Part X
December 27, AC196
"Soooo… what's going on? Anyone care to explain why not just me, but Trowa and Quatre as well, are summoned to the Preventer's Headquarters, while we're taking our well-earned vacation?"
Lady Une sighed. It had been a hell to get Maxwell to the Preventer's HQ in the first place, let alone trying to convince him to stay. "Maxwell – sit down and listen. As I was telling Mr. Winner and Mr. Barton, just a few seconds before you 'entered' my office, we have a very delicate situation on our hands."
"Oh yeah?" the braided pilot replied, "How's that?"
"Yuy and Chang have disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
"As well as an entire squadron of enemy suits."
"Disappeared?"
"From their last known location, we confiscated a odd looking device."
"Disappeared?"
"Unfortunately, it's power source seems to be completely dry."
"Disappeared?"
"Maxwell – will you cut that out?" Une said irritated, "What we want you three to do, is to find out what exactly the device did, causing eighteen mobile suits to disappear – how it did it – where Yuy, Chang and the squadron of Serpents' are and how we get them back."
"And what's in it for us?" Duo asked.
"You get Yuy and Chang back."
"Yay," 02 replied sarcastically, "That's just what I wanted to hear."
Present Day
"So," Jack said sarcastically, "What's this all about?"
"Yes, Doctor Jackson," the General agreed, "I'd like to know that as well. What do you mean, 'suicide squad'. And terrorists? I don't really see how…"
"No offense, sir, but looks can be deceiving. As we've experienced first-hand before," Daniel countered, "Let me tell you what the guy told me…
"In the future, mankind lives not only on Earth, but also on man-made colonies, circling in orbit around the planet. At first, the colonies and Earth co-existed in peace… but a couple of years later, they couldn't or wouldn't live together anymore. Then came the 'United Earth Sphere Alliance', originally created to establish peace between the colonies and Earth, but the organization soon turned into a dictatorial military installation, gaining control over the Earth and its colonies in the name of justice and peace.
"Of course, the colonies wouldn't except that, but knowing better than to oppose a military organization, they tried to solve their disputes through negotiating. One man, called Heero Yuy…"
"Hey, that sounds familiar," said a not-so-happy Jack, "Wonder where I heard that name before…"
"…tried to demilitarize the colonies, and came quite far," Daniel continued, "But he was shot before he could ever achieve his goal. As a result of his death, the colonies were thrown into chaos, and the United Earth Sphere Alliance's grasp on Earth and the colonies tightened. By that time, they had also started developing Mobile Suits, not particularly the ones we've seen, but apparently some kind of proto-type.
"However, after a couple of years, some rogue scientists from the proto-type-project turned to the 'other side', and started developing their own Mobile Suits. With five rogue scientists and five colony clusters, you can guess how many Suits were made…"
"Let me guess, five?"
"Very good, Jack. Now, these scientists were originally hired by an organization called 'Barton Foundation', but went their own way as soon as they heard what the Foundation's intentions were."
"Which was…?" General Hammond inquired.
"Dropping a colony on Earth's surface."
Jack felt his jaw hit the floor. "You're kidding me."
"That's not all," Daniel soon continued, "Their plan was, that when the world was in chaos, five advanced Mobile Suits would be send to Earth to seize control of the situation. Or at least, control what was left of Earth."
"Of course," Hammond stated, "Earth would practically become uninhabitable and the people who lived through the disaster would have no other choice than to move to the colonies."
"That's right," the archeologist continued, "So, in a way, we should be thankful to those five scientists. On the other hand…"
"Don't tell me there's more bad news?" Jack moaned, "I think I had my share already."
"Oh, but I'm not even near finishing this story," Daniel replied, "So – the five scientists all chose to ignore the Foundation's plan, and launched their own, which was simple: send the five Mobile Suits to Earth, and wage a guerilla war against anything related to the United Earth Sphere Alliance, particularly a branch of the organization called 'OZ'. And that's where are two friends, currently sitting in the briefing room come in.
"The five Mobile Suits the five scientists developed are among the most advanced ever made in human history… or human future, to us. The five pilots are rumored to be among the most deadly and self-destructive on both the planet and the colonies."
"And two of them are sitting in our briefing room?"
Daniel stared at General Hammond for a moment. "Well, yes, that was what I was saying."
"And you're still not finished?" Jack asked sarcastically.
"Very funny," his teammate bit back, "Anyway, after they're send to Earth, they fight the war against OZ, but after a couple of months, yet another organization appears – this one secretly funded by the Barton Foundation – with just one demand: independence of the colonies, or…"
"They'll drop a colony on Earth's surface," Jack answered.
"That's right. So, OZ – who had by then seized control of the Alliance – launches a counterattack, but the war is eventually ended by the 'advanced Mobile Suits', or Gundams, as their mothership collides with that of the colony rebels, and they destroy most of the rebels' enemy Mobile Suits."
"So, again we actually should be thankful for having them around?" Jack inquired, not really sure whether to trust these Gundams or not.
"That depends on how you look at it, I guess," the archeologist replied honestly, "I mean, sure, they ended a big war, but then again – they started one as well, and might I remind you – one that took far more lives than the one between the colony rebels and OZ ever did."
General Hammond shook his head. "This situation is getting more and more complicated, Dr. Jackson. What the hell do you want me to do?"
"Frankly, General, I have no idea. The best thing would be to send them, and preferably their Mobile Suits as well, back to the future – but if that doesn't work…"
"That might not be our only problem," a new voice suddenly came.
The three men turned to the new arrival standing in the doorway to Hammond's office.
"How's that, Major?" the General inquired.
From behind her back she revealed a newspaper. "Has any of you read this morning's newspaper yet?"
"No, why?"
"Well, General," the Major continued, "I think it'd be best if you'd take a look at it yourself…"
With a bad feeling in his stomach, Hammond accepted the newspaper, and his face turned pale white as soon as he saw the frontline of the Colorado Springs Courier:
ALIENS AMONG US
What the government didn't want us to know:
Exclusive inside source reveals secrets held by the US government.
Also, see page 6: Extra-terrestrials at our planet this very moment.