As fighters engaged in a vicious dogfight with Guul riding mobile suits, the announcement many had been waiting for finally began:
"ZEON IS EXHAUSTED!"
The three words would ring for years to come. As the fighter pilots pressed forward, using a speed advantage in their fighters to get into positions faster than the largely space born opponents could respond to as the speech continued. It was a promise of a new nation, a truly unified government on Earth to spread the wings of peace and prosperity for all mankind.
A squadron of space borne fighters came in, but the mobile suits were only maneuverable. So with their speed advantage they came in, slashing as it was called, before turning on their afterburners and getting away for their next run. The mobile suits had been slow to respond, especially the heavy weapon carriers and several had been destroyed. Though now they were ready and turning to engage, but a second squadron came in from another angle, getting three, before boosting off to escape.
A Zeon officer shook his head, the battle was too costly to continue and ordered a retreat.
A supply check revealed how right the words were. Even ZAFT was running out of supplies and personnel. The war couldn't last forever or else they'd lose and thus a stalemate developed.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front
Destroy Gundam!
Into the Storm, Fight Gundam!
Side 7
January 20th, CE 71
The Musai-class FZMS Falmel, the Principality of Zeon's most distinctive Cruiser with its helmet-like bridge superstructure, approached a stationary colony of the Side 7 Colony Cluster. The largely still incomplete colony was no longer venting so much air from the damage it incurred from the destruction of a mobile suit's fusion reactor. Nevertheless, the Falmel closed in on the nearing to be defenseless colony, the remains of the fighter and mobile armor squadrons floating before the warship and its escort of two Zeon refitted Laurasia-class Frigates, FZMS Holstein and FZMS Schleswig.
Flying at high speed ahead of the three ships were a pair of heavy missiles launched from the Falmel. As the two began their final approach, the Earth Federation soldiers opened up with defensive missiles. One Federation missile quickly found its mark and destroyed one missile in the center of its body. The other closed in, but another defensive bunker nailed that one with its second missile.
"I don't care if we have to use civilians!" a gunner shouted back to a fellow soldier, taking his attention away from the battle, "We need all the help we can get!" then his computer began chiming and he looked back, "OH NO! LOOK OUT!" he shouted in horror as another heavy missile broke through the defensive fire and slammed into their bunker. The two were killed outright as the entire emplacement was destroyed, the stored defensive missiles exploding. The explosion largely flew out into open space, but the force also blew inward, tearing open an entire corridor.
"Dammit!" another Federation soldier shouted as he instinctively reached out and activated the emergency sealant balls that were pulled to opening, exploding on contact and sealing the breach for later repair.
The soldier wiped his arm against his armored helmet in response to what had just past. He forgot he was in a sealed armored space suit, but it hardly mattered and he went about getting the civilians evacuated. Luckily, none had been killed, though a few singed and would be in need of stitches later, but that was the worst of it.
"Help me find my baby!" a woman in another corridor shouted as she climbed about the Zero-Gee transit line looking for her child.
"Come back!" a soldier shouted before leaping off and grabbing her, "Get onboard White Base!"
"My baby!" she shouted in response.
In another of transit corridors, Fraw Bow was assisting in the evacuation, throwing a little blond girl in blue shorts and shirt with red boots and a red tie in her hair onto a transporter. Then two boys floated up, a dark haired boy in green shorts and shirt with brown boots and a dark red haired boy in a yellow shirt with a red Corduroy and brown shoes. She quickly grabbed both boys, getting the green dressed one onto the transporter while throwing in the red Corduroy boy.
"Hurry up and get on board!" she shouted to the boy, "Then quickly grab something and hold on!"
Then an explosion from another missile hit began to chain its way down the passageway behind them. Everyone onboard the transporter looked back in terror as the walls of flame and destruction shot their way. Terror gripping their hearts as they screamed, knowing they wouldn't get away at all.
Fraw turned closing her eyes, screaming as leading debris closed in. She covered her head with a hand, but she knew there was no escape. Then the sounds of something mechanical and the debris began beating itself against something of solid metal.
"Fraw Bow, get onboard," she opened her eyes as she turned to look at the source of Amuro's amplified voice and she couldn't believe what she was seeing!
"Look! It's a mobile suit!" the boy in the red Corduroy stated in awe surprised.
The red, white, and blue painted mobile suit leaned back. In one arm it held a number of large cannons as it used its free hand to support itself. The twin yellow eyes seemed to convey a sense of security to the small group of refugees as much as the bright and loud paint scheme did.
"Amuro is that you in that mobile suit?" Fraw questioned, surprised.
"Get everyone out of here," Amuro ordered instead, "the colony is losing air."
"Right," the brunette Germanic girl nodded as a beeping sound occurred and the transporter started moving, carrying its passengers to safety.
"Amuro hurry it up!" Kira Yamato shouted to Amuro Ray from his own mobile suit, "I can't move all this equipment alone!"
"Right! I'm coming!"
A hatch slid open and a round Federation soldier shoved off to reach the gunner of a missile battery. Another soldier shoved off from beside the gunner to reload the weapon emplacement. The round soldier had cadet markings on his collar as he reached the man with a much more distinguished marking on his collar and helmet.
"Captain I can take over here!" the round soldier shouted, his name tag placing him a R. Jose, "You should get back to the ship at once!"
Looking shocked and surprised, "But you're only a cadet!" Captain Paolo Cassius protested to the young cadet, "I need someone who can fire this thing!"
"I can do it sir," Cadet Jose responded and Captain Cassius could see that the man was serious.
With reluctance, the Captain rose up and began to leave the controls for the missile launcher, "Get on it then," as soon as he finished though, it became moot as a Zeon missile exploded just outside their bunker, catching both men and slamming them, Cassius back first against Jose, in a corner of the bunker.
As soon as they bounced back, Jose reached out and grabbed the control to seal the emergency armored shutter over the bunker before turning back to Captain Cassius only to gasp, "CAPTAIN!"
Despite his obviously grievous wounds, Captain Cassius managed to rasp out, "Are you alright?" with all the authority of his years as an officer.
Aside from his head and back, Cadet Jose floated up with a "Yes sir!" he gently grabbed the wounded officer and looked back, the other soldier was alive, but not for long, trapped under all the debris.
"Go," the dying man said before he gasped his last and then with a shuddering breath, passed to the next world.
"Dammit!" Cadet Ryu Jose cursed as he carried the terribly wounded ship's captain out of the ruined defensive bunker.
Leutnant Hugo Slender guided his MS-06F Zaku II into the underside hanger of the Falmel. On his way out from the still resisting Side 7, he had been spotted by some defensive gunners and had been caught in a crossfire of cannon fire from the colony. He managed to knock out several emplacements as he left, but those were on the far side of the colony, away from the missile barrage. Adding to that, he took a near missile hit that shook his Zaku and injured his right arm as he left.
After a quick check by the otherwise bored oberarzt down in sickbay, his arm was put into a sling and he was brought before Oberstleutnant Char Anzable himself, his superior.
"You have nothing to fear Slender," Char turned to the man and spoke as Slender came to attention, still dressed in his Zeon Green flightsuit, "You followed my orders and you followed Denim's, so you have nothing to worry about. Your discipline is admirable."
"Sir, thank you sir, I did my best," Slender released the salute now that he wasn't in trouble.
"But it is hard to believe that the Federation could build a mobile suit, let alone two, as described in your report Mister Slender," Char continued.
"Yes sir, it is hard to believe, but I saw it myself," Slender explained and Char only made a non-committed sound as he knew that Slender wasn't the kind to lie and Denim was a very good pilot, and NCO no less, so it had to be as Slender said.
"Dren," Char suddenly said.
"Sir?" Dren turned from Slender to his younger superior in red.
"Open a secure communication channel," Char ordered without a second thought, "Get in contact with Generaladmiral Dozle Zabi at once," Char ordered and Dren saluted and saw to it.
Kira off loaded a more or less intact spare RX-78 Gundam. The machine had been caught in its module state and had proven vulnerable in such a state, which was no surprise due to all the openings in it. He shook his head, the armor was thankfully intact, as were critical interior components, but aside from that it was just salvage material now... Well, at least until they got to Luna II which full repairs could be carried out.
He heard a young lady calling for someone to help tie bandages. He looked over to see it was Sayla Mass, the daughter of one of the few Federation civilian government officials. The two had met before when he had been on the moon and he thought she looked good, but left the matter alone as neither felt anything for the other.
"Though it's not like I can get involved now," he chuckled, looking at the picture he had taped to the console of his wife, son, and mother back on Heliopolis before poking at it a little, "I'm gonna be a little late, but I'll be home soon enough," then he went to get a few of the Striker's own Role Packs, so much like the Enforcer's own Striker Packs, but more in number and variety.
What were left anyways.
Amuro then showed up with an intact and combat ready RX-77 Guncannon. The two acknowledged one another as they continued to move supplies and equipment to White Base. Then Kira remembered he saw an intact and combat ready looking RX-75 Guntank just sitting off to side somewhere.
"Hey Amuro," Kira called out as he headed down the lift.
"Yeah Kira?" the boy came back, he was doing better, at least no one had to die at the moment.
"Check Area B7 of the base, I'm sure I saw an intact mobile suit over there," then an idea struck Kira, "Also, if possible, we should also salvage that Zaku II, we could trade it if need be or leave it for Federation Intelligence to dissect later."
"Trade?" Amuro inquired confused at the use of that word.
Kira then remembered Amuro wasn't a Farer, he stayed pretty much on Side 7 since originally moving to the colony years ago, "Oh right, you're a Colonist not a Farer or Settler," Kira nodded in remembrance, "We could trade it to groups like the DSSD or the Junk Guild for whatever reason. So don't worry, I can talk with some of the groups out there so we can stay in parts and/or supplies or even trade for a safe route through an area if need be," Kira chuckled, "Even before the war, it was like a cross between Pirates of the Caribbean and the Wild West up here in space."
"I get it," Amuro realized, "A Zaku would be something someone could use or barter later, not a bad idea."
"No doubt or I wouldn't have said anything Amuro," Kira chuckled at the boy's look, "Don't worry, give or take a few years of Moon living or gliding about the Black and you'll pick it up," Kira felt a pang of sadness, as he looked in the general direction of the Moon and wondered about the settlements on its surface.
"We were all set to celebrate the successful completion of your mission, but I never expected you to be a no show for a party where you were the intended guest of honor Oberstleutnant Char Aznable!" Generaladmiral Dozle Zabi shouted over the holo-comm, the very tall, broad shouldered, and rugged looking officer with a couple of scars on his face looked and sounded very crossed with his junior officer.
Char the Red Comet didn't miss a beat, "It looks like we uncovered the Federation's V-Project Generaladmiral, does this interest you?"
"What? The V-Project?" the generaladmiral sounded surprised at Char's declaration.
"Yes sir, they appear to have made their own mobile suits," Char emphasized that last two words and the very last one in plural form, "We have also identified a new Federation command ship, likely a carrier of some kind, as well Generaladmiral."
"Hahaha!" the built man laughed heartily, he could let Char's no show slide for an important reason such as that, "Char the Red Comet has struck again!" he declared as well before changing posture, hands clasped behind his back, "So what else?"
"As we return to port, we will have exhausted our supply of missiles and ammunition," Char explained, stating he was running low on supplies, though wording it in a way that will hopefully keep others at bay for some time before they get wise.
"So you will need re-supply for the final journey back," Dozle had already translated and knew the truth, "Consider it done."
"Thank you sir," Char was thankful, but then he knew he had to drop the other shoe and it was going to be an issue as he couldn't cover it up, "We'll also need about a half dozen more Zakus sir."
"You mean to tell me you that you lost six Zaku mobile suits Char?" Dolza leaned forward into the communication camera, showing his annoyance and displeasure at hearing that.
"Yes sir, but not all at once and three are just not repairable under field conditions," Char grimaced, hopefully the generaladmiral would send him several more than he actually asked for with that information, "We lost three to improved enemy training and tactics, but two were actually lost to just one enemy mobile suit," it was a little white lie to impress the situation upon the generaladmiral, "It was unbelieveable sir."
Dozle calmed as he leaned back knowing that the mobile suit testbeds in Federation service were now taking as many as two Zakus to defeat and he felt, unlike his brother Chancellor Gihren Zabi, that it was more to do with lack of experience and training, both of which were improving.
"Very well, you'll get your Zakus," he said at last, "I'll ask ZAFT if they have a team in your area as well, but I want a report on all the details when you return, plus get as much information on this V-Project as you can and see if you can't capture those mobile suits while you're at it," he didn't make the last one an order, only a request to be carried out if possible, a difference both men knew and for which Char was thankful for.
"Thank you sir," Char stood back and saluted formally to his superior before Dolza Zabi signed off to get to his end of the work, then turning to Dren, "Kaptian mobilize three Recon Scouts and move the ships into gunnery range."
"Sir is that wise?" Dren immediately protested, knowing even with Kommando-class space sleds and extra tanks plus personal vernier packs, it was risky, plus their supplies and mobile suits...
"Aren't we going to wait for the supply ship?"
"In war you must think three or four moves ahead of the enemy," Char stated, quoting long dead military commanders and ancient maxims, "Slender escaped from Side 7, we'll do the same," here Char smirked, "However we're going to do it in reverse."
Realizing the lost cause it was, but also seeing what Char had in mind, Dren gave the orders and it wasn't long before all three ships were moving in close as Slender briefed Char and the Recon Scouts on what he had discovered.
"Amuro you got that second Guntank up yet?" Kira had secured the last of the salvageable Role Packs for his Gundam into a section of the main hanger.
"I'm coming up now," Amuro replied, though annoyed, he knew Kira was just concerned as the first Guntank had its torso and head cockpits gutted along with the remains of the two test pilots who had been in them, "This one was in a warehouse so it's unharmed, but I think the brakes are engaged and locked."
"As long as you can move it, the brakes can be fixed later," Kira responded as he stepped his Gundam Striker out to collect the various parts and supplies he found and loaded onto intact trailers and pulled after him.
He had a feeling they might not have enough for weeks to come.
"Come in Gundam and Gundam Striker," the voice from earlier who told them to gather the surviving parts and supplies, "Do you read me, over?"
"A couple of centuries since we left Earth and you would think by now we would have something new," Kira joked with Amuro who chuckled before both responded to the hail.
What they heard next was not expected.
"Something wrong Mister Bright?" Captain Paolo Cassius inquired, looking over from his medical gurney.
"That's Amuro and Kira in the cockpit?" Bright Noa apparently didn't hear his superior.
"Bright what is the problem?" the ship captain pressed the young officer.
Remembering himself and turning to his captain to report, "Kids captain. There are two kids in the cockpits of the Gundams sir."
"What!? But how?" the captain looked as startled as he felt.
Mirai Yashima, a brown haired young woman of Japanese heritage turned from the helm controls to take a look for herself. She knew of Amuro of course, father was a military researcher and that the young teen took after in tinkering with technology and was considered a child prodigy in the field of technology. She really didn't know Kira Yamato anymore like she once did, having known the boy for years since his father was a cousin of her's in fact. Now she didn't, not since his once happy family fell apart and she re-met him when he first moved to Side 7.
"So that's Amuro," she could now put a face to the name as Bright stood to the side to reveal the two young teens.
"You know them Miss Yashima?" the captain inquired as he leaned up to look at her.
"Amuro I know of by reputation, they say he's a prodigy and whiz kid as well as the son of a military engineer," she stated, still looking at the two boys and finding it nerve wracking how both sat so comfortable in their mobile suits, "Kira is a relative of mine, but he has changed a little since then, though he's a Settler turned Colonist from the Orb Union's Heliopolis colony and employed by the Federation as a programmer here on Side 7."
"I can confirm that," Lieutenant Brubaker spoke up in pain, his battered wounded form beside one of the control stations, "Rumor also says he's also an ex-Combat Coordinator from the Enforcers and was lead programmer on the Striker no less."
"So one of our technicians survived," the captain sounded pleased.
"I sent some wounded towards White Base before I launched, didn't anyone make it?" Kira inquired as Amuro muttered something about knowing Bright's voice.
"I'll check, but it is a mess right now," Bright informed him before switching over to being a commander by default, he was the only available officer left after all, "We're preparing to leave, have you finished recovering all intact units?"
"Negative," Kira responded, "There's too much scattered about and a lot is just plain scrap now."
Then suddenly explosions could be heard as the dock began to shake and rumble. They could all feel and they all knew what it was too. It was the Zeon ships and they were bombarding Side 7.
"Looks like another attack," Mirai stated, rather calm, though she did sound a bit nervous, understandable.
"Amuro needs to be at least dealt with," Bright looked back to his captain, but he knew the truth, "But we need to use both Gundams to hold them off."
The captain though, needed information, "Operator what's attacking us?" he called for the information, thankfully the colony's own sensors were still intact and they were able to plug in and pierce any jamming.
"Sir!" Cadet Omar Fang shouted from his new post of operator, "It appears to be a Musai-class Cruiser approaching quickly at 40 degrees off the port stern."
With a pained sound and knowledge of what needs to be done, "Destroy any V-Project components Mister Noah and I want you to issue beam rifles to the Gundams."
"Huh?" Bright took a moment to put it through his head.
"It's true that our pilots are very young, but we have had teenage soldiers before and right now we have no choice!" the Captain Cassius suddenly lost his battle with the pain he was in and Bright Noah knew he had no choice, but to follow orders, they were in a mess.
"Aye aye sir," he replied with professionalism and a salute, "If it can't be retrieved then it has to be destroyed," Bright turned to and ordered at once, "Can you achieve that?"
"What?! why?" Amuro protested at once, "We can make more if we leave them!"
"Would you rather our enemies get our secrets?" Bright countered at once.
"That's strange," Omar suddenly reported, "The Musai-class and its Luarasia escorts are pulling back."
Before anyone could say anything, Kira knew what that meant, "Commandos!" he shouted, "Enemy commandos must have infiltrated the colony!"
"Great," Bright growled, "Any idea how to destroy all remaining components and equipment quickly?"
"If we use the Super Naplam, one could do it, two would ensure it," Amuro stated as he read through the manual missing Bright smacking his head in disbelief.
"You do realize that he read that for a just a few moments before defeating a Zaku II in single combat right?" Kira chasized Bright with that knowledge and Bright just looked shock, the same feeling the ship's bridge.
"He fought a Zaku II and won?" someone muttered off to the side in awe.
"A rookie pilot, yes, but the veteran sergeant almost got him, but the guy was being wary of me," Kira shrugged as he finished that, "Nevertheless, he lost his Situational Awareness and I was able to run him through," several people sounded relieved at that as they spoke in relief, "I ordered Amuro to recover the Zaku earlier, one of the reasons why we've been so slow, but it was largely intact and could prove its weight in platinum until we get somewhere safe."
"Excellent free thinking young man," Captain Cassius nodded in approval, "Intelligence could make use of it or we could trade it for safe passage or even supplies."
"Yes sir, thank you sir," Kira responded, though he could see the armored officer shaking his head, 'Talk about green.'
"Talk about seasoned," Char turned a piece of debris in his hand, "Someone knew how to turn out the lights."
Char stood next to a bombed out building. He could tell that it was destroyed after the departure of his last scouting Zaku. Whoever did it, knew how to torch the place good. From what was left, he could tell it was used for researching the vital computer tech components. Beyond that, he held little hope of retrieving even a manufacturer's basic data. The parts he found were scrap, pure and simple and the building bombed to hell.
"You men find anything?" Char radioed his team, it was risky, but from the looks of it, a lot safer and quicker than going to look for his men.
"Found where they had one of the mobile suits sir," one man reported, "It must have been the one that got Denim sir," Char only mentally grunted, and now that he thought about it, where was Denim's Zaku?
"Anyone see Denim's Zaku anywhere?" he immediately inquired.
"I think I see where it went down," another scout reported as he observed from his place, "Looks like it was recovered already, odd they would spare the time and effort."
"If they didn't turn out the lights, our guy did," the third member reported, "Geez, did we ever get someone green!" then Char heard machine gun fire over the comms suddenly, "Aw crap! I just found some Federation soldiers and technicians and they got me pinned!"
"Can you get away?" Char immediately inquired, "No point in sticking your head too far out."
"Already am sir!" he could hear the scout return fire, "Okay, I'm clear, found a bullet hole from one of our Zakus- huh? Sir I can see you from here and 200 meters northwest of you is a field of largely intact wrecked mobile suits!"
"Roger that, good eyes, I'm on it, now get out of there," Char heard and even saw the grenade explosion, "Status!" he demanded
Coughing filled Char's comms, "That was uncomfortably close, but I'm moving to a new local, be careful everyone."
Three replies were made, Char included. This kind of operation, everyone had to make sure they did it smartly. Otherwise none of them would be returning or returning empty handed. It was always a risk with commando recon, but it often paid dividends.
It took Char only a few moments to jet over to the wrecks that were reported to him. He had 'skated' low, keeping as low to the ground as possible and making sure he didn't get up a tail of dust and debris. Once he arrived, he was stunned by how battered the components were and how intact their insides were. This was a major find!
"Okay, I'm on site," he reported to his team, "These wrecks are in pretty rough shape, but best I've seen and now I wish we brought a couple of Zakus," he stood near an intact chest section, "Intel will have to make do with what we can carry," he heard typing from one man, another reported he was checking empty shelters, and the third reported extreme civilian causalities that fitted with Slender's report, "Damn, anything on the better news?"
"Yes sir!" it was the second man, "I've found some documents in a building that was badly burned out, some areas are still burning, but I think we can use these- hmm?" Char didn't like that sound, "Looks like I got a name for one unit, Striker, a late start project sir," Char continued his own scouting as his man read the documents, "Made from what is essentially cast off equipment, but they were considering a multirole capable mobile suit and- that's definitely not good."
"What is it?" the third man inquired, "Hey! I found some intelligence reports on our own Zakus, namely the OS and their systems," the third man was surprised, "Looks like they were trying to make high performance mobile suits a Natural could use to supersede the raw abilities of the GINN and CQUE, how nice of them."
The sarcastic remark was not out of place. Zeon and ZAFT soldiers were starting to get at each other's throats. The Zeon were highly professional, but also mostly filled with Naturals. ZAFT on the other hand was informal at best and full of mostly Coordinators. What really got at the two was how Zeon soldiers looked down on the militia nature of ZAFT and bristled at how ZAFT soldiers mocked any and all Natural soldiers.
Zeon soldiers weren't alone, as even the Oceania Union soldiers also bristled at ZAFT's hot air and bluster.
"Then this should be good news as well as being bad news," the second man responded, "Striker is based off an Enforcer mobile suit and is only a more higher tuned unit, lead programmer is a Coordinator named Kira Yamato," the other three Zeon soldiers were all Naturals, but they weren't upset about it as skill was skill, "Says in his personnel packet that he's a Settler turned Colonists from Orb, has a wife and kid, lives with his mother still- oh! That's why. Father divorced his mother, things got messy, ran away for a while, and then returned home with a wife and kid," they could hear the wince when he spoke next, "From what I'm seeing, he was crippled somehow, needs a cane to get around."
"That bites," the first man then found something, "I got data! Not a whole lot, but I got data!" and Char smiled, they were professional, but badly mauled as he jumped from the head of a wrecked artillery mobile suit and began to check out the wreck of a mid range support type's head, "Collect it and let's-" as he bent down to pick up a part...
"Don't. Move." a young lady's voice ordered and he turned, he could hear his men calling to him, but he was able to tone the volume down as he looked over to her, hearing the cocking of a gun, "Drop it. Now," she ordered and he complied.
He then stood up, to his full height as he observed the blonde in a pink coat and pants, "You're brave," he admitted as he eyed her, "But! You don't look like much of a soldier, are you," it was a statement of fact as he then took a step forward, but she spoke back strongly.
"Move and I'll shoot," and he recoiled, not from the command, but from her face.
"She looks just like..." he began, but then she began to order him again.
"Take off the helmet and mask," Sayla Mass ordered, "Very slowly, then face the other way."
"Sir!" one of the scouts could be heard over the comms, the sound of his vernier pack being active, "I can be there shortly, hang on and buy time!"
Char did that, taking off his helmet slowly with a grunt. He ideally wondered as he put it under his arm and brought his right hand up to rip his mask off, if it was her? If so, would she recognize him? He couldn't stop his musings on the what ifs that were now presented before him.
Sayla watched the mask get pulled off by the blonde in a the vermillion suit and gray mask. Then she saw his face and immediately lost her composure. His face was full of burning defiance and determination, but she'll know it anywhere.
'Casval?!' her thoughts ground to a halt and Char took advantage of it to lash out with a powerful kick.
Sayla backed away immediately from the enemy soldier. At the same time, Char also backed up. His own disbelief clear on his face. He also couldn't hear the warning from his scouting team with his helmet off and the comms turned down low.
"It can't be her," Char mumbled to himself, "She's much, much too strong to be Artesia."
At that moment he heard something off to the side. Turning to it, he saw it was the Gundam sliding down the hillside. Next to it, a lift was going up, carrying the last of the surviving soldiers and technicians and undoubtedly civilians as well.
In the cockpit of the Gundam, Amuro blinked, "A Zeon soldier?"
He had the Super Naplam -what a corny name he thought!- under one arm and beam rifle in the opposite hand. He had been told to expect enemy commandos, but he hadn't been expecting to find one this close to the lifts and wasn't that the girl they called Sayla near him?
A glint caused him to look down between them. A discarded Federation Army pistol lay between the two. That pretty much answered that question.
Then he watched as Sayla tried to tackle the Zeon soldier and failed to do so as the man leaped back and then hit his vernier, taking to the air and replacing his helmet as well as something else as he did so.
Amuro immediately reacted, bringing the Beam Rifle around and pulling the targeting scope before his eyes, but all he could was watch as the Zeon soldier flew around a wrecked building and escape from him.
"That was a bad move Amuro," Kira's voice startled him, the sound and sight of him firing his CIWS made it clear he had run into Zeon soldiers too, "Never use the beam rifle on individual or small groups of enemy infantry," Kira stopped firing, "Damn! They are experienced and quick," then turning his attention back to Amuro, "Always use CIWS on them, it works better."
"R-right!" Amuro replied, nervous and chastised for his mistake, but he at least made up for it by reporting the encounter, even adding in the uniform color.
Then he stepped the Gundam forward to the young blonde girl.
"I'm gonna use the Super Naplam," he announced to her and she turned to him, then leaned his mobile suit down and stuck out its hand, "Please climb into my hand so that we can escape," he saw her begin to stand up, "We need to destroy all mobile suit material and then head back to White Base," and the girl began walking to his hand, stepping into it.
"Amuro," Mister Noah's voice came over the radio, "Are you sure it was a vermillion uniformed Zeon soldier?"
"Yes Mister Noah," Amuro replied and Kira cut in.
"That's Char! He's the only one to wear that kind of flight suit!"
Amuro tuned the rest out as Sayla was in his mobile suit's hand, "Okay, now please lay down," seeing her do so he closed Gundam's hand around her, "Are you alright?"
"Ah? Yes," she replied, getting comfortable and Amuro made sure he had her good and safe in the hand as he began to lift her up higher to safety and step back onto the last working lift, Kira soon joining him.
"Let's do this," Kira stated and both took aim with their beam rifles as they rose up.
Once they were high enough, they fired. Both mobile suits spat out light purple, almost lavender colored beams. They struck their intended targets and the Super Napalm containers exploded.
Immediately, everything caught fire as the flames quickly spread. They consumed oxygen, fuel, components, and began to burn the base. There was no left alive and Kira could see dozens of bodies begin to catch fire. Amuro too, but unlike Kira, he looked away heartbroken at the sight.
The lift stopped and the two pilots as well as Sayla looked back. Even if they hadn't, Char had found a good position to hide among the rocky cliff face. He went completely unnoticed until he activated his vernier pack and took off for the now opening hatch to the dock.
"Damn!" Kira cursed, both suits were out of position to do anything, but Amuro was quick.
"Mister Noah! The Zeon soldier has just entered the port!"
"What?!" Bright took a look out and against the colors of the port, he could see -if barely- the vermillion suit clad figure, "What do we do now?" he was still at a loss for what to do.
Captain Cassius though wasn't and physically lifted himself up, shouting his orders, "Close and seal all hatches on White Base now! Then issue a rifle to anyone that can wield one and stop- AH-OWWW-UH!" and he was lost in pain before he could finish, but Bright had his orders as he barked them out over his comms unit.
"ALL HANDS MOVE IT!" he shouted, "CLOSE AND SEAL ALL HATCHES ON WHITE BASE, THEN ARM UP, SPREAD OUT IN TEAMS, AND KILL THE ZEON SOLDIER APPROACHING FROM THE BOW!"
Char shot down the passageway. He expected to be greeted by gunfire at any moment. After what happened earlier, he fully expected every civilian that could, would be out with the remaining soldiers. He could expect no mercy after what happened already.
"All members of the scouting party, retreat at once!" he ordered and got three replies, the men were out of place, but heading to the RV point already.
Char meanwhile, shot down the passage at top speed, recorder up and already hard at work. He would get every bit of information he could. He attached the system to a back up unit on his person. Which was a smart thing as a bullet nearly took the recorder out and Char found himself being fired upon by anyone who could wield a rifle.
If he would have taken the time, he would have spotted old men and women, young teens such as short Hayato Kobayashi, the few surviving military personnel, crew, dock personnel, and everyone else that could hold a rifle, pistol, SMG, LMG, SAW, even a team of fixed machine gunners had emplaced their weapon to shoot at him.
He could only observe the gunfire as he jinked, dodged, and rolled out of the way, recorder still held where he could hold it steady on the new white colored ship.
Then he started going up and over, trying to get a good view of the bridge.
Bright Noah appeared at a bridge hatch, rifle in hand, and turned back to shout, "Launch the ship now!" everyone would just have to take their chances getting back aboard and then he pushed off, shielded by the sensor array from view.
Char had to take a circumvented path, dodging rather accurate if hurried rifle fire. He began to approach the bridge section. Once there, the fire began to die away. That meant no one was in position to stop him as they all concentrated down low and he was now up high.
'Good for-SHIT!" he shouted the last as he saw an armored Federation soldier appear, a rifle in hand and shooting!
Immediately, he dropped the recorder from his face and began to dodge the incoming fire. This guy was better than the others and was firing rapid bursts. Char could see it was new kind of rifle too, more than capable of absorbing most of the recoil and this Federation soldier was accurate in its use.
The recorder was hit, literally sawed in half by the rifle fire, much to Char's surprise.
"Aw no!" he realized what would happen if he stuck around to be hit too, but also mentally swearing up a storm about how he had been careless.
He jetted away, but not back the way he came. He flew to the massive port hatches of the dock. He had specialized grenades on him that would actually explode through the service hatches on them. He began tossing them.
First one for the inner and then flew through the new opening, tossing the second and blowing his way out through the outer and he was in space.
He saw his scouts and was quick, "The enemy is right behind me!"
That was all they needed, "Sir!" they replied and joined him in the flight from Side 7, grabbing their sleds and ridding them back, praying that the new thermal buffers were up to the task.
Minutes later, with everyone back aboard and the all clear given, the massive hatches opened up. The two Gundams immediately pursued out, Amuro bringing up his targeting scope and barely getting a lock on the four fleeing commandos. He could hear his heart beating in his chest as he brought the targeting reticule around and took aim with the beam rifle, given the range, the CIWS wouldn't work.
Sweat poured down his face, his skin color becoming paler. He zoomed in on the vermillion clad leader. He aligned the scope with the rifle, his hands and body shaking as he breathed raggedly. He heard the primary lock and then shifted to the sniper function.
"I'll fire," he suddenly said, his frighten tone clear, "I'll fire," he repeated and then declaring, "I'll FI-"
"Calm down Amuro!" Kira's voice cut through the panic and fear and Amuro hesitated in that moment as he looked over to the Striker,
"They're too small for us to hit from this range, so don't waste the energy on it."
"I-I..." Amuro trailed off, watching the four men escape.
"They're not shooting Major," one of the scouts noted with some relief.
Char nodded as he glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't really make them out, not without the high powered equipment built into his helmet. One had an outstretched arm, the Striker if he had to guess. It looked its pilot knew what he was doing and was reeling the other in.
"Looks like the Striker -if I had to guess- is reeling in the other mobile suit," Char responded to what the scout had said, "It isn't so much that they're ignoring us, is that that one pilot knows we're too small to hit from that distance, at least not with any high probability of getting us before we make RV with our ships."
The three scouts shared a nervous look and tried to make themselves as small as was physically possible.
"Falmel can you still hear me? It's Char," Char suddenly communicated, slightly spooking his men.
"This is Falmel," the comms operator reported back immediately, all four feeling some relief, "We are still receiving your transmission Oberstleutnant."
"The enemy is moving out!" Char reported to his ship as a plan formed in his mind, "Use the Laser Line and deploy my Zaku from the first arsenal as well as launch all remaining mobile suits at once!"
"Roger," was the brief reply.
Aboard the Falmel, Dren merely turned his head, giving his orders.
"Prepare the Oberstleutnant's Zaku and launch Ensign Slender out. Set point at RD-25. Order Holstein and Schleswig to launch as well."
"Sir," one of the operators turned, "That's only five Zakus against two enemy mobile suits and a Carrier."
"You forget that we also have ships, three of them," Dren rebuffed the man, "Our combined firepower can outdo one enemy Carrier."
Though, secretly, he was worried. The mysterious white ship had all the lines of a Battleship too. Was it some kind of Battlecarrier then? Made sense. They'll know one way or another in any event.
Unfortunately.
Back on the bridge of White Base, Mirai was doing her best to control what was most definitely not a cruiser-class space glider. The massive size of the ship was telling on that.
"Gate Sensors set up to 360 degrees and fully operational," Mirai stated tensely as she began to pilot the massive 386 meter long ship.
She heard the armored steps of Bright as he stepped up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, "You're too tense, relax a little," he counselled her, "Let the computer monitor the area, it will pick up any problems."
Turning to look back to him, "Yes, thank you sir," and she turned back to pilot the colossal warship.
Then Bright looked up to a monitor and stated loud and clear, "Amuro in Gundam," the computer identified his voice, ran the command, and promptly sent a contact request to Gundam.
"Right here," Amuro appeared, a split showed Kira also listening in.
"You're too far ahead," Bright stated, "Stay within 10 kilometers of the starboard side, Kira has the port at 15 kilometers."
"Okay," Amuro stated as he signed off.
"Rog," Kira stated in combat pilot shorthand, making Bright lift an eyebrow.
Then Bright turned to Fraw behind Captain Cassius' gurney, "Check each station to be sure they're airtight," he ordered her, "Can you do that?" he added softer, remembering she was a young girl, not a professional soldier.
"Sure," Fraw responded nervously as she headed off to find the controls for that.
Bright then turned to the two cadets manning the sensor stations above the Captain's Chair, "Operators!" he called to them, more forcefully, "Our helmsman is a rookie so you will have to be ready to give quick responses to orders."
The two men didn't take well to how that was stated, but it was understandable, though the one that responded didn't let it show in his voice, "Well of course we will certainly do our best Mister Noah."
"Thank you," and Bright turned from the two to take a quick look around the bridge.
He saw the blonde girl, Sayla, was being directed by one of the surviving engineers on how to monitor and direct the ship's engine and power systems. He noticed that short Japanese heritage kid, Hayato something or other, actually figuring out their systems for the automated computer and defenses. He also spotted that coward Cadet Jose had mentioned early at the back of the bridge, near the lift leaning against the opening with his arms crossed over his chest and just watching. He also spotted another blonde kid, named Job John -who named their kid that?- as he figure out on DC control board.
Mentally making himself ready, Bright turned back to forward.
"All sections stand by for battle and await orders," he stated over the PA, "Screen," he ordered next and the computer brought up various images on a holographic screen, from civilians working with or learning from the ship personnel to where the wounded had been gathered to the refugee area to... three kids and two of them seemed to be having a glaring match with teeth bared as they got into one another's face...
They would likely need to check the computers afterwards.
"Departing from the docking bay," Mirai reported and Bright merely nodded.
With automatic systems guiding them out, the White Base began to majestically to leave the battered harbor of Side 7.
Bright then gave correction orders, "Increase Engine power to maximum, Hard to starboard."
The untried ship heaved a little hard as she responded to Mirai's commands. The woman doing her own level best. To an outside observer, it looked like White Base was like a foal taking its first steps. Given the ship's class name... they wouldn't be far off.
Another comm screen sprang to life and the suited form of Cadet Ryu Jose appeared as he reported in.
"Mister Noah, the Core Fighter is ready and on standby."
"Jose can you handle it?" Bright inquired to the rotund cadet.
"Of course sir," Ryu reported back at once, the Japanese-Puerto Rican pilot was confident, "I'm a pilot cadet."
"Well that's better than nothing I suppose," Bright admitted, given how Amuro had no training, "Flight experience?"
"Two simulations sir, but I come from a family of island bush pilots," Ryu responded, so at least he knew how to fly.
Bright chewed on his lip briefly, "Well if anything that's more than what Amuro's got," though the way Kira was handling his own mobile suit, it was clear he was definitely an ex-Combat Coordinator, but then one of the operators began speaking as an alert began going off.
"Sir! Intense heat sources incoming!"
Bright turned to the station, "Missiles?"
"Large missiles sir!" the man's hands flew over the controls as he read his holoscreen, "Turn 12 degrees to port and 8 degrees down!"
"Mirai!" Bright ordered at once.
"Aye sir!" she responded, but she was slow on the command.
"Too Late!" Bright shouted as he could begin to make them out as a sensor plot showed up before him.
"I got them!" Amuro shouted, "Should I shoot them?"
"No, let them hit the ship Amuro," Kira cut in already maneuvering to engage, "Of COURSE shoot them!"
"I'm launching now," Ryu reported as he cut the connection.
Outside of White Base, Kira was already maneuvering right in on the missiles. He took aim and he fired his beam rifle. Unlike Gundam's beam rifle, Striker was currently equipped with a two handed beam rifle for steadier precision. Kira was therefore able to engage at further range and, surprising himself in the process, accurately shooting the missiles before they could close with White Base.
Amuro was also maneuvering, but his beam rifle was largely designed to be wielded by a single hand with a side grip for better stability. As such he was engaging the missiles much closer to White Base. He hit the first one at a mere 22 kilometers out as opposed to Kira's 40 plus kilometers.
Amuro nervously said it was a 'Piece of cake,' and while he did get the first missile, the second he missed...
"Hit it!"
…before eventually turning with it and getting it at an uncomfortable 3 kilometers from White Base.
"Don't just point!" Kira chastised immediately, "Make sure to set for a lead-on and then fire!"
"Ah! Roger Kira," Amuro replied nervously, wondering when rather quiet and calm Kira started being such a hard case.
"Five more objects approaching the ship Mister Noah," Omar replied from his station.
"What are they?" the dark haired officer cadet turned to the blue and white clad operator.
"My guess is five Zeon Zakus by their heat signatures sir," Omar reported as he checked his screen.
"Only five?" Bright actually blinked, knowing that the three ships should have had 16 Zakus between them.
"Yes sir, only five, but they're approaching at speeds comparable to a GINN HM," Oscar 'Marker' Dublin reported as he re-checked his files, "Best speed on four is about twice the normal and the leader is three times as fast."
"That's Char!" Captain Cassius shouted as he leaned up, "His Red Custom is three times faster than any normal Zaku, even a Zaku Commander Type."
"What was that sir?" Bright leaned in and heard what he really wish he hadn't, "He says its Char, the Red Comet."
Mentally, everyone felt alarm bells go off in their heads. A premonition of death and fear began to grip hearts. Even the captain was looking worse as he found the strength in his voice.
"Char managed to single handedly destroy five of our Battleships at the Battle of Loum, leaving a tail of vernier exhaust in his wake," a surge of pain then struck him along with fear, "Get us out of here," he managed to wheeze out.
Charging forward confidently ahead of his squadron, Char saw the two mobile suits and the White Base. He smirked, feeling confident as he adjusted himself in his pilot's seat. As was his tradition, he flew only in his uniform, though under it, he wore a gee suit. Even he wasn't that crazy.
"Let's just see," he spoke confidently, "Let's test the reaction of you-"
The Striker fired first and Char evaded, almost right into a follow hail of fire.
"Oh ho!" Char grinned, "Someone knows what they're doing!" then checking in on his pilots, "Slender with me, we'll deal with the lighter colored unit," Slender immediately copied, "Georg, Shaman, Gip, take the other and be careful, that one knows mobile suit combat," the three other pilots acknowledged the order, "Falmel and escort will move in and prepare to engage the enemy carrier, be smart and careful, we have too little information on the enemy," and with that Char broke away to charge at Amuro and the Gundam.
"I can't stop thinking about the people inside Kira!" Amuro was nervous, "But I think I can handle it."
"Then switch with Ryu if you only think!" Kira responded, "Amuro, just remember, they want to kill you and everyone else aboard White Base, just remember that all those people are counting on us for more than protection, but securing a better future for them all!"
"No you two!" Bright's voice came over the comms, "You're not ready, especially Amuro!"
Taking that not well, Amuro declared otherwise.
"Just watch me," and he fired only for Char to shift, moving like he wasn't there.
Amuro just looked on in shock that he missed. That red Zaku had been barely 2 kilometers away and he missed! He didn't believe it was possible, not from what he read about in the manual.
"Amuro jink right and turn!" Kira called out, but Amuro didn't hear him in time as Char fired and the Gundam shook pretty badly.
"AHHH-HAH!"
"Hmm..." Char appraised his shooting, "How do you like that?" and then the smoke from his attack cleared and he could only feel his confidence give way to disbelief, "Impossible! That was a direct hit!"
But he was seeing what he suddenly wished he wasn't seeing. That white mobile suit with the blue torso and red sides turned easily enough. There was no sign of visible damage and its movements dictated that no major or even moderate damage had been achieved.
It was also bringing its rifle up to fire.
"I see," Amuro shakily began, "This is, this is, this is what war is."
"Hardly Amuro, calm down," Kira was suddenly firing, covering Amuro, forcing Slender back while dodging his own opponents, "This is a skirmish and that's nothing compared to real battle."
Amuro shakingly opened fire, but Char was proving too fast for him to accurately get.
"That's a top ace of Zeon, probably not the top, but he's way up there, so calm down, he's just trying to get you to mess up," Kira spoke soothingly to Amuro as he opened up with CIWS on a Zaku that got too close for the rifle, the head and shoulders being dented and pitted while external cabling and hoses were torn up, "It's a skirmish Amuro, not a full on battle, just calm down and take your time," Kira dodged the return fire, if barely as he felt his injuries catch up with him, yet he forced the pain to remain away from his voice, "Our objective is to escape, not wipe them out. So just hold out until they either run dry or we put the distance between them and us."
Amuro began to calm a little, but his shots were still hurried and bad. Char was the Red Comet for a reason. He could be as quick as one and was highly skilled. Gifted at piloting mobile suits, he made even Coordinators look green with envy.
Then he began to charge him.
"NO!" Amuro shouted as he tried to back up and get away, but he saw the distinctive look that made many feel fear that was not only the hallmark of ZAFT and Zeon mobile suits, but Char's distinctive red paint and red mono-eye sensor, "AHHH!"
Char could only grunt as he rolled his Zaku onto its side, barely dodging a shot from the enemy mobile suit. The pilot was way too green to be an actual pilot, let alone a combat pilot! Yet he was instinctively taking advantage of the 4D nature of space to and that was to say nothing of the mobile suit alone!
"What speed!" he could only declare, "That mobile suit is amazing!"
He barely dodged another shot from the mobile suit as they maneuvered, jockeying for position to get the other.
"Are you there? Slender!" Char suddenly called out.
"Yes sir I'm now engaging," Slender reported as he closed in to join the fight, "You're moving too fast for me to easily catch up sir."
"Right," Char needed to come up with a plan, he could see just what Slender meant and he felt he was the slower of the two, "Slender get behind him, quickly!"
"Oberstleutnant what is that weapon?" Slender inquired, "Both are using weapons I've never seen before."
"Who cares as long as it doesn't hit us!" Char declared in response, wondering the same, something was very wrong with those weapons, "Just cover me!" he quickly switched over, "Georg status!" he ordered.
The man grunted as he barely dodged, "This guy knows mobile suits, but I don't think he's had much space combat training or experience," grunting again, "Plus there's something else wrong, like he's wounded or something, I dunno, but we're trying to not get hit anyways," grunting again, "He's that damn go- WHOA! That was too close for comfort!" then he must have noticed something, "Be careful Oberstleutnant, whatever they're firing, it has a high heat trail on it."
"Roger that, take all caution, but get that mobile suit!"
"The armor is nothing I've ever encountered before!" Gip added her two creds, "We've been pounding away when we hit it, but nothing!"
"Same here, that's why the Generaladmiral didn't make the capture an order!" Char began to maneuver as Slender had the more brightly colored one with yellow eyes under suppressing fire.
In Gundam, Amuro was feeling the effects of not having a gee-suit on as well as the shaking the Gundam was undergoing. If that wasn't enough, Bitching Betty was screaming away as the alarms demanded his attention for some 50 or so different readings. Then he also had Mister Bright trying to give him advice and coordinate the battle from White Base.
"The Core Fighter is on its way to provide support, but don't deplete the beam rifle's energy!"
Growling in annoyance and feeling cocky, knowing what he did about Gundam, "Thanks, but you don't have to worry about that," then he gasped as he saw Char closing in again.
In a panic, instead of firing his beam rifle, he threw a punch.
In his red Zaku, Char gasped himself as he saw the white mobile suit boost towards him at high speed and throwing a punch. He hadn't been expecting that and he grunted with exertion as he threw his Zaku over the attempted punch. He immediately boosted off himself to get back around behind the white mobile suit.
'Calm down Char, it's just the raw abilities,' he mentally told himself, it was to be expected, but he had to admit that for an amatuer, this guy was surprisingly good.
He took aim, nearly having a lock when his threat board suddenly sounded and he looked over to the indicated area to see a new type of fire come at him. It had four guns blazing away and was largely red with a white body and blue trim. He dodged the incoming and prepared to fire back when two missiles left it and he was forced to deal with them instead.
The punch of those explosions was telling.
'Great! New fighter mounted missiles,' he maneuvered as the fighter actually pressed its attack.
Free of the threat of the Red Comet for the moment, Amuro turned to the normal Zaku that had joined the fight. He watched as this one was not nearly as fast or agile and the pilot much less than the red one. Yet it was still a professionally tried pilot against Amuro, so it still took a few moments to get a lock and for Amuro to be able to fire.
The first shot missed, heading to where the mobile suit was and thus where it had been, but Amuro then remembered what Kira said about leading the target and adjusted and quickly got off a second shot.
This time, it was a hit.
The beam punched into the green Zaku, just to the left of the cockpit. Inside, Slender never stood a chance. The beam passed right through the front and tore out at an angle through the back mount vernier pack. The alarms and his own screams had been the only thing he had heard before the Zaku exploded.
The battle space just abruptly ended with that.
In one shot, an MS-06F Zaku II, one of the most heavily armored and fastest weapons systems ever created, had been destroyed so simply and quickly.
It was both startling and shocking, leaving Char simply to call out to his man as he died and then openly wonder about the Federation's new weapons as fear gripped his heart.
"A Zaku Suit destroyed with only one shot?!" he just didn't want to believe it as he began to ask himself, "But how did this happen? How could a Zaku be defeated like that? That mobile suit would have to be carrying a beam cannon as big as a Battleship's!"
"Oberstleutnant!" Georg's shout drew Char's attention and to Char's horror, he watched as Gip's Zaku exploded, but he could see she managed to eject, but then Georg was shot and just like Slender, killed in a single shot.
"NOOOO!" Char shouted as he watched another of his pilots die, "This can't be happening! It can't! No mobile suit has that kind of firepower!"
"BASTARD!" Char heard Shaman scream as she charged the enemy mobile suit with her Heat Hawk, getting in close, but the other unit, Striker merely dodged the blind charge and stored its rifle and pulled out its...
"A BEAM LANCE!?" Char shouted in surprise and before Shaman could recover, her Zaku was stabbed by the weapon which proceeded to jerk and then get pulled out the side, taking off the left arm, "SHAMAN!"
And that was how Shaman Khan met her end on the battlefield.
"You bastards," Char gripped his flight controls in a white knuckle grip, "I'll make you pay, I swear I will!"
Then his Bitching Betty sounded and he barely dodged that damn new fighter.
"Just a pair of new models, nothing to worry about," Char told himself, but he barely dodged a shot at him and this time, paint and metal were melted away as he dodged down and away to open the distance.
"Oberstleutnant!" he could suddenly hear Dren over the comms, "The enemy Battlecarrier is engaging us!"
Char found his attention diverted to the four ships engaged in combat and he watched in horror as the Holstein fell out of formation, trailing the pinkish mixture of air and smoke from damaged and ruptured sections of the ship. The Laurasia was spitting lifeboats and escape pods as the hanger section detached itself from the ship. Moments later the Holstein exploded after its reactor went critical.
The Falmel was pulling back as its fire only splashed against the white ship's hull. While all Musai-class Cruiser could kill a Magellan in a single shot, that was only if they could charge up to full power. Otherwise they had power equal to a Nelson-class heavy Cruiser, if slower fire rate or a Salamis-class Light Cruiser at a higher rate of fire.
The Schleswig on the other hand was badly damaged. The Frigate had been pummeled by cannon and missile fire. Her broad back was blackened and pockmarked. Her gun towers were gone, shot away or destroyed completely, he didn't know at the moment. The ship was still firing everything she had left, but it wasn't enough.
Char bit his lip, this battle had been an utter disaster.
"Dren!" he shouted as he continued to withdraw back, "We're leaving! Pull back! Call up Nord Albion if you have get Schleswig out of here, but have them provide suppressing fire!"
"Roger that sir!" Dren knew if things were bad, then now was the best time to call up their reserve ship and its five Zakus.
"Enemy escaping!"Schleswig managed to report as the two mobile suits and lone fighter rushed back to rejoin their mothership.
"Next time," Char promised with a growl as his hands shook around his controls.
"Both Gundams and the Core Fighter have safely landed," Sayla reported from over at communications, Fraw was attending to Captain Cassius, getting him some water to drink carefully.
"Once they're secure," Bright looked out into the Black beyond, "Have Amuro, Kira, and Pilot Cadet Jose report to the bridge at once."
"Sir," Sayla responded as she passed the message along.
"Hey!" Job suddenly shouted, "Who are you?!"
Bright turned, expecting borders, but was surprised to see two women entered with two men in black suits behind them. The two women were rather well dressed and very beautiful. Yet the outfit of one was more than a formal traveling wear like that of her younger companion.
"Who are you two?" he demanded at once, the two guards turning to look at him, "The bridge is off limits and besides that we're still in combat," he stepped around the captain's gurney, which caught their attention.
"Who is it Mister Noah?" the captain's pained voice was barely audible and the younger of the two women moved forward and was soon by his side, "You are..." Captain Cassius suddenly recognized her face, "Princess Royal Marina Ismail of Azidistan, are you not?" she nodded, looking over his chart which had been thoughtfully left with the captain, "Why are you aboard White Base?"
Shirin stepped forward to answer for Marina, who was lost in reading the chart.
"We were here to visit Princess Marina's cousin, a programmer for the Earth Federation," she began as gave a disarming smile to the still ready to pounce Bright Noah who only now looked guarded, "We were also using it as a go between place to rest between talks, ironically with Zeon, and were supposed to leave on a diplomatic shuttle today, but as you know, the Zeon attacked Side 7."
"I see," Captain Cassius had heard rumors about a newly discovered cousin, but a programmer for them? "What is their name? I'm sure Mister Noah can send someone to look for them."
"I can do that Captain Cassius," taking a bottle from the small cooler attached to the gurney, "Here sir, some water," the captain nodded in gratitude, "May I ask the name."
"Certainly," Shirin watched as this Mister Noah gently held the water for his captain to sip, but why was the man here? "His name is Kira Yamato."
"Kira?" Mirai turned, she didn't know a course to lay in, but one of the wounded crew members recommended Luna II, it was supposed to be where they were going in the first place, "How is that possible?"
"You know Lord Kira then?" Shirin turned, looking curious, hands clasped and held low against her stomach.
"'Lord Kira?'" Mirai questioned, but shook it off, "Kira is the son of my cousin and his ex-wife, I'm not privy to details, but there was a sudden and unexpected explosive divorce and I haven't seen Kira since sometime before hand," then she remembered, "Oh! And I'm Mirai Yashima as well, a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she bowed formally.
"Of the Yashima family?" Shirin tilted her head to the side and saw the Japanese woman nod, "A pleasure indeed," she also bowed, in the Japanese format, but didn't really like it per se, but that still left the question, "Where is Lord Kira?"
"Right... here..." Kira appeared, being held between Ryu and Amuro, his face was turning an ashen white and sweat poured down his face.
"Idiot," Ryu complained as he helped Amuro bring the programmer forward and then he reported, "Damn idiot is a cripple sir and pushed his body further than he should have and he's barely able to keep himself conscious from it all."
"Kira!" Marina was immediately by his side, she had worried about this and took something out of her small purse, "Here's some pain medication for it, but please don't do that again!"
She injected him before he could say anything in response, but the fast action was obvious as his ragged breath began to even out into better breaths.
"Where is the ship's XO?" then Shirin noted all those around her, "And the rest of the crew?"
Bright could only grit his teeth as he held back the sorrow that he felt, "We lost just about everyone," he admitted, "From both Side 7 and White Base, there's only now 23 military personnel left for duty and some little over a dozen or so technicians and engineers," Shirin's eyes went wide as she let out a startled gasp and Marina froze over by Kira as she and Shirin had both concluded a ship the size of White Base would need at least some 500 or 600 crew at least for skeleton shifts.
"I... I see," Shirin managed, turning to Captain Cassius, "Is there any way we can be of assistance?"
"I have some medical training, but I'm afraid that the captain will need a fully staffed surgical unit and that his wounds even then..." there was no way around it, "They're bad, his career will be over after this."
"At least it is a fine way to end it," he chuckled a little despite the pain, "Mister Noah, see to the ship and let's get somewhere safe and we have plenty of wounded if you wish to help, since all we have is handful of personnel."
"Fortunately we didn't lose all of our medical personnel," Bright helpfully supplied, "Two medical technicians and a Pharmacist Mate are alive, along with two corpsmen from Side 7 as well as four nurses from a clinic, so we're actually in good shape, more or less, there," he tried to make it sound positive, but even then, it probably wasn't.
"See to the ship then and don't forget to set shifts to get even yourself some rest," Captain Cassius stated, glad that White Base was the
first ship with real artificial gravity, at long last, in the Earth Federation Space Navy.
"Yes sir, of course," he smiled, "Excuse me," and he passed by both Shirin and Mirai who was with Kira, now trying to get the story of his injuries out of him.
Stepping up to Ryu and Amuro, all eyes landed on them.
"Amuro!" Fraw called out and even the captain managed to glance over and have a look.
"This him?" Bright asked Ryu who nodded.
"Yep," the rotund pilot confirmed, "Son of Lieutenant Tem Ray as I found out," he shrugged, still in his armor, not a flight suit, "Guess I can see how he might have known some things, but a manual apparently outlived some of our officers."
"Great," not enjoying that bit of confirmation before stepping over to the teen and giving him a measured look, there were going to be problems, but they hadn't a choice, "Well," Bright began, "you relied too much on the machine, you'll have to use your brains a little more next time you fight."
Amuro released a surprised gasp, "W-wh-what?!" there was real fear and uncertainty there, "I-" he began weak, but Bright cut him off.
"Now listen to me Amuro," Bright knew he hadn't the experience, as earlier that day, he was just as frightened as Amuro was now, but he couldn't stay that way, now that he was essentially the ship's only officer, "As long as you can work the Gundam you're a pilot now, not a kid anymore and your duty is to protect this ship."
Amuro's face was paler, but some color had returned. He was scared and understandably so. He didn't wake up that day as a soldier, he woke up as Amuro Ray, just another kid. Now he was a soldier and one that was very unsure of himself.
"Amuro," Kira began suddenly, trying to stand, but unable to do so and Marina wasn't going to let him either, "I know... you're... scared," he breathed raggedly, he looked worse than Amuro, "But the people on White Base need you to lend your strength for their survival as they lend you theirs," he managed to turn his head to face the younger teen, "I've been there Amuro, scared so badly I couldn't stop shaking," Kira took a deep breathe, the pain killers worked, but it was a lot of pain, "Still get it even now," he smiled, it was pained, but genuine, "It'll always be there, but with time and confidence, you can learn to put it on the back burner and leave it there," taking another breath as Mirai held up a water bottle for him to take a quick drink, "Being fearless isn't having the absence of fear, but being able to know it and control it, to lock it in a box and keep going and that is what also makes a person brave," he took another drink, "I think I'm done for a while, so it's up to you and Cadet Jose to get everyone safely to Luna II and hopefully an end to the battle for us civilians."
Amuro took that in, but he nodded, he was still scared, still shaking, "I'll do my best, that's all I can do, right?" he looked up to Bright, "I'll do what I can, because in the end there's no-"
"There is always another choice," Bright informed him, "The question is, which will you choose?"
Amuro always heard that, but until that moment, it never really sunk in and he took a deep breathe, "I'll try my best."
"Your best will only get people killed," Bright informed him, trying to be tough, trying to be the officer he wasn't ready to be, but he put his hand on Amuro's shoulder, "You'll need to be more until we reach safety," he patted the shoulder and Amuro seemed to be calmed down by the gesture, "It won't be fair, I can tell you that now," he told Amuro, "This is a Earth Federation ship and until we reach safety, you work for us and obey my orders," he told him, letting him know there were limits on what he could do, "You won't like it half the time and likely hate my guts the rest, but that's fine by me, as long as you're alive to do so, I don't care."
"I... I understand," Amuro managed, he could see Kira and knew he could have escaped, but still went into battle, despite his crippled body, "I'll do what I can to make sure we survive."
"Good, glad to hear," Bright declared, "I'm also putting you in charge of supervising the Gundam, we're short handed and I still need to get someone to take care of the Gundam Striker."
"I can do that, after a little rest," Kira declared as he felt better now, most of the pain was gone now, "I may not be able to pilot again, but I can at least supervise its care," Kira brought a hand and wiggled it, "I also wouldn't say its 100 percent ready either, it was a rush job to get it out."
"Understood, but go and get some rest now," eyeing the two women who nodded and began to lift Kira up, "Cadet Jose, see to a room for the young man," and the Cadet nodded before leading them out.
Walking up to the front of the ship and looking out, Bright's only thoughts as he could see Luna II were on how unlucky they were to have the Red Comet chasing them, but also relief in what he hoped would be a short flight to safety.
With Kira sidelined by his past injuries and the Striker still unready, they're both left out of the plan for the Core Fighter and Gundam to launch a surprise attack on Char as he awaits resupply and reinforcements. With a surprise attack as their only option, the two will mount their attack, but Char, the Red Comet, always seems to have one more ace up his sleeve.
Will the inexperience crew and pilots of White Base be successful?
Or is their already short flight to safety that much shorter?
Next time...
VOTE TO ATTACK
Who will survive?
Gundam!
With light as your friend, fight off the darkness!
Ahhhh~
Relief!
I've been sitting on this since I don't actually own the series. But I found access to OMSG episodes and nope, it ain't no torrent. That nearly crashed my OS and voided my warranty in the process. I was still able to find and to get access to the series though and that's what counts in the end.
Either way, here you go!
The next installment of Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front.
The name may change a bit in the future. Nothing big. Just something to show it is a crossover. Plus the title is also of a
Gundam game, so that's pretty much makes it important to change.
This had become my top priority when I found what I needed. So don't worry, I'm still working on the rest. I know I promised a couple of folks I'll expand Galactica Effect into a full story, so I'm working on that now. I'm also working on Gear of Zero, Chapter Two, but I'm currently hung up on a corner I put myself into.
Also, Shaman Khan will play a role later on. Even though she's dead now. She'll have a part in why Char never really got close to Haman Khan, besides her being younger. He already put himself in a lot of drama, why not a little more? Plus Haman will want the one who killed her, dead at her feet by her own hand. So Kira will have to be careful.
That's about all.
I'll have to find the data I put together for the RX-79S Gundam Striker, so please hold on a little longer for that, my apologies about the delay.
Okay, that's about it.
Xamusel, my beta, will now say a few things.
Xamusel A/N: Well, this certainly proved to be an interesting endeavor. I recall when Tomcat was working on this around the time he published the first chapter, and, let me tell you, this was something that had gotten me interested in helping him out.
Before you ask about my works, no, I haven't abandoned them. I'm still working on rewriting everything that I can to be in way better condition, considering how screwed up the writing came to be for them... anyway, moving on.
For those of you wondering, Job John actually is a canonical character in Mobile Suit Gundam and in the Gundam F90 series, which serves as a prequel to the movie Gundam F91. Of course, given the difference in time between 0079 and 0120 or so, you'd expect him to be an old man in Gundam F91's prequel. Also, considering that he was originally supposed to be a volunteer crewmember of White Base after the events of Luna II, this first appearance for him here is something of a nice change.
Also, in regards to the overall dimensions of White Base, that was changed by Tomcat for reasons I can't remember right off the top of my head (he changed them on the last day of June of 2013, more or less around midnight, and I should have been in bed by that point).
Now, in regards to the identity of Kira as Akira Yamashiro, I'll leave it to your imagination why Tomcat decided to go with that particular route. It probably has to do with why Kira's got a cane these days in the story. I don't know all of my friend's thought processes, and frankly, sometimes I don't care to know.
(Tomcat: HEY! I'm not sure I like how that sounded!)
(Xamusel: Based on other people's opinions of you based on what I had said earlier.)
By the way, while this is being beta'd by yours truly, I need a beta to help me with knowing if I overlooked anything important. Please be sure to let me know immediately if you want to help me with the errors that get overlooked.
If anyone feels that this story deserves a review for any of the following:
-Errors that need to be corrected that weren't caught in time
-Explaining things that you liked or disliked in a positive tone
-Explaining things that the author may not have considered originally
-Saying how much you like the story (without ignoring other parts of the story)
-Politely explaining why you wouldn't read this again
Then, please, go ahead and give a review on those criteria. Good Lord knows that any real author doesn't want flames or anything in their reviews of their stories.
Also, before you ask, Tomcat and I are Christians (not the same denomination). That should explain why I said what I did in the last paragraph.
Well, without further adieu, I better get this back to Tomcat.
Until we meet again (in one of my stories hopefully)... Farewell.
~Xamusel
PS: I'm rewriting Naruto: RPG of all Time Edition from the ground up again, just so you guys know that I'm in the process of fixing things that went wrong, which should be good for me. If all goes well for me, I'll have the rewritten prologue up by the end of the month, but only if all goes well for me. Besides which, I've been meaning to get back to a major project of mine that I want to write again from the ground up, and that will only start being rewritten real soon and (hopefully) published by about the beginning of 2020 (given that I want to start writing the story without the major problems of having to post each chapter sporadically).
PSS: I know that Tomcat has other priorities as well, but I'll be borrowing him for a while later on, especially if I want to make sure he gets better as an author. I plan on getting him to participate in National Novel Writing Month this November, but if that doesn't work, I can always find a way to get him to take some writing courses online (with me learning alongside him).
Tomcat:
Okay, I know I really don't like how that was said. Unfortunately, I'll have ta agree. My writing has seriously slacked and I feel like an amatuer now. So I'll be doing what I can to get back up to par.
If ya got anything to say, please say it, as long as it can be positively used. This ain't as easy as it looks and true, I could have left the other added elements out, but you know, I just couldn't help meself. So they're in.
I'll be working with Xamusel, but I intend to work on this as well. Project GUNTECH, my RT-Mac/Gundam crossover is also back in my muse too. A second chapter for Lost Gundams is currently forming itself in my mind. I just need to work out the details. So for those promised that there would be continuation, your hopes and patience will be rewarded.
Let's see...
Well, can't think of what else. Though if you're wondering about seeing Heliopolis in this... I may consider a side story for that. That's the best, sorry folks. It would just complicate matters otherwise.
Well, have a good day or night, it's time to get this POSTED!