2022-12-15: The Ghosts of the Past
- Cast: Anita Rosetta, Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV, Eight York, Ennil El, Leina Ashta, Puru Two, Rena Lancaster, Yuliana Kafim, Rita Bernal, Zoltan Akkanen, Juri Wa Nien, Li Yao
- Where: Denver Colony, Side 6
- Date: U.C. 0096 12 15
- Summary: Strange readings come from an abandoned colony cylinder in Side 6, Denver Colony. The Phoenix appears, guiding people to it -- but they find things that were forgotten and erased. People become trapped as the experimental reactor comes online -- and there is a chance to find other problems.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Just a few hours ago, several sensor readings started in an abandoned part of Side 6. Side 6, as an autonomous region, only legally claims this space; the facts are, it is a remote and abandoned single colony that has gone unused since before the Axis Shock. That makes it a prime target for anyone to investigate -- which is a problem.
The first was a sudden burst of communications. Several hundred signals all went out at once, the product of a series of stored up and only questionably relevant transmissions, seemingly unrelated to one another:
"The experiments are progressing at a standard rate..."
"...received the psychoframe shipment. You're having these kids test it?"
"Life support's shaky -- get out of here!"
"Red Comet turned it down, huh?"
"All hands, evacuate! Reactor's unstable! Repeat--"
Besides the transmissions, though, there is something else. A powerful and sudden burst of Minovsky particles, an energy flare that draws the telescopes and sensors of most of the Earth Sphere. The flare of energy fades, but it does not vanish entirely. There is an energy reading there. Something turned on.
Given the energy reading, everyone arrives at about the same time.
Denver Colony looks whole. Colonies that suffered mechanical failures can be misleading: an intact O'Neill cylinder, albeit a closed colony. The strange thing is that it lacks not only the windows that look out on space, but it also lacks the solar panels that power most colonies. The colony, in the past, was darkened and still; now, though, there are lights across its hull that have come online. It seems that something is giving power to Denver Colony.
Disturbingly, none of the military databases mention that Denver Colony has a reactor like this.
Ships begin to arrive -- and mobile weapons -- from different angles.
One of the ones here is a Stark Jegan, flying in formation with a few other machines. Inside the cockpit, Rena Lancaster leans forward, eyes on the horizon; at the moment, her YF-25A Prophecy is being repaired. She sits there, before her eyes look at the monitor. She studies it for a moment. "The readings on this are all over the place... we should be careful," she tells the other Federation forces here. She takes a deep breath. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."
Hopefully, she isn't jinxing it.
OOC NOTES
Thank you for coming, everyone!! Today's scene occurs, ICly, on December 15. The reason it occurs two weeks in advance is because, at the end of this scene, people who want to will be stuck inside a creepy abandoned colony and can have smaller encounters there with each other, before the final encounter on December 17!
Around 10:30-11:00 EST, Rena will drop a pose that can cause you to need to land in the colony. If you'd rather not land in the colony, that's OK! You can pull back. If you want to send a different alt on December 17, that's also OK; people can come to the colony after this scene. It's meant to be very flexible!
Thank you so much for coming! Have fun!! <3
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Experiments... psychoframe... kids...
Drawn like birdsong to the sunrise, she couldn't stay away even should she wish to. Not after everything she's been through.
Radiant gold streaks through the darkness of space, soaring rather than propelling itself. It moves silently. No engine readings, no thruster residue, though for those who find themselves more connected to the realms beyond this life, it may seem very loud indeed. Love and determination. Hope and fervor. Her feelings echo through the vast emptiness, shining like a beacon.
Something's here. Something that must be tended to. Please, let me guide you.
The Phenex dances through the approaching formations of machines. Her movements are grace itself. No matter how close she comes to the others, she never collides with them, nor stops her wild race. Only visible for moments before vanishing, she broadcasts her message constantly.
Something's here. Something that must be tended to. Please, let me guide you.
Visiting each group, regardless of affiliation, the Phenex comes to a sudden stop before Denver Colony. Even for those who are not psychically sensitive, quiet chimes can be heard. She's radiant in the darkness. Everything about the golden Gundam feels as though it beckons you forward...
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Tempo Astelian dutifully reported those sensor anomalies to Captain York, who has been thoughtful ever since. It is, indeed, a problem--these messages suggest terrible things... and they aren't the only ones who would be interested. Something is on.
"Take us out, Lieutenant," Eight orders the pilot at the helm, Licia Chovan, a colonies-born officer herself.
---
The Ra Mari is one of the ships already here, its gray paint picking up some of the light in this debris-laden void. Her pilots are already out to investigate and the ship is moving in behind them to offer support at the colony--just in case there's much more there, or something larger comes around.
"That unit," Eight says on the bridge, frowning thoughtfully at her display.
"Captain," Chovan says, "I hear it. It feels... gentle."
"It seems t be trying to guide us," Eight says, closing her eyes to listen. "Hmm..." She makes a snap decision.
To her pilots on the radio, "Follow that unit for now," Eight says, and it is clear which unit it means. "But be careful; it could be a trap."
She doesn't feel hostile intent, but...
Kathras Fari, at the gunnery, frowns, showing slight discomfort. But with what?
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
The transmissions gave a passenger upon the Ra Mari a lot of pause. What was going on here before the Axis Shock? Was this where Psychoframe tests were conducted by Neo-Zeon? What did the Red Comet do? Why are the lights back on?
Within Rena's Stark Jegan, she sits in the passenger seat, eyes upon the instruments, "Me too... I don't see how this is possible, how did they smuggle in a whole-"
And then, they're not, as Leina trails off, and stares into space. Before she tells her quietly, "Renalle... follow her - that Golden Unicorn."
Hitting the radio, and responding to the Captain with a transmission of her own, "<That suit is the Phenex... the pilot.>"
Leina stops, and starts again, "<-she's trying to guide us. Please - I know I don't have the authority, but please do not engage. If there is a trap, I'm sure she's not involved.>"
She can't explain to them, not right now but... she knows that given the pasts of many on the Ra Mari, she does not want them to fight it.
She's not sure how many of them would be able to forgive themselves.
POT: Crossfire Salem is now set observer.
<Pose Tracker> Zoltan Akkanen has posed.
Side 6 was never a place he thought he'd be careening towards.
Ah, he was barely looking forward to the end of the year as it was. Nothing there, nothing here, only the occasional smattering of missions here and there after getting his suit repaired. This outing was taken half-begrudgingly, half-"Get My Mind On Something". Communications? Minovsky particles? Strange things on their own, but this was the era of Newtypes. He couldn't exactly call them crock.
What he could call crock was the fact that no one did anything about the colony. A fresh, off-white Sinanju Stein careening through space, rifle and shield in hand.
The Sleeves, obviously, were interested. What could be hiding there? Laplace's Box? Something else? Stranger and stranger, especially as his eyes beheld the obvious power fueling the colony. "Bunch of..." Trailing off. "Who the hell decides to do that? Giving away your position." Unless...Mmh, stuff that for later. Check who's around.
He felt jumpy. A bit unsure, a bit on edge. Always on edge? Yes, always, prickly, malformed, always searching and the contradiction of reaching out and instinctually decking someone who dared to.
The echoing feelings were something so easily picked up on, so easily felt that he could feel the bile at the back of his throat. Something? Something to be tended to? Damn golden...thing, just what are you?
The obvious reachout to the Golden Goose. Wary. Unbothered (a lie). "Oi." Open comms. "Just what are you, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
'Verdiska', the REA informant and occasional active agent of Celestial Being, gave the terrorist organisation some very interesting information on Project Sigyn a while back; knowing that there's unsecured technology out here, that flare of sensor data is obviously something the angels ought respond to.
"It's short notice," she responds, "but thanks for telling me, anyway. I'll be there."
And she doesn't share overmuch the work she has to do, as Yuliana Kafim, to escape work for a day to slip off to Shari Loom's machines and take something out there.
In a humble Alto, its spear stripped off to make room for a rifle which can operate at various ranges, Verdiska comes to Denver Colony. She's flying under Celestial Being's colours, today, and perhaps it's no wonder why they've come -- none of the military databases mention Denver Colony's best qualities, after all.
"Stay alert," she transmits, on CSB's frequency. "There's an erratic unit out here..." Verdiska -- Yuliana -- frowns, at the Alto's enhanced sensor data, as it spits out information on the Phenex, before she directs her attention to the ships coming from the Ra Mari.
"... and be careful of those Londo Bell machines. I'm sure they have ulterior motives for being here... yes, surely Renalle herself is here, as we speak."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Something is going on at Denver Colony. Anita doesn't know what it is, but she supposes that's the reason why the Ra Mari is here to investigate. She flies alongside Rena in formation, presently seated in her Valkyrie, the VF-25 Messiah Rosetta. She moves comfortably apace in Fighter Mode - but her keen eyes are always on the horizon, and always with attention paid to her console.
"Right." Anita says with a nod, as Rena warns them to be careful. Things seem normal, for a time... and it's only because of her keen eyesight that she sees it flying through space. A streak of gold - and then, a golden Gundam.
She can't hear her words. But she does hear something else.
"...Do you hear that? No one's playin' music, right?" Anita asks. She hears it, that faint sound of chimes. She has to check. It's strange - it's like she's hearing them inside her head. Quietly, faintly... but gentle and beckoning.
Gemini Sunrise teleports in.
POT: Gemini Sunrise is now set observer.
<Pose Tracker> Ennil El has posed.
There's something Ennil has to understand, now. The two halves of her are being drawn into a single gravity well -
The Psychoframe. The feeling that had haunted her at Torrington, had exposed every fault line at Zum...
It all began with the Psychoframe. A maker of miracles. An enemy of Cosmic Will.
So she'd come to investigate this place and put an end to the danger lurking here, sitting in her handmade monster.
And if she'd had any doubts about whether Denver Colony was hiding its secrets after that first signal burst, they were fading now, in the face of yet another Unicorn striding into her path.
Part of her loves the grace of it, the gentleness. The soft promise of good will. A radiance gentler than the dawn... A beautiful songbird.
On the other hand... today she has come as a Wolf, to sniff out miracles and crush them between her teeth.
KTS: Ennil El has deployed in AMX-000-14 Doven Wolf Skoll. <Pose Tracker> Puru Two has posed.
The engineering crew of the Ra Mari are hard working, resourceful, and clever. But they are not miracle-workers.
Wounded
And it would take a miracle to replace the missing arm of the Qubeley MK. II, when there simply are no spares. Such is one of the issues with relying on an old Neo-Zeon weapon. The legal, moral, and other issues are also there, true, but this one is more pressing.
Scarred
But it's operational. And that'll do for now.
Wearied
The black Qubeley MK. II soars through space about two hundred metres behind Rena Lancaster's Stark Jegan. What makes this particular venture unusual is that it has a black tarp, or something, secured around one shoulder, and a shield strapped to its visible arm. Its pilot remains motionless in her seat, gaze flitting from one readout, to another, to another. Her mind is sharp, aggressive, waiting for something to go wrong.
And that is when a golden, chiming essence tingles somewhere in the corner of her mind.
Puru Two frowns. "Rena. I feel something weird. Someone's trying to get into my head... be careful."
Growing ever more suspicious of miracles, the Qubeley and its pilot accelerate closer to Rena's Jegan. "Something's about to happen. I can feel it."
Bloodied
KTS: Puru Two has deployed in AMX-004-03 Qubeley Mk. II 'Cybele'. KTS: Puru Two has changed loadout. KTS: Rita Bernal has deployed in RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex <Unicorn Mode>. KTS: Eight York has deployed in Clop-class Cruiser 'Ra Mari'. KTS: Anita Rosetta has deployed in VF-25 Messiah Rosetta <GERWALK Mode>. KTS: Anita Rosetta has changed loadout. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has deployed in MSN-06S-2 Sinanju Stein. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has deployed in eEXM-17FT Alto Flight Type. <Pose Tracker> Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has posed.
Favors, friends do favors for friends! And today is yet another day of favors.
Ed is shuttled out here for a recon mission, informed that she should explore the strange signals, and is dropped off in her Refined Barzam!
"Readings, readings... exotic readings." she says as he gradually floats toward said readings, rapidly typing things on the various buttons of her rather chaotically modified cockpit. "Mobile suits everywhere... Exotic readings means exotic treasures! Or exotic explosions. Hmmm..."
"Oooooh..." She taps a few things and locks on to the golden Gundam, starting to follow it. "Space goose, very promising."
She suddenly hard stops, then starts following Yuliana instead. "Got it! Ed was going to follow the Goose Gundam because it has a good feeling, but Ed will follow you instead!"
KTS: Yuliana Kafim has changed loadout. <Pose Tracker> Juri Wu Nien has posed.
The mobile weapons development industry is huge, with many names attempting to claim their share of it. But few names are quite as large as Anaheim Electronics. So when one of their abandonded facilities starts sending out weird bursts of transmission and energy signatures, people get curious. They start to speculate.
They start to imagine.
What secrets lurk within the depths of this supposedly empty colony. What wonderous innovations left forgotten, simply waiting for the right entrepreneurial type to find them and unveil them to the world. What opportunities for profit.
All questions that the higher ups of Morgenroete Incorporated are wondering. Which is how Juri has ended up out here, travelling on a small transport headed for the previously non-functional colony. She's the only actual mobile weapon pilot on board, which actually isn't saying much. The need for speed was obvious as no doubt many others noticed the same signals. This was all that was available to get out here fast enough...
Which makes Juri NERVOUS AS HELL. She sits in the cockpit of her brand new Astray, nervously tapping the foot against one of the pedals while she waits. The transport pilot's voice filters in through her radio, describing their approach to the dark colony. Juri's heart beats faster. She tries to calm herself, taking deep breathes, muttering, "You'll be fine. You'll be fine. You'll be fine."
An alert blares into her cockpit, causing Juri to jump in surprise. But then she realises it's the signal to launch. So she replies, "R-Right. I'm heading out."
The mainly red and white M1 Astray floats out of the transport doors, before the thrusters in its flight pack light up and start sending it boosting towards the colony. Juri glances nervously at her scans, noticing several other signals out there. That was to be expected... This is a bit of a gold rush, after all. Who knows who else is out there... Junkers for sure. Possibly scavengers. Maybe even pirates!?
A golden streak flashes across one of the Astray's screens, Juri just noticing it out of the corner of her eye. But for some reason, she feels... Calmer.
Juri radios back to the transport to keep in touch with them, <"I'm heading in closer to try and find an entrance."> She turns her machine towards another part of the colony, feeling like that's a good place to start looking. Unaware that she's heading right where the Phenex is guiding her.
KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has deployed in RMS-154 Refined Barzam. KTS: Li Yao has deployed in GNF-00XNH Yulong. KTS: Juri Wu Nien has deployed in MBF-M1 M1 Astray. KTS: Rena Lancaster has deployed in RGM-89S Stark Jegan. KTS: Lightly Loaded Bonus=2 KTS: Weapon: GM III Small Missile Pods KTS: Weapon: Head Vulcans KTS: Weapon: J-Type Beam Rifle KTS: Weapon: J-Type Beam Saber KTS: Weapon: Stark Jegan Bazooka KTS: GM III Small Missile Pods: 3600 Ranged,Physical,Missile KTS: GM III Small Missile Pods Double Fire: 4100 Ranged,Physical,Missile KTS: Head Vulcans Retreating Volley: 2000 Ranged,Physical,Repulse,Accurate KTS: Head Vulcans Burst: 2900 Ranged,Physical,Intercept KTS: Head Vulcans Dash-and-Fire: 3600 Melee,Physical,Initiation KTS: J-Type Beam Rifle Trick Shot: 4000 Ranged,Beam,Barrier Breaker KTS: J-Type Beam Rifle Aimed Shot: 4000 Ranged,Beam,Accurate KTS: J-Type Beam Rifle Shot: 3300 Ranged,Beam KTS: J-Type Beam Rifle Rapid Fire: 4400 Ranged,Beam KTS: J-Type Beam Saber Strike: 4100 Melee,Beam KTS: J-Type Beam Saber Careful Strike: 5100 Melee,Beam,Accurate KTS: J-Type Beam Saber Penetration Mode: 3700 Melee,Beam,Penetrating KTS: J-Type Beam Saber Decisive Strike: 5600 Melee,Beam,Accurate,Penetrating KTS: Stark Jegan Bazooka Curtailing Shot: 4600 Ranged,Physical,Missile,Rattle KTS: Stark Jegan Bazooka Shot: 4400 Ranged,Physical,Missile,Penetrating KTS: Stark Jegan Bazooka Pellet Spray: 4200 Ranged,Physical,MAP KTS: Stark Jegan Bazooka Barrage: 5900 Ranged,Physical,Missile,Penetrating KTS: Stark Jegan Bazooka Anti-Ship Volley: 5200 Ranged,Physical,Missile,Ship-Killer KTS: Pass: 0 Ranged,Passive,All-Range KTS: Li Yao has deployed in GNF-00XNH Yulong. KTS: Leina Ashta has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Rena Lancaster!
<Pose Tracker> Li Yao has posed.
The Yulong, now almost synonymous with disgrace floats through space in that cool sorta way that some pilots can get their units to float while waiting for the call to action. Within the unit sits the pilot, a old man who also once had his picture in the dictionary between the words disgrace and dishonorable. At least that is how the old man would tell it. As the alarm goes off signaling the alert for the mission he stands up and moves to stand in the large cokcpit of the gundam fighter.
The lights on the Yulong comes to life, the green glow of GN particles can be seen spreading along the 'veins' of the unit before it's thrusters ignite and the mobile suit makes it's move towards the Denvver colony, leaving a streak of particles of does.
Replying over CSB comms , the old man speaks up <"Apppreciate the heads up. I can't imagine the federation actually having any decent warriors about. Simpy pilots I would guess.">
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"That's--"
Rena draws in a sharp gasp, when she sees the golden Unicorn Gundam. The Stark Jegan keeps on its path for a moment -- and Rena glances over her shoulder, peering back at the girl in the seat behind her. Is it really safe for Leina Ashta to be in the cockpit with her? She would just have to make sure it stayed a safe place. "Got it, Leina," she says. She looks back at the Phenex.
She can feel that impression coming from it. That sense that it wants to guide her; that feeling like there is almost a voice reaching her. She almost hears it.
"H-Hold on--"
The Phenex goes ahead. Rena makes her Stark Jegan take off after the mysterious Mobile Suit. As they fly, she hears Callisto's voice. Her eyebrows knit -- and she nods her head. "I understand, Callie. And--no, Annie... I hear it too."
She tenses, though, as she senses someone -- and then sees another Mobile Suit. The Sinanju Stein, approaching from another vector; Rena tenses after just a moment. "Zoltan...!"
Pointedly, she doesn't sense Verdiska. The Celestial Being contingent draws a glance -- at this distance, with this level of Minovsky density, she hasn't made out who they are.
The colony sends another transmission -- and then another -- and another. They sometimes play over each other; bursts of static sometimes interrupt them. It makes a discordant effect.
"Any idea how to restore power?"
"Anaheim's experiments sure aren't easy..."
"I have life support on some sectors!"
"Shit, shit, we're getting another power surge--"
Here and there, lights on the side of Denver Colony begin to flash. Tellingly, they do not respond to the Phenex's approach. It's more like some short out; some flash brighter. Power distribution may not be even through the colony. There also isn't the sense of anyone actually inside the colony.
There are, however, large hangars ahead. The bay doors are immense; this looks more like a factory or a military base than a standard civilian spaceport. It is some distance from the Federation units and the Phenex, though.
"It's--it's a lot of chatter," Rena says. Her brow furrows.
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Zoltan opens comms to the Phenex. The only response is faint static. In the same moment she 'hears' his voice, the sound of chimes ceases. The Phenex turns away from Zoltan's machine, as though she can't bear to look at him. Disgust flickers faintly from the Gundam -- quickly pushed away, but definitely present.
So far... She's treated to a kind reception. The golden Gundam spends an extra moment near Rena's machine, twirling around it in a near-playful manner. Despite Ennil's initially sweet thoughts toward the Gundam, the Phenex keeps far, far away from her. She can't risk exposure, no matter how beautiful the light of dawn may be. Those among Celestial Being get a curious glance, her gaze lingering more than it has for any others. They may get the feeling of being appraised by the shimmering machine.
When Yuliana appears, the Phenex pauses. Matching Yuliana's speed, the Phenex flies close to her machine, head turned to examine it closely. A feeling of cold, resigned grief echoes from the machine. One hand reaches out, nearly touching Yuliana's Alto. It hangs there, in space, as she soars... Then falls, limply, to her side. She knew what she would find here. It's what has to happen. It has to be like this.
The feeling is banished.
Another set of discordant transmissions come through. The Phenex's head turns, glancing toward the Colony. As the lights begin to flash, she turns her attention back to the assembled living pilots. Everyone, aside from Zoltan, gets a steady look for a moment or so.
This way. Be wary.
Blue light engulfs the Phenex once again, and it flies to the hangar bay doors. Again, she pauses, simply floating just before the doors themselves. It feels so slow... There's so much to be done. But this is the first time she's guiding anyone, she has to get it right.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Captain York remains pretty concerned by the Queen Mansa's condition, particularly since Callisto is flying out in it--but she signed off on the deployment. ...She figures she'd have gone regardless. Better, she can keep an eye on her as longa s she's willing to play by the rules.
"The music comes from that 'voice' I think," Eight supplies for Anita. She's a little surprsied that this phenomenon is obvious to her, too.
"Captain," Astelian says, "The transmissions are coming too fast. I can't lock them down." The static is... bothersome, to say the least, and does some interruption of Eight's attempts to give orders. But all the same--
"Slow us down, Chovan. Our systems can support from here. We don't want to trip up our pilots."
The Phenex guides them, and Eight watches. THe considers, thoughtfully, as she looks to the colony...
"Mx. Rezza," Eight starts. "have the hangar ready my unit."
Fari remains troubled at the guns, while Chovan waits for encessary maneuvers.
[OOC] Eight York says, "bluray* quebeley not queen mansa"
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina can feel Rena's worry certainly, but Rena can possibly feel traces of her own worry for her. Which is, likely why she pushed so hard to come with her.
The Qubeley's presence is... something that makes her tense, though her walls are up just enough for her to try to hide it. She doesn't... want Callisto to think she's afraid of her.
It's not her she's afraid of.
"Are you feeling it from the Golden Suit, Callie? I don't think she means you harm it's...;" Her eyes close, and then open after a moment, "... it's complicated. Try to shut her out if it's uncomfortable."
She can get why after what happened at Zum City.
That word - complicated - is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Without an actual connection, it's difficult to just make direct contact, it's not a matter of one's strength in a sense.
She tries to radiate this general sense of ... trust and a desire for understanding.
Then Rena says 'Zoltan' and Leina looks up in alarm, checking their instruments. "The Sleeves are here?" She too doesn't sense Verdiska, but Celestial Being being who they are, she makes no assumptions of that.
The continual transmissions seem to synch up with the lights on the Colony flashing.
Rena remarks on the chatter, and she just asides quietly to her, "...What is going on here? I don't... feel anything. Could this be some, recording? A program?"
To what end though? Nothing about this situation makes sense to her. However, the impression of that voice is there again...
"... She wants us to follow, but to be careful. I don't know if she's sensing some threat ahead."
Taking her hand off the radio, she asides to Rena, "I don't like this. Nothing about this adds up..."
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
Rena hears it too? ...So it's not just her. In that case... what is it? Anita usually doesn't... hear these things. She frowns... but, Eight enlightens her.
"'The voice'... so it's our golden friend over there?" Anita asks. "It feels... kind of nice, actually."
That's the feeling she gets. She likes to think she's a good judge, but the situation is so mysterious, so strange, that she's not sure what to make of it. After all, this is her first time she's felt such a phenomenon. ...But she doesn't get to dwell on it for much longer, because other units are starting to appear. Friends, or foes...?
"...Looks like we've got some company." Anita notes, looking on her monitor. Well, this was never going to be easy, she supposes. And not just that...
"...What's going on in there?" She wonders, her eyes drawn to Denver Colony. There's a lot going on. There's a lot to take in. And the golden Gundam gives her, and everyone, a steady look. Beckoning... but caution, too.
She'll follow Eight and Rena's lead - whatever happens, she trusts them.
<Pose Tracker> Juri Wu Nien has posed.
The initial calm Juri felt is starting to fade again as the situation deepens. As she grows closer to the colony, its details begin to take shape. But so to does she grow closer to those other signals. Thankfully some of them are sending out identification signals. Federation, to be specific. Which is a relief.
Well, kind of.
Orb isn't actually a member nation of the Federation. But neither is it enemies with the Federation. So the Federation people here aren't her enemies, right? Juri sure hopes so. She's still worried about the unidentified units on approach though... Maybe she should find a way in that stays away from them...
There's that golden flash again. This time though Juri can actually see it. A Gundam!?
The slow decay of Juri's nerves is thankfully paused as she finds something to distract her. More transmissions from the colony. It almost sounds like something went wrong during an experiment. If she can get into the colony's network, she might be able to trace the transmissions through it back to the source. It might give her an idea of where in the colony to look.
Unfortunately that actually requires getting into the colony. And that golden Gundam seems to be suggesting just where to do that. Should Juri risk it? Should she follow this stranger into the dark colony? Thinking that, it definitely sounds like a bad idea. And yet... It seems trustworthy? Plus finding another way in could take time, giving the others here a head start in learning the colony's secrets.
Juri squeezes her controls a little tighter.
Fine. She'll trust the golden machine. She starts to follow the Phenex towards the hangar bay doors. But, maybe she should announce herself as she does. She doesn't want anyone to mistake her for hostile! So Juri opens a public comm channel...
"I-I am Juri Wu Nien with Morgenroete Incorporated. We have a legitimate salvage license and are not looking for a fight. B-But I will defend myself... If attacked!"
She shouldn't be so nervous! She's done hundreds of simulator runs. She's a proud member of the Astray test team. She's got this! ... Right?
KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has activated the Valor Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Zoltan Akkanen has posed.
The burst of static forced a click of irritation from his mouth, muttering to himself all the while. "The hell's your problem, you shining sack of bullion..." Disgust? Disgust??? He was no fool, eyes narrowing as the Phenex soared away from his current trajectory, watching it mingle with the machines beyond. One, to the next, to the nex-
"Renaaaaaaa..." The low hiss of recognition of two suits, lips curling into a knowing, sneering grin as his suit spun on its ankle, angling itself to follow the Phenex. It was leading somewhere, and any place was better than the damnable void of space. The Sinanju Stein careened onwards towards the abandoned coplony, keeping a steady, practiced flow to its movements, marking off the units one by one. Celestial Being, some huge ship, and the chatter. The chatter from beyond. Strange chatter, discordant chatter, colony chatter. Other people. A newbie? Old man. Suit after suit after suit, it's a party and a half, isn't it! The mixture of voices, the sensations scratching along a Newtype's brain...Ah, sometimes he wished for another cup of coffee.
Strange as hell, that's what that was. But. Three targets, one place to be...Ah, hell. Tactics demanded a sound response, the one leading everyone was basically a phantom, and besides.
They promised to settle it on the battlefield next they met, no?
"RENA! Leina, hello to you too! If you don't all mind, she's got a promise to keep!" The suit preaiming before the declaration, a singular arm raised up, rifle straight...Pointed right at Rena's own stock-shouldered unit, halting in place for one second. "Like I said, I don't intend to give up so easily."
A singular, yellow beam pierced through the soundless blanket of black, the streak of blue exhaust bursting forth only a second later to trace a wide arc around, careening towards the entrance, those hangar bay doors that the Phenex oh so kindly guided towards.
KTS: Zoltan Akkanen targets Rena Lancaster with MSN-06S Sinanju Stein High Beam Rifle Single Shot! KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Other people hear the music, the warnings, all the delicate care of a canary in a coal mine.
And Yuliana -- hears nothing at all.
(She's been killing canaries for some time.)
The Phenex approaches her, though, bereft of any sensor data which would explain it. The Flight Alto turns, in the air, to face that Gundam, warily grasping its rifle -- but it's not an attack. It just wanted to reach her.
(She just wanted to --)
It can't reach her. The nothing in the Alto's cockpit has no reaction to the emotions of the Phenex, though it opens a private channel to the Gundam, briefly.
The voice which comes from it has been electronically altered -- warped, though still at least probably feminine, and difficult to place as Yuliana's. Even so, it's Yuliana, who asks:
"What's happening?"
And it's not the first time she's posed that question, in that company.
But that hand falls, limp and rudderless, and Verdiska narrows her eyes. "... exotic readings, huh," she opens up the Celestial Being channel again, as she looks over her own readouts about the Phenex. "What's going on with that thing? Do you know?" She asks as if she doesn't.
But Ed isn't the only one doing favours, today. "Don't underestimate them," Verdiska scolds the older voice on the CSB communication line, sharply. "Far too many of them are Zeon's dregs turned to the Federation's ranks -- yes, they'll hesitate to kill you, but it's all about the ethics."
She urges her Alto forward -- it's really something of a vacation, compared to the control scheme she's used to. It jets forward, towards the colony, and Verdiska tells Li Yao and Edward: "We won't be getting along about this. If they get to this thing, they'll claim it for themselves!" Whether she's being too uncharitable about the Ra Mari -- well. The real tragedy here is that focusing on the Federation means she's not shooting up the Sleeves, but unfortunately, Yuliana only has one unit and far too many hatreds.
A short burst of beam rifle fire falls across Puru Two's Qubeley, to give her something ELSE to worry about, aside from the Phenex. On an open channel, now, she declares: "The Federation has no place here! If you won't turn around and leave, you'll have to take it up with ME--!!" And her voice is torn and altered by that electronic filter, but...
Her eagerness for bloodshed can't be veiled so easily.
(Why she would target Callisto is -- well. That's for her to know.)
KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Puru Two with ExAMACS Long-Range Rifle Shot! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Puru Two has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Puru Two blocks Yuliana Kafim's ExAMACS Long-Range Rifle Shot, taking 1770 damage! KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster This unit has no shield.
KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to evade Zoltan Akkanen's MSN-06S Sinanju Stein High Beam Rifle Single Shot, taking 3600 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 11000 <Pose Tracker> Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has posed.
Ed perks up when she years another voice over CSB comms, reassuringly replying, "Ed isn't much of a warrior. But don't worry! Ed has an aimbot and classified military TAS data!"
Starting to type away, trying to gather data over various frequencies while having a constant talk over the CSB comms. "Minovsky particles! Ugggghhhhhaarrrrrggghhhhhh!!!" she starts to growl in frustration and can be heard slamming on a keyboard a few times. "Lot of garbage data. Ugghhh whyyyyy????"
"Hmm hmmm, more power surges, I wonder if there's a pattern..." She starts typing again, mostly typing some basic probability algorithms as she observes. A small mechanical claw installed in the back of her cockpit feeds her the occasional chocolate covered potato chip to keep her brain going.
Ed suddenly looks in the direction of the golden Gundam again, her shoulders shivering. "Spooky Goose."
When Juri opens a public channel, Ed mostly feels relief that she's getting some new data that isn't complete garbage, and speaks on the public comm herself, <"Ed is Ed, and I thiiink I have to shoot someone but I'm not sure who to shoot! Ed doesn't think it's you?">
She quickly switches comms back to CSB. "Who is Ed supposed to shoot???"
Then, back to public comms, <"Ed is waiting for orders, but don't worry. You see, Ed has read Sun Tzu, so would simply disable without blowing up the cockpit! Unless you were trying to arrest Ed...">
<Pose Tracker> Ennil El has posed.
The Skoll hovers in the dark. Watching... as the Sinanju and the Phenex communicate and clash. Waiting for the pilot within to make up her mind. She lets the songbird flit, reaches out for that sense of peace...
And watches it back away. It understands her, then. It's seen the thing inside her. She watches it rocket towards the colony - So fast. Impossibly so, for anyone with a body to hold together... - and, wordlessly, the Doven Wolf's eyes fill with orange light as she allows its systems to fully roar to life. With them comes her own IFF signal.
A pattern which will almost certainly be familiar, and friendly, to the Sinanju's pilot. Aligned with his grudges. And the Sleeves are a disparate group - so it's no surprise to see a Neo-Zeon flag flown by a machine like this. It won't mean anything to him, so focused on his own hatred.
It's a few of the Federation pilots she expects to understand the long-dead registration of this unit's assigned mothership.
Though she could never match the speed of the Phenex, the Skoll is no less direct in its pursuit. Dawn bleeds from the machine as it streaks towards the colony, towards the Psychoframe's light. It hangs in the black behind her as the Skoll's inner frame reaches down, metal ribs pressing into the cockpit to curl around her torso, to brace her against violent, headlong acceleration. A parody of a different system meant to safeguard its pilot.
"Show me then... What's so terrible that even you're worried, little bird? What are you more scared of than a hungry wolf?~"
<Pose Tracker> Li Yao has posed.
The feeling, the beckoning of that golden suit, it distracts Yao from his current objective, it wasn't just the golden suit though but the pilot within the suit. That pilot's chi, it was pure, not just pure but like it never existed as anything but pure. It was warm and inviting and in a way almost brought a tear to the old man's eye and decides to trust the feeling. <"What information do we have on this gold one, their chi, no pilot should have chi so pure."> The old man would have to complicate what he has seen when he has time.
t The other units though, they get more distrust then the Phenex, in fact as the words from Verdiska is heard the Yulong shifts trajectory, <"Roger that Verdiska, I will slow the federation ship maybe draw a few others away."> The GN thruster on the Yulong's back increases particle production as the veins along the unit spread and glows bright green rushing towards the Ra Mari.
As the refitted gundam fighter approaches the Ra Mari it draws from it's belt a trio of beam knives. Diving in head first the Yulong throws the blades trying to take out any form of anti mobile suit weaponry first. He wasn't exactly in the mood to be shot down today.
KTS: Li Yao targets Eight York with Triple Knife Throw! KTS: Li Yao has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight York successfully intercepts Li Yao's Triple Knife Throw <Pose Tracker> Puru Two has posed.
Familiar voices buzz in Puru Two's ear. Leina Ashta doesn't think the mysterious golden suit is out to get them, but her friend... is not so sure of this. "It's not a good time to try and be pushing into my mind." she is curt about it, but not truly hostile or cruel. "I'll ignore it for now."
The clone-girl's bitter blue gaze tracks back to the side, as if towards the source of the otherworldly chime, and that inexorable feeling of being drawn closer. "What are you trying...? What is this feeling?" she murmurs, making inaccurate and unfortunate connections in the moment. "Are you like that man and his Gundam, back from the dead as well...?"
She misunderstands. Alas.
"Rena," the girl who sometimes calls herself Callisto keys the radio. "Leina says not to be alarmed, but I'm not convinced. What if it's like that thing at Torrington? I--" her voice turns harsh and urgent suddenly. "--contact."
In this moment, I'd like to point out that Yuliana Kafim can potentially blame Zoltan Akkanen for giving away the true element of surprise. The redhead in the Qubeley glances in a seemingly random direction as she feels a spike of aggression, a scarlet red note of discord pushing aside the gentle golden chiming. The black, avian Mobile Suit unfurls from AMBAC-flight mode and brings its one good arm to bear.
The beam of mega-particles splashes across the coated shield surface, a luminous waterfall of neon that surges past the Qubeley's shoulders and head. The whole Mobile Suit rocks violently from the impact, spun hard from the force. A flutter of vernier fire brings the errant momentum to heel, but it's a terrifying thing regardless.
"Wait--two attackers, but just one... why couldn't I feel the second?" Puru Two mutters in the darkness of her cockpit. She hasn't quite put two and two together yet.
So, she calls back on that same frequency. Put me in the group chat with Yuliana Kafim, please.
"Warning shot from an ambush position? Will you make your mind up?" she sounds incredulous, but mostly hostile. The Qubeley rolls in space as a response, then lifts one clawed hand towards the Alto and returns fire with a lance of searing gold beam-fire. "I don't have time for you!"
Her attention is split between that, and the Doven Wolf in the background. Her nostrils flare at the sight. "And you're next."
KTS: Puru Two targets Yuliana Kafim with Forearm Beam Cannon Snapshot! KTS: Puru Two has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim blocks Puru Two's Forearm Beam Cannon Snapshot, taking 2100 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"It's like... it's playing with me?" Rena asks, her breath catching. She had seen the white RX-0 before; this golden one, though, is beautiful in a different way. Strange, too, and she stares at it for a moment, as it dances. She finds herself smiling a little bit as she keeps flying with it -- and then sees it blitz off, towards those distinctly unknown units.
"Yeah, Annie," Rena says. She keeps flying in formation with Anita's unit and the Ra Mari. "I'm... kinda surprised you feel it, too..."
She trails off for a second.
"At least one--no, I've got a Doven Woolf, too!" Rena says, as she gets sight of Ennil's unit. Her eyes narrow for a moment. "I know. Something's really off about this. And that colony... there's no solar panels. The amount of power it would need--that's... there's something really weird about it."
To say nothing of the voices, which leave her on edge. Edge proves wise, though -- first as Verdiska's unit, which bolts out of the void, and surges off towards Callisto's damaged Qubeley. Rena's eyes widen sharply. "Callie! Look out, that's--"
She doesn't finish it.
There is that sense of recognition, of a Newtype's awareness of her. Her awareness, in turn, and they all blend together, and then she hears her name shouted over the radio. Rena's eyes widen, and she shouts back at him: "ZOLTAN!" she cries out. "This is a hell of a time, but--" But any time would be a hell of a time.
Her Stark Jegan moves, but not in time. That lance of golden mega particles slashes through the upper left thigh of the Mobile Suit, blowing through it. A secondary explosion, small and inside the unit, causing the cockpit to shake. Rena's breath caught for a moment, as she sees Zoltan taking off. "I don't either... and I'm not letting you go there!"
The shoulder-mounted missiles fire -- all six missile tubes erupting, sending bursts of vapor from the back of the Stark Jegan, and a half-dozen canisters rocketing off, rapid-fire, towards the Sinanju Stein as it tears away. "Hold on, Leina--!"
Then, the Stark Jegan's thrusters fire -- and it goes blitzing in towards the Sinanju Stein and the hangar doors.
The doors to the colony are closed. Getting through them will be no mean feat; they are huge slabs of reinforced steel, meant to hold off stray shots from battleship cannons. Still, that seems to be the way forward. A few lights, by one of the doors, are blinking. One, flashing red, provides a warning.
Another couple of transmissions come through:
'We don't have enough shuttles.'
'Make sure that unit's sealed away.'
There are a lot of minds on this battlefield.
But none are quite like Radical Edward's. The rapid fluctuations of power are confusing; something like a repeating, pulsing pattern of power surges through parts of the system, which are revealed by the occasional flash. But, Edward also spots something else: the power surges are connected to the transmissions. Almost like a transmitter is receiving -- then losing -- and again receiving power.
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Rena Lancaster, Puru Two, and Eight York with Awe. KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Rena Lancaster's Morale! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 11000 KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Zoltan Akkanen with GM III Small Missile Pods Double Fire! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 47. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 60. KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. I don't understand that.
KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Puru Two's Morale!
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Playing with them? Distantly Leina thinks of Elpeo as she watches the Golden Suit move.
Leina doesn't seem offended at Callie's curtness, she fully understands why. "<I know. I'd ask her to stop if I could.>"
She wants to tell her. She wants to tell all of them. It's not the time.
And there is no time, when they show up.
The Doven Wolf gets a curious look on the viewscreen, before Zoltan makes himself known.
She's about to aside and ask how Rena knows Zoltan - there's several possibilities, when he mentions her name too.
With a sense of absolute trust in her skills, she puts a hand on Rena's shoulder in that moment, sharing this flash of intuition on how to best roll with the coming shot as it bolts across her senses.
The blow still is unpleasant as the rifle shot causes an explosion to shake and jar her.
"<... Is that really any way to say hello?>" A subtle sense of annoyance, "<Given that we've never actually met - should I assume you're sharing notes with Full Frontal?>"
Without a word, Leina releases her walls. And reaches out... and there's this uplifting sense of calm radiates to those who she's forged threads of connection with.
It doesn't push in, instead it feels more like it surrounds them to try and bring a sense of clarity to the high emotions.
"Go get him Renalle." She whispers breathlessly, but with still full faith in the squadron commander of the Kakapos, before holding on for dear life.
KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has activated the Alert Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Yuliana asks her a question, and her spirit aches. The Phenex opens her comms in return, letting out a sound that sounds like someone rattling a small object against the microphone. Yuliana can't hear her, she knows -- this is the best she can do. A flare of grief, again, before she turns away.
Leina's feelings are so warm. Li Yao's faith is near-blinding. She hasn't been warm, or believed in, in so long, so long. It aches to feel. With little bursts of blue radiance, the Phenex seems to edge closer to Rena's machine, despite herself. Despite her purpose.
Before the Phenex can act further, aggression explodes from Zoltan. Blue light ignites around the Gundam as she dodges his second shot. She evades in a brief, angular motion, darting like a small bird. There's no hint of surprise from the Gundam, only further disgust and resignation.
It would always be him.
Without eyes to close, or breath to still, focus comes easily. Warmth builds around the Phenex, like sunlight beaming from the Gundam. It's not a physical feeling, it's spiritual, but it feels so real. She lifts her hand, and radiant, shimmering, multi-colored light follows in its wake. Her fingers extend outward, and the light soars across space, wrapping around the Jegan. After encircling the machine, it flows inward, settling into the inner workings of Rena's machine.
Within, Leina and Rena may feel that warmth tenfold, like the arms of a loved one encircling them. It feels like protection. It feels like faith. It feels like trust. There are no words, this time, but the Phenex couldn't be clearer in her intentions.
Yuliana fires upon Callisto, sparking another wave of pure distress from the golden Gundam. Again, rainbow light gathers around her hands, soaring to the Qubeley. Newtype radiance, made real, made tangible, beautiful, visible for everyone. Arms reach out for Callisto. She can understand. Radiance encircles the machine, drifting in, hovering before Callisto. They walked such a similar road, one that isn't finished yet. If Callisto will just take the hand that reaches for her, maybe the Phenex can reveal a moment of the future yet to come.
She wishes they wouldn't fight. She knows they will. The Phenex dances back and forth before the hangar doors, as if trying to get their attention back on the mission. She knows they won't pay attention.
A wolf approaches. Turning, she pauses, feeling the presence of those dawn-lit jaws. No matter what, this cannot happen. She cannot allow herself to be infected. If she could... She would reach out, turning the full force of her love onto the Skoll, trying to convince its pilot not to attack her. But 000 cannot be reasoned with, and cares nothing for love.
Determination. Blue light flares all the more brightly around the Phenex, and her 'wings' lift from her back. Two shields, trailing bits of golden armor like kite-tails encircle the Phenex. It's a warning. Ennil doesn't cease her approach, and the shield begins its own. Blue light courses around it, sending it soaring toward the Skoll. The shield aims to bash in the Skoll's arm, trying to prevent it from attacking the Phenex without damaging its pilot. There seem to be no propulsion mechanisms on the golden armor, only that blue light.
As the Phenex defends herself, Rena blasts toward the doors. With a calm motion, the Phenex leaves her shield to bash and strike Ennil, and turns to face the blast doors. Azure radiance builds around her as she lifts both arms. The hangar doors glow in harmony, and metal groans and shrieks. It bunches up in the center, as though hands are pulling it apart, until -- the hangar doors are thrown open. Rena's path is clear.
Darting within the doors, the Phenex hopes to guide them still.
KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Puru Two KTS: Rita Bernal targets Ennil El with Phenex Kite Shield Shot! KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen fails to Evade Rena Lancaster's GM III Small Missile Pods Double Fire, taking 3075 damage! KTS: Ennil_El has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents. <Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"Rena! Callie!" Eight calls in alarm. But Rena has it covered. The battle starts for them--And for her, too. Eight wonders abut the Phenex. But she doesn't expect the form Yuliana's machinations take today... and indeed, doesn't at first realize that she's involved. Instead, amidst the interference and messaging, Astelian suddenly says, "Captain--"
Eight pre-empts him, "Evasive maneuvers!"
...It's always a little weird to him when the Captain does that, but she can sense intent faster than he can talk. "That unit is still coming our way. It's... glowing, Captain."
"...What color?"
"Green."
Eight can feel relief at that much, at least. But the gundam fighter approaches, and the blades crash towards the Ra Mari, only to be met by the CIWS guns as the Ra Mari maneuvers to place them in the way. The beam knives are taken out--but by the same token, the Ra Mari can't bring its full guns to bear on the Yulong before it gets close, either.
"Don't let us lose sight of our pilots," Eight instrucs her crew. "Bring us closer to the colony."
"Yes!" Chovan says, as she maneuvers to try to get their guns into a better position to fire on the Yulong. Then Eight says, "Fari--focus on small arms first. We'll see if we can scare him off."
Fari does his best there; the CIWS array all points, not at the missiles, but as much on the Yulong as possible, firing machine gun blasts straight for the much smaller target than the ship.
"I've got a new 'friend' too," Eight says over the radio, "But keep on with the mission."
Rezza comments, "Your unit is almost ready, Captain. Once we deal with this threat..."
"Right."
KTS: Eight York has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Eight York targets Li Yao with Ra Mari Heavy CIWS Burst! KTS: Eight York has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Playing with you, huh...?" Anita considers. That's definitely a strange thought. She can't hear the pilots voice, doesn't know what she's after. She can only hear the chimes.
"Right? Me too." Anita replies, as Rena expresses surprise that she could feel hear those chimes, too.
Rapidly, fighting begins to unfold from the units gathered nearby.
"Everyone, are you alright?" Anita asks. Eight, Rena, Callie... and Leina too, of course - she's concerned about them. One of them Anita recognizes. Another, different one, Rena recognizes - and hearing that cry from her is jarring.
Her immediate concern is moving to defend her friends, but... there's another issue. There's an IFF moving. Doven Wolf, assigned to an Endra-class... Anita knows her history, of course. It's something to think about, but just as concerning is the way it chases after that golden Gundam. Anita frowns, briefly conflicted. She doesn't know them - doesn't know if they have any connections here. Who would be here to help out the Phenex?
...Guess it's gotta be her.
"...Someone's going after our golden friend. I'm going to go give them a hand!" Anita says. The Messiah Rosetta breaks away from formation, chasing after the Skoll. Both the Phenex and the Skoll are fast... but she's no slouch, either, and a capable pilot. Once she draws close enough, her Valkyrie transforms into GERWALK mode. It's her preference for space maneuverability. In an instant her gatling gun pod is drawn and she opens fire on the Skoll with the intent of drawing the pilot's attention away.
"Sorry, gonna have to cut in!" Anita announces. She watches, then, as the Phenex lifts her arms. The hangar doors glow... and are thrown open. A rare look of surprise crosses Anita's face. ...If she can do that, does she really need her help? But she chases after regardless, ready to continue giving a hand if Ennil's Doven Wolf continues pursuit.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Ennil El with Gatling Shot! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Ennil El has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
And the Phenex's transmission returns nothing at all. Just a rattling which could have come from any unsecure device. How unnerving.
Yuliana would be horrified at the implications, if she were a different sort of person.
Ed's not a warrior, huh... "Don't worry about it," Yuliana assures her, insomuch as her current voice can be 'assuring'. (Perhaps it can't be.) "Me and the old man have been doing this forever. We'll keep an eye on you." Even if Li Yao annoys Yuliana mightily, she hopes she can at least trust him not to abandon a child --
Well, okay, considering his service record, maybe she should be worried about that. He's not exactly the most honourable guy around. But neither is she, so what does that matter? "Good," she responds to Li Yao, as he affirms he'll be targeting the Ra Mari. "Watch your back. Word is it got an upgrade just recently."
Yuliana spares a thought to the salvager, though, who to her knowledge isn't an ace pilot, and opens a CSB channel to reply to Ed. "Actually," she proposes, "why don't you shoot the Astray? If some random salvager gets their hands on this... well, our mutual friends would still be disappointed, I'm sure." Their mutual friends, of course, being VEDA and its men.
Luckily, one doesn't have to be friends to talk to the notorious Verdiska -- and Rena, at least, recognises the electronic voice which has plagued her before. The Flight Alto lifts its shield to catch the beam-fire from the Qubeley, in turn; it's more bird-boned, but it stands firm, behind its shield, anyway.
She does not see the miracle light which embraces it. She thinks Puru Two stands alone. And so she opens a channel to the Qubeley, and her electronic voice is full of bravado: "You don't have time for me? You brazen creature! Shall I do you the honour of destroying your unit, today?" This much, at least, she can taunt her with relatively safely; it was Verdiska who destroyed Rena's Nu Gundam, after all.
In the distance, thosee transmissions filter through her mind. Messages about a lack of shuttles -- following so much panic about the life support systems.
"Ah," she remarks, still on that channel with Puru Two, "of course..."
A beat,
"... how expendable were these experiments, in the end, I wonder? "
KTS: [Mirage] Li Yao's GN Disruption activates, and he slips into a mirage. KTS: Li Yao blocks Eight York's Ra Mari Heavy CIWS Burst, taking 0 damage! KTS: Ennil El charges into the attack! KTS: Ennil El partially guards Rita Bernal's Phenex Kite Shield Shot, taking 2146 damage! KTS: Rita Bernal begins a Formation attack! KTS: Ennil El successfully evades Anita Rosetta's Gatling Shot <Pose Tracker> Juri Wu Nien has posed.
<"Ehehehe. I, uh, don't have any plans to arrest anyone!">
Shots are being fired! Punches being thrown! Attacks flying!
Thankfully none of them are aimed at Juri yet. That doesn't stop her heart rate from climbing though. Maybe coming this way was a bad idea after all...
But the doors are right there. Maybe if she can get inside quickly, the others here will leave her alone. The problem is how to get past those doors. If she can gain access to their controls, she might be able to get them open. It might be a bit tricky, given the apparent power fluctuations. But even if it's just releasing the locks, that'll help-
The Phenex proceeds to just reach out towards the doors and fling them open.
Juri stares for a few moments, wondering just how the hell it did that. But the growing combat out here encourages her to move on, hopefully before someone chooses to target her. Like that one voice on comms that is oddly familiar.
The Astray charges in through the newly opened doors, hoping to escape inside away from the battle. As Juri flies along after the Phenex, she has her system scanning for any data conduits that she might be able to use to gain access to the colony's network. There are a bunch of questions she has that the network may be able to answer!
KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Puru Two with Goad! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Zoltan Akkanen has posed.
While shooting across the sky, his machine beeps. Psycommu passing by in understanding, noting the presence of Ennil. Hah, so another Sleeves person did come. "Yo." A murmur of understanding, to establish sides in this quickly cascading battle. "Don't get shot down, will you? Frontal would have my hea>" And he was off; No worse for the wear, just another person from the scars of the fight at Zum City. Not that he knew with any certainty.
Call it intuition.
The same intuition that scored the Jegan, unable to surpress a whoop of glee as he noted the damage. "Oh, you just had to be here, huh!? Curiosity kills cats, you know!" The targeting systems pick up the volley of missiles, the exhaust from those nozzles flaring up as he sped up and around. Vulcans flinging their best shots, two of them striking true along the left shoulder and right calf. Che, not much, but definitely stunted.
He pushes, tweaking his suit's controls. In. Steady. Follow movements. The waves of battle washed over him, emotions cascading onto the prickly mind of Zoltan. Speeding, down, down, down. <"Is there any proper way to say hello? Full Frontal was there with me on Zum City, you know. And we weren't exactly hiding there, right!?"> All that needed to be said in the moment as the sight of that Phenex's machinations manifested, keeping half-focus on that Golden Goose. Blue. Blue. Blue. The sight of glowing doors is not lost. <"...Aiding you, Rena? I didn't think you'd hook up with a flying dud."> Yet, he follows through. Aiming.
One shot. Two. Three. Four. Again and again, taking potshots towards the hangar door, completely uncaring for what landed if it missed. If it scored the colony, whatever. It had power. Who cares?
All that mattered was one thing. Going. Going. If those doors were staying open, what better thing than to take the invitation while chasing Rena!?
KTS: Zoltan Akkanen targets Rena Lancaster with MSN-06S Sinanju Stein High Beam Rifle Reckless Fire! KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Yuliana Kafim goads Puru Two, reducing her Intuition drastically. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Zoltan Akkanen rattles Rena Lancaster, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to evade Zoltan Akkanen's MSN-06S Sinanju Stein High Beam Rifle Reckless Fire, taking 2475 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 8525 KTS: Leina Ashta inspires awe, increasing Eight York's Morale! /-----------------------------< SRTMOO +attacks >------------------------------\ | 1: GM III Small Missile Pods Pwr: 3600 16 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Missile) | | 2: GM III Small Missile Pods Double Fire Pwr: 4100 21 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Missile) | | 3: Head Vulcans Retreating Volley Pwr: 2000 10 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Repulse, Accurate) | | 4: Head Vulcans Burst Pwr: 2900 11 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Intercept) | | 5: Head Vulcans Dash-and-Fire Pwr: 3600 19 EN | | (Melee, Physical, Initiation) | | 6: J-Type Beam Rifle Trick Shot Pwr: 4000 25 EN | | (Ranged, Beam, Barrier Breaker) | | 7: J-Type Beam Rifle Aimed Shot Pwr: 4000 23 EN | | (Ranged, Beam, Accurate) | | 8: J-Type Beam Rifle Shot Pwr: 3300 13 EN | | (Ranged, Beam) | | 9: J-Type Beam Rifle Rapid Fire Pwr: 4400 24 EN | | (Ranged, Beam) | | 10: J-Type Beam Saber Strike Pwr: 4100 21 EN | | (Melee, Beam) | | 11: J-Type Beam Saber Careful Strike Pwr: 5100 34 EN | | (Melee, Beam, Accurate) | | 12: J-Type Beam Saber Penetration Mode Pwr: 3700 22 EN | | (Melee, Beam, Penetrating) | | 13: J-Type Beam Saber Decisive Strike Pwr: 5600 48 EN | | (Melee, Beam, Accurate, Penetrating) | | 14: Stark Jegan Bazooka Curtailing Shot Pwr: 4600 31 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Missile, Rattle) | | 15: Stark Jegan Bazooka Shot Pwr: 4400 29 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Missile, Penetrating) | | 16: Stark Jegan Bazooka Pellet Spray Pwr: 4200 22 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, MAP) | | 17: Stark Jegan Bazooka Barrage Pwr: 5900 44 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Missile, Penetrating) | | 18: Stark Jegan Bazooka Anti-Ship Volley Pwr: 5200 37 EN | | (Ranged, Physical, Missile, Ship-Killer) | | 19: Pass - 0 EN | | (Ranged, Passive, All-Range) | \----< HP: 8525/14600 EN: 37 (+31/round|0 comm) SP: 60 Morale: 150/150 >-----/ <Pose Tracker> Li Yao has posed.
Whether it is because of those fancy gn particles cause sensor ghosts, or perhaps the approaching unit is truly a ghost and was never there to begin with, whatever may be the case the machine gun blasts never land on the unit during it's approach. Yao can't help but grin as he manuevers himself to where the bridge is located and stares into it for a moment as if trying to see who his opponent is.
An old man's voice echos across open comms for the Ra Mari to pick up, <"To the federation ship, normally I would prefer to ask that you sortie and come face me in a fair fight. However today I have higher priorities so I am sorry, this will not be fair for you."> One can almost hear the arrogance in the Yao's voice before the Yulong floats back and takes a fighting stance.
Inside the cockpit the old man stands facing his opponent letting out a cry of combat as the GN particles glow and then the Yulong drops down towards the bow of the ship attempting to smack the bow with a open palm, injecting traces of GN particles in the process if there is contact.
KTS: Li Yao targets Eight York with Wu Xian Llu Long: Dragon's Roar! KTS: Li Yao has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Li Yao rattles Eight York, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Eight York fails to react to Li Yao's Wu Xian Llu Long: Dragon's Roar, taking 4950 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Follow-up Strike activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Qi Injection activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Pin Point Accuracy activates, causing Nullify! KTS: Li Yao has engaged Eight York! <Pose Tracker> Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has posed.
Ed's eyes light up as she sees more data! "Non-garbage data! Treasure data?" She leans into the screen. "Power data. Oooh! hohohooo!!!"
She opens CSB comms, "The power surges are a logical pattern, maybe! A correlation! Maybe a causation! Correlation, causation, correlation, cauuusatioooon!!!" she excitedly yells. "Ed believes that maybe the power surges are connected to the transmissions. Maybe we can use the power surges to pinpoint the location of the transmitter..."
She starts to rapidly type, running some algorithms to try and overlay the pattern of power surges, transmissions, and map data to see what it spits out. "Ed will let her algorithms cook while she engages in DOZOO DEGWAAAAA!!!"
Suddenly, as Juri heads for the doors, the Refined Barzam goes rushing in at incredible speeds. Its movements are wild and loose for a mobile suit of this type, arms flailing as double beam sabers are drawn. It's like a strange organized chaos, the mathematically calculated movements of a tornado.
<"Uh oh! Ed has bad news for Juri WOOOOOOOO Nine!!! You're going to claim Ed's friend's bounty, sooooo... ED DECLARES A GUNDAM FIGHT!!! The Refined Barzam is made of gundarium alloy, so technically a Gundam! Ed suggests original Gundam Fight rules, no cockpit targeting. Let Ed know if you accept!"
Just as she says that, she swings one of her swords horizontally, a simple strike aimed for the arm of Juri's unit.
KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV targets Juri Wu Nien with Swoopy Swipe! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Ennil El has posed.
The wolf is chasing nearer. Ennil El feels the hum of the Psychoframe... She's following the song more than the light at this point, feeling the way it ebbs and flows, follows the Phenex's attention.
It's so beautiful. Even as raw and exposed as she feels, her heart is briefly cooled.
And then it pulls away again. Indignance overcomes her -- bile bites at the back of her throat. If the Phenex won't share its light, if it insists on dancing just out of reach...
[BGM: https://youtu.be/rsX6nxwCZ1o]
She'll just have to devour it all for herself.
The shields burst forth, propelled on more of that miraculous light. Skoll throws up its hands, the INCOM units tearing away on impact - exactly as designed. They lash through the air, the shattered tendrils chasing after the golden Unicorn, spraying beam fire into its wake even as the shields continue their assault. More and more shards of broken metal are shorn from the patchwork unit, but they grow back just as fast... And when an interloper decides to make her move, the wolf turns its fangs just as easily, the machine twisting in the void and kicking a cloud of shrapnel into the oncoming fire, blunting it entirely.
<<"Now... that's a good way to get yourself hurt!">>
While the INCOMs chase after the Phenex, the Doven Wolf itself lays down a withering storm of beams on the pursuing Valkyrie.
KTS: Ennil El: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Ennil El targets Rita Bernal with Wolf's Lash Pincer Formation! KTS: Ennil El targets Anita Rosetta with Doven Wolf Beam Weapon Rapid Fire! KTS: Ennil El has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Anita Rosetta blocks Ennil El's Doven Wolf Beam Weapon Rapid Fire, taking 3080 damage! KTS: [Lucky] Rita Bernal's Miracle Child activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Rita Bernal successfully blocks Ennil El's Wolf's Lash Pincer Formation KTS: Ennil El: Will Barrier Activates. KTS: Juri Wu Nien fails to evade Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV's Swoopy Swipe, taking 2250 damage! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has engaged Juri Wu Nien!
<Pose Tracker> Puru Two has posed.
Rena's voice is loud in her ear, and the sense of alarm resonates in her soul. "I know!" Puru Two shouts back urgently, to confirm she's alive as much as anything. "I'll draw this joker away from you. Keep going." and the Qubeley's verniers blaze to life, main thrusters soon igniting soon after. That's quite a bit of pick up and go, and the MS bolts away like a sprinter off the mark.
"Leina, if you feel something coming, warn Rena." she adds as a quick afterthought, since talking to one occupant of Rena's Jegan reaches both.
The Qubeley is fast on the move, and Puru Two is hurled hard against her harness. One perk of being a designer-made test tube baby is being hardened against little things like 'gravity' and 'blunt force trauma'. "Eight, we've walked into an ambush!" she calls, but she's a little late on that front. "I can't see Anita from here, some idiot is chasing right after me. Rena's got her own, too." a beat. "Anita, can you hear me? I'm fine, but this is turning messy fast!"
Puru Two grits her teeth in equal parts concentration and frustration. She can feel that distant warmth coming close again. Her expression is growing harder still. "Won't take no for an answer?" she chides the resonance coming from the Phenex -- because she doesn't understand, truly. That's it more than anything. "Fine, but don't blame me if you don't like what you see when you get too close."
--Awake--
Puru Two reaches out, or at least, kicks down her stubborn mental walls. On the black ink of space, her presence glows with recognition of this strange invitation she's given. "Are you telling me I should listen...?"
But there are things to deal with on the physical plane. The Qubeley and the Alto trade fire harmlessly, each moving far too quickly for the other to land with sprayed pot-shots. "No, no point destroying this machine. Go home and relax." Puru Two sneers back without a moment's hesitation.
From the sleek black Mobile Suit's tail comes an vortexing spiral of thruster-fire, as numerous self-propelled funnels suddenly depart and take to the skies (so to speak).
"... how expendable were these experiments, in the end, I wonder? "
The clone's eyes narrow. The funnels flank the Qubeley's shoulders like a wireframe model of a great bird's wings, despite one arm being absent beneath that makeshift black cloak.
"Something you're trying to get at? You're a talkative one. Let's hash it out later after I take your unit apart."
Ah, those whose emotions are wielded as weapons are so easily manipulated. A hailstorm of burning gold spears rains towards Yuliana's delicate and flighty ride as all those funnels open fire. That's a lot of glowy beams!
KTS: Puru Two has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Puru Two targets Yuliana Kafim with Qubeley MK-II Funnels - Astrapi Formation! KTS: Puru Two has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to evade Puru Two's Qubeley MK-II Funnels - Astrapi Formation, taking 4800 damage! <Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"He's... he's not like Full Frontal," Rena answers Leina. She glances sideways at her, briefly -- having to look rear view mirror, to do that.
Even with the Sinanju Stein, there is something different about Zoltan. Her fingers grip the controls of the Stark Jegan tightly, as she rushes inward. "I will. This isn't going to be easy."
She feels something around her, too; it's not just Leina's presence, but also the Phenex's. Her eyes widen sharply -- she feels something warm about her, and light that seems to infuse her machine. A sense of protection, emanating from the Phenex. Something that is trying to keep her safe. "Who... who is she?"
Rena swallows, then. "I'm okay, Captain--and yeah, Annie. I'll--I'll be fine. Try to help her, okay?" she asks, meaning the Phenex.
Then, she grits her teeth, and nods. "G-Got it, Callie."
Zoltan's rifle fires, shots of energy hurtling off at the Stark Jegan. It twists and bobs, verniers making it dart around the first two shots, before the second smashes into the right shoulder. It rips through the missile pods, which explode in a fiery mess -- blasting flame out from it a huge fireball.
"I said I'd try to stop you," Rena answers Zoltan. "And don't call the Phenex a dud. There's... there's something more to it! To her! You can feel that, can't you!?"
Several of his rifle's shots slam into the door. They leave gleaming fiery gashes in its wake. It will take many more shots, though. She decides the only thing to be done is to get in close -- so the Stark Jegan reaches up to its backpack, gripping the beam saber. Rena tears it free from the recharge rack.
Then a blade of pink light explodes to life, before Rena hits the thrusters -- and sends the Stark Jegan careening in close to the Sinanju Stein. It flies in a tight, twisting turn--
--and slams the beam saber down for Zoltan's Mobile Suit.
The doors are ripped apart by pure, blue light. They crumple -- and those huge hangar doors are shredded off the colony. As they tear away, they reveal the spaceport inside. The first thing to greet their eyes, in the way of the corporate world, is advertising: the words "ANAHEIM ELECTRONICS" under a massive stencil of the company's logo.
Then, there are several surplused Salamis Kai-class ships -- and one old Thuverl Salan-class, a Zentradi hulk that had seen years of service and been salvaged many times, with human technology from several generations dotting its hull -- that sit there. Those are all dead and dark.
There are also emptied Mobile Suit hangars. More disturbingly, there are a couple of shuttles there... and outside one is a corpse, wearing a normal suit -- the faceplate long frosted over, but a gash in the arm showing how they died.
But this isn't where the transmissions are coming from.
Ed's sensor sweep -- backed by several programs analyzing them, algorithms churning out data -- finds the data. The programs do the rest; there are several terminals. When a large facility loses power, it takes time to come online -- and what she finds is that different parts of the colony are losing, then regaining power. One terminal is deep inside; another is at the core of the spaceport.
But the transmissions are coming somewhat more frequently, too, and so are the power surges.
"Hold back! I repeat, hold back! This ship is at capacity! We can't ake anymore, but--"
"Can you confirm that spike? Minovksy particle density is off the charts!"
"We're going to get another shipment of psychoframe soon..."
"What did we do to deserve this?"
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Zoltan Akkanen with J-Type Beam Saber Strike! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 47. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 70. KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has activated the Alert Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"No contact," Fari reports as to the unit, tonelessly. He's too good at this to get emotional over a single miss, but he's still concerned by it. Particularly thsoe particles...
But Li Yao is not focusing on Eight's gunner; he is focusing on her. So, the channel opens, and Astelian lets it play for the Captain. Eight lifts an eyebrow.
But in that moment, there is a flash of awareness; as Eight undrstands her opponent, he will in turn get a look of a young blonde woman looking intently out through the bridge's viewport, her red eyes narrowed. "Noted," she says over the radio station but also somehow directly to the old man. The rest merely comes over the radio, "Another day, maybe."
But the Yulong drops down to the bow and slams into it with an open palm--and this is much, much more effective than Eight is expecting it to be from a single mobile suit. The ship shakes, GN particles spreading through from that point to flash and overload a number of systems; a few pieces of panel on the bridge explode, forcing crew members to cover their faces with arms. Only their seatbelts keep them fully in place.
"What in the damn--" Fari is the first to comment, but Eight's with him, "OK, new strategy. Astelian--focus sensors on that mobile suit. Our pilots can handle Mx. Glow for the moment."
"In the meantime," Eight says, "I want you to try to shake it, Chovan. Move for the colony," she starts, looknig at her displays to show how open it is now, "Pattern Delta Two. Fari, shields up."
As Chovan starts to maneuver, the Ra Mari gets faster, turning to try to leave the Yulong behind entirely. The shields in place pulse red as more power is diverted to them, but Eight takes just a moment, and goes against what she said herself. She reaches, since Chovan has the helm for now, with her mind.
To the Phenex. I know you're trying to help us. You can trust my pilots. They'll defend you.
Meanwhile, the Yulong will have to maneuver in order to not just get hit by the Ra Mari's bulk.
KTS: Eight York has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Rita Bernal KTS: Eight York targets Li Yao with Designate L1! KTS: Eight York has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen rushes into the attack! KTS: Zoltan Akkanen partially guards Rena Lancaster's J-Type Beam Saber Strike, taking 1845 damage! KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Zoltan Akkanen! <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
"<I'll do my best to warn her, Callie. ... Stay safe out there.>"
The warm feelings of the Phenex, its sense of trust washes over her she tries to return it but.. she sees the Doven Wolf's dive towards the Phenex, feels the Dawn Aura and, "Ennil?" Then hastily she hits the comms and tries to narrowbeam the transition towards the Wolf, "<Ennil no! Let her go! Please! ... Don't add this to your list of regrets.>"
She knows she might not be able to convince her, after all Amuro was so hellbent on destroying the Unicorn, but she has to try.
Nevertheless, she sees the Phenex ripping away the doors, agog at the feat, and wondering... at the potential the exists while simultaneously saddened by what others will view of it, how others will want it.
Isn't it always that way, that Newtypes are only viewed in the sense of the innovation they can bring to warfare? How they can be exploited by those with power?
'Who... who is she?'
Rena feels a sense of profound sorrow from Leina, and there in the cockpit she tells her. "She's... a Cyber Newtype, who was caught up in an awful experiment."
Zoltan taunts them over the comms in reply, as Leina stops looking at the instruments, and makes contact with Rena again and there's just this raw sense of impulses from her, as if she were trying to link her intuition with hers to give her an edge in dodging the shots.
The chaotic field of fire boxes them anyway, and she bites back a shriek as another shot strikes them. As Rena's saber ignites, and as they clash.
"<Yeah. There is. Neo Zeon used to write whole volumes on useless etiquette like that. ... Even with all it implies, I'm glad you weren't made to read them...>"
Zoltan might feel a spike of sadness and... wait, sadness for him? Sympathy? ... Is she actually pitying him?!
Inside, the hulks of ships, the repetition of the transmission... people once lived here.
Once.
Is the bitter impression that the girl from the Colonies gets at this place. Something awful happened here, and her dread just grows as she thinks of what it might be.
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Zoltan Akkanen and Ennil El with Shock. KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight York designates Li Yao, making him easier to target and opening him to indirect fire. KTS: Leina Ashta shocks Ennil El, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Ennil El's activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Leina Ashta shocks Zoltan Akkanen, reducing his Morale significantly. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Zoltan Akkanen's Future Questions activates, and his spirit endures. <Pose Tracker> Juri Wu Nien has posed.
That familiar voice returns over the public comms. She's heard that recently. And the name... Ed.
Juri's eyes go wide, "WHAT!?" She cries out to herself in her cockpit. It couldn't be, could it!? That was just days ago! What are the odds of meeting her here again?
Juri doesn't really have time to calculate them though as Ed issues a challenge. Juri definitely would prefer to avoid a fight in this situation, so laughs a little nervously and replies, <"Uhhhahahaha. Sorry, but this isn't actually a Gundam. So I don't think I can get in a Gundam Fight with you?">
Doesn't look like Juri has a choice though as Ed charges her with beam sabers! Juri jams her flight stick to the side to try and move out of the way of the swipe. But she's not fast enough and the saber strikes across the Astray's shoulder, putting a bit of a charred groove into it.
Sparks fly in the cockpit and Juri cries out in surprise, "WHA!? I would have dodged that in the sims!" Not good! Not good! Juri needs to do something to disuade Ed from pursuing her...
Then she realizes Ed is talking to her over the comms. Which means she has a way in! She reaches over, unfolding a keyboard across her lap. She starts typing... But she has to buy some time, so also talks, <"Y-You're Radical Edward, right? I really don't think we need to fight, I'm sure there's more than enough salvage to go around!"> Juri's hands dance across the keyboard rapidly until finally she's ready, continuing over comms, <"Besides... I'm not much of a fighter!"> She hits enter.
Ed's system reports a SYSTEM INTRUSION just as numerous popups begin to clutter up the HUD. Generic internet adverisements of all varieties being to cover the screens. No doubt making it harder to get a good targetting sight on Juri's Astray!
Hoping that her system attack buys her some time, Juri turns her attention back to the task of getting into the colony's network. Her system alerts her to what she's looking for. A data conduit behind some paneling. Juri raises her rifle towards it and pulls the trigger.
But the beam weapon doesn't fire.
Instead the attachment beneath the barrel launches an object. A remote hacking pod custom designed by Juri! The projectile strikes the panel, doing very little actual damage and instead sticking there. It then gets to work, a torch burning through the panel to open the way. Numerous wires then snake out of the machine, reaching towards the data conduit behind it. They wrap around it, their ends driving into the conduit as they splice into it.
It shouldn't take long for Juri to gain access to the colony's computer network. It might be a little unreliable, given the power issues it is having. But it should give her plenty of options. Such as trying to find a layout to the facility which might point her in the right direction!
KTS: Juri Wu Nien targets Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV with Jam! KTS: Juri Wu Nien has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"Connected...? You're pretty good at this, Ed," Verdiska remarks, and her distorted voice almost sounds warm for a moment. "Why they'd send you out here..." Why would VEDA send a child here to investigate these signals? She's obviously skilled with technology, but she's clearly young. "... ahh, doesn't sound like I need to tell you to keep your head up," Yuliana gives up, on the channel, with a light conclusion.
She'd actually prefer to avoid involving children as warriors, herself, but it's not like she doesn't understand the necessity and process intimately. She's a ranking officer, after all. It's just an unfortunate part of the process of war.
If Yuliana knew who was piloting the Phenex -- if she recognised anything as piloting the Phenex -- would she take exception to the bartender assaulting it, now? It's an open question with no answer; they are blind.
She notices the doors being ripped apart, anyway.
Unfortunately, Yuliana is still a Natural, with a Natural's processing speed and reaction times -- so she's looking at her camera view of the open hangar, and then she's looking up at the funnels, coming at her. A moment's distraction which costs her, even as she tries to command the Flight Alto's systems to fly through the hail of funnel-fire; she weaves through one, past two others, before a third blasts her machine and other beams flock to join it. "Ugh--!!" She can be heard, and the electrical filter flickers, for a moment, to reveal a voice more mezzo than alto: "You wretched imitation..!"
(It almost sounds like Yuliana's voice.)
The filter's back in place, though, the next time she speaks. "I've already secured everything I need," she informs her, with venom. "But you -- you are bereft of so much. You callous, empty creature," Verdiska accuses her, and does not think for a moment of the irony.
She jets closer to the bay doors, only to swing around, at the last moment -- the forces catching at the edges of her, swinging her against her straps -- and aim down her rifle, for a single, sighted BLAST.
(Wen makes this look so easy, she thinks, in the privacy of her isolated heart.)
KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Juri Wu Nien jams Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV's sensors, reducing her accuracy. KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Puru Two with ExAMACS Long-Range Rifle Aimed Shot! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. KTS: [Spirit Defense] Puru Two's Whispers of the Newtype Battalion activates, and the spirit is adjusted. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Puru Two <Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Anita moves in to support the Phenex. A wave of warm gratitude emanates toward her new ally, with the Gundam flitting close for just a moment. She reaches out, toward Anita, then brings her hand in toward her chest. It's a grateful motion -- the most she can manage, in the chaos of battle.
As the Phenex soars through the torn-open doors, Zoltan's shots chase after her. Each is dodged with a graceful, darting motion. Despite herself, a brief flash of anger bursts in her spirit. It was always him... The only thing she can do for the Colony is hurry everyone inside and away from vital outer walls. Hopefully, other areas would be more resilient and easier to repair.
Attacks fly within the Colony, breaking the Phenex's focus. She only has enough for a single sentence to Callisto, now, she has to make it count. Hope and care flutter around Callisto's spirit, like so many butterflies. She knows where Callisto's thoughts are. What would help the most is...
None will take your will from you.
Everyone is caught up in the battle, now. Ennil chases her with fervor, even as the Phenex soars away. She can't move at top speed within the Colony, especially while trying to guide everyone. Malicious intent bears down on her. It seems her shield wasn't enough to ward off the wolf. Skoll isn't simply chasing her, now, but firing missiles. Blue light bursts around the Phenex as she comes to a stop. Angling herself so the missiles will fall further into the colony, she waits until the very, very last moment -- and rockets straight up.
Blue light shines from the Phenex. She waits for Ennil to come into view, then raises her hand. Terrible red-orange-yellow explodes behind her, silhouetting the Gundam in harsh colors. What would be enough to stop this wolf? Perhaps the light of humanity's fire.
Every shade of the rainbow gathers around the Phenex. This time, it's different. Weaponized Resonance races across the space between the Phenex and the wolf, carrying with it a baneful memory.
From on high descends a burning sphere, once home to many, now bringing only death, only fear. A lonely continent waits its embrace. Descension complete, flames shriek as the oceans rise, destroying all, destroying all, destroying all...
Don't you remember?
Prismatic Resonance of the spirit tears into Skoll, seeking to shred its armor.
Eight's words reach the Phenex, and she spins back, pausing. A hand is extended, and again, radiance passes from the Gundam. Like a piece of silk caught in a breeze, it floats back to the Ra Mari, encircling it, and passing into the bridge. Gratitude, soft and gentle, like a spring rain, for all who may sense it.
Twin beacons glow, now. A decision must be made. There are enough living pilots to chase both, but the Phenex herself can only choose one. She flies in a quick, wide circle, gathering attention, then dives. Accelerating, her wings settle on her back once more.
With a burst of gold and blue, the Phenex alights near the spaceport, a shimmering beacon.
KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Eight York KTS: Puru Two fails to react to Yuliana Kafim's ExAMACS Long-Range Rifle Aimed Shot, taking 7010 damage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Rita Bernal targets Ennil El with Coronal Aurorae! KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
"Loud and clear." Anita replies, as she hears Callie's voice over communications. She nods. "...That's good, at least - just be careful, alright?"
And then there's Rena. It sounds like she's having a difficult time... but, it's clear that Rena has a bit more insight into the Phenex than she does. It must be her senses - something she lacks.
"Will do. You be careful, too." Anita replies.
...Be careful, she says. On the plus side, she succeeds in getting her target's attention.
...On the minus side, she succeeds in getting her target's attention, who avoids her attack and retaliates with a volley of beam fire. Anita grits her teeth, raising her shield for defense. The beams hammer against her suit, the Pinpoint Barrier System flickering to life and dulling the attack somewhat. But even through it, she can tell that this isn't going to be an easy fight.
"I'm okay with that. I can't just let you chase after her without having my say, right?" Anita replies as Ennil warns her that it's a good way to get hurt, and then asides to the Phenex, "...Speaking of, you alright?"
She can't feel that gratitude but she can see that motion - the way she moves closer for a moment, and her grateful gesture. That's good enough for her. Within her cockpit, Anita smiles.
"Great." She says. With this, a beam cannon emerges over her Valkyrie's left shoulder, taking aim at the Skoll. She knows that her opponent is quick, so she's more careful this time - and once she's ready, she unleashes a beam straight toward her.
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Valor Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Zoltan Akkanen has posed.
"Of course I can! Some new weapon, some new thing in warfare. What do you think they're doing?" The obvious answer to the obvious question. Gesturing? Guiding? Of course there's nothing but war, and the damn Phenex reaching out with everything only showed off what was the obvious thing: Humanity would keep fighting.
Humanity would keep refusing to change.
An annoyed drum as a tapped on his suit's frame, charging in. Sheer speed, sheer force, his own roiling mind sending those waves of annoyance outwards. The bitter taste of frustration with a hint of pity, focusing on little but that damned Jegan. "
In, in, in. Rifle. Stowed. Useless when so close. Sword, reaching bac-
Instinct. The raised shield arm on a Soldier's Instinct, beam crashing against shield, a parting parry...but not enough, sending that sword to gash along that wounded shoulder. He pushes in all the while, hand grabbing his own sword hilt, turning it on and going in. One swipe. Twice, thrice, quadrice, quintrice, a ploy to push in, to push on the defensive, to pressure and not let up.
It falters on the sixth swipe. Pity? PITY!? "ARE YOU SAYING I'M NOT WORTH IT!?" A scream born from the soul. "I see, I see! With another person in there, you can't fight completely, is that right!? ARE YOU PITYING ME AND MAKING IT EASY FOR ME, HAH!?" That frustration was hardening. Sharpening. Thorns into scapels, scapels into graters, graters into shredders. The sheer, unyielding conclusion of a man who felt he was pitied.
Prickly. Unwanted. Unyielding. Pressuring.
KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Ennil El with Targeted Beam Cannon Blast! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen targets Rena Lancaster with MSN-06S Sinanju Stein Beam Saber Twin Swipe! KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Foresee Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster <Pose Tracker> Li Yao has posed.
Manuver the Yulong does, as if it does not even know that the Ra Mari is planning a thing. It simply gets out of the way , moving to position itself under the Ra Mari and watches it move away. Yao grits his teeth and for one who may be able to communicate to the Phenex would absolutely feel the pilot's feeling. Indignation.
When Yao was told another time, he had assumed that meant that they would be accepting of the unfairness that he was going to inflict on the Ra Mari, not that they would ignore him. That just wasn't, not even, couldn't be , allowed.
At that moment Yao may not be completely thinking straight, as he got loss in his emotions, and his anger causes him to give chase. Flying under the Ra Mari he arcs downward before he comes right up infront of the Ra Mari spinning with arms outstretched and locked spreading those green particles outward. If one was to ask Yao this is the technique of dragons tail, but to see the Yulong as more of trying to imitate a magical girl with all the sparkles isn't out of the picture. The actual impact though, if the Ra Mari can not move to avoid would be used to repel itself back infront of the Ra Mari's path.
Yao would not let his opponent to just run.
KTS: Li Yao has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Li Yao targets Eight York with Wu Xian Llu Long: Dragon's Tail! KTS: Li Yao has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Eight York blocks Li Yao's Wu Xian Llu Long: Dragon's Tail, taking 5100 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Follow-up Strike activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Qi Injection activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Pin Point Accuracy activates, causing Nullify! KTS: Li Yao repulses Eight York, forcing her to disengage. KTS: Ennil El's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Rita Bernal rattles Ennil El, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Ennil El partially guards Rita Bernal's Coronal Aurorae, taking 1710 damage! KTS: Ennil El's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Ennil El fails to evade Anita Rosetta's Targeted Beam Cannon Blast, taking 3375 damage! <Pose Tracker> Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has posed.
"Ohohohohooooo! Dramatic chip mode, activate!" Ed commands as the robotic arm in her cockpit holds the chocolate covered potato chip in front of her, then she crunches down on it, and the arm dramatically swoops the rest of the chip away from her.
She announces over the CSB comms, "There's a terminal deep inside the facility, and another deep in the core of the spacesport! It seeeeems like the facility takes a while to come online after it loses power. Ed thinks the transmissions are becoming more frequent..."
Ed chews on that for a long moment, and her chip. "Maybe it's going to explode! Or shut down. Hmm, but Ed wonders... a possible discrepency!" she states with suspicion.
While she still has a moment, as the battle is beginning, Ed quickly types a few commands. "Ed is going to analyze the data to see if these transmissions are even live."
<"The Refined Barzam is personally modified. Ed coded the operating system from scratch herself! Oohh and I made a variety of technical improvements. AND Ed uses an aimbot!">
When Ed's screens are flooded with adds, her eyes go wide. <"Interloper! Since you're a worthy foe for Edward in the legendary Gundam Fight with One Gundam, she will introduce herself... my name is Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski the Fourth! Ed made it up herself.">
Ed suddenly devotes her attention to counter-hacking, trying to quickly use those same routes to break into Juri's systems and flood her screens with Ed's custom emojis. They don't actually block her vision, they're just incredibly distracting and annoying, and having Ed in their systems is probably very disconcerting. <"Hmm, if Juri doesn't doesn't stop pursuing Ed's friend's bounty, Ed will find Juri's dating profiles and read them out loud.">
Reaching over to touch the volume knob, as if this matters in space, Ed becomes very loud. <"Everyone, remember Edward's frequency! When I can get back to normal internet, Ed will go hunting for Juri's dating profiles and read them! Oohh lalaaaa!">
KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV targets Juri Wu Nien with Shock! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen rattles Rena Lancaster, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to parry Zoltan Akkanen's MSN-06S Sinanju Stein Beam Saber Twin Swipe, taking 3330 damage! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 5195 KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has engaged Rena Lancaster! KTS: Zoltan Akkanen begins a Formation attack! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV shocks Juri Wu Nien, reducing her Morale significantly. <Pose Tracker> Ennil El has posed.
<Ennil, no!>
And for a moment she is Ennil El. How can she not be? Leina is calling out to her. Her heart turns towards that voice, grasps at the thread it offers...
And then she's bathed in Phenex's light. A heart unguarded for a moment shatters in the swell of memory. Falling... falling... burning. Ennil El's head hangs low. Her eyes are shadowed. The Skoll begs to be loosed from its chain but there's no response, even as beams score across it, tearing more flesh from its broad torso.
In desperation, it sinks its teeth inward. More tendrils lash out of the inner systems. They plunge through her back in an uncanny mirror of memory -- they sink into her forearms, dig into the wrists. Dawnlight surges thickly through them, and both within and without the Skoll's claws trail sticky, sickly glows.
Ennil El's neck snaps stiffly up, and her eyes fix on the Phenex. For a moment, she perceives the Phenex not as the beast of miracles... but as the shimmering figure of a lost young blonde woman.
Then, as the Cosmic Will settles over her... a soft red head of hair, and an impossibly exuberant voice.
The wolf lunges. There is no more care for physicality, no more pretending to be human. It is wounded. It is bleeding. Its fetters whip around it in tatters. Only feeding will save it now.
KTS: Ennil El has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Ennil El has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Ennil El targets Rita Bernal with Gore-Stained Wolf's Nail! KTS: Ennil El targets Anita Rosetta with Wolf's Lash Battering Storm! KTS: Ennil El has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Ennil El rattles Rita Bernal, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Rita Bernal blocks Ennil El's Gore-Stained Wolf's Nail, taking 3450 damage! KTS: Ennil El has engaged Rita Bernal! KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Ennil El rattles Anita Rosetta, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Anita Rosetta blocks Ennil El's Wolf's Lash Battering Storm, taking 5390 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Juri Wu Nien has posed.
<"Hah! Joke's on you. I don't have any dating profiles! Like I would ever give sleazy corporations like that any of my personal data."> Juri has seen more than enough abuses of that during her time online.
However, having Ed counterattack her own system is a little more concerning. Juri is starting to sweat a little as she types rapidly, trying to fight the other hacker off. The infamy of her opponent is well known to Juri. But she's no slacker either! She's done her fair share of hacks. Some Ed may have even heard of. But unlike Ed, Juri doesn't advertise herself. She doesn't even have a cool hacker name... No, her hacks tend to be for more personal reasons than that. More serious reasons.
But now is not the time to dwell on that. Instead Juri tries a different approach, diving into the power systems of her opponent. She starts to introduce flaws into the power transfer flows, causing less than optimal levels of energy to reach the machine's weapons.
Juri calls out triumphantly, <"Let's see you deal with that!">
KTS: Juri Wu Nien targets Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV with Prevent! KTS: Juri Wu Nien has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Juri Wu Nien prevents Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV's maneuvers, reducing her Skill drastically. KTS: Leina Ashta has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster <Pose Tracker> Puru Two has posed.
None will take your will from you.
The Qubeley's many flying guns are dizzying and hard to track, especially as a Natural. It's not strictly fair, which means it's good warfare. They're small targets and they flit to and fro like gnats, to say nothing of the sensory overload of being harried in a cage of eye-searing beam weaponry.
Its pilot catches wind, however briefly, of a voice that sounds familiar. A voice she's heard taunting her time and time again. Could it truly be? "You're--"
Ah. Don't finish that thought. You aren't allowed to.
'You wretched imitation..!' bellows the disguised Yuliana Kafim, voice having since returned to its unrecognizable state. The Qubeley scythes through the empty space towards the bay doors with infuriating adroitness: the agility of a machine built by spacenoids, for spacenoids, in an environment for spacenoids (space (the outer variety)). The makeshift cloak over one missing arm flaps gallantly as rubble strikes it, but there's nothing solid underneath to be damage.
Looking for Callisto?
Funnels race past the Qubeley, hounds with the scent of blood in their noses. Their owner strains against her harness, as if trying to stand. But there's a crucial thing missing--that Human feeling, that awareness on the other end for their user to target and kill. Yes, there's the rub with remote weapons, folks: despite the distance involved, all the best pilots make it -very- personal. You think beam sabers are homoerotic? Oh, no, nonono. Try putting your psychic hands around your rival's throat and squeezing. "You think I am empty?" snarls Puru Two, caught right in the weak point. "You're years too late with that jab. Do your homework sooner."
Anyway, Yuliana doesn't have that special buzz, so the next volley doesn't hit anything and the return fire--one goot shot--catches the Zeon suit square in the shield-arm. This is not a good block, however, and the blast skids off of the shield and sprays across the remainder of the chassis. Black limbs glow cherry red, and an explosion of force throws the Qubeley into a wicked spiral once more. This time, the suit is hurled bodily into the interior bulkhead of the Colony cylinder, smushing Puru Two's cheek against her helmet as the G Forces start exceeding safe levels. Several verniers are shorn off, and the remaining Beam Saber function blinks out.
Callisto was a silly lie,
why don't we have a chat instead?
"Worth the trade." Puru Two rasps back to her prey, for her funnels continue the charge even as the Qubeley falters. Some of them are straight-up physically trying to chase down the Alto with Yuliana on board, willing to ram it like the most expensive missiles in the Earth Sphere if that's what it takes. "Embarrassing, really. You know how out of date this suit is?" she laughs, toxic gamer gleein her voice. Flying daggers of sunlight chase the Alto from one safe spot to another, happily shearing through whatever cover is between them and their quarry. "You're dying to Neo Zeon's table scraps. Back to basic with you."
KTS: Puru Two has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Puru Two targets Yuliana Kafim with Qubeley MK-II Funnels - Spathi Formation! KTS: Puru Two has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has posed.
<"I see, Woo Nine is very wise!"> But then Ed's systems start getting weird, so she puts her beam sabers away as she notices things going odd with the power readings. <"No fair! Ed's weapons are all overclocked, so it's dangerous to use them with unstable power!">
The Barzam starts looking around, then spots a thick sheet of metal, probably from some wall, or maybe a long exploded ship, who knows.
What's important is that Ed thrusts over to it, grabs it with both of the Barzam's hands, then throws it at Juri. <"If all calculates the trajectory of Juri's current movement of momentum, the approximate weight of the sheet of metal, the strength and angle of the Barzam's throw, and the average friction of solar winds... bonk!!!>"
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
"Annie'll help her," Rena tells Leina, in regards to Ennil. She spares her a worried glance, though -- and then she looks back ahead. Her eyes narrow, for a moment, as she listens to the explanation.
"We have to try to help her," she says. "I'm not sure how, but--it starts by surviving this. Hang in there, okay, Leina?"
That notion isn't easy. Her beam saber cuts along the Sinanju Stein's shield, then into the shoulder. She feels a little satisfaction at scoring a hit along that. "I'm not--PITYING YOU!" Rena shouts, her voice catching for just a moment, as Zoltan screams at them both. "You're wrong about that Mobile Suit, Zoltan! There's--there's something else, some feeling that comes from it! You have to see something besides the worst in people!"
Sinanju Stein's beam saber comes crashing down, over and over. The first blow slashes into the left arm of the Stark Jegan -- catches it at the forearm -- and sheers it away. The second slashes into the midsection, and leaves a nasty burn mark over it; rivulets of molten titanium drift off, cooling into globules as they spin away. A third catches the head, slashing into its side -- and the panoramic display flickers for a moment. A fourth, though, slams down into Rena's beam saber.
Rena slams on her thrusters, sending the Stark Jegan slamming forward -- and she stabs the beam saber out, trying to pierce it through the elbow joint with a single thrust. There is, though, a rush of panic -- if she fails here, then she could get Leina killed, too.
The Phenex comes near the spaceport. To the control tower, where one of those signals is coming from. The words are broadcast into the Phenex -- though whether they can be heard is another matter. They are, after all, a series of transmissions being sent long after the people here died. Others can hear them, though.
"We've suffered a massive power failure. The reactor doesn't work the way that we thought it did. At this scale, it's unstable. It makes a massive Minovsky particle field, and it disrupts the colony's internal systems. I don't know if this message will reach you. I tried to let everyone get away..."
But the Phenex can see what eyes cannot.
Slumped at the control tower is a lone figure. Inside, they wear a normal suit; the body is slumped over, the faceplate of the normal suit against the controls. They have a hand on their controls, still. The Phenex can feel the emotions this soul left before they departed.
Sorrow, for how many never got out. Regret, for the weapons made and the lives broken here. Fear, as they saw oxygen levels drop and the end come. Pride, because they did help some escape. But they never rested.
Their voice keeps speaking, from a recording. "...I don't know if I did. I hope it's enough."
Ed's sensors pick up on something else. Another power surge is coming; this one is much larger than the last. Sensors across the battlefield begin to pick up on it: a growing density of Minovsky particles.
KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV targets Juri Wu Nien with I AM THE TABLE!!!! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Puru Two enervates Yuliana Kafim, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Yuliana Kafim blocks Puru Two's Qubeley MK-II Funnels - Spathi Formation, taking 6460 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru Two's Pressure of Aggression activates, causing Deject! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru Two's Pressure of Aggression activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV rattles Juri Wu Nien, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Juri Wu Nien fails to evade Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV's I AM THE TABLE!!!, taking 5040 damage! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. <Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Eight feels that indignation, all right. She thought she could just move the battlefield entirely, but as it turns out, Li Yao's will is stronger than Chovan's piloting skils today. She manages to get the ship going, all right--but Eight feels intent suddenly, and she frowns.
"Shields--"
That slam of green energy crashes forward. The sparkles move foward and permeate the shields, the resultant impact shaking the ship again as it's entirely unequipped to deal with this particular kind of threat. ...Well, maybe not entirely.
Because when the Yulong's powerful strike batters at the Ra Mari's hull and at her systems, crackling lightning erupting in places on the ship, the weapons arrays are doing just fine. And with the Yulong directly in its path--
"Fire all guns directly at that mobile suit."
The Ra Mari's cannons suddenly light up, already trainin on the Yulong, and the ship unleashes as much firepower as it can direc against one smaller target, all at once in a blaze of pink light that crashes through the green.
But at the same time, she feels it. She feels Callisto--Puru Two's--rage. "...Damn," she says, and Li Yao may in turn feel not rage, not pride of battle--but frustration, as Eight looks out towards the colony.
"...Mx. Rezza," she says. "You have the bridge. I'm going to get out there."
KTS: Eight York has activated the Attune Spirit Command. KTS: Eight York targets Li Yao with Twin-Barrel Hyper Mega-Particle Cannons - Focused Assult! KTS: Eight York has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Zoltan Akkanen with J-Type Beam Saber Careful Strike! KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 39. KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 50. KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Li Yao blocks Eight York's Twin-Barrel Hyper Mega-Particle Cannons - Focused Assult, taking 7800 damage! <Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
The Doven Wolf hesitates, but then lunges - and in horror Leina tells Rena, "That's what I'm afraid of!"
Then calls out over the Federation channel, "<Everyone, stay away from any orange light the Doven Wolf is putting off! You don't want to get infected!>"
What would happen if the Phenex got touched by that light? The thought terrifies Leina, between that and the idea of the guilt Ennil would feel, once she were free. She wants to tell everyone to protect the Phenex too but, how can she ask everyone to give their lives for...
... for someone who might not be any longer.
There's a sense of horror about how Callisto talks about herself, but as much as she wants to reach out to her, she realizes how desperate their situation is.
"<You're wrong! That's not what she is at all!>"
She cries out at Zoltan, however she doesn't elaborate as she can't hand the Sleeves even more intelligence.
As the Sinanju surges at them, she tries to warn Rena again. There's impressions of ideas thrumming through her friend's senses. Left. Right. Up.
However, Zoltan is so much, and he's so fast.
Zoltan starts screaming, and there's a sharp spike of his frustration in Leina's skull, she can't, aghast - "<Rena isn't like that! She would never think you're not worth it!>"
In the midst of that, despite her lack of battle experience, there's still the intuition of a coming open, like a premonition, and -
NOW!
She can feel Rena's worry for what will happen, if things go poorly... and rather than with words.
Be calm. Focus. Don't let him get to you.
Despite the desperation of the situation, there's just this sensation of calm, trust, faith.
He can't understand the depths of your strength.
Even as a child, she knew that Renalle was stronger than she let herself believe she was. The transmissions keep coming, but in this moment, her focus is entirely upon her friend.
KTS: Leina Ashta targets Rena Lancaster with Prospect! KTS: Leina Ashta has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
A change comes over Ennil. The Phenex watches, calmly. Ennil chose this path. She must know the forces with which she has allied herself -- the methods they would go to, the pain they would cause. Let it echo back in her memory. Let it hurt. The Phenex is not sorry, she no longer feels those things. She can't afford sympathy or softness toward someone like this.
Skoll leaps toward her, savage with rage, and the Phenex closes its wings. Both shields come around to protect her, blocking the wolf's advance. Bits of golden armor splinter beneath its nails, but the shields hold. The Phenex regards her enemy with... something kin to pity, as it is unable to reach her. As the wolf tires, she darts away from it, leaving Skoll behind. She can't risk infection.
Despite herself, she can't turn her back on Anita. The Phenex races to her side, as Ennil ravages her second target. Ever so gently, one hand reaches out, touching the other machine's shoulder. Warmth races through the machine, encircling its pilot, then emanating out into the machine itself. Energy is replenished, giving time and strength to Anita. Her internal screens may glow all the more brightly, and even Anita herself will hear a quiet, feminine voice:
You can do this.
Quickly, the Phenex retracts her hand, then darts away to her perch. She holds still, listening to the signals, focusing hard. Her internal communications are switched on, broadcasting to a public channel, turned up loud. It is not a psychic message, merely a mundane one relayed through the Phenex's own systems.
"We've suffered a massive power failure. The reactor doesn't work the way that we thought it did. At this scale, it's unstable. It makes a massive Minovsky particle field, and it disrupts the colony's internal systems. I don't know if this message will reach you. I tried to let everyone get away..."
But for those who can feel her spirit, the Phenex... allows herself to serve as a conduit. Her arms stretch wide, and rainbow radiance flutters between her fingers. As clearly as she can, she broadcasts the dying feelings of the fallen person. She has no idea who they were, but they deserve to be heard. They tried to save these people, and they deserve to be remembered.
It takes something from her, to broadcast to so many at once. Perhaps this is her all, to facilitate communication and understanding. The Phenex lowers her arms, stilling upon her perch. No hostile movements are taken.
KTS: Rita Bernal has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Anita Rosetta KTS: Rita Bernal targets Ennil El with Pass! KTS: Rita Bernal has completed their actions for the round.
<Pose Tracker> Juri Wu Nien has posed.
Juri is so caught up in the digital battle that she forgets about the real one. It's not until her system starts screaming at her about an incoming attack that she even realizes what's going on, "WHAT!?" She quickly moves her hands from the keyboard to her controls, once more trying to burst ouf of the path of the spinning panel. But once more she's not quick enough, the edge of the panel smashing into the side of her machine and sending her crashing against an interior wall of the colony.
Juri grunts from the impact. She shakes her head for a moment, before asking Ed, <"What was that for!?">
It seems that the normal Gundam Fight is back on (though was it actually ever started to begin with? Who knows at this point...)
The Astray reaches down to one of the physical blades attached to its waist. It draws the weapon from its sheathe and holds it up in both hands.
Juri can see the weapon looming just in front of her on her screen. And she hesitates... Can she really do this?
Attack another person?
It was so easy in the sims...
But this is real. Juri could really hurt Ed.
She could kill her...
She has no choice.
The thrusters on the Astray's flight pack ignite, the red and white machine bursting forward to close the distance to the Barzam. It raises the physical sword up over its head, before bringing it down in a heavy strike as the two machines meet. The blow is aimed for the Barzam's shoulder, though not diagonally, so there's no chance of it going through the cockpit.
Even if Juri is willing to fight... She doesn't want to kill Ed.
KTS: Juri Wu Nien has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Juri Wu Nien has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Juri Wu Nien has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Juri Wu Nien has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Juri Wu Nien has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Juri Wu Nien has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Juri Wu Nien targets Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV with Anti-Ship Swords Cleave! KTS: Juri Wu Nien has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV parries Juri Wu Nien's Anti-Ship Swords Cleave, taking 1710 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Juri Wu Nien's Data Analysis activates, causing Designate L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Juri Wu Nien's System Disruption activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: Juri Wu Nien has engaged Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV! <Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"As if you've changed," Verdiska spits back, venomous, when Puru Two declares she's too late to call her empty.
There's a trickle of red as she bites her lip, though, and darts into the bay doors of the colony, to try and evade those funnels. For all her bravado, it's still so difficult for her to keep track of so many of them; she wheels around, by that abandoned Zentradi ship, and lifts her shield to try and defend herself.
Both that gutted Zentradi ship and the Alto receive very MANY holes, for her trouble.
Perhaps it's a metaphor.
She hears the alarms ringing in her ears, but that's not all that is; the sheer GALL of this woman, this COPY, to call her a neophyte in the face of Spacenoid SCRAPS --
"I don't need a specialised suit," Yuliana hisses, through the electronic tear of Verdiska's filters, "to RIP YOU FROM THAT BENT TIN CAN!"
The smart thing to do would be to retreat, with all the damage she's sustained. The smart thing to do...
The Flight Alto bursts forward, its jets firing on all cylinders, as Verdiska -- as Yuliana -- brings its shield up to bodily CRASH into the Qubeley's hull. "Your torment has not yet begun!" She howls, the taste of blood on her tongue and hatred in those black-veiled eyes.
But there's a reason Verdiska pilots ranged machines, when she deploys to aid Celestial Being.
Because whenever something gets close enough for Yuliana to grasp --
the world goes out.
KTS: Yuliana Kafim targets Puru Two with ExAMACS Shield Bash! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has activated the Alert Spirit Command. <Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
The Skoll lashes out. It's fury, it's need to feed, tears into the Messiah Rosetta like a beast. Anita grimaces with each strike. She can only defend from so many angles, and the Pinpoint Barrier System is having a hard time keeping up with the pace of her attacks. The machine recoils back, armor broken and torn. It's still functional, at least - even if Anita has to baby it a little.
"...What's gotten under your skin...?" Anita wonders. That level of aggression... what's drawing it out?
Her machine is in bad shape... but, the Phenex is there at her side. A hand is rest on the Messiah Rosetta's shoulder... and then, there's warmth. The Valkyrie that was running on empty before re-energizes. Strength returns to it. And within, Anita hears a voice.
...You can do this, huh...?
Anita smirks.
"Alright... I'll try not to let you down." Anita says. The Phenex retreats to a perch. Anita can't tell what she's doing, but she can see get an idea why she's doing - can hear the broadcast that follows.
She also can tell that she's put herself in a vulnerable position by doing so. And so, Anita comes to a decision.
The Messiah Rosetta flips backward, unfolding into full Battroid Mode. The Gatling Gun Pod is stowed away, drawing out its combat knife which is taken up in both hands.
"Sorry... I can't let you get one step closer." Anita announces, and then, she charges - a full on body tackle, aiming to drive the combat knife, the Pinpoint Barrier forming around its blade, into the Skoll - and from there, further away from the Phenex. At the last moment after her attack she hears Leina's warning and retreats backward to a defensive - abandoning her combat knife, if she has to. She can get another.
In all this, though, she aims only to incapacitate the Skoll, not to harm its pilot. If she knew more about the power driving Ennil, would she have been a little less careful...?
Maybe not.
KTS: Zoltan Akkanen retreats from the attack! KTS: Zoltan Akkanen fails to react to Rena Lancaster's J-Type Beam Saber Careful Strike, taking 3825 damage! <Pose Tracker> Li Yao has posed.
The Ra Mari totally gets the Yulong in it's sights and the moment that Yao understands his mistake as all the Yulong can do is attempt to block its most crucial areas. The Yulong is blown backwards a good distance and it is enough to knock the pilot a bit around to. Perhaps it is what Yao needed as he starts to process a little more about what is going on. The anger towards the pure one, the child being a child, and the anger through out the field.
Yao and the Yulong stare at the Ra Mari, "I'd almost forgotten the objective. This is not a fight I must win. Only one you must not walk away from."
Anyone watching the gundam would see it stand up straight and places it's fist in it's palm then bows to it's opponents. Moving back to a fighting position the GN 'veins' glowing bright green as more energy is channeled to both the arms and legs. Dashing forward as quick as it can to close any distance between the ship and the gundam fighter and once in arm's length the Yulong prepares it's attack.
The Yulong's arms form a giant circle , formed out of the GN particles before drawing it's hands back. The hands glow with the weird green GN energy before striking outward palms flat,fingers bent.
Impact would look like a large creature left bite marks on the ship .
KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Anita Rosetta targets Ennil El with Pinpoint Barrier Knife Thrust! KTS: Anita Rosetta has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Puru Two fails to rush. KTS: Puru Two partially guards Yuliana Kafim's ExAMACS Shield Bash, taking 3040 damage! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has engaged Puru Two! KTS: Li Yao has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Li Yao targets Eight York with Wu Xian Llu Long: Dragon's Bite! KTS: Li Yao has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Ennil El fails to react to Rita Bernal's Pass, taking 0 damage! KTS: Ennil El fails to rush. KTS: Ennil El partially guards Anita Rosetta's Pinpoint Barrier Knife Thrust, taking 3595 damage! KTS: Anita Rosetta has engaged Ennil El! KTS: Eight York fails to react to Li Yao's Wu Xian Llu Long: Dragon's Bite, taking 7800 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Follow-up Strike activates, causing Insight L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Qi Injection activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Li Yao's Pin Point Accuracy activates, causing Nullify! KTS: Eight York has been defeated! KTS: Li Yao has engaged Eight York! <Pose Tracker> Zoltan Akkanen has posed.
Again and again and again, swinging in barely restrained swipes; Again and again and again, the practice of a soldier forcing each swing to ring true. The feeling of hitting, of successively capturing a bug that kept on questioning, kept on challenging, that outright blocked his path...
On and on and on, pushing into the spaceport, brazenly swiping away as the embrace of anger, the want to look away, the focus of SOMETHING, ANYTHING in front of him right now. The orange light of the Doven Wolf was brazenly noted; The same sort of light that poured from Amuro.
Amuro. Amuro. Amuro. Amuro. Amuro.
Pity. Pity. Pity. Pity. Pity.
The sounds. The chatter. The radio. It screams. The death rattles of a colony that failed to notice that the past should be kept in the past. This was not a place of heroism. Anaheim? Heroes? In a land long dead, in a clear place where the dead should remain dead?
Enough.
"You tell me to not see the worst!?" An instinctive jet backwards, born of the training, the instincts, the mechanical and mental wiring that made Zoltan who he was. The marionette of a dying, thrashing nation tried to jettison back, failing. Caught, clearly clipped across as that hand was cut through outright, the beamsaber swinging away into the colony proper. "In this place!? Here!? Right now!?" The prickle of Zoltan's mind had not faded. The waves of anger. Of searching. Of reminiscing.
People died for progress, people pushed for progress, and this mass grave marked progress. Isn't that right?
Enough.
[BGM: https://youtu.be/EWPBKAqJgsw]
He rushed back. A considerable distance, feet slamming down into the ground. "You know NOTHING of what I've been through. What they said, what they taught. Look at you. Amuro Ray? Look, there's someone like him now, right here, right now. Can you do anything, haa!?" The fire of trauma, the scars of deep-seated, ingrained conflict.
It was a smooth motion; Hand tossing away the shield, a swift lob just to distract the Jegan. The sole working hand grabbing for the rifle, angling it slightly upwards. A gleaming underbarrel, clip full, clearly stocked.
"YOU CAN'T SAVE OTHERS IF YOU CAN'T PROVE YOUR DAMN WORTH!"
And he fired, that robotic lens of his doing all the work. One grenade. Two. Three. Four. Five. The entire clipped emptied in a fit of rage, in a fit of anger, in a fit of someone who existed solely as a puppet.
Aiming right for the Jegan, collateral be damned.
KTS: Zoltan Akkanen targets Rena Lancaster with MSN-06S Sinanju Stein High Beam Rifle Underslung Grenade Launcher! KTS: Zoltan Akkanen has completed their actions for the round. <Pose Tracker> Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has posed.
This is gonna be a close attack! Juri is ridiculously fast, and Ed has to risk her unstable power systems by drawing her beam sabers from their pack again!
But she does, and this cleave slams into both her blades. <"WOOO Nine is very strong! Ed can't predict all of her movements!">
The force of the cleave finally is pushed away, but it cuts down the side of the Barzam's arm regardless.
<"Ed's friends want to free the world, you know! Ed is just a bounty hunter, but supports her friends. But now, Ed must deliver her final attack, and then go explore the facility!"> Suddenly the Barzam starts to do some rather unnatural poses for a unit of the type, as if preparing for martial arts. <"Look! That way! And look, the other way!"> The Barzam points. <"This hair of mine is really bright red! Take this! My potato chips, my cheese noodles, my computer, a good nap, some beans! HYPER NOODLE SUBMISSION!!!">
Ed suddenly thrusts over to Juri, and the Barzam tries to wrap its arms and legs around her mobile suit, attempting to squeeze it super tightly into a submissive hold.
<Pose Tracker> Ennil El has posed.
Once again, closing on that light, Ennil's heart leaps from her battered chest.
Once again, it's turned aside.
All she can think about... is the promise of life after death. After terrible wrongs, terrible loss... That those who are gone might know how she feels.
She just wants a taste of what the Phenex is promising. But it fades away from her, offers grace to the Valkyrie, who leaps between them...
When the knife sinks in, she doesn't resist. Metal screeches and rends, and there's a blast as some system or other overloads. Shards of titanium jut out, savage fangs aimed at the Valkyrie as the Skoll simply attempts to smother the smaller machine, crush it to bits.
It may interpose, it may interrupt the wolf's momentum, but the beast is clever. The lash that binds it can be turned on another. INCOM wires spray past the Valkyrie, seeking to bind the Phenex to its perch...
KTS: Ennil El targets Rita Bernal with Wolf's Lash Bind to Gjoll! KTS: Ennil El targets Anita Rosetta with Wolf's Nail Vicegrip! KTS: Ennil El has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Zoltan Akkanen enervates Rena Lancaster, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to react to Zoltan Akkanen's MSN-06S Sinanju Stein High Beam Rifle Underslung Grenade Launcher, taking 5170 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Zoltan Akkanen's You Think I'm Not Good Enough!? activates, causing Deject! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 25 KTS: Zoltan Akkanen completes the Formation attack! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV targets Juri Wu Nien with Hyper Noodle Submission!!!! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Leina Ashta assesses Rena Lancaster's prospects, increasing her SP! KTS: Your unit's HP stands at 25 KTS: Anita Rosetta's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Ennil El anchors Anita Rosetta, forcing her into close range. KTS: Anita Rosetta blocks Ennil El's Wolf's Nail Vicegrip, taking 3375 damage! KTS: Ennil El has engaged Anita Rosetta! KTS: Rita Bernal successfully Evades Ennil El's Wolf's Lash Bind to Gjoll KTS: Juri Wu Nien retreats from the attack! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV anchors Juri Wu Nien, forcing her into close range. KTS: Juri Wu Nien fails to react to Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV's Hyper Noodle Submission!!!, taking 3440 damage! KTS: Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. <Pose Tracker> Puru Two has posed.
"As if you've changed," spits Puru Two's mortal foe, and the clone practically spits the answer straight back. "You don't like it. Does it scare you?" her harness bites into her normal suit, as if she could lean further and bite Verdiska's tongue out with a little more effort. Pupils tiny, the clone comes to a conclusion that she just -must- share.
"No, I get it. You're jealous!"
The two have zero respect for the interior of the colony, and all the dangerous and sensitive machinery inside. Zero respect for the building mass of Minovsky particles not so far away. Lost in the very human tangle of traumas, snakes eating their own tails out of spite.
Somewhere in there is Callisto, who hates this ugliness, this hatred. She'd feel shame about this, about the fear that all her friends and allies must feel, sensitive to the thrum and ebb of emotions as they are.
But in there is also Puru Two, who knows that when a poisonous snake bites your friends and then you, the right move is to kill it before it bites someone else.
The Flight Alto crashes into the Qubeley shield-first, and the two machines tumble end-over-end through the spacious interior. The cockpit of the Qubeley is painted crimson from the proximity alarms, and there's a moment where Puru Two's head droops forward as her grasp on the world is reduced from six senses to five...
Don't stop,
kill.
... and then snaps back up in an instant, blood bubbling from one nostril. "My torment--" her hands lift free of the controls and stab an amber light on the central Funnel Array controller.
Automatic Return.
"--never ended!"
The Qubeley's monoeye swivels and stares the Alto down in the face, and with its one quasi-working arm, the Avian frame tries to drag the fatally damaged unit into a loose grapple of its own.
All sixteen deployed funnels receive a hard-coded function to return to a point in space.
The funnel knows where it is, because it knows where it *isn't*. Without the mind of a Newtype guiding it, or without an incom cable doing the work, the funnel is a simple thing. It is, in effect, a cruise missile with no warhead.
These simple things thus return to their owner's coordinates (and by logical extension, the Alto's) at full speed.
Maybe grappling the Qubeley was unwise.
SCENESYS: Lucine Azul has posted scene #214, 'Pinking Shears', at 07:00 ET on 11/08.
KTS: Puru Two has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Puru Two has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Puru Two has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Puru Two has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Puru Two targets Yuliana Kafim with Qubeley MK-II Funnels - Pneuma Formation! KTS: Puru Two has completed their actions for the round. KTS: Yuliana Kafim has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Yuliana Kafim fails to rush. KTS: Puru Two enervates Yuliana Kafim, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Yuliana Kafim partially guards Puru Two's Qubeley MK-II Funnels - Pneuma Formation, taking 8580 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru Two's Pressure of Aggression activates, causing Deject! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru Two's Pressure of Aggression activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Yuliana Kafim has been defeated! SCENESYS: Lucine Azul has posted scene #215, 'Pinking Shears', at 07:00 ET on 12/08.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.
Rena feels Leina's impressions and ideas of where to go. It guides her -- but it's also the faith that she feels from her. A sense of calm; a lack of doubt, which is quite at odds with what Rena feels herself. She tenses, but nods her head, trying to keep her breathing steady.
R... right. Right. I can do this!
Her heart catches to hear Callisto say those things; to hear her think those things. She is so close, and yet she feels a world away right now.
It's all overwhelming. She feels Zoltan's thoughts. They're on Amuro; on the way the Doven Wolf has that terrible orange glow. The Sinanju Stein darts back from the Stark Jegan, even as she landed a hit with her beam saber. She stares at it, for a second, and then she grits her teeth -- as Zoltan challenges her, based on their surroundings. A grave, if there ever was one. "I'm trying to do something!" she says. "And even in a place like this, they--they kept trying to survive! It's just all just--"
The shield is tossed. It distracts her, and she slashes at it with the beam saber. But the feint works, because she misses the way the Sinanju Stein's rifle swings around, and the grenade launcher fires. Zoltan shouts. There isn't an answer, except for a scream, as the grenades slam into her Mobile Suit. One, two, three -- each exploding, leaving it burnt and blackened. The armor is smashed apart. Glass drifts after, from the shattered visor, and it's hurtled down a hallway. It slams into floor, scraping along it and sending out a spray of sparks.
Rena and Leina alike are thrown about in the cockpit, Rena slamming forward, then back in the chair. "Nngh--"
The Phenex shares the thoughts and emotions of a dead person.
Magnified and shared for all to feel. The words are there, but it's more than that -- it's the feeling of cold fingers, struggling through gasping breaths of a normal suit's dwindling air supply. The slow, dying red light of an emergency battery's last dregs. The way levers and switches have resistance, taking such effort to close the hangar doors and seal the airlocks. Fighting for each breath; fighting to give a chance for shuttles and ships to launch.
The blue light of the Phenex spreads out, in its wake.
And then the experimental reactors come to life, with the promised power surge. Lights inside the hangar, which had been dead, suddenly begin to come online. More than that, doorways that had been closed -- leading deeper into the colony -- reactivate, some sliding open. But there is also a problem.
It's what killed the colony.
A heavy burst of Minovsky particles are emitted. Sensors begin to flicker and malfunction; communications lines become cut off. The interior of the colony, and the surrounding space, is rapidly becoming a place that is near impossible to navigate -- or communicate.
And while some doors open... some are slamming shut, too. One of the back-up hangar doors begins to close, splitting the hangar in half, as it lowers. Becoming trapped in Denver Colony is, suddenly, a very real possibility.
Case in point: the Stark Jegan's damaged head turns upward -- just as a bulkhead doorway slams shut in front of her, leaving her and Leina in darkness. Rena's eyes blink a couple of times. Zoltan's words ring in her ears. "This... this isn't good."
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Enba Rezza, taking the Captain's chair, can see the machine that stands and bows to its opponents. "...I am not used to such... honorable approaches," they admit, though not along the radio. However, those veins glow bright green, and the distance is closed. Chovan maneuvers the ship to present the hardest target she can against the strike--
And as it turns out, the impact is really hard indeed. The ship doesn't crash down, but many of its systems do crash, overwhelmed by the GN particles and whatever strange maneuvers Yao has been able to use. It looks, indeed, just as if a gigantic creature took a bite out of the ship, toothmarks visible along its bulk.
And that's when part of the propulsion system shatters, an explosion rocking the back of the ship, along with all the tremors hitting it already.
"Do not fire," Rezza says quickly to Fari, who was already moving to try to counterattack. "...If we let him believe we are completely disabled, he will consider the battle won. Remove power from weapons. Keep it to the shields."
Pause. "We'll have to trust that the Captain can get out there herself."
She gets on the radio to the hangar...
While the Ra Mari, boosted by the explosion, sails into the spaceport of the Denver Colony, Chovan desperately firing maneuvering jets to keep the ship from crashing. It's not going anywhere for a little while, now. Not with how Yao left it with his awesome powers.
Eight, at the hangar, replies, "So we're stuck in the colony for a while. ...All right. I'm going to investigate and find Rena and Callie." She sensed it--the danger, the awfulness Callisto was in and suddenly disappeared from. But Eight doesn't think she's dead--she would've felt her die, nt... just disappear.
Which means Yuliana...
"Right. I'm going," she says, and jogs towards her unit.
...Where she finds Lavhi, the Chief Engineer, waiting for her.
"Mr. Orlodhari," Eight starts.
"Captain," he says, and starts up the ladder towards the hatch. "You will not be going alone."
"...And they don't need you to repair that explosion I just heard?"
"I have a team diagnosing the ship's concerns. There is nothing more I can do yet."
"...All right," Eight says. "Then you're on guns. Let's go."
In short order, a shuttle moves out of the Ra Mari's hangar, and down, down, down into the colony...
[OOC] Eight York says, "bluray*"
<Pose Tracker> Juri Wu Nien has posed.
It's almost like what happens is in slow motion...
Juri puts her all into the attack against Ed, swinging the physical sword down.
The Barzam brings its sabers up.
They catch the swing, pushing it aside, sending it scraping down the Barzam's arm.
Why?
Juri had said that she wasn't much of a fighter. But that wasn't supposed to be true. It was supposed to be a ruse. She trained hard. She did so well in the sims. It all made perfect sense. Every shot, every swing, it would play out like she expected.
So why? Why isn't it working? Why is everything going so wrong?
She's failing them...
'WOOO Nine is very strong! Ed can't predict all of her movements!'
<"DON'T PATRONIZE ME!">
That was not a cry of anger... It was one of sadness.
Something tugs at Juri's mind. But she ignores it, too caught up in her own self-doubt. The hangar's lights come to life, bulkhead doors beginning to open and close. Juri picks one at random, spinning her Astray around.
The Barzam comes flying in, trying to grab the Astray. But the Astray's thrusters fire, pushing it forwards. It avoids being enclosed in the other's arms. Though the grasp still briefly manages to grab part of the machine, causing some armor to crunch before the Astray manages to blast free.
Juri rockets down one of the open corridors, before the bulkhead begins to close behind her. Completely unaware that she's about to be trapped. Cut off from her transport outside.
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
It's hard for Leina herself to tell Rena to be calm when she hears Callie talk, she feels like a hypocrite, but she still tries her best to focus.
"<You're right. I don't know.>" She tells him, with a sense of sorrow right as he begins his barrage, and Zoltan might experience something in-between the ticks of that second...
'Elpeo Puru... your enemy is the Gundam. That is the enemy you must defeat.' A young aristocratic voice pronounces over what sounds like a microphone.
A child no more than ten in a pink gown has her ear to a door. Within there is the shrill scream of another child, more muffled and distant, like it's behind another layer of wall, yet still not enough to block it out.
'And the pilot of the Gundam is... Judau Ashta.'
The scream reaches a breathless crescendo, before abruptly falling silent.
"<I wish I did.>"
The explosion of the grenade launcher results in her scream, as she's thrown forward too, then backward. In a concussed daze, she listens to the Phenex's thoughts of a dead person through the ringing in her ears, part of her wondering...
... if her own are about to be shared too.
The blue light of the Phenex at least teaches her the lie to that thought, even as the reactors surge to the life, and they're cut off in darkness.
'This... this isn't good.'
Rena tells her, and Leina takes a deep breath, then another, reassuring herself that she's still here, that Rena is still here. And...
"It's not but... we're still together, right?" She tells her, reassuringly, trying to offer a calm she has trouble feeling herself, "You and me? We've survived worse. We'll get through this one too."
She hopes.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Enba Rezza, taking the Captain's chair, can see the machine that stands and bows to its opponents. "...I am not used to such... honorable approaches," they admit, though not along the radio. However, those veins glow bright green, and the distance is closed. Chovan maneuvers the ship to present the hardest target she can against the strike--
And as it turns out, the impact is really hard indeed. The ship doesn't crash down, but many of its systems do crash, overwhelmed by the GN particles and whatever strange maneuvers Yao has been able to use. It looks, indeed, just as if a gigantic creature took a bite out of the ship, toothmarks visible along its bulk.
And that's when part of the propulsion system shatters, an explosion rocking the back of the ship, along with all the tremors hitting it already.
"Do not fire," Rezza says quickly to Fari, who was already moving to try to counterattack. "...If we let him believe we are completely disabled, he will consider the battle won. Remove power from weapons. Keep it to the shields."
Pause. "We'll have to trust that the Captain can get out there herself."
She gets on the radio to the hangar...
While the Ra Mari, boosted by the explosion, sails into the spaceport of the Denver Colony, Chovan desperately firing maneuvering jets to keep the ship from crashing. It's not going anywhere for a little while, now. Not with how Yao left it with his awesome powers.
Eight, at the hangar, replies, "So we're stuck in the colony for a while. ...All right. I'm going to investigate and find Rena and Callie." She sensed it--the danger, the awfulness Callisto was in and suddenly disappeared from. But Eight doesn't think she's dead--she would've felt her die, nt... just disappear.
Which means Yuliana...
"Right. I'm going," she says, and jogs towards her unit.
...Where she finds Lavhi, the Chief Engineer, waiting for her.
"Mr. Orlodhari," Eight starts.
"Captain," he says, and starts up the ladder towards the hatch. "You will not be going alone."
"...And they don't need you to repair that explosion I just heard?"
"I have a team diagnosing the ship's concerns. There is nothing more I can do yet." Then, the feelings the Phenex transmits overwhelm her; the slow, creeping death, the sense of evrything fading--Eight stumbles, and the Zentradi catches her. She can't exactly argue in his arms, as she looks up at him and then rights herself.
"...All right," Eight says. "Then you're on guns. Let's go."
In short order, a shuttle moves out of the Ra Mari's hangar, and down, down, down into the colony...
<Pose Tracker> Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV has posed.
<"Fine! Then Ed will take her business elsewhere!"> Ed retorts without thinking it through, and as Juri flies inside, Ed tries to follow before suddenly hard stopping. She takes in the closing doors, the mechanisms, the Minovsky particles. <"WOO Nine wait, it's dangerous!"> But Minovsky particles are already being a problem.
Ed hangs back, waiting for her transport as she considers everything that just happened.
Typing a few things, Ed sits back in her chair before crossing her arms. <"Ed has no idea if she even completed her mission!">
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"Tcha!" Verdiska spits -- which, given her current helmet, is more a problem for herself than Puru Two -- when she asks whether it scares her.
She would sooner die than say.
"Jealous of your wretched existence...? I'll tear it from your heart!" Verdiska -- is it Verdiska? -- Verdiska spits, all the venom pulsing through her bubbling into her throat. It is not, precisely, a denial.
She slams her shield into the Qubeley -- the only melee option she has, having optimised her rifle at the expense of the Flight Alto's usual spear. She wasn't planning on getting this close. "You ignoble WRETCH...!!"
But the Qubeley grasps the Alto, just the same, and its cameras zero in on its single, baleful eye. Inside the cockpit, both of Yuliana's widen.
And sometimes, knowing where something isn't is as effective as knowing where it is.
"AAaahhhh--!!" Yuliana cries, the electrical interference of her voice tearing at the edges of her volume. Her Flight Cannon is useless, now; that rifle she'd paid so much attention to is smashed to two parts, as a funnel impacts into its centre.
That the Alto grasps the Qubeley, for one horrible moment, may be as much for support as vengeance.
"You.... yooouuuUUUUUU..." It's generous to assume her filter is all that warps the hatred in her voice, as the pilot inside coughs.
It's a private line, but Yuliana might not have cared, as her anger cedes to laughter. "Aahhhh... ahahahahaha... haHAha...!" The Alto shifts, and grinds, and the sound is painful as the battered machine pushes against the Qubeley.
"If only you knew... what you've already lost..!"
Yuliana has her mother, and she will not let her go.
She's at least still cautious enough not to say it in so many words, though the vicious satisfaction pounds through her veins. At length she manages to disentangle herself from the Qubeley -- and jets, with what power remains to her unit, in through one set of those doors as they open. The quickest exit available to her.
Deeper into the facility.
<Pose Tracker> Li Yao has posed.
The acting captain's guess of how Li Yao would react to the disabled Clop, is indeed correct. The enemy's ship is out of the way and the Yulong is still in some form of functional state as it turns to look for its fellow Celestial Beings. Yao will admit to himself as he looks aboout, his teamwork was weak and he should have been better at checking in with his fellow teammates.
First there was the Barzam that the kid was in, seeming to be at least in one piece, so Yao won't suffer from any guilty conscience today. However he can't locate the Alto, not even wreckage, which means that the ice queen was inside. For a moment Li Yao hesitates before pushing the Yulong to dash for a closing emergency hatch.
The emergency hatch door scrapes against the boot of the Yulong as it squeezes into some large corridor, and Li Yao lets out a heavy sigh, today has been a long day and in his momentary solitude only one thought comes to mind that he shares with his lonely cockpit, "I am getting to old for this shit."
<Pose Tracker> Zoltan Akkanen has posed.
...A pant. He watched it. Watched each grenade strike home; Well, three of them. Three striking home against that suit, enough to put any damn thing out of commission. Yet, the suit remains still. The sound of ragged breathing, mind processing. Comprehending. Newtype visions were always "foreign" to him. A mind forced to take in the emotions, to work through pathways that were carved out and mutilated through flesh and psyche, the bile barely held back.
Elpeo Puru. Who was it? Puru? Puru, Puru. There's only one he knows, one that screamed out during the fight at Zum City. Callisto.
The second name rung out. More important. Judau Ashta; A name that was familiar. Yes, yes, Judau. Puru Two, a connection to Judau? ...Mind jumbled. Mind messed up. Mind needs to recenter, damn Zeon bastards.
She was in there.
"Damn...suits..." Heavy panting. He saw. He saw. That was what killed them, wasn't it? A Minovsky reactor. Out of control. The last moments of one's existence...And the bastards had tried to push everyone out, even with the stench of death catching up to them. There was no time.
The rattling of the damned was in there.
Yet, he took his damn time, consequences be damned. Hard, heavy, ragged breathing. There was still a grenade clip. Still one workable hand. This place had questions that vision couldn't answer. Everyone died in this place. For what? Leaving a place for the dead without any notice...Anyone could see that something was amiss. There was the place, open.
"...Goddamn it." The soft muttering as he watched those hangar doors begin to close. Fine. Who was the other one here? Ennil? ...Infected by that orange crap. Still, a Sleeve was a Sleeve. He'd have words.
"Goddamn it goddamn it goddamn it GODDAMN IT!" Into the colony. Into the depths. Take time. Recover. MREs were plentiful in Colony Areas; You never know when there might be something so hazardous you needed to buckle down. He had supplies.
As if he could give a rats ass about Frontal. If he popped up, would they care? This was as good as a time as any to find out.
And so he shambled in, the Sinanju Stein barely noting the frenzied retreats as he raised up the rifle, taking a potshot towards a random console. Call it spite.
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Ennil seeks her light so desperately, but the Phenex cannot give in to her. How long could this battle drag out? The light of 000 would keep the wolf from destruction, and the Phenex never tires, nor runs out of ways to fight. It cannot become a possibility, she would flee before being pinned down. ...but that would mean abandoning Anita, who came to her aid.
Another attack. With a graceful swoop, she lets it pass her by, colliding with the tower housing the dead man. It wavers, and she reaches out, steadying it with a radiant blue glow. It won't hold forever, but for now... At least his death will be peaceful.
Feeling the ripples of her broadcast, the Phenex is still once more. It brought pain to the combatants, overwhelming and terrible, and she can't help but be affected by the sheer force of their emotions. The Phenex stares down at the dead man, letting the living's grief and pain echo in her spirit.
The bulkheads come crashing down. Lit by her own radiance in the darkness, the Phenex looks toward where Rena and Leina last were. They seem to be safe, for the moment. She doesn't want the bright, warm heroes of the living to pass away, not here. Raising her hand, she sends a vision to the two women.
A golden bird flutters before Leina and Rena. With two long tail-feathers and an impressive crest, it chirps at them urgently, flapping near the door to the destroyed machine. It passes through the door, then beyond, quickly making its way through twisting tunnels. The way is dark and treacherous, but the little bird illuminates each hole in the floor or dangerous bit of rubble. It chirps prettily, swishing its feathers, anything to keep their attention as it goes. Finally, it passes through a closed door. Within seems to be a staff room of some kind, appearing untouched from the disaster. Beds are made neatly, with a small kitchenette and storage area nearby. The water may not work, but there's air, and perhaps even some unspoiled food.
The vision ends with the bird swirling into the air, vanishing in a burst of golden light.
Zoltan's anger draws her gaze, though he is offered no such vision. The failed clone will have to make his own way.
In contrast, a bird is sent to Callisto, Eight's crew, and Li Yao -- guiding them where they most desire to be. Whether that is safety, or to their comrades, the little birds will offer their support. Once all her visions have been sent, the Phenex lowers her arm, looking to the wreckage of the machines with her in this section. What is there to do?
A Gundam hardly has the ability to repair another machine, but the Phenex... Perhaps, should her neighbors reach out, something may be done. For the moment, the Phenex lightly floats to Anita's side. Radiant and gentle, she touches Anita's machine's hand.
I'm with you. You're going to be alright.
<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.
The knife sinks in, but Anita isn't prepared for the counter-attack. There's a blast within the machine and shrapnel juts out like teeth and moves to close around her machine, crushing it. Anita can hear the machine straining, protesting under the effort. The Pinpoint Barrier System is being overwhelmed - even with the energy boost provided by the Phenex, there's a limit to what it's capable of.
With a grimace, Anita pulls back. She manages to free herself from the Skoll's jaws and the machine flies back, crashing into the floor of the colony and skidding along to a stop. It lays there for a moment. Anita finds herself dazed for a moment. Her Valkyrie's signal is weak, but still holding on.
...And then, Denver Colony comes to life. The walls begin to move, and there's a powerful burst of Minovsky interference.
"Eight! Rena! Callie! Are you there?" Anita calls out. ...But, there's no way it'd reach them. She exhales and then, carefully. She struggles to get her Valkyrie moving again, but it won't respond. And then, the Phenex descends from her perch. A hand rests on the Messiah Rosetta's, and once again she hears that voice.
She's going to be alright. Anita closes her eyes for a moment. ...She'll trust her, then. And with that, slowly, the Valkryie stands. It sends a grateful nod to the Phenex, before looking back at the Skoll.
"I don't think we're getting back out the way we came." She observes. "So. I guess the question is, are we gonna keep doin' this? 'Cause if not... might be a good idea to put our heads together."
She pauses, thinking back to Leina's warning.
"...Metaphorically. Sorry."
<Pose Tracker> Puru Two has posed.
Puru Two seethes through gritted teeth, a spiderweb of cracks spreading across the front of her helmet's visor. She's so focused on finally getting even with the Void Woman that she doesn't think of much, if anything, else. The Qubeley somehow looks graceful in what is in all seriousness a pretty shitty victory, lying motionless with its back to the interior hull. But its pilot is anything but, and she has no rebuttal to Yuliana's parting taunt.
There is no chase given to the Alto. Can you blame her? The sense of Being floods back into Puru Two's mind as that cursed woman's chariot egresses through a distant portal. Their final barbs traded, they have little else to batlte with. So it goes.
that'll do, girl
The luminous panel showing Funnel status indication is nothing but sixteen empty square brackets. They are shattered, smeared across the interior of the Colony walls, splintered and fragmented. No doubt a few jut still from the battered frame of the Alto as it beats a hasty retreat. Ultimately, they are lost.
pretty ugly... don't you think?
The Qubeley MK. II's quiver is finally empty. It feels like it has been reaching this conclusion since the first Neo-Zeon War. Its pilot sags into her seat, bruised beneath her harness. She flips on the radio, hearing only the static and whine of minovsky jamming. "Guh."
are you ashamed of me?
"Wouldn't have made it without you." Puru Two muses quietly as her pulse slows and her ire fades. Her gaze wanders the cockpit, feeling the faint hum of distant presences once more. Including those who went before her, their phantom touch still lingering on the Qubeley's many black boxes. "Sorry. I keep turning back, don't I?"
She pulls the emergency shutdown lever and kills the reactor criticality. The cockpit is soon dark, lit only by the amber fog of emergency lighting.
"She's still out there, trying for revenge, so... I have to keep that mask off." Puru Two continues to talk to ghosts, confessing to herself as much as them. "So wait for me a little longer."
Her head bows for a moment. The fluttering of a vaguely bird-themed presence brings her back to her senses though. This time, with the fighting over, the warmth of the Phenex's enigmatic presence... she can accept that.
The cockpit to the Qubeley opens.
Well... time to get to work figuring out survival.
<Pose Tracker> Ennil El has posed.
Once again the Phenex dances away from her. Once again it visits grace on the Valkyrie.
The Skoll drags itself forward. The machine is whole enough, despite the gashes torn into it, despite the scars. It cannot outrace the Phenex, but it could trap it -- and it could hurt it, by forcing it to choose between its own wholeness and the survival of its would-be defender. It could force the Phenex's pilot to witness more grief, more death. Punish it for cowardice, selfishness, cruelty --
It would only be fair.
All it would take is a moment's boldness... and enough hatred to plunge the blade through her own heart.
Light bleeds from the Skoll's eyes as they fix on the Phenex. It bleeds down, down... streaking the head, spilling over the torso...
But the thing that bursts from its chest blasts through that oozing, murky orange haze, leaving a wake as clear as ice.
Please... couldn't you take me with you? To where she is...