Mobile Suit Royal Gundam Pt. 10

****

Luna April 2, 2099

The Assault Carrier Sepulchre had arrived with two hours to prepare. The Vice Chief drives to the dark side of Luna. He approaches a vault an inserts his DNA, proving him to be the son of Laplace and Doris Bonaparte. A second later the vault door opens and he enters. Standing in the center was a table with a glass box. He turns off the cooling system and takes off the box cover. Under it was a silver briefcase. He sighs and picks it up. "I really hope it doesn't come to this."

He returns to Sepulchre. "Sir there are plenty of ships standing by to take you back to Earth," Captain Amoco announces.

He shakes his head, "I will return on Sepulchre."

"Sir I cannot guarantee your safety once the battle starts."

"If things go south then I'll leave but right now I wish to oversee the mission of the six."

He nods.

"I'll be in my quarters."

"Yes sir."

****

The Ultimate

All the pilots scrambled to their the mobile suits. Bernkastel gazes at the Rick Diamond, it was the same size as the Hunter Zaku only it was silver, had a triangle shaped head and lacked the cape and shoulder spikes. Each were given a spiked knuckle shield. She floats to Royal and activates the cockpit chest.

The mobile suits start powering up. A yellow monoeye appears on the Rick Diamond which flashes, makes the bwaa sound and looks around. All of the Rick Diamonds follow suit and then the Royal Gundam's white monoeye comes on, flashes, bwaa at the same time and looks around.

Each mobile suit made their way to the catapults. Magnolia watches as Captain Brax takes off in the Gargoyle and puts on her game face and once the green light comes on she launches.

Holly adjusts her headband before putting on her helmet and launches.

"We're going home!" Abigail says and launches.

Meghan straps herself in. "Woo hoo!"

"This is it," Moses says and launches.

"My ass is gunning for some Earth Republic ass!" Kamala grins evilly.

"For all those we lost!" Tsukiyomi says and launches.

"Ensign Bernkastel Wheat, Royal Gundam, launching!"

"Sir all mobile suits have launched."

"All ships forward!" Supreme Leader Dudael orders.

****

Sepulchre

The Vice Chief goes into the main hanger to see the pilots off. All save one stood at attention being briefed by Captain Amoco. The MS Chief Engineer Roth and Secretary Blanch were with him. The Vice Chief looks around, "Where's Agent Orange?"

"Late!" MS Chief Engineer Roth answers angrily.

"Making us look bad as usual," Barcelona adds angrily.

"I was going over the strategy once more but we can't wait for her," Captain Amoco explains.

"Speak of the devil and she shall appear!" The Vice Chief turns to see her coming in and is shocked to see her in an white and orange normal suit but what shocked him the most was an orange helmet with a tilted black visor.

"How good of you to join us," MS Chief Engineer Roth says bitterly.

She floats pass them without so much as a salute.

"Hey we're discussing the plan once more, get down here!" Captain Amoco yells.

"I don't need your strategy! Gal I'll get you your damn Gundam but the pilot's head is mine!"

"You honestly think you can take the Gundam by yourself?" Barcelona laughs.

"I don't think! I know!" She opens the cockpit chest and turns on the power. "Open the hanger, I'm heading out."

"You get down here now!" Captain Amoco radios.

She ignores him.

"You haven't been issued an order yet, you must wait for confirmation," Chief Petty Officer Socrates radios.

"I don't need confirmation, they're coming."

"Agent Orange you have to the count of three to get out of the mobile suit!"

She starts moving and aims her rifle at the hanger gate.

"She wouldn't dare!" Balrog exclaims.

"Open the hanger," the Vice Chief orders.

They all look at him perplexed. "But Sir!"

"Just do it, we don't have time for this!"

Barcelona grits her teeth.

Captain Amoco sighs. "Open the hanger. The rest of you wait on standby and if we're lucky try and stick to the plan."

"So you're hoping she dies?" Barcelona asks.

"Pray we're lucky that she does."

Barcelona smirks. "If you keep that up Captain I might fall in love with you."

"I'm married."

"Humph!"

A few seconds later Agent Echo Orange boards the catapult and takes off.

****

The Dudael Fleet was ten miles away from Luna. "Sir we've picked up a single signal, it's a mobile suit hovering in our path."

"Put it on screen, maybe they've come to surrender!" Once they see the orange mobile suit they gasp. "It, it can't be," he murmurs.

"What kind of Templar is that?" Bernkastel questions. "And its orange with horns, that must mean!"

The orange mobile suit gives them the kill gesture and waves bye-bye. "I want all frontal Hunter Zakus to fire at that mobile suit!" Supreme Dudael orders.

"Sir?"

"DO IT!"

"Give them the order," Admiral Terrence orders.

The Hunter Zakus fire one round at the Teutonic that just stood there but once the missiles were in impact range she dodges them flies towards the Zakus.

"Take evasive action!" The Hunter Zaku Commander radios.

Agent Orange kicks the head off a Hunter Zaku and grabs another and throws into the missile barrage. The remaining missiles continue following her and she leads them into the bridge of the Crown ship Angus.

The bridge crew of The Ultimate watch in horror as the Angus explodes in a yellow and then pink fire ball.

Agent Orange chuckles and speeds through the fleet dodging their machine gun fire.

"Tell the fleet to spread out and make their way to Luna. Alpha Shrike Group intercept and destroy the orange Templar!" Supreme Dudael orders.

They see it heading straight for them and they fire their machine gun and cannon rounds but it was too fast.

The Teutonic stops in front of The Ultimate's bridge and stares at them for a minute before flying away. The Supreme Leader bashes his hand on the table. "He's playing with me," he murmurs.

"That Templar is faster than the others," Bernkastel notes.

"I got you!" Tsukiyomi exclaims. Suddenly the Teutonic was behind her and kicks her in the back. "Ahhhh!"

"Damn you! I'll get your ass!" Kamala fires but she's kicked from behind as well. "My ass!"

"Damn it Marius! Why you do this to us?!" Holly screams.

"Tell Ensign Wheat it's her show now," The Supreme Leader barks.

A few seconds later the other Alpha Shrikes back away leaving Bernkastel alone. "Are we really going to allow this?!" Meghan radios.

"You and I both know he wouldn't do this if it wasn't for this reason, that bastard," Captain Brax radios.

"Your ass better kick that traitor's ass into oblivion!"

"Please be careful!" Meghan radios worriedly.

"Alright let's get to Luna!" Captain Brax barks.

"Damn I wish I could watch." Moses pouts.

"We already know how it's going to turn out," Abigail smirks.

Magnolia nods.

The two of stare at each other. "Traitor!" Bernkastel screams.

"Traitor? Look who's talking."

Bernkastel was flabbergasted, "A woman's voice?!"

My name is Agent Echo Orange and I've come to kill you and retrieve the Royal Gundam."

"Before we begin I want to apologize for I thought you were someone else."

"I know who you are referring too but that person is dead."

"Dead?! Marius Wing is dead?!"

"Yes killed by a man known as Captain Juan, I"m sure you knew him."

"More or less but you'll be happy to know that I killed him!"

The two begin firing at each other.

****

The 98 Crown ships of the Dudael Fleet were five miles away from Luna but standing in their way was the Vargas Fleet under the command of Admiral Vargas. Templars, Teutonics, Mobile Pods, Pterodactyl fighters and Pteranodon bombers swarm at them.

The 1st Post Apocalyptic War begins.

"This is it, empty your guns!" Supreme Leader Dudael barks. The Ultimate fires its forward batteries and missiles which hits the front the Celestial ship Red Grad, as they passed by they fire their port beam weapons. "We got them, Sir!"

"Good! Now don't let up!"

****

Sepulchre

The Vice Chief views the blackness of space being lit up by yellow and pink explosions due to the reactors. "Sir I just received word that the Royal Gundam is being engaged by Agent Orange's Teutonic," Captain Amoco reports.

"So she made it?!"

"That's correct, it's confirmed that she single handedly sunk a Crown ship."

"She just might this off. But we cannot take any chances."

"Sir, Admiral Vargas says if we wish to launch the time is now."

"Right! As for our original plan I think it's too late. Have our Celestial body guards launch their mobile suits. As for ours they will launch as well but Gal and her body guards will remain here for the time being."

The MS Chief Engineer smiles, "At last the time has come. Ms. Blanch, make sure you get all the battle data."

"Yes Sir!"

****

The Gargoyle dodges several beam shots. "Watch yourself Magnolia, three Templars coming in."

"We're coming!" Holly says and impales one with her claws.

Abigail throws a javelin into the second Templar.

Magnolia flies up and dodges a bazooka round, she gets behind the Templar and shoots it in the back. A Teutonic appears and fires its beam rifle which breaks her shield. She fires but it block her shots so she quickly flies at it and bashes it in the head with the remaining part of her shield with the spikes and quickly finishes it off by pulling out an experimental beam pistol given to her by Captain Brax.

Three Pteranodon bombers head for The Ultimate but Captain Brax destroys one and the two break off their attack but Brax doesn't let them go. He fires a missile in the back of a Teutonic but it was still standing. "Damn it they really are different from the ones we encountered in the last battle!" It fires at him but then Moses shows up with a labrys and slices it in half. "Thanks!"

"You leave the mobile suits to us, Captain."

"Right! There's bigger fish to fry."

Meghan flies pass them welding two anti ship rifles, she dodges the enemy guns of a Celestial ship and fires two shots, one at the bridge and the other in the deck. "Yahoo!" She moves on to the next target after watching it burn.

"Don't go too far, we still have to protect the Ultimate."

"Yes Captain."

****

The Royal Gundam and the Orange Teutonic fired their machine guns at each other until they completely ran out of ammo. The Orange Teutonic quickly pulls out her beam rifle and fires blue beams while the Royal Gundam answers with red beams.

Royal hits the shield which breaks it but the Orange Teutonic throws it at her. She barely dodges it but screams when the Orange Teutonic was in her face. She's punched in the face and chest. She's kicked and loses her beam rifle. She takes two beam shots in the chest. The Orange Teutonic squeezes another shot but Royal activates the beam shield and counterattacks with the vulcan guns from the head and chest.

"Ah, I see that new look isn't just for show," Agent Orange says and returns fire.

Royal quickly blocks the beams with the beam shield. She pulls out her beam saber and chargers with the boosters. The Orange Teutonic answers by pulling out her blue beam saber and two dance with their beam sabers.

They pull back and the Orange Teutonic fires again but Royal continues blocking her attacks. She activates the boosters again and flies behind the Orange Teutonic but the Orange Teutonic quickly turns around and squeezes another shot but Royal was too fast and swings the beam saber but at the last second the Orange Teutonic pulls back but her beam rifle is cut in half. "Shit!" Royal kicks the Orange Teutonic in the face and was prepared to deal the death blow but the Orange Teutonic blocks with her own beam saber and kicks Royal in chest.

The Orange Teutonic pulls out a second beam saber.

"Two?! Don't know why I should be surprised," Bernkastel murmurs to herself.

The two continue clashing but as Royal thrusts forward, the Orange Teutonic kicks the beam saber out of her hand. The Orange Teutonic slashes at Royal but every stroke was dodged, She speeds in but Royal blocks the attacks with the beam shield. The Orange Teutonic continues striking the beam shield. "You can't keep that up forever!"

After the next strike the Orange Teutonic kicks Royal in the right side and strikes again but Royal blocks it just barely. Royal gives the Orange Teutonic a punch to the face and kicks the left beam saber out of her hand. Royal gives the beam shield a pointy end and starts slashing at the Orange Teutonic.

"Shit!" She fires her own head vulcan guns and ducks the beam shield swing and punches Royal in the chest. The Orange Teutonic grabs the shield arm and headbutts Royal three times and then gives her a kick which hurls her through space.

Bernkastel recovers. "Where is she?" Suddenly the Orange Teutonic appears with beam saber in hand. Bernkastel tries to activate the beam shield but it wasn't working. "Oh fuck!" Royal's left wrist is cut deep. "Shit if I take another one Royal will lose the left arm!" Bernkastel activates the boosters and retreats but the Orange Teutonic was keeping up with Royal. "I only have one shot at this!" As the Orange Teutonic got in striking range Bernkastel reaches for a flash grenade which temporarily blinds Agent Orange and then she attaches a mine to the chest of the Orange Teutonic. "I'm sorry but good bye." She flies off and she hears the explosion.

"This is Ensign Wheat to The Ultimate, I'm heading back to resupply."

"Hurry we need your help."

"Roger!"

"Ensign Wheat, did you kill Marius Wing?" Supreme Leader Dudael asks.

"No it wasn't Marius, it was a woman named Agent Echo Orange. She was the pilot and apparently she killed Marius Wing."

Supreme Leader Dudael was silent for a minute. "I see."

****

Bernkastel was a mile away from the battle zone. She gazes at the yellow and pink explosions that lit up the vast blackness of space, something the stars would normally do but not this time. She grips the control sticks and breaths in and out. This was officially her third sortie, if they won they would be one step closer to going home and reviving Zoya, their homeland, her homeland.

She checks her beam rifle that she managed to find, it had ten shots left along her beam saber. As she makes her way she could see the corpses of both sides floating by and begins to cry.

A Teutonic appears and fires at her but she dodges and fires five shots, two for the arms, two for the legs and one for the head, leaving the chest completely intact. Another one appears and she does the same and slices several Templars the same way, leaving the chests completely intact.

She finally reaches The Ultimate and is resupplied. She's given a drink while waiting.

"I'm afraid your beam shield isn't working, the emitter has been damaged so we'll be giving you a standard shield," Zepho says.

She watches as a purple shield with a white crown is placed in Royal's hand.

"Everything's ready!"

"Good I'm heading back out!"

"Wheat wait!" Said Lady Helga suddenly appearing in the main hanger. Everyone including Bernkastel salute. "As you were. Wheat just what the hell are doing?"

"Ma'am?"

"You wasted ten shots on two mobile suits, two! You didn't miss them at all! Explain!"

"I, I thought by showing mercy it might compel them to change their viewpoint towards the Zoya Remnant."

"All you're doing is showing them what a naïve fool you are! They're come back in stronger mobile suits! You struggled against that orange one with the black horns and its not the only one with black horns, they're clearly a stronger Templar type and the orange one was an ace!"

"I..."

"We don't have the Minovsky energy to be wasting on you if you're going do this, aside from the Crown ships and the one beam pistol Commander Vance is using on loan from Captain Brax, our MS forces don't have beam weapons but what they lack in beam fire they make up with experience! Dudael didn't pass on the heat hammer for nothing! You're our trump card! The person you spared might be the one who kills you later on!"

Bernkastel was taken aback and the memories of almost dying gripped her.

"You killed that orange mobile suit pilot. You think dumping mines on Celestial ships didn't kill anyone on board? What about targeting the engines to disable them, you didn't think that killed anyone in the engine rooms?"

Bernkastel has her head down.

"We're at war! They brought it to us! Have you forgotten what they did to you?! I don't seem to recall you acting this way when you were on their side killing Orange Squad! Allow me to refresh your memory! Lieutenant Mario, Ensign Dale, Ensign Robert, Ensign Glass and Master Chief Petty Officer Cynthia, the very woman whose room you reside in! You were so ready to kill that orange mobile suit because you thought it was Marius, what does that tell you?! Are we not your comrades now?!"

Bernkastel looks up at her and glances at the others staring back at her. "You are my comrades! I've pledged my loyalty to your side and I won't take it back!"

"Then go prove it to us!"

She nods and salutes. "Zepho add the bazooka!"

Überstein who been standing there in shadows wasn't convinced at all.

She enters Royal and begins to cry. Her grandpa and best friend kept popping back in her mind. "No! No more tears! You gave it your best shot, you tried to prevent the 1st Post Apocalyptic War. I'm sure Captain Juan wasn't such a bad man, he was just following orders. No, some of histories greatest atrocities were committed by those who just following orders! No I can't even say that, some of those people had glee even now. The only way to end this war is to fight it with actions not words!" She boards the catapult. "Alright Royal let's do this!" The white monoeye bwaas as it flashes. "Ensign Bernkastel Wheat, Royal Gundam launching!"

She spots a Templar and fires two shots, one breaks the shield and the other hits the chest which destroys it. She spots three Pterodactyl fighters and uses her chest vulcans on them and turns around to intercept two missiles with her head vulcans and destroys a Pteranodon bomber.

She pulls out her heat hammer and dodges enemy beam fire and smashes a Teutonic mobile suit. She smashes another one and impales a Templar command type with the hammer end and hurls it into a Celestial ship. "You'll do nicely!"

On her way to ship she swings her hammer against a mobile pod that went flying into a Templar. "I should take up polo when this is over." She puts up her heat hammer and pulls out her bazooka.

The Celestial ship Inferno fires at her but she was too fast. She gets behind it and fires two rounds into the engines and flies in front and fires two into the deck and then one final round into the bridge. She watches as the yellow explosion becomes pink. "Next!"

****

A squadron of Hunter Zakus were making their run over Luna. "Alright let's take out the enemy headquarters!" Their leader radios.

"Ma'am yes Ma'am!" They radio in unison.

Suddenly a black arrow with a red tip pierces one of the Hunter Zakus and it explodes.

"What was that?" "I couldn't see it!" "Ahhhhh!" Another blows up. One by one all twelve Hunter Zakus are destroyed.

"Nice one, Barcelona."

"Thank you, Balrog." She reloads her repeating crossbow. "It's time to show the Zoya who's boss!"

The two made their way through the battle zone blasting away. Barcelona takes out four more Hunter Zakus in a few seconds and then fires two rounds into the chest of a Rick Diamond.

"Those new mobile trash cans are no match for a Teutonic," Barcelona laughs. "Oh there's another one!" She fires but the Rick Diamond deflects it with its labrys. "Oh really?" She fires two arrows but it deflects them as well. "Grrrr!" She pulls out her beam rifle and shoots at the Rick Diamond which dodges and at the same time she fires her last two arrows but the Rick Diamond deflects those as well and fires at her with its machine gun. "This pilot is good, you go on ahead."