A few stray birds glided through the currents of air that swirled above the hot wastelands of south-western Enia. The birds would rise and fall with the terrain, suddenly shooting upwards as they passed over rocky outcrops, as though they were climbing them rather than simply flying over.
These birds were lost, unfortunately. Not much wildlife came out to this portion of the world due to its fairly inhospitable nature. Only resourceful humans who could drill down for aquifers and groundwater were able to find ways to survive this place. And so they had built the little town of Abertyl.
Typically, there would be a few citizens wandering through Abertyl's tight streets. The village had been built during an older architectural era, which featured close-knit buildings and small streets, with the hope that by making everything closer together, it would be more efficient. While this was true, it also left Abertyl crippled to growth; its small downtown core had nowhere to move and go.
But now, many of these streets had been torn up, especially around the western edge, where the massive Goliaths of the Crisis Rescue Unit and Cain's strike force had collided in combat. Now though, only one Goliath was functional. The others had been nearly destroyed by the fight and the empty shells lay discarded around Abertyl. The pilots sat on the earth, feeling the warmth absorbed by the soil on their bodies and sucking it into their own as they rested after the battle.
Cain's strike force was a little less comfortable, each one tied up as prisoners of war. But they held no fear in their faces. They had respect for their captors and understood that they would not do any harm to the pilots. In fact, Jericho had expressed his admiration for the young students, likening them to what he expected out of his own kids and Cain had agreed, though his daughter was a bit too young to be even thinking about becoming a Goliath pilot.
But as they discussed that, their suspicions of secret weapons and being lured away from combat were confirmed. They turned to see an incredible fireball go shooting up into the air and break apart, spewing out molten metal and chunks of Goliaths, just above Narrius at the horizon. It created a glorious picture as the sun was starting to fall and so it became the backdrop to the event. There was a bit more of a fear attached to this spectacle than usual though because two streaks shot out of the inferno and rose up through the air, twisting and twirling and collided with one another as though they were two shooting stars dancing in the sky. And also going the wrong direction.
The CRU looked back down at Cain's squad and was met with equally blank stares. Neither one seemed to register understanding on their faces, and so neither side knew about any secret super-weapons that their army was holding.
"We need to get over there," Raul stated blankly.
"Agreed." Cain looked up and down his team and they all nodded in agreement.
"Umm, excuse me, but I believe you're all tied up and supposed to be our prisoners," Nami exclaimed as she put on a sneer and dropped her hands to her hips.
"And you're terrible piloting ruined all your Goliaths," Mr. Shotuku added, sweeping his hand out towards the piles of metal collecting dust.
"Maybe there is a solution to all problems here." Ardwen scratched his chin in contemplation before adjusting his glasses in his usual fashion. "Mr. Shotuku, if we could get Mother Gaia fixed, then maybe I could repair all the others quickly, especially if we have the scrapbots helping out. It would be a rough fix but the Goliaths would be functional."
The elderly teacher attempted to gave a sneer at Ardwen's idea but his piles of wrinkles always made it look like he was squinting anyways. "The scrap bots? I am not going to call down scrapbots to repair these machines so that you can go off on an unassigned mission to a war zone. We must return to the academy and deliver the prisoners to the army and then you will all resume your studies immediately!" Mr. Shotuku spun on the heel of his black slipper and began to walk towards the ship, passing Rick as he did.
"Wait, we aren't calling down the scrap bots?" Rick asked.
"No, we aren't Rick. Let's get these students out of this place. I'm getting dust in my beard."
"Oh." Rick looked down at his feet then around at everyone else. "I thought that was an order to get scrap bots, so I sent a signal up to Gretta in the academy." Mr. Shotuku stopped in his tracks and everyone watched as steam rose up off the top of his head.
"You kids will be my early death."
"Old man, you're way past a late death!" Chase scoffed at his own joke before a fuzzy projectile knocked him out. Upon seeing the wrath of the elder, Cain's strike force stood bolt upright at attention, suddenly understanding where such a young group could get its tenacity.
"Very well, if the scrap bots are being sent down, it would seem that you are all going to go off on an unauthorized assignment regardless of what your teacher says." A cheer went up from the entire group. "But be warned! I will not be helping you any longer while you continue this foolish quest. I shall be returning to the academy with Rick, so expect nothing from me or him anymore. Come along Rick." Shotuku grabbed the bodyguard by the hair and dragged him along behind him towards the ship.
"But...but Miss Riya! I am to protect her! Wait!" But that was the last they heard of the pleading Rick before the ship's door closed. As everyone watched the ship rise up into the air, a cluster of smaller metal pods shot down towards the ground. These contraptions erupted when they collided with the ground and a shiny, steel wave came rushing out, formed from the thousands of chitinous, robotic beetles that made up the scrap bots.
The barren, dusty ground was soon swarming with the metal insects and they spread out as a gleaming blanket towards the fallen battlesuits. "No, no, mine first!" Ardwen shouted as the rest watched in silent awe. As a collective, the scrap bots turned and flowed over Mother Gaia. Some broke off to go to the others and even into the town, hunting down the metals and materials they would need.
The rest were already chewing up parts of the Goliaths, their bodies breaking down the materials and restructuring them into a newer form. The replacement parts certainly wouldn't be as strong or durable as what a full repair would give but in this situation it was the best they could do. It didn't take long before Ardwen's warmachine was standing once more and surveying the surroundings.
With a cheer, the young leader hopped into Mother Gaia and turned it back online. He quickly released the two small metal orbs that hovered around his Goliath and were equipped with an assortment of devices useful for repairs. As he began to work on sealing up the hole on Riya's machine, the scrap bots flowed beside him, picking up new parts and devouring the old ones.
The rest of the CRU turned their attention to the problem of the captives. "Well, I think we should be kind to those who showed us the same mercy," Riya said. "Look at how Rick turned out."
"Rick is a pushover. I don't think four hardened soldiers of war will want to drink tea with you Riya." Chase chuckled at his own joke and, as usual, was alone in doing so.
"You remind me of my daughter," Jericho stated from the ground as he nodded towards Riya. "And you, unfortunately, are much like my son." This was directed at Chase.
"We forget sometimes that everyone is part of a family, somewhere, even our enemies." Porter spoke with a soft calmness that silenced the rest. His eyes were looking out towards Narrius, where the remnants of the explosion were still drifting through the air. "We all have our family. I lost mine though, and I do not wish to be the cause of someone else losing theirs. The Artisans go free."
"Are you nuts Porter?" Chase shouted.
"I believe I am next in command without Ardwen around. I'm afraid you have to comply Chase." Porter bent over to begin unwrapping the prisoners and Raul joined him wordlessly.
It didn't take long before all four enemies were released and soon after that the Goliaths were up and standing, thanks to the combined efforts of Ardwen's Mother Gaia and the scrap bots. Each pilot was back in their proper machine and they had gathered together on the fringe of the town.
"Well then, now what do we do?" Nami asked in her innocent-sounding voice.
"We let the Artisans lead," Ardwen answered. "Don't need them to suddenly attack from behind. We can go so far before splitting to our respective sides and leaving each other in peace."
"I mean you no harm to your ego, but I'm afraid I don't like that plan." Cain looked over at Jericho who nodded in agreement. "I do not wish to continue this combat any longer, at least not under the banner of the Artisan Confederate."
"You guys are defecting to Enia?" Chase's Goliath scratched its head in confusion.
"Not to Enia. Not to anyone. I don't wish to be part of a war that sees me being used as a diversion to fight children, nor would I like to be part of an army that enlists them. You may be special, but you're so young still. We will watch this from afar instead. Perhaps one day you will see one of us again but for now we shall be servicing these armies no longer." Cain began to stride away as Xiu took off into the air to scout ahead. Jericho gave Chase a pat in respect before he too followed and Alenichev passed by Raul in silence, the two not forgetting their little duel.
"Well," Chase said as he turned to face the Crisis Rescue Unit. "I guess that settles that problem."
* * * * *
Kaiser Namio sat in the boardroom rubbing his temples. Beside him sat Prime Minister Basheet, and on his left was Finance Minister Oberwald. In front of him on the table was a projection that featured Brigadier General Marian's face as the commander was still in his ship in Narrius. "Gentlemen, please explain to me how the Artisans have managed to create a Sigma-class weapon similar to ours in such a short amount of time?" There was silence from the other three. "Anybody?!" Namio shouted at the top of his lungs and Basheet cringed.
"Sir, we did our best here in restraining the use of Sigma." Marian was holding up his hands in front of him in an effort to calm the Kaiser. "They couldn't have possibly replicated the designs with the little they saw. Besides, they didn't have adequate time to do so. Look how long it took us to make the original."
"Perhaps they were developing a similar idea? You know, great minds think alike?" Namio shot Oberwald an evil glare for such a foolish statement and it petrified the minister in his seat.
"Or maybe that facility was not as tight as we anticipated. Sounds like the work of a spy. Basheet, where is Christian? Was he not in charge of maintaining that lab?"
"Well, your honour, he had to go back up north to the hospital to monitor the situation with Ochenkov. You see he escaped and-"
"Ochenkov escaped?!" Namio bellowed as he shot up out of his chair. The two ministers in his presence pushed their chairs back in cowardice. Marian was unaffected by the outburst as he was miles away. "And why was I not notified of this?"
"Well, we thought that with the war in Narrius and the coming meeting with the Jahari, you wouldn't need to worry yourself about Ochenkov," Basheet mumbled through chattering teeth. "Christian thought he could quickly handle it and be back in time."
Namio slouched back down into his seat and cradled his head in his hands. He imagined Nami wouldn't be having any difficulties like these up in that academy. "Yes and what will the Jahari see when I meet them? They will laugh at me and drive me away forever. I cannot show them these great weaknesses. I must intimidate them through force. How am I to do that when our greatest weapon is fighting with another version of itself that isn't supposed to exist?"
Basheet and Oberwald looked at each other with fear plastered across their faces. Marian looked around his private room, avoiding eye contact with the Kaiser. "Fine, nobody will explain this to me?" Namio continued. "Then you better haul that robot's ass back here immediately Marian. And in one piece. I need him now more than ever." Namio turned off the projection and ended the call before turning his focus to the other two in the room. "As for you two. Get me Christian on a line. Any line. Just do it. Begin the preparations for the meeting. I don't want to make them wait for our get together."
* * * * *
Major Orellia sat in his cell within the city of Narrius. He was somewhere in the steel town, locked away a few stories up with nothing but a tiny window to look out of. But he didn't care to look out of it anymore. He had seen it all so many times already, watching as different merchants would crowd the streets one day or vehicles would float lazily through the sky. Other days it was a military patrol going by, and one day he thought he saw a prisoner being brought in.
He had already been screened and interrogated as well. Numerous times by now. Orellia wasn't sure, he hadn't really been counting. He hadn't even kept track of the days he had been locked up, since being attacked by that bizarre purple android and losing his Goliath, the "Red Emperor."
Since he had been questioned so much yet provided so little in information, he had been dumped in this cell now for quite some time. And it would probably be like this for a very long time, at least until the Artisans took Narrius and found him, provided he wasn't moved out or used in some bargain to trade hostages. But that was only for the average captive. Orellia didn't consider himself to be average at all.
He reached down his leg to his ankle and peeled back the little flap of synthetic skin. What looked like a misshapen growth to so many who had tested him was actually housing Orellia's means of escape. The major groped around his foot until his fingers met the cold glass of the vial and withdrew it, holding it up in front of his eye to inspect it for any cracks, marveling at the green liquid that sloshed around inside.
From behind his ear, Orellia tugged away another little piece of synthetic skin. These little hiding spots were so very nearly undetectable, especially if you didn't know what you were looking for, and provided the perfect way to keep items on your person, even when stripped naked, as Orellia had been before being given his prisoner's garbs.
This time, he pulled out a small plastic contraption with a long needle on the end. He placed the glass vial into one end of the little device, waiting for the tiny click that signified it was locked in. To test if it was working, he then placed the tip on the floor and gave the slightest press. A bead of the green serum slowly oozed out of the needle's end and Orellia smiled. Not an ordinary prisoner at all.
There were the sounds of footsteps passing by and the major tucked the contraption behind his back for a moment. The hydraulic door opened as the heavy locks moved out of place automatically, and a guard walked in with a plate of food. The man dropped it on the floor and walked away without another word, the door shutting quickly behind him.
Orellia watched it all with bated breath, releasing slowly as the intruder moved further and further down the hall. He grabbed a roll of bread off the plate and took a bite, holding it in one hand and the needle in the other. Enough of this sitting around and waiting. Enough with the games of patience. There was frustration that flickered across the major's orange eyes, which glittered like the setting sun. His eyes were such a rarity, so unique. And nobody had ever understood why he had them. He looked nothing like his father, and orange irises were not something that was a common trait in people. Nonetheless, the Artisans accepted him as a bit of a freak of nature and left it as that. If only they had pursued the thought. But it didn't matter because Orellia's adoptive father had died soon after the questions about the son had arisen. And with the father died the secrets.
The vial trembled in Orellia's hand. He wasn't nervous; far from it. It was excitement. It was childish excitement that was filling up inside of him and pouring out through his limbs and extremities. He wanted this and he wanted it bad. He prided himself at having waited so long before doing it but he had to. It was the way things had to be.
Orellia raised the needle to his neck, placing it on the edge of his skin. It was composed of a hard plastic, made warm by being so close the major for so long and he hardly felt it on his neck. And yet, at the same time, it was as though an enormous butcher's knife was perched there it felt so big. But he could hardly wait. He had to have it now. It was time to have fun. It was time to leave.
He pressed the needle in firmly, feeling the cooler liquid flow in through his veins and start to fill his body. His orange eyes shot wide open and his lips parted slightly to sigh before forming an enormous smile. Yes, he would leave very soon.
A/N: It's time for the CRU to meet Sigma! But will they be able to survive the crossfire of Sigma's battle with Syn? And what is going on with Major Orellia? Who brings back a character from 20 chapters ago?!