A Javelin to Strike the Core

Chapter 13

I'm guessing most of you could tell I was going straight to the Brave Witches series with this one. Han will be backing up the 502nd with his Javelins as well as being the final test for the various soldiers sent to get their own Javelins. And at the same time learning to deal with other witches than the 501st. So on with the show.

(No POV)

With the sun setting, introductions were quick at the 502nd base. "My name's Hikari! I'll do my best in my sister's place!" Each of the members then introduce themselves with Han and the new Freelancers going last.

"Heard you did pretty well considering the situation kid. But you need a bit of polishing." Han quips. Etou notes that she did the best she could under the circumstances. "She is still untrained or under trained sir."

The experience Freelancer just shrugs before noting that he'll have their units ready tomorrow. "As much as you two may want to stay and help, I've got standing orders to get your Javelins built. And then send you all on your way." Han says with a crack of his neck. Shimohara though stops him.

"But that is no reason why they can't enjoy a good meal beforehand….. Sir." Rall agrees and tells Han he can build the machines in the morning. He just grumbles a bit before smelling the soup the rabbit witch and the base crew had been cooking. And his stomach answers for him. "Fine. I'll get to work in the morning."

As they all start digging in, Krupinski notes that Hikari had fallen asleep at the table. "Looks like the exhausted little kitty is taking a cat nap." This just seems to annoy Nao as she angrily bites into some bread. "What the Hell are you laughing about?!"

"Okay seriously kid. Pull your head out of your ass. Before I force it out with some less gentle items….. then again. I have been needing to see if the range on new Shock and Lightning Coils is working properly. Not to mention some other electric based weapons." Han starts before eyeing up the smaller Fusoan.

Seeing him pondering, as well as knowing he had been experimenting with new gear to improve combat potential, is enough to make Nao nervous. Especially when Sasha seems to be considering the matter as well.

"Sasha! You wouldn't really let him do anything would you?! Commander?!" Nao asks with a cold sweat. While Shimohara and Georgette took Hikari to her room. "Not so much letting him test the items directly on you, but he did mention wanting to make sure the gear would properly target enemies and not hit allies." Rall notes while calmly eating her stew.

Sasha nods before saying, "yes. Perhaps aside from the standard kneeling punishment, we could set up some targets or poles behind an offender. Make sure the systems are working properly?" Han seems to consider this while all the members of the Break Witches are freaking out.

Before the thoughts could go anywhere though, Han mentioned they should discuss it later. "Don't want the food to get cold. Especially in these regions." Everyone finishes in relative quiet, but a certain trio go to beg all of the command staff not to go through with the ideas. To middling success.

When the Freelancer returns to his room, he is still shivering. Compounded when he changes into some night clothes. "Damn. Not really used to this. Fort Tarsis was in a jungle and I rarely went to any place that was cold." Han thought aloud while settling in.

His grumbling continued as he shivered and he woke up the next morning. "Maybe I should stick to my Strider. I think it's warmer in there." The Freelancer grumbles while dressing for the day. He sighs before doing something Mio suggested to wake himself up. A double slap to the cheeks.

"Okay that kind of helps but at the same time; Ow! Gotta wonder at times if Fusoan's just like pain." Han thinks aloud before heading to his Strider and forge. He starts work on the two new Javelins for the newest additions to the Freelancers.

He hums around a bit before deciding on the styles of machines to make. "Etou used a piece of a wall to defend herself and Kurusu. So, a Colossus would probably be a good fit. And give her a Venom Spitter and a Lightning Coil."

He starts up the forge as well as using the base measurements to make the outer layer for her machine. For Kurusu though, he thinks the matter over a few times before deciding on a Storm with a Burning Orb and Living Flame seals. "Wonder if my choices have anything to do with the climate." Han questions aloud.

He spends the next two hours building the machines with the Earth materials. "There we go. That should do it." Han says as the forge was finishing the fabrication process. "*whistle*. So that's how it works."

Han finishes the system he was working on and then pulls up his goggles. Standing in the door of his Strider was Krupinski. "Something up?" Han questions as he was letting the machine wind down. Krupinski shakes her head before saying, "not really. We're just going to meet to eat and discuss some matters."

Han nods and asks the pilot officer to lead on. In the dinning room, Hikari was questioning if Shimohara had been one of the cooks. "Yeah. There's a cooking crew on base. But sometimes, I'll whip something up!"

"It was about the same at the 501st. Though I'll admit that I wasn't one who cooked often. I don't know how to cook much more than simple roasting or stewing of ingredients." Han says with a shrug.

After they finish eating, they adjourn to the meeting room. "Now then. You're looking at a regional map pinpointing the locations of our former primary targets. Neuroi nest Anna and Vzsily." Rossman explained while pointing out the two.

"However, there is a new target that takes priority in the White Sea." The meister explains before pulling down a photo image of the target. With Sasha pointing out the trouble for the convoys and other supplies. "Alright, we will designate the new nest Grigori." Rall says with some frustration lining her voice.

"The scouts reported that the neuroi coming from the nest are expanding their patrols and influence. And if we lose those, we'll be starved out and have to abandon this area." Han speaks up next. He also notes that Freelancers had been helping the land witches to push back the horde. "But they'll just keep coming until we can deal with the nest itself."

"Speaking of Specialist. We know that the 501st had defeated the nest over Galia. But the brass won't tell us anything. Care to fill us in?" Rall says with a pointed look. One mirrored by Rossman. And a few members of the 502nd.

Han sighs before saying, "I can't give you all the details. Considering the classified nature of the incident and project. But I will say that it was aided by a very dangerous weapon that caused as much harm to the operators as it did to the Neuroi."

Rall narrowed her eyes but she nodded and understood what he meant. "It's something so dangerous that if we replicated it, we could lose as much as we were trying to save. Yes?" Han nods while Sasha and Rossman both contemplate what could cause that kind of backlash.

Nao punches her hand and proclaims, "I'm gonna pulverizes 'em!" Han snorts while Rall compliments her spirit. Before giving Hikari her new orders and the plan going forward. "Han. Do you mind if we talk?" she says after ordering everyone to check the duty schedule.

The Freelancer sighs before saying, "do you mind talking in my Strider? Aside from calibrating the two new Javelins, it might be better to discus some of what you want to know quietly." The commander nods and asks him to lead the way.

Once inside, Han locks the hatch and strips out of his coat again. "So. What is it that you can't tell us?" Rall asks as Han is putting his goggles back on. He sighs before checking a few pieces of armor. "It's….. a bit complicated. For starters the ones involved decided to make a special set of weapons to try and put them on top. And they did it… by using parts of a neuroi."

Rall is wide eyed at the thought and fervently demands answers. Grabbing him by his shirt and shaking him. "What do you mean?! Where would they have gained parts of a neuroi!?" Rall exclaims.

But she stops shaking when she notices that the Freelancer seemed motion sick. "Sorry. This is just…. A big betrayal of trust if what you are saying is true." Rall says while Han coughed a bit.

"I understand. I've felt that before. But as far as this incident goes: there was a general who was hoping to jump to the top by using the technology. Most of his technicians meanwhile were more focused on trying to keep the frontline boys safe. Or were looking to experiment with new technology."

Han continued on by noting that the device had worked for a time. And it made a major dent in the Galia nest's forces. "But it broke free from the control terminal that they had built. And proceeded to attack the ones who had been controlling it." Han said as he finished adjusting the Storm seals.

"We could have told them that was a bad idea. Did they really think that the Neuroi could be controlled?" Rall says with a shake of her head. She then hands Han a tool to work on the shield of the Colossus. Sweating all the while. Han then asks if she could help with some adjustments.

When the commander does just that, she presses Han for some more answers. "I think…. They were more focused on the trying to make it work and less on if they should even be working on it to begin with." Han says before testing the thrusters.

Rall finally has enough and strips out of her uniform. While also wincing from the release of her corset. "Is it always this hot when you work on a Javelin?" Rall asks while catching her own breath. And making her breasts bounce a bit.

"Kind of. Normally a forge is in an open area so you don't feel the heat quite the same. But it feels better compared to outside." Han says before checking the links on the ordnance hardware. And asking for a screwdriver.

When Rall does find the item in question, Han looks up and sees her impressive bust in a black bra. He blushes a bit but closes his eyes and focuses back on Mio and Minna. "Uh… thanks. Hey, hold that section of the Venom Spitter. It's a little loose back here."

"Right. So is there a reason you can't tell us everything? Or does it have to do with those involved and what they did to make…. Whatever the weapon was?" Rall asks while pushing the barrel of the weapon in place. Han hums a bit before saying it was related and that he shouldn't say much more. And neither should she given the situation.

Rall groans a bit but does see his point. The pair get a bit of a surprise when they hear a striker rev up and rush past the Strider. And the surprise makes Han cross a wire, and Rall bumps a section of the weapon. Accidentally letting out a spay of the acid onto Rall.

"SHIT! Hang on!" Han shouts while the commander is screaming from the acid. Until she's splashed with something else. It stops the burning and pain on her skin. She asks what it was, and Han replies with, "it was a neutralizing solution. You're not the first person who got splashed with acid from a Venom Spitter."

He places the canister back on the shelf before turning back to his current commander. And then his face turns bright red. Rall hadn't noticed, but while the solution had stopped the acid from burning her skin… it didn't stop it from eating away her remaining clothes. In fact they were being destroyed faster than with just acid.

"What's wrong?" Rall questions while standing. At least until she notices her reflection in the armor of the Colossus. And her face matches the color of her hair. "Care to explain why I'm currently naked?!" Rall demands quietly.

Han lets out a strained laugh before saying the acid and neutralizer seemed to dissolve away clothes faster than one alone. "I… I don't know what to say." Han says while looking away. Both hear a knock at the hatch and Han goes to open the door.

Rall freaks out and starts to tell him to not open the door, but she's too late. And she trips as he's opening the door. Crashing into him and out onto the tarmac. "OH MY! Commander?!"

The commander and Han look up and see Sasha and Rossman staring down at them. Their red faces contrasting quite a bit with their hair. Sasha shakes out of her surprise first before taking off her jacket and giving it to Rall.

Rossman meanwhile pulls out a side arm and points it at Han's head. "Care to explain what is going on?" the short silver haired witch says with a severe expression. Han stumbles with his words before Rall steps up and suggests they go inside for the time being.

"Sorry you had to see that. It was just an accident you two. One of the weapons here went off and splashed acid on me. Han hit me with a solution to neutralize it, but it had an unintended effect; melting my clothes." Rall says with a blush.

Rossman lowers the pistol she had kept trained on Han the whole time. Before sighing and asking if Han had something the commander could wear. "There are some reports she has to work on. And it would look less conspicuous if than what just happened."

"Uh right. Hang on. I think there's…. yep, here we go. It's not much but I do have some coveralls." Han says after checking some lockers. The coveralls are a bit big, but they work to keep more eyes off her…. Less than proper state of dress.

While they were slipping away to get Rall some proper clothing, Rossman and Sasha are reviewing Hikari's usage of the Shiden Kai. "I thought so. You don't meet the magical power requirements of this unit." Sasha reported.

"But I'm confused. I was able to fly it." Hikari says with a droop of her ears. Rossman tells her that it wasn't the case. "It was letting you fly." Before anyone else can speak up, Kanno comes in and demands to use the unit instead of Hikari.

"Takami's not here and a new nest has shown up! I have to get stronger! And that test unit should help me. But regardless! An amateur like her would only be a hinderance in actual battle!" Nao lists off while glaring at Hikari.

Rossman though puts a stop to the argument by saying that it would be up to the squadron leader to decide. And Nao grumbles and curses as she walks out of the hanger. With the testing done, the three choose to reconvene in the commander's office.

"Think she's decent again?" Sasha whispers to the meister. "Probably. Though I have to wonder if Han will put his own thoughts in on this matter." The combat commander turned mechanic shrugs as they arrive outside the office.

Rossman knocks on the door and Rall answers. "I take it you finished some of your tests?" Rall asks as the three involved. Rossman takes a place next to the commander while Han was reading over a few reports from sofa.

"Well then. How did it go?" Rossman reports that Hikari wasn't ready for combat at this time. "It would be best to send her back immediately." Sasha agrees while Hikari is panicking a bit. Han just chuckles slightly from sofa. "Something funny Specialist?"

"Sort of. Back when I was with the 501st there was a rookie added. And she became enough of a powerhouse that we were able to take back Galia. Not to mention in contrast to Hikari here, she didn't have a single day of combat training. While this kid has actually gone through the basics." Han explains while thinking back to Yoshika and where she started with the 501st.

When he also brings up that the girl took down a medium sized neuroi before they even got there, it gives the commanding officers a pause. Rall hums a moment before saying, "interesting. There may be something to what you say. Did that girl have something that helped her grow?"

"Well aside from Mio's training regiment, Yoshika had an impressive amount of magic. Her shield was big enough to cover an entire carrier. But other than that not much. She just had to work with her squad to grow more capable." With Han's explanation done, Sasha contemplates more on what the Freelancer had said.

Rossman though stays resolute that Hikari would be better off going back to Fuso. "Unlike that girl, Karibuchi doesn't have much in terms of magic. So I still think it would be best to send her back." Hikari then tries to defend her place in the squad by telling them she saw the core in the neuroi she shot down.

"Sub Lieutenant Karibuchi has magic eyes didn't she? This one might too." Sasha notes as Rall asks Rossman to check as well. Han meanwhile hums a moment while thinking about Mio and her magic eye. As if on cue, the alarms went off that a neuroi was attacking.

Han hurries to his Javelin while telling Etou and Kurusu that their units were finished. "You can try them on to make sure they feel right. But don't fly yet. I want to make sure the cooling units are operating properly. Stand by and use long range guns and gear."

"Roger that. We'll keep an eye on the base." Both report before hoping into the machines he designated as theirs. Han meanwhile launches in his Storm, with an Ice Blast seal and Burning Orb seal.

Sasha gives out the orders to the squad, and Rossman suggests that Hikari launches as well. To which the girl happily agrees. Han hangs back with Hikari and the meister while up in the air. As Nipa and Kanno charge in first to attack the neuroi.

While they are doing that, Han takes aim with his marksman rifle and puts in a few long shots. "Sergeant! Can you see the core?!" Rossman asks. But Hikari can't see anything. Han looks back and can tell there is no difference in her eyes. He hums while Rossman orders Hikari to return to the base.

"I guess she doesn't have it in her." Han speaks his own mind with, "I'm not so sure. Something's different compared to last time. I'll check when we get back." Right as he was saying this, the neuroi fired at the rookie witch. And Kanno had to save her.

She berates Hikari before she and Nipa charge the neuroi again. With Krupinski, Han, and Sasha adding in their own fire to get to the core of the enemy. With that done, Sasha orders Nipa and Kanno to search for more enemies. While the rest return to base. "Whatever you saw last time….. it wasn't a core." Rossman says to Hikari before heading back as well.

This, plus the fact she needed to be saved again, brings down Hikari's spirits even more. Han meanwhile is curious about something he observed in the previous battle. 'It could just be residual magic. But I'm sure I pick up a different reading compared to now.' Han thinks as he flies back to his Strider.

Etou and Kurusu were there as well, so Han took the chance to make sure the thrusters were working properly and that the cooling units were operating properly. Once that was done, he checked the sensor data from his Ranger in the last fight.

"Here it is… huh. That's interesting. It was at a distance, but I did pick up a surge of her magic at one point. And compare it to today's… nothing. Maybe there's some kind of trigger." Han muses before telling the two to test out their Javelins. He copies the data down before heading to the command office.

The sun had started to set when the report came in that a new neuroi had appeared. With the spotters noting that Kanno had engaged the enemy in combat. And while Han was tempted to go out himself, he instead tells the two new Freelancers to head out and back the witches up.

"Is this what it means to be a commanding officer? Well in the meantime." Han muses before heading to the command office. He finds both of the Karlsland witches discussing the battle as well as what happened with Hikari. "I don't know what it was she thought she saw; but it probably wasn't a core."

"I'm not so sure meister. Something seemed off. And I think I might have an idea of what." Han takes the moment to show the data from the two battles to the pair. Rossman hums a moment and questions how he could pick up magic energies from a long distance. "Took a bit of adjusting, but the amplifier chairs can resonate with the Anthem of Earth. And the magic you all wield is a part of that Anthem."

He shows some of the data on a few of the witches he had fought with. Illustrating the difference between magic that is just active during flight. And when a witch is using a special spell, such as Sturm for Erica. "So this is what makes you think that we may be overlooking something?" Rossman says with a skeptical look.

Han shrugs before saying, "it's worth a look. Right?" As they were finishing the discussion, a report came in from the Freelancers. "There was another neuroi. But the witches managed to take them out. But two of them are out of magic. So we're helping them back."

The report intrigues Rall a bit and wants to know a bit more. "Kanno. When you return I'd like to have a word with you." This makes the little witch squirm a bit while Etou is carrying her back to the base.

Once they were back, Han checked over the Javelins once more before announcing that the machines as well as the pilots were ready. "You'll get new orders soon but let me be the first to say this; Welcome, Freelancers." Han says with a hand extended to both. The two shake his hands happily.

With that done, Kanno is escorted up to the commander's office to hear a report of what happened. And what she describes, not to mention Han's earlier report, impresses Rall enough to reconsider Hikari's transfer. "Meister. You have a week. Perhaps you should let Han observe to get an idea of what we might be missing."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Kanno asks while looking between the three officers. Han speaks up first with, "I noticed something a bit odd during the defense of the fleet and the fight today. I think there's a special element to Hikari's magic." Rossman stops him with a different point. "Even if she has magic eyes, she still needs to be trained up the proper point. There's no point if she can't use her magic properly. And I'm going to make she can either do that. Or she's going back."

I know, this chapter didn't have a real battle scene. But I wanted to show more of just basic or slow factors involved with the base. As well as some of what Han's role has been post battle for Britannia. Also, don't worry. Gundula won't be going after Han. She's got her relationship with the witch who fixed up her back. Please review.