Comments welcome, flames ridiculed.
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: gs2.txt
Once again, I have to thank Mark for putting up with my insane ideas and grammer errors.
Disclaimer: Do you really have to ask?
Guardian's Soul
by Andrew Wilson
Chapter 2: The Swarm, or "Are We There Yet?"
Ryoga sat in the gunner's nest, brooding.
Now, the fact that Ryoga was brooding is really no surprise. However, the reasons why are a surprise. Instead of going over how everything in his life was Ranma's fault (he had gotten over that habit two years before, for the most part), he was annoyed at having to constantly be in the gunner's nest when they were on the move.
His perch wasn't much, just a seat on the Mountaineer's roof, behind the pilot's compartment. The seat was in the same depression as the roof hatch, which was where Ryoga's feet rested. A ring of armor plating surrounded it, providing protection against any stray shots. Weapon mounts set in the ring allowed for any basic big gun to be used, not that Ryoga needed them.
Back to the brooding. The reason he was always in the nest was that he couldn't be in the same room as any of the navigational equipment. Even the simplest magnetic compass would spin out of control if he was near it. So, in order to prevent trouble (like setting out for Lazlo and ending up in Splynn), Ryoga was always confined to the roof for the duration of any trip.
He felt rather than heard someone banging on the hatch. Removing his feet, he opened it to reveal a pair of mischievous gold eyes. Pirotess climbed the rest of the way out of the hatch, then closed it. Sitting on her heels; she stared hard at Ryoga.
"Well?" she asked. "Aren't you going to offer a lady a seat?"
"How? The only way you could sit down in this place is if you sat on..." Ryoga trailed off as he blushed. "They might hear, you know."
Pirotess nearly exploded with laughter. "I swear, after all this time, you're still like that. At least we got rid of the nosebleeds."
Ryoga's complexion went from a touch of crimson to candy apple with hair. "Where are we going, anyway?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
"Vulcan's forge," was the reply, though Pirotess was having trouble keeping a straight face. "Conner thinks we can convince his CO to let us hitch a ride on the next trans-Atlantic flight."
*******
"Look," Conner was saying just a few feet away, "I don't know if we're going to be able to. All I said is that the Admiral is trying to talk to the NGR. Half the senior staff thinks it's a useless venture, but not him. He thinks that despite the fact that he isn't human, the NGR will talk to him." He cracked a smile, "you'd think the officers would learn by now."
"Well," Ranma commented, "I've heard the Germans are more tolerant of that kind of thing than the CS."
Conner shook his head as he turned his attention back to the terrain in front of the ATV. "Yeah, they treat non-humans as second class citizens, but they don't kill them, same thing with magic and psionics. However, they are allies with the CS, to an extent."
"So?" Deedlit leaned on the back of Ranma's chair. "From what you've told us about the situation, Triax would love to get their hands on some of your technology."
Conner sighed. "And that's why I think the Admiral's right. Well, that and his reputation."
"Has he ever lost?" Ranma used to think there was no such thing as an unbeatable foe. That changed when he met Drizzt.
"I've told you about how he caught the REF's attention right?"
"Beating a few hundred Invid, whatever the heck those are, with only a dozen or so ships that were three generations out of date. Yeah, you've told us."
Conner chuckled. "And you still doubt him?"
"Everyone makes mistakes."
"Yeah, but we're still waiting with him to screw up. He hasn't, ever. That's right, Ranma, you haven't met him yet. Trust me, you'll understand when you do."
"That's an understatement," Deedlit commented, remembering her own encountered with the man. "And don't worry, they won't try to dissect you because of your curse. Furthermore-" she broke off as something caught her eye outside the windshield.
Just then the intercom crackled to life. "We've got trouble," Ryoga voice said. "Off to the left, maybe one thousand meters."
Conner had just enough time to notice what Ryoga was talking about before a volley of missiles hit the ground all around the Mountaineer. A string of curses to make a marine drill sergeant wince was heard as Conner tried, unsuccessfully, to regain control. The vehicle tipped over, spilling Pirotess and Ryoga out of the nest and sending them tumbling a few yards away. Inside, the occupants quickly shook off any disorientation as they grabbed their gear.
*******
They were robots, Ryoga saw, about thirty of them in all. Tall, something over thirteen feet high, with rather large rifles in their hands. Behind the lines of robots were two larger objects. Looking like walking tanks, the smoking rack on the side of one indicated the missile's origins. All were made from the same dark, almost black metal.
He and Pirotess were keeping the ATV between themselves and the enemy group. Hopefully, the others would be able to get out before their assailants decided to blow the whole thing to kingdom come. The robot soldiers leveled their rifles at the ATV and let loose volley after volley of plasma. The metal bulk shuddered with each hit, the frame beginning to melt. Ryoga couldn't wait. Ignoring his protesting body, it was still a 'bad day' after all, he grabbed the top hatch and ripped it off it's hinges.
"Thanks," Ranma said, popping out of the hole. He was followed by the vehicles other occupants, except two.
"Where's Conner? And Hanson?" Ryoga had to shout over the protesting metal.
"One of the shots got through the armor, and Hanson was hit. As for Conner, he's got a surprise planned," Emerelda replied. "Let's go, he's going to cover us."
"Retreat?" Pirotess asked.
"No," Drizzt replied, "diversion, feint and flanking maneuver."
"Much better."
The only problem with that plan, Ryoga noticed, was that they were in the middle of a level field an hour before sunset. The only cover within two miles was what their attackers had used.
"Any idea of how we're going to do this?" Ryoga asked.
"Simple," Ranma replied, "look at Drizzt's belt."
Ryoga looked, and saw a scimitar missing. "Wait a minute-"
He didn't get farther when the ATV was consumed in a huge fireball. Only a storage compartment, having been ejected just a moment before, was spared from the inferno, the rest was consumed in a plasma explosion focused at the automated attackers. Ranma immediately took off around the explosion, Drizzt, Emerelda and Catti-brie at his heels. Ryoga and the elves followed a second later, and saw Conner in his cyclone suit slashing the front ranks of robots, with Icingdeath in one hand.
Seeing his companions approaching, Conner tossed the scimitar at Drizzt, who caught the hilt and began his own attack. Ranma had activated his combat spells tore through the mechanical ranks. Compared to the others, Emerelda's attacks were odd. Instead of more conventional assault, she simply passed her arm through a robot's form. Seconds later it would fall to the ground, it's internal systems shredded.
Ryoga spotted one of the larger robots in the back row, a clear shot. Summoning Aegis-fang, he heaved it with all his failing strength. It hit, putting a large dent in its shoulder. The blow also had the effect of directing the things attention toward the other group. Deedlit was barely able to erect a force field before two plasma blasts, another pair of particle beam shots, and a triple laser beam struck. The second giant noticed the trouble and began firing through the drones to hit the five companions engaged in melee. The energy weapons were relatively easy for them to dodge, more so than the missiles.
Only Ranma was able to shrug off the explosive impacts. He quickly closed the distance between himself and the monster robot, and began to systematically disabling it. First he destroyed the two small cannons on its belly. Next, the missile launcher was ripped from the body and thrown at the laser cannon, knocking it out of commission. Dodging a few pathetic punches from the thing, he ripped the plasma cannon from the opposite side and began using it as a club. Within seconds, the thing was on the ground, useless actuators in its joints trying to move limbs that were no longer attached. By this time Conner and Emerelda had destroyed the second robot, while Drizzt and Catti-brie cleaned up the drones.
"What is this thing?" Deedlit asked, walking up to it.
"I think I know," Pirotess replied, kneeling beside it. "It's a Mechanoid."
Deedlit paled, then fried the mechanical body with enough energy to light up Las Vegas (if Vegas was still around, that is).
The others didn't get it.
"I'll explain later. Right now, we have to get help."
"We can't get very far on foot." Conner pointed out.
"'We' are not. You are heading to the base, by air, in order to get us a ride."
"We're in range, I can just radio the request in."
"We're beyond the edge of yer radio's range," Catti-brie said. "Even if we were closet, there's no telling who else is around that might hear. Even if the bloody thing's encrypted, a transmission would tell somebody that we're here."
Ranma and Ryoga exchanged a glance. That explained where she had been disappearing to over the past year and a half. But if she received communications training (and learned to use a rifle), what had Drizzt been doing?
Conner sighed. "Good point, I'll go. What about you?"
Ranma pulled open the warped door of the ejected storage compartment. "There's enough survival gear in here for a few days. And since the extra ordinance you keep in your sidecar didn't blow, the rest should be fine." Including, he didn't add, what was left of the Glitterboy.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"We'll be fine," Emerelda assured him. "But we need something that's faster than our own feet."
Conner stared long and hard into her eyes, then turned away. Subvocalizing a command, the thrusters on his suit activated, sending him flying to the north.
"Now that transportation has been taken care of," Deedlit said, "I hope, let's get set up here. I have a feeling those robots weren't the last."
*******
There were no sleeping rolls, none of them were going to sleep in this situation (and one of them didn't have to). As the afternoon turned to twilight, there was also no fire, since it would destroy any nightvision.
In short, it was a collection of nervous people ready for an attack.
Ranma finally broke the silence. "Deed, what's a mechawhatever?"
"A Mechanoid?"
"Yeah. Pirotess mentioned it earlier with those things," he indicated the smashed remains of the two large robots. "I got the impression they were bad."
Deedlit choked a laugh while Pirotess explained. "They're worse than bad. Those big things weren't robots, they were members of a race of cyborgs."
Before anyone could question them further, Pirotess tossed Ranma a small computer.
"What's this?" Ranma asked, looking at the words 'don't panic' written on the computer's cover in large, friendly letters.
"The Hitchhikers Guide to the Megaverse. Open it up, search for 'Mechanoid.'"
Ranma did so, with Ryoga looking over his shoulder.
MECHANOIDS, he read. Once a collection of rather dull scientist and philosopher type humans, they are now a collection of homicidal cyborgs dedicated to the extermination of all humanoid life. This is due to a lot of pent up anger and frustration sent down through the generations of clones by their tripped out minds. A brain care specialist would have a job for life with these guys, if you can get them to listen without disintegrating you. If you are humanoid, either stay away from these guys or carry enough firepower to take on a planetary defense force (see: Naruni Enterprises). If you are not humanoid, better stay away from these buggers on general principle.
Ryoga shook his head. "Almost sounds like something out of an American show from back home."
"I think know what you're talking about," Deedlit commented, "but these are worse. They want to kill any and all humanoid life."
"Why?" Catti-brie asked. "What's the point?"
"They're insane," Pirotess replied, "that's the point. Even worse, they have access to weapons centuries beyond anything on this planet."
Ranma was starting to worry. "And they're here?"
"Apparently."
"I hope Conner's alright," Emerelda murmured.
*******
'Alright' was a very subjective term. Conner Hamilton was alive, and that would certainly fulfil the definition. However, he was rather frustrated at the commodore in front of him. The man's name was Todd Marshall, and he had been Commander Air Group (CAG) for the REF Hephestus, and was currently in command of all REF aerospace craft on this Earth. At the moment, he was the person Conner had to borrow a pair of Veritechs and pilots for a recovery mission.
"Lieutenant," Marshall said, "this information is very interesting. But, we've known about the Mechanoids for over a week now. Our outlying bases have been attacked multiple times since then. I can't risk withdrawing any fighters from duty."
"With all due respect, sir. I'm only asking for a single Legios unit, not an entire squadron. And I'll only need it for an hour."
"Are you crazy? One unit, alone? You obviously haven't seen the fighter craft these things have. They are fast, more maneuverable than an Alpha, and have a very large set of teeth."
Conner picked up the handset for Marshall's com unit. "The Admiral's com code hasn't changed has it?" he asked, tossing it to the commodore. "Why don't you tell him that R&D won't get that Glitterboy," he began to punch in a code.
Marshall slammed the handset back. "You don't have to do that. One Alpha-Beta pair you say? I suppose I can pull one off rotation."
"Good, I'll also need an extra pair for transit over the Atlantic, to the British Isles."
"Hell, no."
Conner tossed the handset to the officer again, and began to punch the code to the CINC's private chambers.
Once again, Marshall slammed the handset down. "How long do you need them?"
"One will be heading back immediately. The other will be released to my command. Oh, and that one should be a two seater."
"I though you spec-ops people didn't need air support, much less a recon unit. Why do you need two of my planes?"
Conner just looked at the com unit.
"I suppose, with my record, I'd be the laughing stock of the REF if I brought someone up on charges of insubordination."
"I was kind of counting on that, sir." Conner saluted Marshall once more. Marshall handed him a printout of where the planes were located, then shook his head as Conner walked out.
"You're getting old, Maniac," he said to the empty room.
*******
By the time Conner and the planes had arrived at the makeshift camp, a light rain shower had arrived. Instead of finding three men and four women, the Veritech pilot found one man, five women, and a small pig.
One of the women, the one with red hair, was crouching on the ground, one elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand, looking very annoyed. The pig was on top of the girl's head, imitating the pose.
The Beta Veritech set down, and the group quickly scrambled into the cargo bay. Conner suited up and helped Ranma drag the cargo container to the plane. Once everyone was inside, the engines converted a great deal of rainwater to steam as the Veritechs sped to the north.
The pilot's voice came over Conner's communicator. "Lieutenant Hamilton?"
Conner hit the conversation key. "Right here, what is it?"
"We've got a bit of a problem. With the weight of the container, we're limited to about six hundred klicks per hour."
"What about the boosters?"
"Not unless you want to end up walking halfway. With that hunk of steel hanging from the back, we can't even reach mach one without the vibrations wasting the jets. We also can't change modes."
"I understand. Take your time."
There was a pause. "That's only half of the problem. There's a dozen Mechanoid flyers approaching from the south-east. ETA is six minutes."
"How long to the outer perimeter?"
"Approximately twenty minutes."
Conner swore. "Who's the ranking officer of this little outing?"
"That would be the wing leader, in the Alpha."
"His call. If he want's to fight, though, recommend we set down and offload the passengers. We can handle a few of them."
"Stand by."
Siting across from Conner, Ranma looked up, a question on her face. "What's up?"
"Trouble," Conner replied. "More Mechanoids."
"What are we going to do?" Emerelda asked.
When the pilot's voice came back, he turn on his suits speakers. "Lieutenant, the wing leader wishes me to inform you that he'll handle the flyers."
"Is he insane? One Alpha against twelve bogies?"
The pilot chuckled. "He just might be. He also wishes me to tell you that, and I quote, 'this old dog still can bite.'"
Conner switched off the radio with a sound halfway between a chuckle and a groan.
"What?" Deedlit asked.
"Maniac's in that Alpha. He must have flew up in his personal jet just before the pair joined."
Drizzt and Catti-brie groaned, Deedlit shook her head, and Pirotess just smirked. Ranma and Ryoga just looked confused (an interesting sight, seeing confusion on a pig's face). "Who's Maniac?" Ranma asked.
"Imagine a fighter pilot, who is so reckless he makes Drizzt look peaceful and restrained. In spite of this, or maybe because of this, he is the best around."
Ranma blinked in surprise. "So what does this mean?"
"It means," Emerelda replied, "that we all just sit back and enjoy the ride. Let someone else fight the battle for once."
*******
Sit back they did. Let someone else handle the problem they did (a very unusual event for this lot). But enjoy the ride, some did not. In fact, from Ranma's point of view the only good thing about it was when it was over. She and Ryoga were out the cramped compartment as soon as the rear hatch opened.
She jumped out of the fighter and onto a solid surface. Solid metal decking that ended less than a meter from her feet.
"Guess I jumped a little too far," she mumbled, looking at the ground, hundreds of meters below. She sensed Conner walking up behind her. "Why are we up this high?"
Conner shrugged. "Most of the complex was originally a starship. The central tower is what used to be the command tower, engineering, and the hanger bays, along with everything in between. Several airbases are under construction, so most of the Veritech squadrons will be moved out, with the elite's staying."
Ranma shook her head, then walked toward the center of the hanger, where her companions were. A stocky, dark haired man who looked to be in his mid forties was greeting the others. Conner sighed.
"What?" Ranma asked.
"That is Commodore Todd Marshall, better known as Maniac."
"Oh, he doesn't look crazy."
"He isn't. Recklessness and audacity do not mean crazy, especially if the person is skilled enough to back up his bluster." He paused, then smiled. "Sounds like someone I know."
"Hey," Ranma exclaimed, "I'm nothing like that!"
"Yet you assumed it was you I was talking about."
Ranma blushed, then fell silent. Ryoga, still riding on her head, was giggling (another odd sight). Getting the pig out of her hair (literally), she and Conner approached the gathering.
"About time you two got here," Maniac said. "Ya know, kid, there are easier ways to kill yourself than jumping out of the hanger. We've got you in temporary quarters, north of Central. I assume some of you remember how to get there."
Everyone except Ranma and Ryoga nodded. "What is happening with the Mechanoids."
"The situation is under control. Recent intel suggests that they are trying to set up a factory for their 'bots, but we've managed to stop them when they try. They've also realized that they can't do much damage to the base, so we haven't seen an attack for a while. Even so, the Admiral has us on full alert status until the central base is located and destroyed."
"What about trans-Atlantic flights?" Deedlit asked.
"That's a different story. Atlantis is acting up, it may be dangerous."
"We don't care," Drizzt stated.
"But I do. They're my planes, and my pilots. I don't want them to die because of something petty."
"It's anything but petty," Pirotess said, "we'll tell you in the morning."
"Fine, but even then you won't get a flight for a few days. Standing orders."
That caused everyone to object. "What?"
"That's when a supply shipment goes to the outpost across the lake. I spoke with the Admiral, no exceptions."
"Why?" Deedlit asked.
"I asked the same question. He replied with a bunch of mumbo-jumbo about how that's when they won't be bothered by Atlantian patrols, along with a couple of other things. Don't worry."
Further objectings were cut off by a collection of yawns from the group. As a whole, they shuffled into the lift, eager for sleep.
*******
<Somewhere in Eastern Europe>
"Tell me again why we had to come here?"
Miang sighed, then turned to her companion. "Because the Angel of Death is the only remotely friendly party in this portion of the world that can get us to the New Phoenix Empire. I'd rather not deal with the Brodkil directly."
Ashram shook his head. "You call this friendly? Both of them look at us like we're slab's of meat."
Miang laughed. "We should be so lucky. They're probably wondering what kind of experiments they can run on us."
"Charming pair."
"Of course. What do you expect?"
"Why not let them have the body your in now? It might speed things along." Ashram received a punch on the arm for that remark.
"Because they would want to observe, document, and repeat the transfer process. Plus I usually can't transfer until the body is dies, and that experience is not pleasant."
A second blow was caught by Ashram's hand. "Don't do that again."
The door to the waiting room opening interrupted the argument. A large, four armed, demonic looking cyborg stood there.
"She will see you now."
Ashram rested his hand on Soul Crusher's hilt as they strode down the corridors of Mindwerks. He hated dealing with madmen. Madwomen even more so.
End Chapter 2.
Notes:
I guess I've been a little secretive (to the point of annoyance, perhaps) about how the Robotech elements (and the mysterious Admiral, and the Wing Commander references), got to this world. Something I've been planning for a little while (and working on simultaneously, not something I'd recommend), should be released in a few days. Hero's Journey, Prologue part 1: Rouges and Intellects. Sorry, but the Xenogears elements (Emerelda, and more stuff in chapter 3) will have to wait for part 2 of that. One other side story is planned, set between Warrior's Path and Guardian's Soul. Sorry, but I won't say what that is about, but you should be able to guess after I do chapter 3.