Disclaimer: I do not own anything with that deals with Gundam SEED, be it a Mobile Suit, Gundam, OVA, Manga, etc. I do not own it; however I do own the plots, characters, and some of the Mobile Suits/Gundams that I have created just for fun. So please no suing me for I currently have barely any money and the money I do have is for school!
Tale 03: The Saviors of Heliopolis
By: William R. Woods
Story BGM is Wanna Be An Angel by Arai Akino
Brief Summary: After the events of the Archangel's escape from Heliopolis, the poor life boats are left unattended and more than one happened to be damaged. While ships had been dispatched from Orb's Space Station when word came in of the attack; It was only an hour after the attack itself did they respond, and so it took little under three hours for Orb ships to arrive. Luckily for the Heliopolis survivors, another ship received the distress call from the colony, before moving to see about helping them. Though this ship was neither Orb nor Earth Alliance and neither was it ZAFT either. This ship was operated by a third-party not part of any nation. So the current question is: Who are these people? Read on to find out!
Tale 03: The Saviors of Heliopolis
I will never forget the Collapse of Heliopolis; it was one of those moments that changed your live forever. Though it happened again almost six months later when Orb was invaded, but that time we were prepared for it. The attack and collapse of Heliopolis took many by surprise; it changed my live forever that day. I lost a few friends and along with my wife of only a few weeks. We had only gotten back home from our honeymoon when ZAFT attacked the colony. Now with being a Coordinator, I always supported ZAFT and the PLANTs ever since the war started. However I learned a harsh lesson that day and ever since then I only supported my country and nothing else after that day.
It was only after the Collapse when I was finally able to cry over my dead wife in front of the other thirty some people in the shelter with me. My wife was one of the few civilian casualties of the Collapse and to those in the shelter with me it was relief to them that they were not like me. Luckily for my sanity my best friend, who I happened to hanging out with at the time of the attack, helped me through it after we were saved.
Speaking of being saved, it was kind of strange to find that once we exited the shelter and into the ship that had saved us. We found that it was not the Orb Ship we were expecting to rescue us. It was a shock to the system to see four GINN Mobile Suits standing proud in the hanger. At first we thought we were in a ZAFT vessel, but that thought soon changed when we saw the mixed bag of people who happened to crew the ship. It was there looking at one of the GINNs that I found a way to turn my attention away from my dead wife. After I returned to Orb I signed up for the Orb Defense Forces and there I requested to join the Astray Program as soon I could. There I found my relief and a new family...
- Captain Sam Archer
Omega Squadron
Orb Defense Forces
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Abandoned Colony
Olympus Colony Cluster
Outskirts of Lagrange 3
January 25, CE71
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Floating almost peaceful like in the black inky blackness of space was a large cylinder like object with four mirror looking devices springing from the end of the said object. However if you took a closer look at it, you could see some sort of damage to the exterior of the cylinder. Too many people these slowly spinning cylinders where once home. For these large cylinder like objects where in fact large space colonies. Many of these colonies were spread around the orbit of the planet. For over fifty years these colonies were homes to over five million souls. Sadly, these colonies where no longer occupied for war had damaged them and their residents have fled leaving the colonies alone. No longer are they hives of activity they once were while occupied. This was the price of war, and the one brewing both on the planet and in space was one of the bloodiest wars in a long while. These still orbiting colonies happened to be one of the many causalities of the war. This one colony had been part of a small cluster of colonies built and operated by one the major nations on Earth. The Eurasian Federation laid claim to this cluster of colonies and actually built a large asteroid base not far from the cluster to protect said colonies from any danger. However said base did not defend them enough and the colonies ended up heavily damaged in one of the very first battles of the war. Though one other colony was built at this Lagrange Point and it was spared from the fighting thanks to being a neutral colony not to mention being on the other side of the Lagrange Point from these colonies.
However as the colony rotated slightly light shined from the Sun and hit a ship holding station alongside the much larger colony. It's silver and green hull glinting in the sunlight, not mention the large weapons gracing her hull. Along with the weapons you could see the painted letters of the ship's name stenciled on its hull. These letters spelled out the name as the Opinicus. This ship clearly started its life as one of the Earth Alliance's many Nelson Class Battleships. It now looked far different then an average Nelson Class Ship, for two large attachments where added to either side of the hull. The use for these attachments where clearly defined by closed hatches. This ship could not only fight any other Nelson to the ground but it could carry four Mobile Suits unlike before when it once carried only Mobile Armors. The Opinicus was one tough ship compared many of its brethren, thanks in part in having Mobile Suits. While its exterior had been changed, its interior was not left alone. In fact many new additions where added, one of them was the large meeting room/dining hall that replaced the ship's main bridge. With the bridge relocated to a heavily armored section of the hull bellow the super structure. Another new feature where the two VIP quarters used for guests on board the ship replacing the ship CIC and sub-bridge, which like the bridge, had been relocated elsewhere. The rest of the interior of the ship was completely redesigned, so much so that an Alliance crewman who had served on an original Nelson Class ship would not be able to find his way around the ship. One final feature was a small room on top of the superstructure and above the meeting room. This room was the personal quarters for the ship's commander. Right now the mentioned man was in fact standing by one of the room's large windows looking out at the colony. This man was about six foot, three inches tall and had long black hair that been collected into a ponytail over shoulder. He is currently wearing what looked like a uniform, a forest green vest, a cream colored turtle neck t-shirt, long black slacks, and with some black uniform boots completing the ensemble. Strangely enough he also wore a dark green half-face mask with his uniform to hide his face.
The man sighed as he watched the colony rotate through the window, for this colony had once been his home. Now it was only a shadow of its former self, and it hurt seeing his former home like this. However his thoughts where rudely irrupted when an annoying beeping sounded from the intercom built into the man's desk on the other side of the room from him. Frowning in confusion the man turned from his inspection of the colony and with long strides walked over to his desk before pressing a button on the mention intercom.
"This is Griffon. What's going on down there?" he spoke with a thick English accented voice to the person on the other end of the intercom. After a few moments of waiting an answer came through.
"Commander Griffon sir, we have just received a distress call from Heliopolis Colony. The Captain requests your presence on the bridge as soon as possible. He has just ordered the ship on a course towards the colony," a young voice responded over the intercom with respect in its voice. At the response, the man named Griffon only paused a moment hoping against hope that this colony would not follow its neighbor into near destruction.
"Understood. Tell Captain Averson that I will be right down, and tell him to get our Mobile Suits prepared to launch. I don't know what is going on over there, but I want to be prepared," Griffon responded with a frown as he looked at the intercom on his desk.
"Understood sir, the GINN Team will be ready to launch as soon as possible sir," the voice replied a moment later, before a click sounded meaning the other had released the talk button. On his side, Griffon had let go of the button as well and started to walk towards his room's door to get to the ship's bridge. As he did he promised who ever had done something to Heliopolis would pay dearly for it, and not to mention the colony had been one of the ship's port of call while in this area. Sighing sadly he mentally prepared himself for the day ahead, leaving the view of his home colony behind him. This in question was now slowly moving away from the window where Griffon had stood only moments ago, as the ship started to turn away from the colony as it came onto a heading towards Heliopolis.
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Main Bridge
ISS Opinicus
On-Route to Heliopolis
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Within a few minutes Commander Griffon stepped onto the bridge of the ship. The bridge crew only looked up at him before getting back to their jobs. Griffin only nodded at that, for his crew knew that he would rather be unnoticed upon entering the bridge then people jumping to salute. He once mentioned after the second time they did so, that they were no longer military and so it did not make sense for them to do so. Griffon slowly slid into his command chair and looked over the bridge, which looked a bit different than a typical bridge on a Nelson Class. For one it was smaller and it was stacked kind like how a ZAFT vessel was. The two helm stations were on the lowest level, while the weapons, communications, mobile suit operator, and damage control stations were on the next level after that. Above that level was what was called the command and tactical level. This level had the captain's chair and a bit above that was Commander Griffon's command chair. Finally behind the two command chairs was the tactical section which had a large table top display in its center. Behind that was the entrance to the bridge with a pair of steps going down on either side of the entrance. This was the way to get to the ship's CIC, were the stations for ECM, ECCM, and sensors where located. A large view screen took the entire front wall which displayed either the view outside the ship, like a normal bridge would have, or can be used as a large communication screen. Griffon nodded to himself for he was quite proud of his crew and ship. They were a mixed bag of Naturals and Coordinators who were either ex-military like he was or outcasts that had no were else to go. Even if the scruffiness of the crew, they still operated like a military vessel or at least close to one anyway. Clearing his throat he turned his chair to look down at the captain's chair bellow him.
"ETA to Heliopolis Captain?" he asked the large heavyset man who was the master of the ship, while Griffon was the commander of the entire Griffin Privateers, which included the Mobile Suits and Mobile Armors the ship carried. His role in the Privateers was the same as a ZAFT Commander, just without any higher ups to listen to.
"Navigation has it about another hour and a half sir to get there at full speed sir," Captain Vann Averson responded with a respectful nod of his head. Vann was an older man, who had once been the Captain of an older Atlas Class Battleship, before the Nelson Battleships replaced them in early CE 68. After that he left the Atlantic Federation for reasons unknown and joined the Junk Guild where he served as a captain for the Guild for about a year. He was then suggested by the Guild that he should join the Griffin Privateers were his skills would be needed. Commander Griffon had accepted him with a sigh of relief for he always had been a pilot not a ship commander so it had been hard to command the ship by himself.
"Very well Captain proceed then," Griffon ordered with a frown before thinking about what could have happened to colony, for it was a neutral colony one that was in this backwater area. As far as he knew not even pirates were dumb enough to attack them. However Griffon's thoughts soon came to a close when his armrest com screen flashed on, showing another man and behind him a very busy hanger.
"Yeah Boss, is it true that Heliopolis is under attack?" asked the man with a frown. This was Nathan Erickson, the head pilot for the Griffins. He like all of the pilots for the Griffins is a Coordinator, but unlike many of his kind he had deep sense of respect for Naturals. In fact the reason for his joining the Privateers was because of the merc unit he was part of killed a good friend of his when that unit was working for ZAFT. This friend happened to be a Natural and it sent Nathan away from the unit and into the arms of the Griffins who all thought the same thing he did. Both Naturals and Coordinators need each other, not to mention both groups where humans.
"Yes Nat, Heliopolis sent out a distress call but I do not think we can get there in time to thwart the attack. At least we can see if there are any survivors, and we need to get there before any pirates get there instead. Who knows what they would do to the survivors," Griffon reported with a frown of his own as he looked down at the pilot's face. The pilot's face hardened as he thought the same and nodded back at his commander.
"Understood Bossman. I will get my boys and girls ready to move out as soon as possible," the pilot reported with a lazy salute before signing off. Sighing once more the commander looked out at the view port and out into space. Frowning he watched as the ship powered through the debris around the Le Grange point from all the destroyed and damaged colonies that used to be in this area of space.
"COMMs, do we know if there are anymore rescue ships on route for we are only a single ship and do not have much room to carry many refugees?" the Commander asked with a frown turned to look at the communication officer. The woman at that station turned to look at him for a moment before turning back to her station, after a few moment of surfing through various com channels she turned back to look at her commander.
"Well sir Orb has launched a single Izumo Class ship from their Space Station along with them is a single Rainbow Class Transport, and a visiting Walter Class Heavy Transport that the Space Station Command had roped into coming with. They are blasting towards the colony at full speed; they will arrive in about two hours. While more than a few Junk Guild vessels have responded as well, but none of them are close enough to beat the Orb vessel here. Though I am getting some chatter that the Guild Vessel HOME for some reason is already on its way to the colony. They will arrive a little bit before the Orb Vessels. That is only on the civilian bands, the few military bands we have access to mention nothing about the colony. That's about it sir," the officer reported with a frown looking over at him.
"That is because both ZAFT and the Alliance are too busy with their war, than a lonely little neutral colony. Pathetic, you would think that even at war at least one side would at least try to lend a helping hand," Captain Averson said with disgust written on his face. More than one bridge crew member looked the same.
"Well anyways the more common civilian life boats have about six hours endurance on their life support so when we arrive we will take on any damaged life boats, and get the others ready for quick pick up by the Orb ships. Which reminds me Lieutenant Gould prep the both the Dining Hall and the VIP quarters along with the Cargo Bay to hold any refugees we bring on board," Commander Griffon ordered looking over at another officer standing to one side of the Captain's chair. This was Sophia Gould the oldest daughter of Herman Gould a radical member of the PLANT Supreme Council. She had been disowned by her father when she fell in love with one of the few Naturals living on the PLANTs. That is of course after he had ordered the assassination of her love. After that she left the PLANTs and soon ended up with the Griffin Privateers. She was now the ship's executive officer and combat commander though now she was cold and standoffish.
"Understood Commander," she replied in her cold as ice tone and a salute before leaving the bridge to what she had been ordered to do. Griffon tried not to shiver at her tone like he always did but it was lost cause. Shaking his head he looked out the bridge's view port at the passing debris and wondered when this idiotic war will be over.
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ISS Opinicus
Remains of Heliopolis
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A half an hour later found the Opinicus in range of the colony once know as Heliopolis. The once large and proud colony was now a cluster of debris. This brought more than a few gasps and curses from the bridge crew of the ship as they got ever closer to the remains. Meanwhile Griffon watched it all with a clenched jaw and narrowed eyes behind his mask. For it brought bad memories when he brought the Opinicus to his home colony to visit his family there, only to find it damaged with a battle raging all around it. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he saw that a few of the bridge crew had left their stations and where standing in the middle of the bridge looking horrified that a peaceful colony was destroyed. Though Griffon did not blame them for many of them had friends on the colony, and he also knew that the sensor officer used to live on the colony.
"Alright everyone get back to your stations, remember that according to the automated beacon of the colony many of the shelters managed to get launched," the Captain ordered snapping everyone out of their horrified states. A few shook themselves before retaking their seats, the others only got angry before taking their seats as well.
"Controller prepares our GINNs for launch! Sensor Officer keeps those eyes of yours on those screens of yours and calls out if you see anything that looks like a pirate. Hopefully we can spot them before they spot us," he ordered with a frown. The sensor officer only cried out an affirmative from his position in the ship's CIC. Meanwhile Griffon only nodded at the Averson's orders knowing that he was great ship captain.
"Captain, also have some techs prepare our Mistrals to help the GINNs to find those shelters," Griffon ordered with a frown. Averson only nodded at him before relaying the order. Sighing Griffon leaned back and prepared himself.
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Griff One
Heliopolis Airspace
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Inside his Mobile Suit's cockpit Nathan Erickson finished his pre launch checklist and slipped his helmet on his head before locking it down to the flight suits collar. He too was not happy about the destruction of the colony for like many on the crew he had some friends on the colony and he hoped that they where alright. In his case it was the Yamato Family, and as he sat there in his mobile suit he wondered if the Yamato's kid Kira finally managed to get together with his best friend Fiona finally. Chuckling he turned his attention back to his mission.
"Griff One you are cleared to launch and good luck Nathan," Susan Gregory the MS Controller for the ship ordered. Susan was a knock out blond who is a first generation coordinator whose Natural Parents were models and hence wanted their child to be the perfect model, hence her looks. However when Susan wanted to go to a university, her parents refused. So she ran away and found her way to the Junk Guild from there to the Griffins.
"Thanks Su, catch you on the flip side. Nathan Erickson, Griff One launching!" he replied as his body was pushed back against his seat thanks to the forces of the catapult shooting him out of the ship and towards the destroyed colony. Behind him the other three members of Griff Team launched and soon joined him.
"Alright Team as you are all aware this is a search and recovery mission, however the Boss thinks that there are going to be pirates all over this area and soon. So keep one eye out for bandits and the other on finding those shelters. Understood?" he ordered his team, who responded with affirmatives all across the board. Nathan nodded for his team knew their mission and more than a few of them where pissed about the state of the colony. Shaking his head Nathan turned his attention to his sensors as the four GINNS waded through the debris that was once a part of the colony. Before long they managed to find a few shelters and left beacons nearby so the Mistral's could pick them up later.
"Uh Oh boss looks like we have some company," reported Nicholas Storm the third member of the team and used his mobile suit's hand to point at something in distance. Nathan cursed and zoomed on the mentioned company to see a pair of modified Moebius Mobile Armors baring down on a damaged Heliopolis Shelter.
"Logan takes those guys out and fast before they do anything to that shelter!" Nathan yelled out looking over at the fourth GINN on his team. A heavily modified GINN Long Range Reconnaissance Type that is piloted by Coordinator Logan Carter and his Natural girlfriend Sara Casey who run the sensor equipment from the back seat while Logan piloted.
"Roger that boss though please be aware Sara thinks she got a hit on these guys mothership," Logan replied with a grunt as he fired his machine's sniper rifle twice. The first shot hit the first mobile armor right on target and was soon destroyed as it exploded. However a last second movement on the second target's profile made his shot go wide and only hit one of the craft's engine outriggers sending it into a spin that brush against a piece of debris that made it careen towards the shelter. Logan let off one shot that took it out finally however the explosion caught the shelter as well shaking it brutally. It was only made worse as the piece of debris hit by the Mobile Armor managed to hit the shelter sending it tumbling out of control. With a restrained curse Nathan threw his GINN into motion and blasted through the remaining debris between the machine and the tumbling shelter. With a grace born of experience and practice Nathan managed to catch the shelter before it could hit any other debris damaging it more than it was now. With careful ease Nathan held the shelter as if it was some sort of fragile burden which it was.
"Sorry about that Boss, that sucker must be a lucky son of bitch," Logan said with a sheepish tone in his voice. Nathan only sighed in relief before checking the shelter for any further damage, but he only found the dent from the debris and some other damaged parts. One of them being the life support for the shelter.
"It is not your fault Logan, anyways Nick you have command of the team. I need to get this shelter back to the ship its life support is damaged. Also see about finding that pirate ship carrying those Mobile Armors if you can as well," Nathan ordered turning around and started in the direction were his instruments reported that the ship was located at.
"Roger Boss. Alright boys and girls let's see about finding the source of these vermin. So Kumiko and I will continue searching for more Life Boats, in the mean time Sara find that carrier ship. There has to be one around here somewhere," the Assault Type GINN pilot responded before snapping out orders to his fellow two pilots. The fourth pilot and Nathan's own wingmate Kumiko Miyoshi responded with only a single 'Hai' while Sara simply gave the other pilots a victory sign before turning towards her instruments to find the carrier. Nathan only shook his head at the three pilots before turning his attention to his piloting through the thick debris field on a course towards the distant Opinicus.
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ISS Opinicus
Edge of Heliopolis Remains
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Back on the ship Commander Griffon watched with gritted teeth as his ship's Mistral pods worked hard to extract the various Heliopolis Shelters from the debris and moving them to a more safe location for easier retrieval by the incoming Orb rescue ships, which had been joined by another Izumo Class, one launched from the Orb Mainland itself. Those shelters considered to damaged were brought to the ship and their occupants rescued from their damaged shelters. So far only three shelters were considered far too damaged and brought to the ship. As this happened around him, Griffon took no notice for he still could not believe what he was hearing from the survivors that the ship took on. While the Orb Defense Forces and the surprising appearance of Earth Alliance Forces used care during the fight inside the colony. The opposing ZAFT forces did not, at least, not till the combined Orb and Alliance forces pushed back their initial attack. It was then ZAFT started to use Package D equipped GINNs in their second attack. That is when it started to go wrong the colony as a whole, for while the Earth Forces Warship Archangel did some damage to the colony they tried to be very careful and so did their supporting mobile suit forces, the ZAFT forces only made it worse by firing their heavy weapons in desperation that finally destroyed the colony. The Alliance and Orb forces only managed to do very light damage to the colony and that was only from misses. The Griffins managed to get all this info thanks to the survivors of second shelter brought on board. One that was smaller than the more civilian types and had the remaining Orb Command Staff on board, who the most senior office a Lieutenant Videl then gave Griffon the play by play action of the Battle of Heliopolis. With a sigh the commander turned his attention away from his armrest screen which was showing some the very minor battle footage that Videl managed to get which supported the Lieutenant's claim.
"Commander, Mistral Seven has found a damaged mobile armor along the debris, according to the specs it is one of Orb's new Raptor Defense Mobile Armors that Lieutenant Videl talked about earlier sir. Also Seven reports that its pilot is alive but looks to be currently unconscious. Should Seven bring the Raptor in or try to save the pilot instead?" the controller reported. Commander Griffon look thoughtful for a moment before looking at the controller. For like the controller he knew that the ship had only a limited amount of hanger space especially with three damaged shelters already on board the ship. However with the pilot unconscious it would be harder to retrieve the pilot in vacuum, so it would be best to bring it in. Get the pilot out and then get rid of the mobile armor for a pilot's life is far more important and valuable than the machine.
"Have Seven bring it in, I heard that Chief Tyrol wanted a chance to look at Orb's new Mobile Armor when he first heard of it. This will give him that chance to do so," he ordered with a small smile one that the controller copied. For the natural born Chief Petty Officer Gerald Tyrol, the ship's Chief of the Deck, was legendary around the ship for his fascination with anything new machine, and at the same time loved to fiddle around with it. Trying to see what made it tick. Suddenly the controller stiffened as her headset squawked out a messaged into her ear. Turning to her station she started to enter several commands before nodding and turning back to the Commander.
"Sir Griff One is on his way back with a heavily damaged Shelter, and reports that his team has found before destroying two enemy Moebius units. The rest of the Team is continuing on mission and are keeping an eye for the enemy mothership," the controller reported to Griffon, who nodded in understanding.
"Alright I am going to check with Lieutenant Gould, Captain you have the bridge. Keep me informed on the progress of the retrieval mission," the Commander ordered looking down at Captain Averson who only nodded at the Commander before turning his attention back to his a reporting tech. Nodding Commander Griffon turned and left the bridge heading towards the main cargo bay.
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Griff Two
Heliopolis Airspace
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Back with the GINN Team they were continuing on their mission, but kept a wary eye on their sensors for anymore pirate units. In the lead GINN Asian born Coordinator Kumiko Miyoshi lead her two fellow Griffins through the debris field. She was the close combat expert of the team, hence the two swords attached to her unit's skirt armor. Kumiko has been trained in the Japanese style Nitojutsu or two sword school. She was one of the first martial artist who started to use martial arts when piloting mobile suits. In fact she helped in the creation of a new sword martial arts school which uses mobile suits back on PLANT. Though for some reason ZAFT does not teach their pilots the use of the new school, though a few ZAFT pilots do study it independently from what Kumiko understood. Suddenly she was disturbed from her piloting by her radar beeping for her attention.
"Heads up Griffs, we have incoming. I count about eight Moebius units and two GINNs. One GINN looks like a combat refitted GINN Trainer while the other looks a regular vanilla GINN with a few minor modifications," reported Sara over the team's channel before Kumiko could say anything. Kumiko turned her machine's head to looked in the direction her radar reported were the enemy was coming from and saw that the other woman's count was very much accurate.
"So I wonder if the enemy has two ships instead of one, for that is a lot of hardware for any known ship which also includes the two units we wasted earlier," Kumiko reported with a frown, she was not worried about them being outnumber for she knew that herself and her comrades were better than these pirates.
"Actually according to my readings the enemy mothership is a ZAFT Babylon Class carrier," Sara reported with a raised eyebrow, for ZAFT only had a limited number of the large ships.
"Well that is interesting, alright lets takes these guys on boys and girls. Logan stay back and start sniping them. Kumiko stick with me and cover my back. Hopefully the Bossman will be back to help us soon. Alright let's go!" Nick ordered sending his GINN towards the enemy machines. Kumiko followed behind the man bringing out her two custom made katana and wakizashi. The first shot of the battle was Nick firing his machine's Ion Canon. The silver beam spat from the canon clasped in his GINN's hand and speared right through one of the enemy Moebius Mobile Armors before taking out the one flying behind it as well as a large amount of debris from the colony. After that the two groups merged together and the real fight was on. Kumiko stayed behind the heavier armored Assualt GINN of Nickolas allowing him to take the brunt of the enemy fire. Three more Mobile Armors followed the first two as Nick let loose a barrage of missiles from his leg mounted "Pardus" Missile Launchers. Kumiko soon got her first kill as the enemy Worker GINN tried to sneak behind the heavier GINN to hit him in the back. The enemy soon found himself in two pieces as Kumiko sliced him apart before it exploded. A Moebius joined its comrade in death as Kumiko sliced the smaller machine in half with her Wakizashi. Suddenly Kumiko's machine rocked as a shot hit her, cursing in Japanese the young swordswoman turned to find what her hit and saw the enemy carrier slicing through the battle towards them. The carrier was in fact a large Babylon Class just as Sara said it was, all three hundred fifteen meters of her. Kumiko could hear Nick curse as well before blasting towards the ship leaving Kumiko with the last few enemies. Though Logan soon proved that she was not alone as a Moebius exploded thanks in part to his machine's long range rifle. Suddenly the enemy units stopped before scrambling towards their carrier which after exchanging a few shots with Nick started to pull away. Confused Kumiko wondered why they retreated for they still had the Griffin Pilots outnumbered. Her unasked question was soon answered as Sara let up a cheer over the channel.
"The Orb Ships have arrived! Looks like these pirate scum do not want to mess with Orb forces, especially with Heliopolis destroyed. Heh! Smart aren't they, I wouldn't want to take on the Orb Force if I was them either," Sara reported with a snicker as the mentioned Orb Forces started to push through the debris field towards them. As they did so they started to launch a surprising mix of those new Mobile Armors and some sort of new mobile suits.
"Holy! Orb has Mobile Suits!" Logan said in surprise as he watched the mentioned Mobile Suits started runs scouring through the debris looking for stranded shelters.
"Attention! Unknown Forces this is the Orb Defense Ship Izumo identify yourself or we shall fire on you for trespassing in Orb Space," the lead Orb vessel ordered in a cool and collected tone. Kumiko was about to speak up but someone else beat her to it.
"Orb Ship Izumo this is the Independent Space Ship Opinicus of the Griffin Privateers we were first on the scene and started to recover the colony lifeboats. Currently we have over a hundred and fifty Heliopolis refugees on board. Our forces also have moved non-damaged lifeboats to safer retrieval points for easier recovery for you. We shall await any further orders from your commander," Commander Griffon's voice spoke up over the main channel. Frowning Kumiko turned to see the Opinicus pushing through the debris towards the Orb Ships, with Nathan's GINN in the lead.
"Very well Opinicus. Let me be the first to thank you for your help, we heard that a unknown ship had arrived here and started recovery. If I may ask where are these retrieval points of yours?" the unknown commander of the Izumo asked.
"Stand By, transferring data now. Also be aware that I still have several Mistral's still moving through the debris still," the Commander replied to the Izumo as the Opinicus finally stopped right in front of the Orb Fleet.
"Thank you Opinicus I will let my forces know of your Mistrals. Also please stand by for any further orders," the Izumo Commander replied with a smile in his words. As more Mistrals launched from the larger Walter Class Transport and the smaller Rainbow Class transport. The Orb Mistrals then started to do their own runs through the debris in search of any further shelters, while others started to head further towards the various recovery points.
"Understood Izumo we shall await further orders. Griff Team return to ship, let the Orb Forces take over for now,"
"Yes Commander, Griff Team is now returning to ship," Nathan said before blasting towards the ship with the other three GINNs following him. As they approached the ship both of the ship's hanger doors started to open to let them in. Their mission was complete. Kumiko smiled hoping that no one will call them pirates or no good mercs again after this.
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ISS Opinicus
Three Weeks later
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A few weeks later after the Heliopolis Crisis found the Opinicus heading for the debris belt for their next job. For the Griffins had spent the preceding weeks on the Orb Mainland for some much needed R&R in thanks for the help they provided to the Orb Forces. For after the arrival of the Orb Forces the Griffins helped Orb beat back two more pirate attacks from the Heliopolis. Not to mention chase off a few Junk Guild groups who wanted to go through the debris for anything useful. In the main briefing room Commander Griffon stood in front of his pilots along with a large percentage of his crew to give them the details of their next mission.
"Alright folks now that we have all been given some very good R&R at Orb, it is time to get back to work," Griffon said with a small grin on his face as he saw the happy faces of his crew. With the rescue of the Heliopolis refugees it gave them some very good PR along the civilian groups and other groups like them. In fact after this mission they already had another one lined up. Life was very good for the Griffins and no longer would they be treated as low life pirates or outcasts by the more civilian minded groups. That is one thing that always had the Griffins fired at by military forces. Their rescue of the Heliopolis survivors told everyone their true colors.
-o-fin-o-
Post Story Author Notes:
Well, I am finally managed to get this story done after picking it for almost a year. Luckily in the last week I have all out thrown myself in writing it. Anyways I hope you enjoy this small introduction to the Griffin Privateers. Also on another note, yes the mobile suits launched from the Orb ships are in fact M1 Astrays and before anyone yells at me about them not being produced during this part of the story as yet. Let me answer that in saying that according to the Astray Manga, the M1s Astrays were indeed up and ready. They just did not have a good Natural OS, they did not get one till Kira along with the Archangel arrived at Orb. So in fact those Astrays seen here are in fact being piloted by Coordinator Pilots using a slightly modified form of ZAFT's own OS.
Those Astrays are in fact from a unit that shall be briefly introduced when the Archangel arrives at Orb and more fully explored in yet another Cosmic Story. They are my version of the 8th MS Team and other units like them before the GM was officially rolled out right before Star One was launched. The unit is there to provide Orb with some good data on Astrays in a space environment. I really don't think that when the Kusanagi going to space was the first space experience for the Astrays. Granted Erica did mention it, but come on they should have fully test them before using them in space. Hence this unit shown here and later on in the Honor Storyline. Though this will not be the worst idea I have with introducing non-ZAFT MS before the official roll out of the Astray and Strike Dagger. -o-evil cackle-o-
Anyhow, both the Babylon Class specs and those of the Opinicus shall be posted on the Yahoo group in the folder labeled ship designs. Also the custom GINNs of the Griffins shall also be posted as well just for the fun of it. For those interested in looking them over. Thank you and I shall see you in the next story of Cosmic Chronicles.
Next Up...
Betraying a God! It is not a great idea! The tale of the betrayal of the Odin Class ship Odin and its crew by the Alliance that they once served.
