Disclaimer: I don't own anything apart from the words that I write and the characters that I create. Credit goes to the original creator of the Gargantia universe.
Author's Notes: I most likely haven't been following my own key when it comes to communication so far, but I tend to change things up subconsciously sometimes but I'll try my best to be consistent.
It's been a few days since Ledo killed the pirates that attacked Bellows' ship and everyone's guard is up in fear, though they did not anticipate a lone spy being able to infiltrate the fleet during the dark hours of the night, early morning, with a mission in mind
"Oh lord. I never anticipated that they'd be this paranoid. They've got guards all over. I'm just relieved that some of the tension seems to have died down. I'm glad I didn't get sent immediately, that would've killed me. I am thankful that Empress Yukkage is so merciful in this duty." One of the pirates sent by Yukkage mutters in his head, swiftly yet quietly dashes around the fleet, trying to find the water tanks to fulfill his mission, with him being in the room when the report was given by the few survivors that escaped from when they tried to sack Bellows' ship
"Are you telling me that a single damn Yumboroid killed just about everyone?"
"Unfortunately so. What do we do?"
"Send someone to infiltrate Gargantia. Spike their water supplies and when they are too weak to even get up, we'll invade. Make the preparations immediately."
"Understood!"
After more silent running, the pirate makes it toward the water tanks to find it guarded rather well from the sights he can see from behind the corner
"Crap, I can't get to the tanks like this."
Fortunately, for the pirate, the guard outside gets a call on his walkie-talkie about a guard shift in ten minutes and for him to go home for rest
"Perfect. I have ten minutes to spike the water and get the hell outta here."
The pirate dashes toward the tanks, pulls out a vial from his inner jacket and pours it into the water after noticing it's label: Water Tank 2 and how the first one is empty, indicating that this is the current tank in use for the people of Gargantia fleet.
"Perfect. I spiked the water, now I gotta bolt."
When the morning came, and when Yayoi woke up for her patrol, she did notice a few strange things going she merely wrote off as coincidence. Unfortunately, she has been forced to use a crutch since her leg is still recovering, though the nanomachines are doing their job, but it still will take a full week atleast for her injuries to heal. Unless Sylpheon is able to modify her nanotechnology to better suit organics, it will take atleast a week to treat minor injuries like her injured leg.
"I wonder what happened to the commander? He has never taken a day off as far as I've seen. The others were wondering too." Yayoi takes a big gulp out of her water canteen as she talks to herself, albeit out loud since no one is around. It certainly doesn't exactly help that she's feeling a little short-winded because of how it's one of the hottest days of the year and keeping people hydrated is a real challenge around this time. Almost immediately, she yawns rather strongly which slightly confuses her since she didn't feel tired a few minutes ago "Sylpheon, did I have any sleep deficits last night?"
"No, you got the ideal amount of sleep. I know that's true. Are you okay?"
"I feel...sleepy. I heard that talking to people can keep people awake. Mind helping?"
"I can try, but I don't think it would work much. It would work better with an actual human."
Yayoi groans at the response "I suppose you're right. I hope I can shrug this off." Yayoi responds with a big yawn and stretches her body to try heightening her senses so she can try staying awake.
After about an hour passes along the way during her patrol, she comes across Amy and Kotori
"Good morning Nishihara-san." Kotori says with a small smile, having gotten more comfortable with the situation when things calmed down.
"Morning." Yayoi responds with heavy yawns and heavy eyes, feeling tough to keep them open now
"You okay Yayoi-san? You really seem tired."
"She's not the only one Amy, remember? Nearly half of the people we've seen today are bordering outright collapse."
"I wonder what's going on. I've never seen so many people here so tired."
"Amy, you said you've been noticing people very tired? Are there any common trends you've seen with them?"
"Yeah, this is one of the hottest days of the year so there are a lot of people drinking water. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I just noticed this a little bit ago but this water seems...different somehow."
"Different how?" Kotori asks, wondering what Sylph means by 'different'
"I...I can't explain exactly. There's some microscopic addition to the water Yayoi is drinking and she got it straight from water tank 2. Considering the function of the tank, what is there could have affected anyone else who drank it."
While this was ongoing, it was getting far more difficult for Yayoi to stay awake, with her outright falling asleep by the time Sylph had talked about the 'addition' to the water
"W-Woah! Yayoi-san, are you okay?!" Amy exclaims, rushing toward Yayoi's side with Kotori in tow.
The only response from Yayoi however is snoring, indicating that the girl has fallen asleep.
"Wait, I've had a chance to analyze this thing on a molecular level. It's a sleeping draught!"
"A sleeping draught?"
"Correct. It is capable of quickly inducing sleep in anyone who consumes it. Someone must have spiked the water supplies of that tank! Amy, you need to inform the captain and tell everyone to throw out the water they got from Tank 2. We need to either purify it or empty the entire tank." Sylph pondered the situation before realizing what had happened, knowing that it is not a mere accident because of how deliberate it would need to be to actually spike water supplies alongside how water is not capable of having this effect unless it was deliberately done.
"Right. I'd better hurry before this becomes too wide-spread. Kotori, you'll need to help Yayoi-san back to her house." Amy then quickly runs toward the edge of the platform and jumps off, quickly stretching out her glider as she does so.
With Amy gone, Kotori does her best to prop Yayoi around her arm and she then begins to walk toward where the girl's house is albeit, at a slightly slower pace.
"Sylpheon, do you know how long this thing lasts?" Kotori asks, taking the earpiece and puts it in her right ear.
"No idea. I was only able to do a surface scan. Going in depth would take me hours."
"Actually, are you able to work without Yayoi-san?"
"Hm, yes and no. I can handle many things on my own, but I need a pilot to handle battle."
"Yikes. Looks you'll be in trouble. But can't you ask that one boy to fill in as your pilot? You both come from the same place right?"
"Ledo is incapable of being my pilot."
"Then, what will you do?"
"I am almost certain that you are compatible with me, Hamasaki-san."
"Er...come again?"
"I can still detect the nanomachines within your body's blood stream and while they are inert, I strongly believe that they would activate if we were to work in tandem."
"But...I-I have no experience with this kind of thing! I'm no good with machines!"
"Don't worry Hamasaki-san. I may be advanced but not even I am capable of the individuality organics are capable of. My pilot doesn't actually need to do a whole lot if they don't desire to, but I just need someone compatible. I will also need to find some way to actually activate the nanomachines however."
"Ugh. I just pray that we won't have to take such measures."
When Kotori finally gets back to Yayoi's house on one of the southern ships and puts her to sleep, a fleet-wide notice is broadcasted, telling everyone to throw out their water and immediately refill their canteens from Tank Three. It's quickly followed by a warning of a pirate fleet rapidly closing in on the Gargantia, their intent being the Gargantia.
"Hamasaki-san, since Yayoi is asleep, I need you to pilot me."
"W-WHAT?! But! I told you-!"
"Yayoi is asleep for an unspecified amount of time and I need a pilot. I don't wish to leave Chamber and Ledo to their own devices. Hamasaki-san, I need your help."
"Uu...okay. What do you need me to do?"
"First. Go find Yayoi's armor and helmet. They should be in the chest in her bedroom."
Kotori looks around and quickly finds the chest Sylph specified and opens it; finding the armor and helmet like Sylph said. She pulls them out of it and inspects it "You sure this thing will fit me Sylpheon?"
"I am very certain yes. Put that equipment on and enter my frame. You saw me outside."
"Alright alright. Just...give me a minute okay?" Kotori lightly groans in irritation, trying her best to put on the armor and helmet over her clothing.
Kotori puts on the armor and helmet as best she can and as quickly as she can, rushing out of Yayoi's house as soon as she finishes.
"Hamasaki-san, I've contacted Chamber and he told me that the captain wishes to meet with us. We should hurry. I'll fly you to the meeting ground, so let's proceed at once."
"Sure, let's just get this over with." Kotori says as she enters Sylpheon's frame "How do I do this? I've told you repeatedly that I'm not good with technology."
"Think of me as an extension of your own senses Hamasaki-san. Also, I wish to keep this quiet so I want you to pretend you are Yayoi okay? Darken the tint of your helmet so no one can notice that you're not Yayoi." Almost immediately, three cords attach to Kotori's back, making the girl have a near panic attack "Relax. I'm doing this to activate the inert nanomachines in your bloodstream. Once I finish this process, they'll be completely converted to my signal. They will be incapable of activating without me engaging them. All potential dangers would be instantly dealt with."
"Er, sure. I just want to get this done. I don't want these pirates attacking us and if that means fighting back...so be it."
"You have a realistic mindset Hamasaki-san. Let's go."
Sylph flies to where Chamber and the others are, finding them with a small number of bridge staff, Bellows, and surprisingly, a number of engineering personnel attaching a number of spotlights above the arms and around the torso, with them doing the same to Sylph as soon as she lands.
"Excellent. You've finally arrived Sylpheon, Nishihara-san. We need to go over our plan with you." Ferrock tacitly says when the pair arrives. It's clear that Amy didn't tell that the captain that Yayoi fell prey to the sleeping draught as well.
"Urg...now I have to impersonate Nishihara-san in more than just appearance?" Kotori sighs before looking toward the captain "Let's proceed with our mission." Kotori says, doing her best to sound like Yayoi.
"We've had to alter our plan because of how our water supplies were spiked so badly that over half of the people in the fleet has fallen asleep. Nishihara-san, you and your colleague will have to fight off the pirates on your own. We have to keep everyone else here so we can proceed along our course path."
"Are there any directives in place for this mission?" Chamber inquires, somehow doubting that the people are eager to repeat what happened with the pirate fleet earlier that week.
"No deaths. We are not war-mongers."
"Affirmative. We will exert all effort to prevent casualties on either side."
"Good to hear. Here's what we want you two to do." Ridget then pulls out a map and lays it out on a nearby table. The map appears to be a drawn geographical map of the region. "Based on our projections, the pirates will intercept us here. I want you two to intercept them here." Ridget puts a single X a little ways southeast of where the pirates are on the map "Even with if you fly, by the time you reach this location, it'll be near midnight. It would take atleast a day for our ships to reach this area, so you two will be on your own. Get moving."
"Understood."
Ledo jumps toward Chamber's headpiece and enters the frame while Kotori climbs since she doesn't have the athletic talents Ledo and Yayoi have, and surprisingly, no one seemed to question why 'Yayoi' is going about it this way. When the pair make it a fair distance from the fleet, Ledo opens a communication channel with Kotori
"Lieutenant Nishihara, what are your orders?" Ledo asks, with Sylph translating Ledo's statement into Kotori's language so she can comprehend.
"Er...Sylpheon? I have no idea what to say to him in this case, please tell me you have something."
"I'll handle it. Just leave it to me Hamasaki-san." Sylph gently says to the girl before taking control of the comm channel "Ensign Ledo, our orders will go like this. We were told to avoid inflicting casualties to the pirates so we will focus our efforts on the propulsion and weapon systems." Sylph says using Yayoi's voice. Based on what Kotori sees on the screen, it appears that Sylph was able to distort her own voice to sound like Yayoi.
"Very well Lieutenant. We'll follow that plan of action." Ledo then ends the comm channel after receiving orders from 'Yayoi'.
"Thanks Sylpheon."
"Please, just call me Sylph Hamasaki-san." Sylph says with a gentle tone.
"I will if you call me Kotori."
"Very well Kotori."
They continue flying toward the pirate fleet and quickly encounter what appears to be a small rock formation, perhaps a small fragment of what was once a mountain.
"Let's wait here Ensign Ledo. Sylpheon's energy supplies are beginning to decline and I need to conserve what little she has left." Sylph says, using Yayoi's synthesized voice as she minimizes the power of the floater, just barely floating above the water.
"Understood. According to our scanners, the pirates will be here any minute. Get ready."
A few minutes pass and the pirate ships sail past the rock formation like planned, unaware of Sylph's and Chamber's presence. Unfortunately for them, by the time they did notice and open fired with firearms, the two Machine Calibers are far more advanced than anything on this planet and evading the streams of shrapnel from the firearms is ridiculously easy, which surprises Kotori more than she ever realized.
"Wow Sylph, this is amazing! Not even our strongest Yumboroid is capable of this!"
"Ensign Ledo. Focus your efforts on the ships. I'm going after the captain of this fleet. She and I have a score to settle." Sylph's 'Yayoi' voice sounds incredibly angry, bordering snarling if it were possible for an AI. It looks like Sylph is rather pissed about the attack earlier that week.
"Understood."
The battle evolves into Chamber tearing off panels off the ship to throw it against the cannons and tearing off the bridges off the ships when it was confirmed that the pirates were out of the room, while Sylpheon is aiming for the captain of the fleet, wanting payback for the EMP attack on her. If it wasn't for Sylph instantaneously creating a restore point just before the attack struck her as per basic guidelines of her programming, she would've lost atleast two months of memory, which would be all the experiences since Sylph and Yayoi got to Earth. However, when Sylph lands on the lead ship, a red Yumboroid piloted by the pirate captain appears from a hatch on the lower end of the ship and sails away from the fleet, headed in the direction where the Gargantia is
"Ledo, she's going after the Gargantia! I-er, Sylpheon doesn't have enough energy to chase her down. I'll take care of things here." Sylpheon nearly gave herself away for a moment there, obviously new to this kind of thing herself.
"Understood Lieutenant. Best of luck." Ledo quickly responds, flying away with Chamber in pursuit of the captain, leaving Kotori and Sylph in the area to destroy the remaining ships' propulsion and weapons while Sylph is doing whatever she can to go about this in addition to conserving what little energy she has left.
Sylph thankfully is able to destroy the weapons but immediately begins to fly away, trying to make as much distance as possible since her energy reserves are almost completely depleted, but Sylph unfortunately crashes a short distance from the pirates
"You okay Sylph?!" Kotori exclaims in mild fear, trying to find some way to get Sylph moving again.
"My energy supplies have been utterly depleted. I can't move anymore."
"Crap! What do we do?! The pirates will capture us!"
"We have no other option but for me to engage the seals so the pirates can't get the cockpit open. Then we wait for daybreak and break out of here. Don't worry Kotori, I won't them hurt you."
Almost immediately, a group of Pirate Crabs use the grappling cables to drag Sylpheon across the water toward the fleet and they place Sylph inside the cargo hold of one of the ships but to the dismay of both Sylph and Kotori, it's a sealed hold with no windows, therefore: No sunlight to recharge Sylph's power supply.
"Er...Sylph…" Kotori mumbles weakly as she can somewhat see the interior of the hold where she and Sylph are from how Sylph's interior turns translucent when out of power.
"Yes. I know. Unless something changes, we'll need to wait for help."
Chapter 8 Preview:
"What do you mean Amy?" Bellows inquires, wondering why this one subject is being discussed right now.
"I went to check on Kotori's family and they told me that they haven't seen her since she was with me on our delivery shift. Considering that Kotori helped Yayoi-san to her house, the only thing I can think of is that she was with Sylph."
"Are you sure that-"
"Yes, nothing else matches up. No one has seen Kotori since Ledo and Sylph went to stop the pirates. I know her and she doesn't wander much aside from work. I've been everywhere she frequents and I couldn't find her anywhere. We need to go after the pirates and save her and Sylph."
"We're not warmongers Amy. We can't go and fight the pirates. That would go against what we stand for." Ferrock speaks up, reminding Amy of how they don't seek battle on a whim.
"I will go." Ledo speaks up, though Chamber was the one actually speaking for him. While he was not amused about how he was lied to during the battle, but since he's trying to negotiate with the Gargantia, he believes that willingly going on a rescue mission to save one of her citizens will help remove the negative affinity he earned against the pirates in the first place.
"I suppose we have a technicality here. If Gargantia were to attack, we'd be seen as warmongers, but you are a neutral party and if you go after the pirates solo, people would know you went to save your friend. In case this, we have no other choice. Please. Go and save our missing civilians."
"Understood."
If anyone can figure out the reference I hid in this chapter, I'll...hm, I can't nor would I want to give monetary rewards, so maybe a virtual high-five?