|
The sun pelted the ground with its rays, as it soared high above the crumbling city of New York. This once flourishing metropolis had become a graveyard, and a window to the past. Zeon forces had transformed the bombed remains into a well fortified base. They had recieved intel that Earth Federation forces were right at their door step, so mobile suits were springing from their hangars as Gaws were loading up, ready to take of and hit the Federation attack forces head on. Noelle Everett waited on standbye with merchanics making last minute preperations on her Dom. She sat and watched as Ando Shoji delivered an inspiring speech to the troops from his one of a kind Shin Zaku II. As she approached she managed to catch the conclusion. "...right now demons march at our gates! Demons using the visage of humans. Do not forget how they have enslaved us, Angels, and citizens of Zeon, for generations. Do not forget how they keep the citizens of Earth seduced and corrupted with tales of false hope, and out of fear!" Ando paused for a second, and he lowered his heat axe. "Victory is in our grasp! Taste it!" An outbreak of cheering and yelling took place as the zeon soldiers rooted for their crimson champion. Even Noelle was slightly impressed. Meanwhile the Odessa Task Force Delta had made their arrival at their designated coordinates. The rendevouz spot would be their staging zone for the siege on Zeon's New York base. A Dish flew over head scouting on ahead, while fleet came to a halt. Suddenly hangar bays swung open and dozens of Tin Cods, Core Boosters, and a variety of other fighters and bombers launched in squadrons. The siege was commencing, and all fighters were performing last minute flight practice before the attack would begin Ando Shoji: 1 VP, No Damage Noelle Everett: 1 VP, No Damage Arkhangelsk--old and dirty. Concrete lined the waterway and beyond, the gray cancer matching the sky's color. The Lorelay surfaced from beneath the greasy water, and Xavier Brennan peered out from the ship's bridge. It really was disgusting. Stained and moldy, the artificial shore stood out like a malignant growth against the polluted water. Zeon banners hung from flagpoles dotted the angular beach, and to Xavier, at least, they were the only specks of handsomeness in an otherwise vile locale. "Mein Fuhrer," a voice approached from the back, "ve haff made all preparashens for docking at ze base. Kaptain Nimue shall be on ze bridge shortly. Iz zere anyzing you require presently?" "Is that all?" Xavier demanded gruffly. He was away from Catalina, and the silence was letting him organize his thoughts. It would've been nicer if he could've actually been alone for a while. "Vell, yes, sir." Xavier turned around, passing the crewman with staccato footfalls on his way to the command center. The door to the bridge slid open as he made he way to the center of the Lorelay's control deck, and Marina Nimue stepped through. A man near the door announced, "Captain on the bridge," before returning to duty. Marina straightened her collar and stood at the captain's chair, Xavier behind and to her left. "It's beginning," she said. "It is," Xavier nodded. There was the feeling of something being amiss, but he wasn't sure he wanted to identify what exactly it was; there were so many problems, and it didn't help his focus to consider too many things at once. The Federation would soon be descending on Odessa, the sudden surge in their fleet strength was a sign that they were prepared for the real thing. The Lorelay coasted towards the sheltered docks, a towering metal box hanging over an artificial inlet. "I'm going to take care of everything," Xavier muttered in the captain's direction. Her looks didn't give away the tension that was building inside of her daily, responsibility and duty magnifying everything, but to Xavier--someone who both knew Marina and knew how to be a father--it was obvious. He really would protect her. Xavier Brennan: 1 VP gained, no damage The city of Constantinople was first created by the Roman Emperor Constantine I when he sought to relocate the capital of the Roman Empire. Since then, it became the imperial home of many emperors and many different empires. The newest empire to make their mark upon the Theodosian Walls is the Terrestial Assault Force of the Duchy of Zeon. The main defenses stretched over the whole harbor and this historic city dominates the waterways between the Mediterrenean and the Black Sea. This vital junction guards the waters of Odessa and merits the defenses it held. A full contingent of Mobile Suits and aircraft crowded its hangars and airfield. The barracks are stuffed to the brim with veteran troops. Numerous anti-air weapons, antiship, and heavy artillery are hidden throughout the urban fortress. The crown jewel of the fixed defenses is an immense 880mm rifled howitzer. A downright descendant of the "Schwere Gustav" railroad siege guns of World War II fame, the 880mm howitzer has an effective range of about 50 kilometers. A crew of 300 serviced the gun and no fewer than three AA batteries guard it from air attack. So when the commander of Constantinople, Yuri Kerane, had his dinner with some fine courtesans interrupted by a panicking staff officer, he merely glanced at the message slip. With a heroic pause and impatient sigh, Kerane looked at his subordinate. "Tell the watch officer to open fire with the howitzer battery," Kerane said with an tone that sounds like he's teaching someone how to properly enjoy wine," oh and bring the base to full alert. Carefully though, we want these fine ladies to get home safely don't we?" The men and women of the Zeon fleet G-Force looked up from their work as the alert klaxxons in Constantinople's enlarged hangar bay started screaming like a banshee. After the inital moment of surprise, the Zeon soldiers leaped into action. The sound is all too familiar to the former artillery instructor known as Master Sergeant Alec Irusk. Just from the circumstances, he can tell that the city is about to be sieged and sieges means that they are going to need artillery. "Hey you!" he shouted with a voice he normally reserved for misbehaving cadets," load her up with HE rounds and get her spinned up!" "We're not done with repairs yet sir!" protested the mechanic," we still need-!" "Do you think the enemy is going to wait until we are ready? Get your lazy ass moving!" Much to his unfortune, Private Bryce Hollerfelt opened the door right next to Irusk. The Hildofr pilot winced at the sound of the warmonger's voice. He still remember Irusk chewing him out for leaving the firing lines at Tuscany. Well, Irusk wasn't done with him quite yet. "There you are, Private!" proclaimed Irusk," I guess you still know what an alert siren sounds like. Now get your ass into gear and move!" Not too far from where Hollerfelt is climbing into his Hildofr, mechanics scampered all over the enormous Adzam. It was an improvised startup procedure but it is the best they can do for Private David Henderson. They simply don't have the time. Hearing the cry to arms, Staff Sergeant Duncan Keystone hoisted himself into his Gouf like a medieval knight mounting a dependable war horse. The Gouf and its variants are the cream of the Duchy's crop and they have not failed Keystone yet. A group of G-Force's Zaku types are rising to their feet one by one. Sergeant Ferusha Glavadeen and Specialist Persephone Dawn chambered their weapons in preparation. The two Zeon newtype pilots guided the Zaku II F and Zaku II Manipulator Type towards the massive hangar doors. A small distance away, a grumbling Oberscharfuhrer Ritter Novosad looked up at the hospital intercom. One of his Panzergrenadiers came into the examination room where Novosad is being treated. Novosad spoke first. "It has begun." The other Panzergrenadier can only nod in agreement. Then came another much louder sound. "You sure you can handle another round?" David Mass looked at the bartender through glazed eyes. "What does it matter to you if I can handle it? I have the money for it don't I?" "It's your liver." Another shotglass of liquor landed on the bar counter in front of Mass. "It's my money," muttered Mass as he threw back his head to take the shot. If anything the alcohol washed away the taste if not the guilt of eatting the family of foxes. Still, he can see the faces of the three dead Australian high school girls in the shot glass... Then the biggest boom he ever heard startled Mass as he toppled off his bar stool. The shot glass slipped from his hand, spilling the liquor all over him before shattering on the floor. "What the hell was that?!" cried Mass. What it was is a 880mm shell fired from Constantinople's howitzer. The screech of the shell traveling through the air warned a few of the Federal soldiers of Odessa Task Force Alpha to try to duck into cover. General Revil looked out of the bridge of the Sir Francis Drake as he saw the Big Tray-class Excelsior being rocked to the side from the shell's explosion. "Status report!" he ordered. A few tense minutes pass before an officer reported with relief," A near miss, General. The Excelsior suffered outer damage from the explosion but that's it." Revil sighed. "Order the rest of the Task Force to assume siege positions. Have Task Force Charlie begin their air patrol and tell them to be careful. There's no knowing what other surprises the city has in store for us." Nightfall in Constantinople. The Zeon defenders had spent most of the day staring as the Federation war machine moved into position. Intelligence and force analysis reports went straight to Yuri Kerane's desk. But while the city's many eyes are watching the enemy beyond their gates, no one is paying attention to within. The city is an old one, with numerous crevices and doors. In the middle of the starry night, a single figure stumbled out of a small sewer pipe and landed in the mud outside the city. Gasping as he tried to brush off the mud on his uniform, the man staggered through the darkness of the night. Hours later and tired as hell, the man looked back at the city of Constantinople. Then he looked forward and saw the Big Trays of Odessa Task Force Alpha. The click of a Federal assault rifle. "Halt!" The man raised his hands as a spotlight was turned on him. He sees a squad of Federal troopers surrounding him. "Identify yourself!" demanded the squad leader. "I... I am Bryce Hollerfelt," the former Hildofr pilot stammered. Then the butt of an assault rifle hits him in the back of the head. Alec Irusk - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Bryce Hollerfelt - 1 VP 4 CP Gained, Jailed 3 David Anderson - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Duncan Keystone - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Ferusha Glavadeen - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Persephone Dawn - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Rhitter Novosad - 1 VP Gained, No Damage David Mass - 1 VP 1 CP Gained, No Damage |