|
February 3rd, Universal Century 0079. The Antarctic Treaty, signed four days before, had permanently changed the direction that this war, and any war, would follow. In the first month of the One Year War the Duchy of Zeon, and the elite cadre of mobile suit pilots that had trained for years for the very moment, had struck several decisive victories against the Earth Federation. At the start of the war a majority of military historians and analysts would say that victory for Zeon was completely impossible. The Earth Federation's combined space force outnumbered the Duchies by twenty to one on January first. Their capital grade battleship, the Magellan class, was more than a match for any Zeon ship save the monstrous Gwazine, of which the shipyards at New Belfast had at this point only built three. Nobody would have guessed that the first month of the war would be such a complete victory for the fledgling duchy, except possibly for the mobile suit pilots of the academy themselves. However, even in February, the numerical superiority of the Earth Federation was still very clear. The first week of the war had been a complete Zeon victory. The one week battle saw the total obliteration of the EFSF garrisons at Side's 1, 2 and 4, as well as Operation British, which destroyed not only a sizeable portion of the Australian continent, but also the near entirety of the Tianem fleet, which had engaged the MAF in an attempt to stop Island Iffish. The battle of Lourm on January 15th had been the real victory for Zeon however. Using the full extent of their mobile suit force, in some places even using elite Zaku pilots as cannon fodder, the SAF had delivered a crushing blow to the Earth Federation, and totally obliterated Side 5. If it hadn't been for the actions of the EFSF officer Commander Bernadotte, the entire EFSF 1st combined fleet may have been destroyed. Bernadotte had, with only 11 ships, stopped the SAF assault force for almost 20 minutes, and had also destroyed the first Gwazine class ship, the Spirit of Zeon. Even with these victories under the SAF and MAF's belt, the Earth Federation still had half its fleet intact, meaning it still outnumbered the ZMF ten to one. The fleet surrounding Earth Orbit was massive, and the majority of the Duchy's resources at this point were going towards freeing Orbit of the Federal presence, to make way for the newly established TAF's Earth Drop operation. Later skirmishes in the war, Operation Hellion and the battle of Canavel, would push the Earth Federations superiority down to a level where it was close to equal in number to the ZMF. However, on February third 0079, Shin Matsunaga stood at the bridge of his flagship, the Black Forest, eyeing an impressively large number of Earth Federation battleships. "Sir, we've confirmed the enemy numbers. Sixteen columbus class transports, thirteen Magellan class battleships and six Salamis class cruisers. Enemy is travelling under a 70% particle field, number of fighters and mobile pods unknown." Matsunaga nodded to the ensign, looking at the visual in front of him. This mission was daring, and to anyone who had recieved lesser training suicide. Matsunaga had been given five Musais and told to destroy an entire EFSF fleet. A month ago this would not only have been possible, it would be expected. But with the advent of the Antarctic Treaty, things had changed. A Zaku equipped with a nuclear bazooka could destroy a Magellan with two or three shots to the central hull, but an entire magazine of conventional ballistics may only destroy turrets. The Salamis class cruiser was a little different, its ship reactor was positioned directly underneath the most lightly armored portion of the ship, that being the bridge. However, all EFF battleships maintained a large amount of AA turrets around the bridge, meaning it took an excellent pilot to exploit this weakness. At Lourm the ratio of Magellans to Salamis in the EFSF fleet were equal, but now Magellans outnumbered Salamis two to one. Matsunaga hesitated a moment as he reviewed what he was up against, but his pride as Dozle Zabi's personal bodyguard would not let him fail. "Tell Vicky and Brandon to come back and refuel. Officer Bey, you said you had a letter for me?" Matsunaga said, looking at the 'intelligence' officer to his left. Special intelligence officer Ludwig Bey, one of Ghirens personal minions, had been placed on the Black Forest just before it left Solomon. The man wore a solid black uniform, typical of those who would later be referred to as Ghiren Zabis Schutzstaffel. Pulling a wax sealed letter out of his jacket, Bey smiled and hand delivered it to Matsunaga. It was a personal briefing from Gihren, to be read only when Matsunaga had decided the operation was possible. Matsunaga opened the letter quickly, uncomfortable with the atmosphere that generally surrounded Gihrens men. There was a good reason he placed himself as close to Dozle as he possibly could. Captain Shin Matsunaga of the Space Assault Force Musai class ship Black Forest, Your orders are as follows. Having intercepted the EFSF Helium 3 transport fleet, you will wait until 1100.02.03.0079. Intelligence has told us that at this time, they will begin docking procedures with the Jupiter Energy Fleet that arrived in the Earth Sphere four days ago. Attacking the Jupiter Development Enterprise Group is against the newly formed treaty, something I do not need to make aware to you. However, attacking the Helium 3 transport fleet is not against the treaty. You will use the JDEGs Jupitoris class ships as a shield and proceed to destroy this EFSF battlegroup as completely as you are able. For this mission I have seen that your ships are armed with the newest anti-ship conventional technology that the MAF has been able to procure. Victory to Zeon Gihren Zabi --- Shin closed the letter and stuffed it quickly into his jacket pocket. These tactics were deplorable, using a neutral fleet as a shield for a mobile suit detachment to advance. However, as most of the ZMF would come to realise in the coming months, and as Matsunaga already knew, a black uniform on his ship meant refusing orders was not a healthy option. Looking at intelligence officer Bey, the middle aged SAF ace saluted. "Very well. I am going to the mobile suit deck. I trust you will take command of the Black Forest, officer Bey?" The man in the black uniform nodded. Turning on his heel and hopping in the direction of the elevator that would carry him to the mobile suit deck, Matsunaga floated away from the bridge of the Black Forest, wishing he did not have to go through with this operation. The Black Forest and its four escorts had been hiding in a space colony that had been blown open in the One Week Battle, two Zaku II C's positioned just outside the colony to watch the advancing EFSF fleet. The Zaku II F had just started production the previous week, but at this time Matsunaga's unit was the only F type Zaku in the entire battlegroup. The MS-06 C and MS-06 F were very similar, the F merely having radiation coating armor removed to give it a bit more responsiveness and maneuverability. Sliding into his cockpit, Matsunaga, Solomons White Wolf, started the activation sequence of his white on grey colored mobile suit. For this mission his mobile suits had been equipped with chain mines, the first in a series of ultimately bad ideas on how a mobile suit could destroy a battleship with a conventional explosive. The chain mine was a string of explosives with a magnetic coating, which delivered an extremely large payload altogether. However, in order to use the weapon the Zaku had to get close enough to the target to actually sit on the thing, something a green pilot would not be able to do. However, Matsunaga and his men at this point were all survivors of Lourm, and were anything but green recruits. The signal coming from the Black Forests bridge, Zakus started launching from their ships, the Musais staying behind, maintaining radio silence. This would be a hit and run maneuver much like Lourm. If the Musais came into a direct firefight with that many Magellans, they would be obliterated. Twenty five Zakus launched from the colony at almost the same time, positioned in V formations, a point man with a Zaku on each wing, the five mobile suits maintaining contact with hands touching a wingmans units leg. Under a heavy minovski particle field radio communication was impossible, and while a ship could communicate with a Zaku via laser communications, Zakus did not have strong enough communications systems to punch through a heavy particle field. This issue was bypassed in part by a communications system that allowed units to communicate via vibrations through their mobile suits frame. All two units had to do was make physical contact with each other to communicate clearly. Matsunaga, at the head of the force, sized up the targets. The EFSF fleet, 35 ships strong, was almost completely hidden by the three massive Jupitoris class ships. A Jupitoris was more like a small space colony than a ship, tremendous in size, both in length and height. The setup was almost perfect, the three Jupitoris's in a tight line blocking the EFF escorts firing line to the quickly advancing Zakus. Two Magellan class battleships guarded the opposite wing. It was almost as if the JDEG was in on the attack. Giving signals to wingmen, squadron commanders broke the tight mobile suit formation as they came into the EFF's visual range. The escort fleet commander didn't bother to broadcast any sort of warning, the ruthlessness of the SAF had already shown them as the sort that would not simply back down after mobile suits had been deployed. The battleships behind the Jupitoris line started to scramble to find firing positions in which they would not hit the neutral ships, while the two Magellans that stood between Matsunaga and his target pivoted their turrets, preparing to fire. A barrage of mega particles shot out towards Side 1, but it fell on empty space, easily dodged by the veteran SAF pilots. Missiles might have had a better chance, but under such a thick M particle field and attacked from a side arc, a Magellans missile bays were useless. Spinning and strafing as they entered the range of enemy AA turrets, the Zakus advanced beautifully towards their targets. One gunners rounds found their home, a heavy 2-barreled Magellan antiaircraft gun tearing apart Matsunagas left wingman, the large 110mm shells ripping the Zaku apart in less than a second. However, a few moments later, the SAF would have its revenge, Matsunaga landing on the bridge of one Magellan, two of his wingmen on the other. Latching his chain mine onto the neck of the bridge, Shin fired a round into the bridge superstructure, blasting off again as the chain mine activated, the string of explosions nearly cutting the ship in two. While not completely destroyed, these two Magellans were disabled beyond fighting capability, and were quickly obliterated by bazooka rounds as the rest of the MS-06 C's passed unhindered. Shin shook his head, his white Zaku moving in between the nuclear pulse engines of the central Jupitoris. Had the EFSF fleet carried as many fighters as it did battleships they may have been able to dislodge them from this position without harming the Jupitoris, but at the moment they were sitting ducks. His Zaku's eye flashing quick orders in morse code, Matsunaga re-armed his bazookas magazine, his mobile suit flying out of cover and towards the nearest Columbus. In three minutes half of the EFSF Helium 3 Transport Fleet would be destroyed, thanks to their inability to use their heavier weapons without harming the JDEG, and their bad planning in being equipped with no Saberfish fighters. Matsunaga himself would claim a Magellan and a Columbus class transports personally, adding to his already impressive record. However, while the battle would be a success, it would not be without significant losses. Every pilot of the original academy graduates that the SAF lost was significant. EFSF Magellans especially were equipped with a frighteningly large number of anti-aircraft turrets, and after the initial attack, for every Magellan that the Zaku pilots managed to sink, at least one soldier would have to lose his life drawing the AA turrets fire. The chain mines were successful in destroying enemy warships when they could be used, but even the White Wolfs experienced wingmen could barely get close enough to the tightly knit Magellan formation to use them. After three minutes, the enemy had lost half its ships, but Matsunaga had lost more than half of his Zakus. Having destroyed most of the Columbus class transports, which themselves were unarmed, Shin shot out a green signal flare, giving the order to retreat. Ducking behind the 3 Jupitoris class ships, the Zakus rearranged themselves and then blasted at top speed towards the destroyed colony, the five Musai's advancing just far enough to pick up the surviving mobile suits and retreat into the safety of the shoal zone of Side 1. Later that day, a message would arrive at the office of Gihren Zabi, in the central administrative offices of Zum City. A young woman in a black uniform entered the office, standing firmly at attention and giving a proud salute. "Fuehrer! The Matsunaga fleet has reported success in its operation. The EFSF Helium 3 Transport fleet has sustained a 60% casualty rate, our forces losing seventeen Zaku II units and zero ships. Matsunaga reports the tests of the MS-06F to be a success, and has a more detailed report on the anti-ship ballistics he was using." Gihren nodded, motioning to his desk, the attendant placing the unencoded report for her Fuehrers perusal. "Additionally, the Jupiter Development Enterprise Group sends a message. They are outraged at this loss of business, and consider these operations to be a scandal and in violation of the Antarctic Treaty. They say they are going to seek legal action with your father immediately." "Thank you Melissa, that will be all. You may leave us." Gihren said, nodding his approval. With a cry of Sieg Zeon, the attendant left, closing the door on the two sharply. Gihren looked to his new friend, the CEO of the Jupiter Development Enterprise Group, seated at the other end of the room. Archibald Weathers smiled and stood up, thinking more of his preperations to return to Jupiter than anything else. "A pleasure to do business with you Mr. Zabi. I hope you will find our side of the bargain to your advantage." |