Relevant Notes Will Be At The End Of The Chapter
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Mobile Suit/Mass Effect
Episode 17
I Will Give You Power
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Sailing to Atlas Point after the whole Yuu Liang Spaceport affair proved to be a relatively quiet affair. Of course, this might have been because we had a Congressional Navy flotilla escorting us there... but I liked to think that this was the world acknowledging that we deserved some well earned rest.
The Aster Sea was huge, and sailing to Atlas Point undetected by the enemy's ever increasing air patrol was going to take some time, even with the Aster's cyclone season giving us plenty of cloud cover. Fortunately, even if we did go into battle, we wouldn't have to worry about protecting civilians. Commodore Pike had been gracious enough to fuel up Mister Fosh's Super Garudas so that they could make the rest of the way to Port Tsingtao.
Besides aviation fuel, Commodore Pike had also approved for the transfer of mobile suit parts from her flotilla to Squadron 13. Parts commonality between the various branches was paying off its dividends in spades as we could finally do some much needed repairs on our damaged Gunstrikes, even if we were to use Gunfighter and Gundiver parts.
It was a good thing we managed to bring some suits back to working order, because it turns out that we were in the calm before the storm.
It started with pink beams blazing across the night sky, followed shortly by bright flashes illuminating the stormy, night sky.
"Kessler, what's going on?" Bullow immediately called.
"Hold on ma'am..." Kessler answered, listening into his headset. "Battle network reports says... Atlas Point is under attack!"
Our eyes shot wide at hearing that news. We all shook off the stupor quickly, turning from our more relaxed attitude to a combat ready one.
"I'll get the mobile suit teams ready for launch!" I told the Acting Captain. "Come on Rosen, let's get to the hangar!"
"Right!" The young pilot nodded.
The two of us started for the bridge's exit, Bullow then spoke to us.
"You do that, and tell Lieutenant Hedder to get up here while you're at it!" She said right as I opened the door. "I need him on combat air control."
"Aye ma'am!" I saluted, before heading out with Rosen.
As we left the bridge, Bullow put Squadron 13 into Readiness Condition 2. Risima's crew rushed to their respective stations, ready to make battle at any moment. Men and women alike ran back and forth, securing loose objects, powering down recreational stations, and sending non-combat personnel to their damage control stations.
Right as we were about to enter the pilot's ready room, one such damage control team very nearly ran me over with a cart filled with fire extinguishers. They waved us an apology as they swung around a corner and Rosen returned the gesture while I went opened the door to the ready room.
As it happens, the two of us were the first ones there. The rest quickly poured in as we put on our normal suits and parachute harnesses - a special necessity given we were operating in atmosphere.
Once I was ready, I turned to the rest of the crew. Verns was singled out quickly, having jumped into his normal suit, despite not having a combat ready mobile suit of his own.
"Verns, Bullow needs you in the bridge." I said, jabbing a thumb back towards the doorway. "She wants you for combat air control."
"Figures." He sighed, leaving the room. "Good hunting, Irena."
"You too." I gave him a pat on the back as he left.
Looking over the pilots we had at hand, now I gave them their assignments.
"Alright. Rosen and Raszchak, you're both on a team with me again. Get your machines ready for flight operations." I told those two.
They were the only pilots who's machines escaped the battle at Yuu Liang fairly unscathed, same as me. We would be the Squadron 13's long arm. That would leave defense to the others who's machines were damaged enough that I couldn't take them with me, but operational enough that they could stand guard.
"Rico, Yvanna, you two are on sentry duties." I said, giving orders to the next team. "Once my team sorties, take positions on the ship's bow and stern. We have no clue what's coming for us, so everyone stay on your toes! Let's not mess this one up!"
"Hell yeah, let's go kick some alien ass! Terra Firma!" Raszchak then yelled out.
"Terra Firma!" The rest responded, Rosen excluded... though she was putting up a bit of a curious face.
My team's machines were prepared first, with Minovsky Flight Packs attached to the Gunstrike, while Rosen's Hroeger was mounted on the antique Base Jabber that Mister Fosh had kindly given us back at the space port.
I took my spot on the launch catapult, with my Gunstrike locked in and ready to launch. After announcing that I was ready, Verns began briefing us about the situation at hand through the battle network.
"Alright everyone, listen up." He said, his tone grim unlike his normally professional self. "The enemy is launching a full scale assault on Atlas Point! We're detecting between 17 to 26 enemy ships, force composition currently unknown. Commodore Pike's flagship, the Light Carrier CNS Alcubierre, is reading the same."
"What's the squadron's plan of attack?" I then asked.
"Risima and the Currans are low on ammo and spare parts. We've only got a few Gungnir and Hellstorm missiles left for the VLS tubes, and those torpedo launchers on the destroyers aren't all that useful in atmosphere. Commodore Pike and her taskforce will be taking point." Verns laid out, drawing up a simulation of our plan and transmitting it to my team's machines.
Squadron 13 would form up a rear element while the Navy formed a battle line ahead. Gundiver teams would race ahead to reinforce Atlas Point, while Gunfighters would run airstrikes against the enemy vessels.
Out of all the Space Force mobile suits available, only six were still flight capable. We were in charge of combat air patrol until the situation changed.
"Risima, Monty, and Darrian will provide long range fire support with the hyperbeam cannons once the Navy pilots can spot for us, but the bulk of the fighting will be up to the Navy."
It must've looked strange from a distance. Squadron 13 was composed of three ships, and yet we were worth almost half of Commodore Pike's taskforce in gross tonnage. Each and every ship in the Space Force displaced more than the Navy's biggest battleships, which at other times would've meant we took point. However, times being as dire as they were, we were only too happy to let the Navy take the spotlight.
"Irena Kreusgluck, Blue Team is launching!"
My Gunstrike took off from the catapult, followed by Raszchak in his own Gunstrike and Rosen in her Hroeger and Base Jabber.
From Commodore Pike's flotilla, the Navy was launching their own mobile suit teams. Navy Gunfighters clad in white and blue colors quickly formed an element after launch, making a beeline towards the enemy ships in the sky. The Gundiver teams that launched afterwards raced underwater to reach the floating military base as fast as they could, with hopes to shore up Atlas' defenses. Behind them, a squadron of Sea Snake tiltrotor gunships took off from the Alcubierre. They would be doing combat air patrol together with us.
The sky all around us was grey, choked with thunder clouds illuminated by the occasional flashes of lightning. The Navy Gunfighters disappeared in the distance, engulfed by the thick storm clouds which separated us from the enemy.
Battle chatter filled the airwaves as the Navy Gunfighters made contact with the enemy. The distant flashes of battle intensified, first in its brightness, then in its frequency. I could feel the intense pressure that the Navy pilots were going through, as many of them started losing their composure.
"Seagull 2, you've picked up a tail!"
"Shit! Shit! There's way too many of them!"
"Lieutenant, give me cover!"
"This is Seagull 1! Enemy force is overwhelming! We cannot hold them for long! Doesn't look like they're pulling any punches!"
"Damnit! Enemy landing ships are breaking through the absolute defense line... they're gunning for Platform 9!"
"Do we have anyone that can intercept?"
"Negative! We're all pinned down!"
A pit formed in my stomach as I listened in on the battle chatter. The situation was more dire than any of us could have anticipated. Something had to be done before we reached the point of no return.
"This is Blue Team, we can intercept!"
"Negative, Kreusgluck." Bullow was quick to respond. "Let the Gundiver teams handle the station. We need you protecting the squadron."
"With all due respect, the three of us could stop the enemy before they even get close!"
"My decision is final." The acting captain put her foot down. "Remain on standby until further orders."
I bit my tongue and held back the urge to curse.
Damn that Bullow! Now was not the time to be holding back!
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"She's right, you know?" Verns said, though his gaze never left the terminal he sat behind. "Three mobile suits aren't a lot, but they could do some serious damage to the enemy force."
"Perhaps," Bullow nodded. "But there's no guarantee that she'd come out of that engagement unscathed."
"Irena wouldn't have offered to go if she wasn't sure she could do it."
"Any other day I would've accepted, but the fact remains that her team is the only one we can rely on for air cover." She explained. "The Navy won't be able to hold the enemy for long, and we don't know if the enemy has more ships on the way. I don't expect that the enemy would simply let us dock at Atlas Point without at least sending a detachment to intercept us."
"So that's our plan?" Red Team's leader frustatedly asked, his brows furrowed. "To just keep sailing and hope for the best?"
"To keep sailing and keep our guards up." Bullow corrected. "Commodore Pike already called ahead to Atlas and arranged for a resupply for us, and that includes replacement Mobile Suits! Once our mobile suit teams are back at full strength, then we'll counterattack."
The Acting Captain's words seemed to placate the Lieutenant, but those familiar with Verns could tell he hadn't been fully satisfied yet. Regardless, he turned his full attention back to the task at hand when the battlefield continued to shift.
"Space Force, this is Seagull 2!" A Navy pilot's stressed voice announced on the battle network. "We've got laser lock on the enemy warships! Transmitting targeting data to you now!"
"That's our queue." Bullow muttered quietly to herself before commanding her crew. "Squadron 13! Main batteries, target the enemy ships!"
Almost in sync, the hyperbeam turrets of Risima, Monty, and Darrian trained their barrels at where the Navy pilots said the enemy were. With the storm around the area interfering with the long range sensors in addition to Minovsky pollution, we had to rely on a spotter especially when firing in such massive distances. The Navy's Gunfighter pilots were risking life and limb to provide the targeting data, so the right thing to do was to make the most of this opportunity.
"Tell the Navy Flyboys to clear the firing lanes! Open fire on my mark!"
The comms officer gave the pilots the heads up and they quickly complied. It took a bit to get done, the Navy pilots were in the middle of their own battles fending off enemy fighter planes or evading anti-air fire. Once thr coast was clear, Bullow gave the order.
"Open fire!"
Powerful beam bolts blazed across the sky, penetrating the thick cloud cover and carrying on towards their destination. The ultra-condensed Minovsky particles made contact with the enemy in explosive fashion. Bright flares of light, dimmed and subdued by the storm clouds, flashed into existence and disappeared as quickly as it materialized.
"This is Seagull 2!" The Gunfighter pilot reported. "Reporting targets hit, three shots deflected by enemy shields! Two enemy cruisers sustained moderate damage!"
"Second barrage, open fire!"
The energy bombardment continued, with the Space Force ships relentlessly firing their cannons at the enemy formation. As the formation of Navy and Space Force vessels continued their path towards Atlas Point, they also closed in on the enemy fleet. Once close enough, the Navy ships, with their conventional shell firing guns and railcannons, added their firepower to the onslaught.
In response, the aliens diverted a portion of their force to interdict the formation of Space Force and Navy formation. More of the enemy's fighters sortied out of their carriers, gathering in formation before launching their attack.
Bullow's prediction proved to be correct, as was her decision to hold Blue Team back.
"This is Blue 1, we're intercepting the enemy attack!" Irena announced in the battle network.
"Acknowledged, Lieutenant." The Acting Captain said. "Take no unnecessary risks! Good luck out there!"
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Atlas Point's central command room was dimly lit, with faces illuminated only by the soft by the glow of terminal screens.
Standing at the command room's highest point were those in charge of the entire facility. Department heads, research leads, representatives from each military branch, as well as several intelligence agencies, could be found. They sat behind their own terminals, keeping abreast of their subordinates' progress and watching carefully as they worked to complete the emergency protocols that were only enacted in the most dire of circumstances.
As the staff below continued their tasks, a woman wearing the uniform of the Congressional Intelligence Service hurried up stairs towards the observer's platform and walked up to the sole occupant not wearing a uniform of her own.
"Director Eilling, all on-site project databanks have been purged." The CIS agent, Saffira Hedder, reported. "Backup databanks are being loaded into transports as we speak, Skyfall Protocol is ready to go on your orders."
Saffira handed the director a datapad that had a live feed of the mobile storage racks, filled with hundreds of quantum data drives each, were loaded into one of the Navy's Super Garudas.
"Which facility will the drives be taken to?" Eilling asked as she gave the datapad a look over.
"With Long Mountain's status currently uncertain and New Taiyuan under siege, the only location we count to take the QDDs is at Baise Base in Northwestern Deguo."
"What happened to the Argus Labs at Port Tsingtao?" Eilling asked, swiping to the side on the datapad to look at the planned route for the Super Garuda. "They have the research facilities to at least get some projects back underway."
"Too far away to transport safely." Saffira bluntly answered. "Enemy air presence is increasing by the hour and none of the Gunfighters we've tasked for escort have the range to reach Port Tsingtao. We could move the QDDs to Argus on a later date, but right now Baise is our safest bet."
"Very well." The aging director nodded as she returned the datapad to Saffira. "Then proceed as planned."
An uneasy silence fell between the two women after this. Director Eilling continued to keep watch over men and women scrambling about in the command center, whilst Saffira stood still to the Director's side. The CIS agent pursed her lips as she gathered the courage to broach a subject she knew Eilling had been deliberately ignoring this whole time.
"Ma'am, it might be wise to evacuate now." Saffira finally said. "Megastorm Mistral is projected to hit Atlas Point in about 2 hours. If you don't leave now you'll be-"
"Stuck here and in deep trouble." Eilling interrupted. "I know the drill, Agent Hedder. This isn't the first Megastorm I've had to weather."
The younger woman took a deep breath to maintain her composure. Director Eilling was known to be a stubborn one, especially once she's set her mind on something. Dislodging her will not be an easy task. Chatter from below filled the silence as the security crew in charge of defending Atlas Point were doing what they can to stall the enemy advance. Atlas Point's own Gunfighter and Gundiver teams present on Atlas were being directed to where they're needed most, be it in the air or on the platforms that make up the giant facility.
From what Saffira was able to piece together from the chatter, things aren't going well. Even though allied Mobile Suit teams were able to take on the swarms of the enemy's own MS, the horde of infantry and conventional vehicles proved to be a larger challenge. Atlas Point's security forces, even when supplemented by Navy Marines, weren't enough to hold back the tide. Platform 9 was damn near overwhelmed with field commanders sounding a general retreat from the sector with plans of scuttling the section.
"Director, please reconsider." Saffira all but begged. "We don't know how much longer security will be able to hold back the enemy. If you're still here once Megastorm Mistral sweeps the Point, you'll be trapped here with them."
"I'm well aware of the risks, Agent Hedder." Eilling declined once more.
"With all due respect, Ma'am. If you're truly aware of the danger heading for us, then why do you still refuse to evacuate?"
A ghost of a smile graced the Director's face as she turned to Saffira.
"It's simple, dear Saffira." Eilling said with a light chuckle.
The Director turned to the messy desk behind her and picked up a datapad that she had previously left there. She swiped a few times to the right and then tapped on a few buttons before handing it over to the CIS agent waiting on her.
Saffira took the datapad with a befuddled expression. The younger woman couldn't understand what could be holding the Director from evacuating until she took a good look at what exactly was on screen... at which point, her confusion was replaced by surprise.
"This... but this is-"
Currently being tracked on the Director's datapad was none other than the Space Force's Squadron 13, at the head of which was the ship that her younger brother was serving in.
"That-" Eilling pointed. "-is my gambit to win this war."
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"Atlas Point Control, this is Lieutenant Dera Bullow, commanding the Shanxi Fleet's 13th Squadron!" Bullow called into the battle network. "We are dangerously low on ammunition and are in desperate need of resupply!"
"This is Atlas Point Control. We hear you loud and clear, Lieutenant." Came the response. "We've got a berth ready for a hot resupply, please proceed in the following... hang on I'm... please stand by."
The man previously speaking to Bullow had suddenly interrupted himself. A tightness formed in Bullow's chest, worried that Squadron 13 would instead be turned away.
A few seconds of waiting turned into minutes, though it felt like it dragged on for an eternity. Bullow began impatiently bouncing her right foot as she waited for the man to get back to her. Eventually, the acting captain couldn't take it anymore.
"Atlas Control, what's going on?" Bullow called on the battle network. "Atlas Control, please respond!"
"Sorry Lieutenant, I've just been given a change of plans for you." The man said, damn near giving Bullow a heart attack had he stopped there. "Squadron 13, please proceed to berth 11 through 13 on Platform 2."
Relief immediately washed over the Lieutenant, who was only so happy to comply.
"Thank you, Atlas Control. We're on course." She said.
With the course charted, the three ships of Squadron 13 started making their way to the designated berth. The air of relief spread from Bullow to the rest of the bridge crew, as they were finally getting the desperately needed resupply they've been looking forward to for weeks. Everyone had simply taken their directions for granted, and it wasn't until Verns himself realized where they were headed that he noticed something was off.
"Hang on, Atlas Point's arsenal is at Platform 6." The blonde man pointed out. "Platform 2 is RD."
Only once pointed out did people realize the strangeness of it all.
"Maybe the boys at logistics took over RD's loading berths to help unclog the resupply process?" Kessler suggested. "I mean, in an emergency like this, you'd want to be able to resupply as many ships as you could simultaneously, right?"
"That's possible," Verns entertained the idea. "But if my memory hasn't failed me, then berths 10 through 20 are directly attached to the research labs... it's not going to be easy to funnel supplies from the armory through there. It doesn't make a lot of sense to resupply us through there."
A light atmosphere of uncertainty spread throughout the bridge as the crew took the chance to consider what Verns said.
"Whatever the case may be," Bullow dismissed the concerns. "this is the only opportunity we have to resupply. Helm, take us in!"
The three ships of Squadron 13, Risima, Monty, and Darrian, approached their designated ship berths. Docking clamps locked down on each ship before lifting them up from the sea. To the side of each berth was a loading crew, who were ready to begin the resupply operation as soon as they were given the green light.
As Bullow gave the go ahead to begin, Kessler
"Lieutenant, I've got a call for you coming in from Atlas!"
"From who?"
"One moment..." Kessler said, before unmuting his the microphone and talking to the caller again. "I-it's... It's Director Eilling, ma'am!"
The Director? What reason could someone of Eilling's caliber possibly have to privately call her? Bullow was filled with equal parts dread and curiosity... but eventually her curiosity won over.
"Alright, patch her through to the phone." The Acting Captain said, picking up the handset on her armrest and bringing it up to her ear.
"Lieutenant Bullow, this is Director Eilling." The call started. "Time is critical so I'll be brief. I'm afraid that we don't have any Gunstrikes left in storage to transfer to your squadron."
Surprise had shocked the Acting Captain into was not at all what she was expecting when she had originally set out to resupply at Atlas Point. There weren't any Gunstrikes left at all? That can't be!
"However, I can offer you something else as replacement, but only if you agree to my terms." The Director continued. "If you've any doubts on whether or not to accept, I'll add this... I'll get your career back on track. That blemish in your record from Operation Magic Spear? Consider it good as gone. Even Admiral Drescher won't be able to touch you."
"How did you-"
"Lieutenant, I run one of the most secure facility in the entire Solar Sphere." The Director preempted, her words rolling off in a very 'matter of fact' manner. "If I want information about something or someone, I will find it, one way or another."
Hesitation and uncertainty gripped Bullow.
Just how much about her past did the Director know?
And what exactly did she want her to do?
An indeterminate amount of time passed by in silence as the Acting Captain weighed her thoughts. The bridge crew had no clue what was going on between their CO and the Director.
It wouldn't be until Verns pierced the silence that things went back on track.
"Bullow." He called to her, having walked over from his station to stand beside the Captain's seat. "What's going on?"
"Some complications." She quickly responded.
The Acting Captain tensed her grip on the handset, the thoughts in her mind flying at a mile a second. There were too many unknown variables, too much uncertainty. For someone with a background at Fleet Intelligence, getting caught off guard like this has thrown Bullow into a loop. She sat at her seat staring blankly into space. A cold sweat formed on her brow as she calculated, and then recalculated the odds.
Try as she might, Bullow simply couldn't figure out what Eilling was playing at. She simply didn't know enough to make an educated guess... so after steeling herself, the Acting Captain took a leap of faith.
"Very well, Director." Bullow eventually answered. "What are your terms?"
-000-
"Blue Team, we've got new orders! RTB ASAP!" Kessler announced on the Battle Network, catching me off guard.
While I was distracted, an enemy fighter buzzed me, flying dangerously close. I pivoted my suit mid air, using the maneuvering thrusters normally reserved for zero-g flight to rotate myself and get a lock on the offending plane. I took a snap shot, firing as soon as the targeting reticule turned red. The first shot missed, flying wide to its right. The second clipped the enemy's left wing, causing a small explosion and sending the craft into a downward spiral.
Why was Kessler giving the order, and not Verns? Something was up.
"Kessler, what's going on? Where's Verns?"
"I was getting to that." The Warrant Officer answered. "I'm not too sure on the details... Hell, I'm not sure Lieutenant Bullow does either, but you need to RTB at the Risima and link up with Verns in Atlas. Something about securing the reinforcement mobile suits."
Hearing that left me aghast, confused, and incredulous.
"What? Why me? We've got a bunch of other pilots on reserve!" I protested.
Pulling me out of the front just so that I could go pick up some spare mobile suits was insane! Just what the hell was Bullow thinking?!
"Look, those were the terms Director Eilling gave Bullow." Kessler sighed, no doubt having shrugged on his end of the call. "She wanted you, Verns, and the kid-"
"Hey!" Rosen cut through.
"-to meet with her on Atlas Point in exchange for reinforcements."
None of this makes any sense! Why were we being pulled out of the front just to pick up spare machines? I had no clue what kind of nonsense our crew just got caught in, but I wasn't liking it one bit.
"Tch, fine." I finally answered. "Blue Team is RTB. Ensign Rico, get ready to swap machines with me once I land! You and Raszchak are on CAP duty while I'm gone."
What was left unsaid was who would be taking Rosen's spot... or more accurately, that nobody would be. I highly doubted that Golden Beacon's technicians would allow a Congressional pilot to use Rosen's Hroeger, which realistically meant all Risima had to rely on was the two undamaged Gunstrikes.
Suffice to say, Director Eilling damn well better have a very good reason... because things weren't looking good for us.
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Rosen and I ran as fast as our legs could take us. Landing back at Risima and letting Rico take over my machine had gone smoothly, though the same couldn't exactly be said of the rest of the ordeal. The two of us were running against the current of supplies currently being loaded into the Space Cruiser, dodging left and right to avoid the horde of forklifts and flatbeds running towards our ship. As the two of us rushed past the vehicles, I could barely spot the markings on the boxes being hauled - ammunition, coolant, medical supplies, and a few who's marking I couldn't entirely make out. It took us a few near misses and angry horns from the flatbed drivers before we reached the tram that would take us deeper into Platform 2, to wherever it was that we were supposed to go.
We were the only two occupying the tram. Everyone else was -presumably- busy doing whatever duties they had. Evacuation alarms had been sounding the entire time we've been here, so it's likely that only a skeleton crew remained. With the ride being quiet save for the sound of the tram itself, Rosen decided to break the silence.
"So, Lieutenant..." She began. The young pilot was swinging her feet to pass the time. Poor girl was probably bored through hell and back. "Why do you think we're being called down here?"
"Honestly? I was kinda hoping you'd know." I jokingly answered. "Did Director Eilling tell you anything, back when she gave you the tour, or..."
"Hmm, nothing that I can remember." Rosen replied, scrunching her brows together as she genuinely tried to recall if the Director told her anything during the tour.
We shared our own speculations as the tram ride continued, but we really couldn't pin anything down... at least not with what we knew. By the end of our little commute, we figured that asking Verns or the Director would probably be the best way... no, the only way to get answers.
The two of us arrived at our destination shortly, with Verns waiting for us leaning by the door. He appeared somewhat disgruntled, with a scowl freely forming on his normally stoic face.
"I'm guessing you've no clue what we're doing here either?" I preemptively asked.
"I've got a few ideas, but nothing solid." Verns answered, frustration not even hidden in his voice. "I've been waiting for the Director for a while now. Hopefully she'll finally give us a straight answer... whenever it is she'll get here."
So we waited some more.
Waited.
Even when the floor beneath us began to shake from explosions, we waited.
Not like we had a choice in the matter.
It felt like forever, but the waiting eventually came to an end when another tram arrived carrying familiar faces.
"Saff?" Verns asked as he saw his sister step off the tram, surprise evident in his eyes even through the goggles he wore. "I thought the CIS office evaced hours ago?"
"Most of the main office left with the Super Garudas earlier, yeah." Saffira answered, a soft smile gracing her face as she greeted her younger brother. "I'm stuck escorting the old lady though."
From behind the tall intelligence agent came Director Eilling, who was dwarfed by the two Hedders in the room.
"Greetings, pilots." She said, walking past us and straight towards the door we had waited by for what felt like ages. She seemed almost entirely unapologetic for this fact, her expression composed and unbothered. It was rather strange that she was so calm, given everything that was going down outside.
"I apologize for making you wait for so long, but it'll all be worth it, I assure you." She continued.
Director Eilling pressed her palm on a terminal screen, which then came to life as it scanned her biometrics. The door unlocked then slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing a sterile looking though dimly lit hallway.
"Follow me." She then simply said.
The Director's actions were so abrupt, we pilots didn't even have the time to process what the hell was going on until she had already stepped through the doorway. The three of us looked to Saffira for answers, but all she could give us was an apologetic expression and a shrug.
With no other real options on hand, we did as the Director said and followed behind her.
The walk down the hallway was quiet, eerily so. None of us could muster the courage to ask her just what the hell was going on, and why she dragged us down here when we were sorely needed for the defense of Atlas Point. It was a very long hallway to boot, with locked doors coming up on the sides every now and again. It was almost absurd how long we'd been walking before we finally reached an elevator. It was an odd looking one, with a metal frame holding together and frosted glass for walls. All five of us filed in before Director Eilling closed the door and pressed the button on the bottom of the control panel. We began our descent even deeper into the facility in silence, with only the occasional bump in the elevator's guide rails and mechanical hum of the motors keeping us company.
A moment passed before someone finally broke the silence.
"Soo..." Rosen spoke up, probably sick and tired of the tense quiet. "Director, what are we doing here?"
Eilling stifled a chuckle when she heard that question. I guess she found our confusion amusing? Well, I guess I would too if I held the cards and was leading a bunch of people around who had no clue what I was doing.
"I was wondering when one of you would ask." Eilling said, an expression of mirth forming on her face.
Was... was that really all it would've taken to get the Director to cough up some answers? To ask?
Ridiculous.
"As you may very well know," Director Eilling began, walking closer to the frosted glass wall opposite from the elevator door. "The Congressional Armed Forces' inventory of machines and weaponry aren't as... advanced, as it used to be. Low level counter-insurgency operations against small separatist warbands doesn't exactly make for good incentive to develop new systems. It wasn't until the Hroegers... machines like your own, Rosen... started coming into play that Congress realized the technological gap between us and our adversaries have started to shrink."
Eilling seemed to stare through the opaque glass wall, looking straight through the obstruction and looking right at whatever was on the other side. After a brief moment, she turned back towards us.
"That cannot stand." She then said, her face having taken a stern expression. "Thus was launched the Advanced Stellar Technologies Program, a modernization campaign meant to rejuvenate the CAF from its aging post-crisis state. The results are well known and speak for itself. The Curran Class Destroyers and Chariot Class Cruisers -the most advances ships mankind has ever produced- now make up the bulk of the Space Force's fleet."
This was all information I already knew, of course. I'm an officer in the Space Force, and had the distinct pleasure of serving in one of the older Schnee Class Destroyers just as they were being phased out. The difference in capability was staggering...
And yet, I'm still no closer to figuring out why the Director dragged us down here.
Perhaps sensing my thoughts, the Director gave me a small smile then turned around once more, facing the frosted glass wall. This time, she pressed her fingers into the glass, conjuring up a holographic UI that caught me completely by surprise.
"What's not as well known is the parallel MS development that's been lagging far behind." Eilling continued. "Despite having studied Prothean Mass Effect technologies for over a century now, our mastery of it still leaves much to be desired. We've been able to integrate them into our ships, but downscaling the technology to fit inside a mobile suit has been a different challenge altogether. Efforts to develop a mobile suit equipped with a hybrid Minovsky/Eezo core has only been met with abject failure... until now."
The Director's words trailed off as she inputted commands into the opaque glass wall which I'm only now realizing was actually an oversized digital screen. A sort of digital slider appeared on the wall, and with a swipe of her fingers Eilling quickly turned the opaque frosted glass into one that was crystal clear.
What stood on the other side caught us pilots by surprise.
We were in a massive hangar of sorts, with the elevator taking us down to ground floor. On the far end of the hangar, on the opposite end from where our elevators were, stood three machines... mobile suits. Their armor were angular compared to the Gunstrikes, pointed diamond-like shapes made up its silhouette giving it an aggressive appearance. The twin chest vents were moved from the torso's center towards the side, thrusters were squared instead of the usual rounded shapes. Despite being taller than the Space Force's workhorse machine, it somehow appeared slimmer, leaner than the Gunstrike. It was most definitely a unique design, especially given the bright tricolor scheme it had been painted in.
"No way!" Rosen all but squealed, pressing her face onto the now transparent wall, trying to get a closer look at the machine we were looking at.
For once, I shared her excitement. Getting to see... this... was not something I thought would ever happen in my lifetime.
"My God... those machines..." was all Verns could mutter out, shock evident in his face. The man even went as far to slide his goggles upwards, as if somehow looking at the machine unfiltered by his prescription eyewear could somehow change what stood before us.
I couldn't blame him though. I couldn't believe it at first either... but there was no doubt.
The crest and V-fin.
The twin eyes.
The scowling vents on its faceplate.
A flurry of emotions nearly choked my voice before it could leave my mouth, but I found the strength to say those words I never dreamed of saying.
"I-it's... It's a Gundam!"
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A/N: Yeah, I'm sure most of y'all saw this one coming a mile away lmao. I haven't exactly been subtle with the direction I've been pushing the story and I've already seen some comments saying they feel a Gundam is coming soon. Well, congrats chief, you're right. Sadly I can't hand out prizes for correctly guessing a Gundam was coming since I've gone and commissioned another bit of art for the Gundam's debut!
I'm not gonna bother trying to finangle with FFNet's whole filters, so just look my username (QuattroBacheema) on the website that starts with Deviant and ends with Art. It should be uploaded by the time this chapter goes live.
At any rate, after the next chapter the fic will have crossed the halfway point... I hope. The current plan is to have the story over in 2 or 3 more arcs, so that's around 12-18 chapters. Starting with the next arc, things will escalate further. Progress writing chapters might slow down a bit though, since I do a lot of writing during my commutes on the FFNet app and the editor's been on the fritz lately.
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THIS WORK IS CROSSPOSTED IN FFNET AND AO3