The arrival

[srwu_mods]

Three units have taken refuge in Sakihama's hangars. One of them is a Gespenst mk II Kai, but the two others are new. FightSaber and ShotSaber - the former is red, equipped with a long chainsaw sword, the latter is blue with two beam pistols wielded akimbo. And yes, they have the large gun (graviton cannon) as well.

In addition to the units, their pilots are here as well, hanging around FightSaber's feet.


"Alright guys, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Apollonius Gavin, Loni for people who know me. And these two are my precious friends, Desta Mlakar and Ilinka Venczel."


"Hmph. You're awfully happy to be here, Loni."


"It's good to cooperate with you, Unity Group."


"Yeah, you see, we're not really going to join Unity Group or anything. We work best in a small team, we don't really follow orders from Major Ingram either. But we know a lot about 'the Lady's Good Men' or whatever these weirdos like to call themselves. So, ask away?"

Going to ask Loni's group about the mysterious enemy faction? Or are you just here to say hello and get to know them better? Or perhaps confront Desta about him shooting the retreating and immobilized enemy pilots during the mission?

Comments

[srwu_mods]

"You're not too far off actually. My uncle made FightSaber and ShotSaber, and when those crazies attacked I jumped into the cockpit to save everyone. Desta followed and it turns out we have a real knack for this!"

"It's another story on how we met Ilinka."


"..."

[tiger_ken]

...

[Ken is mildly shocked and amused, though he tries not show it.]

So what is the cult after exactly? Or have you been just responding to their attacks?

[srwu_mods]

"They worship their kind of god, the Lady. Some of the cultist machines have weird powers and technology and they call them the Lady's gifts, you saw that yourself. Also they consider some technology that is not in their possession to be 'the Lady's gifts' too, and want to kill people who use these technologies and take them back."

"Those teleporters you have is one of the gifts. FightSaber and ShotSaber are another."

[tiger_ken]

...Tell me, how did you know about the teleporters being of concern to Cicreo?

[Ken certainly never brought it up.]

[srwu_mods]

"From Ingram - he told me about it when he asked the three of us to help you."

[tiger_ken]

Right...

[Well, that was inconvenient.]

I don't suppose you'd be aware of some kind of common link between these things? I mean, the guy also claimed responsibility for the Kaiju... kinda.

[srwu_mods]

"That nutcase was interpreting everything as an act of his Lady. He just used his stealth Gift so the Kaiju couldn't see him."

[tiger_ken]

He also knew the approximate location of what should have been a secret facility, and according to you, launched an attack that forced you to launch those two machines of yours. He may have been a nutcase, but he was a nutcase who somehow knew things.

[srwu_mods]

"Yeah, the Lady's Good Men have good information somehow. Maybe one of their Gifts is like a crystal ball or something like that. Or maybe they have an inside man in Unity Group."

[tiger_ken]

Wouldn't explain how they knew of your Uncle's machines.

[Yet... Ken doesn't deny the possibility of a traitor in the ranks. Because he'd considered the possibility himself, and its not as if some of the people they've worked with haven't made it questionable how they ever wound up in command...]

From the sounds of it though, all their 'Gifts' are something physical?

[srwu_mods]

"Yeah, but it's not always one thing. You have several teleporters, right? They all count as one Gift put together."

[tiger_ken]

Does he count your machines separately, or also as part of one 'Gift'?

[Ken's curious... a thematic connection, or perhaps something actually defined?]

[srwu_mods]

"They're both one Gift, must be some kind of awesome tech my uncle used for them. Explains why they're so badass."

[tiger_ken]

From the sounds of it, you don't seem fully aware of what they're capable of.

[Don't tell him that it runs on some kind of unknown energy...]

[srwu_mods]

"I don't get all the technical details. I know FightSaber's graviton cannon is stronger than any other - and it's not even its main weapon!"

[tiger_ken]

I know there's at least one guy here who might try to contest that...

[Then again, maybe Shirakawa doesn't get defensive.]

But what is its main weapon?

[srwu_mods]

"You saw it, right? The flaming chainsaw sword. It's fucking amazing!"

[tiger_ken]

Oh, yeah, that thing. Pretty neat, I guess. I mean, not the most impressive either...

[Ken is definitely more liable to getting defensive though. That or tsun.]

[srwu_mods]

"Not the most impressive? You're kidding, right? I cleaved that flying piece of golden fat in a single hit!"

[tiger_ken]

Yeah, after arriving late to the battle. Lets see you breathe fire down into a Kaiju's guts.

[And now he's grinning like a boastful idiot.]

[srwu_mods]

"You know what this sounds like. Sounds like a contest. You know I never lose those!"

[tiger_ken]

I may not be a betting man...

[Kaname has beaten that into him far too well.]

But there's a first time for everything. Let's go!

[srwu_mods]

"I'll let you pick. You want an on foot spar, or in mecha? Or a kill contest for the next time we're fighting bad guys?"

[tiger_ken]

...How about all three? That way, we now how we completely measure up.

[One can see Ken rather eagerly tense his fist.

One can only imagine when Mizuki hears about this.]

[srwu_mods]

"Sounds like a plan! But just so you know - I'll win thrice."