The first operation in the grand plan to take back Delta Ridge was underway. Sarisse handpicked the squad she thought they could use the best. Sarisse, Stella, Rebecca, Pino, Happy, Lluvi, and Asuka. They departed from the base from another secret exit and were in an underground tunnel. "These tunnels really go far, don't they?" Rebecca asked while looking towards Stella and Sarisse.
"Mhm." Stella replied with a nod. "Thanks to these, we can move without being in the enemy's sight. We tried moving above ground during our early days, but that was proven to be a bad idea very quickly."
"Wouldn't the androids from this planet know about these routes?" Lluvi was quick to voice her skepticism. She couldn't help but feel like this was too easy.
"Nope." Asuka shook her head. "Those jerks Prometheus and Pandora completely subjugated the androids so they don't talk or do anything. They just follow orders. It makes me so mad…"
"I see…that makes sense." Lluvi tapped her chin. "I guess we're lucky they want total control."
"It's pretty awful." Rebecca sighed. "I've seen this on so many planets so far. It's all the same, but this is the first time I've seen a planet try to fight back. That's why I'm happy to help for as much as we can."
"Aye!" Happy cheered.
"You guys don't have to worry too much. I can handle whatever comes our way." Asuka said while flexing her muscles.
"Yeah, sure, kid." Lluvi was pretty dismissive about that, which made Asuka a little upset.
"A-Ah, Sarisse. Why did you pick us, by the way?" Rebecca looked to the leader of the Resistance.
"I spoke with Shiki and Casey about your abilities, and I thought they'd be useful. Rebecca's speed, and Lluvi's barriers. They're perfect for what we need for this mission. A smaller team is less likely to be spotted as well. We'll be in and out, and immediately prepare for the second operation. Plus…Aiden did say that one of those spaceships of yours crashed in the area we're going to."
"If we're lucky, we'll find your friends, Rebecca and Happy!" Stella clasped her hands together.
"That would be great…" Rebecca was really worried about Jinn, Kleene, and Laguna.
"I've got another question." Lluvi turned her blue gaze to Stella. "Why are you personally heading this operation? Couldn't you just leave it to Stella?"
"I have to put myself on the front lines when I can." Sarisse replied. "Confidence and conviction are easy for humans to lose. When Prometheus and Pandora took over, many of us lost the will to fight and survival was a struggle. But I couldn't stand by and watch as our planet was ruined and twisted into something it wasn't."
"My sister has a really strong will. The charisma of a leader that draws people to her." Stella said. "I could never lead the Resistance. I don't have that kind of authority, but I'm always happy to support my sister no matter what. And Aiden has always been a good friend to us. That's why we formed the Resistance in the first place. My sister is like…a symbol of hope for everyone fighting."
"And with the Goldstones around, doesn't that make it even more dangerous for you to fight?" Lluvi questioned. "You're probably their biggest target."
"Then the feeling is mutual." Sarisse replied. "I won't let the Goldstones get the best of me. I'm still here, after all."
"That kind of attitude is exactly what's inspired me!" Asuka said. "I'll do our leader proud, just you wait!"
Rebecca couldn't help but smile. Sarisse was really brave. "We'll definitely do our best. So where are we going again?"
Stella pulled up a map of their current location. "We're going along this path. It extends south to a warehouse. That is where the second generator to the gate lies, but I suspect it's going to be guarded. At the very least, we'll be under the cover of night as well. We'll also know if any of your friends are nearby, Rebecca. We'll be entering from the east side of the building, and the generator is on the highest floor. All we need to do is destroy it. If we tried to hack it, there's no guarantee someone wouldn't come back behind us and just get it started again."
"I'm pretty confident in this plan then." Lluvi said. It was true, Sarisse's confidence was infectious.
"Eheh. You get it now?" Stella said with a widening grin. "With Sarisse at the helm, there's just no way we can lose!"
.
.
Back in the Resistance base, there were a few people with important questions. Shiki, Weisz, and Homura approached Aiden. "Hey, Aiden." Weisz started the conversation.
"Hm?" Aiden turned to the group from the Eden's Zero. "Did you need something? You know we can't plan the next operation until we know how things pan out for the others."
"We're not here for that." Weisz said. "We had a question about you, actually."
"Oh?" Aiden quirked a brow. "Ask away then. I'll answer to the best of my ability."
"Your last name is Viscard, right?" Shiki asked.
"Indeed it is." Aiden replied. "Why do you ask?"
"…And do you know a Vanessa Viscard?" Homura asked.
Aiden blinked a few times, then chuckled quietly. "Oh, have you met her? That happens to be my wife."
"You're WHAT!?" The trio exclaimed comically and very loudly.
"You're married to her!?" Homura had her sleeve in front of her mouth. "Does that mean you know what she's done?"
"I'm afraid not." Aiden said while adjusting his tie. "Allow me to explain. Vanessa and I have been married for more than 20 years. We're actually both natives to this planet…and we even had a daughter together."
"You're a father!?" Homura's shock was just growing and growing.
"Haha, indeed." Aiden pulled out his phone and held out a picture for the trio to look at. It was true, there was Aiden, Vanessa, and a young woman with long black hair and sky blue eyes smiling at the camera. "That's my daughter, Cynthia."
"Huh…" Shiki stroked his chin in thought. Based on Blair's story, Vanessa sounded like a terrible person who had no regard for human life, but here she was, with a family. "…You wouldn't happen to know where she is right now, do you?"
"I'm afraid not." Aiden slid his phone back into his pocket. "Vanessa left some time ago to pursue her research. I wasn't going to stop her. After that, Cynthia asked me if she could look for her. She's…about your age, so I didn't see any reason to stop her, and I know she can handle herself. I actually left Delta Ridge myself a few years ago, our family went our separate ways for a time, and I only returned very recently. And just after I did, Ziggy's forces invaded."
"Talk about rotten luck." Weisz said with a dry laugh.
"But why bring up Vanessa?" Aiden asked.
"Our crewmate is looking for her." Shiki explained. "Supposedly, Vanessa is responsible for some terrible events that happened to her and her planet. We believe in our crewmate. Her name is Blair Elfin. She's here with us right now, but she stepped out…"
"I see…" Aiden stroked his chin. "I have been curious as to what she's been up to lately. Perhaps I'll set out to find her…and I can meet this Blair person when she comes back. I'm sure she has a lot to say."
"You can't miss her." Weisz said. "She's tall, dark, brooding, and her bandaged arm turns into a claw. Thinking about it, if she knows your relation to her target, she might try to attack you…" He began to sweat. He could see it now: Blair pouncing on Aiden just for being related to Vanessa.
"I can handle myself." Aiden said.
"We haven't seen it yet, but she claims her arm can drain the ether from a person and consume them." Homura pointed out.
"…Ah. And Vanessa is responsible for that? I see…" Aiden nodded slowly. "I have no contact with Vanessa. Unfortunately we fell out of touch, but it sounds like she's still active. If everything works out here on Delta Ridge, I'll see if I can help you find her. It would be the least I could do for all you're doing for my home planet."
Shiki smiled at that. "It means a lot that you're willing to help us."
"Of course. I do have but a single question for you, however…Shiki." Aiden stared at the captain of the Eden's Zero. "…What value does human life have?"
"Human life?" Considering the situation, Shiki expected him to ask about android life, which he already had an answer for. But even so, his response didn't change. "Humans and androids are the same. There are some good ones, there are some bad ones…but their lives are still important. That's why we don't want to kill anyone, no matter what they've done."
"I see." Aiden nodded. "I suppose I should have expected as much. Thank you for your answer." With that, the man left.
"I wasn't expecting him to have relations to Blair's enemy…" Homura admitted.
"Yeah, talk about a twist of fate." Weisz scratched the back of his head. "I really hope Blair can keep her anger in check if they ever get a chance to talk." That was his biggest concern. While they were learning to trust Blair, she was still a bit of a wildcard…
.
.
Geno glanced around quietly. It looked like he was trying to sneak out of the base while everyone was waiting for the results of the current mission. However, before he could get too far, Hermit spotted him. "Where are you going?"
Geno admittedly stiffened up for a second before turning around. To think it was one of the androids that spotted him. He rubbed the back of his neck. "…I'm not a fighter, but I'm a lookout. I wasn't going far."
Hermit furrowed her brows. Something Geno bothered her, but it wasn't the young man himself. "…There's someone else with you, isn't there?"
"Huh? What are you…" Geno was attempting to deny it.
"Ah, you're not gonna get me past any android." Omega said, emerging from Geno's wristwatch to appear beside him. "At least, not one like this. That Nurse one didn't seem to notice me at all, yet you did. You got good sensors."
"W-What the…?" Omega's existence wasn't what she expected to see, but it did explain a lot. "Who are you?"
"…This is Omega." Geno said with a sigh. "He's my…"
"Heh, you suck at introductions." The being mocked Geno with a laugh, causing him to grunt and turn away. "I'm Omega. Call me Mega for short. I'm just here to watch out for the kid."
"You…You're an FM or AM being, aren't you?" Hermit surmised. "The energy spikes you give off suggest that."
"You're smart. I like you." Omega pointed at himself and chuckled. "But if you're that smart, you'll know to keep your nose out of our business. The kid doesn't have the chops to tell you to back off, but I do."
That introduction turned into a threat real fast. Hermit didn't back down. "We're all allies here. I don't see why you have to hide."
"I'm just here to watch out for the kid and make sure he doesn't get hurt. That's all." Omega said with a grin. "Besides, he won't say it, but…"
"Look…" Geno let out a sigh. "This place is just too crowded sometimes, alright? I don't like being around people." He admitted. "And if you want the truth…I hate new people…I'm only trusting you all because my mom and aunt are. But that's as far as it goes."
Hermit crossed her arms. She could feel Geno's innate distrust for her for multiple reasons. There was a big reason that it was clear he didn't want to say…but there was also some loneliness within it, something she knew well. "…Don't make your mother worry."
"…" That wasn't something Geno expected an android to say. But he shook his head and turned away. "Come on, Omega." Omega returned to Geno's wristwatch and the two were gone.
Hermit just stood there in silence for a few minutes until Medi appeared. "…I'm sorry about Geno. He's a very good person, but the events in the last few years have really taken its toll."
"I remember hearing about what happened to his father." Hermit frowned. There were plenty of reasons in the cosmos for humans to hate androids and vice versa. She could feel that disdain from Geno even if he didn't try to let it show.
"…He's become so closed off since then. Stella is worried about him, but there's only so much she can do." Medi sighed. "He needs a friend to be there for him, but he'd have to let someone that close first."
"...That so…?" Hermit mumbled.
.
.
The infiltration group reached the warehouse in question. With the cover of night at their side, they were able to quietly make their way to the entrance. Sarisse pulled out some binoculars and peered inside the buildings. "Ugh, it's just as I thought."
"What's the matter?" Rebecca asked.
"I expected that we would have to deal with security, but they've seem to gone a bit beyond that." Sarisse explained. "They stationed native androids around. That alone forces us to hold back. Stella, what equipment did you bring?"
Stella could list off the items without even looking: "We have our guns, a few EMP grenades, a and a first aid kid."
"I would like to avoid using the EMPs if we can…" Sarisse said. "Those are our last ones and we might need them later."
"You can leave that to me." Pino exclaimed. "I have an EMP function. I can disable those androids."
"…So those files weren't kidding…" Lluvi muttered.
"So let's charge in already!" Asuka said, but she was yanked back by Sarisse before she could even move.
"Hold on, I see something else…" Sarisse said. "Oh! Rebecca…I think we found someone that belongs to you."
"Really?!" Rebecca was handed the binoculars and she peered through them. Through one of the windows, she could see Jinn tied down to a chair. "Jinn..!"
"Jinn's here?!" Happy gasped.
"A friend of yours?" Asuka asked.
"One of our crewmates." Rebecca said. "He's probably still injured too. We have to get in there and save him."
"Okay, here's the plan." Sarisse pointed to the front entrance. The door was one that opened up and door, and it would crush those who had poor timing. "This door is manually operated. There is likely an android operating it on the other side. It's risky to approach but it's the only way inside. Our original plan consisted of us using an EMP grenade to stop the android and rush through…"
"You don't have to do that." Rebecca said while standing up. "I'm glad I decided to wear shoes this time…"
"Hm…?" Asuka blinked. "If it's speed you need…" But Rebecca was already gone. Everyone besides Pino and Happy were taken aback.
Rebecca used Cat Leaper to speed through the interval of the door closing and opening. She found the android immediately and kicked it in the head to render it defeated. She then pressed the switch to stop the door and leave it open for everyone, all within the span of a few seconds. "Done!"
"…Whoa." Stella heard that Rebecca was fast, but that was way faster than she could've anticipated!
"…T-That was nothing. I can move just as fast." Asuka said stubbornly.
"Come on!" Sarisse told the others. They all followed Rebecca's lead into the warehouse. They were all ready to fight, but the moment they stepped past the entrance, numerous lights began to shine on them. "Agh?!"
"What is this?" Lluvi had to cover her eyes from the light. There was the sound of slow clapping that caused everyone to turn in that direction. But as they looked, they could see that they were surrounded by a number of Ziggy's Skeleton army androids. "What in the…!?"
"This isn't right, they shouldn't be here!" Stella exclaimed.
"Come now, it's pretty easy to predict your next plan of attack." Athena Goldstone said as she emerged from the shadows. "You had to come here sooner or later, and you shouldn't underestimate how long I'm willing to wait for our target."
"She knew we were gonna be here?! But how…!?" Asuka asked.
Sarisse glared at the eldest Goldstone siblings. "You…"
"Oh, don't act so surprised. I already told you that we know your every move." Athena flipped her hair over her shoulder before smiling at everyone. "You can strike whenever, wherever, and however you want…we're going to be one step ahead of you. Your Resistance won't ever reach Prometheus and Pandora. In fact, it stops right here."
Rebecca immediately went into Overdrive. She knew how much of a threat the Goldstones were and she zoomed right towards her. It looked as though Rebecca was about to go for a direct attack, which Athena was prepared to block with her shield…but at the last second, Rebecca changed direction, zipping around to Athena's back with her leg reared back. "Not on my watch!"
"…!" Athena realized Rebecca's speed too late. She was able to turn around, but…
"BELLHOLY SLASH!" Rebecca swiftly kicked Athena across the cheek, her momentum and speed leading to a pretty strong kick. Strong enough to make Athena's head snap in the direction of the kick.
Everyone remained tense after Rebecca's direct hit. Athena slowly turned her head back, spitting out some blood and wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her. Rebecca kept a firm glare towards Athena, while the Goldstone just held a smile. Her green eyes flickered with excitement. "I see now why my brother wanted to take you down first. You could be a threat if left unchecked. This is going to be fun."