Mobile Suit Royal Gundam Pt. 13

Echo opens her eyes and groans, "Where the fuck am I?!" She looks around and sees her orange shades and quickly puts them on.

A nurse comes in, "Hello. I'm Rita your nurse."

Echo starts to get up.

"Hey easy!"

"I'm fine, I don't need medical attention, I need my mobile suit!"

"You're mobile suit is completely trashed. You're lucky to be alive."

"You won't be if I don't get out of here!"

"As usual you have to act crazy!" A familiar voice says.

"Sir!" The nurse says nervously.

"It's alright, come back in a few minutes."

As soon as the nurse left Echo snaps, "The fuck you doing here, Vice Chief!?"

"I was just checking up on you."

"As I said before you're concern isn't needed!"

"Really, who do you think got you out of that wreckage and held on to your precious shades?"

She was silent for a minute and then speaks, "You should have just left me there."

He sighs, "Why?"

"Did we win?"

"According to the Chief we did."

"You sound doubtful."

"Of course I do because the truth is we got our asses kicked by a fuckin AI!"

"Of course we did. Now I'm going to take an HLV and..."

"No you will not!"

"Try and stop me!"

"Oh I will." He pulls out a gun. "We've already been through this. You said you needed my help so we're doing it my way, understand?!"

"The balls on you!"

"Do you understand?!"

She relaxes herself in the bed. "So how long will I be here?"

"Just until they make sure everything is fine."

"Sir, there's a Roddrick here to see you," the nurse announces.

"Send him in."

"Hello Sir."

"Good to see you alright."

He nods. "Have you seen Gal, I tried calling but nothing. I asked the nursing station and they don't have a record of her here. Is she still out?"

"Gal's dead," Agent Orange says grimly.

Both men look at her. "Wha...wha...what?" Roddrick stammers.

"Yeah she didn't make it."

"You saw her, where?!"

"She's dead! Her mobile suit exploded into nothingness!" She snaps.

Roddrick just stood there and then he slowly turns around and leaves.

The Vice Chief starts shedding tears and he looks at her and she instantly looks away."

****

The Ultimate

Meghan was shaking as she opens a bottle of juice.

"Lamb are you alright?" Captain Vance asks.

"Yeah I'm good."

"Is Ensign Wheat back?"

"As far as I know the Gundam hasn't come back."

"Sigh, great we have to go get her, Lieutenant Moses with me, the rest of you remain alert."

"I'm coming too," Meghan declares.

"Fine."

Five Alpha Shrikes set out.

"Do you think we can overcome them next time?" Ensign Lamb asks.

"We have to, Zoya is there waiting for us!" Captain Vance answers.

"Yes and I for one would like to see it with my own eyes, the eyes of a human not a machine," Lieutenant Moses adds.

They maintain a steady pace, all was quiet but the Alpha Shrikes feel uneasy. "We're passing through what was the minefield," Captain Vance announces. As they continue on they start to see the remains of Mobile Dolls.

"Man it sure was a lot of them," Ensign Lamb observes.

"Everyone be on guard, there could be live ones pretending to be dead."

"Roger!" They all say in unison and continue on.

"I count 100 destroyed," Ensign Lamb says.

"It's more than that, much more," Lieutenant Moses corrects.

"Wheat, Ensign Wheat can you hear me? Ensign Wheat are you there?"

"She might be already dead," the Alpha Shrike Marcel says.

"We'll go for another hour and then return to The Ultimate."

They continue searching.

"Did the mines do all this?" The Alpha Shrike Luka asks.

"No we're way pass them."

"So far none of these match the Gundam remains," Ensign Marcel announces.

"Then there's hope," Ensign Lamb says.

"She could have been blown completely into nothingness," Ensign Luka suggests.

Suddenly they hear bashing. They head towards the sound armed and ready. A few minutes later they find the Royal Gundam beating a Mobile Doll with the heat hammer. She moves on.

"Ensign Wheat! Ensign Wheat!"

She looks at them, "Oh hey Captain. I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

"Wheat why didn't answer when I called earlier?"

She flies on.

"Wheat? Ensign Wheat I'm talking to you!"

"Oh hey Captain. I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

"What?!"

"Wheat the battle is over, we're heading home," Lieutenant Moses says.

"I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

Lieutenant Moses was stunned.

Ensign Lamb gets in front of her. "Bernkastel we're pulling back."

"I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

"Wheat enough!" Captain Vance yells.

"Oh hey Captain. I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

"Holy god she's lost it!" Ensign Marcel screams.

"Um Bernkastel, I think I saw enemies heading towards The Ultimate."

"We have to get there!" Bernkastel speeds to The Ultimate with others following.

"Holy shit did she do all of this by herself?" Ensign Luca asks.

The Royal Gundam suddenly stops and turns around.

"Wheat what you are doing?"

"Oh hey Captain. I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

"Bernkastel the enemy is at The Ultimate."

"Oh right."

They continue on until they reach The Ultimate. "Oh looks like the Mobile Dolls have fled," Ensign Lamb lies.

Bernkastel breaths a sigh of relief.

"Alright let's land," Captain Vance orders.

"I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

"Negative, get some chow first."

"Ok." Once they land Bernkastel yawns loudly. "Oh hey Captain. I'll scout ahead in case they try to flank us."

"Wheat you're scaring us."

She ignores her and heads back to the Royal Gundam.

"Wheat stop where you are!"

"Deus, Deus!" She suddenly stops. "Huh? When did I get back here? Oh hey Captain. Megan, Moses, Zepho, everyone."

"Bernkastel are you alright?"

"Yeah, starving."

"Wheat, go get yourself checked out."

"I'm fine, just hungry."

"You will get a psychiatric evaluation first!"

"Um ok, Ma'am."

****

Grail, Earth

Two days had passed, Echo was at the funeral repast drinking alcohol. She looks at the Vice Chief who was busy trying to console the Alfredo Family. Roddrick sits next to her. "Here have some."

"I'm not old enough."

"Who gives a fuck?"

"What were her last moments?"

"She fought..." She gets up out of her seat.

"Why? Why did Gal have to die?!"

"Because she was a cowardly brat," she thought.

****

The Chief of State hands a drink to the Vice Chief. "With the other counsel members dead I'm going to need you now more than ever."

"I understand."

They leave the repast and head over to the Kits Estate. Once they arrive she makes the call to the Supreme Leader Dudael.

Supreme Leader Dudael: "Hello Chief Kits, I trust things are well."

Chief Kits: "Hardly, we've suffered a huge defeat, you must have as well."

Supreme Leader Dudael: "I'll admit we have. So what exactly do you want?"

Chief Kits: "Did you get the message from Deus about meeting him at his space factory?"

Supreme Leader Dudael: "Yes I did and I do not plan to surrender."

Chief Kits: "Good because my offer still stands."

Supreme Leader Dudael: "Your offer? You mean to form an alliance?"

Chief Kits: "I do, I'm regrouping my forces in preparations for a counter offensive against Deus. But it won't be enough but together we may stand a chance."

Supreme Leader Dudael: "If I do agree to this alliance I expect negotiations to reopen."

Chief Kits: "Yes, yes, whatever you want, I just want this to be over, there's been too much death. The preservation of the human race is paramount! Our war no longer matters. We can discuss it in full details on Luna."

Supreme Leader Dudael: "Very well I await your arrival."

Once the call of ends, the Chief sighs. "Vice Chief, you're in charge until I get back."

"I should go instead."

"No, we're trying to build up trust so I will go. If they truly want to return home they will not try anything stupid at least I hope they won't."

****

Luna

Once the call ends the Supreme Leader summons Bernkastel.

"I've come as ordered, Sir!"

"Wheat I heard about what occurred, are you ok?"

"Yes Sir I am fine, I'm not really sure what happened."

"I think I know," he smiles. "It's like the first time you piloted the Royal Gundam and then the negotiation battle. Fighting is what drives you, it's what will bring out your Newtype abilities but you must control it."

"Yes Sir I will."

"You slew 1,000 Mobile Dolls and for that I'm promoting you to Lieutenant Junior Grade.

She nearly falls. "A Lieutenant Junior Grade?"

"Yes."

"Thank you Sir, I will live up to your expectations!"

His smile fades to a serious look, "Wheat, the Earth Republic Chief of State is coming here for a meeting, and I would like for you to attend that meeting."

"Yes Sir." Glendarah is coming here?! Is she in desperate mode?

"You're dismissed! And get some rest."

"Yes Sir!" She salutes him and leaves.

****

May 1, 2099

The Chief of State Glendarah Kits arrives with her personal guards and among them was General Babar and his children. The Supreme Leader, Lady Helga, Zam Überstein, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Bernkastel Wheat and the personal guards appear and greet them. "So we finally meet in person."

"Indeed." She glances at Bernkastel who looks the other way.

"It's too bad that the former Chief of State is no longer with us."

"Yes but she would be happy knowing that we're finally talking things out."

They make their way to the main conference room. As they pass by the Zoya soldiers salute their Supreme Leader and Lady Helga. There were no curious eyes only alert eyes for the Supreme Leader withheld no secrets from them well that wasn't strictly true.

Once they enter, each take a seat and the Supreme Leader begins, "This is my head of intelligence Zam Überstein, he and newly promoted Lieutenant Junior Grade Wheat were on the space factory, I thought they might provide some further information on it."

Lady Helga rolls her eyes when he said that, "Why of all people she's here?"

"Thank you but that won't be necessary for Vice Chief Alex Bonaparte and Agent Echo Orange are alive and well and provided much needed information."

"Bitch," Lady Helga thought.

"I'll get straight to the point, the Earth Republic has suffered heavy casualties from the Mobile Dolls, as I said before I want this to be over. May I inquire how strong your fleet is?"

"We have seventy five ships remaining including my ship The Ultimate."

"That's good, I propose a joint fleet as a start."

"That all depends if you are ready to negotiate?"

"Yes, we can resume talks once Deus has been taken offline, how does that suit you?"

"We can negotiate now," Lady Helga interjects.

"Very well, whatever you want."

Bernkastel couldn't believe what she was hearing, Chief Glendarah Kits was one of the prominent members of the anti Zoya faction but now she was beaten, bested and broken by Deus.

As the negotiation went on, the Supreme Leader begins to feel uncomfortable but no one save Lady Helga notices.

A few minutes later Chief Kits excuses herself to use the restroom. Once she left the Supreme Leader turns to Bernkastel. "Can this woman be trusted?" Both her, Lady Helga and Überstein were surprised that he would asked that. "You know this woman, can she be trusted?"

All eyes fell on Bernkastel. "She seemed sad, the Mobile Dolls were something she clearly underestimated. With two defeats in a row I can only imagine the pressure she's under from the people. She's truly desperate so I say we can trust her. This is about the self preservation of humanity. She can't lead if there's no one alive to follow."

"I'll trust your judgement."

She notices a disappointed look on his face.

Chief Kits returns and they resume negotiations.

****

Magnolia and several Shrikes were in the Luna main hanger watching the Teutonics being loaded in. "They truly are ugly," Meghan whispers.

"Yeah."

"Do you think negotiations will fall in our favor?"

"We'll know soon enough, just remain alert."

"I wonder how Bernkastel is doing."

"What does that bitch have that the rest of us don't have? She's two minutes late, leaves her post to go on a killing spree thus worrying us and what does she get? A fuckin promotion! And she gets invited to the meeting! I should have stayed on the Ultimate!" Magnolia thought.

They notice that one of the Teutonic models have a black line across the white torso almost like a deep cut. It opens up and the pilot floats down to the floor. "Alright good work everyone." Once the hanger door was closed the pilot removes the helmet revealing a woman with raven black hair and a scar across her face.

"Man she is ugly," Meghan whispers to Commander Holly who nods. "Are all Earth Republic women like that? And look at that guy with the ugly face."

"She doesn't look that bad," Moses murmurs to himself.

She was joined by several others who went to an empty area to converse and eat. Some of them give the Alpha Shrikes the glare of a basilisk. Meghan shrinks back. "Meghan that's what they want. We have control over Luna, they are nothing."

"That right," Second Lieutenant Selena murmurs, coming towards them. As far as she was concerned they were just a bunch of dirty animals and she like the rest of them had no intention of mixing with them regardless if the human race was on the verge of extinction and Bernkastel was no different from them and furthermore it irked her as well that Bernkastel was ahead of her yet again but at least she was a junior officer at last.

Moses gets up and walks over to the Earth Republicans. "Moses?" Abigail questions. They all watch as he approaches them. Commander Balrog gets up to confront the smaller man. "What do you want, Zoya?"

"I was curious about the Teutonic with the black line on the torso, it looks almost like a scar."

Commander Barcelona stands up. "That came from an axe."

"Did it now? Then will I be right to assume that you are in possession of a crossbow?"

Her eyes widen in surprise. "You!"

"That's right, I am Lieutenant Moses, the one with the labrys that cut through your mobile suit. May I have the honor of your name?"

"Commander Barcelona!"

"Your skills are impressive. Since we're going to be comrades soon I look forward to fighting alongside you." He offers his hand which surprises both sides.

She looks at his hand and gives him a weird look. "I'm not touching your diseased hand!"

"Diseased?! How dare you!" Lieutenant Commander Abigail screams. The Zoya side gets ready to fight and Commander Balrog shoves Lieutenant Moses.

"Special Forces and staff, stand down!" General Babar barks. "We're guests here."

"Guests? Well if that's true then they're uninvited guests!" Commander Barcelona yells.

"Yeah that's a laugh," Ensign Meghan says.

"Just wait until the Hospitaller is put into mass production!"

"Hospitaller? Wait that was the name of the mobile armor!" Captain Vance exclaims.

"Yes and I am its pilot!"

Captain Vance grits her teeth. "You bastard! You killed Captain Brax! You killed the man I loved!" She pulls out her sidearm followed by the rest of Zoya and the Earth Republic members pulls out theirs. Commander Barcelona and Lieutenant Moses glare at each other.

"Enough!" The Supreme Leader's voice boomed in the Zoya minds while Chief Kits tells her side to stand down.

There was a few minutes of silence and then the Chief of State speaks, "As of now the Earth Republic will be fighting alongside the Zoya Remnant." Both sides slowly put up their side arms. "I shall retire to my ship and leave tomorrow. I will also leave one Celestial ship behind since we're in an alliance now. I expect them to be treated well and any POWs you have be released immediately. And no mind reading unless I consent to it."

"Yes of course."

Captain Vance balls her hand into a fist and leaves. Commander Barcelona and Lieutenant Moses exchange one last look before going their separate ways.

****

Bernkastel was in her room staring at the ceiling, the negotiation was a success, the 1st Post Apocalyptic War was going to end once they defeated Deus but even though it's what she wanted since her Earth Republic days she was concerned about the Supreme Leader and Chief Kits. "Maybe Deus was too much for them both," she thought.

She tosses and turns but couldn't sleep. No she didn't need sleep, she needed closure. She quickly gets up, puts on her normal suit and heads out. She quickly makes her way to the main hanger and board the Royal Gundam. She walks towards the catapult.

"Lieutenant, no orders were issued for you to go out," the communications officer radios.

"There's something I have to do, I'll be back soon."

"Lieutenant?!"

She turns off the radio and launches.

She makes her way pass Luna towards the three Celestial ships. The one in the middle known as the Robert Kits was the largest and the Chief's personal ship. "This is Lieutenant Junior Grade Bernkastel Wheat, I would like to speak to the Chief of State, requesting permission to land. Repeat, this is ZLieutenant Junior Grade Bernkastel Wheat, I would like to speak to the Chief of State, requesting permission to land."

She hovers around for a few minutes before her request is granted. Once she lands she is greeted with glares. "Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea," she thought. Two of the Chief's bodyguards arrive. "Come with us." She holds Haro and proceeds to follow them.

She reaches the Chief's quarters and the Chief gives her an annoying look. "Leave us."

"But Ma'am!"

"Relax the traitor won't do anything." Once the guards leave she speaks, "I was preparing for lunch but now I have to deal with you. Well speak up!"

"Adriana, what happened to her body?"

"You came all this way for that? Her remains were cremated."

"I see."

"Is that all? You may go!"

"That wasn't my only question."

She sighs, "Looks like I'm going to have to order lunch for two?"

"Yes that would be nice."

She rolls her eyes.

"Did you kill my grandpa?"

"Agent Orange who was Marius did it."

"It's funny you should say that because I used to believe that but she denied it twice. In fact I called her a liar but then I remembered something. Back on the HLV Falcon she proclaimed killing the crew members with glee. All that time I've met her all she ever talked about was killing me, my grandpa, best friend, my ex and the late Chief of State so it was strange that she would deny doing it. Captain Juan was sent to kill me, at first I thought it was the late Doris Bonaparte but such a tactic is not something she would ever pull, she wanted peace just as much as I do."

"What about the Vice Chief?"

"You think I spent that much time on the space factory and a full week getting back to Luna without questioning him? Despite the fact we ended on bad terms he would never do anything to jeopardize the Bonaparte name, he's just like his mother. So that's just leaves you. So did you or did you not kill my grandpa?"

"Captain Juan and his team did it."

"They would have had no reason to unless someone ordered them to, so stop fucking around!"

"The mouth on you," she laughs. "Fine then, I admit it, Captain Juan pulled the trigger but I provided the gun."

"Why Glendarah, why?!"

"That's Chief Kits to you! You're not on that level to use my first name and frankly you will never will be!"

"But why did you have my grandpa killed and why did you order Captain Juan to kill me!? Why?!"

Chief Kits exits the table and turns away from her and unzips the back of her dress. "This is why." Bernkastel could a see a massive 08TH that had been branded on her back. "I knew of my parents but I never knew them. I was born in a fuckin concentration camp! My dad was murdered and mom died giving birth to me and before she could give me a name so what did they do? They named me after the fuckin concentration camp! 08th! They branded an infant!"