Chapter 2:
Engage!
"Engage
at will," said Maverick as the Falcons descended upon the three Invid
troop ships, which were disgorging clam-shaped mecha that the HUD showed as
Invid Scouts. Other bivalve looking mecha such as Armored scouts, Troopers, and
Shock Trooper. "Remember, only the Armored Scouts and Shock troops have
distance weapons." Maverick, the captain said as his radar screen indicated
that they have been detected. "So," he mumbled, "Now they can
see us." He selected missiles from the FAAST packs mounted on the dorsal
and ventral sides of his VF. "Come on baby, lock on...," he said as
a semi prayer to the VF's sensors and computer. Small red crosshairs
appeared on thirty or so of the small and large Invid mecha. "Firing!
Fox-Mini" He yells into his mic as he pressed down on the touch sensitive
surface of his control stick. The missiles streaked out of the pods, leaving
white contrails lacing through the air. The missiles, as well as others from
the other squad members raced towards the troops already on the ground as well
as Invid mecha still inside the ships. The explosions looked like a carpet of
fire after they hit, sending shrapnel flying in every direction. The damage was
so great from these anti-matter tipped missiles that the secondary explosions
blew apart the clam-like troopship, sending crashing down onto the street
below.
"Ouch,
talk about collateral damage," said the pilot of Falcon 03, or Iceman.
"Never
mind that Ice," said his wingman (04), Slider "The Invid
don't give a damn"
"That's
why we got to kill them," said Maverick's wingman, Goose (02)
The
quartet of veritechs went first to GERWALK* to slow their fall, then changed to
Soldier mode, with GU-15 in both hands. The pilots, and the other Falcons, immediately
went into a melee of combat with the Invid. Gunpods sounded like giant
buzzsaws, shooting depleted uranium rounds at the Invid mecha, causing them to
explode or go down with large holes in the bodies of the mecha. Maverick
spotted two Pincer command units that escaped the lead ship's
destruction. "Come and get it, SLACKERS!!!!" he shouted over the
comm. His mecha rocketed forward and flew up in front of one of the P.C.Us.
Maverick fired his gunpod right at the mecha's center torso, killing the Invid
pilot within. After seeing the P.C.U slouch, he immediately turned to the other
Pincer, which had also turned. The P.C.U fired its heat cannons, whose force
was deflected by the Pinpoint barrier shield projected on top of the
VF-19's arm shield. Maverick extended the anti-armor bayonet on his
gunpod and stabbed at the Invid ship until it sank down in defeat.
"Splash
two," Maverick said into his mic. "Anymore out there?"
"This
is Seven, three nearby," responded Morgana. Her veritech as well as her wingman's
lashed out at the Invid scouts destroying them with cannon before looking for
more prey.
A
few city blocks away, Wildhog and the rest of three flight were covering the
streets in GERWALK mode. They spotted a few Invid scout troops preparing to
evacuate. "These must be the last," Wildhog said, "Archangel,
on me." Two clicks over the comm was the affirmative response to his
command. Both veritechs rushed the scout, sniping them in the back with short
cannon bursts.
"That's
all Falcons," Maverick said over the comm. His radar display bleeped as twelve
new contacts got within a 20 nautical mile range. "Here's the cavalry,
late as always. Flight performance suggests modified Taurus suits." He
paused for a moment then said, "Falcons, form up at 200 feet, keep it
sub-sonic. We're gonna say hello."
The
veritechs went into fighter mode leaving contrails of white exhaust behind
them.
"Bandits
10nm and closing, altitude 200ft we've got 200kts closure." said
Maverick's wingman, Goose.
"Want
me to talk to them?" said Maverick to his squadron.
"Go
right ahead, oh glorious leader of ours." replied Falcon 11, Phoenix.
"Har
har," chuffed Maverick. He switched his com to broadcast into the open.
"Attention incoming Mobile Suits, we are friendly and uh... (hehe) take
us to your leader!"
"MAVERICK!!!!!!"
shouted the Squadron over the squad's com, while Goose tried to check his
fighter into Maverick's.
"Sorry."
he said, but he turned his attention to the squad of white MS that were
nearing. "Go to battloid!" he yelled. The nimble fighters
transformed into the large robotic suits. The MS repeated the maneuver and both
hovered no more than 100 feet away from each other.
"Roger,
prepare for escort to Preventer HQ, do not engage in hostilities." The
lead Taurus said.
"Confirmed, like you could beat us, Heero Yuy." Said Maverick as the Falcons in battloid followed the MS. The shock upon the lead MS was evident as they all flew towards the open hanger of the Preventer HQ.