Gundam 0073 – Pre-empt to Armageddon
(This takes place a few months before the Making of the first recorded Mobile suit known as the MS-01 up to U.C. 0078.10. This talks about the innards of the testing of the mobile suits and the small battles between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon long before the actual One Year War takes place. Certain characters are of course fictional and the most common ones from the actual series you won't see until the near end of this Fan Fiction.)
Chapter One
(U.C. 0073.05)
Standing quietly on the bridge of one of the new Jupiter fleet ships, Lieutenant Major Dylan carefully scanned the surrounding space in front of her, staring at the rather large asteroids passing on either side of the ship. It was an amazing feat to be such an enclosed area with a ship that can maneuver as well as the PZSS Princess of the Stars. She wasn't exactly the kind who flew in these ships. She was a fighter pilot and kind of wished to remain as such. Her concentration of the void was broken by a shout through the ship and the hiss of the door opening. Her head slowly turned to see the Captain come walking in.
The Captain gave her a quick salute before walking up to him. He came to her side gazing quietly at the earth in the distance as the ship made a slow turn. Dylan returned the salute. "So tell me captain, why was I brought onto this floating coffin?"
The Captain gave a slight chuckle, turning to look at his eyes. "Zeon is growing Lieutenant and it seems as though we must better prepare ourselves if we are to withstand a possible attack from the Earth Federation."
"Captain, that's highly unlikely. They barely put up a fuss when Zeon became it's own Principality. I highly doubt they will try and bring us down."
"I know Lieutenant, but we must always be on ready incase the unexpected happens. So we have a task for you to accomplish"
"Captain?" it was unusual that she would be asked to do something out of the ordinary. She was merely a pilot, special forces was not exactly in her job description. "Not to sound rude captain but my skills are limited to piloting, nothing more."
"I know Lieutenant, that's exactly why we want you. Your family has been devoted to the cause of Zeon for years. We want to test your skills and see if we can get something off the ground. Do I have your complete devotion to this?"
The lieutenant paused after he asked this and almost said no. However she knew that the cause of Zeon was always righteous and that this must be for the good of Zeon no matter what. "Of course Captain, Zeon will always have my complete devotion."
"Thank you Lieutenant, Zeon is grateful for your service always." The captain turned to glance at the asteroid belt once more before turning back to the Lieutenant. "Better get used to this. Zeke Zeon" The Captain saluted and walked away from her.
"Captain? Get used to what?"
The size of Side 4 seemed to loom over his visual screen as his fighter streaked through the air. Ensign Terran throttled the stick as the fighter tore into a rapid climb hovering only feet from side 4. He began a slow roll facing down towards the colony. He turned his head up gazing through his visor at how the Side swallowed everything within his view. As the curve came around he slowly brought the fighter into another climb keeping his distance between the fighter and the colony. Then in an instant he watched as a beam of light shot into his cockpit and the fighter went into automatic pilot. He quickly released the stick and let the computer guide him the rest of the way.
In Hangar 2B of Side 4, men rushed to and fro among the tangles of wires and fuel tanks, dodging incoming and outgoing fighters alike. One of the biggest secrets of Side 4 was that it had it's own Military by command of the Earth Federation. Soon a fighter bearing two marks for Valor in time of war and another for the insignia of the famous reaper squad. It came in slowly and touched down with a puff of smoke and a screech of the tires.
The mean continued their pace as the fighter came to halt at one of the parking spaces for Army personal. The cockpit opened with a hiss and a head poked out to look at the outside of his ship.
"There are some asteroids that need cleaning out of the way of the light way! I almost lost a wing coming in."
The men scuffled about throwing halfhearted salutes and grumbling slightly as a few donned space suits to fulfill their orders.
"Make sure my jet remains ready to take off when ready. We still think Zeon might be sending some spies out."
A few men threw him some odd glances only to be pushed along by their commanding officers. Terran climbed down as he continued to make sure his fighter was still in working order. He finished his general check and walked to the nearest handrail. He grasped it and immediately it yanked him across the hangar to a door. He let it open with a rush of wind. He took a few steps in looking down three possible halls. Walking down one, immediately he was met by the one star General of Side 2.
"Ensign Terran, your late."
"Sorry General, I got caught in a small meteor shower. So what did you want me for?"
"This way Ensign, well explain in a conference."
Terran only nodded for moment before following the General down a hall. After a few turns and a few minutes they came to a conference room. In it were seated three captains, two generals, and what looked like the Vice President of The Earth Federation. He quickly stood erect and threw a salute. They all saluted back but immediately set their hands back down.
"Ensign, please be seated."
Terran took a seat by the nearest chair and looked over the board of officers wondering what he had done right or wrong. They all stared at him for a few minutes almost piercing his sea green eyes. Terran reached up brushing a few brown strands of hair out of the way of his sight expecting to be chewed out at any second. The silence went on for a few more second before the Vice President started in.
"I bet your wondering why you're here Ensign Terran."
"Of course sire" Terran replied a bit hesitantly.
"Well it seems we've discovered something unsettling with the Principality of Zeon."
The President turned and with a single click from his pen, the lights dimmed and a picture showed on the screen. They all turned to look at it and stared at it. Terran was the only one to turn and looks back at the Vice President.
"What is it?"
"We're not sure. But for right now we are going to call it TA 01. TA stands for Technological Advance. From what we've heard it's a type of Mechanical Suit. The Principality of Zeon has invested billions of dollars to try and develop this. It seems they believe that this new technology could advance their military far beyond ours. I personally couldn't see it having any effect but we of course cannot take this chance. So right now we have two operatives within the Zeon Air force as higher ups. They are gathering information at the moment trying to get a better idea of what this thing is. As for now we have another idea with you. They've just taken in a Lieutenant Major by the name of Shyanne Dylan." The Vice President clicked the button once more as the picture of a tall, long legged Red head with pouty lips and deep green eyes. She was beautiful no doubt and the slight amount of Freckles made her all the gorgeous. Her slimmed body made the Zeon uniform look rather big on her.
Terran raised an eyes brow looking over the picture before turning back to face the Vice President. "So what does this have to do with me?"
"Ensign Terran you are going to be disguised as a Zeon Officer, with a little help from our operatives. There is rumor of another Mechanical suit, and that they are going to test both with each other over the next few months. We are going to get you in there and have you as the other pilot."
This threw Terran for a loop as he sat back in his chair taking a deep breath. His mind raced for a long time before it all came in as something more logical than anything.
"I know it seems a lot to handle Ensign but we need to know what's going on. We will only have you in there for a few months and afterwards we'll remove you without anyone ever knowing. I'm sure you have questions."
"Well one is what happens if I get caught?"
"If you are compromised we'll disavow any knowledge of you being a member of the Earth Federation and you'll be on your own."
Terran had expected that one but he still wasn't sure about a few other things.
"How will I get into there?"
"You'll be transferred to a converted shuttle. It's painted like one from the Principality of Zeon. From there you'll be guided by one of our Operatives. You'll know him as Kernel Little."
"When do I leave?"
"In three days. Say your goodbyes, write your letters because you wont be able to talk to them until your back." The vice president threw him an optimistic glance before continuing on. "I take it your going to accept it?"
"I guess so?" Terran stood up and saluted the Board. He had noticed the rest didn't say anything but he figured this was something only the Vice President could ask. He looked around once more before exiting the conference room. He stopped outside as the door shut with a hiss. He then leaned against the wall looking up towards the ceiling as he tried to think of everything that was going on.
"A lot to take in isn't Terran." Terran jerked to his feet, looking over at one of the captains that was in the room.
"Yes sir, it is. I hope I get out of this alive."
"So do we Ensign." The captain smiled gently before walking off down the hall.
"Lieutenant Major Shyanne Dylan reporting for duty sir!" Dylan quickly saluted the General as she stared right ahead not diverting her eyes to look at the President of the Principality of Zeon. She felt cramped and rather uncomfortable in this space ship. She really couldn't understand her purpose in being here yet alone being selected for some kind of assignment.
The President turned to look at Lieutenant Dylan throwing a smile towards her before motioning to a nearby chair.
Dylan looked over the simple office, a hard wood mahogany desk, a simple tiffany lamp set on it and a few papers scattered about. She came to the leather, padded seat and sat down fidgeting around a bit uncomfortably. She nodded to him as she removed her hat and set it on her lap.
"Welcome Lieutenant, I've been expecting you for some time."
"Thank you President, it seems as though the colony is alive and ready for a impending war. It seems a bit absurd but I guess anything can happen." She threw a fake smile towards him.
"Indeed it can Lieutenant. I have a special task for you. I assume the Captain didn't tell you to much?"
"No, in fact he told me practically nothing at all. I assume it is something big, correct?"
"Very intuitive Lieutenant. There is actually a type of project we have been raising funds for. In fact it's been being funded for the past two years. We call it the Mobilized Mechanical Suit project. It's cost us billions of dollars but it will put Zeon on the map."
"Mobilized Mechanical Suit?"
"Yes or otherwise known as a Mobile Suit. Some have nicknamed it the MS. This new Mobile Suit will provide a type of power that the Earth Federation can only imagine of. " The President Smirked slightly before glancing with his yellow orbs at her. "Any questions so far Lieutenant?"
"No sir. I'm kind of wondering what this mobile suit will look like."
"I can tell you that already. Come over here Lieutenant." He motioned towards his desk. He reached to his side as he pressed a solitary button. Behind him, the hardwood wall opened with a gentle hum revealing a huge Hangar Bay. The lights penetrated his dimmed room and blinded the Lieutenant for a few seconds. Her eyes soon adjusted to the light. Her head turned towards the hangar as she stumbled to her feet. Walking quietly over towards the window his eyes peered over the ledge. Her eyes widened at the sight of the new MS standing proudly. Workers scurried about it and all over it, working on wires and data trying to put it all together. Another one just like it stood beside it, the same amount working on it as the first.
"What are these?" she asked, her voice faint.
"These are the MS-01 Type A and MS-01 Type B. The Type A is our first attempt at a mobile suit. The Type A stands 52.5 feet tall with a few options. It has a thruster in the back portion and a few vernial thrusters to provide better maneuverability. There are weapons for it but we will get into that later." He stood there, entranced in the beauty of the MS almost trying to comprehend what it will do.
"Tell me Deikun, what does this mean for us?" She was almost scared by the possibilities.
"Lieutenant, you are looking at a new way wars will be fought. This mobile suit has more maneuverability than your traditional tank. It can move faster than a tank, have more firepower, and like our space fighters, are able to fly in space providing support there. We are trying to develop a carrier that will be able to readily carry mobile suits into battle. What do you think Lieutenant?"
"Sir, I am not sure what to think. This is an amazing invention. I am sure it will revolutionize our world in many ways we can't imagine. And what of the Type B?"
"This one we are still getting the glitches out of. There is more armor and better thrust but the timing is slower than the Type A. We are hoping to use it as a heavy weapons support unit rather than a close combat unit. It works much like the Type A but you can feel how much slower it is. Most likely we will use the Type A for combat and end up scrapping the Type B." He turned to look at her for moment before shaking his head. "Don't worry Lieutenant I am sure you will easily be able to master this Mobile Suit."
"Of course sir. When will I be able to get in and start testing this suit?"
"Well we are waiting for our second test pilot."
"A second test pilot sir?"
"Yes. We have another in mind to test the Type B with you. Kernel Little recommended this person. Apparently he is a gifted pilot and should be able to pilot the Type B quite well."
"Are you sure this is necessary Sir?"
"Absolutely Lieutenant. We need to be able to test both at the same time. Scared someone might steal your Ms from you?"
She blushed slightly and looked away from him. "Of course not sir, this is all for the good of Zeon. My foolish wants are not allowed here."
"Glad to hear it Lieutenant, you are dismissed."
"Thank you sir." She saluted promptly and turned leaving his office. It was odd that such a machine could be this powerful but obviously there was a lot more to it than meets the eye. She hoped that this new pilot wasn't as arrogant as she probably envisioned him to be. "Men…" she grunted walking away from Deikun's office determined to make her the first to fight in the Type A.
"Well it would seem we have a good prospective for the MS-02." Deikun said proudly. He was sure that her abilities with a MS would be something to be witnessed. The only problem would be to make sure that the second pilot wasn't better. If so he would lose the Lieutenant for this…this… He quickly picked up one paper from his desk looking at the picture and profile. Lieutenant Corporal Dater Terran. "Interesting." He murmured under his breath.
Standing quietly in Hangar 3A or Side 4, he just stared blankly towards one of the wide windows. His hands fidgeting slightly as he shifted from the unusual feel of the Zeon Officer uniform he was wearing. It was really awkward to be dressed as someone from Zeon and really he couldn't understand fully the impact his mission would have in the future. He quickly shoved his hands into his pocket making sure that he didn't give off too much of a feeling of being nervous. Taking a deep breath then slowly releasing it calmed his nerves enough to keep him still. However his head jerked upon hearing the familiar roar of a Fedy Shuttle coming into the Hangar bay. Upon sight of it, he was surprised to see that it looked exactly like a Zeon Shuttle.
The shuttle came to a gentle halt, the landing gear taking the full force of the weight as it almost looked as if the gear was going to buckle and completely snap off. As the engines came to an idle as the door opened and a man wearing a Zeon Uniform stepped out and walked over to him.
"Hello Lieutenant Terran. I am Kernel Little. You ready to go now?"
"Of course sir." He reached down and picked up his clothing trunk walking onto the Shuttle and securing it before sitting down and buckling him self.
Within a few minutes the shuttle tore down the short runway and gently lifted into space. The force of the take off almost threw Terran back in his seat. He managed to keep his stomach even with the rough take off. As the shuttle flew onwards Terran couldn't help but feel more nervous at the aspect of going right into Zeon territory. He knew they weren't at war but both factions had been on edge ever since Side 3 declared its independence. He was hoping that something would make the peace between the Federation and the Principality of Zeon before a tragedy happened. Slowly he couldn't help but slip away into sleep, the shuttle was a lot smoother than his traditional fighter.
The sudden jerk and then low hum of the engines woke Terran from his sleep. He glanced around before looking over towards Kernel Little.
"We are coming into Dock at Side 3."
"How long was I out for?" Terran asked as he rubbed his neck a bit and then rubbed his eyes trying to let them focus.
"Ten hours. I can always tell a fighter pilot from a traditional solder. Pilots seem to sleep like baby's on these shuttle flights." He chuckled slightly as a ding sounded through the shuttle and a voice crackled over the comm.
"We are preparing to land, everyone put their seats up and prepare for landing on Side 3. Right now the Weather is set for spring and it appears there is a lot of Military activity.
Terran gave Little a questionable look before turning back forward.
"There is a lot of fuss over the new project Lieutenant, apparently the whole side will be used as a testing grounds for it."
"That will be great. I wonder what kind of project this is." Terran said as he watched solders and fighters fly all round him, each one set on a separate task.
"Well I can't tell you much but it is something that will astonish you." He couldn't talk about the Fedy's view since there was a chance they could be monitored. Either way he would have to make sure this was done delicately.
As the shuttle guided itself in every little task seemed to take longer and longer. Eventually the three minutes passed by and they were walking off the shuttle. A few officers greeted them at the base of the steps, and one who looked almost too important. That man was the first to talk.
"I am Deikun, President of the Principality of Zeon. Welcome to Side 3. Kernel Little has told me a lot about you and your piloting skills. I am glad to see you on the project. Come we will go to my office and I can show you what you will be working on.
After a three hour interview and half an hour showing and talking about the MS-01 Type A and Type B, everything seemed to come into perspective for Terran. It was something else to hear about the Mobile suits, as they were called. It was almost mind boggling to see them for himself and really understand what they are capable of. His eyes remained fixated on them for almost minute after minute. Each bring trying to contemplate what this could do for the Federation as a whole Diplomacy. Really the only thing he wanted was to see everything to do with this destroyed and never heard of again. The prospects behind this kind of technology could cost millions possibly billions of lives. But in all it would be up to his superiors to decide what happened concerning this new mobile suit.