A/N: The character I am about to introduce is a "different" counterpart to that in Revenge of The Fallen. This character's design was ruined by Michael Bay (I'm not saying he wrecked every design), and so I'm sticking with this character's original robot mode: a more humanoid form that can still transform into a pink motorcycle…

*

*

*

Chall Acustica: Buried within the blue eyes of this scarred, white-haired lady is the mind of a young girl yearning to laugh and be joyful once more. Having served Celestial Being selflessly for twenty years, Chall is Fereshte's leader and leads the shadow organization to support the Prime Coalition in its struggle to defeat the Decepticon armadas that are swamping Earth. She has a traumatic connection with Plutone Gundam, Virtue's predecessor, and an uncertain relationship with Fon Spaak. Her intrinsically gentle and compassionate nature has led her to nurture unusual and troubling feelings for the ex-criminal.

Fon Spaak: The most volatile human being to ever sit inside the cockpit of a Mobile Suit, let alone a Gundam of unsurpassed power. He is a predatory, ferocious force of nature that has survived a life of murder, wars against the United Nations, and a near-fatal detonation around his neck. However, his analytical skills and mastery in the piloting of Gundams have rendered him an invaluable asset to Fereshte. His reckless, uncontrollable rage is moderated – only just – by the company of his friends and the desire to change the world on his own terms.

Eco Calore: He is a mediocre pilot with a heart of excellence. Despite being constantly sidelined for Gundam missions and mocked by Fon to no end, Eco is ardent in his devotion to Celestial Being, to Fereshte, and to the safety of Chall and Hayano. He is something of a joke, having been disregarded in favour of Setsuna F. Seiei, but sees his career in Fereshte as nothing less than a blessing in disguise.

Hayano: Unlike the Autobots and Decepticons, who know very clearly where their emotions lie, Hayano is unsure of the role her intuition and feelings lie. Formerly known as Gundam Meister 874, the individual assumed to be an emotionless hologram has demonstrated, on more than one occasion, that she is an agent of volition, of will, of desire… of compassion and empathy. Going so far as to save Fon Spaak during the first era of Celestial Being, she has since been severely damaged by her twin, Hayana, and is currently undergoing the final stages of repair in Sherilyn's care

Chall Acustica, Fon Spaak, Eco Calore, and Hayano. They are merely four amongst an endless list of unsung heroes in the Earthen-Cybertronian War. It would be impossible to list them all. For in the shadow of Optimus Prime and Megatron – the elemental representatives of good and evil – there are many that walk within the spaces of dim light, treading the ground of the unknown, and fighting for the future… unnoticed, and uncelebrated.

– Fereshte Personnel Profiles, Krung Thep Archives

*

Chapter 24: Psalms of World's End

Berlin

In an age that could not have imagined harvesting power from the sun, two world wars tore through Europe and left her proud spires subdued and dishonoured. An aeon after that century of shame, the continent was forced to endure that same sense of utter powerlessness, the degrading realization that no matter what she imagined herself to be, she was nothing more than a pawn in the grand game of chess between Optimus Prime and Megatron. She was not necessary. She could even be sacrificed if circumstances warranted it.

Humankind still had much humility to learn.

Flying in front of Lennox's charging men, Surya Gundam rose into the sky, its colloid shade covering the maulers and ragers that tore across the German capital city. As a new wave of sonic frequencies disrupted the pulses within the Decepticons, a powerful ion missile from Mahisha Gundam smashed into the vicinity and incinerated the division in an expanding orb of black and blue lightning. The air was still crackling and fizzling with Ironhide's incredible power when his receivers activated, opening up a new frequency of communication. His optics narrowed suspiciously. Perhaps it was Prime, or Persephone. But why were they attempting contact with him at this time? Had there been new developments at the moon or on Mars?

"Who is this?" he asked warily.

As they held the line against the charging hordes of drones and a division of leveller tanks, Bumblebee and Ratchet still managed to look surprised as a pert female voice rang out from the transmission's opposite end. "This is Arcee, from the sixth tactical squadron. We've recovered all surviving forces and are regrouping in the Gobi Desert. We lost Shanghai, but managed to take back Beijing and the Japanese islands. Am I speaking to our weapons specialist?"

"Arcee," replied Ironhide, his usual gruff voice unexpectedly softening, much to Bumblebee and Ratchet's surprise.

So she survived.

The almost hostile harshness in his speech did not abate, however. "Why didn't you contact us earlier?" he growled. "In the time we were split up in the Middle East, the Earth-Sphere Federation declared us outlaws, the Decepticons struck again, the entire world is under attack by their armies, and we've become Gundams – I won't be surprised if you don't understand."

"Did you want me to be an undercover agent, or not?" bit back Arcee wryly. "I need to lie low until the time is right to move around freely without being detected by our hunters. But I've been keeping up with everything that's happened so far, although I'm not entirely sure how you managed to turn into a Gundam. You'll have to tell me about that after we've found some way to rendezvous. Hm. You also sound like you've aged in the last few months we got separated. Missed me?"

"You're not Chromia, kid," grunted Ironhide. "I've done much more than age. I've obtained this planet's supercomputer – Veda's given me the best guns of the lot. Think large nukes, unlimited ones at that. In one indestructible body. Anyway, what are your coordinates?"

"Save the effort. I'm coming to you. I'll track down the signals of the Gundam Mobile Suits in…" There was a momentary silence. "I see. So you and two others are in Berlin. I bet Bumblebee's with you. Say hello to him for me." Arcee paused again. "You're always thinking you can take on the Decepticons by yourself. Just hold on for a little longer. Gundam or not, you could do with reinforcements to finish this struggle. It doesn't make any sense for us to stay apart anymore."

She ended the conversation, and crackling static replaced her dry, vivacious voice. Ironhide continued to hover in the air, his blue optical sensors glowing reflectively as Anointed Gundam rose to join him. "Arcee?" breathed Ratchet. "Is it really her?" But he couldn't ask any more questions, for a new wave of Swindles, Payloads and Dropkicks were surging past the rubble of the Reichstag building, punctually replacing the fallen Decepticons that had been hacked apart by Ratchet's GN Chainsaw.

Ironhide smiled a grim smile. "Until now, I always thought we really were alone. I've never been gladder to be wrong." He glanced at his old friend. "We're holding the line here. We're not conceding any ground until Arcee and her detachment arrive. And even then, we're not giving way. Until Europe is totally cleansed of Decepticons, we're not resting."

Surya raised its Solar Blaster. "That's the Ironhide we know and love," quipped the spark within, as the Autobots and Lennox braced themselves for yet another gruelling battle.

*

Having ensured that her comrades in Berlin weren't dead, Arcee deactivated her communicator and turned around to face her teammates: a robot with a humble delivery van as an alternate mode, and a sleek fighter jet that awaited their boarding. "Are you sure this is the way to go, Arcee?" asked the van robot, shouting above the sand-scattering roar of Breakaway's thrusters.

"Ironhide trained me to utilize my speed and sniping skills for fighting Decepticons, Rollbar. He proved to me that I was capable of more than just racing across Cybertron and tagging turbofoxes. I was a bored and restless lass back then, and he changed that." Arcee smiled. "Let's finish mopping up as many drones as we can in these sectors. Divided we can only go underground, but united with Bumblebee and the rest, we're far stronger."

She smiled to herself as the Autobot agents made for Breakaway's opened cargo hatch. "Here I come, Ironhide… sister Chromia says hi."

Thirteen minutes later, Breakaway was soaring across the crimson skies of Asia, heading westward to the besieged continent of Europe.

Their first objective would be to report in to Ironhide.

*

Ruins of Moscow

The Russian front was not holding out well. Many of the primary bastions, such as St. Petersburg and the Caucasus, had already fallen into Decepticon hands. There simply weren't enough Mobile Suits to throw at them. An effective counterattack was looking less and less likely in western Russia, let alone a respectable assault upon the already decimated cities. But at least there was progress in another form. "So Kati Mannequin has joined us?" murmured Sergei, taking a swig of crisp vodka from his hip flask. His bandaged left arm had been savaged by shards of shrapnel that punctured his Ahead in the previous battle, and he was glad for the little time he could use to recuperate. Despite the shelling and shooting that continued round the clock, the bunker kept him and his top officers relatively safe, at least until they ventured out again in their Mobile Suits. "This Prime Coalition is growing even as we continue to lose more to Megatron…" He glanced down at his transmitter. "I suppose such spirit in the human heart is to be expected. I'd better relay this to all Federation troops."

"Come in, Sergei," crackled the speaker. "It's Pang. Sergei, come in."

"We're hemmed in," answered Sergei, his voice a curt grunt. "Most of our Aheads have been taken down by the levellers, and top brass of the Federation aren't going to divide their reinforcements just to save Moscow – they can barely pull themselves together." He adjusted the volume tuner. "I hope your end has good news for me."

"I've made contact with your troop commander – Bruce Lennox – on the Continent. Greece has been secured, although we've suffered almost unbelievable losses. I'd say two hundred or so of our Mobile Suits are either destroyed or defunct. Basic weaponry is all we have left, since Decepticons have awakened in anything of even rudimentary technological sophistication. Thank God that Lennox's Autobot companions have become Gundams. That certainly helps even out the odds, if only slightly. Apart from his notice that there are in fact other Autobots fighting the Decepticons on this planet, I've just received reports that Sumeragi Lee Noriega has engaged Starscream's fleet in space. The war is intensifying as we speak, Sergei. We have to play our part. I have a plan, and – "

"So most of Russia is lost," grumbled the scarred officer, resisting the urge to throw up his hands. "And here the Autobots are, playing their chess games with monsters that can tear us apart like wet tissue. Pang, I don't know what we've gotten ourselves into, but I'm already here, so I'm going to see this through. Time's running out, but at the very least, I want to ensure that my son is safe. The boy might despise me, but in comparison, his hot-headedness is even more dangerous for him."

"I'm afraid you won't be able to see him," said Pang, somewhat abruptly.

"Excuse me?" demanded Sergei.

"Andrei died three weeks ago."

Sergei shot up from his bunker's stale, wooden chair. "What?" he laughed, his voice an incredulous bark. "What did you just say to me?"

Pang's voice suddenly sounded nervous. "He was shot down near the moon by the Decepticon commander, Starscream. There was nothing anyone could do. The entire A-Laws fleet was destroyed in that battle at Lagrange 2. Even Celestial Being had been powerless to intervene until Optimus Prime retook Veda."

Silence permeated the bunker and the crackling frequency.

"My son… is dead?" repeated Sergei quietly. He shook his head, dazed. "Why didn't you tell me, Pang?" he implored, his voice hardening as he admonished his comrade. "Why did you keep such… important news from me?"

"I'm sorry, Sergei. I accessed the casualty list of the Lagrange 2 battle only a few days ago. So many are unaccounted for. But your son…"

Sergei fell silent. His throat and eyes were dry. The distant rumbling of Federation Mobile Suits and Decepticon troops suddenly seemed completely inaudible.

"There wasn't anything anyone could do," repeated Pang's voice through the speaker.

Sergei didn't reply. There was little to say. He had little to say. Even a silent apology to Holly seemed insufficient. I was a foolish coward to avoid his reproachful eyes… ever since that day I sat in church, ruminating over my darling's sacrifice…

He could only swallow his disbelief and grief, and force his attention to the crisis at hand. "Let's get back to this grand plan of yours, Pang. I hope it involves laying waste to copious numbers of these Decepticon abominations."

"It does. I've learned everything from Ironhide and Ratchet. The Gundam Meisters will be instrumental in our strategy. Our greatest hope lies with their systems – with a mechanism called the Trial System. It disables all corrupted machines that were stolen from Veda without Aeolia Schenberg's explicit approval. And that includes Decepticons."

Sergei's square jaw clenched. "And just how can we access this Trial System?"

*

Beyond Earth

Between the celestial orbs of the moon and Mars, two Gundams clashed furiously, their beam sabres burning against each other as Innovator and Decepticon glared into each other's visuals. "The game is up. Now you're mine," declared Almark, as he deployed Reborns's Fangs. They shot around Starscream, searching out weaknesses in Nergal's joints, but Starscream did not allow them the luxury of lingering around him for long. His beam sabre cleaved through one, shattering it, and he raised his claws, carving up another into useless pieces of red e-carbon.

"How impressive," mock-praised the Decepticon, confident in the presence of Nemesis and its corresponding armada of waiting Decepticon warriors. "To have your little pinpricks tagging along me like fleshling chicks to their hens." He activated his GN Buster Launcher, and several overpowering blasts met Almark's counterattack, blinding both combatants. Reborns flew back, directing its four Fin Fangs to intercept him while sending in the remaining Fangs to finish the fight. Starscream grunted in pain as the plasma blasts from the Fin Fangs smashed into his armour, and he was forced to raise his hands and block a Fang that stabbed at his face. It embedded itself into his left forearm, and a powerful explosion enveloped him in a cloud of purple smoke. Almark looked around, staring keenly into his scanner for a heat signal.

Four dazzling, silver Null Rays suddenly hurtled from the fumes around Nergal, and Reborns attempted to avoid them all by flying higher, but an angry barrage from Starscream's forearm-mounted cannon pummelled Reborns's body, smashing into its limbs. Another explosion rocked the solar system as Starscream snarled maliciously. "Don't take me lightly, Innovator."

Gritting his teeth, Almark glanced down at his radar screen. Four glimmering dots were bearing directly for him. More enemies? He winced in disapproval. The signals came from 00 Raiser, Cherudim, Arios, and Seravee. "Meddlesome humans," he scoffed. His eyes widened as two more shapes appeared behind the initial four. "Who are those? Could they be the Autobots that dared to mock my colony cruiser and steal Veda from me?"

The imposing, sleek Bennu and the shining Bhagavan soared towards Reborns, and Bhagavan raised its GN Longsword, pointing its deadly tip at the Gundam. "Am I addressing Ribbons Almark?" said Prime. "Are you the leader of the Innovators?"

"Optimus Prime," growled Almark, glaring into his primary monitor. "So it really is you."

"If you wish to survive the Decepticons, it wouldn't be wise to take us on as well. But if you let us help you, Starscream will meet his end at our combined force of Gundams and Autobots."

"Who do you think I am? You may have the humans eating out of the palm of your hand, but I am a higher being – higher than even you, perhaps," taunted Almark. "You will pay for daring to interfere with my dreams. I am the heir to Aeolia Schenberg. The Twin Drive System belongs to me, but I see the Autobots are not above stealing from others."

"Save it," snapped Setsuna impatiently, pushing forward his thrusters. 00 Raiser quickly drew its beam sabres. "We're here to help you defeat Starscream – but that doesn't mean we're your allies. Once we beat him, you're next."

Almark smirked. "Thank you, child, but your assistance is really quite pointless."

"How touching," sneered Starscream contemptuously. So the situation was this desperate that archenemies had resorted to double-teaming him? "Human charity – human foolishness – knows no limits." He snarled and raised his claws as 00 Raiser and Reborns hurtled towards him. He dodged a swipe from 00 Raiser's GN Sword II and parried Reborns's beam sabre with his own. The three Mobile Suits struggled against each other momentarily as Setsuna and Almark glared at the Decepticon. "You may think you can overpower me with superior numbers – indeed, your temporary alliance may seem formidable at first glance. But sometimes, I think you intentionally insult me… by underestimating my genius." Nergal Gundam blasted four Null Rays at 00 Raiser, forcing it back, and hurtled upwards, swiping wildly at Reborns, catching Almark by surprise and tearing his GN Buster Launcher from Reborns's hand. "All forces – all Decepticon fleets. I have given you your orders. Now obey them!"

"Enemy forces approaching! Enemy forces approaching!" chirped Haro in Cherudim Gundam. It trilled another warning as a massive body of reinforcements, composed primarily of large Alpha drones, rose from the thin atmosphere of Mars. Their numbers were inestimable. The ocean of lens-creatures raised their cannons and began to fire at the Meisters, who directed their Mobile Suits to scatter hastily. Hundreds more of the space fighters shot up and began to close in on the Gundams. "We're surrounded! We're surrounded!" cried Haro.

Lockon turned around as his scope focused on one of the drones – amidst a sea of its comrades. "Damn it," he whispered. "Even if I can snipe them, there're too many. My skills are worth little here…" And he was right. Seravee had unleashed its Buster Cannon, supported by Bennu's GN Flamethrowers. The tsunami of plasma and cosmic, scorching fire screamed towards Starscream, but a combined counterattack from his GN Null Ray Cannons, his Buster Launcher, and the proton cannons of several dozen Alphas met the assault head-on, resulting in a brilliant collision of flames and leaving a sheet of cosmic residue. Lockon's Rifle Bit's deployed in Assault Mode and began to shoot at the Alpha jets. But aside from an explosion here and there, it made little difference. "Why is it that every time we fight, we're the ones who're outnumbered?"

"Why didn't I notice it before?" growled Prime, twirling his six weapons cautiously. "The Nemesis has almost consumed Mars!" He relayed the image to Persephone and to his fellow Gundams. "This is the Decepticon mothership, fulfilling a similar role to CBS Celestial Being. Approach with extreme caution."

"Copy that, Optimus," affirmed Setsuna.

"What… what is that?" whispered Allelujah suddenly. Tieria and Setsuna turned around as Arios aimed its rifle at a sparkling object gradually became visible beside Nergal. "Everyone, look! It's… some kind of mirage!"

Starscream cackled, raising his GN Buster Launcher and beam sabre. "Well done, Arios Gundam. You realized the plans I set into motion, and I commend you for that. But your little guessing game ends here."

He clicked his claws, and a new Gundam as large as the Decepticon air commander shimmered into sight. The Meisters gasped, and Prime and Jetfire's optical sensors widened. GN Particles fell away and faded towards the surface of Mars as the body rescinded its camouflage. It was enshrouded by two sharp, metal wings that resembled the Alvaaron's of four years past, although they were blue and tinged with silver. Lined with Cybertronian grey, the main body looked similar to that of 00 Raiser's, although its silhouette was far more sinister. Its head, its expression, was grotesque, with jagged teeth that seemed to spill out of its mouth. Its long face was contained in a tall, pointed helmet with a crest. As it opened wide its lean arms, the form of the titan Blackout slowly appeared in the background, hosting another large division of waiting, hovering Alpha drones. Behemoth Gundam stared piercingly at the Meisters and Autobots as its hideous head emerged, eager for revenge.

"Reinforcements," whispered Tieria.

Jetfire grimaced. "Just as I expected of the Decepticons' foremost infiltration operative. It's been a while, hasn't it? You filthy spy."

"Israfel Gundam. Soundwave. Preparing for tactical field domination." The blue-white Mobile Suit drew a beam rifle and called forth four silver Fin Fangs from the backpack behind it. They shot towards Jetfire hungrily, and Bennu raised its hands in preparation for retaliation. "Summoning all Decepticon reserves," droned Soundwave emotionlessly, as his Fin Fangs' plasma beams were met by Jetfire's hungry flames. Bennu Gundam's burning optics flashed as it struggled to push back the combined force of the Fin Fangs, but suddenly, the four machines separated and positioned themselves around it, taking Jetfire by surprise as Bennu's fiery stream screamed past Soundwave pointlessly. Israfel's weapons quickly shot Jetfire repeatedly from the north, south, east and west, their lasers smashing into Bennu Gundam and hurling him aside. The once-elderly Autobot groaned in disbelief at being outmanoeuvred by Soundwave, and 00 Raiser hurtled towards the former to help. Israfel looked into Setsuna's display, his optics gleaming with a cold, icy blue.

"You…" snarled Setsuna, his eyes fixated on the wounded form of Jetfire. "Soundwave… you must be the first Decepticon that hacked into Veda." He glanced up and gritted his teeth as he felt Nergal's beam sabre smashing against 00 Raiser's shoulder. "What the – "

"Go, Soundwave," laughed Starscream, pressing down harder. "Engage the Mobile Suits. Blackout, go and feast on their carcasses. That is all I ask."

"Trans-Am!" roared Tieria and Allelujah. Seravee's cannons raised themselves and clicked loudly into position. "Releasing concentrated GN Particles," growled the fourth Gundam Meister. "Into Hyper Burst Mode!" A massive sphere of pure destruction screamed towards Soundwave, whose optics narrowed. Even the GN Field from Israfel wouldn't be enough to absorb a Hyper Burst from a Mobile Suit in the state of Trans-Am. Instead, he gestured his hand coldly, and a dozen Alpha drones obediently flew towards him, positioning themselves in front of him and allowing Tieria's attack to engulf and consume them. A brilliant explosion prompted Soundwave to hastily cloak himself with his silver wings, but it was Tieria who was dumbstruck. "He… he uses his own troops as shields?!"

"At the rate they outnumber us, it's not entirely a ridiculous tactic," said Allelujah grimly. Arios aimed his beam rifle at Israfel, but the latter transformed, quickly converting into a bizarre cruiser of abnormal likeness to the flagship of Nemesis. Otherworldly in construct and almost jumbled in its structure, it was clearly Soundwave's alternate mode.

"Trans-Am," said the Decepticon agent expressionlessly, and Israfel's particle output tripled. His impassive tone seemed to make his declaration all the more sinister.

Allelujah's eyes narrowed. "So this is Arios's counterpart?" he gritted, as his Gundam also transformed, and the two hurtled upwards past the asteroid belt, each attempting to outpace the other. Several dozen Alpha drones blasted toward Soundwave to support him, and Seravee turned to help Arios even the odds. Hyper Burst Mode was almost recharged at full power –

But from the darkness beyond Nemesis, Blackout raised his hand, entering Trans-Am mode and unleashing a hail of missiles at the Meisters. Tieria was caught off-guard as the sudden rain of artillery overcame his recovering cannons. He screamed as Seravee's limbs exploded, almost incapacitating the entire Mobile Suit. Setsuna swore and struggled to break free from Starscream, but the Decepticon leader had him pinned down. He glanced past him as yet more Alpha drones hurtled towards Seravee. He bellowed his protest and called for Lockon's aid. "On it!" roared the Irishman, deploying his GN Rifle Bits. They began a barrage against Blackout, but the Decepticon gargantuan had little patience for the annoying sniping that was characteristic of the viridescent Gundam. Behemoth raised its forearm and fired several EMP Pulses at Cherudim. The Meister smiled. "Don't mess with me, you fugly creature," he breathed, as Haro cheerfully prepared another round of shots as the GN Bits continued to torment Behemoth. "I won't lose one-on-one to anybody in a fight of Mobile Suits – "

Haro suddenly squealed in surprise. "Decepticons approaching from all directions! Decepticons approaching from all directions! Evade! Evade!"

"What the – " Lockon gritted his teeth as his helmet grinded against his scope from the impacts behind and below him. Two Alpha drones had taken hold of him in a tight clinch, and they did not flinch from the electromagnetic blast that deactivated them forever. Their bodies dragged Cherudim down with them, and Lockon punched in emergency measures desperately as Haro reported in their quandary. The lights inside the cockpit were flashing ominously, and Cherudim's primary weapon had fallen silent as GN Particles spilled out of the whining solar furnace. "Damn it!" barked Lockon. "They're sacrificing themselves to help him! These bastards sure know how to take advantage of their numbers – " He couldn't finish as the bodies around him exploded, sending Cherudim hurtling away, its body scorched and burning. Lockon cried out as his cockpit began to crackle and sizzle. Any more of those swarming bastards and my whole Gundam will detonate!

Almark stared at the smoking trail of Cherudim and the Alphas in disapproval. "Must I do everything myself?" he snapped, and Reborns Gundam suddenly shifted into Cannon mode, firing angrily at Israfel. "What was the point in suffering your help if you can't even defend against Starscream's cheap tactics?"

Meanwhile, as the battle between the Gundams continued to rage, the atmosphere in Persephone's tactical chamber had grown feverish. Feldt had deduced that the Decepticons were commencing a concentrated invasion from Mars, making directly for Earth. "The Innovator Gundam-type seems to be helping us for the moment, but Starscream's army of space drones heavily outnumbers us, and he's exploiting that to his advantage. They're sacrificing themselves for their masters' tactical advantage," she reported, relaying the coordinates of a possible retreat route for the Meisters. They could not afford to repeat the scrape with death they had suffered in their last battle at Lagrange 2. "Cherudim, Arios, and Seravee are still on my radar, but they've been heavily damaged. 00 Raiser, Bennu and Bhagavan are currently engaging Nergal and a new Decepticon Mobile Suit."

"Optimus and the others need backup," said Sumeragi in consternation. "We have to help. Provide artillery support and distract the Decepticons' attention. "Lasse! We'll outflank them and – "

"That'll have to wait, Ma'am," warned Mileina. "I'm getting a huge energy reading from the surface of Mars – there's a massive Decepticon fleet heading directly for us! This armada's unlike anything I've seen before – " Her eyes widened. "Optimus has relayed to us a colossal object at the centre… it's a ship as large as Persephone!"

"What?" barked Lasse. "Just when I thought we'd gained an advantage over them with our new ship!"

"I'm bringing it up on the screen and running a scan across it," said Anew tersely. She input a command for her monitor's camera to enlarge the image that was fed back to Persephone's database. Her crimson eyes expanded in alarm. "Mileina's right. It's… nothing I've ever seen before. It looks almost organic – with twisted spires everywhere on its surface! It's obviously an extraterrestrial vehicle not of this world. I'll just grab Jetfire's scans and put them through to Veda." The supercomputer processed the information for several tense moments and returned Anew's data with a scan of its own. "As I thought, it's a Decepticon flagship. Its name is Nemesis!" she finished shrilly.

A loud boom rocked the spaceship. "Persephone's starboard is under bombardment," warned Feldt, turning to look at Sumeragi. "Permission to activate defences?"

"Set emergency level to code red," affirmed the tactical forecaster. "Activate the GN Field and prepare all cannons!"

Suddenly, the doors to the tactical room hissed and slid open. Mileina and Feldt turned in surprise as a voice rang out from the far end of the chamber. "I can help," groaned a purple-haired, ageless young man, clutching at the side of the metal with a shaking hand. He was still dressed in the white shirt and trousers the infirmary had provided him, but aside from looking even paler than usual, there did not seem to be anything wrong with him. "Release me at once so I can join the battle," he demanded.

"Revive Revival," said Sumeragi in surprise. She pressed a button, and her all-purpose black chair swivelled around to face him. "You've recovered."

"Revive?!" cried Anew, whipping her head around. Noticing her astonished and concerned voice, Revive glanced at her, narrowing his eyes. The moment he saw her face, it was clear that she harboured no loyalty for the Innovators. Her calling was truly inseparable from Celestial Being, from the Gundam Meisters… from Lockon Stratos. "Are you alright?" she whispered nonetheless. Her love for a human did not mean that she had forgotten or scorned her heritage. Nor had she forgotten the integral bond between herself and her fellow Innovator.

He would scold her later. For now, there was fighting to be done. "Give me an escape pod, and I will retreat to CBS Celestial Being," said Revive, looking Sumeragi in the eye defiantly. "There are several Mobile Suits docked there in the event that Ribbons Almark requires reinforcements. I can join the fight against those robotic monsters."

"In your condition – " protested Anew reflexively.

"You're not a guest, bub," snapped Lasse. "You're a prisoner. There's no way we're trusting you with an escape pod."

"Even if you keep me here, I wouldn't be of value. I'm of no use anymore. You know everything. We all know what has come to pass as the climax of Celestial Being and the Innovators' purpose." Revive grimaced. "Come to your senses. I didn't ask you to love me. I am, however, asking you to respect my duty to help Ribbons Almark take down the Decepticons that attacked us."

Mileina and Feldt looked at Sumeragi in confusion, waiting for instructions. The commander closed her eyes, nodding slowly. "Very well. You do speak sense. I trust that you'll know what's best for your own chances of survival. Mileina, please prepare a emergency exit hatch for him."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Revive turned to depart, but not without shooting a disapproving glance at Anew. "He'd better not be lying," growled Lasse, as the doors hissed back together. "I'm sick of being betrayed and lied to by friend and foe alike." Blinking in realization, he fell into silent regret as his co-pilot looked down at her controls shamefully, holding back a sniffle. Feldt and Mileina shifted uncomfortably, and only Sumeragi remained composed. She smiled at Anew and Lasse sympathetically.

"With the chaos that's ensuing, I doubt Revive Revival can do much to help," she admitted. "But in the face of such numbers from the enemy, it would be foolish to deny an offer of assistance." She turned back to the main display. "Why hasn't the Decepticon fleet come upon us yet?"

"It's not the fleet that wants to destroy us!" cried Mileina. "It's Behemoth Gundam – it's bearing straight for us from Nemesis's coordinates!"

"Blackout?!" cried Sumeragi. She looked to her right. "Anew! How did he manage to break past our Gundams?"

Anew's eyes widened. "He… he used the bodies of his own followers to smash away our defences!" And she was right. Blackout had moved beyond the smaller, clashing Gundams and hovered towards Persephone, his massive body shifting as he swatted away chunks of rock and debris to clear a path for a horde of space fighters that surrounded the space cruiser. They paved the way for their general, the bodyguard and most loyal devotee of Lord Megatron. Looking up, a fearful Anew stared into red, vile optical sensors on her monitor. "He… he's blocking our way! We're cut off from Lockon and the others!"

Still unable to break past the Decepticon fleet, Setsuna turned his head in alarm as Behemoth loomed over Celestial Being's flagship. "No!" he roared. "The Persephone – "

"It's too late," laughed Starscream, seizing the moment and kicking 00 Raiser away. "You were played for fools. Now, you will pay for your idiocy with your beloved comrades' lives."

He was dreadfully close. The bomber-esque cruiser lay before Blackout in its entirety. Sumeragi gave the order to fire all weapons, but even as the improved missiles and lasers destroyed the throng of drones and fighter jets around the spaceship, they did little to Behemoth. Tickled and aggravated, the unusually large Mobile Suit ignored the explosions around it and raised a hand, preparing to crash it into Persephone's upper wing. Lasse swore rudely, and Mileina screamed a warning. Their missiles were too little, too late.

"Brace for impact, everyone!" screamed Sumeragi.

Blackout's three milky claws descended to bring death, but instead, they met the GN Battleaxe of Prime. The Autobot leader had hurled himself before Persephone, struggling to block Blackout's hand from the black armour of Celestial Being's starship. A loud cacophony of scraping filled the frequencies. Setsuna gasped, and Feldt could not help crying out too. "Optimus!"

Sparks flew from Bhagavan's double-sided axe and Blackout's huge appendages. Prime tensed and grunted in exertion, pushing upwards as the latter roared in rage. "Not this time, Autobot," roared the Decepticon hound. He pressed down harder, but the crested Bhagavan met his challenge with equal force. The deadlock remained. Blackout blanched, and his already angry sensors narrowed further in frustration and rage.

A Gundam of considerably smaller size… yet its six arms and weapons can outperform mine? Is this the fabled strength of the legendary Prime?!

As the hail of missiles and proton beams continued to pound against Behemoth, the crew finally allowed themselves to breathe. Sumeragi gave a small smile. "You really are our guardian angel, Optimus," she declared calmly. She leaned back against her ebony backrest, feeling rather pleased with the synergy between herself and the Autobot-Gundam. "We will continue the bombardment from here and destroy Nemesis's Alpha fleets. In the meantime, you'll be our frontline vanguard. By your very presence, our Meisters will recover, rally, and prevail."

Prime nodded obediently as he received her transmission. "You're not touching this ship, nor are you touching anyone inside," he growled, his words stern and severe as he addressed Blackout. They exchanged keen glares, demonic red meeting orange and blue. "You can deal with me, instead. You and I will finish our struggle here, and know that what we do from now is for real and forever."

*

*

*

A/N: I hope you enjoyed another chapter of TF 00. With another Decepticon Gundam revealed, it's time for new tech specs again.

Soundwave: DECP-03 Israfel Gundam

Model Number: DECP-03

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Soundwave

Known Pilot: Soundwave

Overall Height: 19.8 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: GN Drive

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam torso

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbo

Armaments: GN Fin Fangs x4, GN Beam Sabre, GN Beam Rifle

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System, Triple Changer

Alternate mode: Interstellar cruiser, orbital satellite

Name: Derived from the Muslim angel of music.

Overview: Israfel is the most diverse Gundam amongst the Cybertronian Mobile Suits. A powerful fighter in his own right, Soundwave has transferred his infiltration properties into Israfel's operating system. He is able to observe everything happening on the planet in his alternate mode of an orbital satellite. If engagement is necessary, Israfel's GN Fin Fangs wear away at the opponent whilst Soundwave finishes them with his beam sabre and GN Rifle.