Tale Fifteen: Captain Robert Croft - OZ-06MS Leo – Operation Nova
The United Earth Sphere Alliance Reykjavik base was a hive of activity. The Romefeller Foundation's Operation Nova was slowly eradicating all opposition on the Earth to the foundation. Robert Croft, captain of the guard at the Reykjavik base, had been expecting an attack for weeks. The Reykjavik base had survived the initial Specials take over attempt and then repulse several half-hearted OZ attacks by being remote and unimportant. Unfortunately it was now playing host to more than fifty mobile suits all survivors from Alliance bases around the world. This made it a ripe target for Romefeller.
Captain Croft's Leo had already been warmed up by the time he walked along the gantry to it's open cockpit. One of the perks of being the commander of the bases defences forces was that people went out of their way to keep you happy.
"Captain Croft. Long range radar has detected enemy aircraft circling at the edge of our airspace," reported Ernst Blagard in the command centre after Croft had settled in to the cockpit. "We have also received a report that a large number of mobile doll transport entered the atmosphere within the last ten minutes. Their target appears to be the Trieze Faction base in Luxembourg."
"So Romefeller plans to knock down the last two military bases that can oppose them on the same day," said Croft more to himself than anyone else. "Did you get that Sara?"
"Yes Sir, I heard. My unit is fuelled up and ready to go. Just give the word," replied Sara as her image appeared in a small window in the right hand corner of Croft's main monitor.
"We have to destroy as many of them in the air as possible," reiterated Croft, they had gone over the defence plan a thousand times but it wouldn't hurt to hammer it home one last time, "You have to destroy those carriers in the air before they deploy the dolls. I'm counting on you Sara!"
"Sir! Enemy aircraft have entered our airspace. Romefeller is attacking! We have detected six transport aircraft with escorting fighters," reported Ernst Blagard. "Air defence batteries are engaging them as we speak."
"You heard the man, Sara," barked Croft. "Fly hard and fast my friend. Don't forget I haven't given you permission to die yet. I expect you see you again when all this is over."
"I'll keep that in mind sir," replied Sara. "This is Lieutenant Cambridge to all Aries units. Engage the enemy transport planes! Don't let a single one get through!"
Croft watched as, from makeshift hangers all over the base, the Aries mobiles suits began taking off. He knew that their mission was near suicidal but the light grey aerial mobile suits were their best chances of reducing the odds stacked against Reykjavik.
"Mr Blagard, if you would be so kind please call out the garrison. Everyone knows their positions," asked Croft calmly. For his own part Croft started his Leo moving out of the hanger and into the brisk morning air. None of the Leos in Croft's guards unit were equipped with standard weapons. There was ample evidence from battles all around the world that the standard Leo rifles were useless against the defence fields of the Virgo mobile dolls. However it appeared that they had a weakness against laser weapons. Laser weapons were few and far between on the Earth because it was difficult to dissipate the heat they generated. Therefore the handful in the possession of the Reykjavik base were entrusted to Croft's elite guards unit.
"Lord Roughdiamond and Colonel Hapsburg wish you the best of luck in this battle, sir," replied a slightly embarrassed Blagard, "Lord Roughdiamond says that when you are victorious he'll arrange for you to be knighted."
"As if merely trying to survive wasn't motivation enough," commented Croft dryly. "Inform his Lordship that I am pleased with his confidence in us."
In the distance he could see the tracer fire and explosions light up the sky. Sara's Aries unit was attacking with incredibly ferocity. However he could also make out the electric blue bubbles of the Virgo's defence fields. It did not bode well that some of them had already been able to deploy.
"Err, sir, I think we've got a problem," stammered Blagard. "We've just picked up three objected descending right on top of us. I think they are Virgo orbital drop ships."
"What the hell! I thought all of those were meant for Luxembourg," snarled Croft. "Calculate their estimated landing point and reorganise the defence lines. This is not good at all!"
Croft quickly relocated his Leo but by the time he got their he could already see the black mobile dolls descending on parachutes. The three dropships could deposit a total of thirty dolls right on top of the base and it looked like all of them had been deployed.
"Croft to Squad 83. Those dolls should be in range of your doberguns. Shoot them down before they land," he barked the order but the dobergun equipped Leos soon turned their weapons upon the falling dolls. While the Virgo mobile dolls sported gundanium armour it wasn't thick enough to resist the powerful armour piercing rounds of the dobergun. The first volley felled two of the black titans but it was impossible to stop them all before they landed. As soon as the dolls touched down they started firing their deadly beam cannons. Their initial barrage obliterated all the surrounding UESAF units. Tanks, mobile missile launchers, Leos, were all torn apart like they were made of paper. More dobergun equipped Leos opened fire from the cover of some hastily constructed earthwork fortifications. Again more of the Virgos were gunned down but still they relentlessly marched on.
Croft, together with two guardsmen as wingmen, sped as quickly as his Leo would carry him to the landing site. He knew they had to try and contain the dolls in that area. If they were to breakout into the rest of the base it would only be a matter of time before it fell. Croft's Leo rose above a small hillock overlooking the landing site and all he saw was a scene of carnage. The twisted remnants of green Leos littered the battlefield. Croft could see that the dolls had activated their defence fields. Not even the powerful dobergun could penetrate that.
Swearing loudly he pressed his foot down on the thruster pedal and launched into a rocket assisted jump. The Leo landed in the landing area and started off at full speed to the nearest group of Virgos. Croft readied his laser rifle and as soon as he was in range he let rip. The tight blue laser beam easily cut through the Gundanium armour plating of the Virgo's back. Almost immediately three of the other Virgos stopped their forward advance to deal with the threat to their rear. He fired again but missed the main body of the dolls. Instead he hit one of the floating disks. Almost immediately the seemingly impenetrable defence field wavered and failed. The defenceless doll was then torn to pieces by well coordinated machinegun volleys.
"This is Croft to all units. Target the floating disks. They are generating the defence field. If you concentrate enough fire on them you should be able to overwhelm them." he ordered over the radio.
As the remaining Leos began targeting the planet defensers Croft carefully picked his targets. He knew that he only had a limited amount of time before his laser rifle would overheat. Therefore he moved to do as much damage to the Romefeller forces as possible. Well placed shots decapitated Virgos or burned off their beam cannons. Despite his best efforts though he couldn't save all the men under his command as the explosion of another Leo rocked his suit.
"Squad 44 break off an attack the left flank of their formation," Croft ordered as he dispatched another doll by sending a laser beam slicing through it's torso. "Engage the dolls with beam sabres, they have no defence against close combat weapons."
Almost immediately the appropriate troops started redeploying towards the flank. Off to the right Croft saw one of his guardsmen get riddled with holes from the fire of three mobile dolls. He moved to reinforce that flank but was caught in the crossfire. The right arm and left leg of his Leo were blown away causing his machine to come crashing to the ground. His main monitor shattered sending a shower of glass shards into the cockpit. As he hit his head heavily against his cockpit seat the world slowly went dark.
Captain Croft only came too again once the seal had been cracked on his cockpit and light flooded back in. The bright light was almost blinding as he dragged himself clear and flopped onto the still warm titanium alloy armour plating.
"Gee, captain, you look like you've been through hell," said Sara Cambridge rather cheerfully.
"Are we dead?" Croft managed after a few moments of rest.
"No such luck," replied Sara. "We are still alive. I think we won."
"You think?"
"Well the enemy withdrew about ten minutes after you were shot down," she said. "So I guess technically we did win."
"They withdrew? It couldn't possibly because of our defence," said Croft as he sat up and surveyed the battlefield. There were a lot more destroyed Leos out there than Virgos. "I guess Luxembourg put up a better fight then they expected and they had to redeploy our attackers. What is Lord Roughdiamond's assessment of the situation?"
"I am sorry to say that Lord Roughdiamond and Colonel Hapsburg were killed during the battle, sir," said Sara solemnly. "The dolls hit the command centres as they began their retreat."
"Then who is in charge?" asked Croft.
"Well, sir, as of right now you are the highest surviving ranked officer in the United Earth Sphere Alliance Forces, making you our commander-in-chief. And under the wartime emergency government contingency plans that also makes you chief representative of the United Earth Sphere Alliance." replied Sara. "Congratulations, sir, you are now ruler of the entire Alliance."
"You've got to be kidding me!"
End of the Tale