Notes: I'm going to be toying with certain people's EX abilities, so don't rely on everything you read here being canon.
For those who never figured out the vision with the eagles and hunters? Start paying attention…
Hint: All the birds either represent Pilots, Candidates, or Repairers (Zero & Kizna aren't in it).
Change
Chapter 5
The shuttle pilot was not supposed to ask questions. But just this once, he broke the rule.
"Are you sure you want to leave NOW?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes," Ikhny replied softly, not sounding the least bit confident. "I have to."
"Well, if you're sure." He took her luggage and turned to load it. "But you do know about the swarm, right? It might be dangerous. One of the little buggers might slip through."
"I'm…not too worried about that," she replied. Though, whether that was because of Zero or Hiead, she wasn't exactly sure.
"Guess I shouldn't be, either. Just…feels different with her gone. You know?"
"I know," Ikhny agreed. "But that doesn't mean they'll fail. It just means…they have to get better."
"Good point." The shuttle pilot shut the hatch and turned back to her. "It's not like they don't have motivation, right?"
She managed an uneasy smile. "Right."
He seemed to pick up on her feelings. "Ready? Might be some delays, but it shouldn't take too long."
"Do you…do this often?"
"If you mean pilot a shuttle, yes. If you mean pilot this particular shuttle, then no. We don't…get a lot of passengers going this way, if you know what I mean."
She didn't, but didn't feel like asking what he meant. "I'm ready."
He nodded and opened the door for her. "All aboard!"
Ikhny took one last look at GOA before taking a deep breath and stepping onto the shuttle.
* * * * *
Saki had a lot of questions, but was trying to limit herself to a few. If Hiead did decide to talk to her again, he wouldn't do it for long, and he wouldn't like too many questions, either. But there was so much that she wanted to ask about what he planned to do. She was really curious as to why it was getting colder.
Without warning (as he did everything), Hiead stepped in and dropped heavily into the seat next to her. He checked their plotted course to make sure she hadn't altered it, and then crossed his arms over his chest.
Saki licked her lips. "You're not chasing him, are you?"
Hiead didn't look at her. "No."
"Are we going to die?"
He smirked. "Eventually."
"Are you going to get hurt?"
That one caught him off guard, and he had to look at her. "What?"
Saki made a point of staring straight ahead. "You heard me, Hiead."
"…yes. I might even die. Soon."
"And is what you're going to do worth it?"
"There is no greater cause in my life."
Saki closed her eyes. "Am I going to regret this?"
"That depends. Would you regret my death?"
"No, I'd hate it. Because I'd know you did it on purpose."
He smiled in a most disturbing manner. "You're not afraid of me."
"I'm afraid FOR you, Hiead. You're going to get yourself killed."
"Almost as if you cared what happens to me."
She frowned. "Look, I know we've never been friends or anything. You just…get used to people being around. You know what I mean?"
"No," he replied flatly.
"Oh. Almost forgot who I was talking to." She rolled her eyes. "Well, OTHER people are like that. So I guess I'm used to you…taking up space around me. It wouldn't be the same if someone else took up your space, or if you weren't there to take it up yourself."
"You're going to miss me," he stated in disbelief.
"I'm going miss you taking up space," she corrected quickly. "Nobody…exists…quite like you do."
"No. They couldn't." He glanced down at the console again. "You didn't change the course."
"To be honest, I want to see where we're going."
"You won't. You'll take me as far as a shuttle can go, and then I'll get off. Alone."
She threw a humorless smile at him. "Right. So you can die."
"Would you prefer to die with me?"
"Very funny. So I just go back to GOA after that?"
"GIS would be closer," he reasoned.
Saki looked at him. "And what do I need to see on GIS?"
"Find out for yourself. That will give you some incentive to get there in one piece."
"You really don't want me dying with you, do you?"
"No. The smell would be atrocious."
"…that's so weird I can't even comment."
"Good." With that, he closed his eyes.
Saki took the hint and looked straight ahead again. "Well, at least I know you're not going to kill me."
* * * * *
Tune could not help being distracted. There was just too much responsibility being placed on Erts, and with Kizna missing in action, she couldn't help but wonder how Zero would fare.
Communication was far too limited for her liking. The Pilots needed to be able to talk to each other, not relay messages through Erts. And if anything happened to Reneighd Klein (which was unlikely, thanks to Zero's last order, but not impossible), it would take far too long for the Repairers to pass messages through each other and then to their respective Pilots.
Of course, that was not the only problem. The attitudes of the Pilots themselves would endanger the mission. Gareas had been predictably sour ever since Zero became Top, and took every opportunity to show his displeasure by either ignoring anything he heard or refusing to speak at all. Then there was Roose, who was not quite as confident as would've been healthy for the others. He had a bad habit (though some might call it common sense) of hovering around Tellia Kallisto in every battle, presumably because being near Yu reassured him. In a way, though, it was a good formation: Roose could concentrate on shielding the other Ingrids while Yu watched his back. That would limit Tellia Kallisto's movement quite a bit, but with visibility being poor enough, every move increased the chance of slamming into the increasing number of ice blocks.
But Zero was the real unknown. Without Kizna to monitor him, the activities of Ernn Laties were virtually unknown, unless Erts decided to inform them. Considering it was Zero & Erts, though, they probably wouldn't be informed unless there was big trouble.
Since Kizna was not present, none of the Repairers had thought to ask each other for information on Zero.
Tune certainly hadn't thought to ask Kazuhi, and little did she know, Kazuhi rather preferred it that way.
* * * * *
Zero could not ignore the twinge of guilt he felt as Ernn Laties gradually floated deeper into the ice field, and further from the other Ingrids. From a strategic perspective, however, splitting the team made sense. If they had all stayed together, the swarm could've easily surrounded them. This way, any team that met the Victim could hold their own until reinforcements arrived. Only Ernn Laties and Eeva Leena had enough overwhelming power to battle alone for long periods, and by working together, Tellia Kallisto and Megami Senshi created an effective barrier that prevented the Victim from slipping past.
It was awfully cold, too. Whether that was from the temperature, or just the absence of Teela, Zero couldn't decide. But he was almost happy that she wasn't here. What would she have said if she could've seen him now…and what he was about to do?
But that thought was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Kizna's expressionless face on a new display screen.
Zero did not call her by name. It was pretty obvious to him that he wouldn't be hearing Kizna's voice.
"Time is now," the gravelly voice stated. "You will give us…The White One."
"Where?" Zero asked simply, automatically turning off all radio channels, save the one that connected him to GIS.
"Forward. In ice."
Zero glanced around as he steered Ernn Laties forward a few yards. There was ice everywhere, so that was no real help.
"Stop," it ordered without warning.
Zero brought Ernn Laties to a halt just inside a cluster of ice shards. "Now what?"
"We are here."
Zero saw nothing but darkness and ice. "Darkness…and ice," he muttered slowly. "Darkness…in…ice." His eyes widened.
"Yes. Here now."
Zero leaned forward, and he could now see that some of the shards were unnatural colors: dark violet, green, blue-black, and gray.
"We are all," the voice boasted. "We are everything. Now…give us…The White One."
Zero's hand strayed to his screen; he desperately wanted to call Erts and tell him what the others could not have known: that the Victim weren't hiding among the ice, they were IN the ice itself. There was certainly no reason not to. If he didn't, they would all get some nasty surprises. If he did, they would stand a better chance, and they…
…they would come for him. Not because he was Top, and not because he was Zero. Because he was one of them. That had always been more than enough reason, and he could not risk it happening this time. He could just imagine what would happen if Gareas suddenly appeared. They would both be forced to make quick decisions, and those would lead to nothing but pain and death.
Zero's hand fell away, even as part of his very soul cried out in rage and horror. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and stared at the screen before him, where Kizna's blank gaze met his. "You SO owe me for this," he whispered, just before he reached up and took his life in his hands.
Ernn Laties froze, as if trapped within ice herself, as her usual unearthly glow dimmed the slightest bit.
* * * * *
The Victim all exploded into action at once, grabbing the element of surprise and ramming it down the throats of their prey.
Not only did the Pilots have to strike down the swarm as it surged forward in countless waves, but they were forced to dodge ricocheting ice projectiles sent flying by the initial rush of the swarm.
There was no time to prepare, only time to react.
Separated from his fellow Pilots, Gareas was virtually surrounded when the ambush began. His only options were to flee and hope to find his teammates, or to stand and fight as long as he could.
Which meant that there had really only ever been one choice, in Gareas's mind.
With a scowl of defiance, he trained Eeva Leena's numerous guns in all directions, licked his lips, and, for all intents and purposes, became a living supernova.
His own screams of vengeance were lost in the death wails of countless Victim. Ironically enough, never before had their names been more appropriate. For several minutes, that dark corner of space was filled with blinding, blazing blue fire, as Gareas poured his heart, his soul, everything he was into the battle. He was not concerned about the other Pilots, nor was he worried about himself. At that moment, all Gareas wanted was to destroy every Victim he saw.
He was not aware of the tears streaming down his face, or the intangible fingers that gripped his. All he knew was that he had to win, because there was no other choice.
The Victim honestly had no idea of what they were getting themselves into. The most intelligent ones barely had time to witness a rapidly expanding storm of endless blue, just before it slammed into them and obliterated everything they had ever been.
* * * * *
For once, there was just too much going on for Erts to function normally.
If his readings and reports from the other Pilots were to be believed, Victim where absolutely everywhere.
The bits filtering in from GIS weren't too promising, either.
"…completely surrounded! They need back-up!"
"…not possible, they're cut off from each other!"
The only ones not shouting were Kazuhi and Leena. But a second later, Leena spoke.
"Erts?"
He looked up, bringing the screen that held her face to the forefront. "Yes, Leena?"
Her face was calm, but very pale. "I need you to scan Garu. Tell me what you find."
Erts blinked. "But…can't you…?"
"Yes. But I want you to. Please."
With a nod, Erts closed his eyes and reached out telepathically, reaching through the darkness and and around the ice until he located Eeva Leena. But when he tried to touch Garu's mind, he was thrown back, almost violently, by the Goddess. It took only a moment for Erts to realize why she might do that.
"Just Condition," he whispered, even as the raw waves of sheer originating from the Blue Goddess confirmed his guess. "Leena, Garu…he's…"
"I know," she replied. "I wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy."
"But…it's dangerous!" Erts spluttered excitedly. "Especially now, with all the Victim closing in and-"
"It's keeping him alive, for now. If he lives, he'll fight. That's what matters, isn't it?"
"I guess…but…"
"I'm not worried. He'll be okay." Leena shrugged slightly. "He always is, somehow."
"Erts-san," said a quiet voice at his ear.
Erts looked up in surprise. "Yes, Kazuhi-san?"
"What do you sense from Ernn Laties and Rei-san?"
After several moments, Erts's mouth dropped in shock. "…I don't, Kazuhi-san. I don't sense anything from either of them…"
"What?" Leena asked in alarm. "What do you mean?!"
"It could mean Zero has…severed the link somehow, or…I don't KNOW how he could…doesn't make any kind of sense at all, why would he…?" Erts swallowed noisily. "It's as if…neither of them exists anymore. I can't find them, so help me…"
* * * * *
Roose had never felt anything quite like it.
He had never realized just how much a higher synch rate with the Goddess improved battle ability. But then, he had never realized just how high Yu's synch rate was with Tellia Kallisto. He probably should've asked before tapping into his own EX so close to Yu. Maybe then he would've gotten a warning or something.
As it was, all he got…was a rush.
Roose had never tried drugs or alcohol, but he was quite sure he was addicted to the feeling of being…well, Yu. It was so incredible, the way Yu saw his Goddess as a powerful spirit worthy of praise, but also as an extension of himself. The Goddess responded to his commands so quickly, without hesitation or doubt. It was like she trusted his skills completely, and would follow him as long as he said it should be so. They were so…close.
It had never even occurred to Roose that Megami Senshi's shields could also be used as weapons. But here he was, battering Victim with his shields, knocking hundreds aside (if only momentarily) with electromagnetic pulses. At some point, he just forgot that he was supposed to be afraid.
Tellia Kallisto was like a black and red blur, slashing through space and Victim alike with unparalleled precision. In the few instances that she did slowly down enough to be seen properly, Megami Senshi's shields closed in almost instantly, cutting off all hope of a successful attack by the Victim.
They formed quite a team, and were performing very well under such enormous pressure…for now.
* * * * *
Ernn Laties remained in the cluster of ice shards: still, cold, and silent.
Some distance away, hurtling through space at unfathomable speed, was the boy who had once called himself her Pilot.
Zero had never attempted to use his EX in such a way, and it was probably the dumbest idea he'd ever had. Slowing down time so that he could move faster, that was child's play. But speeding up time so he could move even faster…that took a lot more effort. Effort that he could not sustain for long.
Even with time passing so quickly, being in space unprotected was taking its toll, though only gradually.
His lungs were beginning to burn, despite last-minute force field he'd managed. That would fade soon, too, and then he would be left for the cold cruelty of space.
His only hope was to reach one of the others—Erts, preferably—before his strength left him completely.
He could only wonder what Kazuhi might make of what her monitor told her…if it told her anything, that is. Zero was fairly positive no Pilots had ever ejected from his Ingrid.
His body suddenly trembled violently, and he coughed loudly. Zero was shocked to find blood splattered against the force field. He knew he would not last much longer.
"I'm coming, kaa-san," he whispered, wiping his mouth on his arm. "Wait for me…"