Gundam belongs to Bandai. Mass Effect to EA. Star Trek to Viacom. I own none of the material mentioned here.


0121.10.14

Shanxi System - Shanxi Capital: Auttobenid

Ground Side

Expeditionary Fleet

Shinn Asuka

Shinn winced as Jacob1 finally went down, since taking to the air, that was the first casualty of the fight. Those of the IIs and IIIs could be salvaged and repaired, but their pilots were still alive. Even as the Destiny Gundam rushed ahead, blood singing in his ears at the sight of another life being taken in this pointless war, a hand grabbed his Gundam by the shoulder and dragged him back.

"God damn it Shinn! Get ahold of yourself!"

Duo's words seemed to drag him back from those old memories of the Second Bloody Valentines War before he shifted his focus to the Argo. Thankfully, the Ace GPACs had arrived to back up both sides of the fighting.

"Lam's Head 1 and 2, support topside, Lam's Head 3, get stuck in with those TSFs. We aren't getting paid to sit on our asses!"

Compared to the other two, the Normals that had flown up to join the fighting weren't anything special in appearence. They resemble the TFSes more then Mobile Suits, but with blockier armor on the legs and chest. The arms however held one weapon each and the shoulders their own. In this case, they came equipped with a focus on several Self Locking Missile Systems which they put to good use. Much like the Micro-Missiles before them, these lock on fire systems had been hard wired to work based on a laser guidance and to filter out the various particles in the air which would have otherwise played havoc.

Spheres of detonated Light began to emerge amongst the clusters as nearly two hundred Drones were wiped out by that first opening barrage. However, by now, the Fighters and Bombers were close enough and the enemy Battleship had gotten within range. As demonstrated when a round from its various cannons completely atomized Lam's Head 2 and Jacob2 at the same time. Mobile Suit and Normal going up in flames as they detonated.

"Those shorts are going to tear us apart. We need the weapons out of the picture right now!"

The Argo's voice echoed through the assembled forces before a beam of compressed plasma arched through the sky and slammed into the Battleship, actually causing it to shift as a result. A barrage of heavy ordinance and an absurd amount of rounds were slung into the remaining Drone Swarm at a rate that could only be described as Overkill by all sides. From the clouds, the only two NEXTs that had accompanying the group flew down. Landing atop the Argo. These being the 00-ARETHA and the 002-B respectively.

"This is ARETHA and B to all forces. Focus on that Battleship before it can bring down the Argo. We will handle things from here. Glory to the Alliance."

Their arrival would turn things once again back around as the Plasma had eaten through the outerhull of the Battleship and exposed some of its interior. The ARETHA has a very distinct appearance in comparison to its fellow NEXTs; First and foremost, it stands about 1.5 times taller than even the largest Next, and has particularly long arms. The craft also seems to lack a traditional head part, with it's sensors seeming to meld into the machine's core. Completing its silhouette are its massive guns, which are longer than the machine is tall, and will most likely be the first thing one notices while looking at the machine. Despite these differences, an examination of the core and the shoulders would give it more than a passing resemblance to the Aaliyah family of crafts.

"Glory to the Alliance!"

As the still operational Mobile Suits and TSFes move forward, taking off from the Argo, the ARETHA would begin sweeping the surroundings with its quintuple Gatling weapon. Five - five barreled rotating guns would unleash a staggering amount of lead into the air, negating the drones ability to survive thanks to their Kinetic Barriers. At this point, the Drone Swarm was finished as both it and the 002-B began to release conjoined fire into the remains of the swarm. However, the manned fighters still sat between them and their target. By now, the Argo was beginning to launch its arsenal towards the Battleship, trading fire while the DeathScythe lead the charge against the manned fighters.

The 002-B was unlike any other Mecha here asides from the ARETHA. It's feet were literal pieces of triangular metal with branching sections pointing off towards the sides and a heel that jutted upward. The legs were slender but connected at the knee with two pieces of jutting metal that in themselves remain disconnected from the rest of the machine. The pelvis of the machine had a single downward thrusting tooth of armor while the body was almost conal shaped and separated into two separate parts. However it was the weapon in its right hand that was really of interest. Nearly as large as the NEXT itself, some 15 meters long, and split into two sections and a single piece of jutting metal between the two sides. Literal Lighting arced between these sections as it aimed the weapon towards the Battleship.

"This is Jorion. Firing."

With a scream, the PA Rectifier on the right arm and held it forward, towards the Battleship as charged particles of Kojima Energy which it then thrust forward. With a surge in the blinding white light, it solidified into what amounted to a blade. Three hexagonal shaped indentions were set just between the shoulders and the main body, hosing what looked like turbines of some kind. On the shoulders, broad like shields jutted from the shoulders themselves.

With engines roaring, the PA Rectifier surged forward, spearing through twenty fighters, eight bombers, and six gunships before exceeding past and piercing into the Battleship. All the while, the left arm, which was made up of a four interlocking pieces of metal that in itself detatched and flew up, revealing several funnels which launched from their casings.

A grin worked its way into Shinn's face as he watched the Battleship begin to list, fire bursting from several sections where it had been struck by the fire coming from both the NEXTs. Sadly the missiles from the Argo, which in itself was belching smoke from rents in its armor, were always intercepted and swatted out of the air. Their intercept systems were on point at the very least. Yet as the Argo banked left, its right wing receiving several dozen strikes from the ships heavier gun, four bright vibrant beams of blue pierces clear through he battleship from the Argo's Main Gun before it flies past and begins to make a turn for a second pass.

"All forces, move back, that thing is going down. We can send forces in to clear it out. A nice priz-"

Duo was cut off as the main gun on the Battleship, spinal length from what Shinn knew, fired. Along with what have been every still functional weapon system on the vessel itself all at once. All aimed at Auttobenid.


0121.10.14

Alien System - Alien World Orbit

Batarian Hegemony 65th Pirate Fleet - Fist of Shar'Kesh

Captain Neba'polta

Neba'polta growled with a grin as he was given the go ahead from the Admiral to move into orbit. His hands clasped behind his back, the Fist of Shar'Kesh slowly lowered into the atmosphere. The Seven Hundred and Fifty Meter long Battleship was the Pride of the Batarian Navy, able to hold its own despite its aged state with those of current generation vessels from the Citadel Races.

His Battleship had otherwise been converted into a carrier for the fleet, utilizing its massive cargo space for use in ferrying part of the fleet's surface fighters from orbit and into the atmosphere alongside their gunships. Distinctly, they had been gathering from raids mining drones used by the Volus and over the years converted them into portable attack drones. So when the vessel breached the atmosphere, he gave the green light to the Fist of Shar'Kesh's Radio Traffic Operator.

"Begin deployment of all assault craft and drones. It's about time we add their weight to breaking this shild and this species back."

From the port and aft sectors of the Battleship, doors would open, revealing the Fist of Shar'Kesh's fighter hangers and storage bays in equal measure.

"Reaper 22-1. Launching!" "Bentie 21-1. Launching!" "Grovanti 20-1. Launching!"
"Reaper 22-2. Launching!" "Bentie 21-2. Launching!" "Grovanti 20-2. Launching!"

Without much wait, the small collection of fighter craft, bombers, and gunships began to take off from the Fist of Shar'Kesh's fighter hangers. Over a dozen assorted squadrons would leave and begin heading towards the city below, to add their fire power to the slaves, mercenaries, and soldiers down below. Call signs continue to echo out as Neba'polta watched with satisfaction.

Though they were rapidly being eclipsed by the swarms of modified mining drones. He had personally seen these things in action. Salvaging or just Savaging vessels that his ship came across for scrap metal. Their mining lasers made quick work of shields or the light armor all but dreadnaughts and battleships were equipped with.

Yet the blaring of alarms that started a few minutes later as the assault craft left the hangers caught his attenion. Neba'polta would glare at the Comm's Officer, Necha, whom gulped.

"Communication Officer Nacha, what is triggering our Radar? Have the enemy already reacted to us breaching orbit?"

With a few taps of the keyboard, the Batarian at the station would draw up several screens before nodding his head towards his captain.

"Aye Captain. We have third assorted humanoid models coming from the planet's surface, including a much larger vessel. It's nearly Dreadnaught in width however!"

Even before Neba'polta could ask, a series of voices echoed over the Communication Array, as if highlightning what their sensors were blurrily picking up.

"This is Reaper 22-2. Confirmation of Hostiles incoming. Heavy Vessel is inbound towards the Fist of Shar'Kesh."

"This is Grovanti 20-1, humanoid models of weapons are forming up around large vessel...holy Gods, that thing just swatted thirty drones with a single barrage!"

As if to punctuate this statement, some thirty Drones would turn red on the ship's Drone Control Consoles. Gritting his teeth, Captain Neba'polta would turn towards the Gunner Section of the Bridge and glare angrily towards them.

"I want any gun we can directed towards that "thing". See if we can't swat it out before we turn our guns on the city and finally relieve our boys down there of all this madness. Hard to Port and Prepare the Main Gun!"

"Hard to Port!"

With the repeated orders echoing within the bridge, the battleship began to slowly turn towards the oncoming vessel and humanoid machines, even as they themselves brought their secondary weapons to directly point at the colony city, which from the start, had resisted all attempts to invade. Other cities across the globe had thankfully fallen given enough pressure, but the spoils from what the Captain had heard were barely two thousand slaves, many would likely die as the Slave Caste learned how to Mind Shackle them.

Then the Fist of Shar'Kesh shuddered as several Officers and crewmen were thrown from their stations if they hadn't properly buckled themselves in. Alarms were blaring again, but they sounded vastly different then before, a noise that Neba'polta knew all too well. Yet he still listened for a Engineering Officer to forward the information to the Bridge. That thankfully didn't take to long as a Communication's officer swiftly turned towards him and shouted.

"Captain! Engineering in Deck Six through Twenty near the central spinal collumn are reporting penetration by enemy Direct Energy Beams. It over penetrated but closed off several sectors and made them inaccessible to repair crews!"

Well that explained a few things, though as he turned and watched the monitor of one of the near tactical map operators, he watched as more of the drone numbers were being pathetically wiped from existance in a rather disturbing and efficient manner.

"How long till we can bring the main gun into range?"

Even as he asked, the deck below shuddered as a series of detonations occurred close to the hull, their Point Defense Vis were swatting what appeared to be missiles out of the air, but the payload seemed to suggest that they still caused some exterior damage. These strange Not-Asari truly didn't do things half hazardly in their weapon's department when it came to explosives. Thankfully, he was rewarded when one of the Gun Operators near his left pumped a fist.

"Direct Hit Captain! The Enemy Surface Dreadnaught is leaking smoke from its right wing!"

Ah so this thing wasn't invincible as it seemed. Even as he turned, watching the forward view port display the full scope of the battle. he was rewarded with the sight of the once impressive Drone Swarm being reduced down to nearly three hundred. What was once three thousand, in just minutes. He did receive some good news from another of his Tactical Officers, before it turned sour.

"Captain, I'm reporting four Humanoid Machines down. Two to Drone Self-Destruct and two to Fighters and a Bomber. However, they are chewing through our forces rapidly and I recommend-

Whatever he was going to say was cut off as his head snapped to the side, a few seconds before a surge of strange yellow and red energy smashed near the Fist of Shar'Kesh's Engines and was swept down. The vessel actually found that the force, while it did penetrate, was enough to shift it so that the amount of damage was minimized. The beam would draw down the side before passing the battleship and peter off into the earth below.

"All Guns, fire at will. Now!"

With a roar, the multiple guns of the Fist of Shar'Kesh would open up across its long body, slinging Mass Accelerator Rounds towards the Surface Dreadnaught and its accompanying humanoids. However, the decision to do this was to little, to late. For the last two humanoids, the strangely designed ones, landed and joined the fray. The one with lengthy arms did away with what remained of the Drones, given that one of its arms ended in a set of 5 rotating guns that filled the air with an absurd amount of slugs. Quickly overwhelming the Drone's weak kinetic barriers. His Tactical's Officer, Kelia would suddenly snap his head around, fast enough that he thought it might break his neck.

"Captain! The ships sensors are detecting a heavy concentration of energy from one of the humanoids!"

Eyes widening, he turned to watch the strange secondary humanoid machine lower the strange weapon and direct it towards their ship. Even as it seemed to leave the barrel and fly towards the Fist of Shar'Kesh, Neba'polta had already turned, his body moving seemingly in slow motion.

"All Hands. Brace for Impact!"

He didn't even hear Kelia shout about loosing twenty fighters, eight bombers, and six gunships before the beam struck the Fist of Shar'Kesh near the central mass. Another report of over penetration would echo before reports of systems failing and detonations occuring in the areas surrounding the over penetration. Even as the Fist of Shar'Kesh started to list, fire continued to come in from the alien machines and their surface dreadnaught. Neba'polta fell back in his seat as his officers were already rushing to leave and make for the escape pods.

"Sit down!"

His voice echoed in their ears, causing the more senior members of his crew to stop what they were doing and turn back towards the Captain. The way that the Fist of Shar'Kesh now faced, put them directed towards the Alien Capital City, though not quite. His eyes however found the breach that their people had already made earlier. Even as the Fist of Shar'Kesh began to sink towards the ground, Neba'polta wasn't out of their fight yet. Turning to his own communication system, he activated it, even as the Fist of Shar'Kesh shook and shuddered from the punishment she was taking. Say what you will, the Batarians built their ships to soak up damage.

"All Crew! Abandon Ship. Make for any escape pods you are able. Gunner Officers however, return to your posts. We were given a task...let's make sure we complete it."

Turning back, as he watched his more loyal members return to their spots, looking somewhat sheepish, he sighed out softly.

"All Crews, angle guns towards the breach and the city. Put the Fist of Shar'Kesh on a collision course. Use the detonation from the engines if you must but I want this vessel put on ramming speed!"

This order, it actually elicited some grins from the crew still on station. Even as the systems reported those life boats that hadn't been destroyed by the fighting firing off into the countryside of this planet, the engines, nearly severed from the Battleship, fired once more. However this effected it in such a way that with a detonation, the engines blew up and propelled the Fist of Shar'Kesh forward and towards the Alien Capital City. All the while, its various and undamaged guns on the port side lined up with the breach and the shield. Even as fire was redirected towards the battleship from the wall and from more incoming forces, the Battleship weathered the abuse.

"Fire at will..."

Were Neba'polta's last words as a beam speared through the top of the bridge and atomized him and the command chair, yet the order was given. All along the port and starboard sides of the battleship, its surviving guns would come alive as they began firing at will towards the Alien Capital. Nearly Thirty of these rapid fire mass accelerator auto-cannons were focused squarely on the breach. Yet even as the mighty battleship descended, growing closer to the ground, the shielding on the city began to flicker as millions of car sized rounds struck it, the wall, the trenches, and anywhere else.

With a scream of twisting metal, the belly of the Fist of Shar'Kesh finally came to impact the ground and begin skidding. For nearly sixty miles it would grind through, its own momentum keeping it moving before it slowed to a stop and listed to the left. While its guns continued to fire at anything that got near it. However, this would last only until an Alien Humanoid Machine with an overly long weapon put a beam of purple energy through the bridge, cutting off firing controls to the shackled Vi in the bridge. Their Cores would overload and become wiped.

However the damage was done, the shield was failing, the breach was not only widened, but reports were coming in that the metal Demon was seen struck by a Mass Accelerator Round and likely killed. The wall had fallen along the southeast and eastern wall where the ship's guns had penetrated through the failing shield and allowed the walls to be weakened enough. Cheers rang from the Invaders and Slavers side as their forces rushed into the breaches now created.

The wounded defenders that were found weren't taken as slaves. For some sick pleasure, they were butchered then and there. The slaves were egged on by their Pit Bosses to reap the spoils of their conquest. Their men would be slaves or meat, but those Not-Asari Aliens that were found, were taken then and there. As was the Right of conquerors. Even the Male Not-Asari weren't entirely spared of this. Some Female Slaves were forced to take them for the sick amusement of their Batarian masters, or Female Pirates/Mercenaries dragged the males to be pleasure slaves.

As the Batarians, Pirates, Mercenaries, and Slaves rushed in by the hundreds, the conflict shifted from the siege to urban warfare.


0121.10.14

Shanxi System - Shanxi Second City - Bolenta

The Fisherman's Angler Crash Site

Expeditionary Fleet

Lunamaria Hawke

Lunamaria felt her stomach drop as the news began to filter in over the Communication Channels.

"...I repeat...Alien Vessel has been grounded, however it managed to severely damage the Argo before being brought down. It used its main guns to breach the wall around Auttobenid's Southeast and East sections to allow for reinforcements to flood into the city. Unconfirmed Reports of...Of eating and raping are starting to flow in. All forces that can be spared...return to Auttobenid..defend her. Shanxi Tactical Command, Over and Out."

Lunamaria would continue to hold position however, she was the only mobile suit that Command could spare to protect the The Fisherman's Angler and what use to be Bolenta before said The Fisherman's Angler smashed into it. Given the enemy combatants preferred use of infantry and light vehicles, Command had decided to merely arm the militia, have surviving marines on the ship act as the garrison, and focus efforts on other locations.

"My God...Captain Jesse are you hearing this, Over?"

Broadcasted over the radio, Lunamaria would continue to hover over the crashed The Fisherman's Angler while work and repairs were still underway. Yet it was far from abandoned as its Mobile Suit Hangers were now empty, having been dispatched all across the world to help where they could. Thanks in part to the underground railroads, the The Fisherman's Angler had become the planet's intensive care ward for soldiers and civilians. Jesse would speak up even as Lunamaria watched a pair of Marines take shots at some Alien Scouts.

"This is Captain Jesse, yeah I heard it Lunamaria ...until Command gives us the Go Ahead, we are to hold position. Over."

The City had been slowly been turned into a fortress by the Marines, turning entire buildings into traps below a single sniper. What they lacked in numbers they made up for with guile to ensure that entering this city would be a death trap for any of the aliens. Something that they had picked up on after the last attack. However, as cocky as the Marines were, each attack still brought casualties to their side and yet the aliens seemingly were endless.

"I know...but just sitting here, while the others are fighting, just infuriates m-"

She stops as her Gundam, the ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam's onboard systems detect another vessel entering the atmosphere near their position. Seems these Aliens weren't about to give up the ghost yet. Though her eyes would widen as, rather then it be yet another vessel coming down to the planet, it was six. Each of them nearly flat to the point of being squashed. In a lot of ways, they reminded her of loafs of bread with engines tacked onto the back, or bricks of all things. Each was rapidly highlighted by her Mobile Suit's Systems and classified based on already created Data.

"Captain! We have Planetary Invasion Class Vessels entering the atmosphere, about ten Kilos South, Southwest. Over."

Even now, as she watched, the bread looking vessels touched down and extended landing gears to hold themselves up. Ramps would slide out along the sides and below the engine, before specks began to rush out of it.

"I see them Gundam. You are to hold and help provide cover for the troops. Let the enemy comes to us. We don't need to loose you in the event this is a trap. Over."

Lunamaria sighed as she lowered the Impulse Gundam back into position. It having been fitted for long range barrage and suppression using its Destiny Impulse R Dragoon System to ensure that the Impulse Gundam would be able to reap a bloody toll upon any attackers at long range. Even as she lowered herself, both of her Gundam's "Wolfsbane" Long Range Beam Cannon would unfold from behind the Gundam and collide with the shoulders.

"Captain, permission to fire Wolfsbanes and see about thinning enemy vessels? Over."

She was prepared for the rejection, after all, she knew that these sick fucks made use of slave labor and forced combatants, no better then the Atlantic Federation did. She still had nightmares about the mop up operations in several of their less known installations and was sure that even after all this time, they were far from as clean. Just biding their time and preparing to attack their allies for their precious Blue and Pure World. However the answer she received was unexpected.

"This is Fisherman's Angler, Impulse Gundam, you are given the all clear to fire on enemy transports. If possible, seek to disable for later retrieval if possible, but if destruction is required, then send these bastards back to hell, Over."

Lunamaria's eyes shown as a consul would slip down and over her right eye, forming a cross guard that shifted about while another iron sight would be lined up on one of the transport ships. After a few seconds, the two wavering symbols would align over the Transport ship, the red symbols turning green as Lunamaria barked.

"Impulse Gundam, Firing!"

With the energy condensed within the barrels of both Wolfsbanes, the resulting twin eruptions of violet purple beams lashing out towards the first Transport Cruiser would snap all attention towards the city. Given the Cruiser's only role of ferrying troops, supplies, vehicles, and slaves to and from a planet, the Aliens seemed to have skimped on armor for their vessels. So when both beams from the Wolfsbane struck the sides of one of the Transport, the armor instantly melted and punched clear on through. Fire erupting from the ramps and open compartments before something must have caught, because the next second, the vessel went up. A fireball and shockwave rushed from the detonation site and flew outward. Shards of metal raining down, some punching through and damaging other transport vessels. One even had one of its forward landing legs sheered off by the resulting debris flying out. Causing it to lean slowly to the side before its other leg buckled under the stress and weight and collapsed forward.

"Confirm Kill on First Transport. I repeat, Confirm Kill on First Transport. Switching Targets to Second. Over."

Lunamaria blinked at the destruction before the other vessels started to take off, or at least trying to. The scream of surface fighters echoed and shuddered the Gundam as Six SF-3A Lancer IIs flew overhead, missiles launched from their bellies and striking the sides of two of the Transports, sending them listing as belching smoke and fires start to erupt from their hides like wounded beasts. One would however crack in two as its "reactor" or whatever they used, seemingly grew unstable and then detonated. However it was much more violent then a Nuclear or Minovsky Ultracompact Fusion Reactor.

Whatever was released following the detonation, released a shockwave that encompassed everything around the vessel.

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is Eagel 1-1! I've lost all control of my Lancer and am being dragged down!"

Lunamaria could only watch as every Lancer that had flown to catch the retreating transport vessels were violently dragged in an uncontrolled descent towards the ground along with all the others. They didn't so much collide as they were grasped by the might hand of an angry god and smote. Each fighter smashed into the ground at terminal velocity, detonating seconds later. The Transports were not far behind as they to smashed into the earth. Though their speeds weren't to be comparable to one another so they at least didn't detonate on impact. Lunamaria was about to say something when her radio echoed with a hacking voice, one filled with agony.

"T-This is ... (echos of bloody coughing delay the message and speaker) Kn-Knight Lord Ebenhorn (more bloody coughs, wet and paintful fill the com channel before it manages to clear up) Vest Gremory. I...am re-reporting total collapse of defense of 23rd Buckner St...Street... I... will hold.. (This time the interruption comes from alien tongues and a bellow of pain as well as the sound of something metal being ripped from wet meat. The radio echos with the clinking of what might be rebar as it collides with concrete)... this position ... For the Glory.. of the Alliance."

Lunamaria's eyes shift towards the distance city of Auttobenid, but even as she moves to contact Captain Jesse, the Impulse Gundam detects more vessels moving in, and with visual confirmation, they are combat vessels this time. With gritted teeth, she swiftly shifted her focus.

"Someone better go save his ass before we loose a Knight!"


0121.10.14

Shanxi System - Shanxi Capital: Auttobenid

Southern Desert

Tekkadan

Mikazuki Augus

"Firing..."

Mikazuki shifted his attention, the ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex's 200mm Wrist Mounted Cannon slid back into position and towards another set of surface fighters as they strafed his convoy. Tekkadan had been tasked with escorting refugees from other cities into Auttobenid in the hopes of protecting them from the increasing desperation of the aliens.

Yet this convoy, from Boulder City in the Southeast, had come under fire. It had begun when their sensors had started to go haywire, clearly being jammed in some manner. Some two thousand souls, scattered throughout over a dozen vehicles, were ferried towards the Capital when the leading truck suddenly detonated. Struck from the side by a self-propelled explosive of some kind, the vehicle would fly into the air as shrapnel and bodies were sent scattering about as a result.

The Convoy came to a screeching halt as gunfire erupted on the flanks from waiting Aliens, gunning down dozens of unarmed citizens. Radio chatter picked up by the Mobile Suits echoed with what sounded akin to laughter. However that laughter soon turned to panic as one of the few still operational OZ-06MS Leos planet side turned its 105mm Rifle on the assaulting Aliens on the Left Flank and turned the surrounding hills into pock marked craters as a result.

However the distraction was done as the OZ-06MS Leo stumbled forward, the clatter and crash of its left arm filled the area as one of the Aliens larger tank variants rose out of the sands. Somehow, through jamming or perhaps a means unknown to humanity, the aliens had actually managed to hide a two-hundred-ton hover tank before firing. It's 155mm Cannon smoking from the shot as it turned it towards the head of the Leo while its pilot tried to get up.

The tank itself was relatively flat with strange looking domes along its bottom that pulsed with strange energy which pushed downward and disrupted the sands directly below it. A section above this consisted of light armor plating set in a series of sloping "legs" which jut off the side and nearly tucked along the underside of the tank, each a garish red. Sponson mounted in three areas along the left side housed what looked like weapon systems, likely light machine guns or the alien equivalent of such for them. Two outward jutting sections above and below the "legs" on the tank would provide a sloped incline and a raised one, one impacting the inside of the "legs" and the other the top.

Like most tanks, the top consisted of a single primary gun, but the hull itself seemed to be "bubbled" for a lack of a better word. Like metal that had air trapped within it during the cooling process. The strange vehicle however was decorated with all manner of macabre trophies, likely taken before the campaign on Shanxi, given that some of the skulls, impaled on spikes and jutting metal, weren't familiar to the sensors of the Barbatos. The main cannon jutted from the front, lacking a rotating turret, the entire vehicle would be forced to shift to bring the weapon to bare, not unlike Tank Destroyers.

Thankfully however for the Leo, it was far from the only Mobile Suit on station for the escort. A pair of RPGs struck the Tank from its right flank, militia men, having found their opposition, the Aliens on the left flank, were subsequently decimated by the Leo. Freed of the need to focus all their attention on the aliens, two militia would in turn direct their attention on the hover tank.

"Second Squad. Preparing to Fire on Enemy Vehicle!"
"Second Squad. Firing on Enemy Vehicle!"

With twin expulsions of smoke, both single shot rockets were launched towards the tank even as it leveled its main cannon on the Leo and its side mounted weapons lined up with the convoy. Mikazuki had been turning, after putting a 200mm smoothbore round through the low flying surface fighter. Watching as both rockets struck the Tank, at the same time its three Sponsons on the left side would release a rapid burst towards the two militia men, turning their bodies into chunked flesh as a result. The main cannon however is only able to be loaded by the Autoloader, the sound of a chambering shell picked up even over the din of fighting, before both rockets strike the underside.

"Good Job... Barbatos, closing in to eliminate the enemy."

With thrusters blaring, Mikazuki would burn towards the Tank, shifting the 200mm Wrist Cannon back into place and hefting up the Sword Mace in both hands. Even as the Sponsors on the front, set in dome like protrusions, turned and began firing, the Barbatos was shifting out of their line, having leaped into the air.

"...I don't think so..."

First to strike was the Tail Blade, driving tip first into the front of the tank, as well as driving the main cannon into the ground as it was firing. The shell impacting the sand and detonating, causing the main cannon to erupt, likely killing several crews as the barrel blew back and folded outward, sides forming a blossoming flower in a sense as the tank rocked back. However, Barbatos wasn't done as its feet landed on the front armor with enough force to cause the light armor to collapse and then push up as the tank's anti-grave plates fired.

"..Batter Up..!"

However, the Gundam proved far more powerful, and with a simplistic flick, the Gundam's tail would actually launch the tank into the air. Even as the other mobile suits reported two other Tank Variants rising from the sands and a ship entering low orbit over their position, Mikazuki merely smiled. Or smiled as well as one can expect a former child soldier to smile as he swung the Sword Mace around with both hands. Even while in Midair, the Tank collided with the strange weapon, its multiple sides sunk into the weak armor of the underside, but not enough to hold it in place. Kinetic force and the machines own surprising light weight despite it being in the medium tank tonnage based on appearances, sent the machine skyrocketing following the collision.

Sadly, his strike was somewhat off as the vehicle smashed into the side of the rapidly descending ship. One of the boxy transports by the looks of it. Barely even shifting it as it lowered towards the earth a few dozen kilometers away. Huffing, Mikazuki shouldered his weapon, even as Akihiro Altland chimed in over the Comms.

"Nice hit Mikazuki! I'd say that was at least a home run."

Though even as the ASW-G-11 Gundam Gusion Rebake Full City landed on the right side of the convoy, his own Gundam placing several pock marks into the sandy desert, it would kneel down to move the wreckage out of the road and make way.

"Ok everyone! Keep moving, we'll cover you."

Though even as the two of them and the Leo continued to provide support, the Coms the Militia were using were going haywire.

"God Damn these fuckers just don't give up! Someone clog that Gunner over on the dune!"

A crack of an anti-material rifle followed the command, and one of the four eyed aliens collapsed and rolled down the dune's side, a fist sized hole drilled right through their head.

"Target Eliminated. Moving to acquire new Target."

Even then, the ambush had claimed over two dozen lives since it began, at first, they had been the ones with the higher kill/death ratio on account of this being a relatively coordinated ambush, but that had started to change when the left flank was given some breathing room by the only mass-produced mobile suit amongst their group. Even as the vehicles began moving, Mikazuki finally managed to finally find what had been playing havoc with the Mobile Suit's Sensors and mapping.

While it was for the most part hidden beneath the sand, a strange series of antennas jutted from the desert. The Barbatos shifted towards the antennas and aimed its right 200mm cannon towards it. The crack of shells echoed over the din of combat as the Aliens on the right flank made another push against the remaining militia men and women. However, as the shell neared the largest of the antennas, it was intercepted by a hexagonal dome that sprung into existance a few meters above the largest of the antennas.

"...Shields..."

Mikazuki would frown before he fired two more times towards the strange antennas, the shells meeting the same fate as the first. Though the sand itself seemed to shake and shudder, as something actually rose from the sandy desert to reveal itself. Like the Tank the aliens had brought, only all instances of weapons taken off, and replaced with a series of antennas overhead. The shield system seemed to be connected to these antennas, directing the energies up and forming a dome like shape above it and two other Alien Vehicles.

With a humph, Mikazuki would rush forward, his Tail smashing into the shield, though only to have it be deflected as the shield bubble pulsated. However he was forced to bring Barbatos back as the two vehicles that the shield protected turned their Sponsons towards the Gundam and released a stream of scything rounds that tore into the sand as they tried, and failed, to track the movements of the rather nimble Gundam. They raked through the sandy desert as six sets of rapid fire light guns tried and failed to hit the Gundam.

"...Tough bastards..."

Mikazuki gritted his teeth as he rushed back in under the hail of fire from the tanks, dragging his Sword Mace back, and launching into the air. Dragging it down in an overhead swing, it collided with the ground, as a result, kicking up great curtains of sand and, if the tanks were tracked or some other mode of transportation then hover, disrupting and possibly injuring the crew.

However, all the smoke screen managed to do was obscure the Gundam and let him flank to the left. Even as the tanks fired into the cloud at random locations, still seemingly to be able to track Barbatos despite the sand screen, it was clear that something else was at play. However, that meant little to Mikazuki as he forged ahead, switching his Wrench Mace into another overhead swing as Barbatos erupted from the sand screen and brought the Sword Mace down atop the Shield.

For more than a few seconds the shield seemed to fight back, seemingly refusing to merely surrender before the Gundam's enhanced strength won out of the military grade shielding and it cracked like a pane of glass from the impact. The Sword Mace would then go on to continue down and into the center of the Shielding Vehicle. The massive weapon driving and neatly folding the several ton vehicles in half as a result of the collision.

Jumping back, boosters propelling it away from what followed as whatever the vehicle used as a power source detonated. Bubbles forming along the hull which glowed a bright yellow before detonating outward and causing the hull to to curl outward at the explosive point. Then with a crack, the entire vehicle would become enveloped in a cloud as shrapnel and pieces of hull are cast about. Several even propelled with enough force as to punch through one of the tank analogues but it wasn't enough to cripple.

Though erupting back, boosters helping to put some distance between him and the tanks, Mikazuki would turn Barbatos towards the road as he watched the convoy finally clear the wreckage of the interstate and begin moving. The burning wrecks of tanks, Armored personnel carriers, and alien vehicles were left in the wake of the fighting. However even as the Shanxi Militia worked to pull back, laying suppressing fire from one of the Leos while it helped support the wounded second.

"...Cutting this short..."

However, he had Barbatos'es onboard computers quickly log and tag both of the tanks. Leaving enemies undealt with wasn't the Tekkadon method but he couldn't waste any more time here. Folding his Sword Mace over his back even as Barbatos shifted and dodged out of the way of streams of Mass Effect supported light machinegun fire from the Tanks Sponsors before one of their main cannons aimed and tried to fire. Thankfully the round went wide and off to the left. The Barbatos easily moved back into the escort as the Aliens fell back, the militia men and women having gathered their dead back into flatbed trucks.

This was far from the first escort derailment that they had faced, but it had been the most extensive and time-consuming ambush and they had suffered the most casualties as a direct result of the ambush.


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