Chapter 1, Part 1 (2/3)

 

After having finished the meeting with the colony representatives, Lady Une returns to her own room aboard the space fortress Barge and sends for the close aids who are entrusted with her care. The woman who was waiting in the adjoining room enters quickly and presents her with the OZ uniform. Lady Une starts to change in silence. When this is done, Lady Une sits before a chest attached to a mirror and has her undone hair fixed.

Having changed into her uniform and pinned up her hair, Lady Une seems to have returned to her former fierce appearance. However, something is still missing. Her former harsh eyes cannot be felt. That's probably because the glasses, which are lying before the mirror, are not put in place yet.

At that moment, with an electronic 'ping', an image appears on the communication terminal put beside the chest.

"Major Une, we have discovered a place in the D13087colony which seems to be a factory for Gundams. We have arrested one engineer."

After she has heard her subordinate's report, Lady Une takes her glasses and puts them on with a jerk, sticking the bows behind her ears.

"Well done. I'll return to headquarters immediately."

Her voice has regained the same sharpness as when she ordered the missiles to be shot at the colonies. Rising gracefully, Lady Une goes towards the upper level of the living section, where the cells are located.

Sitting in a chair in a single cell is a middle-aged man who has a hairstyle as if a mushroom had fully opened its hat. With his white robe full of oil spots he does indeed seem to be an engineer.

"Is that him?"

The man is, however, not afraid of Lady Une, who is looking down at him. He lifts his head in a manner that indicates that he was waiting impatiently for her to arrive.

"At last the commander appears."

"Below a machine factory, there is an outer block with the possibility to construct mobile suits and he was destroying things there" reports the officer beside Lady Une.

"Destroying evidence?"

"Unfortunately data is completely erased."

After listening to her subordinate's report, Lady Une directs her gaze at the man as if she wanted to shoot him with it.

"Your name?"

"It's nothing special. You may call me Professor G for the time being."

Nodding generously at the answer which can only be considered a joke, Lady Une continues the interrogation.

"Did you manufacture the Gundams?"

"Is that a way to ask questions?"

"Answer the question! You must have a relation to the five Gundams."

"Not to the other four."

"What do you mean by this?"

Narrowing the eyes behind her glasses, Lady Une questions further.

"I have constructed the best Gundam. Why would it be necessary to build four variations?"

"Are you saying you have built only one of them?"

"Yes, it's my masterpiece, Gundam Deathscythe. It's a coincidence. The traffic and communication between the colonies were blocked by the mines and obstacles set up by the Alliance. How could we have conspired? I have built only one suit."

"Coincidence you say? That means the existence of the five suits is a coincidence....?"

The man who has introduced himself as Professor G looks at Lady Une as if he finds her astonished appearance funny.

"So, that means there are four other engineers, doesn't it?"

Having collected herself, Lady Une presses again for answers.

"Guess it comes down to this."

"Do you know the others?"

"Well, even if I did know them, there is no way I could know what they're doing and where they're hiding."

At these reasonable words, even Lady Une realizes that any further questions are useless.

Just as she wants to finish the interrogation, the figure of an OZ officer is displayed on a screen set up at the wall.

"Major Une! A message from Earth. Gundam 02 and 04 have appeared at the Singapore space port and are starting their attack now."

"What?!"

Lady Une starts towards the screen as if she had been flicked that way.

"Hehehe, so he has indeed come back, that Duo...."

While watching the two mobile suits displayed on the screen, Professor G murmurs this while showing a bold smile.

The representatives of the Area D are watching the same pictures as well.

Narita and the other representatives also hold their breath at the two Gundams, which are devastating the space port with overwhelming power.

"These are the Gundams? They are destroying an OZ base on Earth...." murmurs somebody in a daze.

Until now, the existence of the mobile suits sent in by the colonies and used for destructive activities has only been hinted at by the Alliance and OZ, but their existence was never verified.

"The Alliance army has certainly oppressed the colonies. And OZ has also belonged to the Alliance. Isn't it somehow understandable that the colonies want revenge against Earth?" murmurs one of the representatives.

"But exactly now our peaceful attitude is about to give rise to a new understanding in OZ. It does simply no good if we keep the weapons raised at all times."

Ted Narita shouts his blame towards the Gundams.

"They too fight believing that fighting will protect the colonies."

The elderly Honorary Advisor shakes his head as if contradicting Narita.

"No, they are a nuisance for the colonies now. We should clarify our attitude before OZ can have any feelings of distrust."

"Because of their love, because they love the colonies more than anybody else, did they chose the way of fighting. They fight with limited power. Why can't we protect these Gundams!?"

The Honorary Advisor's shout, filled with exasperation, is not only directed at the young representatives, but also at himself.

 

**********

 

"This is indeed OZ's newest base. I can't go any further like this!"

Duo shouts this as he grits his teeth at the impact of shots.

Progressing smoothly only lasted the first few minutes.

He made full use of Deathscythe's systems and avoided any attention. Together with Sandrock, who participated in the attack from behind, he blew up the Leos defending the surroundings of the base. So far, so good. But immediately afterwards, when reinforcement troops had made a sortie from the base, the difference in war potential has become visible. Additionally to the fact that neither Deathscythe nor Sandrock had any long range weapons from the beginning, they are both suits which display their skills in close combat. If it comes to a combat of material resources at medium or long range, it's undeniable that they're at a disadvantage.

The launch opening for the HLV, which are used to shoot mobile suits up into space, is visible only a few tens of meters ahead. However, this distance may as well be really far away.

"I'll go straight to the HLV!"

Suddenly Quatre's exclamation bursts into Duo's cockpit.

"Quatre!"

Without listening to Duo's yell to stop him, Quatre's Sandrock quickly leaves the cover and puts himself straight in the middle of the enemy's fire.

Coming under concentrated fire, Sandrock is forced back.

Duo hurriedly comes out to help him. While he returns fire with the machine canon installed in Deathscythe's shoulders, he waits for Sandrock to hide behind the cover.

"Quatre! Don't do anything impossible!"

"But something impossible is fine! To make everybody understand... we have to fight to make our friends understand!! Seeing us, they have to understand that we all need to go to Space. Space is waiting for us!"

On the submonitor, Quatre appeals to Duo.

"To Space, together with everybody!"

"Gotcha, Quatre. So I, too, will get to face the impossible!"

Duo nods and, drawing the control lever towards himself, moves his fingers. Deathscythe draws his beam scythe. The beam of the scythe extends into the gunpowder smoke filled air.

"The God of Death is coming!"

As soon as he has shouted this, Duo steps onto the pedals.

Deathscythe barrels into the Leos which have come carelessly close and brandishes the scythe. With one stroke he cuts down two Leos and advances further.

Quatre's Sandrock also raises two heat shotels and attacks the Leos.

When it comes to close combat, there is no match for them.

In an instant, eight Leos are buried.

"Let's see...."

Duo displays on the submonitor the broadcast of every TV station. All of them report the attack of unidentified mobile suits on an OZ base.

"Okay, what we are doing is spread throughout the world. Huh? And that is...?"

Duo's eye is stopped by the last broadcast, which has the picture of a colony as a background. He can't believe his own eyes as the representative of his own home, the L2 colony, reads out a statement.

"We are the representatives' Parliament of the Area D in the L2 colony cluster. We now will announce a resolution by the Parliament. On Earth, mobile suits called Gundams are now executing destructive maneuvers against OZ. We from the Area D have nothing to do with the Gundams. We declare that, if the Gundams make OZ their enemy, we on our side will become the enemies of the Gundams. OZ is fair and just. Misunderstandings on both sides will soon be solved. Under these circumstances, we hope the Gundams will be defeated in this battle. We also hope that all the Areas in the colonies will side with this declaration."

When he has heard it all, Duo's expression becomes rigid.

"They fail to understand.... they don't understand, but it's hard to bear!!"

His hands are curled tightly into fists, as if he was searching for something to strike.

"It's okay, Duo."

Quatre's voice rings as if comforting him.

"We have come to Earth alone from the beginning. Even if the colonies can't understand right away, it's okay. For me it's enough that there are friends who fight with the same feelings I do."

A roaring sound suddenly breaks out and on the monitor, Quatre jumps up in his seat as if he were thrown out of it.

"Quatre! Damn it, fresh forces!!"

On his front monitor, Duo catches a bit more than ten Leos.

Immediately afterwards, also Deathscythe is hit by the simultaneous shots of the Leos. He becomes unbalanced and falls down.

Through the shock, which the cockpit's floating system cannot absorb totally, Duo hits his head on the chair.

"Rise, Sandrock! We must not be defeated yet!! We have to go to Space!"

He can hear fragments of Quatre's voice through the communicator.

"Damn it.... As it is, we will be killed. We must probably be doing a good thing. Why do we have to die in a place like this...."

As Duo shakes his head and wants to get Deathscythe to stand up, an answer suddenly comes back at him.

"That's because we are right."

"What was that?"

Wondering whether he's halluzinating, Duo shakes his head again. The voice repeats to him "We are right!!"

"Him?!"

Duo raises his voice at the new mobile suit which is displayed on his monitor. It's the Gundam which has appeared later at New Edwards and in the end did not come at all for the Taurus transport operation. The pilot has to be the Chinese called Chang Wufei.

"Somebody who is right must be strong. If you are only going this far, then it can't be helped. Leave the rest to the remaining persons."

"Leave the rest, you say? That is so not said by you!!"

Duo raises a shout as if saying 'don't you voice even one reproach'.

"That's the way. If you were beaten here, what would the excuse be to the guys who were siding with your thoughts?"

"They have noticed!"

"Everybody acting the same way I do are here as well."

"To all... it has been conveyed to all...."

It's Quatre's tearful voice.

"Let's beat them in one go!"

Reacting to Wufei's shout, Duo and Quatre raise their suits.

"To Space!"

The shout by the three people bursts into each other's cockpit.

 

**********

 

One Gundam attack an OZ space port located in South Africa.

The suit with its characteristic orange shoulders and red visor on the head is Trowa Barton's Heavyarms.

While Trowa opposes the attacking Leos with overwhelming firepower, there's something strangely calm in his expression.

"It will probably be a hard battle. But I feel peace in our five hearts."

Smiling faintly, Trowa has an eye on the shuttle visible in the distance, a shuttle which is used for shooting mobile suits into space.

 

**********

 

At the same time, Heero stands alone in the lobby of a civilian space port.

Seeing the image of the Gundams on the lobby's television monitor, he drops his eyes.

"My mission is the destruction of the OZ organization. If OZ goes to space, I will beat them there too."

It's a murmur, but it intermingles with the crowd and disappears.

"However, I cannot use Wing in space. If it comes to it, I will finish OZ with these hands."

At the announcement that the preparations for boarding the shuttle are finished, Heero walks away while looking straight ahead.

 

**********

 

"Is this the colony where they say the fifth engineer is holed up?"

From the Taurus pilot seat, Lieutenant Nichol captures one of the colonies of the L1 cluster on his monitor.

Lady Une has immediately issued the order to the OZ army stationed in other colony clusters that they should capture the other four engineers Professor G has hinted at. As a consequence, in only a few hours, the engineers who have been hiding in the three colony clusters L3, L4 and L5 have been detected and arrested. Already the three of them are now being escorted to the Barge.

"It seems the other three were captured so easily it was disappointing, but there is indeed one person who is resisting stubbornly."

Lady Une, who has come herself for confirmation on the last engineer, demands a report from her subordinates who have arrived earlier.

"Major, there's a factory in the outer area of the maintenance section, but the passages from the inside have all been completely blocked."

"Did you offer him the chance to surrender?"

Lady Une asks this of her subordinates who are clinging to the outer wall of the colony.

"He refused the call."

"Then don't go to any trouble! Begin attack!"

Immediately after Lady Une has issued her order....

"Major! Heat source detected in the colony!!"

The shrill voice of a subordinate comes back.

"Front troop, spread out!"

Lady Une's shout is not in time for the energy bundle attacking from the surface of the colony. A few suits are swallowed by it and vanish.

"Two manned suits are done for! Because of their difference in reaction time, the mobile dolls have not suffered any damage."

At Nichol's report, Lady Une immediately claps her hands.

"Taurus mobile doll troop, prepare to fire the beam canon!"

"Major, the beam is too strong. If the colony is hit directly, the result will be quite heavy damage."

At Lady Une's order, Nichol unconsciously raises his voice. For OZ, who are preferring measures to win the colonies over, this does not seem to be advisable. However, Lady Une declares cruelly "Since when has OZ's way of fighting been well mannered? I am not doing any diplomatic acts here, I am supposed to lead a war. The colony is not destroyed by our attack. It's going to be destroyed by this element of the rebellion."

The words she utters would have anybody, who knows her only as Lady Une with her hair down, go pale upon hearing them.

In this moment, the receipt signal on Lady Une's communicator starts blinking.

"I'm relieved that OZ has a mind as dirty as ever. In this case, I'll gladly surrender."

When she sees the old man in his white coat, Lady Une narrows her eyes.

"It's you...."

It's the person who sent the message of surrender from the colonies as she was threatening the Gundams with an attack on the colonies by the missile satellite - it's Doctor J.

"Fine, I'll accept the surrender. Do it immediately!" orders Lady Une with a triumphant voice to Doctor J.

"The people of the colonies will probably soon notice the dark part of OZ as well. I won't let their fight go to waste."

Doctor J murmurs this as he is thinking of Heero and the others who are continuing the battle on Earth far away.

 

**********

 

Duo finally reaches the HLV used for launching mobile suits into space. He immediately loads Deathscythe into the HLV and is about to rush into the cockpit. Wufei has already entered the HLV next to his.

"Hurry up, Quatre!"

Duo waves his arm and shouts at Quatre. Quatre is still on board Sandrock and fighting with the Leos.

"As it is, we will be shot down when we take off...." murmurs Quatre as he cuts down the apporaching Leos with his heat shotels.

"Quatre, hurry up!"

Duo's shout comes in from the cockpit of the HLV. Quatre's breath catches for a moment, then he nods as if he has decided something, and raises his voice towards the microphone.

"Don't worry about me. I have decided to back you up for launch."

"Idiot! What are you saying!! Don't we all have to go to space?!"

Duo utters a child-like cry. Smiling a bit, Quatre answers "Yes, that's why I back you up from here. Then at least two can go to space."

"Quatre!"

"Please... I cannot hold much longer."

"Thank you. I will repay your kindness by going into space. Let me think of this in such way."

Wufei's voice comes in slightly stiff through the communicator.

"Idiot!"

As if to cut Duo's shout, Quatre switches off the communicator.

"I have already run out of weapons. What remains... what remains is only the self-destruct mechanism."

Hearing the thundering noise of the HLVs which are entering launch preparations, Quatre hits his fist against the panel beside his left hand. The small panel slides away and a red button appears. Quatre pushes the button without hesitation.

An alarm sounds in the cockpit and the front monitor opens to the side, as if to urge the person on board to escape. The hatch behind it is also slowly lowered.

"Are you.... are you telling me to get out, Sandrock?"

Even without words, Quatre feels that his beloved suit wants to protect him. In spite of himself, he has tears in his eyes.

"Thank you, my Sandrock."

Quatre descends to the ground with the wire used for getting on and off. He looks after Sandrock who is walking away towards the Leos, then he walks away towards the shuttle hangar.

Quatre jumps into the shuttle, puts on the space suit and immediately gets to work with the launch preparations. There's no time until the self-detonation.

"Sandrock, don't let this go to waste...." murmurs Quatre while slowly pushing up the throttle lever.

Immediately after two HLVs and one shuttle have launched, Sandrock explodes, taking nine Leos with him.

"Goodbye, my Sandrock...."

Looking back to his beloved suit, wrapped in a blinding light, Quatre suppresses the tears welling up in his eyes.

 

**********

 

"Get in there."

Doctor J is pushed by the OZ officer into the gloomy prison cell. In the small room, four other visitors are already there.

"Hi!"

After greeting them in a light tone, Doctor J steps further into the cell.

"You're late."

Professor G, who has been captured first, addresses Doctor J.

"And you, how about putting up a bit more resistance?" says Doctor J.

"There were various other things to do. So, for the time being that's how it is."

Professor G holds his hand out to Doctor J. The five engineers shake hands.

There are characteristic faces though.

Doctor J's artificial arm and black glasses are already peculiar, but Professor G's mushroom like hair style and pointy nose is also standing out. Additionally, the remaining three men have also quite strange appearances.

A man of European descent with a cover applied to his nose - Doctor S.

A man of oriental descent with a stooped back and a thin moustache - Professor H.

A man of Chinese descent who has a physique as if he were a fighter - Master O.

"So we meet again after fifteen long years. And I am astonished that we all had success in manufacturing the Gundams."

Doctor J says this as if he were admiring it.

"It seems we all could carry out the operation at the usual day."

It's not necessary to tell which day the 'usual day' mentioned by Doctor S is. It's the day the leader Heero Yuy was assassinated.

"But we had to get it done without either the Alliance or Quinze knowing about it."

Master O reasons with what Professor H is grumbling about "It does look like OZ is a cut above them."

"Well, let's wait and see for a while how OZ will behave."

The five men, including Doctor J, drop into bed as if they were not afraid at all for themselves, even if they are prisoners.

Lieutenant Nichol, who has watched this situation on the monitor camera with amazement, asks Lady Une who is standing beside him "Are we going to have a public trial?"

"No, these guys can be used in other ways. After all, they are the engineers who have built the Gundams."

In this instance, the communication officer receives a message from Earth and turns around towards Lady Une.

"Major Une, it seems three shuttles with the Gundam pilots on board have taken off from the Singapore space port."

"Fine. Prepare the missiles on the low orbit satellite! Shoot them down!!"

Just as each officer in charge, having repeated Lady Une's orders, starts pressing switches on the consoles, the deep bright red emergency light is turned on in the command room and the alarm resounds.

"What is it!?"

Lady Une reacts first.

"Unusual occurence in the power facility!"

"Interfering electrical waves are flying about! No communication possible!!"

"The radar doesn't work at all either!"

Even Lady Une cannot cope with all the reports coming in one after the other.

"What on earth is this?"

The command room is thrown into confusion.

The five imprisoned engineers feel the confusion outside as the alarm resounds and thin smiles spread uniformly on their faces.

"At last the mechanism has been of use to us" says Professor G.

"OZ, that you have left us alive will do you no good. Same for the guys."

While Doctor J smiles ominously, he puts together the fingers of his artificial arm, producing a clicking mechanical sound.

 

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