Chapter 37: The Time for Making Choices
December 31, UC 0079 - "Take this you Feddie scum!" a rookie Zeon's Gelgoog pilot screamed as he started to fire his beam rifle wildly at the approaching Federation Force. The beam rifle was a powerful weapon, but at the hands of an inexperienced pilot it was useless against the evading veteran GM pilots he was facing. As he tried to adjust his aim, a trio of beams fired off by the cruiser Borodino reduced him to ashes. "What's happening to the 2nd and 3rd fleet?" Major Alfonso demanded as the Gelgoog flared up, referring to the main Federal Forces attacking A Baoa Qu head on. So far the resistance had been spoaradic in their area, but if the main forces were beaten the Zeeks might be able to turn their full attention against them. Something to worry about. "I can't contact the flagship Rizar, Sir!" the communications officer reported, "Last I hear they've lost a Magellan and several cruisers..." "Unidentified enemy unit! Approaching at high speed!" a lookout reported excitedly. What surprises did Zeon have for them now?! he thought, "****! I lost him! Where did he go?!" A quartet of beams suddenly pierced right through the Salamis class cruiser just beside theirs, the ship quickly lost control and collided into another one, both ships exploding in the conflagration. A second quartet of beams, this time coming from the OPPOSITE direction, impacted the cruiser just below them, exploding it. "Damn, is this another one of those Zeon super weapons...?" Major Alfonso muttered. But the Zeon line in front of him seemed to be weakening... Even if the Zeeks had a new weapon, it was only one unit, right? "We've lost another cruiser!" the lookout reported, "Damn! Where did that ******* go?!"
"Forget about it!" Major Alfonso ordered, "Full speed ahead! Let's run down that enemy line!" Regardless of the battle going on at A Baoa Qu, Brigadier General Dolvich now had his own problem. The enemy fleet was back, and heading straight for Hormuz base. There were only four ships, however... "Sir! The Spruance is ready to intercept them!" Colonel Patterson declared. Let's get them before they get here, he didn't add. "Hold it Patterson, stay here," Dolvich ordered. "Sir?" Patterson asked. Was there something he missed?
"There are three Musais and a Tibe. What happened to the Gwajin?" John glared angrily at the Johnston's new bridge crew. With the exception of the talented gunner, everybody else was mediocre at best. "It's four ships, Sir..." the radar man reported nervously. "How about figuring out what TYPE?" John encouraged. "A big one and three smaller ones?" the radarman replied meekly, not knowing what to say or do. John was about to chew the guy out for not studying the Zeon ship classifications more properly when the door opened and the CO steeped in, looking very uncomortable. John scowled, he didn't deserve it but... "Attention on deck! Commanding Officer on the bridge." "Thank you, Lieutenant," the CO replied, "We've been ordered to stay behind with the Actium, Spruance and Gorbachev while the rest of the fleet engages the enemy force. So nothing there is nothing to worry about, crew," he finished. "Begging your pardon Sir, but an enemy force IS closing on us..." John countered. "Nothing to worry about," the CO replied, trying but failing to look confident, "Just keep teaching them Lieutenant," he advised before turning around and leaving the crew to themselves.
"Wondeful..." John muttered to himself, how the hell did that guy ever make Lt. Colonel, he wondered. But in any case... "Alright, ya rookies! If you want to survive this war, you'd better listen carefully..." "Sir! The enemy fleet is coming out to attack us!" the Wilhelm's radar man reported. "Is it all of them?" Colonel Jefferson inquired. "I don't think so. They may have left two or three ships behind," the radar man replied.
The Colonel simply nodded. Those would be Wavell's problem now, not his. "Alright! Launch all mobile suits! Prepare for battle!" Max wanted to go, but orders were orders and he had to follow them. Especially now that he was now a Captain. But at least his new green painted GM Sniper II was a wonderful unit, everything that the chief had promised and more. His admiration for his new mobile suit managed to relieve his sadness a bit. Damn, he thought, I wonder if Sylvie is alright now? "Captain, Sir, I'm here," Juan declared as he pulled his GM Command beside his, "Looks like we're going to be pretty lonely..." he observed. "Yeah," Max replied quietly. The two of them were the only ones left behind while the rest of the mobile suits and Balls were sent against the incoming Zeon fleet. The EWAC GM and his old Sniper were both still in the Spruance, but there were no pilots left for them, at least none that he'd allow to fly.
"I hope Jean and the others will be careful..." Juan observed as several flashes appeared on the horizon. The battle was beginning in earnest. "Looks like they've improved a bit," Jean observed as several rockets streaked pass him. But we've also improved, he didn't add. If the 17th fleet's GM pilots weren't fighting, they were training, and it was paying off. Despite their heavy fire no GM had been killed, although two were damaged. A pretty good score since the last time. "They're holding back," Sergeant Nance reported, "It doesn't seem like they're trying hard to breakthrough." "Maybe their morale is low," Jean answered, "We are invading their homeland now you know." "Yes sir, that could be it," Nance replied as he evaded two rockets sent in his direction. He quickly fired back and lopped an arm off a Dom, "But they're still firing like crazy..."
"They'll run out soon, Sergeant," Jean advised, "And when they do we'll get them." "Hold them for a little longer," General Wavell ordered, "My ships have almost gone through the base undetected." "But Sir!" Colonel Jefferson protested, "We're running out of ammo, and..." he was suddenly interrupted by an explosion as a Musai class cruiser's reactors cooked off, "****! We've just lost a ship!"
"Twenty more minutes Colonel! That's all you need to wait for!" General Wavell ordered. Don't falter now Colonel, my victory is within reach... "Radar man, what's the enemy situation?" John asked. If that radar man was to learn, he had to see what a battle looked like first hand. "It's getting hard to detect them, Sir, we've got Minovsky interference," he replied more confidently. "What do you see?" John asked again, this time annoyance creeping into his tone. "A... Tibe class, two Musai types and a bigger one..." he started. THAT made John's head turn, "What larger contact?" "Sir, it keeps phasing in and out, maybe it's just a..." John growled and took a look at the display screen himself. It did show a fuzzy image of the battle, one which seemed to be going the Federation's way. But far to the left of the screen, the screen was empty save a few pieces of debris who were phasing in and out of the screen but... One piece, a VERY large piece, was actually moving...
"HOLY ****!" John exclaimed, "Focus all you scanners on that area! Warn the fleet!" "****!" the Bismark's Electronic Warfare officer exclaimed, "I think they have detected us!" "Are we pass the main fleet?" General Wavell inquired. "Yes, Sir, but they say that there maybe a few ships..." the XO started.
"Contact Captain Ming! Tell him to start attacking!" General Wavell ordered. Damn, and juat when he thought... "What the hell..." Major Tyler McNeil asked as he heard the report. "The Johnston is reporting a contact bearing 3-1-2," the Gorbachev's XO reported, "I'm not sure if..."
Suddenly, the bridge was rocked by a massive jolt, and the world around them seemed to be engulfed in flames... "Well, well," Ming remarked quietly as he saw the Columbus class carrier explode after taking only three hits from his Gelgoog's beam cannon. It WAS worth it, after all... "Captain! Two suits are guarding the rest of the ships!" Lieutenant Paul Hunter, one of his wingmen, reported. "Let's get'm," his second wingman, Lieutenant Gerald Allen requested enthusiastically. They were both veteran Rick Dom pilots, and now having traded in their old Rick Doms for new Rick Dom IIs, they were confident they could take anybody on.
"Yes," Ming agreed, "But be slow and careful, that guy is dangerous," he warned. I'm not falling for any traps though, Sniper... "Change course!" Colonel Patteron ordered as he saw the Gorbachev get blown to bits, "Let's get that damn battleship! Signal the rest of the fleet!" I'm going to get that damn Gwajin now... he thought. For you, Tyler. "Sir! The Actium has detected an escorting Musai! She is pursuing it!" the radio officer reported, "The Johnston is right behind us, Sir!" "What about the rest of the fleet?" he inquired. "They're trying to break off from the battle, but at this rate they'll be too late," the radio operator reported in a worried tone.
"Then it's up to us then," Colonel Patterson declared, "Alright! Begin firing!" "Chief! Do you have any extra Mobile Suits?" Sylvie asked as the Colonel made his announcement on the arrival of the enemy battleship. She wasn't going to sit around... she had to tell him... "The EWAC's down for maintenance," the chief reported, "I do have Max's old GM Sniper but..." "What?!" Syvlie asked angrily, "Tell me now!" "It's not fully loaded. It only has around ten shots in the beam rifle and no other weapons except the beam sabre. But I can't let you fly it, I promised Captain Max," he explained. "Regardless, I'm taking it!" Sylvie replied defiantly. "But..." the chief started. "Let her fly it, Chief," a new voice encouraged, it was Fred. "But, Sergeant..." the chief started. "There's only two of them out there," Fred reminded, "And Sylvie is one hell of a pilot..." Sylvie was a little taken back at that. Her sterling reputation as a pilot had come only after killing somebody. And if she went out now, she was probably going to kill again. But she HAD to do it, and she had already killed before anyway so...
"Let me think about it..." the chief muttered. Jeez, what do I do now? "Three mobile suits heading right for us, do you think you can handle two of them, Juan?" Max asked as the Spruance began firing at the enemy ship off in the distance. The enemy obviously wanted her taken down, and it was their job to stop them. "Yeah, you take the ace, and I'll take his wingmen," Juan agreed, "I think I can handle them now." "Alright then, let's go!" Max ordered as he headed straight for his nemesis, Captain Ming Chow. "Die, Sniper!" Ming shouted as he fired a single shot from his massive beam cannon. The shot missed, but Ming quickly fired a follow on shot with his beam rifle, grazing the Sniper's left arm. "Not bad, ace," Max said quietly as he fired two quick shots at the enemy ace. One shot missed while the second barely grazed its right leg. "Huh!" Ming scoffed, "I'm not going to lose to a murderer like you!" he declared as he fired his arm mounted vulcans at the GM Sniper II. Max saw that and quickly put up his shield, deflecting most of the shots with it. But before he could try to fire again the Gelgoog headed straight for him, at incredible speeds despite the heavy cannon it was still carrying, brandishing its twin beam naginata and preparing to engage him in a sword fight. Max quickly put his beam rifle back into its hard point and pulled out his beam sabre. He made it just in time.
"Not bad, for a sniper..." Ming remarked as the sniper blocked his intial slash. Ming tried to slash the Sniper a few times more, but its pilot was blocking him with consumate skill. But soon, he'd make a mistake, Ming thought confidently, and then he'd get him... "Maybe I shouldn't have opened my mouth too soon..." Juan muttered to himself as he barely evaded a pair of well timed shots fired by the two Zeon mobile suits he was engaging. He was good enough to keep evading, but not good enough to fire back at the same time. And if this went on... "Get behind him, Gerald!" Paul advised as he fired a shot at the GM Command. "I'm on it!" Gerald replied as he began to slip behind the GM. It tried to keep its eyes on him, but with Paul distracting it he was able to get in a position on the GM's blind side. He grinned. He was a good pilot, but now... "Gerald, lookout!" Paul warned as he suddenly spotted a new GM come up right behind Gerald, who turned and just barely managed to evade the beam fired in his direction. "Fred! Man am I glad..." Juan started. "It's not Fred, it's me, Sylvie," the GM Sniper Custom's pilot responded in a serious tone, "Damn... wasted a shot..." "Sylvie, are you sure..." Juan started.
"You take the left one, I'll take the right one, let's go," Sylvie ordered, her voice projecting her authority as an officer. Before Juan could say anything more Sylvie headed straight for her target. "Target is firing!" the Spruance's look out reported excitedly. And predictably the ship was rocked by several explosions a moment later. "Damage report!" Colonel Patterson demanded. "Two forward turrets are gone, starboard mega beam cannon is also gone. Engine three is damaged," the XO reported quickly. "And we haven't really done any major damage on him..." Sean muttered. The Gwajin was still proving to be more than a match for the Spruance, "Can we get him into the port mega beam cannon's firing arc?" he inquired. "That'll put us in a position where he can deliver a full broadside," the XO warned. "But if we can get one direct hit with it..." the Colonel started.
"Yeah, we can kill that *******," the XO agreed. "What the hell?" John asked as he heard the plan from the Colonel. He was now in command because the damn CO was cowering in his cabin again, scared. Exposing himself to a broadside? he thought. That was almost synonymous with suicide... "Sir, they're asking us to try to slip behind it, isn't that dangerous?" the radio man asked nervously.
"Yeah, but we haven't been hit yet," John reminded, "Let's go!" "Sir! The Magellan is heading straight for us!" the Bismark's lookout reported excitedly, "He's aiming that super cannon!"
"Don't worry..." General Wavell replied coolly, "Contact Ming..." Their sparring match had been going on for quite some time now, Max thought, but it was still yet to be resolved. Max wasn't very good with melee combat, but the enemy unit's reduced maneuverabilty put its pilot at a slight disadvantage. The enemy pilot suddenly pulled away and started aiming its massive beam cannon straight at him... "Let's see if you like this, Sniper," Ming remarked with an evil grin as he fired. Max quickly slipped out of the beam's path and produced his beam rifle once again, holding it with his free hand. He was just about to fire when an explosion occured just behind him. He turned and saw to his horror the Spruance about to face a broadside, with its port mega beam cannon destroyed by the shot...
"I can learn some of your tricks too," Ming told the sniper pilot. Now, he thought, part of his revenge would be complete... He quickly detached his cannon. The time for the serious battle was at hand. "We've been hit..." the Spruance's XO muttered as he got the damage report.
"I'm sorry Cynthia..." the Colonel managed to say just before the enemy's guns fired. "Colonel!" John screamed as he saw the Spruance take the full broadside, leaving the ship enveloped in smoke, parts of it still glowing from the hits it had suffered. It was clear that it was a dead ship. "Sir, it's a Gwajin we can't..." the communications officer started.
"Oh yes we WILL!" John replied angrily. He wasn't going to let them die in vain. There was no way he would do that, not anymore, even if... even if he ended up leaving Cynthia all alone. "Please just forgive me..." he didn't say, if I don't make it... and for not saving your dad... "FRED!!!" Juan screamed as he saw the Spruance's wrecked hull. Fred, no... "Damn you *******s!" he shouted at the Rick Dom II as he fired a shot in pure rage. Direct hit. But Paul Hunter's Rick Dom II did not explode. It was disabled, Juan saw, but it was still alive. Still very much alive... He wanted to shoot... and to kill... to kill one of those murderers who... "Then why?" the words of the Zeon Captain he had captured earlier suddenly echoed through his mind. "Why didn't he just kill me?" "Because you've been injured. And, well... I don't think that I could consider you as a soldier, or as an enemy for that matter..." Juan had answered back then. And there wasn't anything different now, was there? He put the gun down. He wouldn't drag himself to their level. He wouldn't... But to the wounded Paul, all he saw was opportunity, and he began to raise his bazooka...
Juan suddenly realized this guy was still willing to fight and quickly started aiming his own gun. He fired and finished off the Rick Dom II, but it had managed to get one last shot off... "Juan!" Sylvie screamed as he saw the GM Command take a hit. She turned back to her target. Three shots left. Just three more. She fired again at the evading Rick Dom II. Miss. "I'll avenge you, Paul..." Gerald remarked as he aimed his bazooka and fired. Also a miss. Sylvie saw the rocket trail just left of her and blessed her luck once again. Only two shots left. She had to make them count now. She quickly set her thrusters to full and charged the Rick Dom II. Gerald was surprised at this, and made a crucial mistake. He tried to produce his heat sword, thinking that the enemy unit was about to enange him in a melee. He could not have been more wrong. Sylvie saw the Dom extract its heat sword, but knew it was of no consequence. She put her thrusters in full reverse to slow the GM Sniper down, sliding to a stop just outside of the sword's reach. The pilot seemed to belatedly aim his bazooka again, but it was too late, as Sylvie fired a shot that pierced a hole through the Rick Dom II's cockpit, and the mobile suit quickly slumped dead. "You did good, Sylvie..." a weakened voice told her. To her relief, it was Juan. "Juan, I thought..." she started. "I'm okay, but Max is still fighiting the ace," he said as he pointed to a certain direction, "Sorry, my suit is busted so..."
"Just wait here Juan, I'll take care of it." The radar man was praying quietly, John saw. They really thought it was that hopelss huh? "Come on gunnery! Hit that *******!" he encouraged, "You CAN do it. Trust me." "Yes, Sir..." the gunnery officer replied, feeling a little bit more confident. Come on... the CO is counting on you... He quickly fired all three forward guns. Hit. "YEAH! One forward turret gone!" the lookout reported jubilantly, just before a trio of beams passed just left of the ship, "Whoa! That was close..."
"Good going, gunnery!" John commended. But with that damn ship right in front of the Spruance, it was getting hard to maneuver around that monster. At least if he didn't mind colliding with the Spruance's hull that is... "Chie... chief..." the very badly wounded Colonel Patterson asked from the secondary bridge, "How... how many are left?" "Almost every one is gone, Sir..." the chief replied grimly from the engine room, "We can't hold these fires off for much longer. How's the bridge crew sir?" "All dead, and I'll be next..." he muttered, "But that red monster is right in front of us..." "Engine two is still functioning, Sir," the chief replied, knowing EXACTLY what he was thinking. "Let's do it..." Fred agreed as he tried to press on his wounds, blood pouring out of them far too quickly for him to live much longer.
"You know what to do, I'll take the helm." "Sir! The enemy Magellan, its..." the Zeon's lookout reported in a shocked tone. "What, lookout!?" General Wavell asked in an annoyed tone. That lucky damn Salamis seemed to have an I field or something, and it was causing a few minute's delay...
"It's heading straight for us!" the lookpout finished, "We're going to collide!" "Colonel! If you're still alive answer me! What are you doing?!" John shouted angrily over the radio. The Spruance had seemingly just come to life from the grave, and was now heading right for the... "John," the Colonel's weak voice answered, "Tell my daughter I love her, and take care of her..." "He's not..." the gunnery officer started.
"Let's get behind that monster now!" John ordered, teary eyed. Even if you survive this ramming you red *******, you won't live for much longer... "Chief, it's been an honor," Patterson said as the Gwajin grew larger and larger over his view screen. "Yes sir, it has been an honor," the chief replied simply as he looked around the shattered engine room. He was the only one still alive now, the bodies of those who had died littered all around the compartment. At least now, they'll be avenged. He closed his eyes and waited for his fate...
Patterson simply put his head done over the console. His duty was done, the enemy ship could not evade now, and at least Cynthia would have somebody to be with her now... And now... Erwin? Patricia? Is that you? I've missed you... The Bismark desperately tried to turn away, but before it could the Spruance smashed into the Bismark head on, its much heavier hull easily tearing through the the Bismark's forward compartments. The engines on the Spruance suddenly exploded, wiping out nearly the entire forward half of the ship just before the secondary bridge. General Wavell was on the secondary bridge, and blessed his luck. At least, he was still alive, wasn't he?
"Sir! the Salamis is right behind us!" the lookout reported in an excited tone. And Wavell's blood quickly chilled.
"Gunnery, fire," John ordered in a quiet tone. The gunnery officer simply nodded, and all three forward turrets opened fire as one. One hit and destroyed the remaining rear turret. The other two pierced right through the reactor. A blinding flash followed, and what was left of the Bismark was gone. "Enough!" Colonel Jefferson declared. Two Musais gone, as were seven mobile suits. It was more than enough. "Colonel, I suggest you change your mind..." the XO advised coolly as he cocked his pistol. "And who are you..." Jefferson started when he suddenly saw his XO pulling out a gun. He quickly kicked his treacherous first officer and sent him tumbling away. "What was..." the XO started before a Lieutenant quickly gave him a karate chop to the back of the neck. He had seen the gun, too. "Alright, enough... let's leave," the Colonel ordered, to which the bridge crew replied only with a series of nods. This had been too much. "At least the Bismark must've gotten away," the Lieutenant commented. That last statement made Jefferson's blood chill. Wavell had the nukes... and Side 6... He wasn't the one pulling the trigger, right? He was a soldier, right?
"Inform the Federation fleet of Wavell's position and that he is carrying nukes," Jefferson ordered quickly. Yes, he was a soldier, and real ones don't murder helpless civilians. "What did they say?" Brigadier General Dolvich asked in a cold tone. Sean was dead, he knew, as was Tyler. But if that was true... "The detached force is carrying nukes," the communications officer replied in a shocked tone. "Dear God, not Side 6 too..." Dolvich nodded. One ship had already been sunk, he knew from a report forwarded by the Johnston, but the second... "Where is the Actium?"
"She's not responding sir..." the communications officer replied in a scared tone. "Damn, no!" Ming growled. The Bremen had defeated the cruiser pursuing it, but its commanding officer was now telling him to fall back. And he almost had the damn sniper, he thought. He quickly turned around and began to flee. "You giving up now?" Max asked as he saw the Gelgoog start running away. Damn, I might have had him... Suddenly, a beam coming from seemingly nowhere headed straight for it. It seemed as if it would hit, but at the last second the ace evaded and fired back in the direction of the beam. An explosion told him that he had hit something... "Juan? Is that you?" Max asked. ****, I hope he's... "Max?" a female voice asked him. He quickly saw who had been hit, his old GM Sniper. And its pilot was Sylvie. "Sylvie! What are you..." Max asked. "Juan is alright, but the Spruance is gone... along with Fred," she reported as her face appeared in the viewscreen, "Sorry I missed..." "Are you okay?" he asked. "I am... but my suit is out of fuel and ammo," she replied, her serious face changing, "Max I..." "Max! We need to chase down another Zeon ship! It's carrying nukes heading for Side 6!" John interrupted as the Johnston arrived beside them, "Damn! My ship will never be able to catch up in time..." "John, could you please wait a bit?" Sylvie requested, "Please." "Alright," John agreed as he nodded his head and smiled. "Sylvie," Max started... "Max... I... I..." Sylvie started, before her voice cracked and she burst into tears, sobbing. He... really might not come back... she thought... he's going to go out to fight a ship. But I need to tell him... why couldn't I? "Sylvie?" Max asked. But he was beginning to understand. The tears in her eyes, the mix of longing, joy and sadness in her eyes. As if she wanted to say something but couldn't... "I..." Sylvie started again, but couldn't bring herself to say it. Why? Just once... why can't I... So... she still does... doesn't she? Max thought to himself. She still felt that way, "Sylvie," Max started as he put his hand into the the video screen, wanting, just wanting, to wipe her tears away for her. But he knew he couldn't. And he now had something he had to do, "Before, I couldn't do anything to save my family, but now I have a chance," he continued firmly, his eyes looking away. "Max?" she thought. "Are you... are you going, to leave me? Really leave me? No..." "But... whatever happens, I'll always love you," he finished as he turned to face her again, looking straight into her eyes. And he did domething Sylvie had not seen since the start of the war. He smiled... it was... the way he told her how much he cared... how much she meant to him... and now, was he smiling for her, one last time... "Max..." But before Sylvie could say anything further, Max quickly turned off the vidscreen and headed off to pursue the enemy ace. He wouldn't let a million people die anymore... he couldn't live with himself if he didn't.... even if, it meant Sylvie would be alone...
"...I love you," Sylvie said into the dead video screen, knowing he would never be able to hear those words...
"So, you've come to follow me?" Ming mocked as he saw the sniper follow him back to the Bremen. He quickly aimed and fired at it, but the enemy pilot evaded. Max ignored the ace for now, the ship had to be his target. He evaded a second shot fired by the ace as he aimed at the left engine. A third shot whizzed past him. He knew the ace was getting close but he had to take down that ship. He fired. Ming fired just as the sniper did, and was surprised its aim was so poor. His shot did not miss however, as he blew the sniper's lower torso off. The sniper then fired again, missing him again, but this time a massive explosion occured behind him. Ming turned and realized the Bremen had been his actual target, and it was now gone... "There, rest safe Side 6..." Max whispered to no one in particular. The enemy ace suddenly popped up right in front of him, mono-eyes flashing. Max looked around his cockpit. Almost all systems were dead, and, he realized, so was he, "Finish it, ace," he told the enemy pilot. "Oh yes, I will..." Ming replied as he aimed the rifle, right at the enemy unit's cockpit. And he made sure that he still had enough energy to fire. For all the ones who died, for Mike, for Mei Li, for me... "I'm sorry, Sylvie... that I can't be there for you anymore..." Max managed to say, just before he closed his eyes. He just wished that Sylvie could have hear those words... Ming grinned, and he depressed the trigger...
Notice: This story and all related material is copyrighted by Thomas E. "Zinegata" Ting, no part of this story may be taken by any other person. If you wish to use any material, please contact me first. Gundam and all related trademarks are owned by their respective companies. |
