"How are you two feeling?"
Rachel entered the Medical Bay in the Luna Sea II as Alon and Marina were recovering after being subjected to a handful of increased G-Forces. "Between being under-equipped to deal with an Ace Pilot and this I'd say I'm feeling better." Alon chuckled as Marina glared at him. "Oh shut up." Marina groaned in mild annoyance.
"It was your idea."
"Yeah, and you listened to me."
Rachel laughed as the two bickered in their beds followed by the Memento Mori with his arms crossed. "That was a close call," Memento Mori commented as he looked at Alon and Marina and then back to Rachel. "Are they fit for piloting?"
"I know I am," Alon said forcing himself to stand up but nearly losing balance due to the pain.
"I know you should rest," Marina said with Rachel nodding.
"Don't worry this isn't the first time I suffered through that and I handled far better this time." Alon lied, he was still under immense pain but he can soldier through the pain. "Alright, I'll let you, pilot." Memento Mori nodded at him, but before Rachel and Marina can utter a protest against it, Alon made his way out of the Medical Bay and made his way to the command bridge where Ars and Dain are preparing on discussing the plan as well as the details of the Summit as everyone gathered around the Star Map.
Firstly is that the Summit is held by Grand Apostle Laeticia of Terra Eternal, in between their time on Venus and Mercury, the Cult known as Terra Eternal has gained enough power that they are classified as a legitimate religion on the planets of Mars and Jupiter with many turning to them in times of faith. Their core faith is centred around the idea that Earth or Holy Terra as they would call it, is a sacred site where all life originates with the upper echelons of their society holding pilgrimages to Luna so they can observe the planet much closer another core tenant in their religion is that they believe all souls come from Earth and all souls will return to Earth in a cycle of death and rebirth.
And so by the time the Ceasefire had begun, Terra Eternal has become a major religion within those worlds causing them to affect their choices in politics. And thus Grand Apostle Laeticia seeks to bring peace to the two warring planets hoping they can find an agreement.
"Is it weird for me to say I don't trust them?" Alon asked as soon as they were now allowed to speak. "I mean they spread so quickly what's to say they have a hidden agenda?"
"I agree with Naga," Ars nodded as he read through the files about them. "They tried to proselytize within the Matriarchy too—"
"— some of the big wigs back home are also devoted followers—" Gabrielle chimed in, Alon turned to find Marina stumbling into the room she mouthed 'we'll talk later' as she leaned on a cane to listen to the briefing.
"—which is why it leaves one to wonder what's stopping them from trying to take over the Galaxy," Ars said crossing his arms.
"As much as I like their religion, I guess you're right. But it's better than unification by force right?" Dain asked running his hand through his hand.
"Doesn't matter if you're gonna be tortured or placed in 'Re-education camps' if you disagree with them." Alon retorted as he remembered the preacher back on Londinium.
"Yeah, that Preacher doesn't look like they're up for debates," Marina commented.
"Can we please get back to the planned briefing?" Henri sighed.
"And quickly, we don't have time before it begins," Tsuna added.
The alleged plan was that they are to oversee the Summit which is located in the Luna, the sacred pilgrimage for Terra Eternal. All they have to do is to make sure that neither side nor Inferno Wing is to fire a shot or else chaos will ensue.
"This sounds too easy." Gabrielle chuckled causing a tense and silent atmosphere.
"Which is all the more reason for all of you to be vigilant," Dain said as the map had turned into a battle map. "I'll split into four major groups in handling this."
The combat plan, should a fight break out, was split into four groups. Naga, Fenrir, Suzaku, and Ars use the code name, Leo. All four of them are to lead squads of Memento Mori Mechs and Fighters and head into four different directions adjacent to the site, this would spread their troops thin but it would cover a large ground at the cost of being cut off from the rest.
As soon as the meeting had ended, Alon stayed in the Star Map and watched the live feed of Luna as various warships from both sides and the remaining Inferno Wing were closing into the proximity.
All it takes is one shot, and I bet he'll be in there. Alon thought as he sighed and leaned on the star map. Will this plan even work? What are the odds of this plan even working?
"Something wrong?" Dain said finding him looking at the map.
"Just thinking about how this plan will go?" Alon said in a low voice as he let out a tired sigh. "This whole plan looks like it's set up to be a trap for us to be here, all it takes is one assassination and they'll pin it on us."
"What do you suggest?"
"Don't mobilize maybe?" Alon replied. "If they see us coming a mile away with our mechs and fighters then chances are they'll think we're going to attack and all."
"Don't worry that's the first plan, just prepared yourself for a fight like the rest."
Fair enough, Alon thought as he walked away and made his way towards the main hangar and then found Marina talking to her parents who were now in the middle of a talk with them. But what caught their attention is the fact the two are now wearing a pair of Pilot suits.
"So are you going to be joining also?" Marina asked their parents as Alon finally got to them.
"While you two were busy running missions, we've been training how to use the Raider as well." Their Father said with a reassuring smile as their mother climbed into the Gunner seat. "So don't worry about us." He continued as he began to climb into the Raider awaiting deployment.
"Should we be worried for them?" Alon asked in a low voice.
"They said no so maybe not?" Marina answered but was unsure as well.
[Legacy of Earth]
Alon watched the entire summit unfold while he was inside the cockpit of the ReZio awaiting deployment. On the tablet where he was watching he saw the Summit being held in a massive hall where at the centre is a round table were representatives of the Istar-Zuhayir, Istar-Svortza, Oligarchs of the Union, The Sovereign and the Principality with Grand Apostle Laeticia being at the centre table. She was an older woman in her sixties with greying dark brown hair and was dressed in the robes worn by the Preachers of Terra Eternal.
"Millennia ago on this day mankind had first formed colonies on this place, the first step in Terra's expansion into the galaxy as the birthright of humanity." She began extending her hands to the skylight which showed a clear view of the Earth as the camera panned toward it.
"The Fall of Terra had only happened in less than a century and yet we've already forgotten that we are of the same people from the same world." She continued and the way she is posing and the way the camera angled looked as though she was carrying the Earth itself.
"Which is why we are gathered here today, while not to fully unify and restore what was once lost. But for peace for the sake of our people and those who would come—"
Bang!
Alon's eyes widened in shock as Grand Apostle Laetitia was shot in the head as she fell to the ground with a loud thud. All eyes turned to Memento Mori, no someone dressed as Memento Mori, stood in the middle of the room accompanied by several other troopers with Skull Helmets. The General of the Sovereign Army and Warden Zhenya Antanov were the first to act as they fired their guns at them but the Fake Memento Mori troops ran off-screen and then everything went on standby.
"What the hell was that?!" Alon said over the communications as he prepared to launch for a defensive battle.
"We got set up!" Ars replied who was also getting ready for combat.
"What are we going to—"
The following transmission was then followed in where the Summit should be showing. This time it was showing Zhenya Antanov and an Older woman in her thirties dressed in Sovereign Uniform.
"My name is Warden Zhenya Antanov of the One Thousand Fifty-First Mechanized Army," Zhenya said.
"And my name is Lt. Gen. Liseli Stewart of the Seven Hundred Fifty-Seventh Autonomous Legion." The Woman spoke.
"It brings us great sorrow to admit to you all today that the Terrorist Organization known as Memento Mori had assassinated Grand Apostle Laeticia of Terra Eternal and so we shall continue the ceasefire in exchange we shall hunt down and bring Memento Mori to justice." Zhenya continued.
Bullshit, you set us up! Alon thought to himself as he gripped the tablet harder.
"And through the aid of the Inferno Wing led by Nathaniel Vega, we shall avenge the Grand Apostle," Liseli explained.
Boom!
As if on cue the Luna Sea II rocked to the side as they were bombarded with cannon fire from the enemy warships, it wasn't long until a large projection of Memento Mori appeared before the space above Luna while the ships are getting ready meanwhile the intercom in the hangar to come to life.
"This is Hayato, the Summit failed. All Mechs deploy to defend the fleet as we prepare to withdraw."
"No shit..." Alon said as he prepared to launch his Squad
[Legacy of Earth]
Author's Note:
Sorry for the short chapter, I was going through a severe writer's burnout and writer's block.
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