Mobile Suit Gundam 0093: Wayward Warriors.

Chapter 1: The Panther and the Storm

The mood on the bridge of the Earth Federal Forces Clop class cruiser Sussex was one of uneasy silence. The bridge crew sat fixated by the events unfolding before them, the only noise that could be heard was the distant hum of the main engines. The mighty asteroid base Axis was being engulfed by a bright multi coloured light and slowly but surely being pushed away from its collision course with the Earth.

'What is the status of the Londo Bell?' asked Captain Alexander Jellico his throat dry.

'They are retrieving their damaged and downed mobile suits,' replied Kyle Walker, Alexander's second in command. 'Neo Zeon is in full retreat. Most of their ships have been destroyed, but the Rewloola and several of the Musaka are unaccounted for.'

'I have a feeling we'll be dealing with them for some time,' said Alexander, 'Com, signal the Ra Cailum ask if they require any assistance.' Normally when an order was given it was acted upon instantaneously however at this moment in time the bridge crew were still transfixed to the image of Axis beginning slowly pushed away.

Seeing that his crew was not paying a great deal of attention to their captain, Kyle picked up a heavy book and slammed it against the navigation plotting table. The noise caused everyone on the bridge to jump slightly.

'I know we've been through a lot recently.' he said gently, 'But we still have a job to do. The surviving Zeeks will be out there waiting for an opportunity to make their escape. We've got to keep our eyes open for when they do.'

Reluctantly the bridge crew returned to their duties but they all still kept looking out of the corner of their eyes towards the Axis and the curtain of light now surrounding the Earth.

The bridge crew weren't the only ones transfixed by the Axis. In the pilot lounge adjacent to the Sussex'shanger the four Jegan pilots all stared out of the small portholes.

'That damned rock is always causing trouble,' muttered veteran pilot James Keffer, 'I hope they get rid of it properly this time.' Keffer's battle hardened features scrutinised the Axis carefully.

'What do you mean by that Lieutenant Commander?' asked Michael Sutherns, a fresh-faced rookie pilot who'd never actually been in combat yet.

'What I mean is that they should have got rid if it after the big show down in 0089. We went through hell to stop Haman Karn's lot and then they go sell it to Char!' he exclaimed, 'They've got no sense at all. They do stupid things and then they wonder why people keep fighting against them. It's like they learned nothing from the Gryps War.'

'Does that mean you were in the A.E.U.G. Lieutenant Commander?' asked Sutherns innocently as he sat down on the sofa in the middle of the room.

'The boss has done it all kid.' Said Jason Raynor, another veteran pilot. 'He's been going since before the One Year War. Me and him have been together since we joined the Titans.'

'You were in the Titans?' asked Sutherns confused.

'We joined in 0084, back before they totally became a group of racist bastards.' said James, 'We left right after the 30 Bunch incident. We had joined up with Brigadier General Blex Forer when he founded A.E.U.G. It's all in the past now, where it belongs.'

'Hey Jim, you reckon Amuro got out of that all right?' asked Henry Zigner who was still looking out of the portholes at Axis.

'This was meant to be his final battle with Char,' mused James, 'So I don't really know, but I've got a bad feeling about it.' Seemingly content with the reply Henry went back to looking out the porthole. Michael however was confused again.

'You guys know Amuro Ray?' he asked in amazement.

'Yeah,' said Jason. 'Me and Henry know him from during the Gryps War, but the captain here knows him from the One Year War.'

'He's a good man and a great pilot.' Said James, 'I can still remember how well he fought in Operation Star One.' James let his eyes drop. 'Brings back the memories, none of them are particularly good ones.'

In comparison with the rest of the crews, Alexander's personal quarters were in the lap of luxury. A computer access point, TV, desk and of course the 'en suite' bathroom with shower. The privileges of rank ensured that he didn't have to use the communal facilities. He didn't get it all his own way of course he quarters also doubled as his official office and more often than not as the ships briefing room.

Alexander sat at his untidy and disorganised desk. It was littered with maintenance reports, supply requests and status reports. Some were weeks old Alexander was not very good at paperwork. He hated to admit it but he was a war captain, not suited to peacetime where paperwork and bureaucracy ruled unquestionably. He'd become a captain in a time where the Federation was more interested in beating Zeon than making sure every single thing a ship did was documented. That attitude had stuck with Alexander he preferred to let his executive officer do the paperwork while he commanded the ship.

He lent back in his chair and let his eyes wonder. They eventually rested on a small photo frame. It was a picture of him, his wife and his little baby daughter having a picnic back in 78. He'd been on shore leave at the time but it got cut short due to the tensions rising over Zeon troop movements. When the war started his wife and daughter were visiting relatives in Sydney for New Years. Ten days later they died.

Suddenly the whole ship rocked by an explosion, another threw Alexander out of his seat. Regaining his balance he drifted over to his COM panel.

'This is the Captain. What the hell is going on?' he asked on an open channel to the bridge.

'Captain it's the Zeeks!' replied a rather nervous crewman. 'They are attacking us!'

'I'm on my way,' said Alexander kicking off the wall and floating over to the door.

As Alexander came onto the bridge the Sussex was rocked again. The Officer on watch vacated the Captain's chair and let him sit down. Kyle Walker soon appeared on the bridge followed by James Keffer.

'Rader, where's Zeon coming from?' asked Alexander.

'Our right flank sir.' Said the crewman, 'We had an intermittent contact about 15 minutes ago but we were unable confirm them. There are still a lot of Minovsky particles hanging around from the battle earlier. I'm sorry we didn't spot them sir, they must have snuck through a bank of the particles.'

'Don't worry.' Said Alexander, 'None of us were expecting a fight.'

'Their captain must be an idiot,' said Kyle lowering his binoculars. 'To attack at this range. Even with his main guns he's not going to do much damage.'

'All he's done is tell us where he is,' said James. 'I can have my boys out there in a flash Alex. You want us to go?'

'How many of them are there?' asked Alexander

'Two sir.' Said the Rader man, 'But only one of them is firing on us.'

Alexander though for a few moments and then spoke. 'Helm turn us to face them. Weapons open fire with main guns and prepare for missile barrage.' He then turned to James. 'Deploy your men, but don't engage yet. Wait for them to launch and attack.'

'You're the boss skipper,' said James and left the bridge.

When a pilot downs five enemies and gains the respect of his allies he becomes an Ace. When a pilot gains the respect of his enemies he becomes more than just an Ace he becomes something of a battlefield legend. James Keffer was one of those people he was no Red Comet but he was still good. During the One Year War Zeon forces gave him the nickname White Panther due to his amazing skill at stalking his prey. Although the Federation never allowed its pilots to give there mobile suits custom paint jobs, like Zeon did, they were allowed their own personal crests. James's was a stylised white coloured Panther head on a hexagonal black background.

Fastening the last few clasps on his pilots suit James kicked off from the gantry over to the open cockpit of his RGM-89 Jegan. The left shoulder armour pad had James' crest painted on as he floated past it he patted it for good luck. Reaching the open cockpit he swung himself in legs first and settled himself in to the linier command chair. As the consoles closed in on him he put on his helmet but left the visor up. Beginning the start-up sequence the monitors flickered into life and he was presented with a 360- degree field of view of the hanger.

'Everyone set?' he asked on the squadron COM channel.

'Five lit and green boss,' said Jason.

'I'm ready to frag some Zeeks,' replied Henry

James waited for the last check, but it didn't come. 'Mike you ok?' he asked

'Oh sorry Sir...I...I'm ready.' Stammered Mike.

'Don't worry. Just remember your training and stick close to Jason and you'll do fine.' Said James reassuringly.

'What!? I gotta baby sit?' blurted out Jason

'We all have our crosses to bear Jason,' said Henry.

'Alright cut the chatter,' said James moving his Jegan onto the mobile suit lift. 'We're going to deploy in standard defence formation until the enemy launches their mobiles.' James got three confirmations as his and Henry's mobile suits we brought up to the launch catapult. Letting the automated system lock his Jegan into place James waited for the sudden acceleration. Sure enough it came just as he expected it to. Not long after his launch the rest of his squad had taken up position.

As the Sussex's main guns opened up upon the Zeon Musakas, she also deployed several dummies. Most would consider this a fruitless gesture but when you understand how mobile suit sensor systems work it makes sense. When the mobile suit uses its camera the mobile suit's computer extensively enhances the images shown on the cockpit displays, and when a mobile suit or other vessel can be positively identified, crisp computer graphics are substituted for low-quality visuals.

A few moments later Alexander ordered the start of the missile barrage. A set of six missiles streaked out of the launch tubes and flung themselves towards the Neo Zeon vessels. A second wave was launched almost immediately afterwards. It didn't take long for the Sussex to gain success. One missile hit the lead Musaka's mobile suit launch control box, mounted on the ships nose, while another two hit the left wing blasting it off barely a quarter of its length from the hull.

'James. The lead Musaka is launching its mobile suits.' Said Kyle his eye fixed in his binoculars. 'Four Gear Dogas. Ones an ace.'

'An ace?' asked Alexander, 'How can you tell?'

'Custom paint job.' He replied. 'Looks familiar though, but I can't place it.'

'Let me look,' said Alexander taking a pair of binoculars. He stared into them for a few moments. 'Oh crap! It's the Storm Lord. Contact James immediately.'

'We can't sir. Minovsky particles are too thick and they've already engaged.' Replied the Communications officer.

James and Henry's Jegans raced towards the Geara Dogas. They flew up high and fired the missile tubes mounted on their shields. Apart from clipping the foot of one of the Geara Dogas they did no damage. As James expected the Geara Dogas spilt up so that they could attack Jason and Mike. What James didn't expect was to have a yellow and black Geara Doga come screaming towards him firing its beam machinegun. James kicked in his thrusters to avoid the attack. As the two mobile suits passed each other time seemed to stop for a few seconds.

'Storm Lord,' said James darkly.

'Panther,' came an equally dark reply. The moment was held for a bit longer before James swung his suit around and began firing his beam rifle.

Jason was finding his task of baby-sitting Mike harder than he thought it would be. The kid had done Ok at the academy but he'd virtually fallen apart now. Fear was a pilot's worst enemy, and Mike had fallen victim to it. Desperately he fired a trio of shots from his beam rifle scoring a hit on a Geara Doga's shoulder armour but causing no real damage. Jason's Jegan shook as the other Geara Doga started shooting at him and succeed in blowing off the suits right foot.

'Damnit Mike!' he yelled, 'Pull yourself together man! I can't take them both on my own!'

Henry wasn't having a good time either. It seemed to him that he was fighting some sort of super pilot. The Geara Doga was going too fast for him to track. When ever he tried to hit it his shots always went wild. Henry was a seasoned veteran of countless battles but this guy was too much.

'What the hell!' he exclaimed. 'What is this guy? A Newtype?'

The Geara Doga circled Henry's Jegan with lethal intent. The Geara Doga's pilot triggered a quick burst from his beam machinegun. The beams lanced through the Jegan's armour setting its right leg a drift in space. Henry kept firing his beam rifle in the vain hope he'd hit his superior opponent, but he was out matched and he knew it. So when the beam vaporised his cockpit it came more as a relief than anything else.

The muzzle of James' beam rifle flashed as streams of mega particles shot towards his target. An equally high volume was being returned.

'I should have known a bastard like you would have escaped his meeting with the reaper!' he yelled. The two mobile suits kept exchanging fire, trying to hit their opponent while trying to avoid getting killed themselves.

'It's not my fault James.' Said the Storm Lord. 'When the captain calls you can't ignore him.'

'Since when did you support Char? Anthony!' replied James. 'You're just looking for an excuse to fight!' His next volley of beam rifle shots hit the Geara Doga's beam machinegun destroying it.

'Maybe Panther! But I do it so well!' yelled Anthony as he ignited his beam sword, taking a swipe at James.

James replied by bringing up his own beam sabre and blocking the blow. The two mobile suits held it for a few seconds before both breaking off and trying to swing around and get behind their enemy. Again and again the beam collided both pilots seemed evenly matched neither able to gain the upper hand.

The bright flash of Henry's reactor cooking off distracted James momentarily giving Anthony a chance to strike. James' fast reaction time however saved him from certain death as the beam sword sliced off his Jegan's right arm and embedded itself partway into the Jegan's torso. In the few seconds that Anthony's arm was stuck James he brought his shield down on to the Geara Doga's undefended back while firing his Vulcan gun.

Anthony broke off and was about to continue his attack when the Musakas firing the flares to signal a retreat interrupted him.

'Looks like a draw again my old friend,' said Anthony turning to return to his vessel.

'Yes it is.' Said James to himself, 'But our luck won't last forever. We'll kill each other eventually.'

He turn his Jegan and around and headed back to the Sussex to asses the damage from the battle. He knew that Henry had bought it, but he didn't know what happened to Jason or Mike. As he came in closer to the Sussex he could see why the battle had ended. Several gaping holes were littered along the cruisers hull. She was listing hard to port. On the far side of the Sussex he could see Jason and Mike, both of their suits were damaged but neither destroyed.

On the Sussex's bridge Alexander gave a sigh of relief. Considering the odds they came off lucky. He wasn't sure why the second Musaka hadn't launched its mobile suits, maybe it didn't have any or maybe they were confident in the Storm Lords abilities.

'How bad is it?' he asked Kyle who'd been reading a damage control report.

'Plenty of holes, some slight superstructure damaged, some damage to the engines and twelve killed, thirty wounded.' He said. Alexander winced.

'Do we know where the La Vie En Rose II is?' asked Alexander pensively.

'She was lurking around near the Luna last time we spotted her.' Replied Kyle. 'You think we'll be able to get them to help us?'

'It's worth a try,' replied Alexander. 'There's no point going back to Luna 2. I'm sure they won't say no, if we're lucky someone we know will be in command.'

'I think I remember someone saying something about her commander changing recently.' Said Kyle. 'Anyway it's the best option we have.'