UC 0079 March 20th Side 3. Principality of Zeon.
"…the total number of casualties are still unknown, but we are told that all present there haven't escaped the blast. According to our sources, Zeon's Command was to convene in Granada to discuss their strategy of Earth Campaign. Among the attending officers…" The screen blinked out of life, as Degwin Sodo Zabi turned off it off, turning to face his family, sans Garma.
"Now, can anyone explain what exactly has happened there?" Degwin demanded, turning his gaze to the one who had control over the Moon. "Kycillia…" The sole daughter of Zabi spoke up.
"From what my intelligence tells me, it was a work of a lone a Federations black ops unit, who had smuggled themselves to Grenada. Apparently, they believed that they would be able to assassinate me or Dozle, since it was rumored we would be in attendance." Kycillia retorted, her mask taken off. "As for how they've learned and were able to pull this off, my people are still investigating it."
"The fact that Federation still managed to pull this off makes it clear that your control over Moon is not as airtight as you had led us to believe." Gihren commented in his usual manner, with Kycillia casting him glare. "And as the result, much of our ground and space forces are left without proper command. At least Garma chose to be fashionably late this time…"
"Enough." Degwin spoke up and stopped any further discussions about it, before turning to Dozle. "Dozle, do you have capable men with whom to compensate the loss of Kycillia's officers?"
"Father, this is entirely unnecessary." Kycillia protested. "Dozle's men are not quite suited for my style of command and warfare, not to mention that they lack certain finesse when it comes conduction of combat. I would be better off with officers that are under Gihren's command…" At that point Degwin stopped her.
"Operation British has shown to all that those men lack whatever "finesse" they may have, not to mention that their conduct at times leaves much to be desired. Dozle's men have at least proven themselves reliable, and possessing of the common sense in terms of warfare." Degwin stated with clear disdain, before adding. "Thanks to your scheming, we are now fighting a terrestrial war, instead of restructuring the space, and should we lose it, our fate will not be a kind one."
"We will not lose it, father, and this minor setback is nothing when compared to the true might of our people and forces." Gihren stated with complete confidence in his own words. "The Earth will be ours, and when it is, we shall pave the way for the Newtypes and a new, purer Humanity to rule the Earth, under the Zabi regime." Degwin's expression was grim, but he held back his tongue, before turning to Dozle.
"Dozle, can I rely upon you in this?" Degwin asked, with Dozle immediately responding.
"Of course, Father. I've got a number of crack commanders who can fill in the ranks for Kycillia. I'll have them dispatched as soon as possible." Dozle assured, before adding. "But since we are talking about it all, there's also the matter of Earth's forces we should also talk about."
"Thankfully, I've lost less of those, and those that I did lose were of the lower echelons, easily replaceable." Kycillia assured, before Dozle spoke up.
"All but that Lieutenant General M'Quve." Dozle took a small enjoyment in the fact that he managed to catch his sister off guard. "Wasn't he the one who organized that conference, being your de-facto right-hand man. And that's on top of being put in charge of Odessa District, which is now left completely leaderless and without any officers worth their salt?" Kycillia fixed a glare on her larger sibling.
"Dozle, what is so important of that District?" Degwin asked of him, curious as to why he would mention it.
"It is one of Federation's largest industrial zones, on top of containing some of the largest deposits of minerals, which are mined there. By taking that District, we've effectively cut one of Federation's main resource arteries, not to mention ensuring our own grow far larger." Dozle explained. "With the resources from that place, we'll have no problem supplying our forces, and once we've got those factories and manufacturing plants up and running in Odessa, we'll even be able to supply our troops on Earth from the get go." Dozle's explanation made it clear to Degwin the importance of this place.
"M'Quve… I remember him, and as I understand it, the man was more a bureaucrat than a soldier. Not to mention he did not strike me as someone who had competency in matters of warfare." Degwin stated, remembering the man and his decadent attitude. "Such a man would've made for a poor commander of Odessa, especially for a base of this importance. We need someone capable and able to hold it."
"Perhaps Garma will be up to the task, and given the importance of that sector, it only makes sense that a Zabi should be given the responsibility of managing it." Kycillia offered.
"Garma is better served on the frontlines of America, not in Eastern Europe where Federation are all but destroyed already." Gihren argued. "Withdrawing him from the troops to what is essentially now our deep rear will be seen as weakness by them and damage our image. No, we best find someone else who can fill in the role of commanding officer there."
"And who do you propose we send there, Supreme Commander?" Kycillia asked of Gihren. "Perhaps someone like Delaz? Or that brute, Yuri Kellerne?"
"Kellerne would be my choice on the matter. He's exactly the type of guy that would make the Feddies pay with their blood just to get to it." Dozle spoke up.
"No one asked your opinion on the matter, Dozle." Kycillia snapped at him, before adding. "Much like Garma, he is better served leading his men in the front, instead of just sitting around the base. He has little to next mind for logistics."
"By your logic, we should just pick some backwater commander and put him in charge of Odessa?" Gihren asked of Kycillia. "From what I understand, if your pet M'Quve could run that base, just about anyone can do so. We can just pick someone from the staff already present on Earth and be done with it."
"This would only further confuse the chain of command and possibly render troops leaderless, if we pluck a commander from the ground formation." Dozle argued, before an idea struck him. "But we do need someone who is capable of handling the logistics, supplies, and even coordinate troops on the ground. And I think I've got just the man for the job." Gihren and Kycillia suppressed their desire to roll eyes at that, but Degwin actually listened to him.
"Go on, Dozle." Degwin asked of him. "Who is this man you are talking about?"
"My own Chief of Staff, Commodore Aerion Rogare." Dozle stated with pride, with both Kycillia and Gihren shooting him surprised and confused looks.
"Rogare? Do not tell me that he is one of those Rogares?" Kycillia asked of Dozle, who nodded. "And exactly what was going through your head when you decided to make him your Chief of Staff, brother? Have you forgotten who the Rogares are? They are the sole family in all of Side 3 that are a clear threat to us, and yet you allowed one of their own get so close to you."
"For once, I am with Kycillia on it." Gihren agreed with her. "Ral and Karn we kept because they were politically neutered, but Rogares… Exactly how did he worm his way to you, Dozle? Same way as Maharaja did?" Dozle barely suppressed the desire to roar at his brother, for mentioning his mistress and relationship with her.
"Unlike with M'Quve, he didn't have to worm his way to anywhere, and if you think he bought his way into the military, you'd be wrong. He graduated from the Academy 3rd in his class, with top marks in engineering, space and ground combat tactics, MS piloting and combat, logistics and several other fields." Dozle began to explain. "He was first assigned under my command as an engineering officer, and when I learned of him, I've had him drilled and hazed to the breaking point, thinking he was just a pansy, but it turned out he was anything but. The man has a talent and a real knack for coordination, logistics, and staff management, so not long before the war, I had him transferred to my Staff, and on its onset, made him first my Deputy Chief, and now my Chief of Staff. He's the guy who had relayed and coordinated our forces since the start, and at Loum, he ran the Mobile Suit Corps along coordinating my fleet. After that battle, I made him Commodore, and he's responsible for our landings on Earth too. But now that Kycillia's taken over with Garma, he's been stuck on Solomon with the rest of us. A damn waste of a damn good officer, if you ask me. Not to mention that he is also a pretty good MS pilot, almost as good Shin, though he is even better in Staff."
"Interesting that I've not heard of him or his work up until now." Kycillia noted. "Listen to you, Dozle, and one would think that Aerion Rogare was also responsible for the Operation British, and its failure. Yet of all the participants, his name was never mentioned in the reports."
"That's because I've had him organizing diversionary actions, to keep the Feddies off of us. Why do you think they've only stopped that colony at Earth and not attempted to strike earlier?" Dozle asked rhetorically. "He only learned of the British post-factum. He didn't exactly like it, but did his job well afterwards."
"And you believe this man will be able to run Odessa?" Gihren asked of Dozle. "Have you considered the fact that his family…" Before Gihren could finish, Degwin finally spoke up.
"Dozle, will Commodore Rogare be able to handle the responsibilities and tasks set upon him by this assignment?" Degwin asked of him.
"Absolutely. I vouch for him wholeheartedly." Dozle stated. "
"Then you will be the best man to tell him, that as of this moment, he has been appointed commanding officer of the Odessa District, and it falls to him now to make sure that its production lines and resources serve us better than they did to the Federation." Degwin suddenly stated to all, with all of the Zabi members looking at him with shock and confusion. "A capable officer like that should not be wasted, and Odessa requires utmost effort and focus of an able commander. See to it that he understands the importance of it, Dozle."
"Yes, sir!" Dozle stated, and immediately went out of the room.
"Father, what about the troops? Aerion Rogare is Dozle's man, and those forces answer to me, so…" Degwin immediately interrupted her.
"So as any good officer, he shall serve his higher ranked commander diligently, be it Dozle, or you." Degwin stated. "Now, see to Grenada and the elimination of those Federation operatives." Degwin ordered, and Kycillia obeyed, leaving Gihren with Degwin.
"May I ask why do you bestow such an unexpected honor upon a Rogare?" Gihren asked of Degwin directly. "For that matter, I've wondered as to why you've left them alone. We've destroyed the Rals and purged all of Zeon's supporters, safe for them, all on your command. Yet were they not among the strongest supporters of Zeon, not to mention being his closest allies. Last I recall, it took both you and Jimba Ral to remove Lysandro Rogare from Zeon's side. We should've eliminated him and his entire brood long ago."
"Not every enemy can be destroyed through brute force and power, Gihren, and when you destroy all that do not share your ideas, you may well end up ruling over ashes." Degwin stated to Gihren. "As for Lysandro, he and Zeon had once been close, but it was Zeon's arrogance that drove Lysandro away. Me and Ral merely filled the vacant space, and after Lysandro was free of Zeon, he has put his power and wealth to good use, and now his family has their hands in many spheres, from industries to transportation. And unlike Jimba Ral, Lysandro and Rogares were more than content to not attempt to seize power, as well as play by our rules."
"Others did the same, and yet we've eliminated them without a second thought when it was appropriate." Gihren noted. "The fact that they possess even a small measurement of power only makes them all that more of a threat to us. Destroying them and seizing their wealth would serve us far better than trying to play diplomat with them."
"The fact that you are saying such things reveals to me the significance of your ignorance as a politician, Gihren." Degwin stated to Gihren, who wasn't prepared to it, with Degwin rising up from his chair and turning to him. "Aerion Rogare will take command of Odessa, and you will not take up any actions against the Rogares. That is my order. We shall see if the youngster is to the same caliber as his elder siblings and father, and if he is, then we'll have a bridge to our strongest adversary. And should he stumble with a safe and relatively peaceful assignment, then he shall have to endure the shame of exposure, since such an important area as Odessa will require our personal attention too." Degwin's words made it clear to Gihren that his father was using Aerion for his own agenda, and for the moment, had to comply with it, as he left to make his own decisions.
March 23rd. Earth. Odessa District.
The greeting procession of Zeon officers was lined up on the spaceport's waiting area, as they observed a Zanzibar -class make landfall and park the prepared runway. Soon, the transport began to unload its cargo, as well as the personnel it transported, who entered into the main area of the spaceport. Leading the procession of Zeon officers was a relatively young looking man in the fresh Commodore's uniform, all too new on him. He possessed an athletic and lean build, with his well-kept light brown hair sleeked back, sky blue eyes and noble face made him look like a prince from a fairy tale. Once he closed the distance with the greeting procession, he received a salute, to which he responded with the one of his own.
"Commodore Rogare, welcome to Earth and Odessa. Acting Commander of Odessa District, Lieutenant-Commander Suberoa Zinnerman, at your service." Zinnerman greeted his new CO gruffly.
"At ease, Commander, and thank you for the welcome." Aerion responded, before he extended his hand to the man, who shook it.
"We have prepared your quarters in the main base of our forces, and if you wish to have anything, please let us know. Unfortunately, we haven't prepared a welcoming banquette for you, since we've been a preoccupied with other matters." Zinnerman informed Aerion. "Apologies for it, sir."
"No need, I'd rather get down to business faster, than tasting beverages. There will be time for it later." Commodore stated, with Suberoa agreeing with him. "I have a number of personal items from my previous station brought along on the ship. Could you arrange for their transfer into my quarters?"
"Of course. Would you like to go there as well?" Suberoa asked of him, with Aerion shaking his head.
"Not now. I want to get a full report of what we have here, so we are going to the HQ, and I want you to ride with me." Aerion commanded, and Zinnerman nodded, and the two proceeded to the specially prepared car, getting in and driving there. "No offence, Commander, but you do not exactly look like a desk officer to me."
"Until three days ago, I was a Lieutenant, preparing to move out into Africa, when they told me that I was suddenly promoted to Lt.-Commander and made Acting Commandant. When I asked why was it, they told me that the man in charge before you took damn near everyone here with a rank higher than Junior Grade to Granada." Suberoa stated. "Safe to say, sir, it was a very hard three days down here. Before you've arrived, I've had a full complement of other officers arrive from Vice Admiral Kycillia to fill in the ranks, but the post in charge is yours now."
"I can only imagine." Aerion said with a sigh. "Before we reach the HQ, what can you tell me of our position here?" Zinnerman was surprised to hear Aerion ask him.
"Are you sure you want to hear it from me?" Zinnerman asked of him. "I will say that those officers out there are more the type you are used to dealing with, no offence."
"None taken, and I'd rather hear it from an honest to God soldier first, than a staff officer." Aerion stated, with Zinnerman nodding and beginning to speak up.
"Then with your permission, sir. We are lucky that the Feddies haven't decided to attack us, because our situation couldn't be better suited for them. The District's defenses are abysmal, most of them having been damaged during the taking and not repaired, so we are essentially sitting ducks with next to cover. The infrastructure is in shambles, both land and by Black Sea, not to mention the industrial complex having suffered serious damage to it, and continuing to do so." Zinnerman began his report.
"How so, exactly?" Aerion demanded to know.
"The Feddies' got their fighters and bombers making runs on plants, factories, refineries, etc. almost daily, and we've got next to nothing to deal with them. Back up in Space, Zakus could make mincemeat of them, but here they rule when it comes to hit-and-runs." Zinnerman stated. "They can't do much against our MSs, but against the industry… That's a different story."
"What about the mines?" Rogare asked of Zinnerman.
"Well, that's about the only good news I've got. Those are running smoothly, and are well defended, thanks to our valiant new officers taking charge of them." Suberoa's tone made it clear that he didn't exactly appreciate the way they handled things. "They've allocated almost all of the MSs to them, and done everything they can to keep them there. When I requested an update on the mining operations, they basically made it clear, that since I was merely a chair holder, I had no authority to ask them. And continuing on with the Feddies and their air superiority, we can't even do so much as shoot down their transports. We've seen several of them just casually pass by us without even trying to hide it."
"If I recall correctly, the ground forces were also provided an atmospheric fighter plane. Was it not yet delivered here?" Aerion asked, with Zinnerman sighing and speaking up.
"It was, but… To put it bluntly, sir, whoever made those Dopps was clearly either a drunk, a Feddie agent, or both." And with that, Zinnerman produced a pad and activated it, showing to Aerion the footage of Dopp's performance. "As you can see, the Federations got them beat with what they have already. Their Tin Cods and Saberfishes wreak anything we have against them that isn't a land battleship, or a Zaku." Aerion took a few moments to watch, pausing several times, before speaking up.
"Did you happen to capture any of these fighters?" Aerion asked of Suberoa, pointing at Federation's planes.
"Yeah, about a few dozens of those during the first attack here, both Tin Cods and Saberfishes." Suberoa answered. "We've left them in their hangars. They are serviceable and able to fly, if you are interested."
"Good. Have them moved to a secure location, away from the air raids." Aerion ordered, with Suberoa nodding. "As for these Dopps… I'll see what I can do. Anything more I should be made aware of?"
"A lot of things, sir. Immediately, though, I think you should prepare for those officers waiting for you in the HQ. I'm no psychic or spook, but they didn't appear to be all that pleased to be serving under your command." Suberoa stated to Aerion. "As for why was that, I assume it had something to do with your being from Solomon and not from Vice Admiral Kycillia's unit." Aerion pulled out a pad of his own, along with a pen, and began to write notes.
"Thanks for the warning." Aerion told him, with the machine continuing its path to the HQ.
Sometime later. Zeon's HQ of Odessa District
Doors into the HQ sled open and in stepped Commodore Aerion and Lt.-Commander Suberoa, where they were greeted by the staff officers, saluting Commodore Rogare, with the lead officer stepping forth. He was man in his early thirties, having a lean, yet not athletic build, with black hair, long face and brown eyes, giving off the sense of a not so reliable intelligence officer. On his lips played a half-smirk, half-smile, seemingly sensing his supremacy over a fleet desk work, as Aerion suspected him, yet he kept his tongue, and instead saluted back to him.
"Commodore Aerion Rogare, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and welcome to Earth. Lieutenant-Commander Taffa, of Lady Kycillia's Assault Forces." Taffa offered Aerion his hand, who shook it. "I hope your trip here on Earth wasn't too stressful. I know Earth can be rather daunting upon us Spacenoids."
"It is not my first time on Earth, Lt.-Commander. As you all were." Aerion commanded, with many of the officers returning to their posts, with others remaining.
"We were going to prepare a welcoming party for you, but Acting, ah, apologies, former Acting Commander Zinnerman rejected the proposal." Taffa almost sleazily stated, with Suberoa keeping his mouth shut, with Aerion speaking up.
"Wise decision on his part. Now, I would like a full review of the state of affairs of Odessa District." Aerion stated, as he and Zinnerman made their way to the main screen, with Taffa following them.
"I can assure you that things are proceeding quite well. Our forces are pushing the Federations' armies into the seas, and our mines are fully operational. Rest assured, with the tremendous progress we are making, we shall be back home in time for Christmas." Taffa stated in an absentminded manner, with Aerion shaking his head.
"Is that your full report, Lt.-Commander?" Aerion asked with a sigh, catching the man off guard. "Nothing else of note to report?"
"What else is there to say, sir?" Taffa asked of him, clearly not understanding what was being asked of him. "The victory is well within our grasp, and soon, all of Earth will bow before…"
"Lt.-Commander, I gave you a clear order to provide me a full review of the state of Odessa District." Aerion interrupted the man with a cold and hard tone, shutting him up and making him look at him with clear surprise. "Am I to assume that you have absolutely no idea as to what is going on in here, judging by your answer?"
"N-no, Commodore, that is not it." Taffa coughed and corrected himself. "Th-the mining operations are proceeding as planned, along with the extraction of the resources for the front. We have already begun to prepare first shipments of raw materials to space, and are in the process of organizing the first delivery into the spaceport."
"And what is the condition of the roads from mines to the spaceport, Taffa?" Aerion suddenly asked, with Taffa stumbling.
"R-roads, sir?" Taffa asked of him again.
"Roads. How do you propose to transport the materials? By land, or by air?" Aerion asked of him. "Do you have operational railways and trains? Or do you intend to rely on auto transport?"
"W-well, whichever is more preferable. I-I suppose air would be more effective…" Taffa stated, growing more and more nervous.
"And do you have transport planes for it? How many? What is their escort composition?" Aerion demanded to know, with Taffa clearly not able to answer it.
"W-well… I-I am sure that we have enough of those, p-plus those roads…" Taffa stumbled more and more verbally.
"Yes, and do you have enough vehicles for them? And what is the state of those roads?" Aerion demanded, with Taffa beginning to sweat.
"Um, I… Y-you must be exhausted from your entry into the atmosphere, sir. P-perhaps we can continue this conversation tomorrow, a-after we are all rested and…" Taffa asked, but Aerion didn't let him finish.
"And what exactly were you doing, while expecting me? Practicing your excuses for a complete lack of work?" Aerion asked of them, before continuing. "I do not know how things are done under command of Vice-Admiral Kycillia, but had this been Admiral Dozle's command, you and the rest of your colleagues would've been demoted and discharged in dishonor, if not worse. You have been here for several days, I've not seen or heard of any repairs on the defensive, industrial, and infrastructural facilities being conducted. Federation Air Force bombs our plants and factories to the ground, and send their supply planes right before our noses, while our planes have nothing to give against them, and not even machine guns to shoot down air raids. And that is not to mention the state of roads and other things. I have been less than three hours down here, and already find so much, while you had twenty times the time, and failed to do so." Aerion concluded his hard judgement of the men, with the officer not finding anything more to add, with Aerion producing his notes and laying them down on the table.
"These are all of the assignments I have that must be completed within 24 hours, and each of you will take one of these and get on them. If you fail to accomplish it within said limit, you will be transferred with full demerit. Accomplish it, and you will earn your stay in here, am I understood?" Taffa and others immediately picked on it, and took their assignments, before preparing to take their leave. "Once you have completed your tasks, or upon failure to do so, report to Lieutenant-Commander Zinnerman directly, along with provide a full report. As of this moment, he is now my Acting Chief of Staff. Is that clear?"
"Y-yes, sir!" The officers said, and with that, Aerion gave them leave, with Zinnerman turning to him.
"No offence, sir, but why me?" Zinnerman asked of Aerion, who gave him a small smile. "I'm a field soldier, a grunt essentially. Not exactly the sort for a desk job."
"Which makes you surprisingly well suited for this, if only temporarily. You can rest easy, that this isn't a permanent assignment. I've already put through a request for specific personnel to be transferred under my command here." Aerion revealed to Suberoa. "I was assured by Admiral Dozle it will be approved, but it will be sometime before it is done. Until then I need someone who can help me run my staff."
"And what makes you think that I'm right guy for the job?" Suberoa asked of Aerion.
"You know what soldiers need and what really goes on the field, and what it requires at the moment. These officers may have finished courses in military academies, but just from their uniforms, I can see they haven't been in battle and came from cushy postings." Aerion said, as he examined the field disposition of his sector of Earth front. "I know what the High Command tells us and I've heard all of Supreme Commander's speeches about our assured and soon victory, but I'll only believe in them when the Federation signs their peace agreement, and only then. Until then, we have a war to win, and being lax in any form is giving Federation an advantage, one that may cost us dearly." Zinnerman was clearly impressed by his new commanding officer's reasoning.
"If I may ask, sir: why did you take this post?" Zinnerman asked of Aerion. "I know you are a Rogare, basically a Zeon royalty, and you did have a posting at Solomon as Chief of Staff. Why come down here?"
"Because I was ordered to." Aerion stated simply. "But if you are asking me why I chose to serve in the military, then that one is fairly simple to answer: I want for those who live and die in space to decide their own fate, and not be controlled by Earth's corrupt government. I do not exactly like the Zabi, but Zabi are not all of Zeon, and I do love my country. I do not know where I stand on the whole Newtypes idea and evolution of humans into Spacenoids, but a desire to live free, decide our own fate, without the oversight of an oppressive, corrupt and self-centered government? This I can understand." Suberoa listened, and then added.
"I can live with that." Suberoa said, and moved to the info table. "What are your orders, Commodore?" He asked, with Aerion sighing and saying.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us." Aerion said, and then began his day.
March 28th Granada City. Zeon's HQ.
"Vice-Admiral, here is the report you have requested." The adjutant handed the pad to Kycillia, who waved him off and proceeded to read it.
So far the war was going in Zeon's favor, though not as quickly she and Gihren would've wanted, but otherwise, it looked like they were winning. Of course, there were those that were saying to Kycillia that they had overstretched their lines and were spread too thin, but she didn't give those calls any mind. Zeon and Zabi family were destined to not only win this war, but also to rule all of Earth Sphere, and nothing was going to change that, not if she has anything to say about it. There were, however, certain elements that could hamper that grand design from coming to life, and one of them happened to be the Rogare Family, which may've remained uninvolved and abstained from politics, was clearly still present in Zeon and its affairs.
The Rogare Family's history stretched back to the first space immigrants, who had come to space and achieved success in matters of business, amassing wealth and political power through investments, banking, manufacturing and many other activities. Their latest head of the family, Lysandro Rogare, had expanded his family's wealth to extreme levels through creating connections with other Sides, Moon and Earth, with his investments and capitals being tied to multiple companies, such as Anaheim Electronics. During rise of Zeon Zum Deikun, Lysandro and Rogares became one of his primary backers in the politics, lobbying and backing him financially, along with spreading his message and propaganda. One could say that without them, Zeon Deikun would've remained a street activist instead of becoming the messiah he is now, and Lysandro, along with Degwin Zabi and Jimba Ral, were behind him. While Zabi provided structure and populist support, Ral brought practical ideas, Lysandro was the financial backer and the one who held the power of the three.
However, several years after coming to power, Deikun and Lysandro had a disagreement in the matters of politics, which, as Kycillia remembered, had something to do with Lysandro's relations with the Earth, and the fact that he had an Earthnoid wife. At that point, Zeon's point of view was growing more and more radical and anti-Earthnoid, and so he had distanced from himself Lysandro, who withdrew all of his backing from Zeon and withdrew from the politics into seeming obscurity. At that point, Zeon's power was fairly secure and he could afford it, yet who knows what would've happened if the two remained allies. After that, the Rogares had done all they could to not get involved in the politics, hence why they didn't exploit the chaos of Zeon's death to their advantage.
When the Zabis came to power, there was a purge of the old guard, the derelicts of Zeon's era and who could cause trouble to the Zabi family, and yet while many were destroyed politically and physically, Rogares remained. Of all the potential opponents, her father decided to spare them, and she couldn't fathom why would he let them live. Kycillia assumed it was either because Lysandro had some sort of blackmail against them, or there was some kind of an agreement between the two. Regardless, Rogares allowed the Zabis to operate as they pleased, while the Zabis stayed away from the Rogares. And now, one of those same Rogares, was commanding one of the most important industrial and mining districts on Earth, and was doing a surprisingly good job.
Kycillia had a rather poor opinion of the men that served under Dozle, which extended to her brother, seeing them rather like blunt tools that could be used and discarded. They were too tied down by their views of morality, code of conduct and other such things was honestly pathetic in her eyes, completely out of place in modern warfare. She had expected Aerion Rogare to be another one of the dull tools, as well as a spoiled rich kid who had gotten his position through nepotism, and yet Kycillia was wrong. She pulled his file out of the Academy, and it turned out that he was a hardworking and talented student of war.
His scores in the academy were exactly as Dozle had described him: graduated 3rd overall in class, but at top of practical and military sciences sciences, engineering, mathematics and other such aspects. Quite surprising was also his score in the MS piloting, which was around 89.2 out of 100, which was one of the highest in all of Zeon. Had he wanted to, he could've become as good of a pilot as Char Aznable or Johnny Ridden, but he chose engineering department instead. Interestingly, his file also mentioned him spending a considerable amount of time on Earth before war, where he attended MIT, before returning to Zeon, but what subjects he studied and worked on were beyond Kycillia's reach for now.
After his graduation he became a member of Dozle's Staff, and when the war broke out, he effectively ran it. Dozle did not joke when he said that Aerion was a key member to his staff, as Kycillia examined his work, and how he had effectively coordinated their space forces against the Federation at nearly every engagement, from Luna to Loum and First Landing. At 25, it could be said that he had actually earned his promotion to Commodore, was and commanding officer of Odessa, role to which he adjusted most well.
Immediately upon arriving, he reorganized his staff, disposition of the troops and set out to turning Odessa from a mere mining base into a key installation of Zeon on Earth. He poured resources and manpower into defenses, logistics, manufacturing and more, creating essentially a massive fortress that Zeon could hold onto. Kycillia's own officers, which she had dispatched to see to it that the shipments of resources would come without trouble, were roped into working for Odessa by Aerion, and were actually doing their job, though clearly they at first struggled. Aerion wasn't above using his station, and had used it to requisition a great deal of anti-air defenses, missiles, construction materials and more, not to mention logistical and support personnel.
Kycillia had hoped that he would stumble and fall, allowing her to remove him completely, but he didn't, and instead did his job as intended. He even went above expected, as this current report indicated, for he not only had he began to repair the industrial facilities in his District, but he was even converting them for Mobile Suit production. Not only that, but there was also a second report on her hands, that surprised Kycillia by the audacity.
"He sent Federation's aerial planes to Zeonic, Zimmad and other companies for examination, and proposed a contest for the new atmospheric plane, based and surpassing those?" Kycillia read aloud. "Does he not have Dopps?"
"He does, ma'am, but… Their performance has been less than expected." One of her aids reported. "In 10 aerial battles, 9 times Federation fighters trump ours. Commodore Rogare believes that Dopp is completely unsuited for the task, and proposed reverse-engineering Federation's planes to come up with a suitable counter to them."
"He really does want us to study and use the technologies of the inferior Federation? Does he really have such a high opinion of them?" Kycillia stated with anger, before she read more of his report. "Complete air superiority… Inability to hamper aerial supply lines… Jeopardizing of our logistics from space… Is this all true of the Dopp and disparity between us and Federation?" Kycillia asked, with her adjutant nodding.
"Yes, unfortunately it is." Kycillia took a moment to process it, before speaking up.
"Let him do it. We'll see if anything good comes out of it." Kycillia said, deciding this was nothing of serious import to her. "Now, do you have files on the personnel he requested?" Kycillia asked, and the adjutant put the files on her desks.
"These are all the people he requested be transferred to Odessa under his direct command, ma'am." Adjutant reported, and Kycillia taking the first file and opening it.
"Lieutenant-Commander Leesa Kujo, from Dozle's Staff as well." Kycillia uttered quietly, as she looked at the file. "Top marks in tactical, coordination, logistics… She was basically Aerion's second-in-command on the Solomon."
"Yes ma'am. He was her senior by one year in the academy, and after she was transferred as a tactical analyst. After Commodore Rogare took position of Chief of Staff, he promoted then Lieutenant Kujo to post of his Deputy Chief of Staff." Adjutant informed Kycillia.
"So they are friends from academy. Any relations to dissidents, potential and otherwise?" She asked immediately, before getting her answer.
"None, ma'am. Born to a Spanish father and Japanese mother, both immigrants to Side 3, so she is first-generation Spacenoid. Both parents are currently living in Ingolstadt." Adjutant informed her. "Father is a local professor of mathematics, while mother is a housewife. Politically, they haven't been active at all." With this, Kycillia seemed satisfied for the moment, as she put away Kujo's file, and took another one.
"Bismarck Waldstein… That is not a name I am familiar with." Kycillia said, as she read the file. "Combat prowess could give even Char Aznable a run for his money, and he only enlisted at the beginning of the war. Who exactly is this man?"
"According to our sources, Waldstein is a member of the Rogare household, and had served as a physical instructor for Aerion, his siblings, and as personal bodyguard of his mother." Adjutant stated, surprising Kycillia. "He came with her to Side 3, after she married Lysandro Rogare, and we've already confirmed that his posting was indirectly ensured by the Rogares, so he could protect Aerion, although his posting was approved by Vice-Admiral Dozle."
"Somehow I have a feeling these two would've struck an accord the moment they met." Kycillia noted bemusedly. "Exactly what position is he to hold in there? Personal bodyguard?"
"Mobile Suit Company Commander, ma'am. There are also four MS pilots transferring with Waldstein, all of them served with him, and under Commodore during his stay as Chief of Staff." Adjutant said, as Kycillia opened up the files and was surprised with contents.
"An all-female group of pilots? Each of them have ace capabilities, and yet all requested to serve under Rogare…" Kycillia noted, as she looked at them with a ping of jealousy over the fact that each of them was actually a beauty in their own right. "Kallen Stadtfelt, Cornelia and Nonette li Enneagram, Monica Kruszewski… Their surnames all seem familiar to me, somehow."
"We've investigated them, ma'am. Each of them comes from aristocratic origins, and each of their families have fallen during the tenure of Zeon Zum Deikun. Stadtfelt and Enneagram families have faced prosecution due to their long-standing business ties to Earth, when Zeon proclaimed autonomy from Earth, and have both been effectively destroyed, and their wealth confiscated by Deikun. As for Kruszewski, her father was accused of attempting to assassinate Zeon Zum Deikun, with him having been arrested and having died in confinement. As for the rest of the family, we believe they were prosecuted as well for association." Adjutant stated, before adding. "According to our sources, after being removed from his position, Lysandro took the daughters of the three families as wards, and raised them alongside his own. The four are fiercely loyal to Rogares, including Aerion, and are among the better pilots we have in the military, ma'am."
"Hm, a veritable harem of beauties, one which most likely takes full advantage of." Kycillia stated with assumption and contempt. "Clearly they are loyal first to him than us… We should do well to keep an eye out for. Anything else?"
"Yes. We have received intelligence report from our spies that Federation will conduct a counter-offensive towards Odessa from Kiev within 96 hours." Officer reported to Kycillia, before producing the folder with information. "The Federation is concentrating forces of 3 armies, totaling up to 500 thousand soldiers, and around 1730 tanks and same amount of fighter planes. Considering the current state of Odessa's defenses, we have reason to believe that they may succeed in punching through the defenses. We are preparing additional reinforcements for Commodore to be sent, along with the information regarding the invasion…"
"No. Keep those forces in reserve in the orbit, and as for the information… Let's see how Dozle's pet deals with unexpected surprises coming his way." Kycillia stated, with her adjutant nodding.
Kycillia knew that if the Federation was able to muster up now and strike at Odessa, there was a fairly good chance that they could retake it, if only temporarily. If that were to happen, then it would be the end of Aerion's command over Odessa, and once Kycillia retook the base, she'd would have it under her full control. Along with Moon's two cities, her own force and loyalists, adding Odessa to her powerbase would effectively make her the most powerful of the Zabi siblings, and when the time comes to it, she'll be perfectly positioned to take full control. And as for all those loyal and brave Zeon soldiers, they would either prove strong enough survive, or weeded out as weak, and weakness was not something that Zeon could display now.
They were in the decisive stage of their conquest, with Revil's speech having revitalized the Federation to fight to the bitter end. This will ensure that once Jaburo falls, all of Earth submits to the Zabi, and none will stand in Kycillia's way of seeing it happen. She will see her Zeon triumph, not Gihren's, and not anyone else's, and she most certainly will not tolerate a pet of her buffoon of a brother Dozle, not to mention a Rogare, undermining her power and prestige. His appointment alone is enough for Kycillia to sign his death warrant, and if she is fortunate, then she will see him pass away soon enough. The thought of Commodore Rogare's death was enough to put a small smile on her face.
March 30th Kiev Oblast. EFGF's HQ Big Tray
Earth Federation Ground Forces, once regarded as an impregnable bulwark and juggernaut, was now a battered shattered image of its past self. The landings on Earth by Zeon have been extremely successful so far, and the losses suffered were catastrophic, both in military and industry, especially with the losses of California Base and Odessa District. The latter especially hurt currently, for its industrial and resource potential could've helped Federation rebuild its forces, but with Zeon now holding it, they now found themselves without both a vital supply base, and an industrial and manufacturing complex. And while it seemed that retaking California base currently seemed out of the question, given the sheer numbers that Zeon had pulled there, along with the fact that Garma Zabi himself was in command there, Odessa was a different matter.
With the successful assassination of Odessa's commanding staff, Zeon's forces were left leaderless, and as the aerial recon showed, were strewn across all of the mines to protect them, leaving the cities, industrial complex and coast, severely weakened. And so, Jaburo decided to use this chance to retake Odessa District, and then mop up the remaining Zeon forces, before they could reinforce the garrisons. It was a bold and risky plan, a concentrated offensive upon a relatively small front, but it had a high chance of success. The preliminary preparations by the air forces had done good job both weakening and with recon, so Federation officers were quite confident in the possibility of success. They were to attack on April 2nd, once the concentration of the forces was finished.
Unfortunately for the Federation command, what they were not prepared was an attack from Zeon straight at them, right when they were in the middle of mustering their forces. Somehow, Zeon's forces had discovered them and attacked right as the sunset rolled, catching the Federation forces completely off guard and beginning to decimate them.
"We lost contact with the 3rd Battalion! 4th and 7th report heavy casualties!"
"4 more Zakus have appeared in sector 11! Sectors 10 through 16 are breached!"
"102nd Infantry Division is routed! We've lost contact with 231 and 567 Divisions."
"Enemy MS have breached into the encampment and are…" And at that moment a rocket hit the Big Tray, with the land battleship rocked and several panels falling or exploding, killing some personnel.
"Ugh, status report!" General Villard demanded, before looked around, seeing fires inside. "And get these fires under control!" Then a second rocket hit a nearby tank.
"Sir, we have 5 Zakus heading straight towards us!" One of the analysts reported.
"Damn it! Pull reserves at them!" Villard ordered.
"We can't! All comms are disabled, sir!" One of the officers reported. "They destroyed our comms with the attack."
"C'mon, at least make it look like you are trying to hit me!" Nonette Enneagram mocked from out of her Zaku, as she maneuvered around three tanks and then promptly took them out with her machine gun. "One would think these tanks would have the upper hand in here, but nope…" And at that point, Nonette's Zaku was nearly hit by two shells from a Type 61, only saved by a timely intervention of another Zaku.
"Stop playing with them, Nonette." Cornelia chided her cousin, before blasting the tank with her bazooka, followed by two more. "We are not in space anymore, and they've got more tanks than we've got bullets. So stop wasting them needlessly." Cornelia said, just as she reloaded, with Nonette following her.
"Yeah, yeah, you don't have to tell me. I feel like I'm piloting a tanker instead of an MS. Everything is just so damn slow and sluggish, and it almost feels like it wants to fall backwards." Nonette complained, as she and Cornelia advanced forward, seeing their comrades engaged up ahead. "Well, looks like they've beat to the prize. Is that the target?" Nonette asked, as she joined up with the rest and proceeded to wreak the Federation's forces.
"That's the target, their command unit. We've taken out it's comms, but we need to hurry up, before they decide to surround us here." Monica Kruszewski stated, as she provided covering fire for Kallen, who went on ahead and struck her Heat Hawk into one of the main caliber guns of the Big Tray.
"Damn this thing's armor is thicker than Magellan's." Kallen noted, as she carved the turret up and disabled it, before pointing her machine gun at the command point. "Alright, Federation, what's it going to be?" Kallen asked of them, before she and others save flares being sent out, and then heard loud speakers blaring.
"Attention all combatants, this General Villard of the Earth's Federation's Ground Forces. To Zeon's Forces and their commander, we are officially surrendering, under the terms set by the Atlantic Federation. Please respond." And at that moment, the leader of the team spoke up.
"General Villard, this Colonel Bismarck Waldstein of Zeon's Ground Forces. All your troops are to immediately cease fire and actions and turn themselves in to our troops. Our commander guarantees that you and your men will be treated in accordance to the terms set by Atlantic Treaty in regards to prisoners of war." Bismarck stated, and then the Federation forces started to surrender. "All units, this is Waldstein. Cease fire, the enemy has surrendered."
Zeon's HQ.
"Confirming, the Federation Forces that were engaged in the battle are surrendering. There is also a considerable contingent either routing or conducting a withdrawal from the area, both who had engaged and not." Leesa Kujo reported to Aerion. "MS casualties are below expected parameters. 3 Zakus destroyed, 10 sustained light to medium damage, 7 are heavily damaged. Casualty reports from the infantry and armor forces are being compiled, but all reports point to light casualties as well."
"Excellent. Then let's not tarry and pursue those fleeing rats while we can." Taffa stated with glee. "Let their corpses be a lesson to all who dare oppose us. Order the Mobile Suits to pursue!"
"No." Commodore Aerion spoke with an even and calm voice, as he looked out at the night sky lit with fires of the destroyed tanks, vehicles and structures. "We have neither the manpower, nor resources for it. Besides, we have already achieved our objective and then some, and now we need to take care of our spoils of war and prisoners." Aerion gave a nod to Leesa, and she began sending out appropriate orders.
"Commodore, with all due respect to your station, and your stunning victory, but letting those pests escape is… Vice-Admiral Kycillia will not appreciate such lax approach." Taffa stated, hinting that he will report it. "It is our duty as Spacenoids to fight for our independence and self-determination wherever we can, and right now…"
"And right now all we'll be doing is commit pointless bloodshed, waste valuable ammo, fuel and resources, as well as further proving to Federation that they are correct in their view of us." Aerion interrupted and stopped Taffa, before continuing. "There is time and place for such maneuvers, Commander Taffa. Now, assess our current status, Commander Kujo."
"Sir, we have successfully eliminated 18% of the enemy fighting force during the engagement. Upon surrender orders being issued, 54% of the enemy strength have laid down their arms and are now being taken prisoner. The last 28 percent are either retreating or routing, estimate additional 4 to 10 percent will not be able to maintain any combat capability and will disintegrate on their own." Kujo reported. "Our own force of 56 thousand have suffered minimal losses, compared 573 thousand of enemy personnel, of which 103 thousand are KIA and MIA, 310 have surrendered and rest are fleeing. Over 80 percent of all enemy armor, and all of their fighter craft have been captured. Of 45 deployed Zaku II and 21 Zaku I, we have suffered only 10 MS overall completely beyond recovery."
"I consider that to be more than an acceptable to considered a successful operation. In addition to that, it also gave us valuable information and knowledge. Would you care to tell, Commander Taffa, what I mean by that?" Aerion asked of him.
"It confirms that the Federation's forces are nothing before our own." Taffa proudly stated, with Aerion letting out a disappointed sigh. "Soon enough, we will crush them beneath our Mobile Suits' feet and claim our rightful place in the universe." Aerion simply shook his head and turned to Zinnerman.
"Lieutenant-CommanderC Zinnerman, have the data of Zaku's performance in battle gathered and examined. Also, I need feedback from the pilots on the performance of their machines." Zinnerman nodded, and went to arrange that.
"Commodore, there is a Priority 1 message to you from Grenada. It is Vice-Admiral Kycillia Zabi, sir!" A comms officer reported.
"Status of the communications?" Aerion requested.
"Minovsky Particles are at acceptable level. We can establish contact right away." Aerion then signaled to patch it through, with the masked visage of Kycillia appearing before them on the big monitor.
"Commodore, I've just received a report that you've initiated an offensive operation against the Federation, without my express permission and orders to do so." Kycillia's cold tone was a clear indicator of her displeasure. "I was informed that you've taken most of our Mobile Suits off the mines and other areas, along with infantry and tanks, and have moved towards Kiev. Do you know the punishment for such criminal mismanagement of resources and manpower? You have effectively stripped Odessa District bare of forces and left it defenseless. Now, how do you plead?" Aerion remained completely calm under the threat, before he spoke up.
"I plead guilty of initiating and completing an offensive operation against the Federation Forces, Vice Admiral, however…" Aerion was not allowed to finish.
"So you admit that you've all but abandoned Odessa to the enemy?" Kycillia demanded. "All in hopes of pursuing your personal glory… What a low scum you are." She stated with disgust at Aerion, before he spoke up.
"However, I do not admit that I've abandoned our positions at Odessa. They are, in fact, currently fully manned and garrisoned. I have completely the operation with the forces that were stationed in the reserve, and whose potential loss would not have compromised the defensive capabilities of Odessa District. Commander Kujo, send the current disposition and status of our forces to Commander Zabi." Aerion's carefully picked words were not noticed by Kycillia, and so Kujo sent her the data, which saw immediately.
"Still, that doesn't…" In that next moment, two new members of Zabi Family joined in on the conversation via comms.
"Commodore Rogare, what is this report I've just received?" Garma Zabi, commander of Earth Assault Forces, asked of Aerion. "Are these numbers correct?"
"Yes, Commander Garma, they are. As of 10 minutes ago, we've eliminated Federation's Army Group Northern Ukraine and secured our northern flank." Aerion replied without missing a beat, with Dozle immediately laughing at that heartily.
"Ha! That's an excellent victory, a text book definition of major victory! Outstanding work, Commodore!" Dozle said with pride to his former Chief of Staff. "All want a full report of this operation, but from what I'm already seeing, you've earned yourself a new medal, Commodore."
"Thank you, Vice Admiral. However, the credit for the success of this operation is not mine completely. Lieutenant-Commander Kujo was instrumental in quickly organizing this operation, and executing it to such a degree." Aerion stated truthfully, with Kujo straightening out. "In addition, Waldstein Team's advance had effectively ended the battle and captured enemy command in its entirety."
"A superb work indeed, Commodore. Send my regards to your troops, as well as inform Colonel Waldstein and his men that I'll personally arrive to reward them Medals of Valor." Garma stated with pride. "And as for your Chief of Staff, I believe it is only appropriate that an officer in such crucial position be granted an appropriate rank. Rank of Captain would be rather suitable in such situation."
"Agreed completely!" Dozle stated. "Again, outstanding job, Aerion! You've just saved Kycillia a whole bunch of problems. If those Feddies had taken Odessa, we'd be in serious trouble all over that hemisphere."
"Perhaps, but there is the matter of the fact that Commodore had acted without my express permission to initiate this battle." Kycillia spoke up in indignation.
"Dear sister, with all due respect, but from what I understand, had Commodore waited for your orders, we would've lost Odessa." Garma responded in a respectful manner. "Speaking of, have you not received the information about this force I sent you? I have made sure to see it delivered personally to your adjutants." Garma added, with Kycillia's eyes widening.
"I… I was preparing an appropriate counter-measures, in which secrecy was paramount." Kycillia tried to defend herself, with Dozle scoffing.
"Yeah, and Aerion had taken care of the problem head on. I'd say he was well within his rights to do what he needed to do as a Commandant of Odessa. Good thing he had noticed it and acted, or else we'd have to fight for Odessa all over again." Dozle stated. "Still, it doesn't do you justice the fact that you've let such a massive build-up even happen before your nose, Kycillia. Perhaps you are ought to get your house in order, and let Commodore Rogare do his job, instead of trying to demote him. Anyway, excellent work, Commodore. I shall be recommending you to promotion."
"I second it. Well done, and congratulations on your first Earth victory." And with this Garma and Dozle disconnected, with Kycillia seething image remaining.
"Good job, Commodore. I expect a report on the operation by 0800 hours of Grenada time." And with this, Kycillia disconnected.
"Lieutenant-Commander Taffa." Aerion suddenly called out to the man, who now stood still. "Are you aware about Military Codex's Article 23 Section 4 and its contents?"
"I-I do not understand what do you…" Taffa stammered, before Aerion answered.
"It underlines the punishment for misinformation of superior officer and degrees of such punishment in accordance to the level of misinformation." Aerion finally faced Taffa. "In your case, I would say that you've have just earned yourself three rank demotion, if the tribunal decides to be merciful."
"S-sir, I… Y-you have no proof!" Taffa stated in desperation, before Leesa displayed the comms log, making him go pale.
"I think naught. Men, take this man to the brig." Aerion ordered and the disgraced officer was dragged out of the HQ to the brig, as Aerion moved to examine the situation.
It was quite honestly a stroke of good luck that things have gone so smoothly as they did, along with the fact that they had managed to locate the EFF's forces when they did. Had they been found later, it would've been too late and they would have a massive battle on their hands. And instead, they achieved a stunning success and ensured that not only Odessa was safe, but entire Ukraine and Eastern Poland were now free for the taking. Still, this battle had showed that their Zaku F Types were ill suited for ground based combat in their current form and conversion, meaning they needed to get remedy it as soon as possible.
It also showed that Kycillia Zabi was out to get him, and he would not believe that she had missed this buildup of Federation forces. More than likely, she wanted him to fail in stopping them, so she would then come and claim victory for herself, while also disgracing him in the process. The losses of their forces and Odessa in the process clearly were not of concern to her, something that Aerion completely disagreed with her on. It did not help the matters that there was a convoluted system of command in Zeon's forces, and that Zabi siblings couldn't work well together.
Other commanders may be okay with it, but Aerion wasn't, for he was not in it for any ephemeral glory or support of their patron. He was fight for Zeon, for its people and their freedom and lives, not for Zabis rule, and had it been up to him, they wouldn't even be down here…
Yet here they were, after half of humanity was dead and half of Colonies lay in ruins, fighting against the Federation, while Zabis claimed to fight for Zeon, Aerion feared that too many men and women were starting to confuse Zeon with Zabi. They may proclaim their Principality to be that of Zeon, but those who were not blind, knew it was now Principality of Zabi instead.
However, that didn't mean that Aerion had the right to stop fighting, for he had to fight.
For people of Side 3. For True Zeon.
Hello everyone, my name is Ronin, and as my long-time readers may know, I've taken an extended leave of absence back in April. The reason for it is because I was preparing for my final exams and preparing to defend my thesis. I've successfully done both and now have a bachelor's degree, but I've also had serious changes in my life. Specifically, I now have a different job, one that has better payment and conditions, but I now work 12 hours day and night after, so as you can imagine, my graphic is all out of whack. I only now am starting to get my life in order, and decided it may be a good time to get back to fanfiction.
Now, as for the premise of this story, it's fairly simple: What if instead of M'Quve, Zeon had a different, competent and capable commander in Odessa. What would change then? And as you can see, this is the premise we are running with. Now, expect Aerion to be making some serious waves and changes, and as for the other characters, I'm pretty sure those who know Gundam and Code Geass will have no problem recognizing them. Now, I'm currently not decided about romance, so let me know what would you like.
As for Aerion and Rogare family in general, more will be revealed later on. For now, just know that Rogares are almost like Marcenas and Vist families of Gundam, only colonial and with morals. As for Aerion, I took inspiration from Treize Khushrenada when making him, though not completely, obviously. And keep in mind, it is still not yet MS Gundam Series' beginning, but we will get to that soon enough.
Hope you enjoy this and leave a comment. Your contributions help make this story better, and your suggestions and help are always appreciated and taken into account.
See ya!