Heaven Saga 2: Sands of Aquarius
Page 20
“Brian! What’s wrong with him Mira?” Seles asked.
Mira slid her hand under Brian’s armor and pressed the button to open it. Brian was unconscious with his eyes closed and skin pale.
“What’s wrong?” Seles asked again.
“Don’t worry,” Mira said. “We’ve been anticipating this since he first manifested the berserk state.” She used the chemical injector and shot into Brian’s neck. “In the days when Maigars were common this happened frequently.”
“What?” Seles asked. She knelt down to check Brian and found he was asleep.
“Prolonged use of the berserk state drains the Maigar greatly,” Mira looked at Seles, “The same could happen to either of us if we’re caught in that state.”
“Is there a possibility of death?”
“Yes, but it takes much longer than this to kill the user,” Mira answered. “When the eyes turn red death is close.”
“I’ll remember that Mira,” Seles said while cradling Brian as he slept.
Chapter 40 - A Moment to Regroup
Valis, Kivi, Zae, Baed, Seles, and Brian stood around the battle planning table.
“I know you’re all tired, but our next battle will be commencing in six hours’ time,” Valis said. “I thought we’d have this meeting to go over our strategy.” She turned to Daes. “How are the Phase Rakna’s coming along?”
“We should be done with the computer systems by the time the next battle commences,” Daes answered. “But it’s going to take a day to charge the Q-Drives.”
“Is there any way to speed up the process?” Kivi asked.
Daes turned to Kivi. “No, it takes time to warm the Q-Drive up. Too much too soon could cause an overload.”
“So we’ll have to plan this battle around our two mobiles suits as is,” Valis said. “Our next target is the fifth moon of Dega Five.”
“The base the Duchess has there is quite extensive,” Zae said. She called up the image on the database and displayed it as a holographic representation on the battle table. “How do you think we should attack?”
Valis turned the holographic image and zoomed in on the base at the north pole of the ice encrusted moon. “In order to maintain such a large resource base on a moon with no atmosphere the Duchess’s base requires heat from the interior.” She programmed a cut away image of the frozen moon. Under the frozen surface shone a rocky layer and then a mantle underneath. “This is the weakness of the base,” she said while pointing to a main thermal power station deep under the frozen ground.
“That’s a pretty narrow space to fly around in,” Brian said. “How do you plan to get someone in there?”
“The good thing is I don’t need you to go that far down,” Valis said. She pointed to a hydro core power station several kilometers above the thermal power station. “If you overheat this reactor a chain reaction will follow.” She smiled. “The power systems will fail first, ending the base’s usefulness.”
“So how do we get in there?” Seles asked.
Valis moved the image back to the surface and focused on the orbit around the moon. “Our forces will enter orbit above the northern pole. Captain Riga and Lieutenant Dreka will not be attending this battle. After losing so decisively the Duchess is likely to keep her strongest fighters as protection.” She glanced at Brian. “It will take several hours to repair the damage you did to his mobile suit?”
“Yes, eight or so,” Brian answered.
“I’m expecting a Malcovin fleet to be hidden at the equator or southern pole of the moon,” Valis explained. “They’ll attempt to pincer our forces between the base and deep orbit. That’s why Shiken Ka and his forces will enter orbit at the equator to intercept them. If they aren’t there then he’ll move his fleet north and join ours in the main assault. During the attack the light to heavier class vessels will hold down the Ick-Tckt forces with an orbital bombardment. Between attack waves, Brian and Seles will descend. The goal is to break into the enemy base, destroy the reactor and get out as quickly as possible.”
“Seems pretty straight forward,” Seles said.
Valis closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’ll send each of you more detailed battle plans later, but that’s the general idea.”
* * *
“Handling this thing is much harder than it looks,” Meldi said as she was defeated in the simulator.
Seles watched her three squadron leaders as they piloted Phase Raknas in the simulators.
“Lieutenant, how did you get used to flying these things?” Kaela asked.
“I second that,” Myli added.
Seles shook her head. “It’s not going to be easy piloting a mobile suit for a while. I know you’re frustrated but it can’t be helped. The new mobile suits will be read to roll out in no time and you to know how to handle them.”
Daes came over to check the numbers. “The good news is their reaction time is improving each time they practice.”
“How are they coming along?” Seles asked. She looked at the three mobile suits standing by in the cargo bay.
“The physical form is completed,” Daes answered. “There’s a little bit left with the internal systems. Then we charge up the Q-Drives and they’ll be finished.”
Seles turned back to her subordinates. “I’ll get into the simulator and show you how to move.”
“Thanks lieutenant,” each of her subordinates answered.
* * *
“You really seem to like this place,” Kivi said as she entered the HDC. Brian was relaxing on the ground in what looked like a temperate forest from Earth. She sat down next to him, shading her eyes and looking up at the sky. “It’s beautiful.”
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss Earth,” he said before sitting up. “This place lets me to see home once in a while.”
“Isn’t the Avoni your home?”
“I’m sure it will be soon enough,” he answered. “What about you Kivi? Are you at home here?”
“I’ve been by Valis’s side for over ten years now. This ship’s been my home for almost seven years and the thought of leaving saddens me. My future is uncertain. But I can’t rely on Valis forever. I’d be lying if I said I don’t want that moment to come. I know in few years I’ll have saved up enough to build my own ship.”
“You’ll make an excellent captain.”
“But before that, I’d like to take you up on your offer.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “It’s going to take a lot of training.”
She drew her swords. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. The only Maigar alive is you. I have no doubt that Celi and her fellow scientists will be able to create males, but until then, it’s vital you pass on your skills to others. If you’re willing to teach me then I’m willing to learn.”
He sprang to his feet and drew his sword. “Then let’s get started.”
* * *
Jesela stumbled into her quarters with exhaustion in her eyes. I can’t take much more of this. She thought as she fell into bed.
Mira’s curtain moved. “Jesela, you look terrible,” she said. She began readying for her shift.
Jesela raised one arm up in the air and waved Mira off. “Daes has been working me nonstop for days. I finally get a few hours to sleep,” she said. She rolled over and yawned.
Mira finished putting her uniform on and checked herself in the mirror. “I wish the fighting would end.”
“Is that because you don’t want him fighting?” Jesela asked sarcastically.
Mira turned to her friend. “Of course, you know about that part.”
“So what’s the deal? Are you two a couple or what now?”
Mira blushed. “I’m not sure, it’s complicated.”
Jesela laughed. “It’s because Seles and the captain are into him to, isn’t it?”
“That’s right,” Mira answered. “By the way, why is Daes working you so hard?”
Jesela yawned again. “We have three more mobile suits nearing th
e end of construction. One more day and I can sleep for a week.”
“Take care Jesela.”
“You too Mira, if I get injured I’m expecting you to save me.”
“If that happens you needn’t worry about that. Our medical staff is tops in the independent fleet.”
Chapter 41 - Battle over the Crystal Moon
Brian stood below the Mjolnir while running a diagnostic. Seles stood the same way below the Zero when Mira came into the cargo bay with a bag. She went to Brian.
“I know you may want to go berserk to end the mission quicker, but your body can’t take much more of it today,” Mira said. She handed him a chemical injector.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“I injected you with the same formula earlier,” she answered. “Your body may be weak from the berserk state. If you feel your energy drop take a shot of this and it’ll be alleviated.”
“Thanks,” he said as he took the injector.
* * *
Dreka watched as his top three pilots trained hastily in the simulator. Riga observed the results.
“They’re having difficulties,” Riga commented.
“Yes, but that’s to be expected,” Dreka said.
“You haven’t been yourself lately,” Riga said.
“It’s because I haven’t slept much lately,” Dreka answered sarcastically. He paused for a moment while the two laughed. “I haven’t reported this to you, largely because I don’t know if it was real. A short time ago I had a vision.”
“What kind of vision?” Riga asked.
“I found myself standing in a vast ocean of blue. I remember seeing many shadows and memories within the place, but what I remember the most was seeing my grandfather. “He told me a number of things, including that he wasn’t killed.”
“Is that possible?”
“It seems that way,” Dreka said. “He also told me that the one he was to follow had finally appeared and that the predicted results had occurred. He told me Brian was the one I should follow and that the Terran was the one to lead our people into the future.”
“Sounds ominous,” Riga said. “What do you plan to do?”
Dreka stopped to look him in the eye. “I don’t know what I should to. All I know is that I’ll continue fighting Brian until one of us is the victor. If he really is the one my grandfather was waiting for then he must be special. I need to see with my own eyes what he’s truly capable of.”
“And what if he does live up to your expectations?”
“If I confirm and am not killed then I’ll do what my grandfather told me to do. In the few times I’ve spoken to Brian I’ve seen a soul similar to my own.”
“I’ve heard the same thing listening to your flight voice recorder,” Riga said. “The reason you feel that way is because he’s offering us a better future. We can’t sustain the way we’re doing things forever. He changed the Kalaidian people for the better.”
“It feels like things are heading towards change,” Dreka said.
“Depending on which way this war goes we should be prepared to live under different rules,” Riga said. “If the side Brian’s on wins I have no doubts they’ll try to put forth a government similar to that on Kalaidia now.”
A message over the PA system stopped the pair’s conversation. It was the commander on the bridge. “The Duchess’s base near Dega Five has detected a large fleet of ships. She’s ordered us to prepare to bombard the Kein estate should the base on the moon falls.”
“Madness,” Riga said. “To think we’re going to attack so openly.”
“You’re that sure of the base falling?” Dreka asked.
“Valis has her fleets split, one at the pole and another at the equator. With the Mjolnir and that Phase Rakna they should take the base within two hours’ time.”
* * *
When the Kalaidian fleet appeared over the ice covered moon dozens of Novaguards deployed into offensive formations. Brian and Seles each took a squad of twelve. Kaela backed up Seles while Meldi backed up Brian. The Kalaidian fleet opened up an orbital bombardment on the Duchess’s base, a weapons systems factory. As pulse cannons fired down on them the base projected a shield; the force exerted shook the ground. Half the Nova squadrons fanned outward across the moon to strike surface batteries at point blank range. The Mjolnir and Zero descended ahead of the Novas. On the bridge of the Avoni Valis and her bridge crew watched the battle as it went into the second phase.
“Captain, we’re receiving a message from Shiken Ka,” Zae said before putting Shiken on the monitor.
“My fleet’s in position,” Shiken said.
Valis nodded. “Are there any signs of their forces?”
“Yes,” he answered. “A moment ago we detected a small fleet heading towards the northern hemisphere. How are things are you end?”
Valis checked the position of Brian and Seles. “They’re moving into position right now.”
“Good.”
* * *
A massive number of Drones launched from the bases scattered all about the northern hemisphere to intercept the Novas attacking their surface batteries. The Mjolnir closed on the main base with the Zero next to it. Each fired a series of pulse shots from their cannons before switching over to their rakna blades.
“The fun begins now,” Brian said.
“Of course, just don’t play around too much,” Seles said.
The two mobile suits flew at into the shield and punched a hole in the defensive system. When they headed inside the two squadrons of Novas behind them flew in and started the assault on the base.
“Looks like Kaela and Meldi are feeling aggressive today,” Brian said.
“I’m thinking they want to get back to the Avoni as quickly as possible.”
“Wouldn’t blame them, I know I’m not feeling my best right now,” he said.
“Then let’s stop chatting and complete the mission,” Seles said.
Chapter 42 - The Boiling Point
All across the interior of the Ick-Tckt base Drone fighters scrambled to intercept Brian and Seles’s squadrons. The Novaguards concentrated on destroying the Drones on the ground, while Brian and Seles worked on the ones flying. From the ground came a number of pulse blasts.
“It seems their power generation system is working exactly like Valis described,” Brian said over the com. “Seles, you and the Novas remain on the surface.”
He flew the Mjolnir near the center of the base before blasting a hole in the ground. Below, scores of Ick-Tckt fired at the Mjolnir, their attacks bounced off the mobile suit’s shields.
“This is impossible!” Kaela shouted over the com.
“We’re going to pull through this Kaela,” Seles said calmly while looking at her radar. “Their Drones are almost finished off. All we have to do is hold on a little longer so Brian can blow the generator.”
Below, Brian fired a number of pulse blasts to forge a path down to the next level. Afterwards he switched to the Mjolnir’s rakna blade.
“It’s going to take me a little longer to do this than planned,” Brian said.
“What’s wrong?” Seles asked.
“If I try to blast my way past the fourth level using the pulse cannon, it’s going to cause damage to the Mjolnir. The rakna blade at full power won’t take much longer to work with,” he said as he began cutting a hole with the blade.
* * *
Valis watched calmly as the fleet changed position to matching Kivi’s plans precisely. Zae’s eyes widened as the blips of Ick-Tckt ships appeared behind their fleet. She put the image up on the monitor before turning to Valis.
“Captain, it appears the fleet you were anticipating has arrived,” Zae said.
“That’s a lot of ships,” Baed added.
Kivi shook the surprise off her face. “I wasn’t expected that many.”
“Plan C ready?” Valis asked sarcastically.
“Yes, that was the third version of the plan I came up with,” Kivi retorted.
“There are two more if need be.”
“Zae, call back Seles and her squadrons,” Valis commanded. “Also, call back our Novas on the surface to support the fleet.” She pressed a com on her chair. Shiken Ka’s image appeared on the main monitor. “Have you finished up your mission?”
“From that question I take it their reinforcements have arrived?” Shiken Ka asked.
“Yes, and we’re going to need your help,” Valis answered.
“We can spare half of this fleet at the moment.”
“Half is enough,” Valis said.
* * *
“This is taking forever,” Brian said to himself as the Mjolnir cut through another level.
“Brian, we’re receiving orders to return to the fleet,” Seles said over the com.
“Got it,” he said before bracing him for another cut. “I should be finished in five minutes.”
“Alright, take care of yourself,” Seles said.
After a few minutes the Mjolnir entered a massive chamber with a spinning metallic core.
“This must be it,” Brian said. The Mjolnir moved forward cautiously. Before he could strike the core he found a powerful shield blocked the way. From behind came a series of powerful pulse blasts, forcing him to take a defensive position behind the Mjolnir’s shield.
* * *
“Seles and the Novas have returned to their positions within the fleet,” Zae reported.
“Good.” Valis turned to Kivi. “How should we go about this?”
“Let them come closer,” Kivi said. “With this formation, if they can’t surround us, they can do nothing but try pushing their way through us. As soon as they try that the ships Shiken Ka sent will fly in from behind and destroy them.” The Ick-Tckt fleet began moving as Kivi anticipated. “Looks like they know it’s a trap and they’re flying straight for it.”