How Love Blunders All...

[Mr.Fabulous]

David covered the ground in seconds and slammed against the missile rack's concrete base, trying to blend in as best as possible. Quickly, he plugged in his PDA and began the transfer as another volley from the masked ships hit the estate, “They haven't spotted me so far.” David says under his heavy breath.

With the programming of the third rack done, David repositions the launcher on his back, waits for the attacks to become in-sync again, and dashes for the final missile.



Meanwhile, high above the atmosphere, the Enthusiast's Timepiece moves into position. George and his crew stood aboard the bridge, watching the events unfold far below them, “The antimatter bomb has been moved to the docking bay and is ready for deployment.”

“Excellent,” George clasped his hands together, “however I am starting to think we may not need it. David's been able to successfully program 3 of the missiles. Is their software functioning to within acceptable limits?”

“Yes sir they are. Missiles 1 through 3 are accurately tracking 2 hostile ships. Assuming standard countermeasure equipment, the probability of both ships being taken down with 2 missiles each is 76%. If we add David's own missile, that increases to 89%.”

The man nods slowly, “High, but not good enough to show our hand. Get ready to---”

“Kingdom 1, the complex is now suffering imminent collapse, and still Kairi's unable to hack into their systems,” George was interrupted by the transmission of a woman coming over the bridge speakers, “something about their hardware deliberately fried or something. Possible we've hit their mainframe. Going to do a quick scan.”

All of a sudden, the bolts that once rained on the estate suddenly stop: everything went silent for a bit. The same female voice continued, “Can't read anything, and so can't Kairi. Maybe we hit the mainframe. I don't detect any form of anomalies.”

The voice that responded next was belonged to a male's, “Kingdom 2, think the complex also runs underground?”

“Not likely... Scanners should've detected energy signatures to indicate underground shielding, or the subterranean equipment would've been spotted.”

For a brief minute, the transmissions fall silent.

The man apparently-labeled Kingdom 1 broke the silence first, “... Kingdom 2, cover my ship, I'm going in.”

“WHA-- Negative, Kingdom 1. It could be a trap.” The woman sounded worried.

“I DON'T CARE, AQUA! Rei's in there, it's my responsibility for whatever happens to her.”

Kingdom 2, who had now been revealed to be a woman named Aqua, quickly replied, “Kingdom 1! Kingdom 1! JEREMY, DAMMIT!”

Another pause came to the bridge before the transmissions continued, “Look... Rei can handle herself in there. Give the kiddo a break, will ya?”

“But I won't be able to forgive myself if she gets hurt.” A trace of melancholy came out of the man known as Jeremy, otherwise aliased as Kingdom 1.

“And what if you suddenly screw up a---” The woman had cut off her own statement, “Kingdom 1, there's a slight heat signature to the opposite far side of the estate, ESE. Do you copy?”

George gave a frown at that last sentence, “Oh great, he's been spotted. Alright, let that transmission through, but all further communications between those ships is halted unless I give the ok. Record all transmissions and begin voice synthesis, we have to make these pilots ignore David.”

After the crew had let the transmission pass, Jeremy replied, “Kingdom 2, it's faint, but I read it too... it could be an animal, though? Can't get a detailed scan since it's kilometres away. Do you at least read a visual?”

“Let it through” George grunted as he sat heavily in his plush Captain's Chair, “Put me through to David, but their communications has priority.”

“Aye, sir. I'll let David know the situation before I put him through to the bridge.”

“Negative, Kingdom 1, it's too far away for visual, but it's moving at a reasonable speed according to it's distance.” Aqua's voice grew inquisitive, “But whatever it is, it's trying to move quickly to some sort of small structure.”

“Some sort of small structure...” George gave a nod, “Allow it, as soon as David is at that rack, put him through.”

Jeremy said, “It's moving in a quick zig-zag pattern. Strange. Pattern's unlike any animal I know. Think I should investigate?” George gave a quick, albeit growled nod.

“Zig-zag? ... Wait, do they seem random and unpredictable?” George also gave this a nod.

“... Roger. And there's not even another heat signature, to indicate any other animals nearby. It's like it's trying to... dodge or something.”

“Dodge? Kingdom 1, what are you saying?”

George sighed heavily in hearing that as he gave another nod of his head, letting the transmissions through, “Yep, they've spotted him, got him on the line yet?”

“Aye sir, I do! Putting him through now.”

There was a momentary pause before George started talking, “David, they've spotted you. For God's sakes, slow down and act like a wild animal and they'll keep ignoring you, but if you keep moving at your current pace you're bound to be toast.”

David's voice rang out across the bridge, “Good to hear from you too, George. Alright, keep me posted, half way to the final rack now.” With that, David cut the line.

George then turned back to the comm's officer, “Now what do they have to say about him now?”

Jeremy's voice turned from urgent to evident curiosity, “... Huh. Now the signature's velocity has started to decelerate, and is beginning to go in a wide arc...” A short pause before he continued, “... Now it's stopped.” George gave this a nod.

Aqua laughs in response to her companion's message, “Could've been just a herbivore that just barely escaped the forest. This mission's really starting to go into our heads.” A cheeky grin could be seen forming on George's face as he also gave this a nod.

A long pause descends on the bridge as the crew wait for the next transmission, “... Now it's going at a steady pace...

“Screw this, maybe it is just an animal. Continue bombardment.” Everyone in the bridge sighed relief when they heard David had just managed to evade them, at least for the time being.

After more or less a minute of more bombardment on the now-very-ruined building, another transmission quickly came up, “Kingdom 1, think the complex has had enough. No return fire whatsoever.”

“Roger. Scout 5 clicks radius from ground zero, see if we missed anything.”

The tracking software registered that the ships had separated from each other, and that they were now orbiting the estate. Half a minute or so later, and another transmission comes in, “Kingdom 1, I'm suddenly reading 2 heat signatures come from the forest, going at extremely-rapid speed.” The crew turned back to George, who then gives another nod, only this time with a curious look of his own.

“Two signatures? How fast they're going?”

“Unbelievable, almost ninja-like. One of the pair seems random and unpredictable, while the second seems to be on chase.”

A few seconds of pause interrupts the transmissions before they continued again, “... Strix. Kingdom 2, I'm going in to assist. Stay here and continue scouting.” George let this one through with another nod.

“Roger.”

Some several seconds later, Jeremy continues from where he left off, “Kingdom 2, I'm getting close enough for a better scan... Confirmed, second heat signature is Strix, the first I don't know, but she seems to be this woman with a skimpy battle-gown. Both wounde---”

The transmission appeared to have been purposely cut-off by the sender.

“Kingdom 2, head directly for that first heat signature you found: just confirmed it to be a man, with some sort of launcher on his back. Readings aren't sure, but they show slight traces of antimatter near him.”

“CUT THAT ONE!!!” Darwin shouts suddenly, causing some of the crew members to jump from their seats, “Construct using Kingdom 2, quote: 'Roger, I'll get closer and get a better scan' unquote.” The message is played through the bridge speakers for George to check it before he gives it a nod of approval, “Alright, send it through...

“... Now it's time we play god.”

“Strix? Kingdom 1, requesting to head there and assist.”

George snarled at the message, “Damn... Alright allow that, lets hope they don't pick up on us.”

Suddenly one of the crew members jumps up, “Sir! David has reprogrammed all the missiles. All 4 'big boys' are ready as well as David's missile. I'll put him through now.”

There was a moment of static before David’s voice filled up the room, "All right George, I hope this idea of yours works. All missiles have been reprogrammed. I don't know what you did, but those ships have buggered off.”

“They're heading over the forest to get a look at some new contacts that came out-of-the-blue, one of them most likely to be Jaden, and it sounds like she's a bit hurt. We're vectoring 1 of the ships over to the estate now, then racks 1 and 3 will fire.

“Position yourself by the beach-wall of the estate between racks 3 and 4, and ready your launcher. We'll take over the missile's tracking mechanism from here. Make sure you're in a firing position, or you're as good as dead.”

“Roger that, heading straight for it.”

“Good, will contact you after we're taken these things down.” George then cuts the line and thinks for a moment. “... Now we have to get one of those ships over the water so we can blast it apart.”

“Negative, Kingdom 2. Great, now the man's heading towards the beach... perfect. Follow that man and investigate further."

Darwin's smile morphed quickly to a grin, “Alrighty, here's our chance. Deny, using Kingdom 1 construct quote: 'Negative, Kingdom 2. Great now the man's heading towards the beach... perfect. Go around the water and hit him with a full volley, I doubt he'll use that missile. He can't hit what he can't see' unquote.” The message was played over the bridge once more, “Send it through...

“Now. Ready missiles 1 and 3. The target should be in position shortly.”

“Aye sir, missiles ready and tracking, awaiting orders.”

“Roger.” George nods. Aqua then pauses before continuing, “In-position now, firing first volley in 5...”

“Allow the former, but deny the latter.”

“Aye sir.”

Coming wide around the eastern side of the estate, Kingdom 2 lined up for a 5 second bombing style attack run. Being invisible and fed information indicating there would be no retaliating fire, the ship stabilised and flew a straight path, coming in neat and stable. It readied to fire on the man, who was just a tiny speck against what was left of a wall.

But within another speck in the skies, a single man uttered a single, yet powerful word which was going to change everything, “... Fire.”





Almost immediately the antimatter missile in rack 1 fire, followed by other in rack 3 only milliseconds later. The missiles flew high above Kingdoms 2 flight path and turned down, attacking from above, while the short delay in launch meant the missiles became level with each other. Approaching from either side, there was no way Kingdom 2 could turn without heading directly into one of the missiles or the sea. The water-tracking software worked perfectly, giving the missiles a location of Kingdom 2 to within a few meters of its actual location.

"What the---" was all Kingdom 2 could say as the missiles detonated 20 meters from the nose of her ship. The 60-meter-radii shockwaves from each side combined to hit the cloaked fighter, wiping its shield and ripping components off. Determining only just in time that the reactor was breached and was going to detonate, the ship's computers signalled to eject the escape pod before it could be caught in the full force of the blast. With the cloaking generator ripped from the ship, visible parts rained down into the water, while the pilot was ejected high, followed by the parachute to cushion its return to land. The entire ordeal lasted only less than a second, the pilot within the pod rendered unconscious from the concussive force of the blasts.

David called Darwin, "Direct hit! I'm ready, lets hit that second one!"

... Meanwhile, a few minutes before...

Strix finally won the upper hand. Jaden's shield had been overloaded when she faltered while trying to dodge, allowing Strix to deliver a long swipe with her katana, then kicked her straight in the side, blowing the Corsair meters in the air before she stumbled and rolled to the ground. The side of Jaden's mouth began dripping slowly with blood as she staggered to get up. She then hears a footstep beside her, followed by the feeling of a swift kick to the same side, sending her back again to the ground,

"A pity... I thought Corsairs were tougher than this."

Strix then uses her foot to move Jaden to her back, then places the foot to lean heavily on her cheek as the blue-haired woman aimed her katana high above Jaden's abdomen, "Guess I can't let you live..."

Jaden thought to herself, 'Damn... I'll have to... go all-out... my only... chance.' With her remaining strength, she motions her hand to the strange slip on her clothing, and places two fingers on the slip, "I'm not... going down... without a fi--"

Suddenly, both of them hear the missiles launch from the SAM sites, followed by a split-second later the explosion lighting up the skies above. Strix flinched in utter shock and disbelief, "WHA?!"

Jaden's eyes shot wide-open, seeing the chance to still come out of this alive: she quickly used her human-hand to deliver a swift punch on her adversary's knee, freeing her and making her opponent topple.


The following movement happened in less than a second...


As Jaden quickly got up, she aimed her android-arm to deliver a straight uppercut right in the centre of Strix's abdomen, focusing her entire momentum under the small area of the fist. With the unimaginable power that could dent armored ship hull, the arm delivers so much force that it breaks almost 2/3rd's of her ribs, causes internal bleeding, crumples one of her lungs, and sends her up 20 meters high up into the air: it's a wonder how the impact didn't simply go through the woman's back. Several seconds later, a loud thud on the plain was heard, where Strix had landed head-first onto the grassy ground, guaranteeing unconsciousness.


Jaden had done it... she won.


The Corsair, shivering from the adrenaline that was starting to wear off, crumpled to her knees, panting heavily to herself, "... Well... at least... my clothes... are still on... heh... heh... hehhh," and she falls asleep in the middle of the plains.

----------

Jeremy couldn't believe what just happened, "Kingdom 2! Come in! AQUA, DO YOU READ?!"

"Direct hit, sir. The ship known as Kingdom 2 has been destroyed." A crewmember aboard the Enthusiast's bridge informed.

"Excellent. Ready racks 2 and 4. Inform David that he'll soon fire his missile. Are all tracking systems functioning?"

"Yes sir, Water vapor tracking scanners are online."

"Good. We've lost our element of surprise, so if Kingdom 1 looks to be planning to attack racks 2 and 4, fire the missiles. Better we scramble them than to loose them."

"Aye, sir."

Kingdom 1 made a gut-wrenching turn and fell to within a few feet of the tree tops, "Sir, he's heading towards rack 3!"

"Let him, it's empty...” After a quick thought, he continued, “Lets give him a clue. Construct Kingdom 2 quote: 'Kingdom 1, the man at the front, tracking. Kill him' unquote, then garble all unnecessary words, but make sure the meaning is clear." The message is played back and George gives a nod of his head, "Lets hope this works... And don't tell David that we told the enemy to kill him." The comment breaks the tension on the bridge with most crew members laughing briefly, but still focused and aware that they had a job to finish.

The invisible fighter suddenly thrusts at full-afterburner speed towards David. It was clear the ship was going at a straight line since the wake left dismembered trees. The ship then made a sharp turn up high into the air, and swerved again to do a super-sharp bombing run...


... right on-top of David.


George laughed for a moment, "David, aim directly up and fire!"

David couldn't help raise his eyebrow from the order, but was still immediate in his response, "Roger," and quickly aims at a 90-degree angle towards the sky.

Turning back to the crew, George continued, "Fire the other 2 as soon as his is off, we've got him!"

Moments later David let loose his missile, which were quickly followed by racks 2 and 4 launching their salvoes, the missiles now squealing straight towards the invisible ship.

David's missile was the first to make its mark on the fighter, followed a split-second later by the other two dozens of meters away, taking out the shields like a fragile soap bubble, then ripping the superstructure of the entire ship, the escape pod only barely managing to keep its pilot from getting wiped out.

However, the combined blast from all 3 missiles was powerful enough to reach David, blowing him through the wall and into the Hanger building. Bits and pieces of what remained of the reflective adaptive armor from the blown-up ship streamed through the sky like a multicolored meteor shower. That was the last thing David witnessed before fatigue, and the force of the shockwave's effects on his body, made him lose consciousness. In a bad condition, but still alive to fight another day.





George and the entire crew aboard the bridge of the Timepiece were silent until George finally spoke, "Is the ship destroyed?"

"Y... Yes sir... No other contacts detected."

George sat silently for a moment before continuing, "Good. Send down the clean up team. Move the Timepiece to a safe location, change our cover, and get us moored on the New Tokyo fixture."

"... Aye sir."

The KSP were relieved when a 'prison' shuttle left Prison Liner 419XZ and went through the docking ring, the liner instead continuing on its way.

----------

A couple hours later, another Liner christened the Big Earner requested to moor with Planet New Tokyo to take on equipment and supplies. Standard checks revealed the Liner to be owned by a wealthy Libertonian, but when the payment from the Liner inadvertently jumped an extra digit to its mooring fee the ship wasn't given a second glance by officials. After receiving the same shuttle that docked some time before, the Big Earner left the mooring fixture, and continued on its own merry way.

--- THE END ---

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