Graveyard of the Universe
"Farewe-ell, Mother Earth.
A shi-ip is taking o-ff!
It's the spa-ace battleshi-p!
Mon-tan-na!"
_-[STAR BLAZERS 2199: MONTANA]-_
"It departs now to a distant star, heading off to Iscandar,
At the end of the universe, what unknown dangers will it fi-ind?
"'We wi-ill return ho-ome, no ma-atter what it takes!'
We will answer with a smi-ile, to the waving people goodby—ye!"
"Going from the Milky Way, towards planet Iscandar.
To a great distance, a gleam of hope."
"The Space Battleship
Mon-ta-na—!"
—
23 March 2199 AD
Balun Floating Continental Base
Planet Balun.
A gaseous planet composed of two separate swirling hemispheres around a luminous core. At the centre is a major floating Gamilan base where many Gamilan warships arrive to resupply.
Inside, Goer is in a hologram call with his immediate superior, Herm Zoellik, the former learning that his position as Milky Way theatre commander is close to being compromised.
"Dissmissd?! Me!?", Goer cried in alarm.
"Indeed. You have disgraced Lord Dessler's plan!", Zoellik said, his face not happy in the slightest. "If you are unable to deal with the Montana problem, then my position is jeopardized as I recommend you for commander."
"Don't worry, sir. I can deal with one or two Terron ships!", Goer vowed.
"I'm sure you already know this, but "failure" is not a word in the Gamilan dictionary! Nor is my own."
"Y-yes, sir!"
"I shall await good news, Goer."
"Zar Belk!"
Goer hails stiffly as Zoellik turns around, the last thing he sees is his superior's cape before the hologram cuts out.
The Milky Way commander drops his salute and sighs in relief, wiping the nervous sweat off his brow. One of his aides nearby then spoke up.
"Commander, about that ship we lost contact several days ago…"
"Irrelevant.", Goer waved off, quite literally with his hand.
"But that ship has an Imperial Guard Information Officer onboard…"
"That doesn't matter! Only the Montana does!", Goer snaps, spittle flying from his mouth. "Find the Montana, and destroy it!"
The meeting table projects a holographic map of the Milky Way Galaxy, a dot and a line lights up in the map.
"Here is Montana's predicted trajectory. They should be within a 7-korm area—"
"I will assume command. Launch the fleet!"
—
At the docks, several Gamilan warships as part of Goer's fleet take off from the base.
Consisting of Goer's Gaiderol-class battleship, the Goergametsch, a Polmeria-class Assault Carrier, two Destoria-class Heavy Cruisers, four Keliapia-class Light Cruisers, and six Kripitera-class Destroyers, all are painted in a custom camouflage pattern of alternating between light and dark green.
—
Montana
Air Wing Recreational Room
Sitting alone amidst her chattering fellow pilots, Yamamoto gazes at the ruby-red pendant in her hands. Her vision blurs as she begins to recollect about her brother.
—
"Well, I'll be off now.", Akio Yamamoto said, a bag slung over her shoulder as he left the door.
"Wait!"
"Hmm? What is it?"
Akira then unclasped something from her neck, handing it over to her brother. "Here, it's my pendant. For something to remember me by."
Akio stares at the ruby red jewellery in his hand, then claps it and smiles at his sister. "…Heh, don't worry. I won't forget about you."
He then saluted, and Akira waved goodbye.
"Take care, Brother."
—
"This ship will be entering warp navigation. All crew, prepare for warp."
Mori's voice over the PA speakers breaks the woman out of her gaze, the lights turning off. Nearby, Shinohara and another pilot, Air Wing Deputy Sho Sawamura, began discussing their warp experience.
"At this point, we have been in so many warps, I've gotten used to it now.", Sawamura said.
"Yep. We warp, and boom! Next thing you know, we're here!", Shinohara added as the lights dim in preparation for warp.
—
Auto Nav Room
"Repeat: Ship will be entering warp navigation. All crew, prepare for warp."
Walking to the Auto Nav Room, Misaki stops before the hatch and looks up with a weird empty look in her eyes. She stares at the hatch in a trance, as if it's calling out to her.
—
Bridge
The bridge crew are now preparing for their next warp jump. Shima is in the process of typing their destination coordinates, his fingers typing on the keypad.
"Destination coordinates received. Galactic longitude 274.76, latitude -12.73. Distance is 64 parsecs.", Shima said, his hands now on the controls.
"Coordinates axis fixed and confirmed.", Ota confirmed the reading.
"Wave Motion Engine Chandler pressure rising. Engine pressures has reached a critical point.", Tokugawa radioed in from the Engine room.
Shima began the countdown.
"Go…Yon…San…Ni…Ichi."
"Warp!", Abraham said.
"Warp!", Shima repeated, pushing the throttle to the "Warp" setting.
—
The rear thrusters burn blue as the familiar purple warp tear emerges from the bow. Montana enters onward and disappears in a fine line.
—
On the bridge, however, something feels wrong. Very, very wrong.
Shima blinks his eyes in confusion, before suddenly widening in realisation as he and the bridge are illuminated in a wavy green hue.
"Wha-What is this?", the Navigator asked, eyes darting about as he looked outside.
"This isn't how it usually goes…", Kodai uttered in confusion.
"Situation report.", Abraham ordered. Ota then responded.
"The ship appears to be still in warp?", Ota said, scratching his head. "That can't be right."
"No, it seems we're currently inhabiting the 1 nanosecond of the ship's warp.", Sanada surmised.
"But, this has never happened before…", Nambu muttered.
In the middle of the bridge, the orange Astro dimensional compass is spinning around without any rhyme or reason, occasionally flickering as well.
'The Auto Nav room? Yurisha must be affecting it again.', Abraham noted in his head, seeing the compass behaving erratically. His brown pupils turn slightly right to spot Sanada witnessing the phenomenon as well. Both men then gave a subtle nod to each other and Sanada turned around in his seat to face the two Operations Officers.
"Mori, Sasha. Go to the Automatic Navigation room to check for anything off.", Sanada instructed.
"Yes, sir.", both answered in unison, then stood up and left the bridge. Sanada blinked owlishly at this synchronicity, then shrugged and grabbed a PA mic and spoke.
—
Air Wing Recreation Room
"Hey, what's going on?"
"Why is everything so…blurry?"
"This is the XO. We are currently still in warp but are encountering some complications. We are assessing this as we speak. Please remain calm."
"You heard the XO, everyone. Calm your tits down.", Kato told everyone, unaffected by the weird experience. "Besides, it's probably your uncertainties that's causing the blurry visions."
—
Auto Nav Room
"What's happening to me?", Misaki questioned, looking at her hands confusingly. Then a glowing bright light illuminates her face, the young woman looking up to see the hatch now seemingly open with a glow.
"Huh?", Misaki uttered in fear and bewilderment, until a blonde woman emerged from the hatch and reached out her hands to cup Misaki's cheeks. As if influenced by the blonde's touch, Misaki slowly closes her eyes and abruptly faints onto the floor.
—
Bridge
Suddenly, the bridge flashed white as it shook violently. The crew is not given a moment before they are thrashed about in their seats and enveloped in said light.
Moments pass by, all the crew is knocked out and the bridge remains silent. A light groan then emitted from Kodai as he stirred awake, and everyone else came to their senses soon after.
"Urgh, my head…", Kodai groaned, then looked forward out of the window and gasped.
—
Montana has now exited her warp, but instead of space, she has arrived at a green, watery haze. As if she's underwater.
—
Auto Nav room
Mori has arrived at the Auto Nav room, only to find Misaki passed out on the floor. Immediately rushing over to her side, Mori picks the young woman into her arms and tries to rouse her awake.
"Misaki? Misaki!"
Misaki groaned as she returned to consciousness, her eyes fluttering open. Upon seeing Mori's face, she immediately yelled and scuttled back in fear. "AH!"
"Misaki, are you all right?", Mori asked worriedly.
"Y-yes!", was her reply, coinciding just in time for Sasha to arrive.
"Nothing's out of place within the immediate vicinity, Mori.", Sasha said, having checked the area. She then turned to Misaki. "Are you feeling well, Misaki?"
"Yes, yes. I'm fine. I think."
The interior light then turns back on and all three women look at the Auto Nav hatch, still securely shut.
'So, you're waking up, Sister?', Sasha said in her head.
—
Bridge
"Where are we?", asked Shima, standing up to get a better glimpse at the outside. All he sees is a vast space similar to an underwater view.
"Damage control report, now.", Abraham requested.
Ota looked at his radar screen. "Nothing on radar or scanners."
Aihara flipped a few switches and turned some knobs. "We can still use our communications."
"Probably only here in this space, though.", Sanada noted, looking at the readings surrounding their ship. "Only to those that resonate with this space; we can't reach the outside."
The XO then told Abraham, "Captain, it seems we've fallen into a dimensional rift."
"Where the dimensions intersect. In other words, a dimensional fault?", Abraham mused. Then, Tokugawa calls in from the Engine room.
"This is the Engine room. An energy leak of unknown origin is detected within the Wave Motion Engines."
"Shut the Engines down.", Abraham called, many of the crew turning with wide eyes.
—
The rear main thrusters go dark as the Engines go offline. However, the secondary thrusters glow as they remain on standby.
—
"This area's space-time characteristics are inverted. Normally, the Engines produce infinite energy out of a vacuum. But in here, it leaks energy to the outside.", the captain explained. "Fortunately, the nuclear reactors that power the secondary thrusters are unaffected, so we still have some propulsion."
Everyone lets out a breath, glad they are not completely stranded. But that is short-lived as Monty emitted a warning.
"Warning. Multiple unidentified objects ahead."
Everyone on board turns to see metal debris floating before the windscreen. All are revealed to be ships, or, more accurately, the remains of many ships.
"What…am I seeing?", Kodai uttered in horror.
"It's like a ship graveyard.", Shima noted.
"It seemed like those ships were unable to escape, and wandered this alternative dimension for eternity.", Sanada adds his thoughts.
"A universal Sargasso Sea, huh?", Kodai spoke. Just then, the doors open and Mori and Sasha arrive, taking their seats.
"We found nothing unusual, Sanada.", Sasha reported, with Mori nodding in agreement.
"Understood.", acknowledged Sanada.
"Gamilas ship detected at eleven o'clock. Designation, Meltoria-class cruiser."
"What?!"
—
Out in the debris field, a Gamilan Meltoria-class cruiser comes to life, its "eyes" glowing red and its turrets training on Montana.
—
"That ship's still online…", Shima said with wide eyes.
"The Gamilan ship is on alert.", Mori reported on her radar.
"That is only one ship.", Kodai noted, then asked the captain. "Should we attack?"
"We have the firepower advantage, sir!", Nambu added.
Abraham remained silent for a brief moment, before responding. "If two lions trapped in a bog fight one another, both will sink. I'm sure they understand that."
Aihara called up. "Captain, the enemy vessel is hailing us."
"Put them through.
—
Rear Catapults, Later…
"Arwing 2, standby in catapult."
At the stern, an Arwing fighter with black fins is raised from Hanger 2 and loaded onto the electromagnetic catapult. The engines then come to life as the catapult spun around to face the bow.
—
Bridge
"Arwing 2, on launch standby.", Mori relayed. Nearby, Kodai scans the Gamilan cruiser in the distance with his binoculars.
"Enemy plane has launched.", the Tactical Officer remarked, zooming in and spotting a red plane leaving the cruiser.
"Arwing 2, clear for takeoff.", Abraham authorised.
—
"Arwing 2, clear for takeoff."
"Clear for takeoff, Arwing 2.", Yamamoto repeated to the controller, pushing the throttle to TO/GA. She is pushed back to her seat as the fighter is launched off the catapult, turning the craft to rendezvous with the enemy fighter in the midpoint.
"Arwing 2, this is Montana. Guide the Gamilas plane to Hanger 3.", Aihara came through her headset.
—
Bridge
"This whole pretence of sending an envoy has to be a trap.", Nambu spoke up, suspicious of this whole situation.
"But they claimed to know how to escape this area.", Mori countered.
"If that is true, why haven't they left?", Shima sceptically wondered.
"That's something we need to know.", Kodai said.
—
The Gamilan fighter has passed the midway point and the Arwing. Yamamoto then pulls an Immelmann turn, pulling a half loop and half roll before catching up with the red fighter.
Now side by side, Yamamoto takes a closer look at her enemy's fighter, its design reminiscent of a German ME-262. She sees the pilot looking back at her, then puts her hand at where her pendant is.
—
Akira hears a knocking at her door and rushes to open it. But instead of meeting Akio, she is met with Kato, someone whom she considers her second brother.
"Where's Brother?"
Kato only shook his head and gave back her ruby pendant.
"I'm sorry. That's…all that's left."
The realisation struck Akira like a freight train and she fell to her knees, sobbing.
—
Yamamoto clasps her hand at the memory, guiding the enemy fighter to Montana.
—
Hanger 3
The hanger doors open, and the crane arm reaches out to grab the awaiting Gamilan fighter and pull it into the hanger bay.
"Get Hangar 3 pressurised at once."
The doors close as the hanger is pressurised. The fighter's canopy opens and a security team armed with pistols rush in to surround the pilot.
"Hanger sealed, pressure rising. Oxygen levels now reaching normal levels."
Above in the Hanger Crew Rest Room, Abraham, Kodai, and Monty, all look on from the window as the pilot in a purple body suit stands up from the cockpit.
—
Bridge
Meanwhile, the remaining bridge crew all watch on from security footage on Sanada's console.
"So that's a Gamilan.", Sasha began.
"What are they like?", Aihara wondered.
"They are trying to destroy humanity.", Nambu angrily said, glaring at the visibly female figure on screen. "I'm sure they are ugly monsters."
"Everyone, look.", Shima spoke, he and everyone saw the pilot removing the oxygen tube and mask off the helmet. The visor then retracted up into the helmet and the pilot took off the headgear altogether.
Everyone gasped in shock and surprise as the pilot was revealed to be a young woman with blue skin and shoulder-length red hair, who was in no way ugly in any shape or form.
"No way…That's impossible!", Nambu exclaimed in disbelief, his image of Gamilans being ugly fat bastards shattered to bits.
"They're humans? That…That's a human!", Aihara cried.
"It certainly looks that way, but if you look closer…", Shima noted.
"That's a woman, right?", Ota pointed out the obvious.
"No, not that. Must you always think with your dick?"
"Not all the time!"
"What Shima's trying to say is that her skin is blue.", Mori helpfully corrected.
"If she were to have a difficult skin colour, she could easily pass off as a regular Earth citizen with dyed hair.", Sasha said, spotting the Gamilan being led off by security.
—
Hanger 3, Crew Rest Room
The door opens to reveal the Gamilan pilot escorted by two security members. Before her are Captain Abraham and Lieutenant Kodai, with Monty beginning the introduction.
"We greet you as a ceasefire ambassador.", Monty greeted in Garmillan.
The pilot blinked in amazement. "Your Garmillan is…surprisingly good.", she said, then her dialect changed. "But that's all right. I can speak your Basic language simply fine."
Now it's Kodai and Abraham's turn to be surprised, Kodai more visibly so as he wasn't expecting her to speak English so fluently.
"You speak…English?", Kodai asked.
"English? You mean Basic?", the female asked back, tilting her head.
Abraham then explained. "Long story short, English is the internationally recognised language of Earth. Though I suppose it's now a universally recognised language instead."
"Interesting. It seems we are more common in a sense than I thought.", the woman noted. "But more importantly, I'd like to confirm something. Is this a Terron ship?"
Kodai blinked his eyes. "Terron?"
"The one called "Montana" or something like that?", the woman clarified.
"You are on board SBB-67 Montana.", Monty confirmed. The woman nodded.
—
Meltoria-class cruiser, Bridge
Onboard the Gamilan cruiser, its captain and an Imperial Guard official look at the forward viewport seeing Montana in the distance.
"Lower Storm Leader Ditz has docked with the Montana.", the captain, Vars Lang, announced.
"If that is Montana, then this is a lucky break for a second-class Garmillas ship like yours, Captain.", the Guard Officer, Perm Nelge, said.
Lang simply doesn't respond, but the XO behind them does, muttering, "Damned Imperial Guard…"
—
Montana, Officer's Room
Transferred to the Officer's Room for interrogation, the female pilot sat down on a chair before Kodai, her interrogator. Behind him at attention is Yamamoto.
"I am Melda Dietz of the 707th Galactic Theatre Air Corps.", the woman, Melda Dietz, introduced herself. "My rank is Lower Storm Leader."
"I am the ship's Tactical Officer, Lieutenant Susumu Kodai.", Kodai greeted.
"Within my empire's territory, there are others like you, without blue skin."
"Are there?"
"Inferior races from systems we've absorbed or from occupied planets. We call them second-class Garmillans."
'Second-class? Is that what we are considered as by the Gamilans?', Kodai thought with narrowed eyes, taking offence at the second-class label. "Are you sure you are here to negotiate, or just to spit more bullshit on us?"
"And you ask that I trust someone who brings a gun to meet a negotiator?", Melda cooly responds as she spots a holstered gun on Kodai's belt. She then quipped. "Well, you Terrons enjoy war so much, that you attacked us without even a formal declaration."
"You were the one who started this war!", Yamamoto angrily countered.
"For generations, my family held important military posts. I swear by my family's honour that I speak of the truth.", Melda calmly vowed.
—
Bridge
"You liar! You were the one who attacked us first!", Shima furiously yelled, listening to the interrogation from the bridge.
Then to the shock of everyone, Kodai reaches into his holster and pulls out his retrieved Gamilan Luger and puts it on the table.
"Kodai?", Mori called out with wide eyes.
"Is he leaving himself unarmed?", Nambu exclaimed.
—
Officer's Room
"I will hear your proposal.", Kodai said, pushing the Luger away from him. Melda, however, only stared at the gun with wide eyes and then looked at Kodai.
"…Where did you get that gun?"
"I got it from a crashed Gamillan destroyer on one of the moons in our Solar System. None onboard survived."
"…"
"If it makes you feel any better, we gave the crew a worthy burial."
"…I see. Then I have nothing more to say."
—
Operation's Room, Later…
"Using the Wave Motion Gun to get us out?", Abraham notions, hearing about Melda's proposal relayed by Kodai.
"I see. It's theoretically possible.", Sanada crossed his arms.
"The Wave Motion Gun generates a powerful dimensional Wave Motion along its line of fire.", Niimi clarified, the floor lighting up to aid her explanation. "If we aim at the dimensional fault's phase boundary, we should be able to clear an exit from the Gun blast's interface."
An animation plays of Montana firing its WMG at the fault wall and blasting a hole clean through.
"But how did they know about the Wave Motion Gun?", Nambu questioned.
"They must've paid close attention when we used it at Gliese 581.", Sanada implied.
"But using the Wave Motion Gun would cost us most of our remaining energy.", Niimi concerningly pointed out.
—
"If we use the Wave Motion Gun, it would leave Montana stranded!", Kodai said, angrily slamming the table.
"Don't worry about that. We promise that our ship will tow Montana out to safety.", Melda calmly swore. "We just need a big enough weapon to create an exit and your Wave Motion Gun is enough to do the job. While you need someone to get you out once the way is cleared, which we will."
"If we don't work together, we cannot escape."
—
"I don't think we can trust them.", Shima denied, doubting that Melda's intentions were pure. "It's possible that they'll let us fire the Gun and leave us trapped behind."
Nambu agrees with Shima's notion. "These are the same people telling us we shot first, after all."
Abraham remained silent, taking in everyone's opinions. He then asked Kodai.
"Kodai, did you mention that we can still move due to our nuclear reactors being unaffected?"
"No, sir. I'm aware I may be hot-headed, but not that reckless to reveal everything."
"Good. Sometimes it is better to not gamble all the eggs in one basket."
"We better make a decision fast. Even as we speak, we are losing energy from the reserves until there's not even enough left to fire the Wave Motion Gun.", Tokugawa urged.
"Indeed, there's no time to hesitate.", agreed Sanada.
"Then what can we do? Is there anything we can do?", questioned Nambu.
"There is.", Abraham spoke up, coming to a decision.
"We give them the benefit of the doubt and have faith in them."
—
Officer's Room
Meanwhile, Yamamoto kept a close eye on their Gamilan envoy. Both exchange silent glares until it's broken by Kodai entering the room.
"We reached our decision. We'll agree to your plan.", Kodai stated.
Melda relaxed, putting on a glad smile. "I'm glad. I thank you."
—
Bridge
All the bridge crew returned to their post. Aihara then opened a voice channel to the Gamilan cruiser.
"This is Vars Lang, Captain of the EX-178."
"This is Captain Abraham Okita of Montana. Captain Lang, we thank you for your proposal."
"Just like you, we have been stuck here unable to escape. We thank you as well for agreeing to our plan. Lower Storm Leader Dietz will remain on your ship to serve as a point of contact. You may take it as a gesture of our goodwill."
"So, a convenient hostage, eh?", Nambu quipped with a smile.
"But once we return to normal space, we will be enemies once more."
"Understood.", Abraham acknowledged.
"I look forward to exchanging fire with you. *static*"
"End of transmission.", Aihara informed.
"Once we use the Wave Motion Gun, we won't have enough power for our Shock Cannons.", Kodai pointed out.
"I'm aware. But this, is a promise between men.", says Abraham.
—
EX-178
"So, Admiral Dietz's daughter stays with them, hmm? These Terrons must really trust us now.", Nelge noted, then cracked a wicked opportunistic grin.
—
Montana, Officer's Room
Meanwhile, Yamamoto is, once again, watching over Melda, this time sitting down opposite her. Melda then spotted the ruby pendent, her face reflecting if she looked hard enough.
"That's a beautiful stone.", Melda complimented. "While not as splendid as a noble blue, red is still a lovely colour."
"Red is the court of my home. And it's my colour.", Yamamoto coldly responded.
"It seems quite important to you."
"…It's a memento of my loved ones left behind."
"…"
"Before you killed them all."
—
Montana's secondary thrusters come online, propelling the ship slightly forward. Up ahead, EX-178 performs a stationary 180 and forms forward off Montana's bow, its auxiliary thrusters lighting up purple. Then two yellow energy cables fire off from EX-178's sides and head towards Montana.
—
Bridge
"Incoming towing beam.", Mori reports. The bridge then shuddered as the aforementioned beams made contact with Montana.
—
With Montana successfully and securely connected, EX-178 begins to pull Montana forward and then descends to a lower altitude below Montana's firing axis.
—
"Switch to emergency power.", Abraham announced, the bridge lighting up red as energy from the WMEs is disconnected.
—
"It's begun.", Melda said, seeing EX-178 descending on a screen on the wall.
—
"Prepare to fire the Wave Motion Gun!"
"Releasing safety lock. Activating force injector.", Kodai said, lifting a red cover and flipping the two switches inside. "Final safety released."
"Tachyon particle pressure rising in chamber.", Nambu reports, the gauges beginning to max out. The gun trigger rises from Kodai's console.
"Gamilan ship is clear of the line of fire.", Ota spoke.
"Engage anti-shock and glare shields.", Abraham ordered, he and everyone donning their protective goggles and the forward windshields tinting themselves.
—
The WMG's shutters open and blue energy builds up in the barrel as it charges up to fire.
—
"Target scope open!"
The digital plexiglass reticle rises from Kodai's joystick and he aims. "Reticle display brightness twenty. Target: Dimensional Rift Fault."
"Five seconds to fire.", Nambu counted down. "Yon…
San…
Ni…
Ichi!"
"HASSHA!", Abraham yelled.
"UTE!", Kodai pulled the trigger.
—
A great ball of energy is unleashed from the WMG's barrel, collapsing forth and expelling a tremendous blue beam. The beam passes over EX-178 and hits the fault wall, punching through and creating a dark red fracture in space.
—
"Exit has been created.", Ota informed.
'But now, Montana is rendered powerless to attack.', thought Shima, taking off his goggles. His hands then move onto the throttle levers. 'Still, if they try anything funny, they'll pay.'
—
EX-178, Bridge
"Confirmed fissure in the dimensional boundary. It's an exit."
"This ship will commence towing Montana from the area.", Lang announced, much to the shock of Nelge.
—
Montana
"Gamilan ship has begun to tow us.", Ota declared, the bridge shaking as Montana started to move.
—
EX-178
Nelge begins to question Lang's actions. "Captain, you don't plan to…"
"You are technically an outsider here, Storm Leader.", Lang succinctly replied, ticking off Nelge as his face contorted in irritation.
"Hail, Dessler!", Nelge gave a quick salute and stiffly exited the bridge. Lang, having a weird feeling something would happen, turned and followed Nelge.
Making his way to the cable controller room, Nelge made his presence known, much to the confusion of the operator inside.
"Is there anything wrong?", the operator asked, then gasped in shock as Nelge drew his pistol on him.
—
Suddenly, the tow cables disconnect from Montana and retract into EX-178's hull.
—
Montana
"The tow beam has been cut!", Mori announced in surprise. Everyone gasps at that revelation.
"The Gamilan ship has sent an encrypted transmission into the opening! We can't read it!", Aihara noted.
"Then they do plan to escape and leave us here!", Nambu concluded.
"That's what we get for believing them…", Shima muttered, then gritted his teeth and pushed forward the throttle. "Tch! You won't get away with this!"
—
Despite being disconnected, Montana remains in close pursuit as its secondary thruster burns, keeping up with EX-178.
—
Officer's Room
Inside, Medla stands up in surprise and anger at seeing EX-178 being disconnected.
"Impossible!", she yelled, then heard a click and turned to see Yamamoto aiming her sidearm at her seething in rage.
"I knew it, you fucker…This was your plan all along, wasn't it!?"
—
EX-178
"What is the meaning of this?", Lang demanded, having followed Nelge into the cable control room to see Nelge himself aiming his gun at the operator.
"Captain, he-he told me to do it!", the operator fearfully explained.
"You are the one who alerted Commander Goer that we found Montana?", Lang rethorically asked. "I shall report this treason upon our return."
"This is no treason. You are the traitor here, Captain. They are our enemy!", Nelge responded, pointing the gun at the captain instead.
—
Montana
"You are our enemy!", Yamamoto gritted out, her hands shaking as she released the gun's safety.
"If you think I'm an enemy, shoot me. Do not hesitate.", Melda told her.
—
*PEEWW!*
—
Blood pools on the floor, leaking from a gaping hole on the ex-alive Perm Nelge. Lang turns to his left to see the smoking barrel of a gun and his shaking XO being the one who fired said gun.
Lang put a comforting hand on the XO's shaky shoulder and then told the cable operator.
"Operator, resume connection with Montana."
"Y-yes, sir!"
—
Montana
Much to the surprise of many onboard, EX-178 reconnected its cables with Montana and resumed towing the battleship out.
"The towing beam has been reconnected.", Sasha reported.
"What's going on?", Shima asked, hand still on the throttle.
"Stay on alert. For now, just focus on getting us out.", Abraham told Shima.
Then, an alert rang from Monty's console and a security feed to the Officer's Room showed two figures duking it out.
"Captain, Yamamoto and Melda are attacking each other in the Officer's Room.", Month declared. "Shall I send security?"
"Not this time.", Abraham declined, then donned an earpiece, stood up from his seat and left the bridge. "I'll settle this myself. Keep me informed."
—
Officer's Room
Back at the Officer's Room, an all-out brawl is happening.
The sudden jolt of the ship is enough for Melda to knock the gun off Yamamoto and wrestle her to the ground. Melda attempts to pummel the human pilot's face but her punches are blocked by Yamamoto's arms. A kick to the stomach is enough for Yamamoto to create a distance between the two women, grabbing Melda's arms and rolling them over with the white-haired woman on top.
In response, Melda twisted her hips and kicked down against Yamamoto with enough strength to launch her to the wall. Yamamoto groaned in pain as her back made contact but bounced back with renewed vigour, using the wall to propel herself landing on top of Melda who was crawling to reach the dropped gun.
Both women try to wrestle each other once more to reach the gun first, but their eyes widen when the gun is unexpectedly kicked away from them with Yamamoto feeling herself grabbed by the collar and yanked to her feet.
—
Bridge
"Three minutes until we re-enter normal space.", Shima declared, seeing red lightning crackling from dark clouds in the rift.
The bridge shudders as they continue forward. Sanada then noticed something on his console.
"The exit is becoming unstable.", he noted.
Moments pass, the crew hanging tight in their seats as they continue to be towed by EX-178.
"Maintaining relative distance to Gamilan ship.", Ota reports.
"One minute left.", Shima announced, the time to exit counting down.
—
EX-178
"Detecting phase fluctuations."
"Accelerate to 12 gat.", Lang ordered.
"Accelerating to 12 gat."
—
Officer's Room
Melda and Yamamoto sit down on a chair beside each other, each sporting ashamed expressions and a mark on their cheeks. Standing before them is Abraham, arms crossed in a prime example of a disappointed parent.
"I don't tolerate petty infighting on my ship. Geez, I leave for like ten minutes and shit hits the fan.", the captain gave out. Both women then began to raise their hands and point fingers.
"And don't say "But she started it!"."
They both shut up.
"Both of you two are grown adults, right? So settle your disputes like one, dammit."
"…You don't have to hit us, though.", Yamamoto muttered. Abraham sighed and softened his features.
"I know. Mom always told me to treat women with equal respect, but I know when to dish out true gender equality when the moment calls."
"True…gender equality?", Melda wondered, not familiar with the term.
"Let me ask you this. When a man or woman strikes you in the face, what would you do?"
"Uhh…For men, you generally strike back and for women, you try to de-escalate the situation."
"Mhmm, for a black-and-white backward world, that's how you do. But the world isn't backwards nor black and white, and so the concept of true gender equality is that both men and women will treat each other equally with absolutely no exceptions. Men should not hesitate to dropkick a woman if the situation calls for it and vice versa."
Melda blinked at such a barbaric description while Yamamoto giggled in agreement. Then the earpiece on Abraham's head beeped.
beep* "Abraham speaking."
"Captain, we managed to escape the rift."
"Okay, I'm on my way."
Hanging up the call, Abraham turned to face the two women.
"Within my ship, everything is neutral grounds until someone gives me a reason to retract that. If you want to fight, please do so outside the ship."
With that, Abraham exited the room, the lights coincidentally turning on.
"…Your captain is scary when he's angry.", Melda began.
"…Yeah.", Yamamoto nodded.
"Still, he's right. You're a pilot, correct?"
"I am."
"Then let's instead let our flying skills do the talking."
"I agree."
—
Now having escaped the rift, the tow cables disconnect from Montana and retract into EX-178. The rift hole then slowly closes up.
—
Bridge
"Tow beam released.", Shima said, pulling their ship up beside EX-178.
"Ship has returned to normal space.", Mori informed, the lighting in the bridge turning back on.
"We did it.", joyfully spoke Nambu.
"We made it out in one piece, right?", Aihara asked.
"Yeah, we're saved!", Kodai replied, just in time for Abraham to return to the bridge.
"Is everything all right?", Abraham asked, taking his seat.
"Yes, captain. We made it out.", Ota answered with a smile.
"Good, but keep your guard up. They've sent a message out for possible reinforcements."
—
EX-178
Aboard EX-178, warnings ring out as Lang sees Montana pulling up close to their ship's port side.
"All hands to battle stations.", Lang ordered, arms crossed. "Order Lower Storm Leader Dietz to return."
Seeing their guns pointing at Montana, he notes to himself with a grin. "Montana, huh? A splendid enemy."
His thoughts are interrupted, however, by an announcement from the Radar Officer.
"Friendlies are Geschtaming in."
—
Far in the distance before EX-178 and Montana, several of Goer's warships come warping in with the Goergametsch warping last, assuming the center of the formation.
—
Montana, Bridge
"Enemy ships warping in off our port bow.", Sasha detected in her radar.
"So it was a trap!", Shima exclaimed, his anger flaring up.
—
EX-178
On the bridge, a screen lights up to reveal Goer on call.
"EX-178, you are too close to our line of fire. Move out of the way!"
"Commander Goer, Admiral Dietz's daughter is aboard that ship!", one of the bridge crew spoke in alarm.
"Huh?"
"Commander…If we fire…", Hyder Monk, Goer's aide, warned. But after a moment of hesitation, Goer then grinned.
"I don't care. Open fire."
The call is cut and several of the bridge crew cried out in horror at seeing red beams coming their way.
"We're under friendly fire!"
"Evade! Evade now!"
Lang, however, only stood in silence and closed his eyes, having accepted his fate.
*BOOM!*
"The Montana has shielded us!"
'What?', Lang thought in surprise and opened his eyes, then audibly gasping when he saw Montana pulling up ahead and tanking hit after hit from Goer's fleet, a blue shield rippling from every impact.
"Captain, Montana is hailing us!", the Comms officer spoke.
"Put them through.", Lang authorized, seeing the shaking video feed of Abraham.
"Captain, what are you doing?!", Lang half asked, half demanded.
"Believe me, it took a lot of convincing but I won't stand behind to watch a good man being thrown into the wolves' den."
"But…But we're enemies! You shouldn't be risking your life to-"
"I'm aware, but I'll say it again. I can't stand the thought of a commanding officer treating and throwing away his men as if they are disposable trash like what I'm seeing here."
'That's Goer and Zoellik's character to a tee.', Lang thought with a grimace. But his attention was caught by Abraham's next words.
"Captain Lang, I recommend that you warp away and stay low for the time being. If my hunch is right, us shielding you is likely a sign to them that you have allied with us and betrayed your Empire. The label will likely extend to Melda as well, and it's too dangerous for her to return right now; we'll look after her until the fire calms down."
"…...all right, we send you the coordinates to our warp locations. But promise me that you'll treat her right."
"Don't worry. As I said to her earlier, my ship is neutral grounds until someone pisses me off. Now, quickly get out of here!"
The feed cuts and Lang immediately begins following Abraham's advice.
"Send the coordinates to Montana! Geschtam jump us out of here!"
"Aye, sir!"
—
While Montana is under fire, the shielded EX-178 begins to manoeuvre itself for a warp out. Then the thrusters burn purple, accelerating into a red wormhole and warping away.
—
Montana
"Coordinates received! EX-178 has warped away!", Ota confirmed the Gamilan cruiser's exit.
Shima, reeling from the shock of seeing the Gamilans firing on their own ship, then turned to face Abraham, his face that of a mix of anger and confusion.
"Captain, why did you save them!?"
"They have saved us when we are in peril, Shima. It's only right for us to return the favour.", Abraham resolutely replied, the bridge flashing red from each hit.
"Yeah, but-"
"Shima, if you have been thrown into the streets, dirt poor and a good Samaritan offered you a roof, would you be grateful and return the favour?"
"Yeah, of course I would!"
"But a few months have passed and you found a job and home for yourself. One day you see that same Samaritan beaten up and robbed by a mugger, would you offer him a roof like he did for you?"
"…I would, sir."
"And your answer, Shima, is that of a true, good-hearted man. And no good man should ever have to see a fellow good man being treated like trash."
—
Goergametsch
"Confirmed impact on Montana. EX-178 has successfully warped away."
"So, it would seem that EX-178 has committed treason and allied with the Montana.", Goer stated, cracking his neck. "That's what happened, correct?"
"Y-yes.", Monk reluctantly agreed.
"All right. EX-178 will face due punishment at a later date but for now. All ships, concentrate forward fire at Montana!"
—
At Goer's command, all the ship intensify their forward fire, some even launching missiles at the Earth battleship.
However, even that is no match for Montana's duel Wave Motion Shields, the hail of red positron blasts bouncing off with a blue ripple or tanking the beams and missile combo directly.
From behind Montana, the red dimensional rift begins to destabilise from the incoming Gamilan fire.
—
Montana
"Multiple impacts on the port side.", Ota said, the bridge shuddering as the ships under fire.
"Wave Motions Shields holding up at 99% strength. Superficial damage minimal.", Sanada added.
"Captain, we should counterattack.", Kodai suggested but was surprised by Abraham's response.
"Turn the ship around. Full thrust, twenty degrees starboard."
"We are running?", Nambu asked, wide-eyed.
"Yes."
—
Montana's RCS trusters manoeuvre the ship to starboard and then accelerate away from the rapidly destabilising rift.
—
Goergametsch
"Don't let them escape! Pursue and destroy them!", Goer animatedly ordered to his fleet.
—
Goer's ships quickly take pursuit of Montana, the Earth battleship hurriedly retreating away from the firefight. But the dimensional rift suddenly opens up again, finally destabilised by the incoming Gamilan fire and creating a massive vacuum that grabs hold of all the nearby Gamilan ships in its vicinity.
—
Montana
"The rift has collapsed. Enemy ships are being drawn in.", Sasha said, the radar screens displaying the Gamilan contacts absorbed by the rift represented as a chaotic red blob.
—
Goergametsch
"A huge dimensional quake! A dimensional fault is forming at the epicentre."
"R-Retreat! Jump us out of here right now!", Goer yelled amidst the rumbling of the bridge as his ship was being dragged into the rift.
"But the flagship cannot retreat before issuing the order to other ships.", Monk reminded, but Goer disregarded that notion, favouring his self-survival.
"Do you all want to die?!"
—
The last Destoria cruiser and the Polmeria carrier sucked into the void, Goergamestch turns away from the rift fault and begins to warp away. The thrusters lit up purple and a red wormhole appeared, the ship entering it just in time for the rift to close up and leave behind inky black space.
—
Montana, Bridge
"Enemy fleet has been annihilated.", Mori reports.
"The exit from the rift tried to collapse into its original position, but the incoming Gamilan fire caused a reaction that temporarily expanded the rift, thus sucking their ships in.", Sanada hypothesised.
Their ship continues forth in silence, passing over dislodged remains of the Gamilan ships the rift failed to suck in. After passing through the debris field, Abraham then broke the news.
"Aihara. Send the news to Melda."
—
Officer's Room
The phone on the wall rings, and Yamamoto answers it.
"Yamamoto here…what?…I see…Understood, I'll pass it to her."
She hangs up and faces Melda with a solemn expression.
"They said that your prior destination is compromised. And that…"
"What is it?", Melda urged.
"…you're likely to be labelled as a traitor by your Empire."
Melda gasped in shock, then collapsed onto a seat and grabbed her head in distress. "No…nononono…"
Yamamoto sat down beside her and offered a shoulder for Melda to lean on. "I'm sorry."
Only the sound of Melda sniffing and her tears hitting the floor can be heard.