A Mother's Love (Tack, Franz)

[Nemesis]

A terrible, shrieking laughter punctured the air. The light from the Plate was blinding now, and she was at its heart. All around the three of them, there were cracks starting to ripple through the walls, and the Guren's sensors started to screech warnings at its pilot: the buildup of energy before them was nothing short of massive.

Mak's Gunpod chattered over the din, perforating one of the AMIDA, causing it to explode in a spray of acidic foam that enveloped one of its fellows, causing it too to slow, dip, and then detonate, spraying foul viscera in all directions. The Guren's harken found similar luck, embedding itself in the underside of one insect, causing it to wriggle uncertainly - before being driven into the adjoining wall, where it went splat in a fashion not unlike its smaller family, pancaked into a gristly mess.

All the while, the light was growing brighter, and brighter.



"Oh, I can see it! The edge of time!"

Catalina extended her hands towards the Plate, as if trying to pull it into an embrace. She could feel the tears streaking down her face - yes, something told her, everything was going to be alright. She was so close now. Close to touching the heart of it all, of everything. So many wasted years, so much time spent in pointless isolation, guilt, staring at the bottom of a glass! But it was over, now. It was all over.

"I knew you'd forgive me!" She cried; "Yes, I'll do it! I'll start all over! This time... this time...! I love you! I LOVE YOU! MY ROSE-!"



The explosion was deafening in force. Pulsating out from the Plate, swallowing Catalina, swallowing the AMIDA, tearing the room itself apart. There was the brief, familiar, high pitched squeal of air escaping into vacuum... and then. silence.

Space stared back at the two where the Plate had once been, a gaping hole over a hundred meters in diameter now torn in the Colony wall. The AMIDA that remained writhed pitifully in the vacuum, struggling before bursting like balloons, their bodies unable to withstand the sudden shift in temperature. For the moment, nothing more emerged to menace them...

Was it over?

 

[Tackle Jackie]

The sudden decompression and explosion left Mak absolutely stunned- Exploding in a column of light was not something that she even expected was on the list of things that could go wrong. Grabbing onto a hunk of wall, the pilot looked out over at the gapping crater, sparing a glance over at Piper. “You okay??”

She punctuated her question with a laugh, before hurriedly opening her comms up to the Nadesico. “This is Makurol, we have a massive breach in the colony, Cata- Target denoted some kind of plate, and now there’s just… It must be a hundred meters… And there some kind of bug monsters loose in the facility- Please send backup-“

 

[Franz_Korderos]

"Shit!"

There was a horrible scraping noise as the Guren's oversized right hand dug into the floor, digging furrows into the steel as she tried to arrest her movement. She was still moving though so Piper fired the red knightmare's single slash harken into the ground, an anchor to keep herself on the floor.

"I'm good but what the fuck was that?!" She was, of course, referring to the explosion of light and the mobile weapon ... no, the thing that she glimpsed. The one that caused the big fucking hole in the first place.

The half-Britannian didn't even wait for a response, opening the comms and screaming into it.

"This is Red-1, colony's got a hole and we got a runner! Get to my coordinates coz we are pursuing! I repeat, we're chasing this thing down!"

"Affirmative!" Came the shouted reply.

 

[Nemesis]

The two hurried out into the vacuum of space. It was almost disorienting, to suddenly feel free of the Colony's gravity. In the distance, BFF's transport vessel approached - the cavalry, late as they could expect. For once, it seemed as if the mega-corporation hadn't been dragging its feet, but hadn't managed to make it in time regardless.

"Come in, Ravens." There was the rustle of static, and a man spoke.

"This is Bernard and Felix Public Safety Division... Good work. We'll take it from here. It-"

He didn't get the chance to finish.

Something needle-like speared out from behind them, puncturing the head of the ship. piercing it all the way through. It drifted forward on its own momentum for a moment more before detonating spectacularly, compression swallowing it whole.

Someone was waiting for them.

On the surface of the Colony wall, a long, threatening rifle was lowered, vapor trailing from its barrel as its owner, a bright red Arm Slave, raised its head from the sights. The two's "observer" finally made their presence known.

"What a mess."



The Erigor's wrist snapped as it chambered another round, the spent casing spiraling away into the void.

"In the end, that dame jus' couldn't keep it togetha'."

It paused a moment, as if contemplating... and then gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Well. It only takes one... to send a message."

Within the cockpt, the beast-woman, Grete Samassa, gave the two a wolfish grin full of sharpened teeth. She hadn't expected them to notice her... but, hey. That just made things more interesting. Despite the diminutive size of the AS compared to the other two... it practically dripped malice.



"Don'cha think?"

 

[Tackle Jackie]

Makurol didn’t have any time for this bullshit. The Meltrandi immediately just fired a barrage of micro missles from her pack, before shooting off to the side, just making herself the more important target, figuring her partner needed a moment to adjust to the change.

“Oh go shove it!”

 

[Franz_Korderos]

"Ah fuck!" Piper cursed emphatically as her small machine got sucked out into open space despite her efforts. She had done the simulations just in case but a KMF shouldn't be without a flat surface to run its landspinners on.

Then she spotted the foe who made an absolute mess with their contractors and she immediately stiffened. The sharp design, that limber figure ... an Arm Slave.

An Arm Slave of clear AMALGAM designs.

"Makurol be careful." She intoned into their comms before deftly firing a slash harken on the walls, reeling her machine in and headed towards the sniper, landspinners moving in a steady manner, not racing as fast as she could've and approaching in a zig zagging manner. This one looked like a Codarl. It probably had one of those dreadful Lambdas but ... Piper had to make sure.

"Finally showed yourself, huh?!" She screamed to the open comms, raising the Guren's normal left hand and firing her machine cannon at the enemy Arm Slave, angling her approach and subtly preparing for close combat.

 

[Nemesis]

"None too bright, are 'ya?"

A low, grating sigh emitted from the Beastwoman's throat as the two approached, tapering into a threatening growl. The Erigor dropped into a low crouch, eye flickering as its dreaded Lambda Driver came online, cooling fin extending from its back.

"C'mon then... Shine what petty light yer spirits can muster!"

The Arm Slave burst forward, with such immense force that it shattered the chunk of colony wall it had been standing on, the Guren's machinecannon shots splattering in its wake, thrusters blazing with fury far beyond their specifications. One handed, the threatening long rifle was brought down - and fired a flurry of shots. In what must have seemed like something out of a nightmare, the micromissile cluster launched by the Missile pod burst harmlessly into the air, lined up with immaculate precision as the Beast-woman accelerated.

"Can ya' handle THIS?"

A long, curved knife was drawn from the rear skirt armor of the unit - more like a machete in design than anything else. At blinding speed, the Erigor bounced from debris to debris, homing in on its target - the Meltran. With one final burst of assisted speed, it kicked off from a plate of metal - and swiped, bringing the blade out and across at neck level, aiming to split her from her armored pack in one lightning-like strike.

At the same time, with supernatural precision, the rifle was fired once - sending a focused shell hissing through the air, ricocheting off chunks of debris, towards the right flank of the exposed Guren - and augmented with enough force to tear clean through the smaller machine.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

It would have been quite a short story for Mak if this had been where she ended. Decapitated outside of a colony, just left behind from everything else- But that story wouldn’t be fun-

As quick as the AS was, it’s blade met with the top of one of the Super Packs thrusters, catching the edge long enough that her Meltran opponent was able to just open her jets to full throttle. Very quickly swerving back down towards the colony, Mak attempted to scrape her off. And hey, maybe firing off a salvo of bullets into its arm close range would help to knock it loose.

“Great, ah think she’s crazy!”

 

[Franz_Korderos]

There was no time for thought, Piper immediately dodged, the Guren spinning and ducking around to veer away from the attack that she somehow knew was coming. Perhaps it was her finely tuned instincts, perhaps it was the sudden gut feeling, but whatever it was, Piper was briefly thankful for it. However, the Guren didn't come out of the blisteringly fast evasion unscathed, it's machine cannon and most of the upper armor on the red knightmare's normal left arm got pulverized when she spun away.

"Fuck!" Adrenaline was surging through her now as she eyed the Arm Slave with wide eyes.

... then Piper smiled and punched the throttle. Was rushing towards the monster they were facing a bad idea? Oh definitely, but Piper's own hunger for battle was enflamed and this was a foe she has never faced before. The Guren was severely outmatched and the left arm was a bit sluggish but it'll do. She knows it'll do!

"Don't give her time to think, Mak!" She all but screamed into the comms, Slash Harken firing at the ground a few meters away from the Eriror and reeling herself in as the giantess pulled away, fork knife extended to jab at its featureless face as she cocked back the bigger right hand behind her, coiled to strike.

"Let's dance, bitch!"

 

[Nemesis]

The Erigor slowed as it spiraled through the void, coming to a halt atop a piece of debris as Grete surveyed the situation. Almost on instinct, that glint she spied at the corner of her eye was impossible to miss. One hand snapped out-

"Ya' AMATEUR!"

And caught the approaching Harken in its grip, as easily as if it had been a baseball. The Beastwoman gave a vicious grin - and with the full power of the Lambda driver behind her, pulled, grabbing the cabling with both hands as she swung the incoming KMF into Mak's right, setting the two on a collision course. All the while, Mak's gunfire chattered away - and succeeded in ripping at the flank and legs of the AS, its attention too divided to make use of the Driver's defensive barrier.

Regardless of whether her attempted collision would have panned out or not, in retaliation for Mak's successful strike, she only did one thing. The Erigor rose, particles swirling about its feet as it gathered concentric force... and pointed at Mak, finger taking the shape of a gun. Within the cockpit, Grete couldn't hide a grin.

This was her favorite part.

"Bang."​

With terrifying swiftness, the swirling morass of energy glimmered, imploded - and was expelled with the flick of a finger. A bolt of pure, destructive force pulsed out from the Erigor towards Mak, aimed to shatter her chest, rending flesh, bone and steel.

 

[Franz_Korderos]

Back in the academy, Piper has been acknowledged by both peers and teachers to have a frightfully quick reaction time. It was abnormal and unnerving. And it made her a damn good pilot. It has saved her life more times than she could count and it had emboldened her in a way that spelled doom to the foes she faces on the many hidden battlefields of Earth.

This time was no different.

The Guren was a machine who beautifully follows up to Piper's razor quick reactions. As soon as she was thrown with such strength, the knightmare righted itself midair and refired her spooled Slash Harken on the ground. She didn't even register even hitting the command to reel it in, only the violently fast motion that followed and the sudden flare of intense pain that was the result of such a knee-jerk reaction. Yet despite the pain, Piper's focus on the enemy Arm Slave didn't falter.

The Guren's silver arm finally moved. It struck like a coiled snake, extending longer than it should normally look, the first nasty surprise and one of the last things that register for an opponent before almost-certain doom.

Idly, Piper's brain registered the blood on the lower half of her helmet.

But that wasn't important at the moment. No, the big silver hand grabbed a hold of the bigger mobile weapon's wrist. With a terrifying scarlet grin on her bloody lips, she pushed the button and the Radiant Wave Surger activated in a flash of red, seeking the utter destruction of the object it was holding.

 

[Nemesis]

Grete's eyes widened with shock as the Guren careened through the air towards her. Had it not been for her talent the effect of the shock alone on her would have been enough - but instead, she adjusted her aim, swinging her finger through the void in the direction of the advancing crimson menace. There was still time, she thought. They'd misjudged the distance. They'd overestimated their reach-

"Think I don't see- Eh?"

At that moment, however, the claw extended, closing the minute gap between the two of them that remained in what felt like slow motion - and there was only pain.

Brilliant crimson collided with shimmering azure, burning death against flowing focus. Against all possibility, against all odds, energy from the Lambda Driver flaying its far more humble components, the large, spiked claw closed inexorably over Grete's outstretched hand, clamping on it in a death-grip. The radiation waves swelled, bathing the entire area in bright, bloody red. Even in the depths of space, its distinctive pattern was as terrifying as it was awe inspiring to behold, one of the most powerful weapons ever mounted to a KMF brought ferociously to bear in an act of insane heroism.

Within the Eregor's cockpit, Grete watched in awed fascination as the affected arm began to swell up like a balloon, the microwaves surging up through it. Every panel was red, every system going haywire-

And made the only play she could.

The Eregor's other arm, still gripping its knife, flashed-



A blast of energy pulsed out from between the two combatants as the contained energy was released. A kaleidoscopic explosion that swallowed the two, blinding in its intensity. The seconds ticked by... until a shape drifted forth.

The Guren, tumbling back into the waiting arms of Mak - blackened, charred, and minus an arm... but through some act of God, with its cockpit block intact. Somehow, they'd survived.

As the explosion petered out, and the distant telltale winks of approaching vessels started to come into view... a piece of debris remained: a mangled, crimson limb... severed, expertly, at the bicep in one clean slice, the rest of it melted into little more than liquid. At length, the radio crackled to life - and a familiar voice spoke, as though through gritted teeth.

"Think yer' clever, do ya'?"

The outlaw didn't wait for a response before continuing, voice containing traces of a low, threatening growl.

"You'll regret makin' an enemy of Grete Samassa, rose-ears. Watch yer backs."

With a mechanical click, the transmission ended. Just in time, the friendly, familiar shape of the Nadesico and its escorts came into view, the bridge doubtlessly full of worried concern for Mak.

The scarlet terror had been repulsed. Only time would tell if she would keep her word...

 

[Nemesis]

Later...
L1 Colony Clockflower Slums



In a small, ratty hotel room in the seediest corner of the colony, Grete Samassa quietly closed the door behind her. She could feel the cold sweat perspiring on her forehead, the fatigue in her muscles. Every step from her hiding place to here had been a struggle to stay upright - but that was how it was in the world. You could never let them see you sweat.

"...Augh."

She let out a low groan as her black leather coat was sloughed off and tossed onto a creaking, cracked desk. Despite it being in the middle of the Colony's simulated winter, the heat felt unbearable, and she sank down to the bed with a sigh. She couldn't sleep just yet, however-

Her fingers worked under her top, slipping it off over her head, exposing her bare shoulders to the cold. Taking a small, compact mirror, she turned it behind her back, over her shoulder.

Spreading across the middle of her back, like a pair of claws etched into her flesh, were thin, glowing lines. Like a mad body-modification artist's idea of skeletal wings, that pulsated in the dark with a dull light. She studied them for a moment, solemnly. They'd grown again... not by much, but enough. With a sigh, she sunk back onto the bed... and stared at the ceiling, her thoughts swirling with anxiety.

Would there ever be any release from this Hell, she wondered?

Brrrr.

The generic ringtone of her burner phone snapped her out of her stupor. Without even thinking, she brought it to her ear, pressed accept... and waited.

"Guess who?" Said a baritone and familiar voice, full of the richness of self confidence.

"...I don' have anythin to say to ya', fuckin' egoist prick."

She exhaled slowly. As if this day couldn't possibly get any worse. The man on the other end just laughed.

"You sound distressed Grete. Did I call at a bad time?"

"Y've never called at a good one. Come to gloat?"

"I'd never kick a woman while she's down."

"Had your fill, y'mean?"

She rolled onto her side, hoping to make this as quick as possible as he just laughed again, as if it all just rolled off him.

"I'm the only one who still talks to you, Grete. A little gratitude would be nice?"

"Shove it up yer ass. Y'call this a favor? You and yer' pack o' psychopaths stay out of my life.

...Jes' say what you want. Get it over with."

"I felt you struggling earlier. Admittedly, that's only natural for a failure like you but... I just couldn't help but know."

There was a long, weary pause. There was the easy way, Grete knew... and the hard way. They would know soon, one way or the other... and she wasn't in the mood to entertain a visit from the others.

"A Nergal Industries ship. It's headin' up ta' yer' neck of the woods, in fact. Do what y'want with it."

There was a burst of ecstatic laughter - and she lifted the phone from her features, as if afraid she might be deafened,

"Exciting! I have to get ready, then... You know what they say about first impressions. I just hope they last longer than the weaklings left crawling around here. It's been a long time since I've had a good challenge..."

"Whatever. We're done, ya?"

"Oh, Grete." Sighed the man; "You're like... a one-off, villainous beauty, who sacrifices herself for the love of the Hero. You'll always be nothing but a second stringer, a novelty act at best, but would an ending like that be so bad? For sure better than what you've got co-"

*CRACK*

The phone shattered against the wall, the sheer force at which it was thrown causing it to splinter into a million pieces. A dog began barking nearby, and the muffled grumbles of neighbors. Grete stared at the pieces, as though afraid they might reassemble themselves... and then, silently, lay down to fall into an uneasy slumber, and troubled dreams...