Scenario:Home Sweet Moon - Processing... Initiated - Chapter 3: Everything Is OK - Episode 2

Home Sweet Moon - Processing... Initiated - Chapter 3: Everything Is OK - Episode 2

With the mass driver ready to fire, the enemy's attacks on the automagods intensify. In the heat of battle, Beatrix unknowingly manifests Embrasque, proving to Mahira that the seal weapons can interact with each other to compensate for their deficiencies, and this allows the other two automagods to transfer their power to Pyet-A through Embrasque and Arvess. Now sensing Pyet-A as a serious threat, Diaspora switches priorities to attack.

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Isaac: That's pretty clever.

Isaac: If a third party can be injected into the automagod, Mahira can overwrite their commands and allow Grynoth and Arianensa to transfer their power to Pyet-A.

Mahira's Voice: The problem is I didn't think it would turn out this well, so I don't know how to proceed.

Isaac: Hm...

Isaac: Since automagods were originally built on the moon, I assume they're voice-controlled like the seal weapons.

Isaac: Maybe have the secondary pilots give a command or something?

Mahira's Voice: It's worth a try.

Lyria: A command?

Zeta: Like what?

Beatrix: Listen up, Arianensa! Chaaarge! Wreck those suckers!

Gwynne: Aaagh, stop shouting, I said! And don't shake the machine!

Beatrix: It moved, but nothing's really changed. Zeta, Lyria, why don't you two give it a shot?

Zeta: Umm... Keep up the good work, Grynoth...

Lyria: You can do it, Pyet-A! Goooo!

Pyet-A, Arianensa, and Grynoth writhe in the air while they're still exposed to a storm of enemy fire.

Isaac: Methinks they have the wrong idea about voice commands.

Cassius: Heh...

Isaac: Something funny, Cousin?

Cassius: You're looking better.

Isaac: Haha. What can I say? Doesn't feel like we're on the moon when it gets festive like this.

Cassius: Let them handle the drones while we hurry over to the mass driver.

Isaac: Right. In case the automagods don't make it, we'll be the last line of defense to take it out.

Isaac readjusts the transmitter hanging on his back and begins to walk, glancing back toward the automagods from time to time.

His destination is the moon's gigantic cannon, the one at the end of a flowing, glistening river.

Isaac: I can tell from here the cannon has quality craftsmanship.

Cassius: Yes, the recoil itself could blow an island out of the sky. It's built solid.

Isaac: If it's that stable, we won't be able to make it come crashing down by destroying the supports.

Cassius: Sabotaging the internal mechanisms would disable it. Unfortunately those can be easily restored.

Isaac: Yep, sure wish we had automagod firepower for this job.

Cassius: Speaking of wishes...

Isaac: ...!

Up ahead of them, the mass driver becomes illuminated, a sure sign that it's powering up.

Isaac and Cassius are left speechless by what they see next.

Cassius & Isaac: ...!

Two brilliant flashes are fired in quick succession from the structure.

The fading light trails of the two emissions indicate they're headed for the Sky Realm.

Isaac: Oh no! They've started to launch!

Cassius: Perhaps not. No announcements followed the launches. Those were probably calibration shots to verify trajectory.

Isaac: They're not taking any chances with misfires. In any case...

Cassius: Yes. It's almost time.

Isaac: Mayday, do you guys copy? If you saw the flashing lights, it means the cannon is pretty much ready to go!

Isaac: We'll do what we can from here, but to completely stop Diaspora we'll need Pyet-A's firepower.

Isaac: I wish you guys the best.

Cassius: I as well.

Isaac: All right then.

Drone: ...

Isaac: I hope luck is on our side too.

Cassius: I'll take care of this. Provide me with support.

Vaseraga: Seems enemy incursion has intensified following those two flashes.

Zeta: You can tell they really don't want us near that thing.

Gwynne: Well, sucks to be them 'cause I'm not gonna let Diaspora catch that flight.

Beatrix: Me neither!

Gwynne: ...!

Beatrix: Shoot!

Drone: ...!

A combat drone latches onto Arianensa. The automagod had been too busy supporting Pyet-A's maneuvers to avoid it.

Drone: ...!

The drone points a gun at Pyet-A, and the barrel begins to glow.

Gwynne: I don't think so!

Gwynne tries to use a free arm to swat the drone, but then something unexpected happens.

Beatrix: Huh?

Beatrix: Embrasque!

Gwynne: What the!

Beatrix: It's you!

A shining purple blade protrudes from Arianensa's arm.

Mahira: Ooh.

Mahira immediately understands the change that has occurred in Arianensa.

Mahira: The hull's status indicator shows that it has been augmented with a weapon. I see, I see.

Mahira: I can probably remain hands-off thanks to this latest development.

Mahira's Voice: Zeta, try summoning your seal weapon too.

Zeta: Okay.

Zeta: Arvess!

Zeta: Hraagh!

Mahira's Voice: This is astounding. Modding the automagods via external sources is opening up some interesting possibilities.

Mahira's Voice: By injecting another weapon contractor, the machine cells communicate with each other to create any needed functionality.

Mahira's Voice: Arianensa and Grynoth should now be able to transfer their remaining power to Pyet-A through Embrasque and Arvess.

Gwynne: ...

Beatrix: Gwynne, ready to transfer the rest of your power to Pyet-A?

Gwynne: Yeah, let's do it.

Grynoth and Arianensa present their weapons to Pyet-A.

Pyet-A grips Arvess and Embrasque in each hand. As the luster from the weapons fades, Pyet-A's arms grow brighter.

Ilsa's Voice: Pyet-A's operational time limit is extending...

Mahira's Voice: Now it should have enough energy reserves to finish the job.

Drones: ...!

The moon forces seem to have also noticed that something has changed because they grow increasingly agitated.

In the artificially created crater lake, automagod Diaspora reacts in the same violent manner as its smaller companions.

Both river and lake begin to churn and seethe.

Lyria: Is that...

A pillar of light smashes through the moon's bedrock, missing the automagods by the smallest margin.

When the pilots look down at the lunar surface, they are alarmed by the numerous glowing patches propagating across the landscape.

Vaseraga: Whatever you do, don't get hit by those beams. Keep your head on a swivel.

Gwynne: Sorry we can't stick around to help. It's all on you, (Captain).

Vaseraga: Our powers are yours to command. Good luck, (Captain).

With their energy spent, Arianensa and Grynoth detach from Pyet-A.

Arianensa: ...

Grynoth: ...

Pyet-A: ...

Pyet-A watches the final moments of its two wingmates. Then, with a fiery blast, its engines roar to life.

Pyet-A: Thrusters at max. Action priority: reach the target, take evasive maneuvers, engage in combat.

Pyet-A weaves through the tangle of light pillars while keeping a watchful eye on the drones. The two pilots aren't intimidated by this display of force.

Diaspora: Kreeee-kikiki...

Pyet-A: ...

Pyet-A suddenly cuts its engines and comes to a complete stop before the massive automagod.

Diaspora: Ouooooo!

It seems Central Axis's plan has changed. Instead of preparing for its trip to the sky, automagod Diaspora has decided to engage.