MOBILE SUIT
GUNDAM:
THE BATTLE OF ANGELS
DEADEYE
Chapter 7: Rescue Mission
Another explosion rocked the ground and nearly knocked her Leo II off it’s feet. Lt. Sharon was heading the force to defend the UESA capitol building. The political giants were all evacuated, leaving only civilians. She’d dispatched many, many enemies so far, but they just kept coming! They’d have to run out of soldiers eventually. Her suit was thoroughly dinged up, but was working fine so far no worse for the ware. These suits were specially made to defend the capitol and had an armor layer of gundanium.
"Chuck, move to the inner wall and reload, I’ll take over." She said, the mobile suit ahead of her gave a thumbs up and ran off when she took position. There was a Leo II charging down firing at random, she put up her shield and gave it a few quick bursts of beam rifle fire to bring it down. Then suddenly she was being rained on with bullets from above. She had no choice but to retreat. Now they had gained more ground.
"Shit, what good are we doing?!" She asked herself downed another Leo II. Then she got a warning tone that her beam rifle was out of energy. "God dammit!" She yelled and let it drop to the ground. Two were still advancing. She let loose with her shoulder vulcans but only hit their upraised shields, then she pulled out her beam saber and charged, stabbing one right through the middle before having to fend off a blow from the other and slice that in two. A screen lit up and she saw the general.
"Lt. Sharon, I applaud your efforts for defending the city, but I’m giving the order to abandon it."
"What?! You can’t be serious! There are civilians still here!" She protested.
"They will have a much better chance of surviving without the battle, now go!"
"But…"
"This is a direct order from a superior officer!" The general reminded her, but then he looked to the side. "What is thAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" The screen went white and turned to static, above them the transport he was on exploded, sending debris falling to the ground. There was truly nothing they could do.
"3L2 platoon! We’re abandoning the city! Get out any way you can and rendezvous at point 7!" She said over the radio. She then set about getting away. According to a map of the city and radar the enemy forces were attacking from the west and north. Enemy air units had been seen attacking from the south, and more forces from the east had just shown up. They were trapped, then she remembered the waterways beneath the city. She typed out something on a console and was shown a map of the waterways, she was right over one, and it headed straight to a nearby lake! The particular passage was used to reroute water into the lake that got there naturally before the city was made. There was an entrance about thirty yards ahead. She made a break for it.
Two Leo II suits burst through the building to the right of her, one was UESA and the other TF. The one with UESA markings grabbed the other one’s head and squeezed. The TF one then reached for it’s beam saber, but Sharon efficiently lobbed the things arm off. Shortly after it’s head collapsed on itself and the UESA suit got back to it’s feet and looked at her.
"Who are you?" Sharon asked.
"Drake Oliver Floyd, Lt. of the Heavy Zero Platoon." Drake said. "We heard the order to evacuate, I was ambushed on my way out." He continued. Sharon pointed.
"There’s an entrance to the waterways right there, follow me!" She ordered, he did so. When they were right over Sharon stabbed her beam saber into the small opening and cut bigger hole. Drake stomped on it and it gave way then they both jumped down. In front of them was just dark passageway, but behind them light from mobile suit cameras made eerie red circles in the darkness, they put their shields up. But no attack came, instead two UESA suits stepped out of the darkness.
"Looks like we weren’t the only ones with this idea." Drake said. Sharon motioned for them to follow and took off running down the waterway. Soon they could see light ahead and were at the opening in a matter of moments.
"Stay back, there could be air units or mobile suits watching this way!" Sharon said, then made her mobile suit crouch and got out. She crawled up to the end of the pipe and looked around. She couldn’t see anything on the ground, but there was a fighter in the air, and it had a long range comm attachment. She quickly ran back to her suit and got in.
"Okay, who’s got a beam rifle with shots left?" She asked. One of the other soldiers stepped forward and extended his weapon. Sharon took it, and then stepped to the edge of the pipe and took aim. The pilot was coming around for another pass, he thought he’d seen someone in the pipe. But when he saw the mobile suit he panicked. Sharon fired, and hit the left wing, the fighter went into a spin and crashed into a mountain side.
"All clear!" She stated, and then jumped down into the lake. The water was almost perfectly clear and she could see about twenty yards ahead. She heard Drake and the other two splash in behind her. They made their way to the shore and then got out of their Leo II suits. Sharon stood about 5 feet 9 inches, had black hair that hung down to the base of her neck, and blue eyes. Drake looked at her.
"Aren’t you a little young to be an Lt.?" He asked.
"I’m twenty, and I got promoted here because of my outstanding combat record, so don’t you dare question my right to command the 3L2 platoon Lieutenant." She replied harshly. The other two soldiers watched from their mobile suits. One of them then spoke up.
"Lieutenant, I’m from the 3L2, my name is Dakasu Trison." He said.
"Glad you made it out, what about you?" She said and looked to the other soldier.
"My name is Roger Morris ma’am, from the 1L2. Our Lt. was killed, so I suppose I’m now under either your command or his." He said, Sharon looked at Drake.
"I suppose you want him?" She asked.
"Nah, my boys can make it out, I know they can." He said dismissively. She looked back at Roger.
"I guess I’m your new Lt." She said.
"Yes ma’am!" He said.
"Okay everybody, there may be more of our soldiers coming out of that pipe. So that they don't get killed, I think we should be here to defend this position. We’ll wait for about an hour and then proceed to point seven." Sharon said, Dakasu and Roger saluted and then got back in their suits.
"And what should I do?" Drake asked.
"You do whatever the hell you want, you’re not under my command." She said and then got back in her suit…
Former UESA Research Center, Mojave Desert, CA
"Today the forces of the Tenashi Faction have toppled the UESA capitol city, millions of civilians were killed in the battle. As of yet there has been no news to the current condition of the UESA. The war continues, although this war correspondent thinks that the destruction of the UESA is imminent." Said the reporter on the TV, Kert reached over and turned it off.
"So what should we do?" He said more than asked.
"Well, there’s a plan I’ve had in my head for bit." Doctor T said.
"Why, pray tell, did you not tell us this plan?" Plague said slightly angrily.
"Because it involves resources we don’t have, and we’d need the assistance of the UESA. It requires actual forces, not just a bunch of prototypes like we have now." Doctor T said hopelessly.
"Well tell it to us anyway." Kert said.
"Alright, here. I printed them off the UESA archive before they were taken down." Doctor T then extracted a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket and dropped it on the table. Kert took it and unfolded it.
"…Oh my God…" He said after reading it over.
"What?" Plague asked.
"It’s…it’s…it’s a mass production model Gundam!"
"What?! Let me see!" Plague grabbed the plans and looked them over, then stared at Doctor T.
"My own design." Doctor T said before he could ask, he set the plans down.
"According to this we could make about fifteen of these things from the gundanium we have already." Kert said after he spent a moment making an estimation. "What could we do with those?" He asked.
"By my combat data on them that amount could take a platoon of Leo II s. It would be tough though, you have to remember these things aren’t as strong as the Gundams we are used to. A platoon, maybe even a division of these would be able turn the tide of this war considerably in our favor!" Doctor T replied.
"That’s all good and well but where are we going to get that much gundanium?!" Plague said, Doctor T thought it over.
"There’s an asteroid that is in the solar system, we would be able to find the right metals to make gundanium there but we’d need a facility to forge it and construct the Gundams. If we had enough resources we could build a transportable facility that could attach to the asteroid, knock it into high orbit, and then begin construction. We could hit the Tenashi Faction from behind."
"Right, but how would we get the facility past the Tenashi Faction defenses?" Kert asked.
"That’s where you two come in."
"Huh?" Kert and Plague both said at once.
"Wait a second we’re needed here!" Plague said and stood up.
"I agree, this is one of the last places not hit by the TF army!" Kert added. Doctor T nodded.
"But you see, without at least one of you guarding it, the plan won’t stand a chance. Once they realize what’s happening they’ll attack without mercy. Not even fifteen of the Gundams could hold up long at all. Plague, I’ve begun construction on a new mobile suit for you. Either way, we’ll still have one of you to protect us here. Although I doubt this place will hold up much longer, we’ll eventually be driven out. I suppose then we could find some remnant of the UESA army and join them. The only question that’s left is who would go?"
"Why are we talking about this anyway? You said yourself that we didn’t have enough resources!" Plague retorted.
"You have a point, right now we should think about what we should do now rather than later." Doctor T agreed. They heard a knock on the door and turned their heads. Micheal walked in.
"Uh, Doctor T, we picked up a distress signal. It’s from a Lt. Sharon, of the 3L2 platoon. She said she is with members of the 1L2, and the Heavy Zero platoon." He said, at the name of his Gundam Kert took a sudden interest.
"Wait a minute Heavy Zero platoon? Who’s the Lt.?" He asked as he got to his feet.
"One Drake Oliver Floyd sir." Micheal replied.
"Drake! Doctor T, we have to rescue them, that means soldiers and supplies." Kert pointed out.
"True, but I have an idea." He said and walked out. Micheal yelled after him.
"Doctor if you’re gonna rescue them I suggest you move fast, they are three hundred and seventy-two kilometers due east and they are under fire from TF forces!"
"Alright then, Kert, get into Heavy Zero and standby!"
"Right!" Kert took off towards the hangar.
"Wait what about me!" Plague yelled.
"Your Gundam isn’t ready Plague, I’m sorry!" Doctor T yelled back, obviously in a hurry.
"Just give me a suit!"
"Fine, there’s Leo II suits in the hangar as well, take number 370 it has a layer of gundanium!" Doctor T yelled and then vanished behind a corner. Plague quickly repeated the number to himself and took off after Kert. When he reached the repair bay he ran over and jumped into Heavy Zero and flipped a few switched. His Gundam whirred into life and the monitors around him lit up with his surroundings. He saw Plague getting into one of the Leo II’s.
"Couldn’t resist a little combat could ya?" Kert said over the radio.
"Hell no." Plague said in response, and then grabbed a beam rifle and shield off of the gun rack to his right. Doctor T then appeared on one of Kert’s monitors.
"This is Doctor T of the UESA Research Division responding to distress signal." He said, another window showed up with Lt. Sharon in it.
"This is Sharon Kimiza. Lt. of the 3L2 platoon. We would appreciate any help you we can get." Sharon replied.
"We’re in a clinch ourselves Lt. Sharon, would you be willing to help us out in exchange for rescue?" Doctor T asked.
"Seeing as the UESA isn’t the authority it was anymore I don’t see why the hell not. Although if you want help from the UESA itself that might be a different story." She replied, and then winced as a shot hit her Leo II.
"Doctor T, if we are going to save them I have to get out now!" Kert said. He was loading Heavy Zero into a shuttle nearby with Plague’s Leo II.
"Right, we’re sending backup Lieutenant. Hold them off for a while longer." Doctor T assured, Sharon nodded and then her window closed. Kert activated the engines to the shuttle and took off out of the hangar.
Drake aimed and fired his beam rifle again, hitting a Leo II right in the chest and destroying it. He took a glance at his console and saw the energy cell for the rifle was empty. He crouched and put up his shield as he dropped the energy clip off the rifle, got a full one off the back of his shield and put it in. He spotted another target and took it out. Then he looked up and saw a carrier flying away and took aim and fired. The beam sliced the left wing, penetrating an engine and causing a huge explosion leaving scant debris to fall.
They were fighting in an almost completely open field. There was little cover for them or the enemy, but the advancing Tenashi Faction forces had the advantage in numbers. The survivors from the attack on the capitol had all been retreating from a force sent out with specific orders to annihilate them. It’d been about a week since they left, and fatigue from the nearly constant combat was heavy upon them.
They numbered about twenty. Seems less survived than they thought. The numbers of the enemy were not known exactly, but they were considerably more. This attack had happened while they were moving across a basin. Three shuttles carrying ten Leo II's each had shown up and deployed their suits. Thirty versus twenty had almost been even for a while, but reinforcements show up, they now totaled about fifty-two.
"Sharon, we can’t hold out much longer, I only have one energy clip left!" Drake said over radio.
"I know, we have backup on the way, just a while longer!" She assured and then fired off a few rounds from her shoulder cannons, hitting the camera of an enemy suit. Suddenly one not too far away raised a bazooka and fired. Sharon raised her shield, but the impact of the missile was tremendous. Her mobile suit was thrown off it’s feet completely and another blast from an enemy beam rifle took off it’s right arm at the shoulder.
"Lieutenant are you alright?" Asked one of her soldiers. All she had now was a shield and the shoulder cannons, and the cannons were low on ammo.
"I’m fine, just hold them off!" Sharon ordered and struggled to get her mobile suit back on it’s feet. She managed to get it to sit up at least and started firing the shoulder cannons, but after a few seconds they just clicked. She was useless now, and add to that a burst of beam fire hit her suit’s right leg. Another missile was coming her way, she brought up her shield and braced for impact but before it could hit her Drake hit it with his suit’s shoulder cannons and destroyed it.
"Fine nothing, that suit can’t fight anymore!" Drake observed and blasted another suit, taking off it’s leg.
"Drake, there’s a shuttle incoming!" Said one of the Heavy Zero platoon soldiers. Drake looked on radar and indeed there was a shuttle coming their way. As it passed over the cargo bay opened up and out dropped a Leo II. While it was in mid air it fired five shots from it’s beam rifle and each took an enemy unit out of commission. A missile was sent it’s way and right before it was about to hit the Leo II it brought out it’s beam saber and slashed the missile in two. It fell out of the explosion and fired two more shots and then activated it’s boosters for a safe landing.
"Holy shit that guy’s good." Sharon said. "But for the sake of the situation I hope that’s not the only one."
"Agreed, and I think there’s at least one more on the way." Drake said assuredly. A blast from an enemy beam rifle ripped through the shuttles fuselage and sent it careening into the ground with a massive explosion.
"Well that’s the end of that." Sharon said disappointedly. Another enemy shuttle dropped off ten more Leo IIs.
"Don’t count on it." Drake said. Suddenly a flurry of missiles came from the flame and took out a chunk of the attacking mobile suits leaving forty-two left.
"What the hell was that?!" Said an enemy Lt., who had to quickly re-activate his camera from the bright light shorting it out. When he looked at the flames a barrage of bullets took out twelve suits nearby and a large shape walked out of the flames.
"It’s a Gundam!!" He heard one of his soldiers scream.
"Party time." Kert said, he dropped the left gatlings and activated the shield saber then charged with his boosters. In the initial attack nine were sliced in two before anyone had a firm grasp on what was happening. Now all their fire was concentrated on him, but few shots hit their mark and the ones that did simply bounced of Heavy Zero’s superior armor. As the Gundam dodged enemy fire it managed to cut open five more suits. Now it aimed and fired it’s beam gatlings, mowing down eleven of the suits. There were now only five left. Now Heavy Zero flew up towards a retreating shuttle and riddled it’s wing and tail with bullets, forcing it to dive straight into the ground.
"Hah! He left some for us! How thoughtful!" Drake said and drew his beam saber. He charged with is shield up blocking the shots from his target, when he was close enough, he activated the jump jets, landing in front of his adversary and slicing him through the middle. He then turned and riddled another one with shoulder cannon fire then watched in satisfaction as the other survivors picked off the remaining three. He heard a metallic crunching sound to his left and saw Heavy Zero standing there. It looked toward him and gave him a thumbs up. Drake laughed. He, Kert, and Plague gathered around Sharon’s crippled mobile suit and got out of their cockpits as Sharon did the same.
"Well, I’d never thought I’d see Kertani Williams in the flesh." Sharon said as she looked up towards Kert. "I’d recognize that Gundam anywhere." She then looked over to the other pilot (whom she didn’t recognize). "You’re pretty good yourself."
"I get that a lot." He said, although she hadn’t recognized him before she’d heard that same cold voice before on her radio when he sent the ultimatum to the UESA. She fought the urge to draw her pistol and shoot him on site.
"How the hell did YOU get involved in all this?" Drake asked in disgust.
"I have a score to settle with Tyler, besides, I have an undetermined amount of time to make up for my sins." Plague replied.
"You’ll never be able to do that." Sharon said coldly.
"On a happier note, it’s good to see you again Kert." Drake said.
"How did you end up serving in the UESA army anyway? I thought you were a mechanic." Kert asked.
"Yeah, I volunteered." He admitted.
"And a lieutenant? You’ve been in the military for what…three weeks?" Kert prodded further.
"My men wouldn’t stand for anything else." Drake answered with a smirk on his face.
"Good for you, tell your men to follow us, the shuttle was lost so it might take a while." Kert said and then got back in the cockpit.
"What about you?" Plague asked Sharon, she looked down at her Leo II’s legs, the right one was completely severed and useless, it could not walk.
"I hate to waste the material but my Leo II is out of commission." She replied. Drake got back in his mobile suit and made it crouch and extend it’s hand. Sharon stepped on and the suit got back to it’s feet.
"Hold on Sharon, this is gonna be a bumpy ride." Drake said. "All units, follow the Gundam." He ordered his men over the radio.
Kert deactivated Heavy Zero and opened the cockpit. He then stepped out and wiped the sweat off his brow as he kindly accepted a bottle of water a mechanic handed him. He took a long drink and then sighed.
"Damn it’s hot out there." He said out loud. He looked back to see the other mobile suits walking into the repair bay as well. He started looking over the entire bay, and wondered whether they would all fit. "Oh well." He muttered and then started walking to the door out of the bay, those suits were designed to withstand very hostile environment, if they had to stay out in the sun it wouldn’t do them too much harm. As he was about to turn the knob the door burst open sending Kert tumbling to his feet. He looked up to see Doctor T standing there.
"Oh, sorry Kert." He said.
"Is it just me or have you gotten more active since this whole thing started?" Kert said more than asked. Doctor T ignored the question.
"Great news, while you were away I got in touch with the UESA president. He is evacuated to Germany. While you were out there on the rescue operation I managed to come to a deal with him. I proposed my plan, and in return for the safe return of his soldiers he said he would give us the resources to carry out our operation!" Doctor T explained with no small amount of joy. "The only question that’s left is which one of you will go to the asteroid." He continued.
"I will." Plague said from behind Kert as he walked up. "I’m the most disposable here. If I die no one will care."
"What plan? Going where?" Drake asked as he also walked up from behind. Doctor T stepped in and related the plan to him.
"And we need either Kert or Plague to defend the project or else it will fall to the TF." He finished.
"WHAT?! You’re trusting this hell spawn Plague to defend something that may be the last resort to be able to keep the Tenashi Faction from taking control? You’re insane!" Drake shouted. "I’d sooner shoot him then send him anywhere!" Drake continued. Plague’s eyes fell to a holstered gun on Drake’s side, then back to his face.
"I appreciate the vote of confidence…" Plague replied sarcastically, "But you’re aren’t really the one making the decisions here." He said with a smirk plain on his face. Drake’s gun was suddenly in his hands.
"You filthy bastard!…I’ll kill you! Right here and now!" He said angrily. Plague’s leg shot up and sent the gun clattering on the cement below the catwalk as his fist flew into Drake’s face, sending him falling backwards to the floor. Drake got back to his feet.
"I hope you got that out of your system." Plague said. Drake spat out a bit of blood on the catwalk. He then drew a knife from his coat and stabbed at Plague’s chest. Plague deftly sidestepped, grabbed Drake’s arm, and twisted it making him drop the knife. He then took one step forward and slammed Drake’s face into his knee. Drake was floored again. He got back to his feet again but before he could do anything Sharon had him in a full nelson hold.
"Don’t you know when to quit you idiot?!" She yelled.
"Let me go! I’m going to kill him! I’ll send him back to Hell where he belongs!!!" Drake raged and then snapped his head back slamming it into her nose. Her grip relinquished slightly and he elbowed her in the gut, effectively winding her. He advanced once more, but Kert stepped forward and punched Drake square in the face. Drake looked up at him (once again on the floor) in disbelief.
"You shouldn’t let anger blind your judgement Drake. Look what you did to Sharon." He said. Drake turned his head to see Sharon holding her nose which was trickling blood all over her hand. A temporary hatred plain in her eyes.
"He…did…" Drake said and was about to continue but then closed his mouth. "I’m…sorry." Drake said. Kert looked at him a moment, then shook his head and turned around. He stopped when he was standing by Plague.
"Plague, I think you should go. I can’t have a force of soldiers defending this place that go crazy at the sight of you. Nothing personal." He said discreetly.
"I know." Plague replied. Kert said nothing more and then exited the repair bay. He was followed by Plague and Doctor T moments later. Drake then felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around.
THWACK!!!
"AGH!" Drake cried out and put a hand over his nose. Sharon walked by, shaking out her hand from the solid hit she’d delivered.
"Dow we’re eben." She said as she too exited the repair bay. Drake stood there a moment. Then he chuckled quietly, and then he all out laughed.
"Tyler, my forces have taken control and secured approximately sixty-seven percent of the Earth’s surface." Umitsu reported. His hand which held a clipboard on it fell to his side. Tyler stood over a screen looking over various reports of recent battles. He found the one he was looking for and opened it.
"What of the attack of the UESA capitol General?" He asked.
"Well, we took over the city with relative ease even though they had two L2 platoons there." Umitsu replied.
"There were three platoons there…what was the other one?" Tyler asked.
"Uh…I think it was the Heavy Zero platoon." Umitsu said.
"Who’s their Lt.?" Tyler asked.
"Hmm…one Drake Oliver Floyd." Umitsu replied after glancing at his clipboard.
"I know that name…but where…" Tyler muttered to himself as he wracked his brain for an answer. He’d heard it somewhere in a few radio transmissions during the final battle of the Plague Wars. He had to be someone significant during that battle, why else would his platoon be named after the same suit that stood toe to toe with Tyler’s Epyon Zeta Gundam?
"Have you sent out a force to eliminate the survivors from the capitol?" Tyler asked.
"Yes, they headed West. We’ve had several skirmishes with them, I’ve been informed there was another recently, I haven’t gotten the specifics yet." Umitsu replied.
"Where was that latest battle?" Tyler asked.
"Only a bit into the Mojave Desert." Umitsu said. Tyler stood there for a moment, he then turned and faced Umitsu.
"There is a UESA Research Center there. They were studying Newtypes I believe. Do you know what that means Tachonan?" Tyler asked.
"What?" Umitsu asked.
"The soldiers you sent to annihilate the survivors are already dead. I want you to order a full out attack on the research center by all nearby forces. I don’t want any survivors, they must all die!"
The plan is in motion, but the forces of the Tenashi Faction have all been deployed against a single facility. Will Kert, Plague, and the two UESA platoons be able to hold up against the forces sent by Tyler, who is hell bent on destroying them? Find out next time on the Battle of Angels…
A Front Line of Gundanium