This is the best Gundam fanfic you will ever read. (Tim
Seltzer, seltzer@seltzerbooks.com) Nightmare's Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam or any of the
other numerous anime series mentioned in this work-and there are a
bunch! Gundam W, 08th MS, Evangelion, Gundam 0083, Bubblegum
Crisis Tokyo 2040, Outlaw Star, even Tenchi Universe; anything and
anyone is fair game. I'm just a really big fan of anime with a lot
of free time on my hands to be working on this thing since late
2001! So please, don't sue me! This is one of the best things I've
ever written-I think-and I hope that no nit-picky person tries to
take it from me!
Silent Requiem
Victory and defeat at Solomon and A Baoa Qu
An U.C. /A.C./A.D. original theatrical event
Dramatis Personnae:
Federated Union of Earth
Bannock, Michelle- (British) Medical personnel
onboard the Federation Medical Vessel, EFF Valkyrie
Barton, Trowa- (American) 2nd
Lieutenant/Ensign; Commander of the 2nd MS team, MacArthur
Battalion; SR company
Bauer, Amy- (American) former core-fighter
pilot; Recon SR company
"Dammit, man! I friggin' hate recon duty.
There's nothing out here anymore! Why do we have to go through
this again?" Corporal Gene D'Ark, communications officer of the
MacArthur Battalion's Fifth Mobile Suit team, griped from his
station onboard the Type-71 Hovertruck.
"God, Gene, shut up already! You're acting
like a two-year-old, again!" the pilot of the team's GM sniper
II, Master Sergeant Hilde Schbieker retorted at his puerile
display.
The truth of the matter was, though, recon
duty really was that boring. The 5th MS had been combing the
area for hours now in the ubiquitous Federation ground combat
mobile suits, the RGM-79 GM, in search of Zeon soldiers or suits
just as they had for the past three months stationed in New
England. However, there had been no activity in the entire
sector for over four days now. It was unlikely they'd be lucky
enough to even spot any Zakus, the backbone and most common of
the Zeon Earth Invasion Troops, today either. The lack of
activity had made all of the soldiers at base a little uneasy.
"Give him a break, Hilde." Their commanding
officer, Duo Maxwell groaned over the radio. Those two were
always fighting with one another and it was enough to make his
head hurt just listening.
Truth be told, Hilde was the one who always
disparaged Gene. The poor guy had a desperate school-boy crush
on her, and she was always trying desperately to get away from
him. The thing was, he never really seemed to get the idea, no
matter how brutal she was.
"Sorry, commander, sir." They chorused in
unison.
Sighing in exasperation, Duo then decided to
check on the fourth member of their team, Sergeant Alexander
Kincaid, the light artillery specialist. He switched the com
line over to the other GM. "How's it going over there, Alex?"
"Fine sir." Alex hardly ever was much of a
talker, but he was proud and somewhat stubborn. Both of these
made him an excellent soldier, but, when he allowed them to get
the better of him, he sometimes made bad judgement calls.
As for the commander himself, Duo was the
ideal commander for any MS team. He was patient and funny most
times, but could be harsh and militant at others. Today, even
though the lack of enemy activity was making his compatriots
antsy, he was in one of his lighter moods.
He was feeling pretty excited because in
approximately twenty three hours and counting, he and his unit
would be on their way into space to take part in the final push
to eliminate the rebels, Operation Star One. The evacuation
shuttle had just arrived yesterday, and he and all the rest of
the Battalion were to be loading it that evening as soon as
their patrol duty was finished. It was unfortunate that they had
gotten stuck with active duty on their last full day on Earth,
but not as much so as the 2nd MS who had duty tomorrow morning,
just before lift off.
The unit continued along its route in relative
silence until finally, they broke through the dense canopy of
evergreens and reached the city. War had taken a brutal toll on
this section of North America in the early months of fighting.
Now, however, the entire vicinity had long since been evacuated
by all but the last remnants of Zeon and Federation Forces. An
eerie silence had fallen over the cityscape.
"All right, everybody, stay sharp. We're now
leaving Fed controlled territory. There's no room for any
slip-ups," Duo barked over the radio.
"Sir!" Hilde and Alex replied.
Cautiously, the three GMs moved into the heart
of the city, all the time wary that at any moment, they could be
surprised by a Zaku, Dom, or even…
"Commander," Gene called from the Truck, "I've
got something on the thermal sensors."
"What?" Any enemy activity capable of being
picked up on the thermals was a very bad sign. Unlike sonar and
radar, thermal energy scans were only capable of detecting
objects at very close range.
"I've got it too, commander. It's very faint
though." Alex added. "Ya think it's a 'igh altitude Dopp
flight?" Dopps were the small fighters of the enemy's air force.
Although small, and relatively weak against the firepower of a
mobile suit, they were incredibly fast and maneuverable. A large
group could prove to be more than a match for the three GMs.
"Not if you're picking it up on the thermals.
It has to be close, whatever it is. Everybody upgrade to yellow
alert."
All the soldiers in the unit complied silently
and continued to fan out over the cityscape.
Suddenly, Hilde's voice came in over the
radio. "Shit. Duo, I think I found it. Check up on that
skyscraper one click to starboard."
"Hot damn! I just got a visual and heat-scan
conformation. It's an MS-07B3!" Excitement was evident in Gene's
voice as he reported in.
An MS-07B3, Duo thought as he craned his GM's
neck to try to spot it. If he remembered his enemy MS ID numbers
correctly, that would be a Gouf custom model. There were rumors
circulating about those types of suits. Rumors that spoke of
untold agility and armament for an enemy ground-combat mobile
suit.
As he located it and pulled out his scope, it
was easy to believe those rumors. The suit was a sight to
behold; the waning sunlight hit the black and chrome finish at
just the right angle, creating a stark, Gothic appearance. It
kneeled low, crouching like a gargoyle. Yet, for all its mystic
features, it was clearly a weapon on modern design. The heavy
gattling cannon mounted on its shield served only to amplify
that notion.
"Anybody got any idea of what to do with this
guy?" Duo called out.
There was a bit of static over the speakers as
he waited for the reply. The black suit remained motionless at
its perch atop the skyscraper all the while, daring them to
move.
Yet, its blacked-out status seemed
justifiable, even planned. It had probably been used to hide it
from the thermal scan; all the suit's nonessential functions
were being kept off-line and, thus, keeping its temperature
output relatively low.
This guy was very clever.
"I dunno," Alex's voice finally came through.
"I think those are the units they save only for their Aces,
right? If that's the case, we're screwed."
"Yeah. I've heard that just one of those
things took out a whole unit in Southeast Asia. They were all
G-type Gundams too!" Hilde seconded from his left. "Duo, if we
can take this guy down all of us will probably get promotions!
I'm ready if you two are."
He paused for a moment to consider his
options, and, the longer he thought, the better retreating was
sounding to him. He'd heard the legend of the Southeast Asia
incident, too (as he recalled, he'd been the one who'd
originally told it to them; his cousin Michel had served on that
team) and he really wasn't quite ready to die yet. But, if the
Gouf did come online after they retreated, and if he was an
ace-which he probably was-it would run them down in no time. The
shuttle and everyone else at the base was in deep trouble.
"Well, we can't run away-not now anyway; that
thing probably already knows we're here and if we tried to
escape, we'd leave our backs open for an attack. Gene, send out
a wire to HQ, and tell them that everybody had better set up a
defense perimeter ASAP. The Zeeks may know we're stationed
here."
"Roger that." Gene extended the UHF radio
antenna and prepared to inform the base commander of the
impending threat.
Yet, just as the antenna was going up, there
was another, barely audible sound as the Gouf's eye-camera lit
up.
"Too late!" Alex backed his GM up a half step
and raised his machine gun, his trigger finger itching.
"Hold your fire, sarge." Duo called out over
the radio. "This is going to have to be executed skillfully.
Hilde, go to port about thirty paces and get behind that
museum's rotunda."
"Gotcha" she began walking slowly in the given
direction, side-stepping other, smaller buildings.
"Alex, you go five paces starboard and get
behind that skyscraper. I'll take point. If we all work
together, we can beat this guy and get on the shuttle and be
ready to get rid of these Zeeks once and for all."
"Okay."
Maj. Cirrus O'Reilly glared down at the three
GMs just below her. It was truly pathetic. How could the Feddies
still be trying to put up a fight? Did they think that just
because they won at Odessa that they could actually win this
war?
It was typical Earth-bound mentality. She'd
just have to make an example of these three. She steadied her
fingers on the control for the gattling cannon stood slowly, and
hit the jump jets.
Hilde had almost manoeuvred the GM sniper II
into position, when suddenly the Gouf leapt from the building in
a fiery blast and unleashed a torrent of bullets in the
direction she had just come from. The direction where she'd just
left Duo and Alex.
She watched as the huge Zeon mobile suit
slammed into the ground, toppling two high-rise apartments and
creating a lot of dust. Now, even through her high-powered scope
on the beam rifle, Hilde was totally blinded to the enemy's
movements.
She pressed the mike close to her lips.
"D'Ark, where the fuck did he get to? I've lost all my damn
visual."
From back in the Truck, Gene stopped
monitoring the soundwave patterns to momentarily answer his
superior officer. "Aw jeez, Hilde, this guy is friggin' unreal.
I didn't know mobile suits could move that fast. I mean--"
"Cut the chatter, Gene, and help me get a fix
on him!" The sniper took to one knee and scanned the vast
cityscape looking through the dispersing dust for the Zeek.
"Roger. Let's see…he's moving to the left
…quick sidestep right…he's charging now…two clicks south!"
"Okay, I got him now. Keep your ears on this
guy."
There was an incredible shockwave as the
massive, black suit smashed into the building directly in front
of Duo. He caught a glance at it before it was on its feet again
charging his GM through the billowing clouds of dust and debris.
He raised his beam rifle and fired two shots in quick succession
at the enemy, which evaded both blasts by feinting right, but
sidestepping left. The two discharged beams disintegrated the
superstructure of another building two blocks down. If only the
GM was just a little faster…
He slammed on his jets for a quick boost to
his right; He knew he had to keep this black monster in front of
him, if he wanted to have any chance of making it out alive.
Yet, exactly as he was moving, the Gouf made a
counter move right and collided with the GM, its shoulder spikes
tearing away most of his right arm at the shoulder, and knocking
the gun away.
"Hmph! Damn, stupid Feddie; he should have
known better than to let his guard down."
Cirrus reached into the back of her gatling
shield and unsheathed her cold black broadsword. As the dust
cleared, she could plainly see the mutilated and
now-surprisingly-unarmed GM.
`Excellent,' she sighed, relieved, `Now I can
easily finish this one off, dispatch the other two, and be on my
way home before Tea.'
With that, she swung out with the sword and
landed a devastating blow across the GM's torso as it tried
pitifully to dodge the attack. The Federation suit collapsed
backward after the blow and smashed several low buildings.
Cirrus then stooped and reached out to grab its neck in a steady
choke-hold. She then lifted the suit from the ground and held it
high at about an arm's-length away as she prepared another
finishing blow.
"Sayonara insolent Federation dog," Cirrus
growled through her clenched teeth. Her radio was off so he was
unable to hear, but she continued, "it is funny that ten months
earlier, you and I, though we never met, were fighting a common
enemy. Now, your death-though nothing personal-will bring me one
step closer to achieving my ultimate retribution!"
Yet, at that exact moment…
Alex watched helplessly as the Gouf made ready
to hack his CO to pieces; at this range, shots from his machine
gun would be almost as fatal to Duo as to the Zeek preparing to
take his life. He froze in fear knowing he would probably be
next.
But to his amazement, a blast of pure crimson
energy cleaved the enemy's head with the efficiency only a
sniper could provide. The stunned Gouf released Duo's mangled GM
as its hands went up in shock.
"Yes! She took out its camera!" he heard Gene
whoop over the radio. "That sucker's toast now!"
As if in silent acknowledgement, Alex,
desperate to rectify his earlier mistake, unleashed a hail of
bullets on the floundering mobile suit.
Suddenly, everything went black inside the
cockpit of the Gouf. Cirrus, moments ago, calm and collected,
totally lost composure with the loss of her vision.
"What was that? Do they have a sharp-shooter
out here?" her voice was rising and cold fear began to creep up
her throat; Still, the logical part of her mind screamed out
that her fears were certainly well-grounded.
Her whole strategy changed: she could achieve
nothing with that sniper watching her every move, waiting for an
opportune time to send a bolt like that through the cockpit and
vaporize her; but what else could she do? There was no possible
way for her to locate it now-not without her camera, anyway.
And then a thought crossed her mind: she was
facing a very real situation here where her own death was
standing practically right before her eyes.
Cirrus was afraid.
As she closed her eyes in resignation,
whispering "Oh please, Lord, do not let me die here," a bright
flash of light coursed through her body. Then, as if by the
divine intervention she so sought, she could see again, just as
if the monitors were still working. She saw the third GM off to
one side of her raise its machine gun and prepare to fire, and,
at the same time, she could see the sniper behind her, waiting
to fire another round.
What the hell was going on?
"Duo, pack up and head out; Alex and I'll
finish this piece of junk off." Hilde sounded in his radio.
"Roger that!" the commander responded as he
attempted to lift his mauled GM up on its feet again.
Then, Alex began blasting away on the static
target and did a good bit of damage to it. Then, much to his
astonishment, the headless Gouf hit its jets and jumped across
the city again.
"I'm going after it, sir!" Alex claimed
"No, wait up a sec--" Duo had begun to notice
that something wasn't quite right. Something he just couldn't
explain.
It was too late, however, as The other GM had
already hit its thrusters and was preparing to follow the black
menace.
Returning her focus to her own situation and
checking her radar, Hilde prepared to fire another shot to take
out the Zeek. However, its heat signal had vanished completely
from her scanner. She swore loudly. "Lost `im again! Gene, gimme
a fix on that guy-is he still retreating?" Hilde's sniper
returned to its standing position to get a better look around.
"Looks that way. Signature's definitely
getting fainter every second. Hey, great shot there! Man, that
was amazing. Pow! Took his head off in one shot!"
She snorted. This kid really didn't know very
much about warfare; it wasn't as if she was trying to take that
guy out with style or anything-she had a job to do and that was
the most effective way to get it done.
Then a third voice came over the monitor: it
was Duo. "All right everybody, let's head back to base. I think
the perimeter should be secured now. `Least until that black
mobile suit comes back. How's the evacuation going, Gene?"
"I never got a chance to send the message
before the fight started. Do you want me to do it now?"
"That would seem like a good ide-" He stopped
in mid sentence.
"What's wrong?" Hilde asked.
"I've got it, too: one bandit bearing
two-seven by five-one… Hilde, it's right behind you!" Gene
called out.
She turned around just in time to see the
headless mobile suit crash though a building and raise its sword
to finish her. In a reflexive act of self-defense, she raised
both the GM's arms to ward off the attack she knew was coming,
but it was too late.
With a well-placed diagonal swipe, the Gouf's
sword tore through her rifle and across her midsection. The
resulting explosion was enough to send Hilde sprawling backward
and crashing to the asphalt below.
Duo, running over to finish off the monster,
caught a glimpse of another horribly battered GM. It was Alex.
His suit was smoking very badly and had a pierce wound right
under the cockpit… right through its reactor.
He immediately called out over his headset,
"Fifth Team! Man down two blocks left of the museum. Alex's hurt
real bad, and his reactor's been hit; no telling how much time
left before that bitch goes critical, so we've got to finish
this quickly! Gene, get over there now and see if you can find
Alex. I'm coming to help ya, Hilde."
"What is happening to me? How can I still see
so well what is going on out there with no camera?" Cirrus
wondered as she bent low and charged the GM sniper. The massive
spikes on her shoulders impaled the Federation suit and knocked
it back once again.
She turned in the direction it went and fired
her magnetic heat rod, landing it squarely in the middle of its
chest-again, incredibly accurate for want of sight and delivered
a powerful electro-magnetic pulse through it, shutting down the
suit's internal systems. The GM fell to its knees as its own
eye-cameras went dark.
Another flash; this time she saw the GM with
the smashed arm coming up behind her, beam sword held high in
its good arm and ready to attack. She whirled around while still
holding the sniper inactive with her heat rod, and unleashed a
barrage of shells in the direction she knew it to be in.
Duo was shocked that the Zeek could know he
was there at all, much less where to aim a torrent of slugs like
the one it was laying down now. As bullets pounded the metallic
outer body of the GM, he had to halt his advance and strafe
bethind a multistory apartment complex.
"Shit!" he said through clenched teeth.
The Zeon mobile suit continued firing at him,
the impact of its slugs tearing the façade of the building apart
behind Duo; it was only a matter of time before the apartment
would offer no protection at all. What was he going to do? What
could he do?
He had to try and storm the hill where the
Gouf stood. As suicidal as it sounded, it was better than
waiting and being engulfed in a nuclear inferno when Alex's GM's
reactor overloaded. Further, it wouldn't be only he who was
killed in the explosion; Alex, Gene, and Hilde…
The thought of his friends being killed as a
result of his fear and hesitancy was enough to stir something
deep inside of him and push him onward despite the danger.
Giving as fierce a battle cry as he could
manage, he forced the GM from behind the apartment and charged
up the hill. His adrenaline-fueled rage making him oblivious to
the bullets still hammering his suit, he shoved the headless
enemy aside and severed the electric wire holding Hilde down. As
the Zeek staggered to its feet behind him, he grabbed his limp
teammate and maxed out his thrusters in the direction of the
base.
The clock ticked on before the devastating
nuclear explosion.
The hover truck raced through the streets,
plowing over all the debris in its path. Alex sat dazed in the
passenger seat while Gene pushed the engine harder. He didn't
know where he would meet up with the other two, or even if
they'd make it out alive, but he knew the best place to go would
be back to Base.
The Gouf stood alone in the city. Cirrus
O'Reilly was still wondering why she hadn't died in the battle.
She'd heard the rumors about the people called "Newtypes," human
beings with heightened awareness and almost psychic powers, but
she'd always dismissed them as fairy tales; a hopeless dream
conjured up by a war-weary people. However, the fact that it
might be happening to her…
Suddenly an explosion rocked the earth.
"What the--?" were the Feddies bombing the
city? No, that was impossible, They were tight enough on weapons
as it was, they wouldn't waste any trying to destroy one
Gouf…would they?
She suddenly remembered stabbing the GM with
the machine gun; had she hit its reactor? Was there going to be
a nuclear blast?
She certainly wasn't going to wait around and
find out, and, as the cityscape behind her was immolated in a
massive ball of irradiated flames, her instincts led her home…
