2011-05-26 - Terror From the Deep

5/26/2011

04:56 PM Logfile from SRT.

 Valzacard [S] has posed.

Balmarian wrecks are not unheard of. They do not dot the land the way Zentradi hulks can, sticking up sometimes in great forests. However, they are also known to be more dangerous, sometimes. Zentradi ships could often leave -- the Balmarian ones were trapped here.

The contact for this mission is a man named Ravin. Trailers can contact him rather easily, as he is something of a local salvage master who keeps track of where wrecks occur and helps others get out there. He is also providing transport, in the form of a heavily modified EFA Medea plane.

The man, a dark-skinned individual with purple hair that falls into a long ponytail and covers his forehead, is waiting on an airship on an Indian Ocean island. His arms are crossed and the midday sun has warranted a pair of sunglasses.

 Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

While some on Katharon command wanted to destroy most Balmartin tech. But the possiblity of intact drives or even nav charts could not be ignored. After all either anything to help with FTL tech dev or knowing where they live. She had collected the rest of her newly formed team for their first operstion with all the personel together. She'd been in contact with thew Trailer known as Ravin, and she'll make sure they get paid. She's keeping abotu the transport which has her Amazon CI Gundam and the others machines aboard.

"So any further information on the wreck's status?"

Also if there were surivors they might be suffering from their condtioning still as well.

 Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

Salvage operations is nothing new to Garrod. he's done them before, and he's done them under live fire circumstances, so it's only natural that he comes along to pick an alien spacecraft clean.

He /is/ a Vulture after all, and while they might not be the most glorious group of people, they do the vital job of stripping abandoned wrecks of their tresures.

Since Macua is technically in charge of the operation, he takes the opportunity to sit back and relax a bit before all the 'fun' starts, sitting on a craft cross legged with his hands behind his head.

 Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

Jiron Amos says, "@emit

Balmarian technology interests Jiron Amos in only one respect: it is difficult to smash, so should they come back, he wants to know how best to perform the smashings upon them. Most people say 'get a better robot,' but Jiron knows that Walker Gallia is all he needs when it comes to facing down alien invasions!

Jiron lingers a step behind Macua, hands behind his head as he casually sort of saunters along with her. He squints a little, looking Ravin up and down as he gets closer. The Civilian can spot a rat from three hundred yards, after all.

 Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

Duo Maxwell is here on the one business he actually takes money for: salvage. He hasn't been a proper Trailer his whole life; never the kind of person to assassinate people for cash, Duo Maxwell has forever and always been a guy with principles about that sort of thing. It might've stopped him from living a comfortable life, but then, the life he had now was pretty comfortable, so at least his morals were working out for him.

Duo raises his hand at Ravin as they walk. He wasn't a trusting person, despite the air of cheer and chipperness that surrounded him; Duo's suspicious nature ran as deep as the darkness in his heart, and it wasn't about to change any time soon - not so long as he was an assassin against the A-LAWS and OZ. Duo's hands slide back into his pockets as he tugs down his cap; he wanted to make sure that this guy didn't associate him with Deathscythe Hell, no matter what - or if he did, at least make sure that he couldn't remember Duo's face.

 Valzacard [S] has posed.

Ravin looks up at Macua and nods his head, as she approaches. "It is deep within the jungles on this island," he says. "The routes are impassable -- the best we could do is by foot. So I want to fly you and your friends in, and secure it that way."

The purple-haired man shakes his head, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We're not sure if they're still active," he says, waving back at Duo in turn. "Some of the locals said they see things at night -- but nothing specific. I'd keep your weapons online."

Their machines are being loaded in the hangar modified to be on the bottom of Ravin's Medea. The mechs are set to be standing inside of it, their backs against the walls and held in with some simple docking prongs. The plan is a low-speed, low-altitude drop right above the wreck.

Ravin nods. "Let's get moving. We don't want to waste daylight."

 Duo Maxwell transmits, "Hey, Mac."

 Macua Huitl transmits, "Yo?"

 Duo Maxwell transmits, "Somethin' don't feel right here."

 Duo Maxwell transmits, "Can't put my finger on it."

 Duo Maxwell transmits, "But let's be double-careful."

 Macua Huitl transmits, "Be on guard. I'm concerned if there's suriving crew they may still be under the effects of their condtioning."

 Macua Huitl transmits, "We won't know if it's a manned or unmanned Flower till we get on site."

 Duo Maxwell transmits, "Kay."

 Tieria Erde transmits, "... Flower?"

 Macua Huitl transmits, "The Federations code name for the Huleh class warship."

<Radio: B - None> Tieria Erde transmits, "Understood. Proceed carefully, and I expect reports to be in line later."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Not it."

<Radio: B - None> Garrod Ran transmits, "Not it."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "We'll make Jiron do it."

<Radio: B - None> Jiron Amos transmits, "Huh?"

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Sweet he didn't say no!"

<Radio: B - None> Jiron Amos transmits, "W-Wait a minute--"

<Radio> Tightbeam to Garrod Ran, Duo Maxwell, and Jiron Amos: You say, "Do not tell the CB anything it will be up to bright."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Too late!"

<Radio: B - None> Tieria Erde irritated noise.

<Radio: B - None> Jiron Amos awwwwww--

<Radio> Tightbeam to Garrod Ran, Jiron Amos, and Macua Huitl: Duo Maxwell says, "I picked Jiron fer a reason, Mac. It ain't like he's even *able* t'give 'em the kinda report they want."

<Radio> Tightbeam to Garrod Ran, Jiron Amos, and Macua Huitl: Duo Maxwell says, "I /am/ kinda a spy, y'know."

<Radio> Tightbeam to Garrod Ran, Macua Huitl, and Duo Maxwell: Jiron Amos says, "Hey!!"

<Radio> Tightbeam to Garrod Ran, Macua Huitl, and Duo Maxwell: Jiron Amos says, "..."

<Radio> Tightbeam to Garrod Ran, Macua Huitl, and Duo Maxwell: Jiron Amos says, "Yeah, okay."

<Radio> Tightbeam to Garrod Ran, Macua Huitl, and Jiron Amos: Duo Maxwell is totally not smug at all. "See?"

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

If Macua has any concerns, she doesn't show them and she simple nods to the man. "Sounds like a plan. If it's active we'll find out so you'd want to hang back and not get caught in any crossfire. It's unlikely there are many drones left. Given how many went up with the destruction of both Judecca units. Tieria's words on the comm makes Macua grit her teeth. Like hell she trusted the CB after what the 00 appeared to be packing. They also once backed the trinities who knows what other terrible things they were hiding. She didn't like to think about such things. She got a missions at hand.

"Sounds like it's active at the very least."

With that Macua's scrambling into the Amazon CI and is the first machine out of the transport.

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

"Alright, I guess it's time to get to work," Garrod finally says as he hops off the crate and hands on his feet, then rather casually walks towards where the X-Divider is stored. He figured it would probably be a better choice for a salvage mission than the Double X.

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

Duo slips into Deathscythe Hell as quietly as he can, firing up the ignition sequence. The stealth machine ripples as the cloaking field activates - another precaution to make sure their contact couldn't turn around and screw him to the wall. The invisible mobile suit pulls itself off the truck, the cloth covering dropping to the ground.

Time to do what he did best.

Well, no, that wasn't true. What he did best was kill people, so...time to do what he did second-best?

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

"Sounds like we just have to jump in and get it," Jiron says to himself. "Easy enough." He keeps walking, the camera continuing to pan. Every so often he looks around the ship and then back to the purple-haired man. He seems kind of... familiar, but he can't really place him. It might just be that he's got a stock character design.

Jiron walks over to his robot. He raps a knuckle on the window of the Galley Wheel on the way by, waking up Chill with a start, and climbs into the driver's seat of the Galley Hover a moment later. He'll combine when they drop.

<Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed.

The Medea takes off in short order, blitzing down the runway. It is about fifteen minutes in the air, before they get to the drop. The back of the hangar comes open as they close in, letting them see the tops of rainforest trees rush by. The plane is slowing as it approaches, however.

Ravin's voice crackles. "Prepare to disembark!" he says. "I'll circle around and meet you. We're approaching the point--now!"

The Huleh appears below. The ship is strewn out, rolled over onto its left side. There is a large clearing where it hit the ground, with a gash running up the side of it, leaving the innards of the ship visible. The bow hangar is also visible, the hatch opened up, making two potential entry points.

<Radio: B - None> Staren Wiremu transmits, "What/>"

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

Macua Huitl leaps from the transport and lands in a crouch the impact sinking her machine into the earth, nd disturbing some of the local wildlife. She pauses for a moment and debates either they go in one point togethere or they split up.

"Garrod with me. WE'll take Bow Hanger entrace. Duo, Jiron take the breach in the hull, keep in contact contact and if you find anything let me know."

The Amazon CI cautious starts heading for the bow hanger gesturing for Garrod to follow.

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

"Gotcha," Garrod replies as he settles into the cockpit of the Gundam X-Divider. It feels almost like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes really. She might not be as advanced as the Double X, but Garrod knows the Divider inside and out.

With beam machine gun at the ready, the Divider leaps, spending several seconds in free fall before it's verniers blaze to life and stabalize it's fall.

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

Jiron manages not to break out the playing cards while waiting for them to get to the place, but by the time they're over the drop site, he wishes he had. He starts up the Galley Hover and reaches out the window, signalling Chill forward. The two of them drive out of the hangar and drop towards the ground...

The Galley Hover crashes into the front of the Galley Wheel with a clang of metal connecting to metal. The Walker Machine stands upright, arms and legs swinging and locking into place as it touches down on the ground. It only digs a modest-size furrough into it, too.

"Right." Jiron glances at the video comm in his center console (super advanced Innocent technology, that), and then looks forward out the window again. "Lets check it out." Walker Gallia marches forward, moving carefully towards the giant gash in the vessel so Jiron can poke it's (and by extension his) head inside to see what's what.

Jiron Amos activates his Walker Gallia unit.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has reset their systems to full.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has reset their systems to full.

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

"You got it," Duo replies, the invisible machine sliding along behind Jiron's Super Advanced Innocent Technology and keeping pace with the Super Advanced Innocent Machine. Duo shivers as he gets a good look at the Balmarian ship; memories were flooding back to him, memories he really didn't like of wanting to rip the people he loved most in the world into tiny, tiny little pieces.

"Startin' t'think this mighta been a bad idea," Duo murmurs.

<Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed.

The hangar gives a rather strange feeling, upon entering it. As the Amazon CI and Divider set down, they land on the wall -- which is now rolled over onto the floor. The initial signs are rather hopeful, as there are Megillots littering one corner, where they have all been deactivated. Dust and dirt fills the floor, where it was blown inward, suggesting the hangar has been open for awhile.

Up ahead, though, there is a blinking red light. The elevator is still working -- even if it lies sideways relative to all of them.

The gash is quite different. The inside is a mess -- they can see smaller hallways and larger ones for moving machines about the ship, which form a complex honeycomb. They settle down on some of the superstructure. The larger hallways that are cut open should lead to the engine room, which is thankfully large enough to fit machines.

However, Duo catches sight of something -- a quick flush of movement, through the leaves of a tree that had fallen into the ship.

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Ffffff"

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "I saw somethin', you guys."

<Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "Nothing but Inactive Megillots here in the hanger and wait? Something's moving still? There's signs of power but no life here..."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "I know what I saw."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Near those eaves."

<Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "Keep sharp."

Somewhere on the MUSH, Meiya Mitsurugi has disconnected.

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

Macua Huitl is thankful for how well the Amazon CI handles however. S she makes her way through the hanger seeing all the Megillots makes her nervous. She's on edge and she sees there's still power she heads for the lift checking the scale if it's mecha scale she'll just start to use the CI to get it open if not she's likely going to have to get out.

"There's still power, looks like we might be in luck."

Then comes Duo's message that makes her more on edge there's clearly something alive left in here...

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

The X-divider lands with a thump and Garrod reflexively takes aim at all the non-functional bugs scattered about, just in cae they turn out to be not so non-functional after all. When none of them jumps up and tries to maul their faces off, he relaxes a but and flicks on his lights, moving slowly towards the elevator.

"Man, I forgot how spooky old wrecks can be. Ships always look inviting and liveable when all the lights are on, but take that away and they become /eerie/..."

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

Duo Maxwell *knows* he saw something. The cloaked Deathscythe Hell moves slowly towards the leaves, keeping its shieldwings wrapped close around its body. Duo is startin to get worried now; the brown-haired young man's eyes dart left and right in the cockpit, his fingers going a bit white around the controls of the Mobile Suit. His gundam was the best gundam ever, but that didn't mean it was invincible, and stuff like this always set him way the hell on edge. Ambushes...

If he was an ambusher, he would wait until something reached the end of the hall. He would wait until something reached the leaves, then leap out and attack that something from behind. Then, he would dart off to cover as fast as possible, and keep moving until he was able to set up another ambush.

So hopefully their foe wasn't as smart as he was.

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

Jiron peers through the glass windshield of the Walker Gallia, staring into the wrecked innards of the vessel. He slowly turns Walker Gallia to look each way, trying to find... something. He isn't sure what he's looking for; the engine room is a good start, though. But who builds one big enough to fit robots down there?

"Aliens, I guess," Jiron mutters. He glances off to one side and then guides Walker Gallia into the hole in the hull, slowly moving the machine forward towards the engine room. He has his rifle, but he doesn't expect he'll need it; he just doesn't have the room to put it away once he got into the wreckage. Hindsight.

<Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed.

The elevator rattles as it comes along the length of the hallway. It comes to the hangar with a click -- and large, freight-sized doors slide open, revealing the elevator car laid on its side. There are two large lights that help illuminate the inside of the elevator. One of them is turned on; the other has a short circuit, and the light flickers periodically.

The approach to the engine room is more revealing. They have to walk down a hallway turned on its side -- this makes negotiating bulkheads and opened doorways a little difficult. However, as they get near the end, Jiron sees something a little alarming. The hallway is well sealed -- in fact, it may be spaceworthy. Fresh welds can be seen, where repairs were enacted on the hall.

<Radio: B - None> Jiron Amos transmits, "...hnnn."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell sounds kinda edgy. "Sup?"

<Radio: B - None> Jiron Amos transmits, "It looks like... repairs."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell sounds /really/ edgy. "You're kiddin', right?"

<Radio: B - None> Jiron Amos transmits, "Uh-uh. I know welds. Those are fresh."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "...well, uh."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Crap."

<Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "Repairs? We got surivors then."

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Or automatics."

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

This was going to drive him *crazy*. Duo actually almost wanted them to jump out and attack, just so he could satisfy his worries and deal with them. Something was going to happen...he *knew* something was going to happen.

Jiron's comment about fresh welding really, really put him on edge. This was a very bad situation. This was a really bad situation. This far underwater, with fresh welding meaning /survivors/ or automatic defenses...this was really, really bad. Between flitting things in the leaves and fresh welding....yeah. This was gonna go belly up real the hell fast.

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

Macua Huitl waits for Garrod to get into the lift, she's got to make her way to the engine room now, as well. Given the disturbing news of repairs it doesn't sound like automatic to her. She opens a channelk again to the others and makes a comment. The moment Garrod's in she's going to power up the lift and try to get them to engineering.

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

"Well, at least now we know that /something/ is active in here." Garrod remarks as the Divider steps into the lift and readies it's beam machine gun, "Guess we'll have to stay on our toes..."

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

Opening doorways sideways is something Jiron has had to do on occasion during his tenure as a guy on the Iron Gear, so it is not quite as hard as it sounds. He pushes open unpowered doors when he needs to and navigates the sideways corridors with a hand on each wall, the Walker Machine nimbly(ish) proceeding forward. It's a long walk though, and...

"Jirooooon!" Chill's voice fills the cockpit. "Jiron, look!" Walker Gallia stops and it leans over, giving Jiron a better look. "Good eye," he mutters. "Those are recent..."

Walker Gallia keeps going until it hits a dead end--and even that might not stop it.

<Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed.

Everything starts up at once.

Inside of the gash in the ship, the movement happens again -- and Megillots begin rising from the wreckage around the ship, dirt and metal scrap shifting as the Bugs lift upward, towards the gash. Their eyes flash red, as they come upward.

The elevator doors open -- and as they step in, the elevator rattles and begins rocketing sideways along the ship, quickly hurtling down the the length of the ship, deeper into it. They can hear shaking, as the Megillots come out. Ravin's voice crackles over the radio. "What's happening!? I've picked up multiple signals--"

Valzacard activates his Aerogater Invasion Fleet unit.

COMBAT: Valzacard has reset their systems to full.

COMBAT: Valzacard has set their HP to 4 person boss HP.

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Hell."

<Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "Only way to deal with a trap is to spring it."

<Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "It's sprung now, take them down!"

<Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "...yeah."

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

"Oh /nonexistant god-dammit/," Duo groans as the trap he knew was going to happen, happens. Megilots arising from the elevator brought back flashes of suppressed memories, of monsters following behind the nightmare of the God of Death. A white streak down his hair, black raven locks...a monster made of his own memories in a machine with claws that shredded all flesh and all steel and all things in the world...the megilots swarming around him, dancing to his mad tune as he danced to the same tune only he himself could hear...

Duo was more terrified of that pressure in the back of his mind, of that mumbling thing that was telling him that he would never be more, never be more, never be more than the god of Death. He would never escape it. He would kill everyone he ever loved, everyone he ever cared for, kill them all with his presence, whether he was responsible for it or not with his hands or his blades or just because he was Duo Maxwell. Duo's eyes flash, that horrible spark of memory screaming in the back of his mind.

Baal'Sariel whispered again.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, this was horrible, this was bad, this was bad and wrong and everyone was going to die and he shouldn't've come along with them and-

Deathscythe Hell's wings pop open reflexively, its scythe flying into its hand. The twin beam blades suddenly blaze to life, the water bubbling around the weapon as its beams inexplicably flare into existence. The black god of death's green eyes flash green as Duo's panick hammers at the back of his mind, and the blade comes swinging in for the monsters from his memories as if to deny the presence of those nightmares.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has attacked Valzacard. Beam Scythe Slice added to their queue.

Somewhere on the MUSH, Kaname Chidori has connected.

Somewhere on the MUSH, Asuka Langley Sohryu has connected.

Somewhere on the MUSH, Anew Returner has connected.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has struck a solid hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Beam Scythe Slice.

COMBAT: Valzacard has missed Duo Maxwell with his Megillot Missile counter attack.

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

The Megillots were comming back online, they were comming everywhere. AS for the lift? It rushes through the ship Macua hangs on and is already prepping for combat she calls back over the radio to Ravin.

"Meg... Bugs! Aerogater bugs, a portion of the ship's drone compliment are active get the hell out of here. They will tear your transport apart"

The lift can't move fast enough, memories of Adom. This was the sort of trap she'd have set. She smirks a little bit though it was going to be interesting. If there was a trap like this the odds of the engines being salvagable were much higher, very much higher. Prehaps this mission wouldn't be a bust after all.

"Garrod get ready looks like it's bugs but I'm willing to bet there's at least one Balmarian left calling the shots. I don't think the standard repair systems would be so clever."

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

The Gundam x-divider steps out, then immediately turns as the elevator rockets away, leaving them alone in the engine room with a bunch of bugs.

"Great, and I was hoping we'd saw the last of these guys. C'mon Macua, let's fight our way out and see if we can track down the person behind this! Probably another brainwashee!"

The beam machine gun snaps up and discharges several precise shots towards the bugs.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Valzacard. Beam Machine Gun added to their queue.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a solid hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Beam Machine Gun.

COMBAT: Valzacard has missed Garrod Ran with his Vulcan Phalanx counter attack.

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

Everything comes to life. Jiron remembers--

ANOTHER TIME

SOMEWHERE IN ZORA

The sun had set, and everything was still tinged red.

"Incoming! There's one more on the left side! No, that's /left/, LE--AAAGHH!!"

A flash, a spark of light in a city of darkness. A ring of yellow slices through the water tower, collapsing the dilapidated structure onto the makeshift wall below. Fires break out and are quenched immediately, Civilians disappearing beneath the smoke and steam that billows upward. A Gallop stands up from behind the saloon across the street, holding it's rocket launcher aloft and firing a pair of spinning warheads through town and into the Bug. Another flash.

And another. A machine shaped like a man comes down, blade buzzing like a wasp. It's glowing edge neatly bisects the Gallop. Another flash; more red fills the streets and the sight of the scattered Breakers and Rockmen all around. The quarry workers rally, trying to start up a Dugger-type as another squad warps in above them...

Xabungle 2 crests the hill above the quarry, firing it's rifle. The Iron Gear slowly ascends the rise. The goggle-wearing young man in the cockpit of the blue Walker Machine clutches the wheel like it was his only saving grace. He hasn't slept in days; not since the first attack. There has never been time to rest. His mind whirls. Are they too late again?

BACK TO THE PRESENT

--and acts.

Walker Gallia turns back down the corridor. Bugs light up in his sights. The Walker Machine's rifle barks, the thunderous crack of the weapon resounding through the darkened halls. Shells clang to the ground below it, and the heavy steps of the Walker Machine backing up towards engineering echo every which way.

Jiron isn't playing around. Not this time.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has attacked Valzacard. Rifle added to their queue.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has missed Valzacard with his Rifle attack.

COMBAT: Valzacard has counter attacked for a solid critical hit on Jiron Amos's Walker Gallia using Megillot Missile.

<Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed.

The Megillots are, in a sense, swarming. The numbers are notable, though nowhere near the great hordes that shattered Europe. However, they still come flying in, following programming. This puts them at a disadvantage -- the drones are wired to find themselves to be expendable, which makes them all too eager to fly into the maw of death. Green flame explodes to life, shredding into two drones at once.

Fireballs erupt in front of the Deathscythe Hell. The flame washes off the machine, as the debris slams into the earth below.

The crack of the Xabungle's cannon booms, as the Megillot drops down and avoids the round. Then, it sweeps up, thrusters flaring -- and comes hurtling right at the midsection of the Walker Gallia.

In turn, another Megillot banks down, its thrusters firing -- sending it hurtling right at the Deathscythe Hell.

The elevator comes to a halt below. The door slides open with a hiss, and reveals the engine core -- laid out at an angle, as the room's floor comes at a slope. Several Zechariahs, a couple of Habbakuks, and a single Ezekiel are crouched behind several Bugs. The Zechariahs strike first, as the doorway opens.

Energy rifle bursts fire, opening up on the Amazon C1 as it appears, loosing blast after blast at the machine.

Garrod's shots come ripping into the ranks, a moment later. A Zechariah is hit, fire exploding backward, smoke rising up from it. One of the cannons mounted on the wall turns, loosing a burst of machinegun rounds down at the Divider.

"Roger!" Ravin reports. "I--shit--"

In the distance, the Medea detonates, as a Megillot's ring laser strikes it. The wings are shredded, and the main body falls downward, before catching the bottom of a ring. It bisects, then detonates in an immense fireball.

COMBAT: Valzacard's Zechariah Squadron has been added to your queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Macua Huitl. Zechariah Squadron added to their queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Duo Maxwell. Megillot Missile added to their queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has struck a glancing hit on Duo Maxwell's XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell using Megillot Missile.

<Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "... An Ezekiel, Some Zechariahs and Habbakuks. They apprear to be manned. Attempt to disable if possible! They got answers and we got questions! I also have an idea."

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: You have turned on your [Alert] spirit command.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: You have turned on your [Spirit] spirit command.

COMBAT: Valzacard has missed you with his Zechariah Squadron attack.

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

Macua Huitl gets off the lift and there's several humanoid units. The Amazon CI has had a lot of technology which came from the Ezekiel Esh. She knows what their mission is she knoswe what she's got to do she abrks an order. Then to her dismay the IFF for trhe transport vanishes. Damn it, their ride had been killed. There wasn't much more to do, The Amazon CI goes on the evasive like this human seems to know much about how Balmrian soliders fight and she opens a comm. She also unpacks her spear which epxand and is used to parry some of the incomming attacks. The Mobile G Fighter stands it's gound. People went to hell and back to try to save her. Does she not owe these likely victems of Gozzo the same? She starts talking again this time it is Balmarian. She remebers enough at least it seems.

<Who is in charge here, answer me! Surrender and your lives will be spared!> Macua is clearly poised to fight, she knows this is stupid it is risky but all those here did something this stupid for her...

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

The Megilots are, in a sense, swarming. Duo is, in a sense, having an epic-level freakout. Actually, it's not 'in a sense' at all; the voice of his nightmares given his own body scratching at the door to his mind was filling his thoughts and pressing the darkness in his heart higher and higher towards the fore of his mind. Was this his fault? Did this accident happen because he was there? Would he lose more friends tonight?

Duo's voice murmuing "no no no no no no no no no no" over the comm speakers is proably pretty obvious, though it's a quiet, mumbled sound.

He was the cheery one. He kept the rest of the team light in the darkness; he brought the Gundam Pilots up from their own personal depths. But inside, he had such nightmares, such horrors; horrors of the burning church, horrors of the blazing cathedral and the EFA bombardment and all the friends he had lost and so many horrors, so many horrible things.

The God of Death's eyes blaze green as the great machine slides out of the path of the missiles, the explosion of bubbles and smoke catching the Gundanium machine on the side. No significant damage, but it was close, it was too close. Too close, too close, too close.

Deathscythe Hell's twin scythe blades rises into the air again, coming down towards the monster machines. He recognized them; he knew where to cut, he knew where to slice and incise and remove. He knew what he had to pull away, what he had to rip apart.

He knew what he had to burn to make them die.

He was, after all, the God of Death.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has attacked Valzacard. Don't Fear The Reaper added to their queue.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has struck a solid hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Don't Fear The Reaper.

COMBAT: Valzacard has counter attacked for a minor hit on Duo Maxwell's XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell using Vulcan Phalanx.

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

Woah jeez! Talk about your elevator rides from hell! Confronted with a new batch of foes, Garrod quickly goes on the defensive and snaps up his Divider Shield as machine gun rounds start to bounce of the stupidly huge barrier. He briefly glances towards Macua as she tries some diplomacy.

Ah, good old Convince Command, how I adore thee.

Not content to simply stand there and get shot though, Garrod unleashes a hailstorm of bullets from his vulcans, but he restricts himself solely to the Megillot drones as he tries to keep them from getting too close.

"i hope this works Mac, otherwise, this elevator is going to get really crowded really fast!"

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Valzacard. Shooting Drones added to their queue.

<Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "Duo Maxwell"

<Radio> Tightbeam from Duo Maxwell says, "Wh-what?"

<Radio> Tightbeam to Duo Maxwell: You say, "Your not all right. He's dead you killed him. He won't hurt anyone again."

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a minor hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Shooting Drones.

COMBAT: Valzacard has counter attacked for a solid hit on Garrod Ran's Gundam X-Divider using Megillot Missile.

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

Jiron doesn't truck with Convince unless you're his love interest.

The missiles detonate at the Walker Gallia's midsection. The WM stumbles backwards but doesn't fall, regaining it's footing on the wall-floor and coming back around. The waist-mounted autocannon fires to keep it off their back, but Jiron doesn't fall back any more; he instead goes /forward/, charging like the complete crazy person everyone knows and loves.

The green-white WM jumps at the bug, reaching out with both hands to grab it to hold it still. It tries to smash it into the wall once and then toss it to the ground, and it keeps moving, lifting a foot and giving it one good stomp of a kick to crush the thing where it... quasi-floats.

He expects it will explode. Maybe it'll explode downward.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has attacked Valzacard. Kick added to their queue.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has missed Valzacard with his Kick attack.

COMBAT: Valzacard has counter attacked for a solid hit on Jiron Amos's Walker Gallia using Megillot Missile.

<Radio> Tightbeam from Duo Maxwell says, "H-he's not, Mac...he's never gonna die....as long as I'm here he's here....."

<Radio> Tightbeam to Duo Maxwell: You say, "You conqured him. Your not weak Duo..."

<Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed.

The two scythe blades rip through Megillot after Megillot. The machines are shorn to bits -- cut in half here and there. The drones rain down around the Gundam, explosions rippling through the sky, one after the other. One of the ship's vulcan cannons turns, rounds exploding through the air and slashing at Duo's Gundam.

Jiron's kick slams into the Bug. The drone goes twisting, flying off, and then arches down and strikes again -- rushing headlong at the Walker Gallia. The Bug keeps on, then hits the ground and detonates.

The jungle shakes nearby. Golden machines come forward, legs folding up -- and slide into cannons. Beams strike out, strafing at the Walker Gallia and the Deathscythe Hell alike, as the Habbakuk squadron moves in from the forest--meaning they were there the entire time.

The drones in the engine room explode apart, rounds ripping through them. The Zechariahs come in, though -- and Garrod will have to help protect Macua. Beam sabers come to life, as two green machines sweep in, trying to criss-cross and slash into the Divider.

A voice crackles over their line, in response to Macua. It is an unrecognizable one, but male, and altered electronically. "Adom Nazir, Baal'Sariel... welcome home."

COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Duo Maxwell and Jiron Amos. Habakkuk Bombardment added to their queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has struck a glancing hit on Duo Maxwell's XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell using Habakkuk Bombardment.

COMBAT: Valzacard's Zechariah Commandos has been added to your queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Macua Huitl. Zechariah Commandos added to their queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has struck a devastating hit on Jiron Amos's Walker Gallia using Habakkuk Bombardment.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has missed Valzacard with his Punch counter attack.

COMBAT: Valzacard has cancelled their attack on you.

COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Garrod Ran. Zechariah Commandos added to their queue.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Valzacard has missed Garrod Ran with his Zechariah Commandos attack.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has counter attacked for a minor critical hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Beam Sword.

Somewhere on the MUSH, Eight Murasame has disconnected.

<Pose Tracker> Garrod Ran [K] has posed.

The Zechariahs come charging in, but Garrod is quick with the intercept! His good, old reliable Gundam steps up to meet the charge of Balmarian machines, deflecting one blade with his heavy shield and blocking the other with his beam sword. Then there is a twist and he handily disarms the blade from his foe.

"Looks like you have a stalker Macua. Someome you knew from back in Balmari High?"

5r The massive tower shield lashes out next, seeking to slam one of the machines right into another and temporarily take them out of the fight while they try to untangle themselves.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has attacked Valzacard. Shield Smash added to their queue.

COMBAT: Garrod Ran has struck a minor hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Shield Smash.

Somewhere on the MUSH, Kazuma Ardygun has disconnected.

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

That was the last thing she was expecting to hear at this point. Wait what Welcome home? Only one person had called her Adom Nazir since the defeat of the 7th fleet. She's just stunned in her track she'd been trying to console Duo who had been having some problems. The male voice gets a stunned reaction from Macua.

<What?!>

One doesn't need to know Balmarian to realis just how shocked she is and she's holding her spear ready to strike.

<What is the meaning of this what do you mean welcome home. Who are you? What do you want."

Was this entire operation to lure her and Duo here?! Damn it. The trap's worse than she thought still she doesn't attack she can't place the voice but Garrod's voice helps to snap her out of it. For osme reson there's a degree of fear. Who is it? What do they want and memories of Judecca surface, the terrible presnce in the back of her mind. It's a tense standoff at this point. Still she's not moved to violence at lest notyet, while Garrod is being very creative.

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

'Baal'sariel, welcome home'

'Baal'Sariel, welcome home'

'Baal'Sariel, welcome home'

'Baal'sariel, welcome home'

'Baal'Sariel, welcome home'

"N-NO!" Duo screams, as loud as he can, his voice ripping over the radio as he slams his controls backwards to avoid the bombardment. The nimble black machine dances through the vulcan cannons as the Habbakuk attempts to rip his machine to pieces; the cannonfire bounces off the Gundanium armor and flies about, dents hammering into the black armor of the machine. Deathscythe Hell is moving as fast as it can, running from the name to save the pilot inside from the monsters nipping at his heels.

"N-no...no, no, no, no, no, no! I am not! I AM NOT! I AM NOT BAAL'SARIEL!"

The beam-scythe flashes up into his hands, rising into the ceiling; the green light crackles along the hilt of the scythe as Duo goes plowing straight towards the source of the voice, its wings spread wide and its verniers flaring underwater. He wasn't. He wasn't. He wasn't that God of Death, that black-haired white-streaked nightmare of a monster from a world far away. That nightmare who wanted nothing more than to satisfy its own urges, its primal, carnal urges of murder and destruction and pleasure. He wasn't. He wasn't. He wasn't. He wasn't!

He wasn't!

"I'M NOOOOOOOOOOT!" Duo screams, the scythe flashing downwards with both hands. Its thrusters flare behind it as it plows towards the wall of the ship, adding to the force of the strike tenfold, that blade made to tear through armor like no one's business guided by the hand of someone who knew how to kill and destroy because he had nothing else in the whole universe. Nothing else in the whole universe but a redheaded girl who was far, far away, whose voice couldn't reach him right now. Whose voice couldn't touch him now.

There was no light for him, miles under the surface of the sea.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has attacked Valzacard. Beam Scythe Slash added to their queue.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has struck a major critical hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Beam Scythe Slash.

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed.

The drone spins all over the place. Jiron cannot possibly catch it, because he is in a Walker Machine and it is a terrible machine full of... bouncing... bug... crap. The thing smashes into the Walker Gallia and knocks it flat on it's ass just before it explodes, launching the thing backwards down the corridor in a hail of smoke, fire, and tumbling pilots.

Wait.

Jiron and Chill, in their respective cockpits, forgot to put on seatbelts. They bounce and roll, flailing all over the two cockpits until they manage to grab onto... something. That something, in this case, is the steering wheel for Jiron, and the turret control for Chill. The turret at the midsection spits fire into the smoky air, and Jiron wheels the Walker Gallia back around, spinning it's fists wildly--

--and /rampaging down the corridor/. It spins, slams, smashes and basically crushes everything in it's path, rushing towards the recently-welded hull pieces and the sealed engineering block. But a destructive wind like this is fickle, and much is left to chance--so is it a breeze or a storm?

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has attacked Valzacard. Fist Combo added to their queue.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has struck a glancing hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Fist Combo.

<Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed.

"I am Alrev," the man's voice answers. "I needed some of our finest Samples, to rebuild where Lord Laodicea failed--and recreate the fleet. All of you will serve well--though my methods, without Judecca, are more... invasive."

One Zechariah gets slammed into another. The machines bounce off one another -- and one gets smashed back into the wall. The two fly forward -- and are joined by more. Their beam rifles are brandished and brought to bear, then release a rapid burst of energy blasts at the two machines.

The Deathscythe Hell cuts into the hull of the ship, splitting it open. A new gash is made -- this one zig-zags through thrusters, sending up a row of explosions along the ship's hull, each time the dual beam blades cut through a turret.

Below, the Walker Gallia rampages down the hallway. Its fist slams and rips into the armor, punching holes here and there. A plate bends in with one punch -- it buckles, with another, the weld popping. Then, a laser blade hacks down, trying to sheer the walker's arm off.

The Ezekiel flies up behind it, suddenly, its oculars burning brightly. The energy blade cleaves down -- and Alrev's voice comes from it, over the tactical network. "Your bodies' integrity...is a necessary sacrifice!"

COMBAT: Valzacard has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Valzacard's Zechariah Squadron has been added to your queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Macua Huitl and Garrod Ran. Zechariah Squadron added to their queue.

COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Jiron Amos. Ezekiel Elites added to their queue.

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: You have turned on your [Spirit] spirit command.

COMBAT: Valzacard has missed you with his Zechariah Squadron attack.

COMBAT: Valzacard has missed Jiron Amos with his Ezekiel Elites attack.

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed.

"I DON'T CARE WHO THE HELL YOU ARE!" Duo screams as Alrev declares his intentions. Samples again. Wound up and turned loose on his homeworld, turned back into that monster that was scratching at his brain. "I'M NOT GOIN' BACK! I'M NOT GOIN' BACK THERE! I'M NOT! /I'M NOT/!"

Duo continues screaming until he shuts off the comms. He's not stopping; he can't stop, until Alrev is burned to the ground and vanishes into the night once again. He was going to kill Alrev, and this ship was secondary, was meaningless to him now. The objectives, the mission, lost in fury as the beamsycthe swirls around.

It's a glimpse of Duo's prowess as he whirls the blade above Deathscythe's head, the scythe dancing like lightning across the metal of the ship. He was going right for Alrev, right for where the part of his mind that was Baal'Sariel told him the command center would be. He was going *right* for the head.

He was an assassin, and he was going to do what an assassin was supposed to do.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has activated a spirit command.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has attacked Valzacard. Beam Scythe Guillotine added to their queue.

Somewhere on the MUSH, Kaname Chidori has disconnected.

Somewhere on the MUSH, Asuka Langley Sohryu has disconnected.

COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has struck a major critical hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Beam Scythe Guillotine.

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed.

Macua Huitl doens't seem to focus on the others, she realises with what Alrev has said to her. The others are going to need likely to be clobbered at the very best. She narrows her eyes and well she's not happy she readies the spear and notes.

<i am the Fire Dancer>And then she goes to show them just how Adom got the name. She evades all of the incomming fire from the other balmarians she's focused on the commander behind it she's not sure if she can save any of them but she will take this man down and she will see what she can do. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Do you really think you will succed and didn't you know? We were all samples save for Alpeh and the high commanders!> </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Well so far as she knows at lest he might be wrong but Mac now attacks the main machine that the command is in. Several other Amazon CI's seem to appear as she attacks. Which one's real a thought hits her she needs this bastard alive if it means to fix anyone else he's lured in. She'll strikle to crippled the machine. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i> <i am the Fire Dancer>

COMBAT: Your attack has been added to Valzacard's queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Valzacard. Spear Dance added to their queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: You have missed Valzacard with your Spear Dance attack. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer>

<Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Walker Gallia doesn't do too much but damage the ship, which is kind of the idea. He keeps smashing and Jiron keeps flailing, slowly but surely getting back into the pilot's seat and this time buckling himself in. The Walker Machine straightens-- </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>--and a laser blade slashes down right in front of the cockpit, missing by mere centimeters. Jiron is momentarily flash-blinded by it. Sheer luck is the only reason Walker Gallia wasn't decapitated right there and then. Jiron sees his life flash before his eyes. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>YEARS AGO </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>There are some still frames--stock footage, really--of Jiron's house blazing, his dad's Walker Machine getting it's cockpit kicked in, and of Jiron in a vest with an ascot running towards something, wide-eyed, mouth open. It's suitably dramatic. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>NOW, AGAIN </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Walker Gallia suddenly reaches up to grab whatever it was is holding the laser blade. It pulls, yanking straight down and then swinging whatever it can grab behind it. Even if Jiron can't get a robot, he grabs a chunk of the hull, peeling it like a stalk of corn to get himself something resembling a melee weapon. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The Walker Machine has sufficient horsepower to lift and throw an ocean liner. Jiron is using it to slam this chunk of scrap through the bulkheads in his path and shear through as much of the ship as he possibly can in one fell swoop. 'Massive collateral damage' is actually /intended/ this time! </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i> <i am the Fire Dancer>

COMBAT: Jiron Amos has activated a spirit command. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Jiron Amos has activated a spirit command. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Jiron Amos has activated a spirit command. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Jiron Amos has attacked Valzacard. Walker Gallia Full Power added to their queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Jiron Amos has struck a major hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Walker Gallia Full Power. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Garrod Ran has disconnected. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Somewhere on the MUSH, Garrod Ran has disconnected. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The beam scythe cuts into the Ezekiel's head, splitting it open. It threatens to remove half of the head entirely, before the machine's thrusters fire -- sending it into a turn. Before the beam scythe cuts the head off, it turns, bringing its own sword up, and catches the scythe. The blades are lifted away. Interlocking energy fields make lightning leap off the two weapons. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"Silence!" he barks back at Macua. His machine turns -- and then the plate that Jiron was hammering at bursts open, revealing the engineering machine, and Macua's machine. The Amazon CI flies in, but that beam sword swings out and catches the spear. It holds it back, at bay. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The Ezekiel pulls its arm back -- as a chunk of hull is ripped away next to it, by the Walker Gallia. The piece of machinery sweeps out, shredding chunks of the ship open with a mighty swing. The machine has to leap -- and Alrev lets out a frustrated, worried grunt as he leaps over it. Daylight pours through the holes Jiron is cutting into it. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The Ezekiel turns quickly, and plunges its beam sword at the Amazon C1 -- and turns following up by hacking the weapon at the Deathscythe Hell. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Valzacard has activated a spirit command. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Valzacard's Ezekiel Elites has been added to your queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Valzacard has attacked Macua Huitl and Duo Maxwell. Ezekiel Elites added to their queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Valzacard has struck a major hit on Duo Maxwell's XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell using Ezekiel Elites. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Valzacard has missed you with his Ezekiel Elites attack. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Impact. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The Ezekiel's beam sword slices through Deathscythe Hell's head, cutting right through a veryy large half of its skull. The black headpiece spins away onto the ground, the shattered glass of the eye falling to the ground. Deathscythe Hell's shoulderpad lands with a *whump* and a *thud* as Duo exhales. He's stunned that he's still alive; he's shocked that he's still standing, amazed that he managed to evade having the blade hammered through his chest. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"...oh, *shut up*, Albert, or Adrammalech, or whatever your name is~." </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Awww, fuck. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"You are a tedious little thing, going ~SILENCE~ and acting like you're the Priestess herself. You know that? You're such a ~tedious~ little thing - I bet you aren't *nearly* pretty enough to boss ~me~ around, either. And you're ~certainly~ not pretty enough to boss around *Adom*, pretty little Adom, so /perhaps/ you ought to keep your mouth shut and kneel and pray that I don't decide to do what we both know I'm going to do any~way~, hmmmmmmmmm~?" </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Deathscythe Hell shoulders its scythe, taking a very jaunty stance. The free hand waves off to the side, gesturing for the balmarian machine to fall to its knees. "Go on~! Aren't you going to grovel? Aren't you going to *sob* and *beg* me for your life? Aren't you going to plead, to offer me something in exchange for your wretched and worthless little life~?" </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Baal'Sariel's lips curl upwards as he taps the scythe on his machine's shoulder. "No, you probably don't have the spine to stand up for yourself, let alone *beg*. Your pride is cheap, isn't i~t~, my cute little Adra~chan~?" His demeanor shifts instantly; the cutey, flirtsy dancing vanishes in a heartbeat as his eyes harden. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"Now you listen up, you worthless little no one. The war's over. We lost. We /fucked up/ and attacked this *stupid little planet*, and we planned, and we tried so hard, and we /still/ failed. And you? You don't hold a *candle* to Laodiccea and Lady Tolivar. You're a dime-store nobody, and now you've gone and /messed up a really good thing/ for me." </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Deathscythe Hell vanishes, reappearing behind the Ezekiel Esh. Its hand goes for the throat of the machine, its scythe rising into the air. "We lost. Get over it. Crawl with your tail between your legs and try to find something to do, and if the Empire ever comes to collect you, then /maybe/ you'll amount to something..." </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"...is what I would say, if this wasn't the end of your life~. When you get to Hell, say hello to Laodiccea for me, will you?" </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Baal'Sariel licks his lips as the scythe comes in for the cockpit; at the same time, the beam shield sparks to life, the blade stabbing forward /right/ for the Ezekiel Esh's head. It was a two-pronged attack, not graceful or clean like Duo's assassinations - it was a murderer. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>It was Death. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has activated a spirit command. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has attacked Valzacard. Shinigami added to their queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Duo Maxwell has struck a major critical hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Shinigami. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer>

<Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Macua Huitl has been igoring the lesser machines save to avoid their attack on her once again she comes under fire and there's a bit oif asmirk on her face as gain she's back flipping and weaving out of the way of their shots. She laughs a little bit at the irony of this and actually speaks. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"Your propably captured and converted human just like me and Duo here. Your likely one of us!" </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>She notes before she readies for another attack and she's collapsing the spear. She then startts attacking Alrev. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"I will not allow you to drag anyone else into this madness and id I have to beat the hell out of you to do it I WILL DO SO!" The CI moves like lighting even as Duo now give his own thoughs on this thing. She pause as the Esh appears what the hell that stuns her for a moment. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"You will not win, here ia m Raquel Marona and no one else!" </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Macua Huitl has activated a spirit command. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: You have turned on your [Valor] spirit command. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Your attack has been added to Valzacard's queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Macua Huitl has attacked Valzacard. Machine Fist Assault added to their queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio> Tightbeam to Macua Huitl and Jiron Amos: Duo Maxwell says, "~Rachel~, hmmm? Nooooo, I don't like thaaaat...how about....ooooo~h, I know! Racchan~!" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio> Tightbeam to Macua Huitl and Duo Maxwell: Jiron Amos bellows suddenly, "YOUR GUNDAM SUCKS AND YOU NEED A HAIRCUT!" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio> Tightbeam to Macua Huitl and Jiron Amos: Duo Maxwell says, "Oh, ~relax~. I'll give him back when I'm done. Proooomise." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: You have struck Valzacard with a major hit using Machine Fist Assault. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Jiron, at least, knows what he's doing here: he's beating things up and completely ignoring the part where they have a name that he could be taking. While Duo (and possibly not just him) flips the hell out, Jiron wreaks havoc, smashing the chunk of hull this way and that. Welds cease being relevant when new holes are torn in the vessel, and with every swipe, the Balmarian in charge of the thing continues to be more and more panicked. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>But that is not really a /good/ weapon, Jiron thinks. He could do more. It's kind of curved, though; maybe if he just... Wait! Jiron spots movement out of the corner of his eye. "There!!" He swings the curved chunk of metal through the hull, grazing the edge of the hole-- </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>It comes back with a speared drone, the bug writhing a little on the sharp piece at the end. Walker Gallia turns, spinning in place once, twice, three times, and then lets go, hurtling the huge metal mass into the room and at the mech inside of it. The metal itself is dangerous enough, but that is not the only threat. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Because, as we all know, damaged drones explode magnificently. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Jiron Amos has attacked Valzacard. Weapon Of The Week added to their queue. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>COMBAT: Jiron Amos has struck a major critical hit on Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet using Weapon Of The Week. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Knock Out! Valzacard's Aerogater Invasion Fleet unit has become disabled! </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio> [ duo jiron] Invalid Players. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Pose Tracker> Valzacard [S] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The Ezekiel gets hit from three angles. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The spear shoves through the Ezekiel's chest, shattering armor and blasting out of the back of it. Lightning erupts up and down the frame of the machine. Its legs and arms thrash. "Shut up!" Alrev barks. The electronic modulation on his voice wavers. "You Samples don't know what--" </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The drone rams into its left side. The armor dents in, and the explosion blasts half of the machine black. Armor is slagged and thrown off, as the Ezekiel falters and falls down. Its feet hit the ground with a clank. Alrev's voice suddenly loses the electronic alteration entirely. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>His voice is sudden, immediately recognizable. Ravin is the voice. "We could have built an empire to last the ages!" Then, his voice is cut short. He screams, as the beam scythe plunges through the cockpit. The scream ends -- and the Ezekiel goes up in a fireball. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Battle Mastery Condition of Valzacard Achieved. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Somewhere on the MUSH, Meiya Mitsurugi has disconnected. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"~What did you leeee~aaaa~aaaaaarn~?" Baal'Sariel purrs as Alrev explodes miserably, yanking the scythe out of the fireball. "Losers are /aaaaaalways/ losers, Adra-chan." </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>The scythe settles across Deathscythe Hell's shoulders, and it drapes its arms over the hilt, the one-eyed half-helmeted gaze staring at Jiron and Macua's machines calmly, as if waiting to see what they were going to do. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer>

[OOC] Valzacard says, "Now, in the interests of time/it being nearly 2AM EST, I'll give y'all the run down. You have ample Balmarian parts and an engine that could power something. The Huleh's not flight capable. The people he'd worked on had a lot more cybernetics put in, but can be rehabilitated. Ravin/Alrev's operations can pretty quickly be determined to be limited to this island." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Pose Tracker> Macua Huitl [K] has posed. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Macua Huitl didn't care about empire building she'd seen the sort of empire the Balmarians had and she wanted nothing more than to tear it down and let them prehaps build something not so replusive. Still she realises who it was and she frowns. "...You poor fool, good bye Ravin..." </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>With that She can only watch as the machine explodes and now she brks an order to the other. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"YOUR LEADER HAS FALLEN DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER NOW!Or I will personally see you are disarmed and going to be very punch drunk for awhile. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>GReat the grim death had returned once more. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>"Very well, let him go...." </i> <i am the Fire Dancer>

<Pose Tracker> Duo Maxwell [K] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Baal loved it when they got scared. But there was no point in sticking around; he'd just wind up like that poor loser. And if there was one thing Baal'Sariel wasn't...it was a loser. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Maybe next time...for now, back to the darkness. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell uuuhhhn. "...hey, did we win?" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Pose Tracker> Jiron Amos [K] has posed. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Jiron got to smash things. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer>Jiron is content. </i> <i am the Fire Dancer></i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Jiron Amos transmits, "Yup." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "We did. The rest of the troops are standing down..." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Oh...cool." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Sorry...guess that shot t'the head knocked me out fer a li'l bit." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "...so you don't remeber?" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Nah. I'm okay, tho'. Guy was kinda gettin' to me, but I feel way better now." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "...awww, /maaaaan/, he took out like half my head unit~" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Heero Yuy transmits, "You have to protect it better." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Heero Yuy transmits, "You do not want to give head to your opponent." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Macua Huitl starts laughing. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Heero, d'you even know what that /means/..." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: B - None> Heero Yuy transmits, "... why is she laughing? I am advising you to use the proper protection." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Kaname Chidori coughs. </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "H-Heero..." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Jiron Amos transmits, "Uhh..." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "...Heero, buddy..." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "...don't...don't ever change, okay?" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Heero Yuy transmits, "I... what?" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Macua Huitl transmits, "Kaname!!! *sounding chipper*" </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Heero Yuy transmits, "I don't understand..." </i>

<i am the Fire Dancer><Radio: A - None> Duo Maxwell transmits, "Jus'...jus' don't ever change."</i>