Chapter Ten: Mission 001
"This is Mission 001. Heero Yuy, recorder. We must destroy the OZ base one hundred miles north from our current position. All pilots are present for this one. We are to destroy the base and anyone who gets in our way. Prepare for assent." Heero's voice filtered through our comlinks as we settled into our gundam cockpits. Pumped full of excitement. We were all ready to go.
"SoulShriek, how are you?"
"All systems go, Heero" I could hardly keep my voice from quaking when I answered.
"Phoenixfire, you?"
"All ready for go." Fortune's voice was steady.
"Deathsythe?"
"All check good buddy." It sounded like Duo was smiling.
Heero sighed an exasperated sigh. "SandRock?"
"I am here, Heero. Ready to go."
"Heavy Arms?"
". . .All go."
"ShenLong?"
"I am ready to deal justice."
"Okay, Deathsythe, SoulShriek, and ShenLong. I want you all to my right, and space of five miles between you. "
"Got it." My mouth was dry.
"SandRock, Phoenixfire, and Heavy Arms, I want you on my left, same formation, same spacing."
"Got it." Fortune sounded steady and cool as a cucumber.
We launched one at a time. As soon as we were all out in the open, we put the space between us, and headed north towards the OZ base.
90 miles. 80 miles. All we heard was the hum of our gundam engines as we went to strike on the base. All of us had something different running through our minds. I was just trying to keep my palms from sweating.
Quietly, I ran over the mission in my mind. The adrenaline pumped through my vein one hundred miles a minute. 60 miles. 50 miles My breath got shorter and I could feel my heart pounding in my temples. . .
"Hey darlin'. Are you okay?"
It was Duo. I heard concern creep into his voice.
"I'm all right, just pre-battle jitters, I guess."
"Hey, just remember. If you need me, just call me."
My breathing relaxed. I calmed down. I had someone out here with me.
"Thank you."
30 miles. 20 miles. We maintained radio silence after 20 miles. My radar then went off in a succession of beeps. "I have twenty Leos over on my side, Heero. I think they may see us."
"It's okay. Switch your comlinks over to the OZ frequency, and stay frosty people."
"Heero, I have some Aries on my side."
"That will be no problem. Stay quiet until they contact us."
15 miles. 10 miles.
"Unidentified crafts. Please break formation and turn around. You are now entering OZ airspace." An angry grainy voice came over our comlinks.
"Now guys, move out NOW." Heero gave the order, it was showtime.
Five Leos appeared out of the woods and came to me opening fire. I unstrapped my beam cannon from by back and dispatched them all in a blistering blaze of fire.
I smiled grimly. Four more Leos appeared to my left. I put my beam cannon back in the compartment on my back, and reached for my glaive. It came on as soon as it was in my hands, a bright green glowing blade from both ends of the staff. Rushing over to the Leos, I twirled the glaive over my head twice, cleaning decapitating two of the mobile suits. Bringing the blade down sharply the other Leos now had nasty gashes in their torsos. Swinging in a wide arch I cleanly sliced through them all. It was all in a matter of seconds.
"Major! The gundams are overwhelming! ARGGGH!"
Three Aries came straight at me, guns blazing. Looking down, I spied a switch under a glass cover. Smiling grimly, I lifted the glass cover.
"Cover your ears, boys. This girl's about to voice herself."
I flipped the switch up. A low moan came from the very bowels of my gundam. By second and second it grew louder and higher pitched.
"Major? Do you hear that?" The Aries stood stock still listening
"It's coming from the gundam"
The sound got higher, and higher. It was a voice, a hellish voice of three million damned souls singing together. I thought I was going to go mad. Then, the switch glowed blue. I sighted the Aries suits and flipped the glowing switch back up.
A shock came from my gundam, almost tumbling me off my feet as the pulse of sound and fury erupted from my chest cavity. It was so strong it was almost visible.
The Aries stilled in the wake of my shriek. Then they were blown backwards so hard, the only thing left were their legs. Left when they tried to stand their ground.
All of the enemy suits were taken out. Now it was time to target the base.
"Gundams, drop your weapons. This is Zechs Merquise of the OZ military."
We all saw it at the same time. Gray, white, and tall. A red crest stood tall on it's head.
"That is the Tallgeese. On of the first gundams manufactured." Heero's voice was grim. It looked formidable.
"Who is first. To get to the base, you have to get through me." Zechs sounded so damn smug.
"I will." Phoenixfire took a step forward.
SandRock also took a step forward. "I can't let you go this alone, Fortune."
"No, Quatre. I can take care of myself. I can do this."
Zechs lunged at Phoenixfire after she said that. The Tallgeese tackled Phoenixfire and they both flew backwards.
"Fortune! No!" SandRock started to come after them.
"No Quatre. There are more Leos coming. I see ten carriers coming this way. We must move." Heero was firm on his order.
"No, not yet." Casting a final glance at Tallgeese and Phoenixfire, I turned my vulcan cannons on the base.
Zechs, just then, realized his mistake. "NOOOO!"
The base exploded violently. Fireballs of orange and red erupted from the now burning base.
"Very well." Zechs's voice was tight with rage. "For that, your friend dies."
"Fortune!" I raced for them. Tallgeese, straightened momentarily and backhanded my gundam. I fell to the ground heavily.
"Don't worry about me. I don't think he will kill me . . .I don't think he has the heart." Fortune sounded calm, yet far away.
I watched on the ground and Phoenixfire, struggling for dominance over Tallgeese surreptitiously takes her heat rod, and whips it around Tallgeese's torso. Pulling the rod several times in a sawing motion, Tallgeese was almost cut in half.
Tallgeese looked angry. It pulled out it's beam saber and thrust it through Phoenixfire's head.
"I have you friend caught here. Unless you want me to spilt her in half like a baked potato, I suggest you leave now."
The carriers and Leos were closing in.
"Fortune. . .Fortune? Are you okay?" My heart hurt for her.
"Yeah. . .I'm okay. I will survive. You took care of the base. The mission was a success. Go no-." It sounded like she lost consciousness.
I set my mouth in a grim line. "Let's go, there is nothing more we can do here."
Regaining formation, without Phoenixfire, we took off for our own base.
I keep a visual on Tallgeese before I left. I saw the hatch open. A tall masked man came out and calmly walked over to Phoenixfire. Opening her hatch, Fortune lolled out, a bleeding gash on her forehead contrasting to the paleness of her skin. Zechs looked at her for a moment, and in an almost tender gesture, he picks her up and walks towards one of the carriers already landing.
"SoulShriek! Let's go!" It was Heero, sounding impatient. With one last glance at my friend, I took off for my home base.
