Editing KSGU:Volume 4 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 5===

What occupied the sight on the entire view of “Palau” was not a scene of two armies fighting each other toe to toe. There were anti-air fire appearing and lots of explosions, but those were all rubble and dummy balloons, and it was practically impossible to detect mobile suits exploding. The enemy squadrons in ambush showed no signs of moving aside as only two enemy units were moving about enthusiastically, seemingly toying with the “ReZELs” that entered the perimeter. As for the 6 enemy machine silhouettes that were launched, it was unknown if they were launched to sneak the “Nahel Argama” caught on the sensor. The other covering units were sent to support the advanced squad, and the mothership was the only thing left at this point—

Amongst the assumptions he thought of before, this would be considered the worst. Riddhe punched the display board and groaned, “Damn it!”

“We fell right into the enemy’s trap…!”

They could not retreat even if they wanted to. Including the ECOAS unit, their side lost three units, and the situation was such that the “Nahel Argama’ could not even defend itself on its own. Their plan was to let their machines move forward and create a perimeter against the enemy, but if he move all the way there, he would lose the chance to leave the battlefront in the end, and this understanding caused Riddhe to hesitate on what he should do.

''In another sense, there’s no better chance to execute the plan than this, but if even the fighting strength of the “Delta Plus” was lost, what will happen to the “Nahel Argama”? A battle isn’t decided on a mobile suit such that it can overturn the situation, but if I escape, the chances of the ship’s survival will definitely decrease. As a pilot in charge of protecting a military resource, and as a human, this is something I definitely can’t allow—but on the other hand, there’s something I can do and I have to do right in front of me.''

Riddhe’s thoughts took a roundabout. The duty and responsibility a person present should have was just a sense of realism that had weight in this ideal, and he could only hold onto the control stick without aim. “Please go!” This voice came from behind right at the moment the enemy squadrons were scattered to two sides.

“Don’t worry about me. Just fulfill your duty.”

Mineva spoke. This voice seemed to see through everything, “Bu, but…!” and Riddhe was at a loss of words.

“If we try to push ourselves too much here, we won’t be able to reach our destination. It’ll be pointless for us to return back to the “Nahel Argama”.”

Mineva did not say anything else as she merely answered with an unwavering stare. This bitterness of trying to find an excuse rose up in Riddhe, and he had to look away.

“…The enemy’s Neo Zeon, you army! Are you really fine that I fight against them?”

“I won’t think that it’s fine, but that’s my problem. You have your duty and responsibility to fulfill.”

Riddhe felt that Mineva’s words were deliberately trying to tell him not to use her as an excuse as their eyes met. Mineva, who was clinging onto the assistance seat at the back, had already accepted this current situation in front of him. She left her life to him, seeming prepared to be blamed for all of eternity.

Riddhe did not want to disappoint her like this—no, he did not want to be mocked by her like this. Such a thought rose rapidly in him, shaking his body that was stuck at the spot. Mineva probably did not like a man who would think of what happened after and hesitate over the present. He did not have the will like Mineva, and had no belief that he could show decisiveness, but hoped that he did not give a wrong impression to her. That was her shtick, and Riddhe acknowledged in his mind that he may had been toyed by this woman of Zeon as he continued to stare at her eyes.

“You’ll probably regret for the rest of your life if you turn back now. Please follow your heart. If you make a decision from the bottom of your heart, I’ll accept it no matter the outcome.”

She finished, and her emerald eyes looked as sturdy as crystalline jade. He had no chances of winning her. Since the beginning, this girl barged into the Vist Foundation alone, and showed what she was made of when she became a hostage for the Federation. “I really have to hand it to you…” Riddhe mused as pulled down the helmet visor. ''I may have really fallen for an unbelievable woman.'' He again realized this.

“The anti-G resistance on the assistance seat isn’t complete. It’s not going to be as easy to deal with as a roller coaster ride.”

“Right.”

“Once our allies start retreating, I’ll immediately leave the frontlines. Sorry for making you accompany me till then..”

Mineva fastened her body on the assistance as stared at the space that became a battlefield. ''I really want to say that I’m being played by a woman. How can I bear such heavy things like duty and responsibility with logic alone?'' Riddhe managed to clear his doubts, and he felt relaxed in his heart as he turned his face to the front. ''Just got to fight it out.'' He muttered deep inside his heart and stepped on the pedal.

BOOM. The shockwave that was like an explosion came from the force of the thrusters at the back, pushing the machine forward. Riddhe read the attack pattern on the monitor as he turned the control stick forward, turning straight down as he transformed the “Delta Plus”. The humanoid turned aside and immediately broke its shape and formed a spacecraft-form waverider. The forward of the enemy forces were detected by the motion sensors before they could get used to the sudden dip in angle before it went from moving down to moving forward.

The enemies seemed to be a modified version of the “Geara Doga”, the newest model of main forces the “Sleeves” had. Riddhe could see two similar type machines moving on standby behind this lead machine that was headed to the “Nahel Argama”, exchanging shots with the “ReZEL” Romeo 010. He read the situation through the through the markers that were flying all over the place, and deduced that this  “Delta Plus” alone would be enough as he first aimed at the two mobile suits behind. He let the machine turn around, dodge the beam shots that came flying over from the forward unit, and squeezed the trigger of the beam rifle located above the unit.

The waverider’s firing state was right in front of the unit unlike how it was with the rifle. The beam went by the forward unit and mere grazed the left top side of the machine, but it was enough to divert the enemy’s attention. He pretended to be providing covering fire for the allied machine as he caught both the attentions of the machine that turned abruptly and the forward unit.

The G-force that struck up the feet wore down on Mineva, causing her to groan in agony. Riddhe’s sights were covered by the cheeks that rose up, but caught sight of the monoeye of the forward unit in front of him. Riddhe’s machine continued to rush into the battlefield without slowing down, and he transformed into a mobile suit before collision. The beam sabers formed its blades, and the crosshairs gave the alarm indicating lock on before Riddhe pressed the attack trigger down completely.

The slash that came sliced the arms of the forward unit together with its weapons. The forward unit lost the parts under its arms as it was unable to maintain balance, and immediately went to the back. Riddhe exhaled a moment later after having gathered all his concentration for that moment, and yelled “NOW YOU HAVE A REASON TO RUN AWAY. GO BACK!” He then aimed at the next enemy. The two machines scattered and left the Romeo 010 that lost its arm, and riddhe saw another machine with a beam hook coming right at him.

''This attack looks like it was coming from the bottom, but it’s actually trying to get to the back.'' The enemy pilot’s thoughts entered Riddhe’s forehead, causing him to immediately stop in his tracks. The “Delta Plus” turned half a round and manipulated the beam saber in its left hand to intercept the enemy’s attack. The particles from the clashing blades let out sparks for just a moment, and the “Delta Plus” used the recoil to flip and deal a strike right at the enemy unit’s waist. The multiple layers of armor melted, and the beam saber sliced off the movable frame, creating a vibrating feeling inside the cockpit. However, there was a sharper killing intent that came stronger than this vibration, shaking Riddhe’s senses.

The remaining unit attacked one he stopped. Riddhe was prompted by this killing intent that was closing in, and did not even take time to aim as he raised his beam rifle to shoot. The mega particle beam that was released pierced through the “Sleeves” unit right from the front, and the expanding fireball lit the deep grey color of the “Delta Plus”. Riddhe shook off the debris that scattered and let the beam saber stop working before leaving the scene. The enemy unit that was sliced apart by the beam saber gave out sparks and was crushed by the impact as it slowly floated in space.

“Amazing…! Did I just take them all down?”

''Three units down once I sorties. Is it the “Delta Plus” abilities or the strong power of the Goddess of Luck that I’m able to showcase such fighting abilities.'' This joke-like development caused Riddhe to remain for a moment. “Another one from above!” Mineva’s voice rang, and Riddhe immediately dodged. A thick and large beam then came right down from above, and the scorching hot particles were sprayed on the “Delta Plus”.

There was a second, third shot that came flying over, and obviously, they did not from a beam rifle, as they were high energy output beams that was on a beam launcher’s level. Riddhe indicated that he wanted the Romeo 010 to move back, and squeezed the trigger to fight back while estimating the enemy’s location from the line of fire. The optical sensors caught sight of an enemy suit that was closing in, and the CG corrected image showed a purple machine on a wide window. This mobile suit had its data entered since the last battle with the “Sleeves”, and it was a special specs machine with booster pods on the back. “Lieutenant Angelo’s “Geara Zulu”…!” Mineva murmured as her expression changed.

“Someone you know?”

“He’s the leader of the escort squad, a very dangerous man. Be careful.”

The beams continued to rain down on Riddhe as it anticipated his dodging, seemingly backing up Mineva’s words. Riddhe did not even have the time to transform as it took him a lot of effort just to duck under the fire. The sublight blocking his way let out afterimages, closing in slowly on the “Delta Plus” as he remained restrained. The malice that was stickier than hostility descended on Riddhe, causing him to have goosebumps.