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It was a quiet night, by the standards of California Base. There were still the sounds of the Pacific Ocean in the distance, as well as those of the night shift going about their duties. Eerie light illuminated the surrounding hills of the city of San Fransisco, the full moon shifting between partial and full obscurity behind dense clouds. Just outside of the harbor, the U-996 and it's skipper, Laurent Auclair, sat silently, awaiting his mercenary compliment to join him. It was a meeting fated to never take place. Groups of men not in Zeon uniforms lingered around the base, little notice paid to them by the bored and tired guard crew. They had been invited, likely another group of people thinking they could gain their terrestrial independence for some third-string country by helping the Zeon fight. It was always better to have someone else die for your country's ideal, whether or not they were your enemy at the time didn't matter. In one of these groups, Zeon expatriot, Scarth Maheart, formerly Trancredo Leonardo, gave out his final instructions before heading toward his Zaku. With minutes remaining until the target time, he and his crew of terrorists and mercenaries steeled their nerves and wills and readied themselves for the chaos soon to come. Scarth's own thoughts were with his deceased family, and whether or not he would join them once more at the end of this night. The pocketwatch in his hand struck midnight, and the world errupted into sound and motion. Explosions, bright and violent in the subtle moonlight, ripped through the base, the timed charges located under the pilots barracks bursting into a fiery ball of light and intense heat. Screams and shouts began soon after, half-dressed soldiers and stunned sentries moving about in confused circles. Inside his Zaku I, Scarth sited his 880mm Raketen bazooka, one of the single most potent weapons in the Zeonic arsenal, on the nearest mobile suit hangar. With a gout of flame and shriek, the large warhead rocketed into the building, exploding within and killing several mechanics who were unfortunate enough to be working late. While the explosion was not enough to destroy the mobile suits within, it would make getting to them and getting them out more difficult. "Alright boys, you know the plan. Let's go," Scarth spoke, the throat mic transmitting his words to the Zaku Cannon and Gouf behind him, both of whom had begun firing at nearby buildings, leaving debris and flaming wreckage behind. The three mobile suits moved foward, escorting the two giant transport trucks that rumbled along behind them. Overhead, the Gunship Heli swept its 60mm in overlapping arcs anywhere groups of soldiers managed to gather themselves. Proceeded by a wave of destruction, chaos, and death, the group of rogues moved foward toward the Ship Yards. Away from the chaos, Garma Zabi stumbled his private quarters wearing silk, personalized pajamas, a gift from his sister Kycilia for his last birthday. His recently appointed bodyguard, SS Obersturmfuhrer Jennifer Morales was already in the hallway awaiting him, wearing combat boots in addition to the lycra excercise shorts and sports top. In her hands was an assault rifle, which dissauded any thoughts as to her current state of dress, she probably slept with that thing more than any men. Around her were half a dozen SS Panzergrenadiers in full combat load, their massive MG-3s covering any potential entrance. "General Zabi, we're getting you out of here and to the Viktoria Luise!! Keep quiet, stay low, and follow me!" Morales shouted as more explosions rumbled through the air. They seemed closer than before. Garma only nodded, not quite the fighter his brother Dozle was, and after his last combat sortie, was not exactly thrilled with the idea of fighting once more. The SS Officer issued several hand signals, and the group of Panzergrenadiers began moving toward the nearest exit, two ahead, two brushing uncomfortably close to Garma, two covering the rear. Morales herself moved several steps ahead of the youngest Zabi. Closer to the Ship Yards, Scarth and his crew had run into problems. Four J-Type Zaku IIs that had been outside of the hangar on patrol or sentry duty, it didn't matter which at the moment, had been able to slow the advance of the heavy transports. Their aerial support, the Gunship Heli, had been taken down by 120mm machinegun fire, but it's destruction had given the three mobile suits enough time to move behind cover. Swivelling his Zaku I around the edge of the building he was hiding behind, Scarth fired another shot from his raketen, the rocket bursting through the flimsy building it's target had been using for cover and impacting on the back of the Zaku II, destroying the mobile suit, and in turn, most of the building it was hiding behind. It's partner, also using the building for cover, was pushed backwards by the detonation, and destroyed by 35mm fire from Scarth's Gouf partner. Seeing their fellow pilots death, the remaining two Zakus decided to attack, one wheeling around and firing wildly as his Zaku charged foward, the other leaping up and pulling out a heat hawk. The Zaku Cannon levelled it's shoulder-mounted cannon and fired a high-velocity round straight through the cockpit of the charging Zaku even as two 120mm rounds impacted and detroyed the left arm of his mobile suit at the shoulder. Scarth aimed his bazooka toward the airborne Zaku and fired just as the machine reached the apex of it's jump, knocking it from the sky in flames. It fell heavily through the roof of a nearby building. "Keep moving!" Scarth shouted, setting his Zaku I into a jogging pace. "They'll be sending suits from the ships soon!!" His two subordinates gave short affirmatives and set off after him, the two transports rumbling along behind once more. Mama.. Papa.. Amadora.. Agosto.. Crystal.. Would you be proud of me now? I want to say I do this for you, but the dead do not wish vengeance. Is this act just my own selfish desires, and is it to kill them or to be killed by them like you? Scarth broke from his reverie as an explosion blossomed behind him, likely the fuel tanks of the Zaku he knocked out of the sky cooking off. Whatever his reasons may have been, they didn't matter now. The only thing that mattered was completing this final act, come whatever may after. To both Garma and Jennifer's relief, they made it to the Gaw with relatively little trouble. The airstrip did not appear to be the terrorists target, nor any of the craft there. But the orange glow and columns of black rising from elsewhere in the base erased any other optimistic thoughts. Two Zaku II Gs, the improved Ground Types made after the development of the Gouf, were already set up on guard outside of the giant ship. "Captain, get this Gaw airborn as soon as I'm off. Circle the base until you get the all clear from me, understand?" Morales instructed the captain of the Viktoria Luise even as she made her way back toward her personal Gouf Custom, her soldier's instincts kicking in. Her appointment as Garma's bodyguard had been at Gihren's request, likely to appease his father. Well, the spoiled brat was safe now, and there were enemies to fight inside of California Base. Her Gouf was prepared before her arrival, the flight crew having been informed to ready it at the slightest sign of trouble. The black-hued machine stepped from the Gaw and joined the two Zakus already outside, the giant carrier taxi'ing down the runway soon after, taking to flight and rising steadily in the night sky. Thumbing her communications switch, Jennifer sent a message over the general Zeon combat frequency. "This is Morales, give me a sit-rep." A Magella Tank appeared from around the corner of a warehouse, and was destroyed under a hail of 35mm fire almost as quickly as it appeared. Scarth's crew had not run into serious resistance yet, but having to respond to the tanks, helicopters, and fighters that did appear was slowing their progress more than he wished. They were only perhaps a hundred, maybe a hundred and fifty yards from the Ship Yard now, but this was the most dangerous part of the operation. The element of surprise was lost, and any forces that could respond were, and they knew what to look for. "Alright, I think that was the last of 'em. Move it foward, let's finish this.." Scarth ordered, the two transport trucks rolling ahead of the mobile suits, who positioned themselves to cover. In the distance, secondary explosions caused by the fires igniting fuels and ammunitions echoed, the harbor eerily silent. All three rogues felt the thrill of victory creeping through their bodies, their objective was theirs and they may just survive to fight another day as well. The roar of automatic fire broke the sense of optimism, the Zaku Cannon and it's pilot jerking oddly before disappearing in a flower of fire and red-hot metal. "I told Garma to keep you under twenty-four hour survellience, no matter what that fool Auclair said." the cold voice of a woman crackled over Maheart's headset, the black Gouf Custom appearing from the heavy smoke, flanked by two high-performance Zaku models. "Luckily, I'm here to clean this mess up." Scarth's raketen spouted flame almost before the SS Officer's speech was finished, the projectile missing the already dodging Gouf Custom but catching one of the flanking Zakus on the arm, exploding violent and throwing the haplass mobile suit off balance and smashing into a nearby warehouse. "Gihren's not training his people like he use to! Kill first, talk later!!!" Scarth shouted as he moved his Zaku away from the new arrivals, as well as away from the transports. "In my day, that's how you fanatics did things. Kill first, ask questions later." The rogue Gouf moved slowly in a circling motion, attempting to flank the two operable Zeon mobile suits, but stopped suddenly in place, moving in a random jerking fashion before smoke puffed from the joints and head of the mobile suit. With a clank, the cable fired from Morales' Gouf Custom released and was wheeled back in as the Zaku II fired several shots into the chest of the disabled Gouf, killing the pilot. Spinning from behind cover, Scarth screamed in rage, more the sound of an enraged animal than that of a human, and his bazooka spat flame for the fifth time, the round impacting on the Zaku and destroying it in a massive ball of fire. "I see killing people that can't fight back is still the Zeon way!" Scarth shouted, aiming the massive weapon quickly Morales way. "And killing sleeping pilots is any better?!" Morales shot back, firing the attached 75 mm gatling gun in a brief burst toward the Zaku I, quickly releasing the weapon as the Zaku finished training the weapon on her to shed weight and move her Gouf away from the incoming rocket. A sixth and final gout of flame burst from the bazooka, the projectile skimming feet away from the quickly moving Gouf Custom, sailing well inland before detonating inside of a vehicle storage garage. "I was once like you, girl. They had me believing their bullshit stories, even well after I knew they were as bad as the people we were fighting against. My family paid for my stupidity!" Scarth declared as he dropped the empty bazooka, pulling out his heat hawk and raising his puncher shield. Morales withdrew the heat saber stored in her Gouf shield, her mobile suit poised to launch toward the outdated Zaku. "You are nothing like me, old man." Morales spoke through grit teeth. "You've sold out your countrymen for pointless revenge." The black Gouf burst foward, shield pushed ahead and ready to be thrust foward. "You left your honor behind the day you became nothing but a petty terrorist!" With one arm, Scarth swung his heat hawk to meet the charging mobile suit, the shield raising to meet the heated blade. As the red edge melted into the shield, Morales slammed her fist into the release button, explosive charges pushing the shield and the weapon cutting into it away. Scarth's Zaku was unable to compensate, and the hand released the weapon. Before either hit the ground, Morales was thrust the heat saber foward, aiming for the older mobile suits cockpit. Taking advantage of the quick reaction time on the older suits, Scarth shifted his mobile suit aside, swinging his puncher shielded arm up into the sword arm of the Gouf Custom even as the saber's blade sunk into the upper torso of the Zaku I near the shoulder joint. The Gouf's arm was damaged by the attack, the fingers going limp and leaving the quickly cooling blade behind. "No! My honor was gone long before I left Zeon! I sacrificed my honor the day I ignored my heart and followed Gihren straight to the gates of Hell!" Scarth shouted as he ripped the saber from his mobile suit with his opposite arm. Morales backpedaled swiftly, firing the three-barrelled 35mm machinegun into the Zaku at point blank range, destroying the head and causing further damage to the torsor, several rounds landing near the cockpit. The Zaku I fell backward, smoke pouring from the mobile suit. "Now..." Morales spat as she aimed the arm with the 35 mm guns at one of the now still transport trucks, "I'll take care of your friends. Did you expect to steal a ship from here and escape with it? How much did the Federation pay for your wasted lives?" A cough and wheezing laughter replied to her, "Who said we intended to escape?" The cryptic statement caused Morales to pause just a moment, and in that moment, the two transport trucks disappeared, replaced by expanding orbs of fire and death, the shockwave pushing Morales' Gouf backward and blinding all of her external cameras. Throwing her Gouf's thrusters to full, Morales retreated from the inferno, landing and falling backward into an already heavily damaged warehouse as the roar of the explosion rang in her ears. After what seemed days, the rumbling stopped and Morales popped the hatch open and climbed from her mobile suit. The destruction was utter, what remained of the Ship Yards was twisted and black, if it wasn't still on fire. Jennifer couldn't tell if the silence was real, or if the explosion had damaged her ear drums, but she still moved foward. Scarth Maheart had perpetrated this attack, and if he was still alive, he'd wish he wasn't. But when she got within sight of where he had fallen, the sight that presented itself shocked her.The Zaku, which had lying on it's back was now on its side, it's back facing toward the shipyard. The cockpit hatch was open, dark slickspots on the seat and the controls, but there was no pilot in sight. Outside the harbor, Laurent Auclair stared dumbfounded at the glowing orange and hanging black that covered California Base from the outside of his Jukon II, his XO Erwin Benevides emerging from the nearby hatch. "Sir... it's California Base." Benevides reported, pushing the paper in his hand toward the ship's commander. "I know that... I can see it from here. Was it Federals?" Laurent asked numbly, wondering if he should go back to help or submerge in case there was a Federal naval group on the way. "No sir... it was Maheart and his crew..." Erwin replied, handing the paper to Laurent. All Auclair could do was spit a curse into the uncaring sea as California Base burned. Scarth Maheart: 11 VP gained, Missing and Presumed Dead, Hated By Zeon Laurent Auclair: 1 VP gained, no damage Vereschagin fleet sets up a blockade in Synapses way. Synapse sees him and orders the fleet to turn around. Uses anti-beam missiles to stop long range beam fire from the Gwazine. Vereschagin fleet pursues, Gwazine too slow to catch up. Anton, previously captaining Falmel II, runs to his mobile suit. Synapse orders GMs and Balls to protect the convoy. Anton orders Zakus to hit the convoy and ignore the fleet. Same time, Admiral Hipper with Zakus, Darius and Ross show up behind the fleet, along with 12 Gattles sent from orbit. They bum rush the convoy. GMs do a lot of damage as the Zaku pilots are relatively inexperienced, but there aren't enough of them to protect the convoy and it is almost completely destroyed, as are the GMs. Meanwhile, the battleships are firing at each other as the supply fleet retreats. One Salamis Revised is sunk by the Oka Nieba, the Magellan sinks the Vindicator. Anton makes it to the convoy and destroys yet another columbus with his beam bazooka, leaving only 1 Columbus and 1 Transport craft left. Oka Nieba is ordered to pull off, not having enough firepower to contend with the entire battlegroup. Admiral Hipper is then also ordered to pull off for the same reason. The Zaku force disperses and the fleet retreats back to Luna II. Anton Vereschagin - 11 VP gained, 2 days damage Berthold Stulinger - 11 VP gained, 4 days damage, Guardian specialization gained John Church - 11 VP gained, 2 days damage Darius Carver - 11 VP gained, 3 days damage Ross Howe - 11 VP gained, 2 days damage |