Chapter 10: Clash of Beliefs

Disclaimer: I don't own Vandread or the Ace Combat series.

Vandread Ace

It's been about a week since the Nirvana crew had their encounter with the Black Star Pirates and repairs to the ship's interior had just finished yesterday.

Nathan's currently doing a sparring match with Nagase.

Nagase throws a kick that Nathan blocks it and counters via right hook but his wife mirrors his action of blocking. She kicks a leg out from under him and is about to go for an arm bar submission hold when Nathan uses his foot to push Nagase away, restoring his vertical base the Razgriz Squadron leader quickly dashes forward, grabs a hold of the young woman's legs and turns her over to lock in a Boston crab. Nagase summons enough strength to break the hold. She has a hard time getting to her feet because of the effects of the Boston crab had on her knees, Nagase slaps her legs to get circulation back into them. She barely brings her arms up to block a series of lefts and rights from Nathan and retaliates with a kick to the chest causing him to stumble back. Quickly shaking off the blow, the married couple run toward each other and Nathan cocks his head to the left to dodge a right hook then suddenly brings him and Nagase to the floor and he locks in the Crossface submission hold. Nagase tries to break it but ultimately taps out and both stand up.

Nagase said, "You got lucky this time, dear but next time you won't be as lucky."

Nathan replied, "We'll see, honey." They both let out a chuckle before heading to their room to shower and change into normal clothes.

A while later, the Nirvana comes across a water planet.

BC explained, "99% of the planet's surface is covered with water and it's got a nitrogen and oxygen atmosphere, which means it has the basic requirements necessary for life to thrive." The monitor zoomed in on a piece of land, "Hm? There's an island! And the inhabitants appear to be humanoid we've also detected a colonization ship at the bottom of the ocean floor."

Magno chuckled, "Why don't we go say hello to long lost relatives." The bridge bunnies get a nice view of the planet through the observation window in front of them.

Belvedere said with glittering eyes, "This planet is so beautiful!" The Nirvana's radar picks up enemy signatures making the alarm go off.

BC asked, "What is it?"

Ezra said, "Enemy approaching from behind the planet!"

The commander cried, "How many are there?"

Ezra replied, "Approximately 12 cube-types, a flight of Su-27 Flankers and MiG-31 Foxhounds and some strange machine I can't identify." The main monitor shows them the enemy formation including the unknown machine.

Magno said with wide eyes, "What the hell is that?" Detecting the Nirvana's presence, the cube-types working on the new machine cease construction and turn to engage.

Hibiki bolts through the door for the hanger.

He cried in excitement, "Alright, time for some action!" He is suddenly halted by a spotlight and a laughter belonging to someone he knows. He brings an arm up to shield his eyes against the blinding light.

Jura declared, "The time has come. Listen up you and I are going to combine in the upcoming battle, Hibiki." Barnette stands by her blonde-haired friend's side recording the whole thing with a camera.

'This whole desire to create an elegant Vandread is getting old.' She thought with annoyance.

Jura asked her, "Did you see that? I was great, wasn't I?"

Barnette masked her annoyance with a thumbs-up, "Perfect!"

Hibiki sighed, "This is stupid." He walks away from the group, much to Jura's displeasure.

She said, "Hold up, I'm not finished taking yet!" She turned to her close friend, "Come on, Barnette! This is the next phase of my plan!"

Barnette replied, "Right behind you, chill out." The Dreads, Vanguard, B-1R and Razgriz Squadron head out.

Hibiki targets the nearest cube-types and attempts to attack one but they dodged and one crashed onto his Vanguard, pushing him down until Jura makes the save.

She said, "Hello there. Are you ready to combine?"

Hibiki replied, "I don't think so." Another cube-type appears at his 12 o'clock preparing to fire at point blank range when Dita destroys it.

Dita offered, "If you're going to combine, do it with me."

The Vanguard pilot gritted his teeth, "There's going on at the moment and you two are fooling around!" He targeted a cube-type to his left when a second one attack from his right, "Damn it, they learned how to avoid my attacks!"

BC observed it as well, "It appears that our enemy has learned from their mistakes and improved their maneuvers."

Magno stated nonchalantly, "It seems they are able to predict our hand, how disgraceful!" Archer lines up an Su-27 for an R-27AE when the Flanker unexpectedly jinks right and Archer turns to follow his target. The enemy fighter executes a somersault to get behind its target's tail and gains a lock for one of its QAAM and fires. Archer hears the missile warning and takes evasive action, releasing chaff to disrupt the missile's guidance system. It ends up being successful because the missile vibrates then explodes, the Su-27 shoots its GSh-30-1 cannon at the MiG-29 Fulcrum but Archer reacts automatically, hitting a barrel roll to avoid the 30mm rounds. He swings around for another missile lock but the Su-27 jinks left this time around but its pursuer refuses to give up and ripple fires a pair of R-27AEs hoping one of them hits the target. The first one is diverted from its course by enemy chaff but the second R-27AE explodes mere inches from the Flanker's left wing, clipping it and resulting in a smoke trail. Archer follows the trail like a shark tasting blood. He gains a missile lock.

He cried out, "Archer, Fox Two!" He pulls the trigger and an R-27AE rapidly closes in on the Su-27 Flanker and hits home on the engines, severing the back end of the enemy fighter. What's left of the Flanker gets destroyed by a powerful explosion. Splashing one bogey, Archer turns to engage another.

Blaze exchanges gunfire with a MiG-31 Foxhound suddenly the enemy fighter jinks left but Blaze turns the F-15E Strike Eagle in pursuit, not allowing the MiG to lock onto his 6 o'clock. He then senses that something isn't right and he is proven right when his radar picks up a second Foxhound rapidly closing from his 11 o'clock.

'The MiG in front of me was a decoy!' He thought.

He breaks off from his current target and turns around to engage the enemy MiG-31 approaching. The Foxhound is surprised that Blaze has figured out what it was planning and was going after him. Blaze quickly fires the Vulcan Gatling cannon before the enemy could react, the rounds rip it to shreds and the Razgriz Squadron leader returns his attention to the MiG-31 he was originally focused on. He takes evasive action when he hears the missile warning and releases flares to direct the R-27AE away. Retaliating he acquires a missile lock and fires an AIM-9X Sidewinder that obliterates the Foxhound.

After downing a pair of cube-types, Swordsman looks out of his canopy to see additional cube-types pushing Hibiki's Vanguard down into the planet with Jura in pursuit but the smaller machines break up in the re-entry.

Hibiki exclaimed, "It's hot! I don't want to be roasted alive today!" Jura's Dread continues to close the distance.

Jura said eagerly, "Barnette, you better have the camera rolling."

Barnette replied, "This isn't the time for that, Jura! Your craft will disintegrate if you keep this up!"

The blonde-haired woman laughed, "It's time for my Vandread to make its debut." The two machines finally fuse together.

When the Nirvana crew finally get a clear picture, they see the new Vandread hovering about the ocean's surface. It retained the crimson red color and its shape resembled a familiar sea creature.

Amarone stated with a face fault, "It's...a crab." Swordsman, upon seeing the new Vandread, laughs his ass off.

Despite Jura's whining and Hibiki telling her to help him, the cube-types are destroyed. The same result happens above the planet.

Meia said, "All cube-types, Su-27s and MiG-31s have been eliminated but we've been unable to damage that unknown machine no matter what we do."

Magno confirmed, "Understood, Meia. Return to the ship. I wonder what this planet's name is. Perhaps our answer lies down there." In the cockpit of the Vandread, the two lean against their seats, one from battle and the other from whining.

Barnette said, "I managed to record all of your elegance! It's all on film for others to see. Jura? Hello, Jura? Can you hear me?" Back on the Nirvana's bridge, the crew establish a transmission with the island.

Ezra cried, "Communications established, captain."

Magno ordered, "Put it on the main monitor." Ezra follows the order and the main monitor shows a woman in her early 20s with long blonde hair, blue eyes and wore a purple colored festival attire with a mask that one would see in a play.

The blonde bowed at them, "Greetings, travelers. My name is Fanieta! Welcome to the most beautiful planet in the entire universe, Anpathos!"

Magno asked, "Anpathos, eh? Is that your planet's name?"

Fanieta answered, "That is correct. We have called it that since we first arrived here and we have been waiting for you."

BC wondered, "Waiting for us? What do you mean?"

The blonde asked with a smiled, "You must be the Munya, are you not?"

Magno raised an eyebrow before saying, "I'm afraid there may be a case of mistaken identity. We are not the 'Munya' you speak of. Pardon for being so forward but may we visit you? There are some questions I'd like to ask you."

Fanieta told her, "Our ceremony is at hand so we will not be able to greet you properly."

The pirate leader waved it off, "Oh, there's no need." She then contacted Bart, "Bart, can you hear me? Me and some members of the crew will be going down to the planet's surface."

Bart groaned, "Sure if you say so."

Magno instructed, "I'm leaving you in charge of the ship while I'm down there. Take good care of it."

Bart started, "Wait just a minute, captain!"

The old woman added, "And you are forbidden to run away, got it?" Down on Anpathos's watery surface, Jura's Dread floats near the shore while the Vanguard lies on its back on the beach.

Hibiki jumps down and looks around to see men and women holding various baskets of food over their heads.

He wondered, "Is some kind of festival going to happen?" He turned his head towards Jura, "Hey, Jura we should check it out. Hey!" The blonde-haired Dread pilot sulks over the ugly machine that her craft makes when it combines with Hibiki's Vanguard. Hearing a noise, he turns around to see a shuttle landing.

Magno and BC walk down the ramp then the commander spots an orange flag with a spiral-shaped marking.

She mumbled, "Why does that design look so familiar?"

"Mr. Alien and Jura are down there on the planet!" Dita said in worry as she paced back and forth in the hanger, well more worried about whatever scheme Jura may be concocting.

Meia asked, "Why don't you try to calm down, Dita?"

Dita said, "But Mr. Alien and Jura are alone on that planet!"

The Dread leader assured, "The captain and commander are down there, too." Although Meia doesn't show it, she is getting tired of Dita pacing back and forth.

Dita protested, "But even so...Mr. Alien!" Meia shakes her head.

Grimm shows up and stares at the event unfolding in front of him.

He asked, "Dita's worried about Hibiki being alone on that planet with Jura, ain't she?"

She nodded, "Yeah. No matter what I say, she stubbornly refuses it."

Grimm chuckled, "She's in love with Hibiki, Meia. That much is obvious. She wouldn't be speaking in such a worried tone if she was not in love with him."

Meia looked at him, "How can a man love a woman? It's not possible."

Grimm answered, "From the planets you come from, that would be true. However, where I'm from it is natural to have men and women love each other, there are also people of the same gender in love with each other. Heck there are even some people who are bi-sexual, Meia. Of course, having and maintaining a love relationship is not easy. There are bumps along the road that may be big and the occasional arguments but most couple find out what's causing the turmoil in their relationship and finding solutions. What the Captain and Nagase are doing is helping Hibiki see past that military propaganda that Tarak portrays women as and learn to accept a female companion. You following me?"

The blue-haired woman rubbed her chin, "I guess. Let me get this straight. You're saying that Dita and Hibiki love each other even if they do not know?"

Grimm nodded, "That is correct. What happens next depends on their actions."

Meia smiled, "That would be something to see." Curiosity getting the better of her, she next asks him what his hobbies are, his likes and dislikes and other stuff. Grimm knows in his mind that she wants to know more about him, seeing as how he or the other male members of Razgriz Squadron are so at ease being on a spaceship filled with Mejalian space pirates. Seeing no harm in revealing a little about himself, Grimm tells Meia what his hobbies are, his parents and other stuff though he kept quiet about certain things or events that happened in his life.

Back on the island of Anpathos, Hibiki yelled, "Hey, old lady!"

Magno watched the Vanguard pilot approach, "Little one! You're safe, are you?"

BC asked, "What about Jura?"

Hibiki placed his hands on his hips, "I don't wanna talk about Ms. Crabby Pants!"

The captain assured, "As long as she is safe, that's all that matters. Why don't you follow me?" They soon enter a shrine or temple.

Fanieta said, "This is the shrine that leads to the holy path."

Magno asked her question, "First off, can you tell us of the 'Munya' you're waiting patiently for?"

The blonde-haired woman responded, "They are the ones who guided our ancestors to this blessed land, our people are very grateful. We consider the Munya the foundation of Anpathos and we believe they're in need of us."

Hibiki asked out of curiosity, "Need of you? What for?"

Fanieta smiled, "According to the prophecy, they are in need of the spiral code."

BC mumbled, "The spiral code?" Then she looked at the picture above Fanieta and exclaimed, "The spinal cord!" Nathan does a systems check on his F-15E Strike Eagle as he waits to go on sortie again. Meanwhile, his mind is focused on the relationship that is going between Meia and Grimm. He will admit that the Dread leader's view about men was slowly changing and that their relationship was out of respect for one another, he knows that it won't go any further because his heart belongs to Nagase but he can't deny that he found Meia attractive not to mention beautiful. He next thinks of the Reg leader Gascogne's growing relationship with Snow. When he first found out about it, Nathan was absolutely shocked that Snow would find an interest in the Reg leader of all people.

Suddenly, the cube-types commence their second attack on the Nirvana.

In the helms, Bart asked, "What now?"

Meia appeared on a monitor, "That's obvious, isn't it? You want us to put up an immediate defense line, right?"

Bart replied, "I suppose so. Dread teams, prepare to scramble!"

Meia smirked, "Roger that!" The fighters head out to intercept the enemy.

She commanded, "All units, focus on defending the ship and the planet. We mustn't allow the enemy to pass through our line of defense."

Blaze said, "Razgriz Squadron, disperse and engage the formation of MiG-19s and Black Eagle, engage the Tu-160 Blackjacks they are escorting."

Swordsman replied, "Roger that, Captain." Inside the planet's temple, Magno and Fanieta have a heated argument about beliefs that nobody is clearly winning.

Magno sighed, "I see that it's useless trying to convince you. Let's go." Then a terrible pain hits Magno and she collapses to her knees.

Hibiki asked out of concern, "Are you okay?"

Magno groaned, "My back went out! I am not interested in dying in a place like this, you need to go out there and repel the enemy." Following her request, Hibiki bolts out of the shrine back to Jura. The sea levels have risen due to the spikes on the huge pillar that is also having an effect on the planet's weather.

Hibiki shouted, "Hey, Jura we need to head off into combat. Are you listening, Ms. Crabby Pants?"

Jura groaned, "Unfortunately, yes!"

Hibiki growled, "How much longer are you going to sulk? Look, you have the opportunity to save a whole planet, that's something only a few could dream of doing. Are you going to let that pass by?"

The blonde-haired woman stood up and wiped her tears away, "That sounds crazy but not half bad. OK, I'll do it! Let's combine right away and if I see you slacking off there will be hell to pay! You got that?"

Hibiki blinked, "Uh, sure." Above the planet the fighters are holding the defense line rather well.

Blaze struggles to shake off a MiG-19 while dodging 30mm rounds from its three NR-30 cannons, two mounted on the wings and the last one mounted on the fuselage. Blaze barrel rolls to evade the endless rain of cannon rounds then he jinks right when the enemy MiG fires a K-13 Atoll heat seeking missile. The Osean fighter pilot releases flares to direct the missile away. Turning around, Blaze fires the Vulcan Gatling gun that severs one of the enemy's wings, an explosion destroys the rest of the MiG-19. Hearing the missile warning again, he takes evasive action as another K-13 follows his F-15E Strike Eagle heat signature Blaze shuts off the engines and in the cold of space, the engines cool rapidly. No longer detecting the heat waves, the missile becomes confused and detonated. Blaze comes in from the enemy's 5 o'clock low and after acquiring a lock, fires an AIM-120D AMRAAM annihilating the MiG-19 upon impact.

Swordsman stalks a cube-type and unleashes an R-27AE on it. Spotting a MiG-19 heading towards the B-1R, he turns to intercept it.

Bart screamed inside the helm, "Ah, we're done for!"

Magno said over the radio, "Grow a spine! I have been alive for a very long time and throughout my life I have seen many of my crew die. Every time someone died I cursed myself for being so powerless and at times it feels like I'm being torn apart. Many young lives brought to an abrupt end. There were shining stars living every moment. That's why I can't stand people who cannot make their own destines!"

Edge added, "Us humans build our future, not some false god dictating what we can or can't do with our lives." This seemed to effect Bart.

He said, "I won't move!"

Hibiki commanded, "You're in the way! Move!" The Nirvana moved as Vandread Jura sped past it, "You've done your job so why don't you go take a nap or something!"

Jura exclaimed, "If you don't hurry up, you will end up becoming a causality too!" The crimson red Vandread deploys discs that envelops Anpathos in a green shield, this cancels out the weather effects those spikes caused.

The blonde said in an ecstatic tone, "If anybody can cover an entire planet, I'd love to see them try."

Hibiki swung his chair against hers and told her, "Don't celebrate just yet!" A mouth-shaped object attached itself to the Harvest vessel, causing the young Tarak to smirk, "Hungry are you? Well then, chow down on this!" He slams his fist onto a button which in turns causes a vacuum effect that sucks up water from the ocean of Anpathos and directs it at the Harvest vessel, filling its mouth with tons of water. After 20 seconds, the enemy can't take any additional water and breaks up before exploding. The Vandread defuses before landing in the hanger.

The B-1R chases after a retreating Tu-160 and shoots an AIM-120D, downing it.

Magno and BC return to the Nirvana and the ship departs from the water planet.

Jura whined, "What? You didn't get it on video? How could you!"

Barnette replied with a tick mark, "I was busy trying not to get shot down to record the damn thing!"

Her blonde-haired friend shrugged it off, "Oh, well it doesn't matter as long as you capture the elegance and beauty of my machine with your camera next time. After all, no other machine can put up a barrier around an entire planet like mine can." Barnette, Meia and Dita face fault from Jura's sudden mood change.

'It's not surprising if Hamilton is handing the Harvesters South Belkan technology to build all these fighters and bombers.' Nathan thought, rubbing his chin.

BC said, "You look tired, captain. Why don't you rest?"

Magno replied, "There's somewhere I would like to visit first." She makes her way to the bridge.

Bart groaned, "I'm gonna die!"

Magno cried, "What's the meaning of this? I was gone for just a little bit and look at the shape this ship is in."

The helmsman got to his feet, "Excuse me? Sorry if I am being offensive here but do you have the slightest idea of how hard a time I had while you were gone?"

Magno replied with sarcasm, "No, Bart. I have no idea." BC shakes her head with a smile.

A/N: Chapter 10 done.

Vandread Jura made its debut here like it does in the anime.

Grimm gave Meia a little 101 about relationships.

I don't remember the last time we've had this record of triple digit temperatures over this number of days the past several weeks. Yeah, it's been toasty but it's summer.

Read and review.

Stay tuned for chapter 11.

Vader 23A