Gundam Crucible - [An AU Universal Century Quest]
- Thread starter TheBleachDoctor
- Start date
- Location
- va
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
He'll customize if it's an option, but he really just wants to get out of his museum piece.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
Fair enough. Time to pull the mecha slot machine!
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
We believe in you, Mort! With your luck, you're sure to roll well on the gacha, Mort! The only way to stop being a mook is to do it yourself, Mort!
We believe in you, Mort! With your luck, you're sure to roll well on the gacha, Mort! The only way to stop being a mook is to do it yourself, Mort!
Shapeless Phobos
Filthy Casual
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
I'm choosing this solely so I can judge the QM's tastes /jk
I'm choosing this solely so I can judge the QM's tastes /jk
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
The factory doors hiss open, and golden light shines through, highlighting the silhouette of a Mobile Suit.
Common - Ball
Common - Ball
Common - Ball
Common - Ball
Common - Zanny
Common - GM
Common - Saberfish
Common - Public
Rare - GM Command
Super Rare - Zakrello (Londo Bell Refit)
Insufficient Psychoframe to roll again. Please purchase more Psychoframe from the cash shop.
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I'm closing votes in approximately 24 hours.
I left this quest on my watch list ages ago, and finally got the chance to give it a thorough reading.
I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed it. I'm practically a gundam virgin, and just picked it up to enjoy the big super robots.
So I gotta say good job, it reads well, and I'm honestly surprised that this doesn't have more of a readership.
This really deserves more attention, in my opinion at least.
I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed it. I'm practically a gundam virgin, and just picked it up to enjoy the big super robots.
So I gotta say good job, it reads well, and I'm honestly surprised that this doesn't have more of a readership.
This really deserves more attention, in my opinion at least.
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TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Chapter 27: Jupiter's Second Coming-Part 1
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
To be perfectly honest, up until recently you kind of considered Mort a stranger. You hardly know anything about the man, other than that he worked with your brother in the ICDF. He's a member of your team, which obviously means that he matters to you, but he's not your friend and he's definitely out of the age group of you and the others. You mean, the man has gotta be in his 20s!
…
How… How old is Mort? Shit, you never asked. He could be in his early 30s for all you know.
At any rate, Mort needs a new MS, and something less generic than a fucking GM III. You'd prefer to get him something nice, but even a Jegan will do. He's your teammate, after all.
So… time to go asking around for a spare.
Anacortes Heavy Industries Anaheim Secret Londenion Branch
"You want me to fix up something for Mort?" Rhea tilts her head and frowns at your request, "You do know that we aren't a charity, right?"
"Of course," you sigh, "I'm sure Londo Bell would help pay for it. So, what do you have?"
"Well, nothing."
You stare at her, completely unamused as a Mobile Suit loudly stomps past the lounge's large windows. Beyond that are quite a few Mobile Suits, all of various configurations, standing idly. You gesture wordlessly at them, and Rhea just rolls her eyes.
"Cybele, this branch isn't a factory. It's an R&D division. Londo Bell asks for an MS to fill a certain role, we modify an existing frame here into a prototype, then pass it by them to see if that's what they want. Further development is handled back at HQ, the final design is approved by Londo Bell, then our factories produce the desired quantity and we ship it here. This facility needs every single one of those Mobile Suits."
You scowl. Cheapskate.
"So where am I supposed to get a Mobile Suit for Mort?" You cross your arms in a huff, "Something that's better than a GM III."
Rhea shrugs, "I don't know, ask the Quartermaster or something! You want an MS from Anaheim in a month, order one! But you want one right now, look elsewhere, kid!"
You stick your tongue out at her as she walks away. Urgh, adults suck! At least she works for you for free…
Hayato Memorial Hospital- Dr. Kamille Bidan's Office
"No, Ms. Naese, I am not storing the Zeta in my basement, and even if I was, I wouldn't give it to you."
You blink owlishly, "…I… I didn't even say anything yet."
"Oh?" He looks up from his computer, "Then pray tell, Cybele, what were you going to ask me?"
"…" You stare blankly at him, "…I'm, uh, looking for a spare Mobile Suit. You wouldn't happen to have…"
You were totally going to ask if he had the Zeta Gundam in his basement. Uh, quick, you have to change the question to something else!
"… a… Z… Zetaaaa… Plus? In your, erm… backyard?" You smile innocently.
He gives you a judgmental look before returning his attention to his computer. Crap.
You sigh and suck it up, "Look, Dr. Bidan, Sir, you were an Ace back during the Gryps War, and you know Bright personally. Couldn't you put in a good word to get my teammate something better than a GM III?"
He pauses, before finally looking back to you, "You can't rely on a good Mobile Suit to save your friends. Everyone lives and dies on the battlefield on their own merit… that being said, you might want to ask around the industrial loading docks. Perhaps you can find a salvage company willing to sell you something there to fix up."
Did he just actually help? You think he did. With hurried thanks, you leave. No time to waste!
The Industrial Loading Docks
Sicilia looks around at the area. Large cargo ships sit in tight berths, both along the floor and ceiling… although that doesn't mean much since the whole area is low gravity, and you're all basically just floating. Not great for moving around, but it must be convenient to move all those large containers with just small maneuvering thruster packs. There are various loading rails that the containers are being moved to and from, to take them deeper into Londenion.
"Hey, Big Sis, are we supposed to be here?" Sicilia asks. You pat her on the head.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. What could go wro-LOOK OUT!"
You yank her back as a large container passes through the space she just stood. If that had hit Siclia, you're pretty sure you'd be calling for an ambulance right about now.
"…Stay with me." You hold her hand tightly before pushing off, heading closer to the ships and the crews working there.
As you near one labeled "Bajack Salvage", a man in a uniform, clipboard in hand, waves you down. Behind him is the open side of Columbus-class, currently disgorging containers and pallets. Given the amount of work going on, he must not want you to get near it.
"Whoa, hey kid, this place is dangerous!" He lectures you as you get close, "What are you even-?! Wait, you're with Londo Bell?"
You cross your arms, "Yeah, got a problem with me being in Londo Bell?"
"Oh, uh, no," He shakes his head, "It's just, you're a kid…"
"I'm a kid too!" Your Little Sis pipes up, "My name is Sicilia! I like ice cream and candy!"
He's completely speechless, and just looks back to you.
You enjoy his shock for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"I'm the leader of Cascadia Team, Ensign Cybele Naese." You introduce yourself politely, "I was wondering if your company had any serviceable Mobile Suit frames. Preferably high-performance ones, or maybe transformable types."
"Nice to meet you, Ensign Naese, my name is Joshua Clements." He nods, "I'm just a clerk, though. Besides, most of the Mobile Suits we brought today are already bought and paid for by you guys, that is, Londo Bell."
"Oh, I'm looking to purchase a Mobile Suit for one of my team members. This isn't official business from my superiors." You quickly correct him, "I understand that you said 'most' were already called for. What about the ones that aren't?"
He checks his clipboard for a second before answering, "Well, we brought some salvage that we were going to sell on the open market. They're not all intact Mobile Suits. Most of them are in pieces. Even the most intact ones need a lot of work done before they're operational."
You motion to see, and he tilts the clipboard so you can get a good look at it.
Urgh, there's a lot of Gryps War MS parts in here. This isn't looking too good. Although…
"What's with these ones?" You point at a group of listings with similar parts.
"Ah, well, those are Methuss suits we recovered. Pretty old, I think they were from the Gryps War." Joshua nods knowingly, "Unfortunately, none of them were operational, so we're selling them as parts."
Jesus, judging from the parts listed, it looks like some of these Methuss suits were cut in half! Not that you're that surprised, the midsection of a Methuss is just exposed Movable Frame, they tended to bisect under sufficient stress or moderate weapons fire. Still, there are enough intact pieces of the frame throughout these fragments that you could probably recover an entire one… maybe more than an entire one. Plus, replacement parts for a Methuss aren't as expensive as ReZEL parts. The MS may not be in active production anymore, but the surplus parts made during the Gryps War and First Neo Zeon War go for cheap these days…
Okay, maybe not as cheap as they used to be, but cheaper than alternatives.
"…I'll take them." You indicate all the Methuss salvage, "Every last one."
Bellerophon- Cascadia Team Hangar
Captain Nouri stares at the pile of scrapped Mobile Suits in the middle of Cascadia Team's hangar, then to you.
"Ensign," she says, eyebrow twitching, "Would you care to explain why you had this trash pile delivered to my ship?"
"Oh, that's easy." You smile as you continue directing Sicilia to pull another Methuss out of the collection, "I'm making Mort a new Mobile Suit. We're getting him out of that old GM III."
"But isn't the Methuss older than the GM III?" the Captain asks, thoroughly confused.
"Older, yes." Eris grunts as she wrestles with a stuck access panel on a different Methuss that she and Theo are working on, "However, the Methuss is from the Zeta line. The performance standards they were trying to reach were on a whole other level. In almost every metric, the Methuss is just objectively better."
"So, we're going to surprise Mort." Theo concludes, "We're cobbling together a complete Methuss from a bunch of half-broken units."
You nod, "We have more than enough parts to construct the inner frame. We're going to end up with a surplus of parts, so we'll be able to tailor this Methuss to the demands of each mission. I'm sure he'll like this."
You've already got the inner frame of the lower body assembled, and honestly that was the hardest to find parts for. It should be smooth sailing from here on out.
Captain Nouri frowns, "Yes, but where did you get the funds to purchase all this?"
"Oh, we traded in his old GM III." You explain cheerfully, "The junk dealer was more than happy to swap out a bunch of non-functional wrecks for one functional MS."
You also used some of the discretionary funds that Londo Bell gave you for MS maintenance and upgrades, but you won't mention that. Technically, this is what it was meant for.
The Captain nods… then her frown deepens.
"Wait, you said that this was a surprise." She says slowly, "Does Mort know that you sold his Mobile Suit?"
….
"…Eris," You turn to your friend, smile frozen on your face, "When did Mort say he was getting back?"
She looks at her watch, then back to you, her expression a good impression of a deer in headlights, "We have an hour."
Oh god.
"We're going with configuration B, people! It's the easiest and fastest to assemble!" You grab a plasma torch, "If we don't have a full Methuss to show him when he gets back, we're dead!"
"…What am I looking at?" Mort asks, thoroughly miffed as you and the rest of the team present the complete (albeit a bit skeletal-looking) MS to him.
"Your new Mobile Suit!" You declare, "It's a Methuss! We built it ourselves out of parts!"
Eris grins, "Yeah, Cybele got it for you and we put it together. I mean, as long as we're all flying cool, unique Mobile Suits, why should you be the one stuck in a GM III?"
You all eagerly await his response as he stares up at the MS…
…
Is he crying?
"I don't know what to say." He steps forward, resting his hand against his new MS's leg.
"How about 'Thanks'?" Theo suggests, "You're welcome, by the way!"
You show him some schematics you printed out, "We can also modify it into these two other configurations depending on the mission parameters. Right now it's in a High-Mobility Anti-Ship loadout. It's similar to the X-2 Prototype, but we made some improvements based on the mass production model."
"…Thanks, you kids are great, you know that?" He sighs wistfully, "Still, it'll be hard saying goodbye to my GM III. It may have been getting long in the tooth, but it got me this far."
"Uh, yeah, Mort…" You try to laugh it off, "About saying goodbye, uh, don't worry about that. Because…"
You stare at the ceiling of your room, hugging your Amuro pillow to try and get your mind off of the absolutely devastated and disgusted look on Mort's face when you broke the news and he acted like you'd just taken one of your own family members off of life support so you could use the power outlet to charge your phone.
He… He took that well… yeah.
"…Am I that insensitive?" You mutter to yourself.
Sicilia peeks up over the edge of the bed, "Big Sis, you okay?"
No… No, you're not wrong. It's the adults who are wrong. Clearly.
[Story Arc] "Jupiter's Second Coming" (Mandatory Mission)
You run your hands over the textured surface of the Woundwort's control handles. It's a good Mobile Suit… but you keenly feel Sicilia's absence in the cockpit. Sure, she sortied in a different machine than you last time, but that was during a tense situation where you were focused on survival. Now… well, you suppose you could always just talk to her over Comms.
"Comfy, Little Sis?" You radio her.
"Yep!" She giggles in response, "My cockpit is all big, nice, and cozy! Rhea gave me pillows!"
What? Jeez, you're pretty sure that's not regulation… Oh well.
The channel beeps as the Bridge signals your team. Captain Nouri appears on your monitor.
"Cascadia Team, you'll be launching now." She explains succinctly, "You'll rendezvous with Mobile Suits from the Shalimar at the halfway point, then proceed to the operation area. Alex Team is already en route and will provide reconnaissance data, as well as sensor data and supporting fire if required."
The Shalimar. That's the Zeon Republic ship that's accompanying the Bellerophon on this mission. It's a Tivvay-class Cruiser. They're high-speed warships with considerable firepower, an improvement on the Chivvay-class. From what you remember, there are only a handful of them in existence, and every last one belongs to the Republic of Zeon.
"Once you've arrived, ascertain the intentions of the unknown ship." The Captain continues, "Engage only if necessary."
"Acknowledged, Captain." You nod at her and look straight ahead at the open hatch, "Well, here goes. Cybele Naese, Woundwort Rah, launching!"
The acceleration pushes you back into your seat, although you notice it's not as strong as last time. Probably because you're hauling two large propellant drop-tanks with you.
"Eris Kallis, Red Comet Custom, setting out!"
"Theo Gataki, Sinanju Cascadia, going!"
You see them launch out from the upper catapults, both riding Base Jabbers. They'll need those due to how far out your destination is.
"Mort Mallory, Methuss CT-4, sortieing!"
Mort's new MS passes you, assisted by a couple of makeshift orange boosters. Both of you are in MA mode for the long trip.
You have to admit, not only does the CT-4 (Cascadia Team 4) look really slick in MS mode, but it almost rivals yours for best looking MA mode too!
Almost.
"How's it handling, Mort?" You ask.
"Like a dream, Cybele. Thanks for getting this for me, even if you had to sell my old suit behind my back."
Ouch. Okay, he's still sore about that.
"Sicilia, Lord Frith, here I go!"
From the Bellerophon's central bay, the massive repaired Mobile Armor from Axis emerges, clad in a brand-new paint job and made fully functional through Rhea's tireless efforts. It visually looks the same, but under the hood it's a whole new beast.
You sort of wonder whether you'll be perceived as hostile, coming with this much firepower, but better safe than sorry.
Several minutes into the journey, you meet the team from the Shalimar. Three Jagd Dogas, the lead in black and red with the rear two in green. Like your team, they're using sub-flight systems. The Zeon Republic version is called "Shackles", like the AEUG version. It's pretty neat.
"Ensign Naese?" A woman with blue eyes and red hair appears on your monitor, "I'm 1st Lieutenant Rosenheim with the Zeon Republic. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." You look over her forces, "Only three Mobile Suits?"
She smirks, "Hey, I'll have you know that we're each worth ten MS each. Don't underestimate Republic SpecOps."
So, you're partnered up with some elites? Nice. Hopefully that'll make things go smoothly. They take up position in your formation and you talk shop with Rosenheim. Seems that she's a fan of Funnel swarms, so that'll be neat. Sure, Sicilia has some Funnels, but each Jagd Doga brings an extra six to the party.
Finding the location of the Jupitris-class isn't hard. It's been in a deceleration burn for days, and the resulting plume is almost visible to the naked eye. Exact details about what's going on are scarce, however… which is where Alex Team's EWACS Jegan comes in. It locates and thoroughly scans the incoming ship, revealing numerous unidentified Mobile Suits all over its hull. You're still too far away to tell what kind they are, though.
Unexpectedly, you also find something else.
"Federation Newtype Battlegroup," Rosenheim remarks as she looks over the footage with you, "That Alexandria-class has very distinctive markings. No doubt about it."
It's one Alexandria battleship escorted by two Salamis cruisers. Rosenheim is probably right about it being from the Fed Newtype division, but there's something else that gives them away.
A familiar Pressure… a presence that reminds you of the darkest day in your life.
It's Him. The Blue Wolf.
Distant movement on the deck seems to show them launching, and indeed, the thruster plumes of several MS can be seen heading towards the Jupiter ship.
Looks like you'll get your chance for another bout with your brother's killer.
"I'm seeing four… no, ten thruster plumes total launched from the Federation vessels." Christina reports to you and Rosenheim, "You know, if we change course now, we could intercept the Fed ships instead of the Jupiter fleet one. I doubt the Feds, Newtypes or not, will be willing to fight when their Carrier is gone."
"Perhaps, but that's not our mission." Rosenheim interjects, "We need to establish contact with that unknown ship."
True, it would be bad to change objectives right now, but… couldn't you just split the teams? There are a lot of you. Surely not everyone needs to head towards that Jupiter Fleet ship.
[] Suggest splitting the teams.
-[] You'll go help attack the carriers.
-[] You'll keep going to make contact with that ship.
[] Splitting the teams is a bad idea. You're sticking to the plan.
Author's Notes: Updated character profiles and such on the first page. Cybele now knows the names of Alex Team's members and what MS they fly, but not much else yet.
Edit: I should also mention that the Argama did indeed come with, but they're in a supporting role, with their forces in reserve. They won't get involved unless certain circumstances are met.
To be perfectly honest, up until recently you kind of considered Mort a stranger. You hardly know anything about the man, other than that he worked with your brother in the ICDF. He's a member of your team, which obviously means that he matters to you, but he's not your friend and he's definitely out of the age group of you and the others. You mean, the man has gotta be in his 20s!
…
How… How old is Mort? Shit, you never asked. He could be in his early 30s for all you know.
At any rate, Mort needs a new MS, and something less generic than a fucking GM III. You'd prefer to get him something nice, but even a Jegan will do. He's your teammate, after all.
So… time to go asking around for a spare.
"You want me to fix up something for Mort?" Rhea tilts her head and frowns at your request, "You do know that we aren't a charity, right?"
"Of course," you sigh, "I'm sure Londo Bell would help pay for it. So, what do you have?"
"Well, nothing."
You stare at her, completely unamused as a Mobile Suit loudly stomps past the lounge's large windows. Beyond that are quite a few Mobile Suits, all of various configurations, standing idly. You gesture wordlessly at them, and Rhea just rolls her eyes.
"Cybele, this branch isn't a factory. It's an R&D division. Londo Bell asks for an MS to fill a certain role, we modify an existing frame here into a prototype, then pass it by them to see if that's what they want. Further development is handled back at HQ, the final design is approved by Londo Bell, then our factories produce the desired quantity and we ship it here. This facility needs every single one of those Mobile Suits."
You scowl. Cheapskate.
"So where am I supposed to get a Mobile Suit for Mort?" You cross your arms in a huff, "Something that's better than a GM III."
Rhea shrugs, "I don't know, ask the Quartermaster or something! You want an MS from Anaheim in a month, order one! But you want one right now, look elsewhere, kid!"
You stick your tongue out at her as she walks away. Urgh, adults suck! At least she works for you for free…
Hayato Memorial Hospital- Dr. Kamille Bidan's Office
"No, Ms. Naese, I am not storing the Zeta in my basement, and even if I was, I wouldn't give it to you."
You blink owlishly, "…I… I didn't even say anything yet."
"Oh?" He looks up from his computer, "Then pray tell, Cybele, what were you going to ask me?"
"…" You stare blankly at him, "…I'm, uh, looking for a spare Mobile Suit. You wouldn't happen to have…"
You were totally going to ask if he had the Zeta Gundam in his basement. Uh, quick, you have to change the question to something else!
"… a… Z… Zetaaaa… Plus? In your, erm… backyard?" You smile innocently.
He gives you a judgmental look before returning his attention to his computer. Crap.
You sigh and suck it up, "Look, Dr. Bidan, Sir, you were an Ace back during the Gryps War, and you know Bright personally. Couldn't you put in a good word to get my teammate something better than a GM III?"
He pauses, before finally looking back to you, "You can't rely on a good Mobile Suit to save your friends. Everyone lives and dies on the battlefield on their own merit… that being said, you might want to ask around the industrial loading docks. Perhaps you can find a salvage company willing to sell you something there to fix up."
Did he just actually help? You think he did. With hurried thanks, you leave. No time to waste!
The Industrial Loading Docks
Sicilia looks around at the area. Large cargo ships sit in tight berths, both along the floor and ceiling… although that doesn't mean much since the whole area is low gravity, and you're all basically just floating. Not great for moving around, but it must be convenient to move all those large containers with just small maneuvering thruster packs. There are various loading rails that the containers are being moved to and from, to take them deeper into Londenion.
"Hey, Big Sis, are we supposed to be here?" Sicilia asks. You pat her on the head.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. What could go wro-LOOK OUT!"
You yank her back as a large container passes through the space she just stood. If that had hit Siclia, you're pretty sure you'd be calling for an ambulance right about now.
"…Stay with me." You hold her hand tightly before pushing off, heading closer to the ships and the crews working there.
As you near one labeled "Bajack Salvage", a man in a uniform, clipboard in hand, waves you down. Behind him is the open side of Columbus-class, currently disgorging containers and pallets. Given the amount of work going on, he must not want you to get near it.
"Whoa, hey kid, this place is dangerous!" He lectures you as you get close, "What are you even-?! Wait, you're with Londo Bell?"
You cross your arms, "Yeah, got a problem with me being in Londo Bell?"
"Oh, uh, no," He shakes his head, "It's just, you're a kid…"
"I'm a kid too!" Your Little Sis pipes up, "My name is Sicilia! I like ice cream and candy!"
He's completely speechless, and just looks back to you.
You enjoy his shock for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"I'm the leader of Cascadia Team, Ensign Cybele Naese." You introduce yourself politely, "I was wondering if your company had any serviceable Mobile Suit frames. Preferably high-performance ones, or maybe transformable types."
"Nice to meet you, Ensign Naese, my name is Joshua Clements." He nods, "I'm just a clerk, though. Besides, most of the Mobile Suits we brought today are already bought and paid for by you guys, that is, Londo Bell."
"Oh, I'm looking to purchase a Mobile Suit for one of my team members. This isn't official business from my superiors." You quickly correct him, "I understand that you said 'most' were already called for. What about the ones that aren't?"
He checks his clipboard for a second before answering, "Well, we brought some salvage that we were going to sell on the open market. They're not all intact Mobile Suits. Most of them are in pieces. Even the most intact ones need a lot of work done before they're operational."
You motion to see, and he tilts the clipboard so you can get a good look at it.
Urgh, there's a lot of Gryps War MS parts in here. This isn't looking too good. Although…
"What's with these ones?" You point at a group of listings with similar parts.
"Ah, well, those are Methuss suits we recovered. Pretty old, I think they were from the Gryps War." Joshua nods knowingly, "Unfortunately, none of them were operational, so we're selling them as parts."
Jesus, judging from the parts listed, it looks like some of these Methuss suits were cut in half! Not that you're that surprised, the midsection of a Methuss is just exposed Movable Frame, they tended to bisect under sufficient stress or moderate weapons fire. Still, there are enough intact pieces of the frame throughout these fragments that you could probably recover an entire one… maybe more than an entire one. Plus, replacement parts for a Methuss aren't as expensive as ReZEL parts. The MS may not be in active production anymore, but the surplus parts made during the Gryps War and First Neo Zeon War go for cheap these days…
Okay, maybe not as cheap as they used to be, but cheaper than alternatives.
"…I'll take them." You indicate all the Methuss salvage, "Every last one."
Bellerophon- Cascadia Team Hangar
Captain Nouri stares at the pile of scrapped Mobile Suits in the middle of Cascadia Team's hangar, then to you.
"Ensign," she says, eyebrow twitching, "Would you care to explain why you had this trash pile delivered to my ship?"
"Oh, that's easy." You smile as you continue directing Sicilia to pull another Methuss out of the collection, "I'm making Mort a new Mobile Suit. We're getting him out of that old GM III."
"But isn't the Methuss older than the GM III?" the Captain asks, thoroughly confused.
"Older, yes." Eris grunts as she wrestles with a stuck access panel on a different Methuss that she and Theo are working on, "However, the Methuss is from the Zeta line. The performance standards they were trying to reach were on a whole other level. In almost every metric, the Methuss is just objectively better."
"So, we're going to surprise Mort." Theo concludes, "We're cobbling together a complete Methuss from a bunch of half-broken units."
You nod, "We have more than enough parts to construct the inner frame. We're going to end up with a surplus of parts, so we'll be able to tailor this Methuss to the demands of each mission. I'm sure he'll like this."
You've already got the inner frame of the lower body assembled, and honestly that was the hardest to find parts for. It should be smooth sailing from here on out.
Captain Nouri frowns, "Yes, but where did you get the funds to purchase all this?"
"Oh, we traded in his old GM III." You explain cheerfully, "The junk dealer was more than happy to swap out a bunch of non-functional wrecks for one functional MS."
You also used some of the discretionary funds that Londo Bell gave you for MS maintenance and upgrades, but you won't mention that. Technically, this is what it was meant for.
The Captain nods… then her frown deepens.
"Wait, you said that this was a surprise." She says slowly, "Does Mort know that you sold his Mobile Suit?"
….
"…Eris," You turn to your friend, smile frozen on your face, "When did Mort say he was getting back?"
She looks at her watch, then back to you, her expression a good impression of a deer in headlights, "We have an hour."
Oh god.
"We're going with configuration B, people! It's the easiest and fastest to assemble!" You grab a plasma torch, "If we don't have a full Methuss to show him when he gets back, we're dead!"
"…What am I looking at?" Mort asks, thoroughly miffed as you and the rest of the team present the complete (albeit a bit skeletal-looking) MS to him.
"Your new Mobile Suit!" You declare, "It's a Methuss! We built it ourselves out of parts!"
Eris grins, "Yeah, Cybele got it for you and we put it together. I mean, as long as we're all flying cool, unique Mobile Suits, why should you be the one stuck in a GM III?"
You all eagerly await his response as he stares up at the MS…
…
Is he crying?
"I don't know what to say." He steps forward, resting his hand against his new MS's leg.
"How about 'Thanks'?" Theo suggests, "You're welcome, by the way!"
You show him some schematics you printed out, "We can also modify it into these two other configurations depending on the mission parameters. Right now it's in a High-Mobility Anti-Ship loadout. It's similar to the X-2 Prototype, but we made some improvements based on the mass production model."
"…Thanks, you kids are great, you know that?" He sighs wistfully, "Still, it'll be hard saying goodbye to my GM III. It may have been getting long in the tooth, but it got me this far."
"Uh, yeah, Mort…" You try to laugh it off, "About saying goodbye, uh, don't worry about that. Because…"
You stare at the ceiling of your room, hugging your Amuro pillow to try and get your mind off of the absolutely devastated and disgusted look on Mort's face when you broke the news and he acted like you'd just taken one of your own family members off of life support so you could use the power outlet to charge your phone.
He… He took that well… yeah.
"…Am I that insensitive?" You mutter to yourself.
Sicilia peeks up over the edge of the bed, "Big Sis, you okay?"
No… No, you're not wrong. It's the adults who are wrong. Clearly.
[Story Arc] "Jupiter's Second Coming" (Mandatory Mission)
You run your hands over the textured surface of the Woundwort's control handles. It's a good Mobile Suit… but you keenly feel Sicilia's absence in the cockpit. Sure, she sortied in a different machine than you last time, but that was during a tense situation where you were focused on survival. Now… well, you suppose you could always just talk to her over Comms.
"Comfy, Little Sis?" You radio her.
"Yep!" She giggles in response, "My cockpit is all big, nice, and cozy! Rhea gave me pillows!"
What? Jeez, you're pretty sure that's not regulation… Oh well.
The channel beeps as the Bridge signals your team. Captain Nouri appears on your monitor.
"Cascadia Team, you'll be launching now." She explains succinctly, "You'll rendezvous with Mobile Suits from the Shalimar at the halfway point, then proceed to the operation area. Alex Team is already en route and will provide reconnaissance data, as well as sensor data and supporting fire if required."
The Shalimar. That's the Zeon Republic ship that's accompanying the Bellerophon on this mission. It's a Tivvay-class Cruiser. They're high-speed warships with considerable firepower, an improvement on the Chivvay-class. From what you remember, there are only a handful of them in existence, and every last one belongs to the Republic of Zeon.
"Once you've arrived, ascertain the intentions of the unknown ship." The Captain continues, "Engage only if necessary."
"Acknowledged, Captain." You nod at her and look straight ahead at the open hatch, "Well, here goes. Cybele Naese, Woundwort Rah, launching!"
The acceleration pushes you back into your seat, although you notice it's not as strong as last time. Probably because you're hauling two large propellant drop-tanks with you.
"Eris Kallis, Red Comet Custom, setting out!"
"Theo Gataki, Sinanju Cascadia, going!"
You see them launch out from the upper catapults, both riding Base Jabbers. They'll need those due to how far out your destination is.
"Mort Mallory, Methuss CT-4, sortieing!"
Mort's new MS passes you, assisted by a couple of makeshift orange boosters. Both of you are in MA mode for the long trip.
You have to admit, not only does the CT-4 (Cascadia Team 4) look really slick in MS mode, but it almost rivals yours for best looking MA mode too!
Almost.
"How's it handling, Mort?" You ask.
"Like a dream, Cybele. Thanks for getting this for me, even if you had to sell my old suit behind my back."
Ouch. Okay, he's still sore about that.
"Sicilia, Lord Frith, here I go!"
From the Bellerophon's central bay, the massive repaired Mobile Armor from Axis emerges, clad in a brand-new paint job and made fully functional through Rhea's tireless efforts. It visually looks the same, but under the hood it's a whole new beast.
You sort of wonder whether you'll be perceived as hostile, coming with this much firepower, but better safe than sorry.
Several minutes into the journey, you meet the team from the Shalimar. Three Jagd Dogas, the lead in black and red with the rear two in green. Like your team, they're using sub-flight systems. The Zeon Republic version is called "Shackles", like the AEUG version. It's pretty neat.
"Ensign Naese?" A woman with blue eyes and red hair appears on your monitor, "I'm 1st Lieutenant Rosenheim with the Zeon Republic. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." You look over her forces, "Only three Mobile Suits?"
She smirks, "Hey, I'll have you know that we're each worth ten MS each. Don't underestimate Republic SpecOps."
So, you're partnered up with some elites? Nice. Hopefully that'll make things go smoothly. They take up position in your formation and you talk shop with Rosenheim. Seems that she's a fan of Funnel swarms, so that'll be neat. Sure, Sicilia has some Funnels, but each Jagd Doga brings an extra six to the party.
Finding the location of the Jupitris-class isn't hard. It's been in a deceleration burn for days, and the resulting plume is almost visible to the naked eye. Exact details about what's going on are scarce, however… which is where Alex Team's EWACS Jegan comes in. It locates and thoroughly scans the incoming ship, revealing numerous unidentified Mobile Suits all over its hull. You're still too far away to tell what kind they are, though.
Unexpectedly, you also find something else.
"Federation Newtype Battlegroup," Rosenheim remarks as she looks over the footage with you, "That Alexandria-class has very distinctive markings. No doubt about it."
It's one Alexandria battleship escorted by two Salamis cruisers. Rosenheim is probably right about it being from the Fed Newtype division, but there's something else that gives them away.
A familiar Pressure… a presence that reminds you of the darkest day in your life.
It's Him. The Blue Wolf.
Distant movement on the deck seems to show them launching, and indeed, the thruster plumes of several MS can be seen heading towards the Jupiter ship.
Looks like you'll get your chance for another bout with your brother's killer.
"I'm seeing four… no, ten thruster plumes total launched from the Federation vessels." Christina reports to you and Rosenheim, "You know, if we change course now, we could intercept the Fed ships instead of the Jupiter fleet one. I doubt the Feds, Newtypes or not, will be willing to fight when their Carrier is gone."
"Perhaps, but that's not our mission." Rosenheim interjects, "We need to establish contact with that unknown ship."
True, it would be bad to change objectives right now, but… couldn't you just split the teams? There are a lot of you. Surely not everyone needs to head towards that Jupiter Fleet ship.
[] Suggest splitting the teams.
-[] You'll go help attack the carriers.
-[] You'll keep going to make contact with that ship.
[] Splitting the teams is a bad idea. You're sticking to the plan.
Author's Notes: Updated character profiles and such on the first page. Cybele now knows the names of Alex Team's members and what MS they fly, but not much else yet.
Edit: I should also mention that the Argama did indeed come with, but they're in a supporting role, with their forces in reserve. They won't get involved unless certain circumstances are met.
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- Pronouns
- Reader
Nope. Adults are just that oversensitive. Really, how did he expect to get a new suit? Given his model wasn't every battle a potential last ride?
No preference on the vote, though I will point out that Mort is in ship killer mode, so if we do split up, cascadia is better suited to taking out the carrier.
Frozen Flame
Fragment of the Devourer
- Location
- The Darkness Beyond Time
[X] Splitting the teams is a bad idea. You're sticking to the plan.
Going revenge crazy in a Gundam series is a one-way ticket to death, be it Cybele's or her allies'. The rematch can wait for later. Maybe not even that much later depending on how things go.
Going revenge crazy in a Gundam series is a one-way ticket to death, be it Cybele's or her allies'. The rematch can wait for later. Maybe not even that much later depending on how things go.
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Shapeless Phobos
Filthy Casual
[X] Splitting the teams is a bad idea. You're sticking to the plan.
I'd like to think Cybele proved herself a reliable team lead in our last mission, hopefully we can continue that trend...and also continue the trend of using newfound allies to overwhelm the Feddies.
I'd like to think Cybele proved herself a reliable team lead in our last mission, hopefully we can continue that trend...and also continue the trend of using newfound allies to overwhelm the Feddies.
- Location
- va
[X] Splitting the teams is a bad idea. You're sticking to the plan.
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
[X] Splitting the teams is a bad idea. You're sticking to the plan.
Higure
Witch of Faith
- Location
- The Golden Land
Wow, failure to communicate clearly and up front about things leads to problems? Who would have guessed?
Seriously, a surprise is nice, but a simple phone call to give people a chance to weigh in on major decisions about their lives is generally well-advised.
Seriously, a surprise is nice, but a simple phone call to give people a chance to weigh in on major decisions about their lives is generally well-advised.