A Javelin to Strike the Core
Chapter 11
This will be focused on the lead up and recovery of the heroes. And a bit into the battle itself. So on with the show.
(No POV)
With General Maloney's men surrounding the 501st, each member was stunned and a bit angry at the outcome. Right as the machine arrived and floated down behind the general, the witches who had been flying were shocked by it.
Han looked the machine over and noted some of the parts seemed similar to his Javelins. 'This was made on this side though. The thrusters are different compared to mine.' The Freelancer thought while looking from his
It was then that Maloney confirmed he was part of the First Strategic Airborne Assault Team. "That's a mouthful to say so we're referred to as Warlock." Minna questions this while the rest of the witches are gathered.
That is when he questions Yoshika on her actions and the neglecting of orders passed down from Maloney. With the man growing slightly manic in tone after Yoshika mentions having seen the Warlock in a laboratory. Something Minna, Han, and Mio pick up on.
"The breakdown of the chain of command is clear! At times like this I left with no other options to preserve military order! Commander Minna, be advised. The 501st Joint Fighter Wing has been dissolved. The Strike Witches are officially disbanded."
This shocks most everyone, with the man also passing down that each member would be assigned to their home units. And that was the final word on the matter. With Minna agreeing. Though only so far as they had no choice.
"As for you Coda. As much as I'd like to keep you here, I'm willing to leave it alone at letting you find a new unit to work with. We will provide a ship to move your home and workspace. But we still need you off this base and island." Maloney said with a firm glare directed at the man and the witches.
Yoshika meanwhile is panicking in her mind about the witches being disbanded. And Maloney decides this moment to rub it in more. "Your unauthorized actions were the cause of all of this Sargent Miyafuji."
As the girl starts to panic more, Maloney makes an oily "reassuring" comment. "No need to worry. We'll be fine. The Warlock has been designed to completely annihilate the Neuroi. Britannia no longer needs the protection of witches. Or Freelancers."
Han narrows his eyes at this as Yoshika passes out. As do Minna, Trude, and Mio. With the order given all of the 501st are given time to pack up their rooms. While also allowing Yoshika to be moved to recover.
While Han is moving his gear back to his Strider, he quietly sends out a message to his first team of Freelancers. "Yeah somethings up. Not yet, but maybe soon. I don't trust this hardware of his. Thanks Mack. If you guys can intercept the ship they're sending that would be big a help."
With Han's own plan set, he goes with the others to check in on Yoshika. When he gets there, he hears the girl crying about how it was her fault on the disbandment. Even as Lynne tries to reassure her that it wasn't her fault.
Once she had calmed down, Yoshika quickly packed up her belongings and joined Perrine and Mio to board the Akagi. Han meanwhile was granted another cargo ship to take him and his Strider to a different section of Britannia.
The original girls from Karlsland all ride a bus together off the base. Sanya and Eila ride on a train heading away from the Straits of Dover. Shirley gets her old biplane out and offers to take Francesca home. "Wow I hope that thing can make it to Romanga."
"Big deal! I have to cross the Atlantic in that bucket after dropping you off!" Shirley says in response to her little partner's comments. Lynne meanwhile is picked up by a car from her family to take her home.
And the hanger to the 501st base is sealed up with steel girders. To allow no strikers to launch. In case the witches get any funny ideas. With the general being happy to have the base all to himself and his technicians.
Though he is annoyed by how soon they had to come out in the open. "We currently only have one working Warlock." And while he agrees with his second that they couldn't stay hidden, Yoshika's actions forced them to act before they were ready.
"Do you think it was wise to let her return to Fuso? Or to let Coda go?" the lieutenant questions as they were preparing to send out the Warlock. Maloney just smiles saying, "What do we have to fear from a witch without her striker unit. She's only a little girl. And those Freelancers will be working for us eventually."
While on the cargo ship, Han could feel the tension and suspicion from the crew. 'These are some of Maloney's boys. Well luckily, I never trusted you or your men in the first place general.'
Right as one of the sailors is drawing a gun to threaten Han, crashes are heard and felt throughout the ship. Before most of the men could act, Mack and the Freelancers Han had trained had arrived.
"I'm gonna suggest you holster that right now. Or you're going to go home without a head." Elias says after getting behind the sailor that was going to threaten Han. With his Interceptor blades at the man's throat.
Han grunts a bit before standing a bit from his chair. Aleko quickly comes over and keeps Han from falling over. "Easy tovarish. You're still pretty hurt." "I know, but we can't stay or wait here. We have to head back towards the base."
Han gives a quick ultimatum for the sailors. They could be locked up down in the hold or they could help his men steer this ship to save protect the base from the Neuroi. "But the general and his team have control of that thing!"
"Trust me, that won't last long. Not if they're using as much of a Neuroi core as I think they are. That thing will turn on them." Han says with finality. And the look in his eyes is enough to sway a few of the troops.
Enough to where they can turn the ship around. While the others are locked up in a makeshift stockade. While on the way back to the 501st base, Han has Tanaka and Mack find the Karlsland girls.
Who were surprised to see the men as they were trying to hitchhike back towards their base after the surveillance had stopped. "I take it Han had his own set of plans, correct Sargent Adleman?" Minna questions as he offers to give the girls a lift.
He gives a chuckling 'yeah' as each of the girls hop on a Freelancer. "What can you tell us so far?" Trude asks as they were flying toward the cargo ship. Haru comments that the sailors seemed ready to attack Han when they arrived.
"At least they a few of them had their guns drawn. Others seemed more uneasy about the idea of attacking an injured man, let alone questioning their orders." Minna and Trude nod, respecting that the men had orders and were just following them.
Though Erica can't help but throw a dig in their direction about how they should have been questioning the orders from the beginning. With Trude giving her a glare while Tanaka notes that she's not in the best place to say something like that.
Not only because they were currently flying with no strikers. "But when we first met you…. You had stolen a little girl's underwear and basically help put the entire base in a panic. All because you lost yours in a messy room."
Erica lets out a squeak of annoyance while her friends have a laugh at her expense. When they reach the ship, they find Han ordering some of the sailors and Freelancers around. Mostly focused on keeping Maloney's troops off their back.
"Good to see you Han. And I'm glad you had a plan for this eventuality." Minna says after hoping off of Mack's Colossus. Trude compliments him as well. Saying, "you had a great plan to commandeer this ship. Let alone convincing these men to go against the general."
Han nods before noting he had done more than that. "I left a little something in the command and radar rooms. It's not perfect but I should give us an idea on what is going on." The Freelancer escorts the girls inside his Strider and asks one of them to sit in the amplifier chair.
Minna agrees and sits in the chair. It then links with her, and she can hear/see Maloney giving out commands and orders to his men. "This is….. Incredible! I know exactly what the general is doing!"
Han then brings her back to warn her about going too far. "I don't know the Anthem of Earth, but there's a legend on Coda about a Cypher going too far with their abilities and they never came back."
This makes everyone else's hair stand on end and Minna agrees to pull back a bit. "Okay. You said the chair has a record function? I'll use it to record Maloney's words. We can use that against him later."
Han nods before walking over to prep his Colossus. Or he was until the pain in his back acted up almost making him collapse. Erica catches the Freelancer while everyone else around him worries about the man.
"I'm alright…. Okay no I'm not, but I can't afford to not be okay right now. We've gotta be ready for when this fight to come." Minna agrees by noting something from the amplifier chair and the Anthem of Earth.
"I'm picking something very unsettling up from the Warlock itself. We already had an idea that it used beam technology, but if what I'm sensing is correct… then that thing is a Nueroi itself." Minna says with severe look on her face.
Mack lets out a soft great as the ship heads toward the base and on an intercept course with the Akagi. Especially when Minna notes that the Warlock was refueled and being sent to the Galia nest.
Han hums while Haru orders the sailors to maintain a holding pattern just beyond the visual range of base. Before asking Trude to help him into his Colossus Javelin. "I'm gonna need it for this fight. Besides. I still have to rebuild my Ranger."
Right as they are getting ready to move out, Minna reports that the Warlock had already engaged the Neuroi. "So, they're already trying to control Galia?" Trude asks while helping Han into his Javelin.
Mack narrows his eyes before saying they won't let them. "We've got the firepower and skills to stop this." "But we can't just jump in right away. Maloney has official orders and recognition. We have to wait for our moment." Elias comments while checking the sights on his rifle.
Han agrees while grabbing his autocannon and pulse launcher for weapons on his Colossus. While also equipping the Railgun and Shock Coil for extra firepower. "Even with the data Minna recorded, we can't make a move too soon."
Right as Han was saying this, a new report came in that there were multiple Neuroi spotted coming from the Galia nest. And while the Freelancers were tempted to get in on the fight, the report on the sheer number had them nervous.
"Over 30 Neuroi at once?!" Elias said with a gulp. And all of the soldiers agreed with him. Even the witches. "We couldn't take all of those out at once. Not without some serious support." Erica says with a sweat drop.
It is not long after this that the Neuroi start attacking and blasting one another. With reports coming in about the numbers dropping rapidly. Until there are no more Nueroi under the nest. And the Warlock has started back to the base.
The senior officers hum for a moment until they see the Warlock attack the Akagi. Erica checks the readings and signals in the amplifier chair. "This wasn't intentional! Something happened with the Warlock!"
Trude and Han let out a 'shit' statement while looking back up at the fight. Tanaka is about to take off to fight the Neuroi and protect the Akagi. But Han stops him. "Hold up. Let me take care of something."
He asks Trude to grab a few pieces he'd been working on. "I'd been planning to give these to you but now seems like a good time. It's a duo of lightning seals. It'll help with this and probably lead to less damage to the Akagi."
Trude attaches the pieces to Haru's Storm, and the Freelancer can feel the electricity surge through his suit. "Arigato. I'm going." Haru says with a nod to his comrades. Meanwhile, Aleko orders the ship to head towards the Akagi to rescue anyone if the ship sinks.
"We'll head for the base. Give us a lift?" Minna says while looking up at Han. He pops up his face shield and gives her a smile. Holding out his massive hand to carry Minna. Mack offers the same to Trude and Elias picks up Erica.
They take off while Aleko sticks with the ship so he can support Haru eventually. Speaking of, as Haru was reaching the Akagi the Warlock was distracted by the arrival of Yoshika.
Haru smirks before taking his first shots at the machine. Disrupting the beam shots fired at the witch. "Who?! Tanaka-san?" Yoshika shouts as the Freelancer flies in and takes a shot with his Shock Burst seals.
Before taking a few more shots and then hitting the machine with a Lightning Strike. Causing a burst that seemed to slightly short the monstrous machine. And that is when Yoshika jumps in and takes a few shots herself.
Back closer to land, the Freelancers and witches were quickly come up on the base. With the Colossi leading the charge through the windows of the command room. While most of the soldiers and technicians were freaking out, the two mechanized men drew their weapons.
With Elias coming in a bit later to avoid as much of a dramatic spectacle as his comrades. And when Maloney's lieutenant tries to get physical or threaten one of the witches, Trude quickly breaks him. Leaving the man with a barely recognizable face.
"I think I see one of the reasons these guys dislike magic. Though it's a bit pathetic." Mack quips while keeping door covered with his shotgun. Han just lets out a dry chuckle after grabbing Maloney himself.
While Minna checks over the details and reports from the Warlock team. "You've certainly been busy. I guess its not an easy task deceiving the witches. The only way you could become more powerful than the witches or even the Freelancers was to use Neuroi technology."
"If we had the full power and backing of Javelins, we wouldn't have felt the need to go this far and stoop to this!" Maloney attempts to defend himself with. Claiming that if they could mass produce the machines they wouldn't have needed to go this far.
With one of the technicians speaking up how many felt like they were basically being sent off to die. "The mortality rate of your average soldier is ridiculously high. Even more so for sailors. With the Warlock we hoped to eliminate the risk and shrink the body count."
Trude looks down before admitting that the technicians had at least good motives. "But in your case General, you just wanted power and control. Something we picked up on when Miyafuji mentioned seeing the Neuroi in a lab."
"Hey! It looks like Haru is fighting the Warlock with a witch!" Erica reports from the broken window. Minna uses her spatial magic to see who it was. Discovering that it was Yoshika who was fighting, but in Mio's striker.
"I guess you both suspected something." Minna says with a look to Han. Who just nods before saying they should help the pair out. "A witch and Freelancer can do a lot, but that thing has a lot of power."
After Trude ties up Maloney, she hops on Mack's Colossus again and they head for the hanger. And when they arrive, they are greeted by Eila and Sanya. With the former trying to make some lame excuse for why they were there.
"We found out Yoshika's fighting so we…." Sanya says with a look to the side. While Minna and Erica comment that they all are terrible liars. Before Trude cracks her knuckles to say they needed to get to work.
With her using her maximum magic strength boost to pick up one of the girders. While Mack and Han did the same. Opening up the hanger once more and allowing the witches to get to their units. Made more useful with the arrival of Shirley and Francesca.
Who had just caught a falling Mio and Perrine after a dodged beam shot at Haru and Yoshika had knocked them off the sinking Akagi. With Lynne being the last to arrive at the hanger.
Aleko and the cargo crew meanwhile had gotten close enough to help the stranded sailors or those in lifeboats. "I'm going to back them up! You all help here!" Aleko shouts before dropping his face mask and taking to the skies.
And their combined firepower and coordination drops the Nueroi Warlock into the sea. After a rapid assault of multiple elemental blasts, bullets from Yoshika's gun and shield bashes, and sustained assault from Aleko's missile system.
With them breathing a sigh of relief as the machine crashed into the Akagi and then the sea. One mirrored by their comrades as they meet up on the deck of the cargo ship.
"Guess we won't need these after all." Trude comments while holding Yoshika's striker unit. While Han helps Yoshika out of Mio's striker he tells her and his Freelancers they did well. "It's not over though. Take a look."
This is said by Eila who was holding up one of her tarot cards. The tower. Just as she was saying this, the water where the sinking Akagi had started down burst up again. But this time it wasn't floating.
At the bow of the ship was the Warlock, while the rest had taken on a metallic appearance similar to that of the Neuroi. "Well, that's just great. Let's get these two mounted up. This is gonna be one Hell of a fight! Hail Mary full of grace…." Each of the Freelancers says as Han and the others help Yoshika and Mio into their strikers.
They all then take to the skies before the strange fusion takes a few shots at all of them. While in the air Mio and Minna take each other's hands as they scan the modified Akagi. And finding a massive core at the center of the ship.
When Minna mentions that it was beyond their control, Mio says that they still have to try. "We're not going to give up. If the witches can't stop it, then no one else will be able to!" Han snorts before saying, "you guys aren't alone up in the air anymore. The Freelancers have your back."
With a nod and a warning from Sanya, the groups break apart and start firing away at the machine. Minna and Mio stay back a distance to observe and plan. The latter planning to go in to finish the core in the engine room since they can't hit it from the outside.
"No way Mio. You can only fly, and we don't know what defenses are inside." Han says with finality in his voice. Mirrored by Minna as she grips Mio's hand tighter. "No major I'll go." Yoshika says with Lynne offering to be the backup.
"Well I know a bit about the interior and we don't want you getting lost." Perrine announces with a blush. Which grows when Mio compliments the girl. "Han you should go as well." Minna suggests.
He looks at her odd before asking if she was sure. "You've got extra firepower and defense. Please look after them?" Han smiles before he says he will. "We need an opening though. That'll be up to the rest of you!"
With a roger from the rest, the witches and Freelancers engage the Neuroi. Mack and Elias work with Trude and Erica to pound away at the side of the machine. With Mack literally doing that and punching the side of the machine. Making it jerk slightly.
"Ha! I can hit it harder than that!" Trude shouts before holstering her guns and punching the side of the Neuroi as well. While both Elias and Erica get a laugh at their teammates.
Aleko meanwhile flies beside Eila and Sanya. Firing his missiles in time with Sanya's rocket salvos. While Haru uses the large size of the monster against it and blasts away with Spark Burst and Lightning Strike.
"Hold off on doing that for a second man!" Shirley shouts as she takes Francesca in her arms and speed bursts down toward the Warlock figurehead. Then chucking the girl at said entity. She lights up with her inherent magic and burst apart the creature at the bow.
"Is she okay!?" Yoshika shouts after seeing that. But Shirley only tells the girl to go for the core. The trio of witches have to wait a moment for Han to catch up, but they all still make their way into the interior of the monstrosity.
As they are coming up to the bulkhead, Lynne and Han take their shots. With Han using his railgun to burst through a few drones inside the main body. As they are flying though, he takes a bit of damage to said gun and his autocannon. While Yoshika and Lynne lose their weapons to internal beams.
He then takes point as he deploys his shield and covers the girls. Once they reach the engine room, he and Perrine fire at the door blocking the way. But even with his pulse accelerator, they barely make a dent.
"I guess two isn't enough." Perrine says before tossing her gun aside. Han thinks about using his biggest gun, but he worries about what it could do to the girls. Until he sees Perrine charging up her magic and puts together what she has in mind.
"Whoa hold up! Let me prime it before you blast it." Han says as he starts up the Shock Coil. Perrine nods and lets the man do just that. And when she uses her Tonnre, the resulting shock causes damage through the whole creature.
After shaking off the shockwave, Perrine comments "that was quite the effect." When they fly into the central core room, they can see how massive it truly is. This is when Han pulls out his Siege Cannon.
Yoshika meanwhile asks for Lynne and Perrine's help. "Hold up Yoshika. Let me take care of something first." Han says while telling the girls to stay back. He aims with his cannon and fires off three shots. The shockwaves cause residual damage to the area and make the Neuroi sink beneath the clouds a bit.
"You couldn't have pulled that out sooner?" Perrine questions while also wondering if that destroyed the core. Han then points to something unusual. A cracked barrier around the core.
"I had a feeling that thing would have that. The Warlock had a similar one and I didn't want to take chances. So, I wanted to blast it first and break it away. Take your shot Yoshika."
Yoshika thanks Han before putting her striker together and starting the propellers spinning in reverse. "Thanks for everything." She says to the unit before using it as a weapon and destroying the core of the Neuroi.
With that done, the whole machine breaks apart in the sky in a flash of particles and lights. With the 501st and the Freelancers celebrating at the victory over the massive Neuroi. Only enhanced by the hive over Galia dissipating.
"Galia…. My homeland is free! After all this time!" Perrine says with tears in her eyes. Han puts a comforting hand on her shoulder and tells her congratulations. While down on the ocean the sailors were all celebrating as well and saluting the 501st and their Freelancer allies.
Since she couldn't fly, Han offered to give the girl a ride back. "No thanks. I'll stay with Lynne and Perrine." The heroic girl says with a blush. Han nods before asking Minna if they should head back.
"Yes we should. Great work witches! All units return to home!" Minna says while still holding Mio's hand tight. Han meanwhile chuckles before announcing, "Freelancers! Let's head on back!"
Both commanding officers get rogers from their subordinates and head back to the Dover Base. With joy in their hearts at finishing this Battle for Britannia.
This is insanely long overdue. But after all of my other stories, this is one of many that fell by the wayside. Sorry to anyone who is a fan of this or was following it. I just needed time, inspiration and to work on my other stories to finish it. Please review!
