[FAE] The Legend of Gundam (Volume 1)

[Ascension]

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For uncounted generations, the people of Earth have watched the skies and waited, waited for the return of the sky-born who once rendered their planet a world of ash and death. You have waited all your life to fulfill your duty, to take command of one of the Gundams, one of the ancient protectors of your race, to safeguard your home against renewed destruction.

The day you've so long anticipated has come... or, rather, it came. Yesterday.

You weren't ready.

There were reasons for that, of course. You'd expected some warning... perhaps an early sighting from the mountains, or at least some clear omens and portents. And after so many generations, there was no reason to expect it to come in your time... And the rituals to wake the Gundams, not having been performed in earnest within the span of any living person's memory, took longer than anticipated...

There were reasons. But the fact remains. When your time came, you weren't ready. And people paid the price.

The giants, towering green cyclopes, dropped out of a rolling bank of clouds out on Takama-ga-hara Plain, accompanied by the first drops of a gentle spring rain. They advanced on an outlying village, bellowing foreign words in booming metallic voices. At first they seemed to wait for answer, but, when none proved forthcoming, they began to chase the fleeing villagers and bear them up, screaming, in their titanic hands.

It was clear the sky-born had come as prophesied, but the Gundams were slow to wake. A brave group of guards sallied out from Shirakawa-cho to attempt the impossible, to face the titans on foot, so that the captive villagers could know that they were not simply abandoned. The Amatsu-Murakami shrine's own heiress set out after the guards, a more well-reasoned stratagem forming in her mind.

Under the heiress's guidance, the guards harassed one of the giants with useless musket fire, provoking it, drawing it further out onto the plain. Meanwhile, arcane signals were frantically broadcast from the Amatsu-Murakami shrine up toward the Red Mountain. As the titan strode on forward, the heiress's trap closed. All she needed was for the reclusive monks of the mountain to heed their duties and answer her call.

Baited by the skirmishing musketeers, the giant stepped into its range, and the Meteor Cannon fired. But by the time Fusou Yamashiro felt how the falling giant was twisting in the air, by the time she realized how it would land, it was too late for even an S-Class Newtype to get out of its way...

With one of their own fallen to a weapon of startling power, the rest of the giants fled... carrying off several villagers with them. Since their departure, all the shrine families have worked frantically to ready their Gundams, and now, as the new day dawns, you finally stand ready to take up your duty. At least in theory...


Episode One: Legendary Gundam, IKIMASU! (http://www.jpopsuki.tv/video/Fudanjuku---Shunkan-Tourai-Future-%2528Eng-Sub%2529/86e395ab5c4143e16b06cd3044df961d)

Shigure:

The Akamatsu-Murakami shrine feels especially unwelcoming following yesterday's debacle, alternatively shadowed by mourning and wracked by tense frustrations. All everyone is agreed on is that nothing happened as it should have, but the reasons why it all went wrong, and just which persons ought to be blamed, are the subjects of heated debate, kept within the furthest bounds of civility only by the gravity of the broader situation.

Despite all the tensions and distractions, the Type Zero has been fully prepared for its awakening, and almost everyone is agreed that Shigure is the most acceptable choice left to pilot it. Now her mother is looking for her... how easy is she to find?

Ray:

Dawn finds the Takashima family still in the process of taking down streamers from the Gundam Lancelot, with a heated debate going on among its scaffolding.

"The giants went away!" Yosho is insisting, in his loudest voice, "We should keep the Gundam here until they come back! We owe the shipmasters that much... what if a boat comes in seeking safe harbor and Lancelot isn't there?"

"You know the stories I tell at night aren't just stories, don't you?" Buene fires back, "It's served all of us well as a lantern bearer, but the Gundam has a greater purpose!"

"And it can serve that greater purpose when that greater purpose comes back around, but I don't see any marauding sky-born now!"

Uh-oh. Is Ray going to involve herself in that?

Leon:

The elders of the Five Clans are gathered at the foot of Kaiser GENBU, and Leon stands before them as Champion. One of the elders glances around at his peers; each gives him a subtle nod. His eyes then lock on Leon's.

"Champion," he says, "We advise you to take care. The enemy has seen the power of the Red Mountain, and knows that our Meteor Cannon is capable of felling their champions. Logic dictates they will come after us, to silence our Cannon. The Kaiser should stand guard here, so that under its indefatigable protection we may be impervious to their attacks."

Amamiya:

"High priest!"

Though his uncle Ren has practically raised Amamiya like a son since the death of his father, still he bows to his chief. As is right.

"The Exalted stands in readiness! The long-awaited moment is at hand. Do you wish to ascend to its cockpit now?"

Dielan:

A crowd is gathered in Yonhatsu Valley, gathered at the foot of the statue that stands at its mouth. They look up at the Gundam with expectation, uncertainty, and fear. While the true Gundam of the Yue family has been ritually prepared to rise, the people of the valley have noted the lack of preparation surrounding the statue with a growing sense of concern.

Will Dielan do anything to allay their fears?

[Inspector Valin]

The blue coated figure of Ray Takashima stands atop the scaffolding with one end of a flag-chain in hand, looking out towards the mainland. Towards Shirakawa. She'd just left the Jewel of the Valley two days ago. It was a wretch to Ray; she'd wanted to stay longer and relax a little, but she had to get back to Shinichi in time for the Rose Petal Tea Festival. She had shipments of herbs and rare food in the Bluebird's hold, ready for the celebration. And the Gun'pla has responsibilities, after all.

Hah. Haaah.

They'd all been celebrating when it happened. Most of the folk of Nagizawa had gathered by the bay, the elders drinking tea and socializing while the young scampered across the beach, laughing and playing. The stars fell during the Shinichi Players' concert, right as the group were beginning a rendition of the Fifth Great Battle Anthem. Most of the people were too distracted to look too closely at the strange spectacle, simply cooing at the pretty lights. One or two eagle eyed souls however had grown suddenly worried, whispering to friends about what they'd seen descend towards the mainland. Still, the band didn't drop a beat, and as the minutes passed, things were finally starting to feel a little better.

Until the great red cannon fired from the mountaintop, of course.

That was enough to cause a stir. Suddenly, the folk who'd claimed those falling stars had been mobile suits were treated a lot more seriously. When the remaining figures jetted towards the sky, more eyes were watching. Including those of the shrine family. No one was quite sure what was going on. Had those specs of light been the great Sky Devils, returned at last? Ray and her family exchanged nervous glances, trying to come to a consensus without speaking. And then....

Well, they'd kept the festival going. They're Takashimas, the priests of the isle, what else could they do? They'd brought folk up to the feet of Lancelot, put on the play, given the blessing, wished their nervous guests a good night and assured them that everything would be fine. People seemed at least a little calmer as night began to fall, and no Sky Devils appeared. But once the lights had died, and the folk returned to bed, the family assembled back at the feet of Lancelot, clad in traditional dress beginning the rites of awakening that they hadn't practised in a very long time. Ray's activation key now rests within the Central Control Unit, awaiting only a turn to finalize the ritual and truly bring Lancelot out of that ancient slumber. Soon, she will be the first Takashima in a millennia to truly pilot their family's Gundam. It was a glorious thing, beyond anything Ray might have dreamed of.

So why is there a feeling of dread lingering over the pilot's heart?

She has to keep calm. That's what's expected, what's needed right now. Ray turns her head, looking down towards her arguing parents with a sigh. This isn't going to be fun, but someone has to make sure they were focusing on the task at hand. The Takashima heiress jumps down from her perch, first to a lower board of scaffolding by Lancelot's leg, and then to the side of Buene and Yosho. She bows to each of them, briefly, before looking at her father and gesturing behind them. "Dad, we can set a bonfire at nightfall for ships. It won't be as good as Lancelot, but it'll give them a point of reference. They'll be safe." Closing her eyes and smiling, Ray gestures upwards, towards the clouds. "If the Skyborn are back, nothing short of the Gundams can stop them. And do we really want the Akamura shrine to get all the glory? To say they awoke their Gundam and fought for the safety of the valley while Lancelot stood idle?"

[Merilan]

The morning came, and Shigure had no reason to think that anything would be different. Everything proceeded as they normally would. Shigure woke up in her bedroom, at the centre of a great featureless arrangement of tatami facing east-ward, the sun carefully filtered to a gentle golden gleam by the rice-paper doors. On protocol, a simple breakfast for one of her stature was prepared, a small bowl of warm rice, white-blanched cabbage and tofu, foodstuffs as pure-white as the Gundam's wings.

But...

Even she knew that this was no ordinary morning.

No, she could still feel the tears on her cheek, when she cried all night seated beside her sister, begging for her to wake up, trying to pull as much as she could against the physicians and attendants who tried to pry her away. She begged her to just look at her one more time, that this was all a strange and bizarre nightmare that she could pinch her cheeks from--

"O-ow," she gasped as she let go of her cheek. No, this was all... all too real. Too much, too soon.

Her sister wasn't going to slide that door open with that curt and confident, if possessive, smile of hers and resplendently greet her to the morning sun. The green, one-eyed giants were not going to simply go away.

And the Gundam, the Type Zero... the Gundam her sister was meant to pilot...

By the time Nishiumi set out to search for Shigure, she could be found faithfully by her sister's side, seated on her wheelchair as she must be. There was a faintly disturbed expression on her face that looked like it could be easily rattled into something much, much more devastating at a mere touch.

She looked up to her mother and whispered softly, "Mother..."

[BlueHerring]

Leon closed his eyes for a moment, and rested his left hand on the hilt of his sword. This whole affair had been nothing short of messy. If they had only known that the Sky-Born were coming, they could have mobilized the Kaiser in time to intercept it. At the very least, it would have provided some time to evacuate the valley and Red Mountain. As Champion, he had to prioritize the protection of his people, above all else.

"That won't work. The Meteor Cannon takes time to set up and load, and the Kaiser cannot be everywhere at once. Even if I can defend the villages from a frontal assault, nothing stops the Sky Born from landing on the other side of the mountain and attacking from there. By the time the Kaiser gets to it, the Cannon will be gone. The only way to keep the Cannon functioning is for all of the other Gundams to protect it as well."

Leon turned away from the elders, and glanced up at the metallic titan behind him. "If you can convince the other elders to protect Red Mountain while leaving their own people defenseless, then let me know."

Turning back around, Leon walked away from the elders. He needed to get away from here, but they also needed a plan of action.

"We need to work with the other clans if we want to survive this. I'm going to the Akamatsu-Murakami shrine to discuss this - they should be able to get the message out to any other clans. In that time, you can actually make yourselves useful by getting the people ready for evacuation. I'll have the Kaiser move outside the chamber, and you need to have the priests know to evacuate as many people as possible down here. The Meteor Cannon can only take out one of the Sky-Born at a time, but we can keep most of our people safe in here."

As he walked past the Gate of Earth, Leon headed straight to the main gates of town, and got on one of the horses at the stables. From here, he would head straight for the Akamatsu-Murakami shrine, in the hopes of starting the much-needed coalition between the various clans of the valley.

[DoctorFaust]

Staring up at the cockpit of the Exalted, Amamiya hesitates for a moment and then nods solemnly. "Yes, I will."

Amamiya had been dreading this day for a long time. The prophecies were never wrong, after all, but he had still hoped that this particular one would not come true in his lifetime. Though plagued with doubts and fully aware of what the second coming means for the world, Amamiya puts on the same face of bored indifference that he adopts whenever dealing with other chiefs, and turns to face his Uncle. "You are my father's blood brother; the only man in this clan that he considered as close as family. Can I entrust the safety and security of my people to you while I go to fulfill my duties?"

[Fearan]

When somewhere in the future someone would ask Dielan, what was the best remembered moment from the Day, When The Sky Burned, the ever-smiling priest would answer in his usual confusing manner: "The mapo-tofu that day was epecially good". Despite all divinations and geomancy, the Skyborn arrived unnoticed, and nobody in Yonhotsu valley was prepared. Neither was Dielan, sitting in his favorite tavern, enjoying the last peaceful breakfast for a long time.

At the beginning, he haven't understood, what's happening - sure, there were some weird flares in the sky somewhere in the west, but there were some rainclouds, so maybe, lightnings. But when a gasping man wearing the garments of the Yue shrine disciple runned into a tavern yelling for the priest the peaceful mood of the rainy morning went south rather quickly. Mostly, because the panicking disciple didn't bother to lower his voice and screamed of the invasion out loud. Abandoning the half-finished plate, Dielan rushed to the shrine, followed by worried whispers of the people. His wooden sandals were lost mid-run, probably to become relics later on. Yet however fast he ran, he was late.

The Hulijing wasn't ready to awake in time, and even if he was, there were little chances of him getting to the battlefield in time. What's worse, the divination practices of the Yue family finally started working and provided Dielan with some general reading of the situation - the situation, he wasn't able to change, letting the young man grind his teeth in powerless rage. All he could do was order the disciples to start the rituals and send messages to all nearby shrines with a plead for information exchange and a coordination meeting. He was definitely worried about the people of Yonhotsu valley and the trashed serenity of the peaceful land, not the priesteses sisters from the plains. Definitely.

Later, croud have began to gather near the shrine. And however worried and angered Dielan was, he had to go out and talk to the crowd. So he did. In his white robes and with the fox-styled mask lifted on the top pf hos head, he looked even more thin and skinny then he actually was. Yet he was the priest of the Yue family, and when he appeared, the humm of the croud started to fade.
- People of Yonhotsu valley - Dielan adressed to the gathering. - i'm sure, you've allready heard, what's happening - the long fortold enemy returns. So far, he haven't attacked us. Let us pray, in gratitude for the time, we have. I have only two things to tell you right now. First - the time we have - use it well. Gather your posessions, speak to your loved ones - prepare yourself to hide within the mine, for hell is about tob be unleashed on the land, And second - I'm using the time, we're given too. Don't be afraid - with the final ray of the sun, the Gundam will arise to once again protect the Earth. And the enemy will never know, what hit em. Remember this day well. For we're now living in an interesting time - the young man finished, reflecrting on the ancient curse of his ancestors - the curse, that now have fell on him. And with a single geture put the mask on his face.

[Ascension]

Ray:

Ray knows her father well. Letting another shrine get all the glory... and all the potential profit... is out of the question.

"Those valley priests wouldn't know where to begin without the light of the Lancelot showing the way!" he boasts, his tune completely changed, "It's up to you to show 'em the true Takashima spirit, Ray!"

Behind him, Buene simply smiles. Her husband's eccentricities are a large part of what endeared him to her in the first place.

Willis sticks his head around the side of the Gundam, all smiles now that it's so close to going into action. Just like he's always dreamed... Well, almost.

"And remember if you don't feel up to it, I can do the fighting!"

"Willis!" his mother snaps. She knows this kind of talk is just the stuff of youthful enthusiasm and boyhood fantasy, but she's still tired of having this conversation.

"I mean I can back you up, in case you get scared or anything."

"Respect your sister," Yosho scolds, a well-worn reprimand, "She is our Gun'pla, and that's a heavy responsibility."

Far more heavy now.

Shigure:

Nishiumi's face is as severely composed as ever, her mouth a thinly compressed line. Her eyes coolly appraise her daughter's fragile state. So lacking, compared to the alternatives. But she'll be damned before she lets the Shinano family lay claim to Type Zero again.

"Her condition improved while you were sleeping," Nishiumi reports, a cool relation of fact that's about as close as she's likely to come to comforting, "The physicians say that she should wake up. It is only a matter of time. But until she is fully recovered..."

Nishiumi lays a hand on Shigure's shoulder, a hand that feels almost as heavy as the weight of the responsibility she is passing on.

"You must be ready to take the Gundam into battle. And you must not allow the Amatsu-Murakami shrine to come to shame again."

Shigure can feel her mother's fingernails through the fabric of her Yukata.

Leon:

"Champion... Champion!"

A messenger, deferential but urgent, stops Leon just outside the stables.

"Begging your pardon, Champion, but the elders... they suggest that it might not be so wise... I mean, it might not be the most advisable course of action... for the Champion to travel so far from Kaiser GENBU's side when an attack could come at any moment. Our guardian cannot fight without the Champion to guide him, and our Champion cannot face the sky-born without the Gundam to shield him."

Amamiya:

Ren rises to his feet and clasps Amamiya's arm firmly.

"You have my word and bond, great one. Should I allow your people to come to harm, you may consider my life forfeit."

Behind him, a stepped dais mounts up to the level of the Exalted's open cockpit. Clansmen throng around the Gundam, gathered to witness its historic activation. Already, every knee is bowed in reverent adoration. All that remains is for Amamiya to play his part.

Dielan:

With Dielan's encouraging words, the tenor of the crowd shifts. The priest has promised a miracle, and who are they to question such a blessing? Through the long night, the Gundam will protect them. They offer up their prayer and thanks.

A quiet messenger appears at the masked priest's side, whispering news. It's too early to be certain, but the latest divinations suggest that another attack may be coming soon...

[Merilan]

Shigure's wheelchair jostled just a little as she yelped, feeling her mother's nails dig into her, But whatever physical pain was forgotten in the wake of the weight of her statement. "M--mother?" her eyes widen. "I could not possibly... how could I possibly..." She was at a loss for words, her head stirring.

She was drawn to rapid flashes of everything she and Yamashiro have shared.

When it comes time to pilot this Gundam, I will protect you for certain, Shigure.

To think it has come about like this... ...

"But I have not trained with the Gundam, mother..." Shigure tried to point out, not certain if she's doing so out of reason or fear. "And what about the cockpit system...? You know that I cannot..." She glanced down towards her own legs.

I want to self-compel Ill-Suited for Combat as Shigure points out the most obvious concern: the Gundam cockpit was meant for someone who can use their legs and feet.

It's likely an issue that Kirino and the rest of the R&D team have been working on overnight since it's a glaringly obvious problem; but it's pretty much impossible for them to come up with a perfect solution overnight.

[Fearan]

- "I see" - Dielan nodded to the words of messenger. - "Then I will have to speak with more then people of the land" - he murmured, while glancing at the slowly calming crowd. His own elders made him understand, what exactly his title meaned, and how exactly the neighboring shrines will react to his words of warning backed by so elusive as divinations. Yet - what was there to lose. The priest once again looked at the messenger.

- Make sure, the gundam will be ready in time - I will pass the warning - he said sharply and rushed into the shrine. The once cozy and familiar walls suddenly became alien and empty, as Dielan moved into the heart of the family's compound, deep within the solid rock. He walked his path in solitude - most of his kindred and faithful was probably allready at their places in the Universal formation. Which only added to the uneasing aura of the place, young priest called home.

As he approached the communication array, Dielan hestitated for a minute. He knew, he won't be answered as soon as someone will hear his warning - that was just a broadcast. Yet, the nessesity to convince people he have no real power over made him stumble. And yet - he breath the incense-filled air to center himself and began the ritual of Whispers on the Wind.
"- Qing Jing Wei Tian Xia Zheng" - he started with a mantra, as the communication console came to life. - "Hear the Words of Yue Dielan, speaking for the Yonhotsu valley. For losses, caused by the prophesied enemy - I mourn with you. Yet there will be time for mourning - now is a time to be ready. As says the relevation of the eight trigrams, the enemy have not gone far. I fear it will return soon enough. The future is clouded - I cannot percieve, where he will attack - but we are all in peril. Hear me - and don't be caught unaware. We don't have much time.". - He paused, gathering inner strengh to continue. He was going to continue with a breach of protocol, but hey - a little stain on his white robe wouldn't hurt much. "- Of the priesthood of Amatsu-Murakami I ask to share the information on the state of the priestess? Is Lady Fusou fine? Does the Amatsu-Murakami require any support, Yue family can provide? We will be waiting for the replies of all of you - for against the prophesied enemy we must stand united. Yue out" - he stopped th broadcast and leaned in the armchair near the console. He did what he could - now he must wait for the Gundam to awaken.


Compelling "The Heretic of The East" to make the old geezers skeptical about Dielan's warning and focused on his use of emergency line for unnesessary inquiries. It is hard to warn somebody, when you are from the mistrsted family

[Inspector Valin]

Usually Willis' words got to Ray. The brat's insistence on how he would be the better Gun'pla was somewhere between grating and insulting. However, right now, with the family on the verge of actually awakening Lancelot, somehow the pilot found it heartwarming. Grinning, Ray takes a knee, meeting her brother at eye level and nodding to him. "Lissa, trust me. If ever I'm not able to fight with Lancelot, you're next in line. There's no one I'd rather see be Gun'pla."

Was that true? That didn't matter. Willis had earned it, and they could all do with some good feelings right now. Ray turns back to the coast, looking out towards the mainland. "Still, right now? I'm not scared. I'm annoyed. The Sky Devils returned and Yamashiro got to fight them first. And she got them to retreat in the first battle! Because she's Yama." The Takashima heiress grins, snorting at herself in deprecation. Of course the Amamura heiress would be perfect in the face of the Sky Devils. She'd been preparing her life for the prophecies to come true. Ray'd have to pull out all the stops with Lancelot to try and keep up with the Shiratsuyu trained prodigy. She turns back to her own Gundam, gazing up to Lancelot's faceplate. The Takashima pilot clenches her fist, grinning to herself. "How're we doing? Is Lancelot ready for me yet?"

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya manages to quirk a small smile, and replies, "That much will not be necessary, Uncle. I realize what is coming, and we will need as many able bodied men as possible to meet it."

Dipping a hand into his robes, Amamiya pulls a censer from one of its many folds and lights it with the press of a button. As a cloud of fragrant smoke begins to swirl around him, he begins the walk to his Gundam, chanting slowly. He walks between his clansmen, touching each lightly on the head or shoulders as he passes. Then, at the feet of the Exalted, he lets the censer fall from his hands, shrugs off the heavy robes of office, and scurries up its legs into the cockpit, sealing it behind him.

[BlueHerring]

"Of course they do," Leon mutters, dismounting from his horse and walking it back in its stable. It was a ridiculous idea. Did they expect him to perform every errand in the Kaiser? Would he return home in it, and perform his daily rites in the towering colossus?

But, he supposed that he should at least appease the clan elders (for once). But, he would do this on his own terms, not theirs.

Leon walked to the center of the road, and faced the great, open doorway of the Gate of Earth. Drawing his sword, Leon pointed it skywards.

"Kaiser GENBU, awaken!"

While not everyone in Red Mountain heard Leon call out to their guardian, they would certainly feel the rumbling of the mountain as the giant behemoth awakened from its centuries-long slumber. From the main road, soft blue light could be seen from the inside of the resting chamber of the Kaiser, and suddenly...

THUD

THUD

THUD

Soon, Kaiser GENBU lumbered from the open gate, as the various onlookers cheered for their Champion and guardian. This was literally a once-in-a-lifetime event - even the oldest among the Clans' elders would not have seen Kaiser GENBU even move. As it approached Leon, the Gundam lowered itself into a kneeling stance. It took Leon a good five minutes of climbing to get in, and for another minute for the internal systems to fully recognize that it finally had a pilot. Once it did, Leon rose from the ground, and raised his sword - mirrored by the Gundam's colossal blade of light - to the sky, as a sign of victory in the future.

Today, if the Sky-Born returned, Leon was going to give them hell.

[Ascension]

Shigure:

Nishiumi winces. Her daughter's weakness is distasteful enough even when she's not being actively reminded of it.

"Your father has affixed rods to Type Zero's foot pedals. You should be able to operate them with your hands. The situation is far from ideal, but... we do what we must."

She releases her grip on Shigure's shoulder and gives it a quick pat, a faint echo of a comforting gesture.

"For the good of the Shiratsuyu family."

Elsewhere in the Amatsu-Murakami shrine complex, down where the Type Zero and Wing Raiser dwell, an arcane communications array flares to life again, its tinny voice repeating Dielan's warning message. Shiratsuyu Kirino waves off the message for a different reason than most: Dielan's talk of eight trigram divination sounds like so much mystic bunk to one of the most technologically-minded souls in the entire region. Plus, he knows his wife would consider the Yue priest's offer of aid impertinent.

In any case, the Amatsu-Murakami shrine has its own watchmen posted throughout the Takama-ga-hara plain, their eyes turned toward the sky. If any enemy should appear, they will be the first to know. They cannot afford to be disgraced again.

Since Shigure will have to control both the pedals and joysticks with her hands, through a makeshift control system that she's not familiar with, how about we say that she can move or perform another action during each of her turns in the next combat, rather than being able to move one zone and perform an action?

Ray:

Yosho squints up at the Gundam himself, taking in the whole of Lancelot with an appraising eye.

"I reckon he's about ready to go... if you don't mind carrying that flag into battle."

Following the trajectory of his pointing finger, Ray can see that there's a single torn pennant, separated from the rest of its string, still clinging to Lancelot's left shoulder, fluttering brightly in the sea breeze.

In Takashima Temple, Dielan's warning plays out of the speakers of a weather alert console. The family friend sitting in on the forecasting station while the Takashimas proper mill about the Gundam frowns at the weird message, then performs the rite of percussive maintenance until the console goes back to repeating the temperature and wind speed.

Amamiya:

There's a brief heart-stopping moment in which it seems the Exalted might not wake, but then its ancient displays flicker with new life. A small screen set into the console in front of Amamiya crackles with static as it starts up...

GN-001 - 01 - 1 -7

Flicker.

GN-007
Gundam Ex- Ex- Ex-

Flash.

GN-007
Gundam Exalted

The Gundam's systems sing and groan with the restoration of power, its ancient armature stirring for the first time in centuries.

The God of Swords is ready to walk the land again.

In the storerooms of the Yonezawa clan, a message light blinks unheeded.

Leon:

So this is Kaiser GENBU! Commanding the mighty Gundam is almost effortless; through ineffable means, it moves as an extension of Leon's own body. Just as the scriptures and teachings foretold. It's an amazing feeling to experience, and an amazing sight to see. Awestruck crowds gather around the Eternal Guardian's feet, staring up at the mighty champion and offering their thanks and prayers. It's... not going to be easy for Leon to make it down the mountain with his Path Blocked By Worshippers.

Meanwhile, at the mountain's summit, the same radios through which the Amatsu-Murakami shrine called down the power of the Metero Cannon relay Dielan's warning. The message is brought to the elders of the Five Clans, but it is shrugged off much more easily than the previous day's plea. The Yue priests have always been a strange, irreverent lot, and they speak only of vague portents, not a concrete threat like the titans walking the plains.

Nothing to be concerned about.

Dielan

No one responds to Dielan's warning... but, of course, he didn't expect them to. He's left with little to do but wait as the final rituals to ready the Gundam are performed, but, since preparations have been underway since Yonhatsu Valley first received news of the sky-born's attack, it doesn't take much longer.

"Eastern Heretic," another messenger reports, pronouncing that title with the utmost respect, "The Gundam Hulijing awaits you."

[Inspector Valin]

Ray follows Yosho's finger, looking up at the flag quizzically. Then a smile breaks over the Takashima heiress' face. "Every single time." she mutters to herself, trying to resist the urge to chuckle. Each year, someone'd forget and hang a flag chain or a banner from Lancelot's pauldron. It fit so securely, and never blew off. It always looked good. And each year they'd have hell getting the thing out again after the festival was over, because it fit so well. A little unofficial ritual of Takashima Temple.

Ray spends a few seconds studying the broken chain as it flaps in the morning breeze, as though this were some strange creature to the adventurer priestess. Finally, she shakes her head. "It does look kinda nice like that. Like it's some kind of Old World battle flag or something. But our poor Gundam has been asleep for a thousand years. This might seem more like a practical joke to Lancelot. Plus the Lantern Barer won't look so inspiring if we just leave flags strewn over him!"

Decision made, Ray bounds towards the first step of the scaffolding, making her way up Lancelot's frame with swift, well placed steps. It won't take her long to reach the shoulder, and get the last piece of the bunting out. A little well applied pressure, and the Gundam of Nagizawa Isle would be truly ready to fight.

Hmm... self-compel on Lantern Barer? Lancelot needs to look inspiring, and making sure of that's making Ray take a little longer to get to the cockpit?

[Merilan]

Yep, that sounds fine!

"W--will I really be..." Shigure nearly flubbed her initial line, before biting her lip and squinting in a wince, almost expecting her mother to strike her by reflex. She retreated mentally and recounted the facts. Even if every inch of her wanted to point out how unsuitable she was, there was no other alternative. She reached for the gold ornament Yamashiro crafted for her and clutched it tightly in her palm, looking towards her sister to quell her hesitation.

"Y-yes, Mother. I will not disappoint you."

She couldn't bring herself to fully mask her anxiety, though. Not only was she not trained to pilot the Gundam, she had to deal with an alternative control scheme to complicate things. And everyone else would expect Yamashiro to emerge -- she was the one Ray would have been expecting, and the Priests of the Red Mountain, Yonhotsu Valley and Tensenkou as well. To emerge as a relative nobody at this time... would she even be able to get acceptance from the others?

With a bit of a slow pace -- wheelchairs could not safely be hurried -- Shigure made her way down towards the Shirayuki-hime, the enigmatic and ostentatious cloister of the Type Zero, essentially a massive atmospheric re-entry pod crafted in a strange and delicate pearl-white metal that hasn't rusted or withered over the ages, adorned with the face of a beautiful maiden in sleep. Within the cloister was the extensive hangars that housed the winged unit... or, rather, the unit that should be winged, if its wings weren't busy being equipped into a makeshift aircraft.

The aircraft she should have piloted, to support her sister. But now, there was only one pilot left... and the Wing-Possessing Gundam shall possess no wings today...

She rolled up to her father, not certain if she should interrupt him. "F-father, I am here," she meekly spoke up. "I am... I am..." A pause, and she thought of her sister as she summoned her resolve. "Shiratsuyu Shigure, r-ready to pilot the Type Zero...!"

[DoctorFaust]

With a hesitancy that belies his bored expression, Amamiya reaches out and takes the controls of the Exalted in hand. As he slowly pulls back on the stick, the massive robot begins creaking and moaning as the long dead reactors begin to pour energy into the limbs. After several long moments struggling with the controls, with one final, disturbingly loud crack, the arms of the Exalted come free from the position they've been sitting in for the past many hundreds of years.

Ignoring the warning lights coming on in the main console, Amamiya inputs another series of commands, and his Gundam pushes against the ground, hauling itself first up off one knee, and then the other, and finally, bit by bit, the Gundam pulls its complaining frame upright, standing erect on its own two legs for the first time in millenia.

He looks hurriedly around the console until the proper button catches his eye. Pressing it, speakers come to life in a burst of static, and his voice booms forth. "Father and mothers, brothers and sisters, we all know what is to come. But I shall ride forth to meet it in our God. Bring forth the swords!"

[BlueHerring]

Leon was surprised at how easy it was to move Kaiser GENBU - relatively speaking. While the machine had a certain sense of bulk, it was not much different than training and fighting in the plate armor worn by all of the previous Champions. Sheathing his sword, Leon glanced around him. It hadn't taken long for the crowds to form around Kaiser GENBU. Getting past them wouldn't be easy, but Leon knew he could do it.

After all, he was their Champion.

"People of Red Mountain, return back to town." Leon's voice boomed through the speakers located on Kaiser GENBU. "The elders believe that the Sky-Born might return, and I must be ready to battle them when they do."

"It is my duty to fight them, but I can only fight them at my best when I know that my people are safe. People of Red Mountain, I urge you to return home, and pack only what you need. If the Sky-Born are spotted, the priests will guide you to the Gate of Earth. There, you will be safe, and I can fight the Sky-Born!"

I'm going to Carefully Overcome these folks by convincing them that going back to their homes and packing up is the best thing.

Overcome:[roll0]

[Ascension]

Amamiya:

The greatest of the Exalted's swords has not been moved from where it stands, at the great Gundam's right side. Perhaps even the Yonezawa's ancient ancestors could not wrest it from the earth without the Exalted's own strength. The other six, however, have been kept in the shelter of the temples, their blades kept ritually polished and oiled throughout the generations, tended with a warrior's care. Now teams of oxen and teams of the clan's strongest men labor, backs straining against the weight, to bring each of them out into the light...

Shigure:

Where Shigure's mother regards the necessity of using her to pilot the Gundam with the frustration of a builder forced to rely on a substandard tool, in Shiratsuyu Kirino's eyes there is only worry. As always, though, his concern is silent, unable to be expressed from under his wife's shadow.

"You should take some time to familiarize yourself with the cockpit," he advises, motioning for his assistants to take hold of Shigure's chair, moving to attach it to a makeshift lift. "We don't know when we may be forced to send you into combat..."

Leon:

There is some disappointment, and some worry, as the crowds clear the way, and Leon can see that more than one mother is forced to practically drag her awestruck child away from the sight of Kaiser GENBU, but soon the path down the mountain is open...

Dielan:

A light begins insistently flashing on the Heretic's communications console, but it is no reply from another shrine family. As the prayer strip affixed beside that light reminds him, it is the sign for an internal communique.

"High priest! The fates are shifting! The oracle declares... our enemy now stands above the plain!"

Above Takama-ga-hara Plain

It has been a rainy spring this year, and so none of the watchmen of the Amatsu-Murakami shrine pay much heed to the clouds scudding across the sky. Though one drifts at a lower altitude than the others, it doesn't seem worthy of much note. If it means anything, perhaps it's merely a symbol of the pervasive mood across the plain... Shirakawa-cho's own personal raincloud, come to further dampen its melancholy.

And then, as the breezes bear it over the city, the humble cloud thunders with manmade lightning. Twin shafts of searing light lance out over the plain, striking the summit of the Red Mountain, and explosions rock the Meteor Cannon's housing. A fast-rising plume of smoke obscures the true extent of the damage, but the great gun does not speak to answer the newcomer's challenge... it is silenced, at least for the moment.

The sky-born's flying leviathan stands revealed, its cover ripped away by the force of its dual particle cannons' blasts. It is a sleek, dark craft, whale-like in proportions, held aloft by humming, crackling anti-gravitic pods.

Ray:

You want a compel? Okay. I can work with that.
Just as Ray takes hold of that final pennant, a great peal of thunder rings out of the lightly clouded sky. It's so startling, her footing slips... and there's no way that flag can bear her full weight.

Give me an Overcome roll against difficulty 4 to mitigate your fall.
Shigure:

Type Zero's hangar suddenly fills with panicked shouts. The enemy has arrived.

Leon:

The mountaintop burns, and panic grips Leon's people. But the enemy hangs in the sky above Shirakawa-cho...

Amamiya:

A new alert suddenly sounds within the Exalted's cockpit, and an inset screen calls Amamiya's attention to the revelation of the sky battleship. If he sets off after the enemy immediately, he'll have to leave behind some of the Exalted's swords...

Over Shirakawa-cho:

The leviathan's belly splits, a series of doors pistoning open, and the green cyclopes drop from it, gouts of flame bursting from their legs and backs to arrest their fall. They come down in the southern quarter of Shirakawa-cho, ruining a marketplace beneath their great feet.

See the OOC thread for further details.

[Merilan]

Shigure afforded a gentle, if beleaguered smile to her father, and looked on worriedly as the assistants helped her up towards the cockpit of the Type Zero-- and then the screams happened, her eyes widening. "O-oh no, why--"

She paused and forced herself to not panic again. Was it not obvious that the enemy would attack after the sun came out? They, at the very least, needed to retrieve that fallen giant of theirs. And what of the missing villagers?

Mounting the Gundam was sure to be a laborious process, there were no two ways about it; she couldn't just dash and leap into a cockpit and press a few buttons and be done with it. The somewhat specialised linear seat reclined and parted, and the assistants carefully lifted her off the chair, one on each side, to bring her onto the chamber of the Gundam. Her eyes flitted worriedly to her father as she disappeared within the cockpit of the mobile suit.

The two assistants -- dressed formally in robes of white and red, with cloth masks upon their faces (those who are not worthy must not gaze upon the chamber of the Gundam without a symbol of their humility) -- bowed, and then stepped back to the loading ramp as the drawer-style cockpit latched shut above Shigure. Slowly, they placed a hand to their heart, and sung a brief verse:

"Shirayuki-hime, guide the maiden to resplendent light..."

It always felt dark and oppressive within, before everything was turned on. But even when she was little, she did remember a sense of purity, a sense of purpose within the walls of the Type Zero, as if a soft voice was singing to her... ... but no one else heard it, so she always dismissed it as childish fancy.

Nervous was not a strong enough word to describe how Shigure felt right now. She felt out of place on the seat, which was about one size too big for her -- even if she could use her feet, her legs dangled without being able to touch the pedals; the joysticks felt a bit too far away, and the furthest reaches of the cockpit required quite the lean to reach. She felt as if a child, playing a wannabe-hero in the wake of her sister's legacy. But as far away and foreign as many of the functions may be, there was one which was central and close to her.

The sphere that rest in the centre of the entire mobile suit's cockpit, ever-ebbing, ever-flowing with tranquil streams as if droplets dipped gently into the surface of crystalline water. And when she lay her hand upon it, closing her eyes, and whispering her thoughts and prayers...

Her eyes opened.

"XG-00, Access...!"

Her fingers flew across the control board and flipped switches, drew levers, and pressed start-up sequences. This much, she knew. This much, she was in her element. She may be weak and infirm, she may be slow and clumsy, but she was learned, and the least she could do was intimately know the workings of the machine her sister would pilot, to support her.

Gradually, with a dramatic crescendo of lights and whirring sounds, day flourished from one panoramic pane to another, the sphere ebbing with a low-pitched song that helped to pacify Shigure. She slipped a headset and throat microphone on, tools her father had gathered from Nagizawa via Ray to help her overcome her weak voice.

Knowing that everyone else was listening, she pressed the mic to her neck. She swallowed her fear temporarily, and then spoke to confirm:

"Father,
Main furnace power confirmed. Flow is within 87-shaku.
Impurity gauges are within two point two bands of distribution.
Cockpit vision all clear, no defects detected.
Movement is unimpaired, manipulator checks all clear."

She paused, before gesturing if for no one, then for herself and her sister, and declared:

"Open the Shirayuki-hime's cloister.
Shiratsuyu Shigure, XG-00 Wing-Possessing Gundam Type Zero... will depart the cocoon!"

I'm readying my Gundam!

[Inspector Valin]

Ray is humming peacefully to herself as she fiddles with the rope piece beneath Lancelot's shoulder plate. She's done this more than once before, and the ritual of the act is relaxing. Which is why the sudden crack of lightning comes as a complete shock to the young pilot. She jumps backwards, old instincts taking over, and in an instant she is off the scaffolding, dangling from her Gundam's shoulder by an all too literal thread.

Well... this is one way to get the bunting out.

She doesn't have time for anything too elaborate. Placing one of her black leather boots to Lancelot's torso, Ray yanks the cord as hard as she can. It comes loose immediately, impossibly light in her hand. Before gravity could claim her fully however, the great Gun'pla kicked out, bringing her second foot down upon her Gundam's chest. The thrust is enough for Ray to launch herself across, back towards a lower portion of the wooden scaffolding. Though unfortunately, it left her facing away from her destination. Grimacing a little, the Takashima heiress twists herself around, angling her shoulder towards the planking to try and lessen the impact. Or at least make sure she is aiming for the scaffolding rather than the grass below.

Ray comes down with a thud. Not the most graceful landing she's ever known. The pilot slash priestess pulls herself upward slowly, glancing around to take her position. Lower, just above knee level, on the other side of Lancelot. Looking down, she calls out to her family. "What the heck was that?!"

[roll0] Quick approach, plus have space to pull some acrobatics, so Hoshino Shuffle! Will immediately spend that FP if needed, hoping it won't be.

[Fearan]

Dielan was going to take a nap, awaiting for the final rituals to be complete, when the Sky-born returned in force, as spoken the disciple via the internal communication. The young priest grinned spitefuly - the damn Sky-born can't even keep a schedule, while running towards the Gundam. The metal defender was more or less ready, just needing a few last-minute test and another two or three hours of blessing - though, the actual reason, Dielan moved the activation to the nightitme - is to obscure the nature of the Gundam from the would-be observers - and metal giant emerging from the lake would be far more impressive at night. But oh, well, there was no point in lamenting those, which never happened.

As the seemingly empty save for a couple of handlers cockpit of the Hulijing came to life, showing multiple displays through the eyes of Dielan's mask, the Heretic of the East smiled unwillingly - there was something satisfying in enemy coming at those, who ignored his warning. Dielan shaked his head, rushing away thoughts, unsuited for priest, and tried to concentrate on the upcoming battle with his favorite method of calming the mind - mantras and preaching.

Foundation, broadcast this into the shrine's outer speakers - hopefully, some onlooker will relay it to the people all over the valley. - he adressed the disciples at the shrine, via the Gundam's communication. - Wu Wei Er Wu Bu Wei. - There is time for plans and rituals. And there is time to improvise and act. Here is the second one, the time for war. We never wanted this. But it still fell upon us, Let those, who came from Heaven suffer the wrath of the Earth. Awaken, Hulijing GUNDAM - with the final verse, black giant rose from the lake, carrying his maasive needle rifle. His ovement was somewhat unieldy, but with each step the giant moved more and more confident of himself. The Gundam set his destination towards the exit of the valley - it was time to repel the enemy - with extreme prejudice.

Ok, deploying in Yonhotsu valley. No actions, as per GM's post

[DoctorFaust]

"Ignore those orders," Amamiya barks. "Take them to Shirakawa-cho by the fastest route you can. The Sky-born have returned, in greater numbers than their last strike. I must set out at once to meet them."

He slots the handle of the largest of the swords into the Exalted's arm, quickly checks to make sure that the servos can take the weight, and sets out at a run towards the plains surrounding the Shiratsuyu's capital city.

I'll take the aspect, and move to the SW plains.

[BlueHerring]

Leon was slightly amused by the awestruck children - he remembered the first time he had ever laid eyes on Kaiser GENBU. To see this titan moving truly was a once in a lifetime event for his people. And, to think, that he would be the one piloting the great guardian of Red Mountain!

But he had no time to reminisce. As soon as he moved Kaiser GENBU forward, lightning struck the top of Red Mountain. Except... it didn't look like lightning. Lightning was never that bright, nor did it go completely straight. This was something else...

Could it be?

Leon's worst fears were realized as his gaze traced the lightning's path back to its source - a black ship that floated in the skies above Shirakawa-cho. And from it... six of the Sky-Born descended onto the city. They had returned, even sooner than anyone else had expected. They hadn't even had time to fully mobilize the priests to aid in the evacuation.

But this was not a time to worry about the town's evacuation. Leon was their Champion, and he needed to issue a call to arms, so to speak. He was sure that they would listen, at the very least, upon seeing the smoke upon Red Mountain and the ship in the sky.

"People of Red Mountain! There is no need to panic, but this is a time for urgency! I will move against the Sky-Born, but you must all stay safe! Evacuate to the Gate of Earth immediately, and protect one another!" As much as Leon would love to give a more moving speech, he had no time for that. The people of Red Mountain would have to trust their Champion, and he would need to move to intercept the Sky-Born before they even got close to Red Mountain.

I'm going to try and Quickly Create an Advantage (specifically, that the people of Red Mountain are Rallied), and then move to the Northwestern Plains.

Create An Advantage: [roll0]

[Ascension]

Red Mountain:

In the sight of their Eternal Guardian, the people of the mountain can give no less than their best. Spurred on by their Champion's swift words of encouragement, they begin a hasty but orderly evacuation.

Nagizawa Island:

"Somebody blasted the top off Red Mountain!" Yosho shouts in answer, gesticulating wildly in the the mountain's direction. It's only barely hyperbole; Ray can see the smoke from where she stands.

And what's that in the sky over Shirakawa-cho?

Shirakawa-cho:

The lead giant looks down at the people scurrying at its feet, fleeing in terror of the sky-born. A deep bass rumble emanates from its external speakers, forming the first intelligible words one of the sky-born has spoken:

"No... Fight."

It takes a step forward, sending up another wave of screams from nearby townspeople, but then it holds out an open hand, in a surprisingly human-like gesture, as if to forestall their panic.

"No. Fight," it repeats.

But then the giants' rear guard notes the Exalted's rapid advance.

"Gunsou!" it reports, with sudden panic, "GANDAMU!"

The squad of titans' entire demeanor changes in a moment, the unit efficiently fanning out and taking up firing positions, abandoning any particular intent they may have had to limit collateral damage in their newfound rush of action. Proud building timbers splinter under their feet like so many matchsticks.

And then the Type Zero's cloister blossoms behind them, revealing a second Gundam.

Four of the squad open fire, their high-velocity assault rifles thundering on full auto.

Orcinus continues to hang ominously above the scene, but makes no obvious moves to aid the cyclopes.

The enemy mobile suits have fanned out; two remain in South Shirakawa-cho, two have moved to the Eastern zone of the city, two have moved to the Western zone.

Both in the South are firing at the Exalted.
[roll0]
[roll1]

One in the East and one in the West are firing at the newly-revealed Type Zero.
[roll2]
[roll3]

One in the East and one in the West are attempting to Take Cover, kneeling amongst the city's larger buildings.
[roll4]
[roll5]

Orcinus is attempting to establish the aspect Cannons Fully Charged.
[roll6]

[Merilan]

W-well, I said all that, but when it came down to it...

Shigure looked towards the rods her father have installed, and gripped them in each of her hands. They felt weighty, and unfamiliar. She shifted the left rod forward, and felt its weight press against the pedal in a way she didn't quite expect--

--and the Type Zero's eyes gleamed, an irisoid flash of emerald shining as it took its first step forward, then the next. With each lumbering step, Shigure could feel herself shaking, feeling a little queasy and unfamiliar with its machinations. But her concerns of the unit's movements were quickly dashed as she emerged out into the shrine proper, and the Search-Eye highlighted some of the damages that the enemy squadron have already caused. In just an instant, she could pick out some of the local haunts and hangouts that she'd known all her life, dashed. Yama-san's odango stand was there by the riverside just a moment ago -- and old Nakajima-jiisan's large wooden carvings didn't even so much splinter as flatten against the green giant's feet. She was horrified, and yet...

No. Fight...

Her eyes widened. She grimaced and held onto the rods tighter. Did they... she saw the giant hold its hand out. There was no mistaking it. They... the Sky-born... they didn't want to fight? Was there a misunderstanding somewhere? Did they have other intentions than to fight and conquer them, as the prophecies all spoke of?

But then she made the mistake of showing herself, and they opened fire onto her. The first few rounds dinged off the Gundanium armour, pockmarking it; Shigure couldn't help it. She yelped in a panic as the impact rocked her around the seat, and she instinctively jerked back on the flightsticks; the Type Zero's right arm rose in response, and it made a somewhat token attempt to defend itself with its shield.

"Please, stop this!" Shigure found herself shouting back to the radio, hoping that the enemy could hear her. She focused on her radio transmitter, over everything else, adjusting the volume and widening her band. She's made sure the other Gundams could pick her up too, as it was an open transmission on a common channel.

"I agree with you! I don't want to fight! No Fight! Please!"

Somewhere in the Amatsu-Murakami command centre, her mother was no doubt already seething with cold anger.


At most, Shigure is letting the unit defend itself instead of applying any kind of approach, so... Forceful.

[roll0] Forceful Defense vs. -1
[roll1] Forceful Defense vs. 2

Gundanium Armor reduces stress by 2.

For her own action, Shigure is attempting to Carefully parlay with the enemy, to try to Create an Advantage: I don't want to fight!
I'm going to invoke A Heartful, Clever Commander as she's a heartfelt and emotive girl who's well-positioned to convey herself even through language barriers.

[roll2] - I don't want to Fight!

[Fearan]

Flashes shined down in the plains, clearly visible with Hulijing's sensory equipment. Dielan grinned behind his mask - it seemed fighting have already started, which means, that at least some of the Gundams are present on the field. He should be hurry, if he wanted to use the ongoing fight as a cover for a backsstab. Which he totally was. Although he was not sure, how sharp are the eyes of the flying...thing over there, but a guy gotta try, dones't he?

First things first - get in range - murmured the pilot to himself, ajusting the handles Now where was that conviniet mud slide?


Cleverly Overcome to move 2 zones instead of one.
[roll0]

[DoctorFaust]

When the two Sky-Born begin firing at Amamiya, he rams the thruster control back against it's stops, sending the Exalted hurtling across the plains and out of the line of fire. He manages to bring it back under control quickly enough, and changes his direction from straight sideways to barreling towards the two titans.

Creating the Boost Orange Blur via the dodge rolls with one free Invoke per Zaku.
Overcome to Quickly enter the south zone without any more collateral damage:[roll0]
And Carefully in case Ascension thinks Quickly wouldn't work here:[roll1]

[Inspector Valin]

Ray turns around, looking out at the distant peak. That sight is bad enough: a legendary weapon reduced to what seemed to be smoke and rubble. But then Ray turns her gaze downward to Shirakawa-cho, almost disbelieving of what she sees. A great metal behemoth, hanging over the city. How could something just... sit there like that? The pilot of the Bluebird knows enough about the art of flight to be truly confused by what she sees. No momentum, no movement, just a great metal ship hovering above the city like a cloud. It's staggering

Then she snorts, "Stupid flashy Sky Devils... they have to have better everything, don't they?"

It's time to move. Ray is swift, and has walked the scaffolding around Lancelot for many years. The pilot darts upward, around and up again, ascending that same old path a hundred generations of Takashimas have used before her with a rapid staccato of thumping steps. Within seconds, she stands before the now open cockpit. Looking down to her family, Ray grins wide, calling out "Love you all!" at the top of her lungs before vaulting into the pilot's seat.

It's strange, after so long spent in the Bluebird, to sit in the control seat for a true Gundam. Everything in here is differentt. The central console is already online, humming under Lancelot's faint blue internal light. Ray takes a second to centre herself, placing a hand to her neck where the Gundam key had rested. It's strange to lack that familiar weight, to see the metal talisman resting in the activation slot instead. This... is actually happening. Snapping out of her reverie, Ray turns her mind towards the final portions of the ritual. A pull of a lever closes the entry hatch behind her, a flick of this dial causes a small green light on her right to blink on. All that remains is the key. Ray pauses, hand on the device, taking one final breath. Then she turns the key, swift as she can, crying out the words she can chosen and offered up to her god a lifetime ago. Across Shinichi, ancient speakers flare briefly to life, carrying the pilot's words across the town

"Pilot GX-777; the most honourable Takashima Ray. I bid you rise, Gundam Lancelot!"

[BlueHerring]

As Kaiser GENBU raced along the vast expanse of the Takama-ga-hara Plain, he kept an eye on the large ship that hovered in the sky. He worried that it would fire another attack at Red Mountain, and quite possibly hurt some of his people. But there was one problem: he couldn't tell where the ship's cannons were aiming while he moved right towards Shirakawa-cho.

That all changed when the internal radio crackled to life, with a message from one of the scouts of Red Mountain.

"Champion! Watch out! That ships cannon's are aimed right at you!"

Damnit!

Instinctively, Leon swerved to the side, hoping to avoid the laser that took out the Meteor Cannon in a single strike. And then, he remembered the stories. Leon knew precisely what he had to do. Deep in the Gate of Earth, the cavern's walls were carved with a massive log of Kaiser GENBU's battles. All of them shared one distinct fact.

Kaiser GENBU was invincible.

So, Leon stood his ground, bracing himself for the inevitable. He knew that the strike was coming for him, and that it would not hurt him. And, even if it would, the Shield worn by the Kaiser would surely be more than enough to protect him!

Already rolled in the OOC, but Leon Cleverly created an Advantage to notice that the cannons are Aimed At Kaiser GENBU.

When the ship attacks, Leon will Forcefully Defend against its attack, netting him his bonus from The Mightiest, and I'll also be using my free invoke from Aimed At Kaiser GENBU, for a roll of 4d3-1.

[Ascension]

Shigure:

The single red eye of the nearest titan glares back at Shigure's Gundam, its glow undimmed. The giant strides forward, stepping onto the holy grounds of the Amatsu-Murakami shrine... but its gun is lowered, then cast aside.

"No... fight?" its pilot asks, his questioning tone apparent even through the language barrier.

His giant reaches behind its back... and brings out a short, broad-headed hatchet. It points the axe toward Type Zero, and suddenly a beam blade ignites, lancing out from the tip of the axe's haft. The point of the sword menaces Type Zero's throat.

"No Gundam."

Those are his terms.

"No Gundam, no fight.

Um... social attack? I suppose?

[roll0]

Amamiya:

Negotiations (of a sort) may be underway with the white Gundam, but the Exalted, moving so fast it seems like a red-orange blur, shows no sign of stopping, or even slowing down.

As Amamiya rushes the pair of giants in the southern district, both grab small discs from their skirt armor and lob them into his path... a split second later, those flashbangs explode in a burst of light, sound, and sensor-fouling chaff.

Their squadmates follow up the flashbangs with a hail of bullets, hoping to capitalize on the distraction... they know they need to make the most of every edge they can get if they hope to take down a Gundam.

I'm going to hold off on posting the remaining three Zakus' Outises' actions until I see whether or not these succeed:
Create Advantage: Disoriented
[roll1]
[roll2]

Since you've entered the city proper, Overboosters won't function without inflicting more collateral damage, but you can use your invokes of Orange Blur safely.

Leon:

Kaiser GENBU is just standing there alone out on the plains, making itself a conspicuous target. That's its loss, the gunners aboard the Orcinus wager. The ship's manmade lightning strikes again, twin beams blazing mercilessly toward the guardian Gundam. Just as Leon anticipated.

It's time to come clean! When I said the Orcinus's cannons charged successfully, I was momentarily forgetting that Fate has different results for tying and for exceeding a difficulty, and I've been treating Average (+1) as the baseline for passive opposition to Create Advantage... so the Orcinus actually achieved a Boost, and its capacitors are only Partially Charged. But it's going to fire again anyway, and expend that Boost on the roll.

[roll3]

[Merilan]

Kirino was the first to react to the heat hawk being pointed at the Type Zero's throat. "S-Shigure! Defend yourself!"

Nishiumi's rage could scarce be contained underneath the cold, calm veneer of her demeanor. She forcefully snatched a headset from the shrine operator and imperiously dictated: "Shigure. You are risking the safety of all Shirakawa-cho, and the safety of the Type Zero with your naivete. Cease this at once, and fight."

Shigure's fingers were trembling as she heard her mother's harsh tone, and she stared down towards the Type Zero's weapons cache. The weapons list just drifted into her eyesight, as if begging for her to use it. The sword-rifle the Type Zero was holding... the shield it held up to protect itself... the Twin Buster Rifle attached to the particle condenser unit behind it.

"I--"

She pressed her fingers down to the throat mic and defied her mother. "I will not raise my weapon against you. No Weapon."

Shigure achieved a (+4) on her Careful Defense, and for her Boost I'm going to say that her Empath-Newtype powers are enabling her to get A Sense of the Commander's Intent.

She didn't understand the Skyborne fully, and she didn't understand their language. But she knew enough, from their words before and now, what they truly feared: it was the Gundam. There was a fear that went beyond her, in the same way that they had revered the Gundam for so long.

The Type Zero's left fingers unfurled, and she slowly lowered the sword-rifle to lay down on the street. She winced inside as she saw several townsfolk look onward with despair, perhaps misconstruing what she was intending to do. To them, it seemed like their symbol of hope was capitulating. She's Disarmed herself.

But she had to do this. She had to follow through. She's going... to overcome that Ancient Grudge!

It's clear to Shigure that the Ancient Grudge is betwen her and her goal -- she's going to Overcome, invoking both the Boost from her earlier tie ("I don't want to fight!") and the Boost just now ("A Sense of the Commander's Intent") to fuel her speech onward.

"I don't want to see your own people be hurt. I know you don't either -- you asked them to be careful around the city!
You don't want to see innocents be hurt either, don't you?
You know full well how costly battle is, to both sides!
Please, before any more people die and lose their livelihood, on either side!"

Shigure felt herself run out of breath, coughing a little as her throat seized up. But then she shook her head and held the Gundam's empty hand up.

"We can work through this together..."

[roll0] Shigure is using the Commander's previous actions to point out that he has his own stake in preventing collateral damage -- so I'm going to use a Clever approach this time.

[Inspector Valin]

It was done. Lights blinked on all across the cockpit, each system starting to power up. Lancelot is operational! Depelated power reserves are slowly refilling, the legendary hero sword could be brought online with just a flick across this screen. Just a few minutes and the Gundam would be back at peak capacity.

However... they don't have those minutes. The attack has started. And Lancelot's limbs, sensors and primary weapons are online. Ray frowned, briefly considering the virtues of this... but finally, she smiles and nods to herself. "Time to run."

Without another sound, the great colossus hefts its sword upon its back. Then it steps away, slowly trudging backwards across the festival ground. Then, in an instant, Lancelot sprints forward, straight past the assembled Takashimas, before jumping straight off the cliff. There is a resounding rumble as the Gundam kicks off against the cliff, launching itself forward into the water. With a smile, Ray starts to cycle the arms and legs, making her Gundam pull itself through the water. Lancelot might not be able to fly, but it can certainly swim.

No tide could hold back the stroke of so mighty a creature. No fish could've impended its path. The sea almost parts at Lancelot's passage, the great Gundam making for the mainland with all speed. It has a long way to go yet, but soon enough, Ray can see the mainland's coast coming into view. The pilot's eyes dark across her screen; she flicks it to one side, checking system after system. Soon enough the water will grow shallow, and with a careful push from the hands she can switch over to the legs for primary movement. Everything is charging nicely, and with the speed of Lancelot, they'd be in the thick of the fighting in no time.

Yama... you better not have won already by the time I get there!

Aiming to move from Nagizawa Isle through the sea, into plains, into Outskirts. That's a difficulty 3 roll, I'm going with Quick, and using Hoshino Shuffle: the Lancelot's got plenty of space to use acrobtics to boost its movement speed
[roll0]

[Fearan]

Despite the troublesome reports on the rusty joints of Hulijing, which went high-orange after sliding down the hill, Dielan reached the outskirts of the city relatively fast enough. Luckily, he wasn't late to the party - it seemed, that neither Gundam sustained any injury - even the mighty blast from the leviathan haven't impressed the mighty protector of the Red Mountains. - "Rockhead" - murmured the priest with a slight note of envy - such a strike could seriously cripple his own Gundam. Still, he could only cheer for the enemy's plan to take out a big bulky mech, while ignoring the real threat - which, obviously was the Hulijing - or so thought it's pilot.

Shrouded in enemy's blissful ignorance and ECM prayers, Dielan almost finished establishing a firing position, when he heard the broadcast form the Amatsu-Murakami's Gundam. While the attempt of negotiation wasn't something he expected from an orthodox sect. the young man was amazed at WHO attempted the negotiation. Some misfortune of epic scale must've fall upon Amatsu-Murakami to field an injured girl into the battle with the prophesied enemy. No surprise, that she first attempted parley - the Type-Zero was probably not in the peak form. Yet still...

- "Please succeed, Lady Shigure" - Dielan whispers with unbecoming note of hope. - and if you will fail, I will pick it up from there


Like we've established in OOC: Create an advantage for Ambush Position

[DoctorFaust]

With his quick reflexes, Amamiya is able to dodge the worst of the flashbang's blast, but not quite all of it. Blinking furiously to try and clear his vision, he's still able to bring his Gundam around to bear, and proceeds to unleash a flurry of cuts on the closest of the Outises.

Going to Quickly attack the first of the two Outises.
[roll0]

[BlueHerring]

Leon grit his teeth as the lightning from the flying ship blasted into Kaiser GENBU. He had braced himself for impact, but that didn't mean that the rattling in the cockpit and the blinding light were natural. In fact, it would almost certainly have been frightening, if he could not rely upon Kaiser GENBU to take the hits.

And that was precisely what happened. When the dust had settled, Kaiser GENBU was standing there, fully intact. The only evidence that there had even been a blast would be the scorch marks left on Kaiser GENBU's forearms. Those could probably be dealt with with some good scrubbing and polish.

Still, the cannon could take time to recharge. That would probably give him time to move in, but that was before the transmissions from one of the radio channels came in. But the voice didn't belong to one of the other clans' Gundam pilots. He recognized the voice, but her presence here could only actually mean one thing.

Yamashiro's not piloting the Type Zero. That's odd...

But what was even more odd was Shigure's plan to negotiate with the Sky-Born. Leon would stop her if he could, but that would risk the flying ship making a move against the town. So, while Shigure made her speech, Leon decided that the best course of action would be to prepare for the next shot from the large ship. Of course, he only managed that by digging even further into the ground with Kaiser GENBU's feet. He would be entrenched here, and nothing anyone did could move the mighty guardian of Red Mountain.

Forcefully creating an Advantage: Entrenched.

[roll0]

[Ascension]

Shigure:

The commander's blade flickers and disappears, and the outstretched arm of his Outis sags lifelessly. Even though he can only understand a few of the Gundam pilot's words... he feels her heart! This... this is not the White Devil of old!

Maybe... after all these years, maybe the Earth has produced something new.

Through the still-open comm channel, Shigure can hear him giving new orders to his men... and she hears that spark into a debate.

Amamiya:

The blade of the ancients, the blade of the God of Swords, cuts true, rending easily through the armor of the lead Outis. The enemy titan falls to its knees, then something in its torso explodes, and it slumps helplessly over onto its side, bringing half a house down with it.

Whatever accord the commander may have reached with the pilot of the white Gundam, it doesn't matter to the pilot who just saw her wingman downed so effortlessly by the red demon. Only one thing matters.

"Kisaaaaama!" grates over Amamiya's comms as she charges, hatchet-saber flashing in her hand. The blade falls... she dares to cross swords with a god.

Nothing like good ol' mook vengeance, right?

[roll0]

Shigure:

A new voice breaks into the commander's conversation, and, judging from its tone, it seems to carry more authority than his...

Leon:

Three of the enemy mobile suits exit the city proper, advancing to new firing positions on the outskirts of Shirakawa-cho... aiming toward the northwestern plains. Aiming toward the invincible giant, Kaiser GENBU!

Two of the giants blaze away with their standard rifles, but the third stows its gun, bringing out a new weapon... it has a bazooka?!

Machine guns:
[roll1]
[roll2]

Bazookas: Good enough for the RX-78-2, good enough for the occasional surprisingly powerful grunt attack:
[roll3]

Above, the Orcinus still looms over the city.

It's a chargin' its lazers.
[roll4]

[Merilan]

Shigure's heart lightened up for a moment, as the commander lowered his axe. She was glad she was able to reach some kind of understanding, even if they couldn't understand each other's words... but-- but the battle was not over, not by a long shot. She winced as she glanced towards the rear screen to inspect the battle the other Outises were having with the Exalted, and cupped her mouth as she watched a house get crushed.

What... what can I do?

It wasn't just the Exalted either; she could now see the battle happening on the outskirts, with the battleship and the GENBU. How many other Gundams were there? Is everyone responding? She wondered if Ray was going to come, too, with the Lancelot; then, she paused to wonder how she would react to her presence, when no doubt she'd be expecting Yamashiro. Would she be angry?

"Y-Yonezawa-dono, please stop them... but don't kill them, if you can... their Commander has stopped fighting, so..." Shigure stammered over the comms to the God of Swords. It's clear to her that there's more to the chain of command than the commander she was interacting with; was there anything more she could do?

The other Outises charging towards the plains prompted a grimace from her. She wanted to back the GENBU up, but she wasn't sure if she could. She had to pray that the Gundam of Yonhotsu was around, too... not bothering to pick up the lowered GN Sword II, the Type Zero marched forward, clumsily, next to the commander. Kirino's yells of, "Shigure! You can't enter a battle zone without a weapon, it's too dangerous!" seem to go unheard by the last-minute pilot's ears, or perhaps she didn't want to convey the wrong message so soon.

"I want to end this battle, bloodlessly... what can I do...?"

She gulped, and then dared to speak out to the commander: "May I... may I speak to your leader?"

I don't really think Shigure has a concrete action at the moment.

EDIT: However, she gained a (+3) roll to overcome the Language Barrier! Shigure-chan wa habla español!?

[DoctorFaust]

"Shiratsuyu, they are the aggressors, and have tried to kill me several times now," Amamiya replies. "But I will stay my hand, if only because corpses don't talk."

The Exalted dips out of the way of the wild swing, letting it pass harmlessly through the air, and then brings his own sword to bear. Unlike the last strike, which was a lethal blow from start to finish, this blow is a feint, aiming first for the head and then looping down to strike at the titan's forearm as fast as the creaking servos can take it.

Rolling to Quickly create the 'Armless advantage on the Outis.
[roll0]

[BlueHerring]

Leon grit his teeth as the three Sky-Born exited the city and headed straight for him. Then, they opened fire on him. This wasn't going to be easy, at any rate. The rat-tat-tat of the machine guns and the clink-clink-clink against Kaiser GENBU's armor was a new experience for Leon, as was getting hit with yet another explosive blast from the third Sky-Born.

Still, none of these attacks even hurt Leon in the slightest. The blasts simply left more scorch marks on Kaiser GENBU, and the rounds from the machine gun just bounced off the invincible Gundam's suit.

Leon wouldn't have cared much for attacking, but Shigure had tried negotiating with the leader of the Sky-Born, and had even managed to get him(?) to surrender. So, while he was outnumbered and under fire, he would try to resolve this in the least lethal way possible.

Naturally, this was best done by taking apart their weapons. In a sudden, impulsive burst, Kaiser GENBU darted towards the Sky-Born with the Bazooka, and drew its beam claymore. With a vicious stroke, it slashed apart at the barrel, before darting back and sheathing its blade.

Using Flashing Saber Technique to Quickly Disarm Bazooka ZAKU.

[roll0]

[Inspector Valin]

Across the plains, the ground shakes, as a distant figure from the south charges towards the fighting. Drawing closer, Ray can make out the current lay of the battle across Takahara. The Type Zero and a Skyborn near the shrine with the Type Zero, another fighting the Exalted, three more moving towards Kaiser GENBU. The Hulijing was probably somewhere close by now. No one seemed to be in trouble at a glance.... but that wretched ship is still looming above the battle. It was almost like the Leviathan of Charys, a great destroyer the Lancelot had fought back in the Legendary War. The tale was still recorded in the Log Book; of how the mighty Gundam had...

Oh. Oh yes!

An idea comes to Ray, along with a mile wide grin. She starts double checking systems as Lancelot continues to thunder across the plain. "Leg joints braced, beam emitter primed, all systems are in the green..." As the Great Gundam gets towards the outskirts of the city, it finally draws its blade, not stopping for one second, and seemingly ignoring the surrounding Outises. Within the cockpit, the blue coated pilot is manually adjusting the power feed, shunting down non essential systems and routing all she can to the legs, increasing their speed still further. Takashima takes a single breath, centring herself one final time as she runs over the steps this would need. That done, she laughs heartily, calling out to her Gundam as they sprint closer to the city.

"Here we go!"

Without a second's pause, Lancelot throws its sword forward, planting it firmly in the ground right at the edge of the outer wall. Grabbing the hilt and pushing hard, the grand machine vaults upward, pulling the blade and clods of earth along with it as it leaps high above the palisade. In that instant, Gundam Lancelot soars through the sky above Shirakawa-cho, over Outis and Gundam alike. Within its cockpit, Ray is laughing hysterically, her hands off the controls for an instant as she savours this. The legendary Sword of the Hero is outstretched, as the protector of Nagizawa cuts through the air itself, barrelling straight towards what seems to be the heart of the Sky Devil assault.

Towards the Orcinus.

I have a boost and 4 Fate Points, but I'm going to start by rolling this straight. Aiming to Overcome gravity and moving multiple zones. Difficulty of 4 confirmed via IM. Regular Quick Overcome, and using the vault to justify Hoshino Shuffle.
[roll0]
Final result of 5. Going to Invoke High Flying Adventurer Priestess to make this a success with Style, and get a boost: Element of Surprise!

[Fearan]

It seemed, the desperate attempt to reason with the attackers was...less then successful - while one of the enemy moblile suit indeed halted, the rest continued their attack on the Exalted and Kaiser GENBU. And that floating....thing was preparing another shot - perhaps this time not against the heavily armored Kaiser GENBU, but against any of the more vulnerable targets. That was unacceptable - Dielan have hestitated enough. He made a deep breath and slowly aimed at the sourse of cleansing fire from above - the cannons of Orcinus.
- Perhaps, a little show of power will ease the further negotiations - he thought, whlie tungsten rod spitted by his needler flew towards the target.


Okay, let's go. Careful attack against Orcinus, with invoking the "Ambush position" and gaining a benefit from "Pesicion needler" stunt. If the ship si going to take stress, I'm going to have it have "Cannons Silenced" Mild consequence instead with Secret Art: Mechacupuncture.
Oh, and in case of success with style - lower the damage by 1 for a boost Sudden Strike
[roll0]

[Ascension]

Leon:

The Flashing Saber Technique works just as well for Leon in Kaiser GENBU as it did at the great Gundam's feet, the day he won the right to be called Champion of the Red Mountain. GENBU's beam claymore slices clean through the bazooka's ammo magazine, and the resultant explosion rocks the Outis off-balance, leaving it Disarmed and disoriented.

The Orcinus:

Though the specifics of Shigure's request are largely lost on the enemy mobile suit commander, he feels her intent, and he understands the word "leader."

An inset screen suddenly appears on Shigure's displays, showing her a view of an unfamiliar room with several uniformed men and women sitting at consoles lined with screens and controls... the bridge of the Orcinus. The man seated in the center of the bridge stares in shock at the young girl looking back at him.

"Nani?"

Just then, his ship rocks, and the captain's aides inform him, bewilderedly, that a Gundam has just landed on top of them.

"Nani?!"

Then a hail of fire from somewhere perforates the underside of the Orcinus, Blocking the Flow of power to its cannons... and sending a dangerous surge of feedback through its systems. A key circuit breaker overloads, and even Shigure can see the lights on the bridge flickering. A more ominous sign is seen outside the ship, as unprecedentedly large arcs of electricity crackle across the surface of the anti-gravitic pods, accompanied by a series of disconcerting mechanical noises.

The Grav Pods Are Failing

"NANI?!?"

Thrusters ignite along Orcinus's flanks to keep the struggling ship aloft, but it won't be able to hover for long with its grav pods so badly damaged. The doors along its belly slam open to admit its mobile suit team, who go scrambling to get back aboard their carrier before it's forced to rocket away. Even the commander with whom Shigure negotiated gives her a quick parting bow and goes blasting off toward the ship. It's a full-on retreat.

I am conceding the conflict and having all (remaining) enemies withdraw from the field of battle. However...
Ray:

Ray can feel the vibrations under her as the Orcinus shakes, and as its engines ignite. It suddenly becomes apparent that the sky-born are preparing to leave... and, if she doesn't do something quick, she's about to be carried along for the ride.

Is that... a bad thing?

I'm compelling Ray's New Horizons Drive. She has a chance to hitch a ride into... the clouds? Space? To go wherever it is the sky-born are from, and to fly like she's never flown before. Sure, there are a million reasons why that would be a bad idea, but... it's going to cost her a fate point to flatly turn down this chance.
Shigure:

Though she can still see the captain of the Orcinus in her inset comm panel, carrying on shouting orders in his foreign tongue even as his world threatens to implode around him, something else catches her eye and commands her attention. As the Orcinus's main engines come online and its standstill begins to shift toward a burst of motion that should carry it mounting up through the sky, its probable trajectories... the probable trajectories of all hostile targets registered in the course of this battle... collapse into one near-certainty, and her main viewscreen floods with targeting data.

Suddenly she is aware of her power, of her Gundam's power, its potential pressing on her like a palpable force. If she were to use the Twin Buster Rifle... right now, she knows, there can be no delay, she knows, or it might get out of effective range, she knows... she could... she could bring them all down, all her enemies, crashing down, all in one shot. Only one shot.

How could she even think of doing anything like that?

How could she not?

I'm compelling The Angel of Promised Victory. This isn't total victory, not yet. But you could have it so easily. Or pay a fate point to resist.

[Merilan]

A little kindle of hope dared to ebb in Shigure's heart, when she saw that she was in communication with the ship's leader.

She didn't know their language, but there was something. Common words, that suggested links between their ancestry, long ago. Just as the commander did, she felt she could pick out their language, if not through their vocabulary, then through their context. They felt the common emotions of fear, anxiety, hope, victory...

... but it went south very quickly -- much more quickly than she could cope, as the ship's warning systems started to flare before her. "Ah-- wait, I--"

She shook a little, choking up all of a sudden. The lights within the cockpit started to whistle to a shrill, high pitch. The Type Zero's eyes flashed brighter for a moment, outside. The air shifted around the mobile suit as the dampened little song that always played at the back of Shigure's mind started to rise, dramatically.

Her eyes shot wide open as the entire cockpit's systems flooded with data. Targetting reticles and cross-hatches flew across the screen, analytic data fed onto the screen on overdrive, error calculations and standard deviations swarmed en masse and narrowed her towards one definite path. In far too fast a pace, the numbers started to overwhelm her mind, transforming into actual images and overtaking her senses, both physical and extra-sensory--

The Type Zero's arm rose to the air, and the ominous twin-barrelled cannon whirred to deadly life, little wisp-like motes of energy seeping into its barrel...
...A deafening crack shattered the air and the sky, and it was rent in twain, indefatigable light cutting a swath and eclipsing the Orcinus in its wake...
...The Outises march, in slow motion, as flames engulfed Shirakawa-cho in the background...
..The Type Zero turned, too late, and an all-too-familiar sword pierced its Gundanium chest with a sickening crunch, driving straight through the cockpit...

"W-what is this reading?" Kirino exclaimed in surprise, staring towards the biometrics and feedback data on his console screen. A nearby technician shook her head to exclaim, "There's a reaction form the Type Zero! We're unaware of this type of feedback?!"
"Try to override it!" Kirino ordered. "No good! Our remote connections have all been dropped?!"
The engineer stared aghast at the report screen, and dropped his jaw. "My god... it's..."

000000
000000
000000
000000
000000

"It's full of..."

Nishiumi's frown had subsided, and it curled into the coldest, most cruel smile of them all. "...ZERO."

The path of absolute victory.

"Victory..." Shigure listlessly murmured, her fingers twitching at the same time her shoulders sagged. The other Gundams could see it turn and position itself in the direction of the fleeing ship. With a deafening release and hiss, the Twin Buster Rifle detached from its tail stabiliser, and it drew it onto both arms. A weapon of indefinite power of origin, perhaps buried with nearly as much infamy and legend as the Meteor Cannon... however, never loosed even once.

"The path of..."

"W-what are you saying, Shigure?" Kirino burbled in turn, still high on shock and anxiety. But a hand found his shoulder, as Nishiumi leaned forward to say, "Yes, Shigure. The path of victory. This is the essence of Shiratsuyu's Gundam."

She straightens to declare, "To be Gundam is to always advance forward! Defend strong, and strike decisively! Iron rules, and a heart of steel! This is what defines Shiratsuyu -- no, what defines Amatsu-Murakami!"

Shigure's head lulled back, as she drew on the flightstick and stared with blank eyes towards the targeting computer. The reticles swarmed as a nest of angry hornets would, all homing in on the centre of mass of the Orcinus. They all turned red, declaring the finality of their decision. The killswitch was hers.

"I... my Gundam... I ..."

The images hadn't subsided from her mind, and had only increased in rapidity, in intensity.

...A light of judgement had come, straight from the sky, piercing the clouds -- in an instant, the Amatsu-Murakami manor was not so much destroyed as vaporised...
...The Type Zero waded through waist-high water, the oceans roaring, as it struggled to drive the broken remains of the GN Sword to its enemy...

"My life... my death..."

...Shigure could see her hands -- blood-stained, as she reached forward to grasp at a soldier's neck...

"My target..."

Yamashiro--
Yamashiro. She stood there, suddenly interrupting the stream of images.
She stood eclipsed by the shimmering light rushing behind her. She gave Shigure a final smile...
...and then she vanished into the light, becoming nothing but a distant memory.

Cognizance returned to Shigure's eyes, at the last moment. "....onee....sama....!!"

She seized control of her body, at the decisive, eleventh hour; she jerked back, but to her dismay and absolute horror, her finger had sent its decree.

The very air warped around Shirakawa-cho; a burst of pressure exploded from all around the Gundam. Stands and carts were hurled clear into the air; even the trees were struggling to not be uprooted. The Type Zero's legend was realised as it thirsted for victory, a twin roar of inexorable light flaring outwards to the Orcinus--

Shigure is... resisting, and paying a Fate Point for it.

--and narrowly missing, at best clipping its outermost frame and melting nothing but the barest few inches of its wingtips. The beam continued high, enveloped by furious, angry lightning crackling along the entirety of its girth... and then truly vanished, all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Not moments after, its eyes powered down, and vents along the side of its body all unleash in concordance, a loud hiss of steam and smoke signifying its overheating. It tipped over slowly, finally having lost its balance, and plummeted down onto the square just right outside the Amatsu-Murakami's shrine on its side.

Shigure did fire the Twin Buster Rifle, so I'm declaring that it takes an Overheating minor consequence.

The cockpit drawer slowly groaned to an open position, and all Shigure could do before her consciousness and stress overwhelmed her was weakly pull herself out from the hazardous melting pot that was the cockpit at the moment and onto a supporting piece of armour, fortunately not burning.

Not that I think it matters, but Shigure is, due to falling unconscious, conceding from this conflict.

[Inspector Valin]

Ray is so happy to have successfully pulled off that leap, it takes her a second to realize what the ship is doing. As she feels the engines start to thrum and vibrate, hears the sound of the thrusters kicking in, the Takashima pilot hums to herself, considering the matter. The Sky Devils are attempting to leave with her and the Lancelot in tow. They'd take her up beyond the sky, to their hidden realms of the stars. Places that hadn't been trodden by humanity since the days of the Legendary War. If she had to, she could bring the fight to their home ground. That was insane... and insanely tempting. To venture past the horizon, to once and for all go beyond simple rural life... that'd always been Ray's dream. Now it was probably her duty as well. She gazes up towards the sky wistfully, pondering what the worlds of the Sky Devils might be like.

Yet... it meant leaving behind everyone. Her family, Yamashiro, all the people she's ever known. Every place she's ever seen. Everything she did with her life. As much as this is something Ray once dreamed of, in the moment thoughts of the people she knows and loves hold her back. Could she ever return, if she left like this? Ray turned Lancelot's head to the ground, taking in the city of wood and paper below them, lit up by the Orcinus' thrusters. For all its miraculous technology, the sky-devil ship seems to be vibrating rather a lot. The flame jets must be emergency measures, trying to hold the leviathan aloft as best they can before fully engaging their engines. The engines that are rumbling and sparking down below them, probably from battle damage.

If those things give out, Shirakawa-cho...

The Takashima pilot goes cold at the very thought, the implications of a ship crash beginning to dawn on her. The great leviathan falling to earth, a sea of iron and flames, right atop of the largest city she's ever seen. In one instant, Ray's mind is made up, all other thoughts receding from her mind. She's the pilot here, the Gun'pla of Nagizawa, the hero: she has to protect the city. Yamashiro is still on the ground in the Type Zero, the other Gundams are spread out and probably couldn't get up here in time: Ray is the only one who can help the Sky Devil ship not fall. She can't just destroy the ship, or trust their emergency systems. If the rockets fail, hundreds or perhaps thousands of people could potentially pay the price. Shirakawa, its inhabitants, the Amatsu-Murakami shrine...

You are our Gun'pla, and that's a heavy responsibility...

Ray smiles mournfully to herself. This likely wasn't quite what her father had in mind. Nodding in resolution, the blue coated pilot brings up Lancelot's controls once again. As the Orcinus shudders, the great Gundam moves as swiftly as it can to the side, magnetic boots clanking along the hull. The great giant reaches downward, as if inspecting the engines in person. Ray leaps out from the head-unit, rolling straight onto the Orcinius' emergency catwalk and running as fast as she can towards the centre of the dropship. She clutches a slender black toolbox in her hand as she darts past jets of fire and arcs of lightning, swiftly forming a plan. The power has to flow from some kind of generator, most likely central to the ship. Those inside were probably having to guess at the damaged sections, scrambling to co-ordinate all the different systems but Ray can see the mighty rods sticking into the ships interior at a glance. If she can just reroute the energy past the damaged conduits, get some of these sky engines back fully online, then together with the thrusters...

An earth shattering kaboom of light and noise almost jolts her off of the platform. Something had fired at the ship. Something big and powerful and bright and very very loud. Ray is reeling once again, trying to hold onto the catwalk as best she can whilst spread-eagled on it. Shooting down the ship would be just as bad as letting it crash, but she can't stop heavy artillery. One problem at a time. The priestess hefts herself up by the safety rail, clasping her toolbox ever more tightly in her off hand hand as she makes for the power control. Whatever she pulls will have to be quick.

Accepting that Compel, Ascension. I'm not sure Ray's 100% on board with that, but it's enough to keep her on the Orcinus long enough for this idea to kick in. This is going to get interesting. ;)

Spending that Fate Point to establish Ray's technical abilities through A Thousand Years of Tampering (Possibly High Flying Adventuring Priesstess, they link a little here). The Takashimas aren't master scientists but they are more technologically savvy than you'd expect. They've been actively using Lancelot all this time after all. Ray was the one who repaired the Bluebird, she's studied the Lancelot's inner workings and she's supplementing that with study of stuff from all over the valley. She might not be able to understand the finer points of these machines, but she can redistribute the power flow at least.

[roll0] Flashy attempt to Overcome The Grav Pods are Failing. Either to mitigate or outright remove the Complication. Will Invoke as needed! Element of Surprise might be helpful here: there's no one to interrupt Ray or get in her way... neat boost! :)

Edit: All right! :smallbiggrin: Invoking Element of Surprise for a +2, bringing that up to a result of 7. Ray might not be the most thoughtful, instrospective or academic type, but in a crunch, she's a damn fine engineer. :smallwink:

[BlueHerring]

As Leon darted back from the Sky-Born with the bazooka, he heard a cracking sound - almost like thunder. As the bazooka exploded, Leon watched as a lance of light shot upwards from Shirakawa-cho and into the side of the flying beast. It didn't take long for the other Sky-Born to react, and eventually retreat. While he couldn't pursue them, Leon was certainly glad the fight was over.

Leon relaxed as the other Sky-Born left, heading back towards their ship. So long as there wasn't significant loss of life - especially to his people - Leon was perfectly fine with this. Still, Shirakawa-cho had been damaged in the aftermath, and its residents probably needed medical attention.

However, there was one thing that bothered him: Why had Shigure fired her weapon? Hers was the only weapon amongst the other Gundam of the valley that could accomplish that, and she had just tried to negotiate with the Sky-Born. As much as he would like to reflect upon the current circumstances, Leon had to check on his people, and let them know that the battle was over.

"They Sky-Born have left. Their flying craft has been damaged, so I don't think they'll be coming back anytime soon. Give the order to get the people back to their homes." Leon paused for a moment, thinking about how to best send aid to Shirakawa-cho. "Shirakawa-cho is in need of supplies. Have some of our men transport wood and food supplies, and bring others that can tend to the injured. I'm going to go and evaluate the situation."

With that, Leon moved Kaiser GENBU to the outskirts of the city. From his vantage point above the ground, he could see the damage on the eastern and western sides of the village. He'd have to carefully navigate his way further into the village, as to avoid causing further harm to his environments, and leave Kaiser GENBU in a place that would not obstruct the eventual reconstruction of the city.

I'd like to use Carefully create the following advantage: Supplies From Red Mountain

[roll0]

[Merilan]

The battle had left a significant mess in Shirakawa-cho's southern districts, primarily; unfortunately, that was also where one of its primary markets were, and the loss of the open-stall markets had a somewhat profound impact on the productivity and livelihood of its people. What was once a bustling flea-and-farmers' markets was now a refugee centre; many people were set up in tents and other temporary forms of accomodation, looking up uncertainly towards the skies in concern of when the Sky-Borne were next to arrive. Leon's rally of the people of Red Mountain was certainly timely, and with the aid and efforts of the people of the mountain, those who needed shelter and supplies most were able to receive them in timely fashion. More than ever, it was a show of camaraderie and closeness between the two communities, the sight of Kaiser GENBU and its impressive performance reminding the people of Shirakawa-cho that they were not alone in the midst of this crisis.

However, the rather confusing performance of the Type Zero, their promised Angel of Victory, had also loomed heavily on their minds as they uneasily asked the question in their hearts:

Would their Gundam protect them?

Nishiumi was quick to wrest control of the public discourse, making a public appearance and delivering a speech. If nothing else, she had that going for her, placing inspiration in the people not with promises, but with bold declarations:

"People of Shirakawa-cho, heed my words and lend me your ears.
The battle that has unfolded just now is only a portent of the coming conflict.
I shall not mince words: The Sky-borne shall return.
It is imperative that we each gird ourselves for a time of trials.
I will personally assure you that the Amatsu-Murakami shall bring you the victory that you've long prayed for.
We shall not sit idly and let ourselves be played as livestock would!
We shall seek our enemy out, and march upon them!
Iron rules, and a heart of steel!
This is the core of the Amatsu-Murakami's Gundam!"

A loud roar of approval burst amongst the fervent and patriotic-minded of Shirakawa-cho, on that day; their fists pumped, their eyes burning with revenge, their hearts set on the sundering of the sky. Yet, not everyone agreed; though a minority, they were a vocal minority, who were curious and present about the exchange that had happened between the white Gundam and the Outis.

A second movement, with the chant of "No Fight", had found root in the disenfranchised of Shirakawa-cho's populace. Famous poets and politicians both rallied under this banner, and called themselves The Preventers, those who do not seek to be drawn into a long and devastating conflict with a high cost to Shirakawa-cho and its allies.

There was certainly Political Unrest in the City of Shirakawa-cho...



And what of Shigure?

The R&D and Search and Rescue teams were quick to save her from the scene; she escaped with only mild burns on her body, inflicted not through fire but through the escape of steam vents that had blown straight into the cockpit. The Type Zero seemed ultimately undamaged from its stint, though the data gained from firing the Twin Buster Rifle had sent whole teams in canniptions as to just how self-destructive their signature weapon actually was. Some had argued that they should scrap it, or at least put limits on it; others spoke of the tactical advantages if used correctly. Arguments flew across the board overnight.

And not to be outdone, the discussions became more and more heated about just what the "ZERO" reaction was. No one could explain it, not even Kirino. It was a complete mystery to all of them, and no one was able to actually record any of the data that Shigure herself had seen. Nishiumi certainly seemed pleased, so much that she didn't mind that she missed. She left the command centre with chilling words to Kirino: "I'd like Shigure to be better acquainted with the system." With trepidation in his heart, Kirino knew her daughter possibly just accelerated her place to become the actual pilot of the Gundam, having awakened a slumbering secret no one has before......



Shigure awoke nearly twelve hours later from her lapse of unconsciousness; her entire body hurt, and her mind hurt even more. She could still feel the faint flashes of the visions she saw in the Type Zero's cockpit. It left an impression upon her, and she knew it would not be the last. To think that the Type Zero had such an awful, dire secret... just what was that machine created for in the first place, long ago? Was it truly an angel, meant to lead people towards a brighter future? Or was it a demon, who callously whispered temptations that would ultimately be self-destructive? She didn't know... she had no answers for anyone, let alone herself.

She sniffled and cried in her room, on her bed, clinging to the cute Acguy stuffed toy that she'd had all her childhood. She didn't touch her food at all, and ignored the attendants desperately trying to attend to her. Not even Mr. Acguy could make it all better, this time... when she realised just what she'd done -- she fired upon the people she earnestly begged to find peace with -- she was shattered. Even if she wound up not killing anyone, she feared that she'd just ruined what little opening she'd managed to pry in the upcoming conflict with the Sky-Borne.

The door slid open, slowly.

"Shigure..."

She paused, as she turned around with wide eyes. It was her step-grandfather, Younosuke, who had a heavy face on him, though sympathetic. He bowed, and excused himself in; next to him, Yukari, her caretaker, followed suit with a gentle smile. "Shicchan..."

"Yukari-san... You-jiisan..." Shigure sniffled louder, clinging onto the poor aquatic mobile suit stuffy like it could burst. "I'm sorry, I want to be alone--"

Younosuke shook his head gently and said, "We wish to be here to support you, Shigure-chan. What you are going through, right now... it's a very heavy burden to bear alone, don't you think?"
"That's right, Shicchan..." Yukari nodded in agreement. "You've never been the sort to lock yourself away..."

"But-- but I don't know what to do," Shigure blurted out, her tears blurring her vision. "Mother is pushing for everyone to go to war... but-- but I don't want to! I hate war... I hate fighting! That's why... I can't pilot the Gundam..."

There was a silence in the room... and then Younosuke smiled and nodded, his arms in his sleeves. "Then, Shigure-chan, don't you think that's more reason that you should fight?"
"You-chan, what are you saying?" Yukari sounded astounded that he'd suggest such a thing.
"There's more to fighting than swinging swords and killing people. What you did yesterday was a very brave thing, Shigure-chan."

"B-brave? But I barely--" Shigure stammered, not certain that she was following her grandfather's train of thought.

"You're a very clever girl, Shigure-chan," Younosuke's speech became more impassioned. "If you can't swing a sword -- if you don't want to swing a sword -- then don't. You should fight the battle you want to fight."

"Do you mean..."

Yukari seemed to have caught on to the idea. "There are those out there that wish for peace too, Shicchan. I'm not sure I wish to see you rush off to battle either..."
"Fight with your heart, Shigure-chan," Younosuke continued. "Your words, your emotions, and your earnestness are your greatest weapons, stronger than any sword you could ever find. They can cut to where weapons cannot possibly do so."

"You-jiisan... Yukari-san..." They both nodded, their hearts rising as they saw the change in Shigure's eyes and demeanor. She sniffled one last time, and rubbed at her eyes. "I'll... I'll do it. I'll do it for everyone -- for onee-sama."

Then, she sat up and placed her hands to her chest, in thought. Both Younosuke and Yukari looked on with interest, encouraging as they waited for her to give them an answer...

"Yukari-san, please contact Kirino-otosan and have the R&D team provide me all the communication recordings from the battle.
You-jiisan, could you please help me contact Takezono-sensei? I want to get in touch with my linguistics teacher and the students from the Shirakawa-cho Academy."

"Hooo..." Younosuke seemed impressed at her answer, and how quickly she turned it around. "I see now!"
"Huhu... that's our Shicchan..."

"We can't understand an enemy whose language we don't know. I want to overcome that language barrier, first!" Her eyes were meek, yet they were filled with a determination that could melt steel beams. "We'll overcome this ancient grudge between heaven and earth!"

Shigure is going to put her efforts into Cleverly studying the battle's audio data and, with the help of her teacher and the other students from the Academy, start deciphering the language that the Sky-borne are using.

I think this would be a Create an Advantage done over an extended period of time. Rolling!

[roll0]

[BlueHerring]

Leon had made sure to park Kaiser GENBU in an empty square away from the southern part of town. It didn't take long for the caravans of supplies to make their way towards the wartorn section of town. Almost immediately, the workers from Red Mountain set to work, setting up tents and improvised houses to provide shelter for the displaced victims, handing out food and medicine to the elderly and the injured, and clearing out the rubble caused from the fighting.

In the middle of all this, as Leon was helping with the reconstruction effort, he couldn't help hear a certain someone give a speech to a crowd of the civilians that were gathered in the square. All things considered, that speech was certainly passionate.

And yet, for all of her bravado, the words of Shiratsuyu Nishiumi were nothing more than that: a pretense to rally her people. The truth of the matter is that they were not prepared for any more assaults against the Sky-Born. It was a foolish notion to think that they were ready for battle against the Sky-Born, for a number of reasons.

First and foremost was the sheer multitude of tactical advantages possessed by the Sky-Born. The floating leviathan they descended from had a cannon capable of destroying the Meteor Cannon in a single hit. If it had been aimed at Shirakawa-cho, there would be no doubt that the town would be little more than a smoldering crater. They also possessed the capacity for flight - which, aside from the Takashimas, was not something anyone in the valley had accessed to.

On top of that, there was still one lingering possibility: was this all that the Sky Born had in their arsenal? What would happen to the valley if they brought a second, or a third ship?

Assuming that they had any real chance by rushing in headlong was foolish, and the sort of reckless actions that Nishiumi's words would bring would not be a good one.

This was a time for a steady and careful approach, not a reckless one. However, as much as Leon wanted to walk right up to Nishiumi and criticize her, he had a job to do. Plus, there was the matter of Shigure (who, according to what Leon's men had gathered, was unconscious). While he should pay a visit to her, helping the people of Shirakawa-cho was his top priority right now.

I'd like to Carefully Create the Rebuilding Advantage. Like Merilan's one, this is going to be a long-term one, and I'll spend my free invokes as necessary.

[roll0]

[DoctorFaust]

Not long after the battle ended, Amamiya exited the ruins of the southern portion of Shirakawa-cho to meet the train of wagons from Tensenkou carrying the rest of his swords, as well as a few of his personal belongings.

"My brothers!" he yells. "I am glad that you have arrived so quickly, but I regret to say that I must ask you to turn around and return home now."

At this proclamation, the drivers of the wagons begin to mutter amongst themselves, with one or two even daring to raise their voices in protest before Amamiya lifts his hand imperiously, cutting them off. "I will hear no complaints about this. This battle has caused far more damage than I myself believed was possible from such a short fight. You shall unload the swords and place them besides the Exalted, and then you will return to your villages and request as much lumber as can be spared from your mills. Is that clear?"

Giving Leon a Teamwork bonus. Rolling Careful, just in case its needed: [roll0]

[Ascension]

Ray:

It isn't so much that there's a commonality of form or even of function between the Orcinus's power systems and Lancelot's electronics (much less Bluebird's)... it's more that Ray has a comprehensive education in improvisation. In this particular case, the problem itself offers up its own elegant solution. As she can clearly see from the path of the arcing sparks, the conductivity of the tungsten rods embedded in the ship's hull is contributing to the overall electrical havoc beneath the ship. Full repair won't be possible until those rods are painstakingly removed and the internal damage is corrected, but further damage to the grav-pods' own mechanisms can be prevented simply by rerouting the ongoing surge of excess power... and the conductive tungsten rods actually provide a means to do that without opening up the innards of the ship. She just has to change the pattern of the flow between them... and a few swift kicks handle that with style, bending the rods and, with them, the electricity. Pretty soon the storm beneath the ship is confined to safer pathways, and she can confidently say that The Grav Pods Aren't Getting Any Worse.

You also get a Boost of your choosing.
Unfortunately, Ray didn't wager on the boldness of the sky-born ship's own crew. While working her way back to Lancelot along the external maintenance catwalk, she almost literally bumps into one of the ship's complement clambering out of an access hatch... perhaps in response to her unexpected contribution to their damage control efforts.

The sky-born wears a durable-looking suit with a face-concealing helmet. Pouches are slung at the foreign figure's belt, but in their hand, its make unfamiliar but its purpose unmistakable, is a blunt-nosed pistol. But is that gun hand... trembling?

You're on a Narrow Catwalk that's still Surrounded by Hazards and The Ground is a Looong Way Down by now. You can act first, if you choose to do so.

Leon:

As rebuilding gets underway in Shirakawa-cho (with the help of Red Mountain labor, with the use of Red Mountain supplies), a messenger arrives in the city bearing a message for Leon Halter. He apologizes for the message's contents before obeying his duty by reading it aloud.

"Should we now address you as Champion of Shirakawa-cho?" the missive asks, "Our great Meteor Cannon, the first weapon to strike a blow against the sky-born since the age of legends, lies a useless wreck, and yet Kaiser GENBU stands to shield the city of the plains, and you offer them our people's labor, food, and timber? You may hold the people's hearts for now, and stand under the Gundam's blessing, but yours is a dangerous path... not just for you yourself but for all the Five Clans and our entire way of life. Be wary lest you may lose all that you have been blessed with, if you continue in such behavior."

Supplies From The Red Mountain succeeds with style. Rebuilding will take time to execute, but is a success with an invocation of Supplies and is a success with style given Amamiya's teamwork bonus.

Shigure:

Working out their language will take time, but it's achievable, particularly if you keep rolling like that. It's probably best viewed as a Challenge that's ongoing in the background.

[Merilan]

Nishiumi/The Amatsu-Murakami:

Regardless of political standings or fervour for or against the war, it was rather clear that the individual inhabitants of Shirakawa-cho all needed the aid; many of whom received aid from Leon and the Red Mountain did so gratefully, bowing and murmuring worship to the Gundams, and some cursing against the Sky-Borne. And to the drivers of the carts moving the Exalted's swords, there was a greeting and a copious amount of gratitude when Amamiya ordered them to seek aid as well.

Amatsu-Murakami itself was not about to be outdone, of course; it had always prided itself on having effective management, the kind that's necessary to unite a town of 150,000 people. By the end of the first night, hazard zones had been established, and the most dangerous of debris had been cleared and moved to one side; though the Gundam was not operational, other mechanical devices from the Shirayuki-hime were on-call to help in the restoration efforts.

A night watch -- as already had been set from the first night of the Sky-Borne's descent -- was underway to light the town and give a sense of safety. Extra supplies were also being invoked from the nearby villages, to bring the harvest in earlier, and to leech supplies from the silos.

Nishiumi's going to Cleverly Overcome the challenge of rebuilding, while accepting aid from Leon and his Rebuilding, taking the free invoke from it.

[roll0] (I'm going to say that Nishiumi is a +2 in Clever/Forceful/Sneaky, if that's all right, and +0 in the others).

As for Shigure...

Shigure didn't go very far -- as much as she'd like to help out in the restoration efforts, she knew very well she wouldn't be very helpful what with her physical state, and... she was convinced there was more important work to do. Which is why she was seated in her room, some playback equipment set up from their normal stations at the Shirayuki-hime. She had her headset on once more, and was carefully transcribing the dialogue as she heard it from the Amatsu-Murakami's recordings of the battle.

Takezono -- an old woman with long hair -- sat beside her with a sense of pride and interest, as she helped listen in as well. "... interesting. So far, they appear to mostly use the same phonemes as we do."

Shigure nodded as several attendants brought them more literature -- they'd spared no expense in digging up tomes of ancient history, and scripture and languages of old. "Yes, teacher. From what I could understand, I can draw several likely conclusions..."

She glanced to the window, and looked to the Kaiser GENBU parked towards the southern side of town with a smile. She wished to see the other Gundam pilots, but she was also afraid of what they'd say to her...

"One, there is some vocabulary that we both appear to share. Terms like 'fight', 'Gundam', 'leader' were words that the commander could understand.
Two, the phonotactics appear to differ: listen to this clip of how they say 'leader' -- there is a different manner in which they craft their words.
Three, subject-object-verb ordering appear to differ: in the following argument, if we follow the assumption of the nouns referring to ranks that we've deciphered, they use a subject-verb-object ordering instead...
There appear to be other semiotic differences in how they use words -- at this point, I can only assume it's due to military, formal use as opposed to informal ones, such as when that soldier angrily addressed Amamiya-dono."

She looked to her teacher. "I would like to say that it's likely that there is a link between our ancestors and the Sky-Borne's; the Gundam is the undeniable common link. They fear it; we revere it. Is it possible that they have legends of their own, and are tasked to destroy that which menaced their ancestors...?"

Shigure shook her head, and sighed tiredly; Takezono tilted her head to say, "Shigure-chan, why don't you take a break for now? The table of phonemes we've assembled is certainly impressive work already, and you'll need more samples in order to be able to learn more..."

"That's true," Shigure nodded meekly. "I wonder if I could meet the other Gundam pilots...? I owe them an explanation..."

Yukari peeked into the room to say, "Oh, good timing, Shicchan. Should we take you out to the city? Fresh air would do you some good..."

"Yes, Yukari-san, thank you," Shigure smiled. The two emerged from the room as the scholars also took their own break, tidying up behind them and consolidating their work into a bound tome. Yukari slowly wheeled Shigure down towards the entranceway to the manor, but paused with a smile as they realised they didn't have to go very far, as Leon was receiving the missive from Red Mountain at about this time.

"Oh... Halter-dono?" Shigure called out gently. She had several bandages wrapped around her, owing from the steam-sourced burns from the overheating cockpit, but she didn't look to be in too grave a condition.

For the previous Advantage, I'd like to propose that the Aspect Shigure created with her advantage to be An Ancient Link Between Languages.

Represented by the above pose, I'm going to use the free invoke from that aspect for the Overcome roll to represent Shigure's progress into deciphering the Skyborne language, or two if I succeeded with style:

[roll1] - +2 or reroll as necessary. I'm happy with that roll, so if I had a second free invoke, I'll bump that up to a 7.

[Inspector Valin]

Oh, just perfect. What idiot comes out onto the fuselage with the ship about to take off?

Ray holds her hands above her head, briefly studying her new 'friend'. If the Sky Devil is going to shoot her, it seems very reluctant about it. This probably isn't one of their ruthless demonic warriors, then. Just some lower level engineer. Even mythical creatures must have them. Perhaps the creature never had to fire that gun before. This opens a large of questions about the demons of the void that Ray might've been more enraptured by if it wasn't for the whole 'gun pointing at her' thing.

Even by Sunshine Takashima's optimistic standards, this is a bleak situation. If she tries to fight, the Sky Devil will shoot her. She'd have to be quick enough to get the gun from the creature's armoured hand, and that would be quick indeed. If she just runs, it's a coin toss if the devil'll shoot her. There is nowhere to hide, no way of avoiding this situation. In that instant, things seem truly hopeless.

You are the pilot of Lancelot. When beset by fear and doubt... follow the Gundam's example.

Ray grins at the Sky Devil as her idea finally comes to her. With the speed of a snake, the Takashima pilot grabs the safety rail on her left with both hands, and vaults upwards. Her boots collide with the Gravity Pod, the sound of metal ringing drowned out by the groan of the struggling systems. For an instant, she feels a touch of the lightness that these wondrous devices brought to the ship. Just a touch, not enough to hold her aloft, but a few spare particles are enough to give the acrobatic pilot some momentum.

With a grin, she kicks against the structure with her back leg, leaping over empty air with Shirakawa-cho looking so pretty down below. Just ahead of her a thruster is burning with an almost impossibly hot flame, but Ray knows how to judge distances. She passes just behind the jet of fire, obscured for a second by the powerful light, before falling back upon the catwalk with a clatter, clutching the rails for support. Before the armoured engineer could react to her insanity, the Gun'pla of Nagizawa is running forward, taking the final few steps towards her waiting cockpit, laughing like a she demon.

These pods are designed to cancel gravity. This is a stretch, but... well, so is everything else I've done so far this game! :smallwink:

First things first. I'll take One Step Ahead for that boost: Ray worked quickly and thus is ahead of the Orcinus' crew still. Gives me a little more latitude here and is an easy invoke. Out of curiosity, are we about to transition chapters? This feels like an episode's end to me, and the rebuilding stuff the beginning of the next one. IF we are about to refresh, that leaves me a little freer to spend FP here

A Quick Overcome, using Hoshino Shuffle
[roll0]

[BlueHerring]

Leon sighed when the messenger read the message. He'd expected something like this, of course. The elders were more concerned with silly things like politics, when the issue at hand was handling people's livelihoods. He didn't like their detachment; it was almost arrogant, and that wasn't how he wanted the other clans to view the people of Red Mountain.

"Alright, just record down what I say," Leon said, after taking some time to compose a basic argument.

"The council must be more foolish than I imagined if you believe that the Meteor Cannon will provide any further aid to the battle against the Sky-Born. Maybe it has been years since any of you studied warfare, but the Sky-Born hold the advantage of terrain, and there is no way we can protect the Meteor Cannon against an attack on their terms. I am helping the people of Shirakawa-cho not because I have anything to gain, but because it is the right thing to do." Leon paused for a moment. "Emphasize that last part when you read it to them, alright?"

"I help them just as I would help any member of the Five Clans, because now, more than ever, we need to stand together. No amount of repairs to the Meteor Cannon will stand up if the Sky-Born return; what we need is a valley that stands together against the Sky-Born. If you still choose to remain short-sighted and care only for the Meteor Cannon, then I can return, and you can explain to the people here whose homes are gone, as well as our workers, as to why the Champion of Red Mountain is no longer helping them."

While Leon does go ahead and actually give his side of the story, I'm going to compel Not Exactly Mr. Charismatic to get an extra Fate point. Most likely, the elders don't see why he's doing this.

"Oh... Halter-dono?"

He had just finished giving the messenger his reply, when Leon heard someone call out his last name. He turned around, to see Shigure and one of her servants. Judging by the bandages, Leon assumed that the rumors he had heard were at least somewhat true, but this wasn't the time to really talk about it.

Instead, he provided her with a quick, if formal bow.

"Lady Shiratsuyu. I trust that you are doing well?"

[Inspector Valin]

Before Shigure can answer, there's a snort of laughter from somewhere within the crowd. Above the din, a voice carries: scratchy, and with a slightly strange accent. "So much for Red Mountain keeping its business private."

An old man walks forward, parting the crowd with a wave of his cane, clad in a wrinkled black and blue kamishimo and bearing a go board on his back. His skin seems rough, and his mane of white hair has been fastened into a rather messy topknot. Leon can see a silver Gundam V hanging around his neck, resting on a well worn cord. This man is a priest of some sort, or had been at least. He turns to one side, and bows to the young Shiratsuyu with a smile, leaning on his cane to make eye-contact with the pilot. "Shigure-kun. Glad you're feeling better. Apologies for interrupting"

Pleasantries done with, the stranger turns back to the angry man, a smile playing across his face for just a second. "You would be Leon Halter." It's not a question. The old man looks over Leon with slow brown eyes, taking in the mountain man before dipping his head in a far slighter bow than the one he had offered Shigure, and offering a hand to the young champion. "Klaus Takashima. Former master of Takashima Temple. Father of the current master Yosho Takashima, servant of the Gundam Lancelot." He gestures behind them, towards the mountain itself. "Your elders won't change their minds with a response like that. But that's why I'm here. In the name of the Lantern Barer, I offer you my aid, and the aid of Nagizawa."

The words are clipped, sharp and fast. Whatever Leon's response, the newly named Nagizawan beckons to the crowd. Four figures come forward to join him, and they look to be a rather varied bunch. First is a young-ish man with long brown hair and a far scruffier beard, clad in a light green cotton tunic and hakama. Behind him stands a middle aged woman, with grey short hair and thin glasses, wearing a long sleeved brown kimono. Third is a strange figure, dressed in overlong white robes and with a hood raised against the sun, making it difficult to see their face. Finally an old man slowly walks forward to join the group, somewhat more weathered looking than Klaus, clad in red silk and with a kindly expression in his eyes.

As different as they seem, all four bear a Gundam V around their necks and carry large wooden boxes at their side. Klaus' eyes remain with Leon, and the old man's bushy eyebrows rise slightly as he regards his junior. Without looking, he gestures to each of his followers in turn. "Oroko, Yukimura, Maki and Jaeger. Not employed by any temple, but good minds and loyal souls. I vouch for them all. We can repair the cannon for your elders. Perhaps not the facility, but with our help, we could at least get the gun itself ready to fire again. To move to a new firing point, to mount on a Gundam... " The former priest waves his had, opening up possibilities with the gesture. With that done though, his eyes narrow as he glances across at the messenger from Red Mountain, and then back to Leon. "All you have to do is let us past your gates to reach the damned thing. Can you do that for us?"

[Ascension]

Nishiumi / Shigure:

Ah, I'm sorry, I neglected to note a difficulty for the linguistic rolls. Let's treat those as Difficulty 4 for now, given the limited data you're working from, but that still means that your An Ancient Link Between Languages roll was a simple success, as was the Overcome (which could be turned into a success with style if you spend the free invoke from the Ancient Link).

You've got some basic comprehension... a very basic sense of the grammar, plus some vocabulary, most of it military, gleaned from their communications during the battle. You won't be making any fluent speeches in their language, but you can definitely get beyond "No fight."

The damage to Shirakawa-cho, while it certainly should be a shock to the populace, was not nearly as bad as it could've been, so Nishiumi's roll is a success with style... the city will be fully repaired by the start of next episode, and the repairs will grant a boost besides.
Ray:

It's not quite over, but we're close to the end of the episode. Since if I rolled maximum at +0 you'd still have a success with style, and if I rolled maximum and spent a fate point you'd still have a simple success, I'm not going to bother to roll a defense against Ray's escape. Mostly, I just wanted to see if you'd surrender yourself. I see now that you won't be captured quite so easily.
The sky-born, clinging cautiously to the catwalk, has no chance at stopping Ray's stupendously daring escape... at least not with their gun hand shaking so. When they finally, belatedly, fire, the bullet pings, off-center, off Lancelot's closing cockpit. And that's all that can be done, with the Orcinus rising so rapidly through the atmosphere. The sky-born ducks back inside while it's still possible to do so, and Ray is left to weather the last of the ship's shuddering ascent into orbit alone, praying for Lancelot's magnetic grip to hold...

[Inspector Valin]

It's a much less elegant tumble upward. Ray's laughter fades swiftly as she twists herself back into her seat, clinging on for dear life as Lancelot brings its head back up into a more stable position. Soon though, the Gundam of Nagizawa is aloft once more, standing proud atop the enemy ship. Sighing to herself in relief that the magnetic boots are holding, Ray closes her eyes and murmurs under her breath. "Thank you, Lancelot, for carrying me through that battle. May your sword strike true, your shield stand before evil, and your light guide me forward, through the darkness and back towards the safety of home"

Her words do nothing to stop the rumbling of the Great Gundam, but that's not the point. Lancelot has more than earned her prayer. With a faint smile, Ray shifts the Gundam's legs slightly, not moving them above the ship's fuselage, but bracing it a little more against the mounting pressure. Just in time, as her arms are forced down against their rests as the momentum builds. Somehow, she manages a laugh. This... whatever it is seems dangerous, but it's hard to deny the exhilaration of it! The power these rockets are burning must be tremendous. They're climbing higher and higher, beyond any altitude Ray's ever attempted before. Lights blink on Lancelot's panels, automated systems engaging. Ray can't look over them, her focus is on her chair, trying to hold herself together as they push up beyond the sky.

And then... it is done. The heavy rockets kick out, the ship stops vibrating, and Ray is left with the gentle humming of Lancelot for company. The slightly tired Takashima slowly angles her Gundam's sensors around, taking in the darkness of the void. Then she looks down at Earth below her, spread out like a drawing. A grin slowly spreads across Ray's face. She's done it! It's worked! The lands she's always known have receded to the point she can no longer make them out, and there is so much more of the world beyond them. The priestess in her recedes in favour of the pilot, looking down from above the clouds themselves, marking new locations in her head. There are more islands close by than she'd ever suspected. She'll have to push the Bluebird further when she gets back, travel across the oceans, find new places...

Though getting back probably wouldn't be easy. Lancelot doesn't have flight systems. Falling from so high is probably not an option. Perhaps she could ask the Sky-born to give her passage back down with the next attack?

Ray chuckles to herself, quietly. removing the exterior view from her display. She really hadn't thought this through, and the problems with being up here are becoming more and more obvious. Still, she and Lancelot have earned a little time to catch their breath. For a while, Ray just sits there in silence, leaning back and listening to the gentle hum of her Gundam's systems. There are things she should probably try and do; engage the radio, investigate the Orcinus, run a full diagnostic, but all of those can be done later. The trip upward was... oddly tiring. She can close her eyes for now, right?

Music starts to play from Lancelot's speakers. A serene, gentle sound; flute and strings, recorded a long time ago. Akiko used to play that piece sometimes at night from the clifftop, looking out across the sea with Lancelot behind her. Ray's mind turns to her little sister as she drifts away, the young girl's face flickering infront of her, and the older Takashima smiles to herself. This is going to make an amazing story.

Invoking Ultimate Ace Custom to establish that music system! Quick! :smalltongue:

[Merilan]

Shigure looked more than a little surprised to see who she recognised as Klaus as well; he'd been around the manor a lot as Younosuke's friend, and no doubt she'd been introduced to him through her grandfather. "O-oh, Takashima-dono," she bowed her head respectfully. "No, it's all right..."

She was not the chosen of Amatsu-Murakami, after all, and she didn't feel like it even if she'd stepped inside the Gundam. No, compared to the Champion of the Red Mountain, she felt herself lesser. "T-thank you, the both of you. I'm extremely humbled for all that you've done, both in the battle and afterwards, to aid Shirakawa-cho... it was a terribly unfortunate thing that happened to onee-sama, but she is well recovering. I am sure that mother would also want to see you, to extend her gratitude as well." She sounded like she forced that note about Yamashiro a little, like she has to convince herself that Yamashiro will pull through this. She didn't know what to do if she didn't.

Already, the officials and other workers of Shirakawa-cho are on the way to repair the damages to the town; whole clusters of tradesmen are marching down, seemingly like this were not a once-in-a-lifetime event of a prophecy come true. Whether against or for the war, the hearts of Shirakawa-cho are united in the love for their city.

"I'm afraid I've not been of any help to the restoration efforts, but..." Shigure gently held up the tome that she and Takezono-sensei had compiled. "I've been hard at work to understand the Sky-Borne's language. That's how I feel I could best contribute..."

I'll use the free invoke from Ancient Link to make it a success with style, yes!

[DoctorFaust]

At that moment, Amamiya strides around the corner, accompanied by a pair of harried looking attendants and back in his ceremonial robes. "Excellent," he says, walking up to the ever-growing group gathered by Shigure. "Perhaps if we can actually talk to them, we might be able to prevent further death. It is very impressive you've been able to get that much work done, given how long you were unconscious."

[BlueHerring]

Leon gave another bow to Klaus as he introduced himself, and nodded at his proposal. "They won't listen to what I have to say regardless, but not responding is still worse. You can send your people with the messenger to help out, and he can explain to the guards there - just tell them that I sent you. The elders probably won't allow the Cannon to be moved, but you could try persuading them."

But what was more surprising than the Takashima's offer was Shigure's work. Translating the Sky-Born's language was something he wouldn't have thought to do in a lifetime. This was something that showed the difference between Shigure and himself: Leon dealt with things in a straightforward manner, but Shigure was smart enough to value things like these.

"I'll admit, understanding the Sky-Born wouldn't have been close to the first thing on my mind. Regardless of how any future encounters might play out, being able to understand them is a huge edge. We'll still need to prepare for future encounters, but this goes an incredibly long way towards that."

[Inspector Valin]

Klaus just about manages a smile after Leon spoke. "I'm often persuasive, Champion. Regardless, you have my thanks. I will do what I can to see it brought back on line, in the name of my Gundam and yours."

He was about to leave, but then a new figure enters the conversation. Klaus' eyes narrow at Amimaya's words. The old man takes a breath, pursing his lips into a frown, wanting to comment but not quite having the ammunition. He is not quite defeated however. After a second to catch his breath, the wizened priest regains his neutral expression. He turns back to the Shiratsuyu pilot, his tone more detached than when he first arrived. "I know what you tried to do in the battle, Shigure-bozu. I've seen the communication logs. You did honour to your Gundam that day, just as Yonezawa and Halter did. But you are forgetting the scriptures. Why did the Skyborn leave Earth? How did the Legendary War end?"

It was a rhetorical question. Taking a step back, and bowing his head, Klaus Takashima recites the old words as clear as day. His voice rings out across the marketplace, clear and booming. "And with that cry of victory, the beasts of the void did caw and circle amidst the skies above. By their unholy light, the old world was scoured clean. The proud cities of humanity fell to rubble, forests burned and millions upon millions were slain. Only those few souls who stood in the shadow of the Gundam did survive the might of the void."

The white haired priest slowly raises his head back up, looking between Shigure and Amimaya. He does nothing to conceal his frown. "Evil won that day. They destroyed our world, and killed our ancestors. We stand upon the graves of men, women and children that were slain by the Sky-borne. Those are the people you think we can talk to?" Takashima's tone makes it quite clear what he thinks of that idea. Humming to himself, the old man looks towards the Amatsu-Murakami shrine, pondering aloud. "I wonder if that ship hadn't expected to find us here. Their histories most likely say that Earth is dead. Perhaps they were trying to stop us re-awakening the Gundams?" Klaus holds up a palm, as if to weigh the idea. He looks across the group, looking for an answer or challenge, the old man's green-brown eyes sparkling at the prospect. He knows the young too well to expect to go without one.

[Merilan]

Shigure was about to respond with mirth, perhaps not expecting both Amamiya and Leon to approve of her plan so, but shyly pulled back and drew her head down apologetically, pretty much almost automatically cowing in response. "I-I have not forgotten the scriptures, Klaus-dono..."

She swallowed, like she wanted to interject with her own response, but then the sound of footsteps rang from behind her. It was Nishiumi -- always one to dress immaculate and crisp, with a stern and steeled face befitting one who can deliver rousing speeches and drive a bustling city like Shirakawa-cho.

"That is exactly right, Klaus-dono," Nishiumi decided to insert herself in that space. "The vast majority of the people in the valley were born and raised around the prophecy of the Skyborne and the Gundam, and the tale of the conflict between them. It would be a great disservice to our culture and our established mythos, not to mention highly demoralising, should we not position ourselves to answer the call of the prophecy. Now is a time for unity, not of dissent."

It felt a bit practiced, perhaps. It wasn't hard to see that Nishiumi liked using the prophecy as a tool, as leverage, but at the same time, she wasn't alone in doing so. "But at the same time, I do not mind understanding their language." She narrowed her eyes and had a smile. "Intelligence is the bread and butter of any battlefield. Yonhotsu Valley has intelligence networks that I hope will allow us to intercept and decipher their transmissions... and if we can understand what they are speaking--"

She made a gesture. "--then we can intercept their plans, and understand their motivations and strategy."

She paused, but then bowed both to Amamiya and Leon gracefully. "But our plan aside, I must thank you for the assistance of Red Mountain and Tensenkou in the wake of this attack. I assure you that all of our tradesmen and civil officers are hard at work to restore the city to its usual splendour. I would invite you all to the Manor, to discuss our strategy and to offer our hospitality."

Shigure was silent throughout her mother's words, though she clung to the tome with a rather plain-spoken demeanor that she still believed in what Klaus and Nishiumi didn't...

...though something had been bothering her, and she finally spoke up:

"Where... is Takashima-dono, perchance? I thought I saw the Gundam Lancelot in the battle... ..."

[DoctorFaust]

Through gritted teeth, Amamyia replies, "An excellent point, Klaus, and one I had been thinking about myself. Though whatever you may think of negotiations, I believe we can all agree that ending this conflict quickly with as few deaths as possible would be best for all our communities."

Returning his focus to the Shiratsuyus, he bows to Nishiumi, giving himself a chance to school his features back into an inoffensive expression. "I thank you for your kinds words, and your kinder offer, Nishiumi-san. I will do my best to honor your invitation, but I must admit that there are details of the Exalted that I must discuss with my retainers before the Sky-born return in earnest."

In response to Shigure's questions, he quickly adds, "Though I have not had the pleasure of ever seeing the Lancelot myself, I believe I saw a Gundam engaging the Sky-born's dropship not long after I defeated one of the titans."

[Inspector Valin]

Strangely, Klaus barely seems to notice Amamiya's words. Instead, he simply nods, seemingly distracted by something for the moment. He has no response for Shigure's question, simply shrugging at it. When he finally does speak again, his words seem almost distant, "All I ask is that you three not lose sight of what you know in favour of what you want to be true. A lot rides upon your actions now, and there is always a price to pay for risk."

His words given, the Takashima elder seems to recover somewhat. He bows his head to the newly arrived mistress of the plains. "Regretfully, I must go soon, Nishiumi-sensei. I have a task before me at Red Mountain now. And another once I am done with that, courtesy of my son." Klaus snorts at the latter, but doesn't comment further. Instead, he turns to the younger Shiratsuyu with a smile surprisingly like that of his old friend. "Shigurizu, I meant what I said. You do honour to your family, yourself and the Type Zero. Keep on as you are." From his black robes, the old priest withdraws a slightly crumpled paper charm, and hands it to Shigure with a grin and a quiet snort. "You have Younome's heart, for better and worse. I pray you also have his luck. May the light of Lancelot guide you on your way"

[Fearan]

Dielan was beaming with pride inside the Hulijing's cockpit. Get in, fire a tide-turning shot, get out unnoticed - the first battle with the promised enemy went exactly as the scriptures foretold, enforcing the confidence and trust in his family's way. He'd gladly let Kaiser GENBU and the Lancelot do the flashy sunts and dynamic entries, while he wins the battle. Delighted and smiling wide, Dielan left the battle before someone - most importantly, the Sky-Born would notice his presence. It was a sweet taste of victory.

But before Dielan could enjoy it, as well as the taste of peach wine along with is brother (Fa was quite insistent on celebrating the victory his style - and that would mean a lot of peach wine) there was another thing to consider - the first attack of the Sky-born took its toll on the civilian population. And since the Yonhotsu valley was te source of the rarest medical herbs - a goodwill gesture was appropriate. So, Dielan ordered to open the shrine's vault and prepare a shipment to the plains.

Soon, a caravan entered Shirakawa-cho. A few carts, a handful of disciples, armed with crossbows, a flag of Yue family for more reliable defense and a fast mountain pony, in case of need for the fast escape. As the caravan approached the Amatsu-Murakami shrine, a girl in lilac robes raised from the leading cart and announced.
- Greetings to the noble Amatsu-Murakami priesthood. On behalf of the Yue family, master Dielan - she nodded towards said Dielan, sitting next to her - visits with a gift of medicine for the victims of the Sky-born attack - she then sits back, awaiting the reply.


Invoking the "There's no Gundam in Yonhotsu valley" to establish a fact, that the Sky born intellegence thinks, that our Gundam didn't actually activate
Creaing an advantage "Medicine of the Yues" with Clever approach, Invoking "The peace will last"

[Inspector Valin]

Temple of the Fallen Outsider - Southern District - Shirakawa-cho

On the other side of the district, near the bank of the Kurugawa, a band of Nagizawan workers are labouring merrily upon the high wooden scaffold that surrounds a freshly cleared patch of ground. They sing songs and laugh as they lay the first stones of the temple that is to come. This is a historic moment for everyone. The first new shrine of the era, a spot that shall celebrate the awakening of the Gundams, and the first Sky Devil to fall! The original owners of the land had lost their homes when the great colossus fell to earth: they were glad of the sale price Takashima Temple had agreed upon. Nagizawa is too far removed and has too little of its own to truly provide aid to the city of the plains, but a new temple, built of good solid island stone? A festival thereafter to celebrate the victory? This is something they can do.

Yosho Takashima steps off a river barge, surveying the area around his new temple with a practised eye. As he'd thought: the other buildings in the area are all the regular wood and wottle of Shirakawa. A Nagizawan design will stand out wonderfully. It's been some years since Yosho has needed to put his architectural skills to use, but he'd drawn up plans for a new temple long ago. All he'd needed was a reason, and a glorious one has now presented itself. The first fight against the sky devils in a millennia! The only thing that could've made this better is if Lancelot had landed the killing blow.

The Lancelot. Ray.

The Takashima master pauses for just a second, glancing up towards the sky. He ponders the rumours he's heard, the second hand accounts and contradictions as to the Gun'pla's fate. But Yosho has always focused on the present. He strides forward swiftly, past the scaffolding, into his growing temple. In his minds eye, the place is already standing. A replica of Takashima Shrine, with the devotions to Lancelot replaced by imagery of the battle. All the Gundams standing together above a fallen devil-giant: yes, that was good. Yosho can almost see it already. Rows of benches for the faithful, an altar for the priest, and right in the centre is the prize of the whole affair. The proof of the holy nature of this site.

Yosho smiles to himself, running a hand across the metallic green torso of the fallen cyclops. The sages have dubbed the creature an Outis, apparently. The Nagizawans have already removed the pilot's burned remains from the ruptured cockpit, giving the strange demon a quiet but hasty burial beneath its vessel before the sun rose. Klaus had said a few words, apparently. Now the Takashimas have a near-intact Sky Devil to study and show people that the foes of the void can be defeated. Things are going well for the Takashima family so far.

Now all they need is their Gundam back.

Seriously, we all forgot about this? I only know because Ascension remarked on it in an IM which set off this idea

Anyway, given Yosho's general tendencies, I wouldn't be surprised if he was able to grub one of Ray's Fate Points off of her. Invoking his Money Grubbing Shrine Master aspect (Or Ray's Easily Marketable Chosen One if need be) to Establish that Yosho's bought the land that the fallen Outis is on and is building a shrine around it. Both as a profitable new money making venture, and as a way to honour the first true battle in the Great Gundam War. It'll become a pilgrimage site for sure!

Oh, and this will secure Takashima access to the more intact Outis for analysis, study, and eventual sale of relics. But those are minor points! The Temple's the big thing, right? :smallwink:

[Ascension]

Dielan:

With most of the shrine's leading figures occupied with other matters, the delegation that meets Dielan's caravan is made up of servants and minor functionaries, with Shinano Yugami on hand to lend the reception the faintest air of ceremony. She looks like she'd rather be anywhere else, doing anything else, and that frustrated apathy is palpable to all in attendance.

"The priesthood of the Amatsu-Murakami shrine welcomes your generous gift and affirms it as a sign of the ongoing friendship between our families and our sacred Gundams," she says, reciting traditional phrases by rote, "Thank you."

She waves offhandedly for the servants to receive and store away the goods, and then, her minimal duty done, turns to leave.

[Fearan]

Before anyone could react to the blatant offence, offered as a response to the Yue's goodwill, Dielan took word. - We are grateful for the warm welcome - he said to the unknown official, who haven't even had enough decency to introduce herself. His vocie was colder then the Gundam's coolant - it was blatantly obvious, that the Amatsu-Murakami succeeded in thier attempt to offend the Yues - though Dielan coudn't understand, why would they. Still, the priesthood of the Shirakawa-cho have shown it's arrogance once again. And that was enough - We will now take our leave. Please, forward my regards to lady Shigure - after fast unloading the caravan hastily left the Amatsu-Murakami's territory - but now the guards had their weapon ready and tension was in the air - the once-welcoming territory became an unknown, and possibly hostile factor. Dielan sat silently on the leading cart, biting his lips in contemplation of the situation.

- "Master?" - the girl at Dielan's side interrupted his pondering. The priest looked at his retainer, and his eyes became a bit warmer. He sighed then, and respond:
- "I don't know, Liling" - that was a common occurense - Dielan often talked to his silent listening maid to come up with a solution to problems, that occupied his mind, and at the same time give instructions. - With the Sky-born around, we can't really do anything in response to that... - he paused, picking the right word - Misunderstanding. We can't deny them the information, though they never listen to divinations anyway, we can't start a trade war, because the suffering from us witholding the medicines will strike not at them, but at their commoners, and refusing the aid from the Hulijing is out of the question. For now, let the people of the valley know, that Amatsu-Murakami are no longer welcome in the lands under Yue's banner. Except Shigure.
- Master, forgive me asking - but what's so great about this girl? - Liling's inquiry was suddenly a bit more bitter then usual. - You've been "Shigure this" and "Shigure that" ever since the battle. - the maid looked at Dielan with a clear reprimand in her eyes. The priest, though seemingly haven't noticed neither the reprimand, nor the clear insubordination. He smiled and answered, absent-mindedly into the sky.
- That's just a feeling, Liling. But if I'm right - she's the key to winning this aeon-long war - he closed his eyes, showing unwillingness to continue the discussion. The rest of the trip was spent in uneasy silence.

[Merilan]

Unfortunately, Shigure had no idea that there was a messenger from the Yues -- and that Yugami had fobbed them off, just like that. She would've been shocked, should she have seen, apologising on Yugami's behalf just like that... even if the girl had a tendency to overwhelm her when they met face to face.

"Y-yes, Klaus-dono," Shigure bowed her head again, but there's a quiet smile somewhere in there now as Klaus clarified himself. To do honour to her family, herself, and the Type Zero... just what kind of action would have done them honour? Nishiumi would have preferred conquest, no doubt; bathed in the blood of their enemies, the greatest honour was found in the apex of battle, in perfect victory. But for her...

"It will be a boon, to see the Meteor Cannon restored. Godspeed on your journey, Takashima-dono," Nishiumi added with a bow of her head.

"I can only hope Ray-dono is all right..." Shigure murmured to herself, in response to Amamiya. "But, I have a feeling she will be. She's very hardy, after all."

[Ascension]

Elsewhere:

The sunlight streaming in her window rouses Ray from her slumber. She stirs, groggily wiping the sleep from her eyes, and the orientation of her body, the feeling of the Lancelot's cockpit around her, reminds her that she's not back at home on Nagizawa Isle.

A second look at her screens shows her that that bright light isn't the sun, either. Or, rather, it is the sun, but she's not seeing it directly. The light stinging her eyes is a reflection of the sun, captured in an enormous mirror, far vaster in scale than any human construction she's ever seen before, even that which was crafted by the hands of the ancients. That mirror itself is but one of three of equal size, attached to an enormous cylinder, studded at both ends with massive engines. Through windowed strips along the sides of the grandiose structure she can see green trees inside it, and city streets, and even faint wisps of clouds.

A bottled city (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WRb_X1u0ZQk/TwmmGzHVtbI/AAAAAAAABm8/aIqoyiLom8E/s1600/vlcsnap-2012-01-08-21h26m33s220.png) hangs in space above the Earth.

Specks of light surrounding the colossal colony resolve themselves into spacecraft, some of the same class as the Orcinus, some of different shapes and sizes, at least a dozen or more in total.

Then Lancelot's proximity warning bleats, drawing Ray's attention to objects closer at hand. On her side screens she can see, looming on each flank, one of the sky-born's cyclopean titans, gun leveled at her cockpit. A sensor ping suggest another behind her, and a fourth now steps in front, blocking off her view of the marvelous space fleet. A radio message crackles over her Gundam's speakers.

"Do not fight."


End Episode One (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxQIP-fHYIE)

ECF Expeditionary Ship Basileus, Near Earth Orbit:

A broad-shouldered man stands silhouetted against an observation port, looking down on the blue Earth below, gloved hands clasped behind his back. Dark brown hair curls at the base of his neck, and a short black cape is draped over the shoulders of his crisp green uniform. An adjutant approaches.

"Commander Raszlo, have you heard about the Orcinus?" the messenger asks.

"I've read their preliminary report," the commander replies, without turning, "It sounds like they were almost as soft and imbecilic as those Earth-born infants they fought."

"Yes, but the Gundams..."

"Children should not be allowed to play with such dangerous toys," Raszlo growls, "So we'll just have to take their toys away."

"Us, sir?"

"There's no sense in waiting for the Council to come to a decision. I doubt they have the stones to do what needs to be done anyway. So we'll do their dirty work for them, and they'll thank us for it in the end, after they get done whining about procedure."

"...as you say, sir."

"So ready my Orosz for combat."

Grant Raszlo finally turns to face his adjutant, and a cruel smile curls his lips.

"Let's see how long these so-called 'Gundams' can last against The Perfect Storm."

[Ascension]

Episode Two: Confrontation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKfAXy5jwB8)

Shigure:

Thanks to the aid and support of the Red Mountain and the Yonezawa clan, in addition to her mother's guidance, the reconstruction efforts in Shirakawa-cho are basically complete, but that isn't the only good news Shigure has received this morning. Yamashiro is awake, and has asked to see her.

When Shigure first enters Yamashiro's room, it's almost impossible tell that anything has changed. Yama's head has been elevated almost imperceptibly, and her eyes flutter open at the familiar squeak of Shigure's wheelchair, but her bandaged body is still frozen in the same posture it held throughout her coma. She struggles to turn her face toward her sister.

"Heyyy, Shiggy," she calls out. Her voice is still tinged with pain, but it's stronger than might be expected. Yamashiro really is tough.

"I... I need to ask you something."

There was hesitation in her voice there for just a moment, but by the time she finishes her sentence any open sign of doubt has been drowned out by her usual decisiveness.

"I've already heard the official version from mother. And I've heard gossip from my nurses. But I want to hear it from you. I want to hear the truth."

Straining, she raises her head a fraction of an inch above her pillow, enough to look Shigure in the eye.

"Why were you trying not to fight them?"

Dielan:

Dielan learns that his grandmother is back in the valley when she herself shuffles up to him with a sly grin on her lips and an unfurled message scroll in her hands.

"That woman in Shirakawa sent out an invitation calling all the Gundam pilots to a council of war. After the way they received your last visit, I say we should send Fa-ér along with several jugs of wine. That should teach the old biddy, eh?"

Amamiya:

Uncle Ren comes to speak to Amamiya discreetly, approaching him in a quiet moment, well out of the earshot of others.

"A message came for you, high priest. Shiratsuyu Nishiumi is still trying to bring you to a war council in Shirakawa-cho. Did..."

Ren drops his voice despite the improbability of anyone eavesdropping.

"No one would dare say anything to your face, but the people are starting to wonder... Have they offered any concessions in exchange for our services to their city? We've... we've been waiting for an opportunity like this. An opportunity to place them in our debt. And there's the issue of the seventh sword..."

Leon:

A familiar messenger approaches the Champion of the Red Mountain, looking even more harried than usual.

"Which message would you like to hear first?", he asks, "The one from the Amatsu-Murakami shrine, or the one from your favorite clan elder?"

Ray:
You can either continue directly from where the end of episode one left Ray (if you want to resist, or if you want to play out Ray's surrender), or, if you want to surrender, we could pick back up with Ray already in holding (like a television series might). It's really up to you.

[Merilan]

Shigure had spent the last day alternating between advancing the study of the Sky-Borne's language, as well as getting a bit more involved with the logistics of Shirakawa-cho's restoration. She'd worked with a lot of the officials and manor attendants enough to be able to tune in on the restoration efforts, and she was greatly pleased to hear that the town was well back on its feet even after only a short amount of time.

But the news of her sister sent her into a bit of a tailspin, and it was almost comical to see the wheelchair-bound girl hurrying with bated breath towards Yamashiro's room. "Onee-sama, onee-sama...?!"

Her heart could just flutter as she saw Yamashiro's eyes, open, awake. She'd thought to how she feared she'd never open them again. She clenched her hands to her heart and sniffled, freely weeping her relief as Yukari wheeled her the rest of the way in.

"I--"

Her eyes widen, through the tears she'd just freshly shed.

"I..." She wasn't quite expecting that question right away, but in hindsight, she really should. It was Yamashiro's entire prerogative, after all, to fight the Sky-Borne. That was why she was brought in under the Shiratsuyu's wing, after the Fusou-clan's Gundam went missing.

"I don't know," she admitted truthfully. She could come up with a number of excuses. "I was-- in a panic, I was really afraid to raise a sword and fight someone... the enemy sounded like they didn't want to fight in our marketplace..."

She paused, as she looked to Yamashiro nervously.

"But... I think-- I think the real reason was because... I could sense something kindred. I don't think they fight out of malice, onee-sama... so where possible, I want to..." She bit her lip. "W-well, I want to avoid war with the Sky-Borne."

[BlueHerring]

"If it's actually an important message, and not berating me for 'insolent behavior' or something idiotic, then I'll listen to the message from the elders," Leon said, folding his arms and staring out over the terraced town that formed one face of Red Mountain. He had returned after the bulk of the relief in Shirakawa-cho had been finished, and instead spent time at his own private residence - which was one of the few perks of being Champion. There, he focused on his training and meditation - he needed to be better in a fight. For all Kaiser GENBU's invincibility was worth, its significant lack of weapons meant that he'd have to learn how to effectively use the shoulder cannons and the beam sword.

Of course, there was also the matter of the elders, who were starting to become bothersome. He didn't necessarily approve of their desire to keep Red Mountain isolated from the other clans - against the Sky-Born, it was almost suicidal. Based on everything he had seen, the residents of the valley were at a disadvantage against the Sky-Born, and they had to unite against them.

But why were the elders making this so difficult? What could they possibly gain from this?

[Fearan]

After the trraditional greetings exchange and assuring the Elder of his respect, Dielan considered his grandmother's offer. It was truly tempting - to show equal amount of respect to Amatsu-Murakami that they have shown to the Yues. However... the damn Sky-born mess all the plans. He sighed and responded slowly:
- As much as I want to remind those arrogant pricks of the Shirakawa-cho, that they are not alone in this world, I'm afraid, this is not an option. Lady Nishiumi will probably use this "war counsil" - the last two words was speled with a yearly storage of contempt in them - to push her royal self into leadership of all Gundam-priesthood of the land. Can't have my brother "Yeah, whatever" it. We'll get the Amatsu-Murakami...in time - Dielan smiled deviously. He had long memory and wasn't good at forgiveness. But...this was not the time for petty brawls.

[DoctorFaust]

Sitting on a hilltop overlooking Shirakawa-cho, Amamiya listens silently to his Uncle, slowly tapping out a beat on the arm of his chair. "I appreciate you bringing those missives to me yourself, Uncle Ren," he says after a long moment of silence. "Though I cannot help but feel that it would have been more appropriate for a messenger from the Shiratsuyu's to bring to me, rather than as honored of a man as yourself. As for any concessions, I can honestly say that the thought of asking for something in return for our clan's help did not cross my mind at the time, and they did not offer."

"As for the sword," he adds with a sigh, "I have not yet heard anything beyond that it still resides with the Shiratsuyus." Amamiya stands up from his chair, his previous good mood having deserted him, and begins walking down the hill to where the Exalted stands, gesturing for his Uncle to follow him. "I will definitely be asking about restitution and the sword after the war council, Uncle. You can be sure of that. Was there anything else you needed."

[Inspector Valin]

Yonhotsu Valley

Out of nowhere, a cheerful cry rings out across the town. "Greetings from Nagizawa!"

A laden wagon has just arrived, baring half a dozen crates and a young girl with brown hair. She wears a blue jacket over white robes, carries some strange rectangle upon her back beneath a thin iron box,and has a wooden V talisman around her neck. After calling out, she descends from the wagon with a swift jump, making for the most priestly looking figures she can find: Dielan and Rong. The traveller bows politely, still smiling ather new friends. "I'm Akiko Takashima, Master of Ceremonies for Shinichi. We've brought gifts to celebrate the victory in Shirakawa-cho." The young priestess turns back to the cart, closing her eyes and humming to herself as she tries to remember exactly what she's brought. "Two dozen bottles of apple cider, fifty paper lanterns, some incense... it was a bit sudden, but there's all sorts of stuff in there. With the best wishes of Takashima Temple and Gundam Lancelot."

[Ascension]

Shigure:

Yamashiro's head falls back to her pillow, and a cloud passes over her face. There's frustration there, but also pity. Shigure's softness has always been endearing, in the past, and it would be still... were it not for the fact that all Takama-ga-hara now depends on her. This, far more than her physical condition, is exactly why Shigure was never supposed to have been Type Zero's pilot.

"But that's what I... that's what we're here for, sis. It's not just your mother, it's... the Amatsu-Murakami shrine is meant for this. The Gundams are meant for this. The people need... to be protected. They need to be able to count on us. That's why we're here."

"...Yama-chan is still in a lot of pain, Shicchan," Yukari softly interjects, "and we don't want to tax her too much. Perhaps we'd better come back later, when she's feeling better."

"That's not it!" Yama insists, with sudden vigor, and does her best to sit up. She gets her shoulders off the bed this time, just for a moment, before collapsing back onto her pillow. Pain contorts her face, and a tear pricks at the corner of her eye.

"I'm not an invalid," she sobs softly.

Yukari takes hold of Shigure's wheelchair, preparing to back her back out the door.

"Let's go for now, Shicchan," she urges, "I think Yama-chan needs some time to herself."

Leon:

"This one actually starts off suggesting that you commend the priesthood of Nagizawa Isle for assisting with the Meteor Cannon," the messenger summarizes, having spent enough time with Leon now to realize that he wouldn't really care to hear all the elders' formalities, "but the great gun still isn't fully functional, so they also suggest that you demand that the people of the plains, quote, 'render unto us the remains of the titan felled by the Meteor Cannon, as is our due right, and is the very least compensation we might ask in exchange for the aid we have given Shirakawa-cho.' I think they want to see if any part of its body might be compatible with the Cannon."

Holding up the second letter, the messenger continues, "And Lady Shiratsuyu, for her part, welcomes you to a council of war to discuss the Gundam priesthoods' response to these sky-born attacks."

Amamiya:

"That is all, high priest. Remember, regardless of what may happen, you have my full support."

His eyes drift upward, taking in the full height of the Exalted, standing proudly above Shirakawa-cho.

"How does it feel," he asks suddenly, taking on an almost wistful tone, "to channel the spirit of a god?"

Yonhatsu Valley:

Yue Rong smiles openly at little Akiko's appearance, even without any mischief (yet) in mind. The girl's good cheer simply warms her heart.

"Yes, yes, Nishiumi's time will come," she says offhandedly, just to be able to call that conversation concluded, but it's clear her attention has been captured by the new arrival. She's probably about 15 seconds away from pinching the youngest Takashima's cheeks and calling her some cutesy nickname.

Ray:

In the belly of the Orcinus, under the sky-devils' guard, Ray finds... if not quite familiar faces, at least familiar words. Upon being insistently escorted into a sealed room at the back of the ship (which shows some signs of being a converted storeroom, rather than a proper prison), she finds herself surrounded by roughly a third of the villagers taken from Takama-ga-hara in the sky-born's initial incursion.

At least one of them recognizes her, and, with wide eyes, asks, "Oh! You're that Takashima girl, aren't you? The Gun'pla? What happened? What are you doing here?"

[Inspector Valin]

Prisoners? Ray is taken aback a little at the sight. It takes her a while to realize: they'd never gotten a full report on the first attack. They were probably taken then. The Takashima heiress grins at her new friend as best she can, murmuring, "Cunning plan." with a confidence she doesn't quite feel. It might not be the truth, but it just sounds better than 'I surrendered for the sake of my Gundam'. And hey, she's aboard the enemy ship now. With Lancelot! And prisoners to rescue. That's got to be at least two thirds of a cunning plan, right? All she has to do now is work out the rest of it. How exactly to get out of here, back to Lancelot, and.... get all these people back to earth too.

Silently, Ray composes a brief thank you to Yama in her head. This was the sort of move she'd make. Being sensible, rational, taking a step back. And it has paid off. She's still here, Lancelot is still in the bay, and she's found people who need the light of Lancelot.

Ray tries to find a spot that's a bit distant from the others, hoping for a little breathing room before coughing to get the group's attention. Things are going well on the surface so far. This ship just attacked Shirakawa-cho. All of the Gundams were there for the fight. It didn't take long." This part manages an honest grin from Ray. Whatever else, the people of Earth have won the first fight. That's something to savour. She looks around at the villagers, curiously. "How've you been doing? What're the Sky Devils like? Is... is everyone Ok?"

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya smiles faintly at his Uncle's words. "And I am very grateful to you for that, Uncle Ren. I will never forget who raised me after my father and mother died."

He stops suddenly, gazing up at the Exalted alongside Ren. "It feels...incredible," he says after a long pause. "It would be a lie to say anything but. It makes you feel as swift as the wind. Like you're strong enough to fight a forest fire, and win. You stand there, towering over everything around you, with enough power at your fingertips to destroy entire villages, and it just makes you wonder...why humanity ever stopped using them, really."

[Merilan]

A similar, and yet altogether too different pain churned through Shigure's stomach as she heard Yamashiro's words, which cut straight to her heart. She knew, of course, that this would eventually become a problem. They've discussed it, even in idle fancy...

'What would it be like if you had to pilot the Gundam, Shigure?'
'I don't... well... I don't feel like I could ever take that away from you, onee-sama...'
'You'd just try to talk them all to death.'
'D-don't tease me like that!'

It was ironic, in hindsight.

"Onee-sama... please don't strain yourself..." Shigure finally managed to muster words, though they sound pained too. "I want to protect the people of Shirakawa-cho -- no, of Earth too! And... I want to protect you as well, until you get better. More than anything."

She squeezed her armrest and drew her head down, still having some tears in her eyes. "Do you remember what you told me once, onee-sama?" She drew a breath in and said: "'If you don't agree with mother's way of thinking... then you should find your own Gundam. The meaning to your own Gundam.'" She trembled, because she probably knew she was taking it a little out of context from what they were talking about, years ago... but it's stuck deep into some moral core of her, even when it shouldn't have.

"I am going to do that, onee-sama," she resolved. "I am going to become Gundam. Not mother's, or anybody else's... I will be my own Gundam."

She let Yukari wheel her out after that, though her heart was still heavy. She could see the pain in her sister's eyes, and not the physical one either. She knew, instinctively, how much losing out on this opportunity meant to Yamashiro... but there were still people missing, and people in risk of harm and death. She couldn't dwell on how unfit she was to be here, on the throne of the Zero.

[Fearan]

- Welcome to Yonhotsu valley, Master of Ceremonies - Dielan bowed slightly to the little Takashima. - We are honored by your visit and most grateful for your gifts. Please meet esteemed elder Yue Rong - he nodded towards his grandmother, introducing her first - and as for myself, I'm Yue Dielan, the priest of the Yonhotsu valley. Please, follow me. - he lead the guest towards an arbour at the lakeside - with a beautiful view on the shrine and the Gundam statue. Despite recent battle and the following events the air near the shrine was as tranquil as always, with nothing, but the wind disturbing the serenity of the lake. Soon, the tea and sweets arrived, served by the silent girl in lilac robes. Dielan hestitated to start the conversation, allowing Akiko to rest from the trip and enjoy hospitality before talking - unless, of course, the guest would prefer the talking to start faster.

[Ascension]

Ray:

Ray's assurance that the Gundams' fight "didn't take long" draws some worried frowns, given Ray's own capture. Had the other Gundams also fallen? But no, the Takashima Gun'pla is still grinning, and she'd said that she's here as part of a plan, so... the Gundams must have triumphed. Right?

In response to Ray's questions, the villager replies, "They look like us, but that's all. Their language, their clothes, their food... they're like nothing on Earth."

She rubs her arm uncomfortably and frowns.

"They keep trying to make us... talk. I don't know why. We didn't understand what they were doing at first. But it's like they're trying to make us say certain words."

"I think they're trying to learn to talk like us," another one of the captives chimes in.

Amamiya:

"The power of a god demands challenges worthy of a god," Uncle Ren says, in an oddly philosophical mode, "The Exalted needed a foe worthy of its blades."

[Inspector Valin]

Ray

"Mmm." The pilot leans against the wall, seemingly trying to mull the matter over. She... doesn't really have much more to add to this. This is prison. It sucks. These people need to get out of here, but she's not sure how to do that yet. As for the Sky-Devils... they look human? That's worth noting but what does that information add? Remember it, use it later, but don't spend time pondering about it. For now, Ray just smiles at the more nervous inhabitants of the room, trying to make her point without further words. The battle is going well. They will get out of here soon. That's what matters.

A line from the Lancelot Logbook comes to her, To spread hope into the darkness. Such is the nature of the Takashima Gundam.

Akiko - Yonhotsu

Akiko follows the Yue pair quite happily, the little box on her back clattering away as she walks. The young girl takes a second to bow to both the shrine and the Gundam statue, briefly whispering a quiet prayer as she touches the V around her neck. "Thank you, Gundam Hulijing!" That said, the young priestess bows politely to her hosts, and sits across from them. She slurps the tea with a very Nagizwan enthusiasm, but makes no move to start a conversation, focusing instead on the refreshment. She is simply glad to be here.

[DoctorFaust]

"Uncle," Amamiya replies with a laugh, "I don't think I am skilled enough with a pilot to match someone that is equal to the Exalted's power. Even if I were, I think I would rather want to learn from them than kill them."

[BlueHerring]

Leon was almost surprised. He'd expected something more harsh from the elders, but getting the Amatsu-Murakami to hand over the fallen Sky-Born wouldn't be too difficult. At the very least, the elders were actually making a valid point, for once.

"I suppose I can try to get that done, at the very least. I'll go to the war council, and negotiate that. It shouldn't be too hard, all things considered. Inform the elders that I'll be taking Kaiser GENBU to the war council," Leon said, as he headed back into his house to pick up his sword and change into the rest of his armor.

Once he had finished strapping the white plates on, he made his way down to the Gate of Earth. While, in an ideal situation, Leon would prefer to travel by horseback to Shirakawa-cho, being too far from Kaiser GENBU would become a liability. In this case, he almost certainly would not have time to ride back to Red Mountain, pilot Kaiser GENBU out and into combat.

But, if this war council went well, they would go a long way towards preparing the various clans of the valley against the threat of the Sky-Born.

[Ascension]

Amamiya:

A slight smile touches Ren's lips.

"Maybe that's your answer?" he muses, "When the ancient Gundam pilots met in this valley, maybe they recognized that they had more cause to learn from each other than to fight... and that's why they lay the gods to rest."

But he shakes his head, shaking off such romantic notions.

"But we can't count on the sky-born to think like that. We can't even count on the other shrines to think like that. You... and the Exalted... are the hope of the Yonezawa. My brother, your father, would accept nothing else. So, for the good of the clan, I pray... if you meet such a master, kill him."

Shigure:

"There you are."

Nishiumi finds Shigure in the hallway, leaving Yamashiro's room. Had she even Shigure's own degree of empathic ability, she might understand what kind of encounter the Gundam pilot just experienced, but her talents lie elsewhere, and her mind is on other matters. She doesn't even register the signs that her daughter has been crying.

"Yukari, henceforth the Shirayuki-hime must be kept aware of her whereabouts at all times. Until we establish better warning mechanisms, we can't know for certain when we might need her on short notice."

She looks down at Shigure with a slight, almost reflexive, frown.

"Representatives of the Gundam shrines will be meeting here at the shrine soon to discuss our strategy against the sky-born. Since you haven't had all of the training that Yamashiro has benefited from, I don't expect that you will understand everything we will be discussing, but you should still be present at the meeting, for appearances' sake. I..."

She pauses, and muscles tighten around her eyes, aggravating the wrinkles beginning to form there.

"I understand," she makes herself say, "that your first experience of combat was particularly stressful, given your condition, so I am largely willing to overlook how you behaved, as long as you don't make any kind of a habit out of it. However, I expect that you will not embarrass me at this council of war with another speech about the conquering power of friendship, or any other girlish fantasies you may maintain. We are going to be discussing this situation like adults, and I expect you to act like one. Do I make myself clear?"

Ray:

After perhaps an hour of waiting, exchanging smiles and small talk with the stolen villagers (Ray's fellow prisoners), one of the sky-born appears at the door. He is flanked by armed guards who are still wearing space suits, but he himself has changed into a light-colored uniform and does, as the villagers said, appear to be fully human. He looks to be in his mid 30s, slightly pale, with thick, dark hair that gives him an impressive set of sideburns. He gestures to Ray, says "You," and gestures for her to follow him as the guards open the door.

I've confirmed via IM that Ray will be following him, so, to continue...
He leads Ray to an adjacent room, a process made much more difficult than might be expected due to Ray's almost total lack of experience moving around in low-gravity conditions. Once everyone's actually made it inside, with the guards taking up station at the door, she finds it to be a narrow conference room dominated by an oblong table. Belts cross the seats of the chairs stationed around it (which are themselves securely affixed to the floor), but they look to be more for safety than for restraint. The man with the sideburns moves to the side of the table and gestures to Ray to take a seat at the end nearest the door. Whether or not she does, he twists a thin, translucent screen at the center of the table toward her, touches the corner of it, and a video recording begins to play.

Shockingly, the video shows Shigure, Yama's little sister, the girl in the wheelchair. But she's not in a wheelchair in this footage... she appears to be in some kind of cockpit, not entirely unlike the cockpit of Lancelot. She is speaking passionately into the camera.

"I don't want to see your own people be hurt," she says, "I know you don't either -- you asked them to be careful around the city!
You don't want to see innocents be hurt either, don't you?
You know full well how costly battle is, to both sides!
Please, before any more people die and lose their livelihood, on either side!"

Shigure seems to run out of breath at that point, coughing a little as her throat seizes up. But then she shakes her head and presses on:

"We can work through this together..."

And that's where the brief recording ends.

The sky-born man looks to Ray and furrows his brow in concentration and confusion. He opens his mouth and seems to want to articulate a question, but at first no words will come.

Finally, he simply says, "She... don't fight?" in a questioning tone.

Hahah, this totally isn't the first time I remembered that everyone on these ships should be in microgravity now, hahah, that's crazy talk, of course I had that in mind all along.

Hah.

Heh.

Hee.

:smallsigh:

[Merilan]

Sometimes, Shigure wished the empathic link between her and her mother went both ways. Whenever she passed her mother, and was near her, Shigure could feel the full extent of Nishiumi's emotions bearing down upon her. It was always awkward, growing up; even when Nishiumi didn't mean to, she could just feel the disappointment, the wishful laments for a better daughter, and it's added over the many years. But now... her seriousness and iron edge seemed even more burdensome than it ever has, before.

Shigure trembled, just a little, as she clenched at the armrest of her wheelchair. "M-mother..." she tried to pull out of the emotional fence that her mother's declaration pushed her against. Being an empath really did meant that, sometimes, you certainly reacted a little oddly around others. She drew her head up to murmur, "Why do we... need to fight?"

She squinted and shut her eyes, as if expecting immediate backlash. Which is why she immediately blurted: "Should we not try... diplomacy and negotiation first? Does that not have worth and value at a -- at a..." She kind of seized up; she'd expected to be able to try to appeal to function, to point out that discussion had its place in military logistics. But it was more difficult than even she imagined, to actually raise an objection against mother, something she'd almost never done before.

"... no... nevermind, mother..." she sniffled again. "I am ready..."

[Inspector Valin]

"Ah. My reputation precedes me." Ray grins at the request, bowing theatrically to her new friends. The motion almost makes her spin full circle in the air. Laughing, she turns and starts trying her hardest to follow the Skyborn. She's had to walk whilst groggy before, this shouldn't be too hard. Right?

_________________________________________

Ray looks about as confused as Captain Sideburns by the footage. She just floats there, slightly above the chair, staring at Shigure's face. That was not what she'd expected, in a number of way. The Amamura priests would've sooner thrown a fit than put a crippled girl inside a cockpit like that. Yama would never have stood for it either. And she hadn't seen any strange new vehicle on the battlefield. So that has to be the Type Zero cockpit that Shigure's in. She was acting as the reserve pilot? If so, then what had happened to Yama? What was so important that it required a Gundam pilot to miss the arrival of the Skyborn?

Ray keeps the calmest face she can, wiping a hand across the screen. An instinctive gesture, and with that, the video begins to play a second time. The Takashima heiress' eyes don't leave the screen. As the recording comes to a stop a second time, she murmurs, "Apparently." Inwardly, her mind has turned to a second point. The beam shot that almost took out the skyship, while she was on the catwalk. Given the size of the blast...

Ray looks up towards the Skyborn, regarding the man quizzically, "But she fired at you anyway. At the end. The Buster Rifle, big beam, that was her?" How on earth that fits into the picture is beyond Ray. She can barely picture either Shiratsuyu firing that gun: Yama was too calculating, Shigure too kindhearted. Put nonetheless...

[Ascension]

Shigure:

Nishiumi actually smiles slightly at her daughter's latest display of naivete. It's almost worse than if she was still frowning.

"Of course I'm considering diplomacy," she says, with a cold confidence, "But in order to safeguard our interests, we need to be able to negotiate from a position of strength. First we need to show them that they're foolish to challenge our Gundams. And then they'll beg for peace. On our terms."

And if it's Type Zero which brings Earth victory, the Amatsu-Murakami shrine will be in prime position to demand concessions from the other shrines as well. Surely the Angel will show the way.

Ray:

Sideburns doesn't seem to comprehend much of Ray's response. He scrunches up his face in concentration and massages his temples with one hand. Then he seems to come up with an idea for a different approach. He plays back the video once more, freezing it immediately after Shigure's final words, leaving the girl's face, her desperate hope, staring out from the screen.

"'Weee caaan wooork thruuu this to-geeeether,'" he sounds out.

"What... what she say?"

[Merilan]

"But that's..." Shigure's throat seized up again, as she lowered her head down. At this point, Yukari's shuffled her towards the room that's been converted to a war room -- one of the grand oratory halls of the Amatsu-Murakami shrine, near to where the Shirayuki-hime's entranceway is. Several of the computers and other analytic devices that the Amatsu-Murakami have scavenged and acquired over the years have been moved, to better turn it into a proper command centre.

"That would be no better than coercion, mother... and the ill will that already exists between us will just continue to generations beyond us.... will it not?"

[Inspector Valin]

Space!

"Work together?"

Ray Takashima spends a few seconds, thinking over how to explain the words. She can't just say the meaning, that won't help. Eventually, she pulls herself to her feet, and nods at the officer. "Work." Turning down to the table, Ray places her hand to the corner, miming turning screws with an invisible wrench. She shifts to the opposite corner, next to the Skyborn for a few seconds, before turning back to the man. "Together!" Adding that word, she takes Sideburns' hand with her off one, positioning it as though he too was holding their invisible wrench. That done she resumes her work of tightening, this time with assistance.

Satisfied that her point is made, Ray turns towards the final part of the sentence. "Work through, together..." Shifting the officers hand, Ray turns the imaginary screwdriver against invisible walls between them. One by one, the Takashima and the Skyborn batter away at unseen barriers. As she goes though, Ray grows more unsure of her metaphor. Finally she turns around,sinking back in her chair, looking up at the Skyborn, trying to see if she was making sense. "Peace. She wants peace. No fighting. Everyone not fighting?"

Yonhotsu

After finally finishing her refreshment, Akiko's mind finally turns back to duty. She slowly rises to her feet and coughs politely before beginning to recite the message she'd spent half the trip rehearsing. "My father, Yosho Takashima, cordially invites Yue Dielan and personal retinue to the opening and consecration of the Temple of the Fallen Outsider in Shirakawa-cho. This new shrine is intended to commemorate the first battle in the Second Legendary War, and the actions of all five Gundam Families. As such, we would be grateful if you could attend in person to show your support, and provide your Gundam's blessing."

Drawing to a close, the young girl seems a little embarrassed. As soon as her message is done, she adds, "It's... not actually built yet. We just started work on it. But when it is built, you'll be invited to the consecration! We'll send a second message to let you know."

"I... actually wanted to ask you some questions first though. To help with the temple. If it's ok?" If either of the Yues nod at that, Akiko jumps in quickly, withdrawing a small sheaf of paper and pen. "It's my job to write down prayers to each of the Gundams, about what they did. And to paint pictures on the walls, showing the battle. But I can't find anyone who saw Gundam Hulijing that day. No one!" This seems to both annoy and mistily the young girl. She looks between the two older priests, as though one of them might be playing a joke on her, and she still can't quite see it. "We want to make sure your Gundam is honoured too. Can you tell me about what happened?"

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya smile disappears, and he quirks an eyebrow at his Uncle. "If I meet such a man, and he comes at me with the intent to kill me, I will of course respond in kind. But not all hope lies at the end of a sword."

[Fearan]

Dielan nodded to Akiko's inquiries concerning the temple. - It will be my honor to visit the building temple - in the upcoming times the people will need all hope, we can gather. Please forward to your esteemed father, that unless the Amatsu-Murakami close off their lands to the Yue family, we will be sure to visit.
Then, when Akiko have asked about the deeds of the Hulijing at the first battle, Dielan wasn't as quick to answer. He took a sip of tea, pondering, what to give away. His first thought was to deny the nosy Takashimas all information, but with that upcoming war council - he cringed. Since when he factored the other shrines into his plans. Still, the matter had to be solved. The young priest have sighed and finally answered.
- The Hulijing Gundam is humble and shy - we, at Yonhotsu valley don't take much pride in our actions - here, he wasn't entirely truthful, remembering, how much he beamed with pride and joy, when the battle went CORRECTLY. - Still, I will provide you with the memories of Hulijing from that battle, when the temple will be build - And the data will be less of significance - he added silently. - Until then, please focus on commemorating the other GUndams of the land. By the way - Dielan paused and followed in a much sourer tone. - Please accept my condolences for the missing of the Lancelot Gundam in the battle. I pray for the safe return of lady Ray Takashima to our land

[Ascension]

Shigure:

"Oh, Shigure..."

Now that the Shiratsuyu line's hope rests on its weakest daughter, Nishiumi regrets allowing the girl's naivete to persist so strongly. Yamashiro may yet be a far more preferable heir, but she still should not have let any blood of hers cling to her frivolous notions for so long, right up to the cusp of womanhood. Perhaps she should take a moment now to dispel some of her daughter's illusions...

"There's no such thing as life without conflict. It only grows more or less subtle, or more or less intense. Take a supposedly peaceful marketplace, for instance. No weapons, no soldiers, no open belligerence, and yet... the merchants all compete with each other for the shoppers' attention, time, and coin. The shoppers compete with the merchants as they haggle over the price of goods. Snot-nosed children compete for their mothers' favor as treats catch their eye. Stray dogs and beggars try to turn pity into food or wine. There is no harmony there. What harmony exists in this world is but a form of submission... the harmony of the servant acknowledging the will of his master. If you want a lasting peace with the sky-born..."

She draws her hand up into a clenched fist.

"...strive for their lasting subjugation. The only alternative would be our own capitulation, and that I will not allow."

Ray:

The sky-born captain's brows are still knit together in concentration, and he doesn't seem to have parsed Ray's entire message, but more is getting through than before.

"And... you?" he asks, looking at Ray with an appraising eye, "You... wants peace?"

[Inspector Valin]

Dielan
Akiko hadn't expected the denial from Dielan. It takes her a second to process it. Once she does, the young priestess bows her head, polite formality taking over. "It's your decision. You're the priest of Hulijing, Mr. Dielan."

The little traveller isn't quite done however. She pauses, sipping at an empty cup, before placing it back down and starting again. "It doesn't seem fair though. We always talk about how great Lancelot is. We hang lanterns on him every holiday, dance, have fun. Other families do stuff like that too. And the temple's going to celebrate all the Gundams at once, talk about how great all of them are. That's the whole point of it. So we'll have celebrations for everyone! There'll be pictures, talismans, readings about the battle celebrating every Gundam... but not yours?"

She makes it sound like the Hulijing is the poor child, left at home while they others play in the woods. Akiko's words come with sincerity however. She flexes her fingers, looking over towards the statue meditatively, "I can try and add stuff in after the temple's built. But that means it won't be ready for the consecration. I don't want you to come there, with all the other guests, and have nothing to see about your own Gundam. That wouldn't be fair to you, or Hulijing. But... what should I do?"


By the way - Dielan paused and followed in a much sourer tone. - Please accept my condolences for the missing of the Lancelot Gundam in the battle. I pray for the safe return of lady Ray Takashima to our land

"Erm... thanks?" Akiko seems more puzzled than greatful for the wellwishes. Coughing, she clarifies with a patient grin. "Ray's not lost though. She's just fighting the Skyborn up in the sky! She'll be back soon."

[Inspector Valin]

Ray:

The sky-born captain's brows are still knit together in concentration, and he doesn't seem to have parsed Ray's entire message, but more is getting through than before.

"And... you?" he asks, looking at Ray with an appraising eye, "You... wants peace?"

Ray tilts her head at that, considering the question. Does she want peace? She'd not have phrased things as Shigure did, but there were positives to stopping war. No more death, no more destruction. No more risk to innocent people. Earth has enjoyed a thousand years of peace: it could grow into something beautiful with a thousand more. And if they could work with the Skyborn, learn their was and technology... what couldn't they do? That prospect is amazing! It has to be worth fighting for, right?

Except... wars don't just stop. They end when those in command have either reached their goals, or decided those goals are no longer worth the cost. The Skyborn want something from Earth, and their last dealings with the surface...

Billion after billion, dead in ash and fire...

Humming, Ray arrives at her conclusion. She neither nods or shakes he head at her questioner, instead meeting his gaze as best she can. "I want... to know." She taps her head, trying to illustrate the word, before gesturing at the walls around them. "Why do you fight?" Hopefully the officer will realize this is less of a personal question

[Merilan]

Shigure could feel herself stiffen again, and the words get more and more difficult to speak. A life without conflict...

A pause, as she glanced aside at the end of her mother's speech and analogies. She wanted to speak in turn, but she knew she didn't have the time. The war council would be starting soon, and she knew she couldn't hold everyone up like this. She sucked in a deeper breath. Yamashiro's words were still hanging over her, as she questioned why she didn't fight. Everyone wanted her to.

Of course, she didn't believe that life could be completely without conflict. Disagreements would be broached between individuals, as opinions strayed from one another. But there was a place for healthy discourse, in which one could voice one's expression without fear of harm... and she hadn't quite discarded the idea that that was impossible.

The commander's reaction to her proved that to her. It wasn't impossible. It may be improbable, but... she wanted to reach out to that lone candle in the wind, and stoke that flame of hope.

"I will not disappoint the Shiratsuyu in this council," was the non-answer that she gave, diverting the topic gently.

[Fearan]

Dielan sighed - another instance of cultural difference between neighbouring lands have hit him with the avalanche of cuteness. Another sip of tea to process it and figure out, how to explain the Yue's ways to the cheerful girl. The common courtesy demanded of him, that he at least tried instead of just turning the petitioner down. He made a sign to Liling to refill the tea cups and started.
- Lady Akiko, what you say is exactly the point. The Lancelot Gundam is great. I saw it's jump upon the enemy flying...thing, which took it to the battle in the skies - it is worthy to be commemorated in legends and monuments. The Exalted Gundam have cut through the enemy lines, faster than anyone's eyes could follow. The Kaiser GENBU have withstood fire from the heavens. And Type Zero - well, the power of its weapon would obliterate the enemy leviathan, had Lady Shigure wished it. The Hulijing - he is no match for either of these great spirits. Still, if the construction difficulties trouble you - find me, when your temple's construction will reach the point, after which it would be difficult to add anything - I will provide you with memories of the battle then. I must warn you, you might be disappointed.

[Inspector Valin]

This seems to placate Akiko somewhat, though the young priestess still seems unsatisfied. She looks at the statue as she speaks, "He's still your god. Still a Gundam. You should celebrate his deeds. If you don't think they're important enough, then make some up! That's what we always do."

The perhaps too frank advice given, Akiko gets up, bowing to both Yues. "I'll come back when the temple's almost done. Before I go, can I sketch Hulijing?" She taps the paper and box upon her back, grinning. "For the temple wall display. All the Gundams side by side. It wouldn't be right to leave anyone out of that."

[Fearan]

-You don't seem to understand, Lady Akiko. - Dielan answered with another sigh. He couldn't blame her for that, though, and his tone was soft and comforting. - Our veneration of the Gundam is in preparing it for it's mission in the centuries of peace, and now, When the promised enemy arrived in fighting to protect those, who put their trust in us. It's not in festivals and celebrations. Though, I, personally, love festivals - with all the fireworks, and silk robes, and sweets and everything the Takashimas are so good in. Yet, hearing people's praise to Hulijing - that will lead the Yue family to fall before the enemies equal in deadliness to the Sky-Born itself. Isn't one enemy enough for this humble hermit? - he asked a rhetorical question. - As for the sketch - please, you're welcome to draw the Gundam of Yonhotsu valley. If you can find it, of course. - and the priest smiled.

[Ascension]

Ray:

The captain rubs his chin. The Gundam pilot's question... if he understands it correctly... isn't an easy one to answer, even in his own language. Ask three members of the ECF, and you might get four answers. But he can try to share his own view.

After a minute of thought, he points to Ray, saying "You," then turns toward a rectangular viewport set into far wall and points his finger out into space. Ray can just barely glimpse the edge of one of the floating city's massive mirrors through that window.

"You," he repeats, and jabs his finger emphatically toward the space colony.

_______________________________________

The Meeting of the Shrines: A Council of War:

Shiratsuyu Nishiumi may believe it to be an illusion, but the illusion of equality is one that can be useful to maintain, and so a great round table, a ring of lacquered wood, has been provided for her war room, with the places set for each of the shrine families spaced evenly around it. A smaller table placed within the center of the ring holds a spreading map of the valley region, the largest and most complete available to the Amatsu-Murakami shrine, completed some three generations back by an alliance of Shinano, Fusou, and Takashima cartographers. Carved Gundam V-fins placed atop the map clearly mark each of the five active shrines.

Nishiumi and Shigure are the first to arrive to the council, but they are soon joined by Shigure's father, Kirino, and it's not long past that when the delegations from the other shrines begin to arrive. Nishiumi greets each incoming group personally, thanking and praising them for answering her invitation, and leads them to their seats. After the first three groups of visitors are seated, she rises to call the meeting to order.

The seats provided for the Takashima shrine stand empty.

"Once again," Nishiumi begins, "I thank you all for coming so swiftly, and on such short notice. This bodes well, for we are gathered here today to discuss a situation which demands us to be quick and sure in our response. As each and every one of you knows, the sky-born have returned to this world, just as our ancestors foretold. We do not know their reasons for scourging our land, but we know our duty, the duty of our shrines, the duty of our Gundams. Our charge is to repel the invader from our lands, to protect our families and our communities. To protect the peaceful life we know. And that... will require our cooperation. Any one of us, standing alone, might be overcome, but you have already seen that together, we can fell titans. So I ask of you, please, join your strengths to that of the Amatsu-Murakami shrine. Please, assure me that when we stand, we will stand together. So that we may stand in triumph."

If you all would like to write your own transitions into the war council, feel free to include those in your next posts. You're also free to introduce whatever NPCs you'd like to have accompany your PC to the meeting.

Inspector Valin, don't worry. I've got the Takashimas covered. They won't be left out of this completely.

[Merilan]

Shigure was present, though she opted not to sit in the appointed seat for the Amatsu-Murakami holder; no doubt, her mother wished to be the spokesperson for the shrine anyway, and it wasn't prudent of her to simply try to bull her way into the conversation. The young Shiratsuyu still had her tome of learning held at her chest, no doubt believing it to still be key to understanding the sky-borne. But this was not the floor in which she should speak, so brazenly... not yet, anyhow.

She needed to better understand where the other heirs to the Gundams stood, since she had so little time to speak with them.

Per the OOC post:

Shigure is also gauging the reactions of the other members of the meeting, Carefully creating an advantage to Wait for the Right Moment.

(4d3-6)[3]

[Fearan]

Once again, a group from Yonhotsu valley have descended to the troublesome plains. The same group of guards, the same mountain pony to carry the priest to the Gundam in case of emergency and the same inseparable pair of a man in pure white and a girl in lilac. Though this time, the welcome, they received was more proper. While most of the guards was left behind, Dielan, his faithful assistant and two disciples have entered the council hall.
While Nishiumi have spoken her opening speech, the Yue priest looked over the other delegations in boredom - the woman had not spoken of anything unexpected. So he had some time to study the reactions of the gathering - and to send an encouraging smile to Shigure, who seemed completely dominated by her mother - understandable, but unfortunate.
When the host of the meeting finished, Dielan have raised from his place.
- I'm grateful to Amatsu-Murakami for hosting this meeting - it's true, there's much to be discussed. But I must ask Lady Nishiumi the following - why does she speaks of the matters already assured? The priesthood of the land have assembled to aid the Shirakawa-cho's citizen, when the enemy attacks, haven't we? So why raise this matter again - time is of the essence, since we never know, when the enemy returns.

[Ascension]

"'We never know' when the enemy may return, you say?" Nishiumi replies to Dielan, in a curious tone, "It's interesting you should say that, because..."

She extends a hand toward Kirino, and he hands her a sheet of paper, a printout in the ancient style.

"...I have been made aware that you yourself made an attempt to warn this shrine prior to the sky-born's last attack. I fear we disregarded the message at the time because... well, with some of the language used, I'm sorry, but it sounded like pure superstition. But if your methodology proves to be reliable, we may be able to secure advance warning of future incursions."

A more circumspect negotiator might leave it at that, but Nishiumi presses further.

"In the spirit of cooperation, if you might allow my husband to examine your equipment, he might be able to help you improve upon your ability to detect the sky-born. While none would question the reputation of the Heretic of the East, the Shiratsuyu family is possessed of its own significant technical expertise, and we may be able to reach higher levels of refinement by pooling our knowledge together."

[Fearan]

- How curious. - Dielan's tone almost mimicked that of Nishiumi - You chose to ignore my question just as you chose to ignore my warnings. The latter caused your people to suffer. The former - I wonder, what it'll cause. - the priest paused and continued, with a foxy grin on his face. - Our gracious host claims that the warning, which Yue family have spread - he paused to stress the next phrase - In the spirit of cooperation - was ignored on the ground of the language obscurity. True, true, the scriptures of the different shrines could be difficult to understand for outsiders - but our gracious host is no other than Shiratsuyu Nishiumi, the lady, whose power of mind is unmatched in all the lands. Surely, she would be able to understand the core of the information sent, and yet, my warnings were ignored. And now, our gracious host is making requests, which I have no reason to grant, since the divinations were 100% correct. But - he paused - That's all irrelevant. I will ask you the second time, lady Nishiumi - why are you trying to discuss matters, that are already settled?

[BlueHerring]

Leon, on the other hand, made it to the meeting solely by himself. He didn't really need retinues or retainers to attend to him, and his own authority in the matter was more than enough. He'd parked Kaiser GENBU by the Red Mountain workstation, and spoken to the workers prior to the meeting itself. From the looks of things, they were almost done with the rudimentary repairs to the damaged parts of town, and could probably help the team of technicians who wished to move the other fallen Sky-Born back to Red Mountain.

The meeting was... exactly as Leon expected. Fancy tables, an even fancier map, and Shiratsuyu Nishiumi trying to placate the other representatives of the five shrine families. Leon took his place at his corner of the table, and kept one hand on the pommel of his sword. It had not been five minutes into the meeting, and Nishiumi was already trying to get a look at the Heretic's information system.

This... This was going to be a long day.

Leon shook his head, and glanced at Shigure out of the corner of his eyes. He couldn't raise an objection here - especially since he needed to convince the Amatsu-Murakami to hand over the broken Sky-Born, but this was almost too much.

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya takes his seat at the table, bearing a long, thin blade at his side, with his uncle beside him carrying a wooden box. "Squabbling will get us nowhere, Dielan," Amamiya says curtly. "I, as the leader of the Yonezawa's, am prepared to offer my clan's full sport."

He glances back at Ren, and sighs. "However, my Uncle has a few, ah, small details of our trade agreement that he wishes to discuss with you and whoever here stands for the Takashimas. Once this council has been concluded, of course. I would not bring them to your attention if they were not pressing issues, but as the only person on this planet to have slain one of the Skyborn's titans in single combat, I feel they must be addressed soon. I will happily join you and Uncle Ren in this discussion if he thinks I am needed, but he is far more knowledgable about those agreements than I am."

[Merilan]

Dielan sent a warning out? Shigure had to admit, she never heard the contents of that warning... it never reached her personally, and none of the others ever mentioned it either. But the fact that there was a warning was key here, and she could at least agree on her mother's point that everyone needed that information. That was an advantage that they needed to utilise if they're to save lives, the ability to have early warning and control over the situation...

...but at the same time... the ploy to consolidate the power to a common table -- the Amatsu-Murakami's -- was too obvious. And perhaps a little startling to Shigure, because she knew that they were the ones who were aided this time. They weren't the ones in a position of power, this time.

She glanced back to Leon, apologetically, then to Amamiya as he spoke. Yes, she agreed that argument was not what was needed here...

"Yue-dono," Shigure spoke up in the lapse of the conversation. Her voice was soft, and respectfully empathic, but it carried with it a hint of that willpower underneath. "I believe Yonhotsu knows best as to how their technology should be positioned. Moving sensitive intelligence equipment here is not what we require at this time. But what I believe we can improve on," she swallows, "Is that we ensure the information is received and relayed to the right people, at the right time. As the current pilot of the Type Zero, I do not mind being this relay between the other heirs of the other clans, so that each pilot can act optimally to each incoming threat."

She looked towards the white-haired man with the fox mask.

"I will treat the information you grant us with its due respect, and with full confidentiality. I will not pry or question the nature of the information, for that is a symbol of my trust to you. Would you object if I humbly offered myself as the delegate for this information from you, Yue-dono?"

[Ascension]

Everyone Hates Nishiumi:

Nishiumi winces ever so slightly as her daughter takes initiative... Shigure is always so eager to make concessions. Still, the girl's offer may, perhaps, afford her the opportunity to blunt the Yue representative's barbs and steer the conversation back in a constructive direction. Nishiumi may be playing power politics, but she does recognize that an actual schism among the families would drastically harm their ability to resist the sky-born. Unity is the first vital step. Control can come later.

"The matter is only settled, honored Heretic, if you consider the speed and effectiveness of our response to the last attack to be the best we could possibly achieve. I do not. As my daughter suggests, as our own admitted failure to give your prior warning proper respect suggests, the most important thing is that we improve our lines of communication. In the face of enemies who are willing and able to work as a unit, we need to be able to work as a unit. Inefficiency and miscommunication cost us... they cost us time, they cost us materials, and they cost us lives. Shirakawa-cho bears the scars of our inefficiency. The Gundam of Nagizawa Isle is missing due to our inefficiency. We need to do better."

She nods thanks to the Yonezawa Gundam pilot for offering his clan's support. She has heard rumors that that young man has been groomed to lead his backwater clan to prominence, but he seems to be more cooperative than she'd feared. Combined with his strength on the battlefield, that may make him a great asset indeed... as long as success against the sky-born doesn't do too much to enlarge his ego. For now, though, it seems he's content to leave in-depth negotiations to his uncle, who Nishiumi has dealt with before.

"There will certainly be time to discuss our clans' other ties once the urgent matter of our military preparations is sufficiently resolved," she assures him, "And I can assure you that the extent of your personal contribution to our effort to resist the enemy will be given due consideration."

[DoctorFaust]

"So long as that discussion actually occurs, I am content with that answer," Amamiya says, leaning back in his chair. "My Uncle speaks in my stead for those matters, so I hope you will show him the same amount of respect you have shown me."

"But Dielan, I will say, both Nishiumi and Shigure have a point. As the Yonezawas have no way of receiving your messages, the Exalted was only ready for battle because we had begun preparations to activate it the previous day. And as it stands, reaching Shirakawa-cho as late as we did placed significant strain on its frame. Enough so that I consider myself lucky the battle was as short as it was. We need a way to communicate better. Certainly, signal fires or mounted messengers would be too slow, and apparently your clan's operators veiled the true meaning of the message they sought to spread enough to render it useless. A center of communication is absolutely necessary, and it must be one that speaks in words impossible to dismiss as superstition. I believe Shigure would be the one best suited for that. She has already proven herself an able speaker to be able to communicate with the Skyborn, and I trust her the most of all the other high priests and priestesses."

[Inspector Valin]

Ray follows Captain Yue's direction, gazing out the viewpoint and into the void. Her, and the direction... what was the Sky Born trying to indicate? The void? The city? The Takashima pilot taps her finger on the desk and closes her eyes, thinking the matter over. She can think of two possibilities. One would be amazing! So it probably isn't true, but Lancelot's name, if only. The other... is more likely, but it doesn't say enough.

She needs to try and ask him. Taking a deep breath, Ray opens her eyes and pulls herself to her feet. Looking at the captain, Ray taps herself just below the neck, where the Gundam Key once had rested. That done, she moves her leg back, and brings her arm up sideways, as if holding Lancelot's shield. She looks towards the Skyborn with an eyebrow raised, not quite believing this. "Protect?" First option given, Ray turns her thoughts to the second. She taps her neck again, before reaching down to the floor and brining herhand slowly up. She taps the wall of this room before turning back to the captain, eyes a little colder. "Capture?"

[Fearan]

The young priest of the Yues, bombarded with senseless requests, just sighed - that was going nowhere. He didn't really minded the insults, the implications of mistrust and the massive disregard towards his family's rituals - that was expected. But was it wrong to at least hope for some rational thinking?
- Improve communications, you say? - he sounded extremely surprised - "I fail to see, what's obstructing you from this, reverend priesthood. To my knowledge, communication altars are present in each shrine. I can advise only to keep vigil near them, and if they somehow stopped working - were you implying that, lord Yonezawa - perhaps, the praised technical specialists of Amatsu-Murakami will help you restore it. If Lady Shigure feels, that she need to personally forward the warnings Yues will provide - that's her will, for we can't really tell other shrines, what to do with the information. For our part - Yue family will continue to broadcast our predictions of upcoming battles to the best of our abilities, until the enemy implements countermeasures, or tries to silence our voice by force - which will obviously happen sooner or later. Do we really need the council to state such self-evident things? - he added in the hopes of moving the discussion to at least something useful.

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya raises an eyebrow. "We have no records of this. If what you say is true, though, this only highlights another failure on all our parts. The fact we supposedly all have objects that let us communicate that quickly is something we should have known about three days ago. Though in all likelyhood, given Nishiumi's remarks, it was likely placed in storage or discarded under the assumption it was useless religious paraphenalia, if it even exists. And if you think anyone from Amatsu will be granted access to our most secure compounds when you insist on shrouding your communications array in this much mystery, you are sadly mistaken.

[Ascension]

Why Can't We Be Friends?:

In a momentary lapse of self-control, Nishiumi openly massages her right temple. This meeting just keeps breaking down.

"Having the ears to hear, while a vital first step, is only a beginning," she says, with a fragile calmness, "Ideally we would be best served by open lines of communication between all our shrines, so that we may all speak, and, yes, listen, to each other, and we need to be willing to coordinate our actions rather than each working independently. The very first titan felled was only defeated through a collaborative effort between the Amatsu-Murakami and the Red Mountain, and I am certain that joint action will improve our overall effectiveness. We have no reason to believe the sky-born have shown us the full extent of their power... threats may be coming that are too big for any of our Gundams to defeat through individual heroism alone."

Pantomimes in Space:

The captain shakes his head in frustration. He has no idea what the Gundam pilot is gesturing about now, but it's obvious she hasn't taken his point. Perhaps... perhaps it would be best to illustrate it. The Gundam pilot may not understand her own history.

He sits at the table, turns the translucent screen toward himself, and spends some time tapping and swiping his way through a lengthy series of menus before finding the file he's looking for. He turns the screen toward Ray and presses play.

The new video opens on a screen of foreign text, sky-born words Ray can't begin to read, but then transitions to images. A narrator starts speaking in the sky-born tongue, but Ray can only understand one thing he says: "Earth." That word comes up frequently.

The video opens on a cartoonish image of Earth hanging in space. The details don't really match, but it looks enough like the view she was treated to as the Orcinus rocketed into space for her to recognize it as what it is: her own planet. A caricature of a person appears atop the cartoon Earth, and then a second person appears, and a third, and so on, in rapid succession, until the Earth is weighed down under a mound of people. A pained face appears on the planet, and it pants under the strain. The pile grows even higher, and the Earth's continents fade from shades of green to shades of brown.

Then a colony appears in space, and some of the people piled on top of Earth are moved to sit on top of it instead. But still the Earth is overcrowded. So another colony appears, and another, and with each one the load on the Earth is reduced. Eventually, only a handful of people are left standing on the planet... but the planet still looks sick. Another colony appears, but the last people on Earth don't move to it. They cross their arms and plant their feet and stay put. The Earth groans.

The people on one of the colonies reach down and take hold of one of the people on Earth, trying to pull him off the planet, but he struggles, and the other people on Earth grab his feet and pull him back down. A tug-of-war ensues, and it turns into a fight, a fight which spreads until everyone is fighting. Earth weeps as it becomes a battlefield, and its browned surface begins to scorch black. In the end, several of the colonies are pulled from the sky, and all the people on the Earth are killed, and the planet itself looks dead.

Silently, mournfully, the surviving colonies edge out of the picture, leaving the burnt-out Earth standing alone. This image is replaced by another slide of incomprehensible text, and the narration resumes. The next scene, in a different style of animation, pans slowly across a barren plain before freezing and zooming in on a lonely, beautiful flower sprouting up from the cracked earth. From there, the camera dramatically zooms back out into space as that lone speck of green and growing life spreads out to encompass the globe again. The narration poses an unintelligible question, and the video cuts to a final text slide. The captain cuts it off there.

"You," he says, one more time, pointing to Ray, "Go."

His finger jabs out toward the colony again, and this time his message should be clear.

[BlueHerring]

"Oh, they absolutely have not shown their full strength. If they had one, or two more of those flying ships, there is no way we could defend against them."

Leon, who had remained silent thus far, finally felt like it was time to speak up. At the very least, Nishiumi was starting to make some degree of sense.

"But the issue is not cooperation between Gundam pilots. I agree that we must be able to effectively communicate, but the one best equipped to do so are the Yue. I propose that their communications be given an absolute priority, under the condition that it be used solely for determining if the Sky-Born are attacking." Leon glanced around the table, letting his proposal sink in for a moment, before continuing. "This gives the Yue the necessary channel to provide information in the event of an impending attack, but they can still have their secrecy. Does that sound fair?"

[Merilan]

There was a quiet sigh from Shigure as well, as she glanced out a nearby window. She'd hoped she could provide a concession to move the meeting to a more constructive space, but it looked like that was the wrong thing to say. She thought that if one of the reasons the warning went awry was because it was difficult to understand, she could serve as someone to help decipher it. She wasn't expecting a discussion between the clans to be easy, but...

"Then, as an action from this meeting, Yonezawa-dono, I propose that each Clan individually make sure they understand where their communications terminal are, and that we can receive messages from the Yue through a test message."

She let out another sigh, and shut her eyes for a moment. Perhaps a topic shift would be best served here.

"In regards to the Sky-Borne, I have been deciphering the combat transmissions from the last battle. Thanks to Takezono-sensei and her assistants, I believe I have what is a rudimentary understanding of their language," she held the tome up gently. "It is incomplete, and requires more work, but..."

She slid the tome and unravelled the string binding it together, to reveal that there wasn't one, but five copies of the manuscript inside.

"I would like to offer this to all the shrines, that we may better understand our enemy's intentions, and be able to better act to protect their people."

[DoctorFaust]

"I gracious accept your offer on behalf of the Yonezawa clan," Amamiya replies. "And I am in agreement with you, Leon. However, if I may bring up my previous point, I believe we cannot base that communication in faith. Any of our faiths, no matter our opinions on the matter. As this incident demonstrated, doing so opens messages up to misinterpretation or being ignored far too much for important matters such as this, solely because we may not share the same beliefs."

He taps a hand on the table for a moment, deep in thought, and eventually speaks back up, "But if we were not to base the communications in religious or supernatural terms, we must find another way. Perhaps based on the technology of our Gundams instead?"

[Inspector Valin]

Ray watches the strangely simple pictograms closely, trying as hard as she can to focus on the Skyborn version of history. When the captain cuts the video, and gestures outwards toward the colonies, her eyes follow his gesture before turning towards the man himself. And for a second, perhaps two or three, a massive grin spreads over Ray's face. She was right! Shigure was right! The Skyborn really do want to lift them up, bring them to their cities above the clouds, share their ways and technology with the surface born. And she'd get to see it! She'd dreamed of venturing around the world, but there's even more to explore in the void. New cities, new people, new ways. It's glorious, it's intoxicating, and Ray is well and truly swept up in that moment.

But then the moment passes. And the Takashima pilot recalls the full context of the video the captain had shown her. their version of the end of Earth, and more importantly the cause. Ray turns back towards where the screen had been, her smile fading as she remembered. The Skyborn believe people on Earth were destructive. And that'd destroyed the world. So now they knew there were people back on Earth again... they wanted the same thing they'd wanted all those years ago. For them to leave their lands for strange cities in space. Likely never to return.

Ray Takashima feels a chill run down her back at that thought. She's seen more than a few lands now. Nagizawa, Shirakawa-cho, Red Mountain, the Vales. All empty. All abandoned, with the people brought up to new lives beyond the clouds. Ray glances towards the Skyborn Captain, the prior joy replaced with uncertainty, worry, perhaps even a little sadness. She opens her mouth as if to say something but swiftly closes it again. What could she say to that?

She'll come up with something, given time. Just felt like the Skyborn's reaction to this might be interesting. ;)

[Fearan]

Dielan exhaled in a some kind of a breath exercise - the day was going to be long. He barely payed attention to Nishiumi, who continued stating the obvious without proposing any actual steps towards the desired goal. But at least the others start mentioned interesting point.
Dielan turned to Leon first as the Red Mountain Monk mentioned the necessity of the communication culture - something long forgotten in the land, since communication relics was hardly used nowadays.
- It is an interesting point, you've spoken of, Reverend Halter - he nodded respectfully, and his tone was really different of when he tried to speak to Nishiumi - I believe, that is the precaution for the future - we have to fully restore the communication network, as it seems, we have holes in it. Until then, I'd say our communications would not be polluted enough to regulate priorities. But still, sounds like a wise precaution indeed.
When Shigure offered her translation tome, Dielan bowed to her - The Yue family is grateful to you for this invaluable offer. Please, be assured - we will join your work on understanding the Sky-born, and our discoveries would be likewise shared with the rest of us
And finally, there was the matter of Yonezawas. On the Amamiya's request Dielan could answer only - Please, elaborate, for the sense of your words somehow elude me. - he looked extremely confused, while listening to the champion of Exalted.

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya sighs, clearly annoyed. "I'm not sure how to put what I mean any clearer than what I just said, but I will try for you, Dielan. If what you say is true, we do have a method of communication between the various populations. But it doesn't matter how fast we can communicate if we can't understand what one another is saying."

"As was made obvious by both the Shiratsuyu's and the Yue's handling of this situation, using our own religions terms for things instead of calling them by their proper name, if they indeed have a proper name, can cause misunderstandings. And as has also been evidenced by the current situation, misunderstandings can get people killed."

"That is a bad thing."

"In an effort to stop further misunderstandings, I propose that we stop using religious terms for whatever technologies we may have access to, attempt to find their true names, and start using those instead. Do you follow me so far?"

[Ascension]

Robert's Rules of Disorder:

Nishiumi's eyes flash as Shigure introduces her translation work to the assembly. She doesn't disapprove of the project itself, as the strategic value of being able to understand the enemy's communications is potentially invaluable, but it rankles her that the girl isn't content to simply follow her lead in this open meeting.

Amamiya's suggestion to Dielan strikes her as rational, but seems likely to further antagonize the touchy Yue representative. She opens her mouth in preparation for another heavy-handed attempt at peacemaking, but, before she's able to say anything, the ongoing conversations are interrupted by an abrupt commotion at the door.

"What are you planning to do about our families?"

"My sister's up there!"
"They took my son!"

"All of the Nakamuras are missing!"

Several peasant villagers in well-worn clothes are straining to try to get into the war room, only barely being held back by Amatsu-Murakami retainers.

"Apologies, Lady Shiratsuyu! They took us by surprise!"

"People!" Nishiumi barks, "I understand your concerns, but this is a private meeting of-"

"Settle down now!" an easygoing voice breaks in from behind the knot of villagers, "Everybody settle down."

The speaker pushes his way up through the crowd and on into the war room. The retainers guarding the door don't dare to stop him, because they recognize that, with the Lancelot Gundam's pilot still missing, Yosho Takashima speaks for the fifth Gundam shrine.

"Don't mind them," he says, jerking a thumb at the villagers, "They're with me. I brought them here because we all have the same question for you: Where are our loved ones, and what do you plan to do to get them back?"

Nishiumi narrows her eyes in annoyance. An interruption like this is the last thing this already disorganized council needs, but she can't refuse the Takashima shrine a voice without potentially alienating the other families.

"All reports I have heard suggest that the Lancelot Gundam, for whatever reason, leapt atop the floating leviathan of its own accord, and remained on it when it fled into the sky. I fear your daughter herself is the only person who can explain that behavior."

"Fine. I don't know what she could've been thinking, but I can accept that. She's our Gun'pla, and decisions like that are hers to make. But that doesn't answer my question, Nishiumi. This is a planning session, right? So what's the plan to rescue your people, and my daughter, who have been taken into the sky?"

"We haven't... reached a consensus on that matter yet," Nishiumi replies. It is technically a true statement, and it sounds much better than 'We haven't talked about it at all.'

"Alright then." Yosho helps himself to the central chair set out for the Takashimas, and gestures for the villagers he brought with him to sit in the other chairs provided. "Let's start talking."

In Space, No One Can Hear You Inner Monologue*

When no immediate answer seems forthcoming from the Gundam pilot, the captain motions for the door to be opened, and kicks himself over to it. The transfer back to the storage room where they're holding the Earth-born is only a short trip, but the captain and his guards seem relaxed, not expecting her to put up a fight, so she might be able to make a break for it... or at least she could take the opportunity to get a better look at the layout of the surrounding rooms.

*Unless you're a Newtype.

[Merilan]

Shigure was chewing on her lip to think of the role of religious terms in how it helped to sow misunderstanding in that original message. That was part of what she'd wanted to get across -- that if it wasn't the right message that was transferred, perhaps she could help in interpreting ... but that was all moot now, and she was content to let Amamiya speak to Dielan.

The commotion took her a little by surprise, though, as it confirmed what she'd heard last time -- that Ray had jumped onto the ship and left with it. There was a great relief in her stomach as it confirmed to her that escaping Zero's grasp at the last minute prevented her from, potentially, harming or even killing Ray and the Lancelot Gundam... something that would probably have sent her into a very, very uncomfortable position.

"We do not have a suitable vessel to give chase to the enemy..." Shigure started. "At best, the Type Zero combined with the Wing Raiser would be the best choice, but..."

Kirino furrowed his brow to admit, "We've not been able to even perform rudimentary tests of the combination sequence, let alone confirm whether or not the resulting combination will be flightworthy or stable. Then, there is the problem of us lacking a suitable pilot for it..."

Shigure lowered her head for a moment. "Yamashiro-neesama... is not in a state to pilot at the moment..."

[Inspector Valin]

Well, I could try and make a break for it now. Ray ponders the idea as the group slowly move back towards the containment unit. The guards aren't expecting trouble from her. Moving up here is strange, but it's kinda like swimming. And Ray knows swimming. If she was quick, she could possibly make it back to the Lancelot, and then... try and jump?

That's a terrible plan. Mostly for the usual reasons Ray's plans are terrible: it's dangerous, not well thought through, there's probably things she hasn't accounted for, ect. But she also needs to save the villagers. They aren't really in danger here exactly, but... it'd be wrong to just leave them. If the SKyborn move them to one of the floating cities, it'd probably be even harder to get them out of here. This is likely the best chance anyone will have at attempting their rescue, and guiding the lost back home is pretty much half the nature of the Takashima Gundam. She mustn't waste this.

Ray glances around the corridors as she goes. Only quick glances, but she doesn't generally take long to think things through. Besides, if her instincts are right, she only needs a very rough idea of the ship's layout. After a little distance has passed, the strange prisoner chuckles, "You know you can't keep me here." She looks between the guards, grinning an entirely honest grin. She's not intending them to actually understand this, and her tone is utterly cheery. There's a twinkle in her eye as she turns to the Captain. "I'm a Gundam pilot. Gun'pla of Nagizawa. I'm too awesome to spend the rest of my life floating in sky-prison. I'm planning my escape right now and none of you understand what I'm saying, right?"

[roll0] Flashy to Create Advantage: Escape Plan! I think telling your captors you're planning an escape right in front of them while doing it constitutes a flashy planning method, no? ;) (If not, just call it quick because Ray's having to work as she goes, and knock a point off.)

Oh, and if the guards understand what Ray's saying? That's fine. :smallwink: That's kinda useful, actually, if I've got their PoV on Earthborn right.

Edit: Taking a self-compel on Lantern Barer, confirmed via IM with Ascension

[DoctorFaust]

As Yosho Takashima pushes his way through the crowd, Amamiya rolls his eyes in exasperation before schooling his features into an expression of detached disinterest. "You know as well as I do that none of our Gundams are flight capable," he says. So unless you plan on miraculously revealing heretofore unknown technology that would render them able to fly to wherever the Skyborn have their base, our best plan at the moment would either be to have one of us pilot the Wing Raiser, or simply wait for the Skyborn to return and attempt to hijack one of their vessels."

He glances over at the villagers, and his expression softens. "Know that I sympathize with your plight. I truly do. Had any of my clan been taken, I would be demanding the same answers as you all."

[Ascension]

Brainstorming:

Yosho leans forward with a smile, eyes fixed on Amamiya.

"You sell yourself short, young man. You just named two more plans than the Amatsu-Murakami shrine has put forward."

"Those aren't plans," Nishiumi snorts, dismissively.

"Call them seeds of plans, if you prefer, but there's more potential there than either of you realize."

'I've made miracles of less,' he thinks, but refrains from saying it, for the benefit of the more devout souls in attendance.

He focuses back in on Amamiya.

"You 'attempt to hijack one of their vessels,'" he quotes, "good. How? What's your first step?"

Where Eagles Dare?:

Unfortunately, as the storeroom door closes again on Ray Takashima, locking her back inside with the captive villagers, she finds that stating one has a plan is not always equivalent to actually having a plan. She's going to have to give this more thought.

"What did they want from you?" one of the prisoners asks, with a hesitant curiosity.

[Merilan]

Shigure had a few plans thought up already, but she had to admit that hijacking one of the vessels was one of them. She spoke gently, "When we last encountered the Sky-Borne's flying vessel, we saw that it was propelled upward by four identical large pods. If we were able to disable some of them them without destroying them, it's possible that we could ground the ship by influencing its flight course."

[Inspector Valin]

"Asking about the Type Zero." Ray deadpans the reaction as best she can, while her thoughts are reeling slightly. There's no way she could navigate that confusing mess of corridors. It's worse than the Amatsu-Murakami shrine! She's going to need a new escape route, and fast. She closes her eyes, leaning back against the wall while grinning for the benefit of the villagers. "Also, telling me all their plans. Because they're nice like that."

Bluster. Bluff. Confidence. That's the Takashima way in a situation like this. To inspire people, let them see you smiling and sure of yourself and they'll follow where you lead. But as much as some might doubt it, Ray Takashima never acted without at least some thought. Usually, she can just plan as she goes, jump from one idea to the next as needed. But she has nothing right now! No immediate way out of this room, no way to get people back to Earth. How do you try and keep people's hopes up with nothing? Even Yamashiro would've likely had trouble with this.

No, that's not fair. Yama would have probably thought of a way out by now. Ray sighs inwardly, thinking of her friend's easy confidence while running a hand along the wall. Yamashiro would've found some secret flaw in it by now, some way to break through the steel onto the other side. All Ray can feel is a slight indentation, a spot for cargo containers to slot into place.

Cargo containers...

Ray's eyes open wide as they dart around the room. Yes, the crates were gone now, but this place had formerly been some kind of storage room for the ship. There were little indents around the walls, designed to hold cargo in place rather than letting it float everywhere. This wasn't a regular prison, it was a small hold with a locked door. Because that'd be enough for the primitive Earthers, right? Where'd they even go, with those brains held down by gravity?

Oh, you poor arrogant Sky Devils. Now Ray is back in action, grinning with a very real confidence. She glances across the floor briefly, confirming a thought, before looking up across the villagers. "Attention, everyone! I'm going to be breaking out of here soon. I need to talk to you all about this."

Once the group are at least vaguely looking at her, the Nagizawan pilot begins her pitch, smile gone for the moment. This is something to take seriously, and she needs these people to know she's taking it seriously. "I've spoken to the Sky Born. I know now why they've taken you. If what they say is true..." Ray pauses for a second. The idea seems fantastical, and yet... the captain didn't sound like he was lying. With a nod of resolution, the Takashima pilot continues. "... then they do not intend to harm you. At all. You will be safe up here as long as need be. If you are worried about the danger, you should remain here. No harm will come to you that way, and you shouldn't feel obliged to put yourselves at risk."

"But there is still a problem. They will not release us. Bringing people up here is their plan. They want to take us away from our homes, our lands and livelihoods." Ray gestures in the rough direction of the space colony. "They are going to put us into a big flying city-thing. It's probably going to be hard to get people out of. If you want to go back home any time soon, escaping now is your best option. And I swear as Gun'pla of Nagizawa and Chosen of Lancelot that I will help you all as best I can."

[Ascension]

Ray:

Well, the Converted Storage Space scene aspect has really been there since my first description of this cell, it just hadn't been bolded and capitalized yet, so I suppose your extrapolation from that here and in our IMs is reasonable. Buuuuut let me add a few details of my own, while we're at it... :smallwink:
Looking around at the faces of the half dozen villagers sharing her cell, Ray can see some fear and trepidation, but they're all with her.

"We want to see our homes again."

"Our families."


"And our friends."
"We'll follow you, Gun'pla. But what's the plan?"

That is the question, isn't it? Spotting the cargo transfer hatch in the floor is a start, but she still has to get it open, and figure out where else to go from there. The hatch is square, each side maybe just a little more than half her height in length, and set flush into the deck. It seems as though you have to turn a wheel in the center of the hatch to open or to secure it; the wheel is also flush to the deck, but it looks like you might be able to pull the handles up to get a better grip on them. There's a recessed keypad set into the deck on all four sides of the hatch, each of them identical; they're oriented so that no matter which direction you approach the hatch from, the keypad on your right will be facing you. A dashed line of light strips encircling the hatch glows a faint green.

I'm afraid green doesn't mean "unlocked" in this case.

[Inspector Valin]

"Well... I've got a question for you."

Grinning at the support, Ray kneels before kicking upwards and pushing away from the wall. The Takashima heiress drifts across the room towards the hatch upside down, pulling herself to a halt with the handle. "This place is a storeroom. Not a prison. The Skyborn put us here because they didn't have proper cells for us. And I bet they think we're kinda stupid" Now she's reached her destination, Ray angles her elbows against the hatch, slowly turning the overly stiff device as she continues, one ear to the metal of the hatch. "There's a lot in common between a hold and a brig. But there's a big difference. What is that?"

Answer: A cell is built to keep people in. A cargo hold/storeroom is built to keep people out. :smallwink:

Which is very valid for a military ship that could theoretically expect boarders. Which makes it pretty likely that the hatch mechanism is locked from this side, rather than the other. For the moment, looking at it logically, the green strips and number pads are distractions. The pads probably control the mechanism used to shift cargo, rather than the hatch.* Green strips signify that entering the shaft is safe: the lift isn't in use ATM. Taken together, either they didn't bother to lock this thing, or they locked it from this side and trusted the monkey brains not to be smart enough to recognize the second exit. Either way, trying the hatch should help identify the problem further, correct? :smallwink:

* Why? Because having an electronic seal on something physical like that is a liability, not a strength. Electronic security can fail if the ship loses power. That could leave crewmen trapped in the cargo section without an escape in a dangerous situation. A spaceship shouldn't be relying on that stuff for any access way. There always needs to be a manual override

[Fearan]

The matter of saving the villagers have distracted everyone from discussing the "communication troubles" as it was put by the Yonezawas. Dielan had to admit - Amamiya was quite effective in rapid thinking, when not busy shouting blasphemies. He nodded with respect and approval towards the Takashima Elder, who continued to disgrace Nishiumi and her tendencies of useless talking, and raised his voice in discussion of the matter.
- It won't be that hard to disable those pods, Lady Shigure speaks of - however, we would need to draw that airship away from the town to minimise the collateral form it's inevitable collapse. Can we afford to wait for an another attack before trying to rescue the abducted? We don't know, what the Sky-Devils are doing for them. And if we try to send Type-Zero into space - were leaving the plains vulnerable. Both plans are risky in their own way - let's try to discuss the pros and cons of both.

[DoctorFaust]

"The truthful answer to that is that I do not know."

But I'm glad my teachers encouraged me to make things up on the fly... he thinks to himself.

Amamiya stands from his chair and begins pacing around the room. "As Dielan says, both plans have their positive and negative aspects, but of the two, I believe attempting to highjack one of the Skyborn's ships has the most promise. While two of our five Gundams were enough to fend off their ground troops this time, there is no guarantee that they will not come with greater numbers or simply with more of the cannons that targeted Leon, giving them the force necessary to overwhelm the defenders that would have to remain. There's also the issue of the time it could take the learn controls of the Wing Raiser, as well as the fact that we would be attempting a rescue mission in the same numbers as your Gun'pla, which has apparently lead to her going missing."

"On the other hand," he continues, "Hijacking a Skyborn's vessel would require us to learn how to fly a ship large enough to carry at least five Gundams, and one that was created by a civilisation that speaks a language entirely different than our own. Though obviously we will have Shigure and her teams work to help us with that. If we were to damage whatever makes the ships flight-capable enough to bring it down, that likely means they would be damaged enough to not be able to take it back up again, requiring their repair, something that could potentially take a long period of time. So it may well be that your Gun'pla had the right of it by just leaping up to the Skyborn's ship, though based on her continued absence it has had some unintended side effects. Furthermore, if their carriers are equipped with weaponry strong enough to destroy the Meteor Cannon, their base may well have guns powerful enough to simply blow us out of the sky when we attempt to approach it, as we can't really pass for a Skyborn with the level of understanding of their language that we have now. Even if all of those were not an issue, there is still the problem of how to make sure that the hypothetical ship they send down is actually large enough to carry all of our Gundams. And how to even get the Skyborn to return in such a way as to minimize the danger to our people."

At this point, his pacing has carried him in a loop all the way around the room back to where he was sitting originally. After a brief pause for thought, he suddenly says, "Dielan. You claim to have a system of communication that reaches to all of the Shrines. Do you think you would be able to use it to send a message to the Skyborn?"

[Merilan]

Shigure looked to have picked up on Amamiya's train of thought, with a nod of her own. "We can study the communication devices on the fallen titans of the Sky-Borne to understand how they communicate with each other. Based on my recording, it was evident that the commander of the troops was communing with the flying ship -- given that you only disabled the arms, we should be able to use the device to send a transmission to any incoming ships, and with our understanding of their language..."

[DoctorFaust]

"Ah, well, the one I removed the arms from was one of the ones that escaped. The one I brought down had the majority of the torso destroyed, so I was not sure if its communication system was still intact. Though considering the Takashimas seem to have purchased the land where it fell, as their representative in this meeting, would you be able to tell us anything about the state of the Titan, Yosho?"

[Ascension]

The Fallen Giant:

Yosho scratches his chin, thinking back to his inventory of the titan he purchased. While his primary interest in it is as a relic, he'd be remiss if he didn't didn't try to appraise the value of its technology as well.

"I... can't say there's much left of the cockpit, but the head and neck are intact, so if communications were routed upward out of the body, then we would have some components of their system..."

"Are you proposing that we negotiate for the captives' release?" Nishiumi interjects. "With what leverage? They control contact with us... until we can threaten them where they live, we're in a tenuous position."

Prison Break:

Unfortunately, the wheel clanks to a stop almost as soon as Ray begins to turn it. She can't hear any particular sound of moving parts rattling from within the lock itself, the wheel simply won't budge beyond a fraction of an inch in either direction.

"Um... you put people in one and goods in the other?" one of the villagers ventures, somewhat confused.

"No, it's that cargo holds aren't meant to keep anything in," another corrects, and then appends, "uh... usually. What kind of stuff did they store in here, anyway?"

Okay, that's enough freeform, you're going to have to start rolling something now. There's a wealth of potential avenues you could explore to try to get out of here, but just puzzling out the lock itself would be Clever. You're probably looking at a Create Advantage roll to determine how it functions and then an Overcome roll to actually circumvent that function.

[Merilan]

"Oh, I see... my apologies, I was not in a particularly... aware state by the end of that battle," Shigure sounded a little embarrassed, but also disappointed. She looked to her mother, and placed her hands to her chest again. "I think that attempting to take the initiative through parley would, at the very least, place the impetus to respond on them -- if they refuse, then that is an unfortunate outcome that we must deal with. However, I believe that attempting aggression at this stage when we know they have hostages would be unwise."

A pause, as she uncomfortably adds, "And it may not only be the villagers. We still do not know what became of Takashima-dono..." Suggesting that the Gun'pla may have become a captive felt very much like an insult, but it was a very real possibility, alongside the possibility that Ray may have been killed in combat.

"Furthermore, we still do not understand the true motivations of the Sky-Borne. I do not believe their actions so far suggest a motivation of total annihilation. I believe there is ample opportunity to gather more information through negotiation..."

[Inspector Valin]

"Probably more than one thing"

Ray doesn't look up from the hatch, now starting to pry the handles upward, while holding the wheel in place. One of these has to help with the hatch lock. Absently, the takashima heir talks to the assembled commoners behind her. "This is a military ship. It carries their version of Gundams about. I think they stored whatever supplies they needed here. Given the size, the likely have more store rooms close by, filling them up as needed." It's guesswork, but it's founded guesswork. Ray's studdied the Legendary War, and knows enough about ships to have a basic understanding. The Takashima heir focuses on that, shifting up the next handle and continuing to experiment with the wheel.

I know what I'm doing. I'm the Gun'pla. I can get us out of here.

Bah! Mechanics. :smalltongue: Fine.

[roll0] to create an advantage of I Know This Ship. Clever, because it makes most sense... willlikely have to invoke, and have several aspects to do that with if need be.

Spending a Fate Point to invoke Chosen One, making this a success with Style and giving me 2 invokes on that.

[Fearan]

Dielan looked at Amamiya with a bit of confusion after the Yonezawa's question - haven't he followed, what they were talking about? Oh, well, that was a fair question, and at least deserved an attempt of explanation.
- The communication, you talk about, reverend Yonezawa, is a two-sided way. Remember the situation minutes ago - with the altar lost or malfunctioning on your side, my words couldn't reach you. What makes you think, the Sky-born have communication altars aligned with ours? Oh - he paused - I'm getting esoteric again, right? I'll try to explain in the simplest words, I can. Hopefuly, reverend priesthood will help me on this - i'm not that much of a sifu. So, basically, to communicate you need special items on both side - which the shrines and the Sky-born clearly have - as Lady Shigure told us, the Sky-Born have communicated with each other - and I haven't seen any messenger pigeons or light signals. Then, those items must be aligned to each other - I'm skipping the astrology part. Think of it as a machine-language. Now, if we capture notes of the Sky-born communication alignment, I will know, what particular language they speak and be able to re-align our own communication altar. That will only leave us with the problem of distance and destination - we don't really know, where the Sky-born actually are - and will our communication grid be able to penetrate the miles between us. Which is, of course, not the reason not to try. Am I being clear enough?

[DoctorFaust]

"Ah, good. So it is a machine, and not a three-handled, moss covered family credenza."

Amamiya turns away from Dielan, and addresses the Takashima representative directly. "Yosho, once the talks finish, you are to take Dielan with you to the Titan I felled. Once there, you are to have whatever Takashima workers you have there assist him in finding it's communications system, or at least what remains of it. Hopefully, with the aid of Shigure's manuscript, he will be able to learn how to use the machines of the Amatsu-Murakami to speak with the Skyborn."

"And while negotiating with the Skyborn for the return of the lost people would be preferrable, as Lady Nishiumi points out we don't have much negotiating power where we stand currently. We may be able to use the remains of their pilot, but I'm not sure how effective that would be," he says with a shrug. "If the worst comes to worst, we can always try insulting their ancestors and see if they return then."

[BlueHerring]

"You both are forgetting something."

Leon once again speaks up. Despite how the meeting had been going, Leon still wasn't cut out for this. The others were better at words, and he... definitely was not cut out for this. He preferred going out and actually getting something done with his hands, instead of this wishy-washy talk.

"There is still the Sky-Born felled by the Meteor Cannon. If you used parts from that, and the one felled here in Shirakawa-cho, you could probably get a communications system up and running that can intercept their messages."

"[color=darkblue]There is one small matter, however. The Meteor Cannon is down, and we need parts to repair it. The Nagizawa priesthood has helped Red Mountain repair it, but the elders of Red Mountain are requesting that the parts from that fallen Sky-Born be sent to Red Mountain in order to finish the repairs.

[Merilan]

Shigure looked at Leon and nodded. "That's very true. I have some experience with the maintenance of the Type Zero as well, so I should be able to be of some assistance with understanding the wreckage of the Sky-Borne's machine. I could go with Leon to Red Mountain, if you think I could be of help...?"

[DoctorFaust]

"A good point," Amamiya says, nodding. "And one I hadn't considered. Thank you for bringing it up, Leon."

"Personally, I have nothing against letting you use the remains of the Titan you felled, assuming we may have access to whatever remains of their communications system. However, that would likely be something you would need to take up with Lady Nishiumi and Shigure," he says with a pointed glance at the Type-Zero's pilot. "As I recall, it was on their lands when it fell, so use of the remains would probably be a question for them. Unless you've snapped it up from under our noses again, Yosho?"

[Ascension]

Scavengers:

"Now wait just a minute," Yosho interjects, not taking too kindly to being ordered about, "I am willing to share the bounties of the Shrine of the Fallen Outsider with the other Gundam clans, and I certainly honor you, Amamiya Yonezawa, for being the hero who felled that particular titan, but there are proper procedures to be followed. The remains of the titan are in a delicate state, and will have to be handled with great care, and given the respect due a legendary foe. Perhaps if the Yonezawa Clan were to provide some financial aid... with the understanding that we Takashimas are short-handed in the absence of my daughter and the guidance of the Gundam Lancelot... we might be able to more easily obtain the rare ungents necessary for the safe extraction of such a noteworthy relic. To better commemorate your great victory, and the victory of all our Gundams over the sky-born foe."

Yosho doesn't mention whether or not any of the "rare ungents" in question happen to be snake oil.

"I should think that our mutual defense agreement would be compensation enough for the Takashima Clan, given that Nagizawa Isle stands without the protection of its Gundam," Nishiumi bitingly replies. "For our part, the Amatsu-Murakami Shrine is willing to make the remains of the titan felled upon the plains available for the Red Mountain's use, with the understanding that the Red Mountain will continue to contribute to the collective safety of our peoples. The peoples of the valley, as well as the peoples of the mountain. That is a reasonable expectation, is it not, Champion Halter?"

"Mutual defense is the duty passed down by our inheritance of the Gundams, Lady Nishiumi, and I'm afraid duty alone won't provide the materials necessary for the extraction rituals. I ask only for fair compensation for my family's efforts."

Don't worry. Not much more argument left before we'll get some action going.
Prisoners:

I'm still not fond of the phrasing "I Know This Ship." The purpose of it, letting Ray make educated guesses based on similarities with water-borne ships she's interacted with, along with information from ancient historical files, would be better conveyed by something like "All Ships Are The Same." What I was actually trying to push you toward with a Clever Create Aspect roll, since you wanted to get out of the hatch, was a closer examination of its mechanisms, which could lead to uncovering an Aspect like Magnetic Lock, which would enable an Overcome roll to bust the locking mechanism and get out, something that knowing... or guessing at... the layout of the ship can't quite grant directly.

I also feel like Highly Marketable Chosen One isn't a particularly appropriate Aspect to Invoke here, but Ray does have access to Aspects that work better. Lantern Bearer might work best for (assumed) knowledge of the ship, since it's a guidance Aspect, and A Thousand Years of Tinkering, even though it's a usually-negative Glitch, is probably the best fit for figuring out the Sky-Born's technology, as in examining the hatch. It's all functionally the same whatever you invoke, but I don't really want to encourage associations quite as vague as "I'm the Chosen One, therefore I know how spaceships are laid out."

So, uh, where do you want to go from here?

[Merilan]

Shigure tilted her head, not having ever heard of any kind of 'rare ungent' required for such a thing... but she had started to hesitate, just from how much more fragile the traditions of others have been to step around, as if they were eggshells. She didn't really think about it, but being exposed to her mother's more pragmatic approach has, perhaps, made her a little distant from the more traditionalist of families.

"If you could specify which reagents you need, Yosho-dono, I am sure we would hasten to procure and grant them to Nagizawa," Shigure offered with an unfailingly polite smile.

[DoctorFaust]

All emotion drains slowly from Amamiya's face, until nothing is left but a stony mask. "If you wish to discuss 'fair compensation'," he says, not breaking eye contact with the Takashima, even as Shigure speaks up, "We have a number of trade agreements that bear talking about as well. So, unless you have suddenly and remarkably developed the technology to run your furnaces without fuel and build your ships without wood, you will be granting Dielan access to the Titan, and you will help him in whatever ways he deems necessary."

[Fearan]

It was quite fascinating, how Yonezawas, who criticized Dielan for excess spiritualism, and showing him apparent mistrust now supported him against Nishiumi. Still, the discussion yet away tried to stray from the true way. "Reverend priesthood" - Dielan sounded once again - I'd rather not see us locked in an argue over uncertainties. We don't even know, if the ancient systems can reach the celestials. How about we try to reach the Lancelot Gundam instead. At the very least we could confirm possibilities of establishing connection, and if the Sky-Born are watching over it, we could transmit the invitation for the negotiations, if the reverend priesthood desires it so much.

[Inspector Valin]

Ray doesn't let up at her task. She's starting to get a feel for this strange mechanical lock now. Keeping the handles up lets the wheel turn, but there's a bolt somewhere within the frame that she's not seeing. Auto engaged electronics most likely, given how much the Skyborn love their technology. If she had her tools, or time, she might've been able to find out how to disengage it properly.As it stood however, she'd need something to force the bolt back. The bolt located inside the door itself. The bolt made of... metal?

Ray's eyes turned towards the handle she had raised, curiously. A little nudging it side to side confirmed her suspicion: the casing on this particular clamp was loose. And whole most people of Earth might not understand what a magnet was, Ray had learned the principle when studying Lancelot's famous boots. These clamps were much the same. They drew themselves to metal... and metal drew itself to them. With luck, the mechanical bolt should be held by a simple few gears. It only has to assume two positions, right?

Grinning to herself, Ray forces the loose clamp up and out of alignment. If she has judged this right, it now rests just above the inner bolt. With teeth gritted into a rather strange looking grin, the Takashima heiress brings the wheel down, with enough force to twist the wheel around. If her plan is right, just one good push, and the lock...

Not sure what to roll for this. Combines Forceful, Quick and Clever. I'm going to go with flashy, because if done right, it should look like Ray just opened the lock. :smallwink: As ever, feel free to adjust the number up and down. Potentially spending my one free invoke from the last action to buff this roll.

[roll0]Time to roll 'dem Flashy bones
Free invoke on Master of Unlocking.whatever we're calling it to bring that up to 4. Passed!

[Ascension]

The War Council:

"Young man..." Yosho says, shooting a glare at Amamiya, "You underestimate the strength of the Takashimas' trade connections, and the resources of Nagizawa Isle. Do you really want to find out which one of us needs the other more?"

Ren quietly cautions his nephew, "High priest..." but gets no further than that, as an Amatsu-Murakami retainer bursts frantically into the room.

"Lady Nishiumi! You asked us to notify you if we received any more signals from the Yue family, and we've just received a warning similar to the-"

A sound like thunder splits the air above the Amatsu-Murakami shrine. Outside, a flying ship similar to the leviathan that last menaced Shirakawa-cho races overhead, then makes a wide turn above Yonhatsu Valley to come back for a second, slower pass. As it nears the city the second time, its drop bay opens, and six titans drop from its belly. Five are Outises, the familiar olive green cyclopes you have faced before, but one is painted a deep black and has broad, flared shoulders and lower legs, burning with additional maneuvering thrusters. The black titan also carries an unusual weapon, its single short barrel fed by multiple ammunition magazines.

Dropped while their ship was still in motion, the titans scatter as they fall, some landing on the plains and some coming down at the edge of the city. Unlike before, even those that landed near buildings don't turn any of their attention to the people. Their eyes, and their weapons, are fixed solely on the cluster of Gundams gathered around the Amatsu-Murakami shrine.

See OOC thread for further details.

The Prison Break:

The wheel spins and the hatch opens, with a brief hiss of equalizing pressure. The keypads beep a protest, and the dim green lights around the hatchway's perimeter go red and increase in intensity, but nothing more dramatic happens, no shipwide alarms or anything like that.

Beyond the hatch there's a sheer drop down the open shaft of a cargo lift into a larger hold. The lift itself is at the bottom, with no obvious call button here at the top, but in microgravity that isn't much of a problem. A faint industrial odor of metal and grease rises from the larger hold, which is Stacked High With Metal and Plastic Crates. The hold looks to run the length of the back half of the ship, and its inner wall, a sloping pane of some kind of reinforced glass, overlooks the drop bay containing the surviving Outises and the Gundam Lancelot. This leaves the contents of the Hold With A View visible to the mechanics who can be seen working on the mobile suits, but also suggests that there's probably a direct route from the hold to the bay.

"So this is it..." one of the imprisoned villagers mutters.

"Lead the way, Gun'pla," another affirms, though not without a flicker of fear in her voice. "We're with you."

You'll have to make a Stealthy Overcome roll to lead the villagers into the hold without being spotted. I'll be rolling active opposition for it in the OOC.

[Merilan]

Shigure's eyes widened as the retainer burst into the room, and she bit her lip and looked to Yukari. She nodded in turn, and immediately the caretaker wheeled the young substitute out of the war council and ferried her to the Shirayuki-hime; she was still terribly nervous about actually piloting the Type Zero, but there was a resolve in her as she told Yamashiro just an hour ago that she wanted to hold dear.

She will see that ideal of hers take shape.

In swift descent, Shigure's wheelchair was harnessed onto a supporting platform that withdrew onto the Type Zero's drawer-style hatch -- a minor improvement since the last time that let her board more quickly. As she did so, she heard Kirino run up and yell to her: "We haven't had time to test it, but make the best use of the puppet control system, Shigure!"

She looked down towards the cockpit as it pulsed into life, with a few keypresses. Once more, a dramatic fanfare of lights fanned out along the board and the diagnostic monitors; the empty black globe that surrounded her flared to life as the panoramic monitors all linked together to present a view of the world in front of her. Green lights slowly came to life, one at a time, and confirmed to her that the angel of victory was ready to deploy.

The ominous sphere that is ZERO ebbed silently, as if bidding its time...

"The puppet control system..."

Shigure stared down towards the joysticks -- there were a set of four rings that she could slip her fingers into, each of them linked to a taut wire. It was like a puppeteer's strings, hence the name. She stared towards the monitors as she played with each of her fingers, finding them intricately linked to each of the forearm, manipulators, thighs, knees and calves all.

"It's going to take a while to get used to," Kirino leaned over the console. "But I think you'll be able to control the Type Zero much finer with this."

"Thank you, father..." Shigure kept the instructions as the fore as she waited for the remaining diagnostics to establish themselves. She shut her eyes, and only felt a single drift of the ominous note that played at the back of her mind.

Her eyes flare open at the same time the Type Zero's irises flare to life. The blue and white suit drew out from its cocooned shell and faced the skies once more. In its arms are the Exalted's GN Sword II, and the piledriver shield on the other. The Twin Buster Rifle hung on the recharge rack in the back, ready to be used... or misused, as the case may be.

"Shiratsuyu Shigure, Wing-Possessing Gundam Type Zero... launching...!"

[DoctorFaust]

A growl escapes Amamiya's lips at Yosho's response, and he looks like he's about to deliver another biting retort before the retainers burst into the room.

At the news of the imminent attack, he bursts out of his seat and throws his outer jacket and sword to Ren. "Uncle, I want you to stay here," he says, turning to the doors. "As soon as the threat is dispatched, gather up the villagers that remained and take them back to Tensenkou. It is obvious that as long as the Gundams continue to congregate here, this city will not be safe to stay in."

After a final nod passes between the pair, Amamiya dashes out of the shrine and makes the hurried climb into the cockpit of the Exalted. A few button presses later, the ancient machine's eyes light up once again, and it slowly stands upright. Unlike last time, the Exalted is carrying it's full load of weaponry, with the Buster slung across it's back, the Short and Long carried at it's hips, the pair of Katars strapped to it's knees and the Sword V already in hand in it's rifle form. "Exalted ready for sortie," he calls, "And it looks like our discussion about how to get the Skyborn to return is moot point."

[Inspector Valin]

Ray holds up a hand to the villagers, smiling. So far so good, but she has one further objective in mind before storming the drop bay. The other villagers. This is about a third of the total number, at least if the rough guesses of her new friends are to be believed. Are there any further elevators in the cargo hold? If this group had been locked up in a storeroom, with luck, could the others have been quartered in the same way?

[Ascension]

Ray:

Sticking her head through the hatch, Ray can see a second cargo elevator leading out of the larger hold, closer to the bow of the ship. Also, looking through the windowed wall, it looks as though the entire lower hold is mirrored by another hold of the same dimensions on the other side of the drop bay.

[Inspector Valin]

"Before we move on, I need to check the other storerooms. If anyone else is locked up, we need to try and get them out too. And one person can move more quickly than many."

Ray tries to smile at her new friends, before ducking forward. She can't afford to linger here: every second raises the odds of discovery. Thankfully, this is the greatest enviroment known for crazy movement! With a grin, Ray kicks away from a crate, darting above several rows, and keeping hserlf out of sight of the drop bay below. Soon enough, she'll be at the second hatch, where she will be visible. But if she's quick enough...?

[roll0] Quickly Overcome to get towards the nearby elevator swiftly.
[roll1] Stealthy Overcome, if that's obligatory and needed for Ray doing this solo.

[BlueHerring]

Leon had almost fallen asleep during the negotiations. He wasn't cut out for this sort of this, so he snapped up when the retainer burst in. A subtle grin spread on his face as the retainer made his announcement, and as thunder cracked outside. Once Shigure and Amamiya were out, Leon stood up, and darted out of the building. He'd finally be able to fight the Sky-Born, but they'd have to engage them outside of the city.

Five minutes of running to the southern part of the city, and one open cockpit later, Leon was in Kaiser GENBU. Keeping one hand on the lone claymore, Leon adjusted his communications frequencies to the one they had used before.

"Kaiser GENBU, moving out!"

[Fearan]

As the council have sinked into another powerplay, this time between Yonezawas and Talashimas, Dielan have started to lose hope. And temper"- What would it take to make those old geezers work properly? Invasion here and now?" - and then, the retainer have bursted in with the news from Yue's temple "- Oh, and here it is. Well, get to the Gundam and...ooops" - he put on the Fox-mask on his face to conceal the expression of utter terror which struck him, when he realised, his trusty Hulijing was behind enemy lines. Okay, that was good, Dielan could get to it for a good old-fashioned backstab. If he could get to it. Suddenly, the young man felt two delicate hands grabbing his robe. - "Master, the Gundam...are you going there? - Liling whispered, clearly intimidated by the same conclusion, Dielan came to. "- We shall see" - he, however, remained the priest, and he had his duty - and a mandate to decide the way, those duties will be carried.
- Lady Nishiumi - He addressed to the host, with voice slightly distorted by the mask - It will take time and risk to reach the Hulijing in its current position. However, if you lend me your shrine's communication altar, I'll be able to contribute to the victory immediately. I will be able to capture their comm-alignments for future use discussed here, sample their ciphers, and possibly - disrupt their communications. Please access the risks and rewards - we need a quick decision - he added, hoping, that the master of analytical insight would notice something, he didn't.

[Ascension]

General
First off, apologies to everyone. This was a rough week for me, but I'm really sorry I didn't get anything up for you sooner than this. Hopefully, we'll be able to get back in the saddle in short order.

Enter the Perfect Storm

From the back of the pack, the black titan jets forward (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLq8q3kAFe4), almost skating across the ground as it rushes past its allies into the outskirts of the city. It angles toward the Exalted, firing off blasts from its shotgun with a casual, almost contemptuous ease, aiming not to truly damage the Gundam, but to test the reflexes of its pilot. The only pilot who has already felled a sky-born titan in single combat.

Stray shot rains down on the roofs of Shirakawa-cho, a lethal hailstorm, rousing screams of fear and pain. If this fight isn't pushed out of the city, the collateral damage will definitely be more severe than it was the last time.

Let's start off here with a Clever Create Advantage to establish the aspect Reading The Exalted's Movements.

[roll0]

The PCs will be able to act after this, before the mooks go.

High-Pressure Negotiations

Nishiumi arches an eyebrow at Dielan's urgent request.

"I appreciate your gracious offer of assistance," she replies, self-assuredly, "but I do recall your recent hesitance to allow my husband to examine your own equipment. If you wish access to this shrine's communications altar, I would like to think that you would be willing to reciprocate that favor on some future occasion. Would that be a... reasonable expectation?"

I'm compelling It's not cowardice, it's reason to drive Dielan toward making a deal with Nishiumi, so he can avoid all the danger inherent in joining the fight outside.

The Next Storeroom

Although she's still new to maneuvering in microgravity, Ray reaches the second cargo elevator shaft swiftly, and with little difficulty. The underside of this hatch looks much like the top side of the first Ray encountered, including the faint green lights ringing its perimeter.

Does she approach this cautiously, or does she just try to open the hatch directly? She has no guarantee what might be on the other side...

[Merilan]

Shigure faltered for a moment, when she first heard the thunder of battle and the explosive sound of gunfire hail across the landscape. Warnings soon littered her screen as enemy contact was made, and what was once all-green was a very demanding pace of alerts to be taken care of. She hesitated; the fear of battle crept up against her once more, and the Type Zero stood still...

... yet ... she couldn't do that.

She watched as the thatched roofs of Shirakawa-cho started to peel back. As she watched people run in fear and panic, of their prophesized enemy once more. She took a solid gulp, and kept recalling what she said to Yamashiro just now.

Find your own Gundam...

"I will..." Shigure took a deep, deep breath, and drew back on her index fingers -- and the Type Zero's verniers flared to life as it ascended briefly from the Shirayuki-hime, piledriver shield held in front of it. It landed on the northeastern square, and began moving in erratic manners -- left, right; was this just the movement of a clumsy, inexperienced pilot? Or was she aiming to shelter the buildings and let people have time to evacuate?


Shigure is going to Carefully Create an Advantage to Shelter the People and give them time to escape, moving to the NE corner of Shirakawa-cho. I'll also roll to move carefully onto that square.

[roll0] - Carefully Create an Advantage
[roll1] - Carefully Move NE

[Fearan]

Whatever expression was on Dielan's face was fortunately obscured by the mask. It was an invaluable thing in times like this. The unmoving face of the fox-spirit have turned to Nishiumi and answered with cold, enough to be used as the coolant in the Gundam's systems.
- You think, we're still in the council, Lady Nishiumi? I offer you a way for me to contribute in saving your people - and you try to extort favors? You disgust me. - then he rushed outside, where his trusty pony and, more importantly, his duty awaited. And possibly, a stray shot.


Okay, obviously, Dielan resists the compel. Even the covardly have standarts.
Then get on the pony, and Stealthily move to move to NE plains making a circle around the fighting and get to the Gundam. That's 2 zone, so diff 4. Hopefully, the lone pony is less of a target, then freaking Gundams.
[roll0]

[DoctorFaust]

Almost too fast to see, the Exalted's arm swings up and slashes the shotgun slugs out of the air. "Exalted moving," Amamiya calls. And putting actions to words, the Exalted darts across the field surrounding the shrine, taking the light-weight Gundam to its absolute limit, but slows and reduces it's speed to an almost considerate level as Amamiya tries to wind the Gundam through the beginnings of the town proper.

Quickly create an advantage:[roll0]
Carefully enter Eastern Shirakawa-cho:[roll1]

[Inspector Valin]

Ray glowers at the rows of lights in annoyance. Of course, they'd still be here, that was only logical, but... they're annoying! This door might not have a weak point on one of the handles like the other. She'd have to get this open either with more force or the way it was supposed to open. How could she...

Don't think. Do. With a huff, Ray tries to shift the handle once again. If that fails, her attention will turn to the surrounding area. If this door shares the number pads of the first one, she'll proceed to try entering simple combinations. This was used frequently, wasn't it? The passcode couldn't be something too complicated. Or else how would anyone remember it?

[BlueHerring]

Leon grit his teeth as the black Sky-Born moved in closer to the city, but Shigure and Amamiya seemed to have it covered. The other problem, however, came from a certain horse that a certain fox-mask-wearer was riding out of the city. Given that there were three of the Sky-Born between Dielan and Yonhotsu Valley, the only way he'd slip past would be either if they didn't notice...

Or if Leon got in the way.

Darting out from the city, Leon swung in from the side of the outskirts. Once the first of the Sky-Born came into view, he opened fire with a sudden barrage from the shoulder cannons. If anything, it should at least impair the Sky-Born.

Moving out to the City Outskirts, and going to attack one of the mooks with a Forceful attack.

[roll0]

[Ascension]

The Battle:

As one of the olive green giants falls helplessly under the guns of Kaiser GENBU, two of its allies step forward to fill the gap, pelting the Eternal Guardian with machine gun fire. Individually, their bullets are no match for the mighty Gundam's heavy armor, but perhaps the combined weight of their fire might stagger even such a stalwart foe?

[roll0]
and
[roll1]
In contrast to Kaiser GENBU's aggressive advance, Type Zero's stance is obviously defensive, even passive... but word of the Twin Buster Rifle has spread throughout the sky-born fleet, and its enemies know the power it conceals. Even the gentlest child should not be allowed to play with such a dangerous weapon. The two Outises at the rear of the enemy formation advance into the outskirts of the city, closing in on the wingless angel. Their own guns open fire.

[roll2]
and
[roll3]
Leaving its subordinates to deal with the other two Gundams, the black titan glides closer to the Exalted, shadowing its movements, though it stops short of advancing into the city proper. Suddenly, a voice crackles over the red Gundam's cockpit speakers, heavily accented but intelligible.

"Good... for child. But not... good enough."

The enemy ace fires low, hoping to cut out the legs from under the nimble Exalted, with the spread of his shotgun helping to raise his chance of scoring a hit.

The fluff's there just to justify this being Clever, it's an Attack action this time, not Create Advantage.

[roll4]
Off to the southwest, the Basileus makes a slow turn over the Tensenkou Foothills and starts back in the direction of Shirakawa-cho. With its bow turned toward the city again, anyone who cares to look can see that its nose is blunter and thicker than that of the last ship to menace the city, reinforced with heavier armor.

Your Peasants Are In Another Castle

Amazingly, the wheel spins freely in Ray's hands, and the hatch pops open (the lights around its perimeter shifting to red as it does). Less amazingly, it opens on a storeroom filled with nothing but silent stacks of crates and boxes.

Signs suggest there's still another pair of similar storerooms on the other side of the drop bay, but there's no stolen Earth-born behind this particular hatch. What will Ray try next?

[Merilan]

Shigure's heart was pounding hard, and she could feel her body starting to stifle her. Her fingers were similarly stiffening, shaking with some kind of subconscious terror at the sensation of being in live combat, but... her mind was racing so fast that she could hardly notice the physical duress combat was putting on her.

The marionette fingers are linked to each set of twelve AMBAC micro-verniers...
I can hear the click every forty-five degrees of movement... then...

She had to take a chance, and trust in her father's configuration of the Type Zero's existing systems. With a flourish, her fingers moved -- index and middle fingers forward, and the Type Zero sprang back and drew the piledriver shield up in a surprisingly swift movement, kneeling down in a motion that's much more practiced than her previous clumsy ones.

I can do this... I can understand the Type Zero's movements...! But, what should I do...? Amamiya-dono is...

She grit her teeth, and then reached to the communicators to broadcast them whole. It's time to put her knowledge to the test.

"<Can you hear me? Can you understand me?
My name... is Shigure. I wish to call for an end to the fighting, right now!
I will speak with you! Please, before more people are hurt!>"


Shigure is going to Cleverly Create an Advantage to Attempt Parlay with the enemy.

[roll0] - Do I get any boosts from the previous work to overcome the language barrier? If not, I'll see and possibly spend a fate point...

[DoctorFaust]

The Exalted leaps into the air to try and avoid the shot, but Amamiya's timing is bad, and the pellets take him full in the leg. His Gundam crashes back down to earth with a terrible grinding sound, and more red warning lights than ever spring into life on the viewscreen. Ignoring them, or maybe not comprehending the damage that was just done, Amamiya continues his charge out of the city, pausing only to hurl one of his two GN Katars at the Titan, sending the slab of sharpened metal whistling through the air.

Careful exit Eastern Shirakawa-cho:[roll0]
Quickly attack the black titan:[roll1]

[Inspector Valin]

Of... course. Because if there's one thing I have right now, it's time to waste!

At the sight of the empty room, Ray wheels around, kicking against the wall and pushing herself back down the shaft. Already, she's planning her next move. Searching the ship for the other cargo rooms is... possible, she at least has some idea of their positioning now. But the odds of her finding patrols were still quite high, and if she made a mistake, things could get bad. Right now she has a third of the villagers with her, and sight of the Lancelot. She mustn't risk that.

Returning to the cargo bay, the Takashima heiress pushes herself downwards, towards the border between the cargo bay and launch bay, leg bent. The engineers have a job to focus on. If she stays clear of the used machines and goes quickly, she should be fine. With a kick, she launches herself towards the floor, rolling down next to an Outis' leg. Now comes the difficult part. Straightening up, Ray proceeds to walk briskly and confidently across the landing, not turning to look at the mechanics. They have stuff to focus on: if she acts like she's supposed to be here, hopefully none of them will look at her too closely. And her style of dress is closer to the Skyborn's own than most. A few brisk steps and she'll be on the other side, with doors that will hopefully lead to the remaining peasantry. She'll get them open one way or another, and then they can rush the Lancelot. What could go wrong?

[roll0]Quickly Overcome to get across to the other cargo bay in as little time as possible
[roll1] Flashy attempt not to be noticed, by acting like she's supposed to be there! (If this strains credibility for you, fine, I'll edit. :smallwink: Ray can MGS this if she has to. Just felt it'll be a cool approach.)

[BlueHerring]

Leon grit his teeth as Kaiser GENBU rocked against the constant barrage of fire. He could definitely withstand this, but he didn't want to exhaust his own reserves just dealing with these Sky-Born. Judging by the situation out there, Shigure and Amamiya were having trouble facing off against the black Sky-Born. If Leon wanted to help them, he'd need to both buy Dielan enough time, and push through all three of these Sky-Born.

He could at least take out one of the Sky-Born's weapons. After all, now that he was outnumbered, he could use the strength of Kaiser GENBU's armor against the enemy, and take out one of them. Darting forward, even against the sustained fire of his enemies, Kaiser GENBU drew the beam claymore housed at its side, and flared it in a sudden, terrifying display of violet light, slashing at one of the Sky-Born's arms and hoping to disarm it in the most literal sense of the word.

Leon is going to attempt to Quickly Disarm one of the Sky-Born. Since he's outnumbered right now, that's an extra +2 to the Create Advantage roll.

[roll0]

[Ascension]

War Comes To Earth

A wave of laughter washes over the comms, rolling in on an open channel.

"<You think I fear hurting people, girl?>" Raszlo, the pilot of the black titan, asks, punctuating his rhetorical question with another jovial wheeze, "<Or do you think I fear being hurt? You're even more of a child than I expected if you truly think you can end this with words. A baby. Do you still-> [unintelligible] <-on your-> [unintelligible] ?"

The black titan skims around behind the Exalted, taking advantage of its slowed stride, and raises its shotgun. Raszlo switches back to the Earth-born tongue.

"Children! Watch!"

He pulls the trigger.

Attack. [roll0]
While Grant makes a spectacle of his attack on the Exalted, the Outises advancing on Type Zero continue their relentless barrage, testing the mettle of the embattled angel's armor.

[roll1]
and
[roll2]

If either of these is at least 2, I'll probably throw that Cornered Boost on it to raise it higher.

EDIT: Ohh yeah, I'm going all-in on that first one. Raising it to 7.
Meanwhile, one of the Outises which attacked Leon recoils, the stump of its severed arm sparking as its machine gun falls uselessly to the ground at Kaiser GENBU's feet. It scrambles to draw its hatchet saber with its off hand.

This is an Overcome vs. the Disarmed Aspect. I feel like it would make the most sense for Leon to provide active opposition to this, since the pressures of Kaiser GENBU's proximity and the desperateness of the situation are the biggest factors preventing the mook from succeeding. I'll also remind you that Leon's free invokes on the Disarmed Aspect would definitely be appropriate to use against this, if necessary.

[roll3]
The final Outis pilot backs further away from the advancing Kaiser GENBU, far from eager to share his comrade's fate. He shouts a brief warning over the Sky-born's private communication frequency, and a small launch tube mounted on the torso of his Outis coughs, firing a flashbang grenade into the turtle-like Gundam's face.

Create Advantage: Blinded
I'm not sure if a Forceful defense would really be applicable here, but if you've got an argument for it, I'm willing to listen.

[roll4]
Above, the Basileus seems to hang for a moment in the air, and then it dives, roaring low above Shirakawa-cho, its lesser guns raking the city with strafing fire, threatening to provoke Chaos in the Streets. Then it's gone, climbing back into the northeastern sky.

Create Advantage. Base difficulty +1, but anti-air fire, Shigure's efforts to shield the people, or perhaps some other creativity could provide active opposition.
[roll5]
Fearan:
I'm sorry, I was already working on this post when I realized that I forgot to wait for the activation of Dielan's Gundam. You can feel free to post your activation and first action together now, though, giving you more to do in that post. Apologies for overlooking you, but I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll contribute to the fight!
A Sneaking Bluffing Mission

Ray's audacity pays off, and she reaches the starboard cargo bay without any of the sky-born mechanics registering her presence as unusual. As it seemed from afar, the starboard bay is laid out as a mirror image of the port bay, complete with the scaffolding of two cargo lifts rising to unexplored holds above.

Ray's trip across the lower levels of the drop bay has also given her a chance to get a better idea of their layout. Roll Clever to see what you find out.

[Inspector Valin]

As bold as she seems, Ray's heart was quivering as she strode across the drop bay. One wrong glance, one mistake, one overly curious mind and her plan would backfire harder than fireworks in Shirakawa-cho. But it worked! The bold Takashima finally worked her way upward into the second cargo bay, grinning to herself. That could've gone so wrong, so quickly.... but it hadn't. And now she's back to cover, having gotten to actually take a look across the drop bay itself. With a grin, Ray works her way up the first shaft as quickly as she can, already planning possible ways to try and deal with this door. She'll get it open, one way or another. And with luck this time she'll find a portion of the villagers.

I'll roll for more sneaking if I have to, but I tried to roll for Ray to cover ground quickly last time, so I'm hoping she's out of LoS for the moment. Until she has to go to the next access tunnel at least.

[roll0] Clever to get a sense of the layout as Ray crosses the room
[roll1] Clever Overcome to actually find the correct way to get the next hatch open. Ray's had some time to think about it now, worth a shot right?

[DoctorFaust]

Once again, Amamiya tries to dodge out of the way of the shotgun blast, but this time, whether through luck or skill, he manages to avoid the slug by the skin of his teeth. "Shigure!" he yells, bringing his GN Sword around in a blindingly fast arc, "He's trying to kill me!"

Quickly Attacking Alto w/Trained Duelist: [roll0]

[Fearan]

What could a man feel, while riding a nervous pony into a battlefield of god-machines - with spears of divine light flying everywhere, and sounds of shooting which eclipsed thunder. Terror? Awe? Maybe, the mysterious feel of touching the divine? Well, nothing of that. At least, Dielan couldn't remember, how in hell he managed to get to the cave behind a waterfall, where he left Hulijing, while departing to the council. The mental shock was probably too powerful. Only in the safety of the cockpit of his Gundam, reciting mantras did he pull himself together.
The Sage is occupied with the unspoken and acts without effort.
- Dielan repeated again and again, while his hands danced over the keyboards, visible only to him, performing the pre-activations checks. Everything seemed to be in order, yet Dielan hesitated to leave the cave - he needed some time to recover from the horrors of battlefield. He focused his attention on the sensors instead, trying to formulate the proper path to victory.


Well, the usuals. Cleverly creating an advantage "Accessing the battlefield"
[roll0]

[Merilan]

Shigure's blood froze as Razslo's response came over the open channel. How could someone be so...

But she did not have time to reflect on it. The Type Zero's armour proved to be as legends foretold -- even through repeated barrage, the outer Gundanium shell of the mobile suit didn't buckle at all, remaining steadfast. However, the momentum of the gatling guns' kinetic shells echoed violently through the metal, passing through internal buffers that had gone by the wayside long, long ago. The shock absorbers failed, and the cockpit rocked violently. Shigure let out a cry of pain as she twisted in her seat, her left leg caught in a piece of dashboard that had fallen out. The build-up on her throat and lungs had started to really catch up to her, and she started to cough uncontrollably, doubling over.

"Shigure! He's trying to kill me!"

Amamiya's yelling brought her back to her senses, and she gazed up to where the Exalted had been engaging with the black titan. She had no time to panic, or to have coughing fits! She needed to think...

"Amamiya-dono, disengage and regroup with Halter-dono to the northeast plains! We need to rally as one!
Look to the fracture on the ground at the Exalted's right foot. The ground runs deeper than it first looks -- there are deep crevices that will lead you to down to the valley! It'll provide you cover!"

They needed to group up and use the powers of the Gundams together, not individually. This enemy was clearly far more than what they'd encountered before... but, how was she going to get out of her own predicament?

She glanced around again -- there was the canal that ran through Shirakawa-cho, the Shirakawa River... the River...

... of course.

"I--I'm so sorry, Takara-dono!" She grimaced through the screams her own body was more or less shouting at her, and drew on the marionette fingers -- the Type Zero's retro thrusters blasted it back through the corner it was in, crashing straight through what Shigure recognised was one of her fondest tofu stores. The giant crashed through, breaking wood and scattering a small business' worth of ingredients, and then falling directly into the primary canal that ran through the city, letting the machine's thrusters aid the stream of the water to whisk her away to the valley.


Shigure is going to be Clever here -- she's Cleverly Creating an Advantage to declare that there are Deep Crevices that lead Northeast that can aid Amamiya that can provide cover and concealment from the black titan, either for an escape or just for defensive maneuvers. I want to use Miracle Tactics to make it two free invokes if that's allowed: [roll0]

As for her own movement, she's going to use the Shirakawa River aspect to move Cleverly and let herself get swept up northeast. [roll1]

[BlueHerring]

Leon watched as one of the Sky-born launched a small, round projectile at him. Almost instinctively, Leon brought up his right hand, and smacked the small sphere away with the butt of his beam claymore's hilt. It explode in a flare of bright light shortly after, but since Leon couldn't see the center of the blast, it didn't really affect him.

All this time, the other Sky-Born had attempted to draw its hatchet saber from its side, with some degree of success. Leon saw this, and the opportunity it presented. Grinning to himself, he pivoted around, and switched his beam claymore to the other hand. In a moment, Leon smacked the first of the Sky-Born's hand, and snatched the hatchet saber from it. Igniting his beam claymore in a sudden burst of power, Leon pivoted back around, and launched himself towards the unfortunate Outis that had tried to blind him.

So, here goes. I'm going to take advantage (heh) of most of my free invokes for this stunt. Fumbling and Intimidated. It's pretty obvious how all of these three tie together, but I'm going to use it to Forcefully attack the other Outis.

Forceful Attack: [roll0]

Edit: Whoops. That's supposed to be a -1, not a +1.

[Ascension]

A Swiftly Turning Battlefield

The poor, put-upon grunt pilot who has lost his mobile suit's rifle, right arm, and hatchet-saber to Leon's relentless assault, only to see that last weapon turned against his own comrade, has simply had enough. His valor, his hatred of the simpletons profaning the Earth, his fear of Grant Raszlo, none of these are sufficient motivation to keep him standing strong in such a bleak situation. While Leon finishes cleaving apart his friend's Outis, he makes himself scarce, retreating up into the foothills, and possibly beyond.

While Leon's opponents have all fallen or fled, the Outis pilots who've worked to box the Type Zero in follow Shigure's attempted withdrawal from the city, taking up positions on opposite sides of the river, bracketing her escape route.

One keeps up a steady fire from its assault rifle... a poor match for Gundanium armor, but perhaps enough to keep the Amatsu-Murakami Gundam Pinned Down...
Create Advantage: Pinned Down
[roll0]

I'll sink the remaining Cornered boosts into this if the roll isn't great, since a full situation aspect would have more staying power.

EDIT: Yeah, okay, I'll drop both outstanding Boosts these mooks have against the Zero from previous attacks to pump that to 5.
...while the other readies its hatchet-saber, its flickering beam blade representing A Sword That Can Cut God.
Create Advantage: A Sword That Can Cut God
[roll1]

This is not intended to negate the Gundanium Armor stunt, this is just trying to provide (Kill-Bill-paraphrase-powered) fluff justification for an Aspect-boosted attack that could potentially inflict damage through the Armor 2.

Of course Leon and Dielan will probably just kill both mooks first anyway.
Shigure has shown Amamiya an avenue by which he might retreat and regroup, but Raszlo refuses to let up on his chosen prey, even as he's sent backpedaling from a lightning fast sword stroke. The internal mechanisms of his Orosz's shotgun realign with an audible chunk as he switches to an alternate magazine, and he fires off a sticky shell at the Exalted's already damaged legs, which threatens to leave the normally lightning-fast Gundam Entangled.
Clever Create Advantage: Entangled
[roll2]
Above Yonhatsu Valley, the Basileus makes another swooping turn, and this time, it begins charging its main guns...
Create Advantage: Cannons Charged
[roll3]
The Great Escape?

While she couldn't gawk at her surroundings without blowing her precarious cover, Ray did get a slightly better look at the drop bay as she passed through it. She caught sight of a small shuttle at the back of the bay, but she knows how things fly in Earth's atmosphere from her work on the Bluebird, and the Orcinus's shuttle doesn't look like it was meant to fly through the air.

Ray isn't really sure how to approach the next hatch she comes to, but, as luck would have it, she doesn't have to worry about it. The wheel turns under just a gentle pressure, and opens even more easily than the last. Unfortunately, however, the end result is the same: Another darkened storeroom filled with silent crates.

Then she faintly hears and, looking, can see a commotion sweep through the drop bay. While their language is unintelligible to her, the mechanics' reactions suggest that they've received some kind of news. Big news. Their repair and maintenance work is forgotten, and they begin looking around attentively, perhaps even worriedly. It would be much harder to try to sneak past them again, with that many pairs of eyes on the lookout.

[Inspector Valin]

Ray's eyes go wide as she beholds the empty room, her all so perfect theory vanishing into the darkness with a puff of disappointment. She pulls herself upwards into the room, looking around as though prisoners were hiding in the shadows. This can't be right! She'd been so sure! The other villagers had to be there! It was the exact same sort of room, and if they'd put the Gundam pilot this close to the bay, they'll have put everyone here, right?

But why do you think they put you here? That cartoon graphic of the orbital city fizzes into being in front of Ray, as a smarmy voice chortles in her ear. Easy to load people up for their trip to their Nice New Home. They weren't going to keep people here.

The room seems to go dark around Ray, as she pictures six innocent villagers being led like cattle down the shaft, towards the cargo shuttle, ready to carry them even father away. Towards a glorified prison, from which they'd never see their homes and loved ones again. Never see Shirakawa-Cho, or the Red Mountain, or... anything they knew and loved ever again. The Takashima heiress feels cold and wet as she stands there, shivering with a fear she hasn't known in a long time. She has to keep the people she has found safe from that fate. She has to save herself! They can get out now, there's no need to check the final room. The villagers were never her responsibility, she doesn't have to fight for them. Doesn't have to push any further.

No. That is not the Takashima Gundam. And it's not me. Ray snorts in the quiet of the cargo hold. Giving up... is not in my vocabulary!

With that, she turns back down the shaft, mind made up. One more chance. They might still have some of the villagers in the final cargo hold. If they don't... well, that will be that. She's done what she can, and returning with the villagers she has and her Gundam is important. But let no one say Ray Takashima gave up without fighting to the last

[roll0] Sneaky! Will invoke if I have to. Will roll for the hatch if I have to.

[DoctorFaust]

Swearing up a storm as the sticky shot lands right on the joint of the Exalted's leg, Amamiya flips the GN Sword into gun mode and blasts away the earth underneath him, dropping him down into the crevice that Shigure just told him about. He then fires the Exalted's thrusters up to their full capacity, driving him backwards away from the black titan even as he opens fire on it, the small caliber gun chattering away as it spits out a hail of lead.

Quickly attacking Ray w/Trained Duelist (I don't think anyone else is in the zone):[roll0]

Moving to Northeast Plains.

[Merilan]

The stress was quickly piling up onto Shigure's body and mind, and the weakness in which her reactions followed showed that quite plainly; she didn't get as far as she'd hoped to, as the Type Zero's massive weight dragged it down even against the significantly large Shirakawa River. The noise of large amounts of water crashing and flowing around her cockpit didn't help either, as the creaking seals threatened to possibly drown her in this increasingly coffin-like mobile suit.

Then the rapidfire came again, keeping her body jittering against the sheer impact being made against the armour. It still held, even now, but another warning whistle drew her attention to the beam hatchet. She could scarce imagine what that would do -- a blade of indefatigable light, which could shear through metal as if it weren't there; she'd heard the legends, she'd paid heed to the myths. The Type Zero was, after all, intended to have one of its own... wherever it went.

"W-weapon... I need to..." Shigure's voice was stiff and groggy as she looked down towards the arrays on the left -- the GN Sword II, again. She needed to... she needed to use it...

She drew back on her fingers, and the Type Zero drew its sword-rifle up. Carefully, slowly, it held the weapon up and... took a utilitarian shot, the first act of offense it's taken in this entire conflict. A thin beam loosed across the city, aimed towards the Outis that was drawing its hatchet against her.


Shigure is attempting a Careful Attack.

[roll0]

[Fearan]

Temporarily hidden from the ravenous flock of Sky-Born, Dielan watched with horror, how the grunts cornered Shigure, and the leader's black titan crushed the leg of Exalted, with speed rivaling, or maybe surpassing the orange flash itself. Sure, the defenders of the Earth had backup - namely himself, but now, he had to decide, what to do with said backup. The first and obvious move was to target the grunt, which raised its axe against type-Zero - and he almost did so, but then - with even greater surge of speed, the leader dodged another strike from the Exalted. "- Too fast -" - Dielan pictured this monster rushing for Hulijing - and his own chances of survival it that case. - "Well, how fast you are against the unknown" - and he did the only thing he could think of to turn the tide - he fired at the exposed back of the enemy leader. The tungsten rod cut the air with vicious and slightly delayed humming alongside it and flew to its target. "Nihao"

[Ascension]

Eyes to See, Ears to Hear

Ray's speed and brashness served her well as long as the element of surprise was on her side, as long as no one was fully on their guard. With the alert given, though, that isn't enough. Actual stealth is called for, the inconspicuous kind, and inconspicuousness isn't exactly the Takashima way. A shout goes up from the drop bay as she crosses to the next hatch... the last hatch of its kind, her last hope of finding the other captives held under similar conditions... setting pursuers on her heels, but the situation only gets worse when she gets to the hatch itself. It's not that she can't get it open... oh, it opens with the same disconcerting ease the last two hatches did, but it opens not onto a hold filled with captured villagers, nor a silent, darkened hold. This hold, while packed with cargo like the last two Ray checked, has all of its lights on at full intensity, and an armed guard standing watch over its hatch.

He shouts what is, despite the language barrier, unmistakably a warning, and he raises his gun. It'd be easy for Ray to simply duck back into the larger hold to evade him, but she can hear the sounds of her pursuers closing in behind her, so that's not exactly a safe choice either. She is well and truly Stuck Between A Rock and A Hard Place.

This situation is currently in a bit of a gray area between a contest and a conflict. You could just try to flee/evade and we could run this more as a chase, or you could try to attack the armed guard in front of you before he can fire, and we'd have a fight. Up to you how you'd like to handle it.

Negotiation would be difficult, and would probably require you to allow yourself to be captured again, since it would be very difficult to pantomime quickly enough to talk a guard out of seizing you.

[BlueHerring]

Out of the corner of Raszlo's eyes, he'd suddenly see a mass, charging right for him. It was none other than Leon, beelining straight for the black-armored foe who had pressed both Shigure and Amamiya. With that sudden, brutal charge, Leon ignited the beam claymore, and slammed both it and the crackling hatchet-saber downwards, hoping to throw the mysterious Sky-Born off guard.

Hopefully, that would give the others time to regroup.

Using my free invoke on that Stolen Hatchet Saber to Forcefully Create an Advantage.

[roll0]

[Inspector Valin]

Failure. She'd blown the element of surprise, blown tactical positioning, put six innocent people's lives at risk. And for what? For the possibility that there might be other captives here. For a chance to go above and beyond, do better than expected, turn a bad situation around. That was what Ray lived by, what she prided herself on doing, what separated her from people like Yama. You always take the gamble, always put the time in, took the tricksy route, because it felt amazing when you won out. And when you didn't...

No time to mope. Man with gun, in front of her. More men with guns, coming towards her down below. Ray's mind is whirling. The engineers would take a few seconds to reach her door. That was the way to the Gundam, and the villagers. She needs to blow straight past them, and make her way towards the Lancelot. But muggins here has an assault rifle trained on her. He needs to be taken out of play, just for long enough to get her through. Once she's down there...

Engineers, not soldiers. And lots of cover. And then, the Lancelot!

With a grin, Ray brought the hatch around, swinging it by the handle and kicking it straight towards her would be assailant. "Sorry, wrong floor!"The strange properties of this cloudrealm nullify weight to an extent, but force plus weight should prove a nice distraction. Already, she's back in the shaft, and its just like swimming through the caves of Nagizawa. Ray is pushing off against both sides, looking for any hold to use as leverage to make her go faster. Soon enough someone is going to poke their head through that door, looking for her. She has to blow straight past them. If she can pull this off, with a little luck, she can recover.

Not sure what this is. Could see a few possible things, and am willing to negotiate on what to roll here. For the moment though, I feel like running with attempting to Overcome Between a Rock and a Hard Place, having Ray quickly dart back before the trap has quite closed, using Hoshino Shuffle to get down the shaft in record time.
[roll0] Quick

[Ascension]

Raszlo:

Even with its knee joints almost entirely immobilized, the red Gundam... the Exalted... keeps trying to play hard to get. Grant has to admit a degree of grudging respect for its pilot. Considering his limitations, he's a worthier opponent than any Grant expected to find clinging to this rock. The Perfect Storm weaves through the hail of small-caliber fire Amamiya lobs in his direction and prepares to follow him into the ravine... and then a soft whine, and a crack, and damage indicators light up on his instrument panel.

Before Grant can even properly react to finding a tungsten rod suddenly lodged in his Orosz's left leg, the blunt force of the charging Kaiser GENBU is bearing down on him. Instinctually he tries to fire his left-side thrusters, but the leg-mounted boosters fail to fire. Kaiser GENBU's blades are raised to strike, and Grant is off-balance from the misfiring thrusters...

...but the chains of gravity can be made to serve. Grant can't correct the imbalance of his Orosz without taking a hit from Leon, so he rides the momentum instead, and lets himself fall out of the way of the Champion of the Red Mountain's stroke. He ignites his backpack thrusters at the bottom of the fall, catching himself, and slides under the bulky GENBU's guard, deftly snatching the purloined hatchet-saber from its grasp before dancing back out of its reach. Now Grant is armed With Sword and Shotgun.

Dueling a more heavily-armed Gundam in open terrain with a sniper trying to perform acupuncture on his mobile suit doesn't sound like Grant's idea of a good time, particularly when it means allowing his original prey to crawl away. Grant dives into the crevasse on Amamiya's heels and opens fire, the narrow walls of the defile leaving the Exalted little space to run from his shotgun blasts... if the Exalted even could run, with its legs in their current state.

Stolen Hatchet-Saber was a boost, rather than a full situation aspect, so it disappears after it's invoked, and Grant succeeded with style on his defense, earning a boost of his own, thus why I moved the saber to his possession.

Moving into the Northeast Plains and Cleverly Attacking Amamiya (taking advantage of the terrain):
[roll0]

Between being in a crevasse and suffering from the Entangled situation aspect, I don't think Amamiya should be able to use Overboosters here. That said, even though I'm using the crevasse as justification for calling my own attack "clever," you could still use the terrain defensively as Merilan intended by turning an invoke into a sudden twist in its path or projection from its wall or something that might help Amamiya avoid attacks.

This doesn't seem likely to be a major issue for anyone since I think everyone's already either there or one zone away in the Outskirts, but since Amamiya and Grant are both supposed to be in a deep crevasse, I don't think anyone should be able to attack either of them unless they're also in the Northeast Plains zone.
Mook Squad:

The saber-armed Outis is rocked by a near miss from Type Zero's sword-rifle, but still it comes on, charging behind a last blast of cover fire from its partner. The blade falls with the weight of a question... an accusation. Is Shigure truly fit to pilot the Amatsu-Murakami Gundam, or have its strengths merely been shielding her from the consequences of her own weakness?

To simplify things, and to magnify the challenge, I'm going all in. Gun mook is assisting sword mook's attack (+1), and I'm cashing in the two free invokes I have on Pinned Down and the one I have on A Blade That Can Cut God to make this attack absolutely silly.

[roll1]

That's almost certainly overkill, but I'm kinda angling this to be a wake-up call, narratively.
The Basileus

With the other Gundams engaged or concealed, Kaiser GENBU is left standing alone on the edge of Shirakawa-cho as the Basileus swoops in to make another pass. Its particle cannons pulse with pent-up energy, and then twin streaks of manmade lightning fall from the sky, sear their way across the battlefield... and arc right over the Eternal Guardian's head, impacting inside the city instead.

Create Advantage: City on Fire
[roll2]

EDIT: That's not the best roll, so I'm going to go ahead and use my free invocation of Cannons Charged to bump it to 4.
Hoshino Shuffle:

Ray's quick reflexes with the hatch have thrown the guard in the storeroom off-balance, and her even quicker moves down the open shaft bring her to the floor of the hold just before her pursuers arrive. She's still pressed, still on the run, but she's no longer trapped between two open threats.

One of the armed engineers shouts something that's probably these sky-born's word for "stop," or something along those lines. As Ray glances back at the pursuers closing in on her, the path back into the drop bay lies to her right... and her Gundam is there, and it's the most direct path to where she left the captives, but there are more armed engineers standing guard there. If, instead, she flees directly from pursuit, a hatch at the forward end of the hold promises a route into the front half of the ship, away from holds and storage and toward the living, functioning heart of the ship. Either option holds its own dangers, and its own promises.

I'm getting tired, and I don't think that wording is all entirely sensible, but the gist of it is that you're no longer Between A Rock And A Hard Place, but the two most obvious directions you might go from here are, themselves, both potentially hazardous, so you've got to make a choice of which way to go. (I anticipate that you'll want to Take A Third Option, so I'll go ahead and also say sure, you can try.)

[Merilan]

It only happened in the blink of an eye, but it's often said that life and death were exchanged in moments all too precious and vestigial in the battlefield.

The Basileus' cannons fly overhead, and Shigure's eyes widened -- the angle, she already deduced, was far too high for it to have been targeted at any ground combatant. It flew straight over the GENBU's head, and what was only a moment's relief was turned into shock and horror as pale golden plasma melted against the ground and poured henceforth, like a thunderbolt of judgement against the city. The fires spread instantly; what could a city of paper do against the might of such a weapon, overhead?

If that weren't bad enough, her own clumsy attempt at a shot didn't afford her any respite from her pursuers. She hadn't been trained to use the actual GN Sword II, and that was all the difference, regardless of the quality of the Exalted's own weapon, and in the hands of a Gundam. In fact, her shot only left her more open, enough for the Outis to close inwards and draw its hatchet for a fatal strike, aided by its partner's suppressing fire.

In one moment, coloured in sickly sepia--

The Outis' hatchet seared through the Type Zero's search-eye and crushed it, and conflagrant flame sank into the cockpit and engulfed her whole--
Shotgun blast from the ace-custom Orosz flew, a crack of thunder as the ball bearings each crushed through the Amatsu-Murakami's Shrine--
The villagers, escaping in terror; one stares up at an Outis, falling to his knees as his strength gives way - the green titan's vulcans grant him no mercy--

Crunch.

"I can see it clearly."

Kirino had been looking on the monitoring device, full of terror in his eyes. "Shigure...?"

The smoke had cleared from the barrage and exchange. What should've been a satisfying fatal crunch came short... and as the last of the debris cleared, the pitched whine of the Zero's piledriver shield accompanied the clear fracture that ran deep along its centre of mass. It crumbled, collapsing into so many pieces of Gundanium and metal, leaving the shielding arm -- and the cockpit -- unharmed below it.

"I can see clearly now..." Shigure spoke firmly. She'd stopped convulsing, she'd stopped coughing. Her body was still at the threshold of defeat, but it was as if her mind had stopped listening to its physical cage for the moment. "I can see my enemy clearly!"

The Type-Zero's eyes flashed emerald, and what Kirino had feared had come true for a second time. Nishiumi's expression was carefully blank as she stared -- once more, a rainstorm of zeroes had taken over the monitoring devices. The supporting staff turned and said, "It's come online! The Type Zero's systems are initiating a full override of our controls!"

"This... is no God..." Kirino murmured well under his hapless breath, sounding defeated. "Shigure...!"

"Strategic layer 3, maximum combat levels determined.
Tactical advantage lost, defensive systems compromised.
All enemy targets, locked on and acquired."

The ebb of the eerie blue sphere that had flared into light was reflected on Shigure's dull-eyed look.

"I will eliminate all obstacles."

In a sudden turnaround, that moment had passed, and the Type Zero's verniers propelled forward and gave it a sudden boost. It swerved in a manner it hadn't before, propelled by some algorithm its basic pilot couldn't have understood. She wasn't fighting on instinct, or on strength, or caution anymore. She was fighting with the full brunt of combat data trickling into her mind unfiltered, and seizing that path of absolute victory, no matter what it took.

With a rapid twist, it brought the weight of the GN Sword II on the Outis, aiming straight for its cockpit.

[Inspector Valin]

Go left into an open plain, go right into the ship, stupid question.

Instead, Ray jumps upward onto one of the crates, pushing up from it into a somersault, before alighting on one of the larger storage containers. Grinning, she starts to move pacing left as quickly as she can, jumping between the containers. Go up! I've got enough cover up here to move how I want. And gravity means I can get around most of these crates one way...

The engineers are hot on her heels, With a quick dive, Ray pushes herself down between two rows, and then down further, slipping beneath an unsecured crate. Or another! Now back on the effective ground level, the Takashima heiress turns around, making right. The cargo hold is nicely spacious, and with this maze of boxes, even the crew will have some difficulty keeping up with her. It's strange moving like this, half swimming, half sprinting, but she's almost there now. And if she's right, this course of action will place her close enough to the Lancelot to risk a dash for it.

With luck.

Takada Two-Step! Or if you prefer, Hoshino Shuffle. I pull this stunt out a lot, but I guess Ray has *an awful lot of running, to doo-oooo* (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAi4izfvXo4) :smallwink:
[roll0] Quick Overcome to cross the zones to enter the Lancelot before anyone knows what's happening.

[DoctorFaust]

Whether through some miracle of technology or sheer luck, Amamiya makes it around a bend in the crevasse just before another burst of shot tears through the air...

...Only to be immediately confronted by the dead-end that he just ran in to. Backtracking would be impossible because of the Titan rapidly approaching, and climbing out would take more time than he has because of how much damage the Exalted's legs have sustained, so Amamiya instead brings the Gundam around, swings up the GN Short, and prepares himself to leap at whatever comes around the bend.

Cleverly creating an advantage:[roll0]

[Ascension]

Not Lance-A-Little

Despite never having left her planet before, Ray is adjusting to movement in zero-G with alarming speed, and her every move is backed by muscle built under full gravity. Half-hearted fire from seldom-armed crewman pangs off crates and bulkheads in her general vicinity, but she barrels on, and soon she finds herself drifting across the last gap between her and the Lantern Bearer.

Lancelot's hatch opens, welcoming her.

Just before Ray is enfolded in her Gundam's cockpit, a sharp shout rings out across the drop bay. The man with the sideburns, the man who tried to communicate with Ray earlier, on peaceful terms, emerges from a hatch at the front end of the bay, his movements made awkward by the burden of the struggling villager he holds in a headlock. In his other hand is a drawn pistol, its muzzle held near, though not directly at, his captive's head.

"Stop!" he demands. But is there reluctance there?

For her part, the imperiled villager urges you to "Go! Go on!"

The Orcinus's four surviving Outises stand between Ray and her Lancelot and the captain and his captive.

I'm going to call this a Forceful social Attack.
[roll0]

[Fearan]

Dielan was...less than satisfied with his shot - it wasn't the tide-turning feat, like the last one. And with his limited ammo, he couldn't afford stray shots. To make the things worse, the wounded enemy leader retreated after the Exalted in the maze of creavasses, putting himself away from sniper's reach. The cover - the ever-present bane of precision weapons. - Gotta get some guided missiles, or something - Dielan mumbled, looking at the battlefield for another option. - Will get lady Zhi to work, when I get home. The next course of action was easy to spot - if the leader wasn't available for takedown, shoot the enemy's escape route - after all, the last time, Dielan wounded the Skyborn's transport, they've fled immediately. He was already lining up his weapon, when...

Out of the blast from the enemy shotgun Type Zero emerged, with it's eyes flashing emerald. It attacked the Skyborn with cold precision without any hint of a doubt - in a way, its pilot would never attacked - from what Dielan saw earlier. Shigure weren't like that - it seemed, she also had the dark side in her. - No... - Dielan whispered, as he suddenly trembled in the cockpit of Hulijing - You will be needed elsewhere...Don't turn into... this. The young priest have bitten his lip - there was no time for half-measures. Lancelot was missing, Exalted, already damaged was alone against the enemy's monstrosity of a leader. The battle had to be won right now. He needed an trump card. Luckily, his sleeves were capacious enough

- Wu Wei Er Wu Bu Wei - his voice didn't tremble any more. - Awakening the Book of Changes. Establishing connection. Issuing override subroutines. Transmitting the reading - he voiced the procedure sequence as a concentration and memorisation tool - he never activating this particular system under such pressure. But ultimately, countless drills payed out. Somewhere, high in the sky, the ancient satellites, without doubt claimed by the Sky-Devils for their devious uses, accepted the deep-encoded overrides and for a brief remembered their master. And the bird's eye map of the battle was at Dielan's disposal. He now knew, where Razlo was. And while he couldn't hit him directly, the rocky walls were a suitable alternative. Dielan fired - and the shot reached the walls of the crevice right above the enemy leader.


Tagging Secret Arts: Divination stunt to get reading of Razlo;s positioning. Attacking via provoking a landfall on his head.

[Inspector Valin]

Ray has nothing to say as the Captain calls her back. The warmth of returning to the Lancelot, of drawing so close to safety, is ripped away from her in an instant. This is everything she'd feared would happen. The worst case scenario. Fighting will get the villager killed. Running leaves all of them to the mercies of the Skyborn. Either way, there's pain and suffering, and its all hr fault. Because Ray Takashima was never satisfied. Because she had to go and try to be the hero, all on her own against the Skyborn. What did the little villagers matter so long as Ray got the chance to act like a hero? To act like...

Shudupshudupshudup! Not the time! She needs to put that brain of hers to use. She needs a way out of this situation. A way to get the Captain to let them all leave, while he was holding a weapon to the throat of an innocent villager. Standing there, in that second, Ray lets a lifetime rush past her. All those memories, simulator combat, instruction from the log book... nothing. No part of her training had ever covered something like this! None of her little adventures in the Bluebird had put someone's life at risk. In the name of all the Gundams, what could she...

Strangely, Yosho's voice echoes in her ear. Advice on playing cards, around the time she was planning to take her first flight in the Bluebird. "When your back is to the wall, when everything looks bleak... that's when you go all in, my girl! And you sell it as hard as you can, until no one else dares to challenge you."

That's the other side of the Takashima way. The part that doesn't involve the Gundam. Trickery, misdirection and convincing people you're something more. For centuries, they've been the masters of the bluff. Ray grew up in that household. She knows how to act with conviction, even if you don't feel it. With steel in her eyes, Ray steps forward, gaze rooted on the Captain. She raises one imperious arm high above her head, palm of her hand open. "Gundam Lancelot! Ready missiles!"

She can't be sure what the skyborn man could understand... but if there is one word that may have perhaps survived down the aeons from that time of ancient warfare, that word is Gundam. Hopefully, the great guardians of Earth had left some myths of glory behind them. They saved all humanity once. With luck, their true powers were a mystery to the Skyborn. Ray grins as viciously as she can, while gesturing dramatically across the room with broad sweeping waves of her arm. "Target, enemy mobile suits. Enemy engineering personel, Enemy cargo..." She pauses, looking back to the Captain. That false grin fades. But then, once more, she points, her gaze firm. "Enemy commander. Fire on my mark."

[roll0] Flashy Social Attack? Flashy Overcome? Regardless, Ray's got the Flash. Seeing how this roll goes and if I have to invoke anything.

[Ascension]

Raszlo:

With both their mobile suits' mobility stricken, and the battlefield shifted to the confines of a narrow crevasse, Grant's pursuit of Amamiya has shifted from a lightning-fast duel to a cerebral hunt. The Sky-Born officer is hyper-focused on his prey, driven by the feeling that the red Gundam's end is nigh, that he's about to become the first man in a millennium to fell one of the horned devils. His heart pumps, his blood heats, his vision narrows to a deadly point as he prepares to lunge around the next bend in the ravine.

Perhaps that focus is why he doesn't notice the rumbling at first. It's not until a pebble pings off his Orosz's monoeye camera that he realizes that the right wall of the ravine is split seconds from crashing down on him. He triggers his still-active verniers and boosts out of the way of the worst of the rockslide, coming up with only a few dents, but that brings him face to face with the Exalted, and Amamiya's prepared ambush.

He raises sword and shotgun to meet his enemy head on, but is he quick enough?

Quick Attack, expending the Backed Into A Corner Boost for +2.
[roll0]
Absolute Zero:

The lead Outis stands no chance whatsoever in the face of the Zero System's perfect calculus of violence. The GN Sword II splits through its armor with a sickening crack, crushing its cockpit in a single blow, ending its pilot's life in an instant. A brief chain of secondary explosions overwhelms the failsafes on the Outis's main reactor, and it blossoms, for an instant, into a second sun.

The Type Zero comes through the nuclear fireball unscathed. Standing there, impregnable, framed by a backdrop of flame rising from the burning city, the Angel of Promised Victory looks every inch a demon. The sole surviving Outis scrambles backward, desperately spraying bullets from its assault rifle, firing with no regard for conserving ammunition, burning its last clip dry.

It won't be enough.

For story purposes, I almost rolled this at a lower bonus to ensure it didn't succeed, but I suppose I ought to give this poor doomed mook a shot.
[roll1]

I'm not conceding, of course, to give you the chance to mercilessly kill him yourself. :smallamused:
The Basileus:

With its Outis complement rapidly dwindling, and their sole survivor frantically calling for help, the Basileus makes an emergency turn and swoops back in low over the city, cutting its main engines to leave it hanging over the battlefield by its anti-gravitic pods. Small-caliber gun turrets all along its flanks open fire, laying down a blistering rain now that friendly fire is all but a non-issue.

Create Advantage: Cover Fire
[roll2]
Standoff in Space:

The Sky-Born commander scowls as Ray meets his threat with one of her own, leaving him no choice but to admit that his is a bluff. He shoves the villager away and distances himself from her with a kick, then brings his pistol to bear... on Ray herself. He isn't here to kill, but if she won't give up her Gundam, the weapon of the war, the weapon of those who would bring the Earth to ruin... she leaves him no choice.

"Stop!" he shouts again, more vehemently, as he fires. With a sharp crack, a bullet speeds the length of the drop bay...

You get a boost off the tie with the captain on your last roll, and I'll give you the retroactive compel.

Physical attack:
[roll3]

[Merilan]

The Type Zero's blade crushes straight through in a hiss of metal against metal, a sickly grinding noise that's soon polished by its clean cut and resounding explosion. It simply proceeds forward, emerald eyes shimmering ominously in the crimson-hued carnage around it; the Outis' gatling gun rattled off, but bounced clean against the Gundanium armour that still managed to hold true.

"Destroying the enemy."

The Gundam's sword was raised again, and a combination of machine cannon fire both pocked and trapped the mobile suit in place for its current primary weapon to finish the job. The Exalted's sword hissed as its edge carved straight through, resoundingly proving its worth as a weapon worthy of a God.

Within the cockpit, within the illumination of the myriad truths in front of her, Shigure sat still... no, rather, the body that was once Shigure sat still, while internally, Shigure struggled unconsciously as she watched herself carry the instructions of the devil out.

The Type Zero looked up towards the Basileus. It wasn't done yet...

"Continuing with the mission."

I'm going to take 1 less from the attack to get another Boost, if that's all right.

[Fearan]

Though he managed to hit the designated point in the crevasse - which didn't dodge for some strange reason, Dielan had no idea of effectiveness of the landfall he caused - the raised dust obscured his target from the Gundam's sensors, and divinations needed time to update the battlemap - much needed time. So, for the time being, he, while grinding his teeth opted to put the trust in his fellow priests - after all, weren't the Exalted Gundam a god of swords - with crippled wings of the enemy and narrow space, he should be fine. As for the Type-Zero, which apparently gone berserk - Dielan doubted it needed his support right now. Instead, he chose to do, what he already achieved once - silence the cannons of the dropship - with a precise hit to the energy center. He aimed and fired his third shot- each time it was easier and less tense.


Carefully overcoming that annoying cover fire [roll0]

[DoctorFaust]

For once in this battle, Amamiya actually has things go his way. While the ambush doesn't go exactly as planned because of the Titan pilot's incredible reflexes, he still is able to parlay his focus into jerking the head of the Exalted out of the way of the shotgun blast and sword swing, and replies in kind with a ferocious ice-pick grip stab at the body of the enemy mobile suit.

[Ascension]

The Battlefield

I've decided to expend my free invoke of Cover Fire in defense of the Cover Fire aspect, allowing it to stand against Dielan's Overcome attempt. However, that's mostly just to make what's about to happen narratively easier... y'all have still won this one.
Unfortunately, the curtains of cover fire put out by the Basileus's CIWS turrets are dense enough that Dielan can't quite get a clear shot without exposing himself to an uncomfortable degree of danger. Still, the tungsten rod he fires pierces the ship's flank, and the lights flicker across a quarter of the ship. He got close, and the Sky-Born know it, just as well as they know what fate befell the Orcinus when it was struck in the same way.

They can't afford to linger any longer. The legends were true... the Gundams are simply too powerful.

<"Commander Raszlo, the Outis squad is destroyed, and we are under fire. We must withdraw, while we are still able.">

Down in the crevasse, Grant meets Amamiya blade to blade for the first time. A desperate parry with the haft of his hatchet-saber diverts his opponent's stabbing blow, but the twice-stolen weapon's beam emitter is ruined in the process. The Sky-Born ace's heart thrills. He came to test the God of Swords' mettle, but he expected to find him wanting, and to punish him for his hubris. This, though... this is a truer challenge than he has faced since his training days, and here real lives are on the line. It's an intoxicating exhilaration.

And then the Basileus interrupts. He's furious, fuming, but... at the same time, he knows that rockslide he so recently dodged was no accident. He knows he's outnumbered, and with his Outises gone... with his comrades slain... there's little left to occupy the other Gundams. As loathe as he is to give it up, there is no duel with the Exalted to be had today.

"Not over, children," he swears over an open channel, using the Earth-Born tongue, "Your Gundams will fall."

He fires his shotgun over Amamiya's head, creating a brief rock fall to cover his retreat, and leaps, his remaining thrusters clawing for air against the unfamiliar clutch of gravity. He barely clears the lip of the crevasse, but the Basileus, shielded by its CIWS fire, is able to risk one pass low over the ravine, and Grant locks a hand onto the underside of the ship. With him in tow, its rocket engines reengage, and it soars up the flank of the Red Mountain, climbing fast.

Raszlo and the Basileus are poised to escape, as the Orcinus did... but, as before, the Twin Buster Rifle might be able to manage a parting shot. At least, it could... if one wasn't too concerned about the safety of the people of the Red Mountain...

[Merilan]

Shirakawa-cho was burning.

Within the centre of the flames, the Type Zero impassively looked up to where the Basileus was making its retreat. A reasonable decision, by any standards. A tactical retreat, well within t he boundaries of strategic prediction. They will be back, with reinforcements. The damage will be tenfold.

No more.

The ebb and flow of the ZERO System was well hitting its climax by now, a crescendo of precognitive notes that echoed well within the realm of Shigure's mind. Images -- illusions -- facts -- outcomes -- echo throughout her vision, of the rest of the city burning down, of greater numbers of Outises marching across the remnants, of Red Mountain burning, of the Valley succumbing to a flood of flash fire.

No more.

The Gundam's hand reached for the massive, two-handed rifle on its back. The unwieldy gunmetal-coloured armament locked into place, and its rectangular lock-on sensors shimmered to life. The whispered chime of a lock-on alert began to ring throughout the cockpit, a mad hornet's nest of targeting reticles all turning red reflected upon the young girl's eyes. Warnings began to flare, uselessly ignored both by pilot and system, failsafes designed by those that came after and did not truly understand what the Angel of Victory desired and was capable of. Failsafes that would only serve to cause more harm.

"Returning to Strategic level,
Eliminating enemy retreat path.
Re-routing subroutine power, confirming reactor charge.
Twin Buster Rifle..."

Her eyes listlessly narrow, glassy and swimming within the confines of promised victory.

"Maximum..."

She hesitated.

"...discharge..."

The Gundam's outer gauntlet layers shattered under the sheer pressure; the powerful rattle of the rifle's recoil, the immense backdraft of the weapon's emission washed against the Gundanium and began to deform it. The systems within hissed with a faint little whine, hydraulic cables unsettling and bloating as coolant routines boiled and started to fail.

There was a loud explosion -- everything turned white for a moment. From Red Mountain, the heavenly decree of the angel could be seen. There was no subtlety here, only a statement of judgement.

... at least, it should be a judgement -- yet the beam was clearly off-angled, aiming to clip the Basileus along its starboard and rip the anti-gravity pods off to send it on a crash course away from the Mountain.

Inside the cockpit, Shigure silently hoped she awakened in time to avoid the worst-case disaster.

Shigure is going to spend her Boost and use the Twin Buster Rifle stunt. She's going to make a Clever attack to take the Basileus out and send it crashing away from the Mountain.

[roll0]

The Type Zero takes the Overheating minor consequence as part of taking the stunt.

[Ascension]

The Basileus is nearly bisected by the blast from the Type Zero's fearsome superweapon, but Shigure's aim is true, and the momentum of what remains of the ship carries it on past the Red Mountain, to impact somewhere off to the north, beyond the lands that lie under the protection of the Gundam shrines.

With that, the invaders are officially defeated, but it is difficult to call this day a victory. The great city of Shirakawa-cho still burns, the swift God of Swords is stricken lame, the Champion of the Red Mountain seems to have disappeared somewhere in the chaos and confusion, and Shigure, well...

The scars of this battle will endure for some time. It's left to you to pick up the pieces, and to carry on forward as best you can.

Where will you start?

[Merilan]

Shirakawa-cho was burning.

As the last dark washes of the ZERO System began to subside over her, the heavy brunt of reality weighing upon her mind and soul became all too clear. Her senses returned to her, one by one, gradually, and she could scarce cope with what she'd seen -- what she'd done; she trembled, and not too gently, as she called out, "E-everyone...!"

There was a scratchy transmission, and finally, her father's voice patched through. "S-Shigure! Shigure, oh, you're back, thank the goodness..."
"There isn't time for that. Shigure, you need to prioritise mitigation of damage to the city. Can you do that?"

She stared at her radar systems and overlay map, biting her lip. The fire was vast spreading, and she had little idea of what to do... what could she do...

"I--I will... try..." Shigure sucked in a breath, and dropped the Twin Buster Rifle, carefully manuevering the weapon controls back to the GN Sword II. The first step was to contain the fire. It would be damaging, there were no two ways about it, but better than to let Shirakawa-cho crisp completely.

The Type Zero lumbered, its overheating joints whining with a racket as Shigure pushed it -- and herself -- beyond what people would consider normal operating bounds. It thrust the Exalted's sword into the ground, and began to drag it to cut a great earthen trough, tearing through building and streets alike.

She was hoping she could create enough of a divide to contain the fire to just the burning portions of the city.

Shigure's going to try to Overcome the fire by Carefully creating an earthen wall. [roll0]

[Ascension]

It isn't easy.

The Amatsu-Murakami Gundam moves as if its limbs are weighed down by lead, and each cumbersome step draws new protests from its weary joints and new warnings from Shigure's instrument panel. The flames lapping at its side as it draws its line through the earth would be negligible if the Gundam's coolant systems were functioning at normal levels, their heat nothing compared to the nuclear furnace burning at the heart of the ancient mobile suit, but with Type Zero's systems already overburdened, each wave of heat which rolls off of the blazing city seems to raise the temperature inside Shigure's cockpit even higher. Sweat pricks at her brow, and her vision swims as she comes dangerously close to fainting.

The fire continues to spread ahead of her as she trudges along, and she's forced to widen the sweep of her cordon, condemning more of the city to burn. With the task growing with almost every step, her long march begins to take on the feeling of a hellish journey, doomed never to reach an end. And yet... behind her, where the sword-god's blade has left its mark, the flames dare not pass. Slowly, painfully, she is succeeding.

And then, at last, with one more shuddering step and scrape of the blade, the great trench joins back upon itself, and Shigure is, at least for a moment, released from her penance. Much of the city will still be left in ash, but, as long as the winds stay calm until the great conflagration has burned itself all out, the fire shouldn't spread any further.

"Good job, Shigure."

Her father's voice seems small and far away. It's impossible to tell whether that's due to Type Zero's failings or her own. She feels so weary, and so faint...

"Thank you."

[Merilan]

The Type Zero came to a complete stop as the great earthen moat cut the rest of Shirakawa-cho away from the consuming blaze; the last lick of flames run against the now-singed surface of the GN Blade II, otherwise unbothered by such worldly woes as earth and flame.

Shigure's heart clutched very tightly, almost seizing; she gasped and wheezed softly, reaching back to the instrument panel to ensure the communication link was still up. "Father..." she whispered in return, her heart trembling. She wasn't certain whether this sudden, awful pressure was from all the physical, mental and emotional exertion from the battle, from the ZERO System, from seeing their beloved city burn, or...

Her eyes widen -- for a moment, her eyes gloss over, and she could see and hear the screams and whimpers of those below her, and she trembled. She stared towards the ruined wreckage of Shirakawa-cho's northeastern district, still set ablaze. This was what a... Newtype could hear... and sense...

She clutched a bit tighter at her heart, gasping louder. "Why... why did it have to come to this... why?"

She didn't have an answer, and could only look helplessly at the orb nestled upon the mobile suit's dashboard.

Maybe only the Type Zero itself could answer when it would be truly obsolete...

[Inspector Valin]

The commander is fast with his gun. Faster than Ray had given him credit for. The bullet whizzes past the Nagizawan, and she looks surprised for a second. But just a second. Then with a grin she jumps backward. The Lancelot's cockpit closes shut around her as Ray flexes the controls. She spares a quizzical glance towards the viewscreen, pondering something to herself... but this is battle now. Thanks and reflections would have to wait.

The great giant moves to stand fully upright, towering above the Captain. In seconds, the voice of Ray Takashima blares out over its speakers. "Friends, Lancelot is with us! Everyone, get to the shuttle, now!" Ray waves towards the craft with her shield hand, the mighty Anti-Ship blade pointing towards the man who'd just shot at her. Sh can't resist a grin at that. This crazy plan might just have worked out!

Don't think this is the moment for a roll, as I don't think any of the Skyborn could provide active opposition to Ray at this point. Willing to argue, just went with that as a baseline to get this up. :smallwink:

[Ascension]

Aboard the Orcinus

In the tight confines of the Orcinus's drop bay, the Lancelot Gundam merely drawing its mighty blade poses a threat to the safety of the ship. The great sword's tip scrapes against the deckhead above, and maintenance scaffolding trembles ominously throughout the bay. The Sky-Born captain blanches. The Gundam pilot wouldn't really start swinging that thing around in here... would she? She might doom her own people along with his own crew.

Yet the sword hangs overhead...

In the Ashes of Shirakawa-cho

As Shigure seeks answers... as the Exalted limps from the battlefield, its wounds still fresh and raw... as Dielan steals away to the safety of his family's hidden shrine... as the people of the Red Mountain search for their beloved Champion... the city still burns. It will take time for a fire this size to burn itself out completely, and even more time for the buildings that were lost to be rebuilt. What was lost along with the buildings... the possessions, keepsakes, memories... even lives... those, no breadth of time can make whole again.

If this is victory, will the Earth be able to pay its cost?

The Wreck of the Basileus

And yet, ruin has visited the Sky-Born in arguably equal measure. The shattered bulk of the Basileus mirrors the war-torn city, with gouts of flame and arcs of lightning leaping from great rents in its hull. The shouts of survivors and the screams of the dying mingle in a hellish chorus, sung in a shared key of pain and loss.

But some meters from the wreck, Grant Raszlo's Orosz stands on its own strength, damaged but unbroken. Beside it stands the slim antenna tower of a high-yield emergency radio, Raszlo himself crouched at its base.

"We're sending a ship to extract you immediately," promises a crackling voice from somewhere up in orbit, "Just hang in there."

"No," Grant rasps, voice dry but still authoritative, "I'm not requesting extraction. These children... these pilots... are more dangerous than I expected, but the hunt is not yet over. I'm requesting reinforcements."


End Episode Two (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxQIP-fHYIE)

Please check the OOC thread for important information.

[Ascension]

Nagizawa Isle:

Yosho Takashima stares up at the last stars in the sky as the rising sun washes the ceiling of the world from black to blue. Religion has always been something of a matter of convenience for him, a means to several very lucrative ends, but he is not without his own simple faith, and a touchstone of that faith is belief in his family. It isn't the Gundam Lancelot he addresses in his prayers as he gazes skyward.

Ray, come home, girl. We here on Earth need you.

The Red Mountain:

Even with daybreak only just arriving, the slopes of the Red Mountain are crawling with activity. With the Champion and Kaiser GENBU both still missing after the last battle, and repairs to the Meteor Cannon still in their early stages, the Elders have issued an edict calling for everyone under the Mountain's protection to abandon their homes and retreat behind the Gate of Earth. At nightfall, the great Gate will be sealed shut, and anyone who has not made it inside by that time will be left to fend for themselves.

Without the Eternal Guardian, this is the best the Five Clans can offer.

Kaminoe Mountain:

The Exalted stands next to its temple with a fragile-looking web of scaffolding clinging to its knee. Ancient electric lighting shines brighter than the dawn, illuminating the damage the Sky-Devil dealt the God of Swords. Members of the priesthood have worked throughout the night, but scarred metal does not heal so readily as scarred flesh.

Kozue Hojo, a hard-faced woman of amazonian stature and one of the senior technicians of the Yonezawa priesthood, is the one to break the news to Amamiya.

"I can't see any way around replacing the entire knee joint, Yonezawa," she explains, wiping sweat and sacred oil from her brow with a thin sheet of absorbent paper, "I am confident we could repurpose a joint from one of the fallen titans for the task, but it will take time to prepare the part for installation, time to remove the ruined joint and set the new one in place, and more time to calibrate it to function properly with the Exalted's systems. Beyond 'as soon as possible,' I'm afraid I cannot promise you a timeline. Only that we are working on it."

Shirakawa-cho:

The ashes of the burned quadrant of the city still softly smolder, right up to the imperishable white flank of the Shirayuki-hime, as the new day's sun brightens the eastern sky. It isn't the light of the rising sun that wakes Shigure, however, but a distinct psychic pressure. Shinano Yugami stands at the doorway to her bedroom.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry," she apologizes.

She isn't particularly sorry.

Yonhatsu Valley:

Within the high, narrow walls of Yonhatsu Valley, the morning is only just beginning to be felt. The sky is lightening, a couple birds have begun to call, and a few early-rising farmers are dressing in their still-darkened homes, but the sun has yet to be seen, and the villages have yet to come alive.

And then that pre-dawn peace is shattered by thunder and flame.

Explosions ring out.

And the Gundam statue falls.


Episode Three: Guerrillas in Their Midst (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQrz619uflg)

[Ascension]

Aboard the Orcinus

Glaring at the Gundam Lancelot alone won't solve anything, unfortunately. The captain of the Orcinus is forced to make a decision.

"Tch. <Let them go for now. Before she does anything rash. We still have the data we've collected. That will have to be enough.>"

And perhaps, he privately hopes, the Gundam pilot might spread word of the spacenoids' motivations, and her comrades might prove more sympathetic to the cause. He would still like to see the human pollution removed from Earth without violence, if at all possible.

The Sky-Born guards release the half-dozen captives, giving them a push in the direction of the shuttle Ray pointed out to them. They don't need any more encouragement to flee to it. Whether any of them have even the foggiest idea how to operate an alien space shuttle, however, is another matter.

[Merilan]

Shigure wasn't in much of a state to tend to herself; she had barely enough werewithal to return the Type Zero to the Shirayuki-hime, and had to be coaxed out of her cockpit by several attendants. She laid shivering and trembling as the attendants transferred her to her wheelchair, and then to her room; she was bathed, her wounds attended to, and her clothes changed, but it didn't change the shell-shocked expression on the young girl's face as she replayed the images of the battle that only echoed ever more freshly in her mind. She felt like she could sense the puncturing gazes of those around her -- she could feel distant, vestigial sensations of their grief, their sorrow, their loss.

They looked to her for answers, but she had none.

She had no answer for how it came to this, none but her... inaction, her hesitation. She fancied herself with investigation into language, and desired discourse and diplomacy. But she did not strike when she should have; mercy guided her hand, and it was mercy that consumed her city in flame.

Was there... really no answer for her?

She slept poorly, in fits and in agony; her body ached, but not so much as her mind and her soul. And in the morning, she was especially sensitive to Yugami's distorted presence, her oppressive wave pressing against hers rather distinctly.

"Y-Yugami...?" she whispered, still laid on her bed.

[DoctorFaust]

In a chair not far away from where the priests and priestesses work, Amamiya sits and stares at his Gundam. It served him far better than he had any right to ask of it, enduring brutal blows and protecting him from all but the least harm. For all his childhood, he had thought of the Exalted as a stalwart defender of the Yonezawa, undefeatable, unable to be harmed by the tools of man.

A chuckle escapes his lips as Amamiya realises that he may well have been right about that. They still don't know if the Skyborn are human or not, and they possess technology decidedly superior to that of the clans. Privately, he hopes that Shigure was not so hurt by the ZERO system that she stops work on her translation.

Returning his gaze to the Exalted, Amamiya schools his features back into proper stately dignity as Kozue Hojo approaches. "Everyone in the clan knows how hard you and all the rest of the priesthood have been working to repair the Exalted, Priestess Hojo," he replies, gesturing to a ceramic jug of water at the side of his seat. "It was foolish of me to continue to try to fight the Skyborn when I was so obviously outmatched, and I hope you will forgive me for making more work for you."

[Fearan]

- And so, the great Gundam of Yonhotsu valley falls - said amused-looking Dielan to his ever-present maid, sitting in the gazebo near the lake. From here, the shrine guards alerted by the explosions and the Priest's orders looked like busy ants - the distance between the gazebo and the other shore of the lake, where the statue once stood was considerable. Somewhere among those ants buzzed annoyed wasp of the Forge Minister, who was also raised from her bed just before dawn - in the time of the sweetest sleep. Dielan hoped, that her genius will be enough to determine the cause of the explosion. - Let's see, what will come after - bring me my calligraphy set, for I feel, I'll need to prepare a speech. Or write a poem, I'm not sure


Okay, there is two actions - please, tell me, what do I need to roll for the first one
1) Send Meng Zhi to determine the cause of explosion and guards to secure the perimeter and the entrance to actual Gundam base. It's probably a distraction, so prepare to defend against infiltrators
2) Create an advantage "Prepared speech" - it seems, Dielan will have to address the folk soon. Roll clever [roll0]

[Ascension]

Shigure:

"Yes, Shigure, it's me," Yugami confirms, cracking the door wide enough to take a single step inside. Though the fallen heiress herself has only barely entered the room, her powerful aura seems to expand to fill it, rolling over the Gundam pilot like a dense blanket of fog.

"I am sorry to wake you," she emphasizes, again without any emotional reaction to correspond with the empty apology. "I only wanted to check in on you. See how you're doing."

Her curiosity, at least, strikes a sincere note, but Shigure would be able to tell that it isn't the sole occasion for this visit even without any empathic abilities. With her powers, Yugami's veiled intentions are a palpable sense of foreboding, building up toward its crescendo.

"How are you doing? I know you've been through... so much, these past few days."

Amamiya:

Kozue accepts the proferred water with a shallow bow, and seats herself at Amamiya's feet, but she seems troubled by his words.

"It is never foolish to fight, Blessed Yonezawa," she says, choosing her words gingerly, "And yet... one may fight foolishly. I would not accuse you of doing any such a thing, of course. But one might."

She clasps her hands, and her slate grey eyes find Amamiya's own.

"Clearly you are not outmatched by the Sky-born," she says, more boldly. "The Gundams have cut down the green titans like wheat before a scythe, and taken the brunt of their fury without flinching. No, the damage dealt to the Exalted was done by a Sky-born. The black devil, yes? A demon he may be, but he is only one demon. I do not think even the craftiest, even the mightiest demon could stand against all the gods. If all the gods stood together."

A brief smile flickers across her sharp lips, and she stands to leave.

"Such are the things I might say to a great man who felt himself inadequate to his task, were it my place to say such things. I would say that the sword he wielded was as strong or stronger than any to be found in heaven or hell, as well as on the Earth. The strongest blade I know. I would say that his task is but to wield that blade wisely. Wield it wisely, and anything can be cut."

She gives a quick, curt parting bow.

"Good day, Yonezawa."

Dielan:
Your roll to prepare a speech is good for a regular success. You have the aspect, and one free invocation. For sending Meng Zhi, she's an NPC, so you wouldn't roll Dielan's stats directly for her actions, and you're not really directly instructing her in what to do, either, but you could roll a Clever Overcome for me to see if you chose the right agent for the right task.

[Merilan]

"Everything... hurts," Shigure admitted, glancing aside. It was rather evident that she didn't even mean physically -- emotionally, mentally, this was perhaps the most distress she had been in. It didn't look like she would be very able to move, bandaged and cast as she was.

Shigure always tried her best to be amiable to Yugami; she had no reason to antagonise Yugami, and always felt rather bad about the way the stigma of the Shinano clan clung to her shoulders like a heavy, cloying shadow. The way she'd been treated and looked down around the Amatsu-Murakami manor was, at times, deplorable to her. But... their relationship had always been strained and difficult, from a young age. Yugami never had a chance to lay hands on the Type Zero, despite her capability being higher than that of Shigure's. Even when Shigure was declared unsuitable, Yugami did not take gracefully that Yamashiro, an outsider, became the pilot of choice.

But there was more to it than that.

"Thank you for seeing me, though... I want to see Yamashiro in a bit..."

There it was again. Yamashiro, Yamashiro, Yamashiro. It's all Shigure seemed to care about.

She continually pushed her out, again and again. It was like an impenetrable wall, and it was impossible to get between the two. Always a third wheel. It was lonely. It was embittering.

I'm thinking I want to compel I'll do anything for sister! here, since Shigure is definitely going to probably set Yugami off further than what she'd intended, by inadvertently pressing those buttons.

[DoctorFaust]

"Good day, Priestess Hojo," Amamiya says, watching her walk away with a smile. Priest Wah may have superior technical skills, but that speech proved why she was considered the strongest contender for the next head of the priesthood.

Together. Yes, standing together may well be their answer. The black titan was only driven away by their might combined, after all. Perhaps it was time to start mending bridges...

With a great sigh, Amamiya pulls himself up out of his chair and motions to a nearby retainer. "Bring that along,," he says. "I need to go find my uncle."

[Inspector Valin]

Ray... blinks repeatedly. The Captain was fully backing down? The prisoners were boarding the shuttle?

Her grin was the stuff of legend. With a nod of Lancelot's head to the good captian, Ray takes a step backwards, picking up the now occupied shuttlecraft. A light on Lancelot's panel blinks to green, and the small ship's bay door begins to seal automatically. With a cry of triumph, the great Gundam jumps downward toward the drop bay doors, sword drawn. They're so close now! So close! For all her failures and mistakes and badly judged chances, she might just manage to bring these people home.

Its time to leave. Come what may

The Sword of the Hero spins in Lancelot's hand. Holding the blade aloft, the great champion of Nagizawa strikes upon the door with his sword pommel. The Skyborn will have their chance to open the way. Otherwise... well, this blade can cut the great star-whales according to the Logbook. Might be time to test that.

[Ascension]

Shigure

Okay, I'll bite on that compel.
The corner of Yugami's mouth twitches at the mention of Yamashiro, and something undefinable swirls in her aura, but she takes it in stride and presses on.

"Yes... I suppose she'll need to hear the news, too. Maybe we can visit her together. But you're the one I'm most worried for, given the circumstances. Since you're the one who..."

She lets that sentence trail away as she steps closer, to the foot of Shigure's bed. The pressure increases.

"Have you enjoyed piloting the Type Zero?" she asks, almost casually.

Amamiya

Uncle Ren has had a long night himself. While he doesn't have the technical skill to do much for the wounded Exalted directly, any endeavor of such scale and complexity has significant logistical needs, and someone had to keep the men and materiel flowing in the right directions. He lets out a weary laugh at the sight of Amamiya's retainer carrying the jug of water as his nephew approaches.

"Careful with that," he half-jokingly warns, "We're running low on drinking water. Not to the point of rationing the Yonezawa's intake, but... one more thing to account for."

He honors the Gundam pilot with a bow, then asks, "What can I do for you?"

Dielan

Ordinary success on both your rolls.
Dielan is just putting the finishing touches on his speech when Meng Zhi returns, a pinched scowl on her face.

"The explosives were placed on the statue itself, along what would've been its energy meridians, were it a true Gundam. The attackers who placed them are knowledgeable of a Gundam's vulnerabilities. I have acolytes combing the rubble for anything we might be able to use to track them, but we have yet to find those responsible."

The tread of armed shrine guards rings through halls throughout the shrine complex, and the Minister of the Forge stirs restlessly, needing something to do herself to aid the search.

"I will go consult with our latest divinations. Perhaps there is some sign of something that might point us toward our foe."

Ray

Yellow lights flash, a warning klaxon bleats, and the antlike figures of the Sky-born scattered throughout the hanger scramble for shelter. When all are clear, the doors open beneath the Gundam Lancelot's feet, and Ray glimpses the Earth below. Her home calls her... but the task of reaching it remains. Where is Nagizawa Isle, on that great blue orb? And is Lancelot meant to make such a journey?

[Merilan]

Shigure couldn't help but flinch, trembling as she stared up towards Yugami. "H-how... how could you say that?" Shigure murmured, sounding hurt. "You know I do not enjoy violence... I do it because it is my duty, and because Yamashiro is..." She paused, hesitant.

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya responds with a bow of his own, before saying, "I seek advice from one more adept in a field than I. I've been speaking with a number of the priests about the current situation with the other clans, and the opinion amongst them, which I agree with, is that we will be much better equipped to deal with the current hostilities if we stand together than apart. I know the talks with the Shiratsuyu's were interrupted by the Skyborn, but I was hoping for advice on how best to reopen them."

[Fearan]

The young priest finished the last calligraphy character on the paper and turned to Meng Zhi. - I wonder - he pondered - - Have they noticed, that the statue is exactly this? And if yes - are they able to reach the sky with this knowledge? Anyway - make sure, that the speaker-shrine is delivered to the city - the faithful have to hear my voice on this - we won't be able to hide the destruction of the landmark. Meanwhile, I want Hulijing relocated to the firing position. If the Yonhotsu valley is "Lacking a Gundam" right now, the Sky-devils might want to establish their first true foothold in the land, instead of simply banging their heads against the paper wall of Shirakawa-cho. If you can find the way to interfere with communications except the temple's wave, that would be the best bet for now


Okay, so Dielan is expecting an attack on the "exposed territory". So, he orders to prepare Hulijing for ambush. Obviously, he wants it covertly, so creating advantage with Sneaky. [roll0]
Please, roll whatever you need for Meng Zhi to interfere with communication outside of our own frequency.

[Ascension]

Shigure

"...ah, yes. Of course," Yugami replies, somewhere between sympathetic and piqued. "Well, maybe that will make it easier. For you, I mean. There's no chance your mother takes it well, if it happens."

She sits down on the edge of Shigure's bed, looking down at the Gundam pilot, her expression unreadable in the dim light.

"There's some talk of... a change in leadership. Since Yamashiro is still bedridden, and... well, you know."

She lays a hand, gently, on Shigure's arm.

"I do feel sorry for you, if it comes to that. You know I know how it feels."

Amamiya

Ren furrows his brow, strokes his chin. Nishiumi is no easy woman to pin down.

"Need," he says at last. "You saw how that council went, with that Shiratsuyu woman trying to control everything. If we want a more equal partnership, she needs to be made aware how much she needs us."

A faint smile creases his lips.

"Of course, after so much of Shirakawa-cho was lost to fire, I'm sure she'll be demanding our lumber soon enough. Maybe we won't be quite so generous as we were last time her city needed help?"

Dielan

"A curse upon the enemy's communications?" Meng Zhi echoes, her scowl transmuting toward a happier expression. "I've been working on something which may do just the trick. It will be good to see how well it works in practice."

Other acolytes see to fulfilling the Eastern Heretic's other requests, moving the Hulijing Gundam and erecting the speaker-shrine. Whenever Dielan wishes to bring his message to the people, he may do so.

[Merilan]

"Eh...?" Shigure blinked a few times, tilting her head. "A change in the leadership? To whom...?"

[Inspector Valin]

Ray takes a long second, looking down at the ball of blue and green below her. Once again, she looks down upon the planet. the earth, in its entirety. Even the ever eager Takishima heiress occasionally needs a moment to reflect on the glory of it all. Lancelot, perhaps, could hear a gentle sniff from its almost overwhelmed pilot. There is silence, and a moment that seems to linger

Then a mighty laugh echoes out across the radio of the shuttlecraft. With a flick of a frayed switch, the Lancelot's long dormant thrusters flare and the Knight of Nagizawa is charging forward, precious cargo in hand. The fact that Nagizawa might no longer be below them doesn't occur to Ray. All that matters is that now they are well and truly free. Everything else can come later!

AT LAST!

[roll0] Forceful Overcome Ray not knowing where Nagizawa is by charging straight ahead and trusting to luck

[DoctorFaust]

Amamiya

Ren furrows his brow, strokes his chin. Nishiumi is no easy woman to pin down.

"Need," he says at last. "You saw how that council went, with that Shiratsuyu woman trying to control everything. If we want a more equal partnership, she needs to be made aware how much she needs us."

A faint smile creases his lips.

"Of course, after so much of Shirakawa-cho was lost to fire, I'm sure she'll be demanding our lumber soon enough. Maybe we won't be quite so generous as we were last time her city needed help?"

"I've seen the reports. I don't think we can afford to be if we wish to survive."

Amamiya begins pacing back and forth across the room, glancing back at his uncle every so often and frowning. "I do not think that any economic leverage that we could be able to apply would make her view us as an equal," he says slowly. "If anything, she would take us as upstarts trying to take advantage of their suffering. The Gods only know, many of our people see them in much the same way. Perhaps going through one of the daughters initially might be a better option, though I have heard Shigure has fallen much out of favour since the last attack."

[Ascension]

Shigure

Yugami seems sincerely taken aback by Shigure's failure to grasp her implication. How naive can the girl truly be? Or is she that determined to make a mockery of the Shinano family?

"You... do recall that you and Yama are not the only candidates to pilot the Type Zero, do you not? There is... another option."


Amamiya

"That girl... Shiratsuyu Shigure..."

Uncle Ren takes a deep breath and blows it out his nose with a faint whistling sound.

"She's a kind girl, and I take no joy in saying this, but if she has fallen out of favor... that itself could be a weapon to use against her mother. I'm old enough to remember when the Shiratsuyus were not the dominant branch of the Amatsu-Murakami clan. If we could motivate dissent within the family, against the Shiratsuyus... perhaps the shrine's new head would be more amenable toward equitable cooperation."

Ray

As Ray boosts unrestrainedly straight toward the blue-green ball of Earth, a few unusual things happen in quick succession.

First, a great number of unfamiliar readouts begin scrolling across her displays. The base language is as familiar as any of the Lancelot's sacred scripts, but the terminology is almost entirely new to her. A few friendly red "WARNING" signs do, however, stand out from the pack.

Next, perhaps in response to the first phenomenon, the Lancelot's positioning thrusters begin to make some adjustments of their own accord, without any input from her.

Then she senses a certain... pressure, strange after spending so long in a weightless environment...

And, finally, the cockpit begins to feel ever so slightly warm, like when Yosho first turns on the inn's electric heater at the start of winter, and it gradually sparks to life.

I wonder what might be causing that?

[DoctorFaust]

"We may actually be able to take advantage of that a different way," Amamiya muses. "If we take steps to help secure the positions of the Shiratsuyus, we may be able to foster some genuine gratitude with them. Provided we do not do so overtly, at least. Better the devil we know than the devil we don't. Unless the other devil turns out to be an angel, that is. Either way, we really can't afford to have Shigure's translation project set back any further than it already is."

He motions to one of his attendants, pulling them in close and muttering in their ear, "Go to Priest Okada, and tell him I require dossiers on the past and potential future clan heads of Amatsu-Murakami. I need it no later than midday tomorrow, though end of day today would be preferable."

[Merilan]

Shigure lowered her head and murmured, "What are they saying, Yugami? Of course I... of course I remember that the Shinano were originally the caretakers and the heirs to the Type Zero, but..." A pause, as she swallowed. "What have I missed, since I lost consciousness?'

[Ascension]

Shigure:

The cloud of emotion filling the room shifts, and Yugami's eyes glimmer in the dim light, shining with the light of restrained tears.

"...grief," Yugami says at last. "The city burned, so what did you expect? You missed grief, in all its permutations. That includes anger. That includes bargaining. Your mother... is in a precarious position."

Amamiya:

"Hrm..."

A moment's delay and a brief tightening of his eyes suggest that Ren may not be entirely convinced by Amamiya's logic, but he doesn't question him out loud.

"As you say, Yonezawa. Certainly, the ability to understand the Sky-Born's communications would be a major strategic advantage."

Suddenly there is an ominous clattering from nearby, in the direction of the Exalted, and an inarticulate shout. The roof of the shelter underneath which Ren and Amamiya are meeting blocks their view of anything above the shins of the mighty Gundam, but they turn to see a wrench and something like a pipe fall from the scaffolding that scales its side. The scaffolding itself groans...

[DoctorFaust]

"Uncle," Amamiya says, glancing out at his Gundam. "For my own peace of mind, would you mind terribly gathering up your things and moving a bit further away? I believe I need to go and see how things are going with the priests."

He leaves the shelter at a calm pace, but as soon as he clears the roof, he begins sprinting towards the Exalted as fast as his legs can carry him

I assume I'd need a Quick overcome to arrive at the scaffolding before anything else happens, so here goes:[roll0]

[Inspector Valin]

Huh. Guess the ultimate fall is... harder than it looks.

Ray grits her teeth, barely noticing the Lancelot's subtle course correction as the pressure starts to mount. Her hand clenches on the stick, the pilot trying to think as the world spirals towards them. The world's catching up with them, gravity returning with vengeance. They're going too fast, and if this is what it's like in Lancelot, the Skyborn Shuttle must be even worse. She could fire up counterthrusters, but that could just put more stress on the Lancelot with this much speed. Need to find a way to cool off or slow down while rolling with the very very fast fall. The slightly frantic Gun'pla taps her foot, trying to think. She's had to do that with the Bluebird to keep its engine stable, there has to be an...ah!

Tilting to one side, and firing a touch of the leg thruster. Ray edges her great Gundam towards a cloudbank, pulling the shuttle along with her. She'd pulled this trick before, back with an early Bluebird flight: it can work again now! The two great craft twirl through the air like this is some bizarre acrobatic performance, Lancelot straining to maintain its grip as the downward momentum continues to mount.

[roll0] Quick Overcome to try and hit a cloud and kill a little of that heat

[Merilan]

Shigure's shoulders trembled very gently as she lowered her head.

"Y-yes, I know that... I remember that... how could I forget? Even in the Type Zero, the heat was nearly unbearable--" she winced as she realised there were bandages around her where the handmaidens had placed balm on the burn wounds from where the steam vents had started to leak into where she was sitting. "I must see mother, Yugami..."