Chapter 7
Asteroid field around the moonbase
Lt. Marito was flyind towards the last known location of the Deucalion at full speed with a knight hot on his tail. He flew zig-zag to avoid the shots of the enemy and returned fire from time to time, but none of their shots hit their targets.
"Hey! How much longer do you want to play this cat-and-mouse game with me. Stop running. Be a man and take on your opponent." Poplan tried to provoke his enemy.
"No, thanks. I don't like cockfights. Besides it would put me in a disadvantage. Your kataphrakt's ability is gravity isn't it? But it's diffrent from the one I've faced once before. Yours has only an effect on a limited area and has a limited range. Am I right? That's why one of my first shots was able to scratch you."
"Even if you are right. In contrast to the Vers Orbital Knight this ability is not the only weapon my kataphrakt has." Poplan stated and fired two more shots at Marito.
"But flying at full speed and firing at me at the same time must mean that you will be out of fuel and ammunition very soon. However my energy supply won't be exhaused so quickly due to the Aldnoah Drive."
'Unfortunately this guy is right. I can't keep this up much longer. I have to reach the Deucalion. Its guns should be able to overcome his abilities,' thought Marito.
'Please, just a little bit longer and I will be there'.
But when Lt. Marito arrived at his final destination he froze for a moment, because of the sight in front of him. He saw the heavily damaged Deucalion and had only one thought in his mind 'Captain Magbaredge'.
A second later he was jolted out of his thoughts by a huge impact. Sir Poplan has used his kataphrakt's ability to strengthen its frame and rammed it right into Lt. Marito.
"One of the first rules in combat is not to get distracted by your surroundings. Have you forgotten that?" Poplan said mockingly.
"You bastard." Lt. Marito replied and tried to fire his gun at him at point-blank range, but Sir poplan also used his kataphract's ability and the shell exploded inside the barrel of the gun.
Lt. Marito then discarded his now useless weapon und draw a knife "I have no time to fight with you. I have to get back to my ship."
"Why is there someone important for you on that ship?"
Lt. Marito winced at this question and said nothing, but his silence was more than enough answer for his opponent.
'So there is someone and I'm willing to bet it's a woman," thought the knight, but thoughts were disturbed by an incoming transmission.
"Hey Poplan! What are you doing here? His Highness has given you the order to take contol of your area of space and where is Titus?" Captain Konev questoned his friend.
"Hello Konev. Well was chasing an enemy kataphrakt here and now I wanted to deal with it. About the question where Titus is. Well, I left him in charge of my sector."
From Captain Konev's facial expression Poplan could conclude that he wasn't pleased with the answer.
"Do you mean you left your duties to a junior knight so that you could chase after a single enemy unit?"
"Well, he was able to scratch my kataphract, but more or less that's right."
"There is a limit to how irresponsible you can be. Deal with this enemy unit and return to your position immediately and that is an order. Captain Konew over and out."
"Hmpf...This Konev is no fun sometimes. He should relax a little bit more. But now back to work. So, how should I deal with you? I think I know." Poplan muttered and blasted away Lt. Marito's right arm.
"You bastard." Lt Marito said.
"Go and help you ship." Polan replied.
"What? Is that some kind of trick? Why are you doing this?"
"Look, you have something you want to do and I have something I have to do and with your damaged kataphrakt you are no serious threat to any of our units anymore. But in my opinion fighting us is the last thing that's on your mind now. Therefore I let you go. Captain Konev won't do anything as long you don't attack him. You can call me a weirdo if you want like most of my fellow knights, but I think there is even a greater weirdo among us. His obession to serve his Highness scares even me."
Suddenly there was a glaring light in the distance and Poplan concluded that it had to be him.
"Well, bye then." That were Sir Poplans ' last words before moving away and leaving a stunned Lt. Marito behind.
Location of the light
From their position on an asteroid several UEF kataphrakts were trying to shoot down a knight in his kataphrakt, but their rounds just evaporated before they could hit him. Next a large part of the asteroid them included evaporated as well.
"All those, standing in the way of his Highness shall be reduced to ash by the light of my nova." A knight declared monotonously.
"Do you know that you sound like your cousin? You know what happened to him, do you?" His fellow knight interposed.
"My cousin was my cousin. I'm my own person, but my happiness lies only in serving his Highness."
"Your wife won't like to hear this, besides you have overlooked an enemy unit and he is coming straight at you."
"I haven't overlooked him and my my wife understands me very well, but you can have this enemy unit if you want."
"Yeah, I'm working on it. As long I can get away from this guy." His partner muttered the last part.
'Of all the knights, why did I have to end up with this weirdo. Even this skirt chaser Poplan would be better.' The knight thought and flew towards the Terran kataphrakt at high speed.
The UEF pilot didn't even know what hit him, when his machine was sliced in two by one of the two longswords of the knight's kataphrakt.
"I think I can recognise the units of the Vers Orbital Knight over there. This means we have closed the gaps between our units and theirs on this side of the battlefield. If the forces of the moonbase can close the gaps on their side the encirclement of the enemy will be completed."
"His Highness will be pleased." His partner stated monotonously.
"Well, at least that's something we can agree on."
