The Guardian Project – By Ensign_FlipMode804
Chapter 3: Off to Battle Again; Nico’s Farewell
Reporter: Welcome to the Early Morning News on CNN. Our top story: A local Preventer’s base is left in chaos and minor destruction after a hanger exploded around 9:30 PM last night. Anonymous sources within the base confirm that the Preventer’s had been building a mobile suit for the past two months along with the support of ZOAH Labs, Ltd. ZOAH, as the public well knows, is still under investigation over the situation involving newly formed NOZ forces battling with unconfirmed gundams. The explosion occurred after the suit, now identified as Gundam WingZero used in the A.C. 195 Wars, was apparently stolen by one of its creators, Nico Hayase. Hayase was transferred to the Sanq Kingdom base along with his father, Junichi Hayase, in an effort to complete the gundam. In the explosion twenty-five people were injured and three were found dead, including Junichi Hayase. It is still unknown whether…
Ariel switches off the T.V. and turns on her computer. She opens up AOL Version 20.0 and sees that everyone else is online. She decides to gather everyone up in one chatroom.
Ariel (Oddgirl): Did you guys see the news?
Duet (Shi-no-Tenshi): Yeah I did.
Millardo (Wanderer38): I can’t believe that Nico would do such a thing.
Ariel (Oddgirl): Me either.
Ling (Ryu): I’ll believe it. That weakling punk seemed too good to be true.
Shingo (SexFiend): You should know about that Ariel.
Ariel (Oddgirl): What the hell are you talking about Shingo?
Haruka (TooSexy): Ooooh I want to hear what this is about.
Millardo (Wanderer38), Duet (Shi-no-Tenshi), Ling (Ryu), Ariel (Oddgirl): SHUT UP ‘RUKA!!!
Haruka (TooSexy): Damn alrite.
Enter Seiben (Sign_On_The_Walls) in the chatroom.
Haruka (TooSexy): Hey it’s the purple-haired freak here to amuse us.
Seiben (Sign_On_The_Walls): Go fuck yourself ‘Ruka.
Haruka (TooSexy): Already done.
Millardo (Wanderer38): Now that’s sick ‘Ruka. Okay now what do you want Seiben?
Seiben (Sign_On_The_Walls): I’m here to tell you guys that there’s a meeting of the gundam pilots tonight. Uncle Heero and my dad have decided to take action against ZOAH and NOZ.
Duet (Shi-no-Tenshi): Does Lady Une know anything about this?
Seiben (Sign_On_The_Walls): This is a personal request from the Preventer Executives. Of course this is a covert op. We can’t make too much noise or the press will have a field day of this. Torrance and Nova have to come too so don’t forget to remind them.
Millardo (Wanderer38): We’ll be there.
Along the waters of the Red Sea, a carrier floats stationary in the calm water. Aboard is an old man wearing a flowery-red Hawaiian shirt with khaki shorts and thick sunglasses. He is currently observing a mobile suit that came aboard a couple hours ago. Just as he is about to examine the cockpit, a young man enters the cargo hold through the catwalk.
Old Man: This is one amazing suit you’ve brought here Nico. You’re father would be proud to see you demonstrate its power to the enemies of the nation.
Nico: Thanks Howard. You think you can make a few more modifications to Angel here?
Howard: I don’t know. It depends on what kind of modifications you’re talking about.
Nico: Just one.
Howard: And what might that be.
Nico: An upgrade of the self-detonation device.
Howard: You don’t mean…
Nico: I want a small scale nuclear warhead as the self-detonation bomb.
Howard: What the hell do you plan to do with a nuke strapped to your gundam?
Nico: I plan to destroy the evil that helped create this abomination they call a weapon of defense.
Howard: You know that if they get you before you defeat them all that the nuke might go off. Are you sure you want to go on ahead with this operation?
Nico: If they get me they get me. I wasn’t planning to come out of this battle alive. I still have to atone for my sins in creating Angel.
Howard: All right then. If that’s what you want.
That night all the first and second generation gundam pilots meet at the Marquise residence.
Zechs: Alright. Time to get this meeting under way. As all of you know ZOAH has been using Preventer resources to make a mobile suit in the cover up as a defensive measure against the enemies of the World Unified Nation. When the speculated truth was uncovered, Lady Une immediately disbanded the building of the mobile suits, also known as “Guardians.” As a result, ZOAH panicked and tried to ship the suit to a nearby base held currently by NOZ Special Forces. The mobile suit, however, was unquestionably stolen by one of its creators, Nico Hayase, in an attempt to keep it away from ZOAH, NOZ, and quite possibly the Preventers themselves. Your mission is to infiltrate the NOZ’s Oslo Base and destroy it, leaving no trace of military armaments, equipment, or land.
Millardo: Do we know of the opposition.
Zechs: Right after the incident in our base Heero traveled to Oslo to do some investigation of the NOZ base. This afternoon I received a protected email giving me schematics, floor plans, armaments, and suits currently at the base on standby for attack. We have confirmed that they have three types of mobile suits, battle ready as mobile dolls, all built and outfitted with gundanium and neo-gundanium alloy: Neo-Serpents, Virgos, and Taurus Mobile Suits.
Quatre: Virgos?!
Duo: How the hell did NOZ get construction schematics for Virgos?
Zechs: They’re NOZ. Remember, Neo Organization of the Zodiac. God you’re stupid.
Duo: I am not.
Trowa: Oh shut up and agree with Zechs already, okay?
Duo: Oh all right then.
Trowa: (trying to suppress his laughter)
Duo: (finally realizes) Hey!!! Trowa you set me up for that.
Trowa: (laughs histerically) And you fell for it like the little ass you are!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Wufei: (under his breath) Pfft…I’m surrounded by idiot weaklings.
Ling: Excuse me, but I need to ask…
Wufei: (smacks Ling upside the head) I will not have my son questioning this mission like a weakling.
Torrance: I think I know what Lingy was going to ask. What are Virgos?
Shingo: They sound pretty tough since they have you freaked out like this.
Zechs: The Virgo Mobile Suit was first introduced as a mobile doll from OZ during the A.C. 195 Wars. They were a product of two mobile suit made before it: the Mercurius and the Vayeate.
Ariel: Mercurius…isn’t that the suit with the almost impenetrable shield generator?
Zechs: Yes. The Mercurius had a shield generator that was impenetrable to all artillery and medium scale beam weaponry. The only way to get past the shield was to use either high-intensity laser weaponry or high powered beam rifles like on the Tallgeese or WingZero. The Vayeate, on the other hand, had a high powered beam rifle also powered by a generator. Its power basically equaled our firepower. To test their full capabilities, the Mercurius and Vayeate were tested by Heero Yuy and Trowa Barton respectively.
Haruka: How did my dad and Mr. Barton end up testing those mobile suits.
Trowa: To find out OZ’s motives and objectives, I joined them undercover. Heero was sent on a mission to destroy the two suits but I stopped him. He then was captured and was forced to test out the Mercurius, not that he didn’t enjoy it, but enough about that. We need to get back at the mission at hand.
Zechs: We have three mobile suit carriers ready to transport your gundams. Millardo’s and Haruka’s gundams are flight models so they will not need a carrier. Seiben’s Tallgeese will be outfitted with special long-term flight gear which will be jettisoned before the battle.
Ling: Why do…
Wufei: (smacks Ling upside the head again) WHAT DID I TELL YOU BEFORE?!
Ling: (rubbing his head) No stupid questions.
Nova: Since Ling has been disabled from questioning, I’ll ask. Why do we need mobile suit carriers?
Zechs: Well your mobile suits were not designed for long-term flight, with the exceptions of Wing II and WingZero II. This is to save fuel and energy in the gundams. Now to the different battle tactics. Most likely, the enemy will use their Virgos as front-line troops to shield the main force of Serpents from attack. The Taurus Moblie Dolls will probably take flanking positions in an attempt to surround you guys. We’ll probably have Haruka and Ariel handle the Taurus suits while Seiben and Millardo use their buster rifles to eliminate the Virgos. From there you’ll be facing heavier opposition from the Serpents; also, the base itself may have some defense and countermeasures. We’ll need to prepare ourselves for whatever defenses that they might have: S.T.A. Missle Batteries, S.T.S. Gun Emplacements, etc. Good luck out there. We expect to be within NOZ’s field of vision in four hours. Our action will commence at 0100 hours tomorrow morning. Your gundams are already loaded into the carriers. Shingo and Torrance will be in Carrier #1. Duet and Nova will be in Carrier #2. And Ariel and Ling will be in Carrier #3. Let’s move out!!!
All the respective pilots enter their carriers and take off into the night. Millardo leads the attack in WingZero II while Haruka and Seiben take flanking positions to protect the carriers. In carrier #3, Ariel and Ling talk conveniently through the comm-links between their gundams.
Ling: Hey Ariel. How did you know about the Mercurius earlier?
Ariel: Oh, umm…Nico told me about it when he was showing me the guardian.
Duet: (joining the comm-link) When was this?
Ariel: A couple months ago when he just moved here. He’s really amazing.
Duet: Do you have feelings for him.
Ariel: I…think so…
Shingo: Just admit it Ariel.
Ariel: What are you talking about Shingo?
Duet: Maybe we should leave this link to you two. All right, everybody off the communications link…THAT INCLUDES YOU TOO ‘RUKA!!!.
Haruka: God damnit! How’d she know?!
Millardo: Just get off the line ‘Ruka.
Haruka: But…
Millardo: Don’t make me fire some warning shots!
Haruka: Fine then (everyone leaves the communication to Shingo and Ariel).
Ariel: You mind to tell me what this is about?
Shingo: I saw you two overlooking the sunset at the pier. Just admit it Ariel. You want him in your life now instead of me.
Ariel: Don’t you give me that now. Remember you broke it off with me.
Shingo: And I was a jackass for letting you go. I don’t know what I was thinking at the time alright. Can you ever forgive me?
Haruka: (interrupts) Awww Ariel. Forgive him please. I’ve never heard him in such a pathetic state. It’s sickening to think… (gets interrupted by a couple shots fired at him from the shoulder vulcans of Millardo’s gundam).
Millardo: WHAT THE HELL DID I TELL YOU EARLIER HARUKA?!?!?!
Haruka: Geez Mill, take it easy, especially with the first name basis. You need that ammo anyway.
Ariel: Look Shingo. This isn’t the time or place. We’ll talk about this later; okay (hears nothing but radio silence)?
Back at the Merquise residence, Zechs makes an urgent call to Heero, who is currently staying at a Holiday Inn near the base.
Heero: Have they left?
Zechs: E.T.A. 5 minutes.
Heero: Don’t you think that’s a little early.
Zechs: No.
Heero: All right then. I’ll begin radio silence as soon as the battle begins.
Zechs: The others are transporting them in carriers and might maintain contact after they leave the drop points.
Heero: (hears the far off sounds of machine gun fire) It seems like they’ve started.
Haruka: (transforms from bird mode to mobile suit) Let’s get dis par-tay started (takes out his beam saber and hacks at a Serpent that was on patrol)!!!
Millardo: Don’t forget the strategy ‘Ruka. (spots the Taurus squadrons at each side of them) Just as Uncle Zechs predicted. Ariel, ‘Ruka: take your flanking positions now.
Ariel: All right now (exits her carrier and starts to fire at the suits/fighters. The rest of the gundam pilots follow suit)
Haruka: You better save some of the good stuff for me.
Seiben: Whatever.
Millardo: Shingo, Duet, Ling, and Torrance: you guys are on standby. Seiben, you and Nova come with me.
Seiben: Look at those Virgos all lined up. They’re just ready to be destroyed.
Millardo: Nova set your beam armament to full. All right, fire on my mark (Seiben and Nova ready their beam weaponry). (Millardo spots the Virgos raising their arms, getting ready to fire) NOW FIRE (their power was enough to take out the whole frontline of Virgos and their backup Serpents)!!!
Seiben: Too easy.
Haruka: ‘Ruka here. Left flanking squad terminated.
Ariel: Ariel here. Right squad destroyed as well.
Millardo: Roger that. Okay everyone. LET’S GET EM (all the gundams start to charge the base, only to face some heavy opposition from the main force of Serpents)!!!
A couple miles away Nico is heading to the NOZ base on a suicide mission. He then is surprised about what Angel’s onboard computer reports.
Angel: Radar and sonar indicate some heavy sources of heat and combat units in our destination area 23-124.
Nico: They’ve already started?!?!?!?! Grrr…Angel; I.D. all types of mobile suits in battle Area 23-124.
Angel: Two types of mobile suits: Neo-Serpents, armored with Neo-Gundanium Alloy; and Gundams, 30% made of Neo-Gundanium, 70% of Gundanium.
Nico: Angel, identify all gundams.
Angel: Confirmed number of gundams: 9. Gundam M001: WingZero Custom II, Pilot: Millardo Heero Yuy. Gundam H001: Wing Gundam II, Pilot: Haruka Zechs Yuy. Gundam D002: Gundam Deathscythe Hell II, Pilot: Duet Maxwell. Gundam A003: Heavyarms Kai II, Pilot…
Nico: Okay that’s enough Angel. (thinks to himself) Be careful out there, my comrades.
Haruka: Shit! Why are these guys tougher than last time?
Duet: They’re mobile dolls. They’re controlled far better than the human soldier.
Seiben: Dolls or human, they’re still no match for me (switches on the Zero SYS. II).
Millardo: Guess we underestimated them this time (also switches on Zero SYS II).
Shingo: Hmmm…should I?
Ariel: OH HELL NO!!! Shingo Quatre Rebarba Winner, you get that hand away from that Z2PT switch right now.
Shingo: But these guys are tough.
Ariel: (points her gatling gun at Sandstorm) I’m serious.
Shingo: All right then. (moves hand away from the switch and is hit from behind at the same time) AHHH!!!
Ariel: Shingo!!!
Nova: Hey Torrance how ya doin’ over there?
Torrance: Easy for you to say. This isn’t your first battle.
Nova: Nevermind (Silverlight wraps its whip around a Serpent and flings the enemy into an oncoming squad).
Ling: (slightly panting) There’s no end to them. (a stray bullet hits Seiryuu in the knee) Shit I’m down.
Torrance: Lingy!!! (tries to come to Ling’s aid but is stopped by more Serpents)
Millardo: Computer, status on enemy mobile suits forces.
WingZero II: Enemy mobile suit troops decreased to 72%.
Millardo: Someone please do the math?
Shingo: I’m a little busy here.
Ariel: Shit! I’m out of ammo. (pulls out beam saber and hacks a Neo-Serpent’s head off) Nevermind, I’ll be fine.
Duet: We still have about 600 dolls out there battle ready.
Millardo: This’ll never end. (sees a squad of Neo-Serpents ready to fire missiles at Duet) Duet, watch it!!! (covers Deathscythe Hell with WingZero’s right wing and is damaged somewhat)
Duet: Thanks Mill-chan. (sees the damage made by the missile melee) You okay Mill-chan?
Millardo: I’ll be fine, just concentrate on our mission.
Duet: Hai.
Millardo: All right everyone. Status report.
Haruka: ‘Ruka here. Everything’s cool here (fires his buster rifle and blows away 5 enemies).
Ariel: Ariel checkin’ in. Running low on energy and 40% damage to armor.
Ling: Ling here. I’m down. Left leg immobile.
Torrance: Torrance reporting. I… (a volley of missiles and bullets come in contact with ThunderAngel) AAHHH!!!
Nova: TORRANCE!!! (fires a beam at the division that attacked Torrance) Get away from her you fuckin’ son-of-a-bitches!!! (goes to Torrance and cradles her suit with his) Torrance…Torrance you okay in there?!
Torrance: (faintly replying) …I’ll be fine.
Shingo: Millardo this isn’t going the way we planned! We need to get Ling, Nova, Torrance and Ariel outta here.
Ariel: Excuse me, but I’m still battle ready… (sees her beam saber short out) oh shit. (Ariel gets attacked in a fashion similar to Torrance).
Shingo: NOOO!!! (attacks in a similar fashion to Nova and picks up Ariel’s suit) Ariel, speak to me!
Ariel: I’ll be al… (faints in the middle of her sentence).
Shingo: MILLARDO!!! We need to get them outta here now!
Millardo: Okay here’s the plan. Seiben and I will make a diversion. ‘Ruka, transform to bird-mode and get Ling away from here. Duet, carry Ariel outta here and the same goes for you with Torrance, Nova.
Haruka, Duet, Nova: Right.
Seiben: Mill, how’re we going to divert those dolls’ attention?
Millardo: Easy. Kick up dust. Ready… (fires his twin buster rifle and vulcans at the base of the Serpents).
Seiben: I see (fires his buster rifle too).
Haruka: Here I go. Okay, grab hold Ling (Seiryuu latches on to Wing II’s talon and Haruka flies off). We’re in the clear. (beep beep beep) Shit it didn’t work. They’ve got a lock! (hears the targeting Serpents being blown to bits by a beam) What the…?
Nico: I feel bad now. Why’d you guys start without me?
Millardo: Nico, what are you doing here?
Nico: Atoning for my sins (fires another round from his twin buster rifle and destroys 6 more Serpents). Haruka, now’s your chance.
Haruka: Thanks Nico.
Nico: Duet, Nova: Get them outta here now!
Nova: Right.
Nico: And Duet…
Duet: Yeah?
Nico: Take care of Ariel…
Duet: Alright.
Nico: Now where did you guys leave off?
Nova: Oh shit…Hey Mill; Duet and I have a little problem here.
Millardo: Huh? (looks toward the direction of Silverlight and Deathscythe and spots twenty mobile doll carriers each looking like they can carry ten suits) Reinforcements? Man they really like us. Seiben, we need to destroy all those carriers in one shot before they drop.
Seiben: No can do Millardo. My buster rifle’s out of energy.
Millardo: Mine is too. Nico, can your rifle take them down.
Nico Not without assistance.
Haruka: Hey Mill, whassup? (goes from bird to mobile suit mode and shoots some serpents with his machine guns)
Millardo: ‘Ruka, help Nico shoot down those carriers.
Haruka: Alright. Ready Nico?
Nico: I was born ready. (Haruka and Nico take down all the carriers with one shot each; however, about half the dolls escape the blast) Damn, we didn’t get them all.
Millardo: Hey ‘Ruka, provide cover for Duet and Nova until they are out of the battlefield.
Haruka: But I thought I needed to help you guys out.
Shingo: Don’t worry ‘bout us. We’ll be fine. Jes help Duet and Nova get outta here.
Haruka: Alright then.
Nico: This might help (activates his shield generator and sends the shield discs to Duet and Nova) Now get outta here. The shield won’t work at a certain distance away from the power source so ‘Ruka watch them carefully.
About thirty miles away, the pilot of Seiryuu is being scolded by our very own “justice” China-man, being watched carefully by the other former pilots.
Wufei: HOW THE HELL CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A GUNDAM PILOT WHEN YOU LEAVE THE BATTLEFIELD IN DISGRACE?!?!?! YOU HAVE SHAMED THE MANY GENERATIONS OF THE CHANG FAMILY AND YOU HAVE SHAMED THE GOD NATAKU!!! NOW WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?!?!?!
Ling: (bursts out in anger with as many veins popping out as Wufei) WHY?!?! I’LL TELL YOU WHY! THERE’S NO POINT IN DYING IN A BATTLEFIELD IF THE PRIZE YOU SOUGHT IN BATTLE IS NOT GAINED! YOU THINK YOU’RE THE SHIT JES BECAUSE YOU LUCKILY ESCAPED WITH YOUR LIFE ALL THOSE YEARS AGO IN YOUR BATTLES WITH TREIZE KUSHRENADA!!!
Duo: (thinking to himself) Uh-oh. Ling’s in deep shit. Should I help him out? (keeps thinking) I’ll jes pay for the funeral.
Ling: I’D LIKE TO SEE YOU BATTLE OUT THERE WITH NATAKU IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION!!! (just as Wufei readies himself to strike Ling, Duet and Nova arrive near the carriers)
Duet: Uhhh…did we miss something here?
Trowa: (looks up at Deathscythe and gets a glimpse of the trashed Heavyarms.) (a look of terror is seen in his eyes) Holy shit!!! Duet what happened?!
Duet: She was attacked pretty hard. A full-force melee of missiles and bullets.
Nova: Ariel wasn’t the only one (has Silverlight put down ThunderAngel slowly).
Ling: Hey Nova. Let’s get Torrance outta the cockpit now.
Nova: Alright.
Quatre: How did you guys manage to get out of the battlefield?
Nova: Well, Nico showed up to help get ‘Ruka and Ling outta here. Then ‘Ruka provided Duet and I with cover while we escaped with Ariel and Torrance. (he’s about to continue his story when a Neo-Serpent appears in the horizon) Man that thing must have followed us!
Quatre: Take cover now!!!
Haruka: (swoops down in bird mode and shoots the doll with his rifle) Man I was gonna go back to the battle but I guess I’m still needed here.
Trowa: Duet and Nova: Suit up and help us load Heavyarms, Thunderangel, and Seiryuu into the carriers. Duo and Quatre: Get the medkits ready and help Ariel, Torrance, and Ling.
Haruka: Anything that I can do?
Wufei: You can return to the battlefield so it doesn’t look like you ran like a little weakling like my son.
Ling: SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!!!
Trowa: Knock it off you two. Haruka: Protect us while we get everyone outta here.
Haruka: Roger.
Back at the battlefield…
Nico: There’s no end to these mobile dolls.
Millardo: Computer: Can you give me a stat on the remaining enemy mobile suits?
WingZero II: Cumulative number of Neo-Serpents remaining: 450.
Shingo: Wow. We’re doing pretty well for ourselves out here.
Seiben: Don’t get ahead of yourself now. (beep beep beep) WHAT?!
Millardo: What is it Seiben?
Seiben: They’re positioning a Libra-class beam cannon. If we don’t stop it, we won’t have to worry about NOZ anymore cause we’ll all be dead.
Millardo: It’s too far to destroy it at close range. And I don’t have the equipment to destroy it at long range.
Nico: Leave it to me. You guys just keep me covered.
Shingo: How the hell are you gonna destroy that cannon from way over here.
Nico: (positions buster rifle) Jes watch.
NOZ Artillery Gunner: Beam cannon in position. Powering up to maximum. T-minus 1 minute in counting.
Nico: (starts up targeting system) Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. (starts to line up the target) Correcting aim 2 degrees high, 5 degrees left.
NOZ AG: T-minus 30 seconds.
Nico: (sweat starts to build on his forehead) My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. (recorrects his aim) 3 degrees right, 1 degree down.
NOZ AG: T-minus 20 seconds.
Nico: (breathing heavily, in a concentrated state) O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. C’mon c’mon.
NOZ AG: T-minus 10 seconds.
Nico: (targeting system finally gets a lock) THAT’S IT!!! FIRE!!! (a small beam of heat energy leaves his buster rifle)
NOZ AG: T-minus 5, 4, 3…(the mouth of the beam cannon is gathering energy) 2…(beep beep beep) Unknown heat energy approaching at a very high velocity! (the beam from Nico’s gundam comes right in contact with the energy gathered in the beam cannon, causing it to explode within a matter of seconds)
Nico: (sees the explosion from a distance) Objective completed.
Millardo: How’d he… (gets attacked past his limits) arrgh.
Shingo: Millardo!!! Don’t worry I’m coming. (tries to protect WingZero II but Sandstorm is pushed to its breaking point)
Seiben: I guess we’ve been pushed to our limits. Millardo, we have to retreat.
Millardo: Mission aborted. Damn it shouldn’t have ended this way.
Nico: It doesn’t have to end like this.
Shingo: What do you have planned?
Nico: Jes get outta here now. Get as far away from this area as fast as you can. I’ll distract them okay?
Seiben: Sounds like a plan to me. Millardo, Shingo: Let’s get outta here now.
Millardo: Roger that. Falling back to rendezvous point now.
Nico: Hey Shingo. I need to tell you something.
Shingo: What?
Nico: I know how much you care for Ariel. I saw you at the pier on that day. I care for her too, you know; however, I don’t think I’ll make it out of this battlefield alive. So what I’m trying to say is treat Ariel right, okay?
Shingo: (a little hesitant to answer)…Alright then. Give these bastards all you got, okay?
Nico: Sounds good to me.
Quatre: What do you think happened to the rest of them?
Duo: You think they succeeded?
Quatre: They had to. (hears a transmitter activate) Huh?
Millardo: Millardo to Transport 2, do you read?
Quatre: Millardo, what happened?
Millardo: Mission aborted. We couldn’t get through the defense of the Neo-Serpents.
Trowa: What is the current situation at the NOZ Base?
Seiben: NOZ forces are currently held at bay by Guardian WingZero, Codename: Angel. Pilot Hayase has ordered an immediate evacuation of our forces from this vicinity a.s.a.p.
Wufei: What does he plan on doing?
Millardo: I don’t know, but I recommend we do as he says.
Trowa: Okay. Load up Sandstorm and Tallgeese into the remaining carrier. We’re heading out.
Haruka: What?! We’re jes gonna leave him out there to die.
Millardo: I trust him to do the right thing out there in the battlefield.
Haruka: We can’t just abandon him. I’m goin’ after him.
Millardo: There’s nothing we can do now. Our forces are too crippled to help him. Besides, we have to let him do his own thing out there, no matter what he plans.
Haruka: Fine then.
Nico: Angel: How many dolls are left out there?
Angel: Approximated number of suits: 200.
Nico: There’s still to many. I won’t be able to make it. (now the guardian is all mangled, its leg has been shot out like Ling’s gundam and it lost its right arm) This doesn’t look good, huh Angel? Well, I knew it was gonna come to this anyway. (grabs the self-destruct switch) I have no regrets against what I’m about to do. We must all pay for creating you Angel. And they must pay for their deception and their ambitions. Farewell… (hits the button) (whispers under his breath) and goodbye Ariel.
Off on the horizon, the gundam forces see the mushroom cloud emanating from the former battlefield.
Millardo: What the…? He didn’t.
Haruka: Fuck. I knew we should’ve gone after him.
Shingo: (thinking) That’s what he meant when he said he wasn’t coming back alive. (out loud) It’s all right. This is what he wanted. I don’t think we would have been able to change his mind on this one.
Ling: You sure about that Shingo?
Shingo: Yeah I’m sure. Now I’m just wondering how I’m gonna tell Ariel (he places his hand on Ariel’s, who is currently resting on a stretcher).
Trowa: Transport 2, calling Zechs Marquise. Do you copy Marquise?
Zechs: Marquise here. What’s the situation?
Trowa: Mission complete. We’re headin’ back now.
Zechs: What were the terms of the victory?
Quatre: It was Nico…
Zechs: What?
Trowa: What he’s trying to say is that Nico Hayase appeared in the battlefield midway through. We were forced to withdraw our forces and Hayase stayed behind and stalled them.
Zechs: Then?
Trowa: We received readings of an extremely destructive mushroom cloud. There’s no doubt that Hayase detonated a nuke.
Zechs: Nuclear weaponry. That’s still not good. We’ll see what we can do when you guys get back.
Duo: Hey Zechs, where’s Heero?
Zechs: I don’t know. He decided to maintain radio silence throughout the battle. (receives incoming transmission) Hold on I’m getting something here.
Heero: Is everyone all right there?
Zechs: Oh yeah. What is the current status of the pilots and their gundams.
Trowa: We only have two battle-ready gundams: Wing II and Deathscythe Hell II. Gundams Heavyarms Kai II and Thunderangel sustained heavy damage on the battlefield. Gundam Seiryuu has been deemed immobile due to a malfunction in the left leg caused by a stray bullet. Gundams Tallgeese IV, Sandstorm, and WingZero Custom II sustained minor damage, but are currently running on auxiliary power.
Heero: And the pilots?
Quatre: Torrance and Ariel have sustained heavy injuries. The rest have only minor bumps and bruises.
Heero: Alright. We’ll figure out what to do when you guys get back.
Quatre: Roger.
Duo: Hey Heero. Where are you anyway?
Heero: I left right after I received Zechs’s transmission. I’m at the Oslo Airport right now and my flight leaves in half an hour.
Trowa: See you back at home Heero. Trowa out.
It’s now 6:30 A.M. in the morning. Shingo is in the hangar infirmary at the side of Ariel’s bed, who is currently recovering from the battle that took place earlier that morning. He decides to turn on the T.V. to see how the media interprets the neo-pilots’ actions.
Reporter: This is CNN Early Morning News. Today’s top story: Residents of Oslo, Norway were left in disarray after a devastating explosion around 4 A.M. this morning. Rescue teams and bomb specialists have been called in to help the people and to investigate the cause of the explosion. Unidentified sources indicate that a NOZ base was currently running in Oslo without the knowledge of the Preventers. So far the bomb squad speculates that NOZ was working with nuclear weaponry when one warhead exploded; however, surviving witnesses claim that a mobile suit battle was in effect and that before the explosion took place a gundam that was thought to be the stolen Gundam WingZero was crippled on the battlefield. In yesterday’s news cast, Gundam WingZero was reportedly stolen by its creator Nico Hayase from the Sanq Kingdom branch of the Preventers. It is still unknown if Hayase was piloting the gundam at the time of the explosion…
Shingo: (gets up and switches off the T.V. manually) Nico, I still can’t believe what you just did. (he turns back around to see Ariel, who obviously saw the news report) Ariel, you’re awake.
Ariel: Please tell me I didn’t just see that.
Shingo: (hesitant to answer) …
Ariel: Shingo. Please; tell me what happened to Nico.
Shingo: He self-detonated. We all retreated on his request.
Ariel: (looking a little pissed and worried at the same time) And you did nothing to stop him?
Shingo: (even more hesitant to answer) …
Ariel: (finally realizes that Nico is dead) SHINGO HOW COULD YOU?! YOU WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN, DID YOU. THIS WAS THE PERFECT OPPROTUNITY TO GET RID OF HIM HUH?! WELL NOW YOU HAVE YOUR WISH.
Shingo: (looks offended and worried) No, that isn’t true.
Ariel: (now with a look of rage in her eyes) OH DON’T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT!!! YOU WANTED NICO DEAD SO YOU’D BE ABLE TO GET ME BACK!!!
Ariel then spots a vase of flowers that was resting on a table right next to her bed. Knowing what was to happen next, Shingo hurries out the door of the room and slams it behind him. A couple seconds later he hears the sound of breaking glass on the door, followed by some water flowing from under the crack of the door. Afterwards Shingo cracked open the door. Through the crack he can see Ariel crying into her pillow.
Shingo: (to himself) What have I done. I knew I should’ve stayed and fought, but Sandstorm couldn’t take anymore. Now Ariel thinks I let Nico die because I wanted it. How did this become such a mess for me?
The End
Finally. I finished this series. I was thinking for so long on how to end this fanfic, but since I wanted to end it now, I got what is shown above. I’m still thinking if I should write another fanfic since this one took so long. The ending leaves me room to write some more anyway. Send any comments to Ensign_FlipMode804@yahoo.com.