Purigare (Sess, MK)

[Nemesis]

December 25th, 2880
Whale King Hangar, Orphan Airspace
7: 28 AM

"Doctor Crane."

The voice made Albertine Crane paused in her scribbling as she glanced up.

It was a sunny, beautiful morning. The seagulls croaked and cawed, and the inside of the Whale King's' mouth was busy with activity as supplies were passed along from Orphan's inner team, to the outsiders. Several ATs stood guard, their right shoulders painted a bright red - a new addition, it seemed, to the ever-growing contingent of mercenaries from the lost continent. With the Princess gone, the attitudes of the Britannians and Reclaimers alike had relaxed, and jovial laughter filtered up to the good Doctor from where she observed among the railings.

Baron Corvo stepped out of the shadows, the pseudo-organic armor plating that covered her body gleaming in the light.

"Oh." Said Crane, eyebrows raising in exaggerated surprise as she folded her tablet under her arm.

"I was hardly expecting a visit from Orphan's mouthpiece-"

"Please."

Corvo raised a hand as she interrupted, shaking her head.

"Spare me the pretense. I am fully aware of your intentions."

Crane paused, feeling her breathing unexpectedly stop as her grip tightened on the tablet. How? Her own study of Organic Energy, while far from perfect, was still thorough. There ought to have been no way for there to be some kind of leak. As if reading her thoughts, the Baron chuckled. It was an eerie noise through the filter, flecked with screeching static.

"I have no intention of stopping you. If anything... I would like to offer my assistance. We have a shared goal, you and I."

"We... do?"

The hesitation in the Doctor's voice was apparent. Sometimes things were, after all, too good to be true. Corvo leaned in close, her voice low as she raised a hand beneath Crane's chin.

"I ask for only one thing..."

---

December 26th, 2880
Orphan Airspace
8:02 AM

A day of celebration was in order for the Britannian convoy as it made its way across the water, back towards the newest addition to their country - Area 12. The peaks of Orphan were now visible above the water on either side - a pair of golden mountains peeking from the depths of the churning ocean below. With each passing day, the seismic activity in the world grew ever more volatile - and it wouldn't be long now, according to Dr. Clint's calculations, before Orphan had emerged fully into view.

It was a majestic sight. The thought of the great Britannian Empire stretching its reach all the way to distant stars was something that had eluded them, but those days would soon be over...

And a new era would begin.

 

[MKR]

Royal Family owned Caerleon-class Floating Battleship, Hadrian's Wall

Louise looked at the new mountain range, formed above water where previously it lay below. She had left hopeful, gotten those same hopes dashed in the days gone and now had them replenished. The reason for doing so was in the hangar behind her, at least several of them were. Britannian Gran Chers, proper Britannian Gran Chers in both nature and behavior. They would bridge the gap that remained and she sighed in relief. For herself she had seen how quickly a Gran Cher would learn, she had experienced that after all and perhaps now Orphan would through them understand as well.

This was more than a language barrier, but it was not just trying to understand an animal that much was clear. It was indeed the dawn of a new era, one of understanding. She gestured to the captain at the helm to open communications, she would hail their arrival herself.
"This is Viceroy Louise li Britannia, requesting clearance for landing. Arriving with supplies from the mainland."

 

[Nemesis]

"Welcome back, your Highness."

The voice rang out as soon as it appeared.

The white and green Antibody blurred into existence, Vital Jump rings spreading out from its body in a rainbow of colors and patterns. The Baronz loomed over the convor, having moved directly into its path. Within the cockpit, Baron Corvo's hands were folded over her knees. She let the sensation of the energy flowing through the Antibody take her in its grip, adjusting her breathing to match its anticipation... and, placing a hand on the living cockpit's wall, issued a quiet request for calm.

"Please halt your approach. There has been... an incident." Said the Baron, somberly.

"Doctor Clint is dead."

---

December 25th, 2880
Monitoring Lab
10:00 PM

"What is going on...?"

Dr. Clint sighed, and sunk down into his chair as he massaged his temples as he looked over his instruments. Behind him, the "veins" of Orphan pulsed away, Organic Energy flowing though the vessel's body. He eyed them wearily, the colors that danced across them inscrutable to all but the most well-connected of the Reclaimers. Those who could feel Orphan's very pulse, should they merely close their eyes.

Part of him wondered if his equipment was malfunctioning. If it had been tampered with since he was away. Yet, since his return, he'd recorded days of elevated stress in Orphan. Even the Gran Cher were feeling it, staying rigid and immovable on their posts... as though on guard, suddenly in a state of heightened awareness. They watched everyone, now. Their gaze reminded him of... the Baronz.

That monster in their midst, which even the other Antibodies seemed to fear.

He took a swig of the last of his coffee, and leaned over the panel once more. It was going to be a long night, he just knew-

Movement. Out of the corner of his eye, something flashed in the dark under the dim lights. Had he only been younger. Had he only taken his own health more seriously, perhaps he would have noticed sooner. Perhaps he could have done something.

But Dr. Clint was no soldier.

Colt metal plunged itself into his throat, and an arm as immovable as a steel bar closed about his neck, dragging him back off his chair to the floor below. He couldn't even cry out. How? He desperately thought as he fought to breathe, fought to live - How could this be happening?

Over him, a group of black-clad men, all in full military gear, watched as the last of the life left his eyes... and then let his body drop to the floor, limply. The last thing he ever took note of was the red ribbons tied around their shoulders, as bright and sharp as the fluid that spilled from his mouth.

---

"Orphan is highly unstable at present."

Below, the form of a pair of enormous vessels emerged from the depths. Their shape was instantly discernible - those of the Australian mercenaries who colluded with Orphan, the massive Zoid-ships - Whale Kings. Water poured off their forms as they rose slowly into the air, one on either side of the Baronz, their noses pointed towards the Princess's flagship.

"There are traitors in our midst. Those that threaten the mission of the Reclaimers. Some may even be among your crew."

The Baronz gestured to the enormous Zoids, before the Baron continued, dryly.

"As a precaution, for your Highnesss' safety... I ask that you, and your escorts, disarm and disembark at the Whale Kings for an inspection."

 

[MKR]

The Princess sunk in her seat, her hand falling onto her forehead as she heard the news. Yet, a worry lingered amidst it all. Why hadn't Sir Glen or Sir Cyrus responded. The captain standing besides her raised an eyebrow however. The request to disarm he found peculiar and was something he intended to voice towards the Princess, however she spoke up first.

Louise inhaled, adjusting herself while fear slipped into her mind the time to panic was not now, she needed to remain composed and cautious both, the sight in front of her was unusual to say the least for all the people to reach out to her, this was nearly the last one she expected.
"That's terrible... Can you tell me what happened? What happened to Orphan and those within? The citizens, knights and Chers are they safe?" There was a short pause, a breath "And what of Dahlia?"

She gestured to kill the mic in response. Taking another breath to keep herself in check.
"This is Baron Corvo, the voice of Orphan." She informed the man besides her "Whatever matter is going on is serious of that I have no doubt. Have the escorts wait but not dock. The Whale Kings' denizens have not been as hospitable as their peers and have in large part refused to become honorary citizens without the Reclaimers there to counterbalance them I doubt the arrival there will be pleasant."

There was also the knowledge that plagued her, the one responsible behind the attack on the capital had been one of her citizens living on the Whale Kings, and while he may have acted without the assistance of the rest there, that was no guarantee. Some caution was still however advised. The ships slowed down, lazily floating in formation but not approaching yet. They were heeding the warning but not the command.

 

[Nemesis]

"The situation is being handled, by myself and Doctor Crane."

The Baronz remained immovable. As though it were imposing itself as a barrier between the Whale King, and the Britannians. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two groups of vessels, as if making some silent estimation.

But, at the mention of Dahlia... the Baron fell into a curious silence. As if... pausing to collect herself.

---

December 25th, 2880
Crew Quarters
10:00 PM

"Another Christmas, come and gone."

Dahlia Lycoris lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling of her modest quarters as the fan slowly turned. Some never got used to the breathing of Orphan around them, never able to fully shake the sense that they were dwelling within the innards of some great beast... but to her, it was the most soothing and relaxing sensation of all. Even if recently, she could sense the strain, the tension in Orphan... it was still home.

There was a red bag on her bedside table, and she let her eyes drift to it. Her fingers played about the hem of her shirt - and she let Magnolia drop into her open, waiting hands, running a finger down the little thing's back.

"I hope the Princess is alright." She said, into the quiet gloom.

How long had it been since she'd given a gift? A long, long time. They weren't even happy occasions in her own home. But now, the Britannians had brought their traditions with them, and all of Orphan was celebrating. She looked inquisitively at Magnolia, asking:

"What about you? Do you miss your family?"

Suddenly, a sharp crack in the distance made her jump, closing her hands protectively around her pet as she did so. A sound that was all too familiar, that she'd heard often in her nightmares:

Gunshots.

Barely daring to breathe, Dahlia dropped low, and tip-toed towards the door. She pressed her ear against its cold surface first... and then, hearing only dull thuds, slipped it gently aside.

Outside, there was a low groan of pain down the hall. A man in a Britannian uniform, clutching his stomach as he tried to crawl forward, only partially in view. Before she could even respond, a black boot emerged from around the corner, pressing itself firmly onto his throat, as a long, silenced barrel was pressed against his head.

There was a dull thump, and the whistle of a round exiting the chamber as Dahlia averted her gaze. She scrambled back against the corner of her doorframe, her heart beating louder and louder in her chest, as the footsteps grew closer... and closer...

"Oh, God..."​

---

"...Dahlia is safe, I understand." Said the Baron, finally.

"For the time being. The investigation is still... ongoing."

The Baronz's fins flicked irritably in the wind, as though it were full of anxious energy. Whether it was reflecting the will of its masked pilot was uncertain as she continued, a twinge of remorse in her voice.

"There are unpleasant duties that come with parenthood. Some day, you'll understand.

I will ask that you not delay any further... Your highness. Time is of the essence."

 

[MKR]

She wanted to be relieved, but everything around that message. Everything said that was not those three words confirming the safety of her teacher, her citizen, her friend... Everything else reeked and she was not the only one with a nose as the delays with which the Baron spoke got the attention of the Captain.
"Your highness.." He spoke, she simply gave a solemn nod in return as a tear welled in her eye. Doctor Crane was the leader of those within the Killer Whales, the signs were clear as day to her.

"Baron Corvo... I understand." her voice was solemn, calm.
She rose from her seat, looking backwards as the captain passed by her to sit down. This, what she saw and heard, was not the will of Orphan if that had been the case they would have been swarmed with the Gran Chers by now. It was instead the decision of a mother.
"Children... should listen to their parents."
Those were the words said that day.

"And I do not doubt that there are, yet it is the hypocrisy with which parents decide their duties which vexes me. A father giving his nation, whom he considers his children his equal love yet can find no time or words for his flesh and blood. A mother who shelters her child leaves her all too suddenly... A mother who seeks for others to carve their own path through life, but has decided for her child." a sigh came over the radio.

"I understand all too well that parents torment themselves the most."
Her gaze rested on the yellow Gran Cher, now rising from its kneeling position.
"That that is how they justify their deeds. And the pain they inflict on their child."

The tear fell from her cheek as she moved towards the hangar.
"That is how they decide an outcome is inevitable, or impossible. How they decide that children should simply follow their will and be silent."
She turned with a flourish, the Fluid Suit under her cloak becoming visible as she did so.

"I reject it!"

If anything, listening to her father and nephew had yielded something today.
The minor speech nearly concluded her eyes passed over the crew, hopefully this display bought enough time for them to ready everything because what was coming next was likely going to hurt.

"After all, you had already decided who the traitors were before we ever met, hadn't you."

 

[Nemesis]

Perhaps it was something in Louise's words that stirred the Baron's heart. The tiniest trickle of a tear at the corner of her eye, as they closed behind the mask. She'd done all she could. There was always a moment, when the little bird left the nest. Where they decided to walk their own path. Perhaps this was hers? Despite herself, she managed a chuckle.

(You've grown, Princess. I'm proud. As your parents would be.)

However, before she could respond - a new voice crackled to life over the comms. One that was thick with contempt, and eager for slaughter.

"You're wasting your breath Baron."

Contacts flared to life on the Britannian vessel's radar, over a dozen strong, surging up from below. Wriggling, lizard-like bodies began to burst from the water below, snaking along the surface, twelve Heldigunner Zoids gnashing and thrashing along the tides, forming a loose circle about the Britannian vessel.

The mouths of the Whale Kings yawned open - and the first to sally forth was, of course, the leader of the pack. A brilliant silver and blue Zoid in the shape of a bow, with a sleek, pointed head and glowing red eyes, the Bio Ptera glared with undying hatred upon the forces of imperialism as it stretched its wings, already beginning to accelerate towards its targets.

Within the dingy cockpit, Doctor Crane smiled, adjusting the gloves on her suit. Several tubes connected her to the Bio Zoid, enslaving it to her will - and she wouldn't have had it any other way as she responded to the two:

"We don't negotiate with tyrants. We kill them."​

In moments, the skies would be full of accompanying Bio Raptor Guis - the Australians' Zoid of choice for dominance over the open seas. Louise had likely seen their kind at work before - how they relentlessly and mercilessly pulled apart their prey, letting the biomechanical organisms eat their fill with impunity before granting the mercy of death. Even if the charade was now lifted, that did little to alleviate the seriousness of their predicament.

However, even as the net began to tighten-

BANG!​

An explosion below caught the Baron's attention as the Baronz floated back. A jet of flame that erupted from one of the points of Orphan, sticking out from the sea. Slowly, reluctantly, a small hole opened on one of them - and a gout of smoke emerged, followed shortly by the screeching of tires - or rather, landspinners.

"Princess! PRINCEEEEESSS!"​

A Sutherland - its form pockmarked with bullets and sparking, burst into view, one arm dangling limply at its side, the other clutching a submachinegun. The voice on the radio could be no other:

Dahlia Lycoris heaved in the cockpit, her eyes wide and wild, every part of her body screaming at her for rest. But she couldn't stop. Couldn't wait. For Britannia. For Princess Louise. She had to survive. Had to persevere, no matter the cost. The purple KMF waved frantically to the fleet, Dahlia screaming at the top of her lungs:

"RUN! Get away! They're killing everyone!"​

 

[MKR]

"Captain, I leave the battle in your care!" Louise exclaimed as she rushed to the hangar, of all the battles to fight this was not one she had ever hoped she would. Yet all the same there was no going back, if they turned around they would forfeit Orphan to the remains of the terrorists and forfeit their people. Both were things she could not abide by.

"Gran Chers, Orphan needs you!" She declared, the Antibodies in the hangar rising to her call, and following her yellow unit to the large stretch reaching out from the Caerleon. The yellow Gran Cher shot out of the hangar, followed by eight of its peers equal in design and décor. The Britannian crest proudly on their chests as they followed their leader.

As she charged to meet their adversaries head on suddenly an extra voice called out, a very familiar one even if the source it came from was not one usually associated with it.
"Dahlia! Thank goodness." Louise called out only to immediately respond to the warning that came after "No! I am not leaving you, not leaving Orphan or those that placed their faith in me and Britannia behind!" The yellow Gran Cher pointed at a pair of its retinue and then at Dahlia, the directions were clear and wordlessly they took off. If so permitted using the Viral Net to appear before her instantly, regardless upon the arrival of one it would offer the seat within to the woman with the second one acting as guard.

In the meanwhile the rest formed up behind the princess, she herself drawing the blade that she had only sparsely used. Aiming at the Bio Ptera and then, firing.
Her remaining guard would do much the same motion wise, but lacked the human touch. Still, their fire filled the air.

And behind her, a projectile fired upwards. An angel of red painted in the sky visible far from here as their comms cried S.O.S. They were far from the nearest base but who knew how nearby a patrol could be, still that was a source of hope. Royalty under fire tended to motivate even those opposed to helping those 'beneath' themselves.

The three ships behind her angled their two downwards Aerial Cannons at the surfaced Zoids, beginning to pelt them with the rounds within.
"We'll make it through, we'll have to."

 

[Hitura Rael]

Raldon sat upon the serene sands of Hawaii with little care in the world. The past few months he had settled into a peaceful and near solitary routine. First order of business was breakfast, always. Fish were easy enough to catch. Add in some foraged native plants and it was good enough to tide him over to dinner. Between breakfast and dinner, he and RahXephon would venture out into the ocean and visit the Giant Crab he had decided to call Bobby. It had always been so nervous and lonely; just like him. Every day, they would visit Bobby and both get some sense of peace and company for a time.

Rah sat upon the sand as always, watching out over the ocean like a dutiful guardian. The white angle shifted in the sand, and suddenly She was there. Raldon looked up from his fishing into the girl's face. He studied her for a moment, and noted the distress in her expression. He pulled his line in and stabbed the wooden pole into the sand, careful to tie the hook up and prevent it from getting caught into his foot. A short hop and he was on his feet, dusting sand from his britches, and on his way to the Rah.

The normally serene trip through the placid waters of the ocean had new meaning today. Something was wrong, there was no time for leisure and sight seeing. Rah pushed through the water, heading for Bobby's last known location. Soon, the creature did come into view, slowly rising from the water. Above, a second sun burned in the sky, rippled by the shifting waves. Raldon could feel Bobby's distress, an oppressive air bordering panic. Rah approached the creature and placed a hand, singing a soothing song, communicating with the crab, seeking out the source of it's pain and distress.

 

[Nemesis]

The tranquil song of Xephon pulsated through Orphan's body. It sang back to its savior, in lows and highs, a symphony of solitude, a dirge of solemnity. Within the shell's confines, the battling parties began to slow. ATs and KMFs alike becoming... sluggish in their movements, as though their will to fight itself was being drained. Those locked in mortal combat, both Britannian and Rebel... slowed in their struggles, and felt nothing but deep shame gripping their hearts.

And yet, this intervention did not come with a price.

Gathering in the distance, amidst the clouds, a form was beginning to take shape.

"It's begun."​

Elen opened her eyes.

Her fingers grasped the command staff. The symbol of authority among Mulians that the Allmother had granted her. She would bring Raldon home. There was not a hint of doubt in her mind. This she would accomplish, no matter what. No price was too high to pay for their future together!

"Go, Forzando!" She whispered, brandishing the staff before her.

"Crush RahXephon, and bring Raldon home!"

The Dolem of the clouds groaned its assent. It would be her sword, her shield - and together, they would return Raldon to his rightful place at her side.

---

However, to those on the battlefield, the distant gathering clouds were little more than a distraction. Louise's honor guard scythed into the ranks of the Zoids, cutting down those who dared stray in reach of their Sword Extensions, a testament to the rigors of Britannian training. Yet, the Australians were far from deterred. As the Bio Raptor Guis began to emerge, the Gran Chers were peppered with a barrage of Hellfire blasts, over a dozen in number, as the Bio-Ptera responded to their assault by climbing into the stratosphere at breakneck speed.

"You think you can challenge my Zoid?" Said Dr. Crane, contemptuously.

"You're out of your league!"

As the silver and blue Zoid arced back into view, it released twin crescent-shaped blasts from its mouth, each aimed to cleave one of the offending Gran Cher in two. It was aided in this effort by the dozen Heldgunners below, which began to rain fire upon the Britannian vessels undetered, their laser cannons blistering bright in the mid-day sun as they sought to bring Louise's flagship to joining them in the depths.

Dahlia, for her part, trundled her damaged Sutherland gratefully onto the outstretched hand of the Gran Cher. The normally chatty girl was now solemnly quiet - or, perhaps, fighting just to stay awake after almost a continuous day of battle.

As promised, the Bio Raptor Guis from the Whale Kings emerged, falling into rank alongside the Bio-Ptera. Blasts of Hellfire from their mouths were directed towards the Antibodies, as they too began to organize, preparing for the bombing runs that would certain spell their foes' doom...

Enemy Composition:
12x Heldigunner
10x Bio Raptor Gui
1x Bio Pterea

Friendly NPC:
Sutherland (Dahlia)

Mulian NPC:
Forzando

 

[MKR]

On the bridge of the Hadrian's Wall one of the crew called out.
"Sir, an unknown appeared besides Orphan. Its massive!"

The thing appearing from the waves like a breaching whale, its intentions unknown. Another of Orphan's Protectors? Surely they would know about those by now, perhaps a guardian angel sent to them by the grace of God to save Britannia in its hour of need, it was difficult to tell and assuming may bring woe upon them only one option really remained.
"This is captain Dorsely of the Britannian Airforce, unidentified Giant do you copy?"

In the meanwhile the remaining three guns that could only fire in the air aimed at the Raptor Guis filling the air with rounds more physical then the beams fired by the Antibodies. Nine Single-barrelled Aerial Cannons fired their rhythmic beats of retaliation in the sky, six more fired downwards at the sea. Each and every single one manned by gunners aiming to take Zoids out of the fight with every shot.
"Activate the Blaze Luminous!" Beneath the Hadrian's Wall, a sight unexpected occurred. It was like a shower of emeralds floating in place as the laser cannons struck the shielding. Reflecting of the glorious green light as ruby shapes like a phalanx protected the ship.

Louise herself grit her teeth as the Pterea flew at her. Following the Vital net she moved upwards in an instantaneous motion, it was much much easier here then in the Burn besides Garlemald, that battle having prepared her well to use the transportation method available only to Antibodies. She felt her heart beat furiously, woefully underprepared to fight for her life yet she would.
The blade aimed forwards as Doctor Crane's zoid flew near, in this she saw echoes of the monstrous beast fought in those wastes.

And she blinked forwards, reverberations going through the air as she blinked again. Intending to appear right besides the second ringleader and thrust its blade straight into the lengthy neck of the airborne zoid. Maybe she was out of her league, maybe she was outmatched. She cared little. The honor guard behind her fanned outwards, one getting struck by Crane's attack as it plummeted downwards. The rest beginning to contest with the swarm of lesser zoids. Aided by the fire of the Britannian fleet.

Before Dahlia's eyes the Britannian crest on the Gran Cher loomed over the opening Gran Cher, revealing the entrance to the cockpit within. While it was not her own Gran Cher the signal given was clear, she would be the first Reclaimer who would get to pilot these new Gran Chers, Britannia's symbol proudly placed on their chest. The cockpit within was much as she knew, more modern but clearly the Reclaimer's choices for how to do interior decoration on a Gran Cher had been taken into account.
As she entered however the crest of the Britannian Military flashed over the screen before the seat, before giving way to a visual feed.

The first battle on, or above, Area 12 soil. Regardless of the outcome this would be in the history books, not that that was on the mind of those present as some fought for the nation, others for the princess on the front lines and others still for Orphan. If life had an orchestra this would be where they began their tune... Wait, why was there faint music.

 

[Hitura Rael]

And shame those combatants should feel. How couldn't they see they were hurting the very creature they resided in? Rah pressed it's head against the shell of Orphan, comforting the creature and quelling those inside. They would be fine for now, hopefully, and leave if they wished to continue whatever petty squabble was going on. Or perhaps Bobby would take care of the combatants themselves. But from what Rah could filter from Bobby's serenade, the fighting still raged above the surface. At least THOSE ones were considerate of Bobby. But still they were distressing the creature, and that was not something he would tolerate. "Don't worry," Raldon spoke quietly to Orphan, "I'll get them to stop. It'll be okay."

Rah's song tapered off, leaving the combatants with their shame and guilt, and made it's way toward the surface. It broke through the water in a shower of froth and foam. The white angel ascended to stand between the warring sides; a new Aria spread across the field voicing the displeasure of the pair. Rah avoided the bombardment aimed at the ships, the white giant's eyes flashed red. "I copy," Raldon responded in cold tones, "How dare you, all of you! Don't you feel the stress you're putting on Bobby? You idiots are fighting INSIDE them! You're HURTING them! You should all be ashamed of yourselves!"

A sense of familiarity washed over him. It felt like...home. His body tensed at the sensation. He would have to de-escalate the situation quickly, before whatever it was descended upon him. He could slip away under the waves again...

 

[Nemesis]

Dahlia gratefully scrambled into the cockpit of the Gran Cher, grasped the controls... and the Antibody went rigid. It hung in the air, utterly motionless, as though her mere touch alone had paralyzed it. Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead.

Just like with her own.

"What's wrong...?" She said, placing her hands on the open ports, feeling the flesh beneath as she closed her eyes, trying with all her might to feel, to sense the living creature that was the Antibody.

"Why won't you move for me?"

"Dahlia."

The voice made her leap in her seat, head jerking up as the Baronz materialized, looming over the Britannian Gran Cher. The cockpit opened... and the Baron stepped out, arms folded, gazing down at her with an aura of utter contempt. Ever since the strange woman had come to Orphan, nothing had been the same. Was all of this her doing?

"You haven't figured it out yet?" - The Baron shook her head, as if disappointed.

"The source of the poison spreading through Orphan's body... It was you."

Dahlia's mouth opened... but the words in her throat died, as her stomach sunk. Was that why she felt so... strange? Why none of the Gran Cher would speak with her? All of this... was because of her? How? Why? A thousand questions bubbled to the surface, and she managed to gasp:

"Me...? A traitor to Orphan...?"

"And like all cancers... You have been cut out."

The world was spinning. Everything. She'd given everything to Orphan. To the Reclaimers. And she was a traitor? Because... why? Because... of Britannia? This couldn't be happening. All of it was just a bad dream. It had to be. It needed to be. Without it, she was lost. Orphan... Orphan would never abandon her!

So alone with her grief was Dahlia that she didn't even see the Baronz' fins raise in time with the Baron's own hand, points curling inward like a silvery claw. Only at the last second did she finally cry out in terror:

"No...! NO! BARON-!"

The Baronz's fin stabbed through the chest of the Britannian Gran Cher - and in a horrible motion that was not unlike the shelling of a lobster, flexed - and sheared it apart from within, sending its parts tumbling into the ocean below in a spray of artificial blood and bio-mechanical flesh.

 

[Nemesis]

Chaos.

The skies over Orphan were filled with explosions, shrapnel and gunfire as the main guns from the Britannian warships blasted Bio-Raptors out of the skies in clumps, sending them to their deaths in the raging waters below. Three of the Heldigunners were too slow to avoid retaliatory fire, or were crushed under their falling comrades, sending up a cascade of explosions from the sea. Nevertheless, the remaining nine intensified their fire at the underbelly of the Britannian vessels, tearing at the shields with a sustained battery of AA beams that pounded away, not yet willing to give up the fight.

Overhead, Guis began their bombing runs, the explosives dropping from their wings towards the Britannian airships, over a dozen dropping through the air with their distinctive whistle - aimed to pulverize the foe from above, as well as below. For now, they seemed to be ignoring the Britannian Gran Chers, which instead were treated to a barrage of cannnonfire from the Whale Kings, all of their 720mm guns blazing to life as they began to target the antibodies with a withering hail of firepower, the likes of which even their Chakra Fields would be hard pressed to stop.



The Bio Ptera closed in on Louise, strike claws gleaming - but banked away at the last moment as the Gran Cher blinked forward, Louise's Sword Extension tearing a gash on its underside as the Bio Zoid peeled away, beating its wings, little more than a subsonic blue blur.

"Not bad, blue-blooded brat!" Said Crane, fingers already working the controls to bring the Zoid around for another try. But-

Something caught Crane's eye. Looming... out of the clouds. Impossibly, impossibly huge. What... in the world was that?

Instinct took over, and the Bio Ptera barely managed to swerve before slamming into the side of what she could only describe as a massive... statue?

---

An eerie sound began to fill the battlefield. Like the distant, sorrowful song of a long-lost world. A woman's voice, in a rich, deep tenor, echoing through the minds of all that heard it.

Even those battling within the depths of Orphan paused, unsettled at the sound of it... calling, in response to the Xephon. Challenging it.

The stone-hewn body of the Dolem, Forzando, loomed out of the clouds like a mountain, two long, pillar like legs stretching down in the sea below, where they terminated in tiny points that could never have supported the titan above, its armless torso balanced between two broad shoulders. A pale, painted face looked impassively down at the battlefield before it, like a God watching mortals at play.

For a moment, it remained still. Watching, or perhaps, adjusting itself after being inert for so many hundreds of years. Then, there was a glint of light at the tip of its forehead, where a smaller, almost seraphic figure of gleaming gold protruded immaculately, arms spread wide at its side, as though it sought to take flight from the ugliness that followed in its wake.



Boom.

A spark - a beam, razor-thin, swept through the two forces clashing in the center of the battlefield... and sent up a riproaring cascade of explosions in its wake, the Mulian monstrosity already intent on carving a path towards its target: the Xephon.

Yet it was not alone. Among its peers, the Forzando was renown for one thing in particular - and it was this quality that had made it Elen's first choice. From the Dolem's underside, on the hole-riddled, bulbous areas on either side - a figure dropped out into the sky. Then two. Then three.



Dozens of Dotems, small, clay autonomous fighters, began to swarm towards the battlefield, forming a defensive screen between Forzando and the humans. On the Dolem's shoulder, Elen gestured ahead with her staff, commanding them:

"Find the Xephon. Destroy anything that gets in your way."

She narrowed her eyes at the battlefield below. What foolishness! Humanity hadn't changed at all. Whether it a million years, or a hundred million... They would always be killing each other over nothing. How could Raldon possibly choose them, over the enlightened Mu? Perhaps, she thought, a demonstration was in order of their power...

Enemy Composition:
9x Heldigunner
6x Bio Raptor Gui
1x Bio Pterea

Mulian NPC:
Forzando
100+ x Dotem

 

[MKR]

"Damage to the starboard captain!" A cry came within the Hadrian's wall as the bombing runs began. "Bogies are above and below and- WHAT THE HELL."
Visual feed confirmed the impossible, the face of the... thing.. looming over them all its dirge resonating not through the air but through thoughts. The sight wasn't real right? Some illusion conjured by the battle, a fata morgana reflected off the angelic giant?

But no they all saw the same sight, the thing no amount of military training could prepare you for.
And then it attacked, ripping through the air was an array of explosions, crew and passengers both clinging on to whatever they could as the three ships were sent sailing through the air by the shockwaves. But that was not all, it released a swarm of something. Had they been the size of a fist there would be little cause for additional concern but these things were as big, no! Bigger than an Antibody.

"Your highness!" Captain Dorsely called out, Louise for her part had been stunned into silence, the Bio Pterea fleeing from her 'grasp' though that term was loose. Fear gripped her for multiple reasons as her Gran Cher pulled her attention at the sight below, the Britannian Gran Cher torn asunder by the Baronz and the small figure of Dahlia plummeting. The Dark Dirge in the back of her mind only adding to the anxiety she felt.

"Your highness we need to retreat!" the captain called over friendly comms. "We can't fight that. Not like this."
Truth, like a brick thrown at high velocity at one's abdomen, hurt like hell. She wanted to reject it, say that they couldn't just leave. But unless Orphan fought against the intruder the military mismatch was more than apparent.

Still- still there was something she could do. Her promise, she would not break her promise. Her yellow Gran Cher dashed downwards, blinking out of existence for moments as it raced down to the Baronz. Stretching its arm out, not to maim but to save. Before Dahlia could impact the waves she appeared beneath, the yellow Gran Cher catching one of its tutors.
"Everyone-" She called over the comms as she looked at Dahlia for a moment before directing her gaze upwards at the Baronz looming overhead whatever the Baron spoke of prior she didn't understand but that was the least of the worries right now "Everyone within Orphan and outside, this is Louise li Britannia. All those who wish to evacuate head to the outside of Orphan, Gran Chers will receive you and bring you to safety."

"Baron Corvo." She solemnly spoke her own eyes returning to Dahlia, a pit formed in her stomach as a horror set in. This wasn't the end right? Yet how could it continue? Her hopes, shattering like glass as she held onto the one who could have, would have, been the perfect example of what they should strive for in her own sense. "Whatever this was about, regardless of its cause, I hope... This has been enough for you."

As she spoke the ships turned, heading to the nearest landmass, in this case Area 10's south. From that same direction had come an answer to their cries for help, the 7th Contingent of the Britannian Navy was heading their way. It was not going to be the fastest meet up but all the same, it was what they had.
The Britannian Gran Chers that had survived the assault would arrive around them, vulnerable to an attack should the Baron decide to act upon it as Louise Gran Cher moved backwards. Back to the ships, cautious of the Baronz and the humanoid blimp both.

 

[Hitura Rael]

Like so many on the battlefield, Raldon's attention was drawn to the gargantuan thing that had appeared from the clouds. His stomach sank at the sight of the titan. Rah was among the largest things in this fight, and that mountain dwarfed them all... And he knew it was his fault. The design brought to mind those ugly little figurines his mother collected, all around the living room. She had scolded him fiercely when he had almost broken one playing with it as a small child.

Whatever it was, it was sent after him and attacked indiscriminately. His presence here endangered Bobby and the idiots stressing the crab out. Even if he fled now, it might just attack anything and everything in the area out of spite. Steel resolve flowed through him. It was his mess now, and he would deal with it; to protect those he had put in danger... to protect Bobby!

"If you want to retreat, do so," Raldon broadcast to both sides," Rah's charge did not falter, even as the Dotem dropped from it's underside and moved into a defensive position. Raldon swallowed hard, not too enthused about this, but... Those smaller units... he was sure they wouldn't last long against the swarm. If you can guide Bob- the crab out of here... please get them far away from here."

The wall of clay dolls came up fast. Rah slammed a fist through the first in line, but did not stop. Stopping meant the swarm would descend upon him. He'd seen swarms of ants do terrible things to things multiple times their size. A swarm was one of the most dangerous things in nature. His only hope was to go straight at the mountain spawning them, stem the flow somehow, and then focus down the numbers.

 

[Nemesis]

"Just as expected."

Elen tapped the staff against her open palm. Seeing the Xephon once more was... breathtaking, to say the least, but she didn't falter. She had to be strong - for Mu. For Raldon. Part of her was grateful it was she that had been sent. Overpowering the Xephon wasn't realistic, not even for their strongest Dolems. No, you had to attack the weakest part of the ensemble... the pilot.

"Raldon... You're not cut out to be a fighter." She said quietly, brandishing the staff once more, feeling the flow of energy between herself and the Dolem as it responded to her whim. Even that small amount of power was... intoxicating.

"I'll make this quick. Deploy the field!"

Raldon's charge brought much-needed kinetic relief. Every swing of the Super Robot's mighty arms demolished a Dotem, blowing them apart in puffy clouds of dust and broken pottery, the sound like the exploding of a china shop each time his fists connected with one of them.

But for every one he struck, two hurtled forward to take its place - and soon they were clustering all around him, jostling in a crowd not unlike bees throwing themselves on an invader. And then-

Forzando's eyes glowed, and there was the distant rumble of thunder - great and terrible, as the Dolem of the Clouds brought its true power to the fore, summoning all its strength.

In a single, terrible flash of light and sound, bolts of lightning struck the mass of Dotems - blossoming out into chains of light between them, the Plasma Field expanding outward like a net - with Raldon trapped in the center. Jolts of electricity ripped through the Xephon's body and into him, trying to force him into unconsciousness, to stop his resistance...

Or die slowly, and painfully.

---

As the Dotem menace began to descend, the cries of disbelief and terror from the assembled mercenaries formed a jumbled radio chatter, as different units began to lapse into full blown panic.

"What the FUCK is that?"

"Let's get the Hell out of here!"

"I'm not paid enough for THIS shit!"

The Bio Raptor Guis fled for their lives in all directions - some luckier than others, as they were dragged down by the advancing Dotems'. The Heldigunners below reoriented their fire, providing a covering screen for the Zoids now attempting to flee back towards the two Whale Kings, which were descending back towards the ocean as fast as they possibly could without belly flopping in.

With a perturbed screech, Dr. Crane's Bio-Ptera skidded to a halt within one of their maws mere moments before it closed, and the vessel began to submerge. Scowling, she emerged from the cockpit under the red emergency lights above, her Organoid following in her wake shortly afterward.

(A Dolem! How many years has it been?) She thought to herself, as she began to make her way back towards her laboratory. They'd failed to capture the Princess - so be it. They had Orphan all to themselves now, and the Baron in their pocket. Britannia had been forced out of their paradise... and, assuming the two behemoths outside didn't cause any lasting damage, their future was bright.

She simply had to finish her... Preparations.

(If the Mu are starting to move again, it can only mean...)

---

Unlike others, who were in a rush to flee for their lives, the Baronz stood fast. Perhaps as Orphan's defender, it was already resolved to fight to the death against any odds...

Or it was simply confident that not even the monsters before it posed any challenge, radiating the same unnerving aura of strength it always did. This would have become immediately apparent as Louise approached, diving towards the water, reaching for the wreckage of Dahlia's Gran Cher - only for the Baronz to blur in place, catching her outstretched arm.

"You're a brave one." Remarked the Baron, amusement in her voice...

But it wasn't Louise she was talking to. The two Antibodies glared at one another, eye to eye.

"You choose your pilot over Orphan, knowing the consequences? So be it."

The white Antibody snapped its wrist sideways, sending Louise spinning across the debris-flecked sea - but unharmed, as the Baronz rose into the air, rings of its Chakra aura pulsing to life.

"You're an adult now... There's no need for me to hold back. Prepare yourself."

One blink, and it was gone. Darting through the air towards her, blisteringly quick. The fins at its sides wriggled momentarily, for just a fraction of a second - and burst forth, murderous spears that began to home in from all sides, aimed to piece her Gran Cher like a shish-kebab. In the meantime, the Baronz's hands began to glow as it flexed its claws, gathering Organic Energy for its next assault..

The rescue operations of the Britannian vessels would have been hindered by the Dotem onslaught. A dozen of the things went nose-down and simply divebombed the ships below, using their own bodies as living bombs while forming screens for their allies, which began to line up overhead and rain lasers down on the slow-moving craft, as well as Louise's own escort vessels.

Not even the Gran Cher darting about, making their way towards Orphan to rescue their comrades, were safe as the Dotems targeted anything that came within range, heads swiveling in their cup-like grooves to send blasts of light towards the strange, biomechanical machines.

Mulian NPC:
Forzando
113+ x Dotem
(+25 passive, -12 destroyed)

Enemy Composition:
Baronz

 

[MKR]

"Heavy damage to Caerleon 3!" Came a call on the bridge as the leftmost of their formation suffered the worst of the Dolem's assault, a gout of smoke filling the air between waves and clouds. "Tell them to move and land in the water somewhere safe!" The captain responded. They all needed to do that but now more urgently then ever. Still with the Princess engaged in combat they couldn't just leave.

"Sir! The unknown giant!" Visual feed confirmed the dire state of the machine, the stone giants were not impervious and could be destroyed. Still something as massive as that unknown would have a much easier time. But doing anything could cause the swarm to focus them even more. Risk assessment, a dozen possibilities played out in the mind of a man trained for this.

"Focus fire on those statues!" The captain called out, spotting an opening in the formation of statues on the lower side, the cannons turned away from the nearby swarm to instead open a gap for RahXephon. If they could destroy a statue or three that should offer it all the room it needed to escape, the bet that was hedged on the angelic giant winning the contest with a hand. Hope, even in this situation. Britannia was a nation blessed by God, an angel should not be abandoned.

As Louise was stopped in her tracks, the surviving Gran Cher that had hovered besides the display before began to move again. Diving into the waves, searching for the target of its rescue. With the Baronz 'occupied' the goal was clear. Rescue the one it had been told to rescue, as per its orders.
The rest of the Gran Cher were partially busy retaliating against their assailants and carrying the escapees. Except for one, the yellow Gran Cher flipped around as the pit in Louise's stomach grew wider and wider, deeper still.

Yet she couldn't avert her eyes for a moment from the white specter before her, deeply aware of the gap in both ability and their steed. The blade of the yellow Gran Cher lashed at the fins, blocking the first few of the strikes but the marks on the body of the Antibody began to form. Tearing into the flesh as Louise desperately defended against the assault.

How could she win. That was the question in her mind, or perhaps the better question was was there even a way to win? Going into the water was going to be tantamount to suicide besides she couldn't with Dahlia there in good conscience direct an attack that way, words were never going to solve this or they would have already. Still she knew Orphan's loneliness would get worse, much worse if it was just Corvo.

An idea, Louise Gran Cher reached out to one of the appendages that had cut its leg. Grabbing on, and beginning to swing. Already Louise apologized to her Gran Cher for this but, the alternative was worse. Still if she could disorient the Baron even somewhat, cause whatever was being prepared to go astray perhaps strike the looming blimp with a face and get those two going at one another. That would be ideal but it even just missing would be more than enough for her.
"CORVO!" She cried out, leaning forward in her seat as her Gran Cher tried to pull the Baronz in closer and closer. She just needed to keep the Baron busy.

 

[Hitura Rael]

Charging in was a bad idea. A very bad idea. He knew it when he decided on the action, but it was a better idea than sitting still to be swarmed more than he was. How could he have ever anticipated that the very sky would turn against him? That a bolt of lightning would come out of no where and be channeled by these clay mecha to create a cage. At least he didn't feel the pain that would have wracked his body to accompany the twitching and tightening of muscle brought on by the current running through him. He grit his teeth against the convulsions, one eye closed as he desperately sought a way through this trap. The pain of betrayal bloomed anew... and the hope of his friends love died.

Rah's vision focused on the figure standing upon the enemy airship. Elen. The trap made complete sense, and he was not smart enough to get out of a trap she set. Helpless as a rabbit in a snare. But he was no rabbit, and he would not give up without a fight. He squeezed his eyes shut and fought against his own body, forcing the Xephon to move. Around him Dolem shattered. Someone below stayed... someone below lent him their aid, possibly endangering themselves in the process. He wouldn't question the kindness of strangers, but he owed them one now. And this opportunity would not go to waste!

RahXephon shifted, extending it's left arm forward. Golden energy burst from its hand and took shape; that of a golden bow. It's right hand burned with red crackling energy like a holy flame. As the Xephon put it's hand to the string, the red energy reshaped into an arrow. Though he could not possibly have heard Elen, her assessment was correct. He was not cut out to be a fighter.

The Xephon released the arrow at the monstrosity of a machine, burning arrow cutting through the wind toward the creature's heart.

He was a survivor.

 

[Nemesis]

Boom.

The crack of RahXephon's bow sounded across the entire battlefield. Louder than any thunderbolt. Louder than the clouds, the heavens that raged against it. Bolt of fury cast from the hand of an angry God. The sheer force alone of the strike rended the Dotems in its path into dust instantly, arcing towards its ponderous target. It impacted... something. A thin wall, it seemed, that separated the Dolem from the world of humanity - and punctured it, the Sound Barrier not even slowing its advance a microsecond.

Cracks formed on Forzando's face - and then it crumpled inward. An enormous hole, almost 50 meters in diameter, cored straight through the Dolem, was all that was left. Elen was brielfy visible for a moment more in Raldon's sight as she waved the staff before vanishing... but it was not the shameful exit of a loser.

She was smiling.

Reality asserted its grip on Forzando's carcass with frightening speed - and with nothing left to support it, the giant's spindly legs tumbled forward like massive pillars, slamming into the ocean below, kicking up a massive tsunami that roared in all directions, sweeping up all in its wake. As it did, the upper body rippled, as if the force of the impact had been delayed... and then detonated with a low wail of agony, flesh billowing into rolling balloons before bursting violently, scattering chunks of rock-like armor, so far that even the distant Britannian rescue fleet found itself being hit with a hail of tiny stones.

The Gran Cher that dove after Dahlia was, mercifully, spared from the onslaught of the white Antibody, and would have closed its hand about her limp, cold body - still clutching Magnolia protectively to her chest.

Meanwhile below, the Baronz hounded Louise, barely giving her room to breathe. Its assault only paused momentarily when the Gran Cher, perhaps in an act of desperation, seized one of the outstretched fins. The rest... paused, some mere inches from her throat, as the daffodil-colored machine strained against the white executioner.

Corvo gave a low, unsettling chuckle.

A jolt of energy flowed across Louise's machine from the seized limb... and in that second, Louise would have fully realized her mistake. A Chakra Belt, connecting the two, holding her fast in its grip, an eerie green light radiating from their antibodies that shone on the waves below. The Baronz raised its hand... and began to squeeze, slowly crushing its younger sibling with the sheer force of its own field.

"None of this is your fault... Princess Louise. Were it be all Britannians were so... valiant." Said the Baron, gravely.

"You can thank your Nephew for planting the seeds of Area 12's demise... Hm?"

The roar of rushing water interrupted the Baron's speech, as even the Baronz seemed to sense danger. It turned its head minutely - and was rewarded with the sight of Forzando's leg, falling directly towards the pair from the distance, as well as the wall of water rising up at the pair with crushing force. In the blink of an eye, the Chakra Belt was severed, the Baronz Vital Jumping away at the last second - as the wave came down, down upon Louise, threatening to sweep her away, crown and all.