Episode Nine: Darkness of Juventus Part I

The morning air of the Gobi desert felt good against the skin of Ryan as he watched the sun rise slowly. He held Christy tight to him, gazing into the distance. His mind set on the future. Freedom for the colonist. Christy and his future. So many things. Christy looked up at him, smiling. She hugged him as hard as she could, telling him how much she loved him. Ryan smirked, looking out into the beautiful sun rise. Sadly, he knew the night wouldn't be was beautiful. In fact he knew it would be just the opposite. It would end in blood shed. Ryan looked down at Christy, running his hand on her face.

"You don't need to fight. Your not going too." Ryan demanded.

"What do you mean? That didn't stop me last time," Christy said.

"And you almost got killed last time too. I don't need any distractions on the battlefield." Ryan said, looking back at the sun.

"What do you mean, distraction?" Christy asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"I mean I don't want to be worried about you. If I am it will take me off focus. It's just that I don't want you getting hurt. That's all." Ryan said, pulling her back to him. Christy managed a smile. She always knew how to make her happy.

"After this is all over, we'll go off and get married and buy a little house on Side 7. Somewhere nice. Just us and our kids. Finally settle down," Ryan said. Christy grinned from ear to ear. Now that sounded nice. She couldn't wait until that day comes. But she doubted it ever would. Then again...you could always dream.

"We shall see..." Destiny rang inside his head.

XXX

So many headaches...what happened? Where am I? Headaches...

Sam opened her eyelids slowly, wondering where she was. She brought her right hand up, holding her head due to the pain of the pounding headache. The air was cold. Extremely cold for some reason. She then realized she was bare skinned. She gasped, reaching for the covers near her to cover herself. Her heart began to pound harder and harder as here thoughts found the conclusion. She looked around the room, it was different from the night before. It seemed if she was on a ship of some sorts. Sam saw her clothes on a chair nearby. Fear began to creep into her mind. What did that Federation Officer do? She knew he had done the worst. A single tear rolled down her soft cheek, wanting to go home.

Suddenly the door slid open as Ben slowly walked in. As it slid back shut, he turned to the controls to lock it. Sam moved back to the far end of the bed, keeping the covers on her. Ben slowly walked up to the bed with a large grin on his face. Sam began to shed more and more tears.

"You bastard!" She cried out, sobbing.

"Sshh. Quite." Ben said, putting his finger in front of his mouth laughing. Sam cried, shaking her head. Why? Why would he do this.

"Help! Someone! Help!" Sam yelled.

"This room is sound proof. No one can hear you. No use in screaming." Ben informed her, sitting on the bed next to her. Sam couldn't control her crying. No. She didn't want it to happen like this.

"Why?" Sam yelled. "Why!" She tried over to slap him, but her wrist was quickly caught by Ben's grip. Ben applied pressure to her wrist, causing her to yelp in pain. He reached for her other arm, also squeezing. He laid on top of her, smiling. She yelled and screamed trying to resist. Ben licked her face and then kissed her neck. She cried out, trying to make him stop. Ben stood up, holding her wrist. He picked her up out of the bed, slapping her across the face in a quick motion. Sam's lifeless naked body fell to the ground. Ben picked her up by her shoulders, bringing her up to his face.

"You will love me..." Ben said through his teeth. Sam could only cry. He threw her back on the ground, walking over towards her clothes. He threw her stuff at her on the ground. She grabbed them and held on tightly as she was being picked up once again. Ben walked over towards a empty closest, throwing her inside. Ben smiled, looking at her body and quickly shut the door. Darkness covered the room. Sam cried, beating on the locked door.

"Help! Someone help me!" She yelled, giving up.

XXX

"Sir, something is approaching. Thirty kilometers away. It's coming fast." Kyle stated. Admiral Maxwell didn't need to be told who it was. He knew exactly who it was. It was only a matter of time. The Federation was here. They still weren't finished with all repairs and the Independence was still being installed with new engines. The Freedom Fighters would just have to do their best out there. Thankfully they had someone who knew the desert, Owen. He had helped set traps in different and various places.

"Alert Ryan and Gabriel and Squadron's Bravo and Delta." Admiral Maxwell declared. Kyle shook his head and got to work right away.

"Attention. Attention. Squadron's Bravo and Delta make your way to your mobile suits. Ryan, make your way to Jove. All men man your battle stations!" Kyle announced over the whole ship. The Independence and Odysseus were also preparing. This would be one huge battle. Both sides knew it and feared it.

Ryan heard the announcement of the intercom while standing in his room with Christy. He looked up at the ceiling as it was being said. He looked down at Christy, hugging her tightly. She closed her eyes, not wanting to let go. After a moment Ryan broke the hug, kissing her on the cheek. He looked into her eyes, slowly turning the other way. He walked out into the hallway, meeting up with Gabriel who would be in command of Delta Squad. Now was the time to put up or shut up.

Both men entered the elevator shaft.

"You be careful out there," Gabriel said, keeping focused at the task at hand.

"Same goes for you. Don't do anything stupid out there," Ryan suggested.

The elevator doors slide open to a hectic scene of pilots and repairmen scrambling about the hanger. Ryan's eyes locked onto his Gundam, Jove. It had been a while since everyone had last seen battle. It would also be the first time fighting on Earth. Thankfully they had run some training programs for the pilots so they could get use to Earth's gravity.

"Kill' em all, big daddy!" Gabriel said, hitting his friend on his back as the two spilt apart.

"If you don't get to them first," Ryan laughed. He heard Gabriel's laughing as he began his climb up the long ladder that would lead him up to his cockpit. Destiny had been rather quite last few days. But Ryan was for sure she wasn't gone. He finally made it to his cockpit, sitting inside. He tapped a few controls then took the installed helmet, fitting it on top of his head. He buckled himself in as the cockpit doors slowly shut.

With a few taps of the controls the whole darkened cockpit lit up. Computer read-outs began on the screen as the main camera view came on.

"Jove Gundam, you are cleared to launch in...five...four...three...two...one!" Kyle yelled.

The Jove Gundam shot out of the hull of the sitting Titan, with Squadron's Bravo and Delta shortly behind.

XXX

"They're launching mobile suits now,"

"Advance forward," Ben declared high in command in his Gundam. The new and improved RGM-89J Jegans spread out across the large open desert soon to be battlefield. Ahead of them all, the RX-98-03 Juventus lead the way. Inside, Ben was ready to show the full strength of the Gundam.

The Federation had aided the Taskforce with tanks and mobile suits. This would certainly be the day the rebel pirates would fall.

The heat inside the cockpit was unbearable, but Ben ignored it. He was going to win today. He was sure of it.

XXX

"Set up your positions!" Ryan called out over the radio. The painted Freedom Fighter Jegans spread out, some hiding in fox holes that were created and some behind the large sand dunes. Ryan rested the Jove Gundam right beside Gabriel's costumed Jegan.

"Sniper, do you have them in view?" Ryan asked in a whispered tone.

"Yeah. You just give the order to engage,"

"Hold position," Ryan said. They had moved as far away from the ships as they could. This battle would only be a distraction so the ships could make the getaway.

"Sir, enemy Gundam in sights. I can end this now," Sniper reported from his hiding spot behind a far away dune.

Ryan thought about it for a moment.

"You should take it," Destiny interjected.

"Fire when ready sniper. Bravo and Delta on my mark," Ryan whispered.

After a few seconds of making sure the Juventus was certainly in his sights, he slowly pulled the trigger. The long, pink laser shot rapidly towards the Juventus's cockpit. It was going to be a sure hit. Suddenly the shot was blocked by it's shield that it had raised in the nick of time. No one could believe the timing.

Ben turned towards the direction of the fire, as did the other mobile suits. Ryan saw the golden opportunity and took it with authority.

"Fire at will!" Ryan yelled, raising above the dune, aiming his sonic beam rifle at the enemy. He squeezed the trigger off three rounds, piercing the armor of an enemy Jegan. The last shot went through the core-rector tearing it to shreds. The large explosion rocked Ben's Gundam, causing him to realize his error. He gritted his teeth in anger and cursed.

"Defense formation!" Ben ordered, moving the Juventus back in the defense position of the mobile suits. The Type 92 tanks fired off, hitting two FF Jegans. The sniper quickly took off one more enemy Jegan as a sea storm of fire began to come back from all directions. It seemed they all moved into a semi-circle with some on the ground, firing off rounds. Ryan and the other mobile suits were forced to take cover. He quickly wiped the sweat from his eyes.

"This is going to be harder then expected." Ryan muttered to himself.

"Deploy defense air forces!" Admiral Maxwell commanded over the radio. Ryan winced. That mean the Federation was sending air bombers.

After the strom of fire from the Federation forces, the smoke began to clear. There was a long silence.

"Charge!" Ben yelled, as the mobile suits quickly ran out through the desert.

"Fire! FIRE!" Gabriel yelled, firing his 100mm at the on slaught of the enemy. The other mobile suits did the same, hiding behind the dunes and the foxholes. Suddenly smoke and fire filled the clouds as the battle for the sky began. Ryan looked up, seeing some bombers making it by the defense fighters.

"Take cover! Someone bring them down! Don't let them get to the ships!" Ryan ordered. They tried, but one bomber made it through while the others bombard them with explosions. The bombs took out at least three more mobile suits, leaving eight Jegans, Gabriel, and Ryan. They up against the odds of fifteen enemy Jegans, thirty Type 92 tanks, and a Gundam. Not the best odds.

Thankfully the last bomber that made it through was destroyed.

"Watch out!" Destiny said.

Without warning a 150mm shell pierced the Jove Gundam. Ryan was shocked as the Gundam quickly began to fall towards the ground. It only caused minor damage thankfully because of the Gundarium Alloy.

"Why didn't you say anything Destiny!" Ryan yelled.

"I did. You just didn't pay attention!" She shot back. Ryan sighed, as the Jove Gundam quickly regained its footing. Ryan winced, watching Juventus Gundam closely. A long, large truck pulled up behind enemy lines beside the Juventus Gundam.

"This is bad..." Ryan said to himself. He fired four more shots towards the enemy Gundam, but it was blocked by it's shield.

"Nice try kid," Ben muttered, firing off six rounds from his beam rifle. The pinkish beams rapidly approached the Jove Gundam.

"To the right," Destiny echoed. Ryan did as she said, moving to the right and dodging the oncoming fire.

"At least you can be used for something," Ryan laughed. "Hey!" Destiny pouted.

The Juventus threw it's rifle in the sand, picking up the large beam cannon in the back of the truck. Ryan was to busy paying attention to the battlefield while the Juventus was setting up for something bad.

"What happened to Owen and his men?" Gabriel asked, taking out a Jegan.

"They'll be here soon enough!" Ryan yelled.

"Look up," Destiny said. Ryan did so, seeing the Juventus boosting above them. It's speed was mind boggling at 98,000 kg.

"Shit!" Ryan yelled, firing off rounds trying to bring him down. How could he be so careless?

"Sniper! Sniper! Shoot the Gundam! Shoot it!" Ryan yelled. The sniper aimed at the head of the Gundam this time, squeezing off a shot. It missed by inches. The Juventus was just to fast.

Ben smirked, landing near the closest ship. The Independence.

"Hemsly! Launch your mobile suits! Defense up!" Admiral Maxwell yelled.

"I can't! Were currently in the process of-" The ship's captain was cut off by static. The Minosky Particles from the Juventus was interfering.

"No..." Admiral Maxwell watched in horror as the Gundam charged it's beam cannon.

"Surprise, surprise!" Ben yelled. The large yellowish beam shot forward with immense power towards the downed ship. A bright light engulfed the area and the battlefield. Ryan shielded his eye's from the brightness of the explosion.

"Stop him!" Destiny yelled.

To Be Continued.