SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 7 out, this is Chapter 8 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Pairings: Officially, Allelujah/Marie in Season Two. Tieria gains a somewhat romantic attraction to Anina/Sasha between Season One and Season Two.
Standard BS Disclaimers: I do not own Sailor Moon, Gundam 00 or the pairings. If I did, the other Senshi would be as powerful as Sailor Moon and kicking MOTD ass more often and VEDA would have least an anti-hacker program installed. The only thing I do own is the plot.
Chapter 8: Trans-Am
On the airspace near Ptolemaios and Infinity...
"Ptolemaios, this is Lasse, aboard the GN Arms." Lasse piloted the support machine towards the Ptolemaios. "Now entering docking sequence with assault container. Velocity relative to container, okay. Navigation laser, lock on." he let the GN Arms be pulled into the docking bay. "GN Arms docking with the assault container complete."
"Good work." Ian appeared on screen.
"Old man, how's Lockon's condition?" Lasse asked.
"Fortunately, his injuries are nothing too life-threatening." Ian replied. "But his shooting eye is injured. He's presently in the intensive care unit."
In the Ptolemaios' sick bay...
"Dr Moreno, how long do you expect it will take for him to regenerate it?" Sumeragi asked.
"He'll need at least three weeks." the blond doctor replied. "I'm sure you already know this, but once he entered this capsule, there's no coming out until he's healed."
"Please do all you can for him." Sumeragi requested. "During that time, we'll return to the dock and repair the Gundams." she informed the three Meisters behind her.
"But you'll never be able to shoot accurately with that kind of injury." Allelujah protested.
"Haro and I make a pretty good team." Lockon argued. "So don't underestimate us."
"Of course." Orange Haro chirped. "Of course."
In the repair docks...
"How are the repairs to the Gundams going?" Allelujah asked.
"We should be able to repair Virtue, no problem." Ian assured.
"And Dynames?" Allelujah inquired.
"Doesn't look good." Ian admitted. "The cockpit is severely damaged. It's more than the Karels can manage. We'll need to take it to the dock and replace the entire unit."
In the Ptolemaios' bridge...
"What's with this 'Fallen Angels' thing." Lasse sighed, once the declaration from the three world powers. "Who are they kidding?"
"Are they saying we're Lucifer's fallen angels?" Christina remarked.
In the Ptolemaios' VEDA Terminal...
Tieria and Anina were having a private conversation.
"You want to me what?" Tieria echoed after hearing Anina's request.
"Keep a lookout on Ribbons." Anina repeated. "I already put Nena on the same duty on our end."
"Why?" the Innovator pressed.
"Because I won't put it past that bastard not to find a backdoor into VEDA." Anina growled.
"Understandable." Tieria nodded. "And rather logical. Alright, I'll do it. You should go get some rest. Michael Trinity has been griping about you pulling an all-nighter just to compress the Trans-Am analysis."
"Ara, were you worried?" Anina teased.
"Don't be ridiculous." Tieria flushed slightly. "It'll be bad if you took ill at a critical time like this."
Anina snorted to hide her amused giggle and brought out a download window. "I'll send the Mirage Colloid program over to buy all of us some time before the next assault."
"That would be a good idea." Tieria nodded.
In the Krung Threp Resource Satellite field...
"Preparing to link assault container to Ptolemy." Christina reported. "Retrieval of Tail Booster complete."
"Let's finish our maintenance before the enemy comes." Ian led the repair Haros to work. "Hurry."
In the Ptolemaios briefing room...
"If you release all the compressed high-density particles accumulated in the machine, it'd be able to perform at three times its normal output at a limited time." Sumeragi presented Anina's analysis which Johann had brought.
"It's a feature that was only included in the original solar reactors." Allelujah noted.
"The Trans-Am System." Tieria added.
"Aeolia-jii-san left us one hell of a present." Lockon chuckled.
"Unfortunately, after using the Trans-Am, the machine's performance drops dramatically." Johann supplied. "That's the first thing Princess noticed."
"In other words, a double-edged sword." Setsuna concluded.
"A message from Nena." Johann brought out his messenger. "I'll play it on loudspeaker."
"Johann-nii," Nena's voice rang. "This is an urgent report from VEDA; all mobile suits with pseudo solar reactors that were on Earth have headed for space. And furthermore, they've created a replicate of the Thrones and it's pilot is Ali al-Saachez."
"Ali al-Saachez..." Lockon muttered. "That bastard's coming up here. How much longer is he going to mess with us?"
"Who is this man?" Allelujah asked.
"I heard he is some kind of a mercenary." Tieria replied.
"Lockon, I know what you're thinking and I strongly advise against it." Johann told the older Meister. "Princess has this very specific instruction for you: 'Lockon Stratos is not allowed to be in the front-line until his eye is completely healed. Otherwise, I will give Doctor Moreno explicit permission to cuff him to the healing module.'"
"That is..." Allelujah blinked. "Oddly specific."
"And that's her being nice." Johann snickered.
"And speaking of Anina, where is she?" Sumeragi asked.
"As of fifteen minutes ago, taking a nap." Johann replied. "I swear, if she had it her way, she'll be running on pure caffeine."
In the Ptolemaios' bridge...
"Looks like the three approaching transports are Union Virginia class ships." Christina reported.
"4200 until they're in visual combat range." Feldt added.
"Ptolemy is to back off and use the resource satellites as shields." Sumeragi instructed. "Feldt, activate the Mirage Colloid. Kyrios, Virtue, Exia, prepare for defensive battle. Dynames, stand by on the Ptolemy. "
In the sick bay...
"Come on, that's not fair." Lockon whined. "They locked the door on me." he growled, finding himself locked in.
Outside the sick bay...
"Don't you think it's a little drastic?" Allelujah asked the younger Meister.
"He's not the type who listens well." Tieria stated. "He protected the Infinity in that last fight, it's an oversight on our part. That's why this time, it's my turn to protect the integral part of Aeolia Schenberg's plan."
In the Ptolemaios' bridge...
"Kyrios stabilized with linear field." Feldt prepared Allelujah's unit for launch. "Mobile suits have been launched from the enemy's transport ships." she reported, the three Thrones were also launched from the Infinity. "The enemy forces consists of twenty-six machines equipped with pseudo GN Drives." she added after Setsuna and Tieria launched in succession.
"There's a Throne with the enemy's mobile suit teams." Christina reported.
In the airspace near the Ptolemaios and Infinity...
"Message to all pilots," Sergei passed the message. "Six Gundams have been launched. We will respond with Formation 245. Surround them and destroy them."
"Everyone seems excited." Ali noted, hanging back.
"Commencing pre-emptive attack." Allelujah went for the first strike, taking out several GN-Xs with his GN Beam Submachine Gun.
"Oi, Allelujah!" Michael called out and took off after Kyrios.
"You're no match for me!" Patrick led his squad forward, raining heavy fire at Kyrios and Zwei, Michael using the GN Fangs to created a hexagonal energy barrier to block out the attack.
"With this Tail Booster, I've got great mobility." Allelujah maneuvered out from behind Zwei and fired another long range shot at the GN-X units.
"All machines, stay in formation." Sergei's squad focused their attack on Virtue and Eins. "Switch to Plan E and shoot them down separately." he changed orders after the two attacking Gundams split off.
Using his GN shield to block out the heavy fire, Tieria fired his second GN Bazooka attached to Virtue's shoulders, scattering the attacking GN-Xs and taking down one unit.
Johann systemically took down two more GN-Xs with his GN Beam Rifle.
"Our attacks are ineffective." Daryl cursed as he concentrated fired on Eins.
"Leave it to me!" Ali charged in.
"The fake Throne!" both Tieria and Johann turned and the two Meisters trained their attack on Ali's unit.
"Fangs, fly!" Ali let loose the GN Fangs.
Using Virtue's GN Bazooka and Eins' Beam Rifle, the two pilots took out the flying remote controlled laser weapons.
"Now, help yourselves." Ali backed off, letting the GN-Xs take down the two Gundams after he took out Virtue's GN Shield.
"Re-calibrate your particle compression ratio." Johann told Tieria. "I'll hold them off."
"Sorry." Tieria responded as Johann fended off the GN-Xs with his GN Launcher.
Elsewhere, Allelujah and Michael were surprisingly working in sync to fight off the GN-Xs attacking them when a shot took out Kyrios' Tail Booster.
"My head." Allelujah winced, his quantum brainwaves were affected by the incoming Soma.
"Subject E-57!" Soma engaged Allelujah.
"Is that Soma Peries?" Allelujah recognized his opponent. "Michael Trinity..."
"I know." Michael stated and charged forward to deal with the incoming Sergei.
In the Ptolemaios' bridge...
"Bridge, can you hear me?" Ian contacted Sumeragi. "It's Dynames!"
"Dynames, launching!" Lockon declared. "I'm gonna attack their ships with the GN Armor. Don't worry." he assured Sumeragi. "I'll stick with your plan."
"But in your condition..." Sumeragi protested.
"Haro, sorry." Lockon cut off the connection. "But you're still stuck with me."
"Roger, roger." Orange Haro chirped.
In the airspace near the Ptolemaios and Infinity...
"What happened?" Sergei was shocked when Kyrios activated Trans-Am and moved out of Soma's attack range.
"Sorry, but I'm not letting you interfere with those two." Michael let loose his GN Fangs at Sergei.
"Trans-Am!" Tieria was forced to activate Trans-Am even with Johann's help. "Together, Johann Trinity!"
"Don't give me orders!" Johann snapped, the two heavy-duty Gundams firing their weapons at the GN-Xs.
"Colonel!" Patrick wailed, a loose meteorite debris knocking his GN-X off course.
"I'm losing particles..." Tieria winced, he and Johann coming under heavy fire by the remaining of Patrick's squad.
"Enemy machine, coming in fast." one of Daryl's squad mates reported when two GN-X units were shot down by the GN Arms.
"Lockon Stratos!" Johann recognized the Dynames.
"Concentrate fire on the new enemy." Daryl turned his focus on Dynames.
"Sorry, I can't target and fire now." Lockon remarked. "I'm just gonna have to blast away." he then let loose a bombardment of missiles. "I'm going ahead to attack their ships." he informed.
"Lockon, not in your present condition." Tieria warned.
"Thanks, I appreciate you concern." Lockon noted. "But right now, I'm here to fight."
"Goddammit!" Johann cursed. "Nena." he contacted Drei. "Go after Dynames and make sure Lockon doesn't do anything stupid."
"But..." Nena voiced.
"I'll be find on my own." Setsuna assured.
"Understood." Nena nodded and took off.
"He's too fast." Soma was taken aback by Kyrios' speed and getting an arm and leg shot off.
"Second Lieutenant!" Sergei came to his subordinate's aid, having dodged Zwei's GN Fangs, only to have his GN-X's head shot off.
"Damn it, Trans-Am is running out of time." Allelujah cursed, Kyrios powering down.
"Are they retreating?" Michael pulled up beside Kyrios, seeing Sergei's squad retreating.
In the Ptolemaios' bridge...
"Kyrios, Virtue, Trans-Am is finished." Christina reported. "They'll have reduced performance until their particles are recharged."
"What about Lockon?" Sumeragi asked.
"He's broken through the enemy's mobile suits." Feldt responded. "Drei is closing in on him. They're heading straight for the enemy's ships."
"I see." Sumeragi realized what happened. "Johann sent her after him."
In the airspace near Kati's ships...
"Lockon Stratos, don't be rash!" Nena pulled up beside Dynames.
"Nena Trinity..." Lockon noted. "We're attacking their bases."
"No argument from me about that." Nena concurred. Aiming her GN Long Rifle at the main ships, both she and Lockon fired their beam weapons at Kati's fleet.
"This'll end this!" Lockon roared, taking out another ship when he was shot from the back, the GN Arms was destroyed by the sudden attack and the sniper was forced to detach.
"That guy..." Nena recognized the Throne unit.
"Ail al-Saachez..." Lockon growled and took off after his hated enemy.
"Wait, Lockon!" Nena shouted after the older pilot and shot off after him.
"All because I can't use my good eye?" Lockon cursed, his shots were missing Ail.
Ali came out from under an asteroid and engaged Lockon in a beam saber fight.
"You're al-Saachez from the KPSA, aren't you?" Lockon snarled. "You're the bastard who ordered the suicide bombing in Ireland. Why?"
"I did it because I'm a mercenary." Ali bragged. "Besides, it's obvious the Middle East will react violently when the AEU built their orbital elevator."
"You involved innocent people." Lockon growled.
"You're the same as me." Ail snorted. "You're just a terrorist who says he's trying to eradicate war."
"I'll take full blame for what I've done." Lockon admitted. "But after I defeat you." he let loose his missile bombardment, the attack missing Ail completely as he used a nearby meteorite to shield himself and the two adversaries took the fight further away. "I'll never forgive you!" Lockon was raining fire at Ali using his GN Beam Pistol. "You're the personification of everything that gives birth to fighting. I'm going to change the world." he pulled out his second beam saber and chased after Ail.
"There you are, Gundam!" Daryl closed in on Dynames.
"I won't let you get between them!" Nena took out Daryl with her beam saber.
"Stupid." Ali sneered, letting his GN Fangs loose to determine Lockon's weakness. "You can't see your right side." he concluded, seeing Lockon used his Beam Pistol to take out the Fangs, only to have three Fangs embed themselves onto Dynames and self-destruct, heavily damaging Dynames.
"Lockon Stratos, what are you doing?" Nena demanded, seeing Lockon open his cockpit.
"Haro, take Dynames back to the Ptolemy." Lockon exited the cockpit. "That's an order. I'm trusting you with the solar reactor." he floated out of the cockpit.
"Lockon Stratos, whatever you think you're doing, stop it!" Nena barked.
"Sorry, Nena." Lockon saluted the female pilot. "But this is something I have to do by myself." locating Ali's unit, he took aim using his targeting module and the GN Arms' remaining cannon and fired, just as Ali fired his beam rifle at the same time.
Lockon's blast missed Ali, but Ali's attack destroyed GN Arms cannon, the shockwave sending the dying Lockon adrift.
"Don't you dare give up now, Lockon Stratos!" Nena demanded, exiting Drei and moving beside Lockon.
Lockon just reached a hand out to Earth and closed his palm, before closing his eyes forever.
"Lockon!" Nena let out an anguish wail.
In the Ptolemaios' bridge...
"Both Kyrios and Virtue survived." Christina reported.
"Dynames has been confirmed." Feldt added. "It's making its way back to the Ptolemy with Drei."
"Sumeragi-san, I'm sorry." a sobbing Nena opened communication to the Ptolemaios. "Lockon Stratos has..."
"He couldn't have..." Sumeragi breathed.
In the airspace near the Ptolemaios and Infinity...
"No way..." Allelujah was shell-shocked.
"This can't be..." Tieria wept.
"Nena, what the hell happened?" Anina barked.
"Princess..." Nena gasped. "I'm sorry, I... couldn't stop him..." she let loose another flood of tears.
SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.