She who is one with Metatron (Open)

[ShadowVigilante1]

August 25, 2849
Vascilia County

It was a few days after the initialization of Alternative V, and it was weeks ago that the people of BAHRAM had learned the nefarious truth, Alternative V ensued in the destruction of the Martian surface, leaving naught but a desolate waste almost devoid of life. There would be no place to rebuild a home, no place for the common man to grow and thrive. Their dreams crushed underfoot by corporate bureaucracy once again. Even worse was that BAHRAM leadership had agreed with the League’s plan, the very people whom the general populace have looked up to for their salvation.

At a testing range situated down in a large valley, the Idolo flew at high speeds past a small lake towards a couple of Metatron powered LEVs. They weren’t like the usual Phantoma however, they were more stripped down, using less of their armor leaving an almost bare frame. Kleine gripped tightly on the controls inside of the cockpit as a blue light pulsed through them, responding to her touch. The modified Phantomas fired pulses of energy from the palms of their hands, but that would do little to slow down the speeding Idolo as its arm blade flipped out and cut off each unit’s head while avoiding all projectiles sent its way. As each target was disabled, they ceased fire as to not unintentionally cause additional collateral damage. With each target bereft of a head, the Idolo flew high into the air where they could see the surrounding area with a bird’s eye view.

Kleine let out a sigh as she removed her helmet to get some fresh air for herself. She looked up at the Idolo’s eyes from her cockpit screen, they were looking out in the direction of the city in Vascilia, the place where many people lived, where her family lived. She would look back down at her helmet, it was well worn at this point, a sign of experience and of many battles before hand. She had been fighting for so long, and for what?

A young man would appear on the screen in front of her, a transmission from the base.



“How are you feeling, Mrs. Daystar? I hope the AI didn’t cause you too much trouble in the field. Even if they did, suffice to say they still need a lot more work before they can be called completely autonomous.” The man would pause for a bit, still pondering on their current situation. Frankly it was quite alarming, they developed all this technology to protect people, to save the planet. And the best thing the board decides to do is drop bombs with more explosive energy than any other weapon in existence. It was the largest waste of time and resources. They had Getters, Armored Cores, Symphogears, Mobile Suits, Para-Mails and everything else they could muster, why could they not trust others to accomplish what they set out to do?

”They seemed to work fine, a few shots came close but I managed to avoid them. As for how I feel…” Kleine would sigh and would look up towards the transmission with a look of being lost on her face. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Hellas. They’ve destroyed everything we worked so hard to protect. I shouldn’t be here sitting in this thing, I should be home with my family, telling them everything will be fine. I should be home kissing my daughter goodnight, but I’m still here. Too stubborn to give up now.” Kleine would look down at the controls as her hands would ball up into fists before eventually releasing her grasp. “But what’s the point of being stubborn if they will never listen?”

The Hellas would smile, perhaps he was waiting for this moment for a while now, and was just waiting for the right opportunity to tell her what he thought of this whole situation. “The fact that you are still here shows that the people still have a will to fight.“ Kleine would look up as she heard those words. She knew that but what was he getting at? “Kleine, you’ve been fighting these things for as long as I have known you. You were always there on the frontlines, defending our people. You and Idolo. Both of you hold the will of BAHRAM, of the people. They look up at you and see a guardian angel, and so do I.” A gentle smile would come onto Kleine’s face as she was reaffirmed by Hellas’ words. “Everyone in this team believe in you, everyone in BAHRAM believes in you. We believe in you, you got that?”

Kleine would chuckle a bit at Hellas’ attempt to keep her spirits high, it seems to have worked the way he intended. “I got it, don’t worry Hellas. Maybe after this I’ll have a word with your father, or two.” She would turn Idolo in the opposite direction and powered up the thrusters. “Returning to base, see you in a b-“

A boom sounded in the distance, the sound of an explosion. But it wasn’t the one they were dreading.

”What was that?”

Hellas looked at the map in front of him. ”It came from…” his eyes would widen in horror as he saw the location of the blast. “It’s Vascilia, the BETA are attacking!”

Kleine would grit her teeth as she put her helmet on, turning back towards Vascilia City. The thrusters howling as they prepared to send her on her journey. “Call for reinforcements, we can’t let anymore of the city get damaged.” With that the Idolo flew with its crystalline wings, to protect what meant the most to it.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

“Kleine, I think they’re after the Metatron reserves! If they get it all, we’re done for. We won’t be able to rebuild at all. You’ll have to draw them away with the Idolo.“

Kleine would give an affirmative nod as a bead of sweat trickled down from her forehead down her left cheek. “Copy, I’ll target the Fort-class first to draw them away!”

Soon the view of Vascilia city would come into view. “Oh dear lord… have mercy.”



Nothing but those words could describe Kleine’s horror as to what was happening right in front of her. The BETA… they were… killing them. A gasp of shock escaped her as if she could almost imagine the screams of those below her, friends and allies. She just hoped that none of those screams were those of theirs…

“Multiple Destroyers and Grapplers in the perimeter! Secure the- Ahhhh! Oh god! Oh god! Someone! Anyone! Help m-“

“We’re getting mowed out here! Where’s our backup?“

“Scramble more teams towards the residential district, evacuate all civilians from the area and move them towards the base!”

Suddenly, the different BAHRAM comm channels lit up like wildfires, it might have sounded like a white noise but Kleine could hear it all. Their desperation, their fear, their will to fight. All just like her. She was shaking a bit in her seat, she was frozen. Unsure of what course of action to take next in this seemingly hopeless situation for their people.

“Damnit! Help is 10 minutes out, they won’t make it! It’s all up to you, Kleine.” She would get snapped out of her daze as she looked down towards the swarming BETA. She’s done this before, she can do it again. “Copy. Hellas, map out the BETA concentration on my radar. Have the Phantomas lock down the residential district and the front gate once I clear them out, prep a barricade as well.”

Kleine would breath deeply, letting the flow of Metatron course through her body. The green lines flowing through her veins almost as if they were her own blood. She would exhale as the energy flowed back towards the Idolo’s controls just as sharply as she exhaled. “Go.” She simply said as the Idolo dashed forward with a responsive tug, the inertia pulling Kleine along as it first made its way to the residential district, hoping the save the civilians and her own family first and foremost.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

In the residential district, the slow and sluggish forms of the soldier class and the spider-like warrior class BETA made their way through the streets. At this point, they all but filled the place like a swarm of ants in an ant maze. The half eaten corpses of humans lay strewn across the streets and inside numerous buildings which have already been breached, a red paste adorning the walls as it’s new residents moved in. They would stand still, perhaps admiring their work with that deadpan stare of theirs, lifeless and inhuman as it already was.

”Tch, you pieces of shit!” Kleine shouted as she saw the destruction wreaked across the residential area. “Why don’t you…” Two energy balls would form in the hands of the Idolo, it’s green light shining down upon the massacre filled streets.

“GO TO HELL!”

The balls would then be sent forth, each unleashing a torrent of homing shots, tearing through the buildings and the streets that held only the inhuman settlers. It was followed by the sounds of mechanical screeching as Phantomas came to help clean up the streets, the chatter of their machine guns filling the air as they mowed through wave after wave of BETA.

Near the edge of the area, Kleine would sharply turn her eyes to a couple of rampaging Destroyers, a stampede looking to mop up space for new BETA real estate. Not on her watch. The Idolo would dash towards them, it’s crystalline wings pushing the mech forward. As it approached, shot after shot was fired at the thick shells of the Destroyers, penetrating a couple of them with each shot.

When Idolo got close, it quickly made contact with the ground before there was an aggressive increase in speed as it slid under a collection of Destroyers, it’s arm blade deployed as it gutted the Destroyers open from the bottom. After cutting her way through the raging stampede, the Idolo would spring itself into the air with a spin and would deploy her Halberd launchers.

”You will not harm them… You will not harm them!”

The Halberd launchers would fire, each sending out a particle beam that cut through the rest of the destroyers with ease, hitting them from their exposed behinds. The launcher would then vanish back into a small warp in the space near Idolo’s hands. The Idolo and Kleine both faced towards the front gate.

”No gate crashers allowed, BETA. Not as long as I’m here.”

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

It was starting to feel like the chaotic flow of battle was dragging Kleine farther and farther away from where her heart wanted to be, but the safety of Vascilia came first. “Go, Idolo.” The Oribital Frame would respond with a smooth motion, dashing forth in a single motion as it approached the gate, the ruined high walls that stood next to it were adorned with multiple scorch marks.

Phantomas were slowly pushing forwards down the main street, the way that they are felt desperate, it almost seemed as if they’ve been firing relentlessly for hours on end just to make it out of this war alive. Their shots filled wave after wave of BETA, however one of the bold Grapplers got quite close, nearly making it to the defensive line of Phantomas.

“Like I said, not on my watch!” The Idolo would fly right over the Phantomas, right towards the Grappler as it spun to avoid the grab of its claws whilst its arm scythed out, cutting the “head” off of the Grappler. Right behind it were a large number of Tank-classes, an assembling horde crawling through the hole blasted through the main gate. They needed to get out of the way. OUT of the way. The Idolo would raise both its arms into the air, channeling energy into a large Burst Shot. “Get out of my home!” It would bring its arms towards the right side, still holding out the ball before in one swift motion pushing the ball forwards with its right arm. A large blue explosion would occur right where there used to be a group of worthless BETA, they wouldn’t harm anyone now.

The Phantomas began to scramble towards the gates, the emergency shutters closing to seal the gap for now. But there was still the matter of the Fort-classes outside, giving the BETA a foothold in the area. And given how many BETA there are, more were likely on the way. She would need to eliminate them while she could.

As the shutters began to close, the Idolo would dash through the hole in the door. Kleine wasn’t expecting a warm greeting and soon put up her shields as a large cluster of Laser-classes fired up at her. The beams would impact her shield, nearly tearing through it before boosting downwards and landing to minimize the amount of beams directed at Idolo. In front of her, the few Fort-classes which were holding the line for the BETA.

“Just a little more, Idolo. Then we need to leave.” The Idolo would move forward in a burst of speed, it’s body flying low and close to the ground as it sped towards the Fort-classes and their accompaniment of Lasers. A few lasers would be sent towards the Idolo, but they would be evaded quite easily thanks to the Idolo’s agility. She needed to thin the herd now. The Halberds would return to Idolo as it fired them continuously, shooting through the BETA formation until barely any of the Lasers remained. The Fort-classes would see the incoming threat and 2 of them would send out their tentacle stingers to hopefully down the Idolo, it wouldn’t be enough as the Idolo soon dodged both with a graceful flip before moving between each of the Fort-classes with speed and precision, dicing them to pieces in an instant. Their remains would soon fall and scatter, red liquid burst forth from each wound as the flow of life had stopped in its tracks for them.

Inside the Idolo, Kleine would be heaving and panting. That group was already exhausting to deal with, who knows what would happen should there be even-

There was a loud boom that came from the top of the wall, the Idolo would turn to look with almost human-like flinching and flexing. The explosion came from a common observation spot for many of the locals, and a usual spot for…

”No… NO!”

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

There were a number of Tanks-class BETA attempting to scale the wall, and it seemed someone or something set something off on the upper levels of the wall. She feared the worst. Another wave of BETA was marching for them something was off, there was no way an amount this large can come from nowhere. She had to choose between family and duty, and she took the first option without a second thought.

”Don’t worry, I’m on my way.”

Idolo projected laser shots from its hands, firing away at the BETA still attempting their climb and annihilating them in an instant. The verniers flared, rocketing Idolo to the top. The Tanks already seemed to have been busy, but she had no time to dwell on who was dead, she needed to find the ones she loved alive and well. She needed to find their smiling living faces to comfort her tortured body and soul.

”I know you’re here, I won’t let these things hurt you or anyone else.”

The blade of the Idolo folded out, a quick sweep upon the platform followed by a grab to one of the Tanks signaled her arrival. With the blade still deployed, Idolo cut the Tank in two, allowing the remains to fall back to the now stained deep red Martian soil.

”Where are you? Please come out... I’m begging you…”

A pulse of Metatron flowed through Idolo, a will not her own guiding her. She can barely feel it, a pull in a direction filled with rubble. It was fading fast, but she followed it all the same. A feeling swelled in her gut, tears welled up in her eyes. No, this wasn’t happening. They could never die, not when she was here to protect them, to bring them to a new home, a new paradise.

Kleine touched down upon the wall, sifting through the wreckage she felt a presence at. But as soon as she lifted the first bit of rubble, her shock was all but immediate. “JASON!” She yelled out as she saw the body of her husband, all of her emotion leaping out of her chest in the process. She was scared to lift the next piece of rubble, but she did so anyways.

”No… No no no… This… This isn’t real. This isn’t happening.”

The Idolo knelt down and scooped up two bodies from the pile, Jason Daystar, and their child, Dorothy Daystar. The cockpit opened as Kleine removed the helmet of her pilot suit, she breathed deep of the Martian air. She cared not for the battle raging, so long as her family was safe. The Idolo brought the two up to the cockpit, all so that Kleine was able to see what had become of her family. “Jason! Jason wake up!” She crawled up to the body of her husband, practically lifeless. She gripped one of his hands, cradled almost gently around that of their child’s. She felt nothing, a cold hand. She thought perhaps if she brought it to her face, she could feel his warm touch once again. But it still was not there, there was nothing, she had arrived too late for him.

Kleine was not able to hold back her tears, slowly she began to weep. ”Jason… Why? Why did you have to leave? Why you?” She looked upon the expressionless corpse, still keeping his hand close to hers as she held onto his hand with both of her’s. Then, she looked to her child, she was breathing but barely. It put some relief into her heart, but a look at her legs told a different story. Kleine’s eyes widened to see bloodied bones jutting out from her child’s legs. “Dorothy… my precious baby…” She scooped her little princess up into her arms, there was blood almost everywhere she looked. She knew at that moment, it was only a matter of time before she too would die.

”Please… don’t leave me. I promised you so many things… I promised you a better life. And… A-And that… I could see y-you grow… That I can look upon you and call you my child…”

Kleine looked deeply into the face of her child, life slowly fading away from her features. As she did, she recalled all her memories, the ones they had shared. Life with her family was all that drove her on this bleak planet, it was what fueled her. As those memories of kindling came to her mind, her tears intensifies, her sinuses streaming mucus, and her mouth uncontrollably agape as she wailed up to the heavens.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

“Kleine… Kleine.”

A familiar voice called out to Kleine. She turned to her right to see that her husband was alive and well, the perfect picture of health. Her features immediately brightened at the sight of him. “Jason?”

“Mommy!”

Kleine then turned to face forwards seeing her daughter playing underneath a large tree atop a verdant hill.

“Dorothy!”

Kleine immediately ran up the hill in a full sprint before hugging her child, afraid of letting go. “But… I don’t understand… how?” She began to weep tears of joy, as she held onto her beloved. Jason joined her side and hugged the both of them in his arms. “It’s ok now… we’re together again. Here in paradise.”

“Yes… Yes. In paradise. Together. And I will never let you go, ever again. We can be together, forever and ever!”

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The BETA horde still continued to move upon Vascilia. The people were safe, but it was clear help will not arrive in time to save even one person. Hellas was struggling to help keep the situation under control from the testing grounds.

“I thought Algebra and Nereidum were on the way, where the hell are they!?”

One of the BAHRAM officers shook his head in response. It seems like they’ve been delayed even more. But in truth, Hellas knew they were just stalling. People’s lives were on the line, and they were withholding reinforcements?

“Damnit!“ Hellas slammed the desk in furious outrage. There was no way they can hold off against more, much less when there’s also the fact that the BETA were converging to build a new hive nearby, hence the spike in activity. “Is this it? Are we supposed to sit here while we get mutilated by monsters? Damn the League, damn them all!”

Another slam onto the desk occurred, this time with both arms, causing a large amount of bruising on Hellas’ part. He was but a ball of anger at this point, a sun burning with righteous fury. Then there came an alert from Idolo.

“Send the Metatron onto me.”
​

Signals from across Vasicilia began to surface. Metatron energy signatures, spare boxes they kept around to facilitate the rapid emergency repairs of Idolo. The only problem was that ALL of them were being deployed. “What is this? I did not authorize this. Who is doing this?” Everyone in the room remained silent, not even the odd awkward cough or sneeze came from a single person. It was clear that nobody had touched a thing.

“That can’t be right…” Hellas stared down at Idolo’s energy reserves, they were skyrocketing to more than double the amount. No only that but parts of it were… morphing? “Get me a live feed, now!” The large screen within the testing room changed to a camera right in front of the city, the approaching horde scuttling ever closer. For but a brief moment, Idolo’s status suddenly disappeared, before suddenly returning and becoming labeled as an unidentified craft. The white angel soon descended into the camera’s view, but it had most definitely changed, in a drastic manner one might add.

2 pairs of antennae sprouted from its head, forming a wheat-like image atop its head. The wings it had seemingly sprouted, from its back and on its feet looked every bit of angelic, their white forms commanding presence and holiness. Its arms then had a blade protruding out from the elbow of each, and the shoulders made even more armored and bulky. This was no longer Idolo, this was something else entirely.

“Ravens be damned… what are you?”

This ascended Idolo simply stared down the horde, and soon the camera cut to black as one of the Laser-classes managed to destroy the camera. That became the last recorded footage of Idolo, for its remains were recovered once the battle had finished and the hastily put together BETA hive all but destroyed. No one seemed to recall what happened after that point, whether it was out of fear and trauma, or simply not being around. But one thing was for sure, that day is what forever changed BAHRAM, for better or for worse.