Titan Aieeeeee! [4/We Were Spammy, Okay?!]
WHO: Amuro Ray, Benjamin Sisko, Gai Daigouji, Nono, Nita Callahan, Rei Ayanami, Sanger Zonvolt, Shinji Ikari
WHERE: THE FUTURE, Sci-Fi Sector
WHEN: Friday evening, January 12th 2007
WHAT: More HOT TITAN ACTION.
EDITS: Spelling, added an "Amuro" into a pose where he forgot to put his name.
Something on the Defiant explodes; a spot on the top of its hull erupts in a plume of armour and shards. The tractor beam has been broken, and the entire generator seems to have crashed in the most explosive way possible.
The ship rattles.
["Tractor beam projector destroyed!"] O'Brien reports frantically over the radio.
Ben just keeps looking forward. "Major... collision course."
He stands. "Computer. Activate the self-destruct sequence, authorization Sisko Ome-"
And then there is Nono.
The bridge crew just stares.
"That little girl is going to make me have a nervous breakdown one of these days," Ben declares, his tone almost a sigh. He flops back into his chair.
Worf is staring in awe. "/One girl?!/"
"That's no ordinary girl, Mr. Worf. Regardless, sounds like she needs some support. Fire all phasers!"
It takes the Defiant a moment to get moving as it drops a little lower into Titan's thick atmosphere, leaving the Mescalero in the highest fringes of the cloudbank - but as it dips it begins to spit phaser fire, sending it blasting down towards the space monster in stuttering volleys. They are covering SUPER NONO.
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari asides to Amuro, "That guy kind of sounds..."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Alright, then. All units, let's give Nono some support."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "...squeaky."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "...Actually, he reminded me of someone."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Nono, we're right behind you! Literally in some cases. You should do that flying thing more often!"
[Fac-IPA] Shunsui Kyoraku's stomach grumbles across the radio.
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Akito...we are going to do THAT maneuver."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Akito gasps! "You don't mean..."
Neither Nita or Dairine contribute much.
In fact, they could probably use that pickup sooner or later. Nita is paging through her manual to see if there is anything left she can do other than protect the two of them, focusing especially on the Major Surgery section; Dairine has Spot open and is giving verbal commands to get a visual of the fight, which Spot is obediently displaying on his screen.
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "/YES./"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Ruri sighs. "Idiots."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine says, "Smile, Nono, you're on Wizard Camera."
[Fac-IPA] ??? Nono isn't smiling. She looks downright pissed, actually.
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Callahan..."
[Fac-IPA] Shunsui Kyoraku's stomach grumbles again, "Quiet you. It'll be here soon enough."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "I think you need to get out of here."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Shinji, can you handle it from this end? I can get them. My machine's cockpit is larger."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan and her sister both start to talk at once, both shut up, and then Nita says, "Yeah, probably."
Now, generally Amuro's viewpoint of things is grim. Optimistic at times, but still grim. War is terrible, and it's bad enough when you're killing humans. It might be better or worse to fight monsters, ghosts, big masked ghosts, kaiju, Zondar, or psychic space horrors. For a teenager, he has kind of a cynical outlook.
But he also reads comics, and watches bad sci-fi movies, and builds models and happy talking robots. This side will probably never really go away, not even years later when he fights to stop an old rival from plunging the Earth into eternal winter. He still has a sense of wonder, beneath it all.
Seeing Nono there, alit with a glow and burning with power and passion, and speaking about her /friends,/ triggers that side. And that's why he smiles. For the first time all night, he really, genuinely smiles.
And salutes.
And raises the Hyper Bazooka over his shoulder, flying up and around to fire off a circle of bazooka-fire at the mouth of that comically-puzzled thing. And hell, he even calls out an attack name.
"PEGASUS BARRAGE!"
Why Pegasus? Why not.
EVA-00 seems to stare blankly at Nono's arrival. This is because, of course, it has no mouth or other facial features; just a single eye and a faintly toothlike chin projection.
Rei is also staring at Nono, in surprise - but EVA-00 doesn't have any more real tricks beyond a jump-extending set of thrusters in the back of the arm blades.
Her lip does quirk, faintly, but that is the most that what hot blood in her body can muster, right now.
But, she does say, with faint wonder, "Nono?"
The Type 0 lands from its assault. The Colossal Blade has been riddled with sparks and drug along, its edge now blunted here and there. Despite this, Sanger seems ready to persist. He turns to look back at the machine. His eyes narrow, though, as he sees the beam prepare to fire - and realizes that this may be the end. He raises his sword, ready to make a final charge.
Then, Nono comes. He stares, as she stops the massive blast of energy easily, and then smiles despite himself. "You found your Buster Machine," he murmurs quietly. "It was within you all along..."
The Type 0 flares its thrusters a moment later. His machine could continue the assault with the sword, but there is another thing that must be seen to. The Callahans are here - and this moon is rapidly becoming more and more unlivable. The battered frame of the Grungust lifts off, chunks of it crumbling and falling after it.
The massive machine lands, a moment later, near the command center. A hand extends downward, slowly, outside one of the doorways leading into it. "Can you make a shield?" he broadcasts directly to Nita and Dairine. "The heat out here is immense. If I open my cockpit without some protection, it would probably cook me alive in half a second."
It wasn't enough, Shinji thinks. Figures. I should've yelled the dumb attack name thing. Or, y'know, gotten out of the way and let the SPACESHIP handle it. Oh man oh man I'm gonna die-
Shinji Ikari is surprised to find he has regrets...not just things he's screwed up, but things he didn't do. He's even more surprised that he has a /lot/ of regrets. He never told Misato he loved her too. He didn't clarify what Asuka meant by that 'honey' thing. He never apologized to Toji's sister. He never noogied Toji for no reason. He never told Ayanami how much she meant to him. He didn't want to die. This sort of hits Shinji all at once-his father told him in no uncertain terms that he hates Shinji, but the boy still had a reason...reasons...to regret dieing in a fiery blaze outside of disliking the pain of it all. Some part of him wanted to live to lead the desperate charge that might keep Future Amuro from sacrificing his life to save the Earth he could never really feel at home on.
Shinji closes his eyes, and hopes Ayanami decides to move in with Misato. They'd all be good for each other. Better that he's out of the way, anyway. Yeah. Way to kid yourself Ikari. "I..." Shinji...does not feel the terrible heat and light and pain. Not at all. The Third Child blinks, hedgehogishly, and looks out of his view screen.
"I...." Shinji pauses. "I like what you did with your hair, Nono." He will deal with the rest of this crap later, it is monster stabbing time. He hears that Gai and this strange-voiced Akito fellow have some sort of clever scheme, and figures the best thing he can do is help, bringing Unit-01 down on its right hand like some kind of BREAKDANCE FIGHTER, swinging its heavy legs around in a full circle before bringing them at the monstrous dingus's own legs, hoping to trip it up...or at least draw some of the aggro so Gai and funny-talking frycook and Nono can finish the job. He does not yell out an attack name, though Shinji does go, "Pegasus Barrage?" with an Ayanamiesque quirk of his lips.
"...Um, well," Amuro stammers over the radio. "It's what came to mind? See, the White Base is a Pegasus-class cruiser, and some of the Zeons call it Trojan Horse, and so it was a little like 'White Base' represent and I'll shut up and fight the monster now."
"You got it," Dairine says, distracted - as anyone currently attempting to watch the climactic showdown between a mysterious super robot from space and a giant alien monster on their laptop might be.
This means it is actually up to Nita to set the shield up. Some things never change.
Annnnd, well, Gai was afraid that would happen. Still, hopefully the three of 'em bought some time for the Buster Machine Kids. Yeah. Gai's only regret is not getting to watch Gekiganger III's Finale again. That would have been COOL. Ah well! He'll try and get out of the way, but, eh, ah we-...Huh. Well.
Gai's Aestivalis hauls to a halt, hovering a bit behind Nono, Gai blinking as his sensors lock onto her for a visual. "...Wow. Her hair is way more awesome than mine. Hell, that is the most awesome hair I've seen! Even in Gekiganger!"
Yes, Gai has grasped the most awesome aspect of this situation. He is truly Gai Daigouji, Prophet of The Gekiganger. Still, then he notices the whole...welll...energy blast getting eaten. And just shakes his head.
"This..."
Gai is struggling to find words.
"This...."
"This is so /COOL/!"
Ah, there they are.
AND THEN SUPER NONO DEMANDS THE SUPPORT OF HER FRIENDS TO DEFEND THE BLUE PLANET EARTH! And Gai is INSPIRED!
He opens a channel to Akito, grinning, and then his Aestivalis rockets up and back, AKito's joining him after a moment. Gai just laughs as he points at the stunned space monster.
"ALRIGHT! THIS IS IT! C'mon, Tenkawa! We can't let them steal the show! LET'S GEKIGA IN!"
Akito, his reluctance battered down by Gai's Awesome Hot-Blooded Exuberance, nods decisively (And because he realizes that he won't get out of it so he might as well go along with it) as Gai and Akito sheathe weapons, then jet straight upwards.
They're barely visible up there, y'know. And they seem to be doing SOMETHING, because there's a pair of hefty distorion fields up there. Looks like someone is draining their energy reserves (NOt that it matters with the Nadesico close by. Speaking of which...)
"Ruri! Begin charging the Gravity Cannon!" "Aye, captain. Should I fire before or after Mister Yamada does something stupid?" "Ummmm...After, I guess!"
Yes, Gai has a PLAN.
TREMBLE, PUNY SPACE MONSTER! FOR, YOU SEE, A PAIR OF STREAKS, one blue and the other red, come barreling down towards the monster. Still, that's before they merge, forming a bright golden streak, which starts plummeting for the space monster. There's a MIGHTY HOT-BLOODED YELL of "DOUBLE GEKIGAN SPARK!" from Gai and Akito, before it slams into the small of the space monster's back with a mighty crash and a heckuva lotta pressure as Gai and Akito /PUNCH THE SPACE MONSTER WITH HOT-BLOODED GEKIGANGER GUTS! The Golden Light then seperates, Gai and Akito jetting upwards and behind Nono to charge up for another run, if needed, Gai laughing the whole time. His mech points at the evil monster, and then TAUNTS it. "YEAH! TAKE THAT, YOU SMELLY PALEOLITHIC GUARDIAN BEAST! And it's good to see you getting into the spirit of things, Amuro! Hahahhahah!"
And Ruri is still chargin' her gravity lazer. ho-ho-ho.
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "-Ayanami, should I, um, be worried that I had the same thought as Mister Daigouji?"
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "Perhaps."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji is just laughing!
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Mwhahahahahhahahha! I didn't even know if that would work!"
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari has no choice, "Maybe Amuro's pony power can help me."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "I know where you live, Ikari. I have Haros."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "Amuro's /what/?"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Akito makes strangled choking noises. Ruri just sighs. "Yep. He's an idiot."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Nothing!"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Don't feel bad, Amuro. We have a starship class called the Wambundu."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Bah! Don't be ashamed of your choice of attack, Amuro! Pegasus Barrage is a fine attack name!"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Of course, I LIKE that class name."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Well, the White Base does look like a horse if you squint..."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "It looks like a gazelle, to me."
Nikola Vacheron, aboard the Fraternity control platform, murmurs what all are thinking: "What...what the hell is she...!?"
Nono does not hesitate to respond. "Terran Imperial Space Fleet!" she roars. "Solar System Direct Assistance Battalion Attache! Sixth-Generation Interstellar-Cruising Decisive Weapon...!!"
She raises her head, revealing her eyes to view. They are set, hard and determined - but they are undeniably Nono's eyes. "I am Buster Machine Number Seven!! And I brought..."
The very reality behind her shatters like glass, space falling away in thick shards to reveal nothing less than an entire armada. Easily several hundred, maybe even a thousand or more, Space Monsters float there, silently and obediently formed into the four-pointed-star-with-wings logo of the Terran Imperial Space Fleet. Identification information is transmitted:
BUSTER MACHINE NO. SEVEN
with
BUSTER CORPS.
But Nono does not stand idle for long - and nor does the enemy. Infuriated, it slowly works itself upward, trying to rise, trying to attack again. Nono stares silently at the monstrous figure before her. She floats a ways back, to give herself some room.
This, she thinks, is what I was born to fight. This has hurt my friends. It has hurt Onee-sama, and Tycho. Roy died. Shinji almost died. Sanger only survived by luck and skill...Rei's lost her arm...
It will die.
The monster takes phaser fire, pounding it. Amuro shoots it in the mouth, which causes it to shriek its fury, the very planet quaking beneath its rage. Gai and Akito punch it in the spine and it crashes back to earth again, shrieking again its fury. Blood splatters - fortunately, it is not acidic. Shinji attacks. He will find that the thing actually HAS no legs - what use are legs to something that lives in space? But it does have plenty of armor to hit, and it continues to lie there, unmoving, after Shinji attacks. It takes a moment or two for it to begin to rise again - dizzy, unsteady, like a monster unable to see straight.
A Trooper-type Space Monster leaps from the surface, tries to rip her in half. Nono doesn't even break her gaze on the monster when she punts it toward Gai.
"Nono was truly a fool!" she barks. The antenna-like cowlick on her head writhes for a moment, and then points sharply to Nono's right. Precisely half of the Buster Corps. behind her, splitting perfectly down the middle of their formation, peels off and flies in that direction. Dozens of Buster Corps. 'space monster' units smash into the thick hide of the monster, and their tentacles sink in deeper still. They produce an enormous electric current, which causes the beast to shriek in pain and writhe in agony.
"Whether one has a Buster Machine or doesn't, it matters not!!" Nono declares. Her antenna shifts again, and then points to her left. The remaining half of the Buster Corps. echoes their brethren, soaring to Nono's left and smashing into the true Space Monster here, producing yet another massive electric shock attack.
As it writhes in shrieking agony, Nono continues. "One who thinks, 'If only I had a Buster Machine...' could never become the true Top!! After all...."
It disgorges another mass of needles, firing a huge barrage of possibly up to a thousand out of its belly, toward Nono. Nono does not budge. Rather, from the sides of her legs, banks of lasers or perhaps missiles begin to emerge - Four banks per leg, three weapons per bank. They fire - a veritable wall of brilliant blue lasers explodes forward, arcing in midflight, redirecting and piercing new needles that were not destroyed in the first pass, to make absolutely sure that everything that dares strike Buster Machine Number Seven is utterly eradicated.
The explosion is like a nova, blinding light and scorching heat.
Nono resumes, not even squinting against the intense radiance as her hair and scarf are whipped brutally by the explosive force and heat searing her face. "...True strength resides only in they who believe in their own strength until the very end!"
The monster rips itself free of the earth, revealing powerful thrusters that eradicate yet more landscape as they force the beast away from Titan's soil, sending it soaring in Nono's direction with a dozen-meter-long stabbing spine leading the charge. Blue circles emerge from its rear, like those created by Buster Machines in flight.
Nono does not move.
Nono switches armor modes to Number 7.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Is she commanding /Space Monsters?/"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Obviously not!"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "If they're good, they can't be Space Monsters!"
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "...They're following her commands. Or something. /with her hair./"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "HER HAIR IS AWESOME"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "I've never seen hair like that!"
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "Converting the enemy..."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Not even in Gekiganger! Oh, hey, Space Monster! Akito, gimme your gun, thank you."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "S-she's a Buster Machine..."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Indeed."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine said, "If you /really/ want your hair lit on fire, you can always go get a match - " "Dair, stuff it. No jokes."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono orates. "The Terran Imperial Space Fleet! Solar System Direct Assistance Battalion Attache! SIxth-Generation Interstellar-Cruising Decisive Weapon! I am Buster Machine Number Seven!"
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Buster Machine...?"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Number Seven...?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Dax, get a reading."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "-she musti've been one of the first ones built..."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "/...so very cool/."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "I wonder why they stopped making them like people..."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "-will think about it later!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "BUt...I was truly a fool. Whether one has a Buster Machine or doesn't, it matters no! One who thinks, 'If only I had a Buster Machine...' coule never become the true Top!! After all....True strength resides only in they who believe in their own strength until the very end!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Everyone! Hold your fire until my signal! We need to time this properly!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Aim for the gashes in its carapace that Shinji and Sanger made earlier! That's our best shot!"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "You got it, Nono!"
Dax is leaning over her board. The Defiant's crappy science scanners flick to Nono. She now has a large battleship scanning her.
Ben, meanwhile, checks his own readouts. He has an odd feeling about this. Maybe it's because he doesn't have HOT BLOOD to dull out all the SCIENCE stuck somewhere in the back of his head.
"Hold your fire for now," he says to Worf, his voice low and curious. "We'll go along with her. Lock in the openings in its armour and fire only when I give the signal."
Worf still seeems a little mystified, but he taps his console anyway, the targeting sensors picking up the openings with pinpoint accuracy. He turns, nodding. "Ready to fire at your command."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Gai Daigouji Morale Up +15!
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami makes a few tight, pained noises. The reason why will become clear shortly.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] Dax hms about something.
Rei glances at the timer. 18 seconds.
EVA-00's hand takes one second to reach over and firmly yank the spearing body from its damaged arm. This trauma does make the arm (and billions of taxpayer dollars) fall to the ground, where, at least, the ass-freezingly cold atmosphere of Titan will help preserve it.
It takes her one point five seconds to both shift the improvised spear into EVA-00's hand, and to power the Evangelion down to preserve what electrical potential remains.
The clock shifts to a nice, happy, cheerful 'three hours and twelve minutes of life support power remaining' display. Why can't it always be like that?
HMMMMM! Gai's morale has increased, due to Hot-Blood!
+15!
Oddly, Gai doesn't seem bothered by the Space Monster punted his way, casually grabbing Akito's rifle and blowing the thing in half, afore handing it back to him. He eyes the holes in the carapace, and casually cracks his Aestivalis' knuckles. JUST. BECAUSE.
On board the Nadesico, Ruri turns to Yurika. "Gravity Cannon recharged. Awaiting your orders."
Yurika hmmms, and nods decisively. "Hold your fire until everyone else opens up, Ruri! Then hit 'em with everything we've got! That inclues all missile reserves!"
Ruri nods. "Yes Ma'am."
Missile hatches open, and the Nadesico starts charging. As for Gai, he's just waitin' to do...well...something! That hopefully won't get him vaporized! Namely, stealing ammo off of Akito and reloading. It's good for the mech! "Hah! We'll call this OPeration Ganger Twinshot, Akito! When we get the word, we'll carry it out!"
To prove it, Gai shows a hastily sketched design to Akito. It is made of crayon. Akito sighs again.
Shinji Ikari would love to do something more than just kind of stand there and gawk.
But, well, Rei's has 18 seconds left, and Shinji unplugged way before her. Unit-01 slumps over, emitting a faint hum as its internal power batteries are exhausted. "D-damn..." Shinji mutters, halfheartedly pulling on the controls. He honestly doesn't want to risk setting off a Berserker attack when there's something that's /made of hate/ right by him.
And Shinji's a little afraid of what'll happen if he eats a hunk of Space Monster. Like, what if it gives him cavities? Hate cavities?
The Grungust Type 0's cockpit opens with a hiss. The air that comes out actually hits the barrier instead of the air; the result is that the heat wavers for a moment. Sanger blinks for a moment, before looking around the cockpit. It's littered with shattered glass and shrapnel; they would have to be careful.
His face, both girls will see, has a river of blood running down one side. He grimaces, before nodding to them. "Hurry on in. We need to get back before this planetoid receives more damage."
Dairine kicks some junk out of the way and sits down. She is still doing something with Spot; the left side shows the fight, while the right hand shows a lot of writing in the Speech, which she is adding more to by typing quickly.
Nita does not. She stands near Sanger. The least she can do is heal him; it's practice for when she will need to heal the others. "You're right. Let's go." She glances over at Dairine's computer, then back.
It's a pain in the ass to scan Number Seven because she is some bizarre combination of unfathomable supertech and living organism. In fact, she seems to be operating on the same sort of technology that is powering the 'other' Space Monsters - the ones Nono has identified as the Buster Corps. She does not have their power source, however. She seems to be running her systems off of that energy blast she absorbed earlier, in fact...
"Surely," Nono speaks, taking no apparent notice of her impending doom, "a true Buster Machine pilot..."
The Buster Corps. soars at the beast, hundreds of the former space monsters flying down from orbit and driving themselves into the soaring menace to their master. It slows, some.
"A true Nonoriri...!!"
The beast shrieks its fury as it streaks toward a collision. The spine's tip is almost as big as Nono is - there is no way she would survive an impact at that speed.
"...HAS A BUSTER MACHINE IN HER HEART!!" Nono roars.
She raises her hands, index fingers extended. Energy whips around her, and air expels from the vents on the backs of her legs, thick and hot.
"BUSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...!!!"
Nono shrieks, and draws her arms across her body, bright red balls of radiance forming at her fingertips, fingers pointing opposite directions. She twirls in midair, light and power gathering into the spheres.
She stops. Turns to face the monster. She raises both arms back over her head, index fingers still extended as she clasps her hands together, the two energy spheres combinging into one. She bends her entire body backward, her knees bent back as far as they go, her legs likewise swiveled as far to the rear as possible.
"BEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!!!!!!!!!"
Her body releases, every joint flying forward. Her arms fly to the fore. As they do so, the heat and light she has gathered discharge in a tremendous blast of light easily twice Nono's height, which quickly forms into a pencil-thin ray of impossible heat. It strikes the true Space Monster, knocks it off course, sends it hurtling to the remnants of the moon below. It collides, barely able to move under the searing heat and tremendous force of Buster Machine Number Seven's Buster Beam. The beam penetrates its armor, slicing neatly through its body thanks to the gashes in its armor that Shinji and Sanger created. It does not penetrate far enough - just as Nono feared.
The beast howls.
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Because, surely....a true Buster Machine Pilot...a true Nonoriri...!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "...HAS A BUSTER MACHINE IN HER HEART!! /FIRE/!!!"
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "I have the Callahans. Captain Sisko, considering that, I will withdraw back to your position."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Acknowledged."
Sanger looks briefly at both girls as they enter his cockpit. He isn't used to driving with passengers; it even bothers him a little, as he looks at the beast. He wants to go there, for a moment, and help Nono and the others. However, to do so with Nita and Dairine in here would simply be reckless--and thoughtless. He looks at Nita and nods.
As she heals the wound on his scalp, he pauses and touches it with a hand. "Thank you. Hold on, both of you."
He moves the throttle. The Type 0's thrusters launch, firing upward. The machine spirals as it starts away from the battleground. Dust and dirt trails after it, getting washed away into the sea of fire around them, before the heavily damaged Grungust flies towards the USS Defiant and its fellow ships.
Shinji watches. He can't move, because his Eva is out of power. He can't make a 'witty' quip because what little wit the boy has leaves him when the rush of battle fades. Plus, everyone else /can/ shoot and he doesn't want to risk distracting anyone. Unfortunately...
...that leaves the boy time to think, as he dully looks at his bleeding hands, the spear-like needle wounds having cut through the Evangelion into him. It shouldn't scar as much as Gauron's knife, part of Shinji thinks, while the other part of him mentally retches at the horrible necessity of the Evangelion robots. The Third Child looks up at the...what had the twins called it? A Topless? Shinji can't help but sympathize with the crazed, maddened beast having its last desperate stand against the forces of order and righteousness. He wonders, idly, if there was a person in that monster, once, and when exactly it stopped being a person, and started in the monster business full time.
"...is that how I'm going to end up?" Shinji mutters, not entirely conscious of his saying it aloud.
So do the good guys get to shoot it now?
The bridge crew of the Defiant looks on, startled by the fact that ONE LITTLE GIRL can fire a laser that can ALMOST kill a Space Monster with that much force. However, as the monster plunges down to the remains of Titan, Worf confirms what Ben already sees. "Direct hit from the girl on the Space Monster," the big Klingon booms. "Target has taken damage, but remains."
Sisko gestures with a finger. "Target the weak points and fire."
The Defiant turns on its nose in the atmosphere, pointing almost straight down at the downed Space Monster - and once again it begins to spew massive amounts of energy. Phasers, quantum torpedoes - they vomit from the starship, nearly exhausting its ammo bays as they whip towards the open gashes in the Space Monster's armour. In orbit, the Utah, Leacock, and Mescalero join in, firing with pinpoint-accurate linear phaser fire - narrow-beam, aimed to sink into the wounds.
Salt in the wounds nothin'. More like zero-point energy explosions and phased nadion detonations.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm! Well! The beast is still up, eh? WELL THEN! THAT MASSIVE YELL OF GUTS AND PASSION IS A GOOD CUE TO GAI! Gai flips his Aesti backwards, darting towards the Nadesico, flying high and landing in the landing bay. Why? Well...he's out of ammo. That is bad. The Nadesico has ammo. That is good. The Nadesico is about to Fire A Very Large Cannon.
Being out of its way is Awesome.
Which is why, as Nono attacks, a cry of "Ruri! FIRE THE GRAVITY BEAM CANNON!" is heard on the bridge. The Nadesico's main gun opens fire, ripping another beam straight at the Space Monster, even as missiles launch in a swarm, Ruri calmly maintaining continuous fire until the Nadesico's entire magazine is empty. Mister Prospector adjusts his glasses.
"Oh my. Quite an expensive engagement, Captain. Still, I suppose that couldn't be helped. I suppose I'll go ahead and authorize it. I'm sure it's better than the potential profit loss if that thing ever got out, after all."
And then, for no reason except for Ominousness, his eyeglasses GLEAM as he adjusts them again. FEAR THE ACCOUNTANT NINJA.
Nita Callahan, who now has an aching head (blame her feeling any wound she heals), hangs on the the back of Sanger's seat. There is room, if she squeezes anyway. At least she didn't have to cut herself, having plenty of blood lying around to use.
"Is there anything else I can do?" Nita asks, looking up. She doesn't know enough about how the Grungust works to boost it, or help with anything, but she hates feeling useless.
Dairine, who is pressing against the back wall, is trying to figure out who she has to beat up to get one of these mechs.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Target those armor injuries and fire!"
EVA-00 shifts back into full power again.
Rei narrows her eyes. Maybe this is a miracle, she thinks, as her faintly bloody lips draw back again. This, in its way, almost feels good.
The Evangelion's intact arm draws back like a classical javelin thrower. The entire thing's body ripples, damaged armor plating cracking to yield however faintly to whatever powers and motivates the enormous frame. It takes Rei 8 of the remaining 15 seconds of power to get into proper position.
EVA-00 steps forwards once, twice, jogs with stumbling haste along the broken ground, and with two seconds of internal power remaining, hurls the shard towards the gaping hole. EVA-00 falls forwards, then, and shuts down before it hits the ground; Rei's teeth rattle.
She sags in the plug's seat, relieved on some level.
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Alright...that did it! GET CLEAR! This will finish it for sure!!"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Does anyone need to be tractored clear?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] O'Brien: "I THINK I've got the secondary tractor systems reinforced... wouldn't trust them with TOO much, but a robot should be alright."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "How far... is 'clear'?"
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "The Evas are out of power...but, um, we're p-probably safest here, I don't think you could pull both Evas."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Where you are is fine. This...may get bumpy."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Acknowledged. O'Brien! Reinforce the shields!"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine asks, "Nono, what are you using for power?"
The monster howls, shrieking, furious, trying to rise but unable. The sheer forces being exerted on it cannot be properly described with words. Nono's beam sears into its wounds, Rei's thrown spear slices in further, widening its wounds. The Nadesico's gravity cannons crack its armor - an attack followed by the Federation bombardment, shattering its carapace in places, eradicating portions of unprotected body. The armor gives.
Nono's beam attack pierces the rest of the way through it. Through to the moon, through the void where the core once was...and emerging, a shining ray of heat and destruction, on the far side. "GET CLEAR!" she roars. "STAY AWAY FROM THIS LINE!!" What? What line?
She roars, "...SLICE!!!" and then separates her arms - one going up, one going down, Buster Beam rays extending in both directions off into the void of space.
One second passes.
Two seconds.
And then the moon Titan slides apart, like some thug cut to shreds by a cartoon samurai, who didn't even notice until he fell to bleeding ribbons. Or perhaps more like an orange, split neatly in twain.
Needless to say, the space monster dies, and explodes, a tremendous eruption of heat and light that whips the dust of this destroyed moon, and sears Nono's face beneath her visor.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] O'Brien: "Two robots would blow out the system. DAMN do I wish the main projector hadn't blown out."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister says, "...uh, never mind."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Have I finally lost it, or did the moon just slice in half?"
"O'Brien!" Sisko orders into the internal comm. "Reinforce the shields! This could get a little rocky."
["Aye, sir."]
The dark man lowers back into his chair, bracing himself and gripping the arms tightly. The Defiant is heavily armoured, and its shield bubble is now swelling and crackling with reinforced energy - and it IS, of course, in the murky atmosphere - but he isn't taking any chances.
And then Nono /cuts a frigging moon in half./
Benjamin Lafayette Sisko /stares./
"/What/ /in/ /the/ /blue/ /HELL?!/"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "...no, that's right. Um."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "Wow, my Senior is going to /kill/ me."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami sounds very calm. "Will it fall back together?"
Time to go, then! The Nadesico, having emptied its missile bays and retrieved its mechs, pulls up, activating the PT engines to gradually accelerate away from Titan. As they get higher, that 'gradual' bit becomes 'quickly', as the Nadesico achieves escape velocity and breaks clear of the planet. It's not like...well, okay. Maybe it is like the moon explodes. On the bridge, the Nadesico crew glance at each other, then back out at the devastation.
Yurika glances at her crew, then at what is left of Titan. "Wow. I wish someone was here to explain this."
Several light years away, a blonde woman sneezes, looking around and hmming. Gai, by now on the bridge, just shakes his head, reverting to one simple statement.
"Man, that was so cool!"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I wonder how much trouble you get in for helping bust a moon."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono huffs. "Physical Reactor mostly depleted...but that should make sure nothing hatches down there. Titan will probably eventually become another ring of Saturn."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Well, that's comforting. At least I'm not crazy."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "...That was still pretty damn cool."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari considerately turns the com-link off for his ensuing scream of terror.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] Dax, sounding really awed, "No, it's too far out to form a ring..."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Oh? Nono's not so good at stuff like that, so..."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine says, "You know, I got in trouble when I /moved/ a moon."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami is silent, either due to inner peace or intense, suit-ruining shock.
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari turns the com back on. "Okay, I'm, um, back to 'numb with terror' Dr. Agaki how do we make the battery float over here and power us up so we don't fall off of the moon I can't believe I just said that sentence."
"I think we are in the clear, as they say," Sanger states. In fact, he even swings the Colossal Blade back onto the holding onto the Grungust's back. He nudges the controls to cause it to turn around and face the moon. The man takes a deep breath, as he watches Nono make her move.
"That is truly a sword that smites evil," he murmurs softly, "if not the gods themselves."
One day, he would have a blade like that. When he was worthy.
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine says, "I think I could just borrow geothermal from the moon. I mean, does it /matter/ at this point?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] Worf splutters something in Klingonese. The rough translation is 'what the hell', but considerably more expletive-laced.
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan and Dairine are still in shock, they will probably be random for a while.
Dairine says something that the Speech fails to translate at about the same time Spot puts out an irritating high-pitched buzzing.
Nita's is more clear. She mostly has a face. It looks like :O and is not changing.
Part of Rei - the scientific part - wonders if they're misinterpreting, or having her on. She can't see anything with the plug as it is, and for hostile-environment missions, the plug door is sealed shut. She wonders about that, sometimes...
But it might be easy to forget.
She feels the ground rumble, though. She squirms in her seat. "We should leave," she says into the backup radio, rather unnecessarily.
Buster Machine Seven floats there, silently observing the aftermath.
Yup, she decides. That's one dead space monster.
She turns, and begins to float away from the bisected moon that will probably not be a moon for much longer, what with basically everything defining about a moon that it possessed having now been either blown up or cut in half. She floats off toward space--and then looks back. "...hm." A faint yellow-red shield flickers to live around her. It's quite odd, actually - looking at her directly, there is no distortion, but the borders of the force bubble are clearly visible. "Are you alright?" she calls to Shinji and Rei. "Do you need me to help you get back to the Gate? Or at least off to the control platform?"
Space ripples, and slowly, around the ruined moon, Buster Corps. units begin to emerge, drawn by their mistress to help aid in getting people to safety. They do not, however, look terribly reassuring or safe, as they are killer space robots designed for nothing less than utmost murdering efficiency.
"When did my life become a cartoon?" Shinji Ikari moans, shaking his Biblically pierced fist at the viewscreen, where Sanger Zonvolts might catch a glimpse of it, "Oh, I know, it was when I /listened to my evil dad/, that's when. Then it's all giant robots and monsters from space and now I'm standing on the moon my zany robot buddy just sliced in half."
Okay. No one was getting them off. No one /could/ get them off. The power battery was broken. They were going to die because their stupid robots could not walk ten feet to the activated Gate. That is the worst death ever. He totally doesn't want to die that way. The Evangelion will live. Forever. What? Where did that thought come from?
Shinji is briefly tempted to initiate Berserker mode by punching himself in the face. He then realizes this is the /stupidest idea he's ever had/, and says into the radio, "Um, if it wouldn't be too much trouble..." He is still Shinji Ikari, sadly, "...yeah, uh, we're out of power and sort of need, like, a push so we're not trapped in the infinite void of space."
Shinji looks back on THAT sentence. "Nihilism, infinite void of space, nihilism, infinite void of space..." he mutters to himself, weighing his old life and new.
The destruction of a moon doesn't cause Sanger Zonvolt to freeze up. What does cause him to tense - very noticeably - is when he catches a glimpse of Shinji Ikari on his screen, holding those bloodied hands up. His eyes narrow as he looks at this. "How did..."
He looks to the side, towards Nita. He feels badly, now - something new has arisen. Something wrong. He would need to ask Shinji about it...
...but not now. The boy is in a good mood. He doesn't need to do that to him. "Are you ready, young ladies? We should be getting back."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Captain Sisko."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Well done."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "I should be saying the same to all of you."
Rei is stil uncertain about this. If she remembers physics class - the day she showed up they were talking about gravity, she remembers that - then the moon may fall back together.
If, she tells herself, there is little added force. If Nono's attack merely divided the atomic boundaries of the material in a longitudinal slice, the planet itself would not even, technically, be disrupted. Is Titan molten inside? Rei can't recall.
If there IS added force, she reasons, or a major tidal influence -- such as Saturn -- then...
I wonder if that's blood or something else pooling around my buttocks, she thinks, as her mind wanders out of that rational track. "Please do," she says. "We will die if we leave the plugs."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "If anyone's hurt, I can do medical work. Some..."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "I don't think the Grungust or an Eva will fit aboard the Defiant, but the Mescalero's got plenty of hangar space. More comfortable, too."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "I think, um, Nono's getting us through the Gate."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Acknowledged."
[Fac-IPA] Vanilla H says, "Should anyone still be suffering upon returning safely home, I shall tend to you."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "You all did very well! That space monster...it had had a very long time to get ready for this. We're lucky it didn't get off the ground until the end..."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Those types are fast."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "It survived two N2 strikes."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami is quiet for a moment, then asks, "Is this typical?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "And tough. We threw half our torpedo complement at it and it walked right through it."
"I'm ready," Nita says, still looking vaguely shell-shocked. She's fought before, but this is a little different.
Dairine asks, more to the point, "Do they make lots of these machines where you're from? The one I'm in, right now."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I don't even know what else I could do to it short of getting an atomic disruptor, and I /don't/ want one of those."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "My blade could not cut through it."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "...it was a Cruiser type. I don't really remember it well, but...I think, in the old days, they used to be able to take out entire Terran Space Force Fleets."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "It only means that I will have to make myself a man worthy of a stronger blade."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "It was too weak to move until the end...I guess it must have used its powers to strengthen its armor."
[Fac-IPA] Guy Shishiou chimes in, still sounding exhausted. "A blade can always grow sharper - if you have the courage to do so, Sanger-san."
Shinji Ikari's Eva is weird. It does weird things. Sometimes, it moves on its own.
It may be a coincidence or accident that the massive purple hand covers a massive blue one, but Shinji likes to think that he's helping anyway. "Hey, we didn't survive, like, a frillion of those things just to die on a /moon/." Shinji says like it is not a big deal the moon is split in half. The squeakiness of his voice may ruin the effect somewhat. "I mean, it'll take at least one of those small planet-but-not-planet things they decided Pluto is to take out an Eva, right Ayanami?"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "...Hi, Guy."
[Fac-IPA] Guy Shishiou says, "Nita-san... I trust everyone is OK?"
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Indeed... no, not all of us."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Many members of the Buster Corps did not survive this battle."
[Fac-IPA] Guy Shishiou says, "...I am sorry I was unable to assist you. But my body... my energy is still drained from the battle yesterday."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "Yeah..."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Roy died...a couple others almost did, too."
[Fac-IPA] Vanilla H says, "I regret not being able to make myself available as well. Nano-Nano has kept me rather busy, I'm afraid."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "We're lucky. You all worked very hard."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "If you hadn't been here, a lot more people could've..."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "I did not think I would survive."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I wasn't sure /I/ would, Rei. Oh, and Nono?"
"No. This one is one of three current units," Sanger replies to Dairine. He shakes his head once, before he looks to her. "I am sorry."
The man nods, then. The Grungust flies forward - moving past the Federation ships and towards the Gate. More pieces of it fall off as it flies, while the slagged metal finishes cooling. He looks forward, still tense. This is beginning to fill him with foreboding. Shinji's hands are one reason.
The other is an unnerving thought. This was one Space Monster among many. More were out there.
Is the IPA truly ready for them?
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I'm not giving this thing back to Dair - no, hands off, already - but she says sorry for just leaving you on Pluto."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "It's fine. A fight like that, she was much more useful there!"
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Nono... Well done. You have made me proud. But do not stop here. This is merely the beginning."
Buster Machine Seven floats downward toward the downed Evangelions. She looks at them with a small smile. She's tired, and she wants to see to the others, but for now...She swoops down and with a hoist and a shove, tosses them away from the moon, then floats up and maneuvers them to float back toward the Gate.
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono hee hee! "Of course! Nonoriri didn't give up when she became Nonoriri! Nono won't give up either!"
The Federation ships are moving to take up positions further out from Titan, or what's left of it. They are on guard for MOAR SPACE MONSTERS. Because Starfleet likes standing guard IN SPACE.
"Oh, figures." Dairine reseats herself.
"Where would you keep one anyway?" Nita has to ask.
"Garage."
Rei is jostled in the plug as Nono moves them.
She then says, to answer Shinji, "It would require at least three."
She is trying not to think, right now, of future Space Monsters. Although, she supposes...
She does not know if it would be authorized, but there could be hope.
SOLAR SYSTEM NEW 11TH PLANET BLACK HOLE EXELIO
They were weakening. Their master had awoken, had at last answered their pleas, but still they were weakening. It did not know how long it would take. Their numbers were seemingly infinite. They came again as soon as it destroyed another group. But soon, the chains would slack. Soon, their guard would slip. And then...
...it could hardly wait.
Neo Solar System Sixth Planet "Saturn", Former 48th Satellite [Titan Belt]
The moon Titan was obliterated during the battle against a Carrier-type STMC Space Monster reawakened by the machinations of Piaget and Lecoultre Serpentine. Now, it is slowly expanding into a dust cloud that will probably become an asteroid belt or perhaps eventually part of Saturn's rings.
WHERE: THE FUTURE, Sci-Fi Sector
WHEN: Friday evening, January 12th 2007
WHAT: More HOT TITAN ACTION.
EDITS: Spelling, added an "Amuro" into a pose where he forgot to put his name.
Something on the Defiant explodes; a spot on the top of its hull erupts in a plume of armour and shards. The tractor beam has been broken, and the entire generator seems to have crashed in the most explosive way possible.
The ship rattles.
["Tractor beam projector destroyed!"] O'Brien reports frantically over the radio.
Ben just keeps looking forward. "Major... collision course."
He stands. "Computer. Activate the self-destruct sequence, authorization Sisko Ome-"
And then there is Nono.
The bridge crew just stares.
"That little girl is going to make me have a nervous breakdown one of these days," Ben declares, his tone almost a sigh. He flops back into his chair.
Worf is staring in awe. "/One girl?!/"
"That's no ordinary girl, Mr. Worf. Regardless, sounds like she needs some support. Fire all phasers!"
It takes the Defiant a moment to get moving as it drops a little lower into Titan's thick atmosphere, leaving the Mescalero in the highest fringes of the cloudbank - but as it dips it begins to spit phaser fire, sending it blasting down towards the space monster in stuttering volleys. They are covering SUPER NONO.
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari asides to Amuro, "That guy kind of sounds..."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Alright, then. All units, let's give Nono some support."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "...squeaky."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "...Actually, he reminded me of someone."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Nono, we're right behind you! Literally in some cases. You should do that flying thing more often!"
[Fac-IPA] Shunsui Kyoraku's stomach grumbles across the radio.
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Akito...we are going to do THAT maneuver."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Akito gasps! "You don't mean..."
Neither Nita or Dairine contribute much.
In fact, they could probably use that pickup sooner or later. Nita is paging through her manual to see if there is anything left she can do other than protect the two of them, focusing especially on the Major Surgery section; Dairine has Spot open and is giving verbal commands to get a visual of the fight, which Spot is obediently displaying on his screen.
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "/YES./"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Ruri sighs. "Idiots."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine says, "Smile, Nono, you're on Wizard Camera."
[Fac-IPA] ??? Nono isn't smiling. She looks downright pissed, actually.
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Callahan..."
[Fac-IPA] Shunsui Kyoraku's stomach grumbles again, "Quiet you. It'll be here soon enough."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "I think you need to get out of here."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Shinji, can you handle it from this end? I can get them. My machine's cockpit is larger."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan and her sister both start to talk at once, both shut up, and then Nita says, "Yeah, probably."
Now, generally Amuro's viewpoint of things is grim. Optimistic at times, but still grim. War is terrible, and it's bad enough when you're killing humans. It might be better or worse to fight monsters, ghosts, big masked ghosts, kaiju, Zondar, or psychic space horrors. For a teenager, he has kind of a cynical outlook.
But he also reads comics, and watches bad sci-fi movies, and builds models and happy talking robots. This side will probably never really go away, not even years later when he fights to stop an old rival from plunging the Earth into eternal winter. He still has a sense of wonder, beneath it all.
Seeing Nono there, alit with a glow and burning with power and passion, and speaking about her /friends,/ triggers that side. And that's why he smiles. For the first time all night, he really, genuinely smiles.
And salutes.
And raises the Hyper Bazooka over his shoulder, flying up and around to fire off a circle of bazooka-fire at the mouth of that comically-puzzled thing. And hell, he even calls out an attack name.
"PEGASUS BARRAGE!"
Why Pegasus? Why not.
EVA-00 seems to stare blankly at Nono's arrival. This is because, of course, it has no mouth or other facial features; just a single eye and a faintly toothlike chin projection.
Rei is also staring at Nono, in surprise - but EVA-00 doesn't have any more real tricks beyond a jump-extending set of thrusters in the back of the arm blades.
Her lip does quirk, faintly, but that is the most that what hot blood in her body can muster, right now.
But, she does say, with faint wonder, "Nono?"
The Type 0 lands from its assault. The Colossal Blade has been riddled with sparks and drug along, its edge now blunted here and there. Despite this, Sanger seems ready to persist. He turns to look back at the machine. His eyes narrow, though, as he sees the beam prepare to fire - and realizes that this may be the end. He raises his sword, ready to make a final charge.
Then, Nono comes. He stares, as she stops the massive blast of energy easily, and then smiles despite himself. "You found your Buster Machine," he murmurs quietly. "It was within you all along..."
The Type 0 flares its thrusters a moment later. His machine could continue the assault with the sword, but there is another thing that must be seen to. The Callahans are here - and this moon is rapidly becoming more and more unlivable. The battered frame of the Grungust lifts off, chunks of it crumbling and falling after it.
The massive machine lands, a moment later, near the command center. A hand extends downward, slowly, outside one of the doorways leading into it. "Can you make a shield?" he broadcasts directly to Nita and Dairine. "The heat out here is immense. If I open my cockpit without some protection, it would probably cook me alive in half a second."
It wasn't enough, Shinji thinks. Figures. I should've yelled the dumb attack name thing. Or, y'know, gotten out of the way and let the SPACESHIP handle it. Oh man oh man I'm gonna die-
Shinji Ikari is surprised to find he has regrets...not just things he's screwed up, but things he didn't do. He's even more surprised that he has a /lot/ of regrets. He never told Misato he loved her too. He didn't clarify what Asuka meant by that 'honey' thing. He never apologized to Toji's sister. He never noogied Toji for no reason. He never told Ayanami how much she meant to him. He didn't want to die. This sort of hits Shinji all at once-his father told him in no uncertain terms that he hates Shinji, but the boy still had a reason...reasons...to regret dieing in a fiery blaze outside of disliking the pain of it all. Some part of him wanted to live to lead the desperate charge that might keep Future Amuro from sacrificing his life to save the Earth he could never really feel at home on.
Shinji closes his eyes, and hopes Ayanami decides to move in with Misato. They'd all be good for each other. Better that he's out of the way, anyway. Yeah. Way to kid yourself Ikari. "I..." Shinji...does not feel the terrible heat and light and pain. Not at all. The Third Child blinks, hedgehogishly, and looks out of his view screen.
"I...." Shinji pauses. "I like what you did with your hair, Nono." He will deal with the rest of this crap later, it is monster stabbing time. He hears that Gai and this strange-voiced Akito fellow have some sort of clever scheme, and figures the best thing he can do is help, bringing Unit-01 down on its right hand like some kind of BREAKDANCE FIGHTER, swinging its heavy legs around in a full circle before bringing them at the monstrous dingus's own legs, hoping to trip it up...or at least draw some of the aggro so Gai and funny-talking frycook and Nono can finish the job. He does not yell out an attack name, though Shinji does go, "Pegasus Barrage?" with an Ayanamiesque quirk of his lips.
"...Um, well," Amuro stammers over the radio. "It's what came to mind? See, the White Base is a Pegasus-class cruiser, and some of the Zeons call it Trojan Horse, and so it was a little like 'White Base' represent and I'll shut up and fight the monster now."
"You got it," Dairine says, distracted - as anyone currently attempting to watch the climactic showdown between a mysterious super robot from space and a giant alien monster on their laptop might be.
This means it is actually up to Nita to set the shield up. Some things never change.
Annnnd, well, Gai was afraid that would happen. Still, hopefully the three of 'em bought some time for the Buster Machine Kids. Yeah. Gai's only regret is not getting to watch Gekiganger III's Finale again. That would have been COOL. Ah well! He'll try and get out of the way, but, eh, ah we-...Huh. Well.
Gai's Aestivalis hauls to a halt, hovering a bit behind Nono, Gai blinking as his sensors lock onto her for a visual. "...Wow. Her hair is way more awesome than mine. Hell, that is the most awesome hair I've seen! Even in Gekiganger!"
Yes, Gai has grasped the most awesome aspect of this situation. He is truly Gai Daigouji, Prophet of The Gekiganger. Still, then he notices the whole...welll...energy blast getting eaten. And just shakes his head.
"This..."
Gai is struggling to find words.
"This...."
"This is so /COOL/!"
Ah, there they are.
AND THEN SUPER NONO DEMANDS THE SUPPORT OF HER FRIENDS TO DEFEND THE BLUE PLANET EARTH! And Gai is INSPIRED!
He opens a channel to Akito, grinning, and then his Aestivalis rockets up and back, AKito's joining him after a moment. Gai just laughs as he points at the stunned space monster.
"ALRIGHT! THIS IS IT! C'mon, Tenkawa! We can't let them steal the show! LET'S GEKIGA IN!"
Akito, his reluctance battered down by Gai's Awesome Hot-Blooded Exuberance, nods decisively (And because he realizes that he won't get out of it so he might as well go along with it) as Gai and Akito sheathe weapons, then jet straight upwards.
They're barely visible up there, y'know. And they seem to be doing SOMETHING, because there's a pair of hefty distorion fields up there. Looks like someone is draining their energy reserves (NOt that it matters with the Nadesico close by. Speaking of which...)
"Ruri! Begin charging the Gravity Cannon!" "Aye, captain. Should I fire before or after Mister Yamada does something stupid?" "Ummmm...After, I guess!"
Yes, Gai has a PLAN.
TREMBLE, PUNY SPACE MONSTER! FOR, YOU SEE, A PAIR OF STREAKS, one blue and the other red, come barreling down towards the monster. Still, that's before they merge, forming a bright golden streak, which starts plummeting for the space monster. There's a MIGHTY HOT-BLOODED YELL of "DOUBLE GEKIGAN SPARK!" from Gai and Akito, before it slams into the small of the space monster's back with a mighty crash and a heckuva lotta pressure as Gai and Akito /PUNCH THE SPACE MONSTER WITH HOT-BLOODED GEKIGANGER GUTS! The Golden Light then seperates, Gai and Akito jetting upwards and behind Nono to charge up for another run, if needed, Gai laughing the whole time. His mech points at the evil monster, and then TAUNTS it. "YEAH! TAKE THAT, YOU SMELLY PALEOLITHIC GUARDIAN BEAST! And it's good to see you getting into the spirit of things, Amuro! Hahahhahah!"
And Ruri is still chargin' her gravity lazer. ho-ho-ho.
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "-Ayanami, should I, um, be worried that I had the same thought as Mister Daigouji?"
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "Perhaps."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji is just laughing!
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Mwhahahahahhahahha! I didn't even know if that would work!"
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari has no choice, "Maybe Amuro's pony power can help me."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "I know where you live, Ikari. I have Haros."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "Amuro's /what/?"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Akito makes strangled choking noises. Ruri just sighs. "Yep. He's an idiot."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Nothing!"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Don't feel bad, Amuro. We have a starship class called the Wambundu."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Bah! Don't be ashamed of your choice of attack, Amuro! Pegasus Barrage is a fine attack name!"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Of course, I LIKE that class name."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Well, the White Base does look like a horse if you squint..."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "It looks like a gazelle, to me."
Nikola Vacheron, aboard the Fraternity control platform, murmurs what all are thinking: "What...what the hell is she...!?"
Nono does not hesitate to respond. "Terran Imperial Space Fleet!" she roars. "Solar System Direct Assistance Battalion Attache! Sixth-Generation Interstellar-Cruising Decisive Weapon...!!"
She raises her head, revealing her eyes to view. They are set, hard and determined - but they are undeniably Nono's eyes. "I am Buster Machine Number Seven!! And I brought..."
The very reality behind her shatters like glass, space falling away in thick shards to reveal nothing less than an entire armada. Easily several hundred, maybe even a thousand or more, Space Monsters float there, silently and obediently formed into the four-pointed-star-with-wings logo of the Terran Imperial Space Fleet. Identification information is transmitted:
BUSTER MACHINE NO. SEVEN
with
BUSTER CORPS.
But Nono does not stand idle for long - and nor does the enemy. Infuriated, it slowly works itself upward, trying to rise, trying to attack again. Nono stares silently at the monstrous figure before her. She floats a ways back, to give herself some room.
This, she thinks, is what I was born to fight. This has hurt my friends. It has hurt Onee-sama, and Tycho. Roy died. Shinji almost died. Sanger only survived by luck and skill...Rei's lost her arm...
It will die.
The monster takes phaser fire, pounding it. Amuro shoots it in the mouth, which causes it to shriek its fury, the very planet quaking beneath its rage. Gai and Akito punch it in the spine and it crashes back to earth again, shrieking again its fury. Blood splatters - fortunately, it is not acidic. Shinji attacks. He will find that the thing actually HAS no legs - what use are legs to something that lives in space? But it does have plenty of armor to hit, and it continues to lie there, unmoving, after Shinji attacks. It takes a moment or two for it to begin to rise again - dizzy, unsteady, like a monster unable to see straight.
A Trooper-type Space Monster leaps from the surface, tries to rip her in half. Nono doesn't even break her gaze on the monster when she punts it toward Gai.
"Nono was truly a fool!" she barks. The antenna-like cowlick on her head writhes for a moment, and then points sharply to Nono's right. Precisely half of the Buster Corps. behind her, splitting perfectly down the middle of their formation, peels off and flies in that direction. Dozens of Buster Corps. 'space monster' units smash into the thick hide of the monster, and their tentacles sink in deeper still. They produce an enormous electric current, which causes the beast to shriek in pain and writhe in agony.
"Whether one has a Buster Machine or doesn't, it matters not!!" Nono declares. Her antenna shifts again, and then points to her left. The remaining half of the Buster Corps. echoes their brethren, soaring to Nono's left and smashing into the true Space Monster here, producing yet another massive electric shock attack.
As it writhes in shrieking agony, Nono continues. "One who thinks, 'If only I had a Buster Machine...' could never become the true Top!! After all...."
It disgorges another mass of needles, firing a huge barrage of possibly up to a thousand out of its belly, toward Nono. Nono does not budge. Rather, from the sides of her legs, banks of lasers or perhaps missiles begin to emerge - Four banks per leg, three weapons per bank. They fire - a veritable wall of brilliant blue lasers explodes forward, arcing in midflight, redirecting and piercing new needles that were not destroyed in the first pass, to make absolutely sure that everything that dares strike Buster Machine Number Seven is utterly eradicated.
The explosion is like a nova, blinding light and scorching heat.
Nono resumes, not even squinting against the intense radiance as her hair and scarf are whipped brutally by the explosive force and heat searing her face. "...True strength resides only in they who believe in their own strength until the very end!"
The monster rips itself free of the earth, revealing powerful thrusters that eradicate yet more landscape as they force the beast away from Titan's soil, sending it soaring in Nono's direction with a dozen-meter-long stabbing spine leading the charge. Blue circles emerge from its rear, like those created by Buster Machines in flight.
Nono does not move.
Nono switches armor modes to Number 7.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Is she commanding /Space Monsters?/"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Obviously not!"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "If they're good, they can't be Space Monsters!"
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "...They're following her commands. Or something. /with her hair./"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "HER HAIR IS AWESOME"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "I've never seen hair like that!"
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "Converting the enemy..."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Not even in Gekiganger! Oh, hey, Space Monster! Akito, gimme your gun, thank you."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "S-she's a Buster Machine..."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Indeed."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine said, "If you /really/ want your hair lit on fire, you can always go get a match - " "Dair, stuff it. No jokes."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono orates. "The Terran Imperial Space Fleet! Solar System Direct Assistance Battalion Attache! SIxth-Generation Interstellar-Cruising Decisive Weapon! I am Buster Machine Number Seven!"
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "Buster Machine...?"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "Number Seven...?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "...Dax, get a reading."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "-she musti've been one of the first ones built..."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "/...so very cool/."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "I wonder why they stopped making them like people..."
[Fac-IPA] Amuro Ray says, "-will think about it later!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "BUt...I was truly a fool. Whether one has a Buster Machine or doesn't, it matters no! One who thinks, 'If only I had a Buster Machine...' coule never become the true Top!! After all....True strength resides only in they who believe in their own strength until the very end!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Everyone! Hold your fire until my signal! We need to time this properly!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Aim for the gashes in its carapace that Shinji and Sanger made earlier! That's our best shot!"
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "You got it, Nono!"
Dax is leaning over her board. The Defiant's crappy science scanners flick to Nono. She now has a large battleship scanning her.
Ben, meanwhile, checks his own readouts. He has an odd feeling about this. Maybe it's because he doesn't have HOT BLOOD to dull out all the SCIENCE stuck somewhere in the back of his head.
"Hold your fire for now," he says to Worf, his voice low and curious. "We'll go along with her. Lock in the openings in its armour and fire only when I give the signal."
Worf still seeems a little mystified, but he taps his console anyway, the targeting sensors picking up the openings with pinpoint accuracy. He turns, nodding. "Ready to fire at your command."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji |Gai Daigouji Morale Up +15!
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami makes a few tight, pained noises. The reason why will become clear shortly.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] Dax hms about something.
Rei glances at the timer. 18 seconds.
EVA-00's hand takes one second to reach over and firmly yank the spearing body from its damaged arm. This trauma does make the arm (and billions of taxpayer dollars) fall to the ground, where, at least, the ass-freezingly cold atmosphere of Titan will help preserve it.
It takes her one point five seconds to both shift the improvised spear into EVA-00's hand, and to power the Evangelion down to preserve what electrical potential remains.
The clock shifts to a nice, happy, cheerful 'three hours and twelve minutes of life support power remaining' display. Why can't it always be like that?
HMMMMM! Gai's morale has increased, due to Hot-Blood!
+15!
Oddly, Gai doesn't seem bothered by the Space Monster punted his way, casually grabbing Akito's rifle and blowing the thing in half, afore handing it back to him. He eyes the holes in the carapace, and casually cracks his Aestivalis' knuckles. JUST. BECAUSE.
On board the Nadesico, Ruri turns to Yurika. "Gravity Cannon recharged. Awaiting your orders."
Yurika hmmms, and nods decisively. "Hold your fire until everyone else opens up, Ruri! Then hit 'em with everything we've got! That inclues all missile reserves!"
Ruri nods. "Yes Ma'am."
Missile hatches open, and the Nadesico starts charging. As for Gai, he's just waitin' to do...well...something! That hopefully won't get him vaporized! Namely, stealing ammo off of Akito and reloading. It's good for the mech! "Hah! We'll call this OPeration Ganger Twinshot, Akito! When we get the word, we'll carry it out!"
To prove it, Gai shows a hastily sketched design to Akito. It is made of crayon. Akito sighs again.
Shinji Ikari would love to do something more than just kind of stand there and gawk.
But, well, Rei's has 18 seconds left, and Shinji unplugged way before her. Unit-01 slumps over, emitting a faint hum as its internal power batteries are exhausted. "D-damn..." Shinji mutters, halfheartedly pulling on the controls. He honestly doesn't want to risk setting off a Berserker attack when there's something that's /made of hate/ right by him.
And Shinji's a little afraid of what'll happen if he eats a hunk of Space Monster. Like, what if it gives him cavities? Hate cavities?
The Grungust Type 0's cockpit opens with a hiss. The air that comes out actually hits the barrier instead of the air; the result is that the heat wavers for a moment. Sanger blinks for a moment, before looking around the cockpit. It's littered with shattered glass and shrapnel; they would have to be careful.
His face, both girls will see, has a river of blood running down one side. He grimaces, before nodding to them. "Hurry on in. We need to get back before this planetoid receives more damage."
Dairine kicks some junk out of the way and sits down. She is still doing something with Spot; the left side shows the fight, while the right hand shows a lot of writing in the Speech, which she is adding more to by typing quickly.
Nita does not. She stands near Sanger. The least she can do is heal him; it's practice for when she will need to heal the others. "You're right. Let's go." She glances over at Dairine's computer, then back.
It's a pain in the ass to scan Number Seven because she is some bizarre combination of unfathomable supertech and living organism. In fact, she seems to be operating on the same sort of technology that is powering the 'other' Space Monsters - the ones Nono has identified as the Buster Corps. She does not have their power source, however. She seems to be running her systems off of that energy blast she absorbed earlier, in fact...
"Surely," Nono speaks, taking no apparent notice of her impending doom, "a true Buster Machine pilot..."
The Buster Corps. soars at the beast, hundreds of the former space monsters flying down from orbit and driving themselves into the soaring menace to their master. It slows, some.
"A true Nonoriri...!!"
The beast shrieks its fury as it streaks toward a collision. The spine's tip is almost as big as Nono is - there is no way she would survive an impact at that speed.
"...HAS A BUSTER MACHINE IN HER HEART!!" Nono roars.
She raises her hands, index fingers extended. Energy whips around her, and air expels from the vents on the backs of her legs, thick and hot.
"BUSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...!!!"
Nono shrieks, and draws her arms across her body, bright red balls of radiance forming at her fingertips, fingers pointing opposite directions. She twirls in midair, light and power gathering into the spheres.
She stops. Turns to face the monster. She raises both arms back over her head, index fingers still extended as she clasps her hands together, the two energy spheres combinging into one. She bends her entire body backward, her knees bent back as far as they go, her legs likewise swiveled as far to the rear as possible.
"BEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!!!!!!!!!"
Her body releases, every joint flying forward. Her arms fly to the fore. As they do so, the heat and light she has gathered discharge in a tremendous blast of light easily twice Nono's height, which quickly forms into a pencil-thin ray of impossible heat. It strikes the true Space Monster, knocks it off course, sends it hurtling to the remnants of the moon below. It collides, barely able to move under the searing heat and tremendous force of Buster Machine Number Seven's Buster Beam. The beam penetrates its armor, slicing neatly through its body thanks to the gashes in its armor that Shinji and Sanger created. It does not penetrate far enough - just as Nono feared.
The beast howls.
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Because, surely....a true Buster Machine Pilot...a true Nonoriri...!"
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "...HAS A BUSTER MACHINE IN HER HEART!! /FIRE/!!!"
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "I have the Callahans. Captain Sisko, considering that, I will withdraw back to your position."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Acknowledged."
Sanger looks briefly at both girls as they enter his cockpit. He isn't used to driving with passengers; it even bothers him a little, as he looks at the beast. He wants to go there, for a moment, and help Nono and the others. However, to do so with Nita and Dairine in here would simply be reckless--and thoughtless. He looks at Nita and nods.
As she heals the wound on his scalp, he pauses and touches it with a hand. "Thank you. Hold on, both of you."
He moves the throttle. The Type 0's thrusters launch, firing upward. The machine spirals as it starts away from the battleground. Dust and dirt trails after it, getting washed away into the sea of fire around them, before the heavily damaged Grungust flies towards the USS Defiant and its fellow ships.
Shinji watches. He can't move, because his Eva is out of power. He can't make a 'witty' quip because what little wit the boy has leaves him when the rush of battle fades. Plus, everyone else /can/ shoot and he doesn't want to risk distracting anyone. Unfortunately...
...that leaves the boy time to think, as he dully looks at his bleeding hands, the spear-like needle wounds having cut through the Evangelion into him. It shouldn't scar as much as Gauron's knife, part of Shinji thinks, while the other part of him mentally retches at the horrible necessity of the Evangelion robots. The Third Child looks up at the...what had the twins called it? A Topless? Shinji can't help but sympathize with the crazed, maddened beast having its last desperate stand against the forces of order and righteousness. He wonders, idly, if there was a person in that monster, once, and when exactly it stopped being a person, and started in the monster business full time.
"...is that how I'm going to end up?" Shinji mutters, not entirely conscious of his saying it aloud.
So do the good guys get to shoot it now?
The bridge crew of the Defiant looks on, startled by the fact that ONE LITTLE GIRL can fire a laser that can ALMOST kill a Space Monster with that much force. However, as the monster plunges down to the remains of Titan, Worf confirms what Ben already sees. "Direct hit from the girl on the Space Monster," the big Klingon booms. "Target has taken damage, but remains."
Sisko gestures with a finger. "Target the weak points and fire."
The Defiant turns on its nose in the atmosphere, pointing almost straight down at the downed Space Monster - and once again it begins to spew massive amounts of energy. Phasers, quantum torpedoes - they vomit from the starship, nearly exhausting its ammo bays as they whip towards the open gashes in the Space Monster's armour. In orbit, the Utah, Leacock, and Mescalero join in, firing with pinpoint-accurate linear phaser fire - narrow-beam, aimed to sink into the wounds.
Salt in the wounds nothin'. More like zero-point energy explosions and phased nadion detonations.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm! Well! The beast is still up, eh? WELL THEN! THAT MASSIVE YELL OF GUTS AND PASSION IS A GOOD CUE TO GAI! Gai flips his Aesti backwards, darting towards the Nadesico, flying high and landing in the landing bay. Why? Well...he's out of ammo. That is bad. The Nadesico has ammo. That is good. The Nadesico is about to Fire A Very Large Cannon.
Being out of its way is Awesome.
Which is why, as Nono attacks, a cry of "Ruri! FIRE THE GRAVITY BEAM CANNON!" is heard on the bridge. The Nadesico's main gun opens fire, ripping another beam straight at the Space Monster, even as missiles launch in a swarm, Ruri calmly maintaining continuous fire until the Nadesico's entire magazine is empty. Mister Prospector adjusts his glasses.
"Oh my. Quite an expensive engagement, Captain. Still, I suppose that couldn't be helped. I suppose I'll go ahead and authorize it. I'm sure it's better than the potential profit loss if that thing ever got out, after all."
And then, for no reason except for Ominousness, his eyeglasses GLEAM as he adjusts them again. FEAR THE ACCOUNTANT NINJA.
Nita Callahan, who now has an aching head (blame her feeling any wound she heals), hangs on the the back of Sanger's seat. There is room, if she squeezes anyway. At least she didn't have to cut herself, having plenty of blood lying around to use.
"Is there anything else I can do?" Nita asks, looking up. She doesn't know enough about how the Grungust works to boost it, or help with anything, but she hates feeling useless.
Dairine, who is pressing against the back wall, is trying to figure out who she has to beat up to get one of these mechs.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Target those armor injuries and fire!"
EVA-00 shifts back into full power again.
Rei narrows her eyes. Maybe this is a miracle, she thinks, as her faintly bloody lips draw back again. This, in its way, almost feels good.
The Evangelion's intact arm draws back like a classical javelin thrower. The entire thing's body ripples, damaged armor plating cracking to yield however faintly to whatever powers and motivates the enormous frame. It takes Rei 8 of the remaining 15 seconds of power to get into proper position.
EVA-00 steps forwards once, twice, jogs with stumbling haste along the broken ground, and with two seconds of internal power remaining, hurls the shard towards the gaping hole. EVA-00 falls forwards, then, and shuts down before it hits the ground; Rei's teeth rattle.
She sags in the plug's seat, relieved on some level.
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Alright...that did it! GET CLEAR! This will finish it for sure!!"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Does anyone need to be tractored clear?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] O'Brien: "I THINK I've got the secondary tractor systems reinforced... wouldn't trust them with TOO much, but a robot should be alright."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "How far... is 'clear'?"
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "The Evas are out of power...but, um, we're p-probably safest here, I don't think you could pull both Evas."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Where you are is fine. This...may get bumpy."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Acknowledged. O'Brien! Reinforce the shields!"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine asks, "Nono, what are you using for power?"
The monster howls, shrieking, furious, trying to rise but unable. The sheer forces being exerted on it cannot be properly described with words. Nono's beam sears into its wounds, Rei's thrown spear slices in further, widening its wounds. The Nadesico's gravity cannons crack its armor - an attack followed by the Federation bombardment, shattering its carapace in places, eradicating portions of unprotected body. The armor gives.
Nono's beam attack pierces the rest of the way through it. Through to the moon, through the void where the core once was...and emerging, a shining ray of heat and destruction, on the far side. "GET CLEAR!" she roars. "STAY AWAY FROM THIS LINE!!" What? What line?
She roars, "...SLICE!!!" and then separates her arms - one going up, one going down, Buster Beam rays extending in both directions off into the void of space.
One second passes.
Two seconds.
And then the moon Titan slides apart, like some thug cut to shreds by a cartoon samurai, who didn't even notice until he fell to bleeding ribbons. Or perhaps more like an orange, split neatly in twain.
Needless to say, the space monster dies, and explodes, a tremendous eruption of heat and light that whips the dust of this destroyed moon, and sears Nono's face beneath her visor.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] O'Brien: "Two robots would blow out the system. DAMN do I wish the main projector hadn't blown out."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister says, "...uh, never mind."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Have I finally lost it, or did the moon just slice in half?"
"O'Brien!" Sisko orders into the internal comm. "Reinforce the shields! This could get a little rocky."
["Aye, sir."]
The dark man lowers back into his chair, bracing himself and gripping the arms tightly. The Defiant is heavily armoured, and its shield bubble is now swelling and crackling with reinforced energy - and it IS, of course, in the murky atmosphere - but he isn't taking any chances.
And then Nono /cuts a frigging moon in half./
Benjamin Lafayette Sisko /stares./
"/What/ /in/ /the/ /blue/ /HELL?!/"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "...no, that's right. Um."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "Wow, my Senior is going to /kill/ me."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami sounds very calm. "Will it fall back together?"
Time to go, then! The Nadesico, having emptied its missile bays and retrieved its mechs, pulls up, activating the PT engines to gradually accelerate away from Titan. As they get higher, that 'gradual' bit becomes 'quickly', as the Nadesico achieves escape velocity and breaks clear of the planet. It's not like...well, okay. Maybe it is like the moon explodes. On the bridge, the Nadesico crew glance at each other, then back out at the devastation.
Yurika glances at her crew, then at what is left of Titan. "Wow. I wish someone was here to explain this."
Several light years away, a blonde woman sneezes, looking around and hmming. Gai, by now on the bridge, just shakes his head, reverting to one simple statement.
"Man, that was so cool!"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I wonder how much trouble you get in for helping bust a moon."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono huffs. "Physical Reactor mostly depleted...but that should make sure nothing hatches down there. Titan will probably eventually become another ring of Saturn."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Well, that's comforting. At least I'm not crazy."
[Fac-IPA] Gai Daigouji says, "...That was still pretty damn cool."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari considerately turns the com-link off for his ensuing scream of terror.
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] Dax, sounding really awed, "No, it's too far out to form a ring..."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Oh? Nono's not so good at stuff like that, so..."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine says, "You know, I got in trouble when I /moved/ a moon."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami is silent, either due to inner peace or intense, suit-ruining shock.
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari turns the com back on. "Okay, I'm, um, back to 'numb with terror' Dr. Agaki how do we make the battery float over here and power us up so we don't fall off of the moon I can't believe I just said that sentence."
"I think we are in the clear, as they say," Sanger states. In fact, he even swings the Colossal Blade back onto the holding onto the Grungust's back. He nudges the controls to cause it to turn around and face the moon. The man takes a deep breath, as he watches Nono make her move.
"That is truly a sword that smites evil," he murmurs softly, "if not the gods themselves."
One day, he would have a blade like that. When he was worthy.
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan's sister Dairine says, "I think I could just borrow geothermal from the moon. I mean, does it /matter/ at this point?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko] Worf splutters something in Klingonese. The rough translation is 'what the hell', but considerably more expletive-laced.
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan and Dairine are still in shock, they will probably be random for a while.
Dairine says something that the Speech fails to translate at about the same time Spot puts out an irritating high-pitched buzzing.
Nita's is more clear. She mostly has a face. It looks like :O and is not changing.
Part of Rei - the scientific part - wonders if they're misinterpreting, or having her on. She can't see anything with the plug as it is, and for hostile-environment missions, the plug door is sealed shut. She wonders about that, sometimes...
But it might be easy to forget.
She feels the ground rumble, though. She squirms in her seat. "We should leave," she says into the backup radio, rather unnecessarily.
Buster Machine Seven floats there, silently observing the aftermath.
Yup, she decides. That's one dead space monster.
She turns, and begins to float away from the bisected moon that will probably not be a moon for much longer, what with basically everything defining about a moon that it possessed having now been either blown up or cut in half. She floats off toward space--and then looks back. "...hm." A faint yellow-red shield flickers to live around her. It's quite odd, actually - looking at her directly, there is no distortion, but the borders of the force bubble are clearly visible. "Are you alright?" she calls to Shinji and Rei. "Do you need me to help you get back to the Gate? Or at least off to the control platform?"
Space ripples, and slowly, around the ruined moon, Buster Corps. units begin to emerge, drawn by their mistress to help aid in getting people to safety. They do not, however, look terribly reassuring or safe, as they are killer space robots designed for nothing less than utmost murdering efficiency.
"When did my life become a cartoon?" Shinji Ikari moans, shaking his Biblically pierced fist at the viewscreen, where Sanger Zonvolts might catch a glimpse of it, "Oh, I know, it was when I /listened to my evil dad/, that's when. Then it's all giant robots and monsters from space and now I'm standing on the moon my zany robot buddy just sliced in half."
Okay. No one was getting them off. No one /could/ get them off. The power battery was broken. They were going to die because their stupid robots could not walk ten feet to the activated Gate. That is the worst death ever. He totally doesn't want to die that way. The Evangelion will live. Forever. What? Where did that thought come from?
Shinji is briefly tempted to initiate Berserker mode by punching himself in the face. He then realizes this is the /stupidest idea he's ever had/, and says into the radio, "Um, if it wouldn't be too much trouble..." He is still Shinji Ikari, sadly, "...yeah, uh, we're out of power and sort of need, like, a push so we're not trapped in the infinite void of space."
Shinji looks back on THAT sentence. "Nihilism, infinite void of space, nihilism, infinite void of space..." he mutters to himself, weighing his old life and new.
The destruction of a moon doesn't cause Sanger Zonvolt to freeze up. What does cause him to tense - very noticeably - is when he catches a glimpse of Shinji Ikari on his screen, holding those bloodied hands up. His eyes narrow as he looks at this. "How did..."
He looks to the side, towards Nita. He feels badly, now - something new has arisen. Something wrong. He would need to ask Shinji about it...
...but not now. The boy is in a good mood. He doesn't need to do that to him. "Are you ready, young ladies? We should be getting back."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Captain Sisko."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Well done."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "I should be saying the same to all of you."
Rei is stil uncertain about this. If she remembers physics class - the day she showed up they were talking about gravity, she remembers that - then the moon may fall back together.
If, she tells herself, there is little added force. If Nono's attack merely divided the atomic boundaries of the material in a longitudinal slice, the planet itself would not even, technically, be disrupted. Is Titan molten inside? Rei can't recall.
If there IS added force, she reasons, or a major tidal influence -- such as Saturn -- then...
I wonder if that's blood or something else pooling around my buttocks, she thinks, as her mind wanders out of that rational track. "Please do," she says. "We will die if we leave the plugs."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "If anyone's hurt, I can do medical work. Some..."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "I don't think the Grungust or an Eva will fit aboard the Defiant, but the Mescalero's got plenty of hangar space. More comfortable, too."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "I think, um, Nono's getting us through the Gate."
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "Acknowledged."
[Fac-IPA] Vanilla H says, "Should anyone still be suffering upon returning safely home, I shall tend to you."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "You all did very well! That space monster...it had had a very long time to get ready for this. We're lucky it didn't get off the ground until the end..."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Those types are fast."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "It survived two N2 strikes."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami is quiet for a moment, then asks, "Is this typical?"
[Fac-IPA] Benjamin Sisko says, "And tough. We threw half our torpedo complement at it and it walked right through it."
"I'm ready," Nita says, still looking vaguely shell-shocked. She's fought before, but this is a little different.
Dairine asks, more to the point, "Do they make lots of these machines where you're from? The one I'm in, right now."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I don't even know what else I could do to it short of getting an atomic disruptor, and I /don't/ want one of those."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "My blade could not cut through it."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "...it was a Cruiser type. I don't really remember it well, but...I think, in the old days, they used to be able to take out entire Terran Space Force Fleets."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "It only means that I will have to make myself a man worthy of a stronger blade."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "It was too weak to move until the end...I guess it must have used its powers to strengthen its armor."
[Fac-IPA] Guy Shishiou chimes in, still sounding exhausted. "A blade can always grow sharper - if you have the courage to do so, Sanger-san."
Shinji Ikari's Eva is weird. It does weird things. Sometimes, it moves on its own.
It may be a coincidence or accident that the massive purple hand covers a massive blue one, but Shinji likes to think that he's helping anyway. "Hey, we didn't survive, like, a frillion of those things just to die on a /moon/." Shinji says like it is not a big deal the moon is split in half. The squeakiness of his voice may ruin the effect somewhat. "I mean, it'll take at least one of those small planet-but-not-planet things they decided Pluto is to take out an Eva, right Ayanami?"
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "...Hi, Guy."
[Fac-IPA] Guy Shishiou says, "Nita-san... I trust everyone is OK?"
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Indeed... no, not all of us."
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Many members of the Buster Corps did not survive this battle."
[Fac-IPA] Guy Shishiou says, "...I am sorry I was unable to assist you. But my body... my energy is still drained from the battle yesterday."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "Yeah..."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "Roy died...a couple others almost did, too."
[Fac-IPA] Vanilla H says, "I regret not being able to make myself available as well. Nano-Nano has kept me rather busy, I'm afraid."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "We're lucky. You all worked very hard."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "If you hadn't been here, a lot more people could've..."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "I did not think I would survive."
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I wasn't sure /I/ would, Rei. Oh, and Nono?"
"No. This one is one of three current units," Sanger replies to Dairine. He shakes his head once, before he looks to her. "I am sorry."
The man nods, then. The Grungust flies forward - moving past the Federation ships and towards the Gate. More pieces of it fall off as it flies, while the slagged metal finishes cooling. He looks forward, still tense. This is beginning to fill him with foreboding. Shinji's hands are one reason.
The other is an unnerving thought. This was one Space Monster among many. More were out there.
Is the IPA truly ready for them?
[Fac-IPA] Nita Callahan says, "I'm not giving this thing back to Dair - no, hands off, already - but she says sorry for just leaving you on Pluto."
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono says, "It's fine. A fight like that, she was much more useful there!"
[Fac-IPA] Sanger Zonvolt says, "Nono... Well done. You have made me proud. But do not stop here. This is merely the beginning."
Buster Machine Seven floats downward toward the downed Evangelions. She looks at them with a small smile. She's tired, and she wants to see to the others, but for now...She swoops down and with a hoist and a shove, tosses them away from the moon, then floats up and maneuvers them to float back toward the Gate.
[Fac-IPA] Buster Machine 7 Nono hee hee! "Of course! Nonoriri didn't give up when she became Nonoriri! Nono won't give up either!"
The Federation ships are moving to take up positions further out from Titan, or what's left of it. They are on guard for MOAR SPACE MONSTERS. Because Starfleet likes standing guard IN SPACE.
"Oh, figures." Dairine reseats herself.
"Where would you keep one anyway?" Nita has to ask.
"Garage."
Rei is jostled in the plug as Nono moves them.
She then says, to answer Shinji, "It would require at least three."
She is trying not to think, right now, of future Space Monsters. Although, she supposes...
She does not know if it would be authorized, but there could be hope.
SOLAR SYSTEM NEW 11TH PLANET BLACK HOLE EXELIO
They were weakening. Their master had awoken, had at last answered their pleas, but still they were weakening. It did not know how long it would take. Their numbers were seemingly infinite. They came again as soon as it destroyed another group. But soon, the chains would slack. Soon, their guard would slip. And then...
...it could hardly wait.
Neo Solar System Sixth Planet "Saturn", Former 48th Satellite [Titan Belt]
The moon Titan was obliterated during the battle against a Carrier-type STMC Space Monster reawakened by the machinations of Piaget and Lecoultre Serpentine. Now, it is slowly expanding into a dust cloud that will probably become an asteroid belt or perhaps eventually part of Saturn's rings.