//------------------------------// // Wings of Rebellion // Story: Resistance of steel // by Valsion //------------------------------// Resistance of steel Chapter 8: Wings of Rebellion It has only been mere hours after the fight. Luna and Spike were now inside the hangar of the so called: "Photon Power Lab" where one of their allies during the last hours hailed from. Sayaka was her name, piloting the Aphrodite. There was also the Dai-Guard but the robot has been disassembled in order to be moved back to it's owners base. "Pray tell, why could our other allies not join us?" Asked Luna, while their mechs got transported into the repair hall. Sayaka still sat in the cockpit of her own mech and was a little confused by the antiquated speech that this girl, Luna, used. It was a little iffy, since she heard that some noble Britannians used that manner of speech to sound sophisticated. Still, a Britannian would have never helped to defend a Japanese city. Unless it was for infiltration purposes. A completely new model, not fitting with the Knightmare Frames the Britannian Empire normally used, would also throw off suspicion. Still, she could answer that question without telling so much. In fact, she wondered why the two pilots didn't know of Dai-Guard. It was a pretty big deal back then, when it was first built. "The company that owns Dai-Guard has taken it back to their own headquarters. What the pilot did back then was already not the usual business of them, so I guess he acted on his own. Not exactly smart to just take a robot like that without permission from his boss but I admire his spirit." The 21st Century Security Service Company was pretty known for being by the book, there was no way they would have just approved of such an intervention without an okay from the army. Sayaka couldn't help but wonder how they fared now. Somewhere in the headquarter of said company, three people were being chewed out by their superiors. Akagi, Ibuki and Aoyama, the three people who piloted Dai-Guard winced as the head of the accounting department listed all the costs of the buildings that were damaged during their fight. As it is, it seems that even when they save the city, someone still has to pay for repairs. "Alright, you three just get back to work. Maybe we can get the Photon Power Labs to pay for some of the damages." He said, before leaving the three pilots in shame. Back in the Photon Power Labs, the two mechs were now locked in position, as the maintenance crew prepared for all kinds of repair and recharging work. Some of the scientists were already preparing to ask the pilots of Vorlent about the energy system they use. After spending all energy to shoot down that bombing beast, they barely managed to scrape together enough energy to move it, so it took a while until they could finally get inside. The cockpit opened. Sayaka had left her own mech first and was eager to meet the pilots personally. For now they only had their voices. Sayaka had to think about them for a bit. Maybe it was just bad reception but... this Spike guy sounded really young, almost like a kid. No chance though, children didn't pilot combat mechs, especially not such advanced models. The cockpit of the Vorlent was not open and they could already see the pilots moving. Something was off on the shape though. The eyes of all present widened as they saw, what came out of the machine. Not a human but what looked like a dark-blue unicorn with wings. On the back of the mythical being was a small, reptilian creature. The creature nervously approached them. For a moment they wondered, if this was some sort of prank. But why would a pilot pull a prank like that? Taking a reptile and a horse into the cockpit would only be an unnecessary danger. Then it spoke. "Greetings, my name is Princess Luna of Equestria, I have come to your world, seeking asylum." Tsubasa Nishikori was currently smoking her pipe and enjoying the view of the garden. The city recovered fast as far as she heard. Even now, only hours after the battle ended, people were already repairing the damage, fixing buildings and replacing broken windows. Thankfully, her bathhouse did not suffer any damages. A slight smile crept on her face, as she imagined all the tired workers, who might want a relaxing bath after work. More important however was, that Mazinger Z was still right in the middle of the battlefield. The pilder was missing, so nobody could pilot or steal it. However, that only means they would have to get Kouji and the Pilder, before they could continue their fight against Dr. Hell. It was still a complicated situation and she wished that Hayato was still here. She remembered when she first picked the kid up. He tried to rob them, demanding all their money and free housing. It was a little shocking that he threatened to kill them if they didn't comply but that made it more amusing, when Cross put the brat in his place. Normally she would have just thrown him out, let Django take care of him but she had this strange feeling. Despite her initial plans, she decided to take him in and tame the beast. As the years went by, Hayato learned some self control. He was still a wild one but much less of a rabid animal. Then there was the day, professor Saotome showed up, asking for his help in a project. Tsubasa was sceptic at first, fearing it could be a trick but a gut feeling told her to let Hayato go. Still, she hoped he was okay and that he would return to the Kurogane house soon. As for Mazinger Z. Django was currently keeping an eye on it, so it should be fine. And the police? Let them search all of Atami, it doesn't make much of a difference. But for now she had to go. She stood up and turned to leave, before addressing the elderly woman, Kikunosuke. "I will be picking up Kouji from the police department, Yasu, Sensei and Cross will come along. You take care of the house while we are gone." The elderly woman gave a slight bow, smirking knowingly. In the Photon Power Labs, Luna and Spike sat down with Sayaka and her father, Professor Yumi. They have by now explained their situation and the circumstances, under which they came into this world. They even told them of the three other mechs, piloted by their friends. "So your friends are also in this world, theoretically anywhere?" He stood up and walked around a little. This could be difficult for them. "I hope they are nearby. Not to imagine what would happen if one of them materialized right in the middle of the Britannian mainland." That technology in their hands, that could spell the doom of the free world. Luna however did not understand why that would be a problem. "What is Britannia and why would that be a problem?" She asked. Was it a dangerous place? Were Britannians some savage beast like wild dragons, whom have abandoned all honor in favor of giving in to their greed completely? "The Britannian Empire is a very cruel country. They believe that only the strong should have any rights and that those who are weak are second class citizens. They are very brutal in their expansion plans and even managed to take hold of the north-eastern part of this very island state." He explained to them, as he went over to a computer. After hitting some of the keys, a map was projected onto a screen on the wall. It showed a large island, one half blue, the other red. "We are currently here, at the border between the still free Japan and the area the Britannians have already conquered. While they managed to get a hold of half the country, we and some other organizations have managed to keep the other half free so far. Unfortunately, since we do not have many resources, we can only defend for now." He lamented. It was sad to know, that half the population had to live under this brutal dictatorship now. "It's true, I had to fight them off several times already." Interjected Sayaka. "The robots they use, the Knightmare Frames, are not nearly as strong as my Aphrodite, which is why we have been so successful in defense so far but they shouldn't be underestimated, since they can also be produced in large numbers." A few times it was a close call for her, as she got too cocky and relied too much on Aphodites strength. "If we can get the pilot of Mazinger to help us, maybe we can do something. I also heard that a new rebel group has formed under a very competent leader." Whenever a tyrant rules, rebellion was a given. Luna has heard of the rebels that opposed king Sombra in his brief rule, before she and her sister toppled the tyrant. Due to his magical strength, those rebels were too soon in chains but luckily, that did not last long. Luna was taken out of her thought, when a man came rushing into the room. "Professor, we have received a message from out scouts. The Britannian Army is planning an assault." Sayaka's face held something between a wince and a scowl as she heard this. "Of course, they see an opportunity and use it. We need to move in to defend." The last thing she wanted was for the Lab and the city to fall into Britannian hands. If that happened, the rest of Japan would be sure to follow shortly. "Sayaka, Aphrodite A got damaged and the Vorlent is still not fully charged." The Professor explained, nervosity in his voice. "You would not be capable of fighting with maximum strength. Also, I do not know if we can count on Dai-Guard to be deployed again." The company controlling that robot, did not have the same scouting resources, so it was doubtful they even knew of the predicament. "We have no choice. With some luck, the assault force will be weak. After all, they must have just recently gotten word of what Dr. Hell did as well." Sayaka assured her father. "And even without their strongest weapon, Luna and Spike can still do a lot of damage in the Vorlent." She said, gesturing towards the pair. Luna took a step forward. "If a friend is in need, it would only be right to help them. You can count on my assistance." Spike stepped forward as well. "Don't worry, I'm sure together we can send them right back to where they came from." Despite his apparent confidence, his voice faltered slightly. For a moment there was silence, as Professor Yumi contemplated the possibility. It was dangerous to send them out without proper repairs and refuels first but he had no choice but to trust in their strength. "Get ready and stay by the hangar. It will still take the Britannians a while to get here. We will repair and recharge as much as we can, you will move out in an hour." Sayaka, Luna and Spike nodded, before heading off towards the hangar. About one and a half hours later, the Aphrodite and the Vorlent were moving through the forest near the mountain. Luckily, despite the exotic technology, the Vorlent accepted Photon Energy as means to recharge. While not at full capacity, they could at least fight properly now. Still, they limited themselves not to fly or use the ultimate weapon of the Vorlent, unless they have no choice. Aphrodite was a bit worse off however. While the damage from the previous fight was not severe, they couldn't do any proper repairs. Instead they just bolted steel plates onto some of the damaged parts. It was not the most effective way to do things, certainly not the prettiest but it would have to do for now. In the distance, they could see something moving towards them. "Watch out, our size puts us at a disadvantage in this forest. Try to keep low and keep your eyes open." The Aphrodite went into a crouched walk, followed by the Vorlent. They heads still peeked over the treetops but they didn't stand out that much anymore. Luna was nervous, as they looked through the rows of trees. With their relatively small frames, those Knightmares could be behind every corner. They were bulky of course, which should make it easier to spot them. Spike readied the rifle, so they could fire the second they saw one of the enemies. Sayaka looked back as she heard the humming of the activated rifle. "Please be careful. It would be very bad if we accidentally started a forest fire." At these words, Spike deactivated the rifle again. It was true, if they started a fire, it would spread quickly and could threaten the lab and the city. Then they could see something behind the trees. It was still some distance away but some large shadows were moving around behind the treelines. "Sayaka, I think I spotted the enemy." Luna said, carefully pointing one of the Vorlents arms at the direction. "Understood, stay low and avoid direct confrontation until we are closer." With a faster pace, they marched towards said shadows. When moving in such large mechs however, stealth was often pointless and the Britannian Knightmare Frames opened fire upon them. Aphrodite and Vorlent were running in between the trees, using them as cover while sprinting towards the enemy. Luna and Spike got one good look at the first Knightmare Frame, before the Vorlents fist charged forward and took it's head off. The alicorn princess noted, that these were much boxier than the robots she saw up to now. As the upper part exploded, she saw how the large box on it's back was jettoned out of the frame and flew off. "What was that box that just flew off?" Sayaka way busy herself, minimizing the damage to herself while taking out enemy frames. "Those are the cockpits. Knightmare Frames are designed, so the cockpit and pilot are removed from the rest of the frame, should it get too damaged." She explained, as the steel plates that covered some of the damages were being targeted by the enemy fire. This was the first thing she heard, that she liked about this situation so far. At the very least, those Britannians did not completely disregard their soldiers lifes. "Alright, as long as we do not aim for the cockpits we can avoid any bloodshed." This put her mind at ease somewhat, as she was now not forced to kill them. Spike was also glad, as he readied the energy blade of the Vorlent. A low swipe later, two Knightmare Frames lost their legs and the cockpits shot off into the forest. Despite the fact that their mechs were superior in strenght, the situation was still scary. Deep in the forest, they couldn't know how many enemies surrounded them. It seemed like some shots were randomly coming from the treelines. Aphrodite was fine, since Sayaka already had experience and managed to dodge most of the shots but Luna and Spike lacked such experience. Still, the Vorlent was much more agile, which allowed them to strafe their targets. After a while, the two of them have managed to round up all their targets for now, leaving behind only piles of scrap metal and some cockpits, shooting off into the forest. Sayaka noted, that they would collect the scrap metal later to use it for themselves, a smart thing to consider. Not only would the enemy lose it's assets but they would gain new ressources. It was clear that the materials used by them were far inferior to those they used themselves but they should still have their uses. As they were sure that all enemies were downed, the two of them made their mechs stand upright again. The damages done to them were visible but they were still not in danger. Most of them were scratches or indents. "We have won Sayaka, these fiends will not be a danger anymore." "For now at least. Thank you very much. I don't know if I could have done this alone." Said Sayaka, although there was something fishy about this. They have taken out a dozen Knightmare Frames, roughly estimated. Normally there are a few more, especially considering that they should have had time to build up, since the local assault base was very quiet lately. Their attention was drawn by an explosion, going off right in between them. Both jumped back, nearly falling over. They looked around and saw among the cliffs, several more Knightmare Frames. These however were not armed with simple rifles, they had rocket launchers, aimed right at them. "In the name of the Britannian Empire, surrender immediately." One of the soldiers yelled at them, using the Frames intercom. Luna and Sayka cursed, while Spike sat in his place, looking clearly afraid. "P-princess Luna, what should we do?" He asked the Alicorn. It was a bad situation. The Vorlent could fly but then Sayaka would be alone on the ground. Against this advantage, she would have no chance. The Aphrodite could not fly and if she tried to flee, they could easily hit her. "Luna, Spike, run." Said Sayaka, stepping in front of the two. "This was not really your fight to begin with, it is only fair that you get away. I can still stall them. Just tell my father what happened. They can put up the shield, until the others are back or we get some support elsewhere. But under no circumstances must they get a hold on your Vorlent." "S-Sayaka..." Luna could not believe what she heard. She was supposed to just leave her behind? If Spike wasn't here, she would have fought to the end on her side, without a second thought. But he was here in the cockpit with her and she would not risk the life of this young dragon. "Spike, you take control of the Vorlent's movement. Return to the Lab and report what happened. I will use my magic to aid Sayaka." Spike was at a loss now. He wanted to run but he also couldn't leave them behind. "Princess, I won't let you alone." Luna was grateful that he felt this way but now they were all still in this bad situation. "What are you waiting for? Get out of your mechs." The Britannian soldier shouted again and all of the Knightmare Frames got into a fire ready position. Their patience ran dry and the head of the squad was about to give the order to attack, as something else showed up on their radar. From the side of the cliff, something flew towards them. It was shaped like a combat jet with a white, red and blue frame. It looked a bit like a bird with the talons underneath, where the wings were. As it was closer, suddenly the joints shifted. This was not a jet, it was a mobile suit. The top of the jet became a shield, while the weapon was held in the other hand, pointed right at them. A young boy with brown hear, wearing a green tank top and black shorts, was looking at the monitor in front of him. All of the enemy Knightmare Frames were in his line of fire. "Targets aquired, commencing attack." He said, in a cold, emotionless voice as he pulled the trigger. On the outside, the Knightmare Frames tried to switch targets and shoot the enemy mobile suit down. However, their attempts were meaningless, as a larger, yellow beam of energy shot right at them. The strength of this attack must have been enormous, as it cut through all six of the Knightmares like they were nothing. Metal melted under the forces and they were practically ripped apart. While the rescued pilots down in the forest were glad for the sudden rescue, they were all shocked as they saw, that even the escaping cockpit pods were destroyed by the relentless attack of the winged robot. Was this force really neccessary? And who was that pilot? Luna asked Sayaka but she did not know anything about this mobile suit either. The beam died down, leaving only a smoking trail of destroyed cliffside in it's wake. As the mobile suit turned towards them, Luna, Spike and Sayaka were nervous. The Britannians were already bad but a weapon this strong would not leave them with any chance in this position. The boy however had a different goal. He had a mission and the first step was, to win the trust of the Photon Power Labs. For this purpose, he waited near the Britannian base after his arrival. A chance like this was of course golden. A last second rescue and they would be too grateful to think that anything was off. With their help, he could advance in the overall goal. With that in mind, he lowered the buster rifle and flew down, hailing them. "I am a member of the Japanese rebellion. I have managed to acquire this mobile suit and hereby offer my assistance." So he was not hostile but really an ally, thought Luna, breathing a sigh of relief. But something seemed really off about him. His voice was almost like a golems, without any real motivation behind it. He sounded like reading from a script. Still, she would not insult someone who just saved her life. "Thank you very much for your assistance. My name is Luna, my co-pilot's name is Spike. We are here with Sayaka Yumi." She said, while gesturing towards the Aphrodite at the latter part. "Hello, thanks for rescuing us. That beam of yours, that was really strong, I think it's as strong as the best weapon of the Vorlent." Spike said, kinda admiring the weapon. Even though he grew up in a peaceful environment, it seemed like boys just love flashy technology. Heero mustered the unkown mech with care. In his mission briefing he learned about all the robots of the Photon Power Labs but this one has not appeared in any of his intelligence, as well as the pilots. Then there was the other robot that appeared yesterday. "My name is Heero Yuy, with your permission I will join you and assist you in combat." He said, still without any emotion in his voice. Sayaka then spoke up. "Very well then, we appreciate your support. Let's head back to the base." The others agreed and so they headed back into the lab, where the mechanical team has already prepared everything for proper repairs. The metal that the Vorlent was made out of, was made up of a very exotic mixture from what they analyzed while they were gone. It seemed like the steel was mixed with a small amount of the green crystals, that were found in the energy generator of the mech. Fortunately, the self replicating nature of those would make it possible for them to repair any damages, if the Vorlent did not infuse normal steel with the crystals itself. Sayaka and Heero were already out and the plates from the makeshift repairs were being removed from the Aphrodite, while they brought in the Alloy Z, that they used for proper armor. One of the engineers already approached Heero. "Hello there, just in case we need to repair your mobile suit, what is it made of?" He asked the teen. "Gundanium." Was the short answer, that drew the looks of everyone in earshot. Gundanium was a downright legendary alloy, which is used to make only the best mobile suits, which were then called Gundams. Posessing one of those could make you a rich man in the wastelands of the colony drop. The cockpit of the Vorlent then opened and Heero wanted to get a good look at these pilots. If those unknown factors were here, he would have to gather new intel himself but as long as they acted like the other accosiates of the Lab, he would act as planned. Maybe he can try to extract some information about the weapon systems of this machine. If memory served him right, the co-pilot stated it to be on par with his Wing Gundam's Buster Rifle. As he saw however who stepped out of the Vorlent, a look of surprise spread across the otherwise stoic face.