*A graveyard of metal on the outskirts of Jupiter*

The ZZ floated through empty space. It floated among a sea of rubble, of twisted metal and ruined mobile suits whose gazes were fixed on the never-ending sea of darkness. The ZZ's main camera feed displayed only the wanton destruction that it had ended up in, but perhaps this graveyard had more meaning to it.

"This sucks, who would have thought Zeon would attack me on sight?" Judau Ashta sipped on a drink. It tasted of fresh apple cider, but had a slight metallic aftertaste to it. He felt his eyes, which were drooping just a few minutes ago, open up. The lights on the ZZ's dashboard blinked repeatedly red and yellow, as if playing a terrible game of Red Light, Green Light. "If I don't get rescued soon, this might be the end for me. Nah, it won't be. Roux's probably on her way to save me." Judau gave a light chuckle and looked at the panoramic monitor. Everywhere he looked, death surrounded him, reminding him that the ZZ could very well be his own metal coffin.

Five years since the fall of Neo Zeon. Five years since his battle with Haman Karn. Five years since the bloody battles that changed him from a mere kid to a battle-hardened veteran. He could count on his fingers the amount of times that the Earth Federation were consistently reliable, and he could count on those same fingers how out of touch adults were. Not that he could complain much, he grew up be like those adults. Just, without the complex that many of them had.

"I came here to get away from all of that, but I guess the Earth Sphere will always be fighting as long as both Zeon and the Earth Federation exist." Judau thought back to when he was still with the AEUG, with the Gundam Team. Its been a long time since he last saw Elle, Beecha, Lino, or even Mondo. Yet, they hadn't even bothered to send him or Roux a postcard! "Hm? Something's on the monitor?" A blip on the panoramic display suddenly became a full-on warning. A shot from a beam rifle suddenly whizzed past the ZZ's head, melting off the tip of its V-Fin. "More mobile suits!?"

Judau overrode the ZZ's safety mechanisms and managed to fire off the thrusters. Another shot, this time at the spot where the ZZ's torso was just at, tore through a destroyed Zaku II's torso just behind it.

"You guys just don't know when to quit do you!?" Judau fired off a shot from the Double Beam Rifle, tearing through the attacking Zaku III's upper midriff and causing an explosion. The surrounding suits around it scattered, their monoeyes glowing as if angered.

Judau managed to count in total about three mobile suits. All of them were models he wasn't familiar with. Shooting off the thrusters, he retreated deeper into the metal graveyard, making sure to keep some debris between him and the enemy. The mobile suits zipped through the debris field, their monoeyes moving slowly left and right as they searched for the ZZ.

"Take this!" A beam tore through one of the suit's chest, its monoeye slowly vanishing as the force of the impact carried it backwards. With the ZZ's free hand, it unsheathed its beam saber and cut through the waist of another. With a sputtering of electricity and oil, it separated cleanly in half.

During the chaotic engage, the last mobile suit boosted vertically up, aiming at the fuel pods equipped on the ZZ. With a few clean shots from its beam rifle, the pods exploded.

Judau screamed as the ZZ was sent flying through space. The entire cockpit flashed a bright red as the suit's warning system kicked in. On the dashboard, the ZZ's fuel supply, and thrusters blinked red. Red lights on nearly all of the suits internal systems flashed red repeatedly as Judau tumbled through space along with the ZZ.

As the mobile suit raised its rifle, its chest is melted open by a beam saber. The machine gives a slight shudder then falls deathly still. Behind it, a single GM III. Placing its beam saber into its backpack, Judau heard the communication line beep. Pressing a button on the dashboard, a face appeared on the side of the screen. A Federation pilot stared back at Judau.

"Judau Ashta? My name is Bork Cry. The Earth Federation needs your assistance."

*The Ra Cailum*

Yuu Kajima took a good long look at his face in the mirror. It was the face of someone who had seen many terrible things. For someone who had lived through the nightmare that was the One Year War, he had thought that everything after would be easy to handle. He was wrong.

"Colonel Kajima? Are you alright sir?" A young woman who was younger than him by twice his age looked at him with worried eyes.

"Yes, just tired. I've been running the simulations for our eventual battle with Neo Zeon." Yuu got up from the metal bench he was sitting on and tried his best to look bored. As long as you had a neutral expression on your face, no one could tell if you were angry, pumped up, or even tired. That made it harder for others to open up a conversation.

"I hope it doesn't come to that. The last war was five years ago. I think we all deserve some peace and quiet for a while." The young woman's name was Asuna Elmarit. She used to serve with the AEUG, helping combat the Titans when they were at the peak of their power. "Besides, even if war did break out, we'd have the legendary Blue Death on the battlefield." Asuna smiled and walked away, leaving Yuu slightly stunned.

The Blue Death. He was given that nickname after he piloted the Blue Destiny Unit 1 and 3. Even without the suit, he was still a formidable opponent. He had lived through the One Year War, past the engagement with the Titans, the Gryps Conflict, and the First Neo Zeon War. He was a tough son of a bitch to kill, but even he couldn't compare to the legendary ace with Londo Bell. The legendary White Devil.

As Yuu began to leave the break room. he felt a strange tingling sensation in the back of his mind. Ignoring it, he continued on, scratching the back of his head.

*Side 7: Green Noa 1*

Soto Kisaragi ran along the long stretch of green that looked as if it could continue into eternity. His feet slapped against the soft soil as he ran after a woman. His left hand outstretched, he could feel the muscles tense up as he forced them to extend even further than he thought possible. As his hand was about to meet her back, she vanished into wisps of smoke.

"Lieutenant?" A voice roused him from his daydream. Standing with him in the break room, Kou Uraki stared at him as though he didn't belong. The coffee Soto was carrying in his left hand caused him to almost drop it. He could feel a tingling sensation as he hurriedly placed it on the table.

"Ah, was I spacing out again? Sorry, sorry! I must not have gotten any sleep then!" Soto raised his hands up apologetically, trying his best to ignore the pain in his left hand. Kou simply looked at him, and after a brief moment, gave out a light chuckle.

"What are you apologizing for? I'm sure that after a coffee you'll be in tip-top shape! Better hurry!" Kou nonchalantly said as he strolled out. Soto gave out a small sigh, and looked at his hand. It was bright red.

Five years after the fall of Neo Zeon and another Zeon rises from its ashes. Soto thought as he sat down and blew on his coffee.

The five years after Haman Karn's defeat, Soto had been idling his time away at Green Noa, helping pick off survivors that manage to drift to Side 7. While it was mostly safe, he had never really felt satisfied with the assignments that were given to him. As an ordinary grunt with little to no special feats, he would be repeatedly passed over for promotions.

"Maybe it's for the better. After all, I don't have to deal with the vanguard of Char's Neo Zeon. Heh." Soto reached out for his coffee when he began to notice the table was slightly shaking. "An earthquake? Here? I didn't think Green Noa had simulated earth-" Soto was interrupted by a loud bang and the sight of a light fixture swinging towards his face.

*Chapter One: The Flames of War Part 2*