Chapter 1: The Remnants
November 24, UC 0083 "Eleven days," Zeon's Captain Ming Chow thought as his group of survivors arrived at their last fuel depot. Eleven days since their glorious defeat at the hands of the Federal navy, followed by eleven days of hiding and running from those that he had been sworn to kill. Those who had killed nearly everybody he had known for the past three years, except for the Lieutenants Jake Stark and Dan O'Hara in their Zaku IIs as well as a few other survivors who had escaped using their damaged Komusai escape shuttle. He growled quietly at that. He knew it was important to carry on, but he sometimes wished that he had gone down with them. Going down taking as many of them to hell with him as Major Gato had done. But dead men couldn't kill more Feddies, could they? "Captain Sir, the Komusai's refuelling is done. We're starting with Jake and Dan's Zakus now," Sixty five year old Sergeant Herbert Gaston reported as he pulled himself uneasily into Ming's cockpit. One of the oldest men in the Delaz fleet, his expert mechanical skills made him a great asset despite his age, "You look real tired, Sir," he observed. "I'll sleep when we get to safety," Ming replied, "How are the boys in the Komusai?" "They're doing okay, Sir," Herbert replied, "But maybe we ought to have ditched that thing a while back," he suggested. He had already suggested it before when they had discovered that it was too damaged to make an atmospheric re-entry or to travel at high speeds, but Ming had insisted. "And how will we carry the rest of the crew out?" Ming asked with a frown. Not again old timer... "My old crew and I escaped from Solomon by hanging on a cable attached to a Zaku," Herbert reminded, "Although I AM getting too old to hold on for long..." "Not this time, we're only two hours to Von Braun City. And I'm sure we can find somebody to help us," Ming countered. He wasn't actually sure there would be anybody who would help them on the Lunar city of Von Braun, but Lunarians were split in their loyalties, and any other "safe" destination was impractical. Side 3, their former homeland, was too well garrisoned, while it was impossible to reach the resistance forces on Earth with the severely damaged Komusai. In war, bad choices were often the best.
"Fine sir," Herbert replied grudgingly, "But let's get your Rick Dom II refuelled it's almost out," Thank God, Herbert thought, that the Delaz fleet had established several fuel and ammunition depots throughout the shoal zone to help refuel and rearm their scattered guerilla forces. And it was equally fortunate that the Feddies had not discovered the majority of them yet. They would have been literally dead in space without them. "Looks like we've found ourselves some action after all..." Lieutenant Ivan Romanov reported from his GM Kai with a grin as he saw the small group of Zeon survivors off in the distance, busy refuelling a Dom-type. After the pounding they had given Earth almost two weeks ago, he was almost too happy to find some worthless spacenoids to kill, even if he was just a rookie. "Don't get too eager," his CO, Captain Sylvie Gressier, reminded coldly. Unlike the other three members of her squad, she was a One Year War veteran who had seen combat many times during the war. Far too many times. And she knew that being too eager often got stupid kids killed. "Yes mam," Ivan replied in an equally cold tone. Don't tell me to do what to do you spacenoid, he thought but did not say out loud. Born and raised on Earth, he had been taught to be suspicious of the rebellious people who now resided in the giant colonies orbitting Earth. Even if she was a OYW veteran. "What do we do, Captain?" 2nd Lietenant Jin Lee asked as he pulled his GM Cannon II just behind Sylvie's GM Custom, a GM Kai piloted by his wingman Terry Eddington right behind him. Though Jin was also a rookie like his squad mates, his impressive shooting skills landed him in the prestigious spot the pilot of a GM Cannon II, a limited edition, heavily armored, artillery mobile suit, its only problem was its rather poor maneuverability. Something that Jin was worried about now that he was facing veteran Zeon pilots. Captain Greisser considered the situation for a moment. Her squad was composed entirely of rookies, while the enemy was most certainly composed of veteran, probably elite, pilots. But then she was also considered as an elite pilot too, and she had a GM Custom in her hands which is another limited editon GM model whose maneuverability and beam weaponry was almost equal to that of the OYW's legendary Gundam... "I'm going to get'm!" Ivan suddenly declared as he started charging the enemy, his 90mm machine gun drawn. Enough waiting! he thought, I still have Zeeks to kill...
"Ivan, get back here!" Sylvie ordered angrily, but Ivan was not listening. Oh great, one more letter to send... But she couldn't just let that arrogant prick die, could she? "Jin! Take down that Komusai and give us some cover. Terry, follow me!" "Oh crap! We've got company!" Dan warned as he saw a GM Kai heading straight for him, closely followed by the rest of its squad. "Get that Komusai moving right now!" Ming ordered quickly as he turned to face the enemy. His decision proved wise as a pair of beams narrowly missed the Komusai. But they had been spotted, and after what they had done he was sure it would be raining enemy units very soon... "Damn it!" he thought, we've come so close... "Bad luck, Sir..." Herbert said as he pulled himself into the Rick Dom II's cockpit. It was cramped as it was not designed to take two people, but it would take far too long for him to get back to the Komusai, and he did not live that long just to throw his life away needlessly.
"Yeah, but we're not going down without a fight!" Ming shouted as his Rick Dom II pulled out the 360mm bazooka. Only three shots left, but he was not an ace for nothing. He quickly took aim at the lead GM Kai and depressed the trigger. Hit. "Damn Zeek!" Ivan grumbled as the controls around him went dead. He grimaced as he saw one of the enemy Zakus heading for him, but before it could reach him a beam sliced off its leg. A second shot took out the other leg as the Zaku began to float helplessly in space, powerless. "Lieutenant Romanov this is why you should ****ing wait!" Sylvie reprimanded angrily as she interposed her GM between Ivan and the enemy. If they wanted to get him, she thought, they'll have to go through me first... "Jin, come on, take down that Komusai!" "I'm having some difficulty, it's evading, mam," Jin replied nervously as his second volley missed as well. Damn, he thought, this had never happened in the simulations...
"Great..." Sylvie muttered. Looks like I'm going to have to take'm all by myself now, she thought, "Terry, cover Ivan, I'll try to chase them down..." "Come on Jake! We have to help out Dan!" Ming ordered as he prepared to square off with the approaching GM Custom. "Sir, shouldn't we be..." Jake started. "We don't leave behind anyone, understand?" Ming declared angrily. Jake was the type of person who cared more about himself than others. Far more for himself. Something that angered Ming since they had started working together. But he had to trust him now, as he evaded a beam fired by the GM... Miss... Sylvie thought, and there are two of them. Great. She quickly aimed and fired at the Rick Dom II, missing again, but this time the Dom fired back, it shell just barely missing her GM's head. "I think Jake may be right, Captain..." Herbert advised as he saw the second shot miss, "One shot left. If we don't get out of here..." "I know, Herbert!" Ming interrupted angrily. But he didn't want to leave anyone behind. There were so few of them now, and he couldn't, wouldn't, let anybody else die... "Jake, cover me, I'm going to..." Suddenly a pair of massive beams shot pass just left of his Rick Dom II, fired by the artillery type GM supporting the Federation force. It was followed by a massive explosion behind Ming, and when he turned, he saw that the Komusai was gone... "Ming, lookout!" Jake warned as the GM fired a beam straight at Ming. It seemed as if the beam would hit him, but at the last second his Dom shot straight up, evading the beam. "Jake, let's go..." Ming ordered quietly. His quest to save one of them had cost almost everyone else's lives now. Those Federation *******s...
"Yes sir," Jake replied quickly as he fired off the last of his 120mm shells. About time, he thought... Well, Jin pulled through after all... Sylvie thought as she began to pursue the two remaining Zeon mobile suits. With no more Komusai to come home to, they would probably run out of fuel and ammunition very soon on their own. But with Von Braun so close, she had to make sure... "Ivan, what are you doing?!" Terry suddenly asked in a panicked voice over the radio. Sylvie quickly turned around, what was that Ivan... "Eat this, Zeon scum," Ivan declared in an evil, almost possesed voice as he fired his 90mm machine gun at the disabled Zaku. Its pilot was just about to scream out to say something, but before he could half a dozen 90mm shells impacted its cockpit, killing the pilot instantly...
"IVAN!" Sylvie shouted angrily. He had just killed a helpless prisoner. What sort of monster would do that? She quickly headed for Ivan's GM Kai. The kid definitely needed someone to check his head... "They're not pursuing us?" Herbert asked as turned and saw only empty space behind him. "Don't complain, Herbert," Jake advised, "What do we do now, Captain?" "We continue on to Von Braun," Ming replied quietly. And there, he hoped, he could find a way to get his revenge...
Notice: This story and all related material is copyrighted by Thomas E. "Zinegata" Ting, no part of this story may be taken by any other person. If you wish to use any material, please contact me first. Gundam and all related trademarks are owned by their respective companies. |
