2023-12-06: Surprise Attack In Deepest Space! Defeat the Vile Nadesico!
- Log: 2023-12-06: Surprise Attack In Deepest Space! Defeat the Vile Nadesico!
- Cast: Himeyuri Oono, Michiru Tenjou, Yurika Misumaru, Ruri Hoshino, Ryoko Subaru, Riika Sheder, Rin Naujakaite, Alto Saotome, Hikaru Amano, Sagiri Sakurai, Shiho Hahnenfuss
- Where: Gallia-IV, Brisingr Cluster
- OOC - IC Date: 6 December 0097
- Summary: The Nadesico's sister ship, the Shakuyaku, sends a distress call. It's attackers? ZAFT, somehow out here beyond the range of conventional engines. The defenders make it in time to see the destruction of the Shakuyaku- but they sure do make a vicious attack on conservative gender norms. Oh, and they save the Y-Unit. They do that too.
<Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.
16 OCTOBER 0097
The crew of ZAFT's Nazca-class Socrates readied for jump. Before them, the Chulip opened- the wall of light composing it's core allowing the Socrates in.
"Helm, take us in." Himeyuri held no fear of the Chulip, nor did most of the Jovians on the crew. It might have been more worrying for those born of PLANT. Her aide-de-camp repeated the order, but the ship was already moving.
3 DECEMBER 0097
The Chulip sitting some days from Gallia-IV opened, and from it came the Socrates. Though only minutes had passed for the crew, several were unconscious- primarily the non-Jovians. Helm was one of them. Wordlessly, Himeyuri put her hand to the Captain's console, her IFS glowing. It was not equal to a skilled helmswoman- but it was more than enough to get them out.
A message reaches her ear- one of the many Batta sent through before to look for their enemy. They had a target.
"Get ready, everyone. We know where they are."
TWO HOURS AGO
The Shakuyaku sent a report- an unknown signal was detected coming towards Gallia-IV. It was moving to investigate, and would report again in one hour.
ONE HOUR AGO
No report came.
THIRTY MINUTES AGO
A beacon finally got free of the Minovsky Radiation, and transmitted a message. The Shakuyaku was under attack, and requesting reinforcements. The enemy was... ZAFT?
NOW
The Shakuyaku exploded into shrapnel, the result of the Gardnova Galaxia going through the Phase Transition Engines like an apple corer. It's Y-Unit drifted off into space, it's connections crushed by a concentrated gravity blast. The wreckage of the ship's Aestivalis squadron lay scattered around the CGUE DEEP Arms. The Socrates itself had battered the ship with cannonfire, and standing atop it's bridge was the florally painted Revernova Otome.
"Tsk, these are the ships that have been pushing back against us?" A young man with long black hair mutters. "They weren't even a match for *women*." He raises his GuAIZ's rifle, firing at one of the Shakuyaku's escape pods- and destroying it. "Don't let a single one escape!"
This is the bloody scene that the Nadesico and their allies come upon.
"Ma'am! It's here!"
The Revernova Otome turns towards the incoming vessels, and Himeyuri narrows her eyes. "...Mrs Zelinn, please continue commanding the ship. I'll be going with Michi and Shiho-chan. Shiho-chan, cover us!" The pink and floral machine launched off the deck, into open space. "Michi! Let's Gekiga-in!"
The Gardnova Galaxia flies apart, and the Revernova Otome flies toward it as the two units reform into one, arcs of pink electricity flying between them. The Gardnova's legs form into armour over the Revernova's legs, it's shield claws lock in as extra arms for the Otome, while the armour of the Gardnova reconnects over the Revernova's shoulders. The Revernova's cockpit opens- as does the cockpit of the Gardnova- the machines link together- and two cockpits become one, the Galazia's torso becoming the Otome's chestguard-
And as they do, Himeyuri and Michiru's IFS cyberbrains synchronize, and the Evergard Galaxynova stands before the attacking force. "Michi... Our hearts are touching..." "
She looks out upon the incoming ships. The Nadesico with it's Captain Misumaru, and it's crew, a mix of misguided women and dangerous men...
They had to be destroyed, didn't they?
No, of course they did. They were the enemy. No self-respecting Gekiganger fan would tolerate an enemy. "<Captain Misumaru.>" Hime's voice is harder than it was at that beach party. "<Stand down immediately, and we'll take you as prisoners of war. If you do not, we will destroy you in the name of justice! You have thirty seconds to comply.>"
But the second those thirty seconds are up- "...I gave them their chance. Be my sword and shield, Michi! Our mission is to destroy the enemy!"
The battle is joined- after all, it's not like the Nadesico was going to just give up, was it?
<Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.
Gardnova has painted a fearsome sight... one quite starkly unlike the way most know it. The Shakuyaku received no speech or communications from its pilot. No passionate declarations or debates. The display being presented was simply overwhelming. That isn't to say the pilot was silent, far from it. But her words were not for this enemy. Only for those upon the Socrates. Only for her allies and superiors.
Why is that? What was so different today? Only Michiru herself knows the answer to that.
Though as a new enemy arrives, her attention comes to focus upon them. ...Why do they fight for that cause? This crew... they aren't... She shakes her head to sift out those thoughts. There's only one thing that demands her attention right now, and so Galaxia drifts back toward the Socrates, where its other half awaits. "I hear you Hime-hime! Docking open, let's Gekiga-In!"
"So close like this... I feel like we can take on anything!" A slightly breathy exclamation as they synch up, hearts interlinking to beat as one.
And in front of them, they face one all-powerful enemy. A force that MUST be dealt with. That, Michiru feels more certain of than ever. "As your sword, no enemy shall darken your sight! As your shield, no harm shall reach your maiden's heart!"
Hime is so kind, giving them the chance to surrender now. And yet they spurn her generosity. No matter. Novagalaxy shall permit no evil within its gaze. It stands atop the deck of the Socrates, in full combative stance.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou has deployed in bEXM-28+29-GT-R Evergard Novagalaxy. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Dream: 0 Ranged,Passive,Special,Buff KTS: Shock: 0 Ranged,Passive,Special,Debuff,MAP KTS: Awe: 0 Ranged,Passive,Special,Buff,MAP KTS: Pass: 0 Ranged,Passive,All-Range KTS: Himeyuri Oono is now subpiloting for Michiru Tenjou. KTS: Michiru_Tenjou has deployed as a Boss for 7 opponents. KTS: Hikaru Amano has deployed in Aestivalis Zero-G Frame (Hikaru). KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Riika Sheder has deployed in MF-XR01/AF Svalinn Bulwark Gundam. KTS: Alto Saotome has deployed in VF-25F Messiah <Fighter Mode>. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Rin Naujakaite has deployed in Naujakaite Flying Circus. KTS: Ryoko Subaru has deployed in Aestivalis - Zero G Frame (Ryoko Ver.). KTS: EN Barrier activated!
<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
"THIRTY SECONDS you people are INSANE!" The very first response from Yurika aboard the ever-clamorous bridge of the Nadesico is to grip the little holowindow with Himeyuri's communication stats and shake it around wildly. "FIRST THINGS FIRST, you TOTALLY wrecked the Shakuyaku and we're STILL receiving their escape shuttles, and figuring out how to safely secure them in the midst of an impending battle is a top priority!"
"SECOND, and I can't believe I have to ask this - what are you people even doing here? In case you haven't noticed we're uhhh so and so a LOT of light-years away from Earth and all its problems! Actually, wait, HOW'D you even get here? Does ZAFT have a Fold Drive somehow...?"
It probably seems like Yurika's babbling on a bit. Because she is! All the while she's yammering over the airwaves...Yurika's free hand is busy typing away at mach speed, wordlessly trying to organize deployment formations for the Aestivalises and everyone else who scrambled to board the Nadesico before it took off. The Galaxynova as a primary threat, better pursued by the higher powered vanguards - the faster Aestivalises, maybe, can skirmish with it however - she's planning around both the possibility of a targeted breach of the Nadesico or alternately a wider sweep to surround it, perhaps intending to interfere with the Nadesico's gradual orientation not just towards the Socrates, but inching nearer to the Shakuyaku's wreckage. After all, the Y-Unit's probably useful to salvage - and it'd just be a disaster if ZAFT got ther hands on it...
"NINTH of all...uhhhhm, you're interrupting all of our preparations for Ranka's concert in a few weeks, and that's, like, dishonorable, because, you see, music is the true vanguard of the Earth, the shield that protects the wonderful world from aliens - wait THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ATTACK RANKA you scoundrels! ...Okay preparations are finished. Thank you for your patience, everyone, here's hoping all that distracted them a little!" ...An unorthodox disruption strategy, as you can expect from Yurika, concluding her communication by tugging down her eyelid and sticking her tongue out. <"All units, try not to make it too obvious we're mostly concerned with fending them off from the Shakuyaku's wreckage more than just driving them off - we're laying a few traps in the obvious routes they'd take to slip past us!" And those traps aaaaare...!
...Spare stage equipment for Ranka's concert, loaded with explosives. Sorry, Ranka!
KTS: Yurika Misumaru has deployed in ND-001 Nadesico Y-Unit. KTS: EN Barrier activated! KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has deployed in Tyranado. KTS: Ruri Hoshino is now subpiloting for Yurika Misumaru. KTS: Yurika Misumaru targets Michiru Tenjou with Missile Mines!
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"The Shakuyaku has been destroyed," Ruri Hoshino, the Nadesico's 14 year old systems operator, reports on a private channel to the Nadesico's allies. She is stoic, unlike Minato, beside her at the helm. "Estimated cause, critical Phase Transition Engine damage. The Socrates' soldiers have just destroyed an escape pod. Critical loss of life... the Yamato Unit survived, but no one will be safe there."
It's a weapon, after all, not a ship of its own right.
Consider the body, floating away from it in space.
"The enemy has deployed a combiner robot," Ruri goes on, without blinking. "Designation reporting as 'Evergard Galaxynova'. The Socrates has also sortied a squad of CGUE DEEP Arms."
"But how did ZAFT get out here?!" Minato exclaims. "And why are they still fighting?! Weren't they listening to Riika-chan?!" Ruri might not be upset -- but she's an exception to the hot blood reactions of the Nadesico.
"Unknown," Ruri replies, unmoved.
And receiving the Captain's commands, she opens a more private window: "Maya-san, Izumi-san, Akatsuki-san, commence retrieval of the Y-Unit," Ruri's stoic face appears at the corner of their cockpits. "Don't allow it to be destroyed in the battle."
"Yamato Nadeshiko... to defend the household, I go... turn the volume down low." Izumi confirms, with her usual obscure japes. She, at least, laughs at her dry delivery.
"Now collating targeting data," Ruri says, offering her insight to Ryoko and Hikaru -- and Omoikane, naturally, can use it too.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Yurika Misumaru, Ryoko Subaru, and Hikaru Amano with Coordinate. KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Yurika Misumaru's Piloting! KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Hikaru Amano's Piloting! KTS: Ruri Hoshino coordinates maneuvers, raising Ryoko Subaru's Piloting!
<Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.
TWO HOURS AGO
"It's probably just some Zuvorg Freighter or something. Those Shakuyaku newbies are too jumpy!"
Ryoko subsequently goes back to reading her Shoujo manga, 'Kiss Kiss Fall Into You'.
ONE HOUR AGO
"See? Didn't even check in. They're probably just embarrassed."
Ryoko turns the page, putting a hand up to her mouth, looking at the page with some intensity.
"...Hm..."
She hums, at the spread of the heroine climbing aboard the love interest's bike...
"... guess I've been doing it all wrong."
Ryoko subsequently spends a lot of time daydreaming about climbing up on a motorcycle with Akito, encircling her arms around him.
THIRTY MINUTES AGO
Ryoko actually looks up from her manga at the emergency transmission, raising an eyebrow. "... ... ... ... They're pranking us right? Like there's no way. ZAFT? Come on, who do they think they're fooling."
NOW
Certainly the Aestivalis wing launches as Captain Misumaru 'negotiates' with the enemies.
"Gyaaaaaa! This is a whole mess!? What the hell is ZAFT doing out here!?"
Ryoko's Aestie catapults off the Nadesico even amidst the wreckage of the Shakuyaku and their Aestivalis squadron.
"Hikaru! Skull-4! Form up! Given this massacre we can't take them lightly! ... Also the Captain's babbling again so we've gotta fend for ourselves!"
Her Aestivalis in the Zero-G frame flies out, looking for escape pods, but ultimately the real threat is in the mobile suits, isn't it?
"Wait - Wait - I recognize that suit!"
Ryoko wonders how the Captain got to 'Ranka Lee' in the conversation, but decides simply to charge the Revernova utilizing Ruri's data, "Thanks Ruri." Before she hails them, "<Yo! Remember us? Been a while! Didn't anyone tell you nitwits the war is over? So just in case you FORGOT gonna give you a similar courtesy! You've got thirty seconds to withdraw!>"
Indeed the Aestivalis' thrusters flare up, as it tries to swing around the much larger Revernova, "<Before I put my boot up your ass!>" And attempt to body check it with her distortion field towards Hikaru.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Michiru Tenjou with Killer Move - Set Up!!
<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
The enemy was... ZAFT?
Riika Sheder couldn't *not* volunteer herself for reinforcements at that report. What was ZAFT doing out here? HOW was ZAFT out here? She'd never heard of any successful tests about any kind of Fold Drive that would get there in a reasonable amount of time.
Not to mention... why would they be here? Why would they be attacking even if they *were* here? The last Riika heard, they were no longer at war, and even if they were at war they probably wouldn't be attacking a scientific expedition. But by the time the Nadesico is up there, with her on board, they've already destroyed a ship... and they're deployed from a ship Riika recognizes.
"That's the Socrates," Riika says. "Captain Oono... she's one of those who can't accept the war's over!" Obviously, given - this. But what's that unit? Riika sets her jaw, just so. "Helmswoman Haruka," so she does remember her surname, "I don't think I'm going to be of help talking to them. They still consider me a traitor."
"But I'm not going to let them kill more, either. Svalinn launching!"
Svalinn, today, is in a configuration that hasn't been deployed in combat before. Though it's still obviously Svalinn - pink and white and red, with a sleek inner structure - it's been bulked up with exterior plates and armour buttresses and other superstructure that make it look a little top-heavy; too broad-shouldered for the height of the unit, with bulky limbs and an almost shell-like construction along its flanks and back with additional thrusters.
Svalinn Bulwark uses those heavy thrusters to accelerate away from the Nadesico - not as fast as she'd like, dammit, it's still a little sluggish, especially compared to Feather - and Riika raises her beam rifle, firing a bolt at the combined ExAMAC.
She doesn't hail the ZAFT troops because she doubts she'll get any useful response, but it's not like she's hiding her identity, either; Svalinn's Bulwark pack might be new, but Svalinn Gundam itself certainly isn't.
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Michiru Tenjou with MA-M21R Lepus Beam Rifle Shot!
<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.
They BLEW UP a SHIP.
Rin doesn't know fully who "they" are. None of this stuff makes clear sense to her. And indeed, in the face of this chaotic lack of information, Rin is filling in blanks in her head as she whips through a pre-flight checklist. Thoroughgoing, it is nonetheless happening *extremely* quickly, even as she hears the incoming feed from the tactical network.
"Justice? Don't make me laugh," says Rin Naujakaite to herself (well, and her robot friends). "If this is justice --"
Rin flicks the READY TO LAUNCH signal and as soon as hangars are ajar, rams it. "-- Then I'm a banana!!"
The VF-171 surges out into space from a VTX-affiliated sector of the Nadescio's hangar assets, immediately pulling hard Gs into a tight turn as the Ghosts pinwheel out and fall into echelon behind the manned unit.
While Rin is pulling fat Gs, Riika elaborates more on what's going on. "Oh my god," Rin moans, "they're diehards! God dammit! Throw in your quit flags, you maniacs! Do you have any idea how far away we are from Earth right now!? And here you are--"
A brief pause.
Rin smiles, but not with mirth.
One of the Ghosts fires several large and slower-moving missiles before 'rising' relative to the -171's plane of operation. "Say," she says, with one of those dangeous tones of good cheer, "None of you guys speak Chinese, do ya?" At the conclusion, the Galaxynova will pick up another quartet of smaller missiles; the delay from the secondary unit means...
That Scorn's entire attack package will arrive more or less simultaneously!!
KTS: Rin Naujakaite targets Michiru Tenjou with Scorn - Staggered Arrival!
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
TWO HOURS AGO
Ram replies, "Roger that, Shakuyaku. Keep us informed." The channel then closes and she leans back in her chair, "Nnnngh, is this shift ever going to END!?"
Beside her, Mina offers a soft smile, "Just two more hours. Hang in there."
ONE HOUR AGO
"Come onnnnnnnnn. Where's that report!? If it takes too long I'm going to have to go into overtime." Ram complains.
Monica chuckles from her own station, "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll get to it soon. Probably just need to confirm their findings."
THIRTY MINUTES AGO
"ZAFT!? Why are ZAFT here? Actually... HOW did ZAFT get here?" Lieutenant Katherine Glass asks to the members of SMS on the Macross Quarter's bridge.
Typing at her console, Monica replies, "Unknown... We didn't detect any fold jumps. Though it's possible they arrived outside our detection range."
Captain Wilder rubs his chin in thought, "It's possible they had some fold drives hidden away from the Federation. Not surprising given past relations."
Katherine has to agree that's a possibility, "Still doesn't explain why though. The PLANTs are just as much at risk of Vajra attack as the rest of us..."
Captain Wilder hmmms, "Regardless, they are attacking. However, we cannot assume the attacking force is their only one. If we leave to assist, the camp will be undefended."
The ship's comms operator, Ram speaks up, "The Nadesico is already preparing for take-off. They're saying they are going to assist!"
Captain Wilder nods in understanding, "As expected of Captain Misumaru. The Quarter and its squads will remain here to protect the camp."
It's at that point that Alto's voice filters in through the bridge's speakers, his helmetted profile appearing on one of the screens, <"This is Skull-4, I'm going to assist the Nadesico.">
Katherine spins around to face the screen, barking back, "Skull-4, you are not cleared to deviate from your patrol!"
Alto frowns, talking back, <"Aren't we responsible for the expedition's security!? We can't just do nothing! I'm already in the air, I can make it there the fastest.">
Katherine frowns, "It's too much of a risk! We don't know what the enemy's numbers are like-"
Captain Wilder interupts with, "Mission approved."
Alto nods firmly, <"Roger that."> His feed vanishes from the screen.
Katherine spins around to face Wilder, "Captain-"
But he cuts her off again, "Let him go, Lieutenant. We can replace his patrol with one of the pilots on standby. And he's right. SMS has been tasked with protecting this expedition. We cannot abandon any of them."
Katherine tilts her head, "Will one unit even make a difference?"
NOW
Alto grips his controls a little tighter at the sight of the new debris field floating in the orbit of Gallia IV. He had pushed his VF to reach orbit as fast as it could. Even with the so-called Super FAST pack, it unfortunately had not been fast enough...
Alto glances in the direction of the Nadesico nearby, trying to assist the escape pods from the destroyed Nergal vessel.
Even as those same pods come under fire from ZAFT.
Alto glares. They come all the way out here, somehow, just to attack a scientific vessel that hadn't been bothering anyone in orbit? And now they're shooting down the escape pods!?
<"Bastards!">
Ryoko calls for Alto to form up, but he apparently has other ideas. The Messiah blasts forward, quickly trying to close the distance towards the hostile ZAFT forces in order to draw attention away from the escape pods.
<"What kind of sick, twisted person targets defenseless escape pods!?">
The machine guns in the fighter's wings light up, spitting out a two streams of rapid fire bullets to add more reason to ignore the pods and focus on it.
KTS: Alto Saotome targets Michiru Tenjou with ES-25A High Speed Machine Guns Chasing Fire!
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.
Before all of this, Hikaru wasn't worried about much more than trying really hard to get a good peek at what Ryoko was reading.
By the time they finally get the Shakuyaku's message... it's much too late. It's hard to say there's anything left of the Shakuyaku, and the flaming wreck that is its mobile wing doesn't fare much better.
"This is... just awful!" Hikaru exclaims, watching it all go down from the Nadesico's launch deck. "Who could possibly be responsible for such a thing... is it those bugs again?! Maybe those weird purple valks...?"
No... that's a ZAFT flagship, she realizes, as the Socrates comes into view. "Eh? What the heck are those guys doing here?" She mirrors Yurika's sentiment with a confused side-glance. "The war's over! And we buried the hatchet under the sand, too... do beach episodes mean nothing to these guys?!" Riika offers some insight, but one part of this is clearly more sacrilegious than the other...
She watches with a little more quieted awe, though, when the Galaxia and Otome begin to dock together. "A combination that's so much more than the sum of its parts... now that's a Super Robot! We're in real trouble here..." She exclaims, as the Evergard Galaxynova is born.
"And even more than that... it's so romantic!" She adds, as the orange Zero-Gravity frame attaches itself over her cockpit. "I guess it's time to show how much more powerful our teamwork is, right Ryoko?" She winks, as they launch. "I guess you're with us too, Alto!"
Yurika lays out the plan to salvage the Y-Unit while Ruri provides them with targeting coordinates. Internalizing them with her IFS, she scratches her cheek. "Thanks, Ruri-chan! So basically the plan is to act like we're trying real hard to stop them, while the others make off with the Y-Unit? Cool, I can do that!"
"Hey!" Hikaru greets as the Aestivalis squadron swarms the larger Evergard Galaxynova. "I had a lot of fun back at the beach, you know. I was a little sad to part ways even... but I won't let you two treat this like a game when it's people's lives at stake! If you fight for justice... prove it!!" She challenges, but what she's really doing is watching Ryoko's movements...
"Formation time? Okay!" She affirms, unsheathing her Field Lancer, as Ryoko pushes the super robot in her direction. She aims the electromagnetic lance, and strikes! "I dunno where you guys got a Distortion Field.. but I'll getcha before you even have the chance~"
KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Michiru Tenjou with Field Lancer Thrust!
<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.
"ZAFT? Seriously?!"
This was Sagiri Sakurai's first cogent thought as she raced to the Tyranado's hangar bays in the wake of the Nadesico's arrival upon what was rapidly becoming an unexpected warzone with a deeply unexpected foe.
When she heard, she expected Vajra. And then, perhaps, the Zuvorg; for some reason, she can just picture that Rudi doing something sneaky and underhanded. And yet...
It wasn't a threat from space at all, but a threat from home. All the way out here.
"Ugh, we're not even gonna get any bonuses from the combat data if it's ZAFT!"
Doesn't that just beat all?
Still -- her paces is a swift and certain one; a pace that Rami Amasaki tries to do her stumbling, staggering best to match as her boss and copilot grips her by the hand and drags her along.
"B-but why ZAFT?!" Rami insists in growing alarm; part of her is relieved that it's not the Zuvorg. The other part, though -- that one's lingering on the destruction of the Shakuyaku. "I thought we came to terms--!"
"Clearly, they disagreed with the general consensus. Now c'mon, Rami!"
"M-ma'am, your grip is way too stro--awk!"
~$~
<"Y'know, thirty seconds isn't a long time to make an informed decision.">
Thirty seconds come and go. And after, multiple units launch from the Nadesico to engage that strange, combined machine just beyond them, fighting on behalf of the Socrates and their crew. Many are Aestivalis. Some are not.
Among the 'nots' are the relatively large Tyranado and its companion craft; shunting out into the depths of space with the Carriax trailing in close behind in paired contrails of phantasmal, cyan-green propulsion. The Quark Drive within the Tyranado comes to life with a steady thrum and bright flash of searing green optics as it rapidly approaches the encroaching ZAFT forces.
<"Too bad for you, there was only one way this was gonna go the second you entered the negotiation table wiping out our people. So here's my personal answer, on behalf of the VTX Union -- you and your twisted sense of justice can kiss my ass!">
The Tyranado banks wide. The VTX prototype grips the pistols at its hips, even as Sagiri calls out to the others:
<"Carriax, hang back! Rin, Rami and I will take point -- just be ready with that special service!
<"Understood, Sakurai,"> offers Hirosuke. <"Rami, Ms. Naujakaite -- both of you be careful.">
<"R-right!"> chirps Rami, eyes on the Quark Drive's output regulators. ZAFT? All the way out here? They'd need some sort of Fold technology or something similar. ... Was it the Zuvorg supplying them...?
<"Head in the game, Rami! We're going in!">
And with a yelp courtesy of Rami Amasaki, the Tyranado sweeps in, unholstering beam bayonets in a flourish as they fire on the Evergard Galaxynova in a swift, strafing assault.
<"A bit of relationship advice from a pro -- no one likes someone who can't take a hint. If they tell you to back off -- back off!">
<"'A pro'? Ma'am, when was the last time you had a date?"> Amies Ernest cuts in with perfect timing.
<"H-hey! I have a rich history-- Now's not the time, Amies! Focus on collecting data!">
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Michiru Tenjou with Beam Bayonet Barrage! KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Spirit Spirit Command.
<Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.
"We absolutely can, Michi! Cut them down, Michi!" Inside their joined cockpit, Himeyuri manages the systems, leaving Michiru free to fight. The comms of the Nadesico, however, are transmitted to the bridge of the Socrates- and the crew.
"...That commswoman speaks so brazenly... how unladylike..." Mutters a young gunner.
"...That's the Captain, Mr Mifune," as Aide-de-Camp Kieran Abreo corrects him.
There is a gasp of shock across the mostly male crew.
"A captain, her?" "No way..." "I knew the Earthlings fielded women, but..."
Abreo frowns. "Most of the enemy pilots are women, I believe. I'm afraid you will have to adapt- or do you intend to leave the fighting to the Captain and Pilot Tenjou."
There is a grumbling of discontent- until Alto explodes the arm of GuAIZ that was targeting the pods. "<What- Damn you! You'll pay for that, woman!>" His comms go out to Alto, angrily. But on the ship, Calas gives an order and Abreo repeats it.
"Pilot Kanda, return to ship now. That's an order. You presently remain more valuable alive."
Kanda grimaces, but an order is an order. He turns tail- but is still in comms range.
"<Thirty.>" Hime responds, aiming to cut Yurika off. "<I had hoped you would see sense, Captain, but that's too much to hope for for one corrupted by Earthling oppression!>" Her voice rises to a shout. Ryoko shouts back at Himeyuri, and she glares at the screen. "<Michiru won't let you inflict your Earthling depravity on me, Pilot Subaru!>" She does, however, sound a little queasy at the language used.
"...Sheder's here too. Of course she is." Michiru's hot blood is leaking into Himeyuri, just as Himeyuri's zealotry leaks into Michiru. "<...It's a pity this is how we meet, Miss Banana.>" What a strange name... Hikaru messages them about enjoying their time on the beach, however... "<The beach is a place for tragedies, Pilot Amano. I thought you at least understood that!>" After all... no relationship predicated on going to the beach ends well, does it? That was Miss Nanako's lesson...
At least she was a little closer to the woman she embodied.
Hime frowns. "<It's not even just Pilot Subaru who is foul mouthed... What did the Earth DO to your femininity!?>" She calls back to Sagiri. She shakes her head.
Still, Michi can feel a hint of unease in Himeyuri, one Hime tries to bury. "Engaging battle anthem." She says, activating the Gardnova's internal speakers to hit the music.
BGM: https://youtu.be/Vf_DOLHQyAM?si=h20Y_EaRjs7h3zMY
"<Pilot Subaru, and you, lady I don't recognize! Clean up your act or I'll wash both your mouths out with soap, got it! Language like that is just plain... dirty! You'll never find a husband like that- you're destined to be spinsters!>"
On the bridge of the Socrates, Kieran Abreo shakes his head with a smile. "Such a strange woman, this Captain of ours. Disciplining our enemies..."
KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Hikaru Amano, Ryoko Subaru, and Sagiri Sakurai with Shock. KTS: Himeyuri Oono shocks Ryoko Subaru, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Michiru Tenjou successfully Intercepts Yurika Misumaru's Missile Mines KTS: Michiru Tenjou's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Ryoko Subaru's Killer Move - Set Up!, taking 1700 damage! KTS: Ryoko Subaru has engaged Michiru Tenjou! KTS: Ryoko Subaru begins a Formation attack! KTS: Michiru Tenjou's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Riika Sheder's MA-M21R Lepus Beam Rifle Shot, taking 870 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou successfully Intercepts Rin Naujakaite's Scorn - Staggered Arrival KTS: Michiru Tenjou's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Alto Saotome's ES-25A High Speed Machine Guns Chasing Fire, taking 870 damage! KTS: [Lucky] Sagiri Sakurai's The Natural activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Sagiri Sakurai successfully accepts Himeyuri Oono's Shock KTS: [Spirit Defense] Sagiri Sakurai's Company Pride activates, and her spirit endures. KTS: Michiru Tenjou fails to Parry Hikaru Amano's Field Lancer Thrust, taking 5310 damage! KTS: Hikaru Amano has engaged Michiru Tenjou! KTS: Hikaru Amano completes the Formation attack! KTS: Himeyuri Oono shocks Hikaru Amano, reducing her Morale significantly. KTS: Michiru Tenjou's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Sagiri Sakurai's Beam Bayonet Barrage, taking 2160 damage! KTS: Himeyuri Oono has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Michiru Tenjou KTS: Himeyuri Oono has activated the Trust Spirit Command targeting Michiru Tenjou KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has deployed in YFX-200 CGUE DEEP Arms. KTS: Shiho_Hahnenfuss has deployed as a Boss for 3 opponents. <Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.
If any single thing can be said about the Gardnova, it's that THIS machine wasn't one of the ones popping escape pods. They certainly never saw it do that, at least. That doesn't excuse it shredding the ship mind you, or any of the people it killed while tearing Shakuyaku apart. But there does at least seem to be a line somewhere.
Not that it matters much, when it doesn't seem to be trying to stop the rest of them.
As for the Vajra, some might recall this machine has in fact fought against those too. In a conflict most of the people here were involved in, at that. So clearly it does view them as a problem. So why? Maybe they'll get an answer out of Hime, or somebody else. Michiru doesn't have an answer for that. What she does have an answer for however, is Yurika's explosive stage equipment, shot with frightening accuracy by Galaxynova's interlinked firearms to set them off in precise chain reactions.
Inside the Galaxynova, Michiru's thoughts are processing at what is even for her an unnatural rate. Positional data, trajectories, reaction spread and environmental data. It's a little much for her, if she were being honest. But she's holding up to her best. Still, she finds some time to respond to Ryoko and Hikaru. "<It's been quite a while since we fought last. I did enjoy the time on the beach, you know. That's a treasured memory.>" Also a complicated one. Full of emotions she doesn't really know what to make of, even now. But Hime's presense keeps her strong. Unwilling to yield. Besides, she's right. Beachfront memories are destined to be bittersweet in the end. Ryoko's tackling maneuver meets with the enormous primary arms of the unit, successfully pushing it back, even as heavy as it is. And while the damage is minimal, the purpose is a success, driving them right into Hikaru's following move, too late for Michiru to divert properly.
Over on the Socrates, someone snickers about that, as the lance sinks into the arms, exposing the inner workings and frying a few connectors. "We told her, didn't we? She can't handle herself in a real battle, and there's the proof."
Of course Riika is here... how could she not be? Michi brances herself, both physically and mentally. She didn't really buy the traitor thing... but right now that word won't stop echoing in her mind anyway. One of Novagalaxy... one of HER sub-arms extends, catching the beam shot in its palm. "If only they had done as you suggested." Said only to Himeyuri.
She's asked a question by someone she doesn't know. And she does answer, as it happens. "<I know a slim amount of the language. I'm not fluent.>" Only because of a Gekiganger-related material she found once, that was only available in Chinese. But she hasn't told anyone about that. A few quick bursts of gunfire catch most of the missiles, with a few catching her on the edge of their explosive range. Those were too close for comfort though, and timing the shots properly... Michi's got a slight trickle of bood from her nose already.
Hime can see Michi recoil from some of the accusations. She's not a sick, malicious person. She's not a monster... but after a moment her expression hardens. Twists into something full of righteous anger. She lets out a scream as one of Galaxynova's main arms winds up, sending off a rocket-propelled fist to both take the brunt of the gunfire and to race after Alto's valkyrie. "<GEKIGAN BURNING KNUCKLE!>" It does certainly seem like the punch is on fire, befitting the name.
The other strange woman possessed of foul tongue brings a sense of confusion to her though. "<Dating... advice? I'm not looking for a date! Besides, if I was, I'd be using my baking technique! Not my piloting!>" Though even as she says those words, they turn to ash in her mouth. They feel primally wrong to her. And thrown off as she is, all the Novagalaxy can do against the scattered barrage is to set the Distortion Field to active defense and guard herself to keep the damage to a minimum. And indeed, while the machine floats out from a cloud of smoke and debris slightly worse for wear, it does seem to have mitigated a great deal of the punch.
Speaking of punches, while Alto is the main target, the Novagalaxy does have two fists. And so the second creaks to life, shooting off from the machine's arm to loop around and go after Ms. Sakurai. Fortunately for the two of them, the fists aren't opening into claws or anything. No, instead they're trying to collide with each other, to drive two enemies crunching together, right over top of Rin's estimated position.
The pilots Michiru has the most familiarity with however, are treated to a more up close attack, something that if nothing else, Hikaru and Ryoko are well-equipped for. Taking steady grip of the Force Blade G, Novagalaxy maneuvers by the two, weaving through space with more dexterity than its frame should possess. Along the way, it reaches out, to hook Ryoko's Aesti on the end of the sword and fling her, as it begins to make a rapid spin to catch both Aestis on the weapon and hurl them further into Svalinn. "<GEKIGAN... PURE REVOLUTION!>"
Which leaves only the Nadesico. Strictly, this anti-ship sword ought to be used on it. But it's being kept at a safe distance. Far enough away that there's only one good option. Both eye lenses light up, focusing on a point between them to combine their optic bursts. The merged beam crosses the distance, burning up space junk in its path toward gouging the left side of the Nadesico."<DUAL HEARTS COLLISION!>"
KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Ryoko Subaru, Hikaru Amano, and Riika Sheder with Pure Revolution. KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Alto Saotome with Novagalaxy Punch! KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Sagiri Sakurai with Novagalaxy Punch! KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Rin Naujakaite with Novagalaxy Punch! KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Yurika Misumaru with Dual Novagalaxy Eye! <Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.
Withdrawing pilots while maintaining consistent offense is one of the chief benefits of a deep flight wing. No sooner has Kanda been recalled than does another ZAFT machine take to the airspace; the aging CGUE DEEP ARMS -- now essentially fully outmoded by the GuAIZ -- streaks out of the Socrates's hangar.
Shiho is a professional, of course, and for the moment decides to stay quiet. She doesn't feel any particular malice toward the Nadesico... but she does think the Three Ships Alliance are wreckers. If it wasn't for them, ZAFT could well have won its independence, instead of having the PLANTs put their tails between their legs and waddle back to the Federation.
Unfortunately, the increasingly large number of modifications Shiho keeps making to the CGUE DEEP ARMS's weapon systems take a little while to spin up. She essentially has to make herself a target for a few seconds instead of going straight to the offensive.
KTS: Ryoko Subaru has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Ryoko Subaru has activated the Wall Spirit Command. KTS: Ryoko Subaru's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Ryoko Subaru blocks Michiru Tenjou's Pure Revolution, taking 2775 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou repulses Ryoko Subaru, forcing her to disengage. KTS: Sagiri Sakurai fails to evade Michiru Tenjou's Novagalaxy Punch, taking 5280 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Michiru Tenjou's Villainy Will Never Succeed! activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. KTS: Yurika Misumaru partially guards Michiru Tenjou's Dual Novagalaxy Eye, taking 5060 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou begins a Formation attack! KTS: [Lucky] Rin Naujakaite's Prior Preparation activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Rin Naujakaite successfully blocks Michiru Tenjou's Novagalaxy Punch KTS: Hikaru Amano's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Hikaru Amano fails to parry Michiru Tenjou's Pure Revolution, taking 4810 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Michiru Tenjou's Villainy Will Never Succeed! activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Michiru Tenjou repulses Hikaru Amano, forcing her to disengage. KTS: Riika Sheder partially guards Michiru Tenjou's Pure Revolution, taking 5460 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Michiru Tenjou's Villainy Will Never Succeed! activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Michiru Tenjou repulses Riika Sheder, forcing her to disengage. KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Alto Saotome's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Alto Saotome fails to Evade Michiru Tenjou's Novagalaxy Punch, taking 4680 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Michiru Tenjou's Villainy Will Never Succeed! activates, causing Sparkle! <Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
The ambush tactic proved a bit of a flop, as did the distraction from Yurika's part - and the sortie to get the Nadesico up to space has left resources a little strained - so all Yurika can do is call for all hands to brace before the might of ~<two hearts colliding>~. Besides, she's biding her time and waiting for the Phase Transition Engines to get fully back to operation - and in the meantime...<"H-HOW DARE YOU imply that Ryoko and Sagiri won't ever find love?!"> that's the part Yurika takes most offense to from Himeyuri? Wait, no, that makes perfect sense. <"I'm sure that no matter the type of person you are, love can find your way, even in unexpected ways! It's more important to be true to yourself and to pursue your passions than to shackle yourself to what someone you haven't even met wants from you! Like how you two clearly synchronize your dizzyingly chivalrous love when you take to the field in that...in that crazy romantic combining thingy!"> This is like a step away from thinking Gekiganger is a romance...
Yurika's pushing her fingers together a little in embarrassment and flustering, confessing, "I mean I kept trying to learn how to cook to impress Akito...B-BUT only because cooking is inherently romantic, and it's perfectly fine that he would be the cook of the family, because it's his passion!" ...A beat. One, two three- "...wait, then why would I work so hard to learn how to cook if I wasn't even gonna do it when we got together-"
BATTLE MASTERY: Save the world from future Yurika Culinary Disasters by the end of Turn 3: SUCCESS!? (Wait, who's even earning that one!?)
The teary babbling of the Shakuyaku's captain and the calming older voice of their technical officer confirms to Yurika that the crew has been confirmed rescued, and Yurika, in turn, sends a sniffly holo-window Alto's way. "You really did it, I was SO WORRIED for a moment, you got here JUST IN TIME Alto-kun, Rin-chan! Ne ne ne after we solve this little snafu I'm going to get a gift or do a favor to all our hard-working pilots, so, think of what you want! It's a little ~motivation boost~ to keep morale up since it's been a little tough for everyone being so far from home!"
Of course, memories of the ~beach incident~ immediately de-motivate Yurika, and she's a little blue in the face. "...I-I'm glad you got along with them that day, Hikaru...gwah, it's weird-feeling to have everyone remember that day so fondly, you know. I still, uhm, kind of, totally owe you my life after that. Maybe these crazy people will think of me saying that as comraderie? ...Speaking of that...Riika, you're alright fighting them, are you? You don't - have to if it's too hard, but I know you don't want us to think you'd- uhm..." ...Noooow's not the time or place for Yurika to bring up that, on SOME level, if you wanted to investigate how on earth the Socrates tracked down the Nadesico all the way to the Brisingr Cluster, 'their former comrade' is prooooobably where you'd start looking.
"Uhm! Ruri-! Those three've finished up securing the Yamato-unit, right? Track down the Shakuyaku's black box and pull in the docking routines - we're diverting course to get that attached lickety split! This really isn't the time to use 'That', but from what I remember, the Y-Unit should kind of just funnel the Gravity Blast through itself- so as soon as we do an emergency connect, all hands prepared for a hard turn-around! In the mean time, get that baby cooking, and let's ~go!~"
It's all engines towards the remains of the drifting Yamato-unit, the central reactors getting warmed up at the same time as a deluge of manintenance anchors launches towards the big Nergal-branded module, roping in the hefty front-mounted prows. It's more than certainly pretty dangerous to attach this thing while charging the Gravity Blast, but it's something they can automate, so if something explodes, it's not a person out there needing to bolt it all together!
KTS: Yurika Misumaru targets Michiru Tenjou with ND-001 Nadesico - Now Charging...! KTS: Rin Naujakaite has activated the Rouse Spirit Command targeting Sagiri Sakurai KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Rouse Spirit Command. Michiru_Tenjou has changed Boss level to 4 <Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.
It's difficult for Ryoko to muster any outrage for blowing up escape pods, for many reasons.
"Yeah! Clearly it didn't! Not even our Volleyball game- wait- an episode of what!"
Indeed, she answers Hikaru with misunderstanding. Even as Michiru indicates it's a treasured memory- but they're in a battle now, and thus she answers Hikaru.
"Guess so! Let's show 'em!"
Meanwhile as the VTX Union speaks over romantic history. Ryoko's comm window appears at the fringe of the cockpit.
Not even speaking, just - OBSERVING! Bending at the neck just faintly to observe Sagiri's expression as she speaks of her RICH history like someone sideeyeing the DRAMA.
Yet at the first sign that she's been seen, it vanishes with a quickly spoken, "Wrong Unit!"
But as the Captain of the Socrates speaks to her, Ryoko's eyebrow twitches, even as she watches Hikaru follow up on her lead there! "<For the last time! I'M FROM SPACE! And soap? Husband?! Aren't you supposed to be the Ship's Captain? Your position isn't Ship Mom! So don't talk to me like I'm your bratty kid or something! All this dainty 'delicate flower' BS - acting like your shit smells like roses? You think guys are attracted to that?>"
And even though somewhere in Ryoko's head she thinks 'Yes' she still keeps going, her Aestie pointing her finger right at the Gardnova, "<What kind of time you think you're gonna have dating a guy if you gotta pretend that ladies never go number two!>"
Wow though, Yurika really got fired up defending them, "Captain-!" But something about the language, "I- wait what do you mean unexpected? Is it really so out there!?"
Gloom, blue wavy lines. D E S P A I R.
Which is when Michiru swings back, to try and hook her on the blade, the blade crackles against it's distortion field, catching just inside of it, before it SWINGS it back, and Ryoko's Aesti flies end over end to smash into Hikaru's Aesti, as Ryoko turns off the Distortion field just before it impacts. "Damnit! Where are those reflexes Hikaru!? You're supposed to dodge that kind of attack!"
Did Ryoko HERSELf dodge it? No!
"<Look I know Coordinators have big problems getting knocked up, but this is ridiculous! Are we really having this conversation when we're in a scrap!?>"
Indeed, Ryoko the consummate Hypocrite since she absolutely loves conversations like this, flies back in there, opening a sheath on the way, right before she pulls a knife, raking it against the Novagalaxy's shield to try and get through.
"<Let's talk about something relevant! Like my KNIFE TECHNIQUE!>"
She knows Hikaru's Field Lancer is specialized for this kind of thing, but it works even better in her eyes, if there's no field for Hikaru to even break through.
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Ruri, hearing this comm chatter on another layer of all the data she's combing through presently --
-- alongside the information Izumi and the others are relating back to the Nadesico on the sly about their efforts --
-- and Yurika's verbal misdirection --
-- and her typed commands, on another channel --
-- and the strain balance of the Phase Transition Engines as they spin up, power draw from all their critical and subcritical systems, and all the concurrent alerts and warnings --
-- realises her perfect opening. (She's thinking about all these things at once, but she only has one mouth to speak with. She's not as talented as Omoikane is, in this respect.)
"Excuse me," a girl -- a girl -- opens a comm window with the Evergard Galaxynova, with no fanfare. Her pale twintails are held up by two green Haro hairties, and she doesn't look any older than fourteen. Is this... the girl from the beach?! "Ruri Hoshino, here. The Nadesico's Systems Operator. I have an important message for you all."
Ruri clears her throat.
"You're all fools."
OOOOOHHHH--!!!
Meanwhile, Minato has an allied communication for Riika: "We'll be watching your back, out there. They might have fought with you, once... but now you're one of us, and there's no way we're going to let you get roughed up by these ruffians!!" The one blessing for Himeyuri, perhaps, is that she doesn't have to hear the Nadesico's mom friend call her a ruffian.
"Beam attack incoming," Ruri reports, on an allied channel. "Engine cycling in progress. Our Distortion Field won't hold against the attack. Brace for impact." The impact rocks the ship, but thankfully, Ruri reports: "No critical systems are offline. Damage to sectors B5, G3-7, H4..."
"That is to say, we're still okay!" Minato translates, with a cheerful 'V' sign for their internal transmission.
"Aye-aye, Captain," Ruri adds, to Yurika. "Now descrambling the black box. Transmitting."
And the head engineer appears in a communication window, for the Captain: "Theoretically, there's nothing stopping us from bolting the Y-Unit onto ourselves -- but you'd have to be crazy!" Uribatake yells, with all his usual gusto. "It's built for another machine entirely... the Shakuyaku might be a Nadesico-class, but it's WAY newer!" The Nadesico, flagship exemplar of its class, was the first ship built in the series. Years have passed, since then -- with all the expected advancements. "Gyahaha... all right! Let's do it!!" His team -- supported by Maya, Izumi, and Akatsuki -- set about attaching the Y-Unit in the middle of the fight.
"Hello," Ruri says, as if to no one in particular.
(She's not talking to any human.)
But she spares her voice, now, to their other combatants: "Alto-san, Riika-san, Sagiri-san -- I'm sending you assault pathing data. Don't underestimate the enemy." She has a dozen things to do, and she hesitates to do none of them.
She'll feel things about this massacre later.
KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Attune Spirit Command targeting Riika Sheder KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Alto Saotome, Riika Sheder, and Sagiri Sakurai with All-Out. KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Hikaru Amano with Rather Immediate Knife! KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Michiru Tenjou with Rather Immediate Knife! KTS: Ruri Hoshino orders an all-out attack, raising Riika Sheder's Skill! KTS: Ruri Hoshino orders an all-out attack, raising Alto Saotome's Skill! <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
As Kanda retreats, Riika fires Svalinn's head vulcans to encourage him to move along. At this distance her accuracy isn't great and neither is the actual amount of damage she can do, but it's definitely enough to emphasize that she wants him *off* the field.
Her bottled anger from the shot-down pods isn't managing to be all that bottled, today. For all that Riika is usually composed, she has limits - and that goes beyond one of them. She's only just managing to not say anything to Himeyuri and Michiru and give them an excuse they don't really need to focus on her.
Instead, she responds to Yurika: "I'm all right. It's not the first time, and - I can't believe they'd come here and start an assault! Here, so far away from Earth - no matter what they say, nothing they do is in defense of the PLANTs! I don't even know how they could get this far out..."
It isn't the first time Riika is likely to be under suspicion, either. She knows Yurika doesn't think she'd a traitor (again). She also knows that what Yurika isn't saying is absolutely true; it's quite likely someone will start asking questions about her, an ex-PLANT independent known to be affiliated with the Thre Ships, currently working with the Quarter and the Nadesico on their operations.
It's awful, to be the first one people assume is doing something wrong. But she knows she hasn't done anything wrong. This time. Unlike, say, Ryoko: "You can't just say that!" she transmits, aghast. "It's - uncalled for!"
Unfortunately for her, the Bulwark is big (for a MS) and bulky (same) and a little slow, given its size and weight. "Watch out!" she calls, as other suits are literally thrown at her - she hunkers down, bringing up the laminate shield to protect herself, but she can't smash it outward at the incoming 'shots' because they're on her side. It takes more than a glancing blow, shoved backwards with enough force that she feels it right through the suit -
And she catches sight of a unit she knows very well. That CGUE.
Where Riika wouldn't speak to the Jovians (not that she knows they're Jovian, but work with it) she does open communications to Shiho, someone who she has worked with in the past and shares at least some familiarity with. They're the same, in some ways; same job, same dedication, same tendency to overwork themselves into a pit.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, directly. "Were you assigned to the Socrates for this attack? But the war's over! It's a scientific mission, and there's no call to shoot up a science vessel - to say nothing about how your comrade shot an escape pod!" Shiho didn't do that, at least.
But Riika accelerates, firing Svalinn Bulwark's big thrusters. While it's ponderous and slow to accelerate, once it *is* up to speed there's no stopping it; it drives directly toward the CGUE - no, just a fraction 'above' it and to the 'left', or at least from Riika's point of view the DEEP ARMS is down and right.
As she passes by, a semiconcealed claw-like pincer fires from Svalinn Bulwark's side, right beneath the armpit. It snaps closed as Riika tries to remove one of those guns, gripping near the shoulder and twisting when Bulwark comes to the end of the cable, turning with the momentum; she knows what they can do if Shiho is allowed free reign. Even if the suit's older, and a little outdated, it's not like they don't work and Shiho knows very well how to use them.
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Shiho Hahnenfuss with EBG-S Heavy Extensional Arrestor Shear!
<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.
Rin's eyebrow twitches for a moment as Michiru addresses her in such a way -- and then they speak to Sagiri.
Rin straightens up in her cockpit. "Do you think women can't swear too!? We can do anything we want!! A woman could be Empress of Britannia or run a whole science facility!! Or swear!!" As she says this the honestly-too-fast acceleration brings her nearer to the Novagalaxy...
Which has its own things to bear. "-- Rocket Punch!?" Rin says in dismay as hands are thrown in the most literal of possible ways.
But they're not coming towards--
Rin glances up, then glances left as the fists swing around. "Tch--"
"You think I can't see what you're doing?! You're twenty years too early!"
At which point Rin accelerates AGAIN -- this time in a straight line. Her wingbots match the speed, Rancor lagging slightly as they buzz the Novagalaxy. No weapons fire? Maybe they're keeping their powder dry for -- oh no, there it goes; the Ghost in front turned first and is releasing a missile bombardment towards enemy forces.
<"Shaddap, you!"> Rin responds to Ryoko. <"I can get twice as pregnant as you!!"> Then: <"Carriax I'm gonna screen the recovery op! I'll try to get back--!">"
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss fails to react to Riika Sheder's EBG-S Heavy Extensional Arrestor Shear, taking 5980 damage! KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Shiho Hahnenfuss!
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Alto doesn't really know who exactly is shooting at escape pods and who isn't. It's kind of hard to notice that kind of thing in the heat of battle. With weapons fire flying all over the place. All he knows is it wasn't any of the people on the Nadesico side. So it must be those on the ZAFT side! Which makes any of them a valid target for him.
And he doesn't have a preference.
Not even when one of them sends a giant fist flying his way. Alto swerves and rolls his way around as the thing try to smash into him until it finally finds purchase, hitting his fighter from above. His pinpoint barrier flares at the point of impact to blunt some of the attack, the rest smashing against the VF's energy boosted armor to cause part of its frame to crumple.
It also knocks Alto out of his flight path, causing the fighter to spin and tumble through space for a short time.
Fighting back against the g-forces, Alto manages to trigger his machine's transformation, the craft separating mid tumble to rearrange into its GERWALK mode. Its legs then start to send bursts of stabilizing thrust out of its feet until the VF finally comes to a relative stop.
Taking a moment to recover himself, Alto notices a different ZAFT machine ahead of him. Well, one ZAFT attacker is much like another. Ruri's data feed comes in, indicating an plan of attack. Thanks Ruri!
And so the Messiah's feet kick out some thrust against as it burst to the side, in the opposite direction to Riika's assault. To try and catch the CGUE in a crossfire. Not that Riika's actually firing anything. Alto does though! raising the gunpod in his right hand to aim, unleashing some carefully aimed shots towards Shiho's CGUE DEEP ARMS as he sweeps around it.
As he does so he adds on to Riika's comments to the pilot, with obvious confusion, <"If you wanted to join the expedition you could have simply ASKED! But instead you're actively trying to sabotage our efforts to stop the Vajra!">
KTS: Alto Saotome targets Shiho Hahnenfuss with Gatling Gun Tracking Shot! KTS: [Lucky] Sagiri Sakurai's The Natural activates, and luck goes her way! KTS: Sagiri Sakurai successfully accepts Ruri Hoshino's All-Out KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss fails to react to Alto Saotome's Gatling Gun Tracking Shot, taking 7020 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Michiru Tenjou fails to react to Yurika Misumaru's ND-001 Nadesico - Now Charging..., taking 0 damage! KTS: Yurika Misumaru begins a Formation attack! <Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.
A VF and the all-too-familiar Svalinn, albeit with some new equipment... Shiho's nostrils flare just slightly in frustration, but she keeps it together. Bombardment comes in, and she has to sacrifice her shield to the VF's gatling shots just to stay alive; that claw-pincer comes in and while she protects her firepower, she loses a lot of leg armor to the ripping and tearing.
Shiho isn't particularly demonstrative; She's not nearly as much committed to the notion of being someone's rival as...
... a lot of ZAFT pilots, actually...
... but she does open comms to both Riika and Alto long enough to snap off a, "Riika... today's the day I finally defeat you." Riika's questions get an answer she probably won't like, too: "I don't care that the PLANTs have given up the fight. The Earth Federation's corruption can't be allowed to continue -- and organizations like yours are complicit in the way things are now! I'm not here to join your expedition -- I'm here to make sure you don't come back from it!" She has no comment on the escape pod.
As the new cooling system finally spins up, Shiho concludes she needs to defend herself before getting the cannons online. Unfortunately, outside of the cannons, the CGUE's weapon array is...
... uninspiring.
She has to settle for the 76mm machine gun standard to a lot of ZAFT machines, emptying a magazine with a quick sweep between the VF and the new, improved(?) Svalinn Gundam. There's a helpful UI ping at her console almost the instant she finishes firing.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss targets Alto Saotome with MMI-M7S 76mm Machine Gun Maneuver Shot! KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss targets Riika Sheder with MMI-M7S 76mm Machine Gun Maneuver Shot! KTS: Alto Saotome's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Alto Saotome fails to Evade Shiho Hahnenfuss's MMI-M7S 76mm Machine Gun Maneuver Shot, taking 3150 damage! Alto Saotome transforms to VF-25F Messiah <GERWALK Mode>
KTS: Riika Sheder blocks Shiho Hahnenfuss's MMI-M7S 76mm Machine Gun Maneuver Shot, taking 3525 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.
Himeyuri's declaration that Ryoko and Sagiri will never find love gets a slight squint from Hikaru herself, as Yurika loudly calls her out on it. "Yeah, I mean she's kinda right... love belongs to everyone, and it shows in the very song you're playing right now. Ahem..."
"All for one - Love and Hope are the Warrior's Emblem!" Yurika might be a step away from the idea that Gekiganger is a romance, but Hikaru's always been fully commited to the idea, of course.
All the same, when the VTX crew starts discussing their love lives, right along with Ryoko observing is Hikaru. She's taking notes.
But this time her understanding of Gekiganger's themes is called into question. "Okay, geez... you might have a point about the beach! It's a huge symbol of Joe's regrets and everything, I know! I'm glad it was important to you too, but..." She replies, clearly a little exasperated. "But not every story is the same, is it? What kind of arc is this supposed to be anyway?"
And when Yurika brings up that said beach episode also involved narrowly saving her life, Hikaru rubs the back of her head with an adorable awkwardness. "Ehe... that's true, though! Not all beach tales have sad endings, because otherwise it would end with you six feet under with a crazy rich girl!"
"Camaraderie... let's go with that!" Hikaru nods. "Not that you really owe me anything through all your guidance, my dear Captain. On the battlefield, a soldier, no... a warrior must do all they can for their comrades...!" Forgive her if she chokes on that last line. Maybe Michiru will find it impressive, though.
Hikaru might argue between all those books she caught Ryoko reading, romance might be a little less unexpected than you think, but... no time for that, as PURE REVOLUTION comes flying forward!
"Ack!" She raises the Disortion Field around the Field Lancer in attempt to push back the much larger blade, but it doesn't pan out, sending the orange Aestie tumbling back. "There was nothin' pure about that one except for the pain." She complains. "And c'mon, Ryoko! I thought the Field would be enough...!"
"It can't be just 'cuz they're Coordinators, though..." Hikaru considers, when Himeyuri continues to go on about being a proper wife for your husband and all that trad stuff. "I mean, Riika-san's pretty normal about it, right? There's something about that ship that attracts all the weirdos or something." Hikaru you just described the Nadesico.
"Anyways~ the Nadesico's charging up, so I guess we gotta cover for her!" Somehow it's Hikaru who brings the conversation back on track, as she focuses down on the Evergard Galaxynova. Right on time, Ryoko charges in with the Immediate Knife, attempting to break down that barrier for her. Hikaru doesn't see much of a need to change up her tactics... fast and hard melee's the play here.
So she goes in with the Lancer, keeping the Distortion Field ready, and strikes in perfect harmony with Ryoko! "How do you like that?! I call it our... Double Nekketsu-Giri." She concludes, sounding rather proud of herself. But is she talking to Michiru and Hime, or Ryoko???
KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Michiru Tenjou with Field Lancer Perfect Thrust!
<Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.
Sagiri has a -spy-. She glances towards the corner of her screen; Ryoko can briefly see the brief flush of cheeks before she's greeted with an all-too-friendly wink seconds before she blips out.
Wrong Unit!
<"Uh huh. Make sure you let me know when you find the one that's right for you--">
But whatever her banter is going to lead to comes to an abrupt stop when she is accused of -something- by the enemy. Something about--
<"What did Earth do to my -- what?">
Sagiri Sakurai blinks, flummoxed. She turns to Rami, muting the comms.
"... Is this one of those 'souls weighed down by gravity' things?"
"Um. I don't think so."
And so Sagiri sighs a perplexed sigh, even as she presses down on the accelerator of the Tyranado, sending it on a twisting path of blooming Quark Drive rings punching its speed up behind it. It's an evasive maneuver -- but one that doesn't come soon enough as that -rocket fist- launches from the strange combiner unit; Tyranado spirals upwards -- only to get caught, fist SLAMMING powerfully into black and blue armor with enough force to send the Tyranado careening towards Alto's Messiah. Rami lets out a shout of alarm as she rocks in her seat; Sagiri grits her teeth. But before collision can take place -- the VTX test pilot -slams- on the accelerator, the Tyranado's thrusters turning forward to release a powerful burst of counter-thrust to stop it before it can ram into the VF.
"Whew! That thing hits like a truck! Rami, you okay?"
"I... yes. I'll be fine. I will be fine! I won't let them tell me what's feminine and what's not! I -- oh my--!"
Himeyuri speaks. Rami puffs up her cheeks in indignation. But if what Himeyuri first said confused Sagiri -- what she says -next- is what really seals the deal.
<"Wash my mouth out with -- find a -- what era are you from?!"> Sagiri gawks -- and the sheer shock is enough to briefly jar her -- before it incenses her. Pastel green eyes narrow. Her jaw sets.
And Rami Amasaki blinks with wide-eyed wonder as she beholds the firm resolve of Sagiri Sakurai as the older woman opens up her comms.
<"Meryl. The Launcher, please.">
<"Coming right up, ma'am.">
Rin shouts in her defense. And Sagiri just grins as she presses down on the controls of the Tyranado.
<"Hell yeah, Rin! Listen up, Ms. ZAFT. I'm going to give you some answers, and some life lessons, and you better not forget either of them, because they don't come cheap. First and foremost: my name is Sagiri Sakurai, salarywoman! I swear when I feel like swearing, I love to bake, and there's not enough money in the world that can satisfy me!">
From the Carriax, a beam rifle is deployed, thrust launching it on a pre-planned trajectory as the Tyranado moves.
<"I keep up with the latest fashion trends and I work my fingers to the bone! Sometimes I eat five helpings of deep-fried ice cream at the Semi-Annual VTX Buffet! And none of those things make me any less un-feminine than any other one! My precious part-timer is right: whatever I choose to do, however I choose to live my life, I live it on my terms! And there's nothing more feminine than that! I can let a lot of things roll off my back--">
The Tyranado sweeps upward, and then literally -flips- through space...
... until that beam launcher -slams- into its waiting right hand, right as the Tyranado positions itself right behind the ZAFT weapon.
<"... but questioning my femininity's sure as hell not one of them.">
And pulls the trigger, in a powerful cannonade of particle fire aimed right at the Evergard's back.
You're all fools.
<"Damn right, Ruri! Don't worry -- with someone as sharp as you watching my back, I feel like I can take on the world! And, Ms. ZAFT -- IF I ever find a husband - or a wife - it's gonna be because they like me for me! All the pros and the cons!">
<"The way she eats her food.">
<"The -amount- of food she eats...">
<"How she just drags people off half-cocked without a plan like they don't have a life!">
<"She always sleeps in on maintenance day.">
<"The -snoring-.">
<"(i... i like her snoring)">
<"-Rami-."> <"Rami."> <"Hah.">
<"-The point is-"> Sagiri admirably pushes on, <"Yurika's right! I'm not compromising me -- not for anyone! And you're doing yourself a huge disservice if that's what you think -you- need to do!">
A second passes.
<"Wait, none of you listed a single pro!">
<"From a certain perspective, they're all pros, ma'am.">
<"If you're down bad enough.">
<"Aw, c'mon.">
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Michiru Tenjou with Mega Buster Striker - Standard Fire!
<Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.
"<Men are interested in femininity!>" Himeyuri calls back to Yurika's offense. "<Fighting on the battlefield of your own choice, using all that... foul language, that's not how what men want! They want a woman who can cook, and clean and manage a household! Passions like that just get in the way!>" Is she... okay?
Normally, Hime would flinch from such a barrage of profanity. Normally. "<Then maybe you should stop acting like a child!>" Himeyuri shouts back at Ryoko. "<A grown adult wouldn't speak like that to anyone! If your mother failed to teach you how to behave, and your Captain won't, someone has to!>" Her brow furrows. Why would she have problems dating? The perfect man for her will be chosen for her, after all.
But then there's a pause, as she's called a fool by... a child. Himeyuri's eyes widen. The earthlings would go... this far? Putting CHILDREN on the battlefield? "<...This is ridiculous! Little girl, where are your parents? What are they doing letting you play at being a Bridge Officer!? That's just plain irresponsible parenting!>" Himeyuri shakes her head angrily. "<Did that horrible bald mercenary man make you do this? Did he kidnap you from your parents and make you work on this ship?>" Her minds starts running a thousand miles a minute. "<Captain Misumaru I thought you were a decent woman for an Earthling but making A CHILD work on your ship, how low can you sink!?>"
And then Sagiri retorts at her, listing... a whole lot of worrying traits, honestly. "<A w-w-wife!?>" THAT'S the part that scandalizes you, Himeyuri? "<I... You...>" She shakes her head in frustration. "<There's a way things are supposed to work, you know!>"
"Shiho-chan! Show that traitor what you're made of! Take her out, I know you can!" She grips her controls tighter. There's no talking sense into them, is there? Earth has corrupted them too much. "Michi, don't hold anything back! I'm counting on both of you!" Why does she feel so uneasy now? Nothing the Earthlings say makes any damn sense. She just has to stick to the mission. Pull it off, and she can finally go home, can't she? "Destroy them! All of them!"
KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Shiho Hahnenfuss and Michiru Tenjou with Awe.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Alto can't speak much to the Earth Federation's 'corruption'. He's never been one to care all that much about politics. As long as he can fly. But he has to admit that SMS has had its fair share of missions assisting the Federation. Not that Alto's ever actually participated in one of the battles during the war. He managed to avoid that particular can of worms.
He has plenty of his own worms to worry about. Or bugs, really.
Which Alto points out, <"Even all the way out here, you spread this stupid infighting! You're a fool if you think the Vajra care about factions or borders.">
Shiho unloads a magazine from that machine gun. For all it's uninspiring, it still does the job as Alto tries to sweep his machine to the side to avoid the barrage, but several of the bullets still manage to impact against one of his wings, putting some holes through them. Thankfully not a big issue in space. Though better the wing than the cockpit.
<"It's only a matter of time before their growing numbers overwhelm us. We need to find a way to stop that. Your actions here could doom the entire Earth Sphere!">
A little concerned about those mighty big cannons, Alto decides to try and help Riika take care of them. Switch over his weapons system, he glances at each of them, his cockpit sensors detecting the eye movements and assigning target locks. Alto then Pulls the trigger.
A couple of the launcher compartments attached to the Messiah snap their covers open, revealing the payload of micromissiles beneath. A barrage of the small missiles blast outwards, dancing through space and splitting up before reconverging on Shiho's machine from either side to try and blast away those cannons.
KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Alto Saotome targets Shiho Hahnenfuss with CIMM-3A Micro-missile Launchers Multi-directional Assault! KTS: Himeyuri Oono has activated the Enable Spirit Command targeting Michiru Tenjou KTS: Himeyuri Oono inspires awe, increasing Shiho Hahnenfuss's Morale! KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss fails to react to Alto Saotome's CIMM-3A Micro-missile Launchers Multi-directional Assault, taking 7540 damage! <Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
Riika does not respond to Hikaru's statement that she is 'pretty normal about it'.
Maybe later. Even if she wasn't busy (and boy is she busy right now) she'd be too embarrassed to talk about it on an open radio frequency! Her cheeks pinken, just slightly, as she focuses on a more pressing matter: politics and violence.
Though she wasn't able to pull off a gun, Riika did manage to do some damage, and more importantly she redirected Svalinn Bulwark; having turned the forward momentum through about a hundred eighty degrees, she rotates until she is facing DEEP ARMS, Bulwark moving backwards.
Bullets slam into the machine until Riika gets up her shield, and the shield isn't doing so well afterwards; she discards it, and ejects some of the most exterior layer of plating from Svalinn Bulwark. It's layered; part of the 'shell' is ablative, and there's more beneath. Despite that she's still worried for Svalinn's durability, given she knows what the DEEP ARMS can get up to.
"That's..."
Riika lets out a breath in her helmet. "Coming all the way out here is the crazy part. I understand you're not a fan of the Federation. I don't exactly trust everyone in it either - but the thing is, we're all better off working together than apart. How did you even GET out here?"
Riika's typing with her off-hand, and a few moments later Alto gets a pop-up: "<Don't let the CGUE being a little out of date fool you. Her DEEP ARMS' experimental beam cannons are enormously powerful - you do not want to get hit if she has time to charge and run the calculations.>"
Back to Shiho: "I wasn't sent here by my organization. I came because I believed that it was important to learn about the Vajra - and to recover anything we could from the older expedition. If you're going to stop us from coming back, then..."
Riika draws, from the back segments of Svalinn Bulwark, a mass that unfolds into a slim-looking blade but with a broad point nearly as long as the Svalinn is tall. It looks impractical despite its enormous length - until a beam snaps into existence along the length of the blade, filling it out and making it clearly a deadly weapon.
She darts in. Riika hit the leg before and she goes after it again, swinging the gigantic anti-ship sword with one hand. It doesn't just shear - it smashes because of its sheer size as Riika tries to remove a limb and slow down, or stop, the CGUE.
KTS: Riika Sheder targets Shiho Hahnenfuss with Kladenets 16.3m Anti-Ship Sword Carve! KTS: Michiru Tenjou fails to parry Ryoko Subaru's Rather Immediate Knife, taking 5900 damage! KTS: Ryoko Subaru has engaged Michiru Tenjou! KTS: Ryoko Subaru completes the Formation attack! KTS: Riika Sheder rattles Shiho Hahnenfuss, making her next maneuvers more difficult. KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss fails to react to Riika Sheder's Kladenets 16.3m Anti-Ship Sword Carve, taking 7150 damage! KTS: Riika Sheder has engaged Shiho Hahnenfuss! KTS: Michiru Tenjou successfully evades Hikaru Amano's Field Lancer Perfect Thrust KTS: Himeyuri Oono inspires awe, increasing Michiru Tenjou's Morale! <Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.
Himeyuri speaks over the comms, and Shiho's focus sharpens. "Right. ... Thank you, Captain," she says, though her voice is still a little tight. She doesn't have much time to bask in her newfound morale, though.
The barrage of missiles mostly strikes true, and the CGUE starts to falter as its armor is torn to shreds. It's not a terribly durable machine, and with the followup of the Svalinn's anti-ship blade coming in in short order, Shiho can already tell that this particular assault is something that's going to be decided shortly and sweetly on her part. One of the CGUE's legs goes careening off. Sure, it's just an AMBAC surface, and that's annoying.
"You're still a traitor! Even if this is just a research expedition, that doesn't change anything!" Shiho shoots back to Riika, brow furrowing as the anger starts to get into her piloting. Alto gets a slightly less heated "The PLANTs are already doomed, as far as I'm concerned, if things continue the way they have been," as Shiho takes stock of what's still working on the CGUE. ... Well, at least the weapons are in order.
With the CGUE's cannons up, Shiho can at least give as good as she's getting. The two shoulder-mounted weapon arrays pivot around to acquire firing solutions on both the VF and the Svalinn; Shiho considers her options. She could go for precision and try to pen them in, or lead them toward some of the other ZAFT units...
... but that's not her style.
Both energy cannons spray outward and then back inward again, practically coating the battlefield in weapons fire like petals blooming out from a flower. It's these sorts of attack formations that have earned Shiho the nickname of 'Touch-Me-Not'.
KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has disengaged. KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss has activated the Dash Spirit Command and has gained proficiency bonus. KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss targets Alto Saotome and Riika Sheder with Touch Me Not. KTS: Riika Sheder blocks Shiho Hahnenfuss's Touch Me Not, taking 9300 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Shiho Hahnenfuss's Cool-Headed activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Riika Sheder has been defeated! KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Strike Spirit Command. KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Alto Saotome has activated the Focus Spirit Command. KTS: Alto Saotome's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Alto Saotome fails to Evade Shiho Hahnenfuss's Touch Me Not, taking 9180 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Shiho Hahnenfuss's Cool-Headed activates, causing Control Bonus! KTS: Alto Saotome has been defeated! KTS: Shiho Hahnenfuss roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. <Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Alto receives that warning from Riika. Yeah, he had guessed as much just from what he could see of the strange CGUE.
And unfortunately, it seems like their ZAFT opponent has managed to do just those things that Riika warned off.
Those shoulder cannons come up, starting to spit a veritable hell of energy bullets out into the void in the direction of Riika and Alto. Alto attempts to use the maneuverability of his VF to try and weave his way through the bolts, which works!
Until it doesn't.
One of the energy blasts manages to strike true, overwhelming the Messiah's pinpoint barrier and energy conversion armor alike. It scrapes along the bottom of the airframe, digging a long trench through the VF's armor, before striking one of the legs at the joint and shearing it off completely.
Down an engine, Alto's VF goes even more out of control than it was when he had been hit. It spirals through space until he manages to transform the machine back into fighter mode.
A slightly more sane center of thrust attained, Alto is able to stablize his movement with directional thrusters at that point. Until finally his fighter stops spinning.
Though the damage is significant and Alto expects continuing at this point would be suicide. He radios the Nadesico, <"Tch, this is Skull-4. I'm no good like this, I have to pull back.">
The Messiah spins around in space, before starting to blast back towards the planet on its single engine. As Alto retreats, he asks Shiho, <"So what are you trying to accomplish?">
<Pose Tracker> Riika Sheder has posed.
'You're still a traitor!'
Those words hurt. Riika never meant to betray her homeland. She called the retreat at JOSH-A because she knew it was the right thing to do; she investigated Rau for similar reasons afterwards, and for her trouble she'd been marked for execution.
"They invited me back," Riika says, instead. "I was found innocent and they offered me a research and engineering position. They said what le Creuset had done... I should never have been accused. But I turned them down, because I thought I could do more good elsewhere, and I still do! This is just one of the things I could do. And after what happened..."
"I can't trust ZAFT High Command any more than I trust the Federation." Riika has never said it out loud before... but as she says it, it feels true. ZAFT's leaders were taken in by le Creuset. GENESIS was deployed, even if - at the end - he was as alone as anyone. It's no worse, but no better, than things the Federation has done.
"But I am not, and never will, betray the PLANTs - even if I don't agree with what ZAFT has done, the PLANTs are still my home!"
Riika tries to stay in on Shiho, but Svalinn Bulwark is heavy, and the CGUE more agile than she is - even with one leg. Shiho pulls away, and though Riika accelerates after her, she's slow to start. She only has part of the shield left, the rest ejected, and she brings it up, Bulwark's plates adjusting just so -
The DEEP ARMS' beam hits Riika and practically explodes much of the ablative armour right off the Svalinn. It has no shield at all, now; the extra plating bulking the arm and shoulder on that side is completely missing, and something vents from the shattered 'shell' of Bulwark's upper body. Inside, Svalinn's central unit is still functioning, but with the broken and melted armour still affixed, she can't actually move as well as she'd like. The melted plates lock its arms in place, immobile, and the system to purge them isn't working properly - Riika has toggled it three times, to no avail.
"<Sheder here,>" she transmits back to the Nadesico. "<I'm going to pull back. Svalinn Bulwark's got an armour failure and I can't move the arms.>" She's not sure if this counts as bad design or if it's just extreme damage; she still *has* the arms, which is honestly better than she ought to expect after a blast like that.
But, before she goes, one last word to Shiho: "I want to talk to you. No guns. No violence. Maybe then..." Maybe they can find some kind of connection, again. She misses Shiho, if she's being honest; she's one of the last links to Riika's original military job.
Svalinn fires what remains of its thrusters, ponderously starting its retreat.
<Pose Tracker> Shiho Hahnenfuss has posed.
Alto asks what Shiho's trying to accomplish -- and Shiho has no great way to explain it. "... A future for Coordinators," is all she can give him -- and even she knows it isn't quite enough to justify this. ... she'll need to talk to the Captain later.
Riika's answers to Shiho hurt -- knowing that she wants this, that she's been extended the offer to come back to the PLANTs and simply refused... what can she even say to that? Then again, it's not like Shiho is exactly following the orders of the PLANTs' civilian government, either, anymore. ... Is all of this hypocritical?
"... fine. We can speak -- but not today," Shiho answers her, eventually. She doesn't have some grand, impassioned speech to give; perhaps she will if they speak again. Right now, though, she's a 'soldier' -- a part of a broader force, and even if she did want to have that conversation right now... there are people relying on her to continue being who she is.
... As much as Shiho would like to continue to press her advantage against the other enemy aces, though, the CGUE DEEP ARMS is not suited for this kind of engagement. Shiho's risky, aggressive maneuvering doesn't outright melt the cannons like it used to, but she's already essentially run them out of coolant and isn't doing much hotter on the structural integrity front than her retreating opponents.
As such, she decides to form up with some of the other members of the flight wing, reloading her machine gun and playing a defensive position. She has better sensors than most of the rest of the units here, which makes her a prime candidate for middle-distance pseudo-sniping to make sure everyone gets home safe. It's not precisely glamorous, but it's probably the best use of her heavily damaged unit.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Standard Fire, taking 1260 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.
A cheer comes to Michi's lips as she spots a friendly unit exiting the Socrates. "You've come at the perfect moment! We'll show them how my burning soul and your cool-headed brilliance work together!" That of course would mean far more if they... oh, I don't know. Developed a combination attack or something. But the thought is there! And Shiho is taking a good chunk of the pressure off. Which is good. Novagalaxy could probably handle it, but Michi's head is starting to feel... wrong. Too much info passing through it all at once, and while Himeyuri filters it to some extent, there's also the bleedover that slips in.
Still, she can't waste too much time. It's obvious after a moment what the Nadesico is doing. It's preparing a disastrously large attack. Which... maybe, MAYBE they could match with. But even someone like Michiru knows that's not the way to fly. Still, the woman's rambling gives her pause. Love that's interested in her true self. That would be nice. Someone who likes her because she's a pilot, instead of..." Her thoughts jumble into static for a second and her eyes unfocus. "Ack. Sorry Hime-hime." She tightens in her train of thoughts again, avoiding thinking about the Evergard Heart-Pounding Union as romantic. After all, that's... that's nonsense. It can't... "<Haaa... We'll make sure your Federation can't use that horrid thing to subjugate any other peoples! GEKIGAN... HYPER BLASTER NOVA!>" The full power of its own gravity cannon is too much to use immediately, but by venting this smalle shot, she'll be able to build it up appropriately.
Ryoko and Hikaru... if they were members of the Socrates, Michiru would love few things more than to have both as her friends. The coarse language doesn't really bother her in the same way it does Hime. ...Or... does it? There's something at the edge of her thoughts saying it hould... Something that's incensed about it. Though, she doesn't understand a lot of what Ryoko says. What is 'knocked up'? What does that even mean? All that said, Michiru nods approvingly of her knife technique, even as she fails to push it aside and the blade rips into Novagalaxy's side. "<I think you'd be better suited to a sword over a knife. But you do have a knack for using it! Allow me to return the favor. GEKIGAN GALACTIC FIST!>" The Novagalaxy's two hands are returning to it still, but on one of them, a set of plates slide up, exposing a knuckle piece as it drives toward Ryoko's Aesti, as if striking for her kidneys. As for what the strange weapon on it does, it seems to emit some sort of shockwave, trying to push the unit off a distance.
Indeed though, Michiru's heart is strengthened when she sees a warrior of a mind similar to her own in Hikaru. Her declarations are inspiring. "<Yes, YES! A COMBINATION ATTACK WITH YOUR PASSION FLOWING INTO EACH STRIKE! But you need more practice. If you were on my squad, I'd...>" That transmission is cut off by force. By who? Not Michiru, but somebody. Right as Michiru slips past the lance too, countering with a simple but effective Neat Split.
Sagiri though. Sagiri is the big mystery. In one way she reminds Michiru of herself a little. Her conversational antics with her... support crew? Sounds strikingly akin to Michi's day to day interactions with the women in her flight squad. The squad who largely requested being assigned to her. Michi's still really not clear why. But she's done what she can to make each one a talented pilot. Capable of becoming higher officers and aces themselves one of these days. But as that similarity drifts through, she realizes a key point. Her IFS is throwing a LOT of info her way again all of a sudden. Wild maneuvering and a dangerous weapon... If the info feed is right, then... THERE! Evergard's sub-arms twist around backwards, grabbing a plate of the unit's armor to pry off and interpose in the path of the cannon. It's a solid hit still... but better protected than it would have been otherwise. And once they've re-attached that plate... kinda anyway, they pull out the interlocked gun and take aim. It's a hard shot to line up, especially for Michiru who doesn't particularly use this weapon. It is... strictly speaking, for Hime to control most of the time. But she's getting enough sensory feedback to lock it in... "<QUIT PICKING ON HIME-HIME! IF YOU WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO HER, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST! UMIGAN... STUNBOLT!>" It's an electrified capsule, sent hurtling out. On impact with... anything really, the capsule breaks open to reveal an entangling, shocking net! More than large enough to wrap up a mobile suit sized machine.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Yurika Misumaru with Novagalaxy Hyper Blaster! KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Ryoko Subaru with Novagalaxy Repulsing Fist! KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Hikaru Amano with Neat Split! KTS: Ryoko Subaru has activated the Spirit Spirit Command. KTS: Yurika Misumaru's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Yurika Misumaru blocks Michiru Tenjou's Novagalaxy Hyper Blaster, taking 3750 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou completes the Formation attack! KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Sagiri Sakurai with Novagalaxy Shock! KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Ryoko Subaru retreats from the attack! KTS: Ryoko Subaru fails to react to Michiru Tenjou's Novagalaxy Repulsing Fist, taking 4464 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou repulses Ryoko Subaru, forcing her to disengage. KTS: Sagiri Sakurai successfully evades Michiru Tenjou's Novagalaxy Shock KTS: Hikaru Amano fails to react to Michiru Tenjou's Neat Split, taking 3600 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou has engaged Hikaru Amano! <Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"The people who adopted me sold me to Nergal so that I could operate the Nadesico," Ruri tells Himeyuri, with no emotion to the revelation. "But, actually, it was Goat-san and Mr. Prospector who oversaw the transaction." A beat of a pause: "And I'm not playing. Omoikane and I are the heart of the Nadesico, Captain Oono. Without us, the Nadesico isn't the Nadesico... other people couldn't do the work I do."
She pauses a moment longer, and adds: "I'd rather follow Ryoko-san's example than yours... and you're very out of touch if you think women can't have wives," she adds, with respect to Sagiri's profanity. "Even more than one, if everyone is okay with it. Women can decide not to be women, too, if they want."
Ruri shakes her head. "... not that what a man or a woman wants really bothers me. I think it's all very foolish... everyone pays much too much attention to who they like when there's important work to do." Wow, just subtweet Yurika to the enemy, Ruri. "But that's how I'm told it works, anyway."
She reports to the bridge: "The CGUE DEEP Arms unit has dealt major damage to Riika-san and Alto-san." And she opens a window to both of them, to advise: "Fall back to the Nadesico. Now providing cover." And, indeed, the Nadesico manuevers around to make it easier for them to retreat back to it, thanks in no small part to Minato's worrying.
"Incoming," Ruri reports, as Hyper Blaster Nova tears in. The Nadesico's Distortion Field flares up, this time, to absorb the brunt of the damage -- though the ship is still rocked by the blast wave. "Distortion field... working adequately," she concludes, stoic. "Now cycling power structures."
She adds, appearing to Sagiri and Hikaru and Ryoko as a little communication window in the corner: "I've prepared new assault data for you. Use it to defeat the enemy." Which sure is some language for a young woman to use!
KTS: Ruri Hoshino targets Sagiri Sakurai, Hikaru Amano, and Ryoko Subaru with All-Out. KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Yurika Misumaru KTS: Ruri Hoshino has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Yurika Misumaru KTS: Ruri Hoshino orders an all-out attack, raising Hikaru Amano's Skill!
<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.
Where Minato gives a V sign, Yurika, too, must. She even gives it with a stern frowny face over at the Himeyuri Zone, as though a badge of her honor. "...Okay, I'm a little teensy bit with you that maaaaybe - ...well, no, not maybe. Ryoko-chan's kinda rough with words but it's kinda HELPFUL to have someone who's willing to stop beating around the bush. Sometimes you need to tell someone, ugh, stop being such a huge idiot, right to their face! So I've got Ryoko for that, and then Ruri-Ruri for when someone needs to be told to stop being a huge idiot a little more to their side."
...Paaart of Yurika can't help but cringe a little at the pointed observation that, yes, Ruri is, well, 14, and on a battleship, and for THAT, the captain cannot help but march RIGHT up to the front of the bridge, right between Ruri and any display windows, as though that's what will actually protect her - even though Ruri's doing just fine defending herself. "Alright, listen, you. ...I don't like it any more than you do. If I had my way, I'd work my butt off to get Ruri somewhere safe and away from the awful situations that wanna take advantage of her. Nnnn, nnnnn, SOMETIMES I THINK A LOT ABOUT IF WE'RE DOING THAT HERE EVEN, because we- we really rely on her, and all because of reasons outside her, and OUR control. ...I can't STAND that the Earth isn't safe enough for me to be sure Ruri can just grow up somewhere normal like I did, considering just how many awful people go around kidnapping talented and capable people like her. ...No matter what approach I take, it's ME who's responsible for her safekeeping and wellbeing right now, and this is the ONLY place I can think of, where I know the rest of the crew cares about her. Blame me all you want, fellow Captain!"
Yurika's arm extends out, right on cue with the signal from Prospector that the Y-Unit's just barely been rigged into place, clamped onto the Nadesico's prow with hopes and dreams more than sound engineering. The mantle on her shoulders flutters. "Much as I hate it - much as I SOOOOOO hate the person who told me this, as Hikaru can WELL tell you about - SOMEHOW...somehow...it's not...it's...it's not in my place to do a good job being all that feminine in the slightest! ...For some reason...FOR SOME REASON...it felt really cool when someone called me a dashing and charming prince!! Even if that person was totally insane!! For some reason, I can't stop thinking about how I should've carried a troubled boy in my arms no matter how much he pretended he could stand on his own two feet! For some reason, I feel right at home protecting everyone, guiding everyone, way, WAY WAY WAY WAY more than I could be a model or a housewife or a cook or a - a - a - I kind of don't even know what other things women my age are even supposed to be doing besides those things!"
"For some reason I can't stop thinking, Captain Oono - that the way Michiru earns your trust and keeps saying all this wildly cool stuff even though we're fighting you two - that I envy it a little!!! HARD TO STARBOARD, let's settle this with all the trust and faith I have in your all - with all the trust and faith you all have in me! Phase Transition Engines at full charge - LAUNCH, our Nadesico's hopes and dreams!"
The whirling around 180 degrees in the middle of Michiru's radiant beam of destruction - just barely pulsing the Distortion Field back online in the nick of time to absorb the brunt of the blow, has most of the Nadesico's crew bracing and holding on for dear life, but Yurika's determined to stand proudly and resolute aaaaand she's actually stumbling a lot for her hubris. She's TRYING to look cool out here, okay!? Please focus on the colossal gravitational distortion wave erupting from the Nadesico's belly, through the central ports on the slightly melty and crumpling Y-Unit, and NOT on the Yurika who said all this stuff just five seconds ago and now looks like she may need an emergency bag.
KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Yurika Misumaru has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Yurika Misumaru targets Michiru Tenjou with Gravity Blast Cannon - Gravity Blast Full Power! KTS: Ruri Hoshino orders an all-out attack, raising Ryoko Subaru's Skill! <Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.
"<Head in the game, Sagiri!>"
Is Ryoko's mildly flustered reply to being asked to tell her when she finds the one that's right for you to hide the fact that she's 'Caughtttttttt'
"Why can't I!?" Ryoko replies to Riika, "What's out of bounds about it!? I don't get why every single time I'm in a fight against ZAFT I'm having SOMEONE tell me I'm never gonna get married!"
Whereas Rin has Ryoko ??? ??? ??? ??? "Twice as- Okay sure!?" Hikaru points out a flaw in her logic, and Ryoko just looks away, "I mean sure? I guess! Whatever!"
The Galactic Fist suddenly comes at her Aestivalis, and in this, her Distortion Field is useless, she backpeddles suddenly, but can't outpace the fist, as it rips across the side of it, smashing away a chunk of its armor beneath it's field.
Indeed Ryoko has no idea whom she's talking to about the Nekketsu Giri, "Hikaru you know I can't speak Japanese!" She complains, despite Ryoko having Japanese heritage. "Who're you even talking to anyway!?"
Indeed, Michiru's talk of passion FLOWING causes Ryoko to double take, "<Is this a manga thing!? Am I in a manga!? Hikaru's always talking about the overflowing passion of two men coming to blows!? But like - you're both girls - so Hikaru are you, good with that?>"
Indeed Ruri brings up a point in that moment, that causes her to flush red cheeked, even moreso than when SAGIRI brought up girls marrying girls. "M-My example? I... dunno... what to..."
But then Captain of the Socrates however speaks of her language and... for a time, Ryoko is too shocked to speak, and then- "<You think... my mom failed to...>"
Ryoko, utters, with a sense of steadily building... anger. "<Failed. She died - going off-Colony for work. Wrong place. Wrong time.>"
This may perhaps low key shock some of the Nadesico crew, as Ryoko DOESN'T talk about herself, or her family at all. As far as most are concerned, her life before she joined up with Nergal on Midori Satsuki 2 might as well not exist.
Yet her anger has been building, and it keeps building, as she shouts out. "<Sorry that she didn't have time for my mouth to live up to your LOFTY STANDARDS!>"
Her Aestivalis is already flying at the Gardnova, it's fist drawn back, and upon reaching it, she drives it in. "<Don't have a sword-!>" The energy of her distortion field, suddenly surging to that point of impact.
"<SO I'LL JUST SHOW YOU MY FIST!>"
KTS: Ryoko Subaru has activated the Valor Spirit Command. KTS: Ryoko Subaru targets Michiru Tenjou with Stop Calling it the Gekigan Shoot!! KTS: Michiru Tenjou successfully Evades Yurika Misumaru's Gravity Blast Cannon - Gravity Blast Full Power KTS: Michiru Tenjou's EN Barrier activates, negating 1000 base damage. KTS: Michiru Tenjou blocks Ryoko Subaru's Stop Calling it the Gekigan Shoot!, taking 3075 damage! KTS: Ryoko Subaru has engaged Michiru Tenjou!
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.
"Hot-Blooded Cut, of course!" Hikaru helpfully translates for Ryoko. "What, did you think it would be anything else?"
It's Michiru who's really passionate about it, though - and it's incredibly rare that Hikaru meets someone else who fully gets it. "There's nothing more powerful, right?!" She exclaims, in that clash of blades.
To Ryoko: "Yep! I'm totally fine with it. 'Passion' is something that comes from your soul... no matter what gender you are." She concludes, like it's some kind of deep wisdom.
But Michiru points out that she's in need of practice... and rightfully so, as the Evergard Galaxynova slips perfectly away from the Field Lancer, countering with a Neat Split of her own. Committing to a defense, seems dangerous, so Hikaru tries to slip away from the deepest part of the edge, which unfortunately lets the armour unprotected by the Distortion Field scrape.
"If I was part of your guard..." is all Hikaru can repeat before the communications suddenly shut down. "Hey... where'd you go?" Honestly Hikaru really would love the opportunity to learn from her, or even be her friend, but... "I don't get these guys sometimes. Their convictions are so hot-blooded! But sometimes their actions... are so cold-blooded." She sighs.
...Eventually, Sagiri pretty much coming out as bisexual, and Himeyuri's reaction to it springs conversation around the topic. Normally she keeps it to herself, but if everyone else is admitting those feelings... "Y'know, I used to have a boyfriend," is Hikaru's contribution to that, whether Hime actually believes it or not. "We liked all the same things, and we even lived together for a while... so I thought we might end up getting married one day." Scandalous!
Readjusting her Aestivalis after being knocked off balance from the Neat Split, Hikaru continues. "We split. I figured I wasn't actually so happy with that arrangement after all. I guess what I'm trying to say is... the last thing I want is to be some guy's housewife. I have my own dreams to care about!" She finishes, frowning as Ryoko recounts her own pre-Nadesico experiences. Then, she lost hers too...
Having someone as young as Ruri on-board never quite sat perfectly right with Hikaru, either... even if her contract is tied to Nergal. But while Yurika's ready to order the Gravity Blast, the System Operator's words are clear. It's time to finish this. "Youuuu got it, Ruri-chan~ one Distortion Field knuckle sandwich, coming right up!" She tries to return that usual cheer to her tone... even if it's foolish.
And if the pilots of the Evergard Galaxynova didn't hear all that, then Hikaru attempts to force a connection with the machine using her IFS, throwing her Field Lancer away at the same time. "I might need more practice... but I'm not giving up 'till you both see what my passion really looks like." Like Ryoko, she concentrates her entire Distortion Field into the Aestivalis's fist.
"Feel my fist of gravity~ GEKIGAN PUUUNCH!" And she aims that punch as hard as she can into the Evergard Galaxynova... without wishing to harm the pilots connected to it.
KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Hikaru Amano targets Michiru Tenjou with Distortion Punchy-Punch!! KTS: Michiru Tenjou fails to Parry Hikaru Amano's Distortion Punchy-Punch!, taking 6820 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Hikaru Amano's I'll Introduce Myself! activates, causing Jam L1! KTS: Hikaru Amano has engaged Michiru Tenjou! <Pose Tracker> Sagiri Sakurai has posed.
Particle fire is intercepted -- but it at least helps provide cover fire for Rin to detach and pursue other targets. Sagiri will honestly count that as a win.
Especially when she's too busy frowning at all the OBVIOUS CONS she's been saddled with by her subordinates, OBVIOUSLY OBLIVIOUS to anything else they could have been.
<"Honestly. All of you.">
Rami Amasaki just smiles and utters a little "hee" at the back of the cockpit, clearly pleased as punch despite the fraught nature of this fight.
Despite the banter though, Sagiri's focus is laser-sharp on the battlefield. As little practical experience as she has compared to some, unnaturally natural talent for piloting serves her well here. Even multi-tasking, the Evergard never leaves her field of vision.
Nor do any of Himeyuri and Michiru's words escape her.
A w-w-wife!?
<"I mean... if the right woman comes alone, sure! But that's real late in the game stuff, you know? Sharing your finances is a big, big deal! Like -- that's way after you've stopped dating around and gone exclusive, and even further after you decide if you're gonna do an open relationship thing, MAYBE after you've decided to move in together--">
she might be accidentally assaulting himeyuri right now
<"But definitely WAY after you've had--">
<"M-m-m-ma'am that's enough!!">
among others
<"Huh? What's wrong, RaaaaAAAH CRAP you're right! Hang on, Rami, we're doing evasive maneuvers--">
And it's a testament to either Sagiri's skill, the Tyranado's insane maneuverability, or her reckless insanity that the prototype VTX mobile weapon is -instantly- backtracking as Michiru shouts and fires off that electrified capsule.
<"Wait -- what?! Who's bullying who here, you attacked us first!">
Thrusters bloom, shunting the Tyranado into a full retreat; and when it becomes clear the capsule is catching up, rapidly?
<"Here, try this on for size!">
Sagiri just
-chucks- her gun at the capsule
yep.
The Magna Launcher hits the capsule. The capsule erupts. And the net ensnares the capsule, electrifying its delicate weapons systems still charged with the Quark Drive's mysterious energy source. It -explodes-, rippling heat between the Tyranado and the Evergard, heat and guttering flame and force helping to cover the Tyranado's retreat as she opens comms.
<"Carriax, I need some covering fire! Meryl -- what's the house recommending tonight?">
<"I've got just the thing for you. Get ready to intercept!">
And so the Tyranado orbits wide around the Evergard, getting into position. The Carriax swoops past suddenly, white ship launching off a wide salvo of missiles -- not to -hit-, but to -distract- the Evergard's pilots as the Tyranado gets into position.
<"--So, why's the wife thing got you hung up so much, anyway?"> Sagiri abruptly wonders. The Carriax's weapon bays open up with a hiss.
<"Aren't the two of you...? I mean, you're so close, your co-pilot's working so hard to defend you, you've got a whole combiner machine and everything--">
The worst thing about this is probably that it's utterly guileless.
There's a way things are supposed to work, you know!
Sagiri frowns. Things click into place, at least fractionally.
<"... No,"> she says simply.
<"Things have never worked that way they're 'supposed' to. Not now. Not ever.">
And from the Carriax launches a MASSIVE white cannon from its bay. The Striker's weight and velocity are such that the Tyranado -lurches- forward bodily as it catches it, needing to provide counter-thrust just to stay in place--
--as it turns the barrel of that great weapon on the Evergard.
<"And I think you know that. Rami! I need full power to the Striker!">
<"Quark Drive is primed! You're ready, ma'am!">
<"Thank you, Rami~. Now let's line 'em up-- and KNOCK 'EM DOWN!">
The Tyranado pulls the trigger on the Striker, humming with furious, pent up green power.
And it -unleashes- it all in a bright, crackling blast, punching instantly across space on a screaming, pulsating path -- straight for the Evergard's lower body.
<"... Wait. So what's a Geki Gang?">
<"GekigangER! 3! It's a really good show!">
<"It's problematic.">
<"... but I like it...">
<"Yes. But it's problematic. But yes. Joe and Ken are meant to be.">
<"A-amies!">
<"This is seriously going over my head...">
KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Sagiri Sakurai has activated the Trick Spirit Command. KTS: Sagiri Sakurai targets Michiru Tenjou with Mega Buster Striker - Max Output! KTS: Michiru Tenjou fails to Evade Sagiri Sakurai's Mega Buster Striker - Max Output, taking 6400 damage! <Pose Tracker> Himeyuri Oono has posed.
Sometimes, you accidentally force a point that stops your train of thought dead in it's tracks.
So far, Himeyuri's run into three.
"<They what...?>" Michiru can feel it through their interlinked IFS. The thought of a child being bought and sold makes her want to throw up in her mouth. Even an earthling child doesn't deserve that.
But they're the enemy, she thinks. Of course they would do something like that.
But does that mean...
"<That's... horrible. What kind of parent would...?>" No Jovian parent would ever consider such a thing, right? Why would you *adopt* a child to sell them?
The further revelations about how men and women and women and women and men and men interact kind of goes over her head. Instead, Yurika talks about the battleship being the only place where she knows Ruri is safe. "<...So why do you keep fighting for Earth!? If the Federation's so broken that the only safe place for a child is on the bridge of a battleship then it deserves to break! You should be fighting with us, not getting in the way!>" She shakes her head. But her ideals... they're so wrong. Woman aren't supposed to lead-
Not unless they're dying to save their beloved in the process. That's what those episodes taught her.
"<Wh- Michi's my best friend! That's why she supports me! That's why she'll always protect me! Are you saying that you don't even have a close friend like that?!>" Make women fight and deny them normal female friendship? Is that how the Earth twisted everything so much? "<Wouldn't it be better if you just took that girl and lived a normal life!?>"
Ryoko's anger, however, feels utterly deserved. A girl growing up without a mother, no wonder it went wrong for her. And Himeyuri stepped on that landmine. "<That's...>"
She's the enemy, though. She doesn't deserve your mercy. She's not like Aquamarine, who saw the light. She's just...
A death like that would have been prevented if the Admirals were in charge. She doesn't have a stark word back to Ryoko. These Earthlings... they're getting under her skin. She's getting sloppy. They're the enemy, enemies don't HAVE full inner lives! They're supposed to be monsters! Not... people. Momentarily, she seizes control of the comms to cut them.
Hikaru talks about having a boyfriend once- and how they expected marriage. But the life Hikaru says she'd hate is the dream Himeyuri wants, right? "<Why would you throw that away?!>" It comes out louder, more accusatory than she expected it to. "<What's wrong with a dream like that!? A normal life?!>" It is her dream, isn't it?
Sharing your finances? What is this woman talking about? A relationship isn't about- "<A what relationship?!>" She stares, briefly- and then the accusations come. "<What? No! Michiru and I are friends! FRIENDS! BEST FRIENDS! What are you even talking about!? Michi's...>" This is way too much. Way way way too much. "<You're impossible! There's something wrong with you!>"
"...Michi... I don't think I can take much more of this." She says, quietly. Some of her everpresent fight has been sapped out of her, somehow. "...Please, finish it." She accesses the comms. "<Good work, Shiho-chan. Get back to the Socrates now. You've done more than enough today, please make sure you come back alive.>"
KTS: Himeyuri Oono targets Michiru Tenjou with Dream! KTS: Himeyuri Oono has activated the Resupply Spirit Command targeting Michiru Tenjou KTS: Himeyuri Oono shares a dream with Michiru Tenjou, increasing her SP!
<Pose Tracker> Michiru Tenjou has posed.
Something strikes Michiru rather late. And she's not sure if it will ACTUALLY make it through communications, honestly she may well not even know they shut off at points. Still... Ruri is first on the docket. And what she has to say to the girl is... either inspiring, or maybe just really dumb. "<You know, maybe I am a fool, but I'm proud to be the fool that I am! Michiru Tenjou doesn't change herself for anybody!>" Which is EXACTLY the problem people keep having with her. She won't conform. She's, in words like Yurika said, more the 'dashing prince' type, than the princess waiting to be rescued. The knight who goes out to vanquish the evil sorcerer, or the dragon. And she's outspoken enough about it to be a Problem.
Astoundingly, that declaration is actually useful. Because it keeps her head clear, even as they talk about Ruri's circumstances. About being sold and traded around as an experiment. How this is her only safe place. She doesn't lose herself in that instant, and so when the Gravity Blast is fully charged, the IFS datafeed's directions are concise. Easy to follow. The Novagalaxy descends, diving deep in the ocean of stars to dip under the weapon's line of fire. And at that point, she readies the core-linkup to return with her own shot. The weapon that can almost rival it... Almost.
Everyone isn't willing to let her just rest on her heels though, and not only in a combative sense. As it stands... Ryoko and Hikaru in rapid succession turn her expression to tears. Welling up and flowing freely down her face. Growing up without her family... Lives they weren't happy with... And so they made a new home on that ship for themselves? She can't quite stop it, when the two girls come in the exact same way, effectively cross-countering her with both their fists at once, on opposing sides. The Novagalaxy stumbles back. And in the cockpit, Michiru looks dazed. Like she personally had taken two headshots, instead of just the machine. Still, she's got enough presence of mind, with Hime's help, to ready something. She raises the Force Blade G... for Gekiganger, you see? And gravitational waves seem to roll out from it, as the weapon almost appears to be expanding in her hands. It isn't of course... that's all a trick of the mind and physics. And the hot-blooded passion she's pouring into it. Still, the gravity waves are very real, and threatening to crush the Aestis. Not fatally, but they'd definitely be easy to drag back to the Socrates afterward."<What I said, was that I'd teach you. I'd make sure you became the best pilot you could be.>" And make sure they were happy, too. That they wouldn't suffer tragedies like that again.
Of course, that isn't what knocks her most for a loop. No, THAT HONOR goes to Sagiri and Crew. "<W-wait... women can... with...?>" She sounds like she's never so much as heard of the idea. Which... she hasn't. But that doesn't line up at all with the PLANTs. Plenty of couples are like that. Riika could probably tell them all that, even if she herself doesn't necessarily hold romantic interests. Michi's eyes are spiraling as she processes new information at a rapid pace. And while she hears Hime's request, even turning to grab one of her hands and support her... Michiru's mind has gone astray somewhere.
Could... she BE the knight in those tales... actually? She starts thinking on that, even as the feinting missiles fly out all around her. Imagining herself rescuing a princess. A pure, fairy tale romantic life, but from the typically 'male' perspective. But even then...
loud warning sirens begin firing off all over the Evergard, snapping her... mostly back to herself. Thanks in no small part to the connection between her mind and Himeyuri's. The feeling of being overwhelmed and helpless ignites Michi's soul anew. But it's too little too late, as a pulsating green beam is already screaming toward them, lancing into the Novagalaxy. And at that instant Michi notices something. The charging for the Gravity Blast is stuck at 80%. "We can't get a full charge... probably a loose connector from the attacks. I'll finish this anyway. Hime, hang onto me." She's trying to be comforting, but with their link, and the mental bleed... who knows what emotions Himeyuri might have just been bombarded with at full blast. "<I... don't know who you are, miss Sakurai Sagiri. But... I cannot let further harm come to Hime-hime. I'm sorry, but you will have to BEGONE! GEKIGAN GIGA-GRAV... FIREWAVE!" She's made up a name on the spot for this in-between charge state, pulling up Novagalaxy into a stalwart pose as a shockingly familiar, high-spread beam erupts out from the chest of the unit, to wash over both Tyranado and Nadesico alike. It's like somebody put that battleship and a Mazin and had them make a baby.
Of course, midway into the firing, the beam starts sputtering and sparking. Which prompts Michi to take a closer look at the readings. "Ohhhhh that's... REALLY BAD! HIME! ONE OF THE CORES TOOK A HIT! WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DE-COUPLE UNTIL IT'S FIXED, OR THERE'S GOING TO BE A FULL ON RUPTURE!" They can MAYBE continue the fight, but... it would be at heavy risk of their combined machine self-destructing, and both of them being KIA. It would be wiser to return to the Socrates, fix this, and come back for another go later on... The JSMF aren't going to like this in the slightest.
KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Ryoko Subaru and Hikaru Amano with Intensity Realm. KTS: Ryoko Subaru has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Ryoko Subaru retreats from the attack! KTS: Ryoko Subaru fails to evade Michiru Tenjou's Intensity Realm, taking 4950 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Hikaru Amano has activated the Alert Spirit Command. KTS: Hikaru Amano's EN Barrier activates, negating 500 base damage. KTS: Hikaru Amano fails to evade Michiru Tenjou's Intensity Realm, taking 4500 damage! KTS: Michiru Tenjou roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. KTS: Michiru Tenjou targets Sagiri Sakurai with Ultra Novagalaxy Flare! KTS: Ruri Hoshino orders an all-out attack, raising Sagiri Sakurai's Skill! KTS: Sagiri Sakurai fails to evade Michiru Tenjou's Ultra Novagalaxy Flare, taking 7800 damage! KTS: [Dynamic Hit] Michiru Tenjou's Villainy Will Never Succeed! activates, causing Sparkle! KTS: Michiru Tenjou has engaged Sagiri Sakurai! KTS: Michiru Tenjou roots her unit, coming to a standstill and leaving her vulnerable. <Pose Tracker> Ryoko Subaru has posed.
Ryoko doesn't say anything to hot-blooded cut, instead answering her about 'Passion' "I mean, sure? I guess we kinda prove that... every time we're out there. Just - you know, you're always talking about the passion between men..."
Hikaru relates her own experiences with a boyfriend. And Ryoko listens to it. Part of her is admittedly jealous, but she's also proud of her - and disappointed in herself...
... her own self absorption, it's easy to assume that Hikaru is simply happy go lucky in that kind of way.
"Hikaru..."
She says softly, but she doesn't actually speak in depth to her in the moment, instead becoming more and more red-cheeked as Sagiri relates the idea of marrying a woman SO CASUALLY! What's that about!?
Instead, as Himeyuri demands of Hikaru - why'd she throw that away. "<Throw it away? Says who? You? Hikaru doesn't have to justify her choice to you. She has her own life - and you have yours.>"
Even if Ryoko in that situation probably would have married the guy - she can at least acknowledge that Hikaru herself is allowed the choice.
"<So don't you dare ever look down on her!>"
Indeed she can see Michiru's Novagalaxy reeling, but the waves of gravity - in alarm, she yells to Hikaru, "<Hikaru, fall back!>" Her retreat comes quickly enough that she can put up her distortion field, but the waves of gravity still battery her away.
"Damnit! We might have bloodied their nose, but they more than returned it in kind! This is Ryoko to the Nadesico, hope you're ready to receive us, we're disengaging!"
She might be pissed off, but thankfully, she understands the situation they're in.
It'll have to be another day that they settle this, even if she still doesn't understand how they made it here, or WHY they came out here in the first place.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Amano has posed.
Himeyuri's accustory response actually has Hikaru almost speechless. "Throwing away? No! It's..." She wants to try to explain it just was better for both of them, but the words aren't really coming out.
But it's Ryoko who jumps in to defend her, more than herself, pointing out that Hikaru has the right to make her own decision and doesn't need to explain it to her. "Hey... thanks, Ryoko-chan. I know what she said was hard on you too, so... I appreciate it." It really is nice, knowing they got each other's backs.
Michiru is a lot more agreeable of the two, she thinks, even as she pours hot-blooded passion into the Force Blade G. "Maybe one day... I mean, if your ship didn't keep attacking us," Hikaru agrees, of learning under her. She does have a lot to learn, but...
"Honestly I'm kinda more of an artist than a fighter, but I still won't lose to you today!" She tries to weather the gravity storm with the Distortion Field, but it's just too overwhelmingly powerful for the two tiny machines.
Even if she never feels like she's going to die throughout the attack, through her combat instincts or her IFS connection, she heads Ryoko's words. "Yeah... let's get outta here! Two tickets back to the Nadesico, please~" She chimes, pushing back to the home ship.
"Huh... doesn't look like they're chasing us down anymore." Hikaru comments. "Not that it makes any sense that they were here in the first place!!"