There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.
Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.
The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.
The third type are the defenders of mysteries.
This is the tale of several such defenders.
Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic
Ultimate Destiny
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.
Chapter 8: Armageddon's Birth
It simply floated there in the middle of the Celaris nebula, like a giant inverted black hole. As Melfina stood there, shackles on her wrists and feet, looking at the galactic leyline through the main screen of the Dragon flagship Desolator, she could feel it even more than before. The weakness. The desperation.
The hopelessness. The leyline was dying.
Cerpa stood directly behind her, his tall dark frame shadowed beneath a long black cloak which he now wore. DragonMage, stading in the very center of the command room, looked at the leyline like a hungry predator about to catch his prey. DragonMage's elite warriors, 'The Six', stood or operated consoles at various points of the room. On DragonMage's immediate right stood a bizarre, other worldly figure half-cloaked in constant strange neon blue and black flames. Operating the navigation console was another odd warrior wearing a short white robe that reflected slightly in a mirror-like way. She had deep red eyes and short blue hair with an extremely pale complexion. At the engineering console was a similarly strange girl with a black jumpsuit carrying a long rod made of diamond-like crystal, bearing Blue eyes and long red hair and a striking similarity to the woman in the short reflective robe. Standing in one corner was a warrior covered from head to foot in crimson armor, a long broadsword strapped over his back. His eyes were hidden beneath a black rectangular visor attached to his helmet. The final odd character was, like Hitiriga, hidden beneath a black cloak and stood in the far left corner, opposite the swordsman.
But Melfina paid almost no attention to those around her. Her soft, gentle eyes were glued on the leyline with purpose and courage.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" DragonMage asked, turning around to look Melfina in the eye. "Like a giant egg waiting to hatch incredible powers upon those intelligent enough to gain access. And soon, that power will be mine, and you my dear android, are going to help me make it all come true."
Turning her attention from the image on the screen, she looked at DragonMage with a strange assured determination in her eyes.
"Jean will stop you." She said plainly, then looked back towards the screen.
"Jean? By that you mean that pitiful outlaw with the Caster?" He laughed. "You really don't have a clue, do you android. The Dragon forces created the Caster guns, and the models that have seeped out into common use are pitifully underadvanced. Besides which, no simple gun can stop me."
"That's not what she means, my lord." Cerpa stated calmly.
DragonMage raised one eyebrow.
"She has confidence in Jean Starwind because the two of them together managed to kill Hazanka, even after he had achieved superior power, by channeling the sheer energy of the leyline into their ship. I should know; I watched it happen."
DragonMage seemed to consider this statement for a moment, then smirked in utter defiance.
"Melfina, you poor little thing. Can't you realize yet? Such a maneuver may have worked against Hazanka, however not only am I ten times the warrior Hazanka was, but when I get through with the leyline it will have no power remaining for you common fools."
Melfina's eyes went wide as she looked at DragonMage.
"Yes, it's true." DragonMage stated, turning his back to her with a wide sweep of his cape. "I intend to take every last ounce of power from the leyline and channel it into myself, in effect rendering the leyline as nothing more than a high-tech space rock. It's only logical, otherwise someone else may at a later time use the leyline's great powers against me once the leyline is strong again, making themselves even more powerful than me. I simply can't let that happen. And when I'm through with the galactic leyline, I'll discard of it and begin absorbing all the great energy sources of the universe. My power will grow until at last I achieve what no one else has ever! I … shall… become… a god! And there's nothing your pitiful Jean or those Outcast Legends can do to stop me, so you may as well surrender to your fate."
"No! Don't you realize what you're doing?! You'll kill it!" Melfina exclaimed.
"I do realize what I'm doing. Once I reach my predestined power level, there will be no more need for the galactic leyline to exist." He turned to the figure at the nav console. "Mirage, open a channel to the fleet. Tell them to hold positions just outside of the leyline. Then set our entry course and engage the automatic piloting computer. My hour is at last at hand."
Meanwhile, aboard the Remnant cruiser Veritas…
"Engage launch procedures." Dawn Sword instructed, quickly sitting into the captain's chair. The command center of the cruiser Veritas, often having been the strike ship of choice for the Outcast Legends, was mostly metallic silver with black and gold trim in various places. It was big enough to walk around in; Suzuka guessed it to be at least 25 feet horizontal and 30 feet in depth. NightShade and Backtrack quickly engaged themselves at the weapons and navigation consoles, positioned against the wall on either side of the room, and Vapor took to the engineering systems console which was positioned near the back wall. Firestorm and Reaper, having separated from the group, had gone down to engineering, accompanied by Jim and Harry. Jean, Ron, and Suzuka quickly found positions for themselves in the command room, Suzuka standing in front of the console on Dawn Sword's immediate right, Jean in the upper right corner, and Ron in the upper left corner. The distrust between the two Caster-wielders was obvious and unspoken, but so was a mutual agreement to work together for the moment. Bluestone, after checking in with launch command via her comm unit, came up on Dawn Sword's immediate left, taking her position at the console.
"Systems check." Dawn Sword requested.
"Tactical systems on-line and functioning." Suzuka stated.
"Long range sensors read all green." Bluestone said, fingers racing over the console's many buttons.
"Navigation systems ready." Backtrack stated, not taking his eyes off the console.
"All missile bays read loaded, and primary and secondary flash cannons are fully energized."
"Vapor to engineering. You guys ready down there?" Vapor inquired via comm unit.
"Firestorm here, and we're golden when you guys are. All systems read green, and my assistants seem pretty capable."
"OK, then." Dawn Sword said, readjusting himself in his seat. "Bluestone, inform launch command that we are ready to leave dry dock, then take us out with engines at half nominal thrust."
"Yes sir." She said, opening a comm channel. "This is Veritas to launch command. We are ready to leave dry dock. Over."
"Roger that, Veritas." Came the nondescript voice from the comm systems. "You are clear to launch. Good luck; we're all praying for you."
"We appreciate it, launch command. Veritas out." Dawn Sword said, then turned to Backtrack. "OK, let's get this mission underway."
"Hey, aren't we gonna wait for the rest of the fleet?" Aisha inquired, entering the room. Jean gave her a 'what took you so long?' look. "Sorry, but I had trouble finding the bathrooms. At any rate, I'm ready to help so just tell me where you want me."
"Don't worry Aisha, we're OK as is." Dawn Sword stated. "The reason we're going ahead of the fleet is, despite what DragonMage said to us, I don't want to give him a nanosecond more than can be avoided or he might go ahead with his plans for the leyline. The Veritas is the fastest ship in the fleet, so we should be able to get to the leyline in time."
"Well then what are we waiting for?! Let's kick in the engines and go kick his butt!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah, let's do it." Dawn Sword smiled a little at Aisha's enthusiasm, then turned towards Backtrack. "Engines at half impulse until we're safely past dry dock. Then set a course for the Celaris nebula and engage ether drive."
DragonMage looked at the surreal environment all around him as he stepped briskly out of the ship. For as far ahead as he could see, strange sunset-colored crystals dotted the landscape. The ground below him had the appearance of dry dark mud, but was as solid as metal beneath his feet. The sky, if you could call it that, was like a sparkling bronze dome over the entire surface of the leyline. It was almost like being in a giant living crystalline computer chip. DragonMage turned to see Cerpa push Melfina ahead of him as the two exited the ship only a few feet behind DragonMage, and The Six weren't far behind.
"Cerpa, you shall accompany me to the inner leyline. Bring the android. The rest of you, lie in wait wherever you wish. Do your worst to the Outcast Legends and their new allies. When you have destroyed some of them, regroup at the door to the inner leyline. Hold off the remaining warriors there, but let Dawn Sword and Suzuka through. Dawn Sword is mine to kill, and Suzuka is Cerpa's claimed victim. This must become the great and glorious battle of Armageddon, and I'm counting on each of you to do your parts."
"We will not fail, great lord DragonMage."
"I have trust in you about that. Now, go and prepare for the battle. Make it one the universe will not soon forget."
Melfina, the whole time, simply stood there, hands bound and held by Cerpa, looking down at the ground with a defeated expression on her face. Was there any hope left? She didn't know. All she knew was that eons of critical research and discovery would die if the leyline died before it could complete it's purpose. Now, realizing that she was at DragonMage's complete mercy and would be forced to help him kill the leyline, brought invisible tears into her heart.
'If there's a God out there, somewhere,' Her heart cried out. 'Please,… help me…'
A lone streak of invisible white light shot through the cosmos with blinding speed, invisible to any human or other creature that may chance to glance upon it. At the epicenter, the corona of that blaze of light, a single human-like figure guided the intense speed given him in the direction of a far-distant location. His hair was the color of chestnut, his eyes a blazing inferno of pupil-less white energy. The muscular figure wore intense blue body armor that seemed to contour to his being, everything from his neck down cloaked in the metallic fabric-like material. Living electricity coursed through his entire being as he directed all his powers towards achieving his destination.
In the desolate darkness of outer space, perhaps he was a beacon of hope. With the leyline growing nearer and nearer each second, the figure focused himself for the battle ahead.
As the Veritas came out of ether drive, it was quickly discovered that a massive fleet of Dragon ships had been put into position around the prized leyline. Dawn Sword almost did a double take when the fleets of enemy ships appeared on screen.
"NightShade, we need all countermeasure systems engaged, now! Backtrack, think you can pilot us through that fleet and into the leyline?"
Backtrack almost seemed to smirk.
"Well, I'm up for the challenge."
"Good. Dawn Sword to engineering. We just caught sight of an enemy fleet between us and the leyline. I need all ablative armor panels energized STAT!"
"Armor energy level at 100 percent and holding." Jim's voice came through over the comm system. "Don't worry, we've gotcha covered."
"Nice work, kid. OK, NightShade! Fire at will! Aim for their engines; that should even the odds a little."
"Ionic warheads locked and loaded. EMP charge cannon aimed at the nearest ship in our flight path. Firing." She said, then with the touch of a button the ship let loose a massive beam of electrical energy into the midst of the enemy fleet. The charge spread throughout it's destructive range, disabling two Leviathan cruisers in it's wake. As armor plates slid away to reveal rows of missiles, NightShade began letting loose the full arsenal of the Veritas, sending swarms of high-yield ionic missiles into action against the enemy. The Dragons quickly began returning fire, but between NightShade's lock-on countermeasures and Backtrack's evasive maneuvers, the ship was able to punch it's way into the midst of the enemy fleet with only a handful of damages. As missiles, lasers, energized bullets, and countermeasures flooded the stretch of not-so-open space between the Veritas and the leyline, things got worse. The Dragon cruisers began unleashing swarms of auto-mechs as well as devastating plasma missiles. Countermeasures started quickly running out, and the damage was piling up.
"We can't take much more of this!" Vapor called from the engineering console. "We've got a hull breach on decks 4, 6, and seven. At this rate, if they hit our engines, we're done for!"
"Hang tight!!" Backtrack shouted over the roaring sounds of missiles impacting the hull. "We're almost through!!"
"Go for it it, Backtrack! Get us through to that leyline, now!" Dawn Sword instructed, his voice showing that this situation had him slightly panicked.
"Ten more Leviathan cruisers coming out of ether-space." Bluestone stated as her fingers raced across the controls. "Looks like they've got reinforcements en-route."
"Then it's now or never." Dawn Sword stated. "Suzuka, how much power can we get to the engines if we reroute power from all the weapons systems except countermeasures?"
"If we do that, we might have the option of overcharging the engines enough to double our speed, but it'll cost us the engines, and we won't be able to navigate our way to the leyline."
"Start working on giving us a straight-line flight path to the leyline; we'll need it in less than a minute and a half. Dawn Sword to engineering. We're gonna try to turbo the engines by rerouting power from the non-defensive weapons systems. Work it and torque it so we can get everything we can out of the engines at a moment's notice."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Vapor inquired.
"It's our only chance, so make it happen."
"Trajectory modifications complete." Suzuka stated. "I'm feeding it to Backtrack's console now."
"Trajectory received." Backtrack stated as he steered the Veritas out of the line of a plasma torpedo.
"Engine modifications complete." This time it was Harry's voice that came over the intercom.
"We'll give you a spot in the engineer's hall of fame if we survive, Harry." Dawn Sword said, knowing in the back of his mind that those modifications should have taken well over five minutes for any normal humanoid. He turned to Backtrack. "It's now or never. Let's do it!"
"Engaging engine modifications now! Output at115% and rising!" Bluestone stated.
The Veritas, engines glowing with the power of harnessed supernovas, shot like a bullet through the swarms of Leviathan cruisers, leaving the mass of space combat easily behind in the wake of it's intensifying speed and power. Streaking a long trail of hot white energy behind it, Veritas and it's all-important passengers plummeted at fierce speeds straight into the depths of the galactic leyline's defense cloud. Once inside, somewhere between the roar of the engines, ear-shattering shriek of the black cloud dome, and when life support systems suddenly gave out, the entire ship fell prey to unconsciousness.
Nevertheless, like a faithful martyr that knew both the importance of it's final mission and that this was it's chance to make a difference, the Veritas continued unshakably on it's collision course with a destiny far greater than itself. Cutting through the storm of black clouds like a glowing white beacon of hope, Veritas blazed through the perpetual night with inspired determination unmatched even by most humanoids. . .