Mobile Suit Gundam : Blood is Freedom's stain
Side 1, Lagrange 5 U.C. 0079.12.24
The battle for Solomon has begun
We need to hold this rock, no matter what… No reinforcements. I hope… I hope that Lord Dozle will be able to lead us to victory under these circumstances. Outnumbered and unskilled, nice mess we got ourselves into…
Thought the young commander of the newly founded 527th 'Shadow Angels' to himself. Quickly promoted on the battlefield and as quickly assembled into a 3 man unit.
All three of us barely saw any action, me for instance only fought during the Battle of Loum and got stuck on defending this rockpile. As for the other two;
Geff Eleck's a survivor of Ramba Ral's unit and Dave Hawkë just came from a MS-training battalion.
Outside the fighting's intense, many have perished and there's no end to the Federate troops. At least we have abunch of goodpilots on this one, major Anavel Gato for one. Intercepted enemy communications are already nicknaming him the Nightmare of Solomon.
My brother isn't doing so bad himself with his MA-06 Val Varo.
Both aces are a real boost for morale.
We're called back in for repairs…
The 2nd Lt is deeply sunk in his thoughts, almost asleep, in his Zaku-II. Outside the cockpit the sounds and echos of the working engineers are well hearable inside his cockpit. In space gate 7 stands the pride of the Shadow Angels;
One MS-06f2 Zaku-II Commander type, carrying the standard 90mm machinegun and newly fitted missilepods on the lower legs. Hawkë has the same MS but outfitted with a 180mm Dopp cannon, while on the other hand Geff pilots a busted up MS-09r Rick-Dom. That uses the traditional 360mm bazooka.
-
Elsewhere on Solomon
Dozle Zabi enters his private chambers where his beloved wife Zenna and daughter Mineva await him. He nearly entered the room and was already giving orders to the present maids.
"We must prepare for the worst, get all the women into the escape capsule immediately!" he roars to them.
"Yes Lord Zabi" is the calm submissive answer given by the maids, accompagnied by a polite bow without ever making eye contact.
The vice admiral makes his way towards little Mineva's cradle, where a nervous Zenna waits for him with their sleeping daughter in her arms.
"Get going Zenna" he tries to order her.
"Oh Dozle…" Zenna sighs "is the battle going so badly?"
Dozle Zabi tries to avoid the question by ordering the maids around again "Get a move on!"
"Yes sir"
"There there Zenna don't worry, we'll be allright. I simply want to take extra caution for Mineva's sake." He speaks in a comforting tone and bows a bit over his daughter and tries to joke about the fighting outside "The noise of battle might disturb her nap"
He laughs at his own joke.
"She's used to loud noises." Zenna remarks in turn.
Her answer is treated on an even bolder laugh than before and Dozle returns to the command centre.
-
In the commandroom colonel Rekad informs vice admiral Zabi that the entire Tianem fleet is positioned in the wreckage of Side 1.
"Their main fleet can attack at any moment sir."
Dozle takes place in his chair and gets a cup of coffee from Rekad "Shall we request the 7th Fleet for support sir? We need all the help we can get."
"Beg Kycilia for help! That would make me the laughing stock of the Pricipality of Zeon." While drinking his coffee. "Send in the Gwaren fleet to assault their main fleet."
Out of nowhere comes a blinding flash striking Solomon and shakes it violently, destroying everything in its path. Dozle drops his cup, staining the control panel with coffee and turns his head slightly away from the strong white glow coming from the viewscreen.
"Rekad what is happening!"
The colonel's assessing the damage, letting the computers run different kinds of scans "Space gate 6 is gone… evaporated."
"What are they using?"
Rekad doesn't understand the readings, rechecking the readouts and analysis' "Radar didn't pickup anything and there's no trace of energy particles."
"How? What can the source of it be?" Dozle Zabi's starting to panic, hitting his armrest and points ominously towards Rekad. "Locate!"
"It's from the main enemy fleet somewhere."
That can't be! I thought we sent the Gwaren fleet in to take care of them." he bellows. "Fine, get me an uplink with Kycilia's base on Granada!"
-
Meanwhile back in space gate 7
The earthquake caused from the direct hit of the solar ray rocks the young young Ken Layzner out of his seat onto the floor of his cockpit. A wave of panic rushes through the repairdeck. The 2nd Lt. jumps to his feet puts his helmet back on and opens the hatch. Phew, no airleaks; he thinks while flying through the air. Much of the small equipment flies aimlessly around, some engineers are hunting after it. Ken himself hits a floating toolbox, which throws his sidearm out of its holster.
He encounters one of his comrades, Geff. "Eleck, what just happened?"
"I don't know, but it seems that space gate 6 above us is destroyed, we're lucky to be alive" Eleck responds terrified.
Several minutes later Lord Dozle Zabi enters the dock. Quickly somebody yells atten-SHUN! The Shadow Angels crew alligned in a row and salute their superior. Dozle has no time for salutations and gets right to the point.
"Gentlemen, I'm taking you away from the frontlines and assigning you to defend a Komusai, a civilian refugee transport heading for Granada. But most importantly it also carries my wife and daughter, so there is no room for mistakes."
He hisses the last part, stressing mistakes.
"Now gear up and assemble outside the hangardoor of space gate 23!"
The Shadow Angels respond simultaneous "Sir, yes sir!" and fly off towards their MS.
As Ken takes his jump to fly away, Dozle grabs his ankle and pulls him back.
"Remember Lt Layzner, if something happens to that shuttle…
Don't even think about coming back." Dozle whispers in his ear.
"Sir, I… No WE will gladly give our lives to protect them!"
Dozle Zabi freaks out on hearing that and punches Ken in the stomach.
"A war is not won by dying for the Cause! Wars are won by making the enemy die for his Cause!"
He then throws Ken towards his Zaku II.
"Remember Lt Layzner, the spirit of Zeon cannot live on with a dead man!"
Slowly spinning around Ken salutes this new lesson "… Yes Sir"
Inside his cockpit he flips some switches, firing up his MS, and checks his readings. "All green, good to go" he speaks out on the closed intercom of his unit. Dave's the first to answer "Same here, locked and loaded", followed by Geff "All systems nominal, although I wanted something else than this rustbucket" Dark had to laugh at that remark, while Ken Layzner answered dry "Once we're back I'll see if they'll issue you one of those new Gelgoogs"
"Bridge 7 to Shadow Angels, you are cleared for launch." The extern comm channel pops up. The heavy plasteel doors open up, released from their magnetic locks.
Before going out Ken looks at a photograph on his cockpit interior, the portrait of his family, Mina I… I'm…. He touches the picture gently, a portrait of a happier time once. Himself in uniform, back then still just an Ensign. To his left stands Mina, who carries their newborn baby daughter, Ivy. The photo is dated, UC 0070.04.09.
Ken pulls his attention away from the picture as well as the haunting memories that come with it. Regret being the main emotion.
I won't fail you sir.
He takes a deep breath and continues "You heard them. Come on boys, on the road!"
His Zaku II took the lead walking into open space while waving his arm onwards. "Sieg Zeon!"
"Geff Eleck, Rick-Dom, launching"
"Hawkë, Zaku II, iku ze!"
All three reached the outer door of space gate 23 without much difficulty, just one RGM-79G GM that was stupid enough to attack them alone proved sufficient as target practice. All that remains is a burning pile of junk on Solomons surface. No feddie will touch this soil alive.
-
Inside Space Gate 23
"Are you ready to launch Zenna?" Dozle asks when he enters the room.
Coming out of the Komusai Zenna answers "Yes, we are ready, darling. Aren't you coming with us?"
"There's nothing to worry about. Solomon's not going to fall." He comforts her by caressing her left cheeck.
"Dozle…" holding in her tears.
"There, there. You'll go to Granada, wait for me at my sisters palace."
"I beg you, come with us darling" Zenna tries to convince him, sensing bad omens.
"You and Mineva are all that matter to me." He comes closer to Zenna and gently kisses her forehead. "Don't worry about me. You have to leave right now Zenna."
"Be… be careful" tears fill up her eyes.
He waits a moment with his reply, for he knows the outcome too.
"You know I'm always careful. Bring Mineva up in a manner befitting a princess… Goodbye darling." He takes a step back and raises his voice to give her some courage.
"Go now and remember, you are a soldiers wife!"
Few minutes later the Komusai boosts up its thrusters and launches into space, on the horizon the horrible scenes from the battle look like fireworks. Almost laughable if it wasn't so terrible. The shuttle on route with the Shadow Angels in its wake. If they can get through the ruins of Side 1, they're in the clear.
It's all up to you now, Lt Layzner, don't fail me. Please…don't fail me.Destination Granada