Shirou, Reina, Shinonome, Banagher, and Riddhe wait in the Eternal's briefing room for orders from the Captain. Shirou, now wearing a red ZAFT Elite uniform, anxiously taps the floor with his foot. He was cast with the responsibility of taking Zachariah's place on the battlefield, and after his impressive performance in the last battle against the Sinanju, being able to halt his advance long enough for Zachariah and Shinonome to do their work was incredible for a rookie pilot. Riddhe patiently waited for further instruction, but Banagher had his hands on some of the research material aboard the Eternal and was looking through all the schematics of the robotics aboard the ship. He became thoroughly engrossed with the technology of the world from which the Eternal came.
The Captain walked in with a holo-tablet in hand. The group saluted, and Banagher quickly put aside the tablet and stood at attention. "As you all may know now, we are working with Londo Bell and the Federation to put an end to the Sleeves. The Sleeves are a militant group that represents the newest iteration of what you guys call Neo-Zeon, they are dangerous and will do anything it takes to win. Specifically, their goal is to take the NT-D Unicorn Gundam that is aboard the Nahel Argama. It has some form of technology that synchronizes with the powers of Newtypes. I couldn't care less about what Newtypes are but they share a lot in common with people that are born with the SEED Factor."
"So what sets Newtypes apart from us Coordinators," Shinonome asked.
"Newtypes, unlike Coordinators, have the ability to use their minds to use the systems on their mobile suits, making them deadly in combat as they are vastly more spacially aware. They also handle systems like funnels and bits much more easily because they can use their mind to move them. Newtypes are also capable of some form of precognition by sensing the emotional states of their targets. Coordinators with SEED factor function similarly, but their abilities vastly affect the physical aspects of flying in space. The SEED factor amplifies one's spacial awareness, but it also overclocks the mind's information processing to a degree in which according to studies feels like the world moves slowly thus vastly increasing the pilot's reaction speed from .1 seconds to less than .01 seconds." The captain cleared his throat and continued. He motioned from his holo-tablet an image of a fortress built into an asteroid.
"What is that," Shirou asked. He scratched his head a bit and put his hand back on his side.
"This fortress is known as Palau, it is one of the centers of operation for the Sleeves and Neo-Zeon. Our plan is to resupply our mobile suit stock with an ECOAS fleet that will assist us in taking down this floating fortress. Our plan currently is to use the Hyper-Mega Particle Cannon armed on the Nahel Argama to break through the fortress's defenses and then send in the Mirage Frame and the Gundam Alpha armed with METEOR units to break down the rest of their forces. While, Londo Bell and their troops can push into the colony and take it. Should this offensive prove successful, it will deal a serious blow to the Sleeves's military power and bring us closer to defeating them. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Shirou replied, "what about the Sinanju and the Four-winged unit." Those two mobile suits alone dealt a huge blow to their mobile force and left an impression of being nearly unbeatable when working in tandem.
"Shirou, you will be in charge taking on the Sinanju or the Four Winged one if either of them come out..."
"Captain, we have heat signatures incoming," said a voice over the Captain's commlink, "It's the Sinanju and a couple other mobile suits."
"Alert the Nahel Argama and scramble our mobile suits," the Captain replied, "how did they respond so quickly, I thought we had a couple days to plan out this attack. Fire off missiles and CIWS to halt their advance."
"Captain what about us," Shinonome asked, "can we sortie?"
"The Mirage Frame, White Frame, and Gundam Alpha are still in bad shape, Shinonome you'll have to go out in the Blue Frame. Banagher and Riddhe, we have the Delta and Unicorn stored on our ship, get them set on the catapult and ready up."
"Yes, sir," they replied. Shinonome, Banagher, and Riddhe walked out of the briefing room and headed to their mobile suits in the hangar. On the way they put on their flight suits, and grabbed their gear. Shinonome and Riddhe immediately boarded theirs and launched off the catapult, but Banagher waited in front of the cockpit of the Unicorn. He hesitated because he hated flying in it, he knew the consequences of whatever actions he took in the suit, and they could lead to the deaths of others. Banagher placed his helmet on and readied up on the Unicorn and waited for the flight director to clear him for launch. Nina went up to Banagher, "Banagher, I have orders from Captain Mitas, he wants you to stay inside the Unicorn but not to launch until given further instruction."
"Understood," Banagher replied. He sat in the cockpit of the Unicorn and waited. He contemplated whether or not he should launch but was tied to Mitas' instruction.
Aboard the Nahel Argama, Captain Mitas took charge of the situation, they began firing off their anti-air armaments in cooperation with the Eternal. The Sinanju was quick and adept at dodging their attacks. It flew through the debris field they were nested in with ease and used the terrain to dodge the anti-air fire of the Eternal and Nahel Argama. In the distance, a trio of Gearas lead by a purple unit, piloted by Frontal's right hand man Angelo, watched as Frontal did his work in the Sinanju, surprisingly he was flying well despite his disability. The medical staff aboard the Rewloola gave him prosthetic hands that could be controlled via psycommu, giving them almost the same feeling as normal hands, "Time to test the abilities of the Gundams," Frontal said to himself.
The Nahel Argama launched its arsenal of Deltas and Jegans to go into combat against the Sinanju. Led by Commander Norm, they stormed out of the hangar bay one by one. Unfortunately, the Sinanju got a lock on one of the Jegans as it left the hangar and fired his Beam Rifle. The Jegan with its core damaged, exploded the launch pad of the Nahel Argama, damaging the ship's port side in the resulting fallout. Riddhe and Shinonome rallied with Commander Norm's mobile suit team as they attempted to take on the Red Comet, as the crew aboard the Nahel Argama called the Sinanju.
The Sinanju flew around the mobile suit team taking down one mobile suit after another with its pinpoint beam rifle shots. Shinome shifted the Tactical Arms system on the Blue Frame into flight mode and burst into action. She pulled out her beam saber and dived forward into the Sinanju. Frontal preoccupied with taking out the other Federation forces dodged her attack and kicked her aside. He attempted to shoot her down with well placed beam rifle shots to the cockpit of the Blue Frame but Shinonome reacted quickly and deflected them with the Beam Shield Generator.
Riddhe then took the flight to the Sinanju, switching his Delta into fighter mode and firing several beams in rapid succession. Frontal's battle instincts alerted him of the attack and he strafed past the beams. Commander Norm followed up with his comrade with an attack from the beam saber mounted to his Delta, but the responded in kind with his own beam saber, parrying the attack and slicing through arm of Norm's Delta. Norm backed off and switched off with the Blue Frame. Shinonome changed the Tactical Arms into Sword Mode. She charged forward and swung down at the Sinanju. The Sinanju blocked the attack with its shield and tried swinging back at the the unguarded Blue Frame with its beam saber.
Riddhe jumped at the right moment and came down with a slash from his beam saber. Frontal took notice of Riddhe's re-entrance into combat and used his beam saber to block Riddhe's attack. Now cornered by the the Blue Frame and Riddhe's Delta, Commander Norm went in for the kill raising his Beam Rifle to take down the Sinanju. Frontal, in response, detached the Sinanju from the pincer that the Blue Frame and the Delta caught him in. The stray beam hit Riddhe's Delta in the leg forcing him to back out of the fight. The Sinanju soared past Riddhe and Shinonome to deal with Commander Norm. Norm pulled out his Beam Saber and fought the Sinanju. He tried attacking with an overhead strike, but the Sinanju caught the hand of the Delta and crushed it, destroying the beam saber. Frontal lifted up his Beam Rifle and placed it against Norm's cockpit. The Sinanju emptied two shots into the cockpit of the Delta and flew off, the Delta exploded killing Commander Norm. With the pesky commander out of the way, Frontal turned his efforts towards Shinonome's Blue Frame.
"I remember you from the last time our forces met, Blue Gundam. That is one big sword that you have," Frontal noted, "it must be heavy." Frontal readied his beam saber and charged towards Shinonome. She blocked the initial attack with the Tactical Arm's sword, but the Sinanju immediately followed up with another much quicker attack with its beam saber. The saber cut through the left arm of the Blue Frame, and then the Sinanju flew past it and rotated around, arming its beam rifle. With a couple well placed shots, the Sinanju took out the Blue Frame's propulsion system and the main camera, leaving it helpless. The Sinanju continued it's assault on the Nahel Argama and the Eternal, sweeping through the skies and taking down the anti-air guns and missiles that were firing at it. Once Frontal was finished he stopped and left the Sinanju afloat between the two ships.
"I could end both of your ships now," Frontal stated over the communications network, "but I won't, because you have something important that we need. The key to Laplace's box. Give us the Unicorn and everyone will be spared."
Aboard the Nahel Argama, Daguza from the ECOAS task force assigned to the Nahel Argama, stepped up with a microphone in hand. "I believe you aren't in the position to make deals, Frontal," Daguza replied, "aboard the Nahel Argama we are holding the Princess of Zeon, Mineva Lao Zabi. If you do not surrender we will shoot her." In his arms was a young, blonde woman named Audrey Burne who claimed and probably was Princess Mineva. He held a gun to her head in an attempt to make the situation seem more realistic.
"I'd believe you, but I'm not entirely sure if you are holding the Princess captive or not," Frontal added, "this deal cannot be concluded with unknown factors, therefore my original decision stands, give us the Key To Laplace's box or I will sink the Nahel Argama and your new found ally. You have five minutes to decide or I will..." He was interrupted by a different voice coming over the microphone it was that of a young woman. Audrey turned her head to face Daguza eye to eye. She grabbed the microphone and spoke.
"I am Mineva Lao Zabi, Princess of Zeon, and if you are Char as many claim you are, then you would have no qualms shooting us down right now as you would be the next heir to the throne of Zeon," she paused, "but you aren't, which means that in the back of your mind that you have some doubts yourself. Now, back off."
"Mineva, obtaining Laplace's box is placed much higher on our priorities than your safety, and if I have to shoot down every Federation ship in the fleet, then that is what I'll do, I'm giving you five minutes to surrender the Unicorn and that is it." The communications line went quiet.
"Damn it Frontal, Captain what is our plan," Daguza asked. He looked at Captain Mitas and the Captain replied, "we will continue to fight, we cannot surrender the key no matter the cost." Everyone acknowledged him with the exception of Alberto, a rotund man who was in charge of securing Laplace's box as to make sure it would never be opened. Although no one aboard the Nahel Argama liked him, he usually had the final say in what was to be done aboard when it came to finding the box.
"I say we should surrender the Unicorn to them, the Unicorn is only the key, but they still need to find the box itself, if we live another day we can take it back," Alberto exclaimed. No one agreed with his idea because they were all ready to sacrifice their own lives for the Federation before they would so easily surrender the key to Laplace's box. Then the communications network came alive and the message came from the Unicorn.
"I will fight him," Banagher said, "I may be able to buy us enough time to escape." Alberto's face lit up as he realized that the boy was willing to go along with his plan. Realizing that the fate of the crew rested in Banagher's hands, Captain Mitas left him to make the decision. "If it means that Audrey, Micott, and everyone aboard the Nahel Argama and the Eternal will live, then I will fight." Mitas nodded and motioned to alert the Eternal's staff to send off the Unicorn, as the preparations were being made, the communications line with Frontal came on.
"I see you haven't made a decision, now I will sink the Nahel Argama," The Sinanju came to life and resumed its assault of the two ships. Beam Rifle shots rattled the hull of the Nahel Argama and the Eternal as the Sinanju flew around destroying them both piece by piece. Then flying out of the hangar of the Eternal was the Gundam Unicorn, "so that's where it was, Gundam Unicorn."
"Banagher Links, Gundam Unicorn, Engaging the Enemy," Banagher stated over the comm-link. The Unicorn roared past Riddhe's crippled Delta and Shinonome's Blue Frame and went toe to toe with the Sinanju. He pulled out the Unicorn's Beam Magnum and tried to get a lock on the Sinanju when he managed to get a lock on the Sinanju he fired. After a short delay, a dark purple beam flew across the heavens destroying all the debris in its way and made its way towards the Sinanju. Frontal tried to dodge the attack but was clipped by the wide beam. Frontal was at first surprised by the output of the weapon, but he figured out the width of the beam and adjusted.
Banagher continued to fire away at the Sinanju and seemingly forced the Sinanju back as it flew around trying to dodge the beams. One of the Unicorn's stray shots nailed one of the idle Geara's in the chest causing it to explode, Angelo cried as his comrade went down, and cursed the Unicorn hoping that Frontal would shoot it down. The Sinanju flew behind a large piece of debris as Banagher managed to get a lock onto it. Banagher pulled the trigger firing the last shot of the Beam Magnum at the debris; the debris exploded and Banagher thought he had won.
All of a sudden, the Sinanju's face blocked out his main camera, Banagher threw out a bunch of shots with his beam vulcans but to no effect as the armor of the Sinanju was a lot stronger than them. The Sinanju armed its beam saber, and struck down on the Gundam Unicorn, but Banagher managed to deflect the attack with its shield, in doing so lost the shield. "This is the end," Frontal said over the microphone. Banagher thought it was the end, but he came to his senses when he remembered he still had the power of the Gundam. The NT-D system activated.
As the Sinanju charged forward and thrust its beam saber forward, the Gundam Unicorn flipped over it, evading the attack. The frame of the Gundam Unicorn opened up revealing a glowing red under-armor woven throughout the mobile suit and the crown of the Gundam hidden beneath the unicorn horn. Inside the cockpit of the Unicorn, several tubes hooked into Banagher's helmet and the pilot seat changed as he began to assume control over every part of the Unicorn with his mind. "So this is the key to Laplace," Frontal said to himself in awe of the Unicorn's transformation. Frontal resumed his attack with the Sinanju, he felt some pain in his wrists as he hadn't allowed the prosthetic hands to settle in before launching in the Sinanju. However the adrenaline rush of being pushed to his limits exhilarated him as the Unicorn and the Sinanju exchanged blows.
The Sinanju first began its offensive at close range, but he realized that his attacks became to repetitive so he switched his tactics and tried to approach the fight from afar. He backed off from the Unicorn and pulled out his beam rifle. The Sinanju locked onto the Unicorn and fired at one of its unprotected spots. The shot dissipated as it was intercepted by an invisible force field. "An I-field," Frontal exclaimed. He fired a few more shots from the Sinanju's rifle but they were deflected easily with the power of the I-Field. Banagher reloaded the beam magnum and continued his attacks with it. Forcing the Sinanju back on its heels. Frontal realizing that it is possible that the Sinanju might not be enough to take down the Unicorn in NT-D mode began to make other plans to capture it. Frontal continued to dodge the Unicorns blasts, but he was realizing that as the battle drew on, Banagher was learning and growing as a pilot and subsequently the deadly shots were closing in on him.
The Sinanju began to leave the battle area and the Unicorn pursued him. The Eternal and the Nahel Argama made their escape during the fight, and Captain Mitas tried to recall Banagher, but the NT-D system prevented Banagher from responding. The Unicorn began to catch up to the Sinanju thanks to its incredible speed and agility, but by then Banagher was already caught in Frontal's trap. In the shadows, the Garenceries waited with the Kshatriya-Repair ready to launch. When the Unicorn strayed too far from the Nahel Argama and the Eternal, Frontal called in Marida and the Kshatriya and the two of them worked together to capture the Unicorn.
The Sinanju drew the Unicorn's fire as the Kshatriya locked him down. The Kshatriya's strength proved to be overwhelming for the Unicorn, and Marida managed to subdue Banagher without breaking much of a sweat. Banagher fainted as a result of using the NT-D system for too long. This gave Frontal a chance to bring in the Unicorn without any resistance, and he returned to the Rewloola with the Unicorn in tow.
"Laplace's Key is secured," Frontal stated over the communications line. The crew of the Rewloola cheered as Frontal returned to the ship with his prize in hand. Singlehandedly, Full Frontal brought them victory and that was a major boost in morale for the Sleeves.