Command ship Liz, Hanger. June 15
Three days after the "Newtype team" discussed the plan, the Earth Alliance held the team back from launching early. They decided that Vince and Sabina would stay with the ship to say they have protection. Finally, they were set to arrive early in the morning, near the, for now, ZAFT claimed base of Victoria.
"Hey, Lanai, you ok?" Sabina called through the intercom.
"Everything checks all green..."
"I tried to match everything to your simulations stats. Does it feel weird?" Vince asked as he peered into the cockpit of his old unit. The self-proclaimed sniping unit, that was remodified from a raid type MS to a long-range MS. Longshot or Vince had received a proper unit fitting his versatile fighting capabilities the dagger sniper custom, it even outmatching the performance of the original five Gundams.
"It's fine... I'm just nervous, is all."
"That's normal. Just don't lose your cool out there. If you do, that'll spell the end of you," Deeraj said as he closed the hatch, his unit already into bird mode. Awaken slowly floated towards the catapult and ready to launch. With Awaken at the starting line, the other two machines followed behind him in line from experience to least experience. In the middle was Sabina in a shuttle, capable of re-entering the atmosphere. The catapult locked Awaken in place on the talons before it finally saying he was clear to launch.
Vince sat down on the chair next to a mechanic, out of the way as the machines took off one by one, each launching off into the void of stars. With Lanai being the last one taken off, the young man got up as the ship's hanger closed once again. Before it did, the ship had moved a lot closer towards the earth. The world is lit up by the sun shining on one part while the other was dark from the planet's rotation, giving Vince a beautiful view of the war-riddled plant.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" A mechanic asked as he stood next to Vince. "Too bad the plant on the inside is filled with nothing but war."
Deeraj, Maxwell, and Lanai traveled on course towards their projected landing. If all goes well, they'll be able to make it there before nightfall. That would be the plan if it weren't for the tingling sensation. That feeling again, who are you? Deeraj looked back at the black and gold unit, escorted by three other GINNs. Two painted in their respective colors. One is red and black, with the other being a mixture of red, yellow, pink, and blue, all into one, giving it a rainbow-ish color. Then the last one was a high mobility type, with the regular green, black, and white.
"These guys again? Wait, another unit is heading for the ship? What is-" Before he could finish his sentence, a rocket was fired from behind them, making Maxwell stop and move to the side, allowing Lanai to pass him, holding up his shield taking the hit.
"Sir! Enemies have opened fire on us!"
"I guess they don't want us to get to earth! Lanai, focus on atmospheric re-entry! Maxwell! We'll hold these guys off until Vince can lend us some support fire!" Deeraj departed from their formation and transformed his MS out of Bird mode, firing off his buster rifle emitting a sizeable yellow beam from its barrel. The beam traveled through space, leaving a line of dust in its wake, the enemy units dodge the attack with ease, but the shot was still active.
"What firepower..." Damon couldn't help but admire. His attention was quickly brought back as the sound of his alarm warned him of incoming fire. It was from the strike dagger beam gun. Holding up the hand-held shield, it dissipated the beams while he moves towards the left, then upwards, returning fire of his own.
With Daymon in his fight, the other two units, three units rushed forward, dodging whatever shot came from the protective suit.
"I can't allow you to get any closer!" Deeraj rushed forward, leaving a blue hue, before suddenly turning towards his left to the bottom-firing off his second shot with his buster rifle, melting off the arm of the multi-colored GINN. Turning his head, the black and gold Gundam rushed in with its shield from above. Turning Awaken's body in time through the vernier thrusters, their shields collided, bouncing off each other.
"Damn!"
"Quick reaction time!" Nassir backed away and fired off two shots towards the winged unit, only for it to dodge the attempts with ease, countering the machine guns mounted on the shoulder near the head. Moving back and holding up his shield, the bullets ate up the protective gear causing holes to form, shocking the young pilot, throwing it away, resorting to dodging. With the main threat on the defensive, Deeraj's newtype sense kicked in as he turned his body, seeing the multi-colored GINN fly off towards Lanai.
"Lanai! One got through!" Just as he finished that sentence, Wolverine ignited a beam saber and slashed downward. Parrying the attack with his shield, Deeraj roundhouse kicked Nassir in the chest, rattling the cockpit, pushing the enemy away. Once he got space, the guard folded in and revealed a beam saber grabbing hold of it. The sword lit up green, staring down the opposite colored MS.
"What is this pressure I'm feeling? Why? Why is there so much hate in his heart!?" Nassir froze for a second, this very second, he questions whether or not he should attack this machine, but something told him too, like a calling he must answer no matter the cost.
In the high mobility GINN, Laya is the only unit that hasn't meet any stopping force. So by default, she was the closest one towards the MS.
"Eh? Trying to make it back on earth, I see?! Well, It won't happen on my watch!"
"Lieutenant Gray, you'll have to be sent out! There is a total of four enemies and one approaching our side right now! Be careful!"
"Roger! Just open the hatch! Forget the catapult!" The machine's sensors lit up blue while activating, taking a step into the zero-gravity wasteland. Pressing down on the right pedal and moving forward, his Mobile suit followed his command, easing out of the hanger.
"Please be careful, we've yet to find the coordinates of the ship, but these are the estimated ones!" Sabina called out for him.
On his screen, to the bottom left, were coordinates. He was floating out of the hanger into the sea of stars. His alarm started to blare. The system warned him of something above, two rockets speed towards him. Thinking quickly, the verniers throughout the front of the frame pushed Vince back, dodging the two missiles. Moving himself to face a purple unit, he smiled as it rushed him, firing off two more rockets. While they speed forward, Vince moved his machine to the side, easily dodging the second wave. On his dagger, sniper custom unit were three gun weapons, one of which is a beam weapon. The hips stored the ballistic weapons. One was a submachine gun, while the other was a shotgun. On his unit's back was the beam sniper rifle, though he didn't cycle for that, as his left hand reached for the gun, the shield mounted on his left arm, abling to rotate or be grab for better protection.
Moving in closer, the purple GINN fired off four shots with the rockets. Vince clenched his controls as he maneuvers around the attacks weaving away from the missiles. Stopping with the verniers, he looked around until a warning beep sounded above him.
"Your mine!" Abela yelled as she grabbed her heated sword and stabbed it for the chest area from above. Vince grunts as he pulled his right-hand control stick back and stepping on the right pedal for acceleration, causing the thrusters to propel him back before she reached him.
He's quick!
Raising his shotgun, Vince opens fire, cleaving the right arm straight off. With a clear advantage in the fight, Vince attempted to capitalize on this with his submachine gun shooting towards her chest. Abela yelped. She panicked while pushing her left control stick forward, causing her machine to move its left arm forward to block the hits.
Vince's eyes widen as he saw an opportunity while he stopped the firing and shot the grenade launcher into the shield, breaking it into pieces.
"Damn you!" moving to the side, Abela attempted to grab her beam saber with her right hand only to realize her mistake as Vince was right in her.
"Too slow!" Vince, a step ahead, slicing upward, cutting off the arm and shoulder armor with his saber that came from the outside of the forearm in an ice-pick grip. Side kicking the chest, rattling Abela inside. Dropping the submachine gun and grabbing the shotgun with his right hand, he aimed and fired two shells, one into the chest and the other into the head.
"N-Nassir! Help me!" Abela's machine electrocuted as the system malfunction from the beating it took.
Maxwell fired another beam into the shield as he put the red GINN on the defensive for most of the fight. Damon stopped with his main thrusters and moved to the side thanks to his shoulder verniers. He dodged the next beam, though he didn't have time for it right as his rifle was hit instead of the shield, forcing Damon to throw it away.
"Damn!" Damon backed away from the explosion, grabbing his beam saber from under his shield. Igniting the sword, Damon moved his shield at the front, blocking the next to shots rushing in.
Maxwell backed away while firing more shots with his be a spray gun, only for it to dissipate with each hit on the shield. Realizing it was useless to use up the weapon's energy, he stored it away. After putting it away, Maxwell cycled for the beam's saber, reaching for it just in time as Damon slashed down onto the protective sheet of armor, bouncing the beam off as it hit.
He was pushing his foe to the side, giving him space to use his weapon. Maxwell's beam saber ignites into a pink color, rushing forward, slashing diagonally.
"Damn natural! Your all the same!" Damon used his verniers to hurl himself facing his aggressor, holding up his beam saber in time to collide with his enemy's own. As soon as they meet, Damon was immediately pushed back by Maxwell. The two moved through the stars dancing as they spun off one another, going their separate ways before turning around with their main thrusters and verniers.
"I might be here for a while!" Maxwell smiled as he clenched his controls.
Deeraj and Nassir both clash blades again, sending off melting beams spraying effects across space. The two top aces pushed off the other floating a little before surging in again with their beam sabers brushing the other while making a bypass.
"This guy won't let up!" Nassir turned himself around and glared toward his opponent as they took a second to read the movements of the other in hesitation. Sweat beads dropped from their forehead, as neither could get an excellent clean hit on the other, yet their shields won't last for much longer.
"You! in the black Gundam, who are you?!" the unfamiliar voice of his foe contacted him.
"Eh? Contacting me in the middle of a fight?- I'm Nassir, Nassir Hanlon! And you must be the infamous white blur Deeraj Young! I guess I scored big this time, Newtype!" Nassir rushed in, slashing for the chest. The beam sabers collided once again as the two Gundams stared at each other as the particles shined where the blades connected.
Pushing off the other, Nassir backed away and moved his left arm to block the approaching white Gundam. Deeraj was right on top of Wolverine and slashed horizontally, cutting the protection in half, floating in opposition directions. With his shield gone, the pilot of Wolverine slashed vertically upward, hoping to hit his target. However, Deeraj's Newtype senses kicked in and adjusted in time for the attack to miss the chest. Backing up with his verniers, he stopped and moved his protection in a defensive stance.
The two stared at the other, waiting for one to make a move.
Nassir! Please help me!
"Abela?!" Nassir looked over towards his right, where Abela should be commencing her assault. "Did she fail? Hrmph!" A warning beep sounded through his alarm as Deeraj boosted forward and stabbed for the chest. Nassir snapped out of his thoughts for a brief second and halted the attack by knocking it to the left while moving to the right, getting away from the white Gundam. Stopping with their verniers, the two dashed in again, bouncing off their sabers, bypassing the other.
"Damn it!" Nassir turned himself around then forced himself to stop. He was backing away as Awaken is already in front of him. Thinking, Nassir quickly boosts up and above the slash of Deeraj turning to face the white suit. While it revolves around meeting him, Deeraj grabs hold of his shield and moves himself to block the downward slash knocking him back a little.
Bouncing off, Deeraj held his shield lower and shot the mini Gatling guns on his shoulder, breaking through the beam saber in Nassir's hand. This action shocked Nassir as the energy inside exploded from the cracked container. Attempting to throw it away, Awaken rushed in and rammed his shield into the torso knocking Wolverine back rattling the cockpit.
"Stay back!" Deeraj sliced diagonally, cutting open the cockpit. With that done, he moved back and then towards his rifle, picking it up then transforming into its bird mode, flying to Lanai.
Nassir looked towards his right as the container finally let out its contents; the blond-haired pilot moved around as the beams hit his arm and side.
Lanai moved to the side as she attended to get her aim straight. Two GINNs open fire on her, but thanks to the extra armor equipped for re-entry, the bullets ricochet off, not piercing her body.
"Damn, this thing is sturdy! Try this one!" Laya puts away her assault rifle and then grabs the bazooka on the side armor. The rocket speed through the stars; seeing her impending doom, Lanai panicked and pulled both control sticks down, making her unit hurl itself down, dodging the attack but making the aligned course she was set on change drastically. While she presses the left pedal under her foot to stop herself, she aimed with the beam gun and fired.
The two GINNs easily dodged the attacks while closing in. Lanai's panic slowly worsens as her shots became less accurate, spamming the firing buttons.
"What is that attack? James asked as he and Laya stopped dodging the attacks and moved in for the kill.
"Finish him off before the white one comes back!" Laya orders anyway, firing off another rocket. Lanai, though awkwardly, manages to dodge the attacks. Stepping on the left pedal to stop herself, she didn't realize that the multi-colored GINN was right on top of her with its heated sword drawn, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
"Die!"
"AHHH! Lanai screamed and closed her eyes pushed the left stick forward, making the suit reach its hand out, punching at the arm that had the weapon, throwing the GINN off balance. Boosting up, kneeing the sensor of the GINNs head, she grabbed the single-armed unit and threw it towards the earth.
"James! You-" without her realizing it, the alarm warned her of a lock on, but before she could react, the beam tore through her armor and reactor, making her float along in shock. "W-wait! Not yet!" Laya shouted towards the heavens as her unit exploded, engulfing her in flames, killing her.
"Damn! I-I can't slow my fall! James panics as he felt himself plunge from gravity.
Lanai shook as she saw her opponent unit slowly burn up; her breath became shallow, throwing off her helmet as she tried desperately to become comfortable.
"I...I'm going to die!" Turning around, she attempted to flee, but it was too late. Her unit was already being drug by gravity.
"Lanai! Calm down!" Vince's voice made her look up in desperation.
"Vince?!"
"The armor you have on will protect you from the heat! Just calm down, ok? Lieutenant Young is right behind you. You got this!"
Lanai took in a deep breath to calm herself and lifted herself back up to the alignment she was initially on, and prepared for atmospheric re-entry.
"Where's Maxwell?!" Deeraj asked as he flew up beside Lanai.
"he must be-"
"Right here! Vince, thanks for the support!"
"Right now, get back to the ship!" Deeraj orders as he moved in front of Lanai.
"Roger!" Vince turned around and made his way back towards the ship.
"Let's hope we don't get any more distractions! Let's get this over with!"
"Yes, sir!" the two MS pilots said as their machines started to heat up from the atmosphere.
James felt his body heat up as he was slowly being cooked alive.
"Nassir! Could you help me? M-My fall! I can't break it! Hello?! Why isn't he answering me!"
Nassir and Damon watched as the enemy achieved their objective, leaving them in a worse state than before.
"James..." Nassir hit the monitor of his screen as he started at the white Gundam in its bird form. "This... I refuse to accept this! Next time we meet! I swear I'll defeat you!"
Orb late morning.
Aarav looked on as he saw the horizon of the sea filled with ships.
War is coming to us... Aarav thought as a smile glimpse his lips.