For this one, Roid isn't the one who did something stupid, aside for not making sure someone else wouldn't do it. But then again, I suppose he just couldn't see anyone not worrying about this one…
Take 05: Droning
"All NUNS ships powering down weapons."
"Good. Lower the barrier." king Gramia ordered.
Behind him, Roid smiled. The entire garrison of Al Shahal, the strongest asset of the NUN government in the Cluster thanks to the Zentraedi ship, was now under their control. Just a few days to make sure everyone had Var, and then the entire population would be theirs. And they were there on the Sigur Valens, in spite of Berger's fears.
"So, we're alive." the weapon merchant said as he came to their side, his pipe sending out a strange-smelling smoke. "Maybe we'll be able to go forward with the repairs…"
"Of course we're alive. This was a ship of the Protoculture!"
"And it was left buried and without maintenance for millennia. I'm surprised it works at all…"
"Don't worry, and let's celebrate: we've won!" Gramia said them. "Look, Heintz has already arranged us an honor guard!"
"It's not my doing." the Wind Singer. "The Spacy had already launched those fighters, and they must be recognizing us as their new lords-"
Heintz couldn't continue, surprised at the horrified looks coming from his father, Roid, and, a moment later, Berger, the weapon merchant having been a little slower on the uptake than the veteran of five campaigns alongside the New United Nations Spacy and the former child soldier that had fought against them.
"Good thing I decided to smoke painkillers…" Berger commented.
A few hours later, on Ragna, the Delta Platoon had just been given their mission orders from Arad, who, between fits of hysteric laughter, had also explained why they would have no opposition.
"Let's get me this straight." Hayate started. "You're telling me that the Windermere showed up at Al Shahal with some advanced Protoculture warship and brainwashed the orbital fleet with the Song of the Wind but were wiped out in turn… How is it even possible?"
"Ghosts don't get Var!" Arad shouted.
It took the other pilots a few moments to realize what had happened: the carriers had launched their QF-4000 Ghost AI-controlled fighters, the largest part of their carrier groups since ever, before falling to Var, and the Windermere, somehow, had been caught by surprise and wiped out. Then Mirage joined the captain in hysteric laughter, while Chuck started beating his head on the room's wall and Hayate's hand met his face. How did it even happen?!
Author note: Yes, Ghosts have been there the whole time in at least three models, and they were just that numerous. The ARMD spent most of Space War I with a complement of 78 SF-3 Lancer II and 270 QF-3000E Ghosts (changed to 262 VF-1s and 66 Ghosts in time for the last battle), and the SDF-1 herself carried 120 Ghosts and 262 VF-1s… Of which 150 came from the Prometheus (she was stuffed with 300 VF-1s in time for the final battle). Guess someone should have made sure Heintz knew…
