Part 58: The Second Day
We are approaching the Alliance line of battle, captain. All departments report full combat readiness. Hanger is ready to begin launching ryders.
Give me a channel to them. Open. This will be our final battle, everyone. Make sure you all come back in one piece.
Paladin, all launch systems green. Catapult is locked, throttling up. Stay safe, lieutenant. And thank you, for everything. Sir!WHOOOOOSH
Paladin is clear.
Seraphim, locked into position. Throttling up. Launch when ready. Sola ... look after everyone. Understood. My aim shall not falter.WHOOOOOSH
Seraphim is away. Bianca is locked in.
Oh captain, I just want to s- Overriding hanger catapult control. Launching.WHOOOOOSH
-AAAAAAAAYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyy
This is Phoenix. Locked in, throttled up, and five by five. Heh, it's been a good ride, captain. I always knew you liked it here, Icari.
W-what!? Now wait a minute--WHOOOOOSH
Phoenix is away. Liberty is locked in.
Liberty here. All systems green and ready for launch. Captain … I … I know. Keep everyone safe out there for me. Of course!WHOOOOOSH
Liberty is away.
Black Jack. Ready. We're finally here, aren't we, Asaga ... Yeah … Don't worry, captain. I'll protect you.WHOOOOOSH
All ryders successfully deployed, captain. 
Let us pray this will be the last time they must be put in harm's way. Weapons hot. Helm, full speed ahead. Let’s finish this once and for all.
Day two of the Second Battle of Cera opens as we are face-to-face with a PACT fleet consisting of battleships and a surprisingly high number of Arcadius units.
I’ve been pumping a LOT of resources into upping our missile defenses, but it’s still a good idea to clear the board of the torpedo destroyers first.
I’ve also been putting significant resources into Sola’s sniper rifle, as an Arcadius unit finds out the hard way.
With the PACT fleet now broken into smaller groups, getting holes in the flak coverage is easier. A single torpedo with the splash damage and total damage upgrades takes out that middle battleship and all three surrounding Arcadius units.
Oh and I also bought the vanguard splash damage upgrade. It’s everything I imagined it would be.
And so after our very first turn, the opposing fleet has been almost totally wiped out. Well, that was easy, I guess!
The PACT fleet’s rate of fire is dropping! Their munition supplies are likely getting critically low. That's the way ... keep pressing harder … PACT flagship is signaling Force Yellow. They must be calling for reinforcements. Gotta admit, I wouldn’t mind being in Fontana’s place right now, just so I could see the look on the prototypes … mask, I guess.Meanwhile …
What are you babbling about, Fontana?! I’m very busy.
Your reserve fleet has pledged their loyalty to me. They will not be engaging. It’s over, prototype. You’ve lost. Now surrender and spare the lives of your men and women. You would sacrifice my entire fleet just to cement your authority over PACT? They are no longer comrades to the revolution, but merely your brainwashed puppets. Our revolution is against tyrants of all colors! Even those who purport to fly our crimson flag. You were a fool to believe the revolution could be wielded for your purposes. The galaxy will not miss you.
(We can do this! Cera's right there in front of us!)
What is it, Ava?
I'm ... getting some strange reports from Force Yellow.
You fool. Did you think that I wouldn’t have a contingency plan for something like this? All prototype units, activate the chain neural override!
They are now on course to join the PACT line of battle. Get Fontana on the comm, now!
Our ships are not responding to our commands. The prototypes must have embedded a trojan deep within our systems to assume direct control of our ships somehow. Captain! Chigara, do you know what's going on?
The prototypes seem to be directly controlling the second fleet's systems through their telepathy! They had one last trick up their sleeve, huh? How can we undo their control over the ships? They seem to have wired the ships’ systems to respond to their neural waves, but I have a plan. It’s kind of crazy, but I think I can enter the prototype's neural link and attempt to interfere with their thoughts. Perhaps I'll be able to find a weakness in the system while directly connected with them!
Wait, your going to link your mind into their brain network or whatever!? Captain, that sounds like every flavor of crazy!
... All right. We'll just have to trust Chigara. All units, provide the Liberty with cover fire while Chigara restores the second fleet's controls! Chigara ... good luck. Stay safe. Yes, captain!
Chigara has a new ability, one that takes all of her energy for that turn. Which means that if we want to finish this quick, we are going to need to get by without her ability to disable enemy defences.
As always, the number-one priority is the enemy support ryders.
We’re able to do a number on the assault carriers, but they can still put a lot of missiles into space.
They should still know better than to get too close to us, though.
And they should definitely know better than to line their ships up all nicely like this.
Some short-range kinetics and long-range missile strikes, and the enemy is down to just one ryder. I still need to pop Chigara’s disrupt ability three more times but this should be a walk in the park now.
This is the end for you, little queen.
Oh? And how do you intend to do that?
Chigara will … will … Hahahahaha! You mean our sister!? 
Oh, how unfortunate for your poor captain. She’s in our thoughts, exposing to us the full details of the Alliance's battle plans! Did you honestly think that we would allow ourselves to be defeated so easily? That the betrayal of mere humans will affect our strength? PACT ... Alliance … the Neutral Rim ... it does not matter. In due time, all of it shall be destroyed all the same. And it will be here, over the skies of Cera, that the Alliance is defeated and the Sunrider finally falls! Enjoy watching as we take away everything you ever loved. Now you’ve done it!
Captain, the Black Jack has broken formation! What!? Asaga, what's wrong? I'm sorry captain, but you’ve been tricked. Chigara is the traitor! Black Jack is now on an intercept course for the Liberty! Captain … I've ... always loved you! And I’m going to protect you … protect you all!
Ah. Well. This could be a problem.