2009-04-25 - Death/Rebirth Pt. II

/Onogoro Island//

Within Onogoro Island and all of the Orb Mainland, people are moving. Families evacuated to safe areas during the interim of attacks -- some even moved /out/ of the islands shortly after the withdrawal of Federation forces. Feelings are tense, and the sensation that settles over the islands could best be described as forboding.

Deeper within, Representative Alejandro Corner of Orb Union stands just beyond a docking tube nestled deep within one of the military industrial complexes in Orb; one contracted specifically to Corner. His hand idly drifts along a data screen reading 'DEPLOYMENT: READY.' A small smile drifts across his lips.

"And now it is time for the main actor to take center stage--"

"Corner?"

Alejandro pauses. His lips pulled into a thin line, the man turns, seeing before him a bearded man, looking somehow powerful and gentle at the same time. A man anyone from Orb would know; the Chief Representative--

"... Uzumi Nara Athha." Alejandro Corner smiles.

"Just the man I wanted to see."

//South Pacific, Just Outside the Orb Mainland/

Federation ships loom on the horizon of the Orb Mainland as the forces that had fell back just a day prior now mount a new offensive. The damage done to the Orb Union's islands has been considerable, and their reprieve is brief -- the second wave of force lingers like a pale promise of destruction just beyond. Forces mobilize, GN-X squads once more deploying and intermingling amongst the standard troops. The Federation forces have been hit -- but not nearly hard enough.

And now they've come to finish what they've started.

/Onogoro Island//

"Alejandro, where have you been?"

Uzumi Nara Athha, the most powerful man of Orb Union, stands just beyond Alejandro Corner, his brows knit with concern. Alejandro, bedecked in a bright, golden flight suit, stares for a moment of silence, before closing his eyes and smiling.

"I'm sorry, my friend," he responds, simply. "I had diplomatic business to attend to. When I heard what straights our people were in, I came back as fast as possible. I'm preparing to join our forces, before the Federation can strike again. This situation does not bode well, does it?"

Uzumi stares for a long, quiet moment, before a simple frown creases his lips. "... No. No, it does not. We've ordered the citizens to begin a full retreat. But I don't understand; why would the Federation come /now/...? Perhaps, if they took the time to listen to our situation, they--"

"It wouldn't work," Alejandro replies calmly, his smile rueful. He strides forward, calmly placing gloved hands on Uzumi's shoulders. "You're a noble man, Uzumi Nara Athha. I know you simply want the best, most peaceful solution. But sometimes, human beings simply cannot listen to reason."

"Perhaps," Uzumi replies, "but I still feel that something must be done. The tide of violence cannot be stemmed simply by adding more violence upon it." Alejandro's expression grows a touch sadder. His brows furrow, gloved hands clenching more securely, more reassuringly, on Uzumi's shoulders.

"Don't worry, Uzumi," Corner responds calmly, assuringly, as he pulls the other man into an embrace -- an embrace of comrades.

"I will ensure that things are guided along on the proper path."

BANG

The dim room flares in a brief flash of light. Uzumi Nara Athha's eyes widen. He stumbles backwards, looking down. Blood pours from a fresh bullet wound to the gut. The barrel of a golden Walther P5 smokes in Alejandro's hand.

"Goodbye, old friend."

And the trigger is squeezed again.

"I wonder if they thought we'd simply leave and forget about this whole thing?" Scirocco finds himself questioning... himself, since there's nobody around to really answer his question. For the second day running, the Federation has returned to the doorstep of the Orb Union, and this time, there are no cookies for sale. Instead of girl scouts, there are simply more GN-X units and mobile armors filling the air, following after an immediate salvo of missiles and heavy ordnance.

For the second day in a row, they're not kidding around. It's almost as if they were seriously here to try and destroy the Orb Mainland, rather than just show up, fight for a bit, then putter away once everybody was finished with their honor duels.

A foreign concept, for certain.

Riding the towline up into the cockpit of a unit he had effectively retired himself from, the Man from Jupiter boards the Messala, which is swift to takeoff and transform, leading a wing of both mobile armor and GN-X units. The O may be too sophisticated to simply show up back-to-back unlike some other units, but there's always a backup plan with Paptimus Scirocco.

"Today, we give proper thanks to those who have fallen to the terrorists of the Orb Union. Today, truly, we will be victorious as we never have been before. Hold strong, and do not give in. Reinforcements are on the way." Words spoken earlier to the soldiers, but even now they linger in the mind. It is with that memory that the Messala surges forward, a heavy assault mobile armor designed to bring down capital ships with a single blow. Surely it can help sink an island.

Paptimus Scirocco's Messala transforms into its Messala - MA mode.

"This is Torrey... I'm going out!"

A GN-X launches down the catapault ramp of an EFA carrier, thrown into the air as it starts to trail a sickly red vomit in its wake. As the Mobile Suit grasps the sky, Rockwell runs through an extranious checklist even as he flies. It's an old habit, he doesn't fully trust any of these 'air force zoomies'. If God had intended man to fly, he would have been given nests, like the birds.

"Lance four, form up on my wing and sound off by callsign." Rock orders, waiting for the confirmations from his three backup pilots. He should have clipped Jessie's wings, kept her on the carrier. But she qualified on the GN-X so there was no real stopping her. "Check particle count and increase to combat velocity. We're on vanguard today, boys and girls. Watch each other's backs and don't fall behind."

Katsuro cleans out his ear with a pinky finger as he looks away from the main screen of the Valizar... and for good reason too, as Director Tanaka is on the screen, bitching at him like usual. "Now no horseplay this time you little punk! you're here to support the troops with the Valizar, so try not to screw it up!" "Yeah, yeah, I know," Katsuro by now has learned to tune out the director somewhat, "Kick ass in the name of the EFA, yadda yadda yadda. You don't have to scream at me about it, I get the drill." This causes a vein to pop out of Director Tanaka's head, but before he can further rant, the attack begins, "Sorry bossman, got a job to do. Can't talk." Katsuro slaps the power on the laser transmitter and cuts Tanaka off just as he's about to yell, then grips the arms of his control harness. The psynthium armor pulses with energy as the super robot pushes up off the deck of the carrier on a cushion of force, then falls in line behind the rest of the force.

Irm Kazahara's Grungust Type 1 transforms into its Wing Gust mode.

After receiving a message from Col. Testarossa, the Princess of the Orb Union finds herself in sudden need to talk to someone -- anyone -- in Orb's actual political structure that she can actually trust. Representative Homura is at Kaguya, though... and her father is 'with one of the other representatives, near the deployment area.' She can't waste any time -- she has to talk to her father.

She moves through the facility, knowing it like the back of her hand now -- after embarassing herself by wandering aimlessly in front of Mina she's taken the time to actually learn the floor plans of the buildings Orb owns. The hangar isn't far, which means the launch tubes are close... and that's when she starts to hear the voices, just at the edge of her perception.

Her father. Another voice. Is that -- "The tide of violence cannot be stemmed..." "... the proper path..."

A lump forms in her throat as she starts to realize just who she hears besides her father. Her mouth opens, to call to him, to warn him, /something/ -- and that's when she hears the gunshots. Once, twice. She wants to immediately shout, to scream -- but that'd draw Corner's attention into the hallway, toward her. She has to let him make the first move.

Tears start to well up in the corners of her eyes. She bites her lip, trying her best to make sure not to scream. Her father is, in all likelihood, dead.

"But the GN-X is the latest technology! I thought you said we needed speed and GN drives to defeat the Orb Union!" Kusuha protests, standing outside the cockpit of a GN-X dressed in a blue flight suit. The CAG shrugs. "Sorry, Kusuha. This is a siege, and we need siege breakers. You know that means super robots."

Kusuha pauses for a moment, deep in thought. Then she smiles, skipping down the boarding steps and giving an adorable salute. "Okay, sir! It's been a while since I teamed up with Grungust... so let's do it!"

The blue-haired heroine-to-be climbs up into the cockpit of the G-Hawk, settling into the familiar contours of its control centre and closing the tough hatch over her head. "Okay, Grungust!" she exclaims, watching the dials rise and the lights brighten from standby. "Let's go! Time to bring justice to the Orb Union... at last!"

The large blue bomber rockets out of its mothership, soaring into formation with a group of mobile armors and, of all things, the Messala. "Admiral Scirocco, sir!" she radios. "I'm here with the Grungust Type 2! We're at your service!"

Jade Gundam was badly damaged yesterday and, officially, Daiyu made her way back onto the list of wounded. At least she did not make it on the list of the dead; that was about the only good thing that happened to her yesterday. She is out again anyway. Unable to wear her Trace Suit, Daiyu sits in the relatively heavier wanzer-piloting gear, the blocky helmet hiding her eyes from view and giving her readouts on the small screens inside the helmet.

Daiyu has kept radio near-silence, because officially, she isn't supposed to be here. The Grapple M1, painted a deep blue that approaches black, marches /under/ the water, mirroring the flying units above.

Daiyu Lin activates her Grapple M1 unit.

Lamia Loveless continues not to rate a GN-X. Maybe when they run out of other pilots - but then, David Churchill has an inexplicable tendency to survive, so in all likelihood, it will never get that low.

Angelg launches less artfully, using the space hatch; its wings spread and catch the wind as its own glowing Tesla drive engages, sending it higher as it moves behind one of the flights of GN-Xs. The arrival of the enormous blue machine nearby makes Lamia's lips thin close together. Mizuha... here, again. Another verification of her hypothesis. "L-Loveless in form-mation," she adds tersely into the comm band. "SMSC Angelg-g in the gr-reen."

The repairs to Virtue have been hastily made, and Tieria is hoping that the heavy set Gundam will hold together. Still, most of the damage yesterday had been done to the outer armor, not to the core systems, and that meant that he would be able to rely on his Gundam for at least one more battle. Sitting on the gantry inside of Morgenroete, he goes over the last set of technical notes, making sure everything is as in place as it could be. It was time, after all. it seemed that the EFA would be holding nothing at all back today. Tieira slides into Virtue's cockpit, running through the startup steps as quickly as he can. Without Veda, the process took far longer than it might have otherwise, and the lack of his usual alacrity is... frustrating. A few minutes later, the elevator to the surface begins rising, bringing Virtue up out of the maintenance hanger and onto the surface. The Gundam's eyes flash as Tieria takes in the situation, waiting to see just what the EFA will end up doing next...

Now, the tide has turned again. The Orb Union's victory is not unknown to Heero - but what was unknown happened to be that pilot. It did not matter what circumstances they were in - but there happened to be a link to him. The one that was called '04', or, Gundam pilot four.

He had to meet with him. It did not take long, for Heero's meetings. The Sandrock Gundam had looked much like his own, before it was detonated. There were few times that Heero would break from his emotions - yet 04, or Quatre, had an air about him. Some kind of peaceful, and kind air that Heero did not expect - did not see in the other pilots of the five Gundams.

Even if he must stand against the Orb union, he will still stand with this one pilot.

"04, this is 01... Heero Yuy. The Maganac will be enough ... I'll make it worthwhile giving it to me." The beam rifle is hefted up on the pure white machine, as Heero takes it to one knee alongside the coast, raising the beam rifle.

He only has to wait now.

Irm Kazahara struts through the flight deck towards the Type 1 Grungust. Irm was a decent pilot in the GN-X but everybody knows that in modern combat that you need giant walls of gundanium and Grungust to lead the way and take the heaviest hits -- besides this was a good chance to show the EFA how indespensible mass produced Grungusts would be in battle formations -- but still. Was this the final battle? Irm's seen more than a few uprisings in his time as a pilot, and none of them have ever ended well.

"Alright, partner," Irm says patting the azure hull of the Type 1 transformed into its Wing Gust mode. "Lets do this."

These battles are always messy. However, the steely conviction in Irm's voice outweighs the reluctance he has to be a part of this final battle. He climbs into the cockpit and fires up the engines as the Grungust is catapaulted out into the open air.

"Grungust Type 1, ready to rock!" Irm declares as he flies into formation just happening to admire the sculpted shape of the Angelg as he flies forward. Irm opens a video line to Lamia and waggles his eyebrows.

Terrible things happen all at once. Radio chatter quickly report the issue, or the presense of an issue the moment that an Earth Federation attack comes knocking on the door of Ongoro Island. Quatre was cooking a dinner when it all began, the ships presence over the horizon and the oncoming assault on to the Island base.

Quatre is not a man of violence, having to turn down the pots and pans so that the boy would be able to not overcook, considering that is fthe base stands, everyone is going to want to eat. Granted that everyone decides that getting sick in the present moment over the circumstances isn't the social norm.

Gundamn Sandrock launches, as well as some of the Maganac corps, following the Winner foundation son into the battle. A half a dozen being lead by a boy is nothing impressive, but their priorities will be here all the way.

"Rojer, this is oh-fo-..." Quatre announces, "01?" Quatre announces as he looks over towards the Maganac out by the side.

"Where you involved with project meteor too? But that must mean..." Quatre pauses. There was another? Who was he?

Down in the maintenance room of the Gutsy Geoid Guard's Armored Amphibous Maintenance Vehicle, a GS-Ride-powered facility made for the on-site repairs and launching of GaoGaiGar and other members of the Strongest Brave Robo Corps., Guy Shishioh stands, arms folded, on a scaffold near Galeon. The latest repairs to the space lion have fixed the damage it sustained in the last battle, most importantly the sword wound dealt by Gundam Exia. All that's left is to begin the fusion process and prepare for the battle ahead.

A few minutes later, with a mighty roar and a roll of passionate stock footage, Galeon has become GaiGar, who, through the power of even more recycled sequences becomes the King of Braves, GaoGaiGar! The black, leonine machine stands tall and proud, isolated from the rest of the EFA fleet. Nearby, the super robot Goldymarg sits in tank form.

"Oy, Captain Guy," the gruff, golden tank pipes up. "Don't let those guys' whining get under your skin, alright? You did what you had to, and it all worked out in the end. If they're not willing to get hurt, they shouldn't be out trying to hurt others, yeah?"

Guy's quiet for a long moment inside GaoGaiGar, eyes closed as he floats through the nebulous white void that conveniently masks how, exactly, he pilots this thing. Goldy's words echo throughout his head, and finally his eyes snap open, a look of fierce determination etched on his face. "Thanks, Goldy. Depending on what shows up here, I might need you again, so stay ready, okay?"

The tank responds with an enthusiastic yell, talking about how ready he is to hit things.

The Quicksilver is not normally capable of aerial maneuvers, yet when the Orb Union fell under such heavy assault the previous day Locke had the technicians make adjustments to it. The thrusters and flight equipment were slapped on, and while it wouldn't make his machine better it would at least let it take to the air, and so it was that Locke leapt into the cockpit of the Quicksilver and gave a salute to the techies. "Good work guys, now evac out of here," he calls out to them.

The Quicksilver lurches out of the bay and then takes to the air, the thrusters flare and keep it sustained as it hurtles over the terrain and water. The EFA loom on the horizon, and they're probably going to be shooting everything that they can. For right now the Quicksilver holds it's position, patrolling back and forth and waiting for the EFA to get closer, to fire their shots and to demonstrate that they want to have a metal claw shoved in their face. You paged Ekelia Mossberg with 'well if you want to shoot me with a robot i'd wait a round, i've got to deploy in my machine first; if you just want to shoot regular-like then go for it this round'

Ekelia Mossberg just assumes this will be another battle in which they get their asses kicked by the EFA. This is sort of how it usually goes. What usually doesn't happen during this fights is for someone to throw a coup by shooting Cagalli's dad. Usually these coups are totally seperate to getting kicked out of the EFA. Now Ekelia Mossberg is between a rock and a hard place. The EFA and Alejandro's scheme, whatever it happens to be, which is probably slightly more complex than shooting Cagalli's dad and expect to get away with it.

Ekelia Mossberg knows how to be a professional soldier. She went through nearly all the training. Which is why she knew to lie to Cagalli Yula Athha about going with her, as if she would guard her, as opposed to abuse her dread supernatural powers to make her way to the scene much more quickly. After all, Cagalli running balls first at Alejandro is probably not a safe thing to do. In the Orb Military Manual it says that if Your Princess tries to go on a reckless suicidal charge that you should try to stop them in some manner.

They call this Garma's Rule.

A gunshot rings out for Alejandro, it's not aimed for a shoulder or a toe but rather the face. However Eek isn't really experienced with using her mind to shoot bullets from a gun in the same way she uses it to have helicopters shoot at things.

She does, however, say one thing that isn't professional at all!

"YOU BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASTARD!"

The sound of a sonic boom splits the air - and quite possibly a few people's ears - as the Valhawk arrives, at comparably high speed and altitude, both for the sake of plowing through (or over) the EFA blockade and frustrating any anti-aircraft fire the blockade is putting out. In addition, Kazuma's hoping that he'll draw enough attention that someone else can slip through that crack he's slicing in the air.

And Kazuma Ardygun is *NOT* in a good mood tonight. He found out about the situation in Orb too late to help out last night, partially because he was earning money to cover repairs to both the Valhawk and his Zoid from *other* recent missions ... which laid the groundwork nicely for him to be in a proper temper tonight.

Mihiro Ardygun, for her part, is just hoping that her big brother's foul mood doesn't get them messed up even worse. She's doing one thing for him, though - namely, scanning the forces below them for a particular super robot with whom Kazuma has a minor bone to pick ...

After hearing about what happened last night, Leena decided to put in a little overtime work on getting her new Zoid ready for battle.

This, of course, involved making Bit and Jamie put the extra cannons on, then the -other- extra cannons, and the booster rockets so it could retain the same speed and maneuverability despite the added weight. Oh, and all that ammo that went into them.

It took all night, but it was worth it. All that hard work of supervising her teammates was over, and while they both collapsed, exhausted, Leena climbed into the cockpit of her Salamander Bombvern and set off for the Orb Islands. Fortunately, the Hovercargo wasn't too far away, so it doesn't take very long to arrive. "Alright! Leena Toros is here, ready to blast those EFA punks off our doorstep! Woohoo!"

Macua Huitl isn't quite so fast in her 9-ball unit, it's flight mode is keeping up well enough all things considered, she dances through a few shots of anti air fire. She's been hired again to help where she can, she rolls once and forms up on Kazuma's wing, she's not making an attacks right now, she notices that a lot of supers seem to be part of this wave of EFA attackers this is going to be messy.

"There is no end to the sacrifices a man should make when they are truly committed."

Uzumi Nara Athha, the Lion or Orb, falls to the ground with wide eyes as life drains from his body. Alejandro Corner allows himself a smile, moving once more towards the launch tubes. "It's regrettable that it's come to this," he says, without an ounce of regret in his voice, "but your role has ended--"

The sound of gunfire cuts off Alejandro's speech as he jerks his head up -- just in time to see a ghost heading for him. "What--?!" --Oh. His eyes narrow instantly. He knows who it is; he knows what's coming. And with a level of deftness unbecoming of a seemingly simple dimplomat, the man suddenly /springs/, the crack of a gunshot ushering the scrape of a bullet against his cheek as he drops into a roll, landing just before the launch tube. Blood dribbles down his cheek from an ugly, thick gash; he stares at Ekelia, not with rage -- but with triumphant amusement.

"You all never seem to understand," he notes, almost casually.

"This world has no need for ghosts." Alejandro moves to the launch tube, looking behind him and grinning... before leaping down to the depths below before more shots can be fired.

"This world yearns only for my healing touch!"

The deployment bays of Onogoro Island continue to stream out what forces they can muster; Astrays and other assorted mass-production suits shoot into the air one after the other, dotting the skies with the forces of Orb.

"Jesus, there's a lot of 'em," speaks one of the Orb fighters to his squad members, a large group of Astrays jetting across the vast ocean towards the approaching Federation forces.

"We'll take 'em out," responds another. "We got a lot of 'em yesterday, didn't we? As long as we have the home turf, they can't--"

The sentence is never finished before a massive, orange pillar of fire erupts from the ocean beneath them and engulfs the entire squad in an obliterating wave of power. Water sizzles, spraying outward like a fresh summer rain in sheer volume alone.

None of them survive; debris of Astrays scatter to the earth as something rises amongst them. Something large. Large, and gold. At nearly two hundred feet, the thing could be confused for a small ship by some -- but the design, the structure, it would be clear to anyone what it really is -- a mobile armor. It ascends higher and higher as distinctive GN Particles spray out from behind it in thick plumes. Not green, not red--

But gold.

Brilliant gold pours forth from /seven/ GN-T Drives working in tandem as the GNMA-XCVII Alvatore comes to a stop amidst the destruction as Alejandro Corner's lips pull into a wide, triumphant grin.

"Now... it is time for REBIRTH!"

Alejandro Corner activates his GNMA-XCVII Alvatore unit. Alejandro Corner's GNMA-XCVII Alvatore transforms into its Alvatore mode.

Still massive even within its mobile armor mode, the Messala is unfortunately outmatched for size by the sudden appearance of the Alvatore. "Ahh, reinforcements," the Man from Jupiter says to himself, a slight smile playing on his lips. An impressive display from the onset, he notes, that massive pillar of energy a worry for all parties involved here; especially the Orb Union, and not the Orb Onion as was nearly typed there.

Leading his wing of units, he privately makes a decision to start creating larger and larger mobile armors, if this is the way the war is going. "Look alive, gentlemen. I'm painting your targets now. Use the confusion offered by that new armor to strike while they're gawking." His wing fans out to do just that, leaving the Messala largely alone.

The megaparticle cannons on its shoulders begin charging up in anticipation for massive weapons fire. Missiles fill the air, from more than just the cruisers floating in both air and water nearby; Scirocco's suit also opens up, destroying one Astray as he plunges forward. After yesterday's events, today is much more personal, he's decided.

As Alejandro leaves at long last, Cagalli finally gives pursuit; she stops, however, for her father. He cannot speak, can barely whisper; he's in his final seconds, and all he can do is push his hand slowly toward the pocket of his bloody coat. His daughter, understanding, opens the coat, hands rapidly taking on the red hue of her father's blood; he guides her slowly, with the last of his strength, toward an interior pocket.

The Princess draws out the contents -- a single picture, a photograph from shortly after Cagalli's birth. The first person she sees is a woman she has never known, yet knows instinctively to be her birth mother; the second is her... and the third is a boy, born not long after her, with many of the same facial features.

She turns the picture over, seeing the names written across it... and, tears still welling in her eyes, puts it in her jacket. Holding her father's hand for one final time, Cagalli feels his pulse slow and -- finally -- stop.

She goes down the tubes after Alejandro, toward her own mobile unit, the Strike Rouge, still in Aile configuration from the night before. "F... father, I won't let him get away with this!!" she shouts, as she gets into the cockpit of the Rouge.

"What the shit is that?"

Phi 4 probably put it best, Rockwell would have said something much less eloquent. But the Alvatore's appearence is dramatic and flashy, Rock can't deny there's a certain style to it. The fact it just launched from an Orb dock but shot up a aquad of Astray's... is it something big, or merely another rat trying to escape a sinking ship?

"Jessie, on my wing. Frank, you're with Hummel. Hey, Loveless?" Rock asks, his GN-X looking over it's shoulder. "That you hiding back there? Good. Okay, we are going to ID that... thing. Spread out, element two, you're on the right flank, Loveless is in the middle, Jess and I gots the left. Wide formation. Check your weapons unless fired upon and watch for crossfire coming off of the shore. Look lively, ladies, let's move out."

The GN-Xs break off, with Rockwell and his wingmate flying low over the water as beam rounds fly overhead. Rockwell snaps his GN Rifle upwards and fires a single shot off, it sails way over the Alvatore to get the pilot's attention. Rock hits the open comms. "Unknown ship... armor... thing. This is Rockwell Torrey of the EFA. Identify yourself and your status."

That new machine bursting out gets Lamia's attention. The Angelg's secondary and tertiary data recorders quietly activate. It is new - and it seems much beyond the merely 'better' GN-Xs. Perhaps the apprehension is false. Perhaps it isn't.

Torrey's instructions come in and Lamia answers them with a couple of clicks of her mike to signal yes, probably in deference of her /retard stutter/. The Angelg dips down into the formation, crossing carefully past the smaller units until they reach more or less the designated outline.

(They're investigating it,) Lamia thinks as Angelg's bow poofles (to use the technical term) from one arm, held at the ready but, in obedience to the instruction, not nocked to be fired. The rising mobile units in the area seem less thick today, which, Lamia reasons, isn't all that surprising; but then, that new monstrous unit wrecked a lot of them.

Tieria listens as the news of pure disaster comes over the radio bands - Orb's leader, assassinated by the man who it was now clear had masterminded the destruction of the nation. Alejandro Corner - the mastermind? Or another pawn? It didn't matter - there was nothing else that could be done but to fight now. Tieria spins up Virtue's GN Drive to full power, lifting off into the air. Just in time to spot a massive pillar of water explode out of the sea some distance away. And just in time to witness the rise of a monster. Tieria looks on at the Alvatore in horror. If there was any proof that Celestial Being's technology had been used for the wrong reasons, this was it. To have such a weapon created... something that existed only to bring about death and destruction. A symbol of dear and death, not hope and the possibility of a better future. Virtue jets across the island, and Tieria focuses on his beacon where the Alvatore is located. "You're the one!" he growls. "You're the one who twisted the world like this!" Virtue's shoulder cannons rotate around, locking on to the massive form of the gold mobile armor. The cannons pulse twice, sending eight bolts of energy racing towards the side of the huge machine.

COMBAT: Tieria Erde's GN Cannon Burst has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has attacked Alejandro Corner. GN Cannon Burst added to their queue.

The G-Hawk dips its wing as Kusuha notices Lamia's presence, and she transmits a ^_^V to the perfectly normal human pilot of the Angelg. It again dips its wing at Irm's arrival, Kusuha vaguely reassured by the presence of other super robots in the force. At least they're not relying on her entirely... she's never been much good at this 'offense' stuff.

The arrival of the big gold robot is a surprise, so much so that the nurse gives a little EEK in her cockpit before quickly stifling, looking around just in case there's someone else in her cockpit who may have heard it. "It... it blew up its own allies...?" she marvels. But this mystery is soon revealed, as she learns that this big golden thing is part of the reinforcements. Kusuha worries at her lower lip, eyes narrowing momentarily, but she soldiers on.

The G-Hawk flies directly through an Astray, neatly bisecting the unit with its wing as Kusuha does her best to be a hardcore soldier girl. "Okay Grungust! Let's show these Orb Union terrorists the meaning of justice! FIRE! SPLIT MISSILE!" she cries. And then she does, shooting the multi-warhead explosives out into the Orb defensive field like DEADLY FIREWORKS.

Ekelia Mossberg says, "Bitch!" and floats after him as he drops down, looking down the launch tube but he's gone before she can fire another shot. "I'm going to rip out your face with my teeth!" The gun drops down to the ground through Eek and she swivels to face Cagalli.

She says, "Cagalli..." and lets it trail off lamely before she leaps into a SUPER TUBE as well. She realizes that she should probably get moving herself. Alejandro won't blow himself up (today) but she also has to worry about the EFAers!

Closing her eyes, she works on summoning the Spectral to her side.

The Gundam Rose is seeing service again since the end of the Devil Gundam threat. A well deserved vacation was in order, but with the shape of things currently are going... this must change. Time to go back into action. Revigorified from his off time, George de Sand is standing a little out of the attack force of the EFA against the Orb Union's Mainlands. The French Gundam hovers in midair, arms crossed and observing the begining of the unfolding battle. So... that thing is attacking it's own troops. What the heck is going on down there? But that's not the only thing troubling him. It's that woman. He can understand Daiyu Lin's feelings in the matter and he fears that not even his words are going to dissuade her. He supposes the best he can do right now is watch the battle and make sure she does not get herself killed stupidly in blind revenge. The young Bidan could very well finish off the job he unwittingly started. As such, the Gundam Rose observes, for now.

"The Wing Gundam is damaged." To put it lightly. "But the operation wasn't compromised. The data went with it." Clearly he had a good reason for it to explode. Unnecessary to elaborate. "I don't agree with the actions of the Federation .. but neither of the Orb Union's actions... all of them are not corrupt, but if they were not, there wouldn't be a need for this ... would there? This war."

The Maganac raises it's beam rifle, aiming out over the water, firing on some of the approaching machines of the Federation, one, perhaps two of the unadvanced suits, and oncoming super robots that the federation sports.

"Today.. I'll fight with you .. and not the Union."

The Maganac does not advanced with Quatre, instead, hanging back and providing a defensive flank - even as a GN-particle spewing machine rises up, shooting through the air, traveling higher and higher. What could have happened? .. He isn't sure of trouble from within.. but it is capable.

Neither side was a saint.

Guy sucks in a deep breath, alerted to the presence of the Valhawk over radio and confirmed moments later by GaoGaiGar's own sensors. "Kazuma Ardygun," the cyborg says plainly, speaking into the air. "Heh. I knew you'd come here. In a better machine this time, too." One of GaoGaiGar's clawed feet rises, planted on the edge of the large maintenance ship carrying it. It clenches briefly. "EXPECT A REPEAT, KAZUMA! I'LL SHOW YOU MY STRENGTH!"

Streams of blue and green fire spray from GaoGaiGar's back, propelling it into the air as the power of the G-Stone circulates through it. The ship shakes from the force of the departure, and ripples are sent out through the water. Suddenly, Guy lets out a furious roar, smashing his fists together.

"BROKEN..." GaoGaiGar's right arm is thrust into the air, and the fist begins to spin. Light radiates from the arm and intensifies as the velocity increases, the fist becoming nothing more than a destructive blur. "...MAGNUM!" GaoGaiGar leans forward and punches the air, a thunderous crack splitting the air as the hand and forearm are sent flying, trailing smoke and fire en route to the Valhawk!

COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has attacked Kazuma Ardygun. Broken Magnum added to their queue.

"Well..." Camille Bidan mutters, sweeping in low over the surface. It's a very non-standard deployment for Camille and the Zeta Gundam. He's normally used to launching from space, you see.

"This is different."

The Zeta Gundam cuts low across the sea in its Waverider mode, trying to keep beneath the radar ceiling of its surroundings as it careens into the fight.

"This is Dagaz-2. I'm coming into to support you..." he reads out, over the radio, before casting his perceptions beyond.

"... it's him... the man behind everything. He's here -- Paptimus Scirocco."

The Quicksilver hovers backward ever so slightly when Alejandro makes his glorious step out into the limelight, the destruction of a group of Orb Union pilots instantly netting Locke's attention. He frowns and talks int othe radio, getting some quick information only to in turn realize that what he needs to do is take out Alejandro's crazy contraption before it kills everyone.

Locke's frown vanishes, his face becomes impassive as he slowly slips into his Frosty persona, his mind clicks into the right configuration and the Quicksilver jets forward. It heads toward the direction of the golden behemoth, the wrist cannon coming out and firing off a quick small burst of energy in the direction of the Alvatore.

COMBAT: Locke Valentine's Wrist Beam Spray has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has attacked Alejandro Corner. Wrist Beam Spray added to their queue.

Daiyu Lin, marching through the water, is bowled over by a shockwave that blasts through the ocean. It tears at the Grapple's heavy frame, shoving it over; although it doesn't actually do significant damage to the frame, it is enough to daze Daiyu inside the wanzer for a few seconds, and if she /had/ been closer, the damage would have been impressive.

She struggles back upright, the jetpack on the Grapple's back activating; it ascends through the water before surfacing in a much smaller and less energetic plume than the last. The wanzer can't fly very well, but with the pack, it can jump out of the water over and over, which may be all it needs.

"BIDAN," she snaps, flipping her radio on. "I shouldn't be surprised you're here! Do you know who I am, Bidan?"

The Grungust Type 1 in its Wing Gust configuration boosts forward just as the golden monstrosity of death with no less than seven tau drives explodes from out of the bowels of the Orb Unions own mobile suit bays. Irm Kazahara narrows his bright red eyes at the sight and takes a moment to ask a silly question, "What the hell is that?" his voice crackles over the EFA radio bands. All kinds of shenanigans are about to burst out and Irm has the distinct feeling that things are only going to get crazier from here.

Then Paptimus starts busting out the orders and Irm hesitates for a moment as he considers the golden mobile armour and stares at the seven drives holding that monstrous thing up. Are they the same thing that's on the GN-X? Irm could only really tell by getting close and getting a proper look at it. But orders are orders, and Paptimus said to not shoot it.

As Rockwell's GN-X shoots forward, Irm hits the overboosters on the Wing Gust and rockets forward after the Angelg and the Type 2 Grungust, Irm looks at his screen and notices that Lamia hadn't noticed him yet and smiled appreciatively at the sight of Lamia inside her cockpit. Maybe she couldn't see him over her belt on shawl, not that Irm is complaining! Irm manages to focus on the business side of things as he notices the Salamander and fires a pair of Laser eyes from the extended head section of the Wing Gust.

COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has attacked Leena Toros. Double Omega Laser added to their queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has missed Kazuma Ardygun with his Broken Magnum attack. COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has missed Leena Toros with his Double Omega Laser attack. COMBAT: Leena Toros has counter attacked for a minor hit on Irm Kazahara's Wing Gust using Double Hyper Laser Guns.

The Valhawk seems, for a moment, to be flying *straight into* the Broken Magnum, and Mihiro stifles a squeak as her brother seems to be engaged in a suicidal maneuver ...

But one swerve and a barrel roll later, the Broken Magnum is headed harmlessly into the sky, the Valhawk's thrusters pointing after it, and Kazuma yells, "DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP, SHISHIOH!! I thought you were a better man, a better pilot, than to just blindly follow whatever orders you're given! Back in Dakar, you gave me a reason to think you had your head in the right place ... but to come here, attacking Orb's home islands just because *some* Orb Union teams are bad apples?"

The Valhawk flies straight over GaoGaiGar's head - and pulls up, 'stopping' there as Kazuma converts his machine from Air Force to Close Combat mode, and descends straight at the King of Braves, foot-first.

"START PAYING MORE ATTENTION!!!"

Kazuma Ardygun's Valhawk transforms into its Close Combat Valhawk mode.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Guy Shishioh. Drop Stomp added to their queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck a minor hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Drop Stomp. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has missed Kazuma Ardygun with his Drill Knee counter attack.

This isn't about her view on the EFA really, she was hire to help and she does have a bit of faith in orb for good or ill. It seems things are going crazy world wide. She hears Guy, he's confident but she's also confident as well.

"You may think that but you will have to CONDEND WITH MY STRENGTH AS WELL!" As Guy makes his attack Macua has the 9-balls scanners run a few scans of the unknown mobile armor that just busted its way out of the hanger. She sees Guy is focusing on Kazuma, that gives her an opening, she swoops in and opens fire with the beam rifle of the Armored Core. She pulls away trying to keep a high speed target which is harder for Guy to hit her. "We'll have to keep him off balance, Kazuma!" Guy is a fearsome foe and she darn well knows they will be hard pressed.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Guy Shishioh. Beam Rifle Snipe added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a solid hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Beam Rifle Snipe.

Mithril sent its best yesterday - sending the Toy Box directly into battle to support the Orb Union. And then GaoGaiGar appeared, and deployed all of its immense strength. The Toy Box has not returned today. Has it finally, truly abandoned its allies?

No: Camille is accompanied by a trio of M9 Gernsbacks, loaded for war, shooting along on long-range scramble boosters. The man in the lead is Lieutenant Castello, Uruz 3. "This is Uruz 3!" he shouts. "We're comin' in hot! Orb Union, we got a message from Dagaz: Toy Box is on her way! Hang in there!"

He looks up, frowning at the Alvatore, the M9's sensors getting what data it can. "A monster like that...so that's what she was worried about."

Teletha Testarossa changes into her Mithril SRT pilot form. Teletha Testarossa activates her Mithril Task Force unit.

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has set their HP to 5 person boss HP.

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has struck you with a glancing hit from their GN Cannon Burst attack! COMBAT: You counter attack Tieria Erde with a minor critical hit using Large Arm. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has missed you with his Wrist Beam Spray attack. COMBAT: You have missed Locke Valentine with your GN Beam Rifle counter attack.

"Jesus!" exclaims Katsuro as the sudden pillar of golden light rises up out of the ocean, obliterating several units in a flash, "What the hell is that thing?" He looks on with confusion, but when Paptimus tells them it's okay, Katsuro reluctantly pulls his gaze away from the golden armor, "Tch, war is sure as hell a lot different than a streetbrawl, that's for sure..." He looks out at the Orb coast and all of the defenses, "Guess I better get to work then... man, I'm having such a hard time trying to get ramped up." Katsuro scratches his head (a motion that the Valizar mimics) before his attention is drawn to the beseiged Guy, "Oh no you didn't!" A knuckle crack follows as Katsuro balls up his fist. Attacking a port isn't something he can get pumped off of, but brawling with a pair of tagteamers is! "He's not the only one out here kid! BUUUURST IMPAAAACT!" The Valizar punches from waaaaaaaaaaaaay -> overthere, and a shockwave leaps off the fist of the super robot, careening at high speeds towards Macua!

"Nnnng... so boring! All those EFA forces are the same. Just those stupid Gunks as far as they eye can see!" Leena scowls, letting out an annoyed breath. "Well, I suppose if this is all there is..." Oh, but then something a bit more interesting shows up on her radar. "Heyyy.. what's that thing?"

GaoGaiGar looks pretty interesting down there, but Leena is more focused in on those two chunkier-looking jets. "At least they aren't Gunkses! ...Gunksi? Whatever!" The redhead pulls back her controls as the omega lasers approach, banking the Salamander neatly away. The twin lasers on the leading edge of each wing pivot into place, landing out four beams in return. "Ha! That was easy! Now..."

For just a moment, Leena pauses. So -many- different options. "What to use first.. what to use... aha! Let's try this!" Grinning widely, she pulls the Bombvern up slightly, letting the undercarriage cannons come to bear on the Gust Wing. "Vulcan Phalanx, fire one!"

COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has attacked Macua Huitl. Burst Impact added to their queue. COMBAT: Leena Toros has attacked Irm Kazahara. Vulcan Phalanx added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has missed Macua Huitl with his Burst Impact attack. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has reset their systems to full.

Milliardo Peacecraft activates his Wing Gundam Zero unit.

It should be noted that the Federation Armada continues to fire missile after missile, knocking one precious Orb unit out of the sky after another as they start pulling out all the stops in this last, desperate attempt to secure their own homeland against would-be oppression; or is freedom? Missiles rain down, the majority aiming for military targets, but in a war such as this, accidents do happen. Defensive shields pulsate from the shores of Orb, but they cannot hope to hold out for long, not when so many of the ace pilots present are concentrating on one man and one man alone.

The Messala continues to do what it does best; destroy. Churning through the defensive lines like a hot knife through butter, it delivers a devastating strike to one of the shield generators thanks to the megaparticle cannons it sports. The shield buckles, and falters, but there are other defensive structures left, and more shields generating time for civilians to begin their evacuations.

Within the unit, Scirocco smiles, glancing sideways to note the sheer amount of aggression being brought to bear against the Alvatore. "Yes, that is a man who knows how to seize an opportunity," he notes quietly, before he laughs, turning his unit back towards the destruction side of things.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Leena Toros has struck a solid hit on Irm Kazahara's Wing Gust using Vulcan Phalanx.

A young man stands on the flight deck of the Tuatha De Danaan with his arms crossed, this isn't remarkable in of itself except for one thing.

He's wearing a white and black mouthless kabuki mask. The only part of his real face that can be seen are his peircing blue eyes and hasn't said a word to anyone. He just just stands there, shoulder length hair held back by the mask's band.

The man was just waiting for a unit, despite having never been aboard before. Eventually it was delivered, and he looked it up and down. It would do for the purpose tonight just fine.

Now, the MBF Astray skimmed along the ocean behind the Mithril SRT team, the larger mobile suit here to back up the Orb Union forces, today anyways, tomorrow could be something different. However, the SRT team and the TDD-1 get one message in text as it's beam rifle is hoisted up.

Silence, engaging the target.

Meiya Mitsurugi activates her MBF-M1 Astray unit.

The Waverider stops -- it doesn't slow down, it /stops/ -- a quick transition into its Zeta Gundam mode is more than sufficient to eat up its momentum; it skips over the water, hovering as best it can; with so many verniers, it does a better job than nearly any other Mobile Suit in existence.

"That voice..." Camille whispers. "This feeling... I've felt it before... one of so many--Who are you?!"

Quatre seems dumbfounded when Heero speaks to him. Another member of project meteor? Here? Really? It couldn't be... He had to be. He knew everything about it. Quatre is momentarely silent before answering, "No... many of us are saints. But many of us are cruel." Quatre responds. In his head, he genuinely thinks... this has to be 01. He recognized his own number, 04...

"N-no. You're right. We shouldn't have to fight this war, but we'll fight it so that other people don't have to. A lot of innocent people will die because of our actions but... we will have to mourn them." Quatre states in return. "Yes... lets fight together. I will lend you my Maganac. Thank you, 01. Let's try to stop this war." Quatre announces. Gundam Sandrock swivels towards Kusuha Mizuha's G-Hawk. The way the pilot speaks, acts and works obviously speaks mountains about her. Quatre will have to interrupt, or else all of Orb will be labled a terrorist force. Even if it already is.

"Stop! We're not terrorists!" Quatre radios towards the G-Hawk, even as the Gundam Sandrock tries to get between the missiles, his own Maganac squad ready to back him up if necessary. "This isn't justice! This is blood shed!" Quatre announces as he withdraws a heat shotel from the back of Sandrock, eyes peeled towards the G-Hawk.

He has to get her attention somehow, even if it was a relatively jarring grasp of attention. The Heat shotel is tossed, just like a boomerang. It threatens Kusuha's machine as it passes about, the deadly heated blade rotating as it circles around.

Amusement traces the expression of Alejandro Corner as the panoranic viewscreen of the Alvatore displays to him the beginning of battle. "It's been far too long..." he muses to himself, gripping the controls of the Alvatore tight. "If only you had all learned your place. But then again...

"... perhaps this was all inevitable."

Blips on the Alvatore's radar alerts Corner to the rapid approach of a small squad of GN-Xs. Gaze rolling to the side, he considers the trio for a moment, listening to the voice on the open comm. He smiles.

"This is the GNMA-XCVII Alvatore. Don't worry; I'm here entirely to support your endeavors. That said--"

The Quicksilver attacks from behind at the seemingly prone Alvatore. Yet, before that burst of energy can connect? A massive, thick shield of particles suddenly sprouts /all/ around the armored behemoth, beam fire ricocheting harmlessly off a crackling field of gold. There's no doubt what it could be to those who know it: a GN Field.

"--some assistance would be most appreciated--"

And then, the Virtue rips into the Alvatore's line of sight. The commlink with Rockwell is cut off within a moment as the Gundam approaches rapidly. Those shoulder cannons fire, borne upon Tieria's fury -- and yet the Alvatore flies /forward/, the tremendous mobile armor's GN Field deflect the bulk of Tieria's eight bursts of energy. The mobile armor is rocked slightly -- but not before a panel at its side suddenly whips forward. The GN Field dies -- just in time for the Virtue to suddenly be /bashed/ across its thick armor with one massive, clawed arm.

"Twisted?" Alejandro's visage appears as a commlink opens with Tieria, the man smiling wide. "Don't you understand yet, Tieria Erde?" Panels across the Alvatore open, revealing row after row after /row/ of beam cannons, all crackling an ominous orange.

"Everything is going according to the plan!"

And then, a fierce volley of beam fire suddenly /sweeps/ from those cannons in a liberal spray, aiming to strike not just the Virtue, but Locke's Quicksilver within a helacious storm of orange particle fire.

"Yes -- the only difference is that I, Alejandro Corner, am now at the center stage!"

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Thrown Heat Shotel added to their queue. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has attacked Tieria Erde and Locke Valentine. GN Beam Cannon Volley added to their queue. COMBAT: You have missed Locke Valentine with your GN Beam Cannon Volley attack. COMBAT: You have struck Tieria Erde with a solid hit using GN Beam Cannon Volley. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has missed you with his GN Cannon Burst counter attack.

The Spectral appears and forms from the depths of hell to face Alej--

--wait what the hell is that mech? A GN-X? It's one of those EFAers, it must be! Are they here to help Alejandro Corner? Probably, Eek thinks, maybe Alejandro is defecting to the EFA--that's why his stupid plan of shoot the leader of the Orb Union and summon a giant robot with his watch seems to be going off so well! Because he's selling out to the EFA! It makes so much sense taken into that context.

And then Rockwell hits the open comms and claims to have no idea who it is. Oh, well there goes that idea.

Still, it's an enemy ship, "You're not getting anywhere near here. Let us take care of this traitor." She transmits to Rockwell before her cannon. She doesn't start with heavy weaponsfire. But she does start with a pretty solid spray of flying skulls that Rockwell probably won't want to hang out and wait for. She can't afford to play nice with the enemy, not when the future of the Orb Union is at stake!

"I'm so mad right now! We're supposed to be the good guys, fighting to bring peace back to the world, but we have more snakes in our pants than a Chinese Pornsite!"

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Rockwell Torrey. Skullomania added to their queue. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a major critical hit on Rockwell Torrey's GNX-603T GN-X using Skullomania.

The Broken Magnum flies wide of the Valhawk, eliciting a snarl from Guy Shishioh. As his enemy dives in and comes down to stomp on his head, Guy jumps back, driving one drill knee up toward the Valhawk. He is struck, but his own attack is knocked off-course by a well-aimed beam from Macua Huitl, which knocks GaoGaiGar off course and drives it back a few yards.

"Nice teamwork!" He offers the compliment sincerely, but pays no further mind to Macua, aware of Katsuro's incoming interference. "But now it's just me and you, Kazuma! GaoGaiGar's paint job is a little scratched, but I'll manage." Guy leans forward, stretching his fingers, and GaoGaiGar's hands mimic the motion. Well, it's left hand, the right is currently flying back toward it.

"I'm not here because of orders! I'm here of my own choice! I'm not here to hurt civilians, I'm not here to wreck the place--the Orb Union has to fall for the good of the EFA, and the good of everyone on this planet! They clamor for peace, but they only want it at the end of a sword! And if this is where their main forces are gathered, if this is their support, if this is their base..."

Guy roars again, one massive foot coming up to kick the Valhawk as GaoGaiGar ascends. "...if this is what it takes to end the wars quickest, then this is what I'll do! I'll support the EFA as best I can, and make sure it becomes a system that doesn't encourage groups like this anymore! And if I have to beat you down to see that through, so be it, KAZUMAAAAAA!"

COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has attacked Kazuma Ardygun. The Power of Courage added to their queue.

Deep Space...

Milliardo Peacecraft stands on the launching bay of Peacemillion, the massive Trailer salvaging ship that has become his secretive new home. The Captain of the vessel, the enigmatic Howard, looks upon the new Gundam from behind his sunglasses off to Milliardo's side. Howard's neon pink Tommy Bahama shirt he wears feels itchy whenever he's around that Gundam.

"That is a dangerous machine, son," Howard says, shaking his head.

"I know," Milliardo replies.

"I wouldn't recommend you take it out again."

"Let me worry about such concerns, Howard. Sometimes, a soldier does not have the privilege of picking their battles. You focus on keeping it able to fly."

Onogoro Island...

The Neo Bird mode of the Wing Zero breaches the atmosphere, Gundanium alloy frame glowing with the friction burn of dropping from orbit. In the cockpit, Zechs Merquise grips the controls of the Wing Zero tightly -- perhaps -- too tightly. What has happened is not something he can standby and allow. "Cagalli ... Now you and I are the same," he says, with a profound sadness. "But you do not need to follow my path. My spirit, it could not rest comfortably with that haunting this world."

Milliardo pushes the throttle stick forward; energy surges on the twin engines of the Mobile Armor before exploding outward in twin glowing contrails of blue light. "... Zechs Merquise," he transmits over the broadband. "Wing Gundam Zero, engaging the enemy! I won't be talked talked out of this transgression!"

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has activated a spirit command.

The Grapple has fallen in the water again. For a few moments, there is silence - although Camille may distantly feel Daiyu's cold fury from almost straight below him. She is not psychic, certainly no Newtype, but she does have chi; there is an aura associated with it that might stand out.

A few instants later, the Grapple ascends. It's a very heavy, very large machine accelerated by a jury-rigged jetpack; it steers badly as Daiyu tries to keep it in the right direction. "My name," she says, as she crests the surface, trying to grab onto Zeta Gundam's leg and literally pull the Grapple out by main strength, "is Daiyu Lin. You probably don't even remember," she half-snarls. "A madman like you..."

COMBAT: Daiyu Lin has attacked Camille Bidan. Grapple Grapple added to their queue. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has missed Kusuha Mizuha with his Thrown Heat Shotel attack. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Split Missile.

The Quicksilver is a nimble machine, and it lives up to this fact as the counter assault from the Alvatore fails to catch it. The GN Field that it produces causes a raised eyebrow from Locke, yet with the presence of so many engines and the gawking of Tieria(Audibly) at the mad science before him Locke is not as surprised as he could have been. Then the spray of energy comes, the cannons unleashing their fury and the orange particles hurtle toward the Quicksilver. The unit twists, thrusters kicking in at seeming random as the computer rapidly calculates the incoming trajectories on top of Locke's own personal guess as toward where each shot is going to be heading.

As the spray begins to sweep away from the Quicksilver the machine darts forward. Locke has no clue who Alejandro Corner is, in fact up until today he had never heard the name nor even cared significantly to know the man. There are so many people in the Orb Union so this isn't a shock, but the fact that someone he's never even heard of managed to procure such a powerful machine makes Locke wonder what else has been going on in the background within the Orb Union.

"Tieria! Hold it together!" Locke shouts through the radio as he watches his ally take a solid looking hit. He has faith in Tieria even if they do not always agree with each other, and so the Quicksilver drives in toward the Alvatore so as to employ it's melee capabilities. The claws come forward, attempting to drive through the GN Field and strike at the heart of this massive machine before him. "Alejandro, I don't know why the hell you decided to start murdering your allies but you need to come to your senses and realize you're walking the path of a mad man!"

COMBAT: Locke Valentine has attacked Alejandro Corner. Penetrating Claws added to their queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has struck a major hit on Kazuma Ardygun's Close Combat Valhawk using The Power of Courage. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has struck you with a minor hit using Penetrating Claws! COMBAT: You counter attack Locke Valentine with a minor hit using GN Beam Rifle.

The Strike Rouge explodes forth from the hangar after the Alvatore; the Princess, still covered in the blood Corner spilled, is not happy. "... Eek... thank you," she whispers, before drawing her saber and rifle and rushing toward the Alvatore at full speed. Opening a general comm, the Princess shouts, "Alejandro! How could you?! You selfish son of a bitch -- I trusted you! You were like an uncle to me!"

Naturally, rationality vanishes as the Princess speeds at Corner in the Aile Rouge, using its speed to the fullest. She spins around twice, trying to confuse Alejandro's attempts at targeting her. "Tieria! Locke! Stay on him!" That's all she can say -- usually she is at least /passable/ at squad tactics, but right now she's too blinded by her love, her anger, and all of her sorrow.

Coming to a sudden stop in midair, the Princess fires five quick shots from her beam rifle, at the Alvatore; from what little she knows about Celestial Being's Gundams, she isn't even sure that it'll actually do much of anything. However, just firing on Corner at least makes her feel better, more focused... but that's not a healthy way to attain focus, is it?

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Alejandro Corner. Sustained Fire added to their queue.

Tieria gives off a strangled shout as he is suddenly smashed backwards by the massive arm from the Alvatore... which is then followed up a moment later by a barrage of GN beam fire. Virtue's own GN Field manages to block some of the impact, but the combined force of the two is enough to throw the Gundam to the ground. Large scorch marks play out across the front of Virtue's armor, and the mobile suit crashes back down into the ground with a tremendous *thud*.

Bits of pavement fly up all around the Gundam, and it lays there in the crater left by the force of its landing. Groaning, the Meister pulls himself upwards slightly, the blow having thrown him about in his cockpit hard enough to daze him for a moment. But Virtue manages to claw itself back up out of the crater, crawling far enough over the lip that he can center the Alvatore in his sights. "I'm not interested in whatever sort of game you have in mind, Corner..." he growls - and both of Virtue's shoulder cannons rotate around, unleashing a massive, steady beam on the mobile armor.

COMBAT: Tieria Erde has attacked Alejandro Corner. Twin-Linked Double Barrel GN Cannons added to their queue. COMBAT: Camille Bidan has activated a spirit command.

Rockwell exhales. There's this feeling in his gut that something is, at the base level, wrong here. They brought a fleet large enough to establist a beachhead in China to take over a tiny little island chain that's already ludicrusly outgunned. The reaction of the Celestial Being Gundam's yesterday. A sudden defection at the highest level within Orb's ranks. There be some bullshit going down.

"This is Phi Lead, roger that, Representative Corner. Phi squad, fan out and give the Alvatore covering fir--HELL!"

Rockwell's GN-X gets overwhelmed by flying skulls from below and the barrage bounces his machine upwards, it sprays red in all directions as if it were bleeding. "I'm alright! I'm alright!" He replies to his squad's radios. "Element two, continue to keep with Corner. C'mon Jessie... it's you and me, babe." The GN-X's draws its crimson blade and decends for the Spectral. "You know, I hear that in the real world, there's good people and bad people on both sides of a fight. You might want to join the rest of us!" As Rockwell's wingmate sprays rifle rounds downwards as a distraction, the man himself decends like a bat out of hell, coming at the ghostly machine in an overhead smash.

COMBAT: Daiyu Lin has missed Camille Bidan with her Grapple Grapple attack. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. GN Beam Saber added to their queue.

The Grungust's eyes stop blazing lasers through the air toward Leena's Salamander, as it bears it's wings out of the way Irm narrows his eyes as the incoming burst of fire comes racing towards him. The blue haired wonder guy angles the Wing Gust as the Vulcan's bullets tear towards it and drill into the blue jet plane ripping into its armour, and grits his teeth. His old man is going to tan his hide if the Grungust gets messed up.

"Not bad, but that isn't enough to put the Grungust down!" Irm transmits as he cuts the engines of the Wing Gust and shifts the transform controller to the base mode. The Wing Gust's armour begins to flip out and change forming the humanoid shape of the Grungust Type 1 even as it sinks through the air like an anvil, Irm backs up the Grungust's right arm and jet flames begin to burst out of the right wrist.

"It's time to party, parner. Boost Knuckle!" the Grungust punches forward throwing even more momentum on the fist as it disconnects from the Grungust and rocket punches out towards the Salamander.

Irm Kazahara's Grungust Type 1 transforms into its Grungust Type 1 mode.

COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has attacked Leena Toros. Boost Knuckle added to their queue.

The Zeta Gundam draws back like a shot, drawing its weapon but not firing on the Grapple. "--Daiyu Lin? You're the one that Leo was talking about--" The Zeta doesn't quite hit the water; it has no ability to 'skim' on the surface, unlike certain other sorts of machines. It slides back and holds its place, aiming a beam rifle across at the Grapple.

COMBAT: Tieria Erde has missed you with his Twin-Linked Double Barrel GN Cannons attack. COMBAT: You counter attack Tieria Erde with a minor hit using GN Beam Rifle. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has struck a solid hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using GN Beam Saber. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has missed Rockwell Torrey with her Boo! counter attack. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has struck you with a solid critical hit using Sustained Fire! COMBAT: You have missed Cagalli Yula Athha with your Mobile Armor Ram counter attack. COMBAT: Leena Toros has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has missed Leena Toros with his Boost Knuckle attack. COMBAT: Leena Toros has counter attacked for a minor hit on Irm Kazahara's Grungust Type 1 using Booster Cannons.

"Don't... don't try to trick me!" Kusuha shouts, flipping the G-Hawk onto its side and launching another split missile towards the Sandrock. "Admiral Scirocco told me about people like you... full of lies and false promises!" The G-Hawk flips back up on the opposite wing as the heat shotel returns, managing to evade both passes of the deadly weapon.

"Justice is... doing the right thing!" she continues, sounding like a broken record rather than someone speaking their actual opinions. "And the right thing is obeying the law! Upholding the government! Not... not trying to destroy everything like you people!"

The G-Hawk soars over the Sandrock and its Maganacs, and Kusuha pulls a lever. "Aerial Bomb! Blow them away!" she cries. "I'm sorry, whoever you are, but this is the only way to protect my friends-- the only way to protect everyone!"

Things are coming from space, Lamia sees. This man... What is this place? she thinks, not for the first time. But whatever the Alvatore is up to, it is not firing on the Federation's units. Instructions from local command are clear.

Angelg breaks right, wings pulling up as it moves downwards, nearer to the surface. Its bow starts glowing as it finally comes to land, however transiently, in the middle of a traffic intersection. One leg shifts to the side as the bow glows blue.

It is held sideways as a single blue ray of light streaks out, towards the side of the Gundam Virtue as it tries to rise out of the crater! Lamia's lips curve downwards slightly from her comfortable seat, almost sadly.

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. Aerial Bomb added to their queue. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Tieria Erde. Hybrid Bow and Arrow added to their queue. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Tieria Erde with her Hybrid Bow and Arrow attack. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has counter attacked for a minor hit on Lamia Loveless's Angelg using GN Cannon Burst.

Kazuma brings the Valhawk's shield up, catching GaoGaiGar's foot on it. Much of the impact still travels through the speedy Trailer-built mecha, though, and the Valhawk's landing is neither stable, nor anywhere near as close to GaoGaiGar as Kazuma intended it to be. "Mihiro, stabilize our systems," Kazuma says quickly. "We need speed more than anything - we've gotta be too fast for him to land a hit." And hope that's enough, he thinks silently as the Valhawk shifts back into Air Force Mode.

Then he goes back to addressing Guy. "Have you even *met* Cagalli Yula Athha? She was in the Gundam Fight too - and I may not know her secrets, but I trust her judgment! And that trust tells me she's not the kind of woman to order some of the things Orb-allied forces have done! Every side in this war has its bad apples, Shishioh, don't pretend it doesn't! But if you're going to aim for the top of any faction that steps over the line, don't come crying the next time someone hits Geneva because the Titans or their successors drop another colony!!"

He settles onto another attack run at GaoGaiGar, trying to stay *behind* the mostly-black super robot as he opens fire with the Laser Vulcans ...

Kazuma Ardygun's Valhawk transforms into its Air Force Valhawk mode.

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Guy Shishioh. Laser Vulcan added to their queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has missed Guy Shishioh with his Laser Vulcan attack.

Transforming, the mobile armor twists out into the massive form of the Messala. A few blocks away, Virtue fires at the Alvatore, but the petty Gundam Meisters are of no concern to the likes of the Man from Jupiter. Slowly, he sinks those giant claws into the side of a building, and he begins to scale it, ripping it apart as he does so.

Inevitably, Scirocco stands at the top of the tower, lifting his clawed hands into the air as if to roar at the heavens like some kind of King Kong. Then the hands start firing grenades everywhere, which isn't quite like King Kong.

It's close though. Said grenades are also close to a freshly arriving Gundam.

Paptimus Scirocco's Messala transforms into its Messala - MS mode.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Milliardo Peacecraft. Grenade Launcher added to their queue.

"Heh heh heh... good! It would be boring if you went down in one shot like that!" When the Wing Gust begins to change into a humanoid form and then -fall-, Leena just... sort of stares. "Shouldn't you have done that closer to the ground?" Once more, she wheels the Salamander around, moving it away from the path of the flying fist. "Oh... you're one of -those- types of robots!" You know. The ones with rocket punches and probably chest beams. Leena's seen those before!

The booster rockets on the Salamander aren't just for show, though. As she angles her Zoid downward, the fronts of the rockets begin to glow, then fire a burst of energy down toward the Grungust. "Taste some Booster Cannons!" Rather than pulling up, Leena, perhaps unwisely, continues her dive. On the Bombvern's back, a large cannon swivels forward, locking into place. "Impact Cannon... fire!" One after another, the four barrels launch a projectile, sending a quartet of heavy bullets flying down at the Grungust.

The Spectral lets out a terrifying telekinetic shriek as Rockwell dives in with the beamsaber--which manages to cleave through the manifestation of poltergeist power and into the Spectral, slicing through the head. The Ghost Machine stumbles back, bleeding white energy as it flails aboutt.

"Kh..." Ekelia says, "Like any of you think of us as anything more than stinkbugs to step on. The only thing you guys were worried about was whether you'd get a mess on your shoes." She sends a call out to Cagalli on the open comms, "Kick his ass for me, Cags! I'm going to make sure this d-bag doesn't get in the way!"

She turns back to the GN-X pilot by Rockwell and adds, "You're not getting through!" She raises the rifle and pops off a couple more skulls--this is less worrisome to deal with in terms of horrible violence, but there's another issue--she's aiming to pin the sides down with the skulls, making it harder to get out of the way of the attack! Will Rockwell be able to maneuver out of this one?! "I won't vanish..." She breathes out, "As long as there's an OU to fight for."

COMBAT: Leena Toros has attacked Irm Kazahara. Four-Barrelled Impact Cannon added to their queue. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Rockwell Torrey. Aimed Skull Shot added to their queue. COMBAT: Leena Toros has struck a solid hit on Irm Kazahara's Grungust Type 1 using Four-Barrelled Impact Cannon. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a glancing hit on Rockwell Torrey's GNX-603T GN-X using Aimed Skull Shot. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has missed Ekelia Mossberg with his GN Beam Rifle counter attack. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Milliardo Peacecraft with his Grenade Launcher attack. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has missed Paptimus Scirocco with his Head Vulcans counter attack.

"... Yes... we'll stop this war." The Maganac continues to fire, and even as the Sandrock is blasted and bombed, Heero doesn't make any motions to stop what it does - nor to fire upon it's attacker. If Quatre cannot do much against such a machine, Heero will not stand by and assist him. He is certain this is the right course.

Firing the beam rifle again, Heero actually.. talks still. "We'll end it.. alright." But he doesn't mean the way Quatre wishes. There are other ways. He has such ideas in mind.

The Maganac stays on the assault, firing at the force behind the larger named machines, beam-rifle continuing it's steady pattern.

Daiyu Lin's jetpacks continue to fire without a pause, suspending the blue grapple just above the waterline, its 'ankles' still wet from the sea. It can hover, although only briefly; Daiyu is straining the jetpacks just to stay up like this. "Oh, he did, did he." Daiyu makes a note to yell at Leo for that one, although right now she's angry enough that it will probably slip her mind entirely when she calms down. "Yes. Daiyu Lin. Titan. The woman who was arresting Bask Om and bringing him to justice, although you put an end to that."

The Grapple crosses its arms. It can barely do so; its arms are kind of too bulky to really do that with. She ignores the giant gold machine in the distance. "Do you have anything to say for yourself? For what you did to all the people on the Odyssey's bridge? For what you did to /me/?"

Gundam Rose continues observing. Not for much longer. The GaoGaiGar might be in trouble by being double teamed on like it is... which is probably the only thing that could have made him move. He don't like this battle. The Frenchman honestly does not like it at all. It reeks of betrayal, his Newtype senses catching the vague emotions of the battle. Frankly, it sickens him... but he'll soldier on. The French Gundam blasts off from his position, flying through and reaching to the battle bettewn the King of Braves and the other two mechs. On the way, a handful of Rose Bits are deployed and, in no time, go much ahead of the Gundam Rose.

"As I understand it," De Sand says suddenly on the radio as his Bits appears spontanously on the Valhawk and the Nineballs, only firing a single shot each before flying back, "This is a very delicate battle... tch..."

"I won't complain about it! Empty words don't accomplish anything! I'll fight anyone who'd try to hurt the EFA, and that includes the people in it! The Titans have been rotten, but we're /fixing/ them! Nothing can just happen overnight, but you know as well as anyone that steps have been taken."

Guy's fury does not render him unintelligible, at least; he is very good at focusing his rage. "I've never met her; I hope she's a good person! If she is, then when all this is over discussions can be had peacefully, without declarations of war and terrorist attacks! The Orb Union is not some harmless victim here, Kazuma! They can only point fingers and play the martyr so long before someone really comes to nail them to the cross!"

The Valhawk sweeps around GaoGaiGar, but Guy is not going to be caught unaware like that. He whips around the moment the Laser Vulcans fire, his left hand coming up. A wall of force issue from the bubbles in the left forearm, capturing the lasers. "PROTECT SHAAAADE!" He bellows, and the laser is caught, redirected, and flung harmlessly to one side. "Now take this, Kazuma! PLASMA HOOOOLD!"

Arcs of lightning fly from GaoGaiGar's left hand!

COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has attacked Kazuma Ardygun. Plasma Hold added to their queue. COMBAT: George de Sand has attacked Kazuma Ardygun and Macua Huitl. Rose Bits Spray added to their queue. COMBAT: George de Sand has missed Macua Huitl with his Rose Bits Spray attack.

"Hmm?" Distantly, Alejandro Corner makes note of the voice on his commlink attempting to establish contact with him. A brow lifts as he considers, a broad smile dancing at his lips. His allies?

"My only ally is the flow of history!"

Those claws strike, the force enough to puncture the massive sphere of gold; solid-state weaponry pierces through the field, striking the thick armor of the Alvatore... yet not seeming to do much more than make two thick scratches across the pristine golden surface before one of those front barrels fire, intent on blasting the Quicksilver /back/ and away.

"And I have no interest in conversing with those who know even less than most."

Alejandro's idle musings are cut off as the Virtue suddenly rips into focus once more. The Alvatore quickly turns, its barrels glowing bright. The Alvatore does not even do so much as move; that GN Field sprouts once again, and twin, massive blasts of energy impact -- yet, all of that energy disperses like a diverted river against the thick wall of particles sprouted across the Alvatore. "Poor Tieria Erde. A man who believes he knows more than the rest, and lets the crumb of knowledge and status he has been given delude him. I know all about what you are, 'Gundam Meister.'" The shield lowers, the twin barrels once more unloading a single shot on the Virtue to hold it at bay long enough for Lamia to approach. "Would you like me to tell you all that I know--?"

Before Alejandro can finish his taunting, though, something suddenly PIERCES the Alvatore's thick metal hide with shot after shot of beam fire. Blasts blow against the armor, blackening metal and blowing off a heavy piece as the GN-powered mobile armor rotates.... and finds the Strike Rouge.

"And your trust was greatly appreciated, Princess Athha! But I'm afraid I no longer need you, or your father." As Alejandro speaks, those twin barrels once more light up... and unleash twin bolts of LARGE particle beams, puncturing the air on a straight path for the Princess of Orb.

"All you are now is a sacrifice to the old world's destruction! It's time for you to join your father, /Cagalli Yula Athha/!"

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has attacked Cagalli Yula Athha. Double GN Beam Rifle added to their queue. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has struck a minor hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Aerial Bomb. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has missed Kazuma Ardygun with his Plasma Hold attack. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: George de Sand has missed Kazuma Ardygun with his Rose Bits Spray attack.

The Zeta Gundam holds its position -- "You were... you were one of the people on the bridge, weren't you? They said their team hadn't reached it yet-- I'm sorry if you got hurt. It was my fault," he says, over the radio. "But I had to do what I did. It was the only thing that would--" Camille stops, and just shakes his head.

"... look, I'm sorry. I wish you hadn't gotten hurt. I wish a lot of people hadn't gotten hurt."

COMBAT: Tieria Erde has successfully covered Cagalli Yula Athha. COMBAT: Queue data transferred from Cagalli Yula Athha to Tieria Erde. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have struck Tieria Erde with a minor hit using Double GN Beam Rifle.

The M9 team's scramble boosters shoot them forward. The Alvatore is being fired upon - it's not the only problem here. That fleet...

Taking it out's going to be a problem. Toy Box can do some damage, yeah - might even be able to put enough of a hurt on that they start considering withdrawal. But against numbers like that...

No. Only a decisive victory will save this place. It's their job to secure the exit of the civilians, and then...then orders will come. Push them back for a few minutes. /That/, that is an order they can handle.

The boosters break off, dropping the three M9s to the ground on one of the Orb islands, near the Angelg. "Take 'em on, boys!" Castello calls. "Colonel's orders - hold the line as long as you can!"

It's been a long time since he had to pull an op like this. This is gonna be ugly.

They brandish machine guns as they fall, firing at the Angelg even as dust kicks up from their landings.

Orders often come in the heat of battle, yet the orders from Princess Cagalli caught Locke completely unawares. His head swivels, his Quicksilver shifts as the claws start to do their damage, and the opponent's beams strike the Quicksilver so very easily. The machine drifts backward in the air a few dozen yards, as Locke gathers back his concentration, his focus starting to fall upon the Alvatore once again. "Roger that Princess, Tieria is taking the brunt of the damage and is probably going to need med support at the rate he's going," Locke states.

The concentration of Alejandro seems to fall upon the princess, and so it is that Locke opts to abuse that by lunging back in for more close-range assaults. The Quicksilver's claws go in again, this time their attempt to strike being an attempt to burrow into the machine like sharpened drills, and then yank out anything that might be important.

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has attacked Lamia Loveless. 40mm Machine Cannon added to their queue. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has attacked Alejandro Corner. Drill Claws added to their queue. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has reset their systems to full. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has missed you with his Drill Claws attack. COMBAT: You counter attack Locke Valentine with a solid hit using Large Fangs.

The Neo Bird Mobile Armor starts acquiring IFF signatures of targets. It is difficult, with so many units in this area, to decipher friend and foe. With a reluctant swallow of air, Milliardo reaches over and engages the ZERO System. The visor of his flight helmet lowers over his face, blocking his view of the outside world. Data streams into his mind, feeding off the information being recorded by the Gundam's systems. Immediately, that fugue-like sensation grips Milliardo. He starts to get lost in Zero --

One path burns brighter than the rest. Paptimus Scirocco is here. He is opening fire on the island's property and, likely, innocent citizens. Looping back up through the air, the Wing Zero rides its boost into a transformation sequence. Slicing forward across the sky, its head mounted Vulcan's start peppering the air ahead of it -- a few seconds before the Messala starts lobbing grenades in every direction. Many of them detonate in mid-air, spherical explosions cascading across the horizon.

Zechs pulls the twin Buster Rifle of the Wing Zero out, aiming it at Paptimus' Mobile Suit. The 'wing' verniers on the back of the Gundam kick in, stabalizing the robot into a hover in the air. "Admiral Scirocco," Zechs transmits. His face is not visible due to the helmet he wears to operate the Zero System. "This confrontation was inevitable. I do not think one such as you deserves so much power."

Zechs exhales, switching through the Gundam's weaponry. He settles on the Machine Cannons. Squeezing the trigger, twin chainguns fold up from Wing Zero's shoulders. They start rotating, spitting bullets across the expanse between the two former comrades.

COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Dual Machine Cannons added to their queue.

She senses the hostile intent, Macua's machine is already moving the moment Kastsuro launches his attack on her. "Another Super Robot?! ALL RIGHT THEN SHOW ME WHAT YOU HAVE! YOU ARE NOT GETTING PAST ME!" She breaks off from her attacks on Guy, she has her own, problems. Rockwells words weigh on her but she knows Orb can't win with these numbers. This is delaying action and she knows it. Every moment she does slow the EFA down is more time for civilians to get away. That's what she's here, for.

She pulls off a loop, and then swoops down towards the unknown machine. She's not seen it before so she's a bit wary so she's trying to keep a bit of a distance as she fires off a spread of missiles on her way by. The small weapons launch from the mecha and spiral towards the EFA super robot as she pulls away again. She's going to get a feel for this guy before she starts going all out on them.

There was one thing Rockwell was likely right about, well several things. One of the biggest was the EFA had numbers, more than enough to burry Orb under it's army. Wait what's that she senses someone else? Incoming, she's forced to break off from a further attack for the moment. She evades the attack barely the shot passing by so close she can see it. She sees the unit that fired it. oO(Sir De Sand's here?)

There is little time to worry as she's got an foe to face. With that new war machine to fight shes likely going to need to bust out some more special rounds. Shes also keeping an eye out for further fire from the Gundam Rose. This isnt the Gundam Fight, this is what the fight was trying to stop. If George is here, she trusts hell keep the more radical EFA types in check by his own hand if needed.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Katsuro Hayashi. Missile Launchers added to their queue. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has missed Lamia Loveless with her 40mm Machine Cannon attack. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Teletha Testarossa with her Hybrid Arrow and Bow counter attack. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has struck a solid hit on Paptimus Scirocco's Messala - MS using Dual Machine Cannons. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has counter attacked for a minor hit on Milliardo Peacecraft's Wing Gundam Zero using Vulcan Guns.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night, sugar." Rockwell replies as the mini-skulls launch at him. He leaps forwards to the attack and starts lashing at the dismembered heads. Some bite down, but most are cloven off cleanly and Rockwell keeps coming in hard and fast. His saber is raised up high...

But at the last moment, he twists and deeks upwards, cockscrewing over the Spectral's shoulder. Eek doesn't have a hell of a lot of time to react, because bloody red beams come lancing out of the GN-X's beam rifle, even while Rock's still in mind twist. "Me? I'm going to do my duty today, then go back to my rack and sleep like a baby. Grow the hell up, I don't have time for people that can't see past the end of their own noses."

"Rock, this is Jessie, I got clipped by a Nemo, I'm out an arm and my particle count is dropping."

"Go, go." Rockwell replies, keeping the fire up to keep Ekelia's attention focused on himself for those precious few extra seconds that his wingmate needs to pull back to a safer area with.

COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. GN Beam Rifle Maneuver added to their queue. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has missed Ekelia Mossberg with his GN Beam Rifle Maneuver attack.

Kusuha comes down towards Quatre's Gundam Sandrock, even as he brings the shield up, the missile slams into the Gundam, driving it backwards. The multiple blows already start to build up on the damage that the Gundam has, but its just the start. When the Sandrock starts to get going... it's a rather formidable foe.

"War is not the right thing! Killing people in the name of some body isn't the right thing!" Quatre cries, Gundam Sanrock grasping ahold of the heat shotel as it returns.

"Look... blowing up the world will not protect your friends! It will only give you greater enemies! Please... think about it." Quatre announces, bringing up the shield... and a light comes right out! Attempting to blind the other pilot!

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a minor hit on Katsuro Hayashi's Valizar using Missile Launchers.

"I was holding Bask Om," Daiyu says, absolutely flatly. The anger doesn't even show right now. "I had him in my hands. I had stopped him from hurting anyone ever again, and to leave him like that would have been the greatest justice I can think of."

The Grapple is a bulky machine. Daiyu forces it into a Xin Shan Quan stance nonetheless, 'standing' on the surface of the water with its jetpacks blazing, left hand back and right hand forward, two fingers leading. The combat rods are still on the back of the machine. She doesn't think she needs them.

"You killed him. Where is the justice in that quick death? You almost killed me. I survived, but not without loss." Under her helmet, Daiyu's lip curls up. "I challenge you, Camille Bidan. I can still fight. To an honour duel, with me in Jade Gundam, not this block of steel. If we fight tonight, it means nothing."

COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Shield Flasher added to their queue.

The Grungust sinks towards the earth in what should seem like a foolish movement, however, what Leena doesn't understand is the might of the Grungust Type 1. The super robot hits the island like an anvil bending its legs to completely absorb the impact as the earth beneath it splits and cracks under the massive force of its impact. The Boost Knuckle swishes around the Salamander and rockets back to the Grungusts fist reattaching to its familiar berth.

"That's right, honey, the Grungust Type 1 is ready for any kind of action!" Irm counters, his eyebrows may be waggling. It's funny that she mentions chest lasers the Grungust type 1 has one of those, but Leena's attack rockets forward each of the four shots impacting against the Grungust's armoured plating driving it backward along the ground. The super robot is looking a little messed up but it's still standing. Now it's time to get serious.

"Alright, partner. There are two stars of Calamity!" Irm begins. A sword flips out of its place across the Grungusts back and the Grungust takes the longsword out and holds it before its smoking chest. The other palm travels along the path of the golden blade imbuing the weapon with a shining white light as it passes. "The name is ... Calamity Sword!"

Irm fires the Grungusts boosters shooting the azure super robot into the air after the Salamander as it cuts a straight path as the Grungust flies towards the zoid with the shining, golden blade as he simply attempts to slash through the flying dragon zoid on the horizontal.

COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has attacked Leena Toros. Calamity Sword added to their queue.

The Alvatore line's up its beam weapons with Cagalli's Strike Rouge. And Tieria... doesn't stop to consider the consequences. Virtue's engine fires up to full throttle, and the Gundam leaps skywards, racing towards the spot in the sky where the Strike Rouge is flying. "Cagalli, watch out...!" Tieira shouts, reaching out to shove the Princess and her unit aside... ...right at the twin beam blast from the strange, GN-T powered unit slams into Virtue's front. The mobile suit hangs there for a moment... and then an explosion of pink smoke erupts from its chest, face, and upper left arm, pieces of armor flying out in all directions as the beam blasts finds a weak point where Alejandro had struck earlier with the massive arms from his unit. A moment later Virtue crashes to the ground again, large chunks of the armor across the mobile suit's chest and face broken away, its entire shoulder damaged and the GN cannon turret ripped away by the explosion. Tieria grimaces, reaching over for a nearby control. "...damnit... it's strong...!"

The kabuki masked man int he Astray looks up at the Alvator, without being on the Orb main channels, he's dependant on information fed to him from the TDD-1. He gets enough, just enough to know what he should do.

The Astray's flight system isn't as advanced as the Strike or Dagger's, but it will serve. The Mbile Suit pulls up and the beam rifle is leveled up at the golden Mobile Armor - he's seen the shots bounce off from others, but getting up close is a bad idea with those massive attack claws. Better to prob it's defenses for now.

COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has attacked Alejandro Corner. Beam Rifle added to their queue. COMBAT: Leena Toros has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has struck a major hit on Leena Toros's Salamander Bombvern using Calamity Sword. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has struck you with a minor hit using Beam Rifle! COMBAT: You have missed Meiya Mitsurugi with your Large Fangs counter attack.

As the missiles swarm in, the Valizar crosses it's arms in front of it and braces. The energy field that surrounds it strengthens in response to Katsuro's resolve and the missiles explode against it, blunting the impact, "You want it? Alright then, you GOT IT!" Thre Valizar throws it's arms out as the field settles once more, then the two shoulder mounted pulse cannons flare to life, searing the sky with several beams of energy.

COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has attacked Macua Huitl. Pulse Cannons added to their queue. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has missed Macua Huitl with his Pulse Cannons attack. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has struck a minor hit on Kusuha Mizuha's G-Hawk using Shield Flasher. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has missed Quatre Raberba Winner with her Eye Laser counter attack.

If Irm's still watching Lamia's cockpit cam, he gets a good eyeful when the counterblast from the Gundam Virtue sends Angelg rocking. The jostle makes Lamia's shawl/jacket clear - it probably kept her from getting hit in the face.

The Angelg's bow is lowered... and then several other units seem to shift their emphasis, focusing on her. Lamia's head turns slightly, as does Angelg's. The faceless helm studies one of the M9s silently; are they sure at what they're doing?

The focused machine gun fire comes suddenly, and Lamia immediately responds with a beam arrow at one of them, Angelg's wings pulling in as it thrusts upwards, seeming almost to turn into some kind of a bird before the bow vanishes.

The Super Robot hangs there for a moment, a surprisingly benign-looking thing for a weapon of invasion and domination - and then dives at the slightly nearer M9 to the left flank, leading with the green tip of its sword of green light!

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Teletha Testarossa. Mirage Sword added to their queue. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has struck a major critical hit on Teletha Testarossa's Mithril Task Force using Mirage Sword.

"You want revenge?!" Camille shouts. "--Revenge?! You think some kind of honor duel is going to change everything?!"

Something in Camille just sort of... snaps. Like a tether that's been wound too tightly, pulled around and around for days -- months, even -- until this breaking point.

In the cockpit, Camille grips the controls until the Zeta starts to drop into the water. It dips halfway in before it starts floating. "All of those people--" he starts, still over the radio. "All the people at 30 Bunch... in Manhattan... you couldn't hear it. They knew-- they KNEW! Even now that he's /gone/, what are you people doing?! You're making a man like Paptimus Scirocco your leader!? You're just sitting back as the Titans take control and start the entire cycle all over again?! All this is going on and you want REVENGE?! You think proving that your stupid Gundam is better than mine, or that you're a tougher pilot -- you think that's going to change anything!?" The Zeta Gundam's radio cuts out. That's because Camille's popped the cockpit open.

The bottom of the canopy door touches the water as Camille stomps out across it. He's not wearing his helmet or Normal Suit, this being an atmosphere mission. "Who are you to talk?! WHO ARE YOU?! Gundam Fighters! You think you can turn the Earth into your playground?! You think fighting to pick the boss is a good system?! Has it stopped the fighting?! HAS IT BROUGHT PEACE!? DOES THIS LOOK LIKE PEACE TO YOU?!"

Camille reaches for his sidearm -- a pistol -- and draws it from his holster. And then he HEAVES it into the ocean. Plunk. "Nothing ever changes with you people, does it?! Everything we've done -- everything we tried to do -- it doesn't MATTER, does it?! At the end of the day you think a fight will fix everything!"

"I wanted revenge -- Bask took everything from me! /Everything!/ And now, I killed him!" Camille spreads his arms out, as though making him a target. "/Nothing's changed/! There's no /peace!/ None of those people -- none of those people who asked me to destroy Bask -- none of them are alive again! My mother -- My mother's not alive again! And /I still have to fight this war/! Stenbuck... after the battle you got hurt in... I was letting him destroy me. /They told me I had to keep living/! But if it's what you want -- if it'll fix your honor -- /you and your duel can go to hell!/ Just kill me! Go ahead! DO IT! Maybe it'll change something!"

Kazuma grits his teeth as he sees the Gundam Rose coming in on top of everything else. GaoGaiGar alone was bad enough, but France's Gundam Fighter pitching in too?

It's easy enough - comparatively speaking - to steer clear of the Plasma Hold, but the Rose Bits are another level of complexity entirely on top of that. Still, Kazuma is paying full attention, and rather than trying to avoid the individual beams, he simply goes full-throttle and speeds out of the crossfire. But just as Kazuma is about to turn his attention back to the matters at hand -

"Oniichan!" Mihiro calls out. "That big gold mobile armor or whatever it is ... just went after Cagalli-hime's mobile suit! We've gotta help her!"

"Trust her skills and watch her condition!" Kazuma responds. "We've got bigger problems right now, if we go to help her we'll get shot down!" And with his temper boiling, he lets out a loud, wordless battlecry and swings the Valhawk back towards his assailants, a spray of Laser Vulcan fire showering over GaoGaiGar and the Gundam Rose ...

...twitch. "Honey?! Did you just call me -honey-?!" Growling in annoyance, Leena grips her controls. "The name's Leena Toros, and don't you forget it! I'm the best Zoid pilot there ever was, and I'll show you -honey-!"

And then that giant sword appears. "Wh.. what are you doing?" And the Grungust leaps. "Hey.. hold on a minute, this isn't funny anymore! How can you jump so--gkkk!" The redhead is shaken around the cockpit as the sword strikes, cutting a deep slash through the chest of the Salamander and down one leg. It manages to stay in the air, but that's more thanks to the energy field in the Magnessar wings than her own piloting skills. It's not like she's used flying Zoids -that- often!

"Right, you! That's enough of that!" Leena's thumb flicks at the top of her controls, flipping back a cover. Beneath lies a red button... which is quickly pressed. "Tactical Missile, fire! Let's see you use that sword again after -this-!"

COMBAT: Leena Toros has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Leena Toros has attacked Irm Kazahara. Tactical Missiles added to their queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Guy Shishioh and George de Sand. Laser Vulcan Strafe added to their queue.

It comes as a rude shock as the majority of those grenades start exploding in the air about Scirocco. He grunts, stopping the volley before the clips entirely empty, as he rapidly pinpoints just where the source of this malevolence is coming from; Merquise. He can feel it as he stares down the barrels of the Buster Rifle and at that Gundam that has made appearances at many of the dogfights the Admiral has been in. Yes, he knows this pilot.

His lips twitch into a smile as the voice confirms it. "And you have no doubt been granted divine providence, to make that decision!" the retort comes, even as both units open fire on each other. There are chainguns for the Wing Zero, but the upraised arms of the Messala simply discharge a similar volley, vulcans lining the interior of the arms filling the air in turn.

The heavy fire from the Wing Zero rips into the armor of the Messala, but it barely moves an inch. Like all of Scirocco's constructs, it's more than just sturdy; it's meant to operate on another planet entirely. The verniers along its back twist open, the angle altering as sudden, substantial thrust forces the purple mobile suit into the skies. So powerful is the thrust that the wake rips off the top floor of the tower, sending debris flying for the deserted streets below.

"So this is where your path has taken you, into a land destined to burn," he makes conversation, as the shoulder pods to the sides of the twin megaparticle cannons open. A thick volley of red-capped missiles spew out, twisting and turning as they track the heat signature of the Wing Zero's system, aiming for an explosive collision from multiple angles.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Milliardo Peacecraft. Missile Pods added to their queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck a minor critical hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Laser Vulcan Strafe.

"Your mom can't see past her own nose." Ekelia says flippantly. Yeah, she's probably not the most mature fighter in the Orb Union. "Duty?" The Spectral straightens up, watching the path of the GN-X and as it opens fire...!

--the Spectral dematerializes, fading into mist though still maintaining a sort of cohesion. The lancing beams fade through the Spectral before it closes itself back up, apparently undamaged. Though really--it's hard to tell when anything is damaged on the Spectral since it never looks like it should be moving. Perhaps that leaking magical energy is a true injury, however.

"My duty says..." She turns around, grabbing for the GN-X's shoulders--intending to pull it into the Spectral itself as powerful spectral energy rips out for the GN-X's frame. At least she hasn't ripped off her face and attacked with exploding maggots, but that is a small consolation if Rockwell finds himself dragged into that magical field! "You're a speedbump!"

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Rockwell Torrey. Rest In Peace added to their queue.

Macua Huitl is fast she's very fast with this unit, she goes into a spin and pulls up hard. The g forces push her back into the pilots eat as she manages to evade the multiple shots fired her way. The crazy stunt flying, she contitunes around and she's got an opening. She takes it firing off a long burst from the nose mounted beam rifle before she pulls away again.

"Every moment I by, means more civilians escape this blood bath! DO YOUR WORSE!" She's starts to go into an erradicst evastion pattern to avoid simple circling the enemy. "Even if I fall the next one to come along will be able to stop you!"

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Katsuro Hayashi. Beam Rifle - Full Charge added to their queue.

"Kiyaaaaaah!" Kusuha cries, throwing up her hands to block out the bright light. The G-Hawk wobbles and the pilot quickly tries to retaliate, even in her blindness. It doesn't work, but at least she made the effort.

"I... I can't listen to your lies!" Kusuha replies, blinking rapidy to clear the dancing spots from her vision. Big blue eyes peer out the canopy of the big blue machine, and the heroine-to-be grips the controls once again. "You're like the snake in Genesis! A silver tongue hides your true /evil/ nature... and you won't scare me with your big talk. I know I'm doing... I'm doing the right thing... with Admiral Scirocco's orders!"

And with that, the G-Hawk dives down low, speeding towards the Sandrock head-on. Unfortunately, there is a stand of palm trees in the way, and the blue bomber slams into those first. "Woops!" Kusuha squeaks, as coconuts rain down on the Maganac team.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a major hit on Rockwell Torrey's GNX-603T GN-X using Rest In Peace. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts added to their queue.

The Princess of the Orb Union brings up the Aile's shield to defend herself, but in the end it proves unnecessary as Tieria comes in and takes the shot for her. "Tieria!" she shouts; once she sees he's all right, though, her attention returns immediately to Corner. "How long were you planning this, you bastard?!" She puts away her rifle, switching to beam sabers entirely. She wants to get up close and personal, tear that machine piece from piece...

"Everyone!" Cagalli yells, across the comm. "Stay focused, don't back down -- we won't let a bunch of backstabbing thugs and bullies hurt our people!" The evacuation order for the islands is already going out; they can't stay. They know it, by now -- even if this assault is repelled, the damage will simply be too great. Attacking from the inside changed everything.

"And you --!" she shouts, leaping into the air and pointing her foot straight down. "/You/ -- go to hell, Alejandro! You drag our country, our people through the mud -- you stupid, selfish bastard!" Not thinking clearly, the Princess hurls one of her sabers right for Alejandro's unit. Probably... not the best call.

COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has missed Quatre Raberba Winner with her A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts attack. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a solid hit on Katsuro Hayashi's Valizar using Beam Rifle - Full Charge. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Alejandro Corner. Saber Hurl added to their queue. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has struck you with a solid hit using Saber Hurl! COMBAT: You counter attack Cagalli Yula Athha with a solid hit using Large Fangs. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has missed George de Sand with his Laser Vulcan Strafe attack. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has struck a major hit on Milliardo Peacecraft's Wing Gundam Zero using Missile Pods. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has missed Paptimus Scirocco with his Machine Cannon counter attack.

"Bloodbath?! Is that what you think we're doing?! If Orb didn't want the fight getting brought to them, then they shouldn't have gone to war in the first place!" Katsuro yells back as the beam splashes off the Valizar's field again, a portion of it's energy dispersing upon impact, "You people make it sound like we don't have the right to attack a country that has declared war on us!" The field pulses with energy again and surges forward, it's intent clear. He's gonna check that puny little thing like like this were a game of Hockey, most blessed of the violent sports!

COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Leena Toros has struck a solid hit on Irm Kazahara's Grungust Type 1 using Tactical Missiles. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has attacked Macua Huitl. Bodycheck added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has missed Macua Huitl with his Bodycheck attack.

The M9s jump. They are /fast/ little bastards - two of them are in the air, sailing into the air to more advantageous positions. The third - gets slashed right across the front, staggering backward. The beam attack cuts a nasty slash across the front, but M9s are pretty well-armored; there's sparking parts visible, but it's still working. "Damn!" the pilot shouts. "Faster than I expected...but I'm not out yet!"

He swings an arm back, grabbing the monomolecular cutter; the weapon buzzes to life, its vibration functions activating, and then the Gernsback jabs it forward, toward Lamia's machine - a monomolecular-edged vibroblade! That means it's /sharp/.

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has attacked Lamia Loveless. Monomolecular Cutter added to their queue. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has struck a glancing hit on Lamia Loveless's Angelg using Monomolecular Cutter. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a solid hit on Teletha Testarossa's Mithril Task Force using Mirage Sword.

Macua Huitl replies, "Tch, I was hired to cover the civilian evacuation. A hot head like you might mistaken shoot down a transporat loaded with civilians." The 9-ball is in flight mode, it's fast and very able to turn on a dime as far as flying jet like things go. She evades the latest attack. "Stop putting words in my mouth!" She flips up a cover on the unit's control sticks. The AI notes bladly. "Hyper Bazooka rounds loaded and prepared to fire." A moment later a target lock sounds, she holds it for a moment comming in on a straight path this time then fires off a blast at the super robot. She has no idea how much damage this thing can takes, at least she can stall it out.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Katsuro Hayashi. Hyper Bazooka added to their queue.

The brightlight overtakes Kusuha. Quatre was hoping for that as he made his way forward, crashing forward towards shield first even in her blindess. His words are lies? That's terrible. Quatre is just a small boy attempting to tell the truth and bring peace and order to the world.

"N-no! Miss listen to me! I'm not lying! You cannot always follow the rules... the missions. You'll just end up hurting others... others that may end up hurting those you tried to protect! Please!" Quatre announces, brandishing the shield as he pushes forward, even as she shoots down all his words. His attempts for a peaceful agreement.

The G-Hawk doesn't strike head on, no, as it comes out of the trees, Quatre attempts to strike the head away by bashing it in with his shield, attempting her hard head to meet something harder.

"I'm sorry for what I must do then... please do not hate me."

Coconuts rain down on the heads of the Maganac team, firing their rifles randomly into the air.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a solid hit on Katsuro Hayashi's Valizar using Hyper Bazooka. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Shield Bash added to their queue.

Rock doesn't know what the hell just happened. He hit that thing. He swears to God, he hit that thing. It was there, then suddenly it wasn't... hell. Hell. "HELL!" Rock shouts as the Spectral is suddenly on top of him. Red GN Particles start mixing in with the Spectral's internal makeup, making it look gorey and blood spattered. It still manages to look a hell of a lot better then Rock's GN-X.

"SON OF A BITCH! No one, but NO MOFO marginalizes ROCKWELL GODDAMN TORRY!" The GN Saber rips upwards out of the top of the Spectral and holds itself there, for just two moments, before ripping itself around in a savage, almost feral circle as the GN-X rips the Spectral a new everything, then emerges from whatever reforms afterwards.

COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. GN Beam Saber Mastery added to their queue. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has missed Kusuha Mizuha with his Shield Bash attack. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has counter attacked for a minor hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Getting Hit In The Head.

The jetpacks start to cut out, and Daiyu's Grapple drops halfway in the water; she holds it there, coasting down to a float like Camille's. The Grapple naturally flips to float on its heavier 'stomach', like a boat. This means it is more feasible for Daiyu to get out; she climbs out and stands on the back, helmetless now.

Daiyu looks like a mess. She is wearing her loose clothes, but even through them, the bandages on her chest and stomach are visible - new ones, from the fight last night. Her face is bruised and she has a black eye. And she moves slowly, stiffly, with care as she climbs onto the Grapple's tiny head.

Her face turns red, and then white. "You accuse /me/," Daiyu says, her Mandarin accent more pronounced as she starts to lose her iron-clad control. "I am a Titan! I accept Scirocco's leadership - for now! But I /will/ clean up the Titans. There will be no more men like Bask Om. And if one comes, I will kill him." She says this matter-of-factly, although around the barely controlled rage in her voice, it's hard to tell. "So you do not tell me what I want, Bidan. I will make it an organization that I can be proud of. Even if it kills me - "

Daiyu raises her voice. "But I will not be killed by a boy who does not know any better! If I die, it will be to fix one of these problems! One of these /issues/ like Bask Om and Yazan Gable! Do you understand me, Bidan?"

The Star Hawk flies in at previously unheard-of speeds, the thrusters flaring a bright white from the energy supplied by Staren's determination to not see everything end here. "Orb betraying itself... Individuals thinking they have the right... The right to USE people to rebuild the world to their own desires... This... I will have no more of this! I don't care who you are or what you have... I will TAKE YOU DOWN!" The Star Hawk transforms in midair, falling/flying through the air down towards Alejandro's mobile armor. The hybrid swords unfold and light up... The familiar green immediately fading to a bright, shining white. "A barrier, huh? Well I've got tricks too... The power I lacked before! The power of SUPER ROBOT SPIRIT is now mine! And with it... I will pierce any field, any armor! Together... we will win, we will stop you! THESE SWORDS OF MINE ARE BLAZING WHITE! PIERCE THROUGH AND DESTROY IT! HYAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Staren Wiremu's Star Hawk transforms into its Star Hawk Hybrid mode.

COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu's Hybrid Sword Rush has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has attacked Alejandro Corner. Hybrid Sword Rush added to their queue. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has struck you with a solid hit using Hybrid Sword Rush! COMBAT: You have missed Staren Wiremu with your Large Fangs counter attack.

"My path has always been followed by a burned country," Milliardo replies to Paptimus; the Sanc Kingdom having been ravaged by warfare when he was very young. His head tilts towards the console, fighting off that memory. The Zero System amplifies the emotional sensation, trying to overtake his mind. But he has the courage and drive to fight today -- it cannot overtake him when focused. "What you do today is no different than Jamitov Heinman and all of the men who have made war into their profession. Men ... Like you and I!"

The Messala's missile barrage is a good one. Alarms start to flare on the Wing Zero's instruments the minute they are launched. But there are too many for Zechs to deal with, even in the Wing Zero. Sky-skating back on a puff of vernier juice, the Gundam's Machine Cannons start rattling again -- trying to intercept the missiles before they can reach the mech. Some of them pop in mid-flight, showing the sky with their explosive fireballs. But as Zechs sweeps the Gundam from left to right, the missiles coming from the other side start to breach his airspace.

Detonations happen across the frame of the Wing Zero, swallowing it in a fireball and smoke. The cockpit shakes Zechs like a rat in a cage, damage klaxons blaring in the Gundam's cockpit. Milliardo ignores the read-outs, he does not need to see the report to know that it is bad. But there is more in this robot; it may not have the spirit of his Tallgeese, but --

The Wing Zero rockets out of the cloud of smoke. Damage mars its red, white, and blue armor in various spots -- small fires dissipating from the velocity of its rush towards the Messala. Zechs doesn't bother with any complicated weaponry this time. He simply relies on the forward velocity of his Gundam and the reinforced shield mounted on the robot's arm to bang Paptimus right out of the sky.

COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Shield Bash added to their queue.

People keep shouting over justification in the background of the radio comm. Lamia takes an instant to puzzle over it. Why do they /need/ justification like that? The religious makeup isn't that different. Maybe something subtler. The smaller M9 near Angelg is the most immediate target, however. Lamia can't make out the fine details of the weapon other than its nature as a physical weapon. When her swing of the Mirage Sword leads to a temporary disruption in the green beam and a deep scoring slash along the Angelg's arm, the mech almost telegraphs surprise.

For a moment.

The Angelg rises up on its tesla drive's thrust, wings arcing together as she inclines the right arm downwards. Several of the M9s - and the buildings near them, if not as much as they might fear - get green darts of light rained down upon them!

The Maganac kneeling on the shores of the Ongoro Island, piloted by Heero Yuy, focuses on the battle between the Wing Zero and the other machine, the Titans machine, the Mesalla. The pilot of the Wing Zero is the same as before. Yet, the machine that is fought against eludes him. The pilot is unknown to him, and Camille bugging out, making himself a 'target' causes Heero to stare blankly.

At what point did they order them to give up?

"... It's easier to die, isn't it?" Heero attempts to reach the pilot of that Gundam, the one broadcasting out. Camille may get it, or he may have been already reached. "Then to keep fighting. Even if it's just to pull the trigger.. it's harder than just waiting to die, and to bear the burden, isn't it?"

The transmissions from the Maganac cease otherwise - aiming upwards towards Guy. Kazuma is flying all about him. Heero doesn't pay heed to that. He's in the way.

And he'll just have to move out of the way, as the beam-fire begins to rain upwards, towards Guy - and Kazuma.

He's not aiming.

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked Guy Shishioh and Kazuma Ardygun. Covering Fire added to their queue. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Teletha Testarossa. Shadow Lancer added to their queue. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a minor hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Covering Fire. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has missed Heero Yuy with his Drill Knee counter attack. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has struck a major hit on Paptimus Scirocco's Messala - MS using Shield Bash.

Irm Kazahara smirks as he seems to have touched a nerve on Leena Toros, Irm records her name and voice with the helpful use of futuristic voice recognition software entering her name and profile into the EFA's enemy pilot little black book directory as he flies past her and hits the ground, with the Calamity Sword in hand and still shining he snaps it back into place across the Type 1's back and then turns to face the enemy zoid.

"Show me honey? WELL I certainly hope so~" Irm's voice trails along mischievously even in the face of an incoming missile storm wailing towards the Grungust like the entire Macross series. Irm braces the Grungust's feet and thrusts the super robots chest out and throws out his arms across the Grungust's head to protect his cockpit as missiles swirl in and explode all around him. When the smoke clears the Grungust is still standing. But the smoke is strangely light hued and for some reason has a definite inclination toward sticking around as if the Grungust itself is kicking up the dust.

That's because it is, the smoke is blasted away from the Type 1 as not one Boost Knuckle is sent screaming towards the Salamander...but TWO!

"Double Boost Knuckle, FIRE!" Irm shouts as he rocket punches each fist in turn towards the Salamander.

COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has attacked Leena Toros. Double Boost Knuckle added to their queue.

The Valizar quakes as the hyper bazooka hits... but Katsuro simply /growls/, "Does it look like I'm shooting a /transports/?! I'm here to break Orb's defenses, not to rip up it's infrastructure! That means that if it's not shooting back, I'm not going to attack it!" Katsuro balls up his fists once more, "Next time, don't make an assumption!" The Valizar lashes it's fists out three times in rapid succession, unleashing a trio of shockwaves towards the Nineball.

COMBAT: Leena Toros has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has struck a major critical hit on Leena Toros's Salamander Bombvern using Double Boost Knuckle. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Teletha Testarossa with her Shadow Lancer attack. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has attacked Macua Huitl. Burst Impact Barrage added to their queue.

From high above, Alejandro watches within his golden suit as the Virtue takes the shot intended for the Strike Rouge. A small frown creases his lips... before his eyes shut, an exhasperated smile crossing those thin lips.

"Martyrdom? Really? You shouldn't have been so eager, Tieria Erde. Your time would have come soon enough!"

Rotating around, the seven GN verniers of the Alvatore power the behemoth of a machine to move far faster than it rightly should; as Locke attempts to tackle into the machine, it suddenly /strafes/ towards the side, an action that would look ridiculous in so rotund a machine... if not for the fact that its elongated tail slowly begins to open with the ominous clacking of metal locks and hinges.

"Let us end this charade, shall we? Tonight, Orb Union falls. The islands shall be in the Federation's hands -- in MY hands. The Kaguya Mass Driver, the GN Drives, this WORLD -- everything will belong to the Corner Family.

"TO ME!"

Large cylinders of gold shunt outward from the Alvatore, propelled by trails of orangish GN particles. To those who have ever seen the Turbulenz or the Zwei, what they are is all too clear.

"GO, FANGS!"

Six considerably large GN Fangs suddenly scatter throughout the wide skies, zigzagging through the air in haphazard patterns. They fire off bolt after bolt of orange energy like a rain that comes from every direction and angle, punishing anyone unfortunate enough to get in their path. Yet, as the Alvatore attacks, it is suddenly struck -- first a single beam shot from the Astray rebounds off the heavy armor of the Alvatore, rocking it vaguely to the side and leaving a scorching mark... then from twin swords from the Star Hawk, IMPALING into the armor of the Alvatore -- yet only a few inches before thick armor stops it cold. Alejandro's attention shifts, looking with ominous eyes towards that Astray and Staren's suit. "Fools --"

-- just long enough for Cagalli to snatch opportunity and drive a single beam saber RIGHT into the Alvatore with such force that it actually manages to /lodge/ itself into the armor before a brief explosion takes out the entire weapon. "Gnhfg!" grunts out Alejandro, teeth gnashing against each other. "How long? You couldn't even imagine, princess! This has been the Corner Family's goal for centuries! All you are is the generation of pawns to see the realization of a plan that dwarfs all of you! And from the ashes of your corpses, a new world will rise.

"A world painted in the colors of ALEJANDRO CORNER!"

Fangs rocket forward, swirling around in chaotic paths as they unleash another torrent of bolts -- aimed now for the Strike Rouge, for the Astray, for the Quicksilver, unloading horrible torrents of beamfire upon all of them like a vicious storm.

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has attacked Meiya Mitsurugi, Cagalli Yula Athha, and Locke Valentine. Large Fang Assault added to their queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a solid hit on Kazuma Ardygun's Air Force Valhawk using Covering Fire. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has struck a major hit on Macua Huitl's Nine Ball Seraph - Flight Mode using Burst Impact Barrage. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have struck Cagalli Yula Athha with a solid critical hit using Large Fang Assault. COMBAT: You have struck Locke Valentine with a solid hit using Large Fang Assault. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has struck a major critical hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using GN Beam Saber Mastery.

A lever pulled, two buttons are pushed, and Tieria grunts. "...I don't care what you know, Corner! Because no matter how you look at it, you are only trying to steal the plan of a man who's only thought was for protecting humanity!" Virtue struggles back up to its feet, servos grinding where the damaged parts of the suit's armor shell have been shattered and deformed. Then the armor expands, explosive bolts going off across all of the heavy armor pieces, blasting them away from the inner frame. Large chunks of armor crash down all around, and the connection cables from Nadleeh's head and heck spill down around the Gundam's shoulders. Tieria grimaces, making sure he has all of the extra weapons he might need in place, and adds, "Even without the Trial System, I won't stand by and let you do what you want, Corner!" As the fangs explode outwards from the Alvatore, Tieria launches Virtue upwards with a beam saber in each hand. He slams hard into the bottom of the mobile armor, both GN sabers pressed together so their two blades combine together to form one, longer blade- which he hopes he can force up through the barrier and into the (hopefully) soft underbelly of the Alvatore.

Tieria Erde's Gundam Virtue transforms into its Nadleeh mode.

COMBAT: Tieria Erde's GN Saber Assault has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has attacked Alejandro Corner. GN Saber Assault added to their queue.

The young nurse's head proves hard indeed, as the G-Hawk's head crashes through Sandrock's shield and into the mobile suit itself. "Lies lies lies!" Kusuha cries, trying to convince herself yet again that she's on the right path-- the path of justice. "If we don't follow the rules, what are we?!" she demands, reaching out and gathering energy with her potent, mostly-untapped psychic mind.

"WITHOUT RULES, WE'RE JUST MONSTERS!" shouts Kusuha, pushing all of her gathered energy to the front of the G-Hawk, which begins to glow with a swirling, drill-like aura. The loud roar of psychic power fills her cockpit as she screams: "I REFUSE TO BE A MONSTERRRRR! GO! SPIRAL ATTACK!"

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. Spiral Attack added to their queue.

Guy grits his teeth. He rarely uses the Plasma Hold, and this has reminded him why: he sucks at trying to aim the thing, it's frickin' lightning! Well, okay, so it's plasma, but it looks like lightning and the point is Guy is not good at aiming things like that from afar. Especially in fast-paced combat. He's more an in-your-face kind of Guy.

The Laser Vulcan fire washes over GaoGaiGar, the King of Braves crossing its arms and absorbing the impact of the shots. Inside, Guy lets out a hiss of pain, the feedback from being directly fused with the machine forcing its pain on him. "He's faster than me, no doubt about it," Guy muses aloud. "I'll have to try to--"

He's interrupted by Heero 'Mad Dog' Yuy's covering fire, which manages to strike GaoGaiGar and do minor damage, puncturing through bits of its armor and revealing the G-Fluid inside, which leaks a bright green. GaoGaiGar briefly dips down to try and strike Heero with its mighty knee drills, but fails, and ends up just chilling out in the air, doing nothing.

Suddenly, Guy bellows: "Goldy! It's time!" The request for the Goldion Hammer is sent toward the Gutsy Geoid Guard's Main Order Room. Far away, Koutarou Taiga and Mikoto Utsugi inhale deeply...

But for this moment, there is no hammer! Instead, Guy launches himself at Kazuma, aiming to deliver a brutal series of body blows as the Goldion Hammer's safety device is released!

COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has activated a spirit command.

Katsuro manages his first hit of the whole fight. "You seem rabid." the hit's pretty bad one shot gets the Nineball and it goes relling, she starts to fall from the skies and transforms to it's humanpid mode for the firs time to recover from the savage hit. She's already got the rifle ready and is opening fire on Kats's machine trying to get the last weapon that just shot her.

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has attacked Kazuma Ardygun. Wrath of the Lionheart added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Katsuro Hayashi. Beam Rifle - Full Charge added to their queue. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has struck you with a major hit using GN Saber Assault! COMBAT: You counter attack Tieria Erde with a solid hit using GN Beam Cannons. COMBAT: You have missed Meiya Mitsurugi with your Large Fang Assault attack. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has counter attacked for a minor hit using Beam Saber! COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has activated a spirit command.

George did what he wanted -- give Guy Shishioh a little breathing air. He did what he wished to do with him. It's time to go back on watching the situation unfold... especialy with with that monster of Alejandro. He don't like the man. He betrayed his own country to do... this. He may be helping the EFA, but he is certainly no honest and good man. Just as is important, is Daiyu and Camille's confrontation. And then a Maganac comes in and shoot thoses behind him just at the time he wasn't looking. "What!?" The Gundam Rose's french pilot turns around, drawing out his Beam Rapier, charging straight at the Maganac, shouting. "YOU!" Nothing very specific, really. What is specifice is the beam rapier, aimed at the head of the mech.

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has struck a minor hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Spiral Attack. COMBAT: George de Sand has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: George de Sand has attacked Heero Yuy. Saber Fleche added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a solid hit on Katsuro Hayashi's Valizar using Beam Rifle - Full Charge. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has missed Kazuma Ardygun with his Wrath of the Lionheart attack.

The Quicksilver moves in to try and drill the Alvatore only to find that the massive thing has moved out of the way, claws grasping at air helplessly. The Quicksilver twists about in time to witness Tieria's act of heroism, something that makes Locke wince as he knows that the Virtue has already taken a ton of damage. "Don't die you idiot," Locke mutters.

The Quicksilver begins to burst through the air again when the fangs come, the Quicksilver spiraling down and attempting to evade the one after him as best it can. It may have avoided the Turbulenz well, but this larger and far more dangerous fang easily tracks him and hits him, the Quicksilver rocking from the damage wrought upon it. Then more beams come, a veritable storm of lights lancing at his Quicksilver and the others, and all Locke can do is pray.

The Quicksilver rips back up through the air heading toward Alejandro, the damage done to it readily appearant. One arm is gone, the thrusters are sputtering and the Quicksilver has long since lost the silver paint job that it normally has. "Do you really think the EFA will bow to you? ARE YOU THAT STUPID?" Locke cries out as a beam blade is pulled out, the blade igniting. The blade is brought forward, attempting to ram past the GN field and pierce into the armored hide of the Alvatore.

COMBAT: Locke Valentine's Short Blade has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has attacked Alejandro Corner. Short Blade added to their queue.

"NO YOU LISTEN BITCH!" Eek screams, apparently willing to swear a lot at Rockwell Goddamn Torry. "I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU DOWN SO BAD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR NAME AND START OVER!"

Naturally despite saying this, Rockwell's luck in fighting Eek changes for the better. The GN Saber bursts up and through the Spectral, spinning through the mech as it swipes through it, causing a hell of a lot of damage in the process. The Spectral lets out a terrible screech as magical white power bursts out of its body in a circular pattern. It stumbles around and Eek, for at least one moment, starts to tremble in her mech. Is this all she can do? Make this guy sweat?

But then Cagalli speaks through her comm and her rage tempers, her mind focuses, and her metaphorical heart beats that much more strongly.

"Princess..." She says, "That's right... as long as we can still protect them."

Closing her eyes she shakes her head, "Fine, I'll take you seriously, Rockwell Goddamn Torrey!"

But perhaps using the term Goddamn wasn't a good idea because it's hard to get more damned than Eek. Necromantic power lashes out, this time more directed rather than incidental, lashing out from The Spectral's Claws for the GN-X...

...and for Rockwell's mind. Will he be able to stand the pressure of other side?

Of oblivion?

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Rockwell Torrey. Oogabagoogabagoogaba added to their queue.

"And so, you will strike me down as you did Jamitov?" Scirocco questions, as the ordnance he delivers across the frame of the Wing Zero sends it into a delightful rundown, swallowed by the smoke. He is not foolish enough to believe a craft piloted by Zechs Merquise to be felled so easily, no matter the firepower that his hand-crafted Messala has to offer.

His craft levels out, waiting, waiting -- and there Peacecraft comes, fast -- too fast!

The impact is violent, the Messala taken out of the sky in one sudden strike. It plummets away and backwards, all fifty verniers blasting in a desperate attempt to stop the collision. Rocketed right out of control, the suit twists, slamming sideways into the rooftop it just came from -- cleaving right through the building and out the other side, only to twist further and transform, the mobile armor blasting through another three buildings before Scirocco regains full control.

"Such speed," he mutters, a hand departing the controls to brush his hair back behind his ear. He wears no helmet, he needs no flight suit; he is simply the Man from Jupiter, and he comes back at the Wing Zero. Can the relatively outdated Messala hope to last against such an advanced suit? The designer can sense something decidedly odd about this enemy unit...

And he decides, it must be destroyed. The left mega particle cannon flares to life, unleashing a colossal blast as it flies back into the fray. "Am I to assume it is too late for you to consider returning to my side?" he asks, quite rhetorically.

Paptimus Scirocco's Messala transforms into its Messala - MA mode.

COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Milliardo Peacecraft. Mega Particle Cannon added to their queue.

"You never change! Listen to yourself! You think that every problem can just be fixed by killing it, can't you!? Gundam Fighters think that everything can be solved with their fists... the Titans think they can rule people by being strong enough to silence anyone who disagrees with them." Camille is just /screaming/ across the gap between the two makeshift boats, red-faced and furious. "It's all about proving who's /right/, isn't it?!"

"I thought if I fought enough that eventually I'd win, and this would be over-- Well, I won! And it's not over! And /look at me!/ I didn't ask for any of this! Look at me!"

"Look at all the blood on my hands! Look at the way people look at me -- Like I'm a /monster!/ Like I'm some kind of /weapon/!" Camille's voice is running ragged -- he sounds more and more like a kid than an angry man as it cracks and fades.

"It's all good and evil to you people. You don't /care/ about the people caught in the middle. Look at the blood on my hands! Do you think I asked for this?! If you think it's all a big fight between good and evil, just /do it!/ Have all the revenge you like! Find out like I did if it's all it's cracked up to be! /I never wanted to be this!/" he shouts, still holding his arms out, indicating the battlefield just off into the distance. Camille's voice finally gives out.

"But my friends are over there, risking their lives for something they believe in... and no matter how hard I want to, I've got to live for their sake. It's what he said to me... what Amuro said."

"I don't get to die yet. So if you're going to kill me, just get it over with! Because if not... I've gotta go help my friends. "

And there it is. This is the subject of so much commotion -- the subject of Daiyu Lin's honor duel. Honor? Honor duels are for warriors. This boy is no warrior. He's just that -- a boy.

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has struck you with a solid hit using Short Blade! COMBAT: You have missed Locke Valentine with your Large Arm counter attack. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has missed Rockwell Torrey with her Oogabagoogabagoogaba attack. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Milliardo Peacecraft with his Mega Particle Cannon attack.

The beam splashes against the Valizar's field again, bleeding through to scorch armor. Katsuro tenses his grip on the command harness then laughs, "Rabid? Girl, you need to get your eyes checked! Do I look like I'm out of control and foaming at the mouth?!"

The Valizar surges forward again and charges the Nineball, it's arms raised over his head to deliver a double axe handle blow, "I'm Katsuro Hayashi! Don't you forget it!"

COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has attacked Macua Huitl. Double Axe Handle added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has missed Macua Huitl with his Double Axe Handle attack.

As the missiles fly, Leena laughs. "Bwahahaha! That'll teach you! Now you'll know better than to... huh?" When the smoke clears and the Grungust still stands, Leena leans forward and stares in surprise. "You're not down yet? What are you -made- of?" Snarling softly, she flips the firing trigger of the missiles back down again. "So you're gonna flirt but you won't even tell me your name? I see how it is!"

Once more, her eyes go wide as not one, but two fists are launched at her. "Hey, whoah! Hang on here, don't get so grabby!" One wing flicks, and the Salamander banks to the side, but the first Boost Knuckle manages to clip it, sending the Zoid swerving straight into the second knuckle with a loud CRUNCH.

"Th.. that's it. No more holding back!" The two large cannons on its back begin to ratchet into place, locking level with the back. "I pulled these off a Gojulas... Not standard equipment for a Salamander, but that's never stopped me before!" A few switches are flicked on the control panel, and a button is pressed. "Go! Twin Republic Supercannons! Let's show him what we're made of!" With a pair of loud explosions, each of the 360mm cannons fires a shell designed to take out a battleship.

COMBAT: Leena Toros has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Leena Toros has attacked Irm Kazahara. Twin Republic Supercannons added to their queue.

The kabuki masked pilot, code named Silence, was fully expecting a relaiation from the Alvator. The Fangs come in, and the Astray draws out it's beam saber, sweeping it sideways to parry the first wave of attacks. Whoever he is, he's seen these devices before.

The Astray's flight unit powers up with a whine, launching it further into the air, meeting the second wave head on, the beam saber managing to clip one of the Fangs. It spins out of the way of more Fangs as it comes soaring for the Alvator, reholstering it's rifle as it draws out a secnd beam saber. The pilot spins the Astray, both sabers held out to slice across the golden armored hull.

COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has attacked Alejandro Corner. Dual Beam Sabers added to their queue. COMBAT: Irm Kazahara has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Leena Toros has struck a major critical hit on Irm Kazahara's Grungust Type 1 using Twin Republic Supercannons. Knock Out! Irm Kazahara's Grungust Type 1 unit has become disabled!

She's getting a feel for the attack patterns from Katsuro. "Yes, you do." The Nineball jets up and lands on the other machichines back for a moment. It tilts it's head as it takes aim with the Hyper Bazooka again, she locks on kicks off the back side and fire. "My name doesn't matter. As for you you'll have to do better than one encounter. I have fought better."

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Katsuro Hayashi. Hyper Bazooka added to their queue.

If the Valhawk were still in Close Combat Mode, Guy's beatdown *might* have connected - but with Kazuma staying in Air Force Mode for now, he just has to pay attention to where the King of Braves is swinging, and he manages to avoid the would-have-been-brutal assault. "I don't have time to keep dancing around with you, Shishioh!" Kazuma snaps as he guides the Valhawk through the less-than-friendly skies. "In case you aren't paying attention, that big GN-powered mobile armor which deployed is fighting *the princess's personal mobile suit!* Cagalli's a friend of mine - that's half the reason I'm here in the first place, but I'm not gonna keep fighting you when I *could* be helping her! Take a good hard look - and *THEN* tell me you think Orb's central government should be taking the fall for 'terrorism' without even stopping to ask questions! And while you're looking ... EAT THIS!!"

The Valhawk wheels around, going into a power dive as red-hot plasma sheathes its fuselage, even extending out to cover the machine's wings ... and at the bottom of the power dive, Kazuma steers straight into GaoGaiGar itself, ramming as hard as the Valhawk's engines will propel it, and spinning into a barrel roll to add drilling force to his assault ...

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Guy Shishioh. Heat Edge Exploder added to their queue. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has struck you with a solid hit using Dual Beam Sabers! COMBAT: You counter attack Meiya Mitsurugi with a solid hit using GN Beam Rifle. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a glancing hit on Katsuro Hayashi's Valizar using Hyper Bazooka. COMBAT: George de Sand has struck a major critical hit on Heero Yuy's Maganac using Saber Fleche. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck a solid hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Heat Edge Exploder.

Quatre finds himself on the resounding edge of a yell! Even as the head bonk strikes true, the coconut bashing into the head of the Sandrock Gundam, the entire figure of the young nurse strikes right into the Sandrock Gundam. Quatre is pushed back, devasted by the terrible force that falls down upon the Gundam.

It stands its ground, looking towards the woman to fights against it. The drill like aura cuts off large pieces of the Gundam, but the entire armor still is stronger than one would gauge it.

"No... monsters are those who are afraid to think for themselves. Who fight without trying to understand! If you fight for no reason... then why fight at all? No... then you are just a monster..." Quatre returns, bringing both heat shotels out to bare upon the G-Hawk, attempting to find its blades into the machine as the Sandrock pushes across the solid ground.

COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Twin Heat Shotels added to their queue. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has struck a solid hit on Kusuha Mizuha's G-Hawk using Twin Heat Shotels.

Kusuha Mizuha's Grungust Type 2 transforms into its Grungust Type 2 mode.

Growling under her breath, Cagalli goes to defend herself from the Fangs -- but without one of her sabers, she can't parry all of the shots. Shot after shot rips into the Rouge, leaving burn marks and wearing through the reactive armor almost immediately -- beams have always been the bane of the G-Project machines, even in their so-called 'second generation.'

"Dammit, dammit, dammit," she says in her cockpit, to herself; she's wasting resources and getting stupid without even thinking, and she barely even realizes it. The wounds are still fresh, the pain still too deep. "I'm not going to just lie down and accept being your stupid pawn, Alejandro! Good men have died for what Father believed in -- what we thought /you/ believed in! Take /this/!"

The Princess dashes in with her remaining saber, coming in for a series of hard slashes with it; she follows it up with two hard kicks, none of which she is sure are even going to come close to hitting.

/MEANWHILE/

A few brave men, elected and noble Representatives alike, hole up in the control room for the Kaguya Mass Driver. Uzumi had always said that if Orb was to fall, the Mass Driver would have to fall with it -- better that than give it to those who would use it to wage war. The order to the Orb Self Defense Force comes forth: retreat from the islands, in preparation for the detonation of the driver; the AEUG and special teams will cover the retreat.

Submarines and warships begin to move away from the islands; Helis and dropships follow along with them.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha's Beam Saber Assault has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Alejandro Corner. Beam Saber Assault added to their queue. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has struck you with a major critical hit using Beam Saber Assault! COMBAT: You counter attack Cagalli Yula Athha with a solid hit using Large Fangs.

The Mithril crew doesn't need to justify themselves. They /know/ why they're fighting. They know what they're here for.

They know they have to keep things hot as long as they can. Keep them distracted. Keep them from marshalling the power to level the island, until the soldiers and citizens are clear. Then...Tessa can make her move.

Lamia makes hers, for the moment; raining her green arrows down on them. They move again - scattering in all three directions and disappearing in flashes of electric-blue light, their ECS preventing Lamia from tracking them. They reappear a moment later; ECS isn't meant for combat use, it strains the reactor to its limits when combined with combat-level maneuverability outputs. But it did allow them time for one thing.

"Uruz 5," someone says, his M9 prone on the ground for greater accuracy. Roger Sandraptor frowns sternly as the sights line up, and he borrows a line from one of Orb's best: "Sniping the target."

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has attacked Lamia Loveless. 57mm Sniper Rifle added to their queue. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has struck a solid hit on Lamia Loveless's Angelg using 57mm Sniper Rifle. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has missed Teletha Testarossa with her Shadow Lancer counter attack.

The time for firing things has come. The Zero System gives Milliardo the insight into Paptimus' next attack. This gives him enough time, with his highly trained reflexes, to prepare his robot to evade the Mega Particle Cannon. There is nothing exceptional about the manuever -- Zechs simply stays in the air, painting himself as a large target, until right before Paptimus squeezes the trigger. When the beam starts to leave the barrel, he slams the Wing Zero forward. The Gundam drops out of the sky like a bolt of lightning, wing verniniers spitting blue energy into the air as it divebombs back for the ground.

The g-forces in the cockpit are intense. They rip at Milliardo's body and his machine. He can feel the force crushing him from every direction. "... Hnh ... Almost --" They reach the ground and he uses all of his strength to pull the controls back. The Wing Zero comes out of its dive. A shockwave of energy warps off its vernier thrusters -- blasting it down the Onogoro Street. The speed and ferocity that it levels out causes the glass on the surrounding buildings to explode as the Gundam roars past.

"Your Federation is polluted, Scirocco," Zechs says, the Wing Zero inverting and climbing back into the air again. It levels out above the skyline of the nearest building, the large rifle in its left hand shifting forward as it starts to take aim on the Messala. "It is stained by men like us -- men who love the aesthetic sense of war. Peace cannot be achieved; not without the world changing."

The Buster Rifle locks into place. Milliardo focuses on the targeting reticle burning into his inner eye from the Zero System. It finally chimes, toggling to red. "Zero ... What is the true meaning of this battle?" he wonders, squeezing the trigger. Motes of golden energy fill the tip of teh Buster Rifle; they harden and a tremendous column of golden energy slices out of the weapon -- lighting up the sky.

The GN-X hurls itself to the side, leaking red particles in its wake. It's different from the normal scattering spray; it's coming in thick, irregularly timed clumps, suggesting extra bleedoff. The spiraling number indicating the machine's particle count might as well be in Greek for all it helps the pilot; Rockwell doesn't know shit 'bout no magic pixie dust, just that the only number on that dial that matters is '0'.

"Go ahead and try. I'll start over from scratch a dozen... a thousand times, if that's what it takes! But I swear to God there will be improvement." Rockwell grabs his GN rifle and starts picking off the tendrils that reach out for him, each shot making a fresh wisp dissipate into the aether whence it came. "All the talk that the Orb Union makes of peace, but they're the ones that declared war on us! They preach about morality, then harbor terrorists! You claim you want the EFA to reform, but not a damned one of you is willing to work within the system to achieve it! It takes time, it takes hard work! But you're too busy honking about breaking the cycle of violence while perpetuating it! No one wanted this fight, but it was brought to us... SO I AM GOING TO END IT!"

"PHI SQUADRON, OPEN FIRE!"

Sickly red beams come lancing in for Ekelia as the remaining two members of Phi Squadron come back to assist their CO. The three machines dart and dive around the lone Spectral, engaging in wolfpack tactics by slipping in close, then taking shots at Eek's back while she's distracted with someone else.

COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Buster Rifle Warning Shot added to their queue. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has attacked Ekelia Mossberg. GN Beam Rifle Mastery added to their queue. COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has struck a solid hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using GN Beam Rifle Mastery.

Staren pierced through the GN field? He pierced through the GN field! So far, so good! He's disappointed, a bit, by the swords not doing as much damage as he hoped, but... It's progress. They just have to keep destroying it, tearing it to shreds, until Alejandro Corner can no longer fight! He overhears Quatre and Kusuha and adds a shout of "Quatre's right!". As for Corner? He obviously ignored Staren's words the first time, so there will be no more except when he's trying to evoke Super Robot Spirit. Right now? The Star Hawk transforms to humanoid mode to kneel atop the armor while Staren stabs, again and again, with the swords, trying to poke as many holes in the mobile armor as possible and hopefully hit a weak point!

Staren Wiremu's Star Hawk transforms into its Star Hawk mode.

COMBAT: Staren Wiremu's Hybrid Sword STABSTABSTABSTAB has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has attacked Alejandro Corner. Hybrid Sword STABSTABSTABSTAB added to their queue.

Quatre's heat shotels dig into the G-Hawk's wings, bringing it down to the ground. It crashes messily into the sand, but Kusuha is on top of it. "Grungust! TRANSFOOOORRRM!" she cries, pulling the lever that swiftly moves the blue bomber into its blue beast mode. The Grungust Type 2 slowly stands, hunched over. First the head turns, yellow eyes flaring to life as it regards the Sandrock. The rest of the body follows, turning 3/4 to face the mobile suit.

"You don't get to call me a monster," Kusuha replies, voice level. "You don't get to work with the /Orb Union/ and call me a monster! /I/ have a reason to fight! I fight to protect my friends! I fight to make sure the world has rules and laws and everything that makes us human!" The machine turns fully to face the Sandrock, clenching hands into fists and drawing them back and down. "AND I WON'T STOP UNTIL THE WORLD IS SAFE FROM PEOPLE LIKE /YOU/! GO! DOUBLE BOOST KNUCKLE!"

The arms piston forward, and the forearms fly right off. They scream towards Sandrock, propelled by unimaginable psychic force. Just before they reach the smaller machine, each hand opens, striking with an open palm like the monks of old.

COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has struck you with a glancing hit from their Hybrid Sword STABSTABSTABSTAB attack! COMBAT: You counter attack Staren Wiremu with a solid hit using Large Fangs. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. Double Boost Knuckle added to their queue.

"Weeeell, now, the names Irm Kazahara, now we've been introduced!" Irm transmits back to Leena. But there is however the matter of this being a battle and Irm straightens up as the Boost Knuckle's crash intot he Zoid and in turn rocket back towards the Grungust, but then Leena levels the anti battleship cannons on him and Irm knows he's in for trouble. The cannon rounds rock the frame of the Grungust Type 1, ripping through the Grungust's armour and knocking it backward.

But Irm keeps it on its feet as each terrible blast rips into the Super Robot, he angles the Grungust's body to spread the maximum amount of force possible across the Grungusts chasis. The final blast rips through the Grungust and it stands completely still. Irm looks around his cockpit rolling his scarlet eyes out of the top of his sockets as he shakes the cobwebs out. He'd cracked his flight helmet, but it had done its job in protecting Irm. The blue haired pilot yanks his helmet off and coughs. He's got a few scrapes and tries the controls.

"Power supplies gone," Irm says as he coaxes what little life he can out of the Grungust he hits the emergency beacon and waits for his pick up. Irm was the tank of the PTX team, even when the things he pilots blow up out from under him he keeps it in one piece.

"You don't have any clue as to what you're talking about!" replies Katsuro as he swats the hyper bazooka shell with his arm, sending it spiralling behind him before exploding, "You think that just because I talk loud and I fight with my emotions that I'm some kind of rabid beast? I've been fighting on the streets for years! I've /seen/ people who are rabid, and trust me, they couldn't even form cohesive sentances!" Katsuro focuses on his legs, and the Valizar responds to his intent. Kinetic energy begins to form around the legs of the Valizar, mostly invisible except for a slight shimmer. Then the Valizar lifts one leg and swings it down in a vicious axe kick. As the leg sweeps through the air, a cutting shockwave lashes off it. immediately following, he twists around and lashes out with the other leg perpendictular to the last to unleash the second in a cross shape. "YAMAKIREASHIGE!" Mountain Cutting Kick.

COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has attacked Macua Huitl. Yamakireashige added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has missed Macua Huitl with his Yamakireashige attack.

Some of the words from Camille make Daiyu freeze entirely.

"Strength," she says, sounding more sour than upset. "Yes. It's all about strength. I don't have anything in life but my skills. I fight and I kill. But by /God/ if I can fight and kill the right people to make the world a little better, I will, even if they call me monster or kill me for it. But you - you almost took that away from me. /That/ is why I am mad." Even she didn't realize it until now. She never sat down to think about it.

The anger's gone out of Daiyu. She looks smaller, and weaker; she actually braces herself against the shoulder plating of the Grapple rather than standing up entirely straight. "I think I am sometimes the only Titan who puts everyone else beyond themselves," Daiyu says, more quietly. "I care about the people who were put in the middle. Nobody asked /them/ if they wanted to fight. Perhaps, if the only people who were killed in war were those who volunteered for it - But that's not the way the world works, is it? "

She turns and heads back toward the Grapple's entry hatch. "Go away, Bidan." Daiyu's voice is as carefully controlled as ever. "Go fight for your friends, and be glad you have them. I don't. Maybe one day I will help AEUG; I agree with them more than you know."

Daiyu drops back into the Grapple... which does not turn on again.

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has struck a solid critical hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Double Boost Knuckle. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has struck a major critical hit on Paptimus Scirocco's Messala - MA using Buster Rifle Warning Shot.

Attack, retreat, advance, withdraw, Lamia thinks for a moment. The mechs vanishing is relatively novel; her eyebrows arch at the sight of it. Irm's peekaboo cam, helpfully aimed at Lamia's ample bosom, goes dead; this too distracts Lamia for an instant. A Grungust downed? Then -

The heavy round slams into Angelg's side, the wings fluttering together as a lance of light is sent down in immediate reaction. Lamia considers and weighs the value of going after the sniper vs. the odds that it is a tactical maneuver.

Angelg seems to jerk forwards as if preparing to dive at the M9. This is a feint; a visual scan would show the illusion from the controlled flaring of the holographic 'spoof' system. Any sort of sensors would reveal it to have been purely pink-and-green sparkled light. Lamia may be counting that the scanners won't be checked -

Because she says the first thing she's said near these men: "R-range found," as a longer blue lance of light arcs through the illusion, out towards the sniper unit.

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Teletha Testarossa. Illusion Arrow added to their queue.

Macua Huitl has a darn clue, about what she's talking about as she feels he's proving it. "So have I, and your Fists speak of that." She watches him for another movment the Armored Core contiunes to move then jets left, right then right up evading the crazy super robot based attack.

"No, it's not that its when you lose control of your self to your emotions, that is where the problem is. You been on the verge of losing control. I can feel it." The rifle swings intio postion again and fires, the shot seems to miss but it hits missile streaking by which explodes possibly catching Katsuro in the explosion.

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has struck a major hit on Teletha Testarossa's Mithril Task Force using Illusion Arrow. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Katsuro Hayashi. Beam Rifle Tick Shot added to their queue. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has struck a solid hit on Katsuro Hayashi's Valizar using Beam Rifle Tick Shot.

"Strength..." Camille turns back to the Zeta Gundam. "... how can you think strength is a blessing? All this strength-- ... there's nothing worse." If he wasn't Camille Bidan -- if he was just some kid. Even if he was some kid who got orphaned by war, it would probably all be fine. But because he's /Camille Bidan/... there's no rest for him. There's always going to be another fight, and none of them are fights he wants. If he could, he'd just... throw it all away.

Maybe he'd go be a doctor, or something. Anything else. Anything other than a soldier.

The doors of the Zeta Gundam shut, and the entire machine comes on light.

"This is Dagaz-2. Sorry -- I got intercepted by a Federation machine. I'm on my way."

"Bullshit!" Eek yells, "You people declared war on the earth! The DC drops colonies, the EFA used that to destroy cities. And now you're fighting over who gets to rule America while raping it with your fights! We had no choice but to fight--because if we didn't, your war would have gotten out of control and destroyed everything! The Orb Isles were never a part of your 'system'!" But while she's arguing, the remaining two members of Phi Squadron open fire, darting about to pierce her defenses, trying to distract her by drawing her fire--then darting away. But Eek doesn't fall for that--though she is under fire for several moments before she comes up with a plan. The damage on the Spectral is really piling up.

"Sorry," She says, "But there's no more time to mess around with you."

She reaches for the heat hawk embedded in the Spectral's head, allowing two more blasts to pierce through her defenses--and then she flings it away from her body. The Heat Hawk splits into several different heat hawks, several heading after each member of the Phi Squadron, including Rockwell!

But what he really should be worried about is that these things give chase. They're like homing heat hawks, aiming to slam through the mechs and keep carving into them until they submit to Ekelia's power. For all her comedy, she's very serious about protecting the Orb Union and isn't playing around. And since they give chase, merely darting in and out won't be enough.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command.

The fire has given him attention. The Maganac looks up, just in time for the drill knee to crash into the ground where the machine once rested. Kicking away, the machine slides backwards, feet pushing it away - but not in time for the next assault.

George's assault upon the Maganac is true - Heero pulls the machine away, putting the least useful parts of the mobile suit to take the blow, as the beam rapier slams into the machine, driving it straight into, and through, some of the mechanical bits.

Heero watches the fall of the suit's statistics, crashing downwards, eyes flitting over the various bits and pieces within the foreign machine.

The beam rifle raises, firing rapidly as he tries to make distance between him and the Gundam Rose, running to the side, about the coast, Heero gritting his teeth. "Just because you have a Gundam.. it won't be enough."

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has attacked George de Sand. Beam Rifle Frenzy added to their queue. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Rockwell Torrey. Divine Crusaders With The Heat Hawk In The Hollow Earth added to their queue.

The Valhawk's spinning dive strikes GaoGaiGar cleanly, drilling a fierce wound into the recently-repaired chest of the King of Braves. The powerful blow drives the super robot back through the air, sending up sparks and gouts of G-Fluid, which is more or less Science!-filled green blood.

"Then go and save her, Kazuma! You came to pick this fight with me, don't forget! The Orb Union declared /war/ on the EFA, this was inevitable! Run off, help evacuate, and let the military be destroyed as it should be!" GaoGaiGar suddenly throws the Valhawk off, jetting up into the air. From the Armored Amphibious Maintenance Vehicle, the golden tank transforms into a humanoid form, jetting into the air. Finally, approval has been granted!

"SYSTEM CHAAANGE!" comes Goldymarg's voice, the hammer on his shoulders launching off. His limbs twist and his body transforms, becoming an enormous forearm with a sleek black hand at the end. GaoGaiGar flies, lining up with it, and then punches forward, its own right fist rolled back.

"HAMMER CONNECT!" There's a pneumatic hiss, and the hand becomes GaoGaiGar's, the fingers flexing. "GOLDION HAMMER!"

All nearby units immediately receive warnings, the power emanating from the Goldion Hammer enough to register on any not-totally-broken sensors. It radiates a powerful golden light, which spreads over GaoGaiGar, transforming the black machine gold. He'll let Kazuma go, but...

There, two enemies! There's the one who helped Kazuma attack him in the beginning, engaged with Katsuro; as GaoGaiGar flies by, the hammer is swung once, aiming to shatter Macua's machine. And then, GaoGaiGar manifests before Leena Toros, the enormous hammer, bigger than itself, swung overhead!

COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has attacked Macua Huitl and Leena Toros. Goldion Hammer added to their queue.

The Grungust can do what? Quatre is pretty sure that he never knew that could transform! Even with the heat shotels cutting into it its a surprise to him. Moving out of the blue bomber mode, it it turns into a monster! Or at least a normal machine. Quatre regards it with an awe. Only to be told he couldn't regard her as a monster?

"What...? Affiliation doesn't matter! That's whats wrong, miss! Listen! It doesn't matter what side we are on, as long as we are working towards peace... listen! Please! The titans are a part of EFA, but I do not think differently of you because of them!" Quatre announces, his voice becomming hoarse with the pressured speeches.

"Pleople like me?" Quatre regards, blinking, "Why would you say such things?" Quatre asks "I... I am sorry. I'm sorry! But I haven't done anything wrong. I only want peace..." Quatre speaks once more, bringing the Sandrock Gundam forward shield held high even as the Sandrock is driven back by both terrible palmstrikes, attempting to bring the shield down upon the Grungust and tear it open.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Shield Tear added to their queue. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has struck a devastating critical hit on Macua Huitl's Nine Ball Seraph - Suit Mode using Goldion Hammer. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has missed Leena Toros with his Goldion Hammer attack. COMBAT: Leena Toros has counter attacked for a minor hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Plasma Flamethrower. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has struck a solid hit on Kusuha Mizuha's Grungust Type 2 using Shield Tear.

Katsuro ducks instinctively as the beam flies by, only to get struck by the exploding missile, "Tch... so you think you can hear my thoughts and emotions? And you think that is all you need to judge me?!" The field around the Valizar pulses with energy, "You don't know me. You don't know what my life is like. You don't know what I'm like. You don't know my hopes! You don't know my dreams!" With each statement the field strengthens and feeds his emotions back into him. "You don't know my past! You don't know my present! You don't know my FUTURE! So tell me! If you don't know the first thing about me..." The Valizar surges forward, energy gathered around it's fist, "HOW CAN YOU JUDGE ME?!" And then he unleashes the Sugirutensaiken, the Horizon Distance Fist. A blow powerful enough to launch a smaller suit back with tremendous velocity.

COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has attacked Macua Huitl. Sugirutensaiken added to their queue.

Daiyu Lin lets Camille get a good distance away before the Grapple turns back on. It immediately orients itself into a feet-down position, which makes it sink like a rock; its feet touch the dirt underwater a few seconds later. She starts to walk away from the fight. Daiyu doesn't look back even once. She just keeps walking.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Katsuro Hayashi has struck a glancing hit on Macua Huitl's Nine Ball Seraph - Suit Mode using Sugirutensaiken. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck a apocalyptic hit on Rockwell Torrey's GNX-603T GN-X using Divine Crusaders With The Heat Hawk In The Hollow Earth. Knock Out! Rockwell Torrey's GNX-603T GN-X unit has become disabled! COMBAT: Rockwell Torrey has counter attacked for a minor hit on Ekelia Mossberg's The Spectral using Jab Punch.

Macua Huitl's AC-013 Nine Ball Seraph transforms into its Nine Ball Seraph - Flight Mode mode.

COMBAT: Heero Yuy has struck a major hit on George de Sand's Gundam Rose using Beam Rifle Frenzy. COMBAT: George de Sand has counter attacked for a minor hit on Heero Yuy's Maganac using Attack au Fer.

M9s have good scanners. But nobody here has /that/ package, so when the accelerating Angelg proves to be a mirage, the reaction from Roger Sandraptor is a vigorous, "SHIT!" and then there is an explosion. "SANDRAPTOR!" Castello shouts out, getting his monomolecular cutter out for some HIGH-INTENSITY REVENGE.

"Ugh," the Native American man's voice calls. "I'm alright. The M9's been hit bad, though...I'm gonna scuttle it and meet you at the rendezvous. Finish the objective, I'll be fine!"

Castello grunts. "Just don't die out there. I'd rather not have anyone who doesn't have to goin' on patrol today." And then Castello and the third M9 lunge at the Angelg, leaping if necessary to jab it with their monomolecular knives!

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has attacked Lamia Loveless. Two Guys With Knives added to their queue.

"As I said before," Alejandro notes impassively to Locke. "I won't indulge in ignorant conversation from ignorant individuals. Do you understand?

"Bit players have never interested me."

Attacks come from all angles, and the Alvatore is already moving. That unveiled arm attempts to swing outward at the Quicksilver, only to have the machine stab both blades STRAIGHT into that massive claw, lobbing off the thick end of the golden limb and letting it spiral through the air.

Frowning, Alejandro ratchets the limb back into place -- just in time for the Nadleeh, freshly purged of its armor, to launch itself straight into the air at Corner's Alvatore. "Expunging the Virtue was a mistake, Tieria Erde! Feel the punishment of your audacity!" Beam sabers attack in tandem from the Astray and the Nadleed just as the AlvatorE suddenly rotates violently, whipping about just in time for the Nadleeh to carve into the /front/ of the Alvatore rather than the underbelly -- right alongside the Astray. "Ghosts of an old world -- BEGONE!" Both rifle barrels at the front of the Alvatore ignite as they simultaneously rotate, twin bolts of orange energy carving into the Astray and the Nadleeh simultaneously. The Alvatore begins a backwards retreat, to gain distance from the two machines...

... Just in time for Staren to rush forward with all that vigor and righteous fury. Yet, for all that drive, just as those swords drive downward in an attempt to stab--

--Two sizeable Fangs show themselves at either side of the Star Hawk.

Two beam shots ripple forward with mighty BOOMS of impact to knock Staren's suit right off the Alvatore. The Fangs almost instantly disperse, three of the six remote weapons swiveling forward JUST as Cagalli drives into the giant, golden machine with that single saber. Before the GN Field can once more sprout, Cagalli manages to drive that energy weapon DIRECTLY into the thick armor, carving through it hit after hit with reckless abandon. Thick scars are driven through the Alvatore, explosions rocking the side of the machine, but just as those kicks level in--

Fangs sweep past, blasting at Cagalli's Strike over and over with pintpoint precision. "Oh, I believe in a world without war. What do you think this Orb Union was even for? What Celestial Being was for?

"All of this has been for the destruction of an old, wartorn world and the rebirth of a new one, united in peace. Do you understand?

"YOU are the enemy to a peaceful existence!"

And then, the four panels lining the sides of the Alvatore open. Cannon after cannon after cannon is revealed, numbering well into the twenties -- but no one is offered the time to count before a DELUGE of beam fire suddenly unloads, aiming to sweep up all Corner's enemies within their fury.

Meanwhile, the cities of Orb's Mainland come under high alert; alarms are sounded throughout the islands as citizens are shuttled by way of authorities from their homes, their shelters, their jobs -- out of harm's way, out of Orb, shepherded into escape shuttles at Kaguya Mass Driver. The citizenry comes first, and right now? The citizens must be as far from here as possible.

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has attacked Meiya Mitsurugi, Tieria Erde, Cagalli Yula Athha, Staren Wiremu, and Locke Valentine. GN Beam Cannon Spread added to their queue.

When she sees the Grungust cease moving, Leena laughs once more. "Hahahaha! I knew you couldn't take the heat!" She reaches forward, flicking on the video feed, and grins into the camera. "Irm Kazahara, huh? Next time maybe you won't underestimate me!"

She's still laughing to herself when suddenly GaoGaiGar is RIGHT THERE in her face. "Hahahahahuh? Whoah!" The redhead leans to the side as she jerks the controls, bringing her Salamander soaring away from the hammer... just barely. The head turns, and a gout of flame bursts from the mouth. "Just what do you think you're doing, you big jerk? Interrupting a girl when she's enjoying a victory!" She snarls, pulling her Zoid back a bit farther... out of reach of that huge hammer, she hopes. "I'll teach you to pull a sneak attack like that... Supercannons! Fire!" As the Salamander Bombvern wheels around, the twin cannons once more lock targets, each of them firing a huge shell at the crazy lion robot with the squeaky mallet.

COMBAT: Leena Toros has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have missed Tieria Erde with your GN Beam Cannon Spread attack. COMBAT: Leena Toros has attacked Guy Shishioh. Twin Republic Supercannons added to their queue.

"For what it's worth, thanks!" Kazuma takes the time to answer Guy as he pulls out of the Heat Edge Exploder maneuver, heading off towards the battle between Cagalli Yula Athha and Alejandro Corner ... just in time for GaoGaiGar to equip a giant hammer and swat Macua's Nine Ball Seraph with it. "Aw, crap - !"

But Kazuma has his goal, and the most he can do for Macua right now is wish her luck. For now, the Valhawk shears through the air, heading for the Alvatore. "Mihiro, give us full power!"

"Plasma Drive at maximum output!" Mihiro answers. "Let's do it, oniichan!"

"TIME TO BURN, BASTARD!!" howls Kazuma as the Valhawk slams into the Alvatore, already spinning in a tight barrel roll at the moment of impact, plasma and momentum and good old-fashioned drilling adding up to, hopefully, MASSIVE damage to the GN-powered MA ...

COMBAT: Locke Valentine has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have missed Locke Valentine with your GN Beam Cannon Spread attack. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun's Heat Edge Exploder has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has attacked Alejandro Corner. Heat Edge Exploder added to their queue. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has struck you with a major hit using Heat Edge Exploder! COMBAT: You have missed Kazuma Ardygun with your Large Fangs counter attack. COMBAT: Leena Toros has struck a major hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Twin Republic Supercannons. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has struck a solid hit on Lamia Loveless's Angelg using Two Guys With Knives. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Teletha Testarossa's Mithril Task Force using Mirage Sword.

What a nimble unit that proves, eluding the potent blast of the mega particle cannon, performing high-g maneuvers with an apparent ease that leaves Scirocco grinding his teeth together. If not for the chatter he's picking up about the Orb Union beginning their retreat, he would be more annoyed by the intervention from Zechs Merquise. As it presently stands, he's just somewhat bothered.

There's no chance for him to reply to the growing philosophical argument between the pilots of the Messala and the Wing Zero. Not when that Buster Rifle comes into play, releasing the type of firepower that should only be in the possession of a god.

Realizing the imminent danger presented to him, the Man from Jupiter dives his suit to one side, but it isn't swift enough; not compared to THAT. The Buster Rifle, perhaps the most dangerous weapon ever constructed, shears right through the right side of the Messala as it banks. The mega particle cannon and the wing on that side simply cease to exist, disintegrating, taking with it well over half the thrust offered. It enters a downwards spiral, its only destination the ground.

Left with no choice, Scirocco transforms the unit, now down one arm and leg, managing to just thwart a collision with a heavy impact, the leg half buckling from the sheer amount of weight and pressure that runs through the already stressed joints.

"What a monster you have become, Milliardo," he replies, staring up into the skies as the Wing Zero shines down. That Buster Rifle, so potent. That mobile suit, so deadly. "You are correct. The world must change. Look at what the Orb Union has done; they have given you that suit. The danger it holds for the galaxy, the continued technological /escalation/ that they have brought to this war, that is precisely why we have come to destroy this Union.

"And low and behold, for all the weapons of war they build in the supposed pursuit of peace, even now, they flee, no doubt to build the next doomsday weapon."

He begins powering the lone particle cannon, but there are many warnings going off before Scirocco's eyes. The remaining arm lifts, and more grenades fill the air, an attempt to blanket the sky with incendiaries and keep the Wing Zero back given.

The Grungust Type 2 braces itself as the shield comes in, slashing into the EOT-enhanced armor and rending plates from frame in an impressive display of force. "Uwaaa!" Kusuha cries, struggling to stay in control of the situation. The arms complete their journey then, re-attaching to the Grungust's stumps. "Grungust! Don't let him get away!" she commands, and the Grungust reaches to wrap its mighty arms around the Sandrock now that it's in melee range, and inside Kusuha presses another button. The star-shaped chest piece begins to glow.

"I don't know if you're lying or if you really believe that..." Kusuha replies, voice strained. "But I have a duty to my friends and to my allies and to the /rightful government/ of this world! And today that duty is to take this island, so that we can make sure terrorists never use it as a staging ground /ever again/!"

The hand grab each opposite wrist, and the glow intensified. "I don't like it any more than you do, but I won't back down until I'm done, because terrorism is wrong! Taking hostages is wrong! And the first step in stopping all of that... is right here! These islands! This fortress of terror... IT MUST BE DESTROYED!" The glow reaches its peak. "I'm sorry, but... MAXIBLASTER!"

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. Maxiblast Hug added to their queue. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has attacked Milliardo Peacecraft. Grenade Launcher added to their queue. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has struck a solid hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Maxiblast Hug. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have struck Meiya Mitsurugi with a major hit using GN Beam Cannon Spread. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has counter attacked for a minor critical hit using Beam Saber! COMBAT: You have struck Cagalli Yula Athha with a major hit using GN Beam Cannon Spread.

The blade sinks into the Alvatore and the hand holding the hilt releases, the Quicksilver shunts away from the larger machine in favor of some breathing room. Locke's eyes study what lays before him, wondering what sort of genius would help Alejandro in the creation of such a potent machine of destruction. Perhaps Alejandro merely seized the plans from another location, or perhaps Corner was in fact a genius all on his own?

"A bit player? I'd say my feelings are hurt, Alejandro, except that you can't even get rid of me. How much of a bit player am I if I'm giving you this much trouble?" Locke inquires of his foe as another hilt is pulled out of the Quicksilver. The maelstrom of beam fire being unloaded at nearly pointblank range is nearly enough to take out the Quicksilver, yet the machine slips upward, twists the body about and subsequently proves incapable of being stricken.

"Bit player? I might be that, in fact compared to some people I'm just your average pilot...but at least I don't delude myself like you do," Locke states in an even tone as the Quicksilver lifts up the hilt of the beam weapon. The blade ignites, and then extends, the length of it impressive in it's own way. The Quicksilver swings the arm forward as it attempts to slice deep into the Alvatore, hopefully severing something of importance.

COMBAT: Locke Valentine has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Locke Valentine's Longblade Slash has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has attacked Alejandro Corner. Longblade Slash added to their queue.

COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has missed Milliardo Peacecraft with his Grenade Launcher attack. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have turned on your [Assail] spirit command. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has missed you with his Longblade Slash attack. COMBAT: You have missed Locke Valentine with your GN Beam Cannon Assault counter attack.

Listen to Corner's words, Lamia thinks. She frowns slightly. What HAS he been saying? She may have to review rec-

One mono-knife stabs right square into the knee of the Angelg, penetrating with a crackle of electricity as the leg itself swings around, kicking at the M9 as she lays down with the Mirage Sword at the smaller units. A plague of midgets!

Angelg falls back several paces, the sword held down in a low, defensive posture, as Lamia attempts another transmission. "... What is-s your purp-pose here?" she asks the two men of MITHRIL; it may sound like absurd naievite, although at least the cockpit image may throw them fractionally off.

It is then accented by a step forwards and two rapid, sweeping slices with the green blade, which may throw them off in an entirely different way.

COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has attacked Teletha Testarossa. It Is Like Fighting Flea Men In Castlevania added to their queue. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has struck a glancing hit on Teletha Testarossa's Mithril Task Force using It Is Like Fighting Flea Men In Castlevania.

"Lying and backstabbing your way to the top isn't going to create a more peaceful world!" Cagalli cries at Corner, even as the enormous beam cannons rip into her unit, rendering the Phase Shift armor all but useless -- it won't be long now before the machine falls to the sheer force of the enemy assault. The color is already starting to fade, the machine running out of juice.

The girl's machine, even faltering, stays in the air thanks to the power of the Aile pack. "All you're going to do is create more people who hate you, more people stuck in the endless cycle of revenge!" comes her next cry. "/You/ just want to be on top of the biggest pile of corpses, looking out on the world!"

Coming in for a full-force assault, Cagalli aims right at the Alvatore, front and center -- and then, something stops her. If she kills him - she's just pushing /herself/ into that same stupid cycle of revenge. Her ideals and her more natural, visceral desires conflict... and for an instant, she hesitates. The beam saber only grazes the Alvatore -- if that.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha's Beam Saber Graze has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has attacked Alejandro Corner. Beam Saber Graze added to their queue.

"Come on, keep it up keep it up!" Rockwell orders as the Phi boys keep firing. Stick and move, stick and move, just a little longer and that thing is as dead as it's pilot. "C'mon... NOW!" Rock hurls his machine to it's left in a sudden charge. He comes at it, fist first because that's the only thing he's got into position. A ghostly heat hawk smashes into his machine's upper chest, but the impact is soon counterbalanced by the one that smashes into the opposite hip. Rockwell reaches out and he punches the Spectral.

He punches it right in it's Goddamn head.

The GN-X's other arm comes about, the GN saber ready to uppercut and end the fight... but the other heat hawks keep sailing. Four smash into Phi-3 and his Mobile Suit starts to tumble out of the sky, demolished. It's pilot's last, paniced radio grab's Rockwell's attention and the man is forced to make a quick, split second decision. Phi-4 can't get out of the way of the incoming hawks. "Damn... damn! FRANK, GET YOUR ASS OUT OF HERE... MOVE!" Rockwell swears at his GN-X, forcing the throttle forwards to maximum power and hurling himself forward. Rock gives up on Eek and hurls himself between Phi-4 and death. Three more heat hawks smash into the GN-X along it's length and the machine spirals downwards, vomiting clouds of smoke and blooms of red-black GN particles behind it as it falls, making the entire thing hard to see. The GN-X smashes into the water below with little in the way of fanfare.

The waterspout that shoots up seconds later, however, signals that the GN Tau drive went.

The huge hammer, Macua has no choice but to ignore Kats for a moment to avoid the attack. She's realing she may be fighting the wrong people here both eariler Guy, the hammer hits and slames into her Armored Core. The knock off of the real 9-ball is still a sturdy. The Damaged machine gets up, she realises the Orb regulars are pulling out but the Princess is locked in heavy combat with something. Damn it it seems her's jobs not done yet totally. Kats comes in and she avoids most of the blast but it clips her machine again, she transforms painfull, well painfully if it was a living thing.

"No I can, hear them. I am a newtype and it's hard to ignore emotuons... as xstrong as yours." She's ratteld and rather beat up at this point, "Your a real fighter and speak with your fists. I realises I have been...mistaken. There's someone I must help, before she gets her self killed." Macua's starting to pull back and doesn't make an attack at this point. Her Core's almost disbale dbut she might be able to help the princess if she lasts a little bit longer, but that's up to Kats.

Leena's twin cannons blast the golden GaoGaiGar back through the air, sending it tumbling and smoking. Guy Shishioh is not down for the count just yet, however. With a mighty roar, the King of Braves rises into the air, streamers of blue and green flames flowing from the jet on its back. The hammer is lifted high, and the light from it is so terrible that for a moment the sky seems to darken.

A glowing blue nail is ejected from the side of the hammer. "HAMMER HELL!" GaoGaiGar clutches the nail and drives down toward Leena Toros' machine, attempting to stab the nail right through it. If it penetrates, it opens up, attempting to grasp the cockpit and rip the pilot out safely so they are not caught in the oncoming destruction.

"HAMMER HEAVEN!" The hammer is turned to one side and a claw rises, looking to grasp the nail and pull it free. If successful, the damage here is negligible; it is, strange in a weapon of mass destruction, entirely a tool to protect Guy's enemy, to keep them from harm's way and rip them free.

The hammer glows brighter, blinding those who look at it. GaoGaiGar rises, baleful eyes focused on the Salamander Bombvern...and the approaching Maganac of Heero Yuy, the one who'd shot him earlier. Two birds with one, uh, hammer.

"BECOME THE LIGHT!"

Like a clip from those old samurai dramas, GaoGaiGar hefts its hammer in one moment, and then accelerates, aiming to smash right through both machines with the striking surface of the Goldion Hammer in one fell, destructive swoop.

COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has attacked Leena Toros and Heero Yuy. Hammer Hell and Heaven added to their queue.

One of the beam rifle shots does strike home, and Tieria grimaces - but even though it leaves a long melted scar along the side of Nadleeh, he isn't out of the game just yet. "If all I am is a ghost, then I'll haunt you for the rest of your life, Corner!" Beam rifle shots come roaring out from all directions, and Nadleeh weaves left and right, moving quickly through the oncoming hail of beam shots without even being grazed once. "And then at the very end, I'll drag you down to hell with me! How much blood is on your hands! How many people have you killed for these ambitions of yours!?! That you would use those inferior drives just shows how little you actually understand Aeolia's plan! The GN Drive was meant to save humanity, not power engines used for terror and destruction!" The output of Virtue's GN Drive doubles, and suddenly increases again, the entire suit taking on a red tinge as Tieria activates the mode that had been given to him yesterday. "The speed output didn't help Virtue much..." he mutters, "But Nadleeh is not Virtue. Let us see what you can do, my friend. TRANS-AM!" The Gundam vanishes in a blur of red after-images, spinning around the Alvatore like some sort of hopped up dragonfly. As he passes to the left, Tieria suddenly drops to the ground, retrieving one of Virtue's weapons from the ground. He reappears moments later above the Alvatore, the GN Bazooka held in both hands - and pointed down towards the mobile armor. A massive beam of energy roars down onto the golden armor, as Tieria shouts: "BEGONE, ALEJANDRO CORNER!!"

Tieria Erde's Gundam Virtue transforms into its Nadleeh Trans-Am mode.

COMBAT: Tieria Erde's GN Bazooka has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has attacked Alejandro Corner. GN Bazooka added to their queue. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has struck you with a major hit using GN Bazooka! COMBAT: You counter attack Tieria Erde with a solid hit using Large Fang Assault.

The Valizar stops, it's fist clenched up into a fist. Katsuro glares at macua as she starts to pull away, then... "Heh..." A grin forms on his face as he lowers his arm, "Fine fine, go help your friends, but you owe me a rematch! I don't like to leave things unsettled!" Now what's this Daiyu was talking about listening to Corner's words? He was a bit busy getting pissed at Macua to actually listen to the man gab.

COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has struck you with a minor critical hit using Beam Saber Graze! COMBAT: You counter attack Cagalli Yula Athha with a solid critical hit using Mobile Armor Ram.

The Buster Rifle's beam melts back into nothingness, the last motes of power rippling on the barrel as the rifle is lowered back towards the Gundam's side. Zechs tilts his head, his gloved hand tapping through some information on the console when the grende alarm triggers --

"... He's a powerful opponent," he says softly, pulling back on the controls of the Gundam. The Wing Zero tilts in the air and starts to fall back in the sky -- heading back towards the Earth. It's ultra-compact fusion reactor is burning brightly -- pumping all the power the robot needs to continue fighting. Feet touching the ground, the Buster Rifle raises again. A second beam of yellow energy ripples from the weapon with an audible hum.

The Wing Zero paints the sky with the beam, moving its left arm downward to slice it -- like a tremendous beam saber -- on a path to intercept the launched grenades. The overpowerful beam weapon incinerates the explosives before they can detonate; the projectiles simply melting away in the yellow light.

"You and I are the same -- we agree that this constant escalation of conflict must end. But this ... This is a battle you are not meant to win, Paptimus Scirocco --!"

The Lightning Baron lays his hands onto the vernier thrust again, driving it into the console. The wing's swivel wider on the Wing Zero's back, stretching to their full yield. Blue light swirls at the tips of the boosters before the verniers fully reignite. With a rush of speed, the Gundam shoots back up in the air. A green Beam Saber ejects as Milliardo flies, igniting with a hiss of ozone. Propelled like a slingshot by its own thrusters, the Wing Zero ascends on the Messala, slicing the green blade on the horizontal as it roars past!

The Astray is hit by the barrage of GN beam fire, dodging so many was nearly impossible at that angle. The shield is blown clear off AStray's arm, and more damage is spread across the machine's frame. It doesn't have infinite power either, even without Phase Shift armor to take up it's power supply. The allies of the masked pilot are taking it on the chin too. Fortunatly, he came prepared, somewhat.

The Astray lifts into the air again and turns towards the Strike Rouge. Thte laser lense on it's forhead begins rapidly flashing in morse code, it reads simply 'CATCH'. With that, it deactivates it's beam sabers and throws one at Cagalli, spinning through the air for the Strike to catch.

The Astray replaces it's remaining beam saber and takes something that was quickly mounted to it's flight unit. The pitched whine is unmistakable, it brings the weapons down over it's shoulders and lays into the Alvatore as hard as it can.

Monocutters, a little udnersized for a mobile suit, but Silence always prefered solid blades.

COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has attacked Paptimus Scirocco. Beam Saber Mastery added to their queue. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi's Dual Monocutters has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has attacked Alejandro Corner. Dual Monocutters added to their queue. COMBAT: Paptimus Scirocco has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Milliardo Peacecraft has struck a solid hit on Paptimus Scirocco's Messala - MA using Beam Saber Mastery. COMBAT: Meiya Mitsurugi has struck you with a solid hit using Dual Monocutters! COMBAT: You have missed Meiya Mitsurugi with your Large Fangs counter attack.

Sorry? Quatre didn't understand that. He said it a lot, but he's never been told sorry before. Quatre sits there, even as the Maxiblaster comes. The assault embraces the Sandrock Gundam thoroughly, holding it as the hug finds Quatre's machine, the psychic energy ripping into it as it is embraced. There, its armor is aten away. Cut. Destroyed partially through a hug.

Even then Quatre would not give it all up. He had promises too. Even with Gundam Pilot 01 in the fight, Quatre has to do his own battles. Even if he may lose it in the end, it didn't matter. As long as he tried to succeed even against the fanaticism towards ones country.

"Oh... this fortress of terror is my home. It's all our homes." Quatre states with a rather neutral tone, "I was cooking dinner in this terror fortress." The shield comes up, forcing Kusuha off of the Gundam Sandrock. Both heatshotels are taken and places into the shield, forming a rather destructive weapon along with it.

The weapon comes down towards the Grungust, attempting to sieze it in its pincers. If successful, both heat shotels will come down upon the Grungust, attempting to crush it like a wallnut.

COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Cross Crusher added to their queue.

The Beam Rifle shot slams into the Gundam Rose, but thanksfuly for George, considering how close he was, he manages to pursue and delivers one last thrust into the Maganac's hull before backing up. Inside the cockpit, George is thinking, long and hard. That man, Alejandro... he does not like that man. His Shuffle Crest started to burn the moment he unleashed that attack on the Orb Retainers. The Jack of Diamonds... burning brightly... De Sand refocus. There is still that madman in front of him to deal with before he even thinks of attacking that monstruous mobile suit. Not to mention other repercussions, but he don't particularly care about them either. "A Gundam is just the name of a machine." George replies evenly, using his verniers to back away and sending forth a swarm of Rose Bits against the Maganac, quickly willing them to form an large circle, each bits aimed in perfect angles for maximum firepower before unleashing a net of electricity. "And it's name is Gundam Rose, remember it right!" The presses the proverbial mental trigger. Lasers flies.

COMBAT: George de Sand has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: George de Sand has attacked Heero Yuy. Rose Screamer added to their queue. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: George de Sand has struck a devastating hit on Heero Yuy's Maganac using Rose Screamer. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has counter attacked for a solid hit on George de Sand's Gundam Rose using Beam Rifle Frenzy. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Heero Yuy has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has struck a glancing hit on Heero Yuy's Maganac using Hammer Hell and Heaven. COMBAT: Knock Out! Heero Yuy's Maganac unit has become disabled! COMBAT: Heero Yuy has missed Guy Shishioh with his Heat Tomahawk Frenzy counter attack. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has missed Leena Toros with his Hammer Hell and Heaven attack. COMBAT: Leena Toros has missed Guy Shishioh with her Plasma Flamethrower counter attack. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has missed Kusuha Mizuha with his Cross Crusher attack. COMBAT: You have missed Staren Wiremu with your GN Beam Cannon Spread attack.

Macua Huitl sends one last radio to Kats, her ravged 9-ball still has some fight left in it. The Princess of Orb is still fighting the Mobile Armor with support from a CB Gundam and several other Orb Aces from the looks of things. She knows what she's got to do at this point.

The Damaged Amored Core takes to the skies again in flight mode once more, it powers its weapon as MAcua locks on visually to it. She grips the controls and narrows her eyes. The AI repors the Hyper Bazooka is reloaded finally. She presses forward on the throttle and then she charges. The armored core is going full bore at the mobile armor, "YOU WILL NOT BE TAKING CAGALLIS HEAD! DIE AND BE FORGOTTON!" The Bazooka fires as she closes in and banks around for another pass. She knows she's not got much left but she can distract it prehaps for the bigger guns to deal with it, while it goes after her.

Paptimus Scirocco's Messala transforms into its Messala - MS mode.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Alejandro Corner. Hyper Bazooka added to their queue. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Macua Huitl has missed you with her Hyper Bazooka attack. COMBAT: You counter attack Macua Huitl with a solid critical hit using Large Fang Assault. COMBAT: Knock Out! Macua Huitl's Nine Ball Seraph - Flight Mode unit has become disabled!

An image window appears in the M9s' cockpits. The M9s do not have cockpit cameras (too small), but they have reception. The voice that responds is male, but even as it does so the two remaining units lunge and then shoot away. Lamia manages to strike one in the back, but the damage is minimal; M9s are pretty tough. "Want an ethical discussion?" It's Castello - Uruz 3. "Tough. Ask one of the rookies. You should be able to guess our mission - protect these islands!" Until it can no longer be protected, he does not add.

But he does pull out a shotgun and open fire!

COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has attacked Lamia Loveless. 57mm "Boxer" Shotcannon added to their queue. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Teletha Testarossa has struck a solid hit on Lamia Loveless's Angelg using 57mm "Boxer" Shotcannon. COMBAT: Lamia Loveless has counter attacked for a minor hit on Teletha Testarossa's Mithril Task Force using Punt.

"Of course you were making dinner! It's dinner time!" Kusuha replies heatedly, logically and frustratedly. "Even terrorists eat! How else would they build up their terror energy?!"

Come on, like you weren't thinking the same thing.

The Heat Shotel slashes, and the Grungust Type 2 reaches up, two hands grabbing the dropping blade on either side. A focused TK field protects her machine's palms from the superheated metal, and she shoves the weapon back away and staggers back into a ready pose. "Maybe you're really a good person, and if that's the case... I feel even worse! But I already told you... I won't stop until this villain's lair is destroyed!"

She reaches back, gathering TK energy in the Grungust's left fists, then charges forward and lashes out, bringing a stinging TK-charged slap scything down towards the Sandrock's head. "Once we're rid of the Orb Union's terror... /then/ we can fix the EFA! If things keep going the way they are now, we'll never have the time to do that!"

JAB PUNCHED! The Spectral's head partially rips off from the neck of the Maganac. "I..." Ekelia manages, "May not always act like it--but I'm a soldier too." By keeping her cool and spreading her fire out, she disrupted the Wolf Pack tactics--and to clear devastating effect as Ekelia Mossberg must watch as Rockwell throws himself into the path of destruction to spare a comrade. Is he dead? Is he alive? Regardless, he is brave.

"Why are humans so fragile?" She asks herself, "It wasn't right that he had to die or even that you had to, Rockwell. But I can't, for some reason, feel all that bad about it. It's like...it's not such a big deal to me anymore. It was for Cagalli that I was sad."

SUDDENLY!

Ekelia Mossberg, in the Spectral swerves away from the fallen Phi Squad to turn her attention to Corner, his ridiculous robot, and Cagalli! "Cagalli!" She says, "It's done here!" She darts forward, the spinning heat hawks revolving around her. "Hang in there!" She senses hesitation from the Princess and adds, "If you've got to fall back, fall back! I'll push him as hard as I can--but you can't let him kill you! The OU needs you! I need you!! Whatever happens...you have to live!"

The heat hawks swirling around Ekelia Mossberg's mech swoop forward to put the pain on Alejandro. Will he be able to take what Phi Squad could not!? In either case, Cagalli now has one more unit backing her up! Unfortunately the Spectral looks like crap. Even worse than usual.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. TK Slap added to their queue. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Alejandro Corner. Divine Crusaders With The Heat Hawk In The Hollow Earth added to their queue. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has struck you with a major hit using Divine Crusaders With The Heat Hawk In The Hollow Earth! COMBAT: You counter attack Ekelia Mossberg with a minor hit using GN Beam Rifle.

Indeed, it would seem not to be Scirocco's day. He watches the graceful arc of his projectiles, willing them to spiral on and strike the descending Wing Zero, only to watch as that godshot rifle flares to life again, erasing the grenades from existence. Is that the fate that will await him, if he takes another of those vicious beams? There is not much left of the Messala to fight against the tide of aggression that is Zechs Merquise this day.

With the burst of the fusion reactor and the verniers, there is even less of the Messala left by the time the Wing Zero flares right past. An attempt to raise the remaining arm to defend certainly works; it's just that a glowing red line appears across the massive forearm, and the hand topples off, rocking the unit with another explosion.

Left with just one leg to stand on and otherwise thoroughly gimped, Scirocco has to agree with the declaration from Merquise. "Perhaps you are correct, but there is always tomorrow, my old friend," he notes, as the console sparks before him. Gritting his teeth against the mild pain, he does the sensible thing at this stage. "I sense that unit may be even more than you can hope to safely handle, Milliardo. For your sake, I hope I am wrong."

With that, the Messala takes a leap forward, the remaining thrusters igniting -- and the unit attempts to retreat, weaving between buildings in an attempt to escape the Wing Zero, on the verge of destruction.

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has struck a minor hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using TK Slap.

Staren looks up from stabbing the mobile armor just in time to see GIANT BITS! The Star Hawk doesn't exactly have good footing, so it's knocked off and sent tumbling down...

And then up it comes, back in hybrid mode to better fly, thrusters still flaring the pure white of hope and determination, easily dodging the second fang attack as it makes its way back towards the mobile armor. The beam field surrounds the hybrid blades again, before turning a bright, pure white. "ALEJANDRO CORNER! I won't fall that easily! You may have deluded the EFA into being your willing pawns, but you cannot decieve us! We... Will fight on for what is right, with everything we have, until we die! A bastard who uses _people_ as the means to an end will never be more than a horrible monster in the history books to serve as a warning to the people of the future! You! Fall! HERE!"

It's possible that using the Emotional Energy system is getting to him.

But its power is undeniable -- The thrusters and swords suddenly flare even brighter as Staren puts everything he, the Star Hawk, and the Emotional Energy system have into this, leaving afterimages behind as the Star Hawk zooms in close, aiming to pierce the GN field and strike the mobile armor again and again, circling all around it as he slashes again and again, looking for a weak point to pierce..

. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has activated a spirit command.

Staren Wiremu's Star Hawk transforms into its Star Hawk Hybrid mode.

COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has attacked Alejandro Corner. Final Blitz added to their queue.

"Isn't it?" Heero quips, back to George, the radio shooting back. ".. But they're strong. Weapons are only as strong as those who wield them .. but there are better weapons." The thrust slams into the Maganac, driving deep into the armoring of the machine as Heero still pushes it forwards. He doesn't pull the rifle away - he refuses to do anything but stay on the assault.

"I'll remember the name of the Gundam Rose..." Heero notes, "And the pilot who fights within it. As strong as you are..." Heero begins, the bits aimed, unleashing a net of electricity, rippling along the Maganac, lasers tearing through already wounded armoring.

Though lasers are fired, Heero pulls backwards, firing his own, the rifle letting out an equally colored round of beam-fire, spraying back towards George.

It overheats, and Heero tosses it aside. "I'll kill you."

He doesn't get to make good on his promise, though. The hammer comes down. A normal pilot may try to pull away from the assault. Heero is suicidal to a degree. This is because he must live with himself. With the little girl, and dog, he killed in the name of the Anti Earth Union. He didn't do it directly. It didn't matter. He had killed.

He'll fight until death claims him, whenever it comes, and with it, he will take as many soldiers as he can. Perhaps this is why the heat tomahawks are pulled upwards, swung upwards, towards the hammer as it races downwards, both blades burning as the small, weaker Maganac fights against the GGG. "That... machine .. and those weapons.... I'll remember ... you too!"

The servos squeal, the wires begin to snap, overheat from the pressure. The metal frame breaks, crumpling under the weight. The armoring begins to break under the force of the hammer. The Maganac, shortly after, is devoured in light. It was not a clean blow. Much of the force was redirected...

Half of the Maganac still remains, and that half, with Heero in it, falls backwards.

He rolls to a stop in some brush -

And then quickly jacks another Orb Union boat.

Angelg walks ahead into the incoming shotgun blast. As the heavy shot slams into the armor, dimpling it and ruining its shine, one of Angelg's delicate legs comes back. Before Uruz 3 can reload again, the foot goes forwards at the Arm Slave.

punt

"... That is n-not what I am ask-king," she answers the vague and nebulous radio frequency. Her voice sounds a little agitated. By comparison to a lot of the noise going on around here (whether wa-ha-ha or oh-no-i'll-stop you) it probably sounds icy calm. "You hav-ve lost this pl-place. Ej-ject from your un-nit."

Lamia wonders for a moment; what is this for? Damage spreading, she thinks, even as she raises the Angelg's arm to target the remaining upright M9. She doesn't fire; she doesn't even charge the weapon, though.

COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has struck you with a major hit using Final Blitz! COMBAT: You counter attack Staren Wiremu with a solid hit using GN Beam Rifle.

"Wh.. what the heck?!" When she sees that spike coming down for the Salamanber, Leena quickly jerks her Zoid out of the way. "Just what do you think you're doing?" For all she knows, he was trying to just drive a huge spike into her Zoid! The Salamander's cockpit is in the head, after all, at the end of a long neck. It's not like a torso shot is likely to hurt Leena... probably.

As she hastily wheels the Bombvern around, Leena turns the head, sending another gout of flames at GaoGaiGar... though the force of the hammer swinging is able to dissipate it before it can touch the lion robot. "Oh jeez.. you're taking this -way- too seriously, whoever you are. That guy wasn't even involved!" Alas, poor Heero. She never knew ye. "That's the third time you just blindsided someone! What are you, some creepy stalker freak?"

Not wanting to be nearby for a repeat of that weird hammer and nail business, Leena wheels her Bombvern away again, bringing it around for just long enough to fire the second missile from the rack. "Just stay away from me!"

COMBAT: Leena Toros has attacked Guy Shishioh. Tactical Missiles added to their queue. COMBAT: Leena Toros has struck a major hit on Guy Shishioh's GaoGaiGar using Tactical Missiles.

GaoGaiGar is shaken to its core by the last attack of Leena Toros. The volleys from Kazuma, the initial strikes from Macua, the covering fire from Heero, and now the missiles of a /zoid/ have finally brought the King of Braves to his knees.

Inside the cockpit, Guy expells blood from his mouth, coughing violently. GaoGaiGar is not in good condition, and this is carried over to him. His body is battered, but his spirit is not conquered! A fire blazes in his eyes, and he rises to his full height for a final strike. On GaoGaiGar's wounded brow, the green G-Stone brightens, emitting a keen whistle.

"GOLDION..." Ruh-roh, it's the name of the hammer! Guy hefts his right arm, but--there's no hammer in it this time! The Gravity Shockwave Generating Tool has been swapped to his left hand, to be held, not used; it would destroy the arm, only the Marg Hand can contain the force.

It is just that same Marg Hand that is hefted up now, an enormous golden fist made from a super robot. GaoGaiGar lurches forward and swings, the Marg Hand rocketing off his arm and spiralling, aiming to take down Leena before GaoGaiGar itself retreats from its wounds! "...MAGNUM!"

COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has attacked Leena Toros. Goldion Magnum added to their queue.

Well, of course! That makes a lot of sense. Why didn't Quatre think of that! Kusuha continues to push forward, even as he isn't able to grasp ahold of the Grungust Type 2. He's pushes back, the slap coming down and slamming into the Sandrock. Luckily enough, the Sandrock has still a lot of pep. For Quatre anyways.

"Are you going to just kill all of us? Is that your plan? That's terrible... Blanket statements won't get you anywhere!" Quatre announces, grabbing both heat shotels before ripping towards the Grungust, attempting to cleave into it.

"How can you say you're fighting for justice and throw around bad guy blanket statements... you! You're the people we're trying to stop... for peace!"

COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Twin Heat Shotels added to their queue. COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has struck a apocalyptic hit on Leena Toros's Salamander Bombvern using Goldion Magnum. Knock Out! Leena Toros's Salamander Bombvern unit has become disabled! COMBAT: Leena Toros has missed Guy Shishioh with her Double Hyper Laser Guns counter attack. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has missed Kusuha Mizuha with his Twin Heat Shotels attack.

The Grungust Type 2 continues to surge forward, Kusuha pressing her advantage. She's not a great fighter, but she's always learning, and she's always doing her best. "I don't want to kill anyone, but these islands have to be controlled! And if you won't leave peacefully..."

The twin heat shotels whip towards the Grungust, but the TK field is there; Kusuha makes a slicing motion, and a wall of psychic force batters the two great blades aside, diverting them from their deadly path. "If you want to leave now, I won't stop you!" she notes. "But if you stay, if you keep attacking... I won't have any choice!"

And indeed, the mighty blue beast reaches back into thin air, drawing a sword hilt seemingly from nowhere. Still bull-rushing the Sandrock, she slams the top of the hilt into her opposite hand, and lightning strikes the Grungust. Energy crackles over the machine, and a dark blue and purple aura surrounds it. "There are two stars of Calamity!" announces the nurse, slowly pulling the hilt away from the hand. A smoky blade forms in the space between. "Heaven... and /Earth/! Now it's time for you to go..."

The swirling, dark blade reaches high, flashing briefly as it solidifies, strange runes creeping up and down the ethereal surface of the weapon. And then, all at once, the blade swings down. Inside, eyes crackling with power, Kusuha announces her intent: "DOOMBLADE!"

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. Doomblade added to their queue.

PUNT. Castello goes flying, gritting his teeth and growling, "That face...isn't she--"

The other pilot shouts, in the grizzled voice of every hard-boiled veteran not important enough to warrant more details characterization, "Like hell! We'll hold the line until the order is given! That's what people like us are for!"

"That order is here, Sergeant," a quiet, but firm voice comes across the band. Teletha Testarossa! Her exact location is hard to pinpoint...the de Danaan is running quiet, right now. But it has to be in the area. "All units, this is TDD-HQ. I apologize for our little bit of intrigue, but with Corner monitoring us, we had to. I have a message for you...for everyone."

The de Danaan feeds a transmission into Orb's central relay, bouncing the transmission across the battlefield...the face of Uzumi Nara Athha in the Kaguya Mass Driver's control room appears. He is frowning steeply.

"My name is Uzumi Nara Athha. I am the man who failed to prevent this catastrophe from ever beginning. And if you are seeing this, I have died for my failure."

"The Orb Union was founded with the purpose of advancing the cause of peace in this world. I was made to fight in the One Year War - they still call me the Lion of Orb to this day. I know the agony of battle well. I would never have wished this catastrophic battle on any soul. Against my wishes, this country I love was pulled into a battle that has lead to the sorry events of this day. The Orb Union cannot withstand this kind of force - and its people should never have been asked to endure such awful tragedy. All pilots: You have done well today. Please retreat via the Kaguya Mass Driver. Those of you who wish to remain and defend the retreaters, Toy Box will remain to receive you. This battle is over."

Despite the finality of those words, the transmission doesn't end there. Uzumi stands in the middle of the frame, as if waiting for his signal to speak more.

COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has struck a solid hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Doomblade.

Hey now, don't go knocking Zoids. Sure, in the hands of an amateur, they're amateur robots. But in the hands of a true Zoid Warrior, they're just as dangerous as anything else out there. And Leena is the very best there is! ...or so she likes to claim, at least. "There! Now, will you just go -away- and leave me alone? You're creeping me out!"

But he seems intent on -still attacking-. "What the.. just quit already! I promise I won't even shoot you in the back or anything!" But that fist keeps coming closer. "Wh.. whoah, hey! I said enough already! What do you think you're doing?" Lasers lance out from the guns mounted on the wings, but they just deflect off the incoming spinning fist.

"No no no no no keep AWAY!" The Salamander Bombvern dives to the side, but it isn't quite fast enough... and the spinning fist slams into the Zoid, sending chunks of armor flying, along with the entire right leg. Red lights blink in the cockpit, as COMMAND SYSTEM FREEZE appears on the monitors. "No.. not here, Salamander!"

The Zoid's Magnessar wings flicker... then the energy field blinks off and it begins to plummet toward the ground. "Come on, come on..." Leena tries a few quick startup procedures, then slams her fist down on the console for good measure. A few of the systems blink back on, the energy field on the wings flickers weakly... and the Bombvern pulls up just enough to keep from crashing headfirst into the island.

Instead, it skims along the surface of the water, skipping several times, before coming to a stop with a huge splash. "Graaaah! Stupid lion robot... stupid creepy stalker!"

"Veda is under my control," Corner transmits directly to Tieria Erde, his voice for him alone; he wouldn't want to risk some unfortunate misunderstandings with his valued allies, after all. "And you are nothing without it. Celestial Being hangs on its fringes. Orb Union will fall as a tribute to the Federation, dangerous terrorists wiped free from this world so that they will have the morale and the support of the public to finally wipe away the Crusaders and bind all of humanity to their will. Do you see?

"You're nothing more than a stepping stone-- what?!"

Corner's eyes widen as Tieria's Gundam suddenly changes to shades of vibrant red. He's seen this before. That power, that energy, that infuriating message-- "That /SYSTEM/!" Corner roars in impotent fury as the Nadleeh unleashes massive beams of energy, large enough that they engulf the Alvatore. That GN Field sprouts ouwards, bright violet energy spraying around it, obscuring it in that torrent of force. It would seem to just obliterate the machine --

--if not for the fact that those Fangs suddenly veer upwards, launching blast after blast of energy into the Nadleeh with brutal force.

"Hahahaha!" Smoke clears as the Alvatore -- highly damaged, but still operational -- floats high through the air. Its right arm has been completely blown off now, but... it /still/ is very much functional. "Aeolia's system will not save you now! There's no hope, for /any/ of you--"

Alejandro's conversation, with Tieria Erde, is cut off as Kazuma Ardygun's Valhawk suddenly RAMS into the side of the tremendous Alvatore. He blows off chunks of armor, electricity sparking all across the heavy machine, launching it to the side -- yet, the monstrous thing still veers towards the side, cannons swiveling into place, seven GN-T drives crackling with energy. "Hmph. More of them. More to clean up, I see," he speaks, to himself, ruefully. "Hrn..."

But Kazuma isn't the only one to join the fray. Ekelia comes in from the left, her ghostly machine sweeping in to SMASH into the side of the Alvatore with a pair of spectral heat hawks. As those bladed edges tear in, the beam rifles of the giant MA unload, peppering Ekelia with shot after shot as deep, jagged furrows are driven into the heavy machine. "Tch! Ghosts, defeating a man of the present?! How absurd!"

Fortunately, the force of the blows knocks the Alvatore off-course from where the Quicksilver strikes; while Alejandro does not have the time to mount a counter-offensive, the Quicksilver's weaponry swings harmlessly past the mammoth of a machine. "Ridiculous," snorts Alejandro... just as those Fangs suddenly swerve outward, BLASTING Macua's 9-Ball before it can even fire off that bazooka shell with beam after beam to shoot the heavily damaged machine /down./ "Absolutely RIDICULOUS--"

The monocutters of the Astray interrupt Corner's self-spoken monologue as the Silence rends through the Alvatore's GN Field and armor with a pair of solid, debilitating mono-cutters. Several beam cannons are demolished in the wake of a booming explosion, force washing over the damaged mobile armor. Alejandro frowns, his eyes narrowing. Staren's swords are suddenly adding to the damage, piercing through that GN Field and lobbing off the tail of the Alvatore, sending it spiraling towards the ground in the singular BOOM of an explosion. Alejandro smiles, closing his eyes.

"So, then... I suppose it is time to end this farce."

The Alvatore suddenly EXPLODES forward as Cagalli attacks, RAMMING itself into the Strike Aile the moment those beam sabers graze weakly across the heavy armor of the Alvatore. "And why not!" he says to Cagalli Yula Athha, aiming on punting her machine /violently/ towards Tieria's Nadleeh. "I am the only one worthy of this position! The hand of history shall go to its rightful owners, at long last.... and the rest of you? Well..."

The front cannons of the Alvatore roll forward; from within what would appear to be its 'mouth,' something glows, heralding an ill omen.

"'From dust to dust.'"

For now, only the front cannons unload themselves; the blast is enormous despite this, the combination of power from all of those barrels unloading forms a massive pillar, engulfing upwards through the air, catching several grunt Orb suits within its wrath... and aiming straight for the Strike and the Nadleeh. Corner laughs, until--

--he is presented with a simple, familiar visage, and a simple, familiar face.

"What... what is this?" Alejandro comments aloud, to himself. "Uzumi...? No-- NO!

"I WILL NOT HAVE THESE STAGNANT FIGMENTS OF THE PAST UNDERMINE ME ANY LONGER!"

Slowly, the mouth of the Alvatore begins to gape wide...

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Your attack has been added to Tieria Erde and Cagalli Yula Athha's queue. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has attacked Tieria Erde and Cagalli Yula Athha. GN Beam Cannon Assault added to their queue. COMBAT: Tieria Erde has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: You have hit Tieria Erde with a glancing hit with your GN Beam Cannon Assault attack.

The Gungrust Type 2 continues its terrible tirade against Gundam Sandrock. The doomblade comes down across the Gunda Sandrock, cutting and biting at the armor about it. Still, it stands. The blade only cuts so far down. The Sandrock is too powerful, too strong to immediately break underneath the strike.

"I don't want to stay, but I'm not going to let you destroy peoples livelyhoods!" Quatre says, "Just because what you're told is right doesn't mean it is! Please, let us have peace! Stop fighting!" Quatre cries as the cross crusher comes up once more, both heat shotels added on in turn in an attempt to grasp the Grungust Type 2 and break it into two pieces with a terrible hold.

"You don't even care about peace, do you? You just want to protect the status quo!"

COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has attacked Kusuha Mizuha. Cross Crusher added to their queue. COMBAT: Quatre Raberba Winner has struck a major hit on Kusuha Mizuha's Grungust Type 2 using Cross Crusher. COMBAT: You have missed Cagalli Yula Athha with your GN Beam Cannon Assault attack. COMBAT: Cagalli Yula Athha has missed you with her Beam Saber counter attack.

The Wing Zero allows Scirocco to flee. He does not fight in battles for the glory of killing another man. He defeated his opponent; that is all that is necessary to win the battle. But one opponent does not change the outcome of this fight. Orb Units are falling all around him.

Lowering the Buster Rifle, the Wing Zero transforms back into Neo Bird mode with a spinning of its parts. The engines send the Gundam launching away from the city; back towards the frontlines of the conflict. "Fly faster ... Wing Zero," Milliardo says, feeling the pressure of the situation. Zero has outlined a terrible future for them all. "This can't happen again; I won't allow a second Sanc Kingdom!"

The explosion of light from the Alvatore in the distance swallows the screens of the Wing Zero. Even with his face shielded by his helmet, Zechs can feel the energy surge. The Zero System haunts his mind, flooding it with terrible images.

The Quicksilver's massive assault fails to land, the air being easily taught a quick lesson in manners by the beam of the sword. The weapon deignites, the hilt falling from the hand of the Quicksilver as it attempts to twist and track the maneuvering Alvatore. "I'll retreat as soon as all of you idiots are out of here," Locke states over the radio. He has the faster mech, he has the mobility, he has the durability. Nobody is getting left behind on his watch.

The words of Tieria start to come over the radio and Locke's eyes widen, a weapon that can obliterate an entire island by misfiring? No, he won't let that happen, the Quicksilver's systems hum and he lifts the remaining arm up. It points toward the Alvatore even as the beam cannons pop out, and then an unending stream of beams shoot toward the golden machine.

COMBAT: Locke Valentine has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Locke Valentine's Beam Mastery has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Locke Valentine has attacked Alejandro Corner. Beam Mastery added to their queue.

George summons back his Rose Bits, his eyes going around the battle. It's nearing it's end, he missed his opportunity to talk with Bidan, but that was fine. He learned much despite not talking to him directly. What matters right now... is to get the civilians saftely out of the way, and allowing his friends to retreat saftely. As such, the Gundam Rose pays no heed to the man's threats. Another man that wants his head. Just peachy. "Go, Guy! I'll cover your retreat!"

Guy barely remains standing in GaoGaiGar's cockpit, the Goldion Hammer slipping from his fingers and falling to the ground. It strikes a dolphin leaping into the air to appreciate the beauty of the earth, becoming a beautiful shower of gold that fills the air and dissipates.

The machine, smoking and shutting down, slowly drifts toward the Amphibious Armoured Maintenance Vehicle, which remains just a large amphibious vessel with a GS-Ride system and caterpillar treads. A crane on the ship picks up the Marg Hand and the hammer, which has become Goldymarg once more, and GaoGaiGar collapses on deck.

The King of Braves is down! ...FOR NOW!

Macua Huitl unit is comming in fast, she knows the battle is lost, but she's got a friend still fighting. Fighting for her self, her nation and what she belived in. The 9-ball is being pushed hard, and it transforms at this point to humanoid mode. The ravaged Core hovers there on it's thrusters trying to react to the incomming attacks. She's got a lock she's going to fire but it's too late, several Fangs come in, and skewer the 9-ball, it hovers there suddering for a momwent sparking then it goes down trailing frames iuts right hand reching out still trying to fire off one last shot, on the man who betrayed Orb. "NO!" Then there's static a as the machine goes down and goes down hard, the last thing she sees before the cameras go out? That Cagalli is still alive. She's done all she can do at this point it's all up to her friends at this point.

Kazuma Ardygun's Valhawk transforms into its Close Combat Valhawk mode.

"Why won't you just leave?! We've won here!" Kusuha shouts, throwing up the Doomblade to lessen the impact of the cross crusher. It's not terribly effective; the giant scissors still rip into the Grungust's weakened armor, ripping blue EOT-infused alloy plates off the great machine's frame like a child picking scabs off his knee.

"There's no reason for you to fight us any more! We won! These islands will never house terrorists again! /THAT/ is how you work towards peace!" She flips the Doomblade upside down in the blue beast's grip, and reaches for the Grungust's chest with her free hand. It glows once again. "Go on! Get out of here! I don't want to kill you!" she practically begs.

And the glowing intensifies into a full-blown star centered on the Grungust's torso. Inside, reluctantly, Kusuha cries: "MAXIBLASTER!"

COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has attacked Quatre Raberba Winner. Maxiblaster added to their queue.

"Damn --" Milliardo hears the retreat order. He expects all Orb forces will follow suit with him. The Wing Zero pulls out of its surge, blasting skyward. "Howard," Zechs transmits to Peacemillion. "Prepare for a reload and refuel. I will not be standing around."

COMBAT: Locke Valentine has struck you with a solid hit using Beam Mastery! COMBAT: 1765 points of damage taken! 11458 health points left!

Though the Princess can't bring herself to kill Alejandro, the appearance of her father's face, his voice -- they fill her with a new resolve, a new, clear focus. Realizing that there are parts of her machine that are expendable, Cagalli brings up her saber, whirling it in an arc in front of herself at blinding speed; though it can't deflect /all/ of the beam, obviously, she doesn't intend to use it for that.

Deflecting a small portion near her chest, Cagalli uses the time that buys her to pull her machine's chest out of the path of the beam. It loses its legs in the process, but the legs aren't a necessity for a flying machine -- they make the AMBAC a little more awkward if you lose them, but that's it.

Wordlessly, the Princess starts pulling back to the Toy Box; Mithril's protection is the best option she has at this point. She can't fight, but she isn't sure how well she could retreat into space in this state...

Lamia's eyebrows raise slightly.

The words of the man in the recording are hard to understand. Not the words, as such, so much as the conceptual setting behind them. The Angelg remains relatively still during this; indeed, it still has its hands raised, as if poised to destroy something with a Shadow Lancer volley.

Tieria gets slammed by the GN Fangs, but his suit struggles through the assault. Fang after fang slams into the Gundam, and he finally manages to deflect a few, sparks flying from Nadleeh's arms and legs. But it is the sudden, gaping maw that emerges from the suit that gets Tieria's attention. He can see that this thing is going to be a problem, if it has some sort of... As the weapon begins to glow, Tieria's eyes widen. "That is a..." He stares for a moment, looking on in horror. "You can't be serious! You would use that sort of a weapon in the atmosphere!?! A mega particle cannon linked to that many Tau Drives could destroy the entire island! You're mad!" No matter what Corner may actually claim, it is clear what he is - a madman who has no concern for human life. And given the retreat order, and the possibility of the entire suit detonating and unleashing all that energy even if it were destroyed... Uzumi's last words should be honored. Tieria jets away, evading the energy blasts as he falls back. "Damn..." He doesn't want to give up the line here - but it was clear that even if they stopped this thing, even more enemies would be arriving shortly. Cagalli was right. These islands were a lost cause. "I'm moving the cover the catapult launch! We need to get the evacuation ships away before they seize the mass driver!"

'Two hundred square kilometers of land -- isn't worth more lives.'

Ekelia smiles to herself, nodding slowly, even as the beam blasts slam into her troubled machine. "A good decision, Cag." She looks at her hands, which are fading away from sight even as she looks at them. Her mind is still focused and clear, but her image is fading away. She listens to Uzumi's transmission. She's supposed to withdraw, like a good soldier.

'The islands are gone! Forget the islands! GET OUT OF THERE!'

"Goodbye." She says. And then, she laughs to reassure the Princess. She isn't retreating though. The Spectral is having a hard time holding itself together. The fall of the Orb Isles seems to be causing the Spectral to react poorly. She takes a few more steps forward, lumbering towards Alejandro.

"I may be a ghost of the past. You may be a man of the present." Ekelia says, The Spectral lunging forward in a sudden burst of speed and power, the last power remaining towards it. "BOTH OF THESE THINGS MAY BE TRUE!" She screams as the image of The Spectral suddenly shifts and warps, taking full form, the form of nothing more than a Maganac with a heathawk embedded in its head. "I MAY EVEN BE A STAGNANT FIGMENT OF THE PAST!"

The Maganac collides into Alejandro's mech, one way or another. It glows briefly, dangerously. If this is her last time out, she's going to make the most of it. She'll cover the retreat with pain.

"BUT I WILL PROTECT THE FUTURE!"

Ekelia's torso, then her chest, and venetually her face fade away into nothingness. She doesn't feel a thing as the Maganac explodes in fire and shrapnel, the remaining magical energy from La Gias and the experimental technology placed within the Maganac during its development for gathering such energy disperses violently and vibrantly.

Like a soul going home.

COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg's Rest In Peace has been added to your queue. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has attacked Alejandro Corner. Rest In Peace added to their queue. COMBAT: Ekelia Mossberg has missed you with her Rest In Peace attack.

The Star Hawk flies off away from the Scirroco, the camera pulling in front of the Star Hawk for a dramatic view of... the completel lack of explosion behind him. Staren turns around. "He's still not down?! Dammit..." He looks at the visual and scan data. "One more round of attacks... One more round of attacks is all we need! We can do this!" He takes a deep breath. "Everyone! He wants us to believe he's invincible, but he's not! Gundams can be taken down, and so can this machine, this man!" He tries not to think about the fact that his parents are down there on the islands. They _should_ have emergency countermeasures prepared... But how many more people have parents, families, that will have no defenses from a 7-GN drive blast? This cannot be allowed. Staren believes in no god, no sense of universal karma... There is only himself, and those fighting alongside him, to put a stop to evil "Corner. We _won't_ let you do this. This ends now. Your behavior is unforgivable... And you will be destroyed. Goodbye."

The Star Hawk draws a weapon from one of its FAST packs -- a giant, mecha-scale revolver. The emotional energy system is not connected to it. "Four-oh-seven Annihilator, fire." Once, twice, six times it fires, each time uleashing two bullets enchanted by the power of Staren's Parents' mad science, and his own denied Super Robot Spirit, to strike with far more force than would be expected from the bullets' size and speed. He opens the cyclinder, lets casings drop into the sea, and loads a full moon clip. "Four-oh-zeven annihilator, fire." Six more shots, twelve more rounds. Six more casings, another clip. He loads it into the FAST pack again, and then the Star Hawk's arms and legs fold up as it converts to Fighter mode, and flies straight for him (No, not a kamikaze attack -- he'll veer off after firing). "Four-oh-seven Annihilator! Fire!" Six more shots. Thirty-six bullets fly through the air, to help change the world...

Staren Wiremu's Star Hawk transforms into its Star Hawk Fighter mode. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has struck a minor hit on Quatre Raberba Winner's Gundam Sandrock using Maxiblaster. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has activated a spirit command.

Light glints off something approaching from the distance, skimming along the surface of the water. As it gets closer, it's easier to make out that it's... a giant snail, with a large energy shield deployed in front. The side panel of the snail shell cracks open and swivels down, dropping to the water's surface with a splash. A winch unit swings out from the new floor and launches tow cables at the Salamander, which it begins to drag on board. Once the Zoid is out of the water, it slides into the Hovercargo and the panel lifts back into place.

"Thanks for the pickup, dad!" Leena lets out a sigh and drops her fist on the control console again. "Stupid stalker..."

Kazuma lets out a roar of fury as the Alvatore continues to survive, coming perilously close to shooting the Strike Rouge down in the process ... but Cagalli's machine survives, evading at point-blank range. It's Mihiro, not Kazuma, who breathes a sigh of relief. "Don't relax yet, Mihiro," Kazuma says tersely, converting the Valhawk back to Close Combat mode. "It's time to finish this thing off ..." He doesn't care if Alejandro survives or not, truth be told.

"Plasma Drive, all green," Mihiro reports. "System integrity stable ... let's do it, oniichan!"

"THEN HERE WE GO!!" The Valhawk races towards the Alvatore, opening fire with the Laser Vulcan, then the Beam Shot Launcher, and circling behind the giant mobile armor and opening up on its underside - maybe blasting hard enough to throw Corner's giant machine off its current course, combined with the barrage Staren's unleashed.

Whether the Alvatore is blasted skywards or not, Kazuma continues to press the assault, slashing at the gold mobile armor with the Ray Blade, then smashing into it with a kick, followed by a full body-check by the Valhawk against the giant machine's flank. "From Orb and from the Trailers," Kazuma snarls, "take everything we've got - AND FLY AWAY TO HELL WITH IT!!" The Valhawk backs off a mecha-sized pace from the Alvatore, raw plasma crackling as Kazuma winds up with his final blast, and unleashes the burning fury of the Plasma Execution at point-blank range ...

COMBAT: Kazuma Ardygun has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Kusuha Mizuha has activated a spirit command.

Quatre cannot imagine a more single minded person. "You... you just don't do that..." Quatre announces. "Why? Why do you think it works like this?" The son of the Winner foundation cannot fathom, especially as Kusuha makes it a huge point to spout winner and destruction. "Why?" Quatre announces.

"Do you realize what you've done... at all? This is on the same level of dropping colonies... you did nothing but displace people." Quatre states with sadness. "They will be angry. They will be mad and want to get revenge for... this tragedy. Peace is not so simple as to destroy a hive of bees. Even the bees are innocent. They are only attempting to live and are killed for convenience... do you not understand?" Quatre announces, the Gundam Sandrock no longer even fighting back.

It stands there, driven backwards from the blasts as it holds its ground on the Island. It isn't leaving yet. Quatre isn't leaving at all. The Maganac's stand still, waiting even in their heavily damaged suits.

"What you are doing is wrong. To destroy the farm land so that the town will not eat is wrong. To poison the water so the people will not drink is wrong. To destroy the houses so the people will not live there is on par as all the others." Quatre states with sigh.

"I am not leaving yet. Even if it is broken. If 01 stayed until the end... not for Orb or EFA. He fought with me..."

The Gundam Sandrock makes no offensive action, rather standing tall with its shield out in a defiant nature. Quatre does not understand.

The TDD-1 sends out the retreat signal. If Silence wants a ride home he'll have to follow suit. Much as he might preffer to have Corner dealt with as soon as possible. THe Astray turns in the air and takes off as it reseathes it's monocutters, returning to the TDD-1... and helping Cagalli land since she's aparently got no feet to land with.

COMBAT: Combo! Kazuma Ardygun and Staren Wiremu's Seize the Future have been added to your queue. COMBAT: Combo! Kazuma Ardygun and Staren Wiremu have attacked Alejandro Corner. Seize the Future added to their queue. COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has activated a spirit command. COMBAT: Combo! Kazuma Ardygun and Staren Wiremu have struck you with a major critical hit using Seize the Future!

"Of course I understand. I've made the world a safer place!" Kusuha Mizuha replies simply, turning the Grungust away. "But thank you for not fighting any more! I'm glad you understand that you're just wasting your time. Now get out of here before someone meaner comes along and kills you!"

The Grungust boosts into the air, transforming to G-Hawk mode and speeding towards the EFA's powerful new ally. Kusuha sees the two foolish men gearing up for a major assault, and gasps. "Those idiots! If they don't retreat, they're just going to get stranded and killed!" she cries, opening a channel to the two. "Get out of here! You've lost! If you stick around... you'll die, too! Do you want to die?!"

As the attack begins, she soars further in towards the massive golden machine, reaching out with her mind, forming a TK barrier and /flinging/ it, discus style, into the path of the attack. It shatters under the force, but hopefully it lessened the impact. "It's not much... but it's the most I can do! Live, Mysterious Powerful Ally! LIVE! We need you to save the world!"

As pilots retreat via Kaguya, Uzumi begins speaking again.

"The battle is over," he repeats. "The Orb Union falls into the hands of the Earth Federation Alliance. What its political leaders will do from here, I cannot say. There are good men in the surviving Families. If there are still any good men among the EFA's elite, I beg for their mercy. The Orb Union is now yours."

He waits again - five seconds, ten. He's buying time. He's buying time! The evacuation continues. His head suddenly tilts downward, eyes strong and defiant. The Lion of Orb sparkles in those eyes. "But not the hearts of the brave ones who have defended against this attack. I would never have wished for my people to be made to fight as they have, it is true. But this world needs defending. There are evil men still walking this globe, and they walk not merely the streets and alleys but the very heart of power itself. The Earth Federation Alliance as it exists now is incapable of policing itself. For every Ulube Ishikawa and Jamitov Heinman that is captured or killed, three more are lurking, waiting for their chance to strike. Relying purely on reactionary tactics has worked so far...but it will fail, one day."

He strides forward, proudly, closer to the camera. He shifts his weight, pressing one hand against an unseen control. "To all men and women of conscience, I call out to you now. Find them - these poisonous men and women who defile this beautiful world with their evil thoughts. Hatemongers and liesmiths, powermad politicians and hateful warriors. Seek them out - Divine Crusader, Earth Federation, Trailer or any other organization, now or in the future. They are the true enemies of this world. Find them. Prevent them from destroying this world. Consider it the wish of a dying man, for this world to one day breathe free of the noxious clouds of war."

He presses a few buttons on the console, saying again: "Such eyes have fallen on this Kaguya Mass Driver. We have refused to use it for any but economic purposes...but in other hands, this device could be turned against the colonies themselves, used to hurl kinetic payloads to PLANT or the moon, or any target deemed 'inconvenient.' For my final act as Representative, I am destroying this device. It is a responsibility I am not prepared to leave in the hands I know to be reaching for it."

He pauses, pressing one last button, and looks up with grim but misty eyes.

"Cagalli. Live, my daughter. I'm sorry it came to this."

"I love you."

The transmission cuts. And then, as the last ships scream out of the failing device, the Kaguya Mass Driver, the lifeline of the Orb Union, erupts in a massive ball of fire.


 * KABOOM||||

"You will not even be a memory when this is through," Alejandro Corner speaks to Tieria with a wide smile, his pupils contracting sharply with scarcely contained rage. "All of you. Celestial Being, Orb Union, that damnable /remnant/ of Athha's ridiculous legacy that would foolishly believe herself to be a princess of a broken world -- you will all simply become POTCHMARKS on the ROAD TO UNITY, PAVED BY /ALEJANDRO CORNER/--"

He never finishes. The maw of the Alvatore, still crackling, is suddenly brought face-to-face with with the combined force of Staren Wiremu and Kazuma Ardygun. "I see!" exclaims Alejandro to himself, amused. "MORE LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER!" The GN Field blossoms around the Alvatore in a thick, golden shield of protection. Laser Vulcans, bullets, launchers, all punish the giant machine, pummeling it over and over again without any moment of relent. The GN Field trembles under the force, absorbing so much of it, reinforced by Kusuha Mizuha's heroic and brave act of projecting that TK barrier--

--before the final, combined combined assault engulfs the Alvatore in a tremendous explosion.

Seconds past. Golden debris falls from a dust-covered sky. And there, floating amidst the rubble... is the Alvatore. Crackling. Damaged.

But its maw still glowing, brighter than ever.

"Begone to the depths of hell. All of you." Alejandro's voice is remarkably bland as he speaks to himself, his gaze blank -- but his lips twitching in a smile. "Uzumi Nara Athha... Aeolia Schenberg... I WIPE YOUR LEGACY OFF THIS PLANET!!"

The maw opens, extending outward from the machine's head--

When the Maganac suddenly collides with the Alvatore in one brilliant moment of impact. "--What?!" shouts Alejandro. "You disgusting, wretched thing! Get OFF--"

The Maganac explodes, energy rupturing across the Alvatore in a brutal wave as it is rocked throughout its base. Pieces of metal fly, intermingling with golden armor. The moment is spectacular, and yet forboding. The flash is blinding, and in its wake -- the shattered and trembling golden mobile armor teeters vaguely. It stands as a testament to Kusuha's protection -- without that TK field, it might well have been the end. But...

... that ominous glow has gone.

"NO!" shouts Alejandro as damage readings spill out across his viewscreen; the main cannon has been too damaged to operate now, the thing barely able to function. He punches a hand against his console, rage and fury shaking him to the core. "I will not stand for this. I will not be made a fool by dead ingrates! DAMN THEM ALL!" He can barely hear Uzumi's words; all he sees are those ships pulling out. Orb Union is the Federation's. His angry lips pull into a smile.

"... but... now there are no more hands to be played, are there...?"

His smile widening, Alejandro turns the controls of the Alvatore -- offering no gratitude to Kusuha for her salvation as he moves the mobile armor swiftly towards the Federation fleet. He doesn't need to.

It is, after all, beneath a man of his stature.

COMBAT: Alejandro Corner has retreated from the area, leaving himself open to Za Warudo!, Katsuro Hayashi, Macua Huitl, Kusuha Mizuha, Ekelia Mossberg, Snakes In Your Mecha!, Milliardo Peacecraft, Leena Toros, Irunia Baranel, Setsuna F. Seiei, Cagalli Yula Athha, Alejandro Corner, Triumph the Insult Dog, Staren Wiremu, Kai Shiden, Heero Yuy, a Haro, the back of Bright Noa's hand, Sumeragi Lee Noriega, Meiya Mitsurugi, Cecil Ciele, a port-a-potty, Quatre Raberba Winner, Teletha Testarossa, Chibodee Crockett, Rondo Mina Sahaku, Tieria Erde, Paptimus Scirocco, being nerfed harder than Focus, Quattro Bageena, Seiki Bijoumari, Bastion, Rockwell Torrey, Kazuma Ardygun, Irm Kazahara, Locke Valentine, Daiyu Lin, Emma Kramskoi, Alia Winchester, Guy Shishioh, a grue, Lamia Loveless, and George de Sand.

The Star Hawk ascends, flying higher and higher above the Earth as inside Staren holds back tears and begins ranting things he doesn't really mean or believe at the radio. The Staw Hawk flies into space, to rendezvous with what's left of the Orb Union.

COMBAT: Staren Wiremu has retreated from the area, leaving himself open to Kazuma Ardygun, Adler Koch, Quatre Raberba Winner, Quattro Bageena, Bastion, being nerfed harder than Focus, Alia Winchester, Ekelia Mossberg, Irunia Baranel, George de Sand, Daiyu Lin, Heero Yuy, Kai Shiden, Elvis' Zombie, Sumeragi Lee Noriega, Katsuro Hayashi, the Flash, Paptimus Scirocco, Milliardo Peacecraft, Cecil Ciele, Cagalli Yula Athha, Lamia Loveless, Leena Toros, a random reference apropos of nothing, Staren Wiremu, transdimensional assault, Elvis' Zombie, Setsuna F. Seiei, Guy Shishioh, Macua Huitl, Locke Valentine, Nineball, Meiya Mitsurugi, Seiki Bijoumari, Tieria Erde, Alejandro Corner, Rondo Mina Sahaku, Unicron, Teletha Testarossa, Kusuha Mizuha, Chibodee Crockett, Irm Kazahara, and Rockwell Torrey.

COMBAT: Guy Shishioh has retreated from the area, leaving himself open to Paptimus Scirocco, Locke Valentine, Bastion, Cecil Ciele, Unicron, Kai Shiden, an ACME anvil, Rockwell Torrey, Talho Yuuki, Quattro Bageena, Leena Toros, Kusuha Mizuha, the Grimace, a gazebo, Chibodee Crockett, Alia Winchester, your mom, Irm Kazahara, Ekelia Mossberg, Guy Shishioh, Daiyu Lin, Cagalli Yula Athha, Lamia Loveless, Milliardo Peacecraft, Tieria Erde, Seiki Bijoumari, Irunia Baranel, the Shuffle Alliance, Sumeragi Lee Noriega, Meiya Mitsurugi, Death and Taxes, Heero Yuy, Teletha Testarossa, George de Sand, Staren Wiremu, Alejandro Corner, Katsuro Hayashi, a sudden typhoon/hurricane/tornado/monsoon, Quatre Raberba Winner, Setsuna F. Seiei, Rondo Mina Sahaku, Macua Huitl, and Kazuma Ardygun.

Nadleeh clings to the side of one of the transports, allowing itself to be carried higher into the upper atmosphere. Behind him, the mass driver vanishes into a wave of flame as bomb after bomb consumes the entire structure, blasting one of the most valuable strategic assets that the island possesses into cinders. He closes his eyes, and sighs. "...damn you, Corner." Uzumi, the nation of Orb, and everything else that had happened - the amount of blood on this man's hands was staggering, and he acted as if he didn't even notice. As if it had no effect on him at all. Damn him.

Kazuma seethes as Alejandro makes good his escape - right into the EFA's welcoming arms. But there's really nothing else he can do ... with one exception. "Mihiro, where did Macua wind up?"

"I've been tracking her AC," Mihiro answers. "Let's go get her and catch our ride, okay?"

Kazuma nods tiredly, adrenaline burning off and leaving the familiar exhaustion ... but he's got enough energy left, as does the Valhawk, to fish Macua's Nine Ball Seraph out of the water where it landed. From there, they head for the Tuatha De Danaan ...

The Quicksilver skims about, and the twists and heads away. Time to pull back to somere safe.

The 9-ball's slient as it's picked up by Kazuma, it's still smoking from where it was shot. No lights are on, the homing signal's failing when he finds it. There's no sign of the pilot's status but it's still grasping the beam rifle it tried to fire one last time as it went down. Kazuma is able to heft it up and carry it back to the Toy Box.