"Who's Rabat?" Yellow 13 asked Mobius after BC announced the presence of the conman's ship approaching the Nirvana.
"A conman who visited the ship a while back," Mobius replied, his tone neutral as he sifted through squadron reports. "He goaded Hibiki into a fight and then beat the hell out of him."
"Really?" 13 asked, curiosity piqued.
"Well, until I shot him anyway," Mobius said without looking up from the logs, his tone flat as if discussing the weather.
"You shot him?" 13 echoed, his eyebrows raising slightly.
"In the shoulder," Mobius clarified, his expression as stoic as ever. "Nothing fatal."
"And now he's back?" 13 continued, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Seems that way," Mobius replied, flipping through another page of reports. "Not my concern. Unless he endangers the ship, he's irrelevant."
13 observed Mobius for a moment, the curiosity he had felt since their first meeting bubbling to the surface. "I'm curious to know how you're always so stoic in the face of every situation," he admitted, probing for a hint of the man behind the mask.
Mobius didn't miss a beat. "And I would like to know why you always follow me around," he shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm starting to feel like you have some kind of creepy obsession with me."
13 was silent for a brief moment, realizing he might never fully understand this man. "You know, I really have no idea," he finally replied, a trace of humor in his voice. "I guess I'm just trying to learn more about the man who defeated me."
"Keep watching," Mobius said, standing up from the desk, "but you won't see anything different from what you see now." He paused, letting the words hang in the air, then added, "I was hoping to have these done earlier, but thanks to Leona's interruption, my plans were delayed."
"What plans?" 13 asked, intrigued by what might finally be behind Mobius' veil of mystery. "Planning to spend more time with Meia?"
"Maybe," Mobius deadpanned, his expression unchanged. "Anyway, I'm going to go speak to the captain if you'll excuse me."
As Mobius left, his files tucked neatly under his arm, 13 remained behind, still wrestling with his curiosity. He decided to investigate Rabat himself, his instincts telling him there was more to this con man than met the eye. If Rabat had caused the kind of trouble Mobius suggested, the brig was the obvious place to start.
Meanwhile, Mobius stepped onto the bridge, immediately noting Hibiki standing before the captain, his voice tinged with urgency. "They'll be coming for us next, I just know it! Those people… they fought with everything they had, they were completely different from those people on Anpathos."
"And because of that, they perished," BC said, her tone cold and matter-of-fact, further frustrating Hibiki.
"That may be true," Hibiki said, his fists tightening at his sides, "but I can't just let them die in vain like that. I have to do something."
Mobius, having taken in the scene silently, finally spoke, his voice cutting through the tension. "First time you've witnessed someone die in front of you?"
Hibiki turned to Mobius, and the veteran ace noted the fear in the boy's eyes—whatever he had seen, it had shaken him to his core. "They're coming for us next," Hibiki repeated, his voice faltering slightly. "We have to beat them… if we don't, we'll die too."
"Then we'll beat them," Mobius responded, his tone as calm as ever. "It's not like it's a hard choice or anything. We fight or we die, right? Then we fight, and we win. Simple."
The captain smiled at Mobius, a hint of admiration in her eyes. "You seem to be a lot calmer than usual, Mobius."
"Maybe I'm just well rested for once," Mobius quipped before turning back to Hibiki, his gaze sharpening. "Hibiki, tell me everything you can about the enemy."
As Hibiki began to speak, Mobius' mind kicked into overdrive. He listened intently, every detail Hibiki provided feeding into a rapidly forming strategy. The firepower, the size, the designation as a flagship—all of it played into Mobius' mental chessboard. He was already three steps ahead, considering the Nirvana's maneuverability, the enemy's likely formation, and the timing of their counterattack.
In the brig, Yellow 13 stopped in front of an active cell where a man dressed in tribal clothing was lounging on a cot, his demeanor as casual as if he were on vacation rather than in a holding cell.
"You're a new face," Rabat said, his eyes narrowing as he studied 13. "I don't recall seeing you last time I was here."
"I'm a recent addition," 13 replied, his tone cold and disinterested. "I heard a few things about you and wanted to see for myself." He leaned slightly closer, his gaze hardening. "So tell me why a con man would stoop so low as to start attacking an adolescent?"
Rabat's lips curled into an arrogant smile. "The kid thought he was a man, so I needed to educate him a little on what being a man really means."
"Is that so?" 13 asked, clearly unconvinced by the answer. He looked Rabat up and down, his eyes narrowing. "And how did nearly killing him teach him a lesson?"
Rabat remained silent, his smile never wavering. It was clear to 13 that he wasn't going to get any more out of the conman, so he turned on his heel and left, his thoughts already back on the looming battle.
13 entered the bridge just as Hibiki finished recounting everything he could about the enemy. "Well, I've decided Rabat is the type I don't get along with," 13 said, announcing his presence.
Mobius, eyes closed, muttered something under his breath—quick, silent calculations that only he could hear. The room fell silent as everyone waited for him to emerge from his thoughts. When he did, his expression was one of quiet satisfaction.
"Alright," Mobius said, his voice firm, "if the flagship has that kind of firepower, then clearly we're outgunned. But we have maneuverability on our side. We'll scramble all pilots and deal with the enemy grunts first. Leave the flagship alone for now. Once we've wiped out their support, we'll focus all of our firepower on the flagship at once."
"It's a pretty straightforward plan," Magno admitted, her voice tinged with reluctant approval. "I don't like it, but it looks like it's all we have to go on for now. BC, alert the entire ship to a possible battle. Have all hands on standby immediately."
BC acknowledged the captain's orders and activated her terminal, her voice echoing through the ship's PA system as she informed the crew of the impending battle.
Mobius immediately turned to 13, "Captain, I want you to go to the hangar and oversee preparations there. I'm going to go have a talk with Rabat."
"Meia's dread has left the hangar," Aramone called out.
"What's she doing?" BC wondered.
Mobius sighed, a hint of frustration slipping into his voice. "Change of plans. I'm going out there with her. Make sure she doesn't get herself killed."
Mobius left with Yellow 13 for the hangar. Once there, Mobius began climbing into the cockpit of his F-22 when 13 called out to him, his voice laced with the tension of what was to come. "Do you really think we can beat that thing? If it's really that powerful, can we win?"
Mobius answered, "I killed Stonehenge, remember?"
As the engines of the F-22 roared to life, 13 watched as Mobius launched into space. The roar of the engines echoed in the hangar, a stark reminder of the battles ahead. 13 couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu, the memory of Yellow 4's death flickering in his mind like an old wound that hasn't fully healed. The image of her damaged fighter, spiraling helplessly before exploding into debris, shot down by Mobius, was seared into his memory. The irony that he was now fighting alongside the very man who had ended her life wasn't lost on him.
"It won't happen again," 13 muttered to himself, his fists clenching as the memory of Yellow 4's death replayed in his mind. The loss had been a turning point, a moment of helplessness he swore he'd never experience again. "I won't lose any more wingmen ever again."
In space, Mobius quickly caught up with Meia's dread, performing a wide top roll to Meia's right before leveling his fighter alongside her.
"What are you doing out here?" Meia asked him, her voice carrying a mix of surprise and concern.
"I could ask you the same question," Mobius replied, his tone firm but not unkind. "You know I don't like it when people go off on their own."
"I came out to scout the area," Meia explained, though there was a trace of uncertainty in her voice.
Mobius glanced ahead of them, his eyes scanning the void for any signs of the approaching enemy. "They'll be here soon enough. We don't need to be this far from the Nirvana."
Meia sighed softly, her resolve wavering for a moment. "I know, but... I need to see this thing with my own eyes. I need to understand just what we're up against."
Mobius' gaze softened slightly as he looked at her, understanding the burden of leadership that weighed on her. "We're going to be fine," he assured her. "No matter what this thing is, we're going to win."
Meia managed a small smile, appreciating his confidence even as the enormity of the situation pressed down on her. "Well, I hope you're right. They're here."
Mobius looked ahead, and his eyes narrowed as the massive enemy flagship loomed into view. The ship was a behemoth, dwarfing anything they had encountered before. Its dark, jagged hull seemed to absorb the light around it, casting a shadow over the battlefield. Massive cannons and strange appendages jutted out from its sides, giving it an almost grotesque appearance. The flagship moved with a slow, deliberate menace, like a predator confident in its kill.
"Alright, let's get back to the ship," Mobius ordered, his tone all business as the weight of the coming battle settled over him.
Meia and Mobius turned their craft around, fleeing from the approaching enemy. "Meia here, I've spotted the enemy," Meia reported, her voice steady despite the dread creeping into her chest.
Back on the Nirvana, Dita was in the hangar, frustration evident on her grease-streaked face as she tried to figure out how to repair the Vanguard. No matter what she did, nothing seemed to work.
"Oh, this is no good," she sighed to herself, her voice tinged with despair. "No matter what I do, I just can't figure this out."
Paiway, standing nearby, held out her frog puppet. "Ribbit, what are you doing, Dita?" she asked, the puppet's voice inquisitive.
Dita looked up, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Hey! Can you help me out?"
Paiway slowly lowered her puppet, shaking her head slightly. "Repair work isn't in my job description."
Dita's shoulders slumped. "It's not in mine either," she admitted with a weak smile.
Paiway's expression softened as she looked at Dita. "Dita, I have a question for you. Why are you always doing your best when it comes to Hibiki?"
Dita paused, her eyes reflecting a deep thoughtfulness as she considered the question. "Have you ever had something that you just can't stop thinking about? Like, no matter where you are or what you're doing, it's always in the back of your mind? That's what it's like with Hibiki. Ever since the first moment we met, I just... I can't stop thinking about him."
Paiway sighed, her puppet drooping slightly. "Well, it seems like Hibiki is always trying to push you away. Doesn't that bother you?"
Dita looked up, her expression one of determination. "Maybe it should, but... I just can't give up. Not when he means so much to me."
Paiway studied Dita for a moment longer before sighing again, this time with a note of resignation. "Well, I guess I give up then, Dita. You're pretty strong."
The ship's alarm went off, finally signaling the enemy's arrival. The dread pilots were scrambled, their tension palpable as they prepared for battle.
Outside the Nirvana, the dreads set themselves in position, Jura taking the lead of the formation. "When did you get out here?" Jura asked as she noticed Meia and Mobius return to formation.
"I came out a little earlier to check out the conditions," Meia replied, her voice steady but with an undercurrent of concern.
"Do you think we can beat them?" Jura asked, her tone uncharacteristically serious. "I mean with just us?"
Meia, taking charge, quickly shifted the focus to the task at hand. "I want you to oversee operations for the A team, Jura. Barnette, I want you to command the B team."
Jura nodded, though her voice carried a distant tone. "Meia... I don't like losing on general principles."
"Neither do I," Meia replied, her own resolve hardening. "And we won't."
Yellow 13 joined the formation along with the rest of Eclipse squadron, including Leona. "Eclipse team in position and awaiting orders," 13 reported, his voice steady, though his mind was still haunted by the memory of Yellow 4.
Mobius set his fighter at the head of the formation with Meia beside him, his voice calm and authoritative as he issued orders. "As always, our priority is the Yellows. Once they're down, engage the enemy as you see fit, but stay away from the flagship... Leona, we need to work together on this."
Leona didn't respond, her silence echoing through the comms.
Mobius silently exhaled, his patience wearing thin. "Bridge, give me a head count on all present Yellows in formation."
"No Yellows detected in the formation," Ezra replied from the bridge.
"No Yellows?" Laura repeated, a hint of surprise in her voice. "So should we just focus our attention on the regular enemy?"
"Affirmative," Mobius confirmed. "Focus all fire on the enemy in front of us for now, but keep an eye out for any Yellows that might try to sneak in behind us. Other than that, you're free to engage as you wish, as long as you avoid the flagship."
Both Yukiko and Laura acknowledged their orders, while Leona finally spoke in a gloomy voice, her tone heavy with something unspoken. "Mobius..."
"Yeah?" Mobius replied, his tone softening slightly.
"I'm trusting you to live up to your words. I won't forgive you if you don't."
"Understood," Mobius responded, the weight of her words not lost on him, even as he prepared for the battle ahead.
Just then, Pyoro's voice crackled over the radio, bringing their attention back to the imminent fight.
"Attention! You have no right to exist other than as parts to be used by us."
"What is that thing going on about now?" Yellow 13 asked, his voice tight with unease as he kept his eyes on the looming enemy flagship.
"It's the enemy," Ezra cried out, her voice trembling as the eerie, metallic tone echoed through the bridge. "They must be using Pyoro as a communication channel."
"Suppose you tell us who you are and where you're from?" Captain Magno asked, her voice firm despite the tension in the air.
"We are messengers from the planet Earth," the enemy responded through Pyoro, their voice devoid of any emotion, cold and mechanical. "You are allowed to live only as provisions for the Earth's future."
"Earth, huh?" Mobius muttered, a dark glint in his eyes. "Well… that's ten points for me."
"You mean you knew?" Meia asked, her dread slipping slightly out of formation as she turned to glance at him.
"I had my suspicions," Mobius admitted, his tone eerily calm as the enemy flagship loomed larger, its massive silhouette casting a long, oppressive shadow over the battlefield.
"The planet our ancestors came from," Aramone said, a note of disbelief in her voice. "So they're the ones that have been hunting us?"
"You must follow your destiny," the possessed NAVI-bot intoned, the voice even more chilling now. "The act of denying the future that must come to pass is against the order of the Earth. If you fight this, the only other alternative is complete destruction."
"You're awfully confident," Mobius said, his voice sounding even more calm than usual, "considering how many times we've beaten you up to this point. Just because you have the bigger stick doesn't mean you'll win."
"You," the enemy spat, their tone growing colder. "The demon that caused this. You have no right to exist at all, not even as parts to be used. It is your evil that caused this to happen; by all rights… you should be dead."
Mobius smiled, the expression unsettling on his otherwise stoic face. "I'm sure I have no idea what you mean," he said, his voice a mocking purr. "But please, do go on. I'm very enthralled."
"Can we please not taunt the enemy with the giant ship right now?" 13 interjected, his voice tinged with nervous humor, trying to cut through the suffocating tension.
"And you," the enemy continued, ignoring 13. "You are just as responsible as the demon."
"Reaper," Mobius corrected, his tone dark and amused. "I am the Grim Reaper, not a demon. Get it right."
For a moment, the communication channel was silent, as if the enemy was taken aback by Mobius' calm audacity. Then, without warning, the connection was severed.
"Communications have been cut off," Ezra reported, her voice shaky. "Rabat's ship has also left the Nirvana."
"So you've decided to run away with your tail between your legs?" Magno asked, her tone dripping with disdain.
"Does a tree bear fruit if it dies?" Rabat shot back over the comms, his voice slick with self-preservation. "And I assume you'd rather not die, is that right?"
Magno smiled grimly. "Yes, unfortunately for you."
"Righty right!" Rabat said enthusiastically. "I'm sure we'll meet again."
"Too bad," Mobius said, his voice colder now. "I was looking forward to shooting him again."
The tension in the air was almost palpable as the enemy formations finally started to spread out, their movements sharp and precise, as if they were honing in on their targets with deadly intent.
"Alright, this is it," Mobius said, his voice steady as he took the lead. "Eclipse squadron, weapons hot you're free to engage."
"Roger," came the chorus of replies from his wingmen, their voices taut with focus as they followed him into the fray.
Mobius surged forward, his F-22 cutting through the void with lethal grace. He squeezed the trigger, and the first enemy cube-type exploded in a shower of debris, a testament to his deadly precision.
"It looks like they've learned to predict our movements," Meia warned, her voice tight as she watched the enemy evade her shots with uncanny agility. "All units remain on alert at all times."
"Barnette, on your six!" Mobius barked, his voice cutting through the chaos as a cube-type swooped in behind Barnette, its weapons primed. Before it could fire, Mobius took it down with a well-placed shot, then swiftly assisted 13 in eliminating a group of enemies closing in on Dita and Meia.
"13, take Yukiko and hit the left. Leona, you and Laura hit the right," Mobius commanded, his voice firm and controlled even as the enemy swarmed around them.
"Mobius, look out!" Meia cried, her heart leaping into her throat as a sea urchin-type enemy hurtled toward Mobius, spinning wildly.
With a calm that belied the danger, Mobius executed a wide barrel roll, the world spinning around him as he deftly avoided the incoming enemy. Decelerating in mid-arc, he forced two pursuing cube-types to overshoot him, then took them down with a burst of gunfire.
"Look out for what?" Mobius asked, his voice cool and unbothered, as if the near miss had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience.
"Now isn't the time to be a smart ass," Meia shot back, her voice edged with frustration as she destroyed another enemy. "We have to protect the Nirvana."
As the battle raged, Aramone's voice broke through the comms, her tone filled with concern. "Did you detect something?" BC asked, her voice cutting through the tension.
"Yes, Commander. There's a large object approaching the combat area at high speed," Aramone reported, her voice tinged with urgency.
"A large object?" BC asked, her tone sharp. "Calculate its trajectory. If it's on a collision course, we can't risk getting hit."
"Aye aye, Commander," Aramone replied, her fingers flying over the controls as she worked to assess the incoming threat.
"Oh no. The Nirvana is drifting out of orbit!" Ezra cried, her voice rising in panic.
"What was that?" Magno demanded, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the screens.
Ezra's voice trembled as she continued, "The unknown planet at our ten o'clock is creating a strong magnetic field. It's pulling the Nirvana into it."
Belvedere's voice cut in, "High density of gas particles detected. If this keeps up, there will be system abnormalities."
"Just what we need at a time like this," Magno growled, her frustration boiling over as Aramone's voice rang out again.
"Captain! The high-speed object I detected is on a direct path toward the Nirvana. We have less than a minute before impact!"
"Bart, evasive maneuvers now!" Magno ordered, her voice like a whip crack in the tense atmosphere.
"I'm trying!" Bart panicked, his hands shaking on the controls as he fought against the planet's gravitational pull. "The gravity is too strong for me to pull away from."
BC's voice was sharp and commanding as she took control of the situation. "All pilots be advised we have a high-speed object approaching the area. Projected path of travel is being shown to you—evade!"
"What kind of object?" 13 asked, his voice strained as he narrowly dodged another enemy. "Why are these guys so persistent all of a sudden? They've never been this aggressive."
"20 seconds until the object enters the area!" Aramone's voice was tight with urgency, the seconds ticking away far too quickly.
"Bart!" Magno's voice was edged with desperation. "If you can't pull away from the planet, then turn into it! We can't get hit by that thing!"
Bart's scream of exertion filled the bridge as he wrenched his body, turning the Nirvana toward the unknown planet. The tension was suffocating, every second stretching out like an eternity as Aramone counted down the moments until the object entered the area.
The object flashed by the Nirvana, thankfully missing the ship by a large margin, but now the Nirvana was trapped inside the gravitational field of the planet, with no way to escape.
"What was that?" BC asked, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and concern.
"One moment, retrieving the image of the object," Aramone said, her fingers flying across the console before an image displayed on the screen.
"Haven't we seen that before?" Magno wondered aloud, her eyes narrowing as she recognized the large, bullet-like object.
"Mobius said it was something called Stonehenge, right?" BC added, her tone slightly tense. "We saw something similar when we were on that planet, Anpathos."
"Stonehenge?" Mobius's voice crackled over the radio, sharp and alert. "That's twice they've fired that at us... Bridge team, modify the radar to set a scan range. Use the direction the attack came from and narrow your search to that angle alone." As he spoke, he made a swift turn to the right, evading an enemy before turning back to shoot it down once it passed him. "Scan as far out as you can along that path. See if you can detect anything."
"Roger, scanning," Ezra replied, her tone professional but underscored with urgency as she began altering the radar's parameters.
"There are too many of them," Jura cried out, her voice strained as the enemy started to overwhelm their defensive lines. "They're breaking through our defense line!"
The enemy broke through, swarming toward the Nirvana and relentlessly pounding its shields.
"Our shields are at 30%! We won't last much longer at this rate!" Belvedere's voice was nearly panicked, the strain evident.
"Eclipse team, break off your attack and defend the Nirvana," Mobius ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos with steely resolve.
"Mobius, look out!" Meia's voice was frantic as a massive wave of cube types swarmed around him.
The enemy swarm encircled Mobius, and to everyone's surprise, they didn't attack. Instead, they began flying around each other in tight, chaotic circles, as if performing some eerie ritual.
Mobius, unshaken, said, "Alright what new idea do you have this time?"
"What is that?" Yellow 13 muttered, his eyes narrowing as the circling cube types began merging with each other, the sight sending a shiver down his spine.
The cubes coalesced, transforming into replicas of the three Vandreads, their forms menacing and twisted.
"But how?" BC gasped, disbelief coloring her usually composed tone. "They've learned how to make copies of the Vandreads?"
"Isn't that cute?" Mobius taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "They've learned a new trick."
"Mobius," 13 began, his tone a mix of worry and irritation. "I don't think now's really the time to be—"
13 stopped short as Mobius flew forward, unleashing a barrage of missiles at the copy of Vandread Jura, destroying it in a brilliant explosion.
"I'm sorry, Captain, did you say something?" Mobius asked, his voice feigning innocence.
"No, not a thing," 13 sighed, shaking his head in exasperation.
"All flash and no substance or style," Mobius quipped before the cube types formed yet another copy of Vandread Jura.
"I think you're forgetting that we're outnumbered here," 13 reminded him, his tone edging toward concern.
"Captain, I've been outnumbered on nearly every sortie I've ever gone on, and all it taught me is that I get to be in a target rich environment," Mobius admitted with a nonchalance that would sound like reckless confidence coming from anyone else. But even he seemed to acknowledge the growing danger as Meia issued the retreat order to all pilots.
"That may be a good idea at this point," Mobius conceded. "Eclipse team, regroup and fall back. 13, you're with me. We're on rear guard duty."
"Yellow 13, roger," came the swift response, as the two aces separated, their movements precise and calculated.
They weaved through the chaos, providing cover as the dread teams retreated back to the planet and the relative safety of the Nirvana. The enemy's aggression only grew more relentless, as if spurred on by some unseen force.
"Meia, look out on your right!" Barnette's warning came just in time as the fake Vandread Meia swooped in behind the dread leader, tearing through the wing of her craft.
"Meia!" Mobius's shout was sharp, filled with a rare edge of panic just before Gascogne's delivery ship intervened, pulling Meia from the jaws of certain death.
"I'm alright," Meia panted, her breath shaky. "I'm sorry, Ms. Gasco."
"There's nothing to be sorry for," the Reg leader assured her, her voice calm and steady. "You did your best. That's all anyone could ever ask."
"Heads up," 13 warned, his tone grim. "The enemy is making another pass."
Gascogne's eyes widened as the fake Vandread Meia lined up its next attack, its intentions clear. "Well, that can't be good," she muttered, her smile faint as the enemy bore down on her.
"Gascogne, evade!" BC's voice was urgent as the fake Vandread accelerated, entering its sonic speed state. But before it could strike, it flew directly into a trio of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, fired with pinpoint accuracy, that obliterated the enemy in a flash of light.
"Thanks for the assist," Gascogne exhaled, the tension in her voice easing. "I'll have to return the favor someday."
"Just get Meia back to the ship. We'll cover you," Mobius told her, but it seemed the enemy had other plans. One by one, the hostile forces began to pull back, retreating as if content to leave the Nirvana trapped in the planet's gravitational grip.
"So they're just going to wait us out until we all die here," 13 said, his tone a mix of frustration and resignation. "What's the plan to get us out of here?"
"We let the science people handle that part. Then we go out and do what soldiers do, smash everything in sight." Mobius replied with a surprising calmness as he landed back in the Nirvana's hangar. "I'm going to take a nap before round two starts."