All Anime World

This battle might take a while. Georgianna could be in trouble. Her shields been on a long time and there are two enemy to deal with. If the shield power runs low, her beam weapons lose power too. Is John going to get there in time?

Louis saw the beam rifle fire...... Will that take out Megumi?

Rose is in a bit of a tight spot too. Kase rushed in and just got himself taken out, now Rose is alone against the two. Can she neutralize that other beam rifle before the enemy can get it out and fire at her?

If the enemy make it through, can Arisa fire her rail gun?

So many if's...... If Georgianna hadn't rushed off on her own. If John had stayed with the others, If Kaze had listened to the more experienced. Rose, things could have been far different........ if the little froggy had wings he wouldn't bump his butt every time he jumped... but this time the enemy is more determined, and more wary. They're using better tactics. If a couple of them make it through, they could take out the crippled Krikav.

I'll write more as soon as I get a chance.

Ok, time to go back and see what's happening on the planet. As we left, Chad had just finished a very good lunch, made some new friends, and was going to get Ghost to bring it in for repairs. Life is good.

I promise to get back to the battle soon, can't leave them hanging very long.

Doesn't it just kill you to wait like that........ Muahhahahahahahahaha

Chapter 76

Chad climbed into the truck after Rachel. It was a lot rougher looking model than the trucks he
was use to. Roy had on a set of headphones with a microphone, as they climbed out of the valley that
Rachel's farm was in, he called someone. “Hey Burt, ….. Ya, it's me. Has there been any word from the
mine? …............ Damn, ok, that checks out......... We got one of their mech boys here at Rachel's place.
His mech got hit by one of the rocks. We're going to bring it in and try to fix it................ Nah, she had
the kid inside and ready to feed him lunch when I got here. Ya, you can tell me all the 'I told you so's'
later. What have you got in reaction fuel, the kid has a leak in the feed lines. …....... Good, that'll do. I'll
call ya when we get it ready..” Roy hung up his headset and laughed, “Rachel, Burt figured you’d shoot
first and ask questions later. Said I filled you with too many stories. Damn it, Burt always said those
guys at the mine weren't EDF. Now we'll never heart the end of it.”

.Following Chad's direction, it only took a few minutes to reach the rocky plain where Chad had
left Ghost. “Damn, they got here ahead of us,” Roy swore as they sped across the open space.

“I think you better stop,” Chad told him.

“They could be watching,” Roy returned. “We'd better keep going.”

“You have to stop,” Chad said raising his voice.

“No way, we could get..........”

“STOP!” Chad shouted as he quickly brace himself against the dashboard.

Roy slammed on the brakes and the truck skidded to a stop. “Just what the hell's wrong with
you, boy? We could be in danger here.”

Chad opened the door and, feeling a bit weak, got out of the truck. “Ghost turn off the
cloaking,” He ordered. Suddenly, not ten meters in front of the truck, the kneeling form of the big mech
appeared.

Rachel jerked back in the seat and let out a small screech, Roy just sat open mouthed for several
long moments. “Holy sh--, “ Roy said under his breath, then opened the door and jumped out. “Damn,
when you said stealth, I thought you meant some camouflage paint job or something, but........damn!!”
He turned and looked at Chad, “was that thing actually invisible? I mean, was it really there?”

Chad just smiled at the confused older man, “Cloaking on,” He ordered Ghost, and the mech
promptly disappeared. “Go touch it for yourself.”

Roy gingerly walked forward and reached out toward the mech. His hand disappeared just
before it made contact with the hard surface.”Well, I'll be........ I never figured they'd get something like
this worked out. How about radar, thermal, and other detectors?”

“It seems to be pretty much undetectable, as far as I can tell,” Chad assured him as he began to
climb the invisible steps up to the cockpit. It was disconcerting to see Chad disappear into the mech,
stopping when just his head was visible, hanging in the air. “I'll meet you back at the farm,” Chad
called out and then disappeared completely.

Roy got back into his truck and looked at Rachel. She was just staring out the windshield.
“Pretty hard to comprehend, isn't it?” He asked her. She just nodded. “Sort of like seeing a Ghost,” Roy
mused.

“Ya,” Rachel answered quietly, “that's what he called the thing........ Ghost.”

Chad slipped on his helmet. “Hey Ghost, I met some friendlies. Seems a lot of the people aren't
against the empire. Rachel has a whole machine shop and lots of spare parts. I should be able to fix or
make just about anything we need. We're going to her place now. Boy did we hit it lucky. And she
makes the best food I've ever tasted.” Chad stood Ghost up and followed Roy's truck.

“It is good that you were so fortunate,” Ghost told Chad, “and while you were away I was able
to make contact with command central. They have requested you contact command as soon as you have
returned .”

“You did?” Chad asked, amazed. “That was about the craziest long shot we could have come up
with. I'll send a message right away.” Chad quickly typed, “Lieutenant Ross reporting as ordered. I have
contacted friendlies and am on the way to a farm unit to repair my mech.”

After several moments a reply appeared to float in the air in front of him. “General Parker here,
I’m the idiot who's in charge of this mess. I'm relieved you've found some friendlies.”

Chad jerked back and almost choked, “You didn't tell him I said that, did you?”

“I relayed your exact words to command, Chad.” Ghost said sweetly. “Wasn't I supposed to do
that?”

Chad felt like pounding his head against the console. Ghost seemed so human he'd forgotten that
the AI would do exactly what he told it to do. He was doomed, worse than doomed. The general would
have him cleaning latrines on some distant, long forgotten, outpost. Fearfully he looked back at the
message.

“I know things have looked pretty screwed up, but the orders your colonel has been following
haven't come from EDF command. We lost contact with the Krikav when you entered warp drive and
haven't been able to contact your ship until a couple hours ago. Somehow, the subspace com was
hijacked. Contact your colonel and try to get your repairs done. The Krikav is under attack right now so
you may have to wait to get through.”

Chad almost forgot his worries at having insulted the general, first relieved that the Krikav was
alright, then worried to hear of an attack on the crippled ship. “I can’t contact the ship,” he sent, “The
com can’t get through the asteroids, and I don’t have the subspace code. I’ll have to get my mech fixed
and try to get back to the ship.”

“No lieutenant, stay on the planet,” the general returned. “You’ve sent us some good intel. I
want you to do as much recon as you can, we need all the information you can get us on the enemy’s
base. We should be there in two days, then the fleet will deal with this. I’ll have the com techs set up
some sort of relay so you can communicate with your colonel.”

“Yes sir,” Chad sent back, a bit unhappily. “I’ll do my best.”

General parker called the base subspace com techs and gave orders for a link to be set up from
Chad’s mech to Greg’s com unit on the Krikav. The general mulled over the facts he had before him.
They’d lost contact with the Krikav, and from what Hellwind told him, the same thing had happened to
the Ticonderoga. He had a suspicion that this could explain the loss of the two ships and the mysterious
orders at Tarsonis. He called the ship’s com Tech and ordered him to shut down the subspace
communication system. He called for his ship’s head mech tech and in minutes the man appeared on the
bridge. Parker swivelled his chair and looked at the tech. “Major, have you been using spare subspace
com equipment to contact other ships?”

The major froze, this wasn’t good at all. How had the general found out about his little com
unit? “Umm, yes sir, I ..... ahh..... have to test the spare equipment...... and...”

“How many other ships can you contact?” The general cut in.

“Uh, about a dozen, sir,” the major was getting a bit confused, along with being frightened.

“Can the others contact more ships?”

“Well, most of them have a number of others they contact, sir....... but it’s” The major stumbled
for an explanation.

“Good,” Parker cut in again, startling the major, “I want you to contact every ship you can, and
have them spread these orders, shut down all ship’s main subspace com units until further notice.
Subspace com integrity has been compromised. All orders are to be transmitted through the technician’s
subspace network.”

The major just stood there staring at the general. “Move it major,” Parker barked and the tech
almost jumped out the door. The general turned back to his com panel, his aid was still on line and
waiting. “Tom, the general sighed, we’ve got to get to the bottom of this. Make sure that Hellwind has
his subspace gone over thoroughly. Mar Sara could be the key to this whole mess.”

I promised we'd get back to the fighting. Did Georgianna go to far? Did Megumi survive? Will Rose be able to handle two of the black mechs all alone? Will Arisa pull the trigger?

So many questions, so much action. The Krikav and our brave band of warriors isn't in the clear yet, and the fleet is a couple days away.

Chapter 77

Georgianna’s breath caught, she knew her shield couldn’t still have enough power to stop
the blow from her enemy. She’d taken one to many chances. Her mech bent and moved sideways
from the force of the enemy’s mighty blow, but the I-shield flared and held. The enemy’s mech
twisted sideways from the force of his powerful swing and Georgianna took the opportunity to
thrust the point of her saber upward behind his main thrusters. Her blade found a weak point in
his armor and broke through into his power unit. The enemy mech flared brightly, driving
Georgianna backward. She quickly cleared her sensors and searched for the last enemy. He was
running, he hadn’t even remembered to turn his cloaking on. Georgianna checked her power
reserves. The main power unit was running close to the red line, but hadn’t gotten there yet, and
the reserves showed over five percent remaining. She shut down the shield to conserve the last of
her power and shouldered her beam rifle. She carefully aimed at the point, just behind the fleeing
enemy’s main thrusters. That was the weak point she’d found, and it was his doom. Georgianna
didn’t notice that the first enemy she’d burned through with her beam rifle was still moving. It’s
pilot had maneuvered his crippled machine so his beam rifle was aimed directly at Georgianna’s
mech. The enemy squeezed the trigger.

Arisa’s head jerked up, she tried to shake off her tears when she heard Ben’s voice boom
through her com. “Stay sharp, kitten, if any of them get through, we have to take them out. Can’t
let the colonel down now can we. If you get a clear shot, you may be able to take one out and
help the others.” Arisa sniffled and tried to follow the battles. She could see Megumi and Louis
fighting three mechs. She tried to get her targeting locked on the third enemy in that group. It was
a long shot, and difficult to target but she got a lock on the mech, just as she waw his beam rifle
fire.

Rose quickly spun around and rushed toward the second enemy. She had to get to him
before he could shoulder his beam rifle and target her mech. As soon as she turned, she knew she
was to late. The enemy already had his rifle aimed at her. Rose turned her arm shield toward the
enemy, it could hold out for one shot, maybe two, but it wouldn’t be enough. She tried evasive
maneuvers.......... The first blast turned her shield a glowing red It wouldn’t stop the second shot.
Suddenly the enemy mech exploded into shards, Rose heard loud laughter. “That’s one you owe
me sweetheart,” Bens voice came over her com unit. “Thanks big guy,” She replied as she spun
to face the second mech with her two sabers drawn, “I’ll buy you the biggest pizza in the house
when this is over.”

Megumi heard Louis call to her and instantly realized her mistake. She knew she
wouldn’t have time to break her momentum with her maneuvering jets, this called for drastic
action. She spun her mech as quickly as it would move and swung out her right leg, mimicking
one of the attacks she taught in the family dojo. The kick surprised the enemy, he had no time to
block or counter-thrust. His mech spun around and moved directly into the path of the beam fired
by his comrade. The beam caught his mech directly below it’s head, severing all it’s sensor links.
The enemy mech flailed around helplessly.
Louis had finally cracked through the armor of his opponents mech and it now was a
burning hulk, He quickly turned toward the mech that had fired at Megumi, only to find it had
turned to run. Louis shouldered his beam rifle and fired, he saw another bolt from a rifle hit at the
same time his did, the enemy mech exploded as two beam rifle bolts hit it’s power unit. Louis
checked his screen, relieved to see Megumi turn to finish off her first opponent. “Nice work,
Yumi. You’ll have to fill me in on how you avoided that shot when we get back to the ship.

Roses opponent was skilled, but when it came to sabers, she was exceptional. The battle
only lasted seconds, but Rose was surprised it took so long. That black mech had a really tough
skin. She’d hit it half a dozen times before it gave in. She quickly checked her scanners for any
enemy that had gotten through, but the only ones showing motion were two way out where
Georgianna was. Rose looked at Kaze’s broken Firefly and keyed her com unit, “Man down, get
recovery out here fast.”

The enemy aimed at Georgianna and gloated, he may be dying, but he would take that
cursed enemy with him. He pulled the trigger on his weapon, but the beam never reached it’s
target. The beam rifle exploded as John’s saber slashed through it. John thrust his saber down
from above the front of the mech, behind it’s chest armor and through it’s cockpit. That one
wouldn’t be taking any more shots. He looked over at Georgianna, just as she fired on the last of
the enemy, Her shot was right on target and the enemy mech was a sudden bright spot and then it
was gone. John smiled, she was one hell of a fighter.

Arisa sat breathing hard. She’d been ready to fire...... hadn’t she? She would have, but
they fired first.......... she really would have, at least, she wanted to. But she didn’t. She didn’t pull
the trigger. Maybe her father was right, she could still hear his words, his laughter. “You? You’ll
never be a pilot. You’re to weak, you’ll never have the guts to pull the trigger. You’re a fool, stay
home and get married like a woman should.” No, she couldn’t let him win. She couldn’t go back
this way. Somehow, she had to do this, she had to prove to him...... to herself, that she was more
than that.

Wonder what's happening with Dominic? He's been tied up a while........ maybe I should look in on him. He'll die of boredom if I leave him to long........ I just hate leaving poor Arisa like that though. She needs someone to be nice to her right now, but Chad's a long ways away. Also, how bad is Kaze? Colonel Hellwind is losing his command, one piece at a time.

Yes, I am entirely to slow at this right now, especially since things are getting nearer to a climax. Well, time to visit Dominic and see what is happening there. Maybe he can find a way to get free and stop Atropos from destroying the Krikav, and any other ship.



Chapter 78

Rydia looked up and down the hall, then snuck out of her room. It had taken her a while,
but she had made her decision, she had to see that pilot for herself. Somehow, things must not be
as she had seen them. Edward must have been trying to confuse the pilot........ or something. She
stole down the hallway to the room Edward had entered. The door was securely locked as she’d
expected. They couldn’t be too careful with such vicious men. Carefully she inserted a card into
the slot in the wall, wires led from the card to her notepad computer, She watched as a series of
figures flashed on the screen and touched the screen, entering a pass code as each figure resolved
itself. Rydia smiled as the light on the lock turned green, she removed the card and took hold of
the door latch. She hesitated a moment, gathering her nerve, then quickly slipped into the room,
closing the door behind her.
Rydia blinked in surprise, it wasn’t the dark room she’d expected. The light was to bright,
after the darkness of the hallway, and............ She froze in terror........ The pilot wasn’t chained to
the bed! He was sitting up, a tray of food next to him. Instinctively she tried to back away, but
ran into the door, she had to get away from him, she had to run, but the door wouldn’t open.
Desperately she tried to open the lock.

Dominic sat eating the rather good meal they brought him. He’d been relieved when they
released him from the chains. They must have decided he couldn’t get out of the locked room, or
that he was smart enough not to try to get away. He was startled when the door quickly opened
and shut as a young woman slipped into the room. She was a mousy looking girl, her auburn hair
pulled back, rumpled looking cloths, no makeup, generous lips, a small nose, made even smaller
looking by her large eyes, magnified by her oversize glasses........ and the fact that she appeared
terrified. Yup, she looked like a mouse, cornered by a cat. He watched amused as she spun
around and desperately jerked at the door handle. She quit that and tried to jam a card attached to
the computer she was carrying into the door lock slot on the wall. Dominic was sure she would
break the card before she finally got it in the slot and started to poke madly at the computer
screen.
“Ah,,,, if you keep banging on it like that, you’re likely to break it.” He told her. “Maybe
you should take a deep breath and slow down a bit, then it might work better.”

Rydia spun around, jerking the card out of the wall. She clutched the computer to her
chest as she backed against the wall, tears running down her cheeks. “Please, don’t hurt me,” she
sobbed. “I don’t want to die....... don’t kill me.”

Dominic was surprised by the abject terror in the girls eyes. He had no idea what could
have caused so much fear. “Ummm, now why would I do something like that?”

“Because you’re one of them, one of the EDF,” Rydia blurt out, “you kill people!”

“Well, not unless I REALLY have to, and you, I really DON’T have to.” Dominic tried to
assure her.

“But that’s why you’re here, to kill everyone........... Isn’t it?” Rydia questioned, a slight
bit of hope beginning to break through to her.

“Ah... No, actually, we came here to fix the subspace com satellite,” Dominic informed
her. “There wasn’t supposed to be any trouble. We were just supposed to keep the miners from
harassing the repair crew.”

Rydia began to relax, perhaps she wasn’t in as much danger as she thought. “Then......
why did you attack us?”

Dominic looked surprised, “Attack you? He questioned. “First our mechs were sabotaged
and might have destroyed the ship, then, when got here, we found you’d already destroyed one
ship and you'd sent a nuke to wreck us....... in a life pod, no less.” He made his accusations, his
voice rising. “Then we were attacked by your black mechs. We were lucky to be able to hold
them off. When the colonel made contact with somebody down here, trying to talk things out, we
got blasted with that monster cannon of yours and the ship was badly damaged. We’re lucky
they’re aim wasn’t very good, or more of us would have died....... maybe all of us. I wasn’t
attacking anyone, I was trying to disable that weapon before they kill us all.” Dominic stopped
his rant when he looked up at the girl. She was backed against the wall, her hands were covering
her mouth and tears were flowing down her face.

“I don’t want to be a killer!” Rydia wailed. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.” Between deep
sobs, Rydia poured out her story. “Edward said I wouldn’t ever have to kill anyone, but then he
told me I had to destroy your ship or you’d bomb us and kill everyone on the planet. I didn’t want
anyone to die!” She wailed between sobs. “I tried to miss the ship, I just wanted you to see how
powerful Atropos is, then you’d go away. I tried to miss, but the ship moved............ And now
I’m a killer!!”

Dominic was sorry he’d been so harsh. This girl was, obviously, not military but
somehow she must have been the one controlling that weapon. It was also obvious that it had
taken a deep emotional toll on her. Besides, he really didn’t like making a girl cry. “Hey, it
wasn’t really your fault. You were trying to miss, right? The colonel probably ordered evasive
maneuvers and the controller just moved the ship the wrong direction. No one can really blame
you.....Ok?........ Besides, Edward had it wrong, the Krikav, our ship, doesn’t even carry any
bombs. He told you to fire on us when it wasn’t even necessary. See, it was all a mistake.”

Rydia hung her head, still softly sobbing, “you were supposed to be the evil killers.......
but now, I am.”

in case anyone is still reading this, I am working on the next chapter. It's about time to see what's happening with Georgianna and John, and what's going on on the ship now that the pilots have returned victorious.
What's colonel Hellwind going to say when he finds out Georgianna didn't come back? What will Arisa do, now that she's decided she's a failure? What about the other pilots, who will be the next to desert the ship? Will the colonel be able to work through all these problems before the EDF fleet comes and takes over? If the fleet comes, will they solve the problem of the Red Faction weapon by bombing the base to ashes?

Ok, there's a lot of questions to answer, Hope I can figure out how all this resolves itself.

I'm still reading this! I'm just a little bit behind on everything because I've been busy... Ganbatte kudasai, ojii-san~!

oldwrench wrote:in case anyone is still reading this

Yes, we do!

big huggs, and a catnip Latte for both of you. I'm glad someone is still reading it.

I just got back from Connecticut. I went with my wife on her trip to lecture and teach there. We spent a few days with a friend. I got to see the national submarine museum and we went ocean fishing and caught some big Blue fish.

Time to get back to the story, I have the next chapter started. I just can't seem to decide from who's point of view to make it. The pilots have returned, will the colonel congratulate them for their victory, or will he blow up over Georgianna and John not returning? What will happen with Arisa? Where will Georgianna and John end up? Can they keep this from turning into the second colony war? ........ Can they survive?

I'm still reading! I'm just stumped by work on these so-called vacations =___=