Hyperdimension Neptunia - Across the Multiverse
A HyperDimension Neptunia Fanfiction by Dumbrarere1
Chapter 26 - Desperado
Somewhere, in an undisclosed location within Gamindustri, five mysterious figures had met to convene on their next plan of action.
"Nabu. What have you got for us?" one of the figures, Sin, had asked.
"As I expected, the CPUs, CPU Candidates and Paladin-Knights are finding themselves unable to keep up with the chaos. What's more, is that there is a shortage in manpower in the Guild." Nabu reported.
"Excellent. What of you, Marduk?" Sin asked.
"The Guild's senior agents… namely IF, the bonehead Sans, and that accursed underling, Linda... have been growing wise to our operations. My looting of Muffet's Teahouse in Planeptune caused quite a stir…" Marduk reported.
"That is troubling news…" Sin said. "Ishtar, your attempts earlier were a failure, correct?"
"To my shame, I was forced to abandon the documents I had stolen from the Guild, when IF caught onto my trail… It isn't fair!" Ishtar said with a solemn sigh.
"Man, why were we pulled from Crystal Tokyo?! When will we be able to fight those damned Sailor Guardians?!" Nergal swore impatiently.
"Patience, young Oppositio Guardian… You will have your time soon enough." the True Goddess said.
"The True Goddess? We weren't expecting to commune with you until your resurrection." Sin said with a gasp.
"You are all proving yourselves able agents of mine, and your continued loyalty to me has not gone unnoticed." the True Goddess spoke, before granting the five gathered figures incredible strength as she filled them with Negative Energy. "You now have the strength to challenge the Sailor Guardians at your hearts' content. But I implore you to stay for now."
"Stay?! We've been waiting our whole lives to fight them! Why hold us back?!" Nergal asked.
"In due time, you will… and when you do, you will return to me with the Silver Crystals in hand… and in combination with the SOUL of the Determined Child, Frisk, I shall enact my final revenge upon this land." the True Goddess declared.
"But why not now? Why the wait?" Ishtar asked.
"My resurrection is nigh… Kurome has been strategic about the worlds she destroys. And the agents she has are propagating the destruction on a glorious scale." the True Goddess declared. "When I rise again, you will have your chance… but you will do something for me, before you deal with the Guardians."
"Tell us what we shall do." Sin said.
"The CPUs of Planeptune will be the first to strike against me. The fluffy one in particular, Auxiliary CPU Asriel Dreemurr, has become quite the eyesore. I want you to remove him from the equation." the True Goddess said.
"You want us to kill the Auxiliary CPU? But he looks so cuddly!" Ishtar whined childishly.
"Certainly not. You would not survive such a battle. You will separate him from his friends, kick him into the world the Guardians reside in, and then imprison him." the True Goddess said.
"The perfect bait! We can draw the Guardians in for the kill!" Marduk declared.
"Shall I notify Anshar?" Sin asked.
"No." the True Goddess said flatly.
"Huh? Why not?" Sin asked, dumbfounded.
"The boy's mind may be set on serving me, but his heart is weak. He will move to oppose us, if he were to find out our intentions." the True Goddess said.
"...I understand, Lady Ryghts. We won't let you down." Sin said.
"Excellent." the True Goddess mused. Just outside the room, Anshar had been listening in alongside his pet, Kishar.
"I can't let them hurt Chibiusa… or the young Dreemurr…" he said quietly. "Sister… if only you knew what you were getting yourself into…" he added with a huff, before walking away.
The CPUs left the portal in the Jedi Temple on Tython, walking towards the Council chambers where Asmund, Kira and Lord Scourge were discussing matters related to their mission on Manaan with Master Satele and the council. General Var Suthra and Watcher One were there, as were Lana Beniko and Theron.
"...and then by some manner of deception, the Sith Lord attempted to assassinate the Selkath government. If we had not been there to stop them..." Asmund said.
"We hadn't anticipated they would make an attempt on the lives of the Selkath governors on Manaan… but why? Other than exclusivity on Kolto exports via a puppet government, what would they possibly have to gain from it?" Master Bakarn asked.
"We thought the same thing… But we soon found out that they wanted to kill the Selkath leaders, then raze Ahto City and other Selkath settlements to the ground." Scourge commented.
"The destruction would have crippled the Republic's civilian hospitals for decades. We'd have had to ration kolto and rely on archaic medical practices while we work with corporate entities on Thyferra to purchase Bacta in bulk. We are lucky indeed, that the three of you were there to stop them." Var Suthra said. "The Selkath are more than thankful for your efforts, and have agreed to join the Republic's side in the war. We are now getting exclusive kolto trade deals with their government, as well as additional men and materials."
"I see that something good has happened. Hope we're not interrupting." Andrew said.
Master Satele turned to see the CPU trio. "You've returned. Were your efforts thus far successful?"
"We managed to pull a dimension back from the brink. It was a close call, though." Asriel said.
"I can't imagine that siding with pirates was an easy choice." Master Satele remarked.
"Siding with pirates?" Asmund asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"It wasn't our first choice, certainly. But as Kurome had sided with an opportunistic and power-mad individual named Cutler Beckett, who had control of an entire trading company with its own private military, our options were… limited." Andrew said.
"Interesting. Siding with criminals to fight a powerful and dangerous individual…" Lana said.
"One who wanted control over entire oceans and peoples, and wasn't afraid to use unethical and questionable methods to get what he wanted." Andrew said.
"And we totes won against them. All in a day's work, for us CPUs." Neptune remarked.
"Asriel proved to be crucial in our victory over Kurome and Beckett. I'm proud of the kid." Andrew said.
"I see…" Asmund said.
"What happened with Kurome and Beckett?" Master Fane asked.
"Kurome fled during the final battle, after Asriel wounded her. As for Beckett, he went down with his flagship." Andrew said. That was when Revan came in with General Tullius.
"Revan, Tullius. You've both returned. How is the situation in Gamindustri?" Master Satele asked.
"It is as Histoire said… dark forces are at work." Revan reported.
"So-called 'Negativity Monsters' have been cropping up all over, and the CPUs and Guild aren't equipped to handle them all… Even the Gold Third are struggling. The timing of this is just too perfect." General Tullius said. "A few Stormcloaks and some of my best men offered to go to help take the pressure off, but it may not be enough."
"This has to be the work of a powerful individual… or a multitude of lesser individuals." Scourge remarked. "How long was Kurome in the world you were in, by any chance?"
"She was there the entire time we were there, up until she bailed on her 'ally' shortly before his demise." Andrew said.
"I take it you suspect something, Lord Scourge?" Theron asked.
"I do. Perhaps this 'True Goddess' has more than one agent working for her, and has at least one or more acting in Gamindustri to cause chaos while Kurome goes through dimensions and destroys them." Scourge suggested.
"Scourge has a point. It might be a distraction, to keep us and the CPUs from interfering any further." Asmund said.
"Or it could be something far worse." Master Braga said. "If there are agents acting on the True Goddess' behalf and wreaking havoc in Gamindustri, they may be intent on disrupting the CPUs' Shares."
"Any idea on the individuals responsible?" Andrew asked
"None whatsoever… it is likely, however, that they are involved in some kind of cult…" Revan said.
"CPUs of Planeptune, this is your call. What course of action do you suggest we take?" Master Satele asked.
"Send what aid you can, be it Jedi Knights or Republic soldiers, to help ease the pressure. Much as we would like to go back and help out our nation ourselves, we can do the most good by continuing our mission." Andrew said.
"And abandon your people? Is this wise?" Master Kaeden asked.
"Much as I worry of the consequences, the Force is telling me that this is the right course of action." Master Kiwiiks said. "Any delays to their mission would make Kurome's job a lot easier, and no doubt accelerate the resurrection of the True Goddess."
"Master Kiwiiks, I insist you reconsider! There's far too much at stake here!" Master Kaeden begged.
"I have to agree with Master Kiwiiks on this, Master Kaeden. The growing chaos in Gamindustri serves multiple purposes… that being to divert the attention of the CPUs and to create as much destruction as possible. We can send Jedi Knights to act on Andrew, Asriel and Neptune's behalf, but the three of them coming to their nation's aid personally will do more harm than good." Master Bakarn said.
"Master Bakarn will join Revan and Tullius with a detachment of Jedi Knights to help restore order in Gamindustri. I shall remain here and act as a liaison to Histoire and the Greybeards." Master Satele said.
"What will you have us do, Master Satele?" Asmund asked.
"The three of you will rejoin the CPUs in their quest to stop the destruction of the Multiverse. Continue to help root out Sith influence, and restore peace and stability to the worlds you visit." Master Satele said. "Tread carefully. A dark shadow looms ahead. Great evils may await. You must be ever vigilant."
"We understand, Master Satele. We won't let you down." Kira said.
"Lana and I will shadow you. Our skills will come in handy against any security or computer systems you're expected to come across." Theron said.
"We don't expect this to be an easy battle, Theron. Don't let your guard down." Lana warned.
"We shall adjourn this meeting here, everyone. May the Force be with us." Master Satele said, before multiple portals suddenly opened up as the people went where they expected to go. Andrew, Neptune and Asriel opened one of their own, before the group departed.
The group emerged from the portal, finding themselves in some kind of office.
"This is interesting…" Asriel said as he looked around.
Kira looked at the screensaver of a rather high tech computer that read… "'Maverick Security Consulting, Inc.'… What does that mean?"
"Private security firm, it sounds like… Why do I feel like we emerged from the portal in a restricted area?" Andrew asked.
"Halt!" a soldier armed with an equally high tech assault rifle said as he aimed at the six of them, a few more coming from the doors and doing the same. "This is a restricted area! Backs against the wall!"
"Mercenaries... of course, it's a PMC…" Andrew said with a sigh. "We didn't mean any trouble sir. This is just a big misunderstanding."
"I said, backs against the wall!" the mercenary shouted. "We are authorized to use force if you do not comply! This is your only warning!"
Asmund waived his hand. "You want these men to stand down."
"I want these men to stand down." the mercenary said.
"Captain?" one of the other mercenaries asked.
"That's an order, lieutenant. Stand down." the mid-ranking mercenary said. At his order, the mercenaries all stood down, lowering their weapons. A man of slavic origin entered the room, followed by a couple of distinctly American people.
"What is this hernya?!" the slavic man said in a russian accent.
"Sir, these people… just appeared out of some kind of hole. We apprehended them soon after, but the captain ordered us to stand down." one of the mercenaries reported.
"Out of 'some kind of hole'? Are you mental?" one of the other two, an African American, asked incredulously. As soon as he saw Asriel, however, he raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure the security recordings will reveal something, Kev. It may have been a glitch of some kind, or maybe there's some remote truth to what they're saying." the other American, a woman, said.
"'Remote' is an understatement, Courtney. There's no way that someone could tear a hole in mid air and enter our headquarters from who knows where! It is physically and technologically impossible!" the African American countered.
"Ahem…" Andrew said, putting a stop to the bickering. "If I may ask… are you the head of this… private organization?".
"I am Boris Vyacheslavovich Popov, CEO and founder of Maverick Security. I do not know who you are, or why you're here, but you are trespassing within our headquarters without escort." The man named Boris said.
"You'll have to forgive us for our intrusion, Mister Popov… We mean no ill intent. If you would allow us, we shall explain everything." Asmund said in Andrew's place.
"Very well, then. Follow me, please." Boris said as he dismissed the mercenaries, before leading the group to a room. "Have a seat, please." he beckoned, and everyone sat down. "My men will be providing the security feeds shortly. But I'd like to hear from your side, on how you'd found your way in here."
"It's going to be a long story, so bare with us." Andrew said, before explaining everything.
"So the six of you are beings from different dimensions… and three of you are CPUs? That's crazy!" Kevin said, not believing them.
"So the three of you believe yourselves to be computer parts?" Courtney asked, clearly confused.
"Uh… 'Console Patron Unit', ma'am. It's a lot more complicated than it sounds, but the easiest way to convey the image would be to say that Asriel, Neptune and I are godlike beings who answer prayers, fight evil and lead a nation in Gamindustri." Andrew said.
Kevin looked like he was going to pop a blood vessel at that comment. "You expect us to believe all that?!"
"Hold on, Kev. Maybe he's telling the truth." Courtney said. "If the fluffy-looking prince is anything to go by, it's possible that they may indeed be from other dimensions."
"I have reason to believe them, too…" Boris said, having just gone through the security footage from before and after the group's entry into the building. "...and they may be of some help to us." he continued. Kevin clearly disagreed, but begrudgingly went along with it.
"Forgive my skepticism, Mister Popov…" Andrew began.
"Please, tovarisch! Call me Boris!" Boris exclaimed in a friendly tone.
"Boris… right… Forgive my skepticism, but we've had bad luck with mercenaries in the past, most recently with mercenaries under the command of a power-mad individual in the previous world we visited." Andrew said.
"I understand your skepticism, Mister Hawker… But Maverick holds a moral standard for all its employees, regardless of field. We follow international law, and only take contracts we believe in." Boris said. "Speaking of, we have ongoing contract led by one of our top specialists, in a small African nation recovering from a brutal civil war. This contract is about to come full circle. We'd like your help in protecting said nation's leader. A little guard duty, yes?"
"Depends on the guy in charge. Who is he?" Andrew asked. Kevin tapped a few keys and brought up a picture of a poorly aged, but proud and defiant man in his mid-60s.
"Prime Minister N'mani Omenuko… a strong, pragmatic and steadfast leader with a will of iron, and a compassionate individual who believes in the strength of his people. Not much different from you or Neptune." Boris said, giving a profile of the leader they were to protect. "Our teams have been guided by his careful hand, aiding reconstruction efforts, training military officials, and stabilizing the region. You'd like him."
"What do you need us for?" Scourge asked.
"Small time bandits have been trying to make moves on the Prime Minister, and install their own government leaders." Boris said.
"And in doing so they can continue the Status Quo…" Kira said.
"Correct." Courtney said.
Andrew looked towards Asriel and Neptune, then towards Asmund, Kira and Scourge, before looking back towards Boris. "Okay. We'll help." Andrew said as he stood up, extending an arm.
"Ahahah! Wonderful!" Boris said with a chuckle, shaking Andrew's hand. "Consider yourselves honorary employees of Maverick Security for the remaining duration of the contract."
"What about the kid?" Kevin asked.
"Hmm… that is indeed problem." Boris said.
"Not to worry, sir." Asriel said, before transforming. "I'm more than able to fight in this form."
"Are we certain that we won't be breaking child labor laws by letting him work with us?" Kevin asked.
"Our protege is quite capable. We wouldn't have gotten as far as we have without him." Andrew said in the fluffy prince's defense.
An audible sigh could be heard from Boris. "Alright. But I must warn him that things may get out of hand. If he wishes to back out of this contract, he may do so at any time."
"That is an okay compromise." Andrew said. "How soon do we head out?"
"As soon as you are armed and ready. There are weapons in the armory." Boris said.
"We appreciate the offer, Boris, but… We CPUs and our Jedi companions already have weapons." Andrew said.
"Very well." Boris said. "In that case, we shall depart immediately."
"'We'? You're coming too?" Kira asked in shock.
"Of course! Courtney and I have to finalize the contract!" Boris said with a chuckle. "We were about to depart earlier, until our little mishap happened, but it is no problem. The plane is fueled, and the pilot should be finishing pre-flight now."
"Well, then… Let's go get our paychecks." Andrew joked, to the playful roll of his protege's eyes.
Boris laughed in response. "That's the spirit. Follow me."
During the long flight over to the new African nation, Asmund, Kira and Scourge were meditating. A disturbance in the Force alerted them to a potential threat to N'mani's life, but as they meditated, their visions were clouded and unclear. It was a source of distress for the Jedi Master.
"Asmund? Is everything okay?" Courtney asked.
"I sensed a disturbance in the Force… yet when we try to find the source of it…" Asmund said. "It was as Grand Master Satele said… A dark shadow is looming over."
"That doesn't sound good at all…" Asriel remarked.
"If you three are Jedi like you say you are, you should be able to see visions of the future. What's stopping you?" Kevin asked.
"I can barely hear events in the future, but the vision remains clouded… obscure." Scourge said.
"That goes double for me. Something is casting shadows that are difficult for our senses to pierce." Kira said.
"Then we'll have to be cautious from here on out. There's no way of telling what this could mean." Andrew said. The flight continued, until they touched down in the small nation where the ongoing mercenary contract was taking place. The CPUs, expecting to meet the Prime Minister of this newly founded African nation, transformed and entered their formal attire. Everyone vacated the plane, before walking up to Prime Minister N'mani and what looked like a cyborg.
"Ah, Raiden! How are things going?" Boris said, addressing the cyborg.
"The route to the Prime Minister's palace is set and cordoned off, and the convoy is ready." Raiden announced.
Boris chuckled in response, happy to hear the news. "Splendid! We shall depart as soon as we are in our vehicles."
"Forgive my interruption, and the abruptness of this question… but who are these people?" N'mani asked.
"We've volunteered to help, Mister Prime Minister." Neptune said with a smile. "I am CPU Purple Heart of Planeptune. This is my husband Andrew Hawker, and our protege, Asriel Dreemurr."
"It's good to meet you, Mister Prime Minister." Asriel said.
"CPU? Planeptune?" N'mani asked.
"It is a long story, Mister Prime Minister." Asmund said. "I'm Asmund, Jedi Master. With me are Jedi Knights Kira Carsen and Scourge." he continued. Scourge rolled his eyes subtly, when he was referred to as a Jedi Knight, but opted to let it play out.
"Jedi, you say? I thought your order was mere fantasy, the stuff of fiction." N'mani said in astonishment.
"It's very long story. I'm sure they will tell you the details along the way." Boris said. "I will keep in contact via comms, in case something happens.
"Very well. Let us depart, my friends." N'Mani said as he led Raiden, Courtney, the Jedi and the CPUs to a limousine, while Boris went towards one of the APCs. Soon enough, the convoy was underway, during which time, Andrew explained everything to N'mani and Raiden.
"I see…" N'mani began. "So the six of you are here from another dimension, to stop the destruction of the multiverse… and the spread of Sith influence."
"Pardon me, Mister Prime Minister… but this seems a bit too hard to believe." Raiden interjected.
"Indeed it does… and yet I have reason to believe them." N'mani said. "Their arrival here is by no means a coincidence."
Having listened to the topic, N'mani's advisor provided his own input. "Perhaps an answer to our prayers, sir."
"Perhaps. For now, we shall accept their aid, and see what awaits us." N'mani said wisely, before looking out at the window. As he stared out at his hard work, he couldn't help but admire his nation's progress. "Three years… we've come so far in just three short years."
"All this progress in such a short time span… It's the sign of a strong leader." Asmund remarked.
"No… the will of a strong people." N'mani countered humbly, before looking at his advisor. "And one very able advisor."
"Thank you, sir." his advisor said.
N'mani looked back towards the group, before focusing his attention on Raiden. "Your team deserves credit as well… Mister Lightning Bolt."
"Just doing our job, Mister Prime Minister." Raiden said.
"I must admit… I once thought of groups like yours as opportunists… enablers of war…" N'mani said in parts astonishment and admiration. "But you've trained our new army well. Order has returned sooner than expected. Perhaps I was wrong about these 'private military companies.'"
"We prefer 'private security provider', sir." Raiden remarked. "Most of Maverick's contracts do focus on security."
"Yes, well… 'security' can mean many things." N'mani reminded.
"There's a saying I like…" Raiden began. "'One sword keeps another in the sheath.' Sometimes, the threat of violence alone is a deterrent. Sometimes, by taking a life, others can be preserved. It's the code the Samurai lived by…"
N'mani hummed in amusement at Raiden's choice of words. "A soldier and a philosopher. You are full of surprises, Mister Lightning Bolt."
"I could say the same about you, Mister Prime Minister." Raiden said. Suddenly, the convoy came to a dramatic stop.
"What's wrong? Why are we stopping?" Kira asked.
"Something's blocking the lead vehicle. Hold on." Courtney replied.
Up ahead, the convoy was blocked by two individuals… Kurome Ankokuboshi and Lord Denzion. The gunner on the lead APC trained his weapon on them in warning. "Clear the road! This is official state business!"
"'Official state business', you say? I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that this is where that state business concludes." Denzion said as he took his lightsaber out, igniting it.
"I said, clear the road! We are authorized to use force if you do not-" the gunner in the APC warned again, before being pried out of his seat with the Force. The other APCs pulled up and deployed troops. They trained their weapons on the Rogue CPU and her Sith ally. In response, Kurome gave them a smirk.
"Open fire!" a Maverick Security soldier ordered, and a rather fruitless battle ensued.
In the limo, the radio came to life with comm chatter. "This is Leopard One Actual! We are under attack! Two dangerous individuals are cutting through our men! Send hel- GAHH!" the commander of the convoy shouted, before cutting out. Courtney, Andrew and Scourge could see the chaos through the front windscreen.
"They are after the Prime Minister! Get us out of here now!" Scourge shouted, breaking Courtney from her stunned state.
"Leopard One, U-turn! Turning back!" Courtney announced on the radio as the driver pulled a hard U-Turn, heading back towards the airport.
"Who were they?!" N'mani's advisor asked, trying to get an idea on what kind of situation he was in.
"Kurome and Lord Denzion…" Asriel said in shock.
"It was a trap! We fell right into it!" Andrew exclaimed.
"Courtney! What's happening?!" Boris asked.
"We've been hit, sir! It was Kurome and Lord Denzion! The enemies the CPUs told us about…" Courtney said.
"I'll notify all checkpoints! Get N'mani out of there!" Boris ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Courtney said. Up ahead, an enemy cyborg prepped a rocket launcher, an operative with the Sith Empire acting as a spotter. With the pull of a trigger, the rocket was sent flying into the limo. It struck the ground, almost toppling the limo on its side. It came to a screeching halt, and the APCs ahead of it offloaded troops that were only cut to pieces by other cyborgs.
Ahead of them, the route to the airport was blocked by a semi with a barricade in tow. The driver went in reverse, and two other semis with barricades halted their progress.
"We are going to die!" N'mani's advisor shouted, falling into a panic.
"Stay calm." N'mani said to his advisor in response. The driver then went full forward, driving through a wooden barricade set up along the Prime Minister's route. All this got them was two cyborgs and a Sith Acolyte, blocking the roadway.
"They've got friends, on our twelve!" Courtney announced.
"Raiden! Jedi! CPUs!" Boris said.
"We're on it." Raiden said as he took off his shades. "Guard the Prime Minister!" he said to the other cyborgs in the vehicle as he stepped out of the vehicle. The CPUs and Jedi followed suit, just as Raiden removed his tuxedo to reveal his cyborg body. He lifted a case containing a high-frequency blade, aesthetically similar to the swords used by ninja operatives in feudal Japan.
In response, the Sith Acolyte ignited his lightsaber, a crimson red blade clashing against the once-serene backdrop. Asmund, Kira and Scourge ignited their lightsabers next, while the CPUs changed into their combat forms, spawning in their weapons and getting ready to counter the attackers.
Raiden broke the concrete around him, letting containers fall harmlessly behind them to block the attackers' path. "Let's get this over with." he said as he got into battle stance, activating an eye guard. He attacked first, blocking the Sith Acolyte's lightsaber with ease.
Taking advantage of this, Andrew and Asriel rushed the two cyborgs, defeating them quickly. The Sith Acolyte proved to be a bit much for Raiden to handle, and so Asmund stepped in and helped, using the Acolyte's tunnel vision to his advantage as he struck from behind. The Sith Acolyte fell instantly.
"Everyone! The limo is in trouble! Get back there ASAP." Boris said over Asmund's holo.
"On our way." Asmund responded. They rushed through enemy forces, taking out cyborgs, sith and imperials along the way.
Kurome smirked at the chaos that had been sewn in the African region. Three years of hard work had just been undone in the blink of an eye… the first step in her plan to throw the world into delusion.
"The attack is going as planned, milady." an Imperial officer said.
"Excellent." Kurome said as Lord Denzion contacted a bald and rather brutish cyborg with a pair of vibro machetes. "Everything's in place, Sundowner. It's your time to shine."
Back at the limo, various Maverick Security cyborgs were in a circle around the limo, taking out various enemies that were attempting to approach the limo. The veteran cyborgs dispatched the enemies with little trouble. Suddenly, just off shore was an incoming tidal wave, only for a robotic monstrosity to leap out of the ocean. It charged an energy weapon, before slashing the ground and a nearby building - flipping the limo in the process - before letting out a deafening metallic roar. From the rooftops came Sundowner, slicing up the men around the limo with infantile ease.
N'mani attempted to crawl out of the limo, his advisor dead and Courtney having retreated at his request. Sundowner climbed the flipped limo and grabbed N'mani by the feet, before throwing him over his shoulder.
"Stop!" Raiden shouted as he and the group approached. Sundowner turned around, and looked at the group.
"Hmph! So you're Jack…" Sundowner mused. "And I see you brought friends."
"What do you want with the Prime Minister?!" Raiden demanded.
"I want him… dead." Sundowner said. "Nothing personal, 'course… Africa's just gettin' a bit too peaceful."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Asriel demanded.
"Business ain't been the same since they shut down SOP." Sundowner said smugly. "'A clean break from the war economy.' Hah! Well some of us liked that economy! How's an honest warmonger supposed to make a living?!"
"And this is your answer? Target a nation on the road to peace? Reignite the civil war? Plunge this region back into chaos?" Kira asked. Sundowner laughed in response, pulling out one of his vibro machetes.
"Don't do it!" Andrew shouted.
"Don't worry, now. I won't." Sundowner said, before looking at the weakened N'mani. "Not while he's still useful…"
"You won't get away with this…" Neptune declared.
"So long…" Sundowner said as he lept on top of a building, before calling the strategic mech to battle.
"What?! They have a Metal Gear?! Here?!" Boris asked in astonishment.
"A Metal what?" Asriel asked.
"A strategic robotic weapons platform. Quite a bit of surprises under that armored shell." Boris advised.
"Ah, so a giant, stompy robot… good to know…" Asriel said.
"Take out that Metal Gear and go after him!" Boris said.
"What's our game plan?" Andrew asked as he leapt out of the way of an attack.
"I will run an analysis. I'll fill you in as details become available, just don't get hit in the meantime." Boris said.
"Really useful, Boris!" Andrew shouted in minor annoyance as he avoided another attack.
"Looks like we're going all out from the get-go. Andrew, Neptune, you both ready?" Asriel asked.
"Right behind you, kid." Andrew said. Neptune nodded in response.
"Now! Trinity Strike!" Asriel shouted as the CPU Trio went all out with Trinity Strike. Metal Gear Ray almost toppled over from the attack, but held firm. Suddenly, it's mouth opened up, and a beam of superheated gasses lanced forward, almost hitting the three CPUs and forcing them to break off their attack.
"Son of a- they've swapped out the hydraulic cutter for a plasma cannon!" Boris remarked in shock.
"This just gets better and better, doesn't it?" Neptune asked.
"Time for us to step up!" Asmund declared as he, Kira and Scourge reached out through the Force, freezing Metal Gear Ray in place, while attacking its internal components. During that time, Raiden rushed in with his high frequency blade, slicing bits of armor off the giant robot in front of them.
With a loud roar, Metal Gear Ray broke free of the Force attack keeping it firmly in place with a missile. It then swept everyone off their feet, before leaping away towards the far side of the battlefield and charged its plasma cannon again. Gun turrets also rose on its shoulders, firing on the group.
"For a giant stompy robot, this thing's quite nimble!" Asriel remarked in frustration.
"You'll have to predict its movements! Just keep fighting!" Boris said. "I have finished his analysis on the Metal Gear."
"Lay it on us, Boris. What have you got?" Asmund asked.
"It is a heavily modified version of Metal Gear Ray. Ray was first unveiled by the United States Marine Corps in 2007. This particular modified version not only has the plasma cannon, but also a general increase in firepower. The gun turrets you see have a two percent increase in rate of fire. Missile targeting speed has been increased by twelve percent, thanks to new targeting algorithms. Armor and mobility have both been increased by ten percent."
"You're kidding me… It's a walking tank!" Andrew exclaimed as he dodged incoming machine gun fire. "How are we supposed to kill this thing?!"
"Rapid, coordinated strikes are your only option! Work together to take it down!" Boris advised.
"Let's do this!" Raiden said as he dashed in, deflecting the machine gun bullets with his high frequency blade. The others ran in after him, dodging attacks from the plasma cannon in the process. They unleashed a series of rapid, coordinated strikes, damaging its armor. With a loud, metallic roar, Metal Gear Ray retaliated with a charge attack, before leaping to the other side of the battlefield.
The group ran back, with Asmund taking the lead this time. Using the Force, he created a shield that the physical machine gun rounds could not penetrate, literally stopping the bullets in midair as he dashed in with his lightsaber in hand. Leaping up, he threw his lightsaber like a boomerang, destroying one of the machine gun turrets. He followed up with Force Lightning while Andrew and Neptune went in with Joint Assault. It began smoking as it swept them off their feet, running to the other side of the battlefield once more.
"Back and forth! Back and forth! Make up your mind, already!" Andrew shouted, growing frustrated at Metal Gear Ray's constantly leaping between the two sides of the battlefield.
"It looks like it's on its last legs!" Kira exclaimed.
"Now! Bring it down!" Boris shouted. Raiden and the group ran towards Metal Gear Ray once more. Raiden himself blocked a superheated blade on one of its arms with his sword with ease, then awed the group by lifting the monstrous robot into the air, tossing it, before slicing the sword arm into pieces.
"Yes! Yes! Split it wide open!" Boris shouted on the comms in excitement as Raiden went to town against Metal Gear Ray. Finally, with the last piece chopped off, he landed close to the metal carcass of the robot they just killed.
"Holy sweet mercy, that was awesome!" Asriel shouted, utterly stunned by what he just witnessed.
"Horosho! Very good!" Boris exclaimed on the comms. "Do not rest easy just yet."
"Right. Which way did that brute go with the Prime Minister?" Andrew asked.
"He went through that collapsed building! After him!" Boris said, pointing to a building that was sliced in half by Metal Gear Ray's plasma cannon. Everyone ran after Sundowner, hurrying in an effort to rescue the Prime Minister.
"For a big brute, this guy sure is fast!" Asriel said.
"Going to have to agree with the kid on that one. Definitely a top-of-the-line cyborg." Raiden remarked.
"You're going to have to stop him quickly, but be on the lookout for Kurome or Lord Denzion." Boris said. "Maverick Security personnel can mop up their forces. Focus on getting the Prime Minister back!"
As they ran after Sundowner, missiles struck the ground in their path of travel, before Metal Gear Ray landed in front of them.
"What the- are you kidding me?!" Asriel exclaimed.
"That damn Metal Gear! It still works?!" Boris exclaimed on the comms in equal frustration.
"But we just killed this thing!" Kira exclaimed.
"We'll have to make sure it stays dead, this time." Raiden said.
"Neptune, take Asriel and Kira, and go after that brute with the Prime Minister. Asmund, Scourge, Raiden and I will deal with Metal Gear, then meet up with you later." Andrew said.
"Alright. Be careful." Neptune said. After taking flight, she and Asriel flew in the direction of Sundowner, with Kira following closely using the Force to give her a burst of speed to keep up.
Andrew, meanwhile, prepared himself for the coming fight. "Alright, big guy. Wanna play rough?" he asked, before attacking Metal Gear Ray directly. He needed to keep the giant mech's attention squarely on them, while Neptune, Asriel and Kira chased after Sundowner. The ploy worked, and instead of focusing on the brutish cyborg's pursuers, the strategic mech focused its attention on Raiden and the others.
"This is a notice to all active Maverick Security personnel: Target is heading north towards city outskirts. Anyone able, intercept immediately and cut him off, but be careful not to harm the Prime Minister." Boris advised.
"We're already on our way." Kira said. Immediately after, as though in retaliation for keeping it from getting to Sundowner's pursuers, Metal Gear Ray charged its plasma cannon for an attack.
"Look out! It's charging its plasma cannon!" Andrew warned. Metal Gear Ray fired another hot beam of plasma, sweeping from right to left, and then left to right. Asmund, who had got caught in the attack, used the Force as a shield to keep himself from getting burned by the attack.
"We need to finish this thing, or our efforts will be for naught!" Scourge reminded.
"No need to remind us." Raiden chastised, before going in for another attack. He leaped up, slicing the other gun turret off.
"Celestial Severance!" Andrew shouted as he used one of Nepgear's attacks against Metal Gear Ray. His attack was fierce and critical, shattering the armor on the mech's chin and left cheek. In response, Metal Gear Ray slammed its left arm onto the building, before opening the armor around it and revealing rocket launch tubes.
"That thing's firing its missiles at point blank?!" Boris exclaimed.
"This thing's got quite the bag of tricks, doesn't it?!" Andrew asked. "Scourge, Asmund, try to use the Force to redirect its missiles back at it!"
"Way ahead of you!" Asmund replied. As soon as Metal Gear Ray fired its missiles at the group, Asmund and Scourge both used the Force, grabbing onto the missiles and flinging them back at the mech. The warheads exploded on impact, further damaging it.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Boris said. Metal Gear Ray opened its mouth once more, preparing to fire its plasma cannon.
"We need to destroy that plasma cannon. Any ideas?" Andrew asked.
"That glowing piece in the center of its mouth is the cannon itself. If you hit it with a powerful explosion or electrical discharge while the weapon is charging up, it should explode. The blast won't kill Metal Gear Ray, but it will disable the weapon." Boris said.
"Alright. Asmund, this is your chance. Make it count." Scourge said. Asmund waited for Metal Gear Ray to charge its plasma cannon, before unleashing a torrent of Force Lightning at the cannon itself. The energy discharge shorted out the magnetic field containing the charged plasma, causing it to explode outward and rip it apart. Metal Gear Ray reeled back a bit in response.
"Finish that bastard off!" Boris exclaimed energetically. Metal Gear Ray leaped back and fired its missiles on the group. Raiden leaped from missile to missile in pursuit while the rest of the group followed, before they struck it simultaneously and severed its remaining arm. The mech fell down as though dead. Before anyone could react, however, the mech suddenly lunged at Raiden, grabbing him in its mouth.
"Are you kidding?! How tough is this thing?!" Andrew exclaimed. Raiden stabbed Metal Gear Ray in the head, before being thrown at a collapsing tower, his sword still jammed into the mech's head. He got back to his feet, literally running vertically down the side of the tower, before leaping and grabbing his sword. He followed up immediately by running down the entire length of the mech, splitting it in half. Finally, the massive Metal Gear Ray laid dead, sparks flying from its bisected metal carcass.
"I don't think it's getting back up from that one! Well done, Raiden!" Andrew said in awe and amusement.
"Let's meet up with the others, and get the Prime Minister back." Asmund said.
"Got it." Andrew said as he took out his N-Gear and contacted Asriel. "Kid, we've defeated Metal Gear Ray, and we're on our way to you. Where are you guys at?"
"Pinging our location, now. Hurry, we've got this guy in a corner!" Asriel said.
"Understood. See you in a moment." Andrew said, before ending the call. "Let's go." he said, and then they ran to rendezvous with the others and stop Sundowner.
Sundowner continued to run towards the city outskirts, with Maverick Security mercenaries, Kira, Asriel and Neptune in hot pursuit. As planned, reinforcements arrived to cut him off from the front, surrounding him.
"Halt!" Neptune shouted, before flying ahead and landing in front of him. Sundowner looked behind him and saw Kira and Asriel, as well as the other mercenaries that pursued him.
"We've got you surrounded, cyborg. Surrender and release the Prime Minister!" Neptune demanded. Sundowner gave off a cheeky smile in response, before he leaped to a passing train on the wall opposite of Neptune and the reinforcements.
"Th-the hell?!" one of the mercenaries exclaimed in surprise.
"How did he-" Asriel wondered out loud, equally shocked. He and a mercenary looked at each other, as if trying to make sense of what they just saw.
Behind them, Raiden came running with the others. "Dammit!" he swore as he continued his pursuit, almost barging past Neptune and Kira, and almost toppling Asriel in the process.
"Woah!" Asriel shouted in surprise. Raiden used his hand as a brake, making a hard turn as he chased them down. Scourge and Asmund kept up fairly easily by using the Force to give them extra speed, while Andrew flew. The three of them landed on top of the train, but Raiden needed a bit of an extra push, as he lacked the ability to leap very far or very quickly. He ended up using a building to his advantage, landing on the train soon after.
Asmund's holo came to life as Boris contacted them. "He's headed toward the front of the train, after him! I'll contact the others and tell them to meet me in pursuit, and we'll catch up with you up ahead."
"Understood." Asmund said.
"There is an unidentified tilt-rotor in your area. Keep an eye out for it." Boris advised.
"That might be the brute's means of escape. We'll look out for it and destroy it if possible." Andrew said. "Let's put an end to this."
"Watch yourselves. Don't underestimate this guy. Boris out." Boris said, before cutting contact. With that, the group pursued Sundowner towards the front of the train. They ran into their target, to see N'mani chained to the corners of a shipping container. There was another potential adversary present, one they were not familiar with.
"Prime Minister!" Andrew exclaimed. This caught Sundowner's attention, as he turned to face them.
"Too little, too late, 'heroes'. I won't be needing my little shield, any longer." the brutish cyborg said, as he drew one of his high frequency machetes against N'mani's neck.
"Stop!" Raiden shouted, as Sundowner began to carve a deep cut into N'mani's neck without killing him. He then grabbed the spot he cut open, picking the Prime Minister off the ground with one hand.
"What about all the good things war has done for us…" he began. "Why don't we ever hear speeches about that? Jobs? Technology? A common purpose?"
The other cyborg yawned, finding Sundowner's ranting a bit boring.
"Raiden… CPU… Forget me! Stop him!" N'mani said. That's when Sundowner dropped him, before grabbing him by the head.
"You ain't listenin'..." the brutish cyborg said mischievously, as he cut the chains. He let N'mani crawl away fruitlessly, before grabbing him again by the back of his head. Asmund ignited his lightsaber and attempted to intervene, before the other cyborg got in the way, blocking his attempt.
"Mind if I cut in?" the cyborg said in an obviously hispanic accent.
Behind him, Sundowner raised N'mani in the air, ready to stab him through the back. "All we are sayin' is… give war a chance!" he declared, before ending N'mani's life.
"No!" Raiden exclaimed. Sundowner tossed N'mani's lifeless body rather cruelly off the side of the train, causing it to ragdoll against the ground.
"You won't get away with that… One way or another, you will face justice." Asmund declared with a calm and clear mind, despite the disgust he was feeling. He and Raiden both ran up to try and stop Sundowner, only for the other cyborg to once again get in the way.
"Out of our way!" Andrew shouted as he joined the fight. Unfortunately, the cyborg ahead of them was not going to budge.
In the meanwhile the tilt-rotor came back around and entered a holding pattern above the train, allowing Sundowner to get on. "They're all yours, Sam!" he said as he was airlifted away.
"Let's go." Sam declared, and Scourge was next to join the fight. The train entered a tunnel as the fight began, limiting the arena vertically. "Now, now… Don't be shy." Sam taunted.
"Don't waste your time. Your taunts won't work on us." Andrew said. Sam drew the first attack, and Andrew blocked it soon after. He retaliated with Dimension Blitz, but to his surprise, Sam blocked the entire attack.
"Impossible! Nobody has been able to block that attack!" Andrew exclaimed. A quick swipe from Sam's high frequency katana caused him to back up a moment. Asmund went next, using his martial skills to his advantage. Scourge joined him in an attempted double-team. However, Sam was far too quick, blocking their attacks with ease. Asmund used Force Lightning, yet Sam dodged it.
"This guy's quick! We need to distract him!" Andrew said.
"We'll hit him four-on-one! Come on!" Asmund said, and Raiden joined the fight. However, even four-on-one, Sam's defense proved difficult to break. He was just too quick. Raiden and Sam locked blades a moment after.
"Hmm… Self-taught, and not half bad. Still…" Sam said, before breaking the sword lock with a powerful sweep, sending Raiden flying to a nearby tanker car filled with compressed natural gas. He followed soon after, with Andrew, Asmund and Scourge trailing him. "Your technique… lacks something."
"Even with the four of us… how is this guy so quick?!" Andrew exclaimed.
"He's a cyborg. This is to be expected." Raiden commented, before leaping back into the fight with Asmund, who tried to freeze Sam in place with the Force. However, despite this, Sam was able to wriggle free, before retaliating. Asmund had to use the Force to push him back, so as to not get cut to pieces.
"Enough of this! Neptune Break!" Andrew shouted, using Neptune Break against Sam. Yet he did not get the result he hoped. Even with Planeptune's Shares, Sam was proving to be a tough opponent. It was Scourge's turn, next, harnessing the Dark Side of the Force in his every attack. Yet even Scourge was unable to break Sam's defense. This left Raiden the last to fight back in the meantime, yet his attack was blocked with another sword lock.
"Now I see… You deny your weapon its purpose!" Sam declared. He gave Raiden a fiendish smirk as he stared into his opponent's eyes, before breaking the lock and smacking Raiden across the forehead. He followed up with a slice to his left eye, partially blinding him. "It yearns to bathe in the blood of your enemies! But you hold it back!"
"No…" Raiden countered. "My sword is a tool of justice." he continued. Sam shook his head, before slamming his katana into the railcar, and then dragged it through the metal. This caused his sword to light up in flame, and ran the risk of creating a fireball.
"We need to get off this railcar!" Andrew said, and he, Asmund and Scourge ran to the next railcar on the train, closer to the locomotive. Raiden leaped back onto the same railcar, before the one they were just on erupted into a massive explosion. The fact that the train did not slow down because of that left Andrew with the sneaking suspicion that the train's emergency brake system was sabotaged.
The fight continued between Raiden and Sam, before Sam placed his sword back in its scabbard. Raiden fell for his bait and ran in to strike him down.
"Wait, Raiden! Don't!" Andrew warned, but it was too late. Sam pulled a trigger on the scabbard, and his high frequency katana shot out. He grabbed it and swung upward, cutting Raiden's left arm off.
"Shit! Not again!" Raiden swore.
"This isn't good…" Andrew remarked.
"Raiden, are you alright?!" Boris asked. "You are almost clear of the tunnel! Just hang on!"
Raiden tried to continue the fight, but with one arm and a damaged eye, that was incredibly difficult. Worse still, he was losing blood rapidly.
"We're going to have to pick up the slack! He won't last much longer!" Asmund said, as he and Scourge ran back in, attacking Sam with everything they had. Andrew joined in, using Cross Combination. Naturally, he blocked the attacks with little effort.
Asmund and Scourge both teamed up for a Force attack on Sam. It hurt him a bit, but he continued to fight on without stopping. If there was something that could be found commendable, it was their opponent's endurance. The fight progressed, until Sam knocked Andrew, Asmund and Scourge upside the head and dazing them, before he unleashed a powerful slice on Raiden that sent him flying off the edge of the railcar.
Raiden caught the corner with his hand and held on, trying to pull himself up as Sam approached.
"This is what happens when you bring a tool to a swordfight. It's over." Sam declared as he prepared for the kill. He raised his katana, and was about to throw it down and put an end to Raiden, only to stop when the train cleared the tunnel and daylight finally shown on them. "Lucky devil." he said. Off to the side, several Maverick Security APCs were speeding along the road in pursuit of the train, opening fire on Sam.
"Kept you waiting, eh?!" Boris exclaimed.
"Good timing, Boris!" Andrew exclaimed. Above them, another tilt-rotor had arrived to extract Sam from the battlefield. In an attempt to stop him, Asriel, Neptune and Kira joined the battle. Andrew, Asmund and Scourge recovered from their stunned state, and went in to help. With the six of them, and the hailstorm of fifty caliber machine gun fire, it was easy to tell that Sam was getting overwhelmed. And yet, he was still a difficult opponent. In an effort to escape, he leaped up and grabbed the line, before being whisked away by the tilt-rotor.
"He's getting away!" Andrew exclaimed. Scourge reached out through the Force and grabbed the tilt-rotor, keeping it locked in place as the gunners locked onto it with ManPADs.
"Down you go!" Boris shouted as he fired a Stinger missile at the tilt-rotor that was trying to wriggle free of Scourge's grasp. Yet it managed to break free after popping flares, and using the exploding missiles to break Scourge's concentration.
"What the-" Asriel exclaimed.
"Flares?!" Boris shouted. In frustration, he tossed aside the expended Stinger launcher, before using a fresh one against the tilt-rotor. But it was too late. As soon as Boris had another lock, the tilt-rotor got away. Meanwhile, Asmund could feel anger seething within Raiden as he continued to bleed out, passing out fairly soon after.
"Raiden passed out from blood loss. We need to get him out of here." Asmund said. He took his lightsaber and used the blade to cauterize the wounds in preparation for transport.
Everyone returned to Maverick Security headquarters to rest while they discussed their next moves. On the computer was a news broadcast of the attack on the African nation that used to be on the road to peace, but was now descending back into civil war.
"The United Nations Security Council responded to the attack on the small African nation and assassination of Prime Minister N'mani Omenuko that occured early this morning, declaring it a 'cowardly act of terror aimed at destabilizing a region on the road to peace'." the news anchor announced. "A US-based private military corporation, Desperado Enforcement LLC, came forward and claimed responsibility for the attack. In response, US special forces and federal agents raided their corporate headquarters in Delaware, hoping to apprehend their executives. As their efforts proved fruitless, there is now an international manhunt for these executives, and individuals linked to the terrorist attack. This is Katie Newman, reporting for Channel Seven News."
"Unbelievable…" Asriel said with a sigh.
"So close… and yet to have it all ripped from us…" Andrew said in agreement. He shook his head in response. "N'mani was a good man. He was humble, and cared about his own people… Such a shame."
"Such a shame, indeed…" Boris said, agreeing with him. "You weren't lying about Kurome, or Lord Denzion… but I never expected them to align themselves with terrorists."
"They'd do anything they can, to achieve their goals. And now we know for certain, that this world is on their hit list. Much as I'd hate to say it, we're going to have to stick around and help." Andrew said.
"Ah, damn it all, I was afraid you were going to say that…" Boris said. "I will not stop you, if you intend to stick around and help us stop these terrorists… but you are not actively employed by Maverick Security. I cannot grant you the same benefits without asking you all to sign a contract, and I cannot guarantee your safety. Besides, it breaks corporate ethics to have unemployed operatives on the field."
"Even so, our enemy is aligned with these terrorists, and we CPUs are the only ones who stand a chance in defeating Kurome once and for all. Like it or not, you need our help." Andrew said.
"Alright, damn you. It shall be on the record as of today, that the CPUs of Planeptune and the Jedi Knights are granted unrestricted permissions as unpaid volunteer operatives of Maverick Security for the duration of the current crisis." Boris said.
"Thank you…" Andrew said in relief.
"I have to get stronger…" Asriel said.
"Don't push yourself too hard, kiddo. I know you want to do everything you can, but…" Neptune said.
"I cannot let good people like him die again… I have to get stronger." Asriel said.
"We understand, Asriel. We'll continue to train you in our downtime." Andrew said.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
-This one was an utter mess to get going. I am not sure why, but I struggled to maintain focus on the fanfic. However, I finally have it ready for you.
-The inclusion of the Oppositio Senshi (Sin, Nabu, Marduk, Nergal and Ishtar) was thanks to a reignited interest in the original 1995 SNES RPG Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon: Another Story. Their part in the story will grow, once the Sailor Moon arc begins.