[Spender]

I'm not sure if it would be wise to start another fic. I have trouble paying attention to the two I have going already. But I have to at least start the process of writing this story down, and I have the patience of a toddler, so I'm not waiting any more.

Prolouge

The year 55 United Era (UE). The Nations of Earth have all united under one government. Politcal areas which were once countries are now Provinces under the control of the Global Union (GU).

The official reason for the end of what the historians now call the "Final War" is a peace conference, where all leaders agreed that a world-wide war was only harming the citizens that the governments were trying to protect. However, the real reason for the end of the war was far less noble.

Deep beneath both of the polar ice caps, a new substance with massive potential energy was discovered but a researcher by the name of Albert Gundara. This substance stored with it incredible amounts of energy, which could be harnessed and used. In addition, this substance did not seem to lose any energy. It appeared as though it was able to regenerate any lost power, and so it would prove to be an incredible source of renewable power.

The substance was fluid in nature, and was named Gundara Fluid, after the one who discovered. It was because of the desire that all nations had for this fluid and its phenomenal capabilities that they were willing to stop the war, and begin trade agreements for both the Gundara Fluid and the technology developed both for and from this phenomenal substance.

55 years have passed since the Final War ended. However, there were still many feelings of nationalism among the provinces of the world. Since the end of the war, many politicians had run under the campaigns of getting their provinces back their sovereignty, but none had ever made it very far in government.

That changed when the people of the Province of Australia elected one Jack Kuwara as their Governer. He started of slow, promising only to try to restore some soveriegn powers to the Province of Australia. But Kuwara had been secretly developing new weapons, and with an unparalelled military force behind him, and with the element of surprise on his side, Kuwara has managed to take control of much of Eastern Asia.

With the growing threat of another war, many people fled to the colonies constructed on and around Mars, and orbiting the sun between the red and blue planets. Meanwhile, many provinces, including those of the Western European area and North America, as well as the Province of Japan, also began to develope new weapons.

As Eastern Europe and South America fall, North America is now surrounded by enemies, and is unable to rely on the small rebellion groups from Japan which had been helping them develop their new war technologies. In a last ditch attempt, the provinces of America, Canada, and Mexico strengthen the defense along their borders, preparing to literally fight against the rest of the world. Also, they send a series of new weapons up with a group of Colonial Escapees, enroute to the Alpha D colony on Mars, where they will be prepped and readied to be used against the forces of Kuwara.

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

Chapter 1

The Colonial Escort Shuttle (CES) drifted through space. They would be arriving at Mars in 5 hours. That was 5 hours too late for many people onboard. They were in a great rush to try and escape the war on Earth, but only the very young realized that this escape may only prove to be tempory, and they new that until they could reach Mars' defense line, they would stand no chance against Kuwara's forces.

What was strange about this CES was that it carried with it extra cargo. Military cargo. None of the passengers knew what it was. In fact, most of the crew had no idea. The only person who knew what they were transporting was the one that the government had sent to oversee the transfer of these things to the North American Triprovincial Union (NATU) Military complex on Mars. His name was Lt. Comander John Macra.

He was a stern man, the result of surviving many battles. His father was a legendary hero from the Final War. He himself was already known even to civilians for his great skill as a fighter pilot, and he always seemed to be able to take on any enemy, no matter how strong or numerous they were.

And they were both strong and numerous. Kuwara's secret weapons which he had developed prior to his conquest were powerful robotic suits of armor called Mobile Suits. The NATU had tried to create their own versions of these formidable and highly adaptable weapons, but the best they could come up with were the Mobile Orbs, spherical-bodied, quadroped tanks, which were very cumbersom and weak compared to their bipedal bretheren on the opposing side of the war.

Marcus Greenwald rested his head against the seat, wishing that his stubborn mother had decided to partake in the Colonial Escape sooner. This flight was ridiculously nerve-wracking, and the green-eyed, blonde-haired youth would be glad to set foot on solid ground.

He got up, and began to make his way to the end of the shuttle where the toiletries were to be found. He would indeed be happy to get off this shuttle.

************

"We have confirmation. We are to engage the shuttle, and comondere the cargo they are transporting, by force if neccesary. Our orders come from Emperor Kuwara himself."

Comander Magnus looked upon the messenger through the ruby-red eyes of his mask. No one except a select few knew why he wore that mask, but no one dared to ask why.

"Very well then. Send out an order to allow us to board to the enemy craft. Tell them that we will engage them in combat should they refuse," the comander ordered, brushing his brunnette bangs out of his eye. His hair was not long, but it was very thick. It floated around for a few moments in the zero-gravity as he sat down.

"We cannot allow these things to slip away from us," Magnus muttered to himself as he often did. His behavior often lead many to question his sanity, but one could not deny his tactical and piloting skills. "Not if our intelligence about the technology behind them is correct."

***********************

"What should we do, captain?" the co-pilot of the CES asked nervously. The captain was silent, but Lt. Macra decided to speak up.

"We take this thing as fast as it can go to the A-12 colony, the one closest to us. Hopefully, we can reach their defensive lines before we are taken donw."

"Are you mad?" the captain inquired, furious. "We have civillians onboard. Their lives are at stake!"

"I will tell you this. That cargo we carry could be the deciding factor in this war. We have to protect it. At all costs."

Marcus was just coming out of washroom when the ship began to shake. He accidentally fell into a young girl, 17-18 years old. Around Marcus' age.

"Sorry," He apologized, trying to balance himself. It felt like the ship was changing course. Then, the explosions came. The ship shook violently, and Marcus was fell back, opening a hidden door, leading to a large hangar. It had been attached to the CES to carry the cargo, but Marcus knew nothing more of it.

And there, lined up against the walls of the hangar, were the weapons being transported to Mars. Four mobile suits. And the four reasons why Kuwara forces were now about to destroy close to a hundred innocent lives.
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[nightbringer]

Interesting concept there. LOL Australia of all places.

Look out! Aussie Rules Football Gundam ahoy!
With its ball mark attack!
Its fearsome 75m kick!

Yes, I live in Australia.
^_^

[Spender]

[Spender]

Chapter 2

"What's going- Oh my God!"

It was the girl that Marcus had bumped into when the CES began to shake and change course. The girl turned ghostly pale at the site of the Mobile Suits.

"How could they do this to us?" Marcus asked, more to himself than the girl. "How could they put our lives at stake just to hide a few weapons from the Kuwara Forces?"

Lt. Comander Macra walked in and answered the question for them, almost sending the girl out of her skin.

"These are no ordinary weapons. They are immensly powerful, and if used strategically, they could cause the balance of power to shift. Now excuse me, I have to get to my machine if we want to survive this ordeal!"

Macra leaped over the railing and ran towards a Mobile Armor which was already prepped and ready to launch. The hangar door opened, and the ace pilot flew out in the hopes of being able to protect the shuttle, the passengers, and the cargo.

*********

"Sir! The Shuttle has launced a single Mobile Armor!"

"Hmm, it must be Macra. So, he's been reduced to a guard dog now," Comander Magnus snickered. "I'll take care of him. Focus your efforts on trying to board the CES. We dont want this to be a ruthless bloodbath. At least not yet."

The masked commander rushed off to board his own, personal Mobile Suit. He had a history with Macra. They were equals in piloting skills, and had faced off many times in the past. Never had a clear victor ever been determined.

"Thats about to change," Magnus declared to no one but himself, and his laughter sent fear into all of his officers.

************

Macra watched as a customized Mobile Suit launced from the Kuwara vessel. He knew right away that it was Magnus behind the cockpit.

"Damn! Why'd it have to be him? This makes things more complicated," Macra muttered to himself. But he knew he had to succeed, for the sake of the NATU, the colonies, and all of the Earth.

Meanwhile, back in the hangar of the CES, the red-headed girl who had stumbled into this situation along with Marcus pleaded with the hot-headed boy to come back.

"You cant pilot one of those things! Even if you had the ability, knowledge, and experience, you're going to get in trouble with the military!"

"And I suppose you would rather die because the NATU made a stupid mistake and decided to try and slip these things on to the colonies with us?"

The girl kept silent, and watched as Marcus climbed into the cockpit of the closest Mobile Suit.

"By the way, my name is Marcus," he called out. "What's yours?"

"Uhh... my name is Beverly," she replied, blushing, and a bit confused that he would ask such a thing in such a situation.

She didnt have time to think about it before the Mobile Suit left the hangar. Marcus read he display as the start up system began to load.

"Huh? The GDR-001, Dragonfang. First prototype of the... What!? This thing has a Gundara Power Core! No wonder they were trying to be so secretive about it! Lets see... wow, this thing is incredible."

He read on, trying to get as much knowledge of "his" new machine before he actually had to fight in it.

"First prototype of Gundara powered mobile suits. Let's see, what is the codename they gave this series? Here it is.

Gundara Core Mobile Suits. Codenamed... Gundams."
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Spender]

Chapter 3

Marcus was now charging full throttle to aid Lt. Comander Macra in the battle.

"What am I doing?" Marcus asked himself. He had no experience or knowledge with any kind of Mobile weapon, let alone one as complicated as a Gundara powered Mobile Suit.

But Marcus seemed to be able to handle the suit fair enough. He wasnt planning on doing much. Just providing a bit of a distraction.

It wasnt long until Marcus was at the point where Macra was fighting the enemy Mobile Suit. He seemed to be holding up pretty well, so Marcus decided to focus his fire elsewhere.

After quickly skimming through the list of the Dragonfang's arsenal, selected the one which he believed would be most effective, and fired... at the enemy warship.

*************

"We've taken damage! Right-side energy canon has been reduced to 84% capacity!"

"Where the Hell did that Mobile Suit come from?" one of the crewmen asked himself out loud.

"That must be what the NATU forces were trying to transport to Mars," Comander Magnus answered, over the intercom. "Indeed, I can see that it is powerful. We must capture it and any other Mobile Suits that may be aboard that shuttle!"

*************

"What do you think you're doing? Now they know what we were trying to get away from them!" Needless to say, Lt. Comander Macra was not happy to see that one of the Mobile Suits he was trying to keep secret was now out and fighting.

"I'm trying to protect the CES!" Marcus snapped back, also angry that the NATU was putting civilian lives at risk just to try and transport a few weapons.

Marcus put the Crusher canon he had used to fire at the warship and exchanged it for another, smaller, closer range weapon. The Crusher canon attached to the back of the Dragonfang, and Marcus took out the Gundam's twin Gattling guns, and began firing at the enemies Mobile Suit. All the shots, however, missed.

"Impressive show, young man," came an unfamiliar voice over the comlink, the voice of the enemy pilot. "But you'll have to do much better to take me down!"

The enemy Mobile Suit took out its beam saber, and suddenly began to move at incredible speeds, rushing past Marcus, delivering hit after hit, bringing the Dragonfang closer and closer to becoming a heap of scrap with each blow. An insane laugh could be heard on all frequencies. That was when Marcus decided to unleashe the Gundam's most powerful weapon.

"There is no hope for you!" Comander Magnus cackled over all frequencies. "My Mobile Suit, the Lancer, has never been beaten!"

"There's a first time for everything," Marcus muttered to himself. "Activate Core Compression!"

Marcus hit a sequence of buttons and switches, triggering an event deep inside the Dragonfang. The Gundara Power core began to spin and glow a radiating green colour. As the Gundara Fluid inside was compressed, an incredible amount of energy was released, and fed into the Dragonfang's systems.

Now the entire suit began to glow. All damage seemed to be instantly repaired, and the Gundam was recharaged.

As Macra and everyone else began to stare in amazement, Magnus began to get ready for another pass.

"A simple light show wont save you!" He declared, and he began to cry out in fury as he prepared to attack again. But this time would be different.

The Dragonfang was not only able to evade this attack, but Marcus maneuvered the Gundam's hand to deliver a high speed, high power punch, which sent Magnus and the Lancer flying. Marcus then took out the Crusher canon, and aimed it at his foe. Now charged with Gundara energy, the shot headed straight for the Lancer, and peirced its armor.

As the machine exploded, an escape capsule could be seen being ejected and heading for the enemy warship.

Marcus began to point the Crusher canon straight at the ship, and was about to fire, when suddenly, the Dragonfang went offline, all except for the onboard life support. Marcus couldnt fire, couldnt even move.

"You idiot! Did you really not think that the effects of the Core Compression wouldnt drain your suit's power? Now you have to wait for the core to recharge itself! And you're open for attack!"

As if to emphasize the point that Lt. Commander Macra was trying to make, the canons of the enemy vessel began to glow, and were pointed right at Marcus. That was when a series of missles began to pelt the hull of the ship like hail. A message came on all frequencies.

"Attention Kuwara vessel. You are now in the defensive perimeter of the Colony A-12. Retreat now, or we will attack."

After a few moments, the ship did indeed retreat, and several recovery teams began to emerge, getting ready to take everyone and everything in.

"But still," Marcus began, talking only to himself, "How did I do all that?"
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Guardian Of...]

Not bad so far, these new Gundam's seem to be rather godly if they have the ability to instantly repair themselves, unless this Gundara stuff takes a long time to recharge. I'm looking forward to how this turns out.

[Spender]

[Spender]

Chapter 4

The crew of Colony A-12 began taking in the shuttle, its occupants, and the Gundams. The civillians were given food and water, and a chance to rest and recover from their ordeal. The comander of the colony was already making arangements for another CES to take the civilians who still wished to make their way to Mars to their destination, while also welcoming all who decided to remain on A-12. It was, after all, a civilian colony, despite its conciderable defenses.

Then, there was the question of the Gundara powered mobile suits. The Dragonfang was put into a repair sequence, for though it may have appeared to recover from its damage when it underwent Core Compression, the truth was that it was still heavily damaged from Magnus' repeated assults.

Marcus was not surprised when he was summoned to give his testimony reguarding the Gundams, and cooperated completely.

"Tell me, young lad, how much do you know about the Gundara Weapons?" The head of Colony A-12 defenses. "And how were you able to pilot it without even one session of basic training?"

"I know no more than you do, probably even less," Marcus answered calmly, "and in all honesty, I dont know how I was able to pilot the Dragonfang, or even why I got into it in the first place. Back in the storage hangar onboard the shuttle, it was like... a higher force was compelling me to pilot it. The only words I can think of to describe it are instinct and... destiny."

The commander nodded, and moved on to Lt. Commander Macra. "I suppose you know more than the child, seeing as how you were the one originally designated to escort them."

"Yes," Macra confirmed. "I have a data disk on all four Gundams with me. It was meant for the Mars base where these things are supposed to be headed, and still need to get to. Your defenses are formidable, and you are closer to Earth, but you lack the technology designed to maintain those Mobile Suits. Here, I'll show you the data disk, so you can understand what we're getting ourselves into."

An image of the four Gundams appeared on the screen, and a readout was given. The schematics of the Gundara Cores came first, then, individual readouts on the four Mobile Suits:

The Dragonfang. Physically the strongest of the four, and able to draw more power from Core Compression than the other units. However, it uses up the Gundara Power faster than the others, and takes longer to recharge. Its primary weapons are a long distance "Crusher Canon", as well as closer range twin gattling guns. Its specialties are Long Range and One-on-one combat.

The Hummingbird. The fastest and most manueverable of the four Gundara powered prototypes. It lacks defense, but is able to compensate for this with its speed and precision. It draws less power from Core Compression than the other units, but the effects last for a longer period of time, and it takes very little time to recharge. Its main weapons are a mid-range distance spike launcher, codenamed the Piercing Feather, as well as a rapier-type sword. Is the only unit capable of true, unassisted flight. Is designed for melee combat.

The Cerberus. Slowest of the four prototypes, but with ample power and defense to compesate for lack of maneuverability. Unlike the other units, which receive a general power boost which affects all systems, the Cerberus is only able to focus the effects of Core Compression to either its weapons systems or its shielding systems. Hoever, this makes the effect on each individual system far greater than in the other models. Its main weapons are the three shoulder mounted "Hell Canons", from which its codename is derived, and a back-mounted artillery unit. It is designed for fighting multiple opponents from a distance.

The Leviathan. The most well-rounded of the four Gundams, it is formidable at all ranges of attack, and against any number of opponents. Also, it is the only unit designed to be capable of underwater combat, and is able to achieve limited amount of flight on its own, and can be equiped with the "Leviathan Wings" to achieve true flight. This enables it to fight effectively in sea, on land, and in the sky. Even its Core Compression benefits are balance, for it draws conciderable power from this process, more than the Hummingbird, and less than the Dragonfang. Its main weapons are a Spiral Canon, an arm-mounted Quick-shot blaster, and a standard beam saber.


Marcus finished reading the details on the Gundams, and could not help but be impressed. He came back to reality when Lt. Comm. Macra informed him of what was to happen reguarding him.

"Kid, I'm not going to sugar-coat this. You're in trouble. With the NATU Triprovincial government. You have to be place under arrest. However, you are a talented pilot. I dont know how, but you are. So, you are coming to Mars with us. On a military shuttle. Not a civilian one. Happy? Good, because you will be confined to the prisoners quarters, for the whole trip. And, you will be put in charge of piloting the Dragonfang. I dont know why, but I have a feeling you werent too far off when you described it as 'destiny'."

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

I did a bit of editing in the first chapter. I was going to wait, but I decided that since I created a profile of the Dragonfang in the Create-a-Gundam thread, I might as well give Marcus a last name. His full name is now Marcus Greenwald.
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Guardian Of...]

Cool stuff I like the explanations of each GUNDAM's style of combat. The Cerberus sounds like a beast for firepower since it's "Core Compression" can directly effect it's weapon power.

[Spender]

Thank you, Guardian, for your reply. Yes, the Cerberus is the best long distance fighter of the four, for that reason and for others. That was what it was designed for.

Chapter 5

Again, Marcus wasnt surprised. And he wasnt about to resist. He may have saved the civillian shuttle and its passengers, but he had taken control of a top-secret military weapon without authorization. What surprised him was that Lt. Commander Macra was practically ordering him to pilot the Dragonfang until they reached Mars.

Marcus was now resting in his quarters. Tomorrow morning, he would be leaving, a prisoner of the NATU forces. And an accidental Mobile Suit pilot.

Marcus could not get to sleep for the longest time that night. He began to question whether he had done the right thing in comondering the Dragonfang.

"Of course I did," Marcus reassured himself. "If I hadnt, we probably would not have survived that Kuwara attack."

That night, Marcus dreamt of the life he was going to be leaving behind

**********************

"Damn it all!" Magnus called out in anger as he left the medical bay. "How could I have lost!?"

Everyone around him cowered in fear. The only one safe from the rage of Magnus was Lord Kuwara himself. Magnus was a loose canon, and did not control his anger very well.

However, down the hall, he began to calm down, as he looked at the situation from a different perspective.

"Now we know what that Mobile Suit is capable of, and we know now that it was indeed powered by Gundara Fluid. We should be quick to try and use this knowledge to prepare for the inevitable battles we shall be facing against that machine and possibly others like it."

"Sir, a private message from the Emperor for you."

"Thank you. I will take it in my quarters," Magnus replied, now completely calmed down. In his quarters, he activated his monitor and activated the frequency of the message.

"Commander Magnus, glad to see that you are well. I heard that your Mobile Suit had been destroyed."

"Indeed it has been," Magnus confirmed. "The NATU forces have developed a new kind of Mobile Suit, powered by Gundara Fluid. We only saw one, but we suspect that there are others."

"What!? First of all, how could the NATU forces have developed Mobile Suits so quickly? Lately, its been all they can do to upgrade their Mobile Orbs. And second, how could they have developed a way to use Gundara Fluid to power weapons? Even with all our years of research, we still can only use the substance as a way to fuel our power plants!"

"Well sir, remember that the NATU forces had been receiving aid from rebels in the Province of Japan and from various provinces in Western Europe. I also suspect that they may have been researching these developments for more time than we are aware."

"Whatever. And these new mobile suits of theirs are powerful?"

"It took only one to destroy the Lancer. They are powerful, but not invincible. I have already determined one major flaw in their design."

"Very good. You are to continue with your mission to capture or destroy the NATU cargo. May the Winds of Destiny blow in your favor."

Emperor Kuwara signed off, leaving Magnus to contemplate these matters. Magnus hated losing. He would have to be certain that he utterly crushed these rodents who had humiliated him.
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Guardian Of...]

Ok, I just got question. Firstly, on the civilian transport that was carrying the new GUNDAM's, were none of their intended pilots on the transport as well, or have pilots not been assigned to them yet? It just seems funny to me that they would have these incredibly powerful MS's being escorted with no one but a single MA pilot to protect them.

[Spender]

[Spender]

Chapter 6

After the attack on the CES by the Kuwara Forces, everyone was in a hurry to get the Gundams to Mars, where their intended pilots were being prepped and readied.

Marcus had been granted a chance to say goodbye to his friends and family. He said goodbye to his mother, and siblings, and to a few other people. He had wanted to say goodbye to Beverly, but since he had launched the Dragonfang from the hangar of the CES, he hadnt seen her at all.

Marcus was escorted to his holding cell, which was surprisingly comfortable. All of his personal belongings had already been place in there.

"Just so you dont get the wrong idea," Macra's voice assured Marcus. "You did good. This whole arrest is just a technicality. I've arranged for you to be released without charges as soon as we arrive on Mars. Your mother is still going to be heading there?"

"Yes. She, like myself, hates colonies like A-12, which just float around in space. We both like to have the security of being on an actual planet."

"Well then, it looks like things should work out. You're both heading to the same place, after all."

Marcus nodded, then entered his cell, lieing down on his surprisingly comfortable bunk. If it werent for the fact that he wasnt allowed to leave this place unless he was needed to pilot the Dragonfang, it wouldnt have felt like an arrest at all.


"Did you say 'Greenwald'?" General Houston of the NATU forces quickly inquired as Lt. Commander Macra briefed him on what had happened.

"Yes. Is there something I should know about the kid?" Macra asked, puzzled at the way the General had responded to the mention of the name Marcus Greenwald.

"No. For now, lets just say that his father has had past connections with the military. Thats all. No charges will be pressed against the boy. And he will be allowed to be released when he lands on Mars, as agreed. However, I want you to offer him an opportunity to join the NATU Forces as a Mobile Suit pilot." The general ended the transmission, leaving Macra very confused, and with alot of questions.

*****************

"So it seems that this time they are transporting the Gundara Powered Mobile Suits via a Military Vessel rather than trying to sneak them away in a civillian shuttle."

"Yes, Commander. That appears to be the case," one of the crewmen confirmed Commander Magnus' observation.

"Good. This means we wont have to have any regrets should things get... messy." The Commander cackled at this, and the crewmen nervously went about their duties.

"I wonder what secrets these Mobile Suits hold," Magnus muttered to himself. "I have no doubt that those weapons could greatly affect the balance of power in this war."
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Spender]

Chapter 7

"We have to hurry if we are going to catch up with the NATU military transport."

"Sir, they're going to have better defense than that measly CES. They'll have canons, and Mobile Armors. Maybe a few Space-model Mobile Orbs, and that Mobile Suit. Shouldnt we wait for backup? We're still recovering from the damage that that one Gundara powered Mobile Suit gave us, and your Lancer has to be completely rebuilt."

Magnus glared at the soldier. Even with his mask covering most of his face, the crewman could tell that he should have kept his mouth shut.

"Are you suggesting that we allow them to reach Mars, where their defenses will be increased at least 100 fold? If we do that, then chances are whatever backup can be spared and sent to us will be useless," His tone was quiet, but lethal. That voice scared everyone. Magnus was frightening when he was having bursts of rage, but when he was silent, that was when he was most ominus. "Our best chance is to hit them fast and hard with the conciderable force we have remaining. Remember, we still have other Mobile Suits which are still in perfect working order. And although power in one of our canons has been reduced, we still have enough firepower to take out a single ship."

No further questions were asked. The Kuwara vessel set off immediately to intercept the NATU vessel carrying the Gundams.

*********************

"How much longer till we get to Mars?" Marcus asked Lt. Commander Macra, who had come by to visit the accidental Mobile Suit pilot.

"Not for a few days. 56 hours, to be exact, assuming we dont run into any trouble."

Marcus nodded. That was just a little bit more than two days. He could manage remaining a prisoner till then.

"Thats not why I am here," Macra continued. "I have been instructed to offer you a chance to join the NATU forces, as a Mobile pilot. I dont think you'll be piloting any Gundam's anytime soon. These are just prototypes, with pilots already assigned. But we are already applying the Gundara technology to our Mobile Armors and Mobile Orbs. And who knows, it might not be so long until Gundara powered Mobile Suits are common thing on our battlefields."

"A pilot for NATU. I'm honoured that my skills are that noteworthy, but I have to decline," Marcus explained. "Like I said, I was acting on instinct when I entered the Dragonfang. And I was only doing it to defend the shuttle and its civillian passengers. Now that I no longer have to protect them, I have no desire to fight anyone. Why do you think I was part of the Colonial Escape?"

"I understand. I didnt really think you would want to," Macra replied. "I was just doing what I was told."

"The downside to being a loyal soldier. You have to do what you are told."

"Heh, sometimes, I'd be inclined to agree with you, kid. But I do have another question. I was told that your father had connections with the military. Do you know what kinds of connections those were?"

The stunned look on Marcus' face told Macra that he wouldnt be getting any answers here. He apologized for the intrusion, and left Marcus to get some rest.

********************

Colony Alpha D, a NATU military base, located on the planet Mars. There were civillians living on the colony, but unlike A-12, which was primarily a civillian colony, the primare purpose of Alpha D was a military base.

It was a major military facility, one of the four Alpha colonies, which were designed to be the source of numerous Space-to-Earth strikes. Vessels would often be supplied and launched from there, where they would head towards another location closer to Earth, and would gradually make their way to their destinations. The fact that they were located on an actual planet allowed them to be larger and better fortified than space colonies, and they were far enough from Earth to make concealing their operations less of a challenge.

Here, one of the Generals in charge of the Gundam Project received a message from one of his intelligence officers, reguarding the Mobile Suits.

"I see. But other than this unexpected delay and change of transport, things are going fairly well?"

It was the voice of a young girl with answered. "Yes. The Gundams are on their way now. I will be arriving shortly after, on another CES, as I am not permitted to reveal to anyone my military connections."

"Very good. We wouldnt have time to find and train another pilot. Is there anything else?"

"Actually, yes. That pilot who commondered the Dragonfang. His name is Greenwald. Marcus Greenwald."

"Greenwald. I never thought I'd hear that name used to refer to a living person again. That would explain his performance. And he will be arriving with the Gundams?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, Ms. Morachi. I look forward to seeing for myself how you handle the Hummingbird."

"Yes sir! Beverly Morachi, signing off."
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Goddess of Death]

wow this is a cool chapter so far well ttfn i am off to bed lol

P.S. waiting for wnother chapter lol

[Guardian Of...]

Ahhh! I had a hunch when I started reading the last bit where it said the voice of a younge girl replied that it would be Beverly...what could her connections be I wonder...

[Spender]

Thank you all. As with all my other stories, I will update this fic as soon as I can get around to it.
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Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Spender]

Chapter 8

"We'll be cutting it close," Magnus mumbled in his usual fashion. "We'll have to be sure to make this fast, or we wont get the chance to finish them off before they reach the Mars defense line."

Mars was a heavily fortified planet, with over 30% of NATU's forces ready to launch at a moments notice. As well, the planet surface and its two moons all had several "Ares Canons", ready to fire at any potential invaders. even from the surface of the red planet and its misshapen moons, these canons had enough fire power to destroy even the most heavily armored ships in a single blow, and had remarkable accuracy.

"It seems we have entered a race. We had better make sure we finish first."

********************

In his cell, Marcus began to chip away at his meal. His last meal before he would be arriving on Mars, and be freed from his captivity.

"Well, wont you be happy to get out of that tiny little cell? Its amazing. Just a half an hour away from Mars, and not a single Kuwara attack yet."

The girl, who had delivered Marcus' meal, was named Jessica Barter. The two had been becoming close friends since Marcus had boarded the Military Transport Vessel (MTS), and had already promised to keep in touch.

"Yeah, they've gone out of their way to try and make me comfortable, but 18 by 18 just isnt large enough. I guess I should just be thankful I dont have claustrophobia."

Jessica giggled. "So what are you afraid of? You're not afraid of enclosed spaces, and you dont seem to fear death."

"You tell me first. What are you afraid of, Jessica?"

"Me? Well, I'm afraid of heights, and snakes, and of finding someone who I truly love, only to have them slip right through my fingers before I can tell them how I feel. You're turn."

"Well, what I am most afraid of is-" Marcus was interupted by the activation of a red alert, and the message for all to report to level one battle stations.

Jessica used her key card to open Marcus' cell, so that he could get to the Dragonfang. Jessica began to rush off to her station.

"Wait! Jessica!" But it was too late, and there wasnt time to chase after her. Marcus wasnt sure how he truly felt about Jessica, but he was willing to try and find out.

But he had to get to the Dragonfang. And besides, he figured, there would be time for that when they finished this battle and landed on Mars.

***********************

"Is it ready?"

"Yes, Commander Magnus. The Devastation is ready for you to take it for its first flight."

"Good. Let's hope it is strong enough to last against that suits incredible power. I will try to get it to use up all its energy, so I can take it down when it is disabled." He said that more to himself than to the soldier, who saluted and left Magnus to mutter to himself. "Now then, time to put fate to the test. I refuse to finish in second place. Nothing short of first will do."
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Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Spender]

Chapter 9

"What kind of odds are we up against?" Marcus asked into his comlink as he hopped into the Dragonfang's cockpit. He almost began to wonder if the Dragonfang was a good choice for this battle, and if he should request to pilot a different Suit. But he remembered that the Dragonfang was built to handle many opponents by itself.

"More opponents than last time," Macra replied. "But dont worry. Last time it was just the two of us. Now, we have a some Mobile Armors and a few Mobile Orbs to back us up."

"Mobile Orbs? Last I heard, those things werent much good against Mobile Suits."

"That was true for the first models, but alot of research and developement has been put into them. The newer models are just as easy and fast to build, and though they arent much one-on-one with any Mobile Suit, they are much stronger than the originals. But their true strength comes from their numbers. And believe it or not, they are more maneuverable than Mobile Suits."

"Whatever," Marcus said, no longer caring. "Its our funeral, I guess."

"That kind of thinking isnt going to get us anywhere. Jonathan Macra. Desperato 1, launching!"

Macra's Mobile Armor left the launch bay, and Marcus soon followed him in the Dragonfang.

***********************

"Here they come!"

"Just try to focus on taking out their ship. They are likely going to cover it with Spider Orbs, to make sure that we cannot hit them from a blind spot. But dont worry, they will fall easily. Our main concern should be that Custom Mobile Armor, and the Gundara powered Mobile Suit. Magnus. Devastation. Launching!"


************************

Marcus watched as several Space-model Mobile Orbs began to fly out, as well as a few Drone Orbs, probably meant to act as decoys. Or mines. Marcus guessed that those Drones were set to self destruct when they came in contact with enemy units.

Many Spider Orbs, some manned and some drones, began to crawl out, covering the ship.

"Keep your head in the game, Kid!" Macra warned him. "We havent come all this way just to lose at the last moment!"

Marcus heeded the Lt. Commander's advice, and began to ready the Dragonfang for combat. He took out the Crusher canon, and aimed it at the lauch bay of the enemy ship.

As the units began to lauch, he began firing. The first one, a custom model, evaded the attack, though the same could not be said for the one launching behind him. It began to head straight for Macra and Marcus.

********************

"There you are. I'LL HAVE YOUR HEADS!"

********************

The machine, colored in shades of black and blue, and heavily armored, began to fire a scattering of beams at the two. They managed to evade, but the machine, surprisingly fast, was at them with its beam saber in a heart beat.

Marcus didnt have time to switch to his gattling guns, so he fired a shot from his Crusher Canon, only to miss.

"Damn it! If only I could use Core Compression without having to worry about running out of power!" Marcus muttered to himself. "If it were just me an him, I could probably manage. But if I run out of power, I'm a sitting duck in these conditions. I guess I'll just have to manage."

"I would like to speak to the pilots of the Gundara Powered Mobile Suit and the custom Mobile Armor." An image of a masked man appeared on Marcus' monitor.

"Magnus!" Lt. Commander Macra cried out in surprise and frustration as his image too appeared on the monitor. "I knew it was you!"

"Nice to see you too, old friend," Magnus casually replied. "And what's this? A boy? Piloting a top secret military project? Might I ask what your name is?"

"I dont have to answer you!" Marcus yelled at the one on his screen. "I took you out last time, I'll take you out again!"

"True, but last time, you only won because you used your machines powers, and because the conditions allowed you to get away with it. But that wont be happening here. If you run out of power, my troops will quickly take advantage, and you will be destroyed!

Look around you! You are so close to save haven, yet our forces are making short work of your units. Even your ship is about to fall!"

Marcus looked at an image of the Miltary Transport vessel which had taken him this far. Mars was within sight! They had almost made it!

The ship was in smoke, and all seemed so bleak and hopeless. Then, a familiar voice came over Marcus' intercom. It was the voice of Jessica.

"Ben, Macra, hurry! Make a run to the Mars Defense Line! Its too late for the rest of us, but if you two can make it, then our sacrifices will not have been in- AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She was cut off as the ship was destroyed. All that remained were a few, disabled Mobile Orbs, and a bunch of debris. Marcus was quick to reply, not about to let his grief slow him down. He made a mad dash in the direction of Mars, with Macra, and Magnus, close behind him.

Marcus cut off communications with Magnus, and spoke to Macra.

"Get in front of me. I'll use Core Compression and get us both to Mars! We can make it! I know it!"

"Okay kid. Show me what you can do," Macra answered. He wasnt crazy about the idea, but it was their only chance. The Desperato in his machines arms, Marcus initiated Core Compression, and sped towards Mars, and safetly.

"Almost there!" Marcus cried. But then, the Dragonfang lost power.

"HA HA HA! Die! Both of you!" Cried out Magnus, now catching up, with many of his forces behind him.

"Damn it!" Marcus cried out, but fate was again on his side. A series of beams were shot at the Kuwara Forces, causing them to scatter.

"Attention Kuwara Forces! Leave now! You are now within Mars space, and we will shoot you down if you dont retreat." Already, a fleet of NATU ships and Mobile weapons came within range.

"Damn! Retreat men! Better to run away and live to fight another day," Magnus yelled in frustration, and all the Kuwara units began to run away.

"We made it kid!" Macra cried out in excitement. "We made it to Mars!"

An image of destruction of the Transport vessel, the one which had brought them there, the one Jessica had been on, flashed in Marcus' mind.

"Yeah. We made it."
_________________

Terrified of what's inside,
To save his life, he crawls
like a worm from a bird.
The Used, "The Bird and the Worm"

[Kage-Kaze]

*bows* OMG another fanfic that had me on the edge of my seat

Im going to call your bluff Jessica aint dead its to early for a pilot to die
and I wonder who the pilot the other two PICK ME!!!

[Guardian Of...]

Nice chapter, the only complaints I have with it is with all three of them out there it gets confusing, Macra, Marcus, Magnus, I dunno I personally think they are really alike and it makes it hard to keep track of who is saying what in that kind of situation.
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[Spender]

[Guardian Of...]

Hehe, Draco for the Dragonfang, how fitting .
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[Kage-Kaze]

Loved it. The name John Carey sounds cool

[Spender]