Gundam Seed: The Federation ver 2

by Blackshadow999

Different telling of Gundam Seed. With the conflict between Naturals and Coordinators getting worse as time passes, some nations have banded together and formed the organization known as the Human Federation. Will the Federation be able to help bring peace or will the hatred between Naturals and Coordinators destroy everything and bring extinction of humanity? Cover by Saddle Patch

61. Phase 61: A View of Hell

A/N

I want to put forth a warning for this Phase, somewhat like I did two phases ago. This Phase contains a good deal of violence and goes into some detail about it. For those that have an issue with descriptions of violence, such as blood and gore, you may want to skip this Phase. Then as I do every five Phases or so, I will be stating my disclaimer about ownership of what my story contains. I do not own anything from the Gundam Universe as much as I wish I could. All I own are my ideas and musing, including my original characters and story elements. So, please, no reporting me for copyright issues wrongly. Enjoy the Phase as it is new and filled with action!

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Phase 61: A View of Hell

February 26th, 73 CE.

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Tartarus Labs, Siberia, Eurasia Federation

Those at the Alliance's Tartarus Labs went about their business without concern as they normally did most days. The facility was one of the three which did work on what was called the Enhanced Human Project. There had been hiccups off and on over the last year with the work due to the war and other events. The war had proven how useful the project's work could be to the Alliance in giving them something that could close the gap between them and Coordinators. It produced individuals and equipment that helped the Alliance have a better chance against ZAFT soldiers and even the Federation to some extent. However, the work had slowed with the disappearance of some from the Lodonia lab, key scientists among those. Yet, the work was getting back on track, but future plans needed things done faster. Operations looming needed some from the project to give it a fair chance of success rather than slim to none.

Nevertheless, a feeling of unease hung over the lab today, which most Alliance personnel ignored. There were rumors of the Federation poking around surfacing a few months ago, and it was specifically into "non-public" operations going on within the Alliance. Were the rumors true, that would spell a great deal of trouble for the Alliance and its plans for the future. A war may not be going on right now, but the Alliance was preparing for that eventuality. The planned operations would bring conflict as a result, there was no doubt about that. A war would come again soon enough, and the Alliance intended to be the one who directed it rather than the other factions.

The official public statement the Alliance gave since the last war and the Treaty of Junius Seven was that it would comply with the agreements made. Unofficially, few had been satisfied with the concessions from the "peace talks," which had ended the war. The Alliance had gotten a "raw deal" from those with the treaty's provisions. Nuclear technology and what came from it were essentially forbidden. That was painful as the Alliance had just gotten access to nuclear tech back with N-Jammer cancellers. The only nuclear tech "permitted" was for the energy crisis the Alliance had been dealing with for years. No getting their hands on new technology that ZAFT may have nor anything from the Federation. That hadn't helped the Alliance establish a better position for itself with the human race, as had been one of the goals of the Alliance-PLANT War. Thus, the Alliance was still at the "bottom of the totem pole," as the historical phrase went with being the weakest of the three factions. The higher-ups, which controlled the Alliance, didn't accept that. But little had changed from the days of the war, so it was hard to deny the fact the Alliance's standing was bad.

The Alliance had been making progress to being at the top and in control of the human race in the war. Mobile suits had made a difference, and OMNI had been pushing ZAFT back slowly but surely. The invention of the Gundams had changed so much and even made a separate class of mobile weapons. The Alliance had been designing more, and there had been plans to produce different variations had the war kept going. The odds would've tipped in the Alliance's favor with enough time, and many had said that. But then the Federation had stepped into the war, complicating things beyond what predictions had said. The Federation had turned the years-long war around in months and ended it with them on top in less than a year. It was something the Alliance cursed silently as it was a glaring difference between them and the Federation.

The upcoming operations those in control of the Alliance and OMNI's top brass had in mind would help change the Alliance's current standing and position. Intel said ZAFT had a colony around L4 which was being used for new military equipment production. The Alliance could steal them and use the machines against ZAFT if they were Gundams. Intel strongly suggested the "developments" of ZAFT were next-generation Gundams, and that was too tempting to pass up. There was also an operation in the works to gain access to the Federation's Information Network. It was assumed the Federation would have intel on ZAFT better than any Alliance agents could get. The operation was taking time to plan as getting to the Federation's network was harder than getting anything of value from ZAFT. They guarded their resources, including their network, from the other two factions and didn't allow access to it without their express permission. But the Federation always seemed to know things they shouldn't, so they had to have "valuable" information on ZAFT the Alliance could utilize. Thus, the attempt was seen as too good not to try. There would be a price to pay for any attempt to take something from the Federation, information included. But the possible benefit was too good to ignore, according to the higher-ups.

Yet, should the rumors of the Federation investigating them be true, they could've learned of the upcoming operations. The Federation was good at countering attacks against them in quick succession. Their counters were worse if they had the time to setup specific countermeasures. The planning of months would be wasted, and the Alliance would be knocked back down to the bottom. The Enhanced Human Project went against standing treaties and regulations, and the Alliance higher-ups knew that. The project was done in the dark and not mentioned by the higher-ups in the public eye. None asked where the funding came from, most figured it was better not to know where dark money came from or why. Were the Federation to find out about the project, they would quickly shut it down. All involved would be punished, and most that had anything to do with the project wanted to avoid that possibility. The protocol was clearly set out if the Federation discovered any of the labs. The facility was to be purged of any evidence that could implicate the Alliance and destroyed completely. Even if the candidates had to be disposed of, that was seen as reasonable though regrettable. The Federation couldn't know about the project, for they could figure out ways to counter it if they became aware of it as they seemed to with everything.

Those in charge of Tartarus had reported everything was normal to Alliance command a short time ago. There was nothing out of the ordinary going on, so the report was nothing special or different than normal. Patrols reported nothing as they were doing their rounds inside and outside that they noticed. There was a small incident with some candidates resisting testing a little while ago. However, that had been handled by the soldiers on hand with minor injuries in exchange. Those involved had been put in confinement and would stay there until the next morning, as was protocol. There was nothing within sensor range of the complex from the readouts right now. The sensors weren't much use at the moment with the blizzard going on outside, and visibility was essentially gone for a reasonable distance.

The new Windams models that had been sent were having no more luck seeing anything beyond the patrols outside. The mass-production model had started coming off the factory lines for OMNI to use a couple of months ago. The suit model had been replacing the daggers used before during the war. They were superior to the daggers with equipment and capabilities as bugs had been worked out since the war ended. There were ten Windams with the patrols and five more in docks ready to go if a need came up. There was probably nothing out there, but the top brass insisted they be vigilant. The rumors going around were getting more worrisome, according to them, as of late. Their orders had been specific in respect of saying the Federation may be coming and to be on guard. The one in charge hadn't exactly believed the information attached to the orders but ensured the patrols were done properly.

Nonetheless, the place was in the middle of nowhere. The nearest town was far enough away it took a solid hour with ground transport. Air transport was at least twenty minutes if pushed, regularly thirty in decent weather. With that being the case, few ever came close to the facility, which was all the better for the Alliance. Locals avoided Tartarus with the stories they had come up with when some visited the towns. The gossip and nasty stories were being spurred and encouraged by the Alliance personnel around the general area. It was better for the locals to be afraid of the place and not be curious about what went on inside.

There was only a skeleton crew in the control room as it was evening, and there was little need to have more than that. Those on this crew were almost bored as nothing out of the ordinary was going on. The evenings were pretty much quiet, with little to nothing happening for the whole shift. It was the shift few enjoyed as there was little to do, but all were expected to be on-duty and paying attention. However, that changed in a moment drastically, which none had ever thought would occur. The first any knew of the change was one of the Windams lost an arm from a line of light. The next thing any knew, other shapes appeared out of the blizzard like ghosts. Those shapes materialized into mobile suits, but not of a recognized model. Those in the control center sounded the alarm for what little it seemed to do to help in the mess rapidly growing before them. The personnel on the outside, along with the Windams, had moved into defensive positions. Yet the unknown enemy machines kept coming out of the storm and attacking them. The enemy force used the blizzard to vanish and then appear elsewhere and attack to great effect.

By the time the lab's Alliance leader arrived in the control center, things had become worse. Those in the control center had found out communications were being scrambled. Whether that was being done by the storm or those attacking was unknown as there wasn't a way to tell the difference the lab had to work with. The fact was there was no way the lab could call out to allies for help. Even if they could, they were a bare minimum of twenty minutes out after allies lifted off. The view the leader got by looking out the main line of windows was one he never thought he'd see. The attackers appeared to be Federation forces but were using new models against them. They seemed based on what the Federation had been using for Earth-based craft during the latter part of the war. There also appeared to be some based on what suits Orb had before, and with them a member of the Federation; it wouldn't be a surprise. The attack proved the rumors the top brass had were founded. And when the lab head ordered those in the control center to send a message to the top brass and tell them about the situation, he was told that was impossible. The reason given was that the communication system was being blocked by something else, there was no way around it they hadn't tried.

The attack was going as hoped thus far for the Federation since it started. The Alliance hadn't seen them coming and had been taken by surprise. The enemy suits on site were the Alliance's new mass-production model, the GAT-04 Windam. While the model had improved equipment from the GAT-01 Dagger, it still seemed to have several flaws that hadn't been worked out from early reports. The new Federation machines were outdoing the Alliance suits, as were the Orb Murasames. The ongoing weather was more an ally than a hindrance as it was for the Alliance. Enemy mobile suits were being neutralized, and defenses were being taken down efficiently. The squadron leader ordered two groups to start securing a landing zone for the ground forces that were on their way.

While that was going on, the five pelicans with which the ground forces had to work were sinking into the blizzard. The aircraft began shaking from the turbulence caused by the ongoing blizzard they were flying through. There were five pelicans to help extract the rescued people more than to carry the ground forces. Only three pelicans were carrying troops to the target facility. The other two would fly air support for their fellows and then come in to take passengers. A landing zone would be secured by the time the pelicans arrived; the mobile suit squadrons would ensure that. The ground troops would be dropped off, and then the pelicans would lift off and help with air support until they were needed again. The troops had been told they would have to get off as quickly as possible once they were hovering above the ground.

Tyler was going over the operation timetable in his head as the pelican group flew along. The final timetable should be able to work from what Tyler could figure. Things would be tight, and he wouldn't deny that with how time-driven this operation would be. The Alliance wouldn't standby when they figured out an attack was going on at the facility. But the lives which could be saved made the operation well worth it, even with the risks involved. His team would be the hardest pressed to keep moving forward once inside the facility. The infiltration team had the most distance to cover, with its own troubles attached that the other two teams didn't have to deal with. The other two teams would face the majority of Alliance's response to the ongoing attack. Yet, Tyler would rather be with those that had the hard work as he believed he could help them make a difference in this mission.

He hoped his team would only have to deal with Alliance soldiers, not more complex issues. That was the weak point of this operation, and the timing made dealing with complex issues far more difficult. And the biggest possible issue that Tyler could foresee was the kids they were to rescue. If they were like the three girls he'd met, they could and likely were dangerous if not handled properly. There wouldn't be a lot of time when the infiltration team reached where they could be. Thus, Tyler was trying to think of one or two contingency plans he could turn to at a moment's notice. The exo-suits would certainly give an advantage and help reduce the time issues took to handle. However, the suits wouldn't make the operation easy and allow for recklessness to come out. They were equipment not suits of invisibility for the user, Tyler wouldn't let them be seen as that.

Tyler could tell all on the pelican were focused on what lay ahead of them, and he could respect that. He would depend on them as much as they would him to stay alive while accomplishing the operation parameters. The Alliance personnel they would be facing would be shooting to kill them the best they possibly could. Unfortunately, they would have to do the same with those who resisted or didn't follow commands. It was the bad nature of the operation, kill or be killed and it was never a pleasant mentality to work under. But that mentality was required to save the kids and hopefully some, if not most, scientists at the facility. And those lives were seen as the most important in the operation, so they took precedence over Alliance soldiers.

Tyler came out of his thoughts as he realized the pelicans were closing in on the target facility the operation was for. From what Tyler expected, their drop-off would not be smooth for a few reasons. They were to get off quickly while the dropship hovered over the ground was the first. They would also be dropped into a battle zone, so they would have to keep that in mind and avoid drawing fire to themselves. The mobile suit squadrons would've mopped up Alliance forces, but there would likely be some left fighting. The "sprint" from the drop point to the facility's armored doors would be anything but safe. Ground teams would be under fire as they sprinted by enemy defenders before they made it to the entrances. That was only the first part of the operation and, truthfully, the easier part of it in Tyler's mind.

The demolition experts would be able to get through the armored doors that the Alliance had in place. Once that was done, the ground teams would push inside the complex to continue the operation's tasks. Tyler expected heavier resistance inside than out, as allies couldn't handle them before ground forces arrived. The Alliance was likely doing illegal activities in the facility and didn't want others to know that. Tyler figured the further his team made it inside the place, the more the Alliance would push back against them. Special forces soldiers should be able to handle the resistance, but it still be a risk to their lives. Tyler would still do what he could to ensure all those on his team made it out of the operation alive, as he would with any he worked with. He held to it on whatever assignment he was given to get as many allies out alive.

An alarm sounded, signaling it was almost time for those on the pelican to exit the craft. Tyler ordered the soldiers to stand and be ready to disembark, and all did as they were told. "The sprint to the entrance will be nasty," Tyler stated. "But the demo experts are to keep in the center of the group. We need them to get in, so we can't afford to lose them early or at all." Tyler scanned those he was responsible for on this operation, "Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," the soldiers replied.

Tyler turned to face the hold's entry ramp after the reply holding onto the nearest support strut to counter the turbulence. The buffeting around had steadily worsened the closer the dropships got to the target. The pelican pilots were challenged as they moved forward, and the target facility appeared out of the storm. The sight of mobile suits zooming around and shooting at one another said the squadrons were still hard at work. The pelican crews were told an LZ had been cleared and secured when they contacted the squadron leader. The Alliance was still fighting tooth and nail against them and trying hard to prevent any progress from being made. Some enemy suits had been dispatched, but others were fighting defensively enough they were still in the battle. So, the ground forces approach would be fraught with danger as enemy forces would be shooting at them. The pelicans flew over the landing zone and came down to hover close to the ground. The holds of the pelicans opened when facing toward the facility to let the ground forces have the best chance to get to their goal.

The view Tyler got as the hold ramp lowered wasn't the most encouraging to him. The fighting was in full swing between the mobile suit squadrons sent and the Alliance defenders. The Alliance was employing their mobile suits and still had defensive guns operational. That wasn't to say allies weren't keeping the Alliance on the defensive, for they were. Yet, Tyler didn't think the Alliance would miss the pelicans dropping off troops for very long. Aircraft moving in and dropping off enemy forces tended to be noticed by those who were defending an area or territory. Thus, Tyler didn't waste time and got to work, "Silver team, move out," he ordered. Tyler moved forward, lept off the ramp's end, and dropped a few feet to the ground, landing in inches of unpacked snow. He looked forward, and his HUD started identifying objects and people ahead. Tyler heard others hitting the ground from the hovering pelican behind him. He took out his Mammoth assault rifle, "Silver team," he stated and gestured ahead, "Move forward and return fire at will." Tyler took the lead, and the rest of his team formed behind him, having the demolition experts in the center of their formation. Beams shot by between the mobile suits, and bullets were zooming by the ground forces as they sprinted.

Tyler raised his rifle as he sprinted forward and shot two Alliance soldiers ahead of his group. He only needed the two bullets he used since Tyler didn't miss the soldiers he was aiming at. The shots from his rifle blew right through the Alliance soldiers' bullet-proof vests and ripped into their bodies. Gore painted the snow behind those Tyler shot as the Mammoth rifle. The rounds were designed to penetrait and splatter whatever was behind the armor. Tyler could see the armored doors to the facility's inside ahead and that it was locked down tight. Yet, the path to the doors was clearing, so the demo experts would be able to get to them and force them open. The barricades the Alliance had thrown up were doing little to slow down the ground forces' approach. In fact, Tyler just burst through one with brute force, which his exo-suit gave with amplified strength to do that.

On the Alliance's end of the attack, they were doing poorly, which was an understatement putting it nicely. It was assumed that those attacking were Federation soldiers by this point. The mobile suits that had appeared had been a fair tip-off. The Windams were holding for the moment but were being pushed back slowly. The defending soldiers were doing beyond less than poor with the arrival of the Federation forces. Not only had the Federation come in with new troop-carrying aircraft, that would be harsh enough before the increased capacity they seemed to have. Yet, the Federation soldiers were skilled and had more experience than the defending Alliance personnel possessed. That would be bad if it were just that, along with the enemy mobile suits supporting them. However, those in command felt they could hold long enough for allied reinforcements to arrive. Yet, communications were being disrupted so the facility could call for help.

The other point that was really making the battle a horrible thing for those there was the "new" equipment the Federation's ground forces were using. They had some sort of suits that made them faster, and much harder to take down. The faster aspect was difficult to counter by the Alliance soldiers were doing what they could to do so. The difficulty of killing the Federation attackers was taking a toll that was getting harsher the longer this attack went on. The Federation was taking down defenders and hadn't lost a single soldier yet that had been reported. Nevertheless, the worst "improvement" the Federation suits gave them was their effectiveness in fighting. Federation soldiers had been problematic before since their training and skills made them a force to be reckoned with. Now, their aim was close to perfect all the time. Bullets didn't slow them down, let alone stop them as they advanced forward on the battlefield. The suits made them seemingly into some sort of nightmarish undefeatable tank pressing forward.

Those in the facility's command center could only observe with horror at the advance of the Federation attackers. They had tried everything they could think of to get communication out to allies and beg for help. Yet, none of the attempts had been even a little successful at getting to allies that could assist them in their plight. And from the looks of it, the Federation's ground forces were working their way to the armored doors to the inside. The doors should hold against most conventional weapons other than heavy explosives. If the Federation were as prepared and on point as they normally were, they would have heavy explosives to get through the armored doors. Thus, it was more a matter of time before the Federation soldiers breached the doors, came into the complex and brought the fight inside. When the Federation made it inside, there was little reason to assume their suits would make the fight any different. The body armor Alliance soldiers were wearing was doing little to nothing to protect them from being killed by Federation weapons.

There was still the question of why the Federation was attacking this complex. They shouldn't know what it was doing, which was technically illegal by international law. If the Federation was just enforcing international law, there were far more "interesting" targets for them to go for. Granted, half of those the Federation should have become aware of were decoys to throw them off, but that was beside the point. Even if they should've found out about what this facility was doing, why would they attack it? Tartarus was declining since it wasn't producing the "special soldiers" as efficiently as it did during the war. The scientists weren't cooperating as they did before, but that was a different issue the Alliance had been dealing with. The fact of the matter was that should this battle keep going the way it was, those at Tartarus would be wiped out before any contingencies the Alliance had could be observed. If others found out about the work going on here, the facility was supposed to be purged and destroyed. But the Federation was advancing at a pace that wouldn't let that happen until they were done with whatever they were here to do.

Tyler's group burst through the barricade closest to the facility entrance they had been aiming for with him in front. Tyler and the soldier to either side of him shot the Alliance soldiers in their path before closing the remaining distance of the armored doors. The comm chatter among his team said they hadn't lost a signal member, which Tyler was grateful for. From what Tyler had heard from the other two team leads, they were still making their way toward the other doors. They were having the same good luck in not losing people during the approach under enemy fire. The Alliance mobile suits were trying to hamper things, but allied machines kept their attention away from the ground forces. Thus, the operation was going according to plan and still matched the timetable created for the mission.

Tyler ordered the soldiers to form up to make a wall to protect the demo experts while they placed the charges they had. Then he signaled the demo soldiers forward and pointed at the door, telling them to get to work on getting them open. The explosive specialists understood the signal and moved forward to the armored door. The rest of the team they were with would make sure they would face little enemy fire while they placed the explosives they had. The soldiers had heavier armor than the specialists did and had heavier weapons than the explosive experts. The specialists had been carrying the explosives, which had been a good amount of weight, so they only had room to have pistols for defense. That was why a few explosive experts had been assigned per team. The rest of the team would protect the specialists while they would get the rest through the obstacles the Alliance had in the way.

The Alliance didn't let up as the explosive experts were working to place the charges on the door to rip it open. Tyler and his teammates had dug in where they were and took what Alliance soldiers were firing at them. There weren't as many Alliance defenders as there had been during the approach. However, that didn't mean there were no enemy soldiers left to put up resistance. In Tyler's opinion, the impact gel the exo-suits had was doing a great job. They were stopping bullets before they could penetrate the armor as had been advertised. And the specialists weren't wasting time placing their charges, so it was around ninety seconds they said the explosives were ready. Tyler ordered his team back a distance so they wouldn't be under the influence of the explosives. The explosives were directional, so they "shouldn't" affect those behind them, but shrapnel wasn't the same.

Once Tyler's team was away from the door, the charges were set off, sending vibrations through the immediate area with the explosive force. When the dust cleared and settled, Tyler saw the torn and mangled armored door. There was also a gap in the center, which was wide enough to allow entry. Tyler could hear alarms from inside the facility from the breached door. He ordered his team to move forward and keep the demo experts behind them so they weren't in the direct line of enemy fire. Half of the team went to one side, and the other half went to the other so they could peek around and not be under a barrage of bullets.

Tyler was on the left side when he tried looking around the edge of the gap when bullets flew past. He figured the Alliance would be doing what they could to keep Federation forces out of the facility's interior. It was tactically sound as it was easier to keep a force out than to push enemies out of a place, the Alliance at least learned that much over the war. The Alliance was foolish, and blatantly so, Tyler would say that without hesitation, scoff at it even since it was the truth. However, they weren't so stupid to make mistakes so obvious that it cost them dearly often, one had to give them that point. So, the amount of resistance would likely increase the further his team got into the facility. It was why the infiltration team would face the most danger during the operation and would go against the most resistance.

Nevertheless, Tyler knew his team had to make progress in a timely manner. The longer the operation took, the more likely the Alliance would send forces to destroy the facility to cover up their dirty work. So, Tyler signaled James to get ready to follow his lead before ordering the rest to be ready to move inside in pairs. Then, Tyler rushed through the door gap, using his exo- suit's amplified responses to sprint at a crazy speed. Tyler noticed bullets zooming past him as he ran, but his goal was a pillar on the far side of the large room. Alliance defenders did their best to shoot down the enemy soldiers as they began coming in. However, their shots seemed to be ineffective with the armor suits the enemy was wearing. James had entered behind Tyler, dodging enemy fire as he sprinted toward the other side of the room. He could see Tyler was going for a support pillar, and he felt that was a fair idea for cover to work with and use to dispatch enemy soldiers. James was firing back as he went, much as Tyler was with his pistol. The Alliance defenders fought desperately, firing their guns and chucking grenades at them.

Tyler reached the pillar he'd been aiming for and had only taken a bullet along the way. His suit's impact gel had stopped the bullet, so it was nothing to worry about. He put his pistol away, which he'd employed to distract the enemy defenders, and took out his Mammoth assault rifle. Tyler glanced back toward the breached armored door and saw teammates still entering in pairs per his orders. He then twisted around to gaze at the Alliance soldiers defending the facility. They were dug in with tables and benches in a makeshift barricade in front of them for defense. There were more of them than there were on Tyler's team, but they were wearing standard Alliance body armor. That armor wouldn't be enough to stop Federation weapons well, if at all. Orders for the operation had been clear, any that resisted or rather fought back against the ground forces were to be eliminated. Thus, Tyler aimed his rifle and began shooting the enemy defenders to get them out of the way.

The Alliance soldiers defending the main entry area were in a desperate situation, and they knew that. The moment one of the armored doors had been breached was when things in this fight would take a bad turn for the Alliance. The Federation soldiers had suits on that bullets couldn't affect, making them faster than they should be. The enemy was also working to divide their attention by coming in pairs, one going one way and the other going the opposite direction. There was no message from the command center other than the "hold the line" order they had been broadcasting. And once a few enemy soldiers had gotten past behind cover, they started shooting back. The Federation weapons were quickly found to be more effective, and body armor did little to stop them. One of the enemies even had a gun that blew holes in its target, made flesh explode, and painted the wall behind them. However, if the other two armored doors could be kept closed and locked, the enemy force could be kept here for a time. Hopefully, allied reinforcement could arrive in that time and help clean this up.

Tyler could see the Alliance defenders were attempting to buy time, likely hoping for reinforcements to come to their aid. If one of the other teams could get in, things could move along more efficiently. And if Tyler's thought was a signal, the armored door on the far side of the entrance area exploded. A moment later, Federation soldiers began streaming in and shooting back at the Alliance soldiers. Alliance defenders' desperation increased with more Federation soldiers appearing. The Alliance was pressed hard when the third armored door burst open, and the third Federation team began coming in. Within minutes, the Alliance defenders had to fall back further inside the complex after the losses they took. An armored door slid into place, blocking access further inside, but that gave time to regroup.

When the three teams gathered in the entry area, Tyler discovered that two of the six demo experts had been injured. That left four of them, and the Alliance seemed to identify them as different and had quickly focus on them when spotted. That put them at more risk than any other on-the-ground forces teams for the rest of the operation. So, it was decided that three would accompany the Silver team as they progressed. The other three would stay back with the team, which would hold position for an escape route as they would be the safest to be with. Tyler was okay with that, as he would have them covered by his teammates so they would not be in the front taking fire. With plans made on how to proceed, explosive charges were placed on the security bulkhead that the Alliance had sealed to delay them. All the Federation ground forces drew back and hid behind cover before the explosives went off.

The Alliance soldiers that had been facing off against the attacking Federation forces in the entry area had pulled back into the "lobby." They had dropped a security bulkhead and sealed it, hoping it would delay the enemy long enough to allow them to regroup. The seal wouldn't stop the enemy, none even believed that for a second. The Federation had ripped through the armored outer doors with whatever they had brought with them already. They had better equipment and weapons to use, so the Alliance couldn't gain an advantage in that area. Pushing them back was more a matter of getting the help of allied reinforcements rather than tactics and determination. Those who had been outside when the attack started had their own issues and couldn't help those inside. And allied reinforcements would need time to get to the facility to help those there, so buying time was the key to any chance of surviving, let alone winning.

There was little more the Alliance defenders could retreat back to as there were the labs and work area behind them. There was no exit that way to the outside, so it was more of a death trap or hunting ground for one side or the other. With the suits that the Federation was using, fighting in the lab area would be a disadvantage for the Alliance. Those in the control center were in a similar position as they had nowhere to go any more than the defenders with an escape route. The Federation had caught them off-guard and forced them against a wall they didn't have the means to escape. And with communication being scrambled by the storm and likely the Federation adding to it, reinforcements would take longer to get here than any liked.

However, the Alliance defenders had only a moment to catch their breaths before a boom vibrated the floor. Smoke billowed and made the security bulkhead invisible to those in the main lobby area of the complex. The "leader" of the defenders called for all there to ready themselves to fight. The smoke signaled the enemy had likely broken through the security bulkhead or nearly so. When the smoke settled, the bulkhead was still there, but it had cracks and fissures in it. Whatever kind of explosives the Federation was using, the armored doors weren't able to stand against it. It would likely only take one more set of charges to force the bulkhead open, and Federation soldiers would pour in. Furniture and other moveable structures had been shifted into makeshift barricades for the Alliance soldiers. That would hopefully serve as shields from Federation weapon fire, even if only for a short period.

A second set of charges was placed on the bulkhead since the first group hadn't ripped it open enough for the ground forces to pass through. There had been yelling on the other side, meaning the Alliance defenders were cornered in the next area. Should they have dug in as expected, then entry would be difficult without taking heavy enemy fire. However, time was of the essence, so the ground forces couldn't waste time with a slow approach and execution. So, all were ready to rush in, apply pressure to the Alliance, and break through their defenses. The explosive charges went off, and the sound of shrapnel flying and striking things echoed all around. The moment the banging stopped, the ground forces leader ordered most forward, leaving the demo experts behind with a few so they weren't in the line of fire.

The second explosion sent debris and shrapnel flying into the lobby area, which caused the Alliance soldiers to duck behind their barricade. When the shrapnel stopped going around, the Alliance defenders popped back up and saw the security bulkhead had been ripped open. A moment later, figures came through the hole, which became the Federation soldiers. The Alliance soldiers opened fire on those coming into the room, desperation clear as they were using their guns. Their bullets seemed to do little to nothing when they hit their targets, as they didn't slow the Federation soldiers. The enemy was still moving faster than it should be possible, which seemed to be due to the suits they were wearing. The advantage the new combat suits the Federation was using was mounting, and nothing the defenders did seemed to change that.

The ground forces moved in and found the Alliance had set up barricades as expected. Their desperation was obvious in the way they were attacking. The Alliance was trying to delay the ground forces and buy time for reinforcements to arrive to help them. The defenders had figured out they were in trouble and couldn't win with what they currently had. However, the Alliance also knew that with how regulated they were, Alliance top brass would know something was wrong when there was no report from them. It was why the time spent on the operation was so important and why the timetable was as specific as it was. It would have the ground forces and those who were there to rescue out before Alliance reinforcements arrived and did whatever they wanted to hide their work.

Tyler was aiming his rifle and shooting with deadly precision as he was moving around. The exo-suit was certainly making a difference in this fight. It gave him better movement speed, making it harder for enemies to aim accurately and hit him. He still wondered whether whatever was done here by the Alliance was really worth them sacrificing themselves as they were. They were doing illegal activities if the information had been stated was true. The Alliance normally denied any illegal activities and did whatever it could to muddy the waters, so any proof of the point was extremely hard to come by. Not that the answers to those questions mattered during the operation, but they still swam around Tyler's mind.

It only took minutes for the Alliance soldiers to retreat further inside the complex under pressure. Those who had been in the entryway came in as the last of the Alliance soldiers vacated the area. One team dug in around the lobby area using some of the barricade parts for themselves. When the time came, they would ensure a clear exit path to extract with the pelicans. The other began heading toward the corridor that led to the command center. They would do what they could to take control of the complex to help things along. That left Tyler's team following most of the Alliance soldiers, heading deeper into the facility.

Tyler knew the path his team would take would be hard. Those they were going against knew the layout of the complex better than he or his teammates did. It would be a hunting ground of sorts which Tyler wasn't pleased about. The Alliance could have traps set up or could have ambushes ready to spring. The exo-suits would help against what the Alliance may have prepared but wouldn't make them immune to anything thrown at them. And that was before the point they were there to rescue some here. The Alliance could use the kids and the scientists as hostages. Tyler wouldn't be surprised or put it past the Alliance to use those they had been terrorizing as bargaining chips if it benefited them. And with how desperate the soldiers were, it was all the more likely they would be foolish and try something they wouldn't immediately resort to.

Tyler ordered his team forward, covering the three demo experts they could need to move forward by having them in the center. They came up against another heavy door, but Tyler spotted a control access panel with which he could work. Tyler moved forward and got to work, hacking into the system that controlled the door. It didn't take him long to lock out the Alliance's control center and get the door to open for his team. With the door open and what appeared to be a long corridor that turned to the right a ways down it, there was little to do other than continue onward. Tyler had his team take up a defensive formation that could quickly change and adapt. "Silver team," Tyler began, "advance carefully. The Alliance likely has traps ahead to try and delay us as much as they can." As the group moved down the corridor, all scanned around, alerting for potential dangers.

At the turn of the hall, Tyler had the time to get a glimpse of a larger room ahead. It appeared to be a common area or gathering place for groups with tables and chairs. Yet, Tyler didn't get much more of a look as bullets started whizzing in their direction. Tyler had his team move forward and find cover from enemy fire. He crouched behind some sort of "grow box" or some container with plants in them as the bullets kept zooming from the other side of the room. Tyler peeked over his cover and observed Alliance soldiers had turned over tables and were using them as shields on the other end of the common area. There looked to be a large doorway behind the Alliance forces with smaller corridors to either side of the large one. Tyler figured that the large doorway was the path deeper inside to where likely those they were here to rescue would be.

Tyler told his team to return fire on the Alliance soldiers while trying to devise a tactic to move the enemy. Information that had been acquired for the operation said the area that the kids were held in was beyond the "common area" and "medical labs." Yet, the issue was that path was also the only one Alliance defenders had to fall back to. So, the harder Tyler's team pushed, the more Alliance resistance they would be forced to face. However, there was little other option with the time constraint in the situation. Thus, Tyler waited for an opening and dashed out to the Alliance defenders' right. As he went, Tyler took shots at some of the Alliance soldiers and efficiently dispatched or really splattered their blood and organs with his assault rifle. Tyler made it behind an upturned table before he punched it, sending the table flying. The table sailed away and crashed into some Alliance defenders, cutting off their screams and killing them by crushing them against the wall.

Others followed Tyler's example, ran to furniture, and then sent them flying at enemy soldiers. The furniture being used as weapons made the Alliance soldiers panic further, as it shouldn't be happening. To throw the furniture like it weighed little to nothing would require more than normal human strength and even beyond impressive strength. The only explanation any of them could come up with was that the Federation's suits gave them inhuman strength. The increased speed and strength gave the Federation a real advantage that the Alliance had no means currently could counter with. And with that advantage, the Federation soldiers were using the furniture against them. Bullets did nothing to stop the incoming furniture; they were coming fast enough that there was only a split second to react to the objects flying at them. So, the leader of the Alliance defenders ordered the remaining soldiers to fall back further into the labs. The tighter corridors would hopefully help level the battlefield a bit for them.

Tyler observed the Alliance soldiers going into the corridors behind them, giving up their current position. Using the furniture had moved things along as Tyler had betted on, and others had joined it, speeding things forward. Tyler still felt there was a growing chance the Alliance of using hostages to try and change the situation for themselves. If they tried to use the kids, Tyler didn't imagine things would go well. Should they be like the girls he'd met, then they would be in more trouble than they already were. The kids were vicious opponents to go against and wouldn't hesitate to kill from what Tyler had seen. However, if they used the scientists here, that would be more difficult to counter off the cuff. Tactics would need to change should innocent bystanders get involved, and Tyler was already thinking of potential ways to do that. The operation had stated that it was to be done if the scientists could also be extracted with the children.

"Silver Team," Tyler stated, "Ready yourselves to advance and stay alert. The enemy soldiers know the layout better than we do. They will no doubt be setting up traps and ambush points ahead of us. Don't get caught up in them, break through what obstacles they are putting up." Tyler turned and pointed out five soldiers. "You lot stay back with the demo experts and make sure we don't get flanked when we head back to the extraction point." The soldiers Tyler had selected nodded and moved to position furniture to give them barricades to work with. The explosive specialists helped them in the work as they would also stay behind. The rest of the team, which numbered fifteen, including Tyler himself, moved into the formation of a double single-file line by Tyler's orders. He felt the formation would be the best to move forward within the tighter corridors ahead of them. Tyler was in the lead as he continued forward with James at the head of one of the lines and another at the other. They moved at a measured pace so they wouldn't be taken by surprise by anything the Alliance may have set up as they had fallen back.

Meanwhile, the staff was questioning what was going on deep in the complex where the lab space was. One among them was a woman by the name of Maya Noll, and she was the, who was their unofficial leader of them. She was of average height with gray hair in the style of a bob cut, and she also had hazel eyes. Her facial features told of her Euros Coalition nationality. She'd never asked to be the one to be the "head" of the scientific staff at Tartarus. Maya had been merely an expert researcher a year before now, which had been difficult enough for her. But she had been pushed into the position of leadership and responsibility due to the fear of others and the insistence of the Alliance.

The Tartarus facility of the Enhanced Human Project had fallen from where it had been more than a year ago. It had been almost a year ago, and so much had changed around the time the war was coming to its conclusion. The heads of the project mysteriously vanished without a word or a trace from the Ladonia lab. They hadn't been the only ones, much of Ladonia's key staff and competent workers had disappeared too. The heads and key scientists had been the greater loss as they knew the whole vision and work of the project. The project had ground down from the pace it had been moving at quickly since the missing vanished. The Alliance had moved in a few months after the disappearances and "took over" the project. Their handling of the work had been beyond rough, and there had been a heavy price paid for their mentality. The attitude of the Alliance had made Maya wonder how Doctor Kall, who had been the project relations rep, had dealt with them. Kall hadn't said a thing about how frustrating it could be with the Alliance not listening to anything they didn't want to hear. Maya was willing to deal with Dr. Moss's strict discipline system any day rather than the Alliance. Maya had never thought she would prefer Dr. Moss's brutal system over another, but she had found herself feeling so.

In the time that the Alliance had taken over management of the project, things had drastically changed. The project had been kept somewhat quiet before, so the other two factions wouldn't be curious about it. Now, the work was kept a secret from even within the Alliance. No one working on it was allowed to talk about it to anyone outside the project. The consequences had been stated they would be executed should it be found out any information had been revealed. It was one of the many things that those working on the Enhanced Human Project had come to fear for their own life with.

The other thing that was different with the Alliance running things was they didn't care about mistakes costing candidates' lives. They weren't happy when mistakes happened, they'd made that clear with their "usual" reactions. With Dr. Moss in charge, candidates were seen as valuable resources that were not wasted. Candidates were given several chances to perform before disposal was even considered a possibility. Under the Alliance, candidates were pushed until they could either perform as the Alliance wanted or were too damaged to continue in the attempt. Dr. Moss's methods of discipline were harsh and even brutal, but they didn't endanger the life of the candidates often, if at all. The Alliance saw the candidates as equipment that could be used and tossed aside when it broke.

The other issue was finding individuals who could handle what the project did to them to become a candidate. Not just any child could become a candidate, it took a child with specific qualities to survive the initial "work" needed. The Alliance didn't want to take the time to search for the right qualities. They kidnapped children and "told" those in the labs to "make" them work as candidates. Maya had become numb to her own horror regarding the kids the Alliance brought who died during the conditioning process. She felt sorry for them, but there was little she or others could do for them which would let them live. The rumor was the Alliance would sweep through cities and especially small villages, kidnapping children for this horrible work of theirs. It was all so they could have super soldiers, weapons they could use against the Coordinators they hated so much.

Maya had seen though the war had ended officially, their fight against Coordinators wasn't over for the Alliance. The Alliance was preparing to start another war against the other two factions and almost seemed intent to do so. It would be much for the same reasons they had started the Alliance-PLANT War. The Alliance wanted to dominate the other factions as the masters of the human race. They also wanted Coordinators to be their slaves or eliminate them altogether. That hadn't changed with the Alliance enough, even with the "rooting out" of the radicals which had come at the end of the war. Those types had resurfaced and had subtly taken control of the Alliance over the time that had gone by since the war ended. And those "radicals" had taken the reins of the Enhanced Human Project. As far as Maya could tell, they wanted living weapons they could send against their "enemies" to cause chaos for them. It made her wonder if those "running" the Alliance these days were businesspeople that made money off conflict. That would explain some of the motivation the Alliance could be heeding that was slightly different than before.

Then there were the worrisome rumors that had been floating around for around a week now. There was talk going around about the Alliance "cleaning up" things in preparation for something. Some said it was to shut down the facility because it wasn't producing up to what the funders wanted. There were even whispers about the Alliance purging the place and disposing of the candidates. Maya was inclined to believe the Alliance purging the place with their actions as of late. They had been "shoring up" things and explaining nothing as to why they were doing what they were. Other staff members had been telling her how worried they were that the Alliance would "take care" of them. She knew it was possible that the Alliance might kill them all to ensure knowledge about the project wouldn't get out. After all, the staff was considered at the same expendable level as the candidates.

Maya couldn't help but glance down the corridor the rooms the candidates stayed in when not sent out or performing in tests were. The candidates had been sent to their "rooms" a little while ago at the orders of the Alliance personnel. They hadn't gone into detail about why they wanted the candidates "contained" at this time. Something about the tone they'd been using had concerned Maya as it had been different than times before now. The Alliance was more than concerned about something. They may not say it outright, but it was clear by their actions something had gotten to them and occupied their minds. She couldn't guess what it was that was worrying the Alliance so much. Maya could only guess that perhaps some had found out about the project, which was technically illegal by international law. Honestly, Maya wouldn't have an issue with the Federation or ZAFT coming in and holding the Alliance accountable. It would give the others on the staff and herself a greater chance to live, whereas, in the Alliance, their chances were fading.

Maya was brought out of her thoughts when a large group of Alliance soldiers came into the work area. She instantly noticed that the soldiers were in a state of panic; some had injuries as visible with the red patches sporadically on them. The sight didn't make sense with what the staff and she had been told to them recently. She glanced behind herself and saw the rest of the staff gathering there. If one thing could be said about the Alliance, they were less likely to murder in mass numbers in the lab setting. Thus, Maya moved forward to inquire as to what was going on, "What is happening?"

At the same time, it had gone silent down the corridor where the collection of rooms candidates were sent to when not doing tests and other things. In each of the "apartments," there were three individuals, the trios set by the project. Inside one of them were two males and one female close to the door. The female's name was Tanya Loussier at age eighteen, and she was five foot seven. She had golden neck-length blonde hair with red eyes. Her facial features were those of the Atlantic Federation. She was considered the "leader" of the trio mostly because she was the most collected and level-headed. At least, the two boys of her trio listened to her more often than not.

The first boy who was to Tanya's left was one by the name of Allelujah Haptism and was eighteen. His hair was a shade of hunter green and went down to the bottom of his neck. Oddly, his eyes were different colors from one another; the left was gray while the right was gold which set him apart from most other candidates. His facial feature inferred that he was from somewhere in the Eurasian Federation, but Allelujah couldn't say any better as he couldn't remember much before arriving at the lab. He was the frontline fighter of the trio and did well at that job during combat. Like the other two, the boy was named Vali Uilian and was eighteen. He had silver-colored hair and hazel eyes to match. He would stand at five foot six when standing straight. His facial features suggested he was from somewhere in the Euros Coalition, but Vali had never said much about that. Vali was the precision strike specialist of the trio, as he could move in, strike and get out before an enemy could counter.

Tanya had been the one who had said they should go to the door and listen when "odd noises" started being heard. The scientists and doctors had shown they were worried about something recently. That had been a sign something was going on that wasn't being said. The behavior of the Alliance soldiers had been even more problematic. They had always looked at the candidates with some level of disdain or disgust, so most of the candidates had just ignored that. Yet, Tanya had been told by a few other candidates that they'd heard mutterings from the soldiers about "taking care" of them. Her trio was the one the other candidates listened to above any other, mostly since Allelujah, Vali, and she had shown they had their best interests in mind. So, they tried to ensure none were in horrible straits if anything could be done to prevent it.

The three heard Dr. Noll asking soldiers what was going on. The answer wasn't helpful, as there was just a smacking sound in response. What the soldier said in reply was not audible, but the soldier's tone told Tanya something had changed for them. And whatever that change was, it wasn't a good one for them as they sounded desperate. However, Tanya heard multiple sets of footsteps drawing closer to the room block. Something in Tanya said those approaching weren't coming to be nice or friendly. She glanced at Vali and Allelujah, "You two," Tanya whispered, "grab your weapons and get into position so you can ambush those coming."

The two didn't question what Tanya had ordered them to do, for there wasn't the time to do so. Instead, Allelujah grabbed his "yoyo" he'd gotten as a reward for good performance around a year ago. The yoyo had originally been made of wood and string, but Allelujah had changed that. Technically, weapons weren't allowed in the living space candidates were given, and they were searched occasionally to enforce that, though not as strictly as when Dr. Moss had been running things. However, most of the candidates had picked up the skill to make or modify things to be weapons. It was all for self-defense, as that lesson was drilled into every candidate, whether intentional or not. For example, Allelujah had replaced the wood of the yoyo with iron pieces he'd shaped and painted to look the same as the original yoyo. The string had been switched out with steel wire that he'd made razor-sharp with a metal ring at the end. The other end was attached to a gear system he'd put together that controlled the wire retraction when centripetal force was absent. Thus, Allelujah doing "tricks" with his yoyo was normally lethal whether cut by the wire or bludgeoned by the yo-yo's increased mass. After grabbing his yoyo, Allelujah moved behind the door when it opened, his weapon ready.

After Tanya had said what to do, Vali went over to where he hid what "weapon" he'd made to stop others from attacking him. He'd built what several would call a "homemade taser," though he had modified it to be more effective. Vali's taser didn't use wires or barbs to deliver the electricity to the target. It was modeled after tasers requiring contact with small metal cones that delivered the shock. However, there was a major difference between Vali's and normal-made tasers. A normal taser would use voltage to "disable" the recipient and do so effectively. Vali had made the custom-made battery pack for it along with his wiring job, and his taser used amperage more than the voltage in its delivery. Because of that, Vali's taser "disabled" the target, though it put them into a coma within a second or so of touching a person. Three seconds or longer contact with a person caused dangerous heart palpitation and disrupted brain activity. That combination was usually lethal and didn't even allow the person to make a sound other than dropping to the floor. After snagging his taser, Vali scrambled up to the small platform above the doorframe and leaned forward, holding the rafter close by. He was ready for action and "electrocuting" any with his taser.

After giving Allelujah and Vali instructions, Tanya returned to her room and fetched her "weapon." She had two spikes that had been originally steel knitting needles she'd gotten as a reward for good performance. She had sharpened the ends to a point that could easily pierce the flesh with gentle pressure, muscle with more force, and bone with a firm thrust. Tanya had tips that went over the sharp points when she "knitted" to not draw attention to them, no one would see the points were dangerous. The project staff knew not to take "objects" the candidates had at face value or non-dangerous. It was almost a bar of judgment when Dr. Moss had been in charge of having some sort of weapon for surprise situations. The Alliance soldiers hadn't figured out the point that candidates made weapons themselves, so their inspections were pointless. Once she had her needles, Tanya moved into the hall, separating the sleeping rooms. She turned off the lights before scrambling up to be between the rafters that spanned the hallway and held herself up with the rafters.

In the main hallway, the small group of soldiers was discussing among themselves which set of candidates to start with first. Their orders were to kill them quickly so the Federation soldiers who were inside the facility wouldn't get to them. The children could give them information that would be extremely damaging to the Alliance. After the kids were handled, the scientists would be executed for much the same reasons the children were. The soldiers stationed at the complex had specific trios of kids they disliked for one reason or another. It took a few minutes, but the Alliance of soldiers agreed on which three candidates they would eliminate first. There was one trio that had been stubborn and resistant to any in the Alliance and had caused injuries to many. The three were among the older range of the "project's candidates" the Alliance had to deal with. They also seemed to have some sort of influence on the rest of the kids, which caused issues off and on.

With the decision made, the soldiers moved to the door behind which the three troublemakers would be. However, when they opened the door to the living space, the soldiers found the living quarters dark. The soldiers entered slowly, scanning around the dark room, lowering their weapons, slightly confused at not finding those they were looking for immediately. The project candidates were in their living spaces when they weren't in the labs being worked on or training in the complex, such was protocol. Finding a dark room with none of the three that were supposed to be there was unsettling. While the project worked at the facility was for the Alliance, it involved children, so they shouldn't be terribly bright. And yet, those children also could kill another in a moment if one underestimated them. All the soldiers had seen what the kids could do, and some had been injured by lashing out. So, most of the Alliance personnel that had contact with the kids had something with them to disable the children should it be needed.

Not knowing where the three they were there to handle were was concerning to the soldiers. The trio was the most problematic out of those at the complex, and it was hard to argue that point. So the six soldiers split into pairs to search the area to find the three. The door had been locked, so they couldn't have escaped into the complex before they had entered. And the longer the soldiers scanned the living area, the more uneasy they became. The Federation causing trouble was making enough problems to deal with without adding the punk kids bringing chaos. The sooner the kids and scientists were taken care of, the quicker they could leave the facility and not be caught up in its destruction.

Allelujah and Vali waited for the soldiers to be fully in the common room of their living area before acting. Allelujah quietly closed the door with a card over the latch so it didn't lock nor make a noise to be heard. Vali also made his way to the floor and used the darkness as a cover to begin approaching the soldiers, and Allelujah did much the same after shutting the door. Allelujah brought his yoyo up and drew it back when he got close enough to one of the soldiers. He flicked the yoyo hard, and it went zooming out unseen to the soldier it was going toward, its razor wire extending as it went. The soldier didn't have the time to utter a sound as the wire sliced into his neck and separated the man's head from his body. Blood began spraying from the severed neck as the body began to fall. Allelujah had his yoyo do a tight arc to change the direction it was spinning in so he could bring it around at the other soldier nearby. The yoyo slammed into the back of the other man's skull, severely fracturing it and killing the man instantly. The man's body fell to the floor, blood flowing from the depression the yoyo made in the skull.

As Allelujah was dealing with two of the soldiers, Vali was doing his part to handle the intruders. He pressed his taser on the closest man and pulled the trigger shooting him up with electricity. The man stiffened as the current flowed through him, making him unable to move for a moment. After three seconds, the soldier dropped to the floor, trying to breathe but couldn't due to his body locking up from the electric current that had gone through him. Vali didn't waste time and shifted behind the other soldier, who glanced at the bumping sounds around them. He pressed his taser to the back of the soldier's neck and started electrocuting the man. Much like Vali's first, the second soldier dropped, twitching a bit as he died. Vali and Allelujah scooped up the assault rifles and ammo the soldiers had on them before they glanced toward the inner hallway.

At the sound of things hitting the floor, the two soldiers that had been searching the sleeping areas turned in that direction. Tanya took the opportunity to drop to the floor before she stabbed one of her knitting needles through the closest soldier's neck. With the sharp point, Tanya felt gentle resistance with her thrust. She withdrew the needle and spun around with the other knitting needle, aiming for the last man's neck. Blood sprayed out of the hole and splattered on Tanya's face. She didn't let that phase her since this was about survival. Her trio would survive this while the soldiers would die trying to kill them. The first man Tanya had killed hit the floor as the other was turning to face Tanya. However, she plunged her weapon into his neck before he could move out of the way or knew what was happening. Tanya took out her now bloody needle and let the man collapse to the ground, blood leaking out of the hole she'd made. She glanced up and saw that Allelujah and Vali were at the end of the hall with guns hanging from their shoulders. "Now that we have handled the idiots," Tanya remarked, leaning down and grabbing the assault rifles and the key card one of the men she'd killed had on them. "We work on freeing the others so we can leave this place. If we stay, they will keep trying to kill us until they succeed, or we take all of them down."

While that was happening, Tyler and his team were moving deeper into the work area of the complex. They were progressing at a steady pace, actively scanning their surroundings as they went along. Tyler took in the lab setup as they passed one room after the other that branched off the main corridor. Most were medical in nature, some genetic, others for surgery, and some Tyler couldn't guess what they were used for. The tools Tyler got glimpses of brought thoughts to his mind, and none were pleasant. He could only imagine how the kids were tortured in different ways in places like this. Some of the "operating tables" he saw had straps to keep the "patient" from struggling against the doctors. Who knew how hellish the treatment the kids went through if they survived was like, Tyler didn't want to imagine it. The whole scene was sickening Tyler the more he took in as his team moved further inside the place.

And from what sparse information had been acquired about the Alliance's work in places like this, torture was an apt term. Supposedly, they got the kids from all over the world through various means. Tyler couldn't see any of the kids voluntarily coming into a place like this knowing what was in store for them. They couldn't be told the truth of what they would be going through before the Alliance brought them here. Any parents that gave their children to this kind of work either didn't know about it, weren't told or didn't care enough about their kids to want to protect them. Then, it was rumored the Alliance would kidnap children from off the streets and rural villages as well to use as they saw fit. Regardless of the Alliance's reason, they clearly had no issue using kids to achieve their goals. The very idea boiled Tyler's blood and sickened him the more he thought about it. However, he kept his feelings in check and focused on the operation to rescue the kids here so they could have a chance at a normal life.

As Tyler and his team went, they found obstacles hastily moved into the path they were taking to follow their retreat. None of what had been shoved in their way was an issue or delayed them for more than a brief moment. Yet, there had been no enemy soldiers so far, which made Tyler suspicious concerning what they could have set for them ahead. The Alliance was too stubborn to give up even when their deaths looming ahead of them. So, they wouldn't just throw stuff in a path and do nothing to attempt to kill those they were fighting. Tyler fully expected the Alliance to shoot at his teammates and him soon enough. And it was as they turned a corner in the corridor Tyler's expectations were realized as bullets began coming their way. Tyler and those with him broke into pairs and took cover behind obstacles to get out of the rain of bullets.

The Alliance soldiers had hidden in the labs in wait for the Federation soldiers who had been forcing them back. They had thrown up what obstacles they could put together from furniture and lab equipment as they had fallen back. Most knew all they could do against the enemy soldiers was to slow them down and delay them. If they could hold out for long enough, reinforcements would arrive. Those reinforcements would handle the mess and make sure the Federation would get nothing out of this. The soldiers were aware that meant they would be sacrificed to do so, but the Alliance would survive because of it. That was one of the few comforts they could take with the situation as it was. The battle had already shown the Alliance soldiers were at a critical disadvantage against the attacking Federation forces. Their suits made them far harder to kill and more efficient at defeating the Alliance defenders. The lights sweeping the corner of the corridor had been the warning the enemy was closing in on the Alliance soldiers. Every soldier readied themselves to fight to the death as they would have to do that. Thus, they began firing their guns when the first sight of something appeared from around the corner.

Tyler and his team returned fire at those shooting them at the far end of the corridor. The Alliance defenders were hiding behind barricades and walls as they were shooting. He ordered his team to move up as they were able since they didn't have the time to wait their enemies out. Tyler lept over the metal table he'd been behind and rushed forward into the nearest room that branched off the corridor. He fired his assault rifle as he went to throw off the Alliance soldiers, their aim if anything. Yet, Tyler found two enemy soldiers in the room he'd ducked into. He immediately rushed forward and landed a body blow on the closest soldier, sending them flying into the opposite wall hard. The force of the impact fractured the soldier's spine in multiple places, which led to their death. Then Tyler whipped around and shot the other with his rifle, painting the wall with gore while what was not exploded dropped to the floor. He moved to the doorway so he could assist his teammates in moving forward as well.

Back in the large common area ahead of where the fighting was going, Maya was on the floor with some of her colleagues having caught her after falling from the soldier smacking her. She had only been asking what was going on, and the "leader" of the soldiers that had rushed in had slugged her in the cheek. The lack of words was somewhat different as normally, the Alliance personnel talked to them, even though they lacked manners and respect. However, it did say something in relation to the state of the Alliance soldiers currently. They were panicking, and desperately so, that was obvious to Maya now. She couldn't begin to guess what had caused them to become so. However, that meant they could be stupider than usual, putting all the scientists and staff here in danger. The Alliance had made it non-verbally clear that the staff's lives were only valuable as long as the work continued and was acceptable.

Maya hadn't missed a group of soldiers going down the hallway to the candidates' living quarters. She believed they were going to either release them to "help" with whatever they were having trouble with or kill them all. Of the two, Maya was leaning toward the latter rather than the former. If that was what they were doing, should they be able to kill all the candidates, Maya didn't have high hopes for any of the staff getting out alive. Without the candidates, the staff had little to no value to the Alliance. The only saving grace Maya could see was killing the candidates wouldn't be easy in any way for the Alliance. The soldiers had always underestimated the candidates and what they were capable of. Maya knew every candidate would have some kind of homemade weapon to defend themselves with. It was an unsaid lesson they all learned, and that was by design via Dr. Moss. None on the staff had mentioned that fact to the Alliance, and several soldiers had paid the price.

Nevertheless, Maya's attention shifted as the sound of gunfire came from the corridor that led to the labs and the rest of the facility. Screams of men dying quickly followed the gunfire, leaving Maya to wonder what was occurring. It certainly sounded like the Alliance soldiers were fighting someone else and losing to them. And the other "odd" sounds that weren't gunfire, like things slamming into metal, it made little sense to her. The Tartarus facility was in the middle of nowhere, quite literally. The nearest town was an hour and a half drive away at a decent pace or thirty minute flight as far as she knew. Thus, nothing in the near area would make the lab stick out to those who didn't know where it was. So, the question of who it was that was fighting the Alliance came to mind, and Maya didn't have an answer to it. What she heard made her think the Alliance had no success against their opponents. That would explain the desperation she'd seen with the Alliance personnel.

Maya and the rest of the staff watched as soldiers started pouring into the common area and were further baffled. Most of the men had blood on their uniforms and showed signs they had been injured. They were aiming their rifles down the corridor and firing them with terrified expressions. Then a couple of shapes rushed at the soldiers and crashed into them, causing soldiers to cry out. Maya blinked at the sight, wondering if she was seeing things or if what was in front of her was real. What appeared to be tall humanoid figures were fighting the Alliance soldiers. Maya couldn't say if they were some kind of robots or suited soldiers. However, bullets shot at them did seemingly nothing to them, and they could move faster than should be humanly possible. The Alliance's opponents were also sending furniture flying both into the wall and at soldiers. It was horrific to observe the Alliance soldiers being crushed by furniture or sent flying hard into a wall, they died either way.

Yet, Maya didn't feel a thing for the soldiers dying quickly, not after what they had been doing to those at the lab. The Alliance taking over hadn't been an improvement to the work environment at Tartarus. Maya wouldn't deny that the workplace had been harsh before when Dr. Moss had been in charge of the project. The cold woman had been a tyrant of sorts, and yet, her management methodology did work, bad as it was. Dr. Moss and those she delegated to may have been brutal, but they didn't waste resources. That was how they saw people, the candidates especially; they were resources and valued those. However, the Alliance had been worse in different ways and, overall, had made the lab a kind of hell. Their discipline method was to do what they told you or die, nothing less than that. The goals they worked for were the only thing that mattered. They sacrificed anything and anyone to get what they wanted, meaning they wasted a great deal in the end.

Tyler was going soldier to soldier, killing them quickly so things could be brought under control. He'd spotted a group of what looked like scientists and non-soldiers on the other side of the large room. Tyler took care to keep an eye on them so the Alliance didn't get the chance to use them as hostages. And as more of his team came into the room after taking care of the enemies in the corridor, the quicker the Alliance was scrambling. After a few minutes, Tyler was able to determine which one of the Alliance personnel was the leader of them. So, he surged toward that man, grabbed him by the neck, and raised him off the floor. The soldier instantly started flailing around, trying to get Tyler to let go of his neck. "You won't win in the end," they rasped, "None of this will matter." Tyler grunted, "Scum like you deserve much worse than a quick death for the horrors you push onto others." Tyler squeezed and broke the man's neck, which had him go limp.

Maya kept calm as she watched the leader of the soldiers get grabbed and lifted off the floor by one of the attackers. The person or robot was in some kind of blue armor, and with the strength they had just displayed was frightening. After breaking the neck of the soldier, they dropped the Alliance commander before they turned to face the other armored figures. "Secure the area," the blue-armored one said in a mechanical-sounding voice. The other armored individuals began sweeping around the room, doing as ordered. The blue-armored person turned toward the staff after giving their order and moved their way. However, instead of attacking them, the armored individual squatted down and removed their helmet, revealing they were a person. The face Maya saw appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties, but still male. That didn't answer any of the questions popping up in Maya's mind about who they were or what they were doing there.

Tyler scanned over the group and could only feel sorry for these people. Their fear-filled faces said many things, most of which only empathy could be extended for. These people had suffered under the thumb of the Alliance. They had likely been threatened regularly and perhaps even beaten for whatever reason the Alliance could come up with. It made rescuing them all the more important, for they didn't deserve what they had been going through. Thus, Tyler smiled, hoping it would help them stay calm, "None of you need to worry," he started, "We are here to help." Tyler paused, noting the majority were looking to the woman in front, suggesting she was their group leader. So, he faced her, "I'm Commander Tyler McGregor," Tyler greeted, "Federation special forces."

The tension Maya had been feeling lessened at the young man saying he and those with him were with the Federation. The Federation was well-known for being reasonable and wouldn't kill others if there was another effective path to take. So, they would not kill her or any of the staff as the Alliance would do if they could think of a reason to. Maya couldn't begin to guess what Federation special forces were doing here. However, the fact that they were special forces did explain why the Alliance soldiers were losing clearly. Maya tried to rise, but the blow to her cheek had rattled her, so she was having difficulty. Others behind her assisted her in getting to her feet before Maya nodded at Tyler. "You and your team have our thanks, Commander," Maya replied. "I fear the Alliance intended to kill us soon had you not come along."

As that was going on, Tanya, Allelujah, and Vali hadn't wasted time and had gotten to work. After getting two other key cards from the dead soldiers, they exited their quarters and split up. The three had been working on opening every door to free the other candidates from their "living quarters," or what they really were, prison cells. Most of the candidates didn't question what was going on after being told they needed to leave by one of the three. Tanya, Allelujah, and Vali had gained the trust of the other candidates after they had protected them and taken the punishment for some of them. Some of the younger ones did ask what was going on, to which they were told those with guns had turned against them and were trying to dispose of them all. They were also told to grab what weapon they had made to defend themselves if that should be needed.

Progress of freeing all the candidates was being made when the sound of gunfire was heard down the hall toward the common area. Tanya paused momentarily and looked in that direction, wondering what was going on. The Alliance soldiers might have been working on killing the lab staff. Yet, that didn't match the noise she was hearing, it was more of a battle between two sides if she were to guess. But Tanya couldn't think of any that would be fighting the Alliance here. The surrounding area made the approach to the complex difficult, and the reasons to assault the place were even less sensible. However, the screams of men coming to her ears told Tanya whoever was fighting the Alliance was likely winning. That might be an issue soon enough, but Tanya knew they needed to get the others out first before looking to get out of the lab.

Back with Tyler, he did what he could to calm the scientists and staff down. He couldn't blame them for being shaken by what the Alliance had been putting them through. Their circumstances would improve greatly once they were away from the Alliance. They could choose what to do after they were debriefed on the Alliance's work here. It hurt Tyler's heart to find people in a bad situation like this one. But helping them out of it made military service worth doing. Tyler was thinking about how to organize these people effectively so they could get them moving toward the extraction point. There was still the need to find the kids and escort them out of this hell the complex was. The "facility" the Alliance had maybe a building technically, but it was hard to call it just that. From all that Tyler had seen while here, this "place" could be similar to one of the rings of hell. The suffering the Alliance caused here was lower than what Tyler expected of them on a normal given day.

Tyler's team had secured the room within a minute or two of his order. All the Alliance soldiers were dead, having fought to the last of them. None on his team had been injured yet, the exo-suits having performed well and protected them. The suits had simplified fighting the Alliance soldiers as they couldn't keep up with the attacks. Thus, the operation was on track and working out as hoped. Tyler just prayed it would keep going that way for long enough to extract the rescuees. So, he was about to organize the group so they could be ready to move when things changed.

Tyler heard movement to his right, and when he looked in that direction, he couldn't help but worry a little about the new development. He'd see the corridor leading further into the complex when he had entered the room. Tyler had assumed the hallway likely led to where the kids could be. Before going down that way, he'd planned to organize the staff and find the kids they were here to help. However, now the kids were at the hallway entrance facing Tyler's teammates. In the front of their group were older teens with guns pointed at Tyler and his team. A scan over the group of kids, Tyler spotted most of them had weapons of some sort to use. In response, members of Tyler's team brought up their weapons and pointed them at the kids. The standoff wasn't helpful to the operation but was more detrimental to moving it along. Thus, Tyler gestured for his teammates to lower their weapons and told them there wasn't time for that.

Maya had twisted her head in the living quarters' direction at hearing guns clicking and saw candidates there. In their lead was the expected trio of Tanya Loussier, Allelujah Haptism, and Vali Uilian. The rest of the candidates here would listen to those three unofficially. They had helped keep things from going completely out of control with the Alliance's running of things. However, the candidates poised to attack the Federation soldiers here was the last thing they needed. The Federation was here to help get those the Alliance had been abusing out of their hands. "Tanya," Maya called, drawing the female teen's attention, "They are here to help us leave. They are from the Federation and have been pushing the Alliance back as they have made progress here."

Tanya looked at Dr. Noll, processing what the woman had just said. The woman had never lied to Tanya or any other candidates Tanya knew of. Dr. Noll was one of the few doctors that had earned the candidates' trust since she had told them the truth, even when it would've been easier not to. So, if Dr. Noll said the "armored" individuals were there to help, Tanya and the others would believe it. The things Tanya had heard about the Federation hadn't made the most sense to her or the others of her trio. Before the Alliance had taken control, the staff would mention the Federation was "reasonable" and "fair," whatever that meant. But when the Alliance took charge, any talk about the Federation was forbidden by the staff. Thus, Tanya lowered her rifle and signaled those behind her to do the same.

Tyler appreciated that the kids did as they were asked to, it would've been a mess otherwise. The operation wouldn't end well should Tyler's team have to fight and potentially kill those they were there to rescue. Plus, there wasn't the time to fight with the operation going as it was. The mission was at its time limit, if not about on borrowed time. The Alliance would suspect something was going on by this point. Tyler would be shocked if OMNI still thought this place was doing just fine. They would send strike teams to destroy the facility rather than risk the chance of the Federation or ZAFT discovering it and learning of its purpose. So, Tyler turned and faced the female teen, "You seem to be the leader of the kids here." He paused, "Or at least, they listen to you more than others. Is that correct? Do you speak for them?"

Tanya didn't back down or show any fear of the "armored soldier." Granted, her glance around the room painted a clear and unmistakeable picture of what these soldiers could do to those that stood against them. All the Alliance personnel had been brutally killed by the scene, with furniture crushing some and gore showing others had been shot up or blown apart. Tanya didn't doubt that should she and the other candidates fight them, they would lose much as the Alliance soldiers had. However, they had lowered their weapons, so they likely didn't want to fight or kill them immediately. So, Tanya nodded, "Yes, I essentially am the one they follow," she replied, "Why do you ask?"

With how things were currently and the normal Alliance mentality, there wasn't time for arguing. The kids needed to follow instructions and orders without asking why or arguing the orders as given. Tyler needed to know if he gave out an order that the kids would do what he said until all of them were on pelicans flying away from here. "Because as we make our way toward the entrance of this place, there will not be the time to question orders." Tyler paused for a moment, "My team and I have dealt with an amount of the Alliance soldiers while making our way here, but I don't doubt there are still more that we didn't dispatch. So, I need to know you and the other kids will do as I say while we move." Tyler glanced at his teammates in the room before turning back to Tanya, "I promise I don't give orders I don't believe are necessary. Nor do I tell others under my command to do something that would endanger them needlessly. We aren't like the soldiers who were here and running things. My goal is to get out as many as possible alive, I assure you of that point."

Tanya couldn't say what it was about this guy, but he was different from anyone she'd encountered. He seemed to be a year or two older than her physically, but his behavior and manner made him appear older. The guy had seen combat long before coming here, which Tanya could say as fact and have no doubts about. She believed he meant what he said about getting as many out alive as he and those with him could. Should she refuse, Tanya and the other candidates would likely die. But with these "Federation soldiers," they gave them a chance to survive with how they had wiped the floor with the Alliance soldiers. Tanya glanced back at the other candidates who were looking at her for instructions. The younger ones were scared but were doing decently to hide signs of such. The older candidates were in front of the younger ones as it made the chances of survival higher for all of them from past experience. Tanya turned back and sighed at how difficult this decision was for her, "Okay," she responded, "We will follow your orders. We just want to live, and staying here will kill us, so we will trust you right now."

Tyler was relieved the kids' leader was cooperative, for it would make things easier. The path to the entrance wouldn't be clear, Tyler was reasonably sure of that point. He hadn't missed some Alliance soldiers retreating in different directions than the main force had. Those soldiers wouldn't let the ground forces and those they rescued leave without trying to stop them. The remaining Alliance soldiers had to know their allies planned to destroy this facility whether they were inside or not. The Alliance already counted their lives as lost; nothing they did would change that now. So, those left had nothing to lose, and those types were dangerous and not to be underestimated. Tyler and his team needed no additional issues to deal with during the extraction phase than they already had.

The kids could help while they traveled since they clearly had training that helped them fight and defend themselves. Tyler and his team would be in front as they had armor, and so could take bullets coming their way. The kids could effectively guard the sides and the group's flank enough that Tyler had no issue with it. He hadn't missed that most, if not all, of them had some sort of weapon to use. Tyler was more impressed the kids had crafted weapons out of what they could get their hands on, and the Alliance hadn't figured that out. However, most of the weapons looked to be best in close-quarters combat rather than multi-ranged fighting. Tyler and his team could give them their secondary weapons, which would be better for the moment. "That's good to hear," Tyler returned, "Glad we will have your cooperation. You and the other kids will be on the sides, guarding our sides and flank while we take the front and draw any fire the group may face. You can divide them in whatever ways you see fit to be effective as we move toward the entrance. I assume you all have had training and are competent with using firearms?"

Tanya blinked at the question about competency with firearms. Every candidate was put through lessons on using guns effectively. The staff would tell the candidates when the Alliance wasn't around that they were better than them with gun usage. But Tanya wasn't connecting the question to the reason it was being asked. The Federation officer was treating her and the other candidates with caution like they already knew what they could potentially do. How they could've found out what the project candidates could do, Tanya couldn't begin to guess. In response, Tanya nodded to say she and the rest knew how to use guns. Tyler accepted the gesture as they knew how to use firearms as good as an average Federation soldier or better. Thus, Tyler turned to his team, "Give the kids your secondary firearm, starting with the older ones first," he ordered. Tyler then grabbed his Sidekick pistol and held it out to Tanya, "You have an assault rifle, by what I saw, but you can give this to whoever you see fit." Tanya took the pistol offered to her by the Federation officer and glanced it over. It wasn't a model she'd seen before, but it looked similar enough to what the Alliance used, even if it seemed more efficient. She gave the gun to one of the younger teens behind her and got down to organizing the others.

Tyler saw the girl had things in hand with the kids, and he turned his attention to getting the scientists and staff up and ready to move. Some of them had injuries likely given to them by Alliance soldiers, so they needed help to be ready to head out. His teammates had gone over and given their secondary firearms to the kids to use. The majority of his team kept their assault rifles, though not all of them. James had kept his shotgun as he preferred that kind of gun in combat situations by what he'd said to Tyler. Tyler put his helmet back on and reached out to the lead team leader for an update on the operation. He wanted the least amount of surprise he could get while heading to the extraction point.

The team going for the facility's control center had succeeded in taking it from the Alliance. Those inside and their defenders had fought tooth and nail to prevent the Federation team from gaining entry. However, the ground team ultimately prevailed and took control of the control center. Taking the area assisted the operation in a few ways. The ground teams now had the means to track Alliance soldiers' position and deal with them better. The infiltration team had progressed toward where the labs and those to be rescued were. However, the taking of the control center and the communication block lifted had also revealed an Alliance strike force was being scrambled to destroy the facility. With that in the works, the ground teams needed to leave quickly, the sooner, the better. Then, Tyler McGregor had called in for a status report. He said he had found the scientists and the kids they were here to extract. The leader of the ground forces told McGregor to get moving quickly since the Alliance was going to send a strike team to raze the complex. The leader then contacted the mobile suit squadron leader and told them to be on the lookout for Alliance craft and to delay them the best they could.

Tyler had the "non-combatants" move to the group's center and then ordered his team to enter the formation. His teammates took position on either side of Tyler taking point to make a V line in front of the others. The kids were divided into two groups, forming a U shape that covered their sides and flank. Once the formation was fully in place, Tyler ordered the group to move forward briskly. The information from the other ground team spelled out that time was now against them. Tyler didn't doubt the mobile suit squadrons would delay the Alliance strike teams trying to destroy the facility. But the Alliance would be determined to get rid of any evidence that would show them in a bad light. So, his team and those with them needed to hurry to the extraction point, hence the brisk pace.

As the group went along, Maya couldn't stop the somewhat sick feeling that came to her stomach seeing the signs of fighting. The sight of what had happened to Alliance soldiers told much more detail of how the Federation had beaten them. They had more than lost, and the Federation special forces had slaughtered them. Nothing they had done had made even a slight difference for them. It said the suits the Federation was using gave them a serious advantage when it came to combat. It didn't answer the question of how the Federation found out about the Tartarus facility. And they seemed to know about the capabilities of the project's candidates already like they had been told about them. There hadn't been an opportunity to ask questions yet, as the Federation officer had insisted there wasn't the time. McGregor had become more so after he had put his helmet back on and probably talked to others about something. Maya would guess the Alliance was trying what they could destroy the facility currently. It made the most sense to her, and they didn't like things that made them look bad. This facility was a dark stain on the Alliance and one which had international criminal implications.

Maya had to keep the other staff calm as their group did come across a few Alliance soldiers as they moved along. The Federation soldiers dispatched them quickly, and the speediness of the killing was horrifying. The weapons of the Federation were ripping apart the enemy soldiers. And while Maya wasn't one who was familiar with a battlefield, seeing what happened on them sickened her. Granted, she was glad the Federation soldiers were on their side and protecting them. But the blood and destruction she saw around Tartarus now were frightening.

The group reached the common area, and those who had stayed behind joined the formation without a word. The team hadn't seen any Alliance soldiers yet as Tyler's group had, but there had been sounds coming from the lobby area ahead by what Tyler was told. And as Tyler's group closed in on the lobby area, the sound of gunfire was heard ahead. Tyler ordered the forward part of his group's formation to tighten up so the non-combatants would be protected from enemy fire. The scene was ugly when Tyler as the first few entered the large lobby area. Alliance soldiers were fighting to delay and stop the Federation ground teams from leaving the complex interior. They weren't doing well with that, Alliance soldiers were dropping rapidly from their efforts. The other two ground teams were already in the room dealing with the Alliance resistance. Tyler ordered his group to move forward slowly, and the soldiers at the head assisted with dispatching the Alliance resistance. The Alliance soldiers seemed to notice Tyler's group, specifically the non-combatants with them and the kids. Tyler and his teammates tried to prevent the Alliance personnel from getting on their sides or flank. However, some soldiers did manage to get past Tyler and his teammates.

Yet, the Alliance moving to the sides didn't help their situation as the candidates didn't hesitate to shoot them as the Federation had been doing. It was essentially what Tyler had ordered the kids to do if they encountered Alliance soldiers. And those kids weren't hesitating, merely shooting the guns they had and killing the Alliance soldiers. If not meeting and talking with the Galiena girls, Tyler would've been surprised with the kids being so unfeeling with killing. The Galienas had explained that their "conditioning" made any feelings making killing harder suppressed or erased. The "project" the Alliance had been funding and was running now was meant to turn kids into living weapons they could unleash upon their enemies. So, Tyler didn't let his group slow its pace more than it had already.

The extraction of the rescuees was the priority of the operation still. Once that was done, the Alliance could do what they wanted to the facility. If they wanted to raze it to the ground, they were more than welcome to bomb the place to their heart's content after those rescued were gone. It would result in nothing in the end since the evidence of the Alliance's actions would be intact. Witnesses would be alive, and under the protection of the Federation up to and during the debriefing they would have to go through. After that, the people Tyler and his teammates saved would have the choice to do what they wished. The kids would likely be sent to the "Shangri-La" that the Galiena girls had mentioned for the "treatments" they would need. Those three girls hadn't gone into detail about what the treatments involved. They only said the treatments had helped them in being able to "control" the urges they used to have from the lab work done. God knew the kids that Tyler and others saved would need the treatment to have the chance to live normal lives as anyone else would.

The remaining Alliance soldiers were quickly dealt with as Tyler's group joined the fight. The other two teams move to be on either side of Tyler's group, and they all pick up the pace to the extraction point. The moment the ground teams entered the entryway, it was clear the blizzard was still going strong. Tyler glanced behind him and saw most of the kids didn't have anything on their feet or had shoes that weren't for going on in heavy snow. He told James to have others pick up the kids, starting with the younger ones, and carry them to the waiting pelicans. James and a few others were only the first to store their weapons and pick up a kid and carry them as they went forward. Members of the other teams saw the action, and some did the same. Most of the kids that didn't have clothing or footwear meant for snow were quickly carried before the group reached the closest broken armored door to the outside.

Tyler spotted three Pelicans already hovering ahead of the ground forces as they came out into the blizzard again. The sound of explosions and weapon fire drew Tyler's attention to his right. When he glanced that way, he found allied mobile suits attacking Alliance craft and mobile suits going for the facility. Some were even appearing to be attempting to strike the pelicans waiting to extract the ground forces. Tyler had confidence allies would keep the Alliance off them while they loaded up. So, he focused back on the hovering pelicans and ordered the picked up the pace to the aircraft. Upon reaching the pelicans, some moved into defensive positions letting the rest focus on loading the rescuees. A few lept onto the cargo ramps of the pelicans and held their arms to receive the kids.

At the same time, Tatsumi had been keeping busy stopping the incoming Alliance forces with his teammates. The change in orders had come close to ten minutes ago, and the mobile suit squadrons were to delay and stop Alliance strike forces. The Alliance had found out something was going on, so the expectation of Alliance strike teams coming was high. And that expectation hadn't been wrong, and they had indeed come as predicted. It had only been five minutes after the order change when the first Alliance strike team had come into range of the target facility. Their approach and path said they were aiming for the target facility. However, there had been no sign of the ground teams exiting the complex yet, nor the pelicans moving in to pick up. Thus, the routine had been quickly established in shooting at the enemy strike team and forcing them to halt and defend themselves.

Then the word of the ground teams had started coming out was circulated, which changed the work slightly. The frequency of Alliance strike teams appearing had increased as they had been slowed and destroyed. But as the pelicans had moved in to hover, waiting for the ground teams, they also became a target of the Alliance strike teams. Tatsumi joined those that were defending the pelicans instead of engaging the strike teams directly. That didn't cut down much on the fighting Tatsumi got into since the Alliance didn't stop trying to bomb the place. Fighting the Alliance wasn't easy, but the combat simulations helped prepare for the Alliance's tactics. They were as predictable as information the simulations implied. It showed the Alliance was creatures of habit for sure. The Alliance's new mobile suits were interesting but still flawed by what Tatsumi could tell. Sure, their pilots had gotten somewhat better at working with mobile suits. But the Federation training he and others had gone through upon enlisting in ODR gave them more skill and experience than Alliance pilots.

Tatsumi got a view of the ground teams reaching the pelicans with others. They were loading people and kids onto the aircraft, which they should be doing. However, Tatsumi noted the desperation of the Alliance strike teams sharply increased at the ground teams reaching the pelicans with those accompanying them. Tatsumi and those with him worked harder to ensure none attacked those on the ground. Yet, one Windam got past them, and Tatsumi took up the chase to stop the enemy machine from attacking allies. While the fighting in this operation had proven to Tatsumi at least he could be a Gundam pilot. He would do as Commander McGregor said and prove it to others.

Tyler was helping the loading along, helping a few of the kids himself as the task moved forward. The pelicans had just switched out for the other two, and Tyler was about to pick up a kid to load them when he heard a noise behind him. He glanced behind him and saw an Alliance Windam coming to loom over the landing zone. Tyler could see the enemy machine was aiming to strike the pelicans. Should the enemy do that, the whole operation would fail with the rescued being killed. The Alliance would have wiped out the evidence against them and achieved their goal. Yet, as Tyler watched, the enemy machine was shot and lost the arm which held its beam rifle. Then the Eclipse Gundam appeared next to the Windam before it stabbed the enemy through its torso. The Eclipse kicked the enemy away before it detonated. Tyler was impressed at the kid's timing, he was either lucky or skilled at the art of being where he needed to be. Granted, Tyler had figured Tatsumi would be up to the task of being an effective Gundam pilot. Morgenroete wouldn't have chosen the kid if they hadn't judged him to be up to doing what is expected of a Gundam pilot. So, when the Eclipse glanced at the ground forces, Tyler saluted it in gratitude for the save.

Tatsumi had dispatched the enemy machine and made sure it had not crashed into the allies on the ground. The Alliance strike teams had already tried to crash into the complex after being hit and critically damaged. So, it had become an expectation they would keep doing so until they succeeded or the forces for the operation were on their way out. Yet, as Tatsumi glanced back at the ground forces loading people to ensure they were okay, he was slightly shocked at the sight. A few of the soldiers saluted him in clear thanks for his actions. It was the first time soldiers had done anything like that for Tatsumi. He'd been thanked for his efforts with his service in ODR, but those in affected areas had mostly done that. And this was the opposite response he'd gotten upon arriving at the Federation base the operation was launched. It gave him a warm feeling to be thanked for something he'd done, and it was stronger now as it came from those who were mostly his superiors.

The Eclipse moved away to rejoin the others in the mobile suit squadrons delaying the Alliance strike teams. Tyler made a note to himself to find the kid and thank him personally for what he'd just done. The kid needed encouragement that he'd been chosen for the machine he was in for a reason. But that could be done later, the operation was the priority, and that needed to be seen to first. So, Tyler grabbed the nearest kid and hoisted them up to the waiting arms of another soldier to resume the loading. The scientists and staff were also getting onto the aircraft but only needed a hand pulling them up. Around half the ground forces had gotten on the other three pelicans when full. Thus, the loading would be wrapped up shortly, and the Alliance could do as they wanted. They didn't understand once the Federation was gone, there would be nothing for them to wipe out.

Maya had been stunned at the sight which had met her eyes upon exiting the complex. The Alliance defenses had been much like what she'd seen inside, broken and ripped apart. The Federation had been as proficient with those outside as they were with those inside. Truly, the Alliance stationed here had stood no chance against the Federation force that had come here. With the ease that the Federation seemed to whip the Alliance, Maya wondered why some feared them. Even ZAFT was stronger and held themselves to a higher standard than the Alliance, which should insult the Alliance. Then there was the Federation aircraft that had been waiting for them. The craft was unlike anything she'd seen with aircraft before. Most she'd seen used propellers or turbines for propulsion, but not these crafts. These had what looked like jets or thrusters on their tails and wings. The wings and tailfins had shifted to vertical, letting the craft hover feet above the ground. When her turn came, Maya took the hand offered to her by the soldier on the ramp and was pulled onto the aircraft. Tyler was the last soldier on the pelican, and he had the ramp rise and closed behind him. He looked over the area and found teammates and rescuees in chairs. The kids had been belted in and secured for the flight, which would be bumpy. Tyler moved to the last empty seat, buckled in, and shouted to the cockpit all were onboard.

The pelicans lifted off and moved into the path that would have them leaving the area. The mobile suit squadrons broke off fighting with the Alliance and took up a position to protect the pelicans. The Alliance's strike teams began bombarding the facility after those delaying them disappeared into the ongoing storm. The Federation forces began heading for the Republic border. Once they reached that point, most of the mobile suit squadrons would head back to the Hulun base, but some and the pelicans would go to Shangri-La to drop off the rescued. To his relief, Tyler was checking on his teammates and found no one had been lost or seriously injured. He took off his helmet before he breathed a sigh of relief at how things had gone with the operation. Things had been a bit dicey for a while, but the operation had not gone awry, and Tyler was grateful for that. Tyler glanced around, seeing most of the soldiers were removing their helmets as Tyler had. He saw James look at him and smile while he gave thumbs up to him, "Knew your luck would help on this operation, lucky loco," James commented. Tyler appreciated being thanked for a job well-done, even in an unusual way. "Thanks, James," Tyler replied, "I'm just glad we all got out alive and well, personally."

Maya gazed at the young man who was the leader of those who had saved her, her colleagues, and the candidates. If not for the young man and the rest of the Federation forces, she and the rest would be dead by now. Her cheek was bruising from the strike by the Alliance soldier, but that would heal and be preferable to death. "You and your colleagues saved us from a horrible fate, to which death would've been a release," Maya said. Tyler looked to the woman who was the leader of the scientists and other facility staff. Maya continued, "You have our heart-felt thanks for that action." Tyler blinked, "We were trying to help those trapped within the Alliance's web of terror and horror," he replied. "While your thanks are appreciated, just look at this as a chance to start over and do better things with your life. But what did you mean by a horrible fate?"

Maya could appreciate modesty as it was almost unheard of with the Alliance, their pride was overbearing and often nauseating. But the Federation soldiers unlikely knew of the torture the staff endured and were forced to thrust upon the candidates. It depended if the Federation getting information on the project, which was very possible. They had found out about the Tartarus facility and seemed to know illegal things were happening. There had been several times members of the staff discussed trying to escape the facility and risk being killed by the Alliance. Maya didn't blame any who had considered that, though she had talked them down. It was a horrible fate, and the Alliance made them change children into living weapons they could unleash on their enemies. She knew the work was being abused, but there was little which could be done to change the Alliance's views and goals. She exhaled, "We were forced by the Alliance to continue the horrible work the project we got involved in started."

Tyler had skimmed over the information which had come from the "anonymous source" which gave the facts for the operation. There had been a reference to what was called the "Enhanced Human Project," which the Galiena girls had mentioned. The few details Tyler had seen had been disgusting and wrong. The "original" aim of the project was to push human potential as far as possible by "proposed means." Those means had been unacceptable by the Federation straight out of the gate, and ZAFT hadn't been much more open to them. Thus, the conditions which had been set for those who worked on the project had to agree to for asylum in the Federation. It had been that which had Tyler not questioned the Galiena girls when they had mentioned treatment. He'd just assumed it was the work of those who sought asylum in the Federation. "You're referring to the Enhanced Human Project if I'm not mistaken," Tyler remarked. "And I assume things got even worse when the Alliance took charge."

Maya couldn't help but nod sadly in response to the comment about the project reference, and it was getting worse under the Alliance. It also suggested that the Federation had found out about the project from others. That would explain how they knew the location of the Tartarus facility so they could strike it. "You are correct on both counts, commander," Maya admitted, "But I am curious as to how the Federation found out about the project."

Tyler considered what to say in answer to that implied question. Not all the information the operation used was public, and a portion was classified for the time being. The operation was supposed to be kept under wraps until the higher-ups revealed it to the public. So, it was a moment before Tyler spoke up, "I don't know all the details, and some I've learned are not public at this time." He paused for another moment, "However, it is my understanding that a group of scientists asked for asylum with the Federation just before the end of the Alliance-PLANT War. They gave valuable information to the Federation as a means to help their case and agreed to some conditions. Among the info they gave was the lab's location and work going on there. Federation High Command determined the facility couldn't be left alone. That's as much as I can say about the information given that went into the operation."

Maya thought about the group of scientists mentioned by the commander. It was possible, and they probably vanished from the Ladonia labs. They would have the information implied the Federation used for their operation against Tartarus and about the Enhanced Human Project. There had been no word on the disappearances or what possible reasons they had vanished. Of course, the Alliance wouldn't say anything about the project's change in direction. "I take it those scientists are from a place called Ladonia," Maya inquired.

Tyler paused as it sounded like the woman knew more about those who had given the info that Tyler did. It wasn't Tyler's business, but he couldn't help his burning curiosity. The word "Ladonia" had been mentioned to Tyler but not by any scientists. The name had come up with the conversation he'd had with those Galiena girls. The encounter with the three girls had stuck out in Tyler's mind for a few reasons. The youngest had the voice of the girl who had tried to kill him during the latter part of the war. The three girls may have looked normal on the outside, but their capabilities said they weren't normal humans. The project mentioned had changed them according to the Galiena girls, but they never said what it had done. "Probably were I to guess," Tyler replied, "But I haven't talked to any of the group that came to the Federation for asylum. I heard the name "Ladonia" from some I recently encountered."

Maya blinked at an encounter being mentioned, "An encounter with some, you say, like who," she asked.

Tyler shrugged, "A trio of girls," he stopped trying to think of their first given names. The three Galiena girls had said them, but Tyler couldn't recall them at the moment. "I'm having trouble remembering their names they gave. However, as I recall, they said their last name was Galiena."

The mention of the name got Tanya to look up. She'd only been half listening to the conversation since it wasn't that interesting. But hearing the name "Galiena" had sent a jolt of annoyance through her. Every candidate knew the name Galiena, which referred to a specific trio. They were the "star girls," Dr. Moss's favorite trio that got the best treatment from the woman that other candidates could only dream of. They were the bar of comparison that all the other candidates were held to. It was why most candidates silently cursed the name. The girls' efforts were what others talked about, and it quickly got irritating to hear over and over. "Even when those three disappeared, they still haunt us," Tanya grumbled.

Tyler hadn't missed the grumble, but it didn't make sense to him. As odd as they could be, the Galiena girls hadn't been meant or anything he'd seen. If he hadn't recognized the youngest's voice, he would've thought them normal teenagers. Nothing about that would inspire such hatred that Tyler could figure. "Forgive me if I'm prying, but what about those girls irritates you," Tyler questioned. "They were kind of odd, but didn't do anything that I saw that would draw ire or hate their direction."

Maya sighed as an outsider wouldn't understand the dynamic between candidates. The Galiena trio was the "perfect" example of the project, Dr. Moss's pride in the work. Because of that, the three were the bar of success that few, if any, of the other candidates reached. The three Galiena girls were the rarest finds in children who had been ideal for the project. Tanya's reaction was normal and the expected response to mention of the Galiena sisters. "It wouldn't make sense to those outside the project," Maya returned. "But those you met are known to all the candidates." Tanya frowned at the line, "We are compared to the star girls all the time," she grumbled. "Told how perfect Dr. Moss's star girls are and how we should be like them."

Tyler knew all too well what if felt like to be compared to others, to be measured by the accomplishments of others. With how young Tyler had been when he enlisted, that had been the story of his service during his training and first six months in the field. He didn't understand why the three girls he'd met were the bar of judgment for the "project" the kids were involved in. The three hadn't been "perfect" or stood as a standard to emulate that Tyler had seen. "Not that I can't sympathize with being compared to others as I've had that done to me, but I would ask why those three? What is special about them to have them as the bar to reach for?" Tyler shrugged, "Those three didn't seem amazing, or some used as an example for others to follow."

"Their performance has always been the best of all project candidates," Maya answered simply.

Tyler paused as the simple answer did address his question but didn't explain what he wanted to know. It certainly sounded like this Enhanced Human Project was performance-driven, which was logical. Tyler still didn't agree with the methods used in the project or what the kids in the project were used to do. He figured most of the kids hadn't volunteered for the project, likely kidnapped or tricked into it. The youngest Galiena had made Tyler work when fighting her, so he couldn't deny the good performance she gave. "Okay, that is fair, I suppose," Tyler remarked. "The youngest one of the three certainly made me work hard not to be killed by her when we fought."

Maya blinked at the last sentence as it suggested something which was odd. If Commander McGregor was saying what she thought he was, he'd gone against Lafter Galiena and had lived to tell the tale. Lafter was known for pushing until she achieved the task Dr. Moss set her. The girl wanted to please the woman and would do pretty much anything to do that. Lafter may not have the best score of her trio, but her performance scores were notably higher than other candidates. "You fought against one of the Galiena girls and came out of it without injuries," Maya questioned.

Tyler stared at the woman momentarily, wondering what she was really asking him. The question certainly sounded rhetorical to him. As far as he knew, he'd gone against all three Galiena girls to some degree. The youngest was just the one who actively tried during the war to fight and kill him. "Technically, I've faced off against all three during the latter part of the war. The first time was during the Alliance's attack on the Republic," Tyler returned. "If not for my piloting skills and experience, I would've been hard-pressed to fight and come out alive. Most average pilots would have lost to the girls, and I won't deny that with their fighting style." Tyler stopped and shrugged, "I'm not what most would call a normal soldier. Thus, fighting me isn't a simple or straightforward task to take on."

Tanya was tired of hearing about the star girls and still had questions she wanted answers to. Nothing had been said about what would happen to her or the other candidates next. Sure, they weren't with the Alliance anymore, which was a plus and would be a more healthy position, she didn't doubt. But what was ahead of them to do? Most had nowhere to return to before being inducted into the project that could be recalled. "So then," Tanya spoke, drawing attention to her, "What will happen to us now?"

Tyler looked at the girl, and couldn't help but feel sorry for her and the rest. They had been abused by the Alliance and the project they'd been forced into. What was ahead of them would be far better, so much so they wouldn't see it for what opportunity it would be for them. "From what I understand, you will undergo some sort of treatment. That treatment will help you be able to live a normal life of your own choosing." Tyler held up his hands, "Don't ask me what that treatment entails, for I haven't the faintest idea. We are flying toward a place called Shangri-La, where others like you have been taken to for said treatment. I'm afraid I can't say more since I have no more information than that. However, if the Galiena girls are anything to go by, the treatments work."

Tanya had no answer to what Tyler had said, but it gave her a lot to think about. The idea of a normal life was essentially a foreign concept to her and any other candidate. Like the rest, she had been told that with what the project had done to them they would never be able to return to what they had known. And yet, by what Command McGregor said, there was a way to help them live like everyone else again. Tanya didn't know what to think about the idea, but it didn't sound like such a bad thing the more she considered it.

A/n

I'll leave off there and continue from there in the next Phase which will be the start of the Destiny part of Gundam Seed. Oh boy, where to start with this phase's contents to highlight and explain? There is just so much to go over so these notes will be long, just fair warning for those that don't prefer these. So, as I mentioned in earlier Phases, the Enhanced Human Project wasn't confined to the Lab in Suez as it was in canon. There are three labs of which the lab in Suez which I name Ladonia was the main one. Ladonia did all the project including the creation of Boosted Men and Extendeds along with doing research on both. The Tartarus lab in what is Siberia in our world is another which Extendeds are more the focus than boosted men. But much as Ladonia, the lab has bad rumors and stories about it for the locals which
I'll leave to your imagination. The title of the Phase should give you an idea what the place was like for staff and candidates alike.

The Enhanced Human Project has also changed since the Alliance took direct control of it should that not be obvious. Mina's management was akin to a tyrant or dictator running things and if that wasn't portrayed, then I didn't write the point well enough I suppose. That was bad enough and if I were the staff under Mina, I would be scared everyday I went to work. However, the way the Alliance manage things is worse than that, hard as it can be to imagine. Instead of just being terrified of each day at work for one's safety, they fear for their lives and if they would see tomorrow. That is a different matter than just dreading work for various reasons. I just want to establish the truly extreme atmosphere Tartarus has to get across the environment those there were in.

I do give some information on how the Alliance saw the war and its ending as I didn't in previous phases. As you readers may have guessed, the Alliance and those who "really" control and direct it weren't happy with what came from the Treaty of Junius Seven. They may have not admitted it out loud in public, but they curse the point. The Alliance feels they got the raw deal and then some with the provisions. The Alliance wants nuclear technology and use it to develop more powerful weapons and equipment they can use. Their goal is still domination of the human race, and I mean all of it. They would want the Alliance to be the only group in charge, and rid humanity of the factions which make it up. We also should know by this point the Alliance never intended to follow the agreements made at the peace conference. They make a show they appear to be doing so, but as you will see going forward, they aren't.

Moving on to the action and Federation operation aimed at the Tartarus facility. As I left off in the last Phase, the mobile suit squadrons were descending down toward the facility to take the defenders by surprise. And oh boy, did they ever catch the Alliance off-guard and by complete surprise. Admittedly, the Alliance did their best to defend and push back their attackers, even if in the end they lost. If the Alliance wasn't having enough issues with the Federation mobile suit squadrons, the ground forces made things so much worse for them. I mean, some of you may have seen the new Halo series from Paramount with how Master Chief dropped in with his team in the first episode, that's what I imagine with the ground teams coming in. And on that note, the Alliance soldiers are essentially fighting against Halo's Spartans just without shields. I don't about you readers, but that would scare the hell out of me. That is the type of advantage the Exo-suits give Federation soldiers.

Let me get to the scene where the ground forces drop in with Tyler's team. After the "drop-in" from the pelicans, the sprint to the door shows the increased speed. I also wanted to show the Mammoth rifle that Tyler sports in this operation. And throughout the operation I wanted you readers to see while Tyler's rifle isn't an automatic weapon, it makes up for that in power. I mean, a round being able to rip through armor and splattering blood and guts on what's behind the target. So really the Alliance had no prayer in this fight of winning or getting out of it alive. If the Federation ground forces didn't killed them, their allies would've with the strike teams.

Now to the next scene where Tyler's team moves further into the facility and "whips" the Alliance soldiers as they go. If one thing can be said about this Phase, it is shows off the expo-suits and how much improvement and advantage it gives to the wearer. Not only does it improve speed, it does strength as well. That is proven by Tyler and others sending furniture flying at the Alliance soldiers and killing them. Of course, Tyler's team was the one that had the longest way to go for the operation, but what else would you expect? Tyler is one of my main characters, so he gets a lot of the action as well as the hardship. And I apologize if some of you readers were uncomfortable with the descriptions of the violence from the fighting. However, I did warn you at the beginning of the Phase it would be there, so no complaining please.

Now the other thing in this Phase that is different other than it being done from scratch is some character introductions. Originally, I didn't introduce Maya Noll until I want to say Phase 32 in the original. And for Tanya and her trio, there were even later in their entry into the story. However, they fit better here in my opinion than where they came in originally. It gives you a view into what they got out of when rescued, which honestly is a kind of hell. I also wanted to show you their third trio member as I didn't in the original version. Let me give you readers that haven't read the original version or just need a refresher some info on the three. Tanya is an older version of Stella in appearance, though she has a different eye color. That is were the similarities end, for Tanya is more serious and has far more emotional control than Stella does. Allelujah Haptism is from the Gundam 00 universe as the name implies, and so if you want to see what he looks like and personality traits, go to the Gundam wikia and read there. As for Vali, for those who watch anime, you may have guessed where I got inspiration for the character. If you assume Highschool DxD, you would be right, Vali Lucifer is the idea I took him from. The appearance is essentially the same, so look up Vali Lucifer should you want a picture.

The final part of this Phase which is the escape does have two things I want to point out. First, I hope you readers are happy that Tatsumi and the Eclipse get the spotlight for a bit with their rescue. I had many readers say they wanted the two to pop in the story so I gave them time and may do so in future phases, I haven't decided yet. The other point I want to highlight is the conversation which takes place between Tyler and Maya. Not only does Tyler get more of a view into what the Alliance had been doing with the Project, but the treatment the Alliance was showing to those that worked for them but weren't dedicated to their "cause." Also, he talks more about an encounter with the Galiena girls which are of course, Deborah, Rossweisse, and Lafter. They come into play later in this story as you readers than have gone through the original. But I wanted to show how the other candidates of the project hate them as they are a literal bar of judgment they were held to more often than not.

In conclusion to this Phase, I hope you enjoyed the new additions I wrote for the interim between SEED and Destiny. I never liked there was a gap in canon as there was so much that is inferred and not said to have happened. I don't tend to leave that much hanging when writing a story. And that leads to the point that the next Phase will be the beginning of the Destiny portion of Gundam Seed. Like before now, it won't be canon, so if that's what you want, watch the anime. As always, some of you take the time to write a review and tell me what you think of the Phase, ask questions, or just make a comment. I'm going to try and keep to the two week update schedule again now that I'm back on going through stuff I've written already. There will be less pure scratch written stuff, but that doesn't mean there won't be new stuff, rest assured. Peace out until the next Phase!