It took longer than expected but I’ve been busy, with the RP, and school, and other things so chapters won’t come out consitently untill, let’s say June, but here it is.
Chapter 2
The Crimson Princess
April 31st 2217
As the Elevator ascended Vienna was checking her PDA “It seems that a battle has broken out near this elevator shaft, odds are it won’t hit us,” she kept typing away on the pad.
“So, this project is on Atrusca right?” Ken inquired. Atrusca was the seat of secret tech development for the Earth Union’s most valued Military projects, including the Gundams that where made after FTL travel was made, due to it’s high amount of natural Allarium, the only other source, Mars was the first source until the Ram drive was pioneered, and now the Republic of Crux had to rely on synthetic Allarium for there mobile suits that use it. “I’ve never been out of the Solar system.”
“Yes, the projects on Atrusca, should only take us forty eight hours or so to get there,” Vienna said. She kept taping away on the PDA.
“Yeah.” Ken thought to him self, no need for small talk, I guess I’ll cut to the point “why did I get promoted to Lieutenant Commander just for this project, that’s crazy by any standards.”
“Well if it wasn’t for your refusal for going out of the System to fight the Colonial Empires, you’d be damn near that rank anyways, not to mention I need someone with decent tech expertise, and competent leadership skills to be my second in command, not to mention they have to be one of the best pilots, and a strong Neurogen, you fit the bill to a tee Mr. Yamanaka,” she put the PDA away “Not to mention, you have a good character”
“Incoming, incoming,” the automated voice over the elevator intercom came over, a blast hit the hull off the storage compartment, venting the atmosphere Ken, and Amy where both safe in the separate passenger compartment.
Ken sighed “It seems that battle is here, Ken unbuckled and got out of his seat, he walked over to a compartment on the other side of the passenger hull, bringing out his pilot suit, he got in it, and fastened his helmet and breather tank on. “Ma’am permission for emergency Sortie.” he asked the Lt. Commander.
“If you feel it’s necessary to launch to keep them away from the cargo related to the project feel free.”
Ken hit the emergency airlock of the Passenger compartment. Once on the other side he was able to use the micro gravity, and various hand holds to pull him away from the opening in the Hull and to his Peregrine. He hit the emergency cockpit opening handle from the outside and got in. Strapping him self in the seat he closed the cockpit and started a system check “Reactor on, full out put, all lights are green,” The thrusters began to engage from the back of his Grey and blue suit, it’s sharp features tensing up, the eyes lit up sky blue as Ken said “Ken Yamanaka, Peregrine Launching,” he hit the boosters on full and left out of the gaping hole in the hull.
Racing out into the black of space Ken saw several Ranaks engaged with the Republics of Crux’s mainstay mobile suit the MRS-006 Zachariah they where painted a drab olive green, had angular shoulders, yet a more rounded design over all compared to the Peregrine, it had a round-ish head with a single horn sticking up from it, and a single “Mono-Eye” sensor, tubes connected the various thrusters, and the facial vent. (Imagine a Zaku with a Hizack’s chest with the Bawoo’s shoulders)
Beyond them he saw a hot Pink one, with deep crimson accents, it charged straight for him. In the cockpit of the pink suit sat young woman, no older than 17, she had shoulder length blonde hair, a slim face, blue eyes and a red and silver mask, that looked something like those angular masks that those old comic book characters wore. She dashed towards Ken, at break neck speeds, pulling out her Beam Hawk, a beam saber shot out from a hidden compartment in the forearm of the Peregrine and into it’s hand Ken parried the blow from the beam hawk.
So this is the Crimson Princess of Crux? Ken thought to him self, it’s been to long since I’ve had a challenge. With the peregrine’s empty hand Ken laid a punch right into the custom Zachariah’s mono-eye staggering the suit back a bit. She recovered quicker than ken anticipated ad before he knew it she was dashing straight towards him again. “Damn she is fast,” ken muttered to him self.
A sharp pain went though Lt. Commander Yamanaka’s head, unlike anything he as ever felt, it was almost, as if he saw into the other pilots mind for a second, it was a searing pain, the other suit slowed down for a second, as if she to felt it “She must be another Neurogen, why dose she seem so familiar?” Ken then raised his shield arm, and loosed two missiles from the shields launcher. She dodged them both barely, she then shot her beam machine gun at him, six rapid fire sky blue particle beams streaked towards the peregrine. Ken dodged five of them, the last one grazed his left leg, disabling one of the venires on it.
“You’re good,” came a female voice over the open comm. Her voice sounded very familiar, so much so that Ken thought it was someone he knew long ago, but she couldn’t be “You’re the Grey Fox of the Earth union aren’t you?” she asked over the intercom, she sounded amused and annoyed at the same time, and she sounded young, really young even though from that little mind invading moment, Ken knew she had to be at least seventeen.
“Thanks you‘re good to, the Crimson Princess I believe,” Ken then parried with her once more, she loosed a kick into the Peregrine’s cockpit staggering the suit back a few feet, ken shook about in the seat, and adjusted his controls as quickly as he could, as she rushed forward ken was able to get the Peregrine balanced again, and blitzed her, losing his beam rifle from it’s resting spot on the Peregrine’s back, he loosed a stream of particle beams at the Zachariah barely missing each time, only nicking the Pink commander units arm.
“Yes, that’s who I am, Seaira Kahn , The Crimson Princess of Crux,” She charged in with the beam hawk again, Ken blocked with the Peregrine’s shield, Ken was then able to release a beam though Seaira’s suit’s leg, blowing it clean off, “Damn you’re good, really good,” Ken felt another flash of pain though is body, unbeknownst to him so did Seaira.
He saw what he could only describe as a vision, two kids walking down the street, one a boy, the other a girl, he was about fifteen, she was only seven or eight maybe, the vision then flashed to a green Zachariah streaking towards the MSR-0100, Ken realized what this was, he loosed his shield which was which stuck on the Beam Hawk, and in his left hand he unleashed his beam saber from it’s hidden compartment, his right hand still bearing the beam rifle, he streaked straight back reverse wielding the beam saber, he slashed one of the MP Zachariah units in two, seemingly without looking, he kept going backwards, seeing the suit explode, he then shot one of the other grunts though the chest.
That’s when he noticed he plowed into the orbital elevator shaft, the Crux suits had retreated, the Peregrine suffered some minor frame damage in the leg, but nothing major, over the comm. crackled commander Vienna’s voice, “Good work LC, come to the unloading Depot 8, where we will board the Manifest Destiny, and head off for Atrusca.”
“Acknowledged,” Yamanaka replied. He headed for the bay.
Aboard the Manifest Destiny
“Follow me Lt. Commander,” Vienna said to Ken, they went to the officer’s lounge, there stood two old leather couches, and a coffee table, this was no warship ken thought.
“Here’s the files on the Project,” Amy handed Ken the PDA she was typing on, while they headed up the orbital elevator, she then went on to say rather grimly “Read up on them, and your team, we meet at 0500 hours tomorrow, this private lounge.”
“Yes Ma’am” said ken, as Amy Vienna left “God, she’s beautiful, and to the point, and brutal undoubtedly.” Ken started reading the specs of the VNR-001 Vexus Gundam
-Armor: Allarium Alloy
-Height: 19.0 Meters
-Armaments: x5 Funnels x1 Beam Rifle x2 Beam Saber
-Special Features: Hard Points for mounting extra weapons, A.I Frame, Neurogen Communication interface. (Or NCI)