Disclaimer: The Mobile Suit Gundam Franchise belongs to Bandai Entertainment. Xenosaga Episode 1 belongs to Bandai Namco Games and Monolith Software. I only own my OCs (Takeshi Yamato, Nanoha Asuka, Kaname Aznable, and Vivio), the Tempest Gundam (although Knightmare Gundam of Ni helped out a lot in the Tempest's design), and all the changes I have made to the storyline. Nanoha's personal machine, the Ophanim Gundam was my idea, but Knightmare Gundam of Ni created a functional machine out of that idea, so I am sharing ownership of the Ophanim with him. The same goes for Kaname's Gundam, the Bardiche (which makes its debut this chapter).

Author's Note: Here's the sixth chapter of Mobile Suit Gundam Xenosaga. Sorry it took so long to get written, but I had a lot of other things occupying my time. *embarrassed chuckle*

Anyway, this chapter's going to be fairly action-packed, as Nanoha, MOMO, and Vivio escape from Pleroma in the Ophanim while fighting Kaname's Gundam, Bardiche. We also run into some Neo-Zeon Mooks, including the story's resident Butt Monkey.

OK, then, let's get started! :D

Author's Note 2: Special credit needs to go to my Beta Reader Aerith The Evenstar, who has been a big help with this story. Credit also needs to go to Knightmare Gundam of Ni, who has been a major help when it comes to mecha design.


PHASE 06

NEO ZEON


When the burst of pink light had faded, a humanoid mobile weapon was crouched between Kaname and Nanoha's group, facing Nanoha's group. The machine was a dull grey, indicative of a machine with inactive Phase Shift Armor. The unit had a feminine appearance, accentuated by its "hair" and a twelve-segmented "skirt", but slightly marred by a large Sniper Rifle on its shoulder. A conical device that Kaname recognized as a GN Drive sat on its back. The machine had also punched a hole in the ceiling of the room, causing light from the deck above to shine down on them

Nanoha quickly headed for the machine's open cockpit, making sure to bring MOMO and Vivio with her and closing the hatch as soon as the three of them were in. She sat down in the pilot's seat, with MOMO and Vivio getting behind her.

Vivio was somewhat in awe, looking around her as the walls of the cockpit came alive, showing the environment around her. "What is this thing?" she asked in a whisper.

"This is my Gundam," Nanoha replied, "the GN-104 Ophanim. Specially designed to fit my preferences for long-range combat." Turning to a small display on her seat, Nanoha said, "Raging Heart, begin startup sequence."

"Order of the Set-Up was accepted," came the mechanical female voice of Raging Heart, the Ophanim's support AI, which startled both MOMO and Vivio, who both watched in awe as display readouts appeared in front of Nanoha.

"Drive Ignition." The Ophanim's GN Drive activated, emitting the greenish-white particles of a True GN-Drive.

"Main Systems, Start Up." The Ophanim's sapphire eyes flashed as its Enhanced Variable Phase Shift Armor activated, turning the machine a brilliant white with blue and red trim, and turning its "hair" a light brown.

At the same time, status monitors appeared detailing the weapons: Two head-mounted Beam Machine Guns, a pair of Beam Sabers stored in the forearms, that massive Sniper Rifle on its left shoulder, and twelve special weapons that were called "Plumes" and were apparently integrated into the Ophanim's skirt.

Nanoha manipulated her controls, causing the Ophanim to rise to its full height of 17.9 meters, smashing through more of the brig's ceiling as it did so and causing said ceiling to cave in, with Kaname just barely managing to escape the collapsing room.

The Ophanim's eyes flashed again as Raging Heart declared, "Condition Green!"

"Then let's do as much damage as possible on our way out of here," Nanoha replied. "MOMO, Vivio, hang on tight!"

The Ophanim's GN Drive lit up, releasing more GN Particles as it leapt upwards, crashing through another ceiling as it started making its way out of Pleroma, GN Vulcans firing as it went.


Meanwhile, Kaname quickly found an open space of her own, needing to call her own machine. "Ready, Bardiche?" she asked the empty air.

The black normal suit she was wearing gained a golden glow as a mechanical male voice replied, "Yes, sir."

Kaname then leapt into the air, doing a backflip as she yelled out, "THEN COME TO ME, BARDICHE GUNDAM!"

An explosion of golden light heralded the arrival of Kaname's machine as it materialized around her, the process even adjusting her body so that she was sitting in the pilot's seat when it materialized. The machine was black with red and gold trim, stood at around 18.7 meters, and had a similar basic build to the Ophanim, with its "hair" being the same platinum blond as Kaname's. However, this machine had red eyes and a red circle on its front, carried what looked like a staff with a blade on one end instead of the Ophanim's Sniper Rifle, and this new machine, instead of the Ophanim's Skirt, appeared to have a very elaborate cape made out of multiple metallic segments.

Kaname quickly brought the machine's systems online with the help of the unit's onboard AI, and its Tau-Class GN Drive began emitting its reddish-gold GN Particles as the unit took off, the cape appearing to flutter behind it as it pursued the Ophanim…


Nanoha manipulated the controls again, causing the Ophanim to backflip and dodge a set of machine gun fire. She'd been blasting her way around Pleroma, trashing the place as she tried to reach an exit, when she'd come across a platoon of U-TIC AMWS and AGWS, along with some Neo Zeon Mobile Suits. She'd recognized the Neo Zeon Suits as AMS-229 Geara Kaisers, the latest model from Neo Zeon which had only entered production a couple of years before Nanoha had been pulled into this universe. Their outward design was based on a mix of the Dreissen and Geara Zulu models used over 200 years ago, but their technology was state of the art, including Tau-Class GN Drives, and they were extremely versatile, thanks to their Zodiac Armament Collective Packs which were basically Neo Zeon's answer to Striker Packs. The ones she encountered appeared to be using a mix of the Close-Combat Leo and High-Mobility Aries Packs, and a few weren't equipped with any packs at all.

As soon as the Neo Zeon and U-TIC forces spotted her, they'd immediately opened fire, and the extreme close-quarters meant that her Sniper Rifle was a bit impractical, forcing her to rely on the GN Vulcans and the Beam Sabers. However, just because Nanoha's specialty was Long-Range Combat, didn't mean that she was a slouch at close quarters.

In addition, AGWS units were designed to fight Gnosis, and were usually no larger than half the size of an AMWS or a Mobile Suit. And as the AGWS pilots were learning (at the expense of their lives), their miniature units were just no match for a Gundam.

The AMWS units were outclassed, too, but only because they had never been designed to fight anything like a Gundam. The only U-TIC/Neo Zeon units that could possibly go up against a Gundam were the Geara Kaisers.

U-TIC was learning this the hard way, as an AMWS that had tried sneaking up behind her was gutted by the Ophanim's left-hand Beam Saber.

The Ophanim then looked to its left before unleashing a volley of Vulcan fire, shredding a trio of green U-TIC AGWS units. Another AGWS unit tried attacking the Ophanim from the side, only to be sent flying by a kick from the Gundam. The unlucky AGWS was sent clear across the current battlefield before impaling itself on the GN Beam Greatsword of a Geara Kaiser with a Leo Pack and subsequently detonating.

After about ten minutes of running combat through Pleroma, all surviving U-TIC AGWS and AMWS units had been pulled back to prevent any more losses, leaving the Geara Kaisers as the only units left on the field fighting Nanoha.

One Geara Kaiser near the outskirts of the battle, painted light green as opposed to the standard dark green and not equipped with any ZAC Pack, suddenly brandished a Beam Saber and charged the Ophanim. Another pilot shouted angrily, "Dammit, Colasour, get back here! You don't stand a chance against that thing! Especially not without a ZAC Pack!"

"No way am I pulling back!" Patrick Colasour XIII replied. "For the past year, I've been doing nothing but Simulator Battles. Now's the time for me to show my worth!"

Unfortunately, Patrick Colasour XIII shared the same faults as Patrick Colasour I, who fought for the AEU over two hundred years earlier: Mediocre Piloting Skills, no intelligence, and a massive ego. Nanoha blocked Patrick's first strike with her own Beam Saber, and then proceeded to use her Beam Saber to dismantle his Geara Kaiser. All that was left of Patrick's MS when Nanoha was done was its cockpit and its Tau-Class GN Drive.

The pilot that had shouted at Patrick sighed, facepalmed, and muttered, "That idiot…"

Nanoha's thoughts were similar. That pilot was a total idiot, charging me without any Equipment Packs. I'd be wasting effort in killing him.

MOMO and Vivio, somehow managing to stay behind Nanoha's seat even during the fighting, simply stared in awe at the results of Nanoha's piloting skills, as they had been doing for much of the fight.

Raging Heart chose that moment to report, "Master, incoming enemy from behind and to the left!"

Nanoha reacted, performing a quick dodge to the right as a scythe of golden energy sliced through where the Ophanim had been only seconds before. The Ophanim then turned to face its newest attacker, allowing Nanoha, Vivio, and MOMO to get a good look at it.

The new machine was black, with red and gold trim, and had a feminine look to match the Ophanim's, although it lacked the Ophanim's skirt. It even had "hair" similar to the Ophanim's, only the new machine's "hair" was platinum blond, not brown like the Ophanim's. The only weapon it seemed to have was the massive Beam Scythe it carried in both hands. And on its back, over its Tau-Class GN Drive, was a cape which seemed to consist of fifty interlinked metal segments. Its head turned to look at the Ophanim, revealing crimson eyes which flashed as if it were glaring at its foe.


In the Bardiche's cockpit, Kaname was indeed glaring at the Ophanim, whose pilot was proving quite troublesome.

Opening a channel to the other Neo Zeon Pilots, Kaname ordered, "All Geara Kaisers, fall back immediately. I shall deal with the enemy."

"Yes, Ma'am," the pilots chorused as they fell back, although one Geara Kaiser stayed on the battlefield long enough to retrieve the cockpit of Patrick's Geara Kaiser.

As soon as the Kaisers had retreated, the Bardiche turned, fully facing the Ophanim, and brought its scythe into a ready position.

Kaname then said to her Gundam's AI, "Bardiche, activate Bloody Mist and deploy Claws. Aim to incapacitate the enemy Gundam, without injuring or killing its occupants. I don't want to infect them with Tau GN Particles."

"Yes, sir," the Bardiche's AI (which was also named Bardiche) replied in a mechanical male voice. "Bloody Mist. Photon Lancer."

Crimson GN particles spewed out of the Bardiche's Tau-Class GN Drive, in similar fashion to the ancient Throne Drei's Stealth Field, yet much greater, as the entire battlefield seemed to be covered with a red fog.

The Bardiche's cape then split off into its fifty component segments, each one of them a remote weapon based on the Fangs of the ancient Throne Zwei, which then zoomed off towards the Ophanim's location.


Nanoha's eyes narrowed as the enemy Gundam which looked so similar to her Ophanim, and yet so different at the same time, released the large cloud of Tau Particles, which were even obscuring her vision.

"Confirming similarities to the Stealth Field used by the Throne Drei during the 15 Years Of Conflict," Raging Heart reported. "Advising Caution."

"Thank you, Raging Heart," Nanoha replied. She then muttered to herself, "I need to get out of here in a hurry, which means I need to use the Wide-Area Beam Rifle. However, this fog complicates things, because it even interferes with a Gundam's sensors, so Raging Heart won't be able to cover evasion while I set up my shot. How do I do this?"

"I can help you, Miss Akuma," Vivio remarked.

"You have no experience in a Mobile Suit," Nanoha replied. "How can you help?"

Vivio looked down at her feet as she explained. "I have the ability to sense when I'm in danger, and how to avoid it. Those 'Neo Zeon' People who held me captive called me a 'Newtype'."

Nanoha's eyes widened in shock. "You're a Newtype?~!~?" she asked.

"Yes," Vivio replied. "And they compared the power of my abilities to two people I've never heard of. I believe their names were Tiffa Adill and Lalah Sune."

Nanoha's jaw was now hanging open. Tiffa Adill and Lalah Sune were two of the most powerful Newtypes alive during the 15 Years Of Conflict, the greatest continual war that her timeline had ever known!~! If Vivio was as powerful as they were…

Vivio's eyes widened. "Miss Akuma, dodge left, now!~!~!"

Although Nanoha was a few seconds from reacting, Raging Heart immediately acted, spinning the Ophanim to the left as three small projectiles zipped through where it had been.

"Remote Weapons detected," Raging Heart reported. "High probability of being derived from the Fangs used by the Throne Zwei during the 15 Years Of Conflict. Advising Caution."

With that, Nanoha was truly convinced. If Vivio could sense remote weapons that small even in this blasted fog, she had to be a powerful Newtype. And that gave Nanoha an idea…

"Vivio," she said, "do you think you could work with Raging Heart to help me evade the enemy while I work on getting us a path out of here?"

"I-I think so," Vivio replied uncertainly.

"Then let's give it a try," Nanoha said with conviction. "Raging Heart, activate the WABR, and drain the entire magazine of GN Particles into the shot. Meanwhile, work with Vivio to evade all enemy attacks."

"All right, My Master," Raging Heart replied as what looked like a massive targeting scope descended in front of Nanoha.

"MOMO, make sure to hang on tight," Nanoha said to the Realian.

MOMO nodded as she gripped Nanoha's seat as tightly as she could.

"You ready, Vivio?" Nanoha asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be, Miss Akuma," Vivio replied.

"Please, call me Nanoha," Nanoha commented. "'Shiroi Akuma' is just an alias. Now, let's get to work!"

Vivio then closed her eyes, concentrating on feeling for the enemy, while Nanoha looked into the targeting scope, watching as the rifle's energy charge steadily rose…


The next five minutes were like a beautiful, but deadly, dance as the Ophanim continued to evade the Bardiche's Claws. All the while, it held its powerful Sniper Rifle in both hands and was looking down the scope. Kaname was becoming even more irritated at the Ophanim as it continually evaded her attacks by the narrowest of margins.

And that's when a massive pink beam erupted from the barrel of the Ophanim's rifle, taking out about twelve claws, blowing a hole through the fog, and even tearing a hole all the way through Pleroma and out into space.

Nanoha then took direct control of the Ophanim again and sped through the hole she made, going as fast as the Ophanim could go even as she switched a fresh cartridge into her Rifle.

Shooting out of Pleroma and into open space, Nanoha quickly withdrew back to where her Sled still was, the Ophanim quickly mounting the sled.

"Confirming connection to Hyperspace Booster Sled," Raging Heart reported. "Connecting to UMN."

"Right," Nanoha replied. "Raging Heart, plot us a couple of random jumps to start. We'll throw them off our trail before heading to Second Miltia. Initiate first Jump when ready."

"All Right."

"Second Miltia?" MOMO asked. "We're not going to Fifth Jerusalem?"

"No," Nanoha replied, "we're not. Apparently, you're needed over at Second Miltia. I wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Mizrahi is there as well, though."

MOMO, who had been getting depressed at not going to Fifth Jerusalem, brightened at the last part of Nanoha's comment. "Okay!" she said.

"Jump in 3… 2… 1…"Raging Heart commented just before the Ophanim leapt into Hyperspace.


Kaname leapt from the Bardiche's cockpit to the ground, making it there fairly easy in the microgravity.

The 100-Series Prototype had escaped. Rescued by the same Gundam Meister who had taken Vivio away. And part of Kaname—her kind, gentle side which didn't like what Neo Zeon and U-TIC were up to—was secretly glad that they had gotten away.

The Path we're going down is wrong, she thought to herself as she walked to Pleroma's Command Center, Bardiche having returned itself to where Kaname stored it. And I myself am probably damned for all the atrocities I've committed in the name of Neo Zeon.

However, there's no turning back for me.

As she stepped into the command center, she spotted a very familiar man talking to Margulis. A man who looked almost exactly like their ancestor, Char Aznable, looked like during the Axis Incident, one of the final battles of the 15 Years Of Conflict, and who was wearing a uniform similar to what Char had worn back then. This man was Kaname's older brother, General Charles Aznable, commander of the Neo Zeon forces that had been pulled into this timeline.

Noticing Kaname, he turned to face her and smiled.

Kaname smiled back, affection showing in said smile.

An affection which, as the days went by, was growing more and more forced.

My body belongs to my brother, and I exist to serve him. I cannot go against his orders, no matter how much I wish to.

Gundam Meister Shiroi Akuma… please… protect Vivio and the 100-Series where I could not…


Once they were safely away, Nanoha sat in contemplation for a few moments, as MOMO and Vivio settled in on the floor of the cockpit to take naps.

Eventually, she whispered, "Raging Heart."

The AI responded via text only, so as not to wake up MOMO or Vivio.

"Yes, My Master?"

"I think it's time to accept Master Gaignun's offer," Nanoha said, still whispering to avoid waking MOMO and Vivio. "We're never going to make it home at this rate, so we might as well make this timeline our new home. We'll still operate as we have been doing, however."

"Understood. What will you use as your new name?"

The woman once known as Nanoha Asuka, and later as Shiroi Akuma, smiled as she spoke the two words that would be her new name…

"Nanoha Takamachi."

TO BE CONTINUED…


Disclaimer 2: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha is property of Seven Arcs.

Author's Notes: And there's Phase 06.

Nanoha, Vivio, and MOMO have now escaped from Pleroma, and are on their way to Second Miltia. And Nanoha has changed her last name, from Asuka, her family name and one of her last links to her home, to Takamachi.

Yes, Takamachi. As in Nanoha Takamachi, the protagonist of the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Franchise.

Which means that yes, this is now technically a Gundam/Xenosaga/MGLN Crossover.

However, we won't be using MGLN Magic—the main MGLN Elements I'm using are certain characters (such as Nanoha and Fate), and their preferred combat styles. And there will always be slight differences between the original characters and their Quantum Mechanical Counterparts. That said, this story's version of Nanoha is based on her MGLN StrikerS Incarnation.

And we have a descendant of Patrick Colasour as our resident Butt Monkey. I always liked Colasour, especially considering that he was tougher to kill than a Ninja Cockroach, and I felt his descendants would appear in multiple militaries, and the males would be just like he was, especially if they were named after him. The Patrick Colasour in Neo Zeon is the thirteenth member of that family to bear the name Patrick—a number that I chose deliberately, because the negative connotations associated with it make him even more of a Butt Monkey.

Lastly, we finally get a glimpse at Charles Aznable, the leader of the local Neo Zeon Forces, descendant of Char Aznable, and our resident Char Clone. We also learn what kind of relationship he has with his sister, Kaname.

Next Chapter will be a Mecha File, containing profiles on all the Gundams and MS seen to date, and it should be up in less than a month.

In the meantime, your feedback helps me grow as a writer, so please read and review. :D Also, if you haven't already, please go back and check out the additional content I added to Phase 04. :)

Later! :D

Takeshi Yamato
Azure Knight of the Raging Tempest