Disclaimer: Everything ZOE belongs to the folks who made MGS2, Konami, you guys kick ass. I make no profit off of this, but I wish I were….I'm so broke Sniff sniff

I was playing ZOE 2 last night and I got inspired. I've been up since 3 in the morning writing, and I feel like my eyes have been maced, so after I throw this up I'm gonna watch a movie or something while I fall asleep. I apologize for anything non-canonical, I've only played ZOE and ZOE 2, so I don't know any other story than the ones I've played. But then I don't need your good graces to use my imagination ;) Although I do enjoy opinions.

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The warship sliced through the dead of space, massive surges of energy emitting from it's engines. A flank of LEV's escorting close, rotating in a semi-formation around it. On the outside, it looked as though it were a simple UNSF patrol run. But inside, there was hysteria.

"Our sensors show the enemy breaking off from the main body of our forces and beginning pursuit, multiple Raptor frames and warships approaching fast."

"Defense cannons armed, energy levels show at 78 capacity."

"Supporting LEV's report ready for combat. Those yet to have deployed are finishing status checks and are preparing to launch."

Kieth Tarsoni stood at the main row of consoles, observing the work of the bridge technicians. A cold sweat had formed on his neck, and he was on the verge of hyper-ventilating. A lone warship now against at least a dozen others, and a massive swarm of Raptors. It was unbearable waiting for them to arrive. He wanted so badly to be somewhere else, and aside from the crippled force of LEV's at his disposal, only a lone Orbital Frame to depend upon.

He trudged shakily over to one of the crew, "Status on Marinaris?"

The young woman looked up at him for a second and looked back down, "She reports a small glitch with Ardjet's primary strike laser, but otherwise at full strength, and ready for deployment on your command."

"And what about our cargo?"

"Secure in the main bay."

Tarsoni stalked over to his seat and dropped into it. He needed to compose himself before they re-entered combat. Leaning forward, he massaged his temples lightly, still shaking a good bit. He'd seen his own share of fights, and even participated in a few, but never alone against so many. The lives of all the crew was on that girl's skill, and she was ex-BAHRAM!

Kieth looked up at the faces of the bridge crew. Many of them were frightened, and shaking almost as bad as he was. But there were a few who had been the heart of a crisis, and didn't so much as flinch at the sudden blaring of the attack alert.

"The first wave of enemy forces has arrived, combat engaged on multiple vectors."

"Main defense cannons firing."

"Sensors show several section of our hull being hit by light energy bombardments."

"Two warships have entered firing range and have began assault."

"Remaining LEV's in hangar have launched and have engaged."

"Sir, Marinaris has entered the launch bay, Orbital Frame Ardjet ready to deploy."

Captain Tarsoni wrung his hand for a second, then said steadily, "She has permission to launch, and tell her to be quick, we have to cripple their attack until our fleet can catch up."

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The massive hangar door split open to allow for the Frame's exit. It hovered there, for just a moment, suspended in the pre-battle meditation of a warrior steeling himself to face death. The energy boosters lining its feet and back ignited, and the Frame launched forward like lightning, straight into the fray of metal, lasers, and explosions.

The first Raptor to stray across its path was allowed a split-second look at it, before it's head and upper body were obliterated by it's arm blade. The second, a similar fate, but a diagonal cut down through its frail spinal column and through its right leg. A third, a crushed head as the Frame's sharp elbow came up in a recovery from the previous slash.

Many of the Raptors had ceased combat with the LEV's and had attacked the new and more dangerous opponent, all falling victim to Ardjet's superior speed and strength. The LEV's now had the space and opportunity to put their sights on the enemy warships.

Ardjet was finishing with the main bulk of the opposing Raptors, when an odd thing happened. A massive dark green light had emerged on the edge of the 'battlefield'. It began shifting into a larger, spherical ball of energy. It seemed to pulse as it stretched hard on all directions, before suddenly imploding, and creating a bright flash, that would have blinded anyone without the polarization of the cockpits.

A large discharge of energy seemed to crush the Raptors and LEV's within it's reach.

Another flash of light, and an almost ethereal humanoid shape was floating there. Ardjet had turned to face the new arrival, and its pilot was quickly becoming confused.

Ken Marinaris was leaning forward in her cockpit, staring hard at what seemed to be an Orbital Frame capable of warp, like Jehuty or Anubis. It had no distinguishable characteristics at all, and the only thing on it that wasn't totally shrouded in darkness was the angular yellow eyes. A black hand lifted up towards the battle, and a surge of dark tendrils shot forward and began thrashing out at all within reach, Raptors or LEV's.

Ken hesitated, but soon Ardjet was bunched up, ready to dash forward at it. She shot forward, and closed the distance easily in a few seconds, dodging around the abusive tendrils that batted at her like a fly. She had opened up fire at the center of the enemy Frame's mass with her scarlet tinged rockets, but each of them came only within two hundred yards of their target before seemingly de-activating and spiraling straight past it, then detonating a safe distance away.

Ardjet closed in on it, and its arm blade jumped forward to slash at its head, but was blocked when it simply raised its hand and grabbed the blade. It jerked Ardjet's hand upwards, and its other arm came out to smash against the other Frame's chest, sending it flailing out a ways before Ken managed to correct it.

"Ugh, I have no time for this…..Whatever it is."

Ardjet straightened up into what would be a standing position. The cape-like armor on its back disconnected and began splitting down, rotating around it before re-constructing around Ardjet's front. The build-up of energy began, the bright wavy collection shimmering and waving around as it was pulled in towards Ardjet. The cocooned Frame stared out at the enemy, which wasn't fazed at all by this change of the Frame's behavior.

Ken sat in the cockpit, smiling grimly as she prepared to launch the dangerous laser. Her hand hovered over the console, watching the energy levels spike higher and higher until it could rise no farther. She dropped her hand down, the surface illuminating as confirmation of the command flashed across her screens.

Then, the last thing Ken wanted to happen, happened. Scarlet warning alerts blinked up all over her console, flashing at her from the various status menus there. A distinctly mechanical voice issued the warning vocally, "Primary laser output overload, Orbital Frame integrity dropping, heat levels violent. Aborting process." Ken moaned in frustration as the Frame's cocoon dissolved and reverted back to the cape. She slammed her hand down on her seat's edge, and nearly went on to trying to dismantle every surface in the cockpit before she remembered the enemy.

It hadn't budged, and was staring out blankly as its tendrils continued their barrage on the remaining LEV's that hadn't broke off and returned to their hangar. The whole battlefield had ceased movement for the most part, all attention focused on this (for lack of a better word) thing. It seemed to notice the attention, for it lifted it's hand in a flourishing gesture. Then, it returned it's stare to Ardjet. Its head lowered in what would look like a bow.

Then, without any visible thrusters or the like, it surged forward at phenomenal speeds, and what could only be a blade melded out of its now outstretched arm, aimed directly at Ardjet's head. The feminine shape curled down to narrowly avoid being decapitated. Ken had ceased though of fighting this thing without her strongest weapon at hand. She turned the Frame to try and flee back to what safety the ship would offer, but was cut off by a new arrival.

Ardjet leaned back, boosting to a stop, and was staring up at the form of Jehuty. Against the light offered from the sun, it was as sleek as ever, angular head pointed down to look at Ardjet, and for those who could somehow break the meaning of a look from a machine, it would seem as if Jehuty was reprimanding Ardjet's inability to face off with the enemy. But to anyone else, it was just a machine looking at another machine.

"Hey Ken, surprised you haven't fried that thing yet." Leo Stenbuck's voice rang out on the communications link.

In her cockpit, Ken was frowning, "Watch it you, it's not my fault this uncooperative scrap of metal isn't fixed yet. That AI screwed everything up in here."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, the fleet's not too far away. Head back with the Pyrolance and see if you can't fix your bugs before I crush this guy."

Leo had taken over regular operations in Jehuty after Dingo had been taken to medical facilities to replace his lost lungs and heart. He enjoyed having A.D.A back, but kind of edgy without Vic Viper, which he had grown so used to in the past couple of years.

Jehuty's head turned to face the enemy, who had retracted it's 'weapons' and was now waiting for another attack.

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There 'tis. Now review or face articulate speech!!!!!!