02: The Abtaka of the Brotherhood of Manly Souls Opens His Heart to Legend Once Again

[gurrenbrigbonded]

[1]

The events of the past few days– the battle against the final onslaught of the Invaders, the climactic struggle of the Getter Team at Saturn, and the place they departed to– have frankly been epic.

They have also made quite the impression on a certain ex-Jade Falcon, who had not dared to think that such heroism could be possible.

As the White Chalice journeys back to Earth, he can be seen at various places–in his (Tin-foiled) Nova's cockpit on the outer hull, in a vacuum suit by one of the large airlocks, at the observation deck– just staring up at the endless sea of stars as a child would.

http://blogs.voanews.com/science-world/files/2013/01/Under_the_Milky_Way.jpg

Talk to him? Snap him out of it? Play a prank on him?

[2]

Matthew is wandering about the Chalice, looking for the pilots who fought at Saturn, tablet and light pen in hand.

And the most determined of expressions on his face.

[3]

Matthew is sitting by a table in one of the portside lounges, ignoring the cold lunch next to him, and doing something unusual for a frugal warrior from an ascetic caste society.

He is writing on paper. Copious amounts of paper. Some sheets are discarded at his feet, some are set to the side, and all are covered with splotches of ink.

A close examination will reveal them to be...verse poetry?

[4]

Matthew has posted a request on the Chalice Net for all Clan warriors onboard to assemble in Hanger 3 to "Fulfill the debt of honor we owe to the memory of great warriors."

For those of you who show up, Clan or otherwise, there is a gaggle of Clan Wolf/Ex-Jade Falcon warriors and tech caste members about, wondering why the heck they were gathered here. There is no sign of Matthew about.

Comments

[lastfeather]

Hm...

Then maybe you aren't as stupid as you sound most of the time.

[deniedaccess]

Tieria nodded in acknowledgement of the introduction; there was nothing else for him to say as he listened to the explanation. After a while, he cut in:

"Save that this is not an ordinary setting for a 'mechwarrior' as yourself. If no one else is around to do it then it's not like you're overstepping your bounds. Filling in a gap is only natural."

[fallen_overlord]

(Letriel sighs a little.)

I was going to go back to my realm, Pandemonium. I have an obligation as one of demon nobility to return to that horrid abyss of suffering to lead my legions against those that oppose me.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew's expression softens.

"Aff. That is a worthy goal to strive for."

He ponders what Letriel has said thus far.

"Why do you think you have been bound to the White Chalice so? It seems a strange coincidence."

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Somewhat." Matthew allows.

"And that I believe the exploits of the Getter Team and their defense of Terra must be remembered...even if I must faciliate this myself."

[What he has written so far: http://gurrenbrigbonded.dreamwidth.org/2056.html ]

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew huffs at that.

"Then perhaps you do not listen closely enough to what I say."

That retort aside, there's a moment of silence.

"How did you become a Raven? From the moment my genes were sequenced I was shaped and molded into a mechwarrior. But how did you seize upon your own opportunity?"

[fallen_overlord]

Before I was thrown into the last seal I attacked the realm of humans in my universe. This threw a wrench in the Almighty's overall plan. It probably was pissed and knew that it couldn't directly interfere with the human realm and sending angels to kill me would have caused a massive slaughter. So it had humans seal me into this universe and probably made the last resort defensive program for the seal to make sure I couldn't return. I think it was just suppose to bind me to a nearby place once I got too far from where the last seal was. Your ship just happened to be around at the time.

[whats_a_paladin]

Not the whole thing. I don't have as much time for reading as I'd like lately; a knight's work is never over.

Are you trying to write your own Remembrance?

[deniedaccess]

Tieria attentively read over the verses, picking through the narration to the actual recounting of the event. The similarities the verses had to the ancient epic style of poetry that belonged to the ancient Greeks was lost on him, but he understood what the point was.

The only problems he noted were technical, but he wasn't sure if the details of rhyme or meter even mattered to Matthew. He had a feeling that it didn't.

"How is this shameful?"

[emorangerpink]

I don't really know. Invaders, I think. Somehow. People the Invaders took over, or Invaders taking human form... at Saturn, it's like they were the faces and voices of the whole Invader horde. Their faces appeared on Saturn itself while they tried to assimilate us. When that didn't work, they turned into a giant mothership...

Actually describing it out loud makes me realize how bizarre it all was.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"The Almighty." Matthew repeats, snorting. "Your enemy seems to have quite the ego, to give itself that title. Especially since it erred in allowing you to be bound to a mobile location."

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Says the magical girl." Matthew dryly replies.

"But I apologize. Out of the depths of Saturn came the icons of the Invaders and their malice, with enough power to manifest themselves into the form of a great warship!"

Matthew's imagining a Clan Warship, with faces and Invadery eyeballs on it.

"But they did not have their way, quiaff?"

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"Neg. That would...smack of hubris." Matthew replies.

He picks up a piece of paper and stares at it.

"Yet each Clan has it's own version of the Remembrance, with it's own insights and personal heroes. And if Clan Gurren Brigade is to thrive, We must have our own legends to look up to."

[fallen_overlord]

Actually, that is the title humans gave it. It is just kind of the title we all use as it is the strongest being in my universe. It doesn't have a name that we could comprehend so the Almighty became the default. It is also called Creator, Deus, and a few other titles/names. All the higher beings from my world are like that. For example, Demon Overlord Letriel is not my name, it is a title. If you wanted to pronounce my true name I'd have to rip out your tongue and reattach it. It is also the reason why titles hold such weight for my kind.

[lastfeather]

Its a long story there. It'd probably bore you to death.

[He shrugs before finding a bulkhead to lean on.]

I was born before we moved into Layered. A while before the Second Impact. I had about... three years with my parents before they got killed in a Corporation crossfire. After that I worked at their factories. Child labor...

[He snorts softly.]

I heard they actually have laws against it on the surface. Could you imagine that? Getting off topic for a second. Right. Back to the Story. I was about fourteen years old when a Raven tore straight through my Hab Block. There were a couple of MTs there too trying to kill him... heh. Tough luck. I think one got cut in half... right down the middle. The guy punched through a building. It was an assassination - nothing subtle obviously. The corps are fond of huge gestures.

[He seems to be... distant?]

I dunno.. after I saw that.... something in me just woke up. I ran to the nearest damn recruiting center for the Ark I could get to and tried to sign on. Too young they said... that and there was one asshole there who also wanted to sign up.

I don't remember what he said... but I pretty much used him to prove my point that I wanted to join.

[He makes a motion, as if he stabbed someone.]

Up the stomach, the tip was poking at his heart, he stumbled backwards after punching me in the face to try get it out... I knocked him to the ground and finished the job by punching his face in.

... I got the job on the condition I clean up the mess I made and I try to avoid beating other Ravens to death unless its on a job with opposing contracts.

[He had a wry grin now.]

I was supposed to be a professional after all.

[Which earned a derisive snicker considering the nuts in the Ark.]

[emorangerpink]

Aff. [...Laura thinks. Clan speech makes the difference between a single and double negative more important than she's used to...]

The ship spat out even more Invaders, but the others held them off while we went after Cohen and Stinger. Hayato cleared the way for Shin Dragon - at the last minute we changed to Shin Poseidon, to punch them right in the face.

[Laura clenches her fist without realizing it.]

They used three of Saturn's moons as some kind of weapon - trapped us between them, zapped us with something. It hurt like hell... Kei used Shin Liger to knock the others out of the way, then we linked up with Shin Getter, combined our power... I remember the others kept attacking while we powered up. Ideidi's pilot used up everything he had, he was left floating in a normal suit for Demonbane to scoop up...

Then Ryouma put the combined power of Shin Getter and Shin Dragon into a Getter Tomahawk. It... was impossible. It cut right through Rhea and Tethys and Dione, right through Cohen and Stinger, into Saturn. I'm not sure if Saturn stopped it, or Ryouma did. The moons, the Invaders... they exploded.

[whats_a_paladin]

You're writing heroic poems about the people on this ship?

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"The Clans have excellent medical technology." Matthew replies cheekily. "I may take you up on that offer someday."

He then nods behind his helmet. "Yet names are important. The Bloodnames we earn through strength in combat are how we earn our legacy, our chance for a genetic immortality."

[gurrenbrigbonded]

"In so many words..."

Matthew shrugs. "...it is not my place to do this. I am a Mechwarrior of low rank, with no Bloodname, and now, not even a place in one of the Great Clans. If I was suited to compose these verses, I would have earned greater status already, or not have been defeated and made a bondsman."

He holds out his hands as if grasping something invisible.

"And yet something drives me onward to do this."

[gurrenbrigbonded]

You're putting all the ideas into this Clanner's head, Paragon!

Matthew touches a finger to his lips in thought.

"I had meant merely to record the exploits of the Getter Team Sortie. But you are correct, there are many great warriors on this ship. Simon the Digger, the Invincble Kamina, Technician Ericks and Mechwarrior Caine, Mechwarrior Radcliffe..."

He's giving you a look now.

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew nods, committing every word to memory.

He senses there must be reciprocity somehow. A bid of backstory to match Ryou's own.

"I had no...parents. There are no parents for the Trueborn of the Clans but the Iron Wombs, artificial incubators that combine the mixed genes of long-dead, famed warriors. I was raised in a sibling company, a hundred or so children also my age, jostling and competing with each other, dreaming of the days in which we would become warriors and save the galaxy. The stories we would tell..."

There is a smile on his face for a time, that is then banished into neutrality. He raises gloved hand to his faceplate, as if trying to touch his neck.

"Out of the hundred, I believe there were twenty or so of us left when we were taken from survival training and placed into actual military training. The familial competition was molded by our training instructors into outright rivalry: our success depended on upstaging each other, and thus the finest warrior among us could be picked out."

He thinks of mentioning the sibkin he had beaten and crippled in a Circle of Equals during that time. He decides against it.

"Seventeen more of us tested out or died in training. The rest of won our Trials of Position and became Mechwarriors. And Mechwarrior Dex died in a rearguard action against a mercenary company like yours before I came to Terra."

Matthew stares at Ryou intently. How will the Merc respond?

[gurrenbrigbonded]

Matthew mouths each of the words you use, taping a mnemonic rhythm against the side of his leg to drum it into his subconscious.

Still, there's no way he's going to forget the bit about the Tomahawk.

After you falls silent, he closes his eyes in reverence.

Then they snap open and he frowns.

"All your enemies were defeated then. But if they were all annihilated, what cause was there for the Getter Team to depart this reality to fight on?"

[emorangerpink]

[Laura shakes her head.]

All the enemies there. But something happened, a... spacequake. A portal, a tear in space, opened up.

[She has absolutely no intention of elaborating on the form said portal took. None at all.]

Hayato said the Getter Sun, what they were doing to Saturn, might have been a... a beacon. To draw this here. Which meant something might come out... which meant we had to go in. We were low on power, but Shin Getter linked up its core to Shin Dragon's... and we went in. Shine Spark. I can't... it was like we were a Getter Beam. Like we'd been turned to energy and fired off.

We went in to the gap, and it was full of... of Getters. Of Invaders. An enormous, unending battle. Getters of every shape and size. Some were bigger than planets. We were right there in the middle of them, and all around them, Invaders coming in... being destroyed, and replaced by another wave, and another...

There was a voice. I think it might have come from the biggest one. It said they'd been waiting. Waiting for the Getter Team...

And I think they were ready. Shin Dragon was burned out. Shin Getter broke the connection. We fell back with the others, back through the gap. They stayed. They said it was where they were meant to be. That they trusted us to handle things back here... until we were ready to join them.

[Kei swore she would - but that part of the story's not Laura's to tell.]

I asked if they wanted us to bring back any message. Hayato said there was nothing to be said.

And then we fell back, and everything went black. When we came to...

[deniedaccess]

The intricacies of what Matthew explained were lost on him. Ranks and clans didn't mean much to him under any circumstances, but he understood the gist. Matthew...didn't feel worthy of doing this work, regardless of his drive to do it.

Tieria understood that feeling.

"Then do it. There's no one here to stop you."

[lastfeather]

Survival of the fittest and bred from the best...

So you guys are like weapons made in an assembly line?

[...Ouch. That could be construed as insulting.]

We don't have trials back at the Ark. We've got entrance exams.

[He said the last two words in a dry tone.]

Which is 'Contractual' speech for dropping a potential Raven into a hotzone filled with enemy MTs in a poorly armed and low quality Armored Core and see if he lives or dies.

Usually we're tested in groups of two.

The other guy didn't make it and I almost died. Lost my AC's arm, a rifle and took some damage to the leg. And part of the Cockpit blew out.

[He brushes aside some hair to show a scar across his forehead like something cut him there some time ago.]

Got a few more all over the place too.

Not the prettiest thing the Examiner saw. But I got in.