Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Blended Dimensions ❯ Desert Despair ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Blended Demensions
by Bud

Chapter 18: Desert Despair

After rescuing Margie from the clutches of Shakhan in Aveh's capital of Bledavik, Bart and his crew set sail in the Yggdrasil towards the country of Nisan.

At this time, deep down inside the Yggdrasil, Citan was speaking privately with Sigurd in the vending machine room located downstairs from the gun room. Both are sitting on couches on opposite sides of the room.

"... Now I see why you came down to the surface... Alright, I understand you. But Kahran Ramsus... taking over the post of Aveh is pretty annoying."

Citan assumes his thinking posture, taping his feet a few times.

"The home country might have had some special reasons."

Sigurd nods. "Yeah... obviously."

Citan looks up.

"But perhaps there is still a chance of success... You and I, who used to be called 'Elements' at the commander's training school in 'Jugend', are both here!"

"How you are right..."

"By the way, she is still...?"

"According to Ranma, there was a female aide on Kahr's side... And he said that she had indigo blue eyes and hair... So it must be her..."

"So all the old 'Elements' members are on the surface world now.."

Sigurd turns around. "I guess so..." He walks to a plant display next to the sofa. "Hyuga.. To be honest with you... she scares me. She supports Kahr and is kind to anyone, I know that very well. But sometimes I felt a strange fear in her. That bothers me more than Kahr being in this land."

Citan walks a few steps and turns to Sigurd from across the room.

"That cannot be true... Not in her..."

"Yeah, I don't want to believe it either... But don't you remember how I could always sense these things quite accurately?"

Citan nods.

"Right..."

He looks up at Sigurd.

"By the way, have you told the young one yet...?"

The platinum-haired man shook his head. "No, not yet. I don't want him to worry until we know exactly what Solaris' objectives really are. But I have to tell him eventually though... Anyway, Hyuga, have you gotten any information?"

Citan shakes his head.

"Not really... I left there before going into the center section..."

Up above in the gun room, Ranma sat by the stairs out of view from the two adults. He had his eyes closed as he listened in on everything. Earlier, he wanted to get some sleep before they docked at some secret base near Nisan, but he overheard the two talking so decided to listen in.

"Ranma!" a voice low enough but with enough force for him to hear calls him. He opened his eyes and saw Bart quietly approaching him. He also took a seat by the stairs.

"Hey." Ranma replies just as quietly.

"Sounds like Sig and your doctor friend know each other pretty darn well... Sig... Damn, I thought I knew everything about that guy!"

Ranma looks down into the room the back at Bart.

"When did doc get back...?"

Bart just shrugs. Ranma left it at that.


Secret Pirate Dock, Nisan

Hour later, the ship rose into an underground dock located close to Nisan. Five associates of Nisan were standing at it's end as the Yggdrasil rose higher to dock with the platform. Also behind them was a taller man, obscured by the shadows. Once the ship was securely docked into place, a gangplank was lowered which would allow people to embark or disembark the ship.

The Yggdrasil's hatch opened up and Bart, followed by Ranma, Citan, Margie and old Maison followed. Sigurd also followed, but he only stuck his head out of the hatch.

"I'll complete the remaining checks onboard." he said. He gave Bart a salute. "I'll leave the rest up to you, Maison."

Maison turns to Sigurd and salutes. "As you wish... I will have the honor of accompanying the others." He turns to Bart.

Bart nods and walks down the gangplank. One of the associates walks up to him.

"Bartholomew, healthy as ever I hope?"

He nods. "Yeah. How's the town?"

"Since we got word several days ago that there might be an army advancing from the Royal Capital the Sect's representatives have been in discussion."

"Have have they come up with?" he asked curiously.

"For now, they just plan to improve the local defenses. Also, anti-Shakhan people have been gathering here.. probably because they heard about what's going on."

"That's reassuring."

"Yes. However the residents are starting to feel uneasy. People are starting to take refuge up north in the mountains."

Bart shakes his head. "Can't blame them."

"By the way, how's Marguerite...?"

"Better than we thought. But I know she was in a lot of grief."

Bart turns to the deck and then moved to the side of the plank. Margie walks down to the associate.

"Marguerite! I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Thanks." Margie nods, accepting the hands of her fellow sect sister.

"All the townspeople are overjoyed by the Great Mother's return.

Margie turns to Bart and he nods to her, giving a thumbs up.

Ranma suddenly speaks up. "Whose that?" He points to the guy in the shadows. Bart is surprised! He didn't even notice the guy standing there.

"Well shit, Ranma. Yo' ass don't even recodnize me." The guy steps out of the shadows.

He was a tall, ebony colored man. Taller than anyone present. He had short, curly black hair and a goatee. He was dressed in some sort of uniform that Bart didn't recodnize. Ranma knew exactly who he was.

"Yo, Montel!" Ranma jumped over everyone, surprising the women and Maison, landing in front of the black man and clasping his hand. "Long time no see!"

"Yeah I know, niggah. So yo' ass been playin' ass pirate with this foo'?"

"Ass pirate?" Bart mumbles before glaring at the man.

"Not really," Ranma looked down. Montel continued.

"Ain't Fei suppose to be with ya'll?"

"....."

Citan shook his head. "You know Fei?"

Montel nodded. "Yeah, I knew that kid. I haven't seen him for a minute though..." It was obviously a lie - Ranma saw through it but everyone else didn't. "I brought him to Lahan like... three years ago and had to leave. Couldn't check up on him though. A niggah had some shit to take care of."

"Fei is dead." Citan tells the black man.

Montel sits down on a chair that he was using before the ship arrived. He pulled out a bottle of some sort of drink and opened it with a audible fizzle. He moved to take a drink, but pauses.

"One for the homie..." Montel pours some of the drink into the floor. He then presses two of his fingers to his lips and holds them up to the sky before clenching his fist and holding it over his heart.

"Anyway.." Ranma sat down next to Montel on the floor. "How did ya' get here anyway?"

Bart motioned Maison and Citan to follow him and Margie. Bart realized that Ranma and this Montel person must of known each other a very long time, so wanted them to speak privately.

Montel waved to the younger sect sisters as they passed by before speaking again.

"I was heading north-west from where you and Bud left me. I didn't know it was some desert but I managed. I've been dodging both Aveh and Kislev from tryin' to take Deathscythe from me. And trust me, it wasn't all that. Even fuckin' patrols were tryin' to put me out while I'm sleepin'!"

"You must of had a hard time..." Ranma said sincerly.

"Nah, not really. Them assholes were no match for me! The God of Death!!" Montel laughed loudly, echoing inside the dock.

Ranma sweated. "Riight.."

"Anyway, so I got here like a few months ago an' just been kickin' it." Montel suddenly gets excited. "Dawg! I tell ya, it's like they've never seen a black man before! I got this one girl all hot and we went up to her room. Once she saw me she was like... 'Holy Shit'!!"

Montel put his arm around Ranma. "Niggah, I tell ya these girls love me up in this piece." He got up and started doing some lewd gestures as of what he did with the girls. "I had this girl like this and was like... WHAM! That shit was tight! Literally, I could barely fit it inside, and she suppose to be experienced and shit!"

"All you've been doing here is fucking the girl?" Ranma asked curiously. He spoke to Montel as if nothing every happened to him this past month.

"Hell nah! I've been doing other shit too. I'm the improved security they got around here. When Mother Nisan was caught, I was suppose to go get her back with Deathscythe, but Bart beat me to it. So I'm just here incase this place get's attacked."

Ranma nods and Montel continues.

"So what'cha be up to?"

Suddenly it hits Ranma like a ton of bricks and he begins to tell the tale of what happened to him ever since he arrived in Lahan.

Montel sits in his seat, staring out into the dark dock. He looks down at Ranma sitting next to him for a moment before shaking his head.

"Damn..." He feels sorry for Ranma. "What about.. her?"

"She's locked herself up ever since I left Lahan." Ranma clutches his head. "What's wrong with me, man?! Sometimes I can't help but do things. Sometimes I feel like I'm running on auto-pilot and watching things happen. I feel like I'm living someone elses life for some reason."

Montel kept his mouth shut. If from what Ranma just told him, he knew whose life he was living, and if Ranma wanted to learn more about himself, he had to live it. If not for his sake, then for Ranko's.

"I'm not too smart with shit like this, but Buddy would say 'fuck it!' or 'just let it be for now'. I'm just wondering what's up with him now that we met up. That's one less guy for me to worry about. I can't even get him on the radio."

Ranma stood and cleaned his face of the tears he tried to hide. He brushed himself off and stood proudly. "I better catch up with them."

"I might as well join you. They got Margie so they'll most like head up to the church. Just follow me."

The two friends exit the dock and began heading for the town.


Montel and Ranma arrive at the huge cathedral across Nisan Lake. Ranma was awe-stuck by the sheer size of such a religious building. Shinto shrines back home were ants compared to this place. He could feel the power this place eminated. The sounds of women singing a hymn of joy could be heard and it draws the two guys into the cathedral. They immediately spotted Bart, Citan and Margie - the female companion being swamped by her fellow sect sisters. The two walked up to the crowd and mingled in.

"I'm back, everyone!" Margie says happily.

"Oh, Margie... We're so glad your safe.." says one of the nine nuns present.

"Yes, it is all thanks to Bart and his men." she waves her hand behind her, jesturing to the pirate, Citan and the just arriving Ranma.

"We just recieved word... So we were singing a hymn of praise and joy. We're so happy... Oh, what a relief." The nun that spoke realized she is blocking the head nun, Sister Agnes, and walks out of her way.

"Welcome back, Margie. We had faith that you and your cousin Bart would one day return safely... We and your other friends have been waiting for you."

Margie walks up to Sister Agnes.

"Sister Agnes!"

"Unfortunately, your mother and the blessed Royal Mother..."

"I know, Sister Agnes... I heard about it at the Royal Capital..." she continues, almost nonchalantly. "... But at least I have made it back... I'll never go anywhere, or leave you from now on! I won't make you all worry anymore.. every again!"

"Bless you my dear..." Agnes turns to the side to try and conceil her tears of joy.

"Sister Agnes," Margie smiles at her. "this just isn't like you at all! Here I am back safe and sound. Can't you rebuke me just for a little, for old time's sake?"

Agnes turns back.

"Ha... I'm sorry... But I'm just so happy that I cannot help but..." One of the nuns places a comforting hand on Agnes. "... There is no reason to be so solemnly quiet..."

Sister Agnes composes herself.

"Well, everyone!" Agness looks at the other nuns. "To celebrate the return of out dear sister Margie... and to express our joy to heaven, let us finish singing our hymn."

"... Thank you, and bless you all!" Margie says happily. She continues. "Oh, yes, Sister... May I go upstairs? It's been oh so long, so I want to have a look around up there too."

Agnes turns back to Margie.

"Oh, but of course, dear! Don't even think of holding back from anything... Except for one thing... Never stay away so long like that again."

"Ha, ha! I knew you'd say that. Now that's the Agnes I know!"

All five spoke for a few minutes, Ranma introducing Citan, Bart and Margie to the blackman and vice versa. After some talking, Margie gave the men the tour of the cathedral and spoke of some of the history. The guys stood in groups - Citan and Bart tailing Margie, while Montel and Ranma kept back. Montel already knew what was happening, but just wanted to experience everything. Ranma somehow felt a sense of deja vu.

After some explaination and stories about the altar's statue, they headed upstairs to what Margie called 'The Room of Sophia'. Ranma asked whom this Sophia person was. Margie explained that she was the founding mother of the Nisan nation and the founder of the Nisan religion who set for its teachings. This peaked Citan's interest and they all decided to check it out. They climbed a couple flights of stairs before reaching the painting room. It was located in an isolated part of the cathedral, at the inner most top floor.

When they stepped into the room, the first thing noticed was cross-shaped pendant window in which light is pouring through. In his mind, Ranma recodnized that shape. It was shaped like a pendant Id wore occassionally when he mentally spoke with her in his dreams. They also noticed that the rug had the same design on it. Ranma, Bart, and Citan entered and walked on the rug. Margie steps in and walks to stone floor corner that is raised a little higher. Montel stayed by the door.

"Oh my... What an exquisite portait!" Citan comments. "And the beautiful young lady portrayed is quite beyond comparison too..."

Citan stops a second.

"What is more... this looks rather familiar...!" He turns to Ranma, who's busy staring. "What do you think, Ranma?"

"I was kinda thinking the same thing. The hair is a different color, but the atmosphere or personality about her is exactly the same."

"What? Hair color? What do you mean?" Citan asks curiously.

"What do I mean? C'mon Doc, Look...!" he points at the portrait. "It's the girl I met in the forest..." Ranma turns to Citan. "It's Elly! I mean... there's somethin' 'bout her that's jus' like Elly..."

Montel speaks up.

"I was thinkin' that she kinda looks like YOU, Ranma."

"What?" Bart, Margie and Citan chorus at the same time. Ranma sweated. Montel continued.

"I mean, look at her jaw line and his, they seem ta' look the same. The shape of their eyes, they way the smile. And look--!" Montel grabbed Ranma and threw him in a nearby chair. The pigtailed man was like a doll as Montel positioned him exactly like the picture. To finish it off, the black man undone Ranma's hair to allow to to fall hang loosely.

The wide-eyed expressions of the other three occupants was all that was needed.

"Mr. Montel, I believe you have a point." Citan walked around Ranma rubbing his chin. "The posture and facial features are almost exactly alike. Only their gender and hair color seem to make them different."

Bart placed his hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Ranma... I didn't know you were so.. femanine." he joked.

"Shut up... Baaaa~rty!!" Ranma shot back, putting up his dukes. He also shot the laughing Montel a dirty look.

"Wow Ranma!" Margie smiled at him. "You do look like Mother Sophia and Miss Elly with your hair down."

Ranma just grumbled. He'll never here the end of this.

Citan composed himself. This was highly amusing. "Now that you mention it, Ranma. She does resemble Elly. But that is not what I was talking about... I meant that the brush techniques and overall style use in this picture is similiar to Fei's - rest his soul."

Ranma finishes tying his hair in it's pigtail and nods to the doc. "I noticed that too." He pointed at a part of the picture. "It's not finished, though..."

Montel remembered that from the game. It was like the Mono Lisa, an incomplete painting. He whispered that to Ranma and he agreed also.

"Yes, the artist placed his brushes down before the portrait was completed. I also sense sadness in this picture, as if the painter is portraying the inner feelings of the model," Citan paused and stared at it for a moment. "Or the feelings of the painter."

"I still wonder why the guy stopped." Ranma threw out.

Montel kept quiet.

"I don't know..." Margie said. "But my grandmother might have know about it.."

She walks to the door and turns back suddenly.

"Oh! What if we ask Agnes? She may know something."

The three men join Montel and Margie and head downstairs.

Bart speaks to Citan. "Well... Shall we head back to the town for now?" he asks while descending the stairs. Citan turns to Bart.

"Yes, alright... But this painting has caught my curiosity." says the Doc. "Do you mind if I speak to Sister Agnes before we head back to town?"

"Yeah, okay... We'll stop by her room on the way out."

"I'll be waiting at the steps of the place. You gonna join me, Saotome?" Montel asks. Ranma nods and they seperate from the group and head their own way.

On the front steps on the Cathedral, Ranma and Montel began talking with each other.

"That was fucked up man!" Ranma growls at Montel. The black man gave Ranma 'the bird'.

"Niggah, yo ass knows I was right though. You LOOK like that Sophia chick, and so does Ranko!"

Ranma sat down on the steps and grumbled.

"But, my bad if I embarrassed you an' shit. I didn't wanna tell everyone that you have some crazy chick inside your head. They woulda thought that we were both crazy."

"I know what you mean.."

They sat there and chatted for a while more. Montel kept talking about how much sex he's been getting and how good the pussy was. Ranma thought if was funny how Montel would use body language to describe how he fucked some of the women in Nisan.

"Yeah dawg! These girls here love the..." He bends down slightly and holds his arm between his legs and shakes it. "ANACONDA!!"

Ranma sweated.

Bart and Citan sweated.

Montel finally noticed the other two and sweated. He stood straight up while looking around before leaning back against a stone pillar and nodding to Bart. He had one of those facial expression that he knew he was caught in an embarrassing situation.

Moments later, the four guys walked back into the city, Bart leading the way. As they neared what would called the main entrance of Nisan, a voice called to them from the side.

"Yo-ung ma--ster-r!"

They headed over to the side and saw Maison standing in a doorway across the entry plaza.

"The people of Nisan were most generous to allow us to rent this house. So there will be no need to seek lodgings at the inn for a while. Also, Master Sigurd wishes a word with you regarding your next move. if he may..."

Bart nodded. "Alright... So where is Sig?"

Maison gestured inside. "The good Master Sigurd is waiting for you inside."

"Okay, thanks Maison."

The five of them walked inside the house. Inside, Sigurd is facing the stove cooking something edible. It looked like enough to just one person.

"Whenever I come here it always calms my heart." he thought outloud. He walked into the front of the central room and turns to Bart holding the hot-plate he was using. "Anyway, young master... I want to work out what our plans from here on are."

"Alright." Bart nods. "But before we do that... There is somthing I want to ask you."

Sigurd looks a bit surprised. "... Me?"

"Yeah."

The two walk into the adjoining bedroom. Sigurd takes a seat on one of the bed, his bed, and sets his hot-plate on a small table that was set up in front of it. Ramna soon follows and jumps onto one of the beds, immediately going to sleep. Citan stands at the doorway, while Maison serves Montel something to drink in the kitchen.

"Sig.." Bart looks at the eating man. "What's up with you and that Gebler officer? What's the connection between you and him...? You know, you sure know a lot about Gebler for some reason!"

Sigurd pauses, his fork inches from his mouth. It's as if he was thinking real hard at that moment. He then brings the food to his mouth and chews slowly before speaking.

"...Alright. I'll tell you."

Citan walks into the room, stopping at the bed next to Sigurd's. Montel takes Citan's place at the door, sipping on a glass of water.

"Me and... Citan, here... We used to live in Solaris."

Bart thinks. "Solaris... You mean.. where Gebler's from?"

"That's right."

Maison's ear perks up and he turns toward the room to listen in.

"Solaris ... calls foreigners 'Lambs'.. They are used as manual labor. Basically it's slavery."

"Slavery?" Bart ask curiously.

Ranma turns in his sleep, facing the voices. Bart looks at Citan, then turns back to Sigurd.

"Is that where you met him?" he asks the Doc.

"Yes, it was there." Citan nods to the pirate.

Sigurd continues for the Doc. "We worked for the Solaris government for a short while. But we learned to dislike their methods and escaped the first chance we had."

Bart paces towards Ranma's bed, then turns back to Sigurd. "... You were friends with these people?" He walks directly in front of Sigurd. "I met you when I was a kid and we've been together ever sicne then... So this would have happened even before them."

Bart paces back and forth a few more times.

"I probably wouldn't have understood this if I had heard it earlier but... Why didn't you think I could deal with it now? Surely you could have told me about this? Especially when you had something to do with the people who are backing that Shakhan idiot!"

Bart turns away.

"I wish you'd told me sooner."

Sigurd lowers his head. "... There's nothing I can do about that now."

He looks at Bart.

"But, there's one thing I want you to believe... We left Solaris our own will and for our own reasons. Now they've appeared before us, we can't just sit back and do nothing. If need be, I will give my life to stop them."

Bart looks down slowly. He walks in front of Sigurd and sits down on Citan's bed in front of him.

"Alright, I understand. But can you elaborate a little more?" Sigurd nods and Bart asks away. "What bugs me is this 'Surface Dwellers' thing... It's as if Solaris is in another location. Like up in the clouds or something?"

"Yes, well.." The platinum-haired man pauses. "Etrenank, the capital of the Solaris empire is located in the skies above. Solaris is separated from the land by dimensional distortion fields known as 'Gates'. Passing between the two requires special mans of transportation.. such as an airship."

"To get to Aveh we stowed away on a regular flight to the surface."

Citan adds in. "I came much later than Sigurd did.. But I also escaped in the same way."

"What are Lambs?" Bart asks.

"That is the word Solarians use to indicate those who live on the earth. As I said before, such 'surface dwellers' or 'earth dwellers' are used for manual labor there."

"He means 'US'." Ranma says from his bed. It seems he was feinting sleep.

"Ranma is correct," supplied Sigurd. "Manual labor could be anything from soldiers to administrative jobs. Solaris gather its workforce from the land dwellers. Jobs are divided up by who is most suitiable. Sometimes people are brainwashed."

"Brainwashed!?" Bart gasped.

"I... When you, young master, were still an infant.. I was used as a test subject. There was probably something they valued inside of me."

Montel looks at Citan.

"What about you, man?" asks the black man.

"No, I was born in the lower city levels. It is not a complete secret... But I guess I am a Solarian..."

Citan continues.

"You see... you still need people to run a country. No matter how scientifically advanced you are, you have no support without people."

Sigurd continues. "Pure Solarians are rare. They would not even make up a quarter of Aveh's total population. So, they support their country by stealing surface dwellers."

Montel shakes his head. Just like the Europeans stealing africans 500 years ago in his own demension.

"Who was that man?" Bart asks, refering to the guy that he fought in Bledavik.

"His name is, Kahr... Kahran Ramsus. As you knew he's the Gebler Commander."

"Ramsus...?"

"We call him Kahr. In there is an officer training school called 'Jugend.' He became the commander after leaving there."

Citan speaks. "he is a lower level citizen, the same as me. However, with his amazing abilities... After graduating, he rose through the ranks with unparelleled speed."

"That man had one ideal. To achieve a consolidation of all his colleagues. Even land dwellers, if they had talenet, were brought into the army." said Sigurd.

"So you two were picked by Ramsus...?" Bart asks.

"No, we were not picked by him... we aligned ourselves with him." Citan explained.

Sigurd nodded. "At that time... we agreed with him."

"At that time, Ramsus was our hope. He had high ideals and wanted to change the system in Solaris. To us test subjects and lower level citizens, he was truly all that we wished for."

"A benefactor?" Sigurd nods again.

"Yes... even I, a test subject, was changed by his ideals."

Bart scratches his chin. "So why was it that you wanted to flee from Solaris?"

"We were placed in key military positions by Ramsus... And thanks to that, we came to know the relationship between Solaris and the surface dwellers."

"'Lambs', right?" Ranma asks.

"They weren't just using us 'Lambs' for slave labor... They also selected some of us, like me, to be used as subjects in experiments to refine their drugs. Drugs that change peoples personalities, to make them more aggressive and to draw out their latent abilities. They were using us as human guinea pigs to test their psychological alteration drugs!"

"Human guinea pigs...!? Experimenting on humans?" Bart didn't like that one bit.

"That's just fucking sick," Montel says. It was like what the Nazi's did to the Jews in World War II.

"Yes, for example...'Drive'." Sigurd pauses. "That drug, and all the others like it that are used now, are by-products of human experiementation..."

Citan continued for him. "However, the role of such experiemental subjects was not limited to just that!"

There was a long pause before Ranma spoke up.

"This.. 'Drive' drug is something' that anyone in the Solaris army can use?"

"At least anyone in the Gebler forces who is sent to the surface..."

Bart looks at Ranma.

"You're worried about her, huh?"

"...!"

"I saw some... in her room."

"No..."

Bart shakes his head. "Anyway... using slaves at guinea pigs.. How low are these guys...?"

Montel spoke up after hearing that.

"That really ain't the worst of it." Everyone turns to look at him. "Some of them failed experiements, they get thrown into some sorta system and turned into food for the people in Solaris. How low do ya think they could be, taking a still living human being and throwing him into a blender, turning him into ground beef for your people to eat. It's cannibalism and genocide."

Everyone looks sick at hearing that.

Ranma shakes his head clear of those thoughts. "Dude... How do ya know about somethin' like that?" he asks curiously.

Montel looks down. "I didn't want to tell you... but," he pauses.

"Before I came to Nisan, I was picked up by this ship. They ... did some test on me, I didn't know, but they treated me good."

He paused.

"My mobi-- My Gear and myself were taken somewhere and they did more test on me. I didn't like were this was going so I tried to escape. When I was finding the hangar were they kept my... gear, I just happened to of saw some of their worse experiements..."

Ranma looked at Montel's eyes. He knew the guy was lying now, but everyone else didn't. He'll ask Montel about this later.

"People with decaying flesh, thrustin' for your blood. Then I say somethin' they called the soilent- solent- or whatever system it's called."

"Soylent system." Citan corrected.

"Yeah... I hid out behind some crates and I saw some soldiers in chem-suits tossing bodies onto a conveyor belt. Being curious, I followed and nearly threw up my lunch. Experiemnted dead human bodies were being shuttled into a machine and grounded up into meat. Most of the stuff was processed into items like soap, shampoo and other items that require animal fat. Some of it was made into their army's rations."

"Oh my god..." Maison mumbles. It was also reflected in the faces of everyone else. Ranma half-believed Montel. He didn't know if it was the truth or something made up. If Buddy was here, he could probably tell him.

"Damn!" Bart looks down and thinks for a moment. Soon he stands and looks at Maison.

"Old Maison! Go reserve the town hall for us. We'll finish talking there. I'm going outside to get some air."

As Bart leaves, Ranma hops off his bed and stands by Montel. Sigurd looks down and shakes his head.

"I should have been honest with him sooner..."

Citan placed his hand on his old friends shoulder.

"It is best not to worry about it. You did all you could at the time. The young one will understand."

"I am sure the young master would never have dreamed of such a tale." Maison said from the kitchen.

"... I guess you already knew?" Ranma asked. Maison paused at the door.

"Well, now that you ask... yes I did." he nods to the pigtailed man. "However, when Sigurd was telling his story I thought it was best to stay quiet. Please try and help the young master come to terms with all that he has just heard." He opens the door. "If you'll please excuse me, I shall talk with the town representatives and rent the town hall for the young master."

Ranma followed Maison out but turned a opposite of the town hall. He sat on the steps that led out of the town near the main gate. He let out a deep sigh before resting his chin on his elbows. Everything was confusing to the young man. From the power he used to kill Saffron. The betrayal of Akane and Ryoga. The surfacing of Id. Those three he understood clearly.

What really confused him was what came out of Buddy and Montel's mouth from time to time. He didn't know whether they were telling the truth or 'spittin' bullshit' as Montel would put it. The thing was, he could tell if Buddy was lying, a skill of observation he learned from Nabiki. Montel was a different story. He couldn--

"Hey," Montel greeted him as he sat down on the steps to his right. "I just wanna let you know that besides being captured, everything else was true. About the experiments and what they do to people."

"Why do you guys lie so much?"

Montel looked confused. "What?"

"Is hard for me to tell what the hell you guys are talking about most of the time. I don't know if you're tellin' me da truth or making up stuff." He scratched the back of his head.

The black man leaned closer to Ranma and whisper low enough for Ranma to hear clearly.

"I don't know what to say, Ranma. But the only reason I lie sometimes is to survive. The same could be said for Bud, but he's the one that could better explain why we do what we do." Montel stood. "That's the best as I can tell ya, dawg."

"I guess... I wish I knew were Buddy was." Ranma thought outloud.

"We'll find him, or he might find us. Ya never know." Montel noticed Citan and Bart heading for the town hall. "We better join up with everyone in the town hall now."

Ranma nodded and followed.

A few minutes later, everyone is assembled in the town hall. Ranma and Montel stood by the table that was set in the center on the side facing the door. Citan was on the opposite side of them while Bart and Sigurd stood on adjacent sides. Maison stood by the door near some steps.

"I went to the tool shop to borrow a table. The owner said... 'if we need anything for the young master, just ask for it.'"

"I'm grateful." Bart the reminiced about something from his childhood. Something about playing Navy with some toy boats. Ranma and Montel mostly ignored that. "Anyway... forget those old stories. We should get started."

Sigurd pulls out a rolled up map and opens it on the table. Bart looks down at the chart.

"First... Gebler is the big problem."

Citan turns to Bart and nods.

"Yes, Ramsus is headed towards achieving his goals. That he is now the commander of Gebler is proof of that. A normal man could no progress so quickly through that country's organization. And now he is presently located here in Ignas." Citan looks at Sigurd then back at Bart. "Frankly, the situation is not very favorable. We need to somehow find a weak spot and attack it with all our might."

Bart steps away for a moment a paces a couple times, looking down and thinking hard. He then pauses and looks back up.

"First, let's just concentrate on Shakhan. Once he's out of the way and Aveh is safe again, we can think about how to deal with Gebler."

Bart walks to the other side of the room and turns to the back wall. "With our present strength we should be able to hold off the royal guard forces. The problem is how to deal with Gebler in the mean time... They will most likely move at Shakhan request. They're not just gonna sit by and watch quietly."

Citan turns to Sigurd.

"...May I have a look there please?" Sigurd nods and the Doc moves to his side of the table to examine the map. After examining the chart. He looks up and turns to Bart and Ranma across from him.

"In short, we want Gebler to leave for a while... At least until we are able to take back the Royal Capital, Bledavik."

The Doc places some pieces on the chart and points to each one as he places them.

"The wester guards. The Royal Capital defense force. And... units along the front line at the border of Kislev." He continues. "There are three main groups. Each is made up of a mix of Gebler and Aveh forces. Only two of these are very large. The Royal Capital's defense units and the Kislev border units. The western guard along Nisan's border are little more than a surveillance team."

Sigurd points to the piece by Bledavik.

"In order to recapture the Royal Capital... It will be necessary to draw these defense units away from Bledavik."

"We have some Kislev made Gears, correct?" Citan asks Bart.

"Yeah, we captured some earlier."

Citan points to the western guards near Kislev.

"What if we use those Gears to make a raid on the western guards... here at the border with Nisan?"

Bart scratched his chin. "I see. We'll draw them out by making it look like Kislev is invading Aveh."

"But the problem is... will attacking the border guards be enough to set the center in motion?" Sigurd inquiried.

Citan cotninued. "To be sure then, Nisan will have to appear to align with Kislev. If they see it that way, they will certainly make a move."

Bart turns to Citan.

"You're saying that you intend to use Nisan as bait?"

"Doc!?" Ranma looks at him incredulously.

Montel decided to speak up now.

"Negative! As long as I'm working for Nisan as a local defender, I won't allow you to do such an action that would jeopardize this city."

Citan nodded to Montel. "Understood. Of course, I do not wish to do that from the beginning. But looking at the situation, we have to be willing to go that far."

"Hmmm..." Sigurd began to thing about this situation.

Barts steps up back to the table.

"First, we infiltrate the capital. To take out Shakhan, we'll have to meet up with out agents already in the city."

Montel stepped up to the table also.

"You forgot about these guys." He pointed to the frontline units along Kislev's border.

"Yes, the Kislev border fleet." Citan stated. "The main strength of Aveh's fleet is the battleship Kefeinzel. It's been in service since the reign of the last king. Because of it's firepower, the whole unit is nicknamed the 'invincable fleet'. I recall yesterdays intelligence report said that the ship is near the border."

Bart walks away from the table close to the door.

"Damn... That put everything in jeopardy!"

"Not really," Montel began. "I've caused some trouble occasionally between Kislev and Aveh at the border a week ago. The commander in that area is some guy named Vanderkaum - use to be the Aveh commander in chief before Ramsus took control. He's the kinda guy that relies on large naval guns. Hasn't adapted to modern warfare."

"You mean, he's stubborn. He's all size and no real military power." Bart smirked. "An excellent target for pirates."

"Young master! This is not going to be an act of piracy!" Maison reprimanded his young charge.

"Just kidding!" Bart smirks at the old man.

Citan pushes his glasses closer to his face. "According to reports, the number of Gears assigned to the fleet seems to have been reduced." He shakes his head. "Even with that... how gallant of him to be so self-righteous."

"Actually, I managed to take out around forty-percent of their gears before I had to pull back. He probably hasn't requisitioned more weaponry." Montel added.

"Is he that much of a muscle head? It'll be fun taunting him." Bart said with a mischivious smile.

"Young master!"

"I know! I know!" He turned to Citan. "Anyway, Citan, do you think he can strike our Gear forces?"

"It is not a problem. Even with Vanderkaum, we have enough forces left to pull off the feint. However, it would not be wise to underestimate our opponents."

Montel spoke up again. "How old is your intelligence again?" he asked Sigurd.

"These are reports given to us yesterday." Montel shook his head.

"There is a dormant fleet stationed... here." He points to a section of the chart that was close to the Kislev border on the eastern most edge of the sea of sand. "Because of my little mishap, they stationed a cavalry unit to respond incase the border fleet needs help. Your intelligence probably interperted this as just a standard partrol convoy."

"I see..." Sigurd began to think for a moment. "Well, now that we know what we are up against, here's what we'll do..."

"Apart from out main unit heading for Bledavik.... we must keep the fleet at the Kislev border from returning to the capital."

"So you're suggesting we have another unit?" Bart asks. Citan nods.

"A few effective soldier to hold the enemy at bay.... A small force is best."

Sigurd looks at him curiously. "A small force...?"

"What if Ranma leads a group of Gears there?"

Everyone looks at Ranma, though Montel looked at him as if he was expecting him to accept right away. Montel knew Ranma always accepted a challenge. Too bad he was disappointed when the pigtailed martial artist opened his mouth.

"Me...?"

Unnoticed, Montel looked a bit disappointed when he spoke.

Sigurd turns to Citan.

"Hold on now! There's no reason to involve you in all this!"

"... I'll do it." Sigurd turns back to Ranma. "Yes, let me do it! When do we leave?"

Bart and Maison look at Ranma more closely. Bart walks to the table and looks Ranma directly in the eyes.

"... Are you sure?"

Ranma gives Bart a thumbs up and nods.

"We've come this far... Hey, we're friends to the end, now!"

Montel observed all this. That wasn't how Ranma usually spoke. He immediatly assumed that Ranma was falling into the personality of Fei Fong Wong. And he couldn't do anything about it.

"Now that we have that settled, we need to deal with the cavalry fleet that Mr. Montel showed us." Citan turned to the black man. "How long ago did they deploy?"

"Two destroyers, one frigate and one cruiser broke off from the Royal Guards stationed at the capital three days ago. Their semi-submersibles so your Deurod Gears will be useless." Montel explained. "Like the border fleet, we'll be needin' a small group of gears. Two or three would be best."

"But you said Deurods will be useless in this mission." Bart repeated.

Montel shook his head. "I don't pilot a Deurod. My... Gear is top of the line, state of the art weaponry, armor and capable of active-stealth and cloak. I could do the mission myself, but I'll also need support units."

"It's a plan then." Sigurd stated firmly. "Fei and Maitreya's unit will attack the fleet at the Kislev border as a distraction manuever. Mr. Wysinger and two support units from Maitreya's command will attack the cavalry fleet to the east, while the Young masters group will infiltrate Bledavik and seize the capital."

"I have a stolen weapons caches from Kislev and Aveh at the dock. Reactive weaponry, high explosives and anti-gear." Montel added.

"Speed is everything. We should do this as soon as possible." Citan suggested.

"Alright, tomorrow!" Bart exclaims.

Sigurd turns to Citan and nods.

"I am truly grateful... Ranma.. Citan. Mr. Wysinger."

"Montel is just fine." replied said person.

Everyone nodded in understanding of the plan and the agreement to act on it the next day.

"Yeah!" Bart shouts excitedly. "There's no way we can lose! No one will die in vain!"

"Well put, young master!" Maison says.

Once everyone understood the plan they closed the war meeting, most under orders to take it easy, while Bart and Sigurd went to inform commander Maitreya of the situation and plan.


The following morning...

It was early morning, just before the sun's dawn. Crewmen and soldiers were busy in Nisan's underground dock, loading up supplies for the priority mission that would commence on this day.

On the Yggdrasil's bridge sail, Sigurd and Citan stood on the plank, followed by Bart, Ranma and Montel. Just behind them stood Margie and Sister Agnes. Sigurd faces them.

"Our comrades in Nisan will hit the western guard in Kislev uniforms as planned. We'll wait for the right moment, then head for the palace in the Yggdrasil!"

Bart nods.

"Got it. But avoid any unnecessary deaths. This especially goes for the Aveh troops and also the people from Gebler."

"Yes. We understand." Sigurd states firmly.

"I guess I'm going to raise some hell in my Weltall then." Sigurd turns to Ranma.

"We're counting on you!" Ranma nods. "And you also Montel!"

"Fo' sho'!" Montel smirks at the one-eyed first mate. A beeping noise alerts everyone. They turn to Bart just as he pulls out a small pen-sized communicator.

"This is Bart, what is it?"

A static voice replied. "Young master, we're having some trouble loading one of the Gears. It's design is too large compared to your own personal Gear! We cannot load it through the forward bay by cart, and it's too heavy to load it using the crane! The controls are too different from standard Deurods that no one knows how to pilot it also, young master. What do you want us to do?"

Bart thought of this for a moment. He didn't requisition whatever type of gear they were refering to. "Who is it designated under?"

"Uhh... A Wysinger, Montel, young master."

"Roger, I'll see something is done about that." Bart looked at Montel as he pocketed the commu-pen. "There is a problem with your Gear, Montel. The crewmen can't pilot it and it's too heavy to move by crane. I think you should help them out."

Montel shrugged. He figured that was what the problem was. "No problem."

Bart suddenly asked. "What type of gear do you pilot anyway?"

The black man paused in his stride and spoke loud enough for them to hear.

"Shinigami."

Citan recodnized that word. It was old Ignian dialect. A code word. "You pilot 'The God of Death'?" he asked.

He turned his head to look back at Citan and Bart from the corner of his eyes. "No, I don't pilot the God of Death."

"Oh.."

Montel faced away and spoke firmly as he headed for his mobile suit.

"I AM Death!"

The Yggdrasil soon launched from the underground dock and set sail for the Aveh capital. Down below in the bowels of the mighty sand cruiser, Maitreya and a squad of ten soldiers in gray uniforms are being briefed about the mission. Next to Maitreya is Ranma followed by Montel. Adjacent to them is Bart and Citan, standing a short distance away.

"Each squad of Gears take off, in order, from here, to avoid being picked up. We'll meet at the Rockies by the border tomorrow at 1200. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" four of the six soldiers sounded off.

"You two," he pointed at the last two soldiers. "will be accompanying Wysinger in heavy support Deurods with the speed augmentation units. Your under his command. If he gives you an order, you'll follow it to the letter as if I was giving the command. Is that understood?!"

"Yes, sir!" the two chorus.

"Though the warship is outdated, you're only going in a small unit. It's going to be a tough fight, but you could change Aveh's future. I'm counting on you." Bart says to the soldiers. Maitreya turns to Bart and salutes him.

"Leave it to us, young master! We'll drag Vanderkaum's tail around and around!" He turns to Ranma. "Right, son!?"

Ranma glares at him. "... Don't call me 'son'. Cuz you sure ain't my pops."

"Huh? Ha, ha, ha ,ha..." Maitreya turns to Bart. "Well, young master... we promise to make something out of this battle."

Maitreya turns to the soldier and shouts. "Alright, leather-necks! Move out! The corps ain't paying us by the hour!"

The troops leave along with Montel. Just as Ranma starts heading off, Bart stops him.

"Ranma, it's odd for me to say things since I'm the one who got you involved... but.. be careful, okay!?"

Ranma nods. "You too..."

"If... anything happens to me... take care of Margie and them for me!"

"... Don't jinx yourself! It's not like you... But, I'll take care of them. Don't worry." And he leaves, heading towards Weltall.

Off to the side, Montel watches this. He shakes his head. Ranma was following the Fei's path. It was also the reason why he didn't volunteer to attack the border fleet. He may be the self-claimed God of Death, but sometimes even he fears the reaper. Especially if it would be served by Id.


Deep inside a Gebler Gear dock, Elly walks in, followed by the same crew that raided the pirate's hideout.

"What? This little girl's our commanding officer?" Renk, a red-headed bearded man and pilot of a Wand Knight, complained.

Broyer, a stocky looking pilot, added in. "She's said to be an elite from out of Jugend." He was the Aegis Knight pilot.

"She returned single-handedly from the Kislev infiltration operation." said Stratski, a aqua-haired mature looking man. He was the Sword Knight pilot.

"And 'empty-handedly' I hear!" joked Helmholz, a purple-haired, bespectacled, young man. He was the other Wand Knight pilot. "No souvenirs for the Commander, huh?"

"Yep, what a pretty face." commented Renk. "She's not the soldier type."

Elly stopped and so did the soldiers. She whirled around a pointed directly at Renk.

"You there! Is that how you address a superior officer? Remember your rank!"

"Oh, scary!" Renk said sarcastically, appearing to be scared.

"We don't care much for rank... and we don't care much for Renk either!" said Vance, the Claw Knight pilot and short-haired pretty boy of the group. "But just because you're beautiful doesn't mean you have to be cocky."

"Ha!" Laughed Broyer. "This jerk's just jealous."

"What? I'm much prettier! How could I be jealous?"

"Hey, shut that perv up! He gives me the creeps." Stratski shuttered.

"And that's how it is... So don't get in our way, 'Miss Lieutenant'." Renk finished.

"...."

Elly began walking again, the soldiers followed right behind her. She walks over to and stops at a gear dock which held a slender built white and purple Gear with a femanine look.

"... Anyway, let's just get this thing moving. Can't tell what it can do just by looking at it." said Renk.

Stratski looked at it curiously. "What kind of machine is this? I've never seen it before."

"It's a new model gear, called Vierge, that's for officers use only." explained Renk. "It's said that people with normal mental power can't operate it."

"So, she's still a 'Jugend' regardless of having no ability?"

"Hah, this looks like fun. Let's see what she can do!" said Vance.


Deathscythe and two heavy weapon support Deurods were flying along the the desert sands at speeds reaching over 600 kph. The augmented flight packs allowed the Deurods to greatly surpass their 250 kph speed limit and keep up with the larger mobile suit.

The support Deurods were the latest state of the art Gears in Bart's arsenal, usually deployed for heavy raiding missions. Like standard Deurods, they had sphere-like armor sections and followed a red paint scheme. But, they also had armor sections mounted into the shoulders, fore-arms, legs, chest and back sections of the Gear. Armament include a pair of anti-gear missles mounted on a turrent-like mechanism on it's right shoulders that could move in a 280 degree angle forward or backward. The left shoulders mounted an ether gatling cannon, which was powered by the Deurods own engine. Finishing off the arsenal was a 120 sem (Xenogears term for milimeter) cannon that fired either anti-gear or reactive rounds.

As of now, the group was nearing their objective. Montel kept close tabs on the Deurods as to not lose them.

"Jon, you're drifting too far. Speed up and get into formation." He ordered firmly. They had a keep within a distance of 25 meters from his mobile suit so his active stealth and hyper jammers could envelope them also. If they drifted out of that range, they would be detected for sure.

"Yes, sir."

"Sir, I've got contact! I'm detecting four ship engines ahead bearing four-two-niner-zero!" shouted the other pilot. "That's them."

Montel smirked.

"Increase speed to intercept." he commanded firmly. "Let's show'em what we're made of!"


"Oh...?" Franz, a dolphin-man and Sonar operator perks up.

"What's up?" Bart asks.

"No... for a moment, I thought I cought some unnatural sounds.."

Bart nods.

"We're near the capital. It's probably just some kind of ship from there."

"But it's not from the surface... It's from under the sand!"

"Under the sand? This is the only sand cruiser in all of Aveh!"

Sigurd gets Bart's attention.

"We haven't heard anything about a new ship even from the spies at Avhe Naval HQ. Franz, can you try again and confirm what it is?"

"... I can't catch it again. It could have been a sandwhale.."

The radio operator suddenly shouted out.

"Young master! I'm detecting an increase in the use of the F Band! That's the Royal Capital's defense force's frequency!"

"There.. on the surface layer!" said Franz. "I'm detecting sounds of anchors being weighed in and engines being activated! The Royal Capital's defense fleet must be departing...!"

"We also intercepted a transmission from the patrol at the border with Kislev! They're requesting immediate back-up from the cavalry and the Royal Capital! Looks like we've really raised some hell at the border!"

Bart looks down thinking for a second. He then looks up a nods.

".... Alright! We'll start! Ready the shuttle boats!"

"Young master! Message from Wysingers group. Mission accomplished and returning to the Yggdrasil."

"That's even better news!" said Bart. "When we land, hide the ship! Send a coded message to Montel's squad of the ships location." Bart walks towards Sigurd, but Maison turns to him and he stops there.

"Y, young master! I have an awfully bad feeling about this... Do be very careful!"

"It's alright, Old Maison."


Hours earlier in the Rockies...

Weltall, five standard Deurods and two heavy support Deurods head to the climbing point of the mountains. Maitreya in a standard Deurod stands before the other six Gears.

"Head for the mountain peak. There's no time to waste. Deploy!"

Ranma steps closer to the mountains and looks up. It wasn't a high climb, but it was only his second time climbing rock surfaces in a gear. He decided to do like what he did in the underground caves when he was trapped with Bart.

He pressed his hands down firmly on the spheres in the cocpit. They glowed and Weltall moved forward. It jumped high, following Ranma's mental commands, until it's feet impacted the hard rocky surface of the mountain. Again his mind went to work and the black gear pushed off with a small booster assist. He repeated this several times, catching up with Maitreya's troops and passing them up. He landed at the mouth of the cave and began helping the Deurods up as they reached him.

"Show off." said a teasing femamine voice from the support Deurod he helped up.

"Hurry up, Falkon!"

"Roger. C'mon handsome."

Ranma blushed at being called handsome by some girl he didn't know.

The group continued climbing up until they reached another opening. Maitreya commanded the unit to halt and he checked outside, Ranma backing him up. They noticed a repair bot hanging around.

"I seem to have become a little lost in here. Oh and I saw some really strong-looking Gears flying around above here. By the way, I found these things during my travels. See anything you like...?"

Maitreya turned to the squad. "Fuel status?"

"Jack, checking in at 80 percent, sir."

"Falkon, reporting 75 percent, sir."

"85 here sir." two chorused.

"77 here, boss."

"I got 50."

Maitreya turned back to the repair bot. "Top us off, man. We'll need it. Him too," he gestured toward Weltall. After a few moments, the Deurods were fueled and ready to go. Again, Maitreya and Ranma checked outside the cave and found nothing.

"Looks clear..." He turned back to the other and his Deurod waved them forward. "Hurry up soldiers! We have a schedule to keep. The fight won't wait for us!"

"I hope to see you again." the repair bot waves at them.

Weltall was the last to exit the cave. After just taking a few steps, an alarm sounds that startles Ranma. Jack opened a comm-link.

"Ranma! A Gebler Gear unit!"

Ranma looks out the window.

"What?"

He see's a group of Gears. Most of them he recodnized from the raid on Bart's hideout. One he didn't recodnize.

"Let me handle this!"

"B, but.."

Ranma motioned him to get moving. "We don't have time! While we're wasiting time here, Bart's team is already on their way to the castle. Hurry!"

"R, roger."

Ranma watches Jack's Deurod meet with another. Just as they jump out of view, the femanine looking white and purple Gears approaches followed by that Gear with shields.

Elly immediately recodnized the gear. "That Gear!? Don't tell me it's Ranma!?"

Broyer seemed to recodnize him also. "Hey, is that him? The guy from before?"

Renk appeared on screen. "Yep. That's him alright."

"Good. It's time for a rematch." Broyer's Gear turned to Elly. "Don't fall behind, sister." The Shield Knight launches toward Weltall, now replaced by the Sword Knight in Elly's field of vision.

"You're in the way. Why don't you stay over there and just watch." suggested Renk. Wand Knight-1 soon follows Broyer. Helmholz's Wand Knight-2 takes it place.

"Yeah, yeah. We can take care of these guys on our own." Stratski soon follows.

"Sorry about this." Helmholz launches also.

"Get outt the way." Vance says acidly, following his teammates. He had a bone to pick with this guy.

"Y, all of you! Hold! I haven' give out any orders to attack yet!!" Elly shouts loudly. She was stuck with a bunch of loose cannons. They acted like they had their own agenda!

Ranma sweated. They came in waves. The first ones to attack were a pair of white Gears holding what he could assume were beam rifles. They hovered in the air and seemed to dance around him trying to find the right spot to attack.

He smirked.

Too bad they had to be in the air.

Ranma activate Weltall's booster and saw his guages sky-rocket. The booster put Weltall's response into overdrive, giving him lightning quick response that he needed.

Weltall's boosters ignited and launched into the air at one of the Wand Knights. It's foot connected with rifle of the Gear, knocking it away. It's other foor slammed into the head of the Gear, smashing it in completely. It's booster fired again, causing it to flip forward and turn a complete 360 degree to slam it's foot once again on it's head, knocking it down to the ground.

Weltall suddenly fell forward, hitting the ground and rolling until it was up on it's feet again. Ranma glared at the other Wand Knight while it's partner escaped.

Wand Knight-2 held onto it's twin's fallen rifle and started firing both guns at the black Gear. Weltall turned and hopped side to side, dodging the beam weapons rapid blasts. Closer and closer he inched towards the Wand Knight while it also backed up. It suddenly stopped. It's back against the hard mountain surface.

Ranma smirked at the situation. He gathered his ki and pushed it into his hand and into Weltall's ether machine. Weltall cupped it hands at it's side and a bluish glow formed within. The ball grew to the side of Weltall's head before the Gear pushed it out towards the Wand Knight.

"Moko takabisha!!" Ranma called out the attack. The attack slammed home, but the Wand Knight moved in time. The ether enhanced ki blast completely obliterated the Gear's right leg, not enough to completely immobilize it. Ranma watched it fly away while three other Gears took it's place.

He immediately recodnized the Claw Knight and attacked.

"I still owe you for trying to attack those kids, you bastard!" Ranma flies toward sthe Claw knight with a fist cocked back. Weltall swings at the Gear, but the Shield Knight blocked him! Ranma felt a tug on the arm and saw that the sword knight had it's whip-like blade wrapped around his wrist.

"Oh shit..."

The Sword Knight pulled hard on it's weapon and sent Weltall flying. The black Gear slammed into the rocky canyon walls. Ranma groaned in his cockpit. That was smarts.

Weltall stood and tried the tactic again. He instead attack the Sword Knight with a booster enhanced flying kick but was also blocked by the Shield Knight. The Claw Knight charged from the side and slashed with it's massive talon-clawed hand. Ranma saw it comming but he couldn't dodge. The sharp talons raked along Weltall's side, exposing some of the sophisticated internals.

"Damn it!" Ranma cursed, pulling back from the action to square off against the three. His systems were fine but he felt horrible to letting the guy get close. A screen popped up and he started cycling what weapons he had avalible.

While he did that, the Sword Knight started attacking him directly. It swung it's long whip-blades. Weltall hopped up over the first strike, then ducked the next. Ranma had Weltall roll forward causing the Sword Knight to miss with the snake-like strike of it's whip. The black Gear rolled to it's right, missing another strike, before it pushed off with it's arms and slammed a fierce rising kick to the Sword Knight's chest, knocking it back.

Ranma suddenly found that his Gear was restrained. He looked at his screen and saw he was being held by the Claw Knight. He growled, gripping the sphere's harder. Weltall started smashing it's leg into the side of the Claw Knight, sparks flying as his attacks do more damage then it seemed. On one knee strike, he smashed it into the Gears torso before bringing it down and smashing his foot right through the Gebler Gear's knee actuator. The Claw Knight release him.

But only to be slammed into the rock wall by the Shield Knight. The Gear pulled back slightly and pounded the edge of it's shield into Weltall's chest with jack-hammer blows. Ranma gritted his teeth and selected one of the options in his arsenal.

Weltall's left fore-arm opened up and a gun-like accessory popped up. The Gear gave the Shield Knight a fierce hook to the head before firing.

A blast of super-heated plasma flashed over the Gebler units head, melting the armor. The fire was exhaust directly from Weltall's booster-enhanced engine and it was hot enough to make even himself sweat. Ranma watched the Shield Knight pull back and retreat.

Weltall pushed itself off the wall and looked around. The Wand Knight with the missing leg was going to attack again, along with the Claw Knight; leg broken or not. As they charged, Weltall pointed it's left arm at the two and let loose a blast of searing plasma making the two back off immediately.

"Uuaaaaaaaaaaah!" Vance cried.

"Guaaahh!" Groaned Helmholz.

"Vance! Helm! You two okay!?" shouted Renk worriedly.

"Why am I losing to a Lamb? Something's wrong... way wrong!!"

"Vance!! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Oh yeah!? I just need more! I need more 'Drive'!!"

Elly watched worriedly from her cockpit.

"... I can't do it. I can't... fight Ranma.. but.."

She looks down at her side. A the small syringe.

"The only thing left... is to use the 'Drive... But..."

No one noticed that she went silent in thought.

"Don't! Anymore 'Drive' and you'll waste your mind!!" Renk warned Vance.

"I don't care! I'm already messed up as it is!!"

Elly suddenly spoke.

"Stop this now, Vance... I'll handle it."

She pushed the syringe into her arm and injected the drug into her.

Ranma's ears perked up. He was monitoring their comm line.

"... That voice!? .. Elly? Elly, is that you?!?" He opens a visual link to her Gear. She responds, but her face is not normal, it's much more aggressive and impassionate. Her expression is so contorted that it makes her look almost like a zombie.

"Ranma... What are you doing? You shouldn't be here!"

Vierge charged in at Weltall and they exchange a few blows. Weltall staying mostly on the defensive. Ranma was more worried about her than himself.

"Elly!? Your face...!? What's wrong?" He suddenly remembers. "Don't tell me you're using the personality-changing drug that Bart told us about!?"

Elly growls at him.

"It has nothing to do with you. And would you quit trying to be so friendly!!"

The side armor of Vierge along it's legs suddenly rise and release a salvo of small missles that fly up and circle around Weltall. Ranma stares for a moment before is danger sense suddenly got into overdrive.

The missle launch at him at a speed he wasn't prepared for. They explode on contact with Weltall's frame causing the Gear to rock back and forth violently. Warning lights in Ranma's Gear go off as Weltall takes a huge amount of damage from that single attack.

"Wow! Did you see that?!" shouted Broyer.

"Those were Aerods!" exclaimed Renk.

"Aerods?" Vance asked curiously.

"Animum Ether Response-Offensive Drones... Commonly known as Aerods..." stated Renk. "Withing Gebler, there are only a handful of people capable of using them. From what I here, it should only be people from the Elements Class."

"B, but isn't it like a side effect of the 'Drive?" asked Stratski. "It's no big deal, right...?"

"... No, the Drive can only draw upon the potention that already exists in her. You're looking at.... the real thing boys!"

Ranma righted himself in his seat and places his hands on the control spheres. He had a gash on his forehead from being thrown around in his own cockpit by that last attack.

"Elly, stop it! Why must we fight!?"

"Why? It's obvious. It's divine providence!" Elly growls. "We are the chosen people, the Abel... Our purpose of existence is to subordinate the earth dwelling 'Lambs'.... Those who stand in our way must be eliminated!"

Vierge charges Weltall again. It swings it's rods in quick patterns, smashing into Weltall's arms as the black gear stay on the defense. It then jumped and threw Weltall back with a fierce drop kick before stepped a good distance away.

"Elly, snap out of it! Your emotions are being controlled by the drug!"

"This is my true nature! There is no other!" she replied harshly.

"That's a lie!" Ranma shouted back. "You once felt responsible, blaming yourself for causing the incident in Lahan by landing there. You were considerate of me when I was troubled..." He looked at her with some anger laced in his eyes. "The real you would never say anything like that!!"

"You talk as if you would know... Yet you know nothing!"

Again Vierge's side leg armor rose and a score of Aerods launched at Weltall. As they circled the Black Gear, Ranma immediately dove out of the way as they prepared to attack. Quickly, he cycled his weapons again and came to another choice.

The right fore-arm opened and another turrent popped up from inside. It was a small 10mm vulcan beam cannon powered and supplied by the Gears generator output. He began firing at the Aerods as they flew at him faster than he could keep up. Though damaged and under sluggish control, Ranma managed to destroy most of the lightning quick missles, dodging some and only allowed a few to actually do damage to his Gear.

"Hahaha! Writhe! Dance!! Die and rot in obscurity here!"

"...Argh! Elly... Must I fight you!?" Weltall kneels down.

"It looks like it's over for you. I'll put you out of your misery now!" Elly says coldly. "Fear not! In return for treating me so kindly, I will kill you painlessly. Farewell, Ranma..."

Suddenly, Elly cried out in pain. Vierge writhes and grabs its head, mimicking it's pilots movements. Vierge puts it's hands on it's knees, as if gasping for breath. Elly's face is no longer contorted, but her face is in pain as she has her hands on her head and her eyes closed.

"Uhh! .... Aagh.. Ah... M, my head..."

Ranma notices this and Weltall gets up slowly. ".... What happened?" Ranma thinks outloud. "There's something wrong with Elly. I can probably stop her now!!"

Weltall runs up to Vierge and tackles the Gear to the ground. Ranma moves the Gear further up and pins Elly's Gear down.

"Elly! Wake up and snap out of it!"

Elly groans again. Vierge struggles in Weltall's grasp. She still clutches her head in pain.

"Ugh... Silence! Impertinent fool! I will not listen to a Lamb..."

Vierge continues to struggle.

"!!"

"That's... not... true... I ... no... I ... Don't want this... Guh!"

"Are you okay!?" Elly!" Ranma shouts, trying to help her out. "What!? Are the effects of the drug wearing off?"

Elly groans louder and Vierge thrashes for a few seconds before going limp.

"Uuahh!"

"Is that it? Elly! Is that what's happening!?"

"Sh, shut up! I've no need for outward appearances of compassion. ... I, I,... erh R... Ran... ma..."

"H, hel...p... th, this... isn't... This isn't me..." Elly struggles with herself.

"Hang in there, Elly! Don't let go of your true self!" Ranma shouts, urging her on.

"No----!!"

Elly screams loud enough to hurt Ranma's ears. Vierge suddenly comes to life and blast Weltall back. It flips and lands in a three point stance as it slide back.

Vierge floats in the air as it releases a large amount of Ether energy skyward. The green and blue ether suddenly turns to a bluish yellow as it settles down.

"Noooooooooooo!!!" Cries Elly. Vierge suddenly falls to the ground on it's knees. Ranma was already out of his Gear and running towards Vierge.

"Elly!!"

Moments later, the two were out of their gears and facing each other. Behind them, Weltall and Vierge were kneeled, facing each other as they were. Ranma decides to speak first.

"Elly, why...?"

"I warned you..." she said with her head hung low. "I said the next time we met we'd be... enemies."

Ranma frowned.

"But, there's no reason for you to do this to yourself just so you can fight. There's no reason for you and I to fight... None at all."

Elly looks up.

"There... was no other choice.." She straightens herself. "I'm a Solaris officer.. I can't turn my back on my unit, the mission..."

"Why did you have to use the 'Drive'?"

She looks away, ashamed. Mostly of herself.

"I didn't want to... When I use it, I change. I feel like I'm dominated by some unknown power that I never wanted... There's a power in me I don't want to admit. But.. I want to protect my allies... So, I had no choice but to use.. the 'Drive'."

"... Elly, you're the same as me." Ranma didn't pay attention to his words. Little did he know that those choice words were true in more ways than one.

"The same? Probably..." She looks up at him. "I felt I knew you every since I first met you... Probably because our problems were so similiar."

Ranma takes a step closer to her.

"I'm here for you. It may not be much, but at least I can relate to how you feel, Elly."

"What? Are you saying we lick each other's wounds?"

Ranma looks down.

"No, that's not.. Well, I guess I am... Sorry..."

Elly looks down also.

"... I'm sorry. I'm not being fair, am I...?"

Ranma shakes his head and looks back up at her.

"No, I'm just pessimistic someties. But... even so, it's better than worrying about it by yourself.

"Ranma..."

Ranma turns towards the Gears and looks down for a moment.

"You won't change your mind...?"

Elly knew what he was talking about - her enlistment in the military. She shook her head.

"Please, don't look so sad. I have no choice. It is my only home..."

Ranma faces Weltall and begins walking the short distance towards it.

"I have to go.... My 'friends' are waiting for me." he said. She nodded in understanding.

"If you can, get out of the Army, Elly..." He said worriedly. "That look doesn't suit you at all." He then leaped into the damaged Gear's cockpit before climbing down and entering the cave. He spies the Repair Bot and decides to check up on the pilot.

"I watched you from the shadows. You're very powerful!" The pilot then noticed his Gears condition. "Hey bro, I can get you battle ready in ten minutes for two-hundred G's. Interested?"

Ranma nodded. He really didn't have choice in the matter. Better delay by ten minutes then risk getting sand in his Gear.

After a spectacular repair job and fuel refill, Ranma joined Maitreya and his squad atop the peak of the mountains. Over the cliff, dashing across the sea of sand was their target.

"Is that... Vanderkaum's border fleet...?" Ranma asked.

Ranma assessed the situation. The fleet consisted of the Kefeinzel battleship, four gear carriers and several destroyer and frigate class sand cruisers.

"Our job is to slow them down. So how do you want to do it?"

Ranma looks at him and smirks.

"... Simple. We do this."

Weltall walks to the cliff's edge. It squats down then suddenly springs off of the cliff, launching towards the fleet!! Maitreya and his unit stare incredulously.

"... He might even be more gung-ho than the young master." He turns to Falkon's support Deurod. "Falkon! Follow the kid and back him up! The rest of you, stay with your partner but follow me! Don't fall behind the kid! We're going in too!"

"Yes sir!!"

At the same time in another part of the desert...

"Harry! Pop chaff and jam all comminucations!" Montel barked out. "Jon, fire at will!"

"Roger!"

"O~Okay!!"

The two support Deurod's hover engines kicked it and they began to matter-surf atop the sand. Canisters ejected from one Deurod that exploded scattering fragments of a reflective material. The second Gear strafed along the sand towards the enemy sand cruiser firing it's beam gatling cannon while dodging returned fire.

"Harry! Point-two-three-alpha-two!" Montel informed the pilot. He turned his Deurod towards one of the smaller destroyers. "FIRE!!"

"Fire in the hole!"

Harry's missle turrent twisted down and lauched one of it's missles. It darted along the ground, skimming just above the sand. It then curved up and over the bow of one of the ships before crashing into it's bridge with a vengence. The following explosion eliminated the sand cruiser.

"Target destroyed! One down." said Harry.

"Cover me!"

Deathscythe's vierner engines ignited and it flew up and over the sand, closing the distance between the ships and the unit in a matter of seconds. It landed with a group of deploy gears, causing them to freeze in fear. Deathscythe's eyes glowed it's eerie green color.

"Wha, what the---?" stammered one of the enemy pilots.

Montel spoke coldly as he ignited his beam scythe.

"Allow me to escort you personally..." Deathscythe rised it's scythe up high. "... TO HELL!!! DIE!!"

Again it's vierner's ignited and it brought the blade down, slicing the Aveh gear from head to waist. It's wrist turned, forcing the blade to cut at an angle. Suddenly, Deathscythe spun on it's feet with the assistance of it's boosters. Like a blender, the beam scythe cut-through the five Gears around it several times before they fell to the ground in pieces.

"Target destroyed! Two down!" shouted Jon after he fired his 120 sem cannon's reactive rounds into the hull of another destoryer. The ship sunk into the sand taking it's crew and Gears with it.

Montel turned and launched Deathscythe's buster shield. It's beam blade crashed into the hull of the small frigate as it tried to flank Jon. He have the guy a thumbs up after he signalled his thanks.

"Where is the cruiser?" Montel asked his teammates.

"It submerged, sir."

"Damn."

"Contact! Lot's of contact!" shouted Harry. "Torpedos!" He sent his tracking information to the two.

"Fire!"

Jon and Harry opened up with their beam gatling guns, cutting through the sand. Several explosions lifted the sand from it's base giving out a type of sand-smoke screen.

Montel looked around trying to see through this sand. He activating his hyper-jammers once again and got close to the two Deurods.

"Stand still. Don't move at all." he whispered. It wasn't necessary, laser-communications only allowed them to beam transmission to each other.

They waited for ten minutes before the sand settled back to the ground.

"Anything, Harry?"

"No, nothing at---" He checked his sensors again. "I got something. Right below us."

"Jon." Montel whispered. "Ready your missles. Fire on my word only, got it?"

"Yes, sir."

They all felt a rumbling from the ground. It became stronger as they waited these few seconds. They suddenly began to rise from the ground as the sand cruiser surfaces directly under them. Montel turned around and gasped.

They were directly in front of it's main gun!

"SHIT!!" Deathscythe's blade came to life again and swung fiercely at the barrel. There was a moment of resistance before it cut horizontally. Montel then fired his head vulcan machine guns into the barrel. The resulting explosion confirmed that Montel set off the shell inside.

"Jon! Harry! Fire at will!"

The two Deurod's turned towards the fore-castle of the ship and opened fired. Low-yield reactive rounds flew through the air and slammed into the bridge of the ship. Their hover engines kicked on and they began to matter surf along the ship firing at anything they can get their sights on. Gun turrents, port-holes, even disembarking Gears faced their wrath.

Deathscythe held it's scythe high in the air before bringing it down like a golf club. It cleaved through the ships hull leaving a hole big enough to fit it's head through. Montel signalled his teams.

"Get back! I'm gonna set this bitch off!"

The gundam's head poke through the hull breech. The crewmen inside scattered and ran in utter fear. Montel assumption was correct. It was the ammo dump for the ship. He fired the head vulcans at a fragile looking rack of ammunition before he started to haul ass. His gundam's vierners ignited and he jumped away from the ship.

It exploded in a huge fireball before sinking into the sand.

Montel turned to Harry.

"Hit up the Yggdrasil." he commanded. The three of them launched and headed west in formation. "Mission accomplished. We'll meet them at the extraction point."


At the Kislev-Aveh Border...

On the bridge of the Kefeinzel, alarms began sounding as their radar started to track several attacking units.

"Bogeys incomming vector three-three-six! Two groups, about seven to eight machines, distance 2000!"

The aviation officer walks to the front of the bridge and began to lay out commands.

"Relay to all ships! Fire at will, begin evasive action! But, don't let fire support positions collapse!"

"Roger. Flagship to all ships... You are free to fire at will! Let's dance!"

"All rapid Fire Control Systems... commence operation!"

"Lay aerial mines. Projection pattern, mark three!"

"How many machines are are on air patrol!?"

Near the back, Vanderkaum - who was standing behind the aviation officer - moves to the front of t he bridge.

"Aviation Officer, wait!" He turns to the Comm officer. "Comm officer! Change of orders. Contact Von Hipper... Have the second destroyer squadron approach the enemy flank. Open the fleet's side and bait them into entering the Kefeinzel's main gun firing arc."

The aviation turns around, upset.

"Huh? It's stupid! There's no way the flagship's gun can hit speeding Gears..."

Vanderkaum ignored him.

"Fire control! Gunnery Chief! Ready the type-3 shells. Pull back the deck gunners and prepare to engage the Kefeinzel's main cannon... I'll annihilate them into pure energy...!" Vanderkaum clenches his fist, a determined look on his face.

"Admiral! What are you doing pulling the anti-gear gunners back!?" Vanderkaum turns to him.

"Quiet down, Aviation Officer! Thanks for your valuable opinion but I am in charge, not you! What use are pea shooters and 40 sem guns?" He turns back to the operators as the Aviation officer quiets down. "Discussion over. Captain! No too fast! We don't want to leave the enemy behind."

Behind Vanderkaum, the face of the aviation officer expresses his thoughts.

'Your plan will never work...!'

Outside of the flagship and just outside the main defense picket of the fleet, Weltall, Falkon and another Deurod touched down on the sandy surface and began matter surfing at battle speed, surpassing 252 kph. In front of the three gears was one of the picket-line destroyers. Falkon signalled Ranma to move up.

"Aim for the flagship heading west!" she ordered. "Don't engage the destroyer! I'll back off and help out!"

"Okay!"

Weltall's thrusters opened up and he started to gain speed quickly. The black gear speared right into the heart of the picket, pushing past many of the defending Aveh Gears as they tried to engaged him. Tracers flew through the air at him, but Weltall moved like it was a figure skater, dancing just above the surface of the sand while dodging enemy fire. At one point, Ranma used one of the Aveh Gears to spring board away from the destroyer's gunfire, which ended the Gear and pilots life by friendly fire.

Falkon contacted Ranma again. "Get away from the destoryer! I am going to use reactive shots!"

Unlike the Deurod team that went with Montel, Maitreya's strike team were all equiped with Gear rifles that had a low-yield reactive shell launcher. But the heavy support Deurods and their 120 sem cannons were loaded with high-yield reactive shells!

So when Ranma turned for a moment to see what would happen, he saw Falkon surf along the sand until she was right behind him with her back to him. Five shots flew from her cannon and pounded into the side of the destoryer. He had to brace himself as the explosion was powerful enough to send Weltall flying forward along with Falkon. Ranma managed to land on his feet before starting towards the fleet. Falkon was right next to him.

Ranma activated a screen and connected with Falkon.

"Nice work." he said. His eyes widened at seeing Falkon. She looked like Kasumi!

The girl smiled at him and gave a thumbs up. "Nice manuevering yourself, handsome."

"Got a weapon I can borrow?" he asked. Weapons were not his forte, but getting in close to the enemy Gears was not an option. She tossed him one of the standard rifles with the low-yield reactive shell launcher while she took up her cannon as her main weapon. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Now how did Buddy do this? Ranma thought as Weltall gripped the rifle. Oh yeah!

Weltall blasted forward and engaged a group of Aveh Support Gear. He strafed along the sand while firing the rifle at the gears in a small circle across his reticle. He smiled when a few of his shots tagged some of the gears in the head, disabling them. He turned to his left and fired the reactive launcher. The shell zipped through the air and exploded against the side of a damaged frigate. Instead of sinking, it slowed and stopped atop the sand.

Ranma moved on to the next picket line.

Vanderkaum slammed his fist against a console and cursed loudly. Some of the enemy were breaking through.

"That moron, Hipper! Purse them, they're just playing with him. You're not good enough to be my dog!"

Behind him, the aviation officer voiced the reason why they couldn't purse.

"Our mobility is too different..." It went on deaf ears.

"Fire control! Gunnery Chief! It hasn't fired a shot yet! Range for the Type-3 is within 500. Don't fire till you see the whites of their eyes."

"Gears at battle speed can move at 2000 per hour." Again, he didn't listen.

"This whole ship! All you are morons!" Vanderkaum pounded his fist again.

You're the biggest moron! Though the Aviation officer. He turned his back to Vanderkaum.

"Black enemy Gear, inside units, stick to your escort!"

Ranma and Falkon closed in on the second and final defense picket. They seperated and started picking off Gears and turrents with their weapons while trying to avoid enemy mines.

One of the Aveh sand trippers that tried to pursue Ranma bit off more than it can chew. Taking hard left, Weltall avoided a mine just in time for the sand tripper to trigger it instead. Ranma watched the Gear fly across his field of vision and crash into one of the escort destoryers.

"Just past this line of ships is the flagship Kefeinzel!" said Falkon.

Ranma nodded and continued forward. He could hear the sounds of bullets richocetting off of Weltall's armor and the sound and shutters of explosions around him. He firmed his grasp on his controls and pressed on. He checked up on Falkon and saw a pair of large Aveh support units trying to flank her. He had to help!

"Falkon! Behind you!" Ranma turned and jetted between two destroyers to help the Kasumi-look-alike.

"Forget about me!" she shouted. "Attack the flagship! Do it for the Young master! I'm expendable!"

"The hell yer not!" Ranma switched on the flight system for Weltall and he was pressed back into his seat as the Gear sped up to over 600 kph in a matter of seconds! He managed to gain a better control after a second and headed straight for Falkon.

Seeing the two Giga Foot Gears, Weltall angled it's thrusters down and leaped at the Gears head first. Ranma suddenly cut the flight boosters and turned the Gear a complete 180 degrees backwards. He caught the two Aveh Gears by surprise as Weltall's feet smashed into their heads, disabling them. Weltall's flight system actiavted again and he turned back towards the Kefeinzel.

"Show off!" shouted Falkon. She sounded more happy than angry at the pigtailed man. "Alright! Dodge the escort! The ship in front of your is the Kefeinzel!"

As she said that, something moved on the deck of the Aveh flagship. There was a loud explosion followed by smoke billowing from the top of the ship. Weltall suddenly found itself flying in the air as the ground was blasted upward from beneath it's feet. Ranma managed to brace himself against his seat, levelling Weltall in the air to land back down on it's feet before taking off after the Kefeinzel.

"Saotome," Maitreya signalled him. "Take out the flagship's main cannon. Myself and Jack will attack it's engines. Falkon, they rest of you fire at will!!"

"Roger!"

Weltall's flight system initiated and the Gear blasted into the sky before diving down at the Kefeinzel.

"Fire control! Gunnery Chief! What are you doing?" Shouted Vanderkaum. "You're not even close! Are you blind?"

"Destoryer Iltus' engine is down!" shouted one of the operators.

"Flash signal from 'Luveh! 'Luveh, rudder out, rudder out, end.'"

"Three remaining allies!"

Vanderkaum slams his fist against a console. "Idiotic! Idiotic! What is this mess...?"

No one notices the aviation officer leave.

"Enemy Gear above! Enemy Gear diving from above!"

"Go down, dammit!" The bald, cross-faced Admiral cursed. "Or Ramsus will have my hide."

Weltall landed on the deck of the flagship, smashing into a deck turrent at the same time. It brought up it's arms and shielded it's head and cockpit from a pair of small deck guns as they fired on it. Ranma's mental command made the Gear move forward, dodging from of the low-caliber shells that ricochetted off of it's armor.

The 1200 sem main cannon turned on Ranma and he gasped! The thing was huge, even before he landed the gun was half the size of his Gear. If he knew that the thing was loaded or not, he could of crawled inside and destroy it easily.

A flashing red strobe caught his attention and the Kefeinzel's main turrent lowered and pointed directly at him. Weltall jumped high into the air just as it fired it's insanely huge shell. Ranma gasped seeing the shell land miles away and kick up enough sand to fill an olympic swimming pool!

Weltall landed back on the deck and went into action. It rolled forward and extended it's foot, sliding into one of the small turrents. It crawled under the main cannon and punched through the thin armor of the second turrent with it's right hand. It's arm opened up and fired it's anti-personnel vulcan, destorying the operators and firing control inside. Rolling out from under it, Ranma faced the main cannon again.

Taking a lucky guess, Ranma assummed that the time between loading and firing the main cannon was two minutes. With that guess stuck in his head, he cycled through his arsenal and selected his left arm's weapon. The exhaust port opened and let loose a wall of green plasma exhaust from the fore-arm and Ranma stuck it down into the cannon's smoothbore barrel. His face turned into a smile, the high-density metal of the barrel melting down to the extreme heat of the exhaust. In a matter of seconds, the main cannon was nothing but melted, cooling metallic slag sitting on the main deck of the Kefeinzel.

A sudden lurch of the ship nearly caused Weltall to tumble off the deck. Ranma noticed the ship was slowing. Maitreya and Jack finally knocked out the engines. He also noticed the last few ships slowing down or resting in the sands a couple miles back.

Their mission was a success.

On the bridge of the Kefeinzel the alarms and sirens continued to flash and sound. Crewmen were quickly evacuating the ships via life boat and escape pods. One distinctive figure stood firmly on the bridge, in his own little world, mumbling to himself. The ship shudders again but he remains standing.

[All personnel, evacuate! All personnel, evacuate! Abandon ship! Repeat, evacuate!]

Two operators stood behind Vanderkaum, one of them was actually worried for their commander.

"A, admiral..."

Seeing no response, he quickly runs away.

"Forget him!" said the other, following the first's lead.

The ship shudders again. Vanderkaum looks at his own fist.

"Right... I still have that... I still have that..." He turns around toward the bridge's exit. "Yes... I still have that... I still have that... yes. I still have that..."

Outside the ship, the Kefeinzel and it's fleet are ruined and burning. Debri and scrap litter the desert terrain for miles, a testiment of the battle between the pirate Gears and the Aveh border fleet.

Looking at their handy-work is Ranma, sitting inside of Weltall's open cockpit. Maitreya's Deurod walks in front of him from the right and approaches.

"Yess! One for our side!" Maitreya shouts with glee.

"Yeah... and it's all due to your support." Ranma says. "Thanks."

"Stop the border guards? Hah... we destroyed them!" Maitreya looks over the burning fleet. "Well, we've done our job! I hope the others do OK!"

"Bart and his team... He's probably okay... Any word from them?"

"Nothing," Maitreya says. "They say no news is good news I guess. My Gear doesn't have very good equipment. They probably did fine though."

Ranma's heart suddenly beated hard once, making him pause.

"...."

Maitreya saw Ranma's face become still for a moment from inside his own cockpit. This worried him somewhat.

"What's wrong?"

Ranma turned his head towards the Kefeinzel. His heart beated hard again.

THU-THUMP! (Heart-beat)

The Kefeinzel begins to rumble and colored light erupts out of it, making a brilliant flash the nearly blinds the Pirate group. A burst of flame erupts from the side, and the whole ship bursts into flame along with it and begins to rumble. Another explosion occurs and the suddenly, huge machine began to rise and walk out of the new hole in the ship. Once clear of the Kefeinzel, it turns towards Weltall and Maitreya's group, it's turrents taking aim. Two explosive shots exited the barrels and kicked up the sand around Weltall and Maitreya.

Vanderkaum's voice rang in their ears. He sounded psychotic.

"I WILL KILL YOU!!"

Maitreya gasped at the size of the machine. It was almost one forth the size of the Kefeinzel itself. They didn't know what kind of machine that was! He only saw writing on the side of the machine that said 'DORA'.

"Falkon! Take Jack, Farrant and Helix to 100 from the machine and rain support!" He closed his cockpit and turned to Ranma who did the same thing. "Vind! You and Saotome follow me in! Vanderkaum has gone nuts!"

"Roger!"

"Let's go!"

"I'm with ya," Ranma said. But deep down, he had a foreboading feeling that he couldn't understand.

The three of them - Ranma, Maitreya and Vind - squared off against the Dora directly, standing about fifty-feet from the mammoth machine. Falkon, Jack, Farrant and Helix fanned out to 100 meteres away from the Dora in a circle pattern. Helix, the sniper of the group, got into a prone position angled at the Dora's right side. Jack and Farrant circled around to flank the machine. Falkon took her position adjacent to Helix, locking down into the sand and loading her 120 sem cannon.

"Watch out for those arms," Ranma warned. "They look dangerous."

"Too late!!" Shouted Vind. "HELP!!"

Weltall dashed in quickly and slammed it fist into the arm's main joint. Ranma frowned when it had little or no effect on it at all. He had his Gear jump back as the other arm tried to snag him. But instead it grabbed Maitreya!

"Saotome! Move!" Helix yelled through the comm. A 75x300mm APSSDS, Armor Piercing Spin-Stabalized Discarding Sabot, exited the long barrel of Helix's Gear sniper rifle and smashed into the wrist joint of the claw holding Vind. It's velocity had enough force behind it to release the claw, but no other damage was scene.

Farrant and Jack started to fire at the rear of the Dora, but their small caliber Gear rifles were having little or no effect on the ultra-thick armor of the mammoth machine. Vind started firing from the front. His eyes widen when he see's his own shots richocetting off of the armor plates.

"Reactive armor!"

The twin turrents of the Dora turned to it's flank and fired on the two Deurods behind it. They dived out of the way to avoid being shot. Dora's arm holding Maitreya extened out and swung at Weltall like a flail. Ranma wasn't repared for such an attack and found himself tumbling inside his cockpit as Weltall flew back and skipped across the sand.

Falkon found her chance and fired her cannon at the nose of the Dora. The high-yield reactive shell crashed into the front of the Dora and kicked up a cloud of smoke and dust. The attack was strong enough to release Maitreya's Deurod.

"Is it dead?" she mumbled curiously.

Weltall stood up and joined with the other two point-men. As one, their eyes widened when the dust cleared. The Dora was still functioning.

"General Maitreya!" Falkon called out. "My sensors detected a stress point on the machine. Attack the nose."

"You heard the girl!" Maitreya charged in, Ranma following right behind. While Vind and Helix kept the arms at bay, Ranma and the General started to pound onto the nose section.

The armor began to dent quickly as Weltall's fist pounded close to the speed of the chest-nut fist and Maitreya using his rifle like a hammer to add more than enough damage.

"Clear!"

Falkon's command instantly had the two out of the way. Another reactive shell blasted from her cannon and slammed into the Dora, on the nose this time. The machine slide back from the impact, but seemed mostly unharmed.

"What the.."

Cracks suddenly formed along it's nose section. No sooner than it began, the metal armor began to fall from the machine, littering the ground in a few seconds. The Deurod unit began to cheer, but their voices quickly died down when a large cannon was exposed.

"Shit!"

Ranma rolled out of the way just as the cannon fired. His own sensors detected that it was an ether beam, and a powerful one at that. He watched steam or exhaust exit a port on the Dora. His sensors also picked up a steady energy spike that slowly began to rise. It was comming from the Dora also.

"It's charging up!" Ranma said. He signalled Farrant and Jack. "Give me a distraction."

"Roger!"

"On it!"

Two shells launched from the bottom of the two Deurod rifle's with an audible 'thump'. The back of the Dora lifted up and went ablaze from the reactive shots. The machine turned around and started to head for the two Gears. Ranma, seeing that this was the moment, began to harness the chi around him. A technique that Fei taught him before his untimely death. Everything in nature has chi - the rocks, the air, the trees, the ground you are standing on. It was a matter of borrowing from nature to enhance your strength to aid you in battle.

With that, he closed his eyes and concentrated. At the same time Weltall's hands cupped together and moved to it's right side, knees slightly bending. Around Ranma, a soft white aura shimmered around him as he gathered the energy. His body was a living transformer - power comming in from him flowed into the control orbs of his gear. That power in turned filtered directly into Weltall's ether machine, greatly amplifying natures force.

Outside Weltall and within it's hands, whisps of energy began to collect rapidly within a few seconds. The sand, the air, and desert plants all heard Ranma's mental plea. An energy ball formed and grew, engulfing the black Gear's hands completely up to it's wrist. It was then that Ranma recalled a name for the technique, just as Weltall's arms pushed the energy forward at it's target.

"SUPER GUIDED SHOT!!"

The amplified chi blast zipped though the air in a blink of an eye, plowing into the back of the Dora. It was followed by an explosion that sent the ancient mobile weapon tumbling foward head over heels until it came to a rest several hundred feet away. It was smoking and partially ablaze, and thankfully not moving at all.

Inside the Dora's cockpit, Vanderkaum laid dazed in his seat. His body was heavily bruised and his head was bleeding profusely. Not only that, but many of the Dora's controls short circuited after the blast, rendering further combat impossible.

"Uh... I..."

The cockpit of the mobile weapon suddenly opens. A flash of blinding light temporarily paralizes the fallen Admiral and a high pitched noise assaults his ears. After a moment, the light and sound ends only to allow a mysterious voice to speak.

"Do you want the power?"

Vanderkaum regains his bodily functions and looks up.

"Wh, who are you!?"

A mean-looking Gear, black in color with a pair of bat-like wings flies high over the Dora. It then dives down and stops several feet from the immobilized Gear.

It's Grahf's Gear!

Slowly the Gear lands on the hot, desert sand. It stands before the Dora and it's cockpit. The head of the Gear looks down, as if glaring at Vanderkaum. Behind the Gear, a pinkish flame billows giving the Gear a look a pure evil.

"I am Grahf, the seeker of power. Doth thou desire the power?"

"The power..." Vanderkaum whispers.

"Yes, the power."

Vanderkaum's eyes widen. Power is what he needed to defeat these ants and prove that he isn't a failure like Ramsus said he was.

"P, power... the power... I want it... I WANT THE POWER!!" he screams.

"So be it!" Grahf states firmly. His Gear rises off the sand by some unseen force, causing the small crystal rocks to scatter from below him.

The right arm of his Gear raises and faces upward, palm up. It begins to glow red.

"My fist is the divine breath!"

The red glow turns yellow, increasing in size.

"Blossom, o fallen seed, and draw upon thy hidden powers!!"

The as the glow pulses rapidly, the arm of Grahf's Gear turns down and extends toward the Dora.

"Grant unto thee the power of the glorious 'Mother of Destruction'!"

Grahf releases the energy in the form of a laser that engulfs the Dora. Inside the machine, Vanderkau screams as he is also taken in the blast, his mind and body going into overdrive as the energy seeps into his skin. His scream is only heard by him as the cockpit closes.

"Urrrggghhhhhh....."

To him, everything suddenly turns white.


Yggdrasil Bridge...

Inside the Yggdrasil, Bart walks up to the wheel and looks down for a few seconds, shaking his head.

Earlier, the raid on the Aveh capital of Bledavik was a complete bust. Bart's team was ambushed by Shakhan and many of his followers in the courtyard of the castle. They were completely surrounded and everyone thought that they were gonners. If it wasn't for old Maison comming to the rescue in Citan's Sand Crab and getting them out of there, they would of all been dead. When arriving back at the Yggdrasil, they also found out that the Royal Defense Force successfully neutralized the disquised Kislev group that attacked the recon force by Nisan. The ONLY good news was of Montel's group destroying the cavalry fleet.

"We'll go back to Nisan." Bart stated. Behind him, Sigurd walks up and speaks.

"It's useless, Young master!" Maison also approaches him.

"Y, yes.. young master... I hear when they attacked the fort at the border, The Gebler, led by Ramsus, routed them. We'd better withdraw for now, and reconsider..."

Montel spoke up.

"I can't let ya go back there now. They might be following us." Already knew what was up so played the cautious fool.

"Margie and them are still there. We'll go back! We have to!" He paused. "That reminds me... What about Ranma and his guys? If they're alright, we could..."

"We've had no contact since we confirmed their order to charge..." said Franz, the Dolphinoid.

"Damnit!" Bart slams his fist onto the top bridge railing. "This can't be happening!" He looks down.

"Young master..."

Bart's ears suddenly twitch and he has a bad feeling. They twitch again.

"Behind...?" He turns to his operators. "Something's comming from behind! Jerico! Give me the helm... No, you keep it! Just hurry up and pull either way!!"

The ship begins to rumble.

"Young master...?" Sigurd looks at him curiously. Franz starts to give out sonar information.

"Aft of our stern! 300! I'm picking up the sound of torpedoes being readied. A sand cruiser!? It's big! Speed 60! Relative route zero-zero-zero! There were hiding behind some baffles!"

Sigurd steps up to the forward part of the bridge. He then realizes who it is.

"Kahr!"

"I'm picking up some high-speed propulsion, breaking away from the enemy's ship! Torpedeos!? Two of them! Speed 87! Torpedoes confirmed with the sonar. They've shifted over to active homing!"

"Battle stations!" Bart commands. "Deploy the maskers! Ready the noisemaker!"

The ship's alarm buzzes and the whole room turns red due to the lights. A loud pinging sound starts comming from their sonar.

"Battle stations, everyone!" sounded the intercom.

"Open jammer! Noisemaker, 2nd, 4th tube... Standby!" ordered the gunner.

"Emit noisemaker! Prepare to stop the engine!"

The ships shudders throughout the ship. Bart turns to Jerico.

"Helm... NOW! Steer to the opposite direction as far as you can! Stop the engine! Crash alarm!!"

Citan braces himself against something he could hold. He turns to Montel. "Grab onto something quickly!"

"Wha---"

It was too late. The ship suddenly lurches forward and Montel goes flying. The bridged seemd to tilt to the left and he tumbled across the floor until his head slammed into a steel piping. He was out cold.

"Medic!" a crewman shouted.

"Torpedo...1, still pursuing! Dammit! Impact in 3!!"

Inside the Gebler sand cruiser, Ramsus stands at the center of the bridge that looks similiar to his airship. Behind him is Miang, while in front were two operators.

"Confirmed, vessel destruction noise. ... followed by a rapid blowing noise. Enemy vessel is probably floating rapidly to the surface."

"Fluid static around enemy vessel is decreasing. Sand maneuverability of the enemy vessel down sixty-percent. Looks like the main engine and effect-fins have been disabled."

Ramsus nods.

"Once their effect-fins are destroyed they will remain buried and unable to move. Surfacing was a smart move. Sand-Torpedo Chief! Well done on lowering their fighting power. Brilliant!"

"No problem, Boss-man."

Ramsus turns his head to Miang.

"Well...what shall we do with them?" He looks down thinking.

"Oh? It's unusual for you to get lost." she teased. He looks up.

"I promised an old friend... I must take it easy..." He looks forward and begins to daydream about an old memory. After a moment, he shakes his head and turns to an operator.

"Comm officer! Use my name and urge them to surrender. Tell them to surrender if they desire the safety of Nisan."

He pauses.

"All divisions cease fire, but remain on alert! If any enemy vessel attempts to attack, shoot it individually!"


Back at the Border...

Ranma and Maitreya watch the mysterious Gear leave after doing something to their destroyed target. Maitreya scratches his head.

"... What was that? That guy just now?"

Grahf. Ranma mentally curses the guys name. Of all the people in the world, Grahf was someone he truely wished was dead.

"Don't know.." Ranma lied.

Another Deurod walks up to the two and stops, giving Maitreya a salute.

"That's was some exellent shooting there, Helix."

"Thanks, Sir but-- Hold on, I'm getting a comm signal." He opens his cockpit while an antenna extends from the back of the Deurod. "...Huh? Wha!? Huh? ... Oh-no!"

"What is it?" Ranma asks.

"General! General Maitreya! We have an R code message! I'm not sure, but it looks like the Young master is in trouble!! We don't have time for this junker!!"

Out no nowhere, a blue laser streaks in between Ranma and Maitreya and crashes into Helix's open cockpit. Within a blink of an eye, the Deurod is put out of commission and the young Gear sniper is annihilated. The two remaining turn around and gasp as they see the Dora, reactivated with an eerie teal flame eminating from it.

"You there..." Vanderkaum's voice echos. "What're you doing ignoring me and messing around...?"

"I'll kill all of you!!"

The Dora starts to fire it's cannons wildly in no particulate direction. Maitreya takes a step forward away from Weltall towards the Dora.

"... Ranma, gather the wounded up and return to the young master. Hurry!" His Gear's rifle ejected it's spent magazine and reloaded another. "My unit will stay behind and try to buy some time. All operational Gears left will provide cover as per their commanders' orders, and retreat in set order."

Ranma shakes his head.

"Don't be stupid! I'm staying too!"

"Shut up and listen boy!" Ranma suddenly found the General's rifle pointed right at his cockpit. "You're the young master's guest. I can't let you die here."

"But.."

Maitreya turns towards the Dora as Farrant and Vind join up next to him. Jack and Falkon are already engaging the mobile weapon.

"... The young master... What he really needs is your strength. Please help him. I beg you."

"Farrant! Vind! Let's move out!!"

Ranma watches from the cockpit of Weltall as the three charge in without him. His eyes widen as each second in the battle passes before his eyes. He could feel the rumble of the fight and the sounds of death.

THU-THUMP!

His eyes see the pulses of the aura around the Dora.

THU-THUMP!

Two Deurods, Jack and Vind, laying charred and smoking before the Dora.

THU-THUMP!!

Another heavy pulse of the Dora's aura.

THU-THUMP!! THU-THUMP!!

Two more Deurods, Maitreya and Farrant, in the clutches of the Dora.

THU-THUMP!! THU-THUMP!!

One of the arms of the Dora, impaled through Falkon's Deurod. In it's claws is a bleeding and dying girl.

THU-THUMP!! THU-THUMP!! THU-THUMP!!

Ranma's eyes widen as he stares at the girl. All he see's is Kasumi Tendo, a young girl being crushed in the claws of the machine.

"... Uahh... St... Stop it..."

Ranma's eyes widen and further to near bursting. His heart pounds a mile a minute. Sweat covers his whole body.

" ... St... op... Uahh...."

A dark green aura surrounds Ranma, pulsing rapidly to his own heart beat. His head lowers, hair obscuring any vison of his face.

"Ah...."

Ranma suddenly clutches his head and screams loudly, yet no sound came from his mouth. Only his lips spelled out the words he couldn't speak.

'Not again! Don't let this happen----'

Everything suddenly becomes red.


Back at the Yggdrasil...

Outside the Yggdrasil and to it's sides, a pair of Gebler transports have their weapons trained onto the ship while moving next to it. On the deck is Brigandier, holding a huge steering wheel for the ship.

"Surrounded, huh?" Bart licks his lips. "How are the repairs?"

"The main engine and effect-fins' oscillators are mostly unharmed... But the electrical connections between them are wasted. We are bypassing the main connection and trying to scrape together all the energy we can. But it will only give us seventy-percent of our usual maximum power at best. The propulsion-drills are not damaged, but is the sand can't be granulated they might as well be. We'll make battle speed 3.... only barely."

"Sig! What has Gebler's 'Mister Puniverse' got to say?"

"He's been quiet since the first surrender demand."

Bart paused. Inside his cockpit, only he could see the smirk on his face.

"... All personnel to battle stations. Break through is planned after the connectors are up."

"Young master!"

"Sig! Listen." Bart stopped him. "Surrendering isn't going to change Nisan's fate. We'll lose the Yggdrasil, the core of our power in saving Aveh and Margie. I know it looks bad, but you can still count on us!"

"Well said, young master!" Cheered Maison. "This old man will follow you to the pits of hell!"

"Sorry, Old Maison," he said while shaking his head. "I'm not dying today!! Besides they don't look like they're gonna hit us."

"It sure looks that way..." said Sigurd as he checked the radar. "Perhaps they have political motives that involve Margie or the young master..."

"That's probably it, Sig! But they're forgetting one thing... It's harder to bring in an animal alive that dead!"

"Young master," contacted the Engineer. "Emergency connections are complete. Use the engine as you wish."

"Thanks!! Alright let's... go get those fools!!"

"Confirmed, one enemy Gear engaged. Direct course. Enemy vessel engine noise increasing... Speed increase, steering noise confirmed, course change... Taking evasive action."

Miang looked at Ramsus, trying not to laugh. "Commander?... Ha, Ha, Ha."

He turns to her and shakes his head.

"Can't help it, eh?" He addresses the operators. "All divisions, holding pattern cancelled! Resume attack!"

"Bow torpedo tubes 1-3, Namthal missle. Set 1 and 2 for homing, 3 for anti-radar. Tubes 4-6, Makara Mk5 sand torpedoes. After acquiring target set all to passive homing. All units, begin defensive fire. Aim for the main ship."

"W, wait!!!" The first operator turns to the second and Ramsus. "Explosions along the perimeter of the fleet, confirmed. Multiple vessel destruction noises! High energy reactions... What kind of gain is this!? Commander!!" He looks at Ramsus. "I can't believe this! This .... Gear...? It's like reactive rounds are flying around..."

Miang stepped forward and waves the operator. "Calm down. Put the analyzed picture on the monitor."

"Y, yes ma'am."

A floating screen opens up in front of the bridge. The image that Ramsus see's is the image of a flying... Red Gear.

"Ah... That is...!!"

Outside the ship and at the side of Ramsus's fleet, the Red Gear flies over the ships leaving a wake of utter destruction. Repeatedly, it brings it's hand to it's forehead, charging a type of concentrated ether energy before raining down onto the defenseless ships bellow. Explosions littered the desert landscape, the heat generated from the blast powerful enough to melt the sand into glass. No ship could stop the Gear as it headed towards the Yggdrasil.

Bart looks around in confusion, seeing Gebler ships suddenly start exploding for no reason. He happens to look to his right and see's heavy firing from both Gebler ships and an unknown source.

"W, what happened?"

His ears suddenly perk and he gazes into the distance were the fire fighting comes from.

"Is it heading... here?"

"Th, that Gear! No mistake! It's that bitch! Demon of Elru...! Miang! Let's go!" Ramsus growls angrily, literally scaring the shit out of his bridge crew. None have even seen him this upset. They watch him run out of the bridge.

"Commander! Please wait Commander!!" Miang calls to him. She follows, but stops for a moment, turning back to the screen. "Ha, ha..." She continues after him.

On the Bridge of the Yggdrasil, Montel stumbles in from the automatic door and quickly holds onto the top bridge guard railing. He makes his way over to where Sigurd and Citan are standing. Looking up, he see's the red Gear hovering in what he could assume was Bart's Brigandier. It was a feed from an external camera.

Weltall.

Id.

When the pilot of the Red Weltall spoke, he was expecting a female voice, but again, he was major disappointed.

And scared.

"Are you strong?" asked a male voice.

Outside the ship, Bart looks up at the floating Gear strangely, preparing for a fight.

"... What? Who are you...?"

"I asked, 'Are you strong?'!"

The Red Gear waves it's hand quickly in front of Brigandier, a wave of energy blasting the pirate's Gear off of the Yggdrasil deck onto the sand. The Yggdrasil stops as Bart falls off.

"..." Montel shakes himself awake and looks at Citan. He whispers, "Ya know what's goin' on... right?"

The Doc shakes his head. "The voice... is different.."

"I know."

Citan stares at Montel's back for a moment before turning back to the screen.

Behind me!?

Brigandier does a quick 180 turn and ends up face to chest to the Red Gear. It jumps back quickly and puts up it's arms in defense.

"... What are you suddenly attacking me for!?"

A slight purring noise comes from the Red Gear, and the pilot speaks again.

"Purrrr.... Heh Heh, fine. Then play dumb!"

A pause.

"You, strong..." The Gear looks to it's left. "Huh?"

The Red Gear stares at a yellow Gear with wings holding a saber sword and a white Gear following it flying towards it's general direction. A voice comes form the yellow Gear as it grips it's sword with two hands.

"You there... Pirate boy! Do you know her!?" He pauses. "That's right... Weren't you with that punk, Ranma!?"

"No, I don't know HIM!" Bart shouted back. "... But even if I did, I sure wouldn't tell you!"

"Then you wouldn't mind if I take care of him."

The Wyvern, Ramsus's Gear, prepares to strike.

"I owe 'her' greatly!"

Before Ramsus could even attack, the Red Gear suddenly pulses with an extremely powerful aura, forcing the Wyvern back staggering. Six bluish wings of energy form behind the Gear. It looks as if it is glaring at Ramsus directly, raising it's arm up, fingers curling as if to represent claws.

"Oh shit..." Montel stares for a few moments before turning towards the bridge hatch. The purring from the pilot was all that was needed to confirm what was happening.

It wasn't Id or Ranko at all.

It was the Cat!!

"I'm going out there to help!!!" Sigurd and Citan both restrained the black man as he tried to leave.

"No! You suffering from a concussion to the head! You're not capable of battle!" Citan stated.

"Don't get gungho now, man!" said Sigurd. "You're injured!"

"Fuck you damnit!" Montel cursed as Sigurd used a martial arts move to slam him onto his front while Citan restrained him. "Damn it Doc!! You know fuckin' damn well that's Ranma in that GEAR!!"

Sigurd paused and looked at the gundam pilot before looking at Citan.

"Is that true?"

Citan shook his head before nodding.

"Possibly. But, the last time this happen, in Lahan, the voice and person was female."

"How is that possible?" Sigurd asked curiously. Citan whispered something in an unknown language that Montel couldn't understand. "If that's true, what about now? Why male?"

"Let me go, asshole. I won't leave." Montel stated. The release him and rubbed his head. "Ranma suffered from some mental trauma when he was a kid. It caused him to be deathly afraid of cats to the point that he'll mentally act like a cat. The thing is, he'll also have super powers that can make him slice three inch thick steel like it's paper with claws of ki."

"What!?"

"But somethin's wrong..." He watched the screen and saw Id Weltall prepare to strike. "... the Cat is aware... like us."

The Red Gear swipes it's hand at the Wyvern and Ramsus begins to laugh.

"What kind of attack was that---"

The air in front of the Wyvern suddenly turns blue as four red streaks appear on the legs of the yellow Gear. Just as quickly, the Gear collapses on itself as it loses the legs that could support it.

"Guaaahhh!! This can't be! You m, monster..." cries the Gebler commander.

The Red Gear runs up to the Wyvern and picks it up by the head. Tossing the Gear in the air, it jumps and turns around delievering a fierces spinning round-house that crushes one arm and knocks the yellow Gear away like a rag doll. A bit farther away, Brigandier watches this take place, Bart's eyes wide in fear. The Red Gear suddenly turns to Bart and runs up to his own red Gear.

"Tch! Keep back!!"

Miang's white Gear lands next to the crippled Wyvern and it's remains.

"Commander... Let's pull out!"

"Don't do anything unwarrented, Miang! I still have one arm!!" growled Ramsus.

The white Gear picks up the torso of Wyvern and secures it in it's own arms. Miang's Gear get's to it's feet and glances at the two red Gears.

"We're pulling out!" she states firmly. "... That mad cat seems to have a new toy to play with."

The two Gears face off of against each other. The mysterious Red Gear eminates a teal aura around it that gives it an evil look. In the background, Bart notices Miang's gear take off, but that's of no concern to him. He had a bigger problem on hand.

"Well, now that my motorrrrr coil's warmed up..." The Red Gear appears to crack it's knuckles. ".. Let's start the main event!!"

Bart sweats heavily in his cockpit, soaking his shirt. Today's my unlucky day. Why does this have to happen now? He thinks to himself. "Oh well... Let's get this over with!"

Brigandier's G-whip heat rods extend from their housings in the forearms. The arms then start lashing out at the Red Gear quickly, impacting against the Gear heavily with a powerful cracking sound.

The Red Gear just stands there.

Bart continues attacking, circling around the Gear at get attacks from all angles.

Again, it just stands there.

Brigandier's whips strike against the Red Gear's waist and wrap around it tightly. Bart has his Gear pull against the other Gear but it wouldn't budge!

The Red Gear suddenly lashes out, ki claws cutting the heat whip rods. The Gear grabs onto the loose whips and pulls Brigandier off it's feet flying towards it. It's foot strikes forward and smashes into the chest of Brigandier, following by a knee from the other leg. Lightning fast punches starts to rain down onto Brigandier and Bart found himself helpless, tumbling in his own cockpit and striking his own consoles as the pummelling continued. Just when he thought it was over, a rising crescent kick from the gear took Brigandier off of it's feet into the air, followed by another, and another! Thinking he would just fall to the ground, Bart braced himself in his seat, but again the Red Gear switched it on him.

The Red Gear started spinning quickly, lashing out with it's legs in powerful roundhouse's. To Bart, it felt as if someone was taking a weed-whacker to his Gear and going to town. After a few seconds, the Red Gear used a double-fist to smash Brigandier down to the ground. Bart prayed that he survived the fall.

But the Red Gear dove faster than him to the ground, landing on it's feet and creating a crater. Just before Brigandier slammed into the ground at high speed, the Red Gear threw a fierce uppercut that didn't connect.

Brigandier's head stopped inches from the ground and Bart had the feeling that he was rising. And he was!

Bart's Gear flew up into the air as a tornado rose into the air, picking up sand and tossing the Gear around. Inside, Bart cried in pain and fear as he was tosses around as if he was in a washing machine, again slamming into his own consoles.

After a moment, Brigandier landed on a large sand dune, looking worse for wear.

"Young master!!!" Sigurd quickly runs to the wheel. "Engine, ready for full power!! Jerico! Give me the helm over here!"

"But first mate! Now with the effect fins out of order, if you run at full speed, the ship wouldn't be able to stand the friction!!"

"It can 'jump' do to the Bernoulli effect on the wings surfaces instead!!"

"First mate!!"

"Never mind that! The Yggdrasil is nothing without the young master! Full power!! Maximum speed!!"

The Yggdrasil starts to move quickly along the sand. It rumbles as it's speed increases and begins to turn to the right. It starts making it's way towardsthe Red Gear's location as the front starts to rise inthe air.

Behind Sigurd, Citan, Montel and Maison stood behind him, bracing themselves for impact. Everyone else on the bridge followed suit and held onto something.

"Eeeeeeeaarrrghhhh!! Come on, GO!!!!" growled Sigurd.

The Yggdrasil continues to shake as it rises.

A distance away, the Red gear stood 50 feet away from the damages Brigandier, laying in front of it. The Red Gear turns as a rumble nears. Brigandier suddenly starts to move away using it's partially working flight system to matter surf away, just as a shadow starts to envelope the area. The Red Gear looks up just as the Yggdrasil begins to descend upon it.

!!

The Yggdrasil lands on the Red Gear, Brigandier getting out of the way just in time. A rumble is heard as the Yggdrasil slides a few more feet before comming to a complete stop.

"Young master! Are you okay!?" Sigurd shouts through the comm net.

Bart shakes his head, wiping some blood from his face. "Don't over do it, Sig... trying to make out ship 'fly'...!?" He chuckled, ignoring the pain in his sides. "When we get back, it'll take a month to get this heap of junk working again."

Sigurd joins his captain in laughing. "Ha... ha ha... You seem to be okay!"

"... Shees!! What was that monster anyway?"

Before Sig could answer, an audible thud is heard. Bart see's the front end of the Yggdrasil rise a bit.

"Sig! What's going on?"

"What... The ship? The engine should have fallen out, but..."

The rumble increases, shaking the Yggdrasil greatly. It begins to rise from the sand.

"What in the hell?"

When the bottom of the Yggdrasil passes Bart's field of vision, he gasp and nearly wets his pants. A red mettal hand is revealed, forcing the ship up without touching it. As it rises, the Red Gear shows itself, not a scratch on it at all. The Gear rises higher along with the Yggdrasil, a teal aura around it and it's bluish energy wings extended. It looks down as it holds the ship up over Brigandier, the ship bending from the stress of being 'held' by the Gear's aura.

"That was pretty interesting." The Gear's pilot purred. "But dropping a warship on me is cheating... Take it back!!"

The Gear makes a throwing motion.

Everything happens in slow motion to Bart, as he stares at the Yggdrasil descending toward him.

"Sig!! Maison!! ... Uah..."

The bridge is a mess on the Yggdrasil. The bridge was tilted heavily to the right. Sigurd was holding firmly onto the wheel of the ship, flanked by Citan and Maison. Montel, held by Citan, was bleeding from the head after being thrown harshly by the ships movement. He was unconsious.

"The sand pump, effect-fins and propulsion-drills are all out of commission!!" shouted the engineer. "Main engine, support engine, engage the auto scram. Switch power to batteries. Output ratio 0.5, operating time... 500!!"

"I third bridge... it's ruined!!" yelled Franz.

"The hangar section, the armement section, and even the pressure shell have been destroyed!! We can't stop the sand from flowing in!"

"Close each section down completely and commence independent operation!!" yelled Sigurd.

"Then, damage control won't be able to move!! The whole won't be covered!!"

"That's alright!!" Sig said firmly. "... Either way it's impossible to save the entire ship. Our priority is to secure the bridge!! Gather everyone into the bridge immediately!"

Sigurd turns to Citan. "... Hyuga... No.. you're Citan now. You need to get out. I'll have Maison guide you to an escape-pod."

Citan shakes his head. Maison turns to the Doc.

"I cannot leave you all like this...!?"

"We have no right to keep you here and get you involved." said Sig. ".. if yous ee Kahr and Miang, make sure you pay 'em back for me." Sigurd took Montel from Citan's arms and compossed himself. "Maison... Please show him the way."

Outside the Yggdrasil, a section extends out as the ship sinks and a pod jettisions out of the extension.


Ranma opens his eyes, soon to be regretting it. He closes them again and does it slowly this time, adjusting to the light. He looks up and see's that he's in an unfamiliar room. He slowly sits up and gasps! His body hurt all over like hell, and he had some stupid collar around his neck.

"... Wh, Where am I?"

"Long time no see..." said a voice from behind him. Ranma whirls around and smiles happily!

It was Buddy!!

"... Fei Fong Wong." Bud finishes, crossing his arms. An angry look on his face.


End of Chapter 18

Author's Notes:

Leave REVIEWS!! It's very simple!!

The third installment of the Xenogear's world is finished, now on to the fun parts. Why is Buddy looking angry towards Ranma? Why did he call him Fei Fong Wong? Many questions and some will be answered in the next chapter of Blended Demensions!!

BTW, the part with the 'Cavalry' fleet never happened in Xenogears. I added that in so Montel could be fighting in the chapter instead of standing around in the bridge of the Yggdrasil.

The fight between Bart and Id-Weltall was different also. In the game, Id just totally whoops Bart's ass... on the ground. I added in some Dragon Ball Z-like punches, Ultimate Rugal Crescent kicks, and a good ol' Hiryuu Shoten Ha for the hell of it. Remember, we're talking about the Slayer of God here. ^_~

If you think that Ranma is all God-like, your damn wrong. If you wanna find out, wait for the next chapter of Blended and see for yourself.

Next is Chapter 19: Reunion

C&C+Flames: hibiki54@earthlink.net
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