Blitzkrieg!
Part I
01.30 AM
From the far North,
Brood had arrived without anyone detected him. Carefully, he chose the jagged part of the canyon to be his hideout. Once secure, the Hidden Soldier immediately contacted his superiors,
"Break, Bravo Leader! This is Tango, over!" The reply came from the communicator,
"Tango, this is the Bravo Leader! Report at once…" Brood reported,
"Bravo Leader, I've arrived at the least watched part of the Turncoat's lair. I was certain the designated coordinate was safe, over!"
"Stay at your position, Tango. We'll come soon, over!"When the Hidden Soldier killed the communicator, the humming sound heard softly. Within a second, the 4th Armored Division appeared before him. Brood commented sarcastically,
"Perhaps, you should tell when you will teleport here, Colonel…" Novem replied,
"My apology, this is Major's suggestion. He didn't waste time…" Ignoring them, Zephyrus asked the young soldier,
"How is it?" Brood began to explained,
"The lair is tough as nail! They somehow utilize our stealth technology to create the camouflage over their settlement. Not only that, they also possessed a magical detector as well. Perhaps only an Infiltrator who can enter it…" Vernitz grumbled,
"Wonderful, we should send…" Novem's stare immediately silenced the Lieutenant. Zephyr went closer to a small cleft on the rock, in order to watch the entire settlement. He mused,
"Very clever, but this kind of defense would fail to the direct attack…" Novem offered,
"We could use our Catapult MAUs to bombard them…"
The Spiritualist shook his head, "No, too risky! I believe the other race had waited the same chance to enter. The question is…who would start first?"
Quite far to the East,
Penthesilea and Atalanta managed to track the Turncoat's trail into they arrived at the arc-shaped rock. The Archer reported to Almasyr,
"Their tracks ended here…I am sure they were beyond the rock," To this, Volturi commented,
"If so, why don't we get through?" Almasyr turned to the Black Knight,
"No, it is too dangerous! We don't know how many they are inside…" Alcyone suggested,
"We might use Teiresias' vision to see what behind this rock?" Everyone turned to the Dark Priestess, who merely replied,
"By DECEM's will, I will try my best…"
02.00 AM
Inside the Turncoat Bellato's quarter,
Maeve listened attentively to Ranskye's explanation about the recent incident. It was clear to her that he told everything he knew. In other side, Maya simply mum. Then the Turncoat commented,
"At the end, both of you don't know what happened…" To this, the officer taunted her,
"And you…do you know?"
"No, but I do have a suspicion…such attack can't be reproduced by one of our races, only our ancient enemy does…" Ranskye looks aghast, when he heard it,
"No…it can't be…" Maya exclaimed in denial,
"But…they had been gone for long time…after the Holymental…" Maeve shrugged her shoulders only,
"That's my suspicion…" She was about to tell further, when her subordinate called,
"Excuse me, Ma'am!" He reported, "The Accre leader Nobuseri want to talk with you. He also demanded the ranger as well…" The female Turncoat sighed,
"About the time…he must be know of your tricks, boy. Would you care to accompany me?"
Ran said, "Do I have a choice?"
Maya asked, "What about me?" The female Turncoat advised,
"Just stay here and be a good girl…" After saying that, Maeve took Ran swiftly and went outside. As the door slide close, Maya stomped his feet angrily.
Inside another quarter,
In short time, Clytemnestra had learned the forbidden Light Force under Titania's tutelage. The Turncoat Cora spoke her comment,
"Well, I never see someone learnt Force so fast like you…not in my lifetime," The young Spiritualist replied haughtily,
"That's my talent…everyone in House of Ladenus has it…"
Titania merely chuckled, "It seems you are the feisty one…however I warn you to not show what you have learned to everyone else, including your family…"
"Why?" The older Cora said; her tone was full of concern,
"You should know better…long time ago; we were under the Bellato Empire until the use of the Dark Force. Since then our ancestors forbid the practice of the Holy Force. To achieve that, they had created the Inquisitors to purge and root out the heretics. Your bloodline meant nothing before those fanatics," Cly asked again,
"Then why are you teaching these things to me?" Titania instead tapped her forehead,
"Because nobody could stay in darkness forever…I was thinking the same like our ancestor before. But after my defection, my eyes were opened…Mastering Dark and Holy Force are the same like mastering one of them. The key is to keep the harmony…I do believe that DECEM approve such thing…" For a moment, Cly recoiled in fear, saying,
"You want me to believe such lie…"
"Silly girl, you will learn it more…" Then Erzebet came to them. Her face looks unpleasant,
"Yes, what is it, Erzebet?"
The Serial Killer reported, "It seems Nobuseri had requested the ranger to be taken to the Great Hall…"
"What is Maeve's response?"
"She brought the boy…" Titania grinned,
"It sounds interesting…perhaps I should come to see it!" She glanced to the Spiritualist,
"Would you come with me? It seems they would interrogate your friend…"
Cly snorted, "He is not my friend…"
"Whatever. You won't lose anything if watching it…" Then Cly followed them reluctantly.
02.40 AM
Outside the settlement,
Gungnir sent his squad away, while he instructed Shadx13,
UNIT CONSCIOUSNESS SAMPLE:
"Shadx13, I command you to put the IR locator inside the settlement," the cyborg briefed, "The Turncoats was using the stealth technology. Therefore, the locator would help to pinpoint their location. Once discovered, Phalanx Brutez66 would flush them out. Is that clear?"
"Affirmative, Leader!" The Phantom Shadow received the locator and swiftly went toward the settlement. To this, Exvion questioned,
"Leader, I found out your plan was risky. 60% possibility that it could compromise our objectives…" The Destroyer replied,
"The risk is not great than sending our squad directly! The question is… are you against me or with me, Unit E47?" The Scientist decided not to press the matter. Thus it left Gungnir alone.
03.00 AM
Inside the Great Hall,
Nobuseri and his company, including Smiley had waited inside. They also brought Zero as well. In other side, Titania and her entourage came along with Erzebet and Clytemnestra. The Turncoat Corites took their seats. Not for long, Maeve came with Ranskye and Calico Jack. Without warning, the Turncoat Accretia moved toward the ranger, which Maeve shouted,
"Stay away, Nobuseri! This boy was still under my protection…" Calico Jack moved between them with weapon ready. Nobuseri countered,
"I hope you won't risk the bloodshed in order to protect the boy, Maeve!" the cyborg continued, "In that case, ask him to enter this unit's database or at least, order him! If he refused, I would put the unit into the Melting Plant…" The Turncoat Cora commented,
"Are you so hurrying to find the information about the blast, Nobuseri?" The cracked digital voice responded,
"That's not your concern, Titania! I hope you aren't interfering in this!"
Titania replied, "Anything with technologies isn't my concern…" Then everyone turned to Ranskye who had gulped several time. Even Maeve gestured him to speak. Finally, he said,
"Fine, I will help to retrieve the information from Zero's database…only let him!" Nobuseri stated,
"You have only 3 hours to do so!" Heavy-hearted, the ranger went to the shackled Accretia. Sweat begun to rolled upon his brows.
08.00 AM
The settlements went alive, despite the tensions inside the Great Hall. The markets were crowded by eager customers. They were so preoccupied that they were failed to notice an interloper amongst them.
Shadx13 had successfully infiltrated the settlement, despite their guarding. He managed to use the unused code, which the Imperial interrogator got from the captured Turncoats. Once inside, its database pondered about the loophole. Yet, the Phantom Shadow had no time to ponder about. It had a mission! Quickly, the unit entered the marketplace and scoured its surrounding undetected. Without anyone noticing, Shadx13 put the IR locator into the bucket of ammunition. Once done, it slipped away…like a phantom.
08.30 AM
The Turncoat guards were watched the surrounding from their towers. Suddenly, the Bellato called,
"AIM GX-6, my sensor picked something…" His Accretian fellow replied,
"Affirmative, my sensor also reported the same…the strange ping detected inside the settlement!" The Cora amongst them added,
"I shall send our patrol to scour the settlement! Both of you find the source, while I warn our leaders!"
"Yessir!" Immediately, the group went to the marketplace.
08.35 AM
Nobuseri watched Ranskye, when the news came. Maeve noticed this, and asked,
"What is it?" The cyborg said,
"Just a small disturbance…nothing to concern!" The Turncoat Bellato decided to drop the matter,
08.40 AM
Above the atmosphere of Novus,
'Freedom' starcraft still orbited on the dark side of Novus in order to avoid the detection. They were prepared to fetch the ground team. Suddenly, the alarm blared. The Captain asked,
"Crews, what is it? Report at once to the bridge!" The helmsman reported,
"Captain, our radar picked something coming out from the Hyperspace above Novus!"
"What is it?" Then the monitor showed the warped space, and then a cruiser came out from the hyperspace. The captain, helmsman and the bridge crews turned pale when they recognized the spacecraft,
"That's…belongs to the Accretian! What are they doing here?" Not for long, the realization dawned inside. The captain turned to one of the operator,
"Contact the ground team through the encoded message! Tell them, the Imperial Cruiser is coming above them!"
"Aye-aye, Sir!"
09.00
Back to Bellato's surveillance post,
Zephyrus still stared the unseen settlement, while the others waited. Not for long, Novem came and asked,
"What is Major thinking?" The veteran Wizard replied absent-mindedly,
"Old times…I just wonder when this damned war will over,"
The pink-haired female chuckled, "I never thought that you are growing sentimental. We have been fought this war since our ancestors begins…" When she turned around, he saw the scar at her face. It made him pained inside. Realizing that, the Mental Smith said,
"What?" Zephyr answered,
"Your scar…it is reminds me of…" Novem cut his sentence,
"That's the old story, Major. Please, don't remind me again…"
"Since the accident…I wonder if she…" Then she threw her face in disgust,
"You still thought of her after all…" Before the Spiritualist answered, Vernitz ran toward them.
"Major! Ma'am! We have received the encoded message from 'Freedom'! There is an Accretian cruiser on the space; and it had positioned itself above the settlement!"
"What did you say?"
09.30 AM
Inside the Turncoat settlement,
The Turncoat patrol inside had scoured every corners to find the source of the mysterious ping. They had left no stone unturned until they entered the marketplace. The sensor-carrying Bellato quickly followed the sensor up to the buckets. He called,
"AIM GX-6, help me!" His Accretian fellow obeyed and immediately threw every bucket. Then the cyborg took something beeping at his mechanical hand. The Bellato shouted,
"IR Locator!" he glanced to the nearest man, "Tell our leaders, that our cover had been blown and we're discovered!" Without waiting, the messenger went toward the Great Hall,
09.50
At Brutez's cruiser,
The drone reported, "Leader, we have located the signal. It came from coordinate 76, 64,89!" The Mercenary steeple its fingers until it gave the order,
"Fire on my command!" About instantly, the armaments inside the cruiser begun to load, awaiting the order. The Ship computer informed,
Be ready for the orbital bombardment! Brutez ordered with a cold, steely voice,
"Fire at will!!" Then the cruiser began to bombard the intended target on the ground.
10.00 AM
Inside the Great Hall,
Everyone still watched Ranskye hacking into Zero's database when the messenger came. He was about to said,
"Leaders…we're…" At the same time, the huge explosion rocked the entire settlement.
At the other portion,
Suddenly, Teiresias screamed hysterically and shocked her companions. Alcyone, Atalanta and Penthesilea quickly calmed her. Worried, Almasyr went to them,
"What is it, Priestess? What did you see in your vision?" The Dark Priestess spoke hoarsely,
"I saw blood…chaos…fire…death…beyond the rock. We must get out from here!" Then Volturi spoke,
"Look at the skies!" Everyone turned and saw the glowing projectile down toward the opening. The young warrior managed to whisper,
"By DECEM…" he immediately shouted, "We have to take cover!" Not for long, the entire canyon was shaken by a series of explosion!"
In another place,
The Accretian squad watched the conflagration impassively, especially GungnirT11. Exvion reported,
"My sensor detected the stealth field had gone down due to the bombardment. Yet, the force field still stands for five hours. This may delay Brutez's reinforcement to land…" The Commander responded,
"But it was enough for us to enter…Accretia, prepare your weapons!"
Author's Note: Alright, the Accretian had made their first move! What will happen to Ranskye, Zero and Clytemnestra after the settlement was bombarded? What would the other races do? Find the answers at the second part!