Macross Fan Fiction ❯ Macross "VF-X Ravens" ❯ Chpt 12 - Mission 9 : Easter Parade ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter 12

 

Mission 9: “Easter Parade” - February 2nd, A.D 2051

 

The reconnaissance units have located the final flagship of the Critical Path Corporation at last, hidden deep within a large asteroid field. Gilliam and the rebel squadron approach the enemy flagship surrounded by an array of gun satellites. In minutes, Gilliam and Aegis clear the path, and entered the defenseless flagship.

 

Gilliam: “Alright Aegis, from here, we'll try to reduce communication so they can't pinpoint our locations. But we'll check in our condition once every 5 minutes. Got that?”

Aegis: “Roger!”

 

Transfixed in Battroid mode, Aegis and Gilliam split paths and attack the fortifications within the ship itself. Armored door, missile and gun mechs... Missile and gun turrets. And the like...

 

Aegis: “God... This place is like a maze...”

 

Aegis strafes his way through the endless corridors, encountering a few gun mechs. Thankfully for him, the Excalibur is equipped with a fast-barreled machine gun and shield arm, giving him the upper hand against those silly mechs. Strafing from corridor to corridor, Aegis took his time and blasted those goddamned mechs to pieces. Through more armored doors, Aegis faces of in a room, with two Thunderbolt VF's, firing carefully to lessen damage to the ship's interior. Playing dirty, Aegis levels the machine gun to floor level and blasts randomly at the enemy's legs. Sure enough, one Thunderbolt was caught in the cheap shot and collapsed to the floor leaking brownish hydraulic fluids. Equipping his barrier, Aegis exposed himself and force fired at the other Thunderbolt, bringing the helpless fool into submission. Aegis finishes off the enemy mechs and head further into the corridors.

 

Up ahead, Gilliam coincidentally takes a similar route and meets Aegis.

 

Gilliam: “Aegis, how are things going?”

Aegis: ”So far so good, I'm unharmed.”

Gilliam: “Good! We'll continue from here.”

 

Turning round his designated path, Aegis spots three missiles mechs in a hardened armored room. Switching to Gerwalk mode, Aegis locks his missiles from the corridor wall and strafes across releasing the missiles easily on them. The salvo rained down on the mechs and destroyed them... But more reinforcements appear. Gun mechs cover the exiting corridor, but Gilliam joins the fun, together with Aegis blasting the gun mechs to smithereens. They split again, and Aegis continues hitting down armored doors. He recognizes a familiar hum... but couldn't tell what it was.

 

Aegis: “Gilliam, I think we're near the Generator room!”

Gilliam: “Good work, find that room and if there're generators in there, blast them all up and that will be sufficient. This crippled ship won't be able to go anywhere after that.”

 

Aegis then chooses between three adjacent corridors... He takes the right and continues to hear the humming increase in loudness...

 

“Captain Aegis, you're now near the generator room. It is confirmed. It's behind three armored doors, guarded by two mechs.”

Aegis: “Roger, Rebel 3”

 

Right on point, two mechs. Repeating his tactics, Aegis simply destroys the lousy guards and proceed to take down the three armored doors. Finally, the humming gets to the loudest and Aegis confirms the location of the generators. On orders, Aegis destroys the five plasma generators in the reactor room.

 

“Captain Aegis, mission is cleared, Gilliam has asked us to evacuate now. There's a shortcut near the room, take it out from there.”

Aegis: “Ok, take yourself out, I'm following out.”

 

Aegis switches to Fighter mode, and slowly navigates his way out. Found tat last, the path indicated by Rebel 3. However, as he neared the corridor, a distress signal began to flash.

 

“Commander! The exit is... ARGH!!!”

Aegis: “Hey! Rebel 3! Answer me, I repeat! Answer me! Damned!”

 

Around the corner, Aegis catches a glimpse of a teal-coloured mech standing guard at the shortcut exit, sealing the wide doors with its spread legs. Firing missiles into the hallway, the mech destroys the Thunderbolt of Rebel 3, and attempts to hit Aegis. Deploying a pack of chaff, Aegis hides behind the barrier and fires down the mech and missiles, only to be joined by Captain Gilliam. Together they teamed up and brought the mech down, opening the exit again.

 

After evacuation, Maria patches in to Gilliam.

 

Maria: Gilliam, how is the operation?”

Gilliam: “Mission successful, but...”

Aegis: “But we lost Rebel 3...”

Maria: “I see... it is regretted... Please come back at once, we have further briefings to do.”

Aegis: ”...”

 

Gilliam and his team return to the Rebel base, followed by a quick debrief by Maria. The operation was confirmed a success, but at the cost of the pilot “Rebel 3”. After they leave the room, Aegis stays behind, and views a detailed diagram of their oncoming battle.

 

Meanwhile in the hangar, Manfred Brando's damaged VF-17S Nightmare is retrieved and disassembled. Manfred Brando was already dead... But his fighter simply cannot be left intact. In fact, they were also searching for the parts of the Target Jamming System., in an effort to retrieve the system and learn about the functions and how it operates. If they could analyze the data, they could have a huge advantage.

 

Gilliam re-enters the briefing room, only to find Aegis sulking...

 

Gilliam: “Hey kid... what are you worried about this time...?”

Aegis: “I guess, we've come this far... We're about to take on the whole of VF-X Ravens Space Fleet... Makes me wonder if we can win...”

 

Gilliam: “Aww you... At least have some faith in yourself. You're a god damned Ace Pilot for gods sake. Can't you at least be more positive about that?”

 

Aegis: “Heh... Gilliam, you've changed...”

Gilliam: “I noticed... ever since I joined the rebels in their efforts, I began to find a different me from inside myself. But sometimes, I don't know if this is good or bad...”

 

Aegis: “Heh... Not that I would bother...”

Gilliam: “Typical you...”

Aegis: “...Drink? My treat...”

Gilliam: “I think we've seen this scene before back in VF-X... =) ”