A Dragon in the den's dream
Present
Mobile Suit Gundam 0082: His Dark Materials
Into this wild abyss,
The womb of nature and perhaps her grave,
Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire,
But all these in their pregnant causes mixed
Confusedly, and which thus must ever fight,
Unless the almighty maker them ordain
His Dark Materials to create more worlds,
Into this wild abyss the wary fiend
Stood on the brink of hell and looked a while,
Pondering his voyage...
-Milton: Paradise Lost, Book II
Prologue
Side 2, L4, Shoal Zone, unknown location
29th December UC0079...
The bridge!
The tone in her mind was immense as she mentally screamed to herself. It wracked every nerve in her body to kick the bulkhead as fast and strong as she can to float to her destination through the odds and ends floating freely in the cruiser. Her face visor was wet with moisture and tear, whatever that can flow out of her eyes to float in whatever little space in her helmet faceplate before colliding against her face or the faceplate itself. Little managed to seep through her dry lips but the salty tang in her mouth did not in one way or another act as a deterrent for her and her one track mind.
The bridge!
Behind her, way back down the corridor of the cruiser, there were gunshots ringing throughout the ship. Ringing through whatever little air that is still present in the cruiser. Air that they did not dare to inhale, did not dare to waste. It was precious to them at this moment and their own life counts second compared to it.
There was small arms fire, machinegun fire and the far in between explosions of a grenade or handheld missile launcher. All were firing against something; their fury against it was immense that there was no gap in their fire except to reload their weapon.
But ammunitions aren't infinite. They don't last long and one by one, all the firing subsided. Except one. The target of their fury is firing back and the ship shook as bullets punch through it whereever it pleases. But it ends, not out of ammunition but to save it. Moment later, the sound of metal groaning, echoing throughout the ship. And the screams. The pitiful screams that rung around her were audible even though it was far from her. But she could do nothing. Nothing at all. They have done their part. The rest is up to her. She could only forget about them now.
The bridge!
She didn't know which hurt her more: the feeling of despair of trying to run while her comrades dies, or the feeling of guilt of what they have done here to bring this that she brought up in her mind now to realize all of this was their own fault. They have crossed the boundary of humanity and mercy. She could only wish she had not been transferred to this unit, or sign up for the military at least to vow revenge. She could have just stayed back on Terra, weeping and crying her misery out over her loss. But no. She wanted revenge. But now, another vengeance is now against her. [i]Everyone[/i]. She curses herself.
The bridge!
She made it! To her relief she finally reached the bridge. All that lay in front of her now is the door to it. As she proceeds to go through the door, letting the automatic sensors to open the door, but it didn't. All around her, the lighting suddenly died. Every single light in the ship just died out like candles being blown out by wind. Her heart jumped, starting to panic. She went to the panel to the left of the door, trying to pry it open. Emergency lighting now turned on and barely illuminating the now dark corridor. Shadows loom the corridor.
She did not notice in her struggle to open the panel to the manual control to open the door, a darker shadow looming behind her, eyes blank and staring intently at her. She did not notice another shadow looming above her, staring too, eyes blank. She did not notice in her struggle that something is staring at her, not just the shadows. All she could fell however is the cold draft that embraces her shivering body as she struggle to open the panel.
She could not wait any longer. It was hopeless to do so. She cursed. But it did not stop her from stepping a little back, pulled her 9mm pistol out of its holster, take aim at the panel, and fired. She did not care how much she had fired at it. She merely emptied the whole clip and tossed it sideways to join and float with the other things floating in zero-G. Just another odds and ends.
Her aim was not bad as the shots mangled the panel completely and she could now pry it open. It did and revealed to her the manual control and turned it. The door hissed open and she was in. She never noticed something was staring at her. And she never will.
To her relief, the bridge of the cruiser was still intact despite the probable damage it succumbs to its hull. The lights were out but as of outside, emergency powers were still available to power the little lighting in the bridge, illuminating it. But what was important was that the operating consoles too are still active. She fumbled as she worked on the communications device, trying to find an open channel to at least contact something out there. Any ****ing thing. But to her dismay, nothing. She tried a tight beam transmission and then a wide beam transmission. She sent distress signal through it but she'll never know that although it had beamed, nothing found it.
She slumped down in the chair, covering her faceplate in her hands and her eye's closed. She did not notice the many a shadows looming behind her, focusing their sights at her alone. She did not notice another shadow loomed in on to the bridge by something from outside. She never noticed that that thing was staring in, full of rage, hate. At anything alive. She is.
But she did notice when glasses were flying around her. It sheared her Normal Suit in several places. She did notice that she was being sucked out of the bridge as the atmosphere was vented out. She did notice that her body was in pain as where her Normal Suit was torn, it exposed her protected skin under it to the vacuum, partially freeze/boiling her. It was not enough for her to die if it was. Only agony. But it was not over.
She did notice through her own screaming and crying of pain that a hand was holding her whole in it and slowly closed. Before the darkness could take over her, before she would feel the pain of a quick death, she prayed.
God! Forgive us for what we did!
And she was gone. There was nothing left in the vacuum of space where she was, except for the crushed, still bleeding corpse that was her. From the ruined bridge of the cruiser, the shadows that had stared at her vanished one by one until there was none.
---
Four years now has passed since the end of the unforgettable One Year War. There was no one in the whole of Earth Sphere could ever forget those godforsaken times. Many were lost and many were lost themselves, a common tune sang in the aftermath of a war. And a war of that scale, the volume of that song is twice louder.
Still, lives don't stop just there. They go on; and as long as living is what they have to go through, then there is really no wonder how is it that people can't see the future laid for them as they take each new step.
---
Side 2, L4, Shoal Zone
E.F.S.F Cruiser Sharrap
1st November UC0082...
"Sir, I think I see something bearing 075." the sensor operator reported across the bridge. His CO looked up from his reading a report clipped on the clipboard.
"What is it? Give me a positive ID, corporal." his CO said annoyingly, thinking that the corporal had spotted another dead ship or debris. It doesn't help when they are so close to the shoal zone.
"It's a ship sir. Musai-class cruiser and two smaller contacts." The sensor operator reported. The CO straightened in his seat, sensing this could be interesting. He hadn't seen action for a while since the war ended.
"Mobile Suits?"
"Yes, sir. Two Zakus and no others. Best guess is they're on patrol and kept one or two more in their hangars.
"Status?"
"Cruising normally, sir. They haven't detected us yet."
The CO lifted his phone. "Lieutenant? Get your squad ready to launch. We got a Musai with escorts inbound. We'll spread Minovsky particles to cover you. Get those Zeeks then."
---
What is it?
They're coming to play...
There is no doubt...
I must kill...
Vengeance...
Death... must perform...
Their fate... my fate...
Vengeance...
---
" There it is. I see 'em. Two Zaks and a Musai." the mobile suit squad leader said as he stared at his monitors. His GM Command Space type is followed closely by his two wingmen as they flew towards the still unalerted Musai.
"There they are! Engage at will. Don't let any escape." the squad leader told his subordinates.
As they approached closer towards the unwary group, only then did one of the Zakus spot the three Federation mobile suits heading towards them. The pilot alerted his comrade and the bridge. The Musai instinctively prepared to make a turn towards the mobile suits while launching its third mobile suit in the hanger; a Rick Dom.
"Damn, so much for a surprise attack." the squad leader grimaced. "Remember, shoot to kill!" he said one more time before both sides' mobile suits began engaged in a wild three on three melee.
The Rick Dom had joined his comrades and had fire two opening shots from its 360mm Bazooka while the two Zakus charged at the oncoming mobile suits, firing their 120mm machineguns, forcing the three GMs to scatter. The GM squad leader pressed on towards the Rick Dom, dodging another two bazooka shot and firing his 90mm machinegun at it, his other two wingmen engaged the two Zakus.
The Rick Dom firing its last rocket at the GM Command before it could get close and quickly draw its own 90mm machinegun and its heat saber. The Rick Dom fires immediately and charged at the GM Command with its saber to bear. The GM drew its own beam saber just in time to block the first slash. The Rick Dom put its thrusters backward as he pulled its saber back, knowingly the result if he didn't and thrusts upwards and fired 90mms at the GM Command.
"Damn... this one is an ace." the GM squad leader cursed as he thrusted forward to avoid the shells. He rolled his GM and emptied his machinegun at the Rick Dom who dodged it yet again. As he thrusted away from the Rick Dom and trying to reload his machinegun, his radio suddenly beeps.
"Lieutenant!" screamed one of his wingmen over the speakers. He turned to look just in time to see the pilot's GM exploded from a beam shot fired out of nowhere. Just as he was about to curse yet again, another follow on beam shot hit the Zaku the former was engaging. It exploded to join in with its previous enemy as another debris of the shoal zone.
"What the..." he began, just as the remaining pilots see something approach them. It's coming from the shoal zone.
---
"What's going on?! What just happened?" The Sharrap's CO asked his crewman as he panics. All of a sudden an unknown enemy wipes out his mobile suit team. The enemy mobile suits his mobile suit team was engaging too were lost but there was still that Musai up ahead. He couldn't believe that all their mobile suits were wiped out just like that with no survivors. The Musai's crew up ahead too, is confused by this unexpected turn of event.
"Sir! Incoming heat source!" the sensor operator reports excitedly.
"What!? From where?" the CO asked quickly. But he will never get the answer as another beam shot from the shoal zone and destroyed the bridge, killing everyone in there.
---
Chapter 1: Into this wild abyss...
Sol System, L5, Konpei Island (Solomon)
9th November UC0082...
"Lieutenant! Help me!"
"Damn it, hold on, Ken!"
"It's... AHHHHH!"
"Ken!! Why you...! Go to hell, you bastard! How dare you go shoot a friendly."
"..."
---
"That's the last transmission received from the mobile suits." Lieutenant Deans concludes to his Commanding Officer, Commodore Poll. "After that, for all we know, the Sharrap is lost. No contact whatsoever."
"What about the friendly the squad leader mentioned? Any lead on that one?" the captain asks.
"No clue at all, sir," replied Deans, "We believed that he was referring to one of our own mobile suits captured and used by the zeeks. We have been receiving reports on several GMs stolen lately."
"This is serious, Lieutenant. There has been increasing reports on these guerilla tactics the Zeon remnants are employing against us." Poll said gravely, "And to the extent of using our own mobile suits? What else are they capable of?"
"If I may recommend sir," Deans interrupts his train of thoughts, " I think the best course of action is to eliminate this problem quickly. We should send a team to the Side 2 Shoal Zone and investigate."
"Why and who do you think I should send?" Poll asked, "Those Zeon remnants could be everywhere in the Earth Sphere for all we know. Sending them to Side 2 might not make a difference unless they are still there which I doubt"
"But, we should investigate the site first. We haven't sent anyone there yet and I think it might be a good idea we get hard evidence what are we facing first." Deans said, "And that site in Side 2 would be the first place to look at first."
"Then who do you think I should send." Poll said, convinced by Deans' words, "I think I may have a few teams on standby."
"Well, I'd say we can send in the 45th Task Force. They're new, itching for combat but they got a mix of new and veteran pilots and officers. Should be a great opportunity for them to get some experience. Plus, they seems to get along just well."
---
Sol System, en route to L4, Side 2
E.F.S.F Transport Ship Qenius
10th November UC0082...
Space. Black, dotted with bright stars and the light from many colonies residing from their focal LaGrange Points around the Earth Sphere. One might have the impression that space is cold just by looking at the empty darkness which usually connected to coldness of heart. That was for some of those who have yet to see space for the first time. When space to them was the high blue yonder. that was an Earthnoid's view.
But for Lieutenant j.g Shilo Wield, it wasn't the first time, he though as he stared out of the view screen of the ship. He is a veteran MS pilot and has been and seen combat in the dreaded One Year War four years ago. He'd been on Earth first, then to space and joined in on Operation Star One. He had seen many and to him, that was when he learned to grow up and learn the true meaning of being alive. If it weren't for the likes of his former superior officers like Colonel Ethan, Major Preity and Captain Li, he wouldn't go as far as he is now. Each and everyone from his old unit taught him one thing from another.
Now, he had re-enlisted into the military again and soon joined the 723rd MS Company and was promoted to Lieutenant j.g from his astounding record from the One Year War. Effectively, he is a veteran and is someone to be respected by the new officers who haven't. People like the ones playing poker behind him.
"Ha! Royal Straight Flush again! I win!" The young man whoop as he slams his cards down onto the table, much to dismay of the three other people playing with him. One of them could no longer hold his frustration and toss his card into the air and all floated down slowly in zero-G.
"Gah! That's it! I quit! Q-U-I-T! Quit! I've lost half my pay to you already!" The person who tossed his cards shouted to the winner of their game, pointing his finger at him menacingly as if he is going to drive it up that nose of his. The winner however was much too happy to care or too busy stuffing his pocket with the new set of credit cards he won fair and square.
"Well, it ain't me the one losing to you losers." The winner said as he pockets the last of the credit card. The only thing now in Ensign Chris Parren's head is just what is he going to spend his money on when he gets back.
"If you hadn't bicker me in to playing with you, Parren," said Ensign Mark Mormat dejectedly.
"You sure? I could have swore I heard you said you were itching for a game, Mark." Chris said jokingly, "Besides, what's the difference? I win."
"You sure didn't cheat, ensign?" came a voice from behind him. Parren suddenly looked as if he had faced Shin Matsunaga and had a few seconds to pray and die. Some turn to see the tall Lieutenant Duncan Lesam, standing behind Parren.
"Of course not, sir. Why should I?" Parren said, a hint of fear in his voice.
"Well, nothing really but if you didn't cheat, why don't we play a game and see who wins now." Lesam said, staring at him, his eyes staring straight in to Chris's.
"How about some other time, sir? I think I have played enough today." Parren obviously heard Lesam can't tolerate cheaters and had sent four people to the hospital for doing so. He does not want to be the fifth.
"Very well then." said Lesam with a pretending sadness in his voice. "Though I'd admit I missed a game of poker. The last person I played with was no fun, cheated my money and I. I put a stop to that quick before others were cheated by him." He cracks his knuckles as if to express his point, or just to point out what he meant by 'put a stop to it'.
"Y... yes, sir." Parren stammered and he left wardroom. Everyone gave out a laugh as he left and some clapped to congratulate the Lieutenant in getting rid of Parren out of the wardroom. He playfully bows before everyone. When the laughter had died down, Lesam approached Shilo who is still sitting beside the viewing screen.
"Is there something wrong, Lieutenant Wield? Or are you so in love with the view you can't take your eyes of it?" Lesam said to Shilo who seems to have realized that there is a world around him.
"No, sir. Just enjoying the view, that's all." Shilo said to him. Lesam only nodded and sat down in the chair beside him. There were only a few minutes of silence between them, except for Lesam's humming to an old song. Only then did Lesam speak again.
"You still remember those times, do you?" Lesam asked unexpectedly. Shilo just sigh as he looks up at the ceiling.
"Yeah," Shilo replied, "But only the good ones though. I didn't have much bad ones... except losing friends, of course."
"We all have lost friends in the war, lieutenant," said Lesam, "Even I lost a dozen more too. But more friends told me to just live on and remember those who died for they would be thankful for it. Have any of your friends say any of that to you?" Lesam asks.
People dies but we live on whether we like it or not. It's just the Way set for us. We could only go forward and remember the past as we follow the Way.
He grins as remember those familiar words. "Yeah, someone told me too. It made me feel better after that."
"Well, keep those words in here, lieutenant." Lesam said, tapping his forehead, " You never know when you want to pass those words to others who need it like you did before."
"I'll keep that in mind, sir." said Shilo. Lesam nodded and he stands up to leave the wardroom.
---
Sol System, L4, Shoal Zone
E.F.S.F Cruiser Brum
11th November UC0082...
"Are we there yet?" Commander Arthur Werfeur asks his Executive Officer as he enters the bridge. His executive officer salutes him, along with the rest of the bridge officers before they return to their normal position and duty.
" We're almost there, sir. According to our calculations we should reach the last known position of the Sharrap." the XO tells him as he sits down in his chair.
"What about the rest of us? Where are they?" 'Us' refers to the 45th Task Force Werfeur is now commanding. It consists of two new refitted Salamis cruisers Brum and Scenario and one refitted Columbus Transport ship Qenius to carry the 9 mobile suits of the 723rd 'Silver Bernard' MS Company. A newly outfitted Task Force, High Command seem to have run out of choices for crews and officers for it and got fresh cadets from Nijmegan to fill in some gaps in it. Only three out of the nine mobile suit pilots had combat experience from the war.
But the remaining green pilots weren't bad so to say. He managed to get a training sortie for them as a standard welcome exercise. Though hazing seems to be the first word that comes in mind to the veterans. The outcome wasn't so bad; only 2 pilots from the newbies were killed in the first training and that new pretty pilot waxed only one of the veteran. Which reminded him that that pretty pilot is his own daughter. He couldn't understand the irony his XO pointed out.
"They're right behind us, sir." His XO replied.
"Good. Tell the Qenius, get two of our pilots out there and make a forward search for anything suspicious coming our way. Make it..." he thought for a moment before finally, "Wield and Werfeur. Lesam is to remain and take command of the rest if the need arises."
"Yes, sir." his exec replied, hoping his CO did not notice the smirk on his face on the mention of that name. He proceeded to relay the order.
---
E.F.S.F Transport Ship Qenius
11th November UC0082...
"You be careful out there. Got that, Wield?" Lesam said to the pilot as he fastens the clamps on his boots.
"Don't worry, sir. It's just a routine guard duty. Even if we're ambushed and outnumbered by whatever is out there, you still have to come out and help." Shilo said as he stands up to zip up his normal suit, "Besides, I'm not going alone.
"Yes, but with her?" Lesam pointed to the shoulder length blonde haired woman who is also putting on her normal suit. The same woman who 'shot' him in the welcoming exercise.
"You're still mad at her are you, sir?" Shilo whispers to his superior.
"Mad? Why should I be?" he said cordially, "I should be praising her. Looks doesn't count when she's very good to take on me and win."
"Well, at least I know you're happy for her, sir," Shilo said jokingly.
"Just don't forget, she's our CO's daughter. Get her whacked and I'm obliged to follow whatever his orders are," he added, grinning. Just then, the woman, fully in her normal suit came up to them and snapped a salute to both of them. She somehow had managed to stuff her hair into her helmet.
"Ensign Selrina Werfeur, reporting, sir," she said as both of them salutes her back.
"See you later, sir," Shilo said as he left the locker room with Selrina falling in place next to him and into the hangers where his new GM Kai he and the veteran pilots received. The newer pilots were forced to use old refitted '79 GMs. Shilo kicked the bulkhead and floats towards his GM Kai's open cockpit.
The new GM Kai they have received was a thing of beauty, to the maintenance crews of course. It's sleek red on white frame shows that of speed and maneuverability which is what the GM Kai is designed for. With an additional two more thrusters on its backpack, the speed is slightly but greatly increased, raising a mere 0.94 G of the GM to the new 0.98 G. Not much but it will have to do.
As Shilo close his unit's cockpit, the warning buzzer sounded as the bay doors open, depressurizing the hanger as it did so. He turned on the power of his GM and waits as all the displays lit up in the cockpit. The report he received from the maintenance chief was good and his GM Kai is in maximum condition to launch. He had to thank them one day for keeping their mobile suits in perfect condition. Just like back in the war.
Once everything is ready, Shilo maneuvers his GM Kai off its maintenance platform and to the weapons rack on the ship's inner wall and selected a beam spray gun and a shield. As much as he hated the short range of the weapon, he still can't feel assured without a ranged beam weapon. It had saved him many times and he's not going to ignore it, short range or not. Besides, it is the only beam weaponry the GM Kai can use. Behind him, Ensign Werfeur selected a 90mm Machinegun instead and the shield.
"Ensign Werfeur, what is your status?" Shilo asks her as he place his GM Kai's feet on the launch catapults.
"Ready to launch and standing by for your orders," Selrina replies evenly over the radio. Wield nodded and contacts the bridge.
"This is Lieutenant Wield, launching," he said once he had tune in on the Qenius's bridge and getting the authorization to launch. The launch catapults suddenly jerked his GM Kai forward and out of the open bay doors, followed by Selrina's GM. Once they were a bit far from the ship, they activated their thrusters and made a ten second full burn forward.
With Shilo in lead, they both keep one step ahead of the ships as they scan the surrounding. As they go further, the scanning gets harder as the amount of debris from the war gets thicker. Shilo grimaced at the sight. Even though he had not been in the early part of the war, he could still remember what some of his old comrades from his old unit used to recount the battle that broke out here. This is the first time he had been to Side 2 and he secretly wondered what Yuki or the others would say if they comes back here. He could still remember the tears on his former superior officer's eye when she mentioned about her home in Side 2.
The hour scan and traversing around the shoal zone was uneventful to say the least and made their journey faster. Both Shilo and Selrina returned to the ship as they come in range to the investigation site to refuel.
---
E.F.S.F Cruiser Brum
11th November UC0082...
"We are now approaching the site, sir," Werfeur's Exec reports. Werfeur kept his sights on the bridge's display screen and nods at the report. So far, so good, he thought. Here, the debris to their right are much thicker compared to the other part of the shoal zone. One good look at it brings the impression of an impregnable wall of debris and such.
"I found it!" shouts the sensor operator, "I found the Sharrap! There it is!" he magnifies the image for everyone to see the image of one very badly damaged old refitted '79 Salamis cruiser. They could only see it's aft superstructure while the rest of it is surrounded with debris from the shoal zone, effectively hiding it from view.
"Is it dead?" Werfeur asks the sensor operator.
"No reactor reaction reading from it," he concludes after a moment later, "I'm afraid it is a very dead ship, sir." Werfeur could only sigh inwardly at the reply. It can't be help, he thought, we'll just have to investigate it as ordered then.
"Tell Lieutenant Lesam and the rest of the pilots to standby for launch orders. We're closing in on the site." Werfeur orders immediately which his XO quickly comply.
---
E.F.S.F Transport Ship Qenius
11th November UC0082...
"Finally, we're getting out for a real sortie." Parren said excitedly, rubbing his two gloved hands together before resting them back on his controls. The nine pilots of the 723rd MS Company are already in their respective mobile suits, armed and just waiting for the launch orders in the hanger. Lesam and Shilo's mobile suits are already on the launch catapults, facing the open bay doors and staring out in to the distant at the site. Shilo could hear Lesam sigh.
"Ensign Parren, if you say as much as that for the second time again, I'll make sure you stay here on this ship until we return to Konpei." Lesam warns him over the radio of his speakers.
"Sorry, sir." Parren replies, still with the hint of enthusiasm in his voice. "Just a little excited. That's all"
"Well, will you be excited if we go toe to toe against a mobile armor out there?" Lesam said again. Before Parren could say something back, Lesam continued, "We don't have a damn idea what are we facing out there and you're here entertaining the notion of going out there? This is a real mission for god sake. You die and that's that. You don't come back to wash off the paint of your mobile suit. We could be facing the ****in' Byg-Zam for all we know!" Lesam shudders at the thought of facing that monstrosity of a ship killer Dozle Zabi piloted at Solomon. Parren remained silent. Shilo grins at the short talk Lesam gave to the green pilot. Just as the tension is getting worse in the hanger, all the mobile suit's radio beeps to inform a new incoming message.
"All mobile suits, launch immediately. Proceed to the site and began investigation as ordered." the voice of the ship's executive officer said through the speakers. Two by two, all nine GMs launches from the hangers of the [i]Qenius[/i].
"Alright, follow me everyone! Keep in close formation until we reach the site," said Lesam to his mens. The distance between them and the dead ship is very close and with just a few seconds of full burn from their thrusters is enough for them to get to it in the shortest possible time. The ships too, trailing behind them with the two Salamis cruisers taking the lead.
---
"What the..." Shilo couldn't believe what he is actually seeing here. As they turn around the ship, what they found is a dead Salamis all right, its hull that they couldn't see from their previous position was carved wide open but didn't leave the ship in half. The conning tower was damaged completely and a hole punctured through the back of it. All the guns on the Salamis too, seem to have been cut or sliced by something. The hull can't be any better, bullet holes riddled it everywhere.
"This... all this damage can only be damaged by beam weapons!" Shilo pointed out. True to his words, a closer inspection reveals that where the hull is no longer one, the linings of the metal was melted by something very hot and is done in one perfect slash. The heat weapon most Zeon machine's employ can't possibly done it in one slash and with the deepness of the cut, beam weapon is the only culprit.
"Who could have done this?" one of the new pilots said, his voice heard by everyone, as he maneuvers his GM around the Salamis to check on all sides of it.
"Reports says that there're have been a number of GMs stolen recently. The zeeks are the usual suspect and we're looking at what they have used it for." Lesam tells him, inspecting the destroyed conning tower. The evident of beam weapons used against this ship is much stronger here, the viewing glass just melted and left a perfect hole in the reinforced glass. Lesam also noted that the aim was perfect; the beam shot killed everyone in the bridge in just one shot.
"Hey, the escape shuttle is missing!" exclaimed Parren as he bypassed the lower hull of the Salamis. The escape shuttle that is present on all Federation ships placed at the lower hull is indeed missing, a possibility of survivors.
"Lieutenant! You better take a look at this." It was Mark. Lesam and Shilo turned and thrusts towards Mark's GM, floating over a large colony hull and facing forward.
"What is it, Ensign?" Lesam asks. His only answer is Mark's GM's pointing in a direction up ahead with his machinegun. Both veteran pilots followed the line and laid their eyes on it. A Musai.
"Must be the Musai the Sharrap encountered. It's too new to be part a wreckage of the Shoal Zone." Lesam said sidely as he scans the ship for readings. He got none. It is another dead ship, "You two, follow me. We'll check it out. Get ready for anything, " He tells them, unsure whether it is some kind of trick by the Zeeks as he takes the lead to thrust forward first, followed closely by the two pilots.
It was clearly a dead ship to start with too, much like the Salamis. What they found here however is nothing compared to the one on the Salamis.
The Musai is badly damaged everywhere. Dents and holes riddled the Musai and surprisingly, it is still intact. All its guns are gone and the Kommusai shuttle is still there, albeit very much destroyed. Even its main bridge is slashed open by a beam weapon. The strangest thing they find is on the rear of the Musai where the hanger is. The bay doors of the hangers were bent and not in the way like they have ever seen. The bent on it seems to have been caused by giant hands, pulled open outwardly and seems to show something is trying to get inside.
"What could have happen here?" Shilo wondered at the evidence. Two ships that are supposed to engage each other are wrecked and very much a draw on both sides which are clearly impossible. If it did, the closest assumption is that the ships were the first to go. The remaining mobile suits on both sides probably went on until one is dead. From the looks of it, the Federation Cruiser's forces had it first, while what's left of the Zeeks retreated.
But even that seems wrong. If the Zeon mobile suits were the only survivors, they wouldn't get far without fuel. Probably the reason why the hanger bay doors are forcefully opened, trying to get more fuel for an escape. Even that can't be right because even on full load, no mobile suits can reach from one place to another in space unless they conserve fuel long enough for them to reach somewhere. Axis is way too far so could it be they have been recovered by another nearby ship? That was the only assumption Shilo could get out of all the evidence. He knows that even Lesam is making the same assumption.
The radio suddenly beeps and the voice of Lieutenant j.g Dean Cate is heard, "Lieutenant, I think you better get here and take a look at this." Lesam acknowledges and turns back to the Salamis wreckage. They're done with here.
"What is it, Cate?" Lesam asks as they approach Cate's and according to their computers as Selrina's GMs.
"Take a look at what Ensign Werfeur found." Cate tells them, pointing to something with his machinegun. They wished they never saw it but here, hidden by more debris, they found the crew, of both ships. Some with or without Normal Suits on and those that did clearly shows whose sides they belong too. The bodies without Normal Suits died due to explosive decompression as evident from their painful expression on their faces. The bodies in Normal Suits were much more explicit. They were crushed, bones, flesh and all and what's left are nearly squashed mangled bodies, their helmets crushed and cracked.
"Oh My God! What the hell is this!?" Shilo shouted, no longer able to hold his emotions at the sight of all this. He turns his GM Kai away and had his back to it. He felt like throwing up which he realizes he never had back during the war when deaths are not this brutal.
"All of you, fall back for now. Report back to the Qenius at once." Lesam orders through the radio. They didn't need any more encouragement.
---
E.F.S.F Cruiser Brum
11th November UC0082...
The reports compiled by Lesam in his GM's computer were sent to the Brum and in one go, all the data was sent to Captain Werfeur's display screen as he read the report. His face remains emotionless as he did. He grabs his cap and held it to his chest as he slumps in his chair.
"My god," was all he could mutter.
"Sir, is something wrong?" his exec asks him, noticing the change in his commanding officer. Werfeur only turned the screen towards him and when he too read it, he too is shocked, "What... who could have done it?"
"I have no idea, XO," Werfeur manages as he rights himself again and putting on his cap back, "But we got more than we bargained for."
---
E.F.S.F Transport Ship Qenius
11the November UC0082...
As everyone clambers out of their mobile suits, one by one, they left the hanger quietly without a word. The maintenance crew noticed the change in tension among the pilots and decides not to ask them anything despite having friendly terms with them. The just went on to inspect their mobile suits.
Shilo notices they are one short of a pilot among them. He turns back to the mobile suits and sees that one of the GMs still have its cockpit hatch closed. He kicks the catwalk and floats towards the GM and as he approaches it, he see that printed clearly on the cockpit is the name Selrina Werfeur. He grabs the edge of the hatch to stop and knocks on it.
"Ensign Werfeur, you okay in there?" Shilo asks from outside. No response. He knocks again, louder, "Ensign Werfeur, open the cockpit now or I'll ask one of the maintenance crew to open it for you." Shilo said again. There was a hiss of hydraulics and the hatch finally open up. When it is fully open, Shilo look into the cockpit and saw Selrina is taking off the seat's straps.
"You alright, Ensign?" Shilo asks her again, this time facing her.
"Yes, sir," she replies, her voice was soft and timid, he barely heard her. Shilo sighs inwardly and gave his hand to her. She takes it and Shilo pulls her out.
"Get some rest, Ensign. You need it," Shilo said to her. He could see her face, eyes wide and lips pursed as she nodded. Hands together, they kicked the GMs torso and floats down towards the airlock and back in to the interior of the ship.
---
E.F.S.F Cruiser Scenario
11th November UC0082...
The Scenario's comms officer is listening tentatively as he passively waited for any incoming messages or transmissions. But just when he wasn't expecting anything, one of his equipment beeps and he sits straight back in his chair as he began to assess. The transmission he is receiving is an active type signal. One that many comms officers like him must know well. An IFF and distress signal. He quickly tries to locate and pinpoint the signal and a few minutes later, he got it. He is clearly surprised of what he discovers as he blinked three times at the screen before reporting to his CO.
---
E.F.S.F Cruiser Brum
11th November UC0082...
"Sir, the Scenario has just reported of receiving a distress signal," The executive officer reports to Werfeur.
"Distress signal? From where?" asks Werfeur.
"Its coming from the Shoal Zone, sir."
---
Next time on Mobile Suit Gundam 0082: His Dark Materials, the 723rd MS Company are sent on a mission to find what assumes to be a survivor coming from inside the Shoal Zone. Watch out for what happens next in... 'The womb of nature and perhaps her grave.'