A/N: I don't own Aldnoah Zero. The Point of departure for this story is that Asseylum wakes up before Slaine marries Lemrina, and convinces him to let her declare peace. However, the four most pro-war Orbital Knights haven't been killed off by Inaho yet...
The row of Styglis pilots looked straight forward, towards Count Slaine Saazbaum-Troyard, as third-class workers and mechanics rushed about the Moonbase. Harklight was beside him, as always, and so was Count Mazuurek, having just concluded his audience with Princess Asseylum. Slaine clenched one fist, and spoke levelly.
"In response to her Highness's proclamation ending the war with earth, it seems that Counts Barohcruz, Sebring and Orga, at least, are en route to occupy this base. Their ostensible aim is to ensure the freedom and safety of Princess Asseylum. Most likely, they mean to force her Highness into restarting the war. I have already refused their request of surrender. Peace with Earth is her Highness's true will; I intend to maintain it with my life. However, the Sygilis fighters are not equipped to face Versian Kataphracts. Your honour is already beyond question; any of you who wish to depart may do so."
"If I may speak, Milord?" The Stylgis' female commander spoke with a frown, "How would you feel about leaving us to guard her Highness, and fleeing yourself?"
"Soldier!" Harklight rapped out, "Don't you dare abuse Count Troyard's leniency again!"
"I'm sorry, Sir. But if we lose here, the future we've all fought for together would be lost as well! For the people of Vers, this squad will stand and fight. If we die...they'll never say again that only Nobles of Vers have courage."
The other pilots nodded. Slaine bowed his head, and shook hands with every one of them. Harklight and Mazuurek watched the unprecedented scene in amazement.
"Harklight, you'll act as base commander." Count and servant only had to lock eyes for a moment, "Count Mazuurek. Will you protect Princess Asseylum with your life?"
"Count Troyard, I put my life in your power simply by coming here! For the true Princess of Sacred Vers–" An ironic grin, "–I would even trust my back to you."
Slaine thought of his fight beside Kaizuka Inaho–the flight sent plunging into the sea. It took all his willpower to make a reply.
"I don't care if you're my ally or enemy. This trap is mine, and the Princess is our only hope. Take the Herschel and fight for her victory."
"Well…good hunting. And good luck, Count Troyard."
Both Counts turned and moved away, soaring towards their Kataphracts.
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Leaving the asteroid belt, like snakes gliding from a shadowed forest, two Landing Castles moved closer to the Moon's remains. Two further castles stayed back, ready, among the circling rocks and shadows. The blue beetle-like Octantis and the squat Electris passed from their respective airlocks into the sea of stars.
Count Sebring, as the senior Noble, sent another surrender demand. The only answer was the appearance of a red and a white Kataphract, both holding their position before the base. Both attackers throttled back, and faced up to their opponents.
"Two wings of Stygilis fighters lurking about as well, I see." Count Sebring checked his sensors.
"Fools," Count Barohcruz sneered, "How can they be ready to die, for a dissembling Terran knave?"
"Troyard does have the Princess. But we will make her Highness see the truth. Versian honour and safety demands the total conquest of Earth."
"Well spoken! I can scarcely wait to face the Tharsis, and avenge Marylcian–" Barohcruz recalled the single blow that had sent his friend into the void, and fought down a pang of fear, "– we could even defeat them before Orga and Rafia arrive!"
"Oh, the Countess has joined us already," Sebring smiled proudly, "Let us continue to stand our ground against Troyard and Mazuurek, and fully occupy their attention."
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Countess Raffia carefully brought down her invisible centaur Kataphract, on the moon's surface. As a two platoons of spacesuited troops filed from the compartment on the Scandia's back, she grinned savagely.
"Well done, girl." She patted the Scandia's instrument panel. Popped the hatch, and floated for the airlock where her men were working.
Minutes later, the assault squad poured into the Moonbase hanger, sub-machine guns ready. As instructed by Mazuurek, the guards and engineers instantly threw up their hands. Rafia strode into the hanger last, having discarded her spacesuit and donned her red jacket at the first opportunity.
"Lock down the hanger and all entryways! Shoot any traitors that show fight!"
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"Count Sebring! What of our honour?"
"Never fear–we will all be honoured as the saviours of Vers. Rafia's Scandia could never oppose the Tharsis's clairvoyance, but only she could take the Moonbase without loss of a Versian life. Nothing could better convince the 37 clans, and the Princess herself, of our sincere loyalty."
Sebring smiled again. If Rafia got the most honour from his plan, that was a bonus. She'd never been the type for simple or obvious gifts.
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Rafia's troops already had the command deck held at gunpoint. The Countess went straight there, flanked by her section leaders, and aimed her sidearm between Harklight's unblinking eyes.
"Surrender the base, and take me to Princess Asseylum."
"I can offer my own surrender," Harklight stated imperturbably, "But Count Troyard has not empowered me to surrender the moonbase."
"Then tell me where Princess Asseylum is, or I'll blow your head off."
"I am unaware of Her Highness's current location. Perhaps I could get you some tea while we find out…?"
Rafia smiled grimly, before stepping back, and driving a side-kick into Harklight's stomach that reduced him to a groaning heap.
"I'll waste no more time with that common clown. You there! Have you accessed the base computer?"
"It was locked down before we reached it, Milady. Breaking the security codes could take–"
"Blast!"
"It was this one that did it." Raffia's soldier hoisted up a moonbase officer with blood dripping from his scalp, "Should we shoot him?"
"No; Count Sebring insisted we take the base without killing. Can't shoot a man for obeying orders anyway." Rafia turned to her section leaders, and barked out her directions, "Sections three and four will take charge of those peasants in the hanger. Baroness Astarte, I'm leaving you in command there."
"Yes, Milady!" The Baroness was an attractive fourteen year old, with golden braids. Survival on Mars made no allowance for useless mouths, however young; she was a skilled pilot competing with two other noble girls to be adopted as Rafia's heir.
"Section two, search the West block, and then report back. Section one will search the North block for Her Highness, with me."
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"It seems we're cut off. Countess Rafia infiltrated the Moonbase," As he spoke, Mazuurek examined unfamiliar knobs on the Herschel's control panel, while keeping half an eye on the two enemy Kats before them, "Best thing that could've happened really."
"Explain." Slaine's voice gave the strawberry-blonde a sudden chill.
"Well, we could hardly face four Versian Kataphracts head on. Fortunately, the dissenters don't want to seem like they're turning weapons on her Highness. Rafia won't kill needlessly, or harm Princess Asseylum–they were good friends back on Mars, I believe. And while she search the base, the UFE is on its way to support us–they hardly want the war restarted, and with Kaizuka Inaho, we'll have a chance….Troyard? Are you listening?"
"It's okay. I anticipated the possibility of infiltrators."
"Troyard! What–?"
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"–What? Wiped out?" Rafia's eyes flashed up from her radio, bright as a vixen's, "Stay alert, everyone."
The section passed through another sub-block bare of Princesses, before the corridors to their south and east were cut off by blast doors. Two more blast doors opened up–Rafia instantly shot two moonbase guards between the eyes, before slamming against the wall, as bullets filled the corridor. Her troops took out one or two ambushers, but quickly went down.
"Right, that's it. Tell the troops in the hanger their leader is dead, and someone finish those traitors off."
Several moonbase guards went to comply. One of them stared at Rafia's face-down body, before levelling his weapon.
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"Get up. Are you my blood? Get up!"
Clan Saazbaum were crack pistol shots. Clan Marylcian were swordmasters. Clan Cruhteo specialised in stick-fighting. And Clan Rafia were unarmed combat instructors to the Royal family.
The girl raised her head, shaking like she'd been pulled from the sea. Rose on one elbow, before her father's body slammed her down in another hold. His mustaches scratched at her eyes.
"Do you want to lead this Clan, bear the light of Aldnoah? Do you even have enough will to desire it? Live as a woman, if you have a woman's heart, and stop wasting your liege's time!"
For nearly sixteen years, the girl had wanted it. She wept into the dust with the sheer rage of wanting it, as her father strode away. Eldest child of an Orbital Knight! Born for nothing but the power of Aldnoah! Born for nothing. Nothing.
"…don't cry, sis. If you work hard, you can get there."
The future Countess Rafia looked up at a beautiful blonde ten year old. Her future sovereign was offering her a damp towel.
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With a crack, Rafia's foot hit the guard's knee. He fell, as the Countess spun to her feet. Thrust a blazing gun aside, dropped two guards with chops and a palm-strike–saw another guard aim at her, shot him. Behind! She smashed a nose with her elbow, then judo-hurled the body into the second ambush party. Raced after, firing her weapon, and kicked the last terrified survivor to the floor.
"A warrior's life! A Noble heart! A truebred Versian soul! This is a knight of Vers!" Rafia seized one of the semi-conscious guards by the neck. "Tell me where Princess Asseylum is. Or I will order Astarte to begin shooting the traitors in the hanger."
The man told her, after which Rafia shot him dead. Then she reloading her pistol, and forged on into the moonbase, flicking blood-flecks off her jacket as she went.
"I'm coming, Princess." She murmured, "This time, I'll save you."
Asseylum had been calling her knights to conquer the earth for two years. No lying Terran would force her to give up that will, while Rafia had blood in her body to spend.