And now it's time for some...Nadesico plot? Read on, faithful fans, and find out! Sorry if this one's a little short, I was a little strapped for ideas.


Chapter 39 – You Can't Keep A True Hero Down! Lizards From Across the Threshold!

With Gym and the rebels either captured or cowering behind Neo Zeon for the time being, the fight to take back the Lunar Kingdom had gone far more smoothly than expected. The people rejoiced at the return of their young queen, for Gym and Agrippa were more interested in turning the Kingdom into an Empire than attending to their people's needs; With the rebels still around, Dianna enlisted all former soldiers that still desired to fight into the Lunar Defense Force.

Dianna treated the members of DREAM as her special guests, and allowed them to personally dine with her at the palace, as well as spend a night before returning to Earth.

However, Tara couldn't help but notice that Zeorymer's pilots had disappeared entirely since the battle. They didn't show up to dinner, nor to the ball. In fact, they had never gone to the palace grounds at all. Finally, she decided to seek them out herself.

She decided to try the Ra Calium's hangar.

While she didn't see Miku, she did find Masato. He seemed to be examining the Turn A...and chuckling in a rather disturbing manner as he did so. Nervously, Tara approached him.

"Masato?"

The teen looked up. But Tara could immediately sense that this wasn't the Masato she knew, as brief as their acquaintance had been. His eyes were leery, his expression cold and calculating, rather than the awkward timidness Masato usually exhibited.

"Oh, you want to speak to him?" Masato said in an unnervingly cruel tone. "Come back later. I have more important things to do." Tara quickly got an idea of what might be happening here. Possession seemed unlikely, so she assumed that Masato had multiple personalities.

"Hey Masato...or whoever you are...why are you fiddling with the Turn A? That's Loran's machine!"

"That weak-willed child?" Masato replied. "No wonder the Moonlight Butterfly has gotten so little use."

"You say that like you built the Turn A," Tara said in protest. She had a vague idea of what was really going on, but she didn't know for sure.

"It's none of your business," the teen replied. "Now go away."

"You're not planning on turning on us, are you?" Tara said. "Because if you are..."

Masato smirked. "Don't worry. Hau Dragon has become your enemy, which makes you my ally. Of course, you'll need Zeorymer to defeat them, and by proxy, you need me. So all I will ask is that you stay out of my personal affairs. Do that, and I'll play by your rules."

As much as she hated to admit it, whoever this other personality was had a good point. Lifthrasir hadn't been able to lay even a finger on Lanstar, but Zeorymer defeated it with a single attack.

But before she could answer, she saw Masato clutch his head, then suddenly return to his usual self.

"Tara...what's going on? Last thing I remember was chatting with Miku..."


It had been a long time since Amuro had sat down at his computer and worked on the plans for something. In particular, he wanted to finish up the plans for the Gundam ALEX B-Type. He had hoped to ask Kira, a programmer, for some assistance, but never got around to it.

However, someone else who might have been just as knowledgeable, if not more so, came along.

"Commander Ray!"

Amuro jumped a bit, and turned to see Xengar, who he didn't recognize for a second.

"Oh, Xengar...you're Janus' AI partner. What can I do for you?"

"I am curious as to what you are doing at this hour," the android replied; "You should get rest before we begin our return trip to Earth!"

"I'm working on a new Gundam for a member of Londo Bell," Amuro replied. "You know Christina Mackenzie?"

"Yes...she hasn't seen much action lately," Xengar commented. "But the Gundam ALEX seems quite outdated. I can see why you'd want her to have a better mobile suit!"

"I have most of the design worked out, but the thing that's bothering me involves these bits," the Newtype answered as he brought up the schematics for a new funnel. "I want to be able to create a remotely guided funnel or bit that doesn't use wires, but can still be used by non-Newtypes. The problem is that I'm not a good programmer."

Xengar thrust his chest out. "Leave it to me, Commander Ray! I'll have you an AI-controlled bit system just like the XNG-0A by the time you wake up tomorrow morning!"

"Really?"

"Xengar, the artificial intelligence of the XNG-0A Granlif always keeps his promises, and never makes a promise he cannot keep!"

"All right," Amuro said with a yawn as he got up from his chair. "Good night, Xengar."

"Sleep well, Commander," Xengar replied as he sat down where Amuro had just been. Once Amuro had left, Xengar looked over at the screen. He opened up the coding program Nu Gundam's pilot had been using, wiggled his fingers eagerly and began to type out a duplicate of Granlif's Gran Bit program, modifying it as necessary to fit Amuro's plans...


Unfortunately, the group did not get a chance to get much sleep that night...not when the raid alarm went off throughout the Lunar Kingdom, as well as on the two ships.

Yurika, still dressed in her pajamas and slippers, ran out onto the bridge of the Nadesico where Ruri, fully uniformed, was already running a scan. The rest of the bridge crew were also in either uniform or in their sleeping clothes, depending on whether they had gone to bed by this point. Akatsuki was also on the deck as well.

"Ruri, what's the...situation?" Yurika said between yawns.

"I'm not sure you're going to believe this...but I've detected Threshold signatures approximately ten kilometers northeast from our position, as well as boson jump energy patterns."

"Boson jump AND Threshold signatures?!" the Nadesico's captain exclaimed. At that moment, a small fleet of Jovian Battas and Katonbos emerged from a massive white Threshold out in the distance, followed by five of the massive Jovian mechs from Moscow back in the other world.

"Yes...it seems our friends the Jovian Lizards have managed to get a hold of Threshold technology," Akatsuki said grimly. "But theorizing how they got it will have to come later. Right now, they must be stopped..."


Nunnally looked out of the window of the Nadesico and watched as her friends and allies prepared to sortie against the enemy that had appeared suddenly. Ever since she got here, Nunnally had been unable to use the power of Mark Nemo to help DREAM in its battles, due to the difficulty of using a Knightmare Frame out in space.

The princess then saw Shinji get inside Evangelion Unit 01's entry plug before being lowered into the machine.

Even Shinji is going to fight, she thought. I...I can't just sit around and do nothing - not when I have the power to help!

Nunnally turned her wheelchair around and started towards the hangar. On the way, she happened to see Misato, who was surprised to see her heading to where Shinji was.

"Princess, where are you going?" she asked with concern. "There's going to a battle - you should stay in your room."

"No. I'm going to help Shinji," the princess replied defiantly, but still politely. "If you would, please let me through."

"Nunnally, don't be foolish. Leave this to Shinji and the others," Misato scolded her.

"No!" the crippled princess cried out. "I'm tired of it...of being powerless! I want to be able to do more than just sit and pray for your success!"

"Alright then...where's your giant robot?" the NERV commander quipped.

"Let me go to the hangar and I'll gladly show you."

Misato sighed. There was no point in arguing with her, especially since she was a princess. She let Nunnally go by, then followed behind her, curious as to what exactly she was capable of.

They soon arrived on the lower hangar floor, and Nunnally drove her wheelchair next to Evangelion Unit 01. Shinji looked down, and was shocked to see her there. She looked up to him and smiled, then closed her eyes and summoned Mark Nemo, much to the shock of everyone present.

"Whoa!" Asuka exclaimed from inside Unit 02. "When did the cripple learn to do that?!" Misato, however, remembered Gendo showing her a photo from the early days of the Evangelion Project...and the Mark Nemo looked eerily similar to the subject of that picture. She had imagined it to be much larger, though.

"Nunnally, are you sure you'll be okay?" Akito asked with concern. "You are aware that you could die out there, right?"

"C'mon, Akito, believe in the girl a little!" Kittan chimed in. "Or as Kamina would have put it, believe in the her that believes in you; right, Your Highness?"

Whoever this Kamina person was, Nunnally thought, he must have been a great motivator.

"The enemy is approaching. All units, prepare to launch!"


Evangelion Units 00, 01 and 02 were the first ones outside.

"It's been a while since the three of us fought together, hasn't it?" Shinji commented as they watched the Jovian forces approach.

"Yes," Rei replied calmly.

"I dunno; I enjoyed the battlefield without you two dumbkopfs getting in my way," Asuka quipped. "And now we have the crippled royal brat to babysit."

"Um...Asuka? Nunnally's the same age as we are," Shinji replied, annoyed at Asuka for deriding Nunnally like that.

Next out were the Mark Nemo, Lifthrasir, and King Kittan.

"Heh, I guess pushing that big space rock yesterday took a lot of Simon," Tara said. "I hope you can pick up his slack, Kittan. You too, milady!"

Nunnally wasn't extremely worried about her own safety. Her Geass power, which allowed her to read the lines of the future, made her next to impossible to hit.

Finally, out came Akito, Ryoko, Izumi, Hikaru and Akatsuki in their Aestivalis, all equipped with 0G Frames, along with Ryoma in Black Getter and Four Murasame in the Psyco Gundam mk III.

"So, these guys are from your universe, Tenkawa?" Ryoma asked. "And you call 'em Jovian Lizards? Makes them sound like those nasty Invaders..."

"Yes. You could say they're like that," Akatsuki said. "It seems we Nagares have a history with alien abominations, no matter what world we live in."

"Attention!" Yurika called out after sipping a cup of the special iced tea. "Our priority is to protect the Lunar Kingdom!

"Well, let's get to it, then," Akatsuki said.

"Yeah! We can't spoil the Federation's chance to ally with the moon!" Hikaru added eagerly. With that, DREAM moved to meet the enemies in combat. The Aestivalis, Black Getter, Lifthrasir, King Kittan and Mark Nemo all charged in, while the Evangelions and Psyco Gundam hung back and peppered the enemy from afar.

"Guys, keep in mind that the Gekiganger-types can boson jump," Akatsuki warned them. "Don't stay in physical contact with them longer than you have to."

"Gotcha," Tara said. "Let's go, Xemmey!" Tara headed toward one of the large Jovian robots, beam tonfas ready to attack. The mech lunged at her with one of its big claws, which the swift mech dodged, then fired a few shots from her rifles into its back, piercing its Distortion Field with ease, causing it to turn around. But then Xemmey suddenly said something Tara didn't expect to hear, especially not in the middle of a battle.

"Tara, I've detected life signs coming from inside the Jovian mech after that last attack...life signs that are a 99.9986% match those of a typical Earth human."

"What?!" Tara exclaimed, baffled by this statement. "But aren't the Jovian Lizards..."

"Tara, I suggest we disable that machine and capture its pilot for questioning," Xemmey answered.

"Yeah...good idea," Lifthrasir's pilot said in agreement. Tara drew her beam tonfas, dove into a portal, and came back out behind the mech once again, and struck with her robot's melee weapons, slashing off the mech's arms and flight engine, which caused the mech to drop out of the sky and land onto the moon's surface with a thud.

Just then, another Jovian mech boson jumped behind her, only to be cut down by the Mark Nemo. Tara watched in dismay as the cockpit was impaled by the living Knightmare Frame's katana.

"Nunnally! What are you doing?!"

"Fighting the enemy," she replied, using the tone of her other personality. "You should be doing so as well;"

Tara sighed and he pulled out her rifles, aiming at the AI-controlled Battas and Katonbos.

Great...first Masato, now Nunnally, she thought. I'd hate to have an alternate personality...


"Congratulations, my dear!" Clovis said, beaming with pride as he greeted his Knight with open arms.

Tahra now wore the attire of the Knights of the Round - a black, tight-fitting shirt emblazoned with the golden symbol of the elite order; over it was a thin but sturdy coat that was bleached brilliant white, save for yellow stripes on the shoulders and the same symbol embroidered on the left sleeve, just along the upper arm; black gloves and boots; two golden cords that kept the white coat closed; and trousers bleached the same white as her coat. To top it all off was a cyan-colored cloak that was draped across her shoulders, which would distinguish her position in the order..

Around her were several other members of the Knights of the Round, who all wore similar outfits.

"It's been a long time since someone occupied the position of Knight of Eleven," said Bismarck Waldstein, a powerfully built man his left eye sewn shut. He had long hair that was a subdued shade of purple (while Tara's hair was a very vivid purple) and wore a white cloak. He was the Knight of One, the Emperor's most trusted servant.

"Yeah! Who'd have thought we'd get two new members almost back to back?" added the Knight of Three, a young man with messy blonde hair, the same sky-blue eyes as Tahra, and a green cloak.

"If I'm not mistaken, Gino," Bismarck commented, "Our new Knight of Eleven seems to remind His Majesty of Lady Marianne." Suddenly, a girl with pink hair, pink cloak, emotionless face, a high-cut undershirt and sleeveless coat raised a cell phone up out of nowhere, and it clicked just as a normal camera would.

"Um...Lady Alstreim...what was that for?" Tahra asked, baffled by this rather nonchalant act.

"Oh, just to remember this moment by," answered the girl, Anya Alstreim. She was the Knight of Six.

"It's a story for another time," said Suzaku, who had a blue cloak on in addition to his Knight of the Round attire. "But let's go celebrate!"

"But don't I have to stay and watch over Prince Clovis?" Tahra said, a little uneasy about her new role.

"Oh, you always worry about me," Clovis laughed. "I can be without you for a few hours! Go, and have a good time with your fellow Knights!"


"One more!" Asuka cried as she took aim at the last Jovian mech and fired a shot from an electromagnetic crossbow weapon. The shot pierced the mech's Distortion Field, and sent it crashing to the ground. Meanwhile, Four shot down the last Katonbo with the Psyco Gundam's mega particle cannons.

The battle had gone quite well. All of the Jovian forces had been wiped out, save for the single giant mech that Tara disabled in the early part of the battle. Indeed, the Jovian forces' cohesiveness broke down right as that particular mech was disabled.

"Someone retrieve the disabled Jovian mech," Yurika ordered. "Tara said that she did so in order to interrogate the pilot."

"No! Destroy it!" Akatsuki cried out. "We can't allow any Jovians to live!"

"Sorry, Akatsuki, but I have to agree with Captain Misumaru here," Bright replied. "If we can learn more about them, we could find a way to end this war once and for all."

But before anyone could make a move to do so, a white Threshold opened up in the skies above. A large squadron of angel troops, consisting of Principalities, Powers, Virtues, and two new types they had never seen before entered.

The first new kind, of which there were four, was an amethyst colored creature with the head and face of a man, and the body of a lion, with great feathered wings; the other, which was there was only one, was more like the lower ranking angels in that it was humanoid, but wore brilliant golden armor, and it carried an unusual katana, which didn't fit its European style armor. Finally, Kushiel, the angel who had visited Gym Ghingnham on repeated occasions appeared in front of the group.

"Oh great, THESE jerkwads again," Ryoko grumbled.

You children who have mastered the Threshold against the will of the cosmos, Kushiel said telepathically; Your time has come.

"Speak for yourself!" Akito replied. "I bet you're the one who gave the Jovian Lizards the ability to use Thresholds in the first place!"

It was a necessary measure to overcome you, the faceless angel replied. But since they have failed, I must take this matter into my own hands...I shall do what Samael and Raziel failed to do: obliterate you!

"Wait!" Tara called out. "It's me you want, right? Leave my friends out of this!"

You are no longer of our concern, Broken One, Kushiel answered dismissively. As you currently are, you are of no use to us.

"Broken One?" Tara exclaimed. "What's that supposed to mean?" But instead of answering, Kushiel turned to his soldiers. As if they heard a telepathic command, they all poured in, preparing to rain death upon them. Kushiel then warped away using a white portal.

The battle began anew...


Even though Clovis admitted to himself that the art he so loved was ultimately meaningless, there was something about painting and designing clothing that relaxed him - especially when the subject was appealing to the eye as well.

"How much longer do I have to hold this pose, Your Highness?" Tahra asked as she posed for him in one of his newest swimsuit designs while laying on his bed. She didn't mind doing this - in fact, she enjoyed it. Of course, Clovis seemed to be taking much longer than usual.

"I'm sorry, my dear fiancee, but I'm afraid I'm just not in the mood to paint tonight," Clovis sighed. However, Tahra saw a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and smirked.

"I guess you're in that kind of mood, huh?" Tahra said with a giggle. "All right, I'm all yours."

Clovis smiled, stood up and began to undress...


Asuka drew her Progressive Knife and lunged at one of the amethyst angels. However, something odd happened when she struck the creature...it was actually Unit 02 who suffered the damage. However, it wasn't enough to drop the Evangelion. Rei rushed over and used EVA 00's built in repair equipment to patch up the damage.

"What the hell kind of barrier is that?!" Asuka grunted. "It's like I stabbed myself with my own knife..."

Meanwhile, Shinji was fighting hand-to-hand with the golden humanoid angel. Progressive knife met katana repeatedly, each one occasionally landing a hit. Akito rushed in to help, but the angel swatted his Aestivalis aside, then slashed Unit 01's belly, nearly disemboweling the Evangelion. Seeing their general's strength, the other troops rallied and pushed forward, nearly overwhelming DREAM.

But suddenly a voice called out to the various members of DREAM over the radio.

"Never fear, friends! I've come to save the day!"

Tara's and Akito's hearts stopped for a moment when they heard that voice…a voice that belonged to a kindred spirit they were sure they had seen die. But the voice was no illusion. A blue Aestivalis sped out from over the horizon, appearing to be completely undamaged…indeed, it was looking even MORE powerful than before.

"…Gai Daigoji…you're alive?!" Yurika exclaimed, completely shocked to see the king of Gekiganger fans alive and well. Even Ruri's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"At last, my dear captain, you refer to me by the name of my soul!" Gai Daigoji bellowed joyfully. "It brings me such joy to hear it! Now, cretins...taste the fist of my soul...GEKIGAAAAAAN FLAAAAARE!"

The blue Aestivalis tore through the swarm of angels, even crashing into the golden one, causing it to drop its sword.

"…Gai!" Akito and Tara cried out together.

"Akito! Tara! My fellow warriors of passion! It's great to see you again as well! Let's finish off these evildoers together!"

Akito's and Gai's Aestivalis paired up and started flying in sync. Meanwhile, Shinji saw the sword and made Unit 01 pick it up. He then lashed out at the golden angel, slicing it in two with one strike.

"Akito, match my timing!" Gai bellowed.

"Right!" Akito answered, overjoyed to be fighting alongside his old friend again. Tara pulled out her rifles and aimed at the swarm of angels.

"Hit it, guys!"

"FINISHING STRIKE!" the two cried in a hot-blooded manner. "DOUBLE! GEKIGAN! FLAAARE!"

The entire mass of enemies was tossed upward by the impact, giving Tara a clear shot.

"LIFTHRAAAA DIVIDER!"

A dozen portals opened up, blasting the entire mass of enemy troops in one go, before they exploded as the energy in their bodies was violently released, causing a great cheer to sound throughout the capital city, the fearful citizenry ecstatic at DREAM's victory.


It wouldn't be a Super Robot Wars game if you use the Nadesico plot and don't bring Gai freaking Daigoji back from the dead! But will his reasons for surviving be more than pure dumb luck? Find out next time! Until then, see ya 'round, mecha fans!