Episode 06

Calling, With Unity

"I understood the cost yet refused to accept the consequences."

Private Silas Irene sat alone in what appeared to be a room blockaded by all sides by steel plating. The thought of being trapped in a room with no clear exit etched the right nerves on the blonde hair former military man. For all that it was worth; the man had never liked being caged, especially after that night.

Silas's mind rushed towards the night where he had been witness to the tragic event. A shuttle leaving Arkham City had befallen a tragic fate as monstrous black tentacles, claws and fiends emerged from ahead. The shuttle had exploded. There were no survivors, as far as he could tell.

Apparently, that had been a lie. Here he was, imprisoned for withholding information he had never had in the first place. Whoever had survived had made it apparent. The fact they had the guts to also ally themselves with JUDA as well…

"Private…" His interrogator approached him, with papers in hand. The man was slender and wore a combination of lab clothing and work clothes. To top it off, he wore a pair of round glasses on top of his. Silas had been right. His interrogator was a scientist, one from the Union to make matters worse.

The 'scientist' had placed the papers on the opposite of the desk and sat down so that he was directly across from Silas. "What I'm about to tell you is top secret. If you speak of anything you hear outside of this room, I will make sure that you will do time for treason against this country. You wouldn't want that at all. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in this situation. You do, however, still need to tell the truth. The higher-ups won't allow me to simply let you off scotch-free with this."

Silas returned the man's gaze. Even though the man had brown hair, he recognized him from the voice alone. It was the man who had proved himself time and time again developing the newest mobile weapon in the world. That would mean….

"Just leave the guy alone. He's clearly not willing to budge."

One of the numerous Aces of the Union had been appeared in between the doors. His hair too was a brown, albeit a lighter shade. The thing that got caught Silas off guard, however, was the man's uniform. He wasn't wearing one. It appeared to him to be casual clothes. The young man's strange appearance had been documented many times but Silas had never gotten the opportunity to meet the legend face to face.

"I'm sorry, sir!" Silas saluted him, releasing his tight grip on the metal chair. "Please forgive me for my insubordination! If I had been aware that both of you would have been coming, I would have –"

"Stop it." The legend raised his hand, signaling Silas to stop. "I don't need to hear apologies. I just want to know what you saw that night, Private."

"Nothing, sir. Didn't you read my reports? There were no survivors."

"Yet we received multiple reports that they were indeed survivors."

"That's wrong though. They must be from drunken sailors. I searched the area thoroughly. They were no survivors."

"Private," the scientist grabbed Silas's sleeve as the new recruit was getting clearly agitated, even despite who he was talking to. "It's best that you sit back down."

The legend simply shrugged. "Have it your way, Billy."

"Where are you going now?"

"The AEU's testing out some new unit. I was planning on popping over and seeing it for myself. You want to tag along?"

"Do I really have a choice, Graham?"

"Not really."

"It took a bit of waggling and some bargaining but I managed to get us one." Kryska was quite proud of herself as she sat in front of a heavily computerized area of the new truck. "Let's just say that having a bit of knowledge of technology repair does have its pros."

Aika sighed. Despite his initial protesting, she had had gone through with it. She had actually gone through with it.

"What's with the long face, Aika? Isn't this a good thing?" Kryska shrugged, refilling the glass of coffee she had once had filled. "You won't have to lug my things back at this rate."

"Your things?" Aika raised an eyebrow. Why he ever volunteered for this was beyond him. Everyone else was out fighting and he had been reduced to not having any combat ability whatsoever. At least, he had his newfound communicator attached to his right ear.

"It's not so bad." Chroma's all too familiar voice echoed through the com. "At least, you won't be at risk for this. You haven't fought other humans yet, have you?"

"I haven't fought much at all. Unless you count Master Therion as human; even then, that wasn't a fight. That was a massacre."

"True." Kryska sipped her coffee as she began to formulate a strategy on how to deal with the invading Katou Organization forces. "Therion's definitely on the high end of enemies you'll most likely face down the road. Since you lost though, you could still learn from your fight." She took another sip. "Don't rely solely on the machine and its abilities. Use yours as well. Saver's just not up to full reliance potential yet. Even then," Kryska's face suddenly became more stern and serious, "I'm not fully aware of that potential to begin with."

"Not aware of the potential? You designed it so how could you not be aware of its potential?"

"I did design it, yes." Kryska returned her attention to the screen in front of her. "I just don't know Chroma's connection to it just yet."

"My connection?" Chroma herself seemed to be questioning that line of thought as well.

"Just…what are YOU?"

"What…Am I?"

The two Dancougars stood overlooking what appeared to be an area that had been scorched. Compared to the buildings below, the machines were gigantic. Each of them had numerous protruding points, some of which held missiles and laser cannons. The heads, despite being similar, had their differences, almost as if designed after human beings themselves.

Aoi Hidaka stretched her hands outward. She was tired, as could be seen under her eyes. The bright red pupils had become smaller and strained with red lines, in addition to the bags she carried underneath.

"Pulling all-nighters isn't really that healthy, is it?"

The only sound responding to her claim was the sound of rustling papers. Only Johnny's voice was heard through the paper. "According to this week's issue of Healthy Nation, no. All-nighters are, in fact, detrimental to one's well-being."

"Keep watching for any sort of movement. I'm getting some bleeps on the radar. It's Arma readings. I can't tell, however, if it's our guys or theirs." Masato muttered underneath his breath. "If they catch us off guard, we're pretty much screwed."

"Then we just knock them out of the ball park!" Sakuya cheered, nearly flipping a switch in the process.

The thought didn't faze the rest of Team D, nor the CBF. It was just Sakuya being Sakuya after all.

Stray bullet fire rocked the machines shortly after. It didn't even dent the armor as a whole but it did bring the attention back to the events unfolding before them.

A lone mobile suit, a greenish-blue Re-Gz, dashed across the streets, continuously firing its beam rifle with its equipped hand. The pilot was good. They had to give him that. For every move the enemy took, it was two steps ahead of them.

As the Armas closed, a pale pink light emitted from the Re-Gz's left palm. In it, it had snuck a beam saber. The beam saber was a high intensity plasma weapon capable of searing through enemy forces, although it was heavy on the energy supplies compared to the beam rifle.

The beam seared through the Armas like a knife through butter. To onlookers, the battle would seem one sided to the point of unfair.

"Attention D. Island Forces! This is Captain Amuro Ray, with the Londo Bell! I repeat, this is Amuro Ray with Londo Bell!"

Shinobu, Ryo, Sara and Masato all exchanged looks. They all nodded.

The massive Dancougar sprung forward, releasing a volley of lasers from the turrets mounted on its chest towards the remaining Armas. "Amuro! Is it really you?" Sara cried out.

The Re-Gz's visor lit up as if responding.

"Heads up!" The familiar face of Amuro Ray appeared on the monitors of the CBF. Shinobu knew what to do.

The sword was released.

JUDA had been surrounded. On all sides, Katou Organization Armas had surrounded the main building, their guns drawn. Despite having four Machinas on their side, JUDA had come close to defeat. The yellow Machina that specialized in range combat, Hind-Kind, had been outgunned. The large flying Machina that specialized in technological interference, Deceive, had been outplayed. Even Painkiller, the Machina specialized in controlling the monstrous "Familiars" had been defeated. The only that still stood was Vardant, the blue swordsman used by Reiji Moritsigu. However, he too was feeling fatigued.

"How's our backup coming along?"

"They've exerted all their forces to take care of the West Side."

"Damn it!" Reiji allowed Vardant's demon-like figure to draw its two swords from the wing binders that made the Machina stand out from the others. The binders were capable of carrying a variety of equipment depending on the mission. Reiji had chosen the swords. They were what he was most comfortable with, after all. That had proven to be an unwise choice. What the JUDA forces lacked in numbers, they made up in power. Katou had the numbers and were incredibly persistent which had reduced them to such a state as this.

"I'm getting a reading! It's the Union! They're broadcasting an IFF!"

"Good! We need as much support as we can get!"

"Huh?"

"Rachel, what's wrong?"

"They're saying 'Stand down or we'll open fire."

"WHAT?!" Reiji was furious. Vardant's swords had already taken down several Armas but they were not letting up. "Try getting Graham. He'd know what to do."

"I'm not getting any response from Mr. Aker's cell. Reiji, what are we going to do?"

Reiji bit his lip. The thought that they may actually lose had become the most prominent in his head. He refused to accept it.

"Wake up, Reiji!" Rachel shouted, "We're going to lose!"

Reiji would not get a chance to respond. Seemingly in response to the pleas of JUDA, another explosion rocked the battlefield. This did not come from JUDA or Katou Forces however. It came from something much more threatening.

It was wide in width but shorter than a Machina. It wielded two large cannons in its metal hands. What caught Reiji's eyes however, was not any of that. In the center of the machine, was a green sphere, almost as if it had been built into the machine itself.

The head of the machine also was vaguely familiar. Protruding from its chin was a red point, reminiscent of the face of the Sphinx from ancient Egypt. Its eyes were bright green, similar to the chest sphere and the green trail it left.

The beams that held the machine together were mounted on its shoulder. The cannons reminded Reiji of anti-aircraft guns, although he was unsure if they performed the same function.

"Rachel!"
"Already on it, Mr. Moritsigu!"

The machine was powerful although Reiji was unsure if it was friend or foe. It was abnormally familiar and yet so distant. That was when Reiji magnified his view on one specific point.

He read the word aloud, struck by dread.

"Gun…dam."

It is the Era known as the New AD.

15 years ago, tragedy struck as an archeological dig unearthed something the Arctic.

It was what would become known as the First Angel and the beginning of the end of the world as we knew it.

10 Years Ago;

Earth trembled as the alien race known as the Muge Zorbados Empire invaded.

In addition, the One Year War began when the Principality of Zeon began to wage a war for independence.

In an attempt to counter these threats, the Earth Government formed a special task force known as "White Base."

A young boy, Amuro Ray, became the pilot of the Federation's prototype Project V Mobile Suit, the RX-78-2.

At the same time, the Japanese Government initiated a secret project amidst this known as the CBF Initiative. These two teams would ultimately meet both as enemies and allies in The One Year War.

It was at the Battle of A Baou Qu that they finally came to terms and formed their own organization, The Londo Bell.

5 Years Ago;

The Second Neo Zeon War came to an end. The Axis Forces, Titans Forces and Neo Zeon all vowed to go their separate ways after a deadly confrontation at the Gryps Colony Laser system.

The remaining Neo Zeon Forces were exiled to deep space, the Titans were disbanded and Axis was forced to inhabit the floating asteroid colony as it was plunged to deep space.

It was during this year that the first discovery of Mana, a new energy source, was discovered. In order to study the mysterious powers it possessed, a special university was established. Only a select few were ever selected to graduate from the university's special, illustrious program before it was fully cancelled.

3 Years Ago;

A space shuttle heading towards the International Space Station was struck midflight. On it was a young astronaut. No matter what physicians did, they could not revive the astronaut until a mysterious golden mechanical lion appeared, carrying with it a young boy.

Lyger Shishoh, one of the scientists working for the ISS Program, witnessed his son get hit by the mysterious life form, and thus began a long campaign to create the world's first human cyborg with the help of the UN funded organization, NERV.

2 Years Ago;

The Katou Organization, a group in possession of highly advanced weapons known as Machina, appeared. Initial reactions were that they were not of this world and that their leader, the man called Katou, was in fact from an alternate history where mankind had been all but destroyed.

This was the first appearance of the pharmaceutical company known as JUDA. Also in possession of the monstrous machines known as Machina, they were the only ones capable of fighting on equal ground with the Katou Organization.

Also occurring in this year was the first appearance of the Black Lodge, a group of rogue Magi led by the enigmatic Therion. Their goal, however, was not to create violence. It was to obtain the ancient texts known as the Grimoires. Using monstrous behemoths that made Machinas look weak, powered by magic itself, the Deus Machina, they ravaged Arkham City as if it was their own personal playground.

1 Year Ago;

The sudden appearances of the guardian known as Dancougar Nova, in addition to the reappearance of the CBF, startled the world. Legend had it that Nova would appear on battlefields to protect the losing side. The thought of the machine itself provoked war itself as people wanted to catch even a single look at the machine.

The formation and official commencement of the organization 3G, or the Gutsy Galaxy Geoid was the only answer to the conflict brought about by Nova.

This year;

A passenger plane was suddenly shot down leaving Arkham. Reports indicate that this was caused by monstrous beasts from another world. There were no survivors, aside from a young, former PI, called Kazuma Resolute.

The sudden appearances of Angels once again shook the world.

An island private school opens its door for the first time in nearly a decade, bringing with the odd assortment of individuals with unique abilities and guardian beasts, known as Childs.

To make matters even worse, reports indicate another Machina appeared, not affiliated with either JUDA or Katou.

It is the Era known as the New AD.

It is an era filled with strife, confusion, war, and conflict, all in the name of independence.

It is the Era in which war will change, with the deployment of massive robotic beasts capable of single handily changing the tide of conflict alone.

At which point will the future change?

At what point will the lives of those involved in many of the greatest battles find peace?

At what point will the new generation take up arms to fight for their own beliefs?

At what point...

Will the world move?

The young lives, the old lives…

This is the story of a war that will threaten everything humanity knows and much more. This is a story of those willing to force the world to change. This is a story of people willing an endless cycle of conflict to further their own ideals. This is a story of those people willing to overcome the past, the present and the future in an attempt to change for the better. This is a story of people preventing the world from change.

This is a story of ideals.

This is a story of hope.

This is a story of a future unknown.

This is the story of the Perfect Shift.