Kai POV
We chased after Mòrag for I don’t even know how long. We eventually witnessed a very polite entry into a rather expensive looking room. And when I say polite entry, I mean she damn near knocked the door off of its hinges. Although Rex and the others may have fallen behind a little…
Roderich: *to himself* Who?! Who's responsible for this?! Preparations are still ongoing, if we attack now we could-
Mòrag: *angry* What have you done, Senator Roderich?
This guy damn near jumped out of his skin
Roderich: *scared* Special Inquisitor?! What are you doing here?
Mòrag: The Emperor ordered that the dig be halted. He was very specific, Senator. If you've restarted it, you have violated His Majesty's will.
Roderich: *indignant* The Emperor doesn't understand Mor Ardain's urgent lack of resources. This is for the Empire.
Mòrag: Your patriotism is touching. But that doesn't explain why you're waging war with Uraya!
Roderich: It wasn't me! I did not give that order! Even I would never dream of declaring war without His Majesty's express consent!
Mòrag: So who in the…
The others rushed into the room.
Kai: About time.
Rex: Mòrag!
Roderich: Who...who are these people?! Bursting in here?
Mòrag: This is the Driver of the Aegis. You are to afford him the same respect as me.
Roderich: This is him?! I'd heard the rumors, but this boy...
Rex: *sheepish* There are rumors now? Wow, am I really that famous?
He scratched at the back of his head.
Brighid: Do you have any idea how much it costs to repair a water tower? It's a lot.
I chuckled
Azurda: So, less famous, more infamous.
Rex shook it off, ignoring him.
Rex: Mòrag, is Mor Ardain really attacking?
Mòrag: They are. As much as I hate to admit it.
Rex: Tell me… what's going on?!
Mòrag explained the situation to us.
Dromarch: Tricky indeed. If this escalates into all-out war...
Roderich: The timing is all wrong. We can't win this fight, not now...
Zeke: Sounds like you WERE planning to start this sooner or later. Sly rat.
Rex: Maybe save the accusations for now.
Mythra pushed through the crowd and lifted Roderich by his collar, pinning him to the wall.
Kai: Ah, Pyra must have switched with her on the way here.
Mythra: But the Empire never really wanted a war, did it?
Roderich: That Core Crystal! Don't tell me...you're the-
She slammed him into the wall, shaking him.
Mythra: Answer me!
Roderich: Y-you're right.
She dropped him and turned to us.
Rex: Mythra?
Mythra: Who stands to gain from an Ardainian-Urayan war?
Rex: Who gains... You don't mean-
Nia: Jin and Torna!
Poppi: It very possible.
Azurda: But how?
Tora: Maybe just coincidence after all...?
Poppi: Masterpon...
Rex: I wish I could believe that.
Roderich: Inquisitor Mòrag, please. You are the only one who can put a stop to this!
Mòrag: It's a bit late for that, don't you think? But I'm not going to sit back and watch. Brighid!
Brighid: Right!
Rex: Mòrag!
Mòrag: Rex, this is an imperial matter. We can't ask for your aid in this affair.
Rex: Not if it's really a coincidence, like Tora said. But if Torna are really involved, doesn't that make this our problem, too?
Mòrag: But...
Rex: Think of it as compensation for the water tower! How's that?
Kai: Dammit Rex, can’t we just stay out of this?
Nia: I knew you'd go there.
Zeke: You're so noble it hurts.
Mòrag: Very well. Can I ask you to help me again?
Rex: Yep! We're on the case!
Mythra: Yes, of course.
Fan walked in.
Fan: I'll accompany you.
Mythra: Fan?
Fan: What's happening in Temperantia right now… It's being led by a weaponized Titan, correct? My power doesn't only affect Blades. It also works against Titans. I am certain I can be of assistance. Besides...
She trailed off, a strange, almost scared look in her eyes.
Mythra: Besides?
Fan: I have the strangest feeling that I'm somehow meant to be there.
Mythra: Fan la Norne, you…
Mythra never finished, we were already on our way out the door. We raced to the nearest dock and boarded a ship. We took off pretty quickly and the docks were rapidly shrinking behind us.
Kai: I don’t like this…
It wasn’t long before Temperantia was in sight, the Titan weapon advanced unhindered, slaughtering all of the Urayan troops in its path with indiscriminate and overwhelming firepower.
Brighid: How awful...
Zeke: Hmm... They didn't stand a chance.
Rex: Look! Over there!
The Titan fired at us, the explosions around us rocking the ship rather violently.
Mythra: Watch out, here it comes!
Everyone: Aaargh!
Rex: Ungh! Everyone OK?
Zeke: Just about, I think.
Rex: We have to stop it!
Nia: How do we do that?!
Mòrag: On its back, there's an Ardainian drive mechanism. If we can somehow sever the cables connecting it to each leg, its energy supply will be cut off. It'll stop.
Dromarch: Lady Mythra, I presume you'll be able to destroy them?
Rex: Good plan!
Mòrag: Sure. That sounds like a feasible measure… That is, if we don't mind reducing the whole area to ashes.
Zeke: What do you mean?
Kai: She means it’s not a good plan.
Mòrag: I read instruction manuals. It's my job to know these things. The weapon is powered by vaporized Titan bodily fluids. The gas it makes is completely unstable. The slightest shock and we have a giant explosion on our hands. There was...an accident here just three months ago because we didn't see how unstable it was.
Kai: Oh shit. I didn’t realize it was that bad.
Mythra: If we'd just attacked without realizing that...
Rex: Argh, dammit!
Dromarch: Why make a weapon that dangerous?
Mòrag: As long as we got the weapon inside enemy lines, destroying the weapon would destroy them too. That was the justification given.
Kai: Damn… That’s chilling.
Zeke: That's so cold it's almost impressive.
Brighid: That's exactly why the Emperor called a halt to the excavation.
Nia: Can't we get at the people on board?
Mòrag: The control center is protected by ten layers of armor. The chances of it being breached or destroyed are low. But...that armor is limited. It doesn't entirely cover the energy cables.
Rex: So...it's them or nothing.
Tora: How we get up on Titan's back?
Mythra: Up ahead - there's a spot where the cliff juts out. If we can get up there, we'll be able to jump onto its back.
Azurda: But if our timing's off, we go headfirst down to the bottom of the cliff?
Dromarch: And we'd have to make it across avoiding its attacks all the while.
Kai: Sounds fun.
Fan: I'll take care of it.
Rex: Fan?
Fan: I mean, I'll stop the Titan moving. While it's stopped, you all jump onto its back.
Rex: Fan, you… All right, then! But you'd better be careful!
Fan: Don't worry, I will.
Rex: Then let's go!
Fan started glowing, and the Titan stopped in its tracks just below the cliff. We took off toward the overhang. But of course, the Titan’s weapon systems worked independently of the Titan so long as the Control Room was operational. So it was still shooting at us. Making it damn near impossible to make any headway.
Rex: Almost there! Ugh... We can't get closer!
Fan: Allow me!
Rex doubled back to assist our Indoline friend.
Rex: Fan...!
Mythra stopped him.
Mythra: Leave her. She'll be fine, trust me.
Mòrag: Now! Let's move!
We jumped off the overhang. Most of us landed gracefully, though some of them had to tuck and roll.
Kai: Sweet, we made it.
Rex: Yeah! We just need to cut that… Wha-?!
The power lines… Moved? They seemed to be controlled by the Central Core, which had its own mounted blasters and the like. The defense system knocked Rex away.
Mòrag: An independent defense mechanism… Ardainian technology. My apologies.
Zeke: *surprised* Why would you even bloody make something like that?
Everyone prepared for battle.
Nia: Bitch later, fight now!
You know what happens next.
I sincerely apologize for being so slow. I should start cranking these out a little faster as long as my homework stays on the down-low and isn’t constantly harassing me. Laters!
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!