Deadly Research
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the OCs and the new story plot. All AC submitted by readers will be given their appropriate credit.
Note: This chapter is from the point of view of the Fallen Angel pair. Nikita and Shade were the centers of attention last chapter. Reviewers Response will be posted in the NEXT chapter. Thank you:)
Chapter 5x (like Fire Emblem's 'x' and 'xx' chapters!) Escape
Just as they broke free from the hangars and stepped into the long main corridor, a slew of heated lead, and brilliant energy erupted through the air. The duo ducked behind the blast doors as the barrage destroyed the far wall of the hangar.
Avelesti toggled his weapons switch to the orbital cannons and brought the sites onto three of the targets. Side stepping out from cover, he hit the triggers, sending three small floating pods into the air. The AC made it back into safety a bare moment before the guns and lasers oriented on him.
The sounds of Vulcan fire and laser cannons vibrated through the huge metallic corridors. Muzzle flashes lit the darkened halls like strobe lights; the bright flames sent shadows down the now lethal 'valley of death'.
Several explosions rocked the factory supports, the sentry units lay in scattered pieces, the orbiters self detonated after running out of their low energy stores.
Sword Maiden punched the red over boost button as she came out of hiding. The red Raven shot through the hallway at breakneck speed. The alarms in her cockpit blared as her energy gauge dropped into the red zone.
The boosters closed down as she approached the double blast doors on the far end of the hall. New warnings filled the screens as she came under multiple target locks. Her computer systems hacked into the electric locks at an unprecedented speed.
The remaining laser cannons turned in place, their barrels began to glow with energy. One fired wide, its lethal discharge leaving nothing but a harmless scorch mark to the far right of Melissa. The second fired high, but not by much, the red AC ducking slightly at the dazzling energy dissipation.
The third and final gun seemed to be taking its time. The shot would more than likely hit Maiden Sword in the back.
If it ever got the chance; Dark Heart began his run down the gun entrenched hall, none of his boosters active. He leveled the Karasawa at the third gun and fired.
The bright azure beam melted the target, sparking the mini-generator. The explosion sent shrapnel in every direction; the barrel snapped in two and was sent flying into the second gun across the hallway.
The heavy emission barrel impaled its fellow gun like a toothpick. The second energy turret exploded in scarlet light as another shot from the Karasawa found the first gun.
The double doors on the far end of the hall partially opened to the other side. Maiden Sword stepped through and surveyed their new location. It was another hangar bay. This one was much larger than the last one that held her AC.
She was amazed at the only suit remaining in the hangar. It was the first Gundam they had fought yesterday. It looked as if repairs were being made to the rear boosters; the yellow-gold armor and blued Gundanium alloy plating had been removed. The circuitry inside the forbidden weapon looked like a giant outstretched ball of wiring.
A thought sparked in her mind as Dark Heart cautiously followed her into the hangar.
"Dark Heart! Didn't you load a new data retrieval system into your main memory bank data base?"
Avelesti raised an eyebrow.
"Yes . . . but I don't think I'll be able to pull anything valuable directly from that thing."
"It's worth a shot though right? I'll stand guard . . . well what are you waiting for! Hurry up!"
Her yelling drove him to the parked Gundam. It looked strange, like a fighter plane. He instantly recognized the shield and massive beam cannon as the nose of the craft. The feet appeared to be the thrusters, while the mech's humanoid back boosters took the form of its wings.
Staying to the side of the forbidden weapon, he set the left hand of his AC over the exposed leg circuits. Data streamed onto the screens as the hacking system did its work. Loading bars filled and password keys where punched through without resistance. Avel began to worry.
It's too easy . . . far too easy.
He broke the connection as a sharp, high-pitched screech forced him to throw off his earpiece communications unit. Sticking his index fingers into his ears, he wiggled them around, trying to get the ringing to stop. Shaking his head vigorously, the ringing dimmed, though it stayed for another moment.
The screen lit up with a projection of the Gundam, along with all its vital statistics. Shutting down the hacking system, he stored the data in a magnetic proof onboard hard drive. The name of the Gundam stayed fresh in his mind.
Wing Gundam . . . Gundam 01. Impressive weapon. I like the name.
Dark Heart turned to rejoin Maiden Sword. The woman waited at the other side of the hangar bay, ready to continue their escape.
The sounds of gun fire continued outside, explosions shaking the compound. Whatever Mobius and his partners were doing, they were giving the enemy something to have nightmares about.
As they opened the next set of doors, a large catacomb like maze laid below. The exit to the other side lay on the opposite side. Something smelled fishy.
"You got to be joking. Any idiot could just hover through." Avel scoffed.
Maiden Sword took another look around the room and then again at her radar. A single red blip lay in the very middle of the room. Yet there wasn't anyone in the center of the room. The Sphere radar had never been wrong.
An image of the dark Gundam appeared in her mind as she recalled Dark Heart's words.
Stealth armored . . .
As Dark Heart began to move forward, the blip on her radar also moved, toward them.
But there's a wall right there. It can't move directly toward us . . . unless . . . NO!
"Dark Heart STOP!"
Her scream halted the Karasawa totting AC as she went to a knee with the linear gun. The blip stopped for a brief second before she let loose a fireball into the empty space above the maze.
What is she DOING! Wasting ammo is not what we . . . !
Avel's thoughts stopped as the shot exploded in the mid-air in the center of the room. A transparent silhouette shimmered in the smoke and flames. It didn't take him a second thought as he brought the laser rifle up and fired without a target lock as a black and gold object flew into Melissa's right arm, severing it off the AC.
As her AST rifle fell to the floor, the mystery attacker took the energy blast to the face. The suit came into view, an energy scythe held in both hands as it hovered above the maze with bat-like wing appendages. The green fiber optic eyes glowed eerily.
As it fully materialized into view, Dark Heart's FCS activated as the targeting system flashed solid red. Two more bolts rammed into the Gundam, sending it falling into the maze before fading out of view once more.
"Ah!" Avel's eye brows raised a fraction. That voice wasn't that machine's original pilot. He racked his mind over the voice that had surprised them before they had been taken captive. It then clicked.
I've got a present for ya!
"That kid I dropped the desk on was that thing's pilot?" His whispers didn't escape his partner's ears.
"Really? Then who was that?" He grunted, shaking his head.
"I don't know, but right now I could care less. Get moving! I'll cover."
Maiden Sword over boosted to the other side while Dark Heart hovered over, keeping an eye out for the stealth suit. As they exited to the other side of the doors, he tensed as a ringing sound came over the systems.
Incoming Transmission . . .
"Ravens . . . do you copy? Fallen Angels . . ." The voice was unmistakable despite the harsh static interruptions. It was Louise back at Global. The two Ravens smiled.
"We're here and accounted for Global. What's the status on the party outside?"
A series of relieved sighs and cheers accompanied by a few laughs over the communications line filled their earpieces. Louise chuckled in spite of the situation.
"We've dispatched Shade and Mobius, alongside Valkyrie and Nikita. It doesn't look too good on Mobius and Valkyrie's side. The gun emplacements are too numerous for Valkyrie to snipe and Mobius can't get close enough to cover for her."
Maiden Sword took over the line at Valkyrie's name.
"Where are they Louise? Give us Valkyrie's communications frequency while you're at it!"
"The . . . they're at the North Side gate, her frequency is 093EO5-782MhZ." Louise stuttered. She never knew the woman of the Fallen Angels to be so forward and demanding. Avelesti smirked as he punched the line into his computer and sent a hailing message.
Always watching out for the few friends we have, aren't you, love?
As the line was opening, the double doors on either side of the hallway and the far end blast gates opened to reveal multiple suits at each location. Maiden Sword boosted to the closest double doors on the right, the Mirage laser blade masterpiece illuminating the shadowed halls.
Laser blasts flashed past her, striking the suits on the left, leaving charred remains. The left side suits took cover as the Leos on the right fell to pieces. A series of rapid fire energy shots flew past overhead of Melissa, sending two of the units at the far end of the hall into cover.
Avel boosted over to the left side blast doors and took up position in the nook as Maiden Sword took the right doors in the same fashion. Turning to give Melissa some measure of cover fire, he jolted forward as he took several shots in the back.
Turning around, he swore he could have sweat dropped like those teenage action/humor cartoons he watched once at a friend's insisting. Anime was it? He couldn't remember, but he didn't like what he was seeing. Twenty Leos lined themselves in the hallway, rifles blazing.
Activating both EO and Orbit Launchers, he fired off three of the last units before switching to his beloved laser rifle. He launched three more shots into the crowd as the energy assault melted the force before him to molten scrap.
Transmission Connection Complete . . .
"Ravens, please come in. This is Dark Heart of the Fallen Angels. Do you copy?"
The firefight on the other side of the hall drew his attention back to Melissa as the EO finished off the last unit. He'd have to recharge the unit before activating it again. A fourth of his armor was gone by his sensor readouts. The enemy was using rifle like weaponry that wasn't very powerful, but their number well outweighed the slow firing rate.
A female pilot's voice answered his call.
"Dark Heart, this is Valkyrie, I read you. However you're shaky at best. Where are you? These security elements are impossible for the four of us combined!"
He smiled as he recognized her voice and laughed out loud. Her pout could be heard over the radio as she huffed, probably crossing her arms in the process. Stifling his laughter, he finally answered her response.
"I apologize Valkyrie. Good to hear from you. You think the gunfire out there is bad . . . inside's nuts! By our mapping, we are at the north end gates."
He turned and fired a shot to disperse the crowd surrounding the red AC. His eyes caught the glowing sign above the doorway she was fighting in.
Sentry Gun Posts: N.S. Ammo Storage? North Side's munitions storage?
Valkyrie's shriek followed by an explosive sound on the other line brought back his attention. He pushed forward through the units with Maiden Sword close behind him, her questions lost to his ears.
"I've got an idea, just follow me!"
Keying in the frequency code again, he sent one final message to the pair outside before boosting down the corridor.
"The cannon fire sounds intense, give us two minutes and that problem will be long gone. Be careful, one of the new weapons is an MS with both radar and optical stealth that seems to specialize in melee assaults. Maiden Sword's got one arm now."
Continually scanning the area for any sign of an ammo supply feeder, he relayed his plan to Melissa, who shook her head.
"You're gonna WHAT?" Her tone of voice showed her disagreement. She punched him with her left arm, since her right was missing. The heavy clang of metal plating rang in the halls.
A single armor point disappeared from his reader.
"HEY! Watch it! I might have needed that armor point later! GEEZ!"
"It's probably just the readouts malfunctioning! Just hurry up and let's get the heck out of here!"
Dark Heart grumbled something under his breath about 'that time of the month' and peered down the ammo feed belts that lined the caged wall. The huge shells for the sentry turrets sped down the narrow munitions corridor to the guns as they fired. The echo from the discharges made vibrations along the structure supports.
Peering down the other direction, he saw a faint light. Squeezing the barrel inside the feed tubes, he pulled the trigger. A brilliant pale blue light illuminated it path until a devastating flash went off at the far end.
Multiple chain explosions reached their ears a moment later.
"Now we get the heck out of here!" Dark Heart turned and pushed his controls forward, activating the Fleet boosters on his back. Maiden Sword over boosted away, beam saber lit to do away with whatever got in their way before their escape from the fire wave that was fast approaching.
Each shell in the belt could be heard detonating one another as the flames ignited the gunpowder in each casing. They rounded a corner just as the flames began to drain away the armor points on Avel's AC.
"Well, that was close."
"Really? I wouldn't have guessed by the way you were running." The sarcasm in Melissa's voice stung.
"Oh, come on, it isn't that bad. Besides, the guns outside have stopped."
Listening, the sentry turrets had stopped there deafening barrage of gunfire. Things had quieted down as the dust the explosion had sent up clouded the area. The two ACs reentered the corridor to see light coming from the far end. A dark shadow fell across the floor. It wasn't a mobile suit, but Mobius.
"Fallen Angels, this is Mobius. What's with the flashy presentations? All of the guns starting exploding from right to left."
"Just a random shot into the ammo stores to destroy the guns."
A white and lavender AC appeared behind him as he finished his brief explanation.
"Only shot the ammo stores? That was stupid even if it did work!"
A bright series of explosions hailed a new battle at the south end gate, the flaring light lit the darkened horizons. The team of four jumped to the roof top to see Nikita boost out from cover, shortly followed by an innumerable amount of missile trails.
They watched in horror as her radar jammers gave out and the micro-missiles reoriented themselves as her boost closed down. Melissa shut her eyes tight as the deadly explosives closed on Éclair's position. She knew of her status as the legendary Thanatos' fiancé. A brilliant red flash followed by several deafening shockwaves made tears come against her will. Avel's voice startled her out of her mental hiding place.
"Why . . . is he here? Thanatos!"
HHOooooooooboy! Gomen! I know I haven't updated in ages, but school was really pressuring. College can really stink at times. Work is the main problem though. It hasn't been very good for my mental health lately, which carries over into my writing. I didn't want it soiled by my frustrations.
Thanatos, my pilot name from AC 3, is finally making his appearance. Get ready for trouble, LOTS of it.
Next Chapter: Brothers in Arms