2009-04-24 - Death/Rebirth Pt. I-b

David's eyes widen. His GN-X keeps in formation...but he sees a large machine. A machine he recognizes. His hands grip the controls tightly, his breathing growing heavier. He should stay in formation. The GN-X is best for aerial superiority here. He should stay in formation. He should stay with the others. He...he...

...should /kill that murdering son of a bitch/. The GN-X blasts forward at maximum speed on a wake of blood-red GN Particles, straight for the Buriki-Daioh. He opens a comm channel as he very conspiciously rushes straight at the thing. "I'm /coming/ for you, you god-damn murderer."

Flying as only The O can, which is to say, with an awful lot of thrusters flaring to give it an unreasonable amount of speed for something so large and dangerous, Paptimus Scirocco flashes a greeting to his adjutant as she joins the fray. "Sergei, I look forward to seeing your plan in action," he transmits to another unit, as he draws his magnificent unit up -- and begins firing with that oversized beam rifle, sending precision shots at bunkers and tanks and all kinds of military stuff since this is a military operation and a man like the Man from Jupiter doesn't shoot at civilians targets since that's more of a 'Titans' thing to do and we all know how that ended up and that wasn't very well now was it?

Having to take a breath after that run-on sentence, the writer concludes that Scirocco senses the approaching presence of several ace pilots, veterans of the One Year War. With the beautiful panoramic view that his cockpit offers him, he swiftly attempts to pinpoint the angle they are approaching from, so that he may shower them in affection.

Affection in the form of laser beams.

The bulky Charger has the misfortune of being the first target to draw Rocket's attention, and he quickly rallies his crew to open fire on it. A moment thereafter, flasks of something glowing, orange, and EXTREMELY COMBUSTIBLE begin sailing from the Schleiman's cannons, arcing almost gracefully through the air. The flasks break open easily on contact, spilling their volatile contents on whatever they hit. Which might make you wonder why they didn't get broken in the cannons they were being launched from ...

COMBAT: Rocket has attacked Heero Yuy. Fire Water added to their queue.

Lamia keeps cruising forwards. As the island becomes more of an immediate reality rather than a shape on the middle horizon, the Jet Dagger begins circling downwards, tilting to the side so as to avoid having too much difficulty with its somewhat less than aerodynamically ideal shape.

It makes one long, lazy loop... then another, tightening the spiral...

... and then it fires a rocket pod downwards towards an anti-aircraft installation, twisting in a serpentine curve in the other direction to avoid the already incoming fire.

Macua Huitl laughs for a moment, "All right, I wasn't going to force you into anything." She talks to Akira over the radio for a moment. and prepares to launch. "I didn't think it would go like this also Garrod! Lets go! Echo launching! Tell Kid, to get the coffee ready he's got an all nighter comming!"

The GM from hades takes off right after the Gundam X. The machine isn't going to stay airborn long but it will likely not need to hopefully. "We're flagged as friendly to Orb, I contacted someone I know their side."

COMBAT: Rocket has missed Heero Yuy with his Fire Water attack. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has counter attacked for a minor hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Shigunga MML-9 Multimissile - Long Range.

While the main forces of the EFA come in from the North, they are not the /only/ problems to be dealt with. The main forces begin to engage, but instead of joining into the fray... the Choubu unit and its compatriots suddenly split off from the mainline. A smaller detachment of GN-Xs and other assorted mobile suits veer towards the left, engaging from the South -- moving in towards Onogoro at high speeds.

At the head of the group, Sergei Smirnov frowns. Scarred visage leaning forward, he observes the approach of the units of Orb -- particularly the Zeta Plus. The Wild Bear of Russia smiles wryly at Paptimus' words, shutting his eyes.

"Thank you, Admiral. With hope, it should go off smoothly. Choubu Squad! Engage in Plan C7! Maintain a tight circular formation -- our aim is to take down the 18th TFAS! Follow my lead!"

The Advanced GN-X banks sharply at this order, beginning a spiraling downward movement. Aiming its rifle, it begins to fire off rounds of crackling crimson bolts -- aimed in the direction that Amuro Ray and Kai Shiden have deployed.

Soon enough the Bolinoak makes a fierce descent from space into Earth's atmosphere, and almost immediately the girl's uneasiness mounts. Earth's gravity has become a less-familiar feeling to her, and only helps to compound to her brooding. But she's resolved and determined to give this her best and not worry. She promised her Admiral she wouldn't--or tried to, anyway.

"Approaching Orb territory," the girl radios across the commlink as the hulking green and black suit begins to draw nearer to Onogoro Island, breaking off from some of the squadrons--for obvious reason. She's keeping a distant eye on The O.

"Preparing to open assault on military installations," Sarah adds. Shortly after the massive shoulders of the Bolinoak open, several pods exposed before rockets shoot free, a distinct FWOOSH accompanying each pod as they sail down and open fire on the base and whatever else they manage to hit.

The girl pilot, meanwhile, keeps watchful eye on her display and sensor readouts. This sort of thing is likely to attract obviously unwanted attention.

While the bulky charger is just that, bulky, Heero isn't phased by being fired upon. He expects it, and the machine is more than capable of taking a few beams. As Rocket loads the glowing orange combustible liquid, the targeting system makes quite a bit of noise.

"Of course they're firing..." He usually turns that off. They arc gracefully through the air, but the Charger speeds up, thrusters on it's back firing, either modified or already there to suit Heero, to pull the machine just under the top of the arc, ducking of need be.

A single missile is launched from the missile 'hand', Heero pulling ever closer towards the slime's tank, and it detonates against the armored hull of the tank. It is, after all, a tank.

".. Heavily armored." Heero notes, makes light of an obvious situation, as the massive metal club is hauled out from the charger's weapons, being brought down across the tank's frame, as he closes the gap. It's simply heavy.. which might give Rocket the time he needs!

"Right," replies Garrod as he pulls out the Shield Buster Rifle and readies it, "Stick close Mac, things are going to get hairy!" As if to excentuate the point, the Gundam X deploys the shield plating on the buster rifle and surges toward into the fray. "Hmm, I don't see Camille or the Zeta anyway. I have expected him to come screeching out of the sky to yell at everyone violently avoud peace like he always does."

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Rocket. Get Club added to their queue. COMBAT: Rocket has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has missed Rocket with his Get Club attack. COMBAT: Rocket has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Shields.

Akira expected the EFA to come quickly, but he did not expect David Churchill to be allowed to have any unit besides that Phantoma thing, nor the opportunity to get over here with it. When his radio starts crackling and the accusations of murder start flying, Akira does the only thing he can really be expected to in a situation like this: he gets pissed.

"You're callin' me that /again/?! Didn't I tell you how it went /last time/?!" Buriki-Daioh turns towards the GN-X that approaches, smoke and flame erupting from the massive jetpack attached to it's back. It takes off and heads right at Churchill's machine, raising the enormous Massacre Blade as it approaches head-on. "Well, FINE! If you want to try and kill me, BRING IT ON!"

Akira is a firm believer in Giant Robot Chicken. He keeps a steady course, going at surprising speeds on the approach and swinging the huge sword down at the GN-X.

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Massacre Blade added to their queue. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has missed David Churchill with his Massacre Blade attack.

Dodais are pretty much the best thing ever, when it comes to getting a beleaguered mobile suit that can't fly in the atmosphere into an air battle. With the flying platforms launched from Audhumla available, Lyle's borrowed Rick Dias crouches snags one of them and takes off into the sky after the Waverider Plus and the Guncannon atop it, keeping close to the other AEUG pilots. "Right, here goes nothin'," the Irish sniper says, but lucky (?) for him he isn't going to get entangled in the fracas with Choubu just yet, as he gets distracted by the appearance of a familiar mobile suit. The Bolinoak Sammahn. "Christ, it's that one again," Lyle complains, veering off a bit. The Karaba pilot maneuvers his borrowed MS and its Dodai to go after Sarah and her fatty of a mobile suit. He can't do much about her missiles, but he /can/ actually just shoot at the Bolinoak, starting to raise the Rick Dias' bazooka to its shoulder, intent on firing off a sticky clay projectile at the familiar target. ...Of course, /then/ Amuro's orders come over the comms. "Got it," he says, turning to follow Kai's unit. Of course, if Sarah shoots at /him/, that's a different story.

 Rain Mikamura transmits, "Im reading a heavy number of incoming mobile suits coming in from the mainland. Attempting to identify."  Guy Shishioh grunts. "Damn submarine behind us! I'm taking it out!"

"Got no choice, Princess!" Amuro Ray grates, controlling the Waverider one-handed as only Amuro Ray possibly could. "We'll handle it. Keep yourself safe...!" He watches the Rick Dias fall into position and sends an acknowledgement to its pilot. "We've got to get you some new armor, Lyle..." he muses, mind already in overdrive.

The GCD lands on the Waverider, and Amuro Ray acknowledged that as well, wincing a little from the impact. "Worst possible timing for us... makes you wonder... who's pulling the strings?" The White Devil intends to find out. But first... "What is /that/ thing?" he wonders, catching The O on radar. The image is distorted and fizzy due to the Minovsky interference, but it's enough to see that it's huge and moving fast. "Must be some kind of glitch... but I'd know that pressure anywhere."

Eyes narrowing, he dives the Waverider towards the huge mobile suit, issuing orders to his fellow Karaba pilots as he goes. Finally The O comes into visual, and he gasps. "You... /madman/," he grunts. "How is that even possible... no, no time. Paptimus Scirocco!" he broadcasts, warming up the mobile armor's cannons. "TODAY IS THE DAY YOU DIE!"

The Waverider comes in hard and fast, like a football player with his date on prom night. The vulcans fire first, more for targetting than anything else, and are quickly fired from a trio of blasts; one from each dorsal cannon, and one from the ventral beam rifle.

 Russel Bagman transmits, "Sub?"  Rain Mikamura transmits, "Submarine? Can you provide a visual?"

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Aerial Superiority added to their queue.

 Guy Shishioh transmits a picture of the Tuatha De Danaan, courtesy a Broken Magnum fist-cam.  Rain Mikamura transmits, "The Tuatha De Danaan."  Guy Shishioh transmits, "Yeah, that one."  Bastion transmits, "...A pince. They are trying to take our way out of here."

"You...will /die/ here, you bastard!" As the Massacre blade comes down, the GN-X...dodges. Very barely. It moves just enough for the blade to swing through empty air, close enough to give the thing a shave if it was, y'know, hairy. The GN-X doesn't stop, blasting past the bulky enemy unit and spinning around to face it, coming to a sudden stop.

"This time, i'm sending you to a watery grave. It's no less than you deserve for what you did." David sounds...choked? He tries, normally, to never show anything but fury. But /hatred/. And he is. But the sorrow is there as well. He watched Vega die in front of him. He couldn't do a thing. Revenge is all he has left in that regard. The long-barrel GN Beam Rifle raises, aiming at the bulky Buriki, and fires off a single red GN beam at it's great bulk.

COMBAT: David Churchill has attacked Akira Tadokoro. GN Beam Rifle added to their queue. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has activated a spirit command.

 Rain Mikamura transmits, "Give me a moment, Guy.. Scanning remote area."

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck a solid hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Aerial Superiority. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Amuro Ray with his Overly Large Beam Rifle counter attack.

 Rain Mikamura transmits, "Guy.. Im detecting a pretty open area there isn't a great deal of cover or rough area for you to use to your advantage.. However..."  Rain Mikamura transmits, "Guy, That attack you just used.. That was the Broken Magnum right?"  Guy Shishioh suddenly bellows, "DRILL KNEEEE!" And then, moments later, much more calmly, "Huh? Yeah, it was. Missed, though, it's not really meant to go underwater..."  Rain Mikamura transmits, " I have an idea."

For a split second, Rocket simply boggles at the giant robot coming in to try and bash his tank. Then he recovers his wits, grabs a shield from the nearby ammo chute, and flings it into a cannon, shooting back at Heero's Charger at slightly more than point-blank range; his effort is rewarded by the club being completely blocked by the shield, which goes on to slam into the Charger as well.

It is, as they say, a good start. But it's still only a start.

Rocket and his crewmates hurry and scurry around the tank, gathering more ammunition and heaving it into the cannons, building up to a volley of thousandweights against the Charger. Those should present a sutiably weighty argument in favor of the Charger's pilot keeping his distance, instead of charging in blindly ...

 Guy Shishioh transmits, "So do I. I'm saving it for my final attack, though--pull out my trump card too soon and they'll see through it. What's your idea?"

COMBAT: Rocket has attacked Heero Yuy. Thousandweight added to their queue.

Even a single Mobile Suit is more threatening than a wide array of static installations. The main value of the latter is - well, they aren't going anywhere. The Jet Dagger's form pivots around as the mech's verniers are used with economical precision to adjust its position.

Lamia continues moving lazily, almost absentmindedly, as she sails past the Gundam X at perhaps three thousand feet above it. The Jet Dagger does nothing to the Gundam X as it passes overhead...

... and then does a barrel roll, the wings' flaps pulling in as the Jet Dagger performs a tight, harsh turn, diving downwards shortly afterwards, raining a hail of high-explosive projectiles down at the Gundam X's upper portions!

COMBAT: David Churchill has struck a minor hit on Akira Tadokoro's Buriki-Daioh using GN Beam Rifle. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has counter attacked for a minor hit on David Churchill's GNX-603T GN-X using Solar Counterattack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Garrod Ran. Our Greatest Weapon Is Command of Aerial Tactics And Surprise - AMONG Our Greatest Weapons Are... added to their queue.

There's that familiar feeling again, coupled with an intent that only makes her mind mildly numb.

"...it's him?" Sarah frowns sharply.

The hulking PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn lingers above the island rockets hitting the installation below--but that doesn't seem to concern its pilot anymore. Instead, the suit slowly turns in the air, just as Lyle's Rick Dias lowers its clay bazooka from its shoulder and banks away to follow the Guncannon Detector. He's not going to shoot..? That's good; however.

"I won't show any mercy. I warned him--" Sarah's hands clench on the controls of her unit. Communications open between her unit and those immediately around her--particularly that damned Dias.

"This is it!"

Engines roar to life as the Bolinoak suddenly finds reason to sortie with a target that will willingly fight back. Unsheathing a beam saber, the girl closes in with every intention of cutting the Dias mercilessly from behind.

"I won't let you leave here!"

COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has attacked Lyle Dylandy. Beam Saber added to their queue. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has struck a solid hit on Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X using Our Greatest Weapon Is Command of Aerial Tactics And Surprise - AMONG Our Greatest Weapons Are.... COMBAT: Rocket has struck a glancing hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Thousandweight.

"There's definitely somethin' behind everything. Maybe we'll get lucky, and al-Saachez has a money trail behind him..."

Kai's musing is cut off as the action comes to them. The battlefield comes alive on his sensor screens, and he sets The O, the machine Lyle started toward, and the GN-X squad on high priority. Jets burst out of the GCD's backpack as it disengages from the Waverider just in time for Amuro to go into a dogfight with the fatbot. As people talk about pressure, Kai purses his lips. Is he imagining that tiny headache at the back of his head, or... yeah, it's from the Waverider. Lots of altitude in a little time can do that to you.

"Alright, Lyle..." Kai's worked with the man before on Karaba business, but never particularly closely. "...look alive!" Kai scans his sensors, looking for the commander's machine as he jukes left and right, dodging the beam rifles shots, lifting his own up and taking aim. Eventually, he catches the radio transmissions as Sergei gives orders to the rest of Choubu Squad, flags him on his, Amuro's, and Lyle's monitors as priority, and fires a single, well-placed shot for the machine's right arm.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Sergei Smirnov. Beam Rifle added to their queue. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has struck a solid hit on Lyle Dylandy's MSA-099 Rick Dias using Beam Saber. COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly decreased its armor. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck you with a major hit using Beam Rifle! COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly increased its accuracy. COMBAT: You counter attack Kai Shiden with a minor hit using GN Beam Rifle.

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has set their HP to 3 person boss HP.

 Rain Mikamura transmits, ". Being underwater, its likely the GaoGaiGar will be hard pressed to battle in the same conditions as on land. Since you are in an rather open area, there is likely to be vast amounts of sand in the area. If you can create a sudden burst in the area, you create a cloud of sand that should remain up for short time to conceal yourself from sight, like a chaff, giving you an ample opportunity to strike. What do you think?"  Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "Don't they have sensors?!" <Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh transmits, "A cloud of sand? I'm not sure I understand, but--alright! Let's do it!"

"You will try," Scirocco responds, as if hearing the dreaded promise that Amuro Ray is making, despite the distance and the lack of an open frequency between the two units. The speed offered by the Waverider outstrips that of The O however. Vulcan fire peppers off the thick armor of the robust unit, and those three shots strike true, causing it to falter due to their pinpoint accuracy. "Truly, an ace," the pilot mutters, struggling for a moment. The initial counter, a quick snap from the heavy beam rifle the unit carries, goes well wide of the mark.

"Tell me, Amuro!"

The Man from Jupiter's voice breaks out onto a secure frequency, scrambled so that only the intended recipient will hear. "How did it feel to be shot down so squarely? Even for a man with as much luck as yourself, I anticipate you now come to me, and you now come to me /wounded/.

"Do you really think yourself a match for me, even when fit and able?"

There's really no need for a visual, but indeed, Scirocco transmits the visual of himself in the cockpit, and he scoffs openly. That beam rifle levels again, firing off a pure blast of yellow beams, aiming to clip and cripple the left wing of the Waverider and force it out of that highly mobile mode.

<Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh transmits, "I'll trick their sensors with the power of sand and courage!"

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Amuro Ray. Beam Rifle added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Even sensors have limits, Kusuha. Alright! Lets do it!"

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Amuro Ray with his Beam Rifle attack.

The Charger is smashed into by the shield, Heero and the machine itself being tossed backwards by the fired shot. Body ricocheting off the back of the chair, Heero slams forwards again, grasping the controls and holding him in place. His face narrowly misses the dash board by inches.

"Odd machine..." That's putting it lightly, but Heero doesn't quite mind. It's as, however, the thing begins to load up equally odd weaponry that the youth begins to fire the thrusters on the machine. It won't raise in time, though.

The weights crash into the Charge, but they do so as it fires it's thrusters to move with the blow, the machine swinging around as it pulls away, spinning on a single leg, before planting it down again. Mildly dizzy, Heero opens fire - the dual PPC's begin to pepper against the tank, beams spraying as it reaches out to try and hold the machine still, even though it's much larger, aiming to burn and wield metal where capable!

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Rocket. Dual Light PPCs added to their queue.

"What-- geez, it's fast!" replies Garrod as he follows the Jet Dagger and twists his Gundam around to intercept the attack with his shield. The maneuver is partially suffessful, as the shield protects the cockpit block from damage while rounds slam into the Gundam's frame, "Let's take this one out quick! If this group manages to get by us, they're going to hit the OU's flank!" The GX drops low to the ground and skims across it on it's back as the shield plating snaps shut and the weapon is raised. Red fire leaps from the rifle's barrel and streaks skywards.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Lamia Loveless. Shield Buster Rifle added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "The limits of sensors are... sand...?" <Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "If you say so! I trust you, Rain!"

COMBAT: Rocket has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a minor hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Dual Light PPCs. COMBAT: Rocket has missed Heero Yuy with his Boomerang counter attack.

<Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "You can do it, Guy!"

Macua is sniping at some enemy units that seem to be getting in close. Then comes a Jet Dagger? She pauses, she's not seen many of those units. Then she feels his horrible pressure, this horrible presure of the sort of level she's only felt a few times before in her life. Something's here's not sure what but she actually pauses unable to warn Garrod of the inpending attack she's spotted. "What...was that?" She manges to shake it off and turns her attention to the Jet Dagger that's shown up. "Ri..right!" She follows up Garrod's own attacks with ha burst from her own machine's rifle sending a spray of rounds somewhat hap hazardly at the Jet Dagger as she recovers from whatever it was she just felt.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Lamia Loveless. GM Machine Gun added to their queue.

The Massacre Blade is so close to David's GN-X that he can probably see the exquisite craftsmanship and be suitably scared of it twitching slightly to the side. Of course, since he's basically done what Akira has and completely covered up and converted an emotion into another one, it almost certainly won't show.

The difference is that David Churchill only shows his hatred and fury for one person, whereas Akira instead channels it into rage at just about everything. The red GN beam strikes Buriki-Daioh and bends the armor inward where it does, but the huge machine does not slow from such minor damage. Akira turns the Massacre Blade in his hands, swinging it horizontally and clipping Churchill's GN-X as he turns, swinging it in a wide arc at the robot that was just behind him. He raises the sword over his head, shouting, "Maybe it is, but I'm not gonna go down without a fight," and attempting another vertical strike through the enemy.

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Massacre Blade added to their queue. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has struck a solid hit on David Churchill's GNX-603T GN-X using Massacre Blade. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has missed Lamia Loveless with his Shield Buster Rifle attack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X using Unguided Rockets. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has missed Lamia Loveless with her GM Machine Gun attack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Macua Huitl with her Unguided Rockets counter attack.

"...Oh, you can't be serious," Lyle complains aloud, as suddenly his cockpit is filled with a cacaphony of alarms, and he has the Bolinoak bearing down on him. With his attention having already turned to Smirnov's GN-X, Lyle now has to compensate for the fact that there's a crazy chick trying to kill him. The Dodai starts to juke to one side, but not fast enough; the Bolinoak's beam saber shears through part of the Karaba MS's backpack, cutting one of the fuel binders nearly in half before emergency systems kick in and eject it, saving Lyle from the embarassment of having /two/ Rick Diases blow up on him in a single week. This one probably would've been more fatal, too. Gritting his teeth, Lyle manages to maintain control of the whole Rick Dias/Dodai tag-team, twisting around to point the clay bazooka right at the Bolinoak. "--Just a second, Kai. I need to shake off a clingy ex-girlfriend!" the Irish sniper radios, before firing a single clay shot right at the Bolinoak's main camera.

COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has attacked Sarah Zabiarov. Clay Bazooka added to their queue.

Kai Shiden goes like :|.

COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has struck a solid hit on Sarah Zabiarov's PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn using Clay Bazooka.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Im detecting a direct hit! What ever you did down there, Guy! Keep it up!" <Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh transmits, "That was a great idea, Rain! Everyone! Believe in sand!"

The Jet Dagger levels somewhat upwards, one of the various rocket pods pivoting slightly when the GX starts doing its back-door skid. A wave of rockets are fired, screaming through the air down at the Gundam as the machine then tilts to the side, returning fire towards the incoming Macua. Lamia is not bothered by the pressure of the battle - at least not in a way she can percieve - although the presence of two units is a mild concern. "It's dif-ficult," she says to herself, the gracefully gliding Jet Dagger sailing off away from the two Trailer mechs for a moment. Turning her back on the enemy?

Something drops from the underside of the Jet Dagger, streaking ahead - and then coming up in a slow loop, the Split Missiles opening up after they pass hundreds of feet above the Jet Dagger, the submunitions raining down like explodey hail at Macua Huitl's unit.

(What is the point of all this?) Lamia thinks without much heat, watching curiously to see if the Trailer unit is downed on the rear camera screen.

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Macua Huitl. Split Missile added to their queue. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has struck a solid hit on Macua Huitl's RGM-X130 using Split Missile. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has counter attacked for a minor hit on Lamia Loveless's Jet Dagger using Head Vulcans.

"We have their attention," Sergei remarks as Kai's GCD suddenly shifts attention towards the Jinx Squad. The white robots all remain constrained into a loose, almost circulare formation, advancing like an ominous halo of mobile suits towards Lyle and Kai. "Proceed as planned. Do not let up -- not even for a second--!"

And that is when that single shot punctures through the air, with unnerving precision. Sergei's eyes widen as he suddenly /veers/ the Advanced GN-X off towards the side in an almost absurd-looking barrel roll, at the same time unloading a shot on the Guncannon Detector. A single burst of fire impacts against the defense rod installed into the GN-X's /shoulder/ rather than the arm itself, blowing off the defensive system with a brief explosion... but keeping the rest of the limb intact.

"Now!"

The GN-X squad suddenly disperses like scattering flies as the deep blue unit of the Wild Bear backtracks, gaining distance rapidly from Kai's GCD -- aiming to draw it further from the mainland as it unloads shot after shot of deep red particle beams to keep Kai occupied.

"This one has good aim..." Sergei muses to himself. "... I'll have to close the distance as soon as possible. But first...!"

COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has attacked Kai Shiden. GN Beam Rifle Barrage added to their queue.

Karaba splits up in an attempt to claim superiority on the battlefield, but the White Devil made a major mis-calculation; he did not anticipate that Sarah would go after Lyle. "Tch... sorry, Lyle!" he radios. "Be careful of that thing!" He can't help but be pleased by Kai's strong showing; his trust in his friend is rarely misplaced, and he's proving reliable again today. "Keep it up, Kai!"

His attention is soon wrenched back to the indomitable wall of empathic force that is the Man From Jupiter, however; the taunting, sneering face of his enemy appears on his screen. The static from the Minovsky particles does nothing to smother the cruel amusement in the Admiral's voice; even if it could, the White Devil can feel Paptimus Scirocco's disdain through that unique connection Newtypes share.

The Newtype looks down at himself, the single working arm, the leg working double time on the pedals. He can feel each ache and pain distinctly even now, but he has no choice but to fight. "Even now... even like this...!" he shouts back, slamming his good foot into the left pedal and wrenching the control stick to the side. The Waverider flips onto its side; the beam misses by inches, searing across the reinforced ventral chassis with deadly heat. "Even if I was about to keel over dead...!" he continues, righting the Waverider, fighting the dizziness and the nausea that keep surging up through his battered body. "I WON'T LOSE, PAPTIMUS SCIROCCO!"

The Ace Pilot loops around, turning the Waverider on a dime. The maneuver would kill a normal man. But Amuro Ray is not a normal man. He is a big damn hero, and even the seeping spots of red slowly appearing on the pristine white of his normal suit can't change that. "Don't UNDERESTIMATE me!" he roars, firing the right-hand beam cannon as the mobile armor screams around the massive mobile suit.

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Beam Cannon added to their queue.

The sword clips the GN-X and David, momentarily, curses his inattentiveness. Even that tiny impact is enough to spin it from the sheer size and momentum of the blade involved, and as he tries to bring it steady again...the sword comes down. It smashes into the right shoulder, ripping into it, but the machine can take it, apparently. The armour bends and crumples inwards there, the wing binder at that shoulder bending, but it holds. And then darts down and out of the way, getting the hell out of that horrible situation.

"Do you feel /any/ guilt? I'm curious. Do you see his face, still? From up close, when it was in one piece?" Suddenly, the GN-X starts to pull away, moving towards the dry land of the island at high speed, firing a constant hail of red GN beams all the way, apparently just trying to keep some distance. That sword is worrying him.

COMBAT: David Churchill has attacked Akira Tadokoro. GN Beam Rifle Assault added to their queue.

<Radio: Intercepted> Akira Tadokoro transmits, "There best ain't gonna be good enough!"

Garrod grits his teeth as the Gundam's armor is hammered by more rockets. It holds firm though as garrod kicks his machine into a standing position and lands with a hevay thump on the ground, "Damn! I missed!" The Gundam X straightens up as the shoulder mounted vulcan Gun begins to spin up to speed and unload a flurry of lead at the mobile Dagger.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Lamia Loveless. Shoulder Vulcans added to their queue. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck a solid critical hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Beam Cannon. COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly decreased its damage. COMBAT: You have missed Kai Shiden with your GN Beam Rifle Barrage attack. COMBAT: David Churchill has struck a glancing hit on Akira Tadokoro's Buriki-Daioh using GN Beam Rifle Assault.

Oh. She IS Lyle.

Closing in on the Dias, Sarah Zabiarov wastes no time in dealing her blow, yellow beam saber slicing through the MS' backpack and momentarily putting the pilot in a precarious situation. He recovers quickly enough, much to the young woman's dismay. That doesn't stop her, however--it only encourages the girl to be bolder and fight harder.

Pulling back from the Dias with a frown on her face, Sarah readies the offensive once more--until Lyle's bazooka raises up and threatens to blast her out of the skies. The large shield of the Bolinoak swings up as the bazooka fires, mitigating some of the damage received, but does well in pushing the bulky unit back a bit, stray fire slamming the unit and rocking it a bit.

"Is that all?" the girl wonders over communications to the other pilot. "I'm disappointed, Dias!"

She doesn't quite know his name yet, after all.

The other beam weapon of the unit suddenly hisses out of is docked port under the shield arm and hurriedly taken into hand. Turning the beam sabers in both hands, they flare up with wider crest yellow beam energy before the verniers behind the Bolinoak belch eenrgy and send the girl lunging forward, intent on slamming both weapons forward into the Rick Dias from either side.

Her thoughts are, however, a bit scattered--especially with The O nearby.

COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has attacked Lyle Dylandy. Dual Beam Tomahawks added to their queue. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a glancing hit on Lamia Loveless's Jet Dagger using Shoulder Vulcans. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a solid hit on Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X using Unguided Rockets.

<Radio: B - Secure> Bastion screams at the Alia is caught in a tornado.

Indeed, you have to keep your eyes on the prize. Amuro Ray, for all the heated shouting that transpires, does not do that; that's why he hits The O with that beam cannon, even as blood seeps from his wounds. "As if the man in the two-thousand dollar suit would dare underestimate you," the Man from Jupiter calmly replies, even as his suit shakes from the impact. That golden armor buckles under the pressure supplied by that single shot, but it's going to take more than that to topple The O.

The tactical eye of Amuro would have noted that Scirocco made no attempt to move out of the shot's path. If anything, he's positioned The O in such a fashion as to be buffeted by the blast, a sudden thrust of all fifty thrusters causing it to rocket ahead to where the Waverider WILL be in the near future, to cut it off at the pass.

"No, I would never dream of underestimating a man who has gone toe to toe with the likes of Char and lived to tell the tale! You, and he, represent two of the major hurdles that stand in the way of the Earth Sphere achieving true peace!"

And since Amuro Ray is clearly a peace-hating terrorist, The O's arms snap up, beam sabers clenched in each massive hand, yellow streaks of power that threaten to carve the Waverider into multiple pieces.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Amuro Ray. Dual Beam Sabers added to their queue. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Amuro Ray with his Dual Beam Sabers attack.

The Guncannon Detector keeps it up, even as the GN-X squad gives him extra-special attention. "Arright... time to step it up." He relies on the sensors for a fight like this, which keep track of the angles of incoming fire, letting him pick the angle of his dodging with precision approaching crazy Newtype levels. At the same time, he flicks a few switches, and his radio system sets to work - staccato buzzes of white noise and static start to interfere with the GN-X's squad's radio contact, snippets of gripping KAI SHIDEN INTERVIEWS occasionally breaking through.

Kai gets through that initial burst of fire without much more than a few superficial nicks to his white-and-grey paintjob, and has been keeping his beam rifle trained on Sergei's suit the entire time. "This movement... Hayato, do some cross-referencing for me." In the Audhumla, the meatball passes the job off to a man with enormous glasses, and Kai waits for that to percolate, this time firing /two/ shots - one for the chest, and one for the head.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden's Double Tap has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Sergei Smirnov. Double Tap added to their queue. COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly decreased its evasion. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck you with a major critical hit using Double Tap!

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Bastion?!" <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Bastion? Do you copy?" <Radio: B - Secure> Bastion groan... "I'm alive...damn, the Alba isn't responding." <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Hang tight! Im on my way!"

COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has struck a major hit on Lyle Dylandy's MSA-099 Rick Dias using Dual Beam Tomahawks. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has counter attacked for a minor hit on Sarah Zabiarov's PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn using Vulcan Phalanx.

<Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh whistles. "Whoah, that's one big missile."

Macua Huitl counters the Jet Dagger with a burst from her head vulcans it's not so lucky as she was when she first opened up. She's unable to shoot down all the missiles from the split missile pod. She's not even sure she got the Jet Dagger. "Damn it!" That was a pretty bad hit too. She tries to get a bit more air straining the thusters, she's going to have to put down soon before she burns them out but she's got a little more time as she fires off a quick burst from her rifle again at the speedy little Jet Dagger!

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Lamia Loveless. 90mm GM Rifle added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh hmmmms.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a major hit on Lamia Loveless's Jet Dagger using 90mm GM Rifle. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Macua Huitl's RGM-X130 using Split Missile. COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has activated a spirit command.

But only that time, Garrod! The high speed lead seems to work better than the beam fire, possibly due to not being quite so glowy and bright and easily seen with a geiger counter. Bullets slam into the back of the Jet Dagger's dangling mechanized legs, as those same legs pull up - and it rises. Its pivoting is rapid; rapid enough that the thrusters kick into brighter, stronger light to prevent a stall out, before it finishes the loop and fires another barrage of what an earlier era would have called "Stalin's Organs" at Garrod.

The underside of the wing is spattered by Macua's -Head Vulcans-, but the 90mm shot hits underneath one strut with a scream of high-tension future metal. The Jet Dagger wobbles even as it launches a split missile, almost autonomically - /is/ it automated? - but levels out, now facing the proper direction.

"Both of th-the enemy units are in-n the f-forward ar-rc," Lamia explains for the benefit of the cockpit recorder. "Thus," and the flaps flip up, the Jet Dagger seeming to almost visibly jerk in the air as the damaged but still intact jet segment slows. The engines quiet, but likely both of the Trailers are aware that a low speed aircraft may be more of a threat, not less. "Wa-warming all h-hardp-points," her lips form, before reaching over to flick three switches and press one button.

Another volley of missiles streak out, rising up and trailing white clouds of exhaust behind them as they rise. The Jet Dagger pivots left, sailing, it seems, towards the /military warehouse district/. The missiles, on the other hand, have a much clearer goal: The Gundam X!!

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Garrod Ran. Missile Command added to their queue.

Always with the melee combat. In a lot of ways, Sarah is the worst possible opponent for Lyle... So, naturally, he always has to fight her, it seems. They're just going to keep doing this forever and ever, aren't they? Unless, of course, she kills him here. "At least call me 'Rick'," Lyle radios back to the Bolinoak, because he's sassy; he has no intention of getting killed here, not by Sarah or by anyone else, and as the Bolinoak comes at him with its beam tomahawks, he opens up with the head vulcans. Muzzle flash brightens up his viewscreen, and a hail of conventional slugs tear out with a sound like a horde of angry bees towards the hulking mobile suit attacking him. It's not enough to ward off the attack, but it DOES make Lyle feel a bit better, which is good, because his borrowed Rick Dias nearly gets cut in half. With the Bolinoak up close and personal, Lyle lets the bazooka fall back onto the backpack rack, and in the same motion tugs the paired beam pistols out of their recharge slots. He carefully, oh so carefully chooses his shot before firing with both pistols at point-blank range, right into the Bolinoak's midsection. "Back off!!"

COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has attacked Sarah Zabiarov. Twin Beam Pistols added to their queue. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Garrod Ran with her Missile Command attack.

A satisfying hit. Akira smiles grimly when the blade connects, sparks flying as Churchill darts away. The sword's blade drops, and Akira holds it with the tip pointing diagonally down at the water. It's serving him well so far; he'll have to thank Slival posthumously and give a certain antiquer his review of it's performance later.

Buriki-Daioh pursues Churchill's GN-X inland. Read beams graze the massive machine, and the Massacre Blade briefly shines red as one of the shots ricochets improbably off it's solid edge. Churchill gets his distance, though... and a response, to boot.

"You have /no idea/ what I feel after all of that," Akira hisses. The steady glow in the cockpit momentarily intensifies, and Buriki-Daioh rockets forward at an even higher speed a second later. The robot lets go of the sword with one hand, reaching for the GN-X and trying to grab a hold of it and then drop towards the ground, to crash down on top of it!

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Metal Assault added to their queue. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has struck a major hit on David Churchill's GNX-603T GN-X using Metal Assault. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has struck a solid hit on Sarah Zabiarov's PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn using Twin Beam Pistols.

The blue-and-white arrow screams through the sky like a demon out for blood. Inside, a veritable demon mans the machine; there is blood on his hands both literally and figuratively today, and he has no intention of stopping until the Man From Jupiter is dead. His teeth, each one outlined in crimson, grit as he battles both Paptimus and his own failing body. It's a war on two fronts.

Unfortunately for Paptimus, few people are as intimate with war as Amuro Ray.

"That's a tough machine, Paptimus Scirocco!" he shouts, going into a death-defying dive as the twin beam sabers slash for his Wavrider. The machine twists as it dives, the sounds of strained metal screeching through the sky. The frame is damaged by his maneuvers but not, for now, by the beam saber assault. "But I'm sure you've heard the story... of David... and Goliath...!"

The Waverider suddenly reverses direction, the blunt nosecone pointing straight up as the fuselage pivots beneath it. The engines roar back to life, and the blue-and-white arrow shoots straight up towards The O's underside. Is it a kamikaze run?! "Don't talk to me about peace... don't talk to me about hurdles... the only way this world can know peace... is if people like you aren't IN IT ANY MORE!"

GN Particles make it a bit difficult to hear radio conversations between the Choubu squadron, but more than that -- they're not talking. Beyond the simple bark of a two-word plan code from the lead Jinx, there is little to no communication between the group. Whoever these people are -- they certainly know what they're doing.

Of course, this doesn't detract from Kai's skill with a gun at all; two shots, two hits, both impact with sudden and violent explosions against armored, deep blue frame of the Advanced GN-X. Explosions rock the interior of the Jinx; Sergei is knocked about within his cockpit, the Russian-born Federation colonel gritting his teeth as smoke billows from the weapon; the armor covering the exterior core design of the GN-X has been blown away, half of its face ruined -- but that distinctive antenna still intact. Eyes narrowing, Sergei grips onto his controls. "Hrn. He's good," the man remarks to himself. "Choubu, switch to Plan B1! I will be there to assist momentarily!"

As Sergei speaks, his GN-X suddenly /swoops/ downward. Two beam sabers ejecting from racks at the legs, they are released with flares of crimson as the suit attempts to stampede straight into Kai's defenses and effectively cut off his range -- at least, momentarily, with the helpful assistance of two beam sabers plunging downward towards his Guncannon's shoulders.

COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has attacked Kai Shiden. GN Beam Saber Strike added to their queue. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Kanchokaze added to their queue. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck a glancing hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Kanchokaze. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has counter attacked for a minor hit on Amuro Ray's Waverider using Hidden Hand Slap. COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly decreased its damage. COMBAT: You have hit Kai Shiden with a glancing hit with your GN Beam Saber Strike attack. COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly decreased its armor. COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly increased its armor. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has missed you with his Oh No Get Away counter attack.

Oh dear. David's eyes widen behind his helmet's visor as the Buriki suddenly increases speed /sharply/, grabbing the GN-X...and crashing into the ground with it. On top of it. The tough unit just /crumples/, armour across the entire front bending inwards, looking utterly wrecked as that weight and power bears down on it with a screeching of protesting, tortured metal. But, frowning, David pushes the GN Drive to it's maximum output. It's trying to escape from underneath the crushing weight of the Buriki, but it'll take more than that.

So he'll just have to give 'incentive' to get the hell off of him. "Tell me, then! TELL ME, you murdering son of a bitch! Prove you're worth letting away alive!" And, suddenly, that long GN Beam Rifle is up again, firing blast after blast up at the Buriki, mostly aimed at the legs; if he can't make him get off, he'll be happy with just attempting to wreck the legs themselves.

COMBAT: David Churchill has attacked Akira Tadokoro. GN Beam Rifle Maneuver added to their queue. COMBAT: David Churchill has struck a minor hit on Akira Tadokoro's Buriki-Daioh using GN Beam Rifle Maneuver.

"I don't care!" the girl immediately replies, her words sharp and tinged with anger. "To me you're just another opponent I have to cut down. You're just in my way!"

And she proves it, by swinging her unit's weapons and slamming them fiercely into the sides of the Rick Dias. There's muted surprise when the head vulcans open fire, but damage to the unit seems mild--it's enough, though, to cause the young pilot to withdraw briefly and pull her weapons out of the Rick Dias' sides.

Mere seconds pass before the other unit rips into action, startling Sarah. The Bolinoak again moves its shield, mitigating the damage as best it can. She's driven back again, the unit's bulky legs and arm smoking, portions of thick steel twisted open and sparking furiously as she hesitates momentarily and pulls away. Her eyes move away from the Dias--that doesn't concern her at the moment. Instead, her eyes turn toward The O, facing off against Amuro. Her expression darkens.

"I don't have t-time for you," she warns the Dias. Her communications switch.

"Commander Smirnov," the girl offers to the other superior officer on the field. "I'll help you when I can, sir. Give me word if you need assistance. Don't let that unit get the better of you, sir!"

Then it's back to Lyle.

"Time to cut you out of the skies!"

The unit comes forward once more, tomahawk raised as she attempts to cut into one of its shoulders.

COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has attacked Lyle Dylandy. Beam Tomahawk added to their queue.

Ever so slightly, Scirocco's teeth grind as the Waverider and its ace pilot prove as elusive as ever. But there's something to be said about fast machines, now isn't there? "How long can you continue living your life a quarter-mile at a time?" he mutters the words, as Amuro angles the craft in for a decidedly delicate strike. For a man who apparently has two teeth, he talks well.

"And what do you know about people like me, Amuro?" he questions the enemy, the alleged traitor, even as the gap between Waverider and The O sinks from yards to feet. In the final moment, a sudden strike from under the heavy armored skirting of the Jovian construct knocks the craft off its trajectory, causing a ricochet at best. Was that a third hand?

Turning The O about, the heavy beam rifle comes up. The air is about to be filled with rifle fire as The O gives chase. "Tell me, what do you /truly/ know about me? Or do you simply go by the 'feelings' your hot-blooded little friend seems to pick out of thin air?!"

The same little friend who nearly cost Daiyu Lin's life thanks to a reckless plunge and exposure to low levels of oxygen. No, Scirocco cannot forgive that, and he will take such recklessness out on Amuro Ray. He unleashes an entire clip of potent beam fire into the air.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Amuro Ray. Beam Rifle Barrage added to their queue. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Amuro Ray with his Beam Rifle Barrage attack.

Kai Shiden rocks back instinctively as the GN-X closes ths distance - the Guncannon Detector has a decent high speed, but definitely not that kind of acceleration. Instinctively, he does the only thing he tends to when he ends up in melee - one of the Guncannon's big, wide feet come up, kicking out at the GN-X's chest right as it closes. It's barely even a hit, scraping against the rounded machine's frame, but it halts his forward progress JUST enough to turn stabs into the shoulders and the weapons sitting there into a pair of scrapes on its chest, making a big X of molten metal. The Guncannon Detector falls back, using the momentum to get some more distance.

Kai gets a name, and feeds it to Hayato, who has it compared and confirmed. "Sergei Smirnov... you've moved up in the world since the One Year War." The GCD halts itself before it can go all the way down to the water, waves spreading out in response to the blazing jets. The GCD's head vulcans start shooting, punctuated by alternating blasts from the beam rifle and the beam gun on the shoulder. "I figured you'd at least empathize with what we're trying to do here!"

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Sergei Smirnov. Spraying Fire added to their queue. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has missed Lyle Dylandy with her Beam Tomahawk attack.

<Radio: B - Secure> A Federation Officer transmits amongst explosions, "Fleet to all units! We're under attack! I repeat we're under attack! Requesting assistance!" and then a visual comes up showing off the Gundam Strike Rouge laying down fire!

Macua Huitl aim is better this time, she manages to tag the Dagger but it keeps on going, but more split missiles, this time she gets about half of them with her head vulcans. Still a few get through and do more damage to her machine, "They are good, Garrod cover me!" As Garrod comes under attack a moment later, she may not get any cover. Still she's going in. She pulls the anti ship sword off the back of her machine. There's no blade to the sword for a moment, as the beam edge comes to life, she lunges at the Jet Dagger and takes a swipe with the anti ship sword. "YAAAAAAAH!"

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Lamia Loveless. Schwert Gewehr added to their queue.

<Radio: Intercepted> Sarah Zabiarov transmits, "Leo, how are things going?"

The PPCs start leaving scorch marks on the Schleiman Tank's armor, leaving Rocket and his crewmates a little annoyed with their opponent; boomerangs do nothing to halt the incoming fire, and fail to hit the Charger either.

On the plus side, more and more widely assorted ammunition is being offered up to the crew from the Schleiman Tank's stores, and Rocket decides it's time to bring out the big guns.

Or in this case, the big *rocks*. Such as meteorites.

Time to see just how good the Charger's armor really is.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura mutters to herself, something about it figuring, "Roger that, command! Hang in there! Im on my way back!"

COMBAT: Rocket has attacked Heero Yuy. Meteorite added to their queue.

Akira pounds the GN-X down onto the ground on the dock, grinding the armor against the ground and crushing it under it's massive bulk. Buriki-Daioh is huge, heavy and slow, but this is one of the times that actually becomes useful instead of a pretty significant hindrance.

"Tell you? TELL YOU?!" Akira doesn't let the GN-X go that easily. His legs hurt from the stinging shots, but the thick armor does not give way that easily. Damage begins to mount, though; David has his work cut out for him if he wants to get through it. "FINE! I'll /TELL YOU!/"

Buriki-Daioh bends down, stabbing the Massacre Blade into the ground nearby and drawing back it's fists. "I went through /HELL!/" Akira swings at the GN-X, going for anything that he can smash with one massive hand. "I remember all the /pain/--" Another swing, this time from the other hand, centered on the torso. "--all the /suffering/--" A third strike consisting of an overhand smash for the head follows. "--and the /death/ I caused! Vega was the LAST, and the /WORST/!"

Akira draws back both hands and holds them together, bringing them up and then swinging them straight at the center mass of the GN-X, screaming all the while, "LETTING YOU KILL ME WOULD BE GETTING OFF /TOO EASY/!"

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Buriki Blow added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has missed Lamia Loveless with her Schwert Gewehr attack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Macua Huitl's RGM-X130 using Beam Saber.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Damn... looks like she came right to me! Bastion! Get back to the ship asap!"

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck you with a glancing hit from their Spraying Fire attack! COMBAT: David Churchill has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: David Churchill has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has struck a major critical hit on David Churchill's GNX-603T GN-X using Buriki Blow.

<Radio: B - Secure> Bastion transmits, "...No, I can still fight and support you!"

<Radio: Intercepted> Sarah Zabiarov offers a small sigh of relief. "Good to hear. Take care, everyone."

"Too bad, lady, 'cause I've got all the time in the world for you!" Lyle responds, but probably Sarah doesn't hear him, as she's too busy talking to older men. Now that he's got room to maneuver, Lyle is in a better position to deal with the ongoing attacks from the Bolinoak Sammahn, the Rick Dias suddenly dodging out of the way as that beam tomahawk comes after it, Sarah's weapon missing the Karaba mobile suit's shoulder armor by mere inches, which is a lot closer than it looks like when you're in a giant robot. If the momentum of the fight is changing, though, Lyle needs to find a way to keep it in his favour, trying to draw Sarah's Bolinoak away from her allies - and, coincidentally, Kai's Guncannon Detector - while peppering her with more shots from the paired beam pistols.

COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has attacked Sarah Zabiarov. Twin Beam Pistols added to their queue. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has missed Sarah Zabiarov with his Twin Beam Pistols attack. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has counter attacked for a minor hit on Lyle Dylandy's MSA-099 Rick Dias using Beam Saber. COMBAT: Rocket has missed Heero Yuy with his Meteorite attack.

Amuro Ray's Zeta Plus A2 transforms into its Zeta Plus A2 mode.

As the missiles surge in, the Gundam X suddenly engages it's verniers once more, launchinjg forward underneath the attack. The missiles try to turn to pursue, but explode harmlessly into the ground behind Garrod. "Gotcha Mac!" Garrod pushes the Gundam skywards once more as it's beam sword hissed to life and cuts at the Jet Dagger as it passes by!

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Lamia Loveless. Beam Sword added to their queue. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has missed Lamia Loveless with his Beam Sword attack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Garrod Ran with her Beam Saber counter attack.

Normally, Amuro Ray has his awareness cast out over the whole battlefield, monitoring the progress of the conflict and making sure he knows what's happening at every moment. It's a part of being a powerful Newtype; you can't escape it. But today, the White Devil's focus is razor thin. He is a blade honed to perfection, aimed at one single point: Paptimus Scirocco's heart.

"What do I know about men like you?" he growls, fighting to bring the Waverider back under control following Paptimus' smackdown escape. That... that /was/ a third arm... he shakes his head. "I know everything I NEED to know, Paptimus Scirocco. I remember the devil's deal you struck with a monster to build your own personal power in the Federation. I remember your constant maneuvering behind the scenes of the Titans. I know your ambition is as boundless as your ego... and I /know/ your vision of peace is as self-serving as a quick Stranger in the back room!"

The heavy beam rifle barks its parade of blasts, but the White Devil has regained control of his vessel. It spins clockwise. It boosts above. It barrel rolls through the torrent of powerful fire, and comes out unscathed. The pilot can't say the same. His breathing is ragged, and blood begins to leak from the corner of his mouth. "Time's... running out..." he whispers. Briefly he considers giving up, but the faces of the dead swim up into his vision, and his grip on the controls is renewed. "I've got... time enough...!" he declares, pulling back on the side lever.

The A2 transforms, revealing the impressive form of the Zeta Gundam, this time in blue and white. Ironic that Amuro's personal machine is not painted in these, his signature colours. But these are details he rarely considers. The twin hip cannons swivel up, far easier to aim in tandom in this humanoid mode. There is a deep hum as the barrels begin to glow, and the White Devil squints, taking aim.

"Hope he... can't say the same...!"

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Double Beam Cannon added to their queue.

The boomerang manages to power around the in-close Charger, Heero driving it about as close can be towards Rocket's tank. He doesn't see the point of slowing down, of lightening up on such a slow moving, heavily armored target. He just has to keep chipping away.

There is, however, something to be said about staring down a meteorite, a giant rock loaded into a cannon, and picked up by sensors. As heavy as the Charger's armoring is, it's not going to take that as well as it could have.

Which is why, grip against the tank, the Charger suddenly pushes off, both arms and feet shoving against the slime -tank, thrusters catching it at the apex as it rises, enough to pull upwards and over the fired meteorite. The thrusters begin to weaken, and Heero, having recovered from being pressed to the bottom of the Charger from G-forces, pulls the controls around, gritting his teeth. The giant wakizashi is raised, and then lowered, being driven towards the side of the giant tank.

Heero attempts to use the weight of the charger to drive the weapon in and through some of the heavier layers.

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Rocket. Giant Wakizashi added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Falling Rain engaging the Strike Rouge!" <Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh growls. "Damn...it's going even deeper! GaoGaiGar can't chase it at those depths!" <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Come on, Guy! I know you can do it! You can find a way!"" <Radio: B - Secure> Bastion transmits, "Alright...I'll trust you with this Rain." <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura audibly smiles, "Thank you, Bastion. I won't let you down!" <Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh grits his teeth. "...tch, you're right, Rain! This is no time to give up! I've still got one more trick up my sleeve!"

"Kai Shiden of White Base," Sergei observes calmly. Of course he knows; he's not a foolish man by any stretch. The voice, slightly older, but the piloting style -- it's easy enough to string the facts together. His brow knits slightly at the man's words, but there is not sense of guilt there; there is nothing but conviction.

"My duty is to the citizenry. You may have pure goals, but your methods are nothing to be lauded. A true soldier..."

The Guncannon Detector attacks, but the GN-X moves swiftly; bobbing and weaving between those vulcans and beam rifle shots, only one or two bursts explode against the shoulder armors of the GN-X, blowing away small chunks. Still, the machine continues to move backwards -- towards Paptimus and The O, where his own men seem to be grouping -- squeezing off bolts of precise beam fire in a rain, aiming for the head of the Guncannon Detector -- and the hand holding its beam rifle.

"... works from within the system!"

COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has attacked Kai Shiden. GN Beam Rifle Snipe added to their queue. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck a glancing hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Double Beam Cannon.

The swings...take a terrible toll. The body of the GN-X crumples further inward with the first, the tough armour taking a horrible beating. The second causes all the wing binders to splay slightly outwards as the torso caves in like that. And then...coming for the head. The eyes of the unit, dramatically, flash.

Both arms lash up, grabbing that fist and /halting/ it, the Beam Rifle discarded briefly. "Then, you son of a /bitch/." The GN-X starts pushing back, and David...David is furious. No sorrow. Vega is out of his mind. All that matters is Akira. Akira dying. That's all he wants. "I'll give you my MERCY! EVERY LAST GOD-DAMN DROP!" The GN Drive works up to a furious blast, suddenly ripping it along the ground from under the Buriki, grabbing the GN BEam Rifle as it goes, blasting skywards and unleashing a hail of beam rifle fire back down at his opponent. "TAKE IT ALL!"

COMBAT: David Churchill has attacked Akira Tadokoro. GN Beam Rifle Assault added to their queue.

As the Jet Dagger sails nearer to the military warehousing sector, Macua's charge is clearly noted. The head on the mech's ridiuclous mech-y part turns around, and as she charges inwards, a flash of megabeam particles arc out - and the sword is deflected down, towards a building, and met with a riposite at the side. Then the Jet Dagger banks left, down a thoroughfare.

And then comes the Gundam X! The incoming Gundam is answered by the Jet Dagger's transfer of the weapon from one hand to another, meeting Garrod's blow with a sword-locking strike; the relative velocities mean that th elock doesn't last long, although the Dagger's engines flare to push it back upwards, continuing to glide. Is it aiming for deeper into the city?

It pulls up again sharply - Garrod and Macua are probably recognizing that this means there is some kind of sudden inversion about to go on again. As the third abrupt, probably stomach churning loop, concludes, the Jet Dagger momentarily blacks out the sun above the two Trailers.

And then Lamia, recognizing the increasing damage level, presses the red button.

Out come the missiles -

All of the missiles.

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Macua Huitl and Garrod Ran. Itano Circus added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has struck a devastating hit on Macua Huitl's RGM-X130 using Itano Circus. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has missed Lamia Loveless with her Head Vulcans counter attack. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have missed Kai Shiden with your GN Beam Rifle Snipe attack. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Garrod Ran with her Itano Circus attack. COMBAT: Rocket has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a solid hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Giant Wakizashi. COMBAT: Rocket has missed Heero Yuy with his Spooklear Bomb counter attack.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "What the!?"

COMBAT: David Churchill has struck a solid hit on Akira Tadokoro's Buriki-Daioh using GN Beam Rifle Assault. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has missed David Churchill with his Metal Hit counter attack.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Are you guys seeing this?" <Radio: B - Secure> Daiyu Lin sounds out of breath. "Yes. It is pink." <Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "What... what do you think it means?!" <Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "Are the Gundam Meisters..." <Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "TURNING INTO GIRLS?!?" <Radio: B - Secure> Rockwell Torrey transmits, "I'm pretty certain they can't turn into girls, Kusuha." <Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "I... I hope not!" <Radio: B - Secure> Rockwell Torrey transmits, "That'd just be all kinds of messed up." <Radio: B - Secure> Soma Peries says while in a pink and lavender GN-X, "There is nothing that links females to the color pink." <Radio: B - Secure> Kusuha Mizuha transmits, "I don't know... they ARE always talking about how they want the world to change..." <Radio: B - Secure> Lamia Loveless transmits, "It m-may be a coinc-cidense, Ms. M-Mizuha."

"Shit! It's headed further into the city!" shours Garrod as he charges in after the Jet Dagger... but as he tries to follow Lamia's climb, the sun flares in his sight and he looks away. When he looks back, the sky is filled with missiles, "Damn!" The Gundam X pulls a sudden evasive maneuver, dodhing around the swarm as it rains down on the landscape. They're lucky that it hasn't penatrated in too deep into the Orb Mainland. If that attack occured over a densely populated area, it could have killed hundreds of people. "Mac, I'm going to cut it off before it goes in too deep!" The Gundam X dives for speed and soars beneath the Dagger, hoping to get between it and the Orb interior beforeunleashing another barrage of red beams towrads Lamia, hoping to drive her back.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Lamia Loveless. Rifle Flurry added to their queue.

"And just how would you or Char have it be instead?" Scirocco never has to raise his voice, because that way he has of speaking is easily picked up and heard, no doubt thanks to the fact that when it comes to being a Newtype, he makes most of the evolved beings look like a brick of shit.

"Shall humanity be plunged into space, forced to evolve when they are simply not ready? You, a man who has had to go through so many wars with these powers, truly believe that they as a whole are ready for such a gift? You /know/ that collectively, humanity must be led! They must be sheparded, for they are blind without strong leadership!"

The twin blasts from the hip cannons streak in, but the sheer bulk of The O serves as a guard; he directs the unit back until the time is right, and with a cut from his beam saber deflects one blast, while the other burns a streak across a shoulder guard.

How long can Amuro Ray continue to elude the Man from Jupiter? "Instead, you will what, turn to the likes of Celestial Being and continue your precious armed interventions with Gundams? You are an idealistic fool, Amuro Ray! For a man who has seen so much, I... expected... better!" As he draws out those final words, the heavy beam rifle again is employed.

The O is built more for close-quarters combat, but the pilot is capable of anything, even the impossible; like actually hitting Amuro Ray. One of his purple eyes slowly shuts. Drawing a bead on the Zeta Gundam, he fires a single, precision strike.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Amuro Ray. Beam Rifle Snipe added to their queue.

A miss??

The girl's green eyes widen a bit behind the visor of her helmet, brows lifting before they sharply lower. Immediately her eyes narrow as the Rick Dias swerves to the side and out of the line of her tomahawk's cleave. "D-damn it," the girl mutters to herself. "I...I need to focus." With him on the field, it's very hard--but Paptimus Scirocco is a capable man and incredible pilot. She can believe in his skill, can't she?

Lightly gritting her teeth, the girl's gloved hands curl tightly on her unit's controls. "It'll take more than that--" she transmits, as the unit's arm swings up and twists, while maneuvering itself sharply to the side, its swiftness belying the bulkiness of its frame. "To stop me!"

Swinging the blade fiercely, she slashes at the Dias' chest to drive it back before the opposite arm moves, bringing both beam sabers up and thrusting them forward in an attempt to ram through the upper torso of the Dias before bringing a leg of the Bolinoak up and slam the foot into the lower torso, to push it away.

If lucky, she can distract him and regroup with Paptimus and Sergei.

It doesn't help her unit picks up transmission between The O and the Waverider. How--how DARE he?

Communications open to Amuro--

"You know nothing of Master Paptimus," the livid girl barks. "It's terrorists like YOU that are monsters. People like you are disgusting, unable to understand men like Master Paptimus. His is a noble vision of peace--terrorists like you would never, ever understand that vision. I hate people like you!"

COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has attacked Lyle Dylandy. Dual Beam Sabers added to their queue.

Rocket and ihs crew are not having a terribly good time of it tonight, are they? Apparently, that Charger has a good pilot at the controls, if he's able to move that clunky-looking machine around and keep avoiding whatever the Schleiman launches at them, and for that matter, attacking them repeatedly in melee-style.

That, as they say, simply will not do at *all*.

"All right, guys, hold fire for a bit!" Rocket calls out as he bounces to the Schleiman's 'controls' and puts the tank into motion, attempting to simply ram the Charger, hard. Maybe even roll the Schleiman *over* it, if the legal code of physics is being overseen by a friendly judge at the moment.

COMBAT: Rocket has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Rocket has attacked Heero Yuy. Run Over added to their queue. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has struck a major hit on Lyle Dylandy's MSA-099 Rick Dias using Dual Beam Sabers. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has missed Sarah Zabiarov with his Beam Saber counter attack. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has struck a major hit on Amuro Ray's Zeta Plus A2 using Beam Rifle Snipe. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has missed Lamia Loveless with his Rifle Flurry attack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X using Unguided Rockets.

Kai Shiden nods to himself, inside the cockpit. "Me and the system... we don't really get along."

But he felt the real conviction in Sergei's voice. He also feels those blasts coming for him, and just... cuts the engine. The Guncannon Detector drops into the water, a ridiculous move for someone who fights primarily with beam weaponry. It works, though - even GN beams are hard pressed to keep together in the water, and the GCD sinks fast.

Kai Shiden takes a brief moment to pop his helmet off, and swab at his forehead with the sleeve of his normal suit. "Amuro, Lyle... on my mark, drop altitude." He refastens the helmet, and takes a moment to set the perfect alignment. He thumbs a button, and the Guncannon Detector switches into jet mode, laboring to fight free of the water.

The machine explodes out several yards away from its point of entry, pointed straight up, water pouring from it as it dumps what it took on by transforming down there. The beam cannons detach slightly from their locations, and swivel out to either side. "MARK!" He pulls into a tight corkscrew, steam rising up in a cloud as both cannons fire, sweeping across the sky.

Kai Shiden's Guncannon Detector transforms into its Guncannon Detector Flight Mode mode.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden's Rolling Beam Cannons has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Sergei Smirnov, Paptimus Scirocco, and Sarah Zabiarov. Rolling Beam Cannons added to their queue. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck you with a solid critical hit using Rolling Beam Cannons!

Lamia Loveless's GAT-01A1 Dagger transforms into its GAT-01A1 Dagger mode.

<Radio: Intercepted> Sarah Zabiarov transmits, "W-what?"

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "... The second of the Celestial Being gundams has just undergone transformation!" <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Leo! Daiyu! Watch your back!"

<Radio: Intercepted> Sarah Zabiarov transmits, "Leo!!"

Buriki-Daioh's fist is halted by the GN-X and what can only be described as it's /terrible science/. It doesn't go anywhere at first, but when the ground starts to give way instead of Buriki-Daioh, it gets increasingly apparent that the GN-X will find a way to go /somewhere/.

Buriki-Daioh falls backwards as the GN-X finally gets airborne, slowly climbing to it's feet (it doesn't do many things at a different speed). The beam rifle shots rain down, blackening the armor and making it recoil as if it were a man being, well, shot. It won't stand there forever and take it, though.

"I don't /want/ your mercy," Akira snarls. Buriki-Daioh grips the Massacre Blade and draws it from the ground, rocketing into the sky after the GN-X once again. He swings the blade upwards with two hands, coming from below to cleave David's GN-X and end up on the same level as it--

--and then lash out with a spinning kick in the air, using the feint to try and get David in position to kick him out to sea and into one of the battleships.

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Babylon Kick added to their queue.

Obviously, it'll take more than that to stop Sarah and her big fat mobile suit; the question is, can Lyle Dylandy do it? As the Bolinoak comes at his borrowed Rick Dias again, Lyle tosses one of the beam pistols up into the air, reaching back with that hand of the MS to snag the Dias' beam saber, yanking it free from the recharge rack to swing it in the way and... Get the beam saber totally chopped in half by the Bolinoak's. "Oh /crap/," says Lyle. Sarah's attack hits full on, driving the Rick Dias and its Dodai back with the first slash, then punishing it with a pair of stabs, melting through the armor of the upper torso, and then there's the kick... Which almost knocks it right off of the Dodai. So there's no complaints on Lyle's part when Kai shouts at him to drop altitude, the Dodai's jets practically cutting off immediately and causing the whole kit and kaboodle to fall like gravity suddenly had a say again. Somehow, though, he manages to catch the other beam pistol as he does so, twisting so that the Rick Dias is pretty much laying on top of the Dodai, aiming both guns upwards... Right at the Bolinoak's leg joints. And then, Lyle starts shooting.

COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has attacked Sarah Zabiarov. Gun Trick added to their queue. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has missed Sarah Zabiarov with his Rolling Beam Cannons attack. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has struck a glancing hit on Sarah Zabiarov's PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn using Gun Trick. COMBAT: David Churchill has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has missed David Churchill with his Babylon Kick attack. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck a minor hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Rolling Beam Cannons. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command.

Sure being able to see things comming is nice, it can save you. Other times it doesn't turn out so well for you, this is one of those time it doesn't turn out so well. She can't dodge, she tries to shoot some of the missile swarm down, but it's too late and she's going down, and going down hard. Macua crashes from the result of who knows how many missiles going off on her, she's down but she's getting back up, the GM rises up once more and she arms the suit's primary weapon the chest particle beam cannon powers up as the armor slides back, hopefully she'll have an opening, if not she'll be a heck of a target and she fires!

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Lamia Loveless. Scylla Energy Cannon added to their queue.

"Humans don't need a dictator, Paptimus Scirocco!" Amuro Ray roars in reply, flipping the twin beam cannons back out of firing position as the wing binders explode into motion, sending a blue shockwave behind the unit as it dashes in towards The O. "Humans just need to UNDERSTAND each other... and that can't happen if they're being held down by gravity... or by /your bootheel/!"

Sarah's transmission comes in, and he is briefly disoriented by the sound of a young girl's voice. "Y--" he grunts. "No, can't think about that now... another victim of EFA brainwashing...!" he mutters, still charging headlong at The O even as the larger mobile suit readies its massive rifle. "Don't worry... the world will change, and people like you will be able to think for themselves."

"Kai--!" he gasps, aborting his headlong dash just in time to drop out of the line of fire. "Damnit--" he begins, before The O's powerful blast slams into him, shredding the Zeta Plus' blue armor and ripping away the left shoulderpad. The arm sparks, useless. Inside, Amuro Ray is not immune to the irony. "Like robot like pilot... heh."

"But I'm NOT DONE YET! Not by a long shot! I'll keep fighting for humanity's right to choose until the day I die!" he shouts, snapping a single beam saber into the functional right arm. He coughs, blood spattering the inside of his visor. This time, he has the presence of mind to raise the visor up so that he can see; he can't afford to be blind with an opponent this powerful.

The A2 rushes up towards The O, beam saber trailing the magnificent machine's rapid ascent. As it approaches the golden behemoth, the single saber lashes out, carving towards anything that looks even vaguely like a vital system. The mobile suit spins and weaves, intending to carve up The O like an overside Thanksgiving turkey. He's just hoping that third arm doesn't appear again.

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Saber Dance added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a apocalyptic critical hit on Lamia Loveless's GAT-01A1 Dagger using Scylla Energy Cannon. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Macua Huitl's RGM-X130 using Head Vulcans.

"Well I want you /DEAD/! And I suppose that you'll just have to accept that!" As the Massacre Blade comes up, the GN-X suddenly darts to one side, keeping well out of the way -- just in case -- and then shoots above the spinning kick right afterwards. As soon as it's clear, however, a compartment opens and it reaches down, withdrawing a hilt. It activates it, the red GN Beam Blade igniting.

"Now...want it quick or slow? How much /mercy/ do you want, Akira Tadokoro?" The GN-X charges, GN particles spraying intensely behind it as it tries to just impale the head of the unit with the weapon, trying to run it through with that terrible beam blade. "As much as you showed my comrade?!"

COMBAT: David Churchill has attacked Akira Tadokoro. GN Beam Saber Assault added to their queue. COMBAT: David Churchill has struck a minor hit on Akira Tadokoro's Buriki-Daioh using GN Beam Saber Assault. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has missed David Churchill with his Metal Hit counter attack. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck a major critical hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Saber Dance. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has counter attacked for a minor hit on Amuro Ray's Zeta Plus A2 using Stomp. COMBAT: Rocket has struck a solid hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Run Over. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has missed Rocket with his Blankenburg Heavy Particle Projector Cannon counter attack.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, ".... Third transformation detected! What is going on with those Gundams?" <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Command start scanning data on all three of those suits and send it to HQ asap! I got a feelings things are going to get ugly real fast!" <Radio: B - Secure> Soma Peries transmits, "How are they so fast?"

Fortunately, the Mobile Suit is approaching from military warehousing. This doesn't mean Lamia's not going to kill a bunch of people with missiles, but at least the kitten and orphan quotient is low.

The Jet Dagger continues on like some kind of horrible Rodan. It fires another volley of rockets ahead when the Gundam X attempts to get in its way, and then - splits? The jet section separates, rising upwards as the Dagger itself lands in a crouching roll, tearing up pavement but moving down a cross street...

Which it crosses, turning directly into an energy cannon. The outer hull of the machine melts partially, pouring down like some kind of sick imploding sheath around the machine's skeleton from the front. Paint vaporizes, a few acrid fumes joining a transient smoke burst from the machine. The only thing keeping it from catching fire is that the things in the immediate direction that can be burnt have immolated. What is left stands there, absurdly, dripping hot metal down into a pool of slag at its feet.

Heat distortion surrounds the Federation unit as it stands there, the aftereffects of the beam cannon setting nearby scraps of garbage paper in the streets of Onogoro to flame. It stands there, even as the jet component rises upwards to go into a holding pattern.

And then machine gun rounds, 52mm-scale and apparently perfectly functional, fire outwards towards Macua. The mech begins walking towards her, still firing.

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Macua Huitl. Machine Gun Mastery added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Macua Huitl with her Machine Gun Mastery attack. COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has activated a spirit command.

As the Schleiman launches, heading straight on, to crash into the Charger - the machine doesn't take it well. Heero starts up the blankenburg PP, but what comes is the tank, as it suddenly lurches forwards and over the machine, the Charger begin run over, quite literately, as Heero stares upwards, the underside of the machine passing over him.

Tank treads begin to crush against the armoring, leaving their path on him as they travel, merrily, over the machine and pilot.

Heero starts up the particle projector again.

Without even waiting for the tank to completely pass over, another blast of energy is sent straight upwards - the particles attempting to bore through the metal that has been put in it's path!

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Rocket. Blankenburg Light Particle Projector Cannon added to their queue.

<Radio: Intercepted> Kai Shiden rustles a newspaper.

Garrod wasn't expect the machine to eject it's booster unit, but he reacts quickly by reversing direction and snapping open his shield plating to absorb most of the impact. And he just keeps going, diving in low with the shield in front of him as an impromptu battering ram, "Not getting away this time!"

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Lamia Loveless. Shield Smash added to their queue. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has missed Lamia Loveless with his Shield Smash attack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X using Beam Saber.

<Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh transmits, "Rain! How are you holding up?"

Alarms are going off at this point, there isn't much left to her machine to keep it in fighting form, she gets the shot off and has managed to hit it was likely mostly luck at this point. She looks at the damaged Federation suit as she tries to stay standing but she's hit again by some sort of other attack. MissileS? bullets? She's not sure as her status reports are not very reliable at the moment. "I can't go down not yet!"

She does see the unit has ditched its back pack? she wan't explecting that. She's not sure if she can move her machine anymore, but she's going to have to, or Lamia's going to turn her into a smear or worse. She drops out of the way of the shot using gravity to save her, the machine's down she's not got much left, she just fires off another burst from her head vulcans at the Jet Dagger as she tries to get back up. "Garrod I'm not going to last much longer!"

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Lamia Loveless. Head Vulcans added to their queue.

"This level of ability with a Guncannon..." Sergei muses with narrowed eyes as Kai suddenly cuts the engines, striking water with a heavy splash. Frowning, the man ratchets the GN-X's advanced GN rifle, moving in close for Paptimus and Sarah's machines. "Be careful," Sergei advises. "I believe that the Guncannon is--"

And that is when the suit suddenly BURSTS forward, unloading beamfire after beamfire upon not only Sergei, but Sarah, and Paptimus. The remaining defense rod of the Advanced GN-X suddenly activates, rotating around rapidly as it parries away burst after burst -- only for several more to impact with brutal explosions against the torso of the machine, armor blown away, burnt and melted as its smoking body is forced upwards into the air. Sergei frowns.

"Admiral Scirocco, Lieutenant Commander Zabiarov -- initiate Plan C5, NOW!"

And suddenly, the Proto GN Lance of the Advanced Jinx is whipped forward, gatling cannons whirring with life and crackling with energy. The GN-X compacts tightly with the Bolinoak and The O...

... and then begins to spin.

Like a group of rapidly orbiting planets, Sergei's GN-X moves in a high-speed circle with his fellow soldiers; within the blur of movement, the machine unloads red beam fire in an almost omni-directional burst; yet despite the proverbial rain of beamfire, it has all too specific targets: the Zeta Plus, the Rick Dias... and the Guncannon.

Because nothing says tactics like spinning recklessly.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a major critical hit on Lamia Loveless's GAT-01A1 Dagger using Head Vulcans. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Macua Huitl's RGM-X130 using Head Vulcans.

<Radio: Intercepted> Kai Shiden transmits, "It-- it's like a massive Jet Stream Attack!"

COMBAT: Rocket has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a solid hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Blankenburg Light Particle Projector Cannon. COMBAT: Rocket has counter attacked for a minor hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Holy Water.

The half-melted Dagger seems to either be having no internal problems, is compensating, or is /possessed by demons/. Considering all the La Giasite crap laying around, hypothesis 3 is a lot more feasible. The incoming shield is met with a half step back and a stab forwards from the hand that has a beam saber emitter now melted to it, right at Garrod's side.

Inside the cockpit, Lamia has stopped breathing as the neural tissue in her head that has a mostly human origin overheats. Most of her, however, is fine; sweat is pouring out of her skin, nearly half a liter thus far, but the thermal dumps are working. She feels good. She doesn't have to think.

The Dagger's on foot unit is bombarded with -Head Vulcans- once again. Wires burst and a fire actually manages to start even as the lefthand cannon, which managed to survive Macua's beam onslaught, opens fire ahead, sadly not actually managing some kind of awesome vulcan-off -- instead, it just adds more impact, more force, more damage.

The unit keeps advancing. Perhaps it smells Macua's fear. The 52mm weapon shifts around, opening fire at a different angle now; it sweeps across the side of the road, and upwards, perhaps to anticipate Macua's likely angle of evasion.

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Macua Huitl. Machine Gun Rampage added to their queue.

Akira, tired of bantering with David, suddenly turns his radio off. It may be less 'turned off' and more 'damaged due to psychokinetic forces beyond Akira's control,' though. This is probably partially due to David getting out of the path of Buriki-Daioh's giant foot, but that would just be a guess.

The GN-X's beam saber cuts into Buriki-Daioh's... arm? Akira shields his head with his free hand and swings to straight-arm the GN-X but to no real effect. He starts swinging wildly, angrily, with no tactics behind the strikes and no rhyme or reason to them. Swings with the Massacre Blade and bare hands, shoulder-checks, low kicks... Akira is tired of Churchill being in any more pieces than 'fifty,' and seeks to fix this.

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Buriki Blow added to their queue. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Macua Huitl with her Machine Gun Rampage attack.

The girl's emotions are now running high, more than evident to any other Newtype pilots within range of the young Paptimus adjunct. Angered by the perceived audacity of Amuro Ray, the girl struggles desperately to refrain from ripping away and rushing to The O's aid. Her teeth clench behind her lips, eyes narrowed sharply--before they just pinch shut. The girl shoves the unit's foot into the Dias and pulls sharply away.

"D-damn it...come on..." she begs herself. "C-concentrate. F...focus..." She needs to regroup.

Lyle and Kai make this difficult.

Banking sharply back and upwards, the girl maneuvers sharply out of the fire of cannons sweeping just narrowly missing the legs of the Bolinoak. However, unexpected is the fire from the Dias, firing rounds right for her unit's leg joints. Though one leg is spared--the other isn't so lucky. The girl's warning displays bark incessantly at her. "Focus, focus!" she cries as the unit sheathes its weapons in the shield, continuing backwards and retreating--toward The O and the Advance GN-X. Transmission to either unit opens immediately as it draws close.

"Bolinoak Sammahn, ready," she offers her superiors. "Weapons-linked guns, armed."

It would seem that Amuro is not just done, he's /brought friends/, the blast from Shiden's craft causing The O to be knocked off its chase trajectory. Armor cracks, great chunks of it loosening as the mammoth suit floats precariously after that single shot caused Amuro such grief.

But grief is what the veteran of the One Year War brings in turn, as the Zeta comes in for a dangerous bit of reprisal. That darting blade manages to unhinge several pieces of The O's armor, gold raining down on the Orb Union just like Scirocco promised it would. It just wasn't quite as intended.

That blade goes further, managing to cut into integral systems within the deadly mobile suit. A good half of those rear verniers shut off, and Paptimus finds his precious construct floundering in the air. "You little--!" he actually sounds angry, but is swift to respond. The O air-jumps, stomping a foot down onto the Zeta's head, back and shoulders, and then leaps clear as a communique from the legendary Sergei Smirnov comes through.

"My... this is your grand tactic?" he questions, but has to laugh as he links up with his comrades.

And then it begins.

The most dreaded thing of all.

The GN-X and PMX Spin, with all guns firing wildly.

Whoa, what the, did they just go upside down during that crazy linked spinning?! And sideways?!

"This is one brilliant strategy, Colonel."

The trio of units unleash a barrage of gunfire down on the enemy trio, as their spinning, oscillating, rotating, spinning tactic is realized in full. The rotations get faster, and faster, and faster, as the sky is simply FILLED with beam fire from the three units.

COMBAT: Combo! Sarah Zabiarov, Sergei Smirnov, and Paptimus Scirocco have attacked Amuro Ray, Lyle Dylandy, and Kai Shiden. Let's Spin This Shit added to their queue. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has struck a glancing hit on David Churchill's GNX-603T GN-X using Buriki Blow.

"YEOW!!"

That was not, despite appearances, the Schleiman Tank yelping in pain as its underside gets scorched by the Charger's particle projector.

It was Rocket yelping, not so much in pain as in annoyance that the Schleiman Tank is in fact taking this much of a beating. The fact that the Schleiman itself *jumped* in tandem with the yelp? An inexplicable coincidence, possibly related to the fortress-tank's magical nature. At any rate, the Schleiman gets off the Charger again in a hurry, a couple of flasks of Holy Water being launched to smash on the Charger's armor as Rocket takes stock of the situation, and of his available ammunition. Given the Charger's fondness for close combat, swords seem to be very much in order.

And therefore, a Metal King Sword is blasted out of one of the Schleiman's cannons, twirling through the air as it flies towards the Charger.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura groans loudly, "Rrrrr... Not good... I have a feeling we're at a severe disadvantage here.. We're losing allies fast... I don't know if I can keep this up.."

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Rocket has attacked Heero Yuy. Metal King Sword added to their queue. COMBAT: Combo! Sarah Zabiarov, Sergei Smirnov, and Paptimus Scirocco have missed Amuro Ray with his Let's Spin This Shit attack. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has activated a spirit command.

<Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh transmits, "Alright, just hold on! I'll swing over and you can withdraw!"

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Kai Shiden with his Let's Spin This Shit attack. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has struck a solid hit on Lyle Dylandy's MSA-099 Rick Dias using Let's Spin This Shit. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Rocket has struck a major hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Metal King Sword. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Get Club. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command.

"Hahahaha!" David is just laughing now. /Laughing/. The GN-X pulls back, evading that first blow...and then stays in close, evading again and again, darting around the flailing attacks repeatedly. Some do graze it, the force of them nonetheless threatening to send it flying, but the battered, wrecked unit is keeping up for the most part, keeping going. And he's still holding that GN Beam Saber. He knows what to do. The only thing that really makes sense in the situation any more. "Here...chew on this!" The GN-X darts back suddenly of all things and deactivates the beam saber, tossing it sriaght upwards to free the hand for a few moments. Just long enough to pull out an innocent looking little device, pull the pin, and hurl it at the Buriki before it grabs that beam saber again on the way back down.

Garrod growls with frustration as the dagger deflects him to one side, causing him to skid right past as he tries to reverse momentum, "Damnit! That's it, no more holding back!" Thrusters flare as the Gundam X charges back in... though this time he snaps the shield plating closed. As he closes in, he ducks low hoping to get under Lamia's defenses, then tries and jam his beam rifle right into the Dagger's hip before pulling the trigger.

COMBAT: David Churchill has attacked Akira Tadokoro. Chaff Grenade added to their queue. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Lamia Loveless. Point-Blank Shield Buster Rifle Shot added to their queue. COMBAT: David Churchill has struck a minor hit on Akira Tadokoro's Buriki-Daioh using Chaff Grenade. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a major hit on Lamia Loveless's GAT-01A1 Dagger using Point-Blank Shield Buster Rifle Shot. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Garrod Ran's GX-9900 Gundam X using The Strength Of "Human" Will.

The Schleiman tank, as it gets scorched, .. jumps. Heero's eyes open wide, but in that respect, there's not much else that can be done - the tank launching holy water, smashing against the machine's armoring and melting it, a sickening stench, Rocket taking off to pull the tank away - and put something between the two of them.

This really doesn't occur to Heero, that it might be a bad idea to charge in.

He does it anyways.

The Charger, up on it's feet, is driven forwards, legs slamming against the ground, leaving trails as it lowers down, hunkering, the blade crashing against it, tearing off armoring and then some. Yet, Heero slams the club against the Schwarzman, suddenly hitting the thrusters, and using the club now more as a pole, helping launch the charger airborne - before it comes down.

Thrusters reverse, the machine that goes up - now coming down. Massive feet and all are brought towards the Rocket - and while the Charger is not large, it /is/ quite heavy. Heero braces himself for the landing - ontop of metal, or not.

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Rocket. Death From Above added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Secure> Soma Peries transmits, "I... will not.. give.. up!"

COMBAT: Rocket has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a major hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Death From Above. COMBAT: Rocket has counter attacked for a minor hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Holy Water.

<Radio: Intercepted> Sarah Zabiarov sounds a bit angry. "F-fine, Leo. I'm fine. Are you guys okay?" <Radio: Intercepted> Sarah Zabiarov transmits, "They're putting up a good fight. No one has fallen back yet...on either side."

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura breathes heavilly, "... This..." <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura then holds her tongue.

<Radio: Intercepted> Sarah Zabiarov transmits, "R-retreat if you can't hold up. Don't endanger yourselves..!"

Macua Huitl manages to get up but is riddled with more shots from the head vuclans of the Jet Dagger, sparks are going everywhere and it's clear, that she's about done at this point. She's managed to get back up and then comes the next shot, she brings up shield as she can't dodge which manages to take the majority of the round preventing anty further damage at this point but it's been rendered useless she manages to get prehaps one more burst out of her rifle before the tell tale sound of a dead woman's click. She's out of ammo and lost her reloads most likely...

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Lamia Loveless. GM Machine Gun added to their queue.

It's like a giant Jet Stream Attack, the ultimate teamwork created by the Black Tri-Stars. Nobody was able to stand against it until Amuro Ray, his Newtype powers awakaned, was able to see exactly where everything was coming from.

Kai Shiden is no Newtype. A river of sweat is running down his back as his gloves creak on the controls of the Guncannon Detector - thank Space God he's in jet mode.

Kai doesn't hear himself crying out in some combination of desperation and fear as he zooms forward right into the attack, beam cannons locking forward and becoming rigidly placed once more, jets flaring as he starts to roll this way and that. His sensors are almost useless with this much, a solid mass of trajectories distracting him until he shuts off that display with an aggravated jerk of his knee. The sensor counters on the GCD are in full effect, making his location indistinct for all but the naked eye, but that doesn't do a whole lot when the whole plan is area saturation.

Flashes of light appear on the GCD's hull where a laser scrapes it, and Kai has several such close-calls as he nears the ridiculous spinning nebula of mobile suits. The GN-Xes are impossible to tell apart, but that's something Kai can manage. The priority flagged machine of Sergei Smirnov is lit up like a Christmas tree on his display. The shit is spinning, and Kai has one chance--

"Nothin' personal, Colonel Smirnov... but I do what I do best out here, and I can't let that get broken here!" He'll be in his sights in three... two... THERE!

Both beam cannons and the beam gun on the nose fire at once, angled in, creating one big beam as Kai tries to punch the head right off the serpent, passing through the GN-X barrage. A few seconds later, Kai realizes he actually /pulled that off,/ and sags with distracted relief.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has activated a spirit command.

This is not the kind of fighting that the Schleiman Tank was designed for. Now, if it were shaped like a giant, ambulatory mushroom, THEN jumping and stomping on it would make some sense ...

Heero would, however, get the chance to feel - and maybe even here - parts of the Schleiman's structure giving way under his machine's weight, even as more flasks of Holy Water are launched upwards to hit the machine, and maybe - just maybe - get some water into systems that can be shorted out by same. Other than that, the best Rocket can do is put the Schleiman Tank into rapid motion ---> thataway.

And then come to as abrupt a halt as possible, flattening every slime aboard the mobile fortress against the front wall - in fact, one goes flying out the Schleiman's front hatch, only to yelp and scurry back inside, VERY FAST.

The slime who popped into view briefly was not Rocket, incidentally. No, the Flute Warrior is rummaging through a whole freakin' TON of ammunition which got shaken loose from the holds during that little maneuver, looking for something which'll help ...

And finds it.

.... Maybe.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden's Charged Tri-Beam has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Sergei Smirnov. Charged Tri-Beam added to their queue.

The Zeta Plus plummets towards the water as The O stomps on its head like some kind of Neo Nazi curbstomping a freedom-loving ethnic American. "Hrghk!" he grunts, hocking up a thick spray of blood onto the A2's HUD. The red on his normal suit continues to spread. If this keeps up, he could get mistaken for his rival when the techs pry open his cockpit. But he keeps going, because he's Amuro Ray, and by god he's not going to die here.

"Come on... come /ON/!" he roars, hauling at the A2's controls and trying to pull it out of its death dive. Finally, the wing binders swivel and fire, carrying the A2 skimming over the surface of the ocean before it soars back up into the air on a plume of spray.

But what's waiting for him is even worse. "They're... spinning...?" he says, watching their approaching assault. "It couldn't be... the Wild Bear of Russia?! No! Shit!"

If the Wild Bear is spinning, Amuro Ray knows that means pain is on the way. He struggles with the controls, trying desperately to get the A2 to respond fast enough to evade the incoming doom. It's not working. He can't do it with just one leg. Both pedals need to be worked in tandem or he's going to hit the water and explode. He pauses, then takes a deep breath.

There's really only one way to deal with this. "HRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" screams the Newtype, raising his imprisoned limbs and SLAMMING them down on the interior of the A2. "HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!" he screams again, repeating the gesture. The pain is agonising. It sears his very soul... but it's necessary. The casts crack, and instantly he is on the controls with all four limbs. "AGH! GHN!" he roars, transforming his pain into adrenaline. The mobile suits spin and fire, and the A2 is among them. He does a little spinning himself. He dashes. He zigs. He zags. He soars on the wings of an angel, and only by god's grace does he survive.

Then the carnage is past, and the White Devil is left standing in agony. There's blood everywhere in the cockpit, coating the walls, dripping down the HUD. His normal suit is just a mass of red. His face looks like that of a true demon. Ragged breathing is the only sound as he looks down at the controls. At the one button this model of the Zeta Plus has that his A1 lacks. Breath sawing in and out of his ravaged throat, he looks up at the twirling trio, then reaches out a trembling hand and presses it. That one special button.

The Zeta Plus A2 is notable mainly in that it is a testbed for a new weapon designed by Anaheim Electronics. It is a miniaturised Mega Particle Cannon, similar to the one mounted on the Argama. A weapon of great power to be installed in so small a body. The enlarged port on the Zeta's head glows, gathering in particles from the surrounding air. The glow grows, intensifying as the energy swirls and solidifies into a single point of crimson light.

As it fires, the clouds part. Far below, the ocean trembles. What few birds are left in the area flee in terror. And the White Devil... roars. "YOU! SHOULD NEVER! HAVE COME! TO MY HOME!"

COMBAT: Rocket has attacked Heero Yuy. The Kitchen Sink added to their queue. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Amuro Ray's Prototype Forehead Cannon has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has attacked Paptimus Scirocco, Sarah Zabiarov, and Sergei Smirnov. Prototype Forehead Cannon added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a solid hit on Lamia Loveless's GAT-01A1 Dagger using GM Machine Gun. Knock Out! Lamia Loveless's GAT-01A1 Dagger unit has become disabled!

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Guy! No!" <Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh splutters, "Huh?" <Radio: B - Secure> Guy Shishioh transmits, "What?!"

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command.

<Radio: Intercepted> Kai Shiden, having never closed the visual link, transmits, "J... Jesus..." <Radio: Intercepted> Kai Shiden transmits, "S..."

COMBAT: Rocket has missed Heero Yuy with his The Kitchen Sink attack. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Blankenburg Heavy Particle Projector Cannon.

<Radio: Intercepted> Kai Shiden shakes out his head, and speaks with better conviction. "Someone get the medical bay ready. Amuro's gonna need it." <Radio: Intercepted> Kai Shiden transmits, "...told you not to overdo it..." <Radio: Intercepted> Amuro Ray tries to respond but is just coughing wetly instead.

The Dagger isn't moving really well, which makes it pretty easy for Garrod Ran's closing to work out about as intended. As he jams the gun against the hip actuator of the mobile suit, the severely damaged head tilts down towards him. Then he fires - just as the beam sword comes down at his back. The Dagger pulls free, then, leaving its leg behind. It turns, as if intending to hop over towards Macua Huitl - but before this can continue, perhaps to the point of /beating her to death with severed mech limbs/, the barrage blows off the machine's head.

It lands, face down, in the pavement, still steaming. Asphalt melts beneath it.

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck you with a major critical hit using Prototype Forehead Cannon! COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly decreased its damage. COMBAT: You counter attack Amuro Ray with a minor hit using GN Beam Rifle.

The Rick Dias, even on its Dodai, just isn't as maneuverable in the atmosphere as the Zeta Plus A2 or the flight mode Guncannon Detector - that's part of why it gets hit by a barrage of beams from the spinning mobile suits. The rest is that the pilot, Lyle Dylandy, really wasn't expecting to have to deal with something like that, and the attack catches him completely offguard. Smoking and emitting sparks, the borrowed Rick Dias barely manages to stay on the damaged, barely-flying Dodai, one of the mobile suit's legs simply destroyed now, leaving it in a sort of weird crouch. "Hah... Hah..." Lyle breathes, raggedly, breath fogging up the faceplate of his normal suit helmet. He's got to... Just one shot...! Dropping the beam pistols to the floor of the Dodai, Lyle grabs the Rick Dias' bazooka, which is mercifully still intact; sighting carefully, Lyle shuts one green eye and focuses himself completely on one target. Sarah Zabiarov's Bolinoak Sammahn. "I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN!!" the Irish sniper bellows as he fires at his seemingly perpetual opponent, the clay round tearing through the air with eerie precision towards the Bolinoak, a vicious shot aimed at the already-weakened leg joint...

COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Your machine's experimental state has suddenly increased its evasion. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has missed you with his Charged Tri-Beam attack.

The chaff grenade bursts, and Buriki-Daioh proves a mite too slow to get out of the way. Akira suddenly can't see, can't sense things with the primitive sensors he's got on there, and generally is kind of screwed. Okay; he can deal with that.

Akira continues to swing. He sights the GN-X as it quickly darts around, and sees it's weaponry, too. Perhaps stupidly, he charges straight in, swinging the Massacre Blade down at the GN-X's beam saber-grabbing arm and the other hand at wherever he assumes the beam rifle went off to. Maybe if he can disarm him...

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Weapon Breaker added to their queue. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has missed David Churchill with his Weapon Breaker attack.

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Admiral Scirocco. Do you read?" <Radio: B - Secure> Paptimus Scirocco transmits, "Who is this?"

COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck a solid hit on Sarah Zabiarov's PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn using Prototype Forehead Cannon. COMBAT: Sarah Zabiarov has successfully covered Paptimus Scirocco.

<Radio: Intercepted> Kai Shiden transmits, "Lyle, you OK in there?"

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Dr. Rain Mikamura, sir."

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has struck a major hit on Sarah Zabiarov's PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn using Prototype Forehead Cannon. Knock Out! Sarah Zabiarov's PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn unit has become disabled!

<Radio: B - Secure> Paptimus Scirocco transmits, "Military Doctor? What is it? We're busy."

<Radio: Intercepted> Lyle Dylandy transmits, "Tch... Yeah, I'm holding together, mostly."

<Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "We've experianced heavy losses here out at sea, almost too much at that. I am advising a withdraw order be placed."

The Charger crashes against the armoring of the slime-based machine, and upon impact, Heero can feel something giving way. Something being smashed underneath, but more damage is caused as well, holy water crashes against the armor of the Charger, seeping into delicate electronics and other various internals within it - the response time on the machine faltering.

It just means he has to make up for it.

Heero and the Charger are tossed off the Schleiman Tank, grasping the controls - Heero is able to right himself and the machine before they hit the ground, leaving an indent where he lands, sliding backwards as the tank stops as well - but it was moving quite a bit faster, compared to the frictional slide against the ground by the Charger.

Coming to a stop - There is something being fired towards Heero - it's .. it can't be. It is.

The Charger's weapons are readied, and the blankeburg projector charges for the last time, the beam energy meeting the solid ammunition as it's launched, vaporizing it and continuing on. More beams are poured towards the Slime tank, aiming to pepper the oddly shaped machine with a constant rate of fire - nothing compared to the larger beam, the smaller dual PPC's should at least be harder to deal with.

Within the cockpit, Heero pays little attention to the other battles - save for the single point of crimson light that shoots outwards, to envelop the other Federation forces.

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Rocket. Dual Light PPCs added to their queue.

"C'mon! More than that! MORE THAN THAT!" As the Buriki lunges, the GN-X darts out of the way with ease, aided by the debilitating effects of that chaff grenade as he grabs the Beam Saber again, reigniting it and zipping around behind the Buriki again, taking advantage of that great speed. "This can't be all you have, you pathetic excuse for a fighter!" The GN-X, suddenly, is /moving/. It's darting in all directions, orbiting the Buriki erratically, firing beams the entire time. Just a constant hail of beam fire from every way, trying to find something, some kind of weakpoint in the enemy that he can exploit. He's determined. As long as the rest of the forces can hold out...he wants this. He /needs/ this.

COMBAT: David Churchill has attacked Akira Tadokoro. GN Beam Rifle Maneuver added to their queue. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a solid hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Dual Light PPCs.

<Radio: B - Secure> Paptimus Scirocco transmits, "Commanders report the majority of the fleet intact, where are you getting your intel from?" <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "Front lines sir. Lieutenant Commander Stenbuck and Daiyu Lin have been compromised. Other GN-X Units falling from the other Gundam Meisters and the Strike Rouge. My own suit is nearly compromised and GaoGaiGar is the only one ultimately left capable of fighting. The fleet could be next." <Radio: B - Secure> Paptimus Scirocco transmits, "That is 5 of several hundred units. Who are you again?" <Radio: B - Secure> Rain Mikamura transmits, "One moment." <Radio: B - Secure> Naoto Tsukioka transmits, "Sounds bad, Rain. Sucks that I'm missing it, whatever it is."

The Schleiman Tank responds to Heero's particular assault with shields. Lots of shields. Rocket is practically vibrating as he bounces back and forth, collecting shields and tossing them in the path of the beams ... he *hates* beam attacks. And the shields only reduce the damage - they don't block it entirely. But the Schleiman Tank is still battle-worthy, and Rocket turns now to the most potent weapon he's got in stock, inherited from Slival:

The Hero's Sword.

COMBAT: Rocket has attacked Heero Yuy. Hero's Sword added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Secure> Sergei Smirnov transmits, "Hrn... Admiral, I would suggest we sound a retreat for now. We can regroup our forces and continue the assault with a new plan."

COMBAT: Rocket has struck a major hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Hero's Sword.

<Radio: B - Secure> Paptimus Scirocco transmits, "Sound judgment I can trust. With Stenbuck down you have command, Sergei. Proceed as you will." <Radio: B - Secure> Sergei Smirnov transmits, "All forces, fall back. We will re-gather and attack again within the next twenty four hours." <Radio: B - Secure> David Churchill transmits, sounding like he's in a daze, "...retreat?"

The Bolinoak spins with the units of Paptimus and Sergei, the girl within struggling to maneuver the beast of a unit to the best of her ability in a fashion that is, frankly, new to her. It certainly makes her uneasiness feel like full-blown nausea, no thanks to the constant spinning and trying to multitask. Somehow, young Zabiarov manages, and the Bolinoak moves sharply from formation once it's over and done.

"S-status r-report," the girl transmits to either unit. "The Bolinoak Sammahn is still operating efficiently. I should be okay--"

An odd feeling comes from the White Devil's Zeta Plus A2. It's a feeling Sarah does not like.

It's aimed not only for her, but--

Where once there was anger in the girl's mind and heart, it seems to instantly wash away, a feeling easily read by anyone on the field around her. Within the cockpit of her Bolinoak, young Zabiarov's tension lets loose, a breathy sigh sliding past her lips as she lets her hands loosen on the controls. This is it--the Zeta Plus is going to retaliate, as expected. Her sensors are going wild, as the particle cannon of the unit swells, the glowing a sharp, piercing red.

"M-Master Paptimus," the girl transmits on open communication. "Forgive me, I lied--"

That's when the Bolinoak begins to move with shocking speed for a unit of its size. Blazing across the sky as a crimson light shines through the air and begins to sweep through the sky, the green and black unit lifts its shield and hurries toward the monstrous The O. Crimson energy lances through the other leg of the Bolinoak Sammahn, severing it and leaving a smoking, sparking mess. But the girl doesn't give up her pursuit. Instead...the Bolinoak uses its bulk to take the entirety of the Zeta Plus' cannon assault.

"You cannot understand Master Paptimus' wisdom," she transmits with surprising calm to the Zeta Plus' pilot. "He will forge a new future of peace for all humankind, free them of gravity's choking hold. His future is grand. I refuse...to let someone like you TAKE the FROM ME!"

The blast hits the Bolinoak with intense fury, the unit rocking viciously before it's consumed in a furious plume of smoke and fire.

Then, slowly, it begins to fall from the sky toward the ocean below.

<Radio: B - Secure> Sergei Smirnov transmits, "'Strategic retreat,' if your pride requires reinforcement." <Radio: B - Secure> David Churchill transmits, "No, that...it's fine. I...i'll pull back at once." <Radio: B - Secure> Soma Peries transmits a sudden choking sound. "Fall back? Colonel?"

COMBAT: David Churchill has struck a solid critical hit on Akira Tadokoro's Buriki-Daioh using GN Beam Rifle Maneuver.

<Radio: B - Secure> Sergei Smirnov transmits, "Your life is more valuable than one skirmish, Lieutenant Peries. Fall back. That is an order."

The Gundam X lands from it's maneuver and watches the Dagger fall, before scanning the battlefield. That was only one unit out of hundreds participating. he needs to get moving to the next troublespot... and he thinks he's found it in a little bundle of hatred known as David, who is being a little more bloodthirsty than usual. "Head back to the Freedan Mac, I'll see what I can do here." The beam rifle snaps up to draw a bead on the GN-X, before spewing crimson fire.

The Rick Dias, even on its Dodai, just isn't as maneuverable in the atmosphere as the Zeta Plus A2 or the flight mode Guncannon Detector - that's part of why it gets hit by a barrage of beams from the spinning mobile suits. The rest is that the pilot, Lyle Dylandy, really wasn't expecting to have to deal with something like that, and the attack catches him completely offguard. Smoking and emitting sparks, the borrowed Rick Dias barely manages to stay on the damaged, barely-flying Dodai, one of the mobile suit's legs simply destroyed now, leaving it in a sort of weird crouch. "Hah... Hah..." Lyle breathes, raggedly, breath fogging up the faceplate of his normal suit helmet, watching as the Bolinoak takes that deadly strike from the Zeta Plus A2, Sarah protecting her leader... Fine then, someone's got to end this. He's got to... Just one shot...! Dropping the beam pistols to the floor of the Dodai, Lyle grabs the Rick Dias' bazooka, which is mercifully still intact; sighting carefully, Lyle shuts one green eye and focuses himself completely on one target. The O. "I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN!!" the Irish sniper bellows as he fires at his seemingly perpetual opponent, the clay round tearing through the air with eerie precision towards the machine Sarah got herself shot down protecting, a vicious shot aimed at a vulnerable spot in Scirocco's armor, a weak point opened by Amuro's earlier attacks...!

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked David Churchill. Shield Buster Rifle added to their queue. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Clay Bazooka Perfect Shot added to their queue. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has struck a glancing hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Clay Bazooka Perfect Shot.

Akira doesn't respond to David's 'encouraging' shouts. He's in pain, so much pain, the stinging, blasting strikes, the constant erratic attacks... He doesn't know if there is a spot on his body that isn't on fire right now. He can't focus, can't see--but Buriki-Daioh continues to pull from him, drawing on the link between the pilot and machine, and he can't do anything but fight on till there's nothing left.

Buriki-Daioh keeps swinging at air, hoping to find spots that contain the GN-X. It's (fittingly) David versus Goliath out there, with the huge super robot doing whatever it can to strike at David. It's fists leave faintly glowing golden trails as the psychokinetic power continues to surge, the Massacre Blade falling back down to the blasted section of the port below as it continues to try and connect with the swift GN-X.

COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has attacked David Churchill. Orichalcum Fists of Battle added to their queue.

<Radio: B - Secure> Soma Peries transmits, "...yes, sir. Second Lieutenant Soma Peries, withdrawing."

Macua Huitl looks at the fallen Dagger, that thing's burning it could make the mess here worse, and if there's ammo left in it? It could cook off while damaged, she notices something prehaps a way to put out the fire on the machine and prevent things from getting worse, she rips a fire hydrant free from the street and directs the water as best she can on the fallen machine and anyt surrounding fires, she'll have to pull back soon though.

The Hero's sword crashes into the Charger, and Heero is already advancing, pulling the Charger ever closer. Step after step, the Charger begins to pull the wakizashi out, to just finish this. Yet, it seems like the tank has something left up it's sleeve.

It's a very good trick, to say the least, as the Schleiman Tank fires the heavy, bladed weapon that Slival had entrusted to Rocket - it's enough to slam against the armoring on the Charger, the heavy plating being ripped off, torn into, multiple interior parts visible from the outside. There are sparks from wires that now are severed, and there are servos that no longer connect to anything.

The Hero sword sticks through the middle of the Charger, but enough, rather useless parts and pieces, protect the engine. Heero glances down through the deteriorating cockpit. The Charger's arms grab the blade, pulling it upwards, before swinging it around, "You ... can have it back..." Before thrusting it straight towards the slime machine.

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Rocket. Heero's sword added to their queue. COMBAT: Akira Tadokoro has missed David Churchill with his Orichalcum Fists of Battle attack. COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a solid hit on David Churchill's GNX-603T GN-X using Shield Buster Rifle. The wrecked Dagger is hosed down pretty readily. The fires are largely muted.

Instead an enormous cloud of steam and smoke rises up, but hey, that's probably pretty normal. Up high, the jet component turns around back into a spiralling descent. As a flying wing, it's able to manevuer fairly well.

COMBAT: Rocket has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a solid hit on Rocket's Schleiman Tank using Heero's sword. COMBAT: Rocket has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger using Vulcan Gun. COMBAT: Knock Out! Heero Yuy's CGR-KMZ Charger unit has become disabled!

So maybe the epic spinning maneuver didn't go so well; there's always tomorrow. But with a grating /civilian/ doctor in his ears, Scirocco finds himself somewhat distracted at preCISELY the time he did not need to be. His attention lifts from the radio just in time to see Amuro coming through with that blast of prototype fire--

And then the Bolinoak soaks up all of the fire, taking a double shot from the legendary Amuro Ray, and Paptimus Scirocco... is left with his mouth slightly agape, watching as the unit he built with his bare hands for Sarah Zabiarov slowly sinks, before plummeting for the ocean.

"Sarah!"

He actually shouts her name. It is perhaps the most emotional even the likes of that double-dog-traitor Amuro Ray have ever heard the man. "How DARE you!" he directs those heated words at Ray, even if the actions were of Zabiarov's own volition.

"And YOU should NEVER have struck my lieutenant! Haven't you killed enough women, AMURO RAAAAAAAY?!" The word stretches, because The O is in flight, surging forward even as the perfect shot from the bazooka goes off, clipping away the majority of the suit's right arm. Only the skeletal frame remains, but it may be enough. It just may be enough.

The gap closes swiftly, far too swiftly, because The O is plummeting like a rock towards the Zeta. The order to retreat has been issued... but this, this just became personal. The O lifts not one, not two, not even three beam sabers.

As two hands emerge from the depths of the unit, it lifts four, all blazing -- until the shattered limb thanks to Lyle Dylandy gives way, and it is only three that come down against Amuro Ray, to bring more of that precious crimson out of the ace pilot's body.

Or maybe he just wanted to beat Sarah into the ocean, he's competitive like that.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Amuro Ray. Triple Beam Sabers added to their queue. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has struck a major hit on Amuro Ray's Zeta Plus A2 using Triple Beam Sabers.

"... Hmph," Sergei grunts out in mild disappointment as those streaming beams are largely evade. "They're organized. It's good to see the White Base's edge still hasn't dulled."

But still, this brings more pressing concerns. Sergei pit much into that assault; his damaged GN-X is open to assault, and it is that assault that Amuro Ray gives him. Eyes snapping to the side, he takes note of the Zeta. It's a slightly different unit, but those movements, and that massive beam being maneuvered so skillfully--

"The White Devil...?!"

Sergei has little time to react. Suddenly shunting /backwards/ on the controls of the GN-X, Sergei once more fires the gatling rifles of the Proto GN Lance, this time in weak, but pinpoint-precision attacks, aiming to disable several of the Zeta Plus' verniers in order to stall it for the briefest of moments. At the same time, that massive PILLAR of energy engulfs the top part of the Jinx; its head is literally blown off, remaining defense rod destroyed, its right arm blown straight off its shoulder--

--but it is still moving.

With skill that defies most concepts of rational thought, the GN-X suddenly /spins/ around the fluid, massive beam that the GCD releases, soaring upwards through the air... before Sergei surveys the battle around them. Heavy losses on both sides -- but --

"It never should be, Kai Shiden," responds Sergei simply. The GN-X crackles, threatening to collapse... but instead, it begins to fall backwards, moving towards The O as it unleashes its fury -- and aiming to slam its remaining hand on the shoulder of the massive PMX machine.

"Admiral!" shouts Sergei. "With all due respect, you are not exempt from an order to retreat! Fall back -- now."

<Radio> Tightbeam from Rain Mikamura says, "Thank you.."

Okay, THAT was certainly not in the script. Any of them. Or any of the fonts, either.

As the Hero's Sword is *thrown back at the Schleiman Tank*, Rocket gapes ... and opens up on the Charger with the Vulcan turrets set up on either side of the Schleiman's cannons.

Somehow, despite the Hero's Sword wreaking utter havoc on the Schleiman's armor ... the fortress-tank survives with some functionality left. Still, Rocket is not going to stick around ...

"You are nothing!" The GN-X is moving /faster/ and /faster/ somehow, despite looking like a complete write-off, rapidly zipping to and fro around the constant assault from the Buriki. "Nothing!" He brings the Beam Saber up, a feral grin on his face. This is how it should go. Vengeance for Vega. For his /comrade/. For justice. "NOTHING!" The arm comes swinging down at the Bur- The arm is blown off at the elbow by the unexpected beam shot. The GN-X darts back instantly from the Buriki, the long-barreled GN Beam Rifle coming up and around, pointing at Garrod. He can take them on! He can take them BOTH ON! And then, a phrase from the radio breaks through to him. The phrase he didn't want to hear, so desperately. 'Fall Back'.

The GN-X just hangs in the air, motionless, as David looks from Garrod's unit to Akira's. He frowns, and starts to feel the tears run. No, it...it's not /fair/. He could do this, he knows he could! He could end this, finally! But orders. Orders are orders. It's for the best, he's sure. He just hisses, the smallest hint of grief audible, "Next time, you son of a bitch. Next time." And with that, the GN-X turns and darts off at full speed, back towards the Federation fleet.

<Radio: B - Secure> David Churchill transmits, "Green Turtle here. ...I could not disable the enemy unit in the available time. Next time."

The Charger is waylaid by vulcan turrets - the weaponry tearing into the Charger as it's thrown. The turrets tear into the armoring, just reaching the power source. Just reaching the remains of what kept the machine running. There isn't any response for the pilot as he slams his arm against the cockpit, Heero gritting his teeth.

"So close.... and now he's going to get away!"

The Charger is inspected for a self-destruct option, and yet, there is none. Even if he was able to overload the generator, it's out of energy anyhow. There's nothing left in this piece of junk! It's tossed between the vulcan shots before collapsing backwards, smoking, the heavily armored machine faltering backwards and crashing against the ground.

Heero undoes the straps in the cockpit, the machine done for, as he begins to get ready for a long swim - and then a longer boat trip on his soon to be brand new stolen Orb Union brand power boat.

He'll even go fishing.

The head cannon sputters out, shooting sparks instead of death rays as its power overloads the A2's circuitry. There's still a long way to go before this is a practical weapon in any way, shape or form. The While Devil looks on, eyes wild, as Sarah Zabiarov leaps in front of a pulsing rod of energy for the second time in as many weeks. "W--" he grunts, reaching out with his good arm. "N--!"

The unit goes down, and Amuro Ray is left feeling conflicted. On the one hand, she is an enemy. On the other hand, she is a person. A person capable of great, deep, powerful devotion. A person like--

EIGHT YEARS AGO

"CHAR!"

"AMURO!"

Amuro Ray, 16 years old, slams his beam saber towards the cockpit of Char's custom Gelgoog. Rage fills his soul. He is deep in the berserker trance which made him such a terrifying enemy for all of Zeon during the War. Almost there. Almost there. Almost there. It repeats in his mind like a mantra. Almost there. This will end it. This will stop the war.

"NO!" cries a fluting voice, full of pain and beauty, a lifetime of scars and wonder imprinted on that single syllable. The Elmeth rises into view like a pregnant moon. And the beam saber... he can't... he can't stop... he...

NOW

"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screams the White Devil, caught up in the past, jolted by the events of the present. "WHY MUST HISTORY REPEAT?! PAPTIMUS! I WON'T FORGIVE YOU!"

Clearly this is his fault, for being so captivating to Sarah Zabiarov. Just as Char Aznable was so captivating to Lalah Sune. He could never compete. He could never win. All he could ever do... was fight. The A2 roars straight into the triple assaul from The O, which rips of the useless left arm and hacks away the right leg, maintaining perfect symmetry with its pilot. The third saber swipes, slashing the head away from the unit's body. The cockpit briefly fills with static, before a grainier picture resolves.

The White Devil doesn't stop. "OOOORRRRRRYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he howls, assaulting The O with everything he has left. He can't even register the rest of the battlefield; he is blinded by rage and pain, seeing only his enemy, seeing only the mistakes of the past played out before him here in the present. What, then, of the future?

COMBAT: Amuro Ray has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Double Beam Cannon added to their queue.

Garrod watches the GN-X bug out after a long pause, then slowly lowers his rifle, "Looks like they're pulling back. Let's head back to the Freedan while we can... no telling when the next attack will come." The Gundam X rises up off the ground and turns back towards the landship.

The Guncannon Detector punches through the spinning formation of GN-Xes, but without Sergei on its nose, cornholed vigorously by beams, as he hoped. Kai looks over his shoulder which makes sense in a panoramic cockpit. "...that's the Wild Bear, alright..." Then, the machine unfolds, and the Guncannon Detector makes a wide, banking turn.

He picks it up - retreat orders Paptimus is ignoring? Good stuff. All that means to Kai is that it's time to drive the point home. "Lemme show ya how to snipe," Kai mumbles to himself, gliding back and hefting his beam rifle. In the cockpit, Kai reaches up, pulling down the prototype aiming scope, an ugly thing that looks about five years out of date, but it does its job. The Dynames has a much better one (it's completely accidental). Kai sweeps The O with his scanners, looking for that point that Lyle was aiming at, the point Amuro opened up. He finds it.

"Beam rifle on maximum power." Kai moves up a lever, and draws in - and holds - a breath. That headache in the back of his head blooms wide as Amuro loses his shit gloriously, and Kai has to fight to keep his vision clear.

He pulls the trigger, dropping one long blue beam that eats half his rifle's battery.

Kai Shiden's Guncannon Detector transforms into its Guncannon Detector mode. COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. The Original Gundam Snipe added to their queue.

"Tch," mutters Lyle, gritting his teeth in irritation. He almost had him, but... Oh crap, there goes the O after the Zeta Plus. "Amuro!" the sniper shouts, though it seems the ace is still okay enough to completely lose his shit - gloriously, indeed - and try to blow Paptimus the hell up. Still holding onto the clay bazooka, Lyle tries to keep his borrowed Rick Dias as upright as he possibly can, taking aim one more time... Even as Kai takes his own careful shot, that powerful beam launching from the Guncannon Detector, Lyle gives the trigger of the clay bazooka a quick double-tap. The borrowed Rick Dias pretty much collapses on the Dodai, but not before launching a pair of clay shells that scatter in mid-air, unloading a storm of projectiles at the O, hoping to tear it right apart along with his Karaba allies.

COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Clay Bazooka Barrage added to their queue.

Macua Huitl sees the fires is delt with, she tries to tie off the pipe, it's still leaking though. She then follows Garrod but is limping back to the Freedan, there isn't much more she can do at this point to help save not get exploded in the city.

Meanwhile the jet component swings low again.

Outside of the steam, some time later, walks the red-skinned, somewhat goggle-eyed Lamia Loveless, her hair even messier than usual. She looks down at the line in the middle of the street and steps closer to it, walking six paces along the double yellow and then sticking her arms up above her head. Inside of her field of view, a counter times down.

It hits 0: she grabs the steel object just within her grasp; and off she goes.

Churchill swears vengeance, swears to finish him off, to finally get him.

Whatever. Akira is not in the mood right now to deal with even more threats like that. The GN-X flies off, and that's all that matters. He sinks towards the ground, Buriki-Daioh settling on the edge of the cove and shutting down at about the same time the pilot falls over in the cockpit and decides not to get back up.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck a major critical hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using The Original Gundam Snipe. COMBAT: Amuro Ray has missed Paptimus Scirocco with his Double Beam Cannon attack. COMBAT: Lyle Dylandy has struck a major critical hit on Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O using Clay Bazooka Barrage. Knock Out! Paptimus Scirocco's PMX-003 The O unit has become disabled!

So as fate would have it, not only does Amuro go spastic and fall into the past, but Scirocco has managed to draw heat from the collective Orb forces for good against evil. Still dangerously intent on rending Amuro limb from limb, it's an unfortunate series of events that lead to neither of the two powerful Newtypes managing to meet each other again on the battlefield.

First, there's that potent snipe shot from Kai, as the blue beam catches The O square in the face. It explodes, rocked backwards, right as Amuro Ray charges by in the Zeta, the beam cannons firing but hitting nothing due to the abrupt change in trajectory.

Amuro pulls clear, which is the perfect storm for Dylandy, the doppelganger of one Lockon Stratos filling the air with clay pigeons or explosive shells, one or the other, whichever is more dramatic. His suit thoroughly rocked, it sparks violently, one of its massive legs exploding, golden armor shaking apart as electricity runs across the frame. It's going to explo--

Oh wait, no, no. No it's not. The sizzling suddenly stops, and it begins plummeting towards the ocean, lifeless.

"Sergei!" Scirocco calls over the radio, in the vain hope that the Wild Bear of Russia will rise up and maul all of these interlopers, like a sensible, god-fearing, hot-blooded pilot would do.

The Wild Bear of Russia watches from within the cockpit of his machine, his expression grim as one after one the forces of Orb pile up on the Man From Jupiter. His eyes narrow, a frown settling across his lips.

"Hrn... this is why no one is exempt from retreat orders."

As The O begins to plummet, the Advanced GN-X acts. Is it to strike down the Orb terrorists? Reap vengeance for Paptimus' fall? No.

It swoops down and, with its remaining hand, grips onto the ruinous head of The O with a strong grip.

"Hrrng--" grunts Smirnov, as he lifts the machine upwards. And, GN-T vernier activating full-force with a spray of thick, crimson particles, the GN-X begins to retreat from the area, with The O in tow, simultaneously radioing in an order to retrieve Sarah's Bolinoak from the ocean.

"You yelled impressively enough," comments Sergei Smirnov to the downed Paptimus. "But yelling won't take down three ace pilots, Admiral."

COMBAT: Sergei Smirnov has retreated from the area, leaving himself open to Sergei Smirnov, a steamroller, Paptimus Scirocco, Amuro Ray, Heero Yuy, Kai Shiden, Zombie Dance Routine, Lyle Dylandy, Rockwell Torrey, David Churchill, Akira Tadokoro, Dr. Wily, a brick, Macua Huitl, Bastion, Rocket, Lamia Loveless, interrupting cow, the Evil Empire (AKA the Yankees), Sarah Zabiarov, Cthulu, and transdimensional assault.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" screams Amuro Ray. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he continues, eloquently. The beam cannons fire and fire and fire, and when those stop he fires the head vulcans until the ammo is all used up. And then he just keeps screaming, blood dripping from every surface as he watches The O fall, then escape. "/AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH/!" he concludes.

This done, the A2 kind of hangs in the air for a while, smoking and sparking, fires exploding out of its many wounds. Inside, the White Devil's eyes lose their wildness, shrink, and then close.

He slumps over the controls, out like a light. The A2 plummets, but the pilot inside is so far beyond caring that he may as well be Mickey Rooney.

Kai Shiden keeps the beam rifle tracked on Sergei for a long moment. It would be an easy shot right now, at the speed the GN-X is hobbled at, carrying away the enormous O. The Enormous The O? Whichever. Just before Amuro starts to fall, so that the motion has some dramatic import, he lowers the rifle, watching him go.

Amuro starts to fall, and the artillery machine moves fast, compressing into jet mode just in time to fly under Amuro, catching the Zeta+ A2 on top of it. Kai bangs his head on a monitor with the force of the connection, but is wearing his helmet. Maybe he'll start doing that more often. "Gotcha, you crazy son of a bitch... Beltorchika's gonna yell at me for letting you do that for hours."

And then walk away, swaying her hips in that way she does when she's really mad. Poor, tormented Kai.

"How'd you hold up, Lyle? All told, the GCD is in... not that bad of a shape compared to the last few times he's sortied. It's kind of a miracle.