Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam.
Many thanks to LW for beta-reading this.
Gundam Gemini
Episode Twenty-Three
The Wolf of the End
Part A
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Vega Aurelia was the Hanged Man.
All this time, the Scarlet Wolf had thought that she was the master of her own fate. That all the trials and tribulations life had put her through had been left far behind her as she forged a new destiny. But it had all been a cruel joke. Like a rug being pulled out from underneath her feet, fate had decided to reveal just how powerless Vega Aurelia had truly been against its whims her entire existence.
The harsh reality was that the masked woman was doomed no matter what she chose to do as everything she cared for was about to be taken away from her for a second time.
Distraught by the revelation, Vega had retreated to her private quarters aboard the Blue Crow and curled into a foetal position above her bed. Having thrown off her white mask which now floated aimlessly alongside her in zero-gravity, her tormented face was concealed instead by the darkness in the dimly lit room and her swirling mass of silver hair. Clutched close to her chest was a simple wooden box, its lid open so that she could gaze unobstructed upon the secret trinket inside.
Her soul in turmoil, she couldn't help but think back to the events of yesterday which were still reverberating inside her consciousness…
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"At ease, everyone," Sparrhorn ordered as he entered the packed briefing room. "You will now be given a full briefing on Operation Heracles by the head of the Intelligence Division, General Maddon."
The commodore directed the crew's attention to the room's large screen where a portly man with a black comb over and moustache stared back at them from behind a desk. The image appeared to have been enlarged so that the general loomed over his audience and they could see every oiled and self-important whisker on his chubby face. The crew had been wondering who had had the authority to take the Blue Crow away from its Relic hunting mission on Lemuria and the presence of the detested General Alexander Maddon explained it. When he spoke, his voice reverberated throughout the room with all its intolerable conceit.
"Crew of the Blue Crow, the Lux Motherland thanks you for your service in hunting down Lemuria's Relics. Your contribution to the war effort has been keenly felt not just in the new technologies you've retrieved but also in your battlefield successes," Maddon began with praise for the crew and spared a glance for Vega and the Space Wolves when he mentioned the latter. However, his next words proved to be less than flattering. "Unfortunately, none of that excuses your repeated failures to either capture or destroy the Orthrus Gundam. Such a powerful Relic would be a boon to Lux if captured and a major loss to Rem if destroyed. That is why, to rectify your failures, the Blue Crow will be joining the Intelligence Division in executing Operation Heracles."
The crew understandably murmured at the unexpected news but General Maddon paid them no heed.
"Big talk from the head of the division who underestimated Rem's latest offensive…" whispered Charlotte, drawing nods of agreement from the other Space Wolves. "He's just jealous of our achievements!"
"Wouldn't be surprised from what I've heard about his warm and fuzzy personality," Luke joked before his tone became more serious. "But I'm more worried about having to take orders from the Intelligence Division. Do we work for them now?"
"Presumably this is only temporary." Ursula tried to calm the others down before turning to Vega who was at her side. "Have you heard anything from the Commodore, Major?"
Surprisingly, Vega didn't appear to have noticed Ursula had said even a word. Instead, the masked woman appeared completely transfixed by the events that were unfolding before her and was listening intently to what General Maddon had to say next. Aware their leader had been acting strangely since her last duel with the White Hellhound, Ursula frowned but said nothing.
"Operation Heracles has one primary objective: the capture or destruction of the Orthrus Gundam," Maddon declared as stock images of the white mobile suit Relic appeared alongside him on the screen. "Operation Heracles also has a secondary but no less important objective: the capture or destruction of the Eureka, the lead research vessel belonging to Rem's Relic Research Department."
The photo that materialised next was of a titanic white ship with a long, rounded body that appeared more civilian than military.
"If our sources are correct, the Eureka will be undertaking a Relic hunting expedition to the Chronos Asteroid Field located at the edge of the Lemurian System. Escorting it will be a small fleet which includes none other than the Lionheart and thus the Orthrus Gundam." The screen changed again to show pictures of the asteroid field, the Lionheart, and a map of the Lemurian System with flashing dots moving across it. "With both of our targets in the same location, we can kill two birds with one stone. The loss of both the Gundam and the Eureka will undoubtedly hamper Rem's research into Relic technology and swing the tide of the war in Lux's favour. And if we can capture both, even better…"
A vile, greedy smirk spread across Maddon's lips and the audience was left disgusted by his vainglorious motivations. Catching himself putting his true intentions on full display, the general coughed into his fist before continuing with the briefing.
"…Now, the operation will proceed as follows. First, we will lure the Gundam away from the expedition using a fake Relic in our possession. It will be placed in the centre of the asteroid field where the asteroids are closest in proximity, preventing the RDF ships from interfering as well as blocking radio transmissions." The screen zoomed in and presented a detailed, three-dimensional map of the massive Chronos Asteroid Field which covered roughly the area of a large planet. "Isolated from its allies, the Gundam will be easy prey for the Hatis, the Intelligence Division's new covert mobile suits, which will ambush the Relic. At the same time, we will conceal our ships in the asteroid field to avoid early detection before trapping the Research Expedition in a pincer movement. Once the Eureka's escort fleet has been destroyed, we will negotiate a surrender and the prized vessel should easily fall into our hands."
Seemingly pleased by his own machinations, Maddon congratulated himself by pinching one end of his laughably miniscule moustache while the crew discussed the operation amongst themselves. The onscreen map had changed to depict the operation plan using bright dots and flashing arrows that made it easy to understand. If the area covered by the Chronos Asteroid Field was equivalent to that of a planet, then the Orthrus and Hatis would be at the centre of the globe while the LIRA flotilla would be divided between the east and west. However, the position of the stationary blue dot at the northern pole, far from the battle, raised eyebrows.
"Thanks to the information provided by the Intelligence Division, our flotilla should arrive at the Chronos Asteroid Field ahead of time to set up our ambush," added Sparrhorn, taking over from his superior. "Any questions?"
Ursula was the first to put her hand up, unafraid to speak her mind.
"General, what is the role of the Blue Crow in this operation?" she asked, referring to the blue dot that had so far gone unmentioned.
"The Blue Crow will remain on standby as will the Intelligence Division flagship, the Iago," Maddon answered, referring to his personal flagship which was positioned safely behind the asteroid field. "It is simply a precaution should any of our targets attempt to escape through the asteroid field or the operation deviates due to unexpected factors."
"Precaution my foot…!" Charlotte angrily hissed under her breath. "He just wants the Intelligence Division to hog all the glory while he hides far away from the battle like a coward…!"
While the entire crew agreed, they dared not say it out loud and instead bit their tongues. As if he had sensed her hostility, Maddon narrowed his beady eyes at Charlotte and she instantly shut up.
"General," Luke took the floor next, drawing Maddon's attention away from Charlotte. "I'm sure we can all agree that capturing the Gundam will be easier said than done no matter how advanced these new Hatis are. Are they up for the task?"
The other Space Wolves nodded in agreement, all too familiar with the danger the White Hellhound posed thanks to personal experience. While the new Hatis displayed on screen were black, angular and rumoured to have been designed using data from the Fenrir, it would take more than a few fancy new toys to defeat the Gundam. In response, Maddon quietly chuckled as if he knew something they didn't.
"Oh, our Hatis will be more than up to the task… because they will be equipped with this!" The general gestured next him with a flourish and the image of a purple metal sphere appeared onscreen. "Behold, the Gleipnir! Our newest weapon developed by LIRA's own R&D Division in conjunction with the Intelligence Division: a Relic jammer."
The announcement of such a momentous device drew hushed whispers from the crew and Vega in particular appeared to stiffen upon learning of its existence. While the Gleipnir might look harmless, they knew Relics were often deceptive in nature and Maddon savoured their reaction as if he had designed it himself.
"The Gleipnir seeks and cancels out Pandora Particles, rendering the most powerful Relics inoperable within a certain range. Furthermore, it functions like an advanced EMP bomb capable of disrupting even shielded electronics," a smug Maddon gleefully explained. "All the White Hellhound has to do is come within its reach and the Gundam will be ours…"
The general's bold statement was greeted by the crew with stunned silence not because they did not believe him but because his plan might actually work. After a year of fighting the Orthrus and its allies across two galaxies, was this how their rivalry with the White Hellhound would end? By the hand of a dishonourable outsider?
"The general has seen fit to equip each ship with a Gleipnir, the Blue Crow included," added Commodore Sparrhorn who had kept his expression neutral throughout the briefing so far. "Any other questions?"
A lone figure raised their hand amongst the speechless crew and all eyes turned to Vega Aurelia as they finally realised that their ace had not spoken up once during the entire briefing. Considering the situation at hand, they assumed she was displeased at the possibility of not being able to settle the score with the White Hellhound if the operation was successful. Only Ursula had any reason to suspect otherwise and the brunette watched her leader's taciturn features carefully.
"Major Aurelia?" Sparrhorn prompted her.
"General, regarding the capture of the Gundam," Vega asked. "What of the pilot?"
"The fate of the pilot is unimportant. The capture of the Orthrus Gundam is all that matters," Maddon answered firmly. "But should that fail, the destruction of the Orthrus and its pilot takes top priority. One way or another, Operation Heracles will end them here… for good."
The finality in those words left no doubt in anyone's mind that it was true. The White Hellhound's days were numbered and the notion appeared to give Vega pause.
"…Understood, General," she eventually responded, showing no reaction to the impending death of her nemesis. As much as Ursula tried to spy through the Scarlet Wolf's mask, she could see nothing but calm and discipline.
"If there are no other questions, this briefing is officially over. Operation Heracles will begin in twenty-four hours," Sparrhorn informed them. "You have your orders. Glory to Lux and Godspeed."
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"Godspeed…"
The word echoed within Vega's mind as she continued to languish inside her quarters alone. Rather than an expression of good luck, it sounded more akin to a joke now. She wanted to laugh – to defy the fate she had been condemned to even a little – but she couldn't so much as bring herself to whimper. Even the red wine she so enjoyed had been left untouched. All she could do was hide and clutch the wooden box close to her heart.
"…Major? Major Aurelia?"
There was a knock at the door and Vega heard Ursula's concerned voice. What a poor commander she was to make her second worry so, she mused with wry despondency.
"…It's time, Major."
Vega allowed herself a moment of hesitation before she somersaulted forward and kicked off the ceiling. Drifting towards the door, she tossed the empty box aside and put its contents around her neck, hiding the trinket underneath her uniform and plucking her mask out of the air in one smooth continuous motion. After steadying herself at the entryway, she pressed the mask over her eyes before she took a deep breath and opened the door.
Fate may be a cruel joke but that only made her decision easy. From the very beginning, Vega already knew what she had to do; she just needed to come to terms with the sacrifices she would have to make.
"Come, Ursula," she greeted her deputy with a wide smile that clearly dumbfounded the woman. "The Orthrus awaits…"
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That vision again.
White-hot sand baking under a yellow sun. Rolling dunes as far as the eye could see. A storm in the distance called up by demonic winds.
It was a scene that should have been alien to her… but it wasn't.
"Laura?"
The storm on the horizon finally parted, unveiling what could only be described as a mirage…
"Laura!"
A forest of blackened trees. A lonely, towering mountain. The silhouettes of small buildings. And standing amongst them, a figure…
"Laura Hartmann!"
Laura jumped in her seat, blinking her purple eyes until she was wide awake. Finding herself strapped into the cockpit of the Orthrus, it took her a moment to recall that she had been in the middle of maintenance checks. One of her white-knuckled hands was still gripping the controls but the other had wrapped itself tightly around her amethyst necklace. Looking up, the blonde was startled to see a pair of brown eyes staring crossly at her through the monitor.
"Sorry, Junko…" Laura mumbled, taking a deep breath and releasing her necklace. "I got distracted..."
"I'll say! You were staring off into space like you were in your own little world!" the maintainer angrily chided her friend before her gaze softened with concern. "It was kind of creepy actually… Are you okay?"
"Laura's been acting weird ever since we left Lemuria."
"I'll bet it's just something she ate."
Alice and Freya appeared onscreen from their own cockpits to add their two cents and Laura chafed at the latter's comment. The trio were on standby inside the Lionheart's mobile suit bay while the ship searched for Relics along the edge of the Chronos Asteroid Field.
"No, it was not something I ate," she corrected Freya, puffing her cheeks at the pink-haired firebrand. "I've just been… seeing things lately. Like memories… but they're not mine."
"Memories?" Junko repeated, her brow furrowing with confusion. Freya was more sceptical.
"Are you sure you weren't just dreaming?" she suggested, her sweet voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Actually, new research indicates technopaths can experience mysterious memories or dreams after making contact with Relics," Alice explained in her calm and melodic voice. "One theory is that the data Relics carry can remain in the technopath's mind, taking the form of false memories or dreams which occasionally leak out… or at least, that's what I read in Relic Monthly."
"Funny, that's never happened to me…" Freya wondered, sounding almost jealous.
"Well, Laura is a special case," Junko ribbed the pilot who tossed her pink twintails back with a pout.
"If you're worried, you could always ask Professor Hyde about it," Alice continued but Laura shook her head.
"No… I have a bad feeling about that guy."
"You mean he's downright weird," Freya translated in full agreement. "When we first met him, he didn't pay attention to anyone but Laura. It's like we didn't exist!"
"He is known to be an eccentric," Alice explained, the irony of which was not lost on her friends. After all, who would ever suspect that under her perfect, model-like exterior was a boys-love fantasy factory? "That said, his treatment of Laura like she was some kind of specimen was beyond the pale."
"Yeah, I'll say… but what really surprised me was how protective the captain got," Junko scratched her chin and looked at Laura. "Does your dad know the professor?"
"No… at least, I don't think so? Not personally anyway." Recalling the way Milos had physically gotten between Hyde and her, Laura couldn't help but wonder if they really did know each other. Unfortunately, whenever she tried to bring it up with her adoptive father he had been evasive and now that the Research Expedition had reached the Chronos Asteroid Field they rarely had a chance to talk at all.
"Prepare for launch, Team Orthrus." A business-like voice interrupted their discussion and Sofia appeared on their monitors. "The Eureka is requesting we send the Gundam deeper into the asteroid field for a more thorough investigation."
"Roger that, Commander Gabriel," Laura responded as she and the others proceeded with final instrument checks. "I take it our Relic Detectors found nothing?"
"All expedition ships detected zero signs of Pandora Particles," Sofia reported, clearly stifling an exasperated sigh as she wondered what the hell they were doing out in the middle of nowhere. "The Eureka's scientists theorise the asteroids here may be interfering with the RD's sensors which is why they want the Gundam to go in with its more advanced equipment."
"How do they even know anything is out there?" Freya questioned the scientists with a heavy dose of scepticism.
"One of their probes detected the faint signal of a Relic over a year ago but then we lost the Fourth Battle of Lemuria and their expedition had to be postponed until now," Junko explained as her pupils sparkled with wide-eyed wonder. "If there is a Relic, it must be something really special for the Lemurians to have hidden it all the way out here… Gah, my imagination is going wild just thinking about it! What power upgrade will the Gundam be bestowed with next?!"
"Whoa, hold your horses there, Professor Gundam…" a voice teased and Ray's face materialised onscreen with a grin. "We don't even know if we'll find anything yet."
"Ray, where have you been?" Alice playfully chided the former ace. "We were about to leave without you."
"You are leaving without him," Sofia informed everyone. "Mr Mercury will be staying behind on standby. We don't need to deploy the entire team for a simple reconnaissance mission."
"With all due respect, Commander, nothing's ever simple in our line of work. Especially where Relics are concerned…" Laura pointed out as the memories of past missions played out in their minds. "You never know when LIRA is going to show up… even out in the middle of nowhere."
"You said it, Lieutenant. My old squad was taken out on a simple recon mission…" Ray reminded them with a faint grimace. "Take care out there."
"Hey, who do you think you're talking to?" Freya admonished the older pilot with an offended scowl. "We'll be just fine without you."
"We were hunting Relics long before you joined the team," Alice softly rebuked him next.
"Honestly, you should be more worried about yourself, Mr Mercury…" Sofia dunked on the long-suffering warrant officer last with a red-eyed glare.
"Why do I even bother…" Ray sadly lamented before all four of them signed off.
"You're clear for launch, Laura," announced Junko, adding with excitement, "Now don't come back without an awesome Relic!"
"Thanks, Junko. I'll see what I can do," the technopath answered wryly before setting her sights on the open bay doors. "This is Laura Hartmann. Orthrus Gundam, taking off!"
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"Team Orthrus has launched and are heading into the asteroid field, Captain," one of the operators reported and the bridge crew of the Lionheart observed as a trio of blue streaks on the main monitor were propelled into the darkness of space.
Milos barely reacted as he watched the mobile suits disappear into the distance but when he turned his attention to the white ship in the corner of the screen, his features hardened into a frown. The long hull of the Eureka housed some of Rem's finest scientists along with their top-secret research on Relics but it also carried the last man in the known universe he wanted to meet. The captain had enough to worry about as it was with Laura, the Lionheart and LIRA's Relic Hunters without adding a highly unwanted babysitting detail to his job description.
"Captain, we're receiving a communication from the Eureka. It's Professor Hyde."
Milo's brow furrowed and he quietly groaned. Speak of the devil…
"…Patch him through."
The image of a wild, grey-haired figure in a lab coat took up the monitor. It seemed as if Edward Hyde, the Rem Republic's most eminent scientist in the field of Relic Research and Development, had somehow found time away from his research to speak to another human being.
"Ah, Captain! I gather your drones have gone out in search of our elusive Relic?" Hyde let out a hum as he pushed up his large spectacles and the entire bridge heard an incessant tapping as he typed on two keyboards at once outside of view. He didn't even bother to make eye contact with Milos but the captain held his tongue, all too aware there were worse things about the professor than his lack of decorum.
"If you mean my three pilots then yes, they're currently out on reconnaissance in the asteroid field," he answered curtly. "I already informed you, Professor, but the Eureka needn't be here. The Lionheart and its crew are more than capable of handling these types of missions alone."
The Eureka may have come with its own escort – which consisted of two Knight-class battleships and two of the new Templar-class cruisers – but it had also come with a huge target on its back. Hyde must have more friends in high places than Milos thought if he was able to get the RDF to agree to this risky expedition.
"Oh, I understand, Captain, but after waiting an entire year for this expedition I just had to be here in person! After all, the original results from our probe hinted that this might be one of the most interesting Relics yet!" Hyde grinned, wide and childlike, the way Milos remembered he always did whenever he spoke about Relics. "Besides, I simply could not pass up the chance to see the Orthrus Gundam in action."
"The Orthrus?" Milos' dark eyes narrowed.
"Yes, the greatest Relic of them all! A mobile suit that absorbs the data of other Relics and makes their power its own! Truly fascinating!" Hyde was so enthralled by the idea he stopped typing and wrung his wrists with glee. "Once the Orthrus returns, I will finally perform a full system and mechanical diagnostic! Everything that makes it special – all the Lemurians' secrets – will be known to me! Oh, and I suppose it wouldn't hurt to study the pilot too… What was her name again? Leia? Lois? Lucy? Luna? …Lysandra?"
"Laura," Milos testily corrected him. "Lieutenant Laura Hartmann."
"Ah, yes! Lieutenant Hartmann. If the reports about her are to be believed, she is a fascinating specimen of a technopath…" Hyde finally turned towards his monitor where he was met with a pair of hawk-like eyes. However, Milos' glare did not faze the professor in the least and he simply smirked. "But as her father, you should know that most of all… correct?"
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Weaving between clusters of giant floating rocks, the Orthrus left trails of blue light in its wake as it navigated the Chronos Asteroid Field in almost complete darkness. The Brunhild and Jabberwock followed close behind, keeping an eye on their sensors as they travelled further into the asteroid field. This far away from the Lemurian sun, light was in short supply and they had to rely on their headlights and radar to see where they were going.
"Find anything yet?" Freya asked over the comm.
"Negative," Alice replied. "Nothing but rocks, dust and space."
"We better not have been brought out here for nothing…" the Diva grumbled. "We could have still been on Lemuria, helping the offensive and kicking LIRA butt…"
"It's weak but I have something," Laura informed them as soon as she heard her Relic Detector faintly chime. "Directly ahead, in the centre of the asteroid field."
The Orthrus sped up and the others followed suit until they stopped in the middle of open space. The signal was still weak but somewhere amongst the barren rocks floating around them was a Relic.
"Spread out. It's close," Laura ordered and turned on more of the Orthrus' searchlights.
"Is it really out here? Something doesn't feel right…" Freya murmured with concern as she cautiously shined her lights over the silent asteroids.
"Agreed. This is suspicious."
Alice activated the Jabberwock's long-range sniping sensors and her monitor filled with real-time images of distant asteroids and black space. Using her trained amber eyes, she studied them for any signs of movement or incongruity and narrowed her gaze on one particularly suspicious image of drifting space dust. The dust appeared to be flowing around something in its path and for a split-second she saw the distinct shape of a mobile suit manifesting itself like a ghost.
When the Disappointing Angel tried to raise the alarm, there was a bright flash of red light on her screen and suddenly the Orthrus was in front of her with its Solar Shield. The flash of light turned out to be a red bolt of plasma which dispersed around both the shield and the Jabberwock, saving Alice's life.
"Enemy fire! Prepare for combat!" Laura barked, raising her rifle and returning fire.
"Is it LIRA!? We've been tricked!" Freya took her anger out in the general direction of the enemy but none of her rifle's shots found their mark. "Where are they? They're not on radar!"
Shaking away the shock of having just cheated death, Alice activated the scope of her sniper rifle and peered back at the origin of the flash. She caught sight of a dark mobile suit that seemed to materialise out of thin air as it fired a shot only to vanish back into the blackness of space a heartbeat later.
"Careful! They have cloaking abilities like the Fenrir!" she warned as she hid behind her shield and began firing on the enemy's last known position. "Which probably means they're capable of evading radar too!"
"They've already mass-produced that Relic? Damn it!" Freya cursed as she dodged another barrage of beams. "So they can see us but we can't see them!"
"Take cover behind the asteroids! Quickly!" Laura ordered and covered their retreat as she tried to contact the Lionheart but all she received was static. "Come in, Lionheart! This is Team Orthrus, we are under enemy fire! It was a trap!"
"…Orthrus… Orthrus, do you read?"
The bridge operator's voice finally came through and Laura breathed a premature sigh of relief.
"…It was a trap! The Lionheart and the Eureka are under heavy enemy fire!"
"What?!"
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Rare beads of sweat trailed down Milos Hartmann's brow as he watched the Lionheart's radar fill with hostile red dots. As usual, LIRA's ships had appeared out of nowhere after hiding in the asteroid field and now the Lionheart and the Research Expedition were caught in a classic pincer movement. The two RDF battleships had already been destroyed, leaving only the Lionheart to cover one side against two Crows while the two Templar cruisers covered the other against three. The Eureka was caught in the middle, unable to escape or fight back as it was only equipped with defensive armaments.
"Evasive manoeuvres! Prepare to counterattack!" Milos ordered and held on to his seat as another heavy beam grazed by the Lionheart, causing its hull to quake violently. "We have to hold the line!"
"Enemy mobile suits detected! They're flanking us!" Sofia shouted from the CIC.
"Intercept them! Don't let them pass!"
"I'm on it, Captain!" Ray answered, bracing himself as the Hermes was catapulted out into the vacuum of space. The moment it left the ship, the blue Garm engaged its thrusters and rocketed towards the approaching Wargs at top speed. Moving faster than they could react, Ray peppered their flank with beams before swinging behind them and giving chase. Buoyed by the first few kills, the former ace was taken by surprise when red plasma flew from the direction of his rear but he saw nothing on the Hermes' camera or radar.
"What the hell…?!" Ray's face contorted with shock and for a nightmarish second he thought the Scarlet Wolf was on his tail.
"Be advised, Hermes! Team Orthrus is reporting new enemy mobile suits with stealth and cloaking capabilities!" Sofia warned him through the comm.
"Well, that's just great!" he sarcastically responded.
Forced to break off from his pursuit, Ray wildly dodged the beams while returning fire but it was like fighting with a blindfold on. Soon the hunter became the hunted and the Hermes found itself being shepherded into the sharpened claws of the surviving Wargs. Refusing to go down without a fight, Ray gritted his teeth and charged at the Wargs.
"Hermes, brace yourself!"
Hearing Sofia's voice, Ray was left wondering what she meant when a swarm of Hellfire missiles slammed into the Wargs and they exploded right in front of him. Emerging from the enormous smoke cloud intact, he suddenly realised what the commander's plan was and spun the Hermes on its back. On his monitor, the disturbances as two giant objects passed through the smoke were as clear as day and Ray wasted no time in squeezing his triggers. The bursts of blue plasma slammed into an invisible pair of obstacles, proving his aim was true and the ruptured forms of the black Hatis were finally exposed. The explosions that followed tore the enemies limb from limb and Ray finally allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Commander… that was a close one," he told her before pausing in thought. "…Weren't you afraid I'd be caught in the explosion?"
"Not for a second," Sofia coldly replied as she paid more attention to her instruments. "Don't stray too far from the Lionheart, Hermes. We don't know how many more of these invisible mobile suits there are but it's too dangerous for you to fight them alone."
"Then I'll link up with the surviving Garm teams. Safety in numbers," said Ray, zooming in on the retreating mobile suits before flying towards them. "I'll ascertain whether we can form a makeshift assault squadron but they look worse for wear, Commander."
Without any mobile suits to harry the Crows and unable to manoeuvre or retreat lest they put their allies in danger, the Lionheart was forced on the defensive. At this rate, the enemy would grind them down with their beam cannons until a shot found its target or simply outflank them with a well-planned mobile suit strike. What made it even more dire was that if the Eureka was destroyed, Rem's Relic research and technology would be severely impacted. However, that still paled in comparison to the worst-case scenario of the ship being captured and allowing its prized scientists and research to fall into the hands of Lux. Either outcome would turn the tide of the war.
Squeezing his fists, Milos quietly cursed. LIRA was not about to let this chance slip by. They had to buy time.
"Contact Team Orthrus!" the captain ordered. "We need them back here now!"
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"Commodore, what is the status of Operation Heracles?"
Sitting in the Fenrir's cockpit with her face veiled in shadow, Vega's voice betrayed neither impatience nor nervousness as she requested a mission update. Like the other members of her personal squadron, the Scarlet Wolf was stuck on standby in her mobile suit while the Blue Crow awaited further orders.
"The operation has already started," Sparrhorn dispassionately informed the ace from the subdued bridge. "The Intelligence Division Flotilla has the Research Expedition surrounded. It should only be a matter of time before the Lionheart is destroyed and the Eureka is captured."
The news that the fighting had begun without them drew vexed expressions from the Space Wolves listening in. After all, the Lionheart and the Gundam were their prey and they wanted to participate in their defeat. No one should have felt this desire more strongly than their leader which only made her lack of concern puzzling.
"And the Orthrus?"
The old veteran stared at the noblewoman for a moment with his fox-like eyes but as expected of the heir to House Aurelia, she gave nothing away.
"The Intelligence Division's new Hatis have reportedly engaged the Orthrus in combat. That's all I know."
"I see."
The call ended without incident but that didn't stop the discussion from continuing in the Space Wolves' group chat.
"Is this really how it ends?" Charlotte asked, sounding uncharacteristically despondent as she clenched her fists. "With the Intelligence Division claiming victory over the Lionheart and the Gundam while we sit here and do nothing?"
"Orders are orders," a seemingly uninterested Luke answered with his hands clasped behind his head. "And I just don't see how the RDF Relic Hunters get out of this one. Those new Gleipnirs can cancel out all their Relic technology."
Bringing up an image of one of the Gleipnirs now sitting in the Blue Crow's mobile suit bay, Luke eyed the round, mine-like weapon warily through his monitor.
"I wouldn't place my bets just yet." Pavel surprisingly spoke up in defence of their long-time opponents. "The RDF Relic Hunters have beaten the odds before and they may do so again. Until Operation Heracles is over, nothing is certain."
"My sentiments exactly. The operation is ongoing," Ursula firmly reminded them. "If you have nothing better to do than prognosticate, check your instruments again. We could deploy at any moment."
"Yes, Ma'am…"
The Space Wolves responded with varying degrees of respect before signing off but Ursula let it go. She was more concerned about Vega who had become unusually quiet again. Opening a private channel, she inquired as to her leader's condition.
"Is everything alright, Major?"
The smile the Scarlet Wolf greeted her with appeared the same as always.
"Everything is fine, Ursula," Vega assured her loyal second as she stroked something at the base of her neck. "Soon, everything will be as it should…"
.
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Back in the Chronos Asteroid Field, the darkness of space had been lit up by the furious exchange of red and blue beams. Thanks to LIRA's new cloaking abilities, Laura and the others found themselves constantly flanked by enemy fire and the trio were chased from asteroid to asteroid in search of cover. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Lionheart had ordered them to return immediately to defend the Research Expedition but their invisible enemies were making that impossible.
"This is getting pretty annoying!" Freya snarled as their latest asteroid shield took a barrage of beams meant for them. "They might be able to turn invisible but otherwise they're just like regular Wargs!"
"The barrage is just a distraction!" Alice cautioned, spinning the Jabberwock around with its sniper rifle at the ready. "They're going to flank us again!"
"I didn't want to do this but they've left me with no choice!" yelled Laura as she technopathically activated Solar Mode. Propelling the golden Orthrus out towards their rear, she prepared to act as a shield while readying her Solar Rifle for wherever the enemy might appear. Instead of absorbing beams, however, what she got was a gutful of missiles. With the sluggish Solar Mode unable to evade, the speeding warheads slammed into the Gundam and the resulting explosion set the asteroid field ablaze with light.
"Laura!" Freya screamed, watching helplessly as the fireball on her monitor engulfed the Orthrus. "Speak to me, Laura!"
"…I'm okay!" After a heart-pounding second, the smoke cleared and Laura's friends were relieved to see the pilot was still intact. The Gundam's golden armour was slightly battered and burned but it appeared its disfigured Solar Shield had taken the brunt of the explosion. "It will take a lot more than that to destroy the Orthrus!"
"Be careful, Laura!" Alice warned, trying to find the source of the missiles on her scope. "They clearly came prepared for a fight with the Orthrus!"
"LIRA and their dirty tricks…" the technopath scowled before her lips took on a sadistic grin. "But thanks to that, I have an idea!"
Whipping out her Solar Rifle, she took aim and fired off a series of Solar Beams into the asteroid field. Seemingly firing at random, her intentions became clear when the purple beams pierced through asteroid after asteroid, melting through the rocks and causing them to explode. Like an inescapable hailstorm, the scorching hot rubble and dust scattered into space, showering everything in its path.
"There!" Laura pointed towards the exposed shapes of two Hatis. The rubble had collected on their frames and was interfering with their cloaking, causing their invisibility to momentarily fail. Acting quickly, Alice lined up the enemies in her sights and pulled the trigger. Blue plasma penetrated the Hatis like burning arrows and one after another they were turned into smouldering hunks of scrap.
"Got them!" the Disappointing Angel triumphantly declared. "Now for the rest!"
Turning back to face the barrage, the Orthrus unleashed another stream of Solar Beams into the asteroids which exploded like molten fireworks. In an instant, the distinct black shapes of the Hatis appeared everywhere, flickering between invisibility and naked steel. The Jabberwock and Brunhild wasted no time in shooting them down one after another, hitting as many as they could.
"Looks like their new toys are still a work in progress!" Freya laughed before she charged forward with flared thrusters and a war cry. Drawing her beamsabre, the Diva sliced a doomed Hati clean in half as it was trying to sneak up on her. "Too easy!"
"Careful. They're regrouping now but there are definitely more of them," Alice advised the others when the beam barrage died down.
"Freya, Alice, use this chance to head back first! Help defend the Lionheart and the Research Expedition!" Laura ordered before turning back towards the enemy. "I'll deal with these jokers!"
Freya clicked her tongue and narrowed her blue eyes but piloted the Brunhild back in the direction of the Lionheart. "Got it! Don't you dare lose, Laura!"
"Affirmative. Good luck, Laura," Alice concurred and the two Garms disappeared into the distance, leaving the Orthrus alone.
As soon as her comrades were gone, Laura wasted no time in enacting her plan.
"Mode Change!"
Drawing on the recorded knowledge of the Pulse Relic, the Orthrus Gundam glowed blue and its thrusters rumbled with power. With a push of her throttle, Laura unleashed the unbridled energy of Pulse Mode and the Orthrus burst forth at three times its normal speed. An indigo blur, she zigzagged across the asteroid field, blowing up asteroids and scattering the debris in her wake. One by one, the cloaked mobile suits were made visible and Laura seized her chance.
Using her unrivalled speed, the technopath threaded the Orthrus through enemy fire and flying rubble until she was right on top of the Hatis. She blew a hole in one with her rifle and carved another in two with her beamsabre before bolting to her next target in an azure flash. Red beams flew past the speeding Orthrus and Laura found an enemy mobile suit firing on her from close proximity. Acting on pure instinct, the White Hellhound swooped in and slashed at the black mobile suit.
She hit nothing. No, to be more precise, she hit something in front of the enemy but it had been cloaked. Laura's eyes widened as a purple sphere appeared which split into two halves. At first, she thought she had been tricked into striking a mine and braced for an explosion but instead dozens of smaller orbs floated out and flew straight for the Orthrus.
They stuck to the Gundam like purple magnets and an electric charge ran through the mobile suit as if it had been struck by lightning. Laura cried out as her monitors and controls arced with dancing blue sparks before everything shut down, leaving her in complete darkness. After a tense moment where she could only hear her own gasps for oxygen, the backup power finally activated and bathed the cockpit in red light.
Laura frantically pushed and pulled at her controls but nothing worked. Outside, the Orthrus had lost its blue glimmer and was floating like a white corpse in space. Knowing the Hatis must be closing in, Laura could do nothing except whisper to herself.
"What the hell just happened…?"
.
.
When Milos saw the Brunhild and Jabberwock surge out of the asteroid field on blazing blue jets, the captain had to restrain himself from jumping out of his seat with a victory cry. The pair immediately set to flanking the nearest Crow with a volley of beams and a chain of explosions ripped down the cruiser's port side in their wake. Freed from the main source of enemy fire pinning the Lionheart down, Milos saw the other Crow had left themselves open and leapt at the opportunity.
"Ready the main cannon!" he ordered, taking advantage of their carelessness. "Aim! Fire!"
The Lionheart's beam cannon discharged a giant pillar of plasma, irradiating the darkness of space with blue fire. Caught off guard by the Garms, the Crow's evasive manoeuvres came too late and a bright light was the last thing it saw. The beam pierced straight through the cruiser's bow and burst out the other side, causing its black hull to ripple with explosions.
"Direct hit! Target down!"
"The other ship is retreating! And so are the Wargs!"
Hearing the operators' upbeat reports, Milos finally leaned back in his seat, took off his cap and wiped the sweat off his brow using a white handkerchief. He had just finished putting the cap back on his head when someone patched into the bridge.
"You're welcome!"
Freya's triumphant white grin appeared on the main monitor, fully expecting Milos to be filled with overwhelming gratitude for the Diva who had just saved his sorry behind. However, all she saw was the cool and collected visage of the Lionheart's captain.
"Glad to have you back, Brunhild," Milos replied, careful to keep his sweaty palms hidden. "Where's the Orthrus?"
"Laura stayed behind to take care of LIRA's new mobile suits," Alice answered as her image also appeared onscreen.
The news caused Milos to frown. "Well, she better hurry back soon because we're retreating with the Eureka at the first possible chan–" the captain began to explain only to be interrupted.
"Captain, we've just lost the Cutlass!" Sofia reported, putting up footage of the Templar as it exploded in the distance. "The Eureka and the Jian are retreating to our position and requesting reinforcements."
A map of space showed the Jian being swarmed by red dots but the Lionheart was in no position to help it.
"The fighting has spread us out so much, we might not make it in time to help them… I also don't like the idea of turning our back on the enemy; the fact that that Crow was able to retreat so fast means it could return to attack us just as quickly…" Milos grimaced as he studied the divided expedition on the screen and analysed their options. The lone Templar and the surviving Managarms were outnumbered by three Crows and as many Warg squadrons, not to mention those new invisible mobile suits. And as he mentioned, the wounded Crow was still on the edge of their radar, ominously watching the battle from a distance. "Hermes, what's the status of the Garm teams? Are they ready to sortie?"
"Not any time soon, Captain," Ray replied with more bad news. "Those invisible Wargs really did a number on them. Without a way to decloak the enemy, I don't know how much help they'll be."
"Plus, those teams need to be rearmed and refuelled first," Junko hastily added, suddenly appearing on screen without explanation. "Team Orthrus too!"
Clearly, she had been listening in but Milos had bigger problems than the Lionheart's resident nosy maintainer. All eyes on screen were looking to him for a solution but all they were seeing was his poker face. With so few cards left to play, he didn't see a way out of this hell.
"Perhaps I can be of assistance."
The jovial voice assaulting his ears was the last thing Milos needed but the captain bit his tongue as the bespectacled image of a smiling Edward Hyde appeared on screen.
"It just so happens I have the perfect device for such a predicament!"
.
.
Flying alongside the Lionheart as they rushed to the aid of the Eureka and the Jian, Freya witnessed firsthand the remains of the RDF battleships destroyed in the ambush and cursed in anger. White fuselage and debris from the ships littered their path along with the severed torsos and limbs of a dozen Garms but they pressed on. Ahead was a lightshow of red and blue beams as their allies fought for their lives.
"Crow-class cruiser closing in on us from behind. They're deploying their Wargs," Alice reported, watching through the scope of her sniper rifle.
"Hey, this is going to work, right?" Freya asked aloud for the umpteenth time.
"According to the professor, it will," Milos answered, his limp tone betraying his doubts.
"Professor, the Lionheart and the Jian are in position, and LIRA's Crows should be within range," Sofia reported to the Eureka. "Please launch the... the device."
"The Grapes of Dionysus!" Hyde's jarring voice corrected the annoyed XO before he finally got on with it. "Here we go! Firing in three, two, one…"
A short distance away, the besieged Eureka fired dozens of missiles in all directions in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to win the battle. The LIRA stealth cruisers and Wargs looked on in confusion as the missiles missed them completely before prematurely exploding like fireworks all over the battlefield. Nothing happened at first but soon the true effect of the Grapes of Dionysus came to bear for all to see.
"The LIRA ships… they're rolling!" Alice exclaimed with disbelief over the comm, blinking her amber eyes to make sure she was seeing right. "They're completely disoriented! Even the Wargs are flying in circles!"
Sure enough, the battlefield was in chaos as LIRA lost control and stopped fighting completely. The Grapes of Dionysus – or the Dionysus EMP Bombs, as they were officially called – used Relic technology that could bypass Faraday cages, rendering the electromagnetic shielding of LIRA's cruisers and mobile suits ineffective. While not as strong as a regular EMP blast that could damage or destroy electronics, according to Hyde the Dionysus had a wide-radius pulse that would randomly short-circuit any equipment unfortunate enough to be within range. In other words it would make LIRA drunk… or at least that's how Junko had translated the professor's scientific gibberish for them.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Milos used the disruption to their advantage.
"Ready the main cannon!" he ordered. "Aim! Fire!"
The LIRA ships were sitting ducks and the Lionheart and the Jian easily shot down two Crows with twin bursts of cobalt energy. The EMP blasts also rendered the Hatis in the field completely visible and Sofia made short work of them with the Lionheart's Hellfire missiles. Balls of fire bloomed across the asteroid field and suddenly it appeared the tide had turned for the RDF.
"I can't believe it worked!" Freya shouted. "Come on, team! Let's put those Wargs out of their misery!"
"Wait, Freya!" Ray warned but the Brunhild had already charged ahead, and he slapped his helmet. Flying into the fray on brash blue contrails, the Diva had barely left the Lionheart when her suit suddenly spiralled out of control.
"Wait, what?!" Freya shrieked as she pulled at her controls only to make it worse. The pink mobile suit decided to make a dizzying array of loops and Freya was just along for the ride.
"Oh, I neglected to mention it but this device is still in the untested phase," Professor Hyde appeared on her monitor and mused aloud, showing not an ounce of contrition. "It appears the blast radius was far greater than I calculated… Marvellous!"
"Now you tell us!" Freya screamed, using every technopathic trick in the book to try and stop the Brunhild.
Watching the spectacle unfolding on the main monitor, Milos rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation. According to their allies, the Jian, its Managarms and even the Eureka were similarly affected by the Dionysus EMP weapon. Clearly, he should have expected something like this when he trusted someone like Professor Edward Hyde.
"The Jian and the Eureka report their technopaths are doing all they can to restore their ships' functions, Captain," Sofia reported, already sounding weary of the entire situation. "And I have our own technopaths checking the Lionheart's electronics just to be sure."
"LIRA should be doing the same… but we've bought time at least," Milos murmured as a plan formed in his mind. "Keep the pressure on by firing our beam cannon and missiles – anything to keep them on the defensive. Once our allies recover their navigation systems and their engines are back online, we'll cover their escape – preferably before LIRA sobers up. And contact the Orthrus; we could use her help."
The bridge operators complied with his orders immediately but when the communications officer turned to Milos with a hesitant expression, a chill went down his spine.
"Captain… the Orthrus isn't responding."
.
.
Aboard the Blue Crow, the anarchy of Operation Heracles had finally reached the neglected cruiser in the form of the operation's chief architect. With setbacks at every turn, if anyone were to ask how he rose to such an occasion, Maddon would be sure to convey how he had been the perfect picture of grace under pressure.
"DO YOU HEAR ME, SPARRHORN?! I order you to take the Blue Crow over and assist the Intelligence Division Flotilla immediately!" screamed an agitated General Maddon whose composure was clearly as frayed as his oiled moustache which comically flopped up and down. "If not for this bizarre weapon we would have captured the Eureka long ago! The Orthrus is already being towed to my flagship so destroy the RDF and make Operation Heracles a success at all costs!"
"Yes, General Maddon," Sparrhorn curtly responded as he received the general's collateral displeasure like a true professional. He didn't even comment about the spittle flying at the screen.
"Failure will not be tolerated, Commodore!"
The general's wrathful image departed as swiftly as he had arrived, not unlike a whirlwind, but Sparrhorn remained unfazed.
"Did you get all that?" he asked aloud and the quiet laughter that followed revealed the eavesdroppers had indeed heard every word.
"Do swine oink?" Vega mockingly quipped from her cockpit with a cheeky grin. "He breathed so heavily I thought a pig was aboard the Iago."
The hearty laughter of the Space Wolves filled the comm and even their taciturn commodore almost cracked a tiny smile. Turning his attention to a map on the screen, Sparrhorn examined the situation carefully before devising a winning strategy. Compared to the Mad Boar, the Lunar Fox was the epitome of composure as he stroked his cultured moustache which, it had to be noted, was much thicker, longer and more virile than a certain general's minuscule whiskers.
"Set course for the ambush point. Our objective is to reinforce the Intelligence Division Flotilla and capture the Eureka. The enemy consists of the Lionheart battlecruiser and one Templar-class cruiser," Sparrhorn relayed his orders and the bridge came alive with activity. "Major Aurelia will lead the Space Wolves there and begin the assault ahead of the Blue Crow. There are reports of the RDF using EMP weapons so be mindful."
"Understood, Commodore," Vega responded as she made her final instrument checks and before long one of the operators informed the Scarlet Wolf she was clear for launch. "This is Vega Aurelia. Fenrir, taking off!"
The runway inside the Blue Crow's mobile suit bay lit up and sparks flew as the Fenrir was catapulted down the rails. Launched into the darkness of space, the red machine engaged its thrusters and became a crimson streak riding on blue flames. The Space Wolves followed suit, trailing the Scarlet Wolf in their Wargs until they caught up and flew in close formation.
"My, my… so the Intelligence Division finally begged for our help," Vega jested to her comrades over the comm. "I guess they really do live up to their name."
The Space Wolves laughed and for a moment Ursula truly believed their leader was back to her old self.
"Oh, you're so funny, Lady Vega…" Charlotte giggled before her adorable doll-like features took a cruel turn. "…Serves them right though! That's what you get for trying to hog all the glory and steal our prey!"
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you sounded relieved that the Relic Hunters survived," Luke teased, chuckling when the cub stuttered a forceful denial. "But I guess Pavel was right; the Lionheart beat the odds."
"They've beaten the odds so far," Pavel corrected the lieutenant. "The battle isn't over yet."
"Precisely. Keep your eye on the ball and let's make Operation Heracles a success," Ursula reminded them. "Without the Gundam to defend them, the RDF should be easy pickings."
"It's not fair… Defeating the Gundam should have been your victory, Lady Vega!" Charlotte pouted on her idol's behalf. "And you wouldn't have needed a Gleipnir or whatever to do it either!"
"Thank you, Charlotte. It is indeed unfortunate…" Vega lamented before the air suddenly changed and she sounded deadly serious. "But not as unfortunate as the fate of the Intelligence Division… when we fail to arrive in time."
The Space Wolves felt their blood freeze over and the comms became deathly silent. No one dared to even breathe. Finally, Ursula gathered her courage and spoke.
"…Major?"
When the Scarlet Wolf responded her voice sounded strangely as if it was filled with both grief and an unwavering resolve.
"This is an order…" Vega whispered, keeping her true intentions as secret as the face under her mask. "…Don't follow me."
Without warning, the Fenrir spun around in mid-flight and pointed the barrel of its rifle down their formation. The Space Wolves could only watch, confused, as Vega pulled the trigger and sent a red beam flying past their Wargs. It was only when they felt the bitter sting of the explosion that followed that they realised Vega had betrayed them.
Pierced by a single shot, the stolen Gleipnir detonated and released a powerful electromagnetic pulse that incapacitated the entire squad instantly. Shocked and bewildered, the Space Wolves could not figure out what had just happened until they saw the Fenrir on their static-filled screens shedding its red coat. The holographic paint job fell away to reveal pale lavender underneath and they realised the mobile suit had been using Holo Mode all along. That must have been how she had stolen the Gleipnir and brought it along without anyone being the wiser.
With indigo sparks jumping all over her cockpit, Ursula could do nothing except grit her teeth and watch as the Fenrir escaped on her flickering monitor. Using its reverse thrusters to stay out of the blast radius, the Fenrir shifted its armour back to red before it flipped upside down and plunged towards the centre of the Chronos Asteroid Field at top speed. Ursula tried to call out to Vega but her Warg had already shut down, leaving the captain in complete darkness.
"…Major…"
.
.
Laura bided her time.
While those weird purple orbs might have sealed the Orthrus' functions and abilities, the mobile suit's backup power still allowed her to have access to the operating system. Of course, everything onscreen had been scrambled into unintelligible code but with the help of her technopathic gifts she managed to partially restore the OS. With only the flickering display for illumination, the technopath worked non-stop and slowly recovered the Gundam's utilities one by one.
Accessing her out-of-focus cameras first, the blonde saw two black Hatis towing the motionless Orthrus by the arms like a lifeless doll while a third Hati led the way. Presumably, they were taking the Gundam back to their ship after successfully capturing the Relic and the lead enemy was holding her Solar Rifle and Shield. As far as she could see, the three Hatis were the only survivors of their entire squadron.
That worked out perfectly for Laura. Flexing her fingers, the technopath took hold of her painstakingly recalibrated controls and set her plan into action.
The Gundam's eyes glowed and it slammed the two Hatis holding its arms into each other with a solid crunch. The black mobile suits comically bounced off one another, momentarily stunning their pilots before they drifted off into space. Wasting no time, Laura activated her thrusters next and they sputtered to life, propelling the Orthrus forward with a burst of speed. The thrusters wouldn't last long but it should be enough for her to knock out the lead Hati, take back her equipment and blast her captors to oblivion.
However, as soon as the Gundam reared its fist back to strike, the purple orbs magnetised to its body glowed and shocked the Relic again. For a second time, blue sparks danced across Laura's console and monitor, undoing all her hard work before everything shut down. Left in complete darkness, the pilot swore and banged the side of her cockpit.
The spheres had been remotely controlled and the Orthrus was now defenceless again.
"What the hell?! It's still moving!" the stunned pilot of the first Hati exclaimed once he had regained his bearings.
"Its electronics should have been fried…" said the second, sounding both bewildered and terrified at the same time. "The White Hellhound must be one monster of a technopath…"
"We can't take the risk of it happening again. This thing already killed most of our squad." The third and lead Hati pilot only declared what the others were already thinking. "A Gundam without a cockpit is still a Gundam. Do it."
Not privy to the conversation, Laura was working frantically at her keyboards trying to restore the Orthrus' systems to even a semblance of functionality. But when she got the cameras back online, what she saw on screen made her blood freeze.
A Hati was pointing its rifle directly at her cockpit at point-blank range. Laura's amethyst eyes widened in horror and her breath went still. Clutching her necklace against her rapidly pulsating heart, she thought of her family and friends as she waited for the end.
"Sorry, pal. It's not personal…"
The Hati pilot wrapped his finger around the trigger… but before he could squeeze it, an alert sounded on his radar, unexpectedly delaying Laura's execution in the process.
"Mobile suit incoming! And hot!"
"Is it one of ours? Is it the enemy?"
"That's the Scarlet Wolf! What the hell is she doing here?!"
Piloting the Fenrir through the asteroid field at full speed, Vega spotted the Orthrus on her radar and immediately adjusted course. On the way down, she zoomed in with her camera and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the Gundam on her monitor was unharmed. However, when she noticed the Hati with its rifle pointed at the Orthrus' cockpit, the ace – usually a paragon of calmness and poise – suddenly felt herself overcome with rage.
Like a mother wolf baring its fangs to protect its cubs, Vega acted purely on instinct as she took aim with her rifle. So possessed was she that she didn't even register the Hati pilots hailing her on the comm – not even when they started screaming for their lives.
When Laura witnessed the explosion on her monitor, she thought for sure that she was having an out-of-body experience after being shot and was now watching her own funeral pyre. The blonde soon realised, however, that it was the Hati who had been shot instead and the sweltering heat she was feeling had come from its destruction. A red beam had pierced her would-be executioner's head directly from above, cooking the mobile suit straight through like a plasma skewer and incinerating its pilot before exiting. A few more beams penetrated the Hati for good measure – at the exact same entry point, even – before it exploded, sending hot shrapnel flying into the shaken Orthrus.
Her brush with death soon forgotten, Laura quickly restored the Gundam's other cameras and watched agape as another Hati was similarly executed. The black mobile suit couldn't even get a shot off before the same highly accurate beams shredded it with murderous efficiency, causing a second explosion in a matter of seconds. Upon witnessing the transformation of its comrades into mangled wrecks, the last Hati managed to return fire but the enemy was much too fast. A bloody blur, it closed in on the panicked pilot before he could escape.
"M-Mayday! We are under attack! It's the Scarlet Wo–"
With blinding swings of its beamsabre, the Fenrir butchered the remaining Hati into unrecognisable metal chunks and the comm went dead. Inside the cockpit, Vega was bent over and breathing heavily – an unusual state for the Scarlet Wolf – but once she regained her composure, she quietly cursed.
That last Hati had gotten off a distress signal. She should have flown closer before eliminating all three at once but her emotions had gotten the better of her. Her actions surprised even herself as she didn't think she could still feel this way after so long. It only made her more determined because while LIRA might have been alerted to the Gundam's rescue, it did not change what she had to do. Turning her attention to the Orthrus, she began lancing the purple spheres covering its body with her beamsabre.
Meanwhile, inside the Orthrus' cockpit, Laura had curled up into a stunned ball. She was wondering who had come to her rescue but to think that it was Vega Aurelia of all people… Lux's famous ace, both her most feared enemy and bitter rival – the one she and the other orphans had sworn to kill in revenge for Tully's death – had just saved her life. As if that wasn't shocking enough, the woman had slaughtered three of her own allies in cold blood in the process.
The alarming ferocity with which Vega had fought was also nothing like the elegant piloting style Laura had always been loath to admit she secretly admired. She could not help but recall their last encounter at the Lemurian ruins of Lycia when she had first noticed the masked woman's odd behaviour in the aftermath of their duel. Back then, she had not given it much thought but now… it was as if the Scarlet Wolf had gone completely wild.
"Orthrus, do you read? Come in, Orthrus!"
Laura almost jumped when she heard the familiar voice over the comm. It was definitely Vega but something about her voice was off. She sounded… worried?
"Answer me, Laura Hartmann!"
Hearing her name, Laura steeled her nerves and activated her comm. Materialising on the static-filled monitor, the masked woman appeared to be in the middle of calling her name again but froze upon seeing her. Locking eyes with Laura, Vega slowly exhaled before pressing her lips together. If Laura didn't know any better, she would say the woman seemed… relieved?
"This is Laura Hartmann. Vega Aurelia… what is the meaning of this?"
There was another pause as Laura's question hung in the air and Vega appeared to tense. But when the Scarlet Wolf finally spoke, she sounded as charming and confident as ever.
"What do you think, Hellhound? I've come to your rescue," she stated the obvious with a smile. "Or would you rather have been beam-barbecued into a crisp?"
"But why? Why would you do this?" Laura pressed the question, shaking her head as she failed to understand just what was going on. "Does LIRA know what you're up to? Are you seriously betraying them?"
Sensing wariness and confusion from her rival, Vega decided to dispense with the jokes and just spell it out.
"I am betraying them," she softly declared, staring Laura straight in the eyes. "I'm betraying LIRA of my own accord so I can save your life."
The declaration only exacerbated Laura's confusion and she found herself at a loss for words.
"W-What…? Do you know what you're saying…?" she whispered as she slowly realised the full scale of what Vega had done. "You'll be labelled a traitor… If LIRA doesn't shoot you on the spot, you'll be sent to the gallows, Scarlet Wolf or not. And what about your home? Your friends and family… and the Space Wolves… You might never see them again…"
Laura didn't know why but everything that Vega had sacrificed to save her came pouring out of her mouth. Perhaps it was her vain attempt to put herself in the noblewoman's shoes and understand how she could do something that defied all logic. Yet no matter how hard she tried, Laura could not make any sense of the insanity.
Vega had sacrificed everything for Laura, including her future... and all she could do was smile.
"…Why?" Laura asked one last time.
"If we make it out of here alive, I swear I will tell you everything… but for now, you just need to trust me," said Vega before her voice lowered and she spoke her next words with the sincerest of emotions. "I promise you, Laura Hartmann… I won't let you die."
Vega's pledge shook something deep within Laura's heart – something warm and comforting that had lain dormant inside her all this time. Looking down, she found herself clutching her necklace again and realised she felt surprisingly calm now. Somehow, she knew that Vega had meant every word including her promise. The Scarlet Wolf was many things but she was not a liar.
"…Alright. I'll put my trust in you," Laura finally answered. They had already wasted enough time talking and, with the Gundam's systems still malfunctioning, she didn't have much of a choice either. Whatever Vega's reasons might be, she would have to wait to find out what they were.
Vega nodded, the picture of gratitude, and immediately asked about the Gundam. "What is your status? Can you move?"
"Give me a second… I think I can get Orthrus moving again but it won't be at top speed," Laura replied, furiously tapping her keyboards as she tried to restore the Gundam's functions again. "Those purple spheres really did a number on him, especially the second time they shocked us. Other than life support, everything has been scrambled to infinity... and that includes Mode Change so I won't be able to fight at full strength."
"Just focus on getting your thrusters back online. If we can escape before LIRA finds us, we won't need to fight." Vega placed the Fenrir's manipulator on the Gundam and made a technopathic connection to see if she could help. "What about comms? Can you contact the Lionheart?"
"No… I can only manage short-range communications right now…"
"Then use mine. I'll patch you through…"
Technopathically sensing the Fenrir's communications system, Laura sighed as she adjusted the enemy instrument to a top-secret RDF frequency. The Lionheart was not going to believe this…
.
END OF PART A
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So begins the penultimate episode of GG. After almost three years, several hiatuses and a rewrite at last we are here where it all started...
Rewriting this, I realised this might not be the kind of Gundam penultimate episode people were expecting and it may disappoint some. Nevertheless, this is the beginning of the end I always imagined for GG and I hope people will reserve full judgement until they have read the final episode. On that note, I'm still on track to finish the story before the end of the year.
Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed Part A. Part B is currently being beta-read so look forward to it in a week or two.