CHAPTER 13
CROSSROADS (PART II)
/ Mediterranean airspace, Middle East /
"Well, never thought to be heading east instead of Chichen Itza," Ivan commented. "I've packed up for our jungle trip already."
"We're very sorry for the inconvenience," Tetsuya apologized. "But the Federations have given us the order to pursue the Green Sphere's Central Asian division."
"Oh? That's quite one story since my arrival," Ivan said. "This may make my stay worthwhile."
"I'll make sure everybody gets updated with the news on regular basis if possible," Tetsuya said turned to Ivan. "As for you, Mister…"
"Beckenbauer. Ivan is fine," Ivan introduced.
"-Ivan, right. We'll help you with your mecha, though your choice is at best questionable," Tetsuya said (Kobayashi Mai, who had been monitoring the radio channels for a while, nodded as to agree). "An Ashsaber? It's been a very long time since we saw one in action."
"What else can I say? I'm a secret agent," Ivan answered nonchalantly. "Besides, if you need more information, you better contact my boss. She can answer all the questions."
"Tetsuya, stop questioning him," Ibis pleaded. "He's here because he had saved us from the terrorists." This made both Tsugumi and Masaki beam (as well as Tetsuya who found himself arching an eyebrow in intrigue) at her in suspicion. "What? Just because he saved me once doesn't mean you can jump into conclusions already, jeez!" she barked.
"Ibis-chan has love affair?" Mai teasingly asked. "What's this story I've heard just now?"
"Mai! Stop it!" Ibis squealed.
Tetsuya coughed as to calm the nonsensical drama. "Anyway, apart from the Central Asian division, we've also been informed of the Green Sphere's secret project. We don't have any details about, but I believe it has something to do with an unknown technology they're using."
"Is it related to the Shadow Mirror?" Masaki guessed. (Ivan was flabbergasted when he heard the name "Shadow Mirror", and Ibis noticed the change of look on his face.)
"I don't believe the Shadow Mirror has connection with them, but it's a possibility," Tetsuya answered.
"Well, I guess the Green Sphere really has something up their sleeves," Lowe said. "Stealing, marauding, and conducting secret projects… what else don't they do yet?"
The alarm set off. Mai notified the bridge the Hagane had an incoming message, and Tetsuya ordered it to be played on the speaker. "This is Inaba of Phantom Ensemble! If anyone receives this message, then get down here and save our ass!" the female voice barked.
"Hagane to Inaba, please pinpoint your exact location," Mai replied.
"We're at coordinate B023-D014! Hurry up! The terrorists are closing in! We're pinned down!"
Mai turned to Tetsuya, who in turn nodded and ordered the crews to prepare battle stations. "Full speed ahead!" he commanded.
-x-x-x-x-x-
/ Sinai Peninsula /
"You're expecting to touch this?"
The Strike Noir dodged the GS Barrelion's shot and counterattacked with its double handguns. The black-coloured Mobile Suit made haste to the nearby cliff for cover, dodging more and more artillery shots from GS Barrelions. "Izayoi! Where the hell are you?!" the Strike Noir pilot asked.
"Do you think we're okay over here, Inaba?" a voice barked on the Mobile Suit's speaker. "Have you transmitted the message already? They're getting very close!"
"I already have!" The Strike Noir ducked low as to avoid an RPG fired from a Dom. "There's too many of them!"
"At this rate, we're going to be obliterated!" the voice from earlier barked. "Where the hell are the reinforcements?"
"I don't like this…" a timid voice was later heard.
"Konpaku! Stop acting coward! You know you can do it!" the loud voice reprimanded.
"I'm very sorry, Oneesama…" the timid voice apologized.
The Hagane arrived. Mai contacted the Phantom Ensemble and announced that they would send in reinforcements. "Hurry up! We can't hold on!" Inaba shouted.
"Admiral, the area's heavily defended with anti-air installations," one of the technicians reported. "We can't approach the intended coordination without facing heavy resistance."
"Looks like the team has to deploy ahead of us," Tetsuya said.
"Good for me, then," Ivan said as he boarded the Gouf Custom. "Just tell us what to do."
"Who or what is Phantom Ensemble?" Masaki asked after they deployed (launched together with the Cybuster were the Astelion AX, Lowe's Astray Red Frame and of course, Ivan's Gouf Custom).
"As far as I can remember, they're freelance paramilitary group with no relation or whatsoever with the Federations," Lowe answered. "They also have access to the Feds' exotic mecha - like that Strike Noir."
"So who's the leader here?" Ivan asked. "We haven't made a vote for this, have we?"
"All units cut the chatters. We don't have much time to waste," Mai warned. "Go save the Phantom Ensemble. We'll try to provide cover from up here."
"Lucky 13 to Mission Control, copy that," Ivan replied. "I guess I'll take the lead."
"Just don't be careless, Lucky 13," Mai reminded.
The Gouf Custom spearheaded the assault. Its appearance caused many of the grunts to jump off their feet in shock, and many of the grunts had no idea of what to do regarding the interference. "So, anyone asks for a bowlful of metal jacket?" Ivan asked.
"Who the hell are you?!" one of the grunts barked and fired a shot that completely missed the Gouf Custom.
"Look, if you're going to shoot," Ivan said and aimed the Gouf Custom's Gatling gun at the grunt. "You better make that shot hit every time. Otherwise-" He opened fire and the grunt was forced to eject as his Guarlion was shredded apart. "That's what will happen."
"This one isn't a pushover!" the rest of the grunts exclaimed and charged at the Gouf Custom.
"Hmm? Charging at a single opponent while disregarding the situation?" Ivan dodged the pounce and thrust the MS knife into one of the Guarlions, twisting and spinning the knife as to rupture the AM's inner side. "You're forgetting the very basic rule of battlefield: never leave your position unless necessary." He kicked the destroyed Guarlion into the ground and hastily took cover behind the cliff. "Ibis, are you there?"
"We're coming, Ivan!" Ibis replied. "Please hang on!"
"Good, because I need mutual support down here," Ivan said.
With the Gouf Custom and the Astelion AX taking care of the grunts, the Astray Red Frame approached the Strike Noir that was busy dodging the Barrelions. "Need help?" Lowe asked and cut an incoming beam with the MS-sized katana.
"You're from the Junk Guild, are you not?" Inaba asked and reloaded the dual handguns. "I don't have time for introduction, but your team better take us out of here. It's hell down here."
"Where's the rest of the ensemble?" Lowe asked.
"They're hiding at the hill back there," Inaba said and pointed to a nearby hill. "I can't approach them due to heavy radar jamming. Can you do the favour and meet them?"
"With Cybuster, they cannot touch me!" Masaki declared and dashed straight into the "radar jamming" territory. "You think you can jam Cybuster? I don't think so! Eat this: CYFLASH!!" In an instant half of the radar jammers were knocked out and more were decommissioned by the Cybuster's Ranbu no Tachi as the Masou Kishin zigzagged around the territory. "How's that?"
"Masaki! Watch out for the flak!" Shiro squealed.
The Cybuster dodged an exploding shell. In fury Masaki turned to the anti-air guns and fired multitudes of Caloric Missiles at the position. "You people just like to piss me off!"
"Mai! What's the radar status?" Ibis asked.
"We aren't detecting any enemy movements," Mai reported. "It appears they're not retreating like they usually do."
"That's so unlike them," Ivan said and turned his attention to the triple-As. "So will anyone of the ensemble explain their reason of presence here?"
"We can't tell you right here," Inaba said. "Not with these grunts shooting at us!"
"Inaba! We're getting surrounded over here! Aren't you coming to help?" Izayoi barked.
"Help's on the way, ladies," Ivan said after realizing the ensemble was made up of female pilots. He moved forward, dodging every attack the grunts were throwing at him and disabling any triple-A site he came across, and finally arrived at the said location. "Hello, there, ladies," he greeted and noticed that most of the Mobile Suits were the MP Gespensts, save a solo Sword Impulse Gundam. "That's weird. I thought there's supposed to be only one Impulse in existence."
"Goodness gracious me! It's a Gouf!" Izayoi gasped.
"Not just a Gouf, ladies," Ivan said and reloaded the Gatling gun. "This is Lucky 13's very own Gouf Custom, with special delivery of 3-in-1 metal jacket combo. Missiles not included."
"Didn't think he's one charmer," Tsugumi said. "Ibis, aren't you jealous to see him impressing the pilots?"
"Tsugumi! What in the world was that for?" Ibis moaned.
After ten minutes of intense closed quarter battle, the grunts along with the triple-As and the radar jammers had been neutralized. The remaining grunts fled the battlefield, and with no sign of reinforcements abound the Hagane moved in to meet up with the team and the Phantom Ensemble. Inaba explained the ensemble's presence in Sinai was for reconnaissance mission on the Green Sphere's anti-air installations in the area and they were about to leave when they were ambushed by the grunts.
"But still that doesn't explain why all of the ensemble pilots are females," Ivan added.
"I'm very sorry, but the information is classified," Inaba answered.
"Ivan, are you going to upset Love up here?" Tsugumi asked, in which Ibis cried foul at her for the teasing question. "See? She's doing that because she's concerned of you."
"Tsugumi!!" Ibis cried out.
"Hey, I was just asking," Ivan shrugged.
"Admiral! We're detecting an unusual radar signature!" the radar operator reported. "It's similar to a Huckebein Mark III!"
"What?" Tetsuya gasped.
Alicia appeared. Its presence wrecked havoc in the Phantom Ensemble and most of them immediately took cover behind the hill. Instead of jumping into the melee, the Real Trooper stood immobile on the hill as Margaret observed the situation down below. She was interested in the newcomers that had driven the remaining grunts away from the area. "Cybuster," she noted one of the mecha. "I've learned some about the Masou Kishin. I must be careful."
"Viper 2, remember your order. Exterminate the Phantom Ensemble and anyone working with them."
"Understood." Margaret closed her eyes, took a deep breath and stood up. "Alicia. Activate Direct Motion Link system. Set Linked Power Core output to 70 percent."
"Yes, sir."
Alicia jumped off the cliff and headed towards the Strike Noir, but the Cybuster already stood on its way before it could approach the Mobile Suit. "You think you have guts to attack us alone? You're a complete moron!" Masaki barked and tackled Alicia away from the Strike Noir.
"Cybuster is fast," Margaret noted. "Alicia, can you keep up with the pace?"
"Yes, sir."
"I see," Margaret said and opened a kung-fu stance, which was mimicked by Alicia. "Looks like we have to get rid of the minor interferences first."
"What kind of fighting style is that?" Ivan wondered. "Lowe, Masaki, Ibis, be careful. I believe we're dealing with a high-ranking officer here."
"Didn't anyone of you guys get it?" Inaba asked. "It's the Black Huckebein, for Pete's sake!"
"Black Huckebein? Isn't it the same Huckebein that had attacked Pearl Harbour?" Tsugumi asked.
Ibis frowned at the mention. "I only hope Major Kai is alright…"
Alicia pounced at the Cybuster. Masaki's reflex ensured the flying roundhouse missed and he retaliated with the Zephyr Sword that the black RT parried. Infuriated, Masaki fired Caloric Missiles at Alicia and continued with an Akashic Buster; the Huckebein Mark III dodged both attacks as if they were flies. "What the hell? Why all my attacks miss?" he barked.
"Masaki, don't underestimate the enemy," Tsugumi warned. "We don't know its capabilities."
"What do you expect I'm doing?" Masaki replied and charged back at Alicia. To his shock the Real Trooper dodged and delivered a roundhouse that sent the Cybuster crashing into the cliff. "This one's tougher than I thought!"
"Sir, I'm detecting huge energy reading. Confirmed to be similar to the one I had registered at Pearl Harbour."
Margaret halted. "What?"
God Gundam made its appearance and dramatically landed on the cliff. "Black Huckebein!!" loudly Domon bellowed, his voice echoing through the desert in his prowess as the King of Heart. "You shall not escape!!"
"It's the Shuffle Alliance," Inaba said in relief. "Phantom Ensemble, it's our chance! Retreat!"
"I suggest that you head to the Hagane," Lowe told them. "We'll cover your escape route in the mean time."
"Understood," Inaba replied.
With the Phantom Ensemble retreating, all the team was left to do was to face the black Real Trooper. "I never knew I'd see the black Huckebein," Lowe said. "Though what is Domon doing here?"
"This Mark III is different from the one I've read about," Ivan noted. "It doesn't appear to have the ability to dock with Graviton Rifle. At least that's what I can see."
"Black Huckebein! You must be punished for your crime against the Shuffle Alliance!" Domon roared. "Prepare yourself!"
"What crime have I committed?" Margaret asked.
"Do not play ignorant, Black Huckebein! You know what you had done!" Domon replied.
Margaret frowned; it took her a while before she realized the reason. "Yes, I now remember," she spoke. "It was at the Guyana Highlands… Alicia and I were assigned on a training mission and we stumbled across the Shuffle Alliance…" She closed her eyes as to gather memories of the fated encounter. "They were strong and had proved themselves as worthy warriors, but in the end we prevailed."
"So you're admitting your crime, Black Huckebein?!" Domon screamed.
Margaret chuckled. "At least my order wasn't to exterminate them," she said.
"Domon, calm down! She's right; she didn't kill them back then," Rain reminded.
"Enough saying! For what you had done against my friends, I the King of Heart, shall avenge their defeat!" Domon roared and charged his and God Gundam's power to its limit. "Ore no kono te ga makaani moeru! Shouryu o tsukameto todoroki sakebu!"
"Sir, I am detecting a sudden influx of energy from the enemy."
"I know," Margaret replied and opened stance. "Alicia."
"Yes, sir. Accessing Combat Form Mode S."
Alicia somersaulted just in time when God Gundam fired Sekiha Tenkyoken. The manoeuvre pissed Domon and in his negligence Margaret delivered a drop kick onto God Gundam. The King of Heart was pushed across the battlefield, amusing both the Hagane team and the Phantom Ensemble.
"Wow, what an attack," Ibis said.
"How can a Real Trooper do a drop kick? That's impossible," Tetsuya said.
Alicia disengaged from God Gundam and fired saturation missile at the Mobile Fighter as it escaped. "Synchronization is 100 percent complete." In an instant the black Real Trooper got engulfed in silvery blue energy, and Margaret screamed a kiai before tossed the fang slasher at God Gundam.
"Sir, what about the Phantom Ensemble?"
"Forget them right now," Margaret replied and caught back the returning fang slasher. "I have to concentrate on the King of Heart."
"Understand."
By now Domon had also invoked the Clear Water, Still Mirror. He pounced at Alicia, furiously delivering punches and kicks that the black Real Trooper parried and dodged. Occasionally Alicia took its turn and did the same onto God Gundam with equal speed and strength, pushing it far across the desert. Sometimes the two mecha warriors would fly-kick at each other in an epic cross-counter. ("What? No nuke at background?" Ivan commented.)
"Are we just going to leave them?" Ibis asked.
"If you want to barge in, forget it," Ivan reminded. "No one will survive that kind of fight. Like someone having knife fight inside phone booth."
"So you're suggesting to retreat?" Lowe asked. "You're the team leader, right? Then decide quickly."
By now the fight had reached its heated peak. Already thousands of kicks and punches had been delivered and parried, and yet neither Margaret nor Domon showed any sign of submitting. They had seemed to forget the reason of their presence and only wanted to defeat each other.
"Sir, I'm detecting a friendly signature. It's confirmed to be the a Sword Strike Custom."
Margaret was surprised; what was Yukimura doing in Sinai? Wasn't he supposed to stay back at Queen Regent? In her neglect Domon seized the opportunity and charged his God Finger. "Where the hell are you looking at, Black Huckebein!?" Margaret looked up front and saw God Gundam rushing towards her, its palm extended to unleash the destructive power of God Finger.
"Shit! Alicia!"
Alicia crossed its arms at the very precise moment God Finger connected. In an instant both the Real Trooper and the Mobile Fighter were engulfed in bright golden yellow light as God Finger exploded and knocked both the MS-sized warriors away from each other. The attack had damaged Alicia's forearms, and in panic Margaret asked whether it was still operational.
"Damage is manageable. I am still in operational condition."
"How could I have neglected him?" Margaret growled.
"Viper 2, you are not authorized to engage! Retreat immediately!"
"I can still fight!" Margaret protested. "Let me have it!"
"That's enough, Margaret," Yukimura said as the Sword Strike Custom arrived. "Our order was to eradicate the Phantom Ensemble, not engage the Shuffle Alliance."
Margaret gritted her teeth. "I'm very sorry, General Yukimura," she replied in lament.
"We'll deal about this later. Return to ship." With dejected feeling Margaret complied with the order and returned to Queen Regent; Yukimura used the opportunity to turn to God Gundam and apologized for the fuss. "I do understand the sentiment you have for your defeated comrades, but it isn't the time to exact avenge onto the Heavenly Generals. Perhaps when our paths cross in the future?" The Sword Strike Custom made haste to the Queen Regent, leaving Domon in fury and frustration.
"Black Huckebein!!" Domon called out the name (Margaret halted at the Queen Regent's hatch door and turned back to God Gundam). "Mark my words! Our encounter shall not end without a final fight between us! Do you hear me?!"
Margaret paused. Then she turned on the communicator and spoke: "Very well, King of Heart. I, Heavenly General Margaret Testarossa, accept your challenge."
-x-x-
/ twenty minutes later /
"What's wrong with me fighting the King of Heart?!" Margaret demanded.
"General Testarossa, your order was to exterminate the Phantom Ensemble, not fight a Mobile Fighter," the council spoke. "You have broken the rule twice before, and the council is deeply not amused with the act."
"But he attacked me first!" Margaret insisted. "I only did what was best to defend myself! What else could I have done?"
"Council, allow me to speak on her behalf," Yukimura said. "As you bureaucrats may realize, we onboard Queen Regent have our own set of rules. Only the chairman can say the final words for us, so I suggest that you stop judging us based on our independent act."
"Independent or not, General Testarossa has broken the rules of the Heavenly Generals," the council pointed out. "We will, however, put the sentence on hold until we hear advices from the Chairman. The next time this happens, you will find yourself out of luck."
The video conference terminated. Both Yukimura and Captain Kidd turned to see Margaret trembling in both humiliation and anger. "It was that close…" she grumbled and punched the table. "It was THAT CLOSE!!"
"Calm down, Margaret," Captain Kidd said.
"How can I ever calm down when I've almost won?!" she cried out and punched the table for the second time.
Without listening to his or Yukimura's advice she left the bridge and headed back to her room. Everybody else inside the bridge looked back at their captain, who then shrugged and turned to Yukimura. "She should be lucky you decided to interfere," he said. "If she kept on fighting she would exceed her Synchronization limit."
"I know," Yukimura sighed. "I don't want what happened to the Candidate to repeat on her. But what must I do, Captain? She's very upset for not defeating the King of Heart and she doesn't want to talk with anyone."
"Obviously, Yukimura, it's the way of the warrior," Captain Kidd noted. "A warrior will not see himself as a glorious warrior until he defeats his opponent in combat. You do take note of that every time you train her, don't you?"
-x-x-x-x-x-
/ Hagane mess hall /
"That was an intense battle," Ivan noted. "Those grunts were surely inexperienced this time, from what I could see."
"At least we got to meet their superior officers," Lowe added. "I notice two of them, actually. The black Huckebein and, if I'm correct, the Sword Strike pilot."
"That means the big boss has got to be somewhere around," Ivan said.
"I agree. We mustn't let our guards down," Lowe added. "Though why is Domon here?"
Everyone else turned to the King of Heart who let out an exasperated sigh. "So she admitted she defeated the Shuffle Alliance," Domon murmured, "but why had she spared them? What was her purpose?"
"Whoever she may be, she's not to be underestimated," Lowe said. "Especially since she's the infamous Black Huckebein. Luckily she didn't kick our ass, though she got to pawn Masaki that good."
"I heard that!" Masaki retorted.
"What about them?" Ibis asked and gestured to the Phantom Ensemble who was having lunch with the company of an uncomfortable Masaki and his two feline familiars. The Masou Kishin was heard mumbling in anger at what Alicia had done to the Cybuster, although it did not receive serious damage.
"They'll be leaving; that's what their leader told me. That's too bad, because I didn't get to know them further," Ivan said and noted the girls waving at him in silly manners. "At least I like their fighting style, especially the Strike Noir girl. Double handguns for the win." He waved back to the girls, in which Ibis was mischievously elbowed by Tsugumi for "not doing something about Ivan".
"We've got a message from the Tesla-Liecht Institute," Tetsuya said as he approached the congregation. "They've acquired the new portable weapon prototype they had recovered from the Federation's Mongolian HQ, and want us to pick it up."
Ivan found himself grinning widely when he heard the news. "Portable weapon? Oh, yeah…" was all he said, which invited several curious looks upon him. "Forgive my enthusiasm for big guns," he apologized and again waved to the Phantom Ensemble, which received schoolgirl-like response from them; only Inaba, her timid swordswoman colleague and another pilot named Orin took no notice of the antics as they were talking with Shiro and Kuro.
"You make it sound so questionable," Ibis retorted with an eyebrow raised.
Ivan beamed at the Shooting Star. "Well, try saying it out loud for me." The answer caused Ibis to fume at him in anger and the people to laugh at her. "Like I said, Ibis is Love needs to behave like a good girl."
"Stop calling me Ibis is Love!!" Ibis moaned.
"And to makes things better, we're asked to team up with the Great Gurren Brigade," Tetsuya continued (which certainly did its charm in raising questions among the people). He noticed the confusion and stated that their questions best be answered after meeting the brigade. He, then, turned to Domon. "We hope that you'd stay with us onboard," he said. "Your presence will greatly reinforce the troops' morale."
Domon looked at Rain, who then nodded as to encourage him. He turned back to Tetsuya and said: "I still need to chase after the Black Huckebein, but if anything comes across our path then I'll honourably lend my strength," he said.
Tetsuya thanked Domon for the offer and turned to the Phantom Ensemble. "Well, it's supposed to be Inaba who makes the decision," one of the girls who introduced herself as Izayoi said, "but if she wants to stay with you then we're more than willing."
"We're supposed to report back to our boss after the mission, but I don't see any problem staying onboard the Hagane," Inaba stated. "After all, we can use this opportunity to have hot water bath. The desert is surely a dry place."
"Uh-huh," Izayoi added and rubbed the skin of her face. "My skin's getting dry already. Jeez, I forgot to bring my moistener."
"I wish I don't have to go there again…" the timid swordswoman said and held her katana close to her chest. "It's so quiet and lonely…"
"You have very handsome mecha pilots onboard, Admiral," another Ensemble said and pointed to Ivan. "I like the Gouf one. Who is he, again? Lucky 13? That sounds very sexy to me."
"Kazami, will you quit having dirty thoughts?" Izayoi reminded.
"But he said he likes big guns, didn't he?" Kazami retorted.
"Oh, Ibis is Love!" both Shiro and Kuro meowed. "Be a good girl and don't misbehave in front of love!"
"Stop it you two!!" the helpless Ibis begged. "Ivan! Do something! These people keep teasing me!"
Ivan laughed. "Can't do anything about that, Ibis, so sorry," he said.
"Hey! You aren't even helping!" Ibis cried. "You're the same as them!"