Previous Chapter: Chapter 27: The Antarctic Gate Next Chapter: Chapter 29
Hugo …Well, we got rid of the pursuers.
Clifford: I appreciate it. Thanks to you, we were able to get out of the polar base. And there’s a message from the Steel Dragons. If all goes well, they’ll be able to get here in 30 minutes.
Aqua: Really? That quickly?
Hugo: (The Hagane and Hiryuu Custom are fast, huh?)
Josh: Cliff, what happened after we left to the Fabula Fores… what happened to Dad’s group?
Cliff: It’s completely silent. We can’t make out anything from inside that black cloud.
Rim: Th-that’s…
Hugo: Those things were coming from beneath the ruins. I’d like you to tell us what you know.
Clifford: Yeah…. We can’t keep this stuff a secret if things have gotten this bad. Fabula Fores means “The Doors of Truth” in Latin.[1] Up till now Dr. Radcliff… Josh’s father, that is, had guessed based on his findings that it was a door to a parallel dimension.
Aqua: Parallel dimension?
Clifford: Considering Earth has already fought things like the Shura and the Einst, it’s not that surprising.
Hugo: So what kind of world does the Fabula Fores connect to?
Clifford: We don’t know the details. The door had always been shut. And the tools we used to do the investigation were the Sympathia and the Res Arcana.
Aqua: How were you using them to study the gate?
Clifford: Since the Sympathia has the ability to link to human consciousness, Dr. Radcliff was trying to use it to see if anyone was on the other side of the gate. He even thought it could have been the key to opening the door.
Aqua: And the Res Arcana?
Clifford: He thought they were an energy source connected to the workings of Fabula Fores… And I think we’re using them correctly now.
Rim: Ah…
Josh: You mean using them to power those units?
Clifford: Yes.
Josh: So Dad didn’t just make the Aile Chevalier to appease the sponsors, but to fight the things coming out of Fabula Fores?
Clifford: I only heard they were supposed to be insurance.
Josh: Could Dad have predicted this? Then why would he have kept quiet about it….?
Clifford: Probably because he didn’t have proof. Or maybe, if it was likely, he would have acted differently.
Josh: ….
Aqua: Josh… Earlier, you said you were hearing voices. What was that about?
Josh: They were talking. Ruina…. Those who carry the fear and despair of humans, bringing ruin to our world.
Clifford: Ruina…. So “Collapse” or “Ruin” in Latin. And we know they’re intelligent, and can understand our language.
Josh: But the only ones who heard their voices were me and….
Rim: Ri… Um, Me.
Clifford: So only Josh and Rim, then… If only they could hear the Ruina’s voices, then the cause is probably the Sympathia.
*WAAARNINGS*
Aqua: This reading… is it the Ruina?
Hugo: More pursuers! Let’s go, Aqua!
Aqua: Right!
Josh: I’m going too.
Rim: Josh, me too.
Josh: Not you. You don’t need to pilot the Blanch Neige anymore.
Rim: Don’t tell me that! Not when all of the people from Re-Tech are onboard this transport ship!
Josh: But…
Rim: It’s for everyone’s survival! If we don’t survive, we can’t rescue Dad and his men! I’m going!
Josh: Rim…
Clifford: Josh, I’ll monitor the Blanch Neige’s systems. If anything goes wrong, I’ll call it back.
Josh: …. Fine.
Chapter 28: Their Name is Ruin
Hugo: I’m launching. Open the hatch.
*poof*
Aqua: Enemy units have entered into Range 3!
*So they have*
Hugo: Josh, you and I will take care of them. Rim, guard the transport ships.
Josh: Roger. …. Thanks for going along with this.
Hugo: Don’t thank me yet. Until the Steel Dragons get here, we have to somehow…
*OH SHIT MORE SIRENS*
Aqua: There’s more Ruina-like readings coming from behind us! A lot of them!
Josh: Rim, get out of here along with the transport ships!
Aqua: Wait! There’s a large energy reading from ahead!
*BOOOM*
Josh: !!
Hugo: Was that a cannon shot?!
*Awwww hells yeah it was*
Sean: Full stop, break-field deployed. It looks like we made it, captain.
Lefina: Yes. It’s lucky that we were able to secure a course for Formation Break.
Sean: Well, it’s difficult to find enough space, even in space…. But considering civilian machines aren’t allowed above the Pacific Ocean at the moment, we had the right of way.
Aqua: It’s the Hagane and the Hiryuu Custom…. They came so quickly!
Hugo: Because they have battleship class Tesla Drives, eh?
Lefina: Get the transport ships behind us! Prepare all units for deployment!
Kai: Hugo, Josh, the enemy has reinforcements coming! Get over here, too!
Hugo: Roger!
Eita: Unknown readings, headed this way at high speed! They’ve broken into Range 2!
Ratsel: Lefina, please send us out.
Lefina: Our ships are still recharging so they won’t be able to help you. Is that okay?
Ratsel: Yes. This is no time to be holding back our fighting power.
Lefina: Then please.
*Deploy!*
Aqua: There’s different types from before!
Hugo: They’re not living beings, but mechanical weapons. They have those too, I see.
Josh: So they’re not like the Einst, but more like the Aerogaters…?
Aquila: I came following strong spirits … but I see that the ones Umbra mentioned are here, too.
Rim: B-bro, I can hear the voice again! It’s different from the ones at Fabula Fores! And the Sympathia’s acting strange!
Josh: Same here. Dammit, what is going on?!
Kai: Lt. Hugo, are those the enemies that appeared in Antarctica?
Hugo: Yes. According to Josh, they’re called Ruina.
Excellen: Does that mean humans are riding in them?
Josh: I don’t know. I saw some things that looked human-shaped at the ruins, but I don’t know if they’re humans….
Katina: Besides that, where were they in Antarctica at all?
Josh: That’s….
Azuki: Captain, there’s a message from the Unknown in front of us!
Tetsuya: Is it from their ship?!
Azuki: No, it’s being broadcast on the radio waves on all frequencies!
Aquila: Are you listening, humans?
Josh: (! This time we can hear their voices normally…!)
Russel: This image is…!
Tasuku: Human…. And he’s jacked!
Excellen: Oh wow, that’s not what I expected. Based on his machine, I figured he’d look a bit more intelligent.
Bullet: In any case, you can tell what he’s thinking from just one look.
Yuuki: Though we don’t know whether or not we can understand him…
Aquila: Humans, we bring you new knowledge. We are “Ruin”… And we exist to bring you despair.
Katina: So in other words, you’re here to crush us. Thanks for making that clear from the get-go!
Aquila: Thanks? …Hmm, interesting. Instead of gaping in awe at my body, you say something interesting.
Katina: This isn’t the place to show off, baldy! Or do you just shave?
Aquila: What are you saying?
Yuuki: …It seems like they’re the ones who can’t understand us.
Arado: How… very like Lt. Katina, huh.
Katina: Hey! Baldy! If you’ve got a name, hurry up and tell us!
Aquila: I am one of the leaders of the army of destruction, Melior Esse… I am Aquila.
Josh: Melior Esse… Aquila…!
Ratsel: So there are other leaders than yourself.
Aquila: That’s correct. There are 5 Melior Esse in the service of the Lord of Ruin, and they each have a different power.
Despinis: (That sounds just like the case with me, Tis, and Lalia….)
Ryuusei: Lord of Ruin… So he’s the boss?
Aquila: We are the Ruina…. Our forces will cover your world in despair, and you shall perish in that blackness.
Sanger: So you bring despair and death. We shall see if my blade can cut through it.
Aquila: That will is what feeds your human powers… It is what gives you strength. In that case, show me your power.
Katina: You asked for it!
Kai: Erebus 1 to all units! Begin the attack!
Chapter 28: Their name is Ruin
Victory: Defeat all enemy units except for Fortis Ala OR make the Fortis Ala retreat. It retreats at under 25000 HP.
Defeat: An Allied Mothership is destroyed.
SR Point: Within 5 turns, lower the Fortis Ala’s HP to under 25000.
*Aquila fights Lamia*
Aquila: Huh…. This reading is strange. Are you not a person?
Lamia: Depends on your definition of a person… Can you understand that?
*Sanger Fights Aquila*
Sanger: My will and my sword! You shall feel them both pierce your body!
Aquila: What a strong will… When your mind turns to despair, it will be the best meal!
*kill errybody or hurt him a bunch[2]*
Aquila: …I see, you are strong willed. It seems it will not be that simple to have you succumb to fear and despair. However, if you hold onto your fear or begin to hate us…. That negative energy will be an excellent meal for us.
Josh: Meal? What do you mean? And what do you mean by Lord of Ruin?!
Aquila: There’s no need to end it here… In fact, it’s better to see how long you all will last.
Katina: You’re saying that even though you lost?!
Aquila: I am the Melior Esse, Aquila. Engrave the name into your hearts with your hatred. …Farewell.
*bye!*
Katina: Bastard, you won’t get away!
Sean: Captain, shall we pursue?
Lefina: No, just keep an eye on them with the Seeker Satellite. Keep our altitude and release the TDs. Each fireteam should return to the ships to receive temporary maintenance and replenish ammunition.
Sean: Roger.
Josh: (Dammit, this new enemy we’re facing…. This is because of what my old man was doing!)
*inside*
Kai: The Melior Esse and the Lord of Ruin…. We’ve learned of a few pieces of the puzzle surrounding the Ruina.
Ratsel: Indeed. Unlike the Inspectors or the Guests, it doesn’t appear that they are plotting world domination.
Kyosuke: That guy, Aquila, kept on using the word Ruin…. Do you think that’s their goal?
Viletta: If that were the case, then he would be attacking us now while we’re repairing our units.
Katina: That’s true…. If it were me, I’d just use an explosion big enough to destroy the world in one go.
Lamia: That’s a bit extra extreme.
Viletta: Leaving aside the means for a minute, he didn’t land a finishing blow, meaning that like the Aerogaters, they don’t plan on ending everything right from the start.
Irm: They’re working toward their goals…Or maybe that’s one of their goals to begin with.
Kai: Aquila said that our negative reactions would become meals. That is the key to unraveling this mystery.
Josh: (Key…. Perhaps the Aile Chevalier and Blanche Neige are also keys…?)
Clifford: Josh, the last of Re-Tech’s transport ships have arrived the Federation base.
Josh: Are you staying here?
Clifford: Yes, for your mechs… and I’m still worried about the researchers trapped in the Fabula Fores.
Kai: Josh, who is this?
Josh: Clifford Gygax. He’s a member of Re-Tech, and he helped with development on the Aile Chevalier.
Clifford: Nice to meet you. Call me Dr. Cliff, or just Cliff.
Kai: Well then, Dr. Cliff. It seems like Josh and Rim have a different method of hearing the Melior Esse than us. What do you know about that?
Clifford: My best guess is that the cause is something inside the Sympathia.
Katina: Well that’s a fuckin’ ambiguous answer.
Clifford: I only just recently learned it could do something like that.
Ratsel: I’ve heard that the Aile Chevalier and Blanche Neige can only be operated by Josh and Rim. Could it also be stemming from inside them?
Josh: ….!
Clifford: It’s not impossible. They have connected with the Sympathia, so the system can react to their thoughts. And one of the key factors of the system is it doesn’t respond to anyone besides its first contact.
Kai: Hmm…. Aya, could you feel anything from the T-Link System?
Aya: I could feel a strong negative force from Aquila, but I couldn’t directly hear his voice….
Kai: I see…
Aya: This is just a guess, but could the Melior Esse’s units have something similar to the Sympathia installed in them?
Clifford: I think that’s likely. There could be some similarity between the Ruina and the technology found in the Fabula Fores.
Katina: So the Ruina built the Fabula Whatever?
Clifford: I can’t say for sure right now.
Lamia: If that were the case…. Could Re-Tech have been created to battle the Ruina, if they should ever appear?
Clifford: The professor did seem prepared to some degree for it…. But if he had known about that group, he would have reported it to the sponsor, who probably would have called for the Federation.
Ratsel: Who’s this sponsor?
Clifford: I can’t say. There’s a contract.
Kai: Is it something Josh doesn’t know either?
Josh: Yeah…. The only person who communicated with the sponsor was my father.
Ratsel: Doctor… This is an extraordinary circumstance. Even just the smallest bit of information could help. Please tell us who the sponsor is.
Clifford: Why is it that big of a deal?
Ratsel: There’s something I’m worried about.
Clifford: I can’t tell you without the sponsor’s permission.
Ratsel: Then we’ll have to look into it ourselves.
Clifford: ….
*Elsewhere*
Rim: (Dad…. I hope you’re okay…. We’re coming for you, just wait…)
Seolla: Rim…. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now.
Shine: Please accept my condolences.
Rim: Ah! Seolla! Your highness!
Aqua: Rim… Try to stay positive. The entire force of the Steel Dragons are on our way to the Antarctica, so I’m sure we’ll be able to do something.
Rim: Thanks, Aqua…
Arado: Um, can I ask you something?
Rim: What is it?
Arado: We got a message from you when you were on the Blanche Neige, and… how can I put this…. You seemed different.
Aqua: (Ah yeah, I noticed that too. She was calling Josh bro…)
Rim: Um… Hmm….
Rim: (Chris, tell them when you get on the Blanche Neige, you just get a bit hot-blooded.) (Is that okay?) (It’s fine, just do it.)
Arado: Uh…
Rim: Um…. When I get on the Blanche Neige, I tend to get a little heated…
Arado: Oh, okay. It’s just like Queen Shine, then.
Shine: Huh?! I don’t think I-
Seolla: But still, you do change how you talk, right?
Shine: That’s…. It’s on purpose…
Aqua: (Man…. When I think about it, it’s hard to understand these girls…. I’m getting old.)
*ELSEWHERE STILL, ON THE AIR CHRISTMAS FLYING SOUTH OF NEW ZEALAND*
Nibhal: Mister Vice President, here’s the report on the current events taking place on Antarctica.
Alteur: Oh, is this…?
Nibhal: It seems they’re the winner.
Alteur: I had thought it was the Nafud Desert… But there’s no mistaking this.
Nibhal: However, the entrance is covered in some sort of barrier. We cannot enter into it.
Alteur: That’s to be expected. Even if we can’t get in right now, the machines from Re-Tech are probably the key. And they’re with the Steel Dragons. This too could be called divine intervention… Nibhal.
Nibhal: We’ve advanced another step toward a goal.
Alteur: We have. ...Captain Carly come here for a moment.
Carly: What is it?
Alteur: Change to an intercept course with the Steel Dragons. We’ll take their ships by force.
Carly: ! Why would we do that?
Alteur: From what we’ve gathered, when the Steel Dragons went missing, they were possibly colluding with the enemy.
Carly: Is… is that true?
Alteur: Yes, I heard this directly from the president. As such, we need to perform a much more thorough investigation. And during these trying times, strong power such as theirs needs to be kept under tight control.
Carly: …I agree. But if we go any further south, I’m worried that we might contact some of the unknowns from Antarctica. Because the president is onboard, we should be focused on staying out of harm’s way.
Alteur: No, the president has also agreed to this. We need to set an example, in order to persuade the Steel Dragons.
Carly: But if the worst case scenario were to happen…
Alteur: Are you not confident in your ability to protect the president?
Carly: …No, I am.
Alteur: Then give the order, captain.
Carly: Yes, sir. The mother ship of the Gaia Sabers will subdue the Steel Dragons.
Alteur: Good to hear. (Now then, it’s almost time. The Guests, the unknowns from Antarctica, and us…. If the earth is to shake, let it shake…. When it does, it shall show me the shape of things to come.)
Previous Chapter: Chapter 27: The Antarctic Gate Next Chapter: Chapter 29: The Swaying Spearhead
[1] Google Translate says STORY DOORS. YOU LIE!
[2] You get nothing special for killing him :<