《Chikyu No Shugo: Gaojinizer - A Super Robot Mecha Story》


 Prologue

    <u>August 5th, 2060.</u>


    In 2012, World War 3, the conflict that raged on for 7 years beforehand, ended. After Hundreds of Millions of casualties,  The Global Defense League, formed by much of the western world, as well as Japan, defeats the United Workers alliance. An alliance that consisted of the PRC, USSR, and many of their anti-western allies, Socialist or otherwise. An event that was followed by the Euro-American split, with little keeping them together. And, in the years afterward, geopolitics shifted gradually.


    Until the world was eventually formed around three blocs. Loosely formed confederations spanning the planet. For years, tension had built up between these three blocs, a tension that continued as Humanity extended its reach into the far reaches of the Solar System. And as they began to try to out-compete each other. An era that would be called the Three-States era, by many. It was for that reason that Fortresses littered the orbit of earth, along with the colonies.  Just like one constructed by the Pan-Pacific Federation, built within the shell of an asteroid. it was silent as it had usually been. Though there had been quite a bit of tension between themselves, the Atlantic Collective, and the United States of Europe, there were doubts that a war would start once again. The costs would be high, especially with the weaponry their technology had grown to create over the years. But the chances were never zero, as such, with the colonies that''d been shoved into the Earth-Moon Lagrange points, there were fortresses like theirs as well, many, in fact.


    Given that they were on the very outskirts of L2, however, even if something did start, they wouldn¡¯t expect much to change. As such, it didn¡¯t matter to the officers, maintenance staff, and pilots that sat within the base. Most of those in the base either didn''t think about such or didn''t talk about a possible attack all that much, especially with how far they were from anything all that important. There wasn''t much else for one to say. That was no different for one the base''s commander, who sat within the top layer of a harshly lit command room.  Phan Thuy, A woman with short black hair that stopped above the shoulders, wearing the black button down uniform, common for the PPF¡¯s officers. Despite the fact that she¡¯d chosen to be here, she didn¡¯t disagree with that common sentiment, nor did the ones under her.


    ¡°Man, It¡¯s so damn boring out here¡­¡±


    The words came from a light-skinned man at the bottom of the bridge, his bald head shining in the harsh lights above them. He leaned back into his chair, his feet on the table in front of him. as he spoke in a hushed tone. The man sitting beside him leaned closer to him, speaking as well.


    ¡°Hopefully we get on leave soon. Getting real tired of this.¡±


    The woman glanced down upon her subordinates as they spoke.


    ¡°Can¡¯t disagree with that¡­¡±


    She leaned back into her chair as she spoke. For a moment, the silence returned. Until, a deepened voice spoke out.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Our sensors are picking up a heat signature, 100 Meters out.¡±


    Phan looked down at the source, a man sitting  in the layer of seats just below her, his hair was a dark blue, reaching his ears in the back, while much shorter in the front. He wore the uniform one would expect of one of the PPF¡¯s officers. This man was Phan¡¯s 2IC Lt. Commander Abe Kousuke.


    Phan tapped the holographic display of a terminal that lay in front of her, sitting up in her seat.


    ¡°What''re we getting from the cameras?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at the feed now, but it looks like some sort of...Portal?¡±


    Phan raised her eyebrow at the statement. A portal? Had he lost it?


    ¡°Put it on the main screen.¡±


    The man tapped through his terminal, before the void outside, littered with debris, appeared on a display that appeared in the center of the room, screen, but one thing caught her eye, the ¡°Portal¡± Mentioned by her subordinate, a large rift in space, perhaps even large enough to swallow their base if they went through it. She placed her hand on her chin as she began to think of any possible causes. But, of course, she had none.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t kidding...What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Abe turned once more, looking up at Phan.


    ¡°Should I Message HQ?¡±


    Phan nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Abe swiveled his chair, now facing his terminal once again, bringing up the communications panel. As he prepared to open a line, one of the lower officers continued to watch the camera feed. Taking notice of what was happening, his eyes widened like saucers as he stood up, as his chair fell down behind him. This did not go unnoticed, Abe began to inch his figure away from the display, as he turned his gaze to the officer, speaking in an urgent tone.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°What is it, Lu?!¡±


    ¡°A vessel is emerging!¡±


    This caught the attention of those there, as chatters began throughout the room, Phan dragged the holographic display, Increasing its size. And, indeed, coming out of the rift, was a hulking Jet-Black mass of metal, coming through the portal, as long as it was, it was just a bit larger than the station that lies in front of it. To say the least, much larger than anything those within had seen. Abe leaned in as he focused his gaze on the new arrival.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a ship like that before¡­¡±


    Some of the men sitting beside Abe turned their gazes to his terminal, as they began to speak.


    ¡°Could it be the Collective or USE?¡±


    ¡°Unless one of them invented some new tech while the brass wasn¡¯t looking, I doubt it.¡±


    ¡°It can''t be ours, we would¡¯ve been notified already.¡±


    These were all good points, but that was not it, something just didn¡¯t seem right about the ship, in Phan¡¯s head. The spine-like steel protrusions didn¡¯t seem like anything one of the three blocs would put on their ships. And what few weapons, or what she assumed were weapons, didn¡¯t look like anything familiar to her. Though, as confused as she might''ve been, she was the one in command, and she needed to make a decision.


    ¡°Identify their IFF, and funnel the info to HQ.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    With her words, they began resuming their work, turning to their terminals once again. Abe returned to tapping through his display, until he established a communication line.


    ¡°HQ, this is LT. Commander Abe, We¡¯ve found that some sort of rift has formed in front of us, an Unidentified ship has emerged as well¡­¡±


    This caught the man on the other end by surprise, he went silent for some moments as he processed the information. However, he would soon regain his composure as he cleared his throat. After all, he was a high rank, he couldn¡¯t start panicking over that alone.


    ¡°I hope you understand that that sounds a bit Far Fetched.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll stream it directl-¡±


    Abe found himself cut off once again, as another one of the bridge officers spoke.


    ¡°Something isn¡¯t right here¡­ I¡¯m not detecting anything. If I¡¯m correct, this ship doesn''t even have IFF...Or any communications systems at all."


    This revelation brought the woman back into her thoughts, as she attempted to make heads and tails of the situation.


    ¡°A ship without Communications..Nobody would be foolish enough to do that¡­¡±


    As she leaned forward into the microphone, she tapped the terminal¡¯s display once again, and now, her words began to resound throughout the fortress.


    ¡°Degree Red, get to your Battlestations, all Vanguard Armor Pilots, You are now on Standby. I repeat, Degree red, get to your Battlestations, all Vanguard Armor Pilots, You are now on standby.¡±


    With her words, those within the base began to scramble to their positions, Anti-Aircraft and Anti-ship guns were soon occupied by their gunners. Of course, this began some chatter among the troops, especially those in the hangar. Within, there sat 5 Humanoid Machines, with heavy red-armored plates covering them, the plates were angular, typical of the Vanguard armors used by the federation.Their height was intimidating, to say the least, towering over the crew that circled them, and nearly reaching the roof of the hangar. The PPF¡¯s Fusang model Vanguard Armors. Mechanics checked the limbs and circuits alike, while some, protected by heat-resistant suits, would go to check on the Covalon Reactors. An invention 100 years in the making. That lied within the armor''s ¡°Chest¡±.  As the checks continued, the five pilots to these machines entered, their faces unseen, covered by their helmets. They stopped in the center of the hangar, glancing at one another.


    ¡°You heard about why they called us, right?¡±


    A man, the tallest, said to the one beside him, who was about three or four inches shorter.


    ¡°Yeah, some random ship showed up, won''t respond to anything...Sounds a bit strange, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    A womanly voice, that of one of the pilots coming to join them, responded.


    ¡°Yeah, it appeared out of nowhere too, apparently.¡±


    The tall one turned on his heel, his gaze falling on his machine,


    ¡°Well, Whatever¡¯s going on here... Orders are orders, let¡¯s get mov-¡±


    However, his sentence was soon cut off as a flash of blue light flew through the hangar, the blast doors for the catapults were ripped apart. The light did not stop there, however. It continued as it reached the crew, the pilots, and their VA¡¯s, they were vaporized within moments, the hangar previously filled with the sounds of machines, Laughter, and the exchange of words, were now filled with naught but screams. On the bridge, Phan sat mortified at what she¡¯d just bear witness too, her eyes widened, as she broke into a sweat. Whatever this was, to her, it did not look good for anybody involved. She was not the only one to share this sentiment, as the room exploded.


    ¡°Half of the base has been wiped out!¡±


    ¡°In one shot?!¡±


    ¡°Who are we dealing with right now?¡±


    However, as a loud chime sounded from their terminals, their eyes darted over, as a silence fell over the room. Though they all knew what was happening, none made a sound, at least, until Abe spoke.


    ¡°Heat build-up detected... They¡¯re firing another shot!!¡±


    The officer at HQ had also gone quiet¡­ All of those within the room continued to hang on every word, including his CO. A tanned-skin man with a head of grayed hair and goatee. He looked down upon the feed, and his gaze fell on the unknown ship. He opened his comm line to Phan as he sat upright once again.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be sending a fleet to support, Hold on tight.¡±


    However, the feed was soon cut off into static, as flying out of the ship once again, was a blue beam. That went barreling toward the station once again. Despite how much they wanted to deny it, there was no doubt in any of their minds, they would not escape. The room was soon ripped apart, those within vaporized, those in the blocks around them faced the same fate. The feed was lost soon after, with those within HQ taking notice of this. The man at the head stroked his beard as he looked upon the feed that was replaced by static, he had but one thing to say.


    ¡°This doesn''t look good¡­¡±


    In the days following the attack, chaos and confusion washed down in the Federation¡¯s General Assembly, an unknown ship had come and done something that shouldn¡¯t have been possible, a Fortress wiped out in two shots. The same confusion had spread Within the Collective, and USE governments respectively. None of the blocs or the independent nations within them claimed responsibility, nor could any figure out who they were. For some days after, there were no reports of the ships, and theories began to brew. Some had believed that this was first contact, though many would disregard these claims.. Until ships like the one that had shown up early appeared above the Earth En masse, about 500 in total. Though less than the total mass of the earth¡¯s fleets. The technology they used far exceeded anything they had at the time. Urban areas wiped out, Hundreds of Millions lost their lives.


    The earth¡¯s poles were attacked by this new enemy as well, as many of the world¡¯s major cities were swept under the rushing waves. They soon dropped their infantry, and when they saw the troops that appeared, it was finally confirmed, they were alien in origin. Though humanoid, they more resembled arthropods than any human, around the same height, though with a segmented chitin, that color varied based on the individual, some were more brown or green, others were a sort of beige, like the sands of any desert. They had four arms, two like the humans, as well as two much smaller ones coming from the side of their torsos.


    The fact of these being alien, and the fact that they were enemies of humanity, forced the squabbling power¡¯s to scrape together a resistance, it was simply not enough. Eventually, a member of the species would make a statement two months after the invasion had begun, appearing on all channels was an Alien that was noticeably larger than those around him, at the least, Two feet taller, with a much thicker exoskeleton, which was pitch black. The four eyes on the sides of his head were just barely visible, moreso as one got closer. He was clothed, wearing a black robe that had its outer trimmings lined with a dark purple. The world grew silent as the being appeared, hanging onto every word. Out came human language, as garbled as the words might¡¯ve been.


    ¡°Primitives¡­ From this day forth, this planet, this system, is now under the rule of the Garsalan Empire. Your futile resistance will only end in your deaths. I, Gu¡¯Kes Zu Kago will crush any insurrection I see¡­¡±

 Stage 1- The Boy From Neo-Tokyo

    (Decided on a release Schedule, chapters will be released every Monday. Your Criticisms are appreciated)!


    <u>June 5th, 2090 AD- Neo Tokyo</u>


    Since Tokyo sank into the sea, as a result of the Garsalan attacks 30 years ago, a new metropolis came to take its place, made up of the surrounding areas that survived the attacks, now filled with what refugees escaped Tokyo, began to expand their own respective towns, and cities, and eventually, came to be considered one city, Neo Tokyo.  Though the new government¡¯s seat of power was not Neo Tokyo, That title belonged to Shinkyo. it was undoubtedly one of its largest urban areas. Though the living conditions were less than stellar. The worst of it, however, was the Atsuda ward, at the far south end of the city. One of the many slums that rose following the war. It was home to a variety of criminals. Three youths, in particular, had made a name for themselves.


    Below the towering skyscrapers of the upper district, there was the decrepit, yet bustling streets of District 7. On a street with particularly run-down shop fronts, three boys briskly walked down the street, with authority. and strangely enough, many cleared the way when they took notice of them, less than willing to get in their way, regardless of how old they might be. Though they¡¯d stayed calm, seemingly ignoring it, it was very clear that they drew attention. People leaned in to whisper to those beside them, as they pointed, stared. The Fair-skinned boy standing on the right was the tallest of the three, even towering over many of the men that surrounded them; he had wild dark blue hair, spiky as it grew outward from his head, and reaching down to the back of his neck. His attire was what one would expect, a simple black hoodie and some jeans. But aside from his height, what one could also take notice of were the fingerless gloves on his hand, with metal studs on each knuckle.


    ¡°Yo, Natsuo.¡±


    Just then, the taller man, Natsuo, glanced at the man between the two, though he looked about average height for his age, he was noticeably smaller than Natsuo. As he opened his eyes, his yellow orbs reflected on the light around him. His brown hair was wild as well, though not nearly as spiky as, say, Natsuo. Rather than a hoodie, he wore a black shirt and a pair of black jeans, wearing a brown leather belt. Attached to that belt, and going into his pocket was a small chain, gold in color.


    ¡°What is it, Takeshi?¡±


    The youth, Takeshi, glanced over at his ally.


    ¡°Those guys said they¡¯d be around here, right?¡±


    The third stepped forward, though noticeably shorter than the other two, his build was more stocky, to say the least. His rather muscular arms were put on display, as his sleeves stopped just before his shoulders. His black hair is shaved, nearly unnoticeable unless one got close enough.


    ¡°They¡¯d better be... Selling on our turf, challenging us directly. Normally doing what they did would¡¯ve just got them killed.¡±


    Takeshi glanced over at him.


    ¡°Got that right, Tsubasa, lucky for them, we¡¯re always up for a fight¡­ ¡±


    Yamato Tsubasa, Inoue Takeshi, and Honda Natsuo, the three youths were infamous for not only their association with the Yamamoto-Gumi, yakuza that had a lot of influence in Neo-Tokyo, running whatever weapons they could, but their constant fights while getting these weapons delivered. Though many did not see it as anything special, they just saw it as another part of the society that formed after the Garsalan made their attacks. The three were just some of many who found themselves doing whatever they could to survive after the deaths of their respective families. This group had bonded over that since they were young children, about 7 years old. Three boys against the world, as they saw it. As they continued their walk, they would soon stop in front of a dimly lit alley, as they¡¯d finally found them, standing below the alley¡¯s sole streetlight, were 4 Youths, all looking to be of similar age of the three in front of them.


    Though, at the moment, they squatted in a circle, as they talked amongst themselves, unaware of their presence, at the least, until they started walking toward them. The first one to take note was a bald man with a rather pudgy face, the left half of which was consumed by burn scars. He had a rather large body that matched his face. His purple orbs moved toward the three as he took notice of them. Followed by him nudging the one beside him, a Broad-Shouldered black-haired boy, who, one could say, looked much too large for his age. A smirk crawled onto his face as he stood up, turning his gaze toward them, as did the other three.


    ¡°There you are...Actually had me thinking you three wouldn¡¯t show up, Inoue.¡±


    Inoue cracked his knuckles.


    ¡°Hah, like we¡¯d run from some two-bit punks who don¡¯t know what they¡¯re getting into.¡±


    The bald one stepped forward, putting his fists up in front of him.


    ¡°Like You¡¯re one to talk. Think you¡¯re hot shit because you¡¯re the Yamamoto¡¯s Errand boys?¡±


    ¡°Nah, It¡¯s because we¡¯ve taken weaklings like you out without breaking a sweat.¡±


    As Natsuo stated this, he put his hands up as well, soon followed by Takeshi and Tsubasa. An action that was met with the four preparing themselves as well. The black-haired one soon began a charge as he yelled out.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see who¡¯re the real weaklings here!!¡±


    Soon, with a war cry that echoed through the streets around them, the 7 charged, meeting each other in the middle, and beginning a brawl. A left hook flew at Takeshi, from the Leader of the group, which the boy dodged as he stepped back. However, the man wasn¡¯t ready to let him get away, and soon prepared to go for another, but Natsuo stopped this, smashing his fist into his stomach, the man recoiled, stepping back, and holding his stomach. The bald one, alongside one with green hair, rushed forward, ready to strike Natsuo. Takeshi and Tsubasa nodded at one another as they rushed forward to intercept them. A kick from Takeshi smashed into the side of the green hair''s legs, which soon gave out under him. Quickly thinking, he shoved him into the bald one¡¯s path, causing him to screech to a stop.


    ¡°What are you doing, idiot, get out of the way!¡±


    ¡°Did you not just see him-¡±


    However, he was not allowed to finish, as Tsubasa stepped in front of him, launching an uppercut into his chin. One that seemed to lift his body as he fell back into Natsuo, who soon threw him aside. The black-haired one frowned, as he rushed back into the fray.


    ¡°Take this!¡±


    His target glanced over as he spoke, seemingly unaware before the fist crashed into his face, his head lurching to the right. Takeshi skidded back as he took this punch. But, even so, he began to smirk. The hit hurt, no doubt about that¡­ But that was why he knew that he¡¯d found a challenge.


    ¡°Come on, Show me what you got!¡±


    As he yelled, he soon began a dash over to the raven-haired youth, to return the favor, one fist protecting his chin, the other reeled back, and ready to strike. The other soon accepted his challenge, running toward him in the same fashion.


    ¡°You¡¯d better do so too!¡±


    The battle continued from there,  An elegant show of strength, power, speed, technique¡­ Or, at the least, that¡¯s how they saw it. To the growing crowd that lie on the edge of the street, which they¡¯d grown unaware of, absorbed in their battles, did not see it the same way. Neither were the ones who arrived on the scene in white cars, their sirens blaring and echoing through the streets. Something that finally brought them all out of battle mode, and brought their attention back to what happened around them. The three cars stopped, and, within moments, emerging from them, were the Neo-Tokyo police. The crowd soon parted, and, so did the two groups. Takeshi frowned as a Familiar officer stepped forward, one with a long head of gray hair, and a beard of the very same color.


    ¡°Them Again¡­¡± He thought


    The man known as Kawasaki Toshio. He stopped at the end of the alley, his eyes moving across them as he parted his mouth to speak.


    ¡°Inoue, Yamato, Honda...  My three favorite Yuro-Uni(Night Urchins)¡­¡±


    He began to step closer.


    ¡°Looks like we got lucky¡­ Four more than usual.¡±


    As he began to step closer, the opponents glanced at one another. Though they didn''t say anything, their intentions were clear, a sort of, silent truce, something that the officers didn¡¯t pick up on. Something that worked to their advantage many times before. And, it¡¯d likely do so now. The black-haired one stepped forward as well.


    ¡°Who are you to interrupt us, Stopping a manly exchange of spirit like this?¡±


    Toshio scoffed at his response.


    ¡°Exchange of spirit? All I see is some punks Exchanging fists¡­¡±


    Soon, the boys prepared to make a run for it, beginning to face the other direction, scouting for an escape path, and whatever else was required.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    As Takeshi spoke, the aging officer turned his attention to him, raising an eyebrow at the boy¡¯s words.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Hm? What do you mean we do-¡±


    He was soon cut off as all seven quickly turned tail and began dashing away, splitting up as they cleared the end of the alley.


    Toshio pointed at their disappearing forms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, go after them!¡±


    The officers soon did just that, however, the seven simply ignored this as they continued running. The black-haired boy glanced at Takeshi as they all ran.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be coming back to finish this tomorrow. The Name¡¯s Ryuji, don¡¯t forget!¡±


    Soon, the four split off, and the three were left alone.


    ¡°We¡¯ll split up like usual, I¡¯ll see you guys at the Maglev!¡± Natsuo yelled.


    The two nodded, Takeshi turned left, Tsubasa went right, And Natsuo continued in the central paths. Eventually, his friends left his sight, and he was left running alone. Though to his benefit, with what felt like minutes of jogging and running, he looked to be alone, the sound of boots against the ground stopped. And soon, so did he.


    He stood there, huffing for some time, the dash he made having exhausted him. At this point, at least 10 blocks away from where he started. And he was only going to go further from there. He soon began walking through the streets once again, weaving through the crowds of people, as quickly as he could. Those friends of his getting arrested was not a result he was exactly fond of. He continued, ignoring the chatter around him until he heard a familiar voice from behind him,


    ¡°Inoue!¡±


    As he heard his name spoken, Takeshi turned on his heel, putting his gaze on an approaching pale-skinned young woman, wearing a pair of jeans and a white tank-top. Her slanted purple eyes came to focus on the Youth as she stepped closer. As she pushed her back-length, platinum blonde hair away from her eyes. She was about average height, though, still much shorter than Takeshi. She was one of the many associated with the Yamamoto-Gumi. Kuba Kimiko. Takeshi began to walk toward her, stopping as he was just a few feet away from her.


    ¡°Kimiko¡­ What brings you here?¡±


    She paused for a moment before she began pacing around, almost appearing as if she was thinking of a response.


    ¡°Heard you three went to go fight those guys who just rolled into town¡­ The guys higher up, uhm, wanted me to investigate¡­?¡±


    Though, her words came out sounding like more of a question than a statement. A smile found its way onto Takeshi¡¯s face.


    ¡°Heh. I don¡¯t believe that for a second¡­ You came to check on us, didn¡¯t you.¡±


    She averted her gaze, as the two stood in silence for some time.


    ¡°Alright, you got me¡­ Heard those guys are actually well-known in some towns around here. Thought they might be a problem.¡±


    As he took note of her worried tone, Takeshi began to avert his gaze as well, before he turned away.


    ¡°No need to do that. After all, you know we can handle it.¡±


    As Takeshi finished, Kimiko turned away as well.


    ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re right... I¡¯m gonna head home, I¡¯ll see you three tomorrow, alright?¡±


    Now, Kimiko began to walk away, and so did Takeshi. This was something he¡¯d grown used to, having known her for quite a while, though he never did understand why she wasn¡¯t honest with her statements, it wasn¡¯t something he dwelled on.  Resuming his walk through the streets, until he came to the base of elevated tracks that served as a station for the city''s maglevs.  Takeshi ascended on the studded steel stairs until he came to the top of the platform. His eyes began to scan the crowds of people as he stepped forward.


    ¡°Man...Where are those two Bozos?¡±


    For a few moments, he continued to look around, until his question was answered as he felt a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Right Here.¡±


    He looked over his shoulder, as he saw the blue-haired youth standing there.


    ¡°There you two are, Looks like we all got back.¡±


    Tsubasa leaned on the chain fence that served as a barrier to the streets below, leaning his head back on it as he sighed.


    ¡°They always manage to show up when things are getting good, Huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ If we wouldn¡¯t get locked up for it, I¡¯d fight them by now. For all the good fights they interrupted, should at least give us compensation.¡± Takeshi Responded.


    The third, Natsuo, chuckled at this.


    ¡°Yeah, Like THAT¡¯s ever gonna happen.¡±


    The three continued for a few minutes, they spoke of the fights they had, the ones they¡¯d have later, the situation with the other groups in the area like they normally did. For a few minutes, at the least.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m gonna head home.¡±


    Takeshi turned on his heel, waving the two off as he began walking away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow.¡±


    Natsuo waved back at him as he left, before he turned back to Tsubasa, as the two began talking once again. Takeshi turned them out as he descended upon the stairs, and made his way back onto the streets once again.


    ¡°Man...I need to get my money up, I can¡¯t be living in that shack the rest of my life¡­¡±


    He would soon shove his hands into his pockets, as he continued to walk off, his mind soon drifting to other things. What he took in as his gaze moved around. Knowing he had some enemies around her, as did his friends, getting ambushed wasn¡¯t exactly something he looked forward to. He wasn¡¯t stupid, anyone could figure out how wrong a five on one, or possibly more could end up. Though, thankfully for him, he did not see much of anyone.


    ¡°Well...Looks like I''m g---¡±


    Takeshi¡¯s movements stopped, as his thought process halted... Something that wasn¡¯t unique to him, many of those around him stopped walking as well, interrupting the usual hustle and bustle. Soon, the eyes of all those there drifted to the sky, as an all too familiar sign filled their ears¡­ Throughout the city, a shrill tone played from the intercoms. From the lower districts to the skyscraper-filled city center. This tone, the dreaded sound that most hoped to not hear¡­ They all recognized it.


    ¡°....Garsalan.¡±


    He clenched his fist, as he simply thought of the name. His blood began to boil, and his anger simmered. There were not many on earth who didn¡¯t have hate, or, at the least, a strong dislike for the Garsalan. Takeshi was no different. Most knew what the Garsalan did as they made first contact, and of the raids, they did on major cities to keep the humans down. The memories of which began to run through Takeshi¡¯s head.


    ¡°This is my chance¡­¡± He whispered.


    As he spoke, his ears were filled with a loud boom, as the ground under them shook. It was then that he looked to the horizon, and began to see the spire¡¯s in the center of the city fall, destroyed by the streams of laser fire that came from the mass of Garsalan Ships. And, as if that weren¡¯t enough. the hum of an engine soon filled his ears as well, the sky above him was soon filled with blue light, streaming from an airship, that began to descend upon them, until the bay doors opened, and out came the Garsalan. Their exoskeleton seemed much thicker, with armored plates tacked on, but that wasn¡¯t what caught their eye¡­ Rather, it was the guns held in their hands. One of the Garslan stepped to the front, the horn on its head, showing it was male, had a red cloth wrapped around it. Identifying him as the Squad¡¯s commander. For a few moments, the armed men stood in silence, until a deep garbled voice came from the commander.


    "Yui cluw whed du nu... FAISA !!"


    Though they could not understand his words, as he pointed his palm at them, his intentions were clear. Soon, the horde of people began to break apart. Though, even with their attempts at an escape, many of them were unfortunate, caught within the oncoming hail of gauss rifle rounds. Something none of their bodies could bear, limbs ripped off with single shots, the roads below them running red with the blood of the City''s inhabitants... Takeshi¡¯s rage grew as this continued, as his eyes flew around at the people falling limp, and then, back to the soldiers, more specifically, the shortest of them all.


    ¡°If I can get just one of their guns¡­¡±


    Takeshi soon rushed to put his plan into action, Ducking under the storm of bullets, as he dashed across the street, careful enough that he went beneath their notice.  As he made it to the other end of the street, he turned and began to charge at his target. At first, his approach went unnoticed, until, the being began to hear the tapping of footsteps. His eyes darted to his left, as he saw Takeshi standing there, his fist reeled back... Though, it was a moment too late, as his fist slammed into the being¡¯s chitin, knocking him over. Something that caught the attention of his allies. Though, as quick as they were to turn to him, Takeshi was no slower in picking up the rifle and taking shots with the pull of a trigger. Though the other troops took cover, one soon found his chest exploding as he was hit with a shot.


    "F''rel!"


    "Delnan Tassel,  Fusir irruis llaisa ul hain!!"- "Danmed Terran,  Focus your fire on him!!"


    And that they did. Takeshi cursed under his breath as he jumped into cover, behind a car on the side of the road though, not before a shot flew past his shoulder, leaving a gash on his skin¡­ In hindsight, not the best Idea. As he sat behind the car, the rounds flying by him, he finally decided on his plan of action.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time for plan B¡­¡±


    His gaze fell on a manhole cover to his left, as he sighed.


    ¡°I hate plan B¡±


    Takeshi sighed as he bolted toward the manhole, ringing off shots back at the Garsalan to his... An Ill-advised choice, given the recoil, was nearly knocking him over. The man struggled to stay standing as he got to the manhole, pulling off the cover, and moving it to the side. Something the commander took notice of.


    ¡°"Dul''d rad hain Ersefa!"


    They soon began giving chase, firing off all the while, but, by that point, Takeshi pinched his nose, leaping down, and bringing the cover back on top. He cleared the ladder next and finally came into the dimly lit waterway. He stood there for a few moments before he began walking.


    ¡°Danm, it always smells terrible down here... Then again, I guess it IS a sewer after all.¡±


    Now with not much else to do, he began to mull over the events, the past they¡¯d reminded him of, and his future plans.


    ¡°This ain''t lookin¡¯ too good... I don¡¯t play my cards right, I won¡¯t make it out of here¡­¡±


    No matter how he looked at it, trying to rush into a squad, or, rather, the squads of troops that were probably swarming all the streets right now, was ill-advised at best. Even then...He wasn¡¯t ready to just sit there and do nothing. Not with what just happened up there. It was as these thoughts ran through his head, however, that a low humming began to fill his ears. Takeshi looked up in confusion, as he began to look around for the source.


    ¡°The hell?¡±


    Eventually, his orbs fell on the tunnel to his right, as a red light filled his eyes. That was, strange, no doubt. Yet, he began to approach it. As he drew closer, the humming only grew more intense. Then, he took note of an opening in the wall, deciding to play it safe, he peeked over the corner. And it was then that he saw it¡­ A gigantic humanoid suit of armor, its metal exterior jet black. Along with the cannons on the machine¡¯s shoulders, that resembled a honeycomb.  His mouth fell agape, as he stepped farther out. And then, he took a look at the source of the light, the single long ¡°Eye¡± Located on the Machine¡¯s head.


    ¡°It looks like a Vanguard Armor, but¡­ None that I¡¯ve ever seen. Is it one of those Garsalan weapons? They have something similar, I heard.¡±


    Takeshi began to rub his chin in thought.


    ¡°Forget it... Whatever the case is, I don¡¯t see anyone attending it.¡±


    Soon, he began a dash toward it, his boots splashing in the waters below him as he did so. It was then, and only then, that he saw the faded white paint labeling the machine¡¯s leg. He squinted his eyes as he attempted to read it. He stood there for a minute or two, but, afterward, he finally made out the characters marking it.


    ¡°¥¬¥ª¥¸¥Ê¥¤¥¶©`¡±


    ¡°Gaojinizer¡­? a Weird name, but that doesn''t matter to me¡­ How do I get into this thing.¡±


    Soon, just like that, the cockpit hatch opened, and, down-dropped a wire ladder... Strange, but convenient, he swiftly climbed and stepped into the cockpit. His eyes moved around as he took in his surroundings, in the center of the cockpit was a seat with all of the machine¡¯s controls. He also took note of the surrounding walls, or, rather, screens, that displayed the area around him.


    He began to take steps toward the seat.


    ¡°All things considered¡­ This doesn''t look too hard.¡±


    He dashed over to the seat and grasped the gloves that sat on the side, connected to the main seat by wires. He soon slipped them on, as his hands went to the levers on each side of the machine. And soon, out came a holographic display, showing the youth the machine¡¯s diagnostics. Soon after, a robotic voice, the suit¡¯s AI, sounded through the cockpit.


    ¡°Pilot Biosignature Recorded¡­ Access Granted.¡±


    Soon, a smile found its way onto Takeshi¡¯s face.


    ¡°Access granted, huh... In that case, let¡¯s see what this thing can do!¡±


    Takeshi soon shoved the left lever forward, swiftly followed by the second... Too, disappointing results, as the machine soon came crashing down, something the boy took notice of.


    ¡°Sh-¡±


    His words were unfinished, as the cockpit shook with the impact, so did he. Takeshi rubbed the back of his head, which took the brunt of the impact.


    ¡°That could¡¯ve gone better¡­¡±


    His eyes went to the display once again, and he took notice of something.


    ¡°Auto-Balance System, huh¡­ Would¡¯ve been good to know about before I busted my ass.¡±


    Takeshi soon tapped the display, and moved the levers once again, one back, another forward. And soon, his hands went to the levers just behind them, moving the arms as a result, soon, the Gaojinizer came back to its standing position. He glanced down at the controls once again.


    ¡°Legs, Arms, right¡­ Now, Let¡¯s see what else this thing has.¡±


    He thought back to the cannons that lay on its shoulders, and, his eyes scanned over the display until he took note of something, Comet Pulse cannons, it said. The output was marked at 10%.


    ¡°There we go¡­¡±


    Takeshi soon tapped it, and, rising in front of him, were two red buttons, something he soon figured out, were what fired the thing¡­ After all, it wasn¡¯t very subtle. Takeshi began to move the machine¡¯s levers, and the cannons moved to the roof. His hands drifted to the buttons, as he tapped them, out came bursts of beam fire, ripping apart the concrete that covered the roof, sending rubble cascading downward. Though the falling debris was trivial at best, the machine¡¯s armor was not even scratched.


    ¡°Alright, LET¡¯s Move!!¡±


    Soon, his eyes fell onto the display once more, and the direction was quite simple, Activate Verniers. And, with a tap of his finger, the machine blasted off, sending him lurching back into his seat. At the least, he did at first, but, the machine¡¯s thrusters seemed to adjust themselves, and, for a moment, the machine remained airborne. The red light coming from its thrusters fills the sky around it and catches the attention of the soldiers, and remaining citizens alike. However, Takeshi¡¯s attention was not on that, rather, it was on the long black ship in front of him. The ship that had since been identified as The Garsalan¡¯s Jul¡¯Mas class battlecruiser, the first ship found during first contact. On the bridge of said ship, the commander of the ship looked on in confusion.


    ¡°Whed?! Whu''r OD air dhed?¡±(What, Who¡¯s OD is that?¡±)


    A member of his crew glanced back at him.


    ¡°Wa''sa lud risa, rais, lu IFF nadasdan!" (We¡¯re not sure, sir, No IFF detected!¡±)


    While this conversation continued, Takeshi¡¯s eyes fell upon the output slider¡­ He soon dragged his finger across it, bringing it up to 40%... A fire seemed to formed, as his hands inched toward the firing buttons once again.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to make you pay, GARSALAN!!!¡±


    HE soon smashed the two buttons, and, soon, out came two gigantic red particle beams from each shoulder. The captain of the ship looked on in surprise, and raised his hand, preparing to give an escape order, but, It was much too late. The blast soon ripped through the ship¡¯s shields, the energy field collapsing where the beams were hit, and the ship itself was no different. Maintenance crews, Pilots, and their commanders were ripped apart as the ship¡¯s framing began to take the form of twisted metal. And, by the time the beam had stopped, the ship soon exploded. The explosive force of which went on to shake the mass of ships around it, as well as the buildings below. It was bright, blinding those who bear witness¡­ The Troops directly below the machine only gazed up at it.


    "Whed air dhed neshaila?!" - ("What is that machine?!")


    "Id nardusirran e Csiairas ail Ola rhud!!!" -("It destroyed a Cruiser in One shot!!!")


    "Id her du fa ula ull uisr, dhasa''r lu weirr Tasselr Csaedan dhed!!( - "It has to be one of ours, there''s no way Terrans Created that!!!-)


    The Terran within the machine, however, either did not notice or did not care. Takeshi Inoue did not take his eyes off of the exploding ship, his handiwork.


    ¡°This power¡­ I know what I need to do¡­ It¡¯s about time I show these Roaches what we''re made of!!¡±

 Stage 2- The Machinas First Sortie

    Takeshi remained in the air, staring in awe at the machine¡¯s pure strength. Doing something that was unheard of. During the many battles across the solar system, it was rare that a human weapon destroyed the Garsalan Vanguard armors or, whatever they called them, Let alone one of their ships. Yet, here this thing was, doing exactly that. Though, he recognized the fact that he was not finished just yet. He began to gaze down at the holographic display once again. Glancing around until his gaze reached the screen that displayed his weapons. And, then he saw it, a close-range weapon, a sickle, marked as the ¡°Deathscythe¡±. He tapped the display, and, as he saw on his display, it came from the machine¡¯s side, into it¡¯s left hand.


    ¡°Nice¡­¡±


    Soon, he began his advance, making a break for the ship, the scythe in hand, Letting out a war cry as he did so. However, he was not the only thing flying over the city, soon, swarms and swarms of fighters came to meet his advance. Though somewhat resembling a jet, the organic, round shapes clearly showed that it wasn¡¯t human in origin. If not that, then the unfamiliar hum of their engines that followed them as they streaked across the sky.  In the very front of the advance, a Garsalan pilot, the one leading the wing pulled a visor down on her face.


    "Thair air Jus Laen, Ol Tesrad, fsusaanailr waidh arainailedaiul ull desrad!" - "This is Jus Lead, On Target, proceeding with elimination of target!"


    A storm of missiles and purple beams soon rushed toward the approaching machine. However, Takeshi did not run, instead, he simply continued his rush forward, yelling all the while. Undisturbed by the explosions of the missiles on his armor, that remained ineffective on the machine¡¯s armor. The results of the beam fire being no different, the beams simply dissipating as they made contact with the armor. The commander looked upon this with an apparent distaste.


    ¡°Kaaf hain ussifaian rulr aluirh llus dha ssiairasr du desrad hain, Ois usnailelsa wul''d fa aluirh!"- ("Keep him occupied long enough for the cruisers to target him, Our ordinance won''t be enough!")


    It was clear that she was not happy that she was reduced to being a decoy, though her face didn¡¯t show it. Regardless, she moved with her subordinates, and began to swarm the Gaojinizer. Something the pilot within had no issue with, in fact, it only encouraged him to continue his attacks. With swipe after swipe of the scythe, he soon cut fighter after fighter in half, and the pilots within them were no exception. As the pilots saw this, their commander¡¯s outlook soon began to spread to them. What glory was there in this battle? At this point, they couldn¡¯t even damage it, let alone destroy it. For them, this was unacceptable. Yet, they continued their attack regardless¡­ All the while, the remaining cruiser¡¯s targeted the Gaojinizer. Luckily enough, with the support of the fighters, they¡¯d managed to lead it in the right direction, keeping it inside one general area, and the pilot was none the wiser. Something that worked to the Fleet Admiral¡¯s advantage... A garsalan with earthen green chitin, much like that of his homeworld¡¯s forests, sat with his head leaned onto his fist. Another Garsalan stood, turning and saluting to him.


    "Zairr Cellulr esa fsaffan, Lusn Fu¡¯zin."- "Zigg Cannons are prepped, Lord Fu''zin."


    "Guun... Faisa, Dardsuirr dha Tassel Osfaider Dasainedus!!" - "Good... Fire, Destroy the Terran Orbital Decimator!!"


    Soon, a light began to build on the turrets on the ship''s surface¡­ Something Takeshi didn¡¯t take notice of until an alarm sounded within the cockpit, something that caused the man to looked around in his confusion.


    ¡°What the-- What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    His eyes shot across the display, until he took notice of something on the corner of his eye, to the left of his seat. And, just like that, his seat rotated to the left, and, there he saw it, the red light building on the surface of the ship¡¯s turrets. Though he wasn¡¯t an expert about how Garslaan weapons worked, to him, it was quite clear what was happening. Especially as his gaze went around him, and he took notice of the fighters around him quickly scattering around, unwilling to get hit by a direct attack.


    ¡°Tch.¡¯


    The Gaojinzier soon began a beeline toward the ship, with its pilot ready to destroy the ship. But, it¡¯s charge was soon interrupted, by a burst of beam fire that came from the ship¡¯s turrets,  a direct hit¡­ Though the machine itself was not damaged, it was sent barreling back, throwing it off course, and throwing its pilot back into his seat. At the least, until he pushed his foot down on the pedals under his feet, increasing the thruster output, and stopping the machine. Before he moved out of the way.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done just yet¡­¡±


    Takeshi charged in once again. This time, however, he played it safe, he began to turn mid-air, moving up, and down, weaving around the flashing lights as they came toward him. Something that didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the remaining people below, looking up at the display with admiration. Especially one white-haired woman, who sat hiding within the ruins of a building surrounded by five others.


    ¡°If we have something like this on our side...WIll the raids finally stop?¡±


    An older black-haired man sitting beside her shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up...One machine can''t turn the tide of a war that easily.¡±


    Though they didn¡¯t know who¡¯s machine it was, it was their ally, and it was all they cared about. However, the pilot within was doing less than well. The High G-Turns and Maneuvers seemed to pulverize his body. After all, he was just another punk on the street! It wasn¡¯t as if he¡¯d done any training beforehand. Something that began to become more apparent as the machine began to slow down, leaving it vulnerable to the shots from the cannons, which soon threw the machine back¡­ Even so, Takeshi arched his brows as he began a charge once again, pushing down whatever pain he felt. As he began a charge once again, and the red light from his thrusters grew.


    ¡°If that thing¡¯s gonna keep me back, Then all I need to do is get rid of it first!!!¡±


    Soon, the machine began streaking across the sky, causing a boom to fill the ears of all those below. The sound barrier had been broken, and given the statistics on the admiral''s screen, it was still increasing, rapidly. The Garsalan stood with his eyes widened.


    "Thed rfaan...Id ernurd Medshar dha nanul ull Kafras... Wa nird fa llairhdailr runaula whu cluwr whed ha''r nuailr." - "That speed...It almost Matches the demon of Kepler... We must be fighting someone who knows what he''s doing."


    However, Contrary to his belief, the pilot within did not, especially, given the blood that came drooping from his mouth as he coughed. Though strong, his body had its limits, and it looked like he¡¯d already reached them.


    ¡°How do VA pilots pull this kind of stuff all the time?! It feels like I got hit by a train!¡±


    That would soon be the least of his problems, as the three other cruisers that loomed above, began firing at the Gaojinizer as well. And, unlike last time, he was not able to avoid any shots. Barraged from three different angles, and body already at its limit, the machine was soon pushed back with the force of not one, but three different cannons, and the machine soon crashed into the ground. Which, once again, threw Takeshi around as if he were a ragdoll. The G-force,  the Inertia, it was simply too much for him to handle¡­ The man seemed to teeter on the edge of consciousness... Until he gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on the controls, and lifted the machine.


    ¡°Like I¡¯m going down THAT easy...  That wouldn¡¯t be a good look, now would it.¡±


    He smirked, as he began to ascend once again. And soon, the earlier fighters began to approach him like a swarm of angry wasps. But, unlike last time, they did not make it into the scythe¡¯s swinging range, as soon, rising from the building were bug zappers that rapidly fired off Covalon Beams, the standard armaments of most of the UFE¡¯s weapons. The fighters exploded as the beams smashed into them, and, once again, they were forced to break their formation. Takeshi glanced around as he took note of the beams that raced toward his opponents, it was then that he saw the anti-aircraft guns, on the roofs of ¡°Buildings'''' That had strangely remained unmarked, and unentered since he and his friends had arrived in Neo Tokyo.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Guess that explains why the military was around so much... Either way, I can use this to my advantage.¡±


    His eyes scanned the display, until he tapped a button, turning on the Machine¡¯s intercom.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go for those ships up there! Make sure you take down those fighters!¡±


    The rather youthful voice caught the soldiers manning the weapons by surprise. But, nonetheless. They simply continued firing. All the while, the Gaojinizer moved through the field of destroyed debris, as he continued his approach¡­ Jus lead looked upon the approaching machine with distaste as she put her hand on the base of her head as she thought.


    ¡°I''n sadislailr du dha Ges¡¯le I heya el ainae¡±-¡°I''m returning to the Ges''le... I have an idea¡±


    Just like that, she turned tail and began making her way back to the cruiser that lay overhead. Something that Takeshi did not take notice of, focused upon the opponents that surrounded him. The return bay soon opened in the center of the cruiser, as the fighter made its way back. The light around the thrusters began to fade as the craft slowed, and was soon taken in by the ship¡¯s gravity field. Her hands moved away from the controls as she tapped her leg, waiting for the craft to be brought in. It was a few more moments until she landed in the packed docking bay, filled with craft like her own, as well as the engineers, distinguished by the black clothing tacked onto their exoskeletons. Soon, the canopy of her fighter opened, as she peaked outward. Which was soon swarmed with a team of engineers, one of which, a male with a chipped horn, stepped forward.


    "Whed''r dha fsufran? Yui rad haid?"- ¡°What¡¯s the problem? You get hit?¡±


    She shook her head.


    "Nu, ludhailr raica dhed.."- "No, nothing like that.."


    "Thed''r e risfsaira... Whedayas dhed neshaila air, aidr nelrasuir. Hesn du faraiaya fsainaidaiyar raica dha Tasselr suirn rad dhaais helnr ul dhed.¡± - "That''s a surprise... Whatever that machine is, it''s dangerous. Hard to believe primitives like the Terrans could get their hands on that."


    He had that right¡­ The display was shocking. But,either way, she wasn¡¯t going to let it shake her. After all, they were a proud race that had conquered hundreds of worlds. This one wouldn¡¯t stop their conquest with just one machine.


    ¡°"Eaidhas weirr... Id nuarl''d neddas aill dha fairud nuarl''d cluw whed dhairr''sa nuailr. Thed neshaila''r saesdaiul du dha llussa aid wer haid waidh. Ill ai''n sairhd, dhed werl''d dha rainaid''r ull dha neshaila... Redhas, whuayas''r ail aid. Wa sel errina dha fairud airl''d iran du llaarailr rish ainfesdr, wa sel ira dhed du uis enyeldera¡±- "Either way... It doesn''t matter if the pilot doesn''t know what they''re doing. That machine''s reaction to the force it was hit with. If i''m right, that wasn''t the limit''s of the machine... Rather, whoever''s in it. We can assume the pilot isn''t used to feeling such impacts, we can use that to our advantage.


    The engineer nodded at her words.


    ¡°"Arweirrr dha desdaisaiel...Il dhed sera, I heya shird dha dhailr." - "Always the tactician...In that case, I have just the thing."


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, the battle continued, as what fighters weren¡¯t shot down made a mad dash in an attempt to, at the least, slow the machine down. Something that was somewhat successful, the swarm pulling Takeshi¡¯s attention away from the task at hand¡­ At the least, until, coming flying out of the Cruiser¡¯s catapult, was Jus lead. Though there was a notable difference with the fighter, a massive, yellow tipped missile went down the center of the fighter. A far cry from it¡¯s previous armaments. At first she went unnoticed, until a blur caught Takeshi¡¯s attention. As his gaze moved up, it was then that he saw the fighter approaching him.


    ¡°Ill wa sel¡¯d nardsuirr dhed esnus...Wa¡¯rr Dardsuirr dha fairud!!!, I¡¯rr neca risa irrui feirr llus whed irrui nain du dha fsuin Jir Wailr!¡± - ¡°If we can¡¯t destroy that armor...We¡¯ll Destroy the pilot!!!, I¡¯ll make sure you pay for what you did to the proud Jus Wing!¡±


    However, Takeshi did not hear the words, and swung his scythe at the fighter. But, even so, as the blade came closer to the display, she suppressed her fear, and lobbed just one more shot off, the final missile, which soon crashed into the Gaojinizer, as her fighter was cut in half, ending her life there. But, at the same time, the Kinetic Distributor, the aptly named Garsalan weapon, shook the Gao¡¯s frame and shook the pilot inside, once again¡­ Who himself was getting tired of being treated like a milkshake. However, regardless,  his body had begun to succumb to the stress placed upon it. After all, hot blood and willpower could only bring him so far.


    The Machine soon stalled midair, as Takeshi struggled to keep himself from blacking out. But as his eyes fluttered, it seemed to be an even more far-fetched goal, the troops below looked up upon this with expressions of both surprise, and worry... A machine stopping in the middle of combat was never a good thing. One of the troops, with his visor pulled down, and face unseen, tapped a watch on his wrist that served as his communicator.


    ¡°Colonel Mori, the black machine has stopped moving! It looks like it got hit with a KD before it stopped¡­¡±


    On the other end was a man with grayed hair, and an angular jaw. His body was covered in scars, the results of his previous operations against the Garsalan in his younger days. He opened his eyes, revealing his purple orbs as he leaned back into the chair.


    ¡°Meaning whoever was in that thing could be red paste right now¡­ If we don''t do that thing fast enough, We end up risking the enemy getting their hands on it.¡±


    Another soldier stepped into the room as he heard Mori speak.


    ¡°But sir, that thing could be  a benefit to the war effort if we figure out how it was made, We can¡¯t allow that to happen!¡±


    Mori sighed


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware¡­ Send out the Muramasas, we¡¯ll retrieve that machine long before they do!¡±


    The machine itself stayed in its previous state, floating... At the least, until the cruisers began firing again, and the cannons began crashing into the machine once again, and, just like that, Takeshi was thrown around once again, only this time, his head fell, and so did his eyelids, as he fell out of consciousness. And, the machine began falling. Something that put a smile on the Admiral¡¯s face.


    ¡°Guun...Radsaiaya dhed Meshaila.¡± - ¡°Good...Retrieve that Machine.¡±


    However, within the machine¡­ Many thoughts ran through the unconscious Youth¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t lose here¡­ Not after one battle, I said I was going to make them pay¡­ I have to do that, I HAVE TO DO THIS!!!¡±


    As the enraged thoughts began to flow through his head, the machine, the Gaojinizer seemed to respond in tandem¡­ An orange light soon began to cloak the machine, as it began to rise. Strangely enough, independent of the pilot, who remained unconscious within the cockpit¡­ At the least, until his eyes open, and a yellow gleam seemed to shine within them.  The machine¡¯s sudden movement was a surprise to the soldiers and their opponents.


    ¡°Colonel, The machine¡¯s back up, and¡­ It has some kind of glow around it.¡±


    Mori raised his eyebrow at the soldier¡¯s statement but opted to ignore it. At the least, visibly. Something like that happening with a machine wasn¡¯t exactly normal, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. After all, he was a high-ranking commander¡­. If the battle was won, who cared how ¡°Strange¡± the weapons were. A thought that was reinforced with what happened directly after. The machine soon burst across the sky once again beginning a swift advance toward the fleet of ships.


    ¡°HAAAAAA!!!!!¡¯


    This time, however, his war cry was not confined to his machine, rather, it spread out, echoing through the streets for all of those around to hear.


    "Whed?! Thed''r Infurraifra!! Arr rilr ul dha Tassel Meshaila, Wa sel''d rad aid risyaiya!¡±- "What?! That''s Impossible!! All guns on the Terran Machine, We can''t let it survive!¡±


    Soon, the ships began firing once again, but, the Gaojinizer weaved around the beams, and, unlike last time¡­ They couldn¡¯t land not one shot on it. Its speed was simply too much, dipping in and out of enemy and allied sensors alike, painting fear on the Admiral¡¯s face, until, appearing in front of the cruiser¡¯s bow, was the machine, with its scythe overhead. Before the Admiral could speak, the machine began its charge, running the blade along the length of the cruiser, ripping it in two halves within moments¡­


    Soon, The gaojinizer flew away from the exploding cruiser, leaving the debris to cascade onto the ground below. Soon, Takeshi¡¯s hands went to the CPC¡¯s firing buttons, and, as he pressed them, out came yet another shot, ripping apart one of the ships that came with the admiral¡­ However, the youth did not stop there, as he took notice of a fleeing ship.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere!¡±


    Soon, the Gaojinizer made its way to the ship, as Takeshi drew the machine¡¯s arms back, prepared for a swing. Something that caused panicked chatter to echo through the final ship, until he took a downward swing at the machine¡¯s bridge, taking out the command center. He would soon take another swing at the ship, that would once again prove to rip apart the ship¡¯s armor, and, this time, the thrusters and reactor alike were hit¡­ Just like that, the last ship was destroyed in a rapidly expanding fireball. One that the machine soon began to move away from, remaining suspended in the air once again. All the while, the pilot watched the remains of the ship fall to the ground, a smirk coming onto his bloodied visage.


    ¡°I said I¡¯d show you what we were made of, didn-¡±


    However, his eyes widened as his words came to a screeching halt, and soon, so did his mind. The light that was around the Gaojnizier dissipated, as the light from the thrusters and the eye alike began to go dark, with the machine beginning its rapid descent to the ground. Falling 20 or so seconds afterward, as the pilot went unconscious¡­. Just like that, the battle was over. The last remaining fighters were picked off, no mothership left to return to, nowhere to resupply. And, just like that, cheers began to rush through the streets of Neo Tokyo, as the now outnumbered Garsalan troops began to surrender, concluding that reinforcements were not coming. Just like that, it looked like mankind had its first victory.


    Keyword, Looked¡­ Before anyone knew it, something began to fall from the sky, something that bore a resemblance to the bombs of yesteryear.  Though, just as they took notice of it, it was over.  Within the bomb''s chamber, the magnetic field keeping the antimatter from its regular counterpart soon collapsed, with the activation of a switch. And, as the collisions began, a wave of explosive force was soon thrown outward, A violet ball of light began to expand across the city, blinding those in Neo Tokyo¡¯s center. But the damage did not end there, anything swallowed within the light looked to be erased, whether it be Buildings, weapons, or people. The devastation only expanded from there, the windows on the surrounding spires soon shattered, soon followed by the concrete and steel that kept the buildings standing. Something that did not bode well for the remaining inhabitants, who were soon crushed under the remains of the buildings, though, some were lucky enough to escape¡­


    This especially held true for one child who dashed through the falling debris. To say that they were scared was an understatement, mortified was more accurate. Having most of those you knew shot or crushed was not a positive experience. Then, he saw it, in the distance was the black Vanguard Armor, though its name was unknown to him. He rushed to it to seek refuge nonetheless. But he was much too slow, crushed under the rock as well. Just like that,


    The ruined city fell silent.


    The very next morning, the pilot slowly opened his eyes, beginning to rub his forehead as he sat up.


    ¡°Man¡­. Did I win? Things got real fuzzy after that fighter shot me¡­¡±


    Takeshi soon grabbed hold of the levers once again, as the display began to come up in front of Takeshi¡¯s face.


    ¡°Gen 1 Machina- Aether Generation Machine, Gaojinizer.¡±


    Though, given that he didn¡¯t know English, this was not something he took notice of. What he did take notice of, however, was the camera¡¯s coming on¡­ And the destroyed buildings that surrounded him. Takeshi¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    He began moving the controls, standing his machine up, before the hum of the Gaojnizer¡¯s engine began to echo through the streets, as the machine raised itself, and Takeshi¡¯s seat began to rotate, he soon took notice of the fact, Neo Tokyo was nothing but a ruin... He stayed up for some time until two more people came to mind.


    ¡°Natsuo, Tsubasa!!¡±


    Takeshi began to fly over the city, attempting to find his two friends. No, rather, his brothers¡¯ amid the sea of corpses. Eventually, he took notice of something, a familiar face amidst the rubble, where the maglev formerly stood, there they were, Natsuo and Tsubasa¡­ He smiled for a moment, in apparent relief...Until he took a closer look and noticed that everything from the neck down was buried under the rubble. The chances of them surviving, much to his chagrin, was extremely low.


    His mind went blank in a moment as he fell to his hands and knees, slamming his fist into the bottom of the cockpit. Tears soon began to stream down his face, as he yelled out in both his grief and his anger... Victory achieved, but at what cost.

 Stage 3- Shinkyo

    Gaojinizer Stage 3:


    Shinkyo


    Drifting around the Earth in the cosmos, was its satellite, known as Luna. The place that had essentially become a forward base for the Garsalan forces in the system. Serving as the jumping-off point for many of their attacks. The place that served as the headquarters, lying within Bygrius crater. Within the very center, a large structure sat, three connected, organically shaped towers, with layers of weaponry both around, and on it. Anti-ship artillery, anti-aircraft guns, and missile launchers. Though, even with its armaments, the castle itself was simply not large in the least. It served as a palace for an otherwise unknown noble family within the Garsalan Empire, bereft of many major military achievements, within the last century or so. The head of this noble family was the Fi¡¯gas, Darzell Zu Meni.


    He sat on a chair at the summit of the tower, a glass in his clawed hands. His outer chitin, the color of sand, showing his origin from one of the Homeworld¡¯s desert regions, shined in the light above him. He sat in silence, staring off into the window panels that covered most of the bedroom¡¯s wall... Something that gave him a direct view of earth, and the space around it¡­ His attention was on the country the primitives knew as ¡°Japan.¡±. He focused his gaze on it as he prepared to watch the fireworks, and, finally, as a violet ball of light became visible from orbit, he began to raise his hand as it began to expand.


    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡±


    As he watched the destruction, stepping through the doorway, was another Garsalan, the same shade as his superior.


    ¡°My lord.¡±


    Darzell turned his head, placing his gaze on the soldier.


    ¡°It seems our information was correct, aside from the anti-aircraft we saw¡­ There was a lack of any weaponry in the area.¡±


    Darzell chuckled.


    ¡°So, paint a target on the city¡¯s back, have us destroy it, and try to make us lower our guard... Maybe some of these upstarts would have fallen for that. But a member of Zu Meni will not¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir, are you not worried about how command will react to the forces that were destroyed?¡±


    Now, the man turned his gaze back to the blue orb, as he took a sip from the glass, a yellow liquid entering his maw.


    ¡°Green troops and some outdated cruisers, I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t mind... ¡°


    ¡°But, that¡¯s not all sir¡­ We¡¯ve found that a single Orbital Decimator, or, as the humans would call them, Vanguard Armors, has come out of the blast radius intact.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ Peculiar. A single machine surviving an AMP bomb...If it was one of ours, that wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched...But considering those primitives made it, this just got a lot more interesting.¡±


    ¡°Then what shall we do, sir?¡±


    Darzell stood, as he began to step closer toward the viewing window, taking yet another sip from the glass.


    ¡°We¡¯ll eliminate it...Take whatever remains away¡­ Have the Iso foundation test their new Biological weapons. It beats wasting troops that won¡¯t do anything to it..¡±


    The Garsalan Saluted.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Soon, he began dashing out of the room, all the while, the Lord looked over his shoulder, watching the soldier''s disappearing form. Though, soon, his gaze went forward.


    ¡°Looks like we got a little too lax, huh¡­¡±


    His thoughts began to drift to any possible plans to destroy the machine. After all, doing something like that could get him in a position fighting opponents that would give him glory. There were numerous species in this galaxy and the one threat to their power was just beyond it. Regardless of which of them he fought, it would be better than this. All things considered, these Terrans were small potatoes at best. Their technology and Military were subpar, and their planet was a complete backwater. As a member of the aristocracy, that simply would not do¡­


    The mentioned Terran Machine, and its pilot, drifted over the verdant forests that dotted the archipelago.  None the wiser of the target placed on his back. Though, even if he did know, he had other concerns. The normally go-lucky, headstrong youth, ready to jump into any fight, had seemingly disappeared. The weight of the battle just yesterday still weighed on him... Though those two, and the rest of those he knew were hardly those you could consider ¡°Good¡±. Or the last people one would consider being friends with, for him, that was not the case. In a matter of a few hours,  the invaders he scorned managed to take everything from him once more. This was something that he couldn¡¯t allow, something that he sure as hell wouldn¡¯t. Not as long as he still had the ability to battle them. Though, before all that, he needed to figure out how this machine worked, after that, he would go do what he intended to. But, there was a problem in this, he could not decide on his next course of action.


    ¡°...Alright, I shouldn¡¯t be too far from Shinkyo. I¡¯ll stop there, get some supplies or whatever, and we¡¯re off.¡±


    Just like that, he continued moving over the high tipped mountains, and the verdant valleys that lie between them. All things considered, the trip was going quite well. Not a single Garsalan attack, so far, and he was advancing toward the city quite quickly. It was about an hour before he reached Mount Ontake, the site of Shinkyo. The city was not visible, save for what looked like hangar doors at the base of the mountain. There as a safeguard for the Emperor, and the other central members of the government, the city was simply a large cavern dug into the mountain¡¯s base, built-in layers as the city was expanded through burrowing further underground. The city was safe, or, relatively, considering the Garsalan seemed to ignore it. Even if they hadn¡¯t, the network of defensive guns, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft, spread throughout the miles of land around it, would prove to at least provide some defense.


    Those very same defensive guns soon began to move, following an unidentified machine loomed above. In the command room, tens of eyes fell upon the camera feed, and the room had gone silent.


    ¡°Is it another Garsalan Vanguard Armor?¡±


    The gazes of those in the room went to the man who spoke, a man with a balding head, wearing a black suit. A white-haired woman, sitting in front of him, stood, turning on her heel.


    ¡°I doubt it, sir, it hasn¡¯t attacked any of our forces¡­¡±


    ¡°Then do we know who it came from?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking through our databases and trying to find out its origin, but nothing so far.¡±


    Another one of his subordinates stepped forward.


    ¡°Sir, I was looking through footage from Neo Tokyo, and this machine was seen battling the Garsalan. So unless anything¡¯s changed, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s hostile¡­¡±


    Just then, a chime sounded from one of their terminals, catching the attention of those in the room.


    ¡°Whoever¡¯s inside is requesting entry. Do we let them in?¡±


    The commander put his hand on his chin, as he debated his course of action. As anybody who¡¯d survived the first war, like him, had learned, one could never take too much caution with a Garsalan. He began to nod as the gears turned in his head. Until he began to lean back into his chair.


    ¡°Yes, but I want a squad on the hangar bay in case we have to apprehend the pilot. Make sure General Watanabe hears about this.¡±


    Within the cockpit, a message of acceptance popped up on the display, as well as directions. Simple enough for him to understand. His machine swarved to the right as he took notice of metal doors that began to slide away from each other, revealing a landing pad, surrounded by armored soldiers, their faces covered by the visors from their helmets. Rifles slung over their shoulders. Something he took notice of, but, decidedly ignored. His machine soon landed, as the hum of his engines stopped. And soon, the Gao stood there unmoving, as the pilot within began to rotate his seat, looking around at the area around him. He soon took notice of the skyscraper-laden cavern, as well as the crowd of people that stood just outside of the landing pad, watching the machine from the city''s roads. A mix of people military, and civilian alike. Then, he finally looked back at the soldiers at the base of the machine.


    ¡°So¡­ This is the welcoming committee, Bit rude, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    His fingers glided over the OS display once more, as he tapped one of the many buttons. Leading to the cockpit popping open.  He stood up, walking to the edge, and climbing down a rope ladder that was deployed soon afterward. His appearance, his youthfulness, caught the people around him by surprise, given the change in their expressions.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Wait, It isn¡¯t a Garsalan..?!¡± A soldier mumbled


    Takeshi¡¯s feet touched the ground, and he turned his gaze toward the one to speak.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have four arms and a horn, what do you think?¡±


    He went silent at this, as it wasn¡¯t as if he were wrong. Though, from there, nothing was said, as they began to question how to approach the situation. Now, the whole landing pad was silent. Though that was about to change, wading through the crowd of civilians, drawing annoyed grunts and words, which went ignored, was a young woman.


    ¡°Well if he isn¡¯t a Garsalan, then what¡¯s the problem with me going to inspect it!¡±


    The soldiers and Takeshi alike did not take notice of the approaching woman, even as her steps clanked on the metal path beneath her. Until, a girl with dark blue, nearly black hair, that was just short of touching her shoulder. Stepped onto the platform where the Gaojinizer stood. She soon grasped the goggles wrapped around her neck, as well as one of the tools that lay on her belt, as she began to step toward the machine. Stopping a few feet away, as her yellow orbs moved with her head, as she began to look up at the machine¡¯s head. Soon after, she began to move around it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this type of thruster before... I¡¯m not detecting any Covalons, And this doesn''t look like any type of armor I''ve seen.¡±


    As she spoke, she caught the gaze of the soldiers there, and, soon after Takeshi.


    ¡°...What does she think she¡¯s doing, sniffing around my machine?¡±


    Soon, he turned on his heel and began walking toward her.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    However, his words fell on deaf ears, whether she was ignoring him, or just didn¡¯t notice. A frown came onto his face as he increased his speed.


    ¡°OI!¡±


    This snapped her out of her stupor. She stopped walking, and slowly turned her gaze to the young man. The look on her face, however, was unamused at best. There was a clear amount of contempt, not happy about being interrupted.


    ¡°What do YOU want?¡± She asked.


    ¡°For you to stop tryin¡¯ to shove your nose where it doesn''t belong, that there is my VA!¡±


    She went silent at this. She turned back to the machine and soon glanced back at him. To the machine once again, and then, back to Takeshi. Before, she scoffed.


    ¡°You expect me to believe someone like you built this?¡±


    He frowned, stepping toward her once again, stopping a few feet away from her.


    ¡°And What is THAT supposed to mean?¡±


    She stepped forward as well, her face eventually drifting closer to his.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Now, sparks seemed to fly between them as they stared into each other''s eyes. In the end, nobody seemed to care enough to stop them. Even as they began to continue their exchange of words.


    ¡°I found it, I piloted it, so it¡¯s mine!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works!¡± She responded.


    ¡°Alright, then how does it?!¡±


    The two simply continued, unaware of another walking onto the path that led to the platform. A man with a shaved head, wearing the black officer uniform that was the standard within the Japanese Forces. Though most notable were the few medals that adorned his uniform, and his large stature, towering over those around him. His expression remained blank, even as the view of the two, as he saw it, children arguing.


    ¡°Ota, Enough, you can squabble with him later, I have an important message for him.¡±


    Just then, the woman, Ota, went silent, as she turned her gaze to the man who continued his approach, as did Takeshi. Soon after, Ota promptly straightened up, saluting.


    ¡°Colonel Ryo!¡±


    He waved her off.


    ¡°Calm down with the formalities, it isn¡¯t as if you¡¯re in the forces.¡±


    As Ryo continued his approach, the two stepped away from one another, averting their gazes as well... They were less than willing to continue, it seemed. But, to be assured that they didn¡¯t,/ Ryo stopped between them.


    ¡°You, you¡¯re the one who piloted this machine, right?¡±


    Takeshi nodded.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°In that case, come with me. General Watanabe wants to speak with you.¡±


    Takeshi raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    Ota¡¯s expression became one of confusion as she turned her gaze toward him once more.


    ¡°How do you not know who General Watanabe is? He¡¯s one of the UFE¡¯s highest-ranking officers!¡±


    Takeshi¡¯s gaze went back to her.


    ¡°Why should I care¡­ Whoever leads the military ain''t on my priority list.¡±


    He turned on his heel, beginning his ascent up the path that led to the landing pad.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you up on that, show me where I can find this Watanabe guy.¡±


    Ryo wordlessly began following him, all the while Ota stood, watching them leave. Until she took note of something, she was alone, bar the soldiers, and they didn¡¯t seem to care. Meaning¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep studying this thing. Ota Kyouko doesn''t let anything stop her research!¡±


    Soon, she began dashing around the machine with vigor, something that was noticed, met with more than a few stares.


    ¡°That girl...Certainly has energy to spare.¡±


    ¡°She always was like this, huh..¡±


    Elsewhere, Takeshi and Ryo made their way through the crowd, many of which began to clear a path as Ryo¡¯s gaze moved around. As they cleared the crowd, they began to walk down the sidewalk lining the city¡¯s streets. Though, there was silence between them.  After all, a teenager and some colonel in his 40s didn¡¯t have much to talk about. Ryo put his hand on his chin as he glanced at the boy, perhaps he could probe him for information. Hopefully, he wasn¡¯t TOO insistent on keeping things to himself. But given what he saw earlier, one could only think that he was.


    ¡°So, you wanna explain to me how a kid like you gets his hands on a vanguard armor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no kid¡­ I turn 17 this year.¡±


    Ryo turned forward as he spoke.


    ¡°Sounds like a kid to me.¡±


    Though Takeshi opened his mouth to speak, he decided to ignore the man¡¯s words, closing it. Normally, he would¡¯ve returned such an insult, but he had bigger fish to fry. As such, there were no words, as the two gave way to the sounds of the bustling city around them. The scattered conversations, the sound of cars zooming by on the roads. As Takeshi¡¯s gaze flew around, memories began to flow through his head¡­ Though it was rare that he and his friends went outside of the lower districts, the times he did go, he remembered them vividly. As he continued to look around, the similarities to his former home only became more clear to him.


    How could he feel as powerless as he did with what he¡¯d uncovered? That was a mystery to him.


    However, he was soon snapped out of his stupor, with two words.


    ¡°We¡¯re here¡­¡± Ryo proclaimed.


    Takeshi turned his gaze toward Ryo, and then, to his left, where a skyscraper, constructed of steel and glass that cast its shadow over the streets below. It dwarfed most of the other spires in the city, save for a few on the other side of the cavern. What he took note of after that, was the UFE¡¯s emblem, a golden, flat replica of earth¡¯s globe at the base, seven stars below it, and above the glove was at the base, 5 stars were at the very bottom, and, above the globe, was a phoenix, earth within the grasp of its talons.


    ¡°Welcome to the Japan Branch HQ.¡±


    As the man spoke, Takeshi glanced at him. Watching as he began to make his way inside, before following shortly. As they got near, the glass doors parted, Revealing a high-ceiling room. Silently, the colonel began to glance around, searching for the one who¡¯d given him his orders. His gaze went from the reception desk to the enlistment station, and then, to the many chairs that lined the center of the room. It was then that he saw a gray-haired man, with his hair having since retreated from the front of his head. Age clearly hadn¡¯t been so nice to him, given the wrinkles that covered his face. Adorned in the black uniform typical of one of the Japan Branch¡¯s higher officers. Though, the three-star insignia on his chest distinguished him from the rank and file.


    ¡°There he is.¡±


    Takeshi glanced at the Colonel as he spoke, and then, he turned his gaze forward as he took note of the General. He began his approach, as did his escort.


    ¡°General Watanabe, We¡¯ve got him.¡±


    Watanabe perked up at the mention of his name, his gaze went from the floor to the approaching duo. His expression was neutral at first, but, as he took note of the boy beside it, it became one of confusion. We¡¯ve got him? If that was the case, where was he? He couldn¡¯t possibly mean that one¡­ He was about to question it, until Ryo put his hand on the youth, something that made him recoil, moving away from him. Just as he feared, yet another young pilot. They were already scraping the bottom of the barrel for troops as it was, and now they had to rely on a pilot this young for their prototypes? Where was the original? He sighed at this development, before standing. As they got within a few feet of him, he finally responded.


    ¡°So, You¡¯re the one who found the Gaojinizer¡­ Certainly have a lot of questions for you, but it wouldn¡¯t be good to ask them here. Follow me.¡±


    The general turned on his heel and began to walk away from them, and his subordinate soon followed... A frown began to form on Takeshi¡¯s face.


    ¡°I came here for a quick stop, and here I am getting dragged across the city... We¡¯d better be through quick¡±


    The three made their way further into the building, with many of those within saluting as the three walked by. Something neither of the officers acknowledged, continuing silently to an elevator at the center of the room. Watanabe was the first to enter, pushing the button for the top floor, as Takeshi and Ryo followed. The elevator began its rapid ascent. Shooting up to the building¡¯s top floors. With a chime, the doors opened, and the three found themselves in a well-lit office, it was lightly decorated, Watanabe never having had much interest in such things. At the opposite end of the room, sat a desk with a holographic terminal on the desktop. And behind it, was a window that gave them a view of the surrounding city. Watanabe began exiting the elevator shortly after, soon followed by the two. Watanabe sat behind the desk, Ryo decidedly sat in one of the chairs, while Takeshi stood in front.


    ¡°Alright... I just want to know, why did you need to talk to me?¡± Takeshi asked.


    Watanabe put his elbows on the desk, interlocking his fingers as he slouched forward.


    ¡°That machine, What else? That thing you have there is a Classified prototype... Part of what we call the ¡®Machina Project¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Machina Project?¡±


    Watanabe nodded.


    ¡°The only way we¡¯re going to recover from the invasion is if we get those roaches off of Earth¡­ As we¡¯ve seen already, our conventional weapons aren¡¯t enough. That is why machines like your Gaojinizer were made. Powered by the force of the mind, Aether, its discoverer named it¡­ At the least, that¡¯s what we believe it is, it¡¯s been unclear.¡±


    Takeshi raised an eyebrow as he heard this statement. Force of the mind, what the hell was this guy talking about? Had he gone off the deep end? Watanabe took notice of the skeptical expression on the boy¡¯s face but decided to continue regardless.


    ¡°Either way, we Haven¡¯t seen that Machine since Professor Okita disappeared... How did you find it.¡±


    Takeshi soon began pacing around the room, looking out of the floor¡¯s window as he did.


    ¡°I was on the street when the Garsalan dropped in. Had to escape into the sewers, found it in a chamber down there.¡±


    ¡°A sewer, huh¡­ How did we lose it when it was right under our noses the whole time.¡±


    Takeshi began to turn to the source, the Colonel, and soon, with those words, he began to frown¡­ Now, some confusion, if not, a bit of anger began to brew in his mind. Just how DID they manage to lose it, was this force so ineffective that they couldn¡¯t find that much? A bunch of roaches manage to hit a city that large with no defense battling them?


    ¡­


    Now, his visage twisted into a grimace.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask that question myself¡­ How do you military guys keep letting the Garsalan jump onto the earth, stay in orbit?¡±


    A frown grew on Ryo¡¯s face, a result of his words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see you trying to keep the globe safe, as WELL as whatever colonies of ours haven¡¯t been knocked out of orbit or turned into scrap... I don¡¯t believe you should be criticizing people on matters you know nothing about.¡±


    ¡°The only reason I don¡¯t know is because I haven¡¯t started yet. And that¡¯s changin¡¯ real soon¡­ I¡¯m going to go take them on myself.¡±


    With his proclamation made, he turned on his heel, beginning to make his way out of the room... And, as he did, the annoyance of another within the room began to grow, who did this kid think he was? Now, he began to step forward.


    ¡°You¡¯re a rookie pilot fighting by yourself... You didn¡¯t even know that machine of yours had an Intertial Canceller¡­ You think you¡¯re some Hawk of Ceres just because you took out three ships?!¡±


    This made him stop in his tracks¡­ For some time he went silent, considering his words. But, even then, he began walking away once more.


    ¡°Either way, I have the power of the Gaojinizer¡­ I will win.¡±


    Watanabe stood soon after, parting his lips to speak.


    ¡°Hold it right there. If you want to fight so much, then why not do it with a better chance of victory. That machine you have there is one of the most advanced weapons we have, our best chance at victory. In the end, we can¡¯t remove you.  If it works like the other¡¯s, it can only work with its recognized pilot.¡±


    Takeshi stopped once again. He began to mull over his plans again. He wasn¡¯t fond of either of the two, but at the least, Watanabe spoke his language. Enough that he began to consider his suggestion. While getting tacked onto the military wasn¡¯t his preferred choice, it could end up helping him in the future. For a few more minutes, he stood still, as the room fell into silence. Eventually, however, he finally spoke.


    ¡°Alright... I¡¯ll join.¡±


    Watanabe Nodded.


    ¡°Alright, Good¡­ At Least now we won¡¯t have a rogue pilot on our hands. Didn¡¯t even have to detain him.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have you on a ship to Wonj-¡±


    Watanabe¡¯s words were cut off, as a shrill alarm sound began to reverberate through the room. And soon, through the city around them. A familiar sound, no doubt, one that made Takeshi begin a dash out of the office. After all, it was clear to him what the alarm meant.


    ¡°That can only mean the Garsalan have found this place¡­¡±


    He clenched his fists, his blood boiling, as his seething anger began to surface, even more so than before. As it came back to him once more, the memories of what happened...  and the thoughts of what could very well happen if they broke through.


    ¡°No¡­ This won¡¯t be like Neo-Tokyo!¡±


    ¡­


    Background Dossier-


    James Jackson- Hawk of Ceres.


    With the Existence of Vanguard Armors having been a reality for over 150 years, there is no doubt that with them came legendary pilots. James Jackson was one of said pilots. A United States pilot before first contact.  Gaining Notoriety in the war between the Global Defense League, and the United Workers Alliance from 2006-2012. He was notable for his high speed maneuvers, and physical resistance. He most commonly fought in space, but occasionally came earthside. Had a total of 230 VA kills, as well as destroying 20 warships throughout the whole of his career.

 Stage 4- The Beast Of Iso

    The sirens continued to blare through Shinkyo... Here he was, not even a day after his first fight with the Gaojinizer. And he already got another chance? If there were gods¡­ They sure were blessing him. Takeshi dashed through the halls of Japan branch HQ, knocking people away, and off their feet as he did so. Something that didn¡¯t exactly go over well.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡±


    ¡°What are you even doing in here?!¡±


    To this, he had no response. He was focused on one thing, and one thing only. He charged through the halls with hyperfocus, moreso, as he came across his target, the elevator. His legs sped up under him, as he came toward it, entering, and slamming the button for the first floor.


    ¡°I need to get over there quickly¡­ It¡¯s a good thing that I wasn¡¯t too far away.¡±


    He continued to drop from floor to floor. And despite the quickness of the elevator, it felt like he was there for hours. Was he excited to get into battle? Anxious for the city''s safety? Something else entirely? That much, he himself didn¡¯t even know. Perhaps a mix of the three. Either way, he did not dwell on this for long, as he finally reached the ground floor, and quickly made his way through the building¡¯s lobby. The retracing of his steps followed, blocking out the panicked screams that echoed through the city, until he reached the pad he landed the Gaojinzer on. He found that, still standing there, was Kyouko. The brown-headed girl who¡¯d annoyed him beforehand, still walking around his machine, hooking up and removing wires. A quick attempt to gain  any data she could.  That much didn¡¯t matter, not to him.


    Apparently, his dash didn¡¯t go unnoticed, as the woman heard the rapid clanging of his feet on the metal below them. Her attention shot toward him as he approached, she took note of the determination on his face. But that much would only make sure she got what she needed. She unhooked her wires, shoving the tablet onto the tool-bet on her side. Watching the boy¡¯s approach. Until he got within a few feet of her, and she clamped her hand over his shoulder. Something that made his gaze shoot back to her.


    ¡°You again, What is it now?!¡± Takeshi Questioned.


    ¡°Are you going to go fight those Garsalan?¡±


    ¡°What do you think! I¡¯m running to the Gao, Aren¡¯t I?¡±


    As he began to run off again, she followed, something he took note of, as the wire from his cockpit descended. Turning to face her, as he gripped it within his hand.


    ¡°In that case, let me come with you! I need to get completed data on how that thing works.¡± She responded.


    What an annoyance¡­ She was still trying to poke around? Were his earlier words not enough? If so,  it looked like he needed to try again.


    ¡°No. You¡¯d only get in my way!¡± Takeshi responded. He said nothing else as his cockpit opened, and he made his way in, the wire retracting soon after. His words put a frown on her face.


    ¡°If he thought that was enough to get rid of me, he has the wrong idea!¡±


    She was an established engineer! There was no way she would let this chance pass her by¡­ This thought continued, even as the thrusters on the Gaojinizer¡¯s back lit up, with a red glow surrounding them. followed by high winds kicked up, her brown locks weaving in the air as a result.  With the engine humming, and the machine levitating. No sooner did it shoot off into battle, while she watched all the while.


    If that avenue was closed, she would simply have to find another, it was that simple. Her eyes began moving across the city, until she recalled something.


    ¡°The boneyard¡­ I could get a fighter, even if it''s decommissioned, It¡¯s likely to still work.¡±


    Now, Kyouko left as well, apparently, to act on her words.


    Away from the city, flying over the verdant forests typical of the region, there was a ship, significantly smaller than the cruisers that were above Neo-Tokyo, though, still casting a shadow underneath. Though there was a lack of distinct markings, the overall shape of the ship told it¡¯s origin, Garsalan. In the center of the room, there lay a small bridge, filled with the ship¡¯s officers.


    But, most notable, was the one who sat in a seat in the very center, a Holographic map in front of him. His chitin was a mix of earth colors, Green and Dark browns. A form of camouflage used by their ancestors.


    ¡°L¡¯fles Bas, Wa''ya nairsuyasan e Tassel Saddranald, aid raanr dhairr''ya cafd aid hainnal waidhail dhair nuildeail."- " Bas L¡¯fles, We''ve discovered a Terran Settlement, it seems they''ve kept it hidden within this mountain."


    L¡¯fles Zu Jago, a Garsalan holding the title of Bas. Administrating a settlement far from their current location. Though his position was at the back of his mind right now, The one he left in charge was competent enough to govern in the meanwhile. His mind was instead on the mission he had received, and the enemy that was now in front of him. The words from his subordinate certainly caught his attention.


    "Ir dhed ru..." (¡°Is that so¡­?¡±) The Bas mumbled, Gaining an affirmative chitter and nod from the same officer.


    "Yar. Il ennaidaiul, wa''ya erru raal e rairhuiadda ull dha neshaila llsun dhed saidirr, dha rena wa sena hasa du arainaileda."("Yes. In addition, we''ve also seen a silhouette of the machine from that city, the same we came here to eliminate.")


    So that¡¯s how it was¡­. Two targets at once. The Machine would be more than enough, but the city behind it was icing on the cake. The course of action here was simple.


    ¡°Leilsh Osfaider Dasainedusr. Wa''sa faraillailr uis erreird.¡± (¡°Launch Orbital Decimators. We''re beginning our assault.¡±)


    Upon his orders, within the ship¡¯s hangar bays, the ship¡¯s mechanics rushed to the humanoid machine¡¯s that made up the backbone of the Garsalan¡¯s forces. Though, unlike their human equivalents, they had six limbs. Two sub-arms coming from the machines¡¯ torso. Something that served to show some difference from their human counterparts. If it wasn¡¯t that, it was their somewhat smaller size, a result of the more efficient reactors. Which, of course, was not visible. With the midnight blue, and dark gray armor keeping it hidden. These machines were members of the Garsalan¡¯s AMX-23 S¡¯Fan mass production line.


    Though a bit outdated compared to what the fleet in the systems deemed to have more importance would have, having not been overhauled in years, it was more than enough for a task like this. With his orders given, it did not take long for him to rise from his seat. Making his way out of the bridge, the blast doors parting as he exited.


    ¡°Pashefr¡­I Shuirn fesdaisaifeda nirrrarll. Lad¡¯r raa whed dhair Tassel fairud her du ullllas.¡±(¡°Perhaps¡­I Should participate myself. Let¡¯s see what this Terran pilot has to offer.¡±)


    Eventually, the sight of the ship became somewhat visible on Takeshi¡¯s display. He¡¯d seen many ships before, given where he lived. But this one didn¡¯t resemble something he¡¯d expect from any group on earth. In fact, he almost immediately recognized the resemblance to his enemy.


    ¡°Alright.. That must be them. It¡¯s time to kick some ass!!¡± He yelled, promptly beginning a quick flight toward the Garsalan Ship. No sooner did the earlier machines drop from the ship¡¯s hangar, shooting through the sky to meet his charge.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Dul¡¯d rad dha fsainaidaiya dhsuirh, Shuud hain nuwl!¡±(-¡°Don¡¯t let the primitive through, Shoot him down!¡±-)


    The words were soon followed by the machines drawing scaled up rifles, which soon sent forth beams of red light. But seemingly, this was nowhere near enough, with the Gaojinizer twisting through the air, much quicker than before¡­ It certainly helped that the pilot¡¯s body wasn¡¯t being nearly torn apart by the maneuvers. Takeshi was quick to return the favor, bursts of beam fire streaming from the comet pulse cannon¡¯s barrels. One unlucky machine finding itself torn apart by the force of the shots. Something that prompted the rest of the squad to break up.


    ¡°Denl. Thed¡¯r ula ull ir nuwl!¡±(¡°Damn. That¡¯s one of us down!¡±)


    ¡°Thaais waefulr heya layas faal efra du rssedsh uis esnus, rad erula nardsuirr uis Meshailar¡­¡± (¡°Their weapons have never been able to scratch our armor, let alone destroy our Machines¡­¡±)


    The conversation was soon cut off, as Takeshi let out a war cry that echoed outside of the Gaojinizer, followed by the machine''s scythe being drawn from its side. And a charge at one of the Garsalan, as he drew it back, swiping as he got one of the enemies¡¯ machines in his stirling range. But his strike only left a chip in it¡¯s armor, as it drew back just in time. No sooner did it aim it''s rifle, taking shots at the Gaojinizer. Only for the machine to move out of the way, swiftly maneuvering out of the view of the S¡¯Fan¡¯s main camera.


    Now, Takeshi closed in from behind, ready to take a swipe down  on the machine¡¯s back. But his attack was cut off, as he was quickly knocked away by another. One distinct from the others, by the way of it¡¯s purple-colored armor.


    ¡°Arsairhd,Crura ail ul hain, err naisasdaiulr!¡± (¡°Alright,Close in on him, all directions!¡±)


    As per L¡¯fles¡¯ orders, they began to close in on the pilot, weaving through the air like a virtual typhoon , firing bursts of beam fire that crashed into the machine¡¯s armor. Shaking the cockpit, and leaving some chips in the armor. Putting an end to his temporary triumph.


    ¡°Danm!¡± Takeshi exclaimed through his gritted teeth. He would soon begin a descent, attempting to remove himself from the firing zone. Something he succeeded in. The youth¡¯s eyes began flying across hsi display, observing the situation around him. He was outnumbered, but he faced worse odds earlier, this was nothing that he couldn¡¯t hand-


    His thought process was soon interrupted, as a warning chime, originating from his OS, broke his focus.


    ¡°More roaches?¡± He mumbled.


    His question was soon answered, as he was hailed by what looked to be another Human craft. He was quick to answer, only for his eyes to widen in surprise  as he took note of the face that appeared on the display. The youthful face of Kyouko. It was only then that he saw the small fighter zip across the sky, just below him, and behind the enemy machines.


    ¡°Oi, OI, What do you think you¡¯re doing here?!¡± He yelled.


    ¡°What do YOU think i''m doing?! I¡¯m here to gather data, Obviously! I decided to take matters into my own h-¡±


    She was cut off, as a beam nearly cut into her cockpit, a direct result of one of the Garsalan machines taking a shot at her. Even if she was not killed, she could definitely feel the rapid build of heat. Apparently, whatever countermeasures to that kind of weaponry had worn out over the years. The attack was promptly followed by the source of the attack flying at her, the light streaming from it¡¯s thrusters intensifying.


    ¡°Bas, Id ruucr raica dha Tassel her fsuirhd e llairhdas llus riffusd. I''rr helnra aid!"( ¡°Bas, It looks like the Terran has brought a fighter for support. I''ll handle it!")


    Now, she began making evasive maneuvers, or, at the least, her attempts at them. The limits of both her piloting, and the aircraft itself becoming clear.


    ¡°Just keep fighting!¡± She continued


    Takeshi tsked at this, before his attention was promptly brought forward once more, as the purple armored-machine charged at him, withdrawing what looked to be a solid metal longsword from its side. Modeled after a weapon from the Garsalan homeworld. As he got within range, he proceeded to swipe down on the Gaojinizer, only stopped by the pilot¡¯s quick response, placing the blade of his scythe in the blade¡¯s path, and stopping it there. Sparks flew, as the metal hummed from the impact. The enemy commander quickly drew back, before swinging at the Gaojinizer with his blade once more, at the manipulator holding the scythe. His intent, to sever it. Though the blade did not cut through, it left a chip in the machine¡¯s armor.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy!¡± Takeshi yelled, before backing up once more, firing a volley of beams at his opponent, only for the Gaojinzier to be hit by a shot from the other enemies, throwing off his aim. His gaze flew to them,but he was stopped from attacking them, by the Bas closing in once more, a flourish of strikes from his blade followed. Takeshi had to act quickly, rapidly swinging the scythe in response. They maneuvered around each other''s strikes, their blades continually crashing between them. At the least, until Takeshi decided to break the deadlock.


    He decidedly ascended, swiftly, at that. A boom echoing through the area around them. He was about 100 feet over the enemy armors, and when he got to that point, it was only then that he began descending on him, firing the comet pulse cannon once again. Now, they began to draw back, with the exception of one. Who¡¯d taken note of the fighter, closing in for an attack! His diverted attention proved to be deadly, as the shots tore through his machine¡¯s armor. The thrusters on its back detonated, leaving it destroyed. Much to the anger of his comrades. This was especially evident with the one within the cockpit of the S¡¯fan, the one closest to the husk of the machine. Her mandibles writhed emitting a low chittering noise. A sign of rage. This was soon followed by her aim being trained onto the fighter.


    ¡°Maas!!! Denl Yui, Tassel!¡± (¡°Maas!!! Damn You, Terran!¡±)


    Takeshi observed this from above, taking note of the machine¡¯s destruction¡­ And then, the aiming of the Garsalan gun, right toward the annoying Girl¡¯s fighter. As he observed this, time seemed to slow down, well aware of what the result would be. The same could be said for Kyouko herself, staring down the barrel of the gun, and rushing to push the eject button. Thankfully, just a few moments before she fired. Meanwhile, Takeshi began closing in. As if it were instinct, he rushed to her defense. This confused him. Why would he care what happened to HER?


    Even so, he was already on the path, the woman flew out of the cockpit, as the canopy opened, with Takeshi promptly opening his cockpit, catching her in his arms as she flew above. His hands on her back, and the middle of her legs respectively. He would swiftly close the cockpit, unwilling to be hit by any attack, directly, at least. Under the Gaojinizer the fighter exploded, Unsurprisingly, not able to handle the attack. It did not take long for Takeshi to drop her onto the cockpit¡¯s floor, something met with a frown.


    ¡°Ow¡­Is that any way to treat a Beautiful young woman?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Shut up.. You already distracted me more than enough!¡± He answered, before he began closing in on the enemies once more.


    ¡°Maybe if you actually knew how to pilot this thing..¡± She mumbled, low enough that he didn¡¯t hear. Unbeknownst to the fighters there, another ship began to approach from above. An exceptionally large one, at that. Outsizing the cruisers that appeared over Neo-Tokyo. It did not take long for Bas L¡¯fles to receive a message, requesting an opened line. He did so, as his subordinates resumed their battle with the Gaojinizer. Appearing on the screen was A garsalan, with a gray chitin. Much of it was marked with Red lines, which were apparently birthmarks. One that identified his identity to the Bas almost immediately.


    ¡°Su¡¯Zesh Iso¡­ Whed esa irrui nuailr ail nirr feddra esae?¡±(¡°Su¡¯Zesh Iso¡­ What are you doing in my battle area?¡±)


    The question was answered by a deepened voice, coming from the being.


    ¡°Yui rhuirn cluw wiaida warr¡­ Wa esa hasa du dard eludhas ula ull uis ssaedaiulr."(¡°You should know quite well¡­ We are here to test another one of our creations.¡±)


    This wasn¡¯t something that L¡¯fles seemed happy about. Especially given the dangerous edge in his tone, as he spoke out once more.


    ¡°I dhailc lud¡­ Thair Tassel neshaila air nirr Xe¡¯les eln naila erula¡­¡±¡°I think not¡­ This terran machine is my Xe¡¯les and mine alone¡­¡±


    It went without saying that the Bas had no limited amount of distaste for the Iso Family. They sat in their labs, making their abominations and did almost nothing to help in their conquests. And now one of them had the gall to try to get him away from his target? A sign of disrespect, as he saw it. However, this was only met by a chuckle from Su¡¯zesh.


    ¡°"I nul''d dhailc ru... I heya naisasd usnasr llsun Zu Meni Fi¡¯gas hainrarll... Ulrarr irrui''sa reirrailr irrui sel lareda usnasr llsun dha hairhas rusnr, ai rirrard irrui rdaf fesc.¡±(-"I don''t think so... I have direct orders from Zu Meni Fi''Gas himself... Unless you''re saying you can negate orders from the higher lords, I suggest you step back. -)


    The Bas¡¯ Mandibles let out a chittering once more, as he began to draw back, changing his radio channels, to that of his group.


    ¡°"Barail Pirrailr fesc. Tha Iso wairr helnra aid llsun hasa."("Begin Pulling back. The Iso will handle it from here.")


    This surprised his troops. When did the Iso get here, Why was he letting them handle it?! What of their fallen comrades? These questions that ran through their head, were soon asked out loud, by one of the pilots, yelling out.


    ¡°Su whed, Wa shird rad dhan naia ail Veail? Wa sel¡¯d rad dhed Tassel-¡±(¡°So what, We just let them die in Vain? We can¡¯t let that Terran-¡±)


    His words were interrupted, as L¡¯fles spoke out. ¡°I won¡¯t have any insubordination¡­ This was a direct order from The Fi¡¯Gas himself. There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±


    This much silenced any response from the squad members, who promptly began to pull away. Something Takeshi took note of, a confused expression made its way onto both his, and Kyoko¡¯s face.


    ¡°What? Where are they going?¡± Kyoko mumbled.


    Though he said nothing, Takeshi would question this within his head as well. Watching as they retreated to their ship¡­ But, something changed, as he and Kyouko alike heard the Alarm ping, followed by the area around them obscured by a shadow¡­ Takeshi¡¯s gaze flew around, as he tried to find anyone who¡¯d popped up. But found nothing, until he looked up. It was only then that he saw a downright gigantic ship, covered in red armored plates, cutting through the clouds as it descended.


    ¡°More Garsalan¡­¡± He noted.


    Within the ship, the one at the head of the vessel, there lay a harshly lit Cargo bay, one that held a certain weapon. Su¡¯zesh, paced around on steel catwalks, welded onto the ship¡¯s frame. looking at the gigantic tank, filled with a green liquid. As well as a solid mass at the center. A beast that almost appeared to be a grotesque mix of reptilian, and Insect-like, sat within the tube. Two downright gigantic wings, though folded, were visible as well. The male was silent as he took a look at his creation. A culmination of their biotechnology development. Though he had nothing but contempt for that species¡­ He would admit that what they salvaged from them was useful. Eventually, however, he turned on his heel, beginning to walk, his feet clanging on the metal. Soon followed by him giving orders through his microphone.


    ¡°Raraera aid¡­ Lad ir raa huw aid nuar.¡± (¡°Release it¡­ Let us see how it does.¡±)


    On his orders, large bubbles, the smallest of which, were the size of a human, began to form within. The liquid was roused, as movement began. The giant being¡¯s brain came to a crawl, as its eyelids parted, revealing slit eyelids. No sooner, did the bay door part below the capsule. With the supports that kept it in place, unclamping. Allowing for it to plummet. It¡¯s appearance did not go unnoticed. The UFE¡¯s forces that had apparently arrived to support the attack, as well as Takeshi himself watched, as the beast spread its wings, destroying the transparent outer-casing, and sending a tidal wave of verdant liquid onto the sky¡­ The Soldiers on the ground watched this with widened eyes, they¡¯d seen this thing before.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Kaiju¡­¡± One stated, his mouth Agape.


    ¡°This can¡¯t end well.¡± Another added.


    Within the cockpit of the Gaojinizer, the response was no different¡­ Takeshi¡¯s eyes widened as he took note of the being. But, the surprise on his visage quickly changed, as he took note of something.


    ¡°After¡­ All these years.¡±


    The boy¡¯s words were shaky. As he seemed to shake with rage, something that Kyoko took note of. She moved her gaze from the display that lay in front of them, to the pilot¡¯s face. Which had clearly darkened. He frowned, as his eyes narrowed, and his brows arched. As she saw this, she had but one question. What prompted this change of demeanor? She parted her lips, ready to question this, but was cut off, as the machine shot toward the beast, with Takeshi Yelling out..


    ¡°I¡¯LL MAKE YOU PAY!!¡±


    To Be Continued


    Xe¡¯les(Noun)


    Garalan Term used to describe one¡¯s personal target. An enemy they consider worthy

 Stage 5 - The Battle Continued

    Stage 5- The Battle Continued


    ¡­


    2083 AD, Nagano


    In the years following the First Garsalan War, the earth began to recover from the attacks. Though, this much was held back by the constant raids the Garsalan had executed. As such, the fear of an attack was always there. Though, this didn¡¯t seem to be the case in the city known as Nagano. Which, though the largest in that region of japan, was comparatively much smaller. Even so, the soldiers who lived there stood at the ready for an attack, while the citizens went on with their daily lives. It was no different for the Inoue family. A small family of three members, living in an apartment in the southern parts of the city.


    A young Takeshi Inoue found himself walking down the streets of Downtown Nagano, walking along the sidewalk, with cars speeding across the road to his right. An older man with a head of brown hair, as well as a mustache standing to his left. And a woman with a head of blue hair to his right. At that time, they made their way to a local fair, one that he¡¯d been hoping to go to for some time now. He could already see the downright gigantic roller coasters in the distance. The excitement was visible, something both parents noted, and smiled about. Of course, as much as they loved their son, they¡¯d do what it takes to make him happy. It looked to be another normal day. Where they could attempt to act like a certain threat wasn¡¯t looming above them¡­ But, that was not the case for long. Not for them, nor for the other people that inhabited the city.


    Takeshi remembered it, as they walked down the sidewalk, an explosion radiated through the center of the city, the force making the buildings crumble into debris. Something that was made known to the young boy, not only by the sound, but by the rapidly rising plume of smoke. Though he knew not what happened, his parents did. And it did not take long for his father to scoop him up in his arms, as he began to dash in the opposite direction, along with his mother. Even more so as an ear piercing alarm radiated through the city. A telltale sign of what the cause of the explosion was. The dreaded Garsalan had arrived.


    At this point, his memory began to become less clear. The most he remembered was some beast looming above them. Followed by his father being knocked over by a shockwave, and himself knocked unconscious¡­ When he gained his sight once more, he hadn¡¯t known how long it¡¯d been. But, given what he saw, that was the least of Takeshi¡¯s worries. Especially as he saw the city he¡¯d called home turned into a Smoldering ruin, and his mother laying on top of him¡­ A gaping hole in her chest. A sight made bile rise in his throat. Especially as he noted that he was uninjured, and that the blood on his outfit was not his own. Stuck somewhere between disgust, and sorrow at his current situation. Tears welled in his eyes, as they fell like raindrops. His vision blurred as a result. It took some time for him to even force himself to move from that spot, wiping the tears out of his eyes.


    He¡¯d linger there for quite some time, trying to make heads or tails of what happened here, who was responsible, and what his next course of action would be¡­ At the least, one of those questions was answered, as he saw a squad of Garsalan making their way down the black streets between a line of crumbled buildings. Something that made him quickly dive into some bushes, to avoid detection. Even more so as he witnessed them shooting anybody who they saw. Cleaning up the city of any inhabitants. It was brutal, and to the young boy, the site was harrowing.


    He¡¯d seen the species many times, the aliens who¡¯d killed millions. In school, on tv, everywhere he looked, the Garslaan always seemed to be a subject. Now, he began to see why. It was a much different experience than seeing casualties numbered on a page¡­ Some part of him wanted to rush forward and try to engage them in battle, but it was something he could not act on. His body froze in fear¡­ It may have been pure luck, or negligence on the part of the Garsalan soldiers. But, either way, they did not take note of him. And he clung to life¡­


    Now he found himself faced with the monstrosity that helped the enemy do such a thing to his hometown. It was something he never forgot. His body seemed to radiate anger, as he let out an anger filled yell, Kicking up the Gaojinizer¡¯s thrusters, as he began to charge forward, firing bursts of beam fire from the CPC¡¯s once more. Something that made Kyoko hold onto the chair for dear life. Even so, the beast stood undisturbed by the barrage. It promptly began firing back with attacks of its own. As it opened its gaping maw, red light coalesced within it. Soon followed by a beam of the same color, extremely hot, and packed with force flew toward the Gaojinizer. Accompanied by the beast letting out a loud, ear-piercing screech. Crashing into it, and shaking the machine with it¡¯s force. Something that the pilot within no doubt felt. As his advance was stopped. Takeshi tsked at this.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ This ain¡¯t gonna be easy.¡± Takeshi Mumbled. Much to Kyoukog¡¯s chagrin, giving her expression.


    ¡°Of course it wouldn¡¯t. We¡¯re one machine fighting a Kaiju, and you charged in without a plan. What were you expecting?!¡± She responded. Gaining a glare from Takeshi.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, here¡¯s my plan. Shoot the thing until it stops moving!¡± He promptly made evasive maneuvers, his thrusters moving the Gao to the right, letting the beam careen past him, and smash into the ground, something followed by a shockwave of explosive force, as well as a small fireball. Something that he ignored as he rushed forward, withdrawing his scythe from the Machine¡¯s side, and beginning a charge forward once more, accompanied by a yell. Only for the beast to swiftly move out of the way, ascending. But Takeshi was not willing to let it escape so easily, stopping within moments, before maneuvering his machine, and moving up to follow it. He held the blade in a reverse grip, using the momentum to attempt to break the skin on it¡¯s wing. Only to find himself shot by yet another attack that stopped him in his tracks.


    He grunted in frustration, as he dived some feet, and began to rush toward the wing once more. Firing shots at the beast¡¯s head, in an attempt to disorient it. But despite his efforts, he found that the attacks had the same result as his first volley, none. He tsked, as a beam was fired back at him, one that, when crashed into him, had a much more significant effect. A crack began to form on the Gao¡¯s outer armor, as the cockpit shook violently. The machine forced back by the beam. Something followed by Takeshi and Kyoko smacking their heads on the seats, and walls respectively. Somehow, they managed to get out of that mostly unscathed. Though, both definitely felt the impacts, rubbing their heads. A small bruise having formed on Kyoko¡¯s. But the difference in power was noted by both. Given Kyoko¡¯s inquisitive expression, and Takeshi¡¯s thoughts.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°What the hell just happened? That thing just got way stronger¡­¡±


    Even so, that was not enough to deter him from his previous course of action. He continued his attacks nonetheless, firing more bursts from the cannons, and the beast returned fire, as it began to fly through the air, attempting to close the distance between them. It was then, and only then, that the ground forces began firing upon the beast, sending missiles from the batteries, tipped with small warheads at the beast. Only for it to weave around these, and fire back at them with a beam. Something that they all took note of.


    ¡°Dammit, Pull back!¡± The CO yelled.


    But he was much too late. Having not calculated for the beam¡¯s power, which had seemingly grown once more. Something that made Takeshi quickly pivot the Garslan. As he noted the downright gigantic fireball that was created as a result of the explosion. Much larger than beforehand. This made the gears begin spinning in Kyoko¡¯s head. She was finally getting an idea of what was happening here, something she was quick to voice out. As she saw Takeshi¡¯s finger inch toward the firing button once more, she yelled out.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Something that made him pause, as he glanced over at her.


    ¡°What now?¡± He questioned, the annoyance in his tone clear. She nodded at this much. At least he would hear her out. A surprise, given how abrasive he seemed to be. The girl began speaking once more.


    ¡°Compare the force between that explosion when it hit the ground, and the one that hit earlier. That, and the beams that were hitting us. I don¡¯t know how they did it, but that beast¡­ It seems to be absorbing the energy from the cannon shots.¡± She continued.


    As Takeshi heard this theory, he nodded. Eying the dial that controlled the yield of the Gaojinizer¡¯s beams.


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    He began turning the dial up, the yield increasing, as his hand went toward the firing button once more, something that made her eyes widen.


    ¡°Did you listen to anything I said?! Just calm down and use your-¡±


    ¡°Calm down?! No way! I¡¯m gonna destroy this creature! I aint¡¯ forgotten what it did to my home¡­ I¡¯m not done until this thing dies!¡± Takeshi shouted.


    He promptly continued turning the yield up, as he prepared himself to fire the beam once more. Kyoko found herself groaning at the youth¡¯s stubbornness.


    ¡°You can¡¯t push through everything with brute force!¡±


    Regardless. He pressed the firing button, as the beams coalesced on both of the machine¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna tell you a quote I heard once¡­ If brute force doesn¡¯t work, You aren¡¯t using enough!¡±


    ¡°Are you some kind of idiot-¡±


    She was cut off as the blue bursts of beam fire streamed outward, becoming larger as they extended from the cannons, almost like a cone. About 100 feet in front of the machine, the beams converged, becoming even larger, before they slammed into the beast. No sooner did it begin plummeting to the ground, letting out a screech. This painted a look of surprise onto the face of Su¡¯Zesh Iso. Within a darkened room, filled with screens that displayed the battle around him, the Garsalan sat with clenched fists, one of which he slammed into his display, as he spoke out.


    ¡°Infurraifra, huw air nirr ssaedaiul rurailr du dhed neshaila?!¡±-"Impossible, how is my creation losing to that machine?!¡±


    It enraged him. All the battles it had won, just for it to get destroyed this quickly?! He¡¯d be a laughingstock within the foundation with this! He looked to a screen showing the beast¡¯s vital signs, and, just as he¡¯d expected, they were dropping, quicker and quicker, as the beam began to consume it. Within the Gaojinizer, Takeshi yelled out once more, as the beam¡¯s power seemed to increase. With a faint glow cloaking the machine. He had waited for much too long to let this chance slip through his hands, he had to end this now.


    And, it seemed that he would, as the beam began to break down the Kaiju, its body torn apart, as it seemingly began to disintegrate. The speed of said destruction speeding up as time went on. It took about 10 more seconds, before the beast was no longer there¡­ Within the Garsalan ship, shouted curses echoed out from Su¡¯zesh¡¯s observation room. Something the crew took note of, but said nothing about. Rather, their focus was on making a quick escape, drawing away from the battleground. Their goal being to break into orbit.


    Takeshi watched as the beast was destroyed¡­ A giddy feeling began to radiate within him, his long dead family finally avenged. Or, at least, partly. Though he had killed the beast in front of him, there still remained a much larger threat. The ones who ordered that attack in the first place. The ones who would continue to do attacks like that. Agan, and again, and again, tirelessly¡­ Unless somebody stopped them. And as far as he was concerned, he was going to make sure that person was him. He wasn¡¯t finished, not by a long shot.


    Now, with the beast, and the rest of the enemy gone, he flashed a grin at Kyoko, a surprise to her.


    ¡°Like I said¡­ We just weren¡¯t using enough.¡± He repeated. Something that made Kyoko debate firing back. That working was a surprise to her, no doubt¡­ But that didn¡¯t change what the result may have been if it didn''t. Something the boy didn¡¯t consider, as he pivoted the Gao, and began shooting off back to the capital.


    Unbeknownst to both sides, a certain Bas, watched this with a chuckle. Especially as he noted the temper tantrum that made its way through the comms. Though he only caught certain glimpses, he could feel the seething. He wasn¡¯t fond of primitives. But, he was even less fond of the Iso foundation.


    ***


    Takesi found himself sitting in General Watanabe¡¯s office once more. The older man was flanked by Colonel Ryo, who stood with his chin up. The general looked over the reports from the forces that saw the battle from afar, or survived the impact of the beam, and the explosion that began as a result. So far, he liked what he saw. Though the machine took some damage, it was nothing that couldn¡¯t be repaired quickly. As such, he decided it was time to give the boy his orders.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well in your battle against that Kaiju¡­ At the least, we can say it won¡¯t be popping up anywhere, not anymore¡­ Now, I¡¯ll tell you what¡¯s next.¡± Watanabe continued.


    He stood up from his seat, as he began pacing around.


    ¡°Your machine¡­ It is not the only Machina¡­ There are four others, and pilots for each one. They are current in Wonju, about to begin their training. You will be joining them.¡±


    A team, huh? He was surprised, no doubt. As far as he knew, this machine was the only of its kind. But, he nodded nonetheless.


    ¡°Alright. How am I supposed to get there?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°We have an old cargo ship that can serve as a carrier¡­ We¡¯d get a warship, but I¡¯m afraid HQ isn¡¯t willing to give up that much resources.¡±


    Takeshi got to his feet, as a wide grin crawled onto his face.


    ¡°Alright! Lets-¡±


    ¡°Do this!¡±


    The youth promptly went silent¡­ As he took note of the familiarity of the voice that spoke with him. It belonged to someone he¡¯d seen as an annoyance. He looked over his shoulder, in the direction of the voice, seeing the dreaded Mechanic walking toward him.


    ¡°You again?! And what do you mean, Let¡¯s do this?¡±


    The woman stepped forward, until, she was right in front of Takeshi,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, I¡¯m coming too!¡±


    ¡°HUH?!!!¡± He yelled in surprise. His gaze shot to Watanabe, as if asking for an explanation.


    ¡°My reason is simple. After that display out there, I feel the need to have somebody come with you.. Besides, she is a competent mechanic¡­¡±


    A triumphant grin came onto Kyoko¡¯s face. While Takeshi frowned¡­ Of course, it couldn¡¯t have been that easy. It looked like it would just be something he would have to deal with.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving in two days. 15:00, meet me in the lobby.¡±


    Takeshi nodded silently as he began to exit the room, eyeing Kyoko as he did so.

 Stage 6 - The Machina Team

    Gaojinizer, Stage 6-


    The Machina Team


    Two days later, a large, red ship flew just above the waters of the Pacific. A cargo ship known as the Juzumaru. Now one of the UFE¡¯s makeshift carriers. The crisp blue waters splashed across its red exterior plates, as the waves formed around its thrusters. At the head of the ship was Colonel Ryo. Doing so under the orders of General Watanabe. Though, the other two occupants were nowhere to be found. Though, he had a feeling that, wherever they were, they were probably arguing, or something of the like. Seeing how those two interacted, who knew if that was going anywhere. Ryo sighed at the thought. Who knew what those two were getting into.


    Either way, they wouldn¡¯t be at it for long. They were almost at their destination, after all. The city of Wonju began to become visible in the distance, the spires of the city¡¯s western area towering over the rest of the city. It was certainly an important city, the capital of the Autonomous Korean State. A member of the Sino-Thai alliance, the remnants of the Pan Pacific Federation. With how much of China sank into the sea as a result of the flood, their power was certainly diminished.


    His ship began to drift away from the city, as he came upon the base at it¡¯s outskirts. THe base was filled with hangar bays, and a runway. Protected by a chain link fence. Along with artillery guns strewn across it. As he came closer, Ryo found himself being hailed by the base. He promptly answered, with the face of a fair-skinned man coming onto his screen.


    ¡°State your name and business.¡±


    ¡°Colonel Takamori Ryo. I¡¯m here with the fifth Machina, and it¡¯s pilot.¡± He responded.


    The man on the screen went silent, as his pupils moved, with his gaze going to the left. He continued doing so for a few moments, until he looked forward at the screen once more.


    ¡°Identity confirmed. You¡¯re cleared for landing.¡±


    With that said, the line closed, and his landing information was funneled to him. He promptly tapped on the ship¡¯s display once more, activating the intercom. Clearing his throat, before he spoke into the intercom.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at Wonju. Meet me in the hangar bay in 10 minutes.¡± With that said, he stood up, letting the onboard AI handle the rest. The ship began to descend onto one of the many runways located throughout the base, its powerful engines becoming quieter, and quieter, as less power was fed. Continuing, until the ship had touched down.


    Elsewhere within the ship, Takeshi walked within the metal-clad hallways, his shoes clamoring across the floor, the sound echoing through the halls. Something that alerted Kyoko to his approach¡­ Apparently, neither of the two had come to enjoy the other¡¯s presence, given how she began to quicken her pace. Though they would eventually have to see each other, the less time spent, the better. Her footsteps alerted Takeshi as well. And given that neither closed the distance they recognized that the other thought the same¡­ Good, it wasn¡¯t as if they cared.


    Within a few more minutes, they made it to the lower corridors of the ship, those that led to the cargo bay.A mostly empty, high ceiling room save for the Gaojinizer itself. Along with it, the catwalks that flanked it on either side. Identical spaces lining the hangar bay. As Takeshi and Kyoko entered, through two different doors, they found the Colonel standing in the center, pacing, as if waiting for them. It was only when the two began to approach, did he stop.


    ¡°Alright. Listen, and Listen well. I¡¯ll be heading back to Japan after this. Inoue, you are to go to meet the other four members of the Machina team, and begin pilot training. Kyouko, you are to receive supplies. Ammunition, tools, Etcetera. It likely will not be long before you are called into battle.¡± Ryo stated.


    ¡°Right!¡± The two said, In unison.


    Just like that, the Colonel began walking off, hopeful that the two would play their part correctly. Kyouko had helped with things like logistics before, even if indirectly. And he¡¯d seen Takeshi pilot. He found that the two followed him as he cleared the exit door, and began descending the stairs that lay just outside. As they reached the ground level, it was only then that they went their separate ways. All three of them were escorted to their destinations by the soldiers stationed at the base. Takeshi made his way to the east side of the building, led by 2 of them, who said nothing to him. Though, as they entered the building, and walked through the hallway. They did glance back at him, quite a bit, at that. Only stopping as they reached a door at the end of the hall. Before they promptly turned on their heels.


    ¡°The rest of the Machina Squad is here¡­¡± One began, gesturing toward the door.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be heading back to our posts now.¡± The other finished, as they walked past him. Takeshi glanced over his shoulder, watching their disappearing forms. As the two left earshot, the one on the left sighed, as he shoved his hands into his pocket.


    ¡°So all five of them are that young, Eh? A shame¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing we can do about it. Apparently, whatever power source makes those machines so powerful can only be used well by guys that young...¡± Of course, Takeshi, unaware of the conversation, opened the door, and made his way inside. As he did, he saw a room, mostly lacking in decoration. The only noticeable things within were a window, and a large table, with five men sitting around it. as his eyes moved across them, he noted how similar in age they all looked to himself. The first to look toward the door, was a dark skinned man, a small amount of facial hair dotting his chin. He took a drag of the cigarette in his lips, before he exhaled, and grasped it between his fingers.


    ¡°Finally, it took long enough for us all to get here. You¡¯re Takeshi, Right?¡± He asked, in a baritone voice.


    Takeshi nodded, as he began strolling up to the table.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Yep.. Who might you be?¡±


    ¡°The name¡¯s Andrew. Andrew Howard.¡± he responded.


    Soon enough, another within the group began to speak.


    ¡°The pilot of the famed Gaojinizer, hm¡­ Even so, I can guarantee your skill doesn¡¯t match up to mine, Commoner.¡±


    Takeshi frowned at the slight.


    ¡°Huh?! Just who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡±


    His gaze flew to the source of the words, a man wearing a rather ornate outfit. A black cloth suit, adorned with gold. Helping to show his status. That much, along with his noble features. High cheekbones, and a strong chin held high. He had a well-groomed head of blonde hair, that stopped just short of his shoulders.


    ¡°Clearly, I¡¯m talking to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Again with this Commoner stuff, Diedrick?¡± Another asked. The word¡¯s came from a large man, his chin rounded as a result of the layer of fat. A head of wild indigo hair, and eyes covered by a pair of sunglasses.


    ¡°That¡¯s SIR Hohenzollern to you¡­¡±


    Now his attitude made sense. For what little he knew about history, pre World War 3, he¡¯d heard of the Hohenzollern before. They were in control of Germany since the 1940s¡¯. Even now, still a major force in the USE¡¯s government. Out of all people, he had to deal with some random noble now? Between him and that girl¡­ Eventually, the indigo-haired man spoke once more.


    ¡°I¡¯m Chen Han, by the way.¡±


    Among them, there was a man who remained strangely silent. With a head of white hair, and dark brown eyes.  His gaze was focused on his phone, and headphones in his ears. At the least, until he tapped the side, turning it off. Now, removing the buds from his ears as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, If we¡¯re doing introductions, guess I¡¯m next. I¡¯m Haemon, Haemon Florakis¡­¡±


    In typical fashion, Takeshi casually strolled to the table, hands shoved into his pockets, taking a seat at Haemon¡¯s left.


    ¡°Nice to meet ya¡¯¡± He responded.


    Eventually, Andrew would lean back into his chair, as he put his gaze on Takeshi. This was their new teammate, so he supposed it couldn''t hurt to get to know him. They¡¯d be fighting on the battlefield together, after all.


    ¡°Tell me, Inoue, how did you end up with the Gaojinizer?¡±


    That much was a somewhat touchy subject¡­ After all, he still hadn¡¯t figured out who ordered the bomb to be dropped. The reason Tsubasa and Natsuo were dead. He continued to sit in silence for a few moments, before he decided upon telling them.


    ¡°I was in Neo-Tokyo when the bombs hit. Tried to escape from some Garsalan and I hopped into the sewers. Next thing I know, I''m coming across some random VA.¡±


    Andrew sighed at this, as he thought back to the events in his own past.


    ¡°Then it looks like we¡¯re similar in a way. Have you ever heard about what happened in Roosevelt city?¡±


    Roosevelt city¡­ The youth sat there thinking for a moment, before it came to him. He¡¯d learned about this during his school days, that was the city that replaced Washington DC as both the capital of the US, and the Atlantic Collective¡¯s HQ, following the great flood. But that was about it. Takeshi was not one to mince words, as such, he stayed honest.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I have. Mind explaining?¡±


    ¡°Garsalan hit it. I was there with my machine at the time, so we were able to prevent anyone from the brass from dying, but¡­ We couldn¡¯t say the same for the rest of the city.¡± A frown grew on his face, and the same could be said for Haemon. To Takeshi, it was quite clear why. Looks like they all had their issues, huh. Eventually, Han spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯m a lot like you three. I was hangin¡¯ with my crew in Zhongshi. Next thing you know, Garsalan are getting dropped on our heads.¡±


    Zhongshi, huh. Andrew seemed to be right, they really were all similar. All the more reason the Garslan needed to be destroyed¡­ Eventually, however, their conversation was interrupted by the door swinging open, and a well-built man in green Camo strolling in.


    ¡° Pay attention to what I''m about to say. We do not have much time, so, for this next week, I will be your trainer. After that, you will be sent onto the field, as you have all been in combat before, even for a short time, that should not be an issue, correct?¡±


    No response. With this much in mind, he continued.


    ¡°My name is Dae Jae. Meet me here at 07:00 tomorrow¡­ Show your new teammate to the barracks.  Dismissed.¡±


    With this much said, the man turned on his heel, and exited, leaving the five alone.


    ¡°That guy sure doesn¡¯t like talking much, eh.¡± Han noted.


    Leading to nods of agreement from across the room, save for Diedrick. The rest of the day passed like any normal one, as Kyoko got acquainted with the maintenance crews within the base, watching them work, and helping as well, the Machina Squad made their way to the barracks. Where they stayed until lights out.


    07:00, Vanguard armor Training Field.


    As they were ordered to the night before, the pilots to the four machines stood at the hangar bays directly in front of the training field. A large area consisting of a number of areas. One resembling a rocky steppe, another, an urban area. As well as a firing range behind them. While Dae Jae stood in front of them.


    ¡°Now then, we¡¯ll be starting with a mock battle. You lot will learn to work as a unit. As I understand it, you have fought alone up until now¡­ Well, those days are over. Get in your machines, and let''s get started.¡±


    Soon after, the five Machina were rolled behind the four, by use of the base¡¯s transport trucks. The 1st to arrive was Takeshi¡¯s own Gaojinizer. The next was a white machine, with golden highlights. Its appearance resembled that of gothic plate armor. In addition to this, was the cape draped over the machine¡¯s back. A large shield was attached to its left arm, and a number of blades were stored within its body.


    This was the M-002, Kaiser Valgeogant. The pilot of the machine, Diederick, began to stroll toward it, glancing back at Takeshi as he did so.


    ¡°The Gaojinizer may be the first.. But I''ll show here that Kaiser Valgeogant is the best¡­¡±


    Takeshi frowned, he already didn¡¯t like this guy¡­ He¡¯d simply have to shut him up, that simple. Soon enough, two more machine¡¯s rolled up. Two rather bulky machines, with more width than height. Heavily armored, and with the same general shape. The difference being that one of the two were purple, the other red.


    ¡°Those two¡­ Were they built together or somethin?¡± Takeshi questioned.


    Eventually, both Andrew and Haemon came to his side.


    ¡°Yup. Mine¡¯s the Purple one, the M-003 Great Sanvolner.¡±


    Andrew pointed to the red with his thumb.


    ¡°Mine¡¯s the second,  the M-004 Kaisenbuster.¡±


    Now, the two began walking toward their machine¡¯s, and he did as well, beginning to make his way toward the Gaojinizer. While Han watched as his machine arrived. A machine painted a dark blue, with two mechanical ¡°Wings¡± coming from its back, that seemingly stored strange hunks of metal below them, their purpose unknown.


    ¡°Alright¡­ Let¡¯s go, Danzaman.¡±


    The final Machina, the M-005 Danzaman X. Now, the Machina team was finally in one place. It did not take long for all five to make it into their machines. Within their respective cockpits, displays went up, as the words of their instructor below them sounded onto the comms.


    ¡°Alright¡­ Let¡¯s begin!¡±


    And from there¡­ Came the first of a week of their official training, and promptly, their enlisement. All five had been given the rank of Ensign, and attached to the Juzumaru. Which had been 0utfited with small amounts of weaponry. Though, the ride wasn¡¯t all smooth. Especially with the clashing personalities of two members in particular¡­ Either way, they¡¯d managed to make their way into being an official force. Though, until they got marching orders, the Juzumaru was stuck in its current place. Laying in wait on the sandy beaches. The occupants were only left to question where things would go from here.

 Stage 7- Battle on Wonbaek Island

    Gaojinizer Stage 7- Battle on Wonbaek Island


    A myriad of light ways away from the system in which humanity called home, there lies a Blue giant, known as Tisan. Around Tisan, were a number of planets, gaseous and rocky alike. One planet in particular differed from the rest, with oceans of green between the continents, and lights strewn across the surface. It was here that a different battle took place. Just beyond one of the planet¡¯s Satellites, was a fleet of grayed ships that more resembled orbs with guns strapped to them. At the very center of the ship, was a bridge filled with the same Green waters found on the surface of the planet. Something that only made sense with the occupants of this planet. Within the ship were humanoid, scaled creatures. With multicolored scales spread across their bodies.  Their long, muscular tails, two large side fins and a long, strong dorsal fin helped them to glide within the water, making their way to their respective stations.


    "Avrelsis Icreat! Ahimil Aseih Fsii es Jerphehsh ehi Imioetra¡¯s Olfe!"  - "Admiral Icreatl! Another Alien Fleet is Jumping into Imioetra''s Orbit!" The words came from a brown-scaled Imoetran, as he glanced back at one with more colored scales.


    The Admiral tsked as he heard this. It looked like the menace wasn¡¯t gone just yet.


    ¡°"Jillur... Zo ssih'' si mir shi sihith helmil, Hisixith Gisils, ie!" - ¡°Dammit¡­ We can¡¯t let them get any further, Heavy Gears, Out!¡±


    With his words, in the ships across the fleet, bays within the spheres began to open, revealing a weapon not unlike those used by their enemies, or by earth. Though, it went without saying that they were not the same. There were no arms, or torso, rather, A ball- like frame on long stilted legs. With gun barrels attached to the frame, and a single blue ¡°Eye¡± Serving as the camera. Much like the species that created them, a  dorsal fin, constructed of a flexible metal, was located down the back.


    S00n enough, thrusters located just below the machine¡¯s fin lit up, as they flew off into the sky, to meet waves of Garsalan fighters, and Armored Battlers. Bursts of Electron beams flew from the gunports as the Heavy Gears fired at their opponent¡¯s. However, their efforts looked to be of negligible effect, as their fire was promptly avoided.


    From the ship known as the ¡°Meshon¡±, the commander watched from his console, as he saw the fleet¡¯s forces cut down time and time again¡­ It certainly didn¡¯t bode well, not in the least. As he thought about any way to get his allies out of this, he heard a shout come from one of his subordinates.


    "Sel, mi Rusrun Waumear es mili!" - "Sir, the Demon Waumear is here!"


    The Commander¡¯s blood ran cold as he heard the name¡­ As he looked at the camera feed shared between the ships, he saw it, a virtual speed demon, a white, insect-like fighter with graspers extended from the frame, flying across the cosmos. The frame was both tall, and long alike, in contrast to its humanoid counterparts. As the appearance of the machine was noted by the ships, it was also noted by the pilots of the heavy gears. Who, in the same vein, had fear struck in their hearts by its appearance alone.


    ¡°Tacht! Sssiil!¡±- ¡°Shit, Scatter!¡± One of the commanders shouted over the comms¡­ However, the man was much too late to save even himself. As he found his machine¡¯s ball frame captured between the white machine¡¯s graspers before he knew it¡­ And no sooner, did the Mechanical digits close in like a vice. As for the pilot himself, he could only watch as they came into view on his monitor, and alarm klaxons blared, the walls closing in on him. Until the destruction was complete, the pilot crushed within, and the machine exploded, sending the green fluid from the cockpit careening into space. Soon enough, the troops began to spread out, attempting to act on their now deceased commander''s orders.


    Within the machine, the pilot, a Garsalan, sat. The horn on their head showed that it was a male. His chitin, the color of the desert sand, showed his origin on the homeworld. Though, it was lighter, showing that he was on the younger side, likely not having gone through his final molt yet. As his eyes moved across his holographic display, he began to tap the floating screens, marking the myriad of targets in front of him.


    "Fuurairh Psainaidaiyar... Yuis eddanfdr ed el arsefa nael ludhailr! Mairrairar, Sseddas!" - "Foolish Primitives... Your attempts at an escape mean nothing! Missiles, Scatter!"


    With his words, metal plates on the back of the machine split up, and, no sooner, did a Maelstrom of missiles fly outward, soon enough, crashing into the enemy machines, and destroying them en-masse. As the explosions lit up the Cosmos, the ships soon began their attempts at a counter-attack, focusing their fire on the approaching machine. But found that it was too fast, dodging around their fire, as its speed increased. This continued, until one ship found itself as the Garsalan¡¯s specific target.


    "Id''r daina du shelra waefulsirr. Aldai-rhaif Mairrar, fsainan... Nuw , llaar dha fuwas ull G¡¯thera Zu Kalis, eln hair Cyd¡¯Rozen!"- "It''s time to change weapons. Anti-ship Missiles, primed... Now , feel the power of G''thera Zu Kalis, and His Cyd''Rozen!".


    Two seperate ports, near the back of the machine like the others, launched two missiles, both much larger than those beforehand. And, with their target known, they closed in on the Meshon. Followed shortly by the ship¡¯s interior shaking as the warheads exploded on the surface, and subsequently crushed the armor in two places. Something that clearly did not bode well for those inside, the large sphere of water within being spaced, along with its occupants¡­ The Garsalan Looked upon this, before he moved for the next, weaving around the defensive fire, and launching two more AS missiles, blowing two large holes into this one as well. Just like that, 2 ships had been eliminated. Now, he prepared to go for another, At the least, until he heard another voice.


    "Hurn ul Zu Kalis, Cunneln her eludhas nairraiul llus irrui..."- "Hold on Zu Kalis, Command has another mission for you¡­"


    Another mission¡­ If it was better than the one he was stuck with now, then it was all the better for him. With no more action, he turned his machine, and blasted off back to the fleet, leaving the rest of the primitives to the other forces.


    ...


    The Juzumaru had at last begun to set out from Wonju. The ship was now carrying all five of the Machina, their pilots, along with Kyouko, who kept her spot as a mechanic. Despite their victories, it seemed that there were some things they lacked. Other crew members, chief among them, as well as a commanding officer. As the pilots sat in the common room, which lay just below the bridge. Lined with three tables, along with chairs. It was here that the previously mentioned pilots sat. They all apparently had similar thoughts, though Andrew was the first to comment on it.


    ¡°Looks like the brass doesn¡¯t see us as important enough to give resources¡­¡± Andrew noted. Among them, Diederick sat with an angered expression.


    ¡°The heir to Hohenzollern, and the pilot of the Valgeogant, not important enough?! This is an insult of the highest degree!¡±


    As the noble tsked, beside him, Han shrugged.


    ¡°At least they gave this ship some weapons, and those repair bots back in the hangars¡­¡± He responded, in his normal fashion. After all, Han was always more optimistic, as they¡¯d noted in their short time around him. But there was another member of the group who didn¡¯t share this optimism, or, at the least, not nearly as much of it.


    ¡°Repair bots from the 40s¡¯, a few missiles, and a Covalon peashooter¡­ I don¡¯t think I''m wrong when I say that''s not much.¡± Andrew Responded


    While Han put his finger up, as he attempted to think of a response, but, he ultimately came up with nothing. Leaning back into his seat as well, was the pilot of the Gaojinizer, Takeshi. Who listened into the conversation, and ultimately found himself agreeing with Andrew, and even¡­ He glanced over at the Hohenzollern, even HIM. As much as he disliked admitting to that. Now, he had but one thing to say.


    ¡°This sucks¡­¡±


    "You''re telling me!" a feminine voice chimed in. Something that was followed by Kyoko descending from the bridge, her boots clanging on the metal stairs.


    "I get access to all the Machina,  but half the components are classified, and I''m not allowed to Research their inner workings?! How am I gonna show my prowess as an engineer then?!"


    Takeshi, being one with little filter as usual, responded.


    "Not like anybody asked you to come¡­ I would''ve been fine with you staying in Shinkyo¡­"


    Kyoko''s gaze shot over to him.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "I heard that!"


    "That was the point, Idiot!"


    Idiot¡­ the girl growled as she shot over to him,  getting into his face.


    "That''s rich coming from someone whose plan was to shoot a kaiju until it died!"


    "It worked, didn''t it?!"


    As the two continued their bickering, the other members of the Machina squad simply watched on in silence. Truthfully, still deciding whether they should get involved or not. Eventually, after about a minute or so, the two had finally gone silent, their eyes still boring into each other. Within a few moments, Kyoko let out a single sound.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    With her chin held high, and arms crossed, the engineer turned away, and made her way out of the room, and back into the bridge. All the while, Takeshi turned as well. That girl annoyed the hell out of him, that was for sure. How would he deal with her until he achieved his goal of destroying the Garsalan? In a way, she reminded him of the late Kuba Kimiko¡­ But unlike her, he didn¡¯t see any likable traits. Either way, such thoughts had begun to make him think of Neo-Tokyo again. And wasn¡¯t exactly keen on standing there thinking about the past.


    As such, he made his way back to his seat.


    ¡°With that out of the way. Let¡¯s just hope more of those roaches pop up. Then we can show them we aint¡¯ some band of dipshits who don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing.¡±


    This much gained smirks from those in the room, even from Diederick, who was seemingly the odd one out.


    ¡°Best we can do.¡± Andrew agreed.


    It did not take long for alarm Klaxons to begin sounding throughout the ship as a whole. Of course, they all knew what that meant.


    ¡°It looks like our chance is coming soon.¡± Haemon commented.


    Now, the pilots got up from their seats, running toward the bridge. But, rather than ascending up the stairs, going to one of the two doors that flanked them. The doors slid open as the pilots entered, revealing a dimly lit room, with a holographic map of the surrounding area, displayed from a large table. A briefing room that had been added to the ship in the days before.


    ¡°Machina squad. I am Captain Maeng Sang Kyu of the Wonbaek fortress¡­ We¡¯re finding ourselves attacked by three Garsalan Cruisers, your support is needed.¡±


    Takeshi cracked his knuckles, as he strolled over to the edge of the table.


    ¡°No problem here, we¡¯ll be right there!¡± Takeshi shouted.


    With no more words, they ran back into the previous room. Quickly putting their pilot suits over themselves. Black, with red lining them, as well as a helmet. With their suit up finished, they began running toward the hangar bay, followed by the other pilots. As they made their way to the machines, Diederick began speaking.


    ¡°I want to make this clear before we go to battle. Don¡¯t get in my way, Commoners. I have the honor of my house to upho-¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, honor this, house that, let¡¯s focus on the fight.¡± Takeshi cut in. Something which resulted in a frown from the noble. Regardless, he bit his tongue. With a few more minutes of running, they¡¯d arrived in the hangar, where their machines sat secured. As the pilots approached them, the hatches on their cockpits parted, and wires dropped to allow them in, they did so swiftly, and began to activate their machines. All of them shared similar cockpits, with a 360 degree display of the area around them, along with a holographic display. Takeshi was the first to make his way toward the opening cargo bay doors, making the machine begin walking. Something followed by Kyoko¡¯s words coming into the pilot¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all cleared!¡±


    ¡°Heh, Good¡­ Inoue Takeshi, Gaojinizer, Ready to kick ass!¡± The crimson light from the Gaojinizer¡¯s thrusters began to streak behind it, as it flew out into the sky, making waves upon the open ocean as it did so. Soon enough, the Kaiser Valgeogant stepped out next.


    ¡°Diederick Van Hohenzollern, Valgeogant, Launching!¡± No sooner did the Valgeogant burst outward, the cape on its back flowing in the wind the thrusters pushed out. Now, a blue light streaked across the sky. Beginning to head toward the same target the Gaojinizer did.


    Up next, was the Danzaman X, which launched out of the ship soon after the two, leading to a dark blue streak moving across the sky.


    ¡°Han Chen, Launching!¡±


    Now, the pilots of the two- seemingly twin machines launched, purple and red respectively.


    ¡°Andrew Howard, Kaisenbuster, Let''s do it!¡±


    ¡°Haemon Florakis, Great Sanvolner, commencing maneuvers!¡±


    Now, the machina began a quick approach toward the Wonbaek Naval base. For quite some time, the space in front of them was clear of any signs of battle. But, after 10 or so minutes, that was no longer the case. 1 of The UFE¡¯s Beijing class carriers, launched from the dock, flanked by 2 Lagos-class cruisers, and 10 London Class Destroyers. In addition to the base¡¯s defenses, the ships themselves tried to attack. The Lagos class cruisers and destroyers firing off missiles, railguns, and Covalon cannons alike. While the Beijing class launched out both rockets, and the machines that were within its hangar. The E-06 ¡°Ironfury¡± Fighters. Which most of the UFE¡¯s nations had become fond of using, as well as the Sino-Thai Alliance¡¯s trademark Vanguard Armors, the Chiyou.


    The Orange colored machines were created with aerial combat in mind. With thin, agile frames, and missile packs on each shoulder. Along with a Covalon Saber, and rifle. However, as the Ironfuries and Chiyou found themselves fighting the Garsalan S¡¯fans, it seemed the engineering that went into them was for naught. They were dropping like flies in the midst of the assault. The advantage in technology simply seemed too great to overcome. All the more reason that the pilots were even more eager to jump into battle.


    ¡°I¡¯m going in. Impact Boosters, on!¡± Andrew yelled. No sooner did his machine change its way of flying, almost looking like it was ready to shoulder charge its targets. And that it did, the sound barrier shattered as it flew across the sky. Though the rapid approach was noted by a Garsalan pilot, it was much too late, the machine was obliterated as the Kaizenbuster ran through it. One soon turned into two, two, into three, and so on. Eventually, Andrew stopped, but by then, it¡¯d already caught the attention of both the enemy forces, and his allied ones. This much was met by confusion from the Garsalan, after all, they didn¡¯t all know the events of the past few days.


    "Whed dha harr?!" "What the hell?!"


    "Whu''r neshaila air dhed?!" - "Who''s machine is that?!"


    Eventually, a squadron commander came forth to confront the unknown machine.


    "Ezfreail irruis esdaiulr, Whed rusn esa irrui ilnas?..." "Explain your actions, What lord are you under?..."


    This much gained silence from Andrew, and a smirk crawling onto his face¡­ By now, his mandibles began to chitter. With a deadly edge in his voice, he spoke once more.


    "Alrwas na irrui-" - ¡°Answer me, You-¡±


    "Tes¡¯Li Wedsh uid!" - ¡°Commander, Watch out!¡±


    The commander quickly snapped his attention away from the machina with his subordinates warning¡­ Only to turn, and see the Valgeogant rapidly approaching, One of its many greatswords in hand. No sooner than he saw it, was the edge of said blade plunged into the cockpit¡­ Something that was followed by it exploding into a ball of fire.


    ¡°Zu Tielzi Tes¡¯Li!!!¡± A pilot shouted.


    "Denl aid, rhuud dhan nuwl!" Yelled another.


    No sooner did they begin firing their guns at the machina, an action followed by the cruisers that brought them here. But this didn¡¯t last much longer, as the Danzaman began to approach the battle¡­


    ¡°Now then, Stingers, fly!¡±


    The ¡°Singers¡±, five drones, with cannon barrels extended from their oblong bodies, split from the Danzaman. Within, the pilot¡¯s eyes moved across both the map of the area, and his camera display. Until, with his targets confirmed, he hung back, and sent them in. The weapons began to constantly shift their angle, and position, firing off purple beams, and tearing apart the Garsalan Machines¡­


    This much relieved the pressure on the ships below, allowing for them to reorganize their formation. Within the command room of the fortress, Maeng Sang Kyu watched with a smile. Promptly standing up from his seat, and throwing his arms up, he yelled out his next set of commands.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving! Take advantage of the confusion in the Garsalan forces, and get the Anti-Ship Battery on those cruisers, do some damage before we moveon to stage two! Don¡¯t let them do all the work!¡± The captain yelled.


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    Apparently, one of the Garsalan pilots decided to go out on their own. With what looked like an oversized bazooka held in its hands, it stopped just 500 feet above, aiming at the anti-ship battery, and getting ready to fire.


    "Cuyas na, I''n llaisailr e lliraiul Weshaen!" - "Cover me, I''m firing a fusion Warhead!"


    Five other S¡¯fan¡¯s came to its defense, watching for any of the opposing machines. They couldn¡¯t let them get through, lest the shot be disrupted¡­ However, there was one they didn¡¯t calculate for. And while the red-tipped warhead made its way out of the barrel, Haemon and the Savolner entered its path..


    Within the cockpit, Haemon dragged his fingers across the display, eventually, bringing up a diagram of the machine, which showed three generators, on the forehead, chest, and left shoulder weapons, marked as Kinetic Defenders. As he tapped the display, a field of green light appeared in front of the Machina, and as the warhead touched it, it exploded as one would expect.


    From there, the pilots¡¯ worries seemed to be over. That was just one of the primitive¡¯s machines destroyed, they¡¯d simply have to resupply¡­ Or at the least, that was what they thought until the smoke cleared, and the machine was seemingly unsctathed. They did not have much time to ponder what happened, before Takeshi rushed toward them, letting out a war cry, and drawing the deathscythe. Slicing apart all five machines within seconds.


    Watching the ongoing battle from one of the cruisers was Mengits Tes¡¯li, the Commander of the leading ship. He had no idea the terrans had not one, but five machines capable of destroying Garsalan ones, with this much ease, at that. The situation was only going to get worse if he didn¡¯t do something¡­ But that was the question, what was the ¡°Something¡± that could be done in this situation. But his worries were quickly cleared, as one of the officers on the bridge rose from his seat, turning around and speaking to him.


    ¡°"Sais, dha Danul Zu Glucceucs G''thera Zu Kalis her essaiyan!" - "Sir, the Demon of Glucceucs, G''thera Zu Kalis has arrived!"


    So, HE was here¡­ He¡¯d engaged with many other species over his career and still inflicted heavy losses. Though most of them were primitives, it was impressive that he could do so himself. If that was the one they sent, then this was over for these Xenos. The subject of the thoughts sat within the cockpit of his personal-made Orbital Decimator, waiting to be launched from his ship. It was an annoyance, being brought from one system of primitives to another. Did they truly not believe him capable enough? He would simply have to prove otherwise¡­ The mothership was swallowed by a ball of fire as it began re-entry, homing in on Wonbaek island.

 Stage 8- The Garsalan Ace

    Gaojinizer - Stage 8


    The Garsalan Ace


    The Garsalan vessel continued its descent unto the ground below, while the Machina, seemingly distracted in the fighting, were left unaware. G¡¯thera¡¯s Cyd¡¯Rozen sat on the launch catapult. The pilot combed over his memories remembering who he was supposed to eliminate specifically. The four Tassel machines that had apparently been wreaking havoc upon their forces. Though, he had to question, how incompetnet where they if they managed to get beat by four primitive-made machines? Either way, all this meant was that he would gain more glory from this battle. He began the launching procedure soon after, the rails under him electrifying, sending his machine careening outward. Light streaked from his thrusters, as he began to advance into the battle.


    In the Gaojinizer, Takeshi continued to rush through the sky, firing the comet pulse cannons, and tearing apart the enemy machines. Even so, more machines, as well as fighter craft moved forth in an attempt to intercept him, especially as the Machina broke the sound barrier, and began what they assumed was a direct advance toward one of their ships. But it seemed the machine¡¯s speed, and the pilot¡¯s ferocity alike would be the death of them¡­ At the least, until a golden-white blur descended from the sky above them. Moving with a similar speed, was the long, symmetric craft that was well known within the empire, and the UFE.


    "Oid ull dha weirr, dha Tassel air naila!" - "Out of the way, the Terran is mine!"


    This was shortly followed by the missile ports on the side of the machine opening up, and the engines attached toward the missiles lighting up, as they were launched into the sky. It was only then that the Gao¡¯s sensors were pinged, and Takeshi swiftly turned his attention to the rapidly approaching projectiles. Fast enough that he began shifting the controls, taking evasive maneuvers, and getting out of the missile¡¯s respective paths. But, it seemed that his opponent had planned for that, firing another volley based on his new position. This time, Takeshi wasn¡¯t so lucky this time around, and found the missile crashing into his machine, shaking its frame.


    ¡°The hell?!¡± He questioned.


    His opponent sat within his cockpit, opting to continue watching, to see what his opponent would do next. It would be a simple task to eliminate him, as he saw it. The pilot¡¯s target began a charge, and he was quick to respond. Beginning to shift his position, turning, and flying away, before opening his missile ports once more. Something Takeshi took note of almost instantly.


    ¡°He¡¯s firing again¡­ I¡¯ll just have to fire first!¡±


    The trademark glow in the Comet pulse cannon¡¯s barrels began to build up once more, as Takeshi¡¯s hands inched toward the firing buttons. At the same time, G¡¯thera¡¯s graspers began to move toward his. In tandem, both fired their weapons. The fast flying objects, careening toward the salve of beam bullets. Something which ultimately ended in the two¡¯s respectives attacks crashing into each other. Rapidly expanding balls of fire created between them, and both attacks left as useless. Takeshi snapped as he took note, while G¡¯thera clicked his mandibles, a similar gesture. He continued forth a bit more, before turning to face the enemy machine once more. Watching as the explosions dissipated, and the smoke began to clear. Leaving both of the pilots eying each other from their cockpits. Clearly, the Garsalan would be in for a bigger challenge than he was expecting, regardless, he stayed confident.


    "I nul''d cluw huw dha Tasselr rud dhair rayar ull dashlururirr, fid aid neddasr lud..."- "I don''t know how the Terrans got this level of technology, but it matters not..."


    Elsewhere, the other pilots found themselves continuing their respective battles. Apparently, the Warheads fired earlier were not the only ones the task force had. As a result, Haemon found himself rooted to his current position, intercepting anything that threatened to hit the ships, and fortress below. It certainly wasn¡¯t his preferred situation. Somebody needed to take one of those ships out. Apparently, somebody else had the same idea, Diederick. Hohenzollern¡¯s heir flew toward one of the cruisers that floated behind the lines of crafts, putting his gaze on the ships, and grasping one of his blades.


    ¡°They just keep on coming¡­ Everybody else here is fighting, but where is the Commoner who got the Gaojinizer?¡± The machine¡¯s head began to rotate, with the display the pilot saw moving in tandem. As he looked to his left,  he took note of something, the Gaojinizer falling into view, evading a swarm of missiles, and ascending. Shortly followed by another machine. Which seemed to be of Garsalan make¡­ It looked like he¡¯d gotten distracted, along with whoever was piloting it, given how focused they were on each other. No matter, that just made his job easier. He continued his advance toward the ship, something noted by the occupants almost immediately. The last of the units were scrambled, as the anti-aircraft weapons across the ship¡¯s surface, aimed, and fired at Diederick.


    Han noted his ally¡¯s actions, with his heavily enhanced sensors. After all, being part of his role in the group.


    ¡°Taking out a ship. Seems good to me¡­¡±


    Just like that, his drones flew from his wings once more, flying toward the ship. Within moments, he used the split camera feeds from the respective drones to mark targets, the emplacements rapidly firing rays at his ally. No sooner did he begin attacking as well, destroying one of the turrets, something that very quickly caught the attention of the Garsalan pilots.


    ¡°Idr dhura n¡¯sular ereail!¡±- ¡°Its those drones again!¡±


    The commander of one of the OD wings came forward, pointing his left manipulator at the Danzaman. After all, with the repeated attacks, it had become clear what the origin was.


    ¡°Dardsuirr dhed neshaila, eln deca sesa ull dha udhas ula lazd!¡± -¡°Destroy that machine, and take care of the other one next!¡±


    The pilots act upon their leader¡¯s orders, rushing forth and aiming their weapons at the Danzaman¡­ But they found their attack cut short, by beams flying at them from below. Though the bursts of light did not destroy the machines¡¯ armor with the first shot, it was damaged enough that they felt the need to attack those who sent the attack. The Chiyou floated below, firing covalons from the seemingly over-sized cannons that lay on their shoulders. Colored a flaming orange, just like the machines that held them, and now, the ships began to join in on the attack. Though the fired ordinance took noticeably more hits to destroy the units then it would a vanguard armor, it destroyed them nonetheless. Something that put a smile on Han¡¯s face.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be anywhere near as easy as you think¡­ Especially not in my nation.¡± Han commented, before resuming his attack on the ship. With Diederick doing the very same.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡­


    Bridge, Juzumaru


    While the battle continued, Kyoko observed, and wrote her notes, almost with a sense of vigor. Attempting to calculate the output of the machina¡¯s weapons, speed, durability. After all, with how much of their specifications were black-boxed, she¡¯d need to figure it out herself. Being who she was, the challenge was of little problem to her. Though, as she watched ordinance fly, and machines explode, falling to the ocean as heaps of scrap¡­ She could almost feel a sense of dread, mostly as she noted some of their own forces falling, even some of the fleet¡¯s ships.


    ¡°How is this gonna end¡­? I get the feeling I should move the ship back, at least a bit more.¡±


    Apparently, this much was a justified thought, given what the sensors picked up¡­ An identified enemy craft rushing toward the ship. Her eyes widened as she ran to the ship¡¯s controls, placing her notes down¡­ But, the rush seemed to stop as she noted that the large craft, which looked somewhere between a ship and Vanguard armor in terms of size, seemed to ignore the ship. Instead, it opted to evade a barrage of attacks, coming from the Gaojinizer that chased after it. Within his cockpit, Takeshi tsked once more.


    ¡°Damn roach, scurrying around¡­ Fast as all hell too. I gotta end this here.¡±


    G¡¯thera apparently had the same thought. He turned his machine, and began rushing at the Tassel.


    ¡°Arruwailr dha fsainaidaiya du risyaiya wuirn fa e frairhd iful nirr srel''r safidedaiul, er warr er nirr uwl... Su I rherr aln aid hasa!"-"Allowing the primitive to survive would be a blight upon my clan''s reputation, as well as my own... So I shall end it here!"


    Now, he began firing off missiles once more.


    ¡°How many missiles does that thing have?!¡± He asked nobody in particular. Takeshi drew his melee weapon, the deathscythe, and promptly began rushing toward the machine. Though he observed the oncoming projectiles, he continued forth regardless. Letting out a war cry, as he began flourishing the scythe, slicing apart the missiles that got too close to him, as well as firing off the CPC once more. Apparently, the Garsalan pilot did not balk at the sight of a charging opponent either. In fact, it only served to make him push harder. If the one in the machine truly thought they had a chance, it would be as simple as showing them their place. The attacks continued in Tandem, as the two got closer, and closer¡­ Until, they passed each other, with the Cyd¡¯rozen¡¯s side armor nicked by a swipe of the deathscythe, and a dent placed on the Gaojinizer¡¯s leg. Shortly after, the two machines stopped where they were, by reverse-thrusting, and pivoting¡­ Essentially, all the exchange had done was make them switch places, a result neither was happy with.


    What would it take to get rid of the enemy in front of them? That much was the question.


    Elsewhere, the battle continued regardless. In no small part thanks to the Chiyou, the Danzaman was able to hit all its targets. The anti aircraft on the ship¡¯s surface had been disabled.  Though, with no small amount of cost to them. Considering the destroyed husks of the Chiyou that didn¡¯t make it until the end, and the remains of the pilots within, which undoubtedly shared the same fate. But, thanks to this, Diederick was able to dive in for an attack. The pilot decided to land, and began a quick dash across the long surface of the ship.. Soon enough, followed by four troop transports, much to his confusion.


    ¡°What are you planning on?!¡± The hohenzollern questioned.


    His question was shortly answered, as the scarred face of a man donning armor appeared on his display, given how his uniform differed from the others, he seemed to be an officer.


    ¡°Orders from the top. We¡¯re to enter that ship from the bridge and the two catapults, and take it for ourselves. For the first objective, we¡¯ll need to shadow you¡­¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t get in my way!¡±


    The man¡¯s face disappeared from his display, and the Valgeogant continued rushing toward its target¡­ The commander of the task force promptly began panicking¡­ His troops were scattered, too far away to call back, especially with the distance between the rapidly closing. He would have to abandon the bridge, there was no way around it. However, before he even got the chance to tell them his orders, a downright gigantic blade was driven through the viewing window. Obliterating those within almost instantly. Soon enough, the fromer bridge was naught but a pile of scrap metal and glass, covering the bodies of the Garsalan officers.


    Afterward, it did not take long for the boarding party to begin executing their goals, landings in the bridge, and hangars began. As well as the resulting firefights within. Now, the Garsalan troops were beginning to fall into confusion. Something that only served as beneficiary for the UFE¡­ Though these troops made progress, others were not nearly as lucky. Takeshi and G¡¯thera continued to shift and fly throughout the sky, as if engaging in a dance. Their respective attacks, still failing to reach each other. At some point, the two seemed to get desperate, charging at each other once more, deathscythe in hand, and graspers at the ready¡­ However, Takeshi found himself surprised, as the claws were launched from the machine, and began to strike at him like a snake, in no small part due to the wires connected to them.  He had to act quickly to stop it in its tracks, smacking it aside with the deathscythe. But his opponent wasn¡¯t finished, not just yet¡­ Much to Takeshi¡¯s surprise, from between the four claws on the unused grasper, was a barrel! Almost as soon as he noticed, it was fired, grazing the Gaojinizer¡¯s armor. Though it would have undoubtedly did more damage if it was more accurate.


    Something G¡¯thera intended to rectify, by firing once more, at the least, until he heard a voice he recognized well. Belonging to one of the officers on the bridge.


    ¡°Zu Kalis- Radisl du dha rhaif, wa''sa firrailr uid¡­¡±- ¡°Zu Kalis, Return to the ship, we''re pulling out¡­¡±


    Pulling out¡­ Pulling out?! When this machine somehow managed to survive against him? What were those fools thinking..? Yet, even as his mandibles chittered with his rage, he complied, disengaging with the Gaojinizer, and turning around, beginning a swift return to his ship, much to Takeshi¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°OI, where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± The teen yelled, the speakers on the Gaojinizer making his message clear to the enemy¡­ Though, he was ignored, especially given he didn¡¯t care to understand the words of a primitive. Rather than engage, he continued ascending, until he reached his mothership¡­ Apparently, he was not the only one to do this, as the ship that hadn¡¯t been boarded did the same. However, the retreating troops found themselves harassed by both Andrew¡¯s Kaizenbuster, and the repeated barrages from the Danzaman¡¯s stingers. Within the cockpit of the former, the dark-skinned youth watched as the ship broke into the clouds.


    ¡°Looks like we sent them running¡­ I gotta ask where Takeshi was during all this, though.¡± He questioned.


    Han would soon fly to the man¡¯s side, speaking in response.


    ¡°We can ask him when we dock back on the ship. For now, it looks like we won regardless.¡±


    This much was made clear as the Gaojinizer descended from the sky to join them, as well as Haemon¡¯s Sanvolner, and the Valgeogant¡­ Eventually, on all the pilot¡¯s machines, the face of Maeng Sang Kyu appeared on their displays, apparently, a smile attached to it.


    ¡°Machina squad, you¡¯ve helped us quite a bit, and I thank you for that.¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s our job, after all.¡± Takeshi commented, before he began to return to the Juzumaru.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not a problem, we¡¯ll stay a bit longer to ensure that they don¡¯t return.¡± Diederick stated.


    ¡°That is fine¡­ Your order should come in from HQ relatively soon, if you¡¯ve done this well here.¡± Kyu answered. After all, waiting for orders tended to be a very common pastime for any soldier¡­


    Elsewhere, on the flagship G¡¯thera had docked in, he heard the whispers from crewmen, the mechanics, and other pilots alike. The demon of Glucceucs, fought to a standstill by a Terran? The heir to a large noble house, locked in a duel for that long? It was very clear where his reputation would go after this, And he was little short of livid¡­ It was decided, that black machine was to be his Xe¡¯les. The next time he engaged him, it would be eliminated, no doubt about it¡­ While all this took place, the pilot of his Xe¡¯les, sat within the room under the bridge, his allies, and the resident Mechanic in tow. Though the latter had seen why he was kept away, the others had not. Now, he explained it.


    ¡°I was fighting some Garslan¡­ The machine looked unlike any of the others. I couldn¡¯t even get a scratch on the thing.¡± Takeshi explained.


    Andrew placed a hand on his chin in thought, trying to think about what he knew about the garslan.


    ¡°Sounds like this guy¡¯s a pretty tough customer¡­ Could he be one of their head Honchos? From what little we learned, those guys are pretty damn strong.¡±


    Hohenzollern shook his head.


    ¡°It seems possible at first, but I''m thinking a general would have come with more than one ship, especially given the situation when they arrived.¡±


    At this point, they were simply left wondering just who they were dealing with, and if they would encounter him again¡­


    To Be Continued.,

 Stage 9 - A New Operation

    Gaojinzier- Stage 9


    Battle In the Sahara


    After the events of the battle of Wonbaek, celebrated by the UFE, no doubt, the Juzumaru set off once more. This time, the location they would go to was far removed from Japan. After a flight over the indian ocean, they¡¯d found themselves in northern africa, in the country known as the Republic of Shahjura, A UFE member state that found itself ruling over what was formerly Tunisia. The machina team¡¯s destination within the nation, the city of Farahat. Today, the Machina team found themselves split up into their individual quarters. With this being a retrofitted civilian ship, that much was possible. The fact that they were split up made sense, given it was relatively late. They¡¯d been here for two days already, and yet, no orders.


    Takeshi laid within a darkened room, of a spartan nature. The only light coming from the moon that remained overhead. As the pilot laid there, his battle with the Garsalan machine came to mind once more. What were the odds that it would appear again? How would he manage to defeat it if it did? Those were things he didn¡¯t know¡­ What he did know, however, was that he¡¯d need to push past it the next time it showed its face, and continue on to reach his goals.


    ¡°Never forget Neo-Tokyo¡­ I¡¯ll make them pay, no doubt about it.¡±


    He would push these thoughts aside for now. Swinging his legs over his bed, and standing up. Before he began heading to the room that lay just below the bridge. Unsurprisingly, his fellow pilots sat within, looking at him as he entered.


    ¡°So, you guys had the same idea as I did, huh?¡±


    He looked at the table between them, which had what could only be described as bricks of various colors, set into a tray.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Can¡¯t believe all they had were these Emergency rations¡­¡± Han noted, with a tinge of disgust.


    All the while Diederick looked down upon it with a frown on his face, remembering the meals he¡¯d have been eating if he was still at his manor, or had taken one of his family¡¯s ships to use, rather than what barely passed as food.


    ¡°The most I can give em¡¯ is that they''re edible. And honestly, that ain¡¯t saying much¡­¡± Andrew commented. Apparently, these gripes were shared by the resident engineer, who choked what vaguely resembles meat down. It wasn¡¯t good, but it was enough for her to study the repair robots they were given, and make sure the ship stayed on its current course.


    ¡°If they think I''ll just sit here directing the repair bots, they¡¯re wrong¡­ If I can''t work on the Machina, I¡¯ll improve these to the modern standard.¡± Kyoko thought.


    Beside her was a toolbox, as well as some electronics she commonly used in her repairs. If she did things well, she may have been able to achieve her goal of getting more advanced AI installed, and from there, it¡¯d make them much easier to work with. The bot in front of her was simple in its design, around 3 feet tall, and with four legs. Multiple arms outfitted with tools in order to carry out orders.


    As of right now, the panel on top of the main body was opened, giving the Engineer a direct look into the internals. But, before she was able to get much farther, she found that the ship was being hailed. As she heard the chime, she stood on her feet, and walked over to accept the call. It was here that a dark-skinned man appeared on a holographic display.


    ¡°Crew of the Juzumaru. You are approaching Farahat Naval Base, follow landing procedures as usual.¡± The man noted, with the display going down, as Kyoko went to take the helm.


    ¡°We¡¯re landing soon, you five!¡±


    Of course, all five heard this, and glanced toward the bridge.


    ¡°So we''re landing. A chance to get some real food, maybe?¡± Haemon questioned.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t give us any when we landed in Wonbaek¡­ I wouldn¡¯t get my hopes up if I were you.¡± Takeshi responded. Remembering this fact certainly put a damper on their moods. At this point they may as well leave the ship with some rifles and go hunting. They had to have those somewhere. Takeshi took a seat as he spoke once more.


    ¡°I wonder why they called us here of all places¡­¡±


    ¡°If I''m guessing right, they probably have another operation starting soon.¡± Han commented.


    It did not take long for the ship to land in its set landing space. The engines that pushed it forward began to dim, as a slow descent began. It was only when the ship landed, did the Cargo bay open, letting the trucks that lay on the tarmac begin making their way in. As the sound of the engines became audible, the machina pilots, and Kyoko alike began making their way down the stairwell, which led directly into the cargo bay.


    One of the vehicles contained someone who seemed to be an officer, a man with graying hair. and his guard detail, who were all armed. Entering as well, were four other vehicles, towing cargo of some kind. If they were getting a resupply, perhaps there was a chance, despite what Takeshi had said earlier. It did not take long for the man to approach them, looking down upon the occupants of the ship with an apparent disdain. Perhaps not for them, but for those who seemed to be wasting his time. Was this the UFE¡¯s idea of a joke? Regardless of how powerful they claimed the machines to be, it was something that could barely pass as a warship, occupied by children of all things. His guard detail glanced at each other as the silence continued. Knowing full well what his lack of speech, and that expression meant. Luckily, it seemed that he would push those thoughts aside, for now.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°You all must be the Machina team, then. I am Colonel Casildo Bangura, of the Shahjuran Defense Forces. For the time being, You¡¯ll be stationed here¡­ There is an operation taking place soon, and you will all be part of it.¡±


    So it looked like Han was right.


    ¡°That so¡­? Wonder what we¡¯ll end up fighting this time around.¡± Thought Takeshi. Letting his mind drift off, while another member, Kyoko, decided to see what was being brought into the ship. She noted some crates labeled as parts, and others, having food stored within, both were enough to make her smile.


    Even more so as two occupants of the other vehicles came to meet them. Standing in front of them was a dark-haired, fair-skinned man, who couldn¡¯t have been more than 2 years older than the ship¡¯s current occupants. Wearing the Camo that Shahjura had made standard. Wearing the same outfit, was the red-haired woman standing at his side, who looked to be somewhat older than he.


    ¡°You will also be gaining two new members. They will be working in the Galley from here on¡­ I¡¯ll let you get acquainted. The time and Date of the briefing will be sent down the pipeline later.¡± With that, Bangura turned, making his way back to the vehicle. The detail did the very same, entering with him, and beginning to back up. Turning the vehicles as they reached the tarmac, and driving off. The soldier¡¯s tasked with moving the cargo seemingly began to do the same with their work done. Though they observed with a disdain not dissimilar from the force¡¯s head, they said nothing.


    Or at the least, they¡¯d wait until they were out of earshot. As the convoy finally cleared, Diederick tsked at the apparently dismissive gaze of the General. Seemingly, paying the two new members of the crew no mind as he turned, and began speaking.


    ¡°The heir to Hohenzollern stands in front of him, and that¡¯s the look he gives us? The nerve of some commoners¡­¡± His statement went ignored as well, as the man finally began speaking.


    ¡°Well, not what I was expecting to see, but that¡¯s not important. The name¡¯s Rakesh Goel¡­ Didn¡¯t get enlisted that long ago, so I guess we aren¡¯t that different. And this here is my twin sister.¡± He gestured at the red-haired woman.


    ¡°Kanta Goel, Nice to meet ya!¡±


    ¡°I guess I can say one thing, At least we actually have people who can cook here now¡­ We¡¯ve had to eat those rations for who knows how long¡­ The name¡¯s Takeshi, Inoue Takeshi.¡± Takeshi stated.


    ¡°Glad to have you on.¡± Haemon added. Apparently, some among them had ideas other than food, given his expression. The strangely silent Han Chen had been watching Kanta, seemingly, since she had entered. And at that time, he¡¯d decided he may want to get to know her better. But how would he go about this was the question. As this was certainly not one of his areas of expertise. Eventually, he noted that the conversation that continued around him stopped, as the two pulled their bags off of the cargo bay¡¯s floor.


    ¡°So, could you kindly lead us to the Cabins?¡± Kanta questioned.


    This would be his chance, Han decided. He was the first one to speak up as she spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you where to go. The name¡¯s Han Chen, by the way¡­¡± It did not take long for them to begin walking off. With this all said, Kyoko decidedly began moving toward the part-filled crates. Knowing full well what she would be doing later. And apparently, the pilots who hadn¡¯t left decided to make their way back to their previous places. While Han himself looked back at his two followers with a smile. Perhaps he could work his magic and impress her even now. But how he would do so was a question he lacked the answer too.  The rest of the day continued as usual, with the twins getting settled in, a small spat between the Gaojinizer¡¯s pilot, and the Juzumaru¡¯s engineer. Something which they¡¯d begun to get used to. The calmness did not last long, however.


    The next day, the pilots who occupied the ship, found themselves in a large auditorium, with a holographic display, and the Colonel in the middle. For now, he looked to be combing over his thoughts, standing at the podium, eyes closed, saying nothing. Takeshi leaned back onto his chair, the front legs moving upward as he did so.


    ¡°Man¡­ How long are we gonna be here?¡± He questioned. Though they didn''t say anything, the Sentiment seemed to be shared by the other pilots. They would¡¯ve gotten grilled for getting there late, if the words of those around them were anything to go by. But Bangura was one of the last ones to arrive, no explanation as to why as well. An annoyance, no doubt, but seemingly, one they¡¯d have to deal with. The whispers from the other occupants of the room apparently shared the same thoughts, though some had begun to keep their attention on the pilot¡¯s who looked much too young to be there. Some cared more than others, and vice versa. With how may the Garslaan usually eliminated on their raids, at some point, they¡¯d begun scraping the bottom of the barrel.


    Finally, the general opened his eyes, and began to speak.


    ¡°Now then¡­ Let us make this brief. Very recently, A new Garsalan force made its way into the Solar system, as a scout ship told us just 3 days ago¡­ From that time, our ship went silent, and the force seemingly disappeared.¡±  This much piqued their interest, a new force appearing, and disappearing?


    ¡°Perhaps it could be the ones who had that Garsalan Ace, the one that kept Inoue pinned.¡± Andrew Mumbled.


    But that raised the question of how they didn¡¯t know about the ship until it was already descending upon them. The fleet that arrived first was from on-planet.


    ¡°From what we¡¯ve seen, this new fleet of Garsalan has a class of ship that we¡¯ve never seen before. It is significantly larger than the Cruisers they¡¯ve operated in the past. We estimate that they¡¯ll be landing south of here. And that is where you all come in.¡±


    It did not take long for a battle map to appear behind him, depicting units enemy and allied alike, as well as the local Terrain.


    ¡°First, the Machina team, and a small strike force will advance first, to keep our enemies occupied, after which, they will feign a retreat to stretch the enemy¡¯s formation. When that has been done successfully ,the Third, and Second armies will close in from the East and West respectively¡­ When their ground forces are taken care of, the ships themselves will be targeted for capture.¡±


    The room was still silent, aside from a few murmurs, apparently, the plan seemed good enough. But for a certain few, there was some sort of resentment they had for the Colonel, or whoever decided their role. No matter how they looked at it, they were bait. And they had to act like they retreated at that?! For Takeshi, it took a large amount of effort to bite his tongue, for now.  As the general finished his briefing, and the occupants of the room began to file out, the machina squad made their way directly to their ship, not exactly conversing with the other members of the strike force.  It was only as they made their way back to the ship, did he express his anger.


    Takeshi slammed his fist into the wall, shouting out in his anger.


    ¡°The nerve of that guy. We¡¯re just supposed to be bait, then pull off when everyone else jumps in?! What kind of bullshit is that¡­ I should¡¯ve just taken the Gao and stayed solo if this is how it¡¯s gonna be.¡± Takeshi ranted.


    ¡°Orders are orders. At this point all we can do is get as many Garsalan as we can, and make sure they start taking us serious.¡± Haemon responded, attempting to calm him down. Leading to Andrew deciding to cut in.


    ¡°That¡¯s a tall order, Haemon. It looks like they still see a group of high schoolers playing with weapons, rather than anyone to consider pilots. In the end, all we have to do is kill the Garsalan. Endgame is to get ''em out of our system. That¡¯s a goal we¡¯re all invested in, after all.¡± Beside him, Chen nodded.


    ¡°Right. We can worry about the other stuff later¡­¡± Well, some of the non Garsalan related subjects would come now, not that he would tell them that.


    To Be Continued

 Stage 10 - Battle Preparations

    Gaojinizer - Stage 10


    The Nasith Battleship


    It had not been long since the strategy was discussed among the troops of the UFE, and, as such, the operation hadn¡¯t started just yet. It went without saying that the members of the Machina squad were displeased with the results of the briefing, but nonetheless, they continued as usual. Aside from one, however. The kitchen within the Juzumaru had been there long before the vessel was converted into a makeshift warship, much like the rest of the ships used by the UFE. Who originally owned the ship had been lost in the records, but given the state of it, it hadn¡¯t been maintained. It was for that reason that Kanta Goel was working to take care of the kitchen¡¯s sorry state. But, she was not alone.


    As she wiped down the stove, mopping the floor on the other side of the kitchen, was one Han Chen. Why did he decide to do this? While he certainly had some drive to help her, it went without saying that there were other reasons for him being there. They were alone, and so far, they seemed to be getting along well.


    ¡°It seems to be the right time¡­ But what to say?¡± This was not a question he had the answer too. After all, his experience was in a different field. Eventually, the man began to inch closer.


    ¡°Kanta.¡± As Han called out to her, she glanced over her shoulder, with the same bright smile she usually had. Something that undoubtedly led to some hesitation, after all, he wasn¡¯t keen on messing this up. A basic conversation, that much would work.


    ¡°So, how did you end up in your position?¡± Han questioned.


    ¡°Well, I always liked cooking when I was younger, and really, it was the same with my brother¡­¡± The girl began to reminisce upon her past. She decidedly placed the rag down and sat on a nearby chair.


    ¡°One of the Garsalan Feudal lords, a Gal¡¯zi, attacked our hometown. We got taken in by the military, but we didn¡¯t have much aptitude outside of that, so they put us in the galley.¡±


    So the situation was the same for them. He supposed now was the time to both state his own plans for the future, and woo the girl alike. He stood up straight, pointing his finger to the sky, as he dropped the mop, letting the stick clamor on the floor.


    ¡°So we are the same.. But make no mistake, the great hero, Han Chen, and his Danzaman, shall make sure that those villains will do this no more!¡± He could only hope that this much would work. This much only resulted in a giggle emanating from the woman. Whether he could consider that good or not, he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Alright then, Hero¡­¡± The words managed to slip out, between the quieted fits.


    Apparently, this did not go unnoticed by three of the other pilots, who happened to be walking by when the exchange took place.


    ¡°Just what is he trying to do?¡± Takeshi questioned.


    ¡°Who knows.¡± Andrew responded with a shrug.


    ¡°I do wonder how her brother¡¯s going to feel about this, though.¡± Haemon chimed in. That was something they decided against touching. The pilots continued about their business afterward, while, elsewhere, their opponents were beginning to make their move. The Garsalan Ju¡¯zul Class Battleship was a ship of the line usually reserved for targets that were of more importance. To the Fi¡¯Gas Zu Meni, this ship, and a few others were more than enough to put down the rebellious Tasselr. They may have gotten lucky a few times, but that didn¡¯t mean they truly stood a chance against their might.


    Fiiras Zu Gestel, the commander of this vessel, saw little reason for his group to have been brought here. He was in the midst of combat with a species that, put frankly, were a better fight than the inhabitants of this planet. It was an annoyance, no doubt, but one that could be easily solved by a simple action.


    "We''ll end this quickly, and get back to our operations." Fiiras'' words were heard throughout the bridge of his ship, and there didn''t seem to be much disagreement. In the meanwhile, the forces of the UFE, as well as the Juzumaru prepared for the inevitable attack, all the pilots stood within the hangar, most of whom were focused upon Han seemingly looking off into space, a smile on his face. Though they decided against commenting on it, Takeshi sat on a nearby folding chair, as he leaned back into his seat.


    ¡°This is taking too long¡­ We¡¯ve been on standby for this long? I might go out and try to find them myself at this point, better than us being nothing but bait and not being able to fight them ourselves.¡± Truth be told, Takeshi was still livid about that, and it wasn¡¯t as if he was the only one, some part of them wanted to do the very same. Their thoughts were only interrupted by the other Goel twin, Rakesh, strolling in with a cart in front of him.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we still couldn¡¯t get the appliances working, looks like it''s gonna be rations again¡­¡± Their expressions dropped at this revelation. More barley edible nutrient bricks. The loudest among them, Takeshi, shouted out to the sky.


    ¡°DANMITTTT!!!!¡± It seemed they wouldn''t be that lucky. However, an idea popped up in Takeshi¡¯s head after a while. Who better to ask to fix the situation than their resident Mechanic!


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll be right back!¡± No sooner did the man speed off, leaving the others to wonder what he was planning. It did not take long for him to appear near the door of the bridge, and for a conversation to begin¡­ Conversation being a generous word.


    ¡°Come on! You know how to do this mechanical stuff, and I know you¡¯re tired of eating those rations too.¡± Takeshi yelled through the door.


    ¡°Do I look like a handyman to you?! Do it yourself! My research is more important than things like that!¡± Kyoko shouted back. The youth tsked in annoyance, why was she always so difficult to deal with? It¡¯s not like any of them knew how to do it, he had no training in that regard. It was a different skill set than anything he-... Skillset, SKILL¡­ That was it! His plan was finished.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I get it, You¡¯re just scared you won¡¯t know how to fix it.¡± In a split second, the door opened, as she leaned forward, putting her face close to his.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± She questioned, slowly. Takeshi smirked as he heard this response.


    ¡°Did I hit a nerve? This Oh-so great mechanic can¡¯t fix anything as simple as an oven¡­?¡± He questioned, beginning to let out a snide chuckle¡­


    ¡°You take that back!¡±


    ¡°Why would I? You seem scared to me¡­¡±


    Eventually, the determination within her began to build, with her reputation apparently challenged. A burning flame appeared in her eyes, she rushed past him with great speed, speaking out all the while.


    ¡°Can¡¯t fix it?! We¡¯ll see about that!¡± All the while, Takeshi stood there with a smile.


    ¡°Hook, Line, and Sinker¡­ Time to get back to the rest.¡± With his job done, Takeshi began proceeding toward the Hangar. Though it seemed like they wouldn¡¯t be doing anything for a while, he at least got some form of entertainment out of that. In the meanwhile, the mentioned mechanic was alone in the kitchen, surveying the damage, and seeming what work had already been done. She started with the stove that lied in the kitchen¡¯s center. The wires were messed up, and there was no power, and the apparatus that allowed the coils on the stovetop to heat were in dreadful shape. She couldn¡¯t even be sure they wouldn¡¯t explode if someone tried to turn the power on. In addition to this, the repair work was shoddy at best. It looked like she would need to do the heavy lifting here too. She didn¡¯t plan on using those repair drones for everything, at least.


    The mechanic stood to her feet, as she began a brisk walk out of the door, going to receive her tools. Her thoughts eventually drifted back to the situation that led to her even deciding to involve herself with this. Which could certainly be considered under her paygrade. The words of that Annoying man¡­ His comments truly got under her skin. Not only did she have a passion for what she did, there was the legacy of a legendary engineer she felt she had to uphold, that of her deceased father. However, these thoughts of her were shortly interrupted, by the sounding of Alarm Klaxons. Which stopped all activity within the ship for a moment, as those within knew very well what this meant.


    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Takeshi yelled, What was at first a walk became a run. As he dashed through the corridors, he breezed past Kyoko, nearly bumping into her if it hadn¡¯t been for his quick maneuvering. It did not take long for the pilot to arrive back in the hangar, and make his way to his machine. The cockpit of which opened, and let down a wire, which he stepped on, allowing it to bring him within. As he sat on the pilot¡¯s seat, the hatch closed, and the HUD came to life.


    ¡°Looks like we finally get to do something, Eh?¡± Andrew questioned.


    ¡°It took long enough. I¡¯ll be the one to clean things up¡­ As if some commoner Colonel will dictate my actions.¡± Diederick stated, with his chin high.


    ¡°As if, we all know that¡¯s gonna be me¡­¡± Takeshi responded. He did not continue to engage, however. Rather, he decided to launch, walking toward the hangar bay door, which rapidly began to open. No sooner did Kyoko¡¯s words echo through all of their cockpits.


    ¡°You¡¯re all cleared for launch!¡±


    Takeshi did not wait even a moment, the red light of the Gaojinizer¡¯s thrusters began to build rapidly, as it shot off into the sky.


    ¡°Inoue Takeshi, Gaojinizer, Ready to kick ass!¡± No sooner, the Kaiser Valgeogant was flying out of the cargo bay as well.


    ¡°Diederick Van Hohenzollern, Valgeogant, Launching!¡± The next to come was the Danzaman.


    ¡°Han Chen, Hero of Earth, Launching!¡± Apparently, his attempts to impress Kanta had not ended just yet. Behind the Danzaman, Andrew sighed at this attempt, but ultimately said nothing. Choosing to focus on the launching of his own machine, as did Haemon.


    ¡°Andrew Howard, Kaisenbuster, Let¡¯s do it!¡±


    ¡°Haemon Florakis, Great Sanvolner, Commencing Maneuvers!¡± The last two Machina launched as well. Now, all of them soared above the desert sands. Along with them were Sharjura¡¯s Vanguard Armors, known as the Tayir ''Aswad, or Blackbirds. Designed with direct combat, and destruction of other peer opponents in mind, they were large, and heavily armored, the same color as the sands below them. Their armaments, large railgun cannon and particle beams attached to the shoulder, serve that purpose as well. Fighter aircraft joined these Vanguard armors in the sky. as well as tanks rolling across the ground, armed with railguns. While a somewhat larger force than they were used to being supported by, it was nothing compared to the surrounding Third and Second armies, which waited to strike from the shadows, and sink their teeth into the Garsalan Force.


    The leaders of these armies, Lt. Colonels Fatin Mourad, and Shihab Kaleel, along with the colonel himself, were in the mobile command centers the UFE had dubbed the ¡°Landships¡±, due to their obvious resemblance to naval ships. The large husks of metal rolling across the sand were developed from those first used in World War 3 nearly a century ago. With turrets littering their surface serving as defensive weapons, as well as two large ones on the bow serving as offense.


    All three leaders got the same report, the Garsalan warship had finally shown it¡¯s face. The red-plated ship was larger than the Jul¡¯mas Battlecarriers that surrounded it. While the rest were around 850 Meters in length, the battleship was 1.2 KM in it¡¯s length. And very clearly, more heavily armed. The appearance of the ship was noted not only by the wider forces, but by the Machina team themselves, and the advance team with them. It did not take long for the comms to light up with different orders.


    ¡°Scatter Covalon Particles, Combat Density, Jam the Enemy¡¯s communications!¡±


    ¡°Enemy Vanguard Armors are Being Launched, watch yourselves!¡±


    ¡°We need to hold out for as long as possible!¡±


    In the midst of all this, the team themselves decidedly acted upon their desires, and went directly for destroying the Garsalan. A desire shared by most of the UFE. One of the ship¡¯s occupants, Kyoko, even shared this. Which was of no surprise, especially given how her father died. She herself began making her way back to the bridge, to watch the happenings of the battle. After all, by observing both the unknown allied, and enemy machines in action, she was fighting in her own way.

 Stage 11 - The Garsalan Battleship

    Gaojinizer Stage 11 -


    The Garsalan Battleship


    It had taken some time for the Garsalan force to arrive, but now, the wait was over, and the battle had gone into full swing. Vanguard Armors and Orbital Decimators alike, danced across the sky, attempting to shoot down their opponent''s. Unsurprisingly, the Machina were among them.  The Gaojinzier fired off shots from the comet pulse cannon, tearing into a rapidly approaching group of 10 enemy Vanguard Armors. It did not take long for the formation to break apart, and for other squads to come to its defense¡­ But clearly, these ones had come somewhat more prepared. The leading Tes''Li began to speak. peak into the comms.


    "Thara Tasselr esa lluurr duu suna waidh e llussa dhair rnerr, cluwailr dhaais fresa ail dhair wusrn. Aln dhara neshailar esa sasdeailrirr e saldser seira. Dardsuirr dhan, haeyirr waefulr daenr!"- These Terrans are fools too come with a force this small, knowing their place in this world. And these machines are certainly a central cause. Destroy them, heavy weapons teams!"


    The larger cannons over the Garsalan¡¯s shoulders began firing streams of ordinance, ranging from physical rounds, to missiles, and high-powered beams. It was made very clear who the garsalan were intending to get rid of. For better or for worse, they¡¯d clearly built up a reputation.  But regardless, these attempted attacks did not hit their targets. Rather, they hit shields generated by the Sanvolner, and seemingly, didn''t make the machine¡¯s defenses falter.  They did not have much time to reorganize, as the Kaizenbuster rushed in, shoulder charging one of the machines, impact boosters activated. What was formerly an Orbital Decimator, was no scrap metal. His squadmate just behind him shared the same fate, not able to move away in time. Next, the Gaojinizer rushed in, bisecting one of the enemy machines with a single swipe of its scythe. One of the pilots, enraged by this development, attempted to avenge the death of his comrade. But was shortly stopped, as one of the Danzaman¡¯s stingers shot him through the cockpit.


    At this point, the leader of the force decided to cut his losses.


    ¡°Dammit! Move back. We¡¯ll leave this to a ship.¡±


    They did just that, reversing their paths, and beginning to go back to their mothership.


    ¡°We got ''em on the run, Let¡¯s pursue!¡± Takeshi yelled over the comms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall making you the leader com-¡± Diederick began, cut off by a war cry as the Gaojinizer flew forth. Within his cockpit, Han smiled, as he sent half of his stingers to support the machine¡¯s advance.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s do this!¡± He stated, with enthusiasm. The man knew very well who was possibly watching the battle, and to that end, there was no way he could sit back and let Inoue steal the show. A wing of fighters that came to halt the Gaojinizer came forth as well. Takeshi himself noted a yellow-tipped missile being carried by one, and recalled being hit by it before. Almost immediately, he rushed to destroy that one, a success. The fighter exploded in a ball of fire. And the rest were soon to follow, with shots from the Danzaman¡¯s stingers.


    While a clash between the Other earth forces began on the ground, a Firing line of tanks and Vanguard armor alike had begun to form, launching all the ordinance they had at the opposing Garsalan Ground vehicles. Which were more rounded in shape than their human counterparts. Making an appearance as well, were the Quadruped Vanguard armors that, though used less in the modern battlefield, still had their place. Moving quickly across the sand, and kicking up clouds of dust. Booms echoing as the cannons on top of the machine¡¯s fired shells at their opponents. some of which impacted a Garsalan vehicle.


    Though it was not destroyed, it at least opened up a hole in the armor, which a tank behind it took advantage of, a round slamming into the exposed parts underneath. Enough to bring the machine to heel. But this was a short-lived victory, as it was destroyed by an opposing machine not too long afterward. Though they were making progress, this was by no means an easy battle. Whatever the Garsalan were using to armor their machines, it was powerful enough to stand up to their weaponry.


    In the sky above, the Blackbirds and fighter jets continued their melee with the S¡¯Fan¡¯s. Finding themselves shot at by the fleet¡¯s Anti-Air, and the opposing machines. One pilot in particular had chosen a different strategy, closing in on their opponents, and Ramming it shoulder-first. Disorienting the pilot, Enough for their allies to strike them from Afar. A plan that perhaps only worked due to the Pilot¡¯s lack of attention, and their machine¡¯s bulk. But one that seemed to be working nonetheless.  At this point, the battle was going very well, and all members of the team were ready to continue on. Until they noted multiple loud pops, that seemed to differ from the sound of the battlefield weaponry. With Blue tinted balls of light appearing in the sky behind them.


    ¡°A return signal, now?!¡± Takeshi slammed his fist into the dashboard. Indeed, it was a return signal. As the message was relayed to the diversionary force, they began to act in tandem, disengaging their opponents, though they continued firing as they made their way back. The leader of the fleet, Fiiras Zu Gestel looked down upon the Tasselr.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Rillailr ail llaes, shird er I azfasdan. Chairn''r freirr... Wa''rr aln dhair hasa-"- "Running in fear, just as I expected.Child''s play... We''ll end this here-"


    "Mirr rusn, Aludhas alanirr llussa air srurailr ail!" - "My lord, Another enemy force is closing in!"


    "Whed?!"  - "What?!"


    It didn¡¯t take long for the UFE¡¯s other armies to begin closing in. The landships stayed protected at the very back, but they were not the only things they noticed, there were also the anti-ship batteries, known as the Dainslief by their forces. As soon as the batteries began firing, he sent out his order.


    ¡°Id raanr wa''rr heya du ira dhed ula... Saln uid dha Ascalonl!" - "It seems we''ll have to use that one... Send out the Ascalon!¡± In comparison to the mostly outdated S¡¯fans, the mentioned unit was not humanoid, instead bearing a certain resemblance to the machine known as the Cyd¡¯Rozen. Though not custom made, it was not a mass production unit, rather, a limited production unit for chosen troops. It did not take long for the machine to launch from the battleship. No sooner did it begin a quick assault on the UFE¡¯s forces. A white blur began to flash through the sky, firing off missiles that promptly tore through any of the pilot¡¯s targets with ease. A squad of blackbirds attempted to intercept him, firing from afar with their weapons and breaking up their formation, so as to not get caught into one place. But their shots either barley damaged the armor, or were avoided entirely.


    ¡°Dammit! What now-¡±


    The pilot¡¯s words were cut off by a beam slamming into his cockpit. Deafening screams emanated from his comms, as he was burned alive, and destroyed within a moment. His allies did not have much time to think about him, however. As many of them were soon condemned to the same fate. While pilot remained silent as he simply went from one enemy to another, within a moment¡¯s notice. His attention went from the small troops, to a group of Dainsleif, as one of the smaller ships in the fleet began to fall to the ground.


    The pilot changed his ordinance, to an anti-ship missile, and closed in, trying to make sure his shot would not be intercepted. The machine eluded all attempts at attack, and began firing the rounds, destroying the anti-ship batteries. The surrounding operators shortly began to make a mad dash in the other direction.


    ¡°What the hell is that thing?!¡± One shouted.


    ¡°At this point, who knows? We can ask that question when we¡¯re not about to die!¡± Another responded¡­ The pilot continued his assault on the 2nd army, whittling down their numbers. The plan was going south, and fast. At this point, it seemed as if the momentum of the battle had been turned in the Garsalan¡¯s favor. However, before the pilot could get much farther, he found a large burst of energy flying toward him, which he narrowly avoided. The pilot¡¯s attention moved to the left. Rapidly approaching, was the machina team.


    ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll have to step in after all! Let¡¯s do this!¡± Takeshi shouted. No sooner did continued shots fly from the comet pulse cannon, Forcing the silent pilot to evade. He soon found himself assaulted from multiple directions. As the stingers swirled around him like a typhoon, firing forth their own attacks. For the moment, he was off- balance by his attempts at defending. And two of the pilots were the first to think of attacking him in this state, Takeshi, and Diederick. As the Gaojinizer and Valgeogant flew forth, they found themselves nearly clashing with each other, had it not been for the respective pilot¡¯s quick actions, they likely would have.


    ¡°I suggest you watch where you¡¯re going, Commoner¡­¡± Diederick spat.


    ¡°The same to you, Died-¡± His words were cut off by a surprising sight, what looked to be a squad of fighters flying out of the orbital decimator, moving toward them as if they were psychically linked. They began firing with almost no hesitation.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Takeshi said in his confusion. Watching from afar, Han, in the Danzaman, put his hand on his chin.


    ¡°They¡¯re fast, and their movements are this in sync?¡± Han questioned.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Either we¡¯re dealing with some really skilled guys, or we¡¯re dealing with drones¡­¡± Andrew reasoned. To that end, Han began to make his own assault, his stingers moving to follow the enemy drones, and fire upon them. An attempt to take off any future pressure from his allies. To this end, it seemed to be a success. The Gaojinizer and Valgeogant began to close in on the machine once more. Takeshi¡¯s attack came first, the Gaojinizer¡¯s leg extended as he charged, pushing the thrusters to make himself faster, and faster, before he yelled out.


    ¡°Demolishing Kick!¡± The machine¡¯s foot smashed through the armored plates on the head.  While not doing nearly as much damage as the Kaizenbuster would have done, the Ascalon was not unscathed. But it apparently planned on keeping the Gaojinzer in place, the graspers that lay on either side of the machine took hold of the machina, as the missile firing ports opened once more. But, before this action could be finished, a fatal shot from one of the Danzaman¡¯s stingers into that same damaged plate, Shortly following this, the drones around them had gone inert, confirming Andrew''s latter theory. With the machine¡¯s grip loosening as the machine began to fall to the ground. In his cockpit, Takeshi smirked at the results of this counter-attack, and similar expressions came to the other pilots.


    In the battleship¡¯s bridge, Fiiras¡¯ expression was the exact opposite.


    "Dennaid... Wa laan du deca sesa ull dhan, hasa eln luw!" - "Dammit... We need to take care of them, here and now!"


    He¡¯d just had his best pilot taken out?! Just how annoying were these ¡°Machina¡± Machines. At the moment, he didn¡¯t want to use his flagship¡¯s weapons, lest the Tasselr observe more of their weaponry in action. There had to be some sort of solution to their issue¡­ The Ascalon was destroyed, and it wasn¡¯t as if they had any more aces with them. Most of the forces were from weaker lords who hadn¡¯t even the skill to e put in an actual battlefield. Simply put here putting down primitive rebellions. They would not be sufficient, not for this enemy. As he was left to ponder this, the answer to their issue was soon to come. Just below him, one of the bridge¡¯s officers received a message from a certain group. The man stood from his seat, as he turned to look up at his commander.


    "Sais... I heya lawr, e nanfas ull dha Iru Fuilnedaiul her essaiyan, dhairr reain dhairr sel harf? Whed rherr wa nu?" - "Sir... I have news, a member of the Iso Foundation has arrived, they said they can help? What shall we do?"


    "... I''rr erruw aid, rad hain ail." - "... I''ll allow it, let him in."


    He found the members of that foundation to be bad news at best, but it seemed he would have to compromise, just this once, especially with how the machina continued tearing into his forces. Hopefully, this would suffice.


    To Be Continued

 Stage 12 - Iso Foundation, Second Strike

    Gaojinizer - Stage 12


    Iso Foundation - Second Strike


    The Tassel machine that had destroyed the Iso foundation¡¯s previous experiment had painted a target on its back when it did so. They already had enough issues getting their research done, if the creatures they created failed to even bring results, then it would only get worse from there. This issue had to be corrected, and it had to be corrected soon.


    ¡°This Gaojinzer had best count its days¡­¡± The new creature that they would release would not go down so easily¡­ For the time being, he would bide his time, putting the beginnings of the rapidly growing creature in the ground, and letting it continue this process until it was ready. For now, he¡¯d observe the battle in front of him. The primitive¡¯s anti-ship weapons seemed to do nothing against the Garsalan fleet¡¯s larger vessels, the same could not be said for the smaller ones. Though the battle between the Vanguard Armors and Orbital decimators were nowhere near as close on an individual basis, a Garsalan pilot that let himself get separated from his allies, could certainly find himself in a troublesome situation. Regardless of this, the machines that could do the most damage to the enemy, the Machina, found themselves removed from the ongoing battle, on standby far from the front lines. The idea of rushing in and showing this Bangura, and the rest of their detractors just what they were capable of was certainly more appealing, but they stayed their hand, for the time being. But that didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t speak of their annoyance.


    ¡°What was the point of us being here if they were just gonna keep us back?¡± Takeshi questioned, annoyance evident in his tone.


    ¡°There¡¯s also the question of how far up do these orders go¡­ Could it have been an independent choice by the Colonel himself? While Shajura is ultimately in the UFE, they¡¯ve been known to make their own strategic decisions separate from the rest.¡± Haemon analyzed. That would certainly hope to explain their current situation. Though they hadn¡¯t been around him much, it was clear to them what his view on the Machina team was. The subject of their conversation sat within his landship, surrounded by the forces of the third army. His eyes moving across a map of the battlefield. The losses they were experiencing weren¡¯t exactly low, but that much was a given.


    ¡°At the moment, the battle seems to be going well¡­ We should be able to whittle down their forces and make them retreat, though it won¡¯t be a short process by any means.¡± Though most seemed content to listen to the man¡¯s musings, one of the bridge''s officers wasn¡¯t. There were 5 assets of theirs shown to be exceptionally powerful, and they weren¡¯t being used, just what was the colonel thinking? Though he would likely be considered out of line, at this point, he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°If that¡¯s our goal, then why are the Machina doing nothing in the back?! The longer we prolong this battle, the more troops we lose! If anything, they should be joining in our attack of the enemy!¡±


    This only resulted in the Colonel¡¯s gaze shooting over to him. Which promptly made the man go silent.


    ¡°We will proceed with the original plan¡­ Do not speak out of turn again.¡± Though his reasons were not stated outright, they were simple enough. Regardless of how the Machina worked, he had his reservations about using them in battle, given the age of those they were piloted by, and the emphasis the UFE¡¯s supreme council placed upon using prototypes, regardless of if Professor Okita was the one to create them. Or, at the least, the first machine to which they were derived from. While he understood that they were scraping the bottom of the barrel at this point in terms of who was brought into the military, and that it was a necessity, that didn¡¯t mean he had to agree with it.


    There wasn¡¯t much he could do in that regard, even if he was an officer, so he would take actions like this. However, much to the surprise of all of those there, were tremors that shook the desert dunes around them. The troops on the ground, Human and Garsalan alike, stopped firing, as they looked around in confusion. The very same could be said for the Machina pilots within their machines, as well as Kanta, Rakesh, and Kyoko. Who themselves were gathered on the ship¡¯s bridge.


    ¡°Where are these tremors coming from? Did the Garsalan set off a bomb?¡± Kyoko questioned with a raised eyebrow


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have the answer to that. That kind of subject is outside my area of expertise. What about you, Sis?¡± Rakesh glanced at Kanta, who simply shook her head.


    ¡°We went through training together, you know¡­¡±


    The moment of quietude on the battlefield was interrupted by the source of the tremors finally coming forth. A gigantic beast, something resembling a worm, burst out of the desert sands. Sharing the same color as the environment around it. To say it was large would be an understatement, as one could see it outsize the ships in the sky¡­ The beast began to wreak havoc upon the second and third armie¡¯s by simply writhing in the sand, letting out a booming, high pitched call.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°A Kaiju?!¡± Takeshi questioned. In The Colonel¡¯s ship, he watched this with widened eyes.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen one of those beasts in decades¡­ And even then, they were nowhere near this large¡­ Just what are we dealing with here?!¡±


    As the damages to both armies continued to build, it was at this point that the pilots had enough. They wouldn¡¯t allow the creature to rampage and kill any longer, especially as they noted that the Dainslief¡¯s did only minor damage to the beast, before being destroyed on the spot. If there was any chance at defeating this creature, it was them. The Gaojinizer and Valgeogant both rushed in, the pilots of either machine eager to reach the enemy, and damage it first. But it seemed that the Worm had the same idea, lifting its body, and revealing a gaping maw, as it shot into the sky, like a striking cobra. Something which forced the Garsalan ship¡¯s to take quick evasive maneuvers, lest they be demolished by the rapidly approaching force. While the leader of the task force would rather not retreat, the beast seemed to not discern on who it was attacking, and as such, they began to pull away.


    While some part of them wanted to pursue, the giant worm held most of their focus, and for good reason. Takeshi began firing the comet pulse cannon, but at it¡¯s current output, it did very little to deter the beast, the same could be said for the flourish of the machines¡¯ scythe that came next, and an attempt at slicing it from the Valgeogant¡¯s blade. The attempts at an attack only resulted in both machines being thrown back as the beast whipped its head in an arc. Undoubtedly, they would have been thrown around, had the inertial dampener not been active.


    No sooner did the worm charge the Machina it¡¯d recently thrown away, but Haemon was quick in coming to their defense. His kinetic defenders went up, and he stopped in the creature¡¯s path, though Haemon ultimately found himself struggling against the creature¡¯s charge, it was eventually sending its head into a spin, and forcing it too slam back into the ground, sending a cascade of sand outward, which poured onto the remaining ground troops. Before long, however, it was up once more, and making another strike. The Valgeogant was hit first, sending it crashing into the Gaojinizer. Causing Takeshi to yell out a curse as the two were sent spinning in the other direction. While they eventually managed to stop themselves, the two both took note of the fact that their machie¡¯s had been damaged¡­ It seemed that the Kaiju¡¯s speed was more dangerous than they initially thought. The two began to make their way back into the battle, and the worm itself attempted to charge them once more. However, it did not have as much luck this time around, with the Machina pilots now being well aware of the speed it could move at. The Danzaman was clearly its target, and the machine began to fly away, which resulted in the creature following.


    But it did not get much farther, as it slammed into the Sanvolner''s shields once more, and the Kaizenbuster struck it from the left, knocking it back into the sand. And for the moment, there seemed to be a lapse in movement.


    ¡°Alright, Let¡¯s get it now!¡± Takeshi shouted, flying forth


    ¡°Aim for its mouth, Nothing else seems to work!¡± Andrew shouted. The machina closed in on the creature almost immediately, With the Diederick using the Valgeonant in a different way,  throwing its blade into the red tunnel that was its inner body,  before quickly retreating. No sooner, Takeshi and Han fired off beams into the creature¡¯s mouth, but even then, their battle was not done Only ended as Andrew activated the Kaizenbuster¡¯s impact boosters, and ran through the creature, damaging it from the inside out. He was soon joined by both Takeshi, and Diederick. Whether the internal structure was shot, stabbed, cut, or rammed, the damage to the creature was becoming clear. Including the Garsalan known as Su¡¯Zesh Iso¡­ He¡¯d come with a beast of increased power, and yet, this was the result. Time spent coming into warzones, collecting THEIR DNA, going through expensive research? If they lost again, then there was no future for the Iso Foundation


    Something that he was left to lament, as the Creature was left as bloody ribbons, spread out across the desert sands. A fist was slammed into the dashboard, especially knowing what would happen to any luxuries they may have had. Failure in battle was never good, not for any Garsalan. But for him and his organization, who¡¯d grown to be scorned, the result would be much worse. Regardless of this, however, it seemed as if the Garsalan fleet would make its escape if they did not act quickly. Hey couldn¡¯t bask in their victory, not for long, before they¡¯d rushed to continue their attack on the other Garsalan. This much was observed by the other members of the UFE, who, if not convinced they were useful, had been pushed a bit further to that. Their targets apparently picked up on their attempted pursuit, on Fiiras¡¯ flagship, one of his officers shouted out.


    "Thura Faiya Tassel neshailar esa llurruwailr ir!" - "Those Five Terran machines are following us!" Almost as soon as this fact became clear, the Garsalan attempted a counterattack. But this was only met by the Machina charging into the crowds upon crowds of enemy machines, and tearing them apart. The situation was made even worse as Andrew activated his impact boosters, destroying any Orbital decimators that go tinto his way, as he barreled toward one of the enemy cruisers¡­ The former ship was soon reduced to an exploding mass of twisted metal, and the same could be said for the vessel that lay just above it¡­ By that point, the rest of the fleet had begun to create more distance between themselves, and the enemy. Within the Gaojinizer¡¯s cockpit, a smirk crawled onto Takeshi¡¯s face. The same could be said for the other pilots. With no more words, they began their return to the Juzumaru


    ¡­


    The mood after the battle¡¯s end was Jubilant. With the kitchen equipment having finally been fixed, in no small part due to a certain Mechanic¡¯s pride being put into question, the pilots had finally been able to consume real food again. To very little surprise, Han put himself near Kanta, and to many of their surprise, Takeshi and Kyoko sat close to each other, even if they threw the one sitting opposite to them, less than friendly looks. But it seemed that the mood within had prevented them from entering yet another verbal exchange¡­ For the time being, at least.


    ¡°Like I said, Kanta, The great hero Han, will stop the villainous Garsalan! We¡¯re one step closer, and we¡¯ll only get further along from here!¡±  Han commented, striking a pose, once again leaving his fellow pilots questioning just what he was doing. However, the other question was what the woman¡¯s brother would do, as it was fairly obvious just what he was trying to do. Though, for the time being, he seemed to say nothing. It seemed that calm had returned for the pilots of the Juzumaru, at the least, until their next mission was passed down. The same could be said for the various soldiers stationed in Shajura¡­ For Bangura, however, there was a bit of discontent in his mind. The fact remained that the Machina ended up doing a lot of the heavy lifting, something he didn¡¯t exactly like. As he sat in his personal study, he thought about just what could be done. All things considered, He didn¡¯t have all that much influence in the higher echelons of the UFE. But regardless, there had to be something he could do to remove them¡­


    To Be Continued.

 Stage 13 - The Conflict Continues

    Gaojinizer - Stage 13


    The Conflict Continues


    Far away from the earth, there lied another planet. Covered in a variety of Different Biomes, and dense cities, filled with millions of inhabitants. This planet was the homeworld of the human race¡¯s most dangerous enemy, the Garsalan Empire. In the largest city on the planet, which lied on its southern continent. It was here that a grand citadel lay, which made that of Darzell Zu Meni, the Solar System¡¯s Fi¡¯gas, seem like a simple hut in comparison. But this fact only made sense when one considered just who owned this castle, and the members of high society it commonly contained. 5 Garsalan met within a chamber, which was ornately decorated. Much of the walls lined in an expensive metal alloy that, while useless for any military purposes, served as a status symbol, especially with the amount seen here. at the very summit of the building. Among them was the head of the Garsalan Empire, the one known as Ghokkis Zu Ezret. Who''s chitin began to take a considerably darker, nearly black color, when compared to the others in the room. Showing that he was of a significantly older age.Surrounding him, were the highest forms of authority within the empire, save himself, the ones known as the four generals.


    ¡°Ciddeth Zu Meis¡­ Some troubling reports have reached my ears. The primitives in your domain, the Terrans. They have begun to put up a fight, and more than that¡­ They have even forced the garrison into retreat.¡± This much was met by a scoff from one of the room¡¯s other inhabitants.


    ¡°To primitives like that? The ones who hadn¡¯t even lasted so much as a month before they were crushed? That¡¯s a new low¡­¡± The apparent subject of the conversation, General Ciddeth, stood center stage directly in front of the monarch.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been made aware of the situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you understand why it may be an issue, correct?¡±


    ¡°That I do¡­¡±


    ¡°Then make sure the situation is handled¡­ I can not allow another failure to pass.¡±


    The Garsalan crossed his arm over his chest, speaking once more.


    ¡°I assure you, actions will be taken with haste.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ Then we¡¯d best see some results.¡± Ghokkis responded.


    ¡°Yes, your Imperial Majesty¡­¡±


    With no more words, the General began to exit the room¡­ The situation he found himself in was less than Ideal, the feelings that burned within him were not positive, not by any means. Humiliation, from having such failures exposed, and anger, at his foolish subordinates who brought the humiliation upon him. Just what was that fool Darzell Zu Meni doing in that system? Given his line¡¯s history, there was no way the General should¡¯ve put him in control of anything, especially if he wasn''t being kept under tight watch¡­ Regardless, his failure would be rectified. And the situation would be handled, one way or another¡­ In a short time, one of his many Servants came to his side. A garsalan with Blue-tinted chitin. Moving in step with the general.


    ¡°If you don''t mind me asking, How will you handle the situation, my lord?¡±


    ¡°The answer is simple, Zel¡¯Jo¡­ It seems that some of those occupation forces need to be reminded of the fact that they¡¯re on a battlefield. And the Fi¡¯Gas needs to be reminded of how a higher lord should conduct themselves.¡± So that was the solution¡­ Whether it would work or not was anybody¡¯s guess.


    Opening 2 - Fatally, Kotoko </a>


    ***


    On the Juzumaru, where the occupants were not privy to the conversation concerning their action, things were as normal. With nothing else to do, the pilots had once more gathered in the common area. Enjoying each other''s company, well, as much as one could for a number of people who were just above being strangers. ¡°So, we¡¯re heading to Mariseau next, eh.¡± Haemon commented, gaining a nod from andrew.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Yeah, apparently the Garsalan have set up some bases there. If we don¡¯t take it over now, we¡¯ll probably be seeing a new occupation zone.¡± Though they¡¯d only vaguely heard about the occupation zones, what was known by most people was that they were the areas the Garsalan lords attached to earth sent their families, for the most part, and that humans were mostly expunged from those areas. In addition to this, they were strongholds of Garsalan power, and served to further tighten their control over earth.


    To no surprise, there was very little contact with those within, if there were any left at all. Likely they were living simply to avoid detection, and stay alive. And it wasn¡¯t as if the garsalan who¡¯d gone to live there were exactly telling their ways of life, and what kind of defenses they had to them. The current zones, which consisted of what was formerly Iran,The Central Regions of Former Mexico, The now much more habitable remnants of Antarctica, or specifically, the eastern isles. and the Island of Madagascar. These were more than enough to serve as a roadblock to the UFE. Another one in the center of a major contributor to the war would only make things significantly worse.


    ¡°Going off what we know, then it only makes sense that they¡¯re sending us to take care of things¡­ The successful establishment of a new one would put any plans the big-wigs might have in jeopardy.¡± Andrew noted.


    ¡°Makes sense.. Either way, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be there for a while. This ship can only go so fast.¡± Takeshi responded, with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He could only guess what was happening in the city right now, and whatever plan the roaches were cooking up right now. Apparently, a sentiment that was shared by the rest of the pilots. Well, most of them, whether Han, who was currently out participating in his normal antics was included, was unknown. BUt one who did agree for sure, was the Juzumaru¡¯s resident mechanic, who was, at the moment, stuck with trying to upgrade the repair bots once more. Something that was routine or someone of her skill level, and frankly, it was boring her.


    ¡°Something needs to happen, and soon¡­ If I''m gonna study the Machina beyond what they told me, i¡¯;m going to need more data¡­ So many black-boxed schematics, so many unknowns. It just won¡¯t do, not for me!¡± Was what she recorded even the machine¡¯s full capabilities, she couldn¡¯t even confirm that much. It was a frustrating situation, yes, but one she planned to fix. To that end, she got up from her seat on the floor, and began exiting the bridge, ignoring the conversation between the pilots as she did so. She was a woman on a mission, and didn¡¯t plan on being distracted.


    ¡°Man¡­ They couldn¡¯t have given us anything better than these? Their AI is still running on WaveX of all things¡­ Even a Civilian OS would be better in this case. I don¡¯t have the materials on hand for that. I don¡¯t have the materials to handle that on hand¡­ I¡¯ll need to visit a Radio-Active the next time we touch down¡­ They have locations in the USE, Don¡¯t they?¡± It was something to think about for sure, but for now, she would continue picking the machine¡¯s apart. In a short time, however, a distraction was making its way toward her, in the form of Kanta, who herself, eyed Kyoko. Truth be told, she¡¯d never really had a conversation with the mechanic, something she wanted to rectify.


    ¡°Kyoko!¡± Kanta called. The girl perked up at her name.


    ¡°Kanta? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to talk, that¡¯s all.¡± She responded. That much was¡­ Unexpected to Kyoko, but herself always being more on the insular side, seemed somewhat hesitant to take her offer up. And, truth be told, Kanta wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to continue the conversation, a social butterfly that she was, but she knew well that the same couldn¡¯t be said for the mechanic. Perhaps a simple start to the conversation would be best.


    ¡°So¡­ How did you end up in the UFE?¡± She asked slowly. At the very least, this got a response.


    ¡°Because I wanted to study the Gaojinizer¡­ Think about it, almost nobody knows about the inner-workings of the Machina, not even me, and I¡¯m the one doing the repairs¡­ I could not by any means call myself my father¡¯s daughter if I didn¡¯t become the first to figure that information out.¡± Kyoko stated, puffing out her chest a bit. Her demeanor even seems to change, and not by a small bit, either. To Kanta, herself and her brother were somewhat outliers, while the pilots had a burning desire for revenge, and were ready to rush into combat, Kyoko herself apparently had a legacy she wanted to keep alive. Though, her and her brother were fighting in their own way. They likely would¡¯ve never met each other had the Garsalan never invaded Earth. But to her, that just went to show the profound effect they had on the world.


    ¡°Ah.. Well, I wish you good luck in that regard. I¡¯m sure you can succeed in that.¡± With that much said, the woman began to walk away. For the moment, it seemed as if the ship¡¯s trip would continue uninterrupted, with casual conversations and whatnot happening among the few members of the crew there was. Though, to no surprise, the same could not be said for members of the UFE that lay elsewhere. In the target region they were headed to, combat against the rapidly advancing tide known as the Garsalan continued. Whether it be from the infantry and armor battling in the small towns, or the attacks on Garsalan warships, which rained down fire from above.


    Though the standard ground combat was considerably more equal, at least, when infantry was confirmed, the same could not be said otherwise. At this point, even old mothballed Vanguard Armors from the early Three-States period were being used. After all, the UFE had to use anything they had if they were to attain victory. They surely didn¡¯t have quality, not at the moment, so they would have to rely on quantity. In one of the many battlegrounds, a small village now finding itself bombarded by railguns and beams of particles alike, a squad of the UFE¡¯s soldiers were holed up in one of the many buildings, a house that seemed to have long since been abandoned.


    ¡°So, you all heard, that those new machines, the Machina are coming this way?¡± One questioned. Gaining a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°The VA¡¯s that killed that big ass worm, destroyed the Garsalan, they¡¯re real? Thought they were just propaganda to keep morale up. Wouldn¡¯t be the first time...¡± Another responded. Leading to a third leaning back into his chair.


    ¡°Yeah, they kept saying the Hawk of Ceres was back in the cockpit and destroying Garsalan ships. They really expected us to believe he was conveniently found, and decided to come out of retirement? Let alone a man over 90 piloting a Vanguard armor.¡± It was well known that the all-famous ace had disappeared long before the Garsalan invaded, something which led to the attempted boost to morale working for a short time, but fizzling out soon after¡­ But, some among their regiment had come to believe that this time, the apparently legendary aces, were anything but legendary. They could very well be en route, and break the slog that had formed.

 Stage 14- Battle for Mariseau

    Gaojinizer Stage 14 -


    Battle For Mariseau


    It went without saying that a significant amount of the UFE¡¯s forces were attached to the defensive unit in Mariseau. Something that didn¡¯t go unknown by the other side of the conflict, noted as well, were the Machina, who¡¯d become to gain a name for themselves in the Tassel Ossifedaiul Fussa, The Terran Occupation Force. When it became known that they were approaching the site of the future occupation zone, somebody needed to be sent to stop it. To that end, two accomplished pilots were being sent their way¡­ In the briefing room, they both sat waiting for their orders. A Male Garsalan with Chitin the color of sand, and Pilot of the Cyd¡¯Rozen, G¡¯thera Zu Kalis. And one who¡¯d encountered the Gaojinizer back when it was first used in combat, L¡¯fles Zu Jago. Joining them was the ship¡¯s commanding officer, A garsalan with forest green chitin, dubbed Tlon Za Jyugos.


    His eyes moved across the two in front of him, as he spoke.


    ¡°You two¡­ As you have battled the Machines the Terrans Called Machina, the idea on our minds is to use you for their elimination. You have been tasked with eliminating them, so that the creation of the new Settlement zone will be achieved. I¡¯m expecting results from the two of you.¡± And apparently, that was the most he wanted to say, in short time, he¡¯d already began exiting the room, leaving the two alone. Zu Jago turned his gaze to G¡¯thera, decidedly breaking the silence.


    ¡°So¡­ We¡¯ll be working together, then.¡±


    The Ace stood from his seat.


    ¡°That we will¡­ Let us make sure they dont escape from our grasp once more¡­¡± G¡¯thera stated, before walking off. This seemed to be his much needed second chance. A loss to a Tasselr was something that could negatively affect his future plans. How could he rise up the totem pole and gain a higher title, if a species known as primitive was able to keep up with him in his machine. How to go about it was the question, but for the time being, he¡¯d focus on the now. The canteen was, as usual, filled with off-duty occupants of the ship going about their day. A variety of foods with them. Vaddimato Skewers, fried meat of the animal with the same name, from the Garsalan Homeworld. Along with Fleatil, a widely used vegetable. Eating before battle would do him well, and, as such, he intended to do so.


    On the other side of the war, the same pilots they intended to battle did the same thing. For the time being, a simple chicken soup, but compared to what the pilots had been eating beforehand¡­


    ¡°Damn this is good! Way better than those rations.¡± Takesi began to shovel more of the food into his mouth, all the while Han ate mostly quietly, thinking about one of those who cooked the meal.


    ¡°Kanta¡­ I see more of your skill. This taste is exquisite¡­¡± As the man looked to the ceiling, seemingly starstruck, Andrew glanced at the man with a sigh. It looked like that would be a common fixture of their days for a while. Eventually, three more members had joined them in the common room, in the form of Kyoko, Rakesh, and Kanta. To no surprise, the last caught Han¡¯s attention, and almost as soon as she sat down, he was already drifting toward her. Kyoko herself eyed the rather ravenous eating method Takeshi was using. She only shook her head, and returned her gaze to her own food. Haemon began to speak as he spooned some of the broth into his mouth.


    ¡°Well¡­ We certainly have an interesting group of Comrades on this ship¡­ But, that¡¯s beside the point, what do you all think we¡¯ll be facing in Mariseau.¡± He questioned. Diederick glanced over at the man, responding.


    ¡°As I see it, they will most likely be pulling out a lot more force than the last few times¡­ We¡¯d best make sure we win.¡± That line of thought was obvious, anyone would think the Garsalan establishing another occupation zone was a danger. But there was another reason entirely. The area they were trying to occupy included his homeland, the nation he was set to rule once he took the throne, and therefore, protect. There was his family as well, who he by no means wanted in the clutches of the roaches¡­


    The next member of the group, Andrew, leaned back into his seat, pausing his music with a tap to the device¡¯s side.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just need to make sure we pull our weight. Lots of lives on the line in this one.¡± This much gained nods of acknowledgement from those within, even from Takeshi, who seemed wholly absorbed in inhaling his food. He was still paying mind to the conversation, at least. One of the two chef¡¯s decided then and there, to make a declaration.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯ll have to make sure there¡¯s food ready. Wouldn¡¯t want you all going into battle hungry.¡± Rakesh stated. To the side, A smile had begun to come to Kyoko¡¯s face. This battle¡­ Not only would they be able to deal a blow to the Garsalan, but a more prolonged one may give her what she wanted, a way to get data on the Machina more than she otherwise would have. Moreso if she got to see the inner workings more through repairs¡­ Though that prospect was more bad than good.


    ¡°We should be pretty close¡­ May as well get the drones activated.¡± Kyoko began to make her way to the cargo bay, acting upon her thoughts. While, in the same way, the pilots of the Machina were surprised by the ship¡¯s alarms going off, making it clear just what was happening.


    ¡°The enemy must be getting close¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± Andrew stated. In a very short time, they were all making their way to the hangar, though Han looked over his shoulder, winking at Kanta before they left. As the pilots made it there, the Machina were already prepared for launch. Diederick began to rush to his Valegogant, as the overarching effects of the Garsalan succeeding were imagined in his head. There was too much to lose, especially here. It seemed that it was the same for all the other pilots, who made their way to their machine¡¯s just as quick. The vague stories of just what happened within the depths of the occupation zones had made it to their ears in the time before this operation, and those implications did not illustrate a future for the people of this land. The launched machina casted the light of their engine¡¯s over the sky, as they flew forth to join the battle. Garsalan cruisers, as well as one of the higher classed battleships they saw in the earlier battle were what they faced. S¡¯fans with varying weaponry. Some with the bazooka-like warhead launchers, fighters with the yellow-tipped Kinetic Distributors, and even some non-Humanoid Orbital Decimators, much larger than their humanoid cousins. Finding themselves battling with the UFE¡¯s defense force on the ground. The Dainsleif Anti-ship batteries launched their beams upward, which moved toward their targets at a Blistering pace.


    Though Covalons ultimately reduced their long range capacity, they somewhat had the benefit of their enemy having to continually move closer.


    ¡°Looks like the roaches Are gettin¡¯ Serious! Let¡¯s do so too!¡± Takeshi shouted. In a short time, his thumb drifted to the firing button on his display, as he set the output of the Comet pulse cannon. And with the rays of light that flew from the many Hexacomb barrels flying forth from all directions, demolishing those it hit, the Machia squad¡¯s involvement in the battle had begun. Andrew was the next to attack, charging into the enemy formation, and, to no surprise, tearing through them with little resistance.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The Garsalan began turning their attention to the machina almost as soon as their first attacks fell.


    "Id''r dhura lluis ODr, Whed luw?!"-"It''s those four ODs, What now?!" Their appearance was noted by their allies as well, who looked upon this with excitement. Though there were certainly some detractors within earth¡¯s forces, there were many who recognized the help that the Machina could be, even if they did not know who piloted them. Among the pilots of  one of the UFE¡¯S many VA squad¡¯s, a commander found himself emboldened by their performance, and apparently, was ready to spread this sentiment to his troops.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let those five get all the work done, Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± As his subordinates shouted, they began the pursuit of retreating Ascalon. In the meanwhile, the Machina had continued their tearing apart of the Garsalan Forces. A force of S¡¯fans, five in total, made the mistake of entering the Gaojinizer¡¯s melee range, with rapidly Oscillating Sonic blades, and red-hot Plasma Blades.


    ¡°Thair air uis shelsa! Wa neirr ayal fa efra du rura uis Ser¡¯or rdedir aill wa saesh yaisdusirr!¡±- ¡°This is our chance! We may even elevated from to Ser¡¯or Status if we Reach Victory!¡±


    But it seemed their ambitions were ill-fated. As the Garsalan¡¯s deathscythe was ejected from within the machine, and entered its hand. As the weapon was swug, the pilots of the machine¡¯s within saw their life flash before their eyes, and were shortly bisected, just as their cockpit, and the rest of their machine¡¯s had, before exploding. And as for the last three, though their deaths were not brought about by the same machine, it was by a Machina nonetheless. The Valgeogant zipped through the sky, stabbing through the reactors of the machines, one by one, ensuring that they¡¯d ultimately explode, and be destroyed. And the apparent Viciousness of his attack continued, as the Royal heir shouted out a war cry, cutting down all who stood in his path with a flourish of his blades.


    ¡°THIS PLANET, THIS LAND, DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU!!¡±


    ¡­


    The results of the Machina squad¡¯s interference was clear. Among the Garsalan forces, there was a certain amount of disarray. Though some had expected for them to get there, when they were going to get there, or how much their attack was going to damage them was a different story. In the Invasion Fleets¡¯ flagship, the state of the ship within represented the situation outside well. Crew were moving to and fro, to different sections, terminals, arming different weapons, and making sure computers worked right. As it seemed that they would have to involve themselves in combat. The vast chamber that held the command room had no shortage of activity. Including the commander of this fleet leaned into his seat, observing the battle from both the holographic display in front of him, and the cameras from the ships exterior. The latter showed him the position of both enemy and allied forces, marked by green and red diamonds respectively. In a short time, he was approached by one of the fleet¡¯s vice-admirals.


    ¡°Excellency¡­ How do we handle the situation? The appearance of those four machines has interrupted our strategy.¡± - ¡°Ezsarralsirr¡­ Huw nu wa helnra dha raidiedaiul? Tha effaeselsa ull dhura lluis neshailar her aildassifdan uis rdsedarirr.¡±


    "Ad Cissald, Thasa esa dwu weaidailr du Annsarr dhed Irria... Fusir ul dha lusner alanaiar llus luw." - "At Current, There are two waiting to Address that Issue... Focus on the normal enemies for now."


    The mentioned two, G¡¯thera, and L¡¯fles, were indeed prepared to handle the situation. Flying in their S¡¯fan, and Cyd¡¯Rozen respectively. Heavily armed S¡¯fans joined them as well. Their strategy was not exactly a complex one, but it could certainly work to their advantage. Divide, and conquer. G¡¯thera¡¯s mind drifted to the humiliation that resulted from his loss against that ¡°Gaojinizer¡±, who he¡¯d certainly be eliminating first.


    ¡°"Tha alanirr air efuid 2 Selchs eweirr, Wa''rr saesh dhan ruul..."-"The enemy is about 2 Kilometers away, We''ll reach them soon..." G¡¯thera stated. 1900 Meters, 1500, 1000, 500. In short time, a volley of missiles flew forward, alerting the Machina to the presence of the tweo attackers, and making them stop their attack, taking evasive maneuvers.  L¡¯fles attacked in conjunction, letting lose a stream of beam fire at the closest target, the Valegogant.


    Who¡¯s pilot weaved around it, but it seemed the fired warheads from some of the other units would be an issue. One that Han and Haemon moved forward to address. Fired beams from the Danzaman¡¯s stingers, forcing them to detonate prematurely, or the Sanvolner¡¯s energy fields blocking out the explosive force.


    But, there was a trend that the Machina didn''t seem to notice, as more forces poured in to attack, they were beginning to drift apart. The one partly responsible for this plan, G¡¯thera, looked at the change of positions as a good thing, his target was open. He would be able to engage him in a one-on-one bout once more, and he would not lose¡­


    ¡°Psafesa irruisrarll, Tassel!¡±- ¡°Prepare yourself, Terran!¡± The Cyd¡¯rozen shot through the sky, a direct charge to his target. Takeshi took note of this immediately, remembering the machine.


    ¡°You again¡­¡± Before he had time to say anything more, the machine had begun its attack. The barrel between the four vice-like graspers had begun to emit a glow, as a steady flow of particles was achieved, running from the reactor, and then, to his opponent, Takeshi just barely got out of the way, his machine shaking a bit from the impact. The diagnostics screen told him enough, some of his armor had been torn off by the attack. He returned fire, the comet pulse cannon was fired once more, the swift salvo met with quick evasive maneuvers from the Cyd¡¯rozen. In a short time, both of them had closed in, deciding to attack from melee range, the wire-guided claws of the Cyd¡¯rozen snaked their way around the pilot¡¯s enemies, attempting to grasp it within.


    But Takeshi¡¯s quick action didn¡¯t allow for this, quick maneuvers, and the swiping of the deathscythe to swipe the enemy weapons away did this quite well.


    With the melee continuing between them, the other Machina found themselves individually dealing with a sea of enemies. Individually, these attacks wouldn¡¯t have been a problem, but now, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. As if to make matters worse, the Warships had decided to join in on the fight as well¡­ Out of all of them, Andrew¡¯s eyes moved around, as he took in his situation. Charging and destroying five opponents, his machine was rotated time and time again.


    ¡°Where are the rest at¡­? This must¡¯ve been their plan.¡±


    Apparently, the others were doin the very same. The Valgoegant was engaged in a dance with L¡¯fles¡¯ machine, their blades caught eachother time and time again, leaving them unable to land a direct strike. But it did not take long for Him to take note of their situation as well. In a short time, he was already disengaging, flying the other way.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ This could get bad if We Let it¡­¡± Diederick continued tearing through the enemies he had. Apparently, the plight of the Machina did not go unnoticed, on the Juzumaru, the apparent enforced isolation of each unit, was noted by the resident engineer as well. As well as those who joined her in the bridge.


    ¡°This could be bad¡­ Everyone else is fighting the Garsalan already¡­¡± Kanta noted. Beside them, the unmoving Kyoko spoke in a sharp tone.


    ¡°Then we need to.. They didn¡¯t install these weapons for no reason¡­ It may not be much, but we can at least do something.¡± In a short time, she made her way to the display, a collection of buttons and meters that came into existence as she made her way toward it, and in a few taps, she¡¯d already reached the weapons systems. The single single barreled guns on the left and right side of the ships respectively took aim. And, before long, fired beams of Covalons forth. The rapidly approaching beams did not go unnoticed by the Garsalan, but by the time they took note, the damage was already done. It wasn¡¯t enough to destroy them, sure, but it at least damaged their armor, and forced their formation to break up.


    L¡¯fles was one of those to take notice, and began flying in the direction of the Juzumaru.


    ¡°Faiya ull irrui, Ol na! Wa¡¯rr heya du nardsuirr dhed rhaif fallusa aid shaufesnainar dha frel elirr llisdhas!¡± -¡°Five of you, On me! We¡¯ll have to destroy that ship before it jeopardizes the plan any further!¡± They acted upon his orders, beginning to move away. The battle was a large amount of moving pieces, and, to no surprise, it was watched by no shortage of people. In nearby england, the city of Oxford, was in a jubilant mood, in stark contrast to the battle that went on just south of them. In no small part due to who¡¯d arrived. A motorcade made its way down the city¡¯s streets. A popular figure on earth, no doubt.


    His skin was dark, and his hair cut low. With Facial hair limited to a small amount of hair dotting his chin. His body was draped in a green officer¡¯s dress, with golden patches on his shoulders. As well as various medals, and a pin on his chest, which itself was the UFE¡¯s emblem. This was Asani Igwe, Supreme Commander of the UFE. His eyes moved across the display that was projected in front of him, a situational map of the battle to his south. To his side a woman who¡¯d become somewhat known for her beauty, sat. a fair-skinned woman with curly hair of crimson adorning the sides of her face, and just reaching her shoulders,  looked at him questioningly.


    ¡°Excellency¡­ How would you evaluate this situation?¡± The details of the battle weren¡¯t unheard of, but slow to come due to the interference. However, his mind gleamed something from it, as he dragged his finger across the screen, getting a better view.


    ¡°As I see it, the enemy¡¯s fleet seems to be spreading its wings as its altitude decreases¡­ They may try to keep the machina pinned, so they can encircle and clamp down upon our main force. They are certainly giving this battle more thought¡­ We¡¯ll need to make sure that doesn¡¯t succeed. We need to force them into overextending themselves. And that only happens with an outside force to break their formation. We could bring forces from the surrounding area, or get the Machina free¡­¡± A quickly thought up solution, but one that Shana Burrows expected. Which was of no surprise with how long she¡¯d been attached to him. But how this battle would continue was something that could only be predicted.


    To Be Continued.


    Selch - Garsalan Unit of measurement, equivalent to the metric Kilometer.

 Stage 15- Victory Or Loss

    Gaojinizer - Stage 15


    Victory Or Loss


    The battle of Mariseau still raged, and as of current, it seemed to be going nowhere fast. The machina were still locked down in their current positions, trying as they might to break the siege they were held in. To make the situation worse, the Garsalan Admiral¡¯s initial plan, spreading the fleet¡¯s wings, attempted to close in and encircle the ground forces. One of the very ships looking to achieve what would likely win the battle, the Juzumaru, was in a less than preferable situation. A force of Garsalan Orbital decimators, making their way toward them. What would they do in this situation? That was the question in Kyoko¡¯s head, Could they even do so much as hit them with the weapons they had now? If nothing else, they at least had to try. To that end, the guns on the ship¡¯s surface began firing once more. But it seemed such an attack was ill-fated.


    Zipping through the sky like a swarm of hornets, making their way around the fired beams of covalons¡­ But, at the very least, it seemed that support was¡¯t too far away. The Machina continued to tear through the Garsalan machines as best as they could, but it was still a close battle. Diederick eyed L¡¯fles machine with a fire in his eyes. Not only was it going directly for their ship, it was an enemy that had escaped from his grasp of all things. He couldn¡¯t allow that, not in the least. But even as he flew forward, he found that more of the Garsalan had come to bar his path, yet another annoyance to delay him.


    ¡°If they get to the Juzumaru, it¡¯ll be an issue.¡± While he was prepared to force his way through, it seemed that he didn¡¯t exactly need to do so, in the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the Danzaman¡¯s Stingers, firing off a beam that punched a hole into three of the machines, and drew their attention away. In a short time, Han¡¯s face, and cockpit alike, came into existence as he hailed him.


    ¡°Diederick, I¡¯ll take care of them, protect the Juzumaru!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Lord Hohenzollern to you!¡± The royal proclaimed, flying off to intercept the enemy once more. Elsewhere, the battle between the Cyd¡¯Rozen and Gaojinizer seemed to be going nowhere. To the Chagrin of both pilots, a scowl had made its way onto Takeshi¡¯s face, and a low chitter emerged from G¡¯thera¡¯s mandibles, a similar gesture. They could not see, nor hear their opponent, but one thing was clear, they both found each other to be an annoyance. This was because they''d been stuck in battle with each other, the second time they were kept from supporting their allies, all because of this stubborn machine that would not die.


    ¡°Annoying Ass Roach¡­¡±


    ¡°"Infinald Tassel..."(Impudent Terran)


    The two machines floated opposite to each other, almost seeming to block out the surrounding sounds of battle. The crashing of anti-ship rounds against their targets, the machines of both sides meeting in battle. Instead, both shouted out a war cry, even knowing the other wouldn¡¯t hear it, as they shot forward.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    ¡°Xu¡¯gel!¡±(Die)


    A red light built around the Gaojinizer¡¯s thrusters, and blue behind the Cyd¡¯Rozen¡¯s, as a high speed dance across the battlefield begun, launched missiles being swiftly weaved around, the very same happening with the beam bullets from the Gaojinizer, the two machines began to ascend, engaging in close combat, the wire-guided claws from the G¡¯thera¡¯s machine began to fire off rays of particles, trying to snake around the Machina¡¯s guard, while the machine quickly maneuvered around these beams, swinging it¡¯s scythe, and returning fire with its own. Quick twists and turns resulted in what looked like a double helix from afar, the trails of both thruster¡¯s machines visible to all of those watching. On the UFE¡¯s side, the many pilots watched this with some sort of awe, though they kept their eyes on their own battle nonetheless.


    ¡°So the rumors about the machina were true¡­ The Gaojinizer is keeping up with that Garsalan¡­ One of their ace pilots no less.¡±


    Another one of those there floated by his commander, watching this as well.


    ¡°Perhaps we truly can get rid of them faster than we expected.¡± A deadlock between the two pilot¡¯s had been established once more, and it looked like the same was going to happen below them. The Valgoegant rushed into the range of L¡¯Fles¡¯ S¡¯Fan, ready to destroy him then and there, but it looked as if it wouldn¡¯t be that easy. The machine turned on a dime, stopping the incoming strike with his own, catching the blade, but this seemed to be something diederick was prepared for, a second was taken from the machine¡¯s hip with the free hand, and nearly jabbed into the cockpit, had it not been for the Garsalan¡¯s quick retreat.


    ¡°Gu Fus dha rhaif, I''rr helnra dhair ula!"- ¡°Go For the ship, I''ll handle this one!" And with that, they did so, acting upon the orders. Which, of course, did not go unnoticed.


    ¡°Dammit! How did they get through?!¡± Kyoko shouted questioningly. Regardless, she continued to fire the guns, she¡¯d need to stave them off for as long as possible. All the while, the two galley chefs watched this in silence, watching as the battle unfolded, Rakesh scratched the back of his head with a sigh.


    ¡°If only there was more that we could do here¡­ It¡¯s not like we can pilot or operate guns, what could we do to the Garsalan, Cook for them?¡± The man paused, putting a hand on his chin.


    ¡°What do the Garsalan eat anyway? Can they even eat the same foods we do, they¡¯re aliens aft-¡±


    ¡°Rakesh¡­ Is this really the time to be asking that kind of question?¡± The man looked at his sister, to find her glancing at him, her expression unamused¡­ Well, she wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. But the question of whether their situation would improve was one she wished to have the answer to sooner than later. But apparently, two of the three pilots separate from the rest were working to achieve that goal. Andrew¡¯s gaze moved across his display, as he searched for an opening, or rather, any he could create¡­ To his left, where the Sanvolner was. The machine was much like his own, lacking any ranged weaponry, but the pure mass of the machine seemed to be enough.


    One machine was ripped apart by an uppercut, and another, a shoulder check sending it into another. The neck, a kick. A smirk had come to Andrew''s face as he observed the Sanvolner looking at his own machine. And its pilot, Haemon, had the very same expression. It seemed that their actions had brought them to the same place.


    ¡°Right then¡­ Impact Boosters, On! Lightning Knuckle!¡± The Kaizenbuster¡¯s fists were extended in front of the body, and in a short time, it was flying forward, at high speeds. One of the Garsalan pilots noted this from the corner of her eyes.


    "Dennaid! Muya uid ull-""Dammit! Move out of-"


    Her words were cut off by one of the machine''s fists slamming into her own, cutting through like butter, the very same happened to those who didn¡¯t get out of the way¡­ And in short time, two more of the machina had been re-united.


    ¡°What now?¡± Haemon questioned.


    ¡°To me, it looks like Han and Diederick got things handled on the ship¡­ Let¡¯s get to Takeshi, looks like that same pilot¡¯s got him locked down agai-¡±  However, his words were interrupted by a beeping, they were both being hailed, all of the machina were. And the source of the hail was noted almost immediately, One of the UFE¡¯s heads, Zhenya Mikhaylova. If her uniform didn¡¯t give her away, it would¡¯ve been her snow white hair, and emerald green eyes.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Mariseau defense units, the Garsalan strategy has been figured out¡­ They intend to encircle our forces by bringing the wings of their formation outward, they¡¯ve been doing so as they descended. Some of you will need to work to break this ring, and break up their formation¡­ Machina, You will need to help with this as well.¡± Well, that question was answered.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it, huh¡­ Alright, Let¡¯s get to work.¡± The two machines began moving thereafter, soon enough, joined by the Danzaman.


    ¡°You got that message too?¡± Han questioned.


    ¡°Seems everybody did¡­ The formations everywhere are changing.¡± Andrew observed. The movements of their fleet were changing, and they were changing quickly. It seemed that the danger of the situation was not lost on them. But still, it seemed that Takeshi was still nowhere closer to joining them.


    ¡°So that was their game¡­ I need to get down there.¡±


    Tha Tasselr nuyanaldr heya shelran, dhairr raan du fa ruailr llus naillllasald desdaisr? Her dha Gaes¡¯r Sdsedarirr faal nairsuyasan?" - "The Terrans movements have changed, they seem to be going for different tactics? Has the Admiral''s Strategy been discovered?"


    If this was the case, then he needed to act quickly. Both opponents apparently had the same idea. The man and Garsalan letting out beam bullets, and a salvo of missiles respectively. But this time, their attacks striked true, doing lasting damage to their enemy¡¯s machines. As the armor near the Gaojinzer¡¯s torso was damaged, Takeshi found an explosion of heat nearly cooking him, covering the left side of his body in burns, searing pain spreading across. But regardless, he tried to tough it out, and disengage. But even he noted that his machine was moving slower.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± He yelled in frustration, but apparently, his opponent was in the same state. The nearly point-blank attacks had left both machines damaged, they¡¯d have to withdraw, for now. But Takeshi¡¯s own situation was worse than his, after all, there were still enemies in his vicinity. And striking at the injured machine was a top priority. Rifles, and warheads were aimed, but they did not fire. In a short time, the Danzaman¡¯s drones began to weave around them, firing beams that cut their machines into pieces, made worse by the charging Kaizenbuster, and the Sanvolner keeping any retaliatory attacks from falling.


    ¡°Takeshi, You alive?!¡± Han questioned. The youth himself was teetering on the edge of consciousness, he had come to be an above average pilot, but his body had its limits¡­ But regardless,  he had to keep pushing, especially with that message he received earlier. Apparently, his comrades decided to wait for a response. They hadn¡¯t been together for that long, and it already seemed like they were all somewhat close¡­ Aside from the stuck-up royal that was Diederick. But, perhaps that was what doing battle together did. He tightened his grip on the controls, letting out a deep breath in, and out. As he shouted out, steeling himself.


    ¡°Alright you Bozos, Let¡¯s destroy this strategy, and kick their asses out of here, there ain¡¯t gonna be another occupation zone!¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± All three shouted in agreement, and in a short time, they were already beginning to make their way into the rapidly extending wings of the Garsalan fleet. The comet pulse cannon was turned up to a higher output, and subsequently fired, the hail of beam bullets began to tear through the armor of the ships, and if not that, it was the Kaizenbuster, a charge with the impact boosters easily cracking the cruisers in half. The Danzaman¡¯s stingers served to both swat the flies that tried to interfere, and hitting the descending ships.


    The last machina, still locked in his battle with L¡¯fles, clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I need to get this one out of the way¡­¡± A flourish of swipes was sent toward the Enemy S¡¯fan again, and it seemed that it was finally beginning to make an effect. The dual blades the terran machine wielded seemed to be a distinct advantage, one that he noted.


    "I laan du nairalrera... A rdelnesn S''fan airl''d ruailr du caaf if waidh e neshaila raica dhair..."- "I need to disengage... A standard S''fan isn''t going to keep up with a machine like this..." With that, he acted upon this, and his subordinates followed, leaving Diederick free to join the other Machina, and he did so with no hesitation. Joining in the carnage against the Garsalan forces.


    In the Garsalan Flagship¡¯s bridge, it seemed as if the disarray had returned. Tlon clenched his fist, slamming one into the arm of his command chair. The display of the situation told him everything he needed to know, the left wing of the fleet, had been broken, and the human weapons were going out through the hole that was made, encircling his own encirclement attempt


    "Tha frel''r lleairan?!"- ¡°The Plan¡¯s Failed?!¡± And it seemed as if it wasn¡¯t getting better anytime soon. How was this possible, If this was going to be the result, then there¡¯d be no climbing the claiming new titles for him. But it seemed that that¡¯d be the least of his worries with what came next. The Terran Orbital Decimators, and those specific 5, had begun to approach the cetral part of the fleet, which had stayed behind, one that included him.


    ¡°Whasa esa G''thera eln L''fles ail dhair raidiedaiul?!" - ¡°Where are G''thera and L''fles in this situation?!"


    ¡°Tha Cirrn''Runal air duu neneran, eln L''llrar'' S''llel airl''d rillllaisaiald llus dha derc!"- ¡°The Cyd''Rozen is too damaged, and L''fles'' S''fan isn''t sufficient for the task!" The battle had been lost, he could admit that much.


    "Thed sid''r aid, Firr sadsaed! -''''That cut''s it, Full retreat!¡± The effects of his order were seen nearly instantly. The troops on the ground below noted how the sounds of battle began to grow quieter, the sun which was blotted out, now began to shine it¡¯s rays into their sights again, gazes flew upward, and a sense of jubilance set in, when it was clear just what was happening¡­. The Garslan were retreating. Streams of people flew from the underground shelters, cheers echoing throughout Mariseau, and the many areas around it. Of course, this wasn¡¯t something unique to them. Worldwide, an essentially unprecedented victory was being celebrated. Was this the beginning of a turned tide? Only time would tell.


    ¡­


    When the Machina returned to the Juzumaru, the damage to the Gaojinzer was immediately noted, moreso when its pilot stepped out, and the damage to HIM was responded to with even more worry. After practically being forced into the medbay, Takeshi found himself alone, aside from a rather surprising occupant. Well, human, at least. A number of medical drones surrounded him, moving around and covering the damaged tissue. With his torso and left arm wrapped up, he certainly wasn''t happy¡­ He always found bandages to be annoying. The two didn¡¯t meet each other''s gazes, glancing in the corners of their vision.


    ¡°Any reason you¡¯re sitting here watching me?¡± Takeshi questioned.


    ¡°Just making sure the drones are working right, I upgraded them myself, after all¡­ Don¡¯t get the wrong idea of thinking I''m worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± The man paused, as he looked up to the ceiling.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, you remind me of someone¡­ This girl I knew, named Kimiko. Died when Neo-Tokyo got hit¡­¡±


    Kyoko paused, glancing over at him.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Similar attitude, but she was a lot less annoying.¡± It seemed that his common bluntness hadn''t changed, even here.


    ¡°Annoying? That¡¯s rich coming from you¡­¡± Silence returned between the two of them once more, neither truly knowing how to continue the conversation. As such, Takeshi said the first thing that came to his mind.


    ¡°And Thanks¡­ I guess.¡± The woman did not respond, verbally, at least, only looking at him in surprise. This guy, actually thanking anybody, even half-heartedly? Had she hit her head during the battle, was she dreaming? While she pondered this, he pondered something else entirely. Drifting back into the previous part of the conversation.


    ¡°Kimiko, Natsuo, Tsubasa, Everyone¡­ If there¡¯s such a thing as heaven, are you still watching from there? I hope so, but either way. I¡¯m gonna make sure nobody else goes through what you all went through¡­ No, we all will.¡±


    Zu Meni Castle - Luna


    Darzell Zu Meni¡¯s chitin hit the ground, with a loud clatter of a glass shattering against the floor. The Garsalan attempted to scramble to his feet, but stopped mid-way, as the intimidating form of Ciddeth Zu Meis stepped forward.


    "I raiya irrui dha daidra ull Fi¡¯Gas, raiya irrui e nuneail narfaida irruis llenairirr raila''r hairdusirr, eln dhair air whed irrui nu du safeirr na?!- "I give you the title of, give you a domain despite your family line''s history, and this is what you do to repay me?!" The Garsalan¡¯s voice boomed, causing the other to recoil a bit more, What was he to say in this situation? It was very clearly volatile.


    "Bid, Mirr rusn, ula nird sananfas, wa heya ulrirr rurd e rnerr enuild ull llussar.  Id air e danfusesirr radfesc, dhed air err.¡±-"But, My lord, one must remember, we have only lost a small amount of forces. It is a temporary setback, that is all.¡±  A temporary setback, a temporary setback?! He almost had the urge to strike him again, but he decided to stay his hand.


    Thasa air lu raidiedaiul whasa e Garsalan llussa rhuirn fa rurailr ereailrd rish fsainaidaiyar. Pashefr aill irrui nain runadhailr udhas dhel ufrasya dha frelad eln nsailc waila, irrui wuirnl''d heya dhair airria! I wairr lud heya nirr safidedaiul deslairhan faseira ull irruis lluurairhlarr... Su rad ail irruis OD, eln ru du Tasse Yuisrarll... I wairr lud duraseda llisdhas lleairisa - ¡°There is no situation where a Garsalan force should be losing against such primitives. Perhaps if you did something other than observe the planet and drink wine, you wouldn''t have this issue! I will not have my reputation tarnished because of your foolishness... So get in your OD, and go to Terra Yourself... I will not tolerate further failure"


    With that, the General was finished making his declaration, and begun to exit. Slamming the door to the room behind him¡­ All the while, the Fi¡¯Gas himself, was left to consider what to do next¡­


    To Be Continued

 Stage 16 - The Figas Strikes

    Gaojinizer - Stage 16


    The Fi¡¯gas Strikes!


    The prevention of the new occupation zone from forming, was no doubt, a large victory for the UFE, while many in the Civilian world celebrated it, those who brought the victory were not able to rest, to celebrate, for long, especially with the Garslaan still making their move, perhaps a bit slower than they had beforehand, this was especially true for the Juzumaru. What damages they had managed to get were repaired, and they were tasked with something simple, flying over the water of the pacific, and patrolling for any presence that had managed to go undetected. As one would expect, the five pilots of the Machina were in the common room, munching upon their food as usual. A simple beef stew, but a good one nonetheless. As Andrew hoveled a spoonful into his mouth, he glanced at the one talking the loudest, Han.


    ¡°Man, Kanta is something else¡­ Her cooking, and her beauty¡­ There¡¯s got to be some way to impress her.¡± Andrew simply shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°You could just try asking her out, And hoping her brother isn¡¯t the protective type¡­ Though, I was the same way with my sisters.¡± The statement caught Takeshi¡¯s attention,a s he looked up at him, mouth partly full as he spoke.


    ¡°You Havf Svhisters?¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, two, and a brother¡­ We got separated when Roosevelt was attacked. I¡¯m hoping they¡¯re alright.¡± So that was the case, outside of the first discussion they had when they met, nobody had truthfully gone in depth about their family, but, to Takeshi, this wasn¡¯t a surprise. While the leisurely conversations between them continued, in the pace above them, certain things began to take place, a black ship, lined with ornate golden trim, as well as turreted guns, loomed in earth¡¯s orbit, and within, was the Fi¡¯gas of Sol Though, it did not share the nature of the usual Garsalan ship, more vertical, somewhat sharing its shape with a budding flower. The Orbital Decimators contained in its ¡°petals¡±. His blood boiled, especially with the humiliation he¡¯d gained as a result of these Tasselr. It mattered not. All he would need to do was strike them down, and with them, the human¡¯s will to fight would most likely be eliminated as well¡­


    The ship began to descend, a bubble of heat growing around it as re-entry began. Watching the location of this ship, something they should have done long ago, made his duties much easier to carry out. Those Jamming Particles the humans made use of were an annoyance, but apparently, the ship hadn¡¯t been making use of them, not at this very moment. The ship continued to drop through layer upon layer of the earth¡¯s atmosphere, what was initially the black void of space, gradually shifted into an azure sky. And it was at this moment, that the petals of the ship began to split open, releasing the Orbital Decimators, who began to streak light from their backs, as they barrelled through the air. 4 S¡¯fans, though, varied from the average in their armors mostly painted red, with ivory stripes running across the middle of the torso, and the arms. Newer models of higher performance, though their pilots were not aces, the Fi¡¯gas took what he could get.


    Though, one in particular was clearly distinct from the rest. Its sleek, angular frame was adorned with intricate reliefs of stars, gleaming with a radiant golden hue that seemed to shimmer in the light. The mecha''s head is crowned with a crest resembling a blazing sun, with piercing emerald eyes on its head. its legs were reverse-jointed, made for agile movement, with reinforced joints and thrusters that allow it to traverse any terrain with ease. This machine was the Zi¡¯Ko, or as its pilot called it, the God Machine Zi¡¯Ko. Within the Juzumaru, a certain Mechanic, as she usually had, isolated herself in the bridge, as he tinkered with some parts she had brought, her intent, to try installing a newer targeting computer for the shi. The army certainly wasn''t doing them any favors with what they left them with¡­ Though, even before first contact, most warships were just glorified cargo ships, with weapons strapped on, and Vanguard Armors put in the hangar bays. However, an alarm tone from the controls snapped her out of her focus.


    She only grumbled in annoyance as she got to her feet, and looked at the display, her eyes widening at what she saw, the quickness of the objects approaching, it could only be one thing. She stepped over to the ship¡¯s intercom, and yelled into the microphone.


    ¡°We got enemies!¡± In what seemed to be a moment, the Jovial mood had disappeared almost instantly, and the pilots were already flying through the corridors, making their way to the hangar bay, one thought upon their minds, eliminating these Garsalan.. Though, one among them still had the idea of impressing somebody else, to no surprise.


    ¡°Time to show Kanta just what the hero Han Chen can do!¡± As this thought echoed through his head, the cockpits of their respective machines opened in their presence, wires to bring them in dropped from above, and before long, they were in, and subsequently, their machines launched from the ship¡­ The two forces were now in visual range, ready to combat each other. Takeshi¡¯s eyes scanned the enemies in front of them, as he spoke into the channel, his face coming into existence on his allies holographic displays.


    ¡°What¡¯s that one in the center? We¡¯ve never seen anything like it¡­¡±  Takeshi questioned.


    ¡°My guess, Either a model we haven¡¯t heard of, or somebody¡¯s custom unit, just like Takeshi fought.¡± Haemon added.


    ¡°Whatever the case is, we¡¯d best take care of it!¡± Diederick rushed forward, taking two of the blades located on his machine¡¯s side from their hilt, and attempting to bisect the Zi¡¯ko, but his strike found no purchase, as a golden blade of light took shape, extending from the machine¡¯s left arm, slicing through the blades in short order, leaving the Hohenzollern with eyes widened¡­ While the fi¡¯gas angled his head upward, almost looking down upon the human machine.


    "Fuur, er aill rish e waeful suirn rdeln if du dha haed ull dha Nuye frena... Thair wairr fa aerirr." - "Fool, as if such a weapon could stand up to the heat of the Nova blade... This will be easy." The panels which covered the machine¡¯s chest began to split, revealing a mass of short, yet large barrels. Diedrick¡¯s instincts took effect, and he drew back almost immediately, but this did not let him get away undamaged. The plasma which was fired spread out into a cone, in some way, resembling a shotgun. Translated, it was the Photon Scattergun. The heat in his cockpit rose, as the outer armor on the Valgeogan¡¯ts shoulders, and torso, melted away upon contact with the plasma. The other S¡¯ fan¡¯s attempted to finish the job, and take advantage of his temporary disorientation, and fire the warheads on what resembled upsized rocket-launchers.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    However, a beam pierced through the cockpit of one with deadly accuracy, eviscerating the pilot within, and leaving the machine to fall out of the sky. The source of the shot, the Danzaman¡¯s stinger drones, which rapidly flowed through the sky at the pilot¡¯s behest, firing off beams from multiple angles, aiming to split the remaining machines up, a measure that worked swimmingly. One found itself in the past of the Kaizenbuster, and was subsequently turned into scrap metal. In order to avenge his comrade, another aimed their launcher, and warhead, toward their killer. The shot did not make it out however, as the machine was bisected by a swipe from the Gaojinizer¡¯s scythe long before that could happen.


    The Fi¡¯gas began weaving through the sky in short order, flying toward his newly set target, Takeshi¡¯s Gaojinizer. The pilot¡¯ eyes widened at the pure speed of the machine. He increased the power fed to the Comet pulse cannon, and fired it outward, but his fire was weaved around, and in short order, the machine¡¯s left arm was raised, and the barrel mounted upon the arm was made visible¡­


    ¡°"Id air daina, I''n ufalailr dha sasaiayasr! Barail dha Sures-Maissuweya dselrllas!" - "It is time, I''m opening the receivers! Begin the Solar-Microwave transfer!"


    In earth¡¯s orbit, what looked to be  a small beam of light, began to pierce through the atmosphere, the source of which, a satellite, bathed in the Sun¡¯s light. The results were seen almost instantly, as the machine¡¯s output began to increase time and time again, moreso as metal panels extended from the machine¡¯s back, the gold luminance which emitted from them, made wings forged of light.


    Light of the same color built up within the barrel, until, within, the pilot pressed a button on his display, firing off a downright gigantic stream of particles, which forced Takeshi to take evasive action. But just as Diederick had, he did not come out undamaged, his cockpit heated up rapidly, the armor on his machine boiling, melting, the kinetic energy of the stream throwing him back. Yet, he knew it would have been much worse if he¡¯d been hit entirely. In moments, the Valgeogant had already returned to attempt to cleave through the machine once more, with one of the many other blades stored throughout its body, but once more, it found no purchase, its blade melted. However, the Garalan took a second swipe, removing the machine¡¯s arm in short order.


    Diederick tsked as he was forced to back up once more, and he likely would have been cut off once more, had Haemon and his Salvoner appeared, angling his anti-energy shields toward the opponent, the blade recoiling as if the field rejected its presence. The ongoing battle was not exactly the easiest one, 2 of their 5 machines had been damaged, and the enemy was nearly untouched¡­ This situation was only made worse, as an unaware Kaizenbuster, was striked from the rear by one of the Fusion warheads the enemy had brought, which to no surprise, shook the frame greatly, the explosion produced force of which even damaged its armor, durable as it was. Watching from afar, Han placed his hand onto his chin, his machine¡¯s role as a long range machine, as a scanner, was important¡­ If those panels opened, and that beam was fired afterward, then.. Could it be some sort of¡­ Receiver? Space based solar power?


    ¡°Then I know what needs to be done¡­ Keep him busy, I''ll try to line up a shot and take those wings out, the thrusters too, as he is now, he¡¯s too fast!¡±


    His stingers began to slowly move, as he stayed out of the way to avoid drawing attention to himself, the machine that the machina fought against was a cut above the others they¡¯d fought, that was clear. Even the machines that joined him seemed to be doing much better than most of their opponents had thus far¡­ But regardless, there was another issue at hand, that he hadn¡¯t realized until his machine¡¯s scanners pinged him, the same flower-like ship which brought the Garsalan to the battlefield, had joined in, firing off stream of particles toward the Juzumaru, while within, Kyoko eyed this with eyes widened.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to actually get involved¡­¡± She moved toward the intercom once more.


    ¡°Brace yourselves and hold onto something, I¡¯m gonna try to evade!¡± Back toward the ship¡¯s controls she went, beginning an ascent, and a backward thrust, the beams very narrowly missed the ship¡¯s surface, only shaking it a bit. But the beam fire continued coming, Kanta and Rakesh held on as best  as   they could inside, as the man spoke outward.


    ¡°Who are they fighting out there?!¡±


    Han¡¯s timing needed to be correct, and he had to devote the right amount of his Stingers to both the machine, and the ship they¡¯d come on¡­ The machine was currently between Takeshi, and Diederick, but their strikes weren¡¯t hitting, the machine had managed to outmaneuver them, worse than that, their machines continually slammed into each other as they tried to strike at the same time..


    ¡°Stand out of my way, Commoner!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my line, Blondie!¡± That certainly could not bode well for any chances of success. Andrew and Haemon were busy with their own enemies, so it all boiled down to him¡­ If he were to strike the ship¡¯s reactor, he would be able to knock out its means of attack, with the tap of a button, he switched to thermal vision¡­ The highest areas of heat were the recently fired guns. And a space where the ¡°Stem¡± of the ship met the petals¡­


    ¡°Jackpot¡­¡± He continually made micro adjustments, he would need to make sure he striked true¡­ 5 seconds passed, and beams ripped from the barrels of the stingers, piercing the reactor¡­ In a short time, bubbles appeared on the surface of the hull, before plasma, and radiation, burst from within. Streams streaked through the air, until the ship was destroyed in an instant, casting what looked like a second sun over the waters. And it seemed that the Fi¡¯gas was not in a much better state, his machine¡¯s movements had slowed dramatically, the apparatus which allowed him to fly was destroyed. As well as his most potent weapon¡­ What was he to do here?


    ¡°Ersefa du dha Pasraiel Ossifedul Zula, err ull irrui, eln safusd whed heffalan hasa, I nuifd I''rr fa necailr-" - ¡°Escape to the Persian Occupation Zone, all of you, and report what happened here, I doubt I''ll be making-"


    His words were confirmed when Diederick striked with a vengeance, and the Fi¡¯gas watched the gleaming metal fill up his camera, before it intruded into his cockpit¡­ The Valgeogant dragged its blade across the armor, flying past the machine, and stopping behind it. As the blade was subsequently placed into its hill, the two halves of the machine split apart, falling into the water below. Those on the enemy side acted immediately upon their superior''s orders, though, given the low chittering from their mandibles, it was something that none of them were happy about¡­ While the machina pilots floated in silence. That could have been a lot worse.

 Stage 17 - The Invasion Of Pompate

    A/N - So, i''ve decided to give Gaojinizer my full focus, and then return to my other series. At this point, I wouldn''t say we''re at the midpoint of the series yet, but we''re at least approaching it.


    <u>Gaojinizer - Stage 17</u>


    Invasion Of Pompate


    Pompate had become the center of Italy''s power, especially since Rome had mostly sunk into the sea, sharing the fate of many other cities. It served an important role in the United States of Europe Specifically, a research center. Though what research that went on was unknown to most of the military, to no surprise, the fact of its Status had apparently been found out by the Garsalan. Whatever was within Pompate was enough for the Juzumaru, along with many of the UFE¡¯S many Space, and Aero ¡°Warships¡±, as well as naval ships, had been called to its defense. In front of the bow of the ship were the Machina, who¡¯s pilots continued to look outward.


    ¡°...All this waiting we¡¯re doing, Where are those roaches  striking from anyway?¡± Takeshi questioned.


    ¡°Who knows? Higher-ups have probably predicted that, we sure as hell haven¡¯t heard anything¡­ I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Andrew responded. That was usually how it went, it seemed¡­ Closing in from the western edges from the city, and above, the very enemies the pilots of the Machina had queried over the status of, began to descend upon the city. The fleets, in total, numbered around 150 ships¡­ Much larger than had been dedicated to a strike on earth in the past, and the same could be said for some other strikes taking place throughout the world, even if to a smaller extent. Would this be a sign of a new paradigm? How effective would the now larger deployed forces be? Questions that all humanity would need to ask.


    The silence that formerly lay over the sea was there no more, with the sounds of battle beginning to sound¡­ The source of which was not the ships in front of them, but behind. The Ufe had decided upon a tight group of ships surrounding the city proper, and semi-circles of ships that could change their deployment when needed, and attempt to break up the lines of enemy ships, had been decided upon. The four machina began making their way toward that section of the battle without any delay.  Though, this was ot to say that this was the only Garsalan force, as where they formerly faced, another flet began to descend upon the defensive lines, trying to shatter them. In a short time, the flashes of exploding reactors began to line the sky, as the two forces exchanged fire. The Human Vanguard armors and enemy Orbital decimators flashed across the battlespace, yet, it seemed that the battle wasn¡¯t nearly as easy as it¡¯d been before. The units which the Garsalan used Differed. Bulkier armor, larger ¡°Wings¡± Which extended from the back of the units, Try as they might to weave around the energy beams which lashed across the sky, they were not able to do so, not nearly as easily as they had before.


    This much was not exactly a coincidence. In their apparent arrogance, the Garsalan Sol Garrison made use of a model which was mostly used for occupation of primitive worlds, a group they believed earth part of. The S¡¯fans were indeed outdated, by over a century, at that. The S¡¯Fan Mk.2, However, was an entirely different beast, by no means modern, more so than what they¡¯d battled against before. The UFE¡¯s other forces did not intend to let this battle go by while standing on the sidelines, however. The naval ships bellowed as their guns shot projectiles outward. Guided missiles roared as they exited their pods, the crew targeting as best they could under the interference of Covalons, as well as their naval guns.


    The same could be said for the gigantic anti-air batteries that lay on the ground. Yet, the battle seemed to be going nowhere fast. The machina pilots looked around the battlefields, and it seemed they all had the same thought. They broke up their formation without a word, to help individual forces. The Gaojinizer itself began to reach the city itself as it flew overhead. The buildings below him had clearly taken the shape of the ancient buildings that occupied the former capital, rome. Though, to no surprise, they were constructed with different Materials. But this much was not of note to him, rather, the S¡¯fan¡¯s who had strayed too close to the city for his liking. With his scythe held back, he rushed forward, slicing through the enemy¡¯s armors, and causing their machines to explode in a brilliant flash of light¡­ Though he noticed another group approaching, he did not have much time to think about such a thing¡­ It wasn¡¯t his sensors that went off, rather, some sort of feeling in the back of his mind, an instinct. A quick adjustment brought the Gaojinizer out of the way of a fired beam. Takeshi turned his machine around, as he looked up to find the source¡­ It was as he discovered it, that his eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°You¡­¡± That same roach had come to battle him once more.


    Elsewhere, the other Machina had their own issues. As the vanguard armors continued their attempts to Elude the Garsalan attacks, and return fire, they found that their strikes had no purchase. Within a short time, their machines began to explode, reactors letting out brilliant flashes as they were destroyed in the rapid streams of particles. This didn¡¯t seem to be good, not by any measure of the word. The Machina team moved in to a the least, relieve them, Andrew¡¯s Kaizenbuster dismantled three of the opposing machines as he flew forward, but the rest moved much quicker than the others, as, in the distance, the Mk.II¡¯s with cannons over their shoulder took aim, their goal was simple, to destroy the machine before it could do any more damage, but before their warheads could be fired, and issue made itself apparent, interference from the others. The Danzaman¡¯s stingers flew forth, and began to fire toward them, forcing them to break up their formation. The ships around them took fire at the Machina, an attempt at supporting their troops. And it seemed as if there was some success in this, as the concentrated fire from multiple ships at once, at the least, made the Kaizen Buster Stagger. At the least, until the Sanvolner appeared in front of its ally, three of its shields activated, dispersing the beam over them.


    ¡°If we keep this up, we may just be able to stop them!¡± Han yelled from the Danzaman¡¯s cockpit. His stingers began to fly once more, running beams across the surface of enemy ships, cutting through them like butter, until the reactors were pierced, and subsequently, exploded. Even so, more ships seemed to come as even one was destroyed, this would become a battle of attrition, it seemed. The same could be said for Takeshi, who had once more been locked into battle with the Garsalan ace. The Gaojinizer weaved around the attempted missile strikes sent his way, firing back with streams of energy from the comet pulse cannon. THat his opponent avoided as well. This same opponent watched as the Human¡¯s machine moved across his display, an annoyed tone of voice coming from his mouthparts.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°"Thair ula ereail... I''rr laan e weirr du nallaed hain luw... Ill ai llaisa uid runa nairrairar luw eln fisfuirllrairr nairr, Id wairr fa e rainfra derc du rdsaica hain llsun fahailn, e failsas eddesc..." - "This one again... I''ll need a way to defeat him now... If I fire out some missiles now and purposefully miss, It will be a simple task to strike him from behind, a pincer attack..."


    He began to do just that, acting upon his plans, the pods to his missile launchers opened up once more, and out flew a volley, Which, to no surprise, his opponent dodged, just as he¡¯d expected. But that was just fine. Takeshi himself began closing in upon the machine, his goal was simple, to finally destroy it, and end it here, this constant thorn in his side. The gaojinizer¡¯s scythe was drawn as he flew forth, but he found himself having to contend with the enemy machine¡¯s graspers, which began to snake through the sky on their wires, one attempted to grasp onto the machine like a voice, but was rebuffed with a strike from the scythe, the second, faced the same fate. But they Oriented themselves at this moment, firing streams of particles toward the Gaojinizer, something which made him draw back. Before, he quickly flew back in. Once more, it seemed as if the two were making no progress once more, their machines weaving through the sky, clanging metal and the sound of firing beams echoed through the sky, as they jetted through it, trying to get an angle more favorable to them. Yet, in the same way, did their respective opponent do the very same thing, not letting this take place¡­


    But there loomed a threat which Takeshi did not know about, not at this point. That which approached him from behind. As the missiles changed their trajectory and began to draw closer and closer, Takeshi¡¯s eyes seemed to widen, as he felt¡­ That same feeling once more, but a moment too late. The missiles exploded against the Gaojinizer¡¯s back, Shaking his cockpit, and damaging the armor.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± He cursed. He was not out of the battle by any means, the Gaojinzier was a durable machine, but the quick approach of his opponent, who apparently, was ready to crush his machine within the vise of his claws, did not go unnoticed. He needed to do something, quickly, at that¡­ His scythe lashed out quickly, as he rebuffed one claw¡­ But the next, he took note of something, a faint glint that he hadn¡¯t spotted beforehand? Something which¡­ Led back to the machine¡­.


    ¡°Those things¡­ There are wires guiding them?! I thought they were something like the Danzaman?!¡± Either way, he had an out, as the machine¡¯s claws returned to him once more, hee did not stirk them directly, no, rather, he weaved around the one from the left, and right, and striked, slicing through the wire which connected it, and causing it to begin falling to the ground below. Surprise, or as much as could be shown with his arthropod features, appeared on G¡¯thera¡¯s face.


    ¡°Whed?! Huw nain ha llailn dhan? Wa alrailaasan dhura du fa hesn du raa llus e saerul!¡±  - ¡°What?! How did he find them? We engineered those to be hard to see for a reason!¡±


    Regardless of how, the issue still remained, he had. But before he was able to do much more, he found the form of the Gaojinizer getting ever larger in his display. The same could be said for the enemy responsible, who began to let out a war cry as he launched himself toward the enemy¡¯s cockpit.


    ¡°It¡¯s over!¡±


    Blade raised above the machine¡¯s head, grabbed by both manipulators, Takeshi swung the scythe downwards, bringing it down upon the machine¡­ While, as for the pilot himself, he took immediate action to preserve his life. The Cyd¡¯Rozen¡¯s cockpit, or where it formerly was, had been cleaved in half, and as Takeshi flew forward, running his blade across it, the machine as a whole was bisected in its entirety¡­ As he passed it, stopping there, his Scythe put away, it combusted, marking the end for the machine. This much was watched not only by surrounding troops, who had begun to make their way into the city as well, but by the occupant of a small sphere-like craft. His Mandibles chittered lowly, as he slammed his fist against his display.


    ¡°"Mesc nirr wusnr, Tassel... Thair air lud dha aln.I wairr sardusa nirr srel''r hulus, neca lu nairdeca...


    " - "Mark my words, Terran... This is not the end.I will restore my clan''s honor, make no mistake..." For now, he would have to lick his wounds, and return to the ship¡­


    Underneath the wave¡¯s of the mediterranean, and going toward the aptly named Bay of Pompate, an underwater vehicle likely unfamiliar to that which earth would make use of soared through the waters. It was not small by any means, boasting an internal hangar with what looked to be transports, and amphibious armored vehicles. The apparent leader of this force, marked by a red cloth on his shoulder, spoke.


    ¡°"Ois usnasr esa rainfra. Eldas dha Tassel Bera, eln llailn whedayas dhairr''sa hainailr¡­¡± - "Our orders are simple. Enter the Terran Base, and find whatever they''re hiding..." A salute came from the soldiers, as they folded their arms across their chests, and began to prepare for their battle, attaching further armor to their exoskeletons, as well as oxygen packs. grabbing the gauss rifles they commonly used, as well as what seemed to be hilts of swords, some went into the armored vehicles, others filed into transports. But the result was the same either way, they all ended up going unto the tubes which led to the ships exits, opening and closing with each vehicle, so as to not flood the hangar¡­


    The base which they were attempting to get into had no VA¡¯s, but a wealth of tanks, soldiers, and defensive artillery did. Tubes upon the submersible opened up, as the officers of the bridge sent missiles flying outward, which, before they knew what was going on, had begun to explode upon contact with the base, destroying tanks, barracks, any other defensive fixtures, and the Garsalan Vehicles began to roll onto the port, their tracks allowing them to climb up the concrete and metal. Before long, the guns on their surface began to fire off rounds, destroying that which they targeted, while the transports rolled up onto the base after they did, the Garsalan troops beginning to run through.


    Before long, the alarms had finally sounded, and the garrisoned troops rushed as quickly as they could to get into battle, and a firefight against the Garsalan soldiers had begun¡­ However, slowly, a small squad of Garsalan found an unguarded entrance, outside of the steel door which kept them from entering, but there was a solution to that¡­ After all,the weapons on their hips were more than that. As the soldier grabbed hold, A jet of plasma erupted from the hilt, and he slowly began to drag it across the surface of the door, until a sizable piece fell off, allowing them to make their way through. With little hesitation, they made their way inside. Descending down the stairs in front of them, until they¡¯d reached a deep, dark hallway, which even most of the occupants of the base had no access too. What they came across, was what made the squad stop in their tracks¡­


    "Thair... Id''r duu enyelsan du fa dhaaisr!" - " This... It''s too advanced to be theirs!"


    Whatever the case was, whatever they¡¯d found, When the Nasith submersible left, they¡¯d absconded with more cargo than they¡¯d brought initially¡­

 Stage 18- The Battle Of Pompate Continues

    Gaojinizer - Stage 18


    The Battle of Pompate Continues


    Takeshi managed to triumph over the Garsalan that had been his constant enemy, it seemed, but the battle was by no means over, he had to be careful, to not let his enemy get behind him, especially with the damages that¡¯d been inflicted. The battle wasn¡¯t over, not by a long shot. Across the battlefield, hurried maneuvers and changes in formation were the norm, as both forces attempted to press whatever advantage they could over their enemy. The same could be said for Takeshi¡¯s own battle, as the enemies he fought circled around him, moving closer and backward, his attempts at attacking were marginal at best. At the least, until a beam slammed into one of them from behind, courtesy of one of the Danzaman¡¯s Stingers, something that caused a smirk to come to his face.


    ¡°..Heh. There you guys are!¡±


    Andrew smirked in response. ¡°Lucky us, seems the Garsalan have started pulling out! We must¡¯ve done enough damage, then.¡± Han nodded in agreement from his cockpit.


    ¡°Seems this¡¯ll be over soon enough¡­¡±


    Unbeknownst to them however, the flagship of the strike force, a larger battleship which remained in the very back remained silent, not having fired even a single shot. Serving as naught but a looming threat, the one in charge of Pompate¡¯s defense, a man of olive skin and dark hair, placed his hand to his chin. Just what was being done here? Were they facing a cautious commander, was this some sort of way to create uncertainty and therefore, create unrest? The answer to this question, he did not have¡­ That was, at the least, until he noted something on the surface of the flagship, a panel sliding from the side of the warship And in little time, a swarm of missiles flew toward the fleet, a swarm of smaller munitions, all surrounding one which looked akin to the ICMBs of years past. This filled the general with surprise.


    The issue was only enunciated, as the ship¡¯s defenses that would have been utilized to shoot whatever weapon this ship was making use of down, had purposely been occupied by the enemies machines, or intercepted by the smaller missiles, which followed it like loyal hounds. It was closing in fast, and there was some idea of what could be taking place, especially as he thought back to what class of weaponry had been used for the express purpose of destroying a city in one shot.


    ¡°Could it be¡­? No¡­ Dammit!¡± The Antimatter warheads had never been delivered in this fashion, but something needed to be done¡­. The machina¡­ The machines piloted by those boys, at this point, he hated that it was the case, but he¡¯d need to rely on them. He doubted using anti-ship batteries and risking a premature explosion was the best idea, precision was needed. In the cockpits of the Machina, the face of one of the fleet¡¯s officers appeared on screen.


    ¡°Machina Team, your orders are simple. There is an Antimatter warhead on its way to pompate, we need precision, so we¡¯ll need you to cut off its propulsion, it can be received afterward¡­¡± Takeshi¡¯s eyes widened at those words¡­ Antimatter?


    A flash of memory, a sand and dirt covered wasteland, which, formerly, his city occupied. All that he knew, gone¡­ His grip on his controls tightened, as his pupils seemed to shine at the prospect, at what he knew would be the case if he failed¡­


    ¡°LET¡¯S GET MOVING! Don¡¯t let it get any further!¡± No more words were needed, the same thought ran through their heads as well. The Danzaman¡¯s scanners acted quickly in scanning the missile¡¯s surface, and finding the very distinct propulsion system, and the energy which fed. In a short time, a blip sounded on his Allies¡¯ HUDs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve marked the energy source for their propulsion. Takeshi, Diederick, you two are the best suited for this, we need your blade¡¯s precision.¡± Han explained. Diederick¡¯s face appeared on his display next.


    ¡°In that case, allow me¡­¡± However, before they were able to do much more, a swarm of enemy HAUs began to descend upon them, buzzing about like angered hornets, Their cannons sending a flood of glowing beams across the battlefield. Andrew took action almost immediately, using his machine¡¯s impact boosters, and slamming through them, a fist through paper mache. As their comrades were destroyed by his charge, the remaining HAUs¡¯ began to split.


    ¡°Whatever the case is, it seems they¡¯re eager to destroy Pompate! We¡¯ll keep ''em off you!¡± The man began charging through, and turning the enemy machines into scrap metal, while the Danzaman¡¯s stingers supported him, Han¡¯s watchful eye moving across the screen, while the Gaojinizer¡¯s scythe sliced through their armor, and the Sanvolner defended as one would expect¡­ Diderick¡¯s angle of approach had to be optimal, especially with the speed of this object, one wrong move, and he could very well do the opposite of what he intended¡­ He began to focus, blocking out the battle that happened around him, as his machine drew one of many blades¡­


    ¡°It''s time, Diederick¡­ This machine was built for me to pilot for a reason. Let''s make sure I do father proud!¡± Just as the missile came within his range, he striked, and the effects were seen immediately, the light which formerly streaked from behind the missile, was reduced to naught, as gradually, it began to slow, and descend, until it hit the waters below them¡­. In an instant, the effects were clear, as cheers erupted from the forces watching this take place. The one responsible sat in his cockpit, a smile on his face. As for the Garsalan themselves, they simply began to pull out, with that option exhausted¡­. By all accounts, to the forces in combat, it looked as if it was a victory.


    ¡­


    Hours had passed, and a small group coalesced in the deep tunnels underneath the Pompate base, scientists, major leaders who were in the region, and those who could not be there displayed in the holographic screen on the far corner of the room. Outside of the desk, the room was mostly formed of white tile. Sterile, and isolated, one entrance to the room, flanked by two guards. The large wooden door shut, as to prevent the conversation from being heard for those who were not meant to, one of those who were on the display, a man of dark skin, and coily hair, an officer from the Neo-Kushite Kingdom, spoke.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°So a garsalan Submersible managed to make off with the project¡­ This is a failure of security, no doubt.¡± One of the local officers was the next to speak out.


    ¡°The garsalan have never used submersible weapons in our time fighting them, as far as we knew- no weapons such weapons existed.¡± However, another from the holograph spoke, a woman of fair skin, and long white hair, a representative of the Sino-Thai Alliance.


    ¡°Even so, this is an enemy that, as far as we know, is engaged in wars with many other civilizations, which we haven''t even seen, across the milky way. That much requires a large amount of adaptability¡­¡± Was the woman making a slight to his perceived competence?  Something in his head told him to fire back, but regardless, what was done was done, the only thing that could be done was try to move on¡­ The officer¡¯s gaze moved to a nearby scientist, a short man sharing a tanned skin tone.


    ¡°Bassano, do we still have the development data?¡±


    ¡°Yes, with time and funding, we should be able to start over¡­¡± So that was the case, this was a setback, there was no doubt in anybody¡¯s mind about that.


    The pompate base was currently in the process of being repaired, as were many of the ships utilized in the battle, who¡¯d either landed there, or to one of the other bases in the Mediterranean Region. The mood within the common room was jubilant, much more so than usual, though, at this moment, Takeshi was the only occupant.


    ¡°Ha! Take that you damn roaches, show you to mess with us!¡± As he celebrated, eventually, he observed a certain someone ascending the stairs. Kyoko leaned on the railing, as she looked upon him, the shifting in the mood could be felt by both¡­ Yet the woman seemed to ignore it, as she inhaled deeply, and spoke.


    ¡°So¡­ I heard the details of the battle and all¡­. You all did well¡­ Just wanted to say, Congratulations.¡± Saying this to the Boorish pilot, it was surely a struggle for her, and the approach of the other pilots, alongside Kanta and Rakesh made her cease to say any more, as she silently slinked off to the corner. To no surprise, Han made an effort to increase the theatrics in front of Kanta, a cape of unknown origin on his back, flowing as he extended his hand outward.


    ¡°That''s another victory for the Machina team! Earth¡¯s heroes!¡± This much was to be expected at this point.. Though Rakesh said nothing, he did look at him with narrowed eyes. Even the normally withdrawn Diederick had a smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say, Commoners¡­ We¡¯ve shown the forces that we aren¡¯t to be underestimated.¡± Takeshi looked over his shoulder at the man, nodding.


    ¡°Yeah. In fact¡­ How about we do a little celebration? Pompate¡¯s known for its pubs¡­¡± Something which caused the gazes of the other pilots to move toward him, as well as Kyoko¡­ Drinking?! She wouldn¡¯t exactly say this was unexpected of that oaf Takeshi, especially-


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Andrew Responded. Him too?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t see why not.¡± Haemon answered. Even Haemon?! Surprisingly, Diederick stepped to his side.


    ¡°We may as well, hopefully they have the good stuff.¡± Though, it wasn¡¯t as if what the good stuff would be was of his knowledge, his father was not exactly eager to let the boy into the wine cellar¡­Still, one of the only times they seemed to agree on something, and it was for the wrong reason.


    ¡°Are you four sure this is a good idea? We¡¯re not even cleared for shore leave, nor old enough. Not to mention if command-¡± Her words were cut off by Takeshi beginning to run toward the stairs.


    ¡°What Command doesn''t know won¡¯t hurt em¡¯!¡± With little time, he was already joined by the rest of the pilots. A short walk and a ride on the local streetcar brought them to the largest commercial area in the city, the asphalt streets lined with loads of people, though, no automobiles were to be found in this district, a local mandate. The pilots themselves were sat at a bar, mugs, and glasses alike in front of them. Takeshi took a swig of the beer in front of him, as he spoke.


    ¡°So, seems to me like we still know next to nothin¡¯ about each other¡­ Why not fix that? Doesn¡¯t seem like we¡¯ll be splitting up anytime soon.¡± Andrew nodded at this, as he leaned back into his seat.


    ¡°Not much to say about me, really, my Lived in Roosevelt, East-side, with my parents. I¡¯ve mentioned my two younger sisters and my twin brother before. My pops was a scientist, working with Dr.Okita, in fact. He was never supportive of the UFE deciding to see our aptitude for use of the Machina. But I did end up asking for it¡­ Especially after what they did. Loved em¡¯ all¡­ If it hadn¡¯t been for those roaches doing what they do, most likely, they¡¯d still be here today.¡± He stated. Haemon nodded at his story.


    ¡°Interestingly enough, Andrew and I have known each other for a while. Our fathers were close, and the Machina they built after Okita disappeared a while back were designed to be used in tandem, what about you, Han?¡± Haemon questioned.


    ¡°Well, before this, I was just your average street urchin in Chengdu, from the lower levels of the city. I was an entertainer back then, singing, comedy, whatever brought in the credits.¡± This made Takeshi glance at him, a smirk somewhat coming to his face.


    ¡°So we¡¯re of the same class, then, eh? I was a gun runner for the Yamamoto-Gumi. I always ran with these two guys, Natsuo and Tsubasa. As far as I''m concerned, they were my brothers¡­ Couldn¡¯t forget Kimiko¡­¡± It seemed that Alcohol wasnt enough to make the Hohenzollern be anything but tight lipped. Though, one could suppose his name spoke for itself as far as his upbringing. Though, how a prince in line for Germany¡¯s throne ended up in the cockpit of a Vanguard armor was a mystery to all of them. Eventually, Takeshi took a quick motion, chugging the beer left in front of him, as he placed it upon the table. The simple thought of his brothers, and the similarity he could note to those days, especially with the setting and their activities, he couldn¡¯t help but let a wide smile crawl onto his visage, as he yelled out.


    ¡°Alright, enough reminiscing, let''s get to drinking!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± The yelled words came in response.


    ¡­


    The Machina pilot¡¯s return to the ship was a slow, slinking affair, their heads pounded and they could almost feel the sickness coming, apparently, their impromptu drinking party wasn¡¯t exactly the best idea. Their feet clanged against a metal catwalk, which led to the Juzumaru¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°I told you two you shouldn¡¯t have started a competition¡­¡± Andrew stated, glancing at Han and Takeshi, who only shrugged in response. Their slow walk eventually brought them to the end of the corridor, where they found Kyoko standing.


    ¡°There you all are! I was wondering what happened after you disappear-¡± As she began to walk forward, she paused, sniffing the area around them.


    ¡°You all smell of alcohol, how much did you drink?!¡± Knowing what she did, this wasn¡¯t exactly the best time for them to have done so. But before she was able to do much more, the people she dreaded seeing such a thing, had already followed her, three wearing the UFE¡¯s officers dress. Who eyed their pilots, somehow drunk, with squinted eyes, yet, one of them stepped forward all the same.


    ¡°Inoue Takeshi, Andrew Howard, Han Chen, Hamemon Florakis, and Diederick Von Hohenzollern¡­ We are here to notify you of your promotions, You are being promoted to full Lieutenants.¡± Though he didn¡¯t say it outright, his expression alone stated the possible need for oversight, and the same could be said for those behind him¡­

 Stage 19 - The General

    Gaojinizer- Stage 19


    The General


    Rage boiled within his Exoskeleton, his blood burned in his rage, that terran had managed to do it, to once more, destroy his reputation? As his anger stewed within him, he found the communicator on his desk, a personal one that he¡¯d gotten commissioned from an artisan, began to ring, as the display floated into existence. Some part of him wanted to ignore it, until he saw the name of the one calling, Tel Zu Aslan. As the Garsalan Accepted the call, the face of a Garsalan with the crest and horn one would expect of a male appeared on screen. His color was a variety of earthen greens, and browns something shared by inhabitants of  the Southern continent on Jel¡¯gi.


    ¡°G¡¯thera¡­ I¡¯ve heard what happened.¡± Tel stated, his friend¡¯s mandibles continued to chitter, as he thought back to the battle.


    ¡°That damned Terran¡­ If this keeps going as it has before, Our clans will never be elevated from Ser¡¯or status¡­ I¡¯ll need to kill him as soon as possible.¡± A ser¡¯or clan, one which hadn¡¯t any military achievements, and as such, was relegated to a lower position in their society, occupying and garrisoning primitive worlds, rather than their more powerful enemies. He hated it, but such was the plight he was faced with. Another one of those connected to the call, with a much higher voice than the two, spoke as well.


    ¡°In the meantime, there are other ways to help in that, We all know of the attempts by non ser¡¯or clans to take out territories and assets through duels, and vice versa, taking advantage of that could be a food strategy indeed.¡± The woman who spoke, Ar¡¯esh Zu Arti, always had a powerful mind, as G¡¯thera saw it, he chose her as his betrothed for a reason. Some part of him wished she was attached to suppressing the terrans as well. It was certainly better than being surrounded by only those who looked down upon him¡­ But that could be taken care of in due time. The next to speak was Tes.


    ¡°Regardless, I believe in you, G¡¯thera. You were a great enough pilot to get your own custom unit, that says a lot¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t exactly disagree with that.


    ¡°Thanks, Tes¡­ That said, I¡¯ll make sure our plans can advance¡­ I¡¯ll talk to you all some other time.¡± With that said, the members of the call began to leave. While G¡¯thera was left alone with his thoughts once more, that same intense burning, in his 6 eyes.


    ¡­


    ¡°Idiots, the lot of you!¡± Kyoko shouted, slamming her hands against the table. To no surprise, Takeshi attempted to wave her off in annoyance. Her voice and expression alike contained their usual judgementality. His annoyance was clear by his arched brows, moreso when he shouted in response.


    ¡°Alright, Alright, I get it! Quiet down, My ears are still sensitive¡­¡±


    ¡°So are mine!¡± Han agreed.


    ¡°And who¡¯s fault is that?!¡± If a response was expected, it did not come, from Han at least.


    ¡°The hell do you care so much?! Ain''t¡¯ any of your business in the first place!¡± Takeshi stated in response.


    ¡°Says who?!¡± She stated in response, as the two stared in eachothers eyes once more, sparks flying between them, yet another round of bickering had begun. Diederick eyed this with a thinly veiled annoyance, while Andrew simply shook his head. This much was to be expected from the two of them, it seemed. He felt no need to comment on it, rather, his mind drifted back to their assignment. Currently, the Juzumaru has crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and made it to the Caribbean. Though, his old stomping grounds, Roosavelt, was much farther north than they were as of right now. The isles of bermuda were below them, and the City of atlanta, their destination, which had become a coastal port in addition to a rail center, especially after the great flood the Garsalan brought about. Would they be going up that far north, he wondered¡­


    This thought, however, did not stay in his head for long, as his eyes widened, and the same could be said for Takeshi, as he went silent, so did Kyoko in response¡­


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°This.. Feeling. Someone is approaching the ship, but who?!¡±  His instincts were screaming at him, his hairs stood on end, his forehead in a cold sweat, the presence of the unknown enemy was enough to activate his fight-or-flight response. The other pilots had the same response. Kanta, Kyoko, and Rakesh, had expressions deficient in understanding.


    ¡°Ota, get to the bridge and get the weapons ready! We gotta launch,now!¡±  With rhis much said, the pilots rushed to their respective machines, as Kyoko did the same, her footsteps clamoring upon the silver-colored floors of the Juzumaru. She didn¡¯t quite understand what was going on with them, but perhaps the Machina worked in strange ways. As the door swung open with her push, she made it to the controls, and began to switch on the targeting computers, opening the launch catapults within moments. And the pilots wasted little time in launching their machines¡­


    ¡°Tch, We gotta find whoever that is, and quick!¡± Han stated. But, it seemed that this was to happen soon. Before anything more could be done, he found that a spinning disc of particles, the same which composed the Garsalan¡¯s beams, had removed his machine¡¯s leg.,,


    ¡°What?!¡± Haemon moved the Sanvolner in the Dazaman¡¯s defense, activating the anti beam shields on the machine¡¯s left side.


    ¡°How did they manage to attack us without being seen-¡± His thought was interrupted, as a mass of metal armor slammed into him, knocking the Sanvolner out of its place, and separating the Danzaman from its allies¡­ The machine which was now between them was painted various blacks, and grays. Heavy armor, that was angular, and sharp in its shape. Two shoulders lined with missile launchers, clearly designed for multiple sizes, if needed. This was the personal machine of one of Garsalan''s four generals, the supreme authorities of the empire. Known as the Jrug¡¯Mas. The machine striked once more, and in little time, the limbs of the Danzaman had been nearly entirely removed, Though the pilot within attempted to launch his stingers, and fire off in his enemy¡¯s direction, his beams were weaved around in short order, and a missile sent toward him in response, very nearly slammed into his cockpit, regardless, burning pain seared, and he was sent toward the ground below.


    The Valgeogant and Kaizenbuster came next, yet, the Kaizenbuster¡¯s impact booster charge was met by one from the general. The machine''s heads butted between them, before the Jrug¡¯mas slammed its armored fist into the machine¡¯s cockpit, something Andrew felt, to no surprise, before he was blown away by a missile strike. A swipe from the Hohenzollern Prince¡¯s blade was left useless, as the machine¡¯s arm was put in its path, shattering the blade upon impact, before removing the offending arm with a generated disc.  Takeshi prepared to intervene, but he was not able to do so, as he found a white and gold blur moving across his peripherals, Glittering Crimson flashes flying across the battlefield. From above, behind, below, and even in front of him.  A four-directional attack he had to swiftly elude. This machine, it wasn¡¯t one he recognized, but given how this machine moved, how it attacked, he had an idea of just who it had been. ¡°That same damned roach!¡± He shouted.


    Indeed, G¡¯thera Zu kalis had returned once more, his original machine was destroyed, and he was stuck with an ace-modified version of the Ascalon, a non-humanoid OD frame, but it would work just fine for this instance. As long as this Terran died, that was all that mattered¡­


    ¡°This guy¡¯s good, too good, at that¡­¡± Haemon mumbled. He rushed to defend his allies, but he himself on the receiving end of an attack, the general had chosen his next target. The two were in knife-fighting range, the general behind him, before he could expand his shields, a missile slammed into his armor, and the oncoming energy saw sliced through it¡­ In just a few minutes, four of the five machina had been taken care of without much effort¡­ The garsalan within the machine seemed to share his machine¡¯s bulky build. His chitin was covered in a snow white, with patches of gray lay between them, a descendant of the Garsalan who inhabited a state known as Ku¡¯sen, before the planet¡¯s unification, in the planet¡¯s Arctic northern continent.


    "Su dhara esa dha Tasselr ai''ya haesn ru nish efuid... Craesrirr, dhasa esa runa "Sdellllailr shelrar" dhed nird fa nena whal ai''n llailairhan waidh dhan." - "So these are the Terrans I''ve heard so much about... Clearly, there are some "Staffing changes" that must be made when I''m finished with them."


    The last machine left was the Gaojinizer, who himself seemed to be struggling against the newly fielded machine, one which he did not know how to combat nearly as well. As if to make matters worse, it seemed as if the general had grown impatient, before either of the pilots knew it, the Jrug¡¯mas flew across the sky, appearing above the Gaojinizer with its fists clamped together, slamming them down atop the machine¡¯s head, and shaking the pilot within. Before he was launched onto a nearby sandy beach, the same which his allies apparently landed upon, teetering on the edge of conciseness, within their battered machines. The garsalan looked down upon these.. Lowly beings that had managed to waste his time, and pull him from the front¡­ And prepared to fire upon them, paying the one he¡¯d brought with him no mind. At the least, before he found himself before dodding fired beams of Covalons, without looking in the direction of the offending enemy, at that.


    In his eyes, the uncoordinated assault had earned nothing but a slight glance. The guns upon the ship fired as it continued to approach him, while Kyoko within eyed the machine with gritted teeth.


    ¡°I have to do something here, If I ram it, I may just be able to disorient the pilot, this ship has to at least be large enough for that!¡±  But it seemed that her plan was going to fail, regardless, as missiles, larger than those before, were launched, vertically flying from the machine¡¯s shoulders, and within moments, the ship¡¯s thrusters had been striked, and the Juzumaru¡¯s body was jostled by the explosive bursts of energy. The thunderous sounds which resulted, caused pain as they were heard, Noises of fallen and colliding objects joined the symphony, as the initial Jerk shoved the three remaining occupants of the ship to the floor, knocking the wind out of them¡­


    From afar, one could see the ship descending from the sky and the smoke that blew from its back, as well as the defeated Machina¡­ But the general was not finished yet, he had one last gift to give them, a salvo of missiles that combusted upon impact with the sandy beach, the heat cooking the sand into glass, and further breaking apart the machines that laid upon it¡­ Their pilots moved no longer within, as their vision was stolen¡­ With this looking to be complete, the General began to fly off.


    "Wa raeya, dha raidiedaiul air helnran..." - "We leave, the situation is handled..."

 Stage 20 - Conflict Within

    Gaojinizer- Stage 20


    Conflict Within


    ¡­ The sting of loss was felt within the Juzumaru, they were defeated, and soundly. The Feudal lord attached to earth, they at least had a semblance of a chance if they worked together, but the general was simply on a different level entirely, they did not get to so much as fire a single effective attack before they¡¯d been dispatched. The Bayamo Naval base had managed to send teams to rescue the new arrivals to the region, thankfully. All of the Machina¡¯s pilots stood within the hangar bay, the distance between them great. Frowned lips, and silenced voices. Even Takeshi stayed his tongue. The poor state of the Machina and Juzumaru alike were currently being addressed, the engineers and mechanics alike responsible for that task, stood in front of the ship¡¯s resident expert on those subjects, Kyoko.


    ¡°... Well, installing the new guns will be simple enough, and thankfully the cores of the Machina are unharmed, so we¡¯ll be able to get them back into fighting shape relatively soon.¡± Kyoko nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, then¡­¡± The conversation trailed off, as the hexapod metal cylinders which came from the Juzumaru rushed past them, going from a panel which they''d been working on before, to another which¡¯d yet to be welded on.


    ¡°They move very quickly, and are articulate for models so old¡­ And you say you modified them yourself?¡± Her chin held high, a wide smile on her face, she responded.


    ¡°Yup! You¡¯re talking to one of the world¡¯s best engineers, after all!¡± that much was about the amount of boisterousness one would expect. The repairs continued, an effort shared by both these bots, the ones which the base itself used, and the other mechanics who directed them. In the meanwhile, a new arrival had begun to make his way into the hangar, a man of average height with well-groomed brown locks which reached his upper back, the sight of him caused those he walked by to stiffen up, saluting. Thin eyes of an icy blue moved across the room, at the very pilots he¡¯d heard so much of.  Eventually, however, a smooth, if somewhat booming voice, reverberated throughout the room.


    ¡°Machina team, to me¡­ I will be your new commanding officer¡­¡±


    Commanding officer? Thus far, they¡¯d just been told to go to the various battlefields, and sometimes being given orders, but otherwise left alone. What brought about this change? It seemed they would just have to figure that out. They began approaching this new arrival all the same, and looked upon him, sizing him up. And seemingly, he did the very same with them, a scrutinizing gaze on the pilots, their machines, and even the engineer who¡¯d taken to repairing the machines time and time again. Though she was by no means the focus of his thoughts.


    ¡°The situation is simple¡­ You are all unrefined, even if you are effective, for that very reason, I am here¡­ In five hours, you will meet me in your VA¡¯s on the field, we will begin our first training session then¡­¡± Training?! Did the brass truly believe them to need such a thing? Regardless, there seemed to be little they could do about it now¡­


    As they¡¯d been told, the now repaired Machina stood on a rocky beach, which lacked the presence of any others. The man who was apparently their new commander, remained silent, as his machine began to ascend into the air, the thrusters between the wings pushing it upward. It was plated in black armor, was thin, streamlined, clearly constructed with pure speed in mind, such was the doctrine the 6th french republic built their Vanguard armors to be used in. Though this version of the model, the Chevalier Custom, was made specifically for this pilot.


    ¡°Now then¡­ Let us begin. I¡¯m going to teach you how to execute the Tornado Maneuver¡­ It is especially useful for fighting against more powerful targets¡­¡± And, as such, they began, but it seemed that time and time again, they¡¯d managed to get in each other''s way during their attempts to execute the maneuver. It was a simple one in concept, though it required nearly exact timing.


    A steam of attacks, the pilots which formed it moving in specific directions at specific times to misdirect. Yet, such simplicity seemed to be deceptive, time and time again, the lieutenant commander spoke upon the failures he observed. Deciphering their mistakes in but an instant after their drills were complete. Such wasn¡¯t a surprise, given this hadn¡¯t been the first team of pilots he¡¯d trained. And it seemed that his standard way of teaching, to point out any mistakes as they happened, and press the soul who made it enough to where they would learn to solve it.


    ¡°Incorrect¡­¡±


    ¡°Too out of Sync¡­¡±


    ¡°The wrong Maneuver was executed¡­¡± To say the least, the tensions within the group built, and though it seems a bit of progress was made, it wasn¡¯t nearly good enough to satisfy Pierre himself¡­


    ¡°... What could be going on with them? Has the complacentness of the Garsalan they¡¯ve fought up to now, which allowed for us to reach more victories, spread to them? If so, this could prove to be an issue in the future¡­¡± Countless hours were spent attempting to drill these tactics into the pilots heads, and, at the end of it all,  they were left in the Hangar bay once more, facing the object of their annoyance.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to do better¡­ If these tactics can allowrun of the mill Vanguard armors to stand against garsalan units, then I can only imagine they will work well with you. Lest we have another loss from you all¡­¡± One among them, the ever-confrontational Takeshi, stepped forward with a scowl.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Oi. We lost but one time!¡± Takeshi shouted in response. Before long, even Andrew decidedly stepped forward.


    ¡°We won all those other times, didn¡¯t we?¡± Murmurs of protest began to come from the other machina pilots. While Pierre sat there with closed eyes.. Though his blood began to boil at these statements, their apparent arrogance, he did not let it show.


    ¡°Silence¡­ The fact remains that your loss would have led to your deaths if he¡¯d been more thorough,  and the loss of earth¡¯s best weapons¡­ And if he¡¯d decided you¡¯d be more useful captured, we¡¯d have lost our best chance at winning, Aether¡­ We know not if our enemy can use that power as well, nor if they would have been able to create some way to counter it.. I suggest you all stop looking at what took place so casually¡­ Meeting Adjourned¡­¡± With that said, Pierre began to walk off. Just a few words had caused a pall of silence to roll down the hangar bay. Outside of the gentle hum of machinery, and the sound of his footsteps, nothing could be heard. After some time, it seemed the group, despite standing together, were off in their own worlds¡­


    Burning marble, covered in ash, what was formerly a historical monument, one which was a look into the ancient days of human history, was reduced to rubble, the ground painted red with the blood of its people. The only one remaining, a boy of white hair, his face and body alike bloodied, and clothes torn. Haemon Galanos watched as the machines responsible, the Garsalan S¡¯fans, flew back into their ships, their mission, the slaughtering, was complete¡­


    Roosevelt, once the bustling capital of the US, and center of the Atlantic Collective¡¯s power, had changed that day. Where once, people walked along the street, booming music could be heard from cars, that was no longer the case. Now, there was only a crescendo of beam fire, which obliterated entire sections of the city within moments.. While a young boy, with a head of coily hair, was left standing there, unable to stop it.


    These visions they saw, what would happen if they¡¯d managed to lose their only advantage against the Garsalan? How many more would lose their lives as a result? As trepidation made its way onto their expressions, it seemed that one of them did not share in this, a clenched fist and a deadly gaze proved this much. But regardless, he needed to balance his humors. He had an appearance to keep up.


    ¡°To act so uncouth in the presence of others¡­ You forget your upbringing, Diederick¡­¡± Air filled his lungs as he took a deep breath, and exhaled. It would take some time for any speech to come from their mouths, but eventually, it did take place.


    ¡°... He''s not wrong¡­¡± Regardless of how they¡¯d felt, to hear this coming from him¡­ Surprise etched onto their faces, especially one Kyoko, who¡¯s jaw seemed to have dropped to the floor below them.


    ¡°Am¡­ I dreaming?¡± Before long, Takeshi¡¯s gaze began to move around, inspecting the members individually.


    ¡°The hell are you all so surprised about?!¡± The annoyance in his tone was noted, but ultimately, they ignored the question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel about this Pierre guy, but¡­ I can at least give him that.¡± Andrew eventually stated, gaining a nod from Haemon.


    ¡°I say we at least give what he says some thought¡­ Those strategies may work.¡± Han stepped forward, placing his elbow upon Haemon¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Seems good to me, then let¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Have the lot of you lost your mind?!¡±¡± The deadly glare on Diderick¡¯s face, his anger, now had a direction, the team itself.


    ¡°An uppity commoner comes in and speaks to us in that manner, shows such disrespect, and you all want to listen to him just like that?!¡± The resident street fighter¡¯s gaze flew over to him, and his fist clenched to meet the one standing opposite.


    ¡°Again with this commoner Bullshit?! I was gonna let it go by, but at this point, you¡¯re annoying the hell out of me!¡± Takeshi stepped forward, the cloth of Diedericks shirt, grasped in a single motion with his right hand, his left, clenched into a fist. Though, this arm was grasped by the blonde, as he forcefully removed it.


    ¡°Who do you think you are to lecture me? Were you not but a street urchin before th-¡± His words were interrupted as a left hook slammed against his cheek, and the man stumbled as a result¡­ Rubbing the zone of impact, the man¡¯s gaze shot to Takeshi at once.


    ¡°Fine then¡­ Two can play at that game!¡± It took but moments, but the two began exchanging punches, clanging metal from their footwork, the sounds of the fists'' impacts. Yells, and guns echoing throughout, though, the adrenaline running through them kept their respective punches from being too effective.


    ¡°I¡¯ll knock that smug sense of superiority out of-¡± These words were interrupted by an uppercut which landed on his chin.


    ¡°Silence, you-¡± A kick slammed into his side which sent him barreling to the ground and cut him off. Though, before long, he was on his feet, and the two were left staring at each other once more. By this point, the two were huffing, faces covered in bruises and marks. Yet, that alone wasn¡¯t enough to stop them, the Impetus for that, was Takeshi¡¯s advance being halted by Kyoko.


    ¡°You Oaf! What  are you planning to achieve by doing this?!¡± It seemed that Diedrick wasn¡¯t going to be allowed to continue his advance either, as Andrew strengthened his standing, and wrapped the Prince with both arms, to keep him in place.


    ¡°Release me, Howard!¡±


    ¡°And let you two punch eachother out some more, I don¡¯t think so!¡± Two more who wished to put a stop to this battle stepped between them.


    ¡°I understand why you two are angry, but this isn¡¯t going to do any good for us¡­ How are we gonna beat the Garsalan when we¡¯re at  each other''s throats?¡± Haemon queried. Apparently, this was not something the two had considered before entering their melee, tension, and emotion running high, and all. Han stepped between them as well, adding in his own statement.


    ¡°Look at it like this. We can debate about each other all we want if we''re still alive, we may not be if we¡¯re holding resentment. I don¡¯t agree with how Diedrick talks, not by any means, but we can save that until after we¡¯re finished¡­¡± For a moment, it seemed the two had stopped their attempts at charging toward each other. A handkerchief, procured from the prince¡¯s pocket, wiped the blood dripping from his lip, which at this point, was swollen as if stung by a bee, away.


    ¡°Fine then¡­ Inoue, we can continue this at a later date.¡± Takewshi said nothing, only nodding, as the two willingly split up. Unbeknownst to them, however, the officer whose words were apparently the inciting incident of their rivalry to become a physical one, observed from above. This didn¡¯t exactly surprise him, considering the diverse identities of the machina pilots. A German prince, a former street fig]hter, a Comedian, and two children of scientists were not similar backgrounds by any means.


    ¡°And yet¡­ They seemed to have solved it themselves¡­. If nothing else,I will give them that. Though, it seems I may have to focus on getting those two in particular to work together¡­¡±  His analyzation complete, he began to walk off, to the room that had been declared his personal quarters upon his arrival.

 Stage 21- A Cold Reception

    Gaojinizer- Stage 21


    A Cold Reception


    As the occupants of the Juzumaru took off from the base, bringing with them their new CO. Currently, the Pilots of the Juzumaru, their resident engineer, as well as Pierre stood within the newly installed situation room. The room was dim, blue lites dotting it providing the only light, as well as the holographic table, The fair-skinned visage of a local commander appeared on screen.


    ¡°The Juzumaru has arrived, then.. I see the rumors of Moreau The Swift having been assigned are true as well¡­¡±


    ¡°That they are. What¡¯s the situation?¡± The commander nodded, and soon enough, a display of the battlefield came into existence as the data was fed between the ship and fortess below. The position of independent enemies and allies alike were noted


    ¡°A garsalan attack has begun. We don¡¯t know what they intend to do with Atlanta, but those new units they¡¯re beginning to use are causing all sorts of issues.¡± As the situation was explained, Pierre began to stand from his seat.


    ¡°Right, then¡­ We¡¯ll launch immediately.¡± Though there was something in the heads of two in particular that said to comment upon this, they decided against it, especially given the situation that was undoubtedly going on outside. As they rushed to put on their pilot suits,  Kyoko had already made her way to the bridge, as per usual, and the catapults which facilitated their launch slid out of the ship, as the metal doors parted. Preceding the launch of the machina, and the Chevalier Custom. Within the machina¡¯s cockpits, Pierre¡¯s visage came into sight as he opened a line.


    ¡°Alright¡­ Han, you¡¯ll stay behind and serve as far range support, as usual. How many enemies do we have?¡±


    Han paused for a moment, as his eyes moved across his display, and the Danzaman¡¯s eyes moved in turn¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m spotting 120 Humanoid Vanguard armors in total, 10 of those non-humanoid fighters, and 5 warships¡­ 4 Cruisers, and one battleship. There seem to be smaller transport ships as well.¡± He explained. For a moment, the elder pilot paused, placing his hand upon his chin as he thought, running through the possible outcomes in his head. The warships themselves were in a line behind their units assigned to attack. Which themselves seemed to be taking a wedge shape¡­ At the least, their forces were not completely unprepared this time around, even if one considered the origin of most of earth¡¯s warships, even prior to the war, and the subsequent scraping of the barrel. But their intent was clear, they were attempting to shatter their lines and mop up what was left, but he had no doubt in his mind they already recognized this¡­ But even so, they couldn¡¯t do anything about it, not at this moment..


    ¡°Hohenzollern, Inoue, I¡¯ll send you two after those ships. That alone should draw some of their troops back to keep their flagship and leadership safe. When that takes place, Han, begin to pick them off from afar, and cut down their numbers. Howard, use the Kaizenbuster and advance into their lines as this takes place. When those swarming the hive have been cut down to a sufficient level, Han will support you in relieving pressure for our allies. Florakis, you will watch his back.¡± The first two mentioned worked at this. To think they¡¯d be stuck working exclusively with Him¡­ No matter, they¡¯d have to deal with it. Beating back their annoyance, the two rushed toward their enemy, though, at first keeping pace with one another, the two machines responded to the head movement their respective pilots did, glancing at the other. In a short time, the two had sped up, to a much quicker extent.


    ¡°...As if you¡¯ll get to one of those ships before I do¡­¡± As the two thought this in sync, following behind them, was Pierre. Though there was peace for the time being, even he understood how their clashing personalities could possibly lead to issues, if they were not reigned in.. The others, if they listened to his lessons, and followed the strategy as he¡¯d told them, they could eventually develop their own strategic thinking¡­ Brute force would not work forever. Though, he supposed their encounter with the general could have taught them that. Elsewhere, the situation on the battlefield became clear to Han as his sensors began to take in the sounds, and sights. Yelled orders and the clanging of metal, the sound of fired lances of particles rippling through armor, the rushing winds which resulted from the lightning-fast light of enemy and allied machines alike. His attention went toward a force which semed to be forming the head of this formation breaking spear, and his target was set then and there.


    ¡°Fly, Stingers!¡± With that command uttered, they began to weave through the sky, flying toward their opponents in short order. His mind began to take control of them, as he focused upon the same drone-carrying machine, which was larger than its humanoid counterparts, that they¡¯d encountered over the sahara. And he took action almost immediately, the beams fired from the barrels pierced the machine from multiple directions, as it combusted within momnets.l By the time its allies noticed what was happening, the stingers began moving once more, slicing through their armor like butter. There was no respite to come anytime soon, as the Kaizenbuster destroyed one of the machines with a impact-booster enhanced kick, which broke through it almost instantly.


    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be getting easy pickings!¡± With Andrew''s shout came five more destroyed machines, as the Kaizenbuster charged through all of them in an instant. And, as such, the tag team had begun, the fearsome machine continued to destroy their OD¡¯s as time went on. Yet, calls of confusion drowned out any comprehensive commands, as a sound which they all recognized, the sound of anti-air cannons from the surface of their warships, were noted, and the two others were recognized as well, the other ¡°Machina¡± as the terrans called them. There was little time to waste, The fact that this action was expected, however, was not something they realized, not at this very moment, that only happened as the two machina changed their targets, from those fighting against the rest of the terrans, to those attempting to support the flagship and the rest. Before long, many of them exploded into balls of flames as the bursts of energy hit them, or the form of the Kaizenbuster slammed into them. Before long, they¡¯d recognized what was happening here, but at that point, it was already too late. The weapons from the primitive terran warships had begun to fire, and their equivalent to their orbital decimators had begun to strike, specifically, those armed with heavy enough weaponry.


    This much was made especially bad by the machina which wielded those detestable drones continuing to tear into their forces, creating more opportunity for them to attack. The fleet apparently did not have a much better time, as Takeshi and Diederick alike seemed to put extra effort in, the swift Valegoagant continuing to run the two blades in its manipulators through the armor of the ship, Executing a spin as it came toward the bridge, and cutting the superstructure within moments. The Gaojinizer did so as well, tore through with similar ferocity, the beams of the comet pulse cannon shaking the ship¡¯s frame, and throwing around its occupants, exploding upon impact each time. An unlucky HAU which attempted to get in its way, was kicked into the ship¡¯s bridge, and sliced down the middle alongside it, as Takeashi heaved the Gaojinizer scythe above its head, and brought it down. Before long, both were behind the now exploding ships. Pierre watched this with a hand on his chin.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t actively fight each other, but there was no teamwork either¡­ It would seem there is still a gulf between them, one that I''ll need to address before it becomes an issue.¡± He thought, either way, it seemed like the Garsalan had decided it was better to cut their losses, their forces had quickly rescinded their attack order, and the ships left were flying off to parts unknown. The battle was over


    ¡­


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Hours passed, and after a small stint of rest, the 5 Machina, and Chevalier custom landed onto the tarmac of the base. Which, for the most part, consisted of downright gigantic hangar bays, no doubt meant for the holding of ships. At the least, order had been kept, even with the unexpected attack¡­ Well, relatively, unexpectedly, one never knew when the Garslaan were going to strike, one could only try to predict. It took some time for the pilots to exit their machines, the wires deployed from their cockpits slowly lowering them down. Pierre removed the helmet to his pilot¡¯s suit as they touched solid ground again, revealing his face to all.


    ¡°Now then¡­ Let¡¯s find the  base commander and discuss what led up to this attack. It could give us some insight on whether we need to watch for more.¡± That much wasn¡¯t something they¡¯d thought to do before, something Pierre knew from reading their records, and what took place after they left. It seemed like the UFE,for a while, intended on just dragging them place to place, and making them prove their utility more than anything else. They may have indeed been more effective in staying in these places in helping in cleaning out remnants. It seemed as if they wouldn¡¯t have to find the commander, as, before long, entering brought them into a harshly lit hallway, where they took note of a man in the standard white officer¡¯s dress. His skin pale, and his from stout, the man had a short head of black hair, and eyes of green. A smile on his visage.


    ¡°So you are the all-famous machina team that I''ve heard of. I¡¯m Heath Nicols, commander of this base. You¡¯ve all done good work. Moreau the swift is one of our best, you should listen to him well¡­ The Valgeogant executed its blade swipes especially well, The Sanvolner certainly did its job in keeping any harm from befalling the Danzaman, who controlled the battlefield well. Not to mention the Kaizenbuster¡¯s charge.¡± The fact that one of them had not been mentioned at all did not go unnoticed, noir did the change in the man''s demeanor once he eyed the original machina, and its pilot. A clenched fist, and a frown. Eventually, Takeshi stepped forward, an eyebrow raised. Never one to shy from asking any such questions.


    ¡°Why, exactly, are you staring at the Gao like that?¡± For some time silence had fallen upon them, outside of the sounds one would expect from the base¡­ Before a glare fell upon Takeshi, aimed directly at him.


    ¡°That traitorous machine should have been dismantled years ago! The fact that you pilot it is reason enough for me to suspect your true leanings! You all who work only to increase your own power!¡± This left even Takeshi Inoue in a stunned silence, true leanings? Increase his own power? Before the situation could escalate much further, Pierre stepped in front of Takeshi, looking down upon the man.


    ¡°I suggest you watch your tone, Nicohls¡­ That affair was long before he could have possibly been involved, and you know it¡­¡± The threatening edge in the man¡¯s tone seemed to be enough to make the commander walk off, though his expression had not changed from what it had been before.


    ¡°Moreau¡­ What was that all about?¡± Takeshi questioned. Though some part of him said to correct the pilot on how he¡¯d addressed him, that didn¡¯t seem anywhere near as important, especially now.


    ¡°How could the machine itself be traitorous? Just what happened that we didn¡¯t know of?¡± Haemon queried. As similar questions came from the other machina pilots, he felt that they were given an answer.


    ¡°In order to give you the full story, we¡¯ll start from the beginning. Around the time where professor Okita, the Discoverer of Aether, and the father of the machina disappeared¡­¡±


    2075 - 15 years ago


    The war against the Garsalan could hardly be called such, after the initial invasion, when the swarm of ebon ships descended upon the solar systems, destroying the space colonies, burning through the ice caps, and purposely causing the great flood, which itself destroyed many of their population, and industrial centers. The pan pacific federation shattered into pieces some time ago, and Russia had broken off from the USE, after internal friction had continued to build. Yet, even in this adversity, there seemed to be a single light of hope, a brilliant scientist who¡¯s knowledge stretched into what was seemingly impossible, a force of energy drawn from the pilot''s mind, one which could perform physics defying feats. How would this source be used? In the form of the form of weaponry that had become dominant in humanity¡¯s war doctrines, even before first contact, the vanguard armor.


    The harshly lit lab had a number of research apparatus, computers to monitor performance, with projected holographic displays, researchers scrambling between them, and a number of tools to help in taking measurements, and anything else required. But the most notable change in the room had come with the accompaniment of a newly constructed machine, the black armor had only just recently been grafted on, and the core of it, the aether reactor, added in only a few weeks before, but regardless, it was finished. The machine¡¯s creator was a somewhat strange sight. One of his eyes had clearly been replaced by some sort of Bionics. How that eye was lost was anyone¡¯s guess. His face was filled with wrinkles, a sign of his aging status. Bushy brows, snow white, just like his wild mane of hair. He stood atop one of the catwalks, his cane keeping him standing.


    ¡°So, here we are¡­ After years of trial and prototypes, the Gaojinizer is complete.¡± He, himself, was flanked by two of his fellow researchers.


    ¡°Professor. Do you think this will be what allows us to turn the tables?¡± The woman to his left questioned.


    ¡°We can only hope it does, especially with the time, effort, and funding put into it.¡± The man to his right responded. Yet, the old man did not respond, it was not so uncommon for him to be silent, perhaps that much was just within his nature. But the glint of hope which remained in his eyes, perhaps, that much was enough to see what his stance was


    Nearby to the chamber where the research, and construction of this machine was being conducted, a man held a holographic phone in his palm, observant orbs moving across the space to probe it for any prying eyes, or ears¡­


    ¡°The machina is complete¡­ We may move to the next stage of the plan.¡± The ones on the other end sat within a traditional room, tatami mats, and sliding paper doors. 15 people in total sat around a table.


    ¡°Is that so¡­. Then we need to take action to seize it immediately, before the Liaisons from the rest of the UFE¡¯s member states arrive. If we cover it up well enough, this will look like  aGarsalan Attack, or a random accident.¡± One of the women sitting stated.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ Blanket that area in Covalons so their communications are down, we can¡¯t let them spread the news of this success just yet¡­ In the meanwhile, hide yourself, Kurihara. We¡¯ll be clearing out the complex¡­ As for the rest of you, once we capture the Gaojinizer, removing the old emperor and establishing a new imperial dynasty will be a simple task.¡± A man stated. Eventually, a man of black hair, and eyes heterochromatic. One a normal black, and the other, crimson, began to stand up, and the rest followed as he did.


    ¡°Then all that remains will be getting the other UFE member states to submit. Once we have achieved that, the world will be united under the imperial banner. The garsalan will have a lot more to worry about then¡­ Teikoku chiky¨± reng¨­kaigi(Imperial Earth Union Congress) - Move out!¡±


    ¡­


    As Pierre trailed off, the pilots stood there in stunned silence, Imperial Earth Union Congress? An attempted Coup? The question in all of their minds was asked by Takeshi, who stepped forward.


    ¡°You mean to tell me that¡¯s why that Heath guy said all that?! And if all this stuff happened, why didn¡¯t any of us know about it. It should¡¯ve at least been in the history books!¡±


    ¡°The reason is simple¡­ The congress tried to keep things under wraps so as to not cause a panic during their takeover. And the UFE¡¯s high command decided to do the same when the affair was over, both to keep any mistrust from forming between the states, and to avoid the embarrassment of the Gaojinzier disappearing after being used against them. Some say that Okita was the one who ended up getting it away from the congress and hiding it, before his disappearance, but that much is unknown¡­¡±


    Seeing that with what he¡¯d said, they were still in a stunned silence, he only began to walk away. The response was not something he didn¡¯t expect. After all, the July 12th incident, as the few who had knowledge called it. Later that night, the unrest, the confusion, had not disappeared even as they returned to the common room¡­


    ¡°So that''s the case¡­ Who was involved in that coup? Could those two be involved, Watanabe, Ryou?¡± All things considered, he didn¡¯t have much of a reason to suspect them, but, who knew, at this point¡­


    ¡°At any time, somebody could take an act like that again, but who would it be?¡± Andrew questioned, a hand on his chin.


    ¡°Who knows¡­  I¡¯ve heard whispers of such a thing being planned back home. Looks like even when the threat of extinction is right there, some people will always find a way to try to grab power¡­¡± Han answers. What laid in the future for humanity, if the Garasalan were ejected. They pondered this, and the conversation the ship¡¯s resident engineer, Koyo, was hearing was just a bit too paranoid for her ears¡­


    ¡°Enough of that¡­ While I can''t speak for what was going on back then, I know that humanity has been brought closer since then. If anyone tried to do something like that again, it¡¯d be a few¡­¡± That seemed enough to silence them, for the time being, before diederick cut in.


    ¡°Indeed. They would have to stay their hand, or feel the weight of the rest of the forces coming down upon them. I believe you¡¯re overthinking this¡­¡± Wll, that was a departure from his usual arrogance, at least¡­ Given there was no words of disagreement, that looked to have been enough, for the time being.

 Stage 22- Unwanted Chaperone

    Gaojinizer- Stage 22


    Unwanted Chaperone


    Though the city known as Atlanta was formerly landlocked, and for the most part, sprawling, clearly the great flood had changed things. It had become more dense over the decades, fitting more people into smaller spaces, more trains, subways, and whatnot weaving between the buildings that only grew taller with every passing year. It had not only taken its place back as the rail hub it was known as centuries past, but as a port city as well. Shore leave had allowed for a certain neo-tokyo delinquent to make his way into its underbelly. The city had apparently been reconstructed in layers. The lower one, which he was in, was Just a bit shifty, but by no means something he wasn¡¯t used to. After all, the slums of Neo-Tokyo were not a place one wanted to live, or truly travel around, if one was not from there.


    Takeshi¡¯s eyes moved around as he subtly kept his attention on everyone around him, something which he did almost instinctively. Which seemed to be a good thing, especially considering what he saw in the corner of his eye, on one of the more run-down streets.


    ¡°Oi¡­ You¡¯re not from around here, I can tell. The hell do you think you¡¯re doing in our territory?¡± The words came from a fair skinned man, who, though looked older than him, lacked any hair on his head. Beside him, was a man of dark skin, and one who looked more tanned respectively.


    ¡°Last I checked, that''s none of your business¡­ What, you wanna throw down?¡± It seemed that some things never changed, with Takeshi Inoue¡­ As he cracked his knuckles, his opponents did the same, before they charged at him, as he did the same, a left hook aimed at him missed as he sidestepped it, a right straight missed as he backstepped, and he blocked an uppercut aimed at a chin, grabbing the hand responsible, and throwing him into his ally behind him. As the two crashed to the ground, Takeshi went on the attack, slamming a fist into the stomach of the third, and sending him crumpling to join his allies¡­ Though they weren¡¯t out yet, they certainly felt the strikes they¡¯d gotten thus far.


    All the while, Takeshi let a smirk come to his face.


    ¡°Been a while since I cut loose like this. Been all fighting in the Gao¡­ Good to get on my feet and let my fists do the talk-¡±


    ¡°Inoue!¡± His words were cut off by a familiar voice making its way to his eardrums. His smirk fell into a clear expression of annoyance.


    ¡°Why are you getting into random fights with street fighters?! You''re technically part of the UFE, you know!¡± Takeshi¡¯s attention turned from the three as he glared at her in return for her own, as the two leaned closer, sparks seemed to fly between them.


    ¡°Huh?! When the hell did that become your business. Go work on your repair bots or somethin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re part of the same ship. It¡¯d look bad on me if I let YOU go around punching people, nothing less, nothing more!¡± She punctuated this by poking his chest, and subsequently pulling him away by his wrist.


    ¡°Th- The hell?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to go around acting like an idiot, then it looks like I''ll have to intervene! You¡¯re coming with me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just decide that by yourself, woman!¡± As this took place, the three the pilot was fighting just moments ago watched in silence, glancing at each other, and back at the scene taking place in front of them.


    ¡­


    While Takeshi and Kyoko¡¯s misadventures continued, the other machina pilots walked down the streets, decidedly, not on the understreets as the Gaojinizer¡¯s pilot had decided.


    ¡°So, what do you think Takeshi¡¯s getting into right now?¡± Han questioned.


    ¡°Knowing him, probably a fight,¡±Andrew answered.


    ¡°True enough.¡±


    ¡°Yo!¡± A feminine voice called out. Those there began to look over their shoulders, to see just who was approaching. The woman looked youthful, likely no older than them.She had  dark skin, coiled ebon locks twisted, reaching down as far as her shoulder, the outfit on her body was simple, a baggy shirt which reached her knees, and equally baggy jeans, a pair of sneakers on her feet. Streetwear that had become popular lately, a revival of a style one could find in the early 21st century. Her expression was a welcoming one, a wide smile upon her face. Apparently, this was shared by her compatriot, a man of a slightly lighter tone, his head cut low, and straight.


    ¡°You must be the machina Pilots, The name¡¯s Kyndall, Kyndall Watts!¡± Their eyes moved to the second, who looked somewhat less enthusiastic.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Lucas Coulomb..¡± He said, matter-of-factly.


    ¡°That we are, who might you two be?¡± Diederick questioned.


    ¡°Pilots, just like you four¡­ Well, rather, pilots in training¡­ Though that training became live combat in that last battle.¡± The two groups began to move toward each other, Kyndal glanced at the members of the group, focusing on Haemon, who seemed to be stunned at the sight of ¡­Something? She raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head in confusion, though she ultimately moved past it.


    ¡°Since you all aren''t from here, we could show you around!¡± Kyndal offered jubilance in her tone. The responses to that game were mostly agreeable enough, aside from Haemon, who mostly seemed to say nothing until he was nudged in his midsection by andrew.


    ¡°Pick your jaw up off the floor, man¡­¡± Haemon¡¯s posture straightened up almost immediately, as he attempted to act as if nothing happened. Luckily, the woman had already begun to walk off  with the rest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Drew¡­¡± Haemon began walking off, with that said, while Andrew simply looked upon him, clear disbelief in his expression.


    ¡°Yes you do¡­¡± He mumbled.


    Kyndall continued to lead them down the street, her smile ever-present all the while.


    ¡°From here, we can hit Little Kumasi, or Little Paris, farther if we wanna take the maglev, where do you all wanna head first?¡± She questioned.


    While this took place, Kyoko and Takeshi were sitting elsewhere, in a local cafe, simply staring at each other as they sat down¡­ Though this certainly looked like something, no doubt that even the first syllable of the word ¡°Date¡± would trigger them to deny such an idea immediately.


    ¡°Well, you dragged me here¡­ What now?¡±


    ¡°Only because you made me do so by being boorish, as usual¡­¡±


    ¡°How is it my fault that you can¡¯t keep your nose in your own business¡­¡± A standard interaction, as far as these two were concerned, and yet, there seemed to be less shouting than normal. Both of their gazes eventually went elsewhere, Takeshi¡¯s arms crossed as he looked out the window. Kyoko, to the wall, as she rested her chin onto her palm.


    ¡°... Why did you come onto our ship, anyway?  You don¡¯t look military¡­¡± Takeshi questioned.


    ¡°What¡¯s that expression, Pot calling the kettle black? It¡¯s not your ship, especially considering the two of us were the first ones there¡­ But fine¡­ My father was Ota Shinji¡­ From my knowledge, he was one of the engineers who helped in creating the Gaojinizer. I might never know for sure, I lost him to cancer, and they¡¯re tight lipped on those kinds of details, even still¡­ But regardless, I have a legacy I want to continue. I want to be on his level¡­¡± So that was the case¡­


    ¡°So¡­ Seems like  a lot of what we all do is for our family¡¯s then¡­ Lost my parents when I was a kid, So did Andrew and Haemon. Don¡¯t know about Diedericks, but he¡¯s a prince, or somethin¡¯ gotta be a lot of pressure on him to succeed¡­¡± Takeshi stated.


    ¡°Your parents? I don¡¯t think you ever told me that, or a lot of things about you¡­¡±


    The woman paused, as she straightened her posture.


    ¡°Not that I care all that much¡­ Regardless, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°No need, it happened a while ago¡­ As long as I can get back at the roaches that are responsible, Then i''m happy with it¡­ As for me, there isn¡¯t that much to say. After my parents died, I met up with these two other guys in the same situation, Natsuo, and Tsubasa¡­¡± The man seemed to go silent for a moment, as he began to comb through his memories. From simply running down the streets of the lower wards as children, to the street fights they participated in their later days¡­ This nostalgia was somewhat punctuated by the pain of the event which followed. He would only hope he would not have to bear witness to such a thing again.


    ¡°Those two¡­ They were my brothers. There weren''t many opportunities in Neo Tokyo¡¯s slums. Hell, we didn¡¯t even go to school after we moved in. It just so-happened that we were all good at fighting. So we started running weapons for the Yamamoto-Gumi¡­ Knew a lot of people there. Arai, leader of the family that had our district as its turf, brought us into the game, Katsu, his second in command, that guy was always quiet, hard to read¡­¡± Kiyoko watched him speak with apparent interest. Takeshi paused for some time, even if because of this, before his thought came to mind.


    ¡°You kind of remind me of someone¡­ This girl named Kimiko, Kuba Kimiko, died with the others when neo-tokyo got hit¡­ She was always a bit fiery, annoyed the hell out of me sometimes, but. She was a friend regardless, one I liked a lot¡­ You kind of remind me of her.¡± Takeshi, at that moment, was looking out of the window, unaware of the change in the woman¡¯s demeanor, as her cheeks seemed to tint pink, even if slightly. As he finally looked back at her, and she seemed to hide her face in her shirt, Takeshi raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Are¡­You alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Perfectly fine¡­ That said, I have to upgrade my tools¡­ I¡¯ll cover the bill!¡± With that said, she began to get up from her seat, while the pilot could do nothing more but sit there, dumbfounded.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡±


    All the while, on the other end of the city, the aptly named Little Kumasi was an interesting sight, immigrants from Asanteman, a nation which had recently established itself after a particularly devastating invasion from the Garsalan, had taken their home here. Though the materials may have differed, they were ultimately constructed to resemble the architectural styles to which most of the inhabitants were from. Yet, Haemon¡¯s eyes were still focused upon Kyndall. Apparently, Andrew was not the only one to notice, given how Han wrapped an arm around haemon¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Haemon¡­ I have the perfect way to get her to fall for you.¡± With that said, the man stepped back, striking a dramatic pose, his hand held across his face, as he began talking in a deeper tone, a clear attempt at imitation.


    ¡°Repeat after me.. I am Haemon Florakis, Wielder of the Great Sanvolner, Shield of the Machina! All who wish to destroy humanity, must pass me!¡± This only resulted in Haemon staring blankly at him.


    ¡­


    Before long, their time in Atlanta was at an end. Numbers were exchanged to keep in contact, and goodbyes were said, it was time for them to return to duty. The pilots of the Juzumaru returned to their ship, as did Kyndall and Lucas, who returned to the landship known as Artemis. A heavily armored vehicle with a blocky shape, littered with guns, which floated over the earth below. Takeshi leaned back into his bed, eyes closed, arms behind his head, a simple relaxing gesture. The day had gone well all thing-


    The thought was interrupted, a tremor shook the ship, even as it flew above the ground, and in moments a flash of light had appeared in the corner of his eyes, this could be said for the Juzumaru¡¯s other occupants, who were taken out of whatever they were doing, very violently, at that. A rushing of feet across the hangar continued as they all rushed toward the only window on the ship¡­ And the one who was commonly on the bridge had already changed their bearing to view what had happened behind them¡­. And it was then that they saw it, an explosive bubble, which had gone to swallow, that which was formerly the city of Atlanta.


    ¤Ä¤Å¤¯


    To Be Continued

 Stage 23 - The Great Garsalan Wall

    Gaojinizer- Stage 23


    The Great Garsalan Wall


    Another city destroyed by those creatures¡­ For how much longer would this continue? That was the question on the minds of both the pilots, and those lucky enough to escape its destruction. What was first a jewel of the south, had become naught but a craterous wasteland¡­ The somber mood on the ship was shared by all, even by their commanding officer, Pierre, who seemed to be permanently seeped in stoicism. Yet, as they all gathered in the situation room, he kept his face as neutral as usual.


    ¡°Here is the situation¡­ It is decided that the Artemis will move with us, as we begin the next stage of the plan¡­ We will be going to Columbia so that this ship can launch into orbit. The brass has decided that the only way we win is to take away orbital supremacy, so that the Garsalan can not so easily do what was done in Atlanta anywhere else. This has been dubbed Operation Orion¡¯s Blade¡­ Of course, we are expecting resistance. While we¡¯ve hidden the location of our mass driver well enough, there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that they¡¯ll want to destroy us before we get too close to their occupation zone. So we shall be a spearhead, and break past their forces. Then, the operation can begin in earnest. We kill two birds with one stone, when they¡¯re sufficiently weakened, then re-taking that zone will be a simple task¡­ Let us hope we can free whatever people are left.¡±


    With that explanation made, they stayed silent. This was not the first mass death they had experienced, no doubt, but to get used to this kind of happening was not an easy task. At the least, that fire, that determination he¡¯d always seen within them, had not disappeared in the least. Within the bowels of the ship known as the Artemis, two of the former city¡¯s inhabitants were stationed. Kyndall¡¯s room was darkened, her eyes, red and puffy, a clear result of what had happened earlier. Though some who strolled outside the room thought of checking upon her, they decided against it. Perhaps, it was better to allow her to process this¡­ Though she struggled with this, her thoughts flowed at a mile a minute, her family, friends, the places she liked to go, the place she called home¡­ They¡¯d taken it away from her, just as they had many others¡­ She was going to make sure of it, they wouldn¡¯t get away with this, her and Lucas would make sure of this.


    The same one she thought about sat with his elbows resting upon his desk, fingers intertwined, seemingly Staring off into space. But as he delved further, and further into his thoughts, that began to change to no small extent, the formerly intertwined hands became balled fists.


    ¡°...Those Five¡­ We¡¯re supposed to praise them as heroes, yet, they somehow let that bomb be deployed?¡± The two clearly had gone different directions in who this anger, this sorrow was aimed at. Yet, they both rose all from their seats all the same, and began to exit their respective rooms.


    Within an hour, the Artemis and Juzumaru moved forward alongside each other, In front of the ships, the Machina squad, and the mainstay Vanguard armor of the Atlantic collective, the XM-72 Riposte, joined them. Their armor took on a more angular, blocky shape, it was heavy upon the frame¡¯s, and yet, the machines moved with an uncanny speed¡­ The focus of all of those there was placed upon what had come to meet them, enemy machines numbering in the hundreds. Ships large and small dotting the sky as far as one could see.


    ¡°Well¡­ Seems they were right. They¡¯re not just gonna let us roll through¡­¡± Takeshi commented.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ Utilize your Comet pulse Cannon, Inoue¡­ Ota, Aim the ship¡¯s guns at the enemy ships, the Artemis will do the same. We need to ensure that we can hold out as long as possible. Until the rest of our forces are finished consecrating and preparing to take advantage of the weakness we create, we¡¯re on our own. After all, a strike too early would be doomining hundreds of thousands of infantrymen, and an untold number of armored assets¡­¡± As this was said, Kyndall focused upon the Garsalan force in front of her, with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Is that so? Fine¡­ More for us.¡± While the woman spoke, Takeshi began to act upon the orders given, his fingers dragging upon the holographic display in front of him, and the yield of the comet pulse cannon being increased further, and further, until 70% had been reached, and light began building within the barrels. All the while Kyoko¡¯s hands continually moved across the ship¡¯s controls, standing behind her, were Kanta and Rakesh Goel respectively.


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, this could be the operation which ends the Garsalan landing on earth?¡± Kanta questioned.


    ¡°Who knows? But it¡¯s possible. Nobody¡¯s seen space since the first war happened. We don¡¯t know how much they have up there, but it¡¯s better than them being able to bomb us at any moment¡­¡± She turned her focus back to the battle at hand¡­ Both sides lay in wait for the first move to be made, guns being aimed, and fire being prepared. This standoff was eventually broken by the scattering of piercing rays across the battlespace, the source being The Gaojinizer, and then, from the ships of the UFE, which, in response, the Garsalan fired as well. The light show had begun, and already, ships had begun to face their destruction on both sides. The Vanguard Armors of the UFE flew in a tight formation, the Machina squad at the very head. As their enemies flew forth as well to meet them, the Stingers separated from the Danzaman¡¯s frame, and Han sent them toward the opposing machines. Cutting through their bodies with the fired streams of particles, the machines cut in half, or shot directly in their reactors, exploring time and time again. Those which were not destroyed, found themselves hit by either the Ripostes, who used heavy weaponry, usually anti-ship by Earth¡¯s standards, to tear through their armor.


    Yet, despite the losses they inflicted,a pattern had begun to set in, Even with all of the Machina fighting, one that had not gone unnoticed. Lucas Tsked as he let out a shot from the heavy railgun over his machine¡¯s shoulder, smashing through the cockpit of A Garslalan Machine that had grown distracted.


    ¡°Dammit! There¡¯s too many. You kill one, and two come to replace them!¡± What was at first 10 minutes had become 30, what was once 30 turned into an hour, one into two, and so on. This cycle was not only noticed by him. As the Chevalier Custom weaved and flipped in the air, dodging the shots the Gartsalan attempted to fire at it, the pilot within divided his attention just enough.


    ¡°...The enemy commander hopes to wear us down, just as we do them¡­ I¡¯ve been noticing some of their ships moving leaving the battlefield. But it doesn''t make sense to split their forces now of all times? Could they be planning to pincer us? To strike at the territories behind us while we¡¯re occupied? Either way, we¡¯re facing a shrewd tactician.¡±  Yet, it seemed that until they figured out a way to counter this strategy, they were stuck here. This fact was also known to the Commander, who headed the Artemis, Gonzalo Varela.


    ¡°If what I''m thinking is right, we''ll need a detachment to stop that encirclement attempt before it begins.¡± It seemed that, despite only knowing each other for a short while, the two commanders thought in tandem. As Pierre spoke once more.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Inoue, Hohenzollern, the Bulk of us will. Need to stay here! We theorize the enemy has slowly been siphoning forces from here, and may attempt to push into the Collective. I''m sending you two to stop that before it''s too late!¡± The two paused upon hearing these words.


    ¡°With him?! Tch.. Fine.¡± Begrudgingly, Takeshi shot off into the distance, and though the prince grumbled about the non-titled address, he went forth regardless.


    ¡°Do your best not to get in my way, Blondie¡­¡±


    ¡°That''s my line, Urchin¡­¡±


    The greenery and Mountains of Durango stretched out for miles below them, the wildlife had seemingly been scared into a Frenzy, no doubt a result of their battle. Though some towns and villages were visible, they had since been abandoned. Which was almost certainly due to not wanting to live close to the Garsalan. Let alone where they decided to settle themselves. At the least, this wilderness was a far cry from what they''d seen the last few days, but it seemed that this short burst of serenity was to be interrupted, as once more, their senses, not their sensors, alerted them to an incoming attack. Veritable lances of lightning raced toward their machines, which they''d just barely managed to avoid¡­


    ¡°What the?!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± As Takeshi and Diederick respectively questioned this, they looked to the horizon to see an unfamiliar machine, which certainly explained the strange weaponry. The exterior is painted in a matte black with electric blue accents. The torso is heavily armored, with reinforced plating designed to absorb and deflect incoming attacks.The head, narrow and angular, with a single, ominous crimson visor¡­


    ¡°To answer your question, I am one you have both fought before¡­ L¡¯Fles Zu Jago¡­ ¡°


    ¡°.. A Garsalan¡­ Spoke in our language?¡± Takeshi questioned.


    ¡°Translators exist for a reason, even we do not speak the same language. Some resist learning standard¡­ that said, while you were formidable opponents, a lot of you must die here. As the new lord of this system, I must set a good example for my new subordinates¡­ Face the power of the ma¡¯vet! ¡±


    The shock of a Garsalan speaking of two humans with anything but contempt, was replaced with a different shock. A crackling began to emit from the large, reinforced gauntlets which lay upon the machine¡¯s arms. The ma¡¯vet shot across the sky, striking both the Valgeogant, and the Gaojinizer as the Capacitors within began to activate. Within an instant, a searing pain entered the bodies of both pilots, pained yells echoing through their cockpits¡­ Though what was happening was clear to those observing, to the two who were currently in the midst of being shocked, that wasn''t the case.


    It seemed their allies were having no easier time. The problem was easy to see. While the Garsalan could freely cycle fresh and exhausted troops, they could not, and the exhaustion of the Pilots began to show in the Machina¡¯s performance. After all, it was the pilot who made the Aether generators work. Their minds which powered them.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ something needs to change, and fast..¡± Haemon commented.


    ¡°Then maybe we need to disorganize the enemy¡­ Takashi and Diederick still went back. Could they have run into someone strong? I want to go support them if that''s the case.¡±


    As Andrew commented this, Pierre placed a hand on his chin.


    ¡°That''s an idea¡­ Whoever is leading this force may have joined that detachment in case we figured out his strategy. Good thinking, Howard, go¡­¡±


    Howard nodded, as his machine shot off into the distance, though it looked to the Garsalan as if this was a simple retreat, a desertion, perhaps..  For the Gaojinizer and Valegoagant, they continued their attempts to press the attack upon the Ma¡¯vet, yet it seemed that the swipe of their respective weapons did little but hit air as their opponent continually eluded them with little effort.


    ¡°It will take more than that, Humans!¡±


    In a short time, from the machine¡¯s wrists, gunbarrels became visible, which shot forth destructive rays that cleaved through the armor of both, try as they might to get out of the way in time. What were they to do in this situation? None of their attempts at attack were working, and it seemed their opponent¡¯s fresh state compared to theirs did not help in that regard. Diederick attempted to change their situation, perhaps, by giving his blades more reach, the aether pushed into then expanded the length, and he attempted to dive in and attack once more, but it seemed even this wouldn¡¯t be possible. As what looked to be mental tentacles, from the machine''s back, moved to grab the Valgeogant¡¯s arm, and within moments, an electric shock was deployed, one that resulted in his pained yells echoing once more.


    Before The Gojinizer could do much to help in that regard, Takeshi found himself in the same situation. There was little doubt about it, the two could certainly die in this battle, if they did not get support at some time¡­ Apparently, that support was soon to come. As a war cry echoed in the sky around them, with L¡¯fles looking around to the source of this, until it slammed into his machine, leg outstretched, and nearly flung him around his cockpit, and as Andrew grasped and ripped the tentacles away from his allies¡¯ machines, distance was created.


    ¡°There you two are¡­ What are we dealing with?¡± Andrew questioned.


    ¡°The enemy machine deploys electricity, for the most part, it seems to ignore our armor and hit us directly¡­ The Valgeogant already has some structural damage¡­¡± Diederick explained.


    ¡°Yeah, you might be best suited to this, Andrew¡­¡± Takeshi admitted. He supposed that wasn¡¯t wrong, after all, if one factored in armor alone, The Kaizenbuster was the solution¡­


    ¡°His shocks don''t seem to get through my armor nearly as well, that¡¯s our ticket¡­ He may not suspect you two still being in the fight with the damages he¡¯s given you. When I give the signal, Pierce his cockpit.¡± In little time, the Kaiznebuster had closed the distance between the two machines, throwing a flurry of impact booster enhanced punches, and kicks, to which L¡¯fles found himself having to quickly avoid.] Knowing quite well that his shocks did little damage from the earlier encounter, the particle launchers in his wrist would be the crux of his attack. His machine¡¯s Arms extended as he weaved around a left hook, a rapid volley of shots were sent forth, aiming at the very same spot. Though the shots did nothing at first, they gradually began to shear through the armor the machine made use of. But strangely enough, the machine did not even bother to dodge the attack. Rather, within, The pilot gritted his teeth, even as the tentacles began to deliver a shock taking advantage of the hole created. He began to move his machine¡¯s powerful arms to lock the enemy machine within. L¡¯fles mandibles chittering in surprise.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°NOW!¡±


    This shouted word resulted in the two machines which had seemingly gone dormant, rushing toward the general¡¯s machine, which, to no surprise, led to the garsalan troops rushing to his defense. In their damaged state, the oncoming swarm would certainly prove to be an issue¡­ But what was to be done-


    An earth-shattering boom sounded, as a high velocity projectile slammed into one of the Smaller garsalan ships. And the forces of the new Fi¡¯gas found themselves facing a different issue, an oncoming tide of Earth¡¯s forces. Warships, Landships, Vanguard Armors, anti-ship batteries, had come in full force. Yet, L¡¯fles Zu Jago¡¯s mind had not shifted to the change in the battlefield especially as two blades, one curved and one straight, entered his cockpit at the very same time, the intrusion ripping apart the metal, destroying his screen and console before tearing apart the Garsalan within¡­ All three withdrew, as the machine combusted into a ball of fire.


    The result of the battle was clear, the Fi¡¯gas had reached his end, and earth¡¯s forces had begun moving to relieve their troops within. As if to make matters worse, disorganization began to spread throughout the Garsalan ranks with the death of their leader.


    ¡­


    The Campaign into the Mesoamerican Occupation zone was by most means, a success, they¡¯d managed to break through the remaining forces, even capturing Garsalan figures who had not yet managed to evacuate, some of which were involved in the Garsalan Sciences¡­ The strangelly organic Garsalan architecture was built over what little remained of the major cities that this area used to hold. But it seemed that this overwriting did not stop at just structures. Regretfully the preliminary surveys revealed very low amounts of people, in the thousands at most, who¡¯d managed to hide deep within the wilderness, or underground. Many of whom hadn¡¯t even known the happenings of the past few months, even decades. But such was to be expected in their isolated states. It seemed that the Juzumaru would proceed smoothly in its plans, as Columbia was reached, and for the time being, the pilots, and crew, relaxed as they could¡­ After all, a new stage of the war was about to begin.

 Stage 24 - A Strategic Conclave

    Gaojinizer- Stage 23


    The Great Garsalan Wall


    Another city destroyed by those creatures¡­ For how much longer would this continue? That was the question on the minds of both the pilots, and those lucky enough to escape its destruction. What was first a jewel of the south, had become naught but a craterous wasteland¡­ The somber mood on the ship was shared by all, even by their commanding officer, Pierre, who seemed to be permanently seeped in stoicism. Yet, as they all gathered in the situation room, he kept his face as neutral as usual.


    ¡°Here is the situation¡­ It is decided that the Artemis will move with us, as we begin the next stage of the plan¡­ We will be going to Columbia so that this ship can launch into orbit. The brass has decided that the only way we win is to take away orbital supremacy, so that the Garsalan can not so easily do what was done in Atlanta anywhere else. This has been dubbed Operation Orion¡¯s Blade¡­ Of course, we are expecting resistance. While we¡¯ve hidden the location of our mass driver well enough, there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that they¡¯ll want to destroy us before we get too close to their occupation zone. So we shall be a spearhead, and break past their forces. Then, the operation can begin in earnest. We kill two birds with one stone, when they¡¯re sufficiently weakened, then re-taking that zone will be a simple task¡­ Let us hope we can free whatever people are left.¡±


    With that explanation made, they stayed silent. This was not the first mass death they had experienced, no doubt, but to get used to this kind of happening was not an easy task. At the least, that fire, that determination he¡¯d always seen within them, had not disappeared in the least. Within the bowels of the ship known as the Artemis, two of the former city¡¯s inhabitants were stationed. Kyndall¡¯s room was darkened, her eyes, red and puffy, a clear result of what had happened earlier. Though some who strolled outside the room thought of checking upon her, they decided against it. Perhaps, it was better to allow her to process this¡­ Though she struggled with this, her thoughts flowed at a mile a minute, her family, friends, the places she liked to go, the place she called home¡­ They¡¯d taken it away from her, just as they had many others¡­ She was going to make sure of it, they wouldn¡¯t get away with this, her and Lucas would make sure of this.


    The same one she thought about sat with his elbows resting upon his desk, fingers intertwined, seemingly Staring off into space. But as he delved further, and further into his thoughts, that began to change to no small extent, the formerly intertwined hands became balled fists.


    ¡°...Those Five¡­ We¡¯re supposed to praise them as heroes, yet, they somehow let that bomb be deployed?¡± The two clearly had gone different directions in who this anger, this sorrow was aimed at. Yet, they both rose all from their seats all the same, and began to exit their respective rooms.


    Within an hour, the Artemis and Juzumaru moved forward alongside each other, In front of the ships, the Machina squad, and the mainstay Vanguard armor of the Atlantic collective, the XM-72 Riposte, joined them. Their armor took on a more angular, blocky shape, it was heavy upon the frame¡¯s, and yet, the machines moved with an uncanny speed¡­ The focus of all of those there was placed upon what had come to meet them, enemy machines numbering in the hundreds. Ships large and small dotting the sky as far as one could see.


    ¡°Well¡­ Seems they were right. They¡¯re not just gonna let us roll through¡­¡± Takeshi commented.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ Utilize your Comet pulse Cannon, Inoue¡­ Ota, Aim the ship¡¯s guns at the enemy ships, the Artemis will do the same. We need to ensure that we can hold out as long as possible. Until the rest of our forces are finished consecrating and preparing to take advantage of the weakness we create, we¡¯re on our own. After all, a strike too early would be doomining hundreds of thousands of infantrymen, and an untold number of armored assets¡­¡± As this was said, Kyndall focused upon the Garsalan force in front of her, with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Is that so? Fine¡­ More for us.¡± While the woman spoke, Takeshi began to act upon the orders given, his fingers dragging upon the holographic display in front of him, and the yield of the comet pulse cannon being increased further, and further, until 70% had been reached, and light began building within the barrels. All the while Kyoko¡¯s hands continually moved across the ship¡¯s controls, standing behind her, were Kanta and Rakesh Goel respectively.


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, this could be the operation which ends the Garsalan landing on earth?¡± Kanta questioned.


    ¡°Who knows? But it¡¯s possible. Nobody¡¯s seen space since the first war happened. We don¡¯t know how much they have up there, but it¡¯s better than them being able to bomb us at any moment¡­¡± She turned her focus back to the battle at hand¡­ Both sides lay in wait for the first move to be made, guns being aimed, and fire being prepared. This standoff was eventually broken by the scattering of piercing rays across the battlespace, the source being The Gaojinizer, and then, from the ships of the UFE, which, in response, the Garsalan fired as well. The light show had begun, and already, ships had begun to face their destruction on both sides. The Vanguard Armors of the UFE flew in a tight formation, the Machina squad at the very head. As their enemies flew forth as well to meet them, the Stingers separated from the Danzaman¡¯s frame, and Han sent them toward the opposing machines. Cutting through their bodies with the fired streams of particles, the machines cut in half, or shot directly in their reactors, exploring time and time again. Those which were not destroyed, found themselves hit by either the Ripostes, who used heavy weaponry, usually anti-ship by Earth¡¯s standards, to tear through their armor.


    Yet, despite the losses they inflicted,a pattern had begun to set in, Even with all of the Machina fighting, one that had not gone unnoticed. Lucas Tsked as he let out a shot from the heavy railgun over his machine¡¯s shoulder, smashing through the cockpit of A Garslalan Machine that had grown distracted.


    ¡°Dammit! There¡¯s too many. You kill one, and two come to replace them!¡± What was at first 10 minutes had become 30, what was once 30 turned into an hour, one into two, and so on. This cycle was not only noticed by him. As the Chevalier Custom weaved and flipped in the air, dodging the shots the Gartsalan attempted to fire at it, the pilot within divided his attention just enough.


    ¡°...The enemy commander hopes to wear us down, just as we do them¡­ I¡¯ve been noticing some of their ships moving leaving the battlefield. But it doesn''t make sense to split their forces now of all times? Could they be planning to pincer us? To strike at the territories behind us while we¡¯re occupied? Either way, we¡¯re facing a shrewd tactician.¡±  Yet, it seemed that until they figured out a way to counter this strategy, they were stuck here. This fact was also known to the Commander, who headed the Artemis, Gonzalo Varela.


    ¡°If what I''m thinking is right, we''ll need a detachment to stop that encirclement attempt before it begins.¡± It seemed that, despite only knowing each other for a short while, the two commanders thought in tandem. As Pierre spoke once more.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Inoue, Hohenzollern, the Bulk of us will. Need to stay here! We theorize the enemy has slowly been siphoning forces from here, and may attempt to push into the Collective. I''m sending you two to stop that before it''s too late!¡± The two paused upon hearing these words.


    ¡°With him?! Tch.. Fine.¡± Begrudgingly, Takeshi shot off into the distance, and though the prince grumbled about the non-titled address, he went forth regardless.


    ¡°Do your best not to get in my way, Blondie¡­¡±


    ¡°That''s my line, Urchin¡­¡±


    The greenery and Mountains of Durango stretched out for miles below them, the wildlife had seemingly been scared into a Frenzy, no doubt a result of their battle. Though some towns and villages were visible, they had since been abandoned. Which was almost certainly due to not wanting to live close to the Garsalan. Let alone where they decided to settle themselves. At the least, this wilderness was a far cry from what they''d seen the last few days, but it seemed that this short burst of serenity was to be interrupted, as once more, their senses, not their sensors, alerted them to an incoming attack. Veritable lances of lightning raced toward their machines, which they''d just barely managed to avoid¡­


    ¡°What the?!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± As Takeshi and Diederick respectively questioned this, they looked to the horizon to see an unfamiliar machine, which certainly explained the strange weaponry. The exterior is painted in a matte black with electric blue accents. The torso is heavily armored, with reinforced plating designed to absorb and deflect incoming attacks.The head, narrow and angular, with a single, ominous crimson visor¡­


    ¡°To answer your question, I am one you have both fought before¡­ L¡¯Fles Zu Jago¡­ ¡°


    ¡°.. A Garsalan¡­ Spoke in our language?¡± Takeshi questioned.


    ¡°Translators exist for a reason, even we do not speak the same language. Some resist learning standard¡­ that said, while you were formidable opponents, a lot of you must die here. As the new lord of this system, I must set a good example for my new subordinates¡­ Face the power of the ma¡¯vet! ¡±


    The shock of a Garsalan speaking of two humans with anything but contempt, was replaced with a different shock. A crackling began to emit from the large, reinforced gauntlets which lay upon the machine¡¯s arms. The ma¡¯vet shot across the sky, striking both the Valgeogant, and the Gaojinizer as the Capacitors within began to activate. Within an instant, a searing pain entered the bodies of both pilots, pained yells echoing through their cockpits¡­ Though what was happening was clear to those observing, to the two who were currently in the midst of being shocked, that wasn''t the case.


    It seemed their allies were having no easier time. The problem was easy to see. While the Garsalan could freely cycle fresh and exhausted troops, they could not, and the exhaustion of the Pilots began to show in the Machina¡¯s performance. After all, it was the pilot who made the Aether generators work. Their minds which powered them.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ something needs to change, and fast..¡± Haemon commented.


    ¡°Then maybe we need to disorganize the enemy¡­ Takashi and Diederick still went back. Could they have run into someone strong? I want to go support them if that''s the case.¡±


    As Andrew commented this, Pierre placed a hand on his chin.


    ¡°That''s an idea¡­ Whoever is leading this force may have joined that detachment in case we figured out his strategy. Good thinking, Howard, go¡­¡±


    Howard nodded, as his machine shot off into the distance, though it looked to the Garsalan as if this was a simple retreat, a desertion, perhaps..  For the Gaojinizer and Valegoagant, they continued their attempts to press the attack upon the Ma¡¯vet, yet it seemed that the swipe of their respective weapons did little but hit air as their opponent continually eluded them with little effort.


    ¡°It will take more than that, Humans!¡±


    In a short time, from the machine¡¯s wrists, gunbarrels became visible, which shot forth destructive rays that cleaved through the armor of both, try as they might to get out of the way in time. What were they to do in this situation? None of their attempts at attack were working, and it seemed their opponent¡¯s fresh state compared to theirs did not help in that regard. Diederick attempted to change their situation, perhaps, by giving his blades more reach, the aether pushed into then expanded the length, and he attempted to dive in and attack once more, but it seemed even this wouldn¡¯t be possible. As what looked to be mental tentacles, from the machine''s back, moved to grab the Valgeogant¡¯s arm, and within moments, an electric shock was deployed, one that resulted in his pained yells echoing once more.


    Before The Gojinizer could do much to help in that regard, Takeshi found himself in the same situation. There was little doubt about it, the two could certainly die in this battle, if they did not get support at some time¡­ Apparently, that support was soon to come. As a war cry echoed in the sky around them, with L¡¯fles looking around to the source of this, until it slammed into his machine, leg outstretched, and nearly flung him around his cockpit, and as Andrew grasped and ripped the tentacles away from his allies¡¯ machines, distance was created.


    ¡°There you two are¡­ What are we dealing with?¡± Andrew questioned.


    ¡°The enemy machine deploys electricity, for the most part, it seems to ignore our armor and hit us directly¡­ The Valgeogant already has some structural damage¡­¡± Diederick explained.


    ¡°Yeah, you might be best suited to this, Andrew¡­¡± Takeshi admitted. He supposed that wasn¡¯t wrong, after all, if one factored in armor alone, The Kaizenbuster was the solution¡­


    ¡°His shocks don''t seem to get through my armor nearly as well, that¡¯s our ticket¡­ He may not suspect you two still being in the fight with the damages he¡¯s given you. When I give the signal, Pierce his cockpit.¡± In little time, the Kaiznebuster had closed the distance between the two machines, throwing a flurry of impact booster enhanced punches, and kicks, to which L¡¯fles found himself having to quickly avoid.] Knowing quite well that his shocks did little damage from the earlier encounter, the particle launchers in his wrist would be the crux of his attack. His machine¡¯s Arms extended as he weaved around a left hook, a rapid volley of shots were sent forth, aiming at the very same spot. Though the shots did nothing at first, they gradually began to shear through the armor the machine made use of. But strangely enough, the machine did not even bother to dodge the attack. Rather, within, The pilot gritted his teeth, even as the tentacles began to deliver a shock taking advantage of the hole created. He began to move his machine¡¯s powerful arms to lock the enemy machine within. L¡¯fles mandibles chittering in surprise.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°NOW!¡±


    This shouted word resulted in the two machines which had seemingly gone dormant, rushing toward the general¡¯s machine, which, to no surprise, led to the garsalan troops rushing to his defense. In their damaged state, the oncoming swarm would certainly prove to be an issue¡­ But what was to be done-


    An earth-shattering boom sounded, as a high velocity projectile slammed into one of the Smaller garsalan ships. And the forces of the new Fi¡¯gas found themselves facing a different issue, an oncoming tide of Earth¡¯s forces. Warships, Landships, Vanguard Armors, anti-ship batteries, had come in full force. Yet, L¡¯fles Zu Jago¡¯s mind had not shifted to the change in the battlefield especially as two blades, one curved and one straight, entered his cockpit at the very same time, the intrusion ripping apart the metal, destroying his screen and console before tearing apart the Garsalan within¡­ All three withdrew, as the machine combusted into a ball of fire.


    The result of the battle was clear, the Fi¡¯gas had reached his end, and earth¡¯s forces had begun moving to relieve their troops within. As if to make matters worse, disorganization began to spread throughout the Garsalan ranks with the death of their leader.


    ¡­


    The Campaign into the Mesoamerican Occupation zone was by most means, a success, they¡¯d managed to break through the remaining forces, even capturing Garsalan figures who had not yet managed to evacuate, some of which were involved in the Garsalan Sciences¡­ The strangelly organic Garsalan architecture was built over what little remained of the major cities that this area used to hold. But it seemed that this overwriting did not stop at just structures. Regretfully the preliminary surveys revealed very low amounts of people, in the thousands at most, who¡¯d managed to hide deep within the wilderness, or underground. Many of whom hadn¡¯t even known the happenings of the past few months, even decades. But such was to be expected in their isolated states. It seemed that the Juzumaru would proceed smoothly in its plans, as Columbia was reached, and for the time being, the pilots, and crew, relaxed as they could¡­ After all, a new stage of the war was about to begin.

 Stage 25 - The Price Of Victory

    Gaojinizer- Stage 25


    The Price Of Victory


    October 8th, 2090


    The day had come.. Operation Orion¡¯s blade had begun, across the world, electricity flowed upon the rails of the UFE¡¯s mass drivers, as ships were catapulted into orbit, For the Juzumaru, and its attached ship, the Artemis. Who¡¯s crew had been put on one of the refurbished space faring ships, the situation was the same. The azure skies which formerly surrounded them began to darken, it gradually became colder, the earth¡¯s warmth disappearing, and gravity¡¯s influence gradually lessened Something which was noted within the ship, as the pilots of the Machina moved to their respective machines.


    ¡°So this is it, then¡­¡± Takeshi stated, placing a helmet above his head. His attire had changed, with the battle to take place, the Vanguard armor pilot suit used for those in space. Comprising of layered Carbon-Fiber to prevent piercing from shrapnel, and a jetpack with propellant to let the pilot move to safety if they managed to survive a blast which left their machine disabled.


    ¡°Yes. There is no way to go but forward!¡± Diederick exclaimed. And with that, the catapults began to slide open, as the machina lined up in front of the electromagnetic rails, joined as well, by the Chevalier Custom. Which began to crackle with electricity. As usual, Kyoko was at the controls, looking across the battlespace around them. In short moments, 10 seconds at the most, the Machines of the Juzumaru had been launched. And it seemed that across the battlefield, the same was taking place, as they passed the final layer of the Earth¡¯s atmosphere, the earth''s fleet was already moving, a phoenix spreading its wings across the battlefield, ready to strike down their opponents. And it seemed that they¡¯d been joined by Asani Igwe himself. Who sat upon his flagship, protected by a number of ships. The bridge was silent, as all within the fleet waited for his orders¡­ Impatitance would have taken some, if they hadn¡¯t known his knack, for the correct timing. As the enemy¡¯s machines were launched, he did nothing, as the enemy ships began approaching, he did nothing, not just yet¡­ He simply waited, and Waited, until¡­ He noted a change in their formation, a spear dedicated to breaking their battle line in two and it was then that he striked.


    ¡°Split our fleet, and focus fire upon the flank of the enemy advance force, force gaps between those ships. Engage the Hades¡¯ Vice formation!¡± One of Asani Igwe¡¯s Specialties. Upon his orders, the forces of earth did just that, in but a moment, what seemed like a sure strategy had turned upon the defenders looming in the orbital ring. The commander of the defending fleet, A Garsalan with snow white Chitin, slammed a hand upon his desk, standing to his feet.


    ¡°"Whed?! Thairr dislan uis frel ul ir?!"- "What?! They turned our plans on us?!"


    It seemed the relative inexperience of those left to defend earth¡¯s orbit was showing already. Had they simply not read the reports? Or was it a case of them never having thought the humans would get this far? It would only explain how they¡¯d managed to launch this fleet mostly undetected¡­ Regardless, it seemed that their situation was only going to get worse, the Machina drove into one of the gaps that had been opened, joined by Vanguard armors of the UFE¡¯s various member states, as were the forces of the Artemis. Space lit up as the Comet Pulse cannon fired forth projectiles that spread out, and began ripping apart all that was in its path, those who tried to break off an escape found another problem in the form of the Danzaman¡¯s stingers, which flowed around, firing from all directions and cutting them down, The  Sanvolner keeping any attacks from hitting the unit. While A war cry emanated from the mouths of Diederick and Andrew as they charged forth, flourishes of steel and impact-boosted punches and kicks demolished the enemy units in front of them.


    A group of them attempting to close in and stab him from all angles were swept aside by a sweeping kick. Before he began moving to the next group of enemies. The Gaojinizer removed its scythe from the husk of a machine, which shortly exploded.


    ¡°That¡¯ll show you who you¡¯re messing with Roa-¡± The boy paused as he felt¡­ Something, approaching him¡­ A ray of crimson nearly crashed into his machine, and soon enough, his machine rotated to find the source¡­ It was one he recognized well. A customized Ascalon, with four gun barrels, guided by wires.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    "Id raanr irrui''ya risyaiyan uis rerd feddra, Tassel... Nu neddas!" - "It seems you''ve survived our last battle, Terran... No matter!" A stream of energy began to approach Takeshi once more, as the attached barrels weaved and changed their angles, time and time again¡­ Takeshi began to block out the distractions around him, remembering just how this attack had gone last time.. The 1st shot, aimed at the head, dodged, the second, a lower attack, aimed at the bottom, was responded to with a burst of the comet pulse cannon, the beams leaving an explosion radiating outward as the clashed, the third, aimed at his machines torso, he quickly descending to avoid. The fourth, aimed at the back, he¡¯d adjusted his thrusters to elude it¡­ And within a moment, he¡¯d begun to close the distance between the two.


    ¡°Whed?!¡±-¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°You got me with that last time, but that machine isn¡¯t anywhere as near as good as your original, it''s too predictable, and aside from that, I¡¯ve improved!¡± The words which blared over the proximity channel were not ones the Garsalan could understand, but the simple tone of them annoyed him to no end, his mandibles emitting a low chittering. Yet, as he continued firing, even changing his patterns, it only resulted in the same thing, his target constantly evading his shots, and the distance closing quickly¡­ Before he could attempt to evade, the scythe in the Gaojinizer¡¯s hand had already cut his machine down the middle, and he had to move quickly to eject himself, the smaller fighter craft just managing to escape from the now exploding wreck of his machine¡­ As the smoke began to disperse, all that was visible to G¡¯thera, was the crimson eye the machine made use of. Yet, while some would have felt intimidated, likely the reason for the design choice¡­ He felt only further anger. Yet, he bounded off back to the mothership without another word.


    All things considered, the strategy Asani Igwe had put into place was successful, and to no small extent, the numbers of the Garsalan forces had begun to drop like flies, and multiple pockets had been isolated. This much was certainly not helped by the Machina, who continued to tear into their forces with Ferocity¡­


    But it seemed that the situation was to change soon.. As Han''s eyes moved across his display of the battlefield. His sensors, and senses alike picked up something, which made his eyes widen in shock.


    ¡°We have enemy Reinforcements closing in, and¡­ HIM?!¡±


    Given how the other Machina paused where they were, he was not the only one to sense it¡­ The very same machine, the Jrug¡¯mas, piloted by that general who dispatched them all with essentially no effort on his part. Had arrived on the battlefield.


    ¡°So the primitives have managed to make it into orbit¡­ But regardless, the only thing you have done is change the location of your graves!¡± Within moments, general Ciddeth began his attack, discs of energy fired from the machine¡¯s shoulders flashed across the void, cutting down tens of machines within an instant, unlucky ships that happened to be to close found their bridges, reactors, or thrusters bisected as the discs made contact¡­ The machina moved without even being ordered, knowing quite well that they were the only ones capable of doing any damage to the general¡¯s machine.


    ¡°To see him again so soon¡­ Looks like bad luck!¡± As he spoke, Andew activated his machine''s impact busters, ready to slam a mechanical fist into the Jurg¡¯mas, but it seemed that his machine''s fist was caught once more, a second sent with a free hand faced the same result. He had to withdraw quickly, once he noted the missile launchers opening on the frame. The projectiles which flew forth followed him even as he retreated. But support had come in two forms, the Valgeogant dragging its blade across one, and destroying it, the Gaojinizer doing the same.


    ¡°Bad luck Indeed, Here he comes!¡± Energy disks began to saturate the space as the Jrug¡¯mas launched them en masse, in short time, the machina were forced to split up, though, the projectiles followed them all the while, wenarrow dodges, nicks upon their armor. Followed by cuts from the opposite direction. Whatever the case was, and whatever this machine was making use of, the finesse the pilot had in controlling them was too much higher then they had. It didn¡¯t take long for the machine itself to begin moving as well, The Gaojinizer would have been struck, had it not been for the interference of the Sanvolner barring his path. But even this did not last for long, before the machine maneuvered around its shield, cutting into its back with an up-sized disk, which left a breach in its armor, and the missile that exploded within that gap shook the pilot within, his head slamming upon his display. By the time he looked up again, his face was bloodied due to the impact.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± The Gaojinizer attempted to fire a point-blank comet pulse cannon from behind, a strike that would have been devastating, had the machine not rounded on Takeshi, slamming a fist into his machine¡¯s side, and firing off a point-blank missile strike, one that tore through his armor, and a kick that sent it careening backward. A strike from the Valgeogant, an attempted sword slash, was stopped as soon as it came, by an arm placed in the blade¡¯s path, and the same could be said for a strike from the Kaizenbuster, which was blocked in the same manner.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Fuurairh Tasselr... Yui heya ainfsuyan irruisraryar e faid, Bid irrui rdeln lu shelsa... Thura lluurr heya raiyal irrui dha wsulr ainae efuid whed e wessaius ull dha Garsalan Ase¡¯l air Cefefra ull, Erfasaierrirr ula waidh rsaialsa''r fard Praiulaisr..."- "Foolish Terrans... You have improved yourselves a bit, But you stand no chance... Those fools have given you the wrong idea about what a warrior of the Garsalan Empire is Capable of, Especially one with science''s best Psionics..."


    The machine extended its arms, knocking both attacks away, and grabbing the heads of both machines, slamming them together, the armor even bending due to the sheer force being used upon them. But it seemed that a distraction would come soon, attempts to attack The garsalan machine with whatever weaponry was available. But it seemed that such efforts were fruitless, the machine¡¯s defenses not even scuffed by the volume of fire from warships, and vanguard armor alike.


    ¡°"Ar aill dhura waefulr wuirn nu elirrdhailr... Thair neshaila her rasyan na warr, ayal ail dha feddrar ereailrd dhura nelnan Srerrai."- "As if those weapons would do anything... This machine has served me well, even in the battles against those damned Slassi."


    With that, the general prepared to turn his attention to earth¡¯ forces once more, but, very narrowly, found himself needing to avoid a shot from an enemy he hadn¡¯t yet seen, 3 of the four stinger drones, their barrels aimed at a single spot.


    ¡°"Thura nsular ereail, el elluirrelsa... I''rr nardsuirr dhed ula llaisrd!"- "Those drones again, an annoyance... I''ll destroy that one first!" Before Han could do much more, the Danzaman was bombarded with missiles, 10s within seconds. Slamming against his armor, the explosive force even reached the man within. Pained screams echoed, and shrapnel floated through the cockpit¡­ Had it not been for the layer of carbon-fiber on his pilot suit, it would have certainly pierced him. But, regardless, he felt his consciousness beginning to waver, his vision doubled¡­ Yet, he tried to keep himself stable, as much as he could, especially as he noted the General turning his attention to the fleet once more¡­


    ¡°You¡­ Guys¡­ We can¡¯t stop yet. We still have a way¡­ The first formation Lieutenant Moraeu tried to teach us.¡± Eventually, a pained voice came from Andrew, as his face appeared on Han¡¯s display.


    ¡°The Tornado formation?¡± Soon enough, Takeshi appeared as well.


    ¡°Looks like the only way¡­¡± Joining them as well, was Diederick.


    ¡°But to try using it correctly mid-battle¡­ Well, I suppose the stakes will be enough to make us learn¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­ If these machines run upon our minds, then we only need to make sure our minds are strong, and connected¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all noticed that strange¡­ Sense, by now.¡± Haemon commented, This much gained nods all around. For some time, the comms went silent, as eyes were closed, blocking out distractions, for the time being, even each other¡­. When their eyes finally opened, once more, their machines shot into position with increased speed.


    ¡°Our machines are still damaged, so we need to break him down before we do. Focus on one spot, so we can get through that armor of his. A stream of attacks, move around him, Misdirect, make him think one thing and disprove it with another!¡±


    With that, Han marked the spot, on the machine¡¯s side, close to where the cockpit of most garsalan machines lay. And with no more words, the pilots sprung into action, while Han and the Danzaman hung back, the stingers it made use of  and the pilots were a different story. They began to bound around the Garsalan commander, remembering the words, the lessons taught to them.


    ¡°It¡¯s all about timing¡­. Out of sync movement will lead to you getting in each other''s ways, your opponent figuring out the pattern, that can not happen¡­¡±


    A point indeed, Deidrick dived in for what seemed to be a flourish of the blade, but when the general turned to launch an energy disc at him, he was already in retreat, and the Kaizenbuste had come from behind, slamming a kick into the marked spot, before treating as well. Though, he didn''t get far before the machine grabbed hold of his leg.


    Though, this did not last for long, as the Gaojinizer cae from above, divvying the arm from the machine with his scythe. And freeing his ally. The two promptly retreated, ascending above the machine, and from behind them came the Valgeogant, jabbing his blade into the same spot, shearing through the armor.


    ¡°"Whed shelran?! Thairr''ya neleran du nenera na err ull e rinnal?!"- "What changed?! They''ve managed to damage me all of a sudden?!" Before long, he fired off a stream of missiles, tens of them at once, aimed at breaking up his opponents, and they did just that, though, there was another problem for the general, as the Danzaman began firing beams from the stingers, ripping apart the missiles in short instants. ThAs the Garsalan noted this, his mandibles chittered lowly , as he rushed to strike the cockpit of the human machine, to end it at once, The energy disk which flew outward nearly destroyed the cockpit, and as for han himself, though he was not hit directly, he surely would have died if he had, searing pain ran through his already beaten and bruised body.. And yet, even at this, he could not help but laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gone just yet, roach¡­ But you will be soon¡± Before long, the Kaizenbuster slammed into the machine, knocking him away once more, and another salvo of missiles was sent forth with the Jrug¡¯mas sent back. Interference from the Sanvolner, however, caused the explosives to rock against his shields, and the general found himself facing a different issue, as the Valgeogant shot across space, its cape flowing behind it, as the pilot within yelled out, the blade cutting through an opening in its armor, much larger than before. But the general returned the favor with energy saws removing both arms as they were launched outward.


    "Delnan Tasselr, dhair wairr fa dha aln llus irrui!¡±- "Danmed Terrans, this will be the end for you!¡± Though he prepared to destroy the cockpit,and therefore, its occupant with a launched fist,.. The general found himself staring into a single red eye¡­ And before he knew it, red hot energy slammed into the Jrug¡¯mas, some of it, even cascading into his cockpit, and the inner workings of his machine¡­


    ¡°We got him on the ropes! Let¡¯s finish this!¡± Takeshi shouted. The rage of the one being referred to simmered under the surface, as the launchers upon his machine¡¯s shoulders opened once more, but clearly, these missiles were of a different class, if the size of the cells was anything to go by.


    "I wairr lud rura, I''rr railc dhair llraad, hasa eln luw!"- "I will not lose, I''ll sink this fleet, here and now!" The missiles which were launched began to close the distance to the ships of the fleet within mere seconds, swarming like aggravated wasps. implanting themselves into the armor of two of the ships, the explosive bubble which was produced flew outward, swallowing multiple other ships and destroying them as well. Causing the eyes of the pilots to widen.


    ¡°Warheads?!¡± Takeshi shouted in confusion. The pilots from the other ships watched this take place as well, Kyndal rotated her machine to observe what was occuring behind them.


    ¡°Shit! If we let those keep hitting, our dream of re-taking orbit is over!¡± Noting this as well, the machina prepared to launch back into battle, particularly, Takeshi, but he did not make it far before his machine¡¯s leg was grabbed.


    "Jird whasa nu irrui dhailc irrui''sa ruailr... Whu reain uis feddra wer uyas?!"- "Just where do you think you''re going... Who said our battle was over?!"


    Thankfully, he was freed, as the Machine dodged a charge from the Kaizenbuster, releasing his foot¡­ This conundrum. They couldn¡¯t very well leave this man alone, and at this speed, would they get back to the rest of the fleet in time, especially with his interference? Split their numbers, perhaps-


    ¡°Worry about him, You all¡­ I¡¯ll take care of this¡­¡± The words came from one they¡¯d come to know well, one Pierre Moreau.


    With n more words, he pushed the output of his thrusters to their maximum, tightening his grip upon his controls, as his machine drew a vibrating blade, forged of an ebony metal. As he shot off into the distance, it almost seemed as if his machine was already tearing itself apart, but he only kept pushing it further and further, even as his lungs seized, and the g force began to affect him. He reached one of the missiles approaching the fleet, and with a swipe, it detonated a safe distance away, the fleet protected from the blast, but the same could not be said for him, regardless, he would keep going, doing so to the next. Blood began to drip from his mouth in a downpour, as his machine''s components began to be exposed¡­ Even if he had moved quickly enough to only be on the outskirts of the explosions, the effects were clear. Yet, he continued upon the sam actions regardless, a comet streaking upon the void, leaving explosions in its wake, an injured Han looked upon this from his cockpit, or as well as his doubled vision could observe.


    ¡°... His machine¡­ The Lieutenant can''t¡­ Take more of this¡­¡± Surely the man knew of this himself, but he continued¡­ Swipe, combust, Swipe, Combust.. Even as his machine¡¯s armor was stripped away, components exposed, and even the layer of carbon fiber became useless with the shrapnel now implanted in him.. He made it to the very last one, and destroyed it regardless¡­. But it seemed that his machine did not move out of time. And as the lamp of destruction began to overtake his camera, he did nothing but begin to smile.


    ¡°With this¡­ Mankind has a future once more¡­ You five¡­ Kyoko¡­ Kyndal, Even Lucas¡­. In this short time, you have grown¡­ Do not stop doing so, not for anyone¡­¡± With that, the Chevalier Custom, and Moreau the swift alike, had gone inert¡­. And for the pilots of the machina themselves, for some reason, even for the one known as Diederick, a certain rage blazed within them. This much showed itself in their scowling expressions, marked with glowing eyes. And the light of the aether, which flowed from their machines¡­. In short time, the Gaojinizer had begun to flash around the general, continually peppering his armor with shots from the comet pulse cannon, tearing it apart, bit by bit, layer by layer, and joining him, was the Kaizenbuster, as andrew extended his machine¡¯s fists, and used his impact booster once more.


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that, for The Lieutenant, and all of them, roach!¡± His declaration punctuated by the fists slamming into the metal of the torso, nearly crushing the roach within.


    ¡°"In-Infurraifra!"-"Im-Impossible!" Soon enough, the Gaojinizer brandished its scythe, the Valgeogant, its quickly extending blade, and the Danzaman, its remaining drones aimed in the general¡¯s direction.


    ¡°This¡­ Ends¡­ Here!¡± As the three shouted, the Gaojinizer sliced the machine vertically, the Valgogant, horizontally, leaving the general within sliced into quarters. This combination punctuated by the particle beams from the stingers piercing the cockpit, and reactor alike¡­ Before long, the machine shared the fate of many of its comrades, combusting into a ball of fire, marking its end.


    The effects of this action were far reaching almost immediately, as officers and enlisted soldiers alike began to run to-and-fro like headless chickens within the Garsalan forces.


    "Tha Ge¡¯luzer her faal rreirran?!"


    "Birr dhura Tasselr?!"


    "Id nird fa e raia!"


    -"The general has been slayed?!"


    "By those Terrans?!"


    "It must be a lie!"


    It seemed that it would be this to spur the beginning of the Garsalan retreat¡­ Letting the ships of earth rest, as well as the pilots¡­ The fact of the matter was this, Earth had given the Garsalan their first ever space combat loss in this system. Yet, despite this victory, there were still the costs, which allowed them to reach it¡­

 Stage 26- Battle For Lagrange 1(New Opening)

    Gaojinizer- Stage 26(New OP)


    The Battle for Lagrange 1


    Uproar, Confusion, Both were felt in equal measure across the empire, From the soldiers currently invading the planets considered primitives, to the members of the elite clans who¡¯d proved themselves, living on Jel¡¯gi, the usual pride, and bravado which permeated every level of society, even down to the absolute lowest, servants, industrial workers, those who weren''t warriors, was strangely absent. The imperial Throne sat on a Raised dais, stairs leading up to them, a clear symbolic gesture, showing the current Emperor, and Empresses Authority, an intended move. The aged Garsalan, Ghokkis, sat upon his throne, his cheek resting upon his chitinous graspers. The situation had changed, very quickly, at that.


    ¡°Su Ciddeth her faal rreail, firr Tasselr Nu rarr¡±- ¡°So Ciddeth has been Slain, by Terrans No less¡±


    The Garsalan which stood on the left side of the plush carpet leading to his throne, was lacking in the horn and crest a majority of male Garsalan shared. Her chitin was a mix of sandy shades, and a deep blue, showing her coastal origins, this was one Elmath Zu Alis. It did not take long for her to speak, a much lighter tone coming from her mouthparts.


    ¡°Ar waec er I lluiln hain, dhair rhuwr dha fsainaidaiyar ull Tasse esa faraillailr du fasuna e resras dhsaed.¡± - ¡°As weak as I found him, this shows the primitives of Terra are beginning to become a larger threat.¡±


    The one to her left, was taller, and by no short margin, a Giant by Garsalan Standards. His forest-colored chitin much thicker as well.


    ¡°Ilnaan. Pashefr dhair nasaidr e rsaedas sarfulra, I¡¯ya haesn sinusr ull dhan dsirrailr du sufirr uis dashlururirr¡­ Pashefr dhairr wairr fsuyaina runa rusd ull aldasdeailnald luw.¡±- ¡°Indeed. Perhaps this merits a greater response, I¡¯ve heard rumors of them trying to copy our technology¡­ Perhaps they will provide some sort of entertainment now.¡± Standing on the other side was one Triende Za Rauks, who almost seemed withdrawn, as he stared out of the throne room¡¯s windows.


    ¡°Tsia aluirh¡­ Bid nul¡¯d uyasardaineda dhan, dhairr esa rdairr shird fsainaidaiyar.¡±- ¡°True enough¡­ But don¡¯t overestimate them, they are still just primitives.¡± The emperor sat there, his hand upon his chin, thinking about just what he would do. The silence was almost deafening, especially with those within knowing, whatever the emperor chose, it would bring sweeping change.


    ¡°Then we know what must be done, draw more of our forces from the frontlines, but we will keep most of them where they are, THEY are a much bigger threat. It seems the Garrison will need newer units¡­¡± - ¡°Thal wa cluw whed nird fa nula, nsew nusa ull uis llussar llsun dha llsuldrailar, fid wa wairr caaf nurd ull dhan whasa dhairr esa, THEY esa e nish fairras dhsaed. Id raanr dha Gessairul wairr laan lawas ilaidr¡­¡±


    Across the Empire, a certain message had been broadcast, the impossible promotions to frontline warriors, first bidding on the gaining of new domains, and becoming feudal lords. And to no surprise, this roused attention from upstart nobles, former peasants who¡¯d enlisted, but hadn¡¯t distinguished themselves yet. Those who hoped to be elevated from Ser¡¯or status. They¡¯d all begun preparations to descend upon what was now being seen as a much more significant enemy¡­.


    Gaojinizer OP 3- Toki wo koete - Two Mix</a>


    All the while, the ones who¡¯d contributed to this victory, to this change, stood on the bow of their ship, as the UFE began a traditional funeral procedure for their Pilots and other occupants of spaceships, which had been decided even before the existence of the UFE, simply a carried over ritual from the Three-states era. Wherein the body, or a memento from the deceased was put into a metal container, and sent off into space, a burial among the stars. The somber mood seemed to have returned to their ship, despite the victory they had.


    ¡°Moreau¡­. We may not have agreed on much when you were still here, But i can¡¯t deny, we may not have made it this far without you¡­ Yet, here we are, after failing to save you.¡± Takeshi stated, a fist clenched. Though a tear nearly ripped from his eye, he resolved to wipe it away before it could fall. Eventually, Kyoko put her hand on his shoulder. Though the rift between the two certainly existed after the incident in Bogota, it seemed even she did not intend to let such words come from him.


    ¡°Enough, You oaf¡­ He decided to do that so you could all win, at the speed those missiles were moving, and his interference, there was no way you could¡¯ve got there in time¡­¡± Though, eventually, she¡¯d realized just what she was doing, and stepped away.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t mistake that for me caring¡­ I just know that if you all get distracted by that, It¡¯ll be bad for us all.¡± She stated. Though, with her tone, to the more observant in the room, it was clear that wasn¡¯t exactly the reason she¡¯d said that. Beside the two, was the Hohenzollern prince himself. Though Diederick did not say anything, the subtle change in his usual stony expression was notable.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ The commoner was not so bad¡­ Disrespectful as he was.¡± Though, whether even he believed that to be his true stance was debatable. To their side, Kanta and Rakesh watched as the troops began to push the man¡¯s coffin out into the void¡­ None of those there had ever taken to integrating into the millitary¡¯s hierarchy and traditions, but then and there, they saluted as the man known as Moreau the swift began to take his final journey. But, they did not have much time to grieve. Eventually, they¡¯d reconvened in the situation room, as all the UFE¡¯s ships which had now made their way past the Garsalan defense line assembled in their respective meeting rooms, to hear the words of the Supreme Commander. As the Pilots, Kyoko, Kanta, and Rakesh alike sat within the dimmed room, a hologram of Asani Igwe floated into existence.


    ¡°Now then, let us begin the next stage of our plan.. With the destruction of the fleet sent to stop us, we¡¯ve been able to launch our ships a lot more freely, which will make cleaning up the space around earth significantly easier. The same could be said for the Remaining Garsalan Occupation zones in Madagascar, the Western Antarctic Isle, and Iran. Our goal now is to seize control of the moon, and Secure Cislunar space. This will truly allow us to keep earth¡¯s cities safe from bombardment, and begin extending our reach out to the rest of the Garsalan infested solar System. Preliminary scans have shown that our Lunar cities have not been completely destroyed, though we know not of the inhabitants. Either way, if our mining and industrial facilities still exist, this could be a boon to the war effort. But we have a roadblock, A garsalan space fortress at Lagrange 1. A small force, spearheaded by the machina, will be used to pierce through their defenses, while the rest of our fleet reinforces our orbital defenses¡­¡±


    Retaking the moon¡­ An idea, indeed. Time began to pass, and the pilots of the Juzumaru had eventually convened in the common room once more. The uncharacteristic silence had not disappeared, not just yet. Though, it was eventually broken as they noted one of the Artemis¡¯ two pilots entering. Kyndal took a seat beside Haemon, as she began to speak.


    ¡°How are you all holding up?¡± As the woman questioned this, Andrew was the one to sit up from his previous laying pose, speaking.


    ¡°Bout as good as we can be¡­ We decided we gotta keep moving. That guy would¡¯ve chewed us out if we sat here wallowing, somethin like ¡°You¡¯re soldiers of the UFE, Get your act together!¡±¡± Andrew stated with a smirk. Gaining a chuckle out of Han.


    ¡°Sounds about right.¡± He responded.


    ¡°True enough¡­ Either way, it''s almost time¡­ Let¡¯s kick some Garsalan ass!¡± Takeshi shouted with his normal excitement. Something that was met with an affirmative shout from all of those who occupied the room¡­


    Before long, The spearhead had begun to fly toward their target, the now exposed underbelly of the Garsalan defensive line. But it seemed that their presence had not gone unnoticed. Though the scattering of Covalons by the UFE would keep them from using their long-range communications, it seemed that the Garsalan had prepared for the Idea of the Humans attacking once more. The machines that were flying toward them seemed significantly faster than any of those fielded before. The armor Thicker, yet the frames only seemed more streamlined Sharing the Four-armed, six limbed build of their ancestral units. These machines were known to the Garsalan as the AMX-28 Zo¡¯Gel. A model which was newer than the units previously sent to earth by 75 years, significantly closer to the Modern Garsalan standard. More Powerful reactors lead to higher capacity for power in energy weaponry, and railguns alike. A coating of energy extended just beyond the armor, fields intended to serve as the first line of defense to the machine, rather than relying on armor alone.


    The gaojinizer weaved around beams fired from the Zo¡¯gel¡¯s handheld weapons, as its scythe was withdrawn. Though, even as Takeshi swung, he found that the barrier was not so easily pierced, the machines began to move back, but it seemed that they wouldn''t get far, as interference from the Danzaman cleaved through the barriers, and caused five of the machines to meet their ends within moments. Yet, it seemed that more trouble arose, as the others began to close in upon the Danzaman, firing upon it at once, the fired beams scuffed, even damaging the machine. Within a short time, the machine had already moved away, with the Kaizenbuster slamming into the offending machines, charging into them one by one. Though he felt the impact of hits upon his back, this stream of attack stopped with the Sanvolner¡¯s interference. But the stream of attacks only continued with time, as a line of arsalan troops attempted to leap in, and pierce the machine from all angles with their blades, but before long, Diederick cut in, his machines arms crossed, blades in each hand, held in a reverse grip, and as the arms were uncrossed, a flourish began, cutting through the machines, and leaving them in pieces in short order. But even he found himself struck from behind, which shook his machine.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Tsk¡­ These new units.¡±


    ¡°If we can beat that general, we can beat these guys! Han, get the stingers out. We¡¯ll control their movements, break em up!¡± Takeshi shouted.


    ¡°Right!¡±


    With this much said, The stingers flew from the Dnazaman, and began to weave through the cosmos,firing off beams of particles that forced the garsalan machines to begin taking evasive action, An in that instance, The Garsalan machines began to move to avoid these attacks, just as they''d expected. And that was when they began to strike once more, a burst of beam fire exploded from the Gaojinizer¡¯s comet Pulse cannons, and began to tear into those who did not get out of the way quickly enough. Though, even for those those did, there was the Kaizenbuster, who were torn in half by the impact booster enhanced fists A machine who avoided this fate attempted dot pierce through the machine¡¯s armor, but found themselves in the presence of another blade wielding machine, the Valgoegant locked the blade against its own, before slashing once again, the machine exploding into a ball of fire, its reactor cleaved in half. but Diederick did not stop there. Taking hold of two blades once more, as his machine spun, once more, cleaving the garsalan armors into mincemeat.


    Something that was observed by the pilots of the UFE En Masse


    ¡°The machina, even with the enemies'' new machines¡­¡±


    All the while, the pilots found that their opponents had scattered, and decided to retreat, but there was still the issue of the other forces, who seemed to be getting demolished by the significantly more advanced technologies, none of them could even hope to pierce their defensive fields, it seemed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll spread out from here! Seems like we''ll have to divide our attention if everyone else is gonna survive.¡± Andrew stated.


    With a nod, the machines did just that, beginning to spread outward, to fight their own battles¡­ Takeshi, however, felt that strange sense they¡¯d developed once more, as his eyes widened, in a flash, he weaved around a downright gigantic ray of crimson. The source of which was made clear to him, when he turned to see the source. A golden-white The machine looked to be one of the Garsalan¡¯s Non Humanoid Orbital Decimators, But, it somewhat resembled¡­ The Cy¡¯drozen, An upgraded version, the claws which were flying at him, were clearly akin to the Danzaman¡¯s stingers, as he¡¯d assumed the original machines were, he was forced to act quickly as he weaved around these shots as best he could, firing those of his own with the comet pulse canon. But it seemed his opponent was no less skilled¡­ The true shock came, when the frame of the machine in question began to change, it seemed the ¡°Body¡± of the orbital decimator began to open up, arms, and legs became visible first, next, the skirt armor, and broad, yet sleek torso. It was then that the head of the machine was revealed. Eyes glowing emerald. A crest lined the back of its head, which had three spiny protrusions. Two horizontal, on the left and right. And the Middle one, Vertical. As the machine grew close, Takeshi took action immediately, drawing his scythe, and in short order, his opponent drew one of the curved blades on his side, and in a moment, sparks flew between them, as the weapons clashed¡­


    ¡°Terran¡­ This time, I will not lose¡­¡± Takeshi¡¯s eyes widened, he knew that voice well¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re that same roach, speaking our language no less?!¡± He heard a scoff from the machine.


    ¡°As if I would learn the language of primitives¡­ I had this translator installed for a reason, to say this. I am G¡¯thera¡­ And on my honor as a Warrior of the Garsalan Empire, And a member of House Zu Kalis, I will slay you!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡± In a short time, the two had already begun to bound across the battlefield, attempting to figure out each other''s patterns. Takeshi once more, had to contend with the fired beams from the clawed drones, which very nearly struck him, but he took action almost immediately, returning fire with a comet pulse canon, which eliminated one, But the other managed to strike him, and once more, he found the Garsalan machine charging toward him once more, His attempted to attack with his scythe was interrupted, when the hooked blade the machine used, intercepted his strike, and another was coming to the side of his machine, leaving a deep gash unto its armor. Takeshi Tsked, as he drew his blade back, and kicked the side of his enemy¡¯s machine, knocking him away, before he looked to bring his scythe down upon it, but it seemed his strike would find no purchase, for his opponent had already moved to block it, It took but seconds for him to retract his strike, and go for another, only to reach the same result¡­  As he drew back this time, he did not do such a thing, firing off a point blank burst of comet pulse cannon fire, which damaged his machine''s armor, but he ultimately found the same happening to his own, as the rone¡¯s his opponent¡¯s machine utilized struck his armor once more¡­


    In short time, the two began to weave through the battlefield, explosions, fired beams, and clashes and flourishes of blades had begun, moving many miles in mere seconds, and try as they might to change their attack patterns, and their methods, it seemed that neither of them could get the fatal hit on the other¡¯s machines that they were hoping to get¡­ Even as the Gaojinzier blazed with the light of the aether. Of course, this exchange did not go unnoticed. The Machina pilots, and the both sides of the forces observed, as the machines increased in speed, more and more,. Not slowing down for a second. A crimson and Azure meteor. Asani Igwe put his hand on his chin, as he observed this from his commander''s chair. The marked units seemed to fade in and fade out, time and time again.


    ¡°The Gaojinizer, and whoever this enemy pilot is¡­¡±


    On the opposite side, the Garsalan Commander, watched this in the same way.


    ¡°Zu Kalis¡¯ Daigailer, and the Terran Orbital Decimator¡­¡± As the reason for this phenomenon came to them, they unknowingly stated it at the same time.


    ¡°They¡¯re moving quickly enough that our sensors are having trouble tracking them¡­¡±


    On the site of the battle, this dance continued. By this point, their battle had brought them far away from the original parameters of their battle¡­ The two huffed in their respective cockpits.


    ¡°Dammit. Why are you not dead! All these times we¡¯ve fought, and you still keep popping up!¡± Takeshi shouted.


    ¡°That¡¯s my line, Primitive!¡± G¡¯thera shouted in return. They began to weave through space once more, though, from afar, it looked as if the two meteors earlier had constantly drawn back, and charged toward one another, striking, before drawing back once more, this pattern continued, time and time again¡­


    But this was not to continue, A flash of blue metal flew across the battlefield, to the source of these two meteors. Its sleek, organic body bore some resemblance to the Gaojinizer, but the similarities ended there. Rather than the Scythe which the Gaojinizer used, on its wrists, blades extended from, which had come out in short order, as the machine burst forward in a speed equal to the two rivals. And G¡¯thera soon found his machine cut down the back, as the machine striked with its blade, the Grsalan¡¯s eyes widened in his surprise.


    ¡°Who the-?!¡±


    ¡°Let me answer that question for ya!¡± Within the cockpit, a young man sat with crossed arms, brows arched, and a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°The Name¡¯s Ryuji! Former head of the Ryuji Gang, and Machina pilot extraordinaire! This here¡¯ machine is Gaidan!¡± Ryuji struck once more, as he removed what looked to be an upsized rifle from his machine¡¯s  side, firing off a scattering cone of energy, which the Dagailer just barely dodged.


    ¡°Another one, an interloper no less?! No matter, I will-¡±


    ¡°G''thera Radisl du fera!-¡±- ¡°G''thera, Return to base!¡± In short order, the Garsalan switched off his translator, as he spoke.


    ¡°Luw?!"- ¡°Now?!¡±


    Thura dassel Meshailar heya faril du daes aildu uis llussar, eln dhed ilainaldaillaian neshaila wairr fid irrui ed e nairenyeldera, e dwu- ul ula air airr-enyairan!"- ¡°Those terran Machines have begun to tear into our forces, and that unidentified machine will put you at a disadvantage, a two- on one is ill-advised!"


    The garsalan¡¯s mandibles chittered with rage, as he slammed a button on his machine, deploying a smokescreen, and chaff alike, which blinded the two machina, at last for the time being.


    ¡°Make no mistake, this isn¡¯t over, terran!¡± With that said, the machine shot off into the distance, apparently, to act upon his orders. Apparently, the machine did not come alone, four others, their faces marked by cross-shaped visors, and their helmets almost resembling that of the Roman centurions. Much more heavily armored than most of the UFE¡¯s machines, yet, significantly faster. This being the UFE¡¯s new generation Vanguard armors, the Valiants. With The technology gained from the Garsalan, they would likely do much better in battle, in addition to standardizing the units used making organization a lot easier. These machines joined the new Machina¡­ Takeshi turned to face the new arrival, as he spoke.


    ¡°Ryuji¡­ I know that name, you survived Neo-tokyo?!¡± In his cockpit, the man nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Happened to be on the edge of town, that saved me¡­ Unfortunately, my crew got wasted. Long story short, I enlisted. That¡¯s how I became Sakamoto Ryuji, 6th Machina pilot. Word is they¡¯re trying to use mine as a testbed, mass produce the Machina.¡±


    ¡°That so?¡­ Guess I can''t be too surprised. What about those guys behind you, your squad?¡±


    ¡°That we are¡­¡± The voice of the woman who spoke was young, and her appearance, a head of blonde hair, blue eyes, and a youthful face, supported that.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Elise, Elise Nordstrand.¡± The one in the machine next to her shared her young age, a man of dark hair, and fair skin.


    ¡°Temur Tsegmid..  Son of the current Khan, no big deal¡­¡± It seems they shared in having a prince, for some reason. This one seemed a lot more laid back about it than theirs, at least. The next to come forth, seemingly shared the young age of the others, her long, Azure hair tired back into a braid. The black orbs in her head focused upon the Gaojinzer, as she drifted to its side.


    ¡°Qiao Tung-Mei. Known as Chongqing''s most beautiful¡­ Though, I think I''m more interested in you, Takeshi Inoue¡­¡± This left even Takeshi silenced. What was she talking about?!


    The last one, a tanned man with green hair, seemed to barely be paying Takeshi any mind, as he leaned back into his pilot¡¯s seat..


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m next..? Diego Blas, nice to meet you, or somethin¡¯...¡± This was an interesting group, to put it lightly, but, the fact was clear, they¡¯d be working together. Takeshi¡¯s eyes moved across the battlefield, as he took note of the change, both the Retreating Garsalan, and the approach of the other Machina.


    ¡°So this is where you¡¯ve been¡­ Who¡¯s that guy?¡± Andrew questioned.


    ¡­


    Before long, the pilots found themselves in a briefing room, along with the crew of their ship. Though, Takeshi seemed to be frozen in confusion by the woman now hanging off of his arm, Tung-Mei. While a certain engineer glared from afar. If looks could kill, one of them would certainly have died by this point. The Hohenzollern prince sat with the Mongolian Prince, talking about¡­ Who knows what. Eventually, Kyoko began to march over to the two, as she side-eyed Qiao, who, given the smirk on her face, knew precisely what she was doing.


    ¡°Oi¡­¡± Kyoko stated, a deadly edge in her tone


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Ota Kyoko? Is it so uncommon to be close to friends?¡± Is that what she called it?! Why she felt the urge to get the woman away so badly, she did not know, but it was there regardless. To no surprise, Han looked off into the distance, starstruck, most of those there already knew what he was likely thinking about. The other occupants of the room looked upon the antics of this¡­ Unusually young group of people, with blank expressions, this wasn¡¯t something they were used to observing, not at the least.


    What would eventually silence the room was the arrival of another figure. The one who entered the room was not Asani Igwe himself, rather, a spectacled man, one of his aides.


    ¡°We¡¯ve won the first stage of this battle, but we are not done just yet. The supreme commander has decided that the Lagrange 1 fortess is more useful to us intact than destroyed, it could serve as an important point in defending earth, and as a jumping off point as well. We will need all the advantages we can get for re-taking Luna. As such, we will be sending ground troops to claim that station for ourselves, before they have time to recover. That said, prepare yourselves.¡± So that was the case, then¡­ Only time could tell how this would end.

 Stage 27- Siege Of Fortress Gasel

    Gaojinizer- Stage 27


    Siege Of Fortress Ga¡¯sel


    The time had come for the push into the Garsalan Fortress, an invasion of it, rather than simply bombarding it from afar until it was destroyed. This was certainly a far cry from the normal operations the Machina team would be sent on, as never having left their vanguard armors. But it wasn¡¯t completely unfounded. During their short stint of training in Wonbaek, they at least learned how to shoot a gun correctly. Takeshi was a street fighter before he was a pilot, they could at least do something with that. Though, punching a garsalan may not be nearly as effective as it would be against a human. The infantry armor the UFE used, A mesh of carbon nanotubes covered by a Graphene composite outer shell, the inner layer, a metal foam to help disperse concussive force even moreso. The exterior of the armor was snow white, the UFE¡¯s emblem stamped onto the chest. The machina pilots were not alone, to no surprise, joining them were a large number of infantrymen, Included in which were Kyndall and Lucas, along with Ryuji and his squad. And the commanding officer of the operation, a giant of a man, with a bald head, and dark skin. Mawolo Karwary.


    ¡°Now then¡­ We have no doubt in our minds that the roaches have spent the little time they''ve had preparing for our arrival. Meaning, we could very well be stepping into a meat grinder if we are not prepared. Saturating the area in Covalons to prevent them from communicating to the outside is a start, but the fortress is likely using wired communications on the inside. Not to mention the idea of traps, gun emplacement, etcetera. To that end, you will be sent in with a hacking expert, who has worked with Garalan computing systems once more. We need to get her to a terminal so she can take control of their systems¡­¡± As the briefing ended, the respective soldiers began to break into their groups, to no surprise, the Machina squad was kept together, though, strangely enough, Diederick had a curved blade on his hilt, a sidearm cutlass specific to Germany, the Dusack. Though, given its condition, it was clearly of recent make¡­


    ¡°Diederick¡­ Where did you get that sword from?¡± Andrew questioned.


    ¡°It is a family Heirloom, a vibro-blade. We will be in close quarters, it would do us well to have melee arms¡­ And it is Sir Hohenzollern to you, commoner.¡± Though, the last part of his statement seemed more of an offhand comment, than a demand, a far cry from his interactions used to go.  Clearly he didn''t care nearly as much about the correction as he usually would. Though, one among them, had a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°Guess we get to bust some Garsalan heads in person this time around! Sounds like a good time to me..¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re damn right, Takeshi!¡± Soon enough, the raven haired Ryuji came to his side, and it seemed that almost immediately, the two were rattling off ideas on how to fight the Garsalan, which places would be the most effective to strike. After all, even their Chitin had to have gaps, though to those observing, they had but one thing to say.


    ¡°...They¡¯re the same type of guy¡­¡±


    The time would eventually come for the invasion to begin, troop transports were being flown toward the Fortress, who¡¯s external weapons had since been disabled. But even with this fact, it seemed that those within had no intention of surrendering, though they only expected that from the Garsalan. The ride was quite a bumpy one, but the ships were more than safe enough, the environment was mostly silent, as helmets were placed on, guns had final checks done upon them, and they stood from their seats¡­ Including the woman they were escorting, one of tan-skin and dirty blonde hair. Though she was only armed with a pistol, that only made sense with having to use one hand for the purpose of carrying her equipment.


    ¡°Impact in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1¡­ NOW!¡±


    The ones piloting the ship nearly slammed into it, stopping at what looked to be metal bridges, tipped with drills, extended from the bows of the ships, beginning work at drilling through the hull¡­ Continuing, until the process was complete, and the doors which lay upon the front of the ship opened, and charging in, were the troops of the UFE, who checked their corners immediately upon entering, and fanned out, looking for cover, a good choice, given what happened next, automated, turrets, built into the ceiling and walls, began to fire a hailstorm of Electromagnetically launched rounds.


    ¡°Shit, looks like they were ready for us!¡± One of the men yelled. Another took action, firing a grenade from the barrel of his weapon, which exploded upon contact with one, destroying it, another fired his own, and destroyed the next. But it seemed that they wouldn¡¯t be facing those threats alone, the clang of boots and the sound of rustling armor and cloth was approaching them as they began to move toward what looked to be a central chamber of the base, covered in greenery that was unknown to them, from the Garsalan Homeworld. A park within a fortress¡­ That was a thing within colonies, but to have one within a human fortress was another story, before first contact. The members of the Machina squad ducked under cover, as they began firing at the rapidly spreading Garsalan troops.


    ¡°Looks like our greeting party!¡± Han joked, taking a shot which took down one of the Garsalan, though he had to quickly duck to avoid a shot.


    ¡°They seem lacking in Decorum if so¡­¡± Diedrick began, however, his gaze shot over to his left, as his senses alerted him to something¡­ Atop balconies overlooking the park, were Garsalan equipped with large tubes over their shoulders.


    ¡°Enemies above us!¡± As he shouted this,  their allies acted immediately, some of them moving to attack these targets instead, But regardless, they¡¯d already begun to fire. The explosive projectiles launched outward through the rails within the weapons striked the ground with force, sending out debris and dust as they exploded. Unlucky troops who did not get out of the way of time found themselves blown into pieces, a fate the Machina team only very narrowly avoided. But it seemed that some of the Garsalan were trying to take advantage of the lighter Volume of fire, A garsalan was getting close to the Machina pilots, Her sub-arms reached for her hip, taking hold of Photonic Blades. Which activated as she tapped a switch, rushing toward the Machina with Vigor. But it seemed that Sense they¡¯d developed had taken effect once more. Almost as soon as she''s gotten close, he¡¯d already drawn his saber, Vibrations beginning as he cut across the Garsalan with practiced speed and mastery, slicing apart both armor and chitin with masterful skill, and causing verdant blood to leak from the wound as it fell, dead.


    ¡°Tsk¡­ I can only wonder how the others are doing.¡±


    They were not the only ones to land in the fortress,  to prevent their troops from being overrun, four transports full of tris had been sent, the other three were to set up killzones and keep the Garsalan from moving freely, using the Architecture of their own fortress against them. Yet, Ryuji and his squad didn¡¯t seem to be having any easier of a time getting in, the troops posted on either side of a corridor, with the path forward in the center, where the Garsalan had set up a barricade, and turret alike.


    ¡°It seems like they don¡¯t intend on making this easy for us¡­ But we must win, I must get back to my darling future husband Takeshi, After all¡­¡± Tung-Mei stated, the result was Diego¡¯s gaze slowly moving over to her. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°...Future husband?! You two aren¡¯t even dating. I think that guy¡¯s too meatheaded to understand affection in the first place. Probably thinks romance is a food item... Not to mention how jealous that Kyoko girl acts when you try something with him¡­ I''d be careful, she might turn out to be more dangerous than these Garsalan.¡± Diego responded.


    ¡°The mechanic girl? The plain one? As if she''d be a threat¡­ Besides, with how he freezes up, I¡¯d say he¡¯s just amazed by my beauty... Besides, he has me to teach him about the beauty of Romance." Diego rolled his eyes.


    "Good luck with that... What are your plans, elope together and buy a house in the mountains? How realistic..." Diego said, sarcasm clear in his tone.


    ¡°Is this really the time for you to be talking about this?!¡± Elise questioned. The Khan¡¯s son put a hand on his chin, as he thought up a solution to their problem.


    ¡°The moment we poke our heads out, we¡¯ll get turned into swiss cheese¡­ We need to flank them¡­¡± Temur responded.


    ¡°Sounds good to me, Let¡¯s do it!¡± Ryuji and his squad began to move to a side corridor, as the rest of the troops stayed where they were. As they moved through the empty hallways, they found themselves facing a different threat, the drones flying toward them were armed as well, Laser projectiles firing from their barrels managed to clip Ryuji in the shoulder, before he fired back an instant, destroying two.


    ¡°Shit! Tung-Mei!*


    ¡°Right!¡± The woman launched a pulsing blue knob of metal toward the drones, which shortly exploded outward, shutting them down¡­ an EMP pulse grenade, useful, no doubt. They continued forward, but found a Garsalan jumping out of the corner, armed with a laser sword. But it seemed Ryuji was already aware.


    ¡°Can''t sneak up on me, Roach!¡± In a short time, he ducked under the thrust aimed at his heart, taking hold of the Garsalans head crest, lifting the alien above his head, as he began to spin..


    "HORYA!" He shouted, as he flung him into a wall. Diego followed up, shooting through its chest with successive rounds.


    ¡°Let''s get it moving!¡± With that shout, Ryuji charged forward, and soon enough, found himself facing the same squad of Garsalan behind the barricade, as the smile on his face only became wider.


    Before long, he and his squad took aim, firing as they ran toward the enemy, this much seemed to break up their volume of fire immediately, allowing for their allies to get some reprieve, and fire as well, a thrown frag grenade exploded into the formation, killing many of the Garsalan. As for the one who did not die, they were hit from two different angles, and dropping like flies.


    As this took place, the third squad, which contained both the commanding officer of the operation, the giant Karwary, and the expert needed to take control, had been moving much better. The direct command of the man, as well as the more experienced troops he was surrounded with, his personal squad since he began service with the forces, moved like a well oiled machine.


    ¡°We''re breaching this room!¡± In short time, the door had already been invoked down, and a grenade was launched within, launching smoke, and a fragmentary grenade came next. As the sound of the exploding fragments came through, Karaway and his troops began to fan out within. Checking every corner, possible hiding place, and shooting what Garalan troops found¡­ As they advanced into the next hallway, they found a large number of Garalan troops, among them, was one G¡¯thera Zu Kalis, though this was a fact they did not know of.


    In the command center, the commander of the fortress sat with a hand near his mouthparts, as he thought of what to do¡­


    ¡°Tha Tasselr esa reailailr duu nish ull e lluudhurn.. Tha llerra felarr.. Sasdaiulr 3, 4, eln 5.¡±-¡±The Terrans are gaining too much of a foothold¡­ The false panels.. Sections 3, 4, and 5.¡±


    His plans were enacted almost immediately, from beneath the troops, panels began to Slide out, and flip, before falling, Sending the UFE¡¯s troops careening into deep pits below. While many had managed to catch their teammates in time, others hadn''t, forced to leave them to their fate alone, and it seemed the UFE¡¯s troops had begun to take advantage, launching the Garalan into their own traps when they could¡­


    Two members in particular found themselves facing this fate, what was formerly a charge toward cover became a quick descent, when the patch of floor under Takeshi opened up, and what was formerly his footing, became the tunnels underneath the floor. Where the bases automation sent container trains across the fortress at high speeds.


    ¡°Takeshi!¡± Andrew made a quick attempt to jump for him, but the sound of flattering armor, most definitely, the enemy, stopped this.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± Han cursed with a snap.


    ¡°Well report it to the commander and keep moving, the commoner can handle himself, we know that!¡± Diederick shouted.


    On the Garalan side, it seemed things weren''t much easier¡­ It seemed that the UFE¡¯s troops were adapting quickly, those who were in close enough range flung their Garsalan opponents into the chambers below. And it seemed that G¡¯thera was no exception. As he found himself shoulder charged into the cargo routes by one of those accursed furless apes¡­ he''d need to find his way out, and quickly. As the battle continued above them, the two began to move through the cargo route. Takeshi''s annoyance was building as he did so¡­ He¡¯d dropped his gun somewhere when he fell, and he still hadn¡¯t found anything resembling an exit. This was an annoyance, for sure. What was at first a solo exploration turned into something entirely different, as the sound of approaching footsteps made it to Takeshi¡¯s ears¡­ His eyes narrowed, as they shot in that direction, his head turning. And it was there that he saw a Garsalan. One with desert Chitin.


    ¡°A Garsalan. Tch¡­¡± The garsalan he faced drew the Hilts of the blades from his side, as they ignited with the press of a button, the lasers which were projected forming the blade itself, in his main arms. While his smaller sub-arms took what looked to be small knives from his side.


    "I''n sasurlaina dhed yuaisa llsun elirrwhasa... Tha rena hinel whu fairudr dhed essisran Meshaila."- "I''d recognize that voice from anywhere... The same human who pilots that accursed Machine."


    Though he couldn¡¯t understand him, not without the translator, and Vice versa, given the expression on Takeshi¡¯s face, it was clear that he noted the similarity as well..


    Takeshi¡¯s eyes shot around as he searched for a weapon. Luckily, two discarded Photonic Blades were visible, and he rushed to grab, and activate them, a low hum emitted as he steadied himself.


    ¡°If it was a punch-out session, this¡¯d be easy¡­. Don¡¯t know about these swords¡­ Fuck it, Let¡¯s go!¡± With a war cry, Takeshi leaped forward as he ran, while his opponent did the same thing, the smell of singed hair filled his nostrils, as he just barely dodged being cut by the blade, though, what was on his head hadn¡¯t. The second swipe coming from his left nearly severed his arm off, had he not sidestepped, and drawn back, though, he was left with a deep gash regardless.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±


    He found himself at threat once more, as the being leaped forward, a two bladed flourish coming toward him, try as Takeshi might, the blades themselves, as well as the knives held in the Garsalan¡¯s sub-arms, made this much a troubling affair. Cuts were being created across his body, even if he tried to halt his opponent¡¯s strikes with his own blades, or return strike, it seemed that he was failing at every avenue.


    ¡°There¡¯s gotta be something I can use¡­¡± As Takeshi''s eyes moved around, he took note of a surprisingly loose pipe on the ceiling, and his plan came to him, when the Garsalan leaped forward once more, he took a swipe, and it came crashing down as it was severed from the ceiling. Though the Garsalan noted this and jumped back, he found his chitin burned through, as Takeshi managed to successfully land a strike¡­ Soon enough, the Garsalan noted the faint light surrounding him, and the shine in his eyes. If that, then the rapid speed he moved at as he began to exchange swipes with the Garsalan.


    "Whed''r ruailr ul waidh dhair Tassel?! Ha wer e luyaisa waidh dhed frena fallusa!"- "What''s going on with this Terran?! He was a novice with that blade before!"


    It seemed that their duel was not to last, however, as the sound of clanging boots upon the ground approached their shaft¡­ This made them pause, as they questioned whose side they belonged to, but that much was answered with what was shouted.


    ¡°Inoue, where are you?!¡± That voice, Takeshi recognized it well, Andrew.


    ¡°Over here, I got a roach on me!¡± To G¡¯thera, that was his cue to leave. He reviled the idea of running away from these primitives, but with him being outnumbered, there was little he could do¡­ Topside, Karway¡¯s squad had achieved their goals, control of the Garsalan systems had been switched to them, and maps of the base itself had finally been made clear, troops were already rushing into the command center, the occupants raising their arms as the firearms of the UFE were pointed at them¡­ And it didn¡¯t take long for the expert to begin working her magic upon the Garsalan Terminals, as the troops rounded up those in control of the base¡­ They stood as Victorious, though not without cost. The fortress Ga¡¯sel, now had the flag of the UFE raised above it. No doubt, it would be an asset for the oncoming war¡­

 Stage 28- A New Force

    Gaojinizer- Stage 28


    A New Force


    The situation in sol had apparently continued to decline, the Death of Ciddeth, the annihilation of the Zo¡¯gel¡¯s he¡¯d sent, the fall of the fortress at Lagrange 1¡­ Emperor Ghokkis could tell when his plans were not working as intended, when changes needed to be made. Apparently, this was one of such times. Those human machines known as the Machina had been a constant thorn in his side¡­ As such, they needed to be eliminated. Machines and pilots alike were being assembled for that very purpose, and one of the latter kneeled one on one knee, in front of the Emperor¡¯s Throne, the keystone for his plan.¡­ The aged Garsalan began to speak.


    ¡°G¡¯thera Zu Kalis- irrui heya feddran dhara Meshaile nelirr dainar ail dha ferd... -"G¡¯thera Zu Kalis, you have battled these Machina many times in the past¡­¡±


    ¡°"I far irruis fesnul, irruis Meshardirr, fid ha her lleairan du nallaed dhura Psaindaiaiya neshailar ul nirdaifra usseraiulr, aid air airr-enyairan du rad hain-"-"I beg your pardon, your Majesty, but he has failed to defeat those Primitive machines on multiple occasions, it is ill-advised to let him-"


    ¡°Yet, Eyal aill irrui heya lud nardsuirran dha Geushlainas, irrui heya neleran du caaf aid llsun riffusdailr aidr erraiar waidh irruis aildasllasalsa. Tha airria raiar lud waidh irrui, G¡¯thera, fid irrui faailr uidlinfasan...Bid dhasa air e ruridaiul du dhair."- Even if he has not destroyed the Gaojnizer, he managed to keep it from supporting its allies with his interference¡­. The issue lies not with you, G¡¯thera, but you being outnumbered...But there is a solution to this."


    Some part of him felt as if he was being pitied¡­ A fact G¡¯thera did not enjoy, not in the least, but he would move past that for the time being. But the solution his majesty mentoned, without a doubt, was of interest to him.


    "A ruridaiul? Whed wuirn dhed fa?"- "A solution? What would that be?"


    The emperor raised his arm, as he slowly stood to his feet.


    "Fsun hasa ul, I wairr arayeda irrui du dha selc ull Tes¡¯li! Yui wairr raen dhair law llussa, e rwien nanaisedailr du hildailr nuwl dhura neshailar, Tha Machina M¡¯sel!¡±- "From here on, I will elevate you to the rank of Tes''Li! You will lead this new force, a squad dedicated to hunting down those machines, The Machina M''sel. Elevated to a commander, that was good¡­ But a dedicated squad? Things were changing, very quickly, at that¡­


    "I wairr lud lleair irrui, Yuis ainfasaier neshardirr..."-"I will not fail you, Your imperial majesty..."


    "Thed nish, I cluw... Yui heya faal errairlan irruis llrerrhaif, whaish wa wairr llailairh feran iful irruis ailfid eln laanr llus irruis nairraiul... Aln dha nanfasr ull irruis rwien heya faal shural."-"That much, I know... You have been assigned your flagship, which we will finish based upon your input and needs for your mission... And the members of your squad have been chosen."


    The Grsalan stood to his feet, as he saluted once more, before making his way out of the throne room, the Guards standing in front of the door parting as he walked through. His walk through the imperial Palace was a short one, and already, he was on one of the Capital¡¯s trams. Though, to no surprise, his car was separated from many of the civilians, the true lowest class of Garsalan Society, those who did not fight.. Though, his focus was upon other things, as he read through the files containing the Members of his squad.


    Ar¡¯esh Za Arti, that was a name he knew well, she was his darling Betrothed, after all. For the emperor to put her on the team with him, one his majesty considered important, than her own battles in systems on the other sectors of the Milky way must have been going well¡­ The next, Vres Zu Kor, A known pilot and electronic warfare specialist. He would certainly be useful. Zes Zu Mich, a man rumored to be able to snipe an enemy from light years away¡­ Exaggerated, to no doubt, but his record was good as well. Forgon¡¯Zu Vispid, the all too famous Demon of Kepler. A member of one of the great clans¡­ Hopefully he wouldn¡¯t be too much of an annoyance.


    Eventually, he would arrive at the spaceport which  apparently held his new ship. Making his way inside past the security checkpoints, he eventually saw it, the Zu¡¯ Kalis Class battleship. The 800 meter ship had an ornate, white and gold colored frame. The ship was lined with turrets and cannons of varying sizes, its sleek linear shape had clearly been designed for speed, agility. But that was not the only thing of note, as he found three others in front of his ship. One, He recognized very well, A garsalan Woman with chitin of an oceanic blue, representing her People¡¯s, a group of Garsalan who spent much of their time in the ocean. A¡¯resh Zu Arti, indeed, G¡¯thera¡¯s betrothed. Who hugged the newly-promoted commander as she got close.


    ¡°S¡¯le... Id¡¯r ruun du raa irrui ereail..¡±-¡°Darling.. It¡¯s good to see you again..¡±


    ¡°I dhailc dha yasirr rena, A¡¯resh. Ill dhairr fid irrui ul nirr rwien, I¡¯n riarrailr irrui nena ruun fsursarr ail irruis uwl sulwiardr¡­¡±-¡°I think the very same, A¡¯resh. If they put you on my squad, I¡¯m guessing you made good progress in your own conquests¡­¡±


    Oll suisra. Tha Maq¡¯ae, eln Dhestit wasa lu dsia dhsaedr¡­ Eyal dha Tasselr wuirn raicarirr fa efra du sulwias dhan.¡±- ¡°Of course. The Maq¡¯ae, and Dhestit were no true threats¡­ Even the Terrans would likely be able to conquer them.¡± Eventually, coming to G¡¯thera¡¯s side was one


    Vres Zu Kor, a Garsalan with an equivalent to what humans would consider glasses, clamps connected two pairs of lenses, three for each three eyes on the left and right side of his head. Almost resembling a glass visor. His chitin was a forest green.


    ¡°"Yuis uis law CO, dhal. Yuis esdaiulr ul Tasse esa cluwl warr... Suna neirr raa dhed er waeclarr, fid I raa ula whu wuscr waidh dha saruissar ha air raiyal warr. Lad''r arainaileda dhura Tasselr duradhas.¡±- "Your our new CO, then. Your actions on Terra are known well... Some may see that as weakness, but I see one who works with the resources he is given well. Let''s eliminate those Terrans together."


    The next to walk up was the all-Famous sniper, Zes Zu Mich, his chitin a more earthen tone, not a surprise, with his ancestors having come from the wastes of the Continent Fu¡¯Zel. Which had been destroyed long before the First Garsalan arrived onto it, yet somehow, they managed to survive there¡­


    ¡°Werl¡¯d azfasdailr du rad fid ul e rwien, waidh e filsh ull hud rhudr lu rarr, fid aill elirrfunirr sel rad dhair nula, aid¡¯r ir¡­¡±- ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting to get put on a squad, with a bunch of hot shots no less, but if anybody can get this done, it¡¯s us¡­¡± Zes stated.


    ¡°Hn.. I nuifd dhed¡­ A rwien ran firr e nailus lufra whu rescr dha rissarrar laanan du fa dsirdan?¡±- ¡°Hm.. I doubt that¡­ A squad led by a minor noble who lacks the successes needed to be trusted?¡± The voice was laced with contempt, an arrogance alike. G¡¯thera¡¯s eyes narrowed in annoyance, as he looked to the source of these words were a garsalan with Snow white chitin. Marking his origin from Jel¡¯gi¡¯s polar regions. But that on its own wouldn¡¯t be what G¡¯thera noticed, rather, the blue markings spread across his chitin, birthmarks, those exclusive to a certain house¡­ If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Yui nird fa For¡¯gon Zu Vispid-¡°You must be For¡¯gon Zu Vispid¡­¡±


    ¡°Thed I en¡­ Meca lu nairdeca, I wairr lud fa usnasan esuiln firr runaula ull irruis rdedir¡­ Tha Danul ull Kafras nuar lud fuw du e nasa Ser¡¯or¡­¡± -¡°That I am¡­ Make no mistake, I will not be ordered around by someone of your status¡­ The Demon of Kepler does not bow to a mere Ser¡¯or...¡± Such insubordination, and so open at that arrogance and disrespect¡­ It seemed that his worries were true.


    ¡°Id raanr irrui nul''d saeraina irruis raidiedaiul¡­ Ar aid wer rdedan firr dha As¡¯eler hainrarll, irrui esa ilnas nirr sunneln, dhasallusa, irrui rairdal du na¡­¡±- ¡°It seems you don''t realize your situation¡­ As it was stated by the Emperor himself, you are under my command, therefore, you listen to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Thed neddasr lud du na, Ser¡¯or¡± - ¡°That Matters not to me, Ser¡¯or¡­¡± Tension between these two opposing forces was building, and it was building quickly, however, a chitinous hand placed on his shoulder interrupted G¡¯thera¡¯s coming words.


    ¡°G¡¯thera, Ha airl¡¯d ainfusdeld, Lad¡¯r ru¡­ Yui weldan du naad irruis fesaldr fallusa irrui wald fesc du dha llaiarn, sairhd?¡±- ¡°G¡¯thera¡­ He isn¡¯t important, Let¡¯s go¡­ You wanted to meet your parents before you went back to the field, right?¡± A¡¯resh stated¡­ At the least, this seemed to be enough, as the Garsalan turned, and began to walk away.


    ¡°Yui¡¯sa sairhd¡­ Bid cluw dhair, Yui¡¯n fard sussasd irruis faheyaius, For¡¯gon Zu Vispid¡±-¡°You¡¯re right¡­ But know this, You¡¯d best correct your behavior, For¡¯gon Zu Vispid¡­¡±


    They began to walk away, but even so, it seemed the tension had not dissipated. As fro the two themselves, they¡¯d made their way through the city once more, getting on the tram. The winding spires and roads of the city surrounding them. Gigantic Holographs, news reports, various videos and advertisements. Though the owners of Corporations and whatnot were ultimately considered of a lower class to soldiers, that did not mean they had no power, or that those corporations did not exist. After all, even the Garsalan had Civilian Products. Eventually, the two left at one of the many stations, and found themselves in front of a massive spire, which held no shortage of elite figures. The two making their way into the lobby, they found A male and female Garsalan they recognized well. With sand colored Chitin, though, darker than G¡¯thera¡¯s. A light, slowly chittering, expression of happiness among Garsalan, who certainly couldn''t smile, as they lacked the facial structure needed to do such actions.


    ¡°Zi, Riv¡­¡±-¡°Father, Mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Id air ruun du raa irrui fesc, G¡¯thera¡±- ¡°It is good to see you back, G¡¯thera¡­ ¡° The one who stepped forward, hugging him, was Tela Zu Miuel, his mother..


    ¡°Yuis eshaiayanaldr heya nena aid du uis aesr. Tu fa raiyal rish e fsunudaiul eln raiyal irruis uwl araida llussa, eln e fasruler Frerrhaif? Yui¡¯ya nula warr¡­¡±- ¡°Your achievements have made it to our ears. To be given such a promotion and given your own elite force, and a personal Flagship? You¡¯ve done well¡­¡± The words came from the Pilot¡¯s father, one G¡¯Turo Zu Kalis.


    ¡°Thelc irrui Budh, I wairr fa risa du eshaiaya Musa¡­¡±- ¡°Thank you Both, I will be sure to achieve More¡­¡± G¡¯thera answered. It didn¡¯t take long for the two to be ushered into the apartment, where the Kitchen Servants had apparently prepared a meal. G¡¯thera¡¯s personal Favorite, Tael Steaks, cooked medium rare, were visible almost immediately. Fine wines, or their Garsalan equivalent.. But this surprise was compounded by those who were there as well, friends from G¡¯thera¡¯s childhood, Fellow nobles of the Ser¡¯or status¡­ To no surprise, he was received warmly, after all, these were people dear to him, as well as allies. Eventually, as those within conversed about past events, Such as a camping trip during their training gone awry, Where G¡¯thera had at least managed to distract the beast coming down upon them enough for them to run¡­ However, when these pleasantries calmed down, the conversation shifted to different topics. Tel Zu Aslan leaned back into his chair, as he spoke out.


    ¡°Su¡­ Whed ull uis frelr, dhed whaish wairr deca ir err uid ull Sas¡¯us rdedir? Wa¡¯rr laan du nuya rnesd du uyasdeca dha urn riesn.¡±- ¡°So¡­ What of our plans, that which will take us all out of Ser¡¯or status? We¡¯ll need to move smart to overtake the old guard.¡± Tel questoned.


    G¡¯thera nodded, as he began to pace around the room.


    ¡°Mirr effuaildnald du dhed frelad ull fsainaidaiyar air el elluirrailr ula, fid aid suirn fa irallir. Waidh dha arseredaiul ull dha wes ul dhura Tasselr, wa heya e shelsa du nairdailriairh uisraryar, AND suldsaifida du dhara frelr ail¡­Odhas weirrr¡­ I heya el ainae, ru du rfaec, fid I en ilrisa aill aid air sawiaisan ed dhair fuaild.¡± - ¡°My appointment to that planet of primitives is an annoying one, but it could be useful. With the escalation of the war on those Terrans, we have a chance to distinguish ourselves, AND contribute to these plans in¡­Other ways¡­ I have an idea, so to speak, but I am unsure if it is required at this point.¡± G¡¯thera answered.


    ¡°Ildasardailr¡­ Warr, aill elirrfunirr cluwr huw du helnra aid, aid''r irrui.¡±- ¡°Interesting¡­ Well, if anybody knows how to handle it, it''s you.¡± Another from the crowd responded. Eventually, the jubilance returned once more, as they continued to enjoy the day, though, in time, the hour had come for him to leave, he said his goodbyes, and in time, G¡¯thera was off, the Zu Kalis had launched from the Surface of Jel¡¯gi, and he was cruising through subspace¡­


    Elsewhere, in the park of the newly gained fortress, the pilots had convened, luckily, most of the bodies had been cleaned up since then. To no surprise, The two former street fighters, Ryuji, and Takeshi, had gleeful smiles upon their faces as the engaged in their rematch, The raven haired man fired forth a punch which Takeshi ducked under, sliding to his stomach, and wrapping his arms around it, as he moved to throw the man over his shoulder, but he shortly found this move reversed, with him being launched instead.


    ¡°Heh, Looks like you haven¡¯t lost your edge, Takeshi!¡±


    ¡°Same to you, Ryuji!¡± With a war cry, they launched themselves at eachother once more, exchanging strikes, blocking, dodging, Countering, rapidly at that, yet, they seemed to be equally matched in every manner. Andrew seemed Resigned to this, having recognized that was just Takeshi¡¯s natural state a long time ago,  and Ryuji just happened to be the same. Rather, he¡¯d begun to walk away, as he observed one  Elise Nordstrand kneeling as she ran a hand across the¡­ Strangely colorful Garsalan equivalent to a tree. Its bark, Violet and apparently lacking in leaves.


    ¡°Hm. And what are you doing?¡± Andrew Questioned. The woman looked over her shoulder with her usual Smile.


    ¡°Ah, just studying these plants a bit. Always been interested in Botany¡­ Garsalan plants can''t be that much different than ours, right? They breathe the same air we do, I might be able to Gauge something..¡± As Elise began to tap the bark of the tree, she found her face covered in a sticky yellow liquid.. This seemed to erode her curiosity a bit, as she stood to her feet¡­


    ¡°Well¡­ There¡¯s always room for error when Alien plants are involved¡­ Maybe some kind of defense mechanism? Doesn''t seem to be doing much, probably because I''m not what it''s trying to stave off¡­That aside, excuse me.¡± The woman began to walk away, apparently to clean herself up. She could think about this later. All the while, Kyoko watched the ongoing battle between Ryuji and Takeshi as she rolled her eyes.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough that we had One Oaf, now we have two?!¡± She stated in apparent Annoyance. Standing next to her, Diego simply scrolled on the holographic display of his phone, only glancing up slightly at this.


    ¡°At least Your Oaf and Our Oaf get along well, it¡¯s like they¡¯ve found their tribe¡­¡± Eventually, joining them was the woman who seemed to be the object of Kyoko¡¯s annoyance a lot lately, Tung-Mei.


    ¡°Oaf? Hm.. I don¡¯t appreciate you speaking of my Darling Takeshi in that manner, he just knows the benefits of Exercise and Training¡­¡± Those two words again. Why they irked her so, she did not know, but they did nonetheless, especially given how her eyes bored into Tung-Mei, and she grinded her teeth. Yet, her apparent rival seemed undisturbed by this display. Though Temur and Diederick approached the group, apparently speaking of princely manners, unaware of the happenings, a hand placed on their shoulders by Diego stopped their approach.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get between those two If I were you¡­¡± It seemed that Haemon shared this sentiment given how he watched from a distance, though, Kyndall standing beside him certainly distracted him a lot more.


    ¡°Wow, those two really don¡¯t like each other¡­ I wonder if that tung-Mei girl likes Takeshi for real..¡± Kyndall mused.


    ¡°Alright, Let¡¯s cut all the commotion!¡± The womanly voice that filled their ears was one that they didn¡¯t recognize, and seemed enough to make the two fighters pause, as they all went to see the source. The approaching woman had hair of a Forest Green, onyx orbs within her eyes. She was relatively tall, standing at around Takeshi¡¯s height, Perhaps. Her body¡¯s features were full, though they were mostly obscured by the officers'' dress across her body. Though older than them, as a whole, she seemed much younger than many of the UFE¡¯s officers, perhaps the reason her posture, the way she walked, seemed much more laid back, especially in comparison to Pierre¡­


    ¡°Commander Gyo Hwa-Young. Crew of the Juzumaru, I¡¯ll be the Commanding Officer of your new Ship, the Juzumaru-II.¡± This gave them pause.


    ¡°Juzumaru II?!¡± Kyoko questioned.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Indeed, One of the first Victory-Class Cruisers to be fielded. You¡¯ll all be getting dedicated Mechanic teams, Kyko at the head of them. The former crew of the Artemis will be joining us, as well. Let¡¯s get it done, You hear¡¯?¡±


    So that was the case¡­.


    It did not take long for the team to begin making their way to their new ship, which was compared to the Juzumaru, much more spacious. To no surprise, it made the technology of their old ship look primitive in comparison. There were much larger Cooking Facilities to support the larger crew, to no surprise, and to Han¡¯s excitement, Kanta and Rakesh were still with them¡­ Ryuji and his squad were not with them, rather, assigned to a different ship, they''d be doing their own operations separately, it seemed. Their situation had continued to change, even now¡­

 Stage 29- Encounter

    Gaojinizer- Stage 29


    Encounter


    The Newly minted Juzumaru II sailed through the sea of the stars, which almost seemed calm, at least in comparison to the warzone that had only now calmed in earth¡¯s orbit, and at Lagrange 3. The Garsalan Orbital Defense Grid had collapsed over time, just as was planned in the initial Operation Orion¡¯s Blade plans, and as such, humanity had finally begun to see space once more for the first time in decades. Most ships who had attempted to do so would be shot down by the Garsalan Long before they got off the ground, at least before they¡¯d taken orbital supremacy back. But, most knew, thought they''d reached victory, this was only the beginning. Their old common room was somewhat missed as the Machina pilots sat within had missed, even if slightly. It was a far cry from the large Galley, filled with many they did not know. After all, even with the Automation used on every Victory Class, there was people needed to fill roles.


    Those who hauled cargo when they resupplied, directing the bots or piloting the smaller humanoid machines dedicated to this purpose, the pilots of Conventional Vanguard armors, who were on this ship as well as the Machina. Luckily for them, they had the newest models, which used reverse engineered Garsalan tech. Takeshi slurped on the noodles of the bowl of Ramen in front of him. As he finished, it almost seemed like he inhaled the broth, emptying the bowl.


    ¡°Man, it¡¯s been forever since I had ramen! Not since neo-tokyo!¡±  Diederick eyed this with a slight disdain as he shook his head.


    ¡°Must you always eat like your food will escape from you if you slow down?¡± The prince questioned. Takeshi only shrugged.


    ¡°Hey, never know what meal will be your last in this line of work¡­ Speaking of that, The hell are we doing anyway?¡±  Han shrugged.


    ¡°Who knows? I don''t think they¡¯d go after the moon straight away, but I''m not sure¡­ What I am sure about, however-¡± The man stood to his feet, extending his arm dramatically, as once more, a cape of unknown origin seemingly manifested behind him.


    ¡° Is that the Heroic Han Chen Shall succeed!¡± Takeshi took this in stride, as Andrew pinched the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°So it seems he¡¯s not done trying to impress Kanta¡­¡±


    ¡°Guess not¡­¡± Haemon responded.


    ¡°Speaking of that, when are you plannin¡¯ on making a move on Kyndall anyway, Haemon, it seems pretty obvious that you-¡± Takeshi was cut off by Andrew Clamping his hand over his mouth. While Takeshi was prepared to say something in protest, as Andrew pointed to the mentioned woman walking by, Takeshi nodded understandingly. Haemon sighed at this.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to it event-¡±


    ¡°All Pilots, Report to the hangar for mission Briefing¡± The words came over the intercom, no doubt being from one of the bridge officers.  This made them begin standing up, walking to their hangar, and many within the room did the same, throwing their food away as they left. The pilots continued to file into the hangar over time. At the front, with a holographic display at her back, was Gyo Hwa-Young herself, her hands in her pockets as she leaned back onto the wall, her hand swiping across the holographic display, causing a globe, earth, and surrounding bodies to appear.


    ¡°Now then, since we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s get started. We¡¯ve been sent to hunt down some stragglers, a fleet which escaped during our capture of the Garsalan Fortress, that has still remained within Earth¡¯s orbit.. This should be a simple one.¡±


    ¡°Simple, With the Garsalan? When has that ever been a thing?¡± One questioned from the crowd.


    ¡°That all depends on how you guys perform out there¡­ Make sure you don¡¯t get complacent, A desperate enemy is a more dangerous one¡­ You¡¯ll be leaving in 5 Hours, prepare yourselves until then¡­¡± And they¡¯d no doubt be desperate. The Garsalan had begun to rethink their stance of Humans being just primitives they could easily re-take control of earth from, if their changing strategies and units were anything to go by. The crowd began to disperse. While Kyoko found herself facing her own issues as the New head mechanic¡­ Kyoko stood in front of the leaders of the Various Mechanic teams. One, a man of Tanned skin, and white hair, seemed to be in his own world. Electronic music blasted from his headphones, as he sang, and danced to the beat.


    ¡°Yeah, Work it baby, work it, Yeah, Uhh!¡± While another, who did a check on the Gaojinizer, seemed to be, speaking to it..?


    ¡°You got this, buddy¡­¡± The raven-haired woman stated. While another, a boy on the younger side,  who seemed slightly younger than Kyoko, likely around 14. A prodigy there to serve as an apprentice, apparently. He seemed to be content with being silent, and observing the others in the hangar from the dark corner, recording his findings onto a datapad.


    ¡°Takeshi Inoue seems to be the loud one, Brash, aggressive yet, he somewhat serves as the center between the Machina Pilots¡­ Interesting, Interesting indeed.¡± Kyoko simply watched these antics with a blank expression. Their names, Armoun Digara, Yaroslava Zhukova, and Dewydd Pendry¡­ While some part of her was glad she was no longer relying on Old repair bots with outdated OS for help, but at the same time.


    ¡°Of course, they¡¯re like this¡­¡± They had their quirks, for sure, but if they were assigned here, then truly, they couldn¡¯t have been bad at their jobs¡­


    The hours passed, and eventually, the time had come for the operation to begin, the Machina units lead a mass of Valiants, which had begun to be produced in large numbers. Even if they didn¡¯t exactly match the might of the Garsalan¡¯s Zo¡¯gel¡¯s, given the technology they¡¯d stolen from the Garsalan consisted of the older units they sent to planets considered primitive, that was not to say they did not stand a much better chance, especially in the large numbers they were being fielded, they were Certainly more advanced than the S¡¯fan¡¯s¡­ The mass of oncoming machines, and the ship lagging behind them, didn''t exactly go unnoticed by the remains of the fleet,  three cruisers, that was all that they had¡­


    "¡°Tasselr mez''tek zu tas Machina ker''lek za val¡¯ir zu veltar!¡±-¡°Those damned Terrans are on their way, including those accursed Machina!¡±


    ¡°Kor¡¯lir za vekser vakser vel¡¯zen. Tasselr ches¡¯tar zu mel¡¯or za vek¡¯tor. Gaes, vakser ches¡¯lor ven¡¯ir?!¡±- ¡°Made worse by the fact that we have no support. They even have those pale imitations of our technology with them! Admiral, What should we do?!¡±


    The impromptu Admiral, A garsalan with snow white Chitin, placed her hand upon her chin in thought.


    ¡°Vel¡¯ek tes¡¯lir vakser lor. Vakser ze¡¯ren zu zaner zu zath¡¯lar vel Tas¡¯luna.¡±-¡°There is only one thing we can do¡­ We need to keep them away from our ships for long enough to break off to Luna¡­¡±


    With that said, a swarm of Garsalan machines streaked out of their ship¡¯s launch catapults. While they hated to admit such, in this situation, there was little they could do against these humans. It seemed that their assessment was not unclear, A wall of beam fire barreled forward from the Juzumaru-II¡¯s guns, as well as the Gaojinizer, and other Conventional vanguard armors. All the while, those who were unlucky enough to meet Diederick or Andrew in close range, met the unfortunate fate of being bisected, or having their machine smashed into space debris. It hadn¡¯t been but a few minutes since the battle started, and already, things looked to be getting worse. But this fact wasn¡¯t completely unexpected, The leader of these ships did not plan on just throwing up her arms and giving up. Already, they¡¯d begun using the thrusters to steer their ships, very subtly, so that they wouldn¡¯t be found out, not immediately, Timing was everything.


    Kyndall and Lucas alike had gained access to the newest Vanguard armors, The Valiants and it seemed that their skill in piloting was helping them in their endeavors. A stream of Covalons flew from the barrel of Kyndal¡¯s rifle, which her opponent just barely avoided, as they closed in, drawing a blade from their side, which ignited as it was swung, and she did the same, the two blades clashed between them, and as she drew back, the next strike was the one to destroy it. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t think I was easy Pickings!¡± Apparently, non-humanoid vanguard armors were in the fray as well, bearing resemblance to the Ascalon once spotted in the battle of the Sahara, where the Iso¡¯ foundation was last active on earth. But the Vanguard armors worked to battle against it, weaving around the shots, countering the missiles with missiles of their own. Before long, the Cosmos was saturated in rays barreling across it, thrusters streaking between those same rays, and explosions occurring where missiles met, or machines were destroyed. Erstwhile, Lucas had made it close enough to one of the Ascalons to take a shot into the cockpit, obliterating the pilot within. Try as they might, it seemed that they would not be able to stop the Terrans. Thankfully, however, their ships had already begun to make their way toward the moons, their gradual change of bearing having put them on the right course, and the kicking up of their thrusters having facilitated that. On the bridge of the Juzumaru-II, Gyo noted this with a hand on her chin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape! If we capture their ships intact it will only be more beneficial for us. At this point, that is possible. Valiants block their escape route, Gunnery crews fire upon the enemy¡¯s engines, we will stop them here. Machina squad, do the same!¡± Within the ship, the occupants of the Juzumaru work to act upon her orders, Targeting computers and human hands began to shift the ship, the forward cannons streaked with beams of Covalons, which tore into the armor of one of the ships, and the damage was evident almost immediately, even as they tried to take evasive action. On the bridge of the Makeshift Flagship, the Ivory Colored Garsalan Slammed her hand against her dashboard.


    ¡°Ker¡¯lek, vekser zu Tasselr jalor vakser val¡¯ir!¡±- ¡°Dammit, the enemy forces have caught on!¡±. An officer, one from the lower Dais, looked up to the woman as he spoke.


    ¡°Zu Decimatas Ork¡¯tar vakser vel¡¯ir ze¡¯ren vakser zel''varn ches¡¯lor?¡±- ¡°Their Orbital Decimators are moving to block our escape routes, what now?¡± It was now that the stress of her impromptu command truly got to her. She was only responsible for her own ship before this all went down, and yet, she was now the highest officer, even if by necessity. She knew that their chances of winning were slim, but it now seemed that even her escape plans were untenable¡­ To be pushed this far by humans, she truly was a disgrace¡­. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a breach in subspace opening up in the distance, something detected almost immediately. But that raised the question¡­ Who was this?


    ¡°Vakser vekser zu val¡¯ek. Vakser ze¡¯teslir zanir zu velk¡¯alor.¡±- ¡°Support has arrived. We will take care of things from here.¡± The voice seemed to come from a Garsalan on the younger side, and the ship, though decorated like that of an elite officer, didn''t seem to belong in a place like this¡­ Within the Ship, G¡¯thera Zu Kalis placed his helmet onto his head, all the while, A¡¯resh did the same, the two giving each other a..Kiss¡­ If one could call it that, at the least, it was as close as they could get to one with their insectoid mouthparts. This precedes the two running to their respective machines. The same could be said for their teammates.


    Just beside G¡¯thera¡¯s Daigailer, was his betrothed¡¯s machine. The machine had a thin body, a torso with layered armor which almost resembles scales. The color of the machine itself, deep black and purples, almost like the cosmos itself. Two Golden eyes sat within the head, which was angular, with a crest sweeps backward with a sharp elegance. On its back, sat what looked to be an oversized warhammer, scaled up for the Machine¡¯s use, and Bulbous pieces of armor mounted onto the shoulders.  The Godaimon.


    The next machine seemed even thinner than the last. The armor panels are segmented into dozens of articulated plates, each sporting thin filaments and antenna-like protrusions. Its head tapered into a visor slit that glowed faintly with shifting hues of data feeds. Across its back and forearms, fins spread out, bristling with wave-jammers and signal boosters. Vres Zu Kor¡¯s Lassen. Beside the Lassen, was the Geflowne, piloted by Zes Zu Mich.


    Its frame was tall, Lanky. Its armor seemed to emit a faint glow, painted camouflage which could change to fit the area around it, Akin to chameleon.. The head¡¯s visor is elongated, a bright targeting reticle dancing with data readouts. A single massive rifle held in its hand, counterbalanced by adjustable thruster fins along the left side, within its design, many fins were incorporated, in the event it kneeled, stabilizers were designed to unfurl from beneath its shins and shoulders, locking it into perfect firing positions.


    The final was a machine with Crimson armor, trimmed with gold. Its limbs were optimized for agile jumps, flips, and sudden direction changes. The armor plating is streamlined with angular edges. And upon its back, its thrusters, and wings alike lay. Which lit up as the machines were launched from the ship, wings of like streaking behind the Tel¡¯as, the machine of one For¡¯Gon Zu Vispid. These machines streaking across space did not go unnoticed, especially as they began to take action, The Daigailer¡¯s Grasper drones began to let loose fire upon the UFE¡¯s machines as they weaved through the vacuum. At the least, until Haemon quickly intervened.


    ¡°We got enemies, It looks like ace units!¡± In his cockpit, Haemon nodded.


    ¡°Nothing in the Database about any of them aside from that Zu Kalis Garsalan¡¯s Machine¡­. What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, from how they¡¯re moving we¡¯ll need to handle them!¡± Diederick stated.


    Within the Dagailer¡¯s cockpit, G¡¯thera¡¯s eyes moved across the battlefield, considering their current situation.


    ¡°Zu Kor, Val¡¯ter vekser ze¡¯tal. Vel¡¯ir zu Vel¡¯tes zethor zu tassel Decimatas Orktar. Zu Mich, Val¡¯ek zu vek¡¯tor ze¡¯tel vel¡¯ir ze¡¯vak lor Ze¡¯shor, tar¡¯sor ze¡¯kor vakser vel¡¯jir ze¡¯lor ches¡¯ten. Zu Visp-¡±¡°Zu Kor, Observe the situation from afar, Use your Electronic warfare Suite to slow down the Terran¡¯s Orbital Decimator, Zu Mich, Use that Sniper of yours and target the winged one, its drones have proven to be a persistent Issue, Zu Visp-¡±


    ¡°Vel¡¯tor vakser val¡¯ir, Ser¡¯or. Vakser vel¡¯ek zaner zu ze¡¯lir ze¡¯ten,¡± For¡¯gon vekser, vakser lor. Tar¡¯sor vakser val¡¯ir vakser lor ze¡¯varn vekser vel¡¯tal vakser ches¡¯lor. ¡°I¡¯m going to stop you right there, Ser¡¯or, I¡¯ll fight at my own discretion.¡± For¡¯gon proclaimed, cutting him off, before long, he was already shooting off into the battlefield, much to his annoyance.


    ¡°Vakser ze¡¯lar¡­ vakser ze¡¯les vakser vel¡¯ren. A¡¯resh, vel¡¯ter ze¡¯tes ze¡¯thar.¡± ¡°That one¡­ I¡¯ll handle him later, A¡¯resh, take care of the heavily armored one!¡±  With that, they began to split off into their own sections of the battlefield. The Gondaimon had begun flying toward the Kaizenbuster, removing the hammer from its back. The sense within Andrew alerted him to this, and he maneuvered out of the way, kicking the machine away, or, he attempted to, as it managed to maneuver around his attack.


    ¡°Tch. They¡¯re good.¡±


    From afar, the Danzaman¡¯s beams streaked toward the Godaimon, but he found himself surprised by what happened next, as the Bulbous attachments on its shoulders opened up, and within moments, the beams had been thrown off their course, sent careening into space.


    ¡°A forcefield?! But it seems much stronger than the other Garsalan Unit-¡± It seemed that soon, he would have other things to worry about, as he noted an alarm sounding within his cockpit, his sensory data being disrupted, his Stingers not taking his commands¡­ His eyes moved across the field as well,a s he took note of similar problems in the Valiants, some of which seemed to be stalling, enough to relieve pressure on the Garsalan Troops.


    ¡°The Enemy must have a hacker in their midst¡­ But which one of these new machines is it?¡± His hands began moving across his display, as he tapped, his mind going through the information, as he attempted to purge his machine of the infection, but this was not an easy task, especially as he just barely dodged a beam from afar¡­ The Lassen stood on a piece of space debris, apparently from the last battle.


    ¡°Vel¡¯lor¡­ Vakser Xe''les ze''kar vakser vel¡¯ir ze''lor vekser vel''ten,¡± - ¡°Missed him¡­ Seems Our Quarry isn¡¯t so easy to take out.¡± Vres stated. Regardless, he was already gearing up for another shot. In response, Two of Han¡¯s stingers were already rushing toward where he thought the attack came from. As all this took place, the Tel¡¯as were rushing for the Juzumaru-III, something which the occupants of the ship noted almost immediately. Gyo threw her hand out, as she shouted her orders.


    ¡°Anti Air guns, Missiles, Intercept!¡± The surface of the Juzumaru seemed to light up as a mass of smaller beams, and missiles began to fly toward the speed demon, and yet, the Garsalan within only seemed to weave around these attempted attacks, As his shoulder plates opened up, micro-missiles aimed at detonating those sent at him prematurely were used to that effect, as well as the guns, which fired small bullets of particles forth from his forearm.


    ¡°Tar¡¯val vakser, vakser ze¡¯lor Tassel zath¡¯lar vel¡¯ir!¡±-¡°Now then, Let¡¯s tear this terran ship apart!¡±


    The two hilts upon the machine¡¯s side were placed into its hands, as cutting jets of Plasma extended from them. However, the Machine found itself stopped in its tracks, as coming to meet its charge, was the Valgeogant. The two blades clashing between the two in a short time.


    ¡°Not so fast, Roach!¡± The two pulled back, and went forward, but shortly found that their blades, both dual wielded, failed to pierce their enemies guard. Time and time again, and, as such, other actions were taken, deploying one of the many secondary blades from within the Valgeogant, Diederick kicked it toward his enemy, who got out of the way quickly enough that it was only a scratch. While firing a point blank volley from the guns upon its arms, that left scant but scratched with his opponent¡¯s quick actions.


    It seemed that the intensity was shared by G¡¯thera and Takeshi, as the two once more were locked into battle with one another. The beam bullet of the Comet Pulse Cannon Knocked an approaching drone, which likely intended to crush the Gaojinizer, off course. Takeshi shot forward, as he spoke.


    ¡°Seems we got a real situation on our hands! I¡¯ll lock down this one!¡± In his cockpit, Haemon guided the Stingers, aiming to keep the Geflowne and Lassen out of the way, something he seemed to be succeeding in for the time being. The pilots left dodging the beams fired at them, at the least, until Vres worked his magic, Shutting one, then two of the stingers down.


    ¡°Tch.. We got a unit focused on hacking back there, And a sniper!¡±  Soon enough, Haemon jumped into action, shooting off toward where the Danzaman¡¯s stingers went.


    ¡°My machine isn¡¯t Designed for offense, not completely, but I can do something!¡± However, it seemed that the battle was not to last for long, given the words that came over G¡¯thera¡¯s comms.


    ¡°Sir, High command has ordered us to return to Luna!¡± A return, now, in the middle of a battle like this?!


    ¡°For what reason?!¡±


    ¡°They said you would be needed for the next operation!¡± Such an annoyance, and there was little doubt in his mind that if that annoying Zu Vispid bastard hadn¡¯t decided to go off on his own¡­ Regardless, he would obey for the time being.


    ¡°Pull back, we¡¯re needed for other matters!¡± With no more words, missiles were launched from the back off machine, those which flew toward the sites of battle between the machina, and the slayers, setting off within close range, making chaff, and smoke, which allowed for them to streak back to their ship mostly unabated, which began to exit the area.  Takeshi looked upon this with squinted eyes.


    ¡°Alright, Let¡¯s regroup and Pursue, they won¡¯t get f-¡±


    ¡°Do not pursue¡­¡± The voice was one he recognized well, Gyo Hwa-Young. Her face appeared upon the displays of their cockpits. Deiderick looked upon this with a thinly veiled annoyance.


    ¡°Why would we let them escape, they¡¯ve proven dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Because you will be needed for the next operation, not to mention this will allow you to strategize against them, I have no doubt that they will be there as well¡­¡± This wasn¡¯t anything they agreed with, or liked, and the same could be said for one who shared a Disdain for them, to a surprise, Lucas. Who sat silently with a grimace on his visage. Yet, despite all that, the battle had been cut short regardless¡­

 Stage 30 - Battle Of Luna

    Gaojinizer- Stage 30


    The Battle Of Luna


    Annoyance had made it onto the expressions of the members of the Machina Team, along with Kyndal and Lucas. They stood in the hangar, waiting for Gyo to reappear. Eventually, sliding over to them, was one Kyoko, who focused upon Takeshi in particular.


    ¡°What are You so angry about, Oaf?¡±


    ¡°What would I NOT be angry about? We could¡¯ve taken them out there if we got more time!¡± Though, this only led to Kyoko Sighing.


    ¡°Did it even occur to you that there¡¯s a good reason?¡±


    ¡°Good? It¡¯d better be a great one!¡± This conversation wasn¡¯t so surprising, though it seemed there were less ¡°Oafs¡± Flying around between them. Though, to Dewydd this was something he couldn¡¯t ignore, as, as usual, he furiously wrote down his observations of the two, these would be great observations for his studies¡­ his hand upon his chin, at the least, until Kyoko turned away from Takeshi, taking note of this with squinted eyes.


    ¡°Oi¡­¡± She stated, annoyance in her tone, as she picked the boy up by the back of shirt, almost as if a mother cat lifting her kitten by the scruff of its neck.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be doing checks, not writing another one of your Behavior reports!¡± The boy grumbled in his annoyance, but ultimately accepted being carried away. Before long, the awaited figure had arrived in the Hangar Bay.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make this quick. Order¡¯s came down from Supreme Command, The Garsalan have sent three fleets to reinforce the space around Lagrange 3, where we captured that fortress, they¡¯re trying to keep us away from the moon, is what¡¯s being thrown around. Apparently, they¡¯ve figured out we were going to do so. The fact that they took Pre-emptive action alone shows us that whoever has taken control of this front thinks a lot more about the enemy rather than just thinking victory is guaranteed¡­  Meaning, this won''t be as easy a fight.¡±


    The plan which came from Asani Igwe to the forces of the UFE, a long battle line would be formed, to some extent, he''d taken inspiration from Cannae, though that was no doubt a reference the Garsalan wouldn''t understand. A crescent shaped formation would be adopted before their lines met, and when the Garalan attempted to advance, the wings would spread out, and encircle them in their entirety, closing them into the vice as time went on, the Machina themselves, and the fastest units, and ships would be included on the wings.


    But, on the other side, their enemies had apparently done the same planning their opponents had. On the flagship of the Garalan fleet, the various commanders had found their way into a room containing a great table, and a large holographic display, showing the battlefield. Triangles red and green, representing the terran fleets, and their own, dotted the space. The Lagrange points, as well as the two focal bodies, earth, and Luna, were deployed. To no surprise, G¡¯thera was one of those within this council, his observant eyes moving to see just who had been sent as well.


    An imposing presence sat at the head of the table. His chitin was a mix of earthen greens, and his height was great, he towered over the rest of those within the room, and by no small extent. His cloth was decorated with gold, and silver, three of his six eyes were cybernetic, an injury from his early days as infantry¡­ Though, he paid the ones responsible back more than enough, as they no longer breathed.. There was a distinct difference between him, and those who had come before, arrogance did not dominate his psyche and strategies¡­ This was Ju¡¯Tel Gaes, or, roughly translated, Admiral, a member of one of the Four great clans, Zu Alis. Though he was by no means the only one, All three fleets were ultimately under him and his Vice Admiral, but below him, there was a total of 1 Rear Admiral for each fleet, each consisting of 1.200 Ships¡­.


    - ¡°Now that we are all here, let''s begin. While we have numerical superiority to the Terrans, we must not get complacent simply because of that. If nothing else they have displayed that they are able to fight against larger forces effectively. As such, we must once analyze their tactics¡­ We believe that the supreme commander of the Terran Forces, one known as Asani Igwe, is currently commanding the forces looking to push into Luna. He is a shrewd tactician and strategist, do not underestimate him. He uses trickery when he is in command, formations change quickly, we must be wary of that fact¡­¡±-


    Soon enough, Another Garsalan, her chitin of an artic white, stood to her feet. In a moment, most eyes were on her, Ju¡¯tel¡¯s Second in Command, Te¡¯Gaes, Vice Admiral, Su¡¯ora Za Mosus.  as she swiped her hand across the display, appearing upon it, was the Machine the Terrans known as the ¡°Valiant¡±


    ¡°This machine is the newest Terran Model, their Industry seems to be forging them, quickly, at that. While they are much less advanced than their Zo¡¯gel¡¯s, they are centuries ahead of what they were using just months ago. In terms of technology, we Estimate them to be ahead of the S¡¯fan, nearing the Mk 2. Though those are machines meant for the subjugation of Primitive planets, this presents a serious Issue, they are beginning to absorb knowledge of our sciences at a rapid rate¡­ This makes beating them back all the more important.¡±-  Su¡¯ora commented. Now, the admiral re-took center stage.


    - ¡°As such, during this battle, I don¡¯t want to see any heroics, Do not break off from the main force, do not attempt to bite off more than you can chew, Especially with the presence of those units the Terrans call the Machina, though I assume Zu Kalis will be able to beat them back¡­ This is not a battle to take lightly, Treat these Terrans as if they are the Slassi¡­¡± Just what was the Admiral saying?! Those Primitives, to treat them as they were the Scourge from Andromeda, their only peer power in the cosmos?!  Confused, if not answered murmurs began to spread. Eventually, another one of the commanders, one of aquatic origin given his azure chitin, Vu¡¯Gaes, Rear Admiral, Esi Zu Vispid, stood to his feet.


    ¡°With all due respect, You can¡¯t certainly be expecting us to treat those primitives-¡±


    ¡°Enough¡­ Za Mosus¡¯ words should be more than enough to tell you the situation has changed. The  planet that was taken down in a few days existed 4 decades  ago¡­ Forget not that General Ciddeth, a pilot greater than all here, wielder of a machine with powerful Psionics, was placed in his tomb by underestimating them.¡±


    This much, seemed to make him go silent, and sit down once more.


    - ¡°Now then¡­ We will make our enemy think we share the same level of organization as the fools before us and send our forces forth, we¡¯ll make it look like brute force¡­ When he tries to pull one of his maneuvers, that is our time to strike¡­ Ready yourselves for the oncoming battle, Dismissed.¡± This much seemed to be more than enough, as the Commanders stood, doing the traditional salute of the Garsalan, before they began to file out. As for G¡¯thera, his palm rested upon his chin, as he Thought about the future battle plans¡­ And also, those of his own. As he made his way into a less populated Hallway, he found one Tel Zu Aslan waiting for him¡­.


    ¡°There you are, G¡¯thera¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ The plan against the Tasselr is a good one, but that will not be our only focus¡­ This may be a situation where our rise can be further pushed¡­ Begin contacting our allies. When I give you the Signal, Plan A begins¡­¡± G¡¯thera stated. Tel nodded, as he slipped away, further down the hallway¡­


    With the humans, specifically, the Machina pilots, they¡¯d made the decision to figure out how to handle the Machina M¡¯sel before the battle began, something that would undoubtedly be pertinent to their success.


    ¡°So, We got five enemies: That annoying shit Zu Kalis, That speed Demon with the swords, Tha one with the force fields and hammer, The sniper, and the Hacker¡­ We gotta keep that hacking guy from being able to operate, same for the Sniper.¡± As Takeshi spoke, Deiderick nodded, chiming in.


    ¡°Inoue, You can handle G¡¯thera well enough, and me, The one with the Plasma blades, If we strike at the same time, we can overwhelm one of them, and the other will fall afterward.¡± Diederick explained. Soon enough, Andrew began to stroke the facial hair that was on his face.


    ¡°The one with the hammer strikes with a force that seems almost too much for the Hammer¡¯s size, even with how large it is, there¡¯s something else at work with that one¡­ At the moment, it may be best for Haemon to handle it. His shields can keep him safe from that hammer, I believe, and the bulk of the Sanvolner may be enough to do damage¡­¡± The one mentioned nodded at this, as he spoke.


    ¡°Right¡­ Han, Your stingers are probably enough to keep the last two off balance, right?¡± to which, Han nodded.


    ¡°For sure¡­ Luckily, Earth¡¯s great hero decided to work with that Boy Genius, Dwydd, and the other Mechanics, and got some Electronic warfare of my own put into the Danzaman¡­¡± This caused a smirk to appear upon Takeshi¡¯s face, as he slapped his fist against his palm.


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s get out there and stomp on some roaches!¡±


    The fleets of the Garsalan Empire prepared for their advance, as the Machina awaited their arrival in the wings of the formation, and unusual silence between them¡­ If they were to re-take the moon, they¡¯d need to fight as hard as possible, and no doubt, their enemies would be doing the same to bar their path¡­ the Anticipation continued to build for hours, and hours, as no side went forth, not just yet, until the 8th hour had come. It was only then that the Garsalan moved forward¡­ Yet, even as Asani Igwe executed his stratagem, forming the crescent shape, and feigning a retreat when their forces seemed to clash, the Garsalan fleet did not pursue, in fact, their orbital decimators, and more ships, began to reinforce the weak points he formerly saw. Within the battle, a few custom units had begun to make a name for themselves with the ease to which they tore apart Terran forces, even outnumbered, Ace pilots, for sure¡­ This development was by no means one that boded well, but it was not a development they couldn¡¯t adapt to. From his flagship, Asani Igwe watched this development with narrowed eyes¡­ This was not a battle he could lose, if he could defeat them here, they¡¯d have the moon once more, and possibly make it to the asteroid belt, where colonies may yet survive, considering they were built to be self sufficient, and built within hollowed out asteroids. Though they no doubt were maintaining radio silence if so. His observation of the enemy¡¯s movements brought him to one conclusion, this was an attempted encirclement¡­ The commanders of the two wings on his fleet were Marshal Zou Bai on the right and Admiral Zhenya Mikhaylova on the left.  If their original plan could not work, then they needed something else¡­


    ¡°Admiral Mikhaylova,Marshal Bai, we will press your strips of the fleet into the center of the enemy formation!¡±


    As these orders came, Mikhaylova put her hand upon her chin, knowing quite well the danger these ace pilots proved, as well as the Shielded Garsalan units¡­ Soon enough, upon her display, the face of Marshal Bai appeared.


    ¡°Our forces are already taking losses, we need to be successful¡­¡± She nodded at this.


    ¡°Our less advanced units will hit the Garsalan from afar, form a screen of fire from our ships! Machina Team, you¡¯re up, the Valiants will join you!¡±


    A smirk made its way onto Takeshi¡¯s face as he heard this, and his machine shot forward.


    ¡°You heard the lady, Lets kick some ass!¡± He shouted with glee, Soon enough, the Garsalan formation had to contend with not one, but four enemy aces at once, which demanded most of their attention. Andrew kicked his Impact boosters on, extending his machine''s leg as he descended upon a column of Garsalan ships, no sooner were they reduced to wrecks, split down the middle, and exploded, creating balls of fire that further lit up the space around them. The same could be said for an unlucky team of Zo¡¯gel¡¯s, who found a combination of Han¡¯s stingers, and the Gaojinizer¡¯s comet pulse cannon too much for their shields to handle, as they buckled under the force, and the moment the shield went down, a hailstorm of fire from the wall of earth¡¯s forces finished them off. The garsalan admiral watched this with a hand upon his chin¡­. The humans'' idea wasn¡¯t exactly a bad one, however¡­ Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Change formation! Zu Vispid Vu¡¯Gaes! Cruisers, Heavy Cruisers, forward! Pin down the enemy advance units. Zu Treta, Circle around and strike them from behind! We shall crush them at once. Those machines the humans call the Machina will be out of our way soon enough!¡±


    Almost as if on cue, in the thick of battle, Takeshi¡¯s ¡°Sense¡± took effect once more, as he found himself weaving around a rapidly approaching beam of particles, then a second, then a third. These movement patterns, he knew them well¡­.


    ¡°Well If it aint¡¯ my ¡°Favorite¡± Roach¡­ Zu Kalis.¡±  Approaching from afar, was the Daigailer, still within its fighter like- form, but that quickly changed as it charged toward Takeshi, its arms  and legs extending from the frame, its head Revealed, as blades were placed into the now revealed arms, the change taking full effect as the blades of the two machines clashed between them.


    ¡°Trust me, I feel the same way, Primitive, now die!¡± In a short time, they¡¯d already begun weaving throughout the battlefield, shots of the comet pulse cannon, and the drones the Garsalan¡¯s machine made use of only added to the celestial fireworks. To no surprise, the Machine was not alone, As diederick soon found out, with the rapidly approaching Tel¡¯as.


    ¡°Time to die, Tassel!¡± For¡¯gon shouted. The two¡¯s blades clashed between them, as The Valgeogant moved swiftly to stop the attempted Flourish in its tracks, no sooner did Diederick bat both of the Plasma blades away, pushing to the left and right respectively to move them out of the way, opening up a direct shot at the Machine¡¯s torso, had it not been for his opponents quick movement, the cut may have been a deep gash into the machin¡¯s armor, rather than a scratch. A counter strike came toward the Valgeogant, but one that was eluded, but it mattered not.


    ¡°Commoner, Now!¡± He shouted, and in naught but a second, both pilots took action, Takeshi eluded an attack from G¡¯thera, ducking under a swipe of his blade, before kicking the machine away, and in the same way, Diederick did the same with the Tel¡¯as, sending the two machines on a Collision course, they stopped just short of that, But the annoyance, even if unsaid, was palpable, but they had bigger issues to worry about. The two Terran machines buzzed around them, as if sharks getting ready to strike, and strike they did. While the attack sent G''thera''s way, a shot from the Comet Pulse cannon, was usually something he would have dodged. He couldn¡¯t do so as easily with the Zu Vispid, who seemed to be rushing to battle the caped one like a rabid dog. As he would certainly be hit, and he would be left to face the two of them alone¡­ They knew how to fight in tandem, that was an issue.


    ¡°Zu Vispid, pay attention to the whole battle, Fool!¡± With that said, he dodged as he intended to, and though For¡¯gon was ready to respond indignantly, it would have to wait, as he would need to find his way around the hail of beam bullets descending upon him, though he managed to ascend without a scratch, the same could not be said for the gash placed upon his machines¡¯ back, Courtesy of a Lateral swipe by Diederick. Something which filled the Garsalan with surprise.


    ¡°Danmed Tassel!¡± He attempted to Retaliate, but his strike was handily blocked, and he nearly found his cockpit pierced by an incoming jab of the blade¡­ What was this feeling? Could he be¡­. No, that wasn¡¯t possible, not to an opponent like this! He was to be a head of a great clan, he could not lose here! Though he attempted to weave around the strike that was oncoming, this much only resulted in the blade passing through the joints which connected the Tel¡¯as¡¯ arm, and in no short time, It was already falling to the void. Of course, this did not fall beneath G¡¯thera¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Fool¡­¡±


    ¡°Vres, shut down the caped one! Zes, Shoot him down! Zu Vispid, return to the ship!¡± In Vres¡¯ cockpit, his arms and subarms alike moved across the holographic displays around him, working on the fly to deploy what was needed, his target set, he began to work his magic, and soon enough, Diederick was surprised when he figured out the Valgoegant was no longer responding to his controls..


    ¡°Dammit¡­ This must be-¡± His words were unfinished, as he found that the situation had reversed, closing in upon him, was the damaged Tel¡¯as, an eager Son of Zu Vispid letting a war cry on the comms, as he prepared to sink his teeth into his target. Much to the annoyance of Zes.


    ¡°It¡¯s too close, He¡¯s in my firing path!¡± That confounded¡­ No, G¡¯thera had to calm himself, He would need to think of something, and quickly, He himself could not go to his aid, not without exposing his back to the Terran. And their machines had both already begun to be damaged in this high speed dance they were engaged in. His mind drifted to A¡¯resh, who apparently was clashing with the Kaizenbuster. Andrew himself placed both of his hands forward, activating his impact booster at near point blank range, managing to catch the warhammer being swung at him, and as he pushed it away, he attempted to jam a fist into the machine¡¯s torso, but interference came, as the Bulbous pieces of armor opened up, exposing what looked to be Ring of black light within, and his punch was stopped where it was.


    ¡°There has to be a way around this field, it can¡¯t be all encompassing.¡± Andrew mused.


    From afar, Han observed the battle with squinted eyes. He had to work quickly to keep the attempted takeovers of the wider Earth forces by Garsalan cyberattacks, as well as track their movements.. But it seemed that the stingers had to fly. Haemon, who was previously defending him, nodded at him, as he observed Han nod back on his display. No sooner were the stingers shooting across the Cosmos, Both Zu Vispid and A¡¯resh found themselves on the Receiving end of a stinger from behind, the beams slamming into their armors, though, for A¡¯resh the damage was less so¡­ Rage boiled within Zu Vispid, he was being pushed in this manner, by them, this could not be allowed to continue! A¡¯resh had already moved to disengage at least for a time, Observing to see what her opponent¡¯s next move was, as she now found the stinger pestering her.


    As for Vres and Zes, the appearance of the Stingers had interrupted both of their processes, and moreso, they now found themselves under direct attack by another source, Though Zes attempted to draw his machine¡¯s sidearm, a Particle Pistol, it did not so much as make it out of its holster before an elbow was slammed into the Geflowne¡¯s cockpit, shaking the machine.


    ¡°Dammit, they¡¯re good, We have to get ''em off us!¡± Within his cockpit, Vres continued to tap away at his display.


    ¡°Already on it. Let¡¯s see how you like your Targeting systems scrambled!¡± Vres shouted¡­ However, his attempts to execute the code, only ended in nothing..


    ¡°What, I¡¯ve been blacklisted?! What kind of Encryption did they place onto that machine¡¯s systems?!¡± The tide very much seemed to be turning for the Machina pilots, though their battle was by no means over¡­ Inoue kept his gaze on the Daigeler, Avoiding the Golden-white Blur, as well as the slashes of its hooked blades, as he responded with a flourish of his Scythe. Only for his weapon to be caught on the enemy machine''s blades. Takeshi retreated from melee range, firing bursts from the Comet Pulse Cannons on his shoulders,However, the opposing machine masterfully avoided the attacks, twisting his machine, and constantly adjusting his position, leaving not a single scratch on him, aside from those gained earlier in the battle. The Garsalan huffeds he rushed toward him again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just about had it with you interrupting my operations, Primitive. You, as well as your allies shall die by my hand!¡±


    ¡°Like hell we will!¡±


    The light behind the Garslaan machine intensified, as it flew toward the Gaojinizer, with a war cry echoing over the comms. Takeshi was fully prepared to do the same. However, before he did, he took note of what happened around him once again, and began to debate with himself. He vowed to protect Earth, and the rest of Humanity, and yet here he and his team were locked into battles with a single squad? Around them, the formation had begun to waver,  without their support, while they were holding strong for now, would that be the case forever? The deaths were no doubt going to begin to stack up. Lucis and Kynall were likely out there fighting, as were the many pilots who now joined them from the Juzumaru-II¡­ What did it matter if he killed this roach, when the rest needed to be stomped on. Just like that, all the progress they¡¯d fought for...It¡¯d be undone.


    ¡°Guys¡­ I have an idea, But you need to hold them off for now.¡±


    Takeshi began to fly away from the Machine, and because of this, a Low chittering came from G¡¯thera¡¯s mandibles, as they began to writhe.


    ¡°You dare turn your back on me?!¡±


    Rays streaked toward him from behind, but it seemed support had arrived, as Haemon¡¯s Sanvolner stopped the shot in its tracks, with its shields, and no sooner did Andrew charge in, impact boosters activated, knocking the Daigailer away.


    ¡°Oi, just what do you think you''re doing?!" Andrew yelled.


    "I''m gonna see the full power of the Gaojinizer''s weaponry¡­ The Comet Pulse cannon, Max Power!"


    This painted looks of surprise on the faces of the Machina pilots. That was right, he never had done such a thing!


    "Full power?!" Han yelled in his surprise.


    "We don''t know the effects that it''ll have, but, in this situation¡­¡± Deiderick stated, a hand on his chin.


    In the Juzumaru, this was no different. Gyo began to tap through her terminal, taking a look at the situation around here, and as Diederick said, there was little else they could do.


    "Alright, Inoue¡­ But this¡¯d better work. I¡¯ll inform His Exellecny Igwe¡­ Chen, deploy signal flares. We''ll do the same." Gyo Commanded.


    The field was beginning to clear of his allies, he knew for sure they wouldn''t be caught in the blast if they moved quickly enough. Takeshi put his laser focus on the fleet on his display. While he also took note of the UFE ships beginning to pull back, he instead focused on levelling his cannons. He put his hand on the display, as he dragged the bar for the comet Pulse cannon''s yield, to its maximum¡­ for a moment, he stayed silent, as his hands drifted to the firing buttons.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to end this...¡± He mumbled. A blinding light began to build within the barrels of the comet Pulse cannon, almost seeming like a beacon, even upon a battlefield saturated with particle beams, and balls of fire¡­ His machine¡¯s frame almost seemed to be shaking, a loud hum filling his ears as the energy within the cannons continued to build. Ju¡¯tel observed this with suspicion in his eyes¡­


    ¡°GO TO HELL, GARSALAN! GAIA ERASER¡±


    The Beacons became rays, a cone of Aether streaking toward the Garsalan fleets. The members of the Machina M¡¯sel began to scatter to avoid contact, though, one among them, the Tel¡¯as was just a moment too late, and soon enough, the bottom half of the machine had been eviscerated. What ships did not get caught within the beam seemed to have armored plates ripped off by the forces streaking by them. In a moment, suspicion had turned to surprise, as his three remaining eyes widened. Upon the battlemap, the green triangles which represented his forces, were consumed under a rolling cone of Crimson. Time and time again, the word Lost appeared in the beam''s path. What was at first single ships quickly turned into nearly an entire fleet, and the casualties were only growing. High Chitters from the twitching mandible of the occupants began to emit, a sign of surprise.


    ¡°What is this?! A new superweapon? Those Machina units have always been an issue, but never to this extent¡­ Full retreat!¡±


    Ju¡¯tel¡¯s flagship took quick action in beginning its retreat, as did the rest as a retreat order made it to them but the damage was done. By now, a vast section of the enemy fleet was gone¡­ But, Inoue was not done yet, he began rotating his machine, soon enough, the starry vacuum was lit by Balls of flame, as what ships were caught within the tidal wave that was the beam, seemed to disintegrate¡­


    The forces of the UFE, From Lucas and Kyndal, to the two Admirals, to even the Normally calm and collected Asani Igwe, observed with widened eyes¡­ As did those within the Juzumaru¡¯s hangar bay. Kyoko¡¯s goggles were pulled off of her eyes, and it seemed that even Armoun, who¡¯s music never seemed to stop had halted, Dewydd¡¯s note-taking had stopped¡­


    ¡°I really hope I can meet that Professor Okita guy, especially if he developed something like that¡­¡± Kyoko mumbled. The three with her did little but nod in agreement¡­ Eventually, the beam would fade, but by that point, the damage had been done, a disorganized retreat was taking place, but, if the fading light in the Gaojinizer¡¯s eye, and its non movement was anything to go by. Within the cockpit, the smirk had not disappeared from Takeshi¡¯s face, even as his vision grew, doubled, and went black, as his head fell¡­


    ¡°Takeshi!¡± Andrew called, concern in his voice. It seemed that no more of that attack was coming¡­. While he could very well attempt to attack him in this state, G¡¯thera thought better of it, especially with his allies very much still present.


    ¡°You all, break off! Make sure the rest escape!¡± It seemed that they¡¯d decided to listen to him without question, the Godaimon, Lassen, and Geflwone had soon gone to engage the rest of the troops, and the Machina pilots had begun to return to their own ship with the now disabled Gaojinizer¡­ This much meant multiple things¡­ He switched to a different channel, one which he¡¯d determined before the battle began¡­


    ¡°Tel, Plan A, It¡¯s time¡­¡± For a moment, he received no response¡­


    ¡°But of course¡­¡± Good, He¡¯d survived¡­ Now, the two members of the squad were alone¡­  The Half-destroyed Tel¡¯as sat within a mass of destroyed ships, and the remnants of machines from both sides, evidence of the battle saturating the void as if it were an asteroid field. Confusion ran through his mind, He¡¯d been outmaneuvered, not once, but three times, in the same battle?!  The battle of Luna was a Garsalan loss, that much was clear. How could they lose to this force, to these Terrans?! Where were his allies? This question was soon answered, by a familiar voice coming over the comms.


    "So, this is where you ended up¡­ For¡¯gon Zu Vispid.". Though the Garsalan''s machine had systems going down with a quickness with the damage received in battle, For''gon could still perceive the Daigailer''s form floating in front of him.


    "Zu Kalis¡­"  for a moment, no more words came from the Tes''Li of the Machina M¡¯sel instead, he chose upon raising his machine''s palm, aiming the barrel within, directly at For¡¯gon''s Cockpit, much to the other pilot''s surprise.


    "This works out well¡­ I rid myself of a disobedient subordinate, and a barrier to my rise¡­" For''Gon''s mandibles chittered in his rage.


    "Traitorous bastard, House Zu Vispid is larger than yours by many magnitudes. My father will hear of this, and you''ll never get away-"


    "Quiet yourself¡­. I know of your House, but that will not matter. I have given reports of your lack of obedience in battle, your lack of adhering to our strategies, and I will easily have this recorded as a battlefield death at the hands of the Tasselr¡­ After all, I have people to tweak the records as well. "


    "What?!"


    A chuckle came from G''Thera.


    "Your house has burnt bridges throughout its time¡­ I was easily able to sway them to my side. In addition to my allies who have been with me for years, the Ser¡¯or waiting to take out the old guard and replace them, one by one¡­ And when your fool of a father comes to avenge you and meets his death by the hands of the primitives, like a moth to a flame I will be one of the first in line to get his position, as a Te¡¯Gaes¡­ Zu Kalis will become that much closer to the status of a great house. And it will all be set in motion, by your death¡­ "


    The light within the Daigailer''s palm began to build, as the Garsalan spoke lowly in defiance.


    "Damn you¡­" Regardless, a beam was sent careening, directly toward his cockpit.


    "DAMN YOU!!!" Those were the last works For''gon Zu Vispid spoke, before he was carried away and eviscerated, by the red-hot flow of energy¡­.


    Battle Of Luna - UFE Victory


    1.440 Ships Lost - Garsalan Empire


    600 Ships Lost- UFE