Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ZX
Written by AzureJustice and The Blizzard Alchemist
A/N: Hello everyone, it's the Blizzard Alchemist here. There lately has been a lack of communication between myself and AzureJustice, the one who originally thought up the idea for this story. I became involved in the project when I entered my profile when Azure initially posted the idea. When the story was taken down the next day (a fandom issue) I asked her about it and through the course of the discussion it was agreed that I would be able to co-write. However, it has been over a week since there has been any discussion between us (despite my emails asking for clarification). I don't know the cause and Azure may very well be taking some time off, only to soon return, so if this story disappears, don't be surprised. However, I got bored waiting and my muse demanded that I strike while the iron was hot.
If you wish, check out the summary that AzureJustice posted to gain a basic idea of the plot and backstory, but I will be working all that information into future chapters if things continue along their current path.
Gundam profiles for use in the story are still being accepted, so please submit them. Note: I only know of one submitted through the review on the story posted with the same name my Azure, so if it was emailed, please resubmit it to me.
A light breeze blew off of the sea, tousling the hair of the young man sitting on the beach, looking out onto the waves. He pulled the strands away from his face in a futile attempt to prevent them from falling in front of his light blue eyes. After a few minutes he let out a sigh of desperation and acceptance.
"Are you that disappointed about going?" The young man slumped down, tilting his head to the source of the voice.
"Of course not. There are a lot of bad memories here, right sis? As soon as our time here guarding these oil pipes is done I'll be glad to leave." His words were casual, but his eyes betrayed traces of bitterness.
The woman slapped his forehead, causing him to fall of the rock he had perched upon. "There were some good ones as well. Now pull yourself together, you can't let the others see you all moping around."
"I thought I had the day off sis." The reply has more of a whine than a statement, the tone of a small child appealing to a parent.
"Get over it, you have a conference to attend. You can't expect us to enjoy being out of work when the assignment ends.
"Fine, fine. You know that I would never hear the end of it if the others saw you treating me like this."
"That's because we're family, isn't that right Jack?"
"So you say." The mischievous twinkle in the young man's eyes disappeared as he rose, replaced by an emotionless mask. "Now, I believe that you mentioned that there was some business to attend to. Let's go." Jack walked to the encampment, a fluid efficiency in his movements as he passed by men in small knots who rose to salute him as he walked by.
Jack brushed away the flap of a large empty tent, sitting at a makeshift desk. With a quick motion he flipped open a laptop and opened a communication channel, disabling the video settings on his end.
"Hello Mr. Ketch. I'm glad that you had the opportunity to join us today. We were beginning to wonder if you were going to join us." The words were in English, with a familiar accent. It was British if he wasn't mistaken, and he rarely was.
"I'm hurt Mr. Black, you and your associates know that I'd come to a meeting as quick as you could say…well, I suppose that pun was a bit too obvious."
A peal of electronic laughter resounded through the speakers, "Yes, we've enjoyed the irony of the name you use for business. How did you happen to come by it?"
"I had a father with a sense of humor." Jack's tone was formal and cold as he spoke, despite the levity of the topic, "But I doubt that you would go through the trouble of contacting a mercenary organization such as Knir simply to discuss this. What do you have that requires our assistance?"
The shadowed figures were silent for a minute. When one finally spoke up, Jack swore that there was a hint of nervousness in his electronically distorted words. "Forgive us for being cautious Mr. Ketch. You've done excellent work for us in the past but I'm afraid that we are on shaky ground." Pictures flashed on the screen in sequence of a metal hulk being pulled from the ocean. "These images were taken some time ago, but it was difficult to determine exactly what we were seeing. What do you make of them?"
Jack studied the images for a moment before responding. "It's a mobile suit, that's for sure. From the structure I would say that it would be one of the suits created during the last proliferation."
"Correct. We felt early concerns for two reasons. One: From what we were able to see the suit does not match the schematics of any mass produced suit currently is existence. Two: The suit was discovered off the coast of Japan. After much consideration, we have determined that what was discovered was the CA2-Z301 Shuttle Booster."
Jack sat up straighter in his seat. "If that was the case, then why hasn't there been a huge uproar until now? Surely the Japanese Republic would have wanted to spread news over its recovery and this discussion would have taken place far earlier."
The faceless voice continued, its owner clearly enjoying Jack's confusion. "Fortunately the Japanese military was not behind its discovery and salvage. Instead, it was handled by this man." Another image replaced the shots of the Mobile Suit, a portrait of a middle-aged man. "Mr. Date here was put in charge of the Shuttle Booster and we held out hope that his archeological profession would prevent him from rebuilding the suit. However, recent intelligence has notified us that the Booster is once again nearly fully functional. I think that you can understand the ramifications of what will happen if it is not captured or destroyed."
Jack was completely silent, lost in thought as another voice replaced the prior. "You understand our problem. Mr. Date is a very public and well respected figure in Tokyo, and we can't afford to be directly involved in the highly likely chance that things do not go to plan. You have a record for handling difficult situations well and extricating yourself from countries after an assignment has been completed. If the operation goes sideways, there can be no connection. Do you understand?"
Though he knew that his contacts wouldn't be able to see it, Jack let out a broad smile. "You want me to sneak into one of the most heavily populated countries on Earth, into its capitol no less. Then, I'm to interfere with and possibly kill a popular worldwide figure, one who is not a member of any military organization and capture or destroy a machine that is probably the most advanced piece of machinery in the world and somehow leave said heavily armed country. If I'm caught, I can expect no help and will likely be executed. Yes, I believe that I understand."
Dead silence occupied the computerized meeting, the contractors waiting on bated breath for a response.
"The cost will be five times the going rate. When do you want the job to be completed?"
One another continent, a man sitting by a screen smiled. Jack Ketch indeed.
"You know that I am uncomfortable with only bringing two suits along Chief. You know that all of us are prepared to risk it."
Jack gave the heavyset man loading the ship the barest hint of a smile, "It's not that I don't trust you and your skill Mikhail. The fact is that it will be far easier to sneak in if it's just Lin and myself. We'll just be going ahead, I'll need all of you in place for the extraction." He turned and faced the large palette currently being loaded onto the ship. "This is going to be a difficult assignment, isn't it Ranger?"