Red Sun [Titans, SPACE ROUTE]

"Quite the sight, indeed..."

Rōken's observation could not have been more of an understatement, particularly for someone who had earned most of his stripes behind a desk. Witnessing the effects of war firsthand, in space, at this scale, was an experience that would leave even hardened veterans at a loss for words. And yet, the intelligence officer peered out of his viewport with an affable fascination. Because it was fascinating. They were wading through living, bloody history... history that could very well claim any of them from beyond the grave. It made for an equally fascinating environment for their business here.

Unfortunately, dreadfully, that business was proving to be rather dull. Worse, dear Alexis had decided to tighten his leash. He was to be in her company, and... what was his name? Lemon? No, no... Leyland. Yes. The poet of death. Certainly a pleasant conversationalist among the bores, though at the same time, Alexis would likely shut down any chatter. After the latest string of developments, Rōken knew that he ought to restrain himself for a time.

Thus, the dull business. With uncharacteristic radio silence, Rōken moved his Galbaldy Beta into position at the side of Alexis' Hizack Custom. There was no point in belaboring nor complicating the issue. All he could do for now, like the rest of them, was to play along.

Of course Miss Minthe had the good fortune to be sent with the alien. Hopefully she didn't get the wrong idea. Black sheep could be rather compelling.

CPO Peri Minthe was on high alert, but she wasn't really feeling nervous. It was surreal, being in this graveyard. The evidence of Zeon's continued reign of carnage even after the colony drop. Though they'd failed to end more lives on Earth directly in this attack (just one colony drop had caused a never-ending list of problems that her father still had to deal with the repercussions of daily), the debris of Side 5 surrounding them echoed its own loss heavily still. Even more, the use of Comms was dangerous - they were in potential enemy territory. It would be easy to lose pursuers among the debris, but the recent loss of the Hario and suits not unlike her own had her particularly wary of mines. And more, it had her wondering: Why had this not been cleared out? Even if Earth came before all else, the slacking off of the Federation in this case had now made this forest of machines a risk in so many ways. They would be lucky to pick up anything on radar. If more fighting reached Earth because of the negligence of leadership in Space...

Her thoughts were cut off by Ilse and Volkodav's conversation. 'AFFIRMATIVE,' she flashed back to her flight leader, then turned to follow Ilse at a short distance. Far enough to give space should she need to forge an escape route, trying to keep an eye on a clear route back to position, but close enough to defend or pull them out of danger should it somehow reach them.

If the Rhodes was feeling the strain of constant vigilance in its sweep, the Graf Spee fared little better, its own crew running just as hard as the Rhodes’, if not harder. Though just as seasoned as their Titan counterparts in shoal operations, the Zeon cruiser had poor luck in recent encounters with the remnant and AEUG, often taking the lion’s share of combat damage. Now that they were within the notorious shoals of Side 5, avoiding a repeat performance was a priority for all onboard.


“Sir, laser transmission from EWAC Unit three...They say there’s been concerning bursts in particle activity.”


“Show me.” Captain Ansbach looked to the communications officer before nodding for him to continue. Soon enough, a tactical display of the shoal and Helios’ relative positions within it was on an overhead screen. Little had changed with Helios’ positions but the marked locations were certainly worthy of notice. The bursts were seemingly random, at times occurring within the immediate vicinity of the last before showing up in a different spot altogether. But when taken in relation to Helios as a whole…“Where was the strongest burst?”


“The strongest one was…here. Closest unit is Flight One of the Rhodes.”


The Graf Spee’s captain eyed the encircled area of space, noting the cluster of instances on its outer edges. It had been weeks behind them at this point but the situation was beginning to resemble their incident at Side 2 with the remnant. They were fortunate enough to survive but the mobile armor’s destruction hadn’t been confirmed. If it were operational again…”Get the Rhodes on the line immediately! And prepare for anti-mobile suit combat!”


--


++AFFIRMATIVE.++


Retrieving a wayward scout, a task that was easier said than done. It wasn’t as simple as boosting towards the wandering EWAC unit and dragging it back into formation. The need to maintain radio-silence and minimizing her thrusters’ presence would make the process drawn out and nerve-wracking, the unfortunate consequence of not wanting to tip off the remnant to their presence until it was too late. The irony wasn’t lost on her either, the task force’s punishing pace quite fresh in her mind as well as so many others.


Lightly keying her mobile suit’s verniers, Ilse reoriented the Hizack to face the direction of its EWAC counterpart before setting off, hopefully before it wandered into trouble. Not that the unit in question was entirely defenseless, at least, compared to some of the older models still in use with the Republic of Zeon. Much of its surveillance equipment was stored within the back-mounted radome, freeing up its hands for conventional armaments rather than the older handheld camera units. Not that it should be trying its luck in the first place, Ilse thought as she trailed behind the EWAC Zack.


To their credit, the pilot at least had the foresight to not venture out into the relative open, instead gently probing through the clusters of debris towards whatever caught its eye in the first place. If only they used half of that care and diligence in monitoring their own surroundings... Putting more power into its thrusters to close the distance, the Hizack Custom cruised for several moments more behind the wayward scout, entirely unaware of its presence right up until a titanium hand clasped its shoulder. An unbecoming yelp sounded through the contact link, further proving the pilot’s tunnel vision. <<”You’re too far out, get back in formation.”>>


<<”Jesus Christ, gave me a damn heart attack…Not yet, I’ve been coming across some odd markings on some of the garbage out here and I can’t quite place it. Like this here…”>> The EWAC Zack pointed to an errant piece of colony wall and, sure enough, through all the accumulated wear and tear was some sort of diamond-shaped symbol. <<”I’ve also been getting sporadic interference from Minvosky Particles in this direction and…”>>


<<”Sporadic how?”>>


<<”That’s the thing, it shows little bursts in one direction before doing the same thing in another. I haven’t seen anything like it. There’s no pattern to it either, just shows up in one location and then another…See, there it is again but it’s a bit closer this time around, stronger too. Whatever it is, it’s no ship…”>>


The Zeon pilot fought back the urge to simply turn tail and blast back towards the formation without the scout but kept it bay. The list of non-battleship related mobile weapons with the ability to casually disperse Minvosky Particles was rather short and of those Ilse was familiar with, one was right next to her. The task force had made it a priority to avoid spreading them until the start of combat and if they were detecting them in bursts, that meant something was swimming in the shoals with them. They may’ve already been pinged without even realizing it…


<<”We’re pulling back, now. Relay what you’ve found to the-“>> Ilse began before the beeping of an alarm cut her off, effectively confirming her fears. <<”Evade!”>> This time, she didn’t fight back the urge to vacate the EWAC unit’s hideaway, the Hizack Custom rocketing out from the debris and without a moment to spare, a single focused mega particle blast ripping into her previous position. The EWAC Zack, too slow in its response, was all but turned into a molten husk, the intense heat warping the titanium armor into a barely recognizable shape.


Hoping to get eyes on whatever had come for them so aggressively, Ilse hurriedly flicked her monitor feeds of the shoals. Thankfully, the wait was a short one, as the Hizack Custom’s advanced sensors did the heavy-lifting of sorting through the sea of ship and colony debris as to identify the flickering light numerous mobile suit thrusters as had those of the other Hizack Custom and remaining EWAC units. And the brightest one didn’t belong to a mobile suit at all. Rather, a mobile weapon that had would've been familiar to those who served since Helios' creation. It had the look of a wounded beast, its armor scarred by battle and further modifications to its frame but it was still unmistakable. After all, it was this same weapon that nearly brought down Helios by its lonesome were it not for the timely intervention and dogged efforts of their more seasoned pilots.


<<”Lieutenant Volkodav, it’s here!”>>



--



“Confirmed, Captain. Incoming contacts, count at least twelve! Bigro-type mobile armor is also believed to be present!”



Again they get the drop on us, Banis thought as more and more blips began to generate on the bridge’s tactical display, the numbers growing to match and potentially exceed those deployed by Helios. If there was any saving grace to the situation, it was that Helios as a whole had both gained more experience and been resupplied appropriately to deal with ever more dangerous threats.



“Anti-air and observation, focus! They can come from any direction in these shoals so make sure you don’t miss them. Have Flights One and Two intercept the enemy, EWAC units are to fall back!”



Even as Banis gave out his orders, the scope of the threat to Helios would quickly become apparent to its pilots, the approaching hostiles taking up an organized formation to assault the divided mobile suit teams. On the farthest flanks, a mix of Zaku and Rick Dom-type mobile suits darted in and out of cover as they closed the distance with the more aggressive Dom pilots taking early shots with their bazookas at Flight Two, a shell sailing right toward Ha-Yeon’s Marasai and the nearby EWAC Zack.



But while Flight Two was still near the Rhodes and not entirely in range of the incoming remnant, Flight One was thrown into the fire almost immediately. Not only had the mobile armor already taken a shot at Ilse, blowing apart an EWAC Zack in the process, but the accompanying mobile suits were quick to engage as well. A pair of Dra-C blew past Ilse and Peri’s Hizack Customs for an attack run on Roken’s Galbaldy while a modified Zaku fired several beams at Leyland’s own. Lastly, an Act Zaku and modified Rick Dom took several shots at Peri and Volkodav both, keen to prevent Flight One from coordinating effectively.


In moments, the tension from meandering through the remnants backyard had been turned on its head as the hunters became the hunted. And if the growing number of lights both near and far were anything to go by, they were far closer to their objective than they realized. Now, they only had to live long enough to complete it.


((Map and estimated positions of Helios is here!))




The Garden Gazette

- Alexandria-class Heavy Cruiser Rhodes Vicinity -
- Flight Two -

It wasn't AEUG that emerged, guns blazing, from the shoals, but apparent Zeon holdouts in modified older mobile suits. Of Flight Two, Ha-yeon's Marasai was situated furthest from the Rhodes's position and not far from one of the reconnaissance Hizacks, so she soon found herself taking enemy fire.

                   MS-09? RICKDOM?
                                                                               MS-09R2 RICKDOM

Ha-yeon's earlier grogginess instantly dissolved, her mind jolting into sudden focus as her cockpit display generated a flurry of reticles to track and identify the incoming MS; a pair of Rick Dom-types them had clearly taken point and started shooting first, taking aim at Ha-yeon and the EWAC Zack.

"Six to ten contacts incoming," Ha-yeon had to estimate their number on the fly while reporting to her team, not having the luxury of time to count out the reticles on her monitor while hitting evasive maneuvers, "They're already in firing range, Rick Doms and Zaku-types." Training and experience had left their mark: Ha-yeon's utterance was clipped and professional, betraying no sign of her being startled or otherwise in a compromised emotional state.

In any case, it was a complete ambush, with the enemy coming into firing range almost immediately after revealing themselves. Ha-yeon pushed her MS into a tight rolling evasive, which would look like she was spiralling "downward" from a viewer positioned on the Rhodes's bridge (although her Marasai was likely not visible from there), and creating distance away from the Rick Doms without drawing them toward the Rhodes, all the while squeezing off shots from the Marasai's beam rifle, primarily at the slightly closer Rick Dom II that was on the right side of her view. She had to break up the enemy's momentum and formation and keep them at bay to afford Flight Two, and their accompanying EWAC Zack, the time and space to form up under Max's direction and shift the tempo of the action to their own favor.

And just like that, the EWAC, along with the person inside it, was reduced to atoms. And just like that, their enemy revealed themselves. Not only that, but a familiar thing from one of Rōken's favorite reports. He was among those most immediately in danger. The thought made him smile.

Rōken moved immediately to action. His Galbaldy was already settled into a firing position, seeming as if he had been expecting something like this to happen. His reflexes were simply that keen. He took a couple aimed shots with his beam rifle at the Dra-C's before skirting for debris cover, retreating backwards and to the left with a few well-timed engine bursts. His machine moved gracefully for a Galbaldy, owed to his precision over the controls. His fingers moved cleanly, calmly, like he was doing a desk routine.

Amid these motions, Rōken flicked his communicator to the Flight's secure channel for a brief respite, then flicked it off after he had said his piece. "Two buzzards, at my two o'clock."

((SPECIAL MOD NOTE: Due to the extended absence of multiple players, multiple characters have fallen under Mod control.))



"All units keep distance from that armour and focus on its support! Minthe, Mistral, fall back and don't give it any reason to chase you. All EWACS move behind us and provide support."



Ilse barely registered the Russian’s orders as she threw her Hizack into a hard bank, its thrusters at full output in an attempt to put to gain some distance between herself and the mobile armor. Even so, the mobile armor’s image only seemed to get bigger on her monitor, the debris an afterthought as it cruised after her through the shoal. As the survivor of its initial barrage and out alone, it figured she would be first on the chopping block and it was clear the war machine wasn’t looking to draw things out as several ports along the armor’s ‘nose’ opened fire, several beams striking out and into the shoal.



The initial spray was noticeably inaccurate as several of its beams sailed further from their target and, from her memory of the last encounter, the volume of fire was less as well. A likely consequence of the damage incurred a month ago, Ilse realized, but it was still capable of laying waste to her or anyone else caught unawares. Indeed, what started as an unfocused barrage began to be more focused as several beams split apart what used to be part of a Salamis’ bridge and got uncomfortably close to Ilse’s flight path. The only thing that prevented the next set from hitting home was an errant shot glancing off of its portside armor, ripping its attention from Ilse’s Hizack to Volkadov’s own, the hulking mobile weapon breaking off to engage its new target. It wouldn’t be alone either as a modified Zaku had begun opening fire as well, eager to support the mobile armor against the Russian lieutenant.



Though the Lieutenant’s actions brought some much needed breathing room for Ilse, it came and went as she quickly became embroiled in combat much like the rest of Helios. Her initial course (and Volkadov’s own intervention) took her away from the mobile armor’s grasp but it also led her into flight path alongside one of the Zaku-types belonging to the remnant, its pilot unaware of her presence as they charged after the retreating Peri. “Got you…” Angling the Hizack’s shoulder-mounted shield, Ilse prepped herself for an incoming tackle just as the Zaku pilot finally realized their new companion, albeit too late to properly respond. In a smooth motion, the Hizack Custom crashed its shield right into the Act Zaku’s gun arm, sending it off-course and into a disoriented spin. <<”Peri, you’ve got another one coming in!”>>



Sure enough, even as the Act Zaku was knocked off its attack run, a modified Rick Dom already came rushing out through the shoals to plug the hole left by its interrupted ally, its mono-eye was focused entirely on Peri’s Hizack Custom. Comparatively, it was a much bigger threat just from the level of ordinance it was beginning to dispense, one of its missile pods unleashing its entire payload of five missiles before firing off a shot of its bazooka for good measure. Not far off, Roken was just as much under siege as Peri, as the pair of Dra-C attempted to play to their strengths as hit and run interceptors. Though Roken managed to clip one of the offending, glorified space fighters by ripping off its shield armor in one shot, they soon split off from another as the Galbaldy sought cover within the debris patches. Their plan became clear as the shield-deprived unit rounded one side of Roken’s cover and began opening fire with its arm-mounted gatling gun while the other came from the other, igniting its own shield-mounted beam saber as it rapidly closed in for a fly-by slash.



By now, Helios had more than enough experience in going head to head with the remnant. Enough so that in such a high stakes engagement, certain individuals had yet to take meaningful action whether it be much needed support fire or otherwise direct engagement with the remnant. JG Montebairn was such an individual, having carefully took up a perch upon a wayward chunk of mineral rock. He was seemingly content to merely observe Helios as a whole through his monitors, taking the odd shot towards the remnant to maintain appearances.



The Man from Jupiter had taken a personal interest in Helios Corps and saw fit to monitor their exploits through a proxy, the wary eyes of loyalists be damned. The Lieutenant personally thought little of them after their initial meeting but Scirocco’s vision was his own, Montebairn need only serve faithfully and ensure its success. My input may hardly be necessary, he mused as his monitors slowly shifted from Flight One’s movements to that of Flight Two, the smaller detachment rapidly forming up to meet the horde ahead of them.



<<”Flight Two, pair off and keep your partner close, don’t give these pirates an easy kill by going it alone. Hansen, you’re with me. Mok, stick with Mirabeau and keep our flank covered. Go!”>>



Whether or not a formal acknowledgment of Epstein’s command was given, the Marasai helmed by Hansen was already soaring ahead much to Epstein’s frustration. In one ear and right out the other…He hoped that Hansen’s recent brush with death would temper her aggression but it seemed to have the opposite effect, the Lieutenant diving into a firefight before he could link up with her. A more direct chastisement would be necessary, he realized. <<”What did I just say, Hansen!?”>>



Though he couldn’t see her expression, Max could hear the scoff in her response. <<”Backwater spacemen couldn’t touch me even if I was blindfolded. Just watch…”>> A single Dra-C tested its luck by attempting to dart through the gap between the two Marasai only to be met with resounding failure, the blue interceptor getting caught at the waist by a swing of Hansen’s saber and sent spiraling off into the shoal. An impressive enough maneuver in its own right but one that couldn’t be praised in the moment as the pair were beset by a supporting Dom-type and Act Zaku.



The light of the Dra-C’s demise had barely faded as others made their own push on the Rhodes, egged on by the actions of Ha-yeon’s fire. To their credit, and despite its age, the Rick Dom II was already proving to be a more wary opponent as it weaved through out the shoal, beams sailing into rock as it kept to what meager cover it could. Its movement brought it in and out of sight but when it did pop up, it was clear that the distance was closing. On its next reveal, had gone on the attack, as a bright and disorienting flash of light sprayed out from its torso. A blinding light for those unprepared and an excellent distraction for a single handheld-sturm faust rocket, capable of obliterating even modern mobile suits on a direct hit.



But while the Rick Dom II had carefully maneuvered in an attempt to trap Ha-yeon, its modified counterpart threw caution to the wind entirely. Its bazooka muzzle flashed twice as it fired towards the single Barzam amongst Helios, helmed by the newcomer Auguste. And unlike the one that had gone after Peri, the Dom’s pilot had opened fire with both of its missile launchers, a total of ten now streaking towards the Barzam.



((Map and estimated positions of Helios is here!))






((The Palau Pages))