"To forgive is difficult because we don't want to forgive.
We want to strike back. We want justice. We want the other person to feel our pain.
If we can't have justice we vow that we'll never trust again. It is not surprising then that
we are more interested in finding loopholes than forgiving. "
Col 3:13
Dusk. The sun is reflecting off the lights of the skyscrapers, footholds in the clouds above. The White Ship is towering over the stadium.
I raise my altitude to 3000 to clear myself from the buildings. The side of the thing was so huge and so flat, my farm would have been just a small chunk on its deck.
Takuto's face pops up on the screen. "You're a natural at flying."
"Thanks, but there's something else we need to focus on."
"Right, Mori your squadmates are flying there as soon as possible. For now, the Red Masque will be aiding you."
The Red Emblem Frame from before showed off its speed by barrel rolling over me.
His wings fold flat and launch two streaks of lasers into the air. His targets explode into a ball of fire.
"Show, off. So, is there anything else you need to tell me?"
A 3 dimensional map installs on to my HUD. "You're not alone out there. Remember that. Signing out."
His screen turns black. According to the data I was a blue triangle in the center.
A massive triangle enveloped my position. The behemoth's floorboards opened and launched missiles into the sky.
Behind the missiles, small drone fighters buzzed out.
"Red Masque, do you read me?"
The red emblem frame aligns himself on my right. I'm scanning the details.
Should I start with the speech? No, just the orders. She's cocky enough as it is.
"The Coliseum is surrounded by the enemy fleet. Shiva, Kazuya, and several senate members haven't evacuated safely from the city.
We're going to hold them off until reinforcements come. Do you copy that?"
Red Masque kicked into afterburner and accelerates at a flock of drones. Lasers are streaking through the skies. A drone's rear engine is on fire. BZZZTTT WHOOSH. It roars right by my face.
"I guess that's a yes," I shift my wheel to the right, and turn around. I line my sight with the Seldor Mothership.
I steer toward a floorboard and descend. The altimeter beeps, "WARNING: PULL UP"
As the door opens, I launch a missile into the chute then pull up. Smoke runs out of the door. "Good shot, Vindictus indicates the drone output of their mothership has gone down by 25%." Coco claps over the microphone.
"Thanks, but there's still work to be done. I engage the other doors.
"You take the front, Red." Red Masque trails his engine around in circles and pivots down toward a chute and blasts it open from one end to the other.
The Mothership trembles. The doors are bustling with smoke.
Over the radio, I hear the police officers cursing, "Is the engine running?"
"I'm trying."
"Hurry, Shiva doesn't have all day."
"Good job, Vindictus is moving in to support."
A cluster of cannon fire jumps under me and impacts the front stern. The smack left a huge hole and a fire the size of a forest.
"Red Masque, that was way too close!"
He doesn't say anything.
"Urgh, fine be like that." I peer at the ground. There were thousands of people and cars clogging the city. Please be alright..
VRRRRRMMM.
Half of the ship, the top and bottom breaks off. In it's place is a sleeker flagship armed with missile batteries and cannons.
"No you don't. I'll finish you off this time-"
It fires a cluster of missiles at the coliseum.
"They launched missiles! Mori, you and Red Masque intercept them!"
"But," I protest, "What- what about the flagship, we can't let him get away!"
"Take out those missiles, that's an order!"
That coward Lucius.. I won't forgive him.
I dive after them. Missiles of all sizes, engine color, from blue to red. They were blocking out the sky.
It was time to clean up. I close up on them in gun range and mow down the faster, weaker cruise missiles.
Usually the smallest ones. I strafe to my left, while Red Masque strafes to my right.
"There's too many of them to fire at a time.. Red Masque, this might sound crazy, but I want you to shoot my laser!"
She seems to follow the order as if it was a normal thing for her. It probably wasn't crazy. I should have just said normal.
Our lasers collide and scatter into several pieces.
They bounce and ricochet in several directions.
The missiles were eliminated.
"That was a close one.. Phew." Before I had time to wipe sweat off my forehead.
A skyscraper echoes. The tall building breaks into several pieces and collapses.
The Seldor have three more battleships on the scene.
"Sir, sir, we just lost the commercial center. Civilians are still trapped there! Where's our cover?"
"Get the Seldor flagship on line."
"Takuto, are you sure?"
"Do it, Coco."
There's a click over the line. A black screen and Takuto are on the air.
The voice on the receiving is masked by a blue velvet. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Takuto. You're putting up a valiant fight worthy of a hero like always," it chimes with eerie glee.
"This isn't Soldum Seldor is it?" Takuto smiles and waves.
The voice laughs heartily, "Noooo..nooo, it isn't."
"If we're going to fight, would you please leave the civilians out of it?" he pleads with a sincere face.
"Civilians?" he sarcastically asks. He fires a beam into another skyscraper. "What civilians?" He launches a missile into the courtyard. No one is hurt, but it scatters evacuating herds of people and sends them running in terror for the nearest cover.
His behavior was disgusting. I want to kill him already and be done with it.
"They're animals, you're all animals. The people of EDEN will suffer for their past crimes. In the name of the Seldor Dynasty," a man in a cleric dress brushes aside the velvet. "I am declaring war on your species."
Tact doesn't laugh or smile. "...Where's Soldum?"
"Removed from power on behalf of the Royal Seldorian family. My brother is now an enemy of the state for cooperating with barbarians."
I put my fingers over the trigger. "Hold your fire, Sayaka," Tact holds his hands together like he was praying. "How are we barbarians, mr.."
"Lucius Seldor. We have come to right the wrongs made by EDEN. Until then, I won't spare a life."
"How does Lady Shiva tie into this-"
"That's what do they call it, "For me to know and you to find out."
More drones were appearing from the mothership.
"Dammit, they have more," I respond too late, they fly by me and start zapping the peace conference. "We can't hold them off forever."
"Hand over Shiva. Now."
I can't fail, I crank the power of my engine to max and protect the people below with everything I can. I can't fail. I can't fail. The Vindictus pounds the Seldor fleet again.
"We're running low on fuel, but I can't return to the ship just yet."
No, I can't give up. I fire heat seekers at a few stragglers. Lucius; flagship is charging another beam. The cannon's laser is blighting the sun. If it fires one more time, everyone will...
I won't let it happen. I dodged a stray missile. The white smoke spread and whizzed by me. I charge at the cannon and fire into it with everything I can. The massive barrel of the ship is giving way.
I can tell because heaps of metal were falling off. I needed one more punch. It's still charging. No..
Then Red Masque dives in and launches a hyper beam through the ship. The whole deck of the ship snaps in half and explodes.
The smoke clears after a few minutes. The ship is still in the air, but it has craters and holes all over its landscape.
It won't be fighting back anytime soon.
"No! We must keep fighting!" Lucius beckons.
"We can't, my lord. Our weapons have been damaged beyond repair. Retreat is our only option."
"We were so close.. very well, retreat!"
"We just got word, Shiva, Kazuya and Natsumi, along with the senate have been evacuated. Good job," Takuto said over the radio.
I fall back into my comfy seat. Breathe in, breathe out. "Ahhh." The altimeter clicks back to normal. Whoosh.
Red Masque returns to my side. "Hey, if you're listening.. How did you finish it off so quick... with just one shot?"
"He didn't," a plane fills my left flank.
"We helped," another to my far right. More planes are taking up my wing.
Whoossh "This is the Rhome royal guard, we can take care of this."
"But the Seldorians.."
I can see their ships retreating into the atmosphere. They're just going to leave after razing the capitol?
"You're low on fuel. Pursuing is a bad idea. We can handle the stragglers. Right now, you need to rest and take a vacation."
I want to protest, but Takuto butts in, "He's right. We can't tire ourselves or the HALO system won't work. Mori you did a great job and saved a lot of people as it is. Amazing coming from a rookie like you, don't push yourself. The Royal Guard can take care of the rest."
I glare at the Lucius' ship as it disappears into the heavens. The sunset casts a shadow over the ruined city.
Everyone has manged to flee and now the city is empty except for the few military squads on the scene.
"That's right.. I do," I'm yawning.
My emblem frame U-turns, breaking from the wing and heads back to the ship with Red Masque following behind.
"Hey, Sayaka, great job. Shiva is on the line. I'm putting her on screen."
Beep. Shiva is sitting on her throne relieved in her gown and crown.
"Thank you for saving my life once again."
I fidget in my seat a bit. It all seemed unreal that the queen of the empire is talking to me, complimenting me.
I managed a bit of modesty, "It's no big deal. I'm just doing my duty."
"Is that so?" she grins, "Well, then. I order that you become a Galaxy Angel for the ship Vindictus. You will prove to the committee and your superiors that you are not a traitor on the battlefield. Is that clear?"
"Yes, mam!"
"Good, now get some sleep. You look exhausted," she hangs up."
"Ahh," I almost close my eyes.
"Oh there's another call for you.."
"Hmm?" they fling open.
"Kazuya wants to talk to you."
"Oh, put him in on the line."
"One moment."
I adjust my brunetty hair a bit. Kazuya is okay? That's a relief. I have to thank him, without him I wouldn't be fighting alongside the GALAXY ANGELS. He's also kind of cute. Is that how the term used.. I don't know.
"Hey, Mori."
"Kazuya!" I scream, "Did you see me?!"
"Yeah, you were terrific. I knew you were special."
"You bet I am! I'll be the best galaxy angel of all time! Maybe better than you."
"Hah, maybe. Well.. Welcome board. We might take a long break after this."
"That's great." I start to blush, "Hmm. Kazuya. Do you have anything special in mind?"
"Well, we might go to the beach. Us and the angels."
My heart beats. I get to join the angels and form a bond with the guy like the angels before me this will be amazing.
"That sounds fun, me, the angels and you will have a great time!"
"I'm not sure.. Kazuya...NYAA."
The line is interrupted by a voice imitating cat noises.
"Who was that?"
"Oh, it's my fiancee."
...I sit quietly staring into thin air. Kazuya awkwardly scoots back.
"..S-sorry. We might be busy. Don't worry, you'll still have something to do on the ship."
"Oh that's right.. The angels will be there. I wonder if Anise or Milfie will be there. We can have a sleepover, drink tea, Milefie's cake are the best I heard..."
"Ahahahahah... They're guys."
I don't say anything. My eyes are dead on him.
"S-Sorry. I forgot to tell you," Kazuya awkwardly shuts off the screen.
I hope he's kidding.
Red Masque flies beside me, "Hello there, madame. Aren't these skies lovely?"
He wasn't kidding.
"If I were to compare you to a summer day's-"
I shut off the communications and switch to the radio.
"Evening, people of Transbaal. We are proud to inform that the Royal Guard and the new Angel troupe has rescued Lady Shiva!"
I slouch in my seat. Should have known he was engaged. It was too good to be true.. I sigh.
"It's been three years since the fateful battle that led to the disbanding of the use of Angel Troupes. Peace treaties claimed we have no need for them.. But now the empire once again needs Angels."
A ray of light pierces the clouds.
"I guess it's not that bad," I sigh with half hearted laugh. "This is just the beginning... Next time, Lucius..I won't let my guard down."
And that was how I became a Galaxy Angel. The first time in history we had male a male angel troupe. The HALO system was meant to be used by the priestess, empathetic girls form the White Moon. Things were changing quickly. In that same year, Transbaal and all ally members of EDEN declared war on Seldor.
Once close friends are now bitter enemies. The new Angel Troupe, Saint Angel Troupe were the first to join the fighting in a war they called
The Twilight War.
I'm going to meet new friends and enemies, rivals, and love on board the Vindictus as we fly in unknown space.
AN: (If you want nostalgia from the old game this will do: watch?v=Om5iDf2tZi8 Or if you prefer a new beat : watch?v=-Qg412kLafs )