Notebook Openfiles "Do we have to be here?" A nervous earth Fed pilot asked as another picked the lock to the prison cells. "Of all the places to be, we just have to break into the most heavily fortified Council space platform on this side of the entire freaking galaxy." The door beeped and slid open. A shot from the third pilot neatly brought down an interrogation droid hiding behind a small stack of crates. "To stop a psycho, we need a psycho of our own." the first responded as they made their way through the chambers. "The new one Council has is strong, and without our leader Amy, how do you expect us to win?" The pilots slowly made their way towards the reinforced cells, reading the names as they went. "Not just a psycho, but a Merc as well. Hey, how much do you think the HouseCards will pay for their leader back?" The third pilot asked. "Don't get greedy. We're here for their NewType, not their captain. That was the deal. The last thing we need right now is a group like the HouseCards at full strength. Man, they're scary." the first pilot stopped in front of one of the reinforced cells. "The only Merc group with enough firepower to destroy a small planet." the second laughed. "Don't laugh about it. You know they could if they had to." The first interrupted. "Without their leader and their strongest NewType, they won't be doing anything like that soon." The second added. "Here. This is where they are keeping Noriko. But why would they have the Mercs' strongest NewType in such a low security cell?" The first pilot asked himself as he began to punch in the password they had stolen from the guard. The door slid open to reveal a sparse cell. In one corner on the bed, a girl was crying to herself. Her red jumpsuit was lightly singed from combat and her long red hair ran unkempt around her. "Go away. You're not Ran. Only Ran can make the pain go away." She cried softly, her voice wracked with pain and fear. A dark blue aura of sadness and pain enveloped her. "And this would be why they have the Mercs most powerful NewType in such a low security cell." The first pilot said as he slowly shook his head. "Well it looks like were going nowhere without this Ran person." "Hm, Ran, or Brandon. Doesn't matter how you look at it. He is the true power behind the HouseCards after all. Without him, Noriko seems useless." The third pilot interrupted. The first pilot turned and began looking for the Space Pirate and Merc. "This girl is the winning key against The Council of Seven?" The second pilot asked the third as he turned to leave. "Well, if we're gonna save him we may as well ask about the reward anyway." The third pilot sighed as he followed and closed the door behind him. "So, now we are saving two psychos? Not just one, but TWO?" the second called to the first as he jogged to catch up to him. "Hm, level three security. Heat sensors, Motion detectors, remote lasers, mines, wall guns, damn. How important is this person?" The first pilot cursed as he stopped in front of the entrance of the maximum security cells. Suddenly explosions rocked the level. "What did you do!?" The third pilot shouted at the first. "I didn't do anything. It's coming from behind this wall!" The first shouted back over the explosions. Alarms blared and red lights flashed. "Warning! Warning! Dangerous pilot escaping Maximum security cells!" Blared callously over the loudspeakers. "What's going on?" The first pilot shouted over the chaos. The wall separating the second and third level cells blasted away throwing the pilots to the ground. A young man stood in the new opening. "BRANDON?!?!" The first pilot shouted in disbelief. "Who are you to call me that?" The young man shouted pointing his canister grenade rifle at the pilots. A red aura reflected in his eyes and his glasses. "Sent by whom?" Ran shouted. "A group who hates Earth Fed..." "NORIKO! THEY'RE AFTER NORIKO!" Ran shouted as he blitzed past the pilots. "We're supposed to save him? We can't even keep up with him!" The first pilot shouted. "Are you sure we NEED these psychos?" The second called out. "This was NOT in the briefing." The third shouted as he dodged a canister grenade Ran fired behind them. "NO!" Ran shouted as he saw two Council solders dragging Noriko from her cell. "NORIKO PILOT! WAKE UP AND FIGHT!" Ran shouted as he launched himself at one of the guards. The ship shuddered as Noriko wiped the tears from her eyes and slowly stood up. The remaining guards panicked and ran. "What are they doing?" The second pilot asked as the chaos subsided. "Well, first, Brandon ran out of canister grenades. Then he body checked one of the guards with the empty canister rifle. Then the other guard ran away. Then Noriko stood up and they have been staring at each other for the last half hour. Oh, the station has pulled a complete lock down and a professional extraction team is coming to get us. Did I forget anything?" The second pilot asked the third. "And Brandon devastated the entire maximum security wing with a homemade canister rifle that he made from parts he scavenged with his emergency tool kit and emergency rations." Pilot three added. "Um, you do know that they're doing an energy transfer, right?" The first pilot asked. Just then Ran collapsed, cloaked in a dark blue aura. "If Brandon has just become Super Depressed, then that means..." Everyone fell silent as a brilliant crimson aura enveloped Noriko. She closed her eyes ad she reached out. "She's calling. It's not safe here." Ran stuttered as he stared at the floor. He was seated at her feet. Slowly shakily, he got to his feet. "I, I'm sorry. I made her take my energy, we are linked after all." Explosions rocked the ship from the docking bay and the cargo bay. "What's going on?" the first pilot shouted as all the doors opened of their own accord. "If you knew her, you wouldn't ask." Ran turned once again to look upon Noriko. "You wouldn't ask." Ran began to stumble towards the exit. "Wait! Where are you going?" The first pilot asked as they followed Ran. "I have to get to my MS." Ran stammered. "Cargo bay, container 34.23/10." "We'll get you there, but what about Noriko?" The third pilot asked. "Noriko Pilot's a big girl. She can take care of herself. Get out while you can, I'll be fine. She's controlling my MA with her Psych. She'll tear this platform apart and get away in my MA." The Pilots found their way to the docking bay with very little resistance, and managed to get out before the New Ziel ripped the platform to shreds.

Pilot One "Pilot one on emergency channel, did you get out safely Brandon? Respond!"

Ran "Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna have one hell of a headache tomorrow though. Next time I'll be psycho and you be super depressed Noriko."

Noriko "Nice try Ran, but you're just a LowJack. You couldn't control this MA with your mind on your best day."

Pilot Two "LowJack, What's that Pilot one?"

Ran "It means I'm almost a NT. I show signs sometimes but I have no powers on my own."

Pilot Three "Ran, what are you piloting?"

Ran "Um, a Gundam Pixie, heavily modified for all travel with Balance wings."

Noriko "Fairy Dust, He he he."

Pilot One "You use a Pixie and you're still alive? Now I'm scared."

Pilot Two "Only now you're scared? I freaked out when he blitzed us with the canister rifle!"

Ran "Sorry about that, I sort of of lost it. A LowJack trait."

Pilot One "Anyway, Switching to main channel. Skeeek. Mothership, Extraction crew returning with its prize."

Mothership "Emergency! Evil S squadron headed your way. It must be their extraction team. Can you survive till we arrive?"

Pilot Three "We'll be able to hold em off unti..."

Ran "HIYAAA!"

Pilot Three "Frick, They're blitzing them! I don't believe this! Ran! Get back here!"

Noriko "Try to stop us and we will not be responsible for any damage done to you. It's all in the basic contract. We'll get you a copy as soon as we get back to the Klepto1."

Pilot Two "Contract, What? What happened?"

Mothership "We've already hired them. Protect our investment!"

Pilot One "Great. Just great. Here we go."