“You… You’re a…” Jack stammered, shocked by Tau’s eyes. “How? You’re supposed to be dead.”

“You didn’t really think it would be possible to wipe us all of did you?” Tau replied coldly.

“Hmm, interesting,” Jack said in a tone that suggested otherwise. “seems I have to actually fight seriously. What a pain” he moaned.

“Tsk, you really are annoying,” Tau spat, “I’ll wipe that look of your face.”

“Okay kid,” Jack sighed, “Come”

Tau’s eyes furrowed in irritation and he suddenly shot off the ground towards Jack with frightening speed, where he jabbed continuously with his tonfas.

“Hmm, you’re pretty fast,” Jack acknowledged as he dodged Tau continuous jabs without a sliver of effort. “You’re basics are pretty good…” he said as he jumped above Tau’s kick to his legs, “You’d probably be high ranking in most armies,” he said and caught the tip of Tau’s tonfa, halting the young man’s charge. “but you lack actual combat experience,” he chided and punched Tau in the gut, causing him to cough up blood.

“Didn’t think you were the talkative type,” Tau huffed as he doubled over. “But you’re already in my trap.”

“Hmm?” Jack hummed, but his eyes widened when a red glow emanated from the tip of the tonfa he was holding.

“Gunjin bakudan!!!” Tau yelled and the tonfa exploded with a loud bang and a cloud of smoke in Jack’s hand.

Tau stood up slowly and stumbled towards the exit as the cloud of smoke dissipated behind him.

“Not bad kid,” Jack said through the smoke, freezing Tau in his tracks.

Tau turned slowly, fear dripping down his body in the form of cold sweat. “I… I.. Impossible,” he stuttered when the smoke cleared and Jack stood there completely unscathed by the blast.

“Interesting technique,” Jack said as he dusted his jacket, “You “Gentiles” are really something else. Tell me…”

“Shut up!” Tau roared in anger, “Don’t you dare call us that!”

“Ooh, scary,” Jack jeered in a monotone, “My bad. Gilians is it? From the once noble planet Gilian; now nothing but space dust.”

“I. Will. Kill. You,” Tau threatened with emphasis on every word as he lunged once again at Jack.

“Ahh,” Jack sighed, “seems I have to end this quickly,” he said and gripped his right wrist with his left hand as he spread his legs apart in a crouch. “Kaihō” he chanted and Tau would be haunted by what followed for a long time.

Empire flagship, Imperium.

“How long until we intercept them?” Commander Jacobson asked, as he walked into the Imperium’s bridge; the flagship of the Empire.

“ETA twenty minutes, Mobile suits ready for launch sir?” one of the navigators answered nervously.

“Relax kid,” Jacobson soothed with a smile, “We’re coming back alive.”

“Yes sir!” he replied with a salute and returned to his screen with a determined look in his eyes.

“Lauch all mobile suits. All suits enter Delta formation once out. We lack their firepower so we can’t draw out this battle. The enemy has faith in his firepower so he’ll attack us head on. On my signal, launch operation Angel’s wings. Let’s show those Union pigs that they can’t just do what they want in our turf. Glory to the Empress!” Jacobson ordered to the entire fleet.

“Glory to the Empress!” the fleet chorused while mobile suits took their respective weapons and launched from the catapults of their respective ships as the brave pilots gripped their controls tightly.

Union Fleet Flagship

“Several heat signatures entering formation around the Imperial fleet. It’s the enemy’s mobile suits, sir,” Peters reported and O’Reilly nodded as a hologram with several red dots on its screen appeared in front of him.

“Our adversary isn’t very bright,” he smirked when he saw their formation. “Does he really think such elementary tactics can overcome sheer power?” He laughed and turned on the fleet intercom. “All mobile suits launch!!! Sink those fools into the sea.”

*****

“…Though I walk through valleys of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil,” Lieutenant Havard prayed inside his custom doll, “May all those who fall before me find salvation in the afterlife.”

“Are you ready Lieutenant?” Mission command asked through his intercom and he opened his eyes, with a determined look in them. His green mobile suit hummed to life, and clenched its fists, as he tested its drives one last time.

“Anytime Rachael,” he replied.

“Proceed to Catapult two,” she said and the mobile suit moved through the hangar into position. “All systems green. You’re good to go whenever Lieutenant.”

“Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Hazard, Salvation, heading out,” he announced and he shot off the little runway into the open skies. “Now, then, I wonder if there’s anyone in the enemy forces capable of giving me a warm up.”

*****

Imperial Castle

“Isn’t that…” Sora speculated when he saw someone in the distance running towards them.

Crow zoomed in with its eyes and saw Rosaline’s flushed face as she ran towards them. “It sure is. Can’t believe she managed to escape. Guess she’s tougher than I thought.”

“Kid!” she shouted when she saw him and pulled him into a hug once he entered her arm’s reach. “What are you doing here?” she asked when she pulled away.

“I came here to save you…” Sora started.

“But apparently, you’re tougher than we figured,” Crow chuckled.

“Ah!” she exclaimed when she remembered Tau, “We have to get help! Tau’s in trouble!”

“The guy who kidnapped you?” Sora asked.

“Yes. We need to help him. I don’t think he can fight that man,” she pleaded desperately.

“Let me get this straight. You want to save the guy who not only betrayed you, but kidnapped you, shot the old man and also threatened to kill you,” Crow asked incredulously.

“I know how it sounds, but I implore you. Please help him!”

“Okay, I get it. So all I have to do is save this Tau guy right?” Sora asked and punched his palm. “That oughta be easy.”

Rosaline wiped the tears off her eyes and looked at Sora questioningly. “Why did you come to save me? You barely know me.”

“Huh? Do you even need to ask? That’s because…”

“Freeze!” a voice interrupted them from behind and Sora turned to see a troop of Union soldiers pointing their rifles at him.

“Wow, quite the number they have,” Crow whistled as he perched on Sora’s shoulder.

“Doesn’t really matter to me,” Sora replied as his bracelet began to glow dully.

“You sure you want to do that? They’ll know who we’re immediately and entering space would be far more difficult,” Crow advised.

“Well, I can’t just abandon her either. So I guess we’ll just have to make do somehow.”

“Ah. Things are never just easy for us are they?”

“Well, that makes life more interesting don’t it?”

“Get behind him Princess,” Crow advised and Sora pushed Rosaline behind him. “Things are about to get a bit rowdy”

“We said freeze!” the captain of the troops ordered and trained his rifle at Sora’s forehead.

“And if we refuse?” Crow snickered, “Sora…”

“Taka no…” Sora started and the glow got brighter but he suddenly fell to the ground when Rosaline hit the back of his exposed neck.

“Sora!” Crow screeched and flew down to him. “What do you think you’re doing woman!” he screamed at Rosaline.

“None of your concern bird,” she rebuked and turned to the soldies. “I’ll go with you. Leave the kid out of this.”

“Fine. Get over here,” he ordered and Rosaline made to move but Sora grabbed her leg with the last of his conciousness.

“Don’t go,” he begged, but she kicked him and he fainted.

“Don’t you even think of following me!” she ordered to Crow who didn’t so much as look up at her.

“Just lie down there until this is over. It has nothing to do with you,” she said and followed the soldiers. “I’m sorry,” she whispered sadly when she was a fair distance from them, “But I can’t let you get hurt because of me.”

“That damn woman,” Crow sneered and looked at Sora. “Well, he will wake up soon. That damned woman better not have gone far,” it complained as it flew in the direction they had gone.

*****

“We have acquired the Princess,” the captain’s voice said through Jack’s intercom and he smiled.

“Perfect. Get her to the Warmonger as soon as possible,” Jack ordered, “Our priority is protecting her until she’s spoken to O’Reilly. Relay this to the entire squad.”

He looked down at Tau who was badly bloody and bruised. “Did you hear that? Seems your princess has been caught.” When Tau did not answer, he raised an eyebrow, “You aren’t dead are you? Ah, well I guess this is it for me. I’m going to go drink some juice and go to bed. Been a long day, wouldn’t you agree?” Once again he was answered by silence and he sighed heavily. “I really need to watch my own strength,” he said as he left the room.

He passed by Sora on his way and looked down interestingly at the young man who had bumped onto him the previous day. “A friend of the princess?” he wondered and checked his pulse. “Seems he’s still alive,” he said and left the young boy by the wall. “Sleep tight. You’re one of the lucky ones,” he said as he left the boy to the hands of fate.

****

“Hahahahaha!” Boa laughed as she fired off several rockets into the warzone indiscriminately. “You mutts need to learn you place!”

Soldiers from all faction screamed in fear as they tried to dodge the shots from the crazy woman.

“Oi, Oi, she’s getting too excited,” Rudolph said as he flattened a soldier under his fat mass. He rolled of the poor man, grabbed another under his armpit and beat off some others with his hands.

“Ah, how beautiful her laugh is. The spray of blood around her bathes her like a fountain. Oh, such beauty leaves me faint,” Pierre, the blond boy sighed dreamingly but his shirt was sliced open during his reverie. His face contorted into a mask of fury and rage when he saw the rip, “This isn’t beautiful!” he screamed at the soldier who held his sabre at the ready, “You’re ugly! All ugly things must be annihilated,” he yelled and charged past the soldier with his twin rapiers. “Miyōshitsu surasshu” he said and the man’s body fell apart in equal slices. “Ah... may you find beauty in the afterlife,” he breathed and scattered rose petals around the man’s body.

“What a sick guy,” Rukh, the bulky Turk huffed and smashed in the head of one of the soldiers with the blunt side of a large axe he held.  His weapon was a hybrid of an Axe and a mallet, making it easy for him to either slice or smash. A group of soldiers fired at him, but their bullets ricocheted off his heavy armor. “Pesky insects,” he growled and swung his axe, cleaving through the platoon. “Bunch of wussies. Isn’t there anyone left in this galaxy who can make me try?”

“Mm,” Pierre murmured in disapproval, “How unrefined. So Ugly.”

“You want to fight?” Turk growled in reply.

“C’mon… Hic!... Don’t… Hic, fight,” Fray, the vampire man stuttered as he staggered to them, blood dripping from his mouth. Behind him, several soldiers were sprawled on the ground, drained of life.

“I’m hungry,” Tiny, the giant man complained as he flung a car into a terrified group of soldiers, where it exploded. “I want food.”

“How unsightly. Ugly, you are all ugly,” Pierre moaned in agony.

“I will rearrange your face if you don’t shut up,” Rukh retaliated.

“C’mon, hic! Let there be peace, hic!” Fray begged

“Quiet!!” they both shouted at him.

“Huh!!!… Who the hell do you think you are, damn brats! I’m going to destroy you both now!!” he screamed back, his anger switch having been flipped.

“I always wanted to smash your face in,” Rukh, challenged and tightened the grip around his weapon.

“Ah, I can finally rid this planet of two more unsightly garbage,” Pierre sighed with pleasure.

“You two are not needed! I will suck you…”

“What are you doing?” Megane asked in her monotone voice and the men broke into a cold sweat.

“Nothing, nothing; just brotherly love. Right guys?”

“Uh, yeah. Brotherly love. What he said,” Rukh stammered.

“No need to worry Megane-chan. We will not do anything unsightly before our Lady Boa,” Pierre affirmed hurriedly.

“Returning to battle,” she said, her voice making her sound bored and walked away.

The three men released breaths they did not know they had been holding.

“So close,” they sighed and when some soldiers ran to attack them, their eyes shone with misguided anger. “It’s your fault!” they yelled at the soldiers and descended on them to take out their anger.

Meanwhile, Tiny stood alone, completely ignored despite his big size. This was the reason why they had nicknamed him Tiny. He could stay in a place and no one would ever notice him. “I’m hungry,” he moaned to his inattentive crewmates.

*****

Aboard the Imperium

“Sir! Intercept point in ten seconds,” Rachael shouted.

Commander Jacobson tightened his grip on the arms of his chair as he watched the battle screen in front of him.

“Nine, Eight, Seven…”

The pilots on the frontline gulped nervously as they approached their targets.

******

Aboard the Warmonger

“Six, Five, Four…”

Lieutenant Havard smiled as his targets for the day, slowly showed up on his optical sensor. “This oughta be fun.”

*****

Three…

Crow flew silently above the troops escorting Rosaline, hoping Sora woke up soon.

*****

Two…

Jack looked up to the sky as he got out of the castle with a smile on his face.

*****

One

Sora’s fingers shifted slightly as he slowly regained consciousness.

*****

The dark skies lit up as a thunderous boom echoed through the city, signifying the start of the battle that would determine its fate.

*****

“Spirits guide us,” Jacobson prayed as he watched blips disappear quickly from his screen.