2023-01-31: The Origin of Destruction

• Log: The Origin Of Destruction
• Cast: Rau Le Creuset, Lacus Clyne, Riika Sheder, Rita Bernal, Eight York, Ryoko Subaru, Mobile Weapon Team, Shiho Hahnenfuss, Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta, Naoko Suzuki, Himeyuri Oono, Treize Khushrenada, Yurika Misumaru, Hikaru Amano, Michiru Tenjou, Natarle Badgiruel
• Where: Side 2 - PLANTs
• OOC - IC Date: 0093-01-31
• Summary: The Federation goes for the first major assault against the PLANTs since the war started, while the Three Ships Alliance makes its debut to try and get the two sides to stop fighting. The Federation fires nuclear weapons at the PLANTs in an attempt to destroy them. Despite a desperate attempt to protect them, one of the PLANTs is destroyed in nuclear fire. In retaliation, ZAFT fires its GENESIS superweapon towards the Orbital Ring, causing damage and death to a section of the Tenchu Orbital Tower.

---

<Pose Tracker> Rau Le Creuset has posed.

        "We stand at the precipice, facing those who would condemn us for our
 birth."

        "They still try to stand against us, the ones who threaten our world."

        "Despite all we've suffered through to get to this point, we remain
 strong."

        "They are clearly on their last legs and cannot hold us back. Makes you
 wonder why they try."

        "As we prepare to take this next step towards our future, one thing is
 assured..."

        "This is the end for them. And after this, everyone will realise..."

        "Ours is a just cause." - Patrick Zala
        "Ours is a just cause." - Muruta Azrael

        Cheers go up from the soldiers of ZAFT as their leader addresses the
 large amount of their forces that have gathered here, over a hundred teams. On
 the Federation's side, six fleets are preparing to face off against them.
 Though the comments made off hand to those on the bridge of the flagship
 receive far less enthusiasm. The Federation outnumbers ZAFT by almost three to
 one in terms of ships and mobile weapon numbers. Of course, the numbers have
 never been in ZAFT's favour. They've always relied on superior technology and
 Coordinator abilities to even the odds.

        Still, it certainly looks like ZAFT is being pressed up against the
 ropes, as just behind their forces is the asteroid fortress of Jachin Due.
 ZAFT's last line of defense. And just beyond that, the PLANTs themselves. One
 hundred and nineteen shining hourglasses in the darkness of space.

        The PLANT Supreme Council Chairman, Patrick Zala, is overseeing ZAFT's
 defense. Within a command centre deep within Jachin Due, surrounded by
 numerous military advisers and operators, he stares intently at the main
 screen showing the Federation forces. The large planet Earth backing them.
 'These people have taken so much from us... From me...' He frowns as he thinks
 to himself. For over thirty years he has given his everything to the PLANTs.
 Working to improve them and give everyone living within them a better life.
 And the result? His wife killed with Junius Seven's destruction. His son
 betraying him, turning traitor to the very society he's tried to create. Said
 society on the verge of complete destruction. And it can all be traced to
 them... The Naturals.

        NIA Majority Leader for the Federation Assembly, secret head of Blue
 Cosmos, and the defacto person in charge of this Federation force, Muruta
 Azrael, smiles. From the bridge of the Archangel-class vessel and flagship of
 this fleet, the Dominion, he looks out upon the ZAFT forces arrayed ahead. And
 beyond them, those eyesores, the PLANTs. For years he's been working towards
 this moment. Whispering in the right ears. Strong-arming the right companies.
 Discrediting the right politicians. All to reach this moment when he will
 finally be able to rid the world of the source of its greatest threat. He got
 a taste of this coming victory when, on his orders, the Junius Seven PLANT was
 destroyed. Now he will finish what he started against those who would declare
 themselves superior to normal people. Those monsters... The Coordinators.

        There are no declarations of intent. No negotiations. No demands for
 surrender. This is no longer a war between factions, it's a fight for
 survival. Both sides know what is coming and have no intention of turning
 away, charging head first into the coming devastation, intending to be the
 only side that survives.

        It's not clear who shot first, but either way it doesn't matter. Soon
 enough, the space between the two forces is filled with a vast array of lights
 and explosions. Warships on both sides firing a large number of beam cannons
 and missiles at each other. Quite a majority of the shots miss, Minovsky
 interference throwing off beam cannon aim, while CIWS turrets shoot down
 approaching missiles. But every now and then, hits will occur. Beams will
 carve through a warship, missiles blowing open large holes in their hulls.
 Some even score lucky strikes, triggering secondary explosions resulting in a
 blossoming of light as the vessel explodes. A tragic, yet also oddly
 beautiful, end to hundreds of lives. All the while, mobile weapons begin to
 charge forward through the gap that separates the two forces, preparing to
 engage their counterparts once they close the distance.

        However, these two forces are not the only ones here today. For from
 above the battlefield, a third force approaches. The newly formed Three Ships
 Alliance. A force not quite yet recognised by the world at large, this will be
 their debut. And they've chosen quite a stage on which to demonstrate their
 intentions for this war going forward.

        A stage which is still missing one key star.

        Within one of the many hangars built into the asteroid that is Jachin
 Due, Rau Le Creuset floats in front of his new unit. He smirks, 'Finally, with
 this... A fitting tool with which to ensure that this all ends.'

        Soon enough, a new unit launches from Jachin Due. Already it's likely
 to draw attention in its direction, as its power levels register at heights
 well beyond anything else ZAFT has fielded to date. But as it dives into the
 brawl that has formed, where the mobile weapons from both sides are clashing,
 it suddenly demonstrates even further reason to be concerned. The unit carves
 its way through the Federation forces it encounters with relative ease and
 disturbing speed, with seemingly no assistance from its allies.

        Closer inspection of the unit reveals... It's a Gundam! A rather bulky
 one too, with a huge beam rifle, similarly huge backpack and multiple
 protrusions which look suspiciously like...

        "Hahahahahahaha!" Rau is laughing with mad glee in the cockpit of the
 ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam. He throws himself into a formation of six
 Federation units, mentally directing the remote bits of the DRAGOON system to
 detach from his machine. They quickly speed off, taking up attack positions
 around the units before firing beams. The beams pierce through the chests and
 energy packs of all six of them at the same time, causing six simultaneous
 explosions.

        As the DRAGOONs return to the Providence to dock with it once more, Rau
 smirks, "Wonderful. Wonderful!"

<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.

It's not clear who shot first, but either way it doesn't matter.

This is a war that will go on forever, or will end with total extermination,
 powered by hatred. This is a war that will destroy PLANT, will wreck the
 Earth, will tear apart any dreams of peace for years to come.

This is a war that must end.

The Clyne Faction has laid low since the ascent to power of Patrick Zala, save
 for strange appearances and messages here and there. One would think they were
 defeated, that they lost support for peaceful resolution in the wake of
 constant escalation. That the only natural response to terror is terror.

Except.

There's an unauthorized launch of a ship, piloted by an 'authorized to do
 something else' Andrew Waltfeld, the gates opened by soldiers who suddenly
 pull guns on their own. A ship hijacking, at possibly the worst time. An act
 by the Federation? Then why are all the soldiers PLANT citizens?

And who is that at the helm?

Lacus sits on her chair at the bridge of the massive Eternal as it departs an
 asteroid colony nearby, her hair tied up behind her, her eyes cool and calm
 even as they fill with sorrow. And she broadcasts, to all present.

"This is Lacus Clyne, of the Clyne Faction. We of the Eternal condemn the
 assault on the PLANTs and the continued escalation of war by Patrick Zala. We
 call for a peaceful resolution, and we shall fight for it."

So, she thinks, this is the paradox. A declaration of war against war.

Her tiny Haros fly around her, like bits on a mobile suit.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Once upon a time, Riika would have been on a different side in this war.

She knows Jachin Due. She's been there, at least in the outer layers; she's
 only been before it was fully militarized, but that doesn't change the fact
 that it's familiar to her in a general way. If things had turned out
 differently, she would be fighting in its defense.

Now...

She's still fighting in the PLANTs' defense. She really does feel that. But
 that means bringing this battle to a stop... and the only way to do that is by
 fighting ZAFT as well as the Federation.

"This is Riika Sheder," she says, into her radio. "I'm deploying now. Clear the
 way, this thing takes up a lot of room."

From the Eternal, a mobile suit deploys. IFFs, at least in the Three Ships
 Alliance, declare it to be the MF-XR01 Svalinn Gundam.

Svalinn has a Gundam-styled frame. Primarily a soft powder pink, accented in
 white and a very deep red and with the traditional golden V-crest, it has some
 touches that set it apart from other Gundams. The exterior armour plating is
 sleek and streamlined, giving it an aerodynamic look. Its silhouette is a
 little different, though details are hard to make out.

They're hard to make out because the mobile suit is attached to a much, much
 larger machine.

The METEOR - Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer - is an armed module
 designed by ZAFT, and identifies properly for ZAFT computers (this is
 METEOR-02, apparently), but clearly not being operated by ZAFT. It is a full
 hundred meters long, about half of which is thruster and frame and the other
 half of which is cannon. More cannons, only slightly smaller, are affixed on
 turrets to the sides of the frame, and several other points suggest missile
 launch systems.

Svalinn Gundam nestles in about halfway back, hands gripping handles on the
 enormous cannons, each larger than Svalinn itself; it is attached by
 connectors across its back and hips to the rest of the framework of the METEOR.

It simply lifts off the Eternal and paces it, matching its speed, showing that
 the Clyne Faction - that the Three Ships' Alliance - has power of their own.
 It doesn't power up any of its enormous weapons immediately, but simply... has
 them. It's enough of a warning.

In the cockpit, Riika uses her position and her time to watch and study. The
 METEOR has a secondary processor that can handle an enormous number of
 combatants at once; she's never had as good a look at an entire battlefield as
 she has in this moment.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

Another warning. A golden canary spreading her wings in the blackness of space.
 Will the heroes of the living heed her plea in time?

This isn't the Phenex's mission. It's wasting precious time, trying to
 intervene in the calamity Rau Le Creuset would cause. She should be gathering
 allies, building trust, and preparing for what is to come.

...time in this state must be weakening her. Sensing the terror of the
 civilians of the PLANTs, watching three great forces collide to determine
 their fates is too painful. She can't bear the great sorrow and grief-to-be of
 so many.

But even she doesn't know if her presence will turn the tide. She has always
 focused her visions merely on what is destined, not what may be changed. It
 seems such things are more possible than she ever believed... bringing hope
 and fear, in equal measure.

And so, darting past the Three Ships Alliance, a blur of gold-and-blue races to
 the site of the battle. Azure flame curls against the vacuum, defying the
 void. As she passes by the Ra Mari II, she raises a hand, imparting a fraction
 of her spiritual might to the warship. The miraculous energy settles into the
 ship's armor, strengthening it.

With swift, angular motions, the Phenex arrives in the center of the
 battlefield. The Ra Mari has ample support today. Where is she most needed?

Lacus Clyne broadcasts her message of peace, and the Phenex turns her head
 toward the Eternal. A ship she has not seen before, but one who clearly shares
 her beliefs. ...and it's really cute!

Cloaking herself again in her deathless fire, the Phenex races to the side of
 the Eternal. No broadcast accompanies her, but Lacus may feel gentle
 protective feelings, should she be sensitive enough. The Phenex is on her
 side. The Eternal is protected.

With another raise of her arm, incandescent light surrounds Lacus' ship,
 seeping into the armor. It gleams, for a long moment, as though each and every
 component part was individually strengthened.

Floating next to the pink ship, the golden Gundam waits. The wings at her back
 spread wide, hovering just beyond her shoulders. An attack will come. She will
 meet it, when it does.

KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Eight York
KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Lacus Clyne
KTS: Rita Bernal targets Treize Khushrenada with Pass!
KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

The sheer size of the red ship moving toward the battlefield may be the first
 thing to draw the eye or the sensor--if indeed there's any room to notice
 anything outside of pitched battle. But as it comes...

"All pilots," Eight says over the radio, "Ready to launch." She pauses.
 "...This is a battle unlike any you've faced before. We're against people who
 could've been our allies once, and could be tomorrow... But we've promised
 that we won't simply stand by, and wait for the rest to happen. We'll take
 this into our own hands, for better or worse."

"...Good luck out there, everyone. Come back alive. And remember--we chose
 this path. York, out."

"Captain!" comes a voice from one Tempo Astelian, at the Comms station.
 "We're gettinga tranmission!"

"Patch it through," says Eight York, Captain of the Ra Mari II. And then she
 listens to Lacus Clyne's words, and smiles faintly. "Open a channel," she
 instructs her comms officer. "Miss Clyne," she says over that channel just to
 the Eternal, "Or should I say 'Captain'? I think this is the 'song' you told
 me about. Eight York, here to support."

Then--Eight blinks, suddenly, with a flash of insight as the hears in her mind
 the terrible laughter of a man of horrid intent. "That Gundam..." Already,
 it's scything through Federation forces. And...

"Rena," she communicates over the radio, "Annie. I have a bad feeling about
 that Gundam. Be careful--but take it out."

Eight sits in her chair on the bridge, stone-faced, as she watches the battle
 unfold...

KTS: Eight York targets Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta, and Naoko Suzuki with
 Caution.

KTS: Eight York has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.

Nergal assured her she'd only be fighting the Jovian menace. More fool she.
 Even having rebelled against the Federation, she hates this. Them stopping
 Wars? It sounds like a pipe dream.

And it still requires her to kill.

All the same, the crew on the Nadesico is too important to her, so she won't
 back down from these fights against people - even if it's just to keep all of
 them alive in a world hostile to difficult personalities like them.

An Aestie tromps along the upper outer hull of the Nadesico, each footstep
 locking it down magnetically, then releasing. Space is full of lights and
 explosions.

It reminds her so much of 93.

"Okay Ruri, Omoikane - link up with our targeting computers. Every time I fire
 be sure to time lowering the distortion field with it."

She might as well be telling someone how to walk and chew bubblegum for how
 easy this has become for that pair. Maybe it's just a sign of how nervous she
 is.

"AaaaaaAaa I hate the Heavy Artillery Frame! It's such a hassle!" She
 complains as she pounds her fists on the console. Uribatake's face pops up in
 a window that aggressively advances near hers, "You think I don't know how you
 fight by now Subaru! I'm not going to watch you wade into the middle of that
 blood bath and ruin my cute little Aestie! We need more firepower close to
 home for ship to ship combat so deal with it!"

"Bite me!" She says as she presses her face against his window. "You're not the
 one having to fight in it you scruffy weirdo!"

The arrival of the Providence Gundam on the field definitely... draws her
 attention though, a window in her Aestie zooming right on in as its DRAGOONs
 take out six mobile suits.

Uribatake seems to be watching that same visual herself, "... Well I won't
 distract you any further, good luck out there!"

His screen blips away so fast you might wonder if he's trying to hide.

"Maybe this frame wasn't such a bad idea after all..." Ryoko murmurs, as she
 thinks back to the past, when she watched others fight like that.

It's not a happy thought.

The Eternal, broadcasts their message of peace, and she eyes the Ra Mari
 briefly. She thinks on the paradox. She thinks on what she once yelled at
 Captain York once.

"... Damnit." She whispers to herself, knowing she has no better answer.

KTS: Eight York suggests caution, raising Anita Rosetta's Intuition!

<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapon Team has posed.

"Registering another ZAFT unit deploying! ...It's a Gundam! It's pressing
 through the front lines..."

Natarle Badgiruel shifts her cap, pressing a hand out. "Fair to assume it's a
 ZAFT command unit. Fall back the 01s and draw it into our guns, standard
 formations. It's past time this war came to an end."

Unfortunately, she won't be free to focus on ZAFT today. Those other ships
 insist on getting involved... and she's got Representative Azrael over her
 shoulder. At least...

"That pink ship is a Coordinator weapon! If they're between us and victory,
 they can also be considered our enemy! We can't be swayed just because
 they've fallen into infighting... that's just to be expected of beasts like
 them!"

The orders are sharp and to the point. "Communications, advise that pink ship
 to withdraw without engaging if it wishes to be considered friendly. I can
 extend that much to a civilian... Weapons, I want a Lohengrin firing solution
 in two minutes! Move to firing position at full speed and align the
 Gottfrieds to respond to any aggression! We can't allow any unnecessary
 damage to the fleet... the Dominion will take it from here!"

Still, she can't fully repress a sigh, pressing her finger and thumb into her
 cheeks gently. Lacus Clyne, of all people? It had been enough trouble the
 first time they'd run into each other... a pink haired ghost popping up at
 a time like this is just too much.

Couldn't have done me the favor of staying gone, huh? Another kid on the
 battlefield, throwing their weight around...

Missiles blossom from the back of the Dominion, swinging wide into the void
 before converging on the Eternal... and snapping Natarle's head around first
 to the weapons station, and then to Representative Azrael.

"I didn't issue an order to fire! We've not received any response from Lacus
 Clyne's vessel!"

"Why do we need one? That's an armed Coordinator warship. We should destroy
 it for daring to show its face here at all! This battle can't end until every
 last Coordinator is dead, Lt. Commander Badgiruel! You know that as well as I
 do!"

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team targets Lacus Clyne with Aft Missile Launchers!
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Eight York suggests caution, raising Rena Lancaster's Intuition!
KTS: Himeyuri_Oono has deployed as a Rival.
KTS: Eight York suggests caution, raising Naoko Suzuki's Intuition!

<Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.

Lacus Clyne is a traitor... and more than that -- she departed with...

Shiho, at her terminal, stares dully. METEOR... then they don't even need the
 CGUE DEEP Arms anymore. Her effort fine-tuning the cooling system... in the
 end, they weren't even worth it -- they simply decided to return to the
 Gnomides/Dendrobium concept. Her friends are leaving -- her work has been
 useless...

... What even is there to fight for? If not her own pride -- if not her own
 success -- if not her friends...

"For ZAFT."

As she hears Lacus's declaration, she scowls. How arrogant -- to simply declare
 the aggrieved and the aggressor the same, and place themselves apart. If they
 wanted this to end cleanly and righteously, they'd just...

... fine, then. ZAFT will simply have more enemies.

She isn't thinking clearly, and she knows it full well -- but the maelstrom of
 conflict draws her in just the same. Boosting straight for the stolen METEOR
 -- the emblem of so much stolen from ZAFT, from her -- she draws the enormous
 ship-cutting blade of the DEEP Arms, slashing for one of the cannons of the
 mobile weapon.

"That power was never meant to be yours to begin with, Gundam!" she declares.
 It comes out hotter and angrier than she means it to -- but at the same
 time... well, she is angry.

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss targets Riika Sheder with NOL-Y941 Heavy Laser Sword 
 Slash!

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"This is bad..."

Rena Lancaster says that as she looks at the strategic display on the Gaia Gear
 Alpha. It shows a large-scale holographic projection of Jachin Due across her
 360-degree display. Not for the first time, she wonders: who was this built
 for? This sort of strategic display isn't what the average pilot needs.

But the picture it paints is grim. The speeches from Muruta Azrael and Patrick
 Zala are even more grim. Her eyes close, for a moment, and then she exhales.

Rena listens to Lacus's speech, then she smiles. Lucky that she found her
 inside Denver Colony.

Eight speaks -- and then Rena nods. "Kakapo Squadron, you heard her. This is
 for tomorrow!" she says. "So that we can make it better yet! Rena Lancaster,
 Gaia Gear Alpha--"

The catapult ignites. The white Mobile Suit's thruster cores light up, all at
 once -- and it rockets forward.

"--LAUNCHING!"

The Gaia Gear Alpha shoots out into the space, thrusters blazing -- and she
 feels a pulse of something from Rau Le Creuset. Familiar, from when she faced
 him at Torrington -- and yet, different too. Her eyes widen for a moment. "I
 read you, Captain... Annie, be careful!"

She looks to the Providence, eyes trying -- and failing -- to track the
 DRAGOONs. Then, the Gaia Gear Alpha lifts its beam rifle and takes aim. A
 blast of energy explodes from the barrel, hurtling towards Rau's Gundam.

"You're...!" she transmits, but stops. He's what? Rena isn't sure.

KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Rau Le Creuset with Beam Rifle Shot!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to react to Shiho Hahnenfuss's NOL-Y941 Heavy Laser
 Sword  Slash, taking 4070 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Shiho Hahnenfuss's Cool-Headed activates, causing Control
 Bonus!

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Lacus Clyne fails to intercept Mobile Weapon Team's Aft Missile Launchers,
 taking 3375 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"This is... awful." Anita mutters as she sees, as she hears, what's about to
 occur. It's... well, it's like Eight says. She can't, won't, stand by, either.
 She settles into the pilot seat of the Messiah Rosetta, flexing the fingers of
 her EX-Gear before sliding on her helmet.

"For tomorrow. ...Together." Anita agrees with a nod, as Rena's words follow
 Eight's. "Anita Rosetta, VF-25 Messiah Rosetta, on the way."

Soon after the Gaia Gear Alpha, Anita's Valkyrie launches from the Ra Mari II.
 She scans the battlefield... but she doesn't have to wait to receive orders.

"That Gundam?" Anita repeats. The one her systems are turning up - the one
 tearing through so many other units... Providence Gundam. Anita nods, a frown
 crossing her face. "...Right. I'll be careful. You be careful, too."

The Messiah Rosetta shifts into GERWALK mode, and the beam cannon on its left
 shoulder emerges and takes aim before unleashing a beam through space toward
 the Providence Gundam.

KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Rau Le Creuset with Beam Cannon Blast!
KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.

Naoko Suzuki, under the alias of Nova Stellar, has spent the better part of the
 week wandering about her new home - the Ra Mari II. It's simply a marvel how
 huge it is, there's so much to see! And her new room is so big and nice! She
 has her own nameplate and everything, it's... actually starting to feel like
 she has a new home now.

What she doesn't yet have is a job. That's been gnawing at her a little.
 Eight's made it clear that she needn't rush with that. It would be wise to
 take her time and feel things out a little before seeking to change her
 position from 'resident' to 'crew', and all that entails.

The thing about Naoko is that wisdom is far from her strong suit. And that she
 has a serious problem with taking from people without giving. There's got to
 be something she can do to help her friends. Something she can do to make a
 difference. This is not just something she wants, it's something she needs.
 But even she would never have predicted the form this would end up taking.

---

While everyone was busy with launch preparations for the Ra Mari II's actual
 pilots, no one paid any attention to the Sukeban - Naoko's violet Arm Slave,
 kept separate from the active deployment area. No one noticed its owner
 sneaking into the cockpit. Not until it closes, and the machine rises up from
 its crouched position. Soon, a call goes out to the Ra Mari II's bridge: there
 has been an unauthorized launch by an unregistered pilot.

The Sukeban is a quick and nimble unit - before anyone fully realized what
 happened, it had rushed after the actual pilots and just leapt off the ship
 after them. That was the easy part. Naoko realizes her mistake approximately
 one second later, as her Arm Slave spins end over end, tumbling out in an
 uncontrolled manner. "Waaaaah! What's going on?! S-stop spinning!!"

She is woefully unprepared for space. The machine wasn't designed with that in
 mind, and the pilot is completely unused to the difference in controls,
 leading to this comedy of errors. It is fortunate, then, that she isn't alone.
 Within the cockpit, wires have attached themselves to her hairpins - rather,
 her 'friends': twin AIs, who are now able to share piloting duties.

>"Mumumu... I knew this was a bad idea!"<

>"Oh be quiet and help me steady this thing! Nova! Stop flailing around! Just
 focus on how you want to move and we'll compensate!"<

Thanks to the assistance, it's not long before the Arm Slave rights itself, its
 many directional thrusters now AI-controlled to aid in keeping the machine
 right-side up. Its human pilot breathes a sigh of relief, regaining some
 measure of confidence. "...Thanks, Uriel, Ariel. Together... together we can
 do this!" She spreads her arms over the console in front of her, and takes a
 deep breath. She opens frequencies to her friends. Just bluff your way through
 confidently, like always.

"Hey everybody! Never fear, Nova Stellar is here! You're worried about that
 Gundam, right? I've got just the thing, check this out!" Targetting data
 begins rapidly flooding in, stemming from Naoko's machine, providing a rapid
 analysis of the Providence Gundam's movement patterns. Despite her bravado,
 she too has a Bad Feeling About This and isn't very eager to get too close to
 it, but she can at least do this much while still keeping her distance.

KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta, and Eight York with
 Insight L1.

KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki shares insight with Anita Rosetta, making her next attacks
 more accurate!

KTS: Naoko Suzuki shares insight with Rena Lancaster, making her next attacks
 more accurate!

KTS: Naoko Suzuki shares insight with Eight York, making her next attacks more
 accurate!

<Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.

        Himeyuri had listened to the speeches- it was, after all, her duty as
 a.... 'soldier'. She hears the cheers and it feels... familiar. Right. Ours is
 a just cause. And so were hers. She does not cheer loudly, though. There is a
 battle to fight.

        The Socrates is in the battle already- but she keeps her best soldiers
 back. She knows the flow of the battle, it would not do to exhaust her Ken and
 Joe already. Not against the background trash. The Otome sits in her bay, as
 it is reinforced and repaired.

        "Captain, we're detecting new ships! They're not ours... or the
 Federation!"

        Himeyuri's eyes look up as the speech of Lacus Clyne is broadcast to
 the battlefield. Himeyuri's hands clench. "A third side!?" What is this girl
 doing? That's not how it works! Not during the great final battle! What kind
 of narrative is that? If they had attacked both sides separately first, she
 could understand, but- It's Lacus Clyne! A singer! An idol! Himeyuri had even
 bought some of her albums! She was supposed to be a pacifist! A good example!

        Riika is there. In one of those Earthling Gundams. "...Riika-chan...
 How could you lead that innocent singer into your insanity?" She sees Shiho
 launch after her, and doesn't order to stop. She goes to fight a traitor- as
 the ship's Joe should. "<Fight well, Shiho-chan. Today is your day to go to
 the beach.>" She breathes in. It's a dangerous thing to invoke but... She
 wants her to come back- and fight her hardest.

        A giant Federation ship as well- and she hears the message of that
 Captain she fought on Earth but- That ship is giant! And clearly not of
 Earthling make! It's Chaos- But then she sees it. That ship that haws faced
 their Batta so much. The one Captain Shiratori infiltrated...

        "<Michiru, it's time! Gekiganger has led us to the enemy of our people,
 and it has thrown it's lot in with the traitor! May Tenku's blessing go with
 you!>"

        She tries to block out the laughs of Rau le Creuset. He sounds like
 General Masaka. A hero should not laugh like that.

        "XO Zelinn, take over command of the Mobile Weapons units! I'm taking
 direct control of the Socrates sysems for maximum efficiency!"

        She puts her hands on the IFS receivers- and the information and
 control is in her hand. She still has to communicate, but this is better.
 "Gunnery, open fire on the incoming fleet! Target that ship and it's humanoid
 machines! Power controls aligned! Fire!"

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        Somewhere in all of Treize's games of chess he was meant to be on earth
 when all this happened, and was going to allow the situation to unfold
 naturally, from a safe a distance. That of course changed when he was briefed
 on the chosen strategy today. So here Treize is, sitting in the OZ produced
 mobile suit, the Greef which is standing on top of the bridge module of the
 ship as he watches the beginning of the battle.

         The battlefield brings him back to a memory of his youth, one that was
 produced by nature. In this trip down memory lane, there he stands on the bank
 of a cliff over looking the sea, that had frozen overnight. Any one moment it
 looked serene but at the same time if you looked closer you could see the
 destruction and at the same time the purity of it. If even nature could have
 such a battlefield, this one before him now must also be expected by nature.

         It is only the words of Lacus Clyne that snap him back to the moment
 as he listens to the words they remind him of a different princess. One who
 also seems to believe in peace and is ready to commit violence for it. These
 words of the idol though do give Treize his target and drive him to action.

         A few button presses and Treize begins to transmit his words to the
 battlefield, to all that may hear him, whether they are G-Hound or not.

        <"Fellow warriors of the battlefield, I wish for you all to know that
 today you have brought beauty to this battlefield. This battle we engage in,
 let it be the last of this nightmare of war. Let it be the end of these
 tyranical and attrocious behaviors that we have all experienced. Let us all
 face today with honor and not leave any regrets for the day, and most
 importantly let us end the horror of this war today. ">

        Taking a moment to breath he switches his comm to be directed towards
 the fleet he leads, and speaks once again, <"To those that fly under the
 banner of G-Hound and the Federation, know that I have one order above all
 else, survive. Do not fight to the death, fight to live and leave this
 battlefield in one piece. If by some chance you can not follow through with
 this order, know that you will not be forgotten.">

         With his words given, Treize has nothing more left to say and decides
 to lead by example. The Greif launches from the Dominion and begins to head in
 to battle, towards the pink battleship and the golden escort that accompanies
 the Eternal.

KTS: Treize Khushrenada has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Mobile
 Weapon Team

KTS: Treize Khushrenada fails to react to Rita Bernal's Pass, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Treize Khushrenada targets Rita Bernal with Pass!
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Riika is trying to watch the whole battlefield, and as she sometimes does, she
 gets caught up in trying to deal with a hundred thousand details at once.
 She's overplanning; Riika is an engineering graduate, a test pilot and
 mechanic, an engineer and designer, who volunteered for active duty after
 Bloody Valentine. She is not, and never has been, a strategic master; her
 talent is with individual suits, with determining what they can do and why and
 what their limits are, not seeing the scope of the biggest battle she has ever
 been in.

"Eternal, they're shooting!" Riika warns, as the Dominion fires, and then banks
 the METEOR to one side. It's *big*, and it doesn't have the fine-tuned
 responsiveness she's used to from the smaller suits she typically pilots; it
 lags in its movement, thrusters sufficient to propel it forward painfully fast
 but not to do split-second maneuvering.

So when Shiho tears out of a confusing battlefield, Riika is just a hair too
 slow to react. She brings the cannon around as if she was trying to swat the
 incoming saber, but realizes she doesn't have the beam sword activated and
 stops herself before she damages her own METEOR.

The CGUE DEEP Arms cuts into the side of the cannon, carving a line down its
 length. It remains functional, and not sawed through, but that's not ignorable
 damage; Riika reroutes power on automatic. The METEOR - actually, the Gundam
 at its core - fires back, a spray of vulcan rounds to drive away the CGUE as
 the METEOR fires thrusters again, reversing, before her brain catches up with
 her fingers.

"*Shiho*?"

Riika Sheder is supposed to be dead. A traitor to ZAFT, given a summary
 execution by Rau himself; her GuAIZ destroyed and dumped in the debris field,
 not even worth recovering for a burial. And yet that is unmistakably Riika
 Sheder's voice raised in surprise.

"Shiho, it's me! This isn't what it seems - there's a traitor feeding the High
 Council lies, and whatever they told you, *it isn't me*! They're conspiring
 with Britannia, I don't know why, but as long as they're doing this, this war
 won't ever stop...!"

It feels good to actually *say* it instead of hiding it. Rau will kill to
 protect his secrets, but Rau is already engaged, and this is the first time
 Riika has actually been able to say it instead of hiding it for other peoples'
 protection.

The fact that it sounds completely unbelieveable, however, is not lost on her.

KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Michiru Tenjou, Shiho Hahnenfuss, and Rau Le Creuset
 with Awe.

KTS: Riika Sheder targets Shiho Hahnenfuss with 20mm Multibarrel CIWS
 Retreating Volley!

KTS: Riika Sheder has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rita Bernal successfully avoids Treize Khushrenada's Pass
KTS: Himeyuri Oono inspires awe, increasing Rau Le Creuset's Morale!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Rena Lancaster's Beam Rifle Shot, taking 1260 damage!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Anita Rosetta's Beam Cannon Blast, taking 1140
 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The Three Ships Alliance arrives in full force with, indeed - its
 titular three ships. The massive Ra Mari II in the center, 'escorted' by the
 Eternal and the Nadesico, each as well equipped and filled as they can to
 meaningfully intervene even in a war this massive.

        The decision is obvious. It makes as much sense as it can. Even
 then...Yurika Misumaru can't help but feel floaty and ungrounded, like she'll
 drift off the bridge and go sailing up. It's to the point that she asks,
 briefly, "Status report on internal gravity generators?", expecting this
 strange feeling to be but an amusingly timed hiccup.

        "Aaah, everything's nominal there, Captain," Megumi affirms quietly. No
 such luck to ease Yurika's senses. She's just got to hold on tightly to a
 railing and suck in all the information spread out across the massive bridge
 screens, heart leaping in her throat at the impending firefight. The frontline
 of the Earth's most dangerous war - one where they've only really made
 themselves an enemy of both sides.

        A side-screen is quickly relayed to Ryoko as she hears her grousing
 about the Artillery Frame. Yurika claps both of her cheeks, and staring into
 her pilot's eyes with directness, she reassures, "...We're here for you,
 remember that, Ryoko. Even though the Artillery Frame's less dependent on the
 Distortion Field, please stick close by, even if it means standing on the
 deck. The last thing we want is for you to be lost and drifting away. Same
 goes for you too, Hikaru!"

        "Captain! One of the Nazca-class ships is already opening fire!" Minato
 interjects.

        "Quickly! Fire off missiles and raise the Distortion Field while we get
 in closer!" Yurika commands, as countless little hatches surge out in response
 towards the Socrates...!

KTS: Yurika Misumaru targets Himeyuri Oono with Seeker Missile!
KTS: Yurika Misumaru has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Himeyuri_Oono Changes attack to Hikaru Amano, Yurika Misumaru, and Ryoko
 Subaru with 120cm High-Energy Beam Cannon Precision Assault.

KTS: Himeyuri Oono has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru blocks Himeyuri Oono's 120cm High-Energy Beam Cannon
 Precision Assault, taking 2450 damage!

KTS: Yurika Misumaru partially guards Himeyuri Oono's 120cm High-Energy Beam
 Cannon Precision Assault, taking 1800 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

Now a nominal part of the Three Ships Alliance, the Nadesico isn't forced into
 the fight by the Federation this time. They chose this fight - and each member
 of the crew chose the path that might let them end this brutal, bloody war.

But as the Nadesico approaches the battlefield, Hikaru can't help but feel
 nervous - she's never seen so many ships, so mobile weapons at one place at
 one time. All she can think of is how many might die tonight (she spares a
 brief thought for Yurika, who would have to organize all those funerals).

But despite it all, once the Aestivalis wing is given the order to launch,
 Hikaru is unhesitating. "Roger, roger! One final push... let's go!" It does
 have the feeling of a final, climatic battle...

An orange zero gravity frame zooms past Ryoko's heavy artillery frame. "Poor,
 poor Ryoko-chan.. the most fiery fighter for the Nadesico... stuck with the
 driest frame." Hikaru teases - hoping it will ease her nerves in some twisted
 way. The Zero-G is equipped for anti-ship combat too: a field lancer to take
 care of those pesky barriers, and a giant two-handed sword picked up from Orb!
 It's called an anti-ship sword, and the Aestie's small size requires
 two-handed wielding. That won't stop Hikaru from calling it the Gekigan Sword.
 Did you really think it would stop her?

Wandering deeper and deeper into enemy lines (but still heeding Yurika's advice
 to stay within Gravity Wave range), Hikaru almost thinks she's
 hallucinating... because she runs into Gekiganger? Or maybe an imposter of
 Gekiganger... "Oh my - you have taste in super robots. And - wait! Oh
 man..." The ship nearby begins to open-fire.
"C'mon! An ambush like that's so cowardly! You're nothing like Gekiganger!" The
 orange Aestie avoids the ship, making a mad dash for Michiru, field lancer
 unsheathed! "Take this - Gekigan Spear of Justice!"

KTS: Himeyuri Oono inspires awe, increasing Michiru Tenjou's Morale!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Ryoko Subaru
KTS: Hikaru Amano fails to evade Himeyuri Oono's 120cm High-Energy Beam Cannon
 Precision Assault, taking 4800 damage!

KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Michiru Tenjou with Field Lancer Slash!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou fails to rush.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou partially guards Hikaru Amano's Field Lancer Slash, taking
 1800 damage!

KTS: Hikaru Amano has engaged Michiru Tenjou!
KTS: Michiru Tenjou has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.

Lacus smiles at Eight's reply. "Thank you. This shall be our song."> And then
 closes her eyes as she bathes in the warmth from the Phenex's essence, as her
 crewmembers gawk at the strange mobile suit.

"I saw you before, didn't I? At Denver Colony..."

Her reverie is broken by Riika's warning as the Dominion's missiles hit the
 Eternal, despite the efforts of the CIWS to shoot them down. The ship rocks,
 and she holds onto her armrests before a determined look crosses her face. "So
 we are answered, so we must answer. For now, at least..."

She narrows her eyes at Treize's own speech, but listens anyway. "Beauty to the
 battlefield...?" she muses to herself, though she waits to see if his actions
 back up his words about 'ending the horror of this war.'

"The Federation ship must not be allowed to harm the civilian PLANTS or our new
 allies. We will fight to defend, not to kill. Fire Beam cannons...!"

The Eternal sends off a blast of beam fire at the Dominion.

KTS: Lacus Clyne has activated the Attune Spirit Command.
KTS: Lacus Clyne targets Mobile Weapon Team with Beam Cannon Blast!
KTS: Lacus Clyne has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono inspires awe, increasing Shiho Hahnenfuss's Morale!
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss fails to react to Riika Sheder's 20mm Multibarrel CIWS
 Retreating Volley, taking 1950 damage!

KTS: Riika Sheder repulses Shiho Hahnenfuss, forcing her to disengage.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

Speeches are made. The Phenex floats in silence, letting the words wash over
 her frame. She has learned how little such things mean, in the end.

Lacus recognizes her. If a Gundam could smile, the Phenex would. Instead, she
 simply nods toward the Eternal. She's careful to take no action to alarm Lacus
 and her crew.

Treize's words are the last she focuses on, as his Grief launches toward her
 and the Eternal. Wishing for the end of this war. The Gundam's head tilts as
 she watches Treize's approach. What a curious thing to say in the midst of a
 battle such as this one. So similar to what Lacus offered, but at the same
 time... His intentions are entirely different.

No matter what speeches Treize offers, his actions speak far more loudly to the
 Phenex. He approaches with aggression in his heart, and she will match him!

The light of the resonant plane answers her call, building in the Phenex's
 grasp. Soaring out to meet Treize, she attempts to keep him away from the
 Eternal. Blue flame is overtaken by green-blue-pink radiance, especially
 beautiful here in the darkness of space.

In a surprisingly aggressive move, she races directly at the Grief, ramming
 into the enemy machine while cloaked in her otherworldly incandescence.

KTS: Rita Bernal targets Treize Khushrenada with Solar Wind!
KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rau Le Creuset has posed.

        Having just dispatched another group of Federation machines with ease,
 Rau pauses for a moment to take in the battle playing around him. It's only
 the early stages, but he's confident that this is going to escalate exactly as
 he expects...

        ... The Providence Gundam's head turns as the Eternal breaks out of its
 bay, moving to engage. So the Pink Princess has finally made her move... Rau
 wondered when she would show her face again. It doesn't matter. The Eternal is
 barely a working prototype as it is. It's not enough to swing the battle, even
 if it is being led by the PLANTs most popular idol.

        A familiar, yet different, sensation then causes Rau's attention to
 turn elsewhere. Given everything that's going on, he's stopped worrying about
 suppressing his Newtype abilities to keep himself hidden. It doesn't matter
 anymore. The Providence Gundam's head turns in the direction of the Ra Mari II
 and the mobile weapons it's launching. Rau recalls reading the reports about
 the Federation's failed invasion of Orb... This could prove to be a more
 interesting challenge than the cannon fodder that he has hunted down so far.

        Besides, this third party has no place in his plans. They might as well
 be wiped out.

        The beams fired by Anita and Rena rush through space towards the
 Providence Gundam. The machine simply floats there, ominously, waiting. It
 then raises its left arm, the large shield-looking attachment on it moving
 into the path of the beams. They splash against it... Leaving naught but
 scorch marks.

        Inside the Providence, Rau smirks, opening a comm to the Ra Mari II and
 its machines, <"Your presence here is pointless. It seems it falls to me to
 make sure it's erased."">

        The Providence Gundam launches itself forward, rushing towards the Gaia
 Gear Alpha and the Messiah Rosetta. The same shield unit on its arm is raised
 and a large beam saber rises out of it, reaching well beyond the usual size of
 such weapons. It swings the blade at the two in a wide sweep, threatening to
 catch both of them at the same time!

        Even as the Providence engages the two up close, Rau doesn't leave the
 third and their mothership unassailed. Several of those ominous remote bits
 detach from the Gundam again, rushing off in the direction of the Sukeban and
 Ra Mari II. The nimble little units split up as they reach their targets,
 beginning to fire numerous green blasts at them from multiple directions,
 breaking away and re-engaging from different angles after each shot.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged with
 Anita Rosetta

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged with
 Rena Lancaster

KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Anita Rosetta and Rena Lancaster with MA-MV05A
 Composite Armed Shield System Beam Blade Staggering Sweep.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Eight York with DRAGOON System Remote Bit Pattern
 Mu!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Naoko Suzuki with DRAGOON System Remote Bit Pattern
 Alpha!

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team blocks Lacus Clyne's Beam Cannon Blast, taking 3170
 damage!

KTS: Lacus Clyne repulses Mobile Weapon Team, forcing him to disengage.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: [Lucky] Anita Rosetta's Serious Mode activates, and luck goes her way!
KTS: Anita Rosetta successfully blocks Rau Le Creuset's MA-MV05A Composite
 Armed Shield System Beam Blade Staggering Sweep

KTS: Eight York has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Eight York fails to react to Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Mu, taking 5800 damage!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Strike Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.

Hikaru teases her, and Ryoko calls back, "AaaaAAA shut it! Stop sounding so
 smug about having the freedom to fly!" Captain Yurika tells her they're there
 for her, and - "Where else would I go anyway!? My only other option would be
 to piggy back Hikaru!"

Pause.

She then clarifies in no uncertain terms. "I AM NOT DOING THAT!"

Explosions suddenly rock the ship, and Ryoko cries out as the Nazca class's
 beam cannon rocks the ship and strikes her own personal Distortion field even
 past the ship's.

Ryoko's face appears on the bridge and in Hikaru's cockpit, "Hey! I recognize
 that ship, it's the one that has a distortion field just like us!"

Suddenly the Artillery Frame turns around and...

"<Think you got the drop on us!? Have a taste of your own Goddamn medicine!>"

Ryoko calls out on the comms over a more general band at the Socrates as her
 targeting computers link up with Omoikane, the distortion field drops, just as
 the 120 mm cannon spits fire.

A ballistic volley of high powered mortars that suddenly rains down upon it to
 try and punish it in kind.

"Hikaru! Careful! She wants you to go in for that kind of close quarters
 combat!" She remarks, as Hikaru's Aesti engages the Galaxia.

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged
 with Lacus Clyne

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Himeyuri Oono with 120 mm Ballistic Volley!
KTS: Ryoko Subaru has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rena Lancaster parries Rau Le Creuset's MA-MV05A Composite Armed Shield
 System Beam Blade Staggering Sweep, taking 1800 damage!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has engaged Rena Lancaster!

<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapon Team has posed.

"Captain! We're receiving fire from the Clyne vessel!"

"Didn't I tell you? They were bound to end up attacking us no matter what
 pretty words are on the lips of ZAFT's little dress-up doll. Those
 Coordinators can't even pretend to be human, at the end of the day."

Her lips tight, Natarle curls her fingers around the armrests of her chair...
 and keeps her attention on the battle ahead of her.

"Anti-beam depth charges, minimal spread! And bring the Gottfrieds clear
 before we respond. We don't need to be shooting through our own interference!
  Are we on track for the Lohengrins?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Beams splash across a cloud of hastily deployed particles, scattered but not
 truly deflected... the Dominion's sleek black hull glows softly as it presses
 its advance, slicing closer to the Eternal.

"That's what I like to hear. No more slip-ups, understood? We move on my
 orders only."

Her eyes shift under her cap to her left shoulder, where a hand is clasped over
 the back of her captain's chair... Muruta Azrael lifts his other palm in a
 lazy shrug and gives her a look like he couldn't possibly understand what
 she's implying, or indeed that she's making an implication at all!

Bastard.

"Beam cannons! FIRE!"

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team targets Lacus Clyne with Gottfried Mk.71 Low Output!
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully evades Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote
 Bit Pattern Alpha

KTS: Treize Khushrenada fails to evade Rita Bernal's Solar Wind, taking 5300
 damage!

KTS: Rita Bernal has engaged Treize Khushrenada!

<Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.

Who shot first? There's only one answer it could ever be. That detestable
 Federation. Those tyrannical Kyo'akk monsters that have tried day in and day
 out to oppress the PLANTS. That shoved people into forced labor camps. That
 executed people en mass. All to create and deploy those disastrous weapons,
 turning them on every living soul that doesn't conform and comply. Michiru has
 seen so many of their crimes at this point. Though she'd found a few nice
 people along the way. People she could fight alongside, so long as they don't
 fall prey to the Federation's malice and twisted words.

Within the Socrates, Michiru looks upon the paired Nova units. A memory flows
 to her... of their last deployment. Of intense, blinding pain. Of a grating
 sound in the depths of her brain. But also of the joyous, warm feelings that
 had bubbled up inside her. "As much as I'd like us to face them as one... I
 know the Socrates is needed out there Hime-hime. I promise though, I'll handle
 what I can. I'll see to it our enemies engrave the meaning of justice upon
 their hearts." And then she leaps away to dive into the Galaxia's entry port.

Another moment, and then the Galaxia is launching from the flight deck, she has
 no need to worry about Rau and his... disturbing change. Maybe the signs have
 always been there, maybe not. But that's not important right now. What's truly
 important, is to strike back against the traitors and the False Gekigangers.
 "<With his heart and soul beating within me, I'll strike down these pretenders
 and traitors! LET'S GEKIGA-IN!>"

Her advance is cut off abruptly, as one of the False Gekigangers... a NEW False
 Gekiganger, this one in orange, meets the Galaxia. And strikes first! Michiru
 pushes into the attack, meeting her halfway as the strike cuts through her
 defenses and makes a clean slice. "No, YOU are the imposters here! Within me
 beats the blazing soul of Tenkuu Ken! The only cause I fight for is justice
 and the rights of the oppressed!" The Galaxia rolls an arm, preparing for
 un-docking. And against somebody like this, she can fight without holding back
 her true words. "BURNING FIRST STRIKE! GEKIGAN ROCKET!" Mid-swing, the lower
 arm and fist detach from the Galaxia, sent flying out against the Orange
 Aestivalis to strike it across the jaw! To prove who truly holds the spirit of
 Gekiganger, she'll tear down these hosts of lies, one at a time.

The fist appears for all those looking, despite being in the vacuum of space,
 to have caught fire.

KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Hikaru Amano with Rocket Punch!!

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

It's true; the Ra Mari II is not of Earthling make. But it has the dreams
 of many within it...

Their song... Yes. Eight is glad to have Lacus here, unreservedly.

Treize gives his speech to the battlefield, and Astelian patches it through to
 the bridge for Eight. She listens. She considers it. The last of this
 nightmare, is it...?

"Colonel," she murmurs, "I don't see the beauty in all this death..." But she
 doesn't say that to him. Not for now.

Alarms blare. "Unauthorized launch," Rezza narrates coolly. "It's..." Pause.
  "It's that girl. Stellar."

"...She's going out in this?" Eight asks, and sighs.

To Rena and Anita she directs, "Please take care of her." Then, to an open
 channel the pilots, "We'll talk about advising us when you're going to deploy
 later. For now, good luck out there."

"I will," Eight answers Anita. She is glad, at least, that Anita trusts her;
 she just wants to be worthy of that trust. And for Rena... What is it? She
 isn't sure, either.

But those green blasts on the bits hit hard; the Ra Mari II's weapons systems
 are still vulnerable, still being improved, and many of the firing nodules are
 damaged by that set of blasts. "Firing capacity down by 20%!" Itsuki Kazama
 reports, purple-haired at the tactical station.

"...That's fine," Eight says. "But it means we'll have to do more than
 support."

"Kazama. Get me power on the cannons. Fire at these coordinates..."

"Captain!"

Soon, dancing among the mecha on the battlefield are the surprisingly precise
 shots from the Ra Mari II, beam particles charged out brilliantly for the
 Providence Gundam. "If we can set them up for a better attack..."

KTS: Eight York has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster
KTS: Eight York targets Rau Le Creuset with Guided Beam Cannons - Maneuvering
 Shot!

KTS: Eight York has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Hikaru Amano fails to Parry Michiru Tenjou's Rocket Punch!, taking 5160
 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Michiru Tenjou's Villainy Will Never Succeed! activates,
 causing Sparkle!

KTS: Michiru Tenjou has engaged Hikaru Amano!

KTS: Lacus Clyne fails to evade Mobile Weapon Team's Gottfried Mk.71 Low
 Output, taking 3300 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.

Himeyuri communicates a thought in her characteristically... offbeat way -- but
 Shiho understands the meaning behind her Captain's words, at least. She
 settles in, and -- Riika?

"Riika..." Shiho starts, and for just a minute she's off her game -- a spray of
 vulcan fire leaves the CGUE pockmarked, and the machine cedes the space back
 to the METEOR. That's dangerous and she knows it -- but at the same time,
 there's little she can do if she doesn't want to be drilled through with
 vulcan fire.

"That's a bold accusation from someone who sortied from the Eternal! If you
 wanted ZAFT to be able to end this war -- you and the Clynes wouldn't have
 stolen one of our high cards...!" She considers whether it's prudent to rush
 right in with a sword again -- and concludes that it'd be predictable.
 Instead, she goes into a spiraling pattern to one side, advancing toward Riika
 again. The hand not holding the sword draws the machine's machine gun,
 peppering the METEOR with bullets to cover its own advance. "Don't you dare
 push me away! Riika -- I'll give you one chance to surrender, but only because
 it's you...!"

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss targets Riika Sheder with MMI-M7S 76mm Machine Gun
 Maneuver Shot!

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

Rena hesitates, for a moment, at Treize's speech. It's... heroic, somehow.
 Once, it might have made her reconsider her path. Now, it's a moment's
 hesitation.

They chose this path together. And, at the end of the day, her eyes are drawn
 to the Dominion. There's more than one vessel here.

And the people she promised to fight with.

"Yeah. Together, Annie," Rena says, with a smile -- and a glance sideways at
 Anita's face, cut in her three-sixty display. It winks away after a moment,
 before Rena looks forward again.

What she wasn't expecting, though, is a flash of warning at another launch --
 and then Rena sucks a breath in. "N-Nova!?" she cries out, her eyes widening
 with surprise when she realizes that her Arm Slave launched. "What--what are
 you doing out here!?"

She wasn't supposed to launch.

Rau sends a transmission to them -- and she suddenly feels his pressure, as a
 Newtype. It's overwhelming; a rush of emotion and feeling that was never there
 at Torrington. Rena's brown eyes widen, pupils shrinking to pinpricks, and
 there's a flood of panic through her whole being.

"What--what is he!?" she cries out. "He wasn't like this at Torrington!
 He's--!"

The Providence slams into their ranks, and the beam saber that erupts from
 its shield almost bisects the Gaia Gear Alpha. At the last minute, though, the
 white Mobile Suit tears a beam saber hilt from the recharge rack. A brilliant
 golden blade of light erupts. The two beam sabers collide.

Lightning explodes, arcing between the two. Then, Rena rushes forward in the
 Gaia Gear Alpha. The beam saber slashes down, across the front of the
 Providence Gundam. "Can't you see!? If we keep doing this, Earth and the
 PLANTS -- and everything else! -- will burn themselves out! We have to stop
 this war, before it's too late!"

KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Rau Le Creuset with Beam Saber Slash!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        The Grief attempts to move upward, to avoid the incoming high speed
 object that is the Phenex. Still though it can't avoid the unit quick enough
 as it collides and sends the Grief backwards. Treize is jolted as he stands
 there for a moment and looks at the unit infront of him. He had not engaged
 this gundam before but he recognizes it from the reports. The gundam labeled
 unit labeled the Gold Gundam.

         For a moment Treize just floats there, counter to the Phenex's actions
 Treize seems to lack aggressiveness at the moment. In some ways if one was to
 try to get a read on him the best metaphor would be being on a frozen lake
 during a sunny day. Warmth on the surface but a icy coldness the further down
 you go. Finally Treize speaks to the Phenex, <"To the pilot of the gold gundam
 I greet you. I will not dishonor you by asking you to stand down today. I
 simply hope you are blessed with honor today.">

        The Grief draws it's beamsaber and ignites it. Another slow pause
 before the Grief flies directly at the Phenex, and at the last moment the
 verniers kick up a notch, causing the Grief to lunge forward to stab at the
 Phenex.

KTS: Treize Khushrenada has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada targets Rita Bernal with Beam Saber 100 High
 Penetration Strike!

KTS: Treize Khushrenada has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Shiho Hahnenfuss's MMI-M7S 76mm Machine Gun
 Maneuver Shot, taking 5335 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.

The beam fire strikes the Eternal, the newly-launched ship's shields flickering
 around it. Lacus remains focused as her bridge crew reports the external
 damage, and she keeps an eye on that ship. The Dominion.

She stands and sends another broadcast to her other allies, and, she hopes, The
 Phenex. If The Phenex will hear.

"Remember that you do not stand alone here. You do not fight alone. We are not
 abandoning the PLANTS to their demise simply because we do not stand with
 ZAFT. We stand with PLANTs, with the Earth, with people. Remember this...!"

As she speaks, she holds out her hand. "We'll keep firing at that ship until we
 can turn it back. Avoid targeting the helm." She cannot avoid any violence,
 but maybe she can minimize death. The soldiers on the Dominion are just that,
 soldiers.

The twin railguns fire sprays of ammunition.

KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command.
KTS: [Lucky] Rita Bernal's Miracle Child activates, and luck goes her way!
KTS: Rita Bernal successfully Blocks Treize Khushrenada's Beam Saber 100 High
 Penetration Strike

KTS: Lacus Clyne has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Rita Bernal
KTS: Lacus Clyne has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Riika Sheder
KTS: Lacus Clyne targets Mobile Weapon Team with Twin Railgun Double Shot!
KTS: Lacus Clyne has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono successfully Intercepts Yurika Misumaru's Seeker Missile
KTS: Himeyuri Oono partially guards Ryoko Subaru's 120 mm Ballistic Volley,
 taking 5760 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Ryoko Subaru's In the End All I Do Is... activates, causing
 Insight L1!

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team blocks Lacus Clyne's Twin Railgun Double Shot, taking
 1950 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Rena smiles, and Anita smiles back at her. It soons turns to surprise, however,
 at... an unauthorized launch? Who? And in what...? ...Anita gets her answer
 fairly quickly, as a now-familiar voices rings out over communications.
 Concern creeps over her face.

"Nova? Wait-" Anita starts. "This... are you sure about this? This is the real
 deal, you know?"

...Has she even been in a fight before...?

She frowns, but nods when Eight directs her to take care of Nova.

"Don't worry, I'll look after her." She replies with a nod. In the immediate,
 though... she has herself to worry about. The Providence Gundam's pilot, Rau,
 opens up communications, and Anita frowns. This guy...

"...Sorry. Not gonna happen." Anita replies. But... she's surprised at how
 fast moves into their space, a giant beam saber swung for her! She reacts
 quickly - the Pinpoint Barrier focuses down over her shield, which is raised
 to intercept the blade. Sparks fly as beam meets barrier and shield, and the
 Messiah Rosetta gets sent flying backward through space. Her quick thinking
 managed to limit the damage, at least... But it could've been really bad if
 that hadn't worked out. He's serious.

"Rena, are you alright?" Anita asks. The way he reacts to him... she can hear
 the panic. "I'm here. We've got this. Just take a deep breath."

If he's getting that kind of reaction from Rena... Anita grits her teeth. She
 doesn't want to be closer to him than she has to be - the Messiah Rosetta
 attempts to rocket backward out of range so she can get a clearer shot, before
 taking careful aim. Her shot last time had barely even fazed him, and she
 knows she hit cleanly. She needs to aim more carefully - and she does,
 sending another beam soaring toward the Providence Gundam!

KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Rau Le Creuset with Targeted Beam Cannon Blast!
KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

After her high-speed attack, the Phenex... Waits. She watches to see what
 Treize will do, hovering just before him in her golden majesty. The Grief is
 still as well, and the two watch each other. An odd moment of peace on this
 terrible battlefield.

Treize speaks again, but this time, directly to her. Another tilt of the
 Gundam's head, the motion birdlike. His heart is honest, despite his
 intentions. It's something strange. She hasn't encountered a man like this
 before.

Thank you. I am the Phenex. I'm fighting to protect the innocent lives of these
 PLANTs. Why do you fight, Treize Khushrenada?

She knows his name. They must've met at another point in time, somewhere in the
 wide expanses of Possibility. Perhaps they were friends, there. Perhaps they
 could be friends, here.

Such thoughts will have to wait, as the Grief charges her with its beam saber.
 The Phenex's twin shields -- her wings -- move in front of her, faster than
 belief. They repel the attack with no damage done, cloaked in azure flame.
 Returning to her shoulders, they fly seamlessly with the Phenex.

She doesn't attack, simply circling Treize in his machine, looking at him from
 all angles. For now... Her curiosity overtakes her inescapable knowledge of
 what will happen, should Treize be victorious.

A hint of her miraculous light appears at the Phenex's hands, and she reaches
 out, as though inviting the Grief to an embrace. Should the light touch him,
 he will find himself pulled in, close enough to make out the gleaming metal
 armor of the Gundam.

If Treize's heart is open to this realm of possibility... He will see a bird
 fly up and out of the Phenex's cockpit, then soar directly to the Grief,
 passing through its armor to settle within the cockpit. Shining gold in the
 dim light, it appears to be an over-sized canary, with two long tail feathers.

Can you see me?

Though her beak does not move, Treize would know the words come from the little
 bird at his side.

Lacus reaches out, and the Phenex's greater self responds, turning her
 attention to her companion in this battle.

You are not alone either. I'm with you. We will protect these people!

The voice of the Phenex is soft and sweet. Clearly belonging to a young woman,
 its breathy and gentle, even this declaration sounding almost like a whisper.

Stretching forth one arm toward the Eternal, one of the Phenex's wings soars
 toward the ship. It positions itself between the Eternal and its foe -- a
 protective stance. The size difference between ship and shield is perhaps a
 bit ridiculous, but the Phenex has always been more than she appears to be.
 And Lacus has earned her blessing.

KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Lacus Clyne
KTS: Rita Bernal targets Treize Khushrenada with Eos!
KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

"Normally I wouldn't mind piggybacking for you, but that'd probably just crush
 my poor Aestie - AAA watch out!!" That's when the Socrates fires off another
 round of fire, as if to tell them to STOP chatting it up.

Shifting her focus back to her opponent, the pilot of the false Gekiganger
 seems like a pretty intense woman, although Hikaru does not much appreciate
 being called an imposter. "Hey - we hate the Federation just as much as you
 do!" Hikaru insists, even if she's sure it won't be listened to. "And the
 spirit of Tenkuu Ken... okay! Show me your love and passion!!" Clearly, this
 line of thinking she's more responsive to.

And show her she does, as Michiru fires off a blazing Rocket Punch, which makes
 a clean hit right through the thin Zero-G frame. Ah shoot, the Distortion
 Field...

It sounds like Ryoko has some experience with this unit as she warns her that
 close combat is her game. "Ehe... I didn't deploy with my rapid rifle this
 time." Hikaru laughs nervously. "No problem, though! That just means I need to
 hit stronger and faster!" An awkwardly long pause. "Oh no... I'm starting to
 sound like you Ryoko-chan..."

Back to Michiru: "The Gekigan Rocket... wow, really impressive, for an
 imposter! Hikaru compliments, without a shred of irony or sarcasm. "And now
 the gloves are off - distortion field, up!" Hikaru calls, as the field whirrs
 to life. "Feel my fist of iron... Gekigan UPPER!" The field turns into a
 powerful fist - not quite with the intensity of the legendary Gekigan Flare,
 but bound to get through Michiru's defenses.

KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Michiru Tenjou with Distortion Punchy-Punch!!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Riika is getting the feel of the METEOR. This is the first time she has flown
 it in live combat, and you can't treat it as just an enormous gun - it's that,
 but it's also a machine that needs surprisingly attentive maneuvering for
 something its scale.

She still wishes it had a shield. Maybe she could build one and affix it to the
 outside of the cannon - no, it would interfere with the beam sword. Without a
 shield, she's a relatively slow and stationary target for the machine guns,
 which pepper the enormous frame of the METEOR - but then she's finally moving
 forward again, toward the battlefield. Though, everywhere is now a battlefield.

"I sortied from the Eternal because ZAFT tried to have me killed!" Riika tries
 to say it matter-of-factly but emotion slips into her voice. "I don't blame
 most people in ZAFT. They were lied to. But I didn't - I never betrayed the
 PLANTs. Believe me! I want to keep them safe! I want the people of PLANTs to
 have a home, where they don't have to worry about war, or that someone is
 coming to kill them because of what they are! No more Bloody Valentines, no
 more invasions of Orb!"

The thrusters on the METEOR blaze as Riika picks up speed. Now Shiho starts to
 get a warning: missile lock-ons, or at least one solid one from the METEOR
 itself.

"But to do that, I have to fight. This war is wrong. It's being pushed by
 twisted people - and it needs to end! So I can't surrender. I need to find the
 truth, bring the conspirators to justice - and protect the innocent people of
 the PLANTs. Even if I have to use a METEOR for it, or my Gundam. I know he's
 here - I know *they're* here."

Riika fires. Ports on the back 'tail' of the METEOR open up, launching a dozen
 - two dozen missiles straight vertically; they fire 'upward', curving down to
 reorient on Shiho with additional lock-on beeps every few instants. "But I
 don't want to kill you either! You're my friend... Stand down - or come with
 me! Come see the truth!"

KTS: Riika Sheder targets Shiho Hahnenfuss with Erinaceus Lock-On!
KTS: Riika Sheder has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rita Bernal anchors Treize Khushrenada, forcing him into close range.
KTS: Treize Khushrenada parries Rita Bernal's Eos, taking 990 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rita Bernal's Destined Meeting activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Rita Bernal has engaged Treize Khushrenada!
KTS: Michiru Tenjou fails to rush.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou partially guards Hikaru Amano's Distortion Punchy-Punch!,
 taking 2790 damage!

KTS: Hikaru Amano has engaged Michiru Tenjou!
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss fails to intercept Riika Sheder's Erinaceus Lock-On,
 taking 4200 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.

"Oh... was I supposed to say something? I just want to help, that's all! That's
 my motto - if you have the ability to help, you should!" Such is Nova's
 innocent-sounding reply to the various transmission of concern and displeasure
 from her friends. It at least sounds like she has genuinely never heard of the
 word 'protocol'. It's probably obvious that she isn't quite as unconcerned
 about this as she's making it sound. But that's for later worry. For now,
 she's out there, and that... might be everyone's problem.

Everything seems to be going well, at first. Until Naoko is startled by a
 sudden transmission from the enemy Gundam. The words themselves are more
 startling still. Not even so much what was said, but how it was said. It
 only took that much for every fiber of her being to start feeling as if she's
 in grave danger. "W-who is this guy?!"

It's all the warning she gets, before she's forced to content with those
 dreaded remote weapons. Which she actually thinks are really cool, and always
 wanted to see up close. But... not that close. Not close enough to - as the
 Gundam's pilot put it - erase her. She knows what they can do. There's no way
 she can survive against weapons like that. "I... I...!"

Rather than panic, Naoko suddenly feels a rush of mental activity. She is not a
 Newtype, but there are similarities. Her mind is Different, capable of
 predicting movement before it happens in much the same way, as long as she can
 maintain her focus. And, to her own surprise... her focus is flawless. It's a
 honest to goodness 'I can see it' moment, managing to stay one step ahead of
 each and every Dragoon shot.

She... shouldn't have been able to do that. She'd be the first to admit it.
 But, as the smoke clears, the purple Arm Slave, looking so slapdash at first
 glance... is in one piece. Considering the amount of mental activity it was
 exuding just now, it's clear that there's more to both the machine and the
 pilot. Who right now is sweating bullets in the cockpit. "I... I'm alive...?"

>"Holy shit! That was amazing, Nova! Quick, now's your chance! Don't give him a
 chance to do that again!"<

>"W-wait, Uriel! Don't encourage her!"<

BGM: https://youtu.be/S7-Ywg3T95Q

Too late. Nova lowers her head for a moment... and when it comes back up, she's
 wearing a confident grin. She ignores Ariel's noises of distress when she
 kicks the machine thrusters into high gear, and charges directly for the
 Providence Gundam. As it does, the machine's hands begin to glow a dangerous
 red, rapidly heating up. And when she gets close... she sends a transmission
 of her own.

"My name is Nova Stellar, Miracle Worker! And I'm gonna miracle-work over your
 ass!"

Fists start flying in rapid succession as the Sukeban keeps up the pressure,
 heated fist after heating fist coming at the Gundam. The best defense is a
 good offense as they say - and keeping it from gaining distance seems like a
 solid plan when the enemy has remote bits available.

KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Rau Le Creuset with Heat Harrier!
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Rena Lancaster's Beam Saber Slash, taking 2800
 damage!

KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Rau Le Creuset!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset partially guards Anita Rosetta's Targeted Beam Cannon
 Blast, taking 2250 damage!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset's Physical Wall L3 activates, negating 3000 base damage.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki anchors Rau Le Creuset, forcing him into close range.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset fails to react to Naoko Suzuki's Heat Harrier, taking 1050
 damage!

KTS: Naoko Suzuki has engaged Rau Le Creuset!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Eight York's Guided Beam Cannons - Maneuvering Shot,
 taking 3000 damage!

KTS: Eight York begins a Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.

        The CIWS takes care of the Nadesico's powerful missiles- just in time,
 as the ship's distortion field manages to take the edge off the ones that are
 too close. But Ryoko fires as the shield cycles- and scores a serious hit on
 the reactor section, and Himeyuri can *feel* the efficiency drop. But, there's
 a bigger problem. She fires a laser comm wordlessly, and the video comm opens
 to-

        "<<You! The mannish woman who disabled me before! Your sonic weaponry
 won't work on me this time! My Kokubunji Anti-Sonic Earbuds will filter out
 whatever tricks you used last time!>>" Still with the video up she's not that
 mannish, really, it's just.

        Hm.

        "<Anyway if you wish to count yourself as heroes of justice, you should
 be on our side! ZAFT losing means the spacenoids lose their futures!>"

        She starts cycling the reactor. "Repair teams rear reactor! I'm about
 to boost output which will lead to a temporary burst- after that you can move
 in and start repairing!"

        "<Michi, the ship is our primary foe! I have a plan!>" The Socrates
 surges forward to pull closer to the Nadesico, then-

        The captains voice becomes monotone. "Modulating distortion field
 output. Counteraction frequency 221, gravity distortion increase 30%.... GO!"

        It's going to shut down her distortion field for a moment- but if she
 times it right, it'll shutdown the Nadesico's for longer, or weaken it
 significantly. "...Let's see how you handle this, mysterious Captain of
 Action. Show me what the Earth thinks is a real man."

KTS: Himeyuri Oono has activated the Resupply Spirit Command.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono has activated the Resupply Spirit Command.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Yurika Misumaru with Melt!
KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Hikaru Amano with Pass!
KTS: Himeyuri Oono has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Yurika Misumaru fails to react to Himeyuri Oono's Melt, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has activated the Strike Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapon Team has posed.

The Eternal's counterfire splashes off the Dominion's sturdy armor, though it
 tears a gouge through an upper deck, sheering away metal into the darkness.

"Move non-essential personnel away from that breach and affect repairs
 immediately! Are we ready to fire?"

"Lohengrin particle cannons are prepared to fire, Captain!"

"Roger that. As soon as we fire, I want another round of depth charges
 deployed. We'll switch to physical munitions and finish this with another
 barrage."

Another sigh... slowly, the panels on the front of each massive 'leg' of the
 Dominion shift aside, revealing the twin barrels of the Archangel-class's
 signature weapons, the massive Lohengrin particle cannons. There's an
 illusion of grace to the gradual alignment of those two massive barrels
 towards the Eternal... but with thrusters flaring, the ship is in position
 with a speed that belies its bulk. Cap bill pinched in her right hand,
 Natarle presses a hand through her dark hair, hiding her eyes as she barks
 out, with a surprisingly rough twang,

"LOHENGRINS, FIRE~!"

Tremendous beams roar out of the front of the Federation flagship, deep red
 cores enclosed in coruscating layers of blazing white and heated blue,
 electricity crackling off them as they streak towards Lacus Clyne's new ship.

"Ehehe... aha... ahahahahaha! DIE, SCUM! This is what you get for opposing
 us!"

The cap slaps back down over her hair, bill hung low over Natarle's violet eyes.

"Please ignore the Representative's outburst. Be prepared to maneuver in
 response. This isn't going to end that easily..."

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team targets Lacus Clyne with Lohengrin Positron Beam
 Cannons!

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Lacus Clyne partially guards Mobile Weapon Team's Lohengrin Positron Beam
 Cannons, taking 6510 damage!

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him
 vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        Space has fully erupted - the arrival of the Three Ships seeming to
 fracture it more in three than in two. At a bare minimum, the key agents of
 the Federation and of ZAFT seem to set their sights on them first before
 deigning to resolve differences later - that's what they came here for, but is
 it -sustainable- to be a target for two warring factions to exhaust each other
 upon? Is this really going to be how a war is stopped?

        Yurika closes her eyes as this question resounds, but pretty quickly,
 that's replaced with a bigger question - as the sound of Hikaru and Michiru
 alike calling out their vibrant, Gekiganger glory- - - and with her gloves
 gripping the railing, she broadcasts out -

        "Gekiganger this and Gekiga-that...it's honestly scary. It's honestly a
 little bit difficult to watch people shout out anime stuff at a time like
 this!" ...It's uncharacteristically 'worried' of Yurika, her breathing heavier
 than normal, enough to elicit a bit of an odd look from the crew - usually
 she's the one who's a bit...off kilter from the rest. "...I can understand
 leaning on something like that a little bit, but...be careful and make sure
 you can switch it off when the time comes and we have to screw our thinking
 aps on. And I mean all of you, actually, since I know Ryoko can slip into it
 too!"

        Is she this worried just because Ryoko's in unfamiliar ground and
 Hikaru's already taking such a beating? She's uncharacteristically still -
 tumbling into the captain's chair, fidgeting with her hat. "...Well, we're not
 going to get a better time to start preparing. Begin charging the Gravity
 Blast. If we get too close it'll just be harder for Miss Lacus and Captain
 Eight's forces to deal with."

        Minato Haruka files away the 'captain's dealing with some stuff' with
 all the usual grace in the world, and steadily announces, "Gravity Blast on
 standby. Twelve percent and rising. We'll be ready in three minutes, Captain.
 ...Ah! They're disrupting the Field's defenses! Our barrier's going down, we
 can't keep it up at all at this rate while we're preparing the main cannon!"

        Yurika's hand slams down on the bridge's primary console, huffing out,
 "Keep charging! They're not yet in range to do serious damage - the Nadesico's
 meant for these first strikes, after all!"

KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Ryoko
 Subaru

KTS: Yurika Misumaru targets Himeyuri Oono with Gravity Blast - Charging...!
KTS: Yurika Misumaru has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Hikaru
 Amano

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        The Grief is repelled back and Treize is , accepting of it almost. In
 this day and age it is obvious the mass produced reproduction of the Tallgeese
 can not match the true speed of it and yet here he is trying to mimic one of
 his friend's moves as if it was. " A fine repulse."

          Still in just that moment as they clashed Treize could feel the
 connection between them. A connection that only that of two warriors that meet
 on the battlefield can make. It is said that sometimes such warriors can
 become so entuned with their combatant that it is like they can read each
 others mind. Treize realizes for a moment that is what that was.

         The Grief raises it's saber infront of it as the comm is reestablished
 towards the Phenex, <"It is said that as two warriors cross blades they come
 to know many things about each other. If you ask why I fight today I ask you
 cross blades with me.">.

         His response given, combat continues and as the bright light of
 phoenix shines the beam saber moves to block and deflect it, however magic
 being what it is one can not block it all with science. In some ways, Treize
 even wants this as this is the only way to regain that connection.

        For a moment he looks towards the Rita-Bird, but then back towards his
 screens as he continues to engage in conversation in the middle of battle,
 <"Your actions and movements remind me of a bird, so much so for a moment I
 swore that is what you became. ">

         The Grief takes advantage of being pulled in close as it still holds
 it's beam saber and slashes in an X pattern towards the Phenex, before trying
 to pierce the X that was drawn by the blade. In his mind he is thinking of
 what he is fighting to protect too, the innocent.

KTS: Treize Khushrenada targets Rita Bernal with Beam Saber 100 Combo!
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rau Le Creuset has posed.

        The Ra Mari II fires its beam cannons towards the Providence. It swings
 around, briefly blasting away from its clash with Rena to avoid some shots,
 others splashing against its shield unit. Even as the fire forces the
 Providence to move as Eight desire, Rau chuckles a little over the radio,
 <"Captain Eight York. I commend you for your determination to turn away from
 the corruption that has spread through the Federation. But your efforts are
 pointless. Your little band of traitors will just end up succumbing to that
 same corruption sooner or later.">

        The Providence bursts away from Anita and Rena, rushing forward towards
 the Ra Mari II to close the distance and gain a position where it'll be harder
 to miss. It raises the large rifle in its right hand, the large weapon long
 enough to reach back and sit over the shoulder. Rau then finishes, <"So I
 might as well do the world a favor and end this here and now!"> The Providence
 fires, a large green beam rushing off towards Zentradi vessel.

        Having closed in towards the mothership, Naoko has a chance to get in
 closer before the others. Rau had been aware that the pilot had successfully
 evaded the DRAGOON attacks. An impressive accomplishment, though not that Rau
 acknowledged it as such. Instead, as the self-proclaimed Miracle Worker starts
 launching a series of punches at the Gundam, it just... Floats there, taking
 them. Each impact is dead on, yet doing surprisingly little damage. Clearly
 the real Miracle Worker here is ZAFT's Phase Shift Armor technology. Rau
 simply replies to the Arm Slaves pilot, <"I'm sorry. I don't know you."> The
 Providence's beam blade activates again as it launches a quick, almost
 dismissive, strike towards the Sukeban.

        The Messiah Rosetta fires another beam shot. This once isn't
 intercepted by the Gundam's shield unit. And yet as it hits the machine, it
 proves to only have a marginally better effect. Rau muses, impressed, "ZAFT's
 scientists and engineers have outdone themselves with this one. I dare say
 it's the superior of the group!"

        Briefly turning his attention to Anita, Rau says, <"Be gone, pest.">
 Just one of the DRAGOONs detaches from its host machine to go and deal with
 the VF. Yet it's one of the large ones. It zips around multiple times, trying
 to throw off Anita's ability to evade. Until it finds its final firing point
 and shoots, a collection of nine beams firing simultaneously towards the
 Messiah.

        Meanwhile, as Rena comes in for a strike against the Providence with
 her blade, Rau meets it with his own, sparks flying again as they clash once
 more. He laughs at her words, <"Hahahahaha. Yes. Yes! Do you see? Do you
 understand?"> While they clash with blades, two of the DRAGOONs attached to
 the Providence's backpack suddenly fold over, aiming over the Gundam's
 shoulders at the Gaia Gear Alpha over the Gundam's, firing at point blank
 range as Rau continues, <"It will all spiral out of control. Humanity will be
 decimated! There's no stopping it now, it's all been set into motion. It's
 only a matter of time, now!">----

        As the battle continues to rage, Azrael frowns in annoyance at the fact
 that it is dragging on and on. To the rest of the Dominion's bridge he
 laments, "This is ridiculous. Why is this taking so long? Don't they realise
 that they've already lost!?" He taps his foot impatiently before finally
 saying, "That's it. I can't wait anymore. Clearly we need to spell it out to
 them."

        Azrael taps a button on his chair, activating a comm, <"Colonel
 Khushrenada. Give the Peacemaker force the order to deploy.">

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged with
 Eight York

KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Eight York with MA-M221 Judicium Beam Rifle Wide
 Beam!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Naoko Suzuki with MA-M221 Judicium Beam Rifle Tight
 Shot!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Anita Rosetta with DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Kappa!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Rena Lancaster with DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Sigma!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Eight York has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Anita Rosetta successfully intercepts Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System
 Remote Bit Pattern Kappa

KTS: Eight York successfully evades Rau Le Creuset's MA-M221 Judicium Beam
 Rifle Wide Beam

KTS: Rena Lancaster retreats from the attack!
KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to evade Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Sigma, taking 5940 damage!

KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged.
KTS: Rita Bernal successfully evades Treize Khushrenada's Beam Saber 100 Combo

<Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.

"Are you making some jab at my weight!?" Ryoko snaps at Hikaru before realizing
 she means because of the Heavy Artillery frame being so big. Look sometimes
 she lashes out without thinking...!

Hikaru almost immediately though gets into a pickle in close quarters, "What!?
 You forgot your rifle in THIS mess!? Hitting faster and harder won't cut it
 if you get pinned down!"

All the same, Hikaru is really taking to this opponent!? What is up with this
 Gekiganger talk!!! Hearing Yurika's comments, "<I think you need to ban Akito
 from the internet Captain. He must be infecting even ZAFT with his anime
 fandom!>" A beat, "<HEY WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN SLIP INTO IT!? YOU MUST BE
 MISTAKING ME FOR SOMEONE ELSE!!!>"

Then the Captain of the Socrates comes on and- "<WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING
 MANNISH!?>" The image of Ryoko appears on the Socrates bridge, seeming not to
 understand the earbuds comment, "<Tricks!? Oh it's YOU! What kind of prissy
 stuck up brat are you that you can't handle a little potty mouth!? Hey
 'Captain' ever manage to get that stick removed from your ass? Or do I need
 to come over there and do it FOR YOU?>"

"Ruri! Lower the distortion field on my signal and keep it down until I'm
 clear!"

What is she suggesting she's going to do?! Either way when it's done, the
 Aestivalis targets the Galaxia and- rather than firing it's cannon or a
 missile...

... it's claw like arm suddenly fires off, a cable extending from the frame.
 The claws attempt to dig right in to the Galaxia's back at the same moment
 Ryoko releases the magnetic latches off the Aestie's feet.

The cable pulls taut, and then starts to pull the Aestie right towards the
 Galaxia. Upon arrival, the clunky frame tries to snag both of its claws right
 into it's back.

Ryoko's solution was to piggyback the enemy instead!?

"<REMEMBER ME?!>" She calls out at the pilot of the Galaxia, before she
 orders."<Hikaru! She's MINE! You go make a run on the Socrates with your
 Lancer!>"

She bellows her orders, before latching in for the long haul.

Even she knows how stupid this is to do this in the Heavy Artillery frame,
 but... it's to get Hikaru out of a jam, so the choice is far too easy.

"<You want Hikaru or the Nadesico!?! You'll have to go through ME first!>"

KTS: Ryoko Subaru has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Michiru Tenjou with Wired Claw Grapple!
KTS: Ryoko Subaru has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki rushes into the attack!
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Naoko Suzuki's Guarded Mind activates, and her spirit
 endures.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset enervates Naoko Suzuki, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki partially guards Rau Le Creuset's MA-M221 Judicium Beam Rifle
 Tight Shot, taking 4800 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Welcomed By Power activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Unleashed By Anger activates, causing
 Nullify!

KTS: Himeyuri Oono blocks Yurika Misumaru's Gravity Blast - Charging..., taking
 225 damage!

KTS: Yurika Misumaru begins a Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.

Riika continues to speak as Shiho sprays a brief burst of fire from her main
 cannons to deal with that missile lockon. It's not enough -- she gets through
 the first dozen, but has to baby the reactor and the coolant lines too much
 for the second. Missiles rain down on her, scoring armor and rattling her
 machine; gritting her teeth, she opens comms again.

"Do you even listen to yourself?! Riika -- at best you're naive, and at worst
 that Clyne woman is using you! Don't you get it?! The Clynes aren't relevant
 anymore -- and they're using you for the sake of their problem with Patrick
 Zala...!" The more she hears from Riika, the less interested she is in having
 their friendship be a lever against her.

Indeed -- "That weapons platform throws everything we worked for as a test team
 in the garbage!" Shiho doesn't bother to explain her own thinking -- to her,
 though, doing an end-run around every problem they'd worked on by simply
 throwing More at it... there's no development in that. How will their swords
 ever become plowshares if they never become anything more than the tool of a
 brute?

... not that she'd be able to articulate that at the moment. "Unless you
 surrender right now -- don't you dare talk to me like we're friends!"
 Gunning it straight for her former coworker's machine, Shiho tosses her MG
 aside and swaps to a two-handed grip on her blade, trying to lop half of the
 METEOR off.

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss targets Riika Sheder with NOL-Y941 Heavy Laser Sword 
 Cleave!

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Riika Sheder has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru anchors Michiru Tenjou, forcing her into close range.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Ryoko Subaru's Wired Claw Grapple, taking 840 damage!
KTS: Ryoko Subaru has engaged Michiru Tenjou!
KTS: Riika Sheder fails to Parry Shiho Hahnenfuss's NOL-Y941 Heavy Laser Sword 
 Cleave, taking 6200 damage!

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has engaged Riika Sheder!
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her
 vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.

"Incoming! Brace yourselves, everyone!" Andrew Waltfeld calls out as the beam
 fire peppers the Eternal, weakening its shields and shaking the bridge. The
 crew rush to put out fires from the damage, while Lacus stays focused despite
 it all.

She has no time to fear. She has no time to doubt. She has made her decision.
 And...

"It seems I have your blessing," she says aloud to the glowing manifestation of
 the Phenex hovering by the ship.

"What in the...huh. Guess they like us," Waltfeld agrees, a little amused
 despite it all. "Little lady, you ready?"

Lacus steels herself. "Yes. We'll keep an eye on Riika and keep up defense." If
 nothing else, as long as the Dominion targets the Eternal, it is distracted
 from the PLANTs. And as long as the Eternal is out of the hands of ZAFT...

The main beam cannon charges. Lacus whispers a quiet apology to her targets,
 audible only to herself.

And the Eternal's main beam cannon fires a powerful blast at the Dominion.

KTS: Lacus Clyne targets Mobile Weapon Team with Beam Cannon Focused Assault!
KTS: Lacus Clyne has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight can 'feel' the difference in Rau, too. 'Feel' something, anyway. But
 Rena is already trying to talk, even as she fights. Anita is calming Rena...
 And Nova is out there, doing her best. But this pilot--he speaks to her.

"I don't believe that," Captain York answers Rau Le Creuset. She then says,
 "Chovan--"

"On it!"

Chovan maneuvers the ship; it would be impossible to simply dodge that entire
 wide-beam weapon, but Chovan's skill can intuit where the ship can take it,
 and where it can't; the beam impacts on the heavy armor of the Zentradi ship
 and melts through some of its plating... but leaves it otherwise whole.

"If I should become as corrupt as the Federation has," Eight says, over that
 wide frequency, "Then I trust that the others will find a better leader. But
 until then, I'll oppose anyone who prolongs this war!"

But the dialogue continues, such as it is... Time...

Kazama's voice crackles over the radio. "All of you, prepare evasive
 maneuvers! We're firing!"

All over the Zentradi warship, beam cannons spark to life, gleaming with power.

The bridge looms around, as Eight narrows her eyes at the wider display.
 "Kazama. Use firing pattern 3."

"Yes, Captain!"

Eight's jaw is set as the cannons begin to launch their payloads, beams
 radiating outward towards the Providence Gundam!

~Hang in there...~ Eight's voice might reach her friends--or at least, it will
 surely reach Rena. But it may reach Naoko, too, though there is no radio this
 time.

KTS: Eight York targets Rau Le Creuset with Guided Beam Cannons - Pattern 3!
KTS: Eight York has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team blocks Lacus Clyne's Beam Cannon Focused Assault,
 taking 2160 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        As if Murata Azreal was listening to his thoughts the call from that
 monster comes in over his comms. Rita would likely feel a change of
 disposition suddenly to, to a icy hatred. <"I fear you may be misunderstanding
 something Mr. Azrael. You may be the leader of the Blue Cosmos, but you have
 no authority over me so do not presume to command me, simply because you have
 positioned yourself here. The battle will move at the pace I deem.">This was
 why he had came, to stop that unit from being deployed, and the Colonel is
 sure that Murata Azreal is figuring that out now. In some ways he wished he
 could see Azreal's face, but for now he has something to deal with.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

If that's how Treize chooses to understand the Phenex, she won't mind. At least
 he can hear her.

I accept. I don't have any blades, so I hope my shields and light will be
 enough. I'll be waiting for your answer.

...though she doesn't spare Treize from a soft, bright laugh. He's far more
 aware than he allows himself to be, it seems.

I am a bird! I dreamed of being one for so many years. Now, my dream has come
 true!

Radiance curls around the Phenex as she darts straight up, evading the Grief's
 X-pattern slash. In a brilliant display of flight, she twirls as she ascends,
 laughing again. The joy of existing this way, the freedom..! A wave of
 ecstatic happiness echoes out from the Gundam.

Her thrilled ascent is cut short by Treize's sudden change, and she stills,
 watching him once again.

Be careful, Treize. You can't trust someone who would abandon others.

The Phenex's shield spins, projecting a minor barrier to try and protect the
 Eternal. It can't stop all of the incoming attacks, but the Phenex is doing
 what she can.

From her position above the Grief, the Phenex again reaches out. This time, the
 incandescent attack races its way to him, illuminating the void and the Grief
 in turn. Swirling around Treize's machine, it softly seeps inward, weakening
 its armor.

You could help us. You're different from them. You don't have to fight by their
 side.

KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Lacus Clyne
KTS: Rita Bernal targets Treize Khushrenada with Magnetic Midnight!
KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"R...right," Rena replies to Annie. "Right. We can do this...!"

Then, she grits her teeth, as the Providence bursts away from her so quickly.
 Her eyes snap to Naoko -- and she sucks in a gasp. But, somehow, she comes out
 on the other side of it alive and well. "Nova... be careful! He's really good!"

It's more than that, though.

Her eyes widen, her heart pounding in her chest -- and not only from the way
 the Providence swings back in towards her. Their beam sabers meet again -- and
 more arcs of lightning explode up and down their beam sabers as they collide.
 But she feels Rau's words, as much as she hears them.

"That's--"

The DRAGOONs swing over the Gundam's shoulders and fire, point blank, into
 Rena's Gaia Gear Alpha. She can't quite move away in time -- the
 forward-mounted verniers all fire, sending it rocketing away from the
 Providence -- but the beam blasts strike it, burning away the ablative armor
 and leaving two smouldering, glowing red-hot craters in the Gundarium alloy on
 it.

"You're the one Riika told me about," Rena says, her voice quiet but still
 transmitting. "But--but why try to destroy everything and everyone!?
 Coordinators and Naturals... Earthnoids and sacenoids! We can learn to get
 along!" she says. "We weren't made just to fight like this!"

The Gaia Gear Alpha's psychoframe explodes to life and light.

It's a sudden explosion of motes of green light -- it's a glimmer of the
 miracle of the Axis Shock, which means it's still a brilliant flare. Those
 motes of light shoot through space -- passing easily through cockpits, washing
 around Rena, around Rau, around Anita and Naoko. They even pass by the Ra Mari
 II, as the Gaia Gear Alpha explodes forward.

"And I'll SHOW YOU THAT!" Rena shouts. "I won't let you take away the future!
 RAU!"

The Gaia Gear Alpha swings its beam saber down, but that is a feint. The golden
 blade of mega particles slashes down, just before the Gaia Gear Alpha spins
 back its other arm. Green light ignites along the fist, which punches once,
 then twice, iat the faceplate of the Providence Gundam.

Then, the beam saber stabs forward, with a thrust.

KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Rau Le Creuset with Gaia Flash!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

"Shiho..."

Riika doesn't have a good answer for her. What she's saying makes sense to her,
 but it sounds unbelieveable - and it does make her sound naive. Maybe she is,
 or maybe she's just an optimist. Or both; they're not mutually exclusive. She
 doesn't have a good way to reach her, not here and now.

"I'm sorry," is what Riika actually sends back. "I can't. Not now. Maybe one
 day we'll be able to talk again." She'd like to do that. They used to talk
 about designs, and other things - and Riika has better ideas than the METEOR
 she's borrowing, which she agrees is all power and no finesse and not entirely
 to her taste. She'd rather be driving Svalinn itself - but Svalinn doesn't
 have the raw firepower of METEOR, and is only partially complete in any case.
 She simply did not have time to finish all its equipment.

Riika interposes METEOR's gigantic forward cannon between herself and the
 approaching CGUE. The cannons blaze to life - not the cannons, actually, but
 the ports above and below, forming an absolutely gigantic beam sword. It must
 be the length of the entire METEOR, a blade for cutting ships rather than
 suits.

Riika doesn't try to parry with it so much as try to force Shiho away, but
 Shiho is faster than a blade that size, even if it is light. She carves into
 the METEOR's cannon-arm - the same one she hit before - and it is nearly
 severed; the sword emitting from it flares once and then goes completely out,
 chunks of shaped metal drifting away from the impact point.

She is beginning to regret using the METEOR. Certainly it isn't really suitable
 to fight one individual suit; she could lock onto half the battlefield, fire
 cannons at ships and even Jachin Due itself, and she'd give herself decent
 odds of causing actual damage - but one single CGUE is doing loops around her,
 and she's hampered by simply not wanting to fire the biggest cannons at Shiho.
 She doesn't want to kill her.

While one blade-cannon is offline, the other is not. Riika activates the second
 sword with the same blaze of light, thrusting it toward one of the CGUE DEEP
 Arms' cannon-arms and then *ripping* it outward, trying to destroy the guns
 but not the core of the suit. Though, as large as it is, incidental damage is
 a guarantee - but Riika is careful, almost mechanically precise, and she knows
 the CGUE better than any Federation unit. She knows where to hit it to not
 damage the cockpit.

The whole time, the METEOR is flying forward. She knows Rau is out there - and
 not just Rau. She can't turn her back on Shiho but she can't just stand still,
 either.

KTS: Riika Sheder targets Shiho Hahnenfuss with MA-X200 Beam Sword Grand
 Divider!

KTS: Riika Sheder has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.

Hikaru's Gekigan Upper strikes true, and it's clear that the Galaxia's pilot is
 impressed. "<You've got more spirit than most of them, I'll admit that! But
 your weapons are a pale imitation! After all! Where are your united hearts? Do
 your souls reach out and connect, as Hime and I have?>" Nevermind that they
 aren't currently in that unified form. "<Still, if you were to work with us,
 you certainly could reach the true essence of Gekigan.>"

Hime has a plan... she'll trust in her partner. In her strategy. And if she's
 needed, Michi will find a way over there.

As she's about to offer further praise and suggestions to Hikaru, a claw
 latches onto the Galaxia, giving Michiru a new target. Or rather, a familiar
 one. "<You! I'll applaud your spirit. You HAVE the soul of a hero buried
 beneath your words, protecting your allies so fiercely. But do you expect me
 not to do the same!? To protect Hime-hime's pure, gentle heart!>" The Aesti
 being on her back means most weapons won't help much. So she'll have to take a
 drastic measure. Overloading the Repulsor Knuckle, in an attempt to knock
 Ryoko off and send her flying back at Hikaru! "<GEKIGAN BURST!>"

KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Ryoko Subaru with Repulsor Knuckle!!
KTS: Michiru Tenjou has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru parries Michiru Tenjou's Repulsor Knuckle!, taking 660 damage!
KTS: Michiru Tenjou repulses Ryoko Subaru, forcing her to disengage.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss fails to parry Riika Sheder's MA-X200 Beam Sword Grand
 Divider, taking 7680 damage!

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

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Riika Sheder's Redline activates, causing Control Bonus!
KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Shiho Hahnenfuss!
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged
 with Rita Bernal

KTS: Treize Khushrenada blocks Rita Bernal's Magnetic Midnight, taking 2139
 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

"N-no! Although on the other hand, you could probably princess carry me if you
 wanted." Hikaru is very, very small.

"I didn't forget it! Maybe misplaced it? My eyesight sucks... but I guess this
 means the heavy artillery will come in handy for once!" She doesn't even need
 to ask - she knows if it comes to it, Ryoko will gallantly come to her rescue.

"Sorry, sorry, Yurika-chan, captain! My opponent here thinks she's every bit as
 dashing as Tenkuu Ken, so I just had to put on a show for her!" Hikaru
 exclaims, after Yurika asks what all the Gekiganger fuss is about. "...Ehh?
 Who mentioned Akito?" He is even more prone to screaming Gekiganger attacks
 than she is, though. "Oh, and you're totally lying - I've seen you practice
 the Gekigan Flare in the simulator~"

Michiru actually praises her spirit, but calls out her weapons as a pale
 imitation, and her soul unconnected. "You're right that these weapons aren't
 anything special. They're just tools of war." She says, an unusual
 nonchalantness to her voice, until that passion and spirit burns again. But
 you're WRONG about my heart! Ryoko, Izumi... they're everything to me!
 They're the reason I'm still here... and I'd choose them over you every time,
 true essence or not!"

But for all her monologuing - Hikaru knows she's in serious danger. The real
 Gekiganger would never be so merciless - but Hikaru can't actually count on
 this opponent on being as honorable as Tenkuu Ken is. And she definitely
 pushed in way too far with that stupid little maneuver of hers... that's when
 Ryoko saves the day with a ridiculous stunt of her own. "Wow... not the most
 graceful save but I'll take it! She's all yours, Ryoko and... be careful.
 Please." She adds, seriously.

Before she makes a charge directly towards the Socrates, Field Lancer in hand
 once again. "Anti-ship combat: engaging! Gekigan Spear!"

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"Right. Don't forget that." Anita says with a nod. She sounds confident, at
 least. As for Naoko...

"Nothin's wrong with helping, but... This is a real fight. You could get
 hurt, or worse. ...And usually, you gotta request launch permissions first. It
 could've been a problem if you tried to launch while someone else was
 launching." Anita explains. Watching her, though... she's impressed at how
 Naoko manages to dodge the incoming attacks. She might really know how to use
 that machine...

Rau tells her to be gone, though.

"Nah." Anita replies. A DRAGOON detaches, zipping through space as it
 approaches her. Watching it carefully, Anita draws her gun pod and takes aim.
 She doesn't try to panic-dodge it. She waits for the right moment... and right
 as it lingers in place just long enough to fire, Anita fires first, unleashing
 a spray of bullets into the DRAGOON. It's big enough and likely protected
 enough that she doesn't expect to destroy it. She doesn't need to. She just
 needs to divert its aim just enough - and when the beams come flying toward
 her, she makes use of the opening to weave out of the way.

Rau speaks to Rena, and - Anita finds herself momentarily at a loss for words.

"...What the hell?" Anita remarks, shaking her head. "Why do you want to do
 something like that?"

And Rena - light explodes out from her machine. Even Anita can see and feel
 them - and she can hear her shout, as Rena fights to protect the future.

A smile crosses Anita's face and she accelerates through space, moving to
 approach Rau from a different side. This time, her gun pod is raised at him,
 and she unloads a gatling volley in his direction, the barrel glowing red hot.

KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Himeyuri Oono with Field Lancer Thrust!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Rau Le Creuset with Gatling Full-Auto!
KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono fails to Evade Hikaru Amano's Field Lancer Thrust, taking
 6490 damage!

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

KTS: Hikaru Amano has engaged Himeyuri Oono!
KTS: Hikaru Amano completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Eight York's Guided Beam Cannons - Pattern 3, taking
 5180 damage!

KTS: Eight York completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset partially guards Rena Lancaster's Gaia Flash, taking 4756
 damage!

KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Rau Le Creuset!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset's Physical Wall L3 activates, negating 3000 base damage.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset fails to react to Anita Rosetta's Gatling Full-Auto, taking
 2250 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.

The effort may have been a valiant one, but that armor... that hadn't factored
 into Naoko's calculations. She utters a baffled "What the?! How is this not
 working?", but she doesn't stop trying, either way. Surely the answer to
 punches not doing much is 'more punches'.

With dismissive words and an equally dismissive strike, the Sukeban to swatted
 aside - its own reinforced armor protecting it, but not nearly as well.
 That'll leave a literal mark, straight across its front. "Gah! How... how dare
 you?!"

How dare he what? Damage her unit? Act dismissively? Try to kill her? Fail to
 be properly intimidated by that taunt she spent weeks thinking up? Maybe a
 little bit of all of those.

Having psyched herself up to this degree, an attack like that is not enough to
 get her to back off. She can't let down her friends. Yes, Anita's right, she
 should have done this differently... but now that she's here, she has to do
 what she can. Eight is telling her to hang in there, so she'll hang in there!
 And, in the heat of the moment, fail to realize that it wasn't throguh the
 radio that she heard Eight's voice just now.

She does realize the truth in Rena's words. This isn't an easy opponent she's
 chosen to fight. If her punches won't work, then-- she's just about to adapt
 her 'strategy', such as it is, when the activation of the Psychoframe commands
 her attention. She doesn't just see it - she feels it, on a profound level.
 The closest thing she's felt before was... Eight's friend. The Golden
 Gundam... it's out there too, isn't it? Why can she suddenly feel that so
 clearly?

Rena's anger snaps her out of her brief reverie. And she finds it rather
 infectuous. Suddenly emboldened, Nova directs more energy towards her
 machine's right fist, causing it to glow a dangerous red to clash in the sea
 of green. Rau's own words made the situation plain enough. "I understand
 now... how dangerous you are. In which case...!"

The Sukeban charges, to deliver one singular punch - and just keep pushing
 after that, seeking to drive the superheated fist through that blasted armor.
 It's not just the machine, this time. This time, there's a force of will
 behind it.

"Take this! Busteeeer Knuckleeeee!"

KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Foresee Spirit Command.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Rau Le Creuset with Buster Knuckle!
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        Treize pushes the Grief to chase the retreating Phenex, perhaps
 distracted by Azrael , now he feels rushed and pressured to deal with this as
 if the worse comes to worse and that asshole can make it seem like Treize fell
 in battle no one would stop him. This causes him to not be a bit wreckless
 rushing in to the attack from the Phenex. On instinct he moves to have the
 Grief raise it shields but at the same time he can't block the magic of the
 phoenix as it seems to rip away some of the armor plating.

         Still Treize is rushing and in his rush his mind is unguarded, open to
 his opponent. The Grief moves in once again to repeat it's first opening move
 as it rushes in and attempts to lunge at the Phenex.

         While the Grief acts upon Treize wishes, the Colonel first speaks to
 his opponent, <"I fear I must rush this and I should apologize as it is rude.
 My trust is lacking in an associate and I must finish this to resolve that
 problem.You see while I am sure we have the same goal, I must fight how I
 fight to protect those that put their trust in me."> Unfortunately the words
 are given to Rita calm but the calm is fake. Underneath it all are the
 emotions that Azrael brought up.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset partially guards Naoko Suzuki's Buster Knuckle, taking 2430
 damage!

KTS: Naoko Suzuki has engaged Rau Le Creuset!
KTS: Treize Khushrenada targets Rita Bernal with Beam Saber 100 High
 Penetration Strike!

KTS: Treize Khushrenada has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rita Bernal fails to rush.
KTS: Rita Bernal partially guards Treize Khushrenada's Beam Saber 100 High
 Penetration Strike, taking 5022 damage!

KTS: Treize Khushrenada has engaged Rita Bernal!

<Pose Tracker> Rau Le Creuset has posed.

        <"Hahaha. I'm not trying to prolong the war. I'm ending it.
 Completely.">

        The Ra Mari II fires its beam cannons again, the Providence in a
 perfect location to target. Once more, it attempts to defend with its shield,
 though this time it's proving more difficult to resist the heavy energy of the
 large battleship. Some of its physical armor begins to give away under the
 concentrated power. Though it holds for long enough, keeping the shot from
 blast right through the machine.

        Anita's shots against the DRAGOON indeed don't destroy it, the nible
 little machine able to move quickly enough that it avoids most of them, only
 taking a few dents to its frame in the process. As Anita asks Rau the
 question, he hmphs, <"Because this world is already destroying itself. Those
 seeking power, money, domination, sit at the top of everything. Humanity needs
 a reset! After it is all blown away, those few who are left will have the
 opportunity to start anew. Without all the corrupting influences that have
 brought humanity to the place it is today.">

        Naoko's Sukeban charges in with another physical strike. One could
 argue that trying that is just stupid... But someone like that clearly they
 don't understand PASSION! And sure enough, while it looks like it doesn't work
 initially, determination to see it through does begin to win over, the first
 starting to fight back against the Providence's strong defenses and push
 deeper. Rau has to admit... That's becoming slightly annoying.

        The shield unit on the Providence's left armor suddenly ejects into
 space, freeing up its hand. That hand reaches up to grab the wrist of the Arm
 Slave that's currently trying to drive its fist through the machine.

        The Gaia Gear Alpha then comes rushing in with its feint, allowing the
 first punch to strike the Gundam's head. The face is distorted a little. But
 then the Providence's other hand releases the hold on its beam rifle, reaching
 up, to catch the Gaia Gear Alpha's second strike.

        Rau doesn't seem impressed by the Gaia's new glow, laughing in response
 to Rena, <"Me? Oh, I've done everything I need to. This world's future, as
 short as it may be, is in the hands of others now.">

        Both hands occupied, the Providence is technically immobile right now.

        But then it doesn't need to move!

        All nine of the DRAGOONs detach from their host machine, beginning to
 unloading multiple beams towards all four of the Providence's foes, acting
 against them in a pattern that seems to be trying to lead them around the
 battlefield.

        As Treize deigns to ignore his orders, Azrael's face is indeed
 distorted in anger. As he slams his fist against the panel, shutting off the
 comm channel, he mutters, "Damn that Khushrenada! I'll have to make sure to
 deal with him later."

        Azrael's face doesn't stay angry for long, soon twisting into an amused
 smirk. Thankfully he had already planned on something like this happening.
 Assigning Treize to this fleet's command was a necessary move, given the man's
 charm and popularity. But Azrael had his own people in place as well. He opens
 another channel, <"Captain. It's time. Launch them.">

        From one of the Federation's fleets, a new force of mobile weapons
 deploy. They're pretty regular models for the Federation. The key importance
 is the weapons they are weilding. Each has a large missile launcher in their
 hands. And sitting within each and visible for all to see, single, equally
 large missiles. Most disturbingly of all, is the easily recognisable radiation
 warning symbol painted on them.

        Pushing through a part of the ZAFT lines that have broken during the
 battle, the Peacemaker forces find themselves with an open shot against their
 target... Those glittering PLANTs in the distance.

        <"Safety systems disengaged. Weapons are going active.">

        Further confirmation of that sinking feel comes as radiation signatures
 begin to bloom from the direction of the new force. Given the evidence,
 there's only one thing those could be...

        <"Okay! Say your prayers, you space monsters!">
        <"For the preservation of our blue and pure world!">

        The units begin to fire their nuclear missiles. The weapons begin to
 rush through space towards the plants.

        Already, many of the ZAFT pilots in the area recognise the threat and
 begin to fire at the missiles, <"Those are... Nuclear missiles! Shoot down the
 missiles! Don't let them get any closer to the PLANTs!"> Bullet and beam rifle
 shots begin to pierce through the weapons, causing them to detonate in
 brilliant explosions prematurely. But there's far too many of them to handle
 alone...

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Rena Lancaster, Eight York, Naoko Suzuki, and Anita
 Rosetta with DRAGOON System Remote Bit Pattern Omicron.

KTS: Eight York fails to retreat.
KTS: Eight York fails to evade Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Omicron, taking 5490 damage!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Rena Lancaster partially guards Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Omicron, taking 5795 damage!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Anita Rosetta's Easygoing activates, and her spirit
 endures.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset enervates Anita Rosetta, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to intercept Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote
 Bit Pattern Omicron, taking 6160 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Welcomed By Power activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Unleashed By Anger activates, causing
 Nullify!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset enervates Naoko Suzuki, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki blocks Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit Pattern
 Omicron, taking 6710 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Welcomed By Power activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Unleashed By Anger activates, causing
 Nullify!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset begins a Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapon Team has posed.

"A nuclear attack against the PLANTs... that awful weapon again... The
 Colonel didn't give these orders!"

"The Colonel isn't giving the orders. It doesn't matter what he thinks!
 We'll do whatever it takes... for our blue and pure world. Now! Press your
 attack against that ZAFT ship and win this war, Lt. Commander Badgiruel!"

"It may have Coordinators on board, but that isn't a ZAFT vessel,
 Representative. And I do take my orders from a superior officer."

Natarle's face is stony professionalism... but it's a good thing Muruta Azrael
 can't see her eyes, under that dark hair and close-fit cap. There might be
 the mildest glimmer (of anger? amusement? both?).

A hand sinks into that powder blue suit jacket, and begins to emerge with
 gunmetal in hand... but the Eternal fires, and though the anti-beam depth
 charges do their work, the clouds of charged plasma detonate alarmingly
 close to the Dominion, and the bridge shudders. Azrael's hand goes up, pistol
 clasped, and discharges uselessly into the ceiling as he spills onto his back
 with a wince.

"Security! Kindly escort the Representative off the bridge and issue a report
 to the Colonel! He can watch the rest of the battle from a safer seat...
 Somewhere that's not on my fucking bridge. And don't be rough - I don't want
 him to have an excuse to press counter charges and get you court martialed.
 The rest of you - stay on task. We're still in a battle! I want damage
 reports!"

"A-ah, the detonation jammed the hatch for the left-side Valiant... and the
 anti-particle density is still too high for a clear shot with any of the beam
 cannons..."

"Alright. Lock in a firing solution with the remaining weapons... and get me
 a tight beam line to the enemy vessel."

<"Ms. Lacus Clyne... and captain of the enemy vessel... This is Lt. Commander
 Natarle Badgiruel, Federation vessel Dominion. I'll give you this chance.
 My next shot will cripple your engines and you will be taken as prisoners of
 war. If you wish to withdraw and cease interfering with our attack on Jachin
 Due in favor of defending a civilian population, this is your final
 opportunity to submit a surrender, under which condition I will allow you to
 quit the field so long as you offer our conventionally armed forces no further
 aggression. Any other response will be treated as a continuation of
 hostilities. Have I made myself clear?">

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team targets Lacus Clyne with Designate L1!
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.

        That was a bad time to drop the distortion field to create an opening
 for Michi- The passive charge of the phase transition is felt, but beyond that
 nothing- until Hikaru drives in with the Field Lancer, and the Socrates has
 it's side scored, and several blocks are sealed off. "That weapon...." She
 checks her energy. The reactor isn't recovering quickly enough.

        "<Michi, keep up the offensive! Mrs Zelinn's Kite Squadron will defend
 the ship. You show them what the true spirit of Gekiganger is!>" She looks
 forward... The reactor won't recover in time for the battle at this rate, she
 has to play it smart. Which means...

        Ryoko's response comes, and the earbuds do their thing- bleeping every
 other word Ryoko says. What kind of woman with very pretty green hair could
 weaponize her voice so? Why would she? "<The earthsphere has warped your
 maidenly heart! You'll never find a husband with a mouth like that!>"

        Her comms reach out to Hikaru. The close range combatant. "<You there,
 in the Rikuganger type! If you truly believe in Gekiganger, then you should
 not be fighting against me! Only someone who skipped Episode 34, First
 Minister Masaka - Gekigangar vs Britannia wouldn't be able to see it! We're
 the ones of the side of Justice!>"

        This is an attempt to keep her busy while the Kite Squadron engage, a
 trio of MSes approaching in Star Triad formation, a series of coordinated
 strikes unleashed at Hikaru.

        Now it just matters if she can get clear of that Gravity Cannon in time.

KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Hikaru Amano with Kite Squadron Harrying Tactics!
KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Michiru Tenjou with Shock!
KTS: Himeyuri Oono has completed their actions for the round.

KTS: Hikaru Amano's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono rattles Hikaru Amano, making her next maneuvers more
 difficult.

KTS: Hikaru Amano blocks Himeyuri Oono's Kite Squadron Harrying Tactics, taking
 1050 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.

Riika knows the CGUE well -- though when you're that large, it's hard to be
 that precise. Ripping off one of the cannons means the cooland system is now
 exposed -- meaning Shiho has to jettison the other cannon and some of its
 support structure, too, leaving all of it behind. That in turn yanks one arm
 off of the machine, twisted up in the wreckage; Shiho rattles in the cockpit.

Despite that, she can't waste any time. She boosts back toward her discarded
 machine gun as her machine's readings start to normalize, now that they no
 longer have to keep her cannons primed. Turning her weapon toward Riika as she
 moves on from Shiho herself, Shiho takes aim...

... and can't do it -- not least because of what's now on radar. The cannons
 could have made short work of those, but she's wasted them on...

"... Dammit!" Shiho hisses, punching the console; her fingers slide across
 sharp plastic, starting to bleed. "Captain -- I'm returning. This machine is
 useless like this, but the METEOR's taken as much damage as I have..."

... please don't let this world be filled with more Junius Sevens, she
 thinks, as her machine hobbles its way back.

KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss's YFX-200 CGUE DEEP Arms has been disabled.

<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.

Lacus stares, speechless for a moment. She knew it would get bad...

She did not expect it would accelerate this quickly.

"God damn nukes," Waltfeld spits. "Shit, we can't keep engaging with these
 guys. We have to stop them now!"

"Yes," Lacus declares, just as Natarle beams in her message.

She answers without hesitation.

<"This is Lacus Clyne of the Autonomous force Eternal. We accept your
 conditions as long as you do not interfere in our attempts to protect these
 civilians. I do implore you to think about if you want to be part of this, and
 how, Lt. Commander Badgiruel. Will you always give us this chance, when the
 Federation tries this again? What will you do when ZAFT retaliates? Think
 about how far it can go.">

She doesn't elaborate, turning to her crew. "We are to direct all fire at the
 nuclear missiles. Be prepared to back up all allied units, and all who attempt
 to stop this nightmare are our allies at this time."

The Eternal turns to start firing off its lasers and missile array at the
 incoming nukes, attempting to intercept and damage as many as possible before
 they can reach the PLANTs.

And Lacus, her pupils narrowed and her eyes cooly focused, turns towards the
 Phenex.

"If you can hear me, help us. Help protect PLANT, and Riika."

KTS: Lacus Clyne targets Mobile Weapon Team with Pass!
KTS: Lacus Clyne has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Rena says it; Eight realizes it, in the same moment. This is the one Riika
 spoke of. Eight is sure of it.

Eight can hear Rena's shout, even without the radio. And her displays show her
 Anita's skilled piloting. Naoko seems indeed to be taking it seriously, too.

But what he says?

Ending the war... completely. But not in peace.

"That's insane!" Eight says, half coming out of her seat. "How many innocent
 people would die for your 'reset'? It's true that there's corruption, but to
 kill the innocent and hope you carve it out!?"

Indeed--those cannons do lead them along the battlefield, the Ra Mari II forced
 to start moving out of the line of fire by the sheer volume of attacks.

"Captain!" Kazama says in alarm. "We can't keep taking damage like that!"

"I know," Eight says. "But--"

The missiles are fired. "Multiple high-payload weapons detected! The targets
 are... Oh, God! They're aiming at the PLANTs themselves!"

"Target those missiles and fire at will!" EIght calls, while Rezza from her
 command console says, "Patching through weapons. You focus on the missiles,
 Kazama; i'll support our pilots with that monster." The green-haired figure
 taps away, diverting just one of the major beam cannons to the fight with Rau.
  Just one. But it's a big one.

The beam slams out towards him, seeking to erase his Providence Gundam in one
 single, all-consuming shot.

Meanwhile, on the bridge...

"Federation forces!" Eight calls over a wide band. "Is the mass slaughter of
 civilians how you would protect the Earth Sphere!?"

She sighs, and then, "...Kazama," she says, as Kazama fires beam after beam
 after beam to try to deal with the dozens of missiles. Her targeting is very
 good--but there are so many...

"Begin charging the Spinal Beam Cannon. We can't let them do that again."

KTS: Eight York has activated the Attune Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

         Treize is alerted to the launch of the missiles and blinks for a
 moment at as he processes that message. Then he instantly goes to work, in a
 way forgeting aboout the Phenex for the moment. <"To all units who can hear
 me, this is Colonel Khushrenada. Nuclear weapons have been launched against my
 order, I ask all of us to stop fighting for the moment and do whatever is
 neccessary to stop this. To all G-Hound and Federation members that is not a
 request but an order. Shoot down those missiles!">

         His orders and request given he swaps channels to the federation
 channels, <"To those who launched the missiles I want you to know I do not
 blame you, nor am I mad at your choice. I am absolutely livid. Make peace with
 your maker for I will see you hanged for your crimes.">

         Finally a message is sent to Natarle, this one in text directly to the
 captains console, 'Take Murate into custody and if he resist you are commanded
 to treat him as a hostile.' It is only after the message is sent that he gets
 alerted to the captain already doing her duty. All this time though Treize
 seems to have not moved to continue fighting with the Phenex.

KTS: Eight York targets Rau Le Creuset with Guided Beam Cannons - Blast Shot!
KTS: Eight York has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono shocks Michiru Tenjou, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Michiru Tenjou's Enough Heart to Hold Galaxies activates,
 and her spirit endures.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

The Gaia Gear Alpha's fist slams into the Providence Gundam's palm. If it
 weren't the depths of space, there would be a satisfying steely crunch.
 Psychoframe light dances around the both of them. Rena can feel Anita's
 presence nearby -- and Eight's, urging her on. In the moment, she is more
 aware than ever.

It keeps her from losing herself to anger too much, even in the weight of Rau
 le Creuset's words. The world's future is in the hands of others, now.

"The world might be teetering on the brink... but that means we have to bring
 it back and make it better!" Rena answers him. "We can't do that by killing
 everything and everyone, then picking up the pieces of whatever's left!"

The Gaia Gear Alpha remains locked there, for a moment, as the DRAGOONs all
 detach -- and beams come raining down. They slam into the white Mobile Suit.
 It's battered -- armor burnt and ablating, and a dozen warnings flash across
 the 360-degree cockpit screen.

But it stays put.

Rena feels the sudden intent from the Federation forces moving up. 'For our
 pure and blue Earth,' they would say. She cries out as the nuclear missiles
 are launched. She has never been to PLANT. She found out she was a Coordinator
 later in life. She could never call it home.

But she always knew that Junius Seven was wrong, and that hasn't changed.

"NO!" she sceams. "FUNNELS! GO!"

The funnel pods, mounted on the back of the Gaia Gear Alpha, explode open. All
 twelve of the funnels -- cannister-shaped, with cannons mounted in them --
 explode outward, shooting from the damaged white Mobile Suit. Vapor trails are
 left in their wake, all arcing out from the Gaia Gear Alpha.

They fire, shooting down a rain of beams that slash across the nuclear missiles
 -- firing at warheads and thrusters with impossible precision.

Then, they swivel -- thrusters firing -- and take aim at the Providence. They
 fire at once, beam cannon shots hurtling down for the new ZAFT Gundam.

"They're going to kill your own people!" Rena screams. "Coordinators just like
 you are there! Don't you have family!? Parents!? Someone you don't want to
 lose, Rau!?"

KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Rau Le Creuset with All-Range Attack!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

It seems the Phenex won't get an answer from Treize today. The fun has gone out
 of this battle, and the Grief seeks to end this battle. Rushing in toward the
 Phenex, she doesn't quite dodge in time, and the beam saber tears at her armor.

In this moment of contact between them, the Phenex is struck with a vision. She
 doesn't know when, or where, but--

Terrible weapons, the sort that would damn humanity. Kin to the one thing the
 Phenex hates and fears above all else. This is but one battle of a greater
 war, one that consumes the entirety of the Earthsphere, and will destroy it.
 Her friends are caught up in this war, her sisters...

The Phenex comes to a halt. Golden feathers, torn from their homes, float
 around her.

And this vision centers around one man. Treize Khushrenada.

The bird by his side vanishes. The Phenex's head tilts down, looking into the
 Grief's heart, staring into Treize's soul. Her hands reach out, gripping
 Treize's machine's arms. Radiance builds in her palms.

He will not be allowed to destroy the Phenex's mission. All she's done -- all
 for humanity -- it won't end. She's killed before, in the pursuit of this
 goal. She barely feels a twinge of sadness as she prepares to kill again.

Cloaked in miraculous incandescence, the light of her soul, the Phenex clings
 to the Grief. Together, they burn. Brighter, brighter. Where her light is
 usually pleasantly warm and gentle, this flame scorches like the sun.

No words are offered to him. He wasn't who she thought he was. No comfort is
 offered to guide him.

Only fire.

Until--

Lacus' voice reaches the Phenex. She opens her awareness to the battlefield
 around her. Horror seeps into her soul, and Treize is dropped, his mobile suit
 a charred ruin. Azure flame ignites around the Phenex as she races after the
 nukes. A choice had to be made -- she can't stop them all. The Phenex can only
 reach one of the clusters of nukes, defending a single PLANT. She has to rely
 on the heroes of the living...

Near-immediately, she catches up with them, flying in their midst. Spreading
 her arms wide, again, she shines. Radiance overtakes the light of the stars,
 illuminating the sky with the same auroric beauty seen so rarely. The
 luminescence builds, overtaking each missile, growing too bright to look at.

When the light fades, all have vanished. Only the Phenex remains.

Riika is not forgotten. The second of the Phenex's wings chases after her,
 orbiting her machine. A promise of protection, though the Phenex's awareness
 is stretched thin.

KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Riika Sheder
KTS: Rita Bernal targets Treize Khushrenada with This Life Isn't All There Is!
KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        Force is going to be required in this war - Yurika long accepted that
 the role of the Three Ships Alliance would be to stop conflict by setting fire
 to those who would wage it. To exhaust their military movements until
 continuing the conflict becomes far more impractical than coming to a
 solution. She's hardened herself to be prepared for a direct hit on an enemy
 ship - empathy for the thought that the Nadesico would in turn be targeted
 mercilessly has to be shut down.

        "Captain! The Federation has begun launching a massive amount of
 nuclear missiles! Should we intercept!?" Minato calls out, pinging the
 location of those warheads on the Nadesico's screen, freezing Yurika in place.

        There is the possibility that they've deployed these as a desperate
 measure against us.
        Our objectives are, admittedly, on the vague side. We are here,
 ultimately, to save lives. To stop suffering.
        This choice...is too familiar. I hate making it. Was it the wrong one
 last time? It was the only one last time. I accepted that.
        ...Nuclear weapons are implements of fear and terror. They represent
 the intent to not just destroy now, but to keep something ruined for ages to
 come.
        ...on Earth.
        On Earth, these are unthinkable and pollute the atmosphere and soil.
 They are not to be underestimated in space either - their effectiveness is
 because they work well as explosives.
        ...but for most intents and purposes, they are just that. Very high
 explosives. If they were non-nuclear but just as high yield it would be the
 same outcome. I have to forget that. I have to clear out of mind what these
 'present' as. What choice am I faced with-?
        To conclude the conflict, or to mitigate damage right now. The three
 layers. The 'skirmish', the 'battle', and the 'war'. Opportunities get slimmer
 and slimmer as a fight wears on - I will likely not get a better chance to get
 rid of an enemy holdfast. The cost of doing so is damage that, for the most
 part, we expected them to bear - maybe in more 'traditional' explosive output.
        ...no, that's a lie. I knew they had these. ...I knew for a while what
 my decision was.

        "...Hold our fire." Yurika states simply, eyes closed for just a
 moment. "...We continue targeting the Nazca-class." Silence falls over the
 bridge for a bit - before Yurika clears her throat. "We continue targeting the
 Nazca-class! It is our most useful option. Is the Gravity Blast at 100%?"

        "...Yes, Captain," Minato states, "...But we still have time to-"

        "Then hold our current course. It's going to be okay. We have our job -
 I'm sure our companions will cover what we cannot do. Gravity Blast - firing
 at once!"

        There's a pang in Yurika's stomach the moment she makes that choice.
 The same one as that day on Mars. All she had to do was believe she was doing
 the right thing. Believe in her own judgment. It is tested dearly in this role.

        That's right. This feeling clouding her heart - she's here to bear it,
 because inevitably, someone has to.

        The fierce cannon of all-consuming gravitational contortion - the one
 which could have purged dozens of those feared warheads - focuses everything
 it has on the Socrates instead.

KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Yurika Misumaru targets Himeyuri Oono with Gravity Blast - Full Power!
KTS: Yurika Misumaru has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono blocks Yurika Misumaru's Gravity Blast - Full Power, taking
 2430 damage!

KTS: Treize Khushrenada fails to react to Rita Bernal's This Life Isn't All
 There Is, taking 8840 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rita Bernal's Destined Meeting activates, causing Sparkle!
KTS: Treize Khushrenada has been defeated!
KTS: Rita Bernal roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her
 vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.

Ryoko sounds super flustered at Hikaru implying she could Princess carry her,
 "What are you talking about!? Is this one of your weird anime fantasies
 Hikaru!?" And as she accuses her of practicing anime moves in the sims, "IT IS
 NOT THE GEKIGAN FLARE SO SHUT THE HELL UP!

Whereas on it not being the most graceful save, "Ah cram it! As if I were even
 trying to be graceful! Go get the job done!"

"<You're seeing something that's not there.>" Ryoko says over the comms about
 the spirit of the Hero, "<The last thing I would ever want to be is some
 HERO!>"

Ryoko thinks of someone who was once her hero, and feels physically ill.

"<Pure, gentle - what!? What is this with you people!? If she's such a
 delicate flower then why is she in a WARZONE?>" And indeed, Himeyuri, "<My
 heart is PLENTY Maidenly!!! So why don't you piss off you bastard!? What
 kind of boy crazy loser would be looking to pick up a husband on the
 battlefield!>"

The sudden overload of the Repulsor Knuckle is something her cybernetics pick
 up, that build in energy, and suddenly she releases from Michiru's back just
 long enough to cross her claws and raise her distortion field.

The burst sends her Aestie flying ass over teakettle back towards the Nadesico.
 "AaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaAAA!" Fortunately Ruri lowers the field long enough to let
 her in as she slams into the hull.

The Aestie picks itself back up, magnetic clamps engaging. And an ominous
 threat occurs, as she sees all those Federation ships bearing missile
 launchers with that symbol, all over her console... Yurika calls for them to
 fire on the Nazca class...

... and suddenly her hands tighten, she's not going to allow this atrocity to
 happen not to these PLANTS, no matter what is ordered, "No, Captain, put me in
 the brig later if you have to. ... I'm not going to let that happen to those
 PLANTS. I'm linking in Ruri, I'm going to need some real time targeting
 assistance for this one." Ruri responds right away, tonelessly,
 "Transmitting." And immediately her IFS hits her with a flood of targeting
 data for artillery fire.

                 < LET'S GO! GEKI-GAN SHOOT! >

The Aestivalis turns its turret around, and a second set of clamps slide out of
 the back of the feet, digging into the Nadesico's hull, then starts firing,
 one shot after another, after another that propels the Aestivalis subtly
 forward and back before its clamps catch it from the sheer force of the
 recoil, the cannon subtly but swiftly changing reaiming every shot.

The cannon fires mortar after mortar shell into the void as they blossom upon
 the battlefield. And with each nuke she strikes, a more powerful explosion
 blooms in the vacuum of space.

Still she doesn't forget her opponents, as interrupting the rhythm of artillery
 fire at the nukes, some are fired at the Galaxia, creating a field of fire
 around the Gardnova, then more firing past them at the Socrates.

Suddenly she's just not in a talkative mood...

KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Himeyuri Oono and Michiru Tenjou with 120 mm
 Coordinated Artillery Fire.

KTS: Ryoko Subaru has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

Even across the battlefield, Riika freezes for a moment, picking up short-range
 radio.

"..."

Riika didn't believe they'd actually do it. Fire at the PLANTs with nuclear
 missiles. She knew that there were people in the Federation who hated; there
 was a conspiracy to guide the Federation into doing their will. But this -

Not one Junius Seven. Dozens.

"Shiho, get back!" The METEOR's thrust systems fire again, as she interposes
 herself between Shiho and Federation fire, giving her a chance to retreat.
 Riika needs to focus, though; she says nothing else. Her eyes narrow, and then
 close. It doesn't matter. With her visor, Riika can see no matter whether her
 eyes are physically closed or not.

Riika's fingers fly across the controls. She's used the multi lock-on system of
 the METEOR before - in training. Never in live combat. Never with so much on
 the line. She's panicking, inside, though she tries not to let it show. Can
 she do it? Here and now?

As she targets the missiles, rings light up on the central control console's
 visualization of the battlefield, currently functioning like a radar map. Her
 visor provides additional information floating off to the side. She only gets
 one chance at this, and she can't miss. She's not the only person acting, but
 this is something the METEOR *is* uniquely suited to manage.

"METEOR! Full multi-lock on system engaged! Firing all weapons!" There's only
 the tiniest hitch in her voice. She hates doing something she's never
 practiced, never planned for, never even thought about.

Riika had not opened up with the full output of the METEOR before. It's kind of
 overkill for a single mobile suit, and given she wanted to *not* kill Shiho,
 counterproductive to boot. She hadn't gotten into a position to punch her way
 to Rau, and unlike the Ra Mari crew, she had simply not been close enough to
 engage him in the first place. But even Providence Gundam probably wouldn't
 get anything, for physical reasons as much as anything else: his suit is only
 so big.

This time, Riika fires everything.

The main cannons - and she fires both of them, the damaged one too - emit
 pink-red beams surrounded with a shroud of white, bleed-over from the sheer
 power and scale of the enormous cannons, the size of a warship's main gun. The
 side beam cannons, only slightly smaller, fire greens and blues, even a purple
 from her overcharging the systems, forming a whole spectrum of high-energy
 beams. Every missile port on the METEOR - and there are 77 of them - opens up,
 firing anti-ship missiles which swerve through a pattern that looks
 preprogrammed as they take off, separating from the METEOR.

The main cannon Shiho cut explodes halfway through. Riika barely misses a beat,
 as Svalinn Gundam was too far away from that part of the METEOR to take
 significant damage from it; it would be a bad idea to continue to engage in
 METEOR at this point, but she won't stop firing. She releases the handle of
 the cannon, drawing Svalinn's beam rifle and firing it to take its place - a
 much smaller, less significant shot, but aimed just as precisely as the big
 gun.

Beams and blasts and missiles follow precisely aimed paths, intersecting as
 many of the missiles as Riika can lock onto in a vast cone of fire emitted
 from the METEOR. She does not aim at any mobile suits, all her attention
 focused exclusively on the missiles. Riika is not sure that it is enough on
 its own, but she has to do everything she can, even as the METEOR starts to
 shut down from excess damage.

<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapon Team has posed.

Lacus makes her point. Natarle's eyes drift across the floor... to that
 discarded pistol, one round expended.

"...soldiers don't get to make easy choices like that, Ms. Clyne... protecting
 innocent people isn't as simple as doing whatever you want with the power you
 happen to have."

But I'm glad you were here today, Eternal.

Fortunately, a transmission from Colonel Khushrenada reaches her personal
 command console. Her gaze flicks down, then...

"Make sure Representative Azrael makes it to medical safely... and isn't
 allowed to leave until he's received a thorough examination. Concussions
 are nasty business, and we won't know for sure if he has one until we can hand
 him over to dockside medical, right? ...in fact, we'd better lock him in."

The Eternal begins to break off... and Natarle sighs and gently fixes her cap.

"Alright, folks! We have new orders from Colonel Khushrenada! I want full
 CIWS coverage on every warhead in range! Igelstellung and Helldart fire, full
 barrage! We will not be remembered as the ship that allowed a tragedy greater
 than Junius Seven to unfold in front of our eyes!"

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team targets Lacus Clyne with Pass!
KTS: Mobile Weapon Team has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Ryoko Subaru's 120 mm Coordinated Artillery Fire,
 taking 3709 damage!

KTS: Himeyuri Oono blocks Ryoko Subaru's 120 mm Coordinated Artillery Fire,
 taking 5830 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Ryoko Subaru's In the End All I Do Is... activates, causing
 Insight L1!

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        The bird, the phenex was lost from Treize's attention the moment the
 nukes were launched. Treize never sees it coming, before the unit is grabbed
 and a fire that doesn't make sense to exist in space erupts around them. From
 the inside Treize can't help but cry out in anguish as he can feel the heat
 burning his skin. For a moment he suspects maybe this is a result of the
 nuclear missile and is burning alive from it, punishment for his own actions
 that led to this perhaps.

         Then it stops and the Grief is left to be, as Treize breathes heavily.
 Taking off his helmet he wipes the sweat from his skin as he replaces it. Then
 he begins to press buttons and just barely the Grief has enough life to make
 it's way back to the Dominion.

         It is not completely a bad thing though, for on his way back he an see
 the Dominion following his order as well as several others as well. It is good
 to know his trust in those under his command was not completely misplaced.

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"That's- What is wrong with you?" Anita asks, shaking her head in disbelief.
 "I can't even begin to tell you what's wrong with that. You're one to talk,
 anyways - you can only talk like that 'cause you've got power already. Are you
 gonna 'reset' yourself along with everyone else?"

She doesn't have to explain further, though, because Eight and Rena are right
 with there with her with their own arguments.

Rau attacks - this time, with all nine DRAGOONS. One DRAGOON Anita can divert -
 nine, however, is another matter entirely. She tries, but it isn't enough. She
 grits her teeth as beam after beam impacts the Messiah Rosetta, the VF getting
 sent this way and that. The Pinpoint Barrier System holds - but her machine
 still suffers for it.

Right as she's about to recover, however... something else happens.

Nuclear missiles are launched by the Federation against the PLANTs. Anita's
 eyes go wide, and she slams her hands against the side of her VF's console
 roughly, leaning forward in her seat.

"What the...!? Why's everyone stupid today!?" Anita shouts. Anita doesn't shout
 very often - isn't particularly prone to outbursts of surprise or anger.

This, though. This'll do it.

She grits her teeth, turning her attention back to Rau. ...He said he'd done
 everything he'd needed to. Did he know this was going to happen?

Energy builds and builds at the end of the Messiah Rosetta's mounted beam
 cannon. This fight... they stand to lose a lot if it draws on too long. Energy
 builds, and builds - and then Anita fires, sending a powerful beam toward
 the Providence Gundam! The sheer force of it sends the Messiah Rosetta itself
 recoiling backward through space, too - and the energy draw temporarily locks
 up her thrusters.

That's alright. She'd planned for this. The Messiah Rosetta shifts, pointing
 its gatling pod toward the missiles. The weapon fires, and fires, and fires,
 until the barrel turns red-hot - and beyond even that, in blatant disregard
 for safety. She doesn't know what she'll be able to do with that weapon from
 this range. It may be useless - but if she manages to take out even one,
 that's enough.

KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Rau Le Creuset with Concentrated Full Charge Beam
 Cannon!

KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

Hikaru certainly catches how flustered Ryoko is, and although she could
 certainly push further, she saves Ryoko the embarrassment.

Instead pushing on the next thing she gets flustered about. "IT SO IS??? I
 SHOWED YOU THE CLIP LIKE THIRTY TIMES! IT'S THE SAME MOVE!"

Himeyuri, captain of the Socrates tries to appeal to her sense of justice, by
 citing the thirty-fourth episode of Gekiganger. It... doesn't really work.
 "I've seen it! I've seen every episode! And I told you, I'm not fighting for
 the Federation, for Britannia or any of them. I'm a proud pilot of the
 Nadesico and as long as the Nadesico is your enemy so am I ...that's just how
 it is." And so, while the Kite Squadron get the jump on her, the Distortion
 Field does a suitable good job at absorbing their shots.

And then that warning blares... nuclear missiles, heading imminently for the
 PLANTs. Another Bloody Valentine is underway. But Yurika makes her decision -
 the Nadesico will hold fire and save it for the Socrates. "What an awful time
 to deploy without my rifle," Hikaru groans. That heavy artillery frame might
 just save the day. "Ryoko, I'm counting on you..."

And for her part, Hikaru follows the Nadesico's lead and strikes the Socrates
 with everything she has, equipping that unwieldy anti-ship sword. "You're all
 about justice, righteousness, defeating the "evil empire". But you forgot -
 Tenkuu Ken would never turn his back on his team. So... don't you dare ask
 that of me!" And she goes for the charge. "GEKIGAN SWORD!!!"

KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Enable Spirit Command.
KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Himeyuri Oono with Gekigan Sword Cleave!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.

Naoko - Nova Stellar, rather - grins as she can tell her 'plan' is working.
 She's managing to overcome the armor, little by little. They just have to keep
 pushing, and it'll only be a matter of time. That's what she genuinely
 believed... right up until the DRAGOONs come back into action. She thought it
 wouldn't be possible to use those effectively at close range. She thought
 wrong. Getting this close actually eliminated the advantage she had last time.
 This time, she doesn't have enough time to see it coming.

She tries her best to take evasive action, but all that seems to happen is that
 every dodge takes her directly into the path of another shot. She can only
 yell in distress as she's struck time and time again, and by the end of it,
 the Sukeban looks like a shell of its former self. Before she full well
 realizes it, most the reinforcing armor plating is just gone, leaving it
 dangerously vulnerable. One final bit comes to a stop right in front of her,
 ready to end it, when--

"NO!"

--the machine's giant circular shoulderpads detach from the unit and take
 position in front of it, blocking the shot that would have pierced the
 cockpit. In the cockpit, Naoko uncrosses the arms she'd instinctually used to
 cover her face, wondering not for the first time today how she's still alive.
 By that time, she impromptu shields have returned to their previous position,
 leaving her with no clue what just happened, unaware of having subconsciously
 employed mental remote control.

It took long enough, but the gravity of the situation now truly starts to sink
 in. As if on cue, nuclear missiles are employed right at that moment as well,
 and Naoko is left staring at the spectable in abject horror.

"This is... this is insane! Everyone's insane! How... how did it come to
 this...?"

It's too much. In the wake of all this, her confidence evaporates, and her
 honest emotions resurface. She's afraid. She doesn't want to be here. There's
 no difference she can make in something as big as all this. But still... she
 can't just leave her friends behind. She's afraid... but she can't run.

The Sukeban takes its heavy metal club off its back, and without any fanfare,
 swings it towards the Providence Gundam. At the last second, a powerful
 electrical current runs through it, seeking to disrupt the opposing's
 machine's functions. She's only trying to create an opening with this, for...
 something, anything. An attack, an escape, anything that will let them away.

KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Rau Le Creuset with Electro-zap!
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Anita Rosetta's Concentrated Full Charge Beam
 Cannon, taking 1680 damage!

KTS: Anita Rosetta roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her
 vulnerable.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Rena Lancaster's All-Range Attack, taking 7800
 damage!

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki rattles Rau Le Creuset, making his next maneuvers more
 difficult.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Naoko Suzuki's Electro-zap, taking 1260 damage!
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has engaged Rau Le Creuset!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset blocks Eight York's Guided Beam Cannons - Blast Shot,
 taking 1350 damage!

KTS: Eight York repulses Rau Le Creuset, forcing him to disengage.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono fails to retreat.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono fails to react to Hikaru Amano's Gekigan Sword Cleave,
 taking 5670 damage!

KTS: Hikaru Amano has engaged Himeyuri Oono!

 <Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.

Michi's risky technique pays off, and she's free to pursue. To race toward the
 Socrates and Nadesico. To protect Hime, and capitalize on the plan she had
 come up with. She won't make it before the Gravity Blast and Gekigan Sword
 land their attacks. No matter how hard she overclocks the engines to try and
 get there in time. She wants to... so badly. To keep Hime safe.

And then she sees it. All those missiles in the distance. So many nuclear
 weapons. And so little done to combat them. Except for one. That one clearly
 has the right heart, no matter what she claims. She won't spare any further
 words for them right now. She has to protect the PLANTs. They may not be her
 birthplace, but it's still her and Hime's home right now. And all those people
 they've met since coming here. It's going to tax Galaxia to do this, but Michi
 unleashes all its ranged ordinance. "<NOT A ONE OF THOSE HATEFUL WEAPONS WILL
 GET THROUGH TO OUR HOMES! GEKIGAN... FULL BURST!>" Missiles, beams, even both
 fists launch out, all firing out in every direction to assail as many nukes as
 possible in a single maneuver.

That's not to say she's forgotten the targets she had been fighting... But
 bluntly, she can't bring herself to strike Ryoko in the heat of the moment, as
 the one person with the Nadesico to join her in stopping the nuclear arsenal.

KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Ryoko Subaru with Pass!
KTS: Michiru Tenjou has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rau Le Creuset has posed.

        Rau chuckles at Rena words, <"My own people? You are mistaken. I'm not
 a Coordinator. Though I suppose I'm not exactly a Natural either... To answer
 your question, no. I don't have family. Or parents. I was grown in a lab. I'm
 a clone. And a flawed one at that... I'll not bore you with the details, but I
 don't expect to be alive much longer."> Rau also answers Anita's question with
 that.

        Meanwhile, With all the chaos of the DRAGOONs darting around the
 battlefield, repositioning and firing again, it'd be easy to miss seeing one
 darting away, leaving the immediate area...

        The ZAFT forces are struggling to get all the nukes as they rush past
 them, quickly on course for the PLANTs.

        Thankfully, they are not alone.

        The Eternal is the first to move to assist, having been the closest by
 virtue of its launching point.

        The Ra Mari is next, beams of light rushing out to pierce through
 multiple missiles, creating more dazling lights in the sky.

        Soon after, Treize's orders filter through the Federation channels.
 It's clear that the forces a split, as many ignore those orders. Some still do
 begin to follow them though, turning their weapons away from ZAFT's defenders
 and towards the nukes. They didn't sign up to be part of this kind of
 massacre...

        Rena is next, her funnels breaking away from the battle with Rau to
 speed towards the missiles. Their nimble movements allow them to get into
 firing position quickly, each one taking out one missile after another.

        The light from the Phenex Gundam spreads out, engulfing all the nukes
 around her, triggering them to explode and only add to the brilliance of the
 of the Gundam's aura.

        Shells speed through the depths of space, well aimed as they impact
 against missile after missiles. Ryoko's cannon makes quick work of them,
 numerous nuclear explosions adding to the rest.

        Begining to join in after Treize's orders, the CIWS turrets on the
 Dominion begin to spit out multiple barrages in the direction of the nukes.
 They're not in the greatest position to hit them with the weapons, but every
 little bit helps.

        Anita is next up, her gunpod fire ripping through several more as she
 tracks them, the detonations beginning to get closer and closer to the PLANTs.

        It's Riika's METEOR that makes some of the largest impact against
 whitling down the numbers of nukes, the frankly absurd number of weapons fired
 from the thing bring down most of those remaining.

        All except for a few of Riika's missiles which, while on target for one
 of the nukes, suddenly find green beams of light lancing through them,
 detonating them before they reach that nuke.

        And all it takes is one.

        The last remaining missile reaches its target, a bliding explosion of
 light rushing out from the source to engulf a significant chunk of the PLANT,
 Quintilis Five. The sheer force of the explosion, along with the utter
 destruction of much of the colony's support structure, causes the rest of it
 to collapses, supports shattering, the ground tearing itself apart, an intense
 wave of air and debris blasting out into the emptiness of space... The tragedy
 of Junius Seven, recreated once again.

        The only saving grace is the colony wasn't fully populated. The Phenex
 Gundam's warning several days ealier had been heeded. And many had been moved
 out of the PLANT. And yet, there was still likely many left behind...
 Thousands of lives snuffed out in a single moment.

        Rau is laughing to himself as the light from the nuclear explosion
 fades, the debris field that was once Quintilis Five expanding outwards. Rau
 smiles with amusement, "Now, Patrick. You have no choice."

        Of course, Rau still has to deal with those around him. Turning his
 attention back to them. The Providence brings its arm up to block against the
 club swinging its way, stopping it prematurely before it can get too much
 momentum. But the electrical discharge that rushes through the machine does
 temporarily freeze it.

        Just as multiple beams converge in from the other three.

        The beams splash across the Providence, beginning to melt through armor
 and reveal the soft crunchy internals within. It's definitely looking like the
 machine is finally, FINALLY, beginning to lose some of its impressive defense.

        But it's still quite functional.

        Rau hmms, <"I suppose I'll hold back... Just a little bit. I want you
 all to see what comes next.">

        Having indeed been moving the four where he wanted, Rau finally enacts
 his last move. The DRAGOONS dart around, before joining up together floating
 around the Providence. They then all fire at once, a large barrage of beams
 rushing out to meet Rau's opponents.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Rau Le Creuset targets Eight York, Rena Lancaster, Anita Rosetta, and
 Naoko Suzuki with DRAGOON System Remote Bit Pattern Omega.

KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Anita Rosetta's Easygoing activates, and her spirit
 endures.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset enervates Anita Rosetta, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Anita Rosetta blocks Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit Pattern
 Omega, taking 8800 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Welcomed By Power activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Unleashed By Anger activates, causing
 Nullify!

KTS: Anita Rosetta has been defeated!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Eight York's This Path Was Our Choice activates, and her
 spirit endures.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset enervates Eight York, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Eight York fails to react to Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Omega, taking 9600 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Welcomed By Power activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Unleashed By Anger activates, causing
 Nullify!

KTS: Eight York has been defeated!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset completes the Formation attack!
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Rena Lancaster's Ultrasonic activates, and her spirit
 endures.

KTS: Rau Le Creuset enervates Rena Lancaster, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to evade Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote Bit
 Pattern Omega, taking 9600 damage!

KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Welcomed By Power activates, causing Deject!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Rau Le Creuset's Unleashed By Anger activates, causing
 Nullify!

KTS: Rena Lancaster has been defeated!
KTS: Rau Le Creuset completes the Formation attack!
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully evades Rau Le Creuset's DRAGOON System Remote
 Bit Pattern Omega

KTS: Rau Le Creuset completes the Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> Treize Khushrenada has posed.

        Treize watches the impact and feels sick as he pulls the helmet off and
 places his hand over his eyes for a moment. For a moment he had hoped that
 they would be able to fix the mistake, unfortunately it appears fate had other
 plans. On a private channel he speaks to a shadowy female figure on the other
 end. < " When I return to planetside , please make sure to get me the list of
 all civilians loss today, especially the colonist."> A confirmation is given
 and Treize ends the channel as he finally makes it to the Dominion.

         The damaged Grief docks with the Dominion as he climbs out of the
 cockpit, looking like he got a horrible sunburn as he grabs at the first
 bottle of water he sees and downs it. Once he has hydrated himself he leaves
 his Grief with the engineers to repair as he makes his way to the bridge. He
 needed to know how bad things were.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

There is so much that happens, all at once. The nuclear missiles fired off;
 the people on both sides--all three sides--moving to intercept them.

"A clone..." Eight says, "That doesn't have to mean you have no one! A clone
 can still love! A clone can still have a family!"

Even Anita exlaims with how terrible it is. She doesn't shout often--Eight
 knows that. And she sees the way she maneuvers, giving everything she has.
 Naoko, too. But...

Rena will feel it, from Eight; the hard, gut-wrenching anguish that fills EIght
 as she sees one got through. Just one. But it was enough for that colony.
 For another home, lost with its people.

She worked so hard to try to do something better. She knew she couldn't solve
 everything, certainly not all at once. But this? ...This?

"...Monster," Eight says finally over the radio. "That you could delight in
 something like this..."

Her emotions whirl. Pain, at the sheer scale of loss she's just felt; rage, at
 the ones who did it. Hatred for this Rau Le Creuset. Exhaustion. But she
 has no time to dwell on her emotions, nor on the increasing difficulty of her
 breathing.

"..."

The DRAGOONS barrage their fire for the ship, and the Ra Mari II is bombarded
 heavily. It is, for the moment, more than enough to ward the great ship off;
 more weapons are destroyed.

"...Abort charging sequence," Eight says quietly. And Kazama does so. The
 light that was beginning to gather at the bow of the ship fades. More cannons
 have been destroyed. Armor has been ablated.

But the ship is still spaceworthy.

The bridge, though, is silent. Silent until Eight York straightens her back.
 "...Get repair teams out there. We need to be ready for whatever comes next."

"Captain..." Licia is the one to look to her, this time--Chovan. She can tell
 the difficulty Eight is having. "No," Eight says. "There's no time."

Yurika made her own choice. Maybe she had a point. Maybe firing on the
 Socrates was right. But...

"All pilots," Eight broadcasts over band radio. "Withdraw. Return to the
 ship."

Eight's shoulders feel heavy, but...

This was their choice.

"Come back home."

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"Annie!" Rena cries out, as she sees the Messiah Rosetta take off like that --
 damaged, like her own machine -- and open fire on the nuclear missiles. The
 gun pod is glowing, now.

But what else can they do? If even one missile gets through...

It's a miracle. Some Federation forces turning against the missiles -- proof
 that they're not all succumbing to this madness -- and the Three Ships
 Alliance's own forces, directing so much fire into it. The enormous payload of
 the METEOR; the Phenex's raw power.

But one does get through. Quintilius Five is blown apart, the explosion tearing
 through it -- and then the hourglass colony collapsing in on itself. She feels
 Eight's anguish; Eight feels Rena's mirrored back at her.

"N-No..."

She looks back at Rau, her expression screwing up into one of fury.
 "You're--you don't have ANY RIGHT!" she shouts. "It doesn't matter how you
 were born! Someone who was created is the same as everyone else! And they have
 the same responsibility to make the world BETTER!"

The DRAGOONs fire. Beams slam into the Gaia Gear Alpha. One strikes too close
 to one of the four Minovsky Fusion reactors -- and it suddenly goes offline.
 The cockpit suddenly flashes red -- warnings cascade across its monitor -- and
 Rena sees the power levels dropping quickly.

"Damn--!" she cries out. She moves a lever on the Gaia Gear Alpha -- and the
 machine folds in on itself. Arms into the body; nose cone folds out -- and the
 legs fold upward into it, as wings unfurl. The thrusters on the back ignite,
 as the waverider machine blitzes off, back towards the Ra Mari II.

"I'm inbound," she says. "One of the engines took damage. Annie, Nova, report
 in. Are you okay? Keep an eye on the ZAFT Gundam!"

<Pose Tracker> Lacus Clyne has posed.

All it took was one...just one getting through.

Lacus wraps her arms around herself, shuddering. She covers her face for a
 moment, just a moment, as her crew mourn with her.

"This must not continue. This must not happen again. Rau will...they will not
 have another Bloody Valentine. No more..."

She breathes in and out, as Waltfeld looks for a flask. As everyone forces
 themselves to look.

"Riika. Come back to the ship. We need to plan for what will happen next."

There will be retaliation, and retaliation for that. When does it end? When
 does it stop? How does it stop? What did she think she could do, with just a
 ship like this? What more can she do?

"I must speak with the Captains of those ships. I must know more."

She feels ill, but remains standing.

"We are not the only ones hurting. We are not the victims. Stay ready..."

<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapon Team has posed.

Weapons flare. It's difficult to bring down so many small targets... the
 Dominion was meant for anti-capital actions, with mobile suits for coverage
 against things like these. Nonetheless, explosions blossom across the void.
 And knowing that others within the Federation are not so far gone as to
 condone this massacre either makes her breathe easier. Helldart missiles
 spray from the aft launchers, streaking towards targets, and Natarle's
 shoulders start to ease...

Until those bright green beams lance through, and Quintillius Five blooms, then
 collapses. A fist slams against her right arm-rest. It does nothing to stop
 what's unfolding... it just makes her hand hurt.

"Damn you... Muruta Azrael."

Treize's Leo returns to the Dominion's top deck, and he's helped away from his
 cockpit by two saluting white-uniformed crewmen. He'll be permitted to the
 bridge, of course, if he chooses to join her there. They have a lot to
 discuss in the wake of this...

Even though they'd made this choice, and stood against Azrael's corruption, all
 it would take in the end was one.

One more Junius Seven. One more excuse for warmongers on both sides to insist
 on a war of extinction. For a blue and pure world, or simply to prove your
 own strength...

Either way, they'd bleed the whole world dry. Before Colonel Khushrenada can
 arrive, Natarle strokes the heel of her gloves across each eye, and tugs her
 cap down firmly.

It wouldn't do to cry in front of a superior officer.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

Death washes against the Phenex's consciousness. Though she was successful, one
 missile causes untold destruction. It reminds her --

The sky falls on Australia. A child sacrifices everything. A town is saved. The
 sky falls on Australia.

...but there was no sacrifice, here. No children were able to change fate. This
 is just what the Phenex foresaw, what she warned of, and yet, why does it
 still hurt so terribly?

Extinguished possibility weighs against her soul, the anguish of thousands
 landing squarely on her slight shoulders. In this moment, despite all her
 power, she's helpless. What can a living weapon do to save lives?

Slowly, the Phenex's wings return to her, settling into place at her back.
 Drifting toward Quintilius Five, she simply watches, letting the grief swirl
 around her.

<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.

METEOR actually shuts down for several seconds after firing everything simply
 from the damage it's taken. Shiho did more to it than Riika first thought and
 the exploded cannon-arm is not helping matters very much.

Riika is a sitting target for those moments as she hastily reboots METEOR,
 protected only by the lingering defenses of the Phenex Gundam. (And what is
 that? she thinks to herself. Who is helping me?) If Svalinn hadn't had its own
 systems, she would have been blind and deaf, but as it is she can still see
 what's going on. It looks, for a moment, as if they did it: explosions
 everywhere, but mostly in empty space.

Mostly.

A single green beam strikes out of the darkness, then another, as Rau's
 DRAGOONS take aim and fire. Riika's heart practically stops as the beams
 detonate some of the Erinaceus-class anti-ship missiles early, leaving a hole
 in her net of fire - a hole where a single missile slips through. She tries to
 bring up Svalinn's arm, to fire the beam rifle, but it's a waste of time and
 energy. She can't hit it. She'd already assigned that arm to a different
 missile.

"No!!"

METEOR's thrusters fire again. Something else explodes inside it as
 overstressed electrical systems simply give out; Riika notes the damage,
 realizes she should withdraw, and does not. She is not a Newtype, but in that
 instant, Riika knows exactly who did it.

Rau le Creuset. The conspiracist, who tried to have her killed when she came
 close to his secrets - and, as far as he knew, managed it. The true traitor in
 ZAFT. And he's just killed everyone on Quintillus Five.

One of METEOR's thrusters go out as that entire side of the great assault craft
 loses power, and Riika finds herself turning rapidly to the left. She tries to
 compensate and manages a wavy, zigzaggy course. She has no chance in a
 firefight, but she has to - she must -

She can't.

"..." Riika knows she needs to be logical. She knows she needs to think this
 through, as she thinks through so many other things. She can't rush off
 because she will die - Rau will kill her and he won't fail this time - but
 part of her wants to try anyway, to push forward no matter what, for what he's
 done to the PLANT.

But she can barely fly straight, and Phenex's protection won't save her.
 "...I'm returning," Riika says, in a tone that suggests that she is either
 crying or trying very hard not to, battlefield be damned. "I can't land
 straight and I'd destroy the docking bay if I tried. I'm going to detach from
 the METEOR and fly Svalinn in."

Rau le Creuset, the Peacemaker forces - she can't forgive this.

Not ever.

<Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.

        In a moment the situation changes and doesn't. It's difficult to say
 what the correct choice was. If the Nadesico were part of the federation it
 would make sense, it means their attack has a better chance of getting through.

        If she were acting like a Jovian, it make sense to focus on destroying
 her enemy. Counting on her allies while facing the enemy-

        "All crew and MS get clear of the larboard aft! We're about to lose the
 engine!"

        According to the readouts, said engine is not in danger.

        Himeyuri focuses everything- momentarily- into the Distortion Field.
 That will cause a reactor surge- which Himeyuri redirects to the engine. It
 explodes, and leaves the Socrates vulnerable- but not destroyed. Not yet.

        Hikaru's refutation that Tenkuu Ken would not turn his back on his
 allies is enough to break Himeyuri's concentration. To make her wonder if she
 understands, and if in that understand she becomes an intractible foe-

        But then the combination of the Field Lancer and the stray fire from
 Ryoko's missile fire blast areas now vulnerable areas, and more of thre
 Socrates explodes. It cannot move now.

        But all it's guns can still fire. Everywhere and anywhere. It would
 kill the reactor, but she could release every missile and every gun. Go out in
 a blaze of glory. It's the correct decision, isn't it? It's what Captain Laura
 would do-

        But then a piece of the scripture dies with her. Can she allow it? Can
 she allow this show of heroism here to die? Can she leave Michi with nowhere
 to return to?

        She opens communications to the woman with the green hair. She's the
 only one of her foes she could do this to. Woman to woman. If she is to betray
 the Jovian ideal...

        No. She has to assess this third side. Are they Cowboy Johnny, or are
 they the Super-Paleloliths? It's okay to see if they'll shoot her or kiss her
 hand. It would be a proper martyrdom then.

        "<...Female pilot. This is Himeyuri Oono of the Socrates.>" The loss of
 a colony... is a terrible thing. But a powerful motivator. One that the more
 sensible men will use. "<I would ask that you entreat your captain for a
 ceasefire. A fight that continues would be one of mutual annihilation at this
 point. You turned your back on us to fight the enemy. I hope that you can
 convince him.>"

        And she waits. "Ready all non-essential to evacuate, and all MS crews
 to resupply for combat. We'll know our response soon enough."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"That's..." Anita starts, shaking her head in disbelief.

Anita's systems warn her of the intense heat built up in her gun. She ignores
 this... until, eventually, the weapon can't fire anymore. It's done enough,
 for now.

They've done a lot - but one still manages to make it through.

"No...!" Anita shouts, slamming her right fist into the console. She's
 distracted by the sight of the horror unfolding before her - a distraction
 that is easily capitalized upon, especially in her Valkyrie's current state.
 The DRAGOONS unite and fire and though Anita braces herself against them, it's
 not enough. The Pinpoint Barrier System is overloaded, and her Valkyrie itself
 is damaged - too damaged to keep fighting.

And... he held back. She grits her teeth. She's furious for a moment... but
 fury won't help her here, when she's in no state to fight back.

"...You sure you're not just wanting to take everyone else down with you? You
 seem to be enjoying this a lot." Anita bites back at Rau. It's all she can
 do at this point.

Hearing Eight and Rena's voices help recenter her, though. Anita exhales.

"My Valkyrie's all beaten up, but I've still got enough in me to make it back."
 Anita says. "Let's go, Nova - we've got bigger things to be worrying about."

The Messiah Rosetta shifts back to Fighter mode - partially, some parts get
 stuck due to damage - and flies back to the Ra Mari II as quickly as her
 machine will allow.

...But as recommended, she keeps one eye looking over her shoulder, just in
 case.

<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.

Naoko learned from her last mistake. After landing her strike, she immediately
 goes into full reverse, increasing the distance between her and the Gundam. If
 those bits come for her again, she won't stand a chance if she's up close. Not
 that she has much confidence in being able to do anything at this point. To
 top it all off, a nuclear missile hits home.... and that sends her mind down
 into the deepest abyss, making everything feel utterly futile. What was any of
 this even for? All those people...

She sags in the cockpit, thoroughly defeated. "Uriel, Ariel... I'm sorry. I was
 stupid. I thought I could help, but then I... we're not going to make it, are
 we...?"

She's not sure what she was expecting in terms of a response. The one she
 gets...

>"The hell are you talking about? You're Nova Stellar, Miracle Worker! So work
 some damn miracles!"<

>"You can do it, Nova! Don't give up, we believe in you!"<

One should never underestimate the power of having two cheerleaders in your
 corner no matter where you go, always prepared to lend their support, knowing
 just what to say when you need to hear it the most. Just like that, Naoko
 recovers from her self-defeating stupor - just in time to spot the DRAGOONs
 launching in the distance. Her mind works overtime - no, it's not just hers.
 Her mind works in tandem with two others, twin AIs perfectly complementing
 Naoko's mental commands, allowing the ARM Slave to move in ways one would be
 forgiven to assume it couldn't anymore, after all the damage it took.

And when it's all said and done... the Sukeban stands once again untouched by
 the barrage. If a miracle happens twice, is it still a miracle?

Not a question that Naoko is interested in answering. Even if she managed to
 pull that off, she is positively drenched in sweat after the herculean mental
 effort it took, and her wish to escape is no lesser than it was before. She is
 therefore extremely relieved to hear the retreat order.

"...I'm here," is all she says in reponse to Rena, unable to manage more than
 that subdued response as she forms up with the Gaia Gear Alpha and the Messiah
 Rosetta. She too looks back towards the Providence Gundam as she does so, her
 emotions a complete jumble.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.

"IT'S NOT! IT'S NOT! IT'S NOTTTTTTTT!"

Ryoko had shout with a shake of her head over and over, obviously embarrassed
 at being called out for practicing the Gekigan Flare.

Then things got super serious....

-=-=-

All it takes is one. Whether her shot was off, or it was out of range, or it
 just simply slipped through their net.

All it takes is one.

Quntilus Five erupts, the plant detonating as a tragedy repeats. And in her
 cockpit, Ryoko shivers, and shakes - for a time, silent... then...

... then she erupts herself, "GODDDDDD-DAMNIT!" She cries out to herself in her
 cockpit, her comms turned off to her input in this moment. A Colony Girl
 herself, she remembers when she first received the news...

... she couldn't even stop one tragedy. It figures. Why would she even think
 for a moment that she could? Who did she think she was, Amuro Ray?

What happened on Mars to them looms so large right now

Himeyuri entreats her to talk to her Captain. For a long time, Ryoko does not
 respond...

"<Roger.>" If the word sounds equal parts terse and distraught, it's because it
 is. She can't even address the 'him' part, perhaps she doesn't even hear it
 in this moment.

An image of her appears on the Nadesico cockpit, head bowed, features partially
 shadowed, "... Captain Yurika, the Captain of the Socrates is requesting a
 ceasefire. She's asked me to deliver the..."

Ryoko trails off like she lost that train of thought, then her eyes just subtly
 raise...

"... Hey, can we just stop? There's no need for us to keep fighting here
 today, is there? What would even be the point? If we can't even stop
 something like that-"

Her voice raises, emotional, angry, but she's not even certain who she's angry
 at, "-THEN WHAT ARE WE EVEN DOING HERE?"

KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Yurika Misumaru with Pass!
KTS: Ryoko Subaru has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru fails to react to Michiru Tenjou's Pass, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        The missiles break through. Just one is all it takes to turn a colony
 into a smoldering crater.

        Everyone is reacting in despair and horror. The Eternal and Ra Mari
 alike both made the call to coordinate on the missiles rather than the
 operation - a wise one that Yurika had, in part, assessed that they would do.

        ...But the Socrates endured - even if it calls for a ceasefire in this
 instance, one Yurika is more than happy to accept.

        The decision made had a cost, and it was paid. This cost must, of
 course, be paid regardless of whether the outcome is insufficient.

        A feverish, nauseous sweat builds in Yurika's core. Her knees grow weak
 - her stomach turns. Every fiber of her being demands her to fall over and
 hurl. That can't be done. That can't even be perceived to be done right now.
 She just has to endure it. She just has to grip for dear life, clutch the
 situation before her, and hold it back.

        Maybe Ryoko doesn't know who she's exactly outraged at, but the idea
 that Yurika <could have prevented this with a different choice> makes it clear
 to her, at least, who that outrage rightfully goes to her.

        (("The first rule of tomorrow is that you have to put yesterday
 aside!"))

        It's something Yurika tells many - nothing she could say in this
 circumstance, mind. Jun, in particular, lit up one day when she let out that
 little nugget of optimism to push him through a bad time. It's something that
 pushes her onward. It's a charm to ward off the quicksand of regret. It's
 something she tells herself a lot these days.

        "...All hands, return to the Nadesico at once. Anyone stranded, we will
 lead the search and recovery. We'll accept the ceasefire - tell the Socrates
 that if we happen upon any ZAFT personnel in our salvaging efforts, we will
 return them there unconditionally."

        "...And..."

        There's a cold air on the Nadesico's bridge. Naturally, at a time like
 this, the captain's judgment is put into serious question.

        "...I will take responsibility where needed, should our decisions fall
 under questioning. Please call me wherever I'm needed."

        ...She really, really needs a space to get it together right now, just
 for a few seconds.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.

Just as she digs the blade into the Socrates, Hikaru finds herself drawn to a
 massive explosion. One that engulfed an entire colony. Her entire just sinks,
 and there's an unstoppable pang of guilt as she watches that flash.

There was only one missile left. And if she had a way to shoot it down, she
 would without a doubt. But she couldn't. And she didn't. "Is... it my
 fault..?" Is all that can come out of her mouth after the world seems to stop
 for a second.

Maybe it's not all her fault, but like Ryoko, she can't help but think of Mars,
 or her own home of Satsuki Midori II. Hundreds of thousands of lives either
 faded away, or shattered just like hers.

She's prepared to cede the victory to the Socrates' captain and her loyal
 knight - when a ceasefire is called. "Roger. Hikaru Amano, returning to the
 Nadesico." It doesn't matter if she looks like a selfish coward - she's
 grateful that the Socrates spared her life, and that she didn't have to take
 theirs.

Her eyes do raise up when Yurika mentions taking responsibility. She is the
 captain, but she feels the same way?

KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Himeyuri Oono with Pass!
KTS: Hikaru Amano has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Yurika Misumaru targets Himeyuri Oono with Pass!
KTS: Yurika Misumaru has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Himeyuri Oono fails to react to Yurika Misumaru's Pass, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Himeyuri Oono fails to react to Hikaru Amano's Pass, taking 0 damage!

KTS: Mobile Weapon Team's LCAM-01XA Archangel has left
Mobile Weapon Team teleports out.

KTS: Anita Rosetta has launched from Eight York's combat deck!
KTS: Anita Rosetta's VF-25 Messiah Rosetta <GERWALK Mode> has left
Anita Rosetta teleports out.

<Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.

Despite all efforts... one escapes. A colony erupts into flames, then... is no
 more. Michiru's eyes go wide. Both with rage and sorrow. The Galaxia,
 overtaxed in its attempt, floats for a moment, before finding its footing on
 the Socrates. "Hime... I'm sorry. I'm sorry my heart wasn't strong enough."
 She doesn't know yet. About the ceasefire request. Or the orders to those
 still on the ship. Galaxia is merely, for this moment, frozen in place.

And then... everything gets worse. ZAFT High Command. And Rau... Unknown to
 anyone else, Michiru lets out a piercing scream inside Galaxia's cockpit. This
 isn't... Sure, Hime's talked about a lot of things. Defeating the Federation's
 tyrants. But THIS?! Surely neither of them can approve this plan. Obliterating
 the planet itself?! Killing every innocent figure who might have come to ally
 with them? Surely, Hime will agree. That they have to stop this. Somehow. That
 this, like that Cerberus before it, is one of those Greater Enemies that they
 put aside differences to strike down.

There's just... so much death and pain all around them. It's too much. Even for
 her spirit to take. Right now, she needs to dock, and see Hime. She needs to
 know what they're going to do. She needs these tears that blind her to stop
 flowing...

KTS: Ryoko Subaru has launched from Yurika Misumaru's combat deck!
KTS: Yurika Misumaru's ND-001 Nadesico has been disabled.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has launched from Eight York's combat deck!
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has launched from Eight York's combat deck!
KTS: Eight York's Zentradi Monitor 'Ra Mari II' has been disabled.
KTS: Hikaru Amano's Aestivalis Zero-G Frame (Hikaru) has been disabled.
Hikaru Amano teleports out.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.

On the one hand, Ryoko feels bad. She likes Captain Yurika. She still
 remembers her running herself ragged to perform all those funerals for Midori
 Satsuki 2.

Maybe she didn't feel a particular attachment to that place due to what Nergal
 did to her there, but she did feel one to Hikaru and Izumi.

Some part of her will wonder though if one more person deciding to help out
 would have caught that last nuke.

Tearing her gaze away from the screen, her comm screen blips back out.

The Socrates then gets some audio, "<Our Captain... she has accepted your
 terms. If we find any ZAFT stranded she has said we will return them
 unconditionally...>"

Tired, she just sounds tired. There's not a hint of a curse from her mouth
 now. Hesitation... then grudgingly, "<... It's Subaru by the way, not
 'female pilot'. ... Ryoko Subaru.>"

And then she cuts the comms, and starts the trek back around the hull of the
 ship back to the hangar.
 

<Pose Tracker> Rau Le Creuset has posed.

        The sight of Quintilis Five going up in nuclear fire is an ominous
 one...

        ... What's more ominous though, is an open transmission coming out of
 the asteroid fortress, Jachin Due. One from the PLANTs Chairman, being sent to
 everyone on the battlefield.

        "Our courageous soldiers of the ZAFT Forces! We can no longer allow the
 use of violence by those arrogant Naturals! Once more they have fired nuclear
 missiles at the PLANTs. And once more we have lost countless countrymen in
 those fires of destruction.">

        Within the command center of Jachin Due, Patrick Zala grips the arm
 rest of his chair in anger. The remains of Quintilis Five are splayed across
 numerous screens. Many of the operators in the large control room are still
 looking on in despair.

        'Those damn Naturals! I won't lose anything more to them!' Zala thinks
 as he continues his speech, <"This is no longer a war! This is a massacre!
 After Bloody Valentine, we refrained from retaliating against the Naturals
 with weapons of mass destruction. Yet they have once again betrayed us and our
 prayers! We can no longer forgive those who think nothing of these terrible
 acts.">

        All around Zala, those operators who haven't given in to the sight on
 the screens are working diligently, with a purpose.

        "Entering final stages of GENESIS. All vessels, retreat from the zone
 of emission!"
        "Deploying GENESIS alignment mirror."
        "Maintaining activation voltage. Deactivate Mirage Colloid."

        The ZAFT forces get the advanced warning, beginning to clear out of a
 particular area of space. The reason soon becoming clear. A huge structure
 begins to just... Appear... Floating in space beside the asteroid fortress.
 Its form slowly becomes more clear as the optical camoflauge used to hide it
 is slowly peeled away. Its most noticeable features being the massive curved
 dish at its front and the smaller one floating in space not too far beyond it.

        "Activing Phase Shift Armor."

        The mostly dull grey of the large structure is suddenly filled in with
 more colour.

        "Set nuclear cartridge to detonation position."
        "System connections all green."

        <"A new future! The light to the new world is with us! This is to be a
 historical day marking the beginning of a promising new world. Of the new
 mankind, Coordinators!">

        Ending his transmission, Zala finishes, "This'll teach you, damn
 Naturals. May this shot be the light to mark the beginning of a Coordinators'
 world."

        ... "Fire!"

        A beam of light lances out of the center of the massive dish. It
 doesn't go very far though, quickly striking the smaller one ahead. Countless
 beams quickly bounce backwards, spreading out to strike all across the much
 larger one. Finally, a massive rush of what can only be described as red
 lightning, blasts outwards, engulfing the smaller array and then continuing
 onwards.

        Unfortunately, much of the Federation's fleet is in the way. And
 despite attempts to do avoid it, they are caught up in the blast. Numerous
 mobile weapons and warships begin exploding, the rushing energy tearing
 through them. Hundreds of units, dozens of ships, torn apart.

        The sight is equally as terrible as that which was just witnessed.

        Unfortunately. It's not over... As people soon realise: The beam is not
 stopping.

        It quickly becomes clear that the fleet was not the target. They just
 happened to be in the way. What's behind them though...

        The massive beam reaches out across space, speeding towards Earth in
 the distance. At first it looks like that might be the target...

        But thankfully no. Quick calculations reveal the angle of the beam to
 be off, just ever slightly. But that unfortunately means...

        Sure enough, the beam reaches out towards one edge of the Orbital Ring.
 Specifically where the Tenchu Orbital Tower is located. The beam glances
 across the side of the large structure, avoiding a direct hit. And yet even
 that close, numerous outer sections attached to the tower are caught on its
 edge. Much like the Federation fleet, these structures are ripped apart, along
 with all those who were within them.

        <"Hahahahaha! I have EVERY RIGHT!"> Rau laughs back at Rena, as the
 sight of the large beam reaching through space displays on his screen.

        <"As a man created through humanity's greed. Its desire for power.
 Created into a life of suffering, one fated to be short. It is my right to
 judge! This is a reckoning. Humanity will face its sins.">

        As the Ra Mari II and its crew begins to fall back, Rau doesn't chase.

        The same scene plays out across all sides. Both the Federation and ZAFT
 forces choosing to pull back for the moment and regroup, to take stock of the
 situation and what was just revealed.