Mobile Suit Gundam: Road to Axis

The year is UC 0081, it's been two years since Zeon's defeat of the OYW. Zeon has no strong holds, and all their fleets are all but dead. However, a secret Manufacturing plant on the dark side of the Moon still remains. Its loyalty lies with Zeon, and they have newly designed Zeonic Mobile Suits. Fortunately there is one more fleet that can use these new model Mobile Suits . . . The Mars Fleet

Chapter 11: Nightmare of the Past
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - February 20, 0081
Blitzkrieg
2135

Four days have passed since the last battle, and the crew onboard the Blitzkrieg had a feeling that the end was nearing. No sign of the Feddie's near them for a few days, but a increased activity in area around Luna sent panic throughout the small Zeonic Fleet. Seeing the Schrecklich floating behind them, attached to cables, no one onboard felt assured they were going to survive. No one, not even the free going spirit of Meikle the Mechanic felt as if he were going to survive.

If only we could go back to Luna and get re-supplied, even Axis for that matter. Japa thought, as he leaned over a railing in the Mobile Suit Bay. His light grey uniform rustled up against the rail. He looked down below him, as his arms hung over the rail, his helmet grasped in his left hand. He brought his head back up to see his grey-hued Gelgoog being loaded onto the catapult in case of any Feddie attack. Japa gazed at the battered and charred suit. Small indentations in the armor, and the thruster burns around the thruster ports. His lips crooked up to the right, as the words exited his mouth, "The Lunar Ghost."

"The who?" said a feminine voice from behind him.

Japa slowly spun around, and saw whom he expected it to be, "The Lunar Ghost, Andrea. That's what they called me at Luna."

Andrea looked at Japa's face, puzzled by his smile. She still didn't quite understand the ego of pilots; to name themselves after a certain act or victory, "Why?" she finally asked.

"I don't know. They named me after the color of my Gelgoog." He said, motioning her to the rail. She floated toward him, and eased her chest onto the rail.

"So, do they name everyone who colors their suit?" she asked, turning to him.

"They did for me, not for Joachim, though." He chuckled, "They would have had fun naming him."

"Why?" Andrea couldn't help herself but ask questions.

"His suit was so colorful." Japa said, looking at her. He noticed a different look on her face than before, "There's something else, isn't there?"

She shook the worried look from her face, "What?" She blushed. She knew she was a terrible liar. "We need to talk."

"What are we doing now? Standing?"

She ignored Japa's smart ass comment and grabbed his arm as she kicked off the rail. She trailed him behind her as she grabbed hold of one of the conveyor rods. It in turn, trailed Andrea, who trailed Japa behind her, through the turns and twists of the Blitzkrieg.

Japa knew long before they were there, where they were heading. Andrea's quarters. Japa sighed as she trailed him behind her, he could do nothing but conjure up an idea to what she wanted to talk with him about. As they made the final turn, and Andrea let go of the conveyor, Japa easily set his feet onto the metal floor, "Must we."

"Shut up, and come on." She said, annoyed. Though, she knows she would have said the same thing. She depressed the button that opened the door and hurled Japa into the room, head first. She looked on as she watched him regain his balance with little ease. She stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her.

"You do know I am on duty, don't you?" he said, finding a seat on her console.

"You do know I am the highest ranking officer of this fleet, don't you?"

Japa grinned, "Yes ma'am."

"That's better," she said, as she lowered herself onto the side of her bed. Rather than spread her arms out behind her, she kept them at her sides supporting her. Her back stood straight, rather than lurch backward as most would. She was professional, well most of the time, and now was a time were she wouldn't take any lip from her men. She tossed her left leg over her right, and looked over to Japa, "I know you, most of all, have been affected the greatest by Joachim's death."

"Why do you say that?" he said, raising his right eyebrow.

"Look at yourself, Japa. You've developed insomnia, and you never eat. That seems to be a bit strange to me."

"You're right, it does bother me. . .a little. I'm more worried with the Federal fleet sent to destroy us. Have you even taken a look at the other personnel?" He said, standing up, preparing himself to leave.


"So is everyone else, but they're not as worried as you." She turned away, trying to hide her feelings from him.

"Andrea, I'm a pilot, and I have a greater chance of dying than anyone else. I'm the one who goes out there every time, and saves our asses. Frankly, that's quite a lot of stress to put on a person. Not to mention that god damn fleet out there!" He lifted his right forefinger toward the window. "Yes, along with Joachim's death, I am quite stressed. How do you think it feels to lose your best friend, and not to mention one of the key accessories to our survival."

"I understand, Japa, but we need you to be at your best, if we want to survive. Being your captain, I thought if you talked about it, it wouldn't bother you as much." She said, turning to him, her cheeks beating red.

"I understand, Andrea, but I am not your average person. In case you haven't noticed, I never really partake in any extracurricular activity." He sat back down from his standing position. He let out some air, and fidgeted with the collar of his flight suit. "I can also be quite cold sometimes, as I am sure you've noticed." His eyes fell from hers.

"I know, Japa, but you've progressed so much since the start of our mission." She remembered their talk outside the hangar a few weeks back, when he actually talked to her. She began to grin, but it soon turned into a grin of madness, "We should end this."

Japa didn't understand her meaning, "What do you mean?"

"Surrender." She said, softly, as if she, herself, didn't want to follow through with her own words.

"I'm not giving up to those cowards. I'd rather die fighting." He said, confidently.

"As expected from a male pilot, who fights with balls instead of brains." Both of them chuckled, though Andrea intended that, in no way, to be taken lightly. They still had a child in them both, "That would undoubtedly kill the rest of us, also. Even those who just want to go home, and live peacefully."

Japa propped himself off of the desk, and towards the door. "Give me the people who want to fight, and we'll see what we can do. If large enough, we'll fight. If not, then I'll fight alone." Japa put his back to the door, and felt blindly for the button. You're right, Andrea, I have progressed, but I can not show you now. Soon, I promise. He thought to himself, after he backed out of the open door.
- - - - - -
February 21, 0081
Granada
1109

"All right, slowly, slowly. Okay, set her down, gently, gently. Perfect." a mechanic said, as a unknown mobile suit returned from its first test flight. "I want it re-fueled, and put onboard the White Scar, hurry."

The white mobile suit's cockpit hatch extended upward, and the inner hatch flipped downwards. A slim, and tall figure covered in white emerged from the darkness. A hand reached from his side and grabbed the upper half of the hatch. He then dove down from his perch, and easily landed on top of a catwalk. He walked over to a mechanic tapping away at a computer being attached to the cockpit of the suit.

The mechanic looked to the young man, continuing with his typing, "How did it go?"

"She's amazing. It's slower than my GM, but the speed is just right for me. Though, I wish I could have had a chance to test our the weaponry." He is voice was full of disappointment.

"It's weapon load-out won't disappoint the pilot." He said, grinning, and turning back to his monitor.

"Wait, what did you say?" The pilot grabbed the mans arm.

"What?" The Mechanic said, trying to shrug him off.

"You said "the pilot", not me." The man let go of him, but still remained looming over his head.

"You may not be the pilot. There's this new pilot, transferred from Earth, who's breaking most records. Except for Amuro Rays, that is. I'm afraid he is even better than you, Tom."

"Where is he?" Tom said, raising the visor into his helmet.

"He'll be here within a few days." The mechanic said, going back to his monitor.

"Just in time for the Zeek's to escape." He said, with agitation starting to build up.

"Not necessarily. There is a Salamis cruiser en route to the Zeon's." He said, with his lips turning into a wide grin.

"What good is one Salamis going to do? We haven't even been able to stop them." He said, resting his back on the railing next to him. He brought his head up, and looked out through a small port hole in the ceiling. He expired a mouthful of air, air with a taste of oil and machinery in it, which Tom had grown to appreciate. After staring at the darkness filling the hole, he turned back to the mechanic.

"They have managed to fit an extra mobile suit team onboard. Though, they only have specialized mobile suit's, nothing for general purpose."

"They're basically trying to slow them down, correct? Don't they care if they die?" Tom asked, quietly.

"Yes, and they're prepared to pass. It's a god damn shame we couldn't get rid of all those damn Zeek's." He said, relinquishing his hands from their job of typing away, and setting them at the corners of the monitor. He hung his head in dismay, "Hopefully they'll remember the nightmare of the One Year War." He said, looking up at the white mobile suit.

"I'm sure the Gundam still haunts those Zeek's." Tom said, turning around and looking at the Gundam.

"Me too."
- - - - - -
Near Asteroid Fortress "A Bao A Qu"
1423

"A Bao A Qu. . ." Japa said quietly, from inside the dark cage of his cockpit. He looked through his monitor at the colossal asteroid fortress. He was also very careful to hide himself from behind debris of mobile suits, as to not be detected. If he were to be detected, it would take a whole lot of thrust to escape, and thrust that the Musai's don't have.

"Sir, we're picking up a Salamis coming this way." Said a worried Munn, from his Rick Dom II.

Japa shook himself from his gaze, "Damnit, return back to the ships, immediately."

"Don't follow that order." A unknown voice said, coldly. "You don't want to lead them to the ships, do you?" The voice cackled through the comm.

"Riko, I should have known." Japa said, smiling. "Have you brought your pilots with you?"

"What's left of it. I also brought Hataki." Riko's voice lowered to a monotonous tone. "It turns out that this ship has been following us since our last attack."

"Why didn't they alert this asteroid, then?" Japa said, as his right hand ran along on the side panel, bringing up a image of the Salamis on his right side monitor. He magnified it best he could, and saw what appeared to be mobile suits. "Are those mobile suits?"

"Yes, they have what seems to be an extra team onboard. Seems as if they're going at this alone."
Riko said, as he rolled his neck slowly to the right, a round of simultaneous cracks followed. "I don't think we should engage them, Japa. They might be setting us up for something."

"No, I've followed any and everything that has came out of this asteroid. No ships, what so-ever." Japa twisted his left control stick slightly to the right, and his suit slowly began to rotate to the rear. "I say we go, and surprise them, now." He said, keeping his voice at the same level.


Riko searched his monitors, and brought up everything he thought to be suspicious. Nothing. Damnit, I was hoping to avoid confrontation. Especially in the shape we're in. Might as well. He thought to himself, before he finally gave the order, "Attack, attack to destroy the ship."

"I'll take care of it. Support me with a constant barrage of fire. I don't care if it's Vulcan rounds, anything will do." He said, flipping the comm switch to "Off" in his cockpit. His left hand fell back to the control, and he jerked back the control, which set in the sequence of events for the vernier's to fire. Before he set off, though, he grabbed a chunk of mobile suit, and held it in front of him. Boring a shield in front of him, the vernier's flared open, and a steady flow of thrust exited through them. He rode the stream of blue toward the ship, and prepared to open fire on the ship.
- - - - - -
Salamis Class Cruiser
1431

"Captain, there's a mobile suit heading straight this way. Should we open fire?" The radar officer stated, from his post.

"Have we located the ships?" The Captain replied, resting his elbows on the arms of his command chair, and twining his fingers together.

"No, sir. The mobile suit is still coming, at even greater speeds than before." He said, swiveling his chair to face the Captain.

"Send out mobile suit teams at once. I don't want you to open fire until we have located the Musai's."

"Roger that, sir." The comm officer said, from across the bridge of the ship. He spoke into the transmitter connected to his ear, which housed the receiver. "Mobile suit teams commencing their attack in approximately two minutes."

"Ensign Collins, how long until the mobile suit begins its attack?"

"Roughly around a minute and a half. That's assuming it doesn't gain any more speed, sir." He said, running his eyes over the radar screen to make sure there were no other suits coming.

"Alert everyone of our position, and tell them to get to there battle stations, pronto. Hurry with the mobile suit launch."
- - - - - -
Red and green cross hairs fluttered through the monitor of Japa's Kürzer. He waited patiently to try and get a lock-on from behind the shield in front of him. This isn't going to work. I'll have to fire anyway. He twisted the right control stick, and the debris shield in front of him was lowered, allowing the upper half of the Gelgoog to protrude from behind the shield. The left arm was propped on top of the debris, and the missile launcher released all three missiles. Within a matter of seconds after being released, they burst forth from their base toward the ship. Japa watched from the confines of his cockpit as they bellowed through space, each one twisting, and circling the others. After some time spiraling through space, they started their final descent to the target.

The first missile to hit made an impact on the left side of the hull, shattering the outermost armor, and exposing wires and the internal workings of the area. The second missile to impact rammed into the front most part of the bow, which in return, made it so no mobile suits could be catapulted. The hit Japa wanted the most. The third missile went too far below and passed by the ship, slamming into some debris.

Japa continued to go full burn at the ship, steadily on pace to reach his maximum velocity. The suit isn't made for this kind of continuous speed, though. Japa didn't care, though; he had to destroy the ship before they reached the Musai's. Warning lights went berserk as Japa neared the maximum 1.71 G's. Flipping the thruster control switch off, he was allowed to hit his utmost speed. Japa put even more force onto the thrust pedal, sending him back into his chair, I'm not going to be able to stop. This wasn't what I intended to be the end for me. It never works out the way you hope. He thought to himself, as he was closing in on the bridge. In a last ditch effort Japa wrenched the left control backwards, and released the pressure on the thrust pedal. The Gelgoog Kürzer came to an abrupt stop, sending its pilot and the debris hurling forwards. Japa's head clanked violently off the main monitor, his helmet saving him from complete death. The visor sealing the air inside, shattered, sending shards of glass around the cockpit, even into Japa's face. Japa did his best to yell, but fell into a catatonic state.
- - - - - -
Salamis Class Cruiser

"Everyone report to the secondary bridge, now!" The Captain hollered, standing on the foot of his command chair. As he returned his eyes back to the monitor, he saw his death becoming inevitable. He flopped back down in his chair, and rested his arms on the side panels. "May god help us in destroying these damned Zeek's." He said aloud, before the debris crashed through the glass monitors, sending tiny specs of glass throughout the bridge. The Captain remained seating, his throat gashed open, with chips of glass gouged in his neck. The other personnel not fortunate enough to make it out of the bridge were also killed, if not from suffocation, then from being sliced with the glass.

After a few small explosions, the bridge finally disintegrated in a magnificent orange ball of fire. Which, in turn, caused a chain reaction that finally ended in the explosion of the rear most stern of the ship. Luckily, the reactor remained untouched by the explosion. Luck seemed to also be with the Federal Forces, in which, four of the six mobile suits launched.

Three GM Command types, and one lone GM Command Space Type, flew towards the lifeless Gelgoog Kürzer. They all bore 90mm Machinegun's, and began to open fire on the Gelgoog. Bullet after the bullet clamored off of the suits armor. Tiny indentations began to form, and armor began to chip away, after the continuous barrage of fire hit Japa. A brief silence from fire concluded, but was soon drained away after the suits began their onslaught, again. However, they weren't the only ones to be firing.

"You bastards, we'll kill you!" Riko screamed, as he brought his Large Beam Machinegun up to bear. He didn't target anything, he would just fire around the proximity of the suits. Once ready to fire, Riko didn't hesitate for a second and depressed the trigger on the right control stick. He watched through his monitor as his beams illuminated space, and as they raced toward the GM's. Hopefully one we'll be hit. Shortly after his burst of beams disappeared in the distance, a single ball of fire erupted. "Not to bad," he flipped the comm to a Zeon frequency, "open fire on them. Richards and I will go down and retrieve Japa. Just make sure you keep a continuous curtain of fire on them."

"Will do, sir." Hataki said, preparing his Beam Rifle for the assault.

"Fire now," the Jaeger Kai waved for Richards to come, "Hurry, we don't have much time." Both of the Gelgoog's burst off toward Japa's drifting Gelgoog Kürzer. Riko growled in his cockpit at Japa's idiotic advance, He's such a fool. Does he want to die? Riko didn't know, he hadn't spoken with Japa for a while, and so, he didn't quite know what was going on with him. Has Joachim's death been that traumatic for him. The fool, he doesn't realize that being a pilot is so. . . Riko didn't want to think about death, he had a motto, "To think about death, is a cause for death," and he followed it through in through.

"Sir, we're approaching Japa's Gelgoog." Richards said over the comm.

"Good, I want you to take him back to the Blitzkrieg, he undoubtedly needs medical attention." Riko's lips grew wide, "I'll take care of these Fed's."

"Yes, sir." He replied, obediently. If there was one thing about Richards that made him such a good soldier, it would be his obedience. He wouldn't question even the strangest of orders, even if they put his life in Fate's hands.

Riko switched the comm off, "Why can't everyone be like him." He chuckled to himself. He abruptly turned back to his monitor, and waited for the cross hairs to fall atop one of the Federal mobile suits. They drifted around the monitor, overlapping each other on numerous occasions, before they finally centered on a GM Command type. Riko compressed the trigger down again, and another burst of tiny gold laden beams flew through the tip of the barrel. The beams made their way through the bombardment of bullets, and beams toward their un-expecting target. The beams melted through the titanium armor, exited through the back side of the torso. The beams punctured the reactor, and the suit was covered in a blaze of orange. Another explosion close to the area of the first, destroyed another GM. Now, only one remained, the GM Command Space Type. Riko opened an all frequency comm, "How does it feel to see your teammates die, knowing you're about to be my next kill?" Laughter cackled through the comm's and Riko was the one behind the laughter. He threw his Beam Machinegun to the side, and grabbed a Sturm Faust from his backpack. He carried it by the tail end as he flew slowly toward the GM.

"Riko, halt your attack at once. Return back to the ships, immediately." Cackled through the comm's as Riko made his way for the kill.

"Damnit! I take it Andrea gave this order?" He said, as he smiled even wider.

"Yes sir, she did." was the reply.

"Right, I'll be there." He said, as he made swift motion with his finger, pulling the trigger back. The Sturm Faust was rocketed from its base, on a collision course for the GM. "Au revoir." He said, in his best French accent. He spun his Gelgoog around and burst off in flash of blue toward the Tirpitz. Behind him, an explosion burst forth, sending the pilot to his grave along with his men. "Richards, how's Japa?" He said, softly.

"I'm not sure, but I do know he is unconscious." He cackled over the comm.

His voice was rustled but Riko could understand the just of his statement, "How long until you reach the ships?"

"I'm almost at the Blitzkrieg. I've informed them of Japa's condition and they're prepared to take him."

"Good work. Afterwards, I want you to eat and then get some rest. God, I sound like your father, don't I?" Riko said, beginning to laugh.

"It's good to have someone that acknowledges your needs, Colonel."

"Right."
- - - - - -
February 22, 0081
Blitzkrieg
0249

Andrea sit quietly at the side of Japa's medical bed. She had been there since he was returned to the ship, and waited for Japa to regain consciousness. And, if he were, she would be the first thing that his eyes would fall upon, and hopefully they would be at rest with her presence. Her eyes would also come to a rest, once they met with Japa's.

More time passed, and still no waking Japa. Andrea looked over to his vital signs; they were normal. She was eased to see them that way, but a rustling to her side sent her eyes wide open.

"Andrea?" He whispered, as his eyes slowly began to slit open.

"Shut up, you fool." She said, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Yes ma'am." He said, snickering as best he could. The doors leading into the room slid sideways, and a few nurses scurried into the room.


"We'll have to ask you to leave, Colonel." A young, black-haired woman said.

"I understand. You just keep your mouth shut, Japa." She said, as she released his hand and began her walk out of the room. The doors shut behind her, and she peaked through the tiny window on the door, as the nurses began running tests on the young man. "Hurry, Japa, we need you. I need you." She said quietly, dragging her hands from the window. She lowered her gaze to the floor, and walked toward the bridge, the only place she wouldn't think about Japa.
- - - - - -
Granada
1535

Tom sat, his feet propped up on top of the darkened red color of the Cherry table, waiting for the newly assigned pilot of the Gundam to arrive. He wasn't a very patient person, and wanted to be the pilot of the Gundam. He hung his head over the head of the small chair, twiddling his fingers over his lap. The creak of the doors, sent his feet to the floor and his head upward.

"Hello, Tom, I'm glad you're here." Captain Nasaki said, carrying a manila folder under his left arm.

"Whose that?" He said, looking at the young man behind him.

He was rather tall, and slim. A small beard beginning to stretch out from his chin. The hair was all the same, a auburn-ish color. He was too far way for Tom to see his eyes. But, from the way he conducted himself, he looked very arrogant. His chin was held high, and looked as if he were annoyed about being led by Nasaki. He sat across the table from Tom, but didn't bother to look over at him. "What's this about, Captain?"

"Patience, Commander. I was just getting to that." He opened the manila folder and took two papers from inside. He slid them to both men, and walked over to the main monitor.

"I've already seen these, sir." Tom said, annoyance filling his voice.

"I haven't, so bear with me, Lieutenant." The man's eyes flared open, Gundam? Great timing. Now, I'll finally get a chance to test my skills.

"See something you like, Jared?" Nasaki said.

"Gundam, is this the one that causes nightmares to fall upon the Zeon?" He asked, looking up.

"Yes and no. It's not the same one, but a Gundam's a Gundam. And, you'll be the one piloting this beauty." Nasaki replied, grinning.

"Who are you again?" Tom said, making sure he would be heard this time.

"Commander Jared Shocklee. Ace pilot during the One Year War. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tom Lang." He said, arrogantly. He saw Tom's face begin to boil with rage. Ace pilot for Zeon.