Super Robot Quest G

1500, 20 June 2073
Outskirts of Refinery

"Blaster!"/"Blaster!"

Perseus raised both arms, and his newfound fangs growled as the gunports unveiled. His cameras - his optics? - narrowed as his wills highlighted the sources of their ire, and he moved to oblige them. Pulses of reddish-pink light erupted from his arms, and many of the lesser beings simply ceased to be. They were annoyances, but as another salvo of fire blasted through more of them, he mused that enough of them could eventually pose a reasonable threat to him.

A moment later, his forearms crossed in front of his face as one of the Others crashed into him. Large chunks of his warpaint flecked away as the Other's weapon slammed into his guard, the impact being enough to force his feet to slide back some distance. A pair of green optics glared back at him as the Other tried to use brute force to break past his defense - but Perseus would not yield so easily!

"What's it gonna take to put you all down?" the Other asked, almost as if the conditions were ripe for an idle conversation. Not the roar, not the thunder of battle as the Seekers clashed with their ground-based number, not with his kindred fighting together as a block as their own blasters traded fire, stepping forward in loose step with one another like a tide of nature. The Other's lips curled into a snarl as he put more servo-strength into the attempt, his weapon - a large unwieldy-looking club - shaking slightly from the effort. "Your human buddies wanted to make monsters and they made you?"

'You are stalling.'

"Suppose I am-!" Abruptly, the Other broke contact and leapt backwards. Growling, Perseus recovered from the guard break and took a step forward to pursue -

- but for the interference.

---

"What the-?"

Oscar reared back in his seat as the massive form crashed into the ground, entire dust storms of debris and shards of pavement scattering into the air. Perseus's optical lens were already zooming in on the warform as its profile became more and more clear - and he didn't like what he was seeing. It looked like a Free Brother Drone - but supersized.

Only when his mind began to think rationally again did he see the small differences. Where the Drones were a little weedy and lanky, this Drone's build was broad, with shoulders and limbs built of solid construction. Massive claw hands snapped menacingly, with arcs of electricity flickering into being in between each tip. Various gunports were becoming unveiled, showing more of its own weapons ports.

Above all, its form towered over Perseus. The Phalanxes all ceased their approach, suddenly no longer the biggest, densest block in the world as the pilots were all taking in the exact same sight. The only ones unphased were the Seekers, who immediately -

"Twenty-Fifth! Break off!" Oscar barked. "Break-!"

The Free Brother mech erupted in multiple clouds of contrails, and the Seeker frames that had dived in to take their chances simply evaporated. He could feel Xiu Ying wince as their systems already registered that flight's drop from the IFF network, even as tiny fragments were already showering onto the ground.

"How d'you like them now, humans!?" The Free Brother mech apparently had a PA. Unlike the other Free Brother Kaus, this one's voice was a bit higher pitched amid the hysterical laughter in between his words. "You all are supposed to be easy pickings, but you had to go and make your own monsters! It's about time - !" The mech took one large step forward, sending a small seismic tremble into the ground and nearly knocking some of the Phalanxes off their feet. " - that someone remind you all of the pecking order here!"

---

1210, 20 June 2073
DFRI Command Center

You don't think Sasaki even noticed you as you were simply leaning against the wall adjacent to the elevator. The various staffers were already efficiently running reports and analyses on demand for the acting commander as she tore through all of the data available to her, Adrianna and Diana acting as her hands. You had come down here once you were alerted to the fact that Perseus had run into an unexpected complication - but then Sasaki was already there. Calmly and confidently pushing out orders, redressing the lines for the Phalanxes and reigning in the chastised Marine pilots of the Seekers after that unfortunate initial salvo.

"Sir?" Katarina appears next to you. "Aren't you going to step in?"

The visual sight of the Free Brother mech - dwarfing the Westphalian Brute by a country mile - filled the command center's screen. Already Perseus had moved in to engage, the Arc Blade having proven to be somewhat less than effective against its armor. Yet far from being frustrated, you can't help but focus on Sasaki simply rolling with the punches, not letting any other emotion than calm cross her face.

"No." You shake your head. "Acting commander's already got this. I don't need to interfere with operations."

You have a feeling that at one point, Sasaki just might get poached. If General Peters' upcoming plans were anything to go by, you could very easily see her promoted to run her own segment of the wider Super Robot program.

And as much as you would hate to lose her, you know you'd endorse her in a heartbeat. She's earned the right.

"Perseus," you hear as you continue to watch Sasaki in her element. "Authority granted. Initiate combination for Perseus Megas!"

---

1510, 20 June 2073
Makeshift GSDF Forward Outpost

"What."

Major Lennox stared. Her radio officer stared. Hell, she was pretty sure after the fact that all activity simply stopped in the command post.

Because it was one thing to know about the Super Robot program.

It was something else entirely to see it.

---

"Armor-!"/"-Combination!"

Both Oscar and Xiu Ying's palms slammed into the console, and the bright lights of the biometric scanner seemingly filled the cockpit as joint initiation meshed with Captain Sasaki's authorization orders.

---

For a brief moment, it was as if Perseus was floating disembodied from his frame as it leapt into the air.

The twin chariots that had been outfitted for him weeks ago roared onto the battlefield, with jet engines propelling them into the air. His arms receded inwards, and parts of his feet and ankles bent inwards as the chariots - no, the Sledders - separated midflight, crackling lines of ultrathin wires attaching to them and reeling them in like fish on a hook.

In a clash of sparks, large chunks of the Sledder slammed onto what had been his forearms, and a pair of larger hands extended, with sensation returning as he reflexively gripped the air.

Reinforced boots slotted into the gap, once again granting him feet to support the new larger frame.

In a show of electric arcs, Perseus felt, rather than saw, his armor connect itself to his chest and back, the weight of its protection - and its weapon of force - a comforting one.

And then he saw.

His optics lit up brightly right as his new helm connected, a face plate guard sliding over.

Perseus was whole.

---

"Perseus-!"/"-Megas!"

Major Lennox could only stare at the monstrosity that had now taken to the field. Still smaller than whatever the Kausen had brought to the field...but the DFRI's answer seemed a pretty solid one. The bronze and blue warrior that now stood over the battlefield and squared off against the Kausen's warmachine looked more like a Greek hoplite than anything else.

Yet it also looked so very ready to throw down.

"Ma'am!" Lennox tore her attention from the holo screen. "Maneuver reports they've reconsolidated and-what the hell?" The messenger's military bearing broke momentarily as he saw what everyone else was staring at. "...ma'am, the hell is this?"

"That's what we're rallying around."