rest of it is blasted off. The impact slams Dean hard against his seat, only his harnesses restraining him, but his head hits the headrest firmly enough that he bites his lower lip.
When Anita comes in with energized knife in hand, Dean whirls and whips his beam tomahawk out again. The energy of the two weapons' fields arcs against each other as they clash together - but bit by bit, the drain is sucking the power from the tomahawk's E-cap. Dean closes his eyes for a moment and exhales.
When he opens them again, it's to glance to one side as Sophia comes barreling in at high speed. He sinks back in his seat.
"Red Comet," he says, voice low. "Avenge what I couldn't."
A second later, the Union Flag slams into the Gelgoog from the side. The plasma blade slashes through the damaged torso armour and through the cockpit wall. The last thing Emback Dean sees is his world lighting up with brilliant colour and an energetic whine.
There's a soundless crash as the Gelgoog hits the hangar wall, a huge rent torn two-thirds of the way through its body. It does not do anything more than drift slowly off from there. This is mostly because the gash Sophia cut runs clean through the cockpit block.
Out in space, the ships are beginning to withdraw. So are the mobile suits. Several Zakus are left behind; most of those filing into the freighter and the Musaka are in some state of damaged. One of the Gaza-As has lost an arm and withdrawn empty-handed. The remainder have carried a few cargo crates onto the transport, and both ships are beginning to turn away, back towards deep space.
They're shepherded back onto the Musaka by a single mobile suit standing at the catapult.
The lilac-coloured Varguil. It does not launch. From the cockpit, Saraven Vai watches Ganymed begin to recede.
Rena can feel the subtle shift in the connection. Eight can feel the edges of it, too, but it's Rena's to experience most closely. Through the hazy window, there is a flicker of quiet sadness - subdued, but tangible, beginning to pull away as the Musaka and its freighter escort does.
...Kakapo... does it ever feel better...?
The asteroid stands. Some things have gone missing - energy caps, power cells. Ganymed has taken some damage. But it can be fixed. Lives and old hatreds are harder.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
It's okay, Octo. We'll be out soon.
Rena feels that little spike of fear when she hears that the Ra Mari is pulling back -- due to damage -- but she keeps it under control. A few deep breaths, and then her eyes are back on Dean. She hears the thoughts in her mind -- asking if it's personal for everyone. Asking if it's easy. She has an answer, but it doesn't come. It isn't just the necessity of the fight.
The RX-94 bounces backward from its attack, and the Union Flag hits it. The Gelgoog smashes into the wall, Sophia's strike putting an end to Dean. Rena stares at it for a moment longer. The beam saber flickers out -- and then it's stuck back into the recharge wrack.
Rena can't see outside. She can feel the shift, though; the departure. Her eyes close.
Saraven asks her a question.
She breathes out a sigh. She doesn't answer. Instead, over the short-range communications, she sends a transmission: "We've got the hangar secure."
<Pose Tracker> Aelita Novikov has posed.
Even as the Rastputin's torpedoes strike true Aelita doesn't feel any joy from it. Whether or not they win this battle the damage sustained to the Rasputin is enough that it's a phyrric victory at best. Up until now her command had always been one distinguished by low casualties, and especially low deaths. She'd made a point of bringing her people home alive. The Rasputin's crew was hand picked- almost irreplacable, just like the experimental ship itself. How many of their number had she just lost? People who she, personally, had brought aboard this ship to fight the Federation and take vengeance for those that had died?
How many lives lost, how many families destroyed and rent with anguish, specifically because she, Aelita Novikov, had seen the spark of potential within them?
"Too many. It's always too many," she hisses under her breath. Even if she doesn't know the number, she can feel their losses, the brilliance within them gone forever to the vacuum of space. Even if she wanted to she can't shut out similar feelings from those on the ships she was fighting. She'd fought -beside- Clop-class Cruisers before in her old Laurasia-class commands, right alongside Londo Bell in the second Neo Zeon war. The irony of it is hardly lost on her. Of all the forces of the Federation ZAFT is arrayed against, Londo Bell is the group she wants to fight the least.
The ship's red energency lights come on and bring some sense of combat normalcy back to the bridge, tearing Aelita from her momentary reverie. Working her way back to her Captain's chair she takes a seat, her hat gone and ponytail having half worked it's way out in the preceeding chaos. "Rasputin to Sleeves forces, be advised that we've taken critical damage and must retreat. The Federation ships shouldn't give you any more trouble, but we're in no condition to engage agile Mobile Suits while so damaged."
It wouldn't take an ace to find the weakness in the Rasputin now, most of it's port side armor having been completely ablated away, almost the entire side of the ship having vented to space under the force of the Lohgengrin Positron Beam Cannons; the extent of the damage is great and obvious to anyone with eyes or cameras on the ship.
Nearly as soon as she sends her own message out to her allies the Comms officer speaks up, "Incoming message! From... the Federation cruiser?"
"I'll take it. Patch it through."
Aelita meets Eight's gaze, looking roughter for the wear for the younger captain despite the states of the ships systems. The strap around the other captain's waist does not go unnoticed. Though she keeps her expression firm like her first transmission, as the message is received Eight would feel a small measure of relief coming from Aelita.
'At least the ones we're fighting today care enough about their crew and allies to see reason,' she thinks to herself before replying.
"Awknowledged, Captain. We're not butchers and have no desire to engage in undue loss of life; the Rasputin will withdraw." A beat passes as she holds her steady gaze before adding, "However, if your ship resumes hostilities, so will Rasputin." Along with the message is a subtle psyhic undercurrent.
>And I will know if you do.
The line cuts off and Aelita looks again to her armrest tactical display. Sleeves forces seem to be withdrawing; good timing. "Helm bring us away from the Archangel and bring the Rasputin in rearguard formation behind the Musaka. We'll maintain a combat posture until we're out of sensor range and escort for six hours, then make a break for Side 2. Inform damage control crews to focus on spaceworthiness and energy systems to the engines; we're heading in to drydock. All available volunteers with medical experience, please report to medical bays."
The crew quickly gets the Rasputin back under power and it sweeps away from the Federation ships and Ganymed, the remaining INCOMs sweeping back behind it in a fully defensive posture and errecting a protective shell around the ship's engines, the beam barrrier flickering as it's hit with wash from the ships powerful engines.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
...It's over. The man got what he wanted, Anita supposes. She sits there for a moment, and then looks at the others present.
"Thanks for the help there, ma'am." Anita comments to Sophia. She has to admit, that fight would've been very difficult without her. With that said, she skates her machine over next to Rena's RX-94.
"...Rena." Anita murmurs. She doesn't have much to add. She's not sure there's much she can say at the moment - not much she needs to say. She can at least offer her presence there, at least until they can be picked up.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Good work," Rena transmits to Sophia.
She sits back in her cockpit. Her eyebrows furrow for a second, and she looks down at her controls for a moment. She feels the Lilac Gale's presence growing more distant -- and answers to her questions even moreso. Her lips purse for a moment. There is worry, too, about Eight. She almost gets lost in that, but--
But Anita speaks, and that has a way of bringing her out of those moments she gets into her own head. She opens up a direct line to her; her patience for rank is running thin.
"You okay, Annie?"
<Pose Tracker> Sophia Mayhew Castellan has posed.
The Union Flag saws a chunk out of the Gelgoog, which happens to contain some, but not all, of its pilot. Sophia rips the weapon free, the Plasma Blade dispersing for her to stow the Sonic Blade.
The Flag remains there for a moment as she searches for something unseen in her sensors...but finds nothing she deems remarkable.
As for Londo Bell... ...nothing. The Flag faceplate turns toward them, its configurable face shining once in a silent acknowledgement of a mission completed, and then she's on her way. She switches her unit back to Flight Mode and jets back into open space. "Helios," she announces. "I'm returning. We'll patrol until Hyperion gets here."
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Eight can't feel the Lilac Gale anymore, not in any focus--her mind is occupied with someone else. As she makes her contact with Captain Novikov, she notices how worse for wear the other Captain looks. Eight at least has the advantage of not looking as ruffled as she feels, though ruffled is by far too weak a word for it. She acknowledges her transmission...
"Acknowledged, Captain."
>...You will, won't you?
It's a surprise as much as anything, to finally receive something from the other Captain. But true to her word, Eight makes no aggressive motion, despite Fari's protests. The Ra Mari hangs in space, badly, badly damaged, but once the Rasputin sweeps away, its shuttles move out to get a relief crew over to the Archangel.
"...Call in support," Eight directs. "Get me status reports on all locations. I'm going to..."
She has a lot to do, yet. But Rena says they'll be out soon, in her mind...
"Hangar secure acknowledged," Eight says to Rena and the others over the radio. "...Good work out there."
Eight sighs, and gets back to the business of pulling together her ship.
That captain...
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
There's a moment of hesitation that's telling, even without empathic signals, for those who've known her a while.
"...Yeah, I'm alright. Little roughed up, though." Anita replies with a sheepish laugh. It's a little forced and falls a little flat.. She glances briefly toward the Flag at its silent acknowledgment... and shivers, just slightly.
"...Things'll be okay." She says, in an attempt at encouragement.