Disclaimer: I dont own Gundam
Hey guys, I'm back with another exciting chapter and the longest chapter so far. Mobile suit combat is back as the G-Exes makes its debut along with a character from the G-Gundam anime (now I know opinion regarding that anime is controversial but rest assured I wont make the fights too...G-Gundamish :) plus Gekido gets more Shrike girl teasing
Gundam Rise Purpose
Chapter 4: Valentine Graveyard
The Laura Rola was a fine ship, though it had nothing on the Infernus or the Archangel. Throughout his stay Gekido would always move through the ship with his hood on, alongside Woolf or one of the Shrike girls, never alone much to Gym Ghingham's disappointment. He could tell that the giant of a man wanted to talk to him alone and the feeling wasn't mutual. Gekido wanted to get Dianna alone and talk to her about the moon's cryogenics facility; he didn't have time to indulge his berserker tendencies. Gym Ghingham clearly shared his mentality as a berserker, but Gym seemed to embrace it with an old fashioned warrior's spirit. He'd revelled in war, not battle and that was a dangerous thing. Gekido crossed the corner of the corner, walking with Mahalia. She was dressed in a grey flight suit with a red ribbon tied around her arm. All of the Shrike team girls wore ribbons on their arms, and bore their team emblem on their shoulder patch's. The emblem was of a bird, probably a robin or a bird just as small holding a plant of some kind. Gekido wasn't familiar with birds or plants. But one thing he did know was a mobile suits.
"The Shalldoll," Gekido said, looking at his new machine as he and Mahalia entered the hanger.
Four pink and white mobile suits were lined up on the wall, separate from the Shalldoll. Gekido guessed they were the Genoace's. They were slightly bulkier than the Shalldoll but shorter, mainly because of their simple dome shaped heads. Gekido jumped and floated off of the railing, past the working mechanics so he could further inspect the Shalldoll. It had been painted to resemble the Purpose's phase shift armour, grey with red highlights on certain parts of the chest and arms. The suit even had two horn like protrusions on the back of its head, furthering its imitation of the Purpose. Gekido floated onto the machine's shoulder and took a look at its neighbour. Now while the Shalldoll was a simple mobile suit with mere bits added to it to resemble the Purpose, Woolf's unit the G-Exes looked like a deliberate attempt to imitate a Gundam. But it had no V-fin and in Gekido's eyes that didn't make it a Gundam.
'Besides Gundam pilots either need to be whiney, antisocial or plain angsty…hold on have I just stereotyped Gundam pilots, god I hope I'm not one of the whiney ones, I don't people comparing me to Kira,' Gekido inwardly groaned.
"You know, you get a distant look in your eyes most of the time, are you contemplating something?" Mahalia asked, sitting on shoulder opposite Gekido.
"I was thinking about the machines like the Purpose, the Gundams. Helen said you are all part of Sensou and that Vincent has recruited a load of exceptional pilots, are they Gundam pilots?" Gekido asked.
"You know what, I have no idea, alls I know is that they're carrying out secret operations to take out the renegade OZ soldiers. I've heard whispers of G-Type suits working in Sensou operations. Vincent has been working quite closely with Edward Harrelson, that guy with the Sword Calamity, and an Astray type Gundam that apparently has a camera attached to its gun. Or the gun is a camera, I'm not quite sure," Mahalia babbled.
Gekido huffed, crossing his arms as he leant against the Shalldoll's head.
"How do women like you end up on the battlefield?" he wondered.
"Careful that's sexist," Mahalia put on a scolding tone to her voice. "But you wouldn't be the first person to put it that way, it get it really…" she sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"Get what?" Gekido looked at her curiously.
"You don't like it when people you think shouldn't be on the battlefield get hurt…your concerned about us women," Mahalia grinned.
"So chivalry really isn't dead," Helen said from the Shalldoll's leg.
Gekido looked down, seeing Helen, Peggy and Kate standing side by side in their flight suits.
"You're a regular knight in shining armour," Kate smiled.
"Such a gentleman," Peggy said.
The girls giggled as Gekido growled. Full-blown laughter echoed through the deck. Woolf and Gym stood at the door, their heads rolling in amusement. Gekido overcame his initial anger and began chuckling. Dianna watched the scene from the observation deck and smiled slightly at how much fun everyone was having. Gekido floated down to the floor, laughing as Helen got her makeup mirror out.
"This is what I'm talking about, not to be sexist but I always imagined women like you modelling clothes on a magazine or even acting in films," Gekido explained.
"Yeah, everyone would come to see a film with no acting but great looking women, besides I'm a total disaster on stage, I get stage fright," Mahalia said, landing behind Gekido.
"I can see where your looking at this from, why do something dangerous like this when we could be living in luxury. Well the simple fact is, we all wanted to do something that made a difference. We wanted to dedicate ourselves to a cause and for a while we found that cause in the Orb military. But after Onogoro we decided to focus our will on another cause, the cause of Sensou," Helen explained, applying a layer of lipstick.
"We know how to fight, you don't need to worry about us Gekido," Peggy said.
"You're my comrades now, even Woolf is my comrade, once we go into battle we'll have to watch one another's back," Gekido said.
The Shrike team nodded their heads as Gekido floated away from them. Woolf watched the moment with a grin, one that quickly fell as Gym slapped him on the back. The taller man had that feral grin across his face, though it was clear he had something constructive to say.
"It seems Gekido Jaeger's reputation of possessing extreme compassion for his comrades is true, he apparently cried at Jachin Due you know," Gym explained.
"Your mistaken, that's Gekido Kuzunagi, Gekido Jaeger died at Jachin Due," Woolf said.
"Really, perhaps I should talk with him to confirm that," Gym muttered.
Woolf slapped Gym's hand off his back and glared at the man.
"You go anywhere near Gekido and I wont even bother using my gun, I'll beat the crap out of you there and then," Woolf growled.
Gym narrowed his eyes in excitement, his hands trembling as they lingered over his katana. Woolf squeezed his hand into a fist, waiting for Gym to make the first move. But the Moonracer quickly lost interest as Gekido passed them. The young man looked at them from the corner of his eye. His expression clearly said two things; for Woolf not to fight his battles and Gym to back off. Ghingham nodded his head to Gekido before walking away from Woolf.
"Gekido," Woolf said, catching his attention. "Be careful with Gym Ghingham, he may be a fellow berserker but remember that he hasn't forged the kind of bonds with his comrades you have, nor experienced your level of war," he explained.
Gekido huffed as he summoned the elevator.
"I pray no one ever does, Woolf what made you want to be a pilot? And not just cause you were bored," Gekido looked to the man with a frown on his face.
"Its true I was bored with being a racer, along with wanting to pilot I wanted to do something that benefited people besides sponsors," Woolf explained.
Gekido nodded his head, more satisfied with Woolf's reason than he had been before. His respect also grew slightly, though not much. He took the elevator to the bridge, deciding to familiarise himself with the crew a bit more. The communications officer was a young girl as old as Miriallia, cute and bubbly with green hair. Behind her was the radar operator, an older young man wearing glasses with his black hair slicked back. Gekido walked down the deck, looking at the other CIC staff. They were all pretty young, supervised by people like Natarle and Murdoch.
"Remember your training, mobile suits are hotter than meteorites, but since we're at peace now remember to relay the signal to Kara before you fire," the first mate explained to a very young gunner.
The first mate wore an EA uniform and on instinct Gekido pulled his hood further down his head. She had red curly hair and carried herself with a disciplined demeanour. Though Gekido caught the flicker of a smile as she watched the banter between two crewmates.
"Both equally skilled pilots with complete knowledge of their machines, which machine do you think would win, the Freedom or the Strike?"
"Easy, the Freedom every time, it's got the fire power and the speed, the Strike's just too clunky even with the Aile!"
"Okay I can get that, how's about this then, the Justice and Freedom against the Purpose and the Nenshou Kokoro?"
"Both would be very close fights if the pilots were equal," Gekido said, taking an interest in the conversation.
"Well the Purpose would probably be the first to go, I mean it doesn't have as many flashy weapons as the other three units," the crewman on the right said.
He was a ginger haired boy with freckles and a keen smile. His partner, sitting to his left had a very intrigued face, decorated by the long bangs of his blue hair.
"All units would last long if they had good pilots, the Purpose is a very resilient machine, while it probably would ultimately be destroyed it would make both the Freedom and the Justice work for the kill," he explained.
"Come on Decker if the Freedom had an actual good pilot it would wipe out everyone!"
"The Freedom does have a good pilot," Gekido growled slightly.
"I'm sorry?"
"He always avoids the vital spots, any person could kill in a mobile suit, a truly brilliant pilot doesn't need to kill his enemies," Gekido explained.
"A good point, but your kind of missing the Freedom's strength Seamus, its not in its fire power but its targeting computer. It makes it very easy for the pilot to target multiple suits and parts. If the Freedom pilot was using something like the Strike, they wouldn't be nearly as good at disabling a mobile suit. In fact one might even go so far as to saying that the Freedom was designed specifically to disable a mobile suit," Decker explained.
"No, the Freedom was designed to barrage enemies with beam fire and overwhelm them completely," Seamus said.
"Lets just agree to disagree," Decker sighed.
"I suppose we could talk about which of the Shrike girls is hotter!"
"Not on any woman's shift," the first mate said. "Are we clear?"
"Yes Commander Tanner," the two boys said.
Gekido heard a chuckle next to him and saw the captain. He was sitting at the captain's chair over all of his crewmembers and it looked like a tight fit. Despite his heavy weight he fit nicely into his EA uniform.
"Boys will be boys Lizbeth," he said.
"Yes Captain," Commander Tanner said.
Gekido floated to the Captain's side and looked at his view of space. He could just about make out the first layer of scrap of the debris belt. The captain looked over at him and smiled.
"You have the look of a great pilot you know," he said.
"That's kind of you to say sir," Gekido said dismissively.
"Yeah, you carry yourself with confidence, tempered by caution. I haven't seen that since Gekido Jaeger," the captain smirked.
"Really, what was he like?" Gekido asked, not playing into the man's game.
"Oh I only know by reputation you see, a close friend of mine described to me in quite great detail what the boy looked like, how he moved and how he might move in the future," the captain explained.
"This friend got a name?"
"He was a very important admiral, and a good man!"
'Halberton,' Gekido thought.
"He said that Gekido Jaeger made him feel that one soldier couldn't make a difference, but one soldier was always the start," the captain said.
Gekido turned to the man and confirmed that he wasn't any officer he'd met. The man had a kind expression ill suited for a soldier and a very thick white beard. Gekido couldn't stop the next words coming out of his mouth:
"Did Christmas come early?"
The crewmembers clutched their mouths, trying not to laugh. Captain 'Santa' however was much more amused and rolled his head back laughing. Even Lizbeth was holding in her amusement.
"My wife always did say I should get rid of the beard, 'makes you look like Santa Claus, its bad enough your last names Kringle'" the man laughed.
"Don't tell me your names Kris Kringle," Gekido chuckled.
"No, as far as my crews concerned I'm merely Captain Kringle."
"Well Kris, it was nice meeting you, good to see an Alliance officer again," Gekido said.
"Former alliance actually," Kringle corrected.
"We left the alliance and transferred into the service of Sensou," Lizbeth said.
"I see," Gekido muttered as he turned his back.
"Don't you want to catch a view of the debris belt?" Kringle asked.
"I've already seen it before, nothing special," Gekido said.
Kringle sighed as he turned to Lizbeth. The woman nodded her head, confirming his suspicions.
"I guess we are all trying to move away from our pasts," Kringle said.
Gekido stopped, turning his head to Kringle.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked.
"Perhaps one day I'll be drunk enough to tell you," Kringle sighed.
Gekido huffed before walking out of CIC. He kept his hands in his pockets as the elevator took him down a few levels. The time on the ship was boring, so much so that Gekido yearned for combat. But he knew it was dangerous and stupid to think such things. He supposed it was an aspect of his Cyber Psyche and berserker natures.
"Come on Gekido, your not just another weapon, there must be more to us than that," he sighed.
The elevator door opened and Gekido stepped into the hanger's observation deck. Standing there, watching the crew work was Dianna Soreil. Gekido walked into the room, lifting off his hood as he joined Dianna's side. They stood there for a minute, the awkward silence expected from their first encounter.
"One could mistake you for twins you know," he finally said.
"What do you mean?" Dianna asked.
"You and Kihel Heim, your both natural body doubles, its no wonder she didn't get out much. I'm assuming your skin's pale because of your times in that cryo chamber," Gekido said.
"I'm pale?" Dianna looked at her skin in the glass's reflection.
'Smooth move Gekido,' he sighed.
He turned to the girl and looked her in the eyes. Dianna shifted uncomfortably, bringing her hands to her chest.
"I get it now, you didn't want the responsibility didn't you?" he asked.
"I love my people, but there comes a point when you get tired of being…well yourself, for so long I've been Dianna Soreil, the queen of the Moonrace, leader of the moon's first independent colony. Only now, after hundreds of years of ruling have I become irrelevant, OZ bullied their way into occupying our colony and the people want them out, but there is nothing I can do to make that happen," Dianna explained.
"The Turn A," Gekido whispered.
"Its nothing, just an artefact we found," she sighed.
"Your wrong Dianna, the Turn A is a mobile suit and an extremely advanced one if a little clunky. Have someone use it as not just a symbol for the people to rally around but as a deterrent," Gekido explained.
"Violence can't be used to drive away violence!"
"Yet when your backs against the wall you'll fight," Gekido growled.
His ears perked and he turned to the door. Gym stood with his arms crossed, looking at Gekido with a grin. He walked further into the room, gripping the handle of his sword. Gekido fisted his hands as Gym threatened to draw it. He smirked at Gekido's stance before removing his hand from the handle.
"Ones sword keeps another in the sheaf, sometimes the mere threat of violence is a deterrent, that's part of the samurai code and a very effective defensive strategy," Gym explained.
"And I'm assuming its how you've kept the Moon safe whenever Dianna wasn't around," Gekido narrowed his eyes at the man, causing him to chuckle.
"You're a sharp one, yeah I have been known to threaten, I even duelled someone once. In fact it's been my actions that have stopped the foundation from completely taking over the moon, my sword, my fleet and my deterrent has kept the Moon safe for generations. ZAFT and the Earth Alliance didn't dare touch the Moonrace because Gym Ghingham was there to protect them," the warrior growled, his voice taking on bestial tones and something else that quickened the pace of Gekido's heart.
'He has fought a war, and he revelled in the feeling, could he be completely lost to his berserker side?' Gekido wondered.
"That's something you and I have in common Gekido, you're always ready for a good fight," Gym smiled.
"We've got nothing in common," Gekido said defensively.
"I'll let you two talk," Dianna said.
"Wait," Gekido growled, grabbing Dianna's hand. "I need to ask you how long you intend to use Kihel like this?" he asked.
"She volunteered, now let me go," Dianna tried to slip out of Gekido's grip, but he bought his face closer to hers.
"Elaborate on that, now!"
"Someone in my service had discovered Kihel, she always knew of our close resemblance so I sought her out and asked her to take my place. She instantly agreed and according to the daily reports Harry Ord sends me she's adapted well, the people are happy and she's beginning talks with the more honourable factions of OZ," Dianna explained.
"Wow, while you're out dilly dallying she's actually playing the role. In fact one might even say that Kihel Heim is better at being you than you ever were," Gekido let go of Dianna's hand, shooting her an intense glare as she floated backwards away from him.
The door closed and Gekido slammed his fist against the glass. His heavy breathing, and the bang from the window echoed through the room. He turned his head and saw Gym standing with his arms crossed.
"You were right, but you shouldn't be too hard on her, after all she's living off borrowed time," Gym said.
Gekido gasped and shook his head, his eyes forced shut with his regret.
"I don't believe it," he sighed.
"The technology that ensured her reign for generations has also ensured her death. Its that Cryo chamber you see, back when it was discovered it was clear that it wasn't meant to be used by a human, and as more time passed Dianna came to tire of her constant repetition. She'd wake up, guide the Moonrace through war and struggle, but eventually both her health and her dedication to her people faded. I supposed that's another thing we have in common, we both served women whom in the end gave up and focused on their own happiness."
Gym noticed Gekido's shoulders vibrate, and rather than stay silent, he furthered Gekido's anger.
"Yeah, instead of taking her father's place or answering the call of the people, Lacus Clyne decides to move into Orb, shack up with a man already spoken for and spend her days singing on the…"
Suddenly, Gekido swung around, punching Gym so hard that the giant toppled. His swords floated off his belt as he slammed into the wall. Yet despite the vicious attack, Gym kept on grinning.
"You don't mention her," Gekido growled. "You don't mention Kira Yamato either and you especially don't talk shit about them!"
"Sounds like you still care about them," Gym huffed.
"Quit screwing around, I don't give a damn about them, they're both good people, worth ten of us. If I ever hear you talking shit about them again it wont be a single punch next time," Gekido snarled.
Ghingham picked up his swords, resting them on his shoulders as he walked to the door.
"Your in denial," he paused at the door, absently addressing Gekido. "They must be planning something', that's how you feel. But the truth is they're just enjoying the peace when in their hearts they know its not going to last. When the sad truth is, the conflict would stop altogether if the ultimate leader and the ultimate deterrent worked together," he explained, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a flash drive.
He threw the flash drive across the room and Gekido caught it with ease.
"Consider that the payment you're looking for, Dianna's opinion is biased, that's all facts in that drive," Gym threw up his thumb before taking the elevator up.
Gekido looked curiously at the flash drive and where Gym had once stood. His hand trembled, squeezing the drive. He chastised himself for allowing his anger to get the better of him. Gym was a tactician and a warrior, and any smart fighter would look for a weakness. If Kira and Lacus were simply biding their time or well and truly enjoying the peace then either way they didn't need or deserve the attention of the enemies Gekido was certain he would make.
'Maintain control,' he thought.
After changing into his cyber suit, the suit that had unlocked his Cyber Psyche abilities and acted as a flight suit, Gekido climbed into the Shalldoll and began analysing its systems. The Cyber suit was repainted grey and the helmet's red diamond shaped visor now no longer completely obscured Gekido's face. He rested his on the overhead compartment and ran through the Shalldoll's weapons. Two dual shields, defensive gauntlets that could harden the strikes of the mobile suits swings and also hid beam pistols and beam sabres. These were Gekido's most favoured weapons and along with the improvements to the Shalldoll's mobility would allow him to fight to the standards he was used to fighting in the Purpose.
"Liking the new digs Gekido?" Woolf asked over the radio.
"Not as good as what I'm used to, but it'll do for now," Gekido said.
"We'll be going on a patrol before we let the Rola go through the field," Helen said.
"How long till we sortie?" Gekido asked.
"Ten more minutes, be ready."
"Sure thing," Gekido nodded before he signed off the radio.
He looked at the flash drive for a moment before sighing and inserting it into the computer. Pulling up his computer screen, Gekido began analysing the data that appeared. They included diagrams of the machines the Heim mining company was excavating. These objects included mobile suits of primitive design like the Flats, medical machinery that would be used to create medical scanners and the Cryo tube. He spotted a researchers note and read it:
Preliminary assessments show that though humans are capable of fitting inside, the machine itself is not meant for the human genome. While the machine still preserves current age, it slowly degenerates the internal organs and especially the brain, creating cancerous tumours. Queen Dianna is aware of this information, yet she still wishes us to create another cryo tube. For what purpose I do not know.
Gekido stroked his cheek and sighed. Dianna was dying and like any dying person was trying to cross off the things on her bucket list.
'We're risking our lives for a damn bucket list,' he growled.
Though he was angry, he couldn't help but feel a string of pity for the 'ruler of the moon'. But he also felt curiosity for what this other Cryo tube was used for. That and the date of the researchers entry was noted before the birth of George Glenn. This led Gekido to the conclusion that the colony built on the moon was older than the public thought. He spotted an updated note taken after George Glenn's big space mission, when he returned.
In all my years of service never did I think of the possibilities George Glen has shown me. His discoveries will change the Earth, but the forgotten moon colony will be left in the dust. I have sent a recommendation to Dianna for us to begin excavating more technology from the moon's surface so we can keep up with the Earth's advancements. The colony development plan will most likely result in more and more colonies built in space, how much longer will pass until humanity has gone beyond Jupiter.
'Not that long really,' Gekido thought.
He continued onto a note taken days before Glenn's assassination.
George Glenn came to my office today. A long trip from his home on Earth, I was flattered by the gesture of course. I care not for his supposed 'coordinator' status. Though not born through natural means his genetic structure is purely human. Yet strangely Glenn didn't come here to ask me to publish my findings. Instead we sat down and one scientist to another spoke of our findings. I can honestly say what he told me frightened and at the same time ensnared me. George Glenn went to Jupiter and perhaps beyond, yet the means intrigued me. He discovered things the Earth Alliance hasn't revealed and he tells me they will kill him for his secrets. So he asked me to preserve what he knows by transferring part of his consciousness into an AI. Though they can destroy his body, George Glenn and the secrets of what he found at Jupiter will live on.
"What the hell," Gekido whispered.
George Glenn, the first of the coordinators was still alive. Or at least his consciousness, but where did it end up? Gekido continued onto the last entry of the scientist before his successor took over, round about the time ZAFT had completed their first generation of mobile suits.
I believe my last days are approaching. But I will go gracefully, I have lived an honest and descent life and I feel no shame for the secrets I have kept. This will be both my final confession and my gift to whomever finds it. The secrets of the moon are connected to the secrets of Jupiter and the deepest reaches of space. Aeolia Schenberg's supposed lost deep space team found something…something terrifying yet wondrous at the same time. Everything we know is about to change. But that is not what I am here to discuss. The Turn A machine is simply the first part of a grand puzzle. A machine that can destroy all other machines and its not alone, the Turn X, its brother unit is also capable of bringing Armageddon. They are both players in a Dark History that still has yet to fully be pieced together. The Earth Alliance is trying to ignore it, but it's only a matter of time before the ghosts of the past find us. I implore you find what George Glenn found on Jupiter.
Aeolia Schenberg was the man behind Celestial Being. Had Schenberg preserved his mind the way George Glenn had? Or was he really as great a futurist as people claimed. Gekido removed the drive and put it in one of his utility pockets. At this point there were two things left for him to do, either find George Glenn, or what passed for the man nowadays or find what he found on Jupiter.
'They knew, father and Athha knew about it, that's why they organised the deep space mission, they're trying to find out the secrets of George Glenn before whatever Schenberg feared happens,' Gekido concluded.
His radio chimed and Gekido immediately hid the surprise on his face. Helen's face appeared on screen, wearing her helmet.
"Your on escort duty Gekido," she said firmly.
The hatch to the Shalldoll opened and Gekido raised his eyebrows in surprise. Dianna was floating in front of him; she wore a common Earth Alliance engineer space suit. Gekido sighed and motioned for her to join his side. She sat on his lap, causing his eyebrow to twitch.
"Be nice Gekido," Helen smirked.
'Damn bitch,' Gekido thought, his inner rage throwing the origin of all tantrums.
Gekido reached for his helmet, fastening the object around his head. He slid the visor down and activated the Shalldoll's targeting cameras. The G-Exes was the first to step onto the catapult.
"Yosh, Woolf here, launching in the G-Exes!"
"Gundam wannabe!" Gekido called out, causing the G-Exes to stumble slightly.
"OI! The G-Exes is its own machine!"
"JUST GO WOOLF!" the Shrike girls yelled.
Woolf sighed, annoyed that his chance to be cool was interrupted. The G-Exes slid across the catapult, which threw it out into space. One by one the Genoace's also stepped onto the catapult and were launched out of the ship.
"Okay Mr Kuzunagi, your clear to go, I'm Maria Harpe, I'll be your communications officer," the green haired girl's face appeared on the screen.
"All right, here we go," Gekido muttered.
He smoothly moved the Shalldoll onto the catapult.
"Pilot Kuzunagi, Shalldoll launching!" he said.
The Shalldoll slid across the catapult and at the same time Gekido engaged his thrusters, coolly flying away from the ship with the aid of the catapults momentum. Dianna gasped at what she saw, though for Gekido it was a sight that only bought back his old anger. The floating continent he and the Archangel crew saw when they first got to the debris field, it was just one piece of the Junius Seven colony. Gekido squeezed his controls tightly, containing his urge to hit something.
"My god," Dianna gasped.
"You knew it had happened, what were you expecting?" Gekido asked.
"I-I," but Dianna was left speechless at the sight of the colony.
Gekido floated to the G-Exes side, nodding the Shalldoll's head. Woolf nodded back and pointed to their objective, the gigantic colony of Junius Seven. It was frightening really to know that an object capable of destroying half of the Earth was floating just above it.
'Don't even entertain such thoughts Gekido,' he cringed at the destruction, as well as the thought that someone would be evil enough to do such a thing.
"We'll keep an eye out for these raiders, Kuzunagi, you take Dianna and make sure she does what she's gotta do," Woolf commanded.
"All right, moving in," Gekido flew the Shalldoll into the colony.
Dianna let out a shriek as a body bounced off of the Shalldoll's head.
"You keep your eyes open and you look at them, this is what the Earth Alliance did, what its leaders allowed Blue Cosmos to do. This is why I joined them, so I could force them to be better, so that it wouldn't happen again," Gekido explained.
He landed the Shalldoll on the streets and opened the hatch. Dianna floated out of the machine and put her hands together. Gekido sighed as he floated out and gripped her shoulders. He activated the weak thrusters on his backpack, keeping them both in one position.
"Be careful in space, one tiny movement and you could float too far way, remember to use your backpack's thrusters…"
"Mr Kuzunagi, with respect could you remain quiet?" Dianna asked.
"How long?"
"For as long as it takes for me to pray, and for this sadness inside me to fade."
Gekido noticed from the tone of Dianna's voice that she was crying. He had no insults for her, only sympathy. It reminded him of Miriallia's reaction.
'Never again,' he thought on that oath.
Blue Cosmos had tried again and if not for the Freedom and Justice they probably would have succeeded. But Patrick Zala actually attempted to destroy the Earth.
'Schenberg talked about something in space, but what about our nature, men like Patrick Zala are far greater threats than ghosts of some 'dark history'' Gekido thought.
Finally Dianna raised her head and let her tears flow.
"Sometimes its good to let your feelings go, you should while your still able," Gekido sighed; knowing he'd probably quoted one of Lacus's ridiculous philosophies.
"Never again, something like this can never happen again," Dianna said.
"I agree wholeheartedly," Gekido sighed.
They both climbed back into the Shalldoll and began flying out of the colony. Woolf's face suddenly appeared on the screen and Gekido could tell that the man was under duress.
"Gekido, those raiders we heard about are here, and we think the thing that people have been talking about is with them," Woolf explained.
"What are the enemies?" Gekido asked.
Woolf flew out of cover, blocking several beam rifle shots. He narrowed his eyes at the ambushers, black Strike Daggers and Duel Daggers. The Duel Daggers aimed their rail guns at the G-Exes and launched a volley of blasts and missiles. Woolf smoothly flew between the attacks, firing back with his rifle. The pink beams easily hit the Daggers, blowing them into pieces. Helen flew between several pieces of junk, dodging green blasts from the pursuing Strike Daggers. Mahalia suddenly flew out of her hiding spot, shooting two Dagger's in the chest. Peggy and Kate joined back to back, firing at any Strike Dagger that approached them.
"Hold on guys, I'm on my way," Gekido said.
"Negative, bring Dianna back to the ship immediately," Lizbeth said over the radio.
"The Commander's right Gekido, we can't risk the Shalldoll being destroyed," Helen said.
She blocked a shot from a Duel Dagger and fired back with her rifle. The enemy blocked with his shield before pulling a beam sabre out. Helen raised her shield, blocking the repeated strikes from the Dagger. She slammed her shield across the Duel Dagger's face, and then shot it straight in the chest. The resulting explosion threw Helen backwards, slamming her Genoace into a nearby rock.
"Miss Jackson be careful, we're picking up damage on your Genoace's thrusters," Seamus said.
Gekido grit his teeth together before putting the Shalldoll on a path back to the Rola. Peggy and Kate flew through the Debris field, blocking incoming shots with their shields then firing back with their rifles. Kate grabbed a nearby Ginn sword and then threw it into a Strike Dagger's chest. She then fired her beam rifle, hitting a Duel Dagger's rail gun. Peggy flew around the Duel Dagger. She drew the Genoace heat stick, a small melee weapon that functioned like a beam knife. The Genoace stabbed the Duel Dagger in the back, then swung it around and stabbed through the cockpit.
"Don't worry about your comrades son, they're dominating the raiders," Kringle said.
The young man sighed as he continued his flight. Several pieces of debris were in his way to it would be a long flight. The Laura Rola flew as close to the field as it could without risking being hit by debris.
"I know I saw something else on this field, come on punk where are you?" Woolf wondered.
"What are you talking about Woolf?" Mahalia asked.
"There's something else in this field, its hiding under the cover of the Debris," Woolf explained.
Helen stabbed a Duel Dagger in the chest with her heat stick. She raised her shield as an energy blade flew out of the debris. The force of the attack threw her backwards and a large crack ran across her shield. Peggy blocked a Strike Dagger's beam sabre, and then stabbed it with her heat stick. Kate flew to Peggy's side and shot a Duel Dagger before it could fire its missiles.
"This is way too easy," Peggy said, looking at her surroundings cautiously.
"I don't like it either," Kate said.
Suddenly, an energy blade flew out of the shadows, slicing off Kate's left arm. She looked at the floating limb in shock before it exploded, throwing her into Peggy's side. Helen flew to the aid of her allies, dodging another energy blade.
"Those energy blades, they look like rainbows, but don't be fooled by their appearance, don't try to block them," Helen explained to her friends.
"I don't need my Rainbow legs to kill you!"
Helen widened her eyes as a grey and black Mobile suit burst through the Debris. It raised its leg, kicking her Genoace across the head. Helen yelled as her Genoace was thrown back, its head sliced apart, along with its beam rifle. Woolf flew towards Helen, grabbing what was left of her suit.
"What was that Helen?" he asked.
"Its…it's a Gundam!" she gasped.
Gekido stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide in shock.
"A Gundam, but it can't be, could it be from Celestial Being, or maybe Zack's mercenary company? No, they're all too good for something like this," he growled.
"Mr Kuzunagi, get back to the ship," Lizbeth ordered.
"Wait, I've got the heat source, its heading towards Peggy and Kate," Gekido said.
"Get back to the ship, drop Dianna off and then go and support them," Kringle said.
Gekido narrowed his eyes, his hands shaking as the images of the people that died at Jachin Due flashed before his eyes. Pilots like Goud and Aisha sacrificed themselves for him and he could do nothing to help. Except now he was in the perfect position to help.
"Peggy are you all right?" Kate asked.
"I'm fine, but my beam rifles damaged," Peggy said.
Kate raised her rifle, keeping it steady as her eyes followed the flight path of their attacker. She finally caught a good look at the Gundam. It had black and grey armour, with red parts on the legs and studs on the shoulders. Three brutal looking spikes stretched out of each arm and the mobile suit's face and helmet held the identifying features of a Gundam, two eyes and a V-Fin. Vents across his body opened and Kate saw the faint glow of energy.
"Satyricon beams," Kate gasped.
The Gundam suddenly lunged forward, punching the Genoace across the head. Kate fired her rifle, only for the beams to bounce off of the Gundam's armour.
"Very smart, you're a looker and a thinker I see, but not much of a fighter," the Gundam pilot grinned.
Peggy swung her arm around, attempting to strike the Gundam's back. But the Gundam turned, slicing the Genoace's arms to ribbons with its leg.
"My machine is armed with the satyricon beam system, 16 vents for me to form an unstoppable mix of attack and defence, and my silver legs technique," the pilot explained.
The Gundam swung its leg around, launching an energy blade that cut off of the Genoace's thrusters. Peggy attempted to swing her legs at the Gundam, only for it to grab her head.
"PEGGY!" Kate yelled.
The Genoace's head began to creak as the Gundam squeezed.
"You actually thought to face a Gundam with a machine like that? Hell you a woman thought to face Michelo Chariot, I could tell you what we do to women like you in Italy," the pilot cackled.
"Michelo Chariot, I've heard of you, one of the few people to actually be exiled from their country. You're the shame of Italy, hell the shame of humanity," Peggy growled.
Michelo Chariot's grin faded under Peggy's defiance.
"Bitch," he growled.
Three spikes slid out of the Gundam's knuckles and Michelo raised the Genoace higher. He swung his fist towards the Genoace's chest, ready to crush Peggy.
"SEXIST!"
Suddenly, a grey and red blur slammed into the Neros Gundam. Michelo widened his eyes as the Shalldoll tackled him, crashing through a piece of debris.
"COWARDLY!"
Gekido punched the Neros Gundam across the head, sending it crashing onto the continent of Junius Seven. The Neros Gundam landed on its feet, raising its head as the Shalldoll dived towards it.
"THUG!"
With one last yell, Gekido kicked the Neros Gundam across the head. Both machines slid across the rock, seemingly looking one another in the eyes. Michelo squeezed his controls, glaring at the Shalldoll.
"Pretty cool, you actually think your pitiful machine can face the Neros Gundam?" Michelo asked.
"Your just a gangster piloting a machine not meant for men like you, who did you have to kill to get that thing anyway?" Gekido asked.
"No one, it was a gift you see," Michelo said.
"Who would give a Gundam to someone like him?" Dianna asked.
"I don't know, but I already hate this guy," Gekido growled.
The Neros Gundam dropped into a fighting stance, with Michelo grinning.
"You think your little Shalldoll can stop me?"
"I think I could stop you in a Flat," Gekido retorted.
"You punk," Michelo snarled.
(Sengoku Basara 3 OST- Ieyasu Tokugawa theme)
"You may use the machine, but don't think you're a true Gundam pilot, I'll show you the true power of a Gundam. ITS POWER DRAWN FROM THE BOND BETWEEN THE PILOT AND MACHINE!" Gekido roared.
The Shalldoll suddenly rushed forward, its fist grinding against the Neros's. Michelo swung his leg around, only for Gekido to duck underneath it. Gekido slid across the ground, raising his shield to block a barrage of Vulcan gunfire. The Neros Gundam sprayed the Shalldoll with bullets from its head Vulcan's. He widened his eyes as Gekido ignited his sabres. Dianna looked at Gekido in a mix of shock and admiration. He fought like a berserker but with a still heart. His mind was clear of fears, only occupied by a single thought.
"Defeat my enemy!" Gekido spoke his thoughts and flew at the Neros.
Michelo ducked and slammed his fists into the Shalldoll's chest. He delivered a barrage of punches before swinging his arms back. The energy emitters in his legs began to form his rainbow energy blades. He launched one blade after another, keeping the Shalldoll moving. Gekido pressed a few buttons on his console, controlling the regulation of energy throughout the Shalldoll. He passed energy into the weapon plugs, causing the palms of the Shalldoll's hands to spark. The Shalldoll itself took on a feral stance similar to Gekido's snarling face. He pushed forward on the controls, commanding the Shalldoll to release the build up of energy. The spark plugs fired two yellow balls of energy that struck the Neros Gundam, scorching its armour and sending it flying into a hill.
"Impossible, I'm using a Gundam, the Neros Gundam built specifically for my fighting style," Michelo hysterically threw one blade after another.
Dianna clutched Gekido's shoulder, closing her eyes as the Shalldoll weaved between attacks.
"My bond with my machine is stronger than yours, that's why you're losing," Gekido explained.
He stabbed the Neros's hand with his sabre and then bashed it across the head with his shield. Following through with his sabre, Gekido slashed the Neros across the shoulder. Michelo fired his Vulcan's, hitting Gekido's shield. He continued holding down on the trigger, ignoring the overheat warnings from his computer. Drawing both his spiked knuckles, Michelo attempted to punch the Shalldoll, only for Gekido to dodge his punches. Gekido ducked and sidestepped each blow, causing Michelo to roar in anger.
"BOND? BOND? ITS JUST A MACHINE!" he yelled like a man possessed.
"Your wrong, my Purpose can evolve!" Gekido growled.
"Purpose, your not using the Purpose," Michelo retorted.
Gekido widened his eyes, his sabres deactivating. He froze, remembering that this Shalldoll was a far cry from the Purpose. It would sadly always remain a puppet in need of a puppeteer. Then one day a successor machine would surpass it and some official whom declared it obsolete would scrap it. The life of a machine was as harsh and impermanent as a human's.
"FOOL!" Michelo yelled.
He swung his leg back, kicking a silver energy blade towards the Shalldoll.
"GEKIDO!"
The Shalldoll's left eye shined a yellow colour and Gekido widened his eye. Time seemed to slow down as the Shalldoll launched itself into the air. Gekido looked at the Neros in anger, his gaze piercing through the cockpit and straight into Michelo Chariot's eyes. Both men felt one another's fighting spirit, and judged one another accordingly.
"You will never understand!" Gekido growled.
He flew forward firing his beam revolver at the Neros's left leg. The beam disrupted the Gundam's energy emitters, giving Gekido the time he needed to go into melee range. He swung his beam sabre, slicing off the Neros's legs in one fluid swing.
"NO!" Chariot yelled.
"GO FOR IT GEKIDO!" Woolf yelled, carrying Peggy's machine.
Gekido roared as he grabbed the Neros Gundam's head. Pulling the trigger, he fired a blast from the weapon's plug, destroying the Gundam's head. But he wasn't finished with the machine, he swung his sabres again and again, cutting off the Michelo's limps and finally cracking open the cockpit. Michelo looked at the Shalldoll in terror as it swung its fist forward. He let out a horrifying scream that echoed over the radio. But his demise never came with his body trembling he opened his eyes. The Shalldoll's fist had stopped inches from the cockpit.
(End OST)
"I-I don't understand," Michelo trembled.
"Your not capable of fighting back anymore, it wouldn't be fair to kill you like this. Besides, the greatest insult a warrior can suffer is to be called a bully, and that's what you are Michelo Chariot," Gekido explained.
"How dare you, I AM THE GREATEST MAFIA BOSS!"
"SHUT UP!" Gekido yelled, silencing the Italian. "You're a school yard bully in comparison to war, a bully that's not worth anyone dirtying their hands over, you're not worth killing!"
Gekido tapped the remains of the Neros Gundam, pushing it further into the debris field. Michelo screamed as he drifted further and further away from his hated enemy.
"I SWEAR I WILL FIND YOU AND KILL YOU!" Chariot screamed.
Gekido turned the Shalldoll around and sighed.
"Men like that having Gundams," he said.
"Was he really the one destroying ships in this area?" Dianna asked.
"I have no idea, all right, you've crossed one item off your bucket list, lets go back to the Laura Rola and figure out what to do next," Gekido said.
"Yo Gekido, that was the craziest thing I've ever seen, I'd call you the super pilot if that title wasn't already taken," Woolf said.
"I already have a title, the Tasmanian devil," Gekido grinned.
The mobile suit team of the Laura Rola flew back to the ship. But unbeknownst to the pilots, something else had been watching their battle. Its red eyes let out a brilliant glow before it drew two gigantic blades from its back. The saw blades on the swords revved as the black armoured mobile suit drifted back into the shadows.
Next Chapter 5: The Black Strike
Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Rest assured we haven't seen the last of Michelo Chariot and if you remember from the previews he's not the only G-Gundam character appearing. I know I promised the Purpose would appear this chapter, but I didnt think Chariot was a great enough threat to warrant the Purpose's return. Plus you'll notice I used IeyasuTokugawa's theme from Sengoku Basara (anyone whose heard it will know how epic the music is) I felt the theme fit Gekido's new path. Did any of you get the Kris Kringle joke? Since its Christmas I felt like putting it in (Kris Kringle was the main character of a really good 1947 christmas film called Miracle on 34th street, a film that received many remakes, the most famous of which was in 1994 and featured Richard Attenborough from Jurassic Park)
Next time the stakes get higher as a vision of Sakon Date's comes true. While the Laura Rola endures a relentless attack from a terrifying enemy, the Heim household is faced with tragic news and Loran's relationship with Sochi changes but is it for better or worse? Plus General Legacy reveals his grand plan for the Moonrace and the identity of his partner.