/jp/ - Otaku Culture

The experimental model 99 electromagnetic rifle was known to rapidly overheat due to speed at which it fired such large caliber ammunition.

That's why it was equipped with large-scale state of the art cooling systems but when there was trouble with the system an inbuilt safety would shut off.

Unfortunately for her it had decided to fail at the wrong time and the safety system had shut her new weapon offline.

【Yui】

"The barrel's overheating!?"

Then, just as there was a chance of turning back the tide the Model 99 fell silent. Alert sensors began to ring through the lieutenant's ears and her pupils darted all around the heads up display looking for the sudden abnormality.

She shrugged it off, didn't care, she was still alive and continued to hold down the trigger.

【Yui】

"Bastards!"

She was just in time, although the Grappler classes were dangerously close. As they readied their claws, preparing to attack, Yui and White Fang 3 opened up on their respective holes, swinging the experimental weapons left and right.

The flesh of the Grappler classes, much easier to pierce than the bigger BETA strains, was torn to shreds. One of the grapplers near Yui had just enough time to swing and use its claw as a shield at the same time to try and silence her but even the claw itself was shattered, fragments scattering into the air...right into her Shiranui. Shards of the claw smashed into her suit's fuselage.

【Yui】

"First Platoon! Retreat!

Second platoon cover their retreat!

White Fang 3, supress the left flank!"

Yui shouted out in utmost urgency. The right flank...she hastily set her machine into motion, running to a position where she could pour fire into the new tunnel opened up there.

But the rifle, it was large, heavy, much more than the assault rifles she had grown used to and the turning capabilites were slightly off.

The sound of earth cracking, breaking, shattering.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Just over one hundred and ten meters of the tunnel had collapsed just ahead to the left and right creating great gaping holes. From these new tunnels an innumerable amount of grappler classes emerged like a thick cloud, sprawling their way into combat.

The first platoon, they were going to be isolated.

【Yui】

"...What?"

Like an expertly conducted concerto, with the model 99's leading the orchestra and Yui's order's as the conductor the entire company opened up with a hymn of ordinance and a chorus of missiles impacting left and right. The first platoon pushed forward again, close quarters combat their forte and the second platoon providing fire support from their position.

The destroyer classes out in the rear who were still in the process of charging fell victim to cluster missiles, which streaked past them and behind their front armor before dispensing scattered child warheads into their exposed skin, obliterating any of the smaller BETA strains nearby.

They could win...They WERE winning.

Suddenly another urgent tone began to beep away in her cockpit, a warning message appearing across her vision.

The vibration sensors, which were picking up the recoil and explosions from the battle began to radiate a bright white.

Even though it was a rookie's mistake to get caught up in such a furor, Yui just couldn't help but feel ecstatic at the scene before her.

To utilize these new weapons in a combat situation, all the uncertainty, all the doubts and the uneasy feelings you could feel when heading out into a life or death situation were simply washed away by their unquestionable power.

【Yui】

"All units, weapons free!

Eliminate them all, leave none alive."

Such a huge number of destroyer classes, their powerful counterattack completely halted just by two Shiranuis?

【Yui】

"...Heh."

The lieutenant tightened her grip on the trigger of the FBL* control system, laughing quietly to herself and her spirits lifted.

*(FBL is an aviation acronym for Fly by Light one of two ways controls are linked to the other systems of an aircraft, the other type known as Fly by Wire. Fly by Light utilizes optic cables over the standard bulky cables used in FBW systems, making them much more responsive, faster to react and provides more space and weight for cargo or armaments.)

Yui clenched her teeth as she concentrated on her targeting display and sensors, ignoring the violent vibrations all around her.

On the radar, the swarm of red dots looked as if they had come to a complete stop, their advanced entirely halted.

'Huh?' she thought to herself, was the sensor misreading again?

She returned her focus back to the visuals from her external camera.

The destroyer classes...were being ripped to shreds. The ones at the front were mutilated, the ones behind them took their place only to fall in the same spot.

Their hides, thicker, stronger than diamond were like clay to the barrage of gunfire.

These experimental weapons...they worked.

No, more than that they were a huge success.

A sharp crackle of energy then a harmonious cry of gunfire drowned out everything. From the gaping maw of the Model 99 Electromangetic Rifles spewed forth a cascading torrent of 120mm shells, achieving firing speeds equal to that of a chain gun.

Empty shell casings were expelled from the containers behind like a fountain as rounds were constantly loaded autonomously. The incredible overwhelming force of the recoil from these viciously powerful weapons began to shake the entire frame of the two Shiranuis' to the point the cockpits inside were jarring uncontrollably.

【Yui】

"FIRE!"

'Experimental Model 99 Rapid Fire Electromagnetic Rifle'

A new weapon produced by the Imperial Army's technological industry. The sound, like that of a jet engine gradually building up in power escalated, growing louder and louder, emanating from the mysterious weapons.

The many red lights on the radar readout were now at a speed and distance where evasion was impossible.

【Yui】

"White Fang 3...are you good to go?"

She queried the other pilot, as they discarded their Type 87 assault rifles, the ammunition inside barely expended. The huge, suspicious looking new rifles that were as big as the Shiranui's themselves were locked into place, the stocks of the weapons wrapping around and over the Senjutsukis' right shoulders. A hushed beep in the cockpit verified the saftey was removed.

A harsh warning tone echoed and pulsed throughout Yui's cockpit, urging, pleading that she begin evasive maneuvers.

The Lieutenant and her equally equipped wingman however stood firm, steadying their aim. The images that were scanned over their eyes of the approaching targets began to shake and tremor as the destoyer classes achieved top speed.

【Yui】

"Notification to all White Fang units.

We will begin the field test of the experimental weapons.

Begin preparations!"

The gunfire momentarily ceased as several Shiranui's detached containers on rear hardpoints. Two units, one of which was Yui, from the second platoon began to connect the large sized containers located behind their Senjutsuki to the experimental weapons.

The first platoon retreated back into the positions of the second platoon, who themselves began to tighten the formation, setting up on either side of Lieutenant Yui who formed the central point of the wedge. The entire company's formation had changed into the shape of a tightly formed X whilst one of the rear guard set up in a position to draw in the enemy into the center with gunfire.

To select such a closely packed together defensive formation when facing Charging classes in the confines of a hive was suicidal.

Only the 120mm cannons attached to their rifles, the most powerful rounds the Shiranui Senjutsukis' carried, could possibly pierce the thick carapace hides that thundered towards them and this formation did not capitalize on this fact.

The wave of destroyer classes came crashing down into the tunnel in the far off distance, their hulking forms picked out by the infrared sensors of her Shiranui, the image magnified many times so that it seemed they were merely a simple outstretched touch away.

The lumbering beasts turned every so slowly around until they were facing her and her comrades. Then like a violent tidal wave they set off into a gallop, surging forwards as one. This visage of impending destruction...this was the form that BETA took when their hated enemy, mankind, invade their territory.

The tank and grappler class BETAs at the far end of the tunnel began to pull away from their positions, converging on the sides creating wide, corpse filled pathways.

If the information on their closing speed was correct...Ruitare*, the type of BETA also known as the destroyer class.

Yui steeled herself and her grip tightened around her controls, she was sure there were Ruitare mixed in amongst the approaching reinforcements.

('Ruitare' Destroyer class BETA are a specific species created to cause havoc and act as shock troops. They are roughly the same height as an Senjutsuki, and have a heavily armored front hide that makes 36 mm rounds ineffective. Only 120mm cannon rounds or the Type 74 PB-Blades have a chance of cutting through this armor. Ruitare tactics consist of charging at maximum speeds in excess of 170km/h ramming anything in their way with their powerful armored hide and claws.)