And now, it is time to start some UC Gundam plot, as well as some Turn A Gundam plot... or at least my interpretation of it.
Chapter 37 – Spies At Dinner! Moon and Axis Are Allies!
Char could always depend on his contacts in the Federation government to give him the latest information - and the information he just got came just at the right time - Londo Bell, who had disappeared into a strange portal several weeks ago, had returned. But they were a factor that would be accounted for in the grand scheme of things. He needed to plan the attack with his immediate subordinate, Haman Khan. And it was for that purpose that the two met on the back porch of Haman's lovely Axis mansion.
Of course, Haman had her own agenda, which she kept in mind at all times, even as she relaxed on the porch of Char's mansion, chatting with him over important manners over a nice pitcher of iced tea.
"Lord Char, have you thought about how beautiful the Earth once was?" she said as she gazed out at the lovely scenery. This immediately took Char by surprise - barely a few months ago, she had openly referred to Earth as a "wretched mud-ball". This sudden change in tone immediately made him wonder what had happened.
"Yes, the Earth was once beautiful, I suppose," he replied. "But thanks to the Federation and the Gundam Fight, it's the way it is now."
"I won't dance around my point," Haman said decisively, leaning towards him. "Char, I think that even if the Earth's gravity weighs our souls down as we both agree it does, is it not our mother? Doesn't the way the Federation treats it as a battle ring sicken you?"
The leader of Neo Zeon took another sip from his glass and placed it on the table between them.
"Lord Char, the Federation is not merely the enemy of Neo Zeon...it is the enemy of planet Earth itself!" Haman said, putting her own glass on the table and getting to her feet. "As Newtypes, the mature children of our precious mother, cannot turn a blind eye as those whose souls are bound by her gravity continue to eat away at her! If we do, we are just as guilty as the Federation!"
"You are all talk right now, Haman. You need a plan."
"That's what we met to discuss, didn't we? Well, I can only offer one suggestion: have Fifth Luna collide with one of the Neo Colonies, and teach those arrogant souls the punishment for abusing the Earth and denying us Spacenoids our right to independence."
"And if the Federation remains unwilling to heed our message?"
"Drop Axis on Neo Hong Kong during the Gundam Fight Finals," Haman replied with a smirk. "What better way to usher in the end of the Federation's infection than during its day of greatest celebration? The nuclear winter will wipe out any survivors that do not flee to space."
"That's all very well and good, but what about the Neo Colonies themselves?" Char said, standing up as well. "Their inhabitants live here in space."
"All of the colony leaders come down to Earth to watch the Gundam Fight Finals. When they're all wiped out in one fell swoop, we can conquer the other colonies while they're panicking...and to aid in that effort, perhaps we could enlist the aid of the Lunar Kingdom."
Char remembered Agrippa Maintainer and his pleas to join forces...as well as his mention of a weapon stronger than even a Colony Laser or a Super Robot.
"I'll see what I can do...but for now, we can move forward as planned."
Rossiu and a few of his assistants descended down the elevator to the deepest part of Lordgenome's old fortress. The room they found at the bottom was dark, save for a single barely glowing tube of liquid in the center. There was a thick mass in the center of it, but the darkness hid its nature from view. Bubbles rose in clusters up the tube, indicating that a gas of some kind was being channeled into it as well.
As they stepped inside, numerous green lights came on, and a low hum filled the room, causing the tube to glow more brightly, revealing the mass inside: it was a human head attached to countless wires. The head was wrinkled and bald, but hardly that of a weak, aging mortal. The shocked out goatee was still thick and full.
"We did it...the biocomputer has been activated," one of Rossiu's assistants said.
"Well done," Rossiu replied before turning to the head. "Awaken, Lordgenome, the man who once protected humanity."
The head was indeed that of the feared Spiral King. But now it had been attached to a powerful computer system, and as a mere head sealed inside a vat, could do no harm. Lordgenome slowly opened his eyes, which had a spiral in them - this was the mark of one who had drunk deep of Spiral Power. He then let out a yawn, as if he had been woken up from a nap.
"Just as you predicted, the Humanity Extermination System is starting up."
"And in a panic, you bring the dead back from hell," Lordgenome replied.
"You are simply a bio-computer created using Lordgenome's cells. I won't question your responsibilities from your previous existence. But tell me, was Nia's prophecy true? Is the moon truly going to fall on us?"
Lordgenome closed his eyes, as if processing something.
"The moon is only half of the threat."
"So, what's the other half?" Rossiu asked.
"The other half of the Humanity Extermination System is an entity that humanity itself has given form, but the Anti-Spiral have given their blessing."
"And?" Rossiu demanded.
"That is all I know," Lordgenome replied. "But it seems your mind is made up already. I doubt my words have changed your intentions."
Masato and Miku, like just about all of the newcomers to the group, were run through the informal initiation process of joining DREAM - watching an episode of Gekiganger 3 and tasting Akito's cooking. But the two opted to stay on the Ra Calium, where Dianna, Loran and Harry also chose to stay.
Zeorymer's pilots went to check up on the mech in the hangar, and it just so happened that Masato happened to lay eyes on the Turn A Gundam.
"Miku...I think I know that robot from somewhere," Masato said. "Just like how I knew Zeorymer. Why would I know that machine? It's not related to the Hakkeshu at all."
However, Miku's attention was diverted to somewhere else. She saw Leeron wheeling what appeared to be a boxers-sporting robotic skeleton into another part of the hangar on a two tiered cart, with the lower one holding a bucket. with Yoko and Janus following behind. Yoko was holding a long cord that was running out from Gurren Lagann's head, while Janus held a black disc. Curious, she turned off in another direction in order to follow them...
"This is another of your 'side projects', Leeron?" Yoko quipped as the mechanical genius prepared. "You haven't told anyone about this."
"What did you think I was doing while you were out in battle, silly?" Leeron replied. "I found this thing in Lordgenome's scrap pile right next to where Granlif was. I figured it was related, so I took it along. Then when I saw Xemmey as an android, I knew exactly how it worked! Of course, I made my own additions...Jan, before I forget, can you insert the disk into the slot on its chest?"
"But if this thing is like Xemmey," Janus replied as he did so, "It's kinda missing...you know, everything that isn't its skeleton?"
Leeron pulled the bucket from under the cart and turned it over. Unceremoniously, a viscous goop the same color as a fair-skinned human began to flow out, and quickly began to cover and cling to the inactive skeleton.
"Okay...what did that accomplish?" Janus said, wondering just what sort of crazy stunt Leeron was trying to pull.
"You'll see," the mechanic replied eagerly. "Yoko, be a doll and plug that cord into his head, would you, puhleaz?"
"Won't this fry the android's circuits or damage the disk?" Yoko replied as she hesitantly plugged the cord into the socket on the small robot's head.
"Girl, this is Spiral Power we're talking about; Simon can make it do what he wants it to do! Speaking of which...hit it, hon!"
Back in the hangar, Simon, hearing Leeron's call, revved Gurren Lagann's Spiral Engine, which was connected to the android. The Spiral Power traveled down the cord and entered the android's body. The viscous goo began to wobble and quake, then it began to attach to the skeleton, forming artificial skin, muscles and even hair.
Meanwhile, the head began to form into a familiar face - it was the same face as that of Xengar, the floating head who served as Janus' AI companion. Before long, it had formed into an anatomically correct human, right down to the extras in the groin. Its decency was kept thanks to Leeron's foresight to give it underwear.
Miku watched this whole spectacle in shock. What on earth was this Leeron person doing with THOSE secrets?
After the goo had finished forming around the skeleton and had sufficiently hardened (which happened very quickly), the android began to hum and whir a bit. Yoko and Janus looked on intently, which Leeron simply got an eyeful of the well chiseled body.
Finally, the android's eyes opened, causing Leeron to raise his arms to the heavens, and laugh maniacally while it sat up.
"IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIIIVE!" he cackled.
"Ungh...where am I...Wait a minute, this isn't the cockpit of the XNG-0A!" the newly activated android exclaimed.
"Welcome to the real world, you big hunk of man-droid, you!" Leeron said with a swoon.
"Hey, buddy," Janus said. "You've got a body now, thanks to Leeron here."
Xengar examined his new form, seeing how everything worked. After a moment, the android slid off the cart and onto his feet. He walked around a bit, with a perfectly natural gait.
"Wow...if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a real human," Yoko commented. "And a real lady-killer, too."
"Let's get you some new threads, and then Jan here will show you off!" the mechanic said excitedly. "And it just so happens that I have some!"
Miku quickly left, hoping she hadn't been seen.
"That's what you said, Puru?" Judau asked Puru with Amuro and Bright present on the Ra Calium's bridge. "Char's going to talk with the Lunar Kingdom about an alliance?"
"Uh-huh," the girl replied. "One of Char's men told it to me."
"Is that so?" Bright said thoughtfully. "Do they think you're spying on us?"
"Yup!" Puru said with a giggle. "But I just want to be with big brother Judau, and not with that mean old Haman!"
"Okay, listen, Puru," Bright continued; "I know it may not seem right, but I need you to lie about what we're up to, and tell us any information they tell you."
"Hey, you're asking her to LIE to them?!" Judau protested angrily. "Of course, we can't just tell them what we're doing, but still, it would be better if she just didn't say anything! Puru, just..."
"Judau, I don't like using tricks like these either," Amuro said, shaking his head. "But Char wants to ruin the Earth and make it completely uninhabitable! If there's a way we can stop Char or get him to change his mind, then we have to do whatever it takes to find it out."
"Okay," Puru said with a sigh. "Haman's gonna meet with some guys named Ghingnham and Maintainer at the Lunar Kingdom's capital...um...I think it's in two days."
"I see," Bright said with a nod. "Well, thank you, Puru. You may yet save countless lives with what you just told us."
The Ra Calium and Nadesico successfully launched into space, and headed for the Lunar Kingdom on the dark side of the moon.
But after some discussion amongst themselves and further investigation of the matter, DREAM's members arrived at the conclusion that a direct assault was not the best of plans. The negotiations were being held in the royal palace itself under the pretense of a gala celebrating an initiation of trade relations between the two powers; and there would be innocent civilians.
Instead, a select group would pose as guests and see if they could pick up any information to exactly how Neo Zeon and the Lunar Kingdom would be working together.
"Since the head of Anaheim Electronics is going, I'll go," Akatsuki said confidently. "As his business partner, I'm sure he will vouch for me."
"I'll go!" Puru said. "They all think I'm a Zeon soldier, so they'll let me in for sure!"
"As for anyone else," Bright said. "We need to pick individuals who they would have reasonable doubt to consider possible spies. That probably disqualifies just about anyone from this world..."
Eventually, the remaining infiltrators were chosen, a grand total of six, to cover the most ground. On top of Puru and Akatsuki, Tara, Janus, Yurika and Akito were also chosen. However, Loran, who knew the capital and the palace like the back of his hand, was chosen to lead the operation as the ninth.
And in order to do that without being recognized, Loran needed a disguise...and Yurika happened to have a large store of formal clothing on the Nadesico, which she had saved for formal occasions. Meanwhile, the young queen and the two princess sisters provided Loran training for how to walk like a proper lady.
All during the slow journey to the moon, Loran was drilled over and over in the proper etiquette for women at parties, from posture to dancing lessons to how to curtsy properly. The manlier men in DREAM struggled to contain their laughter at what Loran had to go through.
"And once more!" Dianna said, tapping a fan in her hand to a rhythm. "1, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3..."
"Can we take a break?" Loran sighed. "We've been at this for four hours! And you know very well that I know how to waltz! I'm going to gather information, for the love of..."
"You're going to learn to dance and act like a proper lady," Dianna replied with a leer. "It's a very important part of the disguise."
"Don't be embarrassed, Loran," Nunnally said. "We've had Gender Role Reversal Festivals at my school for two years now. Suzaku and my big brother even got in on it. It was fun!"
"Easy for you to say," Loran grumbled. No one thinks twice if a woman dresses up like a man...but if it's the other way around...
While the rest of DREAM waited out at the moon's equator, the infiltration team was flown into the domed city. Each of them had a tiny recording device placed inside their ears. Due to the lack of Minofsky Particles in the vicinity of the Lunar Kingdom, signals from the devices could easily be beamed back to the ship. After finding Dianna's contact and obtaining forged invitations, "Laura", Loran's fake name, led them up to the palace, trying his best not to trip in the high heeled shoes he was wearing.
They approached to a guard, a member of the coup d'etat faction. As each guest passed, they held out their invitation for the guard to take a quick glance at.
"Invitations out, guys!" Puru said. She wore a cute lace dress with a similar color scheme to her Quebley.
Tara and Akito wore nice suits; Yurika wore a more formal version of her usual captain's outfit (with the patches removed to prevent suspicion); and Tara wore a dress similar to the one she had worn the day of the art contest judging.
As they passed, the guard glanced at their invitations, and showed no signs of suspicion whatsoever, especially when they were being led around by Elpeo Puru.
"All right, we'll split up into pairs." Loran said. "Akatsuki, I hope you don't mind babysitting."
"Shouldn't a nice young lady like yourself have a companion?" Janus said with a bit of a snicker. "Go with Puru and Akatsuki. They'll protect you!"
"C'mon, lay off," Loran replied in an annoyed tone. "It's not like I want to dress up like this."
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Janus said, trying to calm down. "C'mon, let's go before I split my sides..."
Haman Khan, dressed in a lovely white gown with large silk roses on the shoulder and hip; as well as a pink bow on her left arm, was already getting bored of schmoozing with the politicians. Meanwhile, Gym Ghingnham was off flexing his muscles for the ladies, while Agrippa Maintainer was too busy kissing up to Zeon officials. The only person she was remotely interested being around was Char, and he hadn't arrived yet.
But then Haman caught sight of Yurika and Akito. They were at the refreshment table, sampling the different delicacies. She got the same aura from them as she did Judau - an honest one that suggested not only a lack of ill intentions, but to ever possibly possess them. Figuring they would be good for a laugh, the Zeon commander approached them.
"Pardon me, but I don't think I've seen the likes of you around."
"Oh...um...hello," Akito replied nervously, remembering the description Judau had given of Char's right-hand woman. "I gotta say...the people of Zeon have good taste!"
"Yes, the refreshments are nice, I suppose," Haman said with a sigh. She hated small talk.
"I especially like those little veggie rolls," the Aestivalis pilot said as he picked up. "They're not too oily, nice crunchy exterior, and the hint of garlic really enhances it!"
"Really?" Haman said, dropping her guard a little at this unexpected comment. "It's a little recipe I came up with myself...do you cook?"
"Are you kidding?" Yurika said excitedly. "My darling Akito is the best cook around! I bet he could make better food than any chef in all of Zeon!"
"Really? What exactly is a cook doing at a party where only politicians and military men are allowed?"
"Hey, I'm a battleship captain, you know!" Yurika chimed in. "I...um...used to be, anyway."
"Yeah, we defected from the Federation to Zeon." Akito replied, thinking quickly. "But we haven't been assigned to any ships yet. If you don't believe us, we'll give you some information that we got before we defected."
"We heard that the Federation is sending a fleet to Mars," Yurika said quietly. "If I were you, I'd ambush them on the way."
Haman gasped. There were already operations by Zeon to colonize Mars - if the Federation knew, then that meant the entire venture was in danger. Even if the information was false, the operations were too important to leave unprotected.
Of course, she didn't know that Yurika had come up with that idea on the spot, nor did Yurika know that Zeon actually had plans to colonize Mars.
"I see. You've given me very important information," Haman replied cordially. "I'll see to it that Lord Char gets it. Excuse me."
The whole room went silent as Char stepped into the ballroom. As everyone watched him, his eyes slowly from one side of the room to the other, looking for anyone suspicious, and using his Newtype senses to that effect as well.
As he walked down, every person (even the spies) in the room raised their arms up, and uttered that famous battle cry:
"...HAIL ZEON!"
But as he did so, his Newtype senses picked up an aura amidst the crowd that he had only felt once before - but that aura was one he wouldn't soon forget. It belonged to the pilot of that white Super Robot – he had never seen his face, but there was no mistaking it in his mind. It was a surprisingly strong one, especially for a non-Newtype, and it had only gotten stronger.
Even so, Char didn't sense any hostility coming from him. Perhaps he could yet ascertain the pilot's reasons for being here, and even convince him to switch sides. Zeon had no Super Robots in its arsenal, and having one at all would be a major advantage.
He motioned for the crowd to continue their activities, and then turned to the small band playing in the far corner.
He also spied a woman elsewhere in the crowd, with silver hair and dark skin. Somehow, Char was reminded of Lalah Sune, a Newtype woman he had saved from a Neo-Indian brothel and both her and Amuro had fallen in love with during the One Year War, but . In an odd sort of way, everything he was doing was to get his revenge.
He approached the woman, bowed politely.
"Pardon me, but may I have this dance?"
Loran was immediately uneasy, but agreed. He couldn't afford to blow his cover. As the band began playing a waltz, the two held hands, stepped out onto the dance floor and began to dance...
Clang!
Clang-clang!
Clang-clang-clang!
"Halt!"
The two fencers, garbed in white gear and masks and holding sabers, paused and withdrew. Prince Clovis la Britannia, the 'reborn' third prince, was judging a fencing match.
"Parry...riposte...counter-parry...feint attack to my right...Point and bout goes to Sir Kururugi!"
The two fencers pulled off their masks, approached each other with sword points facing away and shook hands.
"That was pretty good, Lady Tahra," Suzaku said to his opponent, a purple-haired girl with sky-blue eyes. "You're getting better. Prince Clovis was right to select you as his new Knight."
"I'll never be as good as you are, Knight of Seven," Tahra replied, "Or any Knight of the Round for that matter."
Tahra, for all she knew, was raised by a Britannian noble family, and then inducted as Prince Clovis' new knight. She had assumed that she would be married to Prince Schneizel, but when the supposedly-dead prince returned, the Emperor chose Clovis to be her husband, and her to be his Knight. She knew nothing of her past, or of her other self. She didn't even know that she was half-Japanese.
Her true parents were already dead now, and the plans for Lifthrasir had been stolen by the Geass Order, allowing them to manufacture a Knightmare Frame based off of it – the Lifthrasir Bors.
"On the contrary, my dear violet-locks," Clovis said cheerfully. "I've petitioned His Majesty to make you a Knight of the Round! You were responsible for the successful capture of the highest ranking members of the Black Knights! You even fought Tohdoh of Miracles to a standstill with Lifthrasir Bors!"
"But some of them got away, and even so, it was Sir Kururugi who..."
"Hey, give yourself a little credit!" Suzaku said. "We have all of their most important members locked up thanks to you."
"All except for C.C...she's a slippery one," Clovis replied. "But enough talk, you two should go tidy up for tonight's dinner."
Loran was stupefied at the way Char was treating him. Even in spite of accidentally stepping on his foot five or six times, Char had invited him into his private chamber in the castle and just...chatted with him, as if the disguised pilot was his dear friend. Loran was on his guard the whole time, trying not to let slip that he was not only a spy, but a man. Char had already figured out the first part, though.
Yet at the same time, Char felt that this person would be receptive to his vision. After so much idle chatting, the ace pilot began the process.
"Laura, I can only suppose you've seen the people down there at the party," Char said. "They pretend to be friendly, but in reality they're working to one day stab each other in the back and take the place of others. On Earth and in the Neo Colonies, it is far worse. I have seen it myself, and I'm certain you have as well, even among the people of this Kingdom."
"Not all people are like that," Loran replied.
"Indeed...Newtypes have a gift that is born from living in space," the Zeon ace replied; "The ability to mentally connect with others like themselves and to directly sense the thoughts and feelings of other people, Newtype or otherwise."
"Sounds nice," Loran said thoughtfully. "If everyone had that ability, we could all understand each other. But does it really come with everyone who goes into space?"
"I like to believe so," Char answered. "The previous monarch, Queen Dianna, seemed that way. Regardless, that is the next step humanity needs to take as a species. We must all find a way to become Newtypes so we can leave the embrace of our mother and explore the universe; and that's why...
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
"Lord Char, the general and the prime minister are here to see you," a soldier called out from outside.
"I apologize, but more pressing matters have come up," the commander said. Loran got up unsteadily, sighing with relief.
"But before you go, I'd like you to convey this message to Amuro Ray and Kamille Bidan."
He froze.
"Tell them that I'm going to shoulder the burden of erasing mankind's sins, and no amount of lecturing will make me change my mind."
Next time, more fun in space! No, I am not changing the fic's rating simply because Loran cross-dressed.
