Episode 29: Armageddon Averted
The cast of characters in the developing galactic stage gets a little larger. An itinerant race known only as the Xerobim have started to play their hand once again, but it appears that they have much more permanent solutions in mind.
Can one group cast the influence to avert the end of two races, or will the mysterious desires of the Xerobim win out in the end?
"All right, fearless leader… what's the ingenious plan you have cooking?" Duo asked as the Elite Unit gathered into the side offices.
Aelan gazed back blankly, and retorted, "What makes you think I have a plan?"
Duo stopped, and he twiddled his fingers, "Um… because you're… you. You… always have a… plan…"
Aelan smirked, and he finally said, "Well, fortunately for you, I do, but don't always assume I have all the answers."
He then addressed the Elite Unit. "Admiral Noin and I have discussed the issue with the leaders of the Sphere. There are four central Fold Generators on Eden that supply additional power to the other generators in each quadrant. If we destroy three of those primary generators, Eden won't have enough power to bring Eden into Earth's orbit."
Heero then commented "So now the issue is how do we manage to penetrate the vastly superior defenses of Eden. I highly doubt they'll fall for the same tricks this time."
"And here's how we're going to do it. The majority of the Earth Sphere forces will attack the Quadrant 1 Generator. Hopefully that will draw out most of Eden's Defense Force. When that happens, WE will make OUR move."
"We will separate into three teams." Noin picked up where Aelan had stopped. "One unit will leave on the Fold Generator at L1, and attack the Quadrant 2 Generator. The second group will leave from a fold in Mexico, and remove the Quadrant 3 Generator."
Trowa added, "That leaves the fourth. However, I was not aware that the Generators at L2 or at Euro were completed."
Aelan stepped in again, "That's the trick… they're not… Which is why for the third group, things are going to get a little hairy. By the time one of the Fold Generators here are reprogrammed and recharged, no doubt Eden will have caught on to our little plan."
Noin interceded, "That's why our best pilots should be in that last group. Thus, Heero, Aelan and I will comprise the third team."
Aelan then coughed, and replied, "I don't know, Lucrezia. The group I had in mind was Heero, Hilde and myself. Phantom's covert capabilities might come in handy. I actually had you pictured in the second group with Miliardo and Duo."
Noin's eyes narrowed, and she nearly hissed, "Is that your professional SUGGESTION?"
The glare that Aelan retaliated with spoke volumes, and it proved to Noin that Aelan didn't need to be a telepath to deliver an unspoken message. He made it quite clear that now was not the time to address personal issues.
"Anyway… we best prepare for the battle at hand. Even though most of you will have the element of surprise to your advantage, do not doubt for a second that all of you will be in for the fight of your life." Aelan finished the briefing, then said a little softer, "I would suggest that all of you take a little time AWAY from this place. Clear your minds, and enjoy yourselves for a little bit."
Aelan didn't say anymore, but everyone present knew exactly what the Advisor was getting at. He wanted them to have some fun, and get the most out of the time before this battle. They might not have any time to anything afterwards.
The North Am Elite Unit began to filter out, but Noin lingered until she and Aelan were the only two in the side offices. Aelan looked at the Chief Admiral expectantly, and Noin didn't disappoint.
She began with a slight stammer, but gained courage quickly, "I… was just… wondering… if you have ever used those manipulative powers on any of us before. Please, be honest. Even if you have, I won't mind. I just want to know."
Aelan gave a half-smile, and replied, "To be honest, no I haven't. You see, the effects of such manipulation ends once my target leaves my circle of influence, which in my case is pathetically small, and they probably won't be too happy when they figure it out. In my case, in which discretion was key, it simply wasn't a useful ability."
"My father, on the other hand, is obviously quite skilled with such techniques. His influence most likely covers all of Eden, and by the time he will withdraw such control, it will be far too late for anyone to do anything."
Noin then returned his small grin, and Noin commented, "I keep learning new things about you every day. Do you ever run out of surprises?"
Finally, when Aelan was sure that everyone had left, he took a deep breath, and decided to complete some business of his own. Grabbing a small case underneath his arm, he slowly descended the steps to the hangar bays.
He stopped in front of the first mobile suit in the bays, which happened to be Trowa's Heavyarms. He opened the case, and started to reach in, when he heard Kiron's voice from just inside the hangar entrance.
"Well, well, well… I just knew that the little, 'everyone go out and enjoy themselves' bit was more a trick to get yourself alone than for anything else." Kiron mused, "What's in the case? Wait… I think I already know. Are you sure you are doing the right thing?"
Aelan looked down at the case again, and answered, "Considering the current situation, it's the only way we are going to be able to pull this off."
Five days later…
Noin made another note to remind herself that she would need to kill Aelan when this was all said and done. She didn't doubt that he had set this up just to get her and Miliardo together. Hilde was just an excuse…
Noin sighed in response to herself. Aelan had explained earlier why he wanted Hilde in his group. She didn't like the reason, but Aelan seemed convinced, and she wasn't about to argue.
Turning her head slightly, she looked out from her cockpit, and at the Tallgeese IV. It seemed like ages ago that he had left her hanging, yet the pain burned like yesterday. She still desired to be with him, but this time, they would get back together on HER terms…
Noin rolled over in the bed, her arm slumping over, expecting her hand to find Miliardo's warm side. When she felt nothing, she immediately jumped to full alertness.
Looking over at the clock on her headboard, she noticed it read 03:30 hours. "Where on Earth would he be at this time of night?" Noin asked herself. The colony they had taken residence in was not known for its nightlife, so it was highly unlikely that he had gone anywhere.
Noin toured their small apartment, yet Miliardo was nowhere to be found. As she entered the kitchen, she noticed a small slip of paper taped to their refrigeration unit. Pulling it off, her eyes scanned the material. She hadn't even gone two sentences before she began to cry…
My Dear Noin,
I am sorry to say that this isn't working out. We both have a lot of growing to do before we can continue this relationship. I have issues that I thought I could handle, but have turned out to be even more cumbersome than I could have imagined. As you yourself also have problems that you need to resolve.
Please understand… what I feel for you is something very special. I want it to last forever, so I HAVE to do this. I don't want what we share to be destroyed by our inadequacies. Please Noin, my love, understand.
Miliardo
P.S. I must once again ask you to watch over my sister, Relena. I get the feeling that something big is about to happen.
Just remembering that moment almost made her want to cry, but she forced herself to be strong. As much as she may want Miliardo, she knew that too many people depended on her for her to succumb to her weakness. She would have time to address her emotions, but she had a mission to deal with first.
Miliardo seemed to notice her slight distress, and said, "Noin… when this is over… we'll talk. I promise."
Noin merely replied, "I suppose we shall."
At that moment, Aelan appeared on her viewscreen. "I just got word from the main force. It doesn't appear that Eden is falling for our little ruse. So we're going to have to act now. Realize this, it's gonna be Hell on Earth when you emerge from the Fold. Don't worry about engaging in worthless battles. Take out the generators at all costs. Aelan out."
His picture disappeared, and the Fold that would take her team to Eden emerged into existance. Surprisingly, none of them even hesitated, and they entered the fold almost too willingly.
When they emerged, they were above the somewhat battered planet of Eden. There was about a fraction of a second in which nothing happened, then every unit in defense of the Generator opened fire.
Noin barely had time to glance at her sensor readouts before a neutron blast struck Cygnus. "They seemed to have pooled their defenses around the main generator!" Noin commented, "It's like they knew our plan!"
Duo was the next to speak, "I don't care if all of Eden is here to try and stop me! I'M GONNA TAKE THAT DAMN THING OUT!" Deathscythe Hell then rushed at the generator at full speed, as if Duo was ignoring the bombardment of weapons fire.
Miliardo quickly joined Duo in his charge, "It may be suicidal, but I can't think of any nobler way to go!"
With a desire that seemed to shock even herself, Noin didn't take much longer to follow her two comrades. It was as if some force was beckoning her. Eden and its defense force could be damned; she WAS going to complete her assignment.
Various weapons blasts occasionally rocked Cygnus, but to Noin, it was as if the blasts didn't exist. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed one of Cygnus's armor panels suddenly rip away. Still, she kept on going. To her, only one thing existed… her goal. Everything else was merely details.
Quadrant Four Main Generator
"Sir… I don't know how to say this." The officer in charge said, "Despite our defense force pooling around the Quadrant Generators, the North Am Elite Unit still managed to destroy them."
Talor nodded, "I'm not surprised."
"Sir, you don't understand. I'm talking about numbers that averaged about 1,000 to 3. They shouldn't have survived even 5 seconds of that barrage. Even if they went kamikaze, the pilot simply shouldn't be able to handle that sort of attack."
From Talor's left, the sensor operator exlaimed, "SIR! Three mobile suits have appeared 10 kilometers from our position. Their designation match the Wing Zero, Phantom, and Commadore Eternal."
"As we expected." Talor smirked.
The Senior officer quickly began to make orders. "Scramble the Defense unit! Prepare to attack on my mark! We WILL stop them."
"It won't matter." Talor chuckled, "Belay those orders. Power down all systems. Have the Defense Force return to base. Get me a channel with Commadore. Tell my son that I am coming out alone."
"SIR! That is suicide! Even if we will lose, we will NOT surrender! Let us fight to the end!"
Talor then glared at the senior officer, "Why lose lives that we don't need to lose? I am going out there. No one else needs to die today on either side." As Talor turned away, he muttered, "Besides, I have already failed…"
The cockpit to Commadore Eternal slid open, and Aelan slowly made his way out of the mobile suit. To his left and his right, Hilde and Heero were following suit. As they reached the ground, and started to approach the Generator on foot, Talor exited the facility, and walked to meet them.
Father and son stopped face to face, a little more than a meter seperating the two. Heero and Hilde stopped a couple meters behind Aelan, watching the pair closely.
Aelan pulled out a pistol, aimed directly at his father's head. "Do you intend to continue this? Are you honestly willing to sacrifice yourself?"
"I am already dead, my son." Talor replied, "I have failed miserably my entire time here on Eden, and the Xerobim do not tolerate failure. If you don't kill me, they will."
Aelan dropped his pistol, and shook his head. Glancing to his right, Aelan said, "Heero, you know what to do."
Heero merely nodded, and pulled out his own pistol. With cold, calculated efficiency, he turned a full 90 degrees, and shot Hilde in the head.
Next time…
Talor warns that the Xerobim are not going to quit. Now that their attempt at subterfuge has failed, they will no doubt bring out their full arsenal to remove what they consider a threat. When the Xerobim arrive, it will take a combined effort to stem the tide.
Coming in Episode 30: Wrath of the Xerobim