Aberrant: 2011 - Episode 14: Hatred, Ragnarok's Pimal Roar!

[Mech]

General Marcus Farnsgate couldn't believe it. Three Colony heavy battlecruisers sunk in less than thirty minutes, over eighteen hundred soldiers killed, snuffed out like a candle. The Superior is a monster. He was snapped from his thoughts when a tech handed him a communique from Colony Command. He read it aloud for the command staff. "You are ordered to Protect the Life Component at all cost. Subdue the Superior and the Yggdrassill, by any means nescesary." He shook his head. "You heard the order. All Personnel to battle stations, this is a code Alpha Red Alert! Prepare for Imminent combat!" The others took to their duties and he sat back in his command chair. Pilots mounted their virtually untested mobile suits and prepared to fight a veteran opponent. God help us, I don't think we can stop it.

The Superior crouched down inside one of the shipyard construction bays. He knew they'd be looking to the sea, not realizing how fast the Superior truly was. His passive scanners recorded all the activity of the 4 Mobile suits that had activated so far. They were old Akuma class MS, not powerful but nasty in groups. Their main strength was close range, where their clawed hands and various melee weapons were of great use. They were made for city fighting. "Too bad, I was hoping to fight real opponents this time." Akira mused as He throttled the Superior to full power and shoved the Achnerar through the wall and the heart of the Akuma outside. The Akuma outside died before it even registered the contact, its engine utterly destroyed by the nano-reinforced blade of the Achnerar.

Akira moved quickly leaping the Superior into the air and burning for the powerplant. It was heavily defended by cavalier rail cannon and missile batteries, but once The Superior touched down in the fuel cell yard they could no longer risk firing. The Fuel yard represented sixty five percent of the Colonie's Southern Fleet reserves. Engaging the phase shift armor and actually hearing the audible drain on the power system, Akira fired. The Phase shift armor was designed so that if used it would make only another shifted machine able to destroy it, However use of the system severely taxed the reactor core, so time was limited. The results were immediate as the fuel tank ruptured and exploded, setting off a chain reaction which shook the ground violently. All the base cannon defenses shut down immediately.

Akira shut the armor down just as a laser beam caught the Superior in the back. He was rocked forward but managed to turn around to see A strange sight. It was Byakuya Gundam, the master of Blades. He retaliated by firing a single bolt into the MS's firearm causing it to detonate sending shrapnel pinging against both their armor. "I don't know who you are, but I'm taking you down." It drew both of it's talon-like swords and charged. Akira and the Superior discarded the rifle and met the Byakuya with Achnerar. The swords glittered in the light as the two sword wielding machines darted around each other. The Colony pilot was skilled, he obviously had formal training before this campaign. They fought through a dozen buildings, destroying them as Akira and the Superior pushed inward to the core of the base and Mizuki's homing signal.

Mizuki looked up at the sky light of her cell just in time to see the massive back of the Superior falling down towards it. There was a crash and then the grinding of mortar, brick, and metal as the thirty ton machine fell backwards onto the medical building. There was a sharp pain in her back as something heavy fell on her,. As darkness claimed her she smiled. "I knew you'd come for me Akira, Superior."

There was a wild yell over the tacnet as the other three active Akuma jumped in and took hold of the Superior. One grabbed each arm and another held the Superior in a full-nelson. he Byakuya measured its stroke and seemed to almost gloat. "What now Oh Mighty Superior? You've been captured by three lowly Akuma, and my Byakuya. I thought you'd be stronger than this." As the twin bladed mecha held its arms high Connor looked at his viewscreen in dismay. It was showing him on top of Mizuki's location. Could she be in the building I'm held in????

He quickly scanned for biosigns and found none. Then he saw her. She was laying face down in the rubble, a slab of brick atop her. She was so very still. He keyed up the magnification and to his horror confirmed that it was her. Deep within him something snapped. He'd come to rescue her, but she died anyway. his mind seemed to shatter in that moment, as all the safety protocols were disengaged. He screamed in rage. "AUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I will make you pay for this! No one hurts Mizuki!!!"

The fusion reactor roared as power flooded the system, power derived from Akira's rage. Suddenly the entire mobile suit changed colors. Gone were the gleaming white panels and golden eyes. The suit was obsidian black with blood red accents and it's eyes burned a hateful bloody red. He broke the holds of easily and drew both beam sabers and shoved them through the cockpits of the two Akuma that had been holding his arms even as they ignited. The pilots were consumed in utter agony by the plasma blades. The Byakuya's swords descended qucikly but The Superior was faster, rolling forward so that the Akuma holding its back took the hit. It expolded and the Superior rose. In total Sync, the machine and it's pilot roared and red energy bolts blasted out from it, lancing the Byakuya,sending it flying back into the command center. Achnerar formed in its hands, but it too had lost it's neutral look. It had a long wickedly curved blade and serrations that looked like it could saw through anything. The Byakuya was hurt but not down. Swords met sword, and yielded as the bloody red edged blades cleaved through the smaller blades. It bit deep into the Byakuya's side, passing straight through. The superior whirled around and withdrew the blade, severing the arm in the process and sending a shower of sparks from the abused wound. Th Superior completed it's turn and slightly altered it's sword angle so that it cleaved straight through the right shoulder and toop the head from the Byakuya in one stroke. The headless Gundam fell to its knees. "I yeild."

"Then you die a coward." The Superior raised it's wicked sword and brought it down, bissecting the Byakuya straight down the middle. The Superior turned to the Command center and rose into the air. In the observation deck he could see the staff scurrying about in fear. The cowling over the Ragnarok cannon withrew and slid into firing position. "You Colony bastards have only just begun to suffer. I hate you all, now, DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Hellishe red energy spewed forth consuming the tower, erasing it from the world as if it were never there. For the next hour the Superior flattened the base, destroying every shred of Colony presence. The remains of the base were smoking rubble when the Yggdrassil arrived. The Superior was flat on it's back in it's normal form near the only building virtually intact. It looked as though a MS sat on it but it was better than everything else that had been a base.

Captain Minamori ordered a search for survivors and found only two. Mizuki was in the rubble next to where they found the Superior and required immediate critical care. Akira was strapped into the Superior, limp and unconscious. She had him removed from the machine and placed under guard in the medbay as the Superior was retrieved.

"Captain we have to leave, every force in the Pacific is rallying here. We have no more time."

"I understand commander, but I'm just shocked. It looks like a bomb wnt off, could they really have been that desparate to defeat the Superior?"

"Perhaps Captain, the computer files we recovered will shed some light on what happened, but for now we must escape."

"Yes Commander, I see. Helm get us out of here, Set a course for Station AA1 and then onto Oahu Base. That should keep us clear of the fleet and give us all some time to rest. Submerge us as soon as you can and make best speed in stealth mode."

"Aye Aye ma'am."

Captain Minamori retreated to her own thoughts. Oh Akira, what happened out there?

__________

Connor laid back in his bed at the hospital and smiled as he viewed the episode. He had exhausted himself totally trying hard to do everything at once to nearly disastrouss results. Director Tomino had demanded he rest for a few days after the latest two episodes. Considering how tired he was he agreed. Everyone had said how impressed they were with the holo simulation, and how it even felt real when he allowed them to touch it.

Everything was going well, but He wondered if it would last. Lina had gone through her episode rather well, with the episode between his showing her charachter examined by Colony scientists and virtually tortured and treated as a thing, not a person.

She'd been very convincing and he hoped an episode where she got to strut her stuff talentwise would help the fact that alot of the plot was geared towards Akira and the Superior right now. Several members of the cast were due by for a visit and to do a casual read-through, and he found himself hoping Lina would be among them.

[White Light]

Lina sat in her and Mech’s small flat and was torn. The television was on in front of her and she paid little attention to it. Director had demanded a break in filming so that Mech could rest from Episode 14, and Lina was fine with that. She liked acting, but she liked being lethargic more. She thought about her task today, and argued whether or not she wanted to.

Lina had never, ever been to a hospital or medical facility in her life. Her hometown was too far removed from a city or a decent sized town and she’d never been sick enough to need to visit them. She was born in her mothers’ house with a local nurse and a few other housewives who served as the deliverers of babies in the town, but it came up so rarely that none of them were particularly experienced in the matter when Lina was born. From what Lina gathered about hospitals was that where people went to die. She didn’t even visit Kara when she was admitted to the hospital. Lina felt no need to visit the Rashoud Facility when she became a Nova. The headaches were terrible, but it was something she could tolerate.

But now Mech was in the hospital. Lina knew it wasn’t because he was dying, but that didn’t stop the thought and fear from entering her mind. He’d been admitted because of his exhausting work on Episode 14, but the end result was more than spectacular. Lina loved watching Mech at work. It was like he could make any fantasy come to life.

She was expected to meet up with Mech and a few other cast members for a run through of the script. This situation had never come up before. She’d never, ever had reason to visit a hospital, but now it shows. At least no one is actually hurt.. She told herself. She threw on a stylish long red and black skirt, along with a tank-top of the same color scheme. She slung a backpack across her back, slid her new cell phone in her pocket, and walked out the door. As she traveled down the hallway and onto the elevator, she thought she heard the phone ring. I doubt it’s important. If so, they’ll get my cell phone or leave a message.

When Lina stood at the hospital door. She was unaware of hospital etiquette. Do I just walk up? Do I check with a receptionist? She decided to just follow in the person ahead of her, but forgot how instantly peoples attention would turn towards her. Lina only smiled and moved through the lobby and onto the elevator. Mech had previously given her the room number, and Lina wandered the corridors until she found it. The door was open, and Mech was silent. Lina was curious about the surrounding, how everything looked and smelt so clean. “This is my first time in a hospital.” She said while walking into the room.

[Mech]

Connor smiled as Lina entered. He was alone here in Japan other than her and his dog.

"Not mine. I got hurt several times playin ball and growin up. Comes with the territory for most Cajuns I think."

He motions for her to sit. "What do you think about things so far? We've got things halfway done. Are ya still glad you signed up for all of this?"

"The others will be here in an hour or so, so I'm told. I think I heard something about how Tomino actually wanted to use the scene of me laying there in that form, but the idea of a breathing gundam could be problematic."

[White Light]

Lina smiled at Mech. She enjoyed his sense of caring, especially about something that she had to do. "It's been a lot of fun, really. I miss being with my brother nearly all the time, though." Her smile faded as she quieted, and it was obvious she wanted to go home. She shook it soon enough when her cellular phone began to ring. She took it out and looked at the LCD display screen. It took her a few seconds, but she looked up at Mech. Her face was confused, yet optimistic. "This is probably Daniel or my brother, actually. Excuse me."

Lina stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her. The call was neither her brother nor her boyfriend.

It was a federal agent, telling her that her brother had been attacked and was in the hospital. The same went for Ravenshire, but the news didn't ring as hard in her ear. Lina knew who did it, and her face was very obviously forcing her emotions inward. "Yes, thank you. When he his available, could you pass this number onto him? You promise? Thank you."

Lina flipped the phone closed and looked up to the ceiling. I'm going to fucking kill her. I am going to slowly gouge out her eyes after breaking her fingers and toes. I am going puncture her abdomen with a sharpened toothbrush, and than I am going to rip out her fucking heart and put it on display in the Louvre. Lina looked down at the ground, and walked back into Mech's room.

"Sorry, he was just checking in on me. Any idea when we are scheduled for our last shoot?"

[Mech]

"We're scheduled to finish episode 26 on the twenty-seventh. That's going to be the last episode for this first season."

Connor senses something's wrong, Lina hides it, but he can see that something is bothering her.

"Lina if you want to see Ravenshire and your brother I can send you back home for a day or so."

[White Light]

Lina thought about it. If I did, than he'd find out something has happened. Not going to happen.

"No, thanks. It's only a few more days, so I think I can get by. I do miss him, though. My brother that is." She takes a seat in a chair and looks at him. I wonder what Zach must look like in a hospital bed.. she thought. Her mind skipped to Ravenshire, but she quickly got it out of her head.

"I'm going to miss everyone here." She said, but did so in a very dull manner. It was like she was being forced to say it, or it was a comment with sarcasm. She realized it and looked a little sad. That wasn't faked. "I really am."