[FIC] Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (pt 16)
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:00 pm
Missiles streaked away from Arbalest, the light of their flames making them look like huge weaving fireflies to the startled onlookers. The rushing fingers of death missed the surprisingly nimble Habu brothers, flying off to raise brief splashes of water in the river beyond, or impacting on nearby buildings, tearing out huge chunks of concrete and sending fragments bursting outward. One errant missile just passed over the broken and smoldering remnant of the main U.N. building.
Habu brothers.
Sousuke knew it sounded ridiculous, but he had nothing else to identify them by.
“He’s pretty quick, brother.” The one voice sounded amused.
“Yes, but so are we....” That voice seemed somewhat huffy.
“I mean he looks like he’ll be quick to die.” That had been followed by a short snort of laughter.
“Of course!” That gave way to a quick little sing song ditty.
One of the great blue mechas was temporarily shrouded with a cloud of gas and shell casings, the weapon at one side blazing away at miraculous rate.. The deadly torrent of uranium-depleted slugs missed Arbalest by a hair’s breadth. The carnage they brought to the city blocks was almost beyond belief.
Kinetic energy wrecked havoc all along one avenue, as the speeding projectiles sent large slabs of buildings sliding downward onto the stunned populace. The sound of car alarms increased, joining together in some form of impossible chorus.
A great blue arcing bolt of electricity snaked its way from a device held by the other Habu. The glowing streak of light lit up the steadily darkening streets, causing the screaming and running onlookers to cover their eyes from the incredible glare.
“I REALLY like this one, brother.”
“Lucky bastard. Wish I had one of those too!”
That horrendous electrical discharge had passed close enough to the ARX-7 to cause a number of computer screens to blink or temporarily go out. Sousuke felt his hair stand on end, literally. He was glad that the Mithril engineers were so fond of mechanical and electrical redundancy
A huge furrow had been trenched down the middle of one street, angling upward to cut a sizzling groove in one of the taller buildings. A sizeable number of individuals close to the devastation lay twitching on the ground, soon becoming motionless.
Sousuke felt his pulse rate skyrocket. He swallowed hard. How could he fight THAT? How could he possibly contend with two of them? They were too good! There was no way to win!
One more time, he focused on Kaname’s voice.
“And I was very upset that he hadn’t noticed my new white bikini. I thought I looked really good in it. I was so miffed, I took up an offer to visit one of the fancy villas up on top of the cliff. I didn’t want anything to do with him then, so I told the young master of the estate that I was being hounded by a pervert. But, that big idiot made it all up to me by defeating the three bodyguards, teaching the young man a good lesson, and leaping off the cliff with me in his arms.... no, Father, I can’t stop right now...it’s Sousuke...this is important... I can’t explain now...... and then, this great balloon inflated, and we hung over the beach and ocean, the sun setting behind us... no Ayame, you can’t speak to Sousuke now....”
Sousuke thought about balloons. The balloon had certainly gone up here, so to speak! He brought the ARX-7 into a tight jump, pushing off the top of one of the lower buildings, his rocket boosters blowing countless pieces of clothing off of long heavily laden clothes lines. The emancipated shirts, pants, and unmentionables floated down like confetti.
At the apex of his leap, Sousuke triggered the Hellbore. A huge streamer of flame and burning liquid shot downward, melting a flight of flechettes heading his way, and painting the side of one of the blue Arm Slaves. Before the combustible mixture even struck, the Bofors fired repeatedly, tearing small pieces of metal from the flank of the other enemy machine.
Behind him, countless panes of glass shattered, raining a sharp and stinging rain on the crowds below. Large metal darts ricocheted off of those parts of the building that they didn’t honeycomb with holes, piercing people and vehicles on the crowded streets.
“Damn, he IS good....” One voice conceded happily.
“Hot...hot... hot... hot... hot.... hot” The other voice was anything but happy.
A police helicopter flew too close to the scene, followed by a media aircraft to eager to get the best footage. Some idiot in the police bird decided to begin firing at one of the Habus.
“Stupid!” One of the Habu brothers spat that word out, annoyed by the idiocy of it all.
The great arcing bolt of electricity shot forth again, striking both of the helicopters and sending the charred remains tumbling, bouncing them off of a number of different buildings.
“Yes, really!!!” The other Habu brother suddenly sounded cheerful, even playful. “Watch this....”
One Habu picked up a fully packed city bus and threat it at Arbalest. It was soon followed by a series of taxi cabs, trucks, and passenger cars. One motorcycle and rider brought up the rear, careening off of one building and through the windows of another..
Sousuke acted out of instinct.
He made a daring leap, catching the bus in one hand, tossing the Bofors upward to catch when the bus was safe. Each of the other vehicular missiles missed him, falling to fates he could readily imagine. With the knee of the landing A.S. going into the side of a building, he found himself temporarily trapped.
Idiot! Sousuke thought.
“Gotcha!!!” That voice practically dripped with satisfaction.
“Me too!!! Hot… too damn hot…. I don’t like hot….”
The whole front of the building dissolved under the heavy onslaught of Multi-barrel cannon fire and shots from the flechette gun. Horrific sounds echoed inside Arbalest, as high-velocity projectiles shook the craft and scattered through the night, accompanied by a spectacular shower of sparks.
“Severe damage taken in left leg assembly, including joint reinforcement. Function reduced by 50% and climbing. Moderate damage taken to javelin missile housing. Subsequent launches carry a significant risk of premature detonation. Severe damage noted in....” The steady drone of the A.I. continued. Various solutions from the problems it had been given earlier filled view screens, but Sousuke had no time to review them.
Pushing the ARX-7 back sharply, Sousuke cause it to do a backwards roll, just as another bolt of electricity hit the spot where he had been stuck.
“He takes a licking and keeps on ticking!” The cackling laughter sounded more comical than menacing.
“Definitely. He has the better machine, but we have what counts.”
“Bombs too. Let’s not forget the bombs!” There was the sound of clapping hands.
“You know it!”
Spotlights were now sweeping the area, reminding Sousuke of any number of kaiju movies. Just what did those idiots really think they were accomplishing? He blinked, when the visual multipliers on one side of Arbalest were touched briefly by one light, causing an intense glare on his main screen.
“Shit!” Sousuke exclaimed.
“Isn’t it!!!” Both Habu brothers answered at once.
Sousuke found it hard to breath. His chest was tight. His ears were filled with a buzzing noise. Sweat poured of him, making it look as if he had just stepped out of the shower. His arms felt weak and listless. Everything seemed to be arrayed against him. It was an impossible task. If everyone died, it would be his fault!
“Have to hold on…must stay the course….” He bit off the words, grasping the control levers so tightly that his fingers hurt.
He listened for Kaname’s words, turning up the volume so they were audible against the chaos in the background.
“Can you believe it? I look on top of the concession stand, and what do I see? Bonta-Kun! Bonta-kun challenging the gangsters!!! Before i knew it, he had one man down on the ground, kicking him in a place no man wants to be kicked. Brutal! Then, not too much later, I saw that Bonta-Kun had a shotgun. A shotgun! You can guess what I began being suspicious about then....no thank you, Mr.Smith... I am not hungry... yes, I am very certain... that’s kind of you, but I am busy now....”
Sousuke was sorely tempted. If he put up a Lambda Driver force shield now... took up a force axe or sword... and lay about him like a knight in the middle of a melee... he might be able to take both Habu brothers down before the bombs could be detonated. Might. If it were him in their shoes, he would have rigged a dead man’s switch.
Damn! They still weren’t standing close enough to one another. How could he get them to do that? How much more punishment could Arbalest take?
Opportunity!
The one blue machine crackled with dancing spider webs of electricity. The immense electrical weapon had been damaged and was malfunctioning, injuring its own wielder.. The stricken Habu stopped dead in its tracks.
“Brother...HELP....” The voice sounded pitiful, like a small child calling out for a parent during an exceptionally bad nightmare. Sousuke wondered where all the bravado had gone?
He had Kaname to turn to. What did those freaks have? Each other?
Firing the last of his Javelins missile by habit... and counting his blessings when none exploded in their launch tubes.... Sousuke switched his attention back to the paralyzed enemy machine. Bringing up the Hellbore, he sent a prolonged burst of burning liquid in its direction. The flaming concoction stuck tighter than any leech, bathing the entire Habu.
“Stop... drop... and roll....” The other Habu barreled into the burning machine, knocking it back towards the waterfront. “Get to the water if you can!” The Multi-barrel gun fired as it moved, hitting Sousuke in numerous areas. “Don’t just stand there like some infant!!!”
“Ahhhhh-ah-ahhhhh...ahhhhh.... ahhhhhhh-hhhhh-hhhh-hhhh.... it hurts.... it hurts....” The scream was frantic.
Arbalest shuddered again, pieces of equipment breaking loose inside, striking Sousuke on the head and torso. His vision went blurry. He winced in pain. Warning lights were flashing on and off. A number of systems were shutting down. He spat blood from his cracked lips.
In a normal battle, results like this might indicate that he was winning. But, in this situation, there was only one way to win. That was far from being a certainty. Damn! Why did that thought have him hyperventilating again? Enough already.
Kaname.
“But, the Karate guys didn’t want to leave the building. So, you guessed it, the moron decides he was going to fight all three. Of course, they meant fighting with martial arts...... and I love you, Sousuke...... He naturally used weapons. Then, that guy from before came in again and acted like he didn’t know me. He was kind of cute himself, but when he put on his glasses and just stood their in shock, that was the end of that. Later........and I REALLY miss you...... the whole business with the janitor and that fish came about....”
Now.
Sousuke had to move now.
Both Habu Arm Slaves were right where he needed them to be, if his plan was to have any chance of succeeding. Who knows how much longer the crazed brothers would play this game, especially since one was in grievous danger and tremendous pain right now?
The one Habu rolled about the ground, flattening people and vehicles alike, kicking huge sections of windows and ledges off of buildings on both sides of the street. It looked like a moving bonfire now, putting off huge streamers of smoke that blended with the darkness far above it. For a moment, the two arms of the mecha stretched forward, as if in supplication.
The second enemy A.S. stood right next to the other, trying to lift it to its feet, smearing itself with the hungry flaming mixture in the process. It whirled suddenly, firing the Multi-barrel weapon until its chamber was empty.
“You son of a bitch! No more games! His pain won’t matter any more!” The words spat out as fast as the flying metal, carrying with them a potential much more deadly than the whizzing projectiles.
Things happened in rapid succession.
“Al, implement the most effective plan...highest chance of success... immediately!!!” Sousuke knew that time had run out. The one brother was obviously preparing to set of his cobalt or zinc device. He closed his eyes, hoping his idea would work.
As Sousuke was speaking, the final shots from his opponents spinning cannon struck the Hellbore, piercing it in many spots just as Sousuke pulled the trigger for it again. The terrible liquid shot out in every direction, painting every building in range...coating large areas of street... and spattering parts of Arbalest itself.
“Bro-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-t-h-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-er....” The screeching grew in pitch horribly, speaking of indescribable agony. “Oooo…uh… ahhhhhhhhhh uhahhhhhhhhhhhh uhahhhhhhhhh.. h.. h. .h. .h.. h.”
The Lambda Driver shield flashed...expanded...contracted... then went through a series of amazing luminescent contortions. Part of the field encircled the ARX-7 itself, sticking like a second skin, extinguishing the flaming liquid. Another part of the field, reinforced multiple times, shot outward, enclosing both of the Habus as Sousuke pushed his machine forward, grabbing the pair of them in a fierce embrace.
Random extensions of the Lambda Driver field lashed out like the tentacles of an octopus while algorithms were being run and parameters were being discovered on the fly. A flagpole was torn from one building. Three burning taxi cabs leaped skyward. Water shot upward, as a fire hydrant was pulled up like a weed in a garden. Frightened people dove for cover.
“Go ahead. Detonate any time you see fit. It will not pass through the Lambda Driver curtain.” Sousuke had no idea if that were true. He also didn’t know what would happen to the resultant explosion if it did not expand. Would the transformation of Cobalt to Cobalt-60 be prevented? Could the detonation simply be put into a state of suspended animation?
“NO! THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE! YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU CAN’T TAKE THIS FROM US!!!”
“I just did.” Sousuke chuckled purposefully, hoping to enrage his opponent. He was walking a fine line. He wanted to distract his foe, not drive him to set off his bomb. Waiting for the enemy’s response, he listened to Kaname.
“You wouldn’t believe the change. The training methods had turned the rugby team into a band of demons. The other team never had a chance! I can’t say that I approved of his methods, but....”
Things would soon be coming to a close, it appeared. One way or another. There was something he needed to do.
“Kaname.” He punched the button that allowed her to hear him.
“Sousuke?” Kaname sounded somewhat hoarse. Her voice was worried, but hopeful.
“I love you, Kaname. I just wanted to say good bye.” Sousuke’s voice was calm, almost too much so. It carried with it the sound of a door slamming or the last bit of water circling the drain.
“What? Sousuke! What are you talking about? Sousuke....” Her voice rose in pitch. If he was about to say what she thought he would, she didn’t want to hear it!
“Remember me fondly. I hope this works, so you can live on. Fairwell.” Sousuke cut transmission. His emotions were gyrating wildly now...how could they not be.... but he knew he would be able to continue doing what was necessary. He couldn’t do that as easily, if he heard any pain in Kaname’s voice.
“SAGARA. YOU WILL BURN IN HELL FOR THIS! YOU HEAR ME???”
“I will see you there, then. It seems your brother had preceded you. His screams should be a suitable preview, I imagine.” As long as the one Habu brother kept talking, he may delay his detonation. Using the greater motive force of Arbalest, he pushed the other two Arms Slaves slowly but inexorably towards the water.
“IT’S A CHEAP TRICK! A WOMAN’S TRICK! AND YOU LIED, YOU DISHONORABLE PIG!!!”
“Yes. But I fail to see the necessity to debate honor with a coward who was ready to sacrifice millions of people to bring some twisted sense of importance or notoriety to his own miserable existence. You will fade away now. No one will even remember your name. You will die a failure. No, a pair of failures.
“I... CAN... STILL... BREAK... FREE...”
The Habu A.S. shook and tried to escape confinement.
Good. That was what Sousuke hoped for. More time. If he could push both Habu into the water, even if the explosion took place and broke free of the shielding, the damage would be greatly contained.
Suddenly, things did not look so sanguine after all. The Habu managed to break free of Sousuke’s grip. If it could somehow pull itself out of the Lambda Driver blanket!
“I............ TOLD............ YOU..........”
The shield surrounding the blue Arm Slave began thinning some, putting a strain on the whole system. Warning lights flickered on in rapid succession.
“Sergeant, Lambda Drive integrity fluctuating. Continual strain at this level will lead to potential failure. Current estimate, 55% chance.” The A.I. voice sounded somewhat uneven. Some of the speaker units must have taken significant damage. “57% chance…. 63% chance and rising….”
Sousuke moved Arbalest to take up its Anti-Armor dagger.
Sometimes, the simplest methods are the best.
“NO........ YOU BASTARD .......... NO........”
The Habu moved its great hand upward, trying to grab the wrist of the ARX-7. Sousuke planted a huge metal foot square in its chest, knocking the wildly off balance machine on its back. Working the Arm Slaves arm like a piston, Sousuke drove the immense dagger into the pilot compartment of the enemy craft once, twice, three times in rapid succession.
“Arrrrr...I.... rrrrrrrrrr... listen....... motherf-cker.......”
The death rattle of the last surviving Habu brother faded away. A steady mechanical voice took its place.
“30.......….. 29.......….. 28.......….. 27..........”
“Damn.” Sousuke shot the metal cables out of both arms of the ARX-7. Working quickly, he attached them to both inert Arm Slaves. Having Arbalest move backward with all its might, he dragged the two machines through a flame-lit street, whispering a silent apology each time he push off from a nearby building, wanting to get better traction and leverage.
It was an eerie sight, one the spectators would not soon forget. Surrounded by a wavering and pulsating nimbus of light, one huge man-like shape pulled two others through a devastated street. One of the defeated behemoths still crackled and popped with avid insatiable flame. The other leaked an ever-growing stream of hydraulic fluid. The countdown projected over its external speakers hinted at some ominous happening about to take place.
As Sousuke sat shrouded in smoke from small electrical shorts and a growing console fire. The automatic extinguisher did not appear to be working, or the sensors had been knocked off line. He reached for the hand held canister. Spraying the base of the flames, he sat at the center of an impromptu fog.
Images from various times in his life flashed through his mind, ever so quick and fleeting.
The intact buildings all served as a palette for a myriad of dancing and darting lights, thanks to the enormous number of police, fire, and rescue vehicles in the vicinity.
The spots lights shone off of Arbalest and the Habus. Smaller lights projected downward from circling helicopters.
“15………. 14………. 13……….12……….”
Looking at the forward view screen, Sousuke saw a number of lights off on in the darkness. They bobbed up and down ever so slightly. Watercraft! He was nearing his destination. If those fools knew what was good for them, they would turn tail and kick up some large frothy wakes.
Arbalest continued to strain forward, dragging its fallen kin. The ground was sloping downward now. Water splashed upward as huge metal feet entered the East River. Sousuke realized that the body of water was not truly a river; rather, it was a tidal estuary, a place where salty seawater met up with fresh water running off the land. He sighed…. just another useless fact that, now.
The time for his final sacrifice was at hand.
There was nothing he could do to prevent it.
Time was running out, but they were almost there. At that moment, he thought back to Afghanistan, where he had dragged the nuclear weapon behind him after defeating Zaido and Gauron.
It looked like he might be joining them soon.
“Rocket boosters at full strength for entire duration. Let’s get this done, Al.”
“Boosters on, Sergeant.”
“5……… 4……….”
Arbalest lurched forward, pulling itself onward and under the swirling surface of the water.
“3………. 2……….”
The cables began to fray, but held intact. The Habus kicked up a large swell of water as they were pulled under. The final numbers of the countdown were greatly muted.
Countless people lined the tops of buildings… stood by windows facing the water… or clustered uneasily by the water’s edge. They were rewarded for their watchfulness. A huge series of expanding rings of light spread out from a central point, somewhere beneath the water’s surface. They spread out for some great distance before fading, but no explosions pushed upward into the formless night.
The light vanished.
Habu brothers.
Sousuke knew it sounded ridiculous, but he had nothing else to identify them by.
“He’s pretty quick, brother.” The one voice sounded amused.
“Yes, but so are we....” That voice seemed somewhat huffy.
“I mean he looks like he’ll be quick to die.” That had been followed by a short snort of laughter.
“Of course!” That gave way to a quick little sing song ditty.
One of the great blue mechas was temporarily shrouded with a cloud of gas and shell casings, the weapon at one side blazing away at miraculous rate.. The deadly torrent of uranium-depleted slugs missed Arbalest by a hair’s breadth. The carnage they brought to the city blocks was almost beyond belief.
Kinetic energy wrecked havoc all along one avenue, as the speeding projectiles sent large slabs of buildings sliding downward onto the stunned populace. The sound of car alarms increased, joining together in some form of impossible chorus.
A great blue arcing bolt of electricity snaked its way from a device held by the other Habu. The glowing streak of light lit up the steadily darkening streets, causing the screaming and running onlookers to cover their eyes from the incredible glare.
“I REALLY like this one, brother.”
“Lucky bastard. Wish I had one of those too!”
That horrendous electrical discharge had passed close enough to the ARX-7 to cause a number of computer screens to blink or temporarily go out. Sousuke felt his hair stand on end, literally. He was glad that the Mithril engineers were so fond of mechanical and electrical redundancy
A huge furrow had been trenched down the middle of one street, angling upward to cut a sizzling groove in one of the taller buildings. A sizeable number of individuals close to the devastation lay twitching on the ground, soon becoming motionless.
Sousuke felt his pulse rate skyrocket. He swallowed hard. How could he fight THAT? How could he possibly contend with two of them? They were too good! There was no way to win!
One more time, he focused on Kaname’s voice.
“And I was very upset that he hadn’t noticed my new white bikini. I thought I looked really good in it. I was so miffed, I took up an offer to visit one of the fancy villas up on top of the cliff. I didn’t want anything to do with him then, so I told the young master of the estate that I was being hounded by a pervert. But, that big idiot made it all up to me by defeating the three bodyguards, teaching the young man a good lesson, and leaping off the cliff with me in his arms.... no, Father, I can’t stop right now...it’s Sousuke...this is important... I can’t explain now...... and then, this great balloon inflated, and we hung over the beach and ocean, the sun setting behind us... no Ayame, you can’t speak to Sousuke now....”
Sousuke thought about balloons. The balloon had certainly gone up here, so to speak! He brought the ARX-7 into a tight jump, pushing off the top of one of the lower buildings, his rocket boosters blowing countless pieces of clothing off of long heavily laden clothes lines. The emancipated shirts, pants, and unmentionables floated down like confetti.
At the apex of his leap, Sousuke triggered the Hellbore. A huge streamer of flame and burning liquid shot downward, melting a flight of flechettes heading his way, and painting the side of one of the blue Arm Slaves. Before the combustible mixture even struck, the Bofors fired repeatedly, tearing small pieces of metal from the flank of the other enemy machine.
Behind him, countless panes of glass shattered, raining a sharp and stinging rain on the crowds below. Large metal darts ricocheted off of those parts of the building that they didn’t honeycomb with holes, piercing people and vehicles on the crowded streets.
“Damn, he IS good....” One voice conceded happily.
“Hot...hot... hot... hot... hot.... hot” The other voice was anything but happy.
A police helicopter flew too close to the scene, followed by a media aircraft to eager to get the best footage. Some idiot in the police bird decided to begin firing at one of the Habus.
“Stupid!” One of the Habu brothers spat that word out, annoyed by the idiocy of it all.
The great arcing bolt of electricity shot forth again, striking both of the helicopters and sending the charred remains tumbling, bouncing them off of a number of different buildings.
“Yes, really!!!” The other Habu brother suddenly sounded cheerful, even playful. “Watch this....”
One Habu picked up a fully packed city bus and threat it at Arbalest. It was soon followed by a series of taxi cabs, trucks, and passenger cars. One motorcycle and rider brought up the rear, careening off of one building and through the windows of another..
Sousuke acted out of instinct.
He made a daring leap, catching the bus in one hand, tossing the Bofors upward to catch when the bus was safe. Each of the other vehicular missiles missed him, falling to fates he could readily imagine. With the knee of the landing A.S. going into the side of a building, he found himself temporarily trapped.
Idiot! Sousuke thought.
“Gotcha!!!” That voice practically dripped with satisfaction.
“Me too!!! Hot… too damn hot…. I don’t like hot….”
The whole front of the building dissolved under the heavy onslaught of Multi-barrel cannon fire and shots from the flechette gun. Horrific sounds echoed inside Arbalest, as high-velocity projectiles shook the craft and scattered through the night, accompanied by a spectacular shower of sparks.
“Severe damage taken in left leg assembly, including joint reinforcement. Function reduced by 50% and climbing. Moderate damage taken to javelin missile housing. Subsequent launches carry a significant risk of premature detonation. Severe damage noted in....” The steady drone of the A.I. continued. Various solutions from the problems it had been given earlier filled view screens, but Sousuke had no time to review them.
Pushing the ARX-7 back sharply, Sousuke cause it to do a backwards roll, just as another bolt of electricity hit the spot where he had been stuck.
“He takes a licking and keeps on ticking!” The cackling laughter sounded more comical than menacing.
“Definitely. He has the better machine, but we have what counts.”
“Bombs too. Let’s not forget the bombs!” There was the sound of clapping hands.
“You know it!”
Spotlights were now sweeping the area, reminding Sousuke of any number of kaiju movies. Just what did those idiots really think they were accomplishing? He blinked, when the visual multipliers on one side of Arbalest were touched briefly by one light, causing an intense glare on his main screen.
“Shit!” Sousuke exclaimed.
“Isn’t it!!!” Both Habu brothers answered at once.
Sousuke found it hard to breath. His chest was tight. His ears were filled with a buzzing noise. Sweat poured of him, making it look as if he had just stepped out of the shower. His arms felt weak and listless. Everything seemed to be arrayed against him. It was an impossible task. If everyone died, it would be his fault!
“Have to hold on…must stay the course….” He bit off the words, grasping the control levers so tightly that his fingers hurt.
He listened for Kaname’s words, turning up the volume so they were audible against the chaos in the background.
“Can you believe it? I look on top of the concession stand, and what do I see? Bonta-Kun! Bonta-kun challenging the gangsters!!! Before i knew it, he had one man down on the ground, kicking him in a place no man wants to be kicked. Brutal! Then, not too much later, I saw that Bonta-Kun had a shotgun. A shotgun! You can guess what I began being suspicious about then....no thank you, Mr.Smith... I am not hungry... yes, I am very certain... that’s kind of you, but I am busy now....”
Sousuke was sorely tempted. If he put up a Lambda Driver force shield now... took up a force axe or sword... and lay about him like a knight in the middle of a melee... he might be able to take both Habu brothers down before the bombs could be detonated. Might. If it were him in their shoes, he would have rigged a dead man’s switch.
Damn! They still weren’t standing close enough to one another. How could he get them to do that? How much more punishment could Arbalest take?
Opportunity!
The one blue machine crackled with dancing spider webs of electricity. The immense electrical weapon had been damaged and was malfunctioning, injuring its own wielder.. The stricken Habu stopped dead in its tracks.
“Brother...HELP....” The voice sounded pitiful, like a small child calling out for a parent during an exceptionally bad nightmare. Sousuke wondered where all the bravado had gone?
He had Kaname to turn to. What did those freaks have? Each other?
Firing the last of his Javelins missile by habit... and counting his blessings when none exploded in their launch tubes.... Sousuke switched his attention back to the paralyzed enemy machine. Bringing up the Hellbore, he sent a prolonged burst of burning liquid in its direction. The flaming concoction stuck tighter than any leech, bathing the entire Habu.
“Stop... drop... and roll....” The other Habu barreled into the burning machine, knocking it back towards the waterfront. “Get to the water if you can!” The Multi-barrel gun fired as it moved, hitting Sousuke in numerous areas. “Don’t just stand there like some infant!!!”
“Ahhhhh-ah-ahhhhh...ahhhhh.... ahhhhhhh-hhhhh-hhhh-hhhh.... it hurts.... it hurts....” The scream was frantic.
Arbalest shuddered again, pieces of equipment breaking loose inside, striking Sousuke on the head and torso. His vision went blurry. He winced in pain. Warning lights were flashing on and off. A number of systems were shutting down. He spat blood from his cracked lips.
In a normal battle, results like this might indicate that he was winning. But, in this situation, there was only one way to win. That was far from being a certainty. Damn! Why did that thought have him hyperventilating again? Enough already.
Kaname.
“But, the Karate guys didn’t want to leave the building. So, you guessed it, the moron decides he was going to fight all three. Of course, they meant fighting with martial arts...... and I love you, Sousuke...... He naturally used weapons. Then, that guy from before came in again and acted like he didn’t know me. He was kind of cute himself, but when he put on his glasses and just stood their in shock, that was the end of that. Later........and I REALLY miss you...... the whole business with the janitor and that fish came about....”
Now.
Sousuke had to move now.
Both Habu Arm Slaves were right where he needed them to be, if his plan was to have any chance of succeeding. Who knows how much longer the crazed brothers would play this game, especially since one was in grievous danger and tremendous pain right now?
The one Habu rolled about the ground, flattening people and vehicles alike, kicking huge sections of windows and ledges off of buildings on both sides of the street. It looked like a moving bonfire now, putting off huge streamers of smoke that blended with the darkness far above it. For a moment, the two arms of the mecha stretched forward, as if in supplication.
The second enemy A.S. stood right next to the other, trying to lift it to its feet, smearing itself with the hungry flaming mixture in the process. It whirled suddenly, firing the Multi-barrel weapon until its chamber was empty.
“You son of a bitch! No more games! His pain won’t matter any more!” The words spat out as fast as the flying metal, carrying with them a potential much more deadly than the whizzing projectiles.
Things happened in rapid succession.
“Al, implement the most effective plan...highest chance of success... immediately!!!” Sousuke knew that time had run out. The one brother was obviously preparing to set of his cobalt or zinc device. He closed his eyes, hoping his idea would work.
As Sousuke was speaking, the final shots from his opponents spinning cannon struck the Hellbore, piercing it in many spots just as Sousuke pulled the trigger for it again. The terrible liquid shot out in every direction, painting every building in range...coating large areas of street... and spattering parts of Arbalest itself.
“Bro-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-t-h-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-er....” The screeching grew in pitch horribly, speaking of indescribable agony. “Oooo…uh… ahhhhhhhhhh uhahhhhhhhhhhhh uhahhhhhhhhh.. h.. h. .h. .h.. h.”
The Lambda Driver shield flashed...expanded...contracted... then went through a series of amazing luminescent contortions. Part of the field encircled the ARX-7 itself, sticking like a second skin, extinguishing the flaming liquid. Another part of the field, reinforced multiple times, shot outward, enclosing both of the Habus as Sousuke pushed his machine forward, grabbing the pair of them in a fierce embrace.
Random extensions of the Lambda Driver field lashed out like the tentacles of an octopus while algorithms were being run and parameters were being discovered on the fly. A flagpole was torn from one building. Three burning taxi cabs leaped skyward. Water shot upward, as a fire hydrant was pulled up like a weed in a garden. Frightened people dove for cover.
“Go ahead. Detonate any time you see fit. It will not pass through the Lambda Driver curtain.” Sousuke had no idea if that were true. He also didn’t know what would happen to the resultant explosion if it did not expand. Would the transformation of Cobalt to Cobalt-60 be prevented? Could the detonation simply be put into a state of suspended animation?
“NO! THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE! YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU CAN’T TAKE THIS FROM US!!!”
“I just did.” Sousuke chuckled purposefully, hoping to enrage his opponent. He was walking a fine line. He wanted to distract his foe, not drive him to set off his bomb. Waiting for the enemy’s response, he listened to Kaname.
“You wouldn’t believe the change. The training methods had turned the rugby team into a band of demons. The other team never had a chance! I can’t say that I approved of his methods, but....”
Things would soon be coming to a close, it appeared. One way or another. There was something he needed to do.
“Kaname.” He punched the button that allowed her to hear him.
“Sousuke?” Kaname sounded somewhat hoarse. Her voice was worried, but hopeful.
“I love you, Kaname. I just wanted to say good bye.” Sousuke’s voice was calm, almost too much so. It carried with it the sound of a door slamming or the last bit of water circling the drain.
“What? Sousuke! What are you talking about? Sousuke....” Her voice rose in pitch. If he was about to say what she thought he would, she didn’t want to hear it!
“Remember me fondly. I hope this works, so you can live on. Fairwell.” Sousuke cut transmission. His emotions were gyrating wildly now...how could they not be.... but he knew he would be able to continue doing what was necessary. He couldn’t do that as easily, if he heard any pain in Kaname’s voice.
“SAGARA. YOU WILL BURN IN HELL FOR THIS! YOU HEAR ME???”
“I will see you there, then. It seems your brother had preceded you. His screams should be a suitable preview, I imagine.” As long as the one Habu brother kept talking, he may delay his detonation. Using the greater motive force of Arbalest, he pushed the other two Arms Slaves slowly but inexorably towards the water.
“IT’S A CHEAP TRICK! A WOMAN’S TRICK! AND YOU LIED, YOU DISHONORABLE PIG!!!”
“Yes. But I fail to see the necessity to debate honor with a coward who was ready to sacrifice millions of people to bring some twisted sense of importance or notoriety to his own miserable existence. You will fade away now. No one will even remember your name. You will die a failure. No, a pair of failures.
“I... CAN... STILL... BREAK... FREE...”
The Habu A.S. shook and tried to escape confinement.
Good. That was what Sousuke hoped for. More time. If he could push both Habu into the water, even if the explosion took place and broke free of the shielding, the damage would be greatly contained.
Suddenly, things did not look so sanguine after all. The Habu managed to break free of Sousuke’s grip. If it could somehow pull itself out of the Lambda Driver blanket!
“I............ TOLD............ YOU..........”
The shield surrounding the blue Arm Slave began thinning some, putting a strain on the whole system. Warning lights flickered on in rapid succession.
“Sergeant, Lambda Drive integrity fluctuating. Continual strain at this level will lead to potential failure. Current estimate, 55% chance.” The A.I. voice sounded somewhat uneven. Some of the speaker units must have taken significant damage. “57% chance…. 63% chance and rising….”
Sousuke moved Arbalest to take up its Anti-Armor dagger.
Sometimes, the simplest methods are the best.
“NO........ YOU BASTARD .......... NO........”
The Habu moved its great hand upward, trying to grab the wrist of the ARX-7. Sousuke planted a huge metal foot square in its chest, knocking the wildly off balance machine on its back. Working the Arm Slaves arm like a piston, Sousuke drove the immense dagger into the pilot compartment of the enemy craft once, twice, three times in rapid succession.
“Arrrrr...I.... rrrrrrrrrr... listen....... motherf-cker.......”
The death rattle of the last surviving Habu brother faded away. A steady mechanical voice took its place.
“30.......….. 29.......….. 28.......….. 27..........”
“Damn.” Sousuke shot the metal cables out of both arms of the ARX-7. Working quickly, he attached them to both inert Arm Slaves. Having Arbalest move backward with all its might, he dragged the two machines through a flame-lit street, whispering a silent apology each time he push off from a nearby building, wanting to get better traction and leverage.
It was an eerie sight, one the spectators would not soon forget. Surrounded by a wavering and pulsating nimbus of light, one huge man-like shape pulled two others through a devastated street. One of the defeated behemoths still crackled and popped with avid insatiable flame. The other leaked an ever-growing stream of hydraulic fluid. The countdown projected over its external speakers hinted at some ominous happening about to take place.
As Sousuke sat shrouded in smoke from small electrical shorts and a growing console fire. The automatic extinguisher did not appear to be working, or the sensors had been knocked off line. He reached for the hand held canister. Spraying the base of the flames, he sat at the center of an impromptu fog.
Images from various times in his life flashed through his mind, ever so quick and fleeting.
The intact buildings all served as a palette for a myriad of dancing and darting lights, thanks to the enormous number of police, fire, and rescue vehicles in the vicinity.
The spots lights shone off of Arbalest and the Habus. Smaller lights projected downward from circling helicopters.
“15………. 14………. 13……….12……….”
Looking at the forward view screen, Sousuke saw a number of lights off on in the darkness. They bobbed up and down ever so slightly. Watercraft! He was nearing his destination. If those fools knew what was good for them, they would turn tail and kick up some large frothy wakes.
Arbalest continued to strain forward, dragging its fallen kin. The ground was sloping downward now. Water splashed upward as huge metal feet entered the East River. Sousuke realized that the body of water was not truly a river; rather, it was a tidal estuary, a place where salty seawater met up with fresh water running off the land. He sighed…. just another useless fact that, now.
The time for his final sacrifice was at hand.
There was nothing he could do to prevent it.
Time was running out, but they were almost there. At that moment, he thought back to Afghanistan, where he had dragged the nuclear weapon behind him after defeating Zaido and Gauron.
It looked like he might be joining them soon.
“Rocket boosters at full strength for entire duration. Let’s get this done, Al.”
“Boosters on, Sergeant.”
“5……… 4……….”
Arbalest lurched forward, pulling itself onward and under the swirling surface of the water.
“3………. 2……….”
The cables began to fray, but held intact. The Habus kicked up a large swell of water as they were pulled under. The final numbers of the countdown were greatly muted.
Countless people lined the tops of buildings… stood by windows facing the water… or clustered uneasily by the water’s edge. They were rewarded for their watchfulness. A huge series of expanding rings of light spread out from a central point, somewhere beneath the water’s surface. They spread out for some great distance before fading, but no explosions pushed upward into the formless night.
The light vanished.
it scares me to think you could render the last two weeks of my life absolete with just a few words....
Sousuke No!!!!!!! Cliff Hanger No!!!!! Big implosion Yeah!!!! Kaname alone no!!!! I bet the dad would be slightly happy Sousuke is gone, the bastard!!! Is the next chapter the last??? This kinda seems like a second to the last episode thingy! Sequels are usually shorter than the original thats why, damn curiousity!
- We know you'll be nice to us.)