Chapter 7.
Location: Musai Class Ship Dragoon. Satellite Orbit Path 2. December 26th. Local Time 2000.
"Dragoon this is Columbus 330 on approach path 119. Requesting docking."
"Dragoon this is Pazock 133 out of Pezun Asteroid Base requesting docking."
Captain McCormick looked out the bridge window. One Federation and one Zeon transport were approaching slowly. He nodded and replied, "Columbus 330--Pazock 133 you are both clear for docking.
Columbus use starboard docking tubes and Pazock use portside." He then put down the com and said, "When the Federation troops come aboard no shooting. I don't want this alliance of survival to be short lived."
Everyone on the bridge immediately replied, "Yes Sir!"
McCormick scratched his five o'clock shadow, recently Kaiser Zabi was transferred down to a bunker deep beneath Kilimamjaro Base. It was one of the few remaining Earth based facilities left after California fell just hours prior to the Alien attack. Lady Kishiria was still aboard the abandoned Texas Colony along with the Federation's General Revel planning the combined defense of Earth. McCormick wondered exactly what those two were planning. After all many considered them the two best commanders in the entire Earth sphere. McCormick slumped back into his chair. It was hard to believe a whole year of fighting the Earth and now they had to defend it.
He thought to himself that now he knew how the Federation felt in the beginning. At least the ship he now commanded was new. It was a more streamlined version of the standard Musai. One of the mega-particle cannon turrets was ripped out and the ships hanger bay was greatly expanded to accommodate the new mobile suits. There wasn't any lose of fire power however, because the two remaining turrets were modified so they could each accept 50 per cent more energy.
He looked up--a familiar yet feared face throughout the Earth's sphere was standing beside him. "Jesus Char, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that! Trying to send me to an early grave?" exclaimed McCormick.
Char answered, "I'm on edge as well considering current events."
McCormick nodded, "We don't stand a chance--you of all people know that right?"
Char replied, "It's simply fate that's how I see it When humanity is backed into a corner protecting something they believe in they will fight to the death. The outcome is as random as a roll of the dice. We have a slim advantage though, there ships had to get really close to fight us, that meant particle jamming still works, plus they seem to rely heavily on long range weapons. It's possible that a couple of mobile suits with nuclear armament could get close enough to negate their AA fire and attack the engines near the rear or the middle of the belly of the ships."
McCormick asked, "Why the middle?"
Char answered, "During the attack one of our Zaku Flippers recon teams managed to get some pictures. There is a massive opening on the ships underside, probably their fighter launching platforms. If a battleship or a mobile suit armed with nukes could get close enough…"
"Could probably cause a hell of a lot of damage" finished McCormick.
Suddenly the com buzzed and McCormick picked it up and listened. "Yes I'll send him down." He then hung up and said, "Captain your new mobile suit has arrived."
Char replied, "Really. What type?"
McCormick shrugged smiling and said, "It came on the Federation transport. It's the white devil."
This got Char's immediate attention. He quickly donned his space suit and went out the air lock into the docking bay the Columbus transport was using. There being gawked at by the entire crew was the Gundam itself. A bunch of Federation engineers were swarming around it gently sending her into the ships mobile suite rack. Char tapped an engineer on the back and he spun around. He floated back at bit and exclaimed, "You're the red comet." He then recovered from his surprise and said, "I should have known, here I need you to fill this out."
Char asked, "What is that mobile suit doing here?"
The Federation Engineer replied, "Special order from General Revel and Lady Kishiria, I don't know what the hell they are thinking, but I'm not paid enough to question it."
Char looked the suit up and down, the same machine that killed so many of his comrades and now he was being ordered to pilot it. His mind instantly came to one conclusion, whatever higher powers controlled fate had a really sick sense of humor.
The engineer continued, "You might want to read the manual, the controls on this thing are a bit complicated. Knowing you you will probably figure it out after the first 5 pages. Also due to reasons I can't disclose, we had to replace the normal head with that of a GM Space Command Type. Don't worry though, it still has the head mounted Vulcan's and the sensors have slightly better range than the previous head. It's not that big of a lose. By the way, my little brother is a mobile suit enthusiast can I get your autograph? That is if it's not too much trouble." He then pulled out a postcard from Side 6.
As Char was signing it he said, "I would like to ask you for something in return for this. Who was the previous pilot?"
The engineer took the recently signed postcard and replied, "Some kid, probably a newtype. Let's see now (he began tapping his Helmut) Oh, yes, I think his name was Amuro--I don't remember his last name though."
The engineer was then shoved aside by a Zeon engineer, "Watch it, we have to transfer in these MS-11's. Could you give us a hand?" The Federation engineer simply nodded and went off to help transfer in the remaining mobile suits.
Char continued to stare at the Gundam and thought to himself, that kid from Side 6.…..fate is truly ironic indeed.
Location: Texas Colony. December 27th. Time 0245.
"Then it's agreed that we will reorganize the remaining mirrors from the solar system that we used on Solomon and reposition them over the North Pole. This will allow the maximum amount of sun light to charge the weapon in the shortest amount of time. General Revel and Lady Kishiria do you agree?"
Lady Kishiria answered, "I agree with the logic behind this. Any luck getting the Oceanic and South American Districts to employ their entire space forces?"
Revel nodded and replied, "That won't be a problem, the Governor of the North American District released audio transcripts of my earlier conversation with the Counsel. The military of the two districts are so appalled by their leaders decisions that they are now acting on their own accord. There are even rumors coming down that some citizens of the two districts are planning an open revolt. How is everything going with the remaining Zeon forces?"
Lady Kishiria replied, "They are taking up positions with your forces in satellite orbits. The more heavily armed Gwazine Zanzibar and Chivvay classes will be up front with the Magellan's and the more lightly armed Musai class and Jicco assault ships will help guard the rear. One thing bothers me though, we have sent several near suicidal recon missions towards the moon already. The aliens seems to be just hanging there. The pictures are of bad quality but it looks like my brothers little toy did more damage than I originally thought--there are only five ships surviving of the original fleet of 21."
The lieutenant who started the briefing said, "In my opinion, they are probably repairing and waiting for reinforcements. It's the only logical explanation. Humanities extermination is the will of their Gods. These religious psychos are probably waiting for enough reinforcements so they can blow the planet in half. We should get moving, we are almost finished with the retrofit of this colony's engines--you two had better get to your respective command ships. I'll handle what's ahead."
Next: Preparations Covenant Side.
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