[FFML] Mobile Suit Gundam Storm, Chapter 3 (2nd draft)

[Andrew Dynon]

(NOTES: Okay, just some minor revisions and formatting fixes here.  With the
controversy over my use of "Ojousama" in the last draft, I switched to
"Young Mistress" here, although the term still feels clumsy to me)

 

 

"Commonwealth forces are attacking?"

 

"Yes, ma'am.  Their lead group's penetrated the outer fortifications."

 

"Order the men to hold their ground!  Is the Corvus ready for launch?"

 

"Final preparations are underway, ma'am."

 

"Tell them to hurry the hell up and show those bastards what we're made of!"

 

*****

 

I heard the massive engines rev into life, and a thick cloud of dust from
GES systems sprayed up and backward from near where the hangar was located.
The black shape that resembled a huge, menacing bird came into view,
swinging toward the main Commonwealth forces.  Three Gatling cannons on each
wing pointed towards the approaching GRs, independently moving cover their
targets, and two flights immediately disintegrated into shards of flaming
metal.  I heard their pilots' screams over the radio as they died.

 

"Okay, Miss Supersoldier, now are you nervous?" Yamada asked.

 

"No.  The fact that the enemy might present me with a challenge does not
make me nervous.  I'm looking forward to it."  I didn't bother trying to
suppress the grin on my face.  That Mobile Armor may have been made to
dominate the battlefield - but so was I.  And I intended to assert my
dominance.

 

*****

MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM STORM

A Fanfic by Andrew Dynon

 

Based on Mobile Suit Gundam by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yadate

 

Chapter 3: Instruments of Destruction

*****

 

Sparta Base

Three years ago

 

"Silver Platoon, Squad One, fall in!"

 

The ten candidates I would be facing in mock battle stood at attention near
their sim pods, and the blonde girl with the corporal's chevrons on her
normal suit led the others in a salute.  Her hair was the same regulation
buzzcut as myself and the other candidates, but her green eyes sparkled with
the same vivacious energy that seemed as if it would burst from her
eleven-year-old body.      

 

I returned the salute.  

 

"Corporal Hippolyta Silver, is your squad ready to begin the exercise?"

 

"Yes, sergeant!"

 

"Hippolyta, this is the first time you'll be facing a Mobile Armor.  It's
not like the mobile suit battles you've had in the past."

 

"I know, sergeant Athene.  This is meant to be an exercise in teamwork.  We
can't hope to win one-on-one."

 

Even if they managed to pull off the teamwork that the exercise was testing,
the fact that I had four years more training than the Silver Platoon
candidates meant they stood little chance of winning this exercise.  But
then, being in the cockpit of a Mobile Armor would be a new experience for
me as well, and it was an opportunity that I was thrilled to receive.  Even
if it was only hooked up to a simulator.  

 

*****

 

                "Yamada, Gold, we need to try and take that thing out!"
McDermott ordered.  "Try and get around to flank it!"

 

                "Roger that!  Metis, how much can those Gatlings cover?"

 

                Predict independently-aiming Gatling array on
variable-geometry wings is capable of firing through 240 degrees
horizontally, and 120 degrees vertically.

 

                Enough space for at least one of us to get in behind.  I
expected the MA to have some rear defences, but they weren't likely to be as
heavy as the array of Gatling guns up front.  Still, trying to do as a
single three-MS flight what was the job of an entire wing in my training
wasn't going to be a simple matter.

 

I barely managed to dodge a burst from one of the MA's Gatlings by diving
into a gap between two buildings.  Dammit, with the boosterpack attached, I
had to keep moving forward at a relatively high speed, so I couldn't remain
facing the MA for very long or I'd end up overshooting it.  If I disengaged
it, the Gundam would be carrying a bunch of dead weight around, which would
hurt its manuverability even more.

 

"Metis, detach the boosterpack."

 

"Ensign Gold, the boosterpack's required to clear the ground back to
friendly lines once we're done." Lieutenant McDermott warned.

 

"I know that, sir, but I need the extra manuverability to stand a chance of
taking out that thing.  Besides, if we can take this fort, we won't need to
retreat."

 

"All right.  But remember what I told you earlier.  Your own survival takes
priority over the mission objectives.  I'll take the bow.  Yamada, port
stern, Gold, starboard stern."

 

"Roger that, sir."

 

Lieutenant McDermott's Flame Gundam fired a barrage of missiles.  The MA's
Gatlings fired at them, shooting them down before they could hit, but the
explosions provided a distraction, allowing the three of us to move to flank
it.  I spotted two distinctive gunbarrels pointing astern.

 

                "Yamada, it's got a pair of rear-firing beam cannons.  Be
careful."

 

                "Gotcha.  I'm heading in."  While McDermott drew the MA's
forward fire, Yamada shot in using his still-attached boosterpack, shooting
at the body of the MA.  The shots were unlikely to do much, though.  I
planned to make a more methodical, piecemeal approach - I boosted toward one
of the wings, sliced at one of the auxiliary engines with my beam saber, and
saw smoke spew forth.  The MA could comfortably operate with one of those
down, though, and this approach was going to take some time.  I moved back
behind cover to avoid those rear-firing beam cannons.

 

                "Yamada, the main body's too well armored for a beam rifle."

 

                "I just found that out.  Bear with me!"  He sped past the
MA, managing to twist around to make a burst of shots at the cockpit area,
but the shots missed.  Even if he had hit, the cockpit was reinforced and
could in all likelihood resist the shot.

 

                "Our Gundams' rifles and sabers are all powered by the same
type of energy pack, right?" He continued.  "They should be able to link
their charge if we need to boost a weapons' power."

 

                "Metis?"

 

                "It can be done.  However, the boosted weapons' power cannot
be maintained very long."

 

                "Estimated charge?"

 

                "Two shots for a gun, or twenty-four seconds for a blade."

 

                "It'll be enough if I can get in there."

 

                "I'll help with that!" Yamada said.  He dumped his
boosterpack, fired another volley of shots and sped away.  McDermott made
another pass, firing a burst from his Gatling and speeding off in a similar
direction.  The MA turned towards them, its wing Gatlings taking aim as its
menacing frame moved forward.  However, it still had its beam cannons
trained near where I had taken cover, ready to take my Gundam out if I
emerged.  While I was waiting, though, I tucked my rifle and beam sabers
into the binder of my shield, pointing toward the base, and set them to
standby. 

 

                Then suddenly, an explosion rocked the Mobile Armor, sending
it listing to starboard.  It took me a moment before I realised the cause -
Shane's boosterpack.  He must have set it to overload when he dumped it.
The MA righted itself, but the port-side Gatlings were knocked out by the
explosion.

 

                "Now, Gold!" McDermott ordered.  

 

                I didn't need to be told twice.  I kicked the thrusters in,
moved around to the MA's port wing, and shot in towards the main engine at
the stern.  A single boosted shot was enough to blow away those rear-firing
beam cannons, and then the airspace was clear.  I switched to blade mode,
and the oversized beam saber projected from the base of my Gundam's shield.
I raised its right arm, and it sliced from the rear of the MA, lengthwise
along its belly.  The Mobile Armor nosedived to the Martian surface,
crashing through several buildings and defensive walls before its momentum
gave out.  At the same time, the huge saber blade disappeared.

 

                "No power remaining in beam weaponry."  Metis reported.