(I appolagize in advance for the formatting. Sorry, but it's the best I could do, and I don't think it retracts much from the story.)
It's fifty years after Gundam Wing.
New, more powerful Gundam-class mobile suits are bio-engineered with the intent of deep-space exploration and defending the solar system against future threats to peace. These new Gundams, 'bio-Gundams', follow in the tradition of the five original Gundams: defending the earth as a last resort and standing tall as the most legendary mobile suits in availability.
But peace, as always, is sweet but short lived. OZ re-emerges to threaten the solar system once again.
Armed with their own new breeds of Gundams, rival even to the bio-Gundams, Neo-OZ and it's elite Banshee and Specter class mobile suit Gundams wreak chaos upon the solar system, destroying everything that gets in their path. The bio-Gundams are launched into action to defend the colonies and in a matter of months an all-out war breaks out. Within a year three of the farthest colony clusters have been utterly destroyed and Neo-OZ has sent it's own military colony into orbit around the inner solar system.
Within a year and a half, it becomes painfully clear that Neo-OZ is more danger than even the bio-Gundams can repel. Earth braces itself as preparations are made for a last-ditch chance to save earth...
... by changing history.
Using three prototype bio-Gundams, Phoenix 01, Omega 07, and Spectrum 01, the New Earth Alliance bands it's remaining technology together, placing all it's hopes on their only hope.
It's fifty years after Gundam Wing. Operation ArchAngel has begun.
From the creator of Team Revelation, Cyber Scouts, Cardcaptors: the Realm saga, and the Tenchi saga fanfics Beyond Belief comes a new, bold story.
OPERATION ARCHANGEL
Act 1
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original ideas, characters, or concepts from the Gundam Wing TV anime. I'll make a list of who and what I do own at the end of the fic.
Chapter 1- How Things Went Wrong
Location: New Earth Alliance base New Chance, Antarctica
Terra Zio walked quietly down the halls of New Chance, headed towards his bunk so he could rest up for the night. His black military jumpsuit bore a blue stripe that went from the top to the bottom of the side of his left sleeve, identifying him as an elite Bio-Gundam pilot. His deep-set, worrisome blue eyes and short, nondescript red hair were a startlingly strange combination, and he'd well gotten used to the odd looks people gave him when they encountered him for the first time. Over his back he had sheathed a classic double-edged sword, his weapon of choice outside of his Gundam, and in a holster on his belt he had a small, non-descript laser pistol. People rushed past him on either side, each either busy working on the time traveling project, code-named operation ArchAngel, or busily manning their posts or doing various tasks around the base.
Tomorrow was a very big day. With Neo-OZ's strike forces continually getting closer and closer, everybody had been relieved somewhat to hear the news from Prof. Nexus that operation ArchAngel would be set and ready to be implemented by tomorrow afternoon. Terra rubbed his wrist, then removed his hand and looked at the bio-cell in his wrist. He could still feel the nano-modification probes being injected into him there to prepare his bio-Gundam for tomorrow's time travel operation. It wasn't easy, having a seed-sized red and black bio-cell implanted into his wrist for life. But, he wouldn't trade it for the world, especially not now.
His bio-cell, and the bio-Gundam it carried, would be key players in tomorrow's operation.
"Hey, Terra!" Shouted a feminine voice from far behind him. He turned around to see his team mate and another one of tomorrow's important bio-Gundam pilots, a long-blond haired dark-green eyed girl by the name of Katrina Merquise, come rushing up from far down the hall. Rushing so fast, in fact, that she was a living human blur. Terra made an annoyed face as she suddenly broke out of her super-speed and materialized at his side.
"Kat, you know you're not supposed to be using your bio-powers on base unless it's an emergency situation." He reprimanded.
"Hey, it's not my fault that you didn't wait for me back at the lab. I thought I asked you to wait for me until they finished giving me the nano-probes."
"You did, but I didn't say yes. I had a little business I needed to attend to before I turned in for the night."
"You still could've waited for me. Honestly, sometimes you're just so impossible, Terra."
"You're right, I'm sorry. Forgive me?" He inquired, just now looking at her as the two walked down the hallways side by side.
She smiled, with a teasing smirk evident in her eyes.
"Does the sun come up each day? Of course I'll forgive you, but promise me that next time you'll wait."
"OK, I promise. So, what did you wanna talk to me about?"
"It's about Marcos. I haven't seen him all day and none of the base staff have seen him since he got his injection earlier today. You think you'd know where he might be."
"Oh, I have a hunch we'll find him in the simulator on level six. Practically nobody ever uses it and I'd say it's become a kind of hangout for him. You know how much he hates to have his training interrupted, so he hangs out down there when he's off duty. Always turning the machine up a little more than he should, always determined to train until he's an equal to his old man."
"Men. I will never understand some of them. You'd think he'd be satisfied with his rep as 'Bio Red Comet', but he still thinks he'll need to do more than any bio-pilot ever if he's going to gain his dad's acceptance. When was the last time he saw his dad, anyway?"
"Back during his posting in Austria, and neither talked to the other the whole time, Marcos because he didn't want to offend his dad, and the commander because he... well... probably just doesn't know what to say."
"It must be hard on him, having a father who won't even talk to you anymore."
"Well, knowing Marco, he'll survive. In the meantime, we should get ready for tomorrow. After all, we're going to be three people responsible for changing history for the better."
"I'll make sure to pray for us all." She said with a gentle, truthful smile.
The dark, nightfallen desert was thick with battle. The gold-set crescent moon was high in the sky, it's light the sole source of illumination in the barren wasteland. In the middle of a huge crater was a tall, shadowed bio-Gundam, it's body coated with distinct but small spots of blue and black like the surface of a rough brick or a piece of bread. It's form was similar to that of DeathScythe, it's eyes a deep-set metallic white. In one hand it wielded an energy saber, it's other hand holding a ball of blue energy about as big as it's open palm.
Marco's voice rang out from the bio-Gundam as if the bio-Gundam was speaking.
"Computer, engage difficulty level 36, safeties on minimal."
"Acknowledged." Chimed a computerized female voice out of nowhere as swarms of Ares class mobile suits materialized in rings around the awe-inspiring living-metal Gundam. "Please give activation command when ready."
"I'm ready! Engage the program."
"Safety warning: this program's difficulty level exceeds Spectrum 01's skill level by three difficulty levels."
"What are you worried about? I defeated the last three difficulty levels without being defeated."
"Please restate instruction." The computer required.
"That's what you get for trying to reason with silicon and steel." Said Katrina's voice from somewhere outside the simulation.
Marcos rolled his eyes and took a deep, annoyed breath.
"Computer, abort simulation. Save progress and deactivate simulator system."
"Acknowledged." The computer chimed as the Areses, the moon, and the desert all faded away into oblivion.
Terra and Katrina watched as light from Marcos's blue and black bio-cell faded, and the computer-powered TR simulator powered down. Marco lifted the VR visor off his face, revealing the annoyed expression that it had hid moments before, and he stepped down out of the simulator to face Terra and Katrina.
"I was hoping not to be disturbed." He said in an annoyed voice. His dark-tan skin, dark black hair, and golden-ish brown colored Chinese eyes, plus muscular and well-toned frame, did not make him the kind of person you'd want to get annoyed. "Whatever's going on, I hope it doesn't take too long because I've got a fleet of Ares calling my name."
"Marco, when was the last time you checked what time it was?" Kat inquired.
Marco glanced down at his watch. It was 23:16, military time.
"It's the middle of the night." Terra chastised. "We need to all be rested for tomorrow's operation, Admiral Focuur's orders."
"You've been in this thing for most of the day, Marco. Don't you think you're overdoing it a little bit?" Kat questioned.
"How can I possibly be overdoing it? I need to improve my skills or I'll never be able to help you two fulfill the mission tomorrow."
"You're one of the finest pilots we've got, Marco. We don't need you to train, we need you to be well-rested. OK?"
"Alright, alright. I'll go get some rest. But only under protest." He stated. Terra clapped him on the back as the three walked out of the room.
"That's our Marco." Terra smirked.
"For sure." Kat added with a smile of her own.
The sun rose on the base the next morning, flooding the arctic with white sunlight that bounced off the snow and ice in a blinding brilliance. Terra stretched and yawned, then pulled aside the covers and quickly went about his morning routine. He slipped into his uniform, strapped on his sword, holstered his laser pistol, and headed towards the mess hall for the morning meal of grape-nuts-like protein pellets and whatever other meager food supplies the base had available after the supply blockade Neo-OZ had put into place two months ago.
He was the first one to arrive in the mess hall, as usual. He ordered up his regular rations from the food dispenser, ate up, and as he finished up he noticed Kat and Marco come in, accompanied by a few scientists and engineers. He took his last spoonful of gel-doused pellets and carried his tray and dishes back to the dispenser to be recycled, meeting Kat and the others on his way.
"You're up early." He said to Kat as she punched in her order on the machine's controls. "Are you as nervous as I am?"
"More-so, probably. I've had butterflies in my stomach since 0400 hours."
"Well, I'll see you two at the mobile suit bay at 1200 hours." He said, heading towards the door and speaking over his shoulder.
It was 1200 hours, and all the important people were gathered at inside the mobile suit bay. Terra, Katrina, and Marco were surrounded by swarms of white-lab-coated scientists and engineers wearing rough rugged clothes. Nearby, mounted on three huge towers like radio towers, were giant orb-like devices that flashed with energy like lightning orbs.
A sudden hush fell over the room as Prof. Nexus stepped into view nearby.
"Ladies, gentlemen, I'm afraid I come bearing bad news." He began. "A traitor, we don't know who, from amongst us has alerted Neo-OZ to this morning's operation. OZ strike forces are on their way here by the scores. We must engage the operation immediately!"
That sent the crowd into a roar of panic and worry. Prof. Nexus held up his hands for quiet and slowly the masses hushed.
"But, there is no need for alarm. We are now prepared to engage operation ArchAngel and send these three pilots back in time to alter the course of history. Do not be afraid; if operation ArchAngel succeeds and the pilots are able to eliminate the remains of OZ from after the Gundam war, the forces which are on their way here now will cease to exist and everything will be restored. In fact, based upon my calculations, this entire war will never have taken place and all of the lives that have been lost will be restored."
'Yeah, a real no-pressure situation.' Terra thought to himself as the Prof. paused, then turned to face him and the others. He spoke in hushed, whispered tones.
"As you know, the technology for the time warp is only capable of sending through three mobile suits without becoming unpredictably unstable. I won't lie to you; our future is in your competent hands. Quickly, activate your bio-Gundams; the Neo-OZ forces could arrive within the hour!"
They each looked at each other in stunned shock, then nodded.
"We won't fail you, sir. I promise." Terra stated calmly as he could muster.
Terra turned to Kat, then Marco. Each nodded to him in silent communication.
It started, the bio-cell in each of their wrists glowing as it reached deep inside itself into it's energy reserves for the power this transformation would need. The bio-cells began to expand, splitting and dividing on the cellular level until Terra, Kat, and Marco's bodies were coated in a living, moving, growing mass of living-metal bio-cells. The crowd looked on in silence; they had all seen this before, but for many they feared this would be the last time. The human-shaped bio-cell masses began to expand and enlarge at a startling rate, until after about a full six minutes the masses of bio-cells in humanoid titanic-sized form solidified into three distinct, towering beings. One was dark-red and black in a form similar to that of a HeavyArms Gundam, one was a sky-blue and black with a design similar to that of the DeathScythe, and the remaining one a neon-green and black that was reminiscent of a cross between the Wing Gundam and a Leo class mobile suit. Each of the bio-Gundams seemed to be unarmed, but that was an illusion that made the bio-Gundams 'surprisingly' powerful. Terra, Kat, and Marco now had been absorbed deep into the heart of bio-Gundams Phoenix 01, Omega 07, and Spectrum 01.
"We're all ready to go, Professor." Terra's voice thundered from the bionic audio receptor/interceptor system built into the bio-Gundam's genetic encoding to make communication possible. Phoenix 01 pulled a hand to it's forehead in a salute. "For the earth, the colonies, and for peace!"
"For the earth, the colonies, and for peace!" Echoed the massive crowds.
"Activate the temporal dispersion emitters!" Prof. Nexus called to some of the techs at nearby computer controls, his hands cupped around his mouth to project his voice better.
"Yes sir!" Shouted an engineer.
"Sir!" Shouted another one of the engineers. "Latest news from Ops.! The Neo-OZ forces are at five-hundred clicks and closing rapidly! They're detecting at least a hundred-dozen mobile suits and numerous supporting craft!"
"Then we have no time to loose! Quickly, we must form the vortex and send them into the past!" Nexus exclaimed.
"Sir!" That same engineer shouted once again. "One of the mobile suits has broken ahead from the others and is headed straight for us at twice the speed of the rest of the fleet. And the fleet is going at 400mph!"
"800mph?! Neo-OZ doesn't have anything that moves that fast!"
"Sir!" Shouted a different engineer. "Outlying sensor bunkers have just been shot down by the lead mobile suit!"
Instantly, that triggered a thought process in Terra that shocked him. The outlying sensor bunkers were both shielded from scanners and hidden by newly developed cloaking fields that made them invisible to the naked eye. Whoever was in that mobile suit had known the *exact* co-ordinates of those sensor bunkers and set up his or her mobile suit's targeting computers to highlight the locations of each in his visual targeting display.
The logical assumption was that the lead mobile suit was piloted by the traitor.
"All hands, battle stations!" Prof. Nexus shouted and seconds later red lights and sirens started going off all across the mobile suit bay. "The vortex could take up to twelve minutes to form completely; buy these pilots time!"
Meanwhile, more than six miles outside of New Chance, a single mobile suit kicked up snow waves behind it as it cut through the air towards the base. It's dark-green and black bio-Gundam hull bore ready in one hand a black-energy two-bladed scythe, and in the other a ball of neon blue energy ready to be fired. It's humanoid form flew without the use of wings or thrusters, it's bio-tech body surrounded by an invisible anti-gravity bubble that allowed it to travel with awesome speed, agility, and skill. It was reminiscent of both the SandRock and the DeathSythe Hell Gundams of the past, it's fearful wings arched outwards and it's gleaming white eyes reflecting the light of the sun like as if each shone with the intensity of a compact supernova. Far behind, quickly becoming mere specks against the horizon, was an army of Neo-OZ Banshee, Specter, and even a few retro-fitted Ares class mobile suits, each unit armed to the teeth and using heavy defensive energy fields.
'But as slow as humanly possible.' Thought Fea Meroles, the bio-Gundam's pilot, her Omega-class bio-Gundam turning it's head at her thought to look back at the OZ forces. 'But that works to my advantage. Now I can go ahead and give Katrina what's been coming to her for a long time...'
Lightning-like bolts surged together as the three towers' energy-orbs began to slowly form the strange, neon-purple vortex that would send Terra, Kat, and Marcos back in time. Terra, his mind now linked directly into that of his bio-Gundam, looked at the strange, huge warphole as it formed at eye-level to his Gundam. At that moment, millions of thoughts began rushing through his head; thoughts of the danger of the mission ahead, thoughts of the life he was leaving behind in pursuit of a greater future, thoughts of his friends, family, dreams, nightmares, fellow pilots, of God and of the war.
But it wasn't until another one of the engineers spoke up again that his thoughts turned to the traitor who had exposed this base to OZ.
"Sir!!" The engineer shouted over the static-electric roar of the vortex. "The lead mobile suit!!!"
"What about it??" Nexus shouted back, rushing over to the man's post.
"Sir, it's using an anti-gravity bubble for propulsion!"
"What?!" Prof. Nexus exclaimed. "That's impossible!! For it to use that technology it would have to be a..." Nexus's voice trailed off as a shocked expression became etched onto his face.
The engineer's console bleeped, a message from Ops. Being transmitted to him.
"Sir..." The engineer also suddenly seemed shocked, his hushed statement lost behind the roar of the vortex.
"A what?? Kat inquired, her voice shouting above the vortex's winds.
"A bio-Gundam, what else?" Marco stated. "Nothing Neo-OZ has can accede 500mph without burning out it's batteries and toasting it's circuits ."
"A bio-Gundam?? But that means-" Kat exclaimed, and Terra finished her thought.
"The traitor is one of us!" He exclaimed as suddenly the vortex doubled in size with a sudden, gaping rush of wind. "This base doesn't stand a chance, and unless we can get into the vortex before OZ's strike force arrives, our future is USDA choice dead-meat! Prof., we need time travel and we need it now!"
"The vortex requires five more minutes to fully stabilize! If you go in before that, you'll be crushed to atoms!!"
"We don't have five minutes! If that bio-Gundam was going at 800mph when it was at five-hundred clicks, it'll be on top of us any second! This base doesn't have the defenses to fight one of our own bio-Gundams without fighting fire with fire!"
"There's no time to get our other pilots ready for combat!" Nexus shouted as the roaring winds of the vortex got louder. "You three are our only defenses once the intruder destroys our shield towers!"
Outside the base, Fea's Gundam faded quickly into view on the far-off white horizon. Two seconds later, a slim, focused beam of neon-blue energy shot from the bio-Gundam's left hand, shortened the distance between itself and the base, and plowed into the ground just short of the shield barrier with a huge explosion. A bubble-like white-energy field sputtered and phased out of existence as the smoke from the explosion began to clear. Fea wasted no time; as she got nearer her bio-Gundam dove past where the shield had been and headed straight at the mobile suit bay.
She wasn't going to let anything as insignificant as an energy shield get in her way.
Two-bladed energy scythe ready in her bio-Gundam's right hand, she zipped past buildings as she homed in on the all-important bay.
A foreign sound suddenly, violently pierced the roar of the vortex, grabbing everyone in the mobile suit bay's attention. Practically no sooner had the engineer shouted "the bio-Gundam took out our underground power wires!" than a two-bladed black-energy scythe staff sliced the main bay doors open with one swift, decisive movement. Terra, Kat, and Marco immediately held all-energy no-metal beam sabers in one hand and aimed a trio of energy spheres at the intruding Gundam. When the smoke cleared, all three gasped in utter disbelief.
"Fea?! Is that you?!!" Terra exclaimed in unexpected shock. "Oh my gosh; I thought you were dead!!!"
"What happened to you, Fea? Why are you doing this to us??" Katrina exclaimed.
Fea immediately leveled her energy sphere at Omega 07.
"You 'happened' to me, Katrina Merquise. Don't tell me you don't remember how you left me to die when you and I were fighting off Neo-OZ forces in Bagdad." Fea's voice admonished over her bio-Gundam's comm system. "And now you're gonna pay for what you did to me."
"What?!?!" Kat exclaimed back. "What are you talking about?!"
"Don't tell me you don't remember." Fea retorted sharply. "I went down and you and your strike squad turned tail and ran, leaving me for OZ to finish off. Well, it didn't end there, let me tell you. I must have been some kind of brainwashed fool to believe what you all told me about OZ. *They* took me in and treated my injuries, *they* gave me a chance to live, *they* trained me to become a stronger, more diligent fighter than the likes of you will ever be, Katrina. From what I've seen, OZ *deserves* to rule this world."
"WHAT?!" Marco exclaimed. "Fea, don't be an idiot! OZ is using you to get to us, to prevent us from changing the past. Think about all the people they've slaughtered, all of the innocent civilians who died when they attacked the outer colonies. Look at yourself! You've become their pawn!"
"You always did have a big mouth, Marco. Just like your old man. But now, with Neo-OZ in control, the solar system will finally get a taste of *real* peace, and I'll be there to help lead them as the prime minister of earth itself!"
"So that's what they promised you." Terra stated, not wanting to believe what he was hearing Fea say. "Fea, OZ is full of empty promises. You of all people should know that."
"It's no empty promise." She said, looking Phoenix 01 square in the eye. "Terra, don't believe the lies the Alliance has force-fed you all your life. There can never be any peace unless strong, military government controls. You have to see that, Terra. Trust in me."
Terra was silent for a moment, then looked Fea's Gundam, Omega 03, square in the eye.
"No, Fea. Those days are over." He aimed his beam sword squarely at her. "I cannot allow you to interfere with Operation ArchAngel, and... I'll do what I have to to protect our last true chance at peace."
"Terra, you loved me once." She pleaded, not taking her eyes off Kat and Marco. "You don't know what OZ is really like, you haven't been to the places I've been, seen what I've seen in what I used to consider 'the camp of our enemy'. Please, Terra, trust me. Leave all of this behind. I know OZ has had to get rid of a lot of people who stood in the way, but it's all for the greater good. Terra-"
"No! I've seen for myself what OZ is like and I'll never join with them, even if that means you are now my enemy. I'm sorry, Fea, but I have to stand true to what my spirit, my soul, tells me is true."
Fea was about to say something more when suddenly the vortex, with a sound like thunder and a flash like lightning, doubled in size and intensity. The force winds in the room immediately picked up, pulling snow into itself from beyond the open bay doors in thick wave-like clouds. The lightning orbs atop the towers suddenly went dark as the vortex suddenly began to suck down the very light of the room itself. Prof. Nexus and the engineers had long since evacuated the bay, but even without Nexus's instructions there was no doubting. The vortex had at last stabilized.
"It's stable!" Terra shouted to Katrina and Marco, energy blaster-sphere still aimed at Fea's Omega 03. "We've got to get in there, now!"
"NO! I'll never let you!" Fea shouted in rage, leveling her weapons.
"You'll have to stop us first, Fea!" Kat shouted back as she, Terra, and Marco lunged into the vortex.
Fea wasn't far behind.
The time warp was a strange place. To begin with, everything seemed to have a hundred 'echo-shadows' trailing behind it wherever it moved. Secondly, everything went in slow motion. Black and white energy like huge clusters of stars were passing by at faster-than-light speeds filled the backdrop.
It only took moments for it all to happen, for everything to go wrong. Omega 03 materialized in the time warp just behind Phoenix 01, Omega 07, and Spectrum 01. Omega 03 fired off a thin energy blast from the blue-energy sphere, aimed squarely for Omega 07.
The first distortion wave hit like a massive heat wave, knocking Omega 03 off balance while not effecting the others. Her initial blast barely missed Phoenix 01's left elbow. Fea fired again, but she was still in the process of being thrown by the distortion wave.
A second wave came into view at the moment Fea fired the beam.
The slim, razor-sharp beam of neon-blue power struck Spectrum 01 in the left leg, instantly knocking Spectrum 01 away from the group. He tried to recover, but soon found he was falling farther and farther away from the others and was helpless to stop it. The outer edges of the time warp swallowed his bio-Gundam whole.
"Nnnnnooooooooooo...!" Kat and Terra exclaimed in slow motion, turning around just in time to see Marco's Gundam vanish beyond the edges of the time/space conduit.
Omega 03 caught it's balance and braced itself against the second distortion wave. The wave passed through the bio-Gundam with a rippling effect like water. Realizing she had defended against the distortion wave, Fea aimed one arm and took aim at Omega 07.
At that instant, though, the warp tunnel around them fell apart. With a blinding flash of light all three remaining bio-Gundams vanished from sight.
Chapter 2- The Unexpected
Location: Lake Victoria military base
Timeline location: Approx. 50 years earlier; June; 0200 hours
The Lake Victoria base was, generally speaking, quiet. It would be four hours before the sun rose, and it was time for one group of soldiers with night watch duty to turn the job over to another and go to sleep. In the relative quiet of the night, the few sounds audible were those of chirping crickets and a few stray night time birds.
Suddenly, a blinding light tore open the night sky like a rip in the space-time continuum, immediately snapping the guards who were dozing off into a panicked frenzy. A sound like the wind itself being torn into two pieces suddenly and violently sent all the crickets and birds running and flying away in fear. The base alarm was instantly sounded as guards withing the base began rushing around left and right, manning battle stations and jumping into mobile suits in preparation of the unseen but fearful enemy.
"What's going on??" Officer Noin exclaimed as she stepped out of her quarters wearing a freshly, quickly dawned uniform. Soldiers rushed down the hallway all around her, and she swiftly grabbed one by the neck of his uniform and pulled him around to face her. "I asked you a question, soldier. What's happening??"
"I think we're under attack!" The soldier explained, trembling in Noin's grasp.
"You think?? Are we or aren't we?" She demanded, causing the soldier to swallow his words like a lump in his throat.
"I- I- I don't know, Mam." He studdered.
"You hear that alarm going off?" She inquired, bringing it to the soldier's mind. "That generally means we're in an emergency situation. Now, go find out *exactly* what's going on and ask one of your superiors what you can do to help."
"Yes- yes Mam!" He exclaimed as Noin let him go, and the soldier immediately rushed off down the hall, vanishing in amongst the other soldiers.
"I'd better look into this." Noin said to herself as she made her way with ease through the sea of uniformed soldiers and base personnel.
"What happened to Marco?!" Terra exclaimed as he, Kat, and Fea's bio-Gundams picked themselves up off the ground. Above them, the time rift faded away into the night, it's light vanishing along with it. As soon as the three Gundams were on their feet, each locked a blaster-sphere of energy on their enemies; Terra and Katrina aimed at Fea and Fea aimed squarely at Kat. Fea, not taking her sights off her opponents, swiftly picked up her energy scythe weapon and got ready for a fight.
"What have you done?!!" Kat demanded in tear-stained rage. "How could you, Fea?!!!"
"Easy; for the greater good!" Fea retorted, suddenly lunging at Omega 07 with a burst of anti-gravity speed. "Now die!!"
The command room of the base hummed, rather, roared with activity, people dashing this way and that in a panicked frenzy. Suddenly, everyone's attention was momentarily diverted as the doors burst open and in walked a figure they all knew and respected.
"What's going on?" Noin demanded, walking over to one of the tactical consoles opposite the door. "Are we under attack?"
"Mam... I think..." One of the officers studdered. "... I... I... it's..."
Noin rolled her eyes.
"Spit it out!" She instructed.
"Mam! There's three mobile suits out there, and one of them seems to be battling the other two."
"What kind of mobile suits? Have they attacked the base yet?"
"No Mam. There just outside the base, but they haven't attacked us yet. I - I don't know *what* kind of mobile suits they are, but they aren't any of ours."
"Let me see that." Noin instructed, the officer moving aside to give her access to his instruments. She got one look at the images being sent in of the battle and then gasped in surprise. "Those... those almost look like Gundams!"
"What should we do, officer Noin?" Inquired another officer nearby.
Noin paused for a moment in thought, then stood upright and turned to face the whole command room.
"Everyone to battle stations! If those things *are* Gundams, we can't risk having them anywhere near this base. I want mobile suit forces deployed immediately, and whatever you do don't underestimate these three mobile suits!" She instructed before rushing out of the command room, headed towards the mobile suit hangars. The room behind her was silent for a second, then snapped back into activity again as Noin's orders were transmitted throughout the base.
Beam swords and beam scythes met in swift and dangerous clashes, Fea and Omega 03 holding their own for the moment against Terra, Katrina, and their bio-Gundams. Omega 03 suddenly flew backwards and skywards in a well-calculated anti-gravity burst, aiming it's free hand at the two bio-Gundams below and shooting out multiple blasts of thin hot-blue energy. Phoenix 01 and Omega 07 dodged to the left and right, taking aim with their own energy-sphere laser blasts while dodging Fea's attacks. Omega 03 dodged and darted away from the retaliatory strikes, then suddenly was busy dodging a beam sword slash from Omega 07. The female fighters' Gundams' weapons met in quick, accurate strikes and swipes, flashes of blue and black energy lightning up the night.
Terra was about to leap skyward to help Kat when suddenly he heard something behind him. Phoenix 01 spun to see clouds of Ares class mobile suits homing in on the fight scene quickly.
Only then did he also realize where he, Katrina, and Fea had landed. Not too far away was the Lake Victoria military base, and the base was the origin point of the Areses.
'No...! This... this can't be happening!' He thought to himself in shocked surprise as the black swarms got closer. '... We're in the wrong part of time!'
"Katrina! Fea!" He exclaimed, causing both fighters to pause for a split second and look at him. "Look!"
He pointed towards the base and the incoming mobile suits. Katrina gasped as she, too, realized what had happened.
Fea snickered after a moment or two.
"Perfect!" She said, once more getting Katrina's attention. "We're in the middle of the Gundam Wars! Now you two don't stand a *chance* at changing history! OZ has finally won!!"
"Not yet they haven't!" Kat shouted, aiming a blast of energy at Fea. Omega 03 dodged with relative ease, then brought it's two-bladed scythe down at Omega 07 from above. Katrina managed to dodge, then got inside Omega 03's defenses for a second, long enough to hit the bio-Gundam with a kick to the chest. Fea staggered back for a second, then caught herself in mid-air and got her scythe ready for another attack.
"Kat! We've got other problems to deal with!" Terra shouted as the Areses got within range and began to fire. Phoenix 01 dodged the thick swarm of bullets with a sudden dash skyward, then took aim with it's energy-sphere cannon and blasted the Ares hoard with a thick, wide-spread blast of blue energy that turned the suits into huge explosions. "I could use your help!"
"Haha!" Fea laughed as Kat turned away grudgingly to face the mass of OZ mobile suits. Omega 03 turned and shot off into the night. "I'll see you two later! I've got a date with greatness!"
Ares after Ares quickly tore apart as blasts of energy from both Phoenix 01 and Omega 07 bombarded the swarms, slowly but surely pushing back the massive force. Neither bio-Gundam had taken a hit yet, fortunately, and both Terra and Kat intended to keep it that way. Kat stopped firing for a second, her sword and neon-blue energy bubble vanishing instantly as she aimed both fists at the army of Ares-class suits.
"I'll try to disable them with an EMP Wave." She said, heat wave-like energy building in orbs around Omega 07's fists. With a small flash of light, a wave similar to the distortion waves shot out of Omega 07's fists, traveling at lightning-quick speeds. It hit the mass of black mobile suits, each one it passed through instantly powering down and dropping to the ground in heaps. With another EMP Wave, all of the Ares that were still airborne dropped, powerless, to the ground with a sound like a crushing of metal.
"Quick, let's get outta here." Terra instructed as the two turned in the direction opposite the base and shot off into the night.
"Status report." Noin instructed as she strapped into her Ares.
"Mam, the unidentified mobile suits are all fleeing." Stated one of the officers from the control center. His voice came in clear as day through the headset officer Noin was wearing. Noin paused and let him finish his thought. "We've lost almost fifty Ares and all of the rest were disabled somehow by what appeared to be an electromagnetic wave weapon armed on one of the mobile suits. The intruders are headed southeastward; should I spread the alarm to HQ?"
"Inform them of what's happened and send images of the mobile suits to both the Tactical Analysis section of our techs and to Kernel Zechs." She instructed, powering down her Ares. "Whatever those mobile suits are, Gundams or not whatever the case may be, they're a significant threat if they could use such weapons effectively to disable our entire Ares squadron. Track them for as long as you can, then chart out their course and be able to give me an idea where they might be headed. I'll be back up in the command room in a few minutes."
Two hours later...
Location: Approx. 300 miles away from Lake Victoria
"What could have caused all this?" Terra wondered aloud. He and Katrina, their bio-Gundams returned to their bio-cells, stood in the midst of an overgrown pine forest, the sky a slowly-lightening navy blue over their heads. Terra paced about as Kat sat on a nearby fallen log. "I mean, how off could Prof. Nexus's calculations have been that wrong that we got thrown into the timeline almost ten years before our targeted mission zone?"
"It probably wasn't his fault." Kat reminded him. "Tons of unexpected factors got thrown in while we were in transit between the different timeline locations. To start with, who would have ever anticipated Fea would be the traitor, and then follow us into the time-warp. Not to mention, who known what effect those energy blasts of hers could have had on our trajectory into time/space. To be honest, it's hard to believe she's really still alive."
"Don't I know it." Terra sighed. "I was so torn up inside when I found out she'd been shot down in action, and now to know that she's alive but fighting against us. . . " His voice trailed off as he realized it was impossible to put his thoughts into words.
"I saw her go down with my own two eyes." Katrina stated, looking off into the night. "I remember it like yesterday; we were outnumbered 2-1 by a flock of Banshees, Fea was able to tear one apart with her scythe but then she got hit by a pair of blasts from the Banshees' photon cannons. The blasts tore Omega 03's legs right out from under her, leaving her with just a pair of badly damaged stumps. A second pair of blasts left Omega 03's right arm lying almost 100 feet away; no one could have that done to their bio-Gundam and live. I thought for sure there was no way we could save her."
"And yet, here she is today, alive, well, and fighting for Neo-OZ. It... it doesn't make sense! Even if she did survive, why would she be fighting for Neo-OZ?"
Kat sighed, unable to look into Terra's grief-stricken face.
"I suppose rumors about Neo-OZ's brainwashing technology were true after all. At least, it's the only thing that makes sense."
"But she's still Fea; she acts like Fea and talks like Fea, but she's fighting against us! If they brainwashed her, wouldn't she be some kind of mindless zombie or something??" Terra questioned, his eyes pleading for an answer.
"I don't know." Kat was forced to say. "Maybe it's more like brain scrambling than brainwashing. All we know is that now Fea is our enemy and that she's running loose in the past unchallenged." She paused for a long moment, then looked over at Terra. "You two must have been close, huh?"
Terra looked away, memories he never again wished to remember visible in his facial expression. He nodded weakly.
"It started before your unit got pulled in from colony defense." Terra started. "We'd been around each other a lot in our careers as pilots and we'd had several assignments together. Eventually, I guess things just got carried away and before you know it I'd lost a total grip on reality because of my infatuation with this beautiful, smart, witty girl from colony cluster L3. When Neo-OZ forced her colony into a surrender and then destroyed it anyway, her world collapsed and she fell back to me. I did a lot of things during that time that I'll forever regret, I know. When I heard the report of her death, it was my turn to have my world collapse inward. And ever since then, I suppose I've just never fully gotten over it. There was no reason to face it. ... Until now."
She got up and walked over to Terra, putting her hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at her, an 'I'm not crying' look in his eyes despite the obvious truth about the glint of water in the corner of his left eye.
"Listen, Terra. I know this is hard for you. But we've got to think objectively." She stated, looking him in the eye. "We're almost fifty years in the past, during the initial conflict between OZ and the Gundams. We've got no way of time traveling and we can't risk altering history to a point where the future is on the line. What's our first move?"
Terra looked at her for a second, then turned away and looked at the ground with a thought-laden expression on his face. For several long moments he was silent, then he looked at Kat once more with a plan evident in his eyes.
"With Fea on the loose, we need allies to help us track her down and stop her. We can't risk it on the Alliance and that leaves us only one option." He explained further. "What's the only thing in this era that stands a fighting chance against Fea and Omega 03?"
"The original five Gundams." Katrina surmised.
"Exactly!" Terra enthused. "We've got to get the original five Gundam pilots on our side and then we make our next move from there. Maybe they have the resources to help us."
She clapped him on the shoulder.
"That's my Terra Zio. So, should we split up and go looking for them?"
"Yeah. You try to locate Quatre Winner, I'll see if I can't track down either Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, or Trowa Barton."
"What about Chang Wufei?" Katrina inquired.
Terra seemed to deflate a little.
"I was hoping to leave him until last if I could, but you're probably right; since he's going to be one of the hardest to convince I should probably find him first."
"Just remember," Kat replied. "You've got to fight fire with water, not with fire. Try to avoid letting him get you into a fight."
"Right." Terra replied with a nod.
An hour later...
Lake Victoria military base
"What has Tactical Analysis figured out?" Zechs inquired, his face pasted onto the video screen in Noin's personal quarters. His voice had that sharp, skillful tone that Noin recognized meant that the present situation interested him greatly.
"Nothing so far, except that those three mobile suits use technology that nobody's ever heard of. Their beam sabers, we've been able to figure out from a visual analysis, had no mechanical components. It's almost like these mobile suits were *holding* the energy in their hands." Noin replied, sitting in a rolling chair at her desk.
"That would take some very advanced technology." Zechs surmised. "Noin, please tell me immediately if any more of those mobile suits show up anywhere. For all we know, this could be a new kind of Gundam and if it is then that information would be very important to HQ."
"But I always assumed the Gundam pilots were all on the same team or something. These were obviously rogue pilots of some kind, and if those mobile suits were Gundams maybe there's some kind of division in the Gundam pilots."
"You're a keen observer, Noin; I was thinking about the same thing." He paused for a moment, then continued. "The Gundams we've encountered so far have always worked with each other against OZ; it would be quite interesting if we learned that the pilots were squabbling amongst themselves."
"From what I saw it was a pretty deadly 'squabble'." Noin noted with a slight laugh in her voice. "But what would cause the Gundam pilots to divide into factions now?"
"That's what we should try to find out if we can. Keep me posted as possible, Noin. This should prove an interesting riddle to solve."
Location: The Romeafeller Institution, Europe
Lady Une walked slowly about in the gardens outside the main Romeafeller building, taking in the early morning sunrise as it peaked out over the horizon, casting it's beautiful rays of warm light across the Ares mobile suits positioned and posed like museum pieces at regular intervals along the main walkway from the road to the building. She was quiet, as was her usual demeanor whenever she was out in public. Quiet, but not soft-spoken by a longshot. She was the kind of person who would not tolerate orders from anyone she considered to be or knew to be her inferior, but she tried to retain an air of cold cordiality whenever she was around the Romeafeller 'palace'.
Drawing out her sword, used mostly for decoration purposes only, she cleanly sliced off a protruding branch from one of the nearby plant sculpture of a tiger reared up on it's hind legs. She sheathed it again at her side, then shook her head and sighed slightly.
"The gardener must be slacking off again." She mused, before turning and walking back towards the main building. She enjoyed these morning musings, but her duties were calling.
Behind her, invisible to her, a shadowed form darted out into the open. The being moved so fast it could barely be seen, and by the time even Lady Une's acute senses picked up the intruder it was already too late. A white-leather gloved hand reached out from behind Une and clamped down over her mouth. Her first reaction wasn't to scream; she was too well trained to do that. Instead, she reached for her sword with her right hand, but found that whoever her assailant was had already pulled the sword from the sheath without her knowing. A second white-gloved hand pulled Une's left hand painfully behind her back in a grip so strong it nearly surprised Une. With her only free hand unable to reach behind her to do any damage to the unidentified assailant, she began to thrash against the iron-strong grip, but found herself unable to get free.
"I know this is an overused line and all, Lady Une." Said the feminine voice of her assailant. "But I must insist that you take me to your leader."
"Sir!" Reported the officer as he closed the chamber doors behind himself.
"What is it?" Treize inquired, leveling a sharp look at the soldier. "I'm certain it must be important if you would come in here without at least knocking first."
"Sir, Lady Une has been taken prisoner by a young lady who demands to see you immediately. She's threatening with Lady Une's life, sir!"
This news caused Treize to stand silently for a moment, then looked directly into the officer's eyes.
"We won't have an event like this going on at this hour. If this young lady wants to see me, let her. Send her in immediately."
"Sir, I believe she also requested that the meeting be with you only. Are you certain it's safe?" The officer quivered.
"Are you questioning my instructions?" He returned, a slight smirk on his face.
That caused the officer's brain to start working again.
"No sir! I'll send her in right away, sir." The officer said, rushing out the door once more.
Things were silent for about five minutes, then two of the guards outside opened the large chamber doors and a young girl of about twenty walked in. She wore a white jumpsuit with a pair of black stripes running from the base of the pants legs, up the leg, chest, and shoulders, then flowing down the arms to the cuff. Her eyes were a surprisingly light blue and her brown hair fell over her left shoulder for about four inches. She wore bleach-white leather gloves, slick black running shoes, and a belt around her waist with a holstered handgun on the left side. Her facial features were soft and hinted at a witty personality, and she had the unmistakable shadow in her eyes that was the trademark of only the most skilled warriors.
"As they say in chess, sir Treize," She smirked slightly. "Check."
"Hm, quite." He rubbed his chin as he thought. "It would seem, my dear, that I am completely at your mercy."
"Oh, don't worry, your highness; I have no interest in taking your life. Rather, I happen to have a proposition for you."
"Now then, what kind of a proposition would require you to take hostage one of my most esteemed personal assistants in order to get my attention? Why not simply... schedule an appointment with my secretary?"
She smirked at that.
"In the time that I come from, we don't do 'appointments'."
That statement both intrigued and bewildered Treize.
"What do you mean, 'the time that you come from'?"
"I see you're a man who doesn't skirt around the matter at hand." She stated plainly. "Simply put, I'm about to tell you a short little story you might find hard to believe. I, sir Treize, have recently become one of history's first time travelers. I come from fifty years in the future and I'm here to make sure OZ wins this war."
He was silent for a moment as he considered both this statement and it's reply.
"A noble gesture, I'm sure, but OZ is not in a position right now where it's likely we'll lose this 'war'." He turned and looked out the window. "Perhaps your history books don't cover this time period as well as one would hope. We are in no need of your assistance."
"If you really think that, then you have truly underestimated the Gundam pilots, sir Treize. I come from a future, *your* future, where OZ lost this war. So long as the Gundams and their pilots exist, OZ will never be safe. As you well know, your war is less against the colonies and more against those ever elusive Gundams, am I right."
"... Apparently your history books are more accurate than I thought. But honestly, OZ is in no position to lose to a small group of rogue pilots in advanced mobile suits." He returned sharply.
Before he could blink, she was suddenly right in front of him with her handgun pressed against his chest. He half gasped in surprise at the sudden, impossibly swift move. No human being he'd ever encountered could move that fast.
"No, perhaps not against the Gundams of today, but let me tell you about their predecessors. Fifty years from now, the New Earth Alliance has figured out a way to bio-engineer highly advanced mobile suits, Gundams in fact, that are one being with their pilots. I am a bio-Gundam pilot who fought alongside the risen-from-the-ashes Neo-OZ, and you may be surprised, sir Treize, to know that there is a Gundam in this very room." She held out her right wrist while keeping the gun aimed squarely at his heart. "This little seed-sized bio-cell can transform into a bio-Gundam in the space of six minutes, a bio-Gundam capable of almost twice what you could ever see the Gundams do. It gives me enhanced speed, strength, agility, and stamina, making me a veritable superhuman in comparison to the rest of the race."
"I'm not impressed." Treize returned, keeping his calm demeanor about him.
"Apparently not. But, what would you say if I told you that there's two other bio-Gundam pilots out there right now, and they consider OZ to be their enemy. They were sent back in time to destroy OZ's remains after what we in my time call the Gundam Wars, taking out what was left of OZ during it's weakest hour in order to change history and the future. But I prevented them from getting to their timeline destination. Now, in front of you stands your chance to keep your dream for OZ's greatness from dying a slow, sickly death. All you have to do," She holstered her handgun. "Is take me up on my offer."
"If what you've said is true, what choice do I really have." He said, taking a step back from her. "What, *exactly*, are you offering?"
"Firstly, to eliminate both bio-Gundams Phoenix 01 and Omega 07, as well as rid you once and for all of the other Gundam pilots and their mobile suits. I will, however, require access to OZ's arsenal to do that."
"If you can deliver results, then my armies are at your command." Treize stated. "Just promise not to shove a gun to my chest anytime in the near future."
She smirked a little at that statement, then continued in a businessy voice.
"Secondly, I can easily eradicate any of the Alliance's hideouts, bases, and spies for you. But first, the bio-Gundams. And thirdly, once the other two objectives are completed, I can use my knowledge of your future to help you secure your empire's rise to power. You'll be amongst Caesar, Alexander the Great, and all the famous figures of history when I'm done."
"A very tempting offer." He mused with a small smirk. "And what, my dear, is in it for you?"
Now it was Fea's turn to smirk.
"All I want to do is secure your future, sir. But I would request one thing."
"Which would be? If it's within my power, I'll gladly grant it to you."
"One of the bio-Gundam pilots. His name is Terra Zio. I want him alive, and I'll deal with the specifics myself."
"Consider him yours, young lady."
Fea stepped out of Treize's room and the two guards at the doorway instantly closed the thundering gateway behind her. She looked about and noted several soldiers in groups nearby, watching her warily. She decided it was time to make her first move.
Walking up to one of the soldiers calmly, she gave him a piercingly cold look of superiority.
"You," She instructed sharply. "Get me in contact with Kernel Zechs Merquise. And make in fast."
The soldier seemed startled for a moment at the fact that this intruder was giving him an order, then remembered the gun holstered on his belt and regained his confidence.
"Hey, I don't take orders from you. Just who do you think you are??"
"As of now, I'm your superior officer, and as such you are obligated to follow my orders and get me in contact with Zechs Marquise." She returned coldly, smirking slightly.
That deflated the guard once more and bewildered him to no end. Meanwhile, the chamber doors to Treize's room had opened once again and Treize stepped out to address the situation.
"Is there a problem here?" He said, looking calmly at the soldier.
Fea knew that was her cue.
"Apparently, your guards haven't been notified of my position, sir Treize." She said, not taking her eyes off the soldier.
"Lieutenant, follow her orders. And while your at it, make it known that this young lady answers only to me. Is that clear?"
"Y-y-yes-yes sir! But, who should I say she is, sir? For clarification purposes." The lieutenant studdered.
"Call me Lady Fea Meroles." She turned to see Lady Une at the other end of the hallway nearby, making a disgusted face at the whole scene, but at Fea in particular. "And that goes for you as well, Lady Une." She turned back to the soldier. "Now, I'd like to get in contact with Zechs Marquise as soon as possible. Think you can do that?"
"Y-yes Mam!" The lieutenant said, turning and racing off down the hallways.
Fea could barely suppress a smile. It felt good to be in control again.
Chapter 3- It Is Begun
Two hours later...
Location: OZ military base, somewhere in North America
"OK, so let me get this straight." Zechs said. In front of him, Fea's face was projected onto a computer screen about as big as a small table. "You're a time traveler from OZ's future, here to protect OZ's past. Those three mobile suits that were battling outside Lake Victoria military base were bio-Gundams, and one of them was you. And, to top it all off, you're ordering me to go tag-team with you in search of the two bio-Gundam pilots?"
"Do I sense disrespect in your voice, Kernel Zechs?" She retorted. "The reason I want you is because you are the only one capable of piloting the Tallgeese, and the Tallgeese is the only thing in OZ's arsenal right now besides me and my Omega 03 bio-Gundam capable of fighting a Gundam one on one. You, Zechs, are the best this era had to offer but remember I'm the cream of the crop in the future. That's the only reason I'm requiring your assistance."
"Something tells me you have an ulterior motive." Zechs returned keenly. "I'm very good at reading people, 'Lady' Fea, and get the impression that you know something I don't."
"Your impressions are irrelevant, Zechs. You and your Tallgeese will ronde-vou with me at Lake Victoria and from there we'll begin our search for both the Gundams and bio-Gundams. I suspect that both groups will be colliding soon enough."
"What makes you so certain you'll be able to locate the Gundams when all of OZ can't pinpoint them?" Zechs inquired.
"Because this is all in the history books, I can anticipate the Gundams movements. But that information will be on a need-to-know basis, Zechs Marquis. Got that?"
"Yes, I've got that." He said, dejectedly and also annoyed. The screen blinked off and was quickly replaced by an image of Noin. "Did you get all of that, Noin?"
"She's got a lot of nerve, talking to you like that. And I agree with you, Zechs; she's hiding something."
"But the question is what. Noin, she mentioned that Tactical Analysis was going to be receiving information on these bio-Gundams. Has it come in yet?"
"Actually, it has. I'll display what we've got for you right now."
The screen went black for a moment, then a white text readout began to scroll up from the bottom of the screen. Zechs read each line carefully before continuing:
Bio-Gundam: Phoenix 01
Pilot: Terra Zio
Age of Pilot: 21
Ethnic Origin of Pilot: Korean
Pilot's Place of Origin: L2 colony cluster
Pilot's Height: 176 cm
Pilot's Weight: 49 kg
Pilot's Eye Color: Sapphire blue
Pilot's Hair Color: Dark Red
Info on Phoenix 01: A prototype bio-Gundam incapable of either space travel on it's own or of sub-aquatic travel, it's uniqueness lies in it's special attack known as 'Phoenix Dash'. When using Phoenix Dash, Phoenix 01's body is surrounded in a thick flame field, then 'dashes' at it's opponents with a sudden burst of speed, aiming to pierce them like a bullet. Sometimes, based on the pilot's preference, a beam sword will also be used to increase the attack's ability to pierce it's foes.
Head Height: 16.6 meters
Dry Weight: 4.2 tons
Armor Materials: Gundamiun Isotope 003 infused into bio-cells' cell walls
Armament: Beam Saber Advanced x1
Blaster Sphere x1
Fighting Ability: level 210
Weapons Ability: level 180
Speed Ability: level 230
Power Ability: level 190
Armored Ability: level 150
Bio-Gundam: Omega 07
Pilot: Katrina
Age of Pilot: 20
Ethnic Origin of Pilot: Japanese
Pilot's Place of Origin: L2 colony cluster
Pilot's Height: 163 cm
Pilot's Weight: 52 kg
Pilot's Eye Color: Dark Green
Pilot's Hair Color: Black
Info on Omega 07: The Omega bio-Gundam classes were designed as counter-agents to Neo-OZ's mass armies of Specter-class mobile suits, which relied heavily on computers to operate all six of the Specter-class's photon-cannon arms. Implementing advanced EMP and Spread Spec. technology, the Omega class were the workhorses of the New Earth Alliance's resistance efforts. For example, with enough power a single Omega bio-Gundam's EMP Wave attack could knock out a force of twenty unshielded Specters, almost the equivalent to OZ's Tallgeese class but with the shielding ability of the Mercurius class. Most models are also equipt with strong sensor abilities and long-range communications bio-tech nodes. It's other predominant attacks are it's Shatter Wave, which can disable most classes of energy shields but requires a large amount of energy, and Omega Shock, which utilizes electric-like energy in order to create a widespread 'thunderstorm' effect. Omega Shock can take up almost all the energy in an Omega-class's energy nodes, and only the most experienced pilots can use it multiple times in battle without exhausting their energy supplies.
Head Height: 15.7 meters
Dry Weight: 4.6 tons
Armor Materials: Gundamiun Isotope 003 infused into bio-cells' cell walls
Armament: Beam Saber Advanced x1
Blaster Sphere x1
Fighting Ability: level 190
Weapons Ability: level 210
Speed Ability: level 215
Power Ability: level 190
Armored Ability: level 160
Important Information: Bio-Gundam pilots are comparable to ninjas. Since a bio-Gundam can be stored in a small, seed-sized bio-cell on it's pilot's right wrist, bio-Gundams can be extremely evasive. When not in use for battle, a bio-cell gives it's pilot near-superhuman speed, strength, stamina, and agility. Bio-cells re-power through absorbing solar or tolerable degrees of thermal energy, and therefore a bio-Gundam pilot can be identified sometimes through the use of heat scanners; a bio-Gundam pilot is likely to store a good deal of thermal energy in his/her bio-cell when the bio-Gundam has not been active for a period of time.
"Hmm,..." Zechs said as he browsed over the last comment. "These bio-Gundam pilots sound like they'd be impressive fighters, in or out of mobile suit combat. But human is human; they are mortal."
Noin's image flashed onto the screen once more.
"Lady Fea is already having high-powered heat sensors installed on all the mobile suits she intends to command, but so far she hasn't gotten around to the Tallgeese yet. She's also having heat-detecting night vision scopes brought in from wherever they're available for her troops, and she's going just short of making them standard equipment for OZ soldiers. All, of course, with Treize's authority backing her up. She's practically stolen Lady Une's job out from under her feet!"
"And what's worse is that she has the authority to order me and the Tallgeese around as well." Zechs mused with a distinctive frown on his face. "Noin, did you notice something peculiar about the information 'Lady' Fea sent us?"
"What do you mean?" She inquired.
"Bring it up on a nearby console and I'll show you." He instructed. Noin looked over at a nearby console just off screen for a moment, then nodded at Zechs. "Bring up the datafile on Omega 07." He instructed. He waited a minute or two while she brought up the data. "Now, look carefully at the pilot name given and tell me what you notice."
"No last name. That is kind of strange." Noin agreed. "You think Fea's keeping something from us?"
"I know she's keeping something from us." Zechs stated confidently.
Location: Howard's Salvage Ship, mid-Atlantic ocean
"Hey Duo!" Quatre shouted from far down below. Duo looked out from DeathScythe's cockpit to see Quatre on the hangar floor way down below, waving his arms to get Duo's attention. Abandoning his work tools and welding gear, Duo jumped down out of the laid-down Gundam DeathScythe and walked quickly over to Quatre.
"What's going on, Quatre? Why are you shouting at me?" He inquired.
"Quick, follow me. There's something on the news you need to see." He said, motioning Duo to follow as the two raced out of the bay and into the steel corridors of the salvage vessel.
A few minutes later they arrived in Howard's quarters, the only place of the ship with a working television. Howard was standing nearby, watching the screen intently as scenes from what looked like a mobile suit fight played out on the screen.
"So what's the big deal?" Duo inquired.
"It should be coming on in a minute or two." Howard reassured. "Quatre and I were watching when the news came on and they were sayin' something about breaking news from Romeafeller and it had to do with the Gundams."
That assured Duo's attention. The three watched for another few minutes before the news Howard had mentioned came on.
"Startling news from the Romeafeller complex this morning," The newsman stated, turning to face the camera. "As OZ officials release information about two new Gundam-like mobile suits stolen from top-secret research and development facilities. According to the official report released by OZ early this morning, two mobile suits code-named Phoenix 01 and Omega 07 were stolen by a pair of rebel soldiers at around 10:00 last night. The mobile suits were then spotted at the Lake Victoria military installation, where the remaining of the three prototypes, Omega 03, was being housed. Thanks to pilot Fea Meroles and squadrons of brave OZ soldiers, Phoenix 01 and Omega 07's attempted attack on the base failed and the two rogue pilots fled from the battle scene." Video footage of the fighting, including shots of Omega 03 and 07 fighting airborne, rolled across the screen in such a way as to make it look like OZ's forces were fighting hard and pushing back the 'intruding' enemy mobile suits. Then, a face-forward shot of Fea replaced the combat scenes. "Pilot Fea Meroles has been charged by OZ officials to lead the hunt for the rebel pilots and bring them to justice. Put in charge of as many forces as she finds nessasary, Fea has chosen to take with Kernel Zechs Marquise, a skilled OZ pilot who has earned himself the nickname of 'the Lightning Baron', in the initial sweep operation to find the stolen mobile suits. OZ has also put out a warrant for the arrest of the two pilots, who as of yet remain unidentified." Face-forward computer-rendered images of the two pilots, one male, one female, flashed across the screen as the anchorman continued to speak. "They should be presumed to be heavily armed, dangerous, and not to be underestimated. The reward for anyone who brings in one of the pilots alive is sixty-thousand dollars."
"Whoa! OZ must want these pilots pretty badly." Duo exclaimed.
"And did you see those mobile suits?" Quatre added. "I'd swear those were some kind of Gundam. That one, the one with the scythe, almost looked like DeathScythe even."
"What do ya wanna wager OZ isn't tellin' the real story here?" Howard laughed a little, turning from the TV.
"That's because they're not." Said a female voice from somewhere behind the group.
Duo, Quatre, and Howard instantly spun to see, standing in the door to the room, a soaking-wet girl who looked to be around twenty with dark-green eyes and long black hair. She wore a strange black jumpsuit with a blue stripe running all the way down the left sleeve, and looked tired, like as if she'd been swimming hard for a period of time. All three men did a doubletake and stepped back nervously. The girl standing before them was one of the 'rebel pilots' from the news broadcast.
"How da hey did you get on board?!" Howard exclaimed.
"How does it look like I got onboard." The girl returned, shaking water from her arms. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to find this ship?"
"Don't take another step." Duo warned. "We know how to defend ourselves."
"I'm not your enemy, in case you haven't figured it out yet." The girl stated. "My name is Katrina Marquise, and do I ever need your help."
An hour later...
"Whoa, slow down." Duo requested. He, Quatre, Howard, and Katrina were out on the open decks now, the warm sun shining down from above. "You mean to tell me you're a Gundam pilot from the future, sent back in time to try to stop OZ? What movie did you get this story from?"
"No story, Duo." She stated, then paused and laughed a little. "You know, it's kind of weird. Up until now I've only seen pictures of you three in the history books; it feels so strange to actually be standing here talking to you."
"Well, thanks for the compliment," Quatre said politely. "But we need proof that you are who you say you are. You have to admit that just dropping this whole time traveling story on us all of a second is a little bit of a surprise."
"See this?" She said, holding out her right wrist. "It's my bio-cell. Inside is contained all the genetic material needed to activate my bio-Gundam, Omega 07. Literally, this one piece of bio-engineered material contains a Gundam."
"Whoa, no way! That must have taken centuries to develop that kind of technology!" Duo exclaimed.
"Actually, it'll all be possible in just fifty years." Kat replied. "And while we're on the subject of time, I figure I'd better tell you all why I came here."
"Yeah; you must've been swimmin' for hours to get here from that Lake Victoria base." Howard said.
"Actually, Omega 07 got me most of the way here, but my battle against Fea drained a lot of Omega 07's energy and it destabilized over open ocean. At least I'm a good swimmer." She said, smiling weakly.
"So, why *did* you come here looking for us?" Quatre inquired.
Kat sighed, then turned to face Quatre.
"Because Fea followed us through the time warp, it began to destabilize and Terra and I were sent to the wrong spot on the timeline. Our destination is almost ten years from now, just after a time the history books have named the 'endless waltz', but that's a whole other story. The deal is that Terra and I need your help."
"Who, hold up here! You mean you want us to build you a time machine?? That's, that's nuts! It'll never work!" Duo exclaimed.
Kat held out her bio-cell.
"Just before we were sent back in time, Dr. Nexus injected our bio-cells with these nano-probes that kept our bio-Gundams protected during the time travel. If you can extract some of them and figure out how they work, you might be able to develop the nessasary technology for a time jump. At least, it's the only thing I can think of to help you."
"... Well, darn it, I'll try anythin' once." Howard enthused. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, missy. I ain't gonna let the future die, not so long as ol' Howard can do somethin' about it! Right guys?"
"I suppose it's worth a try." Quatre replied.
"Well, it may be nuts," Duo said with a smirk. "But I don't see why we can't give it a shot."
Katrina looked at them all and smiled warmly.
"Thank you all. Generations of people you may never even get the chance to meet will one day thank you for this."
Three days later...
Location: The alpine forests of central North America
Terra couldn't believe how hard this was. You'd think one giant Shenlong Gundam wouldn't be this hard to locate! From what he knew of the history of the Gundam Wars, Chang Wufei worked solo and most commonly hid his Gundam amongst the concealing shadows of thick woodlands if possible. Since these thick forests were the closest and least inhabited, Terra had decided to check here first, then move on to check other places scattered across the globe. But when he'd gotten here, something deep inside of him, something that whenever it arose he couldn't quite understand, had kept him searching these forests for the past two days. He'd had this feeling at times before in his life, and he knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that it was trustworthy and infallible. So, still he searched.
Moving like a living blur, he dashed and darted about in the woodlands, stopping every few minutes to listen for movement or any peculiar sounds.
Suddenly, a booming voice caught his attention.
"You've been searching for me. Why?"
Terra turned to see the Shenlong Gundam towering over him, it's Dragon Fang armed and aimed squarely at where he stood. Chang, as Terra recalled, was also known to be a very to-the-point kind of person. So, without any signs of fear, Terra turned to face the serpentine goliath.
"My name is Terra Zio, and I need your help." He shouted in response.
"You're one of the two pilots who stole those prototype mobile suits from OZ. Only the weak need to steal in order to survive. Why did you come here, weakling?"
So, that was the cover OZ was using to mask the truth of Terra and Kat's identities from the public. Terra made a mental note of that.
"I've stolen nothing; OZ invented that lie to hide who I, and Fea Meroles, really are. The fact is that I'm a Gundam pilot, and I need your help."
"It makes sense that OZ would lie, but it also makes sense that only the weak would ask for help. Besides, I'm not a gun for hire." Chang returned, deactivating his Dragon Fang and turning to go.
"We'll see how weak I am, Chang Wufei." Terra said to himself as his bio-cell began to grow and expand. "It looks like you leave me no choice but to prove myself."
The transformation began once more, bio-cells coating Terra's whole body and then expanding to form into Phoenix 01. Suddenly, Chang sensed something and spun to see Phoenix 01 complete the final minute or so of transformation. Too well trained to gasp in surprise, he stood and watched as the bio-cells finished forming and arranging, solidifying into a living-metal bio-suit almost as big as Shenlong.
"I'm a bio-Gundam pilot from the future, here to change the past and prevent OZ from returning after the Gundam Wars. Fea Meroles is a traitor from my time who's using her power as a bio-Gundam pilot to help OZ change history by eliminating all the Gundam pilots, including you and me. And as for me being a weakling, I'm sure you can see yourself how true that isn't."
"Impressive. But it's the pilot, not the technology, that decides how powerful a Gundam is. If you need my help to fight Fea Meroles, you're just a futuristic-weakling."
" 'Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, THEN I am strong.' A word of wise council, Chang Wufei; there will ALWAYS be someone stronger than you, so don't despise the weak because such are His people."
Chang was silent for a long moment, then, with a bewildered but amused tone in his voice, addressed Terra again.
"What a pathetic theology. I don't know where you get your religion, but you're about to learn the ten commandments of the real world, starting with 'survival of the fittest'." He challenged, bringing the Dragon Fang to bear once again.
'Sorry Kat,' Terra thought to himself as he ignited an invisible inferno deep within himself. 'But it looks like it's fire Vs. fire after all.'
"If that's the way you want to play this battle out," Terra returned. Suddenly, starting from the feet and hands inward, much to Chang's utter astonishment, Phoenix 01 was engulfed in a massive, hot-blue flame field much like one gigantic candle flame. "Then I'll fight fire *with* fire, Chang."
The two combatants were silent and still on the wooded battlefield for a long moment, the only sounds the roar of Phoenix 01's fire shield, the igniting of nearby trees as the fire slowly began to spread, and the hum of power surging through the Shenlong Gundam.
Then all hell broke loose.
(To be continued...)
—The stuff I own!—
-Concepts-
bio-Gundams in general
Phoenix 01
Omega 07
Omega 03
Spectrum 01
Banshee-class mobile suit
Specter-class mobile suit
bio-cells
-My characters-
Prof. Nexus
Marco
Terra Zio
Katrina Marquise
Fea Meroles
—Ryan's log, story #1—
Not too bad for my first Gundam Wing fanfiction, huh? I've had the bio-Gundam concept idea going around in my head for a while, and I figured it was time to put it to good use. I'd like to thank all the good people at the ArcticNightfall message board, who contributed Gundam Wing info that made this fic possible, and I'd like to thank Jesus, who gave me my talent and created the universe we all live in and enjoy. Oh, and if you were wondering, the verse Terra quoted was Second Corinthians 12:10. If you hate Jesus for some odd reason, don't bother flaming me, because I'll just pray for you and go on with my life like you never showed up to bug me. Take it up with Him; He knows a lot more than I do on the subject. So, if you enjoyed this fanfic, keep your eyes out for the next part of the series, which may come sooner or later, because I write a lot of different fanfics. This is Ryan 'da Edge' Edgerton, signing off! —
It's fifty years after Gundam Wing.
New, more powerful Gundam-class mobile suits are bio-engineered with the intent of deep-space exploration and defending the solar system against future threats to peace. These new Gundams, 'bio-Gundams', follow in the tradition of the five original Gundams: defending the earth as a last resort and standing tall as the most legendary mobile suits in availability.
But peace, as always, is sweet but short lived. OZ re-emerges to threaten the solar system once again.
Armed with their own new breeds of Gundams, rival even to the bio-Gundams, Neo-OZ and it's elite Banshee and Specter class mobile suit Gundams wreak chaos upon the solar system, destroying everything that gets in their path. The bio-Gundams are launched into action to defend the colonies and in a matter of months an all-out war breaks out. Within a year three of the farthest colony clusters have been utterly destroyed and Neo-OZ has sent it's own military colony into orbit around the inner solar system.
Within a year and a half, it becomes painfully clear that Neo-OZ is more danger than even the bio-Gundams can repel. Earth braces itself as preparations are made for a last-ditch chance to save earth...
... by changing history.
Using three prototype bio-Gundams, Phoenix 01, Omega 07, and Spectrum 01, the New Earth Alliance bands it's remaining technology together, placing all it's hopes on their only hope.
It's fifty years after Gundam Wing. Operation ArchAngel has begun.
From the creator of Team Revelation, Cyber Scouts, Cardcaptors: the Realm saga, and the Tenchi saga fanfics Beyond Belief comes a new, bold story.
OPERATION ARCHANGEL
Act 1
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original ideas, characters, or concepts from the Gundam Wing TV anime. I'll make a list of who and what I do own at the end of the fic.
Chapter 1- How Things Went Wrong
Location: New Earth Alliance base New Chance, Antarctica
Terra Zio walked quietly down the halls of New Chance, headed towards his bunk so he could rest up for the night. His black military jumpsuit bore a blue stripe that went from the top to the bottom of the side of his left sleeve, identifying him as an elite Bio-Gundam pilot. His deep-set, worrisome blue eyes and short, nondescript red hair were a startlingly strange combination, and he'd well gotten used to the odd looks people gave him when they encountered him for the first time. Over his back he had sheathed a classic double-edged sword, his weapon of choice outside of his Gundam, and in a holster on his belt he had a small, non-descript laser pistol. People rushed past him on either side, each either busy working on the time traveling project, code-named operation ArchAngel, or busily manning their posts or doing various tasks around the base.
Tomorrow was a very big day. With Neo-OZ's strike forces continually getting closer and closer, everybody had been relieved somewhat to hear the news from Prof. Nexus that operation ArchAngel would be set and ready to be implemented by tomorrow afternoon. Terra rubbed his wrist, then removed his hand and looked at the bio-cell in his wrist. He could still feel the nano-modification probes being injected into him there to prepare his bio-Gundam for tomorrow's time travel operation. It wasn't easy, having a seed-sized red and black bio-cell implanted into his wrist for life. But, he wouldn't trade it for the world, especially not now.
His bio-cell, and the bio-Gundam it carried, would be key players in tomorrow's operation.
"Hey, Terra!" Shouted a feminine voice from far behind him. He turned around to see his team mate and another one of tomorrow's important bio-Gundam pilots, a long-blond haired dark-green eyed girl by the name of Katrina Merquise, come rushing up from far down the hall. Rushing so fast, in fact, that she was a living human blur. Terra made an annoyed face as she suddenly broke out of her super-speed and materialized at his side.
"Kat, you know you're not supposed to be using your bio-powers on base unless it's an emergency situation." He reprimanded.
"Hey, it's not my fault that you didn't wait for me back at the lab. I thought I asked you to wait for me until they finished giving me the nano-probes."
"You did, but I didn't say yes. I had a little business I needed to attend to before I turned in for the night."
"You still could've waited for me. Honestly, sometimes you're just so impossible, Terra."
"You're right, I'm sorry. Forgive me?" He inquired, just now looking at her as the two walked down the hallways side by side.
She smiled, with a teasing smirk evident in her eyes.
"Does the sun come up each day? Of course I'll forgive you, but promise me that next time you'll wait."
"OK, I promise. So, what did you wanna talk to me about?"
"It's about Marcos. I haven't seen him all day and none of the base staff have seen him since he got his injection earlier today. You think you'd know where he might be."
"Oh, I have a hunch we'll find him in the simulator on level six. Practically nobody ever uses it and I'd say it's become a kind of hangout for him. You know how much he hates to have his training interrupted, so he hangs out down there when he's off duty. Always turning the machine up a little more than he should, always determined to train until he's an equal to his old man."
"Men. I will never understand some of them. You'd think he'd be satisfied with his rep as 'Bio Red Comet', but he still thinks he'll need to do more than any bio-pilot ever if he's going to gain his dad's acceptance. When was the last time he saw his dad, anyway?"
"Back during his posting in Austria, and neither talked to the other the whole time, Marcos because he didn't want to offend his dad, and the commander because he... well... probably just doesn't know what to say."
"It must be hard on him, having a father who won't even talk to you anymore."
"Well, knowing Marco, he'll survive. In the meantime, we should get ready for tomorrow. After all, we're going to be three people responsible for changing history for the better."
"I'll make sure to pray for us all." She said with a gentle, truthful smile.
The dark, nightfallen desert was thick with battle. The gold-set crescent moon was high in the sky, it's light the sole source of illumination in the barren wasteland. In the middle of a huge crater was a tall, shadowed bio-Gundam, it's body coated with distinct but small spots of blue and black like the surface of a rough brick or a piece of bread. It's form was similar to that of DeathScythe, it's eyes a deep-set metallic white. In one hand it wielded an energy saber, it's other hand holding a ball of blue energy about as big as it's open palm.
Marco's voice rang out from the bio-Gundam as if the bio-Gundam was speaking.
"Computer, engage difficulty level 36, safeties on minimal."
"Acknowledged." Chimed a computerized female voice out of nowhere as swarms of Ares class mobile suits materialized in rings around the awe-inspiring living-metal Gundam. "Please give activation command when ready."
"I'm ready! Engage the program."
"Safety warning: this program's difficulty level exceeds Spectrum 01's skill level by three difficulty levels."
"What are you worried about? I defeated the last three difficulty levels without being defeated."
"Please restate instruction." The computer required.
"That's what you get for trying to reason with silicon and steel." Said Katrina's voice from somewhere outside the simulation.
Marcos rolled his eyes and took a deep, annoyed breath.
"Computer, abort simulation. Save progress and deactivate simulator system."
"Acknowledged." The computer chimed as the Areses, the moon, and the desert all faded away into oblivion.
Terra and Katrina watched as light from Marcos's blue and black bio-cell faded, and the computer-powered TR simulator powered down. Marco lifted the VR visor off his face, revealing the annoyed expression that it had hid moments before, and he stepped down out of the simulator to face Terra and Katrina.
"I was hoping not to be disturbed." He said in an annoyed voice. His dark-tan skin, dark black hair, and golden-ish brown colored Chinese eyes, plus muscular and well-toned frame, did not make him the kind of person you'd want to get annoyed. "Whatever's going on, I hope it doesn't take too long because I've got a fleet of Ares calling my name."
"Marco, when was the last time you checked what time it was?" Kat inquired.
Marco glanced down at his watch. It was 23:16, military time.
"It's the middle of the night." Terra chastised. "We need to all be rested for tomorrow's operation, Admiral Focuur's orders."
"You've been in this thing for most of the day, Marco. Don't you think you're overdoing it a little bit?" Kat questioned.
"How can I possibly be overdoing it? I need to improve my skills or I'll never be able to help you two fulfill the mission tomorrow."
"You're one of the finest pilots we've got, Marco. We don't need you to train, we need you to be well-rested. OK?"
"Alright, alright. I'll go get some rest. But only under protest." He stated. Terra clapped him on the back as the three walked out of the room.
"That's our Marco." Terra smirked.
"For sure." Kat added with a smile of her own.
The sun rose on the base the next morning, flooding the arctic with white sunlight that bounced off the snow and ice in a blinding brilliance. Terra stretched and yawned, then pulled aside the covers and quickly went about his morning routine. He slipped into his uniform, strapped on his sword, holstered his laser pistol, and headed towards the mess hall for the morning meal of grape-nuts-like protein pellets and whatever other meager food supplies the base had available after the supply blockade Neo-OZ had put into place two months ago.
He was the first one to arrive in the mess hall, as usual. He ordered up his regular rations from the food dispenser, ate up, and as he finished up he noticed Kat and Marco come in, accompanied by a few scientists and engineers. He took his last spoonful of gel-doused pellets and carried his tray and dishes back to the dispenser to be recycled, meeting Kat and the others on his way.
"You're up early." He said to Kat as she punched in her order on the machine's controls. "Are you as nervous as I am?"
"More-so, probably. I've had butterflies in my stomach since 0400 hours."
"Well, I'll see you two at the mobile suit bay at 1200 hours." He said, heading towards the door and speaking over his shoulder.
It was 1200 hours, and all the important people were gathered at inside the mobile suit bay. Terra, Katrina, and Marco were surrounded by swarms of white-lab-coated scientists and engineers wearing rough rugged clothes. Nearby, mounted on three huge towers like radio towers, were giant orb-like devices that flashed with energy like lightning orbs.
A sudden hush fell over the room as Prof. Nexus stepped into view nearby.
"Ladies, gentlemen, I'm afraid I come bearing bad news." He began. "A traitor, we don't know who, from amongst us has alerted Neo-OZ to this morning's operation. OZ strike forces are on their way here by the scores. We must engage the operation immediately!"
That sent the crowd into a roar of panic and worry. Prof. Nexus held up his hands for quiet and slowly the masses hushed.
"But, there is no need for alarm. We are now prepared to engage operation ArchAngel and send these three pilots back in time to alter the course of history. Do not be afraid; if operation ArchAngel succeeds and the pilots are able to eliminate the remains of OZ from after the Gundam war, the forces which are on their way here now will cease to exist and everything will be restored. In fact, based upon my calculations, this entire war will never have taken place and all of the lives that have been lost will be restored."
'Yeah, a real no-pressure situation.' Terra thought to himself as the Prof. paused, then turned to face him and the others. He spoke in hushed, whispered tones.
"As you know, the technology for the time warp is only capable of sending through three mobile suits without becoming unpredictably unstable. I won't lie to you; our future is in your competent hands. Quickly, activate your bio-Gundams; the Neo-OZ forces could arrive within the hour!"
They each looked at each other in stunned shock, then nodded.
"We won't fail you, sir. I promise." Terra stated calmly as he could muster.
Terra turned to Kat, then Marco. Each nodded to him in silent communication.
It started, the bio-cell in each of their wrists glowing as it reached deep inside itself into it's energy reserves for the power this transformation would need. The bio-cells began to expand, splitting and dividing on the cellular level until Terra, Kat, and Marco's bodies were coated in a living, moving, growing mass of living-metal bio-cells. The crowd looked on in silence; they had all seen this before, but for many they feared this would be the last time. The human-shaped bio-cell masses began to expand and enlarge at a startling rate, until after about a full six minutes the masses of bio-cells in humanoid titanic-sized form solidified into three distinct, towering beings. One was dark-red and black in a form similar to that of a HeavyArms Gundam, one was a sky-blue and black with a design similar to that of the DeathScythe, and the remaining one a neon-green and black that was reminiscent of a cross between the Wing Gundam and a Leo class mobile suit. Each of the bio-Gundams seemed to be unarmed, but that was an illusion that made the bio-Gundams 'surprisingly' powerful. Terra, Kat, and Marco now had been absorbed deep into the heart of bio-Gundams Phoenix 01, Omega 07, and Spectrum 01.
"We're all ready to go, Professor." Terra's voice thundered from the bionic audio receptor/interceptor system built into the bio-Gundam's genetic encoding to make communication possible. Phoenix 01 pulled a hand to it's forehead in a salute. "For the earth, the colonies, and for peace!"
"For the earth, the colonies, and for peace!" Echoed the massive crowds.
"Activate the temporal dispersion emitters!" Prof. Nexus called to some of the techs at nearby computer controls, his hands cupped around his mouth to project his voice better.
"Yes sir!" Shouted an engineer.
"Sir!" Shouted another one of the engineers. "Latest news from Ops.! The Neo-OZ forces are at five-hundred clicks and closing rapidly! They're detecting at least a hundred-dozen mobile suits and numerous supporting craft!"
"Then we have no time to loose! Quickly, we must form the vortex and send them into the past!" Nexus exclaimed.
"Sir!" That same engineer shouted once again. "One of the mobile suits has broken ahead from the others and is headed straight for us at twice the speed of the rest of the fleet. And the fleet is going at 400mph!"
"800mph?! Neo-OZ doesn't have anything that moves that fast!"
"Sir!" Shouted a different engineer. "Outlying sensor bunkers have just been shot down by the lead mobile suit!"
Instantly, that triggered a thought process in Terra that shocked him. The outlying sensor bunkers were both shielded from scanners and hidden by newly developed cloaking fields that made them invisible to the naked eye. Whoever was in that mobile suit had known the *exact* co-ordinates of those sensor bunkers and set up his or her mobile suit's targeting computers to highlight the locations of each in his visual targeting display.
The logical assumption was that the lead mobile suit was piloted by the traitor.
"All hands, battle stations!" Prof. Nexus shouted and seconds later red lights and sirens started going off all across the mobile suit bay. "The vortex could take up to twelve minutes to form completely; buy these pilots time!"
Meanwhile, more than six miles outside of New Chance, a single mobile suit kicked up snow waves behind it as it cut through the air towards the base. It's dark-green and black bio-Gundam hull bore ready in one hand a black-energy two-bladed scythe, and in the other a ball of neon blue energy ready to be fired. It's humanoid form flew without the use of wings or thrusters, it's bio-tech body surrounded by an invisible anti-gravity bubble that allowed it to travel with awesome speed, agility, and skill. It was reminiscent of both the SandRock and the DeathSythe Hell Gundams of the past, it's fearful wings arched outwards and it's gleaming white eyes reflecting the light of the sun like as if each shone with the intensity of a compact supernova. Far behind, quickly becoming mere specks against the horizon, was an army of Neo-OZ Banshee, Specter, and even a few retro-fitted Ares class mobile suits, each unit armed to the teeth and using heavy defensive energy fields.
'But as slow as humanly possible.' Thought Fea Meroles, the bio-Gundam's pilot, her Omega-class bio-Gundam turning it's head at her thought to look back at the OZ forces. 'But that works to my advantage. Now I can go ahead and give Katrina what's been coming to her for a long time...'
Lightning-like bolts surged together as the three towers' energy-orbs began to slowly form the strange, neon-purple vortex that would send Terra, Kat, and Marcos back in time. Terra, his mind now linked directly into that of his bio-Gundam, looked at the strange, huge warphole as it formed at eye-level to his Gundam. At that moment, millions of thoughts began rushing through his head; thoughts of the danger of the mission ahead, thoughts of the life he was leaving behind in pursuit of a greater future, thoughts of his friends, family, dreams, nightmares, fellow pilots, of God and of the war.
But it wasn't until another one of the engineers spoke up again that his thoughts turned to the traitor who had exposed this base to OZ.
"Sir!!" The engineer shouted over the static-electric roar of the vortex. "The lead mobile suit!!!"
"What about it??" Nexus shouted back, rushing over to the man's post.
"Sir, it's using an anti-gravity bubble for propulsion!"
"What?!" Prof. Nexus exclaimed. "That's impossible!! For it to use that technology it would have to be a..." Nexus's voice trailed off as a shocked expression became etched onto his face.
The engineer's console bleeped, a message from Ops. Being transmitted to him.
"Sir..." The engineer also suddenly seemed shocked, his hushed statement lost behind the roar of the vortex.
"A what?? Kat inquired, her voice shouting above the vortex's winds.
"A bio-Gundam, what else?" Marco stated. "Nothing Neo-OZ has can accede 500mph without burning out it's batteries and toasting it's circuits ."
"A bio-Gundam?? But that means-" Kat exclaimed, and Terra finished her thought.
"The traitor is one of us!" He exclaimed as suddenly the vortex doubled in size with a sudden, gaping rush of wind. "This base doesn't stand a chance, and unless we can get into the vortex before OZ's strike force arrives, our future is USDA choice dead-meat! Prof., we need time travel and we need it now!"
"The vortex requires five more minutes to fully stabilize! If you go in before that, you'll be crushed to atoms!!"
"We don't have five minutes! If that bio-Gundam was going at 800mph when it was at five-hundred clicks, it'll be on top of us any second! This base doesn't have the defenses to fight one of our own bio-Gundams without fighting fire with fire!"
"There's no time to get our other pilots ready for combat!" Nexus shouted as the roaring winds of the vortex got louder. "You three are our only defenses once the intruder destroys our shield towers!"
Outside the base, Fea's Gundam faded quickly into view on the far-off white horizon. Two seconds later, a slim, focused beam of neon-blue energy shot from the bio-Gundam's left hand, shortened the distance between itself and the base, and plowed into the ground just short of the shield barrier with a huge explosion. A bubble-like white-energy field sputtered and phased out of existence as the smoke from the explosion began to clear. Fea wasted no time; as she got nearer her bio-Gundam dove past where the shield had been and headed straight at the mobile suit bay.
She wasn't going to let anything as insignificant as an energy shield get in her way.
Two-bladed energy scythe ready in her bio-Gundam's right hand, she zipped past buildings as she homed in on the all-important bay.
A foreign sound suddenly, violently pierced the roar of the vortex, grabbing everyone in the mobile suit bay's attention. Practically no sooner had the engineer shouted "the bio-Gundam took out our underground power wires!" than a two-bladed black-energy scythe staff sliced the main bay doors open with one swift, decisive movement. Terra, Kat, and Marco immediately held all-energy no-metal beam sabers in one hand and aimed a trio of energy spheres at the intruding Gundam. When the smoke cleared, all three gasped in utter disbelief.
"Fea?! Is that you?!!" Terra exclaimed in unexpected shock. "Oh my gosh; I thought you were dead!!!"
"What happened to you, Fea? Why are you doing this to us??" Katrina exclaimed.
Fea immediately leveled her energy sphere at Omega 07.
"You 'happened' to me, Katrina Merquise. Don't tell me you don't remember how you left me to die when you and I were fighting off Neo-OZ forces in Bagdad." Fea's voice admonished over her bio-Gundam's comm system. "And now you're gonna pay for what you did to me."
"What?!?!" Kat exclaimed back. "What are you talking about?!"
"Don't tell me you don't remember." Fea retorted sharply. "I went down and you and your strike squad turned tail and ran, leaving me for OZ to finish off. Well, it didn't end there, let me tell you. I must have been some kind of brainwashed fool to believe what you all told me about OZ. *They* took me in and treated my injuries, *they* gave me a chance to live, *they* trained me to become a stronger, more diligent fighter than the likes of you will ever be, Katrina. From what I've seen, OZ *deserves* to rule this world."
"WHAT?!" Marco exclaimed. "Fea, don't be an idiot! OZ is using you to get to us, to prevent us from changing the past. Think about all the people they've slaughtered, all of the innocent civilians who died when they attacked the outer colonies. Look at yourself! You've become their pawn!"
"You always did have a big mouth, Marco. Just like your old man. But now, with Neo-OZ in control, the solar system will finally get a taste of *real* peace, and I'll be there to help lead them as the prime minister of earth itself!"
"So that's what they promised you." Terra stated, not wanting to believe what he was hearing Fea say. "Fea, OZ is full of empty promises. You of all people should know that."
"It's no empty promise." She said, looking Phoenix 01 square in the eye. "Terra, don't believe the lies the Alliance has force-fed you all your life. There can never be any peace unless strong, military government controls. You have to see that, Terra. Trust in me."
Terra was silent for a moment, then looked Fea's Gundam, Omega 03, square in the eye.
"No, Fea. Those days are over." He aimed his beam sword squarely at her. "I cannot allow you to interfere with Operation ArchAngel, and... I'll do what I have to to protect our last true chance at peace."
"Terra, you loved me once." She pleaded, not taking her eyes off Kat and Marco. "You don't know what OZ is really like, you haven't been to the places I've been, seen what I've seen in what I used to consider 'the camp of our enemy'. Please, Terra, trust me. Leave all of this behind. I know OZ has had to get rid of a lot of people who stood in the way, but it's all for the greater good. Terra-"
"No! I've seen for myself what OZ is like and I'll never join with them, even if that means you are now my enemy. I'm sorry, Fea, but I have to stand true to what my spirit, my soul, tells me is true."
Fea was about to say something more when suddenly the vortex, with a sound like thunder and a flash like lightning, doubled in size and intensity. The force winds in the room immediately picked up, pulling snow into itself from beyond the open bay doors in thick wave-like clouds. The lightning orbs atop the towers suddenly went dark as the vortex suddenly began to suck down the very light of the room itself. Prof. Nexus and the engineers had long since evacuated the bay, but even without Nexus's instructions there was no doubting. The vortex had at last stabilized.
"It's stable!" Terra shouted to Katrina and Marco, energy blaster-sphere still aimed at Fea's Omega 03. "We've got to get in there, now!"
"NO! I'll never let you!" Fea shouted in rage, leveling her weapons.
"You'll have to stop us first, Fea!" Kat shouted back as she, Terra, and Marco lunged into the vortex.
Fea wasn't far behind.
The time warp was a strange place. To begin with, everything seemed to have a hundred 'echo-shadows' trailing behind it wherever it moved. Secondly, everything went in slow motion. Black and white energy like huge clusters of stars were passing by at faster-than-light speeds filled the backdrop.
It only took moments for it all to happen, for everything to go wrong. Omega 03 materialized in the time warp just behind Phoenix 01, Omega 07, and Spectrum 01. Omega 03 fired off a thin energy blast from the blue-energy sphere, aimed squarely for Omega 07.
The first distortion wave hit like a massive heat wave, knocking Omega 03 off balance while not effecting the others. Her initial blast barely missed Phoenix 01's left elbow. Fea fired again, but she was still in the process of being thrown by the distortion wave.
A second wave came into view at the moment Fea fired the beam.
The slim, razor-sharp beam of neon-blue power struck Spectrum 01 in the left leg, instantly knocking Spectrum 01 away from the group. He tried to recover, but soon found he was falling farther and farther away from the others and was helpless to stop it. The outer edges of the time warp swallowed his bio-Gundam whole.
"Nnnnnooooooooooo...!" Kat and Terra exclaimed in slow motion, turning around just in time to see Marco's Gundam vanish beyond the edges of the time/space conduit.
Omega 03 caught it's balance and braced itself against the second distortion wave. The wave passed through the bio-Gundam with a rippling effect like water. Realizing she had defended against the distortion wave, Fea aimed one arm and took aim at Omega 07.
At that instant, though, the warp tunnel around them fell apart. With a blinding flash of light all three remaining bio-Gundams vanished from sight.
Chapter 2- The Unexpected
Location: Lake Victoria military base
Timeline location: Approx. 50 years earlier; June; 0200 hours
The Lake Victoria base was, generally speaking, quiet. It would be four hours before the sun rose, and it was time for one group of soldiers with night watch duty to turn the job over to another and go to sleep. In the relative quiet of the night, the few sounds audible were those of chirping crickets and a few stray night time birds.
Suddenly, a blinding light tore open the night sky like a rip in the space-time continuum, immediately snapping the guards who were dozing off into a panicked frenzy. A sound like the wind itself being torn into two pieces suddenly and violently sent all the crickets and birds running and flying away in fear. The base alarm was instantly sounded as guards withing the base began rushing around left and right, manning battle stations and jumping into mobile suits in preparation of the unseen but fearful enemy.
"What's going on??" Officer Noin exclaimed as she stepped out of her quarters wearing a freshly, quickly dawned uniform. Soldiers rushed down the hallway all around her, and she swiftly grabbed one by the neck of his uniform and pulled him around to face her. "I asked you a question, soldier. What's happening??"
"I think we're under attack!" The soldier explained, trembling in Noin's grasp.
"You think?? Are we or aren't we?" She demanded, causing the soldier to swallow his words like a lump in his throat.
"I- I- I don't know, Mam." He studdered.
"You hear that alarm going off?" She inquired, bringing it to the soldier's mind. "That generally means we're in an emergency situation. Now, go find out *exactly* what's going on and ask one of your superiors what you can do to help."
"Yes- yes Mam!" He exclaimed as Noin let him go, and the soldier immediately rushed off down the hall, vanishing in amongst the other soldiers.
"I'd better look into this." Noin said to herself as she made her way with ease through the sea of uniformed soldiers and base personnel.
"What happened to Marco?!" Terra exclaimed as he, Kat, and Fea's bio-Gundams picked themselves up off the ground. Above them, the time rift faded away into the night, it's light vanishing along with it. As soon as the three Gundams were on their feet, each locked a blaster-sphere of energy on their enemies; Terra and Katrina aimed at Fea and Fea aimed squarely at Kat. Fea, not taking her sights off her opponents, swiftly picked up her energy scythe weapon and got ready for a fight.
"What have you done?!!" Kat demanded in tear-stained rage. "How could you, Fea?!!!"
"Easy; for the greater good!" Fea retorted, suddenly lunging at Omega 07 with a burst of anti-gravity speed. "Now die!!"
The command room of the base hummed, rather, roared with activity, people dashing this way and that in a panicked frenzy. Suddenly, everyone's attention was momentarily diverted as the doors burst open and in walked a figure they all knew and respected.
"What's going on?" Noin demanded, walking over to one of the tactical consoles opposite the door. "Are we under attack?"
"Mam... I think..." One of the officers studdered. "... I... I... it's..."
Noin rolled her eyes.
"Spit it out!" She instructed.
"Mam! There's three mobile suits out there, and one of them seems to be battling the other two."
"What kind of mobile suits? Have they attacked the base yet?"
"No Mam. There just outside the base, but they haven't attacked us yet. I - I don't know *what* kind of mobile suits they are, but they aren't any of ours."
"Let me see that." Noin instructed, the officer moving aside to give her access to his instruments. She got one look at the images being sent in of the battle and then gasped in surprise. "Those... those almost look like Gundams!"
"What should we do, officer Noin?" Inquired another officer nearby.
Noin paused for a moment in thought, then stood upright and turned to face the whole command room.
"Everyone to battle stations! If those things *are* Gundams, we can't risk having them anywhere near this base. I want mobile suit forces deployed immediately, and whatever you do don't underestimate these three mobile suits!" She instructed before rushing out of the command room, headed towards the mobile suit hangars. The room behind her was silent for a second, then snapped back into activity again as Noin's orders were transmitted throughout the base.
Beam swords and beam scythes met in swift and dangerous clashes, Fea and Omega 03 holding their own for the moment against Terra, Katrina, and their bio-Gundams. Omega 03 suddenly flew backwards and skywards in a well-calculated anti-gravity burst, aiming it's free hand at the two bio-Gundams below and shooting out multiple blasts of thin hot-blue energy. Phoenix 01 and Omega 07 dodged to the left and right, taking aim with their own energy-sphere laser blasts while dodging Fea's attacks. Omega 03 dodged and darted away from the retaliatory strikes, then suddenly was busy dodging a beam sword slash from Omega 07. The female fighters' Gundams' weapons met in quick, accurate strikes and swipes, flashes of blue and black energy lightning up the night.
Terra was about to leap skyward to help Kat when suddenly he heard something behind him. Phoenix 01 spun to see clouds of Ares class mobile suits homing in on the fight scene quickly.
Only then did he also realize where he, Katrina, and Fea had landed. Not too far away was the Lake Victoria military base, and the base was the origin point of the Areses.
'No...! This... this can't be happening!' He thought to himself in shocked surprise as the black swarms got closer. '... We're in the wrong part of time!'
"Katrina! Fea!" He exclaimed, causing both fighters to pause for a split second and look at him. "Look!"
He pointed towards the base and the incoming mobile suits. Katrina gasped as she, too, realized what had happened.
Fea snickered after a moment or two.
"Perfect!" She said, once more getting Katrina's attention. "We're in the middle of the Gundam Wars! Now you two don't stand a *chance* at changing history! OZ has finally won!!"
"Not yet they haven't!" Kat shouted, aiming a blast of energy at Fea. Omega 03 dodged with relative ease, then brought it's two-bladed scythe down at Omega 07 from above. Katrina managed to dodge, then got inside Omega 03's defenses for a second, long enough to hit the bio-Gundam with a kick to the chest. Fea staggered back for a second, then caught herself in mid-air and got her scythe ready for another attack.
"Kat! We've got other problems to deal with!" Terra shouted as the Areses got within range and began to fire. Phoenix 01 dodged the thick swarm of bullets with a sudden dash skyward, then took aim with it's energy-sphere cannon and blasted the Ares hoard with a thick, wide-spread blast of blue energy that turned the suits into huge explosions. "I could use your help!"
"Haha!" Fea laughed as Kat turned away grudgingly to face the mass of OZ mobile suits. Omega 03 turned and shot off into the night. "I'll see you two later! I've got a date with greatness!"
Ares after Ares quickly tore apart as blasts of energy from both Phoenix 01 and Omega 07 bombarded the swarms, slowly but surely pushing back the massive force. Neither bio-Gundam had taken a hit yet, fortunately, and both Terra and Kat intended to keep it that way. Kat stopped firing for a second, her sword and neon-blue energy bubble vanishing instantly as she aimed both fists at the army of Ares-class suits.
"I'll try to disable them with an EMP Wave." She said, heat wave-like energy building in orbs around Omega 07's fists. With a small flash of light, a wave similar to the distortion waves shot out of Omega 07's fists, traveling at lightning-quick speeds. It hit the mass of black mobile suits, each one it passed through instantly powering down and dropping to the ground in heaps. With another EMP Wave, all of the Ares that were still airborne dropped, powerless, to the ground with a sound like a crushing of metal.
"Quick, let's get outta here." Terra instructed as the two turned in the direction opposite the base and shot off into the night.
"Status report." Noin instructed as she strapped into her Ares.
"Mam, the unidentified mobile suits are all fleeing." Stated one of the officers from the control center. His voice came in clear as day through the headset officer Noin was wearing. Noin paused and let him finish his thought. "We've lost almost fifty Ares and all of the rest were disabled somehow by what appeared to be an electromagnetic wave weapon armed on one of the mobile suits. The intruders are headed southeastward; should I spread the alarm to HQ?"
"Inform them of what's happened and send images of the mobile suits to both the Tactical Analysis section of our techs and to Kernel Zechs." She instructed, powering down her Ares. "Whatever those mobile suits are, Gundams or not whatever the case may be, they're a significant threat if they could use such weapons effectively to disable our entire Ares squadron. Track them for as long as you can, then chart out their course and be able to give me an idea where they might be headed. I'll be back up in the command room in a few minutes."
Two hours later...
Location: Approx. 300 miles away from Lake Victoria
"What could have caused all this?" Terra wondered aloud. He and Katrina, their bio-Gundams returned to their bio-cells, stood in the midst of an overgrown pine forest, the sky a slowly-lightening navy blue over their heads. Terra paced about as Kat sat on a nearby fallen log. "I mean, how off could Prof. Nexus's calculations have been that wrong that we got thrown into the timeline almost ten years before our targeted mission zone?"
"It probably wasn't his fault." Kat reminded him. "Tons of unexpected factors got thrown in while we were in transit between the different timeline locations. To start with, who would have ever anticipated Fea would be the traitor, and then follow us into the time-warp. Not to mention, who known what effect those energy blasts of hers could have had on our trajectory into time/space. To be honest, it's hard to believe she's really still alive."
"Don't I know it." Terra sighed. "I was so torn up inside when I found out she'd been shot down in action, and now to know that she's alive but fighting against us. . . " His voice trailed off as he realized it was impossible to put his thoughts into words.
"I saw her go down with my own two eyes." Katrina stated, looking off into the night. "I remember it like yesterday; we were outnumbered 2-1 by a flock of Banshees, Fea was able to tear one apart with her scythe but then she got hit by a pair of blasts from the Banshees' photon cannons. The blasts tore Omega 03's legs right out from under her, leaving her with just a pair of badly damaged stumps. A second pair of blasts left Omega 03's right arm lying almost 100 feet away; no one could have that done to their bio-Gundam and live. I thought for sure there was no way we could save her."
"And yet, here she is today, alive, well, and fighting for Neo-OZ. It... it doesn't make sense! Even if she did survive, why would she be fighting for Neo-OZ?"
Kat sighed, unable to look into Terra's grief-stricken face.
"I suppose rumors about Neo-OZ's brainwashing technology were true after all. At least, it's the only thing that makes sense."
"But she's still Fea; she acts like Fea and talks like Fea, but she's fighting against us! If they brainwashed her, wouldn't she be some kind of mindless zombie or something??" Terra questioned, his eyes pleading for an answer.
"I don't know." Kat was forced to say. "Maybe it's more like brain scrambling than brainwashing. All we know is that now Fea is our enemy and that she's running loose in the past unchallenged." She paused for a long moment, then looked over at Terra. "You two must have been close, huh?"
Terra looked away, memories he never again wished to remember visible in his facial expression. He nodded weakly.
"It started before your unit got pulled in from colony defense." Terra started. "We'd been around each other a lot in our careers as pilots and we'd had several assignments together. Eventually, I guess things just got carried away and before you know it I'd lost a total grip on reality because of my infatuation with this beautiful, smart, witty girl from colony cluster L3. When Neo-OZ forced her colony into a surrender and then destroyed it anyway, her world collapsed and she fell back to me. I did a lot of things during that time that I'll forever regret, I know. When I heard the report of her death, it was my turn to have my world collapse inward. And ever since then, I suppose I've just never fully gotten over it. There was no reason to face it. ... Until now."
She got up and walked over to Terra, putting her hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at her, an 'I'm not crying' look in his eyes despite the obvious truth about the glint of water in the corner of his left eye.
"Listen, Terra. I know this is hard for you. But we've got to think objectively." She stated, looking him in the eye. "We're almost fifty years in the past, during the initial conflict between OZ and the Gundams. We've got no way of time traveling and we can't risk altering history to a point where the future is on the line. What's our first move?"
Terra looked at her for a second, then turned away and looked at the ground with a thought-laden expression on his face. For several long moments he was silent, then he looked at Kat once more with a plan evident in his eyes.
"With Fea on the loose, we need allies to help us track her down and stop her. We can't risk it on the Alliance and that leaves us only one option." He explained further. "What's the only thing in this era that stands a fighting chance against Fea and Omega 03?"
"The original five Gundams." Katrina surmised.
"Exactly!" Terra enthused. "We've got to get the original five Gundam pilots on our side and then we make our next move from there. Maybe they have the resources to help us."
She clapped him on the shoulder.
"That's my Terra Zio. So, should we split up and go looking for them?"
"Yeah. You try to locate Quatre Winner, I'll see if I can't track down either Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, or Trowa Barton."
"What about Chang Wufei?" Katrina inquired.
Terra seemed to deflate a little.
"I was hoping to leave him until last if I could, but you're probably right; since he's going to be one of the hardest to convince I should probably find him first."
"Just remember," Kat replied. "You've got to fight fire with water, not with fire. Try to avoid letting him get you into a fight."
"Right." Terra replied with a nod.
An hour later...
Lake Victoria military base
"What has Tactical Analysis figured out?" Zechs inquired, his face pasted onto the video screen in Noin's personal quarters. His voice had that sharp, skillful tone that Noin recognized meant that the present situation interested him greatly.
"Nothing so far, except that those three mobile suits use technology that nobody's ever heard of. Their beam sabers, we've been able to figure out from a visual analysis, had no mechanical components. It's almost like these mobile suits were *holding* the energy in their hands." Noin replied, sitting in a rolling chair at her desk.
"That would take some very advanced technology." Zechs surmised. "Noin, please tell me immediately if any more of those mobile suits show up anywhere. For all we know, this could be a new kind of Gundam and if it is then that information would be very important to HQ."
"But I always assumed the Gundam pilots were all on the same team or something. These were obviously rogue pilots of some kind, and if those mobile suits were Gundams maybe there's some kind of division in the Gundam pilots."
"You're a keen observer, Noin; I was thinking about the same thing." He paused for a moment, then continued. "The Gundams we've encountered so far have always worked with each other against OZ; it would be quite interesting if we learned that the pilots were squabbling amongst themselves."
"From what I saw it was a pretty deadly 'squabble'." Noin noted with a slight laugh in her voice. "But what would cause the Gundam pilots to divide into factions now?"
"That's what we should try to find out if we can. Keep me posted as possible, Noin. This should prove an interesting riddle to solve."
Location: The Romeafeller Institution, Europe
Lady Une walked slowly about in the gardens outside the main Romeafeller building, taking in the early morning sunrise as it peaked out over the horizon, casting it's beautiful rays of warm light across the Ares mobile suits positioned and posed like museum pieces at regular intervals along the main walkway from the road to the building. She was quiet, as was her usual demeanor whenever she was out in public. Quiet, but not soft-spoken by a longshot. She was the kind of person who would not tolerate orders from anyone she considered to be or knew to be her inferior, but she tried to retain an air of cold cordiality whenever she was around the Romeafeller 'palace'.
Drawing out her sword, used mostly for decoration purposes only, she cleanly sliced off a protruding branch from one of the nearby plant sculpture of a tiger reared up on it's hind legs. She sheathed it again at her side, then shook her head and sighed slightly.
"The gardener must be slacking off again." She mused, before turning and walking back towards the main building. She enjoyed these morning musings, but her duties were calling.
Behind her, invisible to her, a shadowed form darted out into the open. The being moved so fast it could barely be seen, and by the time even Lady Une's acute senses picked up the intruder it was already too late. A white-leather gloved hand reached out from behind Une and clamped down over her mouth. Her first reaction wasn't to scream; she was too well trained to do that. Instead, she reached for her sword with her right hand, but found that whoever her assailant was had already pulled the sword from the sheath without her knowing. A second white-gloved hand pulled Une's left hand painfully behind her back in a grip so strong it nearly surprised Une. With her only free hand unable to reach behind her to do any damage to the unidentified assailant, she began to thrash against the iron-strong grip, but found herself unable to get free.
"I know this is an overused line and all, Lady Une." Said the feminine voice of her assailant. "But I must insist that you take me to your leader."
"Sir!" Reported the officer as he closed the chamber doors behind himself.
"What is it?" Treize inquired, leveling a sharp look at the soldier. "I'm certain it must be important if you would come in here without at least knocking first."
"Sir, Lady Une has been taken prisoner by a young lady who demands to see you immediately. She's threatening with Lady Une's life, sir!"
This news caused Treize to stand silently for a moment, then looked directly into the officer's eyes.
"We won't have an event like this going on at this hour. If this young lady wants to see me, let her. Send her in immediately."
"Sir, I believe she also requested that the meeting be with you only. Are you certain it's safe?" The officer quivered.
"Are you questioning my instructions?" He returned, a slight smirk on his face.
That caused the officer's brain to start working again.
"No sir! I'll send her in right away, sir." The officer said, rushing out the door once more.
Things were silent for about five minutes, then two of the guards outside opened the large chamber doors and a young girl of about twenty walked in. She wore a white jumpsuit with a pair of black stripes running from the base of the pants legs, up the leg, chest, and shoulders, then flowing down the arms to the cuff. Her eyes were a surprisingly light blue and her brown hair fell over her left shoulder for about four inches. She wore bleach-white leather gloves, slick black running shoes, and a belt around her waist with a holstered handgun on the left side. Her facial features were soft and hinted at a witty personality, and she had the unmistakable shadow in her eyes that was the trademark of only the most skilled warriors.
"As they say in chess, sir Treize," She smirked slightly. "Check."
"Hm, quite." He rubbed his chin as he thought. "It would seem, my dear, that I am completely at your mercy."
"Oh, don't worry, your highness; I have no interest in taking your life. Rather, I happen to have a proposition for you."
"Now then, what kind of a proposition would require you to take hostage one of my most esteemed personal assistants in order to get my attention? Why not simply... schedule an appointment with my secretary?"
She smirked at that.
"In the time that I come from, we don't do 'appointments'."
That statement both intrigued and bewildered Treize.
"What do you mean, 'the time that you come from'?"
"I see you're a man who doesn't skirt around the matter at hand." She stated plainly. "Simply put, I'm about to tell you a short little story you might find hard to believe. I, sir Treize, have recently become one of history's first time travelers. I come from fifty years in the future and I'm here to make sure OZ wins this war."
He was silent for a moment as he considered both this statement and it's reply.
"A noble gesture, I'm sure, but OZ is not in a position right now where it's likely we'll lose this 'war'." He turned and looked out the window. "Perhaps your history books don't cover this time period as well as one would hope. We are in no need of your assistance."
"If you really think that, then you have truly underestimated the Gundam pilots, sir Treize. I come from a future, *your* future, where OZ lost this war. So long as the Gundams and their pilots exist, OZ will never be safe. As you well know, your war is less against the colonies and more against those ever elusive Gundams, am I right."
"... Apparently your history books are more accurate than I thought. But honestly, OZ is in no position to lose to a small group of rogue pilots in advanced mobile suits." He returned sharply.
Before he could blink, she was suddenly right in front of him with her handgun pressed against his chest. He half gasped in surprise at the sudden, impossibly swift move. No human being he'd ever encountered could move that fast.
"No, perhaps not against the Gundams of today, but let me tell you about their predecessors. Fifty years from now, the New Earth Alliance has figured out a way to bio-engineer highly advanced mobile suits, Gundams in fact, that are one being with their pilots. I am a bio-Gundam pilot who fought alongside the risen-from-the-ashes Neo-OZ, and you may be surprised, sir Treize, to know that there is a Gundam in this very room." She held out her right wrist while keeping the gun aimed squarely at his heart. "This little seed-sized bio-cell can transform into a bio-Gundam in the space of six minutes, a bio-Gundam capable of almost twice what you could ever see the Gundams do. It gives me enhanced speed, strength, agility, and stamina, making me a veritable superhuman in comparison to the rest of the race."
"I'm not impressed." Treize returned, keeping his calm demeanor about him.
"Apparently not. But, what would you say if I told you that there's two other bio-Gundam pilots out there right now, and they consider OZ to be their enemy. They were sent back in time to destroy OZ's remains after what we in my time call the Gundam Wars, taking out what was left of OZ during it's weakest hour in order to change history and the future. But I prevented them from getting to their timeline destination. Now, in front of you stands your chance to keep your dream for OZ's greatness from dying a slow, sickly death. All you have to do," She holstered her handgun. "Is take me up on my offer."
"If what you've said is true, what choice do I really have." He said, taking a step back from her. "What, *exactly*, are you offering?"
"Firstly, to eliminate both bio-Gundams Phoenix 01 and Omega 07, as well as rid you once and for all of the other Gundam pilots and their mobile suits. I will, however, require access to OZ's arsenal to do that."
"If you can deliver results, then my armies are at your command." Treize stated. "Just promise not to shove a gun to my chest anytime in the near future."
She smirked a little at that statement, then continued in a businessy voice.
"Secondly, I can easily eradicate any of the Alliance's hideouts, bases, and spies for you. But first, the bio-Gundams. And thirdly, once the other two objectives are completed, I can use my knowledge of your future to help you secure your empire's rise to power. You'll be amongst Caesar, Alexander the Great, and all the famous figures of history when I'm done."
"A very tempting offer." He mused with a small smirk. "And what, my dear, is in it for you?"
Now it was Fea's turn to smirk.
"All I want to do is secure your future, sir. But I would request one thing."
"Which would be? If it's within my power, I'll gladly grant it to you."
"One of the bio-Gundam pilots. His name is Terra Zio. I want him alive, and I'll deal with the specifics myself."
"Consider him yours, young lady."
Fea stepped out of Treize's room and the two guards at the doorway instantly closed the thundering gateway behind her. She looked about and noted several soldiers in groups nearby, watching her warily. She decided it was time to make her first move.
Walking up to one of the soldiers calmly, she gave him a piercingly cold look of superiority.
"You," She instructed sharply. "Get me in contact with Kernel Zechs Merquise. And make in fast."
The soldier seemed startled for a moment at the fact that this intruder was giving him an order, then remembered the gun holstered on his belt and regained his confidence.
"Hey, I don't take orders from you. Just who do you think you are??"
"As of now, I'm your superior officer, and as such you are obligated to follow my orders and get me in contact with Zechs Marquise." She returned coldly, smirking slightly.
That deflated the guard once more and bewildered him to no end. Meanwhile, the chamber doors to Treize's room had opened once again and Treize stepped out to address the situation.
"Is there a problem here?" He said, looking calmly at the soldier.
Fea knew that was her cue.
"Apparently, your guards haven't been notified of my position, sir Treize." She said, not taking her eyes off the soldier.
"Lieutenant, follow her orders. And while your at it, make it known that this young lady answers only to me. Is that clear?"
"Y-y-yes-yes sir! But, who should I say she is, sir? For clarification purposes." The lieutenant studdered.
"Call me Lady Fea Meroles." She turned to see Lady Une at the other end of the hallway nearby, making a disgusted face at the whole scene, but at Fea in particular. "And that goes for you as well, Lady Une." She turned back to the soldier. "Now, I'd like to get in contact with Zechs Marquise as soon as possible. Think you can do that?"
"Y-yes Mam!" The lieutenant said, turning and racing off down the hallways.
Fea could barely suppress a smile. It felt good to be in control again.
Chapter 3- It Is Begun
Two hours later...
Location: OZ military base, somewhere in North America
"OK, so let me get this straight." Zechs said. In front of him, Fea's face was projected onto a computer screen about as big as a small table. "You're a time traveler from OZ's future, here to protect OZ's past. Those three mobile suits that were battling outside Lake Victoria military base were bio-Gundams, and one of them was you. And, to top it all off, you're ordering me to go tag-team with you in search of the two bio-Gundam pilots?"
"Do I sense disrespect in your voice, Kernel Zechs?" She retorted. "The reason I want you is because you are the only one capable of piloting the Tallgeese, and the Tallgeese is the only thing in OZ's arsenal right now besides me and my Omega 03 bio-Gundam capable of fighting a Gundam one on one. You, Zechs, are the best this era had to offer but remember I'm the cream of the crop in the future. That's the only reason I'm requiring your assistance."
"Something tells me you have an ulterior motive." Zechs returned keenly. "I'm very good at reading people, 'Lady' Fea, and get the impression that you know something I don't."
"Your impressions are irrelevant, Zechs. You and your Tallgeese will ronde-vou with me at Lake Victoria and from there we'll begin our search for both the Gundams and bio-Gundams. I suspect that both groups will be colliding soon enough."
"What makes you so certain you'll be able to locate the Gundams when all of OZ can't pinpoint them?" Zechs inquired.
"Because this is all in the history books, I can anticipate the Gundams movements. But that information will be on a need-to-know basis, Zechs Marquis. Got that?"
"Yes, I've got that." He said, dejectedly and also annoyed. The screen blinked off and was quickly replaced by an image of Noin. "Did you get all of that, Noin?"
"She's got a lot of nerve, talking to you like that. And I agree with you, Zechs; she's hiding something."
"But the question is what. Noin, she mentioned that Tactical Analysis was going to be receiving information on these bio-Gundams. Has it come in yet?"
"Actually, it has. I'll display what we've got for you right now."
The screen went black for a moment, then a white text readout began to scroll up from the bottom of the screen. Zechs read each line carefully before continuing:
Bio-Gundam: Phoenix 01
Pilot: Terra Zio
Age of Pilot: 21
Ethnic Origin of Pilot: Korean
Pilot's Place of Origin: L2 colony cluster
Pilot's Height: 176 cm
Pilot's Weight: 49 kg
Pilot's Eye Color: Sapphire blue
Pilot's Hair Color: Dark Red
Info on Phoenix 01: A prototype bio-Gundam incapable of either space travel on it's own or of sub-aquatic travel, it's uniqueness lies in it's special attack known as 'Phoenix Dash'. When using Phoenix Dash, Phoenix 01's body is surrounded in a thick flame field, then 'dashes' at it's opponents with a sudden burst of speed, aiming to pierce them like a bullet. Sometimes, based on the pilot's preference, a beam sword will also be used to increase the attack's ability to pierce it's foes.
Head Height: 16.6 meters
Dry Weight: 4.2 tons
Armor Materials: Gundamiun Isotope 003 infused into bio-cells' cell walls
Armament: Beam Saber Advanced x1
Blaster Sphere x1
Fighting Ability: level 210
Weapons Ability: level 180
Speed Ability: level 230
Power Ability: level 190
Armored Ability: level 150
Bio-Gundam: Omega 07
Pilot: Katrina
Age of Pilot: 20
Ethnic Origin of Pilot: Japanese
Pilot's Place of Origin: L2 colony cluster
Pilot's Height: 163 cm
Pilot's Weight: 52 kg
Pilot's Eye Color: Dark Green
Pilot's Hair Color: Black
Info on Omega 07: The Omega bio-Gundam classes were designed as counter-agents to Neo-OZ's mass armies of Specter-class mobile suits, which relied heavily on computers to operate all six of the Specter-class's photon-cannon arms. Implementing advanced EMP and Spread Spec. technology, the Omega class were the workhorses of the New Earth Alliance's resistance efforts. For example, with enough power a single Omega bio-Gundam's EMP Wave attack could knock out a force of twenty unshielded Specters, almost the equivalent to OZ's Tallgeese class but with the shielding ability of the Mercurius class. Most models are also equipt with strong sensor abilities and long-range communications bio-tech nodes. It's other predominant attacks are it's Shatter Wave, which can disable most classes of energy shields but requires a large amount of energy, and Omega Shock, which utilizes electric-like energy in order to create a widespread 'thunderstorm' effect. Omega Shock can take up almost all the energy in an Omega-class's energy nodes, and only the most experienced pilots can use it multiple times in battle without exhausting their energy supplies.
Head Height: 15.7 meters
Dry Weight: 4.6 tons
Armor Materials: Gundamiun Isotope 003 infused into bio-cells' cell walls
Armament: Beam Saber Advanced x1
Blaster Sphere x1
Fighting Ability: level 190
Weapons Ability: level 210
Speed Ability: level 215
Power Ability: level 190
Armored Ability: level 160
Important Information: Bio-Gundam pilots are comparable to ninjas. Since a bio-Gundam can be stored in a small, seed-sized bio-cell on it's pilot's right wrist, bio-Gundams can be extremely evasive. When not in use for battle, a bio-cell gives it's pilot near-superhuman speed, strength, stamina, and agility. Bio-cells re-power through absorbing solar or tolerable degrees of thermal energy, and therefore a bio-Gundam pilot can be identified sometimes through the use of heat scanners; a bio-Gundam pilot is likely to store a good deal of thermal energy in his/her bio-cell when the bio-Gundam has not been active for a period of time.
"Hmm,..." Zechs said as he browsed over the last comment. "These bio-Gundam pilots sound like they'd be impressive fighters, in or out of mobile suit combat. But human is human; they are mortal."
Noin's image flashed onto the screen once more.
"Lady Fea is already having high-powered heat sensors installed on all the mobile suits she intends to command, but so far she hasn't gotten around to the Tallgeese yet. She's also having heat-detecting night vision scopes brought in from wherever they're available for her troops, and she's going just short of making them standard equipment for OZ soldiers. All, of course, with Treize's authority backing her up. She's practically stolen Lady Une's job out from under her feet!"
"And what's worse is that she has the authority to order me and the Tallgeese around as well." Zechs mused with a distinctive frown on his face. "Noin, did you notice something peculiar about the information 'Lady' Fea sent us?"
"What do you mean?" She inquired.
"Bring it up on a nearby console and I'll show you." He instructed. Noin looked over at a nearby console just off screen for a moment, then nodded at Zechs. "Bring up the datafile on Omega 07." He instructed. He waited a minute or two while she brought up the data. "Now, look carefully at the pilot name given and tell me what you notice."
"No last name. That is kind of strange." Noin agreed. "You think Fea's keeping something from us?"
"I know she's keeping something from us." Zechs stated confidently.
Location: Howard's Salvage Ship, mid-Atlantic ocean
"Hey Duo!" Quatre shouted from far down below. Duo looked out from DeathScythe's cockpit to see Quatre on the hangar floor way down below, waving his arms to get Duo's attention. Abandoning his work tools and welding gear, Duo jumped down out of the laid-down Gundam DeathScythe and walked quickly over to Quatre.
"What's going on, Quatre? Why are you shouting at me?" He inquired.
"Quick, follow me. There's something on the news you need to see." He said, motioning Duo to follow as the two raced out of the bay and into the steel corridors of the salvage vessel.
A few minutes later they arrived in Howard's quarters, the only place of the ship with a working television. Howard was standing nearby, watching the screen intently as scenes from what looked like a mobile suit fight played out on the screen.
"So what's the big deal?" Duo inquired.
"It should be coming on in a minute or two." Howard reassured. "Quatre and I were watching when the news came on and they were sayin' something about breaking news from Romeafeller and it had to do with the Gundams."
That assured Duo's attention. The three watched for another few minutes before the news Howard had mentioned came on.
"Startling news from the Romeafeller complex this morning," The newsman stated, turning to face the camera. "As OZ officials release information about two new Gundam-like mobile suits stolen from top-secret research and development facilities. According to the official report released by OZ early this morning, two mobile suits code-named Phoenix 01 and Omega 07 were stolen by a pair of rebel soldiers at around 10:00 last night. The mobile suits were then spotted at the Lake Victoria military installation, where the remaining of the three prototypes, Omega 03, was being housed. Thanks to pilot Fea Meroles and squadrons of brave OZ soldiers, Phoenix 01 and Omega 07's attempted attack on the base failed and the two rogue pilots fled from the battle scene." Video footage of the fighting, including shots of Omega 03 and 07 fighting airborne, rolled across the screen in such a way as to make it look like OZ's forces were fighting hard and pushing back the 'intruding' enemy mobile suits. Then, a face-forward shot of Fea replaced the combat scenes. "Pilot Fea Meroles has been charged by OZ officials to lead the hunt for the rebel pilots and bring them to justice. Put in charge of as many forces as she finds nessasary, Fea has chosen to take with Kernel Zechs Marquise, a skilled OZ pilot who has earned himself the nickname of 'the Lightning Baron', in the initial sweep operation to find the stolen mobile suits. OZ has also put out a warrant for the arrest of the two pilots, who as of yet remain unidentified." Face-forward computer-rendered images of the two pilots, one male, one female, flashed across the screen as the anchorman continued to speak. "They should be presumed to be heavily armed, dangerous, and not to be underestimated. The reward for anyone who brings in one of the pilots alive is sixty-thousand dollars."
"Whoa! OZ must want these pilots pretty badly." Duo exclaimed.
"And did you see those mobile suits?" Quatre added. "I'd swear those were some kind of Gundam. That one, the one with the scythe, almost looked like DeathScythe even."
"What do ya wanna wager OZ isn't tellin' the real story here?" Howard laughed a little, turning from the TV.
"That's because they're not." Said a female voice from somewhere behind the group.
Duo, Quatre, and Howard instantly spun to see, standing in the door to the room, a soaking-wet girl who looked to be around twenty with dark-green eyes and long black hair. She wore a strange black jumpsuit with a blue stripe running all the way down the left sleeve, and looked tired, like as if she'd been swimming hard for a period of time. All three men did a doubletake and stepped back nervously. The girl standing before them was one of the 'rebel pilots' from the news broadcast.
"How da hey did you get on board?!" Howard exclaimed.
"How does it look like I got onboard." The girl returned, shaking water from her arms. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to find this ship?"
"Don't take another step." Duo warned. "We know how to defend ourselves."
"I'm not your enemy, in case you haven't figured it out yet." The girl stated. "My name is Katrina Marquise, and do I ever need your help."
An hour later...
"Whoa, slow down." Duo requested. He, Quatre, Howard, and Katrina were out on the open decks now, the warm sun shining down from above. "You mean to tell me you're a Gundam pilot from the future, sent back in time to try to stop OZ? What movie did you get this story from?"
"No story, Duo." She stated, then paused and laughed a little. "You know, it's kind of weird. Up until now I've only seen pictures of you three in the history books; it feels so strange to actually be standing here talking to you."
"Well, thanks for the compliment," Quatre said politely. "But we need proof that you are who you say you are. You have to admit that just dropping this whole time traveling story on us all of a second is a little bit of a surprise."
"See this?" She said, holding out her right wrist. "It's my bio-cell. Inside is contained all the genetic material needed to activate my bio-Gundam, Omega 07. Literally, this one piece of bio-engineered material contains a Gundam."
"Whoa, no way! That must have taken centuries to develop that kind of technology!" Duo exclaimed.
"Actually, it'll all be possible in just fifty years." Kat replied. "And while we're on the subject of time, I figure I'd better tell you all why I came here."
"Yeah; you must've been swimmin' for hours to get here from that Lake Victoria base." Howard said.
"Actually, Omega 07 got me most of the way here, but my battle against Fea drained a lot of Omega 07's energy and it destabilized over open ocean. At least I'm a good swimmer." She said, smiling weakly.
"So, why *did* you come here looking for us?" Quatre inquired.
Kat sighed, then turned to face Quatre.
"Because Fea followed us through the time warp, it began to destabilize and Terra and I were sent to the wrong spot on the timeline. Our destination is almost ten years from now, just after a time the history books have named the 'endless waltz', but that's a whole other story. The deal is that Terra and I need your help."
"Who, hold up here! You mean you want us to build you a time machine?? That's, that's nuts! It'll never work!" Duo exclaimed.
Kat held out her bio-cell.
"Just before we were sent back in time, Dr. Nexus injected our bio-cells with these nano-probes that kept our bio-Gundams protected during the time travel. If you can extract some of them and figure out how they work, you might be able to develop the nessasary technology for a time jump. At least, it's the only thing I can think of to help you."
"... Well, darn it, I'll try anythin' once." Howard enthused. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, missy. I ain't gonna let the future die, not so long as ol' Howard can do somethin' about it! Right guys?"
"I suppose it's worth a try." Quatre replied.
"Well, it may be nuts," Duo said with a smirk. "But I don't see why we can't give it a shot."
Katrina looked at them all and smiled warmly.
"Thank you all. Generations of people you may never even get the chance to meet will one day thank you for this."
Three days later...
Location: The alpine forests of central North America
Terra couldn't believe how hard this was. You'd think one giant Shenlong Gundam wouldn't be this hard to locate! From what he knew of the history of the Gundam Wars, Chang Wufei worked solo and most commonly hid his Gundam amongst the concealing shadows of thick woodlands if possible. Since these thick forests were the closest and least inhabited, Terra had decided to check here first, then move on to check other places scattered across the globe. But when he'd gotten here, something deep inside of him, something that whenever it arose he couldn't quite understand, had kept him searching these forests for the past two days. He'd had this feeling at times before in his life, and he knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that it was trustworthy and infallible. So, still he searched.
Moving like a living blur, he dashed and darted about in the woodlands, stopping every few minutes to listen for movement or any peculiar sounds.
Suddenly, a booming voice caught his attention.
"You've been searching for me. Why?"
Terra turned to see the Shenlong Gundam towering over him, it's Dragon Fang armed and aimed squarely at where he stood. Chang, as Terra recalled, was also known to be a very to-the-point kind of person. So, without any signs of fear, Terra turned to face the serpentine goliath.
"My name is Terra Zio, and I need your help." He shouted in response.
"You're one of the two pilots who stole those prototype mobile suits from OZ. Only the weak need to steal in order to survive. Why did you come here, weakling?"
So, that was the cover OZ was using to mask the truth of Terra and Kat's identities from the public. Terra made a mental note of that.
"I've stolen nothing; OZ invented that lie to hide who I, and Fea Meroles, really are. The fact is that I'm a Gundam pilot, and I need your help."
"It makes sense that OZ would lie, but it also makes sense that only the weak would ask for help. Besides, I'm not a gun for hire." Chang returned, deactivating his Dragon Fang and turning to go.
"We'll see how weak I am, Chang Wufei." Terra said to himself as his bio-cell began to grow and expand. "It looks like you leave me no choice but to prove myself."
The transformation began once more, bio-cells coating Terra's whole body and then expanding to form into Phoenix 01. Suddenly, Chang sensed something and spun to see Phoenix 01 complete the final minute or so of transformation. Too well trained to gasp in surprise, he stood and watched as the bio-cells finished forming and arranging, solidifying into a living-metal bio-suit almost as big as Shenlong.
"I'm a bio-Gundam pilot from the future, here to change the past and prevent OZ from returning after the Gundam Wars. Fea Meroles is a traitor from my time who's using her power as a bio-Gundam pilot to help OZ change history by eliminating all the Gundam pilots, including you and me. And as for me being a weakling, I'm sure you can see yourself how true that isn't."
"Impressive. But it's the pilot, not the technology, that decides how powerful a Gundam is. If you need my help to fight Fea Meroles, you're just a futuristic-weakling."
" 'Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, THEN I am strong.' A word of wise council, Chang Wufei; there will ALWAYS be someone stronger than you, so don't despise the weak because such are His people."
Chang was silent for a long moment, then, with a bewildered but amused tone in his voice, addressed Terra again.
"What a pathetic theology. I don't know where you get your religion, but you're about to learn the ten commandments of the real world, starting with 'survival of the fittest'." He challenged, bringing the Dragon Fang to bear once again.
'Sorry Kat,' Terra thought to himself as he ignited an invisible inferno deep within himself. 'But it looks like it's fire Vs. fire after all.'
"If that's the way you want to play this battle out," Terra returned. Suddenly, starting from the feet and hands inward, much to Chang's utter astonishment, Phoenix 01 was engulfed in a massive, hot-blue flame field much like one gigantic candle flame. "Then I'll fight fire *with* fire, Chang."
The two combatants were silent and still on the wooded battlefield for a long moment, the only sounds the roar of Phoenix 01's fire shield, the igniting of nearby trees as the fire slowly began to spread, and the hum of power surging through the Shenlong Gundam.
Then all hell broke loose.
(To be continued...)
—The stuff I own!—
-Concepts-
bio-Gundams in general
Phoenix 01
Omega 07
Omega 03
Spectrum 01
Banshee-class mobile suit
Specter-class mobile suit
bio-cells
-My characters-
Prof. Nexus
Marco
Terra Zio
Katrina Marquise
Fea Meroles
—Ryan's log, story #1—
Not too bad for my first Gundam Wing fanfiction, huh? I've had the bio-Gundam concept idea going around in my head for a while, and I figured it was time to put it to good use. I'd like to thank all the good people at the ArcticNightfall message board, who contributed Gundam Wing info that made this fic possible, and I'd like to thank Jesus, who gave me my talent and created the universe we all live in and enjoy. Oh, and if you were wondering, the verse Terra quoted was Second Corinthians 12:10. If you hate Jesus for some odd reason, don't bother flaming me, because I'll just pray for you and go on with my life like you never showed up to bug me. Take it up with Him; He knows a lot more than I do on the subject. So, if you enjoyed this fanfic, keep your eyes out for the next part of the series, which may come sooner or later, because I write a lot of different fanfics. This is Ryan 'da Edge' Edgerton, signing off! —