Hiro Kuat

"Come get some!" Nomi shouts as her deployment earring summons its bulwark with a flash, the sudden increase in weight causing the car's suspension to sag.

The explosion of force buffets everyone who had been sitting with Nomi in the rear of the car and I feel myself getting tumbled irresistibly into Sara. In the distance, I hear Madam cry out in protest as her body is bowled into the passenger door, the momentum blasting the door open on its hinges. I immediately summon my own bulwark out of pure instinct. Its the first thing that's drilled into us in the Academy. A pilot is almost always safer in her bulwark than out of it. So when in doubt, bring out your bulwark and take things from there.

"Hang on!" I yell at Sara, my armored hands grabbing her before the fresh impetus of force from my deployment flings her away. Securing Sara in a princess carry, I throw myself on to the flat of my back, letting the bulwark take the impact of the fall. The bulwark hits the ground with a thunderous clang and I sink one hand into the asphalt, hoping to stop myself from skidding out of control.

My fingers dig a long furrow in the road, and the bulwark skips up and down over the potholes and uneven surface of the asphalt. The momentum threatens to throw Sara free from my grip so I immediately shift my grip to her fluffy fox tail, squeezing it tightly and drawing a sudden squawk of protest from her. But Sara nevertheless clings to my bulwark with all her strength, her eyes kept tightly shut. In the background I hear the distinct sound of metal against metal, the clashing of weapons.

I drive my arm deeper into the road, the limb serving as a makeshift anchor. And sure enough, there's a hard tugging sensation as my arm hits a particularly solid segment of the roadwork. Pushing downwards hard, I manage to bring my slide to a stop. Releasing my hold on Sara's tail, she flops about bonelessly on top of my bulwark, eyes spinning.

"My tail's really sensitive you know." she groans, drool running down her mouth.

I get up to a sitting position on the road and Sara rolls off the bulwark's torso and plops squarely on to my lap, still completely dazed from the sudden frenzy of activity. Before I can get my bearings as well, a pair strong arms lift Sara to her feet and begins pulling her away from the scene. I almost swat away the interloper before recognizing her as the priestess who had been driving us about.

Realizing Sara would be safer with her, I let the beast girl be extricated from my arms without any protest. My eyes follow the robed figure herding Sara away from the ambush site, guiding her towards a gap in the enfilade set up by the Coalition. Hopefully they'll be able to keep their heads down. I would've liked to keep both of them safe, but there's a bigger problem on my plate right now.

The car is in ruins, with a pair of bulwarks standing amidst the twisted metal, weapons drawn. The Stormer with its sword drawn, faces Nomi, armed with a scythe. Compared to the blocky and unimpressive Stormer, Nomi's machine is resplendent in gold trim against a royal blue background. The armor of Nomi's bulwark bears the same graceful curves borne by Valkyrie standard issue, but that's where the similarities end.

Nomi wields her scythe one handed, the improved power output of her machine handling the stress easily. Her other arm is thrown protectively across Mari, shielding our Red Rose from the Stormer. Mari is as equally stunned as Sara was by the sudden attack and barely manages to gingerly touch the shallow wound cut across her cheek. But Mari's shirt is soaked with blood, as it flows freely down her neck. Nomi towers over the Stormer, the increased size of her bulwark compared to standard models readily apparent.

But her opponent does not back down. And the Coalition bulwarks keep their silent vigil.

"Hiro." Nomi's voice crackles over the secure squad frequency, "You with me?"

"Yeah." I answer, getting up to my feet. I see Nomi imperceptibly nod, her gaze not wavering from the Stormer.

"Mari can't fight." Nomi continues, "That bastard sliced off her ear, and the deployment earring along with it."

I zoom in on Mari and just like Nomi said, Mari's ear is nothing but a mass of crimson ruin, dripping blood. With the deployment earring nowhere in sight.

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"How's Madam and Sara?" Nomi keeps talking as she slowly starts backing away from the Stormer, inching towards my position.

"Sara's fine. She's with the priestess." I answer while scanning the area, eventually spotting a well groomed hobo lying on the road, not moving, "Madam, well, I think she took a bad fall. The scan tells me she's alive, at least."

The Stormer takes offence at Nomi trying to link up with me and immediately launches another attack on her, sword flashing. Nomi brings up her own scythe to counter and sparks fly from the competing blades clash. I spend a moment considering whether to rush into the fray to help Nomi before realizing that she has this fight well under control. The Stormer's pilot is good, his sword flicking about like a snake, darting through the gaps in Nomi's sloppy guard.

But Nomi is a woman. And for most men, that is a gulf in power they can never match.

The scythe whirls at lightning fast speed, granted not through skill, but natural strength enhanced by a powerful bulwark. Nomi manages to intercept most of the incoming attacks through speed alone while her bulwark's reinforced armor turns aside any blows that get past her guard. The Stormer stabs repeatedly at Nomi, but her armor remains as pristine as ever and her machine hums with contentment, not in the least strained by the combat. In retaliation, Nomi lifts her weapon high and bring its down like a sledgehammer. The Stormer twists violently to the side, boosters firing to the accompaniment of tearing metal. The blade of the scythe crashes into the ground with enough force to tear open a crater.

"Yes!" Nomi shouts over the com line in triumph.

But to my surprise, instead of being cut into half, the Stormer swivels about, regaining its balance and retreating several paces away from the Valkyrie. A long, ugly scar has been carved down the Stormer's torso, bleeding smoke and motes of divine energy. A last minute dodge.

"Just one more blow." I can hear the smugness oozing from Nomi's voice.

However, the roar of jet engines erupts from all around us and I see the Coalition bulwarks descending in unison, tightening the enfilade as they approach. Sara and the priestess quickly back up from the squeezing noose, coming to a stop at my side. Biting back a curse, I draw my own twin swords and assume a stance. From the corner of my eye, I see the Stormer stand down, obligingly sheathing its sword at a gesture from the lead Coalition bulwark.

"Unknown parties. You are causing a disturbance using unregistered foreign bulwarks." the lead bulwark transmits over the open frequency, "And you have infringed into the sovereign territory of Rais Land. As authorized peacekeepers, we demand that you submit at once."

"Damn. So Mari was right." I mutter, "This whole thing was a setup from the start." As the lead Coalition pilot speaks, the Stormer pilot raises his hands in surrender.

"What a load of bull." Nomi snorts as gently steadies Mari, "Those Coalition bulwarks are all Auxilia grade. Variants of Skirmishers and Stormers. They've no chance against us."

Just as I'm about to agree, I recall the event at the trafficker's yard and fire up my machine's sensors, sweeping all the Coalition bulwarks in the area. My action immediately draws their attention, but other than a dismissive glance at me, the Coalition pilots have no further reaction, not bothering to block my scan.

"Crap." I mutter as the results of the scan show up on my HUD, "Nomi, I think we're in trouble."

"How so?" Nomi asks, her scythe moving up a barest fraction.

"The Coalition bulwarks' power levels are all over the place." I reply, "Its like what happened when we first got here. Machines which should only be grade E or D in the scale suddenly channeling B levels of divine energy."

"That is a problem." Nomi agrees reluctantly, "Hey, you think this is the reason why the Citadel can't crack North Arcology?"

"Comply. Now." the lead Coalition pilot demands over the open frequency again.

"We're out of time." I conclude, "Nomi, you good with rushing these guys together?"

"No." Nomi says to my surprise.

"What?" I shoot back, eyeing the Coalition bulwarks with increasing nervousness.

"Hiro, we can't take them together." Nomi explains after drawing a deep breath, "So many class B pilots would overwhelm us. Escape is the only way."

"But ..." I stutter.

"No buts." Nomi presses on, "You know I'm right. My bulwark is a custom model. Its the strongest one in our unit."

"No ..." I protest, understanding dawning on me.

"I'll engage the Coalition pilots." the sadness in Nomi's voice overpowering, "You take the opportunity to breakthrough."

"Stop being stupid!" I snap, "I'm a Class A pilot as well. And what about Mari? Or the rest of our friends?"

"Your machine is weaker than mine." Nomi answers patiently, "And do you think retrieving someone is possible while being attacked from all sides?"

"I ..." my mouth clams up, rendering me speechless.

"Get ready." Nomi says and slashes her scythe through the air in challenge.

"So that is your choice?" the lead Coalition pilot queries, "Very well."

In a synchronized movement the Coalition bulwarks bring up their rifles, bayonets snapping out with vicious finality.

"Don't worry, Hiro." Nomi laughs, "I got this."

"Idiot. Still talking nonsense during a crisis." I barely manage to squeeze out from my constricted throat.

"Really. I got this." Nomi insists as she lets Mari fall to the ground, freeing up both hands to wield the scythe, "Victory is in my blood after all."

"But you just said ..." I stutter, once more ready to urge Nomi to accept my help.

"My battle today is to save you, Hiro." Nomi grandly declares, the power output of her bulwark spiking dramatically.

"And I was born to never know defeat."