Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 576-577

Chapter 576: Pitched Fighting

The Pharmacist was in her preferred garb, an old-style qipao. Aside from when necessary under Lan Jue's command, she preferred comfortable civilian clothes.

The stopped in her advance, fixing her eyes on the hangar's watchtower.

Within the airship hangar.

"Ey? Who's this lady? She looks like she'd be a good time!" The scene was revealed two a couple pirates, looking over the security monitors. They stared in curiosity.

"Should we tell the boss? It's weird for a woman to show up in the middle of the night like this." A somewhat older pirate asked.

"Ah, why should we. What do we get from telling them anything? Look, it's early, no one's around. I'm sure we could find a quiet place to show the lady around, you know what I'm saying? Would having a good time be such a bad thing? Then we get rid of her - what the boss doesn't know won't hurt him."

The pirate who was trying to coerce them was an obscene, evil man. Rotten thoughts swam through his head when suddenly, much to his surprise, the woman became the center of a blazing light. Then their screens went dark.

"An attack… ? Attack!" The few napping pirates in the surveillance room were sharply awakened by his cries. Alarms began to screech across the whole hangar. The sides of the watchtower nearby fell away, spewing dazzling waterfalls of sparks.

As the alarms rang, the Pharmacist was on the move. She rose into the air as though she were treading on clouds. In a few long strides she was inside the hangar.

Twinkling lights set stark shadows as seven brilliant stars blinked into existence. Radiantly they burned, an enormous sword appeared in their midst. Woosh! One of the patrol boats nearest to the weapon was sliced cleanly in two. As the pirates looked on in terror, the massive sword fractured into hundreds of copies. Deadly whirlwinds of steel lashed out in every direction.

Staff in the monitoring room had engaged all of the small hangar's defenses. Curtains of light flashes as the systems reacted to the incursion. Shields crackled to life around the remaining ships. The Pharmacist soared into the dark sky and vanished from view. Yet the light she discharged, and the army of blades at her command, descended upon the hangar like the apocalypse.

Spears of light pierced everything, buffeting the hangar's interior with raging tides of energy. Many pirates were caught up and thrown hundreds of meters away from the force. None had an opportunity to get into the warehouse's mecha suits.

The shields proved to be worth their cost. Not all of the ships were immediately destroyed when the Pharmacist's swords made contact. At least, so it went for their initial contact. When the second wave of swords arrived the ships were reduced to strips of metal. Then the swords were headed for the battleship.

The first sword struck the shield. It flickered, but held. The second hit, then the third, and the fourth. Every single one struck in precisely the same spot. In the blink of an eye a hundred of them overwhelmed the shield.

Boom–!

An explosion ripped through the battleship, sending burning debris everywhere. A hundred more of the Pharmacist's frightening weapon carved at the beleaguered hull. By the time mecha reinforcements arrived, their battleship was an unrecognizable hunk of scrap metal.

Altogether, the small airfield was around a hundred square meters. The Pharmacist turned it into a junk heap with a flick of her wrist. Every living thing was summarily silence. Their tomb was the jagged husks of their ships and mechas.

She didn't have the same restrictions that bound the Gourmet. She wasn't a Paragon who had to adhere to protogenia's morals. Besides, her Discipline was rooted in righteousness. It was her path to Paragon, something she discovered with the help of her Banishing Blade.

Her conscience was clear. Let this be a massacre. Have these wicked men purged. Their work was good in a place consumed by evil!

She gave them no quarter. Every cutting sword was an extension of her will, going where she commanded. The hangar's defenses might as well have been turned off.

Fifteen minutes later the Pharmacist calmly walked from a silent air field. She looked like an old painting, a maiden taking a summer stroll through a courtyard. She dialed a number into her communicator.

"It's done. They've been exterminated."

ζ

"Prepare for battle!" Mika's fierce voice shouted through the bridge of Zeus-1. Engines roared as the ship took off from planet Moonfiend. Stealth was engaged the moment they were airborne.

There was a considerable gulf between the battle capabilities of Majesty and Zeus-1. They were different classes of ship, after all. However, Zeus-1 did have its advantages, and that was agility. It excelled for infiltration, evasion and combat on a planet's surface.

Majesty couldn't fight in confined quarters, for the fact that their weapons were too destructive. In such close proximity, there was a danger it could destroy itself. Majesty was better suited for orbital bombardment, or interstellar combat.

Lan Jue determined Zeus-1 was better for the job of laying waste to an airship hangar. In fact, Zeus-1 had the most important mission. Not only was it crew responsible for the base, they had to run support for the whole Division and support logistics as well. When the main assault began, Zeus-1 would be needed even more.

Their target was fast approaching.

"Charging is complete. Weapons are primed and ready!" Xiuxiu's sweet voice gave the report. Weapons systems were her and Ke'er's responsibility. Lin Guoguo, the Psychic Tide, was their intelligence and communications expert. Mika had the master controls.

Zeus-1 soared through the air like a nightingale, a silent breeze. No radar would see them through the Blinding Stone. Hidden away from view were the crackling barrels of the ship's primary and secondary weapons.

After the Keeper and Bookkeeper got their hands on it, Zeus-1 was a whole new ship. Calling it an upgrade wasn't going far enough.

"All weapons, prepare to fire." Lin Guoguo sat in Lan Jue's usual chair. The familiar metal helmet was fitted on her head. Channeling her psychic powers through the ship, there was nothing in the airfield hidden from her sight.

Beeps chirped through the bridge, confirming locks on the pirate ships below. The unshielded battleship was in the center of their crosshairs.

"Fire!"

Beams of radiant blue light erupted from Zeus-1's weapons, turning the dim cannons into fountains of death. Sixteen turrets and its main gun released their payload all at once on the unsuspecting pirates.

Lin Guoguo set the targeting; five smaller turrets per patrol boat, and the main guns right on their battleship. In total, thirteen pirate ships were removed from action after the initial barrage.

Star Division prided itself on unconventional tactics. One could argue it was the key to their continued success. What enemy would expect to have the skies over their airfield open up and rain destruction on them, without any warning from their radar?

Cloaking was taxing for the ship's energy reserves, so it was mostly used to evade enemies during attack. However, there were circumstances when it could be used offensively. The suddenness and the violence of their entrance knocked the pirates off guard. The enemy ships were struck by the light-based weapons so fast their ships couldn't switch on in time.

The scene below Zeus-1's bridge was a vision of blooming fireballs. Explosions rolled like thunder. An afterimage of the main cannon's payload burned a path all the way to the remains of a battleships. One pirate battleship remained.

If this had been in space with the pirate battleship's shields in place, a direct hit like that would have caused some damage. One could imagine what happens when Zeus-1 catches a ship unprepared.

Ke'er, her eyes ablaze, began charging the weapons for a second volley. Her hands gripped the table, and through it she poured her Discipline into the ship's systems. No ninth level Adept could match the destructive power of a battleship, but they could use their Discipline with one for tremendous results. Aside from piloting mechas, strong Adepts were also well suited for battleship weapons control. The technology in weapon systems for Command ships or better far outstripped what one or even two Adepts could conjure together.

Mika scowled. "It's like they're made of paper. No push-back whatsoever."

Xiuxiu smirked. "They're not weak, we're too strong! Too much for them to handle."

"Yeah," Mika nodded, accepting her sister's determination.

Previously, they'd been so careful to use their full strength during training. Their soldiers were still green, so they'd held back against the smaller foes. Typically, their earlier missions could have been finished in a matter of minutes.

This time was different. Everyone was involved, even the Gourmet. The full might of Star Division was on display. When Lan Jue said this would be a test of the Division, this is what he meant.

The campaign was in full swing. IT was time to show the Starfields was Star Division could do.

Chapter 577: Crossing Paths

Their mission was done. Most of the ships were in flames. The battleship that was spared Zeus-1's barrage sit in the middle of a burning ruin. Soon the ships beside it would explode. With the destruction that would cause, it would be days before the ship could fly. The air field's defenses were obliterated before they could be turned on.

On Luna, at the Moonfiend Palace, the mission continued.

The Driver and Lan Jue took over the main controls, then began passing orders to their troops. They still had a lot to do.

Lan Jue rushed to the main controls, connecting to Majesty to help decrypt the pirate's systems. Su Xiaosu had given the Accountant a wealth of information on them, which made cracking in a breeze.

"I'm in," the Accountant confirmed."

They could hear explosions in the distance. Alarms were going off all across their monitors. This was the central control room for more than just the palace. It monitors the planet's defense systems and satellites, too. Once an alarm was tripped on an airfield, it showed up on their screens.

A grin spread across Lan Jue's face. He shot the Driver a thumbs-up. The Driver responded with a nod to say he was ready.

"Xiaosu, how's it going on your end?" Lan Jue spoke into his communicator.

Su Xiaosu's voice returned. "We're in the tunnel, all set."

"Good. When you're ready." Lan Jue then turned back to the main controls. "Majesty, engage the fortress' defenses."

"Got it!" The Accountant was frugal with his words when needed. In fact he was less a man and more a robot. His eyes flashed erratically with strings of code, and a dim light hung over him.

Moonfiend Palace.

A deep, low rumble shuddered through the palace. The earth quaked and shook dust from the surrounding buildings. Outside, the walls that separated Luna from the palace began to rise from the ground. The whole structure was lifting into the air.

Floodlights cracked as they sparked to life. They shone from the palace towers like a dozen eyes. Inside, metal walls shot up from the floor, compartmentalizing everything. A dim, reddish-orange membrane of light hung over the exterior.

A few minutes later, Moonfiend Palace was clear of the ground. Alloy walls and energy shielding turned the quaint castle into a scaled-down Bastion ship. As if to prove the point, a massive gun emerged from the peak of the palace's tallest tower. Slowly it extended, ominously preparing to annihilate whatever it pointed at.

Within the control center, Lan Jue turned to the Driver. "Head to the railgun, I'll take care of things on this end."

The Driver was surprised. "I thought the plan was to defend this place. Where are you planning on going?"

Lan Jue smirked. "I sense a presence; a presence of an old friend. I'll stay here, you go ahead. Don't delay."

The Driver was wise enough to know this was not the time for nonsense. He didn't know why Lan Jue suddenly changed the plan, but he changed into a bolt of electricity and shot toward his new target.

Star Division's objectives were straight-forward; take the Palace, and engage its defenses. First and Second Brigade were to flood the halls and deal with the pirates within. Once the Palace was under their control, they would use it to eradicate the remaining enemy forces. Moonfiend air fields lay in ruin. So long as the Star Division kept their cool, their chance at victory were good.

Of course, this was easier said than done. There were a lot of moving parts that had to work in perfect harmony. If any of the pirate ships got off the ground, it would put a great deal of pressure on the Division's ground forces.

Taking the palace was integral to their plans, but was not an easy target. The foes within were the best of the clan. Enemies would be strong, and numerous. The Clan' leadership was certain to be here. Taking it without losing a soldier would be tough.

Meanwhile, Majesty was responsible for pinning down a whole planet. The Photographer had to erase one from reality for several hours. Every cog in their war machine had to do their job flawlessly. It was the only way their plan would succeed.

As Lan Jue looked over the monitors, there was a flash of light in the control room. He was joined by another man. When Lan Jue saw who it was, he grinned.

"My old friend, it's been a while." He smiled amicably to the newcomer.

Gabriel's reaction to seeing Lan Jue was different. He was stunned, never having imagined he would show up here. The angel's heart sank.

The sudden alarms had interrupted his cultivating. He'd felt an ominous wave pass through him, an inexplicable fear that spread through his whole body. It had been a long time since he'd felt anything like that. He couldn't imagine what would cause it.

After his earlier correspondence with Redbeard, Gabriel later heard from the pirate that the main control room had come under assault. The fortress' defenses were under enemy command and they had to get them back. Gabriel, the Messenger of Death, rushed to the scene.

The last person he expected to run in to was Zeus.

Gabriel had been there with Michael and Raphael, right here on this planet, when the trap had been lain for Lan Jue. They had been dispatched here to kill him. The old adage rings true that every dog had its day, and fate had chosen now to bring these two old enemies together on a familiar battlefield. By why? Shouldn't Zeus have been on Skyfire Avenue? What was he doing all the way out here?

Gabriel was very much aware of how terrifying the man before him could be. He'd seen it with his own eyes at the Great Adept Tournament. Honestly, the angel knew he was no match for the Monarch.

A corona of holy light sprang up around Gabriel. His shields.

"Why are you here?" Gabriel demanded.

Lan Jue replied with a smirk. "Why are you here, Gabriel? Strange that we should meet here - us and the most righteous Pontiff's Citadel. My, if your followers ever found out it would be catastrophic."

Anger flashes in Gabriel's cold eyes. "Did you come for me?"

Lan Jue shook his head. "You think too highly of yourself. Certainly not special enough to have me drag myself all the way out here."

The Archangel's eyes narrowed, but expertly stifled his anger. "Then why in the galaxy have you come?"

Lan Jue tepidly explained. "I'm a bit of a confessed germophobe. If something's dirty, I have a compulsion to wipe it clean. The Moonfiend Pirates used to be clean, but they've since come under new management. Things have gotten murky."

Understanding dawned on the Pontiff's man. "So it was your treacherous hand that's strangled all those pirate clans. You…"

Lan Jue's stare hardened. "Treacherous hand? Eliminating evil is the work of good men, or is that not something they teach you in the Citadel? Perhaps I should show you what I'm talking about."

Gabriel's heart was racing. His dark eyes were pinned to Lan Jue's. "Your goals are exactly the same as ours, just different methods. If Skyfire Avenue is here to stake a claim I'm sure something can be negotiated. Have you forgotten our shared enemy? Did you know that I had gotten several of the pirate clans to agree to join in the defense of humanity when those aliens arrive? But you've slaughtered them all. Was that Skyfire Avenue's intention?"

This made the Monarch chuckle. "Are you afraid? Nothing you say means anything. All I know, is that you need to make sure you're running a tight ship if you want it to weather a storm. If we don't cut out the cancer of piracy now, they'll rise against us when the aliens arrive - right when we're at our most vulnerable. You're right - we share the same enemy. So if you behave yourself and stay right here, then I'll return you to the Citadel when we're finished."

Gabriel was stunned. "You're that confident? You're standing on planet Moonfiend! It's called that for a reason. Do you have any idea how many pirates there are stationed here? My best guess is you've brought no more than three battleships!"

Another chuckle shook Lan Jue. He turned away from Gabriel and tapped at the keyboard before him.

Screens all throughout the control room flickered to life. Each one showed scenes of desolation and raging fires. Gabriel's time on Moonfiend was long, he knew he was looking at.

Gabriel opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a group of men burst into the room. A telling flood of energy surrounded them. Their leader was a large man with a fiery red beard, who looked to be in a very bad mood.

"Master Gabriel!" Redbeard was surprised by the angel's presence, but before he spoke further he noticed Lan Jue. The pirate leader's eyes narrowed, and in an instant his face changed. He saw the images of the screens, and like Gabriel knew right away what it meant. He'd only just gotten news of the attacks.

"Grab him!" Redbeard charged at Lan Jue with four of his men.

When the palace's defenses had suddenly engaged, Redbeard was shocked. He was used to these leisurely days now, the Moonfiend Pirates weren't near as vigilant as the Red Widows. After his communicator started to buzz and reports of attack came in did he come to his senses. He immediately gave the order to engage, informed Gabriel, and brought his strongest subordinates to the control room.