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North America--Once the roots to a great tree, with limbs which reached across the tectonic plates of Earth, bearing flowering fruits, now a desperate battlefield, no different from the Saharan wastes, or the Siberian tundra. Wasn't that always the way? The children of Men unable to understand each other, their only way of communicating by spilling blood? The Pacific's waters churned about the Odessa Taskforce Delta's propeller blades, white foam tinting the deep blue wherever it peeked above the gently undulating surface. Even this far from the shores, though distant rocky outlets were visible, the air felt drier than it should. "Dry as a bone, boys," Lieutenant Hardie grunted into his headset. "They don't got the taste of the ocean with 'em today, makes a man weak." He flipped a switch, revealing Petty Officer Garcia's cockpit view; he was combing his hair. "God dammit, Garcia, we have work to do." "Aw, boss, I just want to look my best for my date with the Feddie fleet. Tell him, Mischa," he appealed to Ensign Kaminsky. "I think Garcia needs to learn when to shut mouth," he growled. "Good man, Mischa," Lieutenant Hardie sagely confirmed. "Hey, Godwin Austen, this is the Corona," a voice on the radio smoothly opened. "We've got OH GOD WE'VE GOT INCOMING FIRE ZEON FORCES INBOUND PREPARE FOR BATTLE OH THEY JUST HIT US okay it doesn't look like it's that bad, fighter escorts are engaging aerial forces. Ground forces confirmed, looking like some goddamn Doms. Do you confirm, Godwin Austen?" The sextouplet of Dopps moved in on their targets, evading Tin Cod and Jet Core Booster fighters, and all the while escalating their destructive output. It was an impressive display, for sure. One problem: There were six of them. There were enough Federation fighters for nearly three fleets. It didn't take long for the math to play out, and the Dopps were introduced to the number zero. Fortunately, it's not really a pessimistic number, but zero's not too positive either. Zakus, however (the Black Tigers, as an interesting note), are not very good when it comes to bombs. Not too many things are, especially tanks and humans, and combining the two is just asking for trouble with bombs. What they looked like after the first volley of Depp Rog bombs was something akin to a pile of cadavers being used as a braking device for an accelerating 18-wheeler. With a trailer full of meat and dissected dolphins. The Midwest Mobile Assault Team's Doms met a similar fate, except instead of bombs, a sky-diving GM landed on their leader after deccelerating with the help of all the fuel in his machine, burying a beam saber to the hilt in the leader's MS. When later asked how he managed this, and then was able to shoot down the escaping Zeon Mobile Suits, the pilot only answered, "I tripped." The Cyclops team were a bit more fortunate-- they were closing in on the rearward flank of the Odessa Task Force Delta, and began their assault. "Hey, boss, I think this one's prop is a dud-- it can't even handle a few bullets!" Garcia rushed towards the damaged cargo ferry's hull, and slashed it with his claws. "Shut up, Garcia," Lieutenant Hardie barked. "All the lines are dead, we need to pull out." "Aww, don't be like that. They can't even shoot at us, unless they've got some GM divers hiding around here somewhere." "Like those?" Mischa asked, pointing with a claw towards the front of the fleet. "I believe those are GM Divers." Mischa fired his aquajets and accelerated towards Garcia, pushing the disgruntled Latino's MS away from the fray, only letting go once he began moving on his own. "Boss, we coulda--" "I swear to GOD, Garcia, if this is something else about the Federation repressing your culture, I will find your family and bring you back to them in a bowling ball bag." "They're coming..." Rose stared blankly out the hangar entrance, the snow capped mountains filling the view like a beautiful painting; sun glistening off the white peaks; birds performing aerial acrobatics; soft whisps of clouds filling the sky. The sun had begun its decent behind the Himalayas as Lhasa buzzed with life; the Zeon base had been on high alert since the information had been leaked to them, notifying them of the impending attacks. "What?!" Norris came to an abrupt stop and looked up from his spot near his Gouf Custom; he had been pacing steadily for the last hour at least. The Schutzstaffel ace had become quite upset since Aina's slip into depression. Her slight musings of suicide had begun to worry the pilot, and he was looking for a target to aim his frustrations; The Federation forces were the perfect outlet... Rhin looked up at her commander anxiously as Rose just nodded solemnly. She couldn't say exactly who or what was coming, but she had a pretty strong feeling that the shit was about to hit the fan. The Oberscharfuhrer looked down at the young TAF pilot, then back at Norris Packard. "I suggest we prepare for the worst." "What's wrong sister?" Ghineas Sahalin mused to his sister as she sat in a chair at the back of his room. Aina had been a mess since the Schutzstaffel assault on the Federation outpost in Mynamar; she had spent days crying, mourning over her love. She had finally gotten past being hysterical and had become rather solemn lately. She stared blankly at her brother's back, nodding as if he could see it, sitting in silence. 'Why Shiro... why couldn't you live?' Ghineas stood at his window, as it overlooked the valley below, the mountain now beginning to cast a shadow across the lands. He was not about to let some pathetic threat force him to abandon his research and all his hard work. "Let them come sister, we will crush them!" "...." "Commander Kai? are we in position?" Lieutenant Colonel Kojima radioed from his Big Tray to Task Force Foxtrot. The two fleets had been under orders to secure the Zeon fortress of Lhasa within East Asia to clear way for the assault on Odessa. "Position confirmed, awaiting orders." Task Force Foxtrot responded almost immediately; A single Himalaya class carrier floated ominously just off the eastern coast of India, accompanied by a Hillock. At the foot hills of the Himalayan mountains, two Big Trays hummed along, followed by a Medea and several tanks and marines on foot. The massive hovercrafts came to a stop as they took up there position for the siege. "Task Force Echo, in position." The sky line to the east began to darken as the enemies aerial force moved in from the Ocean. The Federation fighters looked like black dots across the pink and purple twilight sky. Marines began piling out of the Big Trays, and Tanks took up firing positions amongst the trees. Everything was just about in position now, Operation Odessa was underway... Rose Adeline: 1 VP Gained, No Damage It is unsually hot and dry on the east coast of North America. The Earth's climate took a big hit from humanity's latest war. But the planet will not suffer alone as the soldiers of the Zeon's Kansas Squadron are experiencing. Soldiers idle among the Weasel APCs and the handful of Magella attack tanks. A lieutenant opens the flap to the radio tent and gained an earful of radio clutter as his reward. "Sir, our listening post detected Federal units!" "Coming from where?" "Over the horizon! We confirm at least three ships!" "Damn!" cursed the Zeon lieutenant as he slammed his fist on the table," Get everyone on alert! We need to take cover before Federal aircraft get here!" "Yes sir!" Very quickly, people outside the tent started yelling and then came the sound of diesel engines starting up. "Do we have any naval assets in the area?" asked the tense lieutenant. "Just one sir, I managed to raise her a moment ago. It's the U-32." "Well get her the damn coordinates of those ships so she can sink them!" Private Arianna Elvy Saoirse cupped her ears as a Jet Core Booster roars off the flight deck of the Himalaya-class. The backwash of the powerful engines ruffled Saoirse's hair. Her thoughts are not focused on the array of Federal air might but on that peculiar tank the other day... A man steps out of a red, white, and blue painted aircraft as it is towed to an elevator platform. Sergeant Scott Archer watched as his Core Booster disappeared below decks for servicing. His stoic face hides the memories that plague him at night and even in the middle of battle. Another fighter pilot watched calmly as his Tin Cod is taken apart. Lieutenant Jim Irwin watched with a slight fascination as the mechanics did the work. To his surprised, he is later told that the Tin Cod is so damaged that mechanics are actually removing all of the working parts in order to find the broken ones. In a secluded corner of the Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Corporal Charles Gano is alone with his thoughts. He is an Ace now, having shot down five enemies. The problem is, he didn't feel as good about it as he thought he would. Feelings of unpleasantry echo above decks as excited voices filled the bridge of the Himalaya. "Captain!" one junior officer reported," the Ariel and the Dish have sonar contact with a submerged object!" "Get those Don Escargots into the air!" bellowed the captain," and get Sergeant Munchek deployed! How did the Zeon find us?" "Sir, we are detecting low level radio communications..." "Even with Minovsky interference in the area?" "Yes sir, we are getting echoes of it... probably a floating antennae from the submerged object... it seems as if the signal is coming from land." "I want the Tin Cods, Depp Rogs, and Fly Mantas near the coast to track it down. And I want it done five minutes ago!" "Sir! Ariel detects high speed screws on her sonar! Torpedoes are in the water!" At that moment, Sergeant Hirsch Munchek and his Waterproof Gundam splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean. His hands move automatically as he turned the Waterproof Gundam towards the inbound threat. But his mind is still focused on the photos given to him by Margarite Henri. Who is this Xavier Brennan that ordered the execution of the members of the 08th MS Team? But it is not the time to pondered that question. A massive sound echoed through the water as the Hillock-class Ariel took two torpedoes to her side. The escorting ship placed herself between the Jukon U-32 and the Himalaya. Her sister ship, the Ursula is trying to approach from the other side of the Lleu Llaw Gyffes but that would take time. Above the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, mega particle beams ate up two experienced Don Escargots. The Goggs of the U-32 submerged again and dove straight for the wounded Ariel and the Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Munchek saw them and raced to intercept them. His underwater beam rifle sings as he nailed one of the Goggs on the first shot. Two more are required before the stricken Zeon MS explodes. The last Gogg turned towards the Waterproof Gundam. But Hunchek's victory over a Grabro mobile armor weeks ago gave him a reflex that rivals a machine. The claws of the Gogg swept the water over the Waterproof Gundam's head as Muncheks jams the muzzle of the underwater beam rifle into the armpit of the Gogg. The Zeon pilot was instantly vaporized as the beam traveled through a chink in the Gogg's armor and struck the cockpit. Prying the dead and lifeless Gogg of his rifle, Munchek looked up and saw the wake of four torpedoes heading towards the Federal fleet. Grabbing his 90mm underwater machinegun in one hand and the underwater beam rifle in the other, Munchek fired wildly at the Zeon ordinance. The close explosion of four high-yield torpedoes struck the Waterproof Gundam's Lunar Titanium armor hard. The crew of the U-32 was surprised to see their torpedo spread detonate prematurely. They don't know what luck was granted to the Odessa Task Force Zeta, but that luck wasn't about to be extended to them. The Waterproof Gundam's single but powerful anti-ship torpedo struck the U-32 just them, collapsing the superstructure and splitting the Jukon apart. Back on the North American mainland, the carnage is just as fierce. Painful death rained from the sky as Tin Cods, Fly Mantas, and Depp Roggs seeked out the elements of the Kansas Squadron. Weasels surrounded by dead Marines littered the road. Magella attack tanks lay broken and burning. Even the listening post that first detected the Federal fleet is nothing more than a pile of burning tents. The flames from the massacre are soon fed by the dry vegetation. An enormous forest fire began, a funeral pyre to those who died here today. Hirsch Munchek - 6 VP Gained, Repairing 2 Jim Irwin - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Arianna Elvy Saoirse - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Charles Gano - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Scott Archer - 1 VP Gained, No Damage |