(Must give more~!)
天元突破
フリーダムエメル
〜パラレルワークス〜
Tengen Toppa
Freedom Emerl
~Parallel Works~
by
アムラス・フェラグンド
Amras Felagund
May You All Burn!
CHAPTER 3:
I'll Meet Them Head On!
Lucus sat up bolt upright in bed. He looked around, breathing heavily. He looked back and forth across the barracks, taking in his surroundings, making sure that everything was in order.
Then he rested his head in his palm.
The nightmares just would not leave him be...
Not even after ten years.
Throwing off the covers, he shuffled across the room, past rows of beds of similarly uneasy sleepers. The races who had lost their homeworlds to the Anti-Spiral had only grown in the intervening years: now joining the Wisps, Seedrians, Bem, and Xorda were the Teragosans, the Azurites, the Voxai, the Bzzzz, the Blodex, the Kron, the N'rrgal... the list just kept growing...
Some, like the Kaamdaarn, were not so lucky as to escape the Anti-Spiral...
At least they could sleep now.
Lucus had not had a decent night's sleep since... well, since his parents were still alive.
He really needed a pick-me-up.
In a matter of minutes, following his feet which subconsciously led him in a particular direction that they led him on particularly bad nights, Lucus found himself in the mess hall.
Letting himself smile blearily, Lucus dragged himself over to the drink dispenser and activated the console. Bathed in blue light, Lucus tapped away at the computer screen, muscle memory telling his fingers which places on the screen to tap so that he would get his favored pick-me-up.
In moments, he was seated at one of the broad tables, alone, drinking his sorrows away.
These headquarters were thrown together nine years ago in the Tree of Life Nebula, a colony constructed according to the schematics designed by Burrnyl, a surviving Avalonian offworlder. This Burrnyl Sphere was built to house the refugees of worlds lost to the Anti-Spiral who were willing to lay their lives down on the line to put the Anti-Spiral down.
Of course, there were many millions and billions of refugees who refused to battle the Anti-Spiral, who believed that it was pointless and hopeless to resist, who fled this galaxy for one less hostile.
Lucus thought they were stupid.
Without hope, what does anyone have?
Well, Lucus quipped to himself. A person without hope can have a good drink.
"Can't sleep, either?"
He looked up.
It was Ceneca-6913. She looked identical to Ceneca-6573, or rather, she looked identical to whoever the original Ceneca was. All Bem looked and sounded exactly the same. It had taken Lucus a lot of time - and more than a few awkward miscommunications - to learn to differentiate Bem on sight.
He raised a hand in welcome.
"That last battle was a little too close for my taste," he said to the base of his glass.
"Really?" Ceneca-6913. "Your Gizoid didn't have a scratch on it. You really are an exceptional pilot."
"It's not that," Lucus said. "We lost Marmolin. Even though I tried so hard to protect them..."
He slammed the glass on the table.
"DAMN IT! Can't we make any sort of headway against those damned Anti-Spirals?"
Ceneca-6913 reached out a hand.
"You know you're just saying that."
Lucus sighed.
"Yeah, I know. It's just been a bad night for me. When the morning comes, I'll be more than ready to take on the Anti-Spiral's army again. But for now..." He hung his head. "If only we could know what they're thinking. How much of their army have we chipped away at? Just how much longer do I have to fight?"
Ceneca-6913's hand touched Lucus's. He looked up at her. She was smiling.
"Perhaps you'd like a refresher about what we have that allows us to keep fighting?"
螺旋の希望
The elevator door clanged open, and Lucus and Ceneca-6913 stepped out into the hangar bay. It was not a hangar for cruisers or starships.
It was a hangar for their special weapons against the Anti-Spiral:
Mechas that were powered by their pilots' own Spiral Power.
Developed with the aid of the Teragosa 6 supercomputers, weaponized by the Xorda, and built with the acoustics of helixology in mind to allow for adaptability on any battlefield: the Gizoids.
反アンチスパイラル型可動メカ
ギゾイド
The anti-Anti-Spiral-type mobile cockpit mecha
Gizoid
The Gizoids came in many different shapes, and very few were ever exactly the same. Some resembled tanks with arms and legs instead of treads; some had opposable jaws for crushing blows; some were tall and thin; some were short and broad; some could be driven by multiple pilots and split into individually piloted units. But all had the same general shape of a head with arms and legs.
"The Gizoids..." Lucus said. No matter how down he got, seeing the fruits of his and his comrades' labors always brightened his mood.
"Yes," Ceneca-6913 smiled. "And don't forget, that the Gizoids were developed primarily to be mobile cockpits."
Lucus nodded. "Yeah. For the Star Gizoids."
"City-sized units that can be piloted only by the corresponding Gizoid unit. Development is going swimmingly. And once they're in use..."
A smile crossed Lucus's stolid features.
"The war against the Anti-Spiral will turn."
Almost absentmindedly, Lucus then walked along the row of Gizoids, passing by mechas of various colors and shapes.
And then, finally, he reached a group of five Gizoids that he was particularly proud to see.
Amongst the Spiral Warriors that piloted the Gizoids, these were the reasons that Lucus and his four childhood friends were known as the Spiral Knights.
Their mighty knight-like Gizoids.
Syne's was a bold yellow with dark-green accents and a dark-green cape. It had twin horns flanking its grill-shaped face, a green orb on its belly and its forehead, and held a large golden hammer as large as its own body in one of its bulky hands.
シン・イエローゼルコヴァ専用カスタムギゾイド
バイホゥウ
Syne Yellowzelkova's Exclusive Use Custom Gizoid
Baihuu
Undenine's was a dull red with black accents and a bright red cape. Sharp horns emerged from its back and head, and there was an orange orb in its chest and under the visor on its head. An energy whip, currently powered down, was clutched in its right hand.
ウンデニン・レッドパイン専用カスタムギゾイド
キンロン
Undenine Redpine's Exclusive Use Custom Gizoid
Qyinlone
Salasine's was black with a blue-green cape, and a purple orb on a chest, another encompassing the entire front half of its face, in addition to two being mounted on its shoulders. It held a staff ending in a large circular mirror.
サラシン・ブラックナルキッソス専用カスタムギゾイド
チョークゥエ
Salasine Blacknarcissus's Exclusive Use Custom Gizoid
Zheuque
Gnonine's was a very pale blue-green, and had an off-green cape hanging from each of its prominent epaulets. Its insectoid head bore three dark-blue-green orbs and long horns, in addition to the three other orbs of the same color in a vertical line running down the chest. Each hand carried a hooked sword.
ノニン・ペールベイリーフ専用カスタムギゾイド
ズワンウーオ
Gnonine Pale-Bayleaf's Exclusive Use Custom Gizoid
Xuanwuo
And finally, there was Lucus's own Gizoid. It was a deep, dark shade of purple, with an emerald-green orb in the middle of its chest, and forming the front half of its face, between a pair of long silver horns. A black cape hung from either of its shoulders, and a long golden sword was held in its left hand.
ルクス・ダークオーク専用カスタムギゾイド
ホゥエンロニックス
Lucus Darkoak's Exclusive Use Custom Gizoid
Huenlonix
The five of them, together, had battled relentlessly against the Anti-Spiral in these mechas, driving the Anti-Spiral's forces off from many worlds desperate for protection. Lucus would draw the enemy out with his power of the Spiral. Salasine would deflect any Anti-Spiral energy blasts with his mirrored staff. Undenine would take the enemy's weapon in hand with his whip. Gnonine would then disarm them with his hooked , finally, Syne's Goldion Hammer, developed by the Xorda, would reduce the enemy to pure photons - particles of light - upon contact.
This is how they worked together as a team.
But each of them could still hold their own against foes in the event that they were ever separated.
Lucus had to admit, he probably had the single greatest edge against the Anti-Spiral on his own. The true secret to the power of Huenlonix, the means by which Spiral life itself had survived as long as it had, was the device which lurked behind the orb on its face, which was incorporated five years ago.
でっかい顔
Lucus blinked at the sight before him. Ceneca-6913 had brought him down to the research center in one of the lower levels of the Burrnyl Sphere. It was dark except for the blinking lights which exposed a sheet covering something. Whatever it was, this something was quite large, as large as a small car.
"Lucus Darkoak, I present to you..."
With one of her hands, she pulled the sheet off.
"The future of combat mechas!"
It was a miniature Gizoid, up to Lucus's shoulder level. It was pale-green, with bright blue eyes. A crest reached for the ceiling, bearing a third eye in the middle of its forehead. Its arms and legs were very short and stumpy.
Lucus gave it a once-over, running a hand over its body. It was strangely warm, even though the room itself was rather cool. He looked behind its crest. The cockpit was just a leather seat with two grips, one for each hand. A helixometer was set in the middle of the display, directly behind the mini-Gizoid's third eye. On its back was a small turbine.
"I'm sorry, Ceneca-6913, but how is this the future of combat mechas? We need bigger mechas, not smaller."
"I understand that. This Gizoid is not suited to direct combat, at least not in its current state. This is a Gizoid that is meant for combining with other Gizoids."
"Combining?"
"Indeed. This Gizoid prototype here is the meaning of 'greater than the sum of its parts'. This is... the Spiral Power Magnification Conduit Interface. Call it the Core Machine for short."
螺旋力拡大導管界面「コアマシン」
Spiral Power Magnification Conduit Interface "Core Machine"
Lucus dug deep into his memory. "Spiral Power Magnification Conduit Interface...?"
Ceneca-6913 continued, smiling, "You remember Ceneca-6573's proposal to the Teragosans, then. We have all been more impressed than you can imagine for your Miracle Over Greengate. This is the zenith of helixological studies. This boy here..." She patted the Core Machine affectionately. "Is capable of magnifying the Spiral Power of whoever is piloting it. The larger the machine that it is combined onto, the greater the magnification of Spiral Power."
Lucus grinned broadly.
"You're a genius, Ceneca-6913!"
He looked down at the helixometer. There was a small metal port in the exact middle of it. He furrowed his brow at it.
"What's that in the middle there?"
"For lack of a better term, that's the ignition port. You activate it with this."
She produced from a breast pocket a small drill the size of her thumb. It looked to be carved out of pure emerald. Lucus took it. It, too, was warm to the touch.
Then it began to pulse with a green light that matched Lucus's heartbeat. He gasped.
Ceneca-6913 smiled again. "It seems that the Core Drill has accepted you as its master."
"Core Drill?"
"It serves as a liaison for the Spiral Power of the pilot with the Core Machine. To activate the Core Machine, insert the Core Drill into the port in the center of your helixometer, and twist it while saying, 'Spin Start'."
"Spin Start," Lucus repeated, twisting the Core Drill in his hands.
"Be careful with your Core Drill, Lucus. It was no simple matter to create an object that's perfectly fractal down to point-one Planck length."
"Fractal?" Lucus asked.
"Fractal is a term which indicates a pattern that is self-similar at all levels of magnification," Ceneca-6913 said. She raised her top-right arm, clicking a small remote, and a computer screen lit up with an image of a counter-clockwise spiral. "In other words, a fractal body looks the same no matter how much you would zoom in or out. See how the spiral repeats itself as it gets larger? That is related to the Principle of Spiral Amplification. The Core Drill is supposed to be perfectly fractal, even down to levels beyond quantum physics, or contact with the Core Machine will be impossible. You have no idea how long it took us sisters Bem to craft Cain G specimens into these Core Drills."
Lucus started. "Cain G? This is one of the sentient crystals of Cain G?"
"Indeed it is."
"But I thought that they had declared neutrality in this war."
"Actually, for the Sherds of Cain G, this was an incredibly hasty decision... even though it's been four years for us. Some Sherds volunteered to be whittled down to this form, so that they could grow to fit the Core Drill molds that we made."
"Sherds...?"
"This is not the only Core Machine we're going to develop. At least seven more are lined up for construction. Our next best Gizoid pilots will be lined up to incorporate them into their own Gizoids as well."
"'As well'...?" Lucus looked at the Bem scientist with a hopeful smile. "You mean...!"
"All that we need to incorporate this into your Huenlonix is your word."
Lucus's heart skipped a beat.
"Really? Awesome!"
He clenched the Core Drill in his hand.
"Will my friends be getting their own Core Machines as well?"
At this, Ceneca-6913's smile faltered.
"I'm terribly sorry, but we only think it fair that the pilots of Core Machines be fairly representative of the races the Anti-Spiral has displaced. We can only hope that they never need to pilot Core Machines. I'm sure you'll understand."
Disappointed, Lucus nodded. "I guess it makes sense. I have the greatest Spiral Power of us five, so I'd be the biggest target."
Ceneca-6913 lowered her head, closing her eyes for a moment.
"In the meantime, Lucus," she continued, "Perhaps you would like to name this Core Machine?"
"Name it?"
"It's a part of the Huenlonix, but it should be identifiable on its own."
Lucus looked at the green Gizoid mech. He thought for a long moment.
He thought back to when this all began. When he'd met Merlin.
"I'll name it... G-Merlin. No. G-Merl."
ジーメル
G-Merl
Ceneca-6913 smiled brightly. "Seems fitting. Perhaps in time, you'd like to have G-Merl customized to your liking...?"
ギゾイド
Rousing himself from his revery, Lucus looked past the the five Spiral Knights' Gizoids, to the great mass production Meta-Gizoids.
Each the size of a small mountain, they served as transports for the cockpit Gizoids, and as back-up for the Star Gizoids.
There were the generic Great MetaFlares, which had dagger-shaped prows emerging from their abdomens; the evasive Great MetaSeas, which were slim and lithe, capable of swimming through space like it was an ocean creature; the speedy Great MetaWinds, shaped like large flat crossroads in space, capable of tearing through space at high speeds to make guerrilla strikes; and the impregnable Great MetaRocks, each one a hemisphere coated in layer upon layer of molecularly bonded steel, which could withstand any level of bombardment from the Anti-Spiral.
Flanking the Gizoids of Lucus and his four friends, were two other Gizoids equipped with Core Machines. One Gizoid (specially modified for its aquatic pilot) was piloted by a Xorda who had particularly high Spiral Power. It resembled a silvery-blue fish-man. Its spiny arms and legs ended in long hands and feet webbed with yellow flexisteel. Its elongated head ended in a spiny fish-tail spotted at regular intervals. Between its narrow green eyes was a red orb, which served as the base for a singular long horn.
ゾールダ専用カスタムギゾイド
ボス・ギルマン
Xorda's Exclusive Use Custom Gizoid
Boss Gillman
The other Core Machine-equipped Gizoid was predominantly silver, and looked more like a giant silver-coated Pink Wisp than anything. Scattered around it were several silver rings. Lucus knew that, when the pilot, a Bem named Ceneca-9001, activated the Core Machine with her Core Drill, the silver rings would rise up and rotate around the Gizoid's central body. They were capable of separating and being morphed into various weapons against the Anti-Spiral.
セネカ玖〇〇壹専用カスタムギゾイド
シルバーリンガー
Ceneca-9001's Exclusive Use Custom Gizoid
Silver Ringer
Lucus looked back to Ceneca-6913.
"Thanks. I really needed this."
Ceneca-6913 brought a hand to her chin as she smiled.
"Don't mention it."
昇進
Later that same morning, Lucus was seated in the mess hall, which was a lot fuller and more lively during the 'daytime hours'. Organizing the artificial cycles of day and night for the various diurnal and nocturnal species with different sleep cycles was a chore for the construction workers of the Burrnyl Sphere, but a compromise was eventually found. Living arrangements for the races who breathed different gases from each other was difficult, but eventually, it was decided that different sectors would be apportioned to different races. (Those who breathed carbon dioxide and oxygen could safely cohabitate, though.)
Lucus did not consider himself a biology genius, but he did know his fair share about genetics and how DNA splicing worked. He did consider reading up on helixology and its applications in genetics and biology, in the hopes of using Spiral Power to alter everyone's biology so that they would be able to breathe the same air, so that no one would be unable to share the same space because of some simple physiological difference. However, when Ceneca-6913 told him that the level of Spiral Power needed to adjust the genetic code of an entire living being, never mind a race or several races, was simply too unfeasible, Lucus gave up on this flight of fancy.
Of course, Lucus's mind was far from genetics or splicing DNA strands or biology at the moment, and soon would be for a significant amount of time.
He was sharing breakfast rations with his four childhood friends when General Goldyew approached the table in full military uniform. His straw-colored hair was cropped far shorter than it was ten years ago, and he wore an eyepatch over his right eye, which he'd lost three years before along with the right thorn on his head.
"Commander Darkoak," he said gruffly. He'd lost much gentility over the past decade.
Lucus dropped his fork hastily, his eggs splattering all over the table (Salasine looked affronted) and sprang to a salute.
"Yessir?"
"Lieutenant Blacknarcissus."
"Sir?"
"Lieutenant Pale-Bayleaf."
"Yessir."
"Lieutenant Redpine."
"Sir!"
"Lieutenant Yellowzelkova."
"Yes! Sir!"
Each one stood and saluted as their name was called; Salasine tentatively, Gnonine attentively, Undenine eagerly, and Syne boisterously.
General Goldyew beckoned.
"Follow me."
Wondering if this was some sort of discharge from the war because of the loss of Marmolin, Lucus followed regardless, giving his friends a reassuring smile as they were all led away in silence.
In minutes, they were in Goldyew's office, decorated with holographic pictures of various successful battles against the Anti-Spiral. The walls flanking the door were made from glass; behind the one on the left of Goldyew's steel desk was a chamber for meetings he would have with races who breathed something other than carbon dioxide or oxygen; behind the glass wall on the right of the desk was water, for meetings with Xorda (and yellow drill-shaped Wisps, who loved water). Behind Goldyew's desk was a viewport looking into outer space, the Tree of Life Nebula gleaming in the farthest left corner. Goldyew took a seat behind his desk, folding his hands on it.
"I'd wager that you five boys are wondering why I brought you all here so early in the day," he said sternly.
The five of them nodded slowly.
"It's because," he began, "I am about to relieve you five of your present positions."
Before he knew what he was doing, Lucus slammed a fist on the table, his Core Drill dangling over Goldyew's desk name plate.
"You can't do this, sir! Marmolin was a major loss, sure, but that's surely not a reason to—"
"Let me finish, Commander," Goldyew barked, and Lucus held his tongue. After a few moments, he continued, "I am to relieve you boys of your present positions immediately..." He glanced out the window over his left shoulder. "And will be transferred immediately..."
A star winked in the distance, and Goldyew smiled.
"To the flagship of the Spiral Warriors."
The star that winked flashed brilliantly for a moment, and it swelled until it encompassed the entire middle quarter of Goldyew's window. The light faded, revealing...
The air was sucked out of the room by the gasps that Lucus, Gnonine, Salasine, Syne and Undenine let out.
The battleship was a lustrous gold. It had the shape of a hunched back, a pair of purple orbs over a pair of purple eye-looking energy cannons, which marked either side of a prow which made an acute angle to point backwards over the battleship. Heavy weapons batteries decorated its underside and the claw-like thrusters on its sides. A stalk brimming with engines protruded from its underbelly, and a pair of turbines flanked an extended pointed tail.
"Behold, the newly commissioned flagship of the Spiral Armada!" Goldyew said brightly, gesturing out the window. "Built from the shell of one of the black dragons that made up the Anti-Spiral's first wave of attacks. With a crew of ten million strong, armed with nine primary heavy weapons batteries, eight secondary ion cannon batteries, two super-powerful energy cannons, and a hundred-thousand Star Gizoids ready for battle! Scores of Star Huenlonixes for your use as well!"
He gave Lucus and his friends a broad smirk.
"And I'm making you her captain, Lucus Darkoak! Your friends here will be her commanders!"
Lucus and his friends stood shellshocked. General Goldyew was entrusting them with the command of the flagship of their rebellion against the Anti-Spiral...?
Goldyew must have noticed their trepidation, because his expression sobered, and he said in a low voice, "You boys have come a long way since I first saw you on the bridge of a busted-up old evac-transport, freshly orphaned saplings scared of stepping into a world that was too big for you." He spread his arms. "And now look at you, boys. You've sure sprouted into tough, sturdy boles of men. You've looked Hell in the eye, and you spat in it."
Lucus smiled at the man who was practically a second father to him.
"Thank you, sir," he said, thumping a fist against his chest. "We won't let you down!"
"So, what'll you be calling her?" Crysantem asked, gesturing out the window again.
"Well," Gnonine began, "if we spat Hell in the eye..."
Gnonine gave a knowing look and half-smirk Lucus's way.
"She's the Hellship!"
超時空要塞
ヘルシップ
Super Dimensional Fortress
Hellship
The Hellship was reflected in Lucus's eyes. He was the captain of the flagship of all Spiral life. He, Spiral Knight Lucus Darkoak, was going to head the charge against the Anti-Spiral.
"When do we set sail, General?"
Crysantem instantly darkened.
"Immediately. Super Spiral scans indicate that the Anti-Spiral fleet is sweeping through the Xenes Sector. Their flagship, Excalibur, is terrorizing planets in the area. We've got to get in there and drive them out before they begin to destroy planets in that sector."
"But why are planets not being destroyed in that sector right now?" Salasine asked.
"No idea, but it sounds like the Anti-Spiral have recruited your archnemesis, Lucus," Crysantem said, looking at Lucus from under the brim of his hat.
Lucus's heart stopped for a moment. Black Doom...?
真っ黒な命運の前触れ
Lucus was on cloud nine. Piloting Huenlonix was always something of a chore when he piloted it before, and producing Spiral Power to deal out attacks or to heal damage to his Gizoid was exhausting.
But now he had G-Merl incorporated into it for the first time in this practice run.
The most complex of space maneuvers seemed a breeze, and his attacks were far simpler to bring out. Though he had a prodigious amount of Spiral Power, bringing out too much Spiral Power at once was exhausting.
That was then, though.
Now, he could pull out an Auger Storm without batting an eyelid.
Perhaps even a Mega Auger would be a cinch.
Suddenly, a screen reading 'CENECA-6913 - SOUND ONLY' appeared in Lucus's eye, and Ceneca-6913's voice broke in. She sounded panicked.
"Lucus, LOOK OUT!"
Lucus barely had time to dodge the crescent of fire that came at him.
Spinning the Huenlonix around, Lucus turned to face his sudden attacker, to drive out the perpetrator who had entered the Burrnyl Sphere's space.
It was a monstrous figure the size of Syne's Baihuu. Somehow, it was breathing just fine in the empty vacuum of space. Its skin was a black-brown, with two blood-colored horns pointing to its left and right. Its three fiery eyes gleamed with malice. It wore a brown robe with a golden collar, two necklaces (one decorated with gems, the other bearing a silver star-shaped ornament), pads over its shoulders, and golden chains that bore dangerous-looking silver spiked instruments. It had no visible legs.
"Who are you?" Lucus asked his attacker.
The monstrous figure brought up both of its arms. Its hands had two fingers and a thumb on each.
I AM YOUR SALVATION THROUGH DESTRUCTION, came a booming voice from the abomination. I AM THE HARBINGER OF YOUR BLACK DOOM.
Huenlonix grabbed its golden sword from its back.
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Lucus bellowed.
YOU FOOL, the monster said, meteors that glowed with hellfire appearing in its hands. THERE IS NO VICTORY TO BE FOUND AGAINST ME. I SHALL BE THE MOST PERFECT LIFE FORM IN THE UNIVERSE. I SHALL HAVE THE GREATEST SPIRAL POWER IN EXISTENCE. YOU ARE BUT A GNAT, A PEST TO ME.
Lucus smirked.
"Who the hell do you think I am?"
And he charged. His foe followed suite.
誰かが誰かを恨んでる
"He ended up retreating," Lucus said, "But it was a narrow victory."
"What are you talking about, Lucus?" Undenine asked indignantly. "He didn't even touch you once!"
"However it went down that day, he's been terrorizing people across the galaxy for years. And now he works for the Anti-Spiral? This is wonderful."
"All the more reason to mobilize the Hellship and the Spiral Warriors, and put this rivalry to rest," Crysantem said. "I shall accompany you and help to direct the battle. The Hellship has already produced eleven more Core Machines, with a twelfth well on the way to completion. New pilots who have showed promising test results have been assigned, and will be ready to be dispatched in live combat when we arrive in Xenes. With any luck, this will be the end of the Anti-Spiral, and Spiral life will be allowed to flourish once more!"
He saluted, and Lucus and his friends followed suite.
今は準備が必要なんだよ!!
—IN THE NAME OF THE XORDA, THE ANTI-SPIRAL WILL BE EX-TER-MIN-ATED!— the Xorda said, twisting its Core Drill into the slot in the helixometer in the water-proofed cockpit of its Boss Gillman mecha. Its green eyes flashed as it stood erect, its spindly fingers flexing eagerly.
"Yes, they shall, my Xorda comrade," said Ceneca-9001, turning her Core Drill into the slot at the center of her helixometer. The helixometer filled to max capacity in an instant. Outside, the half-dozen rings that lay scattered around the Silver Ringer sprang into the air and began to spin around the now-hovering Gizoid. "And in the names of the Bem, and the Seedrians, and all other races whom the Anti-Spiral so foolishly swept aside!"
In the cockpits of Baihuu, Qyinlone, Zheuque, and Xuanwuo, controls were gripped tightly in the fists of Syne, Undenine, Salasine, and Gnonine, all four decked out in their fresh new Flagship Commander outfits.
"Goldion Hammer, ready to light up the skies!"
"We'll whip some sense into the Anti-Spiral this time!"
"We shall make them reflect upon their actions!"
"...We were not making puns, Salasine, but this battle will be ours!"
Lucus, wearing a shiny new Flagship Captain uniform, placed a hand upon the green orb that made up Huenlonix's face, and his eyes glowed green. The orb glowed green as well. When the glow passed from Lucus's eyes, the orb had disappeared, allowing Lucus access to G-Merl.
In the five years since he had had G-Merl installed, Lucus had eschewed the green color scheme, painting the bulk of G-Merl black, with silver plating over its mouth and its ears (when its arms, now black with yellow trim, were retracted) and red trim around its eyes. Its crest had become a plume of three crests, resembling a yellow crown now.
Lucus turned the Core Drill in the helixometer, and crossed his arms.
He did not need to touch G-Merl's controls anymore to control Huenlonix.
A small computer screen reading 'GENERAL GOLDYEW - SOUND ONLY' appeared in Lucus's eye.
"Captain Darkoak, I expect to see you on the bridge at least for the beginning of this operation."
Lucus nodded.
"Understood, sir."
Huenlonix and a legion of Gizoids took flight into the empty space beneath the spreading branches of the Tree of Life Nebula. In the minutes between launch from the Burrnyl Sphere and docking with the Hellship, it dawned rapidly upon the Spiral Warriors just how large the flagship of the armada was. It was well over two-thousand miles from stem to stern, and over one-thousand across. It could have easily passed for a natural planetary satellite in size. Accompanying the Hellship were thousands of Spiral Warrior battleships, none of which even came close to the bulk of the flagship. Hundreds of Cyclone-class Star Meta-Gizoid cruisers, Seedrian-built, and painted in the colors of the Greengate evac-transports of a decade ago, would serve a role as blockade runners in the event of a need for guerrilla warfare. Xorda saucers, coated in bronze metal, and dotted with an obscene number of weapons batteries, would play a role as offensive and defensive walls to prevent too many Anti-Spiral mechas from breaking the main line. The Meta-Gizoids would serve as back-up, and some were slave-drived to computers to serve explicitly as cannon fodder.
Disembarking from their Gizoids in the unfathomably massive hangar of the Hellship, Lucus and the other Gizoid pilots (save the Xorda) looked up in awe at the sheer scale of the Star Gizoids. Seeing the schematics and reading about them was one thing, but being there in person, looking up at mechas that would have stood at least as tall as Plasati Castle, was almost overwhelming.
汎用螺旋決戦兵器・反アンチスパイラル型メカ
スターギゾイド
The ultimate all-purpose Spiral decisive battle weapon, the anti-Anti-Spiral-type mecha
Star Gizoid
We can win this, Lucus thought. I know it.
Stepping into an open-air elevator, Lucus pushed a button that indicated the bridge.
Suddenly, he was enveloped in green light, and an instant later, he was standing in a large room with rows of computers, numerous technicians and mechanics and officers of all different species typing away at their consoles. Wisps of all colors were flitting about. He gave a start.
"What the—?"
"You've handled the teleporter quite well," said a Seedrian standing at the head of the bridge. It was General Crysantem Goldyew. Yacker was floating at his shoulder; he now wore a collar with a darkened light on it. "I myself nearly vomited."
Yacker began to chitter in Wispish, and the light on his collar lit up red. An electronic voice said, "It's true. He did."
Lucus sprang to a salute as Gnonine and Undenine appeared at his sides in flashes of green light. "General!" Lucus heard retching from Gnonine's direction.
Crysantem smiled, shaking his head with closed eyes. "At ease, Lucus. You outrank me here. You're the Captain of the Hellship."
And he saluted Lucus.
Lucus smiled, lowering his hand. Salasine and Syne appeared behind him.
"At ease, General," he said.
Crysantem lowered his hand.
"The teleporters are there because of how big the Hellship is. It would take too long to get around, otherwise."
Lucus nodded.
"Understood."
He then turned to the coordinations officer, a Thorndrigan.
"How goes the loading of the Gizoid army?"
"Nearly complete, sir," he said, his fingers flying across the screen. "They should all be aboard in 200 seconds."
Lucus smiled as Ceneca-9001 appeared in the bridge. "Very good. We'll need all the fighters we can get in this battle."
"And we're here," she said. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're all behind you, Captain."
"Captain!" said Gnonine, Salasine, Undenine, and Syne, springing to salutes.
Lucus raised a hand humbly.
"You don't have to salute me, guys. I'm just a simple Thorndrigan fighting to keep people alive."
His friends lowered their hands, Undenine chuckling nervously.
He turned to face the navigations officer, a Bem.
"Begin to set the Perceptual Teleportation coordinates for the Xenes Sector. I want us to jump into hyperspace as soon as the last Gizoids are onboard."
"Yessir!" said the navigations officer, keying in the necessary coordinates at her station.
Lucus turned to the communications officer, a Petali.
"Broadcast the Perceptual Teleportation coordinates to every ship in the fleet. And open a comm channel so that they can warp on my mark."
"Right away, sir!"
Lucus turned to face the bridge in general.
"Everyone!"
They all turned at attention.
"I accept this post with humility, under the presumption that I will resign this post when my services are no longer required. When the Anti-Spiral's defeat is assured, I will leave all this behind. But until then, I will have absolute dominance on the battlefield. My foes will taste the sorrow and pain that have consumed us for a decade. I will forgo the Star Huenlonixes that are in the hangar bay; I want to make the Anti-Spiral feel my rawest rage at the hands of my Huenlonix alone."
Gnonine turned to face Lucus.
"As will I."
Salasine flipped his hair as he faced Lucus.
"And I."
Undenine saluted.
"Aye!"
Syne put a fist in the air.
"Aye!"
Lucus smiled. His friends... By his side to the bitter end...
He looked at the coordinations officer, smiling sheepishly.
"Was that 200 seconds?"
The coordinations officer counted down with his fingers.
Three.
Two.
One.
"All Gizoids aboard."
'All systems green!' said the mechanic, an Avalonian.
"Very well!" said Lucus, the open comm channel opening on the main screen and on all screens on the bridge, showing as many bridges of the fleet as possible.
"Every Captain of the fleet, this is Lucus Darkoak, Spiral Knight and Captain of the Hellship. You should have received the Perceptual Teleportation coordinates that will warp us in an instant to the Xenes Sector, and battle with the Anti-Spiral. Prepare to warp on my mark.
"Okay...
"One..."
Lucus began to sweat.
"Two..."
Lucus hesitated; was this a good idea? The Anti-Spiral had to know they were coming. The Spiral Warriors could very well be warping right into a trap. If it was a trap, and the Spiral Warriors were crippled, then it would all be Lucus's fault.
This was Lucus's real battle.
Turn back in definite shame, or move forward onto uncertain trails?
Lucus opened his mouth.
He made his decision.
"THREE!"
罠
The Xenes Sector was an area of the Silver Stream Galaxy that was less well explored than much of the rest of the galaxy. It was predominantly filled with planets of Spiral races whose technology had not yet unlocked the true power of helixology, and thusly, these races had mostly had unmanned probes sending vague reports back about the surrounding cubic light-year of space around their system.
One in particular was built with no particular flair or idea of elegance. Its profile was purely functional. It bore a simple white radar dish, a boxy body, and antennae of varying lengths branching out. Its creators called in Voyager 1, and it was about eleven-billion miles away from Earth.
In a flash of light, the Hellship and its fleet appeared behind the primitive satellite, unaware that this sudden appearance would disrupt its signals to its distant homeworld, causing a period of mourning in the scientific community.
But any thoughts that might have been about such simple concerns in the Spiral Warriors' fleet were quickly dispelled when a torrent of energy blasts of blue and purple descended upon them.
A dozen Cyclone ships were felled before they could raise their Super Spiral shields. The Gizoids stationed aboard flew out as quickly as they could, evading the Anti-Spiral's blasts as best they could.
The Hellship quaked. The Super Spiral shield was up, but the blasts were so intense.
"It's a trap!" cried the navigations officer. "The Anti-Spiral were waiting for us!"
Lucus cursed to himself. It was a trap!
Well, time to get everyone out of the fire.
"And I'll meet them head-on!" he snarled, running to the teleporter. "I leave the bridge in your hands, General Goldyew!"
Crysantem saluted. "You can count on me, Captain!"
But Lucus and the Gizoid pilots on the bridge had already warped down to the hangar.
決戦
Lucus leapt up to the orb of Huenlonix's face, leaping through it without breaking it with Spiral Power, and thrust his Core Drill into the heart of his helixometer. Twisting it, he took the controls...
And caught sight of a whirling vortex of purple flame in the middle of the hangar. A dark shape was emerging from it.
Huenlonix bucked, and suddenly Lucus could not move its arms.
He looked down to the helixometer. All green.
He looked up...
Into three fiery eyes full of hate.
LONG TIME NO SEE, DARKOAK, snarled Black Doom.
つづく
To be continued...
