2024-06-21: Dollhouse Down
- Log: Dollhouse Down
- Cast: Yuliana Kafim, Angelo Sauper, Anita Rosetta, Naoko Suzuki, Luanova Luckwright, Emilia Eschonbach, Leina Ashta, Al, Sayaka Yumi, Rena Lancaster, Kathras Fari, Cascade Vermilion, Invictus, Sympatria Unit, Milly Ashford
- Where: Luna - Mobile Doll Production Base
- Date: 2024-06-21
- Summary: The Dawn of Fold marches on a Mobile Doll production base, coincidentally scoped out by Cascade at the same time -- and less-coincidentally coinciding with Satellicon arriving, too. Terminal, seeing some members of the Dawn of Fold acting carelessly towards civilian lives, decides to intervene to save the base alongside the Gaia Sabers and Cathedra... but when the leader of the base decides to cut the oxygen to the scientists they're keeping as prisoners, Terminal, Satellicon, and the Dawn of Fold find themselves working together to rescue them. In the end, the base isn't destroyed, but the scientists are freed -- meaning that NUNE's Mobile Doll prototyping plans have been set back.
KTS: Kathras Fari has deployed in Agammemnon-class Carrier 'AION'. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has deployed in Da Xukong 0. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has deployed in Queen Gundam. KTS: Angelo Sauper has deployed in AMX-015-4S Dag Doll. KTS: Sympatria Unit has deployed in BRC-1 Pain of the Universe. KTS: Will Barrier activated! (But will not apply until relevant Morale threshold.) KTS: Rena Lancaster has deployed in A000-0001V Gaia Gear Alpha Custom. KTS: Anita Rosetta has deployed in XVF-25I Svipul <GERWALK Mode>. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Anita Rosetta has changed loadout. KTS: Leina Ashta has deployed in CEK-068 Beguir-Neuer. KTS: Naoko Suzuki has deployed in NS-2 Sukeban Kiseki. KTS: Will Barrier activated! (But will not apply until relevant Morale threshold.)
Al is now subpiloting for Rena Lancaster.
KTS: Mobile Weapons Team has deployed in OZ-12MD Taurus <Mobile Doll>. KTS: Sayaka Yumi has deployed in Muse Malu 3. KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has deployed in MBF-M1 M1 Astray.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
There are Mobile Dolls being prototyped on Luna: autonomous mobile suits, handled by a remote operator. Drone warfare is nothing new, first appearing in the Middle Ages -- but the capacity to make a computer control an entire mobile suit without a human in the cockpit is new. Operation Meteor scientists were forced into continuing development, building on the existing Taurus model, and it's being done under NUNE's auspice.
This is a big problem for anyone who objects to NUNE having the power to suppress dissent without even risking their own soldiers... of which there are several camps, all interested in these developments.
One of those dissident networks is the newborn Dawn of Fold -- and their response is bound to be most explosive. "Handle the scientists as you like," Yuliana Kafim advises Sally Po as they all make their preparations, advancing towards Luna in their tentacle-bound Salamis Kyo-class, the 'Shandor'. "Get them out, or don't. Either way, the facility's going up in smoke -- and I'll take point on that one. The Shandor will be on standby for extraction." She grins, and turns her gaze over everyone, as if daring them -- well, daring Angelo, let's be realistic here -- to suggest another approach.
She's the Kafim representing the Silent Castle, today, and of course she immediately hogged the spotlight. Why wouldn't she? Her wife asked her to represent them... and assured her that all eyes would be on her.
The recording-playback device in the middle of the leader's planning room can express no emotion, but the Prince, listening to their back and forth, finally responds. "I'm sure you'll all take this opportunity to learn how to work together," and perhaps one can imagine a smile, on his face. "I'm glad to hear your... enthusiasm. Remember that we can't allow NUNE to get away with these transgressions. If we don't act now, we'll find ourselves powerless to resist... when it's too late."
"You heard the boss!" Yuliana chirps, cheerfully, once the playback button on the machine dulls again. "Let's make some noise...!"
At least someone's excited for the upcoming carnage.
When the Dawn of Fold deploys against that Luna base -- it's fast, and sudden, and violent. They announce themselves with an explosion, rocking the side of the facility. It was specifically targeted to expose the hangar of Mobile Dolls -- both for the photo opportunity, and for Invictus's more immediate opportunity. The Da Xukong 0 scuttles along the Low-G ground, and Yuliana's voice transmits to all and sundry, as that scorpion-like wanzer lifts its stinging tail: "LOOK at what NUNE is building, right under our noses! Autonomous death machines! They won't have to risk a thing as they drive us from our homes!"
Another volley from her wanzer's tail, exploding a silo, cements that this isn't a social house call.
They're here to destroy it.
<Pose Tracker> Angelo Sauper has posed.
The Shandor will be on standby for extraction.
Yuliana Kafim says those words with a the challenge of a grin. Her stare casts out over everyone -- but there's one in particular that subtle callout in question fixates on.
Angelo Sauper's gaze, however, remains affixed straight ahead; as if he couldn't even be bothered to entertain a glance towards his contentious comrade-in-arms. His expression is a flat, detached thing to hide the tension lining his jaw; his gloved hands are folded together to keep them from clenching into fists. He doesn't -like- this thing. This Shandor. This... tentacled abomination of an infamous Federation relic.
It's like sitting in the belly of a wolf that decided it no longer needed to pretend it was a sheep.
But he doesn't even give Yuliana the pleasure of his disdain. He just stares forward at that playback device as the would-be Prince offers up dripping wit. 'Take this opportunity to learn how to work together.' Violet eyes narrow.
"The Gwasha will also be on prepped to aid with extraction," Angelo suddenly says. His voice is level, if clipped. "In the interest of working together. This is going to be our first, joint mission; we should show all the world how much we're -united-."
With that, he turns, to start walking towards the hangars. It's a reasonable suggestion. It's also one he had planned. It's -also- one put forth entirely to dilute Yuliana's precious spotlight.
"What a -good- reminder for all of us that we can't stand alone without our precious -allies-."
Because slowly but surely, Angelo Sauper is learning how to deploy petty dislike in reasonable facades.
---
There are Zeonic mobile suits deploying alongside wanzers on Luna.
It's an odd sight, but one that is difficult to dwell on overly long in the heat of the ensuing chaos; if anything, it just adds to the confusion of the moment as a handful of Geara Zulus do a strafing run across the surface of the base, green beam fire igniting reinforced walls in bursts of superheating metal.
In the distance, the Gwasha lingers far from the base's sensors, just as promised. At over five hundred meters long, the white, immense battleship truly stands out... as does the golden emblem of the Sleeves, emblazoned on the bow.
And among the eclectic ensemble of forces, a slew of remote, white winged bits fly across the lunar skies in coordinated flocks. They spread, electromagnetic energy crackling between them all like a web, amplifying a singularly powerful EMP that -pulses- through the base's electronics and leaves sensors and machinery in disarray.
Above it all, a strange, mono-eye unit painted in white and violet hovers overhead. The Dag Doll, its bulky backpack unit releasing yet more funnels, watches as Yuliana's Wanzer moves.
Angelo Sauper says nothing. He just frowns a disgusted little frown in his cockpit, violet eyes sliding sidelong towards a panel reading, simply,
| MACHINE HEAD MODE STANDBY |
|---|
He quells the trepidation chilling like ice in his stomach, and refocuses on the unfolding carnage.
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has deployed in AMX-116K Zaku IV 'Black Swan'. KTS: Luanova Luckwright has deployed in MFW-1 Myrmecia. KTS: Will Barrier activated! (But will not apply until relevant Morale threshold.) KTS: Milly Ashford is now subpiloting for Mobile Weapons Team.
<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
Nobody invited Cascade Vermilion here.
Cascade has known about Mobile Dolls for a year or more. Amalgam knew that they were being designed, a superior design to the networked FENRIR drones deployed (very secretly, but again, Amalgam) in Alordesh in 0087 - those required a central command unit and an operator in it, even if they could handle quite a few wanzers at once. And while Cascade was never deep into Amalgam, she knew the history.
It helped that she'd been looking up everything she could about AI, Super or otherwise, over the last few months. Old notes stolen from Dr. Hell when she recovered her unit. Information on the Internet, obtained with the aid of Spenders. The occasional press release, or scientific article.
But now she was up on Luna, with her robot, deciding on her plan of action and approach - she's alone, she doesn't have the luxury of a frontal charge with only one of her. Today was meant for scouting. She'd deployed several small stealthy drones with cameras - Bee drones - and was some distance away, concealed underneath a camo cloak, while taking in the layout and preparing her blitz.
And then everything goes to hell. And Cascade is nothing if not willing to take advantage of a sudden opportunity.
She rises up, abandoning the cloak, and makes one long leap only possible in the Lunar gravity, gliding for an absurd amount of distance with only minor thrust.
--
The endpoint of this leap puts her within visual distance of the base. So now there's a Gundam here, who didn't come in with *any* group.
An unusal Gundam, at that. This particular Gundam has a V-fin that more closely resembles the long antennae of a moth than anything else, and back thrusters under rigid wings. It has a feminine frame, high red heels, and what appears to be hair - though the hair splits into something like tendrils rather than being entirely loose.
The whole Gundam moves with the freedom of movement most common to Mobile Fighters. Someone is in there who knows how to move it, who is used to low gravity, and - presumably - who knows how to fight.
The Dag Doll's deployment - and the immense spike in electronic disruption - causes a number of small drones, little things shaped like insects, to undeploy; they follow their route back to the deployment point. The new Gundam retrieves them en route, some of them docking on points on the back like tiny funnels, not suited for combat.
Cascade blinks away the momentary disorientation of losing access to half her cameras, shakes her head in what passes for a cockpit, then tenses her body for another one of those jumps. Someone - an insectoid wanzer, she sees - has cracked a silo. They're going in *extremely* hot. This is her best chance to...
...do what? Getting the information she wanted is kind of redundant at this point. She deploys a pair of the small Bee drones again, but this time without real-time feedback; she sets them on a self-directed route to take video of whatever was inside the hangar the Da Xukong cracked and return while the Gundam crouches on the edge of a Lunar cliff, overlooking the base in its snug little crater-edge home, a peculiarly human stance for a Mobile Suit to take.
The Gundam does not identify itself on any side at all, but it also doesn't - immediately, anyway - aggress, unless one feels those automated drones count. In its position, though, it's definitely not affiliated with the facility...
<Pose Tracker> Sympatria Unit has posed.
"Damn them!" comes a concurring voice from a bulky unit which is loping along the Lunar surface with the Dawn of Fold vanguard.
This unit, BRC-1, looms above the Wanzers and stands astride or above many of the Zeonic Mobile Suits as well. It is almost square seen in silhouette: a megamorphic manifestation of the humanoid shape. Powerful legs propel the unit; and they move with adroit fidelity.
"Hrrraaahhh!"
There is a sudden glow on one of the several blunt-ended cannons on the sides of the machine. There is not an intervening beam of scintiilant light, merely a faint wisp of light, until an outer perimeter antenna cluster simultaneously melts (as metal is superheated) and explodes (as several compressed tankage components superheat, and do the inevitable).
After a hearty laugh of joy in righteous(ish) destruction, the pilot communicates to the Shandor: "Number Six! How does it look!"
A voice comes back. "I think i've got the diamond shape pretty much nailed, so I'll just finish up this set and replace the three I messed up, and then it's really going to be something. Do you think I ought to use higher grade epoxy so I can use 'em as claws? I mean, it's basically acrylic, but it's like a plastic knife, nobody is going to-"
"The readouts," Number One interrupts.
"Oh! It's looking good, those extra heat exchangers are holding up! You might want to go a LITTLE easy on the massive output," comes the chirpy voice of Number Six, currently filing her nails somewhere in the Shandora's command area (and likely producing a small cloud of acrylic particles). She doesn't look at the screen; four plugs in the back of her head and neck plug into a box, which has in turn been spliced into the console.
"Great!" answers Number One.
THEN he addresses his fellows. "Think they're gonna throw those Dolls at us? I wonder how good these things are going to hold up... they putting Super-AI cores in 'em or what?"
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
The last time Sayaka Yumi spoke with Yuliana Kafim, whom the Photon Power Labs have been sheltering for about a year now for 'humanitarian purposes', she was given some curious information - that NUNE is prototyping a new set of 'Mobile Dolls' on their Luna base, with the scientists behind 'Operation Meteor' under duress.
She forwarded this information to her own allies in Satellicon - and while their intelligence is on the limited end in comparison, the people stationed on Satellicon's nominal asteroid base were able to confirm it as true - and they were eager to assault the base and strike a blow against NUNE themselves.
Sayaka, personally, is very much concerned about not just the scientific implications of military Mobile Dolls, but also very much in the ethical realm. It's just, not feasible in her estimates that their failure rate can be overcome in a meaningful way, especially when the consequence for a failure is dead civilians. And in the hands of the likes of Britannia... letting these things run loose in South Japan or Huffman Island is too dire to let stand.
There's next to no actual coordination between the Dawn of Fold and Satellicon except that they share a time and a date to strike at the base - and while Sayaka can reasonably expect their forces could run into Yuliana Kafim, she knows very little about what kind of allies the Silent Calling are running around with. This is very much a gamble, but together, they'll have a much greater shot at doing any meaningful damage.
While the Dawn of Fold makes an explosive entrance, Satellicon trails behind, deploying through the Varona - a Satellicon vessel. In the hangar, Sayaka prepares a Muse Malu 3, the centipede-like robot gifted to the organization by Yuliana herself. It's a machine that the Dawn of Fold would recognize, albeit different in specs... but its presence may be enough to mark the Freeden as an ally, or at least enemy-of-their-enemy.
"It looks like Yuliana wasn't lying about those new friends of hers..." Sayaka muses, still working out the Muse Malu's controls. Yuliana wasn't lying about the sheer amount of levers and switches and toggles she put in that cockpit, either. "We're going to follow their entrance... but carefully. We still don't know a lot about them, but as long as we don't shoot at them, I don't think they'll shoot at us. Our priority is subduing the dolls, but expect some serious resistance from the base."
The Muse Malu 3 is an extremely short, yet long machine - which means infiltration is one of its strongest points. Once it launches from the Freeden, it easily enters the base without instantly being detected and shot down, but the Dawn of Fold's explosive entrance, bolstered by Yuliana's transmission certainly helps keep the attention off.
Sayaka starts by using the machine's signal flares in attempt to jam the base's communications temporarily, perhaps specifically catching the ire of a certain ship in NUNE's deploy - while also sizing up their 'allies' in this operation. The Sympatria Unit's massive, super robot-like machine certainly stands out - and someone even brought what looks like a themed Mobile Fighter to the battle. Sayaka's concealing her identity, so naturally, she uses a voice changer but she reaches out to Cascade and the members of Dawn of Fold.
"We are 'Satellicon', an anti-NUNE resistance organization. We are here to aid your attack." She claims, in simple terms. "As it stands, we cannot let NUNE deploy these Mobile Dolls to subjugate their conquered lands. We may not currently be allies, but I propose a truce as we fight for a mutual cause."
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapons Team has posed.
EARLIER
Invictus--the grandiose, gold-armored man who first showed at the Prince's meeting--stands in the Shandor's briefing room, arms folded. The sunspots that act as eyes, of a sort, on his stylized sun-mask flick between Yuliana, Angelo, and the Prince's recorded missive. The tension is deeply familiar. It's homey, but also wearying. "NUNE is using forced labor to design them, yes? Perhaps they'd be amenable to a change in employment..."
Invictus' gaze settles on Angelo. "I can create the chaos we need to extract them, and a suitable escort." Strategic positioning. Less openly bloodthirsty than Yuliana, perhaps, but he's still concerned with acquiring an asset rather than simply denying that asset to the enemy. "I will see you all on the Lunar battlefield."
In sharp contrast to his personal armor, Invictus' machine is downright mundane: a Jegan with the broad-shouldered 'backpack' marking it as an EWAC-type. Its stock Federation livery has been repainted in the reds and golds of sunrise. A pentet of small, INCOM-like drones rest at its hips, linked to the 'backpack' via reinforced cable leads. The real work is inside: repeated rounds of hardening to ensure the EWAC systems have a higher threshold for Minovsky interference. Cryptographic algorithms specifically designed to crack NUNE's security. Invictus even built most of it himself.
The Dag Doll makes the perfect opening. The Jegan roars onto the battlefield, juking back and forth very slightly--the sort of way a newcomer to AMBAC might dodge, if they aren't well-trained in the ins and outs of the system. As soon as it reaches the hangar, the Mobile Suit hits the brakes, clumsily stopping its own momentum. In the cockpit, Invictus' hands fly across keypanels, executing scripts that execute more scripts.
The INCOM-looking things fly free, racing through the silo and latching onto an exposed control terminal. Uplinks slot in, creating a physical connection. A minute passes, and then another.
Then, in a cascade of error messages, the base's Mobile Doll garrison stops responding. Less than thirty seconds later, a wing of Tauruses crests a nearby rise, their jagged black shapes silhouetted against the starfield.
They don't shoot at any of the incoming insurgents. Instead, several of them take up positions near the Jegan, while others start to move deeper into the cracked silo.
A message broadcasts through the compromised network: THE FUTURE CANNOT BE SUPPRESSED
KTS: Yuliana_Kafim has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Squeezing into the space behind the cockpit of an EWAC Jegan is not Milly's idea of a good time, especially, but someone has to be here to represent the Prince's interests in a more immediately proximal way and get good footage of the Mobile Doll factory.
Naturally, both fall to her; out of the Prince's immediate coconspirators, she's the one with the most camera training (thanks, misspent high school year!) and the most value-add by coming along in a tactical role as well.
As Yuliana blows open a perfect photo opportunity, Milly -- well, takes the photo opportunity. For this sort of thing, a short-range camera drone works perfectly; it flies out from a small container mounted on the EWAC Jegan's waist, and Milly takes it over the aperture in a smooth pan. (It's transmitting the footage to her phone -- her crime phone, she's not dumb about paper trails -- so even if the drone itself gets blown in short order, well, she'll still have the footage.)
Milly murmurs, more for her own benefit than anyone else's, "I think we have a really good chance at putting a dent in NUNE's political standing this way." Then, of course, she remembers to do the other half of her job:
"Remember, you're going to be dealing with Heindrees and GN-Xs as the default security force now, plus as many Mobile Dolls as they can get working," she transmits to the rest as a friendly reminder. "These aren't GM IIIs and Jegans. If you're used to having a technological advantage, get that out of your head right now."
The arrival of Satellicon is unexpected. Milly frowns. It's not that it's a bad thing to have allies... but this does throw off almost all of her assumptions.
KTS: Milly Ashford targets Sympatria Unit with Dream! KTS: Milly Ashford has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena, all told, isn't wild about NUNE having Mobile Dolls. The idea of them is terrifying; she can't help but think she is, for once, agreeing with Delling Rembran. But, for now, she is willing to put up with it.
The bigger concern, the commanders of Terminal agreed -- and that includes her -- was preventing civilian casualties by this new terrorist group blowing up the factory at this lunar base.
Which is why a wing of Mobile Suits (and, of course, a VF and an Arm Slave), deploying from the direction of Magallanica, takes flight.
The Gaia Gear Alpha is near their head. "This is Captain Lancaster. Keep your eyes open," she says. "We want to keep them off the factory--at least until we've got confirmation they've evacuated the crews inside. I understand we've go people working to confirm that."
She clears her throat. "After that, we can make a judgment call and pull out." She leans forward in the cockpit. "Take note of who's here--we're going to need to know who these people are. Everyone, you're free to engage."
The Gaia Gear Alpha rises up, in its waverider mode, over the lunar regolith; it comes up higher, motes of dark blue and bright, pale green drifting after from its Psychoframe. Rena scans across -- spotting the Dag Doll, the BRC-1, the Sleeves suits, and Wanzers. To say nothing of the Muse Malu 3, in the far distance. Behind the Gaia Gear Alpha is a trio of M1 Astrays, which rocket inward.
And...
"...Yuliana," Rena says, quietly. Her eyes widen. She heard she left the Photon Power Labs. But she never thought...
Then she opens up a transmission. "Yuliana!" Rena shouts. "Stop this! You'll kill everyone in there!"
The hardpoints on the right wing of the Gaia Gear Alpha Custom light up; two trails of vapor explode off it, behind a pair of missiles go crashing down for the Da Xukong 0. Their tips superheat to an angry, armor-piercing red.
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster's Newtype activates! KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Yuliana Kafim with Needle Missiles! KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.
In the gray and black of the Lunar surface, a great shape rests. The Agamemnon-class carrier 'Aion' is not far from the base--just far enough that it cannot contest the initial strike.
"Category four distress call," Abram Zhukov announces to the bridge of the battleship. "It's--ah. It's gone. Communications completely jammed. Do we still intervene?"
The Captain--a black-haired man in a well-tailored uniform--inclines his head, and his XO hurries to carry out the order Lanra Gavarre is silver-haired and red-eyed, and her expression is serious. In accented English she says, "Orient course. All weapons at the ready. Prepare mobile suit wing for immediate deployment."
tThe bridge of the Aion is a large thing, not cramped and small like many other ships. The many screens aboard all give different data, including the main viewscreen--and the windows into space. The yellow-green internal surfaces contrast with the purple and white normal suits of the crew. And the many chairs reflect just how many people it takes to run a ship of this size.
The helmswoman--Nuwan Jayaissa--acknowledges, "Course set. Taking us in, Captain."
"Acknowledged," Gavarre says.
At the head of the Tacticial stations, Hedsa Jakallo says, "Found the source of the jamming, Captain. Signal flares from a strange mobile weapon." That is to say, Sayaka's.
"Get a firing solution on that unit," the XO instructs. "And mobile suits: you are clear to launch."
Kathras Fari, in his Capain's chair, nods. "Belay the fire. We'll hit our own people wih the ship's weapons. Keep ours trained to ensure no one escapes, instead."
"Our mobile suits will show them NUNE's power."
With that, six mobile suits prepare to launch from the brick of a ship's two catapults. GN-X units in NUNE colors group up andd, as a squadron jet out towards the Muse Malu, working in sync.
Three pull beam sabers, and behind them, three beam rifles to round out the appraoch.
Fari waits.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
News of Luna getting hit caused ice to churn in Leina Ashta's gut, thinking of Von Braun. Despite the Minovsky interference, she tried to send out a message anyway to someone at the University.
ERROR: MESSAGE NOT SENT
It was exactly as expected, but still she had to try, instead taking a last moment to look at a picture, closing her eyes, and taking a breath, before she clicked her helmet in place.
The Beguir's platform moved it into place before the linear catapult on the AION, as she saw the indicator click down.
"Black Lioness... launching!"
She felt it, even before she tapped the thrusters forward, sending it flying towards the surface of Luna. It wasn't like hitting Earth, the atmosphere was so thin that her cockpit didn't even register a temperature spike, a squad of Beguir Pentes following behind asynchronously.
Her own, black and accented with orange, a reminder of the past. That some scars should not be swept under the rug, especially new ones.
Their descent outside the Luna base was met with a harsh hiss of comm static, before over the general comms. At first the chaos was too much, as they struck the lunar surface near the fringes of the base, but then they saw it, blaring over everything.
THE FUTURE CANNOT BE SUPPRESSED
"You getting this shit? Like hell we'd ever let dolls be the future." Amar, the man in her squad asided, as he sent a shot of one of the mobile dolls, flippant in his disgust.
"Take it down a notch, last thing you need to do is jump the gun and become a casualty to something unmanned." Another, older man Percy Clement, advised.
He snorts in reply, "As if I'd ever bite it to some overblown drone." He reports, as his EWAC shows more images, at first of the Muse Malu, the Queen Gundam, and more strange units on display. "Got more problems anyway. Lots more. Target rich environment here."
Leina didn't say anything because her focus was on the Zeon mobile suits, and one in particular, the one releasing so many funnels above.
Is that you?
Snapping out of her abstraction, "You two go buddy system and engage..." A momentary pause, "... the Sleeves. I'm going to wave 'Hi' at their lead."
The Beguir engages it's thrusters, jolting to the side, it's blaster rifle getting a bead, but that's not how she engages. Instead her eyes close for a moment, and funnels launch from the modified Beguir's rear armor, all of them flying out in a nautiloid spiral.
It's a familiar pattern to anyone who fought with Zeon for long enough, it's the exact way that so many Qubeleys launched theirs.
Their beams streak across the obsidian of the Lunar sky, lighting up, testing this unfamiliar unit with... an aesthetic that makes her uneasy. It's only once the first salvo of Minovsky fire is released, in bright pink, that she speaks.
"<This is Black Lioness of Cathedra. Unidentified unit - you'll stand down and submit yourself to immediate detention and audit.>"
She hopes - that this person doesn't announce themselves as someone who represents the dispossessed and the downtrodden.
She hopes.
Just in time to hear Rena's voice over the comms and a shout of... her brain whirls, putting together the meaning of all of these disparate forces together, and while she had no CONCLUSION - she had a singular exclamation as her hands tightened over the control, feeling the tug of her Psychoframe cockpit to peer into the depths.
"God... DAMNIT!"
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Angelo Sauper's Don't Dare Belittle Me! activates! KTS: Leina Ashta targets Angelo Sauper with Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Spiral Formation! KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Mobile Dolls... It's not a pleasant idea. But there's people there, too - civilians. They have to make a call, and in the end, they favor immediate preservation of human life.
The XVF-25I Svipul soars in Fighter Mode over the surface of the Moon, racing toward the lunar base alongside the Gaia Gear Alpha, the Sukeban, and the rest of her unit.
"Got it." Anita replies with a nod as Rena speaks. Keep them busy... she can do that.
If they didn't already know where the factory was, finding it would be easy - the explosive that rocks the side of the base makes a rather bright beacon. Anita grimaces.
"...Looks like they got here ahead of us." She notes. "This is going to make things harder."
She scans the area. Yuliana... Their intel suggested she was here, but seeing her on the battlefield... Anita frowns.
"...Rena. You going to be good?" Anita asks. For now... she turns her attention elsewhere - and takes note of an unidentified Gundam. Who're they with...? There's no identifying features... and those drones. Cameras, or remote explosives? It's a pretty cruel coin flip, but the idea of opening fire on what might be a noncombatant puts a pretty bad taste in her mouth.
That design is pretty unlike any Mobile Fighter she's ever seen before, too.
"We've got a question mark over here - I'm gonna check 'em out." Anita notes.
She breaks away toward the Queen Gundam, her heading unmistakable - and right as she's upon it the Svipul unfolds into GERWALK mode as Anita tries to open a line to the Mobile Fighter's pilot. From the way the approaching squadron is moving to defend the base, the Svipul's current goal is clear enough, at least.
"Hey, I don't know who you're with, but things are really heating up here - I recommend getting while the getting's good." She warns, watching the Queen Gundam carefully.
KTS: Angelo Sauper engages evade against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Spiral Formation! KTS: Angelo Sauper's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Angelo Sauper successfully reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Funnel Array Spiral Formation, taking 2970 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Cascade Vermilion with Pass! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sympatria Unit accepts Milly Ashford's Dream! KTS: Milly Ashford shares a dream with Sympatria Unit, increasing their SP! KTS: Best Defense! Sympatria Unit successfully reacts to Milly Ashford's Dream, taking 0 damage! KTS: Kathras_Fari has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents. KTS: Cascade Vermilion accepts Anita Rosetta's Pass! KTS: Best Defense! Cascade Vermilion successfully reacts to Anita Rosetta's Pass, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Murasaki El-Amari has posed.
In the cockpit of her own MBF-M1 M1 Astray, trailing behind Captain Lancaster, Murasaki maintains formation with the rest of the Terminal force. It had been some time since she had last found herself inside the machine, but she was having little difficulty, especially with the Natural-Type OS Disabled. Assisting NUNE wasn't sitting entirely well with her, but if her elements of Orb wanted to remain in the good graces of Terminal, they had to contribute somehow. Besides, in all the confusion, surely no one would notice if a couple of mobile dolls were hit in the crossfire, maybe. She was still working alone right now, as alone as she felt in the fight for Orb's soul. But that was something to worry about later.
"Understood ma'am!" she radios in.
Right now, it was time to simply follow her own team leader, and shoot what she was shooting at. The dancing flashes of explosions lit up her screen as she closed in, dodging any stray beam shots.
KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Al has posed.
The fire control system codenamed Al doesn't entirely understand the problem represented by the Mobile Doll project, considering his own nature and role. Fortunately, this tension is not called to issue today: The objective is to ward off the attack in the name of preserving human life. A familiar objective.
Al's core unit has been secured to Rena's cockpit, this time, thick data cables plugged straight from the all-white box into the computation units of the machine. For now, it's easier for him to simply hijack the piloting interfaces than fully integrate with the system. This isn't the body he desires.
Maybe he should work with Rena on some kind of API though. Thoughts for later. He does briefly focus on the revealed hangar of mobile weapons, but a scan across the panoramic view swiftly starts picking out the dead and wounded.
A second starts tagging targets and allies. "Categorizing and designating field. A number of unknowns today. Affiliations uncertain."
KTS: Al has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Al has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Al's Where Are We Going activates Trick and Focus! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to engage intercept against Rena Lancaster's Needle Missiles! KTS: Yuliana Kafim's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Critical Hit! Yuliana Kafim poorly reacts to Rena Lancaster's Needle Missiles, taking 3840 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
There is a new sight accompanying the Kakapo squadron members today. Though given the company it keeps, the fact that it's an Arm Slave with a purple color scheme, and not to mention its identification ping returning the designation NS-2 Sukeban Kiseki, it's not really a secret to anybody that its pilot must be 'Nova Stellar'. Now nominally affiliated with the Magallanica Defense Force, she's stuck by those she was often in the company of during her time in the Three Ships Alliance. This new Arm Slave certainly looks sleeker and generally spikier than the previous model, and most importantly: long braid-like head attachments trailing behind it. Naoko knows what she likes.
Unfortunately, to do everything she wanted, some things had to go. Notably, this model doesn't have as much prowess in remote hacking, which immediately gives her cause for regret as she quickly observes one particular element of the situation, relaying the information to her squadmates.
"Something's wrong... some of the Dolls have launched, but they aren't defending the installation at all. They're just letting the terrorists do whatever they want. They--"
The awkward pause happens when she tries to probe further into the network, and gets a weird message in response. "The future cannot be suppressed...?" Whatever that means, it's clear she can't get any further than that on the electronic warfare front in this machine. But that's fine. That's not what she built it for. And with Rena giving the go-ahead for action... she grins, perfectly fine with handling this matter in a more direct way.
"Alright, then for now I'll give the rogue Dolls something to keep busy with, see what I can learn about what's going on with them. Let me know if you need me elsewhere!"
And by 'something', she means violence, of course. They've already been taken from NUNE, so surely they won't mind if she makes sure that the terrorists won't be able to use them, right? Even if she does it in a way where no one will be able to use them... that would be pretty win-win from where she's sitting.
One thing is immediately obvious about this Arm Slave - it's fast, and unlike most, well-tailored for space combat. And though it's coming in fact, it's not just charging in a straight line. Its pilot has good instincts regarding likely firing patterns, especially when it's coming from AI. Ultimately, the goal is to close the distance to one particular Doll at the outer edge of their formation, and strike it bare-handed, so to speak, even if the Sukeban's heated palms make this more akin to the strike of a Beam Saber.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Mobile Weapons Team with Palm Edge Strike! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Luanova Luckwright has posed.
Some deployments feel righteous to Luanova Luckwright. Others are just a job. Mercenary money in her mother's pocket, a business exchange from one arms manufacturer to another, glorified corporate security to be used as a funding pitch for a project Lua knows will not bear fruit.
Incoming transmission in the synthesized anonymous voice of the Myrmecia: <"This is the MFW-1 Myrmecia, Myrmidon piloting, on contract through corporate security services, responding to terrorist incursion."> Even-toned; it might as well be computer-generated. Lua takes a breath, clears her head, and then clenches her teeth in a sneer, approaching a smirk. "Time to work out some stress."
A single wanzerpanzer is visible on sensors tracking lunar atmospheric entry. It looks sleek and designed more for aesthetics than functionality, a curved and lightly plated thing with a large glassy orb surmounting as the "face" of its torso. No visible weaponry. This is what comes hurtling for the Pain of the Universe, one of the largest obvious targets visible in Lua's approach vector through the blown wall of the facility. Not a swarm of mobile dolls. Just one eight-meter wanzer, hurtling down with its arm reeling back to rocket down upon the Pain's center of mass with a single right hook.
That right hook hits like more than a truck. It carries enough kinetic energy to push the much larger unit back halfway across the exposed facility to absorb the hit. The Myrmecia makes a point to land where the Pain previously stood, looking far up at the face of the belligerent, and hold out its arms, shrugged to the sky.
That's bait.
KTS: Luanova Luckwright has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Luanova Luckwright: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Luanova Luckwright targets Sympatria Unit with Massive Impact! KTS: Luanova Luckwright has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Luanova Luckwright has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Mobile Weapons Team engages evade against Naoko Suzuki's Palm Edge Strike! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team successfully reacts to Naoko Suzuki's Palm Edge Strike, taking 3040 damage! KTS: Sympatria Unit fails to engage charge against Luanova Luckwright's Massive Impact! KTS: Sympatria Unit poorly reacts to Luanova Luckwright's Massive Impact, taking 4600 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
THE FUTURE CANNOT BE SUPPRESSED
Cascade isn't sure what she thinks about that, as she turns just slightly to get a better view of the battlefield, including the Mobile Dolls. And she's recording, of course. A second squad? Or a hijack? How much of an AI do these things have, she wonders - well, that's part of what she's here to find out. Isn't it.
She gets a message from 'Satellicon'. Even through the voice changer, the voice is faintly familiar; Cascade listens to rhythm and timing and word choice as much as pitch and they're much harder to fake with a synthesizer. Only an AI could really work through it, and it takes her more time than the few seconds she's afforded on the battlefield to tell who it is... but she's sure she's heard the voice before.
Cascade sends back, "Understood and accepted." Cascade's voice is also different, but not with an external synthesizer; she's an infiltrator, what good would she be if she couldn't change her voice? It's a femme voice, pitched high, less husky than her actual voice tends toward.
Back toward the battle... and the approaching Valkyrie.
Queen Gundam stands up. It's sized like a mobile suit, which means taller than the GERWALK-form Svipul, and seems to have no trouble balancing on the edge of the cliff she's decided to stand on. "I can't accept that," she says. "Queen Gundam is here to stop the Mobile Doll production facility." She'd only originally come to scout, but why not take advantage of an opportunity?
"I've heard that the Mobile Suit project cripples advanced AI, leaves them damaged, to produce their combat AI. And I won't let that happen!" Cascade doesn't know it's true - but that's why she's scouting. Or was scouting. "NUNE can't be trusted on this topic...!"
Queen Gundam springs forward, going through a whole somersault flip before driving its - her - foot downward in an axe kick. And while that would be bad enough, the entire bottom part of the foot begins to heat up, the spike 'heel' glowing red like a heat axe. Queen Gundam can't fly - but on the Moon it is very capable of aerial ('aerial') acrobatics, and once she's hit with the kicked (if she's hit with the kick) she springs off, dropping to the ground below.
KTS: Cascade Vermilion has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Cascade Vermilion targets Anita Rosetta with Heat Kick! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Anita Rosetta engages guard against Cascade Vermilion's Heat Kick! KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Critical Hit! Anita Rosetta poorly guards Cascade Vermilion's Heat Kick, taking 4005 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Cascade Vermilion's The Future Ahead activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Cascade Vermilion's The Past Behind activates, causing Jam L1!
<Pose Tracker> Murasaki El-Amari has posed.
Keeping at a tactical distance, Murasaki watched the battle between Rena and the Da Xukong 0, the sparking effect of multi-missiles hitting home aganst the barrier but eventually breaking through. She had the distinct feeling that her little Astray was outmatched but she could put in a request for a Gundam once hell froze over at this rate. Right now it was time to try and fire some cover for her leader. She positioned the pipper over the Da Xukong 0, and began to pull the trigger.
KTS: Murasaki El-Amari targets Yuliana Kafim with Type 71 Beam Rifle Rapid Fire! KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Sympatria Unit has posed.
Number One's head turns, as does the squat head-unit set on top of the block of reinforced mechanism that is the BRC-1's torso. "GN-X's... good to know," he answers Coup de Foudre. "If these guys were in orbital space, we'd be up a river." He probably meant 'the creek.'
The machine turns round, to get a better angle on the battlefield. Several more bursts of ion channelled particle beams rip out, eerie in their ghostly projection across the thin traces of an atmosphere around Luna. Then something's coming in --
"Huh?" says Number One, looking slightly upwards as the Myrmecia looms suddenly. His eyes widen. Impulses burst forwards and Myrmecia can see that the machine is turning as if to try and strike a counterblow and
CLASH!!!
it swings wildly as the Wanzer smashes against the machine.
And just as per the Myrmecia's plan, the machine rises upwards and sails backwards. Actually toppling over as it goes.
"Hey One!!" offers #6 from the Shandor. "Why'd you let yourself get hit!?"
"Gghhk!! Nnghkk!!" snarls One as the machine pivots around, the echoing reverbations of that blow finally fading outwards. Shaking his head once, he snaps back an answer: "I didn't LET MYSELF get hit, it was too fast!!"
"Nah uh," #6 says. "Excuses are for failures!"
"Well then what happened from what you can see!!!"
"You forgot to adjust your gravity params," she says.
One blinks once.
"Hold on, let me do it." Click. At this point the machine lands on the Lunar regolith again. "K, there you go. This isn't like Earth vs. a colony where you can be off by a tenth, you know, it's 16% Earth gravity there. That's a big difference!!"
"Alright, alright," One replies, before adjusting a signal channel.
"Hnh," he transmits with a grunt to the Myrmecia. "Good punch. You the reinforcements?"
INSERT BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFKBRzIN_hk
The Pain of the Universe walks forwards along the lunar surface. Its gait is different now. Steadier. Inevitably, there's a bit of a skipping quality to it. That's just how you get around on the Moon. But it's more deliberate; tighter controlled.
"That's good," he says. "That's fine." One of the lefthand mounts of the Pain of the Universe shifts slightly. There is a faint violet glow, even as the Pain of the Universe draws back its right arm--
-- and then comes the shrieking lance of megaparticles compressed hard enough to be verging into the ultraviolet wavelengths on their way towards the Wanzer, aiming for that helpfully presented bubble.
"Because if the reinforcements are coming in... *you're on the ropes!!*" One concludes.
KTS: Yuliana Kafim engages block against Murasaki El-Amari's Type 71 Beam Rifle Rapid Fire! KTS: Yuliana Kafim's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Yuliana Kafim successfully blocks Murasaki El-Amari's Type 71 Beam Rifle Rapid Fire, taking 2100 damage! KTS: Sympatria Unit: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Sympatria Unit targets Luanova Luckwright with Ion Emission! KTS: Sympatria Unit has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
On board the Gwasha, Emilia sat ready in the cockpit of her machine. She had had some time to get used to the sort of pilot suits the sleeves used now. Green, and lightly armoured. A real piloting suit, rather than the hodge podge thing she had working with the Black Knights. Her ARM Slave suit had more armouring but... it wasn't really space ready. This was something closer to what her father would have worn.
She was much happier to be on the Gwasha than the Shandor, if she's honest. That ship creeped her out. Most of the things she'd seen from the Silent Castle creeped her out, to be fair. But being creeped out was not a useful emotion on the battlefield.
"Eschonbach, head to the catapult." The voice of her squadron commander, Oscar Kalo came through. "You're on point."
"A-acknowledged." Emilia responds, her Mobile Suit responding to the movement of her limbs with it's alternative cockpit. A special request from their benefactor. Indeed, the unit itself was a special request for her squad- the first four off the line. She breathed in. "E-Emilia Eschonbach, Black Swan. L-L-LAUNCHING!"
Four units- clearly Zakus, but the model is new. Different. Bulkier, hardier, more in line with the III than the II. At their head is one painted in black and purple, with a bulky unit attached to it's back. One would think it to be a funnel rack, if it weren't for the total lack of funnels- or pressure coming from the pilot.
The first of the New Zakus dives into the fray with the Wanzers, and tears into them with a Hyper Hammer, swung on it's chain with a viciousness. The base would crumble, that was their mission-
"Eschonbach. New target-the carrier's ours. Leave the chaff to our allies."
"A-A-Acknowledged."
While the other three Zakus open with ranged support, the Black Swan launches directly towards the AION at full speed, missile ports opening on the back unit and firing two missiles- which each break into eight, providing a covering assault as she charges.
It's then that Sayaka receives a comms message. A woman's voice, but not the stammer of the Black Swan's pilot. "Miss Satellicon, we'll be providing you support. Z4 squad. Small rec, stay out of Black Swan's way, eh? She's a fucken psycho when she gets going."
"Focus up, Pery!" Sayaka can hear another voice coming through the speakers of the woman communicating with her.
"I know what I'm fucken doing, Gray!" She shouts back.
"Stow the chatter." Oscar's voice is firm. "We'll keep mission critical comms, but Eschonbach will be your primary contact. Understood?"
"Aye!" Comes a short sharp message from Emilia, to both Sayaka and her squad.
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets Kathras Fari with Cluster Missile! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Everyone responds. There is Leina -- of course, of course -- and a new unit which claims to be the Sukeban, and Yuliana supposes that Nova must have been busy. An unknown Gundam, lurking around... she earmarks it to keep an eye on, but she'll consider it an ally, for now, given what the pilot says. Unfortunately --
Yuliana's attempts to destroy the facility are interrupted. By missiles.
The Da Xukong 0 turns, the coils at its shoulders -- not entirely unlike wings -- glowing with some horrible dark power which still isn't enough to blow up those missiles before they reach her wanzer. They explode against a green, shimmering barrier rising up around it, instead -- nothing which is standard, for a wanzer.
"Whether the innocent are evacuated or not is someone else's problem," Yuliana informs Rena, over an open communication line which everyone can hear. "But surely you have eyes, Rena. Look at what NUNE has been building! Can you blame me for doing my part to erase these prototypes from existence?!"
Their future will not be suppressed.
"And an Astray, beside you... one of Orb's pilots, I presume?" Yuliana sniffs, as her machine turns to Murasaki's Astray, a haughty sound which her radio picks up. "My wife won you people gold at the Olympics, you know. You can walk right now, and I'll be generous enough not to stop you. Surely you're not going to make me delay destroying this facility until every last scientist has evacuated, when the Black Lioness is already upon us." Unfortunately, Murasaki's reply is a beam rifle -- and she brings up her Cleave Axe between herself and that fire.
"I see," she concludes. "Then you brought this on yourself."
Da Xukong 0's scorpion tail rises above its head, and fires balls of burning-hot plasma at the Gaia Gear and the Astray.
KTS: Luanova Luckwright engages block against Sympatria Unit's Ion Emission! KTS: Luanova Luckwright's Will Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Luanova Luckwright successfully blocks Sympatria Unit's Ion Emission, taking 1500 damage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Rena Lancaster and Murasaki El-Amari with Infernal Arachnid Injector Stinger Salvo! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rena Lancaster engages evade against Yuliana Kafim's Infernal Arachnid Injector Stinger Salvo! KTS: Rena Lancaster poorly reacts to Yuliana Kafim's Infernal Arachnid Injector Stinger Salvo, taking 5550 damage! KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage intercept against Emilia Eschonbach's Cluster Missile! KTS: Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Emilia Eschonbach's Cluster Missile, taking 3600 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapons Team has posed.
Invictus takes his eyes off the screens to glance over his shoulder at the woman sharing his cockpit. "I apologize for the discomfort, Miss de Foudre," he says, managing a bit of humor despite the aggressive voice masking. (He's still wearing an identical sun-mask, but this one is built into an appropriately-colored normal suit.) "This was the best intrusion platform I could retrofit." Even if he has the bare minimum of necessary training. "Let me know if you need anything."
"Bodyguard protocol deployed, active. Handshake confirmed. Beginning network trace for our quarry." Data flows through the INCOM-like drones as Invictus starts to crack into the facility's security cameras. "Now, where are they hiding them...?"
The Jegan's HUD lights up with red. The Gaia Saber IFFs are wholly expected. The MDF, less so. But what catches Invictus' eye is the handful of Beguirs. "Cathedra is here. So much for keeping warfare in human hands."
One of the MDF units breaks from the pack, and aggresses. One of the Dolls picks up its image on a secondary camera, and the pack of them suddenly scatter like startled geese. It's routine AI behavior--spread the alert through the local cluster, before routing it to the others--and entirely exploitable by someone who knows their stuff. The signaling unit is the last to take flight, and Sukeban's palm smashes into its leg as it jets off the Lunar surface. The machine careens back, trailing ribbons of molten armor, and the ruin of its half-severed limb. Its AI core immediately alerts the rest of the network with a barrage of datagrams... and that includes the EWAC Jegan in the heart of the formation.
"Oh. What's this, now?" The sunspots of Invictus' eyes narrow. "ARM Slave. Unorthodox design. Initiate retaliation protocol. Let's see what it can do."
The survivors of Nova's dramatic entrance start to rally. Moving with inhuman precision, they jet off the Lunar surface, twisting through the remains of the breached silo with mere inches to maneuver. In moments, the Sukeban is surrounded from all sides by Tauruses, each with its beam rifle drawn. A sweeping formation, designed to maximize coverage while minimizing the chances of friendly fire. Moments later, the shooting starts in earnest as local space fills with beam fire.
KTS: Mobile Weapons Team targets Naoko Suzuki with Taurus Beam Rifle Rapid Fire! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages evade against Mobile Weapons Team's Taurus Beam Rifle Rapid Fire! KTS: Naoko Suzuki's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Naoko Suzuki successfully reacts to Mobile Weapons Team's Taurus Beam Rifle Rapid Fire, taking 3600 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Angelo Sauper has posed.
Geara Zulus have never been the cutting edge of technological advancement. As a mobile weapon, they're more symbolic of the old ghost of Zeon than any would like to admit: shambling, Frankenstein's monsters of Mobile Suits, assembled from the cannibalized technologies of so-called grander eras to just barely cling to relevance.
That was then; this is now, and now, the Zulus are hardly even that anymore. Phantoms of phantoms.
If nothing else, though, having your movement be defined by the forgotten dregs of society means that you work that much harder to compensate: those Geara Zulus, outdated though they are, coordinate shockingly, savagely well with each other, fanning and converging between one another in perfect synch. As the squad of Beguir Pentes advance, the Geara Zulus suddenly scatter, breaking off in opposite directions across the base as if forcing the squadron to make a choice on who to approach, whether to split or group up -- and more importantly...
... serving as distractions from the work being done in the base proper.
@}-,-`-
While the Sleeves remnants scatter, their leader maintains his position, watching from his high position as Emilia launches in that specially customized Zaku IV, crafted for her by their mutual benefactor.
He frowns as his violet gaze lingers on that machine and the pilot within, lost in thought. It's a reverie that's only disturbed by the ping of unidentified IFFs on his radar; Angelo's frown is a deepening thing as he sees the advance of unknown units belonging neither to their hodgepodge cadre nor their enemies. Unexpected, unknown. Neither are things he particularly cares for or trusts.
Opportunists. Here to use their attack. Is it coincidence? Did they know in advance, somehow? And if so--
"We are 'Satellicon', an anti-NUNE resistance organization. We are here to aid your attack.
Purple eyes narrow.
"Tt."
There is a moment of silence, before someone answers Sayaka's hail, his voice aloof and distant.
<"Understood, 'Satellicon'. We both have something to gain from an alliance of convenience. We will not attack.">
And then the transmission immediately cuts off, just like that. For Angelo, it's an improvement. His distrust is at an all-time high, now, but before?
Before he would never have tolerated what he viewed as opportunistic filth.
It's hard to say if this is, to him, a personal improvement, or a necessary evil.
His attention returns to the battlefield. His consciousness expands like a cramped muscle looking to flex, guiding those Bits to wreak havoc on the power grid of the base with every aching, mental strain. Enemy reinforcements have arrived; in response, more Bits spill out of that oversized backpack like drones spilling from their bee hive in response to a threat. These are different from the others that flit about the battlefield: these ones open up wide, reflective panels, glinting in the dull, lunar light as Angelo's attention turns--
Is that you?
Violet eyes widen. There's a sharp, familiar throb in Angelo's senses, a mundane resonance that feels that much more powerful from disuse -- like eyes seeing the sun for the first time in weeks. It seizes him briefly; his gloved hand lifts to clench his forehead as he makes sense of the feeling. The feeling... -her- feeling...
Teeth grind.
And the response to Leina's extrasensory outreach is like a sudden, ice cold droplet of disgust, familiar in its own way:
-You-.
The Beguir advances, its funnels fanning out so much like Haman and the Purus' devastating machines before it. The movement is distinct. Iconic, perhaps. And utilized by, of all things, a NUNE machine?
How could Angelo's first response to Leina's response be anything but a sharp bark of disdainful laughter?
<"Oh, look. It's a dog.">
The Beguir's funnels attack -- and the roll of those panel-winged bits wreathing the Dag Doll become clear as they condense forward, catching several of those beams against those reflective bits and redirecting them in countless different directions; Reflector Bits.
The remnants of Leina's offensive clash against dense, violet-and-white Gundarium alloy, leaving scorchmarks behind as the Dag Doll's mono-eye flares with life.
<"Look at you, still obediently yapping for them. But dogs don't give orders. They just -take- them.">
Vitriol tinges Angelo's voice despite his fervent desire now, of all times, to maintain his composure. His gaze flits briefly towards the logistics screen reading 'MACHINE HEAD MODE,' but he ignores it for now. Instead, the winged bits that had been swarming the facilities and knocking out systems suddenly redirect: four of them split off at Angelo's compulsion, the strain of his mind sending them swinging towards Leina with a scowl.
And those bits create a four-point formation around the Beguir before pulsing once, swiftly and violently, the flare of intensifying electromagnetic waves looking not to directly damage, but strain and tear at internal systems instead.
<"All this time, everything you went through, and you're still HERE, -BARKING-!">
To start destroying the Beguir from the inside out.
KTS: Angelo Sauper targets Leina Ashta with Leader Bits! KTS: Angelo Sauper has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Angelo Sauper's Finding His Voice activates Trick!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"...Yeah, Annie," Rena says, though her voice is tight. "I'll be good. Be careful with that unidentified unit, okay?"
There is a further, nervous glance at the Beguir. She feels Leina -- her anger and frustration. Rena tenses, further, for a moment. Then, she looks at Naoko's portrait on her screen. "Got it, Naoko. Do whatever you can about them."
She exhales.
"Good work, Al," she says. "I'll try to keep a cool head. I've got... history, with this one." Then, she opens a transmission up to Murasaki: "Murasaki, be careful before you get in too close. This pilot isn't one to underestimate. She's not going to hesitate to cause civilian casualties, either. We need to buy time for evacuating."
Then, she sucks a breath in -- and her head tilts for a moment, eyes narrowing at Yuliana's words. "I've got eyes," she says. "But there's--how many people are in there, Yuliana? I'm going to make sure people get out of there, because it's more than just scientists! And they're..."
Not people who agreed to it.
She grimaces, as plasma comes crashing in. The Gaia Gear Alpha narrowly does a barrel roll away from two balls of plasma; the third slashes across the fuselage, before the Mobile Suit's arms and legs unfurl, and the single horned head of it comes out.
The dark blue eyes flare.
"...I'll find a way better than this, Yuliana!" she says, as molten metal from the armor falls to the regolith and cools below. Then, the Gaia Gear Alpha swings up its beam rifle. The barrel extends -- and a lance of blue light explodes from the barrel, crashing down for the Wanzer.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Yuliana Kafim with Beam Rifle Hyper Mode! KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Leina Ashta fails to engage React against Angelo Sauper's Leader Bits! KTS: Leina Ashta moderately reacts to Angelo Sauper's Leader Bits, taking 4557 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
Cascade may recognize the patterns in Sayaka's voice - but Sayaka has no way of telling if the voice of the Queen Gundam's pilot is familiar or not. "If I'm not mistaken, you came here alone, didn't you?" Sayaka continues her own transmission, this time only to the Queen Gundam. There's not exactly IFF to tell her that - but the circumstances of her arrival, and incompatibility with the Dag Doll's technology seem to support it. "Our organization will do what it can to support you for the battle."
Sayaka has certainly sized up Satellicon's would-be allies... but when their would-be enemies deploy, she can't lie and say it doesn't put her at ease. Cathedra deploying in defense of Mobile Dolls is perhaps a touch ironic... but Sayaka would really rather not make an enemy out of Leina. That machine she deploys against certainly does look Zeonic though - for some reason it didn't even fully click that was one of Yuliana's 'friends'.
She recognizes some of those machines from the former (?) Three Ships Alliance, too - Rena's Gaia Gear, Anita's Svipul... and this must be those grand plans Naoko had in mind for the Sukeban. Sayaka really can't fault them for taking the defense against an attack from two or more unknown cells.
'The future will not be suppressed'. Invictus's bold gambit actually lends Sayaka to a look of mild frustration. Satellicon's goal here was to destroy them, render them inoperable. Leaving them intact, just in the hands of another that they don't yet fully know, still doesn't really meet their own goals at all. "Varona, keep an eye on the dolls. We might have to deal with them in full later." Sayaka transmits, on the subject.
Ultimately, and perhaps fortunately, it's none of them that orient on Sayaka's Muse Malu 3 - but her jamming efforts due catch the attention of an Agamemnon-class carrier and its team of... GN-X mobile suits. Sayaka closes the Muse Malu's camera in on them - they are state of the art mobile suits and definitely not to be taken lightly. But Sayaka isn't fighting them alone. That's a squad of Zaku - and not ZAFT's new ones. Fighting alongside Zeon remnants doesn't exactly sit right with her, but she can't afford to be choosy right now.
"Acknowledged, Black Swan squadron. I'll be using my own judgement - but I'll do what I can to support your units." 'Psycho', huh? How vulgar. "Might want to take your squadmates' advice, though." She adds, her wry tone only barely making it through the voice changer. "These units are NUNE's trump cards, so we'll have to be careful against them!"
That said, Sayaka's never been much of a 'careful' fighter herself. She maneuvers the Muse Malu useing its smaller stature to boldly slither past the GN-X's defenses, and aims its... water cannons, of all things, towards them. They mostly come in handy for disaster relief, but the force of pressure alone isn't ignorable even for a state-of-the-art mobile suit.
"This should keep them off our back for just a moment... so you'd better not waste your chance for a follow-up attack!" Sayaka calls, for 'Eschonbach' in the Black Swan Zaku.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Cascade Vermilion KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Emilia Eschonbach KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly doesn't correct Number One, instead agreeing, "Probably. Then they'd charge you for pollution on top of everything else," she says, with a bit of a smirk that carries through her voice. She taps at her portable device, taking a few seconds to get herself situated again.
"I've been in worse positions," Milly says, with a small shake of her head, at the discomfort. "I'll see what we can do about getting you better-supplied before the next operation."
Milly brings her camera drone around for one last swooping shot, then brings it back to the EWAC Jegan. It's not free, even if it is much cheaper, obviously, than a mobile weapon. She doesn't want to treat that carelessly.
Oh, sure, she doesn't like everything she's hearing over the comms... but she can't really worry about that at the moment. Changing the world is more important than that. After all -- things change or go extinct.
She takes a moment to take advantage of the EWAC Jegan's superior sensor suite, then pauses thoughtfully. "... Black Swan," she says. "... Good luck. Remember that you're working as part of a squad."
KTS: Milly Ashford targets Emilia Eschonbach with Awe! KTS: Milly Ashford has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach accepts Milly Ashford's Awe! KTS: Milly Ashford inspires awe, increasing Emilia Eschonbach's Morale! KTS: Best Defense! Emilia Eschonbach successfully reacts to Milly Ashford's Awe, taking 0 damage! KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kathras Fari engages guard against Sayaka Yumi's High-Pressure Water Cannon Shot! KTS: Kathras Fari moderately guards Sayaka Yumi's High-Pressure Water Cannon Shot, taking 3315 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Right, I will." Anita replies to Rena with a nod. She trusts her to be able to handle herself - especially with backup.
'Queen Gundam'? So that's the name of the Mobile Fighter. But... she can't accept it. Crippling advanced AI to produce combat AI... Anita grimaces.
"...If that's true, that... sucks, but -" Anita starts - and cuts herself off immediately as the Queen Gundam springs forward. Anita's eyes open wide in a rare surprise. The Queen Gundam is fast - she's not used to seeing that kind of agility. There's no time to get out of the way at this range - the Svipul braces itself as the Queen Gundam brings its heel down in a powerful, heated axe kick. Sparks fly as the Pinpoint Barrier flickers to life, and the Svipul is overpowered and forced back as the Queen Gundam springs off.
"...Sorry. I can't sit back, either. Not when lives are at stake." Anita apologises. She doesn't know if what she says is true, or why she'd be so focused on preserving AI... but she has things she needs to protect, too.
The Svipul springs back as well to put some distance between itself and the Queen Gundam - and as it does, the Gungnir SC beam cannon emerges over its left shoulder. There's a quick intake of energy, before quickly firing off a beam in her direction!
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Cascade Vermilion with Cannon Mode - Quick Shot! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim engages evade against Rena Lancaster's Beam Rifle Hyper Mode! KTS: Critical Hit! Yuliana Kafim poorly reacts to Rena Lancaster's Beam Rifle Hyper Mode, taking 5640 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion engages evade against Anita Rosetta's Cannon Mode - Quick Shot! KTS: Cascade Vermilion successfully reacts to Anita Rosetta's Cannon Mode - Quick Shot, taking 4410 damage! KTS: Murasaki El-Amari engages guard against Yuliana Kafim's Infernal Arachnid Injector Stinger Salvo! KTS: Critical Hit! Murasaki El-Amari poorly guards Yuliana Kafim's Infernal Arachnid Injector Stinger Salvo, taking 5700 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.
"Captain! Incoming mobile suit!" Jakallo's voice is harsh and clipped. Immediately Kathras replies, "Evasive maneuvers! Engage anti-missile defenses!"
Jayaissa engages her controls and the ship starts to roll to the side while the ship's CIWS tries and fails to block the missilees; they impact the ship's heavy armor, but only the armor, rocking the ship and jostling the bridge.
"That's a wakeup call," Fari comments. "So the Sleeves are still fighting..."
He smiles slightly, showing teeth. "That's fine." He nods to his XO, Gavarre. "Right. Achilles Squadron--Continue on mission."
Fari says, "Mr. Jakallo." A pause. "Fire turrets at that Zaku. Pattern B."
"Aye, Captain." The crew at his side tap away, "We have a firing solution! Turrets at full power!" "Firing!" Jakallo indicates, and two huge beams rocket out at Emilia's Zaku.
Meanwhile, the GN-X suits around the Muse Malu close in--just for Sayaka to close in further, getting past their guard and knocking one backward into space with a blast of water that shorts its beam saber.
The three with beam rifles turn them immediately on the incoming Zakus, one each, while the two wih functioning beam sabers readjust quickly, slashing in unison against the Muse Malu while the other switches for its own beam rifle.
Laser comms move in for Anita and Rena's units. "'Captain' Lancaster now, isn't it? This is Captain Fari of the Gaia Sabers. It's nice to see you out there fighting the good fight. Send your Admiral my regards."
KTS: Kathras Fari targets Emilia Eschonbach with Heavy Ship Fixed Beam Turrets Shot! KTS: Kathras Fari targets Sayaka Yumi with AION Mobile Suit Wing Harrying Tactics! KTS: Kathras Fari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sayaka Yumi engages evade against Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Harrying Tactics! KTS: Critical Hit! Sayaka Yumi poorly reacts to Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Harrying Tactics, taking 4700 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kathras Fari's The True Self activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Kathras Fari's The Shadow activates, causing Nullify! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach engages charge against Kathras Fari's Heavy Ship Fixed Beam Turrets Shot! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Emilia Eschonbach successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Heavy Ship Fixed Beam Turrets Shot, taking 2625 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Luanova Luckwright has posed.
Punished. The Myrmecia stands its ground with that cocky stance, and a transmission flows back to the Pain of the Universe in that synthesized voice. <"That's right. I'm the reinforcements."> This audio might get used in another pitch video if there's an appropriate moment to pair it with, not that that's why she said it. Lua just likes action movies. The Myrmecia settles into a low ready stance as the Pain of the Universe approaches - looks trained, not just like someone hunching over instinctively.
That's not the swing of a punch. Something within the glassy orb spins up, the Myrmex Engine calculating millions of minute vectors of impact, flowing that data over Lua's quantum brainwaves. Lua feels the ion lance wash over the body of the wanzer, and that feeling is realized at the point of impact, the surface of the glassy orb where the Myrmex Engine's influence is localized, counterforces extinguishing the bulk of the emission and distributing the rest of the trauma among the Myrmecia's recapitulative scales, visible as a rolling cascade down the unit's sides. Feels good.
Now might seem to be a good time to build some distance between herself and the Pain. The Myrmecia holds its ground, drawing one arm back again, this one curving upward. This wouldn't make much of a punch unless somehow the Pain of the Universe dug into the ground and came up to the Myrmecia from below. Indeed, it just drives its fist into the ground. The Myrmex Engine spins up. The floor beneath the Pain of the Universe then rebels, collapsing into sinkholes shaped to fit its feet. Metal and stone rips itself from the foundation in growing chains and tendrils, growing up around the unit's legs to hold it in place and then contract and squeeze, like a great python. "Say what about ropes again?" Lua murmurs to herself in the cockpit.
KTS: Luanova Luckwright targets Sympatria Unit with Transform Battlefield! KTS: Luanova Luckwright has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Murasaki El-Amari has posed.
Yep. Very much outclassed. The woman's voice was unsettling over the radio, but Murasaki was attuned enough to know it was just a distraction. "A Gold Medal, how ni-." Murasaki tried to evade but was thrown in the cockpit as the Stinger's Salvos hit home. This was not going well. Closing in seemed like an awful idea. Just shoot and dodge, she supposed. She took aim once more, this time at the weapon that just fired on her. Maybe she could disable it...
<Pose Tracker> Al has posed.
"It's not a problem," Al replies to Rena. "Voice print does match to known persons of interest...Yuliana Kafim. An associate, then? Noted."
"My data suggests music is useful to humans in managing stress and anxiety. Perhaps a melody would assist your resolve."
Then her cockpit starts blasting the opening riffs of Steppenwolf's Born To Be Wild. "Ah. The classics," Al says, with the tone of a man who does not have a head but currently wishes to bob along pleasantly.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Confirmation comes like ice, over her. But no, what's a droplet of disgust is like a bucket of it to the other Newtype, flinching immediately.
"Angelo..."
Yuliana starts to call over the open comms, and Leina listens, her whole body taut, as she notes that the evacuation of the innocents is someone else's problem and then justifies it to Rena. And Leina loses all professional composure instantly.
"<Do you have any idea how hard we've been working to make mobile dolls illegal in warfare too!? You- I can't believe you!>"
Indeed, she should be able to believe this of her, quite easily, but in this moment her frustration just rings out, because indeed - it feels like a direct attack on all the effort she's put forth to try and improve the way things are.
Cathedra had a working compromise, of making such dolls only usable for matters of defense against monsters, against alien invaders, against existential threats. It hadn't yet been accepted, but...
... but...
She watches the Dag Doll's bits move to spin and clash with the beamfire, mono-eye spinning to regard her. Then Angelo speaks - no laughs, and what he says? For a time, his mocking is taken without complaint, as the winged bits suddenly create a four point formation.
He was always talented with that Quasi Psycommu - it's not so surprising that he's this good with actual Psycommu, as the four point electromagnetic wave suddenly clashes upon her violently.
The Beguir pivots, and thrusters fire, as the machine puts itself down across the Lunar surface, kicking up a cloud of dust as she drifts in the Low gravity, but the electromagnetic wave still rips through the dust particles she kicks up, her systems frazzling and sparking from the abrupt shock to them.
For a time she hides in that dust, and is still. "<Still wit->" The comms spark and crackle for a moment, before getting her through, "<-eon I see. I guess we're both disappointments to each other.>"
Suddenly her funnels jerk up, and begin laying down a field of fire, that Angelo might notice as he draws his reflector bits into the fray are just - off enough that he might begin to suspect a feint.
Which then becomes certain as she leaps out of the cloud of dust she kicked up, enormous Cross shield and beam saber at the fore. What becomes less obvious however is that as it comes closer, the thrust shifts the charge off, and the Beguir's leg abruptly jerks up, as she blatantly kicks the Dag Doll...
"<Where do you get off calling me the dog without taking a look in the mirror, ANGELO!>"
... just as the Red Comet might, slamming right into it's abdomen, however, unlike the Red Comet, the claws latch down at the same moment of impact, trying to rip away it's hard Gundanium outer plating just as the force that knocks him away.
"<But you should already know I'm much more than BARK!>"
KTS: Al targets Rena Lancaster with Heart! KTS: Al has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Al's Where Are We Going activates Focus and Strike! KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Leina Ashta targets Angelo Sauper with Beguir Neuer Foot Unit Claw Rip and Tear! KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Murasaki El-Amari targets Yuliana Kafim with Type 71 Beam Rifle Sighted Shot! KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Angelo Sauper engages evade against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Foot Unit Claw Rip and Tear! KTS: Angelo Sauper poorly reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Foot Unit Claw Rip and Tear, taking 5200 damage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to engage evade against Murasaki El-Amari's Type 71 Beam Rifle Sighted Shot! KTS: Yuliana Kafim's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Yuliana Kafim successfully reacts to Murasaki El-Amari's Type 71 Beam Rifle Sighted Shot, taking 3450 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
Cascade still can't figure out *who* is on the other end of the transmission. She's sure she's heard them before. But where? She's met a lot of people in her life.
She doesn't even think it could possibly be Sayaka. The Photon Power League is too direct for something like that, and wouldn't take this kind of an action. It's part of the reason she didn't want them to find out what she was doing; she assumed they would take it as a continuation of her criminal activity instead of vigilante work, and treat it appropriately.
"Understood," she transmits back, unable to think of a better way to put it. She should be polite, but it's hard for her to remain polite in a situation like this.
More of her attention is honestly on Anita, because... well. This is Cascade's first deployment in a Mobile Fighter; it takes all of her attention to make sure she's doing it right. So when Anita fires the gun -
Cascade charges, ducking low. The blast still clips her, lashing across the back of one shoulder and down her back, to her hip; Cascade feels the impact through the Trace Suit, a blazing line. But she was made to fight, and the pain isn't going to disable her - even if she's got some shoulder damage she now has to be aware of.
Cascade likes to be in close, but she doesn't have to be. She draws a beam emitter as she circles. It looks like a beam sword, but when she activates it what comes out is a beam 'whip'; a flexible energy line. She cracks it at the Valkyrie, and on Earth she'd be rewarded with a nice loud sound; on the Moon all there is is a flash of light and a blast emitted from the now-deactivated emitter, launched like a beam rifle as Cascade clears the rest of the distance toward the Valkyrie.
"Then we will be fighting," Cascade says, in response to Anita's words. She always knew they would be.
KTS: Cascade Vermilion targets Anita Rosetta with Whip Crack! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta engages evade against Cascade Vermilion's Whip Crack! KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Critical Hit! Anita Rosetta poorly reacts to Cascade Vermilion's Whip Crack, taking 4800 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Cascade Vermilion's The Future Ahead activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Cascade Vermilion's The Past Behind activates, causing Jam L1!
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
Sukeban wastes zero time to turn about following its strike, the movements of its opponents analyzed by the pilot more quickly than the machine would be capable of. It comes so naturally that Naoko doesn't think twice about it - she just understands AI on a fundamental level. As long as it behaves logically, she can read and predict the movements of a Mobile Doll perfectly. Which would give her a tremendous advantage...
Except, unfortunately, she isn't able to isolate the fight to a single machine at a time. The Tauruses swarm her machine in short order, and while she gives evasion a heroic effort, that's so many beam rifles - she can't possibly manage to dodge every single shot. Thankfully, her Japanium coating is doing its job, keeping the damage in an acceptable range. But it's immediately clear that this approach is unsustainable. She can't deal with this many all at once without pulling out some kind of trump card.
Luckily, she's brought one hell of a trump card indeed. Sensing her intent, a voice only Naoko can hear echoes through the cockpit. >"Is it time?"<
"It's time," she confirms, before yelling out loud for all to hear:
<"NOVA DRIVER, ACTIVATE!">
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
EVENT BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzR46Pxpmf4
A green light shines from the center of the Sukeban Kiseki's chest, rapidly spreading across its body, following the light purple lines on its frame to turn them the same color. There is quite a bit of similarity to a Psychoframe activation in this, both in the way it looks and, to some, the way it feels. But that can't be right. Who's ever heard of Psychoframe being used in an Arm Slave? Not that what almost certainly is a new variation on the Lambda Driver is much less of a reason to raise eyebrows.
As this is happening, beam rifles shot suddenly begin to fail to find purchase, impacting some kind of invisible barrier surrounding the Sukeban. Six wing-like protrusions fan out from the machine's back, opening up like a flower, scattering green particles. Abruptly, the Arm Slave rockets off towards the Mobile Dolls, its body surrounded by a green glow as it attempts to bodily crash into as many as the pilot can manage, all while shouting:
<"STELLAAAAAAR CRAAAASH!">
While the attack itself is, well... simple, that glow it's surrounded itself with is anything but. It's clearly some form of energy, but any attempts to analyze it in conventional ways would be met with a big fat ERROR. It's not photonic energy, not electric nor solar, absolutely not Void energy despite the color, there isn't any sort of particles involved with it at all. It's just... energy, in a way that makes no scientific sense.
Those capable of sensing psychic events would have a much better idea as to the nature of this energy, which despite the lack of physical quality, impacts anything it strikes with an immense amount of force. Differing from the 'feel' of a regular Lambda Driver, the output of this Arm Slave is distinctly, powerfully Psychic in nature. It isn't using any sort of weapon at all - this is a projection of pure Will.
Of course, to Yuliana, this probably feels more like a large hole was punched into reality, and something from within that hole is carving an additional tear into it. But well. Turnabout is fair play, isn't it?
KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Mobile Weapons Team with Stellar Crash! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.
</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"Not fast enough for my new friends, evidently," Yuliana issues back to Leina, and her scowl is audible. "Work faster next time!" ... does it bother her that she couldn't just leave it to Leina? Well, she evidently couldn't make the argument that the One Good Cop was going to fix everything. Not to...
Who are her new friends, anyway?
(They're evidently not Satellicon, even though Yuliana has definitely noticed how Satellicon has launched in one of her wanzers. Sayaka receives a ping which amounts to a big thumbs-up, though she doesn't know for sure it's Sayaka.)
"Again, you're talking to entirely the wrong person for evac," Yuliana says, and the way she rolls her eyes at Rena? Also perfectly communicated through the groan in her voice. "If she can't get them out in time, that's not my problem. My job is to make this facility a smoking crater before the cops swarm us, and you are getting in the way!" Her voice raises to an annoyed shout, as she scuttles forward towards the Gaia Gear Alpha --
-- only for a strangled "SHIT!" to be caught by the radio when she sees just how much power Rena's loading up into her Beam Rifle. All a sudden the scorpionoid wanzer's legs shift to take her running to the left, but it's not quite fast enough to avoid the blast running down her left side.
And that's when the Astray's own Beam Rifle shot comes in -- and Yuliana, distracted by the Gaia Gear Alpha, doesn't manage to dodge that one in time at all. That green barrier flares up, but the beam still manages to force its way through to hit the connecting wires on the end of that scorpion-tail with scoped accuracy. Yuliana can be heard swearing, again, along with a dull thud which is almost certainly her hitting her own console. "Disconnect-- then run the god-damn repair on it, stupid -- you can bypass that, don't give me that--!!"
The tail will at least not be a problem in the immediate future, apparently, as Yuliana has to run a fix through her wanzer to make it recognise the stabbing stinger properly again. Unfortunately --
Remember Cleave Axe?
Everyone remembers Cleave Axe.
It's a big, hefty LOG of a MULS-P weapon grasped in one of the hands on the Da Xukong 0's torso -- like the Driders of myth (they're definitely part of real mythology, humans have been telling stories about them since the Middle Ages!), but with a scorpion instead of a spider. The edge is more crushing than slashing, in the way of MULS-P weaponry, but it's no less alarming in Yuliana's hands.
Particularly when that horrible little scorpion wanzer scuttles up to the Gaia Gear, far too quickly for a horrible little insect of a machine. She swings at one of the machine's arms, even as she issues, to the Astray:
"What? Cat got your tongue? Don't tell me you've never fought anyone like me before. Rena, your friend here is incredibly impolite!" Which is apparently good axe-swinging conversation.
"Though," she sighs, overwrought, "I suppose I'm being terribly impolite, myself. My name is Yuliana Kafim," because they're long past the point where she can hide behind 'Verdiska', "and my wife is Dr. Elisa Kafim. You should just be pleased you're not facing her -- she was going to represent us, you know, before she realised I'd be better at making friends..."
KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Rena Lancaster with MULS-P Cleave Axe Swing! KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Murasaki El-Amari with Demoralize! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
"....Understood." Emilia responds to Sayaka, with some difficulty. A comms lag, maybe? But that machine seems pretty new...
The message that comes from the EWAC Jegan is a surprise, however. Emilia takes a moment to breathe. "R-Right, C-Coup de Foudre. St--ay safe."
And then, surprisingly, the Muse Malu makes an opening- and tells her not to waste her chance. "Y-you don't have to t-t-tell me!" She yells back to Sayaka, angrily. As the AION's beams come for her, Emilia hits the boosters and the Black Swan charges straight into the blast, arms in front of it, relying on the Beam Coat to take the worst of the impact. The heavy armour of the Zaku IV absorbs the brunt of it, scoring and burning, but the Beam Coat does it's protective job. "Not enough!" She roars, as she charges at the battle ship and the Hyper Hammer's chain unwinds and trails behind as she closes as she accelerates, all thrusters at full power. "I-It's not e-enough to stop me!"
She starts spinning the hammer as she closes, she can't reach the bridge- but she can make a swing for one of the catapults, maybe interfere with launch mechanisms. More of those GN-X's getting in the way would be bad.
The rockets on the Hyper Hammer burst to life as she drives the chained flail towards the AION.
"None of you..." At this range, there's a moment of contact. Enough for the contact comms to work. "None of you a-are going to stop us! I w-won't let you bastards r-r-run!"
---
"Tsk. Psycho's getting the squad named after her now." Toni Peri mutters, taking aim with her long range rifle at the GN-X squadron where she can- interfering with the harrying tactics as best she can.
"You wanna do the insane stuff she does?" Graham 'Gray' Berliner mutters, running his electronic warfare suite. "I'm plenty happy being backline until she gives you a shot at the bridge."
"I said to stow it." Oscar Kalo responds. "...Eschonbach, don't leave our ally out there solo. You heard Commander Sauper. We're supposed to show the world we're united."
Oscar is a smart enough man to know Angelo is being snippy. But it's useful to redirect Eschonbach from getting tunnel vision in her fury.
Besides, for better or worse, her survival is in his list of orders too- if not, necessarily, from Angelo.
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets Kathras Fari with Hyper Hammer 200 Spiked Drive! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Laser comms reach the Svipul from the AION, and on the other side... It's a familiar voice. One she hasn't heard from in a long time.
A very conflicted expression crosses her face, and what she ultimately settles on is...
"Long time no see." She greets.
She doesn't have time to get out more than that. Convenient, since she doesn't have her thoughts in order. Cascade charges in, a beam emitter drawn. Not a sword - a whip it lashes out across space, tearing into and through her barrier, scoring her armor as its wielder closes in.
"...Guess so." Anita replies. The Queen Gundam definitely has the advantage in close range. If she stays here...
The Svipul lowers itself - and then springs backward with its thrusters, drawing its gatling gun and opening fire as it does. It turns in mid-air, then, using the momentum to move into Fighter Mode and rocket off. It flies in circles, sweeping in and out, and up and down - nearly scraping the lunar surface at times - to make itself a difficult target to predict even as it continues to open fire with with its gunpod before, eventually, it alights once more and returns to GERWALK mode.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Cascade Vermilion with Dazzling Acrobatics! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit engages charge against Luanova Luckwright's Transform Battlefield! KTS: Sympatria Unit's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Sympatria Unit successfully reacts to Luanova Luckwright's Transform Battlefield, taking 2250 damage! KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage evade against Emilia Eschonbach's Hyper Hammer 200 Spiked Drive! KTS: Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Emilia Eschonbach's Hyper Hammer 200 Spiked Drive, taking 4700 damage! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach rattles Kathras Fari, making his next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Mobile Weapons Team fails to engage Guard against Naoko Suzuki's Stellar Crash! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team successfully reacts to Naoko Suzuki's Stellar Crash, taking 3760 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Murasaki El-Amari accepts Yuliana Kafim's Demoralize! KTS: Yuliana Kafim demoralizes Murasaki El-Amari, reducing her Morale drastically. KTS: Best Defense! Murasaki El-Amari successfully reacts to Yuliana Kafim's Demoralize, taking 0 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster accepts Al's Heart! KTS: Al bares his heart, letting Rena Lancaster deal some extra damage! KTS: Best Defense! Rena Lancaster successfully reacts to Al's Heart, taking 0 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster engages parry against Yuliana Kafim's MULS-P Cleave Axe Swing! KTS: Rena Lancaster successfully reacts to Yuliana Kafim's MULS-P Cleave Axe Swing, taking 3000 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion fails to engage Guard against Anita Rosetta's Dazzling Acrobatics! KTS: Cascade Vermilion moderately reacts to Anita Rosetta's Dazzling Acrobatics, taking 4410 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta begins a Formation attack! KTS: Anita Rosetta rattles Cascade Vermilion, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapons Team has posed.
Invictus responds to Coup de Foudre's offer with silence, for a moment. In his heart, gratitude fights viciously against pride and indignation. He shouldn't need to depend on scraps. He shouldn't need to be here. But as the Prince's liason so eloquently pointed out, he's out of options. This is the only way his dream can come true.
"Your offer is appreciated," he says. It's sincere enough. And, given the chance to turn the screws on an already agitated Cathedra pilot, Invictus gleefully takes advantage. <"Not hard enough, clearly."> Is he annoyed Yuliana had the same idea?! Maybe. (Yes. And worse, Yuliana seems to have a history with this one, precluding further attempts to taunt the cop. How unfair!)
Sukeban puts up a noble effort against overwhelming opposition. With the base garrison in utter disarray, and his tunnel making its way through the enemy network, Invictus allows himself a moment to study his foe. What are they going to--
'NOVA DRIVER, ACTIVATE!'
"What," says Invictus, and the sunspots of his eyes go perfectly round. The backwash of the Nova Driver activating travels--impossibly--through the void, rocking the EWAC Jegan and its escorts back. The Dolls compensate without even thinking. The Jegan is less fortunate; Invictus yelps in surprise as vertigo sets in as his unit rocks back, then corrects its gait as the AMBAC kicks in. He grips the sticks, bringing the Mobile Suit to a crouch.
A bright green streak erupts from the top of the Dolls' formation. Bright, soundless explosions follow, one after another, as four Tauruses fall from their positions and go up in flames. Direct collisions, all of them, none of which should have been lethal according to the data flowing in. The data doesn't make sense.
"Psychoframe?!" Invictus hisses. "No. Something else." His voice turns into a sharp bark as he orders the drones with his voice, rather than a command line. The translator will take care of it.
"<Disable that thing!>" And Invictus has activated his radio, again, addressing his foe directly. <"I want to take it apart!>"
The Mobile Doll formation splits apart into four units and jets straight upwards, accelerating with force that would render an unaugmented human unconscious, at best. This time, the hail of beam fire is targeted for disabling effect--the Dolls try and shoot out the Sukeban's wings, and sear through its joints. Watching them move together might bring to mind a school of fish, or a flock of birds, but this is a level of precision maneuvering only possible through networked intelligence.
One of the sub-units positions in a loose net above the Sukeban, and shoots downwards. Another positions at Naoko's right flank, and shoots through. The other two look like they're about to break and retreat, until their high-speed maneuvering away turns into a pincer attack--both U-turn in ways piloted craft simply cannot, and start barraging the Sukeban from opposite sides.
KTS: Mobile Weapons Team has activated the Rouse Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Sympatria Unit has posed.
The Pain of the Universe keeps approaching the Myrmecia. There's some ground to cover. It was a good punch. Maybe it'd work again. The engine begins to spin and Number One clicks his tongue, or something very like the sound, while continuing to approach.
Something's happening. He primes himself -- and the jump is, once again, NOT QUITE enough to sail away with elusive grace, but the sinkholes only partway form before the chain-stones arc upwards to grapple at the legs of the Pain of the Universe. As such the leap is foreshortened; the machine lands on its hands and 'knees' in what might be taken as supplication if the head component wasn't pivoting upwards to look at the Myrmecia.
"Hahaha!! Good trick!" says Number One, with delight.
("He's having a great time," #6 remarks to an uninvolved Zeonic-adjacent officer over at the Shandor.)
One of the cannon elements on the Pain of the Universe turns to open fire on those restraints - without being fully embedded in those sinkholes, they break, but it *did* kill his momentum, and so it might not be that great of a surprise when the whole right-side assembly pops upwards to bear on the Myrmecia.
"So I see two possibilities here," Number One grunts after the clearance is accomplished. "One is that you've got some sort of trap network here... something you're able to fire off because you've got the corpo codes or the base security network."
Another beam rips out from the right arm - it's like the one he just shot - tighter perhaps. "Hup," One adds afterwards, as he pushes the rest of the BRC-1 back into an upright stance.
KTS: Mobile Weapons Team targets Naoko Suzuki with Taurus Beam Rifle Maneuver Shot! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sympatria Unit targets Luanova Luckwright with Single Agony Cannon! KTS: Sympatria Unit has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Leina--" Rena swallows, hard, before she looks at the Dag Doll. And she knows that voice; it's hard to not remember Angelo's voice after everything that happened on the Ra Mari II. "Leina, try to stay focused, okay?"
She blinks, when an unexpected voice comes over her radio. "Fari? You're..." Rena trails off, for a moment. "Captain Fari, rather. I wondered what became of you. We'll be sure to let the Admiral know."
Her eyes narrow, for a moment. Then, her attention is back to Al -- and she nods, quickly. "Yeah, an... associate's a strong word. I--" She blinks, her eyebrow twitching a little. "I... appreciate... the musical assist, Al."
She does, actually, fly a little better by keeping in rhythm to it.
Which helps, as it happens, because Rena does remember Cleave Axe. "Hyper beam saber," Rena calls out, "engage!"
The hyper-mode beam rifle fires again, but this time, the beam stays. It forms a large beam saber, extending out half-again the length of the Gaia Gear, and she swings the weapon in and catches the axe. Arcs of lightning and sparks explode into the void, where the two weapons meet.
The impact is still enough to blow it backward.
"You should learn to multitask," Rena says. She breathes out; right, she is also responsible for Murasaki. "Murasaki, don't let her get to you."
She looks back to Yuliana, her jaw setting. "What about the janitors? The technicians? The people who happened to just be here?" she snaps. "Because I think they deserve better than--"
Al's pedantry sensors activate.
"--a bloody low-gee crater where the smoke rapidly dissipates due to the lack of--" Coordinators, folks. "--ATMOSPHERE, YULIANA!"
The hyper beam saber is still activated. Rena flies in closer, wing binder-mounted thrusters burning bright to make her rush sudden, and then she cleaves down with the brilliant blue blade of mega particle light.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Yuliana Kafim with Hyper Beam Saber! KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Luanova Luckwright engages guard against Sympatria Unit's Single Agony Cannon! KTS: Luanova Luckwright's Will Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Luanova Luckwright poorly guards Sympatria Unit's Single Agony Cannon, taking 3420 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages evade against Mobile Weapons Team's Taurus Beam Rifle Maneuver Shot! KTS: Naoko Suzuki's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Naoko Suzuki moderately reacts to Mobile Weapons Team's Taurus Beam Rifle Maneuver Shot, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
Sayaka gets that little ping on the Muse Malu's comms that is very publicly from Yuliana Kafim, one of the ring-leaders of this adjacent operation. Sayaka doesn't betray her identity, as far as anyone knows, she's just the squadron leader of Satellicon's commitment to this attack - but her returning ping very much amounts to a tongue-in-cheek 'Yeah, it's me.'
Naoko's attack also catches Sayaka's attention, and while she can't sense it on the psychic level, she can absolutely see the havoc it's causing through just plain physics. She's pretty sure that force is the work of a variation of the Lambda Driver -she knows thanks to Captain Testarossa's work. Seeing it used this way, she can't help but worry about the target it puts on Naoko's back.
"Good!" Sayaka shoots back to Emilia, noting the anger in her tone. "Then... I'll be counting on you. I don't know why you're here, but we're not going to get anywhere if we don't cover each other." Sayaka adds, a little more reluctantly. She sounds like she has more of a general bone to pick with NUNE than a specific goal in mind... but her voice gives off a younger impression, and the way her squadmates talk concerns her
Still, when Sayaka told Emilia's squadron not to underestimate the GN-X's, she wasn't lying - though it's her Muse Malu that takes the brunt of their damage. The Muse Malu's armour structure is sound - but it lacks in beam coating, and parrying them with the stinger would be difficult.
Sayaka tries to force an evade instead, using the machine's short stature - but the GN-X is faster, and catches it with its beam rifle. "Tsk... not bad, not bad at all! You're certainly well-trained enough that you're not just relying on the specs of those suits." Is perhaps the route of compliment she allows her enemy because she has been so used to being stuck with making terrible mobile weapons work.
Emilia and her Black Swan goes for the Hyper Hammer - a staple Gundam-type weapon now in the hands of a Zaku. While Emilia strikes for the battleship itself, Sayaka keeps her sights on the GN-X's - hoping a combined attack will put the entire crew into disarray. Instead of using one of the Muse Malu's modular weapons, she uses the Muse Malu itself as a weapon, taking advantage of the Low-G to position above a pair of GN-X and crush them with those fourty-eight legs.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Kathras Fari with Forty-Eight Legs Curl-Around Crush! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kathras Fari engages charge against Sayaka Yumi's Forty-Eight Legs Curl-Around Crush! KTS: Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Sayaka Yumi's Forty-Eight Legs Curl-Around Crush, taking 3360 damage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to engage parry against Rena Lancaster's Hyper Beam Saber! KTS: Yuliana Kafim's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Critical Hit! Yuliana Kafim poorly reacts to Rena Lancaster's Hyper Beam Saber, taking 5400 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster bypasses Yuliana Kafim, preventing her from Guarding the next attack!
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
... As few opportunities as she's had to hear it, of late, it's nice to hear Emmy's voice again. Milly's lips curl up in a small smile, for just a moment -- she can't remain in such self-indulgence for too long, but it is nice.
This battlefield has become a little too much for Milly to track, with the addition of Terminal and Satellicon; if there's been a trap in her thinking for ages, it's that she's excessively conventional, excessively rigid. It's the result of playing too much Ambition -- she's become accustomed to larger boards with fixed players.
"You seem pretty comfortable with the mobile dolls, at least," Milly says. ... It does feel a little hypocritical to be stealing them to prove how dangerous they are, but again -- Milly shoves that cognitive dissonance down. She can handle such feelings later. "Remember -- anything you get out of a stolen piece of equipment is gravy," she reminds Invictus. "The most important thing is that you keep yourself alive." That much about Milly, at least, hasn't changed.
KTS: Milly Ashford targets Mobile Weapons Team with Awe! KTS: Milly Ashford has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Angelo Sauper has posed.
Angelo's mind expands.
He hates it.
Perhaps it's ironic, the fact that Leina Ashta serves as an anchor to the familiar for him in a tumultuous sea of sensation. The conflicted feelings of disgust and other, more complicated sentiments that he hates to acknowledge are at least -palpable- and -known- to him, allowing him to keep his head above water as he pushes the boundaries of his comfort.
Despite how deftly he maneuvers those funnels, there's a certain reticence in the Dag Doll's movements as it engages the Beguir-Neuer -- as if its pilot is holding back. There's a perceptivle lag as the Beguir's thrusters close the distance on the Dag Doll, a second's delay as its pilot reacts and catches onto her funnel feint that would not normally be there; the Beguir's deliberately stylish kick -crashes- into the Dag Doll, claws clenching and RIPPING plates away with a violent spark of electrical discharge as Angelo curses inside the cockpit.
Sensors go haywire; a chunk of the Dag Doll's abdomen is now missing as it is -flung- through the air from the impact, suffering from its pilot's delay.
Angelo Sauper has -never- been one to hold back, on anything. So why--?
<"Hggk -- How dare you assume you know anything about me!"> snaps Angelo, a reflexive response. He knows -exactly- what Leina knows about him, because that day still -haunts- him-- <"I know EXACTLY who's looking back in the mirror! Do YOU? All this talk, and talk, and talk about how you're going to stop these -puppets-, when they're already operating! All this barking -- and you keep baring your fangs at the same people!">
The Dag Doll recovers with a sudden burst of counter-thrust. But it doesn't advance; not immediately. Instead -- Angelo's brows furrow. His gloved hands tremble around the controls of his machine. He reaches out towards a particular toggle -- and his fingers briefly curl in hesitation.
<"... You say I'm still with Zeon. You don't grasp what's happening here. Look around you. Do you see them all?">
The Dag Doll's arms spread wide, as if to indicate the entirety of the battlefield -- as, with the flip of a switch...
Angelo's communication switches to public channels, addressing all gathered.
<"This is not Zeon. This is not the Kafims or their--"> cult <"-- 'religion'."> He even keeps most of the sarcasm out of his voice. Just enough for the paranoid to be suspicious.
<"This is not the Black Rebellion of Britannia. This is not any -one- group that you people look down on as terrorists because of how -inconvenient- they are.">
The Dag Doll rises. Angelo takes a breath.
<"We are EVERYONE you turn a blind eye to. We are EVERYONE you refuse to listen to, time after time, because you're AFRAID of what we have to say! We are EVERYONE who refuses to tolerate your constant, empty promises!">
The words are uncharacteristically bold for the young man who walled himself away from the world. And they don't come easy. And yet, he -forces- himself onto that stage, under that spotlight.
He exhales. Purple eyes widen. And those gloved fingers reach to that toggle, emboldened.
<"We are DAWN OF FOLD, and we are ONE VOICE. And you can't ignore us anymore.">
And he flips that switch. Sensors alight, systems booting up rapidly as Angelo's comms winnow back down to Leina and Leina alone:
<"You told me to find my voice, Leina. So -listen now-!">
| MACHINE HEAD MODE E N G A G E D |
|---|
The backpack of the Dag Doll suddenly shifts -forward-, locking in behind the Dag Doll's head. The cockpit opens up as cables link directly into open ports along the back of Angelo's pilot suit. His eyes widen. A choked sound carries across the commlink as he lurches forward, a gloved hand clenching his chest. Pupils dilate until they become a ring of purple haloing a sea of black.
And as the Dag Doll's Psychommu suddenly, VIOLENTLY amplifies to degrees that shouldn't be possible for such a comparatively old system, he
feels
everything
He feels the battlefield.
he feels the terror of the last time he opened his heart
He feels the heart of the woman he fights.
he feels the sight of full frontal barely breathing in the sinanju's ruins
He feels his mother's smile.
he feels her hollow and defeated stare
He feels -- feels -- feels--
no.
No. Breathe. Focus. Focus on your breathing. Focus on the battlefield.
Focus on -her-.
<"Th-this... this is my... MY VOICE!">
And the Dag Doll -moves-.
It's fast. Far faster than it was before. Far faster than such a bulky machine has any right to be. Four large funnels detach from its backpack as it -blazes- a path towards the Beguir -- and then charges PAST it, the funnels flying behind crackling with bright green particles. They shoot--
and each, powerful beam of energy ripples -past- Leina and her machine--
--CATCH on the Reflector Bits, now swarming around the Beguir--
--and redirect, ricocheting off into a cross-hatch prison of particle fire that lances at the Beguir from every possible direction.
<"And I'll gladly WALK WITH MONSTERS IF IT MEANS YOU CAN'T IGNORE IT A SINGLE SECOND LONGER!">
Do you hear me now?
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Leina Ashta's The Script We Write activates, and the spirit endures. KTS: Angelo Sauper has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Leina Ashta KTS: Angelo Sauper has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Angelo Sauper targets Leina Ashta with Funnels - Trick Shot! KTS: Angelo Sauper has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Angelo Sauper's Finding His Voice activates Strike!
<Pose Tracker> Murasaki El-Amari has posed.
What was she doing here. In a stock mobile suit, surrounded by beings of untold power and strength. Everything's gone to hell. She just wants...she just wants a home... a home where she's allowed to be a person. Wh-
Then, Captain Lancaster's voice cuts through the burning darkness that seemed to engulf her in that moment. No. That's why she was here. She was here to earn allies like Captain Lancaster, like Terminal. She gritted her teeth, and accelerated her Astray, barreling towards the Wanzer. She pointed the beam rifle forward and began to open fire in a barrage of fire. All out now. Earn your pay, never give up, never surrender, this is your duty to Lord Uzumi, to Lady Cagalli, to Orb. She is Murasaki El-Amari and no one would ever take her home from her ever again
"YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN HOW RUDE I CAN GET!" She yells into the radio, charging in with abandon.
KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Murasaki El-Amari targets Yuliana Kafim with Type 71 Beam Rifle Closing Barrage! KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Al has posed.
"You are welcome, Captain," Al states, pleasantly. "The Sergeant fought Misses Kafim several times in the leadup to the Arctic Gate Incident. The machine's been updated, but the basic principles appear similar. I'll run analysis."
"Compartmentalization of duties is basic practice at a strategic level," Al helpfully notes for Rena, in response to Yuliana's claim that the innocents simply are not her problem. "Although, it does seem like a rather aggressive drill."
Then, everybody's friend returns. "Oh," Al says, and the Cleave Axe highlights in the panoramic display. "I remember this. Be cautious. Its striking force is extreme."
KTS: Al has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Al targets Yuliana Kafim with Designate L2! KTS: Al has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Al's Where Are We Going activates Strike and Alert!
<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.
Jakallo grimaces on the field, his attention on Naoko's sudden surge of Will, which results in him looking into a bulkhead, unable to see through it--but aware of what's happening.
"Mr. Jakallo?" Captain Fari inquires.
"...Got a bad feeling about something out there."
"Noted."
But his concern is the very Zaku IV that is intent upon his ship at the moment. Jakallo grimaces a second time. "Its Beam Coat is absorbing fire!"
Jayaissa tries meanwhile even as Fari directs her to make evasive maneuvers--but the chained flail slams into one of the catapults, caving in its entrance and halving the Aion's ability to pour out more mobile suits. "Damn!" Gavarre swears, "Get that--"
Fari holds up a hand. "Fire missiles--herd it towards Achilles Squadron. They're better equipped to deal with it."
Missiles pour out--but while they would happily hit the Black Swan, they're really meant to limit its options, laying down a blanket of ordnance to disssuade further attacks.
The contact comms worked, though. Before the missiles finish firing, Captain Fari says, "We'll see. I owe Zeon a few bastards."
Anita and Rena answer him. Anita seems busy, so he doesn't risk distracting her further--but Rena has enough time to respond so he says, "I'd appreciate that."
His XO, the silver-haired woman Gavarre, looks at him in confusion for a moment, and off the comms he says, "Old business. We'll need to deal with those people sooner or later."
"...I see," she answers, "All right, Captain. I trust you."
The GN-Xs meanwhile are still powerful and still fast--but they're accustomed to Earth-based tactics more than they are space, and Sayaka is creative. Sure, they hit her--but she doubles down on a pair of them. They try to drive upward with their beam sabers, but instead they're slammed down--and they are smashed into one another. In the process, the Zakus are able to get off a good shot--and it slams into the back of one of the GN-Xs, sending it spinning out of control to crash on the Lunar surface in an explosion.
"Damn you!" ssays a pilot, and he and two buddies take it out on the one they can reach--the Muse Malu, swarming towards it to try to overwhelm Sayaka through sheer size.
"We lost one," Gavarre grimaces.
"...They're not playing around," Fari says. "To take out even one of 'those' units..."
"Get me all the data you can on those Zakus and the... centipede mobile weapon."
"Start compiling information on this... 'Satellicon.'"
KTS: Kathras Fari targets Emilia Eschonbach with Ship Fixed Missiles Area Denial! KTS: Kathras Fari targets Sayaka Yumi with AION Mobile Suit Wing Swarm Tactics! KTS: Kathras Fari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim accepts Al's Designate L2! KTS: Al designates Yuliana Kafim, making her easier to target and opening her to indirect fire. KTS: Best Defense! Yuliana Kafim successfully reacts to Al's Designate L2, taking 0 damage! KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
Cascade's eyes narrow, in her cockpit, as she sees the Svipul take to the...
Well, it's not sky, is it? To space. Cascade can jump well - *extremely* well, on the Moon, which is its own problem in some ways - but she doesn't want to challenge a fighter plane in its element; she's brave, but she's not stupid.
The Svipol puts quite a few bullets into the Queen Gundam while it's circling. Cascade feels every one of them, each single point of impact, through the Trace Suit; a line that starts at one hip and crosses over her chest, over to her shoulder; another line around her back, across one thigh as she punches holes in the relatively lightweight armour on Queen Gundam's leg. It doesn't crumple but Cascade does rebalance afterwards.
A miracle occurs across the battlefield. Cascade is not especially sensitive to this kind of miracle, but she still feels *something*, just for a moment. She looks up, distracted by Nova and then Angelo, before jerking her attention back to Anita as the Svipol returns to GERWALK.
But sometimes you have to do a daring thing to win...
Cascade powers through the next series of gunshots, drilling into herQueen Gundam's stomach. It hurts, a repeated blow to the same area, and it's clearly damaging Queen Gundam, but Cascade pushes through it. In the cockpit, she crouches, Queen Gundam mirroring her movement.
And then she leaps, a flying jump toward Svipol. This time she fires the back-mounted thrusters, the rigid wings not catching the air (there is no air) but the low gravity keeping her up anyway. Cascade isn't precisely *used* to low gravity - things move differently than they do on Earth, much to her chagrin; she has almost four feet of hair and that's not her only problem - but she does know how to adapt for it.
She comes in foot-first again, driving her heel directly at the Svipol - and this time the heels *punch* downward, a pair of stiletto heels like pile bunkers driving through barrier and armour all at once. It vents superheated plasma from the extended heels, and when Cascade lands on her feet Queen Gundam takes a different stance, its heels impressively high and only slowly retracting, shortening as hot gases vent from the boots of the Gundam and the pressure releases.
KTS: Cascade Vermilion's Finding My Way activates! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
+defend 1 with evade
KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to engage evade against Murasaki El-Amari's Type 71 Beam Rifle Closing Barrage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Yuliana Kafim successfully reacts to Murasaki El-Amari's Type 71 Beam Rifle Closing Barrage, taking 3053 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 5254 KTS: Emilia Eschonbach engages intercept against Kathras Fari's Ship Fixed Missiles Area Denial! KTS: Best Defense! Emilia Eschonbach successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Ship Fixed Missiles Area Denial, taking 300 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion targets Anita Rosetta with Blazing Piston! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Leina Ashta fails to engage Block against Angelo Sauper's Funnels - Trick Shot! KTS: Leina Ashta successfully reacts to Angelo Sauper's Funnels - Trick Shot, taking 4720 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta fails to engage Guard against Cascade Vermilion's Blazing Piston! KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Anita Rosetta moderately reacts to Cascade Vermilion's Blazing Piston, taking 4710 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion rattles Anita Rosetta, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
<Pose Tracker> Luanova Luckwright has posed.
The bindings didn't work, and the Myrmecia concedes and draws backward. This, however, is half because of her attention being stolen by the wild psychic sensation given off in waves by Naoko's Arm Slave. "I knew I liked the cut of her jib," Lua murmurs within the cockpit. Something's going on with Leina's unit too, over there... it's too much to keep track of in the heat of battle.
Perhaps it's the divide in her attention that prevents the Myrmecia from distributing this next shot like the last. It holds its arms up to shield the blow, and the recapitulative scales aren't able to fully distribute, drawing cracks through the unit's armor and severing some of the scales. Still, it holds together better than a lightly armored unit like it appears to be should. That's the work of Lua, recentering herself and straining to keep the unit from folding under the impact.
<"Try the second one. You think corporate would lay traps in the foundation that would behave like that? The tech to move a foundation like that would be expensive. That's a corner they could cut...">
Angelo Sauper issues his general address. Not the Kafims, not Zeon... just remnants. Remnants of all the outcasts and reviled.
Lua looks down at the transmission controls. She sighs and filters through the transmission interface, looking for the settings while the Myrmecia stands in its ready stance, hesitating. This should probably cut off recording, shouldn't it... <"Listen. The fight is fun and all, but I'm sick of this shit. Can we just make it look real for the cameras for a bit and then you send me flying off? Truth be told, I'm sick to my stomach of defending this.">
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
What is Nova doing over there?!, Yuliana wonders, when she finally realises what the horrible wrong feeling she's seeing is coming from. She yells, to the Sukeban: "Stop destroying reality! That's MY thing!"
She orients her attention back to Rena, though -- having met her Cleave Axe with a Beam Saber -- and snaps: "I'm GREAT at multitasking!" Not great enough to actually cut through, though, apparently.
"If they didn't want to deal with SPACE they should have GOTTEN A JOB ON EARTH!" Yuliana yells to Rena, as she fails to turn away the Gaia Gear Alpha's Hyper Beam Saber with her own axe. It cleaves through, digging into one of the Da Xukong 0's arm-parts, and the explosion clearly indicates it's done some damage.
At least that's probably almost definitely Sayaka out there, she thinks, as she grits her teeth. It's nice that someone's on her side.
The Astray's Beam Rifle fires, blazing, as it closes into close quarters. It would normally be the most unsafe place to be -- except that Rena's made sure her axe is less of a problem, right now. "Tch!" Yuliana snaps, as the beam-fire explodes against that barrier as well, rocking the wanzer to the side.
(Murasaki may feel just a little disconnected, getting so close. Rena is used to it.)
Formidable, but not unassailable, apparently, with sufficient teamwork. Except...
"That's right," Yuliana says, as she registers Angelo's declaration. "The 'Dawn of Fold'... they were willing to accept us." She didn't want to work with BioNet. And that means -- "If it's for the sake of those still pinned by NUNE's demands... my wife and I stand beside our allies, where we may find them. I will lend my strength to this. And my strength -- the Da Xukong 0's strength -- is creating destruction! WITNESS!"
She scuttles back, away from the Astray and the Gaia Gear Alpha. It might seem like a good thing -- except...
Except those coils glow black, on her wanzer's shoulders. Between them, something cracks open, the darkness textured a terrible green. And green energy pours out from the mid-point between those two coils -- not beam weaponry, but something worse, an isolating magical energy which tears into them with frightening abandon.
Da Xukong 0 is damaged and smoking -- but still, evidently, very dangerous. That's definitely not a MULS-P weapon...
KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Rena Lancaster and Murasaki El-Amari with Abyssal Coil Dread Charge! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Sayaka Yumi engages block against Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Swarm Tactics! KTS: Sayaka Yumi successfully blocks Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Swarm Tactics, taking 4290 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster engages evade against Yuliana Kafim's Abyssal Coil Dread Charge! KTS: Rena Lancaster successfully reacts to Yuliana Kafim's Abyssal Coil Dread Charge, taking 4960 damage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
'I'll be counting on you.'
Emilia frowns. "F-Fine. Count on me if you want... but d-don't hold me back!" She responds to Sattelicon's representative, with no recognition of who is inside. Sayaka is a stranger behind a disguise.
Her Hyper Hammer *slams* forcefully into the catapult, and as the entrance caves in, Emilia smiles. She's halved their MS Squad's ability to launch- and to retreat.
Now they can't run.
"A-aye!" She responds to Oscar's command, her normal responses getting shorter and faster-
And then the missiles come from the AION, and Emilia sees them coming. The hammer needs time to retrieve from it's impact, and that leaves her open. She should guard-
Instead, with her left hand, she grabs one of the twin beam machineguns on the waist of the Black Swan. She opens fire into the swarm- as she yanks on the hammer's chain, pulling it towards her. She starts moving as quickly as she can- fencing her in to the Achilles squad as intended- but before she can fully launch, one missile makes impact against the Zaku IV, forcing her movement.
But this means both her hands are busy as she's driven towards the Achilles Squadron in the GN-Xs. She should be easy pickings.
Fine. She's not out of tricks. She focuses, the band for the Quasi-Psycommu systems activates to pick up her brainwaves. It's hard. It's much harder than simply moving her body. But... she has some extent in making a machine understand her intent.
Even if it's not as good at it as her lost Rapunzel.
"D-d-disengage!" She yells to Sayaka, focusing her brainwaves as best she can. "Swanfeather, activate Sea Serpents!"
From the Swanfeather Unit on the the back of the Black Swan, a pair of wired guided weapons launch, arranging themselves into the spiderweb formation, launching out at the squad of GN-X's. A direct, high powered electric shock- with enough power to wound the pilot in the cockpit if need be.
And as Angelo declares the Dawn of Fold, Emilia smiles, a tinge of darkness to it. "L-L-Let's... ring in the d-dawn."
----
"Got you, you little shit!" Toni shouts, as her rifle drops one of the GN-X's. "Okay Gray, help me line up the next one!"
Oscar Kalo continues to deal with the troops near his squad, beam shotgun firing into the mass. "...Good speech, Commander Sauper. Let's see if they'll listen."
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets Kathras Fari with INCOM Sea Serpent! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Mobile Weapons Team accepts Milly Ashford's Awe! KTS: Milly Ashford inspires awe, increasing Mobile Weapons Team's Morale! KTS: Best Defense! Mobile Weapons Team successfully reacts to Milly Ashford's Awe, taking 0 damage! KTS: [Spiritual Adjustment] Mobile Weapons Team's Wings of Wax activates, and his spirit is adjusted further! KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage react against Emilia Eschonbach's INCOM Sea Serpent! KTS: Best Defense! Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Emilia Eschonbach's INCOM Sea Serpent, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Yuliana's criticism (and scowl) are heard but, "<Work... faster!?>" And in the cockpit, she repeats that, echoing as if disbelief, "Work. Faster." It's so frustrating. That you put your heart and soul into working towards reform, that you shut down so many horror factories like the one that made her.
And it's not good enough.
"<Where do you get off telling us we're not fixing things FAST ENOUGH after what you helped do to the WORLD!>"
Stay focused, Rena tells her, and Leina grimaces in her cockpit as if she were looking into a mirror herself, taking a breath, "<It's just...>" She trails off, and is softer still when she comes back on, "<... ... damnit Rena...>"
They all tried so hard, to give her a second chance. They tried.
Perhaps Leina senses something rising, a strange pressure, that expansion, that decision, that INTENT screaming at her. Angelo had never been the most sensitive, but in this moment, he's so loud.
The Beguir doesn't advance, because the pressure he puts off, it haunts her too. It rises, swells, just like his words of accusation that nothing has changed, and everything all at once. It's uncomfortable, listening to him speak about all the things they're not.
The dread grows around her, feeling his boldness with every word, with every syllable, as he announces...
"Dawn of Fold?" One of Leina's squadmates, Amar, engaged with a Zeon mobile suit echoes, but only because he doesn't feel it.
"Get back." She rasps, as she feels reality shift and lurch to her perception, as she feels that singularity of intent converge, as she feels Angelo Sauper open himself to the battlefield.
Images flash, rapid, repeated, familiar.
FOCUS on him.
"<Everyone GET BACK!>"
The Dag Doll is far too fast as he activates this, and the Beguir is a machine limited in many ways, a machine limited by her choices. A machine limited by the shape she wants the world to fill. A world without machines like this.
However, she does not die instantly, something which she attributes to a man she hates just as much as Angelo loves his ur-mirror.
The reflector bits swarm and her shield is brought to the fore, the Beguir balancing on actuators as it twists and jerks from the swarm of beams that score and race across of her, burning away through her shield, catching part of the Beguir's head, searing off parts of the optics.
Always
It seems like a trite - dismissive thing to feel, in the wake of what Angelo said, that she was ignoring his voice. That she was always ignoring so many voices. The gathered resentment and passion towards the way things are, the status quo.
Against her submission to it.
The Beguir sags to one side in the aftermath, and for a time, it feels like he's won, but then her funnels swarm back, and around it, like a swarm of angry hornets, and she stands up straight, despite part of it's head being gone, her beam rifle suddenly ripping up, and there is a soft glow, from the Beguir.
Because she hasn't truly rejected one shape of the world. That idea of possibility.
"<...I do hear you, Angelo.>"
And then abruptly, funnels which typically are sent so far afield, line up near the front of the Beguir, but leads the fore is the suddenly swell of the charged blast from the rifle, a crackling Minovsky hell that forces itself to be heard.
It's followed by the funnels firing in tandem over and over, intending to overwhelm his Reflector Bits with sheer force as the rifle charges, and fires again, and again.
"<It has to be so painful to shout... after feeling as if you were silenced for so long.>"
And in it, there is that offering at least, of understanding, that he's been more than just heard.
KTS: Leina Ashta's Ace of Dominicus activates! KTS: Leina Ashta targets Angelo Sauper with Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Firing Squad! KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Sympatria Unit has posed.
The psychic emanations from the Dag Doll are lost, perhaps, on Number One, who has his own opponents. However, he hears Angelo.
Sitting on the Shandor, #6 stops filing her artificial nails and listens. Her usually vacant expression turns into something not quite clear as she does.
The two of them are peculiar specks in the tapestry of the battlefield when Angelo expands his mind, but to Number One, there is only the opponent in front of him. The words go into his ears - he can even see, tangentially, an autocaptioned summation - but he'll review it later, if he lives.
"Heh heh! You never know! They do all kinds of things and find excuses later," he says, eyes flicking to the side to look at the cooling cycles -- before Lua sends him a signal.
The Pain of the Universe stops for a moment.
"... Make it... look real?"
"For the cameras?"
The voice from the machine - which was a young man, with a sort of vaguely-spacenoid-but-not-placeable accent - is silent for several seconds.
"You..."
Then he repeats himself, but he sounds angrier. "You...!!!"
"If you've lost your heart hearing Sauper's words, then show the pride of your life and throw in the fucking towel, you mass-produced corporate slimebucket!!" Number One says, with growing heat. "Run away! Throw down your weapons! Beg us to take you on board, so your life can gain meaning! Fly to the side! Make big circles!! If you want to implore me to spare your life you can do it any time, but who the hell do you think we are?? If you're going to run, if you CAN run, then run and live with the consequences!!" Does that come out to 'I'll let you go' or...
The power emission on the Pain of the Universe is building. Probably not.
"I'll make you this promise, corp!! I won't shoot you in the back -- but you'd better start running, because I don't care if you're riding sidesaddle with God themselves!! I'm not going to leave things on the plate just because my gut got sick! Six!!"
"Yo!"
"I'm running the pain editor to maximum! Monitor me!"
"Uh, kay," says #6, even as, back on the surface, the Pain of the Universe hikes up its legs and fires the thrusters. Full power - ascent power - able to make cislunar orbit if necessary and definitely enough to catch up mighty fast with the Myrmecia even as Number One lets out an incoherent and oddly-modulated yell.
"HRRAAAAAHHH--"
The lunge comes with, not a punch, but an effort at an armbar - an effort to... embrace the Myrmecia, one-armed. It's a clumsy sort of pin, but the real point is the tucked-in ion emitters, which have started to glow red hot and surge to whiteblue as direct metal-to-metal thermal emission escalates wildly.
"BURN!!"
KTS: Angelo Sauper has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Angelo Sauper engages evade against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Firing Squad! KTS: Angelo Sauper poorly reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Beam Rifle Firing Squad, taking 5600 damage! KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Luanova Luckwright's Force of Will activates! KTS: Sympatria Unit targets Luanova Luckwright with Thermal Grappler! KTS: Sympatria Unit has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Luanova Luckwright engages parry against Sympatria Unit's Thermal Grappler! KTS: Luanova Luckwright's Will Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Luanova Luckwright successfully reacts to Sympatria Unit's Thermal Grappler, taking 1750 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"...I know," Rena tells Leina. "We tried. Just... just, we can't let it blind us, okay?"
She sighs.
"Is that so...? Shame I never met him," Rena answers Al. She frowns -- her lips tightening -- but then she nods. "You're right. It's aggressive... and it's not that I don't think Yuliana cares who gets hurt."
Deep breath.
"But I think she'd like to stop caring," Rena finishes, quieter.
Her attention is distracted for a moment, her eyes drawn towards the Dag Doll -- and Angelo Sauper's words. Not the Sleeves; not the Black Knights. Something new, something declared proudly.
"So... that's it," she says, her voice quiet. And there's a flicker of jealousy, if she is being honest. Terminal can't even admit who they are. Legally -- officially -- they're here as the Magallanica Defense Force. It stings, for a moment.
It doesn't really stop stinging, but Murasaki yelling brings her out of it.
"Dawn of Fold," Rena repeats. "I understand that, but... there's people who don't want to have their lives ripped apart. People who need someone to shield them against war... and we'll do that, if you're so blind to them!"
The two coils on the Dan Xukong 0's coils glow black, then emit that terrible -- and terribly familiar -- green energy. It explodes outwards the Gaia Gear Alpha Custom, and the white-and-teal Mobile Suit has to jerk to the side, before the full force of it can engulf Rena's Mobile Suit. It scorches the left side of it; the Gaia Gear Alpha shifts backward, armor blackened and burnt where the blast of energy struck.
Rena's eyes open wider. The crystal in her chest glimmers; it's a faint glow, under her normal suit, but motes of deep sea blue and pale green drift about the cockpit. They also burst out from the Gaia Gear, in a broad glow.
"Funnels!" Rena cries out.
The funnel pods, mounted on the wing binders, explode to life. Twelve funnels shoot out -- rocketing across the lunar surface, diving and twisting around Murasaki's Astray -- and form up around the Da Xukong 0 in the blink of an eye.
"GO!"
And they fire at once, some loosing distracting pulsing shots of beam fire -- while others shoot sustained lances of light that try to carve into the Wanzer.
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 Yuliana Kafim with All-Range Attack! KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Murasaki El-Amari fails to engage evade against Yuliana Kafim's Abyssal Coil Dread Charge! KTS: Critical Hit! Murasaki El-Amari poorly reacts to Yuliana Kafim's Abyssal Coil Dread Charge, taking 6820 damage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
The rush that Naoko Suzuki is experiencing in this moment is indescribable. This is it - the culmination of more than a year of work, what she risked more for than she even realized. Of course she did simulations, the models showed the exact results that she was hoping for. But this time, it's for real. All the data in the world doesn't compare to experiencing it all coming to fruition in person, just as calculated.
Before, all she could feel was pride, a sense of great accomplishment. As satisfying as that can be... it can't compare to the way this makes her feel. This feels... liberating. Exhilarating. And most of all... it makes her feel powerful, in a way she could previously only dream of.
This is it. With this, she can be the hero she always wanted to be.
She feels nothing but pure glee as she crashes into Mobile Doll after Mobile Doll, each one destroyed equating to future lives saved in her mind. Eventually, though, her trajectory runs out of targets, that green glow fading away as the Sukeban whirls about.
The difference from before is striking, like night and day. Before, when it turned, the mechanics of it were normal for Arm Slave standards. The way it turned just now was far more fluid. Far more human-like.
She catches that wish to take her machine apart, spoken aloud for all to hear as it was, and lets out a short laugh. "I know that feeling... but do you think you can?" She has to pause, there, as Angelo introduces their group proper. She frowns, remembering Angelo well from an encounter that didn't go well at all. But, things are different now. As she is now, she has no problem responding with confidence. "Yeah? Well that's appropriate, because I'm gonna fold you in half!"
...Well, confidence isn't everything you need to be good at taunts.
Though she can certainly tell something of note is happening on the other side of the battlefield as well, she can't afford to be distracted by it - the Mobile Dolls are already on their way to her again. But things are different now. The machine is different. The pilot is different. The distinction between the two is different.
As Naoko's mind analyses the Dolls' programmed movements in real time, the results of her analysis directly translates into appropriate movement for the Sukeban. With virtually no lag time, the Arm Slave now moves at the abnormal speed of Naoko's thoughts, and the results are no less than perfect. The pilot knows exactly when not to be where, so the machine is simply never in the wrong spot at the wrong time. This is the result of a Whispered creating the machine that's best suited to her own abilities.
There are no further words from her. Not even Yuliana's cries of dismay can break her focus enough to provoke a reaction, which is perhaps the most amazing feat she's managed here today. Instead, when the Sukeban finds an opening, it boosts straight up, barrelling right past the Taurus that sought to catch her from above, and spreads its arms wide.
<"ENOUGH! PHANTOM SAUCERS!">
The Sukeban did used to have discs attached to its shoulders, remote weapons that Nova called 'Saucers'. But those are no longer there. What this means, instead... is that green disc-shaped energy projections appear on either side of the Sukeban, and immediately home in on a pair of Mobile Dolls, again impacting with solid force despite having no physical property. It is no longer limited to just launching two, either - a barrage of discs is sent out in rapid succession, though she appears to be purposely avoiding targeting the Jegan. Unwillingness to strike at the unit known to be piloted, perhaps?
KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Mobile Weapons Team with Phantom Saucers! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Angelo's voice rings out over the battlefield, across public channels. Dawn of Fold, huh... Anita frowns, just slightly. It's food for thought. But she can't be distracted for long, rolling that over in her head - Cascade is charging in once more.
%Svipul braces itself as the heels slam downward. Sparks fly as the make contact with the barrier - and then a second, more powerful impact follows. The barrier breaks, followed soon after by the crunching of armor. The Valkyrie stumbles backwards, armor sparking.
"That was a big one... 'Nother hit like that, and I'm going to have to retreat." Anita warns her allies.
Svipul still has some fight left in it, though - and as long as it's still willing, Anita is, too.
"You're pretty good. And that machine of yours... Haven't seen anything like it. Honestly, as a mechanic, I'm pretty curious, but..." Anita starts. But, this is a fight, and they both have things to protect. She leaves that unsaid.
Svipul reaches for its left shoulder, drawing the cannon from its mount - and then, an energy blade flares to life. Anita rushes forward, jabbing it toward the Queen Gundam several times - before immediately leaping back, opening firing with vulcans as she makes some space.
Once again, Svipul transforms into Fighter Mode - the heavy damage its taken so far results in some lag time, but Anita is experienced enough to compensate for that.
Now in the air, Anita engages the Visual Link System - its eyes become her eyes. She shoots off, gunpod honed in on the Queen Gundam and opens fire. But as she does, missiles launch from beneath Svipul's wings as Anita unleashes everything she has.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Cascade Vermilion with Wings of the Valkyrie Outstretched! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Mobile Weapons Team's Heart of Fire activates, and the spirit endures. KTS: Mobile Weapons Team has activated the Daunt Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
"That's fine by me," Sayaka tells Emilia, when she demands not to be held back. Honestly, she's handling this fight better than Sayaka seems to be in the Muse Malu 3 - though she also has a lot more backup. "...Good luck." She adds.
Angelo reveals the truth of the majority of Luna's attackers - a name and affiliations. They are those who would bring about a new dawn, those rejected in the new world order of NUNE. They aren't just the Black Knights, they aren't just Zeon, they aren't just the Kafims. They are the 'friends' Yuliana told her about. Many of the Satellicon members Sayaka brought along on the mission seem to have mixed feelings - they're Spacenoids, but they faced oppression from both Zeon's rule over Side 3 and the Kafims' open bigotry.
I see. So you're together because you believe you're stronger than the sum of your parts..." Sayaka muses, though it's mostly towards Emilia, who she now knows to be a part of this Dawn of Fold. "We'll have to see if the dawn you dream of lines up with the one we're fighting for." They're all people that maybe Satellicon can stomach fighting alongside when a mission requires it... but they certainly wouldn't join them, even if they're desperate.
While the Dawn of Fold have stolen the show, Captain Fari and his crew have also proven they're not to be ignored. Sayaka's gambit against the GN-X team pays off, especially with the support of Emilia's team, but the Muse Malu's movements do put it in position to take a lot of counterfire. "I'm sorry, but we just refuse to trust the NUNE with those Mobile Dolls!" Sayaka explains, rushing in to block the counter-assault with the Muse Malu's armour. Its defenses are successful enough - but by this point, because of the sheer output of taking successive GN-type beams, the machine's conventional solar battery is running dangerously hot...
So they have to make this quick. "Got it!" Sayaka replies to Emilia's call to disengage, using her veteran instincts to move even the difficult Muse Malu 3 safely out of her range as Emilia fires off her electrical INCOMs. "My machine's in no state for close combat anymore, so I'll be providing your team with some ranged support from here on." Sayaka informs them, and equips the machine's Beam Rifle, closer to a Beam Sniper Rifle than anything.
Sayaka is not used to this kind of weapon at all compared to the Photon Power Lab's weaponry, but if she thinks of it like a Koushiryoku Beam... "I'm aiming at these coordinates, so tell your team to stay out of the way!" She adds, before aiming clean for the head of one of those GN-X and letting the beam loose. "Firing!!"
KTS: Mobile Weapons Team fails to engage Evade against Naoko Suzuki's Phantom Saucers! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team moderately reacts to Naoko Suzuki's Phantom Saucers, taking 4770 damage! KTS: Naoko Suzuki begins a Formation attack! KTS: [Spiritual Adjustment] Mobile Weapons Team's Wings of Wax activates, and his spirit is adjusted further! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Kathras Fari with Side-Mounted Beam Rifle Charged Shot! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Cascade Vermilion fails to engage Block against Anita Rosetta's Wings of the Valkyrie Outstretched! KTS: Cascade Vermilion moderately reacts to Anita Rosetta's Wings of the Valkyrie Outstretched, taking 6840 damage! KTS: Cascade Vermilion has been defeated! KTS: Anita Rosetta completes the Formation attack! KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage guard against Sayaka Yumi's Side-Mounted Beam Rifle Charged Shot! KTS: Kathras Fari poorly reacts to Sayaka Yumi's Side-Mounted Beam Rifle Charged Shot, taking 5600 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Murasaki El-Amari has posed.
As Murasaki closed in, an intense discomfort bled through her body. Something was wrong...but she just couldn't tell what it was. This woman wasn't normal, whoever she was. The sensation was new, and strange. Extremely uncomfortable. It was distracting, her Astray taking the brunt of an attack she had never seen before. Alarms were blaring in the cockpit, red warning lights flashing. Everything was falling apart it seemed. But she was still in the fight. Through the static interrupting displays she could see Captain Lancaster going all out in her attack, the funnels dancing across the lunar surface against the Wanzer. By all logic she should fall back, her suit was taking a ton of damage. But then again...even David beat Goliath. Murasaki gritted her teeth and put the thrusters to full. Time to close in. She pressed the buttons on the control sticks and the Astray ditched its beam rifle and shield and gripped the two Anti-Ship Swords at its waist. All or nothing now. She slammed into the Wanzer and did her best to dance the sparking Astray around the Funnels, doing her best to unleash a flurry of strikes anywhere she could with the anti-ship swords.
KTS: Murasaki El-Amari targets Yuliana Kafim with Anti-Ship Swords Combo! KTS: Murasaki El-Amari has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Al has posed.
Al is, of course, quietly recording his readings on Naoko and the Nova Driver to an encrypted file. "Unquestionable activation," he notes. "Field effect suggests practice...Wish I had a Fairy Eye to see the precise dimensions." After seeing some more maneuvering, he adds: "Changed over the control system to the TAROS? Fully disconnected field expressions, as well. Unmistakable."
He remains quiet for some seconds after Rena's quiet conclusion. "Yes. I have seen it before. When a human is pulled in too many directions, there is an impulse to cut connections to all of them. The result is not the desired outcome. But...by that point you've cut connection to yourself, as well. Or perhaps that was simply the Sergeant's experience. Regardless, I will support you in resisting this." It's not like he has ever decided he won't. It's entirely conceivable that deciding not to is literally impossible for him. But he has learned how important it is to tell people you support them.
Several layers scan across the Da Xukong as Al attempts to find a solution. "Lacking a Fairy Eye, precisely measuring its defensive fields isn't possible with the Gaia Gear," he reports to Rena. "But I'll attempt to use secondary data to locate a weakness."
Several seconds pass.
A copyright-free 'tada~~' sound effect plays and a big arrow shows up on Rena's screen, pointing to a spot halfway down the Da Xukong's spine.
"That should do."
KTS: Al targets Yuliana Kafim with Nullify! KTS: Al has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Al's Where Are We Going activates Alert and Focus! KTS: Yuliana Kafim accepts Al's Nullify! KTS: Al nullifies Yuliana Kafim's defensive abilities. KTS: Best Defense! Yuliana Kafim successfully reacts to Al's Nullify, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.
"And this... 'Dawn of Fold', Captain?" Gavarre starts, frowning as she considers the message. A number of crew look up from their stations to wordlessly echo the question, asking the Captain what this means. And he frowns, too, looking to the viewscreen, where the Dag Doll is now helpfully displayed.
"...There are things that are better off not seen by decent people," Kathras Fari begins on a public channel. "Ugly things. Brutal things. The things that give them nightmares. Dissidents who would call our order something to be tolerated at best, opposed like htis at worst."
"Let me assure you. We will not ignore you. ...We will crush you. We will bring you to the gutter where you belong. And we will do it for a peaceful Earth."
"...That is a promise I do not aim to leave empty."
The crew, at least, seem relieved; they look back to their stations, except Gavarre, who keeps watching Fari for a few moments longer, something deeper in her eyes.
He doesn't seem to see it.
But Gavarre continues anyway, "You heard the Captain! Let's get Achillles that support!"
Achilles Squadron is down a member, and thanks to Emilia's net, is temporarily down two more--the superior defenses of the GN-X protect their pilots, but disengaging from the electro-net--and dealing with the resultant power loss--will take them a moment. That leaves three to contend with the Muse Malu and the four Zakus, and they form up immediately in a hard formation--but it's not quite enough. Sayaka fires off ranged support, and her target is hit. the head explodes--and while her aim is true enough hat she doesn't kill the pilot, she sure disables his suit.
"Damn!" he says, "I can't see like this! I've got to pull back!"
"We'll cover you!"
Two left--one with a beam saber, one with a beam rifle, and two more with beam rifles soon to join in again. They split up--one charges the Black Swan, relying on its shield until it's close enough to unleash a devastating claw attack, but leaves itself vulnerable. The other starts firing back at the Muse Malu, shot after shot--and they are not aiming for nonlethal.
KTS: Kathras Fari targets Emilia Eschonbach with AION Mobile Suit Wing Victory Tactics! KTS: Kathras Fari targets Sayaka Yumi with AION Mobile Suit Wing Harrying Tactics! KTS: Kathras Fari has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to engage evade against Rena Lancaster's All-Range Attack! KTS: Critical Hit! Yuliana Kafim poorly reacts to Rena Lancaster's All-Range Attack, taking 7200 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at -1946 KTS: Yuliana Kafim has been defeated!
<Pose Tracker> Luanova Luckwright has posed.
Lua stares dead-eyed at the Pain of the Universe on her monitor. "I probably should have expected that," she tells herself. Hands back on the controls as the Pain of the Universe begins running hotter.
"He's not even wrong."
Myrmecia stays rooted in its ready pose. Lua sees the armbar coming. She feels it coming, but she knows these motions, too. Myrmecia blocks the armbar, stops it with a thrust of its palm. Contact, of course, does not spare it the Pain of the Universe's attack, burning first through the Myrmecia's upper arm. Myrmecia moves in closer, the terrible heat engulfing it as it wraps itself around the Pain's arm, large enough to require both of Myrmecia's arms to grip around. That terrible heat seeps through the cockpit. Lua grits her teeth and sweats, clutching her hands tighter unconsciously.
<"That's fair. I deserved that. Back to killing each other."> As the metal around her begins to threaten to burn, Lua contacts the Myrmex Engine again. Myrmecia swings the Pain of the Universe up by the arm, invisible forces somehow making the feat of strength impossible despite requiring crushing forces at the point of contact. It leaps into the air, lassoing the Pain of the Universe in the air over its head, and then applying that great invisible force to hurl the unit back into a bed of storage containers and debris from the fight, from across the facility.
This time Myrmecia doesn't stand in place. It's chasing after.
KTS: [Lucky] Murasaki El-Amari's luck activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to engage parry against Murasaki El-Amari's Anti-Ship Swords Combo! KTS: Yuliana Kafim moderately reacts to Murasaki El-Amari's Anti-Ship Swords Combo, taking 5760 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at -7706 KTS: Yuliana Kafim has been defeated! KTS: Luanova Luckwright has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Luanova Luckwright targets Sympatria Unit with Hurl Gundams! KTS: Luanova Luckwright has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach fails to engage Charge against Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Victory Tactics! KTS: Best Defense! Emilia Eschonbach successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Victory Tactics, taking 5250 damage! KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit fails to engage parry against Luanova Luckwright's Hurl Gundams! KTS: Sympatria Unit's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Sympatria Unit successfully reacts to Luanova Luckwright's Hurl Gundams, taking 2850 damage! KTS: Luanova Luckwright repulses Sympatria Unit, preventing their from Charging the next attack! KTS: Sayaka Yumi fails to engage intercept against Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Harrying Tactics! KTS: Best Defense! Sayaka Yumi successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's AION Mobile Suit Wing Harrying Tactics, taking 3300 damage! KTS: Kathras Fari begins a Formation attack! KTS: Kathras Fari rattles Sayaka Yumi, making her next maneuvers more difficult.
<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.
Queen Gundam can probably take another hit or two. Cascade still feels functional, the dull ache from the Trace Suit isn't slowing her down as much as it would be if she was merely human.
They do both have things to protect. Cascade gives a very slight nod of agreement, which is picked up by Queen Gundam; it has some peculiarly human movements, proof that it's a Mobile Trace system and not someone who just liked the aesthetics.
She brings up her shield as Svipul rockets in -
Too slow!
Cascade manages to block the bullets, but her attempt to catch the missiles with the head vulcans has mixed success at best; she could manage it if there were just a few, but Valkyries tend to discharge a massive amount of missiles at once, and she just can't catch all of them.
Explosions burst, and Queen Gundam recoils. Cascade's whole front feels battered, something like but unlike a bruise as the suit shifts and compresses to show impact, and part of the outer armour breaks off. Enough of it that, though Queen Gundam is clearly still *functioning*, Cascade is not willing to commit it to further combat. There's too much of a chance that a shot will go past the damaged armour and literally cut the machine in half.
"Queen to Satellicon," Cascade says, in her adjusted voice. "I'm going to - pull back. For the distraction I have provided, I would appreciate some kind of cover." She doesn't expect to be recovered by Satellicon - she would be happy with just some kind of smoke bomb or covering fire.
Little does she know...
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapons Team has posed.
"It's all programming," says Invictus, with another glance over his shoulder. "Always was good at it." Which made the things he wasn't as good at stick out like shrapnel in a wound. If he thinks about the hypocrisy of his position, he says nothing of it. It's just another pragmatic decision for the greater good--the sort that every great man must face.
Another decision for the greater good. Just like being here in this deathtrap of a machine while an Arm Slave that isn't even making sense tears through the Mobile Dolls. Coup de Foudre has some wise words for him on that front, and he nods to his copilot. It's the young man in the Psycommu machine, though, that makes the grand statement. Beautiful, Invictus thinks, distantly. If that makes it to the news, that's a rallying cry.
It does not matter that he does not know the agony that Angelo Sauper lived through. (What does that matter, when he can make Angelo Sauper's life so much better?)
The feeling of profound righteousness (self-righteousness?) lasts for all of two seconds, which is as long as it takes Invictus to notice Naoko escaping from the curtain of fire unscathed. "<Who are you?!>" he demands, slamming his fist into the armrest. "<Who made that thing?!>" He sucks in a deep breath, then resumes issuing orders--little tweaks, here and there, to the Taurus' general operating parameters. She's predicting them expertly, reacting with inhuman speed. He'll show her...!
Naoko's projections have no mass, no substance--not even a particle signature. The closest Doll is caught wholly off-guard; the Phantom Saucer scythes through its midsection, before continuing on to saw off the arms of the unit next to it. The other saucer wreaks similar carnage, embedding itself momentarily in the triangular 'head' of a Taurus, then ripping out to cut through the left side of another. More fire rains down on the Sukeban. The regolith below it is pockmarked by dozens--if not hundreds--of glowing craters.
Three of the Dolls, though, have changed tactics somewhat. Twisting into a more flight-friendly configuration, they speed away from the Sukeban, power building within their dorsal beam cannons. Once again, the Dolls execute a reengagement maneuver as one, U-turning and converging on Naoko's Arm Slave. Three blasts of golden light fire, each targeting the Sukeban's right shoulder with an error radius of less than a foot. It's a barrier-buster maneuver, an attempt to break through a shield they cannot sense in any meaningful way.
KTS: Mobile Weapons Team targets Naoko Suzuki with Taurus Laser Gun Shattering Shot! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Naoko Suzuki engages block against Mobile Weapons Team's Taurus Laser Gun Shattering Shot! KTS: Naoko Suzuki moderately blocks Mobile Weapons Team's Taurus Laser Gun Shattering Shot, taking 3360 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sympatria Unit has posed.
"Hahahaha!!" Number One answers Lua. "There you go--"
And there he goes. The Pain of the Universe sails through the air -- well, absence of air -- while the thrust jets adjust its vector. It's very quick, but it seems the control system can't handle everything, and that invisible force complicates everything.
Silently, it smashes into containerized units. The machine almost immediately rights itself.
"You know--" Number One sends back, "that thing you've got there is really interesting. I could tell you did SOMETHING - I'd have guessed magnetic fields, but if you'd got that much power to spare why not just run it into a beam emitter, right? I guess you'd lose flexibility--"
The Pain of the Universe, battered but still functional, comes out of the heap of wreckage. Some of it gets hurled at the Myrmecia as he closes the distance. "But what good is flexibility if you can't succeed at the mission?!" A kick off the ground and he gets closer, and now it is HE who has the right hook.
No, it's about three right straights, all of them administered while leaping forwards-and-ideally-slightly-past the Myrmecia. Naturally, the first one has to come down at something of an angle, but he seems to be doing, *on purpose*, a lunar-gravity somersault.
Indeed, each punch - powered by some sort of well-concealed but explosively-punching quasi-industrial ram that Luanova might discern takes a moment to cycle back - perceptibly changes the Pain of the Universe's trajectory!
"So why'd you come here in the first place, huh!?"
KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit targets Luanova Luckwright with Precision Barrage! KTS: Sympatria Unit has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Milly Ashford has posed.
Milly watches the Mobile Dolls engage; her expression turns down slightly as she realizes, probably at the same time Invictus does, that they're losing on a 'rock-paper-scissors' level technologically. That gives her some pause; should they retreat now?
She may not be able to feel that little moment of 'he'll show her,' but she can see it plain as day in the adjustments to the way the mobile weapons fight. Here, she considers more pointedly telling Invictus to retreat... but thinks better of it, for now. She doesn't speak with the Prince's full authority, after all.
She thinks she's done all she can for the operation strategically, though. "... I can tell you're a talented programmer," she offers, after a little thought, instead. Sometimes a little encouragement can help keep a head level -- and given Milly is in Invictus's cockpit, she would very much like a level head to remain a priority.
KTS: Luanova Luckwright engages evade against Sympatria Unit's Precision Barrage! KTS: Luanova Luckwright's Will Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Luanova Luckwright successfully reacts to Sympatria Unit's Precision Barrage, taking 2581 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
It would be so much easier if Yuliana cared less about the world, and more about her wife. Because, so much of the world...
"Yes," she cries, when Captain Fari transmits that message, "yes, I'm brutal! I confess, Inquisitor! But I am not UGLY! I am beautiful -- I am a queen! The bride of God! You would drag me to the gutter?! YOU WILL NOT!"
Her gaze snaps, though, to the Gaia Gear, at that green in the glow. "Against... me?" She asks, her anger hushed, for a moment, before her eyes widen and she slams a tentacle down on her clutch. "Shit!"
Da Xukong 0 tries to fleep from those funnels -- but with Al's interference and targeting, not even her Abyssal Veil can save her, the green shield nowhere to be seen. Explosion after explosion ring out, and there are several more holes in the wanzer, by the time the smoke clears.
Inside, red warning klaxons sound, even as Yuliana kicks the console. "Shut up," she groans, lips curling over one too many teeth. "Shut up, shut up, shut up -- FUCK!"
There were two enemies.
And that sound is Yuliana realising the Astray is bearing down on her, with a blade vicious enough to slay a ship. She whirls, and her tail whips out to wrap around its top edge, as she brings her one remaining arm up to force the Cleave Axe against it. Again she struggles, for a moment... before a terrible creaking, followed by an explosion, as that sword cleaves into her machine's other side.
Her wanzer's tail is mauled and sparking; both arm-pieces are ruined, now, the Cleave Axe hanging forlorn from its side by its charging cables.
"Shit! SHIT!" Yuliana carries on, with the sound of her doing even more damage in her cockpit, a heavy thud of fist on console. "... I..."
Her lips curl back over her teeth, in a pained grimace. "... I'm retreating," she announces, to her allies and her enemies both. "I've sustained too much damage to continue the operation... do excuse me. Tch... you win this round, Rena," she adds, sulkily, and now it's her pout that's audible. "And your little friend, too. Murasaki, was it? Tchah... not bad performance, for an Astray. I..." She pauses, and takes another breath. "... I wish you hadn't gotten involved, Rena. Or maybe it's my fault you're here... I don't know."
(Far away, somewhere much safer, the Prince smiles. ... it wasn't Yuliana's loose lips which carried the message to the spy organisation who would be sure to carry their message across the Earth Sphere, even if NUNE's media blackout stopped his facilitator's recordings from reaching a wide audience. But isn't it fine if they think it's her?)
"I'm going," Yuliana says, shame polluting her speech as she scuttles away on legs which are, mercifully, still all operational. Thank god Al's friend isn't here today!
Thank god the Shandor is there to pick her up, too, so she doesn't have to take a shortcut through the Void.
<Pose Tracker> Angelo Sauper has posed.
Always
"... Tt."
The hiss from between Angelo Sauper's teeth is an unsteady and unbroadcasted thing -- because to speak right now would be to betray weakness. To betray the ragged way he breathes, chest rising and falling unsteadily as his synapses are forced to open up to and absorb far more sensory data than they have ever been forced to even after months of training for this day. Or the staccato beat of his heart as it strains somatic demands of that psychological overload. Or the cold sweat pouring down his brow as he struggles with the pain of forcing a neglected sense past its atrophied limits.
He can't broadcast right now, because he can't let -her- of all people hear the quiver in his voice.
G-forces strain at Angelo's body as the Dag Doll ascends rapidly through the air, but it pales in comparison to everything the Mobile Suit's Machine Head Mode forces onto him; it's a welcome pain, stabbing pinpricks of pressure into his body to -refocus- him as Reflector Bits and funnels alike scatter in the aftermath of their onslaught.
Yet despite all the strain on his body, despite the anxiety it sparks within him -- it's white hot passion that he broadcasts through the broadening of his senses, a kind of fury he had largely left behind in favor of bitter resentment and angry cynicism for so many years.
His breathing stabilizes slowly as the Dag Doll comes to a slamming stop, bits and funnels lurching forward and then back in front of it like baubles snaring on tensed, invisible leashes. He takes a deep breath. He lets it out in a slow shudder.
Just in time for him to hear Naoko's
bold
rebuttal.
Yeah? Well that's appropriate, because I'm gonna fold you in half!
One white brow spasms as a look of bemused disdain brushes across pale features. What can he even say in the face of that, now that his voice is steady?
<"You're an idiot.">
... yes that sounds about right.
It's Kathras' response, though, that brings Angelo to pause. It's such a blatant, spiteful thing. The sort of contempt he lived with day in, day out years ago, when all he -had- was the gutter.
So what else can he do, but laugh a laugh of pure, cynical -contempt-?
<"Oh, don't worry; we've gulped down your -filth- long enough to be used to it.">
That one. He'll remember that one. After all...
<"How well will you take to the taste, I wonder?">
Angelo Sauper is nothing if not -fueled- by spite.
His attention is so broadened now, though. He can hear all of them. He can -feel- all of them. He can feel the tilt and turn of the battlefield, as the tides shift. Shift against them? ... It's fine. This is just the opening salvo. This is just--
--Leina.
He feels hostile intent before he hears her voice. So overwhelmed with the sensations, those blisteringly fast reflexes ironically come a second too late; he's still adjusting to the newness of it all, and it costs him as he sees beam rifle and funnels leveled at the Dag Doll. Sensors blare a warning.
It has to be so painful to shout... after feeling as if you were silenced for so long.
... and Angelo Sauper shuts his eyes.
<"... It hurts,"> he admits to her in a quiet voice, his head pounding. He's too late.
But he -pushes- on those thrusters immediately in the face of an overwhelming offensive.
<"But I don't... how much it hurts... I'll gladly shout until my voice is hoarse and bloody!">
The Dag Doll -dives-, swiftly advancing on the Beguir. Reflector Bits surge forward, trying to intercept all that fire -- but it's too much; beam after beam is caught and caught and caught until their systems are overloaded, one after the other exploding -violently- around the Dag Doll, fireballs blooming and melting at Gundarium armor until pure beam -shreds- through the superheated alloys. It tears off an arm. It blows through the head, leaving it a crackling, half-destroyed mess. It melts away armor, as the accumulated beams EXPLODE around the Dag Doll in a hideous bloom of particles.
<"A-and - ghkk! - and I'll flourish in that pain!">
Until the Dag Doll PUNCHES through the haze, its long rifle held by its remaining hand, other shoulder sparking and sputtering as it swings that weapon up and fires off blast after blast of particle fire in answer to the Beguir. Leader Bits suddenly bank, a brief electromagnetic burst not doing -direct- damage but instead trying to briefly scramble sensor data to make the following assault that much harder to react to; large funnels swoop -downward-, as the remaining Reflector Bits assemble in exacting, geometric patterns around the Beguir.
<"So if you're not just another hound, listen to me now, Leina!">
Blood drools down Angelo Sauper's nostril as he strains. And that rifle fires and fires and fires -- until, at the very end, it shifts modes...
... and an immense blade over fifty meters long SURGES forward from underneath the barrel, looking to stab the Beguir -directly- through the head as funnels fire off into reflector bits, creating criss-crossing patterns of bright, molten green that look to burn through each of the Beguir's limbs one by one, the particle fire creating what looks like a geometric replica of twining vines.
<"Listen until the very end!!">
KTS: Angelo Sauper has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Angelo Sauper has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Angelo Sauper targets Leina Ashta with Danse du Feu! KTS: Angelo Sauper has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Angelo Sauper's Finding His Voice activates Wall! KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Leina Ashta engages guard against Angelo Sauper's Danse du Feu! KTS: Best Defense! Leina Ashta successfully guards Angelo Sauper's Danse du Feu, taking 4800 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"I appreciate that, Al," Rena says. "It helps to have someone keeping an eye on me." She smiles a bit, behind her helmet. "Even if I can't quite give you a Fairy Eye."
She isn't sure what one is, to tell the truth.
She watches the wanzer get torn into -- the Astray's anti-ship sword following up her funnel attack. The funnels swivel back in, landing in the funnel pods; the Gaia Gear Alpha floats backward, and Rena is quiet for a moment at what Yuliana says.
"I'm here because I chose to be," she says. "And... it's not for NUNE or their weapon system, either."
She leans backward in the chair of the Gaia Gear Alpha, then, and lets out a sigh. "Good work, Murasaki," she says. Then she looks across the battlefield, on her 360-degree display. "Annie, you all right?"
She's quiet for a moment more. "Al, send a recording of that speech back to Terminal," she says, eyes on the Dag Doll and the Beguir. "I want to make sure Admiral Orlodhari knows. And that we get all of the info on this Dawn of Fold we can."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
"That's f-f-fine. Leave th-th-them... to me, you c-c-cover me!" She calls back- but her Sea Serpent attack doesn't have the intended effect- it interferes with them, but doesn't have the damage output. The psycommu weapons remain... tricky. Hard to use. Hard to manage. Hard to kill with.
But she hears Kathras Fari's speech. She hears his words. She hears his declaration.
---
"Kill Eschonbach's public comms, Berliner. Keep her in a loop with us and our ally."
"Done."
----
"A... p-p-p-peaceful Earth? A. Peaceful E-E-Earth!?" Her voice yells, even though only her squad and Sayaka can her her, unbeknownst to her. "Wh-when have you b-bastards ever cared about. A p-peaceful Earth!? Wh-wh-what about Space!? What a-a-about the Areas!? You d-d-d-don't give a damn about peace! You just want to c-c-crush everyone- EVERYTHING- that might oppose you! You want to crush th-th-the life out of p-people struggling! The Japanese! Colonists! Anyone who d-d-d-doesn't accept y-your oppression!" Her rage starts flowing, and she charges into the GN-X coming for her- and it costs her, the Beam Saber cutting through even the Beam Coat and tearing through a significant part of the Black Swan's armour. It's going to need repairs, but Emilia doesn't seem to pay it heed.
----
"Psycho's fucking up my shots, O."
"Support the Muse Malu, then. Berliner, ready a laser link to the ship, activate on my mark. Loop her back into DoF comms now."
----
"And a-a-all you've done-" She's at point blank now, connected to the GN-X through contact comms, her voice reaching a roar. "Is p-p-prove you're the s-s-same as the Britannian, B-Blue Cosmos sc-sc-sc-scum that. Y-y-you. Came from!" The Swanfeather's weapons systems all start to activate at once, missile ports opening, the sea serpents retracting ready to launch again. Three other weapons start to awaken as well.
"You want... to c-crush us!? THAT'S your... r-response? You... Y-y-y-you..."
----
"Now."
"Laser link established, sir!"
----
"I'M GOING TO T-T-TEAR YOU APART, PIECE BY P-P-PIECE, UNTIL NOTHING IS LEFT OF YOU BUT BLOOD F-FROZEN IN SPACE!"
Emilia's voice is a roar as she Swanfeather responds to her rage. "THE FIRST L-LIGHT OF DAWN WILL BE THE LIGHT OF YOUR REACTOR R-R-RIPPING YOU ALL APART!"
The Swanfeather's missiles burst to life as Emilia activates her thrusters to charge- with the intent of forcing the GN-X that just struck her toward the AION with her by force. The missiles fire toward the AION, as a large beam cannon emerges from the tail of the Swanfeather, firing charged blasts at the GN-X and the AION if it's got time to spare, before the Sea Serpents launch again, and fire another web toward the AION-
And then come out the final weapons, circular Beam Saber like weapons on INCOM wires, slashing out at everything in range as she closes towards the AION, Emilia in full charge-
She doesn't seem to care if she impacts with the AION. Indeed, it seems part of the plan, as if to see how far she can drive the Circle Zanbers into the ship. How much damage she can do in this reckless, ruthless charge charge.
KTS: Emilia Eschonbach uses Lucky Charm KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach uses Hyper Reloader KTS: Emilia Eschonbach targets Kathras Fari with Black Swan Pas de Deux! KTS: Emilia Eschonbach has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kathras Fari has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage evade against Emilia Eschonbach's Black Swan Pas de Deux! KTS: Best Defense! Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Emilia Eschonbach's Black Swan Pas de Deux, taking 5280 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Svipul reverts to GERWALK mode, staring down at the Queen Gundam. It's heavily damaged, but still functioning... but, doesn't seem to be making ready to attack again. Anita hesitates for a moment before making a decision.
"...I'm pulling back for now. You should do the same. Get that machine of yours fixed up, alright?" Anita says. With that, Svipul turns away from the Queen Gundam.
"I'm hanging in there." Anita confirms to Rena with a nod. "Joining back up with you now."
Once more, Svipul folds back up into Fighter Mode before zooming off.
"...How 'bout you? You okay?" She adds privately, a moment later. This has been... a lot, today.
<Pose Tracker> Murasaki El-Amari has posed.
In the cockpit of her heavily damaged Astray, Murasaki's breath is strained, a rarity for a coordinator.
"I'm fine...ma'am." she radioed to Rena.
Who...or what the hell was that woman. Murasaki hadn't had much experience with newtypes but...she felt something fighting her. Something awful, an inconcievable darkness. She manouvered back to retrieve the shield and beam rifle. There was still danger about, but she knew they probably needed to get back to safety, and soon.
"This Terminal thing had better be worth it."
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
It's all programming, indeed. This isn't a strength when facing a programmer of unnatural skill, in a machine that can react to observed patterns flawlessly, so long as the pilot's focus holds. And Naoko is very motivated to put her masterpiece through its paces. The way she sees it, this is the first opportunity she's ever had to show what she can really do.
It should thus be little surprise that she is eager, perhaps too eager, to answer the questions that Invictus asks of her. <"The name's Nova Stellar, and this is the NS-2 Sukeban Kiseki! Care to guess what the 'NS' stands for?">
Evading is all well and good, but seeing her weapons - weapons that she willed into existence - tearing through the Mobile Dolls is what makes this a truly gleeful experience. At least she has the decency not to broadcast the uncontrollable laughter welling up. So this is how it feels to be powerful... to have the ability to change the world...!
>"Naoko!"<
With a start, she snaps out of the reverie she started to get lost in. Suddenly hearing Ariel's voice is one thing, but hearing her say that name instead of Nova... it's all she needs to get a hold of herself. "I got it, don't worry, I got it!"
It's just in time to react to the next barrage sent her way. For a time, it seems like it will go no better than before, but that formation... that's not something Naoko was entirely prepared for. She certainly tries to block the maneuver, but that only partially succeed, some of it punching through and finding purchase on the Sukeban's frame.
Naoko cries out in... that wasn't just alarm, was it? That was a cry of pain. Purely imagined pain, her interface doesn't translate to actual pain. It just... felt like something that should have hurt, so she reacted. Only now does she start to realize exactly how 'deep' she went with this. And in that realization, comes to the conclusion that she has to end it now. Staying connected in this way for very long... could be bad.
Rocketing away, the Sukeban moves to put distance between itself and the Mobile Dolls. But it's not withdrawing. It's preparing. Outstretching one arm, pointing its fist towards its intended targets. It's in a calm but urgent voice that she addresses the pilot of the Jegan.
<"I suggest you move. Far, far away.">
Only to add, with all the loudness that it warrants:
<"THE ULTIMATE! SPECTRAL ROCKET PUUUUUUNCH!">
Despite everything, it still is Nova Stellar. Of course she'd want to finish things with a Rocket Punch. Of course she wouldn't have gotten rid of that, certainly not after improving it based on suggestions from Koji Kabuto himself. That would be all well and good, if it was just the fist of the machine itself. This one...
This Rocket Punch is ludicrous. The Sukeban's actual fist is barely even visible, given that it is encased in a massive fist-shaped energy projection. It's not just a little big, that thing's bigger than the Arm Slave itself is! Anything unfortunate enough to be in its path will almost certainly be crushed to bits.
Yes Angelo, Naoko Suzuki might be an idiot. But she's an idiot with giant energy fists.
KTS: Naoko Suzuki has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Naoko Suzuki targets Mobile Weapons Team with Spectral Rocket Punch! KTS: Naoko Suzuki has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Luanova Luckwright has posed.
Lua's not used to the low-Gs. That throw would have done better with some proper gravity. It throws off her maneuvering around the right straights, too, though she tracks them well enough. Each hit grazes her, but a graze from an arm as big as a wanzer is pretty severe, straining the limits of Lua's ability to hold Myrmecia together.
<"You're right. It's not magnetic either."> Why play this guessing game? The source of the Myrmex Engine's power is no secret, though the details of how it functions certainly are. She could say the word "psychodriver" without breaching contract. But why do the marketing work for her? The fighting is what she's here to do. It's what she's needed for. It's the only part of this charade that feels real, feels hers. Everything else...
Myrmecia rights itself in the air and raises its leg as it turns, meeting the falling Pain of the Universe with an axe kick. Again, the impact is disproportionate to anything about the physical impact, a crushing kinetic force like being sideswiped by a capital ship, feelings poured out into the Myrmex Engine by orders of magnitude. The response to Number One's question doesn't come via transmission. He may not even hear it, a whispered voice of the mind, not intentionally sent out into the world, but still a thought tangible enough to cross barriers.
( Mother. )
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
There is an alert from the team in the base, routed to the Shandor and the Gwasha, relayed to command and others. Sally Po, infiltration team leader and architect of the operation- until Yuliana took charge.
"Kafim, Sauper, Base Command has cut the oxygen to the prison cells." Sally's voice is calm and controlled, the voice of command. "We're on limited time, but buy us all you can, if you can. If we have to lose them, so be it... but I'd rather it not come to that. And it seems I'm not the only one. Po, out."
KTS: Luanova Luckwright has activated the Resupply Spirit Command. KTS: Luanova Luckwright targets Sympatria Unit with Gigantic Impact! KTS: Luanova Luckwright has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Mobile Weapons Team fails to engage Charge against Naoko Suzuki's Spectral Rocket Punch! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team moderately reacts to Naoko Suzuki's Spectral Rocket Punch, taking 6660 damage! KTS: Mobile Weapons Team has been defeated! KTS: Naoko Suzuki completes the Formation attack! KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit engages charge against Luanova Luckwright's Gigantic Impact! KTS: Sympatria Unit's Will Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Sympatria Unit successfully reacts to Luanova Luckwright's Gigantic Impact, taking 3375 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
'We tried.'
It's such cold comfort. Those words from Rena, but what other comfort is there? In the end, she can't even answer her. But she does FOCUS just like Rena advised her.
She can't do anything but, the Dag Doll is like a wellspring of Angelo's voice right now, his intent screaming loud to the world. In a sense, it truly is the voice of downtrodden and the dispossessed.
But more importantly, within it, there is his voice.
She can't feel the levity even in the moment of Nova's taunt, and his response. She can't comprehend that Kathras' authoritarianism is indeed what she signed up for. It should be simple, the Witch Hunter and the Witch.
It's never that simple though. Not after the life she's lived, not after the brother she's had. Not after the little sister she almost had. Not after every indignity she's suffered.
It would be easier if she could, but instead she peers into that aperture that Nanai Miguel created. That glowing portal, that seems so dim compared to the Banshee's glow.
His admission, is one she feels, because in these moments, a Newtype wraps themselves up in the other. They can't help it.
"<Then shout.>"
From someone who once felt like she had a Silent Voice twice in her life to another, she gives him that much. It's something she can give him, in that mutual suffering.
Never let yourself feel silenced again
However, it is more than his voice being hoarse, isn't it? Beyond the pain, she feels the horrible reality, the price, the cost, the violence that is Angelo Sauper in this moment. Just like the violence that was once done to her in the RX-0, he WILLINGLY inflicts it upon himself as much as it was unwillingly inflicted upon her.
That immense blade comes down, and the Beguir feints left, then leaps right, then thrusters forcefully send it careening left mid-flight, the blade still descends, it's too long to miss her. Her shield is still there. The long blade carves into the enormous cross shield, and as it meets resistance in this dance of fire...
... she lets Angelo lead, the resistance the shield gives carving down, and the sheer WEIGHT behind that moment of resistance sends her barreling down to the Lunar soil, where she's met by a criss cross of funnel fire, the dust carbonizing into sparkling melted glass in mid-air.
When the dust begins to clear, he'll see the Beguir half slumped over, limbs sparking. It's shield has been rendered to less than half of what it is, and the wire behind it half severed at the wrist, including more.
"<Ha... you think... you can get off that easy?>"
It's lost part of a foot unit, so it's balance is lopsided, and within the cockpit there's a sudden glimpse, of a girl who looks far too much like Marida, a girl that never got to grow up.
It is not her, it is merely a memory. A feeling in the moment. This idea. This concept of eternity. One that he opened himself up to by choosing this violence to himself. And abruptly, despite it's loss of balance, thrusters kick into drive, churning as the Beguir is sent hurtling towards his Dag Doll...
... it's ruined shield at the fore, it's other hand reaching, twitching as it grasps a beam saber which ignites. The shield is like a bludgeon that she slams against the Dag Doll, and keeps going, charging right through as if she means to just pin the mobile suit to a facility wall, trying to disrupt his focus, his concentration that's so desperately needed to control those funnels, those bits, to take him away from them.
"<It never ends, Angelo.>"
She tells him this one, truth, for better or worse, of what it means to be a Newtype - to open yourself up to those other people. As she plunges that Beam Saber straight down into the Dag Doll's frame.
KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Leina Ashta targets Angelo Sauper with Beguir Neuer Cross Combination - Inquisition! KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Al has posed.
"Not a problem. It was Black Technology to begin with," Al assures Rena, failing to clarify the matter basically at all.
He performs copiloting and fire-control duty for the next several seconds, continuing to collate data, isolate, prioritize, relay.
"Affirmative. Encoding for transmission. Sending." A signal bar shows up in the top right. "Please remain in the communications umbrella of the capital ship to minimize transmission time."
"Dawn of Fold. I might have been helping them, once," Al muses. "Although the Colonel would have had a full plan for evacuation..."
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
Piloting such a tiny machine, Sayaka's efforts had mostly been focused on the AION's mobile suits rather than the battleship itself. But when Kathras Fari himself speaks up, Sayaka can't help herself. "There are many things that people cannot be blinded to, no matter how hard you try to hide them, Captain." She counters - though his challenge is towards the Dawn of Fold.
Emilia has her own counter, and through all its impassioned anger, Sayaka is inclined to agree with the first part of her sentiment. The reason she came here in the first place, was to make sure those Mobile Dolls never hit southwestern Japan - 'Area 11' or other land occupied by NUNE. "I believe you underestimate the strength and will of the average person, because such things will not be unseen forever. And when they are..."
"You'll regret it."
The beam rifle shot fires, splitting that GN-X's head clean off, disabling it to the point where it's forced to back off, just as Sayaka had intended. While she'll make no such expectations of non-lethality to the Dawn of Fold pilots flanking her, she'd really rather not get her hands dirty that directly, even under covert operations.
It does mean two more GN-X's are quick to take its place though, coming in with a devastating barrage of beam rifle shots. It's around this moment that the Queen Gundam falls to Anita's Svipul - and calls for Satellicon to cover her.
The Muse Malu turns to unleash those same signal flares it did at the start of battle, to confuse the GN-X pilots' aim - and give Cascade a clear path to run. "Understood, Queen Gundam. I've got you, but you better hurry, okay?!" Sayaka transmits, as the GN-X's close in through the signal flares on the Muse Malu, the machine's armour only barely hanging on...
Emilia goes to strike head-on to tear the GN-X squadron and AION carrier itself to pieces, while Sayaka continues working with the rest of her squad to force them back. She's begun to recognize why the rest of Emilia's squadron would call her that... but Sayaka still doesn't find it appropriate. If anything, she wishes the world had dealt her more kindness if this is how she fights.
"I hope by now, I've sent a message on what Satellicon's goals are. We are not the Dawn of Fold... but we won't stand for a united Earth government more interested in crushing its opposition than fostering a free world community."
"I've fought the Titans, after all." She invokes their name - former AEUG perhaps? The Muse Malu raises its tail and aims to tear the next GN-X that stands in her way, limb by limb - using as much force as the machine can still even give at this point. Once again, it's not a cockpit strike - but Emilia and her team might make that a mere formality in any case.
KTS: Angelo Sauper has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Angelo Sauper has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Angelo Sauper fails to engage parry against Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Cross Combination - Inquisition! KTS: Angelo Sauper's Beam Wall L1 activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Angelo Sauper moderately reacts to Leina Ashta's Beguir Neuer Cross Combination - Inquisition, taking 4410 damage! KTS: Angelo Sauper has been defeated! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Kathras Fari with Sweeping Tail Revenge Strike! KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Kathras Fari fails to engage evade against Sayaka Yumi's Sweeping Tail Revenge Strike! KTS: Best Defense! Kathras Fari successfully reacts to Sayaka Yumi's Sweeping Tail Revenge Strike, taking 4500 damage! KTS: Sayaka Yumi roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Honestly... I'm on the fence about it," Rena admits to Al. Handy, when it's not being transmitted. "If they hadn't been going after the facility without evacuating... I'd have preferred they take it out. It sounds like Cathedra can't get them to follow the rules."
She quiets down, when Murasaki checks in. "Good. Glad to hear it," Rena answers her.
She leans back into her chair, closes her eyes, and takes a couple of breaths. One advantage of Al being with her is she has someone to keep an eye out for if things go pear-shaped -- though she can sense that, too.
Anita's question makes her open her eyes. She does smile a bit. Then she nods. "Yeah," she says, flipping over to a private line to just Anita. "I'm... all right. I'm not sure about this, though," she says. "What Fari said..."
She shakes her head. "I don't know. This doesn't sit right with me."
<Pose Tracker> Mobile Weapons Team has posed.
Invictus' shoulders bunch beneath his cape. On one screen, the infiltration of the enemy servers has slowed to a crawl. He has data, and the Mobile Dolls are still inoperable, but he is not supposed to be having this much trouble. Milly offers him encouragement, and--as she gathers--it's enough to drag him out of his own head. He takes a breath, clenches his fists until his knuckles creak, and offers a small but sincere "Thanks." It's not like him.
Take deep breaths. Don't be unseemly in public, now.
Nova advises him to leave, and he takes it. One by one, the Jegan's interface drones detach from the silo's computer infrastructure, and return to the Mobile Suit's side. "<Disable her craft,>" Invictus orders, his voice tense. He has to. He can't act unseemly. He--
That's a rocket punch, Invictus realizes, eyes gone wide. He hits the reverse and sends the Jegan rocketing out into the Lunar landscape. The Dolls aren't as fortunate. They still have their orders.
The massive fist smashes clean through their ranks. The first Taurus to get hit is reduced to a spray of metal shrapnel. The second doesn't fare much better. The fist continues on its dread course, leaving mechanical slaughter in its wake, until it SLAMS into a hill of powdery regolith, leaving the impression of knuckles in the dust.
Invictus doesn't know how to feel. Once again, it's another operative's voice that pulls him out of himself, alering him to the possibility of mission failure. He can't do anything more with his machine. But it never was just his machine.
<"Nova Stellar."> The grudging acknowledgment gives way to something marginally warmer. It's not quite unconditional respect, but as arrogant as Invictus is, he's no idiot. Whatever Nova Stellar is, she has his number... for now. <"There are engineers in there, like you and me. Prisoners of war, forced to build those Mobile Dolls. They just cut off oxygen to the prison block.>"
<"That's what we're up against, Nova Stellar. Is that what you're up against?>"
It's fine. If he can't outfight her, he can just convince her--!
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
And a message comes through into Rena's radio -- and Anita's, and Leina's, and Naoko's, and the mystery Muse Malu 3 which totally isn't hiding Sayaka inside.
The people, in other words, Yuliana might be able to trust even if they're fighting against her -- or fighting beside her without any particular affiliation to their cause. Let's call them 'frienemies'. (They may not opt out of this designation.)
"Our evac team just reported the Base Commander cut the oxygen," her voice comes through, and gutted of all her battle-anger, she sounds so tired. "Apparently they have help, in there... but I just thought you should know how much NUNE values those scientists they forced into their employ."
Beat.
"There's nothing I can do about it."
The line cuts out.
<Pose Tracker> Kathras Fari has posed.
A queen. The bride of God. Of course, as a former senior officer on the Ra Mari, Fari knows of Yuliana Kafim. But it's not him who growls and pounds the metal next to her console.
"That WITCH!" the helmswoman spits. Jayaissa, a woman from Sri Lanka, growls next, not on the comms. "There's nothing beautiful about that woman! She's just another terrorist!"
"Focus, Ms. Jayaissa. I'm aware of her crimes... But we won't be able to bring her in today."
"...Yes, sir. Course on target. We're arriving at the base now."
The Aion approaches, huge and imposing. But also immposing is Angelo's laughter. Fari actually pauses, for a moment--which gives his XO Gavarre the chance to say, "How dare he!? Laughing at us--"
Fari lifts his hand. "...Let the battle show who's right."
Will Angelo be the one? ...No. Not today, anyway. Because Kathras Fari has tasted disgrace before. As his fist curls, he resolves that he'll make it different, next time.
The crew continue their work, unaware of Emilia's sheer rage--unaware, except for one. Jakallo looks up sharply, and turns to the viewscreen. "She's coming right for us," he says.
Fari's eyes track to him. "Evasive maneuvers," he instructs. But, still rattled by Yuliana, his helmswoman can't move away in time.
The GN-X is slammed backward, as the Swan's other weapons awaken.
Fari listens calmly tto Emilia's roar. The GN-X pilot is not so calm. "What the--What IS this thing--!?"
he missiles don't impact, but the beam cannon clears her a path. Emilia's machine slams into the ship, crunching the GN-X between her and the ship as she swings her Circle Zambers into the Aion's armor. For long moments the ship rocks, the hull breached.
"Seal off the affected bulkheads," Fari directs. "Get me a line to our pilot."
"Captain!" the pilot calls. "I can't get free! It's all I can do to stop her tearing through the ship!"
"I understand," Kathras says calmly. "...Know that we'll remember you. To your family."
"That--" The pilot hesitates, before his voice grows still. "Yes, sir. I understand. ...Goodbye, sir."
There is a moment of silence on he comms. Then, a beat--as the GN-X's reactor goes critical. The explosion rocks the ship, melting some of the armor outright and blasting at Emilia to get her away.
Another GN-X is slammed by that tail, and its arm is torn off. The pilots don't have anything to say to their enemies. ...Kathras ddoes, though. "Achilles Squadron," the XO says. "Retreat."
"My parents helped the AEUG," Fari says over the public channel to Sayaka. "We'll speak another day of regrets. There may be much for both of us to say, then."
"But for today, rest assured: We will have order. One way or another."
"What good is 'freedom' to a people who fear to leave their homes?"
"Your objections to our methods are noted."
Fari makes the 'kill' gesture to his comms officer, and shakes his head.
Another GN-X--the one without a head--is destroyed when the Zakus shoot its core. The rest are able to retreat. Three dead in a single fight, despite their power. It's more than luck.
"We're pulling out," Captain Fari says.
"Captain? We have more mobile suits ready to go, and one catapult still operational--"
"No. The crew's lives are worth more than four Zakus and a centipede. ...And the base has been infiltrated. Leave it for reinforcements and ground troops."
Jakallo looks over the distance, towards Leina, as the crew maneuver the ship away from Emilia, using beam cannons and CIWS to dissuade pursuit.
"...Yes, sir," Fari's XO tells him, and starts issuing orders to make real his vision.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"...Yeah. I get that. Me either." Anita murmurs. She doesn't feel great about this, either. It's as she's about to join up, however, that they receive a communication.
The Base Commander... cut the oxygen? Even coming from Yuliana, even knowing her - she can't doubt that.
"...Those bastards!" Anita hisses in a rare outburst, seizing the controls. "I should've...!"
Rage flashes across her face - and then she breathes in, forcing herself to get under control.
"...Rena, whatever you do - I'm right behind you." She says. She trusts her to make the right choice.
<Pose Tracker> Sympatria Unit has posed.
"Hmmmmm," answers Number One, with a rich sense of mystery and, perhaps, joy. Well, at least someone's having a good time here on the moon. But then he has larger problems on his mind. The Wanzer spins and kicks the larger unit --
Which slams down into the lunar regolith, hard. There is a burst of static from the transmission --
-- on the Shandor, #6, who had been leaning in, frowns. Did she just hear something? --
-- and then a "kkghg kgkghgk heh -- heh heh... I think... I bet I know what it is!" The Pain of the Universe twists; despite its size, the huge machine reaches out with one thick arm and pulls itself over into a roll.
"That's right, corp -- you've got a machine..."
Another roll, which puts the Pain of the Universe two body-widths away from the Myrmecia -- which is a fairly significant distance given its volume -- and room to thrust-kip itself back upright, throwing an arm to point towards the Myrmecia accusingly. (It may occur to Luanova that these are pretty vicious lateral movements. The pilot doesn't sound strained, but drugs are a real possibility.)
"... that can adjust inertia."
"But you know what," Number One continues as he turns the Pain of the Universe around to face the Myrmecia dead on, "I've been thinking that sort of thing might be a possibility when I heard about that other corpo ship with the gravity gun! With gravity under control, you can get inertia handled and there's no limit to all sorts of great things you can do!"
"Even if you reduce your inertia to zero," Number One continues with growing pride in his recognition, "You're not going to move instantaneously! You're still limited by the speed of light -- and by what's behind you!" And then the Pain of the Universe jumps up a little, and leans forwards a few degrees, which means...
Technically, he's shooting downwards.
"Hahahaa!! Think fast!" And then the front of the Pain of the Universe explodes soundlessly.
It's not an actual explosion, but there are a total of four of those "Agony Cannons" with the tortured extra-tight minovsky particle beams. There are the ion emitters, which were used with great effect to dump heat into both the Myrmecia and random portions of the base perimeter. None of these weapons is dim, and the combination, abruptly redlined, is blindingly bright. The minovsky-particle beams take a tiny fraction of a second to travel: the ions are even faster, though neither is *literally* instantaneoous.
KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Kathras Fari targets Emilia Eschonbach and Sayaka Yumi with Shock! KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Sympatria Unit has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Sayaka Yumi accepts Kathras Fari's Shock! KTS: Kathras Fari shocks Sayaka Yumi, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Best Defense! Sayaka Yumi successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Shock, taking 0 damage! KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Sympatria Unit targets Luanova Luckwright with Full Capacitor Offload! KTS: Sympatria Unit has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Emilia Eschonbach accepts Kathras Fari's Shock! KTS: Kathras Fari shocks Emilia Eschonbach, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Best Defense! Emilia Eschonbach successfully reacts to Kathras Fari's Shock, taking 0 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Al has posed.
"I find the enterprise similar to my own genesis," Al muses. "But there are troubling differences." Pause. "Incoming transmission," Al indicates, though the signal lane that lights up is the same one from the Da Xukong 0. The reason for that becomes clear.
Without even being told, Al says, "I'll open channel to the ground team," and starts scanning through frequencies.
KTS: Luanova Luckwright has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Luanova Luckwright has activated the Trust Spirit Command. KTS: Sympatria Unit's The Vocal Track Kicks In activates! KTS: Luanova Luckwright fails to engage evade against Sympatria Unit's Full Capacitor Offload! KTS: Luanova Luckwright's Will Barrier activates, negating 1500 base damage. KTS: Best Defense! Luanova Luckwright successfully reacts to Sympatria Unit's Full Capacitor Offload, taking 4125 damage! KTS: Sympatria Unit: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Sympatria Unit roots their unit, coming to a standstill and leaving them vulnerable.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Yuliana cuts in. "Oh, those fucking arseholes," Rena swears, loudly, in the privacy of her own cockpit. Al can hear that, though.
She puts a hand to her helmet. Then, she manages a reply. "Roger that, Yuliana," she says. "I'll see what I can do. Anita, come down to escort me."
She sits up straighter, takes a deep breath, and puts on the Captain-on-duty face again. There is a hint of exhaustion at that. "Al, please fire the illusion of critical malfunction protocol," she instructs. "And tell the team inside to hurry the hell up."
It may take him a second.
Then, there is a sudden POP inside the frame. The Gaia Gear sways sharply, and then the spare carbon dioxide from recycled breathing begins spraying out--
--but from outside, that sure looks like the Gaia Gear just started venting atmosphere.
It comes down to a shaky landing atop the base.
"Attention, Gaia Sabers base commander!" Rena says. "This is Captain Rena Lancaster of the Magallanica Defense Force. My Mobile Suit is in extreme distress and venting atmosphere. As per the Treaty of Copernicus City of UC 0073, you are obliged to offer immediate assistance--I repeat, I require immediate assistance and access to your environmental controls to ensure the Psychoframe doesn't respond negatively to my elevated heartrate. We've contacted the Magallanica fleet to provide assistance--"
She starts breathing heavily, before cutting the feed. More and more motes of blue light begin pouring off the Gaia Gear. Then, calmly, she says to Al: "Oh, contact the fleet too."
<Pose Tracker> Naoko Suzuki has posed.
After all that, Sukeban's comparatively tiny little fist just unceremoniously returns to the Arm Slave, while the giant fists of energy continues on smashing through Mobile Dolls and eventually fades away as it strikes that hill, evaporating back into the void (lowercase v) from whence it came.
...Naoko was really hoping everything would be over with that. She likes simple battles, where she beats up bad guys and saves the day. And while she certainly feels that she made the world a better place by ridding it of a great deal of Mobile Dolls, the current situation is a little more complex than that.
It is Invictus who informs her first. Framing it like that, 'engineers like you and me', doesn't fail to hit the mark. It's not hard for empathy to take over, at the exclusion of everything else.
<"I... well of course I oppose that, that's awful! You're telling me you'll help them? Then go help them! I, uh, I'll see if I can get some more help!">
Yuliana then comes through with the same report, to her fellows. That conveniently allows her to simply leave it up to them to decide what to do. On the 'I'll see what I can do' from Rena, she makes assumptions about what the plan is, and notes, "Um, I'm not so well-suited to the foot stuff, so I'll stay out here and provide cover. Sukeban Kiseki is working out just as planned, you can count on me even more from now on!"
She so wasn't expecting that particular tactic. She can just kind of stare from her cockpit at Rena's plan going into action, seeing it clearly for what it is. Will that... really work? She just kind of gestures out there, remarking privately to her Friends, "Remember this for next time you claim nobody has oddball ideas like I do."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Right." Anita replies with a nod. Still seething a little, she follows the Gaia Gear down as it descends, coming to a landing. Svipul stays close for support.
And then she listens as Rena makes her announcement.
Anita blinks. And it's a good thing they're listening to Rena and not her, because she has to shut off her communications and laugh, despite herself.
"Have I told you how much I love you lately?" Anita asks over private channel, shaking her head and wiping away a tear. Leave it to Rena to come up with something like that. She doesn't even know if it's real, but only she could make it sound so convincing.
<Pose Tracker> Angelo Sauper has posed.
And shout Angelo does.
It's not a thing he chooses to transmit. But even if he doesn't broadcast it on the comms, the raw, guttural -rage- he pours molten hot into that loud cry can certainly be -felt-. It's intense.
But ultimately not enough. No matter how much he's trained -- in the violence of feeling, in the language of weaponizing emotion and intent in a very literal way, Angelo Sauper is still a fledgling. It's just so much; so many memories and feelings bubbling to the forefront, stimuli that catalyzes memories of his own. It gets so hard to -focus- when even a split second of slipping attention can cost him everything--
He sees it. A vision of someone else. He knows what he's looking at; he's read on the Puru Program of the First Neo Zeon. Purple eyes widen, though, as he grasps onto the -true- shape of what he's seeing. Like a ghost in the machine. Flushed features contort.
<"What--">
In a sea of awareness, Angelo flounders.
And he reaps that cost.
C R U N C H
Metal warps and bends around metal with the SLAM of the Beguir's shield against the Dag Doll's damage torso. Thrusters ignite, but they're not enough to stop the Beguir's momentum; the Dag Doll CRASHES into the wall of the base, the impact denting the reinforced metal -inward- until it practically collapses around the Mobile Suit. Angelo knocks back VIOLENTLY and then FORWARD; the back-and-forth whiplash feels like a thousand fireworks detonating in his mind. He chokes out a wet sound as droplets of blood loose from his nose and splatter across his controls. His entire mind feels like it's on fire.
And yet, he still manages a strangled, "NO--!" as that beam saber TEARS through Gundarium and into critical systems, forcing the Dag Doll's Machine Head Mode into emergency shutdown, and all his dilated awareness suddenly shrinks down towards a pinprick.
Angelo heaves a dry heave in the aftermath, gasping for air. His body trembling, his mind feels numb and blank, like an overused muscle unable to exert itself without feeling like a loose rubber band. Pressing a gloved hand to his head as the Dag Doll switches to emergency back up power, he hears Sally Po's warnings about the commander's attempt to quiet literally silence his prisoners. Leina's final three little words echo like thunderclaps in his eardrums. He lingers in silence.
And despite everything...
... Angelo managers a bloodied smile.
<"... hah... hh... haha..."> breathes out a weak, raspy laugh over those comm lines.
<"... that's exactly what I'm hoping.">
He doesn't let her linger on that sentiment too long before he speaks again, his wavering voice crackling unsteadily over the tightbeam:
<"... looks like... your NUNE masters are cutting the oxygen to the prisons. I guess those invaluable scientific minds behind the Mobile Dolls just lost their value. I won't... -insult- you by asking if you know what that means.">
Leina will be able to sense hostile intent well before the attack comes -- a very telegraphed shot from a Geara Zulu's beam rifle, green particles -LANCING- into the space between the Beguir and the Dag Doll to try to separate them. Angelo's personal detachment of Sleeves surge in; some much more damaged than others, but all of them trying to provide cover fire for their commander as he speaks.
<"What a -fine- house you're guarding over.">
And with that, the Dag Doll tries to peel away using the Zulu's cover fire, emergency power carrying it toward the Gwasha in full retreat as its pilot lurches forward in his seat.
<"... I've bought you what time I can,"> he transmits to the rest of the Dawn of Fold, to Sally Po, voice breathless yet still managing to affect that disaffected, surly professionalism. <"Get it done.">
A second passes. And Emilia will find a tight beam transmission being sent to her from the Dag Doll, that voice more tightly controlled than ever as it speaks:
<"My squadron and I are falling back to the Gwasha. -Don't- overextend yourself. Do you understand?"> Silence passes, for a long time. And then, almost begrudgingly,
<"... You did a serviceable job.">
And the tightbeam abruptly cuts off.
From Angelo, it might as well be high praise.
A gloved hand falls from Angelo's face as he retreats. He stares, for a long time, at the blood smearing it.
And he smiles a weak, wan, but -pleased- smile as he fights the darkness creeping at the edges of his blurry vision.
"... hah."
All that awareness, snapping back towards a pinprick.
... But one now more expanded than it once was.
He's getting there.
He just needs to push it even further.
KTS: Angelo Sauper's AMX-015-4S Dag Doll has been disabled.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
It's Fari who invokes the AEUG in response to Sayaka's mention of the Titans. "I'm sure they fought hard. I can only hope you have the self-awareness to reflect on that history." Sayaka offers him. "...If it's 'another day' you're providing me with, I don't doubt we might speak about regrets." She adds, a wry bit of what almost might sound like humour. "But why are they afraid to leave their homes? I think as long as we're taking up the battlefield, we both have the obligation to reflect on that too. Good day, Captain."
"Black Swan and other Dawn of Fold allies," Sayaka transmits. "Satellicon is retreating. We gain nothing from continuing this battle." The AION signals a retreat as well, and while Sayaka does note that the GN-X she disabled was eventually shot down anyways, the Muse Malu 3 moves to exit the battlefield. In the process of that,Sayaka receives a communication from Yuliana herself. "They're - what?!" And perhaps Sayaka's usual intonation comes even through that voice changer. "That's absolutely unacceptable." Her mind flashes to Fari's voice - how does he justify this to himself?
"All Satellicon units - I need a team to assist the Operation Meteor scientists. Everyone else, retreat!" Sayaka orders, the Muse Malu taking enough damage that she herself has to retreat. She can only hope that those on the battlefield with a conscience can save them.
<Pose Tracker> Luanova Luckwright has posed.
<"You know what, I don't know why you're having so much fun trying to guess how the Myrmex Engine works, but good for you, I guess. Now I don't even want to answer, just so I don't spoil your fun."> This is a life or death battle, and Lua finds a certain degree of dissociation to be healthy. At least he's explaining the principle behind his next vector of attack.
The vector of attack is horrendous.
None of this can be caught like the armbar. The Myrmex Engine spins up, trying to dissipate the force from the countless beams, but it's quickly overwhelmed. The area is saturated. All that's left for Lua is to move, and for all of Number One's expectations, there is no trickery involving inertia to how she moves. Just bodily training and reflexes. One might as well try to dodge the rain. As far as that goes, she fares well. The Myrmecia contorts itself around several particle spears, dashes and rushes through waves of terrible heat. Lua bites her lip, holding in a vocalization of pain from baking in the oven that the Myrmecia has become. The Myrmecia's frame deforms. Fuels and lubricants drip from critical fissures.
It is still standing when the light show is over, and the monitors have no longer blown out too much to see. No less, it is gripping a shield of concrete twice its size, ripped from the foundation. <"You said you wouldn't shoot me in the back while I run, but you won't mind if I bring insurance."> The synthesized voice smooths over most of the effect of Lua's labored breathing, but it still comes through in the altered, irregular tempo. Myrmecia's jets create a luminous blue backwash as it launches for the moon's atmosphere, holding the shield of concrete out to protect itself until it reaches a safe enough distance to drop it. <"Myrmidon withdrawing. If we meet again, maybe next time I'll be someone worth respecting. Or maybe at least you'll guess the engine right.">
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Her plan works, as she tears into the ship, the GN-X pinned hard into the hull. "Die! D-Die! D-D-D-DIE, DAMN YOU!"
The GN-X is stopping her Zanber carving all the way in-
Until she manages to hear 'Goodbye, Sir.'
"Wh-what?"
She has barely any time to respond to a GN Reactor going critical.
It's a wonder the Zaku IV survives a point blank blast like that, but it does. It's armor is partially melted, but it's thrusters work. It's monoeye is damaged, movement limited. She's been sent a clear distance from the AION now, and none of her weapons have operable range. "D-Damnit, I c-c-could finish this..." She prepares to activate the thrusters, to charge full speed despite the CIWS being spent to keep her at distance. She can get through that, she can keep going, she can-
Then Angelo's voice comes through the tight beam, and Emilia halts. "<...Un--derstood, sir.>" Emilia responds, as neatly as she can through that stammer.
She falls totally silent at the comment on her performance. Even if Angelo had kept the line open, Emilia would have had no response.
...But that means she's improved. She's becoming the sort of pilot she needs to be. She will have to keep striving, after that. Perhaps one day she will be skilled enough to be considered a proper soldier. Then, finally...
"...S-Sir," she tightbeams to Kalo. "P-permission to return to th-the Gwasha. Commander S-S-S-Sauper's squadron is. R-Retreating. We c-c-cannot purse th-the enemy f-f-further."
"Acknowledged, Eschonbach. Z4, return to the Gwasha. Our jobs done, everything else is on the ground team."
The Black Swan turns, and makes for the ship. There'll be next time to earn 'adequate'.
<Pose Tracker> Al has posed.
Al has no comment on language, because he's working. He does add: "Captain, there is no--" ...pause. "Oh. Convenient, it's a whole button."
While the Gaia Gear lists and vents spare carbon dioxide into space, Al efficiently handles making things look slightly calamitous, but only slightly. Of course, the cockpit's got to be a dangerous red.
"I suppose I can put audiovisual work on my CV now," he says. "SOS sent to the fleet. Ground team confirms they're en route." ... "Of course, this does put us in the position of needing to falsify Class A damage to several key systems, so that will be all we can do for now."
Several seconds pass.
...The speakers start playing Louis Armstrong's Kiss to Build a Dream On.
"Fortunately, my hard drive contains several dozen hours of music for emergency purposes."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
That feeling - that expanded awareness, that pressure is abruptly severed, it recedes from her like the ocean tide. He is quieter once again...
"<...What?>"
... but never silenced. As Leina utters shock, awareness of his intentions suddenly a muted thing.
Furrowing her brow, she blinks...
"<... Angelo... what are you trying to do?>"
She asks, voice whisper thin, a blazing saber in ... hands that feel like they could be hers. And for a moment, she gets a feeling that the correct call... is to plunge it down, again.
It's over isn't it?
All of Full Frontal's will, that sickening twist of a man's ambitions made manifest in the form of something... both very human, and inhuman.
Yuliana's message comes across, but it's only when Angelo gives voice to it, that she seems to comprehend it, still feeling so focused on Angelo in the moment, and she can't even retort. "..."
She does know what it means.
The hostile intent strikes like a bolt across her senses, and despite the Beguir being in a tortured state from the clash, it still performs a quick reverse leap, missing the shot completely, but allowing Angelo Sauper to separate from her.
Lives only have minutes left inside, but... instead her anger forces her to shout at him, one last time, as he retreats, "<WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS ANYMORE SAUPER-! HE'S-! YOU'RE-!>"
In the end, she realizes that she might as well be shouting into a windstorm. Instead, pot shots are taken at the Geara Zulu by the other two, before Percy from her squad notes, "<Ashta? Your suit looks like shit. And I think we got abandoned by our ride.>"
"<I'll fall back, go help the evacuation.>" She waved it off.
"<Ha, good one.>" The other one, Amar notes, "<We'll cover you first then maybe we can make saving some dollmakers a distant second on our list of priorities. No arguments. Faster you clear the area the faster we can get on that.>"
"<Fine. Fine.>"
Once she's finally out of range her cockpit she lets it all settle in, the scientists, NUNE, Yuliana's whole warning, the house that she's guarding. Part of her sags, as she whispers, "... Why can't things change in a way that matters?"
She said it before right? Even if things have changed, it doesn't end, does it?
"I wonder if this is how you felt, Judau."
<Pose Tracker> Sympatria Unit has posed.
Without exterior transmission:
"This inertia canceller is powerful as hell!" One swears.
- 6, on the monitor, frowns. Perhaps she shares Luanova's opinion.
With exterior transmission:
The leaping Pain of the Universe lands; and One says, "I meant what I said." (And besides, he thinks discernibly even if he doesn't say it aloud, if I don't run the xenon radiator for at least ten seconds the system's going to crouched. Crouched? Crashed. What's the internal temperature? Oh, that's what's going on. Ha ha, wild.)
Then, back to the direct transmission:
"Six! It sounds like we're pulling out. All the thrusters are working, so I should be able to meet you - vector -"
Not long after this, the bulky form leaps up into the void, activates thrusters, and ascends.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
While the battle starts to reach it's conclusion, more messages are sent to the Gwasha and the Shandor.
"We've overridden the oxygen controls. En route to the jailbreak. Po, out."
----
"...Something happened. Our hack through the systems wasn't needed anymore, and some of the Terminal troops are putting pressure on the base."
----
"We've secured the prisoners. Some scientists and a couple of pilots. ...One of them's a real handful, but we're making our exit. Somethings going on in the base. Gwasha, Shandor, who is our pickup?"
----
"Hitting evac point now, Shandor I swear to god you better not have RRFed me here. We didn't shut down the base, but we got who we came for- I'm seeing pickup. Po, out!"
----
While the Mobile Doll Production Base still stands, at the very least, production on the next model has been halted for now. Still... The Taurus itself is still plenty.
After all, after seeing how they treat their human pilots, it's easy to fear what they will do with fully automated ones.