HAPTER 08
HIDDEN TREASURE
/ Inner Mongolia /
"I will ask this one more time: what are we doing here?"
"Nagasumi, didn't you get the memo? The Earth Federation asks us to retrieve top-secret documents, so stop asking."
"I know that already, but far in the interior? Isn't it better to keep stuffs at more accessible place?"
"There are reasons why the term 'undisclosed' is coined. And sometimes it's better if we left some secrets unquestioned."
"Okay, I won't ask. You don't have to be that stressed, not after I did damages to the Type-1."
"Hey, hey! I'm not mad at you! You just have to be careful with it next time, okay?"
"(Sounds very unconvincing from the man who never gets a real girlfriend. Right, Nagasumi-san?)"
"You may be right, San-chan."
"Hey, you two, cut it out. We aren't here for empty chatters. San, how did you get into our frequency?"
"So sorry, Irmgult-san."
"(No enemy activity detected within perimeter. Nagasumi, Irmgult, you may proceed.)"
"We hear you. Come on, Nagasumi. Let's see what this place has to offer."
The Grungust, piloted by Nagasumi, and the Huckebein 009, Irmgult onboard, approached the deserted facility. The Real Trooper led the way and approached the main building. "This is a very strange place to keep secret documents," Irmgult said as he looked around the vicinity for door hatch.
"See? I did say so, didn't I?" Nagasumi replied. "So what are we supposed to retrieve- I mean, what kind of documents did the Earth Federation keep here?"
"I have no idea, but I know they've been developing a portable weapon system for many years," Irmgult answered.
"You mean like the Black Hole Cannon, right?" Nagasumi guessed.
"You've certainly learned lot, haven't you?" Irmgult said. "Why don't you try piloting the Huckebein once in a while?"
"Thanks, but no thanks," Nagasumi declined with a chuckle. "I'm not the type of guy who likes to zip around."
The technicians were brought in and inspected the abandoned complex, while the Grungust and the Huckebein 009 stayed on guard. They were later instructed to enter the main building when radar operator detected unusual activity from inside. "Must be the automated climate control system," Irmgult said.
"Or it may be the defensive panels," Nagasumi added. "Either way we have to be careful. I don't like it when we're working here just to fall into a trap."
The two mechas approached the location uploaded to their database by the radar operator. It brought them to a large underground hangar where their eyes spotted something at the end of the launching pad. "Did you think what I just think, Irmgult-san?" Nagasumi asked.
"I hope my brain's telling me the wrong stuff," Irmgult answered.
They could not be anymore wrong, because standing before them was a Grungust Type-3 in its most pristine condition. The lack of battle damages or deployment status suggested that the SRG model had been stored in the underground hangar for a long time, and for a moment Irmgult and Nagasumi were speechless on how it ended up in the undisclosed location.
"I think this is why the Earth Federation wants us to come here," Irmgult said and approached the idle Type-3.
"What do you mean?" Nagasumi asked.
"If I can recall my memory, there were plans to build the fourth Type-3 many years ago but financial problems hampered it," Irmgult answered and signalled at the technicians to inspect the mecha. "This is a godsend. Either they have hired a third party to do their work, or they did build it with their limited resources."
Nagasumi looked at the Type-3 with a sense of awe. "What are we going to do about it, then?"
"I see if we can activate it," Irmgult said. "Though it means one of us will have to go out and get inside it. Nagasumi, can you do it?"
"I'm not sure if I can do it, but I'll try." Nagasumi disembarked from the Type-1 and climbed aboard the Type-3 with the technicians' assistance. He entered the cockpit and wasted no time taking the seat. "Alright. Let's see if I can bring this thing back to life." He activated the control, which was working surprising well for a machine that had never been operational for years. The machine bulged when he brought it to motion and it slowly left the platform to approach the Huckebein 009.
"How is it?"
"It's working quite well. I'm very surprised."
"Well, you sound interested in Type-3 already. Why don't you give it a try?"
"I'm not quite sure if I have the qualification, though I do want to pilot something like a Type-3."
"If you don't, then who else will? Come on; we better take the Type-3 outside."
The Type-3 made its way towards the exit door and met up with the carrier ship that had earlier landed at the facility's landing pad. Everybody was in great surprise at the sight of the Type-3, particularly since there was no news of any construction of the model.
"Never thought to see another Type-3 in service," Gilliam said (once he left the carrier ship on his Gespenst RV). "Things may go well on our side."
"What are we going to do with it, Gilliam-san?" Nagasumi asked.
"We'll inform the Earth Federation on this discovery," Gilliam answered. "In the mean time, we'll run some analysis on the Type-3 for you."
"Roger," Nagasumi answered.
The rest of the technicians returned with documents on the facility retrieved, and they also recovered what looked like an externally-launched portable cannon not too dissimilar to the G-Impact Cannon. "We have the items retrieved. We're ready to bring them onboard," the chief technician said.
Just as they were preparing to load the cargoes the radar operator was alerted of enemy presence around the facility. "Enemy signature at 12 o'clock! All units alert!" At the same time several grunts appeared at the scene, Doms and Gespents alike, and they were aiming at the carrier ship.
"Surrender the portable cannon," the grunt ordered. "If you still value your life."
"It's the Green Sphere. How did they manage to find this place? This is suspicious," Gilliam said.
"Oh, not these guys again!" Nagasumi moaned.
"Surrender the portable cannon," the grunt repeated his command. "Or we'll shoot everything in sight."
"This is not good," Gilliam murmured. "Nagasumi, if you're confident you can control the Type-3, then we'll need every bit of its strength right now."
"Just leave it to me, Gilliam-san!" Nagasumi armed the Type-3 and stepped forward as to face the grunts. "You've been annoying all this time! Now get lost!"
"Don't look down at us just because you have superior firepower!" the grunt replied. "We have more numbers than you are!"
"Then I'll prove you wrong! Type-3 at your service!" Nagasumi declared and fired the Eye Solid Laser at the grunt. The attack knocked the GS Dom off the building, and this prompted the rest of the invaders to open fire at the sole Type-3. Nagasumi brought the Type-3 into defensive posture and absorbed the barrage, not bulging for even an inch despite the heavy bombardment.
"This one's tougher than I've thought!"
"Don't bother him and retrieve the portable cannon!"
One of the GS Doms broke away from the formation and charged head-on at Nagasumi. The move was easily anticipated and Nagasumi seized the opportunity to fire another Eye Solid Laser at the Dom. He, then, repositioned the Type-3 to face another Dom that had already charged at him and sent the mobile suit to the smithereens with a boost knuckle.
"Doesn't anyone try helping him?" Irmgult left the defence line and teamed up with Nagasumi to fend off the grunts, utilizing each of the Huckebein 009's weapons to further keeping the intruders at bay. "You okay, Nagasumi?"
"Somehow!" Nagasumi turned the Type-3 towards a second batch of invaders coming from the south. "More of them are coming! Can we really hold them up for much longer?"
"Don't lose focus, Nagasumi-san!" San pleaded. "You can do it!"
"I can do this!" The Type-3 in position, Nagasumi took aim and unleashed a powerful shot of Omega Blaster at the invaders. The shot decimated almost half of the horde, but with more of the grunts coming at the facility the expeditionary team was cornered at all directions, cut off from any escape route.
"We still need to take the technicians out!" Irmgult shouted. "They won't last this battle!"
"I'll provide the escape route!" Nagasumi brought the Type-3 further forward and fired another Omega Blaster to open a space between the invaders. Several Doms and Gespensts got caught in the blast and exploded, their debris flying across the battlefield and becoming stray projectiles (the Type-3 itself got hit but sustained no serious damage and could still continue fighting).
"Nagasumi, you don't want to push the Type-3 too far. We still don't know its full combat capability," Gilliam said.
"I know. I'll be careful." Just as Nagasumi prepared to fire a third Omega Blaster an 81mm rocket exploded near the Type-3's head and, in the repetition of the Seto Inland Sea, knocked out most of its sensors although the radio survived. "I didn't see it coming! Damn it!" He had underestimated the grunts' strength and failed to see a Dom approaching him from the behind. The small and nimble Mobile Suit pounced at him and jabbed the heat sabre into the Type-3's spine, further damaging its system and electrocuting Nagasumi in the process.
"HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY PRECIOUS UNDERLING PUUUUUUNCH?!"
The Dom was punched off the Type-3 and crashed into the ground. The dramatic effect of the attack was imminent as Nagasumi turned around to see the newcomer. "You're here, Kamina-san!"
"It's Aniki, not Kamina!" Kamina hollered and made a proud stance atop the building to mark his entry. "Who the hell do you think I am!?"
"Hey, hey, just when we least expected it," Irmgult said with a snicker.
"Great Gurren Brigade…" Gilliam only murmured the name.
"Don't pull my legs around! I am Kamina-sama, the leader of the Great Gurren Brigade!" Kamina continued and jumped off the building to face the grunts. "You dare harming my precious underlings! You shall be kicked to curb and sent to the endless heavens!"
"It's the same guy we faced at Seto Inland Sea!" the grunt shouted in panic. "What the hell are we supposed to do?!"
"Concentrate on the mission! Don't let them escape with the cannon!" another grunt answered.
"I'll show you the true strength of Great Gurren Brigade!" Kamina shouted. "Let's go, Kyoudai! Shove your fists into their sorry mouth and kick reasons to curb!!"
"OU!!"
The rest of the Great Gurren Brigade charged at the grunts, leaving Kamina to perform the "everlasting combination" with Simon. "Simon! Time to show them who the hell we are!!"
"Got it, Aniki!" Simon replied and brought Lagann into the air, which was grabbed by the Ganmen as it flew overhead.
"GATTAI!!"The two Ganmen combined and transformed into Gurren Lagann. The red mecha landed onto the ground in dramatic matters, all while Simon and Kamina chanted:"When two souls are united as one, together we can overcome the impossible! Reasons shall be kicked to curb and heavens shall be pierced! GURREN LAGANN!! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE!!"
Gurren Lagann landed in the middle of the masses and performed wicked kicks and punches at the robots. True to Kamina's fiery spirit the grunts were kicked to curb and punched to the very edge of the sky and the confusion it had caused allowed the technicians to escape with the retrieved cargoes safely onboard.
"Nagasumi! Show them the very spirit you used at the beach!" Kamina shouted and kicked one of the Gespents Gurren Lagann had grabbed into the building.
"How am I supposed to do that? I don't even know Type-3's real capability," Nagasumi replied.
"Believe in me who believe in you, Nagasumi! I know you can do it!!" Gurren Lagann jumped backward and fired a barrage of Real Spirit of Men cannon at the grunts. "What's the point of being a member of the Great Gurren Brigade if he doesn't believe in me, Kamina-sama?!"
"Aniki, I think you're scaring him," Simon reminded. Kamina was very absorbed in attacking the grunts to notice him, or to notice a Gespenst that was approaching from behind with Jet Magnum deployed.
"Kamina-san!" Instinctively Nagasumi charged at the sneaking Gespenst and punched the Personal Trooper away from Gurren Lagann. The Type-3, then, produced what looked like a staff from its right shoulder armour and attached the boost drills onto its ends. "If Kamina-sa- Aniki believes in me, I have no rights to disappoint him! Take this: Drill Boost Spear!" With a single thrust the Type-3 stabbed the makeshift weapon into the Gespenst and destroyed the Personal Trooper into bits.
"(We have energy reading from Type-3! It's the same as the one from the Type-1'sSpiral Driver module, only stronger!)"
"Another Spiral Driver? How can that be possible?" Gilliam asked.
"(We've finished the analysis on the Type-3. Its design is custom-made for a reason we haven't had the answer, but it seems to be built around the Spiral Drive.)"
"There's definitely something strange about this Type-3," Irmgult said.
The Type-3 retreated back towards Gurren Lagann. "Aniki." Nagasumi paused and then he smiled. "Let's do this together!"
"Yosh! That's the spirit!" Kamina said. "Let's go, Simon, Nagasumi! Let's show them what the hell we're made of!"
"You can count on me, Aniki!" Nagasumi replied.
Gurren Lagann charged onward, kicking more and more grunts to curb whilst Kamina shouted hot-blood and told the Great Gurren Brigade to "believe in him who believes in them". Nagasumi followed his lead and used the newfound weapon to further extend the Type-3's offensive strength; if Zengar's Type-3's colossal blade were terrifying to the core, Nagasumi's Type-3's colossal spear was anything but elegant.
"We're retreating!" the grunt shouted.
"What about the cannon?" another grunt asked.
"We'll find another one!" the grunt answered. "There's no way we can win this fight! Not with that crackpot around!"
"Who the hell are you calling a crackpot!?" Kamina shouted and kicked the retreating Dom into the air. He turned at the rest of the grunts and, with a pissed look on his face, said: "I'll show who the real crackpot is! Eat this: TRUE SPIRIT OF MEN!!"
Finally the grunts were driven out of the facility. The Great Gurren Brigade regrouped and met up with the expeditionary team who were all thanking them for their help. "Well, we couldn't make it without you guys," Irmgult said. "Though what had actually brought you this far?"
"We ran," Simon answered. "Or so Aniki wanted us to believe. And we've got quite good scenery along our way."
"Don't underestimate us," Kamina said with a laugh. "We Great Gurren Brigade never give up until we achieve our goal."
"Visitors from other dimensions can sometimes be confusing to understand, right Gilliam?" Irmgult asked.
"I agree, although I still need to understand the mechanism that brought them here," Gilliam answered.
"And while we're at it," Kamina said and turned to Nagasumi. "Nagasumi! Your fighting spirit has compelled me to invite you into the brigade! We shall value the infinite strength you have shown to us!"
Nagasumi had to laugh. "I didn't even say anything about joining your group…"
"But it may be your best chance to hone your piloting skill," Irmgult suggested. "Besides, you can make friends with them."
"I don't see any problem with it," Gilliam said. "But we still need to further analyse this Type-3 before any decision can be made."
"Then it's decided!" Kamina bellowed and pointed to the evening sky. "I, the great Kamina, welcome you to the Great Gurren Brigade! You shall become one of the brothers in soul, forever linked by everlasting union of burning spirit! Who the hell do you think you are?!"
Nagasumi sighed. "San-chan, help…"
/ to be continued /