2023-02-26: Gratuitous Intervention

• Cast: Banagher Links, Mineva Lao Zabi, Koji Kabuto, Sayaka Yumi, Sayla Mass, Liam 7-020, Arriety Hearn, Rena Lancaster, Crossfire Salem, Puru-1, Judau Ashta, BC-001 Minae
• Where: The Photon Power Labs
• Date: U.C. 0097 02 26
• Summary: The Vist Foundation sends two hounds in two powerful mobile suits to try and retrieve the fugitives Banagher Links and Mineva Lao Zabi who are being sheltered at the Photon Power Labs. Matters quickly spiral out of control as people figure out the depths the they will sink to in order to preserve the secret of Laplace's Box.

---

<Pose Tracker> Spectre of the Banshee has posed.

        High above the Pacific Ocean, a sleek obsidian mobile suit, adorned with a horn of jagged gold is attached to the underside of one Base Jabber beside another one bearing a separate mobile suit. It passes through wispy clouds on an otherwise fair evening, the lighting of a city at the base of grand Mount Fuji glittering far below. A radio crackles within the cockpits, but it's fielded by someone other than the pilots.
        
        "Attention incoming VC202, this is Fujinomiya Control. State your affiliation and objective." A reply comes immediately, "Fujinomiya Control, we are a transport belonging to the Vist Foundation on a special mission from Staff Headquarters. We are now delivering two mobile suit on Base Jabbers."

        "Operation code received. Special mission queried and," There's suddenly static on the line, as the control operations review the parameters, "Approaching Base Jabbers, your special mission is not yet confirmed by command, descend to regulation altitude immediately. We'll guide you into final approach course to 3rd division HQ to await confirmation."

        BGM Start: Destroy --> Self-Sacrifice - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ_9ebbrzUg

        "Now commencing mission. Detaching suits and deploying!"

        "Hey! Approaching Base Jabbers! Follow our control instructions!"

        ...---...

        The Control room was currently in an uproar because the mission parameters were clear as day to all of them, for these mobile suits to descend to site known as the Old Photon Power Labs, and secure two fugitives from Federation law.

        "This can't be real!"

        "Contact Prime Minister Yumi! Mobilize the 3rd division!"

        The entire room fell silent for a brief moment when the status changed on the board from queried to confirmed.

        OCU forces were grounded.

        "Unthinkable! Command isn't even allowing time to begin evacuation procedures!"

        For however awful the implications of this might be, the people of the OCU still had their pride.

        "Get me Director Yumi on the phone..."

        ...---...

        It has been roughly twenty four seconds since a pair of mobile suits detached from Base Jabbers, when an officer from the control center named Major Sato explains the situation to Sayaka, "We're trying to work our way up the chain of command, but as it stands right now there's nothing we can do to intervene."

        "Except this courtesy call, which I will take full responsibility for. I'm not about to let Anaheim and Vist trample over everything you've built here."

        ...---...

        There is a low whine in the air as the Banshee descends, this hum as it spins, diving towards the ground like a diver from a board. It becomes a shrill whistle as it levels off, thrusters firing to slow it as this pervasive psychic pressure suddenly floods the city entire.

                                here here here here here
                                we are we are we are we are

        To the psychically sensitive, it is like a throbbing in the head, cold fingers tracing upon the spine a presence that just does not feel right. A heavy landing is made just outside the Photon Power Labs' outer fencing cracking concrete, showering the area in dust.

        A loudspeaker comes on, with the unconfident voice of one Alberto Vist to those who have dealt with him, "Is this thing on? Mic check. Ah. Yes! Ahem. Banagher Links, Mineva Lao Zabi. Don't make this any harder than it needs to be. You're cornered and have nowhere to go. Surrender yourselves peacefully and noone needs to get hurt."

        Clearing his throat again, he keeps going, "I much prefer to keep these embarrassing family matters under wraps, but you've rather forced our hand. I understand why you might be inclined towards this rebelliousness under the circumstances. After all, 'he' put all sorts of foolish notions in your head. I'm sympathetic even! Yearning for the guidance of a father figure is only natural for a young man like yourself."

        The pause is unsubtle, working towards the inevitable 'but' that all can hear is coming, "But there's only one way this ends, Banagher. It's past time you realized this and put your boyish fantasies aside, for your own good, for her own good." Alberto actually sounds if anything, squeamish as he eventually adds, "Don't you yet realize every moment you resist is a moment that someone is suffering because of you?"

KTS: Spectre of the Banshee has deployed in RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee <Unicorn Mode>.
KTS: Judau Ashta has left Spectre of the Banshee's bucket!
KTS: Spectre_of_the_Banshee has deployed as a Boss for 5 opponents.
KTS: Judau Ashta has joined Crossfire Salem's bucket!
KTS: Banagher Links has deployed in RX-0 Unicorn Gundam <Destroy Mode> Awakened.

<Pose Tracker> Crossfire Salem has posed.

The second Base Jabber drops in with the Banshee. For some, a familiar machine lies on it - Alma Stirner's Amabilis.

Yet, it could not possibly be Alma Stirner in that cockpit. The Amabilis was reclaimed when the Irish-class Gwennangorn's crew was separated after the arrest of Lilith Aiden.

No one speaks. Yet the emotional presence is familiar, if one can get past the presence in the Banshee, which causes the pilot to grasp her head. It's the previous pilot of the black Unicorn, apparently having given it up.

Hands are empty. Yet two beam sabers lie in quick-draw motion. It's not unarmed, and the two shoulder bazookas would prevent it from being so either way.

Instead, there's a glance from Crossfire Salem through the cameras towards the Banshee...

"Hopefully this doesn't destroy them..."

And then, she looks down to her controls. The Amabilis. A machine she's seen before, and yet, never piloted. Is it truly right to use it after all that's happened?

It's the hand Vist dealt her. She has to deal with it.

KTS: Sayaka Yumi has deployed in Aphrodite Areia.
KTS: EN Barrier activated!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has deployed in MSN-05R Amabilis.
KTS: Koji Kabuto has deployed in Mazinger Z.
KTS: Judau Ashta has left Crossfire Salem's bucket!

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

For the first time in a long time, Banagher wakes up feeling rested. Audrey is curled into his side, still asleep, and the sight makes his heart soar. Tangling their legs together, he presses a kiss to her forehead. Another few minutes won't hurt, right? Miss Sayaka did say rest was really important...

He drifts off again, pulling Audrey close.

---

When Banagher finally climbs out of bed, the sun has long since risen high in the sky. After making breakfast -- really, more like lunch -- for himself and Audrey, he spends his time unpacking and settling in to the old PPL. Haro broadcasts pop music, and Banagher hums along. It's been a horrible few weeks, but it really feels like things are looking up!

Flopping down in a chair, Banagher pulls out his phone, tapping on Takuya's contact.

>Dude you're not going to believe where I am.
>It's kind of a secret, so... Keep it to yourself, alright?
>Audrey and I just moved in to the old PPL.
>THE PPL!
>It's so cool. I'm going to see what I can do to help out. Koji's cooler than I could've ever imagined.
>Things are still really serious right now and all still but.
>I'm so excited! I'm going to get to help out with the robots. Miss Sayaka gave me permission. It's like an internship!
>Wish you were here, you'd love it.

Navigating out of the VERTEX program, Banagher opens his half-written HaroCon presentation. He'd really better finish this... Takuya is bad at replying anyway, it'll be hours before Banagher hears from his friend.

Time passes. Banagher writes. Haro loops the playlist. Once he's satisfied with his progress, he tabs back over to message Takuya again.

>How are things on the Ra

Banagher drops his phone. A flash of malicious intent rakes across his awareness, agonizingly cold. His vision whites out. It's here. It's here, it's here, it's here--

"Audrey!" Banagher yells, physically and spiritually, clutching at his heart. Panic churns in his stomach. "The Banshee, I can feel it, it's coming--"

Once she makes her way to him, Banagher's vision clears up, and he gasps in relief. "Audrey." The young pilot stands, grasping her hands in his own. "We both know what this thing is capable of. If you stay here, you'll be safe. Koji and Miss Sayaka can raise the barrier."

Another flash across his vision. The Banshee is getting closer. Sweat beads on Banagher's forehead.

"I'm going to fight." A squeeze of Audrey's hands. "Whatever you choose, you're always with me."

---

As the Banshee descends, its sister is ready, already glowing with green radiance. Banagher's had time to find unity with his Gundam, and with Audrey by his side, his spirit shines with determination. Even if this is his fault, Koji and Sayaka promised him. They'll work together!

The Unicorn is already armed with her beam magnum, and Banagher levels it at the Banshee's right shoulder. Psychic pressure washes over him, but he endures -- so far. White armor shudders as the Banshee's psychoframe comes into range.

"Stay with me." Banagher murmurs. "We can do this. We're not alone this time."

The Banshee and Unicorn face each other. Banagher keeps his breathing even. Despite everything, despite all his reassurances and carefully-assembled courage, when the young man hears the voice of his brother...

"Alberto..?" He breathes. "That's my brother?"

...something in his heart breaks.

Surprise turns to sadness, then falls, weighed down by guilt, into a feeling like despair.

"<Alberto?>" Banagher calls, broadcasting his own voice. "<You're -- it's you? You're doing this, you're sending the Banshee after us? You -- /did this/ to its pilot?>"

...

...

...

What can he say? What would reach Alberto? That wish for a brother he could love and care about -- how foolish. How impossible. As long as the Box exists...

"<...my name is Banagher. I was born March 1st. I like -- Haros, and engineering. The day I met the Unicorn, my entire college class was killed in front of me. My friends. My professors. I never wanted any of this.>" His hands clench into fists. "<I've had to hurt people! I've been hurt! I watched our father die! All because of our family, and the Box!>"

A breath. He manages to keep his voice from trembling, just barely. ""

"<You're... my brother.>"

Banagher cuts out his radio before it can catch the tears in his voice.

KTS: Crossfire_Salem has deployed as a Boss for 2 opponents.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has deployed in MSZ-006-3A Zeta Gundam 3A Type.
KTS: Judau Ashta has joined Spectre of the Banshee's bucket!
KTS: Mineva Lao Zabi has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Banagher Links!
KTS: BC-001 Minae has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Arriety Hearn!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has deployed in A000-0001 Gaia Gear Alpha.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has deployed in NRV-00 Neo Helios.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

As the crow flies -- and with high speed Mobile Suits -- the Old Photon Power Labs aren't that far from the Orb Union, where the Three Ships Alliance has the lion's share of its forces. Word came out quickly: the Banshee was seen, headed towards the OCU, and that got Rena's attention.

She wasn't there for its last appearance. But she is nervous, nonetheless.

The Gaia Gear Alpha soars through the skies over Japan, thrusters leaving a trail of white vapor after it. Rena's eyes narrow, as she comes in closer -- and she feels something. A throbbing in her mind; a sensation of something being /wrong/.

Her eyes widen.

She picks up on the transmissions. She flicks open her own. "This is Lieutenant Commander Rena Lancaster with the Three Ships Alliance. OCU forces, we're coming in to assist. Repeat, we're coming in to assist."

A beat, then she follows up. "Banagher!" she says. "This is Rena! You're not alone!"

Rena hesitates a moment, then flips to the Three Ships Alliance local band. "Arriety, be careful, okay? We'll make sure they're safe."

KTS: Sayla Mass has deployed as a Sub Pilot for Sayaka Yumi!

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

No matter how safe the Old Labs were a hiding place, the Vist Foundation was quick and ruthless to act - and there's only one line of defense against the mobile suits which descend on the Labs to collect the fugitives.

"No, thank you for the heads up." Sayaka states, on the line with Major Sato. "If Father - ah, the Prime Minister, can't act, I'll do what I must as his daughter. No - we'll do what we must as those who built the pride of the Photon Power Labs... no matter what Vist tries."

The Photon Power Barrier rises, ensuring that the collatoral damage of the battle doesn't destroy the lab itself. Even the greenery nearby is able to provide covering fire. But the greatest danger to the attacking mobile suits is, of course, the pool. "We won't get much in the way of OCU reinforcements, but we /do/ have allies on the move." Sayaka explains, in the old situation room. "For now... ready, set, Koji, Sayla?" Sayaka glances over to their guest - there's at least room in the Pilder for two, which hovers at full speed towards the pool from which Aphrodite Areia and Mazinger Z rise. "PILDER ON!" The head control unit snaps onto Areia's body, those scarlet eyes beaming to life. Followed by pair of jet-wings, which attach themselves at the call of "ARTEMIS CROSS!" allowing Areia to reach the battlefield that the Banshee has made out of Fujonomiya.

Alberto Vist makes his demands, and although it's Banagher's fight first and foremost, Sayaka can at least reinforce him. "Surrender? I'm afraid we don't know the meaning. Especially considering you've chosen to take the fight to /us/!" But the Unicorn facing the Banshee... it really is a mirror of what they discussed last night. Brother against brother, just like all those years ago with Koji and Tetsuya. She hopes Banagher will be okay, but ultimately believes in the resolve he showed.

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

Mineva is relaxed, today. A new home, even temporarily... a secret. A place nobody knows they are. She feels, finally, like she can be at ease, for the first time in quite a while. She looks over Banagher's shoulder as he works on his presentation, offering suggestions and feedback over a cup of tea.

But as the afternoon wears on, a sense of foreboding gathers in her gut. Like it's too quiet--too good. That it's all about to come crashing down, yet again. She doesn't show it, but she can't shake it.

A wave of pressure knocks her soul to the floor. Her cup drops, cracking and shattering, spilling its contents. Abstract whispers throb against the inside of her skull.

They're here.

The tunnel in her eyes fades, and she manages to regain her breath, gripping Banagher's hands tightly. He suggests she stay... but instead, she stands. She shakes her head. "I know what it can do... and that's why I'm going out there with you, Banagher," she says, resolute in thought and word, even as fear claws at the edges, shaped like so many phantasmal hands.

"I'm not letting you face this without me."

---

Mineva's beside him in the cockpit, now, suited up, her hand on his. She simply squeezes, tight, as he bares his heart to Alberto Vist, lending him her strength. He's trying to reach his brother... trying to save him. She suppresses her own doubts, her own disgust at what this man has done, and tries to hope. Believe in what Banagher believes.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety isn't a stranger to the Banshee -- or the Unicorn, for that matter. Her last sortie before she was hospitalised was one where she had to engage the Unicorn, one that... she still has to catch up with Leina with; and her last sortie after she came back was, indeed, against the Banshee. But it isn't just against the Banshee that they must confront the threat this time...

        The White Zeta Gundam chases after the Gaia Gear, in Waverider mode -- as it crosses over oceanspace towards land, it starts to shift, the cone of the plane shifting upwards to pop a head out; legs unfurl and extend downwards, and before long, a familiar V-finned mobile suit comes into sight.

        The Banshee... and another mobile suit that she's not familiar with, the Amabilis. But what's this sensation... ... it's cold... her attention is instead turned to the broadcasts, and then Rena's.

        "His brother... but he's not in the mobile suit? Who is, then? And that other suit..." Arriety whispers. "Ah, sure, Rena. Banagher, this is Arriety. I'm here too."

        A combat in Earth's gravity... she's done enough training that she won't be helpless, but it's been a while.

KTS: Mineva Lao Zabi targets Banagher Links with Awe!
KTS: Mineva Lao Zabi has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Mineva Lao Zabi inspires awe, increasing Banagher Links's Morale!

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

The Vist Foundation has made their play.

"Sooner than I hoped," Koji growls, looking at the incoming blips in the Lab's control room. "Nossori, Sewashi, get the Photon Barrier up and running, buy us time to deploy."

The OCU's hands are tied. There will be no response from Third Company. Officially speaking, the Photon Power Lab shouldn't intercede here.

Koji decided to let 'Official Orders' stop shackling him several months ago.

=== OCU Japan Land Base ===

"Captain Kabuto!" One of the troopers in the Third Ichinana Company calls out as Shiro Kabuto sprints down the ramp to their hangar. "You can't deploy, our machines are all locked down!"

"Yeah, to hell with that!" the young captain barks. "G-Hound are pulling the same stunt they pulled in Orb and I'm just supposed to sit back and watch them walk all over my family? I'm going out there and I'll take all the heat for it. Are you gonna try and stop me?"

His two subordinate officers glance at each other, frowning. They know their captain's history well - he's no less the sort to back down in the face of injustice than either of his brothers. "... We'll distract launch control and get your Ichinana unlocked."

"Thanks, guys." Shiro grins. "I'll say I did it all myself." Pulling on his black helmet, he turns and starts running again.

=== The Photon Power Lab ===

"MAZIN: GO! PILDER... ON!" The tiny red control vehicle drops down to meet Mazinger Z rising out of the pool. The Castle of Iron's eyes light up with a flash of yellow.

"I don't have a run-up for the Jet Scrander, docs," Koji says, watching the Banshee and the Amabilis. "Warm her up for launch anyway, I have an idea."

Rena's transmission receives acknowledgment - from the black-armoured titan standing protectively in front of the white edifice of the Photon Power Lab. "Lieutenant Commander Lancaster, this is Koji Kabuto. Good to see you doing alright after GENESIS. Thanks for the help."

No 'doctor' title. Just his name.

This is personal.

He hears Alberto call out - and Banagher shakingly try to respond. Koji can't reassure the young pilot of the Unicorn over the quantum layer like the other Newtypes here can, but there is a fierce determination radiating from Mazinger Z as its pilot warms up the chest array.

Sayaka responds to Alberto, and Koji clicks Z's own speakers on, too. "You've made a terrible mistake, 'Alberto Vist'. Chasing your own brother to a place like this? Maybe you missed what happened to the Titans when they tried to walk over us."

Mazinger Z drops into a low stance. "One remedial lesson, coming up."

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        NOT LONG AGO

        She'd laid out everything. The request, the plans with an anaheim watermark from four or five years ago, the funding on the table- the need for discretion and swiftness.

        And the T-shaped metal she found in Tsutsujidai.
                "...Anaheim couldn't work out how to power it, and the circumstances under which the plans fell into my hands means they have no legal recourse without opening themselves up to shareholder riot. I know what I'm requesting, but if I'm to continue doing what I do... I need something that can stand up to threats like Alexis, Triple Zero and anyone else that's going after my family." She takes a deep breathe. "And I need you to keep it secret. This machine carries weight... and Leina worries enough already. Can I count on y-"

        we are here we are

        The Alarm of incoming attack comes, and Sayla's eyes widen. When the time comes to move to battle stations, she grabs the metal sample from the desk. She can still fly support.

        NOW

        Sayla sits in the back seet of the Aphrodite Areia's pilder- "Oh, there are seatbelts now!"- with a borrowed spare helmet from Sayaka. "<The Vist Foundation are openly attacking an OCU Facility to kidnap civiians seeking refuge?>" Sayla speaks, through the helmet comms. If he could see her, Alberto Vist could feel the glare. "<You must be confident if you've given up all subtlety *here*, of all places. And with witnesses no less- is this an act of war, Alberto Vist?>"

        And Banagher lays out his heart and Sayla feels her own flatten. He's reaching out to Alberto and-

        A tightbeam is transmitted, but Sayaka can hear it too. "<...Banagher, please don't. Save yourself the pain. Sometimes family just causes you pain... no matter how desperately you wish they'd listen. Trust me.>"

        She looks forward, at the Banshee... at the other unit. There's something wrong here, isn't there? The psycho frame sample sits in her second holster. She doesn't like this feeling.

        "...It's been a long time since I sat shotgun with either of you. You kids still as spirited as when we met?" She smiles. "This time I get to see what a real Mazin can do up close for once."

KTS: Sayla Mass targets Koji Kabuto and Sayaka Yumi with All-Out.
KTS: Sayla Mass has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sayla Mass orders an all-out attack, raising Sayaka Yumi's Skill!
KTS: Sayla Mass orders an all-out attack, raising Koji Kabuto's Skill!

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae has always considered herself adaptable when it comes to combat. She doesn't need to retrain her muscle memory when she doesn't have muscles, and her processing speed means that confusion comes pretty hard to her even when she's deliberately running her thought processes closer to those of a human. She doesn't even technically need to sortie alongside Arriety in a physical sense when she could just connect through to the Zeta instead - though the robot counsellor does tend to place some importance of her actually being present in the cockpit.

        Even then, she had to pause in surprise at the idea of someone attacking the PPL. Even before they reach the scene the idea of it seems - at best - somewhat foolhardy. She's never seen the Mazinger Z in person, but it stands there like a giant wall waiting for the incoming attackers.

        The communication console she's stationed at lights up without her even needing to touch it, a familiar connection string flicking across the screen. The heads up display of the Zeta suddenly comes alive with potential targets and firing lines, overlaid over a map of the immediate area and-- where exactly did she get building schematics for the Photon Labs? In any case, there's a series of dots scattered across the building as well, as she picks out concentrations of Photon Labs personnel and structural points worth protecting.

        "This is Minae of the Three Ships Alliance. OCU troops, other defenders, I can provide tactical support and IFF if you're willing to open communication channels. It would be very welcome if you didn't shoot us, please," she adds with a faint grin in her voice. "Ah-ri, you're good to go. Rena, download coming through."

KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Arriety Hearn
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster
KTS: BC-001 Minae targets Rena Lancaster and Arriety Hearn with Awe.
KTS: BC-001 Minae has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: BC-001 Minae inspires awe, increasing Arriety Hearn's Morale!
KTS: BC-001 Minae inspires awe, increasing Rena Lancaster's Morale!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Not too long ago, Dr. Yumi and Dr. Kabuto entrusted Liam with a secret. 'SSS-rank clearance' is not something he ever imagined he'd have, but here he is, party to the mystery of the enormous, inexplicable Mazin beneath Mt. Fuji. They've displayed a great deal of trust in him, and he's quietly vowed to be worthy of that trust, if he can.

        Deep in the Geofront, Liam pulls his hoodie on, seals his locker, and hefts his duffel bag over his shoulder. His phone buzzes urgently, a subtle sequence of vibrations reserved for priority messages. Liam pulls it free, activates the screen, and reads the message.

        His face twists in a scowl. He throws the locker room door open and makes for the hangars with all due speed--which is considerable.

        A bright, gleaming figure cuts through the sky above the Old Lab, inbound from nearby Tokyo-3. The Neo Helios is large for a Mobile Fighter, coming in just shy of 20 meters tall, but it's got the looks of one: the articulation, the V-fin (shaped like a golden half-sunburst), the general armor structure. It's colored blue steel and bronze, and it seems to be managing just fine in the air without a Base Jabber.

        The Neo Helios lands on a section of tarmac by the hangars, and looks up at the strikeforce, its body language tense. In the cockpit, Liam stares at the monitors, and tries to work through the gut-twisting fear. The last time he fought the Banshee, it almost killed him. It could've killed Lucine and Banagher and Audrey and Eight. But he has to do this.

        "<Attention mobile units,>" Liam transmits. He wants to call out to Banagher, to reassure him, to let him know he's here--but he can't. "<You have invaded OCU airspace and are threatening OCU citizens. Power down immediately.>" The wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong of the Banshee's presence vibrates in his skull like the beginning of a horrible pressure headache.

        "<Power down,>" Liam insists. "<Whatever this 'family matter-->" Venom drips into his voice for a second-- "<--is, you've no right to threaten /other/ families because of it.>"

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

        Don't you yet realize every moment you resist is a moment that someone is suffering because of you?

There's a flare of Newtype Pressure on the horizon. An insignificant dot in the sky swift approaching the Photon Power Lab. It's not affiliated with PPL, or anything in the Federation, or even Anaheim - not anymore. Technically speaking?

<<"HEY, YOU DICKHEADS!!">>

-Technically- speaking, this machine doesn't belong to any group, and that's just the way Judau Ashta likes it.

Affiliations do have their advantages, though. A queasy feeling the junk trader from Shangri-La had been nursing all day without abate had only been confirmed with the steady, beeping alert of a very specific kind of playing card he had gotten barely over a month ago, now.

A queasy feeling solidifies to a certainty when he finds out why he's being hailed: Banagher and the Unicorn are in danger. At the Photon Power Labs.

It was so urgent, and the feeling so ominous, he didn't even spare a moment to wonder why a weird sex cult would have playing card signalers when Leina was -so insistent they have nothing to do with gambling-.

it's all very suspicious; how do they utilize playing cards in orgies, exactly, if there's no gambling element?? he's dwelled on it for hours--

Which brings us to now, where the bulky, aerial G-Fortress mode of the Enhanced ZZ tears through the skies at breakneck speeds, punching past any warnings or any attempts to hail or otherwise stymie it in its straight, blazing path for the PPL. It's a place that has memories of his own, for Judau -- or at least, with the people who call it home. Some of the few good ones he can claim to have from his time on Earth.

Between that, and Banagher, and a chance to tell the Federation to shove it -- there was no way in hell he wasn't going to make it.

G-Fortress closing in, the Mobile Armor rapidly begins to transform when it gets close enough, folding up and outward into the armored form of the Double Zeta as its thrusters pop off enough counter-thrust to ease its abrupt, ground-rumbling landing on the grounds of the Photon Power Lab. Within the cockpit of that distinctive machine from the First Neo Zeon War, Judau Ashta draws a long, slow breath as he looks up at the Amabilis and its ominously obsidian companion.

There's something about that black Unicorn. Something about the oppressive feeling of it that makes him feel a cold nausea in the pit of his stomach. What... what is...

He pushes past it for now; and, as others put forth their ultimatums, Judau makes his own terms clear:

<<"I've said this before an' I'll say it again: Banagher's a dumbass, but he's OUR dumbass! I don't care if you're the King of the Moon" not a thing Judau "if you don't tell your goons to get the hell out, I'm gonna kick 'em out myself! An' then I'm gonna find out where you are an' I'm gonna sock you in the face, because you sound like a real dick!">>

There. He's made his stance clear.

<Pose Tracker> Spectre of the Banshee has posed.

        Unfortunately for Rena, there's complete radio silence from the OCU, and no units tracking with IFF signals. Are they just ignoring the transmission? That offers great benefit to Minae however, since it doesn't sound like they'll be shooting!From Alberto there's stunned silence for a time after Banagher's attempt to reach out to him, some hushed muttering, before he replies, "Just like the illegitimate child to not understand the family traditions. Banagher, do you truly think having the same father makes us brothers? You haven't the slightest idea what you're laying claim to, what you're asking for. Out of respect for our father, I'll give you one last chance for surrender, and guarantee your safety if you come without putting up a fuss."

        Sayaka challenges him, and he clears his throat, "Director Yumi, allow me to explain the situation. The evidence in front of us shows that you are aiding and abetting two fugitives wanted by the Federation for grave crimes. Out of respect for your father, no charges will be filed! Provided you allow us to take them into custody without further interference." Mazinger Z arriving starts to make him look nervous, "Dr. Kabuto, I assure you that you have the wrong impression. The OCU has offered official sanction to this mission as it is a matter of Federation Security."

        One gets the impression that Alberto is slowly being whiddled down by all the accusations, "No! Of course we're not starting a war! These are fugitives, not civilians. This is no invasion!" Whereas Liam hits him again before he can recover "I have every right. Not even the military has the right to interfere in family matters like this, much less you young man." The Dickheads cometh, and Alberto seems speechless as he's dressed down by Judau Ashta, like he's simply not used to being spoken to this way as he stammers, "N-Now see here! I-I..."

         Then there's about ten seconds of dead air as the mic is obviously hot, some murmuring and then the channel appears to just shift, "Why am I not surprised that you can't even handle a confrontation as banal as this one, Alberto?" The voice of a middle-aged woman, Martha Vist Carbine to those who have dealt with her comes on. "I suppose it was inevitable that delegation fail, so allow me to take a more direct hand."

        "My, what an interesting assortment of individuals that have come arrayed to defy a fully sanctioned Federation operation. Is that you Dr. Kabuto? Director Yumi? I have to say I'm surprised you've taken such a hostile stance. From what reports I'd read, you were quite compliant when the Manhunters came to your doorstep for your Coordinator intern. I thought I would be dealing with reasonable individuals who understand their position does not place them above the law." There's a lengthy pause, as if she were giving them time to realize the knife was twisted, "Apparently, I was mistaken."

        "And who else has rushed here to interfere? Given that you're in possession of that mothballed prototype I take it I'm speaking to Renalle Kan Zeitun? Poor malformed creature, still acting in the role you were created for, not a thought in your head that is your own. And, ah, the Double Zeta, you must be the AEUG renegade of the First Neo-Zeon War. Little surprise that you'd end up on the wrong side of the law, I suppose I should see this as an opportunity of sorts." She adds, with an extra smug sense of superiority, "You'll make such wonderful fertilizer for our pilot to reach her full potential. And why, was that Dr. Sayla Mass I heard earlier? It seems the rumors were true that your retirement from the battlefield lasted no longer than Axis. More importantly, are you absolutely certain this is a fight you want to start? Careful, you truly have no idea what you've stepped in, and what you might end up regretting."

        Within the negative stew of emotions felt within the Banshee, there is this note of intense fear and elation in equal measure, abruptly the mobile suit turns away from the Photon Labs. Martha utters a sound of disgust, "There'll be none of that. I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with any further weakness today. Commence retrieval of the Key and the Zeon Princess."

<Pose Tracker> Puru-1 has posed.

        BGM Change: Mad-Nug - Gundam Unicorn OST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcLoj0qoe_g

        "Puru-1, dance for me."

        The moment that is spoken, its like a switch is flipped, there's an abrupt intensification of the psychic pressure, as a scream resonates throughout the cognitive plane. The suit spasms, and shakes as if throwing a fit, before armor starts to separate and expand into gleaming orange gold Psycoframe, the horn upon the Gundam splits into the iconic V adornment, with multiple jagged gold protrusions like daggers coming from it.

        The psychic pressure just builds into a pounding frenzy akin to a pulse until it's visible to all with the senses for it the psychic effigy, like a predatory bird overlaying the Banshee, violet borders suddenly opening within the air as two ethereal eyes, it's finger-like talons overlaying each plating of the arm. The emotions swarm in an uncontrollable chaotic frenzy of almost childlike laughter, wicked glee permeating the air.

        The suit leaps, its blue thrusters lighting up as it pivots in mid-air, landing on a Base Jabber that zooms in on an intercept course as it lands upon it, feet locking in place, as it flies past then swings back around at intense speed like a predator hawk in flight.

        The NT-D reaches out, and in the Double Zeta it does not flip off its bio-sensor, no instead it merely causes the Double Zeta to identify not just with Judau, but with the Banshee itself. Erupting from the Pseudo-Psycommu, twin sickly purple hands on the psychic plane form and latch onto each wrist as horrid emotions infect him. A moment like static, and he sees a flash like the visage of a familiar girl, her face hollow and empty of features save for a black pit, before it vanishes.


        JEALOUSY RESENTMENT POSSESSIVENESS
         PLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAY
                M I N E ONLY M I N E
                     BIG BROTHER
                M I N E ONLY M I N E
         PLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAY
         ANGER AVARICE SORROW FEAR ENVY

        And to his horror he might realize in this moment, these are her feelings, save it is all the negative, without the balancing benefit of any childish innocence or joy. Within the Gaia Gear, the reaction is even more pronounced, twisted masses of purplish static grip and hold onto Rena from every kind of angle, seeping into the soul.

                 USELESS WORTHLESS
                   TRASHTRASHTRASHTRASH
                        MAMAS GIRL
                         M I N E
                        MAMAS GIRL
                TRASHTRASHTRASHTRASH
                     UNNEEDED UNNECESSARY

           

        Within the Unicorn the reaction is less pronounced than before, the hands appear and unravel, but not quite as many in the awful tangled mass as they grasp ahold of him and seep a multitude of feelings within him and Audrey.

        POINTLESSNESS HOPELESSNESS FAILURE RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN
                DADDYS BOY DADDYS BOY YOUCANTCANTCANTCANTYOU
                        M I N E M I N E
                        DADDYS GIRL DADDYS GIRL NEVERGETAWAYNEVERLETYOUGO
        FRUSTRATION DEFEAT ABANDONED FORSAKEN RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN
                  

        Sayla may see a brief static like image of purplish hands reaching for her, but without a medium of transmission they don't reach her. Nevertheless within the intentionality she can feel intense possessiveness towards her. An incredible desire to take her away. Koji being less sensitive, will still catch a forced glimpse of Rumi lifeless on the floor as if it were a warning. Arriety meanwhile gets this subtle sense of indirect possessiveness and malice as if she's not precisely the one it wants, but someone very close to her.

        Buzzing on by, the Banshee grabs its Beam Magnum and fires two shots. One at Mazinger Z's right shoulder, before stowing it and making a flyby to the side of Aphrodite Areia's leg. A beam saber erupts as its grabbed from its forearm as the Base Jabber tilts sideways and slashes across its left knee, righting itself and flying at the Gaia Gear as it feints with the Beam Saber, right as a Beam Tonfa erupts from a gauntlet and it swings around to try and puncture its hip joint from the flank, and drag it across the armor.

        The Base Jabber swings around again like a circling bird, before it leaps, thrusters firing to hover, before it shifts direction abruptly and falls upon the Full Armor Double Zeta.

        The plates of the gauntlet encasing its left arm separate into fingers containing wicked gold claws, that set off a horrid buzz in the air, as it descends to try and crash right into the side of its west arm wing shield and dig right in. The vibrating stops, but the mobile suit latches on, and engaging thrusters using its grip to pull it around up and over its wing shield before descending comfortably behind its back, still attempting to stay latched on.

        It hangs upon the mobile suit's back with a sense like its playing with him, hanging there with wicked glee as a child piggybacking their elder. Its right arm suddenly extends, the prongs rotating outwards of the beam smartgun as it begins to spray lashing violet beamfire across the air in chaotic whipping patterns, melting whatever it comes in contact with it as it tries to leave no escape for the Unicorn Gundam laughter thrumming across the psychic plane like a quickening heartbeat.

Puru-1 transforms to RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee <Destroy Mode>

KTS: Puru-1 targets Koji Kabuto with Beam Magnum Shot!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Sayaka Yumi with Beam Saber Rush!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Rena Lancaster with Beam Saber Rush!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Judau Ashta with Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Banagher Links with Armed Armor BS Spread Shot!
KTS: Puru-1 has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Koji Kabuto partially guards Puru-1's Beam Magnum Shot, taking 5510 damage!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi fails to parry Puru-1's Beam Saber Rush, taking 2925 damage!
KTS: Puru-1 has engaged Sayaka Yumi!
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Judau Ashta's Spirit Endurance activates, and the spirit endures.
KTS: Puru-1 has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Judau Ashta
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Rena Lancaster's Spirit Endurance activates, and the spirit endures.
KTS: Puru-1 has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Rena Lancaster
KTS: Rena Lancaster's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to parry Puru-1's Beam Saber Rush, taking 3120 damage!
KTS: Puru-1 has engaged Rena Lancaster!

<Pose Tracker> Alexis Kerib has posed.

Fujinomiya isn't the only place that has something to deal with. Not long after the changeover of who's got the microphone, there's a screech -- on the train line between Tokyo and Nouvelle Tokyo, as a familiar monster takes the stage.

Claws like hobby wire dig into the tracks, ripping up a rail without a care for the electrical surge that that no doubt sends through the creature's pink, blue, and white body. One long hornlike growth from the back of the kaiju slams into a building, leaving a deep gouge through it as the creature roars.

And unlike the Banshee... /this/, the OCU's Third Ichinana Company -- less Shiro, apparently, who has deployed all on his own -- is permitted to deploy for. It is, after all, rather more within their usual training and mandate... isn't it? Perhaps intelligence even suggested this was a possibility today, and they'd been kept in reserve for that reason.

Ghoulghilas is a known kaiju, and not a terribly strong one -- even with its deep black eyes suggesting a malevolence that wasn't always present in its previous appearances. The sort of thing that groups like the 3rd Squadron or STORAGE often end up mopping up without too much incident.

(One wonders, admittedly, why CK-01 has even made another appearance. It doesn't seem like there's a limit to what Alexis Kerib can bring out of the closet of old kaiju, and CK-11 -- the mechanized version -- is a strict improvement with a radically better track record...)

<Pose Tracker> Crossfire Salem has posed.

The Amabilis's pilot finally speaks. <"Are you so willing to throw yourself on every pyre you can for him? It's two teenagers...">

<"And you know damn well they won't die. That'd defeat the point."> The voice changer on Crossfire Salem is recognizable. Yet, as Martha Vist Carbine speaks up, she's silent.

And when Puru-1 is told to dance, her blood goes cold. Wouldn't that be...?

"No. Forget everything. You don't know this person. You got out of that machine for a reason. Focus on the mission, Crossfire. Think." She straightens her mask, as she activates the Psychoframe legs of the Amabilis with her mind, leaping off the Base Jabber with a powerful flip and drawing both beam sabers mid-descent.

As the thrusters fire up, the Amabilis moves rapidly, a high-mobility suit, and lunges for the Neo Helios and the Zeta Gundam 3A Type. She whirls like a dervish, twin sabers spinning around with the skill of a melee ace. Slash, slash, slash.

<"Surrender now or face the consequences. Do you want to die for them that bad?">

KTS: Crossfire Salem targets Liam 7-020 with Amabilis Twin Beam Sabers Strike!
KTS: Crossfire Salem targets Arriety Hearn with Amabilis Twin Beam Sabers Strike!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Judau Ashta's Bottomless Optimism activates, and his spirit endures.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Judau Ashta, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Judau Ashta blocks Puru-1's Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe, taking 5880 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 has engaged Judau Ashta!
KTS: Puru-1 begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Judau Ashta has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 blocks Crossfire Salem's Amabilis Twin Beam Sabers Strike, taking 3150 damage!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has engaged Liam 7-020!
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Arriety Hearn fails to evade Crossfire Salem's Amabilis Twin Beam Sabers Strike, taking 3600 damage!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has engaged Arriety Hearn!

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"Happy to help, Doc--er--Ko--" Nope, Rena can't call him by first name. "M-Mister Kabuto? Oh, god, no, that's rude, you're a research scientist--um! Right! We're with you!"

It isn't lost on her that she is, once again, working with Koji Kabuto and Sayaka Yumi. She remembers them from news reports. There is that briefly strange, surreal moment. Then, she sees Minae's data flooding through. "Got it, Minae. Keep an eye on Ah-ri for me, all right?"

Her eyes flicker towards the Neo Helios. Brave, she thinks. And then, she catches the ZZ Gundam coming in. She smiles. That's Leina's big brother. She always wanted to--

He talks.

"What?" she asks God. God doesn't answer.

Her eyes narrow, when Martha begins speaking -- and uses her birth name, to boot. Her teeth grit. "That's my former name," she says. "I'd appreciate it if you called me Rena Lancaster. And, furthermore, if you're hoping to frighten us off... I don't think so. We're going to help Banagher. And we're not letting you do what you want!"

But then she says the name 'Puru-1.' Rena's eyes widen, sharply. "That's--what have you done!?"

The NT-D activates -- and there is purple static that shoots up, striking into her brain. Her eyes widen sharply, pupils shrinking; one eyeball has blood vessels twitch in it, and she feels her breath catching in her throat.

She is too distracted. The Gaia Gear Alpha /slams/ forward, legs and arms unfolding. The thrusters fire on the legs to brake it; the left hand reaches up, drawing out a beam saber. But the Banshee's beam tonfa lashes out, slashing a molten gash across the left hip.

"Gh--"

She can't quite register the appearance of the kaiju. Her mind is reeling; there's poisonous thoughts hitting her. Whispering to her. She squeezes her eyes shut, for a moment, before they open again.

Psychoframe particles explode out of the Gaia Gear Alpha, two trails of green motes of light erupting from the back of the white Mobile Suit. "She has a /name/," she says, her voice colder than a glacier, to Martha. "JUST LIKE CALLIE DOES!"

The beam saber ignites. Brilliant gold, the same as the Hyaku Shiki's in the Gryps War. The beam saber slashes down -- slamming for the arm with the beam tonfa with a brutal hack.

KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Puru-1 with Beam Saber Slash!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Puru-1 parries Rena Lancaster's Beam Saber Slash, taking 1200 damage!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Puru-1!

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety listens as well, though, as Koji and Sayaka respond in turn. So these are the famous figures who fought through so many of the wars with Dr. Hell...

        She pauses as one of the public comms comes through, and -- she reaches for the radio to communicate to the Aphrodite: "Um, Miss Sayaka, I just wanted to tell Miss Sayla... I'm glad you're okay. I don't know what happened since Torrington, but... I thought you were..." Her last time seeing Sayla was seeing the Saint Lance Attacker be struck. "...I'm just glad you're okay. Thanks."

        Arriety breathes again, and looks to Minae's HUD. "... I might need you to help with the vernier balance. I haven't tested the Zeta post-Myrme in gravity. It should be fine, but I might overcompensate with my movements, Minae."

        There's a faint blink as the Mobile Fighter and the Double Zeta arrives. "... Liam? Is that you? And... Judau?"

        A quiet frown on the line, as Arriety responds, "Just listen to yourself... family traditions... you're exactly the kind of adult I despise, someone who loves to adorn himself with labels and pointless titles, and hide behind the law fashioning themselves as justice only when they benefit you..."

        The mic changes hands, though. Someone with a stern voice comes on-hand. "Fertilizer? Don't tell me..."

        She doesn't get a chance, as the emotions hit her directly. There's a gritting of her teeth, and a deeper frown. "This feeling is... Callie-sis...? Why?" No, she's sensed this person before, that sometimes lingers around her sister Callisto... the laughing, playful one who went before her...

        Before she can engage the Banshee, however, Crossfire rips across and catches her off-guard. "Out of the way! That's Callie's...!" Arriety shouts, with a sudden furor. "You don't understand--"

        The twin sabers are up in her grill at the moment; the Amabilis is so fast! It takes all of Arriety's attentions to pull back on the retro-thrusters, pulling her up and having the Zeta's leg armour grazed on her way up -- she boosts backwards, and lets herself land behind a gently sloped hill.

        "Die for them? Well, I wouldn't mind, but... that's not the point..."

        The Zeta rises once more, verniers firing as Arriety skillfully jukes to the Amabilis' left, then cuts the thrusters and feints right -- snaps of the magenta beam rifle shots tracking in as she focuses on leading her shots. "This person... I feel like I've engaged them before..."

KTS: Arriety Hearn targets Crossfire Salem with Beam Rifle!
KTS: Arriety Hearn has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

At the sneering insults of Martha Vist Carbine, Koji clicks his tongue. "So you're the one pulling all the strings, huh? Maybe you should've looked at the medical records of the Man Hunter squad they sent, if you want to see what 'compliant' looks like. I think their sergeant's still off solid food after what I did to his jaw."

'Puru-1, dance for me.'

"Wait, One? I thought - hrgh what the fu - " An image flashes unbidden into Koji's head, and Mazinger Z is motionless for a long horrible moment. The linked comms of Aphrodite Areia catch a whispered "Rumi-san" from Z's cockpit.

The Banshee fires at the motionless Mazin - only for the Castle of Iron to bring up the targeted hand and backhand the beam. It is a terrifying force of minovsky particles to try and block, and the Super Alloy Z cracks and splinters...

But it holds, smoke pluming from Z's arm but the articulation still functioning.

"I guess your pilot doesn't want us to back down." Koji's voice is still quiet - a dangerous snarl. "Fine by me. Iron Cutter."

Mazinger Z clenches both fists and flexes its wrist joints, blades snapping out of its forearms.

=== The skies over Japan ===

"What the - " Shiro grunts as his radar pings alarms. "A kaiju attack? Now?"

His Ichinana comes to a halt in midair, and the Captain of the Third Company confronts a terrible decision. His family needs him.

His team need him, too.

"... I'm sorry, big bro," he says, choked, and turns his Ichinana towards the train line where Ghoulgilas has emerged.

=== Back at the Photon Power Lab ===

Koji's setting up for melee, but he has other plans, right now. The eye-trackers in his helmet link to Mazinger Z's eyes, which flash red, then burn brighter and brighter as he traces the shape of the Banshee for weak points, then -

"KOUSHIRYOKU BEAM!" and Photon Power lances forward towards the Banshee!

KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Puru-1 with Koushiryoku Beam!
KTS: Koji Kabuto has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Banagher Links, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Banagher Links blocks Puru-1's Armed Armor BS Spread Shot, taking 6710 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 successfully Evades Koji Kabuto's Koushiryoku Beam

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Allies surround the Unicorn. Banagher's spirits are bolstered, and he looks across to Audrey, smiling brightly. "We're going to be okay! With everyone here, there's no way anything bad is going to happen. Maybe we can even stop the Banshee and save its pilot."

"<Rena, Arriety -- thank you! I'm so thankful you're here.>" Banagher calls out, voice stronger already. "<We can do this. Please, try not to hurt the pilots if you can!>"

Every bit as good as their promises, Sayaka and Koji join the Unicorn. This is their home. Of course they're going to fight -- but Banagher is still so grateful. His hands clench on the controls of the Unicorn. There's no way this'll stay peaceful for too much longer. They have to be ready.

Judau's presence burns like the sun, and Banagher feels his heart lift at it. Even Judau... There's no way they can lose. "<Thanks, Judau.>" Banagher says, ever so gently amused, despite everything.

In a contrast to the determination of the others, Sayla offers a warning. Banagher furrows his brow. "<...okay. I'll be careful. If he won't listen, we'll fight him. I'm ready for that.>"

Putting his resolve to the test, Alberto speaks again. Banagher grits his teeth, and the Unicorn holds her gun all the more firmly, echoing her pilot's sorrow. "<Yes. No matter what, we're brothers.>" Banagher insists, quietly. "<I'm not giving up, Alberto. Not on the Box, or you.>"

Banagher closes his eyes. Sayla was right...

Golden eyes snap back open at the voice of Martha -- who is this? Banagher doesn't know her, doesn't recognize her voice, but there's something to her that makes him recoil all the same. Part of Banagher wants to snap at her in defense of his brother, but--

"<You... let the Manhunters take someone..?>" Banagher says, glancing back to Mazinger Z. ""

But the Banshee turns away. Hope glimmers. The Unicorn lowers her gun, and --

"Puru-1, dance for me."

"W--wh--"

Banagher screams in agony as the Banshee's pressure increases, bringing both his hands to his chest. It hurts, in such a familiar way, freezing and clawing. He's barely aware of the black Unicorn taking to the sky again, barely able to breathe through the psychic attack, and once he can function again...

"<Judau!>" Banagher calls, "<Something's -- wrong with that pilot! It's after you, I'm sure of it!>"

The Banshee's gaze turns to her sister.

"Audrey, here it comes. Get ready--"

Again, he throws his arm out in front of Audrey, a feeble gesture to try and protect her against the hands reaching for them both. "Leave her alone! Nnh--!"

Banagher wants to run. He wants to take the Unicorn and go, and fly, and not stop until the stars are around them again, far from here, far from everything. Tiny violet hands cling to his arms, his head, tear at his chest... It's too much.

"<STOP IT!>" Banagher screams, and the Unicorn shrieks in turn, a psychic wave of fear and rage echoing across the battlefield.

Puru 1 -- that's Miss Marida's family. Has another sister been found? Where, how? Callisto -- everyone is searching for them!

Already feeling sickness welling up in his stomach, Banagher almost misses the smartgun warming up. The Unicorn raises her shield independently, catching the blast -- and the shield shatters, sending the Gundam back. With a cry, Banagher looks to Audrey, pulling against the hands trying to bind him.

"Audrey, are you okay? This is -- going to be bad. We'll figure it out, and it's going to be fine, but!" Banagher turns back to the fight. "It's going to be rough."

"<Banshee pilot.>" Banagher broadcasts, guiding the Unicorn through raising her beam magnum, aiming at her sister. "<I'm sorry--! I'm sorry, I promise, we're going to save you. Please, try to fight. Everyone here wants to help you!>"

"I'm sorry--" Banagher whispers, as the beam magnum glows magenta. He squeezes his eyes closed as the Unicorn aims and fires, the sheer force of the shot scorching the air.

KTS: Banagher Links has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Banagher Links has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Banagher Links: Will Barrier Activates.
KTS: Banagher Links targets Puru-1 with Beam Magnum Shot!
KTS: Banagher Links has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 successfully Evades Banagher Links's Beam Magnum Shot

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

Mineva bites her tongue. She wants, so badly, to yell at Alberto Vist. Tell him that the suffering he attributes to Banagher is *his* doing. But she doesn't. They want her as well as the Unicorn; better, then, that she not confirm her location to them.

"He's wrong," she says simply, to the boy next to her. "He's the one who's done this. Not you... tch. Hypocrite." Saying they aren't brothers, but in the same breath, invoking their father as a bargaining tool... He crumples, and another voice comes on the air.

She threatens their defenders directly. Mineva wavers a moment, before remembering what would have waited for her at had she not escaped the Gwennangorn. A political prisoner, in no position to help anyone... and this time, with the Unicorn in Vist's hands.

She can't abide that, so she steels her will...

Only to be toppled again as Martha Vist Carbine addresses the Banshee's pilot. 'Puru-1'. Horror and disgust rise up. Anger. She remembers what Leina told her... about the way Elpeo Puru and her 'sisters' were treated. The struggles that Callisto still goes through, now.

Her guardian, Marida Cruz.

Even as the cold waves of the Banshee's pilot wash over her, even as the hands invade...

"--- ---- ---"

Her lips move, inaudible through the helmet.

"How dare you?"

Louder, this time.

Her finger presses the comm button on her console.

<"HOW DARE YOU?!"> she yells over the open comm, through the Unicorn's loudspeakers, overflowing with disgust, with anger. <"Do you have any idea what you've done?! -- No, you don't care. Monsters like you don't care to understand, do they?"> She shudders audibly as fingers grasp at her. <"You'll carve away at a person until all that's left is a killing edge, assign them a number, and DAMN what happens to them afterward, right?!">

<"You're... nnh...!"> Her resolve wavers as the psychic assault continues, but she pushes on. <"You've torn apart person! A PERSON! And I will not stand idly by while you commit such grave crimes!">

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        The ZZ might be all the support she can call on short notice, but it's plenty. "Judau! You're just in time!" And he opens his mouth and... Honestly, there's something to being straightforward.

        Alberto's tenure on the radio is overthrown, but Sayla tenses and her eyes narrow. "Martha Carbine-Vist..." She says quietly, to Sayaka alone. "I'm surprised she's personally involved..." She pauses. "Normally I'd tell you to keep your cool, but I know better."

        She opens her comms. "" She tries to keep calm, trying to draw some information from Martha. "But let's not pretend you don't know my stake in this. We can skip->"

        Her eyes go wide. Puru-1? That can only be-

        "<Judau. Judau... do they actually have Elpeo Puru in that thing? Is that even *possible*?>" The girl Leina could never save, the one she told her about and-

        She shudders as the Banshee's pilot reaches out for her. Trying to claim her. To take her. To take her away. She grabs the psychoframe sample, hoping to bolseter her walls. 'Don't! I'm not yours to take!'

        "<Are you actually asking that question? Here?>" She tries to refocus on the Amabillis. And the fight. That suit was at Torrington, wasn't it? Who piloted it? Whoever it is, it's not the same pilot. The mnessage from Arriety reaches her. "<...Thank you for your concern, Miss Hearn. I'm glad to see you alive too.>" She looks forward. She has to do her job.

        "<Sayaka, Koji, Judau- I'll track firing trajectories. And... tear that pilot from the machine if you have to. Leina would never forgive me if we didn't try...>" Why though? Why does this Puru-1 want *her*?"

KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Judau Ashta

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

"We'll have plenty of time to discuss those plans later," Sayaka assures Sayla, before smiling. "Oh! And we sure do. It's still as rough a ride as when the Pilder was a motorcycle though, so hang tight!" She warns, with a grin on her face as Sayla looks forward to seeing what a real Mazin can do.

Can't expect much backup from the OCU? No worries, that doesn't deter a Kabuto.. but the sudden kaiju attack leaves him needed elsewhere. "A kaiju attack? /NOW/? Was this.. coordinated somehow?" There's not much use thinking at the moment when there's punching to be done. "Go ahead and deploy, Shiro. The city will be in danger if the Third Squadron doesn't stop that kaiju!"

To everyone else, she transmits on more general comms. "Thank you everyone for your support.. between this and the kaiju, we need everyone we can get. We'll make sure you're duly rewarded for this battle. But first.. let's win it!" Her eyes fire up. Arriety pings her specifically, wanting to express to Sayla she's glad she's alive. "Torrington was rough on us all. I'm really glad we all made it out, too." That fight against Amuro isn't one she'll forget, but for now she'll have to focus on this one.

Sayaka grins at Koji's scathing remarks to the Vists. "And if you think that's bad.. wait until we get our hands on /you/." To Banagher, she transmits. "As he said.. not so much 'let' as go down swinging. Just like we're doing right now, really." The Vists are easy enough to tear into, but the pilot of the Banshee... Puru One? Mazinger Z seems to freeze as Koji makes mention of Rumi.. the housekeeper Baron Ashura killed in cold blood so long ago. "K-Koji? What happened? What did they.. show you?" If Koji's immobilized, the best she can do is cover for him. "Mazinger BLADE!" Sayaka does her best to cut through the Banshee's beam saber, before driving it into the machine herself, sticking it in and going for a good ol' swing with Areia's fist.. just the way Sayla remembers her fighting. There's still a certain level of care in the swing - her real quarry is with the monsters who let this happen. Not the haunted childlike spirit trapped inside the Banshee. But she'll still do what she must in stead of those struggling against her sheer psychic power. "Don't worry, Sayla. I'll do what I can!"

KTS: Sayla Mass targets Judau Ashta, Sayaka Yumi, and Koji Kabuto with Caution.
KTS: Sayla Mass has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sayla Mass suggests caution, raising Sayaka Yumi's Intuition!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Puru-1 with Mazinger Blade: Sweeping Attack!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sayla Mass suggests caution, raising Judau Ashta's Intuition!
KTS: Puru-1 parries Sayaka Yumi's Mazinger Blade: Sweeping Attack, taking 1080 damage!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has engaged Puru-1!
KTS: Sayla Mass suggests caution, raising Koji Kabuto's Intuition!

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        "<Then why is the military /here/?>" Liam spits. He doesn't normally talk this much in the cockpit. Hephaestus told him that he didn't need to waste his breath on the enemy, and the engineers always wanted to keep things direct and to-the-point. He pauses a beat, forces himself to breathe. Arriety gives him something else to orient on. "<Yeah,>" he tightbeams back to her. "<Gold-and-black one's the Banshee. Thing's a monster, look-->"

        'Puru-1, dance for me.'

        "<--out.>"

        Liam flashes back weeks, to an encounter in the Ra Mari II's hangar.

        'That's quite the serial number. For us, we just numbered 2-12.'

        Liam's guts knot. The number doesn't fit, but it's no comfort; Rena and Arriety seem to sense something familiar, and that's all the confirmation he needs. For a single, agonizing moment, Subject 7-020 feels like he's in freefall.

        (He's thinking of Subject 7-017, who vanished one day, when they were testing the skeletal augmentation. Desmond. Another Dublin orphan from the camps.)

        The Amabilis sweeps and spins, charging the Neo Helios. Liam's body reacts, even as his mind reels. The Mobile Fighter settles into a defensive crouch, bringing its arms up; the magnetosphere hums as hatch covers split off its armor, rising and forming a pair of floating shields. The first strike carves a glowing wound into the Neo Helios' forearm, but it bobs and weaves, she shields maneuvering as directed by the magnet-controller in the cockpit.

        "<You're helping these people,>" Liam chokes out, horror and disgust in his voice. "<When they--when they-->" Mineva's put his feelings on the table so /eloquently/. Everything else leaves him in a howl of rage as the Neo Helios charges the Amabilis. Its left arm pulls back, going for a jab--

        A feint. The right emitter snaps open, and plasma pours into the magnetic field. The Neo Helios grabs the knife-shaped shard and drives it at the Mobile Suit's center of mass.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Crossfire Salem with Starshard Knife!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "There's some kind of jamming in place," Minae reports almost immediately upon ending her prior transmission, almost to herself; she frowns placidly as she glances up towards the map she's generated, looking through the hostile contacts for which of them might be generating the noise in her way. The obvious answer is the counterpoint to the Unicorn, but it's not like she can do anything about it directly in either case.

        She leaves part of her processing to work on that, and switches her attention back to the impending conflict in front of her, listening to the voices that argue from the Banshee. She's not sure exactly where it comes from, but she can feel some small level of sympathy at how harried Alberto sounds. Intuition tells her that his intentions are a little more straight-forward than the second voice. "... if the Federation has reached the point of attacking civilian installations - ah, and to be clear, the jamming of radio broadcasts falls under that umbrella regardless of any shots fired - then we will report your actions here. I don't expect this to stop you, but I am simply making it clear."

        "Okay," she switches again, focusing her attention on Arriety all of a sudden with a smile of encouragement. "Don't worry - just pilot like you normally would, and if you need any corrections I'll be there. ... or, well, I'll try," she adds after a moment. "But to be honest, I feel like you're reacting faster than I can help with these days. At least, when push really comes to shove."

        Of everyone present, she is the least affected by the psychic screams emanating from the Banshee - but she's gotten wiser over the last couple of years, and she can pick out a lot from the way in which Arriety's control of the Zeta suddenly dips and swerves. She immediately goes silent as she transitions back into a listening mode of sorts, paying close attention to what she can pick out of Rena and Arriety's distress and the way they react to the pressure. Without the ability to sense it herself, that's the best she can do to get context.

        And one suggestion bubbles up. She doesn't really know much about Rena or Arriety's abilities when it comes to things like this, and it's not in Minae's nature to really rely on them; she knows how little Arriety likes a direct reference to them. Still, she glances up once more at the screen before frowning. "You should leave more of the piloting to me," she suggests. "If that means you'll have an easier time trying to reach her."

        She seems almost a little bashful of the suggestion immediately afterwards; it's definitely not something she'd normally suggest, and she follows it up by puffing out a breath. "Photon Labs, come in. Do you read? What's your status? If you patch me through to your system I can try to get your communications back up-- if this is even working," she adds with a sigh.

KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Prospect Spirit Command targeting Arriety Hearn
KTS: BC-001 Minae targets Arriety Hearn with Sparkle!
KTS: BC-001 Minae has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: BC-001 Minae sparkles, reducing Arriety Hearn's incoming damage!

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Alberto Vist, at a loss, stammers until someone -else- takes over for him, who has the voice of someone who would wonder how much a banana could really cost. Sea green eyes narrow decidedly at this new voice as Martha addresses him directly. 'Little surprise' he'd end up on the other side of the law, she says.

<<"It's comfier here,">> is Judau's tense reply. <<"Whole lot less people with their heads up their entire ass.">>

Everything else she says, though -- Judau's brows furrow in consternation, a frown tugging at his lips as that hair-rising anticipation of something Bad on the horizon inspires his hands to fall upon the Double Zeta's controls. Fear and elation swell in the pilot of the Banshee. Who is this, why do they feel so, so familiar in such an alien way--

<<"You want fertilizer? You're already full of every single kinda shit--">>

                'Puru-1, dance for me.'

"Wh--"

The Banshee's NT-D activates, and Judau knows -exactly- what it is he's looking at as that psychic pressure magnifies. The Biosensor of the Double Zeta is a different breed of Newtype technology entirely -- but it still resonates with the blooming transformation with a throb of indistinct, psychic will in answer to a pressure DISTINCTLY more recognizable.

The Double Zeta can feel the familiarity of a Newtype signature it has known well, across countless encounters.

"... Puru?"

And Judau can feel it, too.

The Banshee reaches out for the Double Zeta: through the pervasive Biosensor of the Mobile Suit emerges purple hands crafted from twisted, strange emotional wavelengths -- a spectre of sentiment, emerging at the forefront of the eldest Ashta's mind in the image of a girl. His eyes widen as he feels that surge of emotions wash over him. A strangled sound escapes Judau; his fingers tremble; solar flare-like brilliance of his Newtype presence seems to dim --

"Puru..."

The memories of that girl who became a second sister to her fill his thoughts. The day she died -- it's a day burned into his memory. He knows exactly the kind of girl Elpeo Puru was. Impulsive and reckless and playful, jealous and petty sometimes, scared -- lonely--

But this...

"... What the hell did you do."

The Banshee drops upon him, like a lion pouncing upon its prey. Banagher shouts out his warning; the emergence of the kaiju, for now, goes completely unnoticed.

<<"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!">>

And that empathic pressure erupts.

The horrifying, sickly sensation of what might as well be the hollowed phantasm of Elpeo Puru is crushing -- and yet, stubborn and defiant to the last, Judau and the Double Zeta seem to reflexively PUSH BACK against that -wrong- feeling, against that negative shell in direct proportion to how much it tries to shove the eldest Ashta's head down beneath the murky, hellish depths. The Double Zeta's arm swings -- not to -avoid- the Banshee, but to -meet- it, wing shield colliding and CRUNCHING against the grasping, clenching gold claws of the VN Claw.

The Double Zeta pays for it almost immediately; Banshee hanging off its back, its arm groans, sparks and -struggles-, armor along that limb crunching inward as the Banshee piggybacks the ZZ. Laughter rings out. Just like her -- just like--

<<"Puru!">>

The name is shouted out over the loudspeakers, the second the Double Zeta's thrusters ignite into a full burst; it carries it forward into the air several feet, before Judau suddenly engages counter-thrust to -buck- the Banshee off just as the others advance upon it.

<<"I know!">> is Judau's shouted response to Banagher -- to everyone. <<"Listen to me -- if she's after me, you gotta use that to your advantage, alright?! Aim for joints, aim for the head! She--">> his teeth grit. <<"-- she gets mad when people try to interrupt her games, it'll keep her distracted!">>

Is it Elpeo Puru? Sayla's question rings out in his mind. Is that even possible? She died. He saw her die. And he's felt her, seen her... but this...

Judau grips the controls of the Double Zeta, resolve steeling against nauseating, hollow familiarity.

<<"I'm gonna find out.">>

And as the Double Zeta falls back towards Earth, as Judau speaks -- the missile bays at its back open up, a payload of explosives firing off at the Banshee, aiming wide to pummel its extremities and distract as Judau shouts out,

<<"Puru! Elpeo! What did they do to you--?!">>

A pulse of empathy rippling out in earnest sentiment of concern behind every syllable. He doesn't care if it leaves him open to the NT-D's sickening predations. He keeps that channel -open-.

Whoever is in there. Whatever is in there. They're getting her out alive.

KTS: Judau Ashta targets Puru-1 with Missile Launchers - Ashta Circus!
KTS: Judau Ashta has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 partially guards Judau Ashta's Missile Launchers - Ashta Circus, taking 5720 damage!
KTS: Crossfire Salem blocks Arriety Hearn's Beam Rifle, taking 5040 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's SEED activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's SEED activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: Crossfire Salem fails to parry Liam 7-020's Starshard Knife, taking 2960 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Crossfire Salem!

<Pose Tracker> Puru-1 has posed.

        The Double Zeta reflexively pushes away that sickly psychic feeling, and there's a sudden empathic WAIL of rejection. Martha gives no answer to him on what they did, in cold, smug silence. It tries to hang on even tighter for what it interprets as rejection from him simply putting up boundaries. Missiles fire, and the Banshee abruptly tries to fly away, but its pounded repeatedly as its Psychoframe panels crack under the barrage as it falls off of him, the Base Jabber flying underneath to catch it before it hits the ground.

                 MEAN MEAN MEAN MEAN MEAN MEAN
                         BIG BROTHER
        M I N E M I N E M I N E M I N E M I N E M I N E

        It throws a tantrum, like a child in a war machine on the streets of Axis, its smartgun firing in return to try and lash around the Double Zeta's feet as the ground erupts and melts, gouges carved out around it.
        The roar of the Kaiju in the distance gives the Banshee no pause, its hard to say what could. The cackling in the Psychic plane increases, as Rena's beam saber slashes down, and is met by a Beam Tonfa that erupts from its arm, as the beam smartgun prongs rotate back in the same moment malice and anger plain.

                 NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME
                 YOU KNOW YOU KNOW
                NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME

        While locked, it sends a hail of Vulcan fire straight in the Gaia Gear's face as if forcing it to back off as the 50 mm Vulcan bullets trail around to try and follow her.

        The Iron Cutters come out, and the Banshee eyes Mazinger Z critically as if assessing an intense threat, or perhaps rough playmate, even as Photon Power is lanced at it in a beam. Its Base Jabber suddenly ascends abruptly before cutting a flanking move, to only barely stay ahead of the beam, a keening wail through the air as something Koji can sense, in how it strikes his ears, the Banshee's gauntlet suddenly separates those vibrating nails appearing, as it descends like a hunting hawk to gouge its claw across Mazinger Z's chest in a raking move.

        Arriety may get a cold sensation on the back of her neck, like fingertips running down her spine, a word like a whisper in her ears, but felt instead TWO as this sense of resentment and anger builds.

        The Unicorn fires the beam Magnum, and the Base Jabber suddenly twists almost fully ninety degrees to avoid it, but still even the indirect heat causes the edge of the Base Jabber to melt away, making it suddenly unbalanced. Circling around with it listing to one side, the Banshee suddenly rushes at Banagher, drawing two Beam Sabers that shine bright white as sickly purple fingers close tighter around him and Audrey.

        NOWAYOUTNOWAYOUTNOWAYOUTNOWAYOUTNOWAYOUT
        WILL FIND YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND YOU
        PLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAYPLAY

        The feelings seep in, like its simply a game of extreme hide and seek, but the Sabers, they sink in, as the Banshee sets for a twin lunge right at both shoulders of the Unicorn.

        Martha has been silent since she activated the Banshee, but now upon Mineva's announcement, "Oh the self-righteous outrage truly doesn't suit you Princess. Were your people not the ones who first created these poor creatures? From what I heard your people were even still using them to this day. Why don't you shout your outrage at Captain Zinnerman for still deploying one Puru-12? How many times did you rely on their combat skill to save your life?"

        Aphrodite Areia swings the Mazinger Blade with so much resolve at its Beam Saber, the Banshee losing in a contest of sheer weight and strength, and the Banshee's gauntlet suddenly separates, its nails coming apart as it tries to knock the blade aside so it can disengage. The Mazinger Blade despite its best efforts takes no damage whatsoever from the nail, as it slides away, its beam smartgun rotating up and away to offer an arc of violet beamfire to try and offer suppressing fire to give it time to escape as Sayla receives a childish psychic retort of M I N E. Holding onto the Psychoframe sample unfortunately gives it a medium of transmission, as a sickly purple hand suddenly reaches out and grabs her on a plane that's not physical.

                    JEALOUSY POSSESSION RESENTMENT
                        M I N E ONLY M I N E

A vision of a girl about ten years old with orange hair and a black pit for a face, reaches out to her. There is a flash of static, the sight of a wrecked Qubeley, before the vision vanishes.

KTS: Puru-1 targets Judau Ashta with Armed Armor BS Retreating Shot!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Rena Lancaster with Banshee Head Vulcans Retreating Volley!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Sayaka Yumi with Armed Armor BS Retreating Shot!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Banagher Links with Beam Sabers High-Output Strike!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Koji Kabuto with Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe!
KTS: Puru-1 has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Crossfire Salem has posed.

<"...the world sucks, kid. We all have our chains."> Crossfire replies to Liam, though there's the sense she ALSO dislikes this situation.

The Amabilis's shield is suddenly raised, as the beam fires out. It diffuses off the shield, burning the wrist behind i t, thrusters rotating as those uncanny legs start moving. Landing and then leaping forward, the beam sabers move to parry the knife slicing forward, but it gets a clean hit, slicing into the frame. An arm is maneuvered upwards to knock him off, before a beam saber-wielding hand is used to dig out a shock pick, and jabs it into the Neo-Helios's core, attempting to fry systems.

Turning as it does this, both bazookas are fired in a linked shot from the shoulders at Arriety's machine, trying to do as much damage to the Zeta as possible in two shots..

<"The world isn't black and white. The sooner you all understand that and hand the two over, the sooner everyone can be happier.">

KTS: Puru-1 has activated the Daunt Spirit Command targeting Mineva Lao Zabi
KTS: Koji Kabuto fails to rush.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Koji Kabuto, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Koji Kabuto partially guards Puru-1's Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe, taking 6120 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 has engaged Koji Kabuto!
KTS: Puru-1 begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Crossfire Salem has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
KTS: Crossfire Salem targets Liam 7-020 with Amabilis Picks Thrust!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Sayaka Yumi's Symbol of Peace and War activates, and her spirit is adjusted.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Sayaka Yumi, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi fails to react to Puru-1's Armed Armor BS Retreating Shot, taking 3410 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 repulses Sayaka Yumi, forcing her to disengage.
KTS: Crossfire Salem targets Arriety Hearn with Twin Shoulder Bazooka Fire Linked Shot!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Arriety Hearn successfully evades Crossfire Salem's Twin Shoulder Bazooka Fire Linked Shot
KTS: Banagher Links has activated the Accel Spirit Command and Has Engaged with Puru-1
KTS: Banagher Links has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Judau Ashta has activated the Wall Spirit Command.
KTS: Banagher Links has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Judau Ashta successfully evades Puru-1's Armed Armor BS Retreating Shot
KTS: Banagher Links parries Puru-1's Beam Sabers High-Output Strike, taking 930 damage!
KTS: Puru-1 has engaged Banagher Links!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Rena Lancaster's Ultrasonic activates, and her spirit endures.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Rena Lancaster, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Rena Lancaster fails to evade Puru-1's Banshee Head Vulcans Retreating Volley, taking 2310 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 repulses Rena Lancaster, forcing her to disengage.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 parries Crossfire Salem's Amabilis Picks Thrust, taking 4557 damage!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has engaged Liam 7-020!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"Ah-ri!" Rena calls out. "This is--I think she's--" Connected to Callie. Rena doesn't know how, exactly; Arriety can likely pick up the meaning, though, because Newtypes can do that, even when Rena's words are failing her.

Her meaning and what "I read you, Banagher," Rena replies, though her voice is tighter with worry, now. "I'll do my best. We've got to save her. This is someone... someone a lot like a very good friend of mine."

Minae says they're jamming the communications. Rena doesn't like that -- though it doesn't surprise her, either.

Her beam saber is swinging down. When Rena feels the sheer eruption of power and awareness from Judau, emanated from his biosensor, her eyes widen. She hears his words, too; she can feel it. "Go for the joints?" she transmits back to him. "Got it! You--you know who this is? She's--she feels like someone I grew up with, after the first war!"

She hopes, for a moment, that Leina or Callisto filled him in.

Rena's beam saber slams down into the beam tonfa. Lightning crackles over the two blades of mega particle energy. Her name -- their names. It sends a sick feeling through her. "That's not... that's /NOT/ my name anymore!" she says, her voice rising to a shout. "Please! You have a name, too!"

The head vulcans fire -- nearly point blank -- and the shells slam into the Gaia Gear Alpha's head and shoulders. The left side of the faceplate deforms around a shot that grazes it; others pound the Gundarium alloy, leaving it dented, but not broken through, and the Banshee blitzes away.

Aim for the joints, Judau said. Rena makes the Gaia Gear Alpha reach over its shoulder, then draws free the beam rifle. The weapon is turned down, aimed for the Banshee's left leg. "Remember it!"

She fires. Three shots, first -- each a lance of golden light exploding from the barrel -- that all shoot past the Banshee. The fourth, though, comes slashing at the Banshee's leg. "Remember the people who care about you--the people who will be glad you're still here, when you're on the other side of this!"

KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Puru-1 with Beam Rifle Blitz!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 blocks Rena Lancaster's Beam Rifle Blitz, taking 1440 damage!
KTS: Rena Lancaster begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Valor Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Both Sayaka and Sayla's words encourage Arriety -- but she can't have a nice long chat with them right now, even if she wants to. Maybe later, but... it's enough knowing Leina didn't have to lose her mother figure on that day. And besides, there's more important things right now...

        "I can't do this, Minae... I can't keep calm..." she whimpers, even as she looks towards that smile of hers. "It keeps happening... it keeps happening!" Arriety shouts, voice full of fulminating, sweltering rage as she finally loses her cool, and--

        And the apparition within the Banshee reaches her, the cold sensation touching the back of her neck; the words trickle like damp, cold whispers. Resentment. Anger. Anger. Anger--

        Something hot erupts in her mind. A crimson seed that alights upon a shallow pool of water, within her mind's eye... shatters into hundreds of fragments, each normally reflecting the kaleidoscope of the greater world upon her...

        ... but nothing's clear here. As the pieces of the seed fall in her mind, she's just seeing red, as her pupils shrink down until they're just dots. Nothing but rage, and despair, in equal amounts -- but they're both sensations that intertwine around each other, feeding off off each other.

        Rena speaks out to her. "It is, Rena. I've seen her before..." She looks to the Banshee's direction. "I've seen you before, Puru, around Callisto! This isn't you! When I sensed your faint presence around her, around sis, you're full of warmth, and joy... you look out for her! This isn't the kind of person you are...!"

        She relies on Minae to assist, as the Super AI encourages -- to lean and rely on her more -- though her reaction still reflexively comes through as the bazookas fire in linked succession -- she spots the feeling of danger a mere second they fire, and the Zeta is suddenly rocketing up as the physical projectiles fire--

        "It's so accurate... but cut the verniers and...!"

        --and she suddenly freefalls like a rock, relying on the gravity assist to let the bazooka shells very, very nearly graze the Zeta's chest and head as metal actually impacts but fails to detonate. The Zeta skids ungracefully down the hill and nearly stalls, but she lets Minae's piloting realign them back towards fighting shape.

        She hears Crossfire's response.

        "I know very well how dark and violent the world is. But you're going to sit there and block me, knowing this is going on?! Who do you think this is going to make happier?! That woman speaking on the mic, coldly chiding us all like a disaffected parent, while they proudly take the proceeds of butchering children and stuffing them into machines?!"

        Arriety desparately wishes she could summon the sum total of the Biosensor at present, but it's just not -- /here/. She has nothing but her own capabilities to rely on, and thus... and thus!

        The Zeta is fast on the move again -- it jukes upwards, to the left; more feinting movements, and then opens a hail of fire with its head vulcans and fires two grenades from its wrist as its opening salvo.

        This is a trick, however, because Arriety soon fires on her own live rounds to try to catch Crossfire in her, well, the cross-fire of her grenades prematurely detonating to keep up the pressure with further shots from her beam rifle, one attack deceptively being hidden behind another.

        "If you're also going to coldly shrug and say 'this is the way it should be'..." Banagher's prior words come to her heart, for a moment. Sorry, Banagher. "...then I'm going to ERASE you!!!"

KTS: Arriety Hearn targets Crossfire Salem with SEED Coordinated Assault!
KTS: Arriety Hearn has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Crossfire Salem blocks Arriety Hearn's SEED Coordinated Assault, taking 5640 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's SEED activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's SEED activates, causing Jam L1!

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Audrey's rage gets a shocked glance from Banagher. She's never expressed this much emotion about /anything/. Alberto and whoever that horrible woman is know Audrey is here now, but it won't matter. Banagher won't let anything happen to them.

"We're going to save them. Whoever they are." Banagher reassures her, trying to sound brave. "I promise, love. We'll save them and we'll help them put themselves back together."

Seeing Judau attacked like this is terrifying. In every battle he's felt almost invincible, but the Banshee knocks the Double Zeta out of the sky. "<Judau--!>" Banagher calls, again, but grits his teeth at the older pilot's response. "<Alright! We're with you!>"

Banagher mutters a curse as the beam magnum shot misses -- though it scorched the Banshee's Base Jabber just enough to still make a difference. All at once, the Banshee launches itself at its sister, and Banagher gasps. Without a shield, their only option --
r CRRRCK--!

Before Banagher could put his thoughts in order, the Unicorn has dropped the beam magnum and drawn her own beam saber. She meets her sister's dual assault with one of her own. It's enough, just barely.

But no amount of weaponry can keep away the psychic attack. Banagher flinches, breathing fast and terrified. He can still see. Even as the hands drag him down, slow his movements, the Unicorn reacts to her pilot's heart.

"<Banshee pilot -- Puru 1!>" Banagher hates the words as they leave his mouth. It feels so foul to refer to someone as a number. Maybe Judau has the right idea. "<Y--you're right. You found us. We'll play, just-- come outside your Gundam. T--then you can play with--nnh-->" Banagher shakes his head side to side, trying to throw off those horrible fingers. "<Both of us. Me and Audrey.>"

Martha speaks up again, and rage echoes from Banagher's heart, looping into his awareness again and again by the NT-D's machinations. "<Don't you DARE talk to her like that! You don't know anything about Audrey -- or Captain Zinnerman!>"

With a furious cry, the Unicorn pushes away the Banshee's sabers and lunges, forcing her own saber forward, aiming for the black Gundam's shoulder joint. The anger, the fear, the sadness -- all of it spirals around Banagher, made all the more powerful by the terrifying hands clinging to him.

Feeling her pilot's spirit so wound up in these savage emotions, the Unicorn's light flickers, red motes of light taking shape amid her miraculous green glow. Banagher snarls -- feeling his control slipping, and unable to care.

KTS: Banagher Links targets Puru-1 with Beam Saber Slash!
KTS: Banagher Links has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 parries Banagher Links's Beam Saber Slash, taking 1200 damage!
KTS: Banagher Links has engaged Puru-1!
KTS: Banagher Links: Will Barrier Activates.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        An outside transmission crackles through Liam's radio, half-distorted by Minovsky static.

        '--ju desig-- CK-01. Aga-- kaiju CK-01--'

        Liam's stomach does a flip, and the Neo Helios glances away from the Amabilis for just a second--just one second, long enough to see one of Akane's kaiju silhouetted against the distant skyline. It looks like CK-11, but 'organic'. Dammit, Liam thinks, how did he miss /that/ appearing, what's that doing here, why /now/, is someone in BioNet--

        '...the world sucks, kid. We all have our chains.'

        For a moment, Liam is elsewhere, remembering Hephaestus. But only for a moment, this time.

        It's a moment that Crossfire, canny pilot, can exploit.The Neo Helios goes very still. The pick rushes at it, facing no resistance. The tip punches through the Mobile Fighter's chest armor, impacting just off-center thanks to a last-second dodge to the right. It doesn't get any further. The Neo Helios' hand grabs the Amabilis', and Liam SHOVES, burning the jets to add extra momentum. Plasma bleeds from the hole. The basso hum of the magnetosphere intensifies. Heat-haze engulfs the Mobile Fighter, joined a moment later by the bright green aurora of electrically-excited oxygen.

        "<Funny,>" Liam says, his voice a growl. "<That's what the man who hurt me used to say.>" He can hear Arriety's rage, and pain, and the pain in the voices of the other pilots. Adrenaline washes through his brain, threatening to take his thoughts with it.

        Liam lets out a breath, and starts riding the wave. "<Arriety,>" Liam says, over tightbeam. "<Listen. Focus on me. Whatever's happening, we will /stop it/. Together.>" The Neo Helios lands again, its feet tearing trenches in the park soil. Its palm emitter irises open, but this time the gesture that hand makes is different: thumb tucked in, three fingers extended. A bright vent of plasma unfurls from the emitter, curling into a long, carefully-contained ribbon as the magnetosphere sculpts it. "<And you,>" There's rage in Liam's voice, but it's not the same tenor as Arriety's. "<You sound like you've /already given up/! You don't even want to be here, do you? What's keeping you? Vist got blackmail on you? G-Hound ordered you to?"

        The Neo Helios' arm whips forwards, and that streamer lashes through the air like a dancer's ribbon. It snaps down towards the Amabilis' shoulder--and despite its unorthodox appearance, it is as blisteringly hot as a beam saber blade, if not more so.

KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Crossfire Salem with ASTRA - Prominence!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        'I'm gonna find out.' The soaring pressure is overwhelming. All of Judau and Mineva's anger and despair pour through Sayla's walls- already stressed by the Banshee's presence. She has to keep focused. She has to support the plan.

        <"...You heard Judau! Everyone support him!"> She closes the line, as she wonders aloud- "Is it a B-Type...?" Would even Vist-

        The hand grabs her and Sayla's eyes widen in fear. The hand grabs her and she tries to jerk away, in both the real and fake spaces. The girl. The Qubeley. In the rear seat of the pilder, Sayla looks filled with anger, fear and sorrow. "No! I'm not yours! I'm not yours... You deserved better, I know you did... Leina told me what happened. Now let go... You... You can't have me. I have too many people to go back to!" Tears are flowing down her face now, as she makes one more effort to shake her off.

        And then Martha and Crossfire keep talking.

        "<...Be quiet.>" The comm is open, anbd Sayla's voice is shaking. Not with fear now, with rage. "<Shut your *fucking* mouths this instant!>" Her anger turns to Crossfire first. "<What kind of arrogant motherfucker are you to tell *me* the world isn't black and white? Of course it isn't, but you're just a stupid fucking coward, scared to hope for colour! You can't even imagine that there's a good choice to make, can you? You're beyond worthless!"

        That furious anger turns to Martha now. "And you! *Come mierda*! You'd *tear a child from death* to empower yourself! You don't *get* to die. I'm going to put you through *every* torment you put that girl through, and leave you able to hear and see the world and never interact with it until this universe dies!" Sayla is screaming, overflowing with rage. It's a good thing that the comms wider out are getting jammed. "Don't think you know all the horrors that the universal century has unleashed."

KTS: Crossfire Salem fails to Parry Liam 7-020's ASTRA - Prominence, taking 3000 damage!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Crossfire Salem!
KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Koji Kabuto
KTS: Sayla Mass has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Sayaka Yumi
KTS: Sayla Mass targets Judau Ashta, Sayaka Yumi, and Koji Kabuto with Coordinate.
KTS: Sayla Mass has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Sayla Mass coordinates maneuvers, raising Judau Ashta's Piloting!
KTS: Sayla Mass coordinates maneuvers, raising Koji Kabuto's Piloting!

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

Mineva nods to Banagher. Her anger simmers for a moment... but then, Martha brings up Marida. That anger spreads further, through the Psychoframe, echoing out toward her faraway guardian, to "Puru-1" mere meters away, to Martha Vist Carbine, wherever she may be.

<"Her name,"> she exclaims, yells through the comm, <"Is Marida Cruz! She is my guardian, my FRIEND! Not a tool, not a weapon...! And I am not my forebears. I am not the men who murdered billions!">

Her anger seethes white-hot, her level head tilted by the psychic torrent washing off of Puru-1.

She takes a deep breath, and as she exhales, she tries to calm herself... and reaches out. You are not what they want you to be, she tells the Banshee's pilot. You are a person. You are more than a weapon, and we can help you. Please. Let us in.

<Pose Tracker> Crossfire Salem has posed.

"You misunderstand me." Crossfire responds to Arriety, with a sigh, but as Arriety says she'll 'erase' her, survival instinct comes into play. Liam asks what they've got on her, as the flames fire up.

Sayla tells her to shut up. There's suddenly a wild laugh, as she realizes these are people she once tried to emulate. How far she has fallen.

"You've got nothing on me...! I'm fighting for something more important than ANY OF THIS BULLSHIT! For someone more important than any of YOU! The day I die, the world will come crumbling down with me...!"

"So I can't let that happen!"

The streamer burns into the shoulder despite another parry attempt, a hiss of heat and steam, while the coordinated assault batters her shield, blasting into the frame. Crossfire suddenly jukes, as she takes both beam sabers and moves to rush straight at Arriety.

And then she leaps, unleashing those shock picks in a wild toss at the Neo-Helios before...

Falling downwards onto Arriety's machine!

The two blades twirl in mid-air like a fairy's wings, moving to try and rip Arriety's suit up and do as much damage in one flurry as possible.

"Coward? Maybe! But this is the hand I was dealt when I made the devil's bargain, and I'll play it until I save *her*! I don't get a do-over on life!"

"So this one has to be for keeps...!"

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

"Three Ships Alliance comms," A tense-but-cheerful voice echoes in Minae's ears. "This is Lisa! I hear you loud and clear, and would love some help clearing this jamming!" The question of how Lisa heard the Brave Counselor's call hangs in the air, but she has no time to answer it.

They can't do much to penetrate the greater cloud, even working together, but they can at least lessen its effects on the battle and allow everyone to keep in touch with the Lab.

Once more, Mazinger Z is pushed to its limits by a ruthless, determined enemy. Even seething with fury over the threat of somebody else ending up like Rumi, and even as the emitters of its chest array are sheared asunder by the Banshee's Iron Nail, that feral grin/snarl is worn fiercely on Koji's face. He taps his comm button as he hears the local interference clear up.

"Nossori! Launch the Jet Scrander!"

"Koji, in your position - "

"I know, just do it!"

In the distance, Mt. Fuji's false rock wall rumbles open, the launch rail for the Jet Scrander rising from the ground. The broad red wings launch towards the Photon Power Lab.

"Assuming remote Scrander control, Master!" Lisa calls to Koji, fingers blurring across the keyboard of her console.

"Good. Spook that Garuda and come in behind the Banshee." Koji collapses the Iron Cutter on Z's right arm as he grapples with the Banshee. "Wait for my signal."

"Master, the repairs from the fight with Atrytone are starting to fail, you may not have time!"

"I know! But we've gotta hold out."

It's not enough, but he can't back down. He'll have to make it enough. "Gotta get through that armour." energy crackles across Mazinger Z's mouth-grille. "RUST HURRICANE!!!" A tornado of charged particles billows forth, breaking apart the molecular bonds of the Banshee's armour the longer it stays in the maelstrom!

KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Puru-1 with Rust Hurricane!
KTS: Koji Kabuto has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 fails to react to Koji Kabuto's Rust Hurricane, taking 6480 damage!
KTS: Koji Kabuto repulses Puru-1, forcing them to disengage.
KTS: Koji Kabuto completes the Formation attack!

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae's already tagged the kaiju on the screen by the time they meet combat, though its presence in the data packets sent between the mobile suits she's monitoring is marked with the electronic equivalent of two circles and backslashes either side of it. It's supposed to be her signalling she's taken aback at the existence of a kaiju here and now, but instead it just causes a brief rendering error. For a few precious seconds before she catches and corrects it, there is a kaiju in italics on the readout.

        Her hands pause over the console; she's already there to back Arriety up. She can't feel the mental strain on the pilot, but she can hear it in her voice and sense it in her biometrics, and more than that the way her control over the Zeta simultaneously slips in some ways and tightens in others. "I think this is a time you're allowed to not be calm," she notes, and if there's a tiny little bit of determined anger in her voice it might be the first time. She feels the eruption of the seed more as a lull in Arriety's piloting than anything else, and fills in the gap herself, thrusting the Zeta forwards seamlessly before the main pilot takes back over.

        "I think you have a very specific and limited view of the word 'everyone'," she replies to Crossfire. Her tone is careful, as if it's her first time with someone on her couch as a patient. "Is this really how the Federation should represent itself? How will this be looked on by those in Orb, who faced the same thing? How will this be looked on by those on Earth?"

        Her expression sharpens into a frown as the conversation between the other Three Alliance Pilots gives her the rest of the background as to what is going on. As the fighting intensifies, part of her devotes itself to supporting the attacks on the Banshee and the Amabilis, but she partitions that part of herself off, the better to flick the radio in response to Liam's support. She still doesn't truly understand the sensations of pressure and fear that Arriety might be feeling, or how exactly they might feel to her, but she can at least trust in what she's been told. "Show her the happier times," she suggests gently. "The Amabilis might be able to block the Zeta - but it can't block your feelings."

        "Liam, you might need to cover us a little if it comes to it. I'm not a very good combat pilot," she admits. It's like she's trying to give them a stream of chatter to focus on in turn, to not become completely overwhelmed. "If you need someone to be a stereo player, I'm much better at that." Her hands fly across the console at the same time, and the system on board the Amarilis lights up at the detection of an external intruder, an electronic attack pushing against the controls.

KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Arriety Hearn
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Prospect Spirit Command targeting Liam 7-020
KTS: BC-001 Minae targets Crossfire Salem with Nullify!
KTS: BC-001 Minae has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: BC-001 Minae nullifies Crossfire Salem's defensive abilities.
KTS: Crossfire Salem targets Liam 7-020 with Wild Hunt!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Crossfire Salem targets Arriety Hearn with Code Fairy!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Arriety Hearn fails to parry Crossfire Salem's Code Fairy, taking 7480 damage!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has engaged Arriety Hearn!
KTS: Crossfire Salem roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Focus Spirit Command.
KTS: Crossfire Salem rattles Liam 7-020, making his next maneuvers more difficult.
KTS: Liam 7-020 fails to Parry Crossfire Salem's Wild Hunt, taking 4185 damage!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has engaged Liam 7-020!

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

Going in straight ahead with the Mazinger Blade might've been a mistake.. not only could the Banshee effortlessly sweep it aside with its nails, it also meant coming in close enough for the pilot, for Puru's transmission to reach Sayla, before flying right away in her endless game of hide and seek.

Sayaka watches the way Sayla's eyes widen, as she tries to fight back against what she sees, and the Artemis Wings immediately maneuver AWAY from the Banshee. "Ugh.. sorry, chasing them down was a bad idea. We're switching to ranged tactics!"

Sayla's fear transforms into full-on rage, directed towards Crossfire Salem and especially Martha Vist. The jamming may be strong, but next to her in the Pilder, Sayaka hears her loud and clear. Sayaka doesn't tell her to stop, just lets her get all that rage out. "I haven't heard that anger in a long time, Sayla. I'm just as mad, though. Monsters like that deserve nothing less...!"

Switching to ranged combat isn't a problem with an arsenal like Aphrodite Areia's. Koji started by rusting down the Banshee's armour.. Sayaka decides to finish the job by melting the rest down! "Hold on tight. HEAAAAAART FIIIIIIIRE!" The heat-sinks shimmer, with a highly concentrated beam of Photonic Flame sent straight towards the Banshee. Breast Fire attacks have a reputation of being messy - but it turns out with the correct mastery of Photon Power, it can be quite precise, as it fills exactly the gaps that Koji leaves.

KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Puru-1 with Heart Fire!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 partially guards Sayaka Yumi's Heart Fire, taking 5510 damage!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Arriety Hearn
KTS: BC-001 Minae has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Arriety Hearn
KTS: Mineva Lao Zabi targets Puru-1 with Shock!
KTS: Mineva Lao Zabi has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Mineva Lao Zabi shocks Puru-1, reducing their Morale significantly.

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Judau Ashta's priority queue for people who need an immediate punch in the face has been updated.

Martha >>>> Alberto

But at this point, he's mad enough that he'll take who he can get.

In a more immediate sense, though -- the entirety of Judau's focus is upon that black Unicorn. He can't offer an ounce of it to Martha taunting Mineva - even if the way she addresses her sparks an expression of recognition. He can't offer an ounce of it to Crossfire and her struggle against Liam and Arriety, or how she fits into this whole twisted tapestry. He can't even offer it to the literal monster roaring forth seemingly from nowhere to... take advantage of the chaos?

He doesn't know. He can't spend a second on considering why. Because every single bit of his focus is on - has to be on - the Banshee and its pilot.

It's so much like the games he would find himself caught up in with that certain Qubeley and its pilot; the practical tantrum the NT-D machine pulls is achingly familiar, even if the beats of it feel -off-; and familiarity, at least for now, gives Judau and advantage. The Banshee fires that smartgun even as it tries to peel off and away to gain distance on its Base Jabber; the Double Zeta reacts -instantly-, launching from the ground mere seconds before it is all -obliterated- by the scarring, scouring scorch of that beam fire. Airborne, the Gundam transforms into its G-Fortress configuration, barrel rolling around the remainder of that assault just as Judau hears an unfamiliar voice addressing him. He blinks, looking aside toward the Gaia Gear. Did Leina or Callisto tell him about Rena? Right now, if they did or didn't, his answer would be the same.

<<"--I know who she feels like. An' I know I'm sure as hell not lettin' these creeps screw with her anymore than they have, whether it's her or not!!">>

Anyone willing to help her now is an ally and a friend, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

Jets firing in rapid acceleration, Judau uses Sayla's support coordinating to send his Gundam soaring over and past the Banshee's head...

... where it transforms back, falling through the air to land on the Banshee's Jabber -just- as it finishes reforming into the Double Zeta.

His intent is to land in front of the Banshee, yank one of those massive saber hilts from the ZZ's shoulder with its left hand, and PLUNGE its igniting, great red blade into the wing of the Base Jabber with intent to disable it and remove one more potential option for escape from the board.

The ZZ's right hand, meanwhile...

... In those seconds before the others' offensive begins anew, Judau attempts to reach out, and just--

--press the Double Zeta's hand against the Banshee's chest.

Pinkish-red hues pulse around the ZZ in wavering, serpentine ebbs. Judau concentrates, eyes shutting.

And despite how risky it is, despite how -wrong- the Banshee feels on some strange, fundamental level -- Judau opens himself up completely to attempt to reach through and past the Banshee, to who lays within. A ghost, or an echo, it doesn't matter. There's only one thing that matters.

                        Elpeo -- are you there?
                                        I'm here. I'm not going anywhere.

She's family.

KTS: Judau Ashta targets Puru-1 with Hyper Beam Sabers - Heavy Strike!
KTS: Judau Ashta has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 partially guards Judau Ashta's Hyper Beam Sabers - Heavy Strike, taking 3080 damage!
KTS: Judau Ashta has engaged Puru-1!

<Pose Tracker> Puru-1 has posed.

        The Unicorn Gundam makes its offer, play if she comes out. Could that really work? Could it? The Unicorn pushes back at its Sabers, before they lunge, and he finds his Saber being caught in a cross parry between the two.

        PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY
        WIN WIN WIN I WIN WIN WIN
        COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT

        The Unicorn forces one blade down in a contest of strength, until eventually the blade flies out of its left hand. The saber held in the right is batted aside, before its gauntlet separates into those horrid vibrating yellow nails, screeching as it tries to latch into the Unicorn, and shred components within its hand.

        Mineva's outreach gives claim to the pilots humanity, and in that moment there is a shimmer like static, as she sees a young girl that looks so much like Marida, save there is no face, merely a void space. COMEINCOMEINCOMEIN. The child grows closer to her until that black pit is all that encompasses her psychic senses, before it ends in a blast of static. And the unsettling feeling that those hands are crawling all over her.

        Before Rena even acts, its like the Banshee is looking right at her with those crimson optical sensors. A shield is abruptly grasped from storage on its back, as the beam rifle slams into the blue shine of an I-field. One, two, three strike it. The fourth however hits cleanly on its leg whose joint buckles.

                WORTHLESS USELESS TRASH
                SIGYN SIGYN SIGYN SIGYN SIGYN
                HELPLESSNESS DESPAIR ANGER

        The shield is replaced for the Beam Magnum, as it gets a bead on the Gaia Gear and fires low as if in hope to melt off both of its legs at once. Whereas Arriety tries to reach out to the Banshee and in return it receives TWO M I N E TWO M I N E TWO M I N E TWO M I N E there is no warmth, there is no joy within its psychic touch. There is only this all pervasive resentment.

        Sayla cries, she cries, she tells Puru-1 that she can't be hers, but in that sympathy, in that anger, there is opportunity. The child is opportunistic to any opening, and as she rages to Martha, the purple hands creep out, curling around each other around Sayla en masse. Sayaka won't see, won't notice the great mass of hands curling around her as if to smother her every with every kind of negative emotion, such that on the psychic plane all can be seen are hands desperation for touch.

        It is just an overwhelming sensory overload of every negative feeling, that permeates her with this underlying sense of possessiveness and desperation and helplessness, perhaps more than any one person can bear.

        The Banshee marks the mountain wall crumble, and it's Base Jabber pivots before ascending in alarm as if to catch it, but its far too fast without Puru-1 disengaging entirely.

        ...---...

        "Sir there's something coming incoming on the instruments." "What do you mean 'something'!? Deploy our mobile suit complement!" The button is hit, as the ship goes into red alert, but even before he can, the stout figure of Alberto Vist cries out as the Remote Scrander is seen coming straight at its windshield, "BRING US AROUND! AROUND!" Before he screeches and falls on his butt.

        Brief BGM Interrupt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uW47jWLMiY

        LiSA buzzes the Garuda before the mobile suits can even deploy, it is in fact, epic.

        ...----...

The rust hurricane is something the Banshee doesn't seem to expect in the slightest, as its suddenly surrounded by the corrosive power of Mazinger Z, its obsidian armor starts to grey, and crack in many places, its movements becoming more rigid, jankier.

        It tries to reach for its Beam Magnum, only for it to take too long, a barrage of Head Vulcan Fire sent erratically up and down the length of Mazinger Z, as its Base Jabber starts to fall apart.

        That's when Judau acts, Judau knows what she feels like, it's as simple as that, as the Gundam flies up and over, before coming down right on its Base Jabber. The Banshee whirls around as he lands, the Beam Saber coming around to plunge into it, the Banshee quickly side steps getting its foot pinned in, but the Base Jabber rocks from an explosion that happens within its death throes.

        A hand reaches out, and Judau will feel himself swimming through a morass of every kind of negative emotion. Its thick, like swimming through tar, it clings to the soul in every way possible. Keep going, keep going. And there's suddenly sight of a person in there, within a black pilot suit accented with grey and gold, faceplate shaded, the chair tilted backwards within the NT-D. The pilot's head turns just slightly, just enough, as if they sense that he's there. And then there is a feeling of abject panic, like a scream that's pushing him back out.

        NO NO NO NO

        The Banshee leaps away from the ravaged Base Jabber. As that crashes, its thrusters fire blue to keep it hovering in mid-air. Which is when it notes that it is facing down the Heart Fire, as its suddenly awash in Photon Flame.

        Disengaging its thrusters, it lets itself fall to the Earth at this point, flame still licking across its tortured armor. The armor creaks, and then there's a strange effect, like a blast of static, and its leaping right at Aphrodite Areia, claw extended to try and catch its chest and shred components.

KTS: Puru-1 targets Judau Ashta with Pass!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Sayaka Yumi with Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Koji Kabuto with Banshee Head Vulcans Retreating Volley!
KTS: Puru-1 targets Rena Lancaster with Beam Magnum Shot!
KTS: Puru-1 has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 targets Banagher Links with Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe!
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Rena Lancaster's Ultrasonic activates, and her spirit endures.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Rena Lancaster, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Rena Lancaster partially guards Puru-1's Beam Magnum Shot, taking 6720 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Koji Kabuto fails to charge.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Koji Kabuto's Mazin Pride activates, and his spirit endures.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Koji Kabuto, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Koji Kabuto partially guards Puru-1's Banshee Head Vulcans Retreating Volley, taking 2730 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 repulses Koji Kabuto, forcing him to disengage.
KTS: Banagher Links has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Banagher Links's Will Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Banagher Links, reducing his Morale significantly.
KTS: Banagher Links fails to Parry Puru-1's Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe, taking 5520 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 has engaged Banagher Links!
KTS: Puru-1 begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Attune Spirit Command.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage.
KTS: [Spirit Defense] Sayaka Yumi's Symbol of Peace and War activates, and her spirit is adjusted.
KTS: Puru-1 enervates Sayaka Yumi, reducing her Morale significantly.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi blocks Puru-1's Armed Armor VN Claw Swipe, taking 5520 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Puru-1's Hands Meant For Holding activates, causing Deject!
KTS: Puru-1 has engaged Sayaka Yumi!
KTS: Puru-1 begins a Formation attack!
KTS: Judau Ashta fails to react to Puru-1's Pass, taking 0 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Sayla urges them to cooperate with Judau, and Arriety knows Judau enough that he has just as much experience with Callisto and her sister. She's got to believe in him... and she wants to reach out to her as well.

        Crossfire berates her, telling her she misunderstands her. She tells her of how she's fighting for something more important than any of this; for someone far more important. That the day she does, the world will come crumbling down with her...

        Her coordinated assault is impactful, but Crossfire's a very skilled pilot -- she misses the jukes, despite frequently utilising such tactics herself, leaving herself open. Inexperience proves to be a costly gap here, since she doesn't expect the leap and is caught in an evasive manoeuvre too early with her thrusters still down, the cross of the two blades shredding hot and fierce into the Zeta's beam saber and shield as Arriety throws her own suit's arms up; the first two strikes overwhelm her saber in power and leave her defenseless, and the next two leave two lines in an X-pattern across the shield, shredding it apart and severely damaging the arm underneath in a shower of electric sparks.

        "Hh... ghghh...!" Arriety's struggling inside the cockpit from the rampant force of the assaults, a cascade of red warning signs flaring up all over the place as the cockpit lights similarly turn red. "Sorry, Minae, I need your help keeping things under control..." Arriety's eyes are flitting across all the warnings and can't comprehend them. This is where she needs her Super AI partner.

        "Y-yeah... I got it, Liam," Arriety answers back in turn to Liam's tightbeam, her pupils still shrunk but -- forced a little more into focus, compared to the wild manoeuvre that put her and Minae in jeopardy earlier. Minae's calmly working herself through it as well; that it's fine to not be calm -- don't be calm, be /focused/. Let anger be her weapon, focused to a fine point. She can do that...

        ... but then the Banshee's sensation creeps upon her again. It's enough to collapse her heart for a moment. "I'm not hogging Callisto...! She's my sister... and she's your sister, and Marida's as well... Callisto belongs to all of us -- because belonging to someone is an important and precious thing."

        It takes her entire strength to push past that, and not succumb; she's still in a battle right now. Her attention is drawn to Crossfire again.

        "You know... I feel like I can even get what you're saying. The world is a dark and violent place... and I made a monster out of my own feelings. But..."

        She looks to Rena for a moment, the Gaia Gear fighting for its life through the camera still active. "But I decided to follow people with better hearts than that. People who wouldn't let the world crash and burn just because it's wronged them, hurt them."

        Arriety lifts her head up. "So for their sake, I'm going to play for keeps too..."

        The Zeta rears up, battered as it is; it starts to chase after the Amabilis again, and Arriety applies as much of her piloting knowledge to the fore as she unloads everything she can think of -- once more, those vulcans and grenades come out -- hell, she even lead-throws one of her beam sabres into that mix, all the while dumping the rest of her beam rifle's ammunition on the move; as she gives chase, she finally throws the rifle at Crossfire as a distraction and finishes with a risky slashthrough from her one remaining beam sabre, now utterly spent on ammunition.

KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Arriety Hearn targets Crossfire Salem with SEED Full Burst!
KTS: Arriety Hearn has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

Rena's eyes widen as she hears Sayla Mass screaming. It's a discordant experience; she mostly knew her from the history books, from what Leina told her. She never heard her this... raw.

She sends a transmission to her and Sayaka both. <<"Miss Mass, I... I hate her too, but...">> She swallows. She's the daughter of a Neo-Zeon Cyber-Newtype researcher. This runs deep for her. <<"...A person like that won't care about your anger or your pain. Pain is just a commodity for someone like that. Please don't hurt yourself for her sake, okay?">>

The Gaia Gear's three-sixty degree cockpit lights up, as she sees the Rust Hurricane -- and tracking, predicting where it will move. Rena keeps the Gaia Gear Alpha noving away from it, even as Lisa speaks. Rena cracks a smile. <<"Understood, Lisa. We all appreciate it! Let us know if we can help! That's what the Three Ships Alliance does--er, I mean, other stuff, too, but...">>

It's more complicated than she can explain right now.

She lowers the beam rifle, a little, and Rena stares as the Double Zeta transforms so expertly. She hesitates for only a moment, then nods. <<"Let's get her back, then. For Callisto's sake... but for hers, too!">>

But then the Banshee /looks/ at her.

It seems to meet her eyes with the optics, that deep angry red, and it sends those thoughts back. Her hands slacken on the controls. Worthless. Useless. Trash. Obsolete. "That's... it's not..."

She stumbles for a moment, verbally -- emotionally -- and the beam magnum fires, blasts pummeling the Gaia Gear Alpha. It's knocked backward, shots having torn a few gashes into the white armor on the legs, until it fires its thrusters and leaps away before both are blown off.

The beam rifle is slid back into place, on its backpack.

The Gaia Gear Alpha's thrusters fire. It rockets forward -- and picks up speed as the Banshee leaps away, with that sense of panic hitting her hard. <<"Judau! Something... something is wrong about her! I don't know what! It's--it's not like what--">> What her mother did to her test subjects. <<"--I don't know what they've done to her! Be careful!">>

She sees it leaping for the Aphrodite, like a wild animal. Rena grits her teeth, sucks a breath in through them -- not a failure, she tells herself, repeatedly -- and then Gaia Gear Alpha draws both beam sabers. They ignite as one, two beams of golden light, which cut for the Banshee's elbows. As the Gaia Gear comes down, trails of green motes come after it.

KTS: Rena Lancaster has activated the Alert Spirit Command.
KTS: Rena Lancaster targets Puru-1 with Dual Beam Saber Rush!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Rena Lancaster anchors Puru-1, forcing them into close range.
KTS: Puru-1 partially guards Rena Lancaster's Dual Beam Saber Rush, taking 5670 damage!
KTS: Rena Lancaster has engaged Puru-1!

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

The Rust Hurricane pushes the Banshee away and it responds by firing its Vulcans back at Koji, bullets smashing into Super Alloy Z and blasting plate after plate of armour off it.

Still the Castle stands, resolute.

"Lisa! NOW!"

The Jet Scrander makes an abrupt pivot, swooping in towards the Banshee from behind.

Perhaps the pilot's sense of danger will clue her in on the great scarlet blade descending on her machine, in time to jerk the Banshee out of the way. What follows is an incredibly reckless maneuver.

As the Scrander passes by Mazinger Z, Koji magnetises Z's right hand and lunges to press its palm against the flat of the bladed wing. The momentum of the Scrander's thrusters throws Z off balance, pulling it around and up in a mad spiral until he gets both hands on the wing pack and gains control, now above the Banshee on its Base Jabber.

"SCRANDER - " Mazinger Z now descends, the Jet Scrander's thrusters flaring to full burn, the terrible red devil's wings now a colossal sword as tall as Mazinger Z itself, descending to carve clean through the Banshee's left arm and sunder its Iron Nail.

"CUTTER!!!"

=== The Tokyo-Nouvelle Tokyo Train Line ===

A storm is brewing, a little way north of Ghoulgilas. Shiro adjusts course. "Third Company, create space in the combat zone, I'm coming in real hot!"

"Captain? What about your people?"

"You guys are my people too, I can't just let you fight this alone!"

"Yes sir! Creating a cordon around CK-01!"

"Let me show you guys what Tetsuya taught me."

Shiro's Ichinana flies under the storm cloud and then abruptly shoots up through it, the shockwave of its thrusters scattering the grey cloud in a shower of sparks that cling to the Mass-Produced Mazin as it arcs in a loop back towards Ghoulgilas, drawing out a hilt and flicking it open into a long thin broadsword - different from the standard Mazinger Blade, with a golden hilt. "Great Mazinger Blade!!!" Shiro roars, hanging overhead the Cognitive Kaiju, electrical charge of an entire storm swirling around his Ichinana.

He dives down, extending the gold-hilted Mazinger Blade, carving down through the clay-bodied kaiju. "THUNDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER - " The Ichinana's feet touch down, and its Scrander wings snap closed. Shiro pulls the blade back and turns his machine's back to Ghoulgilas, flourishing the sword before flicking it to the side much like Great Mazinger would twist its arm to cast its deadly storm. "BREAAAAAAK!!!"

A lightning bolt crashes down from a cloudless sky, directly into the gash carved into Ghoulgilas by Shiro's blade.

KTS: Koji Kabuto targets Puru-1 with Scrander Trick Cutter!
KTS: Koji Kabuto has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 partially guards Koji Kabuto's Scrander Trick Cutter, taking 5320 damage!
KTS: Koji Kabuto has engaged Puru-1!
KTS: Koji Kabuto roots his unit, coming to a standstill and leaving him vulnerable.
KTS: Crossfire Salem blocks Arriety Hearn's SEED Full Burst, taking 7800 damage!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's SEED activates, causing Insight L1!
KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Arriety Hearn's SEED activates, causing Jam L1!
KTS: Arriety Hearn roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trick Spirit Command.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae has lapsed back into silence again at the exact point at which the voice over the radio cracks, and remains still and quiet until the Amabilis has swept down upon the Zeta. She grimaces as the mobile suit rocks and her screen lights up with a half-dozen red boxes, but it's not out of pain - rather it's that for all the noise and explosions around them it feels too silent, and it takes her a little while to realize that part of it is the lack of Myrme's yelling around them.

        "It's okay," she says in return to Arriety's comment almost immediately, as several of the warnings clear immediately and others start to blink away. When she looks up to the pilot, her expression is clear with a smile - even if she's pouting ever so slightly, determined to offer a little levity. "You don't need to say apologize. We're a team, aren't we?"

        She can feel what she wants to say next working through her mind as if it were a lump stuck in her throat. Perhaps it's uncharacteristic of her. Perhaps she could even consider it mean. Perhaps it's just her own growth and curiosity around humans and the way it's shaping her. She's not really sure, and there'll be time for her to examine her motivations later. All she knows is that there's no hostility in her voice when she wonders over the radio: "... are you sure that you're alright with that? Will that be what you tell her once you've saved her?"

        "You can do this," she adds more privately, confined to the cockpit. "I don't blame you for getting upset, or angry. Let her have everything you're feeling." There's only a minimal pause. "Ah, I should say that's not official advice..."

        "Oh, I'm glad to hear it!" she switches tone almost immediately as she manages to pull a signal through from the lab. "I can provide linkup to a couple of nearby satellites, in case that helps. Do you have any injured? We can have medical staff inbound from the Ra Mari if necessary. Please stand by for a feed of what's happening outside, as well."

KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Trick Spirit Command.
KTS: BC-001 Minae targets Arriety Hearn with Sparkle!
KTS: BC-001 Minae has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.

        The hands push through Sayla's walls, leaving wreckage and debris in her wake. She doesn't have the chance to close the comms. The child's small hands grab her arms, her legs, her hands, her hair, her face. "<No! Let go! L-let go!>" She thrashes in the seat of the Pilder, letting out a scream!

        "<You have to let go! You can't have me! You know that! The dead... They can't have the living!>" She reaches out for help, but there's no rescue this time from the ghosts in the psychoframe. Of course there isn't... The ghosts were there for Amuro, not her.

        The hands cover her eyes, grabbing wherever they can over her body, swarmed in the purple arms covering everything but her mouth. "<You can't! You don't want this! I don't want this! I'm not... I'm not your->"

        MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE M I N E

        "<L-Leina!>" It's a desperate cry to try and reach someone far away. The person she cares for most.

        A person out of reach.

        Sayla screams until her lungs empty, before collapsing unconscious in the seat.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        That wild laugh sets Liam's nerves on edge. "<Who /are/ you,>" he says, icy fear dulling the fire in his voice. Someone more important than anything else. Someone more important than /anyone/ else.

        The Helios steps back. Its hands snap up to deflect the first pick, but Crossfire's already read the move, and compensated. The weapon slams into the Mobile Fighter's shoulder, burying itself to the hilt. Liam lunges forward to try and shove the Amabilis backward, but once again, Crossfire /knows/. The second pick glances off its neck-guard, carving deeply into the systems beneath the armor. In the cockpit, Liam lets out a strangled cry as the Mobile Trace feedback hits critical. Pain shoots through his nerves.

        "<Understood, Minae,>" Liam says, his voice edged with pain. "<Arriety, I'm right behind you. Watch for a thermal bloom.>" Thermal bloom? The Neo Helios is already a brilliant yellow-white smear on any infrared sensor.

        "<Ma'am,>" Liam transmits, to Crossfire. The Neo Helios' armor unfolds. The vents on its back, thighs, and chest iris open, revealing a burning glow within. "<I'm sorry.>" Does he see himself, reflected in Crossfire? "<You can't do that alone.>" Plasma curls through the Gundam's vents in great blue-white tendrils, coiling into a long, tight beam held in its outstretched right hand. No--a spear. It's a great, bright spear, and Liam clutches it two-handed, driving it forwards.

        Hephaestus taught Liam that the best way to confirm a kill was a penetrating beam strike through the cockpit. Liam does not do that. Instead, he sweeps the weapon high, trying to cleave through the Amabilis' right shoulder, and then the left.

KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Valor Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 has activated the Strike Spirit Command.
KTS: Liam 7-020 targets Crossfire Salem with Sunbright Spear!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Crossfire Salem fails to react to Liam 7-020's Sunbright Spear, taking 8640 damage!
KTS: Crossfire Salem has been defeated!
KTS: Liam 7-020 has engaged Crossfire Salem!

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

The Banshee responds to the plea of the Unicorn's occupants. You first, she says. Banagher, half-blind with the echoed anger of the NT-D, never considers it. With a growl, he urges the Unicorn to attack again.

As the Unicorn raises her beam sabre, the Banshee brings down its vibrating claw. Brilliant green light emanates from the Unicorn, trying to turn away the attack but it isn't enough. Shredding through the Gundam's white armor, the Banshee claws her way through her sister, until once more, the Unicorn's arm hangs limp.

Banagher gasps in shock. The rage-loop encouraged by the NT-D breaks. Shock and horror echo through him, as they did in space. They aren't safe here -- they aren't safe anywhere. There's no way he can stand up to this thing, this monster...

White armor is shattered and broken. The Unicorn falls to one knee -- thankfully the Banshee's mercurial attention turns elsewhere, or Banagher would be lost. No matter what he chooses to do, he loses. The Unicorn's beam saber extinguishes.

"Audrey. I want you to stay in the Unicorn." Banagher murmurs. "I'm going to try something really, really stupid."

Pulling off his helmet, Banagher lets it fall to the floor of the cockpit. The Banshee can't just grab him and take him to the Garuda, now, he'd die along the way. At least, he hopes they'll realize that.

"<Puru-1.>" Banagher calls, his voice soft. "<You win. I don't want to hurt the Unicorn anymore. S--so, let's play.>"

The Unicorn lowers one of her hands just in front of the cockpit. It opens, and Banagher steps out, turning back to smile at Audrey. "It's going to be okay." He says, then climbs out onto the Unicorn's hand. The cockpit closes after him -- unless someone is very quick.

Closing his eyes, Banagher reaches out. He's not... used to this, the way Audrey and Leina are. He's never tried before. But...

My name is Banagher Links. Please let me in. I want to help you, more than anything. I don't want to hurt you. I'll do whatever I can to save you. You don't have to be afraid, just take my hand.

Eyes still closed, Banagher reaches out toward the Banshee, putting everything he has into broadcasting hope and love.

KTS: Banagher Links targets Puru-1 with Pass!
KTS: EN Regen activates. Your new EN value is 96.
KTS: SP Regen activates. Your new SP value is 35.
KTS: Banagher Links has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

Rena tries her best to get through to Sayla and Sayaka, and she's not so sure Sayla can still listen. But she can at least hear Rena out herself. "It's hard /not/ to anger when people like this tear down our second home that we meant as a place of safety. And when you're fighting in a Mazin like this, sometimes anger's all you can cling to." She replies. "But you're not entirely wrong, either. I know it's exactly what she wants.. so we just have to show her something she'll never /expect/." The Photon Power Labs refusing to submit to her may be in a way, the first thing she didn't expect.

Koji's trick with the Scrander pays off, but more directly on Sayaka's mind is Sayla's state. The Banshee keeps pushing and pushing, grasping and grasping, and Sayla fights back... but ultimately collapses with Leina on her mind. "S-Sayla! Hang on.. the Photon Barrier's still up. I'll get you to safety as soon as I can.. and then you'll be able to see your beloved Leina." Sayaka talks as if Sayla's still conscious, and she holds herself to that promise. Her finger remains on the lever, which attempts to fire a pair of parting missiles from the admittedly smashed up chest area..

"Koji! Sayla's out - I have to go take care of her. Judau - we might have to leave this up to you. But be careful, understood? PILDER OFF!" Aphrodite Areia's signal is lost as Sayaka retreats safely away from the Banshee and its destruction. Normally, she'd be worried about the fate of the Photon Labs - but in this moment, it's tending to a friend that's most important.

KTS: Sayaka Yumi has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged.
KTS: Sayaka Yumi targets Puru-1 with Daisharin Areia Missiles!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi has completed their actions for the round.
KTS: Puru-1 fails to react to Banagher Links's Pass, taking 0 damage!
KTS: Banagher Links: Will Barrier Activates.

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

Mineva's eyes go wide as the vision of a young woman--of who can only be Elpeo Puru, faceless, reaching toward her... pulling her into a bottomless pit. Her breath catches in her throat. She's blind, deaf. Drifting unmoored in the void... and then the static screams, and she's sensate again, with Puru-1's phantasmal hands grasping for her.

It takes her time to process it all, gasping for breath, trying to gather herself amid the chaos, amid the pressure... but she reaches a conclusion. "She's asking us to play. She's asking us... and if she wins, we come out... we come in..."

She's barely processed what he's saying, what he's doing, as she says this. She looks at the damage displays, then at Banagher. "Can w--"

What is he doing? No. No, no, this isn't.... "Banagher. Banagher, don't... we can--" She undoes her harness.

He can't do this...

Not alone. She shoves her hand in the hatchway to keep it from closing, the safety device pushing it back open. She steps out behind him, shoving past the grasping hands, and joins his broadcast. She stares out at the Banshee, toward its cockpit, her breath fogging her helmet as she echoes his words, his intent... everything. She might have to kill Banagher herself, if they get out of this alive...

But for now, she's firmly, intently, focused on Puru-1.

KTS: Puru-1 fails to Intercept Sayaka Yumi's Daisharin Areia Missiles, taking 5394 damage!
KTS: Sayaka Yumi roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable.

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

It's a fact that Elpeo Puru died in Dublin.

Judau Ashta has had a lot of time to come to terms with the loss. The tragedy of it; the pointlessness of it. To grapple with the grim fact that Haman Karn's war might have been the only reason Elpeo and her sisters even got a chance at life to begin with. He's seen her spirit; she's supported him, time and time again, when he's needed it most. Him, and Puru Two, and Leina... all of them.

But it's also true that when he reaches out - when he pushes through the thick membrane of negative impulses that encase the Banshee's psychic space like a viscous shell - he sees something there.

He sees someone. Someone in a pilot suit. Their face unseen behind the tint of their helmet.

There's someone--

                panicking--?

A sharp psychic scream of alarm sends Judau's psychic outreach rubberbanding just as the Base Jabber's engine sputters and explodes. "Guh--!" Jabber belching thick plumes of smoke into the open air as it crashes, the young man from Shangri-La finds himself momentarily disoriented, shaking his head with a thick gulp of air as piloting reflexes take over, bailing the Double Zeta out from the Base Jabber seconds before it collides with the ground in a crunching, shrieking BOOM of an explosion. The Double Zeta's thrusters ignite, easing its fall back to the ground as Judau feels and hears Sayla's final scream. "Shit--" he begins. His green eyes are wide. He looks -- confused.

That feeling. That panic. It's not just a ghost. But he can't grasp the form of it at all.

"There's someone in there," he mutters, half to himself, as Rena hails him. He blinks.

<<"There's someone in there!">>

What is going on inside the Banshee---?

Sayaka's words drag Judau back to reality with a <<"--Got it, I-- huh?">> just in time to see the Banshee in the distance -- and the Unicorn so close. Banagher is out of the cockpit. Judau feels a reflexive urge to shout at him for being an idiot before he reigns himself back in because, well--

--it's not like he would do any different, is it?

The Double Zeta falls still, for a brief moment. The Biosensor reacts and feeds off Judau's will, but he is too confused about what the Banshee and its pilot -are- right now to focus it into anything else other than one simple fact, same as he told Rena before, same as it ever was:

Whoever it is, they need their help.

"C'mon, Banagher..."

So for now -- for now, the Double Zeta and its pilot stand still and ready, providing a wellspring of wordless, empathic support for Banagher and Mineva as the pilot of the Unicorn takes his turn to be reckless, and reach out.

Because Banagher might be a dumbass -- but Judau ought to know:

Sometimes being a dumbass is what's needed.

KTS: Judau Ashta targets Puru-1 with Pass!
KTS: Judau Ashta has completed their actions for the round.

<Pose Tracker> Alexis Kerib has posed.

Ghoulghilas is not a strong kaiju by any stretch. Shiro's custom Ichinana is more than a match for it after any amount of effort from the rest of the Company; the kaiju is engulfed by that lightning bolt, and within moments, it's gone. All that remains are flakes of clay and the wreckage of the tracks, not long after Ghoulghilas's neck snaps. There's barely anything to indicate the kaiju was even there, save the mayhem it caused.

The Third Ichinana Company receives a recall order; its mission is done, even if it was ultimately uneventful.

---

On a sluice gate -- no, not that one, yet so like that one...

Alexis Kerib watches. It is hard to tell how far he sees.

"Children who have forgotten their dreams, adults who've forgotten everything... ah, the times are crying," he reflects, wistfully.

He watches whatever he's chosen to watch proceed to its conclusion -- and then, as always, he is gone.

<Pose Tracker> Puru-1 has posed.

        Arriety's declaration that Callisto is her sister, that Marida is her sister has the opposite effect to what might be hoped for resentMENT BUILDS TO A CRESCENDO and as she invokes a monster of her feelings there is a piercing scream of RAGE GRIEF AND LOSS.

        The Banshee is notably slowing down despite its best efforts, despite the intense throb of psychic pressure, it's been worn down and worn down, the Rust hurricane and other damage have chipped away at it

        Rena comes down upon it, as it lands from trying to maul the Aphrodite Areia, and two beams of Golden Light form. It grabs a Beam Saber from storage on its back, igniting. It catches one blade, but the blade skirts off of it, melting through the prongs of the beam smartgun.

        WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY DIDNT YOU
                 DO ANYTHING

        The Banshee raises its open Vibronail, and sends it down as if to bury it in the Gaia Gear, right as the Scrander flies by, catching its vibrating nails from the back, shearing two off. Aphrodite Areia's missile slams into it at this moment, as orange-gold plating cracks and the mobile suit reels. And as it whirls around it reponse it sees the Thunder Break crashing from the sky. It looks, it watches, still.

        FEAR

        Banagher and the Unicorn Gundam however offer its trust, as Banagher steps out of it. The Banshee turns its head to look at Banagher and the Unicorn Gundam. He reaches out, and the mobile suit pauses again, shortly after Mineva joins him in an act of bravery and courage and trust.

        FEARFEARPLAYWINFEARPLAYWIN

        It throbs in the air, in this liminal space between taking them into custody, and obeying its directives. The Banshee takes a step forward, its hand twitching, then opening. It's looking at them, its red optics looking at Judau and the Double Zeta.

        BIG BROTHER
        WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY
        DID YOU DID YOU DID YOU

        The Banshee takes a step back, this display of love and trust and affection sending all of those negative emotions reeling like it has nothing to draw upon to comprehend this act amidst the swell.

        It sees the Amabilis however, and that triggers a profound reaction as the Banshee straightens immediately, the mobile suits swings around as its thrusters fire to send it leaping, before it dives right towards the Amabilis. It scoops up the Amabilis under the arm like a wounded soldier. Thrusters firing again as it hovers, pivoting in mid-air.

        Right as Salem's Base Jabber passes under the twin suits, they both land heavily with a wobble, but the Base Jabber immediately speeds off in winding movements to try and avoid pursuit or further fire.

        Soon enough they're gone.

        ...---...

        "My visuals cut out before the end. Pull the footage from the Banshee and have Dr. Murasame review them after she's out of her current session."

        "Aunt Martha I have my reservations pulling her right out of the NT-D and straight into his chair without any rest."

        "You have your 'reservations' Alberto? Need I remind you of the stakes? She can burn the midnight oil as 'correction' for her failure."

        "I- yes, alright, you're correct." He finishes, lamely.

        On her screen Martha reviewed some footage from battles in Tsutsujidai, "When Alexis returns, I'll inform him that I've handpicked the form his future assistance will take."

        On her screen was a frozen image of the broken GaoFightGar.

<Pose Tracker> Crossfire Salem has posed.

Liam and Arriety's combined onslaught focuses on the Amabilis. It can't avoid in time, and can't block enough damage - the heat to the shoulders may be enough to slice it up, if...

If the Banshee hadn't dived in to the rescue. Crossfire's eyes widen - they may be working together, but still...why?

As they're on the base jabber, she takes a kneel, allowing them to speed away. She has questions - but she's not allowed to ask them.

So Crossfire simply transmits a single emotion, which can be encapsulated as a thought to the Banshee's pilot, Puru-1.

'I'm sorry.'

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

<<"I know! I know,">> Rena replies to Sayaka. <<"She's... she's like someone I knew. But you're right. Show them something they never expected!">> Mazin Power, for one thing -- but it wasn't just that, was it.

Rena smiles over the visual link, though it's brief. Her expression becomes more concerned, as Judau speaks. <<"Someone? We have to get her out of there, then.">>

Rena finds one beam saber parried. The other bites into the beam smartgun -- but she feels the pilot's mind. Puru-1 sends a thought into her kind -- a question, angry and furious. It's not unlike Arriety's. She sucks in a gasp. "What--I-I'm trying!"

The Gaia Gear Alpha is struck by the Vibronail. It tears a nasty gash into the armor of the Mobile Suit, hurlinng it backward. It hits, bounces, and comes to a stop.

She stares as she feels Banagher reach out -- and stepping out of the Unicorn. With Audrey. "What are they--"

Judau helps them, resonating with the Biosensor. Rena watches the Banshee, hesitating, and starts to reach for the controls for the beam rifle. She doesn't know what she can do about it -- but then it leaps for the Base Jabber. It soars off, with the other unit.

Rena slumps back into her pilot seat. "<<We'll get medical from the Ra Mari II inbound,>>" she transmits. "<>"

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

"Get out of there, Sayaka!" Koji calls out, still holding the Jet Scrander. He can't take another hit, can he? Can he slip through and maybe -

The Banshee falls back, grabbing the Amabilis and escaping. Koji watches it go, and lets the Jet Scrander's wings fold up as he sets the flight aid on the ground for retrieval. Lances of Photon Power burst from Z's eyes to force the Vists' Garuda back - not aimed to damage the vehicle, but to make something very clear:

The Photon Power Lab will hold.

Mazinger Z's fiendish countenance turns to the Unicorn and its opened cockpit, but there is no malice in its yellow eyes. "Banagher, miss Burne - you two doing okay?" His insistence on using Mineva's alias is possibly telling, even with the Vists having blown her cover wide open.

The crashing lightning bolt as Shiro rips Ghoulgilas into shreds draws his attention now, and as interference clears, Koji opens a channel. "Everything okay over there, Shiro?"

"Big bro! Yeah, we handled it. I'm sorry I couldn't - "

"Don't. You made the right call, and we held the line - and you have saved plenty of lives taking that thing down."

"I - okay. Thanks, bro. I'll let 3G know about this attack."

"I always have your back, Shiro, you know that. Yeah, get in touch with Guy, I'm sure he'll be very interested in seeing one of those out and about again."

"Yeah. Talk to you later, bro - after I get dragged up in front of the brass, I guess."

"Don't die, bro." He clicks the radio off, sighing and looking back up at the retreating Garuda.

The image of Rumi's body still hangs in his mind. "How did she know...?" He wonders as Mazinger Z folds its arms.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Outside the Unicorn, the Banshee's psychic feelings hit even harder, Banagher grimacing as they wash over him. He can feel Audrey by his side, and instinctively he reaches out to wrap his arm around her. Support and safety, as much as he can offer in the midst of this ridiculous, stupid idea.

Tears track down Banagher's face, and he opens his eyes just in time to see the Banshee open its hand. "Just a little more," Banagher whispers, still holding his own hand out. "We're here for you."

...it isn't enough. The Banshee recoils and flees, and Banagher takes a step after it, right to the edge of the Unicorn's hand.

"Wait! Don't go!" He shouts after the black Unicorn.

It didn't matter. Another failure. Banagher sinks in the Unicorn's open palm, sitting with his legs dangling from her hand. He leans his head against Audrey's legs. Another failure...

"But we're safe." He says, perhaps to Audrey, perhaps to himself. "We didn't lose anyone. That has to be enough."

Koji calls out, and Banagher waves to him -- too far from his radio to respond. They're safe -- they're in one piece. Neither he nor Audrey are injured, though the Unicorn is another story.

Golden eyes watch the Banshee and the Amabilis soar away, toward the Vist Foundation's Garuda. Toward his family... What waits for them there? Banagher thinks of Alberto, and the cruel, empty woman who spoke after him. What are they going to do to Puru-1?

It isn't enough. He's not a strong enough pilot to defeat the Banshee. Banagher's lack of experience and training have finally caught up to him. With a deep breath, he tries to visualize the most frightening, talented pilot he knows.

The image of a mask with brilliant red eyes.

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

Mineva leans close to Banagher, arm wrapped around him in return... and as the Banshee recoils, moves away, and retreats, she's disappointed as well--but also *very* relieved.

With a look toward Koji, she supplements Banagher's wave with a thumbs-up. They're okay.

She closes her eyes, leaning in closer against him, affectionate, even as she says, "Please... *don't*. do that again."