Hey, peeps~! Here's the next chapter of The Phoenix Rising. And this one is gonna be really good. :3
Review replies:
- Spiceracksargent001: Glad ya liked the chapter, Spice! :) And yes, the Satellite System will have some significant limitations to its viability, but the resistance will make do and adapt. :) As for the inhabitants of L4, yes, there is a group of pirates up there, but by this point they are referred to as the L4 Coalition because many have taken refuge there, and the resistance has a small cluster of colonies under their command as well. ;3
- operation meteor: I am so happy you enjoyed this one! :) I really did like delving into the riots and the police response! XD As for the Big U, well, expect to see her in use in coming chapters. ;3 And the colonies in L4 will be a very good asset, as they can keep tabs on people coming and going. ;3 And yes, they did see the disguised destroyer, but thought nothing of it until it went to Mendel... ;3
- Gundamvid: You could say that. ;3
(A pair of optics flashes online before lights flare on to show the Strike Dagger S in its hangar bay, Spray standing atop its shoulder with an American flag held in one hand, his trench coat draped across his shoulders like a cape)
START MIKAKUNIN HIKOUSEN BY TAKAYOSHI TANIMOTO
(The pilot tosses the American flag off to the side as he leaps off his machine's shoulder, the camera following the flag as it flutters down to the hangar floor)
Oh yeah! Be strong, jump on, and become the wind (The camera moves up to show the Strike Dagger S engaged with the Perfect Sword Strike, both pilots superimposed over their machines as their blades clash)
Pass the orbit beyond the sky (The two break off before flying towards one another again, Spray shown with Earth in the background, his eyes in SEED Mode as he grits his teeth)
I can't hold back this rushing speed (Dennis Krantz is shown with a large, shadowy shape in the background as he charges in, his eyes wide in his fury)
A familiar town becomes a diorama (The camera follows both pilots as they clash in a flash of light, the camera panning down to show the Resistance base in Mexico, Dr. Keith Martinez and Commander Ibara standing before it)
Burst through the unclear skies (The skies are shown to be covered in clouds as the camera pans up and over, coming down to show Rear Admiral Dorana Xen as she stands in a land battleship, arms crossed, a large army of AI-controlled suits before her)
Blow away your worries and discontent (The rear admiral sneers as she watches the resistance fighting bravely, but unable to do much to stop her, only for a flash of a beam saber to cut across the screen)
Who needs a journey that's by the book? (The camera pans to the right to show a gray-colored mobile suit as it spins around, glowing blue optics locking onto Xen's eyes)
Even if you're lost or trembling, raise the altitude (The machine climbs up, becoming a small speck in the sky, only for a second machine to come down, showing it to be the Demolition Dagger as it lands in front of Paris, looking up as the camera shows Kyle behind it)
Oh yeah! Show off, mess up, and stand back up (The Demolition Dagger attacks the closest Atlantian Daggers before the camera is blinded by thick black smoke, only to fade to show Wing Zero stand up in the middle of a damaged naval base)
I'll watch the unknown horizon with you (The camera is engulfed in flames before they blow apart to show Eisenhower standing atop the warehouse, three other figures standing behind her as the sun sets before her)
Now be strong, jump on, and become the wind (The camera moves to the right as it shows Eisenhower leaping off the building, a pair of mechanical phoenix wings sprouting from her back)
Use the sun that lights tomorrow as a guide (Above her is shown Spray Krane in his own machine, reaching out for the light of the sun as it shines above a new, futuristic city)
Fly off to the glorious world of freedom! (The scene freezes with all the major players flying towards a shining world, stars around all of them)
GUNDAM WING: THE PHOENIX RISING
Let justice be done, though the heavens may fall
- Steven Jackson 'Spray' Krane
CHAPTER XIV: Operation: Jaburo
1776th Battle Group, Earth Orbit
December 1st, CE 73
"It is with great regret that our esteemed colleagues, Hank Jarvis and Christophe Hayes, are laid to rest at this very moment..." The droning from Krantz was enough to make Spray groan as he muted the COMM.
So far things were moving along according to plan, he knew.
With the rebellion starting to build momentum in the Atlantian Reich, it was only a matter of time before the revolution began.
And now that the Eurasians were on their side, they had a significant asset in their back pocket.
The rebel pilot shifted as he leaned back, lacing his hands behind his head. "So far so good," he muttered to himself. "Especially with regards to the next phase."
He closed his eyes as he pondered his next move.
He knew he had to take out Krantz before he caught on. After all, it was by pure luck that he had been able to take out both Hayes and Jarvis at the same time. But if he was as smart as he seemed to be, then the man would be investigating this. Spray felt glad that the resistance had trained him in how to tamper with raw video footage so as to hide his activities, so to speak.
Even so, if he wasn't careful, then Krantz would catch on, and it would only be a matter of time before he was found out.
The man was not one to underestimate, that was for sure.
He finally opened his eyes and sat up, placing his hands on his desk as he looked at the syringe before him. It was his final one, and he was not about to miss his opportunity, that was for sure.
He stood up from his desk, pocketing the syringe as he did so. He had to try and find Krantz to end him once and for all.
Spray drifted out of his room as the door hissed shut behind him. Now that he was out, he could find his so-called SIC and finish his task. His eyes hardened in determination as he drifted down the hall, scanning around him with all his senses on high alert.
However, as he came to an intersection, he perked up, hearing voices. Spray frowned as he moved closer, stopping on the other side. He slowly peered around the corner, and his eyes widened as he stared at Krantz talking to Scotty. The other man was, dare he say it, recoiling as his so-called SIC drew back a hand and actually slapped the other officer across his face, a snarl on his aristocratic features.
Scotty's hand flew to his face as he stared in horror at Krantz.
"And that should teach you for trying to defy me!" Krantz growled, his eyes narrowed.
"P-P-Please forgive me, my lord..." Scotty whimpered, cowering on his knees and hands like a mere manservant would. "I would n-n-never even think of defying your wisdom!"
Krantz scowled as he drew back a boot, preparing to kick Scotty in the chin.
Spray gritted his teeth as he pushed off the floor, drifting out as Krantz lashed out. But the rebel pilot's hand flew out and connected with Krantz's boot, startling the other man and making him stare as his superior landed, eyes hard. "So, tell me, Krantz," Spray growled, "what Adjunct Gray here did to deserve such abuse from you?"
The blonde man blinked, pulling his foot back from Spray's hand. "He dared to defy my wisdom with regards to the treatment of any prisoners if we encounter them. Such actions are not the way of our kind, sir," he said, a little too smoothly.
"Yeah? Well, the last I recall, humane treatment of prisoners is outlined in the Geneva Conventions, something that we once upheld," Spray remarked, folding his arms as he stood in front of the groveling Scotty. "And sometimes to show mercy is the greatest strength of all, especially in this so-called crusade!"
Krantz's eyes narrowed dangerously as he heard those words. "You dare to denounce our crusade?" he hissed.
Spray was silent as he stared down the man who was an Aryan Nazi in all but name. His eyes hardened into bronze shards as he scowled. He was not intimidated by this man's bigger stature or his icy blue eyes. All he had to do was remain calm and not give a reaction. That was a sure way to get men like him to back down.
Krantz gritted his teeth as he pushed off the floor, drifting back and turning around to head back down the way he came.
The rebel pilot stood there for a few minutes more until he was sure the man was gone. He unfolded his arms and gave a firm nod before turning to face Scotty who was still groveling. "It's okay. He's gone," he said gently.
Scotty looked up, fear still on his face. "S-Sir?"
"It's okay," Spray repeated. "He's gone now."
The former Black Fleet officer slowly uncurled from his groveling state as Spray held out a hand. He reached out, only to draw it back. "..." Spray sighed and shook his head. "I'm not going to do anything. I'm just trying to help."
Scotty finally, hesitantly, reached out a hand and took Spray's own. The resistance mole then hauled the other man to his feet, grunting a bit. Once he was standing, the other Natural shivered a bit.
"Okay. What's happened?" Spray asked, narrowing his eyes as he let his hand go.
"It's... Krantz..." Scotty gulped. "He... You don't know how ruthless he can be..."
Spray scowled. "Scotty, just be honest with me here. What. Happened." He had to be gentle about this, and at the same time, he was determined to get some answers. "What caused him to do that to you?"
The other man gulped as he rubbed one arm nervously. "I... I never really liked this whole war..." he whispered. "I mean... what caused our leaders to do such atrocities, such as nuking an agricultural colony for God's sake!"
Spray pursed his lips. He knew well what Scotty was referring to, and he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with one hand. "Look. Not even I know, okay? But in all honesty, I hate this war as much as you do," he admitted, surprising the older man.
Scotty blinked in shock. "You... hate this whole war too?" he asked.
The rebel looked up, nodding. "Yeah. I do." He lowered his hand and squared his shoulders. "I never agreed with everything they were doing. And well... neither did my superiors."
He proceeded to tell Scotty about who he really was, and of whom he really worked for, but only after checking for Krantz' location to see if he was close by. Seeing that he wasn't, the rebel spilled everything, which was a huge risk in of itself. But he highly doubted Scotty would tell Krantz because of how much of a coward he was. The whole time, the older man was silent, his mouth hanging open as he listened.
Spray outlined the objectives of the resistance and his reason for being aboard the battle group to begin with before detailing the atrocities the Atlantians had carried out against children in the name of Natural purity, which made Scotty sick to his stomach. And in all honesty, Spray could hardly blame the man. He had felt the exact same way all those months ago, and now, he was immune to being disgusted and was instead merely enraged. For his part, the older man was green in the face and he had no way to disguise his horror and rage and anger and fury and grief, which were all rolled into one emotion.
Hate.
Hate for the very Government he once served.
When Spray was done speaking, Scotty was actually crying. Like really crying, as in tears coming from his eyes.
"Those... Those..." Scotty's voice trailed off. He honestly had no words for the feelings surging through him, making him sick. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Why...?" he rasped. "Why do that to those kids?!"
Spray shook his head. "From what we've gathered, it's hypocrisy at its finest," he admitted. "They feel that we Naturals are true humans and all others are not. But... what they fail to realize is that in order to survive out in space, humanity will have to change, whether they like it or not. After all, we can only handle so much in space as we are currently."
"But still... the sheer barbarity of it..." Scotty fell silent as he clapped a hand to his mouth, having to swallow his own bile. He shuddered and Spray nodded.
"Yeah. It is barbaric and sickening," he muttered.
He growled a bit as he clenched his fists. "That's why we're fighting." He looked up, serious now. "And that is why I have every intention to try and help end this."
"But still... the sheer audaciousness of your movement..." Scotty was silent for a moment before Spray heard something soft and subtle.
Start PHOENIX RISING - Helios - by Audiomachine
The next thing he knew, his muscles tensed and he pushed off the floor, slamming into Scotty and knocking the older man back as a gunshot echoed in the corridor. The two men slammed into the wall and Spray pushed off, his eyes narrowing as he searched for the source of the gunshot. His eyes flicked around before they spotted movement and he snarled as he saw a hand pull back. He knew that hand: it belonged to Krantz. He dashed down the corridor, coming to the intersection and he spotted the Atlantian man slipping around another corner.
Spray frowned as he heard Krantz's voice echoing over the COMM system.
"How infuriating..." he growled. "You were not one of us after all. It seems I was right about you, given your... unpatriotic...thoughts about this crusade of ours."
"A crusade?! Try more like genociding innocents who had nothing to do with the war to begin with!" Spray snapped as he clenched his fists. He drifted down the corridor to come to the intersection Krantz had exited. He touched down in the middle and looked around for the traitor.
"Genociding? Such a crude term. We prefer the cleansing of the human genome from those who are impure and patchworked," Krantz sneered. "After all, we Naturals are the true pure humans, and we must embrace that purity, for it is what makes us strong. Those who are impure do not deserve to live."
"And what if those who are Naturals have genetic diseases?!" Spray snarled. "You want to eradicate them, too?!"
"Those who are not patchworked will live, even if they are cursed genetically," Krantz countered.
But somehow Spray doubted it. He merely narrowed his eyes. "Somehow I doubt it!" he hissed.
"What you do not understand is the necessity of this crusade. Only we Naturals deserve to be called humans. And those who are patchworked are not. They are mere imitations of us. They do not deserve the sacred title of human. They are mere things, objects to be used and discarded at a whim. They did help us progress, but alas, now we must eradicate those tools and embrace the purity of our genes!" Krantz crowed.
Spray had to suppress a gag at that. "You know what? You're no better than a lowlife Nazi thug!" he spat, making Krantz let out a surprised splutter. "You and your sicko masters are no different than them, only this time it's genetics and not blood that makes one pure! And even worse, you are espousing the same ideology that blonde hair and blue eyes are the ideal characteristics for men and women to have!"
"You dare to compare us to those unenlightened beasts from the twentieth century!?" the Atlantian screeched.
"Yes, I do!" Spray snarled, his voice low.
A subtle movement caught his eye and every muscle in his body tensed. He waited a bit longer for his opponent to make his move...
And then a blur emerged behind him, a fist drawn back.
Spray reacted with his legendary reflexes, whirling around and blocking Krantz's punch with his left forearm. He positioned himself with his left foot forward, his right foot back, right arm cocked back for a punch. Krantz's eyes went wide as he saw Spray's fist fly forward, the blow slamming into his gut and making him fly backwards. Spray crouched and sprang off the ground towards him; in zero gravity, the force of his push boosted him forward at a decent speed. Krantz regained his senses and gasped as he saw the rebel pilot incoming. He curled his body into a ball so that his back was facing Spray. Spray growled as he shifted, allowing his shoulder to smack hard into Krantz's back.
He felt the impact in his shoulder and he grimaced a bit from the pain as it lanced down his arm and side.
The Atlantian spun a few times before he spread his arms and legs, positioning himself so he pushed off the wall back towards Spray.
The rebel pilot braced.
Krantz hit him hard with a punch, but Spray twisted with the blow, bringing up one hand and delivering a nasty right cross to the man's cheek. Krantz was sent spinning and Spray's hand flew for the syringe in his pocket. But he barely had a chance to get it out before Krantz reoriented himself and glared at the resistance mole. "You...! Why?! WHY DO YOU DARE TO RESIST US!?" he roared.
"Because of one thing: your kind's insane goals," Spray replied calmly. For Krantz to hear him so calm made his eye twitch. "And unlike you, we of the United States are in full control of our emotions!"
"THE UNITED STATES IS DEFUNCT!" Krantz shouted. "IT WILL NEVER RETURN!"
"Not since when?" Spray said as he watched his opponent. An angry opponent was an opponent who was bound to make more mistakes but was also more ruthless.
Krantz's eyes widened as he caught onto Spray's plan and he chuckled. "Oh, nice try in getting me to lose my cool," he mused, smirking.
"Dammit...!" Spray muttered.
This meant that Krantz was not to be underestimated. He pushed off the floor and drifted back as he eyed Krantz critically.
The Atlantian lunged for Spray once more, pushing off the wall closest to him, a fist drawn back. Spray reacted by bringing up his left arm to block and shifted his stance, his right hand coming forward to grab onto Krantz's arm. He grunted as he twisted his body, throwing Krantz right for the wall. The Atlantian gritted his teeth as he repositioned himself and launched forward, pushing off the wall a second time. This time, Spray was ready. He pushed off the floor, dodging Krantz's attempted knife hand, and he smirked as the other man flipped, positioning himself off the wall and pushing back towards the rebel.
Spray frowned. 'Looks like his fighting style in close quarters relies on pushing off the walls and attacking an opponent relentlessly. I can only fear how good he'll be in a mobile suit...' he thought grimly as he repositioned himself against the wall closest to one of the hallways. Krantz seemed to sense Spray's intentions as he drew back his hand across his body and swung in a karate chop. Spray pushed back and started to drift down the hallway, his opponent right behind him.
He had no idea that Krantz was taking another corridor though to intercept. And while his mind may have not anticipated that, his instincts did. He suddenly tensed, barely twisting out of the way of a nasty knife strike that could have impaled his neck. Spray's eyes were wide as he saw the blade barely miss his flesh, Krantz's eyes wide in his rage and fury. While he may have been in control, he was still enraged at having been betrayed.
Spray's hand flew for his belt and Krantz sneered as he grabbed the rebel's arm, twisting it and making him cry out as he slid behind his former superior. "You dared to betray us, and all for what? Some dead weakling of a country that has no place in this world?" He chuckled sinisterly. "Too bad... not since Azrael and Djibril's lines have worked to end it all those years ago during the Reconstruction War..."
The man's brown eyes snapped open as he heard those words. "You... They... They were the ones...?" he gasped.
Krantz sneered. "Well, since you're about to die anyway, I may as well come clean." He straightened up a bit. "Yes. They did. They were the ones. They created the S2 virus. They started the Reconstruction War with China defaulting on its debts to America. Your so-called democracy floundered under the attempts to try and remedy the runaway inflation. Djibril's grandfather was the one who kept the banks under his control, and ordered them to keep inflation rampant long enough to stir up the discontent. After that, it was a matter of time to sway the people to our side."
"You know this... because..." Spray gritted his teeth as pain lanced through his shoulder and elbow. "...how?"
"My own family was a part of it, until they were bought out by Bruno and his son," Krantz admitted. "It was almost a little too easy, really. Your country couldn't hold on. Had they been wiser, and maybe a bit more saavy, then they would not have fallen so easily." He shrugged. "Or maybe not at all. Who knows? We cannot change the past, but-"
Spray cut him off. "But we can fight to change our future!" he exclaimed.
The Atlantian was surprised as Spray suddenly reared back and slammed his head into Krantz's face, missing his nose but causing him to let go of his arm. Spray whipped his body around, his own knife held in his hand in a flash. He lashed out in a slash that cut across Krantz's left forearm as he gripped his face. Krantz looked up, his eyes hard as he tensed his grip on his own knife.
The two men lunged at each other, their forearms coming up to block one another as their knife blades glinted in the light from the overhead lighting. Spray's eyes were narrowed as he pushed back, relying on his slimmer build to dodge to the right as Krantz lashed out in a punch. He retaliated with a spinning kick that barely missed Krantz's knife. Krantz pulled away and landed on the floor before pushing off, going for a slash that was aimed at Spray's side. The pilot twisted to the left with his insane reflexes, surprising the other man.
Krantz's eyes were wide as he stared at the way his opponent seemed to move so seamlessly. Almost like he wasn't even a human...!
"You're a COORDINATOR!?" he bellowed.
"No," Spray said calmly. "I'm a Natural. Just like you." He paused for a moment before whipping his left foot out and nailing Krantz's chin in a nasty roundhouse that sent him spinning. Krantz slammed into the wall, grunting with the impact. Spray touched down and looked at his dazed opponent. "I just have naturally fast reflexes."
Krantz looked up, one eye squinted shut due to the pain in the back of his head. "You... You're a traitor!" he growled. "And for that you will DIE!"
"No, Krantz. I'm not the traitor here," Spray retorted, shaking his head. "I never was."
"Then why go against the creed?!" Krantz gasped.
"The creed? Oh, you mean that whole for our blue and pure world crap your kind espouses?" Spray gave a mock grin. "Well, to be fair, it does have a certain ring to it... especially as every death of your kind is what makes the world bluer and purer in my opinion."
Krantz was caught off guard by the sudden statement. "My kind dying makes the world bluer and purer?!" he repeated in shock.
"Yep." Spray gave a nod. "Every one of your kind who dies leaves this world a little bluer, a little purer..." He began to walk forward, his eyes hard. "...a little kinder, a little more compassionate. A little freer, a little more humane. A little saner, a little more tolerant, a little more respectful, a little more loving, caring... The list goes on, Krantz. I could list all the things that become better with each death of your kind. But it would take too long. And I have a mission."
"You will never complete it! I won't let you!" Krantz snarled, pushing off the wall.
The rebel stopped walking and tensed, bracing for the hit.
That was all he needed.
Stop PHOENIX RISING - Helios - by Audiomachine
Start GO TIME - by Mark Petrie
His left hand flew out, slashing with his knife as Krantz slashed with his. The two blades clanged as sparks flew from the point of contact. He slashed again and Spray blocked with his, grunting as he braced his legs. The Atlantian whipped his knife up, trying to disarm Spray, but the rebel pilot countered with a downward swing from his knife. The blades clanged again, steel meeting steel in a song of metal and blood. He could feel the way his opponent put more force behind his blows, but he was just as adept at fighting with a knife as he was with guns and martial arts. And it was showing in his ability to go toe-to-toe with this brute of a man.
He grunted as Krantz's blade flashed past his hair. He ducked and thrust his knife forward, but Krantz anticipated his move and blocked with the hilt of his knife before flipping it and catching Spray's own blade. The rebel didn't even back down as he shifted his position, so that way his knife was being held backwards as he twisted his body around so his back was facing Krantz. While not recommended, he did take the chance to lash out in a sweep kick that sent Krantz sprawling. He retreated from the other man and waited with every muscle poised to strike.
Krantz got to his feet and rubbed his butt where he had landed and looked up, eyes narrowed dangerously at his opponent.
Spray noticed that very few people were out and about aboard the ship, which meant that someone (probably Scotty he figured) had sent a message out to keep them from coming out of whatever rooms they were in. So that meant one less thing to worry about at least.
Krantz grunted as he scrambled to his feet, lashing out in an upper diagonal slash with his knife, but Spray countered with a downward diagonal slash, catching Krantz's blade with his own. He gave a shove with his knife and after spinning it around, he held it in his hand with the blade pointed forward. He settled into a runner's stance before he pushed off the ground, his eyes hard as he thrust his knife forward. The Atlantian saw this coming and pushed back, drifting backwards the way he had come.
Spray landed and crouched before pushing off the floor, giving a grunt as he did so. The added force from his lunge was enough to give him extra speed, allowing him to catch Krantz by surprise. This time, rather than attack with his knife, he lashed out in a punch before he slashed with his knife, surprising Krantz with a gash to his chest as his fist collided with his jaw. The combined force of the slash and punch was enough to send Krantz down another hallway and Spray landed before pushing off the floor again, again with added force.
Krantz regained his bearings and shifted before finally deciding to act. He tensed his body, his eyes wide as he twisted to the right...
And threw his knife right for Spray!
The rebel's eyes widened as he saw the knife incoming and he reacted swiftly. His free hand flew for his belt as he brought his own knife up, only for both weapons to collide and go flying. But that was all Spray needed.
His hand came up holding his pistol, and Krantz's pale flesh went even whiter.
Spray hovered there, aiming his gun at Krantz's forehead. He didn't even hesitate as he pulled the trigger, the recoil from the gun sending him drifting back towards the intersection's floor. He adjusted his angle of descent so his feet would touch the floor and not his back or head. While he did feel a jolt in his legs on landing, he watched as Krantz barely rolled to the side, his eyes narrowing.
He gripped his own pistol and pulled it free, firing a shot for Spray's gut. The rebel pilot crouched and sprang off just in the nick of time as he shifted his position and angled for a corner. Once he was in position, he braced himself in the corner, keeping his eyes on Krantz as he drifted around, trying to make it hard for Spray to aim at him. But the black-haired pilot was not letting him out of his sights. He kept his gun trained on the Atlantian the whole time as he drifted around the corridor, and as he saw the blonde man aim his gun once more. Spray fired again, bracing himself for the recoil this time.
The pistol round glanced off the wall closest to Krantz, embedding into the other wall and Krantz flinched as the sparks almost struck him. "You fool! You dare to use a gun in here?" he snapped.
Spray didn't answer. He kept his eyes narrowed as he adjusted his aim. Krantz, for his part, stayed behind cover and leaned out, aiming for Spray's legs. But Spray saw that coming and pushed off, heading to ground and landing, rolling with the movement as a round streaked right past him. He glanced up, his eyes narrowed as he watched the other man push off out of cover, making his way towards an adjacent corridor. Spray growled as he recalled the layout of the ship. He knew where Krantz was headed, and he had to stop him.
He pushed off the ground and headed down a corridor close by, coming to another intersection and intercepting his prey. He leaned against the wall, peering around the corner.
Sure enough, he could see Krantz heading his way.
End GO TIME - by Mark Petrie
Start UNITED WE FIGHT - Chronos II - By InfraSound Music
"You're the one who's going to die!" Spray snarled as he sprang out of hiding, landing in front of Krantz and firing two rounds his way. The Atlantian was forced to weave to the left, coming up to another doorway and Spray moved, his hand flying out and connecting solidly with the other man's gut in a punch. The rebel pilot then spun and lashed out in a roundhouse, slamming his booted foot into Krantz and sending the man flying.
He landed on his feet, tensing as Krantz regained his bearings and glared at his former superior.
"And why am I going to be the one who dies?" he growled.
"Because of everything you monsters did!" Spray hissed. "You bastards warped America's beliefs and ideals and turned us into what we fought against in World War II!"
"Ah, yes. I must admit, it was far too easy to do," Krantz sneered as he came to a hover, glaring at the rebel. "You fools... had you actually acted more decisively and proved that you were better than them, then maybe such ideals would never have taken root... Had you been more ruthless and warrior-like..."
"If we did then the whole war would have been fought for nothing!" Spray snapped. "We had to hold true to our ideals and beliefs if we were to be better than them! Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany because of ideals! They were fighting for freedom in Poland, and while Poland may have been a subject state of Soviet Russia for forty years, in the aftermath, they were freed from it!"
"Ideals of freedom and equality? They are petty, useless, and they have no meaning in the grand scheme of things!" Krantz chuckled as he aimed his gun.
Spray and Krantz both fired at the same time, both men dodging to the left and right respectively. Krantz came around and fired one more shot before turning and using the recoil from his gun to drift in the direction of the hangar.
He growled to himself as he realized he had been duped. Spray aimed his gun behind him and fired one more shot, using the recoil to propel himself after Krantz.
. . .
'Okay. Good. I have a head start on him!' Krantz thought as he glanced back over his shoulder.
He couldn't believe everything he had heard.
His own superior, a man who was supposed to be a mere puppet to him, was in actuality a resistance officer! He was fighting against his own country, and all for what?! Some ridiculous beliefs that didn't exist?! For a country that was defunct?!
He dared to even assassinate the political adjuncts, save for Scotty whom he knew was a spineless coward! He had actually pulled it off, and all because they wanted to end this crusade?!
His eyes hardened as he felt anger brewing inside of him.
'He will pay for defying Emperor Djibril!' he thought.
In his mind, he could feel something stirring as he made his way down to the mobile suit hangar.
Now that his fleet had been compromised and even tainted by that filthy race traitor, he had to get out.
But where could he go? He knew of several other fleets around that were just as powerful as the 1776th, but none of them had the same men he had served with during his stint in the Black Fleet. None of the other commanders or political adjuncts had been a part of the fleet like the deceased had been. His eyes narrowed as he came to a halt and made his way into the pilot changing room. He had to get his suit on and quickly.
He proceeded to his locker and opened it, grabbing his suit and putting it on. It didn't take him long to don it. It was a brilliant white color with red on the arms and legs, and a black accent on the chest armor. He zipped up his suit and clasped the neck piece in position before donning his helmet. The glass faceplate was up for the moment.
Now suited up, he exited the room and headed for his machine.
. . .
Spray had a gut feeling that Krantz was going to make his way to the pilot changing room. And seeing as how he didn't have much time himself, he had to act fast. He adjusted his heading and aimed for the hangar bay itself.
He normally didn't do this, but it was just as well, too.
His pilot suit was not actually inside a locker.
It was hidden within his machine.
The rebel was the first one to reach the hangar bay as he opened the door.
Right away he spotted his machine, the Dagger S. He pushed off the floor, angling for the cockpit in the chest. 'I have to stop Krantz from escaping!' he thought. 'Otherwise, everything I've done will be for nothing!'
With that in mind, he finally reached his machine and opened the cockpit. He slid inside and closed it up before reaching behind his pilot seat and pulling out his pilot suit. He shimmied out of the hated Atlantian uniform and into the Atlantian pilot suit. While not exactly what he wanted, it would have to do for now.
At least it still had his color scheme, he noted as he finally zipped it up and clasped it shut. Unlike Krantz's pilot suit, his was primarily black with blue on the sleeves and white on the chest armor. He slipped the helmet on and lowered the faceplate before sliding into his pilot seat and buckling up. His fingers flew over the switches with ease as he brought his mobile suit online.
The screens flickered as the optical cameras whirred to life, letting him see the interior of the hangar bay.
His brown eyes darted around, trying to pick out his quarry.
Movement on the far side of the hangar caught his eye and he zoomed in on it, allowing the man to see Krantz entering, clad in his own pilot suit, helmet on his head.
"Just as I thought...!" Spray muttered. "He's making for his machine!"
. . .
Krantz sneered as he entered the hangar bay.
"Perfect! Now I can get out of here and report back to Nazara..." he muttered.
At least he had given that damned rebel the slip.
He had no idea how wrong he was.
As he drifted over to his mobile suit, he failed to see that the optics of the Strike Dagger S had come online, allowing the pilot to watch him carefully. He pushed off the ground and into the air, grabbing onto the open cockpit.
He proceeded to get on the line to the bridge. "Bridge, this is Vice-Commander Dennis Krantz! I request permission to deploy my mobile suit! I have important information to deliver to my superiors!"
The bridge didn't even respond.
"Dammit...! He must have taken control of the bridge to keep me from launching!" Krantz grumbled. "I guess I'll have to make my own exit!"
Thankfully the bay was oddly empty, but he brushed that aside as he got into the pilot seat of his own machine and buckled in. Once he was secured, he booted up his own mobile suit, bringing the Perfect Sword Strike online. Its Phase Shift Armor flickered and turned to a brilliant white with red and black accents running down its frame.
Opposite him, however, he saw the Dagger S's own Phase Shift Armor come online, turning from a dull grey to a black so dark it resembled that of space. The machine's head crest sensor array turned golden and its Aile Striker shifted to a red and black color scheme, the sabers becoming white as well as other segments of the machine's armor. The blue optics flashed as the rebel pilot broke his mobile suit free from its gantries with a few shrugs and jerks of its legs.
Krantz gulped audibly.
End UNITED WE FIGHT - Chronos II - by InfraSound Music
The traitor's voice echoed over his COMM system and he gritted his teeth.
"So that's it then. You plan to flee? Report me to your superiors?" the man asked.
"What's it to you, you race traitor!?" Krantz snapped. He gripped his controls and proceeded to draw the "Schwert Gewehr" 15.78m Anti-Ship Sword from its holder on his machine's back, aiming it not at the machine before him...
But at the hangar doors instead!
The rebel jerked his mobile suit back in shock. "You're crazy!" he blurted.
Krantz shook his head. "No. I'm not." His calm face only belied his fury. "I am seeking to bring you down! You and your kind!"
With that, he gunned the thrusters, feeling the G-forces pushing him back into his seat, a pressure settling on his chest. The rebel barely had time to move aside as the Perfect Sword Strike rocketed towards the hangar doors. His mobile suit only sustained a minor scratch to the armor as a result of his quick movements.
Krantz thrust the blade forward, jamming it into the gap and pushing it as he gunned his thrusters. He could feel the strain of pushing the doors open, but he could care less. He had to get out. He had to leave this tainted fleet behind and find one that was pure and untainted. Behind him he could hear the rebel moving into position to try and strike him down, but he adjusted his position long enough to block with the small shield on his mobile suit's left arm as he continued to work the doors open.
Already bullets were pinging off his machine's shield, and he could see that the Phase Shift Armor was starting to lower. He had to act and fast. Gripping his controls, he gave another shove and the doors to the hangar bay finally burst open, letting out the air in a large gust of wind and loose papers and equipment. Alarms began to blare as he was swept out; it was only due to quick thinking that the rebel was not pulled out too, much to Krantz's displeasure. He finally reoriented himself and gave a burst of his thrusters, intending on fleeing for the safety of the closest fleet.
. . .
Spray gritted his teeth as he felt his machine struggling against the wind as the air was sucked out of the ship's hangar bay.
Reacting swiftly, he lashed out his machine's hand to clasp around another gantry, feeling the jerking as he drove his mobile suit's feet into the ground, scraping metal against metal before it finally stopped.
He slowly lifted his head, seeing the flare of blue thruster fire that marked his adversary's machine. He gritted his teeth as he finally gripped the controls.
"No... You're not getting away from me!" he growled. He shoved the controls forward, feeling the Dagger S shuddering as the thrusters roared in his ears. He was pushed back in his seat by the sheer force of the maneuver, feeling that pressure settling in his chest. Spray's eyes narrowed as he used his incredible willpower to stay conscious. The extra power of the Aile Striker EX's thrusters was enough to cause other pilots to pass out; only a sufficiently trained and skilled pilot could use it.
He could see that he was starting to gain on Krantz's machine, but barely. He had to time this right or else he would lose him.
He brought up the GAU 8M2 52mm machine gun and aimed it before him.
The targeting reticle danced across his screen as he targeted his adversary. His eyes narrowed a bit more as he gripped the controls loosely, but firmly. He had to time this just right... He moved the reticle left, then right, then just up the tiniest bit...
And then he fired.
A shuddering raced through his machine as he saw the gun fire, sending solid projectile rounds for the engines of the Perfect Sword Strike.
The rounds slammed home, causing two of the thrusters to explode. Krantz's mobile suit jerked and swerved, allowing Spray to smirk at the sight. A loud roar came over the radio as he saw the machine turn around using its maneuvering thrusters. Krantz was now pissed, and Spray was going to take advantage of that.
But just in case...
He closed his eyes, drawing on the feeling of fury he had long ago tamed. In his mind's eye, he could see a bronze seed-like jewel falling, spinning as it did so. It struck the cool water and shattered in a blaze of light, a red ring around the explosion. He opened his eyes, revealing their changed state. His irises had grown in size slightly and his pupils had shrunk.
He had entered SEED Mode.
The rebel pilot shifted his aim and fired a few more rounds at the incoming Perfect Sword Strike.
The Atlantian moved his machine's shield in front to take the bullets. Spray didn't even grit his teeth as he smoothly put his machine's weapon away and reached for one of the Dagger S's beam sabers. He pulled it free from its left holster and brandished the glowing violet blade as he charged in.
"You will not defeat us!" Krantz roared.
"Says the bastard who helped twist America into a new Nazi Reich!" Spray spat. Krantz swung the anti-ship sword, but Spray reacted with his reflexes, twisting the Dagger S to the side, the blade barely clipping one of the broad wings of the Aile Striker EX. He shifted his grip on the beam saber and swung, the beam saber's blade striking the anti-ship sword's own beam blade. Both machines groaned as their pilots pushed their machines to the limits in this shoving match.
While the Perfect Sword Strike had the reach, Spray's machine had the thrust.
Both were matched.
And Krantz knew it, it seemed if the way he pulled back was any indication.
He kept the anti-ship sword in his machine's right hand while the "Agni" 320mm Hyper Impulse Cannon was in its left, allowing him to fire the massive blast of crimson energy right for the rebel's mobile suit. Spray was barely able to dodge the blast, but he did. He gritted his teeth as he saw that the Phase Shift had taken a hit from the sheer heat of the blast. Thankfully his machine's extra battery packs were able to mitigate that to some degree.
"That was only phase one of our grand scheme!" Krantz chuckled. "And it worked beyond belief!"
"For the moment!" Spray snapped. "There is no way it will continue to be as such! We will reclaim America from you, and the United States will rise once more! Sanity will be restored to this world, and your sick ideologies will be purged and die in the fires of the sun!"
"The sun won't help you! As long as we exist, so too will our ideologies! Until the Coordinator scourge is purged from our blue world, and until genetic purity is claimed, we will not give in! And we will stay in power as long as our ideology lives on!" Krantz exclaimed.
"Then bring it, bitch!" Spray spat.
That did it. Krantz screamed as he lunged for Spray, firing the Agni cannon a second time. Spray was able to dodge the blast, but he had also put himself into the path of the anti-ship sword. He had practically no time to avoid it, so he had to do something true to his nature.
He improvised.
The rebel grasped his beam saber and, giving a burst of his thrusters, was able to turn his machine swiftly to block the blade with his beam saber while he lashed out with a kick from his right leg. The heavy metal limb slammed into Krantz's torso, forcing the white, red, and black machine back. He flared the remaining two thrusters and came to a halt, looking up at him.
Spray seized his chance to charge in, an Armored Schneider knife sliding out of his right forearm as he held the beam saber in his left hand. He let out a determined growl as he thrust his Armored Schneider forward, hoping to catch Krantz in its path. But Krantz was not one to underestimate. He grabbed the "Midas Messer" Beam Boomerang and threw it as hard as he could for Spray's Dagger S.
The beam clipped the head of his machine as he weaved to the side, leaving a small gash on the side of the helmet.
His eyes narrowed dangerously beneath his helmet.
He didn't even say a thing as he suddenly whipped his machine around, the left leg coming up for a devastating drop kick. He dropped the limb towards the head of the Perfect Sword Strike, only for the Atlantian to respond by bringing up the shield on the left arm. His Dagger S's foot smashed into the shield, denting it and forcing the other machine down from the force of the blow.
Spray pulled back just as Krantz swung the anti-ship sword in his right hand. And it was just as well that the blade barely missed his head. The beam boomerang came flying back and he reacted by twisting the Dagger S to the side once more, the beam blade scorching the Phase Shift armor. He gritted his teeth as he reached for the M307 57mm beam rifle on his machine's back. He pulled it loose and aimed the gun. He fired, sending a volley of blue shots right for the Perfect Sword Strike.
Krantz had no way to dodge these as they were close to point blank range for him.
. . .
Krantz's eyes widened beneath his helmet as he stared at the rounds incoming.
He was being trounced... he, one of the pure Atlantian men...
All by a mere rat?!
No... This...
His eyes flashed as he gripped the controls. He bowed his head, feeling a sense of fury welling up within him.
But it wasn't like what he had been expecting.
He needed to see...
No. He needed to see! He needed to see what his next opponent's move would be!
He had to know what this man was doing before he even made it!
Something in his head pulsed, or more like something within his brain. He couldn't identify what it was, but he had a feeling he was on the cusp of an awakening.
An awakening that this man would not be able to reach.
"You... You insolent worm... You... You will never defeat me...!" he muttered, his eyes hidden by the shadow of his hair. "I won't let you...!"
He looked up, his eyes flashing as he gritted his teeth. "I WON'T LET YOU DEFEAT ME HERE!" he roared.
And that was when it happened.
As he said those words, a strange tingling erupted in his brain before it felt like something had... shattered... for lack of a better term. His mind was now clearer, and his vision was a lot more profound. Not the mere mortal vision he possessed. Oh, no. It was something far different. He could sense the incoming move before it even hit his machine.
Krantz reacted and brought up the Perfect Sword Strike's arm, catching the beam boomerang as it came back and shifted his stance to block the shots with the anti-ship sword's blade.
. . .
Spray's SEED-dilated eyes widened as he saw the move Krantz had pulled. 'The hell is with this guy!? How did he know to block it like that?!' he thought in shock.
Krantz chuckled over the radio. "Heheheheheh... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I... I can't believe it!" he cackled. "Now I know... I know what you're going to do next!"
A shiver ran down Spray's spine at those words. The emphasis on the last sentence was enough to make him growl slightly.
"I don't know exactly what you mean, but you will not beat me!" Spray snarled. "I intend to win, no matter what it takes!"
Krantz laughed maniacally as he spun the anti-ship sword and re-holstered his beam boomerang. "I'd like to see you try, you foolish insect!"
The two machines hovered there, one aiming a beam rifle, the other holding an anti-ship sword. Then the Perfect Sword Strike lunged, its remaining thrusters roaring in the cockpit. Krantz let out a bellow of rage as he swung his sword, forcing Spray to duck as he reattached his beam rifle to his back and he pulled off the machine gun. He aimed it as he boosted back, firing a few shots for Krantz. But he reacted with uncanny speed, using expert manipulation of his maneuvering thrusters to dodge them. Spray gritted his teeth as he continued to fire.
'Dammit! It's like he can predict my movements now! What the hell happened to him?! Did he acquire the SEED as well?!' he thought frantically.
Then he recalled that strange feeling of dread he felt from the machine. 'No. It's not that. It's not the SEED. It's something else... something... uncanny... What was it that Dr. Martinez theorized? I know it had something to do with humanity's next stage in evolution. I think he said it had something to do with... a new type of human being coming into existence...!' Spray's eyes widened as he realized what he had just felt.
"Krantz... is a Newtype?!" he whispered, shock appearing on his face briefly.
A sudden slam against his Dagger S made him grunt as he felt the mobile suit rattle around him. He looked up, managing to remain in SEED Mode despite the shaking he had undergone.
"So that's it!" he muttered. "You've become a Newtype!"
Krantz didn't hear him, thank God, but the very thought made Spray gun his engines to the max, pushing his machine's thrusters to the limit. The Dagger S shuddered as the Perfect Sword Strike tried to cleave through its machine gun. But Spray wasn't letting him get that far. He fired the "Igelstellung" 40mm multi-barrel CIWS guns in the head, forcing Krantz to break off, even though he had no doubt already seen that move coming.
The man huffed as Spray aimed his gun once more, this time firing for the joints of the Perfect Sword Strike. If he couldn't damage the machine itself, he would have to go for the joints. Krantz sensed this coming and moved, but the Phase Shift armor took the bullets and dropped, according to Spray's sensors. He smirked to himself. He had a vague idea as to how Krantz would sense his moves, but as to how to anticipate that, that was the hard part. So he had to do what he did best.
Improvise.
He set the machine gun to full auto and let loose a slew of bullets, firing seemingly wildly.
Krantz put the Perfect Sword Strike into a weaving dodge, firing the 120mm anti-ship Vulcan gun. Spray's rounds were easily countered by those bullets and Spray himself was forced to dodge and weave as well, disrupting his aim. But he was not about to count himself out. He gunned it, this time drawing a beam saber as well. He shifted his machine gun to his right hand as he drew the beam saber with his left. He swung the beam saber, cleaving off the Vulcan gun, but moving into range of the 350mm gun launchers. He wasn't able to dodge these missiles, but he did shift his machine so that the left wing of his Aile Striker EX Pack took the missiles head on. The wing exploded under the onslaught, lodging shrapnel in the wires and seams of his mobile suit.
He grunted as the readouts flashed. He could see his Phase Shift armor had taken a beating from that, but thanks to the extra battery packs mounted to the exterior of his mobile suit, he was able to still keep fighting.
The only question was... how long?
Spray gripped his controls and shifted his position, gunning the thrusters for a charge in towards Krantz.
His eyes narrowed as Krantz attacked with the gun launchers a second time. But this time he was ready. He slipped to the side, throwing the beam saber like a boomerang. It became a violet disk of death as it spun, cleaving through the missiles and causing them to detonate prematurely. That gave Spray a chance to zip in, an Armored Schneider knife coming out of his machine's forearm and thrusting into the mounting for the Combo Weapons Pod. He gave a jerk on the controls and the Dagger S's arm moved upward, shearing the mounting and causing the pod to drift away from the frame of the Perfect Sword Strike.
Krantz snarled over the radio. "Dammit...! How can you still match my skills?!"
"That's for me to know, and you to never find out!" Spray hissed.
'Seems like his newfound abilities aren't that strong yet,' the rebel pilot mused as he watched the Perfect Sword Strike arm its Agni cannon once more. 'And I can take advantage of that while he's weak!'
He gunned his thrusters to full and his machine became a black blur. He felt the pressure settle on his chest as he gripped the controls, and his eyes narrowed. He was still in SEED Mode, and he was not about to fall out of it until the mission was completed.
In this case, he had to take down Krantz before he could report to his superiors.
He gripped his machine gun and fired the last rounds in the clip before he ejected it and grabbed the next one from the right wing of his Aile Striker EX. He slapped it home and chambered another round. He didn't hesitate to open fire again, this time aiming for Krantz's mobile suit's left leg. The Perfect Sword Strike brought up its anti-ship sword for a follow-up strike, but Spray was aware of what would happen if he fell into the trap. The shots from his machine gun hit the joints of the enemy mobile suit, taking out a chunk of its energy reserves and causing damage to the machine's joint.
Spray smirked to himself. He knew from personal experience the number of hits needed to reduce the Phase Shift armor down to zero, which would leave the Perfect Sword Strike in a vulnerable condition. And that was why he usually relied on ranged weapons or mid to close range fighting. But seeing as how Krantz was a close-range fighter, he had to resort to long range. That was just as well, as it allowed him to play to his strengths, but he was no slouch when it came to close quarters combat either.
He was just cautious when it came to that type of fighting.
Spray aimed his gun and fired a slew of bullets for Krantz's mobile suit again.
This time though Krantz was ready.
He fired his remaining thrusters and boosted to the side, allowing the majority of Spray's rounds to miss. Only a few of his bullets struck his opponent's machine.
The Atlantian sneered at Spray's efforts, making the rebel scowl beneath his helmet. He gripped his controls and shoved the throttles forward, giving it all he had to try and take him down.
Spray's eyes hardened as he narrowed them slightly. Already he could feel his Dagger S shuddering, and his eyes flicked to the energy gauge. It was nearing the yellow range, which meant he had to finish this and soon. He shifted his focus back to his opponent and fired his machine gun a few more times. The last round exited the barrel and struck the armor of the Perfect Sword Strike.
Krantz retreated under the onslaught, and Spray grinned.
This was the end.
He slipped his machine gun to the side of his mobile suit's skirt armor and grasped the beam rifle, pulling it free and aiming it directly at Krantz's machine.
. . .
The Atlantian pilot was pissed.
Even with his newfound awareness, he was just no match for this man as he was.
His ability to anticipate his movements was still in its infancy, and he knew it.
Krantz glared at him before he aimed the Agni beam cannon for the final shot.
But the rebel was faster.
He aimed his beam rifle and pulled the trigger, sending a blistering barrage of beam shots right for him. The first one struck the mounting of the Agni cannon, causing it to explode and forcing him to purge the weapon before it blew as well.
The former SIC for the 1776th grasped his only weapon left, the anti-ship sword. He roared as he charged in, swinging the massive blade towards the rebel mobile suit. But the man slipped to the side with those reflexes, dodging the blade, but with mere feet to spare. That was all Krantz needed to dive in, firing the CIWS on his machine's head.
The rebel rolled to the side, sacrificing the right wing of his Aile Striker pack as a result. The machine's back was now exposed as it purged the rest of the damaged Striker pack. The rebel fired his beam rifle once more, this time striking the anti-ship sword's blade and damaging it as a result. The beam emitters sparked and shorted, causing the physical blade to crack and shatter into pieces as they exploded.
Krantz was now weaponless.
Growling, he turned and pushed his Aile Striker to the limit, speeding as fast as he could away from the fleet, heading out away from his former command.
They were now traitors.
And he was the only true Atlantian among them left.
. . .
MEXICO RESISTANCE HEADQUARTERS
Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico
December 1st, CE 73
The mountains were silent as the winds blew gently across the desert.
Rear Admiral Dorana Xen stood on her ship's bridge as she watched the desert scroll past below.
Her eyes were narrowed as she turned to face one of the locals who had requested to meet her. His bushy beard hid his face and he was clearly one of the local farmers if his attire was any indication. He wasn't that impressive; instead, it was his knowledge of what lay beneath the desert that had attracted her attention.
His name was Henrico Velásquez, and he had been farming in this part of the desert for generations. It was he who had spotted the source of the strange activities that had so many of his people spooked. A quick scout trip found him atop the massive base beneath the desert and he saw people coming and going, thereby realizing what it really was. While many of his fellow farmers refused to believe him, he felt it would be best to out these rebels and claim a reward that had been put out by Xen several weeks ago. This would, he felt, help his mother, father, wife, and ten children in the long term, for it would give them the means to purchase more land and expand their farm.
"This is the spot, then?" Xen asked him.
Henrico nodded. "Si. It is, Rear Admiral." He pointed with a grubby finger out in the direction of the mountain range, settling on one particular peak. "That is where their base is."
The rear admiral studied it critically before she turned to face one of her technicians. "Scan it," she ordered.
The man nodded before he typed in several commands.
The large vessel's scanning equipment went to work, and within minutes she could see the main monitor flash online. The image displayed showed the entire mountain, but within it was a vast network of tunnels, rooms, and other facilities that a resistance force would need. Of course, as the ship drew closer, she could see that more and more was starting to appear. Her eyes narrowed as she picked out a lower underground section coming into view. And it was massive. Much more than a small band of rebels had, she saw.
With so many tunnels and rooms, it was clear that her former colleague and protégé had managed to muster enough troops to build this base. But the sheer scale of it indicated to her that this had been in the works for some time, possibly even a few years or close to a decade at this point. She had no idea as to its true age, but that would change once the operation began.
She turned to look at Henrico. "You have done well," she purred, her hand discreetly reaching behind her back.
The farmer nodded as he held out one hand for the money.
Instead, all he got was a single gunshot to the forehead. His body collapsed and she lowered her pistol. "Dump that in the trash," she said callously. "We have our objective here."
Her blue eyes hardened. "It's time." A sinister grin crossed her pretty features. "Begin Operation: Jaburo!"