Xenosaga: Das Ende Zu Verursachen

by Skrunks

This is a FanFic that I really enjoyed writing, and hope whoever reads it enjoys reading it as well. It takes place 3000 years after the events of Xenosaga Episode III, told from KOSMOS's perspective for the most part.

4. Might of the Vangaurd

Chapter 4: Might of the Vanguard

A foreboding feeling began to permeate KOS-MOS as the room solidified, revealing Tirith's rock solid posture. Ryan and Katrina sighed in unison, emboldened each other with a glance and valiantly made their way down to the front row. Tirith's gaze appeared more than capable of penetrating E.S. armor as it pursued Ryan into his seat. He ominously eclipsed a small portion of the large holoscreen displaying a map of the Tellaya system, complete with a red X where the Tellaya facility used to be. He turned his back, menacingly, to the amphitheater-like room and stood there, silent. After a few minutes, he ferociously spun around, snapping his ponytail to the side. "What the hell were you thinking?! Only myself, or the captain can authorize an attack like that!! You could have gotten, yourself, Katrina AND KOS-MOS killed!! Tell me Mr. Wells, what exactly was going through that head of yours?!"

Ryan looked up defiantly, like that rebellious student who just got caught pulling a prank on the principle. "I was bored."

One could almost see the steam rising from Tirith's iron body, right up until he exploded. "You. Were. BORED?! SO RYAN, BOREDOM IS REASON ENOUGH TO RISK OUR BEST PILOT, THE THIRD IN COMMAND AND KOS-MOS?!" His voice boomed through the room. KOS-MOS could feel his baritone voice reverberating inside of her. "WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF MS. SVEN HAD DIED, OR KOS-MOS!! What would you have said then, Mr. Wells?!"

"They didn't."

"I can see that smart ass. You know what the punishment is for this kind of insubordination."

"Refresh my memory, Tirith." He spoke the name with mutinous spite.

Tirith's glare was enough to make Katrina quiver, even though it was directed at Ryan. "Twenty thousand Ights for ten minutes.

Katrina nearly choked on the air she was breathing. "Twenty thousand Ights? That could be fatal!"

Tirith softened his glare a little for Katrina's protest, but it was still more than fierce enough to smelt steel. "A human being can withstand up to eighty thousand Ights before total nerve shutdown, Ms. Sven. Twenty thousand Ights is only equivalent to both femurs being shattered simultaneously. People don't die from that level of pain."

Katrina eyes began to tear up with the concern for Ryan. "It was all my idea though!"

Tirith knew full well that it wasn't Katrina, and just like every time, tried to take the hit for Ryan. He shook his head, and let out a short huff. "I should give you all twenty thousand Ights, even KOS-MOS, show her what discipline on this ship is like. However, I must admit that destroying a refueling station and a Durandal-class like you three did was quite impressive, especially for three fighters. So I will waive the punishment this time, and that is only because KOS-MOS didn't know she wasn't allowed to."

KOS-MOS finally decided to speak. "If you don't mind me asking, what is an Ight?"

Tirith seemed to be grinning, if his stone face would let him, a little sadistically. "Ights are levels of pain. An Ight is a unit used to represent the strain put on a nervous system by pain, and punishment is carried out by directly stimulating the pain centers in the human brain. It is a very effective deterrent for going against orders, usually." He glanced at Ryan. "I must commend you though KOS-MOS, I looked at the flight data and being able to fire torpedoes in such a short window was quite impressive. If it wasn't for that, then Mr. Wells would have gotten his due punishment."

Ryan winked at KOS-MOS.

"Mr. Wells and Ms. Sven, I want you both too…" Tirith was cut off as the comm system radiated out the incessant and incredibly irritating siren.

"One hundred spatial folds detected at one hundred thousand kilometers. All hands to battle stations." The woman's voice ordered.

Tirith stood up, and focused his gaze on KOS-MOS. "It's time you witnessed what this ship can do. Follow me." Ryan, KOS-MOS and Katrina all stood up. Tirith turned around and walked towards a door opening in expectance. The group passed through into a massive bridge, three times the size of the Durandal's. The bridge crew numbered at fifty four, each with their own holo-console displaying all sorts of data. KOS-MOS identified sensor consoles, weapons controls, propulsion systems, as well as a number of different consoles that she couldn't recognize. What surprised her most was that half of them were crewed with women that looked like distant cousins of the 100 series realians on the Durandal. KOS-MOS continued following Tirith right up to a woman standing at the highest point, overlooking the rest of the two-tiered bridge. She was in an official uniform, just like Tirith. Ryan broke off and sat at one of the empty consoles, Katrina in the other on the opposite side of the bridge.

"This is Captain Ailene." Tirith introduced.

Ailene smiled. "Welcome to the Vanguard, KOS-MOS."

KOS-MOS raised an eyebrow. "You know my name?"

The captain smiled. "Of course. I was standing right here when we found you."

KOS-MOS returned the smile. "It seems I owe you my thanks."

Ailene nodded in appreciation and looked to Tirith.

"Tirith, one hundred Durandal class cruisers have folded to our location. I don't know how they found us, but they did."

Tirith glanced at KOS-MOS, then back to Ailene. "Then it's time we demonstrate the might of the Vanguard of Hope to our guest."

Ailene smiled proudly. "With pleasure…" She turned towards the rest of the bridge and her commanding voice reverberated through the sound amplification systems. "…Charge P.T.C.s one through ten thousand. Lock targets and prepare to fire."

P.T.C.? "What is a P.T.C.?" KOS-MOS queried."

"Phase Transfer Cannon. Smaller and more streamlined than the one you have, and nowhere near as powerful, but any one of them is still capable of tremendous damage."

For the first time, KOS-MOS' jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Ten… ten THOUSAND Phase Transfer Cannons?!

"Impressive, isn't it KOS-MOS?"

KOS-MOS had no response for Tirith. One of the 100 series relatives piped up in an almost familiar voice. "Cannons one to twenty-five hundred charged."

Another followed suit. "Twenty-five hundred to five thousand, charged!"

"Five thousand to seventy-five hundred, charged!"

"Seventy-five hundred to ten thousand, charged."

They finally all spoke in unison. "Targets locked."

Silence over took the bridge as they awaited the command. The one hundred eerie ships began opening fire with everything they had. Thousands of blue beams, the very beams used to destroy Gnosis and U-TIC alike, smashed into the Vanguard's barrier-shield. A fifth realian spoke up: "No damage." Another volley smashed into the Vanguard, and another, and another. There was still no damage to the mighty ship.

Ailene finally gave the order. "Fire."

The bridge was engulfed in emerald light. Ten thousand viridian beams arced out from the Vanguard and streaked towards the enemy fleet. When the glare died down, Ryan spoke. "Scans complete. Total disintegration of enemy fleet. No debris for salvage."

KOS-MOS was floored. This ship just disintegrated one hundred Durandals… it wasn't even a fight! It was an utter massacre! This ship's level of firepower is beyond anything I've ever imagined… this ship is a monster.

"I see your mouth likes hanging open." Ailene giggled.

KOS-MOS quickly shut it. "I apologize. I've just never seen such tremendous firepower… in my time, such a craft would be more than a match for every other weapon or ship ever constructed."

Even through Tirith's expressionless face, it was obvious Tirith was overflowing with pride. "And it is unlikely you will see so again. None can match the Vanguard. It is fully capable of taking on the majority of the Remnant fleet all at once." Tirith gazed out at what should be a debris field and the stars beyond. He pivoted around and begins to march towards a door opposite the one through which they entered. "KOS-MOS, come with me please."

"Alright." She turned and followed Tirith, almost having to trot to keep up with his military pace. The door opened into a large office where a desk covered in holopads curved around its matching ebony chair. Tirith marched around the desk and sternly plunked himself down.

"Have a seat please, KOS-MOS." Although he was polite in his phrasing, it sounded more like an order then a request. She obeyed and sat in the chair opposite Tirith on the nearest side of the desk. "Am I mistaken to assume that you know what time you are in?"

"No, you are not." She replied.

"Good. Then would it be a leap to assume that you already know that we didn't just 'find you' as I told Ryan to tell you?"

It was more then coincidence…? KOS-MOS felt an uneasy chill. "I hadn't thought about it much. I'm still… shocked that everyone I ever knew or cared about is dead."

"I see." Tirith picked up a holo-pad and handed it to KOS-MOS. An image was displayed that magnified the chill ten fold.

It's… It's… "A vessel of Anima…" It was all there, from the snake like head to the organic spinal column appearance, exactly as she had seen it three thousand years prior.

"Yes. Our records show that these Vessels of Anima were used to construct powerful mechas called Ein Sof. Somehow… the Federation Remnant has built several of them. We can't let them have such powerful weapons in their possession, so we are going to, 'liberate' them. However, that would be pointless if no one can pilot them. That is why we spent several years tracking you down, only myself and Ryan can resonate with a vessel of Anima and pilot an E.S. We know where the three newest E.S.'s are. We need you to pilot one of them back to us when we steal them, and possibly pilot them in the future."

KOS-MOS glanced out the window. Get involved in their conflict? Shion wouldn't approve. I shouldn't. "Tirith, I can't get involved in your conflict."

Tirith slammed his fist on the table. "My conflict? Do you honestly think that I'm a war monger killing for the fun of it?"

"I did not say that." She replied sternly.

Tirith stared right into KOS-MOS' eyes. The dark Irises outlining his brutal pupils pierced through her, as if right into her soul. "KOS-MOS, the Remnant has turned into everything you stood against. They're worse than Ormus or U-TIC ever were. I am well versed in the history of mankind, and I know yours quite well. The Remnant is an abominable government that will commit mass genocide on a whim if that populace even hints at defying them. We are the only ones that can stop them."

"Killing isn't right, no matter what."

"But letting people die when you have the power to save them simply because you're afraid of getting your hands dirty is?"

The logic was undeniable and unexpected. "I…"

"The people who have the power to change the world also have the responsibility. People die, it's a fact of life. But letting the Remnant exist is a crime against humanity. No organization that has ever existed has been as despicable as these. Ryan told you what's happened while you've been asleep: the Remnant massacred trillions. You have tremendous power, you can change the fate of the universe, but you're going to refuse simply because you think it's wrong to kill a few people? Humanity is dying. We're starting to go extinct. As a countermeasure, it seems that the Collective Unconscious has expanded the human life span; Katrina herself is actually two hundred years old."

Two hundred? "I see…"

"Listen KOS-MOS; we need you. We rebuilt your body and gave you a second chance at life. I wish I could say it was purely kindness of heart, but that's simply not the case. We invested tremendous resources to rebuild you, with the intent that you'd help us in return."

KOS-MOS let out a long drawn out sigh. Shion told me she never wanted me to kill, but we shed no small amount of blood when we fought off U-TIC soldiers on the Durandal or when we killed Pellegri and Margulis. Maybe it's time I made my own decision… "Alright Tirith, I'll help."

"Excellent." Tirith sounded pleased, but his face was as stern and expressionless as ever. "Ms. Sven gave you the flight training; it seems that worked to our advantage. We are going to take a flight of Dark Angel fighters to a distant Remnant world to secure the E.S.'. I'll brief you all on it later. You're dismissed KOS-MOS." She nodded her head courteously and turned to walk out. "It's not useless to hope for a chance, KOS-MOS. You might be surprised at what technology is available."

She paused for a moment, letting the thought percolate before walking back onto the bridge. A chance? A chance at what? Once again in the massive bridge,KOS-MOS scanned the room and located Ryan on the far side, still at the station where he was when she left him. She walked over, startling Ryan by not making a noise.

"Geez, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

KOS-MOS smiled and apologize. "I'm sorry, perhaps your sensors need to be recalibrated to better acknowledge my existence?"

Ryan giggled. "You seem to be picking up on a sense of humor, KOS-MOS. That was good. Unfortunately, I'm on duty now, so you'll have to either return to your quarters or find something to do. You're not actually supposed to be on the bridge right now."

She nodded. "I understand. I'll return to my quarters. Are you going to contact me after your shift is complete?"

"Sure. I'll show you around the ship."

"Okay. I'll see you then Ryan."

"Haha, it's a date then."

KOS-MOS raised an eyebrow. "Date?"

Ryan chuckled at KOS-MOS' confusion. "That sense of humor obviously needs work, it was a joke. Hah hah….. hah?"

KOS-MOS smiled and even giggled. "I'm sorry, I'll work on it."

Attempting to mimic Tirith, Ryan spoke in a gruff, firm tone. "See that you do! Dismissed!"

She smiled and turned towards the transfer pad. She stepped onto it and materialized in her own room again. A bomb inside of her went off as she remembered her revelation while on the flight, she jogged towards the computer and quickly entered in 'Shion Ridgeley' into the database query. KOS-MOS was fixated on the holoscreen as the massive article came up. It had everything, from Shion's childhood to the death of her parents, her summoning the gnosis, the vanishing of Old Miltia; everything. As KOS-MOS scanned the article, she finally got to their dramatic parting. Thankfully, it didn't go into detail and saved KOS-MOS from remembering the pain of such a heartfelt farewell. However, the anticipation began to build as KOS-MOS started reading what transpired after their parting. Unlike the Elsa article, it explained Shion's adventures specifically…

After departing the Dammerung, Shion and Allen Ridgeley's relationship began to strengthen. Their love for each other eventually culminated in conception by Shion, but unfortunately young Jin Uzuki-Ridgeley was stillborn.

KOS-MOS' face reflected the compassion she felt for the pain Shion must have experienced. Poor Shion. After regaining composure, she read on.

Shion and Allen struggled to deal with the death of their first son, but were blessed with a second only one year later. Citan Uzuki-Ridgeley was born in perfect health The boy was incredibly intelligent and capable of comprehening basic multiplication well before his second birthday. Shion and Allen had high hopes for their blessed son, however their plans were demolished forever when the Elsa met its end at the hands of the Federation Remnant.

The Remnant? The Remnant did that? But… why? She entered in 'Federation Remnant' Classified? Next she entered in 'The Thousand Years War' but again, classified. Frustrated, KOS-MOS did a search for Ormus and two entries came up: one for post-collapse and one for pre-collapse. She pressed her finger through the 'Post-Collapse' entry but again the crimson message of failure, 'Classified' popped up on screen. KOS-MOS fell back in her seat and let out a short sigh.

Perhaps Ryan has the security clearance to access these files. I'll have to ask him after he finishes his shift. I'll just wait and continue my investigation afterwards. But, one more thing first… She entered in 'Vessel of Anima,' fully expecting the irritating 'Classified' to bar her way yet again. But surprisingly enough, it was absent, and the entry opened. The eerie snake-like form of the vessel appeared in the corner and a very large entry followed. KOS-MOS read, but most of it she already knew. It covered being part of Yeshua's existence, how they were used at Zarathustra, everything she had witnessed first hand. However, it stops there. It doesn't explain anything about how the Vessels of Anima are still in the world. They should be part of Yeshua's body… it doesn't seem to make any logical sense. KOS-MOS scrolled down to the bottom and noticed something she hadn't before, the related articles tags at the bottom. This one had 'Animus, Zarathustra, Zohar and KOS-MOS'. Curious, KOS-MOS passed her finger through the KOS-MOS entry; 'Classified'. A sour expression made its way across her angelic face. She revisited the Anima entry and tried Zarathustra, but again, classified. Next in line was the Zohar, which thankfully wasn't classified. She read the article which explained everything she already knew and again cut off after the Michtam incident. At the bottom of the entry, the tags were all the same as the Anima article, with the exception of one new one; 'Armageddon.' KOS-MOS raised an eyebrow and put her finger through the icon. The Holoscreen flickered and sparked just before imploding. She raised her eyebrow again and tried to restart the stubborn console , the sparks however, seemed to imply that it wouldn't cooperate. KOS-MOS leaned back in her chair frustrated. "Wretched piece of junk!" She leaned forward and slammed her fist through the table, collapsing the ebony steel inward. KOS-MOS closed her eyes and sighed as she peeled away the metal from around her arm. Perhaps I should just wait for Ryan. She leaped backwards out of her chair, landed on the bed, rolled over, placed her head on the pillow and stared out the window. The fantastic starscape with its reds and blues and purples was now in view again. She pondered for a minute why the starscape might phase in an out of view. We might be orbiting a star instead of a planet. After doing some quick calculations and figuring out the route, her mind wandered back to unanswered questions.

Why was an entry like that attached to the Zohar? Armageddon? In the Hebrew bible, Armageddon was to be the final battle between the army of God and the forces of the world. It was to be the deciding battle, a war to end all wars. Perhaps Armageddon is another name for the Thousand Years War? But then… why would it cause the holoscreen to collapse? This ship is a vagrant ship; perhaps it was merely coincidence that that specific entry was the one that the computer collapsed on. But then, if it was another name for the Thousand Years War, why was it tagged to the Zohar? Was the Thousand Years War fought over the Zohar? Ryan was the one who educated me about the war, and Tirith has already confirmed that he had lied, they didn't find me by coincidence. Perhaps he was told to lie to me about it. I don't know, something doesn't feel right about any of this. The Vessels of Anima shouldn't be here… something is so wrong about all of this. Was this how Shion felt when everything didn't add up? Wilhelm tampered with her fate so many times, I can't hold it against her for being lost and confused like she was. I wonder if this is what it felt like for her… KOS-MOS again sighed heavily. The Remnant are the ones constructing the E.S.' and according to the Database, The Remnant destroyed the Elsa. The Remnant destroyed the Elsa…

Deeps within KOS-MOS, something clicked, unlike anything she had felt before; a desire for revenge. The Remnant murdered all of my friends. They killed them all! I will help Tirith, and I will make them pay for what they've done! KOS-MOS' hand curled into a ferocious fist, ready to strike. It didn't last long however, and her fist uncurled, its strength evaporating like a mist before the sun. They were destroyed thousands of years in the past. It could be a different group now. I can't hold them responsible for the actions of their ancestors. Although, Tirith did say that human life span is far longer, some of them might have been alive at the time. KOS-MOS buried her face into the pillow, finding no reprieve from the constant battering her mind was receiving.

Someone has to pay. It is someone's fault that Shion and the others were killed and couldn't make it to Earth. If the Remnant is the only lead I have on what happened to them, then I'll use this attack to find out what I can. She pulled her face out of the pillow, surprised at the torrent of tears that now dampened it; tears of anger, something again utterly new to her. Lost and confused, with nothing else she could do, KOS-MOS began to weep. She smothered her face in her pillow and sobbed, crying herself to sleep, giving her the only shred of peace she could find.