The Apsalus Project
Onogoro Island

As of late Onogoro has been a strange place. The influx of military personnel since the declaration of war has caused some alarm among the citizens. Now things which had been rare occurrences were frequent things. A propaganda tower that loomed high above the main city spouted Imperial News Updates and played patriotic music. Every afternoon the air raid sirens would cut out the music and the citizens would be forced to evacuate to shelters for an hour at least.

When none of this was happening, the cries of "Tennou Heika Banzai!" Could frequently be heard from the military base. Soldiers often sat together in the open, sharing in Sake and flying the Rising Sun of the Great War had become a more and more popular thing as feelings of national pride rose. On a clear sunny day, however, when the citizens were most at peace, they were disrupted.

A siren blared and Michiko sighed. She collected her children as she always did, "But why, mother?" The woman's daughter would ask each time and every time the mother would respond "Because we must be prepared so that we can go somewhere safe if there is an attack." But this would not be like any other day, or any other evacuation.

Michiko knew that such drills were common and she had begun taking her time. But today was no ordinary day.

"All citizens should be in the shelters, commander." A younger officer directed the head of the base. The elder commander giving a small nod. "Very well, inform the Special Research Branch they may proceed."

--

"Hime-sama." A man called, the girl showing a sign of annoyance as the man did so. She was young but because of, or perhaps inspite of, her royal blood she was transferred to a special military facility on the moon at a younger age and trained to be a soldier ever since. Rumors were muttered in the Imperial Court about how this girl could possibly have been a Newtype, but few outside of the Imperial Court knew of such whispering.

Despite royal blood, she, like everybody else, was a lowly ranked soldier. While her cousins enjoyed titles such as Admiral or Commander, she was as low down on the military food-chain as it came. They didn't want to give her too much power, afterall.

"Call-signs." The girl said, the reply followed by a swift kick into her co-pilots shin. The man could have sworn he felt a bone crack from the force of the blow.

"W-w-we're clear." He mumbled in reply, to which Fuuka nodded and proceeded to the hangar where the Apsalus I was cleverly hidden. It was a restricted access project. If their enemies knew what they were developing it would be bothersome. Today's mission was a simple flight test, the two pilots climbing into their machine and closing the hatch as they went over a complete systems check.

"The Commander has given us a little over a half-an-hour of clear airspace."

"Then let us proceed with haste." The girl replied, finishing over their checks as they began to flip switches and press various buttons. A loud humming filled the air as the Apsalus cleared it's hangar. Alarms in the base signaled all non-essential personnel to clear the area. The Mobile Armor would hover in place before a shockwave was sent out from beneath it, the Mobile Armor jetting up into the sky as a deafening boom filled the air as it quickly broke the sound barrier.

It climbed and climbed "Entering upper atmosphere." Fuuka reported, her co-piloting confirming the report. All the whole Michiko stood on the street below, eyes agape with shock as she watched the massive Mobile Armor jet up into the sky "Hurry!" She shouted, now running full speed to the shelter with her children. They had seen something which they were not supposed to see. It was best not to wait around.

The test seemed to be going fine, the Apsalus cruising over the ocean below "It's incredible!" The co-pilot exclaimed. He hadn't expected the machine to be capable of so much, truthfully. It was about twenty minutes into the test flight when problems arose. Klaxons blared inside the cockpit as the Minovsky Drive suddenly gave out. The Mobile Armor began a rapid descent, both Fuuka and her co-pilot struggling under the G force as they quickly lost altitude.

"WORK!" Fuuka screamed in desperation, a hand slamming into the console, the Mobile Armor moments away from impacting the ocean at terminal velocity. As if responding to her very desperation, the Minovsky Craft system sprung back to life at full power causing the Apsalus to jerk back upwards. There was no further testing to be done, the Apsalus I proceeded back to Onogoro before the power cut out just off the shore. The Massive Mobile Armor collapsed into the ocean but managed to stay afloat. A distress beacon was activated and the Mobile Armor was towed back to port.

[Results]
-Mission Accomplished!
-Watanabe Fuuka, Injured 1, Repairing 1, 7 XP
-Apsalus I Test Data Gathered