13

Britannian Formidable-class land battleship Fortitude

Tobruk, State of Libya, European Union

"Victor One down in Sector Theta Three," the operator reported with a note of satisfaction in her voice. A feeling that quickly became present throughout the bridge. "All proximity units moving in."

Augustus himself certainly felt it as he took a drawn breath. "Well," he spoke, visibly savoring the sense of impending victory. "It looks like Libya is officially ours."

"Perhaps," the general commented while leaning forward, seemingly lost in thought as his eyes became fixed upon the tactical screen.

All at once, Augustus knew something was amiss. Or at least it had to be; the general never had that expression when things were going according to plan. "Sir?"

At that, the general shook his head and leaned back. "It's nothing," he exclaimed to Augustus. "I just would have expected the enemy to have more out there, considering we're now on Egypt's doorstep."

A flat but knowing smile emerged on Augustus' lips as he recognized the tone of disappointment. As much as he preferred an easy victory to a hard fought battle, the general was still a man who craved challenge, even from Britannia's enemies. What else could one expect from the man who, as a child, challenged the higher members of the Imperial Family to games of chess? Up to and including Prince Schneizel himself?

That all said, Augustus still preferred the way things were going now. "I'm afraid this is all we're going to get, sir," Augustus answered with a tinge of sympathy. "The Europeans were long spent even before we reached this point. And they can't afford to divert their Egyptian forces away at this stage of the game."

"Agreed," the general concurred. "But at the same time, it isn't like our opponent to allow us this kind of victory without one more move to make," he said, placing his hand at the side of his head in thought. "Even if that move is simply a previously unnoticed pawn."

"Heh," Augustus found himself nodding at the assessment, though he still believed the enemy to be well and truly defeated. "It would appear that you have taken all of your opponent's pawns sir. As well as his bishops, rooks and queen."

This time, the general smirked back. "That still leaves his knights, Colonel."

Before Augustus could reply, another voice broke over the bridge. "White Knight One to Fortitude," Suzaku sounded off. "Enemy headquarters secure. Light casualties sustained."

The general nodded at this. With that accomplished, all that remained was the clear the last pockets of resistance throughout the city. Or to call for their surrender anyway. "Acknowledged White Knight One," the general answered. "Standby to…"

"New contact detected, Sector Lambda Five!" an operator sounded off, interrupting the general and causing all attention to shift. "Enemy knightmare now engaging Saber and Pike units! Type unknown!"

This time a sense of dread moved through the bridge. Unknown? the general thought, mixed feelings beginning to emerge within as he turned back to the tactical screen. Could it be…?

"What…?" Augustus let out as he looked over the tactical display, which showed the contact engaging at least two squadrons of knightmares. And much more, destroying them one at a time, while the sounds of panicked and dying Britannian devicers could be heard from the radio excepts. "What is this?"

"Visual contact!" another operator sounded out, the tactical screen flashing with a corner vidwindow.

The dread on the bridge immediately intensified as all eyes turned to the mono-eyed face of the enemy as it tore into a Sutherland. A face that belonged not to a Panther II or a Panther III. The face of a newer, far more powerful beast.

Fortunately the general recovered fast. Though he had never seen up close until now, he more than recognized the knightmare model. "Have all available units, including Eagle One and White Knight One, intercept immediately!" he commanded at once. "Juggernaut One is to provide fire support when able as well!"

Then, for the first time in the entire battle, the general stood up from his chair. "I'll be deploying as well," he announced, causing attention to shift back to him. "Have my Mordred prepared at once!"

"Sir, is that really necessary?" Augustus questioned, now distinctly uncomfortable at the prospect of his superior going out to fight this new threat. "With the Knights of the Round out there…"

"All too necessary," the general commented as he turned to exit the bridge. "This is an enemy we can't afford to let escape. Much less hinder our progress."

"Die already, monster!" a hapless Sutherland pilot screamed as he unleashed the full fury of his assault rifle at an unwavering adversary. The enemy machine swiftly brought its arm about, revealing a gun emplacement along the forearm. However, it soon became apparent that this weapon was different from the standard machine gun, as instead of firing standard bullets at the Sutherland like one would have originally expected it to, it launched a series of energy shots in a single rapid burst. Blue tinted shots launching forward, the attacking Sutherland was quickly obliterated, leaving virtually no traces behind.

Upon seeing the resulting destruction, the pilot within the knightmare's confined cockpit pod could only smirk. The engineers at Krauss-Clement GmbH, the European Union's primary knightmare manufacturer, had truly outdone themselves with his machine, as well as all of the truly advanced weaponry it had to offer. A second later, he began moving again in search of new prey.

Speeding down the street, mono-eye twisting to meet its next target, it took aim with its unique rifle and fired a single sapphire colored beam, also composed of ionized energy, into another Sutherland, which went straight through and caused it to detonate. More Britannian units in proximity attempted to attack, raining bullets, slash harkens and grenades at the European unit, but the machine evaded all these with grace, and counterattacked with just as much ferocity. Even though Britannian victory was all but imminent, at least this European knightmare frame was continuing to hinder the Britannian advance in Tobruk, and the streets and rooftops within the Libyan city would become red with blood and metal as a result.

Twisting around, the machine fired another spray of beams from its rifle, splitting the next Britannian formation apart while simultaneously claiming yet another Sutherland as its newest kill. The Britannians were quick in their attempt to reestablish order, but the European pilot of the venerable machine would not allow them to do so. Instead he charged, shoulder slamming a Gloucester and sending it slamming into the side of a deserted building. From there, it reversed on its landspinners and fired another arm gun burst into the trapped frame, causing a great explosion when its Yggdrasil drive detonated. A significant chunk of the building was taken out with it, but by some miracle the structure remained standing, albeit very much gutted.

From there, it sped toward another Gloucester, one that was equipped with a standard assault rifle rather than a lance, which fired a grenade at the incoming foe. To the bad fortune of the Britannian pilot, the enemy pilot dodged the grenade with relative ease, although it came close to clipping his knightmare's left shoulder armor, allowing the EU machine to speed around its target and drive the barrel of its rifle, the venerable blitzgewehr, into the back of the vulnerable cockpit block. It then fired another beam right through, withdrawing to allow the pilotless Gloucester to fall flat to the ground and exploded as well. Even more of surrounding street was destroyed as a result, though the nearby buildings only suffered light damage.

"These Britannians are pathetic. Where are their masters, der schwarze Prinz and die Ritter der Tafelrunde?" the knightmare's devicer muttered with distaste as he butchered his enemies like cattle. This was punctuated even further when he fired his left arm mounted blitzvulkan, destroying another Sutherland that was trying to sneak behind him.

Despite his pride, the pilot wasn't foolish enough to get distracted from the battle around him. So when his combat computer beeped a warning, he immediately heard it and set out to deal with it. Reflexes kicking into gear, he had his knightmare dodge to the side just as a very recognizable green knightmare came charging in, the curious device on its elbow lit to strike. Though it initially missed, the Elyan was quick to correct itself and move straight at him, lance readied to strike.

"I think you've killed enough of our troops for one day friend!" Gino stated as he swung the lance down for the kill.