Cross Ange: The Knight of Hilda

Chapter 25: Libertus Lost

Blaster fire impacted the water surrounding the Aurora, triggering eruptions of seawater on all sides. A few even managed to score a hit but the hull's ablative armor absorbed the energy and dissipated it across its surface. On board, the crew slowly began to regain consciousness only to cry out in alarm as the ship trembled and shook around them. In the launch bay, Rio and the others were pelted with foaming spray as the Ragna-mail continued to rain emerald death down on them.

"Get those doors closed now," Boss ordered.

"Not yet," Rio countered. "We have to help Ange. They tried to take her last time. Mei, get our machines ready to launch."

"There's a problem," Mei said. "Hilda, your machine suffered major damage. I'm sorry but I still haven't fully repaired it yet."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Only one thing to do, Rio realized. But he already knew she wasn't going to like it.

"Hilda, stay on board and help them escape!"

"What! I'm not going to..."

"We don't have a choice! Just get out of here! We'll catch up with you later. Now go!"

"Hilda come on!" Jasmine urged. Gritting her teeth, Hilda grabbed Rio by the collar of his shirt and yanked him towards her.

"If you die I'll never forgive you!" Releasing him, Hilda ran to where the others were waiting. Mei meanwhile taxied Vivian's Razor and Susano'o into position. As he mounted his machine, Rio spared a final glance back just in time to see Hilda's ponytail vanish down the corridor.

"Let's go Vivian!" he called.

"Right behind you partner!"

Hilda cursed as she followed after Jasmine and Boss towards the bridge. Why did Rio always have to take stupid risks like this? But as much as she hated it, a part of her knew it was the only choice. With everyone still out from Tusk's gas they couldn't even mount a defense. The sooner they got away the sooner Rio and the others could escape. Maggie meanwhile had taken the Commander to Sickbay to better treat her knife wound. Hilda just hoped that she wouldn't regret not putting a bullet in Jill's back during her fight with Ange when she had the chance.

"Tighten down the bulkheads," Jasmine barked as they finally arrived. "Get ready to dive. Boss, raise the Quantum Shield. Hilda take the helm."

"You know how to handle this thing?" the old man asked.

"Just like a Para-mail," Hilda said. "A really BIG Para-mail." At his own console, Boss keyed in a sequence of commands and the air outside the viewport shimmered as an energy field enveloped the entire ship, the blasts from the Ragna-mail dissipating against it in flashes of light.

Aboard her Raziya, Ersha banked in a circle and made another pass at the Aurora. It hurt to have to do this but Master Embryo's orders were absolute and those on board were a threat to his plan. Beside her, Chris flew along in Theodra and the two of them commenced a second bombardment of the Aurora only for the blasts to dissipate harmlessly before they could even impact.

"They've raised their Quantum shield," Chris said. "Filthy cheaters!"

"Keep at it," Ersha replied. "We can't let them get away." A sudden alarm on her console caught Ersha's attention and she and Chris broke off the assault as a hail of crimson energy beams and machine gun fire tore through the sky behind them. From out of the sky, Ange and that black sky vehicle charged at them with guns blazing. Ersha and Chris turned to face them when another blip on her radar signaled more enemies approaching from their four as Rio and Vivian opened fire. Under assault from two sides at once, Ersha and Chris converted to Flight Mode and shot clear.