"I got you..." Hasegawa told himself as he aimed his machine gun at the surviving Zaku. Such a pathetic attempt at resistance, he thought, using ancient Zeon machines to dare resist the might of the Titans...

 

"Look out!" Hoffman suddenly warned, "Additional enemy Mobile Suit! Coming around our right flank!"

 

Hasegawa was just about to turn to face their new target when a light blue beam sliced off his right arm along with his weapon. He reached out to grab his beam rifle, but then a pair of 150mm shells struck his Mobile Suit as a newly arrived Type 61 fired on him as well. Ivan shifted his aim and took down the Type 61 with a well placed beam shot, before rolling over to Hasegawa's position and kicking Makoto's Mobile Suit to the ground before a second beam shot could punch a hole through his cockpit. Romanov then gave the surprised Lieutenant an admonishing look.

 

"Watch your butt Lieutenant, don't want to lose you out on the first sortie like the rest of the boys," Ivan suggested as he got up and began to search for the enemy Mobile Suit, one that he was sure to be a Zugock type, "Hoffman, spotted anybody else?"

 

"They're gone sir, both of them," Hoffman replied as he carefully took a look around his surroundings courtesy of the GM II's 360 degree paranomic cockpit, "The Zaku managed to slip by me and disappeared round the corner. I think they're re-positioning for a counterattack."

 

"Good call Sergeant," Romanov agreed as he also kept his eyes peeled, though ignoring the nasty glare Hasegawa was throwing at him, "And that means we'll be needing help..."

---------------

"Thanks for the assist Nagato," Fernendez said gratefully as he pulled his old Zaku beside Yoko's brand new Zugock, "I just wish you arrived a little earlier."

 

"And you should have just attacked the first group as I told you," Yoko admonished as she tried to find any of the three surviving enemy Mobile Suits through the dense urban jungle that was Manila, "I could've handled those two in the second group easy without your help."

 

"Plan was changed," Fernendez replied quickly, "We could only scrape up enough tanks for a delaying force against those three, and we couldn't have stopped them from linking up with the second group. We tried to wipe out the second group first for you, but they came in faster than we hoped, and we got slaughtered."

 

"Well, we're not beaten yet. Twenty more minutes and the sub is out of here and we win," Yoko declared as she took a quick check of her map, "I think they're at the corner of Recto and Abad Streets, how about we try to take them with a pincer? I'll go first and draw their fire."

 

"I'm out of ammo Yoko," Fernendez reminded.

 

"Take this," Yoko replied as her Zugock's claws grabbed a Zaku bazooka and handed it to Fernendez, "Took it from one of your men before we pulled out. Make the shots count."

---------------

"This is Weasel 03, finally spotted that SAM battery," one of the Fly Mantha pilots declared over the radio, "Looks like an old Patriot battery on the airport, with a pair of 74s providing ack ack cover. I... ****! I just got hit by some 30 mike! I'm breaking off!"

 

"Get the Dep Rogs and order them to carpet bomb the airport," Natalie ordered just as she finished booting up her GM II's controls, "And break off the surviving Manthas and find those armored vehicles scattered all over the town. I want them taken out as soon as possible."

 

"Submarine is still not moving mam, but we're getting some activity," Hawkins warned from his own Mobile Suit's cockpit, "We've already tried several bombing runs on her, but so far we have no hits and two planes down due to SAMs. Ivan's group is reporting that they are running into trouble getting to the sub, and they need help ASAP."

 

"Then drop us as close to their group as possible," Natalie ordered, "And drop Pollux's team right on the dock area itself. Attacking a disabled submarine with no escort should be a simple enough task for them..."

---------------

"How much longer Scott?" Jean demanded as he spotted a group of bombers heading for the airport area, "And it had better be quick..."

 

"Ten more minutes!" Scott shouted in reply without taking his eyes off the control panel, "We have eighty percent power restored, and we're just warming up the reactors now. The gears seem to be holding steady..."

 

"More fighters, coming in!" a look out screamed from the conning tower as he scrambled down the hatch. The distinctive sound of a SAM launch was followed by the sound of a very close explosion, and Jean could only cringe in the control room, fearing they have been hit...

 

"O'Connor here, my SAMs scratched another fighter," the Lieutenant reported, "But we've got superficial damage on the port ballast tanks. I don't think we can..."

 

"It's alright, don't worry about it!" Scott interrupted testily, "We'll still have just enough buoyancy to float even if those tanks are flooded, so quit worrying!"

 

"And if we suffer more flooding?!" Jean replied worriedly, "What happens then?!"

 

"The only way that'll happen is if we get hit by another torpedo, and if that happens this bucket of bolts will break apart at the seams anyway," Scott replied, "Now tell Yoko and the others to start pulling back now. Because I ain't waiting for anybody once this engine starts running..."

---------------

"I am picking up power plant noises, faint but growing louder. Definite submarine contact sir," the U-632's chief sonar operator reported after several minutes of listening on the area around Manila Bay, "The computer is classifying it as coming from a late 86' batch U-class submarine, which includes..."

 

"The U-605, 606 and 607," Naguchi finished, "All of which were supposed to be on Subic after that attack. We've got them. How long before we get into weapons range?"

 

"Ten minutes sir, give or take," helm control responded, "Navigation is difficult thanks to the rocks around Corregidor island at the center of the bay, and we have to be careful or we might run ourselves aground..."

 

"Very well, but do try to hurry," Naguchi responded, "Alright! Prepare two torpedoes and start generating a targeting solution on the enemy submarine. We'll make their stay here their last..."

---------------

"How far to the dock area?" Ivan inquired as he dodged a pair of 150mm shells fired in his direction, before shooting back at the offending Type 61 tank. This time, his shot missed.

 

"Very close sir, less than a kilometer," Hoffman replied as he took over and fired at the enemy Type 61 that showed up, hitting it twice with his machine gun and ripping the tank apart, "Also, I think..."

 

Suddenly, large series of explosions occurred on the other side of town as a squadron of Dep Rogs unloaded their bombs on the airport area. A missile streaked up the sky and shot down one of the bombers, but then a second squadron of bombers appeared and dropped their bomb loads on the airport area as well. This time, no fire was returned.

 

"Captain Romanov... report your position..." Lt. Col. Dolvich's voice declared over the radio, "And make it quick and accurate."

 

"Mam, we're in Recto Avenue less than a click from the dock area," Ivan reported as he kept his eyes peeled for any possible enemy units that may suddenly show up, "But mam, I've suffered severe losses and am nearly out of ammunition. I'm down to Hasegawa and Hoffman, and I don't think..."

 

"Spotted one!" Hoffman interrupted, "Zugock type, round the..."

 

Before Hoffman could say anything further a beam lanced through his Mobile Suit, just barely missing his cockpit. He tried to shoot back, but he found the controls to be unresponsive. He cringed, thinking that the Zugock would finish him off, but to his relief, he found that it had once again retreated among the tall buildings in the city and was now remaining discreetly out of sight.

 

"Hoffman, status?" Ivan inquired as he pulled up beside Hoffman's unit, while Hasegawa remained farther back to provide them both with cover, "Are you alright?"

 

"Yes... yes sir," Hoffman replied rather shakily, "But it was a bad hit sir. Most of the systems are out and the reactor has shut itself down. Sorry I didn't..."

 

"You should've been more careful," Hasegawa observed.

 

"But you're pretty lucky," Ivan countered, "Most reactors just meltdown on you when they get damaged instead of shutting down. Abandon the unit and transfer to my suit now. It's too dangerous to stay in that thing now that the reactor's gone haywire..."

 

"Yes sir, moving out now..." Hoffman replied as he engaged the manual cockpit door release. Nothing happened. Instead, another explosion rocked his cockpit...

---------------

Hit... Fernendez thought as the disabled GM's head exploded after a direct hit from his bazooka. He quickly shifted his fire to a second GM, this one seemingly covering the disabled GM, and fired again. His shot once again struck true, ripping apart the GM's remaining arm and toppling the suit to the ground. Seeing a third GM start aiming for him, Fernendez decided that discretion was the better part of valor for the moment, and quickly pulled away, out of sight of the Titans.

 

"One left..." Yoko observed as she joined Fernendez, "But the airport area just got hit, and if they're as competent as I think they are..."

 

"Yoko! We need help!" Jean suddenly screamed into the radio, "More enemy transport planes are coming in on the dock area! We need your help now!"

 

"Is the sub fixed yet?" Yoko inquired as she motioned Fernendez to follow her, "Because if it isn't..."

 

"The engines are running, but it would still take a few minutes to get to deep enough water to submerge," Jean explained, "I... ****! O'Connor is reporting he's running short of SAMs!"

 

"You'd better go," Fernendez suggested, "I'll take care of the straggler."

 

"If you do that you won't make it to the sub in time," Yoko reminded.

 

"I'm not going Yoko, you know that," Fernendez replied simply, "And neither are my men. Just get out of here and take revenge for all of us."

 

"Don't worry earthnoid," Yoko replied with a nod, "Revenge is one thing I know we all have in common..."

----------------

"Hoffman, Hasegawa, status?!" Ivan asked worriedly as he peered around, searching for the two enemy Mobile Suits that had been attacking his group, "Answer me!"

 

"Hoffman here sir," the rookie's shaken voice answered, "I'm... I'm okay. Just a bit banged up from getting shaken around, but I'm still in one piece. Preparing to abandon my unit now..."

 

"Alright, find a good hiding spot and I'll pick you up as soon as I get those two," Ivan replied, "Hasegawa! What about you?! Respond!"

 

"I'm alright!" Hasegawa shouted angrily into the radio, "I... ****! My leg is broken and this piece of junk refuses to move and allow me to..."

 

"Alright, just calm down and keep your eyes peeled," Ivan ordered, "We can't always be sure where..."

 

Suddenly, a rocket streaked right towards Ivan's GM II. He quickly sidestepped and raised his shield, just barely managing to block the shot with his shield. His shield broke apart after the hit however, and he quickly saw a second rocket streaking right towards him. This time, he activated his Mobile Suit's thrusters and jumped into the air, quickly aiming his beam at the direction of the fire. He saw something move, and fired, but no explosion followed.

 

Not bad, Titan scum... Fernendez thought as he checked his bazooka. It was now empty, and he really didn't have anything left to use against the GM II except for his obsolete 120mm machine gun and an even less reliable heat hawk. But there was always a way, just as how the Afrikaans had shown how simple it was to capture and salvage enemy Zakus and put them to use for the Federation, and all he needed to do was to find it...

 

Where is the damn *******...? Ivan thought as he slowly began to search the surrounding area for the enemy Mobile Suit. He could've sworn that he had hit him the last time, but he was either mistaken or it caused minor damage. Suddenly, he noticed something moving again in the street two down from where he was now, and decided to fire a shot. This time, a piece of metal fell down on the ground.

 

"Gotcha..." Ivan told himself as he closed on the metallic wreckage, and immediately saw that it was a Zaku bazooka of the same type as the ones the rebels were using. But something was strange. Though the bazooka was there, there weren't any other Mobile Suit parts in the surrounding area...

 

"Fool..." Fernendez declared as he quickly emerged behind Ivan and raised his heat hawk and began to plunge it down towards the center of Ivan's Mobile Suit. He never saw the beam coming in from behind him.

 

"Captain Romanov! Are you alright?!" Natalie screamed as she realized that the enemy Zaku had managed to plunge the heat hawk about halfway into the GM II before Hawkins had been able to shoot and kill the rebel Zaku. She cringed as no voice immediately  responded her calls...

 

"I... I'm alright mam..." Ivan's voice belatedly answered followed by a sigh of relief, "And right now I don't know who to be scared of, the rebels, or Major Hawkins..."

 

Ivan then threw the now dead Zaku off his Mobile Suit's back and revealed a hole in his Mobile Suit mere inches away from the cockpit courtesy of the beam Hawkins had fired, which had easily pierced through the armors of both Mobile Suits, "Sir, I know you're a good shot, but do remember that beams have great penetrating power... Or is it that..."

 

"My apologies Captain, but I did not have time to grab my machine gun," Hawkins replied coolly, "And I know of no real reason why else I would come so close to harming you, so please don't put any ulterior motive to my..."

 

"Alright, enough about close shaves, we've seen that before," Natalie quickly interrupted before the argument could go any further. Hawkins and Ivan worked pretty well, she thought, but sometimes the two of them just acted weird... "We have to get ourselves to the dock area. What's your status Romanov?"

 

"My unit is functional, but I have two pilots without any Mobile Suits," Ivan replied quickly, "And opposition has been tough, that Zugock is still around here and..."

 

"And possible some men from the Afrikaans brigade," Hawkins observed as he pointed to the insignia on the dead Zaku, "A bloody elite unit raised in the Transvaals during the One Year War, renowned for being extremely ingenious and inventive in their tactics and strategy. It is a pity we have to face them now in this war..."

 

"They aren't so smart if they charge us with Zakus and Type 61s," Natalie observed, "And we have no time. Let's get to the dock area immediately. Pollux should be there already."

---------------

"Bunch of amateurs..." Yoko declared savaged as she ripped open the last of the Hizacks that had landed near the sub with her Zugock's claws. All six of them had immediately panicked upon seeing her, and she mercilessly killed them off one by one with her melee weapons only, with the minimum amount of time and screams from the dying Federal pilots spent during her little slaughter, though she wished the later had lasted a bit longer as to cause panic among the rest of the Federal troops. No matter now, she thought, as the U-606 was now closing the deeper parts of the harbor and was actually beginning to submerge. The X-7, trailing the sub, was also submerging, though she was almost invisible now due to her smaller size.

 

"Yoko, we're almost submerged," Jean reported over the radio, "Where is Fernendez and the others?! Aren't they..."

 

"None have come, and I think none are coming," Yoko replied coolly as she watched the sky above her, knowing that air attack was the one thing she had to worry about now, "I'll stay a bit longer to cover you from bombers, but once you're clear I'm going."

 

"Yoko, you can't just..." Jean started before Yoko turned off the radio. She grinned. He was going to throw another fit for this, but she was sure that was going to be nothing once he found out her little secret...

---------------

"Damn it Yoko!" Jean growled as he realized the line was dead. That Yoko, didn't she even care about the lives of others as long as the bloody mission was...

 

"Sir, we're now completely submerged and are now operating at sixty feet below the water, the ship is holding together," helm control reported as the hull began to make popping noise, "We..."

 

"Oh my God..." the lead sonar man suddenly interrupted, "Sir! Torpedo in the water! TWO torpedoes in the water! Coming in fast right in front of us!"

 

"What the..." Jean started as the submarine was suddenly rocked by a pair of explosions, "****! Were we..."

 

"Yoko here, enemy bombers are dropping depth charges, try to avoid them," the female pilot suddenly added over the radio. Jean merely grimaced as he realized Yoko didn't understand the total gravity of the situation.

 

"Yoko! We have two torpedoes coming in fast on us," Jean started, "I don't know where..."

 

"Contact! Enemy contact!" sonar declared, "U-class submarine! Torpedoes are at eight thousand yards and closing even faster."

 

"Don't worry, just wait another minute or two and all will be well..." Yoko started.

 

"Yoko, this is no time for jokes!!!" Jean shouted angrily, "In another minute or two we'll all be..."

 

"What the hell is happening?!" a new voice declared as somebody groggily entered the bridge. To everyone's surprise, it was John.

 

"John!" Jean exclaimed, "What the hell are you still doing here?!"

 

"Thank Yoko for that," John growled as Yoko discretely turned off her radio, "Scott found me and got me off the floor a couple of minutes ago. What the hell..."

 

"****! Torpedoes are now at six thousand meters!" the sonar man screamed at the top of his lungs, "What do we do sir?!"

 

"Our position and depth?!" John replied automatically as he began doing some mental calculations. It took another second before the fact that it was now up to him to save the sub kicked in.

 

"Eighty feet underwater, three knots off land around two hundred forty degrees from the harbor..." the helmsman responded as he sweated profusely, his hands now beginning to shake as well.

 

"Launch three decoys and drop your depth to exactly one hundred and seventy two feet," John ordered, "And shut down the engines for ultra quiet!"

 

"John... what are you doing...?" Jean started.

 

"We're going to start acting like a rock," John replied simply, "A very quiet little rock."

----------------

Notice: This fic and all its contents are copyrighted by Thomas E. "Zinegata" Ting. No part of this work may be taken by any other person without permission from the author. Gundam and all related trademarks are owned by Bandai and their respective companies.

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