Uncharacteristic of her, the sight of Hayate’s wonderful home cooking somehow nauseated the
stoic and taciturn knight. She tried her best, however, to stifle the queasy feelings and stuff the
delicious food down her throat. These strange feelings had been welling up within her for a few
days now, and only by sheer force of will had Signum been able to hide her discomfort.
“Signum, is something wrong? You’re rather quiet tonight,” Hayate looked over worriedly.
Damn her beloved mistress! She was too sharp!
“Isn’t she always quiet? I’ve never known Signum to be the chatty type,” Vita cut in, much to
Signum’s secret relief.
“Worry not, mistress,” the Knight gave Hayate a reassuring smile. “I am just thinking of a case I
am working on. There are some details that are unclear to me, and I’ve been pondering them.”
“Oh, alright,” the Kansai girl nodded in acceptance before gesturing with her hand. “But if you
need any help, don’t be afraid to ask, okay?”
“Of course, mistress. It is not a weakness to ask for help,” Signum returned the smile and went
back to her meal. She still didn’t feel much better, but at least she could hide it a bit longer…
And by a bit longer, she meant the next morning, where instead of performing her usual morning
rites, Signum was busy praying to the porcelain god. Dry heaves and dizzying nausea brought
about the concerned attentions of the entire Yagami-ke, much to Signum’s growing worry. What
could possibly be wrong with her? A strange disease? Was her body finally falling apart from all
the strain? …Was she dying because of the book…?
With a fresh wave of nausea hitting her, Signum barely registered being hauled off to the medical
facility. A doctor friend of Shamal’s took charge (as a policy prevented Shamal from doing so);
blood samples and various scans checked her health and vital signs. To their collective relief, a
diagnosis was made far sooner than expected.
“Alright, First Lieutenant, you and your family may want to be sitting for this,” the doctor
explained, looking over a sheet on Signum’s chart.
“Why? Is something wrong? Just tell us straight up, please!” the worry was grinding at Hayate’s
gut.
“It’s nothing serious,” he said at first before correcting himself. “Or rather, it’s nothing dangerous.
The First Lieutenant is healthy and perfectly fine! It’s what’s going on inside her that’s making her
feel so bad in the morning.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Hmm, well…” the doctor paused, thinking of the words to say. Eventually, he just shrugged,
“Congratulations, First Lieutenant. You are six weeks pregnant.”
“Oh, is that all? That’s not as bad as I—WAIT WHAT SHE’S PREGNANT?” Hayate
Yagami’s voice hitched up as the full understanding of the situation sank into her brain. Signum.
Pregnant. What.
The doctor coughed politely as he stood up, “You may want to start seeing a prenatal specialist.
Other than that, you’re in the clear. I’ll just excuse myself…”
He slipped out quietly, leaving the rest of the Yagami family to take in the fallout. The
Wolkenritter’s mistress was first to recover from her shock.
“Signum, I understand it is your choice, and it is perfectly acceptable to have a healthy sex life,
but what are you thinking, getting pregnant like that? Are you even ready to have a child?!”
Hayate was neither angry nor disappointed, but she could not hide the incredulousness from her
voice.
“I-I… I did not even think I could get pregnant,” Signum admitted, unable to look at her mistress
in the eyes. “I had the same biological processes, but to think a program such as me could even
conceive a child…”
It was an exceedingly rare sight, possibly the first time Hayate had ever seen it, but Signum
suddenly seemed so lost and confused, yet seized by a sense of wonderment and… utter joy.
“It’s… a miracle,” she whispered, hand over her belly. Life was growing here, a life she never
believed possible…
Hayate could feel the astonishment bleed out from her, unable to stay at all upset with her family.
Quietly, she slipped her arms around Signum and hugged her gently.
“Congratulations, Signum. You have a legacy, now, but are you sure you are ready for this?
Raising a kid isn’t anything like training boots, you know?”
“I… I believe I am,” the Knight of the Sword replied, her hand still over her belly. “I have never
felt so… so certain before. I want this child…!”
Hayate could only hug Signum closer.
“Signum, congratulations!” Shamal soon joined in on the group hug, soon followed by the smaller
Vita and her own words of praise.
“Indeed, congratulations,” Zafira gave his quiet support.
They stayed like this for a while, basking in the collective glow of bliss. Slowly, they pulled apart,
still smiling and dizzy with excitement.
Of course, Vita had to ask, “So, who’s the dad?”
Suddenly, Signum felt something sink into her stomach, “The father…”
“Oh, duh! How could we forget to ask?!” Hayate slapped a hand to her forehead. “Do we
know him?”
“Is it Vice? Dammit, please don’t let it be Vice…” Vita muttered, going over the possible pairs,
“Verossa? I’mma kill him if it’s him!”
“Can’t be Yuuno,” Shamal murmured, “The others would annihilate him with excessive
befriending.”
“Who else could it be? Griffith? Genya?” They went a little cross-eyed at that suggestion.
At last, Signum spoke up, “It… it was during an extended training session. He was learning very
quickly and managed to get in a good strike, but it shredded my top. With the two of us alone,
we did not have to worry too much about propriety. One thing lead to another and…”
=======================================
Far, far away, upon the fertile lands of TSAB-administrated world #61 (also known as Supools),
a young man settled down after a long day’s hard work.
Waving as his coworkers flew by, Erio Mondial was pleasantly surprised to see a message
coming in for him, very recently sent.
It was just a simple message, with Vita delivering it, “Signum is pregnant. You’re the father. Prepare yourself.”
The message ended with Graf Eisen loading a cartridge with a frighteningly loud ka-CHAK .
Oh.
…Well, shit.
At least he had a head start. Time to start running.
Written in two hours on the fly with no planning or revision.
OH SHI--
Run, Erio! Run like the wind! It might not do much good, but it's still worth a shot!
"You're looking well." Uno then noticed the other woman, who was ignoring them and muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ under her breath as she determined which wall to break next. “Your companion resembles that woman but her hair is the wrong colour.”
“I assure you that she is a different person than the woman I crossed paths with five years ago.”
“I see.” The elder Number moved closer to the prison bars to make it easier to converse with her sister and that other mage who was with her. “Excuse me but who would you be?”
In an instant, the blue haired woman broke off ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and launched into her introduction. “I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the boogeyman that causes kids to keep wetting their beds until they are twenty four and a half years old! I am Material-L! But you can call me Rai-chan!”
‘…… this particular replica of Testarossa seems highly unstable,’ noted Uno to herself. She would have to see what exactly she wanted from her sister. “What is your business with my sister?”
“She’s my new sidekick!” chirped Rai cheerfully. “She was the ideal candidate so I hired her immediately. You, I’m not so sure of since I don’t believe we’re recruiting mad scientists but if you have a résumé, I can pass it on!”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have that on me. However, I ask that you take care of my sister,” said Uno as she bowed politely in front of Material-L.
“Yeah, I’ll make her into the bestest sidekick ever! All she needs is an overriding theme song and she’ll be set!”
She blinked at that response before turning to the pink haired Combat Cyborg. “…… are you sure you want to go with someone like her?”
"If only to prevent her from killing people,” replied Sette while the Fate replica resumed muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and counting which wall to knock down.
“You’ve changed, Sette.”
"We all change, Uno." There was something in her tone that caught Uno’s attention. It was almost as if Sette was upset at seeing her again. "Some just need help along the way."
She knew that this would most likely be the last time she would speak with Sette. With that in mind, she waved over her fellow Number. “If you are going to be taking off, then you may as well have this.” Uno held up her right thumb and pushed against the thumbnail which slid apart to reveal a hidden compartment underneath. She carefully reached in to take out a small microchip and held it out for Sette.
“What is this?” They both ignored the way Rai went off and said something about how that was like Data could hide stuff on his body, since neither of them knew who Data was.
“It is a key to get access to the Doctor’s backup lab on Mid-Childa if you’re heading in that direction. When you’re in range, a map file will automatically be uploaded to the chip to reveal the lab’s location. I’m not precisely sure what type of work you will be doing but in case you need supplies and equipment, you can get them there.”
Sette could only stare at the chip that rested in the palm of her hand and pondered if she should keep it. “When did you…?”
“It was part of the Doctor’s backup plan in the event of his demise. After all, we would have our hands full caring for the clone Doctors and they would need resources to continue his research.”
The urge to crush the microchip in her hand instantly flared. “Is that so? Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”
Uno saw how the other Combat Cyborg’s hand was twitching, how some of her muscles tensed up slightly, how her eyes flickered with bits of emotion and how her jaw remained firm. It was strange for her to see the new Sette. As such, she wasn’t sure if she would take the next little revelation well but since she asked in the first place… “I’m sure you probably know by now that the Doctor approved of Quattro’s modifications on your brain.”
"As I thought…" Her body language reflected a combination of emotions: sadness, anger and disappointment. She finally relaxed while calmly putting the chip away before turning her back on the elder Number. "Goodbye, Uno."
*CHOOM*
Uno’s golden eyes merely followed her departing sister, who disappeared with the Fate replica through the freshly damaged wall. “Farewell, Sette.”
(---)
"Well?" Yami sighed at the impertinent look on Seikou's face.
"Why is it important?"
Seikou narrowed her eyes at Yami. "You care enough about Yuuno-san to not eat his Linker Core right away, but you do not care about him otherwise?"
Yami sighed, couldn't that idiot see just why she did what she did? "Tell me something, Material-S, where would all of us be if he did that first mana replenishment to you?" She held up a finger to stop any arguments from Seikou. "We'd all be dead right now."
"What?"
Yami growled and grabbed Seikou and pulled her close. "He'd be dead from giving us his Linker Core and we'd likely be dead because none of us would have found a suitable replacement."
"Fine." Seikou pushed herself away from Yami. "Just what did you do to him then?"
Yami sighed softly. "I used Bewusstseinserweiterung."
"Mind Bend?"
"Yes."
Seikou frowned at her, a pink ball of magic appearing in her hand. "You brainwashed him?"
"No!" Yami narrowed her eyes, a white sphere appearing in her hands, just in case. "I didn't brainwash him. Brainwashing is a distateful practice only for the lowest of scoundrels, and he wouldn't have any worth as a brainwashed peon!" Besides, Yami had come to value Yuuno for his ingenuity over the past few days. "No, this spell just removes inhibitions and enhances compassion. If anything, this is his true self, one who's not bogged down by the evils of his society." Besides, her book had noted that this spell wasn't an unusual spell, having mentioned that royalty did it all the time to get truthful answers and opinions out of their advisors.
"You still betrayed him. What's he going to do when he finds out and you remove the spell on him?"
Yami growled at Seikou and felt a major urge to hit the other Material. "Listen you! I don't care!"
"So even if he hated you and never spoke to you again, you would be okay with that?"
"As long as we are all alive, I don't care." Yami resisted the urge to growl at the other Material. "My first concern, in case you forgot, is making sure that we all survive. If I have to murder a planet to do it, I will. If I have to warp a person's mind, I will. You and Material-L are my first concerns, remember the state that the three of us were in that one time we were split up for more than a couple of days?"
Seikou sighed, she remembered that, it was not a very fun time for any of them. "Very well, but you are going to remove what you did to Yuuno-san and explain to him, myself, and Rai-chan just what you did in detail, why you did it and take any punishment that Yuuno-san decides."
"...Are you going to tell him?"
Seikou shook her head. "No, I will not betray you like you have betrayed him. But you will, and as soon as possible."
__________________
My fics Due to certain things, I am not here, find me over on TFF.
"You're looking well." Uno then noticed the other woman, who was ignoring them and muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ under her breath as she determined which wall to break next. “Your companion resembles that woman but her hair is the wrong colour.”
“I assure you that she is a different person than the woman I crossed paths with five years ago.”
“I see.” The elder Number moved closer to the prison bars to make it easier to converse with her sister and that other mage who was with her. “Excuse me but who would you be?”
In an instant, the blue haired woman broke off ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and launched into her introduction. “I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the boogeyman that causes kids to keep wetting their beds until they are twenty four and a half years old! I am Material-L! But you can call me Rai-chan!”
‘…… this particular replica of Testarossa seems highly unstable,’ noted Uno to herself. She would have to see what exactly she wanted from her sister. “What is your business with my sister?”
“She’s my new sidekick!” chirped Rai cheerfully. “She was the ideal candidate so I hired her immediately. You, I’m not so sure of since I don’t believe we’re recruiting mad scientists but if you have a résumé, I can pass it on!”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have that on me. However, I ask that you take care of my sister,” said Uno as she bowed politely in front of Material-L.
“Yeah, I’ll make her into the bestest sidekick ever! All she needs is an overriding theme song and she’ll be set!”
She blinked at that response before turning to the pink haired Combat Cyborg. “…… are you sure you want to go with someone like her?”
"If only to prevent her from killing people,” replied Sette while the Fate replica resumed muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and counting which wall to knock down.
“You’ve changed, Sette.”
"We all change, Uno." There was something in her tone that caught Uno’s attention. It was almost as if Sette was upset at seeing her again. "Some just need help along the way."
She knew that this would most likely be the last time she would speak with Sette. With that in mind, she waved over her fellow Number. “If you are going to be taking off, then you may as well have this.” Uno held up her right thumb and pushed against the thumbnail which slid apart to reveal a hidden compartment underneath. She carefully reached in to take out a small microchip and held it out for Sette.
“What is this?” They both ignored the way Rai went off and said something about how that was like Data could hide stuff on his body, since neither of them knew who Data was.
“It is a key to get access to the Doctor’s backup lab on Mid-Childa if you’re heading in that direction. When you’re in range, a map file will automatically be uploaded to the chip to reveal the lab’s location. I’m not precisely sure what type of work you will be doing but in case you need supplies and equipment, you can get them there.”
Sette could only stare at the chip that rested in the palm of her hand and pondered if she should keep it. “When did you…?”
“It was part of the Doctor’s backup plan in the event of his demise. After all, we would have our hands full caring for the clone Doctors and they would need resources to continue his research.”
The urge to crush the microchip in her hand instantly flared. “Is that so? Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”
Uno saw how the other Combat Cyborg’s hand was twitching, how some of her muscles tensed up slightly, how her eyes flickered with bits of emotion and how her jaw remained firm. It was strange for her to see the new Sette. As such, she wasn’t sure if she would take the next little revelation well but since she asked in the first place… “I’m sure you probably know by now that the Doctor approved of Quattro’s modifications on your brain.”
"As I thought…" Her body language reflected a combination of emotions: sadness, anger and disappointment. She finally relaxed while calmly putting the chip away before turning her back on the elder Number. "Goodbye, Uno."
*CHOOM*
Uno’s golden eyes merely followed her departing sister, who disappeared with the Fate replica through the freshly damaged wall. “Farewell, Sette.”
(---)
"Well?" Yami sighed at the impertinent look on Seikou's face.
"Why is it important?"
Seikou narrowed her eyes at Yami. "You care enough about Yuuno-san to not eat his Linker Core right away, but you do not care about him otherwise?"
Yami sighed, couldn't that idiot see just why she did what she did? "Tell me something, Material-S, where would all of us be if he did that first mana replenishment to you?" She held up a finger to stop any arguments from Seikou. "We'd all be dead right now."
"What?"
Yami growled and grabbed Seikou and pulled her close. "He'd be dead from giving us his Linker Core and we'd likely be dead because none of us would have found a suitable replacement."
"Fine." Seikou pushed herself away from Yami. "Just what did you do to him then?"
Yami sighed softly. "I used Bewusstseinserweiterung."
"Mind Bend?"
"Yes."
Seikou frowned at her, a pink ball of magic appearing in her hand. "You brainwashed him?"
"No!" Yami narrowed her eyes, a white sphere appearing in her hands, just in case. "I didn't brainwash him. Brainwashing is a distateful practice only for the lowest of scoundrels, and he wouldn't have any worth as a brainwashed peon!" Besides, Yami had come to value Yuuno for his ingenuity over the past few days. "No, this spell just removes inhibitions and enhances compassion. If anything, this is his true self, one who's not bogged down by the evils of his society." Besides, her book had noted that this spell wasn't an unusual spell, having mentioned that royalty did it all the time to get truthful answers and opinions out of their advisors.
"You still betrayed him. What's he going to do when he finds out and you remove the spell on him?"
Yami growled at Seikou and felt a major urge to hit the other Material. "Listen you! I don't care!"
"So even if he hated you and never spoke to you again, you would be okay with that?"
"As long as we are all alive, I don't care." Yami resisted the urge to growl at the other Material. "My first concern, in case you forgot, is making sure that we all survive. If I have to murder a planet to do it, I will. If I have to warp a person's mind, I will. You and Material-L are my first concerns, remember the state that the three of us were in that one time we were split up for more than a couple of days?"
Seikou sighed, she remembered that, it was not a very fun time for any of them. "Very well, but you are going to remove what you did to Yuuno-san and explain to him, myself, and Rai-chan just what you did in detail, why you did it and take any punishment that Yuuno-san decides."
"...Are you going to tell him?"
Seikou shook her head. "No, I will not betray you like you have betrayed him. But you will, and as soon as possible."
Tension is building it seems, I can't imagine how Yuuno is going to take the news that his mind has been bent. Uno dropped a bombshell didn't she, i wonder how Sette was affected by that mentally, it's got to be disheartening hasn't it?
__________________
"The eyes are the windows that let us gaze upon the soul"
"When desperate there are two choices: Lock shields for the last stand or draw your sword for the final charge"
"There are no winners or losers, there are only the living and the dead."
"You're looking well." Uno then noticed the other woman, who was ignoring them and muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ under her breath as she determined which wall to break next. “Your companion resembles that woman but her hair is the wrong colour.”
“I assure you that she is a different person than the woman I crossed paths with five years ago.”
“I see.” The elder Number moved closer to the prison bars to make it easier to converse with her sister and that other mage who was with her. “Excuse me but who would you be?”
In an instant, the blue haired woman broke off ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and launched into her introduction. “I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the boogeyman that causes kids to keep wetting their beds until they are twenty four and a half years old! I am Material-L! But you can call me Rai-chan!”
‘…… this particular replica of Testarossa seems highly unstable,’ noted Uno to herself. She would have to see what exactly she wanted from her sister. “What is your business with my sister?”
“She’s my new sidekick!” chirped Rai cheerfully. “She was the ideal candidate so I hired her immediately. You, I’m not so sure of since I don’t believe we’re recruiting mad scientists but if you have a résumé, I can pass it on!”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have that on me. However, I ask that you take care of my sister,” said Uno as she bowed politely in front of Material-L.
“Yeah, I’ll make her into the bestest sidekick ever! All she needs is an overriding theme song and she’ll be set!”
She blinked at that response before turning to the pink haired Combat Cyborg. “…… are you sure you want to go with someone like her?”
"If only to prevent her from killing people,” replied Sette while the Fate replica resumed muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and counting which wall to knock down.
“You’ve changed, Sette.”
"We all change, Uno." There was something in her tone that caught Uno’s attention. It was almost as if Sette was upset at seeing her again. "Some just need help along the way."
She knew that this would most likely be the last time she would speak with Sette. With that in mind, she waved over her fellow Number. “If you are going to be taking off, then you may as well have this.” Uno held up her right thumb and pushed against the thumbnail which slid apart to reveal a hidden compartment underneath. She carefully reached in to take out a small microchip and held it out for Sette.
“What is this?” They both ignored the way Rai went off and said something about how that was like Data could hide stuff on his body, since neither of them knew who Data was.
“It is a key to get access to the Doctor’s backup lab on Mid-Childa if you’re heading in that direction. When you’re in range, a map file will automatically be uploaded to the chip to reveal the lab’s location. I’m not precisely sure what type of work you will be doing but in case you need supplies and equipment, you can get them there.”
Sette could only stare at the chip that rested in the palm of her hand and pondered if she should keep it. “When did you…?”
“It was part of the Doctor’s backup plan in the event of his demise. After all, we would have our hands full caring for the clone Doctors and they would need resources to continue his research.”
The urge to crush the microchip in her hand instantly flared. “Is that so? Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”
Uno saw how the other Combat Cyborg’s hand was twitching, how some of her muscles tensed up slightly, how her eyes flickered with bits of emotion and how her jaw remained firm. It was strange for her to see the new Sette. As such, she wasn’t sure if she would take the next little revelation well but since she asked in the first place… “I’m sure you probably know by now that the Doctor approved of Quattro’s modifications on your brain.”
"As I thought…" Her body language reflected a combination of emotions: sadness, anger and disappointment. She finally relaxed while calmly putting the chip away before turning her back on the elder Number. "Goodbye, Uno."
*CHOOM*
Uno’s golden eyes merely followed her departing sister, who disappeared with the Fate replica through the freshly damaged wall. “Farewell, Sette.”
(---)
"Well?" Yami sighed at the impertinent look on Seikou's face.
"Why is it important?"
Seikou narrowed her eyes at Yami. "You care enough about Yuuno-san to not eat his Linker Core right away, but you do not care about him otherwise?"
Yami sighed, couldn't that idiot see just why she did what she did? "Tell me something, Material-S, where would all of us be if he did that first mana replenishment to you?" She held up a finger to stop any arguments from Seikou. "We'd all be dead right now."
"What?"
Yami growled and grabbed Seikou and pulled her close. "He'd be dead from giving us his Linker Core and we'd likely be dead because none of us would have found a suitable replacement."
"Fine." Seikou pushed herself away from Yami. "Just what did you do to him then?"
Yami sighed softly. "I used Bewusstseinserweiterung."
"Mind Bend?"
"Yes."
Seikou frowned at her, a pink ball of magic appearing in her hand. "You brainwashed him?"
"No!" Yami narrowed her eyes, a white sphere appearing in her hands, just in case. "I didn't brainwash him. Brainwashing is a distateful practice only for the lowest of scoundrels, and he wouldn't have any worth as a brainwashed peon!" Besides, Yami had come to value Yuuno for his ingenuity over the past few days. "No, this spell just removes inhibitions and enhances compassion. If anything, this is his true self, one who's not bogged down by the evils of his society." Besides, her book had noted that this spell wasn't an unusual spell, having mentioned that royalty did it all the time to get truthful answers and opinions out of their advisors.
"You still betrayed him. What's he going to do when he finds out and you remove the spell on him?"
Yami growled at Seikou and felt a major urge to hit the other Material. "Listen you! I don't care!"
"So even if he hated you and never spoke to you again, you would be okay with that?"
"As long as we are all alive, I don't care." Yami resisted the urge to growl at the other Material. "My first concern, in case you forgot, is making sure that we all survive. If I have to murder a planet to do it, I will. If I have to warp a person's mind, I will. You and Material-L are my first concerns, remember the state that the three of us were in that one time we were split up for more than a couple of days?"
Seikou sighed, she remembered that, it was not a very fun time for any of them. "Very well, but you are going to remove what you did to Yuuno-san and explain to him, myself, and Rai-chan just what you did in detail, why you did it and take any punishment that Yuuno-san decides."
"...Are you going to tell him?"
Seikou shook her head. "No, I will not betray you like you have betrayed him. But you will, and as soon as possible."
Hm, I see you didn't use my suggested of adding Uno to the party as well. That would have made things better, because as it stands Sette alone joining the group makes her the odd man out. She really has no business being there so her addition just feels like a blatant self indulgence on the authors' part.
Sette's reaction to what Uno told her seemed off to me. I know Sette's supposedly changed since StrikerS, but her portrayals in previous chapters shows she's still got her calm, calculating attitude with a newfound caring for the lives of others. So for her to get visable mad like that is too much too soon. If she were to get mad I imagine it would be the cold and numb variety, not the impulsive "I want to crush something" variety.
The bit with Yami and Seikou is good, though I'd add a bit where Yami explains that she cares about the safety of the other Materials not because she likes them or anything but because it'd be a shame to lose such capable subordinates. I think that would be more in character for her.
Location: Pennsylvania. It's sort of like a real state.
Age: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nanya01
Well, I'm back.
Spoiler for Material Days 44:
“Sette?”
“…… Uno…”
"You're looking well." Uno then noticed the other woman, who was ignoring them and muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ under her breath as she determined which wall to break next. “Your companion resembles that woman but her hair is the wrong colour.”
“I assure you that she is a different person than the woman I crossed paths with five years ago.”
“I see.” The elder Number moved closer to the prison bars to make it easier to converse with her sister and that other mage who was with her. “Excuse me but who would you be?”
In an instant, the blue haired woman broke off ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and launched into her introduction. “I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the boogeyman that causes kids to keep wetting their beds until they are twenty four and a half years old! I am Material-L! But you can call me Rai-chan!”
‘…… this particular replica of Testarossa seems highly unstable,’ noted Uno to herself. She would have to see what exactly she wanted from her sister. “What is your business with my sister?”
“She’s my new sidekick!” chirped Rai cheerfully. “She was the ideal candidate so I hired her immediately. You, I’m not so sure of since I don’t believe we’re recruiting mad scientists but if you have a résumé, I can pass it on!”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have that on me. However, I ask that you take care of my sister,” said Uno as she bowed politely in front of Material-L.
“Yeah, I’ll make her into the bestest sidekick ever! All she needs is an overriding theme song and she’ll be set!”
She blinked at that response before turning to the pink haired Combat Cyborg. “…… are you sure you want to go with someone like her?”
"If only to prevent her from killing people,” replied Sette while the Fate replica resumed muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and counting which wall to knock down.
“You’ve changed, Sette.”
"We all change, Uno." There was something in her tone that caught Uno’s attention. It was almost as if Sette was upset at seeing her again. "Some just need help along the way."
She knew that this would most likely be the last time she would speak with Sette. With that in mind, she waved over her fellow Number. “If you are going to be taking off, then you may as well have this.” Uno held up her right thumb and pushed against the thumbnail which slid apart to reveal a hidden compartment underneath. She carefully reached in to take out a small microchip and held it out for Sette.
“What is this?” They both ignored the way Rai went off and said something about how that was like Data could hide stuff on his body, since neither of them knew who Data was.
“It is a key to get access to the Doctor’s backup lab on Mid-Childa if you’re heading in that direction. When you’re in range, a map file will automatically be uploaded to the chip to reveal the lab’s location. I’m not precisely sure what type of work you will be doing but in case you need supplies and equipment, you can get them there.”
Sette could only stare at the chip that rested in the palm of her hand and pondered if she should keep it. “When did you…?”
“It was part of the Doctor’s backup plan in the event of his demise. After all, we would have our hands full caring for the clone Doctors and they would need resources to continue his research.”
The urge to crush the microchip in her hand instantly flared. “Is that so? Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”
Uno saw how the other Combat Cyborg’s hand was twitching, how some of her muscles tensed up slightly, how her eyes flickered with bits of emotion and how her jaw remained firm. It was strange for her to see the new Sette. As such, she wasn’t sure if she would take the next little revelation well but since she asked in the first place… “I’m sure you probably know by now that the Doctor approved of Quattro’s modifications on your brain.”
"As I thought…" Her body language reflected a combination of emotions: sadness, anger and disappointment. She finally relaxed while calmly putting the chip away before turning her back on the elder Number. "Goodbye, Uno."
*CHOOM*
Uno’s golden eyes merely followed her departing sister, who disappeared with the Fate replica through the freshly damaged wall. “Farewell, Sette.”
(---)
"Well?" Yami sighed at the impertinent look on Seikou's face.
"Why is it important?"
Seikou narrowed her eyes at Yami. "You care enough about Yuuno-san to not eat his Linker Core right away, but you do not care about him otherwise?"
Yami sighed, couldn't that idiot see just why she did what she did? "Tell me something, Material-S, where would all of us be if he did that first mana replenishment to you?" She held up a finger to stop any arguments from Seikou. "We'd all be dead right now."
"What?"
Yami growled and grabbed Seikou and pulled her close. "He'd be dead from giving us his Linker Core and we'd likely be dead because none of us would have found a suitable replacement."
"Fine." Seikou pushed herself away from Yami. "Just what did you do to him then?"
Yami sighed softly. "I used Bewusstseinserweiterung."
"Mind Bend?"
"Yes."
Seikou frowned at her, a pink ball of magic appearing in her hand. "You brainwashed him?"
"No!" Yami narrowed her eyes, a white sphere appearing in her hands, just in case. "I didn't brainwash him. Brainwashing is a distateful practice only for the lowest of scoundrels, and he wouldn't have any worth as a brainwashed peon!" Besides, Yami had come to value Yuuno for his ingenuity over the past few days. "No, this spell just removes inhibitions and enhances compassion. If anything, this is his true self, one who's not bogged down by the evils of his society." Besides, her book had noted that this spell wasn't an unusual spell, having mentioned that royalty did it all the time to get truthful answers and opinions out of their advisors.
"You still betrayed him. What's he going to do when he finds out and you remove the spell on him?"
Yami growled at Seikou and felt a major urge to hit the other Material. "Listen you! I don't care!"
"So even if he hated you and never spoke to you again, you would be okay with that?"
"As long as we are all alive, I don't care." Yami resisted the urge to growl at the other Material. "My first concern, in case you forgot, is making sure that we all survive. If I have to murder a planet to do it, I will. If I have to warp a person's mind, I will. You and Material-L are my first concerns, remember the state that the three of us were in that one time we were split up for more than a couple of days?"
Seikou sighed, she remembered that, it was not a very fun time for any of them. "Very well, but you are going to remove what you did to Yuuno-san and explain to him, myself, and Rai-chan just what you did in detail, why you did it and take any punishment that Yuuno-san decides."
"...Are you going to tell him?"
Seikou shook her head. "No, I will not betray you like you have betrayed him. But you will, and as soon as possible."
Nice, and it's raising the point that I made in our conversation: am I supposed to find the Materials sympathetic? I mean, obviously they have sympathetic aspects, but Yami has been mind-raping Yuuno, and Rai has admitted, openly, to enjoying murder. Seikou's not as bad, but she still has her rough patches too. I'm getting to the point where I'm not sure if I want them to have a happy ending, because while there are signs of them being changed by their association with Yuuno, there are many more signs that they really ought to be kept off the streets...
Yuuno's reaction to what has happened, both in the prison and in his head, and how the girls responsible for these things react to his reactions... I think that's a major turning point in whether you can honestly call these girls redeemable, or just plain Villain Protagonists. Looking forward to the answer.
Is it bad that whenever I hear Material Days, the ones that came into mind were Heidi and Tohma ?
Still, new chapter. Yay!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nanya01
Well, I'm back.
Spoiler for Material Days 44:
“Sette?”
“…… Uno…”
"You're looking well." Uno then noticed the other woman, who was ignoring them and muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ under her breath as she determined which wall to break next. “Your companion resembles that woman but her hair is the wrong colour.”
“I assure you that she is a different person than the woman I crossed paths with five years ago.”
“I see.” The elder Number moved closer to the prison bars to make it easier to converse with her sister and that other mage who was with her. “Excuse me but who would you be?”
In an instant, the blue haired woman broke off ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and launched into her introduction. “I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the boogeyman that causes kids to keep wetting their beds until they are twenty four and a half years old! I am Material-L! But you can call me Rai-chan!”
‘…… this particular replica of Testarossa seems highly unstable,’ noted Uno to herself. She would have to see what exactly she wanted from her sister. “What is your business with my sister?”
“She’s my new sidekick!” chirped Rai cheerfully. “She was the ideal candidate so I hired her immediately. You, I’m not so sure of since I don’t believe we’re recruiting mad scientists but if you have a résumé, I can pass it on!”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have that on me. However, I ask that you take care of my sister,” said Uno as she bowed politely in front of Material-L.
“Yeah, I’ll make her into the bestest sidekick ever! All she needs is an overriding theme song and she’ll be set!”
She blinked at that response before turning to the pink haired Combat Cyborg. “…… are you sure you want to go with someone like her?”
"If only to prevent her from killing people,” replied Sette while the Fate replica resumed muttering ‘Inky Pinky Ponky’ and counting which wall to knock down.
“You’ve changed, Sette.”
"We all change, Uno." There was something in her tone that caught Uno’s attention. It was almost as if Sette was upset at seeing her again. "Some just need help along the way."
She knew that this would most likely be the last time she would speak with Sette. With that in mind, she waved over her fellow Number. “If you are going to be taking off, then you may as well have this.” Uno held up her right thumb and pushed against the thumbnail which slid apart to reveal a hidden compartment underneath. She carefully reached in to take out a small microchip and held it out for Sette.
“What is this?” They both ignored the way Rai went off and said something about how that was like Data could hide stuff on his body, since neither of them knew who Data was.
“It is a key to get access to the Doctor’s backup lab on Mid-Childa if you’re heading in that direction. When you’re in range, a map file will automatically be uploaded to the chip to reveal the lab’s location. I’m not precisely sure what type of work you will be doing but in case you need supplies and equipment, you can get them there.”
Sette could only stare at the chip that rested in the palm of her hand and pondered if she should keep it. “When did you…?”
“It was part of the Doctor’s backup plan in the event of his demise. After all, we would have our hands full caring for the clone Doctors and they would need resources to continue his research.”
The urge to crush the microchip in her hand instantly flared. “Is that so? Is there anything else you would like to tell me?”
Uno saw how the other Combat Cyborg’s hand was twitching, how some of her muscles tensed up slightly, how her eyes flickered with bits of emotion and how her jaw remained firm. It was strange for her to see the new Sette. As such, she wasn’t sure if she would take the next little revelation well but since she asked in the first place… “I’m sure you probably know by now that the Doctor approved of Quattro’s modifications on your brain.”
"As I thought…" Her body language reflected a combination of emotions: sadness, anger and disappointment. She finally relaxed while calmly putting the chip away before turning her back on the elder Number. "Goodbye, Uno."
*CHOOM*
Uno’s golden eyes merely followed her departing sister, who disappeared with the Fate replica through the freshly damaged wall. “Farewell, Sette.”
(---)
"Well?" Yami sighed at the impertinent look on Seikou's face.
"Why is it important?"
Seikou narrowed her eyes at Yami. "You care enough about Yuuno-san to not eat his Linker Core right away, but you do not care about him otherwise?"
Yami sighed, couldn't that idiot see just why she did what she did? "Tell me something, Material-S, where would all of us be if he did that first mana replenishment to you?" She held up a finger to stop any arguments from Seikou. "We'd all be dead right now."
"What?"
Yami growled and grabbed Seikou and pulled her close. "He'd be dead from giving us his Linker Core and we'd likely be dead because none of us would have found a suitable replacement."
"Fine." Seikou pushed herself away from Yami. "Just what did you do to him then?"
Yami sighed softly. "I used Bewusstseinserweiterung."
"Mind Bend?"
"Yes."
Seikou frowned at her, a pink ball of magic appearing in her hand. "You brainwashed him?"
"No!" Yami narrowed her eyes, a white sphere appearing in her hands, just in case. "I didn't brainwash him. Brainwashing is a distateful practice only for the lowest of scoundrels, and he wouldn't have any worth as a brainwashed peon!" Besides, Yami had come to value Yuuno for his ingenuity over the past few days. "No, this spell just removes inhibitions and enhances compassion. If anything, this is his true self, one who's not bogged down by the evils of his society." Besides, her book had noted that this spell wasn't an unusual spell, having mentioned that royalty did it all the time to get truthful answers and opinions out of their advisors.
"You still betrayed him. What's he going to do when he finds out and you remove the spell on him?"
Yami growled at Seikou and felt a major urge to hit the other Material. "Listen you! I don't care!"
"So even if he hated you and never spoke to you again, you would be okay with that?"
"As long as we are all alive, I don't care." Yami resisted the urge to growl at the other Material. "My first concern, in case you forgot, is making sure that we all survive. If I have to murder a planet to do it, I will. If I have to warp a person's mind, I will. You and Material-L are my first concerns, remember the state that the three of us were in that one time we were split up for more than a couple of days?"
Seikou sighed, she remembered that, it was not a very fun time for any of them. "Very well, but you are going to remove what you did to Yuuno-san and explain to him, myself, and Rai-chan just what you did in detail, why you did it and take any punishment that Yuuno-san decides."
"...Are you going to tell him?"
Seikou shook her head. "No, I will not betray you like you have betrayed him. But you will, and as soon as possible."
The interaction between Uno and Sette strikes me as a bit odd, but I'll wait for how Sette reacted afterwards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moczo
Yuuno's reaction to what has happened, both in the prison and in his head, and how the girls responsible for these things react to his reactions... I think that's a major turning point in whether you can honestly call these girls redeemable, or just plain Villain Protagonists. Looking forward to the answer.
This is interesting. Right now I'm guessing a similar fate with the reformed Numbers, but there's plenty more events to happen...
I'm not going to say that last bit didn't have problems with it.
But I'd rather write something down, have people point out that "hey, there's flaws here" and be able to change it than having people say nothing and just continue on.
But, yes, Moczo, I did put that there as a result of our talk.
__________________
My fics Due to certain things, I am not here, find me over on TFF.
Nice, and it's raising the point that I made in our conversation: am I supposed to find the Materials sympathetic? I mean, obviously they have sympathetic aspects, but Yami has been mind-raping Yuuno, and Rai has admitted, openly, to enjoying murder. Seikou's not as bad, but she still has her rough patches too. I'm getting to the point where I'm not sure if I want them to have a happy ending, because while there are signs of them being changed by their association with Yuuno, there are many more signs that they really ought to be kept off the streets...
Yuuno's reaction to what has happened, both in the prison and in his head, and how the girls responsible for these things react to his reactions... I think that's a major turning point in whether you can honestly call these girls redeemable, or just plain Villain Protagonists. Looking forward to the answer.
You raise an interesting point, twisting a man's mind to make him believe he has abondoned his morals is, in my opinion, worse than twisting his arm and using force to make him to do something he believes in wrong.
All the materials have done some very questionable thing on very shaky ground. Seikou killing those religious fanatics because their beliefs offended her, Rai threatening to murder everyone in a prison colony and Yami brain-washing Yuuno. I don't know that I'd say it makes any of them completely irredeemable but it's definitly a step towards the Moral Event Horizon.
__________________
"The eyes are the windows that let us gaze upon the soul"
"When desperate there are two choices: Lock shields for the last stand or draw your sword for the final charge"
"There are no winners or losers, there are only the living and the dead."
Sette's reaction to what Uno told her seemed off to me. I know Sette's supposedly changed since StrikerS, but her portrayals in previous chapters shows she's still got her calm, calculating attitude with a newfound caring for the lives of others. So for her to get visable mad like that is too much too soon. If she were to get mad I imagine it would be the cold and numb variety, not the impulsive "I want to crush something" variety.
Actually, considering that at that point she'd just been told exactly how much she'd been exploited by the man she considered a father figure, I'd say her reaction was still very much stoic and controlled compared to how an average person would have behaved in her place.
What we most likely agree upon, though, is that the poor girl desperately needs a big, reassuring hug after these recent events.
__________________
A programmer is an organism that converts coffee into software.
Location: Formerly Iwakawa base and Chaldea. Now Teyvat, the Astral Express & the Outpost
Age: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tempy
I blame Nanya for this one.
Shockingly, no OCs, but full of canon characters.
Spoiler for Surprise:
Uncharacteristic of her, the sight of Hayate’s wonderful home cooking somehow nauseated the
stoic and taciturn knight. She tried her best, however, to stifle the queasy feelings and stuff the
delicious food down her throat. These strange feelings had been welling up within her for a few
days now, and only by sheer force of will had Signum been able to hide her discomfort.
“Signum, is something wrong? You’re rather quiet tonight,” Hayate looked over worriedly.
Damn her beloved mistress! She was too sharp!
“Isn’t she always quiet? I’ve never known Signum to be the chatty type,” Vita cut in, much to
Signum’s secret relief.
“Worry not, mistress,” the Knight gave Hayate a reassuring smile. “I am just thinking of a case I
am working on. There are some details that are unclear to me, and I’ve been pondering them.”
“Oh, alright,” the Kansai girl nodded in acceptance before gesturing with her hand. “But if you
need any help, don’t be afraid to ask, okay?”
“Of course, mistress. It is not a weakness to ask for help,” Signum returned the smile and went
back to her meal. She still didn’t feel much better, but at least she could hide it a bit longer…
And by a bit longer, she meant the next morning, where instead of performing her usual morning
rites, Signum was busy praying to the porcelain god. Dry heaves and dizzying nausea brought
about the concerned attentions of the entire Yagami-ke, much to Signum’s growing worry. What
could possibly be wrong with her? A strange disease? Was her body finally falling apart from all
the strain? …Was she dying because of the book…?
With a fresh wave of nausea hitting her, Signum barely registered being hauled off to the medical
facility. A doctor friend of Shamal’s took charge (as a policy prevented Shamal from doing so);
blood samples and various scans checked her health and vital signs. To their collective relief, a
diagnosis was made far sooner than expected.
“Alright, First Lieutenant, you and your family may want to be sitting for this,” the doctor
explained, looking over a sheet on Signum’s chart.
“Why? Is something wrong? Just tell us straight up, please!” the worry was grinding at Hayate’s
gut.
“It’s nothing serious,” he said at first before correcting himself. “Or rather, it’s nothing dangerous.
The First Lieutenant is healthy and perfectly fine! It’s what’s going on inside her that’s making her
feel so bad in the morning.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Hmm, well…” the doctor paused, thinking of the words to say. Eventually, he just shrugged,
“Congratulations, First Lieutenant. You are six weeks pregnant.”
“Oh, is that all? That’s not as bad as I—WAIT WHAT SHE’S PREGNANT?” Hayate
Yagami’s voice hitched up as the full understanding of the situation sank into her brain. Signum.
Pregnant. What.
The doctor coughed politely as he stood up, “You may want to start seeing a prenatal specialist.
Other than that, you’re in the clear. I’ll just excuse myself…”
He slipped out quietly, leaving the rest of the Yagami family to take in the fallout. The
Wolkenritter’s mistress was first to recover from her shock.
“Signum, I understand it is your choice, and it is perfectly acceptable to have a healthy sex life,
but what are you thinking, getting pregnant like that? Are you even ready to have a child?!”
Hayate was neither angry nor disappointed, but she could not hide the incredulousness from her
voice.
“I-I… I did not even think I could get pregnant,” Signum admitted, unable to look at her mistress
in the eyes. “I had the same biological processes, but to think a program such as me could even
conceive a child…”
It was an exceedingly rare sight, possibly the first time Hayate had ever seen it, but Signum
suddenly seemed so lost and confused, yet seized by a sense of wonderment and… utter joy.
“It’s… a miracle,” she whispered, hand over her belly. Life was growing here, a life she never
believed possible…
Hayate could feel the astonishment bleed out from her, unable to stay at all upset with her family.
Quietly, she slipped her arms around Signum and hugged her gently.
“Congratulations, Signum. You have a legacy, now, but are you sure you are ready for this?
Raising a kid isn’t anything like training boots, you know?”
“I… I believe I am,” the Knight of the Sword replied, her hand still over her belly. “I have never
felt so… so certain before. I want this child…!”
Hayate could only hug Signum closer.
“Signum, congratulations!” Shamal soon joined in on the group hug, soon followed by the smaller
Vita and her own words of praise.
“Indeed, congratulations,” Zafira gave his quiet support.
They stayed like this for a while, basking in the collective glow of bliss. Slowly, they pulled apart,
still smiling and dizzy with excitement.
Of course, Vita had to ask, “So, who’s the dad?”
Suddenly, Signum felt something sink into her stomach, “The father…”
“Oh, duh! How could we forget to ask?!” Hayate slapped a hand to her forehead. “Do we
know him?”
“Is it Vice? Dammit, please don’t let it be Vice…” Vita muttered, going over the possible pairs,
“Verossa? I’mma kill him if it’s him!”
“Can’t be Yuuno,” Shamal murmured, “The others would annihilate him with excessive
befriending.”
“Who else could it be? Griffith? Genya?” They went a little cross-eyed at that suggestion.
At last, Signum spoke up, “It… it was during an extended training session. He was learning very
quickly and managed to get in a good strike, but it shredded my top. With the two of us alone,
we did not have to worry too much about propriety. One thing lead to another and…”
=======================================
Far, far away, upon the fertile lands of TSAB-administrated world #61 (also known as Supools),
a young man settled down after a long day’s hard work.
Waving as his coworkers flew by, Erio Mondial was pleasantly surprised to see a message
coming in for him, very recently sent.
It was just a simple message, with Vita delivering it, “Signum is pregnant. You’re the father. Prepare yourself.”
The message ended with Graf Eisen loading a cartridge with a frighteningly loud ka-CHAK .
Oh.
…Well, shit.
At least he had a head start. Time to start running.
Written in two hours on the fly with no planning or revision.
I was wondering if the idea was sparkled by a certain set of NSFW Signum pics that were uploaded on danbooru.
A good fic that had me laughing in the "Signum. Pregnant. What" line. While everyone are thinking of what Caro and Lutecia might do to the TSAB Playboy, I wonder what would happen to Fate who is basically his adoptive mother. Oh, can you hear the others making fun of her with "Baba! Baba!"?
And what about the male personel of the TSAB? I can bet you that one part would be worshipping him, while the others would seek his head for daring knocking up their "waifu".
There was no malicious intent in Megane’s question; it was an honest inquiry, as she and Fate had happened to cross each other’s paths while at work. Having not seen each other in a long while, the two women had settled down for a break to talk; considering Lutecia and Vivio hadn’t interacted much lately, it was probably the only time they would have for a long, long while.
Fate thought about it for a moment, taking a light sip from her water bottle. “She’s been good,” she said at last. “Busy with school since break is coming up.” She hesitated for a moment before she added, “Things with Ein have been going very well.” Megane couldn’t help but notice how she didn’t elaborate on what ‘well’ meant.
All things considered, she didn’t really blame her.
“Anyway.” Shaking her head, the red-eyed woman glanced at Megane and smiled. “What about Lutecia? We haven’t seen her around much.” She laughed softly. “This might sound odd, but I think Nanoha actually misses her a little.”
The thought of Nanoha actually missing her daughter’s presence, even if only a little bit, made the purple-haired woman chuckle. Brushing loose strands of hair out of her eyes, she smiled slightly. “She’s pretty much the same,” she murmured with a soft laugh. “I swear, she’s attached to Caro and Erio at the hip these days. Either she’s with them or she’s working. I rarely see any in between for her anymore.”
Like Fate, there were things Megane didn’t say. Neither of them called the other out on it. They both knew it was abnormal; how Vivio threw herself into her budding relationship with Ein, how Lutecia either worked or spent time with Erio and Caro, how they had been carefully avoiding each other lately.
Finally, Fate finished her water bottle and stood up. The rest of their time had passed in calm, almost contemplative silence. There had been nothing awkward about it. Lightly, she tossed it into a nearby bin. “Give Genya my regards, would you?” she asked. “And tell Lutecia to not be a stranger. It almost feels wrong for her to be away after visiting so much over the years.”
Megane’s smile widened slightly and she nodded. “Tell the same to Vivio,” she said lightly. “The apartment feels kind of empty since she stopped visiting.”
And in that fashion they parted.
They both knew in the long run, nothing had been resolved for either of their daughters.
Spoiler for Author's Notes:
.... Yeah, I honestly don't know. Remember that other little AU within my AU where Vivio ended up dating Ein instead of Lutecia based off those shorts? Yeah. It felt like being expanded on a bit more. Through Megane and Fate. I don't know why.
Right. The first and second chapter of Stars of Liberty has gotten some major overhaul:
Spoiler for chapter 1:
NANOHA'S WAR CHRONICLES: STARS OF LIBERTY
The year was 0085 NC, ten years after the fall of the TSAB. Contrary to what some believed, the New Calendar marked the end of the Saint King Unification War, not the rise of the TSAB. That was the reason why even after the TSAB was gone nobody bothered to make a new dating system.
Of course, there was the more pressing fact that every military power that survived the Droid War was occupied with a more important matter: preparing for the next war. And one particular group currently hiding at Heraclea was no exception.
From a glance, that place looked like an ordinary mountain range. On closer inspection though, one will find a small yet formidable military headquarter, recently built as a temporary base of operation to coordinate the upcoming attack they’ve been planning on. To prevent such inspections though, its guardians have prepared anti-scrying obelisks across the base and set up patrols, both land and air. It helped that their enemy has yet to even know of their presence at the planet.
There’s currently a blizzard outside, but that was not the reason the highest officer on that base gulped down so many alcohol; besides, drinking would actually lower the body temperature. No. That person was trying to drown her sorrows.
---
“Mommy, mommy!”
Nanoha Takamachi violently woke up. That dream again, she thought as she looked at the calendar. It’s been ten years since the fall of the TSAB. Ten years since the rise of the Aegis Republic. Ten years since that happened.
She drank her beer and looked at the news. One of the reporter asked, “Imperator, the threat of a new Droid invasion is real, yet you squandered trillions on hunting has-been rebels such as Yagami and Takamachi instead of expanding our fleet?”
The man being questioned, Regiuz Gaiz, Imperator and Dictator of the Aegis Republic, answered. “Both Nanoha Takamichi and Hayate Yagami represents a clear and present threat to this republic! They are barbaric and dangerous traitors, spreading terror and destruction across the empire. Their ragtag bandits have provoked open rebellions across seventeen different worlds, as well as unlawfully acquiring valuable arms and supplies.”
Seventeen? Ah! She remembered. Even now, the Aegis Republic refused to acknowledge the existence of the United Mage Federation, declaring them as misguided rebels that have fallen to the lies and deceit spread by Hayate and her.
Nanoha reached her pocket and looked at what’s inside: a picture of her and her then six years old daughter, Vivio.
“I assure you, fellow citizens, justice will be brought soon!”
*BZZZT-POOF*
Justice. As she heard that word, her hand aimed for the TV monitor and blasted it. Oh, don’t you worry about that, Regius. She could barely contain her disgust. “Raging Heart, is our forces ready?”
“YES MA’AM. ALL THE RECENTLY ADDED TROOPS ARE CAPABLE FOR AT LEAST ONE OF YOUR REQUESTED QUALIFICATION: AIR-FIGHTER, HEAVY-GUNNERS AND STORM-ASSAULT. IN ADDITION, LIEUTENANT GRANSCENIC AND HIS RECON UNIT ARE STANDING BY NEAR THE REPUBLIC CONTROLLED CITY OF HUNIA AS PER YOUR PREVIOUS COMMAND.”
Good. Nanoha equipped her black and blue patterned barrier jacket. “It’s time to kick this revolution into overdrive!”
---
Inhabited by merely 563 thousand people, Heraclea was once another colony under TSAB supervision. After the chaos that followed the fall of the TSAB, however, the colonist decided that its successor, the Aegis Republic, were to authoritarian for their taste, and declared themselves as an independent world, believing that the republic wouldn’t waste their time on a far-flung planet. They were wrong.
To their despair, a year ago a Republic Flotilla under the command of the ambitious Commodore Calbraith embarked on a crusade to regain all lost colonies in that dimensional sector. Under the threat of orbital bombardment, the citizen of Heraclea had no choice but to allow the presence of a republic embassy and garrison on the capital, the inter-dimensional trade city of Hunia. Nanoha’s mission was to attack the republic forces while the enemy flotilla was away, whereas the republic will have two options: send Calbraith’s Flotilla, which would prove no match against Hayate’s reinforcement as it had been before, or abandon the planet altogether.
---
It’s quiet, too quiet, Nanoha thought as she and her troops reached the city outskirts. Even though the overall world population was small, she had expected more from Hunia. Not only it’s the capital, it also hosts the primary inter-dimensional port. And yet, there seems to be no civilians around. “Vice, did you see any life signs?”
“Negative, ma’am”, the man answered. “The outskirts looks deserted. There’re anti-scrying obelisks scattered across the city that messed with our magic surveillance attempts. Should we reposition to view the north side of the city or do you want us to cover your advance?”
The colonel answered. “Go. See what’s going on and report anything important.”
“Roger. Over and out.”
As she and her men silently entered the city, they found signs of forced entry from every house they encountered. And then they finally found someone: an old woman, probably in her seventies, softly crying “My family…th-they took my family…”
It looks like the Republic troops were not preparing an ambush, but something else nasty is going on, the soldiers thought. They continued to carefully advance towards the town hall, and there they spotted a group of Republic Marines guarding the area.
No news from Vice yet, Nanoha thought, he must be still on the move.
Should she send the air-fighters to cover the skies? No, not yet. Better to keep them for now and lure any unsuspecting air-mage that might be present. She signaled them to wait for her orders before addressing to the rest of the troops.
“All right team”, she instructed, “move into position. Half of the land gunners will provide rapid suppression fire while the others provide heavy precision shots. You’re free to move but be careful of ambush points. Assault team, sneak in and wait for my signal. Over and out.” She then waited as her troops positioned themselves. “Alright, fire on my mark”. She whispered, “Axel….Shooter!”
---
“What the- ?”, the marine officer shouted. A minute ago it was peaceful, and now she and her team found themselves under heavy fire from many sides. Where did they come from, she thought? The only area that they haven’t inspected yet is the southeast houses, but they’re being attacked from west side.
And then she caught a glimpse of the enemy emblem. Blackwing Storm Guards? But this is not UMF territory! Her face then froze as she remembered the one Blackwing branch that dared to venture into hostile space. She screamed, “Star Spectres!”
This is bad. Their mission was supposed to be standard “peacekeeping” duty. They are prepared for a bunch of militias, but Spectres? Her rank-and-file Marines couldn’t possibly match Colonel Takamachi’s infamous commandoes! She has no other option but to call those who are supposed to patrol the west side. “Mayday, mayday. This is Lieutenant Sanders, we are under attack. All patrol units are to reinforce the town hall. I repeat, ALL PATROL UNITS GET BACK HERE!”
The situation was getting worse. More than half of her troops are already down. And then she noticed that a powerful attack spell is being aimed at her. “Incoming fire!”
*BADOOM!*
She barely managed to get away from that Divine Buster, but the rest of her team wasn’t so lucky; they’re all incapacitated.
Damn it, she thought. Join the Marines, they said. See new worlds, they said. She should’ve listened to her father and continued the family business!
As she saw movement from the west side, the lieutenant was glad that help has arrived. “Oh good, reinforcements are com-” Before she finished that sentence however, she paled when she realized those aren’t her troops!
“The Spectres are really here, boys. Let’s help ‘em! Charge!”
---
With the help of local guerillas, the battle swiftly ended. Before Nanoha had a chance to talk with the guerilla leader however, she received a message from Lt. Granscenic.
“Colonel, we have a situation here. The marines are rounding up civilians into a large cargo ship and are almost ready to take off.”
“That’s our people”, the guerilla leader shouted. “Yesterday the marines rounded up everybody to the city hall and then they searched our homes. A lot of our neighbours are captured for possessing ‘subversive materials’ and are brought to the northern airport. We only managed to evade capture by using secret tunnels, but the marines are about to find our hideout when you arrived!”
“Vice”, Nanoha ordered, “Pin them down. We’ll arrive shortly. Over and out” She then talks to her eager air-fighters. “No time for sneaking around now. We’ll fly directly to the enemy!”
---
“Allright team, pick high-priority targets and wait for my mark. Oh, and that Republic Enforcer is mine!” Vice carefully aimed at his target. Goodnight.
Just as the Enforcer fell to the ground, the entire airport fell into panic.
---
The Republic transport pilot shouted. “What’s going on?!”
“Snipers! Our ground troops are pinned down. If we stay here any longer more will show up. Move!”
The transport never managed to lift-off though. The pink beam that destroyed its engine ensured so.
Republic air-fighters tried to fight back, but the Spectres own were far better at air-combat maneuvering and the one with the pink beams were on a class of her own. It wasn’t long before Nanoha’s troops gained control of the skies.
Minutes later, her air-fighters had swarmed the enemy and subdued the ground forces. Surrounded, the Republic Marines have no choice but surrender.
“Vice, is that all of them?” Nanoha asked.
“Yes colonel. We do not see any more of them.”
“Alto, this is Nanoha. Bring the Gunships here.” She then addressed her recon officer, “Vice you’re going with the last plane. Watch our backs.”
“I’ll watch your beautiful back anytime, ma’am. Over and out!”
Nanoha was immersed in her thought. I wonder how the Republic would react.
Spoiler for chapter 2:
It’s been ten minutes since she last received a report from Vice, so Nanoha was starting to get restless. The lieutenant and several soldiers have gone to an excavation site near the city after the Spectres received information from their latest prisoners. They said a high-ranking Enforcer officer, coming straight from Mid-Childa, has demanded some troops and equipments to secure a supposedly important artifact found there. Their last communication ends with Vice taking his squad to sneak up the enemy, and there has been no news afterwards.
Don’t you die on me, soldiers. Just as she finished that thought, the colonel received a message.
“This is Granscenic.”
“Vice! Status report!”
“Area secured. All hostiles have been neutralized and we’ve found the artifact, already secured inside a heavy archeological container” Vice paused, ”It-it’s nothing we’ve ever seen before. Uhm, what do you want us to do?”
Nanoha has had enough bad experiences with lost ancient artifacts to knew better than to tamper with them outside a controlled environment, even if they’re smaller than her toenails. Especially when they’re smaller than her toenails. “Make sure the container is tight, call Alto for transport and bring it back to base. The Zulfiqar is en route and will arrive shortly. We’ll let Yuuno analyze it.”
“Now,” Nanoha asked after Alto was contacted. “How did the battle went? Since you didn’t bother to immediately report any casualties, I assume it went well?”
“Well?” the man laughed. “It’s a massacre! The Enforcer put up some fight but the rest of his team are engineers; not much of a fight there, right? Besides, most of his escorts are local Marine conscripts,” he paused, “as soon as the enforcer went down and we took out some the Marines, the rest of them run like hell!”
Very good, she thought. “I see that your ride has arrived. If there’s nothing else, I’ll see you at the base. Over and out!”
---
Just as she was about to sip a drink, the bar door opened and someone entered.
That’s strange, the about-to-be-drunk woman noted. As far as she knew, no one else shared her enthusiasm in liquor, especially at this time of day. Besides, the rest of the troops were supposed to be on guard duty. Assassin, maybe? But how did he manage to get here?
Just as she turned around however, the figure spoke. “Colonel Nantoka Takamachi aka the Starlight Destroyer, the infamous leader of the Star Spectres. An unbound White Devil, scourge of the Aegis Republic. Hunted across the Republic for treason, brigandage, terrorism…” the figure paused, “and being a worrywart who never knows when to stop and take a breath!”
“Vita!” Nanoha shouted. She couldn’t believe her eyes! As she hugged the immortally young girl, she asked, “B-but how?! I mean back then Hayate cried like crazy when we asked about you Wolkenritters! She said that she can’t feel any familiar bonds, no mana was flowing away to power you guys. We thought you’re all dead! And where’s the rest of the Wolkenritters?”
Vita shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t met any of them. Last time I heard Signum and Zafira managed to escape, but no words on Shamal.” She then spoke more slowly. “Listen, there’s something I must told you.”
“Technically, I’m no longer Hayate’s familiar.”
Nanoha was shocked. “What? What do you m-”
“It’s a long story. It’s better if I explain this to you and Hayate both. That’s one of the reasons why I’m looking you guys.”
“I-I see.” Nanoha then thought. Whatever it is, she seemed traumatized by it. It’s better if I don’t ask about it right now. “Sure,” Nanoha replied. “You’re in luck. Hayate is almost here. She’ll be very happy wh-“
“INCOMING MESSAGE FROM FMS ZULFIQAR, MA’AM!” Raging Heart interrupted.
“Speak of the devil!” Nanoha views the monitor. Before she managed to say a word however, the person on the other side spoke first.
“Nanoha, we have an emergency!” Hayate exclaimed. Then her expression changed as she saw the other person. “Vita?! Wha- how...no, whatever it is, it’ll have to wait!” Hayate regained her composure. “Look at this!”
W”ARNING, MULTIPLE DROID SIGNATURES DETECTED”, Zulfiqar’s AI announced. Meanwhile, the monitor showed an alarming video: one Droid Corvette and one Destroyer have shown up over the skies of Heraclia, escorted by swarms of Type-2C combat drones.
What the hell? This world isn’t exactly near their inter-dimensional space! Thankfully, her numerous battlefield experience helped regained her composure. No time to panic. Must coordinate response. “Hayate, how long till you get here?”
“Thirty-one minutes! Until then, you’re on your own. Take care, Nanoha! Over and out!”
Thirty one minutes. Two ships. Lots of drones. This is gonna hurt a bit. As she and Vita raced outside, she noticed that Alto and Vice has returned. Judging by their faces, it seemed both of them has also understood the situation.
“Order’s, ma’am.” Vice asked. He also wanted to ask about Vita, but first there’s the Droid problem to take care of.
“I need all twelve air-fighters.” She then looked at her soldiers. “You six, come with me. The rest will follow Vita. Our objective is to guard the skies, hold as many of them as possible.
Nanoha looked at the displayed enemy. “We just need to slow them down until the Zulfiqar arrives. No heroics!”
“Vice, take command of the base defenses. We wouldn’t be able to hold them all, so some will pass through. They will be your target. Understood?”
“Yes ma’am.” He replied. “Good hunting!”
---
Just as Nanoha’s team took off, the Droid vessels opened their side doors. From it, 75 more combat drones, including 30 of what Nanoha recognized as Type-2EX forward-swept wing combat drones, a newer, better armed and more maneuverable variant.
Fourteen personnel against 275 air drones backed up by two warships... Wait! Nanoha thought. There’s something wrong with that data, but she couldn’t figure out what.
---
Vice marked several locations on his map display, categorized into A, B and C.
“Storm-assaulters, go to A. Wait for my mark before engaging; wait until we’ve drawn enough enemy then flank them.”
“Heavy-gunners. Those proficient at CQB gets B, the front seats. If the enemy closes into melee, fix bayonets and hold your ground.”
“The rest of the heavy-gunners will provide precision fire at C along with my long-marksmen. Avoid any close engagement, displace if you have too. Go into position!”
I wonder how our original target reacted to this predicament. Did the Droids attack other worlds too?
---
News of the Spectre raid on Hunia never reached Commodore Calbraith. To be precise, the report had reached his office, but he never had the time to read it. Not with the huge Droid swarm suddenly attacking his forces.
A great battle erupted across the skies of Kolnsem. Twelve Republic Frigates and 1300 air mages faced the fury of more than six Droid Destroyers, twenty Corvettes, twelve War Carriers, and more than 3000 Type-II’s of all variants that they carried. The skies glow in all types of color as elemental attacks and plasma cannons wreak havoc against their targets.
The Republic Flotilla had managed to hold out for five hours, but they’re now badly battered. If they stay any longer, they’ll be massacred.
“82nd Flotilla, this is Central HQ. What’s your situation?”
“Screwed!” Commodore Calbraith responded. The admiral was never the insubordinate type –on the contrary, he’s quite the ass kisser- but the last five hours had been quite nerve wrecking.
“Watch your tongue, commodore!” the admiral on the other side chided him. Sigh. “We understand your situation. Rendezvous with the rest of the eighth fleet. Over and out.”
Finally. “To all Republic forces: let’s get the hell out of here!”
As the Republic ships prepared for inter-dimensional jump, his ship captain asked a question. “Sir, what about the local worlds? I thought we were here to protect them?”
The commodore snickered. “Central’s main reason for our endeavor was to keep Spectre raids in check. The colonies themselves have no strategic value against the Droids.”
One sip of Cranagan wine and the commodore returned to his calm yet obnoxious self. “I advise you focus on the more pressing matter, captain. Besides, we don’t want the onboard enforcer to suspect you of something as impossible as - oh, I don’t know – subversive thoughts?”
---
With the Republic force no longer in reach, the Droid swarm stopped firing. One of them, a custom designed air type, suddenly transformed into humanoid form and descended into the wreckage of a Republic frigate. This sight alone was disturbing for the dying Marines left behind, but what was more shocking was what happened after that particular droid walked outside.
A display appeared in front of the Droid. To the amazement of the Marines, the Droid spoke a sentence. Not just a noise or a word, but a sentence.
THE ENEMY HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK. BATTLE DATA HAS BEEN ACQUIRED. NO ENEMY HIGH OFFICER ALIVE FOR EXPERIMENT SAMPLE. REQUESTING INSTRUCTIONS.
The purple-haired young lady softly replied. “Good work. Rendezvous at the pre-planned location. Wait for the Heraclean raiding force and then return here. We have another target for you. Over and out.”
As the transmission ended, the Droid reverted to aircraft form and flew away. Soon after, the Droid swarm disappeared from Kolnsem.
Also, a new chapter:
Spoiler for chapter 3:
Hayate looked at the Dreadnoughts status. Regenerative bio-armor, kinetic dampeners, magic and energy barriers, scrying jammer,etc….almost all systems are 100% operational. The one that still needed some repairs were…
So Shari didn’t manage to finish them all, Hayate thought. The condition of the Jezail didn’t worry her much since the elemental cannons were designed to focus its power and penetrate enemy ships. One Destroyer and one Corvette wouldn’t be much of a problem.
The poor condition of the Hwacha elemental missile launchers, on the other hand, was more troubling. Surveillance indicated that the ships were escorted by about 30 Type-2EX combat drones as well as 245 of its older model, the Type-2C. The only other area damage weapon besides the Hwacha was the Sahi, but its power is equivalent to the Arc-en-Ciel; too destructive against the current enemy forces.
Ideally, the ship was to be escorted by a squadron of air superiority mages. Unfortunately, most of her air-fighters including Lt. Col Zirrar were currently conducting raids on nearby Republic depots alongside six Storm Guard frigates across the dimensional sectors. They were to divide the enemy, forcing them spread their forces. After all, those were their original target: the Republic Flotilla.
Nanoha only have twelve air-fighters of them under her command. Hayate had issued orders on the raiders to regroup and meet up with her, but right now she must get Nanoha out of Heraclea without them.
If only Signum was here, Hayate lamented. No. Accept reality. Even if she’s alive like Vita, she’s not currently available for help. Focus on the now!
Worst case scenario, I’ll have to fire my own spells. However, Hayate hoped it won’t come to that; her magic has never been the same after what happened to her six years ago.
---
While she still couldn’t quite concluded what bugged her before, another thought came into her mind.
Strange. All the drones were flying directly into the Spectre outpost. Not the more visible Republic embassy that they blew up yesterday, not the now mostly deserted Republic garrison, not the still intact inter-dimensional port. No. They’re flying straight towards her base.
At first, she thought that the Droid had previously sent a recon satellite to spy on the planet. After all, it made sense that the Spectres didn’t detect them since the outpost was too small for a high-range scanner. But then she remembered that something else still bothered her, so she put another thought into it.
Wait. A Destroyer only carries 50 air drones, while a Corvette houses 25 air drones at most. Where did the other 200 came fr- that’s it!
A Droid War Carrier. Basically a Droid Destroyer with most of its weapons discarded, the ship compensated the lack of firepower with the capability to house 200 air drones and enhance coordination among the smaller drones within its area of control. That must be the one that spied on their location before. Huh? But shouldn’t have Hayate detected a War Carrier when she detected the other ships? Unless…
“Raging Heart, send a message to the Zulfiqar. Enemy War Carrier is hiding somewhere on the planet, coordinating the majority of the air drones. Shouldn’t be more that 200km away from our outpost. The Zulfiqar are to prioritize on its destruction.”
“MESSAGE SENT.”
Nanoha could only hope that Hayate can respond in time. Right now, she could only focus on the enemy at hand.
“Alright troops.” Nanoha marked an area at her map display. “You’re free to fly inside this area. Aim at any drone that enters. Move in groups of two.”
That’s right. It would be wise for her to use some bombardment spells before the enemy swarms them.
Nanoha loaded three cartridges into Raging Heart. Now where should I aim?
That one’s quite nice. Between her and the Destroyer, there’s about thirty, no forty Type-2C’s. If she aims for the Destroyer, the drones would get caught up in her line of fire.
Eight pink magic circles closely formed around Raging Heart. Unlike her old way of casting, this time the circles were smaller in diameter, and most of the magic was concentrated inside her device, a now common technique against enemies capable of anti-magic.
“Excellion… STAR BUSTER!”
In an instant, the massive magic power was converted into a pink energy beam, unleashing massive damage towards everything inside its line-of-fire.
---
*ZWOOOSH!*
The air drones tried to escape, but more than 34 units were caught inside the beam and disintegrated. The Destroyer was even less fortunate; even after obliterating the Type-II’s, the beam still has enough power to penetrate almost half way inside the ship. The engines and power reactor were unscathed, but its main plasma cannon were destroyed and the radar was heavily damaged.
Having no other choice, the Destroyer reduced its speed and ordered the combat drones to swarm the enemy. The mages must not be allowed to fire another ship-breaking attack!
---
I see, Hayate thought after analyzing Nanoha’s message.
“Kahula,” she addressed her ship commander, “prepare the necessary weapons and set the ship radar to perform an exhaustive scan on this area.”
“Yes ma’am. Ok crew, arm all Jezails and Hwachas; set the cannons for flame and lightning elemental mix. Also, initiate level 3 radar sweep on these coordinates. Mark any oddities: scrying disturbance, heat discrepancy, radiation, anything!”
---
For the first ten minutes the battle went well for the Spectres. The air drones had closed in before Vita managed to Kometen Fliegen’ed an enemy ship, but even while outnumbered the air-fighters gunned them down at an amazing rate while suffering mostly small hits.
Realizing that the mages were stalling for time, the Droids changed their tactics. The Type-IICs suddenly flew straight towards the outpost, ignoring the shots from the air-fighters.
Meanwhile, Nanoha and others suddenly found themselves being targeted by the Type-IIEXs, all of which haven’t attacked them at all previously.
“Damn, they’re ridiculously fast.” Vita swung Graf Eisen furiously, only to hit air. The faster new models engaged in a rapid hit-and-run tactic, firing and retreating before they get into her melee range.
So that’s how you want to play. FINE! Vita produced four metal orbs and engulfed them with red-colored magic. “Schwalbe Fliegen!”
Each orb homed in to four separate drones, but after failing to hit any of them, Vita rearranged them mid-flight them into two-orbs-for-each.
*BOOM*
Soon enough, one of her target was outmaneuvered and sandwiched by the two orbs, exploding violently. Seconds later, her other target followed suit.
Not good enough. Vita worried. Being incarcerated for too long must have dulled my skills!
Just then, Vita noticed an odd sight: three container-sized…things…seemed to glide towards her. No, not her. Those things were also aiming for the outpost!
“Eisen! Raketenform!” “JAWOHL!”
Too big and too slow to be missiles. Doesn’t explain the shield, too. Vita analyzed. No matter, it can’t be anything good.
Vita spinned Graf Eisen several times. “Raketen Hammer!”
*CRASH!*
Her wingman followed closely as Vita impacted her target, breaking the shields and tearing the metal plating. The suspicious object exploded as it breaks into half, ejecting its shattered contents outside. Some of those were still in recognizable shape though, and he managed to come into conclusion while Vita was still recovering from the spin.
“Ma’am, those were Type-IV drones!”
What? Then that would mean-
Vita looked at Nanoha, currently preoccupied with the Type-IIEXs. “Nanoha!” She pointed at the other two container-thingy. “Those were assault-drone transports!”
---
*BLAM!*
“That’s another one!” Vice rejoiced as the Type-IIC crashed into the hill.
So far, so good. The storm-assault troops haven’t even been committed yet. Vice then prepared his aim as more air drones neared the outpost.
Huh? What’s those big, black th-
“Vice, this is Vita!”
“Ma’am, what’s wrong?”
“Enemy troop transports heading your way. I think they’re gonna ram straight into the base before unloading its Type-IV drones!”
“What? We have no bombardiers to shoot down those blasted things?!”
“We know! Nanoha has sent me and my wingman to back you up. Still, brace yourself, kid! Over and out!”
Shit. “Troops, enemy one-way transports approaching. Group C, keep firing at the air drones. Group A, charge at the land drones when they lands. Group B will support you.”
A minute later, the transports crashed into the compound.
---
“Arrgh!”
Nanoha looked at her wingman. “Stein? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, just some minor burns. I can still fly and shoot!”
Vastly improved speed, maneuverability, armor…dammit, these new models are no pushover, Nanoha complained. Oh well. She really wished she had more time to perfect her new spell, but it’s an emergency. At her telepathic command, two Blaster Bits materialized on her sides; Nanoha charged each of them with magic power equal to five Axel Shooters and aimed at the two drones in front of her.
Dodge This. “Divine Shooter!”
Simultaneously, the two energy missiles launched away, guided by the small magic spell that encased them, swiftly flying towards each of their prey. But their speed was similar to Nanoha’s Axel Shooter, so the drones enacted a tried-and-true response: keep dodging until the AMF wears them down or the mage cancels them so that she can fire again…
*KABOOM!*
…but instead of passing away after being dodged, the spell exploded violently, destroying its target. The other drone became scrap metal the same way.
It worked! Nanoha was excited. She had designed so that the spell will detonate when it either loses the magic casing or come into a certain range of the enemy, similar to Earth’s AA missiles. Programming the magical proximity fuse was the hardest part and she realized there’s still much room for improvement, but for now she’s happy enough that her new spell had shown positive results.
OK, new tactic. The Blaster Bits would fire the Divine Shooters on targets at medium range, while her staff would unleash medium beam attacks at nearby opponents.
Just a few minutes more!
---
“Stromrider, assault rifle form!”
Oh dear. Vita was still busy handling the nearby air drones, preventing her to aid the ground troops. The mages have managed to destroy many of them, but the drones are too many and their now in danger of being overrun. And now Vice was being chased by some of the drones.
*BLAM* His shot managed to down one more.
Even though he’s been trained in CQB as well as basic bayonet combat, applying them was still not in his best interest. Dammit, I’m a sniper, not a spearman! Where’s the reinforcement?!
---
As soon as the data came up, Kahula immediately informed her general. “Ma’am, we’ve found the Droid War Carrier!”
“How long till we get there?”
“Exiting the dimensional sea in 5…4…3…2…1…now!”
As FMS Zulfiqar entered Heraclean airspace, 78.1km from the Spectre outpost, its guns began to aim towards a single position: the forest where the Droid War Carrier had landed. Their target tried to take off and escape, but it was too late.
“Fire Jezail one and six!” Kahula ordered.
*BADOOM!* the Carrier detonated; its melting shrapnels flying to every direction.
“Move towards the base. Finish the other two ships and rescue our troops.”
---
Huh? They’re suddenly not as good as before! What happened? Vice pondered. Then he realized the answer and smirked.
“Time to finish them off, Stormrider; mommy’s here!”
---
“Not so though anymore, heh? I’ll finish you off with a swing. Gigant Crusher!”
---
Looks like it’s time to test the limit of my new spell. Nanoha popped 10 additional Blaster Fins. Here goes. “Divine Shooter!”
---
Since all the ships that coordinated them were destroyed, the drones fell into disarray, allowing the Spectres to make a quick job on them. The Dreadnought then hovered above the outpost for the troops to embark.
“Nanoha, Vita!” Hayate exclaimed. “Thank God you’re allright!”
“Hayate!” Vita hugged her former master tenderly.
After allowing several minutes of reunion, Nanoha finally asked a question.
“What’s our next course of action…General?” she grinned.
“Oh, you…” Hayate wiped her tears. She then changed into her officer face.
“Ok, listen up. The General Staff has given us a new order. All Spectre operations against the Republic are to be paused until further notice. We are to return into UMF space.”
“Eh? Aren’t they being too paranoid? I mean, it’s rare for a droid swarm to go this far, but - ” Nanoha realized how the face of her friend darkened. “…Hayate?”
“Nanoha…there’s something you must see.” She activated several displays, each showing breaking news.
“- Droid Swarm spotted at Supools -” “- annihilated the 34th Flotilla -” “- under blockade by -”
Vita couldn’t believe her eyes. “By Belka…is it...”
Nanoha slumped into a chair, her face now showing extreme sadness. “Vivio…she’s come to finish the job…”