B2 wins.
***
Into the Fray
I hastily pull on the pilot suit and slip into the open seat of the combat frame. The cockpit closes, enclosing me in darkness. A small, blinking green light on the control console is all that I can see. A small hologram activates, displaying a miniature of a generic, handsome looking military officer.
“Pilot registration required,” recites the hologram. “Please input your Federation military ID.”
“How did the Dunamis get past the security?” I wonder. “Yua, can you do anything about this?”
After she runs through a quick scan of the internal software, she informs me that there is a well-hidden backdoor left within the OS. In fact, it’s pretty much the same exploit I left behind all those years ago. Apparently the Federation hadn’t taken note of it at all… but the Dunamis seem to have.
“Perfect. Take control of everything.” I order.
“Yes, Master!”
Yua downloads the backup of herself that we had prepared beforehand into the frame’s systems. The hologram fizzles and breaks down, only to be replaced by an image of Yua herself.
“All done,” she grins, giving me a wink. “System diagnostics complete. Rebooting OS.”
My pitch black surroundings fall away, showing me the hangar as the external cameras come to life. It looks like CF technology has advanced quite rapidly since I was last in one. The monitor viewscreen has been expanded into a 360-degree panoramic view, giving the pilot the feeling of being seated within a transparent bubble. The controls too had been changed – where there were levers and sticks of the slave system beforehand, now the main method of control appears to be two half-orbs set into the arm-rests that rotate and spin under my fingers. This will take some getting used to.
“What about manual input? The orbs don’t seem to be able to control everything.” I ask.
“It says here… they use neural telemetry for real-time processing of commands, Master. The hardware is embedded in the helmet.”
“It means that you can read my mind.”
“I already can, Master,” The hologram pokes its tongue out at me. “This will just help me convey the commands without you needing to vocalize them. It appears that the software we overwrote was a rudimentary AI meant to assist the pilot in mental piloting.”
“I suppose I should give them credit for that. Let’s show them what a pilot can do with a true AI on his side,” I can’t help but grin as I say that. The powerful engine thrums to life as the thrusters shift into position. It has been some time.
I raise the particle beam rifle, pointing it at the wall of the hangar. The movement is smooth; with a lag of perhaps only a hundred milliseconds or less – this is far better than what I had been used to with the old frames. The frame already feels like a part of me, though I am certain much of that is due to Yua knowing my mind and habits and applying my neural patterns to the commands.
After a short while, I fire. The beam punches through the wall and hits the Shukra that had landed right in front of it, tearing out a large part of its chest. Being able to detect their location without sight is a rather handy ability. I spin the orbs towards me. Anhur Mk II takes one step forward. Then, the thrusters flare to life, hurtling me into the fray.
As soon as I exit, I begin to receive orders from a familiar voice.
“Unregistered pilot of the Anhur Mk II, identify yourself and cease operations immediately!” It’s Naim.
“This is tantamount to an act of treason. I repeat, identify-“
I let him blather on while I scan the field. The Anhur frames hijacked by the White Fang are engaged in close combat some distance away, grappling with the Shukras. One of them is already noticeably damaged, short of one arm. Erika appears to be leading the rest of the Dunamis in an assault on the immortals – only five of them are left. They probably need the Anhurs to break through and blast a hole in the wall; from the space-faring tight suits they are wearing, they probably plan to piggy-back on the frames into space. The immortals have turned the area immediately around them into a fiery ring – an arena of sorts.
I need to fulfill two conditions in order to escape successfully.
First, I need to assist them in creating an exit.
Second, we need to defeat enough of our pursuers, quickly enough so that we can vacate through said exit within 5 minutes. I have no doubt reinforcements are converging on Londinium even now.
The White Fang-piloted Anhur Mk IIs are being prevented from getting closer to the colony wall by the 7 remaining Shukras. They probably need to be in close proximity to the wall to find a weak spot they can blast through.
I have no such problem.
I focus, drawing in the blue specks into lines and dots, staring at the wall in the distance. There.
I aim and squeeze off three shots. The beams strike exactly where I had aimed them, melting through the thick, reinforced wall. Not a second later, cracks grow from each of the three spots. As the lines meet each other the plating crumbles away, leaving a jagged hole in the side of the wall large enough for a CF to pass through. The air begins to rush out of the colony. Almost immediately, the sealants activate, pouring into the gap and attempting to staunch the wound. The first condition is cleared.
“Master, we have five minutes before the sealants complete their repairs.”
“I know. Now for the hard part.”
I send Anhur soaring into the air, barely feeling the acceleration. The frame feels as light as a feather. Three Shukras come forth to meet me, finally identifying me as a threat. Their aim is good, but not good enough to be a threat – I approach them while dodging their beams with ease. Close-up, I can see that the designs are descended from the Vizala line.
“The Shukra frames have the same neural telemetry program that the Anhur Mk II has, Master. I would advise caution-“
Before Yua can finish her advice, I rush forward, closing the final ten metres in an instant. The saber pops into my hand as I approach the first Shukra. It draws its own saber, a yellow streak of burning plasma pouring forth into the shape of a blade, and swings at me. The verniers on Anhur’s shoulder armour fires, sending my frame dropping downwards, ducking below the swing. I balance out almost immediately and activate my own saber, tearing the Shukra into two at the waist. Whirling my frame around, I kick the top half of the stricken enemy at his two mates. The top part is where the reactor is contained, after all. I send a beam through the torso before his allies can disperse. There is a bright flash, engulfing the mechs in a blinding explosion.
As I planned, that caught everyone else’s attention. Setting off a small nuclear explosion in a colony will do that.
The immortals are running towards me now, allowing Erika to retreat with the three Dunamis clansmen still surviving. One of the Anhurs is down, while the other is holding off two Shukras successfully as it falls back towards the breach. The remaining two enemy CFs are headed straight for me.
The immortals reach me first. The female stops and concentrates, her hands stretched out. I can feel her presence entering my mind, attempting to slow me down. I’m forced to a halt, the giant robot I’m in stopping in its tracks.
Stop. Do not move. Surrender to us.
Her voice repeats itself over and over in my head. Meanwhile, the male crouches, tensing his muscles, and leaps into the air, soaring towards my cockpit. That’s just what I’ve been waiting for. I undo her commands, slicing into her words and reducing them into nothingness. With a flick of my wrist, Anhur’s gigantic fist comes up to meet the male immortal while he is in mid-leap. As strong as he may be, the sheer mass and power behind a robot punch means that when it collides with his meagre body of flesh, there is only one possible end.
The male immortal is swatted away into the distance. I don’t hear him land. That won’t kill him, but it should slow him down for some time. I fire my head-mounted vulcans at the female, while she is still staring in shock, but she regains her bearings quickly enough to dodge. At the same time, the two Shukras arrive, landing on either side of me with a great thump. They are fast – faster than the ones I just fought. The one on my right brings down a large beam axe. I narrowly avoid it, losing part of my shoulder armour to the weapon. My evasion sends me out of their reach again. Anhur’s feet skid backwards, digging into the ground. I blast the verniers to stabilize myself, but the two frames are already upon me. One starts firing pot shots at me, which I block with the small buckler shield on the armguard. The other – the one with the axe – comes in high while his partner has me immobilized.
Well, there’s no defense like a good offense. I raise the throttle to maximum. The powerful thrusters on Anhur’s back roar in response, sending my frame barreling into the Shukra. Casting a glance towards the Dunamis, I see that their Anhur has taken care of the enemy frames attacking it and rapidly approaching the exit point, along with Erika.
Time to fulfill the second condition, then.
“Is the system scan complete, Yua?”
“Affirmative, Master. I can reproduce the complete schematics for the Anhur Mk II at will. There is a black box technology built into the frame that I am yet unable to comprehend, but the details have all been recorded anyway.”
“Alright. Upload whatever you’ve got into your main body.”
I send the frame flying backwards, putting some distance between me and the enemy. They chase after me, attempting to prevent my escape. That’s what I was banking on. I unbuckle myself from the pilot’s seat and trace my escape from the cockpit.
“On my departure, send the Anhur charging at the enemy. Then, get ready to junk the frame.”
I don’t need the physical thing now that I’ve jacked Yua in and made a complete digital copy of its build. At least I won’t be going back empty-handed, no matter what happens.
“Aye-aye, Master!”
I count to three before pushing off from the back of Anhur. The low colony gravity allows me to glide a safe distance. Turning back, I watch as the frame flies right at its opponents.
“Now would be a good time, Yua.”
The Anhur Mk II self-destructs, destroying the enemies near it. Now that all conditions have been cleared, our escape is assured. In the chaos of the aftermath, I make my way towards the gap I had torn into the wall.
“Master, the White Fang are about to leave.”
“There’s no need to worry. She’ll wait for me.”
I reach the gap with a minute to spare – the hole in the wall is now big enough only for a human to pass through.
And as I expected, Erika is standing there.
She levels a pistol at me.
***
As it turns out, their getaway vessel is The Spirit of Adventure (New). I'm not sure why the captain didn't just rename it the New Spirit of Adventure, but as it is, it just has New painted in brackets on the side of the hull. I find myself in an airlock, on my knees and hands behind my head.
Erika is staring at me. I look back at her.
Her once long silver hair is now cut short, hanging down to her chin. Besides that, she doesn't seem to have changed much - that ethereal beauty still resides in her looks. Her body is covered in a tight body-suit, similar to the ones that Twintails wears. Well, the less I say about that, the better. Suffice to say, it flatters Erika better.
"What are you thinking, Senya?" She asks.
"That you haven't changed much."
She gives a rare frown, and points her gun at my head. It seems like that annoyed her.
"I knew it had to be you," she says. "Why are you here?"
"I can do whatever I want, so I came here." I reply, echoing what she once said.
"That doesn't answer my question. Stop beating about the bush."
I laugh - Erika losing her cool is quite refreshing. "Well, you have changed, even if a bit." That frown flits across her face again.
"I'll be honest, Erika. Shulgi left me a message-"
"Ah, that." She cuts me off. She seems to be colder towards me. "You want to unlock... that thing. Uncle told me how it could be done."
"I might not want to unlock it right now. I just needed to confirm that you could do it." I shrug.
"I do not trust you on that, Hoshikawa Senya," A male voice interrupts us. As its owner comes into view, I sigh. Erec Dunamis. Of course he'd be here. Erika steps back, though her gun remains trained on me. "I am guessing you don't remember what happened the last time you showed your true colours."
I smile coldly at him. Of course I don't remember everything, but I remember something... and what I remember is enough to make me sick.
"I remember a bit," I say. "Certainly enough to know that I don't want to go out of control ever again."
"Then why are you here, asking to open that box of horrors again?"
"For the same reason you are engaging in piracy and hijacking prototype combat frames." I say frankly. There's no point pretending in front of them. "I need power."
"The last time you sought power you killed the entire planet!" snarls Erec.
"I don't think what he was seeking was power," I reply quietly, drawing a line between myself and that other aspect of me. "Besides, we were not the only ones to blame. Your uncle, Shulgi. He drew him out. He would never have taken over if-"
"Stop shirking your responsibility, Hoshikawa!" Erec draws his curved Higashi sword angrily. "The death of the planet is all on you. Erika ending up this way is all on you."
"Brother." she says softly, shaking her head.
"Erika... what happened to you?" I turn to look at her. She remains quiet, not meeting my eyes.
"You cut her up with that strange power you have. You gave me just one cut, and it pains me to this day, but you left her limbless in that wreckage, and then you left her to die to the Star League's bombardment." growls Erec. "When I found her I could barely recognize what was left. Thankfully our blood allows us to cling to life where most would not."
"You were rebuilt," I say quietly. A cyborg, like Twintails.
"Everything of me under the neck is fake," replies Erika. Though she says it matter-of-factly, I can tell that she is slightly shaken by having to tell it to me.
"So tell me, Hoshikawa," continues Erec. "I have not had you pay for hurting my sister. Yet you dare come here, demanding something of us?"
Son of a bitch. Shulgi, you prick. Couldn't you have told me this before telling me to look for her?
I shake my head. "I didn't demand. This is why I need power. I made a terrible mistake, and I need to fix it."
"Oh, do you now?" laughs Erec. "There is no need to lie to me. You have not thought about setting things right at all. You have been chasing power for the sake of challenging the rulers of the world, you unrepentant, hypocritical bastard."
"What about you then? Why are you fighting the Federation, if not to gain power?"
"I am. Unlike you, I won't try to put on some two-faced show about it. I want to overthrow the Federation and restore the birthright that is due the descendants of Ean. I will reunite Earth under the new Empire of the Shinar."
From where I'm standing, he seems much further away from his goal than I am, but I do not say it out loud.
"Senya," Erika speaks up. "If you had come to me wanting to set things right, I would have given you the key immediately. But you've changed."
I stare at her.
"All you care about is the power you can get from that other aspect."
"I need that power to set things right-"
"No, you don't. Do you think I haven't been paying attention to what has been going on? You might be able to fool the people in Ankida, but I know what you're really after. We've known each other for a while, after all." Erika smiles sadly. "I can't entrust that power to you."
I give a slight chuckle. "If you think I've changed, then you don't know me at all. I have always been about the ends justifying the means."
"No, that is what you thought yourself to be. What you were was different. Better than this."
I take a deep breath. I can understand why she would say what she has, though she seems to be viewing how I used to be with rose-tinted glasses. Still, my other self did ruin the world, after all. It's natural that she would be wary. I swallow the rising anger and frustration, keeping my mind cold and calm.
"Do you mean you can't trust me?"
"I don't." replies Erec promptly.
"I still do." says Erika, drawing a shocked look from Erec.
"Then..."
She shakes her head again. "I just don't know if you're ready for it. There's another thing that will happen when you unlock it. All your memories will return. What you did before meeting me... what you did while you were out of control... everything you have forgotten will come back to you. I... I don't think you'll want that. And I don't think you're ready."
From the stricken look on her face, she must know of what happened to Kyrie, though I cannot remember whether Erika was there in the fragments of my memories.
I sigh, and look her straight in the eye. "Very well then..."
***
A. Erika has a point. I am different now. Whether that is good or bad is not up to her to judge, of course. If I want to fully regain her trust, I will have to make more sacrifices. I offer the White Fang shelter at the Sword of Ean. Dad might not be happy when he gets back, but they are a useful combat force, and by keeping an eye on their whereabouts I can have a bargaining card with the Federation if I need it.
B. If she will not acquiesce to my request, so be it. I walk away from the White Fangs for now. I'll find my own way to unlock my abilities. It is my own mind after all, I'm sure I can manage to break through whatever lock Shulgi has placed on it by myself. Besides, I am not going back empty-handed; the schematics for the Anhur Mk II will be very useful.
