Chapter 4

"Haruyu?" a voice called. Haruyu turned around. She found herself face to face with another girl. Haruyu's face lit up when she recognized the other girl.

"Inko?" she asked. "Is that you?" The two floated up to each other.

"It's been so long!" Haruyu exclaimed. "I didn't know you enlisted!"

"Same with you," Inko replied. "There's still some time until the actual attack. Why don't you have some tea with us?" Haruyu's eyes widened.

"Heck yes!"

Norris sat down on a chair. He was the only one in the room. Just him, and a small Haro-inspired robot.

"How's the new body W.O.?" he asked. The Haro rolled around a bit before responding.

"It's... um... Interesting," replied Allen. He bounced the Haro into the air, it's "ears" flapping every so often. "I still prefer my human body though." Norris laughed.

"I thought so," said he. Then he made a serious face.

"Is the Ensign doing well?" Norris asked. The Haro's eyes flashed.

"Please tell me that she is NOT the new official pilot," Allen said. Norris sighed.

"That's how it's going to end up, from what it looks like," he replied. If Allen had a normal body, he would be facepalming himself.

"I am sure that you know that this story won't end well, sir," Allen said. Norris nodded.

"That all depends on what we are in this story," said he. "Pray that your Ensign is the MC. Then she will have plot armor to protect her."

"This isn't some stupid anime, sir," Allen said. "And where did the 'your Ensign' part come from?"

Haruyu floated back to her room. She had met many old faces just now. Inko, Calm, Nina, and many others.

And then there was Inaho.

Inaho Kaizuka.

Apparently he was shot when the Martians attacked the U.E. headquarters in Russia and somehow got the power to reawaken the Aldnoah drive powering the battleship Deucalion. There was also a computer in his head to replace (and add to) his damaged areas of the brain. That would explain how he managed to hit the Martians at the distances he shot them at. He even made fun of Inko by identifying how much weight she put on since she last saw her.

It was also the first time Haruyu noticed something. Was it just her or could she actually hear emotion behind that calm, cool, and emotionless voice?

"So, Count Chamberlain," said Count Saazbaum, "Final preparations are being made for our attack. Do you have any more troops that you can send?" Count Chamberlain scratched his chin.

"The Terrans are amassing their own forces in New Zealand at the moment as well," said he. "It won't make much of a difference for you, probably, but I personally will need as many troops as I could get." Saazbaum sighed.

"I see," he said. "Well, good luck to you. I will make use of troops you already sent to me as much as I could. Good Hunting."

"What!?" exclaimed Anthony. "We're just bait!?" Norris nodded.

"We need to make sure that the Deucalion can get to the enemy base without being hit by the enemy defences," he explained. "If possible, engage as many of their defending forces if possible. Draw their attention on to yourselves."

"But," Haruyu was about to complain, but a familiar voice stopped her.

"If you destroy the defences, there will be none of them to worry about." A Haro floated over to Haruyu, who involuntarily caught it.

"Al?" she asked.

"Hello," he replied. Norris coughed to get everyone's attention.

"You will be armed with missile launchers," he said, "so that you can cause more destruction easier." He then saluted.

"Good luck."

Within Marineros base, Count Saazbaum floated over to a certain hanger in the base. A young boy by the name of Slaine Troyard followed him. The two stopped next to a line of Terran-based Kataphrakts.

"Milord," said Slaine. "Are these the mass production models?" Saazbaum nodded.

"Indeed," he said. "The MK-08 Marionette. I have to give credit to Count Chamberlain, it's better than any machine I thought he would send us." He remembered Chamberlain's enthusiastic explanation of the machine.

*Flashback*

"The MK-08 Marionette is, as you might have guessed, is based on the Terran KG-7 Aleiron. This Kataphrakt, however, is able to be used in space without any sort of refit necessary. It's main armament here is a twin-barreled 90mm bullpup assault rifle, capable of firing AP, HE, APHE, HEAT, HESH, and APCR. It can achieve a greater level of maneuverability compared to the KG-7. Due to the machine not being equipped with an Aldnoah drive, large numbers could be fielded without fear of technology falling into enemy hands. Standard CQC armament is a heat axe." Chamberlain turned around from his creation and looked at Saazbaum through a monitor.

"Not exactly the best machine for the high-paced fighting that we are used to, but it could still achieve great success," he continued.

Saazbaum didn't pay any more attention to Chamberlain's rant about his machine, but decided to examine it on his own.

On its backpack were two airvent-like verniers with five flaps per vernier. There were large thrusters on the rear of the lower legs as well. It had the sleek and sexy look of a typical Martian machine, but had the combat-built profile of a Terran machine. To summarise, it looked like a cross between a KG-7 and a Martian Kataphrakt (whose name he could not put a finger on).

*End Flashback*

Flames.

That was all Haruyu could see.

It was that fateful day when the landing castles fell on Earth. The house she was staying in had been burnt down. The dead lay in the streets, their corpses fried to a crisp. In the center of this small rural town a massive figure stood. A Kataphrakt, clad in red armor, wielding a massive beam cannon.

Haruyu stumbled through the streets. Her right leg screamed in pain. Her left shoulder strained with every move. But she kept on moving.

Her sister was here somewhere.

She noticed a figure in the distance. A young girl, by the looks of it. She too stumbled through the rubble. Haruyu ran towards the figure. She stopped, not because of the fact that she was face to face with her now dying sister.

The girl's left arm was melting off of the body. The semi-liquified arm dropped to the ground. Haruyu's sister's body began to fall as well. Haruyu herself ran over.

"No..." she cried.

"NO!"

"Hey."

Haruyu's eyes snapped open. She jolted up from her bunk and looked around. Erica was still sleeping in the bunk above her. There was a Haro floating near her bed. Haruyu smiled softly.

"Hey Al..." she replied. "Is it time to wake up already?" Haro rolled horizontally, as if it were shaking its head.

"You were thrashing," said Allen. "You're crying and shaking right now."

"I... am?" Haruyu wiped her tears. "Heh heh... sorry. Did I worry you?" The Haro turned around.

"... Maybe?" he tried. Haruyu giggled.

"Why are you here anyway?" she asked.

"I saw that you were distressed."

"How?"

"Security cameras." Haruyu jumped at this and frantically looked around the room. Indeed there was one security camera in the room.

"Privacy my ass..."

"Can I ask?" asked Allen. Haruyu blew her nose.

"About..."

"Nightmare," Allen simply replied. Haruyu wiped her eyes.

"Little sister," she stated. "'Nuff said."

"Oh..." The Haro floated off the bed. "Guess I'll leave, then." Haruyu caught the Haro.

"Wait," she said. "Can you... um... stay for a bit...?"

"...Okay..."

Attack preparations began. Everyone put their pilot suits on and climbed onto their Kataphrakts. Haruyu attached Allen's Haro onto a docking station within the cockpit. She began turning everything on.

"Hey," she began. The Haro turned around to face her. "Thanks..."

"Raptor 33, you are cleared for launch," said the operator.

"Roger," Haruyu replied. "Raptor 33, cleared for launch. Blastoff." Haruyu was pushed against her seat as the Intruder catapulted out of the asteroid. It's monoeye glowed blue as it magnificently soared across a sea of stars. Haruyu remembered something Inaho told her.

"You'll make it back," he had said. "My left eye told me so."

Author's notes: Another chapter is done. This time I finished it during study hall XD As you can tell from the chapter, Haruyu is familiar with most of the main cast before the events of Aldnoah Zero. Just more of a fun fact. BTW, writer's block is being an ass to me so chapter 5 might be late.

Anyway, please review. It motivates me to keep on writing.

Keep on Keeping on, and i'll see you next time.