Rex (King)
Rex tremendae majestatis (King of tremendous majesty)
Qui salvandos salvas gratis (Who freely saves those worthy ones)
Salve me, fons pietatis (Save me, source of mercy)
- Rex Tremendae
Observer watched as a line of white crept across the sky in a streak. Its pearly tail stretched in its wake across the horizon, mapping the comet's journey among the cosmos. No stars shone on this day, only the falling star pierced the gray haze like a diamond. Her eyes tracked one with seeming interest. Then another. And then more. Observer quickly lost count of how many there were.
Her smirk never left her face.
Her expression was shared by her kin who all gazed skyward with child-like fascination. A once-in-a-lifetime scene such as this would be a captivating experience to behold, to see the heavens move with dancing lights. But this was no mere meteor shower. Their enjoyment came from what this unnatural phenomenon exacted.
"So this is how our dear Tanager wishes to end things."
"When fate has defied her wishes, she has taken to harnessing the very heavens for her wrath," Tester quipped. "She could not reconcile the outcome of her actions, and thus sought to destroy everything."
"Well at least she's put up a good show. And she's saved the best for last!" cackled Purifier. "Man, seeing this sure takes me back!"
The lead Siren chuckled. "Funny you mention it. To think that this world was brought to ruin not so long ago… Now she wishes to repeat history. Phantoms of the past making a vengeful return. The past and the future are indeed intersected..."
Beside them, though not of their kind, stood the fourth member of the group. Her eyes too were fixated with the spectacle above and like the Sirens, there was a smile on her lips. Where her unearthly allies took glee at the destruction they brought, she found more satisfaction in the falling asteroids themselves. The cataclysm that changed the world and altered fate, brought to the world a new breed of war, now taking part in the return of conflict. A world, once broken, only barely held together by the seams, the future unable to escape the past.
Truly, this was the legacy of Ulysses.
"So it is..." the woman murmured. "So it is..." A grin. "The situation has escalated in unexpected but… pleasant ways."
"But let us not lose sight of our ongoing objective," Tester interjected. "This will after all, be the final battle of this war."
Observer Alpha agreed. "And there is still a wealth of data we've yet to collect. Do maintain diligence as we watch the final act play out. We must see how every player acts - how they fight…
"... And how some will die."
The group continued to watch the meteor shower as it shattered the skies with their crisscrossing streaks.
Location: on approach to the Twinkle Islands
Operation: Judgement Day
"Holy crap!"
The outburst shook everyone awake and alert, their eyes widening in horror as they caught sight of a sun-like orb piercing the gray shroud, the sharp glare of the light doing little to obfuscate the meteorite's close proximity. Only a deep guttural drone foreshadowed the apocalyptic sight before it fell to earth in a great flash. A great gust washed over them, carrying the terrible roar of the impact in the shockwave.
In that moment, the advance of the approaching ships all came to a pause. The wind buffeted against their frames with a gale that rivaled a hurricane's. Even when the wind died down, their breaths never recovered.
Tennessee stared in awe, unafraid to let her surprise define her reaction. "God damn…!"
"It's like the end of the world!"
Kestrel looked to the skies above with forlorn eyes. "This… this must have been what it was like..."
"Andromeda here, are you alright?!"
"Yes," Buzzard replied with an edge in her tone. "But that landed closer than we'd be comfortable with!"
"Better than what's going on in the mainland. Evacuations have already been called but we're still nowhere close to completion! Keep going, you're getting close to the location!"
"Yes, you better!" Dysnomia's voice interjected loudly on the radio. "The Rán Fleet is currently engaged in providing what defense we can, so we're putting our lives in your hands! Stop Tanager and protect the Kingdom!... Please!"
As the combined fleet stared upward, all they saw was the sky in turmoil. Blue skies and the golden sun had long since been smothered by gray overcast. The wind blew cold and unwelcoming and the murky ocean was restless and agitated. The rough conditions were accompanied not by precipitation but by a storm of fire; everywhere they looked, the allied ships saw only falling stars, a hail of light as far as they could see. The meteors disappeared into the horizon just as quickly as they appeared from the clouds, their final destination unseen but not uncertain - the faint outline of the Usean continent stretched far behind the ships where many of them fell. The one that impacted near them just then was no doubt being repeated everywhere.
It was a scene straight out of the apocalypse - the end of all things.
At the head of the fleet, Fort Grace did what anyone would have done in her position, in the face of such cataclysmic sight.
"Fort Grace here. All ships, report in!"
"'Ol' Scarface is on standby!"
"My sisters and I are ready!"
"We've been ready already. Let us end this!"
"All Eagle Union and Royal Navy ships are good to go!"
"I shall always be by your side, Your Grace!"
The Delta carrier gave a small nod. The moment had arrived and there would be no delay. "Preparations are complete, ready for battle. All ships, full speed ahead!"
Location: Megalith
Built on the scant land, mere mounds of dirt that were the Twinkle Islands, a great gray fortress stood. It dominated an entire landmass as if it were afloat, standing proudly on the waves, its defiance the only foundation it was constructed on. Where there would be walls, this fortress had none, only the cold metal faces lined with ramparts; where there would be towers, grand angled obelisks rested in the center of the cross-like structure.
This was no ordinary castle with which its stone walls whispered of its age and protective strength. Megalith was a fortress without history, without tradition, without mercy, only sin - it was a mark on the world from where its end was being orchestrated. From its resting point, the stronghold casted its judgement upon the earth.
Where she stood, taking in the sight of the end of the world, Tanager could not be any more content.
No, not yet. Not until the land has been reduced to ash.
The nations which had exploited them; the people who had conspired against them; and now the Rose Kingdom which had betrayed them. The Rose Kingdom that seceded from her monarchy, content to defy her rule.
But the monarchy still lived - her Aegir Fleet. And for it to survive, all must be destroyed. Crushed, annihilated, eviscerated.
She would settle for nothing less. This was not an act of aggression - it was retribution. It was survival.
Performed with reason, from beginning to end.
"Beautiful…"
Tanager turned her gaze low, resting to the empty void where the sea and sky met. She could not see it, but she could sense it - the hated lands that were once her known world, her rivals, enemies, and even her own crown jewel. The Rose Kingdom had meant everything to her.
She would have been content to bring ruin to everything if it meant ensuring her Kingdom's sovereignty. But now that it was subsumed by infidels, Tanager would burn it all. Burn everything.
It would not just be her who had everything to lose.
As she surveyed the horizon, another sensation crept within Tanager. Facing towards the world that conspired against her, so too her conspirators dwelled. Her fleet had covered their tracks, made their grand encore a tightly-guarded secret, but for all their precautionary measures Tanager found reason to be unconvinced.
She knew they were out there. She could sense them. They were coming.
The war wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
"It's a requiem..."
Tanager turned, swiftly withdrawing into the depths of her bastion. Inside, the sight of her lieutenant was the first to greet her.
"Gather our fleet. Set off as soon as they are ready."
"I see them. Got a tally-ho on the hostiles."
Fort Grace squinted her eyes, barely making out faint specks before her radar picked them up for her. She spotted contacts on sea and air. Instantly she was reminded of the straits arrayed against them back at Farbanti. While their foes were deprived of allies, there was no doubt the Aegir remnants would give their all this day; another battle to determine fates.
And behind them loomed the ominous silhouette of their final fortress, their home away from their own cradle - Megalith.
"Engage the enemy!" Andromeda called. "I'll run an analysis of the fortress ASAP!"
The Delta carrier shot forward, her Phantoms in diligent tow. Their claws were bared, eager to taste first blood, but they were not alone - far from it. Hornets, Eagles, Flankers, Rafales, Tomcats, and even Swordfishes rushed forward, forming the tip of the spear for the united offensive.
As Fort Grace charged, the enemy's reaction was immediate. She eyed enemy air contacts fan out, spreading their formation to meet them. Her eyes narrowed as the enemy air cover moved, their speed and agility having already hinted their identities before their distinct outlines told her what she suspected.
The carrier quickly swerved aside, catching herself from falling into the Wyverns' trap as the opposing airforces came to blows. Mechanical birds swooping and circling around, trading missiles as much as their roles of hunter and prey. But as grand a stage the skies were, Fort Grace's attention was directed to more immediate concerns. Although she blunted her own charge towards battle, the carrier could tell she was already a target.
Although the Wyvern's appearance confirmed her suspicions, the sudden arrival of their owner did not fail to surprise her. She swiftly stepped to the side with a grunt, barely dodging a blade. Discomforting memories already began to seep in as she laid eyes on the armor-clad Geofon. But this time, she would not be so easily shaken.
"Thought you'd learn your lesson from our last encounter," the Delta carrier dryly muttered.
"I have," Geofon replied, glowering at her opponent with a gaze that rivaled her rapier. "This time… I will destroy you."
Fort Grace's rebuttal came in the form of an errant missile that shot at Geofon's side. The reply was instantly blunted but it preceded the arrival of the other carriers and ships as they converged upon them. To aid Fort Grace or to bring the fight to Geofon, their actions were one and the same. But like the Delta carrier, they too were not intimidated by the empowered Aegir ship.
With all that was at stake, there would be no fear this day.
Ordnance whizzed around Geofon like bullets, planes screamed past like angry wasps. Surrounded, she immediately assumed a defense but she had no intention of allowing herself to simply lose slowly under the enemy's withering hail.
First to step forward was the red-haired mercenary, her Flankers demonstrating their name by attempting to catch Geofon in a pincer. Clad in the X-02 Wyvern once more, Geofon wasted no time turning to her armor's capabilities to her advantage. Vanishing in a blur, the Aegir carrier appeared right on top of White Valley, blade in hand. The glint of her rapier must have betrayed her position, for the Delta carrier turned just in time to catch only a light cut on her jacket.
Geofon leapt aside, her failed strike evoking attempted retaliation from her foes. She zipped around like an energetic particle, outpacing their aim and attacks. Already the allied ships kept their distance; they no doubt they remembered the experience from Farbanti.
Fort Grace kept her eyes on target, watching the carrier as much as her blade. Her opponent moved erratically, her intended target chosen on a whim. Moving like a blur, Geofon danced like a wraith among the allied carriers, proving nearly incorporeal to return fire.
Nearly.
A blur of gray before she completely vanished from Fort Grace's field of vision. The emptiness before her made for an unsettling feeling on her back. A shout only amplified the disturbing sense.
"Behind you!"
She could turn, but it would already be too late.
Above her, sword high in hand, Geofon allowed herself to relish in the prospect of skewering the Ribbon, her back perfectly exposed in a perfect moment of attack. Her shadow was upon her like the hand of death; there was no way she could-
Suddenly, something collided against her waist. Sharp like a knife, forceful like a punch, and with the alacrity to surpass both. Geofon was tossed aside, to the smirk of the observing Buzzard. "Gotcha."
The armored carrier leapt up to her feet with a spiteful grimace but was immediately beset upon by bombs. Although the armor shielded Geofon from the impacts, her wings and propulsion were marred with scorch marks. "Can't have you running away so easily now!" Ark Royal beamed.
"Now!"
Geofon tried to jump into motion but found herself entrapped by a storm of ordnance. Now slowed for the attacks to connect, they came like a vengeance. Even with the armor Geofon felt them pounding on her.
A flash of light and the smoke of the assault was instantly cut apart. The coalition ships recoiled back, recognizing the presence of a keen blade. Seizing her chance Geofon broke off from the encirclement. Once again she was on the move, free to wreak what havoc she can among the combined fleet - but the pockmarks that adorned her exterior was disproof of her invulnerability.
The allies grew determined knowing they can best the all-powerful ship.
Elsewhere, away from the showdown of titans, the battle raged in its own heated ordeal. While the skies became the domain of carriers, the seas below were the only refuge for those who were not.
Keeping her head low so as to not attract the notice of the many eyes in the sky, the Azur Lane cruisers searched for a role to play. They did not have long to look before missiles streaked past them, swooping from a low angle. All heads turned to catch glimpse of the Aegir destroyers, the remainder of what was left of the once formidable fleet. They skirted furtively in the distance as if they too knew to steer clear of the carriers' duel, staying close to Megalith that loomed over them in a dark shadow.
Their presence was temptation for the allied ships, and it was only until when a swift tracer clipped into Cleveland's shoulder did the bait turn into a taunt. "Okay guys, let's get 'em!"
The light cruisers all fanned out as they advanced, the Eagle Union girls taking center stage while the Royal maids brought up the rear. Sensing challenge, the enemy destroyers charged as well.
"Only Aegir ships should be on these waters! Sweep 'em from our sight!"
Missiles shot forth before cannonfire came sailing the other way. Determined faces met other determined faces, but as both sides closed in to engage in melee, Denver caught sight of something that gave her pause.
"You're not gonna believe this, Cleve! All of them have Aquila insignias!"
The look of doubt spread to the elder sister as her eyes sought the veracity of the claim, but amid the chaos of combat she too saw it. The mark of the golden eagle emblazoned on the hulls of the destroyers where it once was not. A small but distinct emblem, one that Cleveland and her friends had learned to recognize over the past.
Denver was right: she couldn't believe what the emblem of the Aquila Vanguard was doing on them.
A sudden shot brought Cleveland back to attention but not before kicking the wind out of her as she stumbled. As she smarted from the wound, she heard a familiar snicker as if to laugh at her predicament.
"Where're you looking, moron? You're gonna make this too easy for me!"
Cleveland glared at Herne, unafraid of the rifle and scope pointed her way. She worked the bolt with a jeering smile but before the cycle could complete the Eagle cruiser was already up and running.
Like the others, Herne also bore the same emblem on her hull; the symbol that was never hers from the start.
The young knight swerved wide to the side away from the sniper's line of fire. But this did little to dissuade Herne's aim as she caught up to her target. Cleveland ducked right as the trigger was pulled, but rather than zip high as she thought, the shot instead sailed low kicking into her shin. Two shots in with only a pained gasp to show for as the young cruiser fell, unable to score her own retaliation.
The same laugh mocked her. "What's wrong? The new Aquila Vanguard too tough for you? I must be better than that dumb Raven if I'm giving you trouble!"
Cleveland shot spiteful daggers at the smug sniper. "Like hell you are!"
"Cleve!" Turning towards the shout, Herne was immediately beset upon with pelting shellfire. She whirled her rifle around towards the charging figures of Eagle ships, squeezing off a shot as she did. Spared the victim of the shot, Montpelier closed in. Firing as fast as her guns would allow, she finally forced Herne back, grunting as she ran. The two ships circled, their aim seeking each other out.
But with patience, Herne was the first to smirk. "I have you now!"
She fired a sure shot, but when the smoke subsided, she was greeted with the sight of a glowing blue field. Past its semi-transparent surface, she saw Montpelier, but standing in front of her she saw Reno. The repulsor field faded away to reveal her cocky grin.
Herne cursed but she didn't have time to ready another shot before more shells began to rain her way - more interlopers come to besiege her. She recoiled back from the new attack but it wasn't long until she inadvertently walked into another.
"You won't diss our big sis and get away with it!"
"We have the power of teamwork on our side!"
"It's over! Accept your defeat!"
Herne snarled at the intense counterattack, but the heat reached a new height when another barrage came upon her like hail. The destroyer reeled from the scorching - and familiar - fire as its sender closed in on her with fury.
Herne tried to whip her rifle around but the full force of Cleveland's guns forced her back evermore. Locked in melee, there was no way to escape the young knight's grasp. With the rifle's length made useless in close combat, Herne desperately took to swinging it at Cleveland. She swung, but only at empty air. The Eagle cruiser capitalized on Herne's mistake with a swift kick to her side that sent her knocked backward.
The destroyer looked up to see her opponent standing victorious over her, her sisters-in-arms by her side. "You think just because you have their emblem that you're anywhere as good as they were? You're no Aquila Vanguard… You're worse than copycats!"
Seething, Herne bolted to her feet and made a break for it. Everywhere she looked, she could see the widening cracks in their defense as her newly-christened "Aquila Vanguard" were barely stemming the onslaught. She wasted no time yelling into her comms. "Hey! Help us out here already!"
Within the fortress, Beowulf v picked up the phone. "Nu, already? We already have our hands full here operating the OLDS, we'd-"
"Shut up, just shut up! I don't get why you didn't activate them already so-"
"Okay okay, nu!" The submarine complained, aware of the attention she was getting from her queen behind her. Inside the control facility, the two submarines were preoccupied with running Megalith's faculties. As its brain, they controlled the means with which Tanager could enact her revenge, sending loose asteroids hurtling down on the land below. Already the land was burning under her command and still she wanted more. This was a demand that would not be denied.
Although they were encased from outside threats thanks to their great fortress, Beowulf v had a good feeling they weren't safe from threats within. Specifically from one who stood over shoulder.
"... Rerouting power. Initializing bulkheads 1 through 13!"
At once, the fortress became activated. Though immobile and monolithic, Megalith stirred. Despite already raining destruction on the land, the giant was slowly coming awake as everywhere on the slab ebon surface hatches and ports opened. From them, a multitude of small but potent guns lanced out, forming a battlement.
Free from the din of heavy combat, Andromeda was the first to witness the scene of Megalith earning its teeth. "Heads-up, everyone! Megalith's got defenses active!"
Immediately the cruisers sprung into motion as the automated defenses, now alive, visibly moved in search of targets. As the ones nearest to the fortress, the allied ships knew they were the first customers to the oncoming rain of shells and missiles. In the middle of this, motion below caught Cleveland's eyes as she saw Herne and the other Aegir destroyers vanish behind a large gate before it closed shut, disguised as an unassuming protrusion on Megalith's exterior.
With a grunt, she shot forward, unafraid of the barrage. Entering range of her own guns, Cleveland blasted away at the armored gate. But when the smoke cleared, she saw that her efforts were in vain as nary even a pockmark adorned the surface. She beat a hasty retreat as the attention of multiple turrets compelled her back.
"Dang it. They've locked us out!"
She paused as she dodged another attack. Her sisters and allies were likewise doing what they could under the nonstop bombardment, even returning fire. But like Cleveland, they quickly found their attempts pointless as the dark citadel weathered their blows like rain against rock. And all the while, retaliation was endless.
As the cruisers wavered, a thundering crack resounded behind them before the face of the fortress vanished in flash and smoke. Tennessee's smoking barrels waited anxiously but when the dust settled, she was only rewarded with the sight of scorched blemish on the hull and the silence of some guns. But the fire continued.
"At least the turrets can be silenced!" the battleship growled as she now caught the attention of the automated defenses.
"Great. A handful down, too many more to go!" Denver replied. But further exchanges were cut short when unexpected impacts began slamming into Tennessee's side. Everyone flinched as sharp shapes darted by low before they pulled up to reveal them to be Wyverns, chased by friendly jets. But against a cutting-edge aircraft, they were left in the dust as the Wyverns outraced them, looping back down to ready another dive on the allied ships below.
The allied carriers bolted before the strike could come, the rain of missiles coming thick and heavy. Recovering from the attack, Ark Royal whipped up her rifle, sending her Swordfishes forth in an attempt to catch the lone enemy carrier in her tracks. Slow as they were, she had a plan as her biplanes tailed Geofon from all sides, eager to drop their bombs under the cover of chaos. But the deception was foiled when Wyverns swept through the sky like a wind, smiting all the Swordfishes. Defenseless, they had no chance.
Other planes tried to pick up the slack, weaving in and out and circling about the furball where Geofon was the epicenter. But she refused to be restrained by their boundaries. Returning to her speed, the carrier resumed her frantic dance of melee. But this time Geofon had adapted: no longer did she engage one opponent at a time alone, this time her Wyverns were by her side, their purpose the same as their owner. Carriers of the alliance all moved to trap Geofon but found themselves all beset by the inverted-winged birds, forced to fight their own battles rather than as one.
Fort Grace felt the sting of this predicament, grunting as she narrowly dodged yet another blow from Geofon and her Wyvern airstrikes. Her own Phantoms were by her side but that was only a small solace; out in the corner of her eyes, she watched as she fought by her lonesome, her isolation enforced by Geofon's planes as they harried and harassed the others.
"Your Grace!" Tea Time dashed ahead, braving the fearsome air battle and of the empowered carrier in support of her friend. But in spite of the risks, it was not the storm of missiles that struck her, but a lone shot stabbing into her back that felled her.
Casting her eyes back to the fortress, Cleveland saw the faraway image of Herne, her destroyers now accompanying the turrets atop Megalith. Their gazes met, a flash of satisfaction from the sniper, before she quickly turned her aim to her next victim: the Eagle Union's Knight of the Sea.
As was in the previous battles, Tanager remained aloof from the fighting. It was a given that as queen, her subjects and knights would conduct the fighting on her behalf. Some would call it necessary, for a leader to remain afar where they could govern the struggle with clarity, just as a head would delegate the hands. Others may even call it cowardice. To Tanager, it was sometimes vexing, to be withheld from partaking in glorious slaughter, to become the architect of destiny - hers and her enemies.
But sometimes, simply witnessing the battle from afar was satiating enough.
From the command center deep within the walls of Megalith, she had full view of everything that went on outside. From a multitude of displays, she beheld clarity.
Her lieutenant spreading disarray among the enemy carriers; her newly-crowned knights harrying her foes; her invincible fortress threatening to crush them all. And all this time, the continent was steadily dying, faint tremors beating like her heart. Thousands, perhaps millions, perishing so that her chosen few would live.
"Yes, YES! Keep killing! Bury their lives under the weight of your lead! Kill! KILL!"
For what seemed like the first time in ages, Tanager felt bliss. To slay was always an exhilaration, so long as the outcome was favorable. After a string of defeats that stretched for too long, the battleship had grown suspicious of that feeling.
But this time, she embraced that emotion. She quenched her thirst from the oasis of fortune. For the first time, she felt as if she truly held fates in her hand. For the first time, she stood the chance of terminating her many enemies.
For the first time, she felt ultimate victory was at hand.
She was content.
Same could not be said for Andromeda as she worked. Far from it.
As she shared the collective eyes and ears of her allies, she too could see everything. The carriers all united against their sole counterpart, but their numbers and acumen were doing little to overpower the Wyvern armor; the others, once dueling the Aegir destroyers, now found themselves facing the impassable wall of steel and guns that were Megalith's walls; and news from the mainland were becoming bleak.
The battle was not looking good.
The attack had already been risky, to charge in without a plan. And now, they were in dire need of one.
If not, it would not be just the entire Usean continent that will perish this day.
She tried to think. The schematics of Megalith were still fresh in her head as much as they were within reach, but with incomplete information, she needed more. The fortress's impregnability was a readily proven hypothesis, as was the slew of defenses that secretly adorned its exterior. Reports had also revealed the presence of entrances - the possibility of a way in - but with the current circumstances they were not an option. Their foes held some impressive cards, and it was her job to try to discern what they were.
The fact was not helped by the chronic rumblings she felt. Although she put herself somewhere safe, Andromeda could feel the noticeable vibrations, the sea churning restlessly as stars rained from the sky. They fell without discrimination, some even falling close enough to where Andromeda was that the great gust of impacts buffeted her. The same blasts that no doubt many more were experiencing, some worse than she was right now, like her fellow ships locked in desperate struggle, the Rán allies forced to brave the storm, the-
"Andromeda!"
The intelligence vessel snapped out of it. "S-sorry."
"Megalith. Anything new?" Buzzard urgently asked.
"Capabilities are nothing out of the ordinary. Megalith's armor plating is impervious even to heavy artillery and point defenses have the entire facility covered," Andromeda sighed. "... News from the mainland are getting worse by the minute. The asteroids are falling at a faster rate and our cities can't evacuate people fast enough! If this keeps up, they'll-"
"Yes yes, we know! Focus on finding a way to shut down Megalith once and for all!"
Andromeda complied, forcing her mind back at task. She wracked her brain to consider everything that was at hand. What does she know about it? Megalith is a hardened fortress-bunker, its design built to be as defensible as humanly possible. There would be literally no way to destroy the facility from the outside - not with its defenses playing an active role.
So what about the inside?
Andromeda reconsidered the blueprints with a close eye. There were entrances but as long as they were in Aegir Fleet hands they would be denied any access. The walls would likewise answer the same. The automated turrets were much more vocal, to engage all of them at once would require a substantial diversion of power that the fortress no doubt-
Wait. Power?
Andromeda went back to the comms. "Andromeda to all allied ships, can anyone see a way inside Megalith?"
"Are you kidding? They clearly shut us out!" a voice called back.
"Keep looking! There's got to be another way. A sea fortress of that size has got to have some sort of-"
"Maintenance shaft? Yeah I figured."
Andromeda did a double-take. "White Valley, you know something about this?"
"Busted a fortress like this way back," the carrier answered. Faint sounds of combat were heard in the background. "Found a way in and hit it where it hurts! Of course, this place isn't exactly like-"
Andromeda wasted no time. Sifting through the data at top speed, it was not long until she found what she sought, and from there an idea began to form.
"Maintenance shafts identified. They're scattered throughout the exterior of Megalith. Analysis shows that the OLDS controls and automated defenses are all drawing power from a single generator from within."
On the airwaves, all who could spare their attention were already hooked. "Right, so what's the plan?!"
Andromeda paused to review everything she saw. The conclusions she drew from those observations could be the key to everything: victory or their defeat. Much was at stake. There will be no second guesses nor second chances.
She took a breath. "Okay, here goes, so pay attention…"
The battle maintained its frenetic pace, the tempo high and still climbing even higher. Wyverns cut through the air almost as easily as they slipped through the carriers' fingers, always outpacing their own craft. Geofon's planes were outnumbered, but they were far from outfought. They circled, harrying and harassing the ships below with inhuman persistence. Pushed and pushed evermore on the defense, it was every carrier for themselves.
And yet, in spite of all this, Kestrel found the time to be briefed of their deliverance. A scheme had been shared over the comms and she braced herself for what was to come.
She had a role to play.
From the corner of her vision, Kestrel caught a glimpse of Buzzard. She too had snuck a glance at her, and now their eyes met. Though not a player for the coming act, Buzzard shared the weight of what was to come. It would be all on her sister now.
"Ready?"
Kestrel gave only a single nod. "Yes."
"You sure it's okay to send sis by herself? She'll need help."
"She won't be alone," Buzzard replied. "And out of all of us, she has what it takes."
"Yeah but-"
"We don't have time to argue, Vulture. She does her job… we do ours!"
Buzzard concentrated, willing her fleet of surviving Hornets to redouble their efforts. The skies were already a storm but subtle change soon affected the air as Buzzard's planes pursued the inverted-winged birds with increased ferocity. They had fought to protect their master - now, it was not just her that they fought to protect.
The slightest of windows was open, and Kestrel leapt at the chance. She spared one last look to her sisters, her friends, to all her comrades-in-arms before breaking off in a sprint. Back turned to their battle, Kestrel felt alone even as she sailed alongside an unlikely companion.
White Valley's confident smirk greeted Kestrel. "Yo songbird."
Kestrel answered with as warm a smile as she could. But the air was frigid and hostile. Turning ahead, Kestrel saw the source of the cold atmosphere, rising above the surface like a black iceberg. Megalith.
And the duo were headed straight for it.
Missiles alerts began ringing in their ears. Kestrel and White Valley turned to dodge but their course held firm. Daring to approach the ebon stronghold, they attracted the attention of its defenses. Enemy fire pelted on the two carriers like hail but even the intensifying fire failed to dissuade them as they weathered the storm. Coming close, the two finally veered away, splitting in opposite directions.
"Access points marked on your HUD. Make your way up top and get in ASAP!"
White Valley maintained her speed, injecting what extra speed she could as she shot towards the colossal exterior with a daring countenance. Gliding alongside the fortress, she bided her time until she neared her destination, darting to the side where her speed delivered her up the inclined walls. Finishing her journey with a great leap, White Valley wasted no time bolting for the access point. Even without the visual indicator to highlight it, an indentation betrayed the presence of a gaping maw - just barely small enough for her to sail straight in.
The carrier offered a small peek to the side. On the opposite side, separated by fields of mechanical outcropping and monoliths, Kestrel was seen making her way to her own objective, to her own abyss.
White Valley looked away just in time to nearly catch a missile on her back. Stumbling from the surprise, she considered herself fortunate that she was even able to slide right into the open maintenance shaft without getting hammered or smacking herself on her way in. A tight fit, but good enough to escape the blast that pursued her. Soon, the enemy's own invincible fortress protected her.
A detachment of Wyverns zoomed overhead, their quarry having slipped from their grasp. Having failed their hunt, they had no recourse but to circle back and return to their owner. Geofon's eyes had seen everything.
"My liege, we have a situation…"
Darkness.
Having slipped inside, the speed in which Kestrel delivered herself upon entering the tunnel of pipes and wires made for a claustrophobic journey. Sounds of her own breathing faintly echoed. Inside, it was nothing but dark. It surrounded her as much as the walls did.
The only way through was forward.
The Federation carrier ran ahead, the clammy concrete and condensed space depriving her of wings. Under the shell of Megalith, echoes of some mechanical heart could be heard whereas the world outside had become muted. But a familiar voice continued to accompany her.
"Kestrel, you're in. Just head straight wherever the access tunnel takes you to. First objective should be up ahead."
"Understood." Entrusting the advice, Kestrel surged forward. She tucked her head down within the low ceiling although sparks and scrapes occasionally rang out between the interior environment and her rigging. Though caution tempted her to be methodical, she proceeded with utmost haste - every moment spent on delay was spent risking the lives of others.
Kestrel concentrated, determined but careful as she raced along Megalith's mechanical veins. The tunnel weaving like a snake and the narrow passageway did not let up. Likewise, neither did the ship.
Hissing of steam. Rhythmic beats of machinery. Sharp squeal of metal. The faint buzzing of electricity-
Electricity. Power. The sound grew as Kestrel progressed, and the more it grew, the more it compelled her forward. She was getting close. Copper-like cables began to adorn the sides. Although appearing harmless, their presence caused Kestrel's HUD to flicker. She felt an invisible force prick her skin ever so slightly.
Then her IFF picked up a target ahead, plucked from behind even the inner walls of the Rose Kingdom's final sanctum.
She picked up the pace, but the danger started to grow. The cables grew dense around her, humming more and more in intensity. This time, the power that ran through them was restless. They seemingly grew excited, even agitated, by the arrival of the carrier. Bright sparks popped and flashed, reaching out toward Kestrel as she ran past. She winced as the sharp current ran its course through her rigging, no doubt the target of the electricity's attraction. The tight passageway was now made even more treacherous, the painful jolts warding Kestrel further from the walls than she already was.
She grimaced as she eyed the incoming target, trusting her own instincts more than the mechanical senses. She held the objective in her vision, her indicator struggling to keep a steady lock on it.
Kestrel held steady, her mind focused to only one thing in the world.
… Lock-on!
She fired, a missile summoned by her will in spite of the pain. A single act that alone decided outcomes.
An explosion - and Kestrel shot out from the smoke. She continued rushing onward, her mission accomplished. Soon, the shaft lead her upward… back to freedom.
She was never more happy to return to the sea.
"Kestrel here. Target has been destroyed!"
"Whew! Just beat me to it, songbird. I'm all done on my side!"
"Megalith sub-generators destroyed, well done! That's phase 1 complete!" By the tone alone, Kestrel could tell Andromeda was smiling. But there was no time to celebrate. There were another trial to come and if the next step was not overcome, then their efforts would have been in vain.
"Commence phase 2!"
On the consoles, Beowulf π and Beowulf v were in frantic work addressing the effects. Flashes of red plagued the displays, warning all of impending danger and caution but only the submarines deciphered their meaning. Their panicked reports to and fro painted a perilous picture for all that would otherwise not be in the know.
"Failure in the conduits! They're not responding!"
"Power surge fluctuating outside normal parameters, nu! We needed those sub-generators!"
"We have no alternative… Open up the shielding. We need to stabilize the main reactor!"
Behind them, standing in utter silence, observed Tanager. Her narrow stare loomed over the backs of her subordinates, glaring at the monitors for the bad news they told her. Her piercing gaze was sharper than any sword, more malevolent than any conniving dagger, yet it had no effect on what she was seeing and hearing. No amount of will could alter the reality that played out.
She was furious.
So they have found it: a weakness. A flaw so small yet significant. A chink in the armor for exploitation. They had been allowed to transgress her sanctum and vandalize it. From the sentiment of invulnerability came the unexpected subversion. A common theme - she was known it enough to be familiar with it.
The Delta Coalition had discovered a way to bring Megalith to its knees.
Once again, her enemies had found something to use. Something that she had overlooked or had not anticipated. For all her drive and zealotry, her machinations were not without flaw. Never without imperfection. Her foes had always taken advantage of this. Even the slightest of impairment they-
They had a chance to triumph over her this day.
Once again, they would win. Once again they would undo everything she sought, rob her of her wishes. Once again, she would be left to contend in ruin.
Once again…
Once again!
The reaction swelled within her; it rose like steam. It simmered in her breath, her jaw clenched in a vain attempt to contain it. Her fists tightened enough to draw blood from her own palms. She was barely aware that her own breathing had become labored.
None of the Beowulves noticed the unbearable rage that took hold of Tanager.
"Whew, okay okay… Main generator's stable for the time being," Beowulf π reported with reluctant relief. "With the sub-generators offline, it's without proper shielding. But if we can prevent anymore trespassers from crawling in the maintenance shafts, then-"
She paused. She shared a look with her partner who no doubt came to the same shocking revelation.
"... T-they're not serious, are they nu?!"
"T-targeting our reactor… the results could be catastrophic…!"
A smashing fist cut the air between the two, the impact causing them to jump. At first, the sudden arrival of Tanager had come as a surprise. But their shock paled as they looked upon her visage.
Leering over the intercom, Tanager's orders came as a snarling hiss.
"Herne, withdraw to the interior now. NOW! Do not return until you have the head of our next intruder!" She did not wait for a reply before she turned her manic gaze on the submarines. They barely had time to recoil from the sight.
"Turn Megalith's aim onto our foes! ANNIHILATE THEM!"
Despite being in the direct presence of their master, the Beowulves balked at the order. "B-b-but diverting the fragments this close risks-"
"SILENCE! I will not allow our perseverance to be desecrated! We must kill them all if we are to live!" Gripping the submarines by the shoulders, Tanager rocked in a hysteric frenzy. Her commands now erupted as shrill screams. All pretense of authority had fallen - Tanager now fully ruled through fear.
"SEND ALL WE CAN DIVERT AT OUR LOCATION! SEND! EVERYTHING! NOW!"
Fort Grace grunted from yet another close shave. But despite having avoid death time and time again, the chase was nearly at its end. Panting and weary, she continued to track her opponent
Another swish, another stab. Despite pouncing on her prey with the tenacity of vengeful spirit, Geofon was not at all exhausted. Far from it. But the same could not be said for Fort Grace who, close dodge after close dodge, could only keep this up for so long. Forced into the defensive, Geofon had free rein to try to slay the carrier however much she wanted.
Then the others would be next.
For their sakes, she held on as long as she could. The longer she could, the greater the chances their plan could succeed.
The same was said for the others, each caught in protracted duels in the shadow of the enemy fortress. From Geofon's Wyverns to the innumerable fortifications, all manner of death and destruction took place within; there was no place to hide.
To win would be to survive the hell that played out.
They now had a chance; she had heard Andromeda. But it was not a guarantee.
In a flash, Geofon leapt back. No attack was made but by darting around Fort Grace's aim was kept off-balance. Her briefest of reprieve was merely the preparation for the next onslaught.
Then it came. She dashed past Fort Grace, her blade only nicking her sleeve. She whirled around but her opponent had disappeared. Her eyes struggled to track her movement; her Phantoms, even more so. They swooped low in an effort to intercept their prey, but their dizzying patterns only contributed to the havoc.
Suddenly, she was upon her. Fort Grace was lucky to be fast enough to duck under a swinging sword, but instantly felt a hard knee on her stomach before she felt herself knocked on her back from Geofon's trap. The last thing the Delta carrier would have seen was her opponent atop of her bracing for a momentous stab.
The other last thing she would have seen was a blinding asteroid screaming down to earth nearby.
The impact engulfed the world in deafening cacophony, great gales bringing heat from the blast washing over everyone. The intensity rivaled that of a massive explosion and like one its flames did not discriminate.
In that moment, Geofon's gaze was diverted, her focus upset by the unforeseen incident. And in that moment, Fort Grace seized her opening. Thinking quickly, she rolled to her side, bringing her rigging to bare. But if she thought to use it as a shield, the notion was abruptly dispelled when plumes of hot light and ash popped forth. Blinding Geofon with her countermeasures, Fort Grace made her escape.
But as she backed off from one danger, she quickly found herself enveloped in another one. Right as she contemplated her astounding luck, the same sound came again: the guttural roar like a beast's. An awful gale swelled, nature itself becoming undone. The world they fought in seemed to almost glow in lieu of the stars that suddenly hung close and closer above their heads.
This was no freak occurrence. The sky truly was falling on them.
"Watch your heads! You've got incoming!"
Many eyes went wide with shock. "Oh you've got to be KIDDING me!" screamed Denver.
Reno's face turned pale. "I prefer living in a superhero movie, not a disaster one!"
"Get going with phase 2! You've got to get inside Megalith and destroy it!" Andromeda urged. "I've datalinked the entry point! Be careful, this one will be the most dangerous!"
Instantly, Kestrel made a break for the final objective. All doubt evaporated in the face of the dark mound that now chose to cast its destruction upon them. She raced towards the fortress at top speed, the goal captured in her vision. She paid no heed to the incoming fire sent her way once again, the victim of being the one ship brave enough to encroach the indomitable fortress.
The fire was intense, perhaps more so than before, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't retreat. There was no time. She was getting close, she could-
"INCOMING!"
Kestrel turned too late. The shockwave washed over her like a tsunami, sweeping her off her feet and lifting her like a ragdoll in the wind. She fell, the blast rolling over her, and she lay still. Her attempt had been thwarted by a falling star; an unholy intervention.
"Kestrel!"
Braving the same risks as their sister, Buzzard and Vulture quickly swooped to Kestrel's side. At their nudging, the Silver Star Idol stirred to life.
"Nng… Buzzard?"
"Injuries: minimal… Damage: minimal." The elder sibling breathed a sigh of relief. "You had us worried."
"No joke," Vulture added.
Kestrel shook her head, the spark of realization rapidly taking hold. "Megalith! I have to-"
"Leave it to me!" Sea spray splashed over the trio, leaving them behind to gawk in White Valley's wake. The mercenary rocketed towards Megalith with a drive similar to Kestrel's. She weaved through the wall of enemy fire, confidence and exhilaration written on her lips. Her assurance soon took her to the face of Megalith, using the inclined walls as a ramp to carry her up. Near the top, White Valley readied a leap to finalize her run.
Then it all went awry when missiles pelted on her from behind. The first nearly found its mark on White Valley's back before the next landed her she stood, dislodging the carrier. She tumbled down, Wyverns circling around in seeming victory and anticipation to feed on their carrion.
"White Valley!"
The Wyverns plunged down. Down but not out, White Valley sent her own birds with a grunt. The two met, Geofon's birds determined to skewer her foe while the white Flankers worked to shield her. They were soon joined by flocks of gray and black, but even united the defense was frail.
Worse still, there would no second chance at infiltrating Megalith.
Buzzard cursed at the situation. "Damn! We won't make it inside without those Wyverns suppressing us!"
"No!" Kestrel cried out. "I can still make it!"
Shouldering the brunt of the attacks, Vulture was inclined to agree. "Hell, I say go for it! It's either that or risk getting clobbered by a freaking space rock!"
Turning her gaze, Buzzard eyed the marked objective. It tempted her, pulled her to consider a desperate attempt of her own. Locked behind a wall of heavy fire, it even mocked her; so close yet so far, the short distance unassailable. Without momentum, a ship would have to climb under the hail of missiles. Only a madwoman would consider taking such chances…
All of a sudden, Buzzard found herself sprayed by the sea, a blurred object shooting by. She recoiled, expecting an enemy to have taken advantage of her brief moment but to her surprise, found nothing beside her. Remembering what passed by her, she spun around. She almost couldn't believe what she saw.
"... Fort Grace!"
The Delta leader rocketed straight towards the stronghold, flying faster than any carrier that came before her. Missiles and cannonfire sliced the air and sea ahead, yet in spite of some hits they all failed to stop - even slow - the carrier from launching herself up on top of Megalith with a gallant cry. She quickly disappeared behind the fumes of missile trails, vanishing from sight as she entered the fortress.
Everyone had borne witness to the sight.
"Fort Grace!"
"Don't worry about me!" the carrier called back over the radio. "I've got this!"
Protests and awe filled the air as ships of the alliance all reacted. Some stood dumbfounded, few like Tea Time, Kestrel, and Cleveland considered chasing after the Coalition leader. But they found their attempt averted by the low droning sound. Rumbling deep even above the din of battle, they recognized it.
All ships began scrambling away from a blinding light, frantic to escape the path of more falling stars. The smaller ones fell like hail, splashing into the sea with only a hiss while the larger ones became the true terrors. Colliding to the surface, they were grander than any bomb. The impacts swallowed the battlefield, turning the seas alight.
And out of the corner of her eye, Kestrel watched as one such meteor crashed onto the roof of Megalith. The entrance into the behemoth vanished in a flash, smoke and rubble marking the ruin. Her heart sunk when she realized what this meant.
Both Beowulves felt the impact in the command center. The room churned and shook like an earthquake, sparks spilling from every corner and ceiling as all their consoles and displays fizzled. For the second time this entire battle, Megalith had become wounded, and this time the injury was severe.
Beowulf π nursed her scalp. "Owww… Damage report!"
Climbing back to her seat, her partner delivered. "Structural integrity at 90%, nu. This was supposed to withstand anything, so that impact was too close!"
"I'd try to make alterations, but accuracy isn't exactly possible…" Beowulf π groaned. Looking over the controls, she was relieved to find it still functional, if shaken. She brought up the overview of the facility for her own eyes, skimming over the sea of data and damage until…
"Hrm?! Intruder in access tunnel 04!"
"Nu, what?!"
Fingers flying over keys, the intrusion was emphasized on screen. True to π's word, the sensors had unveiled the transgression in red.
Though the allegiance was confirmed, Beowulf π sought the identity. Strumming more keys, another display was raised: a direct eye within their bastion.
Both fell silent upon recognizing the interloper.
Before them, the moving image of Fort Grace was presented. The enemy in the proverbial flesh. Where she stood, she was surrounded by halls of tampered steel. Surrounded by the enemy, in their final domain.
Completely alone. And more importantly, with her ingress in complete disrepair, Fort Grace had no way out.
"Er, it looks like she's trapped."
"But even then she's on the direct line that leads to our… reactor," Beowulf v gulped.
Her partner began to sweat at the stakes. "R-rerouting whoever we can send to- er, Tanager? Your orders?"
She risked a peek, anticipating a thundering outburst of enmity or perhaps another hate-filled fit. But as she turned, Beowulf π did not expect her queen's absence. Only when she heard the doors open with a whisper did she see her.
"T-Tanager?"
"... Remain here," the battleship commanded. Not a shout, not a growl, but a simple statement. The submarines found her calmness eerie.
Portal open, Tanager stepped out without another word. Once moving, she had no intention of stopping. The destination gripped her mind in cast iron. Nothing else mattered right now: herself, her fleet, even her own kingdom. Her world had shrunk, existing only within the confines of Megalith. It was her only realm, its sanctity now violated by her nemesis. Alone, like her. It was almost contrived.
Destiny was inevitable.
One shall stand, one shall fall.
Tanager couldn't help but smile maniacally.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
HistoricHippos:
Well it's been a while, hasn't it? Apologies for the prolonged delay, in between the holidays and living life I have not been caught up with making progress as I used to. More so since with the delay I had to get my groove back as well as figure out how to write this chapter - how it should start, how it should develop, etc. Even with some idea on what should happen, tying it all together involves a lot of improvisation.
That said, hope the wait was worth it. Next time: the grand finale of the War of the Roses arc (not counting perhaps an epilogue chapter)!