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Chason Base, Palmian Kingdom. October, 64 A.U.
Project Valfreyja
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"Alright, let's get it moving, people!"
Pommeline was getting suited into her armor. With most of the crew focusing on moving luggage, only some left to help her. After that, they were going to help with Loclynn's too.
"Why told us to get out of the armor just to tell us to get back into it!"
"It's an emergency, Linn. Captain can't help it."
Stopping from his work, Ames peeked into the magic armor room to see them. Even Loclynn had his inner suit on already while Ames was still in his normal clothing.
"Why are you in the Fulst, ma'am?"
"Covering for you guys. Flying fortress is an easy target."
"I'm sorry ma'am! I didn't hear about this, I swear. I was helping the crews move things inside, I wasn't being tardy."
"I know! You're not going out."
"What? Why?"
"THAT I don't know. Go ask the captain."
"Y-yes ma'am!"
"Haha."
Watching someone with his type of body being as timid as Ames was always interesting. Even when she was cold at him, his behavior always tickled Pommeline.
---
"Ugh... I'm sorry!"
Men and women running all around inside the flying fortress. Ames passed the uncharacteristically empty lab. He knew Nensa would help the captain at the bridge, but to not see even one of the research maniacs led by Prof. Vent was weird.
Even the bridge door was kept in an open position to facilitate people.
"CAPTAIN!"
"Pvt. Ames! Welcome to the bridge of The Valfreyja. Weirdly, you've never been before, right?"
"No, sir!- I mean yes, sir. It's not important right now! Why don't you let me fight? I can't just leave 1st Lt. Pommeline and 2nd Lt. Loclynn alone out there."
"Don't be too full of yourself, son. They'll manage. They were just being emotional. You've seen how those two are normally, they're strong. I'm not giving you and the Vawln permission to take flight."
They starting to get the attention of the room. Most of the crews got to work on the project by Cpt. Lyto's recommendation.
"CAPTAIN LYTO! Why!?"
"BECAUSE THEIR TARGET IS YOU! They know who you are, private. If they were to kill you, it would be the end of the project and also humanity."
"I-I'm sorry, sir."
"Now either you go somewhere out of here or SILENTLY watch your senior fight?"
"I'm staying in the bridge, sir."
"Good."
Inside one of the many different screens in front of the captain were live feeds from all deployed magic armors' helmets. Complimenting that, the flying fortress's own surveillance system would also record all around the exterior of the flying fortress.
Because Pommeline and Loclynn's job was to be a lookout for the Valfreyja, they stayed close.
---
"This is Pixy 1, no visual."
"Pixy 2 here, nothing on the port side."
"Copy that," Nensa affirmed. The woman sitting next to her leaned and whispered. "Team Pixy be advised, Chason Base got a hit on four flying objects most likely multiple MAS-22 Adders."
"Willco."
The magic armors' system is always connected with the flying fortress. Nensa sent the general direction of the incomings' last detected point as a reference for the team.
"I sense them... Pixy 1 taking a shot."
*CRACK!*
"One bandit down. The rests are retreating."
---
"GET EVERY CREW INSIDE! WE'RE LEAVING!"
*VWOOMM*
Unlike the magi armors that used magic engineering to create the jet engine, Flying Fortress does things simpler. Giant mana stones procured from large type monsters were used as fuel for the "flight magic".
Flight magic allowed flying fortresses to achieve "true flight". It couldn't be used on magic armors, though. Not only was an enormous amount of mana needed, but flight magic was a difficult spell to cast needing several high-level casters to use.
The magic affected the fortress's design as well. Departing from the initial ship-like design, modern-day flying fortresses are designed to be more symmetrical to accommodate the magic's true flight capabilities.
Valfreyja was a Tyto Class flying fortress that was almost square rhombus-shaped.
"Lifting off." One of the crews announced.
"Good, let's get the hell out of here as soon as we can. Nensa, inform Team Pixy."
---
Not even three minutes had passed since Valfreyja took off from the ground, and several blips appeared in its radar vouching for Pommeline's recent report. Whoever was behind those attacks sent another team of four magic armors to stop the Valfreyja from leaving the base.
"Team Pixy, be advised, do NOT pursue bandits too far. Valfreyja is building speed, you will be left behind."
"Copy that, Valfreyja, keeping close."
One down!
Ames could see Pommeline's POV from the screen. She aimed her rifle while keeping her body as straight as possible. From her camera, it didn't seem like anything was in her scope's reticle, but she still got them.
The bandits slowed their advance. Just like Ames gauged Pommeline's range, the attacker chose to keep their distance. Although, everyone knew what they were doing was just waiting for a chance.
There would be a small window of time where Pommeline and Loclynn needed to focus on landing on the Valfreyja before they got left behind. That was when the Adders would attack.
"Ready the turrets! Don't engage full defensive protocol yet."
"Yes, captain!"
There is a shield spell imbued in every flying fortress created past the great war. The spell was strong enough to deny up to any single individual spells given one fired at a time. However, engaging it then would trap Pommeline and Loclynn outside.
Other than that, here are some magic canon attached to the flying fortress. Manned by the mages in the crews, it provided some attacking options for Valfreyja.
---
"Pixy 3, I got the signal, we're going back."
"Copy that, Pixy 1!"
After a little bit of calm time, Team Pixy received the order to land on the Valfreyja. More than that and Valfreyja's built-up speed would be too much for their AMK-01 Fulsts to catch up.
It's a race. Unknown to the humans, the elves weren't piloting normal Adders, but an enhanced version optimized for high-speed flight.
"Crap! Valfreyja I sensed the Adders coming in fast!"
"Copy that, Pixy 1, deploying turrets."
*clank! clank!*
Not only for speed, the special units later designated as MAS-22P "Penetrators" also had more armor plates covering them, providing more defensive capability.
"DAMN IT!"
"PIXY 1 STOP!"
With no other choices left, Pommeline turned around with her rifle pointed at incoming bandits. They were already close enough to enter her field of vision, but that would also mean Pommeline's sniping would be more precise.
Even with all the added armor plates, their helmet seemed to be neglected and kept the same thickness as before.
*CRACK!*
She shot one down. She was hoping their spirits would lower seeing that, but alas, the last two Penetrators didn't even hesitate.
The turrets had a chance to defeat at least one more, but that would leave one left. Pommeline needed to take the shot, but that would mean being the one left by Valfreyja.
"LAND!"
*CRACK!*
---
Ames knew something was off, his instinct was practically screaming in his head to get out there and help his flight mates. The captain would never let him go just for that vague reason, though.
His chance would come when Pommeline sensed the Adders approaching unusually fast. That was also why his instinct went crazy before.
With the chaos on the bridge, Ames slipped out of the room for the hangar.
"Where..."
He found his armor, Vawln. Equipping the whole armor would be stupid. It would take too long. Besides, he didn't need all the parts.
Helmet, right gauntlet, and chest armor. Ames equipped the first two and dragged the chest armor with a small cart. On his way out of the hangar, he grabbed his rifle.
"Alright!"
Ames went out of the hangar to the deck where the landing zone was. He noticed the upgraded Adders and how they became a challenge for Pommeline and Loclynn.
Pommeline took one down but looked ready to let herself left by the flying fortress.
"No... nonono" Ames dragged the small cart faster using all he had. "LAND!"
*CRACK!* He shot the rifle
His left hand was touching the chest armor, more specifically, the part where the mana stone was housed. The programs in the helmet controlled the amount of mana transferred into the right gauntlet and then the rifle.
The targeting system was also installed in the helmet, Ames's shot took one of the armor down.
The last Adders was stunned for a moment. Enough for the two Pixies to land and return. As soon as both landed, the shielding spell was engaged. Without a goodbye to the Adders, the Valfreyja went beyond the speed any magic armors could reach.