Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
AN: I can't stop going overboad...
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Chap. 63
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Hiver and Hayato made ready to leave Alpha behind. The damage was too much to try to repair on their own and in the middle of a violent battle, it would just make them sitting ducks. However, they weren't aware that the Doll unit that had shot them down was still targeting them. At least not until later…
When the Dolls themselves exploded…
"What?"
The pair looked up to see a squad of Leo Sol-Tekkas take down the Dolls in quick fashion. Since the Dolls were distracted by the Space Knights, they didn't see the Leos come up from behind and target them. And the armored soldiers didn't waste a shot as they destroyed the soulless machines. Hiver and Hayato saw this and were astonished.
"Are you guys alright?"
The two turned as Vesna and Sommer, accompanied by Beta and Gamma, came up from alongside the side of Libra.
"Yeah." Hiver answered. Looking back to the fighters above, she added. "I think…they just saved us."
"Them?" Sommer replied, following her gaze up to the Leo Sol-Tekkas, not really believing it. Since the beginning of this ordeal, David had always held animosity toward the Earth military. Even as he entered in to fight the Dolls, he was a bit bitter that he was helping them out in the process. But now that they had returned the favor, David was unsure of what to think.
A telepathic surge changed that…
"What…?"
The other Space Knight tekkamen sensed it as well and they all shifted their sights toward the Earth. Or more precisely, the Space Ring.
"It's Dead…" Sommer spoke. His eyes then widened beneath the armor as he detected a second presence. "And Slayer!"
"I don't see them anywhere." Goliate replied from Gamma.
"My sensors aren't picking up anything either." Anita added. "But with all this fighting, I can't tell either way."
"It's faint…distant." Vesna said. "But close enough to sense."
Hiver then finished. "He's fighting her somewhere."
"Yeah, but where?"
"Everyone on board?"
"Yes, sir."
A couple of shuttles soon departed from the wrecked Peacemillion, the lead one carrying Howard, Sally, Milly, and Relena inside.
"All right." Howard affirmed. "We'll proceed straight for MO-II."
"Heero... Can you read me?" Behind them, Relena was on the communication panel, trying to get in touch with Tekkaman Zero, but to no avail.
"Come in, Heero."
Sally turned a head to her. "We'd only be disturbing him if we contacted him now."
Relena paused in her efforts. "But... Heero's on a suicide mission."
With that in her mind, she tried again to contact him. Far away from them, Zero was slicing his way through the Dolls, battling his way toward the upper levels of the Libra battlestation, all the while ignoring Relena's pleading voice
"Heero, come in. I'm begging you…"
Cutting her out altogether, Heero spoke out in thought
"Forget about me, Relena. Life is something that's cheap. Especially my life."
A squad of Dolls soon came up behind him. Looking back, Zero's body flared and Heero went into crush interlude, his crystal hawk flaring around and back, decimating the Dolls that had been pursuing him in an instant.
Libra
One of the gates within the evacuated part of the Libra was suddenly smashed down. From the other end, Tekkaman Heavyarms strafed through the opening and down the hall. He had sensed a telepathic distress from Sandrock and was now in search of his friend.
"I'm coming, Quatre."
But his search was cut shrt when a group of Dolls appeared before him down the hall and began firing on him. Heavyarms forged through the fire, but soon backed off to the side when it became too much to handle at once. But unknown to the Dolls, a shadowy figure descended down behind them and upon turning, they were met with the curved double blades of a scythe lancer. Heavyarms looked over through the now destroyed Dolls to meet with his helper.
Tekkaman Hellscythe...
"You made it, Trowa. Sorry pal, but I have to get going."
Heavyarms soon looked behind his friend and saw five others in space suits following behind. The scientists were all attached to Hellscythe there a single wire that Hellscythe held on to with his left hand while wielding the lancer in his right.
"So I'm afraid you're on your own here." he finished, passing by him with the five in tow.
Heavyarms nodded. "That's fine. I'll be okay."
"You sure?"
But no answer came as Hellscythe simply passed on and Heavyarms as well. Yet the two exchange a brief glance back at each other.
'Don't go getting yourself hurt.'
'Take care, Duo.'
As Heavyarms made his way through Libra in search for Sandrock, Hellscythe reached the hanger exit into space. Before them all, the battle ravaged on, with destruction as far as they could see. Looking back at the five, Hellscythe announced.
"There's no turning back now."
Dr. J. moved up next to him. "Just as long as one of us can make it to Peacemillion, then we will be able to carry out our mission." He became quiet for a moment and tightened his grip on the wire. "So don't mind if someone gets thrown off."
"Gotcha." the gundam replied. "I won't worry. Besides, I've got enough to think about."
Bending his knees slightly, Hellscythe's boosters slowly ignited, ready for what was going to be a very rough and bumpy ride.
"Here we go!"
With that, the black gundam tekkaman launched off and spiraled through space, circling around alongside the Libra and down to the Peacemillion. As he did, he soared through the battle. Leo Sol-Tekkas and Virgos Dolls were all exploding around him and beams of crossfire danced rapidly in his sight. A squad of Virgos soon came in his path, forcing him to grips a tighter hold on his lancer.
Srrrrkkkkkk!
'No one in their right mind would try to fly through this' he thought after cutting the Virgos down and continuing on. Looking back, he saw that the scientists were, to his credit, all still holding on to the wire. He could have easily used his crush interlude to plow through the Dolls with ease, but he couldn't use that energy with the five holding on. Within, Duo muttered aloud.
"Now I regret I ever found them. Watch out, y'all! The Great Destroyer and the Lords of Plague are here!"
He soon made his approach to the underside of the Peacemillion and barreled on. But a swarm of Dolls had all targeted him and were now attacking. Hellscythe dodged the fire rapidly, but he was beginning to be swamped.
Until the Dolls themselves blew up…
"Hey! What's this?"
Looking upward, he saw a large team of brown-colored Sol-Tekkas come up from around the back of Libra and engaging the Dolls. They were quite different from the Leos that were fighting, but they weren't Virgos either. He was still in wonder when a voice came to him through the communications
"Just leave these guys up to us."
'Rasid...' Then those were the Maganacs troops of Quatre. He was almost surprised in seeing them in Sol-Tekkas, much less doing a great job in fighting through the Dolls. But then again, they were primary bodies. With a nod of thanks, Hellscythe flew on.
"Thanks. I'll do just that."
As Hellscythe flew on, he saw the numerous forces that opposed the White Fang. Maganacs, the World Nation, the Space Knights… It was truly something.
'We weren't nearly strong enough to have any luck unifying outer space. But Earth is unified. Is that girl behind it? Or was it…?'
He left the thought incomplete as he continued on his path to the Peacemillion, with the Maganacs fighting behind him, making sure that no Doll survived their onslaught.
"Fellow comrades. No one's permitted to die until we see Master Quatre." Rasid ordered.
A chorus of agreement was the result…
Moon
Kaboooommm!
Noal was thrown back by a blast from Shrapnel. It seemed that the dark tekkaman was still toying with him, only now it was more seriously. That blast had taken Noal's laser cannon. Not that it was doing him much good anyway, but now Noal was totally defenseless. And Shrapnel was still coming to him.
"Your toy is gone? I guess that means the game is over."
Noal stood up before the approaching tekkaman, his Sol-Tekka damaged and weaponless. His only option now was to reach the Blue Earth. It wouldn't be any better to fight with it, but he would certain have the advantage in flight. Besides, as it stood, he had no weapons or defenses now. Reaching the Blue Earth was his only chance.
'Well, this isn't going to be easy. But here goes!'
Firing the boosters, Noal made a mad charge at Shrapnel, who looked at the Sol-Tekka like it had gone out of his mind. But before it could veer close, it suddenly jerked away and flew in an opposite direction, making a B-line straight for the Blue Earth. Seeing this, Shrapnel fired his own boosters and flew up behind him, grabbing the Sol-Tekka in the spinal area and driving his clawed hand in.
"Ahhhh!"
The cry reached Aki's ears as her attention snapped to the source. She was nearly horrified at seeing Shrapnel's clawed hands tear into the Sol-Tekka's back, crushing Noal from the same area. And she was in no shape to assist, as she was barely fending off Sai and Sliver's attacks, with Shirken as support for them. She had only one option and she knew it.
'Fifteen minutes…It'll have to be enough.'
Aki soon shot up from Pegasus and high in space above. Looking back down, she ordered the tekkabot.
"Pegasus! Code 5-1-Omega!"
"Command acknowledged. Chamber parameters re-modified."
The back to the machine opened wide and Aki swiftly dove inside, with the interlock doors closing up. The three dark tekkamen were baffled by this behavior, but that changed when Pegasus flashed brightly and the chamber reopened moments later. A loud siren cry emitted forth and Aki reemerged, in her true form.
"Raaahhhhhh!"
Sai stepped back at the sight. "What's this?"
Aki began to glow once more and she shot up into the air, literally flaring with energy as her crystal hawk burst forth and soared at them. Sliver and Shirken both fired projectiles at her, but they deflected off and she continued to approach. They were unable to back away as the energy smashed into them, sending them all in separate directions. Aki continued on her path toward Shrapnel, who was unaware of her approach and still torturing Noal.
"Guuaahhhh!"
"Is that as plea for help? Maybe a little louder."
But Aki's war cry soon reached his ears and he turned to see the same flaring energy coming down upon him. In shock, he released Noal and prepared to defend, but she was too fast for him and he was hurled back. With a growl, Shrapnel recovered his footing and chased after her. That wasn't difficult, since she had stopped in her crush interlude in order to summon up her lancer and turn to attack again. The two met with a titanic clash and Shrapnel was surprised by the power of this woman. Even more so when she forcefully shoved him back onto the ground once again. Shrapnel became enraged and shot up at her, his axe lancer high over his head and bear down fast. Aki brought her lancer up to block, but the force of Shrapnel's strike broke it in half.
"Ha! You're mine!"
With a twirl, the dark gundam swirled his lancer upward at Aki's face. But her speed was far beyond his as well and she swirled around in sidestep, all the while, still hold her lancer halves. With Shrapnel exposed, she didn't waste any time in sending one of those halves straight into Shrapnel's ribcage.
"Guuuaaaahhhhh!"
Shrapnel was so shocked by this that he lost hold of his lancer and it hit the dirt. Aki held the weapon in place for a moment before forcefully tearing it out of him, causing him to yell aloud again and kneel to the ground. Shrapnel grabbed hold of his wound, a fatal one from the looks of it. Nevertheless, his anger brimmed and suddenly, his voltekka cells began to charge.
"No! Not like…!"
But before he could finish speaking or fire, Aki whirled around and stabbed him through the chest with the lancer. Shrapnel didn't even make a sound as he was impaled by the Scarlet Tekkaman. The last thing he saw was the gleaming eyes of the woman before him and it was only then that he realized why she was truly called the Red Devil.
It was how she fought… Like the devil incarnate…
Aki soon released the lancer half and turned, reading herself to take on the remaining three, who had recover from her first attack and had witnessed the death of their comrade. She was panting somewhat, but her strength had not dulled and neither had her focus. She will continue on and finish this.
If only she didn't have seven minutes left…
Libra
Blam!
The fight between Sandrock and Dorothy continued just outside the Libra as Sandrock was forced into retreat from the aggressive tekkaman. Dorothy emerged from the entrance soon after and went in with a couple of more swipes with her rapier lancer. Sandrock soon began to recognize a pattern in her fighting. It was the same way she was fighting before when thy first met in the Sank Knigdom. If that was the case, then maybe he could force her into a draw like before. It would be difficult, but the alternative would be to fight her full on and possibly hurt her, something he didn't want.
A fact that she sensed almost right away…
"Why are you holding back?" she demanded, halting her attacks for a moment. "Or can't you go for it? Well, you can sure bet that I will!"
Her boosters flared again as she lunged in on Sandrock. The gundam sidestepped the attack, but was unable to do any more as she wheeled around and attacked him some more, driving him back through space and on the Libra.
"That purity!" Skkkk! "That softness!" Srrkkk! "That kindness!" Crrsshh! "No wonder you gundams get defeated!"
Attacking with a horizontal slice, Dorothy forced Sandrock to raise both his lancers to block. No sooner than he did that Dorothy rotated her blade to lock the two lancers and with a hard slash to Sandrock's armored hands, she disarmed him of both weapons, sending them curving though space until they stabbed themselves into a section of the Libra. Sandrock grasped his hand, surprised that the Zero Crystal had amplified her powers so greatly. Or was it simply because…she was right about him.
"Maybe you're right." he replied quietly. "This is the only way I really know how to fight. But it's because we take on losing battles that we've been able to keep the colonists from the horrors of war."
Dorothy held her stance, with her lancer pointed at him. "You'll never change anything that way!"
Beneath his armor, Quatre frowned. "Then what do you suggest I should have done?"
"You should have become the leader of the colonies and staged a magnificent war yourself…" Letting her arms spread briefly, she raised her lancer upward for dramatic effect. "…Just like Mr. Milliardo's doing."
Sandrock lurched forward in protest. "Dorothy! You're mistak…Guah!"
He didn't even see her bring the lancer down and Dorothy rush in to spear him. The lancer went deep into his side, cutting through the gundamium armor and causing blood to leak out into space. As she held him in place, she continued speaking.
"…And you should have staged this war in front of all of mankind. A miserable war that they'll never want to see again."
Despite the pain, Sandrock lifted his head up in realization. "Are you saying…that's the significance of this war?"
"That's right..." Her tone softened. "You can't do away with wars, Quatre, by just taking weapons away from people. You first have to change the hearts of all of mankind. If you don't do that, humanity will…it will perish, just…like my father did."
Sandrock's eyes glimmered in and out, the only outward sign of his senses. The Soul of Outer Space... And this insight helped him to see the one thing he missed. As slight as it may have been, it was clearly an important fact. Especially to him…
"You…are a very kind person…Kinder than me…"
"That doesn't make me the least bit happy." Dorothy snarled, removing the lancer from his side and causing him to groan in pain again. "Kindness just gets in your way when you're trying to survive. It's more appropriate for mankind to put all their efforts into just surviving."
"Dorothy..." Sandrock seemed to be gasping as he held his side, but nevertheless, he struggled to get back up to his feet. "You're just the same way I used to be. You can't stand your own kindness and you own hatred of war… You should never try to fight your kindness… Trowa taught me that…"
Dark memories of his wrath with the Zero Crystal flashed before his eyes as well as the painful lesson it taught, almost at the expense of his friend's life. "Without kindness, mankind has no reason to exist…"
Sandrock could feel himself fading, but he continued, seeing that she had to know this. This woman, who was making the same mistakes he did, she had to realize this. "You agree, don't you? Humans…that only think of their survival are creatures…that are lower…than animals…They can't even feel…for others…"
With a heavy gasp, Sandrock soon slumped down again, this time remaining still. Dorothy looked at the unconscious tekkaman silently, contemplating his words, but wondering whether to regard them or not.
Moon
The hatch to the Blue Earth soon shifted close, with Noal trudging into the hanger and ejecting out of his Sol-Tekka. The pilot slumped to the metal floor, still strained and hurt from Shrapnel's torture. But he couldn't afford to rest now. Pulling himself from the floor, he made his way onto the bridge and right in the pilot's seat.
"Alright. Let see what I've missed."
The viewscreen switched on and Noal's eyes widened as he saw the battle between Aki and the remaining tekkamen. As far as he saw, it was an even battle, with it beginning to go to Aki's favor as she relentlessly and savagely attacked the three. It was at the point where Noal almost thought she was Tekkaman Evil.
"Aki…"
At the current moment, Aki was charging straight at Sliver, who had struck her in the back and that did little other than enrage her off.
"Raaaaahhhhhh!"
The two tekkamen met in a fierce clash, with Sliver being shoved backward, but holding his ground regardless as Aki pressed with her lancers. 'Who is this woman?' Not even Blade fought with this kind of ferocity against them and that made her all the more fearsome.
Aki meanwhile, continued to press harder on him, driving him to the gray dirt. Suddenly, a weapon flew out from behind Aki straight to her back. Sai's weapon… It was a good shot, but the dark tekkaman underestimated Aki's reflexes as she pulled one of the lancers away from Sliver and deflected the oncoming projectile. Kicking Sliver down, her fiery eyes soon turned Sai, ready to attack.
And then her time limit hit critical….
"Naahh…Not….now….ahhhhhhh!"
Dropping her lancers, Aki grabbed her head in sheer pain. Her head crystal flashed rapidly, as to indicate the pain she was going through and soon she was forced down to one knee. Unfortunately, this wasn't lost on Sliver and Sai, who had recovered from her assault. Aki struggled to raise her head to see the two of them rising up and marching over to her. Sneering with glee, Sai twirled the forked weapons between her fingers as she approached the helpless tekkaman.
"My, how the tables have turned."
Libra
The trident lancer of Altron met once more with the shining blade of Tallgeese with a clash of sparks. With each attack, Altron found himself complimenting Trieze's skills. True, the Sol-Tekka was aptly designed with weaponry and power that could match a tekkaman. But the true potential of the machine could only be seen with a capable pilot and Trieze was doing more than holding his own against the gundam tekkaman. In fact, it didn't appear that he was trying very hard in this fight at all.
But, from what Trieze saw, neither was Altron…
"What's wrong?" Trieze spoke after breaking away from their clash. "How come you don't use your voltekka?"
That was the one major advantage Altron had over Trieze. While physically they were evenly matched, a tekkaman would always have the power of their voltekka to utilize, to quickly turn a fight around or finish it altogether. Altron hovered back and replied in kind.
"Because I just want to fight you fair and square, Trieze. That's how come."
The leader of the World Nation narrowed his eyes. "That's not like you. Why the hesitation?"
"Look who's talking. Why didn't you finish me back there?"
Earlier, when Altron had been kicked by Tallgeese in the back, Trieze could have let out a blast that could have harmed Altron somewhat or at least weaken him. With his skill, it would have been enough for Trieze to finish him off afterward. But as Altron pointed out, Trieze didn't do as much.
"Well, I couldn't kill one of the few people that understood me. That's all."
Anger flared in the dragon tekkaman's eyes. "Don't mock me!"
Altron charged once more, soaring upward in a dive and slashing down on Tallgeese, who blocked the blow and causing them to meet in a clash of sparks once again.
"I can't stand the sight of you!"
"Then don't hold back!"
Altron pulled back for a minute and slashed again, this time vertically. Again, it was blocked, but with the closer proximity, it allowed Trieze to partially parry and let out a strike of his own. Alton saw this and backflipped through space, landing a good couple of feet away, his lancer held forward in wait.
"You're only capable of looking down on people like this. You're only fighting to satisfy your ego. How many people have died for you? Well?!"
"Do you really want to know?"
This surprised Altron. He had not really been expecting Trieze to be able to answer. But as it happened, Trieze really did answer.
"As of yesterday... 99,822 people."
The gundam practically roared. "What?!"
Switching to his comm, he contacted Lady Une and asked, setting it so that Altron could hear it too. "Lady... How many have died today?"
"So far, we have received confirmation of the deaths of 82 White Fang soldiers and 105 of our own soldiers." she answered.
Treize lowered his head sadly, shutting his eyes. "I see… Give me their names later on today."
"Yes, sir. I will."
Altron was completely stunned by this. His assumptions about the World Nation commander had been wrong. He was in fact more humane that he ever thought.
"Damn you!"
"I remember everyone who sacrificed their lives in battle." Trieze spoke quietly, his eyes still closed in the pain of memories. "How could I forget them? Noventa... Septem... Bente... Dorian... Walker... Otto... Bunt... Their names are all etched into my heart."
"How could you be such a…?" Altron stuttered, still shocked at what he learned.
"I can only grieve over the lives lost by those who fought." Trieze soon opened his eyes and focused on Altron again. "But…at least try to understand this. Not one of those people have died in vain. Haaaaaa!"
In a show unseen by him, Trieze cried aloud and launched forward at Altron, his boosters at full power as he barreled at Altron with his saber ready to strike. By instinct alone, Altron shifted back and then stabbed forward, deflecting Trieze's attack and stabbing right into the Tallgeese.
"That was beautiful, Wufei... "
"No, Treize!" Altron replied in shock. "How could you?"
Altron quickly pulled the trident out, but the damage had been done. The Tallgeese was showered with sparks and he was sure that the trident had impaled the pilot within. The white Sol-Tekka floated off back into space, its destruction imminent.
"Everyone must pay…for their sins." Trieze gasped calmly, despite the searing pain in him. "Even…my death is not without meaning. Wufei... my eternal friend... I'm honored I could fight with you tekkamen..."
"This can't be true." Altron dropped his trident as he watched on. "No way! I won't let this happen!"
But there was nothing he or anyone else could do to stop it. As the Tallgeese began to go critical and Trieze's life force began to leave him, he whispered his final words.
"Milliardo... I'll be waiting for you on the other side…"
With that, he closed his eyes and the Tallgeese exploded, taking with it the leader of the World Nation. Altron was still for a longer period and then smashed his fist down on the plank of the Libra.
"Damn it!" Through the emerald eyes of the tekkaman, tears leaked out and floated off into space.
"I didn't think I'd win…"
At MO-II, things were worse as the command staff was in shock at the death of their leader. But none as deeply as Lady Une, who was leaning over the console in grief.
"Colonel Une...? Your orders?"
Une slowly straightened herself up and turned to the staff. There was still sadness in her eyes, but it was well masked as she ordered. "You must get in touch with the White Fang. Tell them as of this moment, the World Nation declares its defeat."
"Huh? Colonel?"
"This is humiliating. Don't make me repeat myself!" Une snapped. "Send them the message!"
"Yes, ma'am."
Her expression softened again and she whispered. "Mr. Trieze… You were splendid…"
Moon
Aki remained grounded, her head continuously being wracked with pain as her limit continued to pass. Before her, Sai and Sliver moved ever closer, seemingly savoring what was soon to be their kill. Aki tried to rise up, but the pain was too great for her. With the two nearing ever closer, her odds of surviving this dropped.
Leave it to Noal to defy the odds…
Pssszzzzhhh! Pssszzzzhhh! Pssszzzzhhh!
The two tekkamen halted in their advance as the Blue Earth swooped in, firing volley after volley of laser fire. Caught by surprise, Sai and Sliver dodged the fire. Seeing this as her only chance, Aki forced herself to her feet and succeeded in part.
"Pegasus! Retrieval now!"
The tekkabot, already close by, began to fly in as ordered to pick up its master. But just then, a slew of energy spikes flared at it from the side and caused it to falter to the side and crash into the moonbed. Aki looked on as she saw the cause of it.
The damaged Shirken…
Aki began to feel the pain overtake her once more. She knew her time was now down to a minute, maybe less. Pegasus lifted off the ground, reverting to its standard machine form as it now marched over to Aki. But Shirken wasn't going to let that just go and he began charging another set of energy spikes from his wrist. And this time, Noal wouldn't be able to help her, as he was occupied in keeping the other two busy.
So there was only one thing to do…
With a loud cry, Aki raised her arms upward and then toward Shirken. The armored plates shifted away and back, revealing a set of voltekka cells. Immediately, energy began to fill it and crackle with great energy. Shirken turned toward her to see the power in action.
"What? No!"
Redirecting his aim, he flailed his arms out, sending the spikes toward Aki instead. But they disintegrated as they closed in on the field that was being created by the energy. Aki focused with all of her might, the tekka-system now beginning to tear her apart from the inside.
"VOLTEKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
A faint image of her crystal shone before the energy was released in a titanic wave. Shirken sought to fly away, but he was too damaged to even try. He could only look on as the energy hit him full force, finishing off what Blade had done to him at the start.
"NAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Aki stood perfectly still as the beam finished its work before another cry of pain escaped her lips. Her armor shone in a deadly red, with veins lighting up all over her body. Collapsing to the ground fully, she was bombarded by the torturous pain of the tekka-system and left writhing on the dirt. But it was then that Pegasus had moved in close and opened the interlock chamber. Doors open, the machine ejected a secondary pair of arms that latched on to Aki and pulled her into the chamber, closing it behind her and beginning the reversal sequence. The tekka-bot then hovered up from the ground and into space. Due to the damage caused by Shirken, it was unable to fly forward. But it would be enough, for the Blue Earth swooped around and picked it up in mid-air.
In the airlock chamber, Noal rushed in to check on his friend to see if she was alright. Despite the combat situation he was in, he left the Blue Earth on autopilot just so he could check. Judging from her screams, she must have been in pretty bad shape. He just hoped that she wasn't too badly hurt. Pegasus chamber soon opened and Aki fell out, unconscious. Noal managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
"Aki. Aki, wake up!"
But the woman made no move and remained still in his arms. And to make matters worse, his ship rattled hard, telling him that the remaining two tekkamen weren't done with him yet. Taking Aki and setting her in the medical section, he soon rushed back to the bridge and into the pilot's seat where he checked the monitor. The good news was that the tekkamen weren't attacking him. The bad news was that the entire army of Radham were.
"Just can't get a break, can I?"
Noal went to work right away, maneuvering the starship through the hail of fire that was coming at him. He could have easily escaped back to Earth, but that would mean leaving Blade behind to fight alone. And that wasn't going to happen again. Aki wanted to stay and be with Blade and Noal felt the same way.
'Looks like I'm going to have to rough it out. Huh? What's that?'
The crevice that the Radham had stormed out began to shimmer and glow. Purple light was flashing back and forth for a while and then the moon began trembling once again, causing the hole in the moon to grow even bigger. The light too grew brighter and Noal was forced to veer away from it
"What the heck is that?"
Libra
Dorothy remained as she was, still and looking over at the still-unconscious Sandrock, who was still hovering in the same area leaking blood from the wound she had inflicted on him. She didn't really know what to do now. She had defeated him, proving her point that this war was necessary. But his words had affected her greatly. Largely because they were true, in some areas.
"You…are a very kind person…Kinder than me…"
Despite how deeply she tried to bury it, her kindness was what motivated her to do all of this. But she wanted no part of it and sealed it away for her own betterment. But…was it for that reason…or was it simply because it hurt so much for her to show it? No… She had beaten him. She was in the right…
"This is the right way…" She muttered to herself. "This is good…"
"Miss Dorothy, can you read me?"
Dorothy snapped out of her thoughts and answered though the comm. "Yes?"
"The earth delegates have just contacted us and they have announced their defeat."
"What?" She was stunned by this turn of events. That wasn't how it was supposed to turn out. "The earth has declared its surrender?"
Quinze continued. "Also, the combat observation unit has just informed us that Trieze Khusrenada has died in battle."
Dorothy quickly turned from stunned to shocked. That definitely wasn't how it was supposed to turn out. "No! That just can't be!"
"The victory belongs to us. But that doesn't change our plans to ram this ship into the earth. Those are Commander Milliard's orders." Switching over to the PA system, Quinze announced to the rest of the White Fang on the Libra. "We'll start the final boost. Evacuate the ship at your own discretion. Good luck. Keep safe."
Dorothy was completely aghast. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. The White Fang and the World Nation were supposed to destroy each other, showing everyone that this war was an evil that never need to be repeated in history ever again. Even more so, Trieze, her cousin, was not supposed to die in battle. Not like this. Everything had completely fallen apart.
"Things didn't go as planned, did they?"
Snapping out of her revere, Dorothy looked up to see Tekkaman Heavyarms standing on the sidelines near Sandrock. His gaze was on her and his weapon was in hand, but it was lowered, showing that he wasn't going to fight. That wouldn't have mattered anyway; Dorothy was hardly in the mood for it anymore.
"In a way, what you people were trying to do was probably the right thing. But it still won't bring true peace."
The woman tekkaman stammered lightly. "I…I was only…"
"That's so sad..." Heavyarms whispered. "A woman who can't cry..."
Space Ring
The explosion of the battle above wasn't the only thing that lit up the space around the Space Ring. The fight between sibling progressed in earnest as Dead and Slayer continued to battle each other. To his credit, Dead was now putting up a greater fight than before, striking back at Slayer with equal force.
But for Dead, who is reluctant to harm his once beloved sister, Aurora, and Slayer, who has no reservations about her former brother Kenji, the turn of the battle has yet to come and Slayer is still on a higher offensive than Dead was.
"Rah!"
A kick from Slayer propelled Dead into a column on the Space Ring, smashing his body into it. Her opponent floored; Slayer dove in with another cry and her lancer raised high. But Dead pushed off the column and around her attack, spinning as a result. While in mid-spin, he flailed out his on lancer in attack, but Slayer wheeled toward him and deflected the blow.
"Is this all there is to you?" Slayer spoke, pushing him back. "Or maybe you're still holding back? If that's the case, then you'll die rather quickly, won't you!"
Bam! A blow to the chest sent Dead reeling back and Slayer pursued immediately, following up with another punch, this time to the face. Dead spiraled down, once again to the Space Ring. Slayer hovered in place, waiting for his crash into the structure once again.
But that didn't happen…
Moment before Dead could hit, his body flashed in dark violet and he swooped away, soaring straight at Slayer. Slayer gave a short gasp of surprise before the crystal hawk hit her, with Dead's body and energy colliding into hers, hard.
"Graah!"
Now it was Slayer's turn to be hurtled backward as Dead End relinquished his crystal hawk and simply charged in to strike. Slayer managed to roll into a recovery and lock her lancer with his as they flew on, partially drifting through space. Breaking it off, Slayer attacked, only to have Dead meet her with the same action, crating a heavy clash between the two. Their boosters soon flared and they shot away from each other, only to circle around and strike again, with the same result. The exchange went on several more times before they locked up once again.
"Not bad." Slayer admitted. "I was beginning to worry that this would be a boring fight."
Dead didn't respond and simply shoved her back forcefully. The two tekkamen landed on the Space Ring once again and faced each other in silence. They had been gauging their strength up until now and so far, they learned much. Even though Dead seemed to be holding back, as the fight passed on, he was slowly beginning to release his restraints and attack full force. For Dead, he learned something peculiar. Despite her power, she didn't seem to be using it fully. Perhaps she wanted to stretch the fight out so that she could torment him more..? Why else would she not come at full force?
In either case, from here on, that seemed posed to change as the two began to slowly move into stances, with their lancer readying to strike. But midway through this, Slayer tekka-set crystal glimmered and she stopped in her movement, turning her head away to look up.
"Ah! At last, the time has come."
"What do you mean?"
"He comes." Following her glance, Dead saw that she was looking pass the overhead battle and toward the Moon. "My master is coming now. Soon, the Earth will be ours, and the colonies will soon follow." She began to raise her lancer, but upon looking back at Dead, she stopped and chuckled. "Oh yes, where are my manners? We have to finish this, don't we?" She spun her lancer once and set it back in the position and pose she had been in previously.
"So let's get down to it."
Inwardly, Dead frowned. Now he was battling with a time limit in mind. With her master on an approach to Earth, there was no time left to convince her to give this up. And with the other Knight embroiled in the battle above, he could contact them and tell them this. He just had to hope that they already knew and would be able to stop it. Because if they didn't, then it would be up to him to stop what would be a plague to fall upon the Earth, one that would spread to the colonies and devour everything. His hand tightening on his lancer, he finally made up his mind.
"Aurora, please forgive me."
A blast of his boosters and he charged at her, full force…
And she did the same…
Shuttle approaching MO-II
"The earth has declared defeat?"
The crew of the Peacemillion turned to Sally in surprise as she made the statement. Relena, who was seated in the back, rushed up beside her.
"I don't believe it."
"Things are not over yet people." Howard replied, piloting the shuttle. "The White Fang plan to direct Libra and Peacemillion to ram into Earth."
Relena turned to him. "Let's turn around. If we go now, we should still be able to stop them."
"That would be impossible." Howard sighed.
"We can't say for sure until we try." Relena asserted.
"There's only one person that can make the impossible possible…"
Relena exclaimed. "Heero?!"
Sally nodded. "You bet." But then she added. "But there's absolutely no way we can tell him that right now."
"Quickly, let's go to Heero."
"We can't." Howard answered again. "The shuttle used up the propulsion energy for the initial boost."
Frowning slightly, Relena soon turned away from the pilots and began to head to the exit. Seeing this, Sally called out to her, but Relena didn't stop.
"In that case, I'll go alone!"
Helpless and powerless as she may have been, Relena had to do something, anything to stop this disaster from happening. Even if it put herself in jeopardy, she had to at least let Heero know so he could stop it. Her helmet covering slid over her face as she moved to the back. But a group of officers grabbed her before she could leave.
"No! Stop!"
The young woman tried to shake out of their grip, but was unable to do so. "L-let got of me! Heero! Heeeero!!!!"
'Aki…!'
The telepathic scream rang through his mind as Tekkaman Blade continued his descent into the depths of the moon. He knew he had to move fast. He had long sensed Aki's plight and pain and his journey to the deep was with urgency in order to return to her. He knew this would possibly happen to her, but that didn't make him feel any better. Even worse, the tunnels he was soaring through looked quite familiar. In fact, it was designed almost exactly like Omega's mothership. 'Was that what this was?'
Another mothership…?
This spelled out a whole new series of doom, not only for Blade, but also for the Earth and the Colonies. Should a Radham mothership reach Earth, that would be the end of it all. The Radham would forever be seeded into the world and nothing would stop them from taking over slowly, but completely.
Unless he can stop it...again…
Flying down, he followed the dark presence that awaited him beneath the caves and tunnels. Sensing that he was coming close, Blade readied his lancer, preparing to fight the creature that was responsible for the Radham's new revival. He soon reached a great chamber. Glittering crystal were settled in the walls all around and various, multicolored light circulated to the core like wires. And in the center of it all, a single massive figure, cloaked in a giant violet cape and armored in a similar fashion. His large hand wielded a single curved lancer, which shimmered and glowed along with its owner.
"You've come Blade, as I knew you would."
The white tekkaman could not believe what he was seeing. "Omega?"
"Yes, although not the one you knew before. Your older brother, Kengo, was eliminated and now I have taken his place."
"So you're not…?" Confusion littered into Blade's mind. "Who are you?"
"Nice to see that memory of yours trying to function." the massive tekkaman taunted. "To think that you've survived all this time while it was nothing but fragments." His eyes shimmered. 'But then again, you always did have an impressive, if not annoying, instinct for survival. But then we wouldn't want this to be too easy now, would we Blade."
Within, D-Boy's eyes widened at the warlord's choice of words. He had heard this before. But where?
- - - - -
"Hmph. Oh, your instinct for survival is impressive, although rather annoying. But then, we wouldn't want this to be too easy now, would we? You can run Blade, but you can not hide!"
- - - - -
Blade became completely shocked as he looked back at the Omega tekkaman. The armor, though enhanced and enlarged, was relatively the same. And the face, still showing scar-like damage. The damage Blade had caused long ago, when the war first started against the Radham. It was then that he faced his first opponent and a deadly one at that.
"Dagger!"
Atop the diamond shaped platform of the Libra, Tekkaman Epyon stood alone. The battle still raged on around him, but he made no move and stood perfectly still in his place. His lancer was lightly held in his grip as he waited. Waited for the one last obstacle for him to get past. The tekka-set of the crimson gundam glimmered and his head tilted up slightly.
"He's finally here."
Following his line of sight, a single dot moved through the chaos, growing brighter and more visible as a figure as it closed in. For that figure was possibly the only hope to stop the madness of this war once and for all. But to do so, he would have to stop the one who started this.
Tekkaman Epyon…
Zero Tekkaman Wing…
The two combatants have now arrived at their greatest battle…
The battle has reached its peak as Zero and Epyon face each other in a final battle for Earth and Space. But as peace unexpectendly takes a turn for the coming, an old nemesis of Blade's has come to destroy all that so many have fought and died for. Dead End continues to fight Slayer, but with so much on the line and so little time left, will he be able to bring about the finishing blow to his own sister? Next on Gundam Tekkaman: Apex