2008-12-09 - Hunt for the Red October Finale

The pilots and sailors of the EFA's Pacific Fleet have been sleeping in shifts of four hours for the past two days, but no one has really enjoyed what little sleep they've gotten. The newer soldiers couldn't sleep at first, the sound of explosions both distant and close is a harrowing thing and both the Orb Union and the EFA have been running near constant back and forth raids to keep the other side from growing complacent. Everything has been building up until this morning. The EFA's fleet fell silent several hours ago. Uncertain of what to make of it, the Orb Union ceased their aggressive operations in preperation of another massed assault.

The island is still ringed by the fleet's cruisers and destroyers, but still they hold back. The order has gone out, all Mobile Suits launch. Hang back and defend the battleships. The pilots are weary, but they can feel it. This will be the last day. This will be the end of this battle.

A lone 'Eye-zack', a blue painted hizack varient is the only thing to launch from Over The Rainbow. Totally unarmed, an Eyezack is distinguished by the large sensor radome trailing behind its head. But more importantly, in that Mobile Suit's right hand is a small flag. A white flag. Standing on Over The Rainbow's flight deck, Lavi St. James uses the Eyezack as a relay to cut through the Minovsky scrambling to send a message out to the enemy. The Eyezack pilot sets his speakers to full volume, and Lavi's voice rings out over the island.

"Tuatha da Danaan. You've fought bravely and well. But this battle is only a matter of time, our numbers will eventually prevail. So I am giving you one chance... stand down and surrender! This is not a battle you can win, if you disarm now, no one else has to die. We'll give you five minutes to think it over." As if to punctuate their point, the naval guns of the battleships begin to turn towards the island's western end. It's clear that the EFA doesn't intend to waste any more Mobile Suits taking that island.

In the night, the Orb camp has clustered tighter. The EFA couldn't target the ship precisely enough to bombard it with the ships they had, not while the combination of the Danaan's ECS masts and Minvosky interference, with the occasional GN particle spray as well, have effectively completely baffled their sensors. Orb has used that opportunity: under cover of darkness, Orb technicians brought in some particular parts via a submarine provided courtesy of the Da Han Zhong army. As day broke, it became obvious that Orb had done something unexpected: They were bolting what appeared to be enormous boxy protrusions to the side of the Danaan. Their purpose was non-obvious, but the EFA wouldn't be in position to open fire for another several hours. But what could the Orb submarine do at this point? Soon the whole island would be little more than glass under the sea, and even if the Danaan somehow gets off the island, they'll just bombard the whole beach with torpedos. At that point, their plans wouldn't amount to much. And with this much of Orb's strength dedicated to protecting the de Danaan, victory here could potentially end the threat of a united Orb Union entirely.

But Teletha Testarossa is a canny enemy - quite possibly the best submarine warfare expert on the planet, and assisted by the other genius tacticians of the Orb Union...no, to say that this battle is over, to assume that victory is already won, would be a mistake.

Tessa slept fitfully, when she slept at all. She had to oversee the connections of the new machinery personally, designed the connections herself, had to reprogram Dana to accept the new equipment...it's been a busy twenty-four hours. But now the time has come. The Captain steps onto the bridge of the Tuatha de Danaan, settling into the captain's chair once again, eyes closing quietly while she ponders. "Dana, please give me a report," she calls.

The main screen shifts, the word DANA appearing, boxed, in the center, and the ship's AI says, in a gentle, feminine voice, "Yes, Captain. Integration of the new equipment is complete. Your new drivers are functioning. We are ready to begin at any time. Your initial estimates show that they will be in position to bombard the island in ten minutes. Given sensor readings, I am moving the time table up to two."

Tessa leans her head back against the headrest of the chair. "We lost eight minutes? I'm losing my touch," she murmurs. "Alright." She taps her communications button, and sends the word: "Attention all pilots. The final operation will begin in one minute. Your orders are to break through the EFA lines in the direction of the de Danaan's escape, no matter what you have to do. All of you...thank you for your help in the last few days. I want all of you to come back alive. Good hunting."

She closes the line, and allows herself one final sigh. And as she does so, the EFA's surrender wagon rolls up, and Teletha Testarossa hears Lavi St. James' request. "Put me through," she says, glancing over toward the communications station. She doesn't even wait - her plan is reaching fruition.

"Earth Federation Alliance pilots...this is the Captain of the Tuatha de Danaan. I thank you for your generosity. I hadn't expected it. However, if you sincerely believe that you have already seized victory, then I am afraid you have sorely underestimated these people. We will be getting out of here. We desire no more bloodshed but to return home, but we will never surrender. Whether we leave over the bodies of your comrades or through calm seas, I leave up to you."

Thirty seconds remain until the operation begins, she thinks.

Russel Bagman is resting in his Gespenst, he's already been praying for a miracle here, the EFA is making attempt to give Orb an out. A chance to surrender rather than have this end in carnage. He listens to the tacnet his eyes closed as he prays waiting for word on if the attempt to offer surrender is taken by the Orb ship Captain. Will they take it or will they throw the lives of their troops away out of stubborness? He waits, knowing it all comes down to the next few moments. Russel can only wait and pray at this point.

Lan Xiao Hua left on a helicopter almost as soon as the last battle ended. Flying on the helicopter - or more accurately being flown on the helicopter, because she is high enough rank to have a soldier ferry her around - is the only solid sleep she has had in two days.

Lan came back in through the water. There is, if the Eyezack can see that far, a long furrow of sand near the Tuatha de Danaan and some other plowed-up sections, as if something equally large pulled up alongside it - maybe a very large mobile armour - and then left. Whatever it is is no longer there, anyway, and came in under cover of darkness and submerged.

Lan is currently on what came and went, the Da Han Zhong submarine. It has dived so far that it is actually resting on the bottom of the sea, something that its bottom-reinforced hull is built to do, and is perhaps a mile out from the island. It does not move and comes up on sonar as a very large rock. She brought a few reinforcements, but it's the technical staff on it that made the most difference. Their job is done now. She wants to make sure they get out safely.

"All pilots prepare for submerged launch," Lan says, over in-vehicle radio. This mostly consists of her and perhaps two or three other people.

The Godannar Twn Drive stands on the deck of the ship transporting it, crossing its arms as it stares into oncoming battle. While the events of the day before last still tugged at his heartstrings, Goh was determined to sink that damn submarine. It didn't matter if that pilot he fought the day before was here again, he had his duties to his comrades and to his ideals. The red super robot just kinda hangs there for now, the firey mane of plasma discharge wrapping around it likea scarf as the twin drives idled in anticipation.

"This is Goh Saruwatari. You guys ready for this?" The large man stretches, prepairing to fight whatever came his way. He looks down at Anna who is looking more visibly unsure of all of this. He shoots her a reassuring smile before looking back to scene dead ahead. This was it.

Marie had been doing what she could to help keep the TDD from exploding. She doesn't think it was enough.

The GM Custom that was handily dropped off by the Argama on a high-orbit pass was just as handily destroyed by stray MST fire the previous evening. This has left her with exactly one resort, namely the proof-of-concept model she had cobbled together and was taking back to the Orb Union for more proper testing.

The three-legged mech sits on the edge of a patch of jungle, overlooking the sea and the distant fleet. The outer reaches have been draped in camouflage netting, and the engines are at a low idle, ready but not radiating strongly. Inside of the relatively roomy cabin, Marie is sweating. At least, she tells herself for the thirty-seventh time, you're not underwater. If it gets really bad... the world isn't trying to kill you.

Camille Bidan was part of the repair work, but he's had nothing to do but sit and wait -- so that's what he's done, seated in the cockpit of the Zeta Gundam, flat on the deck of the Tuatha de Danaan, waiting to try very hard not to die very much. It's where he's sitting now, his hands folded between his knees, staring up at the roof of the de Danaan's launch bay, waiting.

Exhale. Inhale. Okay... Camille can feel it. The electric pulse of the battle rearing its head -- he's buckling on his helmet even before word starts to spread that the operation is about to commence. In, out. In, out. Breathe.

Off in the distance, about 90 degrees away from the midpoint of the EFA and Orb battle lines, a single mobile suit flies into view... returning on the same course it left by yesterday. A white and gold M1A Astray, which looks to be in decent condition aside from modest damage to the left arm and one of its hips. It's coasting at a low speed, keeping its distance from both sides; the EFA are enemies by affiliation, and most of the Orb pilots understandably threw a fit when the Astray fled the area yesterday. So for now, Alia seems to be observing. The Astray has its rifle in hand, but isn't aiming at anyone at this point. It's just hovering, trying to keep out of weapons range as its pilot watches.

Celestial Being apparently finds the Tuatha de Danaan to be important; they sent one of their Meisters to assist in the battle. There were technical difficulties that had prevented him from coming -- but after a system workthrough, it should be fine.

Kyrios is nowhere to be seen if Alia happened to be in the area; rather, it is underneath the waves, GN drive humming in low idle mode. It is positioned on top of a relatively smooth underwater cliff, a prime launching pad.

"Sentimentality is never a good reason to make futile gestures." Major Ingram Prisken of the Earth Federation Alliance stands near the captain's seat of one of the Federation ships as Lavi St. James approaches the enemy. His expression is grim, arms folded over his chest; he observes the exchange with expectant eyes, as if simply anticipating the inevitable response. The voice of Teletha Testarossa breaks through, and a wry smirk scrawls across his features. "Not even an attempt to buy time," Prisken observes thoughtfully. "They must already have a plan." The captain of the naval ship looks up questioningly at Ingram, but finds no further explanation; Ingram has none to offer. Instead, he turns sharply, waving a hand crisply through the air. "Prepare the PTX-005. I want to be ready to deploy within the next five minutes." "Sir!" the captain salutes as Ingram strolls off. Slipping a hand into his pocket, he narrows his eyes. "Just what do they have up their sleeve, I wonder...?"

Two hours ago aboard the Trailer Landship Freedan, just before dawn... In the darkened hallways of the ship, Garrod creeps towards the hanger in silence, easily making his way past the few crew members who are up at this time of day. In his hand is gripped the G-Controller unit for the Gundam X, while in his head he thinks the same thoughts that has gone through his head for the past day, ever since he learned of the plight of the Tuatha... Should he help the people aboard, or leave them to their fate? After all, given how many times he's run afoul of Orb in the past, no one could really blaim him for washing his hands of the lot and continuing on his merry way... but at the same time, it would be unfair to condemn Orb just because of the acts of a few crazies. Sometimes it sucks to be the nice guy. Once inside the empty hanger, Garrod slips over to the hatch control panel and crouches down, popping off the casing and crawliong inside to begin overriding the lock-out. And as if right on cue, a voice pipes up. "I'd though I'd find you here." There's a loud thump from inside as Garrod bashes his head, then wiggles out, "Witz! Uh, this isn't what it looks like! Honest!" "Relax Garrod, I know what you're up to. Now hurry up and get the door open so we can go." Garrod just blinks as Witz makes his way over to the Gundam Airmaster, "Uh, okay..." It doesn't take much longer for the lockouts to get overridden and the hatch to start opening, before Garrod scurries up the service ramp and into the GX. Up on the bridge, Jamil and Sara are alone for various reasons. Jamil because he;s an early riser, and Sara because it was her shift today. Their attention is drawn when the hanger alarm starts beeping, before the GX and Airmaster streak by the window and off into the distance, "Wh-where are they going?" Jamil sits back down in his seat somberly and places his hands in front of his chin, "I figured as much..."

Eek isn't anti-death for obvious reasons. When you die violently, the concept of violent deaths happening to other people isn't so weird to you anymore. Now, Tessa might make a very good ghost and she's sure it would be a lot of fun, but Tessa can't be a commander and be undead. After all, you can't be a klutzy ghost, /really/. You don't have physical legs to trip over things. Tessa would probably just float through things a lot and be very unhappy because of all the headwounds she's avoiding.

They want to blow up the submarine of love!

Well, Ekelia is shifting uneasily in her mech, figuring that she's going to be unleashed to do something violent shortly, because surely Titans wouldn't be reasonable. They're /Titans/, after all.

Alex Rosewater was here because he understood the importance of a the Danaan. His plans, all of them needed a united Orb front, and the loss of this ship would ruin a lot of his future plans. However, Alex Rosewater was not used to combat, he was not used to war. He was a man that grew up with the conforts of a rich and rewarding life of the high life. The inability to sleep, the strain of constant bombardments, it was starting to show on his face. Unlike Teletha, he had retreated to the Big Fau after a while, but he was now awake... Pure determination ran him, he was more important than these insects, and if they could survive, and even thrive, in this enviornment, and he could not...well, it showed a weakness. No, Alex Rosewater was not going to be shown up by mere commoners. As the EFA signal comes, and the response from Teletha, Alex Rosewater smirks. "Regretfully we are at an impasse, it is up to you, EFA, if it will be broken with blood." Even as Alex says this, the controls of the Big Fau decend around him. CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD, YE NOT GUILTY The Big Fau starts moving, standing in defense of the Orb Union ship.

Ali Al-Saachez activates his MS-06F Zaku II unit.

One of those pilots waiting for submerged launch is sitting in his cockpit, waiting. He hadn't been able to aid the Tuatha de Danaan previously. And while it's true that the reason he couldn't was he was doing his duty, it doesn't exactly make him feel better. So when the preparations were made, the pilot had arranged to join the group of reinforcements. His unit was transferred down. He would be able to do something now, at least. That was sure.

His ARM slave moves into position,. "...Uruz-7, ready for launch." Sousuke Sagara confirms, as the white ARM Slave readies itself. They said that more intimidation was needed. They needed big guns. They told him to send in Giant Robo to assist the EFA, and he wouldn't let Giant Robo go in without him.

But Daisaku is quiet. Reserved. Unusually so, even for the serious-minded young boy sitting on the great titan's shoulders. A past conversation nags at him. He hasn't been able to forget it, not for a single moment. But this, this is a life-or-death situation. He has to concentrate, he knows, or more soldiers will die.

More soldiers on both sides.

Cagalli Yula Athha has been coordinating makeshift repairs from the second the EFA retreated last night up until about thirty minutes ago -- her run with the Desert Dawn has taught her a lot about hasty, makeshift repairs, and as such she's been working on exactly that -- smacking armor into place, bolting scrap to cover holes, hastily sealing it against the worst of the elements. Having finished her part just a little early, she joins Camille in the 'waiting to try very hard not to die' crew, sitting in the Strike Rouge's cockpit.

Perhaps the only pleasant surprise on her end is that the Tuatha is not the only thing that acquired a neat present over the last 24 hours, though /her/ present is not nearly as complicated. For whatever reason, someone has decided that the Sword pack coming with one ludicrously long sword is not enough; neatly mounted alongside the first sword is another, of pure silvery metal.

The Princess has already relayed that she is ready to launch; she has been ready for a very long time now.

War. War has changed. The War Economy fuels everything. It's influence spreads through every facet of human life. Private Military Contractors, paid in incredible sums by the Military Industrial Complex, flourish in a world of constantly escalating conflict.

The battle for the Tuatha de Danaan has had reprecussions across the area. Neighboring countries to the Orb Union, both Divine Crusader and Earth Federation aligned, have increased their defenses. In an effort to provide immediate reinforcement, Private Military Contractors are hired to fill in the holes in their flanks. Fear spreads that the violence will expand; should the de Danaan fall, what will the presence of Earth Federation Forces -- and Titan Commanders -- in the area mean for all of their safety. The rumors from space are not easily forgotten.

A mile down the coast of the island, from beneath a small camoflauged canopy in a sand-hued Zaku II, sits a man. His name is Ali Al-Saachez. Field Commander. PMC Trust. He works for the War Economy. He works for War. And business... Business is good.

Calmly, like this was a Sunday Afternoon drive, he stares into the cockpit mounted extended range targeting scope. He sees a visual image of the 'Eyezack', white flag and all, as it settles down and offers its ultimatum to the Orb Union.

"Peace. Heh," Ali says, his finger tightening around the trigger of the Zaku Bazooka Launcher. And with a tremendous shot that echoes across the coastal water, the explosive shell sizzles straight for the Peace Offering -- shot from the Orb Union's own coast -- like a business card from hell.

PMC Trust. Protecting/your/tomorrow!

"They've used up way too many units and people for this..." Shin Kudo says as he stands on the deck of the Asuka II, it may nto be the usper carrier Over the Rainbow, but it's a much more recent generation of small scale assault carriers, and is equiped especially for Variable Fighters. It's also packing a destructive beam cannon of it's own and whatever battroids are stored below decks.

Shin Kudo is, sadly, at the EFA's beck and call. Normally they keep him in case of... less mundane battles, but the brass are getting in a tizzy over this business with the TDD-1, and so as if just to prove to him that he was on a leash, Shin Kudo was shipped down to Earth, to his old carrier and the VF-0 was fitted with it's improvised weapon enhancements, the RAID armor - more comonly known as Angel mode.

Shin climbs up in to the cockpit and fastens himself in as the catapult locks on the forward landing gear. "I don't like this."

Orb /tried/ to save the Macross refugees, but then that ass Alex Rosewater slapped them all in the face. Shin grimeces "This whole war is crap."

As the message is sent out to Orb, Soma Peries sits in the cockpit of her mobile suit. She is calm, despite the tiny doll that dropped down in front of her face as soon as she powered up the suit, courtesy of the captain of the Nadesico. The doll is...tucked somewhere out of the way, rather than thrown out the hatch. The captain -means- well...

When she hears the Orb Union's reply, Soma prepares her Tieren Taozi for launch. "They are brave." Foolish, unless they have a plan, but brave nonetheless. That won't stop her from following her orders, though.

The explosion can be seen from both the shore and from the fleet. The Eyezack pilot never saw it coming.

As bits of the Eyezack fall from the sky, Lavi can only stand there gaping. His brain draws a conclusion based on what looks like just happened. It's the wrong conclusion, but there are few ways a man standing on the deck of one of those ships could interpret such things. But one thing is clear to all present; a man carrying a white flag has just been shot and killed.

"B--BASTARDS!" Lavi roars furiously from the flight deck, echoing the sentiments of many that watch. In his anger, Lavi kicks the inert foot of his Tailypo, producing little more then a metallic reverberation and pain through the steel tipped toes of his boot. He picks up his radio. "GABLE!" He barks into it. "Did they get the new ones down to us yet?" Lavi has to stand there and fume as he recieves his reply. "Good. I'm taking the new one out, then." The Titan turns to the crew chiefs and starts barking orders. "Get this thing off the flight deck! Bring up the one we just got in! THEN FUEL IT, DAMN IT!"

The naval bombardment begins only a minute afterward. The report of the powerful guns of a battleship make the explosion of a Mobile Suit's bazooka seem like nothing. The first volley doesn't hit the island, landing somewhere off in the water. It's just rangefinding the old fashioned way. But they're going to get more accurate. The cannon barrels have barely locked back into place before the gunners have started rushing to reload them. It's going to be a fight. But who will survive?

 Russel Bagman transmits, "... They just...killed?!"

Yesterday, Kai Shiden just got away from it all, patrolling the island constantly.

Today, he's lost himself in work, spending his time investigating with great fervor the people on his list of six names. He made very little progress until something damning turned up - Yan Li Fei was very, very bad at cleaning up his cabin. The sabotage issue has been dealt with - Kai spent the rest of his time trying to help repair the Guncannon Detector, heavily damaged from two days of combat.

But now the time has come, and the GCD remains too damaged to rely on. A sneaky Karaba drop has supplied him with a hastily-camoflauged Gelgoog Jaeger, though the veteran admits to feeling somewhat blind without his amazing sensor suites. He sits in the markedly more cramped cockpit, helmet on, glaring balefully at his empty bottle of headache medicine that he has just finished, when the bazooka shot goes off. He catches it flying out of the corner of his eye, and straightens. That's too far out, nobody should be deployed over there. But there's always the chance it was some overzealous man...

...no, not with the mood permeating the Tuatha de Danaan and the others here. The Gelgoog Jaeger lifts up his BEAM MACHINE GUN?!, and sets off in the direction of the shot. Even without his sensors, it's simple math.

Camille Bidan activates his Waverider unit.

Kazuma Ardygun activates his Air Force Valhawk unit.

"So, Garrod... why are you choosing to help out Orb anyway?" asks Witz on the long flight to the combat zone. On his own, it wouldn't take so long normally, but he has to throttle down to allow the slower GX to keep up. "Orb has good people in it... it's just sort of hard to see them with all the loonies grabbing all the attention, that's all..." "It's that Camille kid, isn't it?" "What? No! Camille is nothing but a jerk! Everytime he opens his mouth, I feel like punching him in the jaw!" Witz rolls his eyes a bit, "Sure sure..." And in the GX's cockpit, Garrod sighs, "... Alright, alright. He may be a prick sometimes, but I understand where he's coming from, and a lot of what he says makes sense, even if he does say them in the most infuriating way imaginable..." "Heh... thought so." replies Witz, before a rapid beeping from his concole attracts his attention, "We're hitting Minovsky interference! Looks like we're approaching the combat zone, get ready!"

Well, that's torn it, Lan thinks.

"Launch," is what she says, one short word. She doesn't have time for any more, because she is going up, the entire Wude shaking as it rockets straight up as its hoversystems try to hold it just /above/ the water, not under it. The few other reinforcements are launched moments later.

She crests the surface near where one of the shells from the naval guns lands and is nearly washed under again, but her wide mech is also very stable and manages to stay up. Lan readies her machine gun as she accelerates as fast as she can toward the island.

The Qinghuayu submarine, on the other hand, is moving away as quickly as it can. It is not invisible anymore - rather the opposite, it makes a big disturbance in the water, staying low so that shots fired at it are as likely to hit the ground as the submarine. Lan's original plan was for it to signal that it was unarmed (since it is; the weapons were taken out with the rest of the gear for the Tuatha de Danaan), but there is no purpose now - after that shot, they'll sink it anyway. It relies on speed instead.

Russel Bagman seems his praying wasn't enough, a good man is dead now. So far as most of the EFA knows, killed by Orb while he was under a flag of truce. Damn it, he makes ready to launch. "Get those demo charges loaded!" Russel's got a plan for the sub, if he can get to it. This beach will be Orb's grave now if he can help it. "It's all loaded up Octo-2. Good hunting man, and come back alive." "I plan to, what would LT Tarask going to without me?" oO(Likely horrible things to Tasuku...and get into more trouble)

The Mobile suit moves to the launch deck now of the carrier, it seems that Orb wants a fight? He'll give them one. "Octo-2 prepare for launch your next on the catapult." "Roger that bridge."

The Waverider begins to taxi, slowly. The runway lights flicker on, off, on, off, on, off to Camille in the cockpit. "This is Camille Bidan," he says, over the friendly radio. "I'm ready to launch." Breathe in... breathe out. --Now.

The Waverider shoots clear off the deployment bay, accelerating from nil to absurdity in the stroke of a second, contrails of steam and distorted heat in its wake. Rolling once through the air, the Waverider plots its course: Square into the middle of the battlefield, pouring as much disarray as it can into the opposing fleet. The decimation of the Eyezack doesn't surprise him. Bits are still falling by the time Camille begins to approach. "--Titans... I won't let them take the ship! Do you hear me?!"

Banking so low over the water that it kicks up a rooster-tail of seawater, Camille opens fire: The Waverider's beam cannons already begin raking over the most vulnerable of the attackers.

Alia stares at what appears to be a major breakdown in negotiations; the destruction of the Eyezack was very unexpected. But her Astray continues to stay well away from both the EFA and Orb forces here, even as it spares a quick look to Garrod's entourage coming in. For now, she just keeps the slightly damaged M1A hovering in the air, still observing.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has reset their systems to full.

Someone fired?

This gives Allelujah a strange feeling. Feeling a bit on edge, the supersoldier plants his gloved hands on the controls on either side of him, looking intently through the monitors with a quiet, serious look on his face.

This could end up bad, just like the last two battles he's been; as though reminding himself, the young man flicks his vision over to his reflection in the glass. He stares at himself, narrowing his single eye -- closing it. Already, his sensors are picking up the faint noise of battle; the water is insulating it some, but it's still loud and clear.

His lids flutter open. "Allelujah Haptism, launching."

Water bursts upward in a roaring, churning torrent, heralding with it the figure of Gundam Kyrios, a swath of greenish particles spreading behind it beautifully. It's rapidly rushing into the fray -- opening fire with dual bursts of violetish machinegun fire. It's fast.

The shot streaks out, and Tessa's rhetoric proves for nothing.

"...someone's playing us for the fool this week," she murmurs, quietly. "I'll have to make sure Mister Kalinin gets what he needs to root out the cause, when we're out of this. For now..."

The speakers emit a chime, and Tessa shouts, "Begin operation!"

There is a sudden creak, a deep groan from the entire hull of the Tuatha de Danaan, and then those boxes on its sides...unfurl. They fold out, each box deploying several small tendrils. Several were taken straight off the Qinghuayu itself; others, made from scrap parts, from spare pistons and turbines, from anything they could spare.

...legs. Crab-like legs, slowly pushing the not-quite-reinforced-enough Tuatha de Danaan's hull up, off the beach. And then, they begin to skitter forward - /away/ from the beachfront, inward toward the island center, and then across it, toward the far end of the island - where there are very nearly no EFA ships.

The SUBMARINE is WALKING.

"TDD HQ to all pilots!" Tessa calls out. "It's as I told you - defend the de Danaan once she's in the water, and punch through the EFA line on the far end of the island! The threat from the front won't be much - your mission is to prevent the de Danaan from the Mobile Suits they'll be launching from the rear!"

 Shin Kudo transmits, "...well thats new."

They're shooting already! Marie feels sweat run down her back despite her having cranked up the cabin AC. "Merd," she mutters, even as the new model stands up. The three legs beneath it (two before, one larger behind) whirr as the netting rises, the overall result not terribly dramatic, yet.

The outcropping Marie is situated on shudders with the roar of guns. Marie is confident in its durability, however; she checked the stone herself. When the TDD rises up, two 'arms' rise from the top of the M6 mod., the cloth falling away to reveal red irises. The two swivel about, independently, as Marie answers Tessa. "Covering your ass, Danaan."

Ekelia doesn't really seem to mind violence but would prefer to avoid it. After all, her robot tends to explode around her, and while this cannot be particularly fatal, it is particularly unpleasant. She does not particularly enjoy it, no sir.

"Aw gosh," She says, "Titans shooting at their own mechs again," She figures that's the only group crazy and reckless enough to break down negotiations that were probably going to fail anyway. It's not like the EFA would be reasonable to the OU, she reasons, so only the Titans would do that. Or the DC. Or the Trailers. Or the aliens, beastmen, other Orb Union Members, random psychopaths...

She flies out in The Spectral, flying towards the most intimidating looking robot, figuring she can tank it and if she blows up oh well. But if she can take it out, clearly the EFA is doomed because look at that thing, it looks DEATH ON WHEELS.

"Heeeeeey!" She flies forward, "If you surrender, I won't take out your mobile suit!" She shouts, "But I'm only gonna give you one shot! Better take it! I'm an /ACE PILOT/, you know."

"I EVEN HAVE A HARO!"

Adiane activates her Dai-Gunkai unit.

The order to launch is given, and Sousuke nods. "Uruz-7, Launching."

The Arbalest, while not specifically meant for ocean combat, has been suitably equipped to survive. The white ARM Slave leaves the Qinghauyu at speed, moving to a position to defend the Tuatha. That's the important thing. But making sure the Tuatha gets out is important. As a result, something else activates when the Arbalest does, as it surfaces. The pilot holds position, waiting for a target to present itself. And, at the same time, he waits for one message.

> Lambda Driver online.

Sousuke simply nods, and moves to engage.

Sousuke Sagara activates his ARX-7 Arbalest Lambda unit.

Ali leans back in the Zaku's seat and watches the Hizack explode with a small twinkle of satisfaction to his green eyes. The immediate response of violence from both sides signals that he has done everything he needed to do in order to keep this conflict going. The Orb Union and the Earth Federation will fight until the bloody, brutal, end. Prices for weaponry and supplies will soar. PMC Contracts will blossom throughout the Australian region. The outcome of this battle -- meaningless in the end.

This signal of a mission complete frees Ali Al-Saachez to pursue his second favorite past time: killing pilots in the Orb Union. Sweeping his attention towards the Tuatha, he starts cycling targets when his proximity alarm suddenly beeps. "Hnnh?" he exhales, immediately shifting the Zaku II back a step. It tears through the camoflauge canopy covering it, the tent's spikes tearing from the ground as the Mobile Suit evens itself with Kai Shiden's approach.

"Another one?" he transmits to the pilot, laughing as the Zaku Bazooka reloads with a loud artillery shell-sized clanging. "Come to die ... just like Amuro Ray!?"

The Tieren Taozi is not meant for operating in the water. It also is incapable of atmospheric flight. It is, however, pink. Oh, and it can at least maneuver enough to land properly after being launched from a catapult. That's probably more important.

When she sees the Eyezack go down, Soma is surprised. She knew that the Orb Union were terrorists, but to fire on someone with a white flag... "Unforgivable." Reaching up, she checks the latches on her new helmet, then walks her mobile suit toward the launch catapult. "Second Lieutenant Soma Peries. Tieren Taozi, launching!" The Taozi is launched through the air, its maneuvering thrusters firing in quick bursts to alter its path until it lands heavily on the island.

The Big Fau starts to follow the de Danaan as it starts to scuddle towards the opposite side of the island. Making sure to match it's speed and provide cover with it's massive body. Here would be where the Sub was at it's weakest, especially with it's jury-rigged legs and repairs. So, when in doubt, go into XYBER HUGE mode and stand near something. More often than not things will hit you instead of hitting the giant submarine.

Alex, during the meantime, laughs slightly. He has a new respect for the young captain. However, he keeps his composure over the frequencies, as the Big Fau continues it's retreat.

"Ms. Testarossa, the Big Fau is in position for this. I will buy you all the time you need."

As if the skies weren't already fairly crowded with flight-capable mecha of one sort or another, here comes another one - as luck would have it, from roughly the same direction that Garrod's Gundam arrived, if anyone's paying enough attention to notice such things. The new arrival is sleek and ridiculously fast, has two pilots, and is broadcasting a Trailer IFF code. And that's not all it's broadcasting.

<< Oi, Garrod! This is Kazuma Ardygun of the Valstork Family, your shipmates 'hired' me to make sure you come back in one piece. What the heck are you doing out here, anyway? >>

The Valhawk (in Air Force mode, naturally enough) slows down somewhat as Kazuma and Mihiro take in the situation around them ...

"Um. Oniichan, should we go back?" Mihiro asks warily.

"Don't be silly," Kazuma snorts. "The Freedan wants us to bring Garrod back alive, and if we turn around and fly off with our tail between our legs, that's abandoning the contract. We're here, and we're going to make sure we get back out of here *with* Garrod. Just keep looking for him, and yell if anything starts sneaking up on us." With that said, Kazuma sheds more velocity and shifts the Valhawk into Close Combat form, ready in case he *does* have to engage anyone.

Kazuma Ardygun activates his Close Combat Valhawk unit.

The communications unit is shot down. Daisaku winces, staring; he only stares further when the sub sprouts legs. He doesn't shout his commands when the forces begin to move, merely raising the watch to his face and speaking into it in a level tone.

"Giant Robo. Attack."

Robo roars to life quite literally, its thrusters flaring up as it soars across the waters towards the beach. Its great fists raise back as it seeks out a proper target-and Daisaku points out the noisy Spectral, still uncharacterstically quiet. "Giant Robo. That one, we'll take it down."

Robo roars in compliance, swinging a fist back and throwing a punch at Ekelia's ghostly robot.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. Robo Punch added to their queue.

 Shin Kudo transmits, "Skull-2 to command, should I find that shooter or should I punch Rosewater in his fat chin?"

Garrod tenses up a bit as a voice comes over the com calling his name, <> A sigh follows as Garrod pulls out his buster rifle and makes a beeline for the EFA lines with the intention of punching through and linking up with Camille and his Zeta Gundam, <> Garrod's buster rifle swings around to take aim at the fleet from behind before opening fire. A moment later, the Gundam Airmaster joins in with it's beam machineguns as the twosome blitzes the rearguard and tries to force through.

 The Admiral says, "Our bombardment is having trouble getting through because of that Megaduece, take it out!

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has struck a solid hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using Robo Punch.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has counter attacked for a minor hit on Daisaku Kusama's Giant Robo using Boo!.

The Godannar uncrosses its arms as the Orb units start flying into range. The twin drive system suddenly whirrs to life, spinning quickly within the chest cavity. "This is it, Anna. Even if we face her again today, we gotta keep fighting for everything we believe in." Goh says to his copilot, pulling back on the controls and prepairing to go into action against the opposition. "Alright. Goddannar, Twin Drive, Moving out!"

The red behemoth turns to find a mark to deal with, readying itself for anything. What catches Goh's eye however is the sudden appearance of a Trailer unit. What the...? Here? A freelancer? Damnit.

"Hey buddy, you here on a job?" Goh hails Kazuma's unit, waiting for confirmation. "This is kinda a military operation so I would get out of here unless you're here on business."

The initial explosion that sets off conflict between the EFA and Orb Union goes unnoticed by Ingram Prisken. He is striding calmly towards the Federation ship's docking bay, yanking crimson gloves firmly over his slender hands. He looks upwards towards the dark mobile suit lying just beyond him, expression mild. At sudden reports of a /walking/ submarine, Ingram's eyes shut; he smirks, slowly.

"Let's see what other secrets are in the Toy Box, then."

Roughly two minutes later, as Marie's Puppeteer rises upwards, she might notice a form on the horizon, coming in -- fast. Carried on plumes of bright blue thruster propulsion, the experimental PTX-005 Wildschwein swoops down low, veering a path towards the Tuatha de Danaan -- with Marie directly in its way. A compartment opens up at its right arm, a black hilt falling out into its waiting palm.

Blue energy flares outward and condenses into the sharp edge of a beam sword as the Wildschwein drives straight into Marie's defenses, intent to cleave straight into the Puppeteer's torso without so much as a single word.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has attacked Marie Gosselin. Beam Saber Assault added to their queue.

The words are all the confirmation Kai Shiden needed. He didn't really suspect - there was no reason to - but it makes perfect sense to him. Before closing the comm, he replies, "Ali Al-Saachez," in that distinctive reporter's voice of his. Then, well, closed.

The Gelgoog's free hand snatches beneath its shoulder. You can always expect any machine Kai Shiden is piloting to have its share of extra weapons stowed on it, for that extra edge. This time, it is one of the grenades normally loaded into the GCD's beam rifle, with a small case on it priming it for hand usage. Kai dives back into the forest after throwing, where the camo breaks up his outline.

Inside the cockpit, a thin line draws across Kai's face, and he leans forward slightly, eyes hard. Amuro's burden won't rest easily on his back, until---!

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Ali Al-Saachez. Greetings - You King of War added to their queue.

COMBAT: You have missed Marie Gosselin with your Beam Saber Assault attack.

Alia is quite surprised too... watching a submarine have legs grafted on to let it walk itself out of the situation is certainly a novel solution. But it's apparently not enough to jar her out of her observation, as the most she does to react to this is send the Astray gliding a bit to keep her 90-degree offset from the general battle line. "Funny, I never really thought it'd go this way..." Talking to herself, apparently.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck a major hit on Ali Al-Saachez's MS-06F Zaku II using Greetings - You King of War.

COMBAT: Ali Al-Saachez has missed Kai Shiden with his 120mm Machine Gun counter attack.

The waters have been pretty violent lately. The first time, it was just put off as a large ship. Not worth the effort. But then, the next day, the same occurrence happened. Word got back through the ranks of the scouts all around.

And finally, something equally as large as the Tuatha showed up .. filling the same role as it, as well. Something large and red has been moving in position in the depths of the ocean, noting the downed craft. Only when the waves again move from the battle above, the machines being thrown about, weaponry exploding, blasting, ripping through the air, does it rise.

The Dai-Gunkai's claws and the top of the submarine/lobster hybrid rise first, the long machine popping up onto the top of the water, riding the wave it creates from pulling itself up.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaha! You insects! Did you think you would be able to go unnoticed in my domain?!"

This luck thing is just not on Orb's side. The guns begin to point at the various flying units, cutters raising into the air, the Dai-Gunkai rapidly moving towards the group of EFA and Orb units, mini legs kicking against the waves.

"I'll drown each and every last one of you worthless scum!"

The Strike, like all Gundam designs since the RX-78-2, is designed for all terrain combat -- engaging in sea, air, or land. The Princess is more than willing to meet a sea engagement, without the awkwardness of the Gelgoog or her relative inexperience with atmospheric flight. When the order comes to protect the sub, the Princess's MS launches right alongside the Arbalest.

When the Tuatha de Danaan starts crawling away, the Princess feels a little hope swell in her heart -- and it is quicky quashed by talk of the war economy, of someone potentially using the entire battle as a means to drive the price of war in precisely the direction they wanted it. It makes her sick -- and gets her blood up.

The Strike roots itself in near the front of the group guarding the De Danaan, making herself a very obvious target. She can take it. The Gundam can take it. She and it, after all, both stand for the ability to gain peace in conflict through decisive action.

The naval bombardment slowly works its way up the water. By the time a shell lands close enough to the da Danaan's original position to damage it, the submarine is already moving and gone. The gunners are rapidly confounded by the da Danaan's constantly changing position. Most undercompensate. Some overcompensate. A couple get close, but nothing strikes close enough to be considered a 'clean' hit, pelting the submarine with shrapnel at best. One cannonshell actually strikes the massive Big Fau in the chest... which it simply laughs off.

As Orb's supply and reinforcement transports start taking off in all directions, battleships and mobile suits engage them. It's rarely a 'fair' fight, but part of being the rag-tag band of rebels means having the Empire Strike Back on you. Some make it away, some don't. It's a part of why war is, indeed, hell.

As Lavi's hands run across the controls at his right hand, powering up his Mobile Suit, he takes a moment to appreciate the panoramic cockpit. He can see... /everything/. Perhaps there are some machines other then MSTs that are worth piloting. And if what Yazan told him about this machine are true... well, this may just yet not be such a bad day for the EFA. He tried to be nice. He tried to be reasonable. He almost committed career suicide to give the Orb Union a chance to surrender and this is how they respond? Lavi turns on his comms and gives out one single order.

"Wipe them out. /All/ of them."

The jet-like armor lurches down the runway and leaps into the sky, accelerating to a speed that an MST could never hope to match. Lavi corkscrews it around to test the machine's reaction. He's pleased with the results, the way that a scientist can be pleased at how effective the new rat poison he just developed can be. A Hizack below him explodes... he could /see/ it due to the panoramic cockpit, what a marvel! And then the fighter-like craft changes out of flight mode...

"ZETA GUNDAM!" Lavi roars, decending on Camille with his beam sabre at hand. The five mono-eyes of the evil looking new Mobile Suit glow and focus in on the Zeta as Lavi slashes at it. "WITH THIS NEW MOBILE SUIT... YOU CAN NOT STOP ME!"

Lavi St. James activates his RX-139 Hambrabi unit.

"Hm...!" Eek looks down at Daisaku, ignorant that he didn't get the transmission. IGNORANT. So she keeps on blabbing, thinking he's getting them. "Alright... You want a fight!" She says, as if she didn't want one. "Alright...that's fine with me!" The Spectral lets out a terrible howl even as the punch comes flying forward. The howl proves to not merely be a screeching sound, but one that actually takes a kind of physical nature, almost a telekinetic force pushing at the Giant Robo--trying to push it away! Hard!

The fist strikes The Spectral however, sending it flying backwards as if the Giant Robo just smacked a gnat BUT it also retaliates... in the form of a Ghostly Haro, launched from its cannon, threatening to explode on contact with an ominous, "HARO!"

"Didn't believe I had a Haro did you! Well now you know!" She taunts ppointlessly.

Shin is launched off the Asuka IIs catapult, the QF-2200A drone on his VF-0's back ignites like a rocket booster, send the older VF-0 through the air at speeds that make regular VF-1 pilots a little startled, they had no idea the old thing could move at those kinds of speeds - and hopefully Orb won't have realised that either.

Shin saw both the Eyezack get shot, and the the TDD-1 sprout legs and walk into the island "Well thats new..." he frowns, he gets his orders, he'd like to know just who shot the Eyezack, but theres a megaduce in the way.

Missiles drops from beneath the VF-0's wings, streaking clear across the entire space between the fleet and the Big Frau.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has attacked Camille Bidan. Beam Saber added to their queue.

 Lavi St. James transmits, "Wipe them out."

 Lavi St. James transmits, "/All/ of them."

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. Multi-Purpose Missile added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Daisaku Kusama. The Ghost Of Haro added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a solid critical hit on Daisaku Kusama's Giant Robo using The Ghost Of Haro.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has missed Ekelia Mossberg with his Gatling Guns counter attack.

The green Gespenst launches off the carrier and kicks in its hover systems as he launches across the water, he's closing on the beach again. He's shocked Orb would pull something so underhanded, and he's just going to his job now. Take all the Orb pilots he encounters down. As he closes he picked up what seems to be a Gundam. oO(If that things get after some of our other squads....) He knows what he's got to do, he's got to pull the Gundam away from the battle and keep on him. He'll have to make for the sub after he's done here.

Al would get a warning of a target lock from a Gespenst that's opening fire on him and it's actually managing to track him, trying to place the shots a bit ahead of him.

"Orb Gundam, this is the end of the road for you."

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a solid hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using Multi-Purpose Missile.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has counter attacked for a minor hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Angel Mode using Turbine Punch.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Allelujah Haptism. Mega Beam Rifle added to their queue.

The skies are relatively clear, Marie thinks, before - The radar pings, the dome on the thing's fat back detecting an incoming target. The two arm/eyes turn upwards, spreading outwards as they triangulate automatically. Marie gets a perfect velocity reading of the thing coming down to kill her! That's wonderful.

She manages not to scream as the Puppeteer leaps like a mutant goat off the cliff top, Ingram left with nothing but rock to cut into. Its forelegs hit the slope, hind leg digging in to decelerate as the arm/eyes pivot around, sending beam fire back towards the Wildschwein before it can get too ahead of itself. Ingram would get a better look at the damn thing now; it looks cobbled together, if reasonably well, and there is some kind of fat growth of unclear purpose over the rear part of its bulbous body.

Having shot back, the machine starts scrabbling down the cliff, aiming for the possible safety of the beach.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has attacked Ingram Prisken. Eyestalk Beam added to their queue.

 Russel Bagman transmits, "Engaging unknown Orb Gundam, seems to be a high mobility type."

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has struck you with a solid hit using Eyestalk Beam!

COMBAT: You counter attack Marie Gosselin with a minor hit using Beam Sword.

 Soma Peries transmits, "Be careful. I don't know the name of the unit, but the pilot is dangerous."

 Soma Peries transmits, "And it has transformation capabilities."

 Russel Bagman transmits, "Thanks for the warning, I appicate it."

 Russel Bagman transmits, "I'm going to try to tie it up and keep it out of our main forces."

<< There you are!! >> Kazuma exclaims in relief, and starts moving to intercept the Gundam X ... only to *be* intercepted by the Godannar, or at least by a communication from same, and Kazuma switches channels. << Yeah, I was hired to make sure a friend of mine gets out of here in one piece. And yeah, I kinda noticed there's a fight going on ... you gonna stand in my way if I help my friend out? >>

The Valhawk pivots in mid-air to regard the Godannar; seemingly unimpressed by its size and the blaze of plasma which could be mistaken (if you didn't know venting plasma when you see it) for exceptionally wild and animate hair.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has missed Allelujah Haptism with his Mega Beam Rifle attack.

Those legs the Tuatha is using originally came from the walking submarine class Qinghuayu 1. The Qinghuayu that donated them is currently attempting to escape with its crew of technicians. It is ridiculously well-armoured for a submarine but has no weapons; its survival is likely, although it will make no difference to the fight if it gets away or not.

The Wude rockets over water, shore, and then across the island itself. Lan swerves several times to avoid where she thinks cannon shots will land; they may not hurt the Big Fau appreciably, but they will certainly make a mess of the smaller, more lightly-armoured wanzer if she gets unlucky enough to suffer a direct hit.

Her evasion works well enough; nothing hits her directly, although she is peppered with remnants from a tree at least twice. Lan ignores the damage, which is largely cosmetic. It didn't jam up the hover systems.

And then - beastmen. Lan's lips set in a solid line, and she breaks away slightly, getting a lock on it with her rather weak Yunsheng missiles. It's big. Lan doesn't think she can miss - she fires only one missile in a direct flight path to the Beastman battleship, attempting to distract it with her small, hovering, box-like wanzer.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has attacked Adiane. Yunsheng 34 Missile added to their queue.

The missiles hit, after all, the Big Fau was a large target, and incapable of serious dodging manuvers. However, the missiles do little to actually harm the armor of the Big Fau, causing minor scorch marks, and smoke to slowly waft off the massive machine. However, the Big Fau was not simply going to sit back at let the smaller unit fire missiles at it, and once it gets too close, the massive arms of the Big Fau aim to punch down Shin.

However, the Big Fau continues to back up, keeping in steop with Teletha's Sub...this was simply too important of a target to simply allow them no cover...each step takes it farther from melee range, but two tentacles slowly slide up on it's shouders, each one aiming towards the unit.

The fire, lasers raining down, exploding against anything they touch as the Big Fau attempts cover fire.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Laser Tentacle added to their queue.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has struck a minor critical hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Yunsheng 34 Missile.

COMBAT: Adiane has missed Lan Xiao Hua with her Antiair Missile counter attack.

"Depends on who your friend is, pal. I mean I don't care if you're pulling someone out but I got orders to engage that submarine on legs or anyone affliated with it." Goh responds, eyeing the Valhawk with a skeptical eye. He wasn't sure what to make of the unit. Maybe he just didn't have an eye for those kinda of machines anymore. Maybe he was getting too old for this shit. Goh waits for the Valhawk to respond in some way, trying to figure it out. "Look, just pull your guy out. Otherwise you should get outta here before you get caught up in this stuff."

COMBAT: Adiane has activated a spirit command.

Ali Al-Saachez prefers highly manueverable Mobile Suits. He likes the speed to evade attacks rather than tough through them. Unfortunately, a Zaku II is neither fast nor exceedingly durable. It is a Mass Produced Mario in Mario Kart. It does nothing well but nothing terribly bad, either. And in this case, what it does it eat the explosion of a grenade like a champion.

Kai Shiden's toss is perfect; the grenade detonates at precisely the right moment to blanket the Zaku II in the fireball; a hail of Vulcan Fire whistling above its path. Ali uses the huge blocky shield on the right arm of the Zaku II to swallow most of the impact; the explosion tearing across the sand-colored Mobile Suit with a roar that upchurns the sand on the beach.

The Zaku II takes a step forward, through the swirling cloud of smoke. With a tremendous shift of its right arm, it hurls the charred and broken shield to the side like it was a spent cigarette on a busy city street. It clangs and clatters to the ground while Ali wills the Zaku's right arm forward. Gripping its Zaku Bazooka with both hands, the limited verniers fire to lift the robot into the air.

"Woah woah woah, the reporter?" Ali says, slicing his tongue across his teeth like he was staring at a stripper's bare ass. "Trees. Trees won't save you!" he transmits towards Kai's dropping robot. And at the apogee of his thrusted leap, another Bazooka shell fires, swirling downward towards the island's tree-line to try and clip the Gelgoog before it fades into the brush. And if it fails -- forest fires are good too.

A second burst of vernier thrust drops the Zaku II back through the air. It slams back into the Earth in the shallow depths of the ocean, reloading another Bazooka round. Unbroadcast, Ali squints at his armament readout. "Shit. This robot sucks like a Trinity."

COMBAT: Ali Al-Saachez has attacked Kai Shiden. Zaku Bazooka added to their queue.

The beastmen would be the obvious clear and present danger here. It's almost enough to make you not notice the smaller target that's made Landfall. Sousuke, however, does. The arbalest bursts through the water, heading for land. And the second it htis solid ground, the machine cannon is fired. It could be a warning shot, or it could just be to disable the legs. As it stands, with the man with the white flag shot, they're not going to stand down unelss they're defeated.

So it stands, then, that the Arbalest is going to prevent the ieren from intefering with the escape.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has attacked Soma Peries. 40mm Machine Cannon added to their queue.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has struck a solid hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Angel Mode using Laser Tentacle.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has missed Soma Peries with his 40mm Machine Cannon attack.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has counter attacked for a minor hit on Sousuke Sagara's ARX-7 Arbalest Lambda using 30mm Machine Gun.

The Tuatha de Danaan continues its completely ludicrous escape. Nobody could've expected this. The Qinghuayu Mobile Submarines are a known factor, but to be able to mount one up to a completely different platform, in one night? It's a feat of technical mastery that even the EFA's best would be hard-pressed to match. The Orb Union's technical skill really is scary, sometimes.

The de Danaan continues its march across the island, scuttling through trees and brush. The whole ship is rattling. The legs won't hold it forever, and with the shrapnel from the EFA bombardment...but they're on the far side of the island now. They'll be in the water before the legs give out.

And when the Tuatha de Danaan is in the water, the small fraction of the EFA fleet on that side of the island will have a hard time stopping her escape.

Russel and his Gespenst are fast -- however -- the Kyrios was made for such things.

The Gundam's eyes, blazing blue-green, turn along with its head toward some of the other chaos. This is not good. Allelujah spotted the pink Taozi stomping along land, but what he felt first was that all-too-familiar wave of pressure. He is relieved when that Arm Slave takes over; it means that he can stay away from that pilot.

So he focuses his attention intently on the pursuing Gespenst -- gracefully, the white and orange frame banks and rolls in the air. It flies low in the sky in a fast and tight loop, twisting itself around in an arc and returning fire to it.

The Meister doesn't reply to that.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has attacked Russel Bagman. GN Beam Submachine Gun added to their queue.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has struck a solid hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using GN Beam Submachine Gun.

"... Maneuverable for something so cumbersome," Ingram notes to himself as the edge of his bright blue beam sword carve into nothing more than rock, slicing through hard minerals like little more than paper. "Interesting."

Prisken doesn't even hesitate; pushing hard on the control stick of the Wildschwein, the Personal Trooper lands hard on smooth rock, launching off with a sudden push; thrusters igniting from the bottom of its feet help the process along and speeds up the Wildschwein's forward motion. Even as the Puppeteer leaps backwards, the Wildschwein is already upon it. Its left arm sweeps backward even as the right thrusts forward, stabbing briefly into the strange machine's right arm; beams hit in the same motion, scorching multiple wounds across the Wildschwein's sturdy torso, sheering off a single chunk of dark blue metal. The Wildschwein's left arm swings forward--

--And the barrel of a shotgun is pointed directly at the head of Marie's hodgepodge machine, a single squeeze of the trigger firing off one round of heavy firepower at point-blank range.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has attacked Marie Gosselin. M13 Shotgun Narrow Choke added to their queue.

Shin pulls the VF-0 to the side as he sees the turbine fist incoming, but the shockwave of it's passing tosses the fighter right intot he path of the lasers, which would be bad... but the Angel mode has a lot more armor then a normal VF-0 or VF-1. "Crap, he bare felt that..." Shin doesn't intend to get to upclose melee range, instead he spins up the 35mm gatling cannon, and fires a long burst across the Big Frau's mid section - it's a big target.

Meanwhile, the Asuka II fires it's engines up to full, the small scale aircraft carrier setting sail around the island, it's one of the few ships with the speed to do it.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. GPU-9 Gun Pod added to their queue.

When she sees the Tuatha de Danaan -walk- across the land, Soma pivots her Taozi to point the mobile suit's main gun at one of the legs. She touches the trigger... then suddenly stops. The Taozi skids back along the ground, just barely avoiding the surprise attack. Its torso pivots around, and the machinegun mounted in the torso barks quickly, responding with a burst of its own.

"You won't get away, Orb Union." Soma's voice is cool and calm as her suit lifts its right arm, pointing the bladed cannon toward the Arbalest. "You had your chance." She takes a moment, giving careful aim, then fires a single shot from the smoothbore gun.

Russel Bagman got a warning about the Gundam he's facing from Soma over the comm, prehaps it saves him? Or at least will have him being more careful in how he's fighting against them. He isn't ablle to dodge, the PT doesn't dodge, it takes the shots from the Beam Machine Gun full on and rolls with the the impact of the energy weapon, and comes out a lot less damaged that itr would have been other wise. In the machine's other hand it brings up a pistol like weapon and takes aim. Then fires several big slugs of metal at the speedy gundam! oO(It reminds me of the one that, Lavi, I and Graham took down at Langly. Looks like this guy's a better pilot than him...)

COMBAT: Soma Peries has attacked Sousuke Sagara. 200mm Smoothbore Gun added to their queue.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Allelujah Haptism. G-Revolver added to their queue.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a solid hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using GPU-9 Gun Pod.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has missed Shin Kudo with his Laser Tentacle counter attack.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has struck a major hit on Sousuke Sagara's ARX-7 Arbalest Lambda using 200mm Smoothbore Gun.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: You have missed Marie Gosselin with your M13 Shotgun Narrow Choke attack.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has counter attacked for a minor hit using Rear-Mounted Vulcan!

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has missed Camille Bidan with his Beam Saber attack.

Giant Robo is far too big to evade an exploding Haro. As Daisaku shuts his eyes in preparation for an explosion, it raises a hand, taking the heat for its commander as the explosion dents the machine's palm. It roars faintly as the boy remains standing, the gatling guns it fires off in retaliation hitting only air.

He can't really hear Ekelia's transmissions very well. "Is that...a haro?" He has a Haro, too. From Amuro Ray, who defected to Orb, and then apparently killed.

Wow, is he ever a downer tonight.

A grim look crosses his face as he raises his wrist. "Robo!" This time, he raises his voice, a little closer to his real self. "Robo! That machine! Fire your laser at it!" A hole opens up in Robo's chest, plates sliding to reveal a nozzle that fires off a heavy blast of plasma. Daisaku has to hold onto the machine to keep the knockback from throwing him off.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. Robo Laser added to their queue.

"What the-- this pressure?!" The Waverider reacts with a sudden lurch, drawing away from a stroke of the Hambrabi's beam saber. It banks away and barely manages to avoid plunging into the sea as it banks wide. The Zeta Gundam is cleared for aquatic combat, but... well, there are degrees of impacts. "--Titans! You won't take the ship! I won't let you!" The Waverider picks up speed, coming back in low over the ground, opening fire -- several quick bursts, one, two, three, trying to draw a bead on the Hambrabi.

"It doesn't matter how new your Mobile Suit is! What matters... what matters is that I'm going to save the de Danaan! I'm going to save the Captain, and everyone else! And I won't let you or anybody else stop me! Kisamaaa!"

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has attacked Lavi St. James. Heavy Beam Rifle added to their queue.

The Big Fau takes another impressive shot from the Angel, drilling across it's midsection, there are holes there, however, it is mostly fine. The injuries mostly look superficial, and this only seems to cause the Big Fau to consider the man more of a threat. More shots from the laser tentacles rain down, trying to catch the speedy unit, but not to any avail this time. However, Rosewater continues to play defensive, the laser tentacles retreating, and the shoulder's start to rotate. Instead of the tentacles, two large cannons are now visible, aiming right towards Shin.

Alex remains quiet, his taste for banter seriously stolen by the gravity of the situation. The shoulder cannons fire, releasing a large blast of energy, aiming to hopefully shoot down the annoying insect

. COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Shoulder Beam Cannons added to their queue.

The Puppeteer keeps on trucking. The slice at the thick arm/eye stalk sizzles at the armor, the machine kicking into a cumbersome leap as it moves, weaving as it goes, towards the edge of the shore. The rest of the battle fades out of Marie's immediate apprehension; she hopes for a moment as she sees the capacitor for the main artillery filling up that she doesn't, like, forget about the TDD entirely.

The barrel points directly at the Puppeteer's head. Ingram may have a realization as he draws a bead -- Where IS the machine's head? /It doesn't have one/. However, it certainly does have a body.

The Puppeteer rears back (ahead!) on its two smaller legs, several ports on the rear assembly opening up as the shotgun rounds pass between those forelimbs and hit the sea, horribly murdering several innocent fish. Streaks of stored megaparticles fire backwards at the Wildschwein, at such a close range, too. What is perhaps more intimidating is that rear leg, which whirrs as a piston pulls it in and then slams it backwards, the two eye/arms spreading out to provide a few additional decimal points on the 'kicking Ingram' calculations.

COMBAT: Ali Al-Saachez has struck a glancing hit on Kai Shiden's MS-14Jg Gelgoog Jaeger using Zaku Bazooka.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has missed Ali Al-Saachez with his Head Vulcans counter attack.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has attacked Ingram Prisken. One-Legged Mule Kick added to their queue.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has struck a major hit on Allelujah Haptism's Gundam Kyrios using G-Revolver.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has struck you with a solid hit using One-Legged Mule Kick!

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken's evasion attempt has failed.

The Arbalest is not quite responding how Sousuke would like. The machinegun shots throw off the unit's movement, leaving it open to the smoothbore, with catches the Arbalest solidly. Sousuke frowns. This is far, far from ideal. But this hardly means he's going to stop.

The Arbalest rolls from the shot, grabbing the remnants of a tree felled by the salvos, as it is the closest thing to hand. And it hurls it at the Tieren, hopefully enough to put the pilot off as he moves. The ultimate goal here is to keep them occupied and away from the Tuatha. Once it's over, they can pull out. Still, if he doesn't shape up, he won't be able to hold them here.

>Operating at seventy pecent capacity. The AI chimes in helpfully, much to Sousuke's annoyance. Just keep moving, at the moment, that's the plan.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has attacked Soma Peries. Creative Environmental Use added to their queue.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has missed Ekelia Mossberg with his Robo Laser attack.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has struck a major hit on Lavi St. James's RX-139 Hambrabi using Heavy Beam Rifle.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has counter attacked for a minor hit on Camille Bidan's Waverider using Beam Rifle.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has struck a glancing hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Angel Mode using Shoulder Beam Cannons.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has missed Alex Rosewater with his GPU-9 Gun Pod counter attack.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has missed Soma Peries with his Creative Environmental Use attack.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has missed Sousuke Sagara with her 30mm Machine Gun counter attack.

 Shin Kudo transmits, "Christ, that thing is going to pick me apart little by little."

Allelujah Haptism activates his Gundam Kyrios Gust unit.

Alia remains an observer, still. One who is actively adjusting her course to follow the Danaan's movements, but that's easy given the distance she's at and the low speed the TDD is moving at (for the moment). However, the fight going on does seem to be affecting her some, commenting to herself, "It's like everything just keeps stacking up against them a piece at a time. Maybe today'll be my endgame move after all..."

 Russel Bagman transmits, "We gotta punch through and sink that Sub."

"... Oh man, not again." comments Garrod as without any warning at all, there are suddenly SUBTERRIANIAN GENOCIDAL ALIENS popping up out of the water intent on carnage, "Change in plan Witz! Hit the Beastmen before they rip us /all/ to shreds!" Buster Rifle snaps up to take aim at the massive ship and unleashes a brilliant crimson beam at it's hull, "Hopefully that idiot Camille doesn't get himself killed while we're busy saving everyone's asses."

 Goh Saruwatari transmits, "Damnit. We got a Trailer on the field. I'm trying to get him to get lost if he isn't on a contract."

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

Kai Shiden also likes the quick robots - the difference here being that he's selected a stand-in that fits him quite handily, and more familiar than the Bushnells he usually has had to take out in the past. For example, Bushnells don't have HEAAAAAAAAAAD VULCAAAAAAAAANS.

Kai utilizes these HEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD VULCAAAAAAAAAAAAANS almost instinctively when the bazooka shot comes at him, raking across in a wide arc. The bullets smack into the shot an instant too late, and the Gelgoog is blown back from the explosion - but it could have been a lot worse. Now the machine brings its main weapon to bear, a shorter, generally stunted version of a beam rifle. Kai is heedless of the flames already springing out around the forest as he directs the Gelgoog further in, drawing Ali after him. "Who hired you?" He asks uselessly, making an outside bet that Ali's just crazy enough to blab all about it.

A spray of beam fire follows the question, an accurate cluster focused on the Zaku's chest area.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Ali Al-Saachez. Beam Machine Gun added to their queue.

Lan gets Adiane's attention. The larger sub like machine immediately catching eye of that missile that's launched straight at it. It's not terribly damaging, but it's enough to blast a chunk into the machine. And Adiane isn't happy about the response.. the anti-air missiles going wide, partially from the work of Lan's strike to begin with.

Partially because larger, sub like machines tend to have slightly poor accuracy against hovering wanzers.

Unless they're piloted by plot bosses.

"So you're the one that wants to die first!?" Adiane's voice is pretty loud, and it's almost expected, to a point. The Dai-Gunkai's brief slump due to the missile is replaced by movement, the submarine sliding through the water, using each small leg as a way to get closer.

Speaking of legs, it shoots out of the water towards Lan, a giant battleship..easily missing the target? But the legs begin to flail as it falls back down. But Garrod's shots give it a bit more trouble. Falling downwards, it begins to flail, trying to absorb what shots Garrod has fired.. the Dai-Gunkai already made it's choice to assault this time! "Ghh.. So you want to die too? When I finish picking this gnat's wings off, you're next!"

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a minor hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Shield Buster Rifle.

Kazuma grits his teeth, and makes sure his radio pickup is muted for the moment. "Mihiro, what's Garrod doing?"

"Exchanging fire with EFA forces," Mihiro responds "So's his wingman. I don't think we're going to be able to extract him without a fight."

Kazuma groans quietly, rubbing his forehead, then flicks his radio pickup back on. << I can try and shake some answers loose from him if you want ... but whatever he was thinking when he came here, I dunno how willing he'll be to leave. And he's not just another Trailer, he's a friend's shipmate - I wouldn't leave him out to dry even if I wasn't getting paid to bring him back safely. >> Kazuma mutes his mic again. "Mihiro, try and raise Garrod, get some answers out of him. I want to know what he's doing here and why he's fighting ..."

"It's not the EFA he's fighting any more!" Mihiro exclaims. "Look, down there!"

Kazuma seethes quietly. Why can't a mission go *smoothly* once in a while?! "Hang on tight, Mihiro! And if the big guy targets us, I want to know *before* he shoots!" With that, the Valhawk starts descending at the Dai-Gunkai, trying to nail it foot-first from almost directly above. The Godannar will have to either wait, or join the party.

COMBAT: Adiane has attacked Lan Xiao Hua. Leg Slam added to their queue.

Eek is perfectly willing to repeat and scream a lot, but that's pretty evident already. But she doesn't scream the following: "That robot really packs a punch." She says, "Better play it safe for once, or it'll destroy The Spectral before switching back on her comm once more. "Your robot's really tough, but I don't care if you're the Gundam Fighter from Neo-Egypt, after what you guys did--you could be the Gundam Fighter from Neo Australia! The Kangaroo one! I'd fight you with all my strength!"

She really hopes she doesn't have to fight the Gundam 'Roo.

Nevertheless, she has faith in Tessa's plan, even if she has no idea what it happens to be. She'll fight to the bitter end. It's a lot easier the first time. The Spectral raises its own arms to defend against the laser, but it appears to be particularly lucky this time--the lasers just ripple through the mech, without apparently causing any damage. Doh!

She squints real hard. Is someone actually ... riding the robot?! Well, in death everybody can be friends, she reasons, but he obviously knows what he's doing otherwise he wouldn't be standing on his robot. And so she gets an idea.

She doesn't seem to open fire--but there is a faint 'heat' in the air. There's no direct cause, but The Giant Robo may very well have to deal with a more magical kind of threat--it seems, somehow, the Ghost Pilot is heating up the Giant Robo without touching it--intending to cause not just the giant some trouble, but the pilot as well as the heat gradually becomes hotter, and hotter--and soon may actually cause damage! Too hot to handle!

Allelujah is intent.

Soaring in the skies, particles trailing after it, Kyrios is a wonderful sight to behold -- even as it sweeps past Russel, guns blasting continuously. They pause momentarily while it starts to reorient itself, arm lowering.

Then it changes.

Limbs and head fold in, the strange fins on its body unfurling: it has become a jet. A transformable Gundam? Too distracted by this to sail down to take care of the Beastmen, the Meister is more worried about the Gespenst getting to the scuttling Danaan; suddenly, there's an impact. Allelujah's upper body slams forward as the Kyrios flight mode is slammed by that shot -- smoke belches out from one side of it, tilting it and drifting upward.

Nonetheless, it comes weaving through the air right at -- and past -- the Gespenst, unloading a huger blast.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Daisaku Kusama. Boiling Sensation added to their queue.

COMBAT: Adiane has struck a major hit on Lan Xiao Hua's Wude 3 using Leg Slam.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has counter attacked for a minor hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Mingda 2 Machine Gun.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has attacked Russel Bagman. GN Beam Submachine Gun Blast added to their queue.

There is one problem with taking a close combat unit to something like this -- namely, it gets a little awkward trying to directly affect the tide of battle when the fighting is a little further out than you can readily reach with the slower equipment for your unit. As such, the Princess finds herself taking a very different tack on precisely what she's doing -- namely, she starts shoring up the natural defenses a little where she can.

She opens up a transmission to Camille for just a moment, taking the opportunity to remind him of something that's altogether /absurdly obvious/, as if he needs it. "I guarantee you're a better pilot and the Zeta's a better movable-frame design than /that/ ugly thing," she says to Camille, with what sounds like it might be a smile. "I'd say 'good luck,' but I don't think you'll need it."

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has struck a solid hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using GN Beam Submachine Gun Blast.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Adiane. Drop Stomp added to their queue.

Tenacious, this one is; even at close range, Ingram's shotgun blast simply blasts into the vast ocean just beyond thanks to the Puppeteer's bizarre display of acrobatics. Landing briefly on the sandy earth, Ingram frowns from within his cockpit, gloved fingers wrapping securely around the controls of his personal trooper. Vulcan rounds pepper the Wildschwein, destabilizing it just long enough--

... Just long enough to be on the receiving end of one vicious donkey kick. That pistoning blow crushes into the Wildschwein's armor with the screeching crunch of metal, exterior protect caving inward at the force of the blow. It is strong enough that it quite literally kicks Ingram's Wildschwein straight up into the air.

Thrusters activate just in time before the PT-series machine can hit ground, rocketing it upwards. "... Hn," the Federation Major grunts out thoughtfully, even as the shotgun once more trains on the Puppeteer. It has a variety of weapons -- Ingram can't predict the thing's movements or uses based on design alone. Thus, he maintains distance now, firing off several shotgun blasts at the seemingly makeshift mobile suit, aiming roughly for the machine's legs in an effort to destabilize it.

"Besides--" Camille says, over the radio. "MITHRIL and its allies say 'Good hunting'!"

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has attacked Marie Gosselin. M13 Shotgun added to their queue.

A tree? He's throwing a tree at her? The Taozi pivots again, once more opening fire with its torso machinegun. Though she had intended to shoot the Arbalest, most of the bullets are intercepted by the incoming tree, shattering it to splinters. Well... at least it didn't hit her mobile suit.

The gun arm is lifted again, and Soma tries to track the movement of the Arbalest. She's distracted momentarily, however, by that orange Gundam flying through the air. It isn't much, but it's enough to make her lose the shot she was aiming for. Acting quickly, she skids backwards along the ground, and a small cartridge is fired from the Tieren's torso. As it flies through the air, the cartridge opens up, spreading into a large net of carbon fibers. "Get out of my way!"

Shin sucks breath between clenched teeth and throws the VF-0 into a roll, the blast from the energy cannons blisters paint off the underside, and the remainder of the burst from the GPU-9 goes wide around the Big Frau, but it holds. The Energy converting armor holds, and as a bonus, doesn't cause any electrical feedback through the whole system. "Hell."

Shin hits a control panel and lets the QF-2200A drone attached to his fighter's back have targeting autonomy why he focuses on manuvering... THe limited AI abord the drone decides now is an excellent time for laserings.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has attacked Sousuke Sagara. Carbon Net added to their queue.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. QF-2200A Laser Cannons added to their queue.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has struck a minor hit on Sousuke Sagara's ARX-7 Arbalest Lambda using Carbon Net.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has counter attacked for a minor hit on Soma Peries's MSJ-06 II-SP Tieren Taozi using Anti-Tank Dagger.

Naval shells start hitting the forest, splintering trees and setting fires. It isn't long before the burning trees are sending up tall columns of vision obscuring smoke, making life even more difficult for the fleet's gunners. Some of the bombardment slackens as Orb units begin engaging individual ships, but still, the de Danaan has a rough course ahead of it.

Lavi St. James is no Newtype. The beam rifle round smashes into the chest of his Hambrabi despite his sideways juking to evade... but the machine doesn't explode the way that a Hizack would have. Lavi's brow furrows as he circle-strafes around, spraying with his own beam rifle. "Why, so they can return to kill more innocent soldiers in you 'armed interventions'? I'm not going to let you, you bastard!"

And then the Hambrabi backflips around, diving towards the water. Abruptly, it is in flight mode, acclerating downward before pulling off a ninety degree turn. Lavi laughs as he corkscrews the machine around and flies inches over the water with his back down. "This thing is GREAT!" The Titan exclaims, firing both beam rifles up at the Zeta's underside in a rapid fire volley.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a solid hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using QF-2200A Laser Cannons.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has attacked Camille Bidan. Twin Beam Rifles added to their queue.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck a devastating critical hit on Ali Al-Saachez's MS-06F Zaku II using Beam Machine Gun.

COMBAT: Ali Al-Saachez's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: You have struck Marie Gosselin with a major hit using M13 Shotgun.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has struck a major critical hit on Camille Bidan's Waverider using Twin Beam Rifles.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan's evasion attempt has failed.

Lan Xiao Hua does not flee when Adiane screams at her. The Wude idles, sending up sprays of dirt as Lan holds her ground, bracing her machine gun against her shield as the legs come in.

She fires. Bullets strike home on the underside of the torso as Lan does, but the leg smashes into the Wude; it almost hits the ground, but the hoversystems compensate and keep it more or less upright. Except now with a bright mark down its side where metal was sheared open, but Lan is doing her best to ignore that for now.

"Since you're going to try to kill everybody," Lan says, "that isn't even a threat. It's meaningless. Close your mouth or say something worth listening to." She fires another, longer burst from the machine gun as she starts to slide backwards; she catches sight of Garrod but only offers him a slight nod from the square head of the Wude, distracted with combat.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has attacked Adiane. Mingda Burst added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has missed Daisaku Kusama with her Boiling Sensation attack.

"Not great enough!" Camille says, even as a shot from the Hambrabi's beam rifles send the Waverider spinning -- during the ricochet it transforms, planting both feet in the water and keeping itself aloft with the judicious application of its tail binders. One arm grasps the Zeta's Gundarium shield -- and the other ignites a beam saber, before the entire contraption lurches ahead.

"--Kisama...! If you'd seen 30 Bunch... you wouldn't act so bold!" he cries, before the Zeta rakes its saber across the Hambrabi, cutting up once before the entire Mobile Suit rotates around the thing, trying to add a second strike in the spine--

Camille Bidan activates his Zeta Gundam unit.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has attacked Lavi St. James. Beam Saber Mastery added to their queue.

Damn! The Carbon Net was not something the arbalest was planning on, as a grenade shaped like a throwing knife is hurled at the incoming weapon to hopefully blow it apart, but no such luck. At least it ended up hitting the enemy. Still, this means Sousuke cant' close the distance as he was intending. On the other hand...

The Arbalest's shotcannon drops into it's hands, and, aiming through a gap in the net, he fires a slug at the Tieren, hoping to keep it from going after the Tuatha any further. "I will not allow you to finish your mission."

The Big Fau takes it's large lumbering arms across it's body, defending and trying to take a chunk out of the damage that was heading it's way. Using it's armor to it's full benifit, Alex waits...he is patient, because in the Big Fau you had to be patient. Every fight was like a chess match, and as the Angel flies by once more, the Big Fau moves.

It's hands start to spin, the drill arms coming to life as it attempts to strike out, using it's size and turbines to increase it's speed slightly, aiming to try and drill the Angel down, before delivering a few well placed Drill punches, and a second turbine punch down, attempting to use the momentum to take it backwards, placing it back into defensive position around the Submarine.

That was a bit more agressive than he liked, but the goal was right there...

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has attacked Soma Peries. Shotcannon Slug added to their queue.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Turbine Drill Punch added to their queue.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has struck a major hit on Soma Peries's MSJ-06 II-SP Tieren Taozi using Shotcannon Slug. COMBAT: Soma Peries's evasion attempt has failed.

"Oh shut up you freak! None of us CARE what you have to say anymore, because it's the same damn line you ALWAYS spew! So go choke on a tuna already!" replies Garrod as he charges in, holstering his buster rifle in favor of a more close up and personal approach. Brilliant green blade flashes to life as the GX charges right up to Adiane's vessel and attempts to give it a long, red scar across it's side.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Adiane. Beam Sword added to their queue.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has struck a major hit on Lavi St. James's RX-139 Hambrabi using Beam Saber Mastery.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has missed Camille Bidan with his Beam Saber counter attack.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has missed Shin Kudo with his Turbine Drill Punch attack.

The Godannar waits for a response, idling yet again despite the battle going on around it. Goh growls under his breath, not wanting to leave this guy high and dry but at the same time....Goh looks toward the battle and then Valhawk, frowning. "Damnit."

The pilot waits for Kazuma to come back onto the radio. "I get it but you can't stay out here! This is gonna get ugly fast!"

Anna looks back at Goh. "Goh-chin. We should really just leave them alone."

"But that guy is gonna get hurt if we don't do something!" Goh yells, pulling back on the controls. "Damnit kid...HEY! WHERE THE HELL IS HE GOING?!" The Godannar takes off after the Valhawk. Was Goh going to have to restrain this guy?!

Russel Bagman seems to not be suprised by Allelujah's suit transforming, he was warned. This prevents the half second of suprise it might have given the suddeness of it, but the angel he's at prevents him getting a shot off. It's too fast to avoid, even with a agile unit like a Gespenst, he's not out of the way int tim and he brings up his arms to sheild the main body of the unit from the damage, it's glowing where the last impact was infact smoking. But Russel's not down yet, far from it. He only manages to launch a split missile pod, hopefully one of the missiles might be able to catch the speedy unit! The pod explodes into a dozen missiles which chases after the speedy Gundam!

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Allelujah Haptism. Split Missile added to their queue.

"Agh..." Daisaku can feel that heat, but Giant Robo seems fairly unaffected. It's usually quite hot inside to begin with, running on an old-fashioned nuclear engine. While the pilot's starting to wilt, being an unprotected young boy, the robot itself is functioning just fine, and its enormous camera-eyes seem to be zooming in on Ekelia in particular. It doesn't car about Orb Union or DC, only its master. And it doesn't like things that harm its master.

With a deep growl, it opens up chambers in its chest and shoulders, unleashing waves of missiles aimed at the Spectral.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. Missile Launch added to their queue.

The weapons thus far, at least, are mostly beam weapons plus that goddamn mule kick, which may reassure Ingram. However, as Morganroete financial will tell you, past performance does not indicate future results. It could explode in a minute, or shit out an N2 mine. WHO KNOWS?

Marie does, and it doesn't make her happy. The Puppeteer's weird alien agility has lost its surprise effect; as it pivots around, the shotgun round hits the underbelly like a dozen bricks, the armor plating indenting substantially. Some steam hisses out from a hydraulic connection as it lands, once again, scampering now in the direction of the Tuatha de Danaan's eerie escape, away from the Wildschwein.

An IFF pings on Marie's radar, and she starts to scream into the radio. "Winchester!! Stop hanging out already!! This isn't some kind of a test maneuver, we can't just pull out if it goes to hell!" The Puppeteer's eyestalks pivot around, meanwhile, trying to pin the Wildschwein between a pair of /terrifying lasers/. Yeah. Terrifying.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has attacked Ingram Prisken. Double Eyestalk Beams added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has missed you with her Double Eyestalk Beams attack.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck a minor critical hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Drop Stomp.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a glancing hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Beam Sword.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has struck a solid hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Mingda Burst.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has struck a major hit on Allelujah Haptism's Gundam Kyrios Gust using Split Missile.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Adiane has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has missed Ekelia Mossberg with his Missile Launch attack.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Soma Peries transmits, "This pilot is tenacious.. he won't let me get closer to the submarine."

"Is..." Ekelia asks of herself, "That giant robot growling?" She thinks it over, and realizes it in an instant, "You're no Gundam Fighter! You're Hogarth Hughes, and you're The Iron Giant!"

This doesn't stop her--though the heating sensation comes to a gradual halt as Ekelia sees this is only making the fight harder--instead she decides these people are fond of old fashioned battle and she skirts backwards, drawing out the Maganac Rifle and swooping around the missiles as they fly at her--gunning them down with riflefire. The rifle, mysteriously, seems to shoot little skulls that happen to be on fire rather than normal weapons--but they may give Giant Robo some trouble because after 'skulling' down the missiles, they continue on to the Giant Robo, detonating on impact in bursts of magical power!

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Daisaku Kusama. Skullomania added to their queue.

It's a busy day for the Beastman battleship. The Valhawk suddenly descends as the Dai-Gunkai rises again from the water, aiming to slam against the main body of the machine. The strike is effective, but the damage done to the Dai-Gunkai is enough to send sparks through the battleship. "AAAHAHAHA! Just send more of your worthless HUMAN WARRIORS! I'll take as many of you have... none of you are leaving here alive!"

She's grossly overestimating herself, and the power of the Dai-Gunkai. But as Garrod Ran rushes in to scar the vessel with his blade, the machine knocks him away before it cuts in, leg knicking him as it swims away, the blade cutting in, but not quite far. "Ghh...."

And then Lan, it's main target, provides a burst from the bullets, smashing the machine with a hail of weaponry, delicate sensory units are disrupted as it fires.. and what's worse, is that they're saying what she has to say is worthless!

"Alright.. If that's how you want it.. maybe you'd like to talk about something else?" It's a niceity for a moment. "BECAUSE IT WON'T MATTER SOON!"

The massive cutters rise, "CUTTERS!" Before swinging, in a wide arc, attempting to catch and rip apart ANY of the three who get in her way!

"If you think .. you can really equal a God General of the Spiral Empire.. then you humans are crazier than I've thought already!"

COMBAT: Adiane has attacked Garrod Ran, Kazuma Ardygun, and Lan Xiao Hua. Cutter added to their queue.

Shin has no plans to go 'slow' when near the Big Frau, far from it. The throttle on all three engines opens up all the way as the vector thrust engines all turn to point upwards, sending the fight sailing straight into the sky with a sonic boom audible clear across the Island.

The Zero rises up into the air, and flips out it's legs to reverse thrust as it turns over, nearly squashing Shin from G forces into his seat, but the fighter craft comes back down at the island. Box shapped missile launchers under it's wingsdisgourging flights of minimissiles that turn and twist through the air in dizzying patterns.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has activated a spirit command.

Beam Machine Guns. Is there anything technology cannot do?

The sand-colored Zaku II's chest is enervated by slicing, rapid-fire, Beam Bullets. The unique particle splashes into the robot's body, tearing chunks of armor off it with sizzling hisses during the impact. Red alarms blare like Metallica in the cockpit of the Mobile Suit; Ali trying desperately to keep the robot from completely falling apart around him. The best he can do it keep it from tipping /into/ the water, which could be bad considering the puncture wounds to the armor on the chest. But the mixture of Beam Friction, sizzling armor, and aquatics creates a column of steam around the Mobile Suit.

"Fucking Orb Union," Ali spits, banging his fist against the console of the Zaku II. He had to take out this relic in order to get into the Orb Union territory for hi shot. He would have preferred his Enact, but it is too conspicuous after taking out Amuro Ray. He's a victim of his own notoriety. But, he's not going to go down to some part-time Mobile Suit pilot. Not to some guy who gave up a business in /war/ for a business in /writing/. "He's making this hard. But that's how it /should/ be!"

The Zaku II plows forward through the mist of beam machine gun steam and back onto the island. As it moves, it sheds its Zaku Bazooka, the huge weapon falling off its shoulder to be forgotten against the coastline. Leaping off the edge of the sandbank and towards the forest beyond the beach, the Zaku skates through the air. "Does it matter?" he transmits in sharp reply to the investigator's question.

With a hiss, the Zaku's Heat Hawk launches out of its waste-mounted holster and crackles to life in the grip of its waiting left hand. Verniers fire, a swirl of golden energy snaking off the back of the Mobile Suit as its ultracompact fusion reactor hits the red and sends Ali Al-Saachez barreling forward into the trees.

The Zaku hits the ground running, smashing through branches and smaller conifers to come pouncing at the Gelgoog like a Tyrannosaurus through the woods of Jurassic Park. "Kai Shiden!" he yells, swinging the Heat Hawk in an impressive stroke across the Gelgoog's path -- hoping the ferocity of his charge will catch the meticulous pilot off guard. "This is war, you son of a bitch!!"

COMBAT: Ali Al-Saachez has attacked Kai Shiden. Heat Hawk added to their queue.

COMBAT: Adiane has missed Garrod Ran with her Cutter attack.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. Mini-Itano Circus added to their queue.

Allelujah Haptism activates his Gundam Kyrios unit.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a glancing hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using Mini-Itano Circus.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a minor hit on Daisaku Kusama's Giant Robo using Skullomania.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has counter attacked for a minor hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using Robo Punch.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Adiane has missed Lan Xiao Hua with her Cutter attack.

Alia is listening. When Marie gives her a rather interesting earful to think about, it's enough to jar her into some responses over Orb radio. They're a bit cryptic, but they're followed by the white and gold Astray taking action. "Well... here's my endgame move." She aims toward one of the Federation mobile suits protecting the fleet, and lashes out with a beam sniper shot; a single red ray to take one of them out. That on its own is a pretty token gesture strategically, but it does herald Alia charging toward the battle.

COMBAT: Adiane has missed Kazuma Ardygun with her Cutter attack.

"Son of a bitch!" Lavi spits as the Zeta Gundam comes right at him through the hot death spewing from his rifles. He makes a mistake, putting them away instead of just dropping them into the ocean. The sabre cuts deeply into the left half of the machine as Lavi pivots around. His right arm beam saber pops out of the wrist storage container in time to block Camille's second stroke that surely would have killed him. The two units spin around each other, blades locked only inches above the water, both pushing forward and neither willing to back down.

"If you'd seen the results of your warmongering and interventions, then you wouldn't act so righteous! Can you look into the eyes of the wives of the men you killed? Can you tell their children why daddy had to die because someone else did something you didn't agree with?!"

Camille's hyperawareness gives him a half a second of warning before Lavi's second beam saber comes out of it's compartment and uppercuts at Camille before the Hambrabi shoots upwards once again. But it's a short hop as the Hambrabi comes down, foot first at the Gundam to kick him down into the water... but why?!

"Now witness the true power of the Hambrabi... SEA SERPENT ATTACK!"

A monster does not rise up from the depths to assault the Zeta Gundam. Instead, a wrist mounted launcher shoots a grappling hook and wire at the enemy machine. It's a derivation of the old Zeon 'Heat Rod'... as is evident when it delivers a powerful electric shock down it's wire!

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has attacked Camille Bidan. Sea Serpent added to their queue.

The Gx wobbles as it's shoved aside roughly, attack run aborted before he has a chance to do signifigant damage, "Tch, damn, that didn't work out too well. It's just to bloody big." The beam sword shuts off as it's reholstered, and the buster rifle is once more whipped out as the GX climbs for altitute, "Let's blitz her Witz!" "Okay!" And then suddenly both the GX and the Gundam Airmaster dives towards the Dai-Gunkai, buster rifle and beam machine guns raining down a flurry of energy as they strafe over it's hull.

First, the knife embeds into one of the shoulder plates of the Taozi. Then it, much to Soma's surprise, explodes. Grenade knife? Who uses exploding knives anyway? Still, there isn't much damage. She decides to leave the Arbalest there, while it's tied up, and pushes her mobile suit to skim forward toward the walking sub.

Only, her progress is stopped as a large shell slams into the Taozi's side, rocking it back a short distance. "You won't leave me alone until you're unable to move, will you?" The Taozi's right arm lifts up, pointing toward the netted Arbalest, and it begins to accelerate. Several shots are fired in rapid succession as it moves in a wide arc around the Arm Slave, keeping a measured distance away. Maybe she can maneuver toward the Tuatha even in the middle of this firefight.

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

The majority of the split missiles explode in the sky, puffing out in plumes of smoke behind the barrel-rolling Gundam-sized jet; it banks again, twisting to one side. Unfortunately, he did not lose /all/ of them: a few of them patter violently against the fragile hull, blotting the skies dark with the resulting mini-explosions.

Out of the darkness, the normal Kyrios bursts out, a pair of sabers ignited in the Gundam's hands: Allelujah normally does not rely on blades like this, but given how harsh the situation is getting he can probably get away with a quick blitz.

And it is quick -- he is gone in only less than a second on the other side of the Gespenst.

He cannot let it get closer.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has attacked Sousuke Sagara. Smoothbore Gun Rapid Fire added to their queue.

Extensive scanners go off within the Wildschwein; Ingram continues to hold his distance from the Puppeteer and its pilot, buying time to allow the data to process itself through the relevant terminals. The shotgun blasts ring loudly through the air as Ingram stares placidly on at the screens that pop up across his expansive terminal.

And he smiles.

Without a moment lost, Ingram pushes the main thrusters of the Wildschwein to full throttle. The dark blue machine LAUNCHES downward through the air just as Marie starts to pipe up on the radio, once more rapidly closing the distance between itself and the strange machine. Once more that bright blue beam sword is ripped free, as the PTX-005 weaves through the /TERRIFYING LASERS/ with a fluid twist of the machine through the air, /just/ beyond the beams.

"You are leaving yourself open," Ingram notes calmly as the edge of the beam sword carves downward to slice through the torso of the Puppeteer. In the same motion, suddenly /jerk/ the weapon upwards, intent on cleaving off one of those eyestalks.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has attacked Marie Gosselin. Beam Saber Mastery added to their queue.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has attacked Russel Bagman. Double Beam Saber added to their queue.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has struck a major hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using Double Beam Saber.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has counter attacked for a minor hit on Allelujah Haptism's Gundam Kyrios using Plasma Stakes.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has struck a major critical hit on Sousuke Sagara's ARX-7 Arbalest Lambda using Smoothbore Gun Rapid Fire.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Soma Peries's MSJ-06 II-SP Tieren Taozi using 12.7mm Chaingun.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ali Al-Saachez has missed Kai Shiden with his Heat Hawk attack.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has counter attacked for a minor hit on Ali Al-Saachez's MS-06F Zaku II using Beam Naginata.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a solid hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Rifle Flurry.

The Wude is remarkably fast when Lan isn't holding it still. Her general tactics tend toward the slow and the patient, letting her opponents wear themselves out against her defense.

Today she is using speed, though. She rockets forward, under the cutters, not firing for a few seconds as she makes a particularly fast spinning turn.

She turns so fast, in fact, that she slams her shield at the Dai-Gunkai. The Wude is not the strongest machine in the world, but it should leave a decent dent if it hits.

Alex, honestly, is already planning to fire the Orb Union recruiting teams. Specifically, fire them, from a cannon. However, this is a thought that is quickly replaced by the barrage of Micromissles, the Big Fau's arms up, defending the bulk of the Big from the assault.

This assault, apparently has failed, as it doesn't even looked phased by that particular assault. Instead, the Big Fau calculates...aiming a punch towards the Angel that seems to come just slightly short of the mark...

Short, because the thrusters on the back of the fist start to flare into action, as the massive fist flies forward, aiming to smash into Shin. The Rocket fist's drill would also spin, aiming to cut a path through the heavens, and punch himself an angel out of it.

The rocket fist, however, would find it's way back, because being armless would be a very stupid design.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has attacked Adiane. Shield Attack added to their queue.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Turbine Rocket Punch added to their queue.

A rough course and a time limit; the supports for the legs are already starting to fracture. The de Danaan will not be able to do this forever. But that was the whole idea; it was a risky plan, and Teletha Testarossa's entire career is built on taking insane plans that nobody in their right mind would even consider, and making them not only work, but succeed /fantastically/.

The Danaan keeps on marching. Tessa clutches the armrests of her captain's chair as the end of the tropical jungle creeps up closer, the whole ship shaking under the strain.

Hold together, Dana, she thinks. Just a little longer...Bani and I made you strong enough for this.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has missed Camille Bidan with his Sea Serpent attack.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has missed Adiane with her Shield Attack attack.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has struck a glancing hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Angel Mode using Turbine Rocket Punch.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: You have missed Marie Gosselin with your Beam Saber Mastery attack.

Russel Bagman doesn't roll with the punch this time, even as the Gundam transforms again and closes to melee range, there's no time to roll with a beam saber, Russel counters attacks with the plasma stakes even though they do not have a charge. "Not ... enough I will get through!" The damage is bad there's a gaping rent in the Gespenst which is smoking and sparking from the damage of the hit. However the stakes are glowing now. Russel now attempts to be on the Gundam before it can pull out. The Gespenst leaps at the other mobile weapon and attemps to lash out with the charged melee weapons several times. "JET MAGNUM!"

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Allelujah Haptism. Jet Magnum added to their queue.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has missed Allelujah Haptism with his Jet Magnum attack.

It would appear that Sousuke's opponent is not intent on letting up by any means. The rapidfire riddles the Arbalest, which is knocked free of the net by the blast. And while a shot like that would normally be fatal... It isn't It still hits solidly, but certain bullets.. don't quite seems to make it through. As if theyr'e kncoked away by something. But the Shotcannon goes up again, this time, firing a more spread shot, before Sousuke is on the move again. He can no longer afford to mess around.

Oddly, enough, however, there is a slight green glow on the end of the shotcannon as it fires. Why, whatever could that be?

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has attacked Soma Peries. 57mm "Boxer" Shotcannon added to their queue.

The Zeta Gundam flashes purple -- a threshold passed. Everything about it ramps up like lightning -- speed, acceleration, maneuverability. It weaves around the grappling Sea Serpent wire like dancing in and out of a lasso, twisting and rotating like a top as it completely avoids the stinging bite of the whip. And then it stops, still, over the water, before accelerating... /so fast/!

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO ME ABOUT THEIR DEAD! KISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMA! A colony full of the dead! All for what! All for you! You and the Titans-- you want an answer?! You first!" Camille screams in the cockpit, drawing a bead on the Hambrabi from afar. "Why?!"

"Why'd my mother have to die!? What was the point of that!? What's the point of all of it?! Answer me! Why'd she have to die! For what!? For a machine?!" The entire battlefield burns bright white, and something foul angles to tear the Hambrabi apart.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has struck a major hit on Soma Peries's MSJ-06 II-SP Tieren Taozi using 57mm "Boxer" Shotcannon.

COMBAT: Soma Peries's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has attacked Lavi St. James. Hyper Mega Launcher added to their queue.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. Flying Punch added to their queue.

There is very little that Kazuma finds more satisfying than the Valhawk's vibration as its foot *CRASHES* into an opposing mecha. Such as, in this case, the Dai-Gunkai's upper surface. Although that leads into another satisfaction, as the Valhawk dodges a swinging Cutter and leaps back to alight briefly next to the Gundam X. << Garrod, I'm being paid - or reimbursed - to bring you back intact. So don't go getting shot down by this thing *or* by the EFA, okay? >>

With that message delivered, the Valhawk leaps up at the Dai-Gunkai's bridge tower, drawing the Ray Blade and slashing at the peak of its leap ...

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Adiane. Ray Blade added to their queue.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has struck a devastating critical hit on Lavi St. James's RX-139 Hambrabi using Hyper Mega Launcher.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck a solid hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Ray Blade.

COMBAT: Adiane has activated a spirit command.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Russel Bagman transmits, "! Lavi are you all right sir?"

Freaking drill arms.

Shin banks hard to the side, the fighter gets more armor blistered off of it by the passing shockwave of the turbine arm. "Who the hell /builds/ things like this anyways?"

The VF-0 Speeds past the Big Frau and converts to GERWALK mode as it power slides across the land scape. The Composite Missile/fuel pods underneath it's wings finish rleasing the missiles it started to earlier, almost double the number as before.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has activated a spirit command.

Winchester is finally moving, Marie thinks with some relief. Then the ECM signals start flittering and chirping as the Puppeteer is SCANNED. Ingram may be mildly surprised to learn that it began life as an M6 Bushnell - or more accurately, two of them, plus spares.

The machine reacts in another peculiar way as Marie hopes she fastened the seatbelt; it leaps to the /side/, drunkenly swaying and tucking its 'heads' up into a ball as it tumbles down the beach, legs springing back out after it leaves a deep gash in the wet sand, dashing now upwards, towards somewhat more solid ground.

The back pod irises open. As the Puppeteer builds a little more speed, wanting to put slightly more distance between itself and the Wildschwein, Marie says in her squeaky, french-accented voice, as if it's somehow intimidating, "Well, you - you are going to get RIPPED open!" It kicks up again -

And a searing violet blast streaks outwards towards the Wildschwein, as bright as a secondary gun on a major capital ship, stray water vapor in the air flashing to superheated steam as it comes in contact with the beam weapon's cowling!

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. Itano Circus added to their queue.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a solid hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using Itano Circus.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has attacked Ingram Prisken. Beam Artillery Suite added to their queue.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has missed you with her Beam Artillery Suite attack.

COMBAT: You counter attack Marie Gosselin with a minor hit using Circle Zanber.

Goh is on the tail of Kazuma's unit when he spots the Princess. Was that? She wasn't being targeted? Goh recalls some of the briefing and that unit was definately someone who was well ranking in the Orb Union. At the moment Goh wasn't sure who but...In that moment of contemplation, Goh looses sight of the Valhawk for the moment. "Damnit! We lost them but..." Goh continues to stare at the Princess. What to do? What to do?

The Goddannar lands on the deck of a ship, readying itself to change course. "Okay. If we can't help them! We can atleast help this battle out!" The Goddannar leeps off the deck and flies toward Cagalli's mech as if the song "I Believe I can Fly" was the only thing keeping it in the air. The red mech pulls back its mighty fist and the pilot yells, "BURNING FIST PUNCH!!!"

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has attacked Cagalli Yula Athha. Burning Fist Punch added to their queue.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has struck a major critical hit on Cagalli Yula Athha's Sword Plus Strike Rouge using Burning Fist Punch.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha's evasion attempt has failed.

The GX climbs, as does the Airmaster, as they go to blitz the machine. It, once again, takes a rather defensive stance in this. The machine is just not capable of easily avoiding the smaller weaponry, and aims to survive by just soaking the assaults. The blasts rip into the machine, the Dai-Gunkai being somewhat ripped up by the combined fire of both the Air-master and the GX. It's getting hard to keep swimming. The machine is taking heavy damage. It's not even catching them. And that's the worst part.

"Stand... STILL!"

Lan decides to slam into the machine, the shield lunging at the half-submerged submarine. The tower, perhaps, is it's target. But the flat surface is hit with a wave at it moves, the flat surface of the shield causing the assault to stall half way, the machine having pushed the water in the way in a defensive attempt.

Which puts her out of her mind right now. Lan's forgotten, as the Gx swoops down, and the Valhawk pulls in close. "You two ... This is what you get FOR EVEN TRYING!" The Dai-Gunkai lurches forwards, leaving Lan behind, but the two cutters lunge, one each, towards the GX and the Valhawk, attempting to grasp, clamp down, and rip them apart, before smashing them into each other.

The Valhawk's blade is damaging, more so than expected, but it's weathered worse. And is currently.

COMBAT: Adiane has attacked Garrod Ran and Kazuma Ardygun. Double Cutter added to their queue.

Jet Magnum.

Allelujah has familiarized himself with the techniques of various enemy suits. This one is one of the more well-known ones -- snapping its sabers shut with a hiss and rolling to the side, facing Russel, it flares with that odd green energy.

Call it a supersoldier's intiution.

The world slows down as the green-haired man witnesses the blaze of plasma-laden stakes striking at him: thinking of nothing else, the Gundam sharply twists backward ... floating in the air on its back. It shunts itself downward below the Gespenst.

"Allelujah Haptism, eliminating the target," he states, voice quiet and focused.

Energy pumps upward, shrieking.

COMBAT: Adiane has missed Garrod Ran with her Double Cutter attack.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has attacked Russel Bagman. GN Beam Submachine Gun Focus added to their queue.

"You don't have to tell me."

Kai Shiden should sound angry, shouldn't he? He's a White Base vet, and you know how much those guys yelled. Ali's killed plenty of old war buddies, no doubt, and knows how mad those comrades get when they come for some revenge. Besides that, he's some Orb hippy, and Ali's the God of War. That causes anger right there.

That's three strikes. So why the hell does Kai Shiden sound so calm, as he lifts his beam machinegun and pitches it into the Heat Hawk's path, a truly ridiculous maneuver that ends with a giant conflagration as the plasma core is ruptured - too unfocused to do any harm, but very dramatic-looking.

"I'll find out. I'll run my contacts, and they'll run your contacts. My web will engulf your web. I'll track down the people who let you do what you do and take them out, one by one, until you're alone, and then, with no hope of support, for every life you've destroyed, I'll kill you - chopping the body of the snake before the head."

The Gelgoog's right hand goes up, and from a compartment on the large left shoulder, it pulls a telescoping rod. With a flick, it extends, smacking solidly across Ali's Zaku II, pushing it back. "That's war on a level you're not even ready for!" Kai's head throbs, but he doesn't let it slow him down. He hasn't been this angry in a long time... not since picking up the pieces after Miharu. "Ali Al-Saachez!"

The Gelgoog thrusts one massive leg up, smashing out, trying to pin the Zaku II to the ground, holding the Naginata in both hands as a bright flare of beam energy swells from one end. This, Kai drives for the suit's head, trying to cripple Ali's ability to fight.

But not kill him. Not yet.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has attacked Ali Al-Saachez. Beam Naginata Assault added to their queue.

COMBAT: Adiane has missed Kazuma Ardygun with her Double Cutter attack.

Another one with some strange energy shield. Or... something. Soma can't -see- it, but she does notice one of the shells just falling to the ground. "What -is- that..." She gets another taste of it as the shotcannon is fired again, quickly going into evasive maneuvers. "This pressure.. what.." The Taozi isn't quite fast enough, however, and the gunfire peppers its torso armor as it tries to move away.

The mobile suit pauses for a moment, standing in place. Have its thrusters been damaged? Maybe the pilot is knocked out? But the right arm slowly moves, lifting and extending, as the bladed gun follows the path of the Arbalest. A single shot is fired, sailing through the air on an intercept course. Although she hasn't played many videogames, she does know that she must shoot the space where the enemy -will- be, not where he is now!

COMBAT: Soma Peries has attacked Sousuke Sagara. Smoothbore Gun Snipe added to their queue.

When in doubt...fire more missiles at it.

This plan serves Shin well, the Big /FAU/ takes a barrage, as it continues to cover itself with it's giant robotic arms. The armor starts to turn black in these areas where bombardments hit it, the armor of the Big Fau is looking like damage is finally taking a toll on it...but still it moves.

Infact, it seems to be charging the landed Angel, attempting to kick it, or at least use it's massive size to try and keep it from using it's mobility to it's advantage. The Drills on it's arms start spinning again, as it comes down, viciously trying to pound the machine. The Flurry, hopefully, will prove it's strike true...because even if one attack caught it, the drill would do the work for the Big Fau.

Alex looks towards the retreating Submarine...and then back towards the Angel.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Turbine Drill Punch added to their queue.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has struck a glancing hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using GN Beam Submachine Gun Focus.

"...What!? I'm not Hogarth!" So that's what it took to make Daisaku to speak? He's protected from the exploding skulls again with the interference of Giant Robo, which blocks with its own body. It appears to hurt the machine, punching small holes in its outer armor, and Robo again roars in retaliation, swinging its fist at the phantom machine.

But that's not all! It lunges backwards, as Daisaku holds on. "I don't understand what your machine is," he calls out, "and I'm sorry it's come to this, but there's nothing that can be done! This battle hasn't been going well for anyone. It's time to just finish it, and if that means we have to hurt you, so be it!" To emphasize, Robo lunges back, swinging one and then another fist at Ekelia for a one-two punch.

Cagalli continues to shore up the shore defense (pun very much intended); with all her close-battle weaponry, she can't really do much more -- at least, not until Goh decides to abruptly get all up in her grill with his fists. She doesn't have time to react, and simply takes the punch neatly in the face; the phase shift armor does damn near nothing at all to protect the machine.

/Now/ she's in close -- /now/ she can do something, the Princess thinks, as she draws out her machine's actual weapon... or, well, one of them. The Schwert Gewehr anti-ship sword hums loudly, the beam edge coming up to supplement the raw physical power of the blade -- the Princess feels more at home with this particular weapon than anything else she's tried thus far. If nothing else, it's big and straightforward.

"Get /back/!" she transmits, slashing at the Godannar's significantly larger frame once, twice, three times. The power of this machine is absolutely amazing, she thinks -- it's able to swing that enormous sword around like it's nothing... it's no Zaku, that's for sure.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Goh Saruwatari. Schwert Gewehr Strike added to their queue.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has missed Shin Kudo with his Turbine Drill Punch attack.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has struck a solid hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using Flying Punch.

The Gundam X and Airmaster are just too fast for Adiane's slowass battleship it seems as they easily out distance the cutters... and what more, Garrod does so while talking with Kazuma, <<Hey, don't worry, we can take this oversized waterbeetle!>> The Gundam X swings back around as it draws it's beam sword once more, and this time aims to carve up that oversized face that the Beastmen feel /compelled/ to put on /EVERY SINGLE UNIT/ they use.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Adiane. Beam Sword Combo added to their queue.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a solid hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Beam Sword Combo.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has struck a major hit on Ali Al-Saachez's MS-06F Zaku II using Beam Naginata Assault.

Knock Out! Ali Al-Saachez's MS-06F Zaku II unit has become disabled!

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has struck a solid hit on Goh Saruwatari's Godannar Twin Drive using Schwert Gewehr Strike.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has missed Cagalli Yula Athha with his Counter Knuckle counter attack.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has activated a spirit command.

Lan Xiao Hua is not attacked for a moment. She gets to reorient herself, straighten the Wude out, and back off slightly - she doesn't want to melee, she only tried it because she was spinning like crazy anyway and thought she'd put the momentum to use.

Lan goes for a slow 'retreat'. She is not actually running away; she is merely going back to reinforce the Tuatha. But while she goes, she continues to fight, locking onto the Dai-Gunkai with her missiles and firing off the entire contents of the long, narrow missile box in a cluster. With two other people, they don't need her there.

Someone's done their home work at this point, he manages to not die. No super solider training, just experiance and a healthy helping of luck, he's able to avoid much of the attack but not all of it, he's clipped and loses hold of his pistol, the weapon falls into the sea, and there's only one way he can react he hits his jets and leaps for the Gundam, pulls back its arm and just moves to freaking punch the other mecha. "Out of the way, I for a comrade in trouble! I'll be damned if I let him end like his Grandfather did!"

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has attacked Adiane. How Wude added to their queue.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Allelujah Haptism. Gespenst Punch added to their queue.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has struck a major hit on Sousuke Sagara's ARX-7 Arbalest Lambda using Smoothbore Gun Snipe.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has struck a major hit on Allelujah Haptism's Gundam Kyrios using Gespenst Punch.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Lan Xiao Hua has struck a minor hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using How Wude.

Shin presses the throttle slider back up to full and takes off into the air again, letting the drill punch go sailing past. Unfortunatly, he's run out of micromissiles by now, which is you know, just wonderfull.

Shin will just have to make do. He converts the Angel into Battroid mode and flies laterally past the Big FAU - which is still just as girly sound as Big Frau - and brings up the gatling cannon gun pod.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. GPU-9 Gun Pod added to their queue.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has missed Alex Rosewater with his GPU-9 Gun Pod attack.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has missed Shin Kudo with his Turbine Punch counter attack.

"Incoming!" Mihiro calls out, and Kazuma kicks the thrusters into life again, diverting the Valhawk's path and steering clear of the Double Cutters. "Thanks, Mihiro," Kazuma calls out, then leaps up and back as he takes note of the beeting the Beast(wo)man's ship is taking. "Now let's sink this beastwoman! Beam Shot Launcher, ready!"

The Valhawk shifts into forward motion again, the Beam Shot Launcher deployed into firing position and several blasts of coherent plasma preceding the Valhawk's charge. For good measure, the Valhawk weaves between the cutter arms and slams its foot into the bridge tower, firing the Beam Shot Launcher again at point-blank range ...

Then breaks away, putting on a burst of speed and accelerating *behind* the Dai-Gunkai, before ramming the muzzle into the armor, trying to lever a chunk of armor upwards ... and then cutting loose with one more blast.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Adiane. Beam Shot Launcher added to their queue.

The Spectral has clearly decided to 'play' defensively. Its fists are raised, protecting The Spectral's body from the punches as if in a boxer's stance--but even if the body is protected, The Spectral's arms are getting pummeled by Giant Robo's fists--its defense just doesn't stand a chance against the power that is Giant Robo. Notably, The Ghostly Maganac is a much smaller machine than The Giant Robo, and each strike that manages to ripple across its frame is severe, hard, and painful. Or rather, it would be if the pilot wasn't dead. That allows her to stay in battle much longer, and to fight without any regard for her own life. After all, she can't lose it--though there are some fates worse than death. Eek figures she got off pretty light in the grand scheme of things. She could be Satan's bitch, after all! But she's not!

"Oh. Woops!" Eek manages, "Sorry, who are you? I thought you were Hogarth. I don't like hurting kids, but the EFA puts like toddlers in their mechs I can't help it!" IRONIC because Eek is, like, 15 herself and hardly the bastion of adult maturity.

"But let's see if this works...!" Eek yells, the Spectral lunging forward, taking another punch to the face as it tries to grab hold of the Giant Robo--and fill it with necromantic energy, a direct attack! This isn't just a strike, it's a strike against the very psyche of her opponent--and Eek is betting on The Giant Robo having a 'psyche' of its own, or something close enough to it, that she can do this even if the pilot isn't inside the machine.

"Sorry this isn't very pleasant!" She says, "But I'm not letting you sink the sub of love!"

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Daisaku Kusama. Oogabagoogabagoogaba added to their queue.

The Godannar stands over Cagalli's unit on the shore, keeping its fist up even after the punch connects. Goh breaths heavily, prepairing for his next move. While Cagalli's machine was going to be certainly faster than the Godannar, nothing could match a skilled pilot. So even if the machines were out matched in some way (Cagalli to Goh's power or Goh to Cagalli's speed), it could come down to pure skill in the pilot's chair. This was the kinda fight Goh remember during the war.

The red super robot leers over Cagalli's Zaku, watching it remove its weapon and brandish it. The super robot has no time to move away from Cagalli's strike, despite Goh's efforts to shift the machine to the right. The Super Robot pulls back to give Cagalli's unit another punch, moving alittle quicker than it was amount ago.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has attacked Cagalli Yula Athha. Burning Fist Punch added to their queue.

'Mildly surprised' is a good way to put it. The ultimate reaction is the subtle lift of a brow as Ingram stares at the readouts with a mild frown. In terms of reactions from this man, it's a fairly impressive one; but it that doesn't last long. Soon, frown fades away into a simple, deadened smirk. "Whoever made this machine has a fairly unique skillset, don't they...?"

The question is posed to himself just as the beam sword slices uselessly through the air; the outward vent of rocket fuel burning intensely enough that sand beneath the Wildschwein's feet begin to melt away into a valley of glass. Ingram doesn't seem too phased by the deft and peculiar movement of the Puppeteer.

Because he knows exactly what to do next.

"No," the reply is stated as a matter-of-fact before the commlink shuts off once again. Violent energy scorches s the Puppeteer attempts to put more distance between itself and Ingram's Wildschwein; it doesn't work. Even as energy sears through ozone in brilliant flashes of light, a high-pitched hum begins to stab through the air, accompanied by a single vocal command:

"Disk Slicer, online."

Emerald energy vents out from the ports of the Wildschwein as it veers off to the left, that intense blaze of energy scorches /just/ beside the PTX-005 with enough intensity that the paint of the personal trooper's torso melts away into crumpled gunmetal gray. The energy around the Disk Slicer rotates at high speeds, condensing into a finely-honed circular blade as the Wildschwein once more drives into the Puppeteer's defenses, carving a single wound across its torso as it flings -past-. Steaming water blows outward around the Wildschwein as it cuts dangerously close to the sea past the M6-frankenstein monster.

... And then makes a complete one-eighty turn. At remarkable speeds, the Wildschwein comes /back/ towards the Puppeteer, swinging the Disk Slicer downwards once more, to carve into the machine; a process that is repeated at high-speeds from multiple angles, the intent being to simply carve up the bizarre machine with a liberal application of the Circle Zanber.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has missed Daisaku Kusama with her Oogabagoogabagoogaba attack.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has attacked Marie Gosselin. Disk Slicer added to their queue.

COMBAT: You have struck Marie Gosselin with a major hit using Disk Slicer.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck a solid hit on Adiane's Dai-Gunkai using Beam Shot Launcher.

COMBAT: Adiane's evasion attempt has failed.

Knock Out! Adiane's Dai-Gunkai unit has become disabled!

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has missed Cagalli Yula Athha with his Burning Fist Punch attack.

Kyrios swivels; however, it took the brunt of the punch right in its thin but blocky waist. The Gundam is badly damaged -- and it shows. parts of it are heavily dented in or completely broken off. Some fins are missing. Its frontside is sparking. Allelujah has a pounding headache, and he is not sure how long he can handle this.

The Meister's machine hovers, righting itself again and pushing back. "Go help your friend," Allelujah speaks directly to him -- even if it's not a good idea. His voice sounds meek. "That is more important than fighting for your superiors."

Turning its back on Russel is a highly dangerous thing to do in its damaged state, but in an ethereal burst of green particles, it takes off after the Tuatha de Danaan to flank it, submachine guns pointed outward in case.

The assaults keep coming, and the battleship can't seem to get a hold of any of them. The blasts erupt, beam swords, and all the missiles crash into the Dai-Gunkai. The Battleship is disabled, at least, the weaponry. "Ghhh... tell me .. what .. our status.. IS." She speaks, crushing whatever in her hand to a fine paste.

"All the weapons are disAWK!"

The beastman gets a tail slammed against him, crashing hard into the beastman.. before she slams her heel against the controls.

"ALRIGHT. I want you each to start paddling. AND WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE. You understand? EVERY ONE OF YOU are going to be held responsible for this! EVERY. LAST. ONE!" The machine begins to sink down, and soon, metal poles stick out of the holes of the Dai-Gunkai.

STROKE. STROKE. STROKE.

The Big Fau turns to face the smaller unit. Even as it fires a barrage of guns at it, the Big Fau punches down, it's original target was to punch the Angel...it instead punches towards the bullets, a shockwave of force, however, simply sends them flying from the sky, landing harmlessly on the ground before the two units.

Alex looks mildly surprised that worked, but with a smirk he doesn't let that moment of victory last too long...there was a battle to win, and a sub to get back home.

"BIG FAU! ACTION!"

With the cry, The Big Fau's arms punch forward, before it starts charging. The fists start a furious barrage towards the other unit. Punch after punch would rain down, before the Big Fau would attempt to grab the Angel, and throw it into the ground. Then, both of the Massive arms would come upwards...and then down, both of them striking forward, and causing a massive shockwave of force. Hit or miss, the ground would shatter beneath the force of the Big Fau, a crater forming in all directions for a great bit of distance.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has activated a spirit command.

The machine is /no/ Zaku -- what Goh faces is the Strike Rouge. The machine weaves to one side, getting out of the way of Goh's punch with casual ease; the Princess can handle slow, even if she can't take it when she /screws up/ handling slow. "Is this one submarine that important that all these people have had to die for it, on both sides?!" Cagalli shouts into her comm; the earlier discussion of the war economy got her blood up and now it really won't go back /down/, not far.

The Princess raises her Schwert Gewehr, trying to gauge the full strength and speed of the enemy unit; its tricks are telegraphed, but she can't underestimate it just the same. The pilot's skilled, even if he does seem to only have a few tricks -- though maybe it's just the machine that has that particular problem... who knows, with a machine like that? A lot of those /do/ just rely on one neat toy.

Boosting up into the air and performing what, for the Sword-equipped Strike, is a pretty high jump, Cagalli just barely clears the enemy machine's shoulders; she then swings her weapon around and down, trying to dig it as hard as possible into the red and white machine's arm. This sword was designed to cut ships clean in two -- who knows what it might do to an enemy mobile unit, even a 'super' one?

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Goh Saruwatari. Schwert Gewehr Slam added to their queue.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has missed Goh Saruwatari with her Schwert Gewehr Slam attack.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has missed Cagalli Yula Athha with his Jumpkick counter attack.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Turbine Rocket Punch added to their queue.

Ali Al-Saachez knows a surprising lot about the world and the people who occupy it. He's led several different lives. Ali probably isn't even his real name. He spent time as an Aggressor. Time as a terrorist. Time in the Middle East, in Russia, in space. He's been through it all. He fought in the One Year War; he might have even been an ally of Kai Shiden and The White Base. He can count on one hand how many times he has succumbed to an opponent --

"This --" Ali's eyes widen with surprise. The Gelgoog's rifle intercepts the Heat Hawk, the fireball shielding the Zaku's sensors and blocking Ali's view of his opponent. "You think that you can avenge Amuro Ray? It was his own fault, that punk came onto the battlefield in a relic. He got what he --"

The Gelgoog appears out of the explosive ball of plasma and fire like some sort of demon. "...Shit!" Ali yanks the controls of the Zaku, trying to do something to get out of the other Mobile Suit's path. He never anticipated that Kai Shiden, the Sniper. The calm, collected, rational, and emotionless man from The White Base would come at him with such a tenacity. It is almost something to appreciate; something to behold. A man torn down to his barest, most base human impulses. Revenge. Conflict. Fighting for something.

Ali's Zaku is uprooted from its stance by the huge boot of the Gelgoog. It goes thundering back in the air to crash against the ground. The square shoulders dig through the Orb Union earth, skidding to a stop just as Kai presses down with the Gelgoog's leg and lines up the Naginata.

"You're ... Everything Amuro Ray is not ..." Ali doesn't sound enraged by his predicament, but rather excited by the situation. He is a man who is supremely confident in his own abilities. He is also a sociopath; he can't comprehend losing. There are only setbacks and new adversaries he defeats in battle. "You're mine now, Kai Shiiiiiiiiiii --"

The beams slam into the Zaku II's helmeted head, right in the single glowing optic on the visor. The head explodes, a swirling storm of fire billowing out around the two robots. In the storm, Ali fires his eject seat.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has struck a glancing hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Angel Mode using Turbine Rocket Punch.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo's evasion attempt has failed.

And as the Dai-Gunkai starts to pull away from the battle, Garrod endulges in a little immaturity, and turns his mech's rear end towards the fleeing Beastmen vessel. Then he bends over and spanks his ass, "Take that, ya damn furries!" After that brief moment of mockery, Garrod snaps back and starts looking around for Camille, "Now, where did that loudmouthed idiot go to? he better not have died on me!"

Lavi's eyes go wide as the Hyper Mega Launcher fires. Things pass in front of his eyes. His arguement with his father that convinced him to enlist. His wedding. The divorce. His first time flying a machine solo. The birth of his son. The hell that was basic training. The pride he'd felt when he joined the elite task force, charged with defending the entire Earth... the Titans. Funny... he'd always thought that things were supposed to flash by in chronological order. both beamsabers cross in front of the Hambrabi's chest, as if it would actually help. Lavi isn't normally a praying man, but he quickly and quietly makes his peace with Jesus Christ, his Lord.

The impact is catastrophic, hurling the Mobile Suit back handfulls and dozens of meters from the raw impact of the explosion, it's momentum keeping it skimming above the surface of the water instead of sinking. It holds togather, though. Somehow, against all odds, it survives, floating there, smoking and sparking. As the haze of dizziness clears, Lavi swears to himse--no, to God that he'll make the time to go to church next Sunday and every Sunday thereafter if he makes it home alive. Slowly and with labor, the Hambrabi rises into the air on it's verniers.

"I don't know who your mom is, kid." Lavi says, spitting out some of the blood in his mouth. "I don't even know who the fuck you are and I seriously do not care. All I know is that you're fighting for some twisting kind of revenge and hiding behind the deaths of people you can't even prove died as a shield to justify your thoughtless aggression!" The Hambrabi stares down the Zeta Gundam from the huge distance, disengaging it's beamsabers and replacing them. "You think you're the only one who's lost something? Who's had to sacrifice something in this war? That it's all about good and evil so you can play hero for that tingly feeling you get from helping others? You're a selfish prick, Zeta Gundam pilot."

"Now watch as I show you what sacrifice is."

The Hambrabi is in flight mode suddenly, blazing towards Tuatha de Danaan like a blue shooting star. Even if the Zeta Gundam is faster, it isn't much so and Lavi has an enormous head start... Camille can't intercept him. Lavi dodges around the falling shells from the still going naval bombardment as it fruitlessly tracks the walking submarine. Lavi St. James is no Newtype; he has to settle for being a Badass Normal. He locks in on the de Danaan's engines, located in the rear of the submarine. If he can just destroy them, then the sub can't move. And then it will truely be a matter of time. As the claws grasp the beam sabers, the back mounted cannons open with streams of firepower, blasting away. Lavi gives in to his anger. It makes him strong, focus his mind, and makes him singular of purpose. He will destroy that thing. "I won't just give up, not when we've fought so hard! Not after so many have given their lives to this fight! That submarine is the backbone of the Orb Union... and... and I... I..." Lavi gets incoherent as he swaps over to mobile suit mode, beam sabers raised for the killing blows. He blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. He heard one of the other Titans shout it before.

"I'M GONNA VIOLATE YOU! I'LL VIOLATE YOU!"

Lavi St. James activates his RX-139 Hambrabi FM unit.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has attacked Teletha Testarossa. The Violator added to their queue.

COMBAT: Alia Winchester has successfully covered Teletha Testarossa.

The Puppeteer rears back as the disk whips past it for the first time, coming to a skidding halt on drier sand as Marie sees the weapon go past. "Ha!" she says, before suddenly the entire left side of her visual screen goes dead. "Wh-"

The left 'head' falls off with a sudden flurry of sparks. Another deep screech cuts into the right side of the Puppeteer, before Marie is driven to finally take defensive action, the machine trying, improbably, to curl up in on itself; this does, at least, put several thicker armor plates on the outside, the Circle Zamber taking its pound of metaphorical flesh from those rather than further vital systems.

"S, stop it!" Marie shouts, plaintively, even as she resists the urge to let the thing finish its curl and hope that the Earth Federation will simply /go away/. The tormented machine pulls itself forwards, forcing that waist-level bend to end, turning around again. "I'm not going to let you, let you-" Let you WHAT, she thinks uselessly, as the Puppeteer kicks forwards again.

Yeah, that thing's still glowing, Ingram. This is probably all it really has. Another sizzling violet ray of coherent light, hard enough to make thunder seem to snap in its passage, arcs at the Wildschwein!

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has attacked Ingram Prisken. Beam Artillery Suite added to their queue.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Marie Gosselin has missed you with her Beam Artillery Suite attack.

COMBAT: You have missed Marie Gosselin with your M13 Shotgun counter attack.

COMBAT: Alia Winchester has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Alia Winchester has activated a spirit command.

"STOP WITH BLAMING THE EFA FOR...ME! I fight here of my own will and volition! I fight because I'm an Expert!" As Daisaku finally engages in the willful shouting match, Giant Robo grabs Spectral's hand, knocking it away before it can peer into the mysterious psyche of the metal giant. Perhaps it has secrets it wants to keep, or simply files this under its directive of protecting Daisaku.

"I fight because you have to be brought to justice! I just don't want this fight to last forever! I want..." Wait, what? What does he want? The truth he learned earlier twists inside of him again, and he just stops talking aside from giving orders to his robot. "...Robo. Take that robot down. Use your fists. Punch it into oblivion if you need to." It's a shame, Ekelia doesn't seem that bad...but she also seems inhuman enough to, perhaps, survive. Maybe Ekelia is the unfortunate target of another frustration.

On Daisaku's part, anyway. Giant Robo merely lumbers over, attempting to grab Spectral and then just swing a hard punch at it.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. Robo Punch added to their queue.

"Wha--" Kazuma scowls, and transmits, << Garrod! The Freedan wants you back intact, what're you doing hanging around to fight anyone el-- >>

"Oniichan!!" Mihiro abruptly squeaks. "Over there - isn't that Cagalli-hime? It's an Orb ID code ..."

Kazuma does a double-take - and then yells in fury as he realizes who's attacking the Strike Rouge: the *exact same super robot which tried to get him to leave the area earlier.*

So much for leaving quietly, huh?

But rather than use the still-readied Beam Shot Launcher, Kazuma opens up with the Laser Vulcans as he heads for Strike Rouge and Godannar. It looks more like he's trying to get the big guy's attention than actually attacking yet ... or maybe he just doesn't want to use heavier weapons when a friend is in the potential line of fire.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has attacked Alia Winchester. The Violator added to their queue.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Goh Saruwatari. Laser Vulcan added to their queue.

The Zeta Gundam stares back at the Hambrabi, the pilot's eyes narrowing from within. "It's finished," he whispers. "Just let go. Just stop fighting... please! This meaningless battle's got to end somewhere!" The Zeta hovers as best it can, sort of bobbing back and forth over the water, Hyper Mega Launcher in hand. "Don't you get it?! If you'd just stop and think for a second-- if you're just... /no!/ Don't!"

Camille can feel the flare of aggression from the Hambrabi, racing it desperately to the de Danaan as quickly as it can, but the other Mobile Suit has a head start. He accelerates as hard as he can, sheer, relentless G-Forces pressing him back into his seat. "No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he shouts, dropping the launcher to pick up speed -- it starts closing the gap, but not half fast enough. Alia's Gundam moves to intercept--

"KISSSAAAAAAAAMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The Sword of Rage grows exponentially, first a mere beam saber but now a pillar of energy larger than a building, a single whip of plasma that plunges into the ocean and leaves a trail of steam in its wake, long enough and wide enough to tear a capital ship in two. This is the power that deflected a Colony Laser -- this is the fury of Camille Bidan, and every ounce of that rage is aimed at the Hambrabi's cockpit -- no decapitations, no mercy.

COMBAT: Lavi St. James has struck a glancing hit on Alia Winchester's M1A Astray using The Violator.

COMBAT: Knock Out! Alia Winchester's M1A Astray unit has become disabled!

COMBAT: Alia Winchester has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Lavi St. James's RX-139 Hambrabi FM using Heavy Vulcan Barrage.

COMBAT: Knock Out! Lavi St. James's RX-139 Hambrabi FM unit has become disabled!

Sparks fly as the shock wave from the turbine punch rips one of the VF-0's additional leg armor packs almost clean off and spinning off into the distance.

There's a kick, landing not quiet on the the Big Fau, but letting Shin push off the larger machine and take back to the skies as the VF-0 transforms. "Man that thing has too much armor... wheres a Mk II Monster when I need it?"

The VF-0 maybe out of micro-missiles, but the more standard medium range missiles still hang below the wings... well, they were, Shin fired one.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. Multi-Purpose Missile added to their queue.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a minor hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using Multi-Purpose Missile.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has missed Shin Kudo with his Turbine Punch counter attack.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has struck a solid critical hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using Robo Punch.

The Strike Rouge is certainly an impressive machine. The Godannar's punch is evaded by Cagalli's machine, bringing a scowl to Goh's face. "Damnit!" The 29 year old pilot pulls back on the controls, moving the machine away from any incoming attacks. "I can't speak for everyone here but I know that I'm going to fight anyone who attacks us. You guys have a pretty good idea but you're going about it the wrong way. So as long as you punks keep attacking us, we'll fight back stronger and harder! And eventually, we will win!" Goh yells back at Cagalli, not at all surprised he is fighting a woman. He has dealt with plenty of female pilots in his line of duty.

"Anna. I'll protect you. These guys are strong but we're going to win this. So we can do home and know that the world is safer without misguided people like this in it." Goh trembles at the controls, throwing the Godannar away from Cagalli's next strike. The weapon scratching the paint on the side of the Godannar's arm. "This fight is not something I'm GONNA LOSE!!!" The Godannar leeps upward into the air, attempting to jumpkick Cagalli's Strike Rouge. When the attack misses, the large super robot lands behind it and the flare mane attemps to whip back and scroch the Zaku-like unit.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has missed Goh Saruwatari with his Laser Vulcan attack.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has attacked Cagalli Yula Athha. Spiral Fire added to their queue.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has struck a major hit on Cagalli Yula Athha's Sword Plus Strike Rouge using Spiral Fire.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha's evasion attempt has failed.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has activated a spirit command.

Alia continues to shoot at a few more rear-line EFA units, stopping only to blink at the console. "Out of energy? Guess that leaves the sabers and vulcans. I can still win with just that!" She takes a moment to look for likely targets... the EFA fleet is honestly too well guarded to be worth charging at. Marie has her fight, Camille has his... Allelujah, too. She starts to charge toward Allelujah's fight with Russel, eager to skewer the Gespenst with an energy blade... And then the new Hambrabi changes targets. Alia can see that, and she flies on an intercept course to get between Lavi and the Danaan. She makes it just in time, and retorts to his screaming remark, "Not yet! I told you earlier... I'm an Aegis, and it's okay if protective gear like that gets destroyed to protect the core, right?" Vulcans firing, she stands her ground in an effort to physically shield the submarine. On the positive side, she manages to deal a crippling blow to Lavi's machine. On the downside, he's got more than enough momentum to collide with the Astray, and it goes flying back from the impact, crashing into the Danaan with a sick metal bang noise. It crashes against the sub so hard, it bounces off and hits the water nearby, with Alia shrieking the whole way. Once the Astray settles, she's surprisingly calm. "I think I'm finally starting to understand... mistake after mistake, and this is what happens." Then the white and gold mobile suit is engulfed in a series of microexplosions, one of which lets the cockpit block loose. When a final, full-sized explosion happens... the Astray is gone, though its cockpit block slams against the Danaan a second time, then rests in the water, motionless.

The Godannar is pinged by another attack suddenly, prompt Goh to look up in bewilderment. "What?! We got another opponent?" He turns to see the Valhawk pointing it's gun in the direction of Goddannar. "Damnit. I knew that guy was going to get into some trouble. Is he the enemy too?!"

The Gelgoog, silent and majestic in the firestorm, pulls the Naginata up from the ground, single eye camera tracking Ali's ejection seat - but not firing, even though he could likely take him out right now at this range. The Naginata collapses down, and goes back in the shoulder. He picks up the Zaku's machine gun - it won't be using it - and turns back toward the melee he's left behind.

Kai sinks his head back in the cockpit seat, massaging at the base of his skull with one hand. Sweat beads on his forehead. He's not afraid of Ali Al-Saachez, far from it. He's dealt with people like that before, if not on that level. Years of subtle espionage have prepared him for this.

Why does his head still hurt, then? If anything, it's only gotten worse.

He shakes himself, grey hair flying, and replaces his helmet. He doesn't have the time for this. The rocket thrusters on the Gelgoog Jaeger fire, and Kai makes a running leap back toward the Tuatha de Danaan. Kai checks the ammo on his stolen gun. It's fine.

Alex continues his charge, even as Shin Kudo fires another missile, the Big Fau ignores it, allowing it to hit it's armor, while trying to swat the larger machine down. However, this proves to be towards Shin's favor. However, Alex was nowhere near close to the end of this fight yet. Turning, the Big Fau came in viciously. Fists leading the way as it attempted to pluck the angel from the sky...

Then viciously beat it into the ground, a few punches aiming down, trying to plant it...then both fists would rise up, trying to finish the job by punching it so hard as to bury it into the island itself.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Double Turbine Punch added to their queue.

Russel Bagman is suprised as hell, as the Gundam breaks off his attack, comrade. Sinking the Orb sub, comrade, sinking the Orb sub. He's going to try to make for Lavi. Though Lavi may not need help, and if he can help Lavi. Lavi's better armed to take out the damn sub anyway. But it seems his efforts are too late as he watches Lavi's fate. Alive? Dead? He doesn't know but if Lavi's alive he's going to need some cover. The Zeta would find a Gespenst closing in on him, firing it's beam rifle at the Gundam. "No you don't!" Someone's got a death wish or is a friend of the guy he just took out. But the one certain thing is Cam has another EFAer to deal with.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Camille Bidan. Mega Beam Rifle added to their queue.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has struck a major hit on Camille Bidan's Zeta Gundam using Mega Beam Rifle.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan's evasion attempt has failed.

With that final sweep, the Circle Zanber dies off, emerald energy dissipating to the breeze in glistening shards like shattered glass. Ingram says nothing; the Wildschwein comes to a stop just beyond the Puppeteer, hovering just slightly off the melted ground beneath it. The humming dies off--

--but the Puppeteer continues to glow. The green gaze of the Wildschwein turns to observe the hodgepodge machine as it whirls and kicks forward back into an offensive. Marie's words seem to fall on deaf ears as the PTX-005 grips onto the handle of its shotgun once more.

"... If you were unprepared for this sort of outcome," Ingram responds calmly, "you should not have come to this battle."

Once more does that massive ray of concentrated light manifest on the battlefield in a thunderous *crack-THOOM* of ignition. The M13 shotgun whips into the Wildschwein's grasp as it returns to furious motion, twisting through the air violently as the beam rips outward. The Wildschwein does a barrel-roll to the side, the beam once more puncturing a hole through nothing; in a furious explosion, it renders through thick bedrock in a blinding impact. Ingram doesn't notice. Shotgun cocked and leveled, he says nothing more, squeezing the trigger of the massive weapon as heavy-artillery shotgun shells rips through the air with shots as loud as thunderclaps, aiming to disable the damaged machine's weaponry before it can cause any more damage.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has attacked Marie Gosselin. M13 Shotgun Slugs added to their queue.

COMBAT: You have hit Marie Gosselin with a glancing hit with your M13 Shotgun Slugs attack.

Swearing under her breath, the Princess of the Orb Union listens to Goh's words -- and finds herself distinctly enraged. It's not a common thing for Cagalli -- usually she at least manages to keep her head in the game, just a little -- but three days of nonstop fighting have taken their toll, and Goh talking what, to her, sounds like high-handed bullshit is absolutely infuriating. The Princess loses her cool, allowing the flare-mane to catch her unit square-on, the machine scorched by the flames.

"Why do you act like history is on your side?! Why do you act like /we're/ going about things the wrong way!? You have a goddamn colony laser! You -- I -- it's disgusting what you're supporting!" She turns her attention to the Valhawk for just the briefest moment, offering the pilot a quick, "-- Thanks for the help --" before returning her attention squarely to Goh.

The Sword Strike Gundam has a neat trick, in that it has an enormous ship cutting sword. The Sword Strike Rouge has a nicer trick, in that it has /two/. The Princess of the Orb Union reaches back with her other hand, drawing the /second/ blade of the machine -- an enormous slab of metal that probably has trouble supporting its own weight sometimes. The young woman spins her unit around, aiming to slash clean through one of the Godannar's legs with the weapon, bringing the full force of the Gundam to bear.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Goh Saruwatari. Grand Slam added to their queue.

"A what?" Eek asks, "Well, I thought you didn't want to be here, if you wanna be here, then this is a totally different story isn't it? You guys killed Eric the Viking, where's the justice in that? You guys work for the 'Let's Gas A Colony' parade, where's the Justice in that? Your Juuuuuuuuuuustice is nothing more than an excuse to kill a bunch of people. That's why you're here, isn't it! You don't even know Tessa, and you're trying to get her killed! She isn't a terrible person. Do you guys know how much you guys have sacrificed to just get this one sub? I /know/ Tessa and Cagalli, and they're not just people who fight for what they believe in. They do sleepovers and stuff, it's ridiculous! If you EFA people are so much about justice, how come all your heroes are leaving you, huh? If you don't need heroes, that's fine, but don't steal ours away!"

The Spectral is grabbable at the shoulder, and it takes a hard punch to the face. She goes stumbling backwards from the force of the blow, the mech is barely holding itslef together.

At about this time Alia Winchester explodes. Of course, she might have survived, but heck if Eek has gotten that far in her thought processes. Right now she just knows that yet another Orb Union soldier has perished in battle and while Eek is okay with death--

Tessa's orders were clear: Everybody survives. And Eek is, for all her faults, a professional soldier by the end of the day.

"Stoooooooooop Kiiiiilling Us!" She screams as the heat hawk is expelled from her mech's body, splits into several heat hawks, and all launch for the Giant Robo, slamming it as hard as it can as quickly as it can, not letting up!

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Daisaku Kusama. Divine Crusaders With The Heat Hawk In The Hollow Earth added to their queue.

As the Hambrabi is demolished, the Zeta is rocked on its shoulder by a blow from Russel's craft -- it gets spun around, abruptly. "Damnit, you've already lost the fight! All you're doing now is throwing human lives into the thresher! Is all you want blood!? Is that it?! Do you just want to keep throwing away lives until you've got nothing left to burn?! Stop coming at me! STOP!"

"THIS IS WHY EVERYONE KEEPS DYING!!!!!!!!!!"

The skyscraper-sized Sword of Rage cuts into the sea, under the waves, and back up again, this time aimed to tear Russel's mech in two clean across the middle.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has attacked Russel Bagman. Sword of Rage added to their queue.

It's sort of hard to miss the GIGANTIC GLOWING BEAM SABER off in the distance. In fact, it couldn't be more obvious where Camille was even if you dressed him entirely in day-glow clothing and had him doing the limbo in the middle of a battlefield, "... Oi... and he says that one of these days /I'm/ gonna end up getting killed on the battlefield. He's practically a raging berserker. At least /I/ try to fight smart..." Verniers flare to life as the Gundam X takes off towards the distant Zeta Gundam and it's raging pilot as Garrod flicks on his radio. <<Camille, you raging lunatic! Get a /HOLD/ of yourself!>>

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has struck a major hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using Sword of Rage.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has missed Shin Kudo with his Double Turbine Punch attack.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has struck a major critical hit on Goh Saruwatari's Godannar Twin Drive using Grand Slam.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Cagalli Yula Athha's Sword Plus Strike Rouge using Counter Knuckle.

"WHAT?!" Lavi exclaims in disbelief. "NO! NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENIIIIIIIIING!" Lavi screams in a rage as the Hambrabi smashes into the humble Astray. The pair slam into the rear quarter of the de Danaan and bounce off, with the Astray falling to the side and the Hambrabi flinging upwards at a bizarre arc. As the remains of the well and truely demolished mobile suit tumble through the air, Lavi's only very dimly away that the bright, slashing light that seems to be below him (it's hard to damn well tell when the location of 'down' is changing three times in the span of a second), was intended to kill him. Because Camille's hyperawareness works off of human emotions, there's nothing for him to predict with; Lavi isn't in control of the Hambrabi's truely erractic movements.

The crumpled Mobile Suit flies out across the other side of the island, skipping like a stone once, twice, thrice, before it splashes into the water somewhere and starts to sink into the blue depths below.

Shin does not perticularly want to get turned into a piec eof the island. So it's a really good thing he turn the VF-0 sideways, narrowly avoiding the Big Fau's giant sized fists. It converts to GERWALK mode again as it begins to skim backwards over the island, to open up some distance, and fires it's GPU-9 gun pod again, trying to wear down that thing's monsterous armor.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Lavi St. James transmits, "NO! NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENIIIIIIIIIING!"

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. GPU-9 Gun Pod added to their queue.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Lavi St. James static.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Daisaku Kusama transmits, "...Lavi?"

"Hang on tight, Mihiro!" Kazuma yells, then hits the switch for his radio. << Hey, EFA pilot! Sorry to do this to you after the warm welcome you gave me, but that's a friend of mine you're beating on! >>

That's all the warning he's going to give Goh, for better or for worse, as the Valhawk charges back in to aid the Strike Rouge, drawing the Ray Blade and taking a swing at one of Godannar's legs. After all, Kazuma does *not* want to hurt the pilot if he can help it ... that would be somewhere way beyond 'bad manners'. Besides, normally Kazuma has little against the EFA, so there's no reason to wound one of their pilots if he can help it ...

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Ingram Prisken transmits, "Hrn."

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Goh Saruwatari. Ray Blade added to their queue.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a major hit on Daisaku Kusama's Giant Robo using Divine Crusaders With The Heat Hawk In The Hollow Earth.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has counter attacked for a minor hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using Robo Punch.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Boss transmits, "Wha-- what was THAT!?"

Teletha Testarossa's fingers clench tightly as the Danaan continues to rattle and wobble, scrabbling toward the ocena. So close, so close...but then the Hambrabi makes its move, streaking down toward the Danaan far faster than its impromptu legs can go. Normally, between the superconducting propulsion and the EMFC, losing the screws wouldn't be a big problem, but in this situation, neither of the optional systems are in good enough shape to get the Danaan home.

"That Mobile Suit--!" Tessa hisses as the Hambrabi comes in, mind already whirling with trying to figure out how she'll get out of here with no screws, when-- "WINCHESTER!" Tessa shouts out, watching the self-declared 'White Aegis' fly out of nowhere and intercept the incoming Hambrabi. "I...that girl..."

She heaves a quiet, somewhat pleased sigh, and says, "Maybe now she sees...All pilots! This is TDD HQ! Thirty seconds to the water! Prepare to break off! You've all done great work...thank you all for what you've done for us!"

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has activated a spirit command.

Marie is not thinking anything particularly high minded about the nature of war. She signed up for this because it seemed like where real history was made; serving next to legends from history itself and piloting awesome robots. Much better than lounging around Orb, uselessly.

She is beginning to regret this. The shotgun blast hits another armor plate more or less dead on, but it's not as firmly attached as it was before. The entire machine is staggered, lurching to the left as Marie lets out an incoherent, terrified wail as the screens and readouts flicker. It doesn't break down.

Marie wishes God would tell her what to do, but He seems eerily silent. Someone else, perhaps, may hear the sudden out-flare of panic from Marie, but the three-legged machine turns towards the Tuatha de Danaan and hobbles with desperate speed towards it. Hopefully it will go fast enough, Marie hopes. Please, please, please. She wishes she'd installed a flight pack, in between mental gibbering.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Russel Bagman transmits, "I got your back, get out of here Lavi, I'll keep the Zeta busy."

Allelujah fires some stray shots -- most of them are just wild and meant more to discourse any closer attacks. He watches as Alia seems to have taken care of it; there's too much going on at once.

<< "Covering you," >> the Meister notes, helpfully.

Oh dear lord, what hath Russel got the anger of. He doesn't die houth the massive blade slams into Russel's mech and he brings up his plasma stake at a full charge managing to dispate some of the crazy ass energy, when it settles the Gepesnt it damage, out it's beam rifle but it's still there. The optic band is glowing red.

"No everyone keeps dying because, Orb started a needless expansion of an already existing war." The Gespenst trying to use the suprise of well not /dying/ to That attack punch him with the Jet Magnum. This guy seems so rabid he might go after downed pilots, from his insane rantings. oO(Why are most Gundam pilots unstable?)Oo

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Camille Bidan. Jet Magnum added to their queue.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has missed Camille Bidan with his Jet Magnum attack.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has counter attacked for a minor hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using Zeta Punch.

That is the signal he's been waiting for. Sousuke's been facing down his opponent for a while, and then... "Acknowledged." He looks at his opponent. "We're done here. However, following would be problematic."

The shotcannon comes up again, and Sousuke fires, quickly, at the the Tieren's legs, intending to prevent it from being any more of an issue.

The shot may be a snapshot, but it's full force, as Sousuke makes to retreat. It's not ideal, but he's damn sure his opponent won't just let him leave. He needs to make sure she isn't going to go after them.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has attacked Soma Peries. 57mm "Boxer" Shotcannon added to their queue.

The Wude forms up alongside the de Danaan, not pulling back as asked. Why? Because she can hover over the water; it's not a problem for her.

"Lan checking in," she sends to Tessa, via radio. "Looks like you made it. Glad it worked out for you. Can you make it the rest of the way to the sea?" Her Wude kicks up spray as it starts to go over beach instead of rocks.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has missed Soma Peries with his 57mm "Boxer" Shotcannon attack.

"...But you kill people too. You get that, right?"

The heat hawk cuts deep into Giant Robo, though it still manages to protect its pilot. The burnt gap that is left in its chest armor reveals gigantic tubes and wires, pumping some kind of machine liquid and oil, with something glowing deep inside-and mostly hidden and protected. Robo roars in pain, and Daisaku winces. He hasn't been fighting at his best tonight, his heart hasn't been into it. He's been too troubled with something important. But if he holds back, she's just going to kill more soldiers. Like poor Lavi, who isn't as bad as they all say he is...

"Robo. Do what you need to do."

Robo, somehow responding in full even to this vague command, roars loudly and activates its thrusters. It rushes at Ekelia at full speed, trying to shove her back down into the water with the power of a forceful double-punch, while Daisaku holds on for dear life.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. Double Punch added to their queue.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has missed Ekelia Mossberg with his Double Punch attack.

The Zeta Gundam rockets directly into the pitch of the oncoming Bagman -- with one fist held forward. The two meet in mid-air, clashing, but only one mech receives a blow to the chin: "HEY! COME ON! /COME ON!/" Camille cries, perhaps nonsensically. "ZETA PUNCH!" he screams, knocking a pile of armor off the skull of his opponent. The Mobile Suit accelerates away, air-braking abruptly before revolving in mid-air. "This battle... this battle's got to end! THIS BATTLE IS GOING TO END!"

The Zeta Gundam ignites its Beam Saber, grasping it in hand... before /hurling it/ through the air. The saber spins wildly across the battlefield, before Camille takes aim with his massive beam rifle... and closes his eyes. Wait for it. Wait for it. /Wait/!

Bang. One shot ricochets off the saber and heads for Russel. Wait. Bang! Another shot careens off the saber and heads for Ingram. "Beam... BEAAAAAAM CONFUUUUUUUUUSE!"

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has attacked Russel Bagman and Ingram Prisken. Beam Confuse added to their queue.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has struck a glancing hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using Beam Confuse.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has struck you with a solid hit using Beam Confuse!

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a solid critical hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using GPU-9 Gun Pod.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Angel Mode using Turbine Punch.

Kai Shiden makes another few great leaps, the Gelgoog not really set up for atmospheric flight, and finally lands with a dramatic bang on the Tuatha de Danaan, in a crouch, already pulling the machine gun up and squinting behind it. Unfortunately, everyone's in too much melee for him to actually shoot them.

Shooting /at/ them, however, is a different story.

The solid bullets of the Zaku machine gun start ripping through the air, seemingly randomly, but carefully designed to pin down the two people still fighting that Kai has determined is the biggest threat - Ingram's Wildschwein, and of course Giant Robo. They're not too close - he can't risk hitting Ekelia or Marie - but by god they sure are... diverting.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has used the spirit command [Diversion] on you.

COMBAT: Kai Shiden has activated a spirit command.

"History isn't on anyone's side! That isn't what this about?! YOU THINK YOUR WAR ON WAR IS JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NOBLE GOAL!?" Goh glares at Cagalli's units as she continues to barraid the EFA and everything he stands for. He is angry...Sure she might be right that some people in the EFA were bad people. The EFA wasn't perfect but the people who the EFA were protected were. How many casualties would this war against war cost them? What about the good soldiers they cut down in the cross fire. Sure they had some weapons that made them look like the evil power but...Goh still believed in the EFA. They were the group he had fought hard for. The ones who always put the people on the ground in the forefront...And that was why he fought.

Goh is frozen in rage, glaring as Cagalli's Strike Rouge brings out another large weapon. Anna knows better than to bother Goh when he's like this. He's focused and in one of his funks. His strong features form into a snarl as the weapons are lifted. The Godannar does nothing....taking the strikes to its legs which badly damage the armor. Taking the strikes on the other legs from the Valhawk.

Goh glares at the radio, breathing heavily. "Listen kid. Your friend is in Orb?! Then I guess I have no choice. ANNA!!!!"

The large arm of Goddannar attempts to seize Cagalli's unit by the torso, squeezing it. The large arm starts to pulsate slightly as a large revolver control device rises into the cockpit into Anna's lap. Goh looks down to her, feeling the sting of the relization that this was the first time there was a person on the otherside of this move. "Do it on my mark."

The 17 year old nods slowly, taking hold of the revolver. "HEART!"

Goh completes the statement, "BREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKERRRRRRRR!!!!!" The gun is fired and inside the arm a powerful shot of energy erupts from the hand. Energy which usually chars a mimetic beast to the core. Turns them to Ash? How would it work on another mech? Would this kill her? Goh breaths heavily, not wanting to think about it. "I'm sorry kid." He responds back to Kazuma.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck a solid hit on Goh Saruwatari's Godannar Twin Drive using Ray Blade.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has attacked Cagalli Yula Athha. Heart Breaker added to their queue.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has struck a major critical hit on Cagalli Yula Athha's Sword Plus Strike Rouge using Heart Breaker.

And then suddenly, the Gundam X is /right in/ Camille's face, bare hands reaching out to grab the beam rifle and keep it still. "Camille, man, get a freaking GRIP! You're /losing/ it! Do you want your emotions to make you just like /HIM/?" The Gundam X points down towards the sinking wreckage of the Hambrabi, "Now snap out of it! If you don't want to kill people, then stop using your emotions as a blunt object!"

The Megadeus and the Angel continue to go at it. This exchange was better for the Big Fau, as the barrage of bullets pound into it's armor, slowly withering it away, but one of it's fists managed to catch it, once more showing that the Big Fau CAN hit you, and it probably hurts. However, the Big Fau doesn't stop there, not letting Shin gain any ground...no quarter would be earned from Alex.

Once more, the Giant fists come in, trying to catch Shin by surprise, and drill his Mech into an early retirement.

"You are from the Macross. Do you truly hate me that much?"

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Turbine Drill Punch added to their queue.

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has activated a spirit command.

Russel Bagman says, "We gave you a chance to end this without any more loss of life and you Murdered the messenger! SHUT UP!" He weaves lef, then right and is just nicked by the beam saber, it get his plasma stakes though, Russel's about out of options. He's got one move left, Camille, inspires this in a lot of people, really. The uncontrolable urge to just punch him out.

The Gespenst pilot's dealing with some balance issues caused by when he got punched. You'd almost thik the mech was mad from how it looked as the first comes up to just slam into the Gundam.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has attacked Camille Bidan. Gespenst Punch added to their queue.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has struck a glancing hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Angel Mode using Turbine Drill Punch.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo's evasion attempt has failed.

While the shot doesn't strike the Taozi, it does, perhaps, fulfill its purpose. Soma is forced to pull her mobile suit back to get enough space to maneuver around the shotcannon blast. That gives the Arbalest (and the de Danaan) just a few more seconds' lead on her. "Tch..."

Thrusters fire, and the pastel pink mobile suit begins to accelerate again. "You won't get away that easily!" Even the rear-facing maneuvering thrusters fire, propelling the Taozi as fast as it can go...dangerously fast, for a ground-based unit, but Soma manages to dodge around rocks and debris that are in the way. The right arm comes up, taking aim at the Arbalest... then moves higher, aiming for the giant legged submarine. "I won't let you leave like this!"

COMBAT: Soma Peries has attacked Teletha Testarossa. Smoothbore Gun Rapid Fire added to their queue.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Soma Peries transmits, "Targetting the submarine..."

"Course I do!" is Eek's immediate response, "It's self defense, we wouldn't be fighting you if if you guys weren't destroying the world over petty differences! We were going to leave all enough alone, and then you fell for some trailer trick! But you weren't going to parlay anyway, that was just some trick wasn't it? So you could blame us. That's how you guys do it, huh? Blow some stuff up, and then pin it on us?"

Ekelia is running out of strength, but she only needs to last a little longer. The Tuatha De Danaan is about to make it! But she is still angry over the sacrifice. She barely even got to know her and she died and she's not even going to have the decency to come back, huh!

Well, there's something very strong and durable to hit. Maybe when all is said and done, she'll feel pretty embarrassed about all this, but as Giant Robo charges, The Spectral chooses this moment to go for the upperhand, taking a risky fall backwards as the punch comes in, lashing out and grabbing at the fists even as they come in--intending to try what she went for before! Except this time, she's more desperate, crudery in her 'psychic' attack! Maybe part of her just wants that mostly silent weapon of war to feel pain, during the height of her emotions.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Daisaku Kusama. Oogabagoogabagoogaba added to their queue.

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has successfully covered Teletha Testarossa.

Shin is caught by first one fist, and then another. Shin hisses through his teeth "There are /50,000/ people on that ship, who have to live in that tincan under constant threat because you are too worried about how you look in a /photograph!"

The VF-0 suddenly launches straight up into the air, the bolts holding the Ghost drone to it's back disengage, letting it free...

Free to ram the Big Fau.

It looks like the Tuatha De Dannon will reach the far shore line and escape, free of further EFA fleet entanglements...

But some people just can't let things go. Like Captain Johnson of the UNS Asuka II. The small scale carrier wheels around the island at full emergency speed, it's Overtechnology driven reactors and small size mean it can slide through water like a smaller frigate, but you'd think a carrier would be less of a danger with it's fighters all out, and it's pillbox mounted Destroid Defenders wouldn't have the range and fire power to threaten the TDD-1...

These illusions are blown away as the aircraft elevator straines and whines as a large black shape is delivered to the catapult deck. The hunched over, inhumane shape straights and rises up, and a sound not unlike a locomtive train starting up and nearly screaming can be heard as one moassive foot follows another as it turns on the deck and positions itself...

HWR-00 Monster Heavy Weight Robot. Predescessor to the current HWR Mk II. It features the same four cannons on top of it's body, and rear shock brace deploys and presses against the carrier's blast shield as the weaponless arms unfold into long, spindlely claw that hook around brace point in the carrier's deck...Then comes the thunder.

KRACKOOWM KRACKOOWM KRACKOOWM KRACKOOWM.

All four cannon fire, shells scream through the air on a flat trajectory for one of the Tuatha's 'legs'

Shin Kudo activates his VF-0A Fighter unit.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has struck a major hit on Allelujah Haptism's Gundam Kyrios using Smoothbore Gun Rapid Fire.

Knock Out! Allelujah Haptism's Gundam Kyrios unit has become disabled!

COMBAT: Allelujah Haptism has counter attacked for a minor hit on Soma Peries's MSJ-06 II-SP Tieren Taozi using Beam Saber.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has attacked Alex Rosewater. QF-2200A Ram attack added to their queue.

COMBAT: Russel Bagman has struck a solid hit on Camille Bidan's Zeta Gundam using Gespenst Punch.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has counter attacked for a minor hit on Russel Bagman's Gespenst Mk. II-M using Zeta Punch.

COMBAT: Shin Kudo has struck a solid hit on Alex Rosewater's Big Fau Prototype using QF-2200A Ram attack.

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has counter attacked for a solid hit on Shin Kudo's VF-0A Fighter using Turbine Punch.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Shin Kudo transmits, "Retreating."

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a minor hit on Daisaku Kusama's Giant Robo using Oogabagoogabagoogaba.

COMBAT: Daisaku Kusama has missed Ekelia Mossberg with his Gatling Guns counter attack.

It doesn't take Sousuke long before he realises, exactly, what his opponent is planning. And when other people move, so does he.

The Arbalest seemingly vanishes while Soma focuses on the submarine, as Sousuke maneuvers. His monomolecular cutter is drawn, as he attempts to close the distance, and drive the cutter into the Tieren Taozi's thrusters. A strike at a vital point like that could, in fact, be crippling.

The ECS disengages as the strike is made. He may only be able to afford short bursts, but every so often, that's enough.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has attacked Soma Peries. Assassin Strike added to their queue.

Wordlessly, Ingram watches Marie start to pull back in the Puppeteer. He could shoot her down -- were this any other situation, any other battle, he might very well do just that.

Ingram is far too practical a person to let something like 'honor' keep potential threats up and active.

But, this is /not/ any other mission. And they are /all/ here for a purpose. And that purpose is exactly what Prisken sets the sights of the Wildschwein upon: the Tuatha de Danaan. The shotgun swivels to point directly at the retreating submarine. The heavy barrel focuses in with cold precision, aiming for the joint of one of those makeshift legs.

"Super-1, preparing to achieve the objectiv--"

The machine gun shots rain down in a hail of bullets, none /hitting/ Prisken, but all of them enough to distract his attention appropriately. The Wildschwein swings about, shotgun pointing towards the direction of the artillery-fire...

... Only to have a sudden surge of energy is noted from the Wildschwein's myriad of sensors. Ingram frowns; the Wildschwein rips around once again. Before the beam can strike any vulnerable areas of the PTX-005, its left arm sweeps upwards, Circle Zanber activating in a swirl of emerald. Like a makeshift shield, the Disk Slicer deflects the brunt of the assault -- but not all of it. The powerful beam assault overwhelms and /blows apart/ that defending arm, ripping the appendage off in a vicious explosion. The Wildschwein rocks backwards; within the cockpit, Ingram grits his teeth.

"... The odds are against us, it seems."

But that doesn't stop Ingram from firing off another round of shotgun shells in a narrow choke, aiming straight for the Zeta Gundam.

COMBAT: Ingram Prisken has attacked Camille Bidan. M13 Shotgun Narrow Choke added to their queue.

COMBAT: You have missed Camille Bidan with your M13 Shotgun Narrow Choke attack.

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has counter attacked for a minor hit using Zeta Punch!

"I turned the craft away because it posed a threat to my city." Alex says, even as the mech transforms and attempts to ram him. Alex smirks...this means it would come into his domain...and it rams into the Big. However, the Big Fau counters with a gigantic fist of it's own, aiming to smash itself deep into the Gerwalk.

"My city has suffered at the hands of the EFA, they were aware of the shield on the Macross. I was, however, not quiet informed. The people of my city were very lucky it never got close to it."

This time, the hands of the Big Fau came up, and then down, trying to hammer slam Shin into the ground...before sending both fists down. The force of the shockwave would cause another part of the island to form a new crater. Hopefully, with Shin...

"If you want to be angry, pilot, be angry at your own government. They refuse to let the people back into their society, and instead tried to push them off onto the Orb Union. ...And here you are, trying to end us."

COMBAT: Alex Rosewater has attacked Shin Kudo. Double Turbine Punch added to their queue.


 * ting*

The pressure is mounting, and Allelujah knows what the exact source is. Clenching his jaw in pain and leaning forward in the cockpit, Allelujah slams the Gundam into action, rushing into the path of fire as he notices the bright-pink Taozi closing in. His heart is thumping wildly in his ears, blood coursing audibly; as he gets closer, he feels the noise as a sharp burst of pain -- like mental shrapnel.

Kyrios swerves wildly, washed in the furious blasts of Soma's weapon: as he does, a beam saber goes snapping out toward her legs for what is hopefully a crippling blow.

That's all that Kyrios can take: it is engulfed in a plume of thick black smoke, and goes spiralling into the sandy beach. A torrent of sand skirts out from the impact.

COMBAT: Soma Peries has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Sousuke Sagara has struck a major hit on Soma Peries's MSJ-06 II-SP Tieren Taozi using Assassin Strike.

COMBAT: Soma Peries's evasion attempt has failed.

At this point, the Gespenst and the Zeta Gundam are all but trading physical blows -- brute blow after brute blow, covering the escape of the de Danaan. The Wildschwin comes point blank, firing its shotgun, but Camille jerks away and the entire Mobile Suit follows with him; bullets dodged, and the Wildschwein receives a blow to the face for its trouble. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" But it all has to come to a head sooner or later: "GET LOST!" he cries, kicking in an attempt to knock the Gespenst away. The Zeta withdraws several meters, before taking aim with its beam rifle--

--and then there's an unexpected target in the way. "What the--" Camille's breath catches, "--Garrod..." The Beam Rifle is primed, a faint glow of purple from within the barrel-- Before it dies out. "--... Roger! We're withdrawing!"

COMBAT: Camille Bidan has attacked Russel Bagman. Zeta Kick added to their queue. COMBAT: Camille Bidan has missed Russel Bagman with his Zeta Kick attack.

Cagalli does something that, in hindsight, she is going to be very happy for. She brings both of the Strike Rouge's blades into a defensive posture as Godannar comes in to strike. Even in her tiredness, her frustration, her anger, she thinks to remember job one of combat: protect yourself. It is this that saves her from a grim fate, as the Heart Breaker tears through the Rouge's armor -- the worst of it is chewed up by the beam edge of her saber.

"I never said history was on our side!" Cagalli responds, as she wrestles her way free of Godannar's grasp, "I just said it sure as /hell/ isn't right of you to act like it's on yours!" Leaping back, the Strike Rouge takes up an offensive position once again. The Princess /has/ to keep that robot from getting anywhere /near/ the De Danaan. Its power is so immense -- it /has/ to stay where it is. And there's one surefire way to make it stay there...

Resting a sword on each shoulder as she takes to the air with another leap, the Princess sights in on the enemy unit. Something clicks inside her head -- desperation, fatigue, and anger give way to clarity, efficiency, and a pure understanding of the harshness of war. She sees all the sensor data as if it were simply more of her own senses. Everything is clear. She shifts her blades slightly, realizing her initial trajectory /definitely/ wouldn't have worked; the new one is a lot better, she reflects, briefly.

The two swords cut down toward the Godannar's shoulders, aiming to cleave off one arm each, Schwert Gewehr going for the left and Grand Slam for the right. What follows this attack is an expression of fine control that would take /years/ for a normal pilot -- even an exceptional one -- to master; with a quick flourish that should barely be possible with even a second-generation Strike, the Rouge turns its blades around and cuts again, this time seeking to take the legs of the Godannar off at the thigh. The goal is, of course, to disable the machine as neatly as possible without harming the pilot, without even needing to worry about all but the remotest possibility of doing so.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Goh Saruwatari. Dual Ship Cutting Swords added to their queue.

Gurk! That was a close one. Camille almost shot him. Guess Camille isn't the only one who needs to act with a little more intelligence and a little less zeal, "Good, now get out of here. My Gundam is still in prime shape, so I'll cover for you!" The Gundam's arm swings back to grab the buster rifle stored there, then swings around to take aim at the Wildschwein, before unleashing a blast of crimson energy down at Ingram, "And don't you go dieing on me Camille!"

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Ingram Prisken. Shield Buster Rifle added to their queue.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has missed you with his Shield Buster Rifle attack.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has struck a major hit on Goh Saruwatari's Godannar Twin Drive using Dual Ship Cutting Swords.

Knock Out! Goh Saruwatari's Godannar Twin Drive unit has become disabled!

COMBAT: Goh Saruwatari has counter attacked for a minor hit on Cagalli Yula Athha's Sword Plus Strike Rouge using Counter Knuckle.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Ingram Prisken transmits, "The mission is compromised; fall back immediately."

Russel Bagman is actually able to prepare foir the attack. "Then stop piloting a mech. You sound like you'd be happier if you didn't." The Zeta moves to kick the Gespenst, while Russel's kick fu is weak, he has read up on it and he moves to just side step the attack. He's preparing to counter attack but gets the call to flee, and someone's got to find lavi. He cuts his jets and vanishes under the waves....

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Soma Peries transmits, "...yes, sir."

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Russel Bagman transmits, "Pulling out."

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Goh Saruwatari transmits, " Pulling back."

It's a clean shot. Soma is sure of it. And then that orange Gundam has to get in her way! She frowns as he takes some of the shots, quickly backing away from the incoming soon-to-be wreck. She isn't -quite- fast enough, as the beam sabre manages to slice into the armor of her Taozi's leg. "How dare you--!"

Her protest is cut short by two things. First, the Kyrios crashes. Second... she feels a sudden sense of dread. "What... what is this?" Soma doesn't know -what- the feeling is, only that she should move. It's a good thing she did, too. The sudden motion means that the Arbalest's cutter strikes the right arm, rather than the thrusters in the middle of the torso. The limb isn't -quite- shorn off, but it does hang limply. "You! I'll teach you what happens when--!" Her radio is suddenly cut off. She doesn't bother to give a reason, only a quick look as the rear optic of the Taozi slides over to -stares- at the Arbalest. Thrusters fire, and the pink mobile suit moves back, pivots, and begins to skim back in the direction of the EFA ships.

"CAGALLI!!" exclaims Kazuma as the Heart Breaker blasts almost right through the Strike Rouge, and without thinking more clearly, Kazuma shifts the Valhawk into a full-throttle charge. He almost doesn't register that Cagalli is, in fact, still in the fight ... but when the Strike Rouge makes its next move, the Valhawk comes to a somewhat nonplussed-looking stop.

"Oniichan?" Mihiro pipes up. "I don't think she needs extra help right now."

".... yeah, kinda looks that way to me, too," Kazuma responds, then thumbs the radio, transmitting to the Tuatha De Danaan this time. << This is Kazuma Ardygun of the Valstork Family. Mihiro and I are glad we could lend a hand ...>>. o O ( Even if we didn't quite plan on it. )

"...Robo?"

Daisaku senses something unfortunate as Robo roars in sheer pain and rage, the eyes focusing in and out, sparks flying from its holes. It swings a fist at the water, another into the air. It's swinging wildly, and it looks as if it is going to retaliate fiercely against Eke's psychic attack. There is something there. The mind of Robo is something like this-

PROTECT DAISAKU PROTECT DAISAKU PROTECT DAISAKU PROTECT DAISAKU

And it interprets any threat as something that could hurt Daisaku.

"Robo...Robo!" Desperately, the boy screams into his radio. "We're retreating. They've called a retreat! We need to pull back! ROBO...!"

Robo roars and rumbles, raises its fist...and then ignites its thrusters as it begins flying away.

Orb's defenses have been drawn out a little. The defense of the de Danaan has been truly epic, but there's always that one shot that gets through. The de Danaan skitters down the beach, dips its nose in the water--and then the HWR-00 Monster Heavy Weight weighs in on the matter, a massive barrage blowing off an entire rig worth of the Danaan's frontal legs. The ship sinks in lower, the whole thing shaking. "Agh!" Tessa squawks, startled. "I forgot how bumpy land warfare is," she mutters, and then taps her consoles. She smiles. "But too little, too late."

The rearmost sets of legs begin to shove, pushing the de Danaan deeper into the sea, stress slowly destroying the legs. But their job is done; hobbled but unbroken, the Tuatha de Danaan gains buoyancy, and finally, begins the long journey home. It doesn't submerge just yet, using its ECS Masts to baffle the targetting computers of any remaining zelous firing crews, while the Danaan's upper deck slides open, revealing the flight deck - mostly undamaged, by some miracle - for the returning defenders to land on.

"This is TDD HQ!" Tessa calls, trying not to get too excited. "We're in the water! All pilots, return to the Danaan immediately! We are submerging in two minutes!"

Eek doesn't really read minds, the connection is hardly two way, but Eek can tell that the robot likes that kid a lot. About

That much. Maybe more?! Regardless, Eek is pretty thankful that mech is going the heck away, because hers is barely fighting and apparently Alia is alive after all--woops! She'll have to send Daisaku a /card/ or something.

But more importantly, Alia needs Evac and, because Alia is so nice about evaccing everybody else, Eek is determined to be a good sport and evac her, even if Alex Rosewater happens to be closer. It's important.

She intends, of course, to take it to the Submarine of Love.

The Kyrios thankfully doesn't go up into flames -- but the particle-producing drive has gone into emergency shutdown to prevent any complications. It smokes at the seams, dug into an ugly scar trailing about 30 yards across the beach; the mobile suit lays, wrecked, on its side, its head just barely pressing against a nearby tree.

Allelujah has taken his helmet off. He's rubbing his forehead.

The Big Fau is done here...

The large machine starts to pull back, once in the water the turbines would activate, allowing to move faster than it normally could.

Marie keeps running. She expects to get shot down at any moment. Possibly killed, possibly captured. She doesn't think the EFA would torture her to death or anything. Probably.

It leaps, looking ridiculous among various returning Arm Slaves, into the open hangar bay, staggering drunkenly in the lurching seas and slamming into a wall hard enough to leave a ding.

Alia hasn't said much since the Astray's explosion. She's only extremely vaguely conscious, not really parsing any of what's going on. Her new Haro -- a recent surprise gift from Amuro just prior to his recent disappearance -- is still active though, as it pokes and prods her with the occasional ear-flap. Nothing really happens. And the Astray's gold cockpit block continues to bob along. It's twisted, shrapnel-filled, but it is in one piece. One piece that should fit well into the arms of the Spectral for carrying.

<Radio: B - EFA-Secure> Mk I Monster crew "Target has engaged ECM, our first shot was off, unable to range to target."

The Heart Breaker doesn't work as well as Goh hoped. Goh stares in awe that Cagalli actually manages to hold it off for the most part. It was interesting to meet a pilot who could pull off something like that. The Godannar stands there, steam coming from the joints as the power runs on low. The next attack would finish it. Goh stares at the other machine, prepairing for the worst.

Cagalli's cut tears through the armor and just about takes the leg off, making the large robot barely able to stand up on it's own. The super robot stands there for a moment, sparking spuraticly and definately running on fumes. The plasma flare from the top of the robot's head disappears.

Goh looks at Cagalli's unit one last time before using the last of Godannar's energy to leep back to a ship. The Super robot lands and the leg gives out, sending the unit down face first onto the deck. The Dannar had lost this fight.

The Zeta Gundam returns to the ship, but doesn't dock -- Camille intends to linger at the outside, holding steady in its position and waiting, rifle trained out to sea, for anyone to dare.

Metal crunches inward in a vague fashion as the Zeta Gundam makes impact with the dark face of the Wildschwein; paint is scraped off as the one-armed Personal Trooper is forced backwards through the air, spiraling dangerously. Within the cockpit, Ingram turns dark blue eyes back towards the retreating form of the Tuatha de Danaan; he frowns.

"...It'd seem as if your gambit has paid off today."

Dispassionately, Ingram turns his gaze back towards the fight -- just in time to see the Gundam X descending upon him. That scorching pulse of crimson energy bears down on the Wildschwein... which simply is /not/ there when the deep crimson blast cuts through the space it once occupied.

Thrusters at full power, the PTX-005 rips through the air, spiraling -around- that blast of energy and soaring /upwards/ towards Garrod's machine. It banks violently to the left at the last possible moment, the thrusters of the machine spewing out contrails of bright blue as the Wildschwein starts to fall back from the battle at high speeds.

The order, it appears, is to retreat. That means the job is done. The Arbalest's opponent has left, and Sousuke has got two minutes to get on deck. Which... isn't too hard. On the other hand, he needs to dock the arbalest quickly enough, so those techs can get to work on fixing it.

Sousuke Sagara activates his ARX-7 Arbalest unit.

Likewise does Kai Shiden and his green-shaded Gelgoog linker, standing on the Tuatha de Danaan just by the flight deck, guarding the return of its allies. The Zaku gun is up, Kai switching between targets until it's clear - the EFA is leaving, finally giving up. All at once, Kai Shiden seems to deflate inside his cockpit, one hand on his forehead, the mobile suit's arms dropping as Kai releases the controls. He takes a deep breath, and then hunts down his radio.

<"Camille.">

Shin just flies back to his mothership, the Asuka. "/No one/ knew about the shield. It was the first time it was ever /used/."

The Mk I can no longer range to it's target... the massive brass cassings from it's cannons bounce off the deck with deafening clatter. It will retreat into the belly of the Asuka, and probably not be seen from again for months.

Garrod reflexively yanks back on the controls as Ingram charges him before veering off at the last second. And as the Wildschwein pulls away, garrod trains his rifle on the PT and waits until it's good and gone before finally lowering it, "Phew... that could have been messy..." The rifle is reholstered just as the Airmaster flies into view. "There you are, baka. I lost sight if you after the Beastmen pulled back. You do realize we're both going to catch three different kinds of hell from the captain, don't you?" Garrod sweatdrops and sighs, "... Don't remind me... now let's find Kazuma and head home. Might as well get it over with." Maybe it would have been better if Camille shot him.

Camille slumps forward in his cockpit. "... Yeah... huff... what's up, Kai?" he gasps, trying to slow down before he faints.

<"We can't ever forget this island.">

Abruptly, the Gelgoog Jaeger flings a hand to the side, pitching the machine gun pulled from Ali's mobile suit away as though it were cursed. The flight deck starts to close - Kai Shiden's suit vanishes within, crouching to fit.

In the cockpit, Cagalli breathes a momentary sigh of relief; however, it seems almost unnecessary -- other than the dark circles under her eyes, she looks awake, alert, and all in all to be in fairly good shape. Opening a full comm (with video, if Kazuma has it) to the Valhawk, she says, "Thank you again for the assistance -- I don't know if I could've done it on my own. We were very desperate -- I can't thank you enough times." Her eyes have an unusual cast to them, if Kazuma is indeed getting video -- she looks hyperfocused, to say the least. It might be a little eerie.

Taking a few steps back to near the Zeta Gundam, the Princess likewise hangs back to make sure that no one else pursues -- after all Camille's done for them, she doesn't want to leave him to defend them all /alone/. "... I'm glad that that's finally coming to a close," she says softly, her comm not open.

"I'm glad I could help out," Kazuma answers Cagalli with a nod; yes, he does have video. "If you need help getting back to Orb, the Valstork can be here in half an hour ... assuming the skies stay clear."

Mihiro pipes up, her face appearing in a sub-window of Kazuma's vidcomm link, "It looks like all the EFA forces are pulling out as well. Papa and our sisters shouldn't have any trouble getting to us - the Freedan too, for that matter."

"Good," says Kazuma, then opens a channel to the Gundam X - and to the Airmaster too. "Garrod? What *did* bring you out this way tonight? Were you helping the De Danaan or something?"

"In a manner of speaking..." remarks Garrod as they approach the Valhawk, "I've had more than my fair share of encounters with Orb that's gone south on me, but letting a lot of good people die just because of a few pricks wouldn't be fair..."

Hizack and Gespenst teams begin pulling back as Ingram takes command and the order to recall goes out. The fleet begins to regroup, turning away from persuit and focusing on recovering downed pilots and those in the water. Several shells explode in the water above the Tuatha de Danaan, a last parting salvo in vein attempt to achieve in the final moments that which could not be done in the past three days. But it's only a token effort, the de Danaan is too deep and too fast. When the ECM goes up and the submarine disappears, that is all she wrote... there is no more chance for the fleet to harm it.

Lavi continues to look weakly up at the slowly retreating surface of the water above him as the Hambrabi slides yet deeper into the water. He's got his hand on his side... it feels wet, but he's already patched the leak. "I think... that bitch got me..." He says to himself, mostly to assure himself that he can talk and that he's not dead. He'll be in the hospitol for a while again. He might miss Christmas with the boy again this year. Maybe his momma will be nice for once and let the kid come visit him in the ICU. That'd be nice...

This has been a long, bloody three days of combat, but it is at least over now. In a way, it is a shame that the only thing that was achieved was the maintence of the status quo, but such are the tides of war. One day, a decisive blow will be struck and the winds of fortune will blow differently for one side or another. But for both the EFA and the Orb Union, all that remains is to lick their wounds and prepare for tomorrow. What awaits with the next rising of the sun? Find out next time...

NEXT EPISODE: COUNTER ATTACK!