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The Nasr Fleet, the five Salamis warships, a Columbus-class carrier, and a trio of Publics, was situated several thousand kilometers off of Luna II, the Federation's massive asteroid headquarters for the EFSF. Having headed to the base for much needed repairs on the warships, the fleet's commanding officer, Arcaile Nasr organized a friendly duel between some of the fleet's pilots. He himself was piloting one of the fleet's GM Es, while fellow Salamis captain Altecha Chan was similarly piloting one of the Nasr fleet's mobile suits. Both of the captains, along with fighter ace Cherish Woods, formed one team. Opposing them in their paintball duel was a trio of experienced mobile suit pilots. David Renault and Candice Ro were both piloting their mainstay GM Es, while Danyan Jhouty piloted the experimental GM Juggler. "Alright, gentlemen and ladies," Edward Yu, the Sleipner's communications officer, announced over the radio, "You all know the rules. 100mm paintball machineguns only. As a neutral observer, I shall take note of the 'damage,' and I will declare you dead when appropriate." A chorus of acknowledgments and "Let's get this on!" filtered over the radio. "On my mark," Edward continued. "Three...two...one...MARK!" At Edward's command, the five mobile suits and the Saberfish II powered up and throttled to full power. Cherish's Saberfish streaked forward at top speed, easily dodging both David's and Candice's opening machinegun volleys, and maneuvered between the two GMs. Both pilots swiftly swiveled their mobile suits, tracking the quick Saberfish. Dani ignored the charging fighter and focused on the opposing GM Es, both of which began firing their paintball weapons. He dodged in the GM Juggler, avoiding most of the rounds, only taking several small blobs of red paint. Closing swiftly, he powered his mobile suit upwards, avoiding another string of paintballs and letting his own burst against Arcaile's GM. "I don't think so!" Arcaile yelled, hitting his suit's thrusters, maneuvering downwards and out of the burst's path. His comrade Altecha charged towards the GM Juggler, firing rapidly with his own 100mm paintball gun. Dani swiftly hit his controls, maneuvering the Juggler out of the path of the paintballs. A heavy engagement began between the two GM Es and the Juggler, and a vicious cycle of circling, counter-circling, avoiding, and maneuvering began, a hideous volume of paintball rounds flying through space, several hitting each mobile suit. Meanwhile, Cherish was undaunted taking on Dani's two allied GM Es, dodging bursts and streams of paintballs. Banking swiftly and hitting the Saberfish's boosters, Cherish brought her fighter back around David's GM E, landing a furious series of paintball hits against the mobile suit. "Mr. Renault is dead!" Edward's voiced ringed in, biting into the radio silence. "Damnit!" David cursed, powering down his GM E. "Hehe," Cherish laughed, maneuvering her Saberfish back towards Candice. Dani, cursing David's demise, hit the brakes on the Juggler, turned towards the nearest GM, sending a swift burst from his paintball weapon, striking Arcaile's mobile suit square in the chest. "I'm sorry, sir," Edward cut in, "But you're dead." "Oh, curse it all," Arcaile yelled, slamming his fist into the forward console of the GM. "Confounded mobile suits." The GM Juggler throttled back to full speed, dodging another burst from Altecha. "I shall avenge you!" Altecha said, charging after the maneuvering Juggler, sending stream after stream of paintballs after the experimental mobile suit. Dani barely managed to dodge most of the rounds, several more red splotches appearing on his suit. "I will get you!" Altecha yelled. After another few moments of intense fire, his rounds were spent, his machinegun empty. "Aw shit..." "Eat it," Dani replied, knowing that his opponent was finally out of rounds. Turning the Juggler towards the GM E, he plastered Altecha's mobile suit with blue paint. "You're out, Mr. Chan," the voice of the Sliepner's communications officer announced. "Aw, damnit," Altecha said sadly, powering down his mobile suit. Dani turned his GM Juggler towards Candice and Cherish. Both female pilots were circling, Cherish easily dodging most of Candice's rounds, her Saberfish significantly more nimble than the GM E's pilot expected. "Hold still!" Candice said, exacerbated. "No can do," Cherish replied, banking her Saberfish to one side, dodging a burst from the GM E. She suddenly had to bank hard again, dodging a second burst from the incoming GM Juggler. "Two of you? Piece of cake." "Don't think so," Dani answered, swerving her mobile suit around a stream of paintballs from the Saberfish. Both the Juggler and the GM E circled the Saberfish, dodging the occasional rounds from Cherish, but the two mobile suit pilots had the edge. They followed close behind, as Cherish, now desperate, made a break for the Nasr Fleet, hoping to find safety within the Salamis's from the two mobile suits. It was not to be, as Candice got in a lucky burst from her paintball machinegun, showering the Saberfish with blue paint. "You're dead, Ms. Woods," Edward announced over the radio. "Damnation," Cherish replied, throttling back on her Saberfish. "It wasn't a fair fight," Arcaile cut back in. "Next time, we'll duel with the Salamis's and your mobile suits. That'd be an excellent fight." Dani coughed. "No it wouldn't." "You guys are just sore losers," Candice said, giddy from the victory. Danyan Jhouty: 2 VP gained, 1 Day Damaged David Renault: 3 VP gained, 1 Day Damaged Candice Ro: 3 VP gained, 1 Day Damaged Cherish Woods: 1 VP gained, 1 Day Damaged Arcaile Nasr: 2/2 VP gained Altecha Chan: 2/2 VP gained It is real tense on the European front for the Federal forces. But tension is very often broken by sudden outbreaks of activity. Right now, it is quiet. The EFGF crews involved know that the quiet would be shattered any moment now. A Federation Dish aircraft flies lazily at high altitude overhead. Below them, Charles Freely lay flat on the European soil. He gave silent thanks for the Gundam Ground Type's periscope, which peeks up and over at the horizon. The trouble with this confrontation is that Freely knows his opponent is in a GM Sniper II. If Freely makes too much noise with his Gundam Ground Type, he can be hit before he can hear the bang of the ballistic sniper rifle. With this in mind, he left the storage pack behind. The weight of the container and the wide profile is too much to even gamble on. Holding the 305mm GM Bazooka and his beam rifle, Freely instead gambled his chances on the Dish aircraft. If the plane can find the two opposing Federation suits, then Freely can maneuver himself into a winning position. On the other end of this duel, the lone GM jogged forward in full plain view. The pilot hates being bait, but what can he do? Just pray that the Gundam Ground Type out there stirs enough for Dino Fiddler to put one in him. As for Fiddler, he's getting restless. While his GM Sniper II can pick out targets far out, shooting a high altitude plane like the Dish is just a waste of his efforts. He needs his bait to draw out Freely before the Dish can find him. "Ah, crud." Freely watches as the lonesome GM aimlessly wander in front of him. If he doesn't move, the GM might just wander by. But if the GM sees him, the GM may get the drop on him before he could react. If the GM got close enough, however… Then the opportunity presented itself. The GM stopped a mere fifty meters away and Freely drops his GM Bazooka on the ground. His beam saber screams to life as he lunges at the GM. If he can take the GM down fast, then he can move before Fiddler can fire on him. Freely's beam saber connects. It misses the shield on the GM's left arm and bit into the left shoulder joint. The GM, flailing as it lands on its back with the Freely on top, started shooting wildly with its head vulcans. The Gundam Ground Type's pilot allowed himself a smile when something knocked him off the GM. The Gundam Ground Type's head is snapped off from the shot to the neck. Immediately, Freely lost his cameras as his beam rifle blasts in what he felt is the general direction of Fiddler. The GM Sniper II saw the streaks of beam fire harmlessly going past him. He knew he won, but then he blew off the Gundam Ground Type's left arm holding the beam rifle to keep his fellow Federal pilot from doing too much collateral damage. Dino Fiddler - 10 VP gained, 2 days damage Charles Freely - 8 VP gained, 3 days damage The continent of Africa saw enormous warfare over the last few months. Today is no exception. Dirt bursts in huge explosions as 100mm rounds pepper the ground. An empty magazine is dropped but is blown over a hundred meters away as powerful thrusters jetted hot gases. Tobias Kendrick Obrien, test pilot of the EFGF, lifts the GM S-Type into the air over his colleague. Hector Lagrama released the trigger on his machinegun as he swung the arm shield on his left arm. He misses the GM S-Type's midsection but manages to strike Obrien's right leg. This sent the test pilot spinning his assault mobile suit over the Gundam Ground Type into the ground beyond. Legrama spun his mobile suit around and empties the rest of the magazine at Obrien. But the more experienced pilot rolled as he gunned the GM S-type's engines again. More 100mm rounds tore open the ground as Obrien charges the Gundam Ground Type. They very quickly clashed with their beam sabers, their 100mm machineguns falling to the ground, useless. A series of parries are exchanged as the feet of their mobile suits tore open the ground even more. Suddenly, the teeth Lagrama's arm shield struck the reactive armor of Obrien's reactive armor. Lagrama used a parry as an opportunity to attack. But the Federation pilot neglected the possibility of Obrien punching his Gundam Ground Type in the face. In response, the Gundam Ground Type's vulcan gun spitted neglectful fire into the reactive armor as both mobile suits crashed into the ground. But even then, the duel wasn't over. Obrien guns his thrusters as he sent the pair bouncing and smashing the Gundam Ground Type into the ground. A very exhilarating minute later, the GM S-type stood up with a creak as Obrien stare down at the collapsed Gundam Ground Type. Tobias - 10 VP gained, 2 days damage Hector - 8 VP gained, 3 days damage |