|
0079.10.03 Settled in the old San Francisco bay area, California base was a massive installation. Mobile suit factories, testing facilities, TAF training centers, beaurocracy buildings, spaceport, it had everything. Seconded only by the ridiculous size of Jaburo in Brazil, California base was an absolute terror to behold. Many TAF, MAF and SS members had been assembled for a final attack on the Trojan Horse, but as of yet its whearabouts were unknown. For all its size, the Pegasus class carrier was amazing at being able to sneak around inside Zeon territory, the fact that it had not been shot down in a month of time in North America a testament to its crews tenacity. This night, in lieu of the planned assault, Garma was throwing a party. Many influential people from all across North America, especially the western coast, had arrived. Char Aznable, the pride of the SAF, was there as well. So were many young officers, dressed in the finest the military could offer. For Aznable the party was a bit much, and he could be found standing at the bar, undoing the top part of his helmet as was his custom in a formal environment, yet leaving the visor of the mask. He had been badly burned in a shuttle accident before enlisting in the SAF it was said, and wore the mask to hide a gross disfigurement. "When does your father, sovereign Degwin, plan to arrive on Earth?" A pair of wealthy beaurocrats from North America were placating to Garma, who was trying as best he could to diplomatically get away from the situation. "I haven't heard anything." responded the youngest of the Zabis, taking a drink from his glass of champagne. "Well, it would be our pleasure to serve him in any way that we can." Finding an escape route from this most boring of situations, Garma spied one of the new SS officers at California Base, Bishop Kratos. Motioning to him and giving him a strong handshake, he introduced Kratos to the two men, who seemed a little offput by the way the man moved around the room, as if he was eyeing people with an ulterior motive. Garma excused himself, spying Char and walking over to the bar to greet his old friend. "Oh, Garma always looks so gallant!" chirped several upper class women as the Zabi walked across the room. Jennifer Morales passed him then, a stiff nod being accepted as a less strict substitute for standing at attention and saluting given the setting. Morales had decided she would do something that not many would expect of her, and was wearing an absolutely stunning nightgown, a tight dark blue affair, one piece with a low cut top. She had decided the war had drawn on quite a long time, and she'd take this night to, well, to be a girl. Judging the looks of the two beaurocrats as she walked up to Kratos, she was wondering if she would later regret this decision. "Maat Kratos, what is that on your collar?" Morales asked, ignoring the two men and taking a sip of her drink. "Ah, Lieutenant. It's nothing, a light stain from my previous activities this afternoon." There was a moderate sized splotch of blood on the collar of Bishops dress uniform. Morales knew all about the mans 'activities', and although she was shocked and disgusted, her primary concern was the image of the SS at the dinner party. "I expect you to go find a change of uniform immediately, lest I file a report about your misconduct to our fuhrer. You just shook the hand of his excellency with a spot on your uniform, Kratos." Jennifer barked, taking another sip of her drink. The dress didn't seem to be getting her out of her uniform. "I'm drowning in suckups" Garma scowled, taking a deep drink and bending over the bar. Char smirked, standing next to his old friend. "Yeah, but they'd be terrified if they knew about the Trojan Horse and its mobile suits." He responded. "That's right. The problem is that this area is too large to simply send a task force after them." Garma added. Char decided he would change the course of the conversation, the current topic being improper for such a venue. "Garma, who's that gentleman?" A group of men wearing red roses on their dinner coats were huddled around a table, talking very secretively. "I'm sure there are other ways to do it." said the man, deep in conversation with his fellows. Right at that moment Anton Vereschagin and Berthold Stulinger, quickly becoming fast... Friends... Bumped into them. First he sends me on two, TWO, suicide missions, then throws me out of a Tivvay class ship on orbital descent, and now he takes me to a dinner party! This man is not a danger to anyone in Zeon except those under his personal command. I am beginning to wonder if I was assigned this task because our Fuehrer doubts MY loyalty. "It seems my time under your wing is leading to surprise after surprise, herr Vereschagin." Bertholds smile masked the oiled truth of his statement. Anton laughed, a beer bottle in his hand, and slapped the rose-pinned man on the back. "Indeed, I can see we are going to be great friends. And who are you sir, this is a party! You should be meeting young women, not huddling around a table talking to balding krouts like these." Anton said delightedly, attempting as best he could to break up their meeting. "That's Eschonbach, the former mayor. He hates Zeon, but stayed behind to look after the people here." Garma said, turning back to Char. "Sounds like a stubborn old man." Char didn't have much to add. The two were then drawn by an announcement, as they looked up at a beautiful young blonde walking down the staircase at the head of the venue. "Ladies and gentlemen, miss Icelina Eschonbach!" There were applause, she was absolutely stunning, wearing a bright blue gown with a ruffled base. "If you'll excuse me." Garma said, setting his drink on the table. He walked over to Icelina, taking her hand at the bottom of the stairs. Char smirked, remaining cooly planted at the bar. A love romance on the front lines? Garma's the same spoiled rich kid. Kalila Darwesh, Ross Howe, Eugene Rice-Ionesco and Eric Kyrion, all in varying stages of intoxication, reached the bar shortly thereafter. It seemed the lot of them were trying to put the moves on Kalila, young as she was. Kalila Darwesh had forged her age in order to get into the ZMF, and she had been found out a few weeks after joining, but her test results had scored so high they'd let the 17 year old stay on. "Really, this is such a boring party... We should go somewhere else." Kyrion was incredibly drunk, and the most outspoken of the group. Eugene was a little more reserved, as was his nature, and Howe was still mostly out of place. He'd recently been reassigned to space, and had been forced back down to Earth for the coming assault. He had been looking forward to a lack of gravity, and a lack of dust. "Ahh, Kalila, there you are." Aznable decided he would step in, taking the young girls hand. "You never did tell me if I could have the pleasure of being your date this evening." Of course no previous conversation had occured. Kalila, turning around, looked her suitor in the eyes, and was at once caught like a deer in headlights. You did not get asked out by Char Aznable and say no. In fact, as was soon proved, you didn't really say much of anything. "Um... I uhh..." Char smiled, moving he hand around her waist and pulling her close to him. Howe, Ionesco and Kyrion, in various states of annoyance, quickly dispersed. "Please forgive my forwardness, I just don't like seeing a lady in distress like that." Aznable smiled, taking his hand off of Kalila's side. "Would you care to treat me to a conversation on the balcony?" "So, he said he won't let his daughter marry a Zeon commander who's an heir to the Zabi family?" Garma was distressed. "Yes." Icelina was as well. The two had been discussing their situation on one of the many windowed balconies overlooking the Eschonbach estate where the venue was being held. "I figured that's what your father would say." Garma looked her in the eyes, holding both of her hands in the white gloves of his dress uniform. "I don't care about the Zeon or the Federation." Icelina responded. "To me you're simply Garma. I love you." "Icelina..." Garma was touched, embracing her. "Even if it means betraying my father, I want to be with you forever." The young woman was lovestruck. Garma held her softly, brushing his face into the warmth of her golden hair, he began to stroke her back, easing her sadness. "Not even I can oppose my father or all of Zeon." The Zabi responded, looking up at the sky now. "Don't worry. I have a chance to capture the Federations secrets now. Once I've done that, my father will have to listen to me." Garma smiled, lightly pushing her away so he could look her in the eye once more. "Garma!" Icelina smiled happily, returning his gaze. "And if he doesn't, I'll give up being a Zeon." Garmas words were very sincere, the man always cared a little more for girls than he did for the military. Miss Eschonbach smiled, and with a sigh of his name the two moved in for a long kiss, the lovers holding each other as only lovers do. Aznable smirked a little, overhearing the discussion while standing on the adjacent balcony with Darwesh. Garma and he had been close friends at the academy, but the Zabi was always what he was, and a few years in a dormitory hadn't seemed to change anything. Before their kiss ended, a young Steve Myer, new to the SS, rushed into the balcony and saluted. "Sir!" the man was sharp, his black uniform reflecting much of the pale North American moonlight. "What is it?" answered a noticably angry Garma, moving in front of miss Eschonbach. "Oh, am I.." Myer was startled, unsure of how to continue given the situation. "Yes, you are. What is it?" Garma said. He himself had not changed, but he had learned military discipline at the academy, perhaps it was that that Aznable was friends with. "Sir! The Trojan Horse has been detected at point S3!" Myer stood firmly at attention, his report an amusing sight with the crowd of beaurocrats and partygoers behind him. "What?" Garma said, putting down his drink. He was now all business. "If it breaks through the final defensive line, we'll lose it in Federation airspace." Maat Myer barked off the words like he had been trained to do. "Just as I planned. I'll head there in my personal mobile air unit. Have Vereschagin and Morales accompany me. Inform Lieutenant Char! We're moving out!" "Yes sir!" Myer's hand went up in a rigid salute. Turning, he quickly moved to the bar, asking the drunken Kyrion if he knew the lieutenants whereabouts. "Garma." Icelina grabbed the man, worried for his safety. "When I capture the Federations new weapons, I will take them back to Side 3. When that time comes, I want you to be by my side." Garma held her again, smiling. He now had a plan for how to rid himself of the mess of her father, and bring glory to his name instead of spite. They shared another quick kiss, and then Garma rushed back into the venue, finding Vereschagin and Morales and telling them to get their troops in order. The old city of Seattle was a ruinous affair, completely destroyed by climate change following Operation British, as well as months of thick fighting. One of the Federation outposts under quick attack by the TAF after they captured California, Seattle held out firmly for some time, but was eventually overrun, as were many Federal bases during the early months of the war. Skyscrapers littered the ground in pieces, buildings were overturned and split in half, shelled buildings loomed up as carcasses of what was once a great industrial center. It was a clear night, and the moon, stars and even the glinting colony mirrors showed the destitute landscape for all to see. It was in this terrain that White Base, low to the ground and accompanied by the Medea class carrier Heidi, slowly made their way to the far shore, where awaited freedom from their foes. The two ships were moving so slowly, so low to the ground, that the front of the Pegasus class carrier managed to knock an old car over as it moved, Mirai picking the ship up a few meters but still trying to stay amongst the cover of the toppled industrial sector. "Looks like the Zeon don't want us leaving the city." She said, ever steady at the helm. Of all the enlisted recruits aboard White Base, Mirai seemed to be taking the military relatively well. "Yeah, at this rate we'll..." Bright was losing his composure slightly, weeks of constant combat had taken their toll. "Mr. Bright! Let me go out ahead and draw them away!" Amuro got out of his chair on the bridge, energetic as ever. He'd been going through phases of increasing and decreasing valor. Next to him Kai was making a paper airplane. "No, that won't do any good." Bright said, annoyed that Amuro was just now acting brave. "We've picked up something on the sound detectors! It's an enemy plane formation, approaching from the south!" White Base's two sensor operators, two of the handful of military personell that survived the attack on Side 7, were excellent at their jobs. "Is there a Gaw?" Bright asked quickly. "Three of them captain." came the response. "Right, inform the Heidi." Bright said, his mind racing to think of a plan. "Now we don't have a choice! Let me go out as a decoy, then White Base can escape out to sea." Amuro looked concerned. Kai, still seated next to him, was bouncing a ball on the ground. "No, even drawing them off with a decoy and attempting to break through would..." Bright closed his eyes, hand clasped around his chin, deep in thought. The lights aboard the White Base were dimmed and it was running as silently as it could, but he was extremely worried that they would be seen. Without a good plan even a battleship totally armored in Luna Titanium couldn't withstand the assault of three Gaws attack carriers. Just then the entire sky was lit up as a flotilla of flare burst forth from the Zeon fleet, making the ruined city come out as plain as it would under the morning sun. It was at that moment that Bright found what he was looking for. A huge ruined sports dome, about a third of the dome destroyed by warheads, lay straight ahead of them. "It's a flare!" Amuro exclaimed, stating the obvious. Bright jumped out of his chair and rushed up to the window to get a better look. "Ahead of us, I thought I saw a sports dome." Bright said, turning around and looking at his two SO's. "Uh... Yeah, there is." they responded. "All right, we'll hide White Base and Heidi in there. We have to do everything we can to avoid being spotted by the enemy. Shut down all of White Bases operations. We'll keep an eye on the enemy and wait for an opening to break through. Amuro in the Gundam! Kai in the Guncannon! Ryu and Hayato in the Guntank! And remember, we're still carrying civilians on board!" I'm a civilian too. Amuro gritted his teeth, annoyed at the orders. "All hands, stand by at level one battle stations. Until I say otherwise, don't make a sound!" Bright was firmly in command. The White Base and the Heidi turned around as best they could, hiding inside the dome with the Heidi behind the White Base for protection. Just as the ship got its 'legs' inside the structure, a second flare burst open in the sky, illuminating the void in front of the dome that a huge parking lot once occupied. Thierry took a long drag from the cigarette, happy to strap himself into his Gundam without the needed confines of a normal suit. He'd been in space too long, and it was pleasant to see the trails of smoke from his lungs waft upwards in the ordinary way. Pleasant to feel himself sinking into the chair instead of simply resting on top of it. Pleasant to feel the wine pool low in his belly instead of rumbling around inside of it as he moved. He took another drag from the cigarette, wondering if it would be his last. If it had to be, he was enjoying it the way a man should enjoy his final smoke. Emmanuel found himself thinking of his old home in what was once Israel, the simple man being thrown into a vast world of confusion by the war. He wondered if he would ever return home. He wondered what this, what this thing he was piloting was. The Blue Destiny had saved him time and time again, pushed him to victories that would otherwise be fatal. Salazar thought that he would soon be happy to be rid of the blue mobile suit, he was scheduled to deliver it to Jaburo following this operation. The two GMPGT pilots were equally nervous. Thierry had picked up a pair of recruits during his orbital drop, men who had made high altitude paradrops to rendezvous with him in the great plains. They were excellent pilots in high performance mobile suits, and Thierry was very happy he could be accompanied by two of the best the Federation had to offer. The four Gundam type units departed the Heidi, moving in front of White Base in a defensive screen with the Gundam, Guncannon and Guntank. They were few in number, but any one of their mobile suits exceeded anything in the Zeon military in performance. Aboard the White Base, Frau was attempting to calm the civilians, who were almost panicking inside the cargo bays at the base of the ship. "I feel like I'm suffocating." "What are they doing?" "If we're getting attacked again, they should just let us off here!" "Yeah, we could take shelter in the city..." "Everyone!" Fray Bo shouted above the crowd. She had the three orphan children around her legs, holding a womans baby in her arms. "We've gotten this far, calm down. If we all pull together and fight, we'll definitely make it out of this!" She was an angel of compassion in her short skirt and yellow handkerchief, it almost looked as though she was about to sing. The child in her arms started crying, and just then its mother returned. Above the sports dome, three Gaws circled slowly. The two Gallops of the 86th had to be left back at California, the speed necessary to make it in time to catch the Trojan Horse was one that only the Gaw was capable of. "Haven't you found them yet?" Garma asked to his communications officer, Char standing at attention next to him on the bridge. "They're still in the city." The man responded. "Look harder!" Garma was visibly angry, concerned more about Icelina than about the assault on the Trojan Horse. Char looked up at the night sky, a dim smile on his face. With three Gaws, perhaps they could actually catch them this time. "A little carpet bombing should drive the rats from their hole." Aznable mentioned, looking to Garma for the order. "All right. Tell the Lillith and the Cheap Shot to start bombing. The Viktoria Luise will begin as well." Garmas command was sharp, and quickly obeyed. Small order munitions started falling out of the three purple behemoths in a steady stream, shell after shell after shell exploding on the already ruined cityscape below. As the fleet passed over the sports dome it shook and creaked, every shell threatening to destroy it and White Bases cover. The pilots of the seven mobile suits cringed, looking up at the sky and worried that a stray shell might land inside the open part of the dome, blasting them to pieces. Inside the Pegasus class carrier the civilians screamed and cringed, not knowing what was to become of them. "We'll be lucky if we're not hit." Kai said, looking to the pilots left and right of him. "What was your names by the way?" he said, looking at the two ground type Gundams. "Corporal Biggs and Sergeant Wedge, sir." came the two responses. Minovsky particle interference was low, but they were still communicating by MS to MS direct contact, lest their radiowaves be picked up by the enemy. Thierry put down the cigarette, looking up at one of the Gaws. He could probably get a good shot from here and damage one of them, but the order hadn't been given yet. Sometimes it was best to wait, although he wasn't a man that particularly enjoyed waiting with the enemy straight ahead of him. Things should be kept simple when possible. "Well?" Garma asked, looking over the shoulder of his sensor operator. "Has the Trojan Horse come out yet?" "No sir, not yet." The man responded, a little worried that Garma might hit him. "Where are they... Why won't they come out!" Garma was famous for being a bit impetuous, and his name seemed to be the chief reason he had his rank. "They're starting to get the hang of combat..." answered Char, looking up at the displays on the side of the bridge. "Looks like I'll have to go down there and find them." Garma said. "No wait." responded Char, patting his friend on the shoulder. "If you really want to do that, I'll go down there instead. You're the commander if this operation, you should stay on the bridge." "I should do it." Garma said, looking at Char nervously. "Calm down. You're my superior, let me take care of this. You shouldn't let feelings for a woman cloud your judgement." Char smiled. "No, we'll both go. Split the ground units into two wings, you take one and I'll take the other. Have Anton and Morales stand by with their Dodai group. We'll split up and have the airborne team back up whoever finds the Horse." Garmas words were decisive, and Char knew he wouldn't be able to argue. He simply smiled again. "Very well old friend." Teams rushed to prep Zakus as they began to drop from the three carriers. Eric Kyrion and Kalila Darwesh, as well as two Zakus from the 86th, went with Garma, whereas Bishop Kratos and three Zaku II G's from the Viktoria Luise accompanied Char's red Zaku II S. Above the two teams, Jennifer Morales, Steve Myer, Anton Vereschagin and Berthold Stulinger flew on Dodai II's, ready to assist whoever engaged the enemy first. Vereschagin especially was ready for the assault, having transfered an hour before to the new Dom that had been designed specifically for him at California Base. It almost glowed in the night sky, striking red and yellow colorscheme showing a contrast to every mobile suit there except for Aznable's Zaku II. Two Goufs from the 86th also accompanied the flight team on Dodais, totalling sixteen mobile suits to fight the Federations seven. Aboard White Base, the spotters saw the mobile suits descending from the fleet some distance in front of them. Bright picked up the telephone that acted as the comm system and gave out his orders. "All right. Amuro, Thierry, Zakus are coming. Draw them away from White Base with the Gundams. We're going to use the idea you had earlier. Act as a decoy for the enemy's mobile suits and attempt to draw the ships in front of White Base. We'll open fire on them from hiding." "Roger." Thierry responded, buckling the straps of his mobile suit. He'd finally get to do something, the suspense was starting to bother him. Amuro responded in kind. "Guncannon and Guntank will move out in front of White Base with the two Gundam Grounds and Blue Destiny and stand by." Bright finished his orders and the seven mobile suits went into action, the Federal pilots by now all used to the rigors of mobile suit warfare. The five defending units formed a tight perimeter just in front of the dome, while the RX-78-1 and RX-78-2 got loaded onto White Bases catapults. A minute later they shot out into the night, preparing to lead the enemy forces into what would hopefully be a very impromptu ambush. "They must have sent out that white mobile suit." Char said to himself as his unit searched through the rubble. Thierry and Amuro, equipped with a beam rifle and bazooka respectively, did their best to sneak up behind the 5 mobile suits in Char's team. Taking aim, the two opened fire, Char barely dodging a beam shot from Thierry as Amuro's hyper bazooka round impacted into a Zaku, destroying it. "There!" The remaining four Zakus swerved around, firing their bazookas at the Gundams. Thierry's unit was hit in the shoulder, but Amuro ducked behind a building. "Got their attention, lets go." Amuro said, and Mersault agreed. The two Gundams boosted into the sky, Kratos and the remaining two Zaku II G's following as best they could. Char was about to pursue, but hesitated. More than one Gundam... They're leading us away. He boosted his Zaku II S into the sky, scanning the area the two Federal units came from until he saw the Trojan Horse and its MS guard. Oh... They've been reinforced, maybe I can use this to get my revenge... Char mused to himself. Neither side had spread M particles yet, so he decided to open up a radio link with Garmas Zaku. "Garma, can you hear me." Char asked. Meanwhile he started pursuit of Thierry and Amuro, who were quickly running in the other direction. "Loud and clear Char, what's the matter?" Garma responded. "We haven't got any contacts in this area, can you check out coordinates G12? I thought I saw something there." Char said, a grin on his face. Garma closed the link and motioned for his troops to follow, as they boosted straight towards the former parking lot where the Federal units were laying in wait. The young Zabi's Zaku II FZ landed at the edge of the flat expanse, Kalila's Gouf and Eric's Kampfer shortly behind him, and a hail of shells came out at them almost instantly. Kalila's unit was torn apart, most of the Federal pilots going for the Gouf first, knowing what a terror they were in close combat. Losing a leg and an arm, her mobile suit tumbled to the floor, Darwesh herself okay but the model useless. A beam rifle shot from Kai made short work of the 86ths Zaku, p"Kill me."iercing it straight through the cockpit as it landed. The resulting reactor explosion was enough of a distraction for the remaining three Zeon units to seek cover. "You see that?" Vereschagin said, looking at the spark of light in the night sky. Morales confirmed, and the seven Dodai mounted mobile suits went quickly to Garmas aid. As the smoke from the reactor explosion died down, Kyrion vented out the Efreets smoke dischargers, creating a field of cover as they waited for the airborne assistance. White Base's SO's picked up the seven inbound targets just before they leapt off their Dodais, hoping to make it into close combat quickly where they could effectively damage the heavily armored Federal Gundams. Anton was the first to jump for combat, his new model Dom equipped with a heat sword in one hand and a heat tomahawk in the other. He descended on Ryu and Hayato in the Guntank, who were aiming their heavy artillery cannons to knock him out of the sky. Vereschagin smirked, reaching for the switch that would activate his scattering beam gun and give him the seconds distraction he needed. Only... The button wasn't there? Had they changed the Doms cockpit layout without telling him? Anton was suddenly left naked and defenseless, and the Guntanks twin shells blasted out, tearing both of his Doms legs apart. Vereschagin landed on the cold Seattle floor, out of the fight. Emmanuel sent his two chest mounted missiles up into the sky, destroying one of the Dodais as well as hitting Steve Myer's Zaku in the head. He had tried to dodge, but the Zaku Kai, designed primarily for space combat, proved jerky and unpredictable in the gravity battlefront. Morales and Howe had better luck, both well used to this sort of fighting. Biggs fired at Jennifers Gouf Custom with his beam rifle, Morales blocking the shot with her shield. The blue shield quickly dissolved away, showing an arm outstretched towards the GMPGT. The lieutenants E-whip shot out, discharging and disabling Biggs suit as Jennifer landed on top of it, crushing it into the ground. She fired her various machineguns at Emmanuel, who brought up the blue destinies shield to block the shots. This was only a ruse however, Morales taking the few needed seconds to slam her heat sword into the fallen GMPGTs cockpit. Howe fired his bazooka at Kai's Guncannon, the 360mm shell doing little damage but knocking him flat on his back. Kai returned with vulcan fire, doing light damage to Ross's Dom, which skidded out of the way, firing another pair of shells as it went back to Garma's team. Garma, Eugene and Eric charged now, all equipped with various melee weapons and eager to engage the LT armed units in close range. Ryu and Hayato backed away, sending a barrage of missiles into Eugenes Zaku II G. Eugene felt his MS lose a leg, but in the last moment threw his heat hawk at the Guntank, the tomahawk sailing into its left arm and cutting it off. Berthold was the last to land, the sneaky SS officer sending his Zaku Kai around behind the GM Blue Destiny. MMP-80 in hand, he fired three rounds executioner style at the back of the GMs head. Stulinger was a little startled as the 90mm shells ricocheted off the luna titanium armor, but more startled as the red eyed mobile suit whipped around, taking his Zakus head off effortlessly with its shield. There was something wrong about the blue mobile suit, which kicked Bertholds Zaku Kai squarely, knocking Stulinger out cold. It turned back around and looked at the remaining Zeon combatants, staring Morales, Howe, Garma, Kyrion and the two Goufs from the 86th down with cool, blood red eyes. "Kill me." Emmanuel heard the voice too. This was his first time fully awake while the Blue Destiny did whatever it was that it did, and he was scared, the mobile suit suddenly completely unresponsive to his commands. The blue GM rocketed forward, five machineguns pouring shells into one of the 86ths Goufs. The pilot was already dead when Marion body checked the mobile suit into Garma, disorienting him inside his Zaku. Char's unit was giving quite a chase to Thierry and Amuro, the two Gundams not able to utilize their full speed in the ragged, destroyed landscape. Amuro leapt into the air as best he could, spinning around and firing a bazooka round to give them some time, but he didn't manage to hit any of the enemy Zakus. Kratos responded with his 120mm, the white and blue Gundam blocking the shells with its shield. Thierry and Amuro looked at each other, wondering if they should split up or remain as a group. Unfortunately, neither option became possible as they turned a corner, the two Gundams came up onto a field of debris that was effectively a dead end, Char, Kratos and the remaining three Zaku II G's had them cornered. "Well, now or never." Thierry mused. The RX-78-1 turned around, the RX-78-2 close behind it. Utilizing reflexes that were sharper than any normal humans, Mersault fired, his beam rifle hitting Kratos' Zaku II J square in the leg. Bishops unit fell on its knees as it began spraying the two Gundams with 120mm shells, providing cover fire for Char to advance. Out of bazooka rounds, he had to resort to his heat hawk. Thierry drew his beam saber and charged Char Aznable in the red Zaku II. Amuro yelled out for him to stop. Amuro Ray was something of a prodigy when it came to mobile suits, and Char was one of the top pilots of the entire war, but Thierry was neither of those things. He raised his beam saber in a forward thrust and Char ducked under it, slamming the prototype Gundam with the Zakus shoulder. Thierry's head jerked back, and before he could get his bearings Char's Zaku shot into the air a short distance, kicking Mersaults beam saber out of the RX-78-1's hand. The red Zaku II came down hard on the Gundam, heat hawk taking a cut through the Gundams shoulder. Thierry came to just in time to save himself. Punching Char's Zaku in the chest, he used the second gained to flip open the switches activating the core block. The legs and torso of the prototype Gundam seperated, the core fighter shooting out into the sky behind the Zeon mobile suit formation. The Zaku II G's swerved, firing shell after shell at the fighter. One 280mm bazooka round caught it, destroying one of the core fighters wings, and Thierry went spinning out of control into the dark. Amuro slammed the Gundams shield into Char, whose Zaku was still entangled with the remaining parts of the prototype Gundam. Swinging wildly with his beam saber, Amuro missed in time for Char to dodge back, another barrage of 120mm shells from Kratos and the Viktoria Luise's Zakus pressing Amuro back. He let out a counter barrage with the Gundams vulcans and then charged forward, throwing his beam saber at the Zeon mobile suits. This attack was enough to distract them a bit, and the Gundam boosted as high as it could into the sky, soaring back towards White Base. Maybe I can get that mobile suit and ruin Garma in one stroke...Char thought. Looking up at the sky, he began to radio the Viktoria Luise. "I have a mobile suit retreating from my position Northeast, it must be moving to the Trojan Horse. Can you catch it?" Aznable asked. The affirmitive came from the Gaw, and the three purple behemoths soared out towards the RX-78-2, unknowingly bringing them into the path of fire of the somewhat hidden Trojan Horse. "Kill me." Eric Kyrion brought the Efreet in for a quick strike, the fast mobile suit swinging out with its heat saber as best it could, but the Blue Destiny seemed to expect the attack, dodging backwards and firing the remainder of its 100mm shells into the Efreets side. Ignoring Kyrion, the berserking mobile suit shot out towards the other Gouf from the 86th, the expert pilot aboard blocking beam saber with his Goufs heat saber. Machinegun shells flew out of the Blue Destinies chest, peppering and destroying the Gouf before the rounds were depleted. Turning around, the Destiny was about to attack Morales when Howe came up behind it, but the blue suit was too quick, boosting into the air to dodge a pair of 360mm shells. "Kill me." Ross heard the voice louder than most, and it hurt him to hear, the distress of the girl audible and entering his body. A tear welled up in his eye as he boosted the Dom after the blue GM, activating his spraybeam to distract the pilot while he activated his heat saber. The Blue Destiny seemed to ignore the attack, coming down on Howe and slamming the spike of its shield against the Doms cockpit. The luna titanium tore through the reinforced steel plating, clipping Howe in the shoulder and tearing his muscles open. He went into shock and passed out. The last thing he saw was a young, winged girl embracing and holding him, smiling. "Kill me." Morales finished off Wedge finally, having to actually touch the GMPGTs cockpit with her arm gatling to make the rounds pierce the armor. The backlash from the shells ricocheted and destroyed the Gouf Customs hand, but Jennifer was satisfied. She'd killed two of them now, two of the devils that had destroyed her team and caused her so much grief in the previous weeks. Turning the MS-07 B3 around, she shot her E-whip at the blue destiny, but it swerved around, spinning as it dodged and took out a beam saber. Coming around from behind Morales, the Blue Destiny was about to deliver the killing blow when it backed off, 40mm vulcan rounds from Garma's Zaku II FZ hitting it in the side. Emmanuel, still in the blue GMs cockpit, could do nothing but watch the carnage. Garma picked up Howe's still active heat saber and charged straight at the blue mobile suit, the two units trading swings with their swords. Garma, despite his months as a tactical command officer in the HQ at California, had been trained expertly by the Zeon MS Academy before the war, and with quick reflexes and a purpose in his mind he was able to meet the faster mobile suit on relatively even ground. "Kill me." Garma decided he would give the newtype her wish, and let off another barrage of 40mm rounds from his custom Zakus vulcans, aiming at the Blue Destinies head. The GM brought its shield up to block the fire, and Garma pushed, thrusting his heat saber straight through the GMs cockpit. Emmanuel was resigned to his fate, his last thoughts on God and his home in the Lavant as the superheated steel tore through his body. As the blue mobile suit was skewered, Garma let out a sigh of relief, deactivating the sword and relaxing a little. "KILL ME!" The Blue Destiny continued to move, swinging its beam saber into the brown Zakus side. Garmas personal unit had much reinforced cockpit armor, but it wasn't going to be enough to stop the Federal weapon, which sliced its way into the cockpit. Before it could completely cut the mobile suit in two, Eric Kyrion, having regained his composure, came up behind the Blue Destiny, slicing its head off with his sword. The beam saber turned off instantly, leaving the brown Zaku with a totally exposed cockpit. Garma couldn't be seen in the dark Seattle air, nor was he responding. Morales and Kyrion, the two in mobile suits still able to stand upright, were a little shaken. It had been a bloodbath, everything happening so fast, and that blue mobile suit had been so powerful. Eric picked up the Blue Destinies head, thinking perhaps the researchers at California could do something with it. Ryu, Kai and Hayato, having also composed themselves, started firing at the two blue mobile suits. SS training kicked in and Morales rushed the Gouf Custom in front of Garma's Zaku, the rear portion of her armor absorbing a shot from the Guncannons beam rifle. Grabbing the fallen Zabi's unit in the Goufs strong arms, Jennifer blasted off to safety, looking at the three Gaws as they came down on their position. "Now! Fire now!" yelled captain Bright, the White Base activating and thrusting out of its hiding place in the sports dome. The cannons, missiles, MPCs and AA turrets of the Pegasus class carrier all slammed into the Cheap Shot as it moved, the lack of M particle interference making every single shot hit its target. The Pegasus began broadcasting particles immediately after, the explosion as the Gaw was destroyed masking any attempt at a counter barrage. "Pick up Kai, Ryu and Hayato and get us out of here. Amuro can jump onto the ship." Bright ordered. Mirai nodded, making the Pegasus climb as Sayla ordered the Guncannon and Guntank back into the hangars. The Heidi, close behind, was obliterated as the Viktoria Luise and Lillith spun around, taking out the Medea as revenge for the Cheap Shot. White Base let off a frantic barrage of shells, trying to deter the two Gaw carriers, which turned, ready to pursue the Trojan Horse until they destroyed the durable ship. But they were called back, Morales' radio signal luckily making it through the minovski particle haze. "Garma is alive, repeat, his excellency is alive. We need to get him to the medics at California, he's losing blood fast!" Char Aznable: 12 VP gained, 2 days damage Garma Zabi: 12 VP gained, 5 days damage, condition critical Eugene Rice-Ionesco: 11 VP gained, 4 days damage Kalila Darwesh: 11 VP gained, 3 days damage Eric Kyrion: 11 VP gained, upgrading 5 days Jennifer Morales: 11 VP gained, 4 days damage, Guardian specialization gained, promoted to Kapitlieutenant Berthold Stulinger: 12 VP gained, 3 days damage Ross Howe: 12 VP gained, 3 days damage 4 days injury, +1 NT Anton Vereschagin: 11 VP gained, 3 days damage, promoted to Lieutenant Commander Bishop Kratos: 12 VP gained, 3 days damage Steve Myer: 12 VP gained, 2 days damage Amuro Ray: 12 VP gained, 3 days damage Bright Noa: 14 VP gained, heavily damaged Ryu Jose: 14 VP gained, 2 days damage Hayato Kobayashi: 15 VP gained, 2 days damage Kai Shiden: 15 VP gained, 3 days damage 2 days injury Thierry Mersault: 15 VP gained, missing in action Emmanuel Salazar: 15 VP gained, dead 7 days, promoted to Petty Officer 1st class |