Chapter 9: Time To Fight

"Roger!" Hammer responded.

"I'll go take care of the corridor!" chaos said.

"I'm coming, too!" Shion added.

"I'm comin' with ya!" Topaz told the two.

chaos didn't want either of the girls to go with him, but Shion instructed that they had KOS-MOS to help them. Shion, on the other hand, was much more concerned about Topaz coming along, so she reminded Shion about the occupation she had. Heh. This'll be nothin' more than practice for me! They think I can't handle this, huh? Guess I'll just have to show 'em what I can do! Shion and chaos reluctantly allowed Topaz to help, then Allen was told by Shion to find the Commander and keep the cabin safe. The party of chaos, KOS-MOS, Shion, and Topaz were sent off.

"I'm counting on all of you!" Matthews said as the team left the bridge.

The group first headed to the cabin where the girls stayed so Shion could get her weapon, a strange item that looked like a giant, mechanical hand. When Topaz questioned Shion as to why she fought with something like that, she just told Topaz that it was a long story and she didn't have time to tell it. The four then proceeded to floor B2 of the Elsa where KOS-MOS stated that confronting the auto techs in the next area over would waste a good amount of time. Topaz then pressed a button on the console in front of them, causing the floor in the other area to become electrified.

"C'mon! We gotta get to the hangar," stated Topaz.

Meanwhile, the occupants of the small ship, a realian girl with pink hair named MOMO was having a conversation with a blonde haired cyborg named Ziggy on the catapult deck.

"First, we need to get to the bridge to explain the situation to the one who's in charge. Will you be able to make it?" Asked Ziggy to MOMO.

"Tee Hee... I'm built much tougher than I look! Don't you remember what I said earlier?" Responded MOMO with a slight smile.

After the short discussion, the two occupants made their way into the ship on their way to the bridge.

A bit later, Topaz and her group were making their way to their destination, when they ran into Ziggy and MOMO.

"Are any of you the ones in charge of this ship?" Ziggy asked to the Shion's party.

"Huh?" Oh, ah, no. We're just passengers," replied Shion, who was then cut off by Topaz continuing the sentence for her.

"What's more important, though, is are you two the only ones who were on that ship?" Topaz asked the cyborg.

Ziggy confirmed Topaz's questioned and introduced himself as Ziggurat 8, only to correct himself after seeing MOMO's face after saying so, then telling the group to call him Ziggy. He then introduced them to MOMO, who politely thanked Topaz and the others. Shion questioned Ziggy on the identity of the attackers. He explained that they were Auto-Techs that the U-TIC Organization used; unmanned fighter craft. He also stated that, unless the group took out the mother ship, combat units would continue to be transfered in endlessly.

Topaz tried to confirm, "So...if we don't do somethin' 'bout this, those bastards are gonna overrun the ship...?"

"Yes. I'm truly sorry for getting all of you involved in all of this," Ziggy apologized.

"Hm? Oh, no, no. Please don't let it bother you. It's not your fault, Ziggy! Anyway, we've got to do something about that Mother Ship!" Shion said.

Ziggy answered, "I agree with you. We might not be able to do much, but we'll help, too. It's my responsiblity to take care of this."

"We? As in...her, too?!" Topaz asked in shock, as she looked at MOMO.

"Yes. She may not look like it but she's even more useful than me, believe it or not," answered Ziggy.

MOMO shyly responded to this compliment by saying, "Hehe. I don't know about that...but I'll do my very best," with a smile.

"...Huh. Alright then! Let's hurry up and send that Mother Ship packing! " Exclaimed Topaz to the other members of the newly formed party of six.

The group continued on through the ship to their destination, the hangar, and ran into Commander Cherenkov, who told them that the enemy mother ship was in the hangar. He also told them to stay on their guard at all times. Upon reaching the hangar, the group came face-to-face with the enemy mother ship, Domo Carrier.

"Alright, time to take this thing apart! Everybody ready?" Topaz asked her teammates.

"Okay. KOS-MOS, let's go!" Shion answered, looking at the blue-haired android.

"Yes, Shion. Combat systems are functioning properly," KOS-MOS replied.

Ziggy answered, "Okay. Let's go!"

chaos said, "Okay! Careful everyone!"

"Yes! I'm gonna do my best for everyone!" MOMO cheerily answered.

The team ran down the stairs, three on each side, and advanced on the enemy. MOMO stayed a little distance from Domo Carrier to keep everyone going, while the others attacked up front. Topaz performed a swift slash on Domo by transforming the gun on her thigh into a blade, then reverting the weapon to its original form to fire off a laser beam at the enemy. Right after, however, the mech fired a beam at her and she would have been hit, if chaos hadn't pulled her out of the mother ship's line of fire at the very last second. chaos ran up to Domo and moved his arm in a counter-clockwise motion, then sent several fire-balls at the enemy after yelling, "Lunar Seal!".

KOS-MOS jumped in right after and delivered a two quick shots with her blaster, then said, "R-CANNON," and fired an immense, colorful blast at the enemy. MOMO, along with Shion, saw KOS-MOS receive a powerful blow afterward, so they called upon a power, which healed the android of all wounds. Huh...? What...was that? I've never seen something like that before... Topaz thought in awe. However, while watching this, she didn't catch the enemy aiming at her with one of its cannons. By the time she did see the Auto-Tech, it was too late, it fired the cannon and it scored a direct hit on Topaz, sending her right into the wall.

She thought she still had some strength left so she got up, grabbed her laser gun, and started to walk back to the fight. In mid-step, she felt all her power leaving her.

"No... This... Can't be..." She she murmured as she fell to the floor, blacking out.

"Topaz!" MOMO called, she then chanted, "Mystic powers, grant your miracles", and a sparkly, glowing dome appeared over her unconscious comrade.

As Topaz regained consciousness, she felt much of her strength returning to her. Seriously, what IS that power? It's amazing! She thought as she retrieved her weapon and got up off the floor. Thanking her realian friend, she returned to the battle by firing off a couple more laser beams at Domo Carrier.

After taking charge of a small amount of healing duty, Shion decided it was her turn to attack. She got a moderately safe distance from the enemy, and sent a fire ball at the huge mech. Readjusting her hand-like weapon, she fired off another blast, then followed up by taking a glowing spell and turning it into something that allowed her to aim at the Auto-Tech and fire of a strong beam after yelling, "Spell Ray!" MOMO attacked by calling upon the same strange power she used earlier, but this time, it took the form of several stars converging on Domo. Shion was nearly hit by the Auto-Tech, but KOS-MOS pulled her out of harm's way and assisted Ziggy in delivering two powerful punches to the enemy.

The enemy was greatly weakened, but Topaz could tell that everybody else was as well, she was feeling quite weak herself. This is bad... Shion and MOMO can't keep using those healing powers on us forever. We've gotta do something, but what...? ...Oh! I could... No, I can't let them know that yet... If I don't do something, though, we're all gonna die... Topaz thought to herself as she continued to fight with her comrades using as much strength as her small body would allow her to expend. What the heck am I thinking?! This is no time to be worried about stuff like that! I'll...just use a small amount of power. Yeah. That'll work.

"Alright! Everyone! Outta the way!" Topaz yelled to the others as waved everyone to the sides, "I'm gonna finish this, once and for all! Now, stay back!"

Reaching for the power within her, Topaz called forth a small amount of energy to her palms. Okay... Here goes nothing! Topaz thought to herself as she let her palms be engulfed with electricity. After gathering enough power, she held it above her head and hurled the electric sphere at her opponent. After receiving the blow, Domo Carrier began to start smoking like crazy, then suddenly exploded, disappearing completely. Being as exhausted as she was, Topaz fell flat on her bottom to the floor and breathed a very deep sigh. The party was victorious.