Life is Unpredictable
Chapter 3
"Ezra, zoom in!" ordered BC
"H-hai!"
A diagram of the two mother ships appeared on the main screen, one red and one blue. Bolts of blue and red lights are also seen hitting everything in sight, making parts of the area explode in bright light
"What is this? One mother ship is red...and the other.... light blue" questioned Misty to everyone.
"Strange....all mother ships we came across is red....but this one...."
"And to add to that....they appear to be actually, actually fighting each other." Added a crew-member
"Oi! What is happening out there?!" asked Hibiki who had popped himself up on the main screen
"To tell you frankly.... we have no idea either," replied BC dryly, "Ezra, can you get a status report on the blue....no, both ships?"
"I'm not sure.....but I can try" replied Ezra as she started tapping on the panel in front of her.
Then Meia appeared on the screen
"Should we move forward?"
".....no. We wait and see....for now"
"Understood," replied Meia, nodding
"Sub-commander!" called Ezra
"Got it?"
"Hai... both mother ships have very different approach, and totally different in their signal pattern. And there seems to be unidentified objects attacking the red one"
"Unidentified?"
"Yes, cubes from the blue ship as well as those unidentified objects are attacking the red one.... I suspect they are actually pilots, human beings piloting those unidentified objects"
"....how about the damage?"
"Right now.... the light blue mother ship has approximately 20% of damage. As for the other, 13% of damage."
"Tactics?"
"The blue one...." started Ezra, "I have no idea. It's tactics it's nothing I..... and I think all of us.... have ever seen before. Nevertheless, their tactics are more to the defense than the offense"
".....how about the red one?"
".....It's almost the same as the one which attacked us when we picked Misty up from the space."
"!!"
"However.... they seem to have more speed and.... probably more power"
"............."
"How long do you think the battle has started?" asked Misty after a moment of silence
"Judging from the damage percentage.... possibly just half an hour or less...."
"Half an hour....." Murmured BC
"Sub-commander.... there's.... transmission coming in from the light blue ship" said Coco in shock
"Transmission? Now that's a surprise...." muttered BC, thinking 'I thought they will possess Pyoro to talk to us'
"....put it through" said Magno after a moment
A young man appeared on the screen. He has piercing blue eyes with messy but slightly spiky black hair. Slight weariness and worry showed in his blue eyes. There's a very small and thin line of scar near his right eye that it would take a very observant person to notice it. Confident and dignified, he started his sentence coolly.
"Who are you? And what are you doing here?"
"We should be asking you that" stated Magno
"....since you are an 'elder', I shall answer it. We are battling an enemy, one that is called the earth fleet" came his calm reply. "Who are you people? And what are you doing here?"
'Elder?' thought everyone on the bridge
"We come from the planet Mejerr and Talark. Across the magnetic field. As to why we are here... it's merely a coincidence"
A flash of surprise went past his features, "Mejerr and Talark?" He took a glance around the ship, noticing they are all women, "Than I'm assuming you are pirates"
"That is correct," replied Magno, hiding her surprise as well,'.....this man knows about our planet'
"Frankly, I'm surprised to see pirates traveling so far from their planets.... by the way, have you heard of 'harvest'?"
".....Yes. And you have yet to tell us who are you"
"Ah, forgive me" replied that man as a slight rumbling occurred on that ship, signaling to them that the blue ship has been hit. "I had forgotten to introduce myself. But it can be done later. There are more important matters right now. Perhaps some help here?"
Magno allowed a small smile in her calm features, "How can you be so sure that we are not an enemy? Or perhaps the earth fleet itself?"
The man smiled back a little amusedly, "One, Mejerr and Talark has not even a single knowledge about the harvest. And yet, you pirates know about it. Two, your shield is up and your pilots are on standby. But you are not attacking us, the blue colored ship. If you are of the earth fleet, you wouldn't even be waiting there but instead attack us....perhaps you didn't know about this, if one earth fleet is in a fight, and if another is nearby, it will assist in the fight immediately without a hesitation. Does that answer you?"
Bart made an indescribable look and mumbled, "smart alec..."
Then a womanly voice interrupted from that side, "Commander!" She sounded urgent
The black haired man turned his head to one side, "What is it?"
The lady whispered something in his ear, making him surprised
That man turned back to look at the screen, no longer looking amused, replaced by a grim, weary and worried look
"It looks like I spoke too soon...."
"Eh?"
"Several cubes will be heading your way in 10 seconds. You better be on your guard, pirates"
Surprised look dawned on the bridge crew's faces
That man seemed to read their mind, "I will explain later.....if any of us get out of this alive"
A beeping sound came from Ezra's panel. Ezra quickly attended to it, only to realize he wasn't just talking
She turned to BC quickly, "Sub-commander, enemies heading our way! In contact within 20 seconds!"
"....good luck" that man said grimly when he heard Ezra. Then he switched off the transmission
BC initiated command immediately, "All dreads, fire at will when contacted!"
Meia responded over the tac net, "Roger"
"Bart, aim the main gun at the cubes!"
"Ryokai!!"
"Dreads, fire at will when contacted! But remain in formation!"
"Roger!!" replied a few voices
In just a matter of seconds, the pilots of Nirvana are already engaged in a fierce battle with the cubes
"Eahh!! They are fast!" cried Jura as she narrowly avoided a hit, barely keeping up with the enemy's speed
"Then finish them quickly!!" replied Barnette, wincing as she were hit by a bolt of light
Meia and Hibiki were not having much luck either. They managed to avoid all hits but failed to destroy many which were in their sight, as the cubes were extremely fast
'The enemy is concentrating on speed.....' Thought Meia and Hibiki
"Hibiki!" Meia called after a moment of thinking, Hibiki knew what she wants immediately
"Why does she always seem to know what I'm thinking?" mumbled Hibiki as both united
"Bart, fire the main gun!!"
"Ryokai!!" replied Bart as he thrust his hands forward, and shards of lights blasted out of the ship, narrowly avoiding the dreads and the vanguard, hitting the cubes
"30% of enemies destroyed!!" reported Coco as letters flowed at the screen in front of her, appearing and vanishing quickly
"Commander!!" called a sub-ordinate, looking at the battle as Meia and Hibiki unite and shards of lights emitted from the Nirvana
"I know, I know" he replied, surprise in his piercing blue eyes. "Ray, get me the-"
"Already on it," interrupted a grinning man, furiously tapping on the keyboard in front of him
".....2 seconds ago" he added, snickering mischievously
The commander sighed resignedly, and turned back to look at the united mecha. He muttered, "Are...are they the 'one'? The one that we have been looking for....for so long?"
A slender hand placed itself on his heavy shoulders, seeming to lighten the burden on his heavy shoulders
".....we can only hope. We can only hope....that they are the one," she replied sadly. A small twinkle of hope shined in her weary azure eyes.
He sighed, "yes....you are right..."
That lady was silent at his reply
"Ray, how long more?"
"I'm not sure, it's quite complex" replied the man who was still furiously tapping on the keyboard while looking on the screen in front of him
The commander took in a deep breath and closed his eyes
He opened his eyes, ".....let's get this battle finished quickly, shall we?" he said determinedly
All the crews turned to look at him, momentarily stopping work.
He stood up, and roared, "Change formation!! Raging blue square, 20-9! On the double!!"
The crews rushed back to work immediately, "Yes, sir!!"
"Ready the main gun! Maximum power!!
"Roger!!"
"Sub-commander!!" called Ezra
"What is it?"
"The cubes of the blue ship and those unidentified objects are changing formation!"
".....in what sense?"
"They are getting more....aggressive in their attack, " said Ezra as some square shaped formation appeared on the main screen
"....I did say 70% on attack and 30% on defense," continued Ezra, "It was 60% defense and 40% on the other side earlier"
BC thought for a moment, then a smile etched itself on her face
"Then perhaps we should also. Bart, ready the main gun again!"
"Ryokai!" replied Bart, grinning as he scanned and aimed the gun at the enemy cubes in his sight
"Meia, change of objectives! Attack the enemies at full force! But avoid the blue one!"
"Roger!" replied Meia
"90% of enemies within Nirvana's reach destroyed!" reported Celtic
BC's smile widened, "Bart, ready to make contact with the enemy!"
"Avoid the blue one?" mumbled Hibiki
"Hibiki, concentrate!" said Meia sternly as the united mecha barely avoided a hit by mere inches.
Hibiki sighed, unable to find any strength to retort back, "Hai, hai"
Meia was caught off guard, expecting an outburst or perhaps some retort from Hibiki, but shook it off quickly
"All dreads, change formation! Green triangle 24-7! Focus on attack, fire at will!"
"Roger!!"
"Well then...." Started Hibiki, a burning determination in his dark eyes, "Let's go!!"
"Sub-commander, all enemies destroyed!!"
"Bart, move in contact with the enemy!!"
"Ryokai!!"
The pilots of Nirvana speeded towards the enemy, joining the already furious battle. Immediately, hordes of red cubes surrounded them and explosions of lights could be seen everywhere.
"Target of main gun, the earth fleet mother ship! Make sure all pilots and blue cubes are out of firing range! Inform the pirates of Mejerr to stay out of firing range! Countdown in 120 seconds, start now!"
"Countdown starting...."
120....115.....
"Sub-commander, transmission coming in!"
"Put it through"
A person appeared on the screen, wearing a uniform alike with those of soldiers
"Pirates, we will be firing the main gun. Inform your pilots to stay out of firing range. Coordination is sent to you as we speak" he said
"Sub-commander, coordination received! Target, enemy mother ship. Countdown, 110 seconds remaining!" said Coco as that man switched the transmission off
BC's eyes widened, "Inform all pilots immediately!" she paused, something in her mind
"Bart, aim the main gun at the enemy mother ship! Fire at the same time with the blue mother ship!"
"R-ryokai!!"
105.....100...95....
90....85.....80.....75....65....60....55
"Damn, we got to get out of here! We are right in the middle of the firing range!" cursed Hibiki as he and Meia were once again surrounded by horded of enemies. The united mecha were fighting enemies, speeding around as they avoid and destroy. Without realizing it, they had landed right in the middle of the firing range, and the enemies seemed to be totally determined to keep them there.
45.....40...35.....
"Sub-commander, Meia and Hibiki are still in the middle of the firing range!!"
"What?!"
"Enemies are surrounding them, delaying their escape!"
A transmission from Jura came in
"Allow me to help them!"
"No, you cannot go!"
"But....."
"There's not enough time...."
"But, they could-"
"Calm down!" interrupted Magno, " Let's believe in them. Believe they will get out alive.....trust them"
"Pai,ready the 'shock machine' " said Duero while looking at the screen which
shows Dita's heartbeat.....which was getting dangerously low
(Author's note-the one in the hospital, when a patient's heartbeat stop,
they use a machine.....and since I don't remember what it's called, so I just type
shock machine)
25....20....15.....
"Commander, the united mecha is still in the firing range!!"
The commander's piercing blue eyes narrowed worriedly
"Let's just hope they will get out alive. We cannot afford to abort firing the main gun"
"B-but-" started Ray, stopping momentarily from tapping the keyboard
"we can only hope" he spoke with finality
10....9,8,7....
"Finally!" Exclaimed Hibiki as the last enemy blocking them is destroyed, "Let's get out of here!"
Meia silently agreed as the united mecha sped
6,5,4....
"Clear!" said Duero as he placed the two metal lumps on Dita, pressing a button and Dita jumped at the shock
....But the heartbeat stayed zero
"Again!" called Duero, thinking, 'come on, Dita! You can't give up!'
3...2....1
The united mecha were still speeding, getting closer to getting out of the firing range
"Clear!" said Duero as he pressed the button again, and Dita jumped as electricity flowed through her
'0'