...
...
…
Gunfire echoes in the grandstand of the Xenokuni City baseball stadium. Elysian soldiers and their Xenokunian allies hide behind upholstered seats and concrete ledges and trade shots with Pavolian HaKugrenadiers entrenched throughout the stadium oval hundreds of meters away.
As bullets whiz overhead, Axel Syrios follows Fénix through the ruined stands. They crouch and advance underneath wrecked sections and collapsed slabs of the stadium roof: now treacherous tunnels of concrete and rebar.
The pathway narrows, forcing the two to drop down to the ground and crawl. Fénix, however, is undeterred.
"It's not much further now, señor." Fénix reassures, "Amelia's holding cell is just past this bend. It's the announcer's stand."
Axel's helmet snags on the edge of rebar and his rifle barrel skids against concrete.
"They've blown this place to kingdom come, but you keep moving forward!" Axel complains, "How the hell do you know where to go?"
"Because I know this place like the back of my hand." Fénix explains as she crawls on, "I've been watching baseball games here since I was a kid, so I know every twist and turn."
Stray bullets strike the collapsed roof, spurring Axel and Fénix to crawl faster.
"We're playing a helluva different baseball game here today." Axel hisses as he forces his way through the gap, "If we don't get a fucking home run, we're dead meat!"
"I know." Fénix agrees, "For now - less talking, more crawling!"
"Yes ma'am." Axel complies.
The two of them clear the gap and reach the announcer's stand. Axel and Fénix pick themselves up from the floor, wield their dusty weapons and sweep through the nook for Pavolians.
They hear Pavolian jackboots scrambling nearby, but they come and go. Axel hoists himself up over the bleacher walls and sees the Pavolian soldiers rushing further away towards their comrades on the frontline.
"We really slipped past them, damn." Axel whistles.
"Did you really doubt me, señor?" Fénix boasts. She points to the announcer stand with her submachine gun and say, "Let's go get Amelia."
…
Axel, with his rifle cradled in one arm, approaches the door of the announcer stand while Fénix watches his back.
He gently opens the door and steps into the dark room.
But when he does, a cold hand shoots out of the darkness and grabs his wrist!
"What the…!?" Axel gasps.
The hand drags him into the room and throws him down onto the floor.
"Oww, shit…!" Axel grunts.
In the corner of his eye, Axel sees a HaKugrenadier with a splintered wooden shiv stuck in his throat.
Axel wrestles himself free from the cold grasp and tries to point his rifle downrange, but the unseen force pushes his rifle away.
Then, another splintered shiv appers before him and hovers over his neck. Axel sees its wielder - a haggard blonde with a single, blue, bloodshot eye. Her gaunt face is covered in Pavolian blood.
"Amelia!" Fénix intervenes.
The one-eyed phantom stops and lets go of Axel's rifle. She retracts her splintery shiv too.
"… Kiara?" croaks the phantom, saying Fénix's true name.
Kiara starts to tear up. She rushes towards Amelia and embraces her.
"You came back for me." Amelia embraces Kiara.
"Of course I did!" Kiara says. She points to Axel and smiles, "And I brought the Elysian Army to you! Well, one of them, at least."
"Hi." Axel dusts off his dirty uniform and massages his wrist, "Axel Syrios at your service. PCAPs."
"Sorry about that." Amelia apologizes and points to the dead Pavolian with her shiv, "Desperate times, and all."
"No worries, Lieutenant Watson. I'm just glad i'm still breathing." Axel waves his hand, "But we do need your help."
Amelia draws the curtains and lets light into the dark room.
It illuminates her emaciated body and her many injuries.
She puts aside her shiv, rubs her frostbitten hands and limps toward Axel laboredly.
"I'm not gonna be much good in a fight, soldier. As you can see." Amelia warns, "I can't go far and I can't aim for shit, and trust me - i've tried."
"That's alright, ma'am. I can handle myself in a fight." Axel shakes his head and reassures her. He then points to his own blue eyes and explains, "The help we need is your insight."
Amelia smirks.
"I'm an intelligence officer. Insight's my job." Amelia nods, "How can I help?"
…
Axel and Kiara explain their situation to Amelia.
"The flak gun, huh…?" Amelia hums, "I see what you guys are trying to do. Your commander's quite daring."
"Sgt. Regis is our Leader for a reason." Axel concurs, "He'a gotten us through tough shit before."
Amelia nods.
"Seems Gura chooses the right people for the job." Amelia muses.
Axel titls his head, but Amelia does not elaborate further.
Instead, she takes a swig of water from Kiara's canteen and nibbles on some Vesper-made beef jerky from Axel pack.
"Mm… that's good." Amelia praises.
"My tank's driver smoked it himself." Axel says with pride.
Amelia finishes off a strip of jerky and turns to Axel squarely.
"I did see the Pavies bring that big gun in yesterday."
Amelia confirms, washing the jerky down with another swig of water, "They placed it high up at the opposite end of the stadium oval and put camouflage nets over it to hide it." She looks out the window and winces at the light, "It's obstructed by the stadium ceiling so it's not meant for anti-aircraft. That means they placed it there as an anti-tank gun."
Axel peers out the window and squints.
"At that height, most tanks wouldn't be able to shoot back." Axel snorts. "Did the Pavies know the PCAPs were coming here?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if they did. The commander of the 101st is a force to be reckoned with." Amelia admits. She points to the grandstand across her window and warns, "The thing is, the HaKugrenadiers made their command post there."
"It's gonna be heavily guarded, then." Kiara assesses, "They're gonna cover their bases. We won't be able to sneak around like we did getting here, señor."
"We might have a card to play, though. You're PCAPs, PFC Syrios. That means your unit brought tanks, right?" Amelia asks.
"Stuart light tanks yeah. Two of them left." Axel reveals, "Not the best ones."
"That's more than enough." Amelia says, "They made an ammunition dump near that post, apart from the flak gun. It's lower than the gun itself too, so your Stuarts should be able to hit it. You'll need to get closer if you want to spot for your commander, though." She forms a gun with her fingers and points it at the enemy command post, "The right shot in the right place makes all the difference in the world. You've got to make it count."
Axel nods and smiles, "Understood, Lieutenant."
"I'm gonna stay here with Amelia and keep her safe. She needs medical attention too." Kiara adds. She then takes a molotov cocktail and a matchbook from her kit and hands it to Axel, "Stick to cover and be smart. HaKugrenadiers are usually the ones attacking, so give them a taste of their own medicine, señor."
"Will do, ma'am." Axel accepts Kiara's weapon. He then brings out his walkie-talkie for Amelia and Kiara to see, "Me and the boys are gonna make this work! You have my word."
…
Axel excuses himself from the announcer's stand and leaves Kiara to tend to Amelia.
With rifle in one hand and walkie-talkie in the other, he makes his report to Altare and relays everything that Amelia has told him.
The walkie-talkie crackles and Altare responds.
"We're gonna have to go out of cover to take those shots." Altare explains, "The moment we fire, the HaKus will know what we have and they'll go for what's left of the Platoon. The clock will be ticking."
"And that's why you needed a runner to run the bases, right, Leader?" Axel snorts, "We really ended up playing baseball."
"Hah We have, yeah. I know you can do it, though, Axel. We'll be waiting for your call. Good luck."
"I won't let you down, sir." Axel promises, "Over and out."
With that, he puts away his walkie-talkie, wields his Garand rifle in both hands and creeps toward the hidden enemy command post.
Slowly but surely, he approaches the post and sees the ammunition dump. Stacks of 88mm artillery shells surrounded by sandbags come into view. He also starts making out the camouflage net of the hidden flak gun further up the grandstand.
"There you are you sneaky bugger…" Axel grins deviously. He ducks behind an upholstered seat and brings out his walkie-talkie again. He clears his throat and reports, "Leader, this is Dingo. I found the flak gun and the enemy post at the dump. They're separated. These are their coordinates."
Before Axel could relay the coordinates, though, the upholstered seat he leans on creaks and crumbles loudly.
CLANG!
"Elysian!" A HaKugrenadier hollers.
Two more soldiers repeat the call from the command post and rush to the scene.
"Damn it!" Axel curses. He puts away his walkie-talkie and points his gun up towards the enemies, "Take this, Pavie scum!"
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Axel downs one Pavolian and wounds another, but the third enemy answers with a submachine gun.
RATATAT! RATATATATAT!
A shot nicks Axel's shoulder and draws blood, splattering the wall behind him.
"Fuck!" Axel roars.
He sprints down the bleacher aisles and dives down, dodging the Pavolian's shots. He rolls forward on the floor and lands on his back. From the ground, he points his rifle at the HaKugrenadier.
BANG! BANG!
The submachinegunner falls, but a fourth one rushes Axel from behind with a knife.
Axel spins around and blocks the blade with his rifle. He grunts, shifts his weight and thrusts the knife-wielder against the bleacher walls.
WHAM!
The knife falls from the Pavolian's hands and Axel catches it mid-air. Without second thought, Axel stabs the enemy between his ribs.
The Pavolian tries to wrestle Axel away. Blood spills out from
Axel's own wound, but he twists the knife. Soon, the Pavolian goes limp and slumps to the ground.
Axel drops the bloody knife and tries to catch a break.
But then, he hears the sound of a machine gun cocking from the command post.
KA-CHAK!
Axel tries to shoot first with his rifle, but the sandbags absorb his shots. And yet, the machinegunner freezes in fear.
The enemy ducks so fast that his peaked officer's cap flutters down above him like a falling feather.
'A cowardly Pavie officer.' Axel determines, 'These bastards really don't think we fight back, huh?'
The officer struggles to use the heavy weapon and fumbles with its ammo belts.
Axel grins and brings out the molotov cocktail. He strikes a match from Kiara's matchbook, lights the molotov's newspaper wick and throws it into the machine gun nest.
"Have a drink, asshole!" Axel yells.
CRASH! FWOOOSH!
The Pavolian officer screams and runs around the bleachers like a headless chicken set ablaze.
More Pavolians scramble out of the command post, but the flames stop them from manning the machine gun again.
Axel ducks behind the bleacher walls, takes out his walkie-talkie and shouts, "These are their coordinates, Leader! Take the shot now!"
From his perch, he sees his platoon's Stuart tanks emerge from hiding with their guns pointed his way. They fire their guns and send HE shells streaking over the baseball field. They slam into the command post and the ammunition dump like a one-two punch.
BAM! BAM! BRA-BA-BOOM!
A chain reaction of explosions rock the entire stadium, incinerating many Pavolians in the post.
However, just as Altare had predicted, the Pavolian HaKu's spot the Stuart tanks and begin to engage them. The Stuarts retreat back to their hideouts, but the HaKus give chase.
The Tempest Platoon has nowhere left to run.
Axel takes a deep breath and sprints up the stairs towards the now undefended flak gun. He pulls on the cranks and trains the weapon upon the HaKu V Panther tank.
He looks through the rangefinder and eyes the back of the V's turret.
"Pavolian special coming right up!" Axel proclaims. He slots an armor-piercing shell into the breech of the gun and pulls the trigger.
BOOM!
Axel holds onto the gun, weathering the recoil. He keeps his eyes on the rangefinder and watches the high-caliber shell strike down the V like a thunderbolt.
The HaKu V halts its advance abruptly. Tongues of flame burst out of its hatches.
The other HaKu's stop as well, horrified by the friendly fire. Axel pulls on the flak gun's cranks again and finds the exposed rear of a HaKu IV this time.
He loads the gun and shoots again!
BOOM!
Axel scores another hit, striking down the HaKu IV's engine.
In the midst of the confusion, Axel sees the Tempest and the last other Stuart of their platoon emerge from cover once again.
They fire shots at the rest of the HaKu's and score hits of their own. Axel gives them fire support, keeping the HaKu's off balance until the steel Pavolian beasts picked off one by one.
In the blink of an eye - in the span of a single inning of baseball - the Elysians have taken a Pavolian victory and overturned it decisively.
The fearsome HaKu tanks of the stadium detachment lie on the outfield as smoldering wrecks.
It is a total rout!
Axel slumps down onto one of the upholstered seats and wipes the sweat from his brow. His hands, still trembling from the recoil of the flak gun, reach for his walkie-talkie and he gives one last report.
"This is Dingo. That's the last of the HaKu's in the stadium, Leader." Axel declares, "Mission accomplished."
…
Back inside the Tempest tank, Altare and the rest of his crew hear Axel's report. A smile breaks out on the Leader's lips.
"Soldier boy did it!" Magni cheers.
"Indeed he has." Vesper nods solemnly, "But we can't rest easy yet. The Pavolian Garrison still holds most of the city - and we don't know how many more of the 101st's detachments are still active."
"Vesper's right." Altare concurs. He grabs his radio and gives his orders to Axel, "Dingo, link up with Miss Fénix again. We'll need her help to organize a defense of the stadium. Over."
Altare hears Axel groan audibly over the radio.
"No rest for the wicked, eh, Leader?" Axel answers. He takes a deep breath and eventually complies, "Roger that. I'll hurry back to Miss Fénix and…"
Before Axel finishes, however, broadcast speakers turn on and interrupt him.
A shortened verse of the Pavolian National Anthem instrumental plays throughout Xenokuni City. Then, a dignified, authoritative yet gentle female voice speaks in Pavolian.
Altare listens and understands most of what she says.
"Attention, all forces of the Pavolian Garrison. Heed my call. This is Kolonel Moona Hoshinova speaking from the Governor's Palace."
"I have seen the fighting on the streets beyond the walls of this palace. I have seen it on battle lines drawn and redrawn on maps over and over. As such, I have come to the conclusion that further resistance is futile."
"As of this moment, I am ordering all soldiers of the Garrison to cease fighting the invaders and lay down their arms. I do not want any more unnecessary loss of lives for an objective we cannot achieve. I do not wish to turn Xenokuni City into a killing field. My executive officers and I will parlay with Elysian officers and we will offer them our terms of honorable, dignified surrender."
"If you are a blue-blooded Pavolian, you will honor this request in the name of Empress Reine. If there is someone that you wish to blame, then blame me. I will shoulder this burden for the greater good. That is all."
"Long live Empress Reine! May the Holy Mother Towa have mercy on us all."
Kolonel Hoshinova repeats her message in heavily accented Elysian and then Xenokunian.
The gunfire that had been raging in the streets of Xenokuni City starts to die down and fall silent.
Altare grabs his radio and calls Ollie.
"Company Leader… that announcement just now, did you hear it?" Altare asks.
"I did." Ollie answers, breaking protocol, "The Pavolians just… surrendered. They're raising the white flag over the Governor's Palace. There's still skirmishes going on, but… I don't believe this." Ollie pauses and sniffles emotionally, "I… I never thought we'd get this far. I didn't think I'd see the day… Moona-simpai, she…"
"We've won, Lieutenant Kureiji. The operation is a resounding success." Altare smiles, "Xenokuni City is ours."
"Mm…" Ollie hums in agreement, "So it seems."
That's all she manages to say before she's overcome by tears.
Altare sighs and leans back against the cupola hatch. He watches as the Correctional Infantry take down the royal blue Pavolian flag from the flagpole and replace it with the emerald green of Elysium's Starfall Banner.
He stands upright and salutes the national flag fluttering proudly in the wintry winds.
…
…
…
Hours later, Elysian Army Sherman tanks and mechanized infantry half-tracks from the rest of the Brigade roll into the outside of the baseball stadium. Their officers relieve Altare and the Tempest platoon from their hard-won post, but Altare's day is far from over.
As the Regular Army units take over the stadium, the two battered Stuart tanks of Altare's platoon drive out towards the main avenue.
The rest of the Stuart tanks of Ollie's Company are there, waiting for them. Altare waves to them, happy to see his commanding officer but his enthusiasm is muted. After all, out of the thirteen tanks that Ollie took, only six remain.
'Eight out of eighteen…' Altare thinks and counts with displeasure, 'None of them are in good condition either.'
Still, when the Tempest approaches Ollie's tank, Altare salutes her.
"You and I just can't die, huh, Sergeant Regis?" Ollie muses and returns the gesture.
"We're called Undead Armor for a reason, ma'am." Altare answers with a chuckle.
"Yeah." Ollie sighs and looks on to some of the Stuart tank wrecks that line the avenue, "A whole lot of them bit the dust, though. I'm eternally grateful to them."
Altare nods in agreement and watches. He and Ollie pay their quiet respects to the fallen from the cupolas of their own tanks.
Their moment of silence passes and Ollie faces Altare once more.
"Cap- I mean, Lt. Colonel Hakos is calling up the team to parlay with Moona Hoshinova." Ollie explains, "Your name's on the list, Sgt. Regis. That's why I called you here."
"Me…?" Altare reels.
"You and your platoon have grasped victory from the jaws of defeat!" Ollie praises, "Don't sell yourself short, son."
"I'd be honored to accompany you." Altare finally concedes.
"Follow me, then." Ollie nods, "We're going to the Governor's Palace together with the Company."
With that, the Tempest joins the rest of the Stuart tanks of the company. They proceed down the main avenue in double-file.
Soon enough, riders of the Xenokunian Resistance join the tanks and escort them. Shinji Josuiji joins the riders and rides alongside the Tempest and Ollie's tanks.
"Viva, Mr. Regis. Ms. Kureiji." Shinri greets the two tankers, "Ms. Hakos has called me to the parlay, I understand."
"That's correct." Ollie confirms, "This is not just a victory of Elysium, but a victory of the Xenokunian nation as well."
Shinri, however, remains stoic.
In contrast to Shinri, Xenokunian citizens start coming out of hiding and flood onto the streets. They come out bearing Xenokunian and Elysian flags. Many of them sing the Elysian national anthem and cheer for the Stuart tanks in their impromptu parade. They toss makeshift confetti and powder blue petals to shower the liberators.
Shinri's sigh, however, cuts through those cheers.
"The last time people went out to the streets like this was when the Xenokuni City baseball team beat a team from Metro Elysium. We defeated our old invaders in the game they brought to our shores." Shinri recounts, "It was a tough victory, just like this one. But that victory did not cost us so many Xenokunian lives."
"Mr. Josuiji…" Ollie tries to speak but does not find the words to answer him.
Shinri shakes his head.
"I'm not saying this because you were once a Pavolian guardswoman patrolling this city for the Empress, Miss Kureiji." Shinri explains himself, "I'm saying this because I am Xenokunian, and because we laid our lives down for Elysium today."
"Of course. I understand." Ollie reassures him."
"I speak with you now as one of the more patient voices in Xenokuni, Ms. Kureiji. When all is said and done - when that mad Empress Reine is finally brought down to her knees, Xenokuni will demand a dignified seat at the negotiating table." Shinri finally says, "The Xenokunian Nation demands representation - and true liberty."
"I will give you every avenue to represent your nation in the peace talks, Mr. Josuiji." Ollie reassures him.
"You will." Shinri acknowledges, "But will Elysium assure us? Will her Parliament and Prime Minister assure us?"
Again, Ollie has no answer.
With that, Shinri brushes snow off of his poncho and rides ahead of the Stuart tanks.
Ollie heaves a sigh of relief. Her breath fogs up in the cold air.
"This war will end someday, Sergeant Regis." Ollie muses, "When it does, many questions will remain unanswered. We have to be ready to answer them."
She the holds onto the mounted machine gun by her cupola and adds, "But first, we have to win this war. Our victory here against Moona is just the first step."
"We'll see it through, ma'am."
Altare promises. He holds onto his white, albeit soot-stained scarf and adds, "I won't rest until I earn my own freedom."
"I know you will, Altare Regis."
Ollie smiles, "And I will do everything in my power to help you."
…
Meanwhile, at the gates of the Xenokuni City Governor's Palace, the white flag flying at the courtyard is lowered. It is replaced by an emerald green Starfall banner that Elysian troops salute.
Lt. Colonel Baelz Hakos, flanked by her gaggle of officers from the brigade, salutes the flag too. Captain Calliope Mori of Charon Company stands beside her on the machine gun 'pulpit' of her M7 Priest self-propelled howitzer cannon.
"It's good to see a commanding officer of the Brigade actually participating in the battle."
Captain Mori comments, "Olivier hid away in her bunker until the battle was won - or lost."
"Until our Colonel gets here from across the sea, I'm in charge of what once was Olivier's brigade." Bae explains plainly, "I intend to learn from her mistakes. Plus, it's easier to coordinate things when I see them with my own eyes."
"You can't hit what you can't see." Captain Mori chuckles, "Especially true for artillery."
"But you guys sit back and have spotters radio you coordinates." Bae tests.
"Guh… You get what I mean." Captain Mori sighs. She clears her throat and points towards the impromptu parade of tanks and horsemen approaching, "Our triumphant 'spotters' are here."
The Stuart tanks, Resistance riders and the cheering Xenokunian crowd stop at the gates of the Governor's Palace.
Ollie Kureiji and Altare Regis dismount from their respective Stuart tanks. Shinri, meanwhile, hops off his horse and leaves its reins in the hands of his riders.
Ollie and Altare salute and present themselves to Bae.
"First Lieutenant Ollie Kureiji, reporting for duty ma'am!"
"Sergeant Altare Regis reporting for duty ma'am!"
Shinri, meanwhile, simply nods in acknowledgement and does not utter a word.
Bae nods back to Shinri and
then faces Ollie and Altare.
"At ease - and don't be too stiff." Bae urges. She leans over to the newcomers and whispers, "The ECN news crew's already set up shop. They'll be recording this whole song and dance of Kolonel Hoshinova surrendering, so act natural."
"Oh shit…!" Ollie tenses up.
"Not too natural!" Bae hisses.
"R-right, right." Ollie takes deep breaths and forces herself to calm down.
"We're ready to meet with the Kolonel, ma'am." Altare speaks on behalf of his nervous commanding officer.
"We're almost ready too." Bae replies, "We just have to wait for one last person."
"One last person, ma'am?" Altare asks.
"The mastermind of this whole operation. Lt. Gawr Gura." Bae answers firmly, "She just said that there's somewhere that she absolutely has to visit first."
She snorts, "Or rather - someone."
…
Meanwhile, a few blocks away from the Governor's Palace, Lt. Gura walks down the street along the banks of the Emerald River. Her walking cane taps on the cobblestone path as she follows it briskly.
That riverside road leads her to a large cathedral whose bells toll for the Elysian victory. Marble statues of the three Holy Mothers of the Tri-Spirit, Kanata, Towa and Irys, greet Gura with solemn expressions.
The OSS officer nods to them and carries on into the cathedral.
Inside, the hundreds of church pews have been turned into makeshift hospital beds. There, Tri-Spirit priests and priestesses tend to the wounded of all nations: Elysian, Pavolian and Xenokunian.
One of the helpers of the clergy, though, a fiery-haired Resistance fighter girl bearing a Mauser pistol at her hip instead of crystal prayer beads, approaches Gura.
She takes one glance at Gura's uniform and speaks accented Elysian confidently.
"Gemstones' blessings upon you, Elysiana. Are you in need of help?" She asks Gura.
"I'm looking for someone. Someone very important to me." Gura answers her.
While Gura is speaking, a short, brunette girl with a bloodied blue beret gasps and brushes past her. Gura holds onto her walking cane for support.
"Oy…!" The fiery Resistance fighter girl tries to berate the child.
However, Gura and the fighter girl see the brunette rushing towards one of the patients.
A Pavolian guardswoman.
"Yopi!" The brunette cheers, calling the patient's name.
"Risu…?" The injured guardswoman rises up from the pew. Her purple eyes suddenly sparkle, "Risu!"
The young girl, Risu, embraces the guardswoman, 'Yopi'.
Gura watches the reunion of the two Pavolians.
"I can't get mad at that." says the Resistance girl. She turns to Gura and speaks tenderly, "Everyone here is searching for somebody, señorita. Are you looking for anyone in particular?"
"Yes." Gura speaks firmly, "I'm looking for Amelia Watson."
The fighter girl's eyes shine. Her eyes and her lips both smile.
"We have a mutual friend, it seems." The fighter girl chimes, "C'mon. I'll take you to her!"
The fighter girl leads the way and Gura follows her through the rows of cathedral pews. Towards the front, by the altar to the Sacred Gemstones, the gaunt figure of Amelia Watson lies on her side.
Gura quickens her pace. She tosses away her walkig cane and loses her balance for a moment, but she soldiers on.
"Ame!" Gura cries.
"Sharkie…?" Amelia turns around. She rises up from the pew with a labored grunt.
"AME!" Gura shouts now, tears glistening at the sides of her eyes.
Gura springs forward and catches Ame in an embrace.
The two of them fall down onto the pew but stay locked in each other's arms. Without a second thought, the two of them share a tender, tearful kiss.
"Your lips are dry." Amelia says.
"And so are yours." Gura replies wryly.
Gura and Amelia kiss again. The Resistance girl looks on and scratches the back of her head.
"Very good friends, I see!" She says innocently.
Gura cranes her head back, turns to the fighter girl with a raised brow and replies, "Sure. Friends."
With that, Gura helps Ame to sit upright on the pew and the two of them hold each other close. Ame then gestures to the fighter girl and introduces her to Gura.
"Meet Kiara Takanashi. Codename Fénix." Ame beams, "She's a member of the Resistance that took me in and nursed me back to health after the crash." She chuckles and adds, "She's also the one who led your PCAP tanks to me today."
"You did?" Gura's jaw drops.
She rises up to shake Kiara's hand graciously, "Thank you, Miss Takanashi! Muchas gracias."
"It was my pleasure, Elysiana." Kiara smiles back, "Amelia practically saved my life too, "And may I ask for your name as well?"
"Gawr Gura. Elysian OSS." Gura replies, "Amelia's partner."
"Gawr Gura…" Kiara's eyes widen, "Oh! Hold on, I have something for you."
Kiara excuses herself and rushes to the altar of the cathedral. She kneels down before a statue of the Holy Mother Irys, labeled 'La Esperanza Encarnada'.
At that pedestal, Kiara pulls a mechanism and a hidden drawer pops open.
Kiara reaches inside and takes out a paper-wrapped microfilm canister.
"I believe this belongs to you, Miss Gura." Kiara hands the microfilm to her. She then kneels down to Gura and begs, "So please, for the love of the Holy Mothers, end this war!"
Gura takes the microfilm and nods to Kiara.
"With this intel, we might be able to do just that."
…
…
…
TEMPEST
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