Not far from a uranium mining facility on the snowy surface of Miura, a small and seemingly unremarkable building had newly been constructed, but already blanketed in ice. Identical to most of the observation outposts scattered around the planet, except for a small landing pad just a stone throw away from the entrance to the outpost.
However, appearances can be deceiving. While the exterior resembled any other outpost, the interiors were nothing of the like. There were no weather gauges, measuring instrument or even a communications station to be seen. All one could see, was an unmarked sliding door with a linked access panel on the wall next to it. Once open, the doors revealed an elevator with access to two floors. The entrance floor and a subterranean level.
Several hundred feet deep below the icy surface of Miura, the elevator would come to a halt. A corridor stretching for almost a hundred paces connected the elevator with a large blast door. Shuri Base had been painted on it, in large teal letters. As the correct sequence had been entered on the access panel located on the left side of the blast door, the door would open slowly, and one could enter a small room, much like a checkpoint. Once processed, granted one had access to the inner base, a second door would slide open. Stepping through the doorway, a surprisingly well-lit room would temporarily dazzle any visitors, until their eyes had been accustomed with the bright light.
The inner base, consisting of a large subterranean room, with smaller compartments connected to the central area. Holographic screens of Honshu cities were portrayed on the walls, creating a more lively atmosphere than the grey walls of concrete and steel plates that were hiding behind them.
Taro Katsuo, one of the Guild Master of the Gas Miners Guild had ordered the construction of Shuri Base, hiding it from sight of prying eyes. He had just arranged a circle of six chairs in the central room of the base, more commonly known as the kaigijou, and was about to send a message to his most trusted Aces. Men and women that he'd personally trained in nebula fighter combat and tactics, and who took great pride in serving their sensei. All of them devoted Guild supporters, and made famous in the Guild for their extraordinary combat skills. They were feared by their enemies, and rightly so.
A similar group of Guild Aces began their career shortly after the end of the Eighty Years War with the objective of ensuring that Kruger never recovers from their mistake by making repetitive attacks on Mannheim each time they managed to repair the station. The Guerilla Aces, as they were known, disbanded roughly eight years when the Guild Masters came to the conclusion that the threat from Kruger had dissipated, and now protection against the Hispanic forces were a more pressing matter. The group were spread out into the Paramilitary, but they were known to have set the standard of Guild Aces to be.
Taro had been organizing a group of his own, much resembling the Guerilla Aces. Their objectives would not be to harass rheinlanders, but the Corsair Empire! They would work in enemy territory, using the Guild Flagship of Ayakashi-Maru as their a base of operations, to resupply and repair when necessary. They would attack the Corsairs without warning, spreading death amongst their ranks. This would be no easy task for the average Guild pilot, but after all, Taro's Aces were no ordinary pilots. Eager to strike back at the Corsairs, whom were behind the death of his father, Taro had great trust in his Aces. Some of them might not return alive, but their undertaking will send a clear message to the Corsairs. Raids and attacks would not be tolerated against the Guild, and the men and women of the Gas Miners Guild would gladly die fighting foreign threats to ensure the safety of Sigmas.
With the click of a button, Taro transmitted the message to his Aces, labelled Katsuo no Seibyou, Katsuo's Elite.
Kenshin was dining with a few fellow pilots when the message came through. He had to read over it a few times to make sure it wasn't a mistake. It seems like his time on leave would be cut short. He'd manage. He ordered a few drinks for everyone, without telling them the occasion, and bid them farewell, Lord knowing how long until he'd see them again.
Streaking through the familiar Sigma Nebula, a smirk rode across his scarred face, which portrayed him as someone older than he truly was. All that training had paid off, and the time to put it to the test was upon him. He followed the specified coordinates all the way to an insignificant and easy to miss building. He shut his Karasu down, and stubbornly jumped out into the cold, muttering obscenities under his breath. He entered the building, and found to his surprise, an elevator, in a remarkably barren lobby. He went over his instructions in full before heading down the deep tunnel, for what seemed an unusual amount of time.
When he had finally hit the bottom, he had noticed the air had gotten a lot closer to his comfort zone, and was content with removing his helmet. He shivered as a few bits of snow landed on his short, jet black hair, and he promptly shook it off. As he walked down this long corridor, he recognized the name of his new HQ in the distance. Might as well get used to the place then... That won't be too hard. He reached the end of the hall, and found that the giant reinforced door was a lot bigger than anticipated. He entered his ID and Passcode, and stood back as the massive plates of metal withdrew, revealing a small lobby, but one not as vacant as the last. He walked up to the security checkpoint and introduced himself, "Konnichiwa. Kenshin Masayuki, Katsuo no Seibyou, Reporting for Duty." He handed him his Guild ID Card, and answered a few questions before being allowed entrance. When he pocketed his belongings again, he walked through with a smirk as the base in it's fullest surrounded him. He adjusted the shoulder strap of the pack he was carrying, and began delving into it, until he reached the central area, and let his smirk solidify as he put down his things and saluted his Sensei, before taking a seat in one of the chairs, not so surprised he was the first to arrive.
"The pen is mightier than the sword." -Edward Bulwer-Lytton. "Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword never encountered automatic weapons." -General Douglas MacArthur
"Multiple hostiles inbound! All units enter combat formation! Engage on my mark."
Zensou Kisei calmly deactivated autopilot and pressed a series of controls to fire reverse thrusters, reducing his velocity. He gracefully guided his Karasu Heavy Fighter into formation beside his new wing leader's Eagle. The hostile targets had not yet entered visual range, which is rather short within the nebulae, but Zensou's sensor systems set off alerts and proximity warnings. With a quick flip of several overhead switches, he deactivated several unnecessary alert systems that would only interfere with his acute senses and reflexes. Zensou's neural net systems provided him with a stream tactical information on every enemy target. Four Outcast heavy-class and very heavy-class fighters.
"Targets have entered visual range. Take them out!"
Zensou targeted a Switchblade that was mounting heavy missile launchers and several Kraken-class weapons. The Switchblade fired several shots upon another GMG fighter as Zensou was coming into range. As the Switchblade was turning to face his target, Zensou maneuvered his Karasu into its path and with perfect precision released an EMP mine which directly impacted the Switchblade, completely draining its shields. The Switchblade turned to face its new assailant and opened fire. Zensou dodged the stream of projectiles and sprayed his own response of photons onto his target, shredding armor chunks and leaving glowing sheared streaks in the metal. As they passed each other once again, he fired a tachyon-antimatter burst directly into the cockpit of the Switchblade, obliterating both metal and flesh.
Zensou acquired a new target, a Sabre hot on the tail of a GMG Kaichou bomber. Zensou maneuvered behind the Sabre and maintained a close range, firing Photons and Debilitators into its shields. The wing leader launched a disruptor missile moments before the Sabre pilot dropped a mine to ward off his pursuer. The missile detonated the mine prematurely, overloading and deactivating the Sabre's shields. Zensou immediately fired a perfectly aimed tachyon-antimatter burst directly into the Sabre's main forward thruster, completely destroying the component and shattering its ability to pursue the Kaichou, who now had the two seconds he needed to turn and fire his supernova antimatter cannon directly into the Sabre's hull.
The remaining Outcast fighters scrambled into the depths of the nebula.
"Kampai! The remaining targets are fleeing! Zensuo-kun... where did you learn to fly like that?"
The Aomori night club was stirring with energetic youths feverishly dancing the night away.
Release the ryuu that's within. Nothing is sweeter than shoukin.
Zensou Kisei and Ayumi Chiba moved in synchronous rhythm to the new-wave Kusari music that was popular amongst the Guild youths. "Let me get us some drinks!" Zensou firmly grasped Ayumi's hand, and they maneuvered toward the club bar through the dense crowds.
Let the faiya rise, let it rise. Let the flames burn high, everyone dies.
"Hang on tight!" Zensou yelled to his companion as he turned to look back, "We don't want to get sep–" A stranger bumped into him forcefully and kept walking past him. Zensou yelled "Gomennasai!" but the mysterious figure did not turn to look into him, nor apologize for himself. Baka...
They finally reached the bar, where Zensou ordered a pair of frozen beverages. He reached into his jacket pocket to grab his wallet, but his hand came into contact with a small piece of paper instead... He pulled out the paper and found a small note written on it.
Zensou navigated his Karasu through the cold atmosphere of Planet Miura on an approach vector to the latitude and longitude designated in the transmission. When he reached the coordinates, he set his Karasu down a small landing pad with a single other occupant, another Karasu. The installation looked rather unimpressive, but Zensou trusted in his sensei. He reached into the ventral storage compartments and pulled out the thick arctic gear. The Karasu's instruments indicated that the air temperature was -30C. The oxygen concentration on the surface was barely sufficient to be considered 'inhabitable,' comparable to the thin atmosphere of large mountain ranges on other planets in Sirius... good enough to make it from the landing pad to the sliding doors.
Zensou opened his Karasu's cockpit and threw the carbon-tubule ladder over the side. He was immediately blasted with a wave of frigid air. Zensou cursed the winds as he climbed down from his fighter. The ladder retracted automatically as the cockpit sealed. Zensou trudged through the thick snow on the frozen tundra over to the sliding doors. He brushed off a layer of snow from the access panel and punched in the correct key sequence, causing the doors to slowly and quite audibly slide open.
The installation looked completely abandoned save for the few flickering lights hanging from the ceiling. Zensou located the single elevator, which took him hundreds of feet below the surface of Miura. The elevator opened up into a long corridor with a pair of blast doors at the end with the words “Shuri Base” painted on it. Zensou punched in the access codes to open the blast doors, revealing a checkpoint. Before he could proceed, security guards removed Zensou's arctic gear and verified his identification. He patiently waited for clearance from the guards.
When he was approved for entrance, a second door slid open revealing the inner base. Zensou walked over to the central area where his sensei was standing with Kenshin. "Taro-sama," he said as he bowed in respect, "it is an honor to be summoned here by you."
The Eagle piloted by Jomyo Meishu touched down at the landing pad. He wasn't surprised that there were others before him, glancing at the ships already landed. At least I'm not last. he thought, as he climbed out of the cockpit. It must have been below freezing point, but Jomyo didn't care. He just plodded through the knee-deep snow, trying to calmly breath the thin air. Once inside, he smoothly brushed off the snow on his shoulders and took the elevator down underground.
Ding, the elevator door slide open and Jomyo walked for, what must have been a full minute before he reached the end of the long corridor. He entered the access code on the panel and waited patiently for the slow heavy blast doors to slide open. Revealing the checkpoint inside, Jomyo walked through the entrance and entered base as the blast doors began to close behind him.
"Kangei, Meishu-san!" Guild Master Taro Katsuo's voice demanded respect, as he always spoke with authority. "Arigato, Sensei!" Jomyo acknowledged. Each of Taro's Aces knew the others well, but the Guild Master had tied them all together, bonding them as one elite fighting unit dedicated to serve the Guild Master, and the Gas Miners Guild. They all held Taro in great esteem for his honourable dedication to the Guild and his fellow guildsmen. Taro commanded their respect, not because of his title, but because of his devotion. "Please, take a seat" Taro invited, as they both exchanged deep bows.
Jomyo were greeted by Zensou and Kenshin, who were already seated. "We're waiting for Fischer and Ichimoto-san. They've been slightly delayed..." Taro explained "the weather's truly awful!" he jokingly added. "I will reveal why I have called you here, as soon as all guests have arrived."
"What about Shinohara-san, will he be joining us as well?" Jomyo asked, already knowing the answer. Hiromichi Shinohara and Jomyo were rarely seen apart. Both of them trained by Taro and are now Guild Aces. They trained together, ate together, flew together, and fought together. Saved each other's lives countless of times, although not unscathed and not without scars. Hiromichi would have been toast, people say, if Jomyo hadn't crashed his fighter into the side of Hiromichi's unshielded bomber. A volley fired from an Outcast Destroyer hit Jomyo's shields, instead of tearing the bomber and Hiromichi to shreds. Hiromichi suffered from a small limp ever since the collision, and would jokingly blame Jomyo for his daring manevour, admittedly saving his life.
"Iie, Meishu-san. Shinohara-san as you know, will be continuing his work in the Rheinland Federal Police. Taro answered, carried on explaining He will return home to us once they are no longer in need of his services." Jomyo sighed, as he felt unease, thinking about going into battle without his wingman. Though he reminded himself that he wouldn't fight alone. He were part of Katsuo no Seibyou, each Ace equal to the next, none better than the other. The thought of going into battle with his fellow Aces, cheered him up enormously.
The Aces and their Sensei would sit and talk while waiting for Wolfgang Fischer and Yuzuki Ichimoto to arrive.
"I'm bored" was the only thought running through the pilot of the purple Kaichou's head as the bomber flew through the debries left from the Outcast Destroyer that had just blown up after an attempted attack on the Gas Miner Ogashawa was made. Setting course for the last standing Outcast Gunship that was trying to flee, the pilot sighed once again powering up the bomber's Supernova Cannon. As she saw the gunship attempting to flee her voice rang over the group's frequency channel
"Bomber Wing Epsilon converse on that gunship, do not let it escape I repeat do not let it escape!" at those words two other voices answered in unison:
The gunboat's engines flared with Countermeasures but the disruptors hit home base, and the engines' cruise drive died down slowly, the Hispanian boat seeing no way out killed it's engines and turned to face the incoming bombers in a daring manuevre that most gunboat captains wouldn't even think of undertaking due to fear of the ship collapsing in on itself because of the gravity pull from the close sun.
As the Purple Kaichou neared it's target with the other two bombers on it's side, the gunboat captain realised his mistake as he saw the bombers dodge all fire from his ship's turrets, but it was too late ... the Kaichous were nearing and getting ready to empty their Cannons onto the gunboat...
25.818 A.S:
Yuzuki sighed as she finally pushed herself away from her desk where she was writing a report about the attack on Ogashawa by the Outcasts ... looking down at the report she mumbled under her breath about Paramilitary Commanders wanting all reports on the Outcast's attacks to be in full detail, she stood up from her seat and headed to bed completely tired ...
26.818 A.S:
Laughter could be heard over Epsilon wing's comms as the bombers flew through Omicron Beta space and blew up everything they came in contact with ... the other two pilots were unease with the Epsilon Leader's laughter over the death of their enemies and the ease with which she took their lives, but they had come to ignore it with time.
System communications had been quiet for some time now, and not a single target had shown up on long-range, which angered the Purple Kaichou, until she recieved a message from someone she had not heard from for a long time, it was her call to duty. Exiting Outcast space in formation they set course for the Gas Miner Ogashawa ...
"Bomber Wing Epsilon, proceed to Ogashawa, you'll recieve further orders from Akimitsu-san, it has been good flying with you, domo arigato for the great performance out there and sayonara..." without waiting for a reply from the two other Kaichous she made a sharp turn right before Ogashawa and headed for Honshu space while shutting off her communication transmitter ...
27.818 A.S:
After meeting with Satoru Akimitsu of the Paramilitary on Aomori and staying there for the night to explain the situation to him, Yuzuki headed with full speed to Planet Miura, Okinawa the next day ...
28.818 A.S:
Setting the Purple Kaichou down on the landing pad, Yuzuki couldn't help but take a look arround the freezing planet and shivering ... she'd give a piece of her mind to her sensei for making her come to this planet ... she hated it, every since the first and only other time she had been here, the planet brought only bad memories for her ...
Making her way out of the Kaichou and onto the snowy landing pad she walked over to the entrance of the outpost, entering the elevator and following the path to the blast door with a panel next to it ... she looked at the panel in wonder for a full minute ...
"The message said nothing about a blast door with ... nor ever mentioned how the heck to get past it ... damn that baka Kanegi should've mentioned something about it!" she half screamed and hit the panel with all her might ...
Yuzuki growled under her breath when nothing happened and turned to leave when after a few steps the panel flashed green and the blast door started sliding open slowly and revealing the well lit room...
Walking inside she sighed with relief that she was not last, she bowed deeply to her Guild Master
"Konichiwa Katsuo-sama, domo arigato for the invite to be part of your aces long ago ... pleasantries aside gomennasai for being so late, I was help up on Aomori by Satoru-san ... " after bowing deeply she headed over to Jomyo Meishu bowed lightly to him and took the seat right next to him ....
Kenshin could not help but let out a brief chuckle as Yuzuki arrived. He laid back a bit and wore his usual grin as he mentally checked off the Third Ace, Only One more before we can proceed.
"It's fine Yuzuki-san. It's not like you're holding us up anymore than Fischer has. Now, if you were the last to arrive... That would be a different story." He couldn't help but laugh again as her entrance replayed in his head. "Anyways, I take it your trip here was a safe one? I hope all this security didn't bother you too much... I heard a bit over the intercom." He flashed his smirk at her for a few moments, before turning back to his Teacher. "Tell me Sensei, while we're waiting, How have you been these days? We haven't had a good talk for a few months by this point..."
"The pen is mightier than the sword." -Edward Bulwer-Lytton. "Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword never encountered automatic weapons." -General Douglas MacArthur
"Hai Kenshin-san, it was a safe trip altough I was delayed on Aomori by Akimitsu-san ... uhm we had some old scores to settle ..." blushing lightly Yuzuki she looked away from Kenshin and turned her head towards Taro Katsuo, her sensei and Guild Master "Katsuo-san, we have only one more Ace member to wait for and we're setting out, hai ?" at his nod Yuzuki sighed and murmured about people being even later than her and shook her head ...
Looking arround Yuzuki spotted Zensou and bowed lightly to him, even if there were no ranks in the Katsuo no Seibyou, she respected each member of the group for the skills they must've shown to be placed in this room ...
Staring back at her sensei Yuzuki sighed again and made herself comfortable and prepared to wait for the last Ace to arrive ...
As Wolfgang was having a weekly maintenance routine on his ship, and as usual, nothing but a few scratches marked Wolfgang's Kaichou. Once he finished his work, his PDA made a bleeping sound.
Reading the message he got from Taro Katsuo, he remembered the large ion concentration that was diagnosed on his ship a few weeks ago.
Verdammt...
Without further ado, Wolfgang boarded his ship, powered the main engines and hit cruise.
A few hours later while travelling through Honshu, Wolfgang decided to message Taro back. A few bleeps away, Wolfgang hit the 'Send' button, sending off his message that included the reason of his late arrival
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