Gundam Side Story :
Where the Blue Skies end
Chapter 1 : Island Ifishu
Location : Lunar 2 space Date : January 3rd, UC 0079 Time : 1527 hours
"Ensign 005! Watch your Wing!" The radio crackled as sounds of explosion rang through the space. The Sabrefish shook violently as a nearby ally was assaulted by a giant human-shaped robot.
"So these are mobile suits..." Ensign Yuji pulled up as an enemy mobile suit drew too close to his Sabrefish plane. "The federation won't fall so easily...!"
The Ensign maneuvered around an enemy MS, firing missiles as he did so. He had already witnessed the superior defensive and offensive power of the enemy weapons, and had already wasted all his guns covering his now dead squad leader. Against such massive odds, he had already done well, managing to down 4 enemy MS with guns alone, but the battle was obviously going against their favour. The enemy MS turned as the missiles blasted off its arm and raised its other arm, which now held a large melee weapon. The axe- like weapon was larger than his plane, thought Yuji. Pushing the boosters as hard as he dared, he flew past the axe, missing it by bare inches. The heat from the weapon, however, burned his left thruster and rendered it useless as it burst into flames. Grunting as the shockwave from the explosion rocked the plane, Yuji pulled up once more and turned quickly, firing the remainder of his missiles in rapid succession. Hitting the enemy MS like rain, the missiles managed to find a sensitive spot, and the cockpit of the MS was blown open, revealing the enemy pilot, his face showing shock and disbelief just as the MS exploded, scattering debris all over. Several pieces of debris cut into Yuji's Sabrefish even as he pushed the boosters to its maximum to escape from the fiery explosion.
"Ensign! Are you still there? Carrier Chibera's been hit!" The battle control operator reported.
"What?! Our carrier?! Were there any survivors?"
"Afraid not Ensign--its bridge was apparently decimated by some kind of hand-held weapon or something..."
"Yeah, I just saw it." Yuji grimaced. With his plane seriously damaged and running low on fuel, he could well be trapped in empty space forever if he didn't find a place to at least do some repairs. He was already heading away from the battle, so it was imperative he found a landing spot now. "Where do we go now?" He asked.
"The cruiser Athelas' making rounds collecting the injured back to the Drop- zone. It's the only ship going out now, Ensign. If you miss this ride you're going to have to walk."
"Understood. Send me the grid-points and I'll make my way there now." Yuji flicked his onboard computer on, and as the co-ordinates appeared on his screen, he input the numbers in, and left it on auto-pilot sitting back with his eyes closed. Space was a large vacuum – a silent, airless showcase of planetary bodies, but as Yuji listened, he felt a pang of sorrow as garbled screams came through the intercom from Federation troops requesting back-up, screaming for help, for more firepower, for their mothers...
When the sounds finally died down as he left the combat area, he opened his eyes and looked at his ancestral home--the Planet Earth. A glowing blue ball, pure and azure from above, it would soon be scarred eternally by Zion's Operation British. Even as the silence was disturbed periodically by the echoes of explosions from the distant battle, Yuji could still hear the screams of his friends in his cockpit, and worse of all; he could still remember the expression on the Zion pilot as he was sent to his fiery demise. He felt battered, and he was getting a headache worse than he could ever remember having.
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Location : Cruiser Athelas, designated 12th fleet Scout, commanded by Captain Lucella Date : January 3rd, UC 0079 Time : 2025 hours
"Ensign Yuji?" The guard checked his pass and looked him up and down. Satisfied, he returned the pass to Yuji and grinned. "The Captain would like a word with you. Her cabin is on the 2nd floor. Well done back there, Ensign. You're probably going to be made an ace today. We marked 5 of them MS you destroyed back there."
"Five?" Yuji raised his eyebrows in momentary surprise.
"Ah. Yes." I killed 5 men today, a quiet voice said in his head. "Thank you, sergeant." His shoes clicking on the well-polished floors of the corridor, Yuji knocked cautiously on Captain Lucella's door, and conscientiously adjusted his collar.
"Enter."
Yuji opened the door and marched through, coming to a standard military 2- step stop and saluting. "Ma'am!"
He barked. "Ensign Yuji Evin, Reporting!" Following an unspoken rule, he adjusted his gaze to look at a point approximately a half meter above the Captain's head.
"Ah." The Captain closed the book she was reading with a snap and stared at Yuji thoughtfully. "You've come into contact with the enemy's new weapon, the-" She referred to the book again, "-the Zaku, MS-05 and MS-06, I believe they're called." She stared at Yuji for an uncomfortable period of time, and Yuji fought the urge to blink.
"Yes, Ma'am."He said, quietly.
"What do you think of the odds so far, then?"
"I believe the Federation will endure, Ma'am!" He replied, a little too loudly. "I believe we will win this war with our military might, Ma'am!"
There was silence as the Captain stared at Yuji with her hands steeped over her knees. "If I wanted to hear that, I would have called for one of my own soldiers, young man. Give me the truth."
Yuji lowered his eyes to look at the Captain. She had an attractive head of red hair, and bright green eyes, weary but alert, and her face was lined with age and the burden of responsibility.
"The Zaku is no simple piece of machinery, Ma'am." He replied, cautiously. You could never tell with officers.
"...And?" She shifted impatiently.
"They're like men, but 10-20 times larger, almost impervious to our vulcans, and are heavily armed, Ma'am. They're quick and can maneuver more efficiently than any of our space planes. They're able to bring down entire battleships with one single shot of that bazooka thing, and they can cleave any plane clean into half with one swipe of their axes."
"It's called a Tomahawk, actually." The Captain interrupted, her eyes showing a mixture of resignation and weariness. "They call it a 'Zaku Tomahawk'. Hmph. How creative. " She added dryly. "And you haven't answered my question yet."
"I believe if we don't have any better weapons than the ones we have now, Ma'am, we don't stand a chance." Yuji felt a wave of relief wash over him even as he said it. It was a fact not many of the pompous Federation Officials would have willingly admitted.
The Captain smiled, showing a face which would have been stunningly beautiful just 10 years ago. "We have received orders from the HQ back on earth for test pilots, and since we're a little short on pilots here, I've decided to send you instead. You shall leave on the 5th, when we pass by a Federation Base drop- zone. Do you have any questions?" She asked.
Yuji thought for a while. He was almost disappointed to have to leave the battlefield, but he had a feeling the battle would last for far longer than he'd expected. All in all, it would probably be a good thing to be on the forefront of development. At least he'd die in a familiar place, though he was born in space. His blood called to him. "No, Ma'am."
"Good." The Captain stood. "Then you shall know for certain whether or not the Federation has anything up their sleeves. I, for one, would be most interested to know." She took a box out from a small, unlocked safe. "You have earned this through blood and sweat, I have no doubt. And now you shall receive what you deserve." She took out a small, golden embroidered pin, a badge exactly the same as the normal pilot's 'wings' except with two small stars on the sides, and removed the adhesive film, moving to within a breath's space from Yuji. She smelt faintly of flowers, but it was overpowered by the heavy scent of metal and grease. Pinning the badge on Yuji's shoulder, she stepped back, and saluted. Yuji returned the salute.
She then went back to the safe and retrieved yet another badge. "And I have been told you shall be promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade for your prowess in battle. Here, Lieutenant, is your rank insignia." She handed the black striped cloth to Yuji, and picked up the ceremonial sword in the corner. "And here is your sword of office." Yuji took the sword, and saluted once more, his feelings mixed and somewhat confused by the unofficial state at which this had just happened. He had expected more fanfare.
The Captain returned the salute, and nodded, indicating he could go. "Good luck on earth, Lieutenant Yuji." Stepping back, Yuji turned and marched out, an officer of the Federation Forces.
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The next few days were hectic as messages poured in through the ship's radio, reporting details of Zion's Operation British. No force mustered within the Federation could stop the movement of the military strength of the Principality of Zion, and hope was fading fast. Zion's plan was to drop an entire colony into the Federation HQ in Jaburo, and even knowing this, there was nothing they could do to stop them. Troops ran to and fro the ship, conveying messages, tending to the injured already on the ship, tending to supplies, and making modifications to weapons hoping to, somehow, make a difference.
While this was happening, Yuji spent his time in the hangar, watching the troops go about their business. He was going to drive a simple jeep after his drop down to earth in the HLV, since he was going a separate direction from the other injured, and the fuelling and checking had long been done. He propped himself on a cargo box, and observed as men scrambled around. A young soldier sat down beside him to rest, sighing as he did so.
"Pretty pointless isn't it?" The soldier remarked as he stared at his fellow men.
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "So why do it?"
"We're all trying to protect something, someone precious to us." The soldier took a swig from his canteen and offered it to Yuji. It smelled suspiciously like alcohol. Yuji declined the offer.
"The thing is, a war is never just on a one-to-one scale. We don't fight oppressors or enemies and stop the war if we kill them—we kill them, the war continues." He sat back with a thud. "They kill us, the war also continues."
There was a moment of contemplative silence.
"But once a war is started it has a soul of its own. It becomes a beast hungry for blood. People make offerings to all kinds of Gods, and yet they do not realize this: the most blood-thirsty God is the one they created—the one made of machinery and clockwork, which runs and runs and never stops."
"The war will end, eventually." Yuji pointed out.
"Yes. Yes it will. But new wars will spring out. Wars springing from the minds and chests of men who grew up in the midst of war and are unable to come to terms with peace. Wars from men who desire war to secure political positions. Men who wish to make blood offerings to this mechanical beast called civilization so they can become leaders of their own little kingdom."
"What? I thought you were talking about war when you committed blasphemy just now?"
The soldier smiled. "Oh yes. War is blood-thirsty. Once it tastes blood it begs for more. But regardless of how many little wars humans make up, civilization endures. Mankind endures. The machine keeps running. Perhaps mankind should start looking at this machine they've built and decide on whether or not it should continue to run like in this manner."
"Maybe you're right. But I doubt if anyone is charismatic enough to bring active thought to the human race." Yuji drummed his fingers on his knee. "I mean, look at Zion Daikun, and Dekin Zabi. Powerful men who brought powerful ideas to their people. Men rallied behind them, and would kill for their ideas and for them to lead them. But the point still sticks – Men want other men to lead them. They don't want to think. They want a good idea, a good way to live. No one wants to live—everyone wants to follow. This, perhaps, is why civilization gets its sacrifice."
The soldier grinned. "Nice to know someone here agrees with me. I'm Peter."
"Yuji." They shook hands. For some reason, rank no longer mattered, not when death was staring in one's face. It was a good feeling, to be surrounded by thinking men, not followers.
"Well, gotta get to work." Peter swung himself off the crate.
"So what are you fighting for?" Yuji shouted after him.
Peter smiled. "I fight for my life, my friend."
The remaining day passed by quickly as Yuji sat, engrossed in thought. There was precious little a single soldier could do in the war, but if it was possible to change the direction of war by his own will, he would try. As he sunk into dejected acceptance, there was nothing left to do but sit in silence as he watched desperation creep up on his fellow soldiers.
January 5th, UC 0079 Time : 0700 hours
"Lieutenant!" The runner saluted to Yuji and ran forward. "I bring word from Captain Lucella : 'We are approaching the Drop-Zone, and you are to prepare to drop by 2315 hours today, after which our fleet shall proceed with full speed to the front to join the 4th Federation Assault Team in battle.'" He saluted again, and after waiting just a second to see if Yuji had anything to say, ran back the way he came.
The 4th Team...led by Admiral Mcharty Deiam. It was a good Squad, with a capable leader and crack troops, but against the Zion weapons, it was still suicide.
For the rest of the day Yuji stared through the port hole on the Cruiser, knowing it'd be the last time he'd see Space for a long, long time.
Packing the last of his items, Yuji entered the HLV, and strapped himself in. Groaning men, injured and bandaged heavily, propped themselves up against their seats, clenching their teeth and fists. The air was heavy with the smell of metal, grease, sweat, blood, and the unmistakable smell of fear. From there they'd go on a 24 hour journey, circling the globe until it was inside the range of the Federation Drop-Zone, and from there it'd enter the atmosphere, and drop into the vicinity of the New Zealand federation base. But within those 24 hours, they were totally open to external attack, since the HLV had no defensive weapons whatsoever, and was too large and bulky to move strategically. Having witnessed the powers of the Zaku, Yuji had no doubt even the heavily armored HLV would be decimated within seconds if they were targeted. It was equipped with extra thrusters for it's course, but even that couldn't help if the HLV couldn't manage evasive maneuvers.
"All in?" The pilot's voice came in, tinny through the huge space inside the HLV. "One short? Well, we don't have time to be waiting for any of the ladies. We're dropping. Prepare yourselves and don't say anything until I tell you it's okay to, unless you feel peckish for some of your own tongue."
The airlock was released as the cargo door opened, and the HLV floated through. As it dropped clear of the Salamis-Class cruiser, the pilot ignited the thrusters, and Yuji felt the powerful jolt as the HLV started on its course around the globe.
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January 6th, UC 0079 : The 8th Federation Missile-Torpedo Assault Fleet and the 4th Federation Assault Fleet encounter Zion troops, and a battle ensues.
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In another area, 50 km above the ozone January 6th, UC 0079 Time : 2200 hours
"Personnel please strap in—we've encountered the enemy."
The terrifying news was reported to the occupants of the HLV with the deadpan voice of the HLV commander, and it did not help to alleviate the already tense mood in the vessel.
Yuji sat back and closed his eyes. Dammit! There was no chance of them getting away—if there were Zakus, they would be utterly destroyed. There was one chance for survival, though. He picked up the intercom, and before he could speak, another voice rang through—loud and authoritative.
"Caius here. What are our combat capabilities?"
There was crackle from the intercom as the Vessel commander leafed through his pages of inventory.
"We have two Sabrefish being transported to the NZ base, and a land-rover, is all. ...Lieutenant Caius, isn't it?"
"Aye. Listen—I'll need ta pilot one of 'em. Think ye can arrange that 'afore the enemy reaches us?"
"Er, sure, but we're not sure how many enemy pilots we're dealing with, so—"
"Disna matter ta me. Men die. I dinna ken aboot yer, but I'd rather die fighting then sitting in this piece o'shit waitin' ta be hatched. Tell me when ye're ready ta launch me at 'em."
There was a pause as the Commander translated this verbal onslaught silently.
"Er...okay. You'd best make preparations in the hangar then, the Sabrefish's already fired up."
Yuji craned his neck to see who the man with the irish accent was, and saw a stocky, untidy man with a five-o'clock shadow stand and stride over to the hangar. A faint tinkling drew Yuji's attention to a small bell on the man's belt.
It was at least a half hour before the commander announced again, "We've received information that the Zion squad directly ahead of us appear to consist of only Gattles, With any luck, we shall pull through this without too much damage. Escort?"
The radio crackled. "Aye, I'm here. I'll engage 'em when I'm in range. Only aboot 3 ter 4 of the craven bastards—It'll be doon 'afore ye can feel it."
The silence that followed seemed to drag on forever, and only their accelerating heartbeats could be heard above the gentle hum of the machinery.
The intercom crackled again as the escort reported, "Caius here. I got 'em suckers in me sight. 5 Gattles in one of em' stupid duck-like formations." There was a wicked chuckle. "'Allo boys—who's yer daddy?!" There was a roar of thrusters and the radio went silent.
The muffled sounds of battle filtered through the thick armor of the HLV, and men pushed their heads hard on the wall, preparing for any impact. Surprisingly, there was only one.
A few minutes later Lieutenant Caius strode through the Hangar doors amidst ragged cheers. He had a broad smile on his face. The Commander of the HLV, however, brought an end to this festive mood.
"We were hit in the fuel tanks by one of the Gattles—there isn't any major damage, meaning we can still enter the atmosphere, but we had to drop the damaged fuel tank. We're running too low--we're going to have to land in the area around New Zealand and not in the actual base—if we're lucky. Sit tight. Drop begins in T minus 12 minutes."
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January 7th, UC 0079 : The 8th Federation Assault Team Reaches the war front. Interceptor missiles are launched in huge numbers from the Northern and Southern Polar Missile-tracking bases.
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January 8th, UC 0079 Time : 0932 hours
"Captain Lucella! Admiral Mcharty's given the orders to engage! Enemy sighted in sectors 1, 2, and 3!"
"Launch Sabrefish teams 1 and 5 and provide cover fire—increase forward thrust to 40%, maintain course and channel all remaining energy to the shields."
"Acknowledged, Captain."
"Captain Lucella! Our forces in sectors 2 have been decimated! Sector 1 is requesting backup!"
"What?!" Captain Lucella tapped her fingers irritably on her arm-rest and scowled. "Cut forward thrust engines, reverse thrust 80%, head to sector 1 and launch Sabrefish teams 2 and 4—send word to teams 1 and 5 to keep within the range of our fire. Release power from the shields and channel the energy to the guns—head to the point between the two sectors!"
"But captain, that'll bring us into the middle of the fight!"
"That can't be helped. If we do this quickly we can rescue the survivors before our ship is too heavily damaged, with any luck. Inform infirmary to prepare the bay for the injured. Send Sabrefish teams 3 and 6 out as escorts, and fire the covering missiles once the enemy is sighted. Inform turrets to spread their fire."
"Acknowledged, Cap'n."
"Sabrefish teams 1 and 5 launched, Cap'n."
"Captain! Enemies closing in, fast!"
"What?! Call in team 2 to provide cover for the ship! What're teams 2 and 4 waiting for?! Send out Teams 3 and 6 now! Scramble, Gentlemen! This is war!"
"Yes Ma'am!"
"Object closing in too fast Cap'n! Team 2 has been destroyed!"
"WHAT?!"
"Enemy within visual range Ma'am! It's...it's huge! How can anything that big move that fast?!"
"Reverse thrust 100%! Fire blanket missiles! Concentrate main guns on enemy!"
"Blanket missiles firing, ma'am!"
"Missed! All our missiles have missed, Cap'n!"
"Look at that thing move!"
"What is that, a machine gun?!"
"All escort teams have been decimated, Cap'n!"
Lucella sat up straight in shock.
"Blue One's taken down an enemy, Ma'am!"
"Blue One? Peter?" Lucella groaned. "I thought I sent him off to New Zealand!"
"The enemy is closing in, Ma'am! Blue One is down!"
"No...Peter!"
"The enemy is—AAAAARR—!"
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January 8th, UC 0079 : Under Admiral Mcharty Deiam, the 4th Federation Assault Team joins the fray. They retreat after suffering more than 70 % damage.
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January 8th, UC 0079 Time : 1350 hours
The land rover's engine whined horribly as it climbed the last hill as the weight bore the vehicle down. They were over-weight, but most of the weight consisted of supplies which would last the men for days, and Yuji knew it. The 6 men didn't weigh much—most of them were skin and bones, and some of them had lost so much blood Yuji doubted they would make it past sunset. Yuji was the only person who looked vaguely human, and that was only if the dried blood from the cut on his face was caught in a good light.
The past few hours since the announcement to land had been a blur. He could only deduce that a stray missile had hit them, and the last remaining thruster had gone up in flames. The thruster had been too close to the fuel, and the resulting explosion had almost destroyed them all. Fortunately, they had crashed in a large river, and this had cooled the heated fuel tank enough for Yuji to get the injured into the land rover and out of the vicinity of the ensuing explosion. There was no sign of the Irish lieutenant or the Commander of the HLV, but then, the two Sabrefish were gone, so Yuji assumed they had bailed out in mid-air.
They had landed somewhere in the area of Adelaide and this at least was an improvement, since the medical facilities in the vicinity would at least save the men from certain death. From there he could go on to Sydney Base, where he could hitch a ride to New Zealand Base, if all went well.
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January 9th, UC 0079 Time : 0600 hrs
"The men are under the purview of the Federation Army. Please see to it that they are taken care of, Ma'am." Yuji clasped the hand of the nurse, and smiled, though the stitches on his face stung like hell.
"It is my duty to, Lieutenant. You are sure you will not stay to have that stitch looked after?" The nurse asked.
"Sorry Ma'am, but I have my duties too, and right now, I have to get to Sydney Base."
"Well then, good luck. I took the liberty of refueling and restocking your land rover, so you shouldn't have any difficulties getting there. You should reach in less than a day, if you take the highway. Good luck, Lieutenant."
"Thank you." Yuji saluted, and strode off to the parking lot.
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January 9th, UC 0079 Time : 2317 hrs
"What in the name of the Gods?!" Yuji's Land Rover screeched to a stop and he stared in disbelief at the skies in the distance. It looked as if there was a second moon in the sky, and it was getting bigger.
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January 10th, UC 0079 : The Coloney "Island Ifishu" penetrates the Ozone, but breaks up upon entering, deviating its trajectory, and landing in Sydney, Australia, instead of the intended Federation HQ, Jaburo. Zion Escorts acknowledge the failure of Operation British, and retreat temporarily. The interference of the Ozone from the entry of the Colony triggers off an immense change in weather, as well as temperature around the world. The battle from 0079 3rd January to 10th January becomes known as the One Week War. In this one week, 30 hundred million, or 25% of the human population perish. Using this interference from the ozone, Zion drops large numbers of Mobile Suits to Earth.
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January 10th, UC 0079 Time : 1900 hrs
Yuji grimaced as he emerged from the small cave. The trees and bushes he had seen when he had entered the cave were gone, blown away by the force of the explosion from the Colony Drop. The minute he had seen the Colony in the night sky, Yuji had doubled back into the forests, where he had seen a cave facing Adelaide. It was a small, damp cave, but it was large enough to hold his land rover. As he had watched in horror, the Colony had landed directly on Sydney, and the explosion had rocked the grounds, even where he was. The sound was terrific, and the resulting super-heated winds had eaten away everything in its path—trees, grass, buildings, roads, human flesh and bone.
He had very nearly been caved in, if not for the fact that his cave was facing the opposite direction of the incredible explosion. He could still see the face of the man who had flown past his cave, arms and legs askew like a broken toy, his flesh being melted off like ice in the heat of a torch-blower. Then there was the little girl who was still alive when she tumbled past his cavern hole, holding on to a torn female arm which was probably her mother's...that expression of disbelief, of shock, of goddamn innocence...!
He walked out of the cavern, and stood atop the rock, surveying the damage. It had been stripped of sand and moss, and all around him a barren waste lay where nature had once reigned supreme. A wind as hot as boiling water swirled around the smoking ruins—a masterpiece of the singularity of human thought.
(War is blood-thirsty.)
(Once it tastes blood it begs for more. But regardless of how many little wars humans make up, civilization endures.)
(Mankind endures. The machine keeps running.)
(The look of pure, stunned innocence flashing across the little girl's face as her mother's hands fused with her own.)
(Perhaps mankind should start looking at this machine they've built and decide on whether or not it should continue to run like in this manner.)
Yuji raised his face to the red skies, and bellowed, a tremendous sound of animal rage released at the diplomacy and stupidity of it all, a sound which echoed, and echoed, and echoed.
Chapter 1 : Island Ifishu
Location : Lunar 2 space Date : January 3rd, UC 0079 Time : 1527 hours
"Ensign 005! Watch your Wing!" The radio crackled as sounds of explosion rang through the space. The Sabrefish shook violently as a nearby ally was assaulted by a giant human-shaped robot.
"So these are mobile suits..." Ensign Yuji pulled up as an enemy mobile suit drew too close to his Sabrefish plane. "The federation won't fall so easily...!"
The Ensign maneuvered around an enemy MS, firing missiles as he did so. He had already witnessed the superior defensive and offensive power of the enemy weapons, and had already wasted all his guns covering his now dead squad leader. Against such massive odds, he had already done well, managing to down 4 enemy MS with guns alone, but the battle was obviously going against their favour. The enemy MS turned as the missiles blasted off its arm and raised its other arm, which now held a large melee weapon. The axe- like weapon was larger than his plane, thought Yuji. Pushing the boosters as hard as he dared, he flew past the axe, missing it by bare inches. The heat from the weapon, however, burned his left thruster and rendered it useless as it burst into flames. Grunting as the shockwave from the explosion rocked the plane, Yuji pulled up once more and turned quickly, firing the remainder of his missiles in rapid succession. Hitting the enemy MS like rain, the missiles managed to find a sensitive spot, and the cockpit of the MS was blown open, revealing the enemy pilot, his face showing shock and disbelief just as the MS exploded, scattering debris all over. Several pieces of debris cut into Yuji's Sabrefish even as he pushed the boosters to its maximum to escape from the fiery explosion.
"Ensign! Are you still there? Carrier Chibera's been hit!" The battle control operator reported.
"What?! Our carrier?! Were there any survivors?"
"Afraid not Ensign--its bridge was apparently decimated by some kind of hand-held weapon or something..."
"Yeah, I just saw it." Yuji grimaced. With his plane seriously damaged and running low on fuel, he could well be trapped in empty space forever if he didn't find a place to at least do some repairs. He was already heading away from the battle, so it was imperative he found a landing spot now. "Where do we go now?" He asked.
"The cruiser Athelas' making rounds collecting the injured back to the Drop- zone. It's the only ship going out now, Ensign. If you miss this ride you're going to have to walk."
"Understood. Send me the grid-points and I'll make my way there now." Yuji flicked his onboard computer on, and as the co-ordinates appeared on his screen, he input the numbers in, and left it on auto-pilot sitting back with his eyes closed. Space was a large vacuum – a silent, airless showcase of planetary bodies, but as Yuji listened, he felt a pang of sorrow as garbled screams came through the intercom from Federation troops requesting back-up, screaming for help, for more firepower, for their mothers...
When the sounds finally died down as he left the combat area, he opened his eyes and looked at his ancestral home--the Planet Earth. A glowing blue ball, pure and azure from above, it would soon be scarred eternally by Zion's Operation British. Even as the silence was disturbed periodically by the echoes of explosions from the distant battle, Yuji could still hear the screams of his friends in his cockpit, and worse of all; he could still remember the expression on the Zion pilot as he was sent to his fiery demise. He felt battered, and he was getting a headache worse than he could ever remember having.
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Location : Cruiser Athelas, designated 12th fleet Scout, commanded by Captain Lucella Date : January 3rd, UC 0079 Time : 2025 hours
"Ensign Yuji?" The guard checked his pass and looked him up and down. Satisfied, he returned the pass to Yuji and grinned. "The Captain would like a word with you. Her cabin is on the 2nd floor. Well done back there, Ensign. You're probably going to be made an ace today. We marked 5 of them MS you destroyed back there."
"Five?" Yuji raised his eyebrows in momentary surprise.
"Ah. Yes." I killed 5 men today, a quiet voice said in his head. "Thank you, sergeant." His shoes clicking on the well-polished floors of the corridor, Yuji knocked cautiously on Captain Lucella's door, and conscientiously adjusted his collar.
"Enter."
Yuji opened the door and marched through, coming to a standard military 2- step stop and saluting. "Ma'am!"
He barked. "Ensign Yuji Evin, Reporting!" Following an unspoken rule, he adjusted his gaze to look at a point approximately a half meter above the Captain's head.
"Ah." The Captain closed the book she was reading with a snap and stared at Yuji thoughtfully. "You've come into contact with the enemy's new weapon, the-" She referred to the book again, "-the Zaku, MS-05 and MS-06, I believe they're called." She stared at Yuji for an uncomfortable period of time, and Yuji fought the urge to blink.
"Yes, Ma'am."He said, quietly.
"What do you think of the odds so far, then?"
"I believe the Federation will endure, Ma'am!" He replied, a little too loudly. "I believe we will win this war with our military might, Ma'am!"
There was silence as the Captain stared at Yuji with her hands steeped over her knees. "If I wanted to hear that, I would have called for one of my own soldiers, young man. Give me the truth."
Yuji lowered his eyes to look at the Captain. She had an attractive head of red hair, and bright green eyes, weary but alert, and her face was lined with age and the burden of responsibility.
"The Zaku is no simple piece of machinery, Ma'am." He replied, cautiously. You could never tell with officers.
"...And?" She shifted impatiently.
"They're like men, but 10-20 times larger, almost impervious to our vulcans, and are heavily armed, Ma'am. They're quick and can maneuver more efficiently than any of our space planes. They're able to bring down entire battleships with one single shot of that bazooka thing, and they can cleave any plane clean into half with one swipe of their axes."
"It's called a Tomahawk, actually." The Captain interrupted, her eyes showing a mixture of resignation and weariness. "They call it a 'Zaku Tomahawk'. Hmph. How creative. " She added dryly. "And you haven't answered my question yet."
"I believe if we don't have any better weapons than the ones we have now, Ma'am, we don't stand a chance." Yuji felt a wave of relief wash over him even as he said it. It was a fact not many of the pompous Federation Officials would have willingly admitted.
The Captain smiled, showing a face which would have been stunningly beautiful just 10 years ago. "We have received orders from the HQ back on earth for test pilots, and since we're a little short on pilots here, I've decided to send you instead. You shall leave on the 5th, when we pass by a Federation Base drop- zone. Do you have any questions?" She asked.
Yuji thought for a while. He was almost disappointed to have to leave the battlefield, but he had a feeling the battle would last for far longer than he'd expected. All in all, it would probably be a good thing to be on the forefront of development. At least he'd die in a familiar place, though he was born in space. His blood called to him. "No, Ma'am."
"Good." The Captain stood. "Then you shall know for certain whether or not the Federation has anything up their sleeves. I, for one, would be most interested to know." She took a box out from a small, unlocked safe. "You have earned this through blood and sweat, I have no doubt. And now you shall receive what you deserve." She took out a small, golden embroidered pin, a badge exactly the same as the normal pilot's 'wings' except with two small stars on the sides, and removed the adhesive film, moving to within a breath's space from Yuji. She smelt faintly of flowers, but it was overpowered by the heavy scent of metal and grease. Pinning the badge on Yuji's shoulder, she stepped back, and saluted. Yuji returned the salute.
She then went back to the safe and retrieved yet another badge. "And I have been told you shall be promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade for your prowess in battle. Here, Lieutenant, is your rank insignia." She handed the black striped cloth to Yuji, and picked up the ceremonial sword in the corner. "And here is your sword of office." Yuji took the sword, and saluted once more, his feelings mixed and somewhat confused by the unofficial state at which this had just happened. He had expected more fanfare.
The Captain returned the salute, and nodded, indicating he could go. "Good luck on earth, Lieutenant Yuji." Stepping back, Yuji turned and marched out, an officer of the Federation Forces.
==========
The next few days were hectic as messages poured in through the ship's radio, reporting details of Zion's Operation British. No force mustered within the Federation could stop the movement of the military strength of the Principality of Zion, and hope was fading fast. Zion's plan was to drop an entire colony into the Federation HQ in Jaburo, and even knowing this, there was nothing they could do to stop them. Troops ran to and fro the ship, conveying messages, tending to the injured already on the ship, tending to supplies, and making modifications to weapons hoping to, somehow, make a difference.
While this was happening, Yuji spent his time in the hangar, watching the troops go about their business. He was going to drive a simple jeep after his drop down to earth in the HLV, since he was going a separate direction from the other injured, and the fuelling and checking had long been done. He propped himself on a cargo box, and observed as men scrambled around. A young soldier sat down beside him to rest, sighing as he did so.
"Pretty pointless isn't it?" The soldier remarked as he stared at his fellow men.
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "So why do it?"
"We're all trying to protect something, someone precious to us." The soldier took a swig from his canteen and offered it to Yuji. It smelled suspiciously like alcohol. Yuji declined the offer.
"The thing is, a war is never just on a one-to-one scale. We don't fight oppressors or enemies and stop the war if we kill them—we kill them, the war continues." He sat back with a thud. "They kill us, the war also continues."
There was a moment of contemplative silence.
"But once a war is started it has a soul of its own. It becomes a beast hungry for blood. People make offerings to all kinds of Gods, and yet they do not realize this: the most blood-thirsty God is the one they created—the one made of machinery and clockwork, which runs and runs and never stops."
"The war will end, eventually." Yuji pointed out.
"Yes. Yes it will. But new wars will spring out. Wars springing from the minds and chests of men who grew up in the midst of war and are unable to come to terms with peace. Wars from men who desire war to secure political positions. Men who wish to make blood offerings to this mechanical beast called civilization so they can become leaders of their own little kingdom."
"What? I thought you were talking about war when you committed blasphemy just now?"
The soldier smiled. "Oh yes. War is blood-thirsty. Once it tastes blood it begs for more. But regardless of how many little wars humans make up, civilization endures. Mankind endures. The machine keeps running. Perhaps mankind should start looking at this machine they've built and decide on whether or not it should continue to run like in this manner."
"Maybe you're right. But I doubt if anyone is charismatic enough to bring active thought to the human race." Yuji drummed his fingers on his knee. "I mean, look at Zion Daikun, and Dekin Zabi. Powerful men who brought powerful ideas to their people. Men rallied behind them, and would kill for their ideas and for them to lead them. But the point still sticks – Men want other men to lead them. They don't want to think. They want a good idea, a good way to live. No one wants to live—everyone wants to follow. This, perhaps, is why civilization gets its sacrifice."
The soldier grinned. "Nice to know someone here agrees with me. I'm Peter."
"Yuji." They shook hands. For some reason, rank no longer mattered, not when death was staring in one's face. It was a good feeling, to be surrounded by thinking men, not followers.
"Well, gotta get to work." Peter swung himself off the crate.
"So what are you fighting for?" Yuji shouted after him.
Peter smiled. "I fight for my life, my friend."
The remaining day passed by quickly as Yuji sat, engrossed in thought. There was precious little a single soldier could do in the war, but if it was possible to change the direction of war by his own will, he would try. As he sunk into dejected acceptance, there was nothing left to do but sit in silence as he watched desperation creep up on his fellow soldiers.
January 5th, UC 0079 Time : 0700 hours
"Lieutenant!" The runner saluted to Yuji and ran forward. "I bring word from Captain Lucella : 'We are approaching the Drop-Zone, and you are to prepare to drop by 2315 hours today, after which our fleet shall proceed with full speed to the front to join the 4th Federation Assault Team in battle.'" He saluted again, and after waiting just a second to see if Yuji had anything to say, ran back the way he came.
The 4th Team...led by Admiral Mcharty Deiam. It was a good Squad, with a capable leader and crack troops, but against the Zion weapons, it was still suicide.
For the rest of the day Yuji stared through the port hole on the Cruiser, knowing it'd be the last time he'd see Space for a long, long time.
Packing the last of his items, Yuji entered the HLV, and strapped himself in. Groaning men, injured and bandaged heavily, propped themselves up against their seats, clenching their teeth and fists. The air was heavy with the smell of metal, grease, sweat, blood, and the unmistakable smell of fear. From there they'd go on a 24 hour journey, circling the globe until it was inside the range of the Federation Drop-Zone, and from there it'd enter the atmosphere, and drop into the vicinity of the New Zealand federation base. But within those 24 hours, they were totally open to external attack, since the HLV had no defensive weapons whatsoever, and was too large and bulky to move strategically. Having witnessed the powers of the Zaku, Yuji had no doubt even the heavily armored HLV would be decimated within seconds if they were targeted. It was equipped with extra thrusters for it's course, but even that couldn't help if the HLV couldn't manage evasive maneuvers.
"All in?" The pilot's voice came in, tinny through the huge space inside the HLV. "One short? Well, we don't have time to be waiting for any of the ladies. We're dropping. Prepare yourselves and don't say anything until I tell you it's okay to, unless you feel peckish for some of your own tongue."
The airlock was released as the cargo door opened, and the HLV floated through. As it dropped clear of the Salamis-Class cruiser, the pilot ignited the thrusters, and Yuji felt the powerful jolt as the HLV started on its course around the globe.
==========
January 6th, UC 0079 : The 8th Federation Missile-Torpedo Assault Fleet and the 4th Federation Assault Fleet encounter Zion troops, and a battle ensues.
==========
In another area, 50 km above the ozone January 6th, UC 0079 Time : 2200 hours
"Personnel please strap in—we've encountered the enemy."
The terrifying news was reported to the occupants of the HLV with the deadpan voice of the HLV commander, and it did not help to alleviate the already tense mood in the vessel.
Yuji sat back and closed his eyes. Dammit! There was no chance of them getting away—if there were Zakus, they would be utterly destroyed. There was one chance for survival, though. He picked up the intercom, and before he could speak, another voice rang through—loud and authoritative.
"Caius here. What are our combat capabilities?"
There was crackle from the intercom as the Vessel commander leafed through his pages of inventory.
"We have two Sabrefish being transported to the NZ base, and a land-rover, is all. ...Lieutenant Caius, isn't it?"
"Aye. Listen—I'll need ta pilot one of 'em. Think ye can arrange that 'afore the enemy reaches us?"
"Er, sure, but we're not sure how many enemy pilots we're dealing with, so—"
"Disna matter ta me. Men die. I dinna ken aboot yer, but I'd rather die fighting then sitting in this piece o'shit waitin' ta be hatched. Tell me when ye're ready ta launch me at 'em."
There was a pause as the Commander translated this verbal onslaught silently.
"Er...okay. You'd best make preparations in the hangar then, the Sabrefish's already fired up."
Yuji craned his neck to see who the man with the irish accent was, and saw a stocky, untidy man with a five-o'clock shadow stand and stride over to the hangar. A faint tinkling drew Yuji's attention to a small bell on the man's belt.
It was at least a half hour before the commander announced again, "We've received information that the Zion squad directly ahead of us appear to consist of only Gattles, With any luck, we shall pull through this without too much damage. Escort?"
The radio crackled. "Aye, I'm here. I'll engage 'em when I'm in range. Only aboot 3 ter 4 of the craven bastards—It'll be doon 'afore ye can feel it."
The silence that followed seemed to drag on forever, and only their accelerating heartbeats could be heard above the gentle hum of the machinery.
The intercom crackled again as the escort reported, "Caius here. I got 'em suckers in me sight. 5 Gattles in one of em' stupid duck-like formations." There was a wicked chuckle. "'Allo boys—who's yer daddy?!" There was a roar of thrusters and the radio went silent.
The muffled sounds of battle filtered through the thick armor of the HLV, and men pushed their heads hard on the wall, preparing for any impact. Surprisingly, there was only one.
A few minutes later Lieutenant Caius strode through the Hangar doors amidst ragged cheers. He had a broad smile on his face. The Commander of the HLV, however, brought an end to this festive mood.
"We were hit in the fuel tanks by one of the Gattles—there isn't any major damage, meaning we can still enter the atmosphere, but we had to drop the damaged fuel tank. We're running too low--we're going to have to land in the area around New Zealand and not in the actual base—if we're lucky. Sit tight. Drop begins in T minus 12 minutes."
==========
January 7th, UC 0079 : The 8th Federation Assault Team Reaches the war front. Interceptor missiles are launched in huge numbers from the Northern and Southern Polar Missile-tracking bases.
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January 8th, UC 0079 Time : 0932 hours
"Captain Lucella! Admiral Mcharty's given the orders to engage! Enemy sighted in sectors 1, 2, and 3!"
"Launch Sabrefish teams 1 and 5 and provide cover fire—increase forward thrust to 40%, maintain course and channel all remaining energy to the shields."
"Acknowledged, Captain."
"Captain Lucella! Our forces in sectors 2 have been decimated! Sector 1 is requesting backup!"
"What?!" Captain Lucella tapped her fingers irritably on her arm-rest and scowled. "Cut forward thrust engines, reverse thrust 80%, head to sector 1 and launch Sabrefish teams 2 and 4—send word to teams 1 and 5 to keep within the range of our fire. Release power from the shields and channel the energy to the guns—head to the point between the two sectors!"
"But captain, that'll bring us into the middle of the fight!"
"That can't be helped. If we do this quickly we can rescue the survivors before our ship is too heavily damaged, with any luck. Inform infirmary to prepare the bay for the injured. Send Sabrefish teams 3 and 6 out as escorts, and fire the covering missiles once the enemy is sighted. Inform turrets to spread their fire."
"Acknowledged, Cap'n."
"Sabrefish teams 1 and 5 launched, Cap'n."
"Captain! Enemies closing in, fast!"
"What?! Call in team 2 to provide cover for the ship! What're teams 2 and 4 waiting for?! Send out Teams 3 and 6 now! Scramble, Gentlemen! This is war!"
"Yes Ma'am!"
"Object closing in too fast Cap'n! Team 2 has been destroyed!"
"WHAT?!"
"Enemy within visual range Ma'am! It's...it's huge! How can anything that big move that fast?!"
"Reverse thrust 100%! Fire blanket missiles! Concentrate main guns on enemy!"
"Blanket missiles firing, ma'am!"
"Missed! All our missiles have missed, Cap'n!"
"Look at that thing move!"
"What is that, a machine gun?!"
"All escort teams have been decimated, Cap'n!"
Lucella sat up straight in shock.
"Blue One's taken down an enemy, Ma'am!"
"Blue One? Peter?" Lucella groaned. "I thought I sent him off to New Zealand!"
"The enemy is closing in, Ma'am! Blue One is down!"
"No...Peter!"
"The enemy is—AAAAARR—!"
==========
January 8th, UC 0079 : Under Admiral Mcharty Deiam, the 4th Federation Assault Team joins the fray. They retreat after suffering more than 70 % damage.
==========
January 8th, UC 0079 Time : 1350 hours
The land rover's engine whined horribly as it climbed the last hill as the weight bore the vehicle down. They were over-weight, but most of the weight consisted of supplies which would last the men for days, and Yuji knew it. The 6 men didn't weigh much—most of them were skin and bones, and some of them had lost so much blood Yuji doubted they would make it past sunset. Yuji was the only person who looked vaguely human, and that was only if the dried blood from the cut on his face was caught in a good light.
The past few hours since the announcement to land had been a blur. He could only deduce that a stray missile had hit them, and the last remaining thruster had gone up in flames. The thruster had been too close to the fuel, and the resulting explosion had almost destroyed them all. Fortunately, they had crashed in a large river, and this had cooled the heated fuel tank enough for Yuji to get the injured into the land rover and out of the vicinity of the ensuing explosion. There was no sign of the Irish lieutenant or the Commander of the HLV, but then, the two Sabrefish were gone, so Yuji assumed they had bailed out in mid-air.
They had landed somewhere in the area of Adelaide and this at least was an improvement, since the medical facilities in the vicinity would at least save the men from certain death. From there he could go on to Sydney Base, where he could hitch a ride to New Zealand Base, if all went well.
==========
January 9th, UC 0079 Time : 0600 hrs
"The men are under the purview of the Federation Army. Please see to it that they are taken care of, Ma'am." Yuji clasped the hand of the nurse, and smiled, though the stitches on his face stung like hell.
"It is my duty to, Lieutenant. You are sure you will not stay to have that stitch looked after?" The nurse asked.
"Sorry Ma'am, but I have my duties too, and right now, I have to get to Sydney Base."
"Well then, good luck. I took the liberty of refueling and restocking your land rover, so you shouldn't have any difficulties getting there. You should reach in less than a day, if you take the highway. Good luck, Lieutenant."
"Thank you." Yuji saluted, and strode off to the parking lot.
==========
January 9th, UC 0079 Time : 2317 hrs
"What in the name of the Gods?!" Yuji's Land Rover screeched to a stop and he stared in disbelief at the skies in the distance. It looked as if there was a second moon in the sky, and it was getting bigger.
==========
January 10th, UC 0079 : The Coloney "Island Ifishu" penetrates the Ozone, but breaks up upon entering, deviating its trajectory, and landing in Sydney, Australia, instead of the intended Federation HQ, Jaburo. Zion Escorts acknowledge the failure of Operation British, and retreat temporarily. The interference of the Ozone from the entry of the Colony triggers off an immense change in weather, as well as temperature around the world. The battle from 0079 3rd January to 10th January becomes known as the One Week War. In this one week, 30 hundred million, or 25% of the human population perish. Using this interference from the ozone, Zion drops large numbers of Mobile Suits to Earth.
==========
January 10th, UC 0079 Time : 1900 hrs
Yuji grimaced as he emerged from the small cave. The trees and bushes he had seen when he had entered the cave were gone, blown away by the force of the explosion from the Colony Drop. The minute he had seen the Colony in the night sky, Yuji had doubled back into the forests, where he had seen a cave facing Adelaide. It was a small, damp cave, but it was large enough to hold his land rover. As he had watched in horror, the Colony had landed directly on Sydney, and the explosion had rocked the grounds, even where he was. The sound was terrific, and the resulting super-heated winds had eaten away everything in its path—trees, grass, buildings, roads, human flesh and bone.
He had very nearly been caved in, if not for the fact that his cave was facing the opposite direction of the incredible explosion. He could still see the face of the man who had flown past his cave, arms and legs askew like a broken toy, his flesh being melted off like ice in the heat of a torch-blower. Then there was the little girl who was still alive when she tumbled past his cavern hole, holding on to a torn female arm which was probably her mother's...that expression of disbelief, of shock, of goddamn innocence...!
He walked out of the cavern, and stood atop the rock, surveying the damage. It had been stripped of sand and moss, and all around him a barren waste lay where nature had once reigned supreme. A wind as hot as boiling water swirled around the smoking ruins—a masterpiece of the singularity of human thought.
(War is blood-thirsty.)
(Once it tastes blood it begs for more. But regardless of how many little wars humans make up, civilization endures.)
(Mankind endures. The machine keeps running.)
(The look of pure, stunned innocence flashing across the little girl's face as her mother's hands fused with her own.)
(Perhaps mankind should start looking at this machine they've built and decide on whether or not it should continue to run like in this manner.)
Yuji raised his face to the red skies, and bellowed, a tremendous sound of animal rage released at the diplomacy and stupidity of it all, a sound which echoed, and echoed, and echoed.