Bubblegum Hime
Chapter Eighteen
The new combat Orphans did not think, in the sense that a human would. Their computer brain and operating system were sophisticated, but they weren't that advanced. But they compensated for that with a incredibly complex system of either/or commands and threat assessment capabilities.
There were only six models available, and only one had the standard weapon's systems installed. Therefore the one with the gun began to lay down suppressive fire, even as the others advanced calmly. The human mercenaries were awarded a lesser priority as they scanned the battlefield, and the Orphans concentrated on the Hime.
The flying unit and the surveillance unit were given secondary target priority, and the Orphans calmly advanced on their foes. The targets attempted to attack via physical assaults using a sword and hammer, both of which did minimal damage. Compromised systems were rerouted as repairs began, the almost biological technology stitching itself together.
The acid spewing unit was a greater challenge, however. The Orphan unit assigned it was unharmed by the acid spray, but it did not fully register the environmental damage. Plodding forward it was unaware that the ground beneath it had turned to something like quicksand, and it's churning passage just made it worse.
The linked computers in the Orphans designated the trapped one as a casualty and the rest calmly advanced. They were slowed by increased conventional weapons fire, and noted them as tertiary targets behind the Hime and the better equipped mercenaries.
Back at his base Nagi Homura watched the battle on monitors, munching on a bag of microwaved popcorn. He got live video feed from the Orphans, as well as a virtual representation of the battlefield they advanced on. It was a bit like playing a first person shooter game, but with less interactivity. Still, it was pretty entertaining.
Mr Smith, the representative from his sponsors, looked rather less entertained as he watched the battle unfold. "This isn't what your sponsors were hoping for," he noted as a supposedly deadly Orphan was bogged down in mud.
Nagi casually tossed some popcorn into his mouth and chewed. "There's always problems with the first trial," he said with a shrug, trying his best not to look nervous . "Look at how effective that armor is! And how strong they are." He chuckled softly as he added, "Hell, consider their walking ability. The complexity of just making a android walk upright is a accomplishment."
"Walking may be scientifically impressive," Smith said dryly in response, "but the military wants a humanoid weapon system." He nodded to the screens where the Orphans were not having much luck killing their targets, "And this isn't it."
"Give it time, they'll get it," Nagi nodded to the screen as he narrated, waving his hands dramatically, "just imagine these advancing on a terrorist stronghold, shrugging off weapon's fire and killing everyone inside."
Smith grunted softly in reply as one of the Orphans was partially crippled by a ice attack, listing badly. "You might want to work on that freezing problem," he said flatly.
Nagi ground his teeth together to avoid impulsively snarling something back. His Orphans HAD to succeed at this point... it was his last chance, really. And he brightened a bit as he realized none of them had even been seriously damaged yet. It was just a matter of time before they killed their targets and he was on easy street...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Natsuki Kuga was doing her best to fight, despite having just received one hell of a shock to the system. After the four women had emerged from cover, Natsuki had been stunned to see her MOTHER standing beside one of her teachers, Ms Sayers. Her DEAD mother, or at least that was what Natsuki had always thought.
"Get your mind in the contest," Haruka ordered, the armored women swinging her mallet to stagger one of the Orphans.
"You mean in the game," Yukino corrected over their suit radios. "Natsuki, can you use a silver cartridge on the one that Mai's heating up? We've got to push the limits of their damage absorption until they break."
"Got it," Natsuki said a bit guiltily.
Above her Mai cranked up the engines of her dragon like armor, building the heat as she threw more fireballs at one of the Orphans. Shockingly it did little damage, other than making the outer shell glow cherry red. It DID slow a bit, so clearly it's systems weren't entirely immune to the heat.
"Now!" Mai yelled.
"Load silver cartridge," Natsuki yelled, triggering her armor to insert a cold shell into her arm canon. (WHY a voice command? Apparently Mashiro liked old super sentai shows.) She pointed at the Orphan as she dialed up the cold factor to maximum then ordered, "Fire!"
The ice shell hit, the liquid nitrogen like substance plunging the shell of the Orphan down to freezing level. The creature staggered as Mikoto and Haruka charged in, then both of them struck with incredible force. The noise the crash of it hitting a tree made had Natsuki wincing, but she was happy to see the Orphan visibly damaged finally. Even better it sustained enough damage that it was only crawling, smoke coming from vents in it's skin.
"Let me," the leader of the mercenaries who had just attacked the school said, hefting a science fictional looking rifle. She aimed then fired, punching a explosive charge into a vent in the armor and blasting it to hell.
"Yes!" Rena cried out cheerfully.
And damn it, how did Natsuki's TEACHER fit into all this? It was just insane. As far as she (following data grabbed from Yukino's spy cameras) could tell, these heavily armed mercenaries had chased the blond onto campus and had been trying to catch Rena. Not that they knew who had even set this whole situation up. This was just SO confusing...
The mercenaries, campus security and Shizuru were softening up another Orphan, and Natsuki joined in by firing off a standard chrome cartridge. The Orphans were tough, no question, but she noticed the bullets gradually doing damage. As good as the armor was, they were NOT invulnerable. And that meant they could win, hopefully.
"Two down," Yukino noted over the radios, "but don't let up. These things are still much tougher than any usual Orphan."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Mashiro Kazahana sat in her control room, seeing the battle unfold on multiple screens. Data streamed in from all the armored suits (Except Yukino's. Apparently she hacked the data system without telling Mashiro. Clever girl.) as well as from her maid, Fumi. She was actually beginning to feel optimistic about their chances, unlike her first response on seeing the humanoid Orphans.
Mashiro had always known this was Nagi's ultimate goal. The animal designed Orphans had been just test beds, ways of proving his technology worked. Now he finally had the product he wanted, and worse he was testing it HERE against her students. She, however, was going to make him regret that decision.
Official channels, Mashiro quickly discovered, were useless. The nearest police department wasn't answering, and Mashiro suspected the Orphans or Nagi's mercenaries might have made a stop before coming here. The military would answer her calls, but refused to believe her and put her into a bureaucratic nightmare of phone tag.
'Clearly Nagi still has contacts in the military,' Mashiro thought grimly. Obviously a General or possibly higher still wanted to buy the technology behind Orphans, and were willing to help cover this up. Which just meant that Mashiro had to get creative.
Using a cellphone Mashiro dialled a number, waiting a moment for it to be picked up. "Hello?" Chie Harada answered breathlessly.
"Miss Harada, this is Mashiro Kazahana," she said, and smiled slightly when she heard Chie gasp. The girl had gotten into a bit of trouble earlier for putting the Hime and Orphans on the internet, and probably wondered what she had done now. "I have a favor to ask of you," she continued mildly.
"Yes?" Chie answered warily.
Mashiro continued, "You are observing the fight between the Hime and these creatures?"
"I am, and I promise I haven't posted any of it," Chie said quickly.
Mashiro bit back a chuckle, wondering how Haruka had scared the girl that badly. "Actually, I want you to do the opposite," she said calmly.
Chie sounded confused, "Huh?"
"I want this battle spread all over the internet," Mashiro told her intently, "youtube, bulletin boards, facebook, all of it. I want the information spread so far so fast that no one could take it down."
Chie digested that a moment. "You're scared this will end up covered up?" she asked.
"It's possible," Mashiro conceded. Seriously she added, "Can you do it?"
"Yes," Chie said, then hung up on her.
Mashiro started dialling again, even as she saw the first video go up on youtube on Chie's account. 'The girl is fast,' she smiled as she started working her political connections. Money bought influence and she had a LOT of money. She was going to get attention to what was happening on campus one way or another.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Mr. Smith (And no, that was NOT his real name, thank you.) saw himself as a facilitator, a go-between. When two parties wanted to do business but for various reasons could not directly contact each other, he stepped in. Both sides were made happy, and he made a tidy profit.
The Japanese Military establishment contacted Mr. Smith several years ago, when a project went horribly wrong and they had to publicly fire Nagi and his company. But privately they continued to think that Nagi's biotechnology and cybernetic based weapons, these 'Orphans,' could be valuable weapons once the bugs were worked out. So they hired Smith to provide funds and support for Nagi, at a safe distance.
And admittedly, the project HAD looked quite impressive to start with. Smith didn't understand the technical points, of course, but even he saw the military possibilities in armored, near indestructable creatures that could be aimed at a enemy force. But again and again it seemed that Nagi's ambitions exceeded his ability.
Damn it, why couldn't Nagi just settle on one project? The giant turtle Orphan was a excellent example. It was tough, could shield soldiers as it advanced and could crush anything in it's way. Perfecting that design could have made him rich. But NOOO, Nagi HAD to build his humanoid design.
Worse, the human Orphans weren't doing so well. Smith watched as another was destroyed, and sourly noted Nagi had stopped crowing about his 'inevitable victory.' And with half the Orphans down the armored Hime and the mercenaries were focusing their firepower on the survivors, speeding their ultimate destruction.
And the final straw, the news media had finally been forced to stop ignoring the youtube clips of the battle that were spreading like wildfire. Someone working with Mashiro must be a computer genius, because the videos were literally everywhere. At this point attempting to contain the information would be impossible.
'Enough is enough,' Smith decided, pulling a gun from under the business jacket he wore. "Mr. Homura, it's time to end this."
"You really don't want to do that," Nagi said, not looking away from the screen.
"It IS regrettable," Smith conceded, "but at this point I see no other option. Someone must take responsibility for this, and I've decided it's you." Smith's finger tightened on the trigger then a shot rang out. He swayed a moment, then dropped sideways as the cannon concealed in the wall retracted.
Nagi sighed as he muttered, "Damn it, did you really think I'd be defenceless in my own office?" Of course it had actually been intended for Miyu or Alyssa, but either way it worked. With a sigh he shut down the monitors, knowing he'd lost. Still, that didn't mean he had to take the fall...
To be continued...
Notes: Yes, I'm ending the fight here. It was getting too complicated and with all the switching POVs it was becoming unmanageable. I WILL try to address every main character in the next chapter (or two, if I can't get what I want in one chapter).