Disclaimer: Sebastian Connor, and the Storm Wolves, Kyle Evans belong to me, but I want Lacus and Flay! Why does Kira get all the cute girls!
Song of the Storm Wolf
By Storm Wolf77415
The Shit Hits the Fan pt.1
"Admiral Halberton?" Mu said, "How? We all saw the Menelaos burn up in the atmosphere! How did you survive?"
"You can thank the late Captain Eric Hoffman for that, Commander. He stuffed me in an escape pod and ejected me toward Earth. I landed just outside of Denver," Halberton's gaze was cold "Those bastards have been keeping me here, chained to this damn desk. Looking over the combat data you've been feeding back to us."
"You've been here the whole time? Why didn't you say anything? Murrue would have been ecstatic to know you're alive!" Mu said.
"Commander, I'd love to see her again, myself. However, Command decided that it would be best if I 'maintained a low profile.' So the official reports are that I'm still dead. Mu, tell me, who else is here with you?" Halberton said. A grave inflection in his tone.
"Just me and Sebastian, is something wrong, Admiral? Because it sure sounds like it is."
"Yes, something is very wrong. You've heard that ZAFT's Operation Spitbreak is going to attack Panama, correct? The Panama mass driver isn't Spitbreak's target. It's here."
"How do you know this, Admiral?" Mu said.
"We were tipped off, Commander. About a month ago we got a warning saying, that Spitbreak's target was Alaska. What burns my ass so much is what Command decided to do once we found out. They've laid out a trap for ZAFT. You and Commander Connor are far too familiar with this trap. It was used once before on the moon, and the one here is even larger" Halberton said.
"No! they wouldn't! A Cyclops!" Mu said. "Are they out of their minds!"
Halberton just shook his head to the younger man, "They intend to do as much damage as possible to ZAFT's Earth based forces by any means necessary. What's even worse is that the Atlantic Federation is selling out the Eurasians. They're going to take out ZAFT and the main Eurasian force in one fell swoop. Most AF personnel have already fled to Panama and Heaven's Base. Brass like Sutherland are remaining just long enough to keep up appearances, but they won't stay much longer themselves."
"It's a good thing Murrue and the others aren't here they'd probably be offered up right along with the Eurasians. Except myself, Natarle, and Flay probably."
"Where is the Archangel right now? I didn't buy the whole 'destroyed by engine failure'" Halberton said, "This is Commander Connor's work isn't it?"
"Yeah, truth is Admiral, we defected to Orb a month and a half ago. Sebastian and I came here to find out what progress the Earth Forces have made with the G-project."
"Then I should give you this!" Halberton said, pulling a three ring binder off the shelf and pushing it into the Hawk's hands, "This is my personal file on the G-project, everything from its inception two years ago to the present. I'm certain you'll find a good use for it."
"Thank you, Admiral. Since I've found what we need. I think it's time that Sebastian and I took our leave of you."
"I'll send my people to find Commander Connor, but before you go, there's something I want you to see. Odds are you'll be facing it in the future."
Archangel, Cafeteria
It's said that war is mainly waiting with lots of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Everyone was currently enduring the former, some better than others. "How much longer are they going to be over there!" Yzak said his tone even more irritated than normal, "How long does it take to find a few computer files!"
"Relax Yzak, It's a big place, and it's not like they can just waltz in and ask 'hey, we heard you're building mobile suits, care to show us what you've done?" Shiho said in.
"Even still, I'm getting tired of all the waiting." Yzak snapped.
"You're not the only one, Yzak. The sooner Sebastian gets out of there, the better." Nicol said, "Lacus is getting worried. She's been having some weird mood swings."
"We've been on the sidelines for a month! I want some action!" Yzak said, his frustration growing.
"You just may get your chance!" Kira said running into the cafeteria, "All pilots are to suit up and be ready to launch,"
"What's going on, Yamato?" the Duel pilot said.
"I was just on the bridge," Kira said.
"Doing what, making out with your girlfriend? You should really save that for your quarters you know" Dearka interrupted.
"This
isn't the time for jokes! We just picked up acoustical signatures
matching ZAFT submarines! A whole lot of them!"
"Are you
sure, Kira?" Shiho said, "What would a ZAFT fleet be doing all
the way up here?"
"I don't know. We're going to move away to avoid detection, but in case we're discovered the captain wants us ready to launch."
"What about Sebastian and Commander La Flaga? We're not going to leave them, are we?" Nicol said.
"I don't think Captain Ramius would do that, but it won't do them any good if we're caught" Kira said, "Now we've got to go!" and all the pilots ran for their machines.
Alaska, computer center.
"I really hate passwords!" Sebastian said, as he stared at the screen that said, ACCESS DENIED, for the umpteenth time.
"Seven computer terminals, seven passwords required" Sebastian said, "But I can't give up."
"The door's open! In here!" a voice called, and Sebastian ducked underneath the desk as two guards armed with assault rifles came in.
"Shit!" the Storm Wolf said drawing his USP, realizing that he had neglected to turn off the terminals that he had just used.
"These were turned on just now! He must still be here. You take the right, I'll take the left, and we'll flank him." One guard said to the other.
"This is not my day," Sebastian said, as one guard closely approached the terminal he was hiding under.
"I see you, come out now." The guard ordered, and Sebastian obliged, putting his hands up.
"So, you found me. You're going to wish you hadn't" Sebastian said. As quick as lighting, he threw a crescent kick to the guard's head, knocking him out and sending his rifle crashing to the ground. The other guard wheeled around, and sent a three shot burst of fire toward the Storm Wolf, who ducked back underneath the desk, grabbed the other guard's gun, and fired back.
"Damn it! I need to get out of here!" He then grabbed one of the guards' portable radios, "Storm Wolf to Hawk, Storm Wolf to Hawk, Mu can you read me?"
"Sebastian is that you?" Mu's voice crackled over the radio, "Where are you?"
"In the computer center, I'm sorry, Mu. I wasn't able to crack the encryption codes. As much as I hate to say it, we're going to have go home empty handed on this one."
"No we aren't! I have everything we need and then some." Mu said in a very smug tone.
"Really? How?" Sebastian said.
"An old friend of ours, He gave us all that we need." Mu said, "In fact he and I are heading toward the North Hanger right now, meet us there and you can thank him for yourself."
"What's going on?" Sebastian said.
"It's a long story. I'll explain it to you when you get here." Mu said, "Just hurry."
"Alright, I'm on the way. You'll have to give me directions, since I don't know the neighborhood very well" Sebastian said, taking his procured rifle and racing down the hallway.
ZAFT submarine carrier, Cousteau.
Rau Le Creuset stared at his new team, most of them had just graduated from the academy, but they were all at the top of their class and eager to prove themselves to their new CO, since being in the Le Creuset Team was a guaranteed fast track to greater things later on. Perhaps this crop will fare better in obedience than the last one. He thought. A pity though, Athrun and all of them were superb pilots, more than worthy to wear the red uniform. Contrary to anything Evans may have said. When he had heard of Evan's actions concerning Athrun, and Dearka and Yzak's subsequent defection, he was hardly surprised.
It's probably better that they joined Commander Connor. Even still, it will all end the same way. The man behind the mask thought before turning to his troops.
"Good evening gentleman, it is time for Operation Spitbreak. As I'm certain many of you can tell from the map, this is not Panama. Rather it is Joint Operation Supreme Headquarters Alaska, The Earth Alliance's main planetary base. Only Jachin Due and Boaz can match it for degree of sheer security, but as the saying goes, 'cut off the head and the body will die' A victory here will go a long way to ending the war. The attack will commence in one hour, dismissed."
"Commander Le Creuset?" the Cousteau's captain said over the intercom.
"Yes, what is it?" the masked man replied.
"Sir, sonar has picked up a strange acoustic signature, we've never seen anything like it before."
"Where is it heading?" Rau said.
"As far as we can tell, away from Alaska, it could be a new Earth Forces weapon. Shall we intercept?"
"Send two submarines. We'll continue on to Alaska" Rau said.
"Yes sir" was the response.
A new weapon? Or maybe not so new. Rau thought, Like Admiral Halberton. He hadn't bought the destruction of the legged ship. Commander Connor is reaching back to one of his old tricks. He faked the destruction of the legged ship to protect them, typical of him. Unfortunately, it won't be enough. Today the legged ship falls…for good.
Archangel, Bridge
"What's the size of the ZAFT fleet?" Murrue asked Tomonura.
"It's hard to tell, Captain, there's a lot of noise out there. I want to say about 20-25 Vosgulov-class submarines."
"What would such a large fleet be doing all the way up here?" Flay asked, "The only thing of value is…Alaska. Captain, call it a crazy hunch, but what if ZAFT wasn't attacking Panama? What if they set their sights on attacking Alaska?"
"That could be very possible" Natarle said from the CIC.
"Sonar contact! Two submarines from the fleet…They're heading right for us!"
"Orders, Captain?" Natarle said.
"No point in hiding it anymore. Surface and go to Level One Battle Stations, prepare to launch all mobile suits!" Murrue said. And everybody went into action mode.
"Gundams get ready to launch! Astrays, you'll be kept in reserve" Mirialla said. It's weird, seeing all six machines launching together.
"Wish me luck in my first real battle as a pilot. I'm not counting that time in Africa." Tolle said.
"Good, come back to me." She said, to which he nodded.
"The same goes for you too, Kira" Flay said from her station above Mirialla.
"I will Flay. I'll protect this ship…and you" Kira said. Flay blushed and blew a kiss to her love.
"We have surfaced!" Neumann said.
"Bring all weapons online, Launch all mobile suits!" Murrue said.
Alaska, North Hanger
Sebastian slipped from corridor to corridor, hiding in shadowed areas to avoid the guards, and using every move possible to avoid being detected.
But finally he saw a familiar blonde French-Canadian standing outside the door to the hanger, "Okay, Mu what's…going…on?" Sebastian's voice trailed off as Admiral Halberton stepped out of the shadows.
"It's good to see you again, Commander Connor. I'd gladly explain my survival to you, but there isn't any time. You two need to get out of Alaska right now."
"There's a Cyclops system underneath this base, Sebastian. Ten times larger than the one at Endymion" Mu said.
"Oh, fuckberries" was all the Storm Wolf of Jachin Due said about that.
"It's not a total loss, Sebastian. The good Admiral was kind enough to give us this." Mu indicated the binder he held "It's his personal file on the G-project. Everything we need to know is in here."
"Consider it a gift. There's something that I want the two of you to see." The three men walked into the massive hanger where five Gundam-class mobile suits were being loaded. One was blue, one was green, another was a dark red, almost like the color of dried blood, the fourth was white, and the last was black.
"A new model series?" Sebastian asked Halberton.
"They're superior to the Heliopolis line, but not by much. Notice how they're colored even when powered down? It's a new innovation known as Trans-Phase Shift Armor, it activates only at the point of impact, but truthfully it's not that much better than regular PSA." Halberton said, "These new machines are equipped with experimental high-density energy batteries. They can run four times as long as mass-production models. The specs on them are in the file so you can read them at your leisure."
"What about the pilots?" Mu asked.
"The most unstable group of characters I ever met. They're what are known as 'biological CPUs', considered more equipment than anything else" Halberton said, his disgust clearly evident, "They've been pumped full of drugs to give them the reflexes of Coordinators. But it makes them highly unstable. It doesn't help that the five of them are convicted felons and bad enough without the drugs. I can't believe that Sutherland actually gave them a full pardon in exchange for their service."
"How did command let them become involved in this?" Mu said, "You would have never let those kinds of people serve."
"Sounds like Blue Cosmos is more openly influencing things." Sebastian observed.
"I just wanted to give you guys a brief glance of what you'll be facing in the future. Come on, your escape vehicles are this way."
"Wait a minute, what about our Skygrasper?" Sebastian said.
"Son, what I've got for you is far better than any Skygrasper!" Halberton led them to an isolated part of the hanger and Sebastian and Mu's jaws dropped. Standing in front of them were two mobile suits that looked surprisingly like the Strike, but without the Phase Shift Armor, a single optic sensor, and a single beam saber mounted on the back.
"Say hello to the GAT-01 Strike Dagger, The first mobile suit to ever be produced by the Earth Alliance." Halberton said.
"This is it? That's the end result of the G-Project! After the likes of the Strike and the other prototypes, THIS is the unit that the Earth Forces puts into mass production?" Sebastian said, rather hurt. "They're nothing! No offence, Admiral, but I'd think that at least it would have Striker pack capability?"
"They're rush jobs, this particular model was only intended for test purposes, but command was impatient and wanted to get mobile suits onto the battlefield ASAP." Halberton said. "A more appropriate version with Striker Pack capability and laminated armor is being made, but not here, this is all I got."
"I guess they'll have to do. They should be at least enough for us to fight our way out to the Archangel." Mu said. Sebastian grudgingly nodded.
"You're right, I suppose. By the way, where did you get the Guuls?" he indicated to the familiar jet platforms the Daggers sat on.
"Captured in various places, since the Strike Daggers don't have the ability to equip Aile packs, as you have mentioned, Commander, this was the next best solution."
"What about the OS problem?" Mu said, "It won't be a problem for Sebastian fly, but if there's no OS. I'm screwed."
"It's been taken care of" Halberton said, "Now get out of here."
"You should come with us, Admiral. I'm certain Lord Uzumi would welcome your experience, and Captain Ramius would be elated to see you again" Sebastian said. The former commander of the Eighth Fleet simply smiled. It was the smile of a devious and cunning thinker.
"It's an enticing offer, but once I'm done here, I'm going to Ptolemaeus where my own plans are in the works. That doesn't mean we won't see each other again, however. In fact, I'm counting on it. Now both of you leave! That's an order."
"Yes sir!" the two pilots said, saluting.
"Okay, Mu. Let's see what these Strike knockoffs can do! Sebastian Connor, launching!"
Mu was quite eager to see what the Strike Dagger could do, since this would be the first time that he could do some serious damage against mobile suits.
"Mu La Flaga, launching!" And they both took off into the skies.
Outside JOSH-A
The Battle of Alaska, aka Operation Spitbreak, was in full swing, and the Archangel was right in the middle of it. The Strike, Predator, Blitz, and Astrays belonging to Tolle, Asagi, Juri, and Mayura were airborne, facing off with the numerous GINNs, DINNs, and CGUEs that came their way. As the Aegis, Duel, and Buster were relegated to firing from the Archangel's deck.
"When we get back to Orb" Dearka said as he blasted a DINN out of the sky, "Remind me to have that Simmons chick upgrade the Buster for atmospheric flight."
"I think that Sebastian mentioned doing that, actually for all of our machines" Athrun said. The Aegis jumping into the air and transforming just long enough to use the Scylla.
The appearance of the Archangel had not gone unnoticed by the Earth Forces. Sutherland especially was surprised…and pissed.
"He lied to us! La Flaga lied to us!" Sutherland said, appearing to suffer from apoplexy, "Give me that ship!" he snarled.
"Commander Ramius, what are you doing, and wearing the uniform of another nation for that?" He said as Murrue came on the screen in her Orb uniform.
"We just came here to pick up our lost hawk and wolf." Murrue said, "We no longer serve the Earth Forces, Captain. We know the truth about you, and pretty much the rest of Alliance High Command."
"No matter, you'll just die with the rest of them!" Sutherland said, "You can't stop what's been set into motion!"
"He was a real cheery type" Flay observed.
"Pay no mind to him, Lieutenant Allster" Natarle said.
"AURRRLLLOOOOOO!!!!" a familiar howl came over the loudspeaker, "Archangel, this is Storm Wolf, the Hawk and I have found what we've been looking for, and we are coming to meet you."
"You should be advised we are under attack. ZAFT detected us and sent two submarines after us. We're a little busy ourselves, Commander!" Murrue grimaced, as missiles impacted on the laminated armor.
"Well, just so you know. You'll see two mobile suits that look rather like the Strike riding Guuls. Tag those machines as friendly." Sebastian said.
"Repeat that, Commander?" Murrue said, "Did you say two mobile suits?"
"You heard me correctly, Murrue. The Earth Forces have begun mass production. An old friend of ours was kind enough to let us be the first to try them out." Sebastian said, "Admiral Halberton also wanted to me give you a hello from him." Everyone fell silent at the mention of that name.
"Admiral Halberton is alive?" Flay said. Even though she hadn't known him very well, she had grieved with Murrue in orbit, moved at the noble sacrifice the Eighth Fleet had made to allow the Archangel to make it planet side.
"Yes, he is, Flay. He was very helpful to us. He gave his personal file on the G-Project, Murrue. Everything we could need is inside it." Mu said, "We have you in sight. Looks like you can use some help."
"I agree, Mu. Besides, we shouldn't let Admiral Halberton's gifts go to waste." Sebastian said, his voice taking on a predatory tone, "I think we can afford to hunt a little before we go."
Author's Notes: I think ZAFT is going to be in for a very bad experience in the next chapter. In part 2, we'll see the return of an old foe, and the conclusion of Spitbreak.
