Chapter 33: Dark tide
Everything about the person Shirogane Takeru was extremely abnormal. Whether it was the special treatment that Kouzuki Yuuko reserved to him o the first day he arrived the Yokohama UN base, his puzzling background, his ability to persuade people, his odd behaviours, or his talent with the TSF; they were all abnormal in any standard even if Marimo barred it up to genius' standard.
And now, even at the darkest hour, the abnormality of Shirogane Takeru was still shown.
Marimo had her share of hellish experience fighting on the front line for years before she was assigned as an Instructor in Yokohama Eishi training school. Even adding up all of Marimo's experiences, she had never came across a situation weirder than this.
They- the BETA ignored her, as though she didn't exist in the first place. Only the laser strands seemed to consider her as threat, half heartedly locking their optical weapon at her Gekishin. As for the rest, they kept on crawling toward the boy's fallen TSF.
What's that about his TSF that make the BETA showed such unheard behaviour? Marimo has no idea, except that the thing made the BETA showed such odd patterns was top secret. It was something that should never disclose to public or even within the UN army, something so secretive that Yuuko forbade the entire UN Army's fighting force from being deployed except for her personal unit the Valkyries.
The BETA themselves were already extremely abnormal and incomprehensible beings. But, even in term of abnormal and incomprehensible, they held no candle in front of the person Shirogane Takeru.
It could only take a Shirogane Takeru to make Marimo went against the military regulations and code of conducts to this extent. In all of her years being in the army, Marimo had never committed a single outrage nearly as big as this. Yet, she was committing such outrageous offence at the moment, without any hesitation or regret whatsoever.
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"What are you doing here?"
Those words dryly died out before they could escape from my mouth.
She wasn't even a field officer. What is she doing here? No, before that, aside from the Valkyries, Yuuko would not let anyone move out to protect the secret. How could Marimo possibly be here?
The numbed fingers of mine began to move, frantically tuning the intercom. Data sharing line interfered and communication signal jammed. The UN army open channel was blocked as well. As expected, after all on this Shiranui, house a top secret object that related to the success of ALTERNATIVE IV. Yuuko sensei has no other choice in this matter.
My wide opened eyes were transfixed disbelievedly at the Gekishin that came to my rescue, in horror.
"Shirogane"
Her call was getting more desperate than ever. The intercom network from my TSF has yet patched to her Gekishin.
Damn, why at the time like this my fingers could not listen to me. Stop this ridiculous shaking already.
I angrily pommeled my fist at the monitoring screen, suppressing the chronic trembling that prevented me from tuning the intercom.
"What are you doing here, Marimo chan?"
My mouth became useful for once.
"Shirogane… stay inside your cockpit. I will protect you. Just stay there, the Valkyries are coming"
My question was ignored. Marimo choked elatedly, she then assured me with an order after confirming my safety.
Tanks classes and Grapplers died, carpeting the floor around my fallen TSF with their fluids and corpses.
Bunch of laser classes bit dust, covered with holes.
For a moment an avatar of Vishnu I though it was, Marimo's Gekishin with four arms spread wide. Main arms and sub arms fully deployed, as the Gekishin passed down the heavenly decree upon the monsters crawling around me.
The howl of the wind died away by the fury of Marimo's gunfire and her war cry.
Four blazing assault cannons on the hand of the Gekishin furiously spat fire, obliterated anything crept near my fallen TSF.
But it wasn't enough.
Somehow, I just knew it.
Laser classes Lux and Magnus Lux shifted their attention at Marimo's Gekishin whereas the other strands simply ignored her TSF. As expected, the existence of the black box inside my Shiranui made it the foremost priority to the BETA. Even if I was to deactivate it right now, it wouldn't make those monsters less focused on my TSF.
Therefore, Marimo would be stuck here, dealing with the laser strands while protecting my grounded TSF. And anyone can tell, a burden such as myself will cost Marimo a heavy price while she was fighting with her life on the line.
I could not do anything but powerlessly watching her intercepting the ranks of BETA, trying to draw away their attention from my TSF.
I could not stand living a burden for her nor could I stand watching Marimo killed once again at their hands. No I doubted my sanity will last if it was the case.
But what if …
The siren within my TSF was still wailing and the red light that cast a dangerous glow on the Shiranui's cockpit reminded me of another alternative method.
Yes, it may work out somehow if it was the case.
I am the only reason why she broke military regulation, recklessly risking her life in this manner. Thus, if I was to die now, wouldn't Marimo withdraw from this battle?
Yes, she would. If the burden that is me gone, not only she has the option to retreat but also she would able to have more room to deal with these Laser strands. And at least, I would able to take more BETA with me.
Yes, this is the only method.
Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid of death as I thought I would. Something must be wrong with me.
My left hand swiftly began to move, hitting the several commanded on the command board.
Heh. It was weird. I knew exactly what should I do. I was incredibly calm and compose. No, the right word should be inert or indifferent.
The core reactor of the Shiranui immediately grew hotter than ever according to my command, sizzled dangerously. Heated steam came out of my Shiranui as the coolant package was unable to catch up with the heat of the core reactor.
With this, the remained task would be overloading the Jump units by hitting the red button in the opened glass box.
"Live"
Her voice was incredibly desperate as Marimo plunged her TSF, intercepting a Fort class that crept toward my fallen Shiranui.
Huh?
My right hand that raised up, about to issue the ultimate commandment to the Shiranui suddenly froze.
Through my retinal display, the Gekishin adeptly glided on the ground at blinding speed.
"Live"
Huh?
Hands move! Why are you stopping like that? Do you want to see her die?
Huh? What's with these tears? Why do they keep on flowing non-stop?
My vision was misty with hot tears as the protective back of the Gekishin burned deep into my consciousness.
Meters away from my fallen Shiranui, Marimo poured lead at every BETA within her sight.
Thud
A 64 meters height behemoth that I was unable to kill previously heavily crumbled on the floor, separating the remained Laser strands and our TSF apart like the Berlin wall. Asphalt broke like millions of ice flakes, unable to keep up with the mass of the behemoth. A violent shockwave blasted across the ruin of Hiragi, bringing a violent storm of dust and rubble.
The threat of laser class was immediately solved. Even with a first generation TSF, Marimo chan was still formidable.
"Don't even think about it. You have to live"
Marimo's worried face appeared on my HUD. The rising heat in my TSF must have given away my intention.
I could not selfdestruct now. Her Gekishin was too close to my Shiranui. If I was to hit the red button, Marimo's Gekishin will be devoured by the explosion.
Damn it. She completely saw through me. Even when she was fighting for her life in this chaotic battlefield, she didn't miss out my suicidal intention and immediately came up with a solution to stop it. She even hit the Fort class down to use it as a meat shield to protect us.
Marimo's really amazing.
But even so, it won't be enough against these monsters.
Somehow, I felt it. Even if Marimo was clearly winning here, my instinct told me just otherwise.
Would it be alright if I believe in Marimo in this occasion? Would it be alright if I act against my own instinct?
It wasn't like I could not carry out my ultimate decision. The handgun that always stayed inside my waist pouch could be use in this situation.
"Do you hear me, Shirogane? You have to live"
It was an order that not like any order that she gave me before.
Even in this hopeless situation, why do I feel like I must believe in her and obey her command at all cost? Something must be wrong with me.
"Roger," From my parched throat came the answer, unexpectedly determined.
My will was bent. I hated myself for giving up so easily. I absolutely hate this part of me. But I hated betraying Marimo's belief and hurting her even more.
"Leave everything to me"
Marimo's reply was drowned in the gunfire noise of her own. Even so, I could hear a relieving breathe came through of the intercom.
Marimo alternatively poured concentrated fire at the swarm of crawling monsters with incredible accuracy and efficiency.
Cannons on left and right sub arm poured 66mm shells, slowing the advance of the monster army. Cannon mounted on the left main arm spat 120mm sabot, blasting away any tank classes in vicinity, immobilizing destroyers and grapplers. Cannon in right main arm released 120mm piercing shells, passing down the heavenly decree on the monsters.
Tank classes were ripped into shred at the distance of 90 meters, unable to do a thing. Destroyer that remained unflinching no matter how many 66mm shell poured at them, hopelessly immobilized 80 meters before Marimo's Gekishin unable to move as their legs was ripped by the 120mm sabot. Grapplers could not even break the 90 meters barrier as they were slowed down with 66mm shell, 120mm sabot and killed with the 120mm piercing rounds.
Deathly precision shooting while multi tasking, real time analytical and processing of trajectory, this incredible display of skills wasn't something that one could accomplish with just innate ability. An incredible sight of gunmanship was etched into my vision. I doubt that even geniuses like Tama or Haruko would able to produce something like that. And if the perfectionist superhuman Isumi was to see this, she would undoubtedly bow her head, admitting her inferiority against this stunning display of proficiency. Yes, it took more than just the words like 'genius', 'talent', or 'speciality' to explain this phenomenal artillery strike of Marimo. Just like my close to cheating ability, piloting a TSF. These skills could only temper and sharpened up through decades of hard work. This level of skill was the testament to Marimo's amount of endurance of hardship, her experience, her despair and her life.
I was once again made to realize that this person, Jinguuji Marimo wasn't just any average person. The reason she was assigned into deskwork wasn't because she lacked abilities for front line. If it was the case, there was no way that us, members of the squad 207 and the Valkyries made a name for ourselves with our strength and skill. Marimo chan was assigned as our Instructor for a very good reason. To pass on her skills, her resolves to us and keep us alive as long as possible on the battlefield was Marimo's role.
With the fallen behemoth behind acting as shield, Marimo no longer has to be worry about the Laser strands. She totally went all out, pouring concentrated fire at the vanguard group BETA.
Maybe she will able to make it until the arrival of the Valkyries.
Those melee classes BETA could not do anything against Marimo's heavily artillery. And if any of the Laser strands were to travel around the fort class, they would become a piece of mess immediately the moment they appeared on Marimo's retinal display. Their rank was totally disordered after chasing after my Shiranui like mindless fools and their number had dwindled greatly. Those monsters could not even overwhelm Marimo with what remained of their current miserable army size.
I kept on telling myself to believe in Marimo despite the bubbling fear inside my gut.
Yet, I was unease. It was as though I was missing something, something extremely important. The shuddering chain of tremors that I felt inside the Shiranui's cockpit made me extremely unease. Seismic reaction feedbacks from those crawling monsters they were… Yet, I could not shrug off this restlessness despite the red carpet that Marimo was painting 80 meters away from our position.
An obscure fear it was, invisible and superficial yet unbearable.
Why? Things were going smoothly, Marimo was totally dominating. There shouldn't be any chance for those disgusting monsters to win.
The earth suddenly shook, trembled and torn apart as to answer to my inner fear. A pitch black crevice appeared on the hardened asphalt surface of Hiragi Highway and hungrily devoured my TSF before I could react.
I braced myself for the shock.
What the hell just happen? My body flung wildly inside the cockpit. If it wasn't for the seatbelt, I would have been a bloody mess of organic material in an instant.
"Shirogane" shouted Marimo over the sound of automatic fire.
"I'm fine," I immediately replied before actually running a quick check on my surrounding.
Monitoring screen was chipped and filled with cracks. Pitch black, I totally could not decipher my surrounding from the retinal projection. Did the core reactor shut down?
No, it seemed that the main camera was damaged. Then, switch to the auxiliary camera.
…
This is worse than I have expected.
I am inside the city sewer with a 60 meters high behemoth lying on top of my TSF, the worst situation ever. I doubted I will able to bail out at this rate
At least Marimo was able to get away. After all, unlike my Shiranui, her Gekishin's jump units were fine.
Damn it.
We should have expected. This abandoned infrastructure was too weak to support a Gekishin, a Shiranui and a fort class at the same time. Mathematically and physically speaking, this infrastructure of a highway wasn't designed to load a total combined mass of over 50 tonnes. It would be extremely weird if it actually managed to withstand such huge mass with its long abandoned state.
"Shirogane, stay there! Do not try to do anything foolish, your unit was on their way here"
Amidst the endless echoing sound of machine gun, Marimo's worried voice rang through the intercom.
"Copied," I replied, lying with a calm façade. It seemed that my fate was sealed this time.
I am scum among scumbags, the kind of scum that know nothing but hurting people around me, people that are dearest to me.
The propellant in the jump units was totally leaking and I doubted that I could open the hatch with a 60 meters behemoth on top of my TSF. And even if I could miraculously overturn this 60 meter behemoth with what remained of my TSF, a single spark produced during the process of throwing an elephant with arm of a monkey will set fire to the leaking propellant. In the end, the fate of mine and the Shiranui was the same, 'kaboom', no different from selfdestruct.
The noise of Marimo's gunfire was echoing through out the pitch black sewers. Even in this situation, she still believed in me, fighting with all her might in order to protect a scumbag like me.
For time being, I shouldn't do anything. Otherwise, Marimo chan will be shocked and might make some mistake that could end her life…. I knew it. Marimo chan shouldn't come here in the first place… How stupid of her…How stupid of me …
This fault was entirely mine and mine alone.
Yuuko sensei hasn't done anything wrong, or the Valkyries or anyone else or even the Murasame. I am entirely to blame for this situation.
If only I have succeeded from the beginning, sealing a contract, mass producing the XM3 for front line fighter's usage.
If only I didn't make a mistake… If only I didn't get drunk on my new power and stick to the original plan, this would never happen. Then Marimo would not risk herself on the streets above, fighting for her life while trying to protecting mine.
Yet, even so, I am lying to her, betraying her trust.
I'm definitely a scumbag, the worst kind of scumbag in the history.
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The boy's dire situation was totally unknown to Marimo. The interference of data sharing line made it impossible for Marimo to monitor the boy's situation. Besides, her rank as a sergeant was lower than that of a 2nd Lieutenant and Takeru was a member of a special task force, Marimo had no power regarding the control or monitor status of the boy's TSF like she was during the coup.
Marimo could only fight, hoping the boy would be safe somehow. She could only fight, praying that the boy would not make any stupid decision after she has come this far, risking her life to protect him.
Until the Valkyries arrived, Marimo was determined to allow no BETA to come anywhere near the boy's TSF.
The BETA came at Marimo half heartedly, paying their sole attention at the boy's TSF. And they all paid heavily for that.
At least a hundred of melee classes BETA become a part of the crimson carpet that Marimo was weaving on the deserted highway. 11 lasers classes were killed in a mere 4 seconds immediately after the boy's TSF sunk into the pitch black crevice bellow. Perhaps, Marimo could secure the area before her former students arrived.
"Takeru, hang in there. You heard me?"
Marimo held no reserve of her ammunition, bombarding the remained BETA with every projectile in her possession. She fought while talking to the boy, checking if he was all right.
"Yes,"
The boy's monotonous reply was drowned in the noise of Marimo's gunfire. Quiet, feeble, and full of sadness, such were the emotions lied beneath the one word that he gave Marimo. Yet, more than anything in the world, it supported Marimo, gave her a reason to do anything.
Marimo's suddenly radar blipped, multiple heat signals appeared from the direction of the first armoury. Allies signals they all were.
Valkyries, they are here.
"Shi…"
"Marimo chan, run away. BETA reinforcement!"
The boy's voice boomed through Marimo's earpieces with panic and terror.
Immediately, on Marimo's retinal projection, an absurd amount of heat signal appeared.
There was nothing but BETA's corpse on the surface of Hiragi Highway. Such data display was totally different from the data gathered from Marimo's radar scanning, completely different.
A dozen beam of iridescent colour pierced the air, at the corner of Marimo's eyes as to respond to Takeru's warning. Noise of explosions followed.
They are moving underground, inside the city sewer.
Marimo immediately realized the imminent threat that Takeru warned her. Did those BETA get them, the Valkyries?
No, they didn't. The murderous sound of gunfire was the indication of the safely of the Valkyries. That's good to know. After all, they are among the very best Eishis that were produced in this prestige Eishi training school.
"Marimo chan, forget about me. Retreat before it too late."
"Do not give up yet. Eject, Shirogane. I will get you"
"Marimo chan, go! I beg you,"
It was like the first meeting with Marimo. The boy choked, unable to stop his sobbing. The boy's desperate plea pricked Marimo's heart like a needle. Did she go this far only to watch he died at the hand of the BETA?
Was his ejection module damage? Or it was something else?
Curse it. What can I do? The BETA are below the city sewer. And I could not stop them from here. They are still coming toward his TSF.
"Marimo chan, go. I be…"
"Arg, shut up. I do not remember teach you to be such a depreciated whiner," Marimo thunderously exploded, cutting in.
"…"
Not even Marimo knew what came over her. Before she knew it, she has already vented her frustration upon the boy.
"Did I ever teach you to be such a defeatist? When did you become such a sore loser? Look into a mirror and ask yourself. Where is the idiot who fearless risked the Shogun's safety and fought those assassins during the coup d'état? Where is the idiot that unnecessarily butted his head into the Shogun's business and successfully convinced everyone to follow his plan? Even that despicable idiot was a hundred time better than the current you."
It was something that must be spoken about. Even the threat of the BETA was imminent; Marimo must talk to that blockhead until she reached him. He wasn't any super elite Eishi or any super genius like that of Yuuko or anything. The one with a tearful face, pleading Marimo to abandon him over her retinal projection was but a boy, a normal boy that Marimo could find anywhere else in this world. He was but a normal boy who fell into despair, lamenting fate, do not wish to see people close to him die in front of him.
"Out there, there are hundred people who looked up to you, worship you even. So don't try to do something as stupid as dying here in such a lame manner. You commit suicide here with, bringing some BETA with you and then what? Become a deceased hero and promote to a captain at the end of the day? Why don't you try to live and use your talent for something else? The XM3 you created was something that will save the life of thousands and millions, keeping soldiers alive at least hours, days, and months longer. Can't you see it? The light of hope that you gave us?"
"…but"
A tearful voice really didn't suit him, Marimo thought. An idiotic smiling face suited the boy hundred times more than his current tearful face.
"Fight, live and use your talent to save more people and give hope to even more people than you did today. You better stay alive until this whole thing is over. You and I need to talk after this. I don't remember teaching you to be such a spoil brat to this degree, selfishly deciding to do everything by yourself"
"…but"
"Do not underestimate me. Patch me the radar reading from your TSF, including your TSF's status. I will show you what I am capable of"
Her voice was carried an imposing air. No, she wasn't trying to act tough. She meant it, by every word.
The moving pattern of the BETA has returned to normal, or at least it looked that way to Marimo. Before, it was like "That boy's machine is our priority, forget about everything else". But, now the moving pattern has changed into that of "That boy's machine is our priority, kill every hostile target that may obstructing our priority."
The shots from laser class at the Valkyries were the proof that the BETA's main concern has changed, for worse. Perhaps, that's explaining the sudden fright of Shirogane.
The second feedback from Takeru's radar scan was delivered shortly, confirming Marimo's suspect. And subsequently, came the status of Takeru's Shiranui.
Undoubtedly, things were getting worse.
The Shiranui was running on its auxiliary power package. 63.8% of its remained propellant has leaked out. At best, the Shiranui can operate some strenuous exercise for some mere seconds. That was if only without a fort class on top of the damaged 3rd generation TSF. On the chest of the Shiranui, lying a fallen behemoth of 64 meters height.
It was already a miracle that the Shiranui wasn't completely crushed by the gigantic mass of the Fort class. But to rescue Takeru out of this messy situation, it would take another miracle or at least a whole rescue squad.
Marimo could not just blast away the behemoth from above at this rate with her cannons. A spark created and Takeru will be scorched alive inside his Shiranui. Neither Marimo could get down to the sewer with her Gekishin and haul the dead fort class over. She has no time for that. And Marimo doubted if her Gekishin would able to achieve such feat alone. Again under such a strenuous task, it was unlikely that Marimo could achieve such miracle on her own without creating a single spark or crushed Takeru alive by accident.
To drag Takeru out of his Shiranui alive, kicking and in one piece, a whole rescue squad will be needed. This is not something Marimo should try to do on her own.
But then, how to protect him in this scenario? How to protect the boy's Shiranui from the advancing BETA?
Marimo would not able to kill any BETA unless they crawled up from the sewers. If they remained inside the sewers, Marimo could do almost nothing.
…
"Shirogane, promise me not to do anything stupid. I will get some help."
Like a doting sister who was angry at her idiotic younger brother's misdeed, Marimo said.
"…"
"Promise me that you will not try to commit suicide here."
Marimo's hoarse voice was 80% of frustration and 20% of desperation.
"…I promise"
"Good answer. Be a good child and stay here. I will return soon," said Marimo as she reloaded her cannons.
"um…"
Immediately, Marimo executed a boost jump. Full throttle, Marimo propelled toward the direction of the advancing BETA.
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"Fox 1, nine hour"
Isumi said as she quickly eliminated a Magnus Lux hiding underneath the shadow of the damaged city waterway.
"Fox 6, Fox 10, seven hour," Like the word of a grim reaper, a Lux and Magus Lux was engulfed in hot glowing a combined 66mm and 120mm, turned into corpses the moment Hayase reported over the Valkyries' intercom.
"Fox 4, Fox 8, four hour," came Munakata's voice as she turned two Lux into something unrecognizable with an explosive 120mm.
"Fox 5…"
Kazama reported as she fired a missile, blowing her target into iota as well as a cluster of BETA next to it.
"This is 01, no more Laser class in sight. We will move on. Kashiwagi, bring Asakura and Takahara back. They will need immediate treatment. Akane, you will guard her until then."
Isumi issued her command the moment the last of the Laser class was wiped out.
"Copied"
Kashiwagi replied as she carefully secured her friends' cockpit with her Shiranui's arms, hovering her TSF toward the base's hangar.
"…Roger,"
Akane bitterly replied. The expression on her face was that of shocked and horror. Without wasting a second, she immediately followed Kashiwagi.
"Everyone, keep your eyes peel and fly low. We don't know if they start appearing out of nowhere like that again"
Isumi ordered as she boosted her TSF toward the location of Takeru's Shiranui was last seen. Four Shiranuis followed her lead immediately, sticking in a small arrowhead formation.
The situation was grave and exceedingly abnormal to even a special task force leader like Isumi. Hitherto, there wasn't a BETA's invasion that only one unit was deployed to deal with.
But, it was no longer an abnormality to Isumi from the moment Yuuko briefed her through a secret channel.
Everything was planned.
This wasn't an invasion of the BETA. Neither was it an accident whereas the BETA from Yuuko's research lab suddenly freed. It was all well planned. For the sake of the success of the XM3, to make sure that nobody in this Earth could deny the superiority of the XM3 with any kind of scheme. Yuuko freed the BETA that she ordered the Valkyries to capture on the 11th of November.
Everything was planned with the exception of Shirogane Takeru taking out some top secret material and trying to stop the BETA all on his own. It was the beginning where everything else started straying from Yuuko's expectation.
BETA didn't move like they were supposed to, attracted to Takeru's TSF like moths toward flame and starting to move further away from the base. With such top secret material on Takeru's Shiranui, until the Valkyries can secure it, no other unit was allowed to move out.
Unexpectedly, the last person that everyone believed to commit a grave offense like that of Takeru actually did it. Jinguuji Marimo went against the order, deployed her TSF and moved out.
That was the first time that Isumi saw such grim expression on Yuuko's face when the mad scientist promptly briefed the secret instruction to Isumi.
"In the case that you succeeded securing Shirogane and Marimo, I will immediately send back up according to the plan. However, if something went haywire with Shirogane's TSF, drag that idiot out and destroy his TSF. And if the worst thing happened, you know what to do. You will have the full authorization for that and I will bear all the responsibility."
If it was someone else other than Marimo and Takeru, Yuuko perhaps has ordered an execution immediately or something similar on sight. It was just how grave and important was the secret inside Takeru's TSF.
Isumi realized that there wasn't much she could do if the worst kind of situation really happened.
"Captain, instructor's TSF is coming toward us"
Kazama reported over the intercom, noticing the team about the blue dot coming toward them.
"Any sign of Shirogane?"
Isumi hastily inquired
"No…"
"We will stay on our track…"
Isumi's reply was cut short.
Explosions, gunfire's noise, collapsing infrastructure, dust, rubble
The remaining of the Valkyries could only stare at the glooming cloud of dust from kilometre away where Marimo's Gekishin was.
What happened?
Isumi sped her TSF at an increasing pace, still listening to the hazardous gunfire and explosions from inside her cockpit.
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I wondered if the Shirogane Takeru that cried and beg Marimo to withdraw was really me. I couldn't help but wondered since there weren't many things I can do, sitting inside a grounded TSF, unable to open my hatch due to a baggage of hundred tonnes pressing down my TSF.
But, the way I broke down and blurted out those words, I doubted if it was the real me.
Like a bursting dam or an erupting volcano, I couldn't stop them. It was as though I have kept those feelings suppressed for a decade or two. And it really reached the limit the moment I set my sight on Marimo's Gekishin. I stopped thinking. I stopped fighting. I cried and beg, forfeiting everything else.
Only now that Marimo's Gekishin has gone, I returned to my calm and collected self, eerily calm and composed, accepting death with opening arms.
I couldn't help but wonder if this too, my true self?
It was like I have ceased to be myself the moment when those things flooded my head.
I wondered which was the real me and which was not. Or was this just an excuse for me to shy away from a shameful side of me?
No, it wasn't important at all at this moment.
What was more important was what Marimo chan doing right now? Did she really go and searched for help like she said?
Why did I felt extremely unease, just like back then when I was fighting at the bowel of the Original Hive? It was like when I kept on asking about my squad mates?
…
In this way, what did Marimo try to achieve? She didn't leave me here to search for help.
I should have realized it earlier. This is way too late. What an…
My thought was cut short. The shudder that continuously rocked my TSF changed into that of shock and tremor. Rubbles rained down on the Shiranui's armor, producing cling clang sound. The giant baggage seemed to tilt down, pressing my TSF even further. But it didn't look like it might crush down on my TSF with its full weight any moment. I wondered where this giant dead weight got stuck and what kind of amazing structures that managed to support this behemoth.
Wait.
The data feedback through my radar scanning suddenly changed, drastically.
Those BETAs that moving underground, inside the city sewer suddenly stopped.
Is it the result of that earlier shock?
Several similar shocks came as if replying to my suspect.
What's going on here? Wait. Was that Marimo chan's doing? She flew toward that direction as well.
How did she do that? Stopping the BETA from moving? If they were in some canals or water drains, I could see how she stopped them. But they were moving inside the city main sewer…
I see. That's how she did it, cave in. These tremors explained. Marimo struck down the infrastructures from above, crashing down everything beneath with something…120mm Squash Head HESH rounds.
With the radar reading from above, Marimo won't able to get their position, much less their movement. But, since my TSF crashed down, falling into this hole, I was able to get these readings and data. And Marimo used these data to crash down the sewer, preventing the BETA from their advance.
That's Marimo for you. Was the position of the Fort class that hindering me from bailing out gave Marimo that idea? Amazing! People didn't assign her as the instructor for the experimental 207 for nothing.
With this, the BETA wouldn't able to carrying out their strategy, advancing toward my TSF unstopped…
Wait…
If they were stopped, unable to move toward me from the city sewer, what are they going to do next?
…
Damn it, I have to get out of here. Marimo chan will be their target. They will surface, the BETA. And Marimo will be their sole target, as she was the only thing obstruct their path toward my TSF.
Would she able to do that?
The odd was with Marimo, she won't able to tell where and when those monsters will resurface. And Marimo won't take the option to run away. She will undoubtedly choose to stay back and hold back the BETA as long she could until the Valkyries arrived.
Can I count on that? When the Valkyries would arrive? Should I hit this red button after all?
"Live"
The hand that was about to hit the red button inside the glass box froze, unable to move a single millimetre.
Marimo's word echoed loudly within my head.
"Ikinasai"
It was this word that previously stopped me from hitting this red button. And it was once more, preventing me from doing that once again. Why? Just by remembering this word, I cried, unable to think about killing myself. Even Marimo chan was totally not here and my intercom was no longer connected to her TSF, why am I still hearing this word?
There must be a way out. I will not die here. I must not die here and I will absolutely not going to watch Marimo chan die once again. And I will absolutely not become anyone's burden.
A feeling that most likely my desire to live ran across my entire body. I felt my pulse quickening. The blood that has been taking a snooze started running stronger than ever and the rusted limbs started moving, more energetic than ever.
Can I start purging the chest armour to get some space for the ejecting module to work?
No, it might only create even more obstruction to the ejecting module.
Damn, thinking inside the box will not help me here.
What should I do then? Can I escape without using the ejecting module? Damn, I would need a super size drill or a chainsaw to dig out of this Shiranui. And obviously I had none of those at the moment.
What can I do then?
Damn, this stupid fort class and its belly. If only it pressed me down on its legs or shoulders, it would be much easier for me to…
A strange though came across my head like a shooting star.
Suddenly, I start to remember captain Isumi's class on the BETA, particularly the part about the fort class.
I might able to escape. But, it's a gamble, and a long one at that. I thought, using my grey matters and started formulating the necessary steps for this gamble of mine.
"I have a chance"
Once again dragging out the command board, I started typing what would be my last hope. Shortly, on the broken monitoring screen, a count down of 27 seconds appeared.
Good, it's long enough. I will be done before the Shiranui ran out of power.
"Sorry Shiranui"
The damaged right arm of the Shiranui moved, toward the mass that pressing on top of its chest.
24 seconds remained.
I dug into the place where the fort class used to store its severed tentacle. It's hard. It seemed that the right arm has become even weaker after falling down into this filth. The flesh of the monster was harder to cut than I expected
19 seconds
Something oozed out, some sort of liquid. It flooded down on my metallic right arm.
17 seconds.
No, it wasn't what I wanted. Deeper, I need to dig inside the monster's belly even deeper. The metallic fingers of the Shiranui dug deeper into the flesh of the fort class. And the liquid that looked like the monster's blood kept oozing out like a bursting dam.
14 seconds.
No change. Common Shiranui!
11 seconds.
Through the retinal projection, I saw the Shiranui's arm and chest armour started smoking, sizzling even. Great, this was what I was waiting for. Immediately, I commanded the Shiranui to dig deeper into the belly of the fort class. Some sort of liquid sipped out. It was much thicker than blood. It was similar to gel, except that my Shiranui was sizzling and smoking just by came into contact with this gel like liquid.
7 seconds remained.
Chest armour purged. Shoulder armour purged. As per my command, the outer layer armours of the Shiranui separated from the main frame, tilting.
5 seconds.
The gel like liquid started sipping into the neck of my Shiranui. Good, my instinct was right on money. If it was Yuuko or Tamase, they would do math and calculate for this development to occur. But, I didn't trust my math as much as I trust my instinct. It has never let me down, in the past and I doubt it will ever be. It was the only quality of mine that would not lose to that of brain of Yuuko, survival aptitude of Mikoto or of the ability soul reading of Yuuhi.
4 seconds.
The steel head of the Shiranui extended and shifted upward, stoping the gel like liquid from dropping to the ground with the crevice between the main body and the head unit.
3 seconds.
Right sub arm deployed, latching into the flesh of the fort class, increasing the flow of the gel like liquid toward the Shiranui's neck.
0.
My Shiranui ceased to operate. The cockpit turned pitch black this time. I couldn't even see my own hand from where I sat.
The Shiranui couldn't operate any longer, running out of power. Weird, I should be more panicked. Yet, fear and despair sipped out of my body from god know when.
As I waited for a miracle, my mouth inadvertently curved. I was probably the first human who tried to accomplish this kind of feat.