A Javelin to Strike the Core

Chapter 9

Now we're getting to the end of the first season. I'll be continuing this story into Brave Witches as well as the second season and Road to Berlin. But first things first. We've got the Battle for Britannia. So on with the show.

(No POV)

As Han and Minna stood with their weapons drawn, Mio was calm and composed throughout. "Impressive. You've managed to make quite the dramatic scene here." "Minna. Put the gun down." Han says while keeping his weapon trained on the commander. Minna shakes her head before saying, "sorry Han but I can't. Mio. Promise me. Say you won't wear a striker again."

Mio's face doesn't even change as she asks, "is that an order commander?" When Minna's face softens for a moment, Mio gains a smirk before commenting that she can't take her seriously in the dress she is wearing. "Really is this the time for quips like that Mio?" Han asks with an annoyed look. Mio's smile grows before she says, "its not like she's a femme fatale or something like that. I know she doesn't want to do this." Han looks between the two before focusing on Minna again and asking her to put her gun down.

But the commander of the 501st just shakes her head before saying, "if she goes into battle again, she'll die. You're not strong enough Mio!" Han has a puzzled look, until he remembers something they had mentioned on the trip to the base. "The time limit. She's reached the end of her witch career." Han says with wide eyes. When Minna nods, the freelancer can see where she is going with the matter. But he doesn't drop his aim from the commander.

"Minna, threatening to kill her won't do anything. You know her better than me. It won't stop her." Han says with a worried look on his face. Mio then comments the paradoxical situation before all of them and that it wasn't like her at all. "You're right. IT'S NOT!" Minna shouts while steadying her aim again. Han again tells Minna to put her gun down.

"I'm sorry. But I'm still going into battle." Mio says calmly as she walks out. Even ignoring Minna when she tells her second to stop. As the door closes, tears start to well up in Minna's eyes. And she finally brings her gun down. So Han can holster his. "I think you knew that wasn't going to work. She's too determined to stay on the frontlines." Han says while walking over to Minna.

The singer turned soldier lets out a shuddering breath before agreeing with his statement. "But I can't….. I can't lose someone I care for again." Minna says while letting some tears fall. Han looks down before remembering what he had been through on Coda. The friends lost, the homes and cities destroyed. And he knows exactly where she is coming from.

So, with a sigh Han tells Minna that he'll try to keep an eye on her. "I doubt I can stop her. But maybe I can back her up as best I can," he says with a relaxed look in his eyes and a sympathetic smile. Minna looks up at him before thanking the Freelancer. And then wrapping him in a hug. "You take care of yourself too. You've become a part of this unit. This family as well." Minna says with a little blush before looking away.

Han is surprised by her admission but nods before agreeing. And then notes that they should probably get some sleep. The next day, it is generally business as usual. Han is helping Minna in the office while going over some reading basics. Until a knock on the door is heard and Mio enters with Yoshika. Both carrying a load of documents.

"Some data for you. Regarding the recent nueroi. Specifically, the singing nueroi that Sanya intercepted on two occasions." Mio says while pointing out the nueroi was letting out a strange frequency. One that was similar to Sanya's, mimicking her actions and abilities. "For what purpose though? If these things are just out to conquer or kill, why would they bother learning these types of abilities?" Han asks with a scratch of his head.

Minna agrees, before noting that they don't know much about the nueroi as a whole. Mio meanwhile thinks that analyzing the nueroi should be their top priority. "I'd like to get Hartmann and Barkhorn on this immediately." "Um sorry. Just thought you should know Barkhorn and Hartmann have already left for the day." Yoshika says while standing to the side.

When questioned on where they went, Yoshika informs the group that Trude's sister had woken up and she went to go see her. "And since she can't drive, Erica went with her." Han quips to the side. But in his mind he is happy for the strongest member of the 501st. Minna then says, "I don't blame her at all. Her sister is the very reason she is fighting. I think we all have someone like that. Someone we will defend at all costs. Sometimes that is the only way to summon any courage at all." While Mio doesn't react, Han and Yoshika nod and agree with the commander.

With that done, Han heads back to his strider to work on some new parts and equipment. After working for about an hour he hears the striders warm up and sees a few of them take off. He smirks a bit before loading up in his Ranger and grabbing a paintball rifle. He flies up behind them. After watching an impressive display of flying by Yoshika, he then challenges Perrine to a quick match.

She already has an annoyed look, and Han's cocky attitude when challenging her incises her more. Lynne then blows the whistle, and the match can begin. Han opens with a quick burst of speed followed by a barrage of bullets. Perrine easily dodges and fires away at the Freelancer after quickly righting herself. Han then nimbly shifts around before firing back. And then tries to fly as close as he can to his target.

"You're good Han! But I'm in no mood for your nonsense right now!" Perrine shouts over the comms, before blasting away at him. Han then smirks behind his helmet before waiting for the enraged blonde to get closer. He fires a burst from his rifle, and then quickly draws his machine pistol to throw the girl off. She dodges both barrages of paint bullets, but Han's real ace is finally ready.

Right as Perrine has recovered from the shots fired, Han quickly uses his strongest throw to launch a sticky grenade at the girl. "What the?!" she shouts panickedly. And then the device detonates, coating her in paint. Even turning her hair bright blue. "Well that worked. And don't worry. It'll come out… probably." Han jokes while the others also get a laugh as well. While Perrine is just fuming.

They all then head back to base, where Han sees Trude and Erica arriving. "Hey! How was the trip? Your sister doing okay?" he asks as he lands next to the two. Erica says they had a good time and Chris was doing well. But the fact it didn't come from Trude had Han suspicious. As well as the note that she was trying to keep hidden. "Something's come up, hasn't it?" he asks with a severe look before lifting up his helmet. Trude tries to cover it up, but she relents after seeing how serious his face is.

"It is. We need to talk with Commander Minna and Major Sakamoto." Trude says before turning away. Han then says he's coming too. Noting that he was technically part of the command structure at the base. Erica just quips that he has a point before skipping off to Minna's office.

Once there, Trude brings out the letter for Minna. Though it had been opened. "I apologize but I opened it to see what was inside. 'Don't get involved. You know too much.' What does that mean?" Trude questions. After a quick quip from Han about the obvious of it being a letter and that it should be obvious, he then says, "someone doesn't want us poking around for details about the nueroi."

Mio agrees before saying Minna had nothing to hide, with said commander saying that they were just looking into the nueroi further. Han hums to the side while the rest question who would have sent the note. "There are many in the military who voice their opposition to us. I'm sure they'd love to see the witches disbanded." "But I can take a guess as to who would send such a foolish warning. There's one reason he would. He must have gotten his hands on something big. I don't know what. We're close to it or he wouldn't be scared." Mio says with a severe look in her eye.

"It's Maloney, isn't it?" Han asks. While Trude and Erica are surprised, Minna and Mio are not. With the latter noting that Han had his own suspicions. "Yeah. His obsession with my Javelins was part of it. It's not just because they can put more men in the air, with the potential to match up with witches. My guess: he's built something special. Something that can compete with a witch and striker or a Freelancer and their Javelin. But the more we look into it, the closer we get to finding the possible deal with a devil he's made. Or we find what he's been tampering with for his own ambitions."

Minna agrees and notes that there are plenty like him in the military. Though they are often more objective with the possibility of the end of the world. "It's not as though all of them are evil or wrong. Most probably joined the military to protect others. Especially young girls like us. And the fact that they have to put….. well the weight of the world on our shoulders, while they can do very little. I can't imagine the frustration they must feel." Trude says while thinking back on what happened to her sister. Minna decides to call the meeting for now and asks all present to keep an eye out and keep their ears open for trouble.

Not long after they adjourn, the scouts, Sanya, and radar pick up an enemy craft. "It's one unit. Sector 23, east grid. On a direct course for London." Minna reports while checking the radar. Perrine reports that she and Yoshika were close to the location and would investigate. Though Minna gives her the order to wait for the rest.

But while giving that order Mio was heading for the hanger. "Mio! So you're really gonna fly? But you can't! I saw it. Your shield stopped working during the last fight." "Wait, seriously! Mio. You can't be thinking of going out again!" Han says after hearing that statement. Mio then looks down before saying that they both had a point. "I'm already 20. It doesn't matter how much I train. In the end I'm a witch and we all have the same fate." Mio says with some acceptance and sadness lacing her voice.

"Even if were to put on a Javelin, it wouldn't be the same. I'm a witch. And my place is in the sky." Mio says. Minna then asks if it has to do with Yoshika. While Mio refutes most of that, Han notes that Mio is also looking to live her life to the fullest on the battlefield. "You are correct Han. C'mon don't give me that look you two. I can last a bit longer. I'm sorry." Mio says as the elevator arrives, and the oldest witch heads off for the hanger.

Han looks down before tightening his fist. "She's not going up there alone. I'll keep an eye on her," he says with a determined look. Minna then looks up to him with worry. She grabs her arm before saying, "please do. But also… please take care of yourself." Han nods before heading for the hanger.

When he arrives and heads out to the location, Perrine reports that Yoshika had gone ahead of the rest to engage the neuroi. "You're saying she went after it by herself!?" Mio says with worry. Perrine apologizes for not stopping her as well as the two being out in the first place. "Save it till after we take down the neuroi!" Mio calls out. While Perrine gives a sheepish "yes ma'am" the rest fly as fast as they can toward Yoshika and the neuroi's position.

While on the flight, Minna and Sanya report where Yoshika is and that the two must have made contact. "However, beyond that Sanya can't tell us anything else." Minna reports from the radar room. Mio then asks Minna to order Yoshika to come back, "we've tried to contact her with no luck." "Same here. We've run through all the frequencies twice. But all of our transmissions are blocked." Minna says. Han then reports, "something is off with the neuroi signal I'm picking up. It's way too small for the energy levels I'm reading. Like it should be a large or similar sized neuroi, but its about the size of a witch."

Mio takes note of this and decides to speed up more. Han grunts in annoyance before speeding up himself. Minna then reports that the neuroi had turned back towards Gallia and possibly the hive. 'They could be leading her into a trap!' Mio thinks to herself before using her magic eye to get a look at the enemy. "It looks like there is another witch there. But I can see a core! That's a neuroi!" she reports with worry. She then guns her engine as fast as possible.

"Wait Mio!" Han shouts before trying to speed up more. He uses the best magnification he can manage with his helmet to get a look and sees that Yoshika seems to be communicating or similar with the neuroi. But Mio is having none of that. She quickly yells at Yoshika to shoot the neuroi. "Don't be fooled! It's just mimicking you!" the hotheaded fusoan witch shouts to her protégé.

Yoshika and even Han are trying to get Mio to stop. But when she decides she will just take out the neuroi herself, the witch shaped being responds. After flying up it fires at Mio with a few beams. Mio's shield doesn't last long. But Han quickly bursts in grabs Mio and pulls her close. His shields mostly hold from the first volley.

But the neuroi fires again and blast him in the back. The beams penetrate enough to short some equipment and magic tubes, which causes a small explosion on his back. "GAAHH!" Han screams from the searing pain to his back. "HAN! DAMN YOU!" Mio shouts before trying to shoot the neuroi again. This time she does some damage to the faux striker units, but the neuroi still retaliates and blasts Mio again. This time her shield fails, and the beam strikes her gun. And it explodes in her face and into Han's side. Sending both to the ground.

"What was that!?" Minna asks after hearing the screams. "Sakamoto and Han were shot by the neuroi!" Yoshika shouts as she and Perrine catch the two. With the latter shouting for Mio in the background. Trude then reports that Han had protected Mio first, but then the major attacked after the shielding had been blasted through. "She put up her own shield, but she's hurt pretty bad. I think Han maybe in just as bad a place!" Trude reported.

Minna's eyes widen before ordering Trude and the rest to pursue the neuroi. "But the major and specialist need attention-" "PURSUE RIGHT NOW!" Minna shouts before breaking down at the comms. With both Elia and Sanya behind her. "Mio….. Han…. Please….. don't leave me…." She says with tears streaming down her face.

Back with Yoshika and Perrine, the former is using her best healing spell to help both of them. Perrine meanwhile has collapsed and asking for the major to come back. "Sakamoto! Han! Please come back!" Yoshika shouts before the recovery teams arrive.

I doubt there are too many people reading this but I hope you still do like what I've done so far. And please review on what you think of the story.