The smokey conference room was shrouded in darkness with its curtains and blinds drawn. Addiscombe sat with Her Majesty's Cabinet around a vast dark wooden table.
"I assume you've read the report from the Witney Mission?" Addiscombe said.
"They hurt a civilian, they are dangerous." A minister said.
"They uncovered a herd of monsters," Addiscombe said.
"Team Six cannot handle themselves we should consider disbanding." A minister said.
"They all start off like this, one of them could be Sophia," Addiscombe said.
"What evidence do we have." A minister said.
"None, I just have a feeling." Addiscombe said.
"Your feelings are inconsequential in the face of growing threat. We need hard data." A minister said.
"We just need more girls to combat it." A minister said.
"We cannot keep feeding more to the fire," Addiscombe said.
"The city is abundant with choices." A minister said.
"What of the one that merged?" A minister said.
"She died, Doctor Yates has yet to report anything more than the autopsy," Addiscombe said.
"There might be some answers there, have her keep searching," A minister said.
"Yes." Addiscombe said.
"We'll keep Team Six going, they may uncover yet another mystery." A minister said.
"Yes." Addiscombe said.
During the fortnightly weekend break, the students of the academy scattered in different directions to make the most of their free time. Lucy returned home to see her mother on the family farm just on the outskirts of the city. Sitting at the familiar kitchen table with a cup of tea.
"How are you enjoying the academy?"
"It's good," she moved her spoon around the teacup.
"I'm sure you've already made so many friends."
"Yeah! My teammates are so nice, I think we're going to be really good together."
"I'm glad," Lucy's mother smiled, cutting carrots on the countertop. The kitchen was lightly decorated though not desperate; the Cornwallis family was poor. "You look so cute in your uniform, dear."
"Thanks, mum."
"Your father would be so proud of you."
"You know one of my Teammates, Anne, is one of the Laforey family?"
"Impressive. To think, my daughter is mixing with high society."
"Yeah, I'm a little surprised she's there but I'm sure it's because she wants to give something back."
"Are they feeding you alright? You look like you're getting thin," her mother asked, sliding the carrot slices from the board into a pot on the stove.
"Of course. It's probably just all the training." Lucy took a sip of her tea and her mother began humming as she cooked. Lucy thought she always seemed so absent-minded. She never asked the right questions and she could never tell when she was lying.
Over the weekend Anne chose to stay at a hotel just by the folly bridge near the city centre far from the academy. Though she had no money her family name and notoriety allowed her to get away without paying. She was used to fame. The staff greeted her by name, recognising her from newspapers. She could've gone home to the Laforey Mansion, but there were the troubles of family there. She entered the few high-end shops in the city and had fashion recommendations from the most attentive of staff; however, she chose to remain in her Victorian Uniform. Restaurant hosts would thank her for her service before shooing away patrons to open her a seat. Anne simply accepted this as the life she had. That night on her return to the hotel on the dark streets a man yelled at her from across the road and began to cross. He put her arm around her and began to follow.
"Hey, where are you going, babe?"
"Get off me."
"Hey now, don't be like that. What's a pretty girl like you doing out so late all by yourself?"
"Going back to my hotel."
"Mind if I come with? I must say I'm a little lonely tonight."
"Do what you want." Still clinging to her, the pair continued in silence for a while. "What's your name anyway?"
"Anne."
"Nice name. I've always thought you Victorians were so hot. So proper but you've got something more."
"Aren't you going to tell me your name?"
"Sorry, it's Matthew."
They arrived at the hotel with raised eyebrows at the front desk. Now simply following her Matthew climbed the stairs behind Anne. Unlocking the door to her room she held it open for him to enter.
"Proper fancy place this init."
"I suppose."
"Didn't think I'd make it this far." Matthew said, chuckling to himself.
"If you want you can leave." Anne stood in the middle of the room at the foot of the bed. Matthew stepped forward and lifted up her chin and pressed his lips against hers. She barely moved. Moving his hands from her face he reached down to remove her belt and then her skirt. He then took off her uniform jacket and threw it in the now-forming pile of clothes. Releasing her he turned her around and pushed her onto the bed. Attempting to remove his own clothes as quickly as possible he almost fell as his trouser leg clung to his foot. Anne lay silently staring at the ceiling as he began to crawl up the bed. His now erect naked penis wiped up her legs as he crawled and he manoeuvred her underwear down her legs. Anne remained motionless. At regular intervals, she let monotone moans as he pushed himself into her. Almost disappointed at her inaction he lifted his hands to her neck. Contracting his fingers she was unable to breathe.
"You didn't have to do that" She sighed and raised her hands to his neck and snapped it. Throwing his lifeless body aside into a clump on the floor. She pulled up her underwear and crept towards his pile of clothes. In his jacket pocket, she found a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. She sat and smoked on the side of the bed.
Mary didn't have a family to return to or money to spend so stayed at the academy. The academy was practically empty. Though teachers and older military personnel remained there, they generally didn't interact with the students very often. Mary found herself creeping downstairs towards Dr Yates' Office in the basement. She welcomed her in.
"Come in, come in Mary. I was wondering when I'd see you again."
"Good evening Daphne." She smiled and walked in.
"So, how are you?" Daphne sat back in her desk chair and pulled her legs up into sitting cross-legged.
"I think, I think I'm alright"
"You think? You know people don't really need to think when answering that kind of question."
"I know, how are you?"
"You know me, I'm always good," she said, stretching her arms in the air and then behind her head. "What do you think of that Lucy?"
"She's nice, but a bit useless."
"Ouch, there's no need for you to be like that. She's only just started."
"She doesn't have any talent, any self-belief."
"Strong words coming from you."
"Have you found out anything about Georgia yet?"
"Like what?"
"What exactly happened to her?"
"The monster that was inside the Hengist Unit seems to have melded with her body and fused their cells together. Her outside appearance seemed to be entirely a cosmetic choice. I wonder if it was Georgia's choice or the monsters."
"Does it have a name yet?"
"The Command has designated it Rabisu after the Sumerian Vampire."
"So this Rabisu could possibly have decided to look like Georgia?"
"Perhaps, it seems the two brains inside the body were working in tandem. However, the Rabisu had the power to mould their body like what it did in enveloping the mech."
"That was gross."
"You think so?"
"You don't?"
"A scientist observes, we try not to judge."
"Anne won't talk to me about what she saw inside."
"It's up to her but good luck getting anything out of her."
"Do you think General Addiscombe is right? Do you think we can return to a world without Manna?"
"He's an old man with old ideas. We shouldn't question him though." Suddenly sirens began to ring in the academy. Daphne jumped out of her chair to go and check an automatic typewriter that had begun a transmission at the same time as the sirens. The typewriter spelt out: 'Rampant Mech: North Oxfordshire - Moving South - Meets Absolute Defence Line in 3 Hours'.
"Mary, get upstairs they might be sending your team."
"But they're away."
"Just go."
As Mary reached the top of the stairs a man in uniform quickly stepped towards her. "Kempenfelt, there you are. You need to get outside, your team is being sent on an operation."
"But they're away," said Mary, stunned at the man.
"They returned a few hours ago on request of the general."
"Do we know what kind of mech it is yet?" A uniformed man said as he leaned over a desk in a conference room. On the wall hung a map of the area with markers for the base and the approaching mech.
"Ironsides Class, Cromwell Unit." another soldier replied.
"Who are we sending?" Yet another man asked
"Teams One and Six," the second man said.
"Team Six?" The third man exclaimed.
"General wants to have them work alongside professionals. Maybe they'll learn something." The second man said.
"They did well against the Hengist, I wonder how the new girl will fare." The first man mused.
Mary reached the others in Team Six, Lucy and Anne, in front of the academy. There they found Team One.
There three much older girls waited by a truck. The girl that Lucy saw in her monstology class with the tartan skirt leaned against the vehicle. Holding a steel bow in her hand with a quiver by her leg. Her red hair was tied up behind her and her face was covered in freckles. Another girl had a long gnarled wooden staff and straight long raven hair that went down to her legs. The last girl had bushy curled brown hair and a small metal suitcase.
"I'm Kathleen," the tartan-skirted girl said. "She's Jane and she's Evie." She said pointing at first the black-haired girl and then the brown-haired one.
"Anne, Mary, Lucy." Anne gestured at each of them.
"Let's go, time to get rid of this thing. They've had the RAF on it for an hour now to no effect." Kathleen said. She had a thick Scottish accent, rarer in post-cataclysm Britain although a strong tight-knit Scottish enclave managed to survive in Oxford. Anne grunted and followed Team One onto the back of the truck, Mary and Lucy following her. Alongside it, another larger truck was being loaded with supplies. Looking out Lucy saw what she thought must be General Addiscombe climbing into a motorcar.
"Why are they coming with us?" Lucy inquired.
"General Addiscombe likes to have a close view." Jane replied.
The convoy set off through the evacuated streets of the city. In the distance, they could hear a faint metal thud they were only getting closer to. The supply truck and motor car turned off at a junction, and the Victorian's transport continued to the ever-growing thundering noise. Quickly soldiers set up Addiscombe's tent laying out maps on tables and typewriters.
"Sir, Tabernacle Operational." A soldier saluted the general.
"Thank you, men." Addiscombe said sincerely with his back turned overlooking from a hill on the edge of the city at the approaching steel monstrosity. "Mr Roberts, what can you tell us?"
"Whitworth mech, highly defensive type. Its thick armour plating will make it hard to stop. Cromwell consciousness is quite dangerous. You can't reason with it, it'll just keep destroying until it runs out of power. It's most likely looking for our Manna stores at the academy." Samuel Roberts explained.
"Thank you, Officer Chelmner, get on the radio to the Victorians, explain to them what they're up against," Addiscombe ordered. The radio in the truck crackled as Officer Dennis Chelmner's voice explained the situation. The truck came to a stop. Now they weren't moving they began to feel the thuds of the incoming enemy through the truck's suspension. Anne pulled the curtain back and jumped down. Rounding the back of the vehicle she saw it. Now, much closer than the horizon a huge hulking beast moved in a straight line towards her. Its bulky metal frame towered above the trees and hills. Unlike the Hengist Unit this mech was Bipedal. Legs adorned with large heavy armour gave way to wide hips upon which sat a sphere with two arms protruding from holes on either side. Each step it took left a rectangular footprint in the ground. The six girls stood watching the machine.
"Jane, see what you can do," Kathleen ordered. Obliging, she smiled and thrust her staff into the ground in front of her. Trees on either side of the mech began to look as though they were being pulled upwards on strings. They grew in size and diminished in width and began to arc around the legs of the Cromwell Unit. Jane began to giggle as the machine was stopped by her bind. With a resounding crash, the mech fell forward onto its front.
"Easy," Jane said. The sphere body began to spin on its axis spraying mud and debris, when it stopped from the top it opened a hole and pushed out a cannon.
"Evie! Get Ready." Kathleen ordered. Evie stepped forward in front of the other five and flicked the clasps on her suitcase and held it aloft. The suitcase unfolded to the sound of clanking steel, revealing a large steel shield. With her other hand, Evie made a fist that shaped the shield into a large wall surrounding the teams. The mech's cannon fired directly at them, the missile made impact with the shield and the blast wrapped around creating a crater in front of them. Not to be outdone by the professionals Anne dug her lance into the dirt and pushed off launching herself into the air toward the mech. In the air, she threw it javelin-like into the cannon just as it was beginning to fire another shot the lance met a missile in the shaft and the resulting explosion caused the metal to buckle and crumble inwards and outwards. Activating the wire she pulled her weapon back towards her and landed on the sphere body. The body spun again and Anne lost her footing. Attempting to stabilise herself he caught her lance into a groove in the sphere and held on. It rotated faster and Anne found herself falling, until her fall was broken by a levitating bush by Jane. The lance still lodged in the body Anne disconnected her wire. The leg armour bound by warped trees began to expand. Jane now concentrating on saving Anne allowed her bind to be weaker and the trees snapped and burst like balloons. The plate armour contracted again and the mech spun its body, released two arms and pushed itself to its feet again. Mary searched through her scope for any kind of weak point but to no avail. Lucy was stunned, how were the six of them supposed to stop something so horrifically large? She held her sword with both hands feeling utterly useless. What was a sword going to do against walls of metal? The other girls all knew what to do. Kathleen was ordering assaults and spells to Jane and Evie, Mary was firing shots and Anne was fighting in close range. She just stood protected by Evie's shield. No. She can't do this. She had to prove herself. Gritting her teeth and returning her sword to her scabbard she threw herself over the shield wall with a leap and charged toward the approaching legs. She sprang and grasped the edge of a plate on its shin and pulled herself up to the upper thigh. Where she was unable to find anywhere to grasp she would punch to create something to hold. Thinking back to the test with Captain Woods she placed her hand on the metal and receded into herself. She could feel anger. She could feel the mech's raging consciousness through her hand. She tried to help it like she did the crying monster but instead, from her hand a burst of yellow light created a cascading web of electricity that covered the mech causing it to stop mid-step. It fell forward again and Lucy tumbled into what seemed to be the leg joints. Quickly realising, she began to slash the wires and tubes. Hydraulic liquid sprayed in the tight compartment. Suddenly she found herself drenched in a torrent of cold water as the mech ejected from its legs in a fiery blast. Mary had pulled water from nearby clouds to stop her from being burned. Now without legs, the sphere body began to roll around finding its direction. From either side of the now fast-rolling sphere, two turrets emerged that began an unrelenting barrage at the girls. Kathleen leapt to the top of the shield wall and quickly loosed six arrows from her bow each colliding perfectly with the barrels on the two turrets. The arrows exploded on contact. Tears in her eyes Anne ran toward the sphere. Now weaponless she crossed its path as it began to circle the wall and her fist ignited with flame. The impact rippled over the body and the metal casing crumpled. Her punch stopped the sphere completely. The cracked and charred steel revealed tiny holes that Jane used as she conducted roots and branches of trees to wiggle their way in and expand. From every crack and hole verdant bushes and leaves sprouted. The mech was lifeless.
Lucy and Anne returned to the other four.
"Is everyone okay?" Kathleen asked "No injuries?" She looked around as the girls replied, Lucy not answering.
"Is it dead?" Lucy asked.
"It's a robot they don't really live." Jane said, laughing slightly.
"No, It was angry, I felt it," Lucy said, almost panicking.
"Angry? Robots don't have feelings, they're machines. God, you are new aren't you." Kathleen said, now almost annoyed.
"Listen to me, I don't think this is right," Lucy shouted.
"Robots don't have feelings, Lucy, stop embarrassing us," Anne said angrily.
"Whatever you felt might have something to do with your magic?" Mary proposed. "Anyway, you did well. Be proud of yourself." The other girls turned away from Lucy and Mary comforted her. "It was a tough battle. Let's get back and get some rest." Mary spoke into her radio to the tabernacle informing Chelmner they had won the battle. Soon trucks arrived and soldiers unloaded to check on the mech. They surveyed the remains. Addiscombe stepped out of his motorcar with Chelmner and approached Team One first who had naturally separated themselves from Six.
"Good work as always," he said. Kathleen beamed at the praise, the other two didn't seem to care.
"Thank you, sir," she saluted. Stepping past them he moved toward Team Six.
"You proved yourselves today. You should be proud."
"Th- thank you, sir," Lucy said while the other two saluted wordlessly.
"Right, let's get these girls back." Addiscombe said, lifting his hand in the air and swirling it around.