MOBILE SUIT
GUNDAM:
THE BATTLE OF ANGELS
DEADEYE
Chapter 5: The Ballistic Exchange
"The full extent of a Newtype cannot be tested or documented in simple lab tests or battle simulations. True to the nature of a soldier, actual combat skill and effectiveness only show when they are put to real use. I estimate that from what I’ve seen working with Kertani Williams, that we’ve only seen a fraction of what a Newtype is capable of." Doctor T said and then sat down at his end of the table. To his sides sat ten members of the UESA Board of Military Research. At the opposite end of the table sat the Board leader. He got to his feet and scanned over some papers Doctor T had provided him with. He then cleared his throat and began…
"Doctor T, first of all I want to say for all of us that we appreciate the effort you’ve put into this research. Secondly I also speak for all of us when I say that we are interested in finding out more about these ‘Newtypes’ as you’ve deemed them. However I have my reservations about this, and the board has spoken about them. We are worried about your theory that this is a new stage in human evolution. If this is true, than anyone could be a potential Newtype. Just think if Plague had been one." He said, then paused for a moment. "The problem is we can’t just shut down this project and stop evolution. The only solution to that would be harvesting Newtypes and then executing them all. None of us here want to even approach that scenario. So, in favor of lasting peace, the Board will supply you with funding for further research. We do ask certain things though, primarily that you find other uses for their abilities other than for combat."
"Of course." Doctor T said.
"Very good, we would also request that you find some type of anti-Newtype weapon." The Board leader said. Doctor T thought for a moment, but then shook his head.
"No, that would mean using potentially lethal force on our subject."
"We understand this, and we still request this. If this Kertani Williams is as potentially dangerous as you say he is…"
"There you go using that stupid ‘Potentially’ word again!"
"Doctor T, please, as I was saying if he’s as dangerous as you’ve said he is, it might be better if he was, shall we say, ‘taken out of the equation’."
"You’re not serious!" Doctor T said outraged as he practically leaped to his feet.
"Oh but I am Doctor T. If you do not do this I’m afraid that we shall have to terminate funding and the subject on our own. Either way, your subject will die. This meeting is over."
"Why is the UESA governed by such idiots! They are doing the same thing they did during the Plague wars! Treating a hero like some kind of experiment to be tossed aside when it has served it's purpose!"
"Doctor T, in case you haven’t noticed, that is exactly what Kertani Williams is. He is nothing more than a PR job. Security, have the Doctor restrained and taken out of the building." The Board leader said and walked out with the rest of the board members.
UESA Research Center, Mojave Desert California
It was pretty quiet, nothing but the occasional hum of an insect. Except for buttes, mesas in the distance and various other rock formations there was nothing to look at save for sand. The sun beat down heavily, and he was glad he was under the shade of the door cover. Still, he felt the heat, and wiped some sweat from his brow.
"Travis, what time is it?" He asked the man standing at the other side of the door. He glanced at his watch.
"We got about fifteen minutes left, before you even ask." Travis responded. "God, Brant, why did we have to get the inferno shift in the afternoon!"
"Guess that’s just our dumb luck." Brant responded. He leaned up against the wall and sighed.
"…Hey hold on a second what’s that?" Travis said and pointed into the distance. Brant stared but couldn’t see a thing, it was probably blurred by the usual heat shimmer they were all used to seeing constantly by now. But then he could see something. It was a motorcycle, and someone was on it. The certain someone was wearing a white cloak, but that was all he could see from that distance.
"I think we better call for some backup to be ready." Travis said and did just that over radio while Brant unholstered his 10mm and slipped the magazine in. He did not however load a bullet in the chamber, this guy could be no threat what so ever, or he might be the opposite. Soon, two other guards had joined them and the person rode in and got off of the bike. He wore black combat boots, light brown jeans and a white shirt. Over that he had a white cloak with a hood that kept the sun off his neck and back. The hood cast a shadow over his eyes, he could only see his nose and mouth. And suddenly he spotted the glint of a gun in the man’s pocket.
Brant heard a chorus of clicks as all four of the guards put a bullet in the chambers of their guns and brought them to bear on the man, who had also drawn.
"Slowly put the gun down!" Travis said forcefully, the man did not move. "I said put the gun down!" Travis repeated, being ignored again. "I SAID…"
"I heard you the first two times." The man interrupted, his finger slipped out of the trigger guard and he dropped the gun to the ground. One of the backups grabbed it and all was peaceful once again.
"Who the hell are you?" Brant asked.
"You could at least let me inside before you interrogate me." The man replied mockingly. Brant could’ve punched him out then and there but decided against it. They lead him in and locked him in a secure room. Travis stayed with him.
"So, who are you exactly?"
"A friend."
"Of who?"
"Kertani Williams."
"How can you prove it?"
"I can give you every schematic detail of the Death Scythe Hell X."
"JESUS!!" Travis shouted and jumped to his feet, his hand was on his baton.
"Don’t worry, I didn’t come here to hurt anybody." Plague said. "I just came to see Kert, and Doctor T if he’s in."
"H…he…he went to a meeting with…the, the UESA Board of Military Research, he should be back before long. Kert is here already, if you want to see him you’ll have to have two guards with you." Travis replied, gaining confidence as he went. Brant opened the door.
"You okay Trav? I heard some commotion."
"I’m fine, he wants to see the kid."
"Alright, I’ll get him."
"Come in with him when you get him."
"K." Brant said then closed the door, they could hear his footsteps walking away. Travis turned to Plague.
"So, you’re Plague."
"Yeah, I thought that would be apparent by now." He replied, Travis walked up to him and glared at him in contempt.
"Here’s for all the lives you took!" Travis shouted and threw a fist at Plague’s face. In a smooth and quick movement Plague ducked under Travis’ fist and landed a blow to his gut. Travis doubled over and fell to his knees, gasping for air.
"I see my reputation didn’t precede me with you."
Colony L4
Umitsu entered the office. In front of him was a man with blonde hair and green eyes. He was kind of fat. He wore a blue suit with a red tie, in front of him was a large red desk with various items on top of it. Currently he was writing on some papers. Umitsu stood there patiently, and after two whole minutes the man finally stashed the paper in his desk and looked up.
"I apologize Umitsu. I was writing down some information one of our informants gave to me." The man said.
"No need to apologize Mr. Tenashi." Umitsu replied.
"I wouldn’t in a normal case but you are one of my best operatives."
"Thank you sir. Which operative did we receive information from?" Umitsu asked.
"The one in the Rghx-16444 Colony in the L5 cluster. He sent us the shift change times for the mobile suit storage facility."
"Ah. Good."
"Now let’s talk about yourself, is there a reason behind this visit?"
"Of course, I’ve found another potential operative."
"Good work Umitsu. Is he with you?"
"No."
"Then I’ll see him tomorrow."
"Yes sir."
"Your dismissed."
"Yes sir." Umitsu said and then left the room.
UESA Research Center, Mojave Desert California
Doctor T stepped out of the van when it stopped in front of the main entrance to the center. He stood there and looked at the door as it drove off to the garages. He sighed a depressed sigh and walked up to the door and punched in his pass code. The two guards at each side of the door greeted him briefly but he didn’t notice. As he stepped in and the door closed behind him a rush of cool air surrounded him. Normally this would be enjoyable after being out there for so long but he took no notice to this either.
He simply walked to his room and stood looking at a picture he had taped to the wall of Kert when he was much younger and had begun his training. He stood there for what seemed like ages, not knowing what to do. Finally he angrily kicked the table leg, nearly breaking it off.
"GOD DAMMIT!!!"
Kert walked down the hall to the security room. A guard he knew personally, Brant, walking alongside him.
"So he just rode up and pulled a gun on you?" Kert asked after a brief explanation by Brant.
"Well, no, you see I spotted a gun in his pocket and drew on him and I guess the others reacted and Travis saw it too, he took it from there." Brant replied.
"Did you hear what they were saying when Travis was in the room with him?"
"I could hear them talking but I couldn’t make out what they were saying…there it is." Brant stopped and then pointed, and followed Kert in. Kert sat down across a table from the man, he still had his white cloak on.
"So…what do you want to see me about?" Kert asked after a moment.
"I knew you wouldn’t recognize me in white." Plague said and looked up, revealing his face.
"Plague! How did you make it here?" Kert said.
"Long story."
"I’ve got time."
"Very well then. When I was back in the colony wandering around wondering what purpose I could possibly serve any more I heard about Tyler’s escape with the search craft. When I also heard he was on the same colony I was, I knew I had to do something. I looked for him and when I found him I started following him and spying. Then he tried to get away when they knew they were looking for him and I had my chance to act. But he got away in one of the Leo II suits. After my little stunt at the airport I couldn’t pursue him further. That is, until I heard about Peacecraft’s meeting, I knocked out one of the guards and took over his place. But as it turns out he was one of two operatives on some kind of mission, I killed the other one as you already know. But then one of the real guards I’d tied up in the cargo bay came out shooting and hit me. For some reason Relena kept me away from the UESA guys and literally helped get me back on my feet. She also divulged the location of this place." Plague explained and Kert paused.
"…that still doesn’t explain the bike."
"…uh, found it." Plague replied.
"Riiight…"
Following day, colony L4
"So he didn’t actually tell you to find me?!" Tyler asked Umitsu angrily.
"No, but I guarantee you’ll have a good position."
"Not in the highest ranks I suppose?"
"No, but high up." Umitsu replied, Tyler shook his head.
"Alright, to get this straight…EXACTLY how much of what you said is true?" He asked.
"Our organization is very large and powerful. And we do have a plan." They looked at each other a moment. Then Tyler just looked out the window of the car they were in.
"Just tell me when we get there." He said. They arrived minutes later and approached the main entrance. Umitsu grabbed Tyler’s arm.
"What now?" Tyler asked.
"I have to search you." Umitsu replied. "This won’t take but a minute." Umitsu then tapped the Tyler’s clothing looking for a firearm. He felt one, it was stashed in a pocket inside his coat. But despite this he nodded and said. "He’s clean." To the door. Tyler looked at the door and it opened. It was a one way window, two guards had been watching. One of them looked Tyler over.
"Here to see Mr. Tenashi I see, he’s on the 12th floor." He said and then stepped aside. Umitsu led Tyler to the elevators and they went straight up, Tyler eyeing Umitsu suspiciously. Tyler then walked in to Mr. Tenashi’s office moments after. Tenashi stood up and extended his hand.
"Greetings, My name is Okaru Tenashi. I’m sure Umitsu has filled you in on your position here?" He asked as they shook ands, Tyler then looked back at Umitsu and then looked back to Mr. Tenashi.
"Sort of."
"Well then, I’ll get into specifics. We’re offering you a job as an operative for our organization. Duties include running information gathering missions, assassinations, keeping tabs on informants, etc. You know, all the usual elements of massive espionage." Tenashi said and then sat down again. Tyler remained standing. "Do you think you’re up to the job?" He asked.
"Of course, is there any special training?" Tyler asked.
"More of a skill test actually, to determine what missions you can undertake. Keep in mind though that if you quit, I will have to have you killed." Tenashi replied menacingly. Tyler stood there for a moment, and suddenly Mr. Tenashi was staring down the barrel of a 9mm glock. "What the hell?!"
"You see, I’m more skilled then you thought, a matter of fact, at the level of your operation I think you’re quite unfit to do this job properly. So you’re being fired, and you know what happens when you quit right?" Tyler said with a broad smirk on his face.
"Umitsu!" Tenashi shouted in terror. Umitsu could’ve easily killed Tyler that moment but he just stood there, a loud blast filled the room, a smoking empty shell clinked on the floor, and Tenashi fell lifeless and limp to the floor, blood from the bullet hole in his head staining the carpet. Tyler holstered his weapon and turned to Umitsu.
"What’s your angle?" He asked. "Even a child could’ve known I had a gun after that search." Umitsu smiled in response.
"But what you said just now was true, Tenashi wasn’t fit for the position. I knew this, but I also knew I wasn’t either. So I began looking for someone, I’d heard of your near success with the Plague Wars, and when I’d heard of you being around I naturally jumped at the chance." Umitsu said, but was stopped as a guard came in.
"What’s going on in…" He froze as he saw Tenashi's body, and then looked at Tyler and Umitsu. He drew his gun.
"Easy soldier." Umitsu said. The guard pointed his gun at him.
"EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!!"
"Call this a hostile take-over if you will." Tyler replied, the guard looked at him for a moment and then his eyes sprung open in surprise.
"Y…you’re Tyler Maddison!"
"True."
"And he is our new leader." Umitsu added. The guard looked from one to the other, and then saluted decisively.
"Yes sir! I shall send out an announcement." He said
"Thank you, but I’ll be doing that myself. Carry on." Tyler said. The guard saluted again and walked out and down the hallway. Tyler turned to Umitsu "And you, how does…say…general sound to you?"
It has finally happened, Tyler has been catapulted back into power. Another tragic and long battle has been set to be fought, and all the combatants have been chosen. With the UESA too concerned with it’s own problems and keeping the so called ‘peace’, and Tyler poised to attack the Earth, the future does not look bright. Will some miracle prevent Tyler from taking total control of the planet in one swift move? Find out next time on The Battle of Angels…
Chaos from the Skies